Hong Kong: Unite to scale new heights Chief Executive John Lee Today, I am very pleased to celebrate with you the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. Our world and our times are undergoing historic changes in ways like never before. Despite the increasingly intricate and grave strategic environment, our country continues to achieve tremendous results. Over the past five years, Chinas economy has grown by an average annual rate of more than 5%, significantly higher than the global average of around 2.6%. With a gross domestic product reaching RMB121 trillion last year, China has further reinforced her important status as the worlds largest manufacturer, largest merchandise trader, largest holder of foreign currency reserves, second largest services trader, second largest consumer market, second largest economy and so on. On the journey to building China into a great country and realising the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, our motherland remains steadfast in opening up to the world and pursuing high-quality development. That brings unlimited opportunities to Hong Kong. This year, 2023, is a landmark year of multiple significance. To begin with, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt & Road Initiative. China has so far signed more than 200 Belt & Road co-operation documents with over 180 countries and international organisations. As a functional platform and key node for the initiative, and with the central governments support, Hong Kong is able to capitalise on its unique advantages to bring about mutual benefits in such areas as international project financing, offshore renminbi business, professional services support as well as economic, trade and people-to-people exchange and co-operation. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of CEPA - the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. The past 20 years saw a more than twofold increase in the total value of merchandise trade between the Mainland and Hong Kong, with a value exceeding HK$4.6 trillion last year. CEPA has also reinforced Hong Kongs attractiveness to Mainland and overseas investors. The number of regional headquarters and offices set up here by investors outside of Hong Kong has recorded a two-third increase over the past two decades. Moreover, this year is the 30th anniversary of Hshare listings in Hong Kong. To date, a total of around 1,430 H-share companies, red-chip companies and private companies from the Mainland have been listed in Hong Kong, accounting for some 55% of the total number of listed companies in the city. Mainland enterprises have a share of nearly 80% of the total market capitalisation in Hong Kong and contribute more than 80% of the equity turnover of our stock market. The total number of companies listed in Hong Kong has increased over threefold since 1993, from over 700 to 2,600 this August. These concrete figures clearly reflect Hong Kongs opportunities and achievements brought about by the development of our country. On the way forward, we should continue to leverage, under one country, two systems, our distinctive advantages of enjoying the Mainlands strong support and being closely connected to the world, actively integrate into the countrys overall development, and dovetail with the 14th Five-Year Plan, Greater Bay Area development, the Belt & Road Initiative and so on. We should strive to enhance our international competitiveness, promote economic development and improve peoples livelihood and well-being. Over the past year, Hong Kong has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and our economy is gradually improving. In the first half of this year, private consumption expenditure rose by 10.5% year-on-year, while exports of services grew markedly by about 20%. In the first eight months this year, the value of total retail sales increased by nearly 20%; in the first nine months, visitor arrivals surpassed 23 million; and the latest unemployment rate has decreased to 2.8%. We are going all out to boost economy, and we have launched the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign to vigorously promote the citys nighttime activities. A highlight of the campaign is definitely the return of the National Day Fireworks Display, which will light up the sky over Victoria Harbour tonight, after a five-year hiatus. The Government has taken the lead in rolling out a series of celebratory activities and special offers, in order to share the joy of the National Day with the public, making Hong Kong even more lively, festive and colourful during the holiday. The Government spares no effort to spur economic development, with the aim that our citizens will be able to enjoy a better and happier life in Hong Kong, our home. I will deliver the new Policy Address on October 25. Over the last two months or so of consultation, my team and I have conducted more than 40 consultation sessions, and I have visited different districts to gather public views. I deeply feel our citizens affection for Hong Kong and their aspirations for a better life. I will carefully consider and collate the views received, and draw up relevant measures, which will then be announced in my Policy Address. I will do my utmost for the peoples livelihood and the economy. Fellow citizens, distinguished guests and friends, Hong Kong is at a crucial stage of advancing from stability to prosperity. We should treasure every opportunity to pursue economic development and enhance the citys competitiveness. I am glad to see the strong consensus in Hong Kong society in this regard. We are facing an ever-changing environment, yet it is where opportunities and challenges co-exist. I believe that, as the old Chinese saying goes, great accomplishments require ambition and tireless effort. As long as we share the same ambition, stand as one and keep working hard, we will certainly scale new heights. Hong Kong people have weathered a number of storms and can withstand any test. Being resourceful and flexible, Hong Kong people have turned many crises into opportunities, and Hong Kong has always emerged even more successful and outstanding than before. Let us be united and work together - for the building of China into a great country through Chinese modernisation, for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and for the longterm prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Thank you. This is the English translation of Chief Executive John Lees speech at the National Day Reception in Celebration of the 74th Anniversary of the Founding of the Peoples Republic of China on October 1. This story has been published on: 2023-10-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A Montana judge temporarily blocks a state law that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors as they wait for a lawsuit to proceed. On Wednesday, a Montana state judge temporarily blocked a state law that would have implemented a ban on gender-affirming care for minors starting on Sunday. The decision was made as they waited for a lawsuit that patients and medical professionals filed to proceed. In his 47-page ruling, Judge Jason Marks wrote that the plaintiffs were able to demonstrate that they are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the state law goes into effect. Montana's Gender-Affirming Care for Minors The Montana judge wrote that the record of the legislative debate over the bill was "replete with animus toward transgender persons." He added that it simply mischaracterized the nature of the treatments. The cases included lawmakers' statements that conveyed "personal, moral, or religious disapproval of gender transition. Marks, who previously served as a prosecutor and a public defender, was appointed to his current role in 2019 by Steve Bullock, the former Democratic governor of the state. Montana quickly became a flashpoint in the debate over transgender rights after Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the first openly transgender woman elected to the State Legislature, was barred from the House floor over a speech, as per the New York Times. Her remarks included warning colleagues that they would have "blood on your hands" if they passed the controversial measure. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte supported the ban and said it protects children in the state from permanent, life-altering medical procedures until they are mature enough to make such serious health decisions. Three Montana families with transgender children and two medical professionals filed a lawsuit in July in Missoula District Court. They asserted that the state law infringed on several protections guaranteed by the State Constitution. These are the right to equal protection under the law, the right of parents to make decisions about their children's medical care, and the right to privacy. Additionally, the attorney general's office has maintained that lawmakers are within their right to ban a field of medicine that they regard as experimental and dangerous. A more sensible approach is known as "watchful waiting," which includes psychotherapy but not medical interventions that some people later said they regretted taking. Read Also: California's New Gun Control Legislation Restricts Firearms in Public, Boosts Gun Sales Taxes Temporary Block of the State Law Judge Marks noted that the same Republican-controlled legislature previously passed a law that said patients, including minors, have a right to receive treatment with experimental drugs as long as a health care provider recommends it and that they give their consent to the procedure, according to Yahoo News. The Montana judge added that he could only conclude the legislature's stated intent in passing the law was "disingenuous" and said that it seemed that the purpose was to ban an outcome deemed undesirable by the Montana Legislature but disguised as protection of minors. The controversial law in question is known as SB 99 or the "Youth Health Protection Act." It would ban puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone treatment, and transgender surgical procedures for minors with gender dysphoria. A spokesperson for Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Emilee Cantrell, said they would continue to fight to protect the state's children, according to Fox News. Related Article: Texas Governor Belittles NYC Migrant Crisis, Claiming It's 'Calm' Compared to Theirs @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT Free Report) by 9.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 47,900 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 4,200 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement Systems holdings in New York Times were worth $1,886,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in NYT. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in New York Times during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Machina Capital S.A.S. bought a new stake in New York Times in the 1st quarter valued at about $43,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in New York Times in the 2nd quarter valued at about $56,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC lifted its position in New York Times by 31.9% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 1,510 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank bought a new stake in New York Times in the 1st quarter valued at about $61,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.37% of the companys stock. Get New York Times alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts have commented on NYT shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of New York Times from $41.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of New York Times from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Guggenheim raised their target price on shares of New York Times from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, August 10th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of New York Times from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of New York Times from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 24th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $42.00. New York Times Price Performance Shares of NYT opened at $41.20 on Friday. The New York Times Company has a one year low of $28.16 and a one year high of $45.30. The company has a 50-day moving average of $42.40 and a two-hundred day moving average of $39.80. The stock has a market cap of $6.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.87 and a beta of 1.02. New York Times (NYSE:NYT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $590.85 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $580.56 million. New York Times had a net margin of 7.45% and a return on equity of 14.81%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.24 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that The New York Times Company will post 1.48 earnings per share for the current year. New York Times Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 26th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.07%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 6th. New York Timess dividend payout ratio is currently 41.51%. Insider Buying and Selling at New York Times In other news, Chairman Arthur G. Sulzberger sold 8,500 shares of New York Times stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.23, for a total value of $375,955.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 101,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,497,792.93. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CAO R Anthony Benten sold 8,401 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.30, for a total value of $372,164.30. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 41,575 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,841,772.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Arthur G. Sulzberger sold 8,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.23, for a total transaction of $375,955.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 101,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,497,792.93. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 50,689 shares of company stock worth $2,233,298 over the last ninety days. 2.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. New York Times Company Profile (Free Report) The New York Times Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides news and information for readers and viewers across various platforms worldwide. It offers The New York Times (The Times), a daily and Sunday newspaper in the United States, as well as international edition of The Times; and operates the NYTimes.com website. Read More Receive News & Ratings for New York Times Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New York Times and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Da Lat fourth cheapest Asia-Pacific destination for year-end holiday By Hoang Minh Sun, October 1, 2023 | 9:19 am GTM+7 The Central Highlands town of Da Lat ranks fourth in a list of 10 cheapest Asia-Pacific destinations for the year-end holiday season compiled by online travel agency Agoda. Tuyen Lam Lake in Da Lat town, Lam Dong province, Vietnam's Central Highlands. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency. An Agoda report said that the average room rate in Da Lat was $68, only more expensive than Hat Yai in Thailand ($43), Yogyakarta in Indonesia ($56) and Kuching in Malaysia ($60). The rates were based on an analysis of average room rates of tourist destinations across the region in December 2231, 2023. Da Lat is a popular tourist destination year-round, but especially worth a visit during the Christmas and New Year season. The town is transformed into a winter wonderland, with twinkling lights, festive decorations and a joyful atmosphere, the report said. The towns cool weather was ideal to explore its hotspots like the Crazy House, Xuan Huong Lake and the flower-filled Valley of Love, it added. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a family-friendly vacation, or a festive celebration, Da Lat is the perfect place to visit during Christmas and New Year. 2023 has seen a great resurgence in travel across Asia as people reconnect with friends, family and loved ones and that special end-of-year holiday window is likely to be no different said Lam Vu, country director Vietnam at Agoda. But whether youre on a solo adventure or making memories with loved ones, traveling during peak season means higher demand, so finding that special bargain can make all the difference. By highlighting the tourist destinations with the most affordable average accommodation rates, Agoda helps travelers, whatever their budget, celebrate the year-end in style, Vu said. The other cheapest destinations in Asia-Pacific region on the list were Goa in India, Baguio in the Philippines, Nagoya in Japan, Taichung in Taiwan, Melbourne in Australia and Busan in South Korea. Situated on a plateau around 1,500 meters above sea level, Da Lat enjoys year-round cool weather that stands in contrast to Vietnam's tropical climate. It used to be a summer hideout for French officials who built villas in the hills to escape the heat and humidity of the lowlands. Da Lat is also known as one of Vietnams biggest flower-growing regions, producing around three billion blooms every year. Last July, budget carrier Vietjet launched a direct route connecting the resort town of Da Lat with Busan, the largest coastal city of South Korea - the biggest source of tourists for Vietnam. In 2023, Da Lat aims to welcome 6.5 million tourists, an increase of 18.2% from the previous year. This includes 250,000 international visitors, up 67% year-on-year. In the first eight months of this year, Da Lat welcomed 4.7 million visitors, up 1.8% year-on-year. Vietnam welcomed 8.9 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of the year, surpassing the year target of 8 million as the country relaxed visa policies. Top Vietnamese coffee brand Trung Nguyen opens first US outlet By Huu Binh Sun, October 1, 2023 | 8:44 am GTM+7 Vietnamese premium coffee chain Trung Nguyen Legend officially opened its first outlet in the U.S. Friday, following up on its overseas expansion strategy. The 1,300-square-foot store is located in Californias Little Sai Gon neighbourhood, Westminster city, home to a large number of Vietnamese diaspora. The store serves filter coffee and espresso drinks using 100% Vietnam-grown Robusta and Arabica coffee beans sourced from Dak Lak provinces Buon Ma Thuot town - the coffee capital of Vietnam. It also serves egg coffee - a Vietnamese specialty made of egg yolk, sugar, condensed milk, and Robusta coffee. We want to bring Vietnamese coffee culture to the US. Its not just a drink to us, its more about sitting down, enjoying each others company and building connections with people, said Jennie Tang, CEO of H&L Wholesale Food Corporation a distributor of Trung Nguyens packaged retail coffee in the US. The Trung Nguyen Legend Cafe that opened on September 29, 2023 in Westminster city, California, the U.S. Photo courtesy of Trung Nguyen Legend. The new cafe is part of Trung Nguyen Legends efforts to spread Vietnamese coffee and coffee culture across the world. It is planning to develop 1,000 stores in the billion-strong Chinese market, and 100 in the U.S. It also intends to open coffee spaces in Japan, South Korea, Dubai, France and other countries in Asia and Europe. Founded in 1996, Trung Nguyen Legend currently operates 110 stores in Vietnam and three outlets in China, where the coffee chain made its international debut in September 2022. Trung Nguyen Legend also distributes packaged retail coffee to more than 60 countries, including the US, where it has had a presence in supermarkets for over 20 years. Alongside stocking Trung Nguyens G7 Coffee, Legend Instant Coffee and the brands other packaged coffee products, the business also distributes packaged retail tea from Phuc Long and a range of sauces, seasonings, dried products, rice and snacks. H&L Wholesale Food Corporation was established in 2001 with the goal of supplying US households with Asian food and beverages retail products. Vietnam ready for semiconductor development: minister By Minh Anh Sun, October 1, 2023 | 9:05 am GTM+7 Vietnam has all the conditions and factors required to develop a semiconductor ecosystem, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said, as the country seeks to climb the global value chain. Addressing the Vietnam Business Summit on semiconductor development in Southeast Asia in Hanoi on Friday, the minister named Vietnams stable politics, favorable geographic location, and the governments priority in this field as the main factors. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Information and Communications and other agencies to build a strategy and follow-up actions to grow this industry, he noted. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung addresses the Vietnam Business Summit 2023 in Hanoi, September 29, 2023. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Secondly, Vietnam has an abundant technical and technological workforce that fits this industry. In addition, the country has capable education centers and resourceful corporations like Viettel, VNPT, FPT and CMC that are ready to join the cause. Thirdly, Vietnam is becoming increasingly attractive to semiconductor-related businesses from the U.S., South Korea, and Taiwan. Since upgrading Vietnam-U.S. relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership the highest designation in Vietnams diplomatic hierarchy, the two countries have decided to foster strategic cooperation in semiconductors. Fourthly, Vietnam applies the maximum regulatory incentives to high-technology sectors, including semiconductors. Fifthly, Vietnam has set up the Hanoi-based National Innovation Center (NIC) and three high-tech parks in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City that are open to semiconductor investors with appealing preferences, the minister noted. Speaking at the event, Linda Tan, president of the Southeast Asia Semiconductor Association (SEMI SEA), highlighted that Vietnam is a potential partner in advancing the regional semiconductor ecosystem and is likely to gain a higher status in this industry. Vietnams semiconductor market is estimated to be worth $1.65 billion and forecast to boast a compound annual growth rate of 6.12% in the 2022-2027 period. Highly regarding the potential collaboration between Vietnam and the region and elsewhere, Minister Dung called on companies already present in Vietnam to expand operations and others to explore investment opportunities here. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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This is the 26th lecture in the series established to honor founding Dean Hiram H. Lesar. A reception starts the festivities at 5 p.m. in the law schools formal lounge. The event is free and open to the public. Jill Wine-Banks is a trailblazer, School of Law Dean Camille Davidson said. She recognizes all we have accomplished as women, while also being aware there are still too many firsts taking place in 2023. We look forward to her insights as our school of law celebrates 50 years of serving the public good. Davidson added that Wine-Banks visit fits with the universitys Imagine2030 strategic plan and its pillar of diversity, equity and inclusion. A graduate of the Columbia University School of Law, Wine-Banks began her career as the first woman to serve as an organized crime prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. At just 30 years old, Wine-Banks trial capabilities and win record resulted in her selection in as the only woman among three assistant Watergate special prosecutors in the obstruction of justice trial against President Richard Nixons top aides. Wine-Banks was a major player in the Watergate tapes hearing, where she cross-examined Rose Mary Woods, Nixons secretary, about the 18 minute gap in a key White House recording. While the barriers for women in the legal profession are not as prevalent as they were in the 1970s, Wine-Banks said that without passage of the Equal Rights Amendment women in all professions and as homemakers face discrimination and will never be equal. Most discrimination today is more subtle, so it's harder to fight and easier to ignore, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission now exists, women support each other more and the numbers are too large to ignore now, she said. When I started, few women were in any profession. Only 4% of all lawyers were women, and almost none of those were litigators, so I had to make up the rules. Wine-Banks career after the Watergate case included private practice in Washington, D.C., and then being named general counsel of the U.S. Army by then President Jimmy Carter. After returning to private practice as a partner at Jenner and Block, Wine-Banks was appointed Illinois first solicitor general and later the states first female deputy attorney general, where she argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Illinois Supreme Court. Wine-Banks was the first woman appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American Bar Association and had a corporate career with Motorola and Maytag. Wine-Banks, author of the 2020 book The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President, said she hopes those who attend the lecture will see where we were, where we are, where we have to be and be motivated and inspired to help us get there. Both in terms of the ERA and speaking up to get what you want and deserve. Watergate and the impeachment of President Donald Trump have many similarities, she said. Both were based on evidence presented in congressional and impeachment hearings. In one of Trumps cases, the conduct was seen on television in real time, she said. There were a few lessons learned from Watergate, Wine-Banks said, including that our country can survive crime in the Oval Office and upper echelons of government; that the pardon of Nixon by President Gerald Ford was not best for the country and its future and that agreed facts and bipartisanship are important. Jill Wine-Banks will be available for interviews prior to the lecture. To arrange for interviews, contact Carly Holtkamp, director of external relations, SIU School of Law, at carly.holtkamp@siu.edu or 618-453-8312. SPRINGFIELD Downstate members of Illinois' congressional delegation expressed a mix of frustration and resignation over the increasing likelihood that the federal government will shut down on Sunday. The sentiment comes as federal lawmakers continued working vainly into the weekend towards reaching an agreement on a spending plan, with the Democratic-controlled Senate advancing a bipartisan bill that would fund the government for about a month-and-a-half. But that plan has been rejected by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose own plan to keep the government open failed Friday afternoon after 21 far-right Republicans joined with Democrats to tank it. McCarthy has been imperiled for weeks by the arch-conservative bloc of his caucus, who have threatened to oust him from his role if he compromises on a spending plan. "I think Speaker McCarthy is more focused on keeping his own job than keeping the government running," Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, told Lee Enterprises in an interview. "He is putting his own job above country. And I don't say that lightly. And we see that because there was a bipartisan agreement that should have been our north star as to how we were going to pass a budget to keep the government open." Budzinski said that, under pressure from his most conservative members, McCarthy "is walking back" on the funding levels that he agreed to in the debt ceiling deal he cut with President Joe Biden this summer. The frustration among members of Congress from both parties has been palpable, though Democrats have been more direct in their critiques of McCarthy and the conservative holdouts. Budzinski and Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, though fashioning themselves as bipartisan dealmakers, both referred to the small cohort of House Republicans in separate interviews as the "chaos caucus." "In any previous Congress, this wouldn't be a problem because we're in agreement," Sorensen said. "But what's happening today is there's a very small faction of extremists in our government that have taken everything hostage." Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, though criticizing Democrats for not getting on board with the GOP-backed appropriations bills that passed earlier in the week, said it "makes no sense to me" why his fellow conservatives would not support McCarthy's stopgap measure to keep the government open. "I don't have an answer for what they do or why they do it," Bost said. "I am a governing conservative. The bills that we have passed so far are some of the very most conservative bills dealing with the ... national debt ... fully funding veterans, fully funding the military and still making sure that Social Security and all of these issues are taken care of." "The bad thing is that we have, I believe, negotiated in good faith to get them on board," Bost continued. "And I don't know whether they have a problem with the speaker or whether they just want to get on Fox News (or) whether they want to get likes on their social media page." Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, was among the 21 far-right members who voted Friday against McCarthy's short-term spending bill that would have kept the government open, though she did support four appropriations bills that passed on a partisan roll Thursday night. Those are viewed as having little to no chance of passage in the Senate. "I voted no on the continuing resolution because I will not be part of the process to kick government funding down the road until the holidays, when Senate and House 'insiders' will agree to ram through some massive omnibus with Ukraine funding behind closed doors," Miller said in a statement. American aid for the war-torn eastern European country has become a hot-button topic in the government funding debate, with some House conservatives seeking it removed from the larger defense spending bill. With all this, most members who spoke with Lee Enterprises seemed resigned to the view that it is not a matter of if there will be a shutdown, but how long it will last. Bost said that even if progress was made in the next 24 hours, the process of reaching consensus between the House, Senate and White House would likely take time. "I think it is responsible to be starting to prepare for the likelihood of what looks like will be a shutdown on the 30th," added Budzinski. Sorensen said he was worried about the 7,448 federal workers that live in his district who will go without a paycheck during a shutdown. He said constituents will feel it in other ways too, such as pregnant women, new mothers and children who will lose access to the WIC nutrition assistance program. Or those who need passports if they are planning to travel for the holidays. "These are the real impacts that we're going to have in our district and that's just here at the beginning," Sorensen said. "If this is a prolonged shutdown, then the ramifications get greater and greater with each passing day." Bost, who has 11,026 federal workers in his district, which includes Scott Air Force Base, said he was worried about the impact a shutdown could have on servicemembers and veterans. "A shutdown is bad," Bost said. Budzinski said she would support the continuing resolution that has garnered bipartisan support in the Senate if it is brought for a vote in the House. "It very closely aligns with what was negotiated with by Speaker McCarthy and President Biden during the debt ceiling discussion and something that I already voted for," she said. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Sorensen said he's "an eternal optimist," noting his belief that "85% of the people in Congress today are here to do the work of the people." "I do believe that common sense could prevail here," Sorensen said. But the clock is ticking. U.S. states with the most job openings U.S. States With the Most Job Openings Hires have failed to keep pace with soaring job openings The leisure and hospitality industry has the most job openings Alaska and Hawaii have the highest job openings rates 15. West Virginia 14. Indiana 13. Maryland 12. Massachusetts 11. North Carolina 10. Missouri 9. Vermont 8. South Carolina 7. Michigan 6. Wyoming 5. New Hampshire 4. Georgia 3. Montana 2. Hawaii 1. Alaska The Slovak foreign minister is letting Hungarys ruling party know that hes fed up with its belligerent tone. From Dennik N. Viktor Orban is a Hungarian nationalist. Robert Fico is a Slovak nationalist. In spite of that, relationships between the two countries were almost perfect while the two were in power simultaneously. More precisely, problems were not mentioned. On the other hand, Slovakias current foreign minister, Ivan Korcok, is a diplomat and a European liberal. But it is he who is showing Hungary where not to tread, as long as Budapest cares about maintaining good relations. The explanation for this apparent paradox is quite simple. Orban and Fico [Slovak prime minister in 20062010 and 20122018, when he resigned amid the scandal over journalist Jan Kuciaks murder] had a common enemy and a similar worldview. This allowed them to put aside the mutual national animosity that came to them naturally suffice it to recall Ficos first coalition government with nationalist parties, or Fideszs nostalgia for a Greater Hungary. Instead, they chose to focus their efforts on misusing European funds and stoking hatred against foreigners. Korcoks dislike of both practices has made it more likely that the Foreign Ministry would act much more assertively towards the corrupt enemy of democracy that is Orban. It was a mistake not to proceed in this manner on topics such as Hungarys scandalous law targeting sexual minorities. On the other hand, the ministry is taking a forceful approach more and more often in relation to issues which directly influence relations between the two countries. An example of this was the ministers unusual and somewhat unfortunate series of Facebook posts in the summer, in which he strongly objected to statements made by Orbans ideologue Laszlo Kover [about the postwar expulsion of Hungarians from Czechoslovakia]. More recently, Korcok chose a more suitable form, welcoming Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto during his visit to Slovakia with a letter, worded in a calm and friendly manner, in which he objected to some truly unacceptable practices of Orbans government. For instance, the Hungarian government is investing hundreds of millions of euros in buying up agricultural land in neighboring countries. According to Korcok, this practice contravenes an international treaty between the two countries. [Transitions note: After this commentary appeared, the Hungarian government dropped its plan to buy agricultural land in neighboring countries with Hungarian minorities.] Both countries are members of the EU, where every citizen or company can buy real estate wherever they want. But why have a foreign government purchase land on the territory of a neighboring country, if this will necessarily lead to a suspicion of Orban marking territory he considers to historically belong to Hungary and where he wants to strengthen his influence, which he has anyway been buying for years through shady financial support of ethnic Hungarian minority parties and other organizations? It can be assumed that Korcok will now once again be the target of Orbans ally [Slovak parliamentarian of Hungarian ethnicity] Gyorgy Gyimesi, who already called him a mercenary and a Hungarophobe in the past. Similar criticism, whoever may raise it, is, however, incorrect. Putting up obstacles to Orban is not an expression of Hungarophobia. Whoever tries to make it look that way is committing an argumentative foul similar to that of dictators and semi-dictators calling criticism of their deeds an attack on the entire country. Which, of course, is not the case. Naturally, one needs to proceed with caution, because the last thing Slovakia needs is a conflict with Hungary, as this would inevitably spill over into domestic politics through the Hungarian minority living in Slovakia. However, there are moments when a sovereign state should speak up, and Korcok is right to do so on this subject. Roman Pataj heads the commentary and opinion desk at the Slovak newspaper Dennik N. This comment first appeared on Dennik N. Transitions has done some editing for clarity and context. Reprinted with permission. Translated by Matus Nemeth. (Photo : Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Republican lawmakers reject bill proposed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, siding with Democrats against the stopgap bill. Republican lawmakers shut down a bill proposed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in an attempt to avoid a government shutdown that could come in less than 48 hours. The speaker also said that money for Ukraine should be dropped from the stopgap spending bill in order to avert the potential financial crisis. McCarthy said that if they can have a clean bill without Ukraine on it, they might be able to push it through. Potential Government Shutdown The Republican added that if the Senate puts Ukraine on the bill and focuses on the European nation over the United States, it could cause real problems. The House speaker said that if the Senate produces a bill "in the manner that they are" it will likely lead to a government shutdown. McCarthy said that there is a way to solve that issue as he called for lawmakers to once again provide a "clean" bill to keep the government funded. However, if the Senate moves forward with Ukraine in their continuing resolution, the speaker said it would be a non-starter, as per CNN. The GOP lawmaker seemed to be open to negotiating around funding levels and did not draw a red line on border security. The House is expected to remain in session next week and cancel their scheduled recess to try and address the pressing issue. McCarthy and his leadership team sought to see if there was any willingness of the 21 holdouts to accept a short-term spending bill to keep the government open for a couple more weeks. However, 21 GOP lawmakers crossed over to vote with every Democrat against the stopgap bill on Friday, resulting in a vote of 232-198. Read Also: House GOP Pushes Through With Joe Biden Impeachment Hearing In a statement, Rep. Ralph Norman said that some of the GOP holdouts indicated during the conference that they could be willing to back a short-term spending bill now that leadership laid out a clear schedule for the rest of the spending bills. The stopgap bill that Republican holdouts voted against would have extended government funding by 30 days. It would have also slashed spending and restricted immigration, which are Republican priorities that had little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate, according to Reuters. Republican Proposals The development left the GOP with no clear strategy to prevent a government shutdown that would result in the closing of national parts, disrupting salaries for up to 4 million federal workers, and affecting everything from financial oversight to scientific research. It also remained unclear whether or not the Senate would act in time to prevent the potential catastrophe. The chamber was due to take up a bipartisan bill on Saturday afternoon that would fund the government through Nov. 17. However, procedural obstacles could delay a final vote until Tuesday. The House GOP's continuing resolution proposal also included an amendment to cut spending for its month-long duration to fiscal 2022 levels, which is roughly $130 billion less than the current year's. McCarthy and his allies have accused Republican hardliners of siding with Democratic lawmakers and giving Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House more leverage to pass government funding without conservative policy riders, said Fox News. Related Article: Gaetz, McCarthy Face Off in Tense Interaction in Heated Meeting Ahead of Government Shutdown @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Before the railway system closed, and reversed the fortunes of vast swathes of Trinidad, there was a thriving village called St Johns, deep in the interior of Trinidad, where people lived with little complaint. No one became rich, but no one went without since there was wildlife cavorting right behind your house, you ate what you planted in forest gardens, and people lived in airy homes constructed strong by the village men using the timber pulled out of the bush by bison power. The signing ceremony at the second China-T&T Investment Cooperation Forum. In photo is Ambassador Fang Qiu, third from left, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, second from right, and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Avinash G Singh, far right. Various business chambers have welcomed the call-out of members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force volunteers to support the crime fight. However, they have some concerns. This follows a proclamation from President Christine Kangaloo on Monday calling out to duty 100 Trinidad and Tobago Volunteer Defence Force to strengthen the TTDF capabilities to support the police The proclamation went into effect on Monday and will end February 29, 2024. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I really cant understand what the hype is about with respect to the President calling out t (Photo : ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT - Cars in floodwater on the FDR highway in Manhattan, New York on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains overnight in the northeastern United States left parts of New York City under water on Friday, partially paralyzing subways and airports in the country's financial capital. Record-setting rainfall overwhelmed New York City's wastewater system, sending a surge of floodwater through streets, cellars, schools, subways, and vehicles throughout the most populous city in the United States. The swift and violent rise of the water caught some commuters off guard during Friday morning's rush hour. New York Streets and Subways Flood When necessary, first responders sprang into action, rescuing people from stranded vehicles and basements that were filling like bathtubs. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York received more rainfall in a single day than any other since 1948. Per CNN, Brooklyn received a month's worth of rain in just three hours on Friday morning when it was pummeled by the storm's most intense rainfall rates. According to scientists, the prolific totals are a symptom of climate change, with a warmed atmosphere capable of soaking up more water vapor and then releasing it in intense bursts that can easily overwhelm outmoded flood protections. By late Friday afternoon, 3 to 6 inches of rain had fallen throughout New York City. The evening will see an increase in precipitation, though it will progressively subside. Friday morning, as the worst of the inundation struck New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency. Hochul warned New Yorkers not to travel due to pervasive hazardous conditions. According to the New York City Fire Department, firefighters performed rescue operations at six inundated cellars in New York City. New York City school chancellor David Banks said the water also entered 150 of New York City's 1,400 schools, which remained open on Friday. Floodwater overflowed into subways and onto railways and caused "significant disruptions," including suspensions of service on 10 train lines in Brooklyn and all three Metro-North train lines. Hochul said the city is deploying additional transportation to help make up for the train disruptions. Read Also: California Homelessness: Sacramento City Faces Lawsuit as Streets Overflow With Homeless Encampments Extreme Weather in New York Causes Flight Delays Meanwhile, travelers attempting to leave New York on budget airlines from LaGuardia airport encountered ankle-deep water due to pervasive inundation. The airport was forced to close Terminal A, from which Spirit and Frontier flights depart, as floodwaters rushed through the structure. Photos and videos posted online depicted frantic passengers attempting to escape a flooded terminal, the New York Post reported. One woman even shared footage from inside one of the terminals, revealing to her TikTok followers that water was flowing through the building's revolving doors and over her footwear. Mayor Eric Adams have declared a State of Emergency for New York City - Over 7 inches of rain in Brooklyn. - Twenty-three million people are under a flood watch across parts of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut - By 1 PM this afternoon most of NYC received over 5-6 inches pic.twitter.com/TXDLhmm3tQ Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) September 29, 2023 New York Flash flood pic.twitter.com/rQMqWONZ0M cathy (@cathyrmoore) September 29, 2023 In response to the inundation, LaGuardia Airport officials announced that Terminal A would be temporarily closed and passengers would be transferred to Terminal C. All Spirit Airlines flights departing from Terminal C have been canceled until 3 p.m., while Frontier Airlines will operate its remaining two flights from Terminal C. Additionally, the airport advised passengers on X to "validate their flight status before traveling to the airport." Flight Aware, a website that monitors airport traffic, reported that as of 1 p.m., LaGuardia had reported 44 delays and 50 flight cancellations. Additionally, nearby John F. Kennedy Airport reported 42 delayed flights and 9 cancellations. Separately, New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency for the five boroughs and implored New Yorkers to remain at home or take sanctuary at work or school. He stated, "This is a perilous situation that is not over." The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning, citing a "hazardous and life-threatening situation" caused by the storm, which is predicted to bring up to 10 inches of rain to some areas of the region. At 1:30 p.m., the National Weather Service recorded that LaGuardia Airport reported 3.65 inches of precipitation and JFK International Airport reported 6.12 inches. By this time, portions of New York City had already received 6 inches of precipitation. The entire tri-state area remains under a flood watch until Saturday at 6 a.m., with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour possible at times. Related Article: Drought-Stricken Mississippi River Threatens Louisiana, New Orleans Water Supply @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend summer camp at little or no cost to their families. Since 1947, the Sportsmens Fund has helped pay for 44,033 children to go to camp. Were one of the oldest 501(c )(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient, with 97 cents from every dollar going to send kids to camp. We send local kids to weeklong YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout overnight camps, as well as overnight camping at Camp Tatiyee for school-age children and teens with special needs. So far, weve received 915 donations totaling $186,915 and bills totaling $207,490 for 539 campers. We hope to make our deficit with our long-time fundraiser, The Cork Fun Chili Cook Off, on Saturday, Oct. 14, at The Cork Tucson, 6320 E. Tanque Verde Road, from noon to 2 p.m. Local restaurants donate their best chili most imagined specifically for the event for the public to sample and judge. Tickets at the door are $10. Restaurants scheduled to cook are The Cork Tucson, Casino del Sol, Eclectic Cafe, Saddlehorn Saloon, The Barnyard, Noble Hops, Brushfire BBQ, Canyons Crown, Finis Landing, Fire Truck Brewing Co. and Floras Market Run. This is our 19th Chili Cook Off. Last year we raised $25,463. To date we have raised $262,593. Your contribution to the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund Send A Kid to Camp fund qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Our code is 20450. Donations are welcome throughout the year. Recent donations include: Marilyn Dutari, $75. Mindy and Fred Hirsh, $72. Judith A. Manelis, $1,000. One anonymous donation $312.65. An 88-year-old woman was killed Friday evening in a head-on DUI-related crash Friday evening, Tucson police said. Dorothy Smith Weaver was a passenger in a Toyota Avalon headed east in the 9200 block of East Old Spanish Trail about 6:40 p.m. when police say the driver of a westbound silver Mazda 3 sedan swerved into oncoming traffic, police said in a news release. The Mazda slammed head-on into the Toyota near South Gollob Road, killing Weaver. The driver of the Mazda was determined to be impaired and will face charges related to the crash after being released from the hospital, the news release said. This is Walk-N-Roll to School Week, in which Pima County encourages students to use active transportation to get to school during the first week of October. The purpose is to promote active ways to get to school, such as walking, biking, scootering, skateboarding or rollerblading in order to reduce congestion and emissions from motor vehicles near schools, the countys website says. The Oct. 2-6 event also promotes physical fitness, builds community, and inspires families to use their feet more often for their school commute. The promotion is held annually in thousands of schools around the U.S. in celebration of National Walk to School Week. Students from participating schools in Pima County receive gifts, bike-safe reflective decals, stickers and pencils. Also, each school gets a scooter to offer as a grand prize in a drawing. Registration for the weeks events closed on Sept. 22. Hosts are the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and the county Health Department. For more information, see pima.gov/565/Walk-N-Roll-to-School. Tips on safe walking and biking for students are available at the Safe Routes to Schools website, saferoutestucson.org/riders-walkers-program. Schools can also request presentations on safety tips by emailing saferoutes@livingstreetsalliance.org. Marana Unified School District, in one local example, is promoting Walk-N-Roll to School Week on its home page and says these schools are participating all or part of this week: Coyote Trail Elementary, Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8, DeGrazia Elementary, Estes Elementary, Gladden Farms Elementary, Twin Peaks K-8 and Quail Run Elementary. UA-bound Sunnyside seniors Sunnyside High School says its 168 seniors and counting admitted to the University of Arizona rank the school as the number one spot in the nation for number of high school seniors to apply and be admitted to the UA. The high school, UAs Wilbur the Wildcat mascot and the UA Office of Undergraduate Admissions celebrated those college-bound seniors in a Cats Day assembly Sept. 26. Desert View High School, also in Sunnyside District, currently holds the number three spot in the nation for a single high schools number of seniors admitted to UA, the district said in a news release. Desert Views 119 admitted seniors, so far, were congratulated at a similar event on Sept. 21. Tucson College and Career Night Tucson Unified School District will host a College & Career Night on Oct. 17, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center. Colleges from around the United States will talk to students and parents, answer questions and hand out materials, TUSD says on its website. There is no charge for admission or parking for students and parents who attend. Prior to the event, TUSD asks those who want to attend to register for a barcode at Strive Fair registration, strivescan.com. At the event, show your barcode to colleges who will scan it to send you more information about their schools. The day after the fair, you will receive a report with information on colleges with whom you scanned. For more information, visit tusd1.org/tucson-college-night or call 520-225-6211. In the Santa Rita Mountains, about 35 miles south of Tucson, are the former Ruelas Ranch and nearby Ruelas Spring. The name for both derives from Feliz Ruelas, a member of a prominent ranching family. Feliz Ruelas was born to Francisco and Sacramento (Cruz) Ruelas on May 21, 1860, in Tucson, Arizona County, Territory of New Mexico. The couple already had children Petra, Placido, and Felipa, and would later have Sotero, Francisca, Maria, Gregoria and Encarnacion. His father, Francisco, was a farmer, owning a large piece of land west of Tucson, and is known to have owned a house in the village of Tucson. His widowed grandmother, Teresa Siqueiros, was a schoolmistress in the village. Its likely she worked at a private school run by schoolmaster Jesus Garcia in Tucson. This school existed years before Augustus Brichta and John Spring opened their schools. Little is known about Feliz Ruelas childhood, but it was likely similar to that of other boys in the sunbaked adobe village. After doing his chores, he likely ran with his siblings in the dirt streets bearing names like Calle de las Milpas (Street of the Fields, which led to the agricultural fields west of Tucson), or played games in Calle del Arroyo (Wash Street, now Pennington Street), the wash that at one point likely ran through the village to the Santa Cruz River. In January 1868, his brother Placido attended Augustus Brichtas public school, which taught 55 boys and was located in a dirt-floored adobe building. Its possible that Ruelas attended it with his brother. By 1870, it is known that Ruelas was in some type of school, probably private. In late 1870, his father, who was fairly wealthy by this point, owning about $10,000 (about $233,000 today) worth of property, was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors. Francisco Ruelas took office on Jan. 2, 1871, but resigned from the board on Jan. 20, 1871, for unknown reasons. A few months later, Francisco Ruelas was one of 146 people engaged in a retaliatory attack against the Aravaipa Apache that came to be known as the Camp Grant Massacre. His involvement was likely connected with the killing of his brother Pedro by the Aravaipa Apache in 1847. By 1876, Francisco had purchased the old Point of Mountain stage station and some surrounding land about 18 miles northwest of Tucson (in the Marana area) and had the El Charco del Yuma ranch. The name of the ranch existed before this time and was probably a shortening for El Charco del Camino Yuma, likely because there was a pool of water (charco) that was permanent or semi-permanent. It was an important water source near Yuma Road, which ran northwest from Tucson to the Gila River and then southwest to the Colorado River, where Fort Yuma and the Yuma Indians (Quechan) were located. The name El Charco del Yuma, or just Charco Yuma, around this time was also applied to two former Hohokam settlements there, divided by the tail end of the Tucson Mountains. To the west of the Tucson Mountains was Charco Yuma East (now called the Huntington Ruins by some), and to the east of the Tucson Mountains was Charco Yuma West (now called Los Morteros). Its possible that people around this time believed the village ruins, which undoubtedly had catchments, were once inhabited by the Yuma instead of the Hohokam. Franciscos son, Sotero, spent much of his teenage years at the old stage stop and ranch and, by 1895, had a ranch just north of his fathers ranch in the area of what is now called El Rio Preserve. Its possible that Francisco or Francisco and Sotero drove their cattle to a verdant canyon in the Tortolita Mountains during the drier seasons and pastured them there for many years, and that this later led to the naming of Ruelas Canyon. In August 1878, Feliz Ruelas bought a one-half interest in the Crittenden Ranch on the old Camp Crittenden Military Reservation in the Sonoita Valley, east of the Santa Rita Mountains. This purchase included the old sutlers store. The following month, his brother Placido bought the other half interest. The brothers would utilize the eastern slope of the mountains as pasturage for their cattle. In May 1880, Placido sold his half of the ranch to Ruelas for $5,000 and moved back to Tucson. Ruelas cattle ranged with those of the nearby Empire Ranch (likely the namesake of the Empire Mountains) outfit, and he got to know Edward and Walter Vail (namesakes of Vail, Arizona), owners of the Empire Ranch. In September 1893, Ruelas purchased a half interest in a ranch referred to as the Santa Rita Ranch that was a few miles north of the future Helvetia townsite. By 1900, Ruelas ran the Helvetia Store, a mercantile establishment in the Helvetia mining camp. In the early 1900s, Ruelas settled a few miles south of the Helvetia mining camp and just west of the mouth of Box Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains and drove about 800 cattle down this rugged narrow pass, from Greaterville, a mining community in the same mountains. He built a small house and at one point also planted fruit trees near the ranch home. He dug a well near the ranch home and, within a year or two, found the mountain spring about a mile away that later would come to be known as Ruelas Spring, either named for Feliz Ruelas or the Ruelas family. This spring was commonly used by the Ruelas family as a source of water. (Ruelas Spring #2 & Ruelas Spring #3, several miles away, were likely named for him or his family as well). In 1904, Ruelas married Cleofe Mendoza of the Greaterville mining camp. They would go on to have nine children: Adelina, Eva, Feliz Jr., Victoria, Francisca, Armida, David, Placido, (Rudy) and Otilia (Tillie). Many of these children grew up on the ranch or at least spent summers there. In 1911 he became a member of the Pima County Central Committee for the Republican Party representing Helvetia, Arizona. He was joined by others, including Estevan Mendez of Rincon, Gus Schneider (creator of George Hands Tucson 1870-1880 map) of Tucson and E.O. Stratton (namesake of Stratton Canyon, Stratton Camp Spring and Stratton Mine in the Santa Catalina Mountains) of Condon, Arizona. In 1915 he became one of three ranchers, including William Nicholson & W.B. MacBeath given the privilege by the U.S. Forest Service, as a co-operator, to graze cattle in the experimental range on the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains, which had been closed for several years. This range is known today as the University of Arizona Santa Rita Experimental Range. In 1921, Ruelas shipped half a train-car load of steers from Casa Grande to Nebraska for pasturage. These bovines likely came from the experimental range owned by the U.S. Forest Service near Ruelas ranch and likely were sent for experimental purposes. Ruelas, within a couple of years, also bought seven Hereford bulls selected by the U.S. Forest Service grazing examiner from the George Burgess farm in Casa Grande. These bulls were brought to the experimental range to breed with the Hereford breeding cows. One of these bulls would become Ruelas favorite and was named Beau Boniface or Bonito for short. By this time, Ruelas had a residence at 237 S. Fourth Avenue in Tucson. This might have been due to the need of schools for his children since the school in Helvetia closed its doors, and the mining camp became essentially a ghost town. In 1925, on account of a prolonged drought, Ruelas and his neighbor to the south, Henry Proctor, were forced to sell their cattle to Texas feeders. However, this was only a temporary setback and later in the year Ruelas applied for a new cattle brand that was represented by a large capital letter R to be applied to his bulls and cows on their left hips and left thighs. Soon after, Ruelas was back in the cattle business and is known to have shipped a carload of fat cows to the Palace Meat Company at Phoenix. In 1930, Ruelas died at St. Marys Hospital. After his death, his wife Cleofe ran both the ranch in Box Canyon and the ranch a few miles north of the ghost town of Helvetia for many, many years with her sons Feliz Jr., Placido and David. PHOENIX Rebuffing Arizonas Republican legislative leaders, a federal judge has signed an order to permanently require the state to pay for gender-affirming surgery for its own and university employees and retirees. But the state wont be paying the attorneys who filed the lawsuit as much as they had sought. The case stems from efforts by Russell Toomey, a transgender professor at the University of Arizona, to get the states insurance plan to cover the cost of a long-sought hysterectomy. Toomey charged in the lawsuit filed in federal court that the states insurance policy covers the cost of all medically necessary surgeries. And he argued that the procedure he wanted fit the category of medically necessary for his gender dysphoria, a sense of mismatch between biological sex and gender identity. He got his relief when Gov. Katie Hobbs in an executive order she signed in June, directed the Department of Administration, the states personnel arm, to remove language excluding gender reassignment surgery from the health care policies now available to state and university employees and retirees. And that order affects more than just Toomey. In her new order, Judge Rosemary Marquez rejected arguments by an attorney for Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma that it is wrong for her to cement into a consent decree enforceable in federal court a requirement that the state must pay not only for Toomeys surgery but forever pay for such procedures for anyone else in a similar situation. Drew Ensign said that would improperly interfere with future policy decisions of the Arizona Legislature, running afoul of bedrock principles of federalism. Anyway, he said, the governors order meant the case was resolved and a court order was unnecessary and inappropriate. The problem with that, Marquez wrote, is that the governors executive order is transient. Her administration or a future administration may reinstate it at any time, the judge wrote. Thus, the consent degree provides further relief to the class (of affected people) beyond the change effectuated by the executive order by making the exclusions removal permanent. As part of the deal, the state also agreed to pay $500,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union and the attorneys it hired over the four years the lawsuit was being fought. Ensign said the lawyers should walk away with nothing, given the governors executive order. It is effectively a redundant command to take actions that were certain to be taken anyway even if no injunction ever issued, he told the judge. Plaintiffs are not entitled to any fee award let alone half a million dollars of taxpayer money for what amounts to little more than mere memorialization of relief that Executive Order 2023-12 already gave them. ACLU attorney Christine Wee countered the requested fees reflect a small fraction of the costs and time spent litigating this case over the past four years. And she said the $500,000 is well within the range of reasonableness. Marquez, in the new order, agreed to a point. She said that, given the number of hours spent on the case, the attorneys have accepted a substantially discounted amount from their normal rates in the interest of settlement. But even with not billing for all the hours they claim they spent, the judge had a problem with the hourly rates charged by the New York lawyers in the case, calling them much higher than the customary rates charged in this district by lawyers of comparable skill, experience and reputation. And she did agree, at least in part, with Ensign about what all those legal efforts produced. A significant portion of the relief obtained by the class removing the exclusion from the plan was achieved by executive order, independent of class counsels efforts in this case, Marquez did. But she said the lawyers worked diligently for over three years and got the exclusion permanently removed. So the judge reduced the fees the state will pay to $375,000. Toomey is a professor of family studies and human development at the University of Arizona who conducts research on how sexual and gender minority youth thrive despite barriers and challenges they encounter. In an interview with Capitol Media Services in June, Toomey said he knew he was different at a very early age. I thought I was a boy at that point but was being told by everything and everyone in my environment No, suck it up, youre a girl, he said. But it took until he was at least 19, read a book and worked with a counselor that he learned there was a phrase to describe what he was experiencing: gender dysphoria. It was shortly after that he began taking hormones and, about a year later, he had chest reduction surgery, all paid for out of his own pocket. The need to have a hysterectomy has always been there for as long as I can remember, he said. But Toomey said he waited until he got the security of tenure at the University of Arizona to seek coverage for the hysterectomy, first by trying to change the policy and, when that didnt work, by filing suit. Nor does he believe the fact that his uterus and ovaries are not outwardly visible make the surgery any less necessary. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: In August, Lahaina, Hawaii, experienced one of the deadliest fires in U.S. history. Almost 100 people died, and dozens remain missing. The economic costs, too, are staggering: Over two thousand buildings were destroyed, and it will cost billions to rebuild. In the immediate aftermath, Hawaiis elected officials were quick to blame climate change. Postfire investigations tell a different story. The fire was ignited by sparks from downed utility lines. High winds quickly pushed the wildfire across thick stands of non-native guinea grass, molasses grass, and buffelgrass into the seaside town of Lahaina. These flammable grasses were introduced to feed livestock and have been spreading fast across abandoned plantations. Wildfires were once rare in Hawaii, but in recent decades, invasive grasses have increased the area burned in Hawaii each year by 300%. For years, experts warned about the fire risk from these grasses. Two recent Maui County wildfire reports recommended aggressive mitigation efforts that were never implemented. We will never know how many lives could have been saved if these recommendations were heeded. The fire in Lahaina should serve as a wake-up call to Arizona. The same grasses that fueled the fire in Lahaina are prevalent here. And like Hawaii, experts here have warned for years that uncontrolled grass invasions are increasing our fire risk. In 2005, red brome, a winter annual from Europe, fueled a wildfire in the desert north of Phoenix that went on to burn 250,000 acres. This June, red brome fueled the Diamond Fire, prompting evacuation of over 1,000 residents in North Scottsdale. Buffelgrass, a fast-spreading perennial from Africa, is driving unprecedented fires in Sonora, and is ubiquitous in Pima County. Its only a matter of time before buffelgrass fires threaten life and property here at home. We study grass invasions and governance in Arizona and worry that our elected officials underestimate the urgency of the problem. This April, we met with several local officials to talk about buffelgrass. They all understood that buffelgrass increases fire risk and supported local efforts to manage the grass. But few of them saw it as an urgent priority compared to problems like roads and housing. One mayor doubted that there was a single blade of buffelgrass in town, even though we drove past several patches on our way to his office. Some of those patches were just feet away from residential homes. A stray spark on a windy day and those homes could burn like the ones in Lahaina. In Arizona, fire regimes are changing rapidly. Were in uncharted territory, facing unknown risks. We need elected officials to help reduce those risks. This isnt to say that officials have done nothing. In fact, both state and local governments have taken commendable actions. The legislature has increased funding for invasive species removal, and Pima County officials have been active in managing buffelgrass and community education. But Arizona has no invasive species plan. We had one in 2008, but it was never implemented. Similarly, Pima County has allowed its Community Wildfire Protection Plan to expire. Our political leaders are doing useful things, but nobody has assumed responsibility for monitoring and mitigating this novel wildfire risk in our deserts. What might this responsibility look like? In Pima County, land managers have already formed a Cooperative Weed Management Area to coordinate removal efforts. But they need more support from elected officials. We need county leaders to update Pima Countys Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and commit to updating that plan with regular risk assessments that identify when and where invasive grasses pose an unreasonable fire risk. We need the state of Arizona to commit to an invasive species plan that would provide long-term, reliable funding, resources, and oversight for these efforts. Lets not wait until tragedy strikes here to enact policy and take action that substantially and continually reduces our fire risk. The authors of the referenced opinion take a giant leap from a local data management issue to condemn the entire system of foster care in the US. As a former foster parent and member of a Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) here in Pima County, I have a more positive view of the foster care system here in Pima County. The decision by a judge (not DCS) to terminate parental rights is not taken lightly, but there are circumstances where it is necessary to ensure the childs safety. Tulsa businessman to be inducted into OSU business school Hall of Fame STILLWATER Bryan Close, a 1966 Oklahoma State University hotel and restaurant administration graduate, will be honored this fall as one of three distinguished alumni inducted into the OSU Spears School of Business Hall of Fame. The longtime Tulsa businessman will be honored in a Nov. 17 ceremony along with several other OSU business school alumni. The annual Spears Business Hall of Fame banquet recognizes graduates with distinguished professional careers who have given back to their communities and displayed exemplary leadership skills. Close will be honored as an inductee into the Spears Business Schools Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded by the school. We have the privilege of honoring Bryan Close, who has distinguished himself in business and public service, said Jim Payne, dean of the Spears Business School. We take great pride in the distinction Bryan has brought Spears Business and OSU. Born in Kearney, Nebraska, during World War II, Closes family settled in Tulsa after living in 10 different houses during his first eight years of life, OSU said in a news release. In 1966, he graduated from OSU with a bachelors degree in hotel and restaurant administration. Following graduation, he returned to Tulsa to manage the supermarket where he had worked since high school. He eventually accepted an opportunity at a large Kansas City company that managed several restaurants around the country. This led to an assignment in Tulsa to run the Financial Club, a private club on the top floor of what was known then as the Southland Financial Center Building. Later, a three-year stint with Steak & Ale resulted in management responsibilities in numerous cities as the company grew. In 1974, Closes father started a company, now called CloseBend, and asked his son to do the bookkeeping. After his fathers death in 1999, Close became the companys president, a position he currently holds. SBA Oklahoma district director named OKLAHOMA CITY Fernanda Pedraza-Schmitt has been named Oklahoma district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration. It gives me great pleasure to announce Fernanda Pedraza-Schmitt as Oklahomas district director, SBA Regional Administrator Ted James said in a news release. I have worked closely with Fernanda on many issues impacting Oklahoma small business owners and look forward to seeing the continued impact across the state. I am honored to lead the Oklahoma Office and to continue to help start and grow small businesses in Oklahoma, Pedraza-Schmitt said in the release. I look forward to continued collaborations with federal, state, and local agencies, resource partners and nonprofit organizations to maximize outreach to the business communities and expand the economic impact in the state. Pedraza-Schmitt previously served as deputy district director and acting district director for the SBAs Oklahoma District. She holds a masters degree in global technology and development from Arizona State University and a bachelors degree in political science from Barrett, the honors college at ASU, along with an international studies certificate and French and Chinese minors. She is Mexican-American, and her native language is Spanish. Before joining the SBA, Pedraza-Schmitt interned for the State Department at the U.S. embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius, where she worked with the foreign affairs and economic development departments. State suppliers expo set for Thursday OKLAHOMA CITY The third annual state suppliers expo is set for Thursday. The purpose of the event is to encourage private companies to partner with the state, convey the states needs for such partnerships and deliver hands-on learning to help businesses navigate the state procurement process. Attendees can communicate with influential state leaders and learn about opportunities available to do business with the state, a news release says. The conference will include representatives from the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services Central Purchasing, state agencies, Cabinet secretaries, current and potential state suppliers, and guest speaker State Chief Operating Officer and OMES interim Director John Suter. The expo will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the Oklahoma City Convention Center, 100 Mick Cornett Drive. For more, visit oklahoma.gov/stateyourbusiness. From Staff Reports The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Jason Collington Tulsa World Editor Follow Jason Collington Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A few years ago, when a book publisher tried to pitch the Tulsa World on an upbeat book about what the Roaring 20s looked like in Oklahoma, I had to stop him. You dont know our history, it sounds like, I told him. I wasnt blaming him. Most Oklahomans dont know the history either. In 2021, in recognition of 100 years since the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the Tulsa World newsroom told the complete story of the tragedy, the worst incident of domestic racial violence in American history. For decades, that story wasnt discussed in this citys classrooms or at family dinner tables. That methodical examination of the tragedy started in 1999 by Tulsa World Staff Writer Randy Krehbiel. Since then, hes published more than 500 stories for the Tulsa World and a book on the massacre. The Tulsa World newsroom has produced more than 6,000 stories and 2,000 photographs connected to those fatal hours of death and destruction in 1921. Now, its time to tell another deadly Oklahoma story from the 1920s that was written about even less and disregarded even more. Krehbiel, along with the Tulsa Worlds Tim Stanley, Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Mike Simons, Andrea Eger, James D. Watts Jr., Jimmie Tramel, Althea Peterson and Lydia Fletcher, have worked to create a series that starts Oct. 1, 20 days before the release of the movie Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the best-selling book. The book is one of several about what was called the Osage Reign of Terror, a time of mysterious or unsolved murders in Osage County while the tribes citizens were some of the richest in the world due to oil production. Oklahoma plays a role in some of the most popular stories told by writers and produced by Hollywood, from Oklahoma! to The Grapes of Wrath to The Outsiders. For the second time in 10 years, Pawhuska is home to filming of a major motion picture. In 2013, August: Osage County was produced by George Clooney and starred Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. Tulsa native and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts wrote the screenplay based on his play about the ultimate dysfunctional Oklahoma family. To best tell the story of Killers of the Flower Moon, director Martin Scorsese worked with the tribe to film the movie on its land. The Tulsa Worlds coverage over the next 22 days can be divided up into two parts: The history and the aftermath of the Osage Reign of Terror, which will appear on the front page, edited by Paul Tyrrell and Anna Codutti. The second is everything about the making of the movie, with interviews with so many Oklahomans who showed up on screen or worked behind the scenes. Those stories will appear in the Scene section, edited by Nicole Marshall Middleton and Stacey Dickens. Thanks to countless hours of waiting, Simons, a Tulsa World staff photographer, was able to capture all the stars during production in and around Pawhuska. You will see all of them. If you are wondering, yes we are already starting discussions on the next major series, plucked from the history of Oklahoma, or what Krehbiel has written is a place of endless contradictions, ironies and contrasts. Just like I wrote in the introduction of the race massacre series, I want to quote legendary historian John Hope Franklin, a Booker T. Washington High School alumnus who became one of the worlds most recognized scholars on the role of race in American history. If the house is to be set in order, one cannot begin with the present; he must begin with the past, Franklin once wrote. That is where Krehbiel starts in part one in the series. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. (Photo : Tim Boyle/Getty Images) 393010 02: Chicago Fire Department personnel hose off part of the Dan Ryan expressway August 8, 2001 on Chicago''s far-South Side. Earlier at this underpass, a truck carrying azodicarbonamide, a carbon substance used to make foam rubber products, overturned releasing clouds of vapor from its chemical load, resulting in authorities closing the road and escalating the need for a hazardous materials situation. Only minor injuries had been reported, although 21 firefighters, police officers and other rescue workers had been treated for heat exhaustion. (not the actual photo) Officials reported on Saturday that a semi-truck transporting 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia overturned in Illinois during a multi-vehicle collision that resulted in five fatalities and sent another five people to local hospitals. The accident, which involved "multiple" vehicles, occurred on US Highway 40 approximately a half-mile east of Teutopolis, Illinois, at approximately 9:25 p.m. local time on Friday, according to a statement reviewed by CBS News. Illinois Truck Crash and Ammonia Leak Leaves 5 Dead The accident's impact caused the vehicle to start spilling. According to a press release by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, this prompted the evacuation of 500 individuals. Early estimates indicate that approximately 4,000 gallons have leaked, and the breach has been "partially patched," according to the news release. Kim Rhodes, the coroner for Effingham County, stated that five persons perished and five others were airlifted to hospitals in unknown condition. During a Saturday morning news conference, an official from the Illinois State Police characterized the accident as "very serious" and as a "fluid" situation. The sheriff of Effingham County, Paul Kuhns, told reporters that the ammonia release produced a "large plume." Because the leak caused "terribly dangerous air conditions in the northeast area of Teutopolis," an evacuation was ordered within an approximate one-mile radius of the accident, Kuhns said. Saturday evening, Effingham County reported that evacuation orders were rescinded for some areas. Officials refused to comment on the causes of the fatalities. Kuhns stated that the air conditions required emergency responders to "wait" and "mitigate the conditions" before gaining "actual access" to the incident site. Kuhns said the accident site encompassed a "fairly large area." Read Also: NYC Judge Orders City To Stop Housing Migrants in Schools, Criticizing 'Right to Shelter' How Dangerous is Illinois Ammonia Leakage? The National Transportation Safety Board announced in a statement published Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it would investigate the accident in conjunction with the Illinois State Police and the Effingham County Sheriff's Office. According to authorities, a father and his two young children were among the five people killed in a multi-vehicle crash in central Illinois involving a semi-truck transporting potentially toxic anhydrous ammonia. The Effingham County coroner's office confirmed the five fatalities, and five were airlifted to other facilities late Saturday night. Their conditions were not made public, and the office had previously stated that it was awaiting updates from medical personnel. Jennifer Gabris, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, said a 15-person team comprised of motor carrier, hazmat, and survival-factor investigators was anticipated to arrive at the incident site Saturday night. Between Teutopolis and Montrose, US Route 40 is closed. The Illinois State Police advise the public to avoid the affected area, as per AoL. Toxic anhydrous ammonia can be fatal in high concentrations when inhaled. The ammonia can also damage the skin and eyes and cause severe respiratory injuries. At the news conference, an official referred to the substance as "terrible." Teutopolis is a community of just over 1,600 residents located approximately 92 miles southeast of the state capital, Springfield, Illinois. Five people were killed and hundreds were evacuated in Teutopolis after a vehicle accident caused an ammonia leak. A major commuter artery in Tracy is closed following a fatal collision. A motorcyclist is killed in a collision involving a tractor-trailer on the Crosstown Freeway in Stockton. Related Article: Florida Train Crash: At Least 6 Dead After Locomotive Smashes Into Family SUV @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The Osage people werent looking for wealth when they bought 1.47 million acres from the Cherokee Nation in 1872. Mostly they just wanted to be left alone. But wealth, however fleeting, is what the People of the Middle Waters found, first in the tall grass growing on the rocky hills of present Osage County, and then from the oil and natural gas below the surface. The rapid rise of petroleum-fueled industrialization in the early 20th century, the quantity and quality of oil in the Osage fields, and the singular method by which the Osage people retained their mineral rights created an astonishing bounty. From 1901 to 1950, the tribe received nearly $300 million worth about $4 billion today with two-thirds of that paid from 1919 to 1928. And all of it concentrated in the hands of a few thousand people. In 1906, when the Osages agreed to accept allotment of their reservation to facilitate formation of the state of Oklahoma, one of their conditions was that the mineral estate continue to be held collectively by the tribe, with the proceeds to go into trust. The Osages were in a better bargaining position than most tribes because they owned their reservation in fee simple, meaning complete ownership allowed under law, instead of by treaty. Their leaders negotiated this arrangement after witnessing allotments disastrous effects on other Indians. In a large majority of cases, allotments and the accompanying mineral rights had quickly passed from allottees, leaving them destitute. The Osages also insisted their entire reservation be allotted, leaving no surplus for non-Osage settlement. A roll of 2,229 names was drawn up and approved. Each enrollee received three parcels of land as allotments, and one share, or headright, of the the mineral trust. Headright owners received quarterly payments from the trust. At the time, the amounts involved were rather modest probably about $100 a year, based on the total payout to the tribe. Within a short time, however, headright value increased manyfold. The Osages had already been through one boom of sorts before the oil began flowing in the early 1900s. Texas cattlemen had paid well to graze their herds on the Osage prairie before driving them across the line to southern Kansas railheads, and ranching had caught on with the Osages themselves. That boom was nothing like the one that followed it, however. Oil seeps had been detected in and around the Osage country for decades, but commercial development began in 1896, when Rhode Island bankers Henry and Edwin Foster secured a 10-year lease on the entire reservation. The Fosters then subleased to other investors and in 1901 combined their holdings into the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Co., which in 1912 became Cities Service, or CITGO. The first successful well in the Osage country was completed in October 1897 on Butler Creek, two miles west of Bartlesville, six months after and not far from the Nellie Johnstone No. 1, the first commercial well in what is now Oklahoma. In 1903, Congress approved pipeline construction in Indian Territory. This greatly facilitated transportation of crude and refined products. By 1905, when the Foster lease was renewed in a modified form, more than 300 wells were producing in the Osage. Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum, completed his first successful well just outside the Osage Reservation at Dewey and 12-year-old J. Paul Getty was on his way to his first million as an investor in his fathers lease southwest of Bartlesville. With the lapse of the second Foster lease in 1916, Osage oil and gas leases began to be sold individually, first by sealed bid and then at live auction, often under the famous Million Dollar Elm in Pawhuska. This proved very profitable for the Osages. Bonus payments went from virtually nothing in 1915 to $15.3 million eight years later. Total oil and gas revenue rose from $561,810 to $30.5 million. While the headright system did protect the tribes mineral estate to a large extent, it did have some quirks. Early on, courts ruled that individual headrights were covered by state inheritance and probate laws. Within a very short time, some people held multiple headrights and others held fractional ones. This set up the scenario portrayed in the upcoming movie based on the best-selling book Killers of the Flower Moon, by which multiple headrights could be directed toward one person. In Killers of the Flower Moon, that one person is ultimately Mollie Burkhart, but hers was far from an isolated case. Mary Elkins, a fullblood Osage who held between 7 and 8 headrights, was essentially kidnapped by a local thug named Wilbur Corbet. Under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Elkins married Corbet and was then kept locked in a Colorado Springs apartment until her guardian could find and extricate her from the situation. Several people were said to be involved in the scheme but no one was ever charged or, except for Corbet, exposed. Congress barred the inheritance of headright interests by non-Osages in 1978. That same year Congress also extended the mineral estate in perpetuity. Previously, the estate had to be renewed periodically by Congress. Today, Osages control about 75% of their original mineral rights, compared to about 10% of their original land allotments, officials say. The tribe would like to reacquire the roughly 560 headrights that have left the tribe through inheritance, gift or sale, but there is no legal means of doing so. Today, the oil and gas production in Osage County is limited mostly to marginally producing stripper wells. Because the mineral rights are owned by an Indian tribe, oil and gas activity in the county is regulated by the federal government instead of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which oversees the rest of the state. Minerals Council Chairman Everett Waller says the stricter federal regulations makes new production in the Osage too expensive. Im non-competitive, he said. Tribal officials say about 5,000 Osages, or only about 20% of tribal members, have headright interests. Understandably, that is a point of some contention within the nation, even if a headright is considerably less valuable than during the time the movie depicts. According to the Osage Nation website, September quarterly payments for each full headright were $4,655 a fraction of their value on the night in 1923 when a nitroglycerin explosion ripping through a house in Fairfax brought to national attention to the Osage Reign of Terror. Coming Wednesday: Although many Osages had multiple friends and relatives killed in the early 20th century over oil revenue, one survivor in particular has drawn additional attention due to Killers of the Flower Moon. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. September 2021 photos: Final days of filming for 'Killers of the Flower Moon' crew in Oklahoma Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon 091721-tul-nws-flowermoon-p1 091721-tul-nws-flowermoon-p2 091721-tul-nws-flowermoon-p3 091721-tul-nws-flowermoon-p4 Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Flower Moon Check out our latest digital-only offer and subscribe now HIDE VERTICAL GALLERY ASSET TITLES Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Shoot em up: State Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, said the solution to shootings such as the one at the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City is more guns. The tragic shooting this past weekend at the Oklahoma State Fair underscored the need for law-abiding citizens to be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights at the State Fair, Olsen said in a press release. Advocates have been trying for years to outlaw gun bans at the Oklahoma and Tulsa state fairs, as well as other large events. Last weeks shooting culminated a fight among teenage boys, one of whom reportedly got into the fair without passing through the metal detectors at entry points. Tax talk: Two long-standing advocates of cutting or eliminating the state income tax turned up the heat on lawmakers going into this weeks special session. The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and Americans for Prosperity touted a poll they said shows Oklahomans overwhelmingly favor their positions. The 523 respondents were asked if they favored an income tax cut and whether theyd like to see the tax go away entirely. They were also asked if they would be more likely to vote against a legislator who opposed tax cuts. OCPA is part of the national State Policy Network and has cheered Gov. Kevin Stitts attempts to squeeze more money out of the states Indian tribes, cut taxes and give tax dollars to private schools. It has also been in sync with Stitt on criminal justice reform. Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma belongs to what is known as the Koch network, a collection of organizations founded by the Koch brothers of Wichita to promote low taxes, minimal regulation and small government. Income taxes account for about a third of state revenue, which is why many legislators from both parties are reluctant to take an axe to it. Over the last 30 years, the states top personal income tax rate has been cut from 7% to 4.75% Survey says: Stitts approach to tribal relations doesnt seem to resonate with the general public, the Oklahoma City-based Sooner Survey found. It reported that Oklahomans by and large seem unfazed by the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt decision, and that they trust the tribes and Attorney General Gentner Drummond more than they do Stitt to resolve McGirt-related issues. Eighty percent viewed the states tribes as an asset up from 53% two decades ago. One bright spot for Stitt: Republicans trusted him more than the tribes but not as much as Drummond. Conducted by the consulting firm Cole Hargrave Snodgrass, the survey of 500 registered voters was conducted more than month ago but released last week. Full court press: In a related development, Drummond asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to ask the Oklahoma Supreme Court to rule on whether he or Stitt represents the state in legal matters. The motion is part of Drummonds attempt to elbow Stitt aside in a lawsuit filed in the federal court by four Oklahoma tribes against the U.S. Department of Interior. At issue are four gaming compacts Stitt negotiated with other tribes that the state Supreme Court declared out of order. Drummond maintains that he, as attorney general, and not the governor is the states legal representative in the matter. His intent is to bring the matter to a close with the larger purpose of thawing relations between the state and the tribal governments. Drummond also filed a brief with the state Supreme Court asking it not to accept original jurisdiction in a suit brought by OCPA that claims a tribal compact extension passed by the Legislature over Stitts veto is unconstitutional. Employment: The number of people working in the Tulsa MSA payrolls increased in August but so did the number of people looking for jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The BLS establishment data from employer surveys put Tulsa metro employment at 462,500 in August, up about 2,700 from July and 10,100 above the same month a year ago. Nevertheless, unemployment grew from 3.1% to 3.3% as an additional 1,500 people were listed as unemployed. Meetings and events: Heart of the Party, the Tulsa Chapter of the Oklahoma Federation of Democratic Women, will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at Baxters Interurban, 717 S. Houston Ave. Book club meets at 5:30 p.m. AARP Oklahoma is hosting disaster preparedness webinars at 10 a.m. the next two Thursdays. See aarp.org/OK for information and registration. Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado will be featured speaker at the Tulsa County Republican Mens Club, 11:30 a.m., Oct. 11, at Oklahoma Joes 6175 E. 61st St. Bottom lines: Beginning Sunday, the former Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville will be known as the Allen Gamble Correctional Center in honor of a corrections officer killed in the line of duty in 2000. The Oklahoma Supreme Court allowed Oklahoma Turnpike Authority bond sales to proceed over the objections of central Oklahoma opponents of OTAs toll road expansion plans. Sheriffs from Nowata and Wagoner counties told a state Senate panel they have trouble hiring and retaining personnel at all levels. Southeastern Oklahoma State University received a $130,000 federal grant to implement the Texhoma Regional Economic Empowerment Center. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. A local Party official in Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam has proposed that Phu Quoc City, a popular island destination off the coast of the province, offer forest land for lease in order to boost tourism development. Tong Phuoc Truong, secretary of the Party Committee of Phu Quoc City, urged various departments and agencies to promptly expedite the execution of the proposal at a conference on Friday. Truong suggested leasing forested areas for the structured growth of tourism, particularly within marine conservation zones, to prevent unplanned expansion. The marine farming activities [the cultivation of marine species] have been rather haphazard and lacking in a systematic approach, Truong said. Hence, it is advisable for departments to assist Phu Quoc in swiftly initiating aquaculture initiatives, aligning with both conservation and tourism development objectives. In January-September, Kien Giang welcomed more than 7.3 million tourists, resulting in a total budget revenue of nearly VND11 trillion (US$452.6 million). During key holiday periods such as Reunification Day (April 30) and National Day (September 2), as well as the summer this year, both Kien Giang and Phu Quoc experienced a decline in tourist numbers compared to the corresponding months in 2022. Notably, there was a substantial decline of 41.3 percent in tourist arrivals in September compared to August and a 1.3-percent decrease over the same period last year. Despite these holiday-related drops, the overall number of tourists visiting Kien Giang during the first nine months of the year increased 20.3 percent compared to the same period in 2022, primarily due to a significant surge in the early months of the year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A herd of reindeer with white, brown or grey coats climb mountains and swim between glaciers on their great migration to their winter pasture in Norway's far north. Over fourteen days, an AFP photographer followed the Kautokeino reindeer on their way back from their summer pasture in Seglvik to the Kautokeino lands near the Finnish border. The reindeer -- bred by the indigenous Sami reindeer herders that span northern Europe -- are semi-nomadic and travel across vast expanses as they move between their winter and summer grazing grounds. The animals are bred by the indigenous Sami reindeer herders that span northern Europe. Photo: AFP To make their journey home, the reindeer bypass two glaciers before arriving at the foot of the Jokelfjord glacier -- the only one in Europe which drains into the ocean. The Sami follow their animals on quad bikes, on foot, or by boat. Ante Niillas Gaup, a 37-year-old Sami herder, whistles towards the herd to show them the path to take. But the herder, accompanied by his barking dogs, says mostly they are driven by their instinct to follow the right route. Hundreds of the animals launched into the water and projected themselves across in lines. Photo: AFP "If they don't want to walk, they don't walk -- they do it little by little as they want, when they decide," said Gaup. When they reach obstacles such as a steep wall or crossing a fjord, the reindeer stop and wait for a signal from the herders. A Sami herder in a small motorboat in the middle of the fjord rings a bell to show them the way to the opposite bank. When they are ready to swim, the reindeer form themselves into a single file, preparing to dive in. The reindeer are semi-nomadic and travel across vast expanses as they move between their winter and summer grazing grounds. Photo: AFP Hundreds of the animals then launch into the water, grunting as they head for the other shore in a synchronised swim. Once they reach land again, they are on the final leg of their journey to Kautokeino, where they will spend the winter. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health confirmed on Sunday that the city had detected one more case of monkeypox, an illness caused by the monkeypox virus, taking the total to four in the city. Meanwhile, Vietnam has documented five monkeypox infections, with two of them having the source of transmission from outside of the country. The newly-discovered monkeypox patient was identified as a resident of the citys outlying district of Binh Chanh. The patient has recently neither come into contact with foreigners nor traveled abroad. A 34-year-old man went to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermato Venereology for a medical check-up on Thursday due to his suspected symptoms of the disease. The hospital took his sample and sent it to the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City for testing. The resulted showed a day later that he tested positive for the monkeypox virus, so he has been put under quarantine for treatment. The patient quickly urged those in close contact with him to self-quarantine at home for 21 days right after he had been diagnosed with monkeypox. Besides, his family members were told to disinfect their entire house. A medical worker in Ho Chi Minh City conducts a test to discover infections. Photo: Xuan Mai / Tuoi Tre The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control is monitoring the health of the patient and his contacts, while making an epidemiological investigation. A week ago, a 25-year-old man, who temporarily resides in Ho Chi Minh City, was found being infected with monkeypox. He is still being put under quarantine, while his health is stable. One of his close contacts tested positive for the disease, while the rest have yet to exhibit any symptom. In Vietnam, monkeypox is listed as a Group B infectious disease, which is capable of spreading quickly and possibly causing death, according to the municipal Department of Health. After the first imported case of monkeypox was logged in the country, the municipal department promptly directed the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, and all the hospitals and medical facilities in the city, to beef up epidemiological surveillance to prevent the potential spread of monkeypox. Residents are advised to quickly visit a hospital or healthcare center for an examination if they develop some suspected symptoms of the disease such as a fever of over 38 degrees Celsius, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle pain, back pain, and fatigue. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Catch up on the news in Vietnam today: Politics -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong have sent their letters of greetings to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of China's National Day (October 1), the Vietnam News Agency reported. Society -- The Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam on Saturday issued an indictment against former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long for receiving US$2.25 million as bribes to let a local company inflate COVID-19 test kit prices. -- The Vietnam Electricity Group on Saturday started work on a 500kV transmission line connecting a power substation in Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam to Monsoon Wind Farm in Laos to import power from the neighboring country. -- Police in Ha Dong District, Hanoi arrested five youngsters on charges of murdering and 10 others for allegedly disturbing public order in a violent confrontation on September 22, the Hanoi Police said on Saturday. -- Ho Chi Minh City authorities received over 11,000 complaints about noise in the January-August period, with the number of complaints filed between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am being 1.5 times higher than that in daytime. -- Thai Nguyen National General Hospital in the namesake northern province has successfully carried out a surgical reattachment of a hand that was cut off from an 18-month-old babys body, the hospital announced on Saturday. -- Four children aged over 10 suffered burns after several people threw mascot heads and cans of kerosene into a bonfire during a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hanoi on Friday, local authorities reported on Saturday. Business -- Vietnamese coffee chain Trung Nguyen Legend on Friday officially inaugurated its first coffee shop in the U.S., attracting a high number of coffee lovers. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Five of the middle school students who drank the milk tea that they had made during a classroom activity required hospitalization over food poisoning in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam earlier this week. A total of 38 eighth-grade students and their chemistry teacher tried making milk tea in their classroom at Pom Han Middle School in the northern provinces Lao Cai City on Monday morning. The teacher drank the milk tea made by the students to grade their efforts before the latter consumed it. About an hour later, five of the students exhibited symptoms such as abdominal pain, queasiness, headaches, and diarrhea. The children underwent examination at the schools medical room and were subsequently transferred to the Lao Cai General Hospital, where they were diagnosed with food poisoning. Later on Monday afternoon, all five children were discharged from the hospital and resumed their regular school attendance the following day. Duong Thi Mai Huong, principal of Pom Han Middle School, on Friday explained that the milk tea preparation activity is part of the schools curriculum, aimed at allowing students to gain practical experience and explore potential career interests. Before conducting the lesson, the chemistry teacher had instructed the students on ingredient preparation and had provided them with the address of a reliable shop to procure the necessary ingredients. However, on the day of the lesson, the recommended store was not open, prompting the students to purchase the ingredients from a different establishment, Huong said. As the school did not keep the samples of the milk tea made by the students and the ingredients used for preparation, the Lao Cai City Medical Center collected and examined six ingredient samples that were supplied to the children by the aforementioned establishment. These samples have been sent to the National Institute for Food Control for testing, and the results are currently pending. An inspection team discovered that the business establishment in question breached several regulations, including the absence of price listings and the presence of many products of unclear origin. Market surveillance officers documented these violations and issued a decision to punish the respective business entity. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Consular Club of Ho Chi Minh City (Consular Club HCMC) hosted a fundraising dinner in the city on Saturday evening to raise funds for disadvantaged children, minority girls, and needy people in southern Vietnam. The Consular Club Fundraising Dinner 2023, an annual event with the Stronger Together theme, took place at Continental Saigon Hotel in the citys downtown District 1, attracting representatives from 19 countries, diplomatic missions, and business communities. The funds raised from the party, along with the proceeds from the auction of various items, including paintings and wines, will be donated to three charities, including Planete Enfants & Developpement (PE&D), a French non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1984 to protect children from violence and exploitation and create conditions conducive to their well-being and development. Working in Vietnam since 1992, PE&D is implementing projects focusing on the child, the family and the community, and pays particular attention to women and girls. The second beneficiary is VietHarvest, a Vietnamese social enterprise founded in 2020, which collects quality surplus food and redistributes it to underserved communities. The last charity is Brighter Path Girls Club, a project initiated in 2019 by VinaCapital Foundation, an NGO licensed in the U.S. and operating in Vietnam, which teaches sexual and reproductive health, financial literacy, leadership skills, and legal rights to girls of ethnic minorities. Milena Padula, president of the Consular Club HCMC and also the wife of Italian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City Enrico Padula, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the get-together was aimed at supporting disadvantaged communities and people in southern Vietnam. Through the event, the consular community wished to express its gratitude to the Vietnamese people for their warm welcome and assistance to consular officers in the city, Padula stressed. Le Hong Thuy Tien (L, 2nd), CEO of Ho Chi Minh City-based Duy Anh Fashion and Cosmetics JSC, and Trang Le (R, 1st), President of the Vietnam International Fashion Week, at the Fundraising Dinner 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, September 30, 2023. Photo: Consular Club HCMC Over the past years, the Consular Club HCMC has sent money raised from yearly fundraising dinners to charity organizations in southern and central Vietnam to take part in giving scholarships to orphans and disabled children, supporting storm and flood victims, and mitigating the heavy impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other activities, she added. CEO of VinaCapital Rad Kivette said that the Brighter Path Girls Club is among the social projects that are of great social significance in Vietnam, as it has helped create considerable cognitive changes among girls of ethnic minorities. Daniel Stork, Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre that such a gathering to do meaningful things like this fundraising dinner made him truly happy. New Zealand Consul General Scott James expressed his hope that the event would raise as much funding as possible for the beneficiaries, adding that he would also contribute to the fundraising. This gathering for supporting charity funds was of great significance, British Consul General Emily Hamblin commented. I regularly support similar programs conducted by the Italian Consulate General. I think tonight's event is very meaningful. As a business person in Vietnam, I think I have an obligation to aid the Consular Club to make the event a success, said Le Hong Thuy Tien, CEO of Ho Chi Minh City-based Duy Anh Fashion and Cosmetics JSC. Trang Le, founder and president of the Vietnam International Fashion Week, told Tuoi Tre that she had postponed her overseas business trip to attend the event. I am really honored to participate in and contribute to this extremely meaningful event hosted by the Consular Club, the entrepreneur said. Established in 1994, the Consular Club HCMC is a non-political and non-profit social organization whose members are representatives of consulates in Ho Chi Minh City. The organization joins hands with diplomatic agencies and the business community in the city to raise funds for projects that improve the lives of at-risk communities in southern Vietnam and help promote gender equality and sustainable development. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam on Saturday issued an indictment against former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long for receiving US$2.25 million in bribes to let a local company inflate COVID-19 test kit prices. The procuracy also indicted 37 others in the case linked to Ho Chi Minh City-based Viet A Technology Corporations gouging of COVID-19 test kit prices. Among them were many former high-ranking officials, such as ex-chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee and former Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh; former secretary of the Party Committee of northern Hai Duong Province Pham Xuan Thang; Nguyen Van Trinh, ex-assistant to a deputy prime minister; and ex-Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac. Anh was accused of violating regulations on state asset management and use, causing losses and wastefulness. Meanwhile, Long and five others, including his ex-secretary Nguyen Huynh; former director of the Hai Duong Center for Disease Control (CDC) Pham Duy Tuyen; Trinh Thanh Hung, a former official of the Ministry of Science and Technology; and Nguyen Minh Tuan and Nguyen Nam Lien, ex-officials of the Ministry of Health, were charged with receiving bribes. Phan Quoc Viet, chairman and CEO of Viet A Technology Corporation, and his subordinate Vu Dinh Hiep were indicted on charges of giving bribes and violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Prosecutors accused Viet of offering bribes worth VND106 billion ($4.4 million) to six high-ranking officials to join a major test kit research project during the COVID-19 outbreak, obtain test kit circulation licenses, and manipulate test kit prices. Former Minister of Health Long received the largest bribes among the accused. In particular, Longs ex-secretary Huynh phoned Viet, asking him to give Long $1 million in 2021. After preparing money, Viet came to Huynhs house on Van Cao Street in Tay Ho District, Hanoi with a bag containing $1 million and VND2 billion ($82,362). The $1 million was later sent to Long, while the VND2 billion was for Huynh. Ten months later, Long sent a text message to Huynh, asking him to suggest the Viet A chairman prepare another amount. In early November 2021, Viet gave Huynh an additional $1 million, which was also transferred to Long. Viet gave Long two other bribes, including $50,000 at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health on June 29, 2021 and $200,000 via Huynh. Former Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh was accused of receiving bribes worth $200,000. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Meanwhile, former Minister of Science and Technology Anh and ex-Deputy Minister Pham Cong Tac were aware that the test kit research project was owned by the state, but they allowed Viet A, a private company, to join it. Tac even signed a decision to establish an acceptance council for the first phase of the research, paving the way for Viet A to illegally obtain test kit circulation licenses, produce and sell the test kits. On March 5, 2020, the two ex-leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology directed the organization of a press briefing to announce the research results. The ministry also issued a press release stating that Viet As COVID-19 test kits had been licensed and recognizing the corporations test kit production capability. Anh required Trinh Thanh Hung to coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technologys Department of Emulation and Reward to award a certificate of merit to Viet A Technology Corporation and its chairman, while proposing that the prime minister commend and reward them. Their acts helped promote Viet As brand and image, facilitating it turning test kits owned by the state into its own products, causing losses of VND18.98 billion ($781,616) to the state budget. Anh and Tac also received $200,000 and $50,000 as bribes from Viet. Phan Quoc Viet, chairman and CEO of Viet A Technology Corporation, was accused of giving bribes totaling VND106 billion to high-ranking officials. In 2020, after obtaining a circulation license for one-step RT-PCR test kits, the first-ever made in Vietnam, Viet A supplied the test kits to CDCs and other medical facilities of 62 provinces and cities, raking in nearly VND4 trillion ($164.7 million). Given the increasing demand for COVID-19 test kits amid a serious outbreak that hammered Vietnam in April 2021, Viet colluded with the CDC directors of several localities to hike the prices of such kits in order to give them a kickback. Viet admitted he had directed his staff to overstate the prices of production equipment and input materials in order to hike the selling price of a test kit to VND470,000 ($19.35), or 45 percent over its value. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Forest rangers at Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam have proposed fining Pham Van Tan VND130 million (US$5,350) for catching sea snails in the parks sea conservation area. The rangers discovered the 35-year-old man, who temporarily lives in Con Dao District, over 100 kilometers from his hometown in Soc Trang Province, catching snails in the prohibited area by dawn on Friday. A still image taken from a video clip shows a man catching sea snails in the marine conservation area of Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam He sailed his homemade raft to Giong Beach on Bay Canh Island, whose marine space is classified as an ecology restoration area. As such, all fishing and hunting practices in the area are banned in line with the Law on Fisheries dated in 2017. The rangers seized five kilograms of Nerita undata, a species of sea snails, caught by the man. As per the prevailing regulations, his action is subject to a fine ranging from VND100 million ($4,120) to VND150 million ($6,178). The rangers at the national park on Saturday wrote to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, proposing that it ask the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province chairman to impose a VND130-million fine on Tan. Sea snails caught by a man from Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Supplied In November 2018, the Peoples Court of Con Dao District handed down a 10-month and 17-day jail term to Tan for his violations over endangered animal protection. He was caught attempting to transport 17 endangered sea turtle eggs collected on Con Dao Island. Over the past many years, the Con Dao National Park management has teamed up with relevant agencies to sanction several traffickers of rare and endangered animals. Besides, the management has repeatedly called on residents and visitors to protect wild animals, but many have violated this. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! (Photo : SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) US President Joe Biden speaks during an Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Mark Milley, 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and participates in an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, September 29, 2023. Less than an hour before funding for federal agencies was to expire, President Joe Biden signed a bill to fund the government through mid-November and prevent a shutdown. Late Saturday night, Biden said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that he implored Congress to immediately enact funding bills for the entire fiscal year. Biden Signs Last-Minute Stopgap Funding Measure In a rare weekend meeting, the US Senate approved a funding measure Saturday night, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature and averting a widely feared government suspension. The law, which passed the Senate by a vote of 88 to 9 after receiving House approval, would fund the federal government through November 17. According to VOA News, the bill contains $16 billion in disaster aid sought by Biden but did not include money to assist Ukraine in its conflict against Russia's invasion. Biden stated in a statement issued after the vote that the passage of the measure averted "an unnecessary crisis that would have caused needless suffering to millions of industrious Americans." If Congress and the president had not approved and signed the measure by Saturday midnight, the federal government would have shut down. More than four million US military service members and government employees would not be paid, although essential services such as air traffic control and official border entry points would continue to be staffed. Pensioners may not receive their monthly government payments in time to pay their expenses and purchase food, and national parks may close. For days, everything appeared predestined. The precipitous turn of events began on Saturday when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reversed course and introduced the funding bill that his conservative Republican caucus opposed. The House passed the bill by a vote of 335 to 91. Even though it does not contain aid for Ukraine, a priority for Biden, Democrats, and many Senate Republicans, more Democrats supported it than Republicans. Representative Lauren Boebert, a Republican, criticized the ratification of the short-term remedial measure. Right-wing members of McCarthy's party are poised to introduce a motion to depose him as speaker. Read Also: Louisiana Saltwater Intrusion: Joe Biden Approves Federal Disaster Assistance-Here's How It Can Help US Government Shutdown Per Daily Mail, the White House is in regular contact with its personnel and agencies regarding what to expect in the event of a government shutdown. The agencies have begun to develop their own contingency plans in case of a government closure. Two government organizations have expressed concern that the closure could last for weeks and have drafted contingency plans. One individual stated, "Hope for the best, but plan for the worst." The impending prospect of the shutdown is already impacting planning, including possible travel next week, for cabinet members and other officials. The White House has acknowledged the "uncertainty'" encircling the situation in communications with its staff regarding closure procedures. The closure will result in flight chaos, refuse accumulation, closed national parks, and unpaid military personnel. On Friday, twenty-one conservative Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against a last-ditch interim spending measure. It was a crushing loss for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has endured unrelenting criticism from his party's extreme wing. Without a last-minute agreement, 3.5 million federal employees will be forced to work without pay, including 2 million military personnel and 1.5 million federal civilian employees. Over half of the civilian workforce will be furloughed, while the remainder will be required to report to work without pay. The Republican Party is currently scrambling to reach an agreement that will prevent widespread turmoil and disruption across the nation. Related Article: House Fails to Pass Short-Term Government Funding Bill as Shutdown Looms @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Doctors at Thai Nguyen National General Hospital in the namesake northern Vietnamese province has successfully carried out a surgical reattachment of a hand that was cut off from an 18-month-old babys body, the hospital announced on Saturday. The hospital received N.M.A., residing in Phu Binh District, Thai Nguyen Province, on Friday with his right hand severed by an ice cutting machine at his familys ice factory. Doctors at the hospital immediately held a consultation and performed the surgical replantation to reattach his severed hand. The case is rare and required doctors experience in microsurgery, said doctor Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of the department of plastic and esthetic surgery at Thai Nguyen National General Hospital, who directly performed the complex medical operation. The patient is only 18 months old, while his hand was completely severed with all tendons, carpal bones, and neurovascular bundles chopped off. As a result, surgical phases were complicated, the doctor added. After five hours, doctors successfully reconstructed the babys hand. The patient was conscious and able to drink milk and communicate the next day. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam's industry ministry has launched an investigation that could lead to anti-dumping duties on wind towers originally from China, following a complaint by domestic producers, the government said on Saturday. Producers in Vietnam have claimed that dumping of Chinese-origin towers has caused "significant damage" to them, the government said in a statement, without elaborating. "In case of necessity, based on preliminary investigation results, the trade ministry can apply temporary anti-dumping measures to prevent dumping activities that hurt domestic manufacturing," the statement added. The government gave no timeline for completing the investigation. Neither Vietnamese customs nor the statistics office provide data on wind tower imports. According to the trade ministry, local producers were proposing an anti-dumping tax rate of 97%. Wind towers imported to Vietnam currently enjoy a most-favored nation (MFN) tariff of 3%. Vietnam is looking to boost wind energy as it begins the transition to becoming carbon-neutral by mid-century, aiming for wind, most of it onshore, to account for 18.5% of the total power mix by 2030. The Chinese embassy in Hanoi did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours. This October on doco streamer iwonder are the tale of the mission to repopulate remote communities in India and the story of an American pageant designed to discover and celebrate girls with physical or learning disabilities. The Daughter Tree October 10th The Daughter Tree is an epic documentary, six years in the making, about the disappearance of women in India resulting in all-male populations in many of the villages. The Daughter Tree follows a midwife struggling to encourage women to bring baby girls into the world. In the Village of Men, where no baby girl has been born for two decades, families here are marooned in a womanless existence. Its when we visit the Village of the Daughter Tree that we discover something quite magical has been going on in a remote corner of India. Every time a baby girl is born, a tree is planted. The tree grows, the baby grows. As an adult, she makes a living selling its fruit this way the girl is independent, and the environment is greener. They call this tree the Daughter Tree. Miss Amazing October 10th Every year over 140 hopeful young girls and women from across America come together for one very special event: The National Miss Amazing Pageant, for girls with physical or learning disabilities. Join 17-year-old Abigail Manery as she prepares for, and travels to, the national finals in Chicago and eagerly awaits not only the chance to compete for a crown and trophy, but also the opportunity to find what she has been looking for her whole life: a real friend. This is a heartwarming documentary about the power of community, celebration and empowerment and the acknowledgment of beauty and value in all people. In the final episode of Kitchen Cabinet Annabel Crabb travels to Brisbane to cook with the youngest minister in the Albanese Government, 38 year old for the Aged Care and Sport minister, Anika Wells. Anika Wells has three children under the age of six, and so enlists Annabel to help batch cook a colossal lasagne that will hide more than 2.5 kilos of vegetables from her unsuspecting children. Whilst blending large amounts of vegetables in a food processor they discuss ambition, ultimate frisbee, gender in politics, plus juggling high pressure ministerial portfolios, a young family and a chronic disease. 8pm Tuesday on ABC. Australian based architecture / design streamer Shelter has received a Special Mention for Architecture Videographer of the Year at the 2023 Architizer Vision Awards. The Architizer Vision Awards are dedicated to the talented studios and individuals that enable the world to envision amazing architecture through photography, drawings, renderings, videos, physical models and more. Here are October highlights: e Energy (6 x 30 mins) USA 2007 October 9 Worldwide ex USA & Canada What if our climate, energy and economic problems are in fact defining opportunities; to reinvent and redesign on a global scale? Narrated by Morgan Freeman, e Energy investigates innovations in alternative energy technologies that provide options for a more sustainable energy future. Through the implementation of these renewable energy solutions, discover how the global economy can not only survive, but prosper into a new environmentally aware age. This six episode series profiles the engineers, policymakers and innovations that are transforming energy availability and consumption. From the first privatised wind farm; to a dissection of mass transportation and the need for greater efficiencies; a better biofuel than ethanol; and how distributed solar energy can alleviate poverty in the emerging world. Shelter Originals: Churches of Iceland (25 mins) Iceland / Australia 2023 October 23 When Christianity arrived in Iceland in 1000 CE, the construction of the new churches quickly became the focal point of local communities. But on this remote part of the Northern Atlantic, these houses of worship would not be the dazzling & gilded constructs of classic Europe. Instead, a modest but unique design style would emerge. Designed & constructed with limited building materials at hand, these captivating feats of craftsmanship would prove instrumental in shaping the countrys architectural landscape. From the tiny wooden chapel Viimyrarkirkja, built with driftwood from Siberia and roofed with turf; to the beautifully sculpted concrete curved dome & pyramid of Bjarnaneskirkja, that opens its doors to a stunning glacier view; and to the breathtaking triangular design shapes and spire of Mosfellskirkja, nestled in its volcanic valley surrounds; Shelter Originals: Churches of Iceland is an enchanting journey of discovery into the world of Icelands sacred spaces. From the team behind Tiny Spaces: Iceland, immerse yourself with stunning sweeping aerial visuals, intimate inside looks, and interviews with local experts into the fascinating history of Icelands churches. Director: Damien Lipp Writers: Camille Clare, Dustin Clare & Damien Lipp Producers: Camille Clare, Dustin Clare & Damien Lipp Co-Producer: Stephanie Mauro Image source: Getty Images October isnt the busiest month for company results. Most companies financial years match the calendar year, and their first-half results have been and gone. However, a couple of FTSE 100 firms with more unusual financial periods are scheduled to report in October. Both companies are market leaders in their sectors. And both have yet to see their shares recover to their pre-pandemic levels. For me, this makes them doubly interesting as potential investments. Dominance Supermarket Tesco (LSE: TSCO) is the giant of its sector. To put its dominance into perspective, it generated 66bn in revenue and made a net profit of 744m in its last reported financial year. This compares with number two rival Sainsburys (31bn and 207m), and leading discounter Aldi (14bn and 5m). Much is made of the success of Aldi and fellow budget chain Lidl. However, while their continuing expansion represents a threat to rivals, Tesco has adapted well to their rise. Its consistently maintained its market share at 27%-28% over the last five years. Free cash flow In a first-quarter trading update in June, Tesco said it expects to deliver full-year retail operating profit at the same level as last year, and free cash flow within its target range of 1.4bn to 1.8bn. Free cash flow is the cash left over after all essential costs (from wages to tax), including maintenance capital expenditure. The latter is the expenditure needed to maintain its position in the market. Free cash flow enables discretionary spending. For example, investment for growth, dividend payments to shareholders, and share buybacks. Share buybacks and dividends Tesco has been buying back its own shares this year. The effect of this is to continue giving shareholders ownership of an increasing slice of the business. The company also uses its free cash flow to pay dividends. It aims to progressively increase the dividend (although this can never be guaranteed). Story continues In the upcoming results, scheduled for next Wednesday (4 October), Ill be looking for the companys full-year free cash flow guidance to be on track. At the checkout The markets currently pricing Tesco at around 12 times forecast earnings, with a prospective dividend yield in the region of 4%. The company doesnt have the highest growth prospects among FTSE 100 businesses. Nor are the shares super-cheap, in my opinion. However, I do think they offer decent value for this dominant force in UK grocery retailing. Another market leader Hotels chain Premier Inn, which is owned by Whitbread (LSE: WTB), is another dominant player in its market sector. Its the comfortable leader in the UK midscale and economy segment. But also knocks spots off hotel chains across the board, according to YouGovs BrandIndex Quality & Value scores. Home and abroad Premier Inn still has significant growth prospects in the UK and Ireland. Whitbread sees potential to increase the chains current 84,000 rooms to 125,000. But what particularly excites me is the companys expansion into the bigger market of Germany. Management believes it can replicate its UK success there, and sees a clear pathway to becoming the largest hotel chain in that country too. Encouraging progress International expansion always comes with risk, and its possible growth and/or return on investment in Germany may not live up to managements expectations. However, in a first-quarter trading update, issued in June, the company reported encouraging progress. It said it now has 56 hotels with 10,000 rooms open. Furthermore, with its early cohort of hotels maturing, management expects its operations in Germany to reach break-even during calendar year 2024. In the upcoming results (18 October), Ill be looking for confirmation this is on track, as well as a continuation of the strong trading momentum across the group that Whitbread reported in June. Valuation Like Tesco, the company generates substantial free cash flow, pays dividends and is in the midst of a share buyback programme. The market is currently pricing this stock at around 19 times forecast earnings, with a prospective dividend yield in the region of 2.5%. This may be a pricier valuation than Tesco, but I think its a price worth paying. Premier Inn not only has a dominant position and healthy growth prospects in the UK, but also that long growth runway in Germany, and potentially beyond. Bonus Finally, if youre a Whitbread shareholder or potential investor, you may not know that the company offers perks for any holder of 64 or more shares. Head over to www.whitbread.co.uk/investors/shareholder-centre/benefits/ to check out whats on offer, and how to apply. The perks in themselves arent a reason to invest, but every little helps as Tesco might say. The post 2 FTSE 100 stocks to watch in October appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading Graham has no position in any of the shares mentioned in this article. The Motley Fool UK has recommended J Sainsbury Plc, Tesco Plc, and YouGov Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2023 Two of the nightclubs involved in the fire on Sunday in a leisure area of the Spanish city of Murcia, in which 13 people died, did not have a municipal licence and had a cease and desist order since January 2022. This was announced on Monday by municipal officials at a press conference, in which they offered the first data of the investigations carried out to find out the origin of the tragedy. The fire started in the early hours of Sunday morning in one of the premises of the complex of Atalayas, a popular area of Murcia, where dozens of nightclubs, fast food outlets and nightclubs are located. The municipal authorities also confirmed today the figure of thirteen dead, as the five people who were missing were located in good condition and have been in contact with their relatives. In addition, no new bodies have been found in the disaster area since firefighters have gained full access to it. The mayor of Murcia, Jose Ballesta, has declared three days of mourning. 'I'm going to die' A few minutes after the fire started, one of the missing women sent a voice message on Whatsapp to her mother that night. The 28-year-old, who was at the club with her boyfriend, sent a message that read: "I'm going to die. I love you mum". The father shared the message with media at the scene on Sunday: "She is my daughter and I have never heard from her again. I haven't heard from her boyfriend either". Authorities were able to enter the nightclub a few hours after the fire broke out, 'after the fire had been extinguished', where they discovered 'four bodies', then others some forty minutes later. Four people were also injured - two women aged 22 and 25 and two men aged 41 and 45 - after inhaling smoke. Only three bodies have been identified using fingerprints. However, authorities have warned that the rest of the identifications could take days as DNA samples have to be taken to Madrid. Devoured by the flames In this photo provided by Bomberos/ayuntamiento de Murcia, part of the burned-out interior a nightclub which caught fire is pictured. - AP/AP More than a dozen people who had been at the night club told the Spanish newspaper El Pais that there were no marked emergency exits. Story continues According to the photos released by the emergency services, the venue - the Teatre nightclub - was devoured by the flames. Photos from the scene show water hoses from fire trucks continuing to spray the blackened facade in a street invaded by emergency vehicles, with thick smoke escaping from the roof of the nightclub. According to the mayor of Murcia Jose Ballesta the fire service mobilised 12 emergency vehicles, 40 firefighters, as well as around twenty police officers. Loyalist anti-NI Protocol demonstrators outside the Conservative's annual conference in Manchester. Photo: Moore Holmes The protest took the form of a mock funeral for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement as a consequence of the post-Brexit trading arrangements. From yesterday, goods from trusted traders entering Northern Ireland from GB, but not for onward distribution in the Republic of Ireland/EU, will enter through a green lane, meaning minimal paperwork and only random spot checks. There will also now be a requirement for shops in Northern Ireland to display Not for EU labelling on certain goods. Around the time of the protest, NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris posted a message on social media from the port of Birkenhead near Liverpool, welcoming the new green lane coming into effect. We discussed the goods that are now able to travel smoothly between NI and GB, the opportunities this provides for boosting NI trade & how we can build on the unique advantages the Windsor Framework offers, he said. Organisers of the demonstration in Manchester say there were protestors present from England, Scotland and NI. Among the latter was the loyalist Moore Holme. A spokesperson for the protestors said the imposition of a customs border between NI and GB has killed the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. In a statement, the spokesperson said: The British government have not only failed to protect the Belfast Agreement, but they have denied British people their rights as equal citizens within the UK. They have chosen to prioritise the Irish government and European Union's interests over the well-being and security of its British citizens. They are disregarding the legitimate concerns of unionists, a grave injustice that cannot be ignored. This betrayal is an affront to every British citizen in Northern Ireland. The statement added: Ulster loyalists, along with our British counterparts, refuse to accept this unjust assault on our constitutional position. The institutions established under the agreement lie in ruins. The NI Executive is inoperable. It will only regain life when the constitutional integrity of Northern Ireland is fully reinstated within the UK. For as long as the protocol remains, the Belfast Agreement is dead. (Photo : APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images) People protest in front of the Los Angeles City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, on June 25, 2022, a day after the Supreme Court released a decision on Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, striking down the right to abortion. - Abortion rights defenders fanned out across America on June 25 for a second day of protest against the Supreme Court's thunderbolt ruling, as state after conservative state moved swiftly to ban the procedure. A federal judge halted the implementation of two provisions of a near-total ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy in North Carolina on Saturday, stating that one is unconstitutionally imprecise and the other lacks medical evidence. The "Care for Women, Children, and Families Act," Senate Bill 20, prohibits licensed physicians from performing abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy. It provides exceptions for rape and incest up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and for "life-limiting anomalies" up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Some North Carolina Abortion Ban Restrictions Lifted On June 26, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Planned Parenthood, and physician Beverly Gray filed a lawsuit challenging the bill before it went into effect on July 1. According to CNN, they argued that the bill's restrictions on abortion access will "harm patients and hinder health care professionals from providing care." In an order issued on Saturday, US District Judge Catherine Eagles halted the enforcement of a provision requiring surgical abortions after 12 weeks to take place exclusively in hospitals as opposed to abortion clinics. She said the plaintiffs demonstrated the state legislature's "absence of any rational medical basis" for the mandate scheduled to take effect on Sunday. Before prescribing a medication abortion, the judge also blocked a provision requiring physicians to document the location of early pregnancies with ultrasound evidence. In the injunction, her order says the provision "does not provide a clear standard by which providers can make this determination" and is open to "differing interpretations." Read Also: Texas Governor Belittles NYC Migrant Crisis, Claiming It's 'Calm' Compared to Theirs North Carolina Abortion Ban Changes In July, Judge Eagles issued a two-week restraining order against this provision to allow for additional review. Before the Republican supermajority overrode his veto in May, Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a moratorium on most abortions after 12 weeks. On July 29, the governor signed into law significant amendments to the moratorium, stating that the change was "important to elucidate the rules and provide some certainty." Additionally, the state legislature, which the Republicans control, made additional last-minute modifications to the new abortion law by attaching them to House Bill 190, an unrelated bill pertaining to the Department of Health and Human Services. Related Article: Montana Judge Temporarily Blocks Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Jamie Bryson. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker As the red and green lanes at NI ports came into effect on Sunday, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson said no self-respecting unionist should be urging a return to business as usual at Stormont. The NI Centre for the Union director said: Today, as the latest hardening of the Irish Sea border comes into force, it iimportant unionists and loyalists of all shades stand firm. "There can never be any sense of acceptance or tolerance of this threat of violence-rewarding arrangement. Mr Bryson has repeatedly argued that the prospect of attacks on customs posts along the Irish land border was the driving force behind the new trade border down the middle of the Irish Sea. There is no government in NI because the basis upon which power sharing is based has been upended by the imposition of the Union-subjugating Protocol framework which treats unionists as second class citizens, he said. What next? Shall we be sitting at separate lunch counters? At the back of the bus? For 25 years unionism has been expected to give, in order that nationalism can get. The most vivid illustration of that previously covert, but all too obvious, concept has come about by the Irish Sea border. We now have a hard and a soft customs border in the Irish Sea, but both so called red and green lanes represent a customs border. The guarantee of equal footing and citizenship has been trashed. No self respecting unionist should debase themselves by urging a return to power sharing. "Such pleas for parley and surrender are calls to cross the joint unionist picket line. Mr Bryson added: Those who would return to Stormont and implement the subjugation of the Union must squarely confront the consequences of their collaboration. "There is no Nuremberg defence available. "Whilst the Protocol lives, the Belfast Agreement is dead. Belfast Docks on Sunday as a the new red/green lanes for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland came into operation (Photo: dsd) DUP chairman Lord Morrow said it is his partys over-riding objective to see Northern Irelands position within the UK fully restored. From Sunday (October 1) onwards, goods coming into Northern Ireland, which are onwards to the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the European Union, will be required to use the conceptual red line which involves customs declarations and some checks. Goods remaining within Northern Ireland use the green lane greatly reducing the need for paperwork and with no checks as distributors will be registered with the trusted trader scheme. DUP peer Lord Morrow. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Writing in the News Letter on Saturday, Chris Heaton-Harris said the vast majority of Northern Irelands economic life remains umbilically connected to the rest of the UK, with most of the economy untouched by anything in the Windsor Framework. Mr Heaton-Harris said that frequently expressed concerns over the supply of human medicines have now been addressed. However, the grave concerns of Lord Morrow and his DUP colleagues remain. Our overriding objective is seeking to re-establish the Northern Ireland Assembly on a fair and sustainable basis by finishing the job of fully restoring Northern Irelands position in the United Kingdom, the DUP peer said. We have campaigned to ensure that the [NI] Protocol is replaced by arrangements that restore our place within the United Kingdom and those arrangements must be capable of commanding the support of unionists as well as nationalists. "We want to see a return to the delicate political balance within Northern Ireland where the views of unionists are valued and respected and cross-community consensus is the way that we deliver stability and prosperity for all our people. Lord Morrow said that while he accepted the Windsor Framework designed to deal with difficulties created by the NI Protocol represents significant progress across a number of areas, it does not deal with some of the fundamental problems at the heart of our current difficulties. Story continues In a statement to the News Letter, he added: The real purpose of the Windsor Framework (Enforcement etc) Regulations 2023 is to make provision for the enforcement of GB standards rather than EU ones in Northern Ireland with respect to public health, marketing and organic products. That sounds like a step forward in efforts to repatriate powers from the EU to the UK, however, quite the opposite is the case. Anyone who has believed government claims to have got Brexit done and taken back control will be rudely awoken from that particular fantasy by the experience of reading Regulation (EU) 2023/1231. Unlike those EU regulations that apply to Northern Ireland because they apply to the EU as a whole, and thus to Northern Ireland, this regulation, which was passed in June, is curious because it applies narrowly and specifically to the Government of the United Kingdom and not to any other part of the EU even though the legislation was supposedly made some years after Brexit for the UK by the EU legislature, now without any UK representation. Lord Morrow said the effects of the new arrangements will also affect the other UK regions, and not just Northern Ireland. "Although it is often said that the protocol/Windsor Framework has made Northern Ireland a vassal state of the European Union, this legislation demonstrates that, in touching what people can do in the rest of the UK, there is a clear sense in which the vassal status to which we have been submitted impacts not only Northern Ireland but the whole United Kingdom, he said. EU regulation 2023/1231 makes provision for some goods to be subject to less exacting SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) border requirements than would otherwise obtain if traders submit to certain restrictions, which is the purpose of the Windsor Framework (Enforcement etc.) Regulations 2023 to enable compliant traders to access, Lord Morrow added. Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty Who doesnt enjoy a true armchair adventure? You can live in Alaska, hike Mount Everest, or survive a plane crash, all without leaving the comfort of your own home. My love of adventure stories began at an early age. When I became an adult, that love motivated me to coauthor my fathers exploits in Tent for Seven: A Camping Adventure Gone South Out West. If youre into close encounters with bears and near-death experiences, its a must-read. Ive managed to build a nice collection of nonfiction books over the years. Some are distinguished by The New York Times and USA Today, while others are less known but still as captivating, inspiring, shocking, and unbelievable as the bestsellers. Let me introduce a few that might be new to you. For every bestseller listed below, Ive recommended a hidden gem on the same or similar topic. Dont miss out on these truly incredible stories. I hope they keep you glued to your seat, giving you the adventure of a lifetime. Or perhaps, youll be motivated to leave that comfy chair behind and head out on an adventure of your own. 1. Bestseller Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Have you ever dreamed of selling all your possessions, moving to Alaska, and living off the land? OK, maybe thats just me. But you can pick up this book and live vicariously through Christopher Johnson McCandlessor Alexander Supertramp, as he dubbed himselfif you dare. A warning, though: Alex lasted only four grueling months before perishing alone in an abandoned bus in the middle of nowhere. So maybe this is more of a cautionary tale. Hidden Gem North of the Sun by Fred Hatfield Fred Hatfield had a better go of it. He survived in the Alaskan wilderness for 20 years and even raised a family there. He built the log cabin his kids grew up in, and they lived off the land in every sense of the phrase. Fred did, however, encounter many grizzly bearsand a murdererand survived to write a great story. How Reading Helped Me Navigate the Pandemic Story continues 2. Bestseller Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado Im deathly afraid of flying, so Im not sure why I chose this book in the first place. But once I started, I couldnt put it down. After crashing in the High Andres, Nando Parrado managed to make a single chocolate-covered peanut last for three days. From there, his food choices became singular and ghastly. Two months after the crash, with no hope of being rescued, Nando and two comrades set off on a 70-mile, 10-day hike through freezing winds and impenetrable snows across the mountains. This book is packed with life lessons and leaves you wondering what you would have done if you had been there. I pray Ill never find out. Hidden Gem When I Fell from the Sky by Juliane Koepcke Juliane Dillers mother had this to say about flying: Its totally unnatural that such a bird made of metal takes off into the air. I couldnt agree more. Juliane was sitting next to her on Christmas Eve when their plane was stuck by lightning and disintegrated in the sky. Juliane fell two miles, strapped in her seat, before landing deep in the Amazonthe sole survivor. She spent the next 11 days wandering through the jungle. You may think twice before boarding another airplane. 3. Bestseller Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand And theyre off! It was the Great Depression and all of America needed something to cheer for. Millions of people tuned their radios to the races to root for Seabiscuit, an underweight, chronically tired horse often mistaken for being lame. Despite his flaws, trainer Tom Smith saw something in him. The last of the frontiersmen, Tom used unconventional methods. Seabiscuits jockey, Red Pollard, was blind in one eye, significantly taller than most jockeys, and so broke he slept on stall floors. The horses owner, Charles Howard, was traumatized by the death of his son. The four made an unlikely team. This is a true rags-to-riches story, where the convergence of three broken men and one misunderstood horse came together to race into history. Hidden Gem A Girl and Five Brave Horses by Sonora Carver Can you imagine pulling yourself onto the back of a horse and then holding on for dear life as that horse jumps off a forty-foot tower into a pool of water below? Now imagine doing this blind. Sonora Carver was 19 when she learned to ride diving horses under the tutelage of Dr. Carver, himself a man of the Old West when it was truly wild. This adventure starts in the roaring 30s and has it all: horses, triumph over tragedy, and a love story. 4. Bestseller Grandma Gatewoods Walk by Ben Montgomery Why not hike the Appalachian Trail? After all, its there to be hikedall 2,190 miles of it. Thats what Emma Gatewood figured. At age 67, she told her family she was going for a walk and then disappeared into the woods. She became the first woman to hike the trail alone. Two years later, she felt the urge to thru-hike the trail again and became the first person, male or female, to do so twice. And for good measure, she hiked it yet again, in sections this time, thereby becoming the first person to hike the trail three times, because, after all, its there. Hidden Gem Honouring High Places by Junko Tabei In 1975 Junko Tabei became the first woman to climb Mount Everest. She was also the first woman to climb the Seven Summits. She was only five feet tall and in childhood had been considered weak and poor at physical education. Her fourth-grade teacher changed her life by introducing her to the allure of mountains. Later in life, Junko became a staunch advocate of mountain conservation. Before dying at the age of 77, she asked her son to do three things, one of which was Let as many people as possible know the wonder of Mother Nature. I wholeheartedly support that directive. 5. Bestseller Endurance by Alfred Lansing Go with the floe. Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 men kept their cool while living on ice for just over a year after their ship was crushed in the frozen Antarctic sea. Shackleton proved an incredible leader as they drifted on an ice floe in the ocean, eventually landing on Elephant Islanda deserted, inhospitable mountainous land off the coast of Antarctica. From there, Shackleton set sail with a small crew, rowing some 650 nautical miles through the Drake Passage, where crushing waves can reach 40 feet high, to save his men. Envisioning their harrowing experiences makes me hesitant to complain about physical discomfort ever again. Hidden Gem Island of the Lost by Joan Druett One island. Two shipwrecks. Twenty miles apart. If Im ever on a sinking ship, I want to go down with Captain Musgrave. His crew worked together to build a shelter and find food and ultimately not only survived for a year but thrived. Captain Dalgarno, on the opposite side of the island, failed miserably. Immediately his men began fighting and dying. A few resorted to cannibalism. Neither crew knew of the others existence, which for Musgraves sailors was probably a good thing. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Bolton barber wins whopping amount on gameshow (Image: BBC) A 26-year-old barber from Bolton who appeared on The Wheel last night picked up a whopping cash prize. Chris, managed to take away 12,500 after he answered wrongly twice before being lucky on the third attempt. When asked by presenter Michael McIntyre what he would do if he won big, Chris said he would spend it on a honeymoon, and a bigger wedding with a free bar. Chris and Paddy McGuiness gave a nod to one another over both being from Bolton. Paddy was on the show to share his expertise on karate. Michael joked about the experts getting some of the questions wrong, saying weve never had a start where theres been literally double shut downs for every spin. The final question host Michael read out for Chris to win the prize was: Which country has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest the most times? The four possible answers were United Kingdom, Sweden, France, or Luxembourg. He was helped by British swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who suggested Sweden or United Kingdom as possible answers. Chris admitted that he was not sure, but they both went on a whim and chose the United Kingdom, which turned out to be the right answer. Michael said: That was so tense, but you were so lucky to have three chances. Chris added: I cant get words out. All I wanna do is ring her now and tell her were off to Thailand or wherever she wants to go on her honeymoon. Thank you all honestly. BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany has welcomed a show of support from China for the G20 debt restructuring framework for poorer countries in a joint statement after their financial dialogue in Frankfurt over the weekend. "We welcome the fact that the Chinese side is also committed to this in our Joint Statement, because solutions are inconceivable without China as such an important player in world politics," German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday, after his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Neither provided further details on the rules for the restructuring plans and the joint statement did not give specifics. A source told Reuters in April that China had been expected to drop its demand for multilateral development banks to share losses alongside other creditors in sovereign debt restructurings for poor nations. It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether that had happened. Some countries such as Germany have argued that with China being by far the largest creditor for many highly indebted countries in Africa and Asia, Beijing should make concessions to speed debt restructuring. During Sunday's talks, Germany and China also showed their determination to expand market access opportunities between both countries. "This creates opportunities on both sides for more responsible trade and investment," German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Sunday. China is willing to work with Germany to further "mutually beneficial" cooperation, and inject more "positive energy" into their partnership, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday, citing He. High-ranking representatives of the countries' central banks and supervisory authorities attended the third financial dialogue between Berlin and Beijing, as well as companies' representatives. "It is important for me to emphasise that for the first time in the history of the Financial Dialogue we have established a Financial Roundtable with representatives of important financial institutions and private companies," Lindner said. Story continues Lindner proposed to increase the frequency of financial dialogues between China and Germany, to have these meetings annually instead of every two years, as both countries want faster progress. In politics, two years is a long time, but in financial matters, two years is an eternity, Lindner said. The meeting took place in Frankfurt, as Germany want to further strengthen this city as an European hub for financial services, the finance minister said. (Reporting by Maria Martinez; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Alison Williams and Stephen Coates) In 1935, the American novelist Sinclair Lewis published a political novel entitled It Couldn't Happen Here. The book was really a warning of what could go wrong depicting the rise of a fascist dictator and society in the US. Fortunately, it turned out to be unnecessary. America was the leading force establishing the post-war democratic world order and, imperfectly, creating a "great society" and establishing civil rights. That was then. Now, in defiance of multiple criminal indictments, Donald Trump is the favourite to be re-elected president of the US next year. He openly espouses many of the "America First" attitudes that are satirised in Lewis's story. Meanwhile, It Could Happen Here is the title of a popular critical podcast that, according to promotional blurb, takes "a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world". Those who say "only in America" are kidding themselves. Politicians who can be described as populist nationalists have already entered government through the ballot box in Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Italy. In Spain, France and Germany, far-right parties are gaining strength and are already power brokers, driving the policies of mainstream parties in their direction. In Ireland, a rabble of some 200 blockaded the Dail for an afternoon last week, January 6-style they brought along a mock gallows, decorated with images of members of the traditional parties and the police commissioner. In Argentina, Javier Milei, an anarcho-capitalist who has called the Pope "a piece of s***", is current favourite to be the next president. Meanwhile, rising global powers such as the Peoples' Republic of China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are autocratic dictatorships. It could happen here Those who see themselves as centrists - whether centre-right or centre-left - in this country still comfort themselves that the UK is not as polarised as the US and that the British have always been moderate. We would never saddle ourselves with an autocratic government. Story continues And yet, in our society, as elsewhere, there is widespread dissatisfaction with the way things are and an urge to seek out others to blame. Opinion polls find that younger adults are increasingly losing faith in representative democracy. Read more: A general election isn't far away - and Labour need to make Sir Keir look like a PM Sunak will not go quietly - and will do what it takes to shift the dial ahead of election Small "l" liberalism means entertaining and even encouraging the expression of points of view on all sides of an argument. This is not the position taken either by populists on the right, who want to coerce and overrule those with whom they disagree or by those on the left embracing "cancel culture". The common enemy of the extremes is the centre. Centrism accepts rules-based order and the operation of checks and balances between what people ask for, the politicians who try to satisfy them and the legal structures that constrain them. As society evolves, we assume democratic systems have the capacity to adjust to them. Populism rejects this approach. It is intolerant. It denounces the status quo and exaggerates how bad things are, without taking any political responsibility. Trump talked about "American carnage" and is now belittling fellow Republicans competing for his party's nomination. Suella Braverman flies out to a right-wing American thinktank to attack the past 25 years' immigration policy "too much, too quick, with too little thought" when her Conservative Party has been in government for the past 13 of those years. Populists talk tough about law and order for others but have little respect for it when they fall foul of it. The "good chap" theory of politics, described by Lord (Peter) Hennessy, would have barred a return by Braverman as home secretary, after she resigned for breaching the ministerial code. But Rishi Sunak needed to hug her close to shore up his shaky unelected hold on the Conservative Party leadership, so they both looked the other way. Sympathetic Tory politicians and news outlets lauded the vandalism on ULEZ enforcement devices. Trump views any legal curb on his behaviour as unjustified and politically motivated. Trump and the Republican Senate have successfully politicised the Supreme Court in their image. In Israel, Trump's friend Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting much the same, apparently to save himself from prosecutions for corruption. Targeting checks and balances Would-be autocrats try to undermine any independent authorities they cannot dominate. Boris Johnson's challenge to the monarchy, the courts and parliament was an overt attempt to break them as regulating forces. A similar approach is evident where this country is a participant, voluntarily and with a voice, in international organisations concerned with multi-lateral issues. The Take Back Control slogan from Leave EU was a pure expression of this destructive and deluded impulse. Now the government is floating leaving the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) as "a warning shot" to the Strasbourg court. Any government should argue its case vigorously, attempts to coerce justice with threats are a different matter. The ECHR was established after 1945 to prevent authoritarians persecuting minorities again. Click to subscribe to Politics at Jack and Sam's wherever you get your podcasts Evidently, such angry political posturing attracts support, especially when times are as hard and as globally competitive as they are now. But even when, as at present, the majority do not go along blaming others - whether migrants or mainstream media and politicians - mobilising core voters can yield big dividends. In the United States, skewed constitutional arrangements have resulted in the Republicans winning control in the White House and Congress, when significantly defeated in the popular vote. Johnson and Truss owed their prime ministership to Conservative Party activists, not the electorate. Sunak was installed by the passive aggression of Tory MPs. In continental Europe, populists have broken through by founding new parties, such as Vox and Alternative fur Deutschland. In the US and UK, they have risen on the inside of existing parties, which command automatic, unthinking, legacy loyalty from some voters. Trump was elected because he was able to take over the Republicans, the Grand Old Party, even though he had no track record within it. What if the Tories win? In this country, some voters, and much of the media, will accommodate the Conservative Party and give it their backing, irrespective of where its leaders are taking it. The Tories could win the next election, more likely obeying the pendulum theory of politics beloved of centrists, at a subsequent contest. What will they stand for when they get into power again? In anticipation of possible defeat at the approaching election, the Conservative Party is already in a state of civil war about where it goes next. Following the purges conducted by Johnson, and the despairing retirements precipitated by Truss, the centre-right of the party is in a weakened state. Braverman and Kemi Badenoch are favourites to contest the party leadership, assuming that Sunak does not pre-empt them by continuing to stampede in their rightward, negativist, policy direction. There are a lot of ifs, which would have to be made real. It would then, of course, be what people voted for. It would kill off the centrist consensus, which has prevailed in this country for centuries. But, more possible than ever, it could happen here. Watch Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips at 8.30am on Sky News - live from the Conservative Party conference. He will be joined by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, and Labour's shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray. Rishi Sunak has refused to commit to the future of HS2 amid fears that the route linking Birmingham to Manchester may be axed due to rising costs. Speculation has risen over the projects future after reports suggested its costs have breached the 100billion mark, even with the Leeds element being binned in 2021. As the Tory Party Conference kicks off in Manchester, the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg referenced critics such as mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street who has warned the UK is becoming a laughing stock over the uncertain future of the rail link during an interview on Sunday. In response, the Prime Minister said: Id completely reject that. I speak to business leaders all the time. Ive just been around the world, Ive recently been in Japan, in America, in Europe, were attracting billions of pounds of investment into this country, creating jobs everywhere. Thats what I hear from business leaders around the world, theyre excited about the opportunity that investing in Britain offers. HS2 was in 2015 given a 55.7billion budget for its route from London to Birmingham with a Y-shaped section to Manchester and Leeds. Delays and rising costs have now thrown the project into jeopardy, sparking calls from three former Prime Ministers to make sure the project is linked to Manchester. Asked during a Q&A at Henley Literary Festival whether HS2 should be scrapped, Theresa May said: The answer is no. I will give you two comments on HS2. First of all, we have to think about why HS2 was designed in the first place. It was because there was a lack of capacity on the West Coast Main Line. So if there is a lack of capacity on the West Coast Main Line, we need more railway capacity to serve the North West. She said there was also an issue for her constituents if the line does not end up terminating in Euston, in central London. If HS2 stops at Old Oak Common, it is going to make our railway journeys into London longer and disrupted potentially over the period that Old Oak Commons building is being done to enable it to take that end point, she added. Story continues So I am arguing with Government: Dont stop at Old Oak Common. You need to take it into Euston because my constituents will be disadvantaged if you dont. Boris Johnson expanded on his concerns in his Daily Mail column on Saturday, arguing the Tory Government would be betraying the north of the country and the whole agenda of levelling up if HS2 to Manchester is delayed or cut. On Saturday, however, Transport Secretary Mark Harper refused to be drawn on the projects future. Mr Harper told Times Radio that spades are in the ground on Phase 1 of HS2 between London and Birmingham but said he was not going to comment on speculation in the media about the line potentially stopping in the Midlands. If the Government has anything to say, well say that in the usual way in due course, he added. (Reuters) -A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, Azerbaijani media reported, as a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region began drawing to a close following a Azerbaijani military offensive last month. The mission, led by a senior U.N. aid official, is the global body's first access to the region in about 30 years. Armenia has asked the World Court to order Azerbaijan to withdraw all its troops from civilian establishments in Nagorno-Karabakh and give the United Nations access. The World Court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, in February ordered Azerbaijan to ensure free movement through an area known as the Lachin corridor leading to and from the region. The process of moving those wishing to relocate from Nagorno-Karabakh to neighbouring Armenia is coming to an end, Russia's RIA news agency quoted the Armenian government as saying late on Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, the World Health Organisation said well over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have made the journey in less than a week. "We've activated our emergency systems and will be sending experts to the country across a range of disciplines including mental health, burns management, essential health services, and emergency coordination following a full assessment of the needs," Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, regional director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, said in a statement. "The challenges are truly enormous, and we're there to do all we can." The departure of hungry and exhausted Armenian families this week was blighted by an explosion at a fuel depot that killed at least 170 people. (Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jane Merriman) (Bloomberg) -- A former prime minister whos derided the European Unions sanctions against Russia and pledged to end military aid to Ukraine won Slovakias election, delivering a fresh blow to Western unity. Most Read from Bloomberg Robert Fico is on track to return to the eastern EU nations premiership after Saturdays vote, adding to the tide of nationalist and populist forces in Europe. The parties have gained traction by tapping into voters frustration over the lingering impact of Covid pandemic, the regions cost-of-living crisis, and fatigue over the war in Ukraine. President Zuzana Caputova on Monday will appoint Fico to form a government, the presidential palace said in an emailed statement, a move that will kick off coalition negotiations. Ficos win threatens to increase divisions between allies regarding assistance to Kyiv as Ukraine looks to turn back Russias invasion, now into its 20th month. As the votes were counted in Slovakia, US lawmakers omitted some $6 billion in Ukrainian aid as part of a last-minute bid to avoid a government shutdown showing that funding more US support is becoming harder. Hungary, which has blocked EU military aid, balked this weekend at Ukrainian overtures to unlock funds. Slovakia has bigger problems than Ukraine, Fico told reporters in Bratislava Sunday, even as he moderated his tone on the nations foreign policy, saying he has no intention of shifting it away from the EU and NATO. Mikulas Hanes, head of research at pollster NMS Slovakia, said that Fico is likely to forge an alliance with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, delaying or mitigating EU policy if not outright blocking it. Story continues Robert Fico is a complication for the EU they wont have it easy with him, Hanes said. Ficos Smer party secured 22.9% of the vote, well ahead of main rival Progressive Slovakia, which had 18%, according to the Statistics Office. The next EU test will be in Poland on Oct. 15, when the nationalist Law & Justice party seek a third term. The dominant political figure in the eastern European nation of 5.4 million since the fall of communism, 59-year-old Fico made his pitch with a pledge to boost social spending and challenge EU policy on issues ranging from migration to security to climate. He resigned in 2018 after a burst of public outrage following the killing of an investigative reporter who probed corruption in Slovakia. The Smer leader served for a decade over three terms after first elected in 2006. Ficos return dashed the hopes of Progressive Slovakia, a pro-EU party that campaigned to keep the nation more closely in line with the European mainstream. Polls in the final weeks of the campaign showed them closing the gap, while exit polls late Saturday had the party with a slim edge. Guess Whos Back! Fico will still need to find partners to form a government. Although Slovakias fractious politics makes coalition building a challenge, Smer has potential partners in Voice, led by his successor as premier, Peter Pellegrini, and the Slovak National Party, which has opposed migration and LGBTQ rights. The three parties would have a majority. Progressive Slovakia also has a path to a majority, but it would involve a potentially unwieldy coalition of multiple parties. Like Orban, Fico has tapped into anxiety in an electorate that is among the most pro-Russian in the 27-member bloc. He was abetted by a social media campaign that included several false claims, making the election a test case for new EU legislation that aims to staunch the spread of illegal or harmful online content. Guess whos back! Orban posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, early Sunday, congratulating Fico: Always good to work together with a patriot. In his previous stints as premier, Ficos rhetoric was stronger than his actions when it came to the EU taking a hard line with a domestic audience, while showing a measure of pragmatism in Brussels. Hell pick up his battles carefully, because hell need European funds, said Milan Nic, a senior research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations. Slovakia has a track record of political tumult and fractious coalitions, with nine governments since it entered the EU in 2004. Party infighting helped bring down the cabinet of Prime Minister Eduard Heger late last year, an alliance that was elected in 2020 to tackle corruption. (Adds government formation in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (Photo : Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images) HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA - MAY 29: A crime scene tape cordon is seen on a street as law enforcement officers respond to a shooting at Hollywood Beach on May 29, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida. At least nine people were hospitalized Monday after an altercation ended in gunfire near the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. The victims were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. The suspect in last week's brutal murder of a young Baltimore tech CEO was sentenced to a 30-year prison term in 2015, but he was released in 2022, not because of parole but because of a more lenient earned credit system for good behavior. Jason Billingsley, 32, was brought into custody without incident late Wednesday in Bowie, Maryland, after being identified as the primary suspect in the murder of Pava LaPere, 26. Jason Billingsley's Criminal Record Per NY Post, police believe he convinced the founder of EcoMap Technologies to let him into her apartment building by claiming he lost his keys. Billingsley, who pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and second-degree assault in 2009 and 2011, respectively, before serving time for the 2013 rape of a 25-year-old woman, applied for parole in 2020 and was denied, according to the Baltimore Banner. David Blumberg, the longstanding head of the state parole commission, said he appealed the decision and was again denied parole. By October 2022, he had earned enough "diminution credits" to be released from prison after serving approximately nine years and three months of a 14-year sentence. In July 2013, the accused murderer was charged with a sex offense of the first degree and pleaded guilty in February 2015. His sentence, backdated to when he was first incarcerated after his arrest, called for a term of 30 years, but with 16 years of that term suspended. By accruing enough diminution credits, he was able to leave the military even sooner than anticipated. The majority of states permit inmates to reduce their sentence for excellent behavior and labor program participation The Justice Reinvestment Act, which was enacted in 2011 and adopted by many states, including Maryland, enables inmates to reduce their prison time by as much as fifty percent if they obtain these credits. Many activists who advocated for and drafted the Justice Reinvestment Act are affiliated with organizations such as the Safety and Justice Action Fund, which campaigns for progressive district attorneys across the nation. They are also affiliated with the Open Society Foundation of George Soros, which coined the phrase "justice reinvestment" in 2003 as part of a campaign for prison reform. A state report from 2020 indicates that under the "diminution credit" system, inmates in Maryland can earn up to 30 days per month. Those serving time for violent crimes, narcotic offenses, or sexual offenses may receive up to 20 days per month. They receive credit for work-related activities, education, and special initiatives, including academic programs and other work-related details. However, even the 2020 report's author appeared to concede that the diminution credit system has some peculiarities. Billingsley, who was released on mandatory supervision after completing a rape sentence less than a year ago, was already on the run when he was suspected of murdering LaPere, the CEO who was one of Forbes' "30 under 30" for social impact this year, police said last week. A warrant was issued for Billingsley within hours of an attack on September 19 involving the "targeted" rape at gunpoint and arson of a woman and her companion. According to CBS News, interim Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated that the 6-foot-4, 305-pound suspect knew the victims of the previous attack and had access to the apartment where the crime occurred. Police began monitoring Billingsley's phone, financial transactions, and other potential leads on September 20; however, he evaded capture despite officers frequently coming within a few steps of his location. LaPere was discovered battered to death on the roof of her Mount Vernon apartment building days into the search. Her body was discovered on Monday, six days after the initial assault, but detectives believe she was likely murdered on Friday. Read Also: Missing Minors: More Than 1000 Kids Reported Disappearing This Year in Cleveland Tech CEO Pava LaPere's Death Meanwhile, LaPere is believed to have been murdered within a half-hour of her return home, as evidenced by the discovery of a brick, teeth, and buttons next to her corpse on the rooftop of her luxury Baltimore apartment. New court documents seen by The Messenger indicate that Billingsley spent less than 36 minutes in her apartment building. According to the Baltimore Police Department report, surveillance footage captured LaPere's arrival at 10:32 p.m. LaPere was then observed seated on a settee in the lobby, before Billingsley, 32, arrived and waved at her through the glass entrance before she let him in. Billingsley reemerged at 11:08 p.m. "scramblin" for an exit after entering and entering an elevator together. Before leaving the building, Billingsley was captured on camera cleaning his right hand on his underpants, according to the police report. After fleeing, law enforcement traced Billingsley to a train station approximately 30 miles from LaPere's apartment. The police report states that detectives located Billingsley with the assistance of a witness, who, according to police, will be identified at a later date and presented in court. Police say LaPere was murdered on Friday night, but her body was not discovered until Monday morning, after someone reported her missing. Earlier this week, police sources verified to DailyMail.com that LaPere's severely battered body was discovered on the roof of her apartment building. The police report also revealed that she was discovered face-up and partially clothed, with blunt force injuries to her head, face, and body. According to the report, the crime scene contained a brick, blood, buttons, trousers, three teeth, a broken hair clip, and a pair of red shoes that belonged to the victim. It is unknown whether she was murdered prior to being deposited on the roof or whether she was murdered on the roof. The police have remained tight-lipped about the crime's specifics. Billingsley is not believed to have known LaPere, who resided on the building's top floor. He is charged with first-degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment in the death of LaPere, a 26-year-old emerging tech sensation. Related Article: Baltimore Tech CEO Murder: Police Conducting Manhunt for 'Extremely Dangerous' Convict @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. UN mission arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh for first time in 30 years A United Nations mission arrived in the Nagorno-Karabakh region on Sunday - for the first time in three decades. Azerbaijan announced the arrival as the majority of the ethnic Armenian population fled the enclave after its recapture by Baku. A spokesperson for the Azerbaijani presidency told AFP that the UN mission had arrived early on Sunday with the main task of assessing the humanitarian needs on the spot. Earlier, the UN announced that it had received the green light to send a mission to the territory this weekend. Armenian separatists, who have controlled Nagorno-Karabakh for three decades, capitulated and agreed to lay down their arms last week, after a lightning offensive by Azerbaijan to reconquer the territory. In total, nearly 600 deaths have been reported in the wake of this military offensive, with the fighting itself said to have killed around 200 soldiers on each side. Since then, the enclave has been almost entirely deserted by its inhabitants, with more than 100,000 refugees having fled to Armenia for fear of reprisals from Azerbaijan - raising fears of a serious humanitarian crisis. On Sunday, Armenia, a region with a Christian majority, observed a day of prayer for Nagorno-Karabakh as church bells rang out across the country. The separatist enclave, supported militarily and economically by Yerevan, opposed Baku for more than three decades, notably during two wars between 1988 and 1994 and again in the autumn of 2020. A green/red lane system for the movement of goods and "not for EU" labels are among key measures of the Windsor Framework coming into effect for Northern Ireland on Sunday (Photo: Liam McBurney) Goods coming into the region which are travelling to the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the EU will use the conceptual red lane, which includes customs declarations and some checks. Goods to be sold in Northern Ireland will use a notional green lane with minimal paperwork and no checks. Companies that use the green lane will be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. The Windsor Framework has already introduced the same VAT, alcohol duty and energy tax rules as the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland, which did not exist under the Protocol. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, writing in the News Letter on Saturday, said the vast majority of Northern Irelands economic life remains umbilically connected to the rest of the UK, with most of the economy untouched by anything in the Windsor Framework, adding that concerns over the supply of human medicines have been addressed. Sundays changes are designed to cut paperwork and red tape for many traders. Mr Heaton-Harris wrote in the News Letter on Saturday: The steak bake or infamous sausage roll will never again need to be accompanied by a signed certificate from a vet to move into NI from GB, removing a major irritant with the old arrangements. However, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said on Friday that the changes will confirm a border in the Irish Sea, adding that his party would not return to the powersharing institutions at Stormont as it would be legally required to implement the framework. Also writing in Saturdays News Letter, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (click here to read the full article), said that Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework deal with the EU is "significant progress" but "does not go far enough toward restoring Northern Irelands place in the UK "internal market". Sir Jeffrey said that unionism "will not be bullied or cajoled into accepting arrangements that entrench irreparable damage" to the UK. But he cited a possible pathway to Stormont if NI's position within the nation is "protected in ... UK law". Story continues Consumers may notice some changes in Northern Ireland and parts of the UK with the introduction of not for EU labels and other information in stores on some products, to prevent these from being sold in Ireland. These labels on meat and dairy will apply in stores in Great Britain next year. Stuart Anderson, head of public affairs for Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: A significant amount of work has been undertaken in a short time to get us to this implementation phase, particularly by those involved in the retail supply chain. These are new processes being applied to what are often high-volume and complex movements. But business has worked hard to ensure we get off to the best possible start. This is new for everyone involved. Continued engagement and a solutions-focused approach with government will be important to help businesses adapt and deal with any issues as and when they arise. Filmmakers like Oliver Stone have been talked about and dissected ad nauseum, especially in the ways people used Natural Born Killers to prognosticate mass violence after the films release. Yes, I think theres a conversation to be had about the effect of in-your-face, Hollywood-produced movies and their effect on the youth of the nation, but blaming a movie that satirizes societal ills for creating violence just emboldens the films entire argument. And yes, Stone is not a subtle man, similar to how I describe Terry Gilliam on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Needless to say, youre either along for the ride or not. Burdened by the trauma they experienced as kids and spurred into action by an abusive father played by Rodney Dangerfield, Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis) take to the road for a trip filled with psychotic fulfillment. In just about every town Mickey and Mallory stop in, they leave a wake of violence and death. And as they cut their way across New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. Naturally, the cops are hot on their tail. But what happens when Mickey and Mallorys own psychopathy makes everyone else start going mad? Well, a lot happens! Ive always flip-flopped a bit on my overall view of Natural Born Killers. In college, I thought it was probably one of the best movies ever made, as theres nothing like overworking to impress people by attaching yourself to the sociopolitical leanings of a movie. After college, I found it trite and way too much given much better, deeper satires done by other filmmakers. But now, I find it trite, way too much and all the better for it. Theres absolutely no way to defend Mickey and Mallorys actions in the film, and the film certainly makes it difficult for you not to feel complicit in all the madness. Thats the unique power, though, in that its impossible to separate yourself from whats happening on screen. This is an unadulterated view of America from a guy who was constantly at war with himself. On the umpteenth viewing, I found myself gravitating toward the mix of visual styles used throughout the film; The way theyre used to distort details in the frame before flipping to another example of America at its worst. Its the kind of filmmaking thats both justly and unjustly criticized for throwing everything at a wall to see if it sticks. In Stones case, every single performer showed up ready, willing and able to buy into the madness. Take Tommy Lee Jones prison warden for example. Heres a character that really could be used as window dressing during an important section of the film, but Jones imbues it with the exact right amount of furor toward the American prison industrial complex. Natural Born Killers has aged in the best way possible. In an America where everyone is divided by violence and the social structures that we entrust arent working for the people, Mickey and Mallory can be seen as heroes that shake up the status quo. Not saying thats a good thing at all, but it certainly makes you think. Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Mickey and Mallory shoot their way into your collection with a three-disc release that comes in a limited-edition steelbook case with new front and reverse art. The 4K disc is a UHD100, while both standard Blu-rays are offered with BD50s. All three discs boot up to standard menu screens with options to play the film, set up audio and video, explore bonus features and select chapters. Genres : Horror Starring : Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Ania Pieroni, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina, Dagmar Lassander Director : Lucio Fulci Plot Synopsis As the 1970s gave way to the 1980s, director Lucio Fulci (Don't Torture a Duckling, City of the Living Dead) increasingly specialised in the dark, ultraviolent horror movies which would earn him the affectionate moniker "the Godfather of Gore". The third and final instalment in his "Gates of Hell" trilogy, 1981's The House by the Cemetery showcases the malevolent maestro at his blood-drenched best. The Boyles - Lucy (Catriona MacColl, The Beyond), Norman (Paolo Malco, The New York Ripper) and their young son Bob (Giovanni Frezza, Demons) - relocate from New York City to an ageing house in rural New England. But the evil force which lurks in its basement has already claimed the previous occupant and now has its sights set on the new owners. Soon, the unsuspecting family will become only too familiar with the dark secret of the monstrous Dr Freudstein Featuring a cast of Italian horror royalty, including Ania Pieroni (Tenebrae) and Dagmar Lassander (Fulci's The Black Cat), sumptuous widescreen cinematography by long-term Fulci collaborator Sergio Salvati (Zombie Flesh Eaters) and a nerve-jangling soundtrack by Walter Rizzati (1990: Bronx Warriors), this feature-packed new edition resurrects Fulci's gore-soaked classic in a stunning 4k restoration from the original camera negative. 'Special Features and Technical Specs: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Two terrorists were neutralized after carrying out a bomb attack in front of Turkey's Interior Ministry building in Ankara on Sunday (October 1), hours ahead of the opening of parliament. It was reported that lawmakers were to return to work after a summer recess, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was supposed to address the assembly a kilometer away from the scene. Security footage obtained by Reuters showed the attackers arriving in a light commercial vehicle in front of the building. Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement that two police officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries after one of the attackers blew himself up, while the other assailant was shot dead by police. The attackers allegedly targeted a guard tower in front of the entrance to the building, which was slightly damaged in the blast. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of this writing. Read Also: The Fall of Artsakh: Ethnic Armenian Government in Nagorno-Karabakh Announces Dissolution by End of 2023 Second Attacker Also Has a Bomb On the other hand, CNN's Turkish affiliate reportedly showed the crime scene cordoned off and a bomb squad searching for other suspicious packages. Officers eventually discovered an unexploded bomb on the body of the neutralized terrorist, and was safely detonated after the attack. Turkish attorney-general Yilmaz Tunc said that an investigation into the incident is underway. He added that the attacks would not hinder the country's fight against terrorism. Sunday's bombing attack was the latest in a long history of terror attacks in Turkey, commonplace in the mid-to late-2010s when the insecurity from war-torn Syria extended northwards. The most significant attack was the twin bombings 2015, which targeted a peace rally near the Turkish capital's main train station. Almost 100 people were killed during the incidents. Wider Context Meanwhile, the US and Egyptian embassies in Ankara reportedly condemned the attack, saying that both countries were standing in solidarity with Turkey. The international community would closely monitor Ersogan's speech for indications about the Turkish parliament's ratification of Sweden's membership application in NATO. The speech would also be watched for any statements regarding the fall of Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh and his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Related Article: US Sanctions 5 Companies Based in Turkey Aimed at Russian Economy @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. RMIT also strengthened its position in Australia, ranking 16th out of 37 institutions, a rise of seven places. RMIT's rise in THE rankings is largely due to the continued strengthening of its reputation for excellence in research and for the quality of teaching. THEs ranking is one of the most diverse ranking schemes, measuring the performance of 1,904 universities across 108 countries and regions globally. It ranks institutions against five key measures (and a total of 18 indicators), with RMIT making strong gains in its global performance across four of these indicators this year: - Teaching: the learning environment (up 102 places) - Research environment (up 36 places) - Citations (up 207 places) - Industry (up 104 places). Key to RMIT's improved result is a rise in reputation for teaching and research quality, as well as improvements in research strength, excellence, influence and income. RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Alec Cameron said the University's rise in the Industry score was largely driven by a new measure on patents, demonstrating the excellence and innovation of the university's research. This is a wonderful outcome for RMIT, demonstrating how were continuing to enhance our reputation for quality and excellence in teaching and research among the global community, and clearly living up to our purpose as a university of impact," Professor Cameron said. "My thanks to our talented people who have contributed to this result. RMIT continues to see strong results across the main rankings schemas including THE Impact Rankings, QS World University Rankings and CWTS Leiden Rankings. - THE Impact Rankings: First for addressing inequalities, equal first for supporting decent work and economic growth, equal second for partnering to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, seventh overall. - QS World University Rankings: 140th overall (up 50 places) - CWTS Leiden Rankings: 87th (up 41 places) Read more about RMITs global rankings. HA NOI The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued Decision No 2494/Q-BCT to initiate an anti-dumping investigation on wind towers imported from China. The investigation was carried out following a complaint by domestic producers lodged by CS WIND Viet Nam Limited and the Southern Renewable and Green Energy Company Limited. Domestic producers claimed that the dumping of wind towers originating from China into the Vietnamese market has caused significant damage to local production, the ministry said in the statement. If necessary, the Ministry of Industry and Trade could apply temporary anti-dumping measures to prevent the dumping activities from continuing to cause significant damage to the domestic manufacturing industry. In the statement, the ministry said that local producers were proposing an anti-dumping tax rate of 97 per cent. Wind towers imported into Viet Nam were currently subject to a most-favoured nation (MFN) tariff of 3 per cent. Under the established regulations, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will send questionnaires to relevant parties to collect information for evaluating the dumping activities and their damages. The ministry urged all organisations and individuals who were importing, exporting, distributing, and using the investigated products to register and provide necessary information to the ministry to ensure their legitimate rights. Registration should be sent to the ministry before December 18. The investigation is carried out while Viet Nam is accelerating the energy transition towards a net-zero economy by 2050 with a focus on promoting the development of renewable energy, including wind power. By 2030, Viet Nam aims to increase the capacity of onshore wind power to 21,880 MW, accounting for 14.5 per cent of the total power capacity, together with 6,000 MW of offshore wind power. VNS HA NOI Sai Gon-Ha Noi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have signed an agreement for SHB to participate in the IFCs Global Trade Finance Programme (GTFP). According to the agreement, SHB will participate in GTFP as the issuing bank with an initial trade finance guarantee limit granted by IFC of up to $75 million. GTFP is a factoring programme for banks from developing countries. GTFP provides full or partial guarantees to help banks deal with risks associated with trade settlement processes in emerging markets. Guarantees are issued for all private sector commercial transactions that meet IFC criteria. Participating in GTFP will help SHB expand its global partner banking network, while contributing to promoting trade growth and supporting the import-export activities of domestic businesses. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ngo Thu Ha SHBs CEO, said: SHB has been implementing many programmes to accompany and support businesses, especially import-export enterprises, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and women-led businesses, directing credit flows to green projects, bringing positive impacts to the environment and society. "We welcome meaningful programmes like GTFP to help businesses proactively deal with liquidity difficulties as well as risk mitigation. At the same time, the programme will also help the bank significantly increase trade finance for many import-export companies, especially during a period when economies around the world face many fluctuations. Thomas Jacobs, IFC Country Director for Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos, said: Trade is a growth engine that creates better jobs, reduces poverty and increases economic opportunity. IFCs $75-million trade finance facility will enhance SHBs capacity to deliver trade finance solutions to serve local businesses, especially SMEs, and help them withstand the impacts of ongoing crises, boosting trade and easing liquidity constraints. Earlier, in March 2023, SHB and IFC signed a credit agreement for a loan worth $40 million the first tranche of a total expected loan package of $120 million from IFC, with a tenor of three years. The loan is intended to support SHB in developing a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loan portfolio, including women-led businesses and businesses participating in the supply chain. During the co-operation process, IFC, along with partners in the programme, has been supporting and advising SHB in developing business strategies, contributing to improving management and operating capacity, and risk management according to international standards. VNS HCM CITY Police are seeking individuals who were victims of a bond fraud case involving property developer Van Thinh Phat, which involves the illegal issuance and trading of bonds worth over VN30 trillion (US$1.24 billion). The Ministry of Public Securitys Investigation Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes (C03) on Saturday issued a notice to locate the victims in the case. The Police have identified Truong My Lan, chairwoman of Van Thinh Phat, and her accomplices as being involved in the fraudulent activities, deceiving numerous individuals between 2018 and 2020 and misappropriating trillions of Vietnamese ong. They created 25 bond packages with a total value of VN30.081 trillion and sold them to buyers, misappropriating funds, according to the Police. The bond codes associated with this case are ADC-2018.09, ADC-2018.09.1, ADC-2019.01, QT-2018.12.1, SNWCH1823001, and SET.H2025.01 to SET.H2025.20. The Police have determined that the buyers of these bond packages are victims in the case. Various individuals and organisations participated in the fraudulent activities, including Van Thinh Phat Group, An ong Investment Group Joint Stock Company, Quang Thuan Investment Joint Stock Company, HCM City Commercial Services Joint Stock Company, Sunny World Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, and others. The Police are requesting the assistance of law enforcement agencies in the provinces and cities where the victims reside to gather information and record testimonies according to regulations. They are also urging anyone who holds bonds from the 25 bond packages mentioned to come forward promptly and provide information, documents, and related contracts to protect their rights and interests in the case. Failure to do so may result in the bondholders rights and interests being disregarded, warned the Police. Last October, Truong My Lan and other individuals were arrested for alleged fraud related to the issuance and trading of bonds worth trillions of Vietnamese ong. Lan was believed to hold a significant shareholding at Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB), where most of the buyers of the bond packages purchased the bonds. Following Lans arrest, numerous depositors rushed to the bank to withdraw their money, leading to SCB being placed under special control by the State Bank of Viet Nam. Truong My Lan, 66, is known as a prominent Chinese-Vietnamese billionaire in Viet Nam's business community. Her company, Van Thinh Phat Co., Ltd., operates in commerce, hospitality, and real estate and owns major projects and buildings in prime locations in Ho Chi Minh City. Other individuals who were also arrested included Truong Hue Van, CEO of Windsor Property Management, Nguyen Phuong Hong, an assistant at Van Thinh Phat, and Ho Buu Phuong, former chairwoman of Tan Viet Securities and Van Thinh Phat former deputy financial director. VNS HA NOI General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV)'s Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and President Vo Van Thuong have sent their letters of greetings to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of China's National Day (October 1). Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has cabled his greetings to his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang, while National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue also sent congratulations to Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China Zhao Leji on this special occasion. In the letters, the Vietnamese leaders highly valued and congratulated China on the achievements in socio-economic development, reform and opening process that the Party, State and people of China have gained over the past 74 years. They expressed belief that under the leadership of the CPC and General Secretary and President Xi, China will successfully complete all strategic socio-economic targets and tasks set out at the 20th CPC National Congress, turning China into a modern, strong and prosperous socialist country with democracy, civilisation and harmony, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world. The Vietnamese Party and State leaders affirmed that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam always consider China an important strategic partner and a top priority in Viet Nams external policy. They underlined that the year of 2023 carries an important meaning to the Viet Nam-China ties as the two countries are celebrating the 15th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. This is a chance for the two sides to look back on the previous journey, sum up experience and sketch out a future of sustainable and long-term development for their traditional friendly neighbourliness and the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Viet Nam-China Cooperation Tran Luu Quang, and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son also extended their greetings to Wang Yi, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the China-Viet Nam Cooperation and Chinese Foreign Minister. VNS HA NOI The Vietnamese Embassy in France has said it is keeping a close watch on a case in which some people believed to be Vietnamese citizens were found on a refrigerated truck in Rhone of Lyon city. The embassy noted that French police on September 27 discovered six women, including two from Iraq and four believed to be Vietnamese, on a refrigerated truck in Rhone that the women thought would take them to England. Shortly after receiving the notification, the embassy quickly liaised with local authorities to verify the information and ask for their assistance in carrying out citizen protection measures. Initial information shows that the four individuals are currently in stable health condition. The case is now under investigation. As directed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy will keep a close watch on the case and take the necessary citizen protection measures to guarantee the rights and legitimate interests of the Vietnamese citizens, according to the embassy. The story harkens back to the infamous tragedy involving the death of 39 Vietnamese people (31 men and 8 women) also in a refrigerated lorry in Essex, UK, believed to be victims of human trafficking or migrants wanting to come to the UK. VNS Multiple reports have been made about a fire gutting a nightclub in Spain's southeastern region early Sunday morning (October 1). There are conflicting reports on how many have died at the scene, with Reuters reporting at least nine, while the BBC estimated the fatalities at 11. An additional four people were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. Murcia mayor Jose Ballesta told reporters that the fire broke out on the first floor of the Teatre nightclub in Atalayas, in the city's outskirts. "We are devastated," he said on local broadcaster 24h, adding that rescuers were still searching for several reported missing people. Read Also: Spanish Conservative Leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo Loses First for Prime Minister Role Incendio EXTINGUIDO. En estos momentos, continuan refrescando la zona Han sido movilizados un total de 12 vehiculos, 40 efectivos de los parques de El Infante y Espinardo y 18 policias locales pic.twitter.com/GYlJvWW7SD Jose Ballesta (@Ballesta_Murcia) October 1, 2023 From Party to Peril Murcia's fire service released footage showing firefighters working to control the blaze inside the club after it destroyed part of the roof. They alleged that the fire began at around 06:00 local time (04:00 UTC), but has since been brought under control. Ballesta also said emergency services were working to establish the cause of the fire. Los servicios de emergencias amplian a seis los fallecidos en el incendio ocurrido en la discoteca Teatre, en Atalayas, y continuan trabajando. pic.twitter.com/FybbJFpK7H Ayuntamiento de Murcia (@AytoMurcia) October 1, 2023 Outside the club, young people visiting the club were seen hugging each other and looking shocked as they waited for information about the missing. In response to the incident, Ballesta declared three days of mourning for the victims who died, as flags were flown at half-mast outside the Murcia City Hall. A press conference is scheduled for 12:30 local time Sunday (10:30 UTC), CNN reported. This is a developing story. Please follow HNGN for more updates. Related Article: [VIDEOS] New York Extreme Weather Causes Floods, Airport Delays, and Subway Chaos @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. By Thanh Nga From a distance, Hoang Manh Chien appears the master artisan. Despite his sweaty body, he remains passionately dedicated to crafting extraordinary, beautiful knives. Chien, a young blacksmith, is among the few individuals in Viet Nam who possess the skill to forge kind of legendary Damascus steel. This type of metal is renowned for producing exquisite swords and knives. With his beautifully patterned knives, Chien is in the vanguard of forging Damascus steel in a Sy blacksmith village, located in Kien Hung Ward, Ha ong District, on the outskirts of Ha Noi. "I have only been pursuing this profession for about two years, but it feels as though it's ingrained in my blood. Perhaps it's because I grew up surrounded by hammers in my relatives' workshops in the village, which has been celebrated for centuries for its high-quality farm tools and cutlery," Chien told Viet Nam News. "I have had a passion for blacksmithing since I was young. As I grew up, I attended a vocational college and worked for a business in Vinh Phuc Province. However, my love for blacksmithing persisted. During the COVID quarantine two years ago, I returned to my a Sy native village, and decided to abandon everything for blacksmithing. I spent six months re-learning and honing my skills at my uncle's smithy. It was during this time that I gradually began forging Damascus steel." Through his research, Chien discovered that Damascus steel, originating from the Middle East, possesses exceptional properties. The technique for forging this type of steel has been lost since the 17th century. "When I started, I had doubts about the authenticity of the videos showcasing this type of knife. I didn't dare try it myself. However, I delved into extensive research, studying types of steel and the process of crafting knives with distinct vein patterns. The most challenging aspect was sourcing the steel required, as it is scarce in the Vietnamese market," he said. "As a newcomer to the craft, acquiring small quantities for practice proved difficult. Consequently, I resorted to using scrap steel and experimented with combining different pieces. Fortunately, my initial attempt at forging steel to test its viability for making Damascus knives was a success." Despite this initial success, he encountered numerous setbacks and made many mistakes. At times, he felt disheartened. However, after seeking guidance from experienced blacksmiths in the village, Chien learned that improper fire temperatures resulted in undesirable products. "Once I became proficient in controlling the fire using charcoal and forging manually, I began contemplating establishing a small workshop of my own," he said. The process of crafting a Damascus steel knife involves several distinct stages. It takes approximately two to three days to make a knife, selling for VN1 million to 2 million. Unlike forging knives from a single ingot of steel, Damascus steel is entirely handmade, and the steel forging process alone takes an entire day. The defining characteristic of Damascus steel is its multitude of layers. Starting with a billet comprising more than 30 layers, the steel is tempered, stretched, cut into sections, and then stacked three to four times. The Damascus steel knives created by Chien boast more than 100 layers. Chien's knives exhibit naturally flowing, circular, layered lines on their surfaces. Vietnamese knives are known for their exceptional sharpness. However, they are often made from scrap steel, such as car springs, which makes them prone to oxidation, rust, and unattractive designs. Chien's products are increasingly meeting the demands of consumers who desire a set of knives that are not only convenient and sharp, but also aesthetically pleasing in the kitchen. Chien is among the few young individuals in the a Sy blacksmith village to continue the ancient craft. "Currently, there are still over 1,000 households engaged in blacksmithing in our village, but the numbers are dwindling. The skilled artisans are getting older, and the younger generation is losing interest in the trade. I aspire to contribute to the preservation of our craft by exploring new directions," Chien said. "As society progresses, traditional crafts are in danger of being lost. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that handmade products will continue to be appreciated. I intend to dedicate myself to this profession for the rest of my life. I am continuously honing my knife-making skills, hoping that more people will soon become acquainted with my products." VNS A newly discovered cave with magical stalactites in the central province of Quang Binh, Son Nu Cave, has attracted the attention of tourists, and shows vast potential for local tourism development. However, the provincial and district authorities have warned that unorganised climbing and direct contact with the stalactites will affect their development by causing abrasion of their surface, and impacting the cave's natural beauty. The warning was issued after a series of photos and videos of the cave were widely shared on the media, the internet and social networks. In the photos and videos, a group of people climbed and stood among the stalactites to take pictures, risking damaging the natural formations in the cave. According to Pham Trung ong, chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh District, the locality will inspect and take relevant measures against any violations, to boost management and conservation. The district has also banned activities that affect the stalactites in the cave, to preserve it for tourism and ensure its pristine natural beauty. All these actions were made following a request from the People's Committee of Quang Binh Province to preside over and coordinate with relevant departments and branches to control and prevent the cave from human impact. "So far, the cave has not yet been opened for tourism. The district has asked the commune to collect all information about the cave and remind people not to do anything that might be detrimental to the nature landscape in the future. Since a group of people discovered this cave, no others have entered it," said ong. Located near such ecotourism destinations as Cha Rao and Cha Cung streams and belonging to iu o Village in Quang Ninh District's Truong Son Commune, the cave is approximately 1.8km long, with a width ranging from 20m to 50m, and an average height of about 35m. To reach Son Nu Cave in the middle of the Truong Son mountain range, explorers face challenges on the way, including wading streams, and climbing over slippery rocks and "rocky spikes" formed millions of years ago. "The discovery of Son Nu Cave with its wild beauty in the middle of Truong Son mountain range shows that nature is quite favourable for the area and opens up opportunities to help the local residents, mostly of Bru-Van Kieu ethnic minorities, develop the economy through tourism in the future," Tran Quoc Tuan, secretary of the Quang Ninh District Party Committee, said. "Currently, the locals are mobilised to join hands to protect the pristine beauty of the cave, and it is hoped that there will be more surveys and assessments on potentials to call for investments in tourism in the area," he said. "Local residents in Truong Son Commune were behind the discovery, and called the area Son Nu (Mountain Girl) Cave," Hoang Trong uc, chairman of the Truong Son Commune People's Committee, said. It features an underground stream originating from the Viet Nam-Laos border. In summer, the water level inside the cave is not significant, allowing residents to paddle through. To reach the cave's entrance to exit, one needs to embark on a nearly 2km journey along a meandering stream. According to uc, the commune authorities and agencies have conducted an on-site survey to assess the overall cave structure, aiming to develop adventure tourism in the area in the near future. Quang Binh is often dubbed the "Kingdom of Caves" in Viet Nam. It is also the home of Son oong Cave, accredited as the worlds largest and most beautiful natural cave by the World Records Union and the World Records Association. Earlier, in April this year, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Parks Management Board announced 22 new caves with unique features had been discovered in Quang Binh by the British Cave Research Association (BCRA). The caves have a total length of 11.7km. Of the newly discovered, 20 were found in Lam Hoa Commune of Tuyen Hoa District, as well as in Hoa Phuc and Hoa Son communes of Hoa Son District, while the rest are inside Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The search for the new caves involved explorers from the UK, Australia and New Zealand who had worked for three weeks with the support of tour guides and a number of locals. To exploit the caves for tourism and exploration activities, the BCRA recommended Quang Binh to conduct further research to evaluate their geomorphology and their safety. Among a total of 500 caves having been discovered in Quang Binh, over 40 have been opened to tourists. Son oong is the world's largest cave, while En and Pigmy come in at second and fourth. VNS By An Phuong Fidelity has never been easier to put to the test, as shown in the controversial services on social media in recent times. It's not difficult nowadays to find fidelity testing services, typically costing up to several million ong, for lovers or spouses on social media. Click on "Testing your lover" on TikTok, a series of dramatic stories that seem straight out of a movie will unfold, all garnering millions of views. Intrigued by this content, my friends and I found us engaged in discussions on this trend. "I eagerly await the outcome of each test, although it can be disheartening for the person who initiated the session. Witnessing how someone can undergo a rapid change of heart after a few text messages is truly intriguing," said an Thanh, 23. Thanh knew one such service provider and confirmed that the cost of a single test ranges from a cup of milk tea to as much as VN2,000,000, depending on the complexity and the amount of time and effort involved. Typically, basic cases can be completed within one to three days, but some cases may take weeks to months to build trust with the other party. The process begins with the tester collecting information about the target, often provided by the client, followed by initiating contact through messaging. The messaging has a range of pretexts, from seeking help with homework or expressing an interest in getting to know someone better, to even buying products online. The conversation flows like a typical social interaction, gradually transitioning into flirtation, with the crucial question being, "Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend? It's the response to this question that holds the key to the client's quest to confirm their partner's faithfulness. Interestingly, Thanh once used a fidelity test and, fortunately, her boyfriend did not respond to the service provider who had persistently sent messages for a week. I gave in to curiosity, even though I knew I shouldn't. Perhaps, the content had just grown on me too much," Thanh admitted, adding that insecurity might have played a significant role in her decision. I once saw a particularly famous and somewhat notorious case where the service provider even had to help the customer set up a rendezvous with her husband at a hotel for a face-off. This process often takes months to create a convincing online persona and gather detailed information about the partner's life. Even though I found that this aspect of the service has stirred considerable controversy, at the same time, videos related to such services have gained immense popularity on social media, racking up millions of views. According to A.Q., a fidelity test service provider, most customers are women aged between 16 and 28 who want to test their male partners. Users of this service typically face various barriers, including geographical distance in their relationships, emotional challenges such as jealousy and mistrust, and psychological hurdles such as feelings of unworthiness, body image issues, and family-related concerns, A.Q. said. A.Q., who initially started the service for fun, decided to quit after three months, realising that love should not be tested in this way. My friend Thu Anh, 27, shared her perspective, having experienced a long-distance relationship. She emphasised that their solution for a strong relationship has always been open and honest communication, acknowledging that difficult moments are part of any relationship. It's perfectly normal to shed tears sometimes, she said. The scariest aspect of this service is not about finding the truth about your loved one, but rather the fact that it creates a slippery slope in how we handle relationship issues and our perceptions of relationships, Anh said. In my opinion, the popularity of fidelity testing services on platforms like TikTok reflects a deeper societal trend, one of increasing doubt and insecurity in modern relationships. In an age where relationships are often tested by external influences, from social media to long-distance challenges, it is crucial to remember that love should not be a game of suspicion and deceit. While we all share a fascination for sensational content, it's clear that paying someone to manipulate conversations in a specific direction is a form of entrapment. It's even more perplexing when individuals engage in this practice out of curiosity, potentially damaging the trust in their otherwise happy relationships and families. This practice is fraught with danger, not only for the subjects being tested, but also for those who perform it. It can lead to constant doubt and mental distress, ultimately affecting the very relationships it aims to scrutinise, A.Q. said. If you're in love, don't risk it, Anh said sagely. - VNS NEW YORK Early next month, the Vatican will open an unprecedented gathering of Catholic clergy and laypeople from around the world. The synod is intended to be a collegial, collaborative event, though the agenda includes divisive issues such as the role of women in the church and the inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics. If theres Exhibit A for how elusive consensus might be, its the United States participation. In effect, there are two high-level U.S. delegations widely viewed as ideological rivals six clerics appointed by Pope Francis who support his aspirations for a more inclusive, welcoming church; five clerics chosen by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who reflect a more conservative outlook and more skepticism of Francis priorities. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in New York, worries that the synod, which starts Oct. 4, might widen rifts among U.S. Catholics rather than narrow them. The polarization of the country has infiltrated the church in such a way that I worry we cant see our way out of it, she said. Francis himself recently evoked the resistance he faces among some conservative Catholic leaders in the U.S. At a meeting in August with Jesuit priests in Portugal, he assailed the backwardness of some of those conservatives, saying they have replaced faith with ideology. The vision of the doctrine of the church as a monolith is wrong, he said. I want to remind these people that backwardness is useless, and they must understand that theres a correct evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals. Some conservative American clerics vehemently disagree, saying high-level discussions of such issues as womens empowerment and LGBTQ inclusion could tear the church apart. In a forward to a recent book calling the synod a Pandoras box, American Cardinal Raymond Burke warned the synod was part of a revolution to radically change what the church has always taught. Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas critiquing the synod on social media said, It is a travesty that these things are even proposed for discussion. The synod, which will run through Oct. 29, follows a first-of-its-kind two-year outreach in which bishops and other clerics around the world met with lay Catholics to learn about their hopes for the churchs future. There will be a second session of the synod in October 2024, when participants will vote on a final document to be submitted to Pope Francis for his consideration. For many conservatives, there are multiple reasons for concern not only the hot-button issues on the agenda, but the novelty of having laypeople, including women, entitled to vote alongside bishops on the final document. The U.S. synod delegates selected by Francis include three of the men he has appointed as cardinals Archbishops Blase Cupich of Chicago and Wilton Gregory of Washington, and Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego. McElroy has been one of the most prominent voices expressing hope that the synod will expand the roles women can play in the church and broaden the acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics. In an essay in March, he said the church should eliminate barriers to women in the leadership of parishes and dioceses, allowing them to preach and to serve as deacons. It is clear that the Church in the United States must transform its outreach to LGBT+ persons if it seeks to be a truly welcoming presence in the world, McElroy wrote. McElroys writings were assailed by conservative Catholics. One bishop, Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, suggested the cardinal might be committing heresy. Francis synod selections also include the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest who has advocated for years for greater LGBTQ inclusion in the church. The first step is to invite people to listen to the voices of LGBTQ people and others who feel ignored, rejected or excluded by their church, Martin said via email. For me, conversion happens mainly through encountering the stories of those considered to be other. And that is a reasonable goal for the synod to listen. At synods, all voices should be welcome, he added. Does the Holy Spirit speak only through cardinals, archbishops and bishops? Thats a very strange theology of the Spirit. Bishops appointed by USCCB include its president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, as well as Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; and Bishops Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota; and Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. Barron, who has developed a large following with a global media organization called Word on Fire, conveyed relief at Pope Francis assurances that the synod will not be a forum for changing church doctrine. The American delegation, if you look at the whole thing, kind of balances out ideologically. So I think thats what the pope seems to like, Barron told Fox News Digital. Imperatori-Lee had a different take on the ideological split. This is how American Catholics are starting to see the Church: Youre either for Team Francis or for Team Strickland and Barron, she said. Thats not a healthy situation. A new dispatch team focused on responding to mental health calls is forming through a partnership between the Waco Police Department and the Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network. Called the Heart of Texas Crisis Call Diversion Program, the three-person team will consist of a program manager overseeing the effort, a call taker and an outreach worker who will respond to calls in the field if necessary. The program manager will be a licensed social worker or counselor, while the other two members will have a minimum of a bachelors degree in psychology, social work or a related field. The Behavioral Health Network is interviewing candidates for the three positions, which are funded through a four-year, $2 million block grant administered by the state, and will debut the program as soon as possible. The dispatch team will technically be Behavioral Health Network employees but will be housed in their own space in the dispatch center near the top floor of Waco Police Department headquarters, said Stacey Steger, program director for Behavioral Health Network outpatient crisis services. When a 911 call comes in, initial dispatchers will screen the call and if it is a mental health call, assign it to the crisis diversion team, who will then speak to the caller and determine if an outreach worker needs to be dispatched. Steger said the Behavioral Health Network will offer various services to the callers on a case-by-case basis, such as follow-ups and other resources. A significant share of the departments more than 5,000 weekly calls are from people in the middle of a mental health crisis, said Susie Murray, emergency communications manager for the Waco Police Department. She said not all mental health calls are extreme, and many callers just need someone to talk to. We have suicide calls. We have calls of people just being in crisis, sometimes its just them needing someone to talk to, Murray said. Its not necessarily the extreme ends of crisis of I want to kill myself. Sometimes its just people are having a really hard time. Sometimes its a parent needing assistance with their child as far as parenting. Murray said the department has looked to other cities with mental health response teams to see what has worked and what hasnt to fine tune Wacos program. She said the process included traveling to Denver and Austin to observe the mental health teams in those departments. Murray said there is a huge need in the community for a crisis diversion team like this, and said within the last 10 years, awareness for mental health has grown significantly. You can turn on the news any time and see that theres a need for it, Murray said. And no one knows better than the police department, with the amount of times that police officers are having to respond to mental and behavioral health related calls, where if there was another resource available, that that would have been a better option than to send a uniformed officer. Steger said the plan for the behavioral health team is to start small to test the efficacy of the program. The team could grow in the future depending on the availability of funding and how well the program works. The behavioral health team will work from 3 to 11 p.m. on weekdays, identified as the time when the most behavioral health related calls are received. During other times, the Behavioral Health Networks Mobile Crisis Outreach Team will remain available. The Mobile Crisis Outreach Team operates 24/7 in six Heart of Texas counties and offers mental health resources to individuals in need The Mobile Crisis Outreach Team can be reached 24/7 at 1-866-752-3451. National Night Out The Dewey Community Center, 925 N. Ninth St., will celebrate National Night Out from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Presented by the Brook Oaks Neighborhood Association and Dewey staff, festivities will free food, games, family activities. National Night Out is an annual campaign designed to strengthen neighborhood and law enforcement relationships, while bringing back a true sense of community and neighborhood camaraderie. - Brookview Neighborhood Association will be hosting National Night Out, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Guthrie Park Pavilion, 3298 E. Brookview. There will be food and games. Come and meet your neighbors. Contact Janice Henley at 254-230-7354 or email jhenley0230@aol.com for more information. - Woodway celebrates National Night Out from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Poage Park, 11001 Woodway Dr. Meet neighborhood first responders and tour firetrucks, police cars, and SWAT vehicles. MCC career fair McLennan Community College will hold a career fair for health profession students from 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 4 in the commons area of the Health Professions Simulation building on campus. Email Dinithi Wright at dnwright@mclennan.edu or call 254-299-8237 for more information. Pumpkin sewing class Oct. 4 is the deadline to register for the fall pumpkin sewing class at Greater Waco YMCA, 688 Harvey Dr. The class for ages 6 to 15 is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 11. Cost is $30 for YMCA members, $45 for non-members. For more information, contact Crystal Hernandez at 254-776-6612 or chernandez@ymcactx.org. Toys for Tots letters The Salvation Army is giving out appointment letters for Toys for Tots. The letters will include appointment times and dates for registering for Toys for Tots. Individuals must pick up their appointment letters to register at 4721 W. Waco Drive. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Oct. 13. Registration interviews will be held Oct. 16 through Nov. 16. For more information, call 254-756-7271. Feast of Caring Caritas of Waco will hold its annual Feast of Caring Soup and Dessert Cook-Off at 6 p.m. Tuesday in McLennan Hall at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave. In addition to sampling soups and desserts, attendees can participate in silent and audible auctions featuring a variety of jewelry, tickets to sporting events, photography packages, artwork, hotel stays, handmade quilts and more. All proceeds benefit Caritas of Waco and support its mission, helping provide food, clothing and case management services to Caritas clients. Tickets are $35 per person. To buy tickets or for more information, go to caritas-waco.org or call development director Shannon Landolt at 254-753-4593, ext. 305. Tickets will also be available at the door. Pumpkin patch The Pumpkin Patch at Central Christian Church, 4901 Lake Shoe Drive, is open. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Goodwin lecture Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin will give the Beall-Russell Lecture in the Humanities from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Monday at Baylor Universitys Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center, 905 S. University Parks Drive. Goodwins lecture is titled Leadership in Turbulent Times. To register, go to beallrussell.web.baylor.edu. Genealogy brown bag A brown bag program titled Share Your Family Research with an Interactive Electronic Book will run from noon to 1 p.m. Monday at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd. Genealogist Bernard Meisner will share the process for creating an interactive electronic family-history book complete with photos, articles, maps and videos that document the lives and experiences of ancestors. Participants should bring a lunch to eat during the program. Drinks will be supplied. Free legal clinic Greater Waco Legal Services will offer a free legal clinic at 6 p.m. Monday at Brook Avenue Elementary School, 720 Brook Ave. Appointments are not required but strongly recommended. For more information, call 254-733-2828 or email staff@greaterwacolegalservices.org. Play & Create class Play & Create at Art Center Waco is a free class for ages 0-5 that meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 9 to 10 a.m. The class features stories, songs and art activities for preschool-aged children, babies and their parents. Register at artcenterwaco.org/event-calendar for Tuesdays class. Inside the restoration hangar of the National Museum of The U.S. Air Force, the restoration of a relatively unknown prototype helicopter from the Second World War has been going on quietly for over a year now. The Kellett Autogiro Company, based in Philadelphia, achieved success during the 1930s for their designs of civilian and military autogiros, such as the K-2 and the KD-1. While autogiros had successfully demonstrated their short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities, they could not hover or take-off and landing vertically, so when Igor Sikorskys VS-300 prototype became the first American single-lift helicopter, and following the US Army Air Forces rejection of autogiro designs such as Kelletts own XO-60 in favor of new helicopter designs such as the Sikorsky R-4, Kellett began work on a new design of their own. On November 11, 1942, the company submitted a proposal for a twin-rotor, intermeshing design that would eliminate the need for a tail rotor, taking inspiration from German helicopter designer Anton Flettner, who built the worlds first intermeshing helicopters (or synchropters), the Fl 265 prototype and the Fl 282 Kolibri (Hummingbird) reconnaissance helicopter. The Army Air Force approved Kelletts proposal on January 7, 1943, and on September 11 of that year issued a contract for Kellett to build two prototypes, one with three-bladed rotors and another with two-bladed rotors. The three-bladed example was given the Army Air Force serial number 43-44714, while the two-bladed prototype became 44-21908 and was designated as the XR-8A to distinguish itself from the first prototype. The aircraft was egg-shaped in appearance, with the two rotors separated by only 12 12 inches, leading those who saw it to nickname it the Eggbeater. The non-rigid rotors were made of plywood with steel tubes inside, much like the fuselages tubular-steel construction, which was then covered in fabric and sheet metal. The XR-8 was powered by a Franklin O-405 6-cylinder inline 245hp engine. On August 7, 1944, XR-8 43-44714 took to the skies for the first time, becoming the first American synchropter to fly, with Kellett test pilot Dave Driskill at the controls. The flight revealed a lack of directional stability, leading to the addition of two tail fins. However, on September 7, a blade from each of the rotors collided while the aircraft was being flight tested and the issues on 43-44714 were being resolved. The second prototype, XR-8A 44-21908, began making its first test flights in March 1945. In addition to its two-bladed design, the XR-8A was further distinguished by its noticeable rounder tail fins as opposed to the squared examples on the first prototype. Unfortunately, the two-bladed rigid rotors caused severe vibration issues which proved extremely difficult to solve and led to the re-emphasis on continuing flight testing on 43-44714. By January 23, 1946, 43-44714 was finally accepted for official flight testing with the US Army Air Force. However, almost immediately after it was submitted for evaluation, the Army Air Force canceled the XR-8 program. Although the design had successfully demonstrated the flight capabilities of a synchropter, the mechanical difficulties that plagued the XR-8 would ensure that the XR-8 would remain as a testbed. Kellett would also build a larger synchropter design, the XH-10, but this too would never leave the prototype stage. Upon the cancellation of the XR-8 program, 43-44714 was selected for preservation with the Smithsonians National Air Museum (later to be renamed the National Air and Space Museum). Little is known regarding the ultimate fate of 44-21908, but it is highly likely that it was scrapped. For over 70 years, 43-44714 was kept in storage by the Smithsonian, mostly at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. In the summer of 2022, however, the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio made a post that the aircraft had arrived at the restoration hangar. Recent photos reveal that there has been some progress made with the helicopter, but only time will tell at this moment when XR-8 will be completed and placed on public display for the very first time. We encourage our readers to keep up with the National Museum of the USAFs social media pages. CEDAR FALLS On Monday, the City Council will discuss deterring speeding on 12th Street near the Clay Street intersection, as well as its College Hill vision plan. The council will hear from department heads during committee meetings beginning at approximately 5:45 p.m. in City Hall, 220 Clay St. Speeding John and Rachel Mershon and her mother, Terry Vietor, addressed the council during the public comment period Sept. 18 expressing concerns about vehicles speeding above the posted 25 miles per hour in the area near Lincoln Elementary School and St. Patrick Catholic School. The council called a special meeting and requested immediate measures be taken, but also asked the Public Works Department for additional research and possibly more effective options to make the intersection safer. Speeding may have increased as a result of construction closures on Main and 18th streets, officials say. College Hill Councilmember Daryl Kruse had his motion supported in a 4-3 vote to discuss the College Hill visioning plan adopted May 3, 2021. He said the plan warranted review because of its age. The plan is meant to help revitalize the business district, but some councilmembers believe it has links to controversial zoning that had been previously written into the downtown code. A council majority had halted its implementation and removed funding. Other business During committees, which kick off at 5:15 p.m., the council will talk about an ordinance addressing native plantings in the city right-of-way. The council convenes for its regular session at 7 p.m. Up for approval will be: The promotion of Kim Kerr, an administrative supervisor whos been with the city for close to 15 years, to the position of city clerk. The municipalitys finance and business operations department received 16 applications for the job posted internally and externally. Clerk Jacque Danielsen, whos been in the role since 2014, is retiring Nov. 3. An agreement allowing Kubica Corporation to move forward with construction of new facilities in its industrial park. The Novi, Michigan, engineering company specializes in industrial, automotive, and manufacturing software and systems integration solutions. Mayor Rob Green previously named founder and CEO Dennis Kubica and his family honorary residents for their decision to invest in Cedar Falls. The council will vote on a partial tax exception for the company, doing business as KL Iowa 01, LLC, for its planned construction of a new 50,000 square-foot industrial use manufacturing facility at 6313 Production Drive. Council also will vote on setting an Oct. 16 public hearing for an agreement with another one of its subsidiaries, KL Iowa 02, LLC, conveying additional industrial park land for a future 120,000 square foot manufacturing facility along Venture Way. Resolutions executing agreements related to the expensive replacement of the citys aging and out of date financial and payroll systems. One agreement is with CentralSquare Technologies, LLC., a company providing a product for the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The upfront cost is approximately $462,000. The annual subscription cost ranges from about $219,000 to $332,000. The second agreement is with its consultant Berry, Dunn, McNeil and Park for project management services costing $511,080. Finance and Business Operations Director Jennifer Rodenbeck noted in a memo that all the costs are still below what had been budgeted: $1.6 million in initial cost and $350,000 in annual cost. An agreement with the Cedar Falls Economic Development Corporation outlining requirements for $30,000 in base funding from the city for fiscal year 2024 and up to another $32,000 in incentive payments. A resolution executing a plan for installation of art panels at 2016 College St. along the reinvigorated Pettersen Plaza in College Hill. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's potential replacements now include Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle, who are very surprising candidates for the position. If rumors are true, who will California Gov. Gavin Newsom likely choose between the two individuals? Here are the latest details you need to know. Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle to Replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein? According to CBS News' latest report, there's no doubt that Dianne Feinstein left a great legacy since she's one of the longest-serving American officials. Aside from this, her death also left an open seat in the U.S. Senate for California. Feinstein, who died at 90 years old, had around 15 months left as a senator. Since her remaining term is more than a year, California needs to find the right individual to replace Dianne. Surprisingly, Fox News reported that Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle are among the potential candidates to replace the former Californian senator. Back in May, Oprah said that she is not considering replacing the Feinstein seat in case it becomes vacant. Meanwhile, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, who currently resides in Montecito, California with her husband, Duke of Sussex Prince, Harry-showed interest in becoming a U.S. official. Before the 2020 U.S. election happened, Markle allegedly considered running for the U.S. Senate. Speculations stated that she had been networking among senior Democrats to build a campaign and eventually aim for a presidential bid of her own. She even made a close relationship with social-political activist Gloria Steinem. Because of this, the American journalist introduced the Duchess of Sussex to pivotal individuals within the party. A major Democratic donor said that Meghan Markle is a long shot. But, since U.S. politics has the "craziness" these days, it's not impossible for Markle to get a position in the U.S. Senate. But Oprah is also a great candidate to replace Feinstein. Recently, Newsom claimed that he would appoint a Black woman to the Senate in case of Dianne's passing. Read Also: Gaetz-McCarthy Face Off: Republicans Have Tense Interaction Ahead of Government Shutdown Who Will Gavin Newsom Choose? Dianne Feinstein died on Thursday, Sept. 28, at her house in Washington, D.C. This was confirmed by her office on Sept. 29. Ever since her passing, the burden of finding a replacement for her remaining term has been passed on to Gavin Newsom. Both Oprah and Markle are great candidates based on the statements provided above. One of them becoming the next California senator is possible to happen. This is because Newsom has sole discretion to fill Dianne's seat with an appointee. But, Newsom recently showed a lack of interest in making another appointment, considering he already did one with Sen. Alex Padilla. "I don't want to make another appointment, and I don't think the people of California want me to make another appointment," said the Californian governor. As of writing, the decision to fill the Senate position that Dianne Feinstein left behind greatly relies on Gavin Newsom's final decision. Related Article: US Sen. Tuberville Claims US Military is Not Equal-Opportunity Employer; Dislikes New JCS Chairman Being Black @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form BBC Celebrity The 'Mrs Brown' actor opens up on his struggle with balance as he gets candid about his health issue after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013. Oct 1, 2023 AceShowbiz - Sir Billy Connolly is aware of a deterioration amid his battle with Parkinson's disease. The 80-year-old comedian discovered he had the brain disorder - which causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with coordination - in 2013 and revealed that he has been struggling to balance as of late and explained that the "cruel" disease is constantly stopping him from doing things. "It's very difficult to see the progression exactly, because a lot of things come and go. Recently I've noticed a deterioration in my balance," he told The Observer. "That was never such a problem before, but in the last year that has come and it has stayed. For some reason, I thought it would go away, because a lot of symptoms have come and gone away just to defy the symptom spotters. The shaking has reappeared and the inability to get out of certain types of chairs." "It's just added to the list of things that hold me back. I feel like I want to go for a walk, but I go for 50 yards and I want to go home, because I'm tired. I'm being encroached upon by this disease. It's creeping up behind me and stopping me doing things. It's a cruel disease." Billy - who is being cared for by his wife Pamela Stephenson - went on to describe age as a "weird, nasty surprise" as he realises the things he can no longer do. He added, "It's a cunning ploy that awaits you." "The surprise is f****** nerve-racking. That suddenly you can't walk any more. Can't run. Can't jump. It's a weird and nasty surprise. I don't know if we should tell people about it, or just let it be their surprise when they come to it. But I think to prepare for it would be depressing." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The British royal family are labeled as 'paedophiles' and mocked online as their official website is suddenly down after allegedly being attacked by Russian hacker. Oct 2, 2023 AceShowbiz - The Royal Family's official website lands at the centre of a "Russian hacking" mystery. A cyber crook from Russia has said to be behind an "attack" on the royals' site after the royal.uk domain started displaying an error message stating Gateway time-out Error code 504 on Sunday, October 1. Hacker "KillMilk" has been boasting on encrypted messaging app Telegram - notorious for being used by terror groups - of their apparent successful hack of the page. With a picture of King Charles used in the background, they wrote it was an "attack on paedophiles..." with a sad face emoji on the messaging site. Check Host, a website that covers sites that have gone down across the web, commented about the supposed Russian hack, "Incredible if real!" The site showed a list of countries where the Royal website was down, including the UK, UAE, Ukraine, US, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Poland, and others. But a source told The Sun Online, "The website wasn't hacked. It was a denial of service attack. This is when a site is bombarded with access requests. The royal household's systems and content was not accessed. We can't say yet who was responsible." KillMilk is the leader of a Russian hacking collective that calls itself Killnet. They recently announced on Telegram the establishment of "Black Skills" - a name thought to have been inspired by mercenary companies in Russia. The supposed attack comes after the late Queen Elizabeth stepped up defences against hackers after learning the royal family were a high-profile target. It's thought the family's site went down shortly after 10.20 A.M. on Sunday and lasted around two hours. The Sun Online added IT experts for the royals worked on "fully restoring the website," but said Buckingham Palace declined to comment when approached for comment. In July 2021, Queen Elizabeth - who died aged 96 in September 2022 - ordered increased online security following a report from her cyber security experts who warned there was a high rather than medium risk of unauthorised access to royal household data. Experts also warned international cyber terrorists were a potential threat to King Charles' coronation in May. You can share this post! With several air forces announcing they would eventually get rid of some of their F-16 fighter jets and transfer them to Ukraine, many defense observers notice a trend that they are replacing it with the F-35, the next-generation multirole fighter jet. However, it is not just air forces who are trying to replace very venerable warplanes that shaped the latter half of the 20th century and influenced the 21st. Other military branches are also discerning to replace their seaborne fighters and close-air support aircraft with the F-35's carrier variants. With this in mind, Slash Gear released an article diving deep into the F-35, the fighter jet of choice of air forces - and navies - trying to upgrade. Overview of the F-35 The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation single-seat stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin in the early 2000s. With a top speed of up to Mach 1.6 (1.6 times the speed of sound) thanks to its Pratt and Whitney turbofan engine producing around 43,000 pounds (191 kilonewtons) of thrust, the company claims the F-35 to be the "most advanced fighter jet in the world" and the "most lethal, stealthy, and survivable aircraft." It comes with three variations - A, B, and C, which have distinct capabilities despite the similarities in the airframe. All variants are capable of eluding enemy radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) installations, as well as conducting electronic warfare sorties. It is also similar to the earlier-commissioned F-22 Raptor as the aircraft has an internal weapons bay to deny enemy radar detection further. As for weapons, the F-35 could carry 18,000 pounds (8,165 kg) worth of internal and external missiles and bombs, depending on the mission profile. The fighter also has an internal 25mm cannon as a weapon of last resort. While public sources put the default payload capacity of the F-35 at 18,000 pounds, the Royal Australian Air Force has flown its F-35A in what they called "beast mode" after it carried 22,000 pounds (almost 10,000 kg) of munitions in a 2021 flight test. Development of the F-35 could be traced back to 1997 when the US Department of Defense selected Lockheed Martin to compete in a bid for the Joint Strike Fighter concept. However, testing, development, and manufacturing of the aircraft took a few years to materialize, culminating on the first-ever test flight of the conventionally designed X35A in 2000 and the hover and vertical landing capability test of the X35B a year later. It also took several years to integrate the fighter jet into three of the branches of the US Armed Forces, with the US Air Force first adopting it in 2011. Read Also: Pieces of Missing F-35 Allegedly Found, Authorities Say Right Variant for the Right Job While the airframes of the three variants of the F-35, the payload they could carry, and the roles they could perform are similar and may overlap, their primary roles in the services they are used to vary. The F-35A is the most basic and most conventional of the three variants. Its role is similar to the F-22 in terms of combat and stealth capabilities, and it takes off and lands like any other fighter jet. Both the F-22 and the F-35A are primarily operated by the US Air Force as a multirole fighter capable of air-to-air combat as well as airstrikes. F-35A pilots could also have a potential capability of commanding several fighter drones as "loyal wingmen" like the XQ-58A Valkyrie in the future. Outside the US, the F35A is also used by other countries as an upgrade to the F-16, specifically within the NATO alliance, of which the US is a major partner. A subvariant of the F-35A is also being developed by Israel as the F-35I, nicknamed "Adir," meaning "Awesome," "Mighty One," or "Magnificent." The Israeli variant is used as a testbed for the country's indigenous electronic warfare systems despite initial hesitation and refusal from Washington. The F-35B is the most famous of the variants due to its short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capability, and was intended to be the supersonic replacement of the subsonic but venerable Harrier jump jet used by both the US Marine Corps and the British Royal Navy. It was a US Marine F-35B that was involved in an incident a few weeks ago near Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina. While they are mostly used by the US Marines mainly for close air support, there are also other countries that currently operate or are awaiting delivery of F-35Bs for their navies and air forces. In particular, both the UK and Japan are intending to order the B variant to fit the needs of their own aircraft carriers - the Queen Elizabeth-class and the Izumo-class, respectively. Currently, the US Navy and Marines are the only military services that operate the F-35C in tandem with the F-18 Hornet. Unlike its sisters, the C variant meets the needs of US aircraft carriers, which operate a catapult-assisted take-off and barrier-assisted recovery (CATOBAR) system. This meant the F-35C has a larger wing and is equipped with a tail hook in order to safely land in a carrier. Like the latest variant of the F-18 called the Super Hornet, the F-35C can be outfitted to perform a variety of missions tailored for the Navy and Marines. With all its capabilities - from stealth to air combat to bombing runs to electronic warfare - it is no wonder many air forces and navies dream of procuring the F-35 as their fifth-generation fighter jet of choice. Related Article: 'Loyal Wingman' in Flight: AI Pilot Successfully Flies XQ-58A 'Valkyrie' drone, US Air Force Says @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An eleventh-hour Congressional vote to avert a shutdown of the federal government passed with rare bipartisan support Saturday afternoon. The vote among Alabamas seven-member congressional delegation also reflected the national bipartisan consensus to keep the government open. Four of Alabamas members of the House of Representatives voted yes to the resolution while three others voted no. Voting yes were Reps. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile, Mike Rogers, R- Saks, Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, and Terri A. Sewell D-Birmingham. On the no side were Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, and Gary Palmer, R-Hoover. Todays vote continues government operation for another for 45 days. Aderholt, considered the dean of the Alabama delegation, said on social media that he did not favor a shutdown, but voted against the proposal because it did not address another pressing issue. While I do not want the government to shutdown, I had to vote against this Continuing Resolution Saturday, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. It does not provide the overall cuts I feel we need and does not address the crisis at our southern border. Sewell, of Birmingham is the sole Democrat in the delegation. In statement this afternoon, she reluctantly offered praise for Republican House leadership for shepherding the vote to preserve government functions and salaries for the federal employees that conduct them. While I remain frustrated that my Republican colleagues have brought us to the brink of a costly and devastating government shutdown, I am grateful that Speaker McCarthy has finally chosen to work with Democrats at the last minute to extend government funding, she said. While this measure is not perfect, it avoids deep cuts that House Republicans attempted to push through earlier this week and provides critical disaster relief funding that communities in Alabama depend on. On the other side of the aisle, Carl, a Mobile Republican, said his yes vote was an effort to continue operations while work continued to press for Republican priorities. Today, I voted to keep our service members paid, fund our border patrol, and keep our country moving forward, Carl posted on X. @HouseGOP is continuing the work to cut back on wasteful spending, stop the woke agenda, and secure our border. As a compromise deadline loomed, Carl on Friday said he had requested that his paycheck be withheld during a shutdown. Members of Congress should not receive a paycheck when our men and women in uniform, our border patrol agents, and other federal employees do not get paid, he said then. Moore, who also had requested that his paycheck be withheld during a shutdown, said he voted no today because Democrats on the other side of the Capital in the Senate were not earnest in their negotiations. The Senate is expected to approve a resolution today prevent a shutdown. House Republicans already passed four appropriations bills that would fund 70 percent of the government, but Majority Leader Schumer refuses to bring them to a vote, he wrote on X referring to the Democratic Senate majority leader. I am prepared to stay in Washington and work with my colleagues across the conference as long as it takes to advance all 12 bills and protect the American people from the status quo of out-of-control spending. Authorities are on the scene of a deadly shooting on Birminghams west side. The shooting happened shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday near Five Points West. According to police, the victim believed to be in his mid-20s was driving when a suspect on foot fired into the vehicle. The victim struck several other vehicles before his car crashed through a fence and came to a stop in front of the small apartment building in the 2500 block of Warrior Road. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Police believe the victim was targeted. The victim is Birminghams 97th homicide this year. Of those, one was an officer-involved shooting by an outside law enforcement agency and seven others have been ruled justifiable. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 138 homicides, including the 97 in Birmingham. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A Tuscaloosa County teacher is under arrest on a child sex charge. Edward Stanley Kramarczyk, 53, is charged with sex abuse of a child under the age of 12 and first-degree sodomy. The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit announced the arrest Saturday night. Capt. Jack Kennedy said a report was made earlier this week to the units Sexual Assault Section by a juvenile who is a former household member of Kramarczyk. She told investigators she had been sexually abused by him in the past year. On Thursday, detectives obtained warrants against Kramarczyk and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, Kennedy said, Kramarczyk was a teacher at Hillcrest High School. The Tuscaloosa County School System was notified immediately. The status of his employment following his arrest was not immediately available. The victim, Kennedy said, was not student of his or the school. Kramarczyk had access to children through his occupation as a teacher, had been a foster parent in the past, and may have access to children through other social groups, Kennedy said. Investigators, the school system, and the Alabama Department of Human Resources are following up with Kramarczyks past to ascertain if there are any other victims. Kennedy said anyone who may have been a victim or knows of any possible abuse by Kramarczyk is asked to call the Violent Crimes Unit at 205-464-8690. Kramarczyk is being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. Speaker Kevin McCarthy promised punishment for New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman on Saturday and called his alleged tactic to delay a House vote by pulling an office building fire alarm a new low. Following House passage of a 47-day continuing resolution that would keep the government open through mid-November, McCarthy told reporters he intended to speak with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Bowman denied the alarm was a delaying tactic, but McCarthy compared it to the actions of Jan. 6 rioters, remarking on how other people were treated when theyve attempted to delay the legislative process. This should not go without punishment. This is embarrassing, McCarthy said. Youre elected to be a member of Congress you pull a fire alarm in the minutes and hours before the government being shut down, trying to dictate the government would shut down? House Administration Committee Republicans tweeted Saturday afternoon that an investigation into why the alarm was pulled was underway. The Capitol Police said they were investigating the incident. A fire alarm was pulled just after noon Saturday on the second floor of the Cannon House Office Building, prompting its evacuation. Bowman, a progressive former middle school principal with a penchant for getting in viral shouting matches with his conservative colleagues, said the incident was a mistake. I was rushing to make a vote, I was trying to get through a door. I thought the alarm would open the door, Bowman told reporters. I didnt mean to cause confusion I didnt know it was going to trip the whole building. Bowman pulled the fire alarm as Democrats were reviewing the text of a surprise continuing resolution that had just been shared by Republicans. The stopgap funding bill, which would keep the government open through Nov. 17, but without aid for Ukraine, ultimately passed the House 335-91. Every Democrat except Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, the co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus, supported the measure. But before that happened, Democrats employed delay tactics, including a roll call vote on a motion to adjourn the chamber and Jeffries using his privilege as party leader to deliver a lengthy speech. Other Republicans also called for punishment for Bowman, ranging from censure to expulsion. This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school, New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. This action warrants expulsion & Im introducing a resolution to do just that. Bowman was elected in New Yorks 16th District in 2020 after defeating Rep. Eliot Engel in the Democratic primary. He was recruited to politics by the Justice Democrats, and like other candidates favored by that political action committee most notably New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Bowman is outspoken and willing to aggressively expand the governments reach in pursuit of social justice. ___ 2023 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they wont give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded President Joe Bidens request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. Still, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Then, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. In doing so, he closed the door on a Senate package that would have funneled $6 billion to Ukraine, roughly a third of what has been requested by the White House. Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the stopgap measure, with members of both parties abandoning the increased aid for Ukraine in favor of avoiding a costly government shutdown. The latest actions in Congress signal a gradual shift in the unwavering support that the United States has so far pledged Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and it is one of the clearest examples yet of the Republican Partys movement toward a more isolationist stance. The exclusion of Ukraine funding came little more than a week after lawmakers met in the Capitol with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who sought to assure lawmakers that his military was winning the war, but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. After that visit, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that one sentence summed up Zelenskyys message in his meeting with the Senate: If we dont get the aid, we will lose the war, Schumer said. Yet, McCarthy, pressured by his right flank, has gone from saying no blank checks for Ukraine, with the focus being on accountability, to describing the Senates approach as putting Ukraine in front of America. He declined to say after the vote on government funding whether he would bring aid for Ukraine up for a House vote in the coming weeks. If there is a moment in time we need to have a discussion about that, we will have a discussion completely about that, but I think the administration has to make the case for what is victory, McCarthy said. Biden said in a statement after Congress averted a shutdown that we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. He called on McCarthy to keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and push through the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. In the Senate, both Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky pledged to move quickly to try and pass the full White House request. But it was clear that goal will be increasingly difficult as more rank-and-file GOP senators have questioned the aid or demanded that it be attached to immigration policy that would help secure the southern border echoing similar demands in the House. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican who voted for the spending bill after the Ukraine aid was stripped out, said that Congress needs to have a conversation with the American public. He said he was optimistic after seeing the money taken out of the bill. In my state, people want to be helpful to Ukraine, but they also want to be helpful to Americans, Scott said. And so they want to really understand how this money has been spent. Democrats said they were disappointed by the lack of Ukraine funding, but expressed determination that they would get the aid to the war-torn country. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine, Schumer said after the bill passed. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for Americas security and for democracy around the world. Leading up to Saturdays vote, Pentagon officials expressed alarm at the prospect of no extra funding for Ukraine. In a letter to congressional leaders dated Friday, Michael McCord, under secretary of defense, wrote that the department has exhausted nearly all the available security assistance. Without additional funding now, we would have to delay or curtail assistance to meet Ukraines urgent requirements, including for air defense and ammunition that are critical and urgent now as Russia prepares to conduct a winter offensive and continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, McCord said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said after the vote that U.S. assistance was vital as Ukrainians fight to defend their own country against the forces of tyranny. America must live up to its word. Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he would like to send a clear message to the world about U.S. support for Ukraine by passing legislation, but believes the Pentagon has enough draw-down money to last through December. He said he believes McCarthy still supports funding for Ukraine. I think the speaker has always had a good position on Ukraine. I think hes dealing with a caucus thats got fractures that he has to deal with and none of them can be ignored when youve got a four-seat majority and 15 nuts in the conference, Rogers said, referring to far-right lawmakers who have staunchly opposed funding for Ukraine. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he heard McCarthy tell Zelenskyy during his visit that we will give them what they need. Unfortunately, the message that speaker and the former president is sending is that they cant be relied upon, Meeks said, adding a reference to former President Donald Trump, who has called on Congress to withhold additional Ukraine funding until the FBI, IRS and Justice Department hand over every scrap of evidence on the Biden familys business dealings. The U.S. has approved four rounds of aid to Ukraine in response to Russias invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. In August, Biden called on Congress to provide for an additional $24 billion. Saturdays move by the House to act first on government funding left the Senate with a stark choice: either go along with a bill that fails to help Ukraine, or allow what could have been an extended government shutdown to occur. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., expressed frustration at the outcome. Every day that goes by that we dont get the additional money is a day Russia gets closer to being capable of winning this war, Murphy said. Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Ukraine should not be deterred, and that aid can be approved by other means. Neither our friends nor our enemies should look at this as being some change in the United States commitment to Ukraine, Risch said. ___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. Mary Palmer Rosenau can show easily show the benefits and efficiency of electric vehicles. A map in front of her Volkswagen ID.4 SUV illustrated just how much she can accomplish with her vehicle, a few stops, and a little extra planning. Rosenau in August drove her SUV across country more than 2,500 miles from Birmingham to Niagara Falls with stops in New York and Boston. The trip there cost about $150. People think driving electric is going to be this giant to-do and this giant change in their lives and, really and truly, its not, she said. Rosenau joined electric vehicle enthusiasts Saturday at Pepper Place in Birmingham to display the vehicles and tout their practical use during Drive Electric Alabama EV Showcase. This is the third time Rosenau has participated in recent Drive Electric Alabama EV events. Birminghams event also coincided with National Drive Electric Week. Rosenau made her trek with a longtime friend she made while a student at Mountain Brook Junior High School. We had the time, and it is very cheap to travel with an elective vehicle, said the Birmingham native who now lives in Pensacola, Fla. My friend and I had never been to New York before and we were both turning 30 this year, so we decided we were going to take this giant trip. Drive Electric Alabama has sponsored four EV showcases in the last eight days including activities in Birmingham and Huntsville on Saturday. A majority of Alabamians have never sat inside an EV, much less driven one, said Michael Staley, president of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, which helped plan the four EV showcases. Its always refreshing to talk to EV owners, because theyre clearly the best source of information about EVs and how they help save money and provide the same functionality as gas-powered vehicles. Electric vehicle enthusiasts gathered at Pepper Place in Birmingham Sept. 30, 2023 to display the vehicles and tout their practical use during Drive Electric Alabama EV Showcase. (Photo courtesy of Drive Electric Alabama) Alabamas NDEW events continue strong momentum for EVs. In August, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) announced its third round of state grants to fund construction of electric vehicle charging stations, totaling $1.2 million. That is in addition to previous rounds of grant funding totaling $4.1 million in 2021 and another $2.45 million in 2022 to construct EV charging stations within Alabamas borders. Nearly 300,000 all-electric vehicles were sold in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2023. That represents a 48.4 percent increase when compared to the second quarter of 2022. In addition, Alabama auto makers Mercedes-Benz builds all-electric luxury SUVs in Tuscaloosa, and Hyundai builds its electric Genesis GV70 and the hybrid version of the Santa Fe SUV in Montgomery. Driving an EV is super fun and more convenient than you think it is, Rosenau said. Read more: Hyundais plant in Montgomery rolls out 1st electric vehicle Montevallo to add two electric vehicle charging stations Electric vehicles are coming. Is Alabama ready? In a partnership between I3 Academy and Jefferson State Community College, organizers hope to create a kindergarten to college or career pipeline for enrolled students. I3 Academy, a K-8 tuition-free, public charter school network, will locate its new high school on Jefferson State Community Colleges Birmingham campus. High school students will be able to to take dual enrollment college courses, which they can then use toward associates or bachelors degrees. Supporters called the project the first of its kind in Alabama, and an effort to offer local students more choices and opportunities in both their K-12 experience and in college. i3 opened as an elementary charter school in 2020 and has since added middle school grades. Since the doors of i3 Academy Elementary opened in 2020, our dream has been to see our first class of fifth graders walk across the stage in their caps and gowns. Our partnership with Jefferson State goes beyond that dream by adding the benefits of dual enrollment courses and workforce preparation, Superintendent Martin Nalls said in a statement. Read more: How do charter school students perform compared to traditional public school students? Students can also graduate from high school with technical certificates. The college is adding a new Workforce Education Center, which will allow the college to expand training offerings and accommodate the lineworker training program, HVAC technician training, electrical training and training for multi-trade crafts. Imagine an innovative, inner-city, public high school co-located on a college campus where high school students graduate from high school with their high school diploma and an industry recognized credential, and/or an associates degree, and/or enough dual enrollment credits to transfer into a four-year university as a second semester sophomore welcome to I3 High at Jefferson State, I3 Academy Board Chairman Dr. Tommy Bice said. Jefferson State currently offers 116 transfer programs to four-year colleges, 39 career and technical education programs, 30 workforce education fast-track programs, and over 60 dual enrollment classes to more than 3,000 high school students. Spots are available in the upcoming I3 Academy High School ninth grade class, which will be co-located on the JSCC Jefferson County Campus. These new initiatives will transform the landscape of both workforce training and high school education in the greater Birmingham area, Jefferson State President Keith Brown said. Alaina Bookmans position at AL.com is supported through a partnership with Report for America, Contribute today to support her work and local journalism with impact. Both of Alabamas U.S. senators this evening joined an overwhelming majority of lawmakers in the upper chamber in voting on a measure to prevent a government shutdown. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Republicans, voted to approve the bipartisan resolution to continue funding the federal government for another 45 days. The Senate voted 88-9 to pass a continuing resolution that funds the government at current levels until Nov. 17. It also allocates $16 billion requested by President Biden to assist victims of natural disasters. While Britt voted yes, she also pointed a finger at Biden for the process and the last-minute measure to prevent a shutdown. After completely unnecessary political fire drills, ultimately both chambers were able to come together not only to keep the federal government open but reject President Bidens misguided supplemental request. Now, we will be able to pay our troops, the Border Patrol, and Capitol Police and help our neighbors in Florida and the people of Hawaii recover, she said in a statement. We will continue the critical fight for border security while we work to pass responsible appropriations bills through regular order. Britt said she would work in coming weeks to advance spending measures that are judicious, strategic, transparent, and accountable. Tuberville expressed similar sentiment on X, formerly Twitter, this evening. I am glad that the government is not going to shut down. But this is no way to run a government, he wrote. This entire spectacle up here never should have happened. This Clown Show in Washington needs to learn how to govern. Tuberville blamed Democrats and Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for the breakdown and accused them of blocking efforts to pass the legislation needed to complete the budget. We cannot lurch from crisis to crisis anymore. We need to finally get to regular order and govern like adults, he said. The vote this evening comes hours after the House of Representatives approved its version of the resolution, also with bipartisan support on an 335-91 vote. Four of Alabama seven members of the House also voted to approve the measure. Shannon Manthey was walking out of a Birmingham thrift store when she spotted a decorative sculpture of a magnolia flower and branch priced at $39.99. She recognized the work of Alabama artist Frank Fleming, who created Birminghams Storyteller Fountain and died in 2018. I knew it was a valuable piece right away, Manthey said. It was on the weekend, about closing time at the Goodwill and I was walking out the door, and I asked myself, what did I just see? Manthey said the sculpture is signed by Fleming. She also picked up another small scupture that featured calla lillies and a turtle. She said she was shocked to see the pieces at the Goodwill Outlet on Green Springs Highway in Birmingham. Another visitor to the same Goodwill recently found a designer wedding dress valued at $6,000. Manthey is donating the magnolia sculpture to the Birmingham Zoo to be placed for auction during its annual gala. Im putting this piece to good use, she said in a TikTok video. But Im keeping this piece, she said of the calla lilies design. Im in love. The Zoos annual fundraiser is Oct. 5 at 5:30 pm. The adults-only event will include animal encounters, food, an open bar, live music and the auction. Florida Republican Matt Gaetz announced Sunday (October 1) that he will challenge Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for the US House Speakership. Gaetz told CNN that he would file what lawmakers call a "motion to vacate" against McCarthy this week, which would challenge and unseat him from the House chair. "I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid," he said. "I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy." Read Also: Republicans Reject Kevin McCarthy Proposed Bill as Government Shutdown Imminent McCarthy vs. GOP Freedom Caucus The move represented a power struggle from within the Republican party, particularly between moderates like McCarthy and the more conservative faction political analysts call the Freedom Caucus, which currently represents 45 GOP seats in the House. According to USA Today, the rift was evidently shown after McCarthy reportedly relied on Democrats to pass a short-term stop-gap measure called a continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown, which was supposed to have been effective otherwise beginning Sunday. US President Joe Biden signed the bill that would keep the government funded until November 17, with three hours to spare late Saturday night (September 30). Gaetz has repeatedly threatened to file a motion to vacate if McCarthy relied on Democrat benches to pass a continuing resolution. He instead pushed for GOP leadership to pass the 12 appropriation bills necessary to fund the government in the long term, even if it meant leading the country into a government shutdown. Despite the bipartisan support for the signed bill, New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told CNN Sunday that she would tactically align with Gaetz's motion to unseat McCarthy from the House chair, accusing him of being a "weak speaker." McCarthy Brushes Off Gaetz's Challenge Meanwhile, McCarthy told CBS that he actually welcomed Gaetz's challenge and promised he would survive such a motion. McCarthy added that his speakership was purportedly a "personal" matter for Gaetz, whom he accused of having no interest in governing, as well as criticizing him for voting against the party-line GOP short-term measure that the speaker claimed was far more conservative than the spending deal that was passed Saturday. Related Article: Biden Signs Bill To Avert Government Shutdown, Blames House GOP for 'Manufactured Crisis' @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Biden impeachment investigation began this week. If your source of news is CNN,MSNBC, and the Big Four TV networks, you didnt know about this, the fourth such inquiry in U.S. history, because they blacked it out. Heres a handy source to the workings of the House Oversight Committee which you might want to keep for reference. It apparently wasnt very significant to the press. Not like the round-the-clock coverage of the lie that Trump was colluding with Russia, a lie generated by Hillary Clinton and megaphoned by them. Have they noted that the FBI agent who helped launch the probe into this alleged collusion was ironically on the payroll of a Russian and an Albanian? He has admitted he was on the payroll of a rich Russian and is set to admit being the recipient of an Albanian payoff. Former high-ranking FBI agent Charles McGonigal, who last month copped to New York charges of conspiring to violate US sanctions while working with a Russian oligarch [Oleg Deripaska] is set to plead guilty Friday for accepting secret payments from an ex-foreign intelligence agent. McGonigal, 55, will appear before US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, DC, to enter his plea on nine counts of falsifying records, concealing material facts and making false statements, court filings show. The former FBI special agent in charge served as counterintelligence chief in New York from 2016 to 2018 and helped launch a probe into the Trump campaigns alleged collusion with Russia to get dirt on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton before the 2016 election. McGonigal allegedly took $225,000 from an ex-Albanian intelligence operative, identified in European media as Agron Neza, and met with the nations prime minister, Edi Rama, while working for the bureau. He initiated the lucrative arrangement in August 2017 and it continued beyond his retirement from the FBI in September 2018, according to his January indictment. He was not the only one in D.C. on the payroll of foreign governments. Professor Jonathan Turley has set out ten reasons why the impeachment inquiry is justified and in this list, you can see the multiple ways President Biden sold out our interests to Ukrainians and Chinese. Hunter Biden and his associates were running a classic influence peddling operation using Joe Biden as what Devon Archer called the Brand.millions were generated for the Bidens from some of the most corrupt figures in the world. Some of the Biden clients pushed for changes impacting United States foreign policy and relations, including help in dealing with Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin investigating corruption. President Biden has made false claims about his knowledge of these dealings repeatedly in the past, including insisting that he had no knowledge of Hunters foreign dealings which Archer has declared patently false The President had been aware for years that Hunter Biden and his uncle James were accused of influence peddling President Biden was repeatedly called into meetings with these foreign clients and was put on speakerphone. He also met these clients and foreign figures at dinners and meetings. Emails and other communications show Hunter repeatedly invoking his father to secure payments from foreign sources A trusted FBI source recounted a direct claim of a corrupt Ukrainian businessman that he paid a bribe to Joe Biden through intermediaries. Hunter Biden reportedly claimed that he had to give half of his earnings to his father and other emails state that intermingled accounts were used to pay bills for both men At least two transfers of funds to Hunter Biden in 2019 from a Chinese source listed the Presidents home in Delaware Some of the deals negotiated by Hunter involved potential benefits for his father, including office space in Washington. At least nine Biden family members reportedly received money from these foreign transfers I dont imagine for a minute that these payments are unrelated to Bidens secreting of classified documents in unsecured locations at his home and in the Penn Biden Center. Paul Sperry reports this week that these documents include national defense information related to China. And then theres evidence that the government of Iran, the most serious threat to our interests in the Middle East, has placed those promoting its interests in key places in the Biden Administration. Earlier we learned that Bidens Iran envoy Robert Malley is under investigation, his security clearance revoked, and he has been suspended from the State Department for mishandling classified information, the suggestion being that he shared this information with the Iranian Government. This week, Semafor and Iran National report that some of Malleys acolytes are linked to a pro-Iranian echo chamber and have actively been promoting Iranian interests since at least 2015. Emails that the outlets obtained show that Iranian government officials internally claimed credit for cultivating a network of Western scholars whom the countrys foreign ministry leaned on to promote its message internationally during its nuclear negotiations with the Obama administration. The program was called the Iran Experts Initiative. The IEI members allegedly laundered the regimes talking points, publishing op-eds, giving interviews with news outlets, and seeking the input of regime officials on their public engagements. Two of the scholars involved in the program, Ali Vaez and Ariane Tabatabai, have close ties to Malley. He hired Tabatabai to join his office at the start of the Biden administration; she subsequently moved to a role within the Pentagon. Vaez, meanwhile, is a longtime expert on Iran policy at the International Crisis Group think tank. Malley, who worked with him at ICG, tried to bring him on board at State -- but was blocked from doing so when Vaez failed to obtain a security clearance for the role, according to Iran International. Yet even after he was denied clearance, Vaez continued to write Malleys tweets from his perch outside of government. Why thats a problem should be self-evident Throughout the talks surrounding the 2015 accord, Tabatabai and Vaez were in constant contact with officials on the Iranian foreign ministrys payroll, not only asking them their views on potential speaking opportunities, but also giving them the chance to review and suggest changes to their writing on the Iran negotiations Even if, for the sake of argument, there is some innocent interpretation of these interactions, the views expressed in the messages were disqualifying on their own merits. The Iran International report described one email exchange between Vaez and Zarif in 2014, after the foreign minister had expressed disapproval of a report that Vaezs organization had published regarding Iran. Vaez responded to Zarif, saying that he was eager to assist Iran Washingtons pro-Iran engagement machinery has already cranked into overdrive, calling the reports wrong or, as one of its members put it, a depressing, McCarthyistic campaign. But none of the reporting has been refuted, even by its targets. The State Department and the Pentagon, meanwhile, defended Tabatabai and said the clearance process had been properly conducted. During a press briefing yesterday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller went on the offensive, implying that the reporting was irrelevant because the events described took place nearly a decade ago. He also declined to give an update on Malleys status. The State Department needs to give Congress a full accounting of Malleys rocky tenure in the administration. Hussein-Abdul Hussein explains how serious this is. My take on this Semafor and IranIntl stories is that either Malley, ICG, and his coterie of assistants are too naive, or they think that Americans are too dumb and will buy their cover story. In dictatorships like Iran, there are no think tanks, scholars, journalists or independent opinion or thinkers. Every word that is said or printed is approved by the intelligence agencies, and often "leaked" by them. You know how Fareed Zakaria and/or Christian Amanpour interview Iran's president every year? That'd never happen if the Iranian intel agencies thought, for a second, that these CNN anchors would ask hard questions that might make the Iranian president look bad. Writers in dictatorships (and fans of dictatorships in the West) are often given leeway, and they internalize censorship and start self-censoring, becoming aware of what the rulers like and what they dislike. When I was a journalist in Lebanon, every time I interacted with the Iraqi Embassy staff (I was a dual national back then) I assumed each one of them was an intel operative, and that every word I said was being recorded and documented, and whatever they shared with me was instructions, not suggestions. The day after Saddam fell on April 9, 2003, I published an op-ed in NYT (when it was still pro-democracy and liberty) called it My First Day of Freedom. I said it was the first article with my name on it and without fear that whatever I say would be, one day, held against me. That a bunch of Americans thought that they were freely exchanging ideas with Islamist #Iran regime apparatchiks is a horrible cover story. If it is not a cover story, then those who've been running our U.S. policy on Iran are clueless about how autocracies work. Is there a single foe compromising our national interest not welcomed by this corrupt administration? If you are an illegal alien lucky enough to be picked for rescue by a wealthy, white, virtue-signaling Massachusetts resident who also happens to be a cable news talking head and immigration attorney you may be able to spend the rest of your life on one of the most beautiful spots on the East Coast. That's what happened when Rachel Self, an immigration lawyer and occasional contributor to Fox News and CNN, decided to help a handful of illegals who ended up in Martha's Vineyard a year ago. While Self may have thought she would get points for putting her money where her mouth is, her radical progressive views make her a poor candidate to be applauded in these circumstances. Case in point: Here she is on Fox News saying that the United States Constitution applies to all people, even illegals within our borders. She seems clueless that she's using illegal entry across America's border as the basis for determining legality within the Constitution. The reasoning is so bizarre as to be comical if it weren't so dangerous to our rule of law. Then again, as the Hoover Institution's Victor Davis Hanson noted recently, "[h]uman rights activists insist that the borders themselves are nineteenth-century relics. And the global poor and oppressed thus have a human right to enter the affluent West by any means necessary." Self's story was featured in a New York Times article in June, when they did a follow-up piece on what became of illegals flown to Massachusetts as part of Florida governor Ron DeSantis's relocation program to transport illegal migrants to sanctuary destinations. While most of the migrants were shipped from the island to places like New York, Washington, and Michigan, a handful took up residence in Martha's Vineyard, under the protective watch of Self. The migrants who stayed behind were quoted as saying that they wanted to "reach the American dream like everyone else." They also complained that Martha's Vineyard was "not the place they had imagined for themselves" and said they were finding it hard to trust strangers after "being cast adrift" and used as "political pawns." Keep in mind that they will probably bring their extended families to live on Martha's Vineyard. It's hard to sympathize with their comments when Americans themselves are unable to figure out what the "American dream" even means anymore. As the success of Oliver Anthony's recent songs has showcased, struggles with finances, depression, drugs and alcohol, and a myriad of deeply disturbing cultural issues are increasingly leaving Americans dazed and confused. Meanwhile, a ferry ride away on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey (who won her office by a landslide in 2022) is squeezing illegals in a little at a time. Healey's office started out slow, placing six Haitian families at the Harborside Suites motel in South Yarmouth and warning that more families may arrive. Yarmouth, one of fifteen towns in Barnstable County that make up the area known as "Cape Cod," saw dozens of residents turn out earlier this month to protest their town being used as emergency housing for illegals. The Yarmouth Board of Selectmen (a surprisingly outdated and sexist term for so progressive an area) sent a letter to the governor, whining that the motel she chose has had zoning violations in the past and is therefore not a suitable place for migrant families. "We have no affordable housing here. We have no resources here to support this influx of population in our town," one resident recently told the Cape Cod Times. The Times explained to readers that the governor has a right to place "migrants and displaced persons" in Yarmouth because "[i]n August, Healey's administration declared a state of emergency, citing an influx of migrants seeking shelter and services as the state already faces an affordable housing crunch." A Facebook page, Cape Cod Concerned Citizens, was created for residents to sound off on their governor "forcing masses of illegal aliens into our towns without notice and without any planning for necessary resources." But what if the tiny area of Cape Cod becomes as inundated with illegals as New York City or Chicago, or a small town like Jamestown, N.Y., which found that it doesn't "take too many to overwhelm the system"? Liberal Cape Codders just can't get their heads out of the sand dunes. Take this columnist at the Cape Cod Times, for instance, who signals his worldview by using terms like "climate catastrophe" (formerly known as bad weather) and "climate refugees." Writer Lawrence Brown laments that as Americans try to cope with millions of illegals being forced on them by the Biden administration, they can't come together to have a "sane conversation" and seek a balance point. It's not a conundrum, Mr. Brown. Here's the balance point in three words: close the border. As I remember, we had someone who was willing to address the situation. As Victor Davis Hanson wrote: The Trump administration's initial efforts to close the border had been continually obstructed in the Congress, sabotaged by the administrative state, and stymied in the courts. Nonetheless, it had finally secured the border by early 2020. ... Yet almost all its successful initiatives were immediately overturned in 2021. Seems like not so long ago when Cape Code crowed about "repudiating President Trump with record turnout" in the 2020 election. The Cape Cod Times also revealed some shocking data: "[t]he number of economically disadvantaged Cape students has been climbing" and is now roughly 50%. Concurrently, the number of students who don't speak English as their first language is around 30%. That's just a microcosm of what Democrats want to do in every town in the U.S. The mostly affluent, disconnected residents of Cape Cod which has historically included liberal power-players like the Kennedys, Clintons, and Obamas have long been funding progressive policies responsible for gutting American cities and small towns. Like the mistaken Bolsheviks, liberal elites believe they are the vanguard of the proletariat. They can't seem to comprehend that when they destroy the middle-class Americans that they find so contemptible, they will eventually destroy themselves. Susan D. Harris can be reached at www.susandharris.com. Image: Phillip Capper via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (cropped). Imagine the scene: Youre applying to be the head of Twitters Trust and Safety division, the department historically used to censor. Your prospective boss, Elon Musk, in one of the biggest news stories of 2022, spent $44 billion on the company to save civilization from the woke mind virus Musks move was provoked by Twitters suppression of The Babylon Bee for calling a man, Man of the Year. (The old Twitter deemed the joke censorship-worthy because the man in question says hes a woman.) Youre now interviewing for the post that is key to Musks multi-billion dollar investment to transform Twitter into a haven of free speech; you manage to assure him that you share his passion. Then, within months of taking that job, the center-right Daily Wire contacts you about disseminating their documentary What Is a Woman? through your platform. You take a look at it, shocked by the harmful conduct displayed. A man is called a man and a girl is called a she. But Golden Gate University and your leftist friends taught you all about hate speech, which this film certainly is, because the man says hes a woman, and the girl has preferred pronouns, which are he/him. Everybody whos anybody knows misgendering is barbaric. When you assured Elon you shared his vision of an open marketplace of ideas, you assumed that every civilized person understood there were limits. Dont threaten to kill the president and dont choose reality over sexual confusion. Dont publish the schematics of nuclear weapons and dont call a man he if hes in a dress. Dont post child porn and dont neglect to use preferred pronouns. In your world, its a matter of common decency. You cant imagine how anyone could see it any differently. Christian (and conservative allies), thats what were up against. A corps of people like Twitters former head of Trust and Safety Ella Irwin, so certain of their tolerance and love of freedom that they are able to convince the richest man in the world who staked his wealth on your job, that theyll carry forth his vision. Then at the first chance they get, they slap down a conservative documentary. Its not that theyre necessarily hypocrites or liars. They genuinely believe they are champions of free speech even as they suppress differing opinions. The warp in their character is not just a staggering lack of basic self-awareness, but they assume their opinions equal truth, and any deviation is not just falsehood, but hatefulness. And theyre permitted to condemn what (and who) they deem hateful, which means you. At the heart of their philosophy is the conviction that they are the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to truth but through them. Maybe youre not worried because thats the small potatoes of social media, not the levers of real power (as if stifling speech isnt real power). But consider U.S. District Judge Jay Moody, empowered to issue decrees that veto acts of legislatures. On June 20, 2023, he issued a permanent injunction against an Arkansas law protecting children from the permanent harm of Orwellian-named gender affirming care. In his ruling, he listed twenty-one findings of fact which werent fact at all, but rather leftist pseudoscience. In these numbered facts the judge asserts that gender identity is an individual construct; seriously uses cisgender in defining non-delusional people; speaks of sex assigned at birth as though sexual identity is merely a subjective perception; denies that gender incongruence is a product of environment; claims that gender identity is not something that an individual can control or voluntarily change and then states the only treatment for gender incongruence is gender transition. Finally, the judge assures us it will never go wrong. The wise professionals lopping off breasts and genitals, even of adolescents will never make a mistake, claims the judge. They would never diagnose some impressionable child who is swept along by the social contagion as a genuine case of gender dysphoria. The impressionable children, were assured, would not meet the criteria for the sterilizing drugs and irreversible surgeries. The infallibility of gender transitioners is so trustworthy, the judge lists it as his final fact. So, dont worry. Thats what were up against. They are so lacking in humility, they will state out-right absurdities, as if sexual identity is assigned like youre assigned to take Dr. Joness English 101 class, in a judicial ruling as findings of fact. The judge states with absolute certainty, giving his errors, confusion, and arrogance the force of law, and willing to risk the lives of children on his hubris. Hes not aware its even a risk, so doubt-free is he. Theyre so certain they are right, they lack the capacity to consider otherwise. William Butler Yeats warned us that in the coming times the best would lack all conviction and the worst would be full of a passionate intensity. What he didnt see was that the worst would be unquestionably convinced that they are the best and that we are the worst. So, theyre not going to be persuaded by reason. What is a Woman? is persuasive to a reasonable person. The idea that sex is assigned at birth is absurd to a reasonable person. Theyre not reasonable. They wont even admit that an alternative deserves to be listened to. Theyre hardly aware different reasons and ideas exist, imagining them to be raw, heated impulses like hate. To differ from them is, by definition, they assume, to hate. The mutilated bodies, destroyed lives, suicides, rage-filled activists, and miserable, lonely, insult- and profanity-spewing internet trolls left in the wake of their ideology no more registers with them than the murder rate in Baltimore or Chicago impacts a leftist politician. Theyre not going to change their minds without a miracle, without conversion. Thats Gods doing and the churchs prayer. The aim of political and moral debate with them, then, should be to save as many people as possible in the mushy middle from catching a full-blown case of their mind virus. We need to strive to ideologically quarantine them and make their fanaticism as repugnant as leprosy. That starts by relentlessly telling the truth. John B. Carpenter, Ph.D., is pastor of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church, in Danville, VA. and the author of Seven Pillars of a Biblical Church (Wipf and Stock, 2022) and the Covenant Caswell Substack. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. We boomer grannies grew up in a Norman Rockwell painting and accordingly hold the 1976 motion picture Baby Blue Marine in high regard, as the opening scene of that film begins with a Norman Rockwell painting that dissolves into action and then the action of its closing scene freezes into a Normal Rockwell Painting. Hence, the entire movie is sandwiched in between two paintings. So much of the delightful daily life of the golden age of America in the 1950s was marvelously depicted on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post of the time. We saw ourselves in the movies of the time. We saw Music Man and The Long Hot Summer and recognized our town. No one questioned why Rosemary in Picnic joyously called the school principal to announce she was resigning her teaching job because she was getting married. Everyone understood that was a perfectly natural thing to do. A delightful friend, the bubbly chairlady of Octogrannies Are Us, recalls our childhoods in the 1950s as a wonderful time. She is correct that we never heard of divorce, abortion, or queers. Our teachers were not sexual perverts, a single salary supported a family, children had a stay-at-home mom, and the whole family ate supper together every night. Rural high school boys absences were routinely excused for harvest time and for the opening day of squirrel season, and they had shotguns in their pickups gun rack in the school parking lot, and no one thought a thing about it. Image: The W.H. Shumard family, 1955 (edited). CC BY 2.0. We retired at night with the front door unlocked and the family car parked in the driveway with the keys in the ignition. When asked the ubiquitous questionLittle girl, what do you want to be when you grow up?our answer was constant and unambiguous: I want to be a mommy like my mommy! We didnt know then any of the steamy specifics involved, but we knew and embraced the general outline of our reality. In that sane society, we children were treated as precious, even sacred, and we knew we were special. Men were trained to protect women, and women were taught to expect to be protected by men. Masculinity and femininity were understood as tropisms of nature whose fruit is families. Weddings were public celebrations because they were the ceremonial creation of families, the crucibles in which progeny are procreated and reared. Sexuality was enjoyed and revered, and its perversion was criminalized. Civilization was understood to be founded upon righteous sexuality. In the sane society, man was the glory of God, woman the glory of man, and children the glory of woman. Thats why Shirly Jones, in her delightful song Being in Love in The Music Man, could proclaim of the man she would adore, and I would like him to be more interested in me than in himself and more interested in us than in me. But today, things are different. Two generations of girls have been taught to seek a career rather than a life. Mom and Dad both have full-time jobs. Till death do us part has been replaced by until I change my mind. Mom and Dad each know the other could divorce for any reason or no reason, and financial disaster for all would follow, and the children know that could happen at any time. Traditional marriage has been swallowed by the partnership paradigm in which spouses are now called partners, reflecting equality with no one in charge. Chaos is deemed preferable to submission. But for those of us of the Rockwell generation, submission was easy. Why? Because I adored my man, he adored me, and he was mine forever! Forever! Why forever? Not because of law; because of custom! A divorcee was an outcast, ruin, disaster. As some Loretta (or was it some Dolly) sang, If youve been married, then youre rated X! But that is gone with the wind. But there is pushback. Todays Trad Wife movement is an instinctive revulsion against delusion. The movement sees a growing number of women who intuitively recognize that their uniqueness in the universe is their blessed capacity for childbirth and that, in the workplace, whether the woman is the boss or a gofer, she is just another functionary abandoning her glorious reality as the vessel of life. The Trad woman recognizes that her place is among masculine men. She understands that her role is the central one of homemaker in the traditional marriage. What drives the Trad wife? The cognizance of delusion and the burning desire for reality. Anyone surprised? I am not, because they keep telling us that the border is secure. This is the story: As thousands of people pour through the southern border into Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, all members of Texas' Democratic congressional delegation voted to block federal funds from assisting Gov. Greg Abbott's border security effort, Operation Lone Star. In the last few days before the end of the fiscal year, which ends Saturday, Sept. 30, and ahead of a looming federal government shutdown, members of Congress over the past few days have debated and voted on various appropriations bills. Rather than support Abbott's border security efforts, Texas' Democratic congressional delegation supported an amendment to oppose any federal money going to help Texas or reimburse Texas for roughly $10 billion the state legislature allocated to fund OLS over the last two legislative sessions. Where was Representative Henry Cuellar? He always talks a good game on Fox News but was missing in action when we really needed him. Also voting with the party was Representative Colin Allred, one of three Democrats hoping to beat Senator Cruz in 2024. My guess is that Texas Democrats were also sending Governor Abbott a message because the idea was to reimburse Texas for the huge sums allocated by the state Legislature. I guess they are angry with the governor about the buses. The governor called their bluff on sanctuary cities and exposed their hypocrisy. PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos. Image: woodleywonderworks via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Gavin Newsom is a clever guy. He understands that the most important constituency in the Democrat party is women and, within that constituency, black women. Thats why, now that Dianne Feinstein has died, he must make good on his 2021 promise to appoint a black woman and only a black woman to the United States Senate on Californias behalf. The list of potential candidates, however, is not impressive. But wait! Help may be waiting in the royal(ish) wings, for someone else apparently wants to throw her hat into the ring. If Gavin Newsom had been wise instead of merely smartalthough, if he were wise, hed be conservative)he wouldnt have announced in advance that he would only consider a black woman to fill a vacate Senate seat. Instead, he would have promised Californians that he would choose the best person to represent the state and then, coincidentally, that person would have been a black woman. But of course, as I said, hes not wise: In 2021, after he named then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Vice President Kamala Harris in the Senate, Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed that if he had to make another Senatorial appointment it would be a Black woman. Following Sen. Dianne Feinsteins death on Friday, Newsoms promise shifted from hypothetical to real and hugely consequential. Americans have already seen with Kamala Harris what you get when you promise to pick a candidate based on race and sex, rather than quality. (As an aside, have you noticed that female biology, as opposed to transgender fantasy, is never a question when leftist black women are involved?) Image: Meghan Markle. YouTube screen grab. But back to those black women. The ones in California are scary: Rep. Barbara Lee, a proud supporter of communists and cop killers. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a community activist who has driven Los Angeles into even worse straits than when she took office. San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who has presided over San Franciscos continued decline into one of the most crime-ridden cities in the United States. Rep. Maxine Waters, who is not only one of the most vile people ever to walk through Congresss halls but who, at 85, is getting near the end of her own shelf life. Kamala Harris herself has been bandied about as a possible Senate candidate as a way to get her out of the White House and get someone else in as a Vice President before Democrats escort Biden away from the Oval Office. Indeed, theres even a not-so-funny meme floating around. Well, actually, it is funny, but if you take away the reference to Commander and insert the 25th Amendment, it could well be accurate: There are a few other undistinguished people, notable only for their melanin content and ovaries, whose names you can see here. However, it turns out that there is someone else anxiously waiting in the wings for that phone call from Gavin: Meghan Markle is reportedly in the running to fill Dianne Feinsteins California Senator seat as the Duchess considers a run for office. According to a major Democratic donor close to Californian Governor Gavin Newsom, who is set to choose Feinsteins replacement, the possibility of the Duchess of Sussex running is not impossible. Although a long-shot replacement for the 90-year-old pioneer, there is speculation Meghan could serve out the remaining 13 months of Feinsteins term. A source told the Mail on Sunday: Meghan is definitely a long-shot but in the craziness that is US politics these days its not an impossibility. Crazier things have happened. I dont know that shes such a long shot as all that. Meghans got a solid group of supporters (God alone knows why), shes not stupid, she doesnt have a communist history thats going to catch up with her, and shes nice to look at. Frankly, that already makes her better than the other potential candidates. The fact that shes barely black, obscenely wealthy, and was once a member of Britains royal family isnt going to be a problem for a party that never lets hypocrisy stand in its way. A new history book in England is raising eyebrows because its trying to attach Britains hugely consequential history to Africa. While this is historical nonsense, its an important step in the leftist takeover of whichever land they conquer. Its fair to say that, in a sense, everyone in the world is a child of Africa. After all, Africa is the cradle of humanity. However, beginning about 2 million years ago, many of our ancestors left Africa, seeding the rest of the world with people who eventually became modern humans. Apparently, it was about 950,000-700,000 years ago that ancient humans made their way to England. Over the course of several hundred thousand years, not only were they culturally separated from Africa but, in response to the limited sunshine, they slowly paled and became northern European. By around 9,000 years ago, they were the Caucasians we know today. Around 5,000 years ago, the pale-skinned living in Englandthe ones who hadnt had contact with Africa in hundreds of thousands of yearsbuilt Stonehenge. We still know little about those who built Stonehenge, but we do know that they had no ties to Africa and that they were much paler than those who remained in that Equatorial land. Image: Stonehenge by garethwiscombe. CC BY 2.0. Although Julius Caesar first invaded Britain in 55 B.C., the true Roman conquest of Britain wasnt until 43 A.D. The indigenous Celts were pushed to the fringes of the British Isles (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall), while the Romans began importing their own population. Its reasonable to believe that, among these Romans were some people of black African descent, whether they came as Roman citizens, soldiers, or slaves. However, the Roman occupation lasted only a few hundred years, after which England was inundated by wave after wave of Danes, Angles, and Saxonsall of whom were the palest people Europe could produce. Up until the post-WWII wave of immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, India, and the Middle East, something that accelerated in the 1990s, the United Kingdom was a lily-white country. That history of thousands of years of whitenessmoreover, extremely successful whiteness given Englands colonizing large parts of the worldis a vexing problem for the new generation of non-white Brits. It seems like a failure on their part that they have no role whatsoever in Great Britains glorious past, one that has shaped the modern world. However, the rising tide of non-white Brits has an advantage: They are Britains future, and they get to write the history books. After all, thats what conquerors do. This meme came across my desk the other day, and it perfectly summarizes not how history is made but how its remembered: (Incidentally, although the image is of Norm MacDonald, theres no evidence that the words are his.) And its with that image in mind that Im pleased to present to you the story of Brilliant Black British History, written by a Nigerian immigrant to Britain, who is happy to let you know that blacks, not whites, built Stonehenge: Stonehenge was built by black people, a new childrens history book has claimed. Readers of Brilliant Black British History, by the Nigerian-born British author Atinuke, are told the neolithic monument in Wiltshire was built while Britain was a black country. The book, which is aimed at children aged seven and above, also tells readers that every single British person comes from a migrant and that the very first Britons were black. The introduction adds that Britain has been mostly a white country for a lot less time than it has been mostly a black country. Atinuke also claims that the remains of the 10,000-year-old Cheddar Man belonged to someone who had skin as dark as dark can be. In a way, this is a silly debate because its completely irrelevant what color the Stonehenge people were. Their culture and beliefs matter, not their melanin content. But as I said, knowing that Britains age of greatness occurred during its Caucasian era and that its current age of irrelevance coincides with a racial shift is a problem for the race-obsessed left. Because revolutionaries must always rewrite history to suit their needed narratives (see also George Orwells memory hole), they will stop at nothing to erase the past and ensure that it always aligns with the presentsomething weve seen with increasing violence across America since George Floyd managed to kill himself with drugs while in police custody. In response to what he sees as intractable racial conflict, Scott Adams, author of the excellent comic strip "Dilbert," has been canceled for urging white people to move away from black people. He says, perhaps despondently, "There is no fixing this." He is wrong. It is not hopeless. Here is my own personal anecdote that, albeit not obviously, does illustrate hopefulness. For about a year, I worked in an office that was staffed by what the left might call a diverse crew. One of my coworkers was a black lady, whom I will call Felicia. She was married, with a sixteen-year-old daughter, whom I will call Ann. The husband, here pseudonymously Thomas, also black, was a long-haul truck driver. What made the family memorable was that both of the adults had been raised in white (Caucasian) communities, almost entirely insulated from contact with other black people, not by design, but by circumstance. After getting married, the couple continued to live in such an environment and were unhesitatingly accepted. Theirs was a case in immersive enculturation. In our frequent, brief conversations with Felicia, we soon stopped thinking of her in terms of her race, because her actions, mannerisms, and attitude were those of a politically neutral white woman. Thomas was similar. Yes, it is entirely possible to overlook skin color entirely. Then, one day, Thomas's travels exposed him to an intensity of anti-black racism of which he had heard but never personally experienced. He had taken a detour in a distant city, through an all-white ghetto where blacks rarely ventured. While minimally violent (rocks thrown at his truck), the verbal abuse was fervent. He was glad to drive away from it. Returning home, Thomas told his wife of it in shocked terms, which she related to us at work, almost as if she were a white woman married to a black man. It was their first direct encounter with this ugly reality. Their teenage daughter "Ann" had, throughout her life, been raised much as had her parents. Life for her and her family had always proceeded unperturbed by thoughts of skin color. The few black people Ann encountered had backgrounds similar to hers. One of them, another teenage girl, I'll call her Shakeena, did not, and her influence made itself felt. New to the white neighborhood, Shakeena had been raised in a poor, mostly black neighborhood and was "down with the struggle" against "the man." Her attitudes, if not radically racist, were at the least shaped by the racialist attitudes that one associates with leftist black activism. Over time, Ann's parents noticed in her an increasingly disturbing pattern of changes in her speech and behavior. She had begun to use the slang and phraseology of the "oppressed but cool," residents of "the hood." It was all subtle at first, but over time, it became more pronounced. Then it happened. Ann was invited by Shakeena to spend the night with Shakeena's cousins, who still lived in an almost stereotypical black enclave of our rather typical American city. At first, knowing that it was a high-crime area, Ann's parents resisted this request, but as with many parents of teenage girls, they eventually found their resolve weakened by Ann's persistent pleading. Ann's mother asked, in exasperation, why would you wish to go to such a place? Ann's response, probably conditioned by her friendship with Shakeena, was and I remember the mildly sarcastic way her mother said it "I want to be among my people." "But," Felicia told Ann, "you are among your people. We are your people." Our friends and neighbors are your people. It was all to no avail. With great trepidation, and after meeting Shakeena's middle-class, working parents, Thomas and Felicia finally relented, albeit with several conditions, to which Ann resentfully agreed. That afternoon, Thomas drove Ann and Shakeena to Shakeena's cousins' house, which was an old, single-family dwelling, possibly government-owned. Thomas did not like the neighborhood, and although he was as black as the residents on the street, he felt very much out of place, even reminiscent of his dangerous encounter on his earlier road trip. Stressing to Ann that she must keep her cell phone handy at all times, Thomas returned home, expecting to come back late the following morning to retrieve Ann. He did not have to wait that long. At 2 A.M., he was awakened by a frantic call from Ann. "Daddy, you have to come get me. They're shooting outside!" Immediately, and with a father's fearlessly protective instinct for his daughter, Thomas was swiftly on his way. Arriving, he found himself in the near vicinity of a gunfight between black gangs. Running into the house without hesitation, he grabbed his grateful Ann, got her into the car, and thankfully made good their escape. Felicia told us that Ann never again mentioned wishing to "be among my people." Scott, although it may not be obvious, and you may have to dig for it, there is hope after all. Image via Pxhere. North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-weapons state and its pursuit of nuclear weapons will only lead to more sanctions against the regime, South Korea's foreign ministry said Sunday. The ministry made the comments in response to a statement issued the previous day by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, which claimed the North's possession of nuclear weapons was a legitimate exercise of sovereignty. "The international community clearly bans North Korea's nuclear and missile development and provocations," the South Korean ministry said in a statement. "Regardless of North Korea's actions and claims, its possession of nuclear weapons will never be recognized, and the sanctions of the international community will further deepen." In her statement, Choe criticized a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting convened last week in response to Pyongyang's latest measure to bolster its nuclear force policy in its constitution. With the attendance of leader Kim Jong-un last week, the North held a session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly and unanimously decided to "supplement Article 58 of Chapter 4 of the Socialist Constitution" to ensure the country's right to existence and development, deter war and protect regional and global peace by rapidly developing nuclear weapons to a higher level. Choe said the North strongly condemns the "unlawful and reckless actions of hostile forces, including the U.S., which label our country's legitimate exercise of sovereignty as 'provocation' and 'threat.'" (Yonhap) Have you ever wondered how the fascist far left keeps on repeating an evidence-free and blatantly illogical lie that a certain National Socialist Labor Party that was based on collectivism and a strong central authority belongs on the side of the political spectrum set in the fundamental principles of individual liberties and limited government? It's a big lie they keep on exploiting day after day, while at the same time admonishing everyone on the pro-freedom right from even mentioning the subject because of arbitrary laws they created out of thin air? Researching the archives of the early decades of the last century, specifically the 1910s, '20s, and '30s revealed the very beginnings of the lefts biggest lie that is now just over 100 years old. One source was the New York Times, the newspaper of record as Walter Duranty would probably have termed it (3.9 million Kulaks unavailable for comment). My research uncovered several cases of collectivist conflict from around the world, along with a strange amalgamation of political spectrum terms that set the proper context for the emergence of an informant as a 'Swashbuckling Little Politician. They characterized exiled Russian revolutionist Leon Trotsky as a socialist conservative and referred to socialists of the left and the right. Many of them split off from each other, as in the case of the radical left-wing socialists widened the breach with the conservative faction of the National Socialist Party in a convention on Sept. 2, 1919, in Chicago before the emergence of the Hitlerites of the Bavarian fascisti. These findings confirm the conclusions of the academic paper How and Why Fascism and Nazism Became the Right. Ill cite excerpts and references from this time to further prove another disturbing similarity between the modern left and the National Socialist Labor Party, in addition to showing how the left plays fast and loose with the language and beginnings of their 100-year-old big lie. To begin, Consider this gem from the New York Times dated March 5, 1917: Socialists Conservative.; Refuse to Favor Strikes, Though Unwilling to Sanction War. Members of the York County, at the Lenox Casino yesterday voted down a proposal pledging Socialist to encourage strikes and resist recruiting in the event of war With Germany. The resolution was proposed by Leon Trotsky, an exiled Russian revolutionist, and Louis C. Fraina, two of a committee of seven appointed to submit recommendations should war come. Who knew that the exiled Russian revolutionist, Leon Trotsky was a Socialist Conservative? From Russia as reported in the New York Times on Nov. 2, 1917: Votes Rebuke Bolsheviki, with conservative Socialist groups: Nonpartisans and Conservatives Sweep Russian Elections. Petrograd, Wednesday, Oct. 31, (via London. Nov. 1.)The nonpartisan and conservative Socialist groups have won sweeping victories over the radical Bolsheviki candidates. Then in 1918, we see confirmation of leftist infighting and a new wing of "Socialists of the Right": The New York Times June 26, 1918 French Socialist Party Is Split; Majority of Deputies Back American Attitude Toward German "Comrades." Thomas Heads New Wing "Socialists of the Right" Oppose Internationalism Until Germany is Defeated. The announcement, a day or two ago, of his adhesion to this group by Albert Thomas, formerly French Minister of Munitions, has now given a leader to the new party, which will be known as the Socialists of the Right. The next year and over the pond in the states, right and left-wing socialists were splitting apart: The New York Times August 7, 1919 Socialist Factions Name Two Tickets; Right and Left Wing Contest Reduces the Party's Strength in Primaries. For the first time in its history, the Socialist Party in the city is faced with a serious split in the election this year. Meanwhile, there was a widening of the breach between the left wing of the National Socialist Party and the right-wing, or conservatives of the Socialist Party: The New York Times Sept. 2, 1919 Force Communists to Remove Flags; Move To Unite Radicals Left Wing Socialists Widen the Breach with the Conservative Faction. CHICAGO, Sept. 1.--A strenuous day in the deliberations of the radicals now convening in Chicago, attained its climax this afternoon when the left wing of the National Socialist Party sent a bouquet and a bunch of red flags to the communist convention hall on Blue Island Avenue. Meantime, on the second floor, the right wing, or conservatives of the Socialist Party, under the leadership of Victor L. Berger and others. was, having trouble with recalcitrant delegates. A faction of the foreign language Socialists and others regarded the parent body and the left-wing faction as too conservative. The New York Times Sept. 3, 1919 Form Red Party; Leader Arrested; Left Wing Socialists Launch National Communist Organization in ChicagoRight Wing Gets Message from Hilluit. CHICAGO, Sept. 2.--Three hundred representatives of the Left Wing Faction of the National Socialist Party, which recently withdrew from the parent body, today organized the "Communist Labor Party of America." The Communist group of ultra radicals, recently expelled from the National Socialist Party, which is meeting in another east side hall, expects to form another political party before it adjourns at the end of the week. This faction consists of foreign language socialists and others who regard the parent body and the left-wing faction as too conservative. Then we also have the New York Times on May 11, 1920 'Mild' Socialists Win on Platform; Conservatives, Led by Hillquit, Defeat Attempt to Name New Committee. Fight To Continue Today Ultra-Radicals Denounce the Party Principles Presented as "Lacking Punch." The "conservative" wing of the Socialist Party won a victory over the "ultra-radicals" at the second day's Session of the Socialist National Convention at Finnish Socialist Hall. The split revealed may develop into party warfare of threatening aspect, leaders of both factions after the convention adjourned for the day. The platform, attacked as too Conservative pledges the Socialist Party to the cancellation of all war loans to allied countries; the dissolution of the present League of Nations. Several other references prove the same point - that there was infighting with one side of the political spectrum with the use of a confusing array of political terminology. Thus, with the emergence of another National Socialist Party in Germany, and in a recent article (in a relative sense) the New York Times admits this is their first story on the head of this organization. The New York Times Nov. 21, 1922: New Popular Idol Rises In Bavaria; Hitler Credited With Extraordinary Powers of Swaying Crowds to His Will. Leader A Reactionary Is Anti Red and Anti-Semitic, and Demands Strong Government for a United Germany. MUNICH, Nov. 20.-- This reactionary Nationalistic anti-Semitic movement has now reached a point where it is considered potentially dangerous, though not for the immediate future. Hitler has been called the Bavarian Mussolini and his followers the Bavarian Fascisti. There Is nothing socialistic about the National Socialism he preaches. . He is wasting no time working out political programs but devotes his whole energy to recruiting fresh forces and perfecting his organization. Note that the story mentions He is wasting no time working out political programs but in this case of opposing certain types of collectivists, it renders him a reactionary (synonym for right) without stating the facts for making this assessment. All of this is in the context of leftist infighting and talk of conservative and right-wing socialism. Also, note this took place 100 years ago and 17 years before WWII and any of the events that supposedly prove they were far right. D. Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, the director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack. Image: Library of Congress, via Picryl / public domain My cosmopolitan-minded wife forced me to visit an old colonial-era Catholic hospice/orphanage in the center of Guadalajara, Mexico recently. The aged murals depicting hell and redemption and such existential concepts were breathtaking. What certainly wasnt breathtaking, but rather unsettling and despair-inducing, was a series of feminist modern art exhibits littered across various corners of the property -- out of place and contrarian as they could possibly be in such a setting. One such exhibit was titled Anatomia Intima, featuring grotesque, distorted, and viscerally unattractive depictions of the human form. Similar ones with similar names did more of the same. It was an orgy of ugliness. Heres the third-wave word salad used to justify one such exhibit we found: The works gathered here allow us to appreciate the plastic and visual experimentation of this artist marked by an immense chromatic, luminous, and expressive vitality enveloped by an unspeakable lightness or fleetingness. The contrast of intensities and temporalities not only operate on a perceptual level but also from a narrative and intellectual approach in which drawing and painting merge in the same field of action. The representation of the female body stands out in disfigurements and scenarios that refer to the coven, the occult or profane , but also the grotesque, erogenous, and caricatured. Heresy as an emancipatory process for women, as a struggle against ecclesiastical and male oppression in the Middle Ages . In this respect, the Italian writer, feminist, and activist Silvia Federici points out in the transition from the prosecution of heresy to the witch-hunt, women become more and more clearly the figure of the heretic. The fire that does not produce, is the fire that gathers and congregates, that conspires and attempts the established order and its terrible consequences. This is the same kind of anarchic glee expressed via the destruction of beauty and/or anything considered traditionally sacred that informs the crucifix in urine genre of art -- to the extent thats what it can be called -- and, in fact, all manner of creative expression sponsored by the governing authorities and disseminated through pop culture. The alleged masterminds that produce this tripe are deranged adult children with arrested development, throwing their spaghetti at the wall from their high chairs and passing off their vandalism as enlightened criticism of the Patriarchy or whatever, and passing themselves off as brave, subversive truth-tellers. The kind of person who would produce Piss Christ is afflicted with a pathological hatred for life itself; why is a question for someone with more insight. At any rate, because bitterness is not a redeeming quality, this individual attempts to launder his pathology through the respectable veneer of artistic expression, gaining social prestige for himself among similarly minded peers. If this genre of art were more honest, I wouldnt dislike it any less, but I would respect it more. I can't help but think that such phenomena as face tattoos, Wet Ass Pussy pop musical productions, body positivity, transgenders pantomiming -- and in the process desecrating -- the feminine form, Just Stop Oil protesters desecrating beloved paintings as a form of Social Justice activism, etc. are products of the same pathologies. Is there any popularized, heavily marketed form of modern art that approaches anything like beauty or transcendence? Call me a conspiracy theorist (they have a solid recent track record, in any case, and so I dont mind), but I also cant help but believe this is an orchestrated campaign to dumb down and demoralize the public ahead of the consecration of the modern dystopia. If nothing is sacred and, by extension, beyond defilement, what is then the referent object -- the term used in securitization theory to refer to that which must be protected against threats -- whether it be a cultural artifact, a native population, or civilization itself? Worthy art pursues transcendent, redemptive beauty in whatever form it can be found. If everything is ugly and hopelessly so, why not let it burn? Why not actively endorse civilizational suicide? This is the modern Sodom and Gomorrah, mocking the sacred and promoting the profane. Related: Lil Nas X: The Anti-Climactic Dead-End of a Nihilistic Pop Culture Ben Bartee, author of Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile, is an independent Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff Substack if you are inclined to support independent journalism free of corporate slant. Also, keep tabs via Twitter. For hip Armageddon Prose t-shirts, hats, etc., peruse the merch store. Insta-tip jar and Bitcoin public address: bc1qvq4hgnx3eu09e0m2kk5uanxnm8ljfmpefwhawv Image: Unsplash Got a filthy sewer problem? Global warming to the rescue. That's the situation in New York City, where torrential rain has caused flooding not seen since Superstorm Sandy in 2012 (they blamed global warming for that one, too), and Hurricane Ida in 2021. According to NBC News: A severe storm dumped more than 7 inches of rain in less than 24 hours over parts of New York City on Friday, turning streets into fast-moving rivers and grinding subway travel to a halt as water cascaded into underground transit stations. The storm, which hit just two years after flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida battered the five boroughs and killed at least 13 people in the city, laid bare how vulnerable the Big Apples aging infrastructure is to extreme weather events that are intensified by climate change. And more than a decade after Hurricane Sandy forced officials to rethink the meaning of climate resilience in New York City, it appears theres still much to be done. Heavy rainfall of up to 2.5 inches per hour were reported in some of the hardest-hit places. A number of roads were closed, cars were submerged and several city buses were trapped as a result of flash flooding. Subways, regional rail lines and air travel was suspended or severely delayed, and at least one school in Brooklyn was evacuated during the storm. The reality staring city leaders in the face, including in places like New York, is that the climate is getting more extreme, more unpredictable and requiring more investment, said Joseph Kane, a fellow who focuses on infrastructure at the Brookings Institute, a nonprofit think tank. Usually, its too little too late. It led to scenes like these: Floodwaters cascaded down stairs in a Brooklyn subway station as torrential downpours hit New York on Friday. pic.twitter.com/wUGpGLfO9v ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) October 1, 2023 JUST IN: New York City is experiencing massive flooding causing the water to leak into the subway. NYC is quickly becoming a 3rd world country. I guess when you become a sanctuary city and have to set aside 12 billion dollars to provide housing and support to hundreds of pic.twitter.com/xWz745GojG Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 29, 2023 People are swimming in the subway in New York City. just think of all the trash and rodent feces and diseases. NYC MTA is in a state of emergency due to heavy rain and flooding. Rats coming out of the train tracks trying to survive because of Mayor Adams pic.twitter.com/ZYGVHDrH3L Bradley Troche (@BRADCASHNOW) September 29, 2023 And lots of blame-global-warming gaming in the mainstream press and among New York's all-blue politicians. Here's Reuters: Torrential downpours that caused flash flooding in New York City on Friday reflect a "new normal" due to the effects of climate change, New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned on Saturday, as the city began drying out after one of its wettest days ever. Here's the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, one of its many bloated bureaucracies: The most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (leaves DEC website) states that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities are responsible for accelerating global warming and climate change. Higher temperatures, more frequent precipitation and storms, faster rates of ocean warming, and sea level rise are some of the key physical effects of climate change that are impacting communities and ecosystems around the world. Climate change impacts will continue to worsen as global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions increase (see Climate Change 101). New York's Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID) report (2011, 2014) (leaves DEC website), the National Climate Assessment (2018) (leaves DEC website), DEC Observed and Projected Climate Change in NYS (PDF), and other climate impact assessment reports show that a variety of climate change impacts have already been observed across the northeastern United States and in New York State. These climate change reports clearly show, based on scientific data, that significant climate change impacts are already occurring. People, plants and wildlife, and ecosystems are facing an uncertain future unless adequate actions are taken to adapt to climate change impacts already unfolding and expected to intensify over time. GHG emissions must also rapidly and significantly be reduced in the near future and eventually eliminated to prevent the increasingly harmful impacts of climate change over the next several decades. The Atlantic called it a "tropical" rainfall pattern: New York Citys sewer system is built for the rain of the pastwhen a notable storm might have meant 1.75 inches of water an hour. It wasnt built to handle the rainfall from Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, or, more recently, Hurricane Idawhich dumped 3.15 inches an hour on Central Park. And it wasnt built to handle the kind of extreme rainfall that is becoming routine: The city flooded last December, last April, and last Julyan unusual seasonal span. We now have in New York something much more like a tropical-rainfall pattern, Rohit Aggarwala, New York Citys environmental-protection commissioner, said yesterday at The Atlantic Festival. And it happens over and over again. Actually, it has always rained like this in New York. Wait 'til the writer hears about the city's snow. The piece compares the rainfall to what Singapore gets and what Miami gets. I've lived in Singapore -- and I know what its torrential rain is like, rain so heavy you can't see across the street and I know what its sparkling clean subway system is like. They don't get breakdowns like New York's subway does. They've figured out that if you want a nice subway system, you need to keep it clean, including its drains. Hurricane-savvy Miami also doesn't break down during big rainstorms. All New York had to do was keep its subway drains clean, keeping the trash out of it. Somehow that didn't get done. And actually, there are plenty of places that get this kind of rainfall: Sydney gets torrential rainfall, more in an hour than New York got this week. But Manhattan has tiny stormwater drains and the sewers are probably blocked with all the garbage filthy people dump on the streets every day. Its not climate change. Its crappy infrastructure and https://t.co/o5VtuXefgX Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 30, 2023 Only New York, though, has started to break down, and break down in ways that it didn't used to break down. Instead of blaming blue-city government, focused as it is on taking down statues of George Washington, hiring bureaucrats, expanding their vast welfare system including care and feeding of NGOs, (who service illegal immigrants), they blame global warming as if they had nothing to do with the incompetent government that failed to prepare for the storms New York always gets. Now they're paying the piper, but fear not -- global warming did it. It's quite a convenient 'sin eater' for all the incompetence and failure to prepare of New York's solid blue government. Nobody is bringing up that maybe they should have focused their priorities differently, upgrading and maintaining their subway lines, as well as keeping them crime-free so that people will want to ride them and financing would naturally flow for this maintenance. They just let it get run down like old Soviet buildings, the shambling ruins of extended socialism. (Yes, Moscow always has had an elegant subway system but that was a showpiece, not everyday reality like the socialist worker-ant buildings). Funny how you see the same results in socialism every time you try it. Just blame global warming. Image: Twitter screen shot With the passing of long-serving Senator Dianne Feinstein Friday morning, Governor Gavin Newsom has the rare second chance to pick Californias next senator. His first opportunity, which came when Kamala Harris resigned to become Vice President, was to appoint Alex Padilla, as a nod to racial identity politics. In March of 2021 Newsom repeated his pledge to racial identity politics when he promised to appoint a Black woman to replace Dianne Feinstein. Newsom can now make good on that pledge. Several black women are under consideration: Karen Bass, the current mayor of Los Angeles and Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland are the two most likely. Both meet Newsoms stated criteria, but both would create some headaches. Lee has announced she is running for the Senate seat in next years election. Picking her would give her a leg up on Adam Schiff, who is also running. Bass, if picked, would likely run in 24 as an incumbent. Newsom would then alienate those currently running for the office, people whose support he will need when he runs for the Presidency in 24 or 28. There is another candidate, one which would solve several problems the Democrats currently have, while allowing Newsom to keep his promise: Kamala Harris. Lets consider several factors with this potential appointment: First, Harris is seen by many Democrats as a drag on the administration. She has been a terrible Vice President, as correctly reflected in her low approval ratings. The Democrats missed an opportunity to be rid of her, when she was not considered for the Supreme Court, as once again, she met the primary qualifications as defined by Joe Biden. Would they allow this second opportunity to pass them by? Harris would need to accept a demotion, which going from Vice President back to the Senate certainly would be. That will be tough for her to do. But, given the next point: Second, the only person who believes that Kamala Harris could ever be elected President is Kamala Harris. If the offer is made to her, insider Democrats will need to meet with her to convince her of that cold hard fact. Those discussing this could present her with the following choice: a long career in politics as a senator from California, or a future out of politics to go on the rubber chicken circuit delivering speeches for fees or occasional talk shows to stay in the limelight. An option that would not serve to stroke her ego. Lets consider this from Newsoms perspective: Selecting Harris would qualify, in the minds of many, that he has selected a black woman, despite her mixed-race heritage. It would also allow him to make the claim that he selected the most qualified person for the job. Since Harris was previously a senator, the argument would hold water. It also gives him another advantage: It would take her out of the Presidential race in 24, should Biden opt not to run. Yes, Newsom has advantages nationally over Harris, but with two Democrats from California running in the primary, the vote in that state would be split. Harris would take the Black vote, which would create a situation where Newsom could not be assured of a victory. The Democrats have a real problem, with a weak bench, as they look at the presidential race for 2024. Assuming Biden does not run, which looks increasingly likely, they would be stuck with Harris, a losing proposition if there ever was one. Newsom has not made his desires to run for the Presidency a secret. But at 55 he could let the election of 24 run its course, to then run in 2028. The biggest obstacle for Harris becoming the next senator from California is probably Harris herself, as her own ego will be the primary resistive force to her decision. Granted, this is a long shot, but no other selection would serve to benefit the Democrat party in general and Gavin Newsom specifically. Also on the plus side: 49 states would be spared from having much to do with this horrid woman. Image: US Senate My last submission to AT was about what happens if California High Speed Rail isnt completed. Today Im asking, what if it is? Build it, and they will come has pretty much been the American way from the get go. It doesnt just work here eitherChina built a subway to nowhere more than a decade ago, and a city of over a million sprang up around it. What happens if the only part of California High Speed Rail ever built is between Merced and Bakersfield and its successful? And I mean landscape-changing, growth-driving successful? Stranger things have happenedLas Vegas comes to mind. If you had told someone in the 1920s that Las Vegas was going to be a city of two million people and one of the most visited places on earthyoud have been laughed at and dismissed as crazy. Same thing with Vail in the 1960s. Most folks had doubts that people would make the journey along U.S. 6, from Denver, and doubted I-70 could even be built. And Vail utterly failed at planning for success, and now they have a perpetual housing crisis for workers as a result. What happens if HSR paves the way for Merced to explode to a city with a high density urban core of 400,000 people? What happens if Fresno undergoes some tech gentrification and balloons to a city of gleaming skyscrapers and a population of 4 million? What happens if Bakersfield does the same? What happens if these become safe alternatives to LA and San Francisco? Granted, theres a whole mess of redevelopment and gentrification that would have to happen before Fresno is safe for the techies. Does California have a plan for this possible outcome? It would be the perfect test bed for building their carbon free utopia. Problem is, they will need to completely destroy everything that exists in those towns to do it. It wont really work if all those people are car dependent when they get off the electric train. The other thing is water. People need water, and California has a Noahesque abundance or a biblical drought relationship with water. Its hard to plan a new megalopolis with inconsistent water supply. Its fair to ask California what happens if their train to nowhere turns into a big somewhere? Are they planning low density construction like they always have? Or would this growth happen in a manner that reduces car dependency? When Las Vegas (actually Paradise and Winchester, Nevada) were laid out, they didnt even build sidewalks between the casinos, because the space between the hotels was considered unwalkable. Now theres an entire pedestrian infrastructure dedicated to completely separating the millions of visiting pedestrians from auto traffic; plus three trams and a monorail. Then theres the question, Is it wise to manufacture conditions that would turn some of Americas best farmland into an urban center? They did it everywhere else in California. Now they sit in traffic. Will it happen that way again? Only with 8 lanes of Teslas sitting still? Most people would assume that if the Central Valley line is a success then it means completion of the system with expansion to LA and San Francisco. But success comes in many guises, and sometimes things succeed far outside the parameters of the original plan. So California, do you have a plan in place for massive development in the Central Valley should you succeed in a different way than you originally envisioned? If not, you might want to. After all, failure to plan, is a plan for failure. Image: Free image, Pixabay license, no attribution required. (ANSA) - ROME, OCT 1 - A couple of newly weds did a runner to Germany after a wedding banquet south of Rome last week, sources said Sunday. The man, a 40-year-old construction boss from Ferentino, and the woman, a 25-year-old Pole who has lived in Rome for some time, invited some 70 guests to the lavish fish dinner in a typical Ciociaria eatery between Veroli and Boville Ernica. They then walked out without paying the bill, drove to Rome and flew to Frankfurt with the groom's parents in tow. (ANSA). Increased British military training of Ukrainian soldiers could move into the war-torn country under plans revealed by new Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. Mr Shapps said he has spoken with Army chiefs about moving more training into Ukraine and called on British defence firms to set up production in the country. Talking to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Shapps who took over the defence portfolio from Ben Wallace at the end of August said he has also spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. He said Britain is also looking for ways to help Ukraine get in shape for membership of Nato. Mr Shapps visited a military base on Salisbury Plain on Friday where he was briefed by General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, and other senior figures. He said: I was talking about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. Were seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country. Im keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. More than 20,000 recruits from Ukraine have received training in the UK since the start of 2022, but Nato members have avoided training programmes in Ukraine due to the risk of personnel being drawn into combat with Russia. The Defence Secretary said he had spoken to Mr Zelensky on Wednesday and hinted Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Defence Secretary Grant Shapps in Kyiv on Thursday (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/PA) Britain is a naval nation so we can help and we can advise, particularly since the water is international water, he said. Its important we dont allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isnt allowed in that water. Theres a lot of places where Britain can help advise. Ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps told the Telegraph that Britain should reinstate former prime minister Liz Trusss pledge to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP. I think its really important that we understand that freedom isnt free, he said. You have to pay for it and it also keeps us prosperous, not only because we keep out invaders, but we also help shape the world around us and do good in the world. He added that not reconsidering plans for the HS2 rail line following the costs from the pandemic and war in Ukraine would be pretty much irresponsible and ruling out diversity quotas in the military, he said migrants to the UK should learn English. By Kim Se-jeong Crab enthusiasts in Korea are abuzz about the possibility of enjoying blue crabs imported from Italy, following news that the country is grappling with an unusual "invasion" of the sea creatures that people there do not eat, and are thus being discarded. Originating from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, the blue crabs have invaded the northern coast of Italy, devouring clams and other shellfish indigenous to the region since this spring. Without natural predators, their numbers are rapidly growing, according to news reports. CNN reported that the Italian government has allocated 2.9 million euros this year to address the problem and to support fishermen affected by the invasion. Italian Prime Minsiter Giorgia Meloni and Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida have actively campaigned for people to eat the crabs as a means to deal with them. This news has prompted Koreans, who are among the biggest crab consumers in the world, to seek to import the crabs from Italy. Koreans consume different kinds of crabs in various ways, from simple boiling to marinating them in soy sauce to make "'ganjang gejang," a traditional delicacy that has been enjoyed since the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The majority of crabs consumed in Korea are imported from Russia and China, according to the Overseas Market Research Center. Blue crabs are also on the list mostly from Tunisia but only in frozen form. An importer has already run a pre-order advertisement, saying it would sell the crabs at 8,900 won per kilogram. But the company is yet to go through an import inspection. Most seafood importers, however, view the import of blue crabs from Italy as rather impractical. "The labor cost in Italy is at least twice that of Tunisia. Also, the crabs will need an additional process upon arriving in Korea, making the price less affordable for consumers," one importer was quoted as saying by the Chosun Ilbo, a local daily. Another industry insider stated that the blue crabs would also face tough competition with those from China. "To beat crabs from China, the Italian crabs should be priced between 700-800 won per kilogram," he said. Liz Truss will call on the Tory leadership to do more to boost housebuilding, with a speech to party members set to urge a revival of Conservative values. The former prime minister will also use an appearance on the fringes of the Tory conference in Manchester to call once again for the de facto fracking ban to be lifted. She will urge the Conservative leadership to position itself as the party of business again by slashing corporation tax. Her appearance at a so-called growth rally will see Ms Truss argue we need to make the case for Conservatism again and do more to revive Conservative values and show that they deliver. It is the latest public intervention by the short-lived prime minister, whose time in office was brought to an abrupt end last year after her mini-budget received a disastrous reception. She will say: Weve got to get better at translating growth into what it means in day-to-day terms for people, businesses and families. It means a better standard of living so that people have more disposable income to go on holiday, buy a new car or support their children. If we axe the tax, cut bills and build houses, we would make life better and easier for the British public, and give them the freedom to thrive. There is no reason we cannot go into the next election with a platform that is proudly Conservative. Lets stop taxing and banning things, and start producing and building things. Ms Truss will add her voice to calls for drastic reform of housebuilding rules, taking aim too at newt protection policies. She will say: There are too many politicians who say we need to build more homes and then baulk at removing one line of regulation. Newt protection or bat bridge anyone? If we really want houses to be built, weve got to incentivise it. Weve got to give local communities the freedom to create housebuilding zones with no red tape through the offer of lower taxes. We should reduce taxes in these areas enough so that we are building something like half a million homes a year. This is what Conservatives are supposed to believe in: cutting red tape, lower taxes and trusting that markets will find the solutions we all want. Liz Truss will say the Government can boost housebuilding by cutting red tape (PA) Ms Truss will also put pressure on the Government over fracking, after Rishi Sunak swiftly moved to re-introduce a moratorium on the practice after the collapse of her premiership. By the end of this decade, if we dont get fracking for shale, the UK is set to import over two-thirds of the gas we need from places over which we have no control, Ms Truss will warn. That puts our security at risk, its expensive, and its worse for the planet you have to burn petroleum to get it here. Ive never understood why environmental activists prefer importing gas from abroad instead of producing it here at home. Fracking here in the UK as they do in the US could cut family gas bills by as much as half. In recent months, the former Tory leader has defended her record in office and her pro-growth vision for the party. She will be joined at the rally by Boris Johnson loyalists former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and ex-home secretary Dame Priti Patel. Asked on Sky News on Sunday whether Ms Truss could ever lead the Tories again, Dame Priti gave the question short shrift, replying: No. In making her call for corporation tax to be lowered back to 19%, taking it down from its current 25% rate, Ms Truss will stress the need to unleash British business. Dame Priti Patel will join the event on the fringes of the Tory conference (PA) She will say: We cant stand idly by while companies like AstraZeneca move operations abroad because of our huge tax burden, or small businesses shut up shop because they are drowning in red tape. We should be hungry to attract the worlds best businesses and encouraging people to start businesses here at home. We must not normalise the raiding of businesses coffers. Ahead of this years Autumn Statement, we must make the Conservative Party the party of business once again, by getting corporation tax back down to 19%. This is how we make Britain grow again. It is free businesses that will get us there, not the Treasury, not the Government and not the state. Only free businesses can get Britain out of its 25-year economic stagnation. Only free businesses can create the economic growth and tax revenues on which our public services rely. It comes after experts said the Tories will have presided over, during the time between the 2019 election and the next general election, the biggest set of tax rises since at least the Second World War. Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said taxes will have risen to around 37% of national income, equivalent to around 3,500 more per household, even if it will not be shared equally. Darren Jones, Labours shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: Liz Truss has learned nothing, calling for the same fantasy economics that crashed the economy just 12 months ago. Rishi Sunak needs to come clean. Does he agree with his predecessor? Anything short of a full rejection shows the Prime Minister is not strong enough to stand up to this extremist ideology that led to an economic catastrophe for millions of ordinary people. The biggest risk to the economy is another five years of the Conservatives. Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Kemi Badenoch have backed keeping open the option of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights as they struggle to curb unauthorised Channel crossings. But there were signs of a Cabinet split as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said exiting the ECHR is not necessary to protect our borders and security minister Tom Tugendhat questioned that such a move could create problems for the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, also called for pre-election tax cuts amid speculation that leading figures were jostling for the support of the Tory right in case of a future leadership contest. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the option of leaving the ECHR should be kept open (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made threats about the ECHR as her Rwanda asylum policy remains stalled in the courts following legal challenges. Ms Badenoch, the Business Secretary, told the Sunday Times that leaving the ECHR is definitely something that needs to be on the table. Mr Gove, who supported Ms Badenoch in the Tory leadership contest to replace Boris Johnson, said they should keep every option open when asked at the Conservative conference in Manchester. He declined to go further and say whether he actually supported leaving the convention when pressed at the event for the Onward think tank. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made threats about the ECHR (Stefan Rousseau/PA) On the same panel, Mr Tugendhat said he is always happy to listen to ideas but added I like to have the solutions that go along with them particularly raising concerns about the Northern Ireland peace treaty, which incorporates the ECHR. What is the alternative for the GFA, for the devolved assemblies and administrations, what does it mean for the various different agreements weve struck already that are underpinned by it? the security minister asked. Mr Cleverly was pressed, during a later Onward event, on his position on UK membership of the convention. I dont feel in order to achieve what we need to achieve to protect our borders, we are necessitated to leave the ECHR, he said. The decisions we have made are completely within the boundaries of international law. He joked that in the same way both the UK and France now make excellent wine, a lot of things that are wonderful overseas, we are able to produce here in the UK. And left-wing activist judges, weve got quite a few of those in the UK. He added: As a government you have to deal with the judicial system and, were it not the ECHR, Im sure we would have domestic judges that were trying to prevent us discharging our duty to British people. Dame Priti Patel, the former home secretary, was taking aim at her successor Ms Braverman, saying her high-profile and hardline speech on immigration while in the US last week was designed to get attention. But she said that pledges, statements and promises are no substitute for action as she said voters were sick of a failure to deliver. Dame Priti Patel took aim at her successor (Aaron Chown/PA) Ms Braverman has in the past claimed the ECHR has restricted the Governments efforts to implement policies such as the Rwanda scheme. In her Washington speech, Ms Braverman said that attempting reform of the ECHR will see you smeared as anti-refugee. I reject that notion that a country cannot be expected to respect human rights if it is not signed up to an international human rights organisation, she said. (It is) as if the UK doesnt have a proud history of human rights dating back to Magna Carta, and the ECHR is all that is holding us back from becoming Russia. America, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan seem to manage just fine. Veteran MSP Fergus Ewing has said he will not be hounded out of the party he loves following his suspension for voting against the Scottish Government. Mr Ewing told the Sunday Mail he had no plans to resign and intended to stay in the party and push for change as he hit out at the nonsensical and manifestly absurd direction of the SNP. On Wednesday evening SNP MSPs voted to suspend Mr Ewing from their group for seven days after he voted with the opposition at Holyrood in a vote of no confidence against Scottish Greens co-leader and Government minister Lorna Slater. The Sunday Mail reported that Mr Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, had said he planned to appeal against the suspension. He told the newspaper: Ive served the SNP and the cause of independence for half-a-century and Im not going to be hounded out of the party I love. Ive consulted with my lawyer and we have a good argument. I was voting with my conscience for my constituents. We are going through a period at the moment where weve chosen the wrong path. Weve associated ourselves with extremists. For most of the last 50 years we were a party that put Scotland first, that was our DNA. But since we have become associated with the Green Party, instead of putting people first we seem to be inflicting pain on them for no gain. Fergus Ewing said he did not think First Minister Humza Yousaf, pictured, should resign (Jane Barlow/PA) He said this involved pursuing laws and regulations that were plainly dud and defective such as the deposit return scheme, the fishing ban, the short-term let regulations and the Gender Recognition Reform Bill. He said that inflicting pain on voters for no gain is a nonsensical and manifestly absurd political strategy. Mr Ewing has previously spoken out against the Scottish Government on issues such as the new licensing regime for short-term rental properties which came into force on Sunday October 1, as well as the stalled deposit return scheme. The former rural economy secretary, who said he had no plans to retire, told the newspaper that his mother, SNP stalwart the late Winnie Ewing, would have been horrified at what was happening to the party and did not think she would recognise it now. He said he did not think First Minister Humza Yousaf should resign, saying he believed his heart was in the right place and that any leader can change course. Mr Ewing said: Its not compulsory, if youre the captain of a ship, to aim deliberately to hit the iceberg you can change course and the sooner you do, the better it is for everybody. He described the SNP as going through a troubled adolescence, adding you know what happens after that is, you grow up. A spokesperson for the SNP Holyrood Group said: At a meeting on Wednesday evening, a proposal was carried to suspend Fergus Ewing from the SNP Holyrood Group for a period of one week. The Scottish Greens have been asked for comment. Pumpkins will be larger than usual this year after the rainy summer provided perfect growing conditions for the squash, farmers have said. Oakley Farms, based near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, is one of Europes biggest suppliers of pumpkins, growing around five million each year. Steve Whitworth, commercial manager at Oakley Farms, said the wet weather in July and August was perfect for growing pumpkins. The wet weather has been key to a bumper crop of pumpkins this year (Joe Giddens/PA) We had a pretty good growing season for pumpkins this summer with a really hot June, which really helped the plants along, he said. The rainy July and August may not have been great for sun lovers or BBQ fans but from a growing point of view for pumpkins, it was perfect. The weather gave us the right amount of rain with sunny intervals especially compared with the challenging conditions we encountered during last years heatwave, which was officially the hottest UK year on record. The grower is a supplier for Tesco, where the pumpkins will go on sale across the UK from October 2. Tesco will be selling six variants of pumpkin, many from Oakley Farms, from October 2 (Joe Giddens/PA) Tesco pumpkin buyer Lucy Moss said: The good news for Halloween fans coming from our main pumpkin growers is that the fruit will be larger than normal in all size variations this year as a result of very good growing conditions across the summer months. This year we have six different sizes and based on last years performance, we expect the carving variety to continue be the most popular. Each of the six different size categories will be larger than usual this year so fans will definitely get value for money. The six categories of pumpkin at the store are: Carving standard size; culinary; munchkin; novelty including devil (red) and ghost (white) types; large and giant. Tesco said that last year there was a tenfold increase in people searching for pumpkin recipes from September to October on its Tesco Real Food website. Ms Moss added: Its good news, from a food waste point of view so nothing should go to waste. Humza Yousaf could lead Scotland into disaster, Douglas Ross warned as he set the Tories the task of winning back voters who had been forgotten by the SNP. The Scottish Conservative leader claimed the First Minister was only interested in the Central Belt and was leaving behind voters in other areas and those who did not support independence. With a general election expected in 2024, Mr Ross said the Tory party would pledge to fully dual the A9 to Inverness and the A96 as soon as possible although he acknowledged transport was a devolved issue. He also highlighted plans for a Local Policing Act and the recruitment of 1,000 extra officers. Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, he took aim at Mr Yousafs record and his partnership with the extremist Scottish Greens. Humza Yousaf is a danger to Scotland, Mr Ross said, warning he could drive Scotland to disaster if were not careful. We call him useless but actually hes reckless. Hes certainly more reckless than Nicola Sturgeon. On independence, he is more rash, irresponsible and hasty than even Nicola Sturgeon was at her worst. He is prepared to push harder and more aggressively than she did for independence. He has said it himself in next years general election even if he loses a bunch of his MPs but manages to squeak a majority by a single seat, no matter his share of the vote, he will declare independence. Even Nicola Sturgeon would have dismissed that plan as too far. Mr Ross claimed Mr Yousaf, who represents Glasgow Pollok and lives in the Dundee area, only thinks of his own backyard and does nothing for the rest of Scotland. Scotlands First Minister Humza Yousaf (Robert Perry/PA) Mr Yousaf has insisted the Scottish Government is still absolutely committed to ensuring the A9, which runs from Perth to Inverness in the Highlands, is converted to dual carriageway. The First Minister said the Government will update MSPs on the overall timescale for completing the dualling of the A9 later this year. Mr Ross said: There is no way that a similar situation would be tolerated on the M8. Yet because it concerns the north of the country it is repeatedly moved down the priority list. He gave a cast iron commitment to dual the road, but acknowledged it was a devolved matter for Holyrood. But pressure from the UK Government and a large intake of Scottish Conservative MPs would hold the SNPs feet to the fire, Mr Ross said. SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: The SNP has a strong track record in delivering for communities right across Scotland from rolling out game-changing family and child benefits, to overseeing record staffing in our NHS, and supporting our farmers, crofters and agriculture sector. In contrast, the Tories at Westminster have ignored Scotlands interests for decades; dragging us out of the EU against our will, short-changing the Scottish Government at every turn, and attempting a power grab on our Scottish Parliament by bypassing devolution. With independence, Scotland will get the governments we vote for and we will not be forced to pay the price of Tory economic mismanagement and incompetence. Shop owners have asked the government to specifically outlaw attacks on retail workers. (PA) Shop owners have asked the government to specifically outlaw attacks on retail workers as stores experience a spike in thefts and attacks amid the cost of living crisis. Business leaders have urged home secretary Suella Braverman to create a new offence of assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker, following increased attacks from organised crime groups. Nearly 90 bosses, from Aldi UK chief executive Giles Hurley to Charmaine Griffiths, who heads the British Heart Foundation, said such actions should be charged as an aggravated offence. British Retail Consortium (BRC) chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "It is vital that action is taken before the scourge of retail crime gets any worse. "We are seeing organised gangs threatening staff with weapons and emptying stores. We are seeing violence against colleagues who are doing their job and asking for age verification." Read more The change would bring English and Welsh law in line with the 2021 Protection of Workers Act passed in Scotland. A survey from the BRC found that incidents of violence and abuse towards retail workers nearly doubled in the 2021-22 financial year compared with before the pandemic. The Federation of Independent Retailers, which has 10,500 members, said 850 incidents of theft or verbal abuse were recorded across its members every day, and incidents had increased 25% in the last year. A survey found incidents of violence and abuse towards retail workers nearly doubled between 2021 and 2022. (Getty Images) What happens if you get caught shoplifting on camera in the UK? Shoplifting refers to taking goods from a shop without paying for them first. If caught shoplifting, a person will either will be charged with theft under section 1 of the Theft Act 1986; or, if the goods stolen are worth less than 200, for low-value shoplifting under section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act. In Northern Ireland, the law regarding shoplifting is outlined in the Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969. Why are shoplifters not being prosecuted? The change stems from the requirement in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 for any shoplifting offence less than 200 to be treated as a summary offence, which should be handled through a penalty notice fine of just 70 without the thief having to turn up at magistrates. One former Scotland Yard detective said that the downgrade had given a green light to police to abandon prosecutions and investigations into such thefts, which could tie up an officer for six to eight hours when they could be tackling more serious crime. He said in 2021: "The government has effectively decriminalised shoplifting. Provided a thief stays below the 200 threshold, they are not going to be arrested. Police won't be called and the worst they get is a fixed penalty of 70 and they are still in profit with 130." Retailers are now calling on the government to outlaw attacks on retail workers specifically. BRC chief executive Dickinson added: "It's time the government put their words into action. We need to see a standalone offence for assaulting or abusing a retail worker, as exists in Scotland. "We need government to stand with the millions of retail workers who kept us safe and fed during the pandemic and support them, as those workers supported us." One former Met Police detective has said officers were prioritising serious crime over shoplifting. (Getty Images) What is the punishment for shoplifting? Currently, shoplifting does not automatically lead to time in prison. If the goods are worth less than 200, the maximum sentence is six months in prison, but this type of offence is usually dealt with by issuing a postal fine. Anything over 200 could lead to a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. However, the actual sentence depends on the value of the goods stolen and whether the offender has any previous convictions. In addition to criminal penalties, shoplifters may also face civil penalties, such as being banned from the store or having to pay compensation to the store for any damage or loss caused. The 2021 Protection of Workers Act is an Act of the Scottish Parliament to create an offence of assaulting, threatening or abusing retail workers, and to provide for a statutory aggravation of that offence where the retail worker is enforcing a statutory age restriction. This does not apply in the rest of the UK. Chris Philp MP talks to Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. (Getty Images) What is being done to tackle shoplifting John Lewis is among 10 of the UK's biggest retailers to have agreed to fund a police operation to crack down on shoplifting, dubbed Project Pegasus. The companies are expected to pay around 600,000 towards the project, which will utilise CCTV pictures and facial recognition technology to get a better understanding of shoplifting operations. It is said that the project will benefit all retailers. A Home Office spokesperson said: "Shoplifting strikes at the heart of the British high street, and the policing minister has asked forces to take a zero tolerance approach to this crime. "By enabling retailers to share better information on shoplifting with police forces and build up a national strategic picture, Project Pegasus will help crack down on criminal gangs across the country." Home Office minister Chris Philp said: "We have record police numbers and I expect them to help all retailers. "This scheme will help all retailers, not just the big ones, as it will identify criminal gangs. "It is an important part of the response." Watch: Camera crew catches thief as store boss is interviewed about shoplifting The Conservative Party chairman has mocked the Labour Leader by holding a pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops on the main stage of Tory conference. Greg Hands kicked off the proceedings in Manchester accusing Sir Keir of being a man who will literally say anything that suits him at that time. He said: Who is the real Sir Keir Starmer? The friend and supporter of Jeremy Corbyn? The puppet of Tony Blair? Or the mouthpiece of Just Stop Oil? He then got out a pair of black and red flip flops with the Labour Leaders face printed on them. As he showed them off to party members, Mr Hands told the Exchange Hall at Manchester Central Convention Complex: I always thought that the best leaders wake up each morning, and ask themselves, What am I going to do today?. Some leaders ask themselves, What am I going to say today? Sir Keir wakes up and asks, What am I going to believe today? Ladies and Gentlemen, can I let you into a secret if anyone likes the association of Sir Keir with flip flops, I have these: available for just 16.99 here at the Conservative Party shop and also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops and Id warmly recommend them to you. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was accused at the Tory conference of flip-flopping on policy (PA) Speaking afterwards, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris also criticised the Labour leader for changing his mind about Brexit, telling party members: Remember Keir Starmer, he backed Remain. Then, said he accepted Brexit. But as shadow Brexit secretary, he worked to block Brexit 48 times. He and his newly appointed shadow Northern Ireland secretary called for a second referendum. In May, Starmer said Britains future is outside the European Union, but only two weeks ago he said he didnt want to diverge from EU rules. Thats more flips flops than youd see on a beach in Mallorca. And obviously you can buy some of those outside as well. Each member of Iowa's all-Republican U.S. Senate and U.S. House delegation voted with a majority of their chambers Saturday to pass a last-minute funding deal to keep the government running. The legislation continues government funding at current levels for roughly 45 days and includes natural disaster aid and FAA reauthorization. It now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it. The government was poised to shut down at midnight Saturday if Congress had failed to send a deal to Biden. More: House moves closer to avoiding catastrophic government shutdown, passing short-term deal A shutdown would have furloughed thousands of federal employees and halted or delayed government services. Although some services deemed essential would have continued, many federal employees would have had to work without pay until Congress reached a resolution. Here's what Iowa's members of Congress are saying about the deal: 1st District U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican representing southeastern Iowa, said she's glad the House reached a deal to fund the government. "Shutting down the government should be a last resort," she said in a statement on social media. "My priority has always been to protect and represent my constituents to the best of my ability and I cannot justify shutting down our entire government over obscure policy decisions." Miller-Meeks said a shutdown would mean a lapse in pay for military families and veterans. "These are real people that would have been affected by the political games both sides in Washington were playing," she said. "I am glad that we came together and reached an agreement to fund the government and I will continue to work to pass legislation that strengthens our military and our border." 2nd District U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican representing northeastern Iowa, said she voted in favor of the deal while the House works to pass year-long spending bills. "I supported today's short-term measure to keep the government open while the House continues to pass single-subject appropriations," she said in a statement on social media. "D.C. is so beyond broken, and it's the American people who feel the pain from the brinksmanship not politicians. I will continue working around the clock to keep our government open, bring conservative, fiscally responsible spending bills across the finish line and work to make this place run better for taxpayers." 3rd District U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican representing metro Des Moines and central and southern Iowa counties, said "the status quo in D.C. is critically broken." In a statement, Nunn criticized the process of passing continuing resolutions that fund the government at the previous year's spending levels, but said he voted in favor to avoid shutting down the government. "We cannot continue stumbling along with continuing resolutions that do nothing to cut spending, but we also cannot right the ship by letting it sink," Nunn said in a statement. "Thats why Im voting to keep the government open ensuring no Iowan loses their access to critical services and programs while we urgently continue working to cut wasteful spending. The Senate must now do its job to keep the military paid, defend our national security, and protect our economy from disaster." More: Iowa's Zach Nunn says United States shouldn't send any new taxpayer dollars to aid Ukraine 4th District U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Republican who represents western border counties and northwestern and north central Iowa, released a statement saying the House must continue to pursue "a transparent and fiscally sound appropriations process." "The American people are fed up with the dysfunction in Congress and expect us to deliver real results," Feenstra said in a statement. "Thats why I voted to ensure that our troops and border patrol agents receive their full pay, our seniors receive their Social Security checks, our veterans receive the quality healthcare they have earned, and our government remains operational. This legislation provides us the necessary time to curb President Bidens wasteful spending policies through a transparent and fiscally sound appropriations process. We must now continue our important work to secure our border, reduce reckless government spending, and honor our Commitment to America." U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst made this statement on Facebook: "I just voted to keep the government up and running to serve Iowans and pay our servicemembers. "Theres no excuse for Congress consistently failing to pass spending bills on time. Ill continue holding Washington accountable to cut the pork and do its job." U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying he was thankful the government didn't shut down. "Unfortunately shutdowns & short term continuing resolutions fail to address the fiscal insanity we are experiencing(.) Dems need to get serious about addressing our fiscal future lets work in a bipartisan way to make real fiscal reforms(.)" Democrats criticize Republicans ahead of potential shutdown Earlier Saturday, before the House and Senate approved the deal, Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, criticized the state's Republican congressional delegation for "following Donald Trump and MAGA extremists" who have stood in the way of a deal. "Lead, talk to people, work inside your caucus and get something done," she said of Iowa's GOP representatives. "Iowans didn't send you there to sit back and wait. Iowans sent you there to work, and if you can't, get out of the way, because we got some great candidates who can." Former state Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat who is running against Miller-Meeks, criticized her opponent for promoting a tailgate fundraiser with GOP presidential candidates in the final days before the government ran out of money. "The fact that Miller-Meeks is asking taxpayers to fund her campaign while she has done nothing to stand up for the real people back here in Iowa who will be affected by the shutdown is the definition of out of touch," Bohannan said in a statement Friday, before the House voted on the continuing resolution. More: How would Iowa be affected by a government shutdown? Here's what to know: Deal to avert government shutdown follows tumultuous week The last-minute deal follows a tumultuous week in which hardline Republicans in the House pushed for steep spending cuts that Democrats said violated a deal that Republicans made with Biden when they voted to raise the debt ceiling over the summer. As negotiations moved into their final days, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy introduced a stopgap bill that would have kept the government open for 30 days while cutting most programs by 30%. All four of Iowas Republican House members voted to support it, but the proposal failed to pass. McCarthy has focused on passing year-long spending bills with steep spending cuts, although he's suffered several setbacks from conservative members of his caucus. As of Saturday, the Republican-controlled House had passed four of the 12 appropriations bills necessary to fund the government through the next fiscal year. However, the Senate was not expected to consider much of the legislation because of the depth of the spending cuts. The impasse could mean trouble for keeping the government open once the short-term funding deal expires in November. Grassley has said that the cost of shutting down the government and reopening it, as well as the disruption to services, was reason enough to avoid a shutdown. "Even more idiotic in this whole argument about shutting down the government is the fact that people say they want to accomplish A, B, C or X, Y, Z," Grassley said Wednesday. "And so you shut the government down and then a few days later, or in one instance three weeks later, you get so much heat that you open government up again and you didn't accomplish A, B, C or X, Y, Z." He said he would support an amendment to make continuing resolutions automatic, thus avoiding future government shutdowns, if the proposal came up for a vote. "And that would just take all of the wind out of the sails of the 20 people in the House of Representatives that are kamikaze as they approach this whole issue," Grassley said. Des Moines Register reporters Brianne Pfannenstiel and Galen Bacharier contributed to this article. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa's senators, representatives vote for deal to avoid a shutdown Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) on Saturday joined dozens of Republicans in voting against legislation to keep the government funded, criticizing the legislation for failing to include aid for Ukraine. Quigley was the only Democrat to vote against the measure, which passed in a 335-91 vote. He called out Republicans who voted against funding for Ukraine earlier this week. The Republican Party has become the party of appeasers, pro-Putin folks, Quigley said. Today our folks were forced into a decision and no one wanted to make, have Americans suffer or do what we did today, which was to abandon Ukraine. We gotta fix this in 45 days because right now, Putin is celebrating, he added. Lawmakers have until midnight to pass legislation to keep the government funded or risk their first government shutdown in more than four years Sunday. House Republicans rolled out the new bill on Saturday morning, after an earlier and more partisan plan that included steep spending cuts and border security measures failed to garner sufficient support in the conference Friday. The new plan, which Republicans argued was the clean bill Democrats wanted, would keep the government funded at current levels, while including billions of dollars for disaster relief in line with a previous request by the Biden administration. Republicans who voted against the plan are upset about an extension to spending levels last hashed out when Democrats held control of both chambers. But others also saw the move as a way to put attention back on Democrats, who have called for a clean bill with Ukraine and disaster aid, as GOP divisions over spending have commanded much attention on Capitol Hill in recent weeks. Because now the shutdown would be their fault if they dont go for it, because this was the clean CR, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) said, referring to the stopgap bill, which is also known as a continuing resolution (CR). This is what they said they wanted. However, many Democrats are taking passage of the bill as a victory, compared with the prior plan pushed by House Republicans a day before that called for across-the-board cuts of about 30 percent to government funding for most nondefense programs. Heres what went down: we just won a clean 45 day gov extension, stripped GOPs earlier 30% cuts to Social Security admin etc, staved off last minute anti-immigrant hijinks, and averted shutdown (for now), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. With minutes to spare, President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill Saturday to avert a shutdown and keep the government open for 45 days. In doing so, he capped a chaotic 24 hours that riveted much of Washington but left one of the White Houses top priorities, aid for Ukraine, in serious jeopardy. Like others in the nations capital, the Biden White House had been caught off guard Saturday morning when Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly reversed course and announced that he would bring a clean, stop gap bill to fund the government through November 17, 2023. But aides werent terribly surprised. They had assumed the government shutdown showdown would end this way at some point with the main question being whether McCarthy would take his lumps before or after the funding deadline. They werent displeased with the outcome either. The bill didnt just fund the government, it also included $16 billion in disaster relief and, as one White House official noted, avoids any version of the deep cuts to essential domestic programs that were proposed in the past few days. But the final measure did not include aid for Ukraine, and its absence was not just a blow for Biden but to Volodymyr Zelenskyy too. The Ukrainian president had just met with the president and lawmakers last week to once again make the case for additional funds for Kyivs defense against Moscow. Inside the administration, aides attempted to downplay the exclusion. Speaker McCarthy has stated his support for aid to Ukraine, the White House official said, adding that they expected him to bring a separate bill to the floor shortly. And Biden too stressed his expectation that there would be another attempt to pass Ukraine aid in the near term. While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support, Biden said in a statement. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. How much of that was spin, wishcasting, or solid intel was hard to tell. No one in the White House would say they received an actual assurance from McCarthy that hed bring a measure up for a vote. Instead, two administration officials noted that McCarthy has never himself said he wouldnt support aid to Ukraine. The view from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was that the speaker couldnt include it in a government funding bill, lest he incur a full bore insurrection from within his party. But that didnt mean he couldnt push it as a separate matter. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made assurances that funding for Ukraine aid remains a priority. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for Americas security and for democracy around the world, he said after the Senates passage. There is certainly some Republican appetite to see that happen, too. "Most Senate Republicans remain committed to helping our friends on the front lines," Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier in the night. And Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he expected Ukraine aid to be included in the full year appropriations that Congress is set to complete later this year. But the House GOP is a different beast. McCarthys office didnt offer any response to a request for comment. However, POLITICO reported on Saturday that he had been open to including Ukraine aid in the stopgap funding bill but was unable to finalize language in time. As the bill headed to the Senate floor Saturday evening, there were widespread expectations on Capitol Hill that a Ukraine-related vote would occur next week, given deep support in the Senate. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, when asked about the lack of fresh Ukraine money in the bill, said we have to get to work on this issue and suggested there would be a vote as soon as Monday. House Republicans will have a choice in the next few days when we reconvene on Monday. Are they going to stand up for freedom, democracy and truth and the Ukrainian people, or will they continue to bend the knee to the pro-Putin caucus in the House Republican conference? he said in a post-House vote news conference Saturday. As news of the clean stopgap bills components emerged on Saturday morning, the White House kept in touch with Democrats on the Hill, monitoring (like them) the specific components of the legislative language. There was some intrigue over whether the measure authorized or, more precisely, did not prevent a cost of living adjustment for the salaries of congressional members. There also was some anxiety that House GOP leadership was trying to jam something through the chamber without giving lawmakers time to read it. But, in the end, there were no readily visible poison pills. The White House kept its distance from the actual whip count operation, staying firm in its goal to keep Biden out of the process. Officials have insisted that the president brokered a funding deal with the speaker back in the spring and would not revisit that agreement. There was no time to issue a formal Statement of Administration Policy, as is standard on major bills. Rank-and-file House Democrats got no guidance on the White Houses position, according to several people granted anonymity to discuss what would have been private discussions. But the silence implied that the Biden administration didnt oppose the bill, either. In the end, more than 200 House Democrats ended up backing the measure. Myah Ward and Eun Kyung Kim contributed to this report. 'Ex-soldiers should be honored every day, not just on Memorial Day' Editors note This article is the first in a series of interviews to highlight the significance of the ROK-US alliance on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, signed on Oct. 1, 1953, in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War. ED. By Lee Hyo-jin The seven-decades-old alliance between South Korea and the United States formed with the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty on Oct. 1, 1953, has played a vital role in South Korea's history as a safeguard for the peace and prosperity of the nation, according to Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik. The post-war treaty has, and will, continue to protect South Korea from another North Korean invasion, he said. "The Mutual Defense Treaty has played a pivotal role in preserving the peace established by the Korean Armistice Agreement, and still continues to serve as the foundation for the prosperity we enjoy today," Park said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Sept. 22. "Even though North Korea has carried out numerous provocations in the past seven decades, the fact that the North has not initiated another war is attributable to the overwhelming deterrence created by the Mutual Defense Treaty. The ironclad alliance has left North Korea with virtually no opportunity to start a war, not even a 0.1 percent chance." And this "hard-won" peace should not be taken for granted, Park stressed. He viewed that the country's inaugural President Syngman Rhee played an instrumental role in securing U.S. support for South Korea during the period leading up to and following the 1950-53 Korean War, and such an effort eventually led to the signing of the defense treaty. "If you take a closer look at how the treaty was ratified with all the negotiation process, the U.S. side was initially reluctant to sign the agreement. But President Rhee, a remarkable politician with excellent diplomatic skills, ultimately persuaded U.S. officials to commit to the treaty," the minister said. Rhee's legacy remains a subject of ongoing debate and historical research. He is revered by some for his role in establishing the foundation of modern Korea and fostering a strong partnership with the U.S. On the other hand, he is criticized for solidifying the division of the two Koreas and for his authoritarian rule during his presidential tenure. He was ousted by a civil uprising in 1960. During the interview, Park renewed his support for the swift establishment of a memorial for Rhee, an ongoing project led by the Memorial Association for Founding President Syngman Rhee. Following an upgrade of the veterans ministry from a sub-ministry unit to full-fledged ministry status in June this year, Park was sworn in as the inaugural veterans minister of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Park said the elevated status of his ministry reflects the government's commitment to recognizing and rewarding patriotic services. Through the upgrade, the scope of veterans entitled to government support has been largely expanded, and the ministry is developing various sustainable support policies for them. As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement signed on July 27, 1953, Park has been ramping up efforts to strengthen relations with countries that helped South Korea during the Korean War. In July, the ministry hosted a major commemoration ceremony in Busan where 62 foreign veterans who fought for the South under the U.N. flag and their descendants were invited. "The relationships and friendships forged with the 22 countries that participated in the Korean War have grown stronger and more robust over time through various cooperations in veterans affairs on government levels. I believe these partnerships are a valuable diplomatic asset for our nation," Park said. "Our ministry is currently expanding the scope of international veterans' policies to include the descendants of U.N. Korean War veterans and soldiers who were deployed after the Armistice Agreement, in order to ensure that their contributions are remembered not only in South Korea but also in their own nations." In September, Park met with Ukrainian Minister for Veterans Yuliia Laputina on the sidelines of the Invictus Games held in Germany, during which the two sides agreed to cooperate in Ukraine's projects honoring the fallen soldiers in its ongoing war with Russia. "I think the situation in Ukraine due to Russia's agression is similiar to what we have experienced decades ago," Park said. "As a nation that has successfully rose from the ruins of war, we should support Ukraine not only in their reconstruction projects but also regarding policies needed to honor their fallen soldiers." Renovation of Seoul National Cemetery In Korea, commemorating the fallen heroes is widely percieved as a solemn occasion that takes place nationwide on June 6 Memorial Day. However, Park views that honoring patriotic services should be entrenched in the nation's culture and identity that people can experience in their daily lives. "Honoring veterans should not only be about visiting graves and paying tribute on Memorial Day," he said. "What's even more important is for people to carry a sense of respect and gratitude in their hearts throughout the remaining 364 days of the year." Against this backdrop, the veterans ministry is planning to renovate of the Seoul National Cemetery located in Dongjak District, with an aim to make the facility more accessible to the public. The renovation project, launched in June, will transform the cemetery into a cultural park and tourist spot similar to the Arlington National Cemetery in the U.S. state of Virginia. "People tend to think that rewarding veterans is about remembering the past. But actually, the core value of rewarding patriotism lies in shaping the nation's identiy that empowers future generations," Park said. A Central Park Zoo sea lion named Sally had a bit of a field day thanks to the severe weather in New York. The mammal briefly escaped her enclosure after heavy rain caused her pool to flood. The sea lion, who was seen swimming out of the flooded pool and roaming around the surrounding area Friday, eventually returned to her enclosure, which she shares with two other sea lions, according to a statement from Jim Breheny, executive vice president of the Wildlife Conservation Societys Zoos and Aquarium. Breheny said the female sea lion didnt swim too far from her habitat and never left the sight of zoo personnel. Zoo staff monitored the sea lion as she explored the area before returning to the familiar surroundings of the pool and the company of the other two sea lions, said Breheny. The Central Park Zoo was closed on Sept. 26 due to the heavy rain and flooding. Breheny said that after the water levels receded, the sea lions were once again contained inside their habitat. Sally the sea lion (@bronx_supremecy / Via TikTok) No staff or visitors were in danger and the sea lion remained inside the zoo, never breaching the zoos secondary perimeter, Breheny said. By Friday evening more than 8 inches of rain had fallen at JFK airport, according to the National Weather Service, leading to flash flooding throughout the New York City area. Central Park saw more than 5 inches of rain. No deaths were reported. Central Park Zoo, a 6.5-acre zoo situated at the southeast corner of Central Park, was one of the four zoos and one aquarium that closed because of the severe weather. Breheny said the Bronx Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and New York Aquarium were also closed so staff could focus on the animals and our facilities during the storm. Animal care staff will continue to monitor the situation throughout the duration of the weather event, he added. The New York Police Department Central Park Precinct said in a Sept. 29 update that the Central Park Zoo remains closed due to the heavy rain & flooding. They have yet to give an update on when it will officially reopen. May December, which opened the 61st annual New York Film Festival, earns 3 stars (out of 4) from Us Weekly movie critic Mara Reinstein. On the extremely soggy opening night of the 61st New York Film Festival, the artistic director took the stage at Lincoln Center and introduced May December with a declaration: This selection was the funniest film to ever kick off the famed event. He wasnt necessarily wrong previous opening night selections, after all, include Gone Girl, Captain Phillips and The Irishman. But May December is no mainstream comedy with a fun pop soundtrack and merchandise tie-ins. A riveting character study featuring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in showcasing performances, it explores complicated relationships using an off-kilter energy. And while laughs are sprinkled throughout, its sense of humor is nefarious to the core. Portman plays Elizabeth Berry, a popular Juilliard-trained actress who stars on a TV series called Norahs Ark and is now researching a role for an independent film. She arrives in Savannah, Georgia, to meet and shadow her subject, Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Moore). Gracie is a mild-mannered baker residing in a nice house with her noticeably younger husband, Joe (Riverdales Charles Melton), and their soon-to-be-graduating twins. We care because shes also a 90s tabloid fixture once imprisoned for statutory rape after embarking on a sexual relationship with Joe when he was just 13 and working at her pet store. Francois Duhamel/Courtesy of Netflix To answer the obvious question, director Todd Haynes (Carol) has said the character is indeed based on notorious teacher Mary Kay Letourneau. She and her student, Vili Fualaau, had kids as well and wed (and separated) before Letourneaus 2020 death. In May December, Gracie and Joe are seemingly content with their domesticity. Aside from a few insidious examples of mail harassment, theyre functional members of their Southern community. Gracies first husband and older son even live close by. Everything to Know About Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore s May December Film From Plot to Cast 344 May December is an upcoming film about a couple struggling under the weight of their age gap, which takes inspiration from the story of Mary Kay Letourneaus infamous affair with her student Vili Fualaau, who was 22 years her junior. According to the synopsis, the film picks up years after a notorious romance between Gracie [] Leave it to Elizabeths Hollywood presence to disrupt the status quo. Though Gracie is wary of the whole endeavor, Elizabeth convinces them in her deceptively soft-spoken way that she will let the saga be told appropriately and accurately. Because Elizabeth is so method about the endeavor, were led to believe this means she will eschew the tawdrier aspects in favor of portraying the couples sensitive love story. But the actress, whose email inbox consists of messages with subject lines like Vanity Fair Questions, cant help herself. Shes entranced by the couples peculiar dynamic, in which the emotionally fraught Gracie is prone to crying fits and the now 36-year-old Joe exudes a childlike innocence. Sure, Elizabeth takes notes on Gracies makeup routine and mimics her body language as an obligatory responsibility. She also asks to see the pet store stock room in which the couple first hooked up and simulates her own private romp. Francois Duhamel/Courtesy of Netflix For all its tension, May December isnt here for the melodramatic twists. Elizabeth is not going to have a change of heart and go back to L.A., just like Gracie will not suddenly regret all her life choices and pull the plug on the whole arrangement. (Money must be involved, but its never outright stated.) The film does excel as it swings in many tonal directions without falling. At times, a thriller seems to be mounting Gracie goes hunting with a shotgun, often looks at Elizabeth with disdain and, hello, the woman did serve time in jail. During other moments, the film is a straightforward message drama about a family trying to persevere in the aftermath of a scandal. Theres compassion to spare, especially for Meltons Joe. When he smokes pot for the first time, the fallout is oddly heartbreaking. Melton, so vulnerable in his scenes, more than holds his own with the two Oscar winners. The Most Highly Anticipated Films Coming Out This Fall Killers of the Flower Moon The Marvels and More 358 Movie buffs, assemble: Now that the temperature is cooling down, theres no reason to feel guilty about spending time indoors. Luckily, theres a bounty of incredible films hitting the big (and small!) screen this fall. Whether youre looking for a star-studded dramedy to dive into (see: Dumb Money) or an erotic thriller with a touch [] Not surprisingly, the humor is derived from its pitch-black take on Hollywood celebrity. And frankly, the results are so effective that it could have afforded a bit more skewering on that front. Elizabeth is all too aware of her manipulative superpowers: In an amusing set piece, she visits the local high school to do a Q&A and launches into a monologue about filming sex scenes both to get a rise out of a male student and perhaps to try her hand at seducing this younger guy. She displays hilarious faux sincerity when a fan compliments her show. Though she ultimately admits that shes outstayed her welcome, she still attends the twins graduation ceremony. But Gracie gets the last word. So who is exploiting whom? To its credit, May December never provides a clear-cut solution. The two women often look at each other in a mirror, seeing themselves reflected in each others eyes. Its up to the audience to figure out what (and who) is for real. Just beware of those sharp edges. May December opens in select theaters November 17 and will be on Netflix December 1. At least five people were killed and parts of an Illinois neighborhood were evacuated due to a Friday crash involving a semi-truck carrying thousands of gallons of anhydrous ammonia. The truck was carrying about 7,500 gallons of the toxic substance at the time of the wreck in Effingham County, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The agency said early estimates say more than half of that about 4,000 gallons were released. After officials said approximately 500 people were evacuated from the area, residents have been told it is safe to return home, Teutopolis Assistant Fire Chief Joe Holomy said in a news release Saturday night. Testing has indicated that the danger from the anhydrous ammonia has dissipated, Holomy said. Parts of Teutopolis, a village in south-central Illinois, were evacuated due to the plume from the ammonia leak after the crash Friday night on US Highway 40, about a half mile east of Teutopolis, Illinois State Police said. The crashed tanker has been drained, patched and taken to a secure location to be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, the state emergency management agency said in a release. The Illinois State Police is also investigating the cause of the accident, it said. CNN has reached out to the National Transportation Safety Board. In addition to the deaths, multiple injuries have also been reported. Emergency crews were still on scene and working to contain the leak Saturday afternoon, according to the states EPA. Just before 5 p.m. a separate crash had taken place on Interstate 70 just east of Effingham, which caused traffic to be rerouted to US Highway 40. At about 9:25 p.m. local time, authorities were notified about a crash on the highway involving multiple vehicles, including a semi-truck that is leaking anhydrous ammonia, police said. Effingham County Sheriff Paul Kuhns described the scene as large and complicated. At least five people were airlifted to local hospitals, Teutopolis Fire Chief Tim McMahon said. Crews worked overnight to get part of the rupture on the semi-truck patched up which slowed down the leak but did not stop it completely, according to McMahon. Those within an estimated 1-mile radius of the crash, including northeastern parts of Teutopolis, were then evacuated, police said. We offer our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the accident and chemical spill, Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security Deputy Director of Emergency Management Clayton Kuetemeyer said in a statement. Anhydrous ammonia is essentially pure (over 99 percent) ammonia, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Anhydrous is a Greek word meaning without water; therefore, anhydrous ammonia in ammonia without water. Ammonia used in households is a diluted water solution that contains 5 to 10 percent ammonia, according to OSHA. Ammonia in high levels can irritate and burn the skin, mouth, throat, lungs and eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Very high levels can also damage the lungs or cause death. Symptoms of anhydrous ammonia exposure include breathing difficulty; irritation of the eyes, nose or throat; and burns or blisters. Anhydrous ammonia can get into airways and attach itself to mucus and moist surfaces, Kuhns said. It caused terribly dangerous air conditions, he said of the leak. Effingham County has an estimated population of about 34,000 according to the US Census Bureau, and is located about two hours south of Illinois capital, Springfield. CNNs Zoe Sottile and Raja Razek contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A fire that swept through a crowded wedding hall in a northern Iraqi town killing more than 100 people was blamed on "gross negligence" and lack of safety measures, the results of a government investigation into the disaster said. The investigation results, announced at a news conference on Sunday by interior minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, said the owner of the hall and three other staff members had allowed 900 people into the venue when it was designed for a maximum of 400. The fire was accidental and unintentional and occurred due to gross negligence, the investigation findings said. Using flammable decoration helped the fire to spread quickly and transformed the hall to a fireball, Shammari said. The blaze trapped people inside the wedding hall and rescue teams struggled to reach them because exit doors were few and small, Shammari said. At least 150 people were injured in the fire, which was in the Christian town of Hamdaniya - also known as Qaraqosh. The interior minister put the death toll at 107 and said the investigation panel had proposed that the government should provide financial support to families of the dead and injured. The investigation also made recommendations that legal action should be taken against local officials. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani visited victims of the blaze at two local hospitals on Thursday and pledged to hold those responsible to account. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed. Editing by Jane Merriman) At least 13 people have died in a nightclub fire in Spain, with fears the death toll could keep climbing. Rescuers are still searching for missing revellers after the blaze broke out in the city of Murcia in the early hours of Sunday morning. Another four people have been injured after suffering smoke inhalation at the Atalayas nightclub, which is said to be made up of three different adjoining venues Golden, Teatre and Fonda. The blaze broke out in the city of Murcia in the early hours of Sunday morning (Fire and Rescue Service of Murcia) Outside the club, young people hugged, looking shocked as they waited for information. Spanish media reported several birthday celebrations were taking place at the time the fire broke out. I think we left 30 seconds to 1 minute before the alarms went off and all the lights went out [and] the screams saying there was a fire, one survivor, who was not identified, said. Five family members and two friends are missing. Diego Seral, of Spain's National Police, told reporters the dead were found in Fonda, which had sustained the majority of fire damage, including the collapse of its roof. The collapse was making it difficult to locate victims, and the identification of the bodies would take time, he said. The emergency services gave the death toll, which has risen steadily throughout the day, as 13. Murcias Mayor Jose Ballesta declared three days of mourning for those who had died. Flags were lowered to half-mast outside Murcia's City Hall. We are devastated, Mr Ballesta said on Spanish TV channel 24h, adding rescuers were still searching for several people reported missing. Authorities search for people reported as missing who are thought to have been in the nightclub at the time (Murcia Police) The cause of the blaze is being investigated. Mr Seral said that it was difficult to pinpoint yet where exactly the fire started. A spokesperson for the Teatre nightclub, Maria Dolores Albellan, told reporters the fire originated in the neighbouring club, La Fonda, before spreading to the two adjoining clubs. Footage released by Murcia's fire service showed firefighters working to control flames inside the nightclub. The fire had destroyed part of the roof, the footage showed. The Murcia Fire and Rescue Service said 40 firefighters and 12 fire engines were at the scene shortly after 6am (UK time) tackling the blaze. Mr Ballesta told 24h the fire started at around 6 am and had now been brought under control. At least one person was killed and two others were injured in a bombing attack outside Turkeys Interior Ministry building in Ankara on Sunday. The ministry said in a Sunday statement that two attackers murdered a civilian and stole his vehicle in the countrys capital ahead of the opening of parliament. Two police officers reportedly received non-life-threatening injuries. The attackers arrived in a light commercial vehicle in front of the buildings entrance at about 9:30 a.m. local time, Yerlikaya. One assailant blew himself up and the other was neutralized. Investigators found four different types of guns, three hand grenades, one rocket launcher, and C-4 explosives at the scene. The ministry confirmed at least one of the two attackers is a member of the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK. The second attacker has yet to be identified. The PKK, a Kurdish militant group classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and Europe, issued a statement earlier claiming responsibility for the bomb, pro-PKK newsgroup Firat News Agency reported. The group said the attack was carried out according to plan and without any obstacles. Just hours after the fatal explosion, Turkey destroyed twenty PKK targets in northern Iraq, according to a statement released by the countrys National Defense Ministry. Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes in the Metina, Hakurk, Kandil, and Gara regions at 9 p.m. local time, destroying caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses used by the PKK, the defense ministry wrote. Members of Turkish Police Special Forces secure an area following the explosion on Sunday. - Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters According to Firat News Agency, a PKK unit dubbed the Brigade of Immortals explicitly targeted the opening of the parliament and the ministry building, saying it is considered a massacre and torture center. Every person should know that the members of the Brigade of Immortals could have achieved a very different result with only a small change in their timing if they had wanted to, the statement attributed to PKK reads. In the statement, the PKKs Peoples Defense Center Headquarters Command justified the attack due to what it called the disregard of human rights, the inhuman practice and policy of isolation in Turkish and Kurdish jails, the use of chemical weapons against KPP guerrilla forces, ecocide in Kurdistan, and the oppression of the Kurdish people. Security footage of the incident obtained by Reuters shows a vehicle slowing down on the street near the buildings gated entrance. The vehicle comes to a stop then the drivers side door slowly opens. One individual exits as a second emerges from the other side of the car. The second person approaches the entrance in a tactical stance, though its unclear if the attacker is holding a firearm, while the first hides behind the car. The assailant in motion hurries quickly past what appears to be a guard tower. A large explosion then strikes. After, through the smoke, the contours of what appears to be the first attacker move toward the gate before the 40-second clip ends. The apparent guard tower in front of the entrance to the building was slightly damaged in the blast. Police have since cordoned off the area, and video from the scene from CNN affiliate CNN Turk appeared to show a bomb squad searching the area for other suspicious package. Police officers inspect the area after an explosion near the Turkish Parliament and Interior Ministry in Ankara on Sunday. - Osmancan Gurdogan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images A bomb found on the body of the neutralized terrorist was set off after the attack in a controlled explosion, one of at least two that could be heard on television footage. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that an investigation has been launched into the incident. These attacks will in no way hinder Turkeys fight against terrorism, Tunc said on X. Our fight against terrorism will continue even more determinedly. The bombing took place just hours before lawmakers were set to return to work after the summer break at 2 p.m. In his address to lawmakers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that Turkey would continue its fight against terrorism until the last terrorist is eliminated domestically and abroad following Sundays attack. The vile people who took aim at the peace and security of our citizens did not reach their goal and they never will, he said. The attackers struck hours before lawmakers were set to return to work after their summer break. - Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images The PKK has been waging an insurgency against Ankara for four decades. In recent years, Turkey has carried out a steady stream of operations against the group domestically as well as cross-border operations into Syria, where a PKK-affiliated Kurdish group controls large swaths of territory. In November 2022, Ankara blamed the PKK for a bomb attack on a central pedestrian boulevard in Istanbul which killed six and injured dozens. Terror attacks in Turkey were tragically common in the mid to late 2010s, when the insecurity from war-torn Syria crept north above the two countries shared border. Ankara saw two attacks by Kurdish assailants in 2016, one which targeted military personnel on a bus and another at a bus stop. Twin bombings in 2015 that targeted a peace rally near the capitals main train station claimed the lives of nearly 100 people. Erdogan said Sundays attack marked the final flutters of terrorism in the country in his speech to parliament. CNNs Eyad Kourdi, Duarte Mendonca, Zahid Mahmood, Joshua Berlinger and Heather Law contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former US president Donald Trump walking into Trump Tower in New York in April. The fraud lawsuit against him risks bringing down his business empire (AFP via Getty Images) A potentially devastating ruling against Donald Trump has pierced the heart of a decades-old narrative he used to boost his national profile and seduce millions of voters to support his campaigns for the presidency. That persona was built on a fantasy made up of cheating, lying and outright fraud, according to a New York judge presiding over a blockbuster lawsuit from the states attorney general, whose investigation revealed the former president, his adult sons, businesses and chief executives grossly and materially inflated assets over a decade. They defrauded banks and insurers by overvaluing properties by billions of dollars, exaggerating the state of his wealth to fraudulently obtain favourable insurance deals, financing and other transactions, according to the lawsuit. Mr Trump spent those decades navigating threats that would reveal his reputation as a fraud, but a brutal 35-page decision from Judge Arthur F Engoron if allowed to stand not only could expose the former presidents alleged history of corruption, it might also take his business empire down with him. Mr Trump himself condemned the decision as a plan to KILL TRUMP. Unlike the four criminal indictments against him, including two separate cases alleging his role at the centre of a fraudulent campaign to overturn 2020 election results, a multi-million dollar fraud lawsuit could do serious damage to his business. Thus far, the criminal cases against him have not interrupted his campaign fundraising or poll numbers in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination for president. But a judgment against him in an upcoming fraud trial could strip him of his New York businesses and properties on which he has built his brand. Judge Engorons decision granted a summary judgment in Letitia James lawsuit, resolving key claims that will make it easier for the states attorney general to argue her case in front of a judge. In essence, the judge determined that no trial was necessary to determine that Mr Trumps financial statements were fraudulent. Donald Trump, with his oldest children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr, at a press conference announcing the launch of Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium in New York in 2007. The former president, his adult sons and business associates are accused of defrauding banks and insurers by overvaluing properties by billions of dollars (AFP via Getty Images) Judge Engoron will preside over a bench trial on other counts in her lawsuit without a jury on 2 October. It could take weeks or months to get through; both sides have offered up long lists of potential witnesses, including Mr Trump and his adult children. Dont take this the wrong way, Trump attorney Christopher Kise asked the judge one day after the ruling, but what in the courts mind does this trial look like? Ms Jamess office does not intend to drop any of the remaining counts in the case. In her only public statement following the judges decision, Ms James simply stated that the judge ruled in her favour, and we look forward to presenting the rest of our case at trial. Eviscerating Trumps fantasy world Mr Kise, the former presidents attorney, told the court in pre-trial filings that Mr Trump is an investment genius and probably one of the most successful real estate developers in the country. He is a master at finding value where others see nothing, he said. Judge Engorons ruling also accused attorneys of wasting the courts time with repetitive, frivolous filings that sought to delay the proceedings, adding that the sworn statements in Mr Trumps depositions are wholly without basis in law or fact. In defendants world: rent-regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other partys lies, the judge wrote. This is a fantasy world, not a real world. Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue (AP) Judge Engoron used the former presidents words against him, citing comments from a deposition citing his comments about worthless clause disclaimers included in his financial statements, which Mr Trump has argued insulates him from liability. The defences Donald Trump attempts to articulate in his sworn deposition are wholly without basis in law or fact, Mr Engoron wrote, adding that the documents presented to the court that were provided to banks and insurers clearly contain fraudulent valuations that defendants used in business. The judges ruling stresses that Mr Trump cannot rely on a disclaimer to misrepresent facts. A business-crushing decision The lawsuit targeting Mr Trump and his Trump Organization umbrella alleges that Mr Trump fraudulently inflated his net worth by as much as $2.2bn in one year and by hundreds of millions of dollars in other years over a decade. A recent filing argues that he inflated his net worth by $812m to $2.2bn roughly 17 to 39 per cent each year from 2011 to 2021. The $2.2bn estimate came in 2014. Ms Jamess lawsuit alleges that the Trump Organization and its key players made more than 200 false and misleading evaluations of its assets over a 10-year period from 2011 to 2021. The operations of the Trump Organization, composed of roughly 500 entities under Mr Trumps effective control, will come further into scrutiny in a civil trial. In his ruling, Judge Engoron ordered several of the former presidents licences to be rescinded, effectively upending his abilities to do business in the state. An independent monitor also could be appointed to oversee compliance with the order and Mr Trumps operations and liabilities to lenders, insurers and others. New York Attorney General Letitia James (REUTERS) Ms James also has asked the court to bar Mr Trump from entering into commercial real estate transactions in the state and prevent him from applying for loans and to block the Trumps from serving as an officer of any corporation in the state. And Mr Trump could still be on the hook for at least $250m in lost revenue and penalties sought by the attorney general. Trump could lose his grip on image-building New York properties Mr Trump repeatedly reminds his supporters of his descent from the golden escalators when he launched his 2016 campaign for president, what he has characterised as a turning point in American history. His triplex apartment in that building Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue was often on display for news cameras as he paraded his wealth. If the judges ruling is allowed to stand, Mr Trump could be forced to relinquish control of nearly a dozen of his brand-building properties across New York. The value of the triplex was fraudulently inflated by as much as $207m within four years, according to the lawsuit. A discrepancy of this order of magnitude, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud, Judge Engoron wrote. Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida (AP) His Wall Street building was valued by the company at $572m, more than twice the value determined by outside appraisals, according to the lawsuit. While the scope of the judges ruling is unclear, and which could potentially extend to properties controlled by New York companies, Mr Trumps infamous Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida has come under closer scrutiny. The value of the former presidents current residence was inflated by as much as 2,300 per cent, according to the judges order. The ruling cited an appraisal from the Palm Beach County Assessors office that determined its value between $18m and $27.6m. A victory for Letitia James and New Yorkers who warned about Trumps fraud for decades The stunning decision from the judge follows last years filing of a monster lawsuit from the attorney generals office, stemming from a years-long investigation and building on decades of allegations of fraud. The three-year probe, launched in the aftermath of Mr Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen offering bombshell congressional testimony about the business in 2019, included two depositions from the former president. He invoked his Fifth Amendment right nearly 450 times. Speaking from her office in New York City last year, Ms James said Mr Trump cheated all of us by inflating his net worth to unjustly enrich himself and to cheat the system. This investigation revealed that Donald Trump engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth ... to deceive banks and the people of the great state of New York, she said. From students and farmers to lawyers, people from all walks of life call for fossil fuel-free, livable future By Cho Hye-yoon Over 30,000 people marched down Sejong-daero street in central Seoul, Sept. 23, calling for climate justice. This was the 923 Climate Justice March, which comes on the heels of worldwide climate protests taking place in September, with millions rallying across the globe. The march was organized by Action for Climate Justice, a coalition of more than 600 civic, environment, labor, regional and trade union movements. Lee Sae-un, a 16-year-old student from Bakdal Middle School in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, felt the urgency to march with her four classmates in the nation's capital when she realized that the climate crisis has become a reality. "During the first year of middle school, we vaguely imagined what would happen if the glaciers in the North Pole disappear, as what our textbook warns. It was a wake up call to learn that in just the span of two years, this is already happening in places like Greenland. We, too, are no more free from this crisis on the warming planet. That is why we march today," Lee said. "School taught us to shift focus to big polluters, who are the enablers of the climate crisis, like corporations and governments. Joined by thousands of people today, we urge them to beef up climate action because all of us are watching. Regardless of age, everyone has an obligation to stop the climate crisis," Lee added. Baek Jong-soo, a 37-year-old farmer from Wanju, North Jeolla Province, was one of many people who came to the march with their children. "Organic farmers like me, who rely heavily on honeybees to fertilize and pollinate crops, experience the climate crisis firsthand. Rising temperatures are detrimental to bees' survival. If bees cannot pollinate, crop cultivation and farmers' livelihood are severely impacted," Baek said. "Along with 90 residents of Wanju who came a long way to attend the march, we no longer believe in the government's false pledge to curb the climate crisis. Rather, we believe in people's power to pressure the government to do what ought to be done," he added. Lee and Baek were among the many protesters who expressed their frustration with the inaction of those responsible for curbing the climate crisis. Kwon Woo-hyun, head of the 923 Climate Justice March organizing committee, denounced the government's climate policies as being regressive. "While the climate crisis has been threatening job security, housing and people's rights to safe lives, the government has abandoned its responsibility to protect the people. We are here to overcome the crisis through our own efforts. In this time of crisis, let's use our solidarity to move forward," he said. That is why this year, under the slogan, "People Power to Overcome the Crisis," the committee prepared specific demands to fight for. They include protecting people's right to be safe from climate disasters, calling for an end to nuclear and fossil fuel energy, a just transiton to renewable energy, an end to the privatization of railways, an end to new airports and national park development, holding multinational corporations and the weathly accountable for the climate crisis, and listening to those on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Japanese environmentalists also participated in the rally, calling for an apology from the Japanese government and TEPCO for the recent discharge of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. "Japan, which colonized Asia in the past, perpetrated violence again with its discharge, and the Japanese people failed to stop it. I apologize as one of the Japanese people," Daisuke Sato, Japan Secretary General of the Anti-Nuclear Asia Forum, said. "Nuclear power, with its incident risks and waste problems, cannot be a sustainable energy source. We call on you to stand in solidarity with the anti-nuclear movement in Asia," Sato said. Starting around 3 p.m., the participants split into two directions and marched through downtown Seoul. One group marched toward the SK Group headquarters building in Jongno, the Japanese Embassy, and to the Gwanghwamun Government Complex, while the other marched from Seoul Station to the presidential office in Yongsan District. Kim Eun-yeong, an activist from NGO group Green Asia, which fights desertification in Mongolia through community-based reforestration projects, said people have the power to nudge governments to gradually phase out emission-intensive energy sources like fossil fuels. "Although it will inevitably take time for transition to cleaner energy, communities can pressure those in higher-level positions to implement robust climate policies," Kim said. Linus Bauer, a 27-year-old student from Germany currently studying at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, is a climate activist from Fridays For Future, an international movement of students striking for climate begun by Greta Thunberg. "The climate is changing rapidly, politics is changing as well, but not fast enough," Bauer said. "The German government invests a lot of money in energy transition and 60 percent of electricity produced in Germany is from renewable energy. And I am actually surprised that there are few mitigative measures put in place in Korea, because it's such a technologically advanced country. Every country has to act, but especially rich countries like Germany, the U.S., and Korea have the means to ramp up climate action first." Jee Hyun-young, a lawyer from Seoul-based Institute of Green Transition, said, "Despite Korea's pledge to go carbon-neutral by 2050, Korea's renewable power generation lags behind G20 members." Jee emphasized that on a governmental level, "phasing out subsidies to the production and consumption of coal, and incentivizing the generation and use of renewable energy are the first steps to change." She added, "Nuclear energy cannot be a sustainable alternative to pursue since there are no measures put in place to handle its nuclear waste problems. Globally speaking, countries phase down nuclear energy and expand renewable energy." Kim Bo-mi, one of the 14 lawyers participating in Climate Justice March, said, "The court is the last line of defense for the rights of people. A proactive judicial response to the climate crisis, such as recognizing the responsibility of governments and corporations to reduce carbon emissions, will protect people's fundamental rights and also the animals and ecosystems with which we coexist." Pointing to how the judiciary ought to reflect public interest, Kim added, "The judiciary system should think about what values are more important to the people in the era of the climate crisis. The interpretation and judgment of law have been changing in tandem with the changing climate of the society and perceptions of the people." Cho Hye-yoon (hyeyoon.cho@mail.mcgill.ca) is an intern reporter of The Korea Times. Gandhi described the contest between the two parties as the battle of the ideologies of Gandhi and Godse Bhopal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged to conduct a caste census in the country if his party was voted to power at the Centre. Reiterating that the Congress is promoting love and brotherhood while the BJP is spreading hatred, Mr Gandhi described the contest between the two parties as the battle of the ideologies of Gandhi and Godse. Addressing a public meeting on the sidelines of the Congress' "Jan Akrosh Yatra" at Polaykala under Shajapur district in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Gandhi said that a caste census will alone ensure inclusive development in the country, giving justice to different communities, including the OBCs. This (caste census) is the biggest issue before the country today. If the Congress comes to power at the Centre, the first thing the party will do is conduct a caste census and make the data on the populations of all the communities public, he said. Mr Gandhi claimed that the Congress government at the Centre had earlier conducted the caste census. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not keen to make the census data public, depriving different communities of their true participation in power. The Congress leader also demanded the provision of an OBC quota in the womens reservation before its implementation. Mr Gandhi said that the Congress is fighting the ideologies of the RSS and the BJP since the saffron parties are spreading hatred in society, whereas his party is promoting love and brotherhood. Mr Gandhi accused Mr Modi of implementing the RSS agenda to spread hatred and violence. The Congress leader attacked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for failing to provide a fair price to the farmers for their produce. He said that the Congress government in Chhattisgarh has given a fair price to the farmers for their produce by procuring paddy from them at `2,500 per quintal. Mr Gandhi claimed that 18,000 farmers in Madhya Pradesh committed suicide due to the denial of a fair price for their produce in the last 18 years. He termed Madhya Pradesh as the "epicentre of corruption" in India and said that farmers and youth of the state had told him during his Madhya Pradesh leg of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" that the scale of corruption in the state is much higher than that in the rest of the country. He alleged corruption in the midday meal scheme in the state. Mr Gandhi said that a scandal broke out in the admission of MBBS courses in different medical colleges in the state, in which seats were found to be sold. Mr Gandhi also accused corruption in the construction of a holy place like "Mahakal Lok". Along with Indian music, dance and cuisine, the legacy of the Mahatma was effectively deployed at the G20 to project Indias soft power. India, that is Bharat, has always had enormous influence on world affairs. Influence is what analysts define as soft power. Hard power, on the other hand, is made up of military and economic power. It is commonplace to suggest that India has had, and continues to have, far more soft power than hard power. What is, however, not adequately recognised is that sometimes soft power can even do the job of hard power. After all, prior to 1947, Mahatma Gandhis non-cooperation movement was an example of how soft power was used to confront the hard power of an imperial regime, resulting in the eventual non-violent overthrow of two hundred years of colonial rule. Analysts have pointed to the fact that even after Independence, Indias soft power has extended Indian diplomatic influence much further than its hard power was capable of doing. The worldwide end of the British Empire was as much a consequence of the hard power results of the Second World War as it was of the soft power impact of anti-colonialism inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Indias example inspired anti-colonial movements across Asia and Africa, as well as the civil rights movement in the United States. India became the Voice of the Global South way back in the 1950s as a consequence of the soft power appeal of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru across the post-colonial world. It is an example of Indias soft power altering the global balance of power. One could go further back in history and view the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism across Asia as examples of Indian soft power having global consequences. Given that hard power is defined as military, economic and technological power, the only example of Indian hard power impacting the world was the break-up of Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. In dealing with China too, India has had more success in the past deploying the soft power of its liberal, pluralist democracy rather than the insufficient hard power that it possesses. In fact, Indian hard power has not deterred China as much as Indian soft power has been able to, since it is the latter that makes many developed and developing countries support India. Even the success of the G-20 summit in New Delhi can be attributed to Indian soft power. The mobilisation of the Global South and securing the admission of the African Union into the G-20 are examples of the success of diplomatic soft power. While China still scores in Africa using hard power, India carries weight across the continent due to its soft power. Indias membership of G-20 was in part due to its soft power, given that it has the lowest per capita income among the G-20 countries. It was admitted as a balancer to China, given the sudden rise in Chinas profile in dealing with the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. Even in 2008, the decision to elevate the G-20 finance ministers group to the heads of government level was taken to camouflage Western dependence on China in the resolution of the 2008-09 trans-Atlantic financial crisis. On both occasions, Indias democratic credentials rather than hard economic power helped it sit at the global high table. Indias case for membership of the United Nations Security Council has been made more effectively by drawing global attention to the soft power of Indian democracy and her civilisational attributes than any muscle flexing and display of hard power. A civilisational nation, home to four of the worlds seven great religions, a nation of well over a billion people, home of some of the worlds oldest languages, and so on and so forth. How can any global organisation of nations not give India a pride of place along with the countries of Europe and Asia? One can go on and on providing examples of the importance of soft power for a militarily and economically still rising India. It was not at all surprising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a hardcore adherent of Hindutva, led the entire leadership of the G-20 to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Along with Indian music, dance and cuisine, the legacy of the Mahatma was effectively deployed at the G-20 summit to project Indias soft power. Given this, a decade ago, if the Government of India had denied any involvement in the assassination of an individual on foreign soil the world would have had little hesitation in believing it. The world readily believed that big powers like the United States and Russia carry out assassinations on foreign soil. But India was seen to be different. Even though India has never hesitated to deploy hard power to achieve its national security objectives in its own neighbourhood, Indias State agencies have never resorted to what is referred to as extrajudicial killings on foreign soil. They have done so only at home. The recent controversy around the killing of a person of Indian origin in Canada may have dented that reputation, even though the government has denied any involvement and rejected all insinuations. Given that the present government in New Delhi has often claimed credit for its deployment of hard power, its denial of any involvement in the killing in Canada is being taken with a pinch of salt. When a political leadership takes pride in its muscular approach to national security, such denials of such actions are naturally viewed with some doubt. As in the case of individuals, so also in the case of nations, a good and positive reputation painstakingly built over decades, in the case of nations even centuries, can easily be erased by the questionable attitudes and actions of a few in a brief period of time. The negative reputation of an Adolf Hitler still haunts the German people, just as the positive reputation of a Mahatma Gandhi still adorns the global view of India. It is important that a countrys political leadership preserves and safeguards a nations soft power even when deploying hard power. Governments have to sometimes do things for Reasons of State (raison detat). But they must do such things in a manner that does not bring disrepute to the nation and its people. by Gianni Criveller Father Gianni Criveller, a missionary who carried out his ministry for years in Greater China, is the new editor-in-chief of AsiaNews. In greeting readers, he writes that, while taking on a precious legacy and demanding responsibility, the agency will continue to inform you and reflect upon Asia, a multifaceted continent, with great loyalty to the Catholic Church of which we are a part, and which we wish to serve. We believe in the Gospel of peace, God's great gift to the peoples of Asia. The first day of October officially marks a change in our agency. PIMEs General Directorate appointed Father Gianni Criveller as the new director of the PIME Missionary Centre in Milan. In such capacity, he also becomes editor-in-chief of AsiaNews, taking over from Father Mario Ghezzi. A missionary who has long carried out his ministry in Greater China, Father Criveller is already known to AsiaNews readers for his thoughtful analyses. By his side, Giorgio Bernardelli will continue as managing editor, coordinating the work of the newsroom as he has done since the summer of 2021. What follows are the new editor-in-chiefs greetings to the readers. Dear AsiaNews readers, I turn to each one of you with great sympathy and consideration. To follow a news agency about and from Asia is, in itself, a sign of great human sensitivity and insightful attention to the prospects of the world. Asia is not simply the biggest continent on earth, but is also the sum of various continents that only have in common the name Asia. In fact, we are confronted with profoundly articulated and different human, cultural, religious and economic realities. AsiaNewss ambition is to open not one but many windows on these realities. Not only news, but also insights and analyses. We cover 46 countries and regions. Red Lanterns (for the multifaceted Chinese world), Russian World, Gateway to the East, Indian Mandala, Ecclesia in Asia, and Asia Today are windows, to use this image again, for those who want to know more and inside the news. As director of the PIME Missionary Centre in Milan, I become responsible for the editorial management of this agency, together with that of the paper and online magazine Mondo e Missione, which shares many things with AsiaNews: PIME ownership, same offices and part of the newsroom staff, and contributors. The coordinator Giorgio Bernadelli is the managing editor. AsiaNews was founded in 1986 by Piero Gheddo, a pioneer in missionary journalism; never forgotten, he continues to inspire us with his foresight, courage and enthusiasm. I remember well that until the 1990s, AsiaNews had an office in Hong Kong. Its soul was Giancarlo Politi, a missionary who paved the way for trips to post-Maoist China and news about a Catholic Church that had survived political persecution. The agency moved to Rome in 2003, headed by editor-in-chief Father Bernardo Cervellera. With his generous dedication, Fr Cervellera greatly expanded its reach, in four languages, with readers from about 180 countries connecting every week. Over the years, under Fr Cervellera, the agency grew in authority and influence in debates on Asia, making it an essential point of reference for those who seek objective information about the continent. Fr Cervellera has many merits, above all the focus on religious freedom. I often collaborated with him by sending commentaries on the situation of Christians in China, on the relationship between China and the Vatican, and on the events in much-loved city of Hong Kong. When Father Bernardo Cervellera went back to the Hong Kong mission in 2021, the PIME General Directorate decided to move the agency to Milan, and entrust it to the skilled journalists of the PIME Missionary Centre. It has been a difficult challenge and the outcome was not given in advance, but the agency has continued to grow in recent years attentive to the issue of religious freedom and the exciting and difficult journey of Asias Christian communities, and it continues to broaden its information services and analyses. Dear readers: continue to read, support and promote the agency. I am well aware of the precious legacy and the demanding responsibility entrusted to me. I take it on with simplicity, aware of my limitations, but encouraged by two things. The first is my long missionary activism in Asia. Living in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and the People's Republic of China between 1991 and 2017 has given me a unique and clear understanding of Greater China, its people and its demands. My work with PIME and in academe has led me, in a not unsubstantial way, also to Myanmar, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. My life has thus been closely linked to Asia, its peoples and Churches. After my missionary service in Italy, I wish to return to Asia. The second reason that encourages me is the cordial cooperation of the managing editor, Giorgio Bernardelli, the journalists in the newsroom, and other contributors. We will continue to inform you and reflect upon Asia, without biases or ulterior motives, trying to be honest and sincere in everything, with great loyalty to the Catholic Church of which we are a part, and which we wish to serve. We believe in the Gospel of peace, God's great gift to the peoples of Asia. During the Angelus, Francis appealed for action as tens of thousands of people flee the Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. In October, the pontiff urges the faithful to pray the Rosary for peace and the evangelization of peoples. On 6 November, he will meet children from all over the world to learn from them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to them. Vatican City (AsiaNews) At the end of the Angelus prayer in front of the faithful in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis once again pointed out to the world the tragic situation of the displaced people in Nagorno-Karabakh following the flight of tens of thousands of local Armenians to Armenia over the past week after Azerbaijan ended the enclaves self-government, a bitter bone of contention for more than thirty years. The pontiff renewed his appeal for dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and [expressed] hope that talks between the parties, with the support of the international community, might foster a lasting agreement to bring the humanitarian crisis to an end. Hopeful that a lasting solution might come out at a meeting on 5 October in Grenada, Spain, between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the pontiff also offered his prayers for the victims of an explosion at a fuel depot, near the city of Stepanakert, which caused further death and destruction. Francis mentioned that October is the month of the Rosary and the missions, urging everyone to experience the beauty of praying the Rosary, contemplating the mysteries of Christ with Mary and invoking her intercession for the needs of the Church and of the world. Let us pray for peace in battered Ukraine and in all those lands wounded by war. Let us pray for the evangelization of peoples. And let us also pray for the Synod of Bishops during this month in which the first Assembly on the theme of synodality in the Church takes place. Since today is the feast day of Saint Therese of Lisieux, whose 150th anniversary is celebrated this year, Francis said that he will issue an apostolic exhortation on 15 October dedicated to her. May she help us have confidence and work for the missions, he added. At the window overlooking St Peter's Square, five children stood next to the pope, representing each continent. With them at his side, the pontiff announced that on the afternoon of 6 November, in the Paul VI Hall in Rome, he will meet children from all over the world in an event sponsored by the Dicastery for Culture and Evangelization. It will be a meeting that will manifest the dream each of us has: to retrieve the pure sentiments of children for the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children. Children teach us how to be transparent in relationships, how to spontaneously welcome those who are strangers, and how to respect all of creation. Dear children, I too look forward to learning from all of you! The pontiff today also released a message to children on the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Holy Childhood, one of the Pontifical Mission Societies. Dear missionary children and young people, I want to thank you, because with your efforts you help all of us to be courageous witnesses of the Gospel and to share with others, not only material assistance, but what is most precious to us: faith. Introducing the Angelus prayer, the pope spoke about the Gospel passage in which Jesus spoke of two sons, who were asked by their father to go to work in the vineyard. While the first said yes but did not go, the second obeyed after initially refusing (Mt 21:28-32). For the pontiff, these two figures show the difference between sin and corruption. Ultimately, there is always the hope of redemption for a sinner; for the corrupt, instead, it is much more difficult. In fact, the corrupt persons false yesses, elegant but hypocritical facades and habitual false pretenses, are like a thick rubber wall, behind which to take cover from qualms of conscience. And these hypocrites do so much evil! Brothers and sisters, sinners yes all of us are corrupt no! Sinners yes, corrupt no! [. . .] May Mary, mirror of holiness, help us be sincere Christians. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Kosovo demanded Saturday that Serbia withdraw its troops from their common border, saying it was ready to protect its territorial integrity. Tensions between the two countries have been high since last Sunday when Kosovo police fought around 30 heavily armed Serbs who stormed the Kosovo village of Banjska and barricaded themselves in a Serbian Orthodox monastery. Three attackers and one police officer were killed. The gunbattle prompted new international concern over stability in Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority and declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a guerrilla uprising and a 1999 NATO intervention. "We call on President Vucic and the institutions of Serbia to immediately withdraw all troops from the border with Kosovo," the Kosovo government said in a statement. "The deployment of Serbian troops along the border with Kosovo is the next step by Serbia to threaten the territorial integrity of our country." Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told the Financial Times he did not intend to order his forces to cross the border into Kosovo because an escalation of the conflict would harm Belgrade's aspirations to the join the European Union. On Friday the United States said it was monitoring a troubling Serbian military deployment along the Kosovo border that is destabilizing the area. "Kosovo, in coordination with international partners, is more determined than ever to protect its territorial integrity," the Pristina government said. This deployment also includes the deployment of anti-aircraft systems and heavy artillery. The Government of the Republic of Kosovo has been in constant contact with the USA and the EU countries regarding this serious threat from Serbia. NATO, which still has 4,500 troops in Kosovo, said on Friday it had "authorized additional forces to address the current situation." (Reuters) Design at a Glance Photo: Kolesa More Important Updates in the Cabin Photo: Kolesa Revised Oily Bits and an EV Option? kW ICE Conclusions EV The Blue Oval has been making the Puma , which is completely unrelated to the eponymous small coupe discontinued in 2002, since 2019. Assembly takes place at the company's factory in Craiova, Romania, and since anything with a decent price tag attached to it that has a more-than-sufficient ground clearance sells today in good numbers, it has been properly received by the European audience.As a matter of fact, the Puma turned out to be a wise investment for Ford, which is now readying its successor. But it won't be a new generation, as what they have in store for it is a mid-cycle refresh . The model will feature revised exterior styling at both ends, some minor enhancements in the cabin, and likely upgraded powertrains, with a battery-electric derivative said to join the internal combustion versions.Ford's facelifted Puma will get new lighting units up front, which may look similar to those of the outgoing car, but they will at least sport new graphics. Featuring a different pattern, the grille should be just as big as before, and the lower section of the bumper will be new. This will include different lines for the central intake, redesigned side vents, and probably a slightly chunkier integrated apron.We wouldve dedicated at least one paragraph to the profile if it were a new generation. However, it soldiers on with no changes, bar likely several added wheel options. Everything looks familiar at the back, too, though we can see that the pattern of the taillights is different. The reflectors can be found in the same place, and the bumper has undergone some mild revisions. The tailgate should still be decorated with the Puma lettering below the Blue Oval logo.We have yet to take a clear look inside the facelifted Ford Puma , but it appears that the brand's designers paid more attention to it than they did to the exterior. Thus, it seems that the climate vents were relocated, and a new steering wheel will likely be introduced. We believe some minor enhancements could be made to the center console, but overall, it will look basically the same.As for the two main screens, the digital cluster and the infotainment system, they might be replaced altogether by new units, which should feature new software. The infotainment system could measure 12 inches in diagonal this time around, replacing the old 8-inch unit, and the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster could boast some revisions of its own. We also expect new interior trim options, which would draw a clearer line between the two iterations of the subcompact crossover and likely more advanced driving assistance systems.The Ford Puma is based on the same construction as the last-gen Fiesta, and it comes with several gasoline engines, some of which were partially electrified. The 1.0-liter mild-hybrid three-pots will likely return, making 123 hp (125 ps/92) and 153 hp (155 ps/114 kW), and the same units when it comes to the sportiest flavor of all, the Puma ST In the current iteration, you are looking at a 1.0-liter three-banger making 168 hp (170 ps/125 kW), mated to a seven-speed auto 'box, and the 1.5-liter three-pot found on the dead Fiesta ST , which is rated at 197 hp (200 ps/147 kW) and comes with a six-speed manual transmission. Chances are these units will carry over with minimal to no updates, but we wouldn't be surprised if they gain a few extra horses, either. Also, all versions of the Puma are front-wheel drive, and that won't change.The biggest news power-wise, however, comes in the form of a recent report , which claims the Puma will be joined by a battery-electric sibling sometime next year. If the information is correct, then it will be put together alongside thevariants. It is believed to retain the construction of the models fed by dead dinosaurs, and it should do around 400 km (~250 miles) on a full charge in optimal conditions.While the ICE-powered facelifted Ford Puma is expected to be a few months away from debuting, thewill probably be introduced sometime next year. If you must ask, the current Puma is not being marketed in North America, and that isn't about to change when it comes to the mid-cycle refresh. The most affordable crossover sold by the Blue Oval in the United States is the bigger Escape , which has an MSRP of $29,345. Meanwhile, the current Puma will set buyers back at least 27,400 (equal to $28,870) in Germany. 1 October 2023 15:00 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more After the end of separatism in Garabagh, Armenia and its patrons began to resort to provocations that would ignite the next war. Before that, Armenia, which tried to create provocations and sabotages around Lachin under the false testimony of the European Union mission group, in the name of humanitarian aid, this time started to cause joint provocations in the assassination of the Azerbaijani soldier. Thus, the EU mission came to the conventional borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and allegedly started monitoring there. However, yesterday, a sniper of the Armenian armed forces martyred an Azerbaijani soldier by shooting him from the point that the mission group is standing right now. And in order not to allow Azerbaijan to respond to this provocation, the mission group keeps standing at the firing point of Armenia. It should be noted that the EU mission group supposedly fulfills the obligation to ensure peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the future by conducting monitoring in the territory of Armenia, as well as to promote the border delimitation and demarcation process. However, the representatives of the mission have not taken any measures regarding peace and negotiations, on the contrary, they have repeatedly made unfair accusations against Azerbaijan when separatism was yet existed in Azerbaijan's Garabagh economic region. Undoubtedly, this action of Armenia and the EU mission group supporting them is clearly defending terrorism. This also clearly shows that the EU and its mission group sent to the South Caucasus under the guise of "peace" are directly supporting the process of arming Armenia. Such a move by the EU aims to turn both Armenia and the South Caucasus region into a second Ukraine and Syria. Far from peace and constructiveness, Armenia once again shows that it is a tool in the hands of the Western forces and that it is the party that wants at least a passive war to continue in the region. Your browser doesn't support video. Please download the file: video/mp4 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Babayan David Klimovich, born in Khankendi in 1973, held the "positions" of the so-called "Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration, Assistant to the President for Foreign Policy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Assistant to the President for Special Assignments" of the separatist regime in 2013-2023, during the 44-day war, as well as during anti-terrorism measures carried out to restore territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and ensuring the safety of the population, was engaged in instilling nationalism and hatred, and in a criminal conspiracy with other "leading officials" of the separatist regime, coordinated the activities of separatist terrorist groups. There is still much to talk about this and other figures, who used to talk nonsense sitting in Azerbaijans Khankendi, relying on the Russian peacekeepers who never cared about them. So what happened at the end? So far, we listened to many rhetorics of Ruben Vardanyan. He spoke in such a way that it was as if he was completely confident about something. Although he was a millionaire and received "support" from various circles, none of this helped him escape from Lachin border control. Perhaps, when the so-called politician parachuted into Grabagh, he was so reassured that he did not even imagine the situation he would find himself in today. Like Ruben, David Babayan had also anti-Azerbaijani speeches full of nonsense and pathetic promises to the Armenian society. They have repeatedly confused the people with such promises and made the processes that would actually be possible even more difficult. The so-called elections held on September 9 made it even more necessary to literally eradicate the separatist elements. Although they hoped to gain something by using the weapons that they smuggled illegally and secretly through the Lachin road on September 19 in the terrorist attacks, all plans were crushed by the Azerbaijani army. Thus, in only 23 hours and 43 minutes, the separatist groups in Garabagh surrendered with a white flag. However, their so-called leaders hoped for help from Armenia and allegedly relied on the power of weapons provided by India to increase tension in the South Caucasus. And finally, their hopes were also in vain. Currently, according to the investigation and search measures conducted by the Azerbaijani side, several people involved in crimes such as Babayan, Vardanyan, Manukyan, and Khachatryan are waiting for their turn to be arrested. This also applies to a group of swindlers who live in a revanchist spirit and spew aggression against Azerbaijan with every breath. Let them not forget that a group of Armenian students like them had to serve 10 days in prison for disrespecting the Azerbaijani flag and apologized for their actions. Yesterday's assault on the Turkish ambassador and embassy employees by a group of Armenian revanchists in the United States shows once again that there will still be a need for a large number of cells in prisons in Azerbaijan. Hooliganism and physical attacks on diplomatic representatives will certainly not go unanswered. Their identity will be established and punishments will be determined. Because there is only one way - either to put aside aggression and revanchism and live in peace or otherwise they will have to feel the iron fist all over the world in all cases. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 11:10 (UTC+04:00) The 13th International Astronautical Federation (IAF) International Meeting for Ministers and Parliamentarians (MMOP) has kicked off in Baku. The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan is hosting the event themed "Space Solutions in the Political Agenda A Must for Policy Makers", which is attended by IAF President Clay Mowry and others. The event participants will hold discussions on three panel topics: "Space Solutions Enhancing Public Services", "Space Solutions for Disasters and Risk Management", "Space Solutions for Resources Management". Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 11:35 (UTC+04:00) "The International Astronautical Congress is returning to the South Caucasus region after half a century," chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship Tahir Mirkishili said during the 13th IAF International Meeting for Ministers and Parliamentarians (MMOP). "Let me say that this is a very rational choice. A rational choice because it is a return to traditions, here in Baku, 50 years ago, in 1973, the 24th congress was held on the initiative of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev. This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the great leader and honor his memory. Now our country is hosting the biggest space event - the 74th International Astronautical Congress in 2023. This means that the International Astronautical Congress is returning to our region after half a century. Both in terms of content and number of participants, this congress is more representative than all previous ones," he said. Speaking about the services of the well-known Azerbaijani scientist Nasreddin Tusi in the field of astronautics, the chairman of the committee expressed his confidence that the event will contribute to the field of space. He added that Azerbaijan is negotiating with many countries of the world for cooperation in the field of space. The country is a supporter of peace and cooperation as one of the stable countries. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 13:18 (UTC+04:00) Iran will reconsider the issue of Farid Safarli, a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, convicted in this country, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev told reporters. "During a meeting with my Iranian colleague, I asked that this issue be treated in accordance with the principles of humanism. He, in turn, promised that the issue would be reviewed based on the principles of humanism," said Kamran Aliyev. Recall that a student at the University of Jena in Germany, Farid Gabil oglu Safarli (born in 1997), visited Iran on February 20, 2023, and there has been no news from him since March 4. It later turned out that he was arrested in Iran. On July 19, the charge of espionage brought against Farid Safarli during the trial was replaced by the charge of "intent to carry out espionage." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Azerbaijan takes major steps to turn into a space hub, Azercosmos Deputy Chairman Fuad Aslanov said this at the 13th International Astronautical Federation (IAF) International Meeting for Ministers and Parliamentarians (MMOP). In his speech, Fuad Aslanov also stressed the importance of the proper use of the possibilities of environmental protection through space. He added that Azerbaijan conducts monitoring and submits its reports on space activities. "Along with other spheres, we pay special attention to agriculture. We also observe the changes taking place in the period of global warming. We have an opportunity to follow the processes taking place with the help of Earth observation satellites. As Azercosmos, we also prioritize the field of education. For this purpose, we work directly with a number of educational institutions in the country and will continue this work. Azerbaijan has become the center of the region in energy, business and many other areas. We will make every effort to turn our country into a space center," he said. Azercosmos Deputy Chairman expressed confidence that the 74th International Astronautical Congress in Baku will further contribute to the development of the space industry. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Turkiye has put forward its candidature as host for the International Astronautical Congress (IAF) 2026. Turkiye's Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Ahmet Yozgatligil said that during a press conference held as part of the13th IAF international session, Azernews reports. He stressed the importance of the final decision to be made in Azerbaijan. Notably, the International Congress of the International Astronautical Federation for Ministers and Members of Parliament (MMoP) has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 17:12 (UTC+04:00) Space technologies should be used to speed up landmine clearance activities in Azerbaijan's Grabagh, Azerbaijani MP Vugar Bayramov said during the 13th IAF international session. "I come from Fuzuli, which is located in the Karabakh region. Currently, there is a process of returning former IDPs to their homes. In particular, about 70,000 people are returning to Fuzuli. It is also worth mentioning the problem of demining. In this context, it is necessary to use space technology to accelerate the demining process, as to date more than 300 people have fallen victim to mines. This figure shows that it is extremely important to use space technology for humanitarian purposes. Therefore, the support of the international community to Azerbaijan is necessary," he said. Following the liberation of its territories, Azerbaijan started carrying out operations on clearing its lands from mines, booby traps, and various weapons left behind by the Armenian troops. During the mine clearance operations conducted from September 4 through September 10, 31 anti-personnel and 12 anti-tank mines, as well as 214 unexploded ordnance were found and defused in Azerbaijan's Terter, Khojavend, Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrail, Lachin, Gubadli and Zangilan. An area of 5,246 hectares was checked. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting was organized on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Turkey's government said on Sunday two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the interior ministry buildings in Ankara, adding one of them died in the explosion and the other was "neutralised" by the authorities there. An explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings, Turkish media had earlier reported, and broadcasters showed footage of debris scattered on a street nearby. The blast was the first in Ankara since 2016, and comes on the day that parliament was set to open a new session. Reuters footage showed soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks and armoured vehicles gathered at the ministry near the centre of Turkey's capital. Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said on social media platform X that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident at 9:30 a.m. (local time). "Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack," he said. He added that one blew himself up and the other was "neutralised," which usually means was killed. "Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised," Yerlikaya wrote. Police also announced they would carry out controlled explosions for "suspicious package incidents" in other parts of Ankara. Authorities did not identify any specific militant group. The blast comes almost a year after six people were killed and 81 wounded in an explosion in a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul. Turkey blamed Kurdish militants for that. During a spate of violence in 2015 and 2016, Kurdish militants, Islamic State and other groups either claimed or were blamed for several attacks in major Turkish cities. In March 2016, 37 people were killed in Ankara when a bomb-laden car exploded at a crowded central transport hub. Ankara's chief prosecutor launched an investigation Sunday into what it also called a terrorist attack. President Tayyip Erdogan was set at 7:30 p.m. to attend the opening of parliament, which in the coming weeks is expected to consider ratifying Sweden's bid to join NATO after Turkey had raised initial objections. Turkish media reported that authorities were carrying out checks of the parliament after the blast at the ministry. A source told Reuters that the entrance was open but no cars were allowed through as part of the precautions. (Reuters) 1 October 2023 19:00 (UTC+04:00) American entrepreneur and founder of Tesla and SpaceX companies Elon Musk will address the 74th International Astronautical Congress, which starts on October 7 in Baku. Former member of the European Parliament and ex-president of the International Astronautical Federation Jean-Yves Le Gallou said this during the 13th session of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), Azernews reports. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 19:30 (UTC+04:00) Representatives of Kazakhstan will take part in the International Astronautical Congress in Baku. Advisor to the President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Dominique Tilmans said this during a press conference at the meeting of the 13th international session of the IAF, Azernews reports. "Tomorrow, that is, on the first day of the International Astronautical Congress, representatives from Kazakhstan will arrive in Baku. We will be glad to see them at this event," Tilmans said. Dominique Tilmans noted that the meeting, which was held in Baku, was very interesting and important from the point of view of the space industry. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 18:24 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the terrorist act near the building of the Turkish Ministry of Interior. The post shared on the ministrys X platform says: "We express our solidarity with Turkiye struck by terrorism, and always support the fight against all forms and manifestations of terrorism." There was an explosion near the building of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara. One of the terrorists blew himself up. The explosion and shots were heard in the morning on Ismet Inyonu Boulevard in Ankara, where the buildings of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye and the Ministry are located. It is reported that the explosions occurred near the Interior Ministry building. The road in many directions is closed. "At around 09:30, 2 terrorists who drove a car up to the entrance gate of the Interior Ministry's General Security Directorate carried out a terrorist attack. One of the terrorists blew himself up, the second was neutralized. Two policemen were lightly wounded in the firefight," Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikay said in a statement. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 1 October 2023 18:43 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijanis living in Germany have held a peaceful rally in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the German capital Berlin. The goal of the protest is to put an end to the information attack, full of false information and distortions, directed against Azerbaijan in the German media and circles close to civil society. At the same time, the participants called for supporting peace in the region after the end of the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Contributing columnist Jose Gaspar is a news anchor/reporter for Telemundo Bakersfield and KGET. Email him at elcompa29@gmail.com. The views expressed here are his own. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. When SB 20, the Care for Women, Children, and Families Act, went into effect July 1st, aside from imposing new abortion restrictions, it instated paid parental leave for all state employees, including those who work in schools. The bill was passed by the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly, vetoed by Governor Cooper, and overridden by lawmakers in May.Before SB 20, school employees could have 12 weeks of leave for the birth of their child under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), but this leave was either unpaid or compensated using saved personal or sick leave days.Paid parental leave was only available to the small cohort of state employees covered under a 2019 executive order that gave paid leave only to a select category of state employees, notably not including public school employees.Under the order, to qualify for paid leave one must be an employee who had been continuously employed by the state for the immediate twelve preceding months. Employees who gave birth were thus eligible for either eight weeks of paid parental leave or just four weeks for any other qualifying event (including).The new leave policy in SB 20 allows a leave policy similar to the executive order, but includes public school employees. Under the policy, if an employee give birth to a child, they are entitled to eight weeks of paid leave, while a non-birthing new parent, or foster parent, can have a maximum of four weeks.Part-time employees are also eligible but can only receive a prorated leave based on their regular hours. Meanwhile, employees who generally receive overtime will be compensated based on their regular pay, not including overtime.Employees will still be able to take off up to 12 weeks under FMLA, unpaid or through other accumulated sick leave or personal leave.The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is still working on creating specific implementation guidance for schools to deal with the higher number of teachers taking paid leave. SB 20 already appropriated $10 million to DPI to pay for substitute teachers.The current up-to-date paid parental leave policy can be found on the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources website.Ardis Watkins, Executive Director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC), stated that although this will especially help improve the lives of public healthcare workers, she would still like to see more done on other family-related issues to make North Carolina attractive to younger workers, like raising their wages and set reasonable reimbursement rates for hospitals, to enable state employees to afford healthcare.said Watkins. The populist / nationalist anti-immigration euroskeptic Smer Party, led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico has won the most seats in Slovakia's parliamentary election and appears set to form a coalition government. Like the Five Star Movement it Italy, its agenda is a mix of positions of the right and left with an overall emphasis on populism and nationalism. It won 42 seats in the 150 member parliament, a gain of 4, to emerge as the largest party, while Hlas-SD, an offshoot of Smer that broke away but has a similar agenda and led by another former prime minister, came in third with 27 seats. A new nationalist party of the right, the Slovak Nationalist Party, entered parliament for the first time with 10 seats. It is strongly anti-immigration and euroskeptic. The Freedom and Solidarity Party, which has strongly libertarian economic views, pushing for smaller government and lower taxes, and is known for making Slovakia's income tax a flat rate rather than progressive rate tax, won 11 seats. The traditional conservative Ordinary Peoples Party won 16 seats, while the center-right Christian Democrats returned to parliament with 12 after losing all its seats in the previous election. The traditional left consolidated around the new Progressive Slovakia, which entered parliament with 32 seats. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/robert-fico-wins-election-in-slovakia/ Business is simple, Mr. Foster told The Epoch Times. Everybody gets buy-low, sell-high. But we teach business skills: negotiating, ethics, p&l [profit and loss], optimizing factories, pitching, meet-and-greet, evaluating startups, profit marginsand kids love this stuff! The program also includes a three-dimensional computer model called "Linke" that Mr. Foster created, in which kids can manipulate inputs and outputs throughout the production linefrom raw materials, labor, and capital, through to finished products. For one exercise, we give them a parts list and a price list, and a set of specifications for the parts, he said. And then from that, they do the accounting and make a p&l, and then they explain their production strategy to the class. As part of the program, middle-schoolers often take field trips to visit companies and speak with owners and executives. They must come prepared with thoughtful questions about things like sales volumes, profit margins, marketing strategies, and what keeps owners up at night. Were teaching 11- and 12-year-old kids business cycle theory and capital structure and things that you wont get outside of grad school, he said. Its just very cool; its very exciting. 'They Look at the World Differently' Ms. Vitacca decided to try the program with her middle school students and was amazed at what she saw. Its fascinating how quickly they catch on because its logicalits common sense, she said. I usually start each lesson going through vocabulary to understand the terminology, then theres an activity to do, and the activity is what makes it come alive for them. Some of my students dont necessarily do well in history, but they thrive in this environment. They love it, and Ive loved watching a different side of their personalities come out, she said. Some of the kids that are not necessarily good at just sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen or reading a textbook, can do the hands-on, and it comes to life. They're so engaged, and at the end of the year, they still remember it. I mean, they're all over it, she said. And it's the terms, the price discovery, the law of supply and demand, all of that, it just makes perfect sense to them. As the students began to grasp these concepts, Ms. Vitacca also noticed a change in their outlook. They look at the world differently, she said. They look at the money they have to spend, how they can earn money, how to make good decisions with that money. They're no longer looking at it as a child, as being dependent on your parents giving you money, she said. They're starting to think more and plan for their future and how they can earn money, how they can spend money, all of those things. Mr. Foster emphasizes that it is not an online program in which the kid is sitting in front of a device, and reading the paragraph and clicking next. Instead, the program teaches the teachers. The kids dont need a device, he said. The teacher delivers the material and runs the activities. And he believes he is offering something that is missing from the curricula of teachers colleges, and missing from many grade school curriculums as well. A Counterpoint to Karl Marx What teachers get, going through the education process to become a teacher, is basically socialism, Mr. Foster said. The amount of ignorance about free markets and economics, throughout the population, is phenomenal. Schools of education are some of the last places where students actually read [Karl] Marx, the founder of socialist economics, he said. Everyone else has realized that is crazy, but in the schools of education, Marx is still assigned and read. One of the beautiful things that we see is that, were not just teaching students, were teaching teachers as well, he said. Weve undone 18 years of indoctrination in a matter of weeks. Theyve never seen this side of the story before; theyve only seen the bumper stickers. One aspect of the program is to demonstrate the information that is generated by free-market economies through the price mechanism, and how you cannot make proper decisions on allocating resources without it. As part of the program, students are asked to play the role of factory managers who must decide about producing some combination of four products. Initially, students are only told what the products do, so they debate which product they think is most important. Then they are given input costs and sales prices, from which they calculate profit margins for each product. This allows them to see if enough people actually want the products theyre making, and whether they can afford to build them. Then the conversation shifts, and students begin to create a product mix that keeps the company running profitably. We play that game for a little while until they understand that without prices, you are blind as a bat, Mr. Foster said. To demonstrate this idea visually, Mr. Foster said, We show them the satellite, nighttime photos of North and South Korea, and we say, So whats happening in North Korea? They dont have prices there, and whoever the guy is whos in charge of the central plan, he has no more idea how to run his factories than you would without prices, though he has to pretend he does because his very life depends on that, he said. And so they understand exactly what a price does, and exactly how blind you are, and what the consequences are if you dont have prices in your economy. Mr. Foster, who started his career in chemical engineering and then gained experience managing plants before going on to work in corporate strategy, said the idea to develop the Middle School MBA program hit him while he was a volunteer teaching Junior Achievement classes. I just kept adding things to my classes until I had my own curriculum, he said. And one day, I was on the way to class, and I thought, Why am I just teaching 14 kids? I should teach 14,000. Middle School Is the Logic Stage Many would have thought that middle schoolers are too young to grasp complex economic concepts like the price mechanism and supply and demand, but teachers have found that the kids readily grasp these ideas if they are presented properly. Economics is not some sophisticated academic field of study that requires years of prerequisites, Connor Boyack, creator of the Tuttle Twins book series, told The Epoch Times. Its simply the study of human behaviorwhy people behave the way they do, what motivates them, what tradeoffs exist, what incentives are, etc. Like Middle School MBA, the Tuttle Twins teaches kids, and their parents, about free-market economics, what money is, how finance works, and how capitalism serves the public by providing goods that people want or need. Mr. Boyack teaches these concepts through stories, and to date, he has sold more than 5 million books to young readers. These are concepts that kids can absolutely understand when presented in a simple way, relevant to their lives and the world they are a part of, Mr. Boyack said. They call middle school the logic stage, Mr. Foster said. Prior to that, kids are just learning facts. But when they get to the logic stage, they want the connections between the facts theyve learned, and thats what economics is aboutall these connections and how all these things fit together, he said. At this stage, theyre seriously thinking about these things, and what we do is we show them the landscape, what its like out there. Ms. Vitacca said her students now have an idea of what it takes to start a business. But in addition, I also talk about, when youre going to be an employee, what skills can you bring? We focus on those people skills, attitude, work ethic, she said. I had a guest speaker come in at the end of the first year I taught this program, and he said, I can teach someone how to run a cash register, but I cannot teach them attitude: Are they willing to learn? Are they willing to work hard? Will they smile and greet customers? Mr. Foster says the Middle School MBA program is now being taught in schools from New York to Texas, and though it initially got traction in elite private schools, he is now seeing interest from public schools as well. Its the principals and teachers that are ambitious for their kidsthose are our customers, he said. Regardless of the political leanings of particular states and counties, he said, We want our kids to know everything; we want them to succeed, and so its not really a function of geography; its just the personal attributes of administrators. Its a modern tragedy when our academic institutions are the source of ignorance and error, Mr. Boyack said. Too many educators are activists, using their classroom as a platform for social agendas and political ideologies. They promote a victimhood mentality, whether regarding race or economic status, and help children to perceive themselves as oppressed in a Marxist-style class warfare through which they should struggle. Frankly, kids reading the Tuttle Twins books often boast that they know more than most adults, he said. Sadly, theyre not wrong. While many school curriculums focus on social justice and grievance ideology, students who only learned those topics could find themselves getting left behind after they graduate. Students who learn to think economically, by contrast, may grow up to have a substantial head start. Everything happens at the margins, Mr. Foster said. There are kids that are incredibly bright and tough and motivated. You only need a half a percent of the population to be that, and youve got it made. Theyll lead the rest of them where they need to go. Teaching Critical Thinking to College Students For older students, Allen Mendenhall, a business professor at Troy University in Alabama, established the Free Enterprise Scholars Program, which teaches undergraduates about some of the more intricate aspects of modern-day capitalism. This includes topics like the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) industry and stakeholder capitalism, which have taken hold of much of Wall Street and corporate America. Even in business schools, perspectives are presented in only one way, Mr. Mendenhall told The Epoch Times. As a business student, you have to learn about ESG because its permeated all areas of business. So in order to be competent in the business world, you have to learn about ESG, he said. However, the way it is typically taught is very one-sided; you dont get a variety of perspectives on it, and you certainly dont get critical perspectives. Through a series of readings, seminars, discussions, and guest speakers from the business world, Troys Free Enterprise Scholars Program works to show an alternative side of the ESG industry. We teach the value of what we call traditional ethics, Mr. Mendenhall said. We try to show how ESG and related concepts can actually lead to unethical behaviors. One of the criticisms of the ESG movement is that it centralizes key elements of the economy in the hands of a few powerful players and encourages companies to collude illegally in violation of antitrust laws or to violate civil rights laws with things like racial quotas for hiring and promotion. Students in school today have all been taught from a young age that you just want to save the world and do good things, he said. But theyve never pulled back the curtain to look at, what people purport to be good is actually doing all this nefarious stuff. Most people look at corporate America, and they think corporations are always pro-free-market, but thats almost never the case because the bigger a company gets, the more likely it is to lobby for regulations, to lobby for new barriers to entry. While many students in universities and grade schools are being taught that socialism is morally superior to capitalism because it ensures equality and facilitates central planning to fight things like global warming, Mr. Boyack says that students should be reminded of the benefits of the free market and the ties between economic freedom and political freedom. Goods and money are really an extension of us; they represent the stored value of time and energy we previously spent, he said. When the government restricts our ability to tradewhen it makes things cost more, devalues our money, or limits our ability to access certain productsthen it really is restricting our freedom of time and how we spend our energy. Students who question concepts like ESG and stakeholder capitalism may find themselves in the minority when they graduate, and may face difficulties in their careers if they challenge corporate orthodoxy, Mr. Mendenhall said. But we need people who are going into corporate America who actually have principles and who are courageous about them. Comedian Katherine Ryan says that she was asked for the names of women after she claimed there was a predator in the entertainment industry in an interview with Louis Theroux last year. During the interview, Ryan, 40, told documentarian Theroux, 53, that she could not name the male comic as it would be a litigious minefield but mentioned that she had been on a TV programme with him and told the individual he was a predator to his face. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs, Ryan spoke about the public response to the interview and said: I got a lot of pushback. Why wont you say who it is? Its because, that everyone knows who it is. What theyre asking me for is the womens names. And thats what I wont give there are a few womens names that I think investigators are looking for and thats what theyre asking me for. Katherine Ryan is a Canadian comedian (Suzan Moore/PA) No-ones asking me for his name. So its funny how people go straight to accusing you, like you are the problem, you wont give his name. And its like, were not the problem. I had a choice. I could go to work with someone whom I believe to be a perpetrator of sexual assault, or I could turn down the job. Those were my options. So I wrestled with that, I thought, what am I meant to do in this instance? Am I meant to go and be near someone that I think these things about? But the choice is, do I go to work with someone who I think is very problematic and do I stand near them and laugh and smile and look like I am allowing this kind of person to still be on television or do I stay home? And that was really difficult for me. Thats what I wrestled with the most because I believe that this person was or is dangerous, but also what am I going to change if I stay home? And so I decided my compromise was alright Im gonna go, but Im going to let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him. Im not going to just smile and look like Im allowing this behaviour. Im not gonna let him think that I dont know and that everybody he works with is just going to let him get away with it. So that is the attitude that I took into the show. And did I do the right thing or the wrong thing? I still dont know. But I just felt like why should I stay home? He should stay home. But if hes going to be there, Im going to be there and Im going to tell him what I think. Reports have previously suggested Ryan, in the Theroux interview, was referring to her time on Comedy Centrals Roast Battle in 2018 alongside Russell Brand but the Canadian comic has not confirmed she was referring to Brand and has not named the show she was working on with the alleged predator. Brand was recently accused of rape, assault and emotional abuse by four women in a joint investigation between The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4s Dispatches. Brand, who also faces a police inquiry, strongly denies the claims. A green/red lane system for the movement of goods comes into effect into Northern Ireland on Sunday (Liam McBurney/PA) A green/red lane system for the movement of goods and not for EU labels are among key measures of the Windsor Framework coming into effect for Northern Ireland on Sunday. Goods coming into the region which are travelling to the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the EU will use the conceptual red lane, which includes customs declarations and some checks. Goods to be sold in Northern Ireland will use a notional green lane with minimal paperwork and no checks. Companies that use the green lane will be signed up to a trusted trader scheme. The Windsor Framework has already introduced the same VAT, alcohol duty and energy tax rules as the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland, which did not exist under the Protocol. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said the vast majority of Northern Irelands economic life remains umbilically connected to the rest of the UK, with most of the economy untouched by anything in the Windsor Framework, adding that concerns over the supply of human medicines have been addressed. Sundays changes are designed to cut paperwork and red tape for many traders. Mr Heaton-Harris wrote in the News Letter on Saturday: The steak bake or infamous sausage roll will never again need to be accompanied by a signed certificate from a vet to move into NI from GB, removing a major irritant with the old arrangements. Consumers may notice some changes in Northern Ireland and parts of the UK with the introduction of not for EU labels and other information in stores on some products, to prevent these from being sold in Ireland. These labels on meat and dairy will apply in stores in Great Britain next year. Stuart Anderson, head of public affairs for Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: A significant amount of work has been undertaken in a short time to get us to this implementation phase, particularly by those involved in the retail supply chain. These are new processes being applied to what are often high-volume and complex movements. But business has worked hard to ensure we get off to the best possible start. This is new for everyone involved. Continued engagement and a solutions-focused approach with government will be important to help businesses adapt and deal with any issues as and when they arise. Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the whereabouts of a missing man. The PSNI say Daniel Kerr was last heard from at 4.56am on Sunday morning (October 1). He is 31 years old and approximately 6ft. His current clothing is not known, and he was believed to be driving a White Ford Focus in the north Belfast area. Anybody who has seen Daniel or has any information on his whereabouts, is asked to contact 101 quoting incident number 368 of 01/10/2023. A puppy has died after being attacked by two dogs in Lurgan. The incident happened in the William Street area of the town on Friday afternoon. According to a post on social media, the two dogs that mauled the other - a puppy named Bruno - were XL Bullies, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced would be banned following a spate of attacks. The ban, however, will only apply to England, Scotland and Wales - not Northern Ireland. Regarding Fridays incident in Lurgan, the injured dog was taken to a vet by its owner, where it later died. A PSNI spokesperson said: Police received a report that a dog had been attacked by two dogs in the William Street area of Lurgan on Friday afternoon, September 29th. The injured dog was taken to a local vet by its owner. Police made contact with the owner of the two dogs and the matter was referred to the council dog warden. Lurgan DUP councillor Stephen Moutray stressed the importance of responsible dog ownership. Its vital, particularly with certain breeds, that owners keep them under control, he said. In recent weeks weve seen several incidents in England and elsewhere where XL Bullies have attacked people and the sooner the ban on them comes in the better. Regrettably, the ban wont extend to Northern Ireland, but I think it should. Westminster does have the power to do this, as weve seen regarding other issues where theyve gone over the heads of politicians here and introduced legislation. The ban on the American XL Bully dog breed will come into effect by the end of the year, Rishi Sunak has pledged. Concerns have been raised that Northern Ireland could become a dumping ground for these dogs as the ban will not extend to here. Siobhan McHaffie of the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the charity is braced for an influx of the dogs when the ban comes into force. We would expect that Northern Ireland will become a dumping ground, but even if it doesnt there will be ramifications, she said last month. An XL Bully is a status dog and is hard to look after. People have been relinquishing them before the ban was even announced. We have been inundated with requests from worried owners. Ms McHaffie added that the XL Bully is not necessarily dangerous. A lot it comes down to responsible ownership and consulting with qualified animal behaviourists if there are problems, she said. Pacemaker Press 01/10/23 PSNI and forensic officers at a crime scene on the corner of Cedar Avenue and The Antrim road on Sunday. PIC PACEMAKER Pacemaker Press 01/10/23 PSNI and forensic officers at a crime scene on the corner of Cedar Avenue and The Antrim road on Sunday. PIC PACEMAKER Pacemaker Press 01/10/23 PSNI and forensic officers at a crime scene on the corner of Cedar Avenue and The Antrim road on Sunday. PIC PACEMAKER Two men have been arrested following an assault in north Belfast in which a man was hospitalised. Police received a report of a man having been assaulted in the Cedar Avenue area in the early hours of Sunday morning (October 1). Police confirmed the victim was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries. One man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving. Another has been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. They remain in custody at this time. Enquiries are continuing. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it is time for unionists who oppose the post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland to hold our nerve. He was speaking as the new green and red lanes for trade came into operation on Sunday. The system is designed to reduce trade bureaucracy when it comes to goods coming into NI from Great Britain. Goods from GB that are to be sold in Northern Ireland will use the green lane, which involves reduced checks and paperwork through a trusted trader scheme for businesses. The red lane is for good moving through NI into the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the EU. These goods will undergo enhanced checks and full customs documentation will have to be provided. Amending the original Northern Ireland Protocol, the Windsor Framework was agreed earlier this year by the UK Government and the EU. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, however, has said the framework does not adequately address his partys concerns over the post-Brexit arrangements. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the factions vying for the steering wheel in the DUP The DUP are continuing a boycott of the Stormont institutions over the issue. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference on Sunday, the Secretary of State said more than 1,600 businesses have signed up to a trusted trader scheme under the Windsor Framework, meaning more traders than ever want to do business in NI. In his speech, Chris Heaton-Harris has been working to get politicians back to Stormont and that there is "scope" to deal with unionist concerns. "So I say to my friends in the unionist community we will continue working to answer your remaining concerns, he added. Matthew OToole, the SDLPs Stormont leader, said the "certainty and progress marked by the Windsor Framework implementation is welcome. After years of chaos British Government has no desire to put at risk the economic and diplomatic benefits of a less hostile relationship with the EU, no matter how loudly the DUP shout. The only people being put under pressure by their boycott are ordinary people. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: Just because the Windsor Framework is the product of unionists standing together does not mean we are morally obliged to accept it. Nor should it mean that further progress is not possible. This is a time to hold our nerve. He added: The DUP is clear that a pathway to fully-functioning institutions at Stormont will only emerge if Northern Irelands position within the United Kingdom is protected in law - UK law. "The UK Government gave a commitment in the New Decade, New Approach Agreement to protect Northern Irelands place in the UK Internal Market and this remains unfinished business. We do not believe Northern Ireland businesses that do not trade with the EU and only trade within the United Kingdom should be required to exclusively abide by EU laws. Greater flexibility is needed in the measures to be introduced, including in relation to the operation of the proposed Green and Red lanes. Progress in these areas is possible. Within Government there is now a belated but welcome recognition that our concerns are not only legitimate but integral to future political stability in Northern Ireland. The Alliance Partys Stephen Farry said the Windsor Framework is an upgrade on the NI Protocol. "The need for this is an outworking of Brexit and the shape of Brexit chosen by others, he added. "The vast majority of people want to see pragmatic solutions to our particular circumstances. The DUP boycott of the Assembly is achieving nothing and instead is only bringing more and more pain across the board. Michael Gove has backed keeping the option of leaving the ECHR (Peter Byrne/PA) Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Kemi Badenoch have backed keeping open the option of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights as they struggle to curb unauthorised Channel crossings. But there were signs of a Cabinet split as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said exiting the ECHR is not necessary to protect our borders and security minister Tom Tugendhat questioned that such a move could create problems for the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, also called for pre-election tax cuts amid speculation that leading figures were jostling for the support of the Tory right in case of a future leadership contest. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the option of leaving the ECHR should be kept open (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made threats about the ECHR as her Rwanda asylum policy remains stalled in the courts following legal challenges. Ms Badenoch, the Business Secretary, told the Sunday Times that leaving the ECHR is definitely something that needs to be on the table. Mr Gove, who supported Ms Badenoch in the Tory leadership contest to replace Boris Johnson, said they should keep every option open when asked at the Conservative conference in Manchester. He declined to go further and say whether he actually supported leaving the convention when pressed at the event for the Onward think tank. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made threats about the ECHR (Stefan Rousseau/PA) On the same panel, Mr Tugendhat said he is always happy to listen to ideas but added I like to have the solutions that go along with them particularly raising concerns about the Northern Ireland peace treaty, which incorporates the ECHR. What is the alternative for the GFA, for the devolved assemblies and administrations, what does it mean for the various different agreements weve struck already that are underpinned by it? the security minister asked. Mr Cleverly was pressed, during a later Onward event, on his position on UK membership of the convention. I dont feel in order to achieve what we need to achieve to protect our borders, we are necessitated to leave the ECHR, he said. The decisions we have made are completely within the boundaries of international law. He joked that in the same way both the UK and France now make excellent wine, a lot of things that are wonderful overseas, we are able to produce here in the UK. And left-wing activist judges, weve got quite a few of those in the UK. He added: As a government you have to deal with the judicial system and, were it not the ECHR, Im sure we would have domestic judges that were trying to prevent us discharging our duty to British people. Dame Priti Patel, the former home secretary, was taking aim at her successor Ms Braverman, saying her high-profile and hardline speech on immigration while in the US last week was designed to get attention. But she said that pledges, statements and promises are no substitute for action as she said voters were sick of a failure to deliver. Dame Priti Patel took aim at her successor (Aaron Chown/PA) Ms Braverman has in the past claimed the ECHR has restricted the Governments efforts to implement policies such as the Rwanda scheme. In her Washington speech, Ms Braverman said that attempting reform of the ECHR will see you smeared as anti-refugee. I reject that notion that a country cannot be expected to respect human rights if it is not signed up to an international human rights organisation, she said. (It is) as if the UK doesnt have a proud history of human rights dating back to Magna Carta, and the ECHR is all that is holding us back from becoming Russia. America, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan seem to manage just fine. The Defence Secretary has announced 4 billion worth of contracts with British firms as part of the development of the hunter-killer submarine programme. Grant Shapps said the submarines, which are to be nuclear-powered and conventionally armed, would be the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy. The Defence Secretary also announced RAF Typhoons have been sent to Poland to support the UK ally from the threat of Russian interference, and that hundreds of extra troops will be deployed in Kosovo following a request from Nato. Speaking on the main stage of the Tory conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps said: Today, I can announce that weve signed contracts worth 4 billion with leading British businesses to drive forward the development of the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy. Mr Shapps said these hunter-killer Aukus submarines will empower the Royal Navy to maintain our strategic advantage under the sea, and will support thousands of jobs. The Conservative Party said the contracts have been signed with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock Marine, and will support thousands of British jobs. Mr Shapps also told the conference: I can announce the UK has stepped up again with two deployments. First in response to requests from our Polish friends, RAF Typhoons are landing in Poland as I speak to support our Nato ally with the greater threat of Russian interference. I authorised the full deployment of a battalion-size UK strategic reservists to Natos Kosovo peacekeeping mission. In the days ahead, hundreds of soldiers from the 1st battalion Princess of Waless Royal Regiment will join 400 British servicemen and women already in Kosovo. The baby who never cries: NI mum amazed by progress of child born with rare condition that stopped him speaking Pups found in accuseds van too young to be without their mothers Puppy smuggler Aaron Phillips will be back in court this month on charges of breaching animal transport regulations. The 40-year-old has now been charged with breaches of that law following his conviction for causing unnecessary suffering to 34 puppies and adult dogs found in his van. Phillips is accused of moving eight of those pups that were under eight weeks of age and not in the company of their mother, along with a female springer spaniel which was not fit for the journey. He is also alleged to have moved the pups in a way likely to cause them injury or undue suffering. Phillips is further accused of transporting 21 dogs without the required documentation and of transporting dogs without authorisation from the competent authority. The case is due to be mentioned at before Belfast Magistrates Court on October 10. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of three months in prison and or a fine of not more than 5,000. Charges came after Ballynahinch man Phillips was stopped on Dargan Drive in the docks area of Belfast on June 23, 2020, and 34 adult dogs and puppies were found in the back of his van. One of the dogs, a Jack Russell puppy, was so small it was able to sit in the hand of an animal welfare officer. Sadly, that dog was so ill it later died while being cared for by Belfast City Councils animal welfare team. The moment Aaron Phillips was caught smuggling puppies At the same court last month a prosecution lawyer told District Judge George Conner that Phillips was on his way to catch a ferry to Birkenhead, with a vet of the opinion that some of the pups would not have survived the 10-hour sea crossing. Many of the dogs were too young to be travelling or away from their mothers as they were not even old enough to be weaned onto solid food. When officers from the Harbour Police opened the doors of his van most of the dogs, which did not have access to food or water, were lethargic with one seen cowering at the back. As one of the puppies was taken from the van it tried to suckle on the fingers of an animal welfare officer. Phillips told the officers he thought the dogs were between nine and 10 weeks old and that he was not long at this, which an animal welfare officer found hard to believe. He later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the 34 dogs. His barrister said Phillips set up a dog transporting business when demand for pups was high during the Covid pandemic. The puppy smuggler struggled to cope with the level of demand and developed a cavalier attitude towards the work, he added. Judge Conner gave him a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and banned him from having or transporting animals for a period of 10 years. -year-old has now been charged with breaches of that law following his conviction for causing unnecessary suffering to 34 puppies and adult dogs found in his van. Phillips is accused of moving eight of those pups that were under eight weeks of age and not in the company of their mother, along with a female springer spaniel which was not fit for the journey. He is also alleged to have moved the pups in a way likely to cause them injury or undue suffering. Phillips is further accused of transporting 21 dogs without the required documentation and of transporting dogs without authorisation from the competent authority. The case is due to be mentioned at before Belfast Magistrates Court on October 10. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of three months in prison and or a fine of not more than 5,000. They came after Ballynahinch man Phillips was stopped on Dargan Drive in the docks area of Belfast on June 23, 2020 and 34 adult dogs and puppies were found in the back of his van. The beagle-type puppies found in Phillips' van One of the dogs, a Jack Russell puppy, was so small it was able to sit in the hand of an animal welfare officer. Sadly, that dog was so ill it later died while being cared for by Belfast City Councils animal welfare team. At the same court last month a prosecution lawyer told District Judge George Conner that Phillips was on his way to catch a ferry to Birkenhead with a vet of the opinion that some of the pups would not have survived the 10-hour sea crossing. Many of the dogs were too young to be travelling or away from their mothers as they were not even old enough to be weaned onto solid food. When officers from the Harbour Police opened the doors of his van most of the dogs, which did not have access to food or water, were lethargic with one seen cowering at the back. As one of the puppies was taken from the van it tried to suckle on the fingers of an animal welfare officer. Phillips told the officers he thought the dogs were between nine and 10 weeks old and that he was not long at this, which an animal welfare officer found hard to believe. He later pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the 34 dogs. His barrister said Phillips set up a dog transporting business when demand for pups was high during the Covid pandemic. The puppy smuggler struggled to cope with the level of demand and developed a cavalier attitude towards the work, he added. Judge Conner gave him a nine month jail, suspended for two years, and banned him from having or transporting animals for a period of 10 years. Nolan prison documentary thug moved to open prison ahead of release A dangerous killer who boasted to TV presenter Stephen Nolan about his cushy life behind bars is on the verge of being freed. David Monster Thompson has been moved from Maghaberry jail to the Burren House open prison in Belfast in preparation for life on the outside. In a recent episode of BBC NIs Jailed: Inside Maghaberry Prison, the 43-year-old killer who has Fear God tattooed on his eyelids told a stunned Nolan how much he loves being locked up. Its brilliant. I love the staff and the prisoners here are good craic. I love it, laughed Thompson, who kicked to death innocent Ryan Neill in Antrim in 2000. Its not hard. I like the (cell) door being locked. Its my own time, quality time. David Thompson's 'Fear God' tattoos on his eyelids Asked by Nolan how he copes with life in jail, Thompson replied: Its all about the mind; its all about how you use the mind. Im not convincing myself, I am comfortable there. I dont come into jail and go, Aaah. What do I want out for? A burger? Sure you can get something to eat here. Sex? Sure you can do that yourself in the cell. Its no big deal. What else do you need in life? But far from being the happy-go-lucky, popular prisoner as he portrayed himself to Nolan, Thompson, prison sources say, is detested by other inmates. What Monster failed to say is how much he is hated by both staff and prisoners, a Maghaberry source told Sunday Life. Hes nothing but a bully who has been thrown off previous pre-release schemes for rule-breaking. Despite this, he is now back in Burren House on pre-release. Youd think that if Monster loved Maghaberry so much he would want to stay there permanently, instead of being moved to an open prison. Insiders say that David Monster Thompson is terrified of encountering younger brother Gary Thompson, who is also being held in Maghaberry Prison and with whom he has had a long-running feud. They insist this is the reason he was so keen to move to Burren House from the jail he claims to love. Gary Thompson (40) was jailed for seven years in 2017 half of which was to be served behind bars over his role in events connected to the 2015 murder of Chinese takeaway owner Nelson Cheung in Antrim town. He admitted a charge of robbing a handbag from Winnie Cheung, the knife victims wife. Gary Thompson, brother of David Gary Thompson was also caged for a further two years for intimidating his brother David Thompson, who made a statement to police implicating his younger sibling. This has resulted in bad blood between the pair, with Maghaberry insiders claiming this is the main reason why David Thompson was intent on being transferred to Burren House. Monster doesnt like to admit it, but he is afraid of his younger brother, added our source. When Stephen Nolan was in Maghaberry, talking to the prisoners, (Monster) made a big deal about how much he loves it here. But it was all a front; he couldnt wait to get moved. David Thompson served 15 years of a life sentence for the random St Patricks Day murder of Ryan Neill outside a bar in Antrim town. The thug repeatedly stamped on the 27-year-old victims head and then stole his wallet as he lay on the pavement bleeding. Nelson Cheung In 2019, David Thompson was returned to prison when CCTV footage emerged of him assaulting a teenager and a man with special needs outside a service station in Antrim. The killer was released again, but recalled for a second time in July 2022 having been convicted of throwing a mug of hot coffee over his wife. He was sentenced to three months in prison but, over a year later, remains behind bars due to his life licence being suspended. On top of his assault and murder convictions, other entries on his criminal record include three robberies, GBH, criminal damage and escaping from lawful custody. The thugs Monster nickname was revealed by several witnesses during his court appearances in connection with the Ryan Neill murder. Exclusive | New IRA terror queens bail release celebrated on social media by dissident republican Sharon Jordan had been on remand over three years on New IRA charges (From left) An old picture of Stephen Murney, Kevin Barry Murphy and Sharon Jordan together Sunday Life Reporter Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 08:00 New IRA terror queen Sharon Jordan has been welcomed home by a dissident republican facing charges of inciting support for the group. Late football legend was surprise guest on John Dalys chat show Peter Kay has revealed he was close to tears when he was part of a chat show that had a surprise appearance from George Best before the legendary footballer passed away. The comedian, whose mum Deirdre is from Co Tyrone, said he always enjoyed jetting into Belfast to be a guest on The John Daly Show, but that Bestie turning up as he battled health problems was something hell never forget. Peter Kay Peter (50) revealed: I appeared on it quite a few times, mainly because it was an opportunity for a lovely weekend in my favourite part of the world, plus I got to see my family in Coalisland. Sometimes Id take my mum with me, or my cousins would travel up to see the show and sit in the audience. Peter Kay and wife Susan One night John came into my dressing room to tell me that Eamonn Holmes had to pull out at the last minute, but theyd got a replacement. He said I wasnt to tell a soul, as it was a big surprise. It was George Best. Now, George Best was a legend, everybody knows that. Hes even got an airport named after him. At the time hed been back in the media due to his ongoing battle with alcoholism and had just received a controversial liver transplant. Peter Kay and Paddy McGuinness in Phoenix Nights I was shocked that he was well enough to come to the studio, but he did. John and I finished our interview and then he told the audience that, regrettably, Eamonn Holmes had had to pull out at the last minute, but he had a replacement: Ladies and gentlemen, George Best. Well, the place just erupted. The whole audience immediately stood to its feet at the very mention of his name. Ive never experienced such a reaction. As soon as he walked on set you could feel the love for him. It was palpable. He didnt look too great as he walked down the studio steps. He actually looked nervous. Peter Kay on stage George hugged John and then he hugged me (though Im sure he hadnt a clue who I was). He had this sweet smell Ill never forget and his skin tone was faintly yellow. As were his eyes. Everybody seemed to be crying. Even I was filling up. It was very hard not to. I cant remember much of his interview. They did discuss his recent liver transplant and he stated that he was going to start a new life, but sadly it had all come too late and he died within 12 months of recording that show. Its tragic for anybody to pass, but for somebody who was so loved like he was, well, the loss is still immeasurable. Peter Kay and Sian Gibson in hit TV comedy Car Share Meanwhile, he also told how Roy Walker (83) asked if he could pretend to be a Mafia wise-guy when he filmed his cameo in hit sitcom Phoenix Nights, which follows the fortunes of working mens club owner Brian Potter, played by Peter. But in his new book, TV: Big Adventures on the Small Screen, he said he urged the Belfast-born comedian and presenter to play himself as a big celebrity opening the Phoenix Club because he admired him so much. Car Share star Peter added: We chatted about his part in the episode. I told him he really didnt have to worry, as hed just be playing himself. But Roy had other ideas. George Best during his Manchester United days He said he wanted to play the part like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. Come again? I said, spitting out my tea. I want to be a bit edgy, he said. I didnt know what to say. Well, I did. I wanted to say, Have you had a drink? and, Can you please just read the lines that weve written? But Roy wasnt having any of it. When he turned up for filming, we were in such a rush that we only ended up filming the lines we needed and the whole Goodfellas idea went out the window. Roy Walker in Phoenix Nights Though, on reflection, I regret we didnt film it now, as itd be hilarious seeing Roy Walker doing Tommy DeVito in Phoenix Nights. Funny how? in his Northern Irish accent. Maybe he was right after all. TV: Big Adventures on the Small Screen by Peter Kay is on sale now Priest calls for end to paramilitaries shootings after rise in republican and loyalist areas Cleric slams thugs as incidents on the rise Scene of latest shooting in west Belfast Ciaran Barnes Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 08:00 A high-profile priest has pleaded for an end to paramilitary attacks after seven people were shot in almost as many weeks. Late Labour peer and trade unionist fought for better education and improved job prospects for working class She improved the lives for thousands in her native Shankill Road during her lifetime and now the rich legacy of the late Baroness May Blood is to continue for future generations. In a fitting tribute, the Argyle Business Centre of which May was a founding director, has launched a third-level education bursary scheme in her memory. This month 22 students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the greater Shankill area will be given a share of 19,500-worth of grants in the first Baroness May Blood Third-Level Education Bursaries awards night. A proud Shankill Road woman, the former Labour peer and trade unionist passed away last year aged 84 after a lifetime of public service. Argyle Business Centre She was the president of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland and became the first woman here to be given a peerage, making her Baroness Blood of Blackwatertown in 1999. Best known as a fearless and tireless campaigner for her own community on Belfasts Shankill Road, she helped set up the Argyle Business Centre in 1990 aimed at encouraging enterprise, employment opportunities and boosting the local economy. It is now home to 55 businesses, employs 320 people and contributes around 6.5million in wages to the local Shankill economy. May Blood also had a passion for integrated education and was campaign chair of the Integrated Education Fund since 2002, raising 15m to help with provision here. Now in honour of her incredible contribution, Argyle Business Centre has launched an annual bursary scheme aimed at helping disadvantaged young people from the Shankill with the cost of their education. The charity will host its first Baroness May Blood Third-Level Education Bursaries awards night on October 25 at Argyle Business Centre and has plans to expand the scheme going forward. The late May Blood Charity CEO Drennan McBride said: Baroness May Blood has left a huge legacy and was a strong proponent of our expansion, building modern workspace to provide sustainable jobs in the area. May was a founding director of the centre and remained so up until her passing which left her fellow directors at Argyle Business Centre with a quandary. How to honour such a legacy? The Baroness May Blood Third-Level Education Bursaries seems a good start and highlights the importance which May attached to the development of education and training in North Belfast. Greater Shankill (and North Belfast) is generally one of the most deprived areas in UK. Historically, there have been significant barriers to educational achievement and this is one of many interventions at all levels of education to help improve the situation and to help families and local students with the financial burden of further education. Adrian McNally, general manager of Titanic Hotel Belfast, joins staff to celebrate the hotel being named Northern Ireland's leading hotel for the sixth year in a row Titanic Hotel Belfast has sailed into the position of Northern Irelands leading hotel for the sixth consecutive year at this years World Travel Awards. Recognising the hotels excellence and legacy as a symbol of Northern Irelands rich maritime history, the World Travel Awards, which this year commemorates its 30th anniversary, is the most prestigious honours programme in travel and tourism. Adrian McNally, general manager of Titanic Hotel Belfast, said: I am honestly bursting with pride that Titanic Hotel Belfast has been named Northern Irelands Leading Hotel once again at the World Travel Awards. From our dedicated staff to our domestic and international visitors, and wedding guests, to the world leaders who choose to make Titanic Hotel Belfast their home during a visit to Belfast, to the businesses that host conferences in our Drawing Office and the families who enjoy lunch in the Wolff Grill, or the couples and friends who relax in our bar with a cocktail at the weekend, this award is for every one of them. I believe that it truly is thanks to everyone who has chosen to walk through our door over the past six years that this award keeps coming back to the hotel. Titanic Hotel Belfast opened its doors in 2017 having been lovingly restored to its former glory. Boasting 119 nautical themed rooms and event spaces where RMS Titanic was designed, the hotel delivers unparalleled comfort and sophistication. It embodies the spirit of Belfasts rich shipbuilding heritage nestled under the H&W cranes and offers guests an unforgettable experience. For information about the hotel visit www.titanichotelbelfast.com Press Release September 30, 2023 Villar cites Mindanao to bring hope and great chance for the PH inclusive growth While one third of Mindanao is devoted to agriculture and Davao region supplies 40% of the country's food requirements, the challenge lies in harnessing this potential to support the region's overall economic development, stressed Sen. Cynthia Villar. "Davao Region is still the top coconut-producer which contributed 14.4% to the country's total production. Zamboanga Peninsula followed with 13.6% and then Northern Mindanao with 12.9%," said Villar during the 25TH Davao Agri-Trade Expo held at SMX Convention Center. She noted that all over the country, there are 3.5 million coconut farmers. Due to this, she has authored and sponsored several measures in the Senate geared towards agricultural development. "May these legislations assist the agriculture sector as a whole to ensure food security and better income to our people," she said. For Mindanao, Villar noted she passed Republic Act No. 11547 which declared Davao City as "Chocolate Capital" and Davao Region as "Cacao Capital" of the Philippines. This is in recognition of the country's biggest cacao producer and its vital contribution in making the Philippines world renowned by winning awards and distinction as one of the best chocolate maker in the world. Villar said she also passed the Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022, repealing the Agri-Agra law that failed to provide lending programs to agrarian reform beneficiaries and other farmers. Under this new law, there shall be an agriculture, fisheries and rural development financing system, consisting of loans and investments, to improve the productivity and income of farmers, fisherfolks and other beneficiaries. To support the government in completing its agrarian reform initiatives and to improve the effectiveness of its land tenure system, Villar said she passed the New Agrarian Emancipating Act which condoned a total of P57.65 billion of unpaid amortizations, benefitting 610,054 farmers "Aside from freeing them of their debt, under the Rice Tariffication Law for rice and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act (CFITFA) for coconut farmers, which she also passed, tariffs collected from rice imports go to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which provides machineries, inbred rice seeds, training and loans to farmers. Collections in excess of the P10 billion funds go to the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance," she said. The CFITFA provides P5 billion initial fund to jump start the coconut industry and support our coconut farmers. The senator thanked Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry for organizing the event to fortify the collaborations between government, industry, and farmers and fisherfolks of Mindanao. Mindanao, magbibigay ng pag-asa at malaking tsansa sa PH inclusive growth--Villar DAHIL sa one third ng Mindanao ang nasa agrikultura at 40% ng pagkaing kailangan ng bansa ay nagmumula sa Davao region, sinabi ni Villar na hamon na gamitin ang potensiyal na ito para suportahan ang overall economic development ng rehiyon. "Davao Region is still the top coconut-producer which contributed 14.4% to the country's total production. Zamboanga Peninsula followed with 13.6% and then Northern Mindanao with 12.9%," sabi ni Villar sa idinaos na 25TH Davao Agri-Trade Expo sa SMX Convention Center. Binanggit ni Villar na meron tayong 3.5 million coconut farmers sa buong kapuluan. Dahil dito, inakda at inisponsor niya ang maraming batas sa Senado para sa ikaauunlad ng ating agrikultura. "May these legislations assist the agriculture sector as a whole to ensure food security and better income to our people," ani Villar. Para sa Mindanao, ipinasa ni Villar ang Republic Act No. 11547 na nagdeklara sa Davao City na "Chocolate Capital" at Davao Region na "Cacao Capital" ng Pilipinas. Ito ay pagkilala sa pinakamalaking cacao producer sa bansa at ang mahalagang papel nito para makilala ang Pilipinas na isa sa pinaka-magaling na chocolate maker sa buong mundo. Ipinasa rin niya ang Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022 na nagpawalang bisa sa Agri-Agra law para sa mga lending program ng agrarian reform beneficiaries at iba pang magsasaka. Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, magkakaroon ng agriculture, fisheries at rural development financing system na kinapapalooban ng mga utang at investment upang bumuti ang productivity at kita ng mga magsasala, mangingisda at iba pang beneficiaries. Para suportahan ang pamahalaan na makumpleto ang kanilang agrarian reform initiatives at mapabuti ang land tenure system, sinabi ni Villar na ipinasa niya ang New Agrarian Emancipating Act na nagpawalang bisa sa P57.65 billion na di bayad na amortizations. May 610,054 magsasaka ang nabibiyayaan nito. "Aside from freeing them of their debt, under the Rice Tariffication Law for rice and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act (CFITFA) for coconut farmers, which she also passed, tariffs collected from rice imports go to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which provides machineries, inbred rice seeds, training and loans to farmers. Collections in excess of the P10 billion funds go to the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance," ani Villar. Maglalaan ang CFITFA ng P5 billion initial fund para isulong ang coconut industry at suportahan ang ating coconut farmers. Nagpasalamat naman ang senadora sa Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry sa pag-organisa sa event para palakasin ang ugnayan ng pamahalaan, industriya , magsasaka at mangingisda ng Mindanao. BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. The Trudeau governments recently passed Online Streaming Act is moving into its next phase of regulation by requiring podcasters to register with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The government claims the regulation will ensure online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content. But critics worry the move is just the Liberal governments latest attempt to control what Canadians are able to see and hear online. The CRTC now wants to regulate podcasts, said the Toronto Suns Brian Lilley. Here is my simple message to them. Go to hell. CRTCs announcement states that podcasters meeting certain criteria need to provide information about their activities in Canada. Online streaming services operating in Canada that offer audio or video content that generate $10 million or more in annual revenues must complete a registration form by November 28. Its pitched as a one-time requirement collecting basic information. Second, the CRTC is setting conditions for online streaming services to operate in Canada. These conditions take effect today and require certain online streaming services to provide the CRTC with information related to their content and subscribership. Furthermore, CRTC stated that another ongoing consultation will address how podcasters and those offering video streaming services contribute to Canadian and Indigenous content. Creeping totalitarianism The Online Streaming Act is legislation that was passed earlier this year, which Canadian author Margaret Atwood called creeping totalitarianism. While debating censorship Bill C-11, Canadian senator David Richards said, if it passes, Joseph Stalin would be looking over our shoulder when we write. Richards also said the bill is censorship passing as national inclusion. Liberals say the bill will promote Canadian content over non-Canadian content. They also say it will achieve equitable representation among gender, ethnicity, and related marginalized groups. In terms of diversity and inclusion, one of the goals of the bill is to put diverse and marginalized voices in the spotlight, said Senator Dennis Dawson of Quebec during the third reading. Article by Maryam Henein Follow: Twitter | Instagram | Telegram | Gab | Facebook Truth Lives Here: Rumble | Rokfin | Odysee | Brighteon | Bitchute | YouTube Websites: MaryamHenein.com | HoneyColony.com | TheHiveWisdom.com Imagine if Stephen Hawking had had this, Elon Musk said on X on Sep 19, 2023, after Neuralink announced that the first human patient will soon be outfitted with a Neuralink device. Neuralink is absolutely mind-boggling, he Xed on the platform hours later. We are happy to announce that weve received approval from the independent institutional review board and our first hospital site to begin recruitment for our first-in-human clinical trial, stated Neuralinks press release. It was only last year that I reported on Neuralinks mutilated monkeys and the scandal involving the University of California, Davis. Read: Elon Musks Cruel Neuralink Experiments Kills 15th MONKEY, Are Humans Next? Now their brain device has the potential to supposedly restore full-body movement? Macaque Monkeys are frequently used for in experimentation I even interviewed Ryan Mekely of the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM). They were the first group to obtain internal records detailing painful, deadly experiments conducted on monkeys by Neuralink in partnership with the U.C. Davis. One of the infected monkeys mentioned was a rhesus macaque labeled Animal 11 by UC Davis, reported PCRM. In December 2018, Neuralink staff drilled two holes in her skull and implanted electrodes in her brain. They attached metal plates to her head with bone screws and stitched up her skin around the implants. Share Quickly, the surgical sites became infected and her skin was eroded. Finally, three months after they put her under the knife, as the infections persisted, they killed her. A necropsy revealed that she had been suffering from acute bleeding in her brain and her cerebral cortex had been tattered by Neuralinks devices. In December 2022, PCRM requested that the FDA investigate Neuralink for violations of the agencys good laboratory practices regulations, which are designed to assure the quality and integrity of nonclinical laboratory studies. As of March 31, 2023, the agency had not inspected Neuralink. Instead, they granted FDA approval. Musk needs to drop his obsession with sticking a device in our heads, says Merkley, director of research advocacy with the Physicians Committee. If he cared about the health of patients, he would invest in a noninvasive brain-computer interface. Musks Monkeying Around No monkey has died as a result of a Neuralink implant, Musk stated. He claimed that their early implants were on terminal monkeys. Yet public records obtained by PCRM through a lawsuit revealed that, while three monkeys were used by Neuralink in terminal experiments in which they did not recover from surgery, 12 previously healthy animals were euthanized by Neuralink as a direct result of problems with the companys implant. Additionally, public records from the University of California, Davis, where Neuralink conducted monkey experiments between 2017 and 2020, revealed that implantation of the companys device caused debilitating health effects in monkeys, resulting in euthanasia. Animals experienced chronic infections, paralysis, swelling in the brain, loss of coordination and balance, and depression. Public records show that Musks Neuralink technology contributed to the euthanasia of 12 rhesus macaque monkeys Monkey health records show that there is no evidence that the 12 animals were close to death, as Musk stated. The truth is that about 1500 monkeys have been euthanized. Rhesus macaques often live to about 25 years in captivity, with some living to 40. However, the average age of the 12 monkeys killed by Neuralink was 7.25 years. Consider that the approval is also not a guarantee that a Neuralink device will someday be commercially available as a significant number of medical devices that begin clinical trials never reach the market. In addition, Neuralink will likely continue to conduct experiments on monkeys, pigs, and other animals even after clinical trials have begun, writes PCRM. PRIMEd For Prodding Neuralinks medical device trial is being described as a groundbreaking investigational trial. The PRIME Study (short for Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) is being conducted under the FDAs investigational device exemption (IDE) and is the first-in-human study with the purpose of evaluating the safety and initial effectiveness of the N1 Implant (a BCI implant), the R1 Robot (a surgical robot), and N1 User App (BCI software) in enabling individuals with paralysis to control external devices. So basically Neuralink wants to see whether their technology is safe and effectiveon humans after maiming and murdering monkeys. Given the reports about horrific, deadly medical complications for Neuralinks test animal subjects, it sounds a bit risky. Share Maryam Henein on Substack The first human trials will be conducted on those with quadriplegia (limited function in all four limbs) due to spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and are at least 1-year post-injury without improvement. While it would be beautiful to restore mobility to a quadriplegic, I wonder if Musk secretly considers these humans to be close to death, and therefore disposable. Once surgically placed, the N1 Implant will be cosmetically invisible. It records and transmits brain activity with the goal of enabling you to control a computer. PCRM wonders what the potential for the implants tiny wires to migrate to other areas of the brain; and questions whether and how the device can be removed without damaging brain tissue. The thing is that Musk/Neuralink admitted that theyve reached the end of the line when it comes to animals. Animals cannot talk back and feedback at this stage is crucial to move this forward. The N1 will theoretically record neural activity through 1024 electrodes distributed across 64 threads, each thinner than a human hair. Here is where NanoTech King Charles Lieber and his minimally invasive brain probes come in. Its his wicked genius that made the N1 possible. On Sep 20, 2023, PCRM filed a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate Musks claims that these monkeys were already close to death. Imagine a monkey trying desperately to yank an implant from its brain that has gotten infected. If THE SEC does investigate Musks comments, it would mark at least the third federal probe linked to Neuralinks animal testing, writes WIRED magazine. Share Transhumanist Dystopia Up Ahead On September 13, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee held a hearing on AI legislation and oversight along with nearly two dozen tech industry leaders including Musk, along with tech heavyweights like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque and the godfather of AI, Yoshua Bengio, plus over 1000 other experts in the field of AI. Reportedly inside the closed-door meeting, Musk warned that AI poses a risk to society and governments. In the long term, Neuralink hopes to play a role in AI civilizational risk reduction by improving human-to-AI (and human-to-human) bandwidth by several orders of magnitude. Yikes. After meeting Musk was asked by reporters whether AI is going to kill us all? I hope not, Musk responded. On September 21, the non-profit Future of Life Institute marked six months since they released a 600-word open letter to immediately pause AI experiments more powerful than Chat GPT-4. It was signed by more than 30,000 experts, researchers, industry figures, and other leaders. They write: AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity, as shown by extensive research. Advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth, and should be planned for and managed with commensurate care and resources. Unfortunately, this level of planning and management is not happening, even though recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one not even their creators can understand, predict, or reliably control. AI corporations are recklessly rushing to build more and more powerful systems, with no robust solutions to make them safe. They acknowledge massive risks, safety concerns, and the potential need for a pause, yet they are unable or unwilling to say when or even how such a slowdown might occur, said Anthony Aguirre, FLIs Executive Director. Despite massive public/expert concerns, corporations remain locked in an AI arms race. Read the letter. I truly was not going to write about Fauci or the virus today. But the news keeps rolling in. The House Select Sub-committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic dropped a bombshell yesterday: "Dr. Fauci was escorted into CIA headquarters... without a record to entry to participate in the analysis to "influence" the (CIA) Agency's review..." - House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Wow! So, basically Fauci impeded a CIA investigation or helped in a CIA cover-up because of the crimes he committed. That is clear because the CIA reported early on that the virus was not man-made and a DNI report generated about the origins of the virus also claimed it was most likely not man-made - that the virus jumped from animals to humans naturally in the wild. This is false. Most likely, Fauci knew and lied to the CIA. Either that, or the CIA lied and Fauci assisting the CIA in generating that lie. Either way, Fauci must be prosecuted. There must by an independent inquiry with a special prosecutor - separate from the DOJ. Congress must authorize a special prosecutor now and continue on with their own investigations. It is time for a prosecutor to step in, so charges can be filed. "The entire Intelligence Community has been consistently providing critical support to U.S. policymakers and those responding to the COVID-19 virus, which originated in ChinaThe Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified." -the ODNI said in a statement (2020) From the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) report We know which agencies publicly admitted that the virus was man-made. They are the Energy Department and the FBI, whose stance has been that the coronavirus likely spread due to a mishap at a Chinese laboratory. However, the ever-changing intelligence reports from the DNI now claim the following (June, 2023): Do remember what the first rule of fifth-gen warfare is? Confuse the mind. Conflicting time-lines, conflicting reports, conflicting agencies, conflicting conclusions from our intelligence agencies include: Animal origins: Bats Animal origins: Pangolins Animal origins: Snakes 100% agreement that the species isnt known, but it is of animal origin Then - Made by China - released by mistake Wolf-dogs Am I missing another animal? Another theory that doesnt involve the USA? But to my knowledge, no intelligence agency has made the obvious conclusion that this virus was made and funded by the US government. That the USA contracted with WIV for this gain-of-function (laughably duel-use research) because such research was banned in the USA. Because that would also mean that the USA was responsible for massive amounts of morbidity and mortality. However, there is that theory that came from a leaked document to Project Veritas, that blamed NAID and not DARPA (DoD) for the funding of the gain-of-function research. But of course, that leaked report came from the DoD Which turned out, that report was wrong. Because DTRA (DoD) DID help fund this research. Is your head spinning yet? You cant make this stuff up. Confuse the mind, confuse the battlefield. Congress needs to investigate now. But the story doesnt stop here Matt Taibbi, Alex Gutentab and Michael Shellenberger put even more of the puzzle pieces together: The former director of the US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the US governments response to the coronavirus pandemic, visited CIA headquarters to influence its review of COVID-19 origins, the House Oversight Committee reported yesterday. Last month, Committee Chair Brad Wenstrup made headlines when he revealed that seven CIA analysts with significant scientific expertise on the agencys COVID-19 Discovery Team (CDT) received performance bonuses after changing a report to downplay concerns about a possible lab origin of the virus. Now, a months-long investigation by Racket and Public, which included interviews with the CIA whistleblower behind last months revelations and others in a position to know, reveals that Fauci not only visited the CIA but also pushed the controversial Proximal Origin of SARS CoV-2 paper, published by Nature Medicine, in meetings at the State Department and the White House. Previous reporting already showed that Fauci prompted the Proximal Origin paper, according to its authors. Lead author Kristian Andersen expressed grave doubts about the natural origin theory even months after Nature Medicine published the paper. And they described themselves as pressured by higher ups, referring to individuals in the White House and other government agencies. Now, the new information from multiple sources, including a CIA whistleblower, a senior government investigator, and a senior official, suggests a broad effort by Fauci to go agency by agency, from the White House to the State Department to the CIA, in an effort to steer government officials away from looking into the possibility that COVID-19 escaped from a lab. Faucis expert opinions were a significant consideration and were part of our classified assessment, said the CIA whistleblower, a decorated and long-serving CIA officer with expertise in Asia. His opinion substantially altered the conclusions that were subsequently drawn. Fauci had reasons to push scientists and intelligence analysts to believe the virus had a zoonotic origin since his agency had issued a grant to fund research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China. The Wenstrup press release noted that the whistleblowers information suggested Fauci was escorted in without record of entry. According to the CIA whistleblower, the CIA purposely did not badge Fauci in and out of the building so as to hide any record that he had been there. Fauci came to our building, to promote the natural origin of the virus, the CIA whistleblower said. He knew what was going on. I mean, you see all the redacted documents that are coming out. He was covering his ass and he was trying to do it with the Intel community I know he came multiple times and he was treated like a rockstar by the Weapons and Counter Proliferation Mission Center. And, he pushed the Kristian Anderson paper. More Fauci news: A few members of Congress are working to defund Anthony Faucis hugely expansive and expensive tax payer funded security detail. U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R) introduced a bill in Congress this week that would eliminate federal money being used for Faucis security detail. The bill is titled To prohibit the use of Federal funds for security protection for the former Director of the NAID who served between January 1984 and December 2022. Other co-sponsors include: Rep Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), Rep Barry Moore (R-AL) and Rep. Mike Rodgers (R-AL). Please ask your congress-person to consider co-sponsoring. Other COVID-19 Science News: Abstract The association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and vaginal bleeding among nonmenstruating women is not well studied. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health followed several cohorts throughout the pandemic and early performed a systematic data collection of self-reported unexpected vaginal bleeding in nonmenstruating women. Among 7725 postmenopausal women, 7148 perimenopausal women, and 7052 premenopausal women, 3.3, 14.1, and 13.1% experienced unexpected vaginal bleeding during a period of 8 to 9 months, respectively. In postmenopausal women, the risk of unexpected vaginal bleeding (i.e., postmenopausal bleeding) in the 4 weeks after COVID-19 vaccination was increased two- to threefold, compared to a prevaccination period. The corresponding risk of unexpected vaginal bleeding after vaccination was increased three- to fivefold in both nonmenstruating peri- and premenopausal women. In the premenopausal women, Spikevax was associated with at 32% increased risk as compared to Comirnaty. Our results must be confirmed in future studies. Those of us following the science, already knew that a minority of post-menopausal women have unexpected bleeding after receiving the jab. That fact that the highly cited journal Science Advances now feels free to publish such results in interesting. More signs that the narrative of safe and effective is crumbling. The recent study posted below shows more evidence that pseudouridine modified mRNA (which does not quickly degrade) is being found in the breast milk of nursing mothers after vaccination. Our model proposes that following intramuscular administration, the LNPs containing the vaccine mRNA are likely carried to mammary glands via hematogenous or lymphatic transport. The LNPs will release their mRNA content into the cytosol of the mammary gland cells, and a portion of this mRNA will be recruited, packaged, and released in the BM (breast milk) The good news in that in this study, the authors did not detect lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in the breast milk. The bad news - 10 out of the 20 inoculations in 13 women were found to have trace amounts of mRNA 45 hours post injection. Who is Robert Malone is a reader supported publication. Please consider subscribing. Thank you for reading Who is Robert Malone. This post is public so feel free to share it. Share Give a gift subscription (If I could only get this idea into the heads of some of the scientists and public health officials that I used to be friends with). Dr. Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, the nonprofit organization that funded the Wuhan Institute of Virology, will testify in November before House investigators, a newly released letter confirms. The House Oversight Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic wrote a letter to Daszak Friday confirming his testimony is scheduled for Nov. 14, 2023 and requesting documents ahead of his interview before the subcommittee. (RELATED: CIA Gave Financial Rewards To Six Analysts Who Covered Up Lab Leak Investigation, Whistleblower Alleges) BREAKING EcoHealth Alliance President @PeterDaszak will appear for a transcribed interview on Nov. 14th. What does Dr. Daszak know about the origins of COVID-19 & risky gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology? Answers w/@GOPoversight, @HouseCommerce pic.twitter.com/76I7LsnOTA Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (@COVIDSelect) September 29, 2023 On September 14, 2023, the Committees sent you a letter requesting your testimony at a voluntary transcribed interview on November 14, 2023. On September 19, 2023, you confirmed your availability. The Committees appreciate your willingness to testify voluntarily, the letter begins. In anticipation of the interview, we renew our requests for certain responsive documents and communications. This letter consolidates our previous requests regarding the origins of COVID-19 and, as a further accommodation, tables some requests, adds significant topic specificity, scopes down the time frame of our previous requests, and prioritizes the requests most important to the Committees, the letter reads. The subcommittee is demanding Daszak comply with its request for calendars, phone records, documents and communications with federal entities, documents and communications with the Wuhan lab, and additional documents and communications related to coronavirus research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded EcoHealth in May with a $576,000 per year grant until 2027, the NIH website states. EcoHealth has 14 active taxpayer funded grants totaling roughly $50 million including a $3 million grant from the Department of Defense to combat pandemic threats. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) suspended funding to the Wuhan lab in July. EcoHealth Alliance distributed $600,000 of taxpayer dollars to the Wuhan lab from 2014-19 to conduct gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses. The Wuhan lab is central to the lab leak theory of the coronavirus origins that was covered up by former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci at the start of the covid-19 pandemic. Assessments from the FBI and Department of Energy have determined the coronavirus pandemic most likely originated from a lab in Wuhan, China. NAGOYA, Oct 01 ( News On Japan ) - Nagoya City in central Japan is now requiring people to stop walking while riding an escalator in order to prevent accidents. Although there are no penalties for violating the ordinance, Nagoya City is encouraging passengers to "please stop and stand, as some people may have conditions that only allows them to stand while riding on the right lane of the escalator." As one subway passenger pointed out, when the right lane is empty, everyone moves forward, "so if it's mandatory, everyone will stop, so there will be fewer accidents." Nagoya is the first city in Japan to issue such an ordinance requiring people to stop on escalators. In a recent post on X, former EcoHealth Alliance scientist Andrew Huff revealed how the CIA Front EcoHealth Alliance was involved in the creation of coronavirus. Its important to review claims made by former EcoHealth Alliance scientist Andrew Huff about the CIAs alleged ties to EcoHealth and COVID-19 in light of Tuesday nights shocking report from Congressional investigators that Dr. Anthony Fauci was smuggled into CIA headquarters without a record of entry where he participated in the analysis to influence the Agencys Covid-19 investigation. A Brief Review Recall that after the Obama administration outlawed gain-of-function research in 2014, EcoHealth was awarded lucrative contracts to conduct bat Covid studies in Wuhan, China. The NIH essentially transferred this study to Peter Daszaks EcoHealth four months before the prohibition. Faucis NIAID protected the study from supervision, and Daszak was compelled to disclose his use of gain-of-function trials after the fact. As a virologist, I personally think creating chimeras of SARS-related bat coronaviruses that are thought to pose high risk to humans entails unacceptable risks, virologist Jesse Bloom told The Intercept. The Lancet published a screed by Daszak (signed by over two dozen scientists) after Sars-CoV-2 broke out in the same town where Daszak was manipulating Bat Covid. Daszak insisted the virus could have only come from a natural spillover event, probably from a wet market, and that the scientists stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. Only afterward did The Lancet mention Daszaks conflicts of interest. Huff, who worked at EcoHealth from 2014 to 2016, said in a post on Twitter (now X) in January 2022 that I knew in December of 2019 that COVID was likely a lab leak. Then Huff asserted, Not only is EcoHealth Alliance a CIA front organization, but the United States of America is primarily responsible for COVID, not China. of the story. Not only is EcoHealth Alliance a CIA front organization, but the United States of America is primarily responsible for COVID, not China. COVID was a US scientific R&D program where COVID was transferred to China, so that Andrew G. Huff, PhD, MS (@AGHuff) January 23, 2022 Also in January, Huff said to Fox Business: This was actually a failed intelligence operation. We were actually trading Chinas advanced biotechnology for access to and collect intelligence on their bioweapons laboratory. I believe. I cant prove that but a number of agencies that I discuss in the book, including Dr. Peter Daszak telling me he worked with the CIA. According to a new accusation by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Fauci was smuggled into CIA Headquarters to influence the COVID-19 origins investigation. The following is taken from Huffs book The Truth About Wuhan: These discussions resulted in publications indicating that Dr. Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, was working with the CIA, and that the biological agent commonly known as COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) had been in development at EcoHealth Alliance since 2012, and other evidence suggested that SARS-CoV-2 began earlier than 2012. The development of SARS-CoV-2 included several prominent US-based scientists and US academic institutions that received funding from numerous federal government agencies and private non-governmental organizations to complete the gain of function work on SARS-CoV-2. In addition, Huff shared a document obtained by Project Veritas that was allegedly written (and not denied) by Maj. Joseph Murphy (USMC) and stated that SARS-CoV-2 is an American-created recombinant bat vaccine which was created by an EcoHealth Alliance program at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Project Veritas has obtained a separate report to the Inspector General of the Department of Defense written by U.S. Marine Corp Major, Joseph Murphy, a former DARPA Fellow. The report states that EcoHealth Alliance approached DARPA in March 2018, seeking funding to conduct gain of function research of bat borne coronaviruses. The proposal, named Project Defuse, was rejected by DARPA over safety concerns and the notion that it violates the basis gain of function research moratorium. According to the documents, NAIAD, under the direction of Dr. Fauci, went ahead with the research in Wuhan, China and at several sites across the U.S. -Project Veritas There is much more to that. Huff also submitted a report to Congress under oath that makes the following assertions: SARS-COV2 was created in the lab in Wuhan, China; Anthony Fauci funded the creation of SARS-COV2 and lied to Congress about funding Gain-of-Function work; The US Intelligence Community was aware of and appeared to have been involved with the funding of said Gain-of-Function work; A number of well-connected public and private partners were involved in the Gain-of-Function work that resulted in the creation and release of SARS-COV2; Anthony Fauci and others coordinated to cover-up the funding of the Gain-of-Function work that resulted in SARS-COV2. "The creation of SARS-CoV-2 and the mRNA jabs was essentially a joint operation between the DoD & the intelligence community They were co-developed. There are actually US government patents to prove this" @AGHuffpic.twitter.com/TybsLsz6m2https://t.co/diR7xdx5vc Dr. ZW (@ZombyWoof2022) February 26, 2023 Check out these posts by journalist KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat), which contain accusations from Huff, DRASTIC, RFK Jr., and more, if you really want to go into the details of this. To enter the relevant conversations, click on each tweet. Dr. Robert Redfield, the former CDC Director, says that U.S. taxpayer money from NIH, State Department, USAID, and DOD funded the creation of SARS-CoV-2: "They wanted a single narrative, and I had a different point of view Science has debate, and they squashed any debate pic.twitter.com/D51Ms5XNbW KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) September 13, 2023 THREAD: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top-paid US federal employee, has developed bioweapons for the Pentagon since 2002. In 2014, Obama shut down 18 of Fauci's gain-of-function experiments after lab leaks, and 300 top scientists complained about his dangerous bioweapons research. pic.twitter.com/PoG9ax5HRW KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 15, 2023 #18 That's why Senator @RandPaul accused Dr. Fauci of funding supervirus research in the US and making a huge mistake by trading the know-how to China. Fauci denied the accusation, stating categorically: The NIH has not ever, and does not now, fund gain-of-function research pic.twitter.com/Ncx6bsVbJr KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 15, 2023 Information about Baric and the programs: 2018 Baric paper wanting to infect Chinese horseshoe bats with WIV1, just like Defuse, submitted months after DARPA rejection letterhttps://t.co/RNvpfy2iC2 pic.twitter.com/WKmclpEEL2 Jim Haslam (@jhas5) January 23, 2022 From the original EHA proposal documents we are told the objectives and deliverables required by USAID, NIH, DOD pic.twitter.com/PMs7aZcw43 Moneypenny (@nic_moneypenny) September 13, 2023 In December 2022, almost a year after Huff became a whistleblower, EcoHealth, no stranger to damage control, responded to Huffs allegations, writing that his claims of gain-of-function research are false, that a lab leak is not true, and that his claims regarding the nature of the collaboration between EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology are similarly not true. Notably, Ecohealth did not contest Huffs assertions that he had worked for or on behalf of the CIA. Man is born free but everywhere is in chains.Jean-Jacques Rousseau Authoritarian control freaks out to micromanage our lives have become the new normal or, to be more accurate, the new abnormal when it comes to how the government relates to the citizenry. This overbearing despotism, which pre-dates the COVID-19 hysteria, is the very definition of a Nanny State, where government representatives (those elected and appointed to work for us) adopt the authoritarian notion that the government knows best and therefore must control, regulate and dictate almost everything about the citizenrys public, private and professional lives. Indeed, its a dangerous time for anyone who still clings to the idea that freedom means the right to think for yourself and act responsibly according to your best judgment. This tug-of-war for control and sovereignty over our selves impacts almost every aspect of our lives, whether youre talking about decisions relating to our health, our homes, how we raise our children, what we consume, what we drive, what we wear, how we spend our money, how we protect ourselves and our loved ones, and even who we associate with and what we think. As Liz Wolfe writes for Reason, Little things that make peoples lives better, tastier, and less tedious are being cracked down on by big government types in federal and state governments. You cant even buy a stove, a dishwasher, a showerhead, a leaf blower, or a lightbulb anymore without running afoul of the Nanny State. In this way, under the guise of pseudo-benevolence, the government has meted out this bureaucratic tyranny in such a way as to nullify the inalienable rights of the individual and limit our choices to those few that the government deems safe enough. Yet limited choice is no choice at all. Likewise, regulated freedom is no freedom at all. Indeed, as a study by the Cato Institute concludes, for the average American, freedom has declined generally over the past 20 years. As researchers William Ruger and Jason Sorens explain, We ground our conception of freedom on an individual rights framework. In our view, individuals should be allowed to dispose of their lives, liberties, and property as they see fit, so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. The overt signs of the despotism exercised by the increasingly authoritarian regime that passes itself off as the United States government (and its corporate partners in crime) are all around us: censorship, criminalizing, shadow banning and de-platforming of individuals who express ideas that are politically incorrect or unpopular; warrantless surveillance of Americans movements and communications; SWAT team raids of Americans homes; shootings of unarmed citizens by police; harsh punishments meted out to schoolchildren in the name of zero tolerance; community-wide lockdowns and health mandates that strip Americans of their freedom of movement and bodily integrity; armed drones taking to the skies domestically; endless wars; out-of-control spending; militarized police; roadside strip searches; privatized prisons with a profit incentive for jailing Americans; fusion centers that spy on, collect and disseminate data on Americans private transactions; and militarized agencies with stockpiles of ammunition, to name some of the most appalling. Yet as egregious as these incursions on our rights may be, its the endless, petty tyranniesthe heavy-handed, punitive-laden dictates inflicted by a self-righteous, Big-Brother-Knows-Best bureaucracy on an overtaxed, overregulated, and underrepresented populacethat illustrate so clearly the degree to which we the people are viewed as incapable of common sense, moral judgment, fairness, and intelligence, not to mention lacking a basic understanding of how to stay alive, raise a family, or be part of a functioning community. When the dictates of petty bureaucrats carry greater weight than the individual rights of the citizenry, were in trouble, folks. Federal and state governments have used the law as a bludgeon to litigate, legislate and micromanage our lives through overregulation and overcriminalization. This is what happens when bureaucrats run the show, and the rule of law becomes little more than a cattle prod for forcing the citizenry to march in lockstep with the government. Overregulation is just the other side of the coin to overcriminalization, that phenomenon in which everything is rendered illegal, and everyone becomes a lawbreaker. You dont have to look far to find abundant examples of Nanny State laws that infantilize individuals and strip them of their ability to decide things for themselves. Back in 2012, then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg infamously proposed a ban on the sale of sodas and large sugary drinks in order to guard against obesity. Other localities enacted bans on texting while jaywalking, wearing saggy pants, having too much mud on your car, smoking outdoors, storing trash in your car, improperly sorting your trash, cursing within earshot of others, or screeching your tires. Yet while there are endless ways for the Nanny State to micromanage our lives, things become truly ominous when the government adopts mechanisms enabling it to monitor us for violations in order to enforce its many laws. Nanny State, meet the all-seeing, all-knowing Surveillance State and its sidekick, the muscle-flexing Police State. You see, in an age of overcriminalizationwhen the law is wielded like a hammer to force compliance to the governments dictates whatever they might beyou dont have to do anything wrong to be fined, arrested or subjected to raids and seizures and surveillance. You just have to refuse to march in lockstep with the government. As policy analyst Michael Van Beek warns, the problem with overcriminalization is that there are so many laws at the federal, state and local levelsthat we cant possibly know them all. Its also impossible to enforce all these laws. Instead, law enforcement officials must choose which ones are important and which are not. The result is that they pick the laws Americans really must follow, because theyre the ones deciding which laws really matter, concludes Van Beek. Federal, state and local regulations rules created by unelected government bureaucrats carry the same force of law and can turn you into a criminal if you violate any one of them if we violate these rules, we could be prosecuted as criminals. No matter how antiquated or ridiculous, they still carry the full force of the law. By letting so many of these sit around, just waiting to be used against us, we increase the power of law enforcement, which has lots of options to charge people with legal and regulatory violations. This is the police states superpower: empowered by the Nanny State, it has been vested with the authority to make our lives a bureaucratic hell. Indeed, if you were unnerved by the rapid deterioration of privacy under the Surveillance State, prepare to be terrified by the surveillance matrix that will be ushered in by the Nanny State working in tandem with the Police State. The governments response to COVID-19 saddled us with a Nanny State inclined to use its draconian pandemic powers to protect us from ourselves. The groundwork laid with COVID-19 is a prologue to what will become the police states conquest of a new, relatively uncharted, frontier: inner space, specifically, the inner workings (genetic, biological, biometric, mental, emotional) of the human race. Consider how many more ways the government could protect us from ourselves under the guise of public health and safety. For instance, under the guise of public health and safety, the government could use mental health care as a pretext for targeting and locking up dissidents, activists and anyone unfortunate enough to be placed on a government watch list. When combined with advances in mass surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence-powered programs that can track people by their biometrics and behavior, mental health sensor data (tracked by wearable data and monitored by government agencies such as HARPA), threat assessments, behavioral sensing warnings, precrime initiatives, red flag gun laws, and mental health first-aid programs aimed at training gatekeepers to identify who might pose a threat to public safety, these preemptive mental health programs could well signal a tipping point in the governments efforts to penalize those engaging in so-called thought crimes. This is how it begins. On a daily basis, Americans are already relinquishing (in many cases, voluntarily) the most intimate details of who we aretheir biological makeup, our genetic blueprints, and our biometrics (facial characteristics and structure, fingerprints, iris scans, etc.)in order to navigate an increasingly technologically-enabled world. Having conditioned the population to the idea that being part of society is a privilege and not a right, such access could easily be predicated on social credit scores, the worthiness of ones political views, or the extent to which one is willing to comply with the governments dictates, no matter what they might be. COVID-19 with its talk of mass testing, screening checkpoints, contact tracing, immunity passports, and snitch tip lines for reporting rule breakers to the authorities was a preview of whats to come. We should all be leery and afraid. At a time when the government has a growing listshared with fusion centers and law enforcement agenciesof ideologies, behaviors, affiliations and other characteristics that could flag someone as suspicious and result in their being labeled potential enemies of the state, it wont take much for any of us to be considered outlaws or terrorists. After all, the government likes to use the words anti-government, extremist and terrorist interchangeably. The Department of Homeland Security broadly defines extremists as individuals that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. At some point, being an individualist will be considered as dangerous as being a terrorist. When anything goes when its done in the name of national security, crime fighting and terrorism, we the people have little to no protection against SWAT team raids, domestic surveillance, police shootings of unarmed citizens, indefinite detentions, and the like, whether or not youve done anything wrong. In an age of overcriminalization, youre already a criminal. All the government needs is proof of your law-breaking. Theyll get it, too. Whether its through the use of surveillance software such as ShadowDragon that allows police to watch peoples social media activity, or technology that uses a homes WiFi router and smart appliances to allow those on the outside to see throughout your home, its just a matter of time. As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, its no longer a question of whether the government will lock up Americans for defying one of its numerous mandates but when. Source: https://tinyurl.com/2jcu7y7v ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His most recent books are the best-selling Battlefield America: The War on the American People, the award-winning A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, and a debut dystopian fiction novel, The Erik Blair Diaries. Whitehead can be contacted at staff@rutherford.org. Nisha Whitehead is the Executive Director of The Rutherford Institute. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org. A November 2021 arrest in Queens, New York led to the discovery of a satanic cult of pedophile extortionists known as 764, which has been linked to significant criminal activity around the globe. The organization, which goes byseveral aliases, was uncovered by the FBI while investigating alarming posts on social media made by 23-year-old Angel Almeida of Astoria, Queens, The Guardian reports. Prosecutors allege Almeida convinced a girl to cut herself, record the act on camera and send it to him. Photograph: Department of Justice Almeida was flagged to the FBI by an anonymous tipster who was concerned over his social media accounts, which contained images of violence against children and animals. In one post, he expressed support for Charleston mass-murderer Dylann Roof. Another post showed him talking around with a shotgun while wearing a "a skull mask and crossed bandoliers of rifle ammunition across his chest with a flag in the background featuring an Order of Nine Angles symbol." Almeida served 18 months in prison for third degree burglary in 2018, and was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was detained in Brooklyn's metropolitan detention center. In February 2023, federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment on child pornography and exploitation charges related to his involvement in the cult, as well as hundreds of thousands of digital files recovered from his residence. In new charges, Almeida is accused of coercing a teenage girl into having sex with an older man, and convincing another girl to cut herself on camera and send it to him. In one post, Almeida posts "For the 2k pedophile haters," showing his finger over the trigger guard of a Taurus handgun. When the FBI searched his New York apartment, they found a 9mm handgun, ammunition, books pertaining to the Order of Nine Angles (a satanic occultist group). They also found a flag with the insignia of a US -9A offshoot, the Tempel ov Blood, according to a November 2021 detention memorandum. The most telling item was an O9A blood covenant featuring a blood-smeared drawing of a hooded figure with glowing red eyes surrounded with sigils for four O9A deities and the caption Vindex, Nythra, Satan and Abatu. At the bottom of the page is an oath: A covenant signed in blood. May the DEVIL walk with you always SATANAE MANIBUS (by Satans Hand in Latin). Similar indicia have been found in possession of O9A-influenced killers in Britain and Canada. -The Guardian According to the agency, the group is "deliberately targeting minor victims on publicly available messaging platforms to extort them into recording or livestreaming acts of self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material." Using manipulative tactics, the gang operated on several platforms, including Roblox, Discord, Twitch and SoundCloud - but the group's main platform has been Telegram. 764 uses "threats, blackmail and manipulation" to convince underage victims to record videos showing acts of self-harm, animal cruelty, sexual acts and even suicide. The footage is then circulated among members, who then further exert control over the victims. Members share "gore" videos depicting all sorts of horrific acts, in order "to gain notoriety and rise in status within their group." Documents and sources familiar with 764 indicate the group is an offshoot of the Order of Nine Angles (O9A), a violent, subversive amalgam of esoteric Hitler worship, Satanism and Wiccan tenets that American authorities recognize as a terrorist ideology and that has been connected with murders and attempted terrorist attacks in countries including the US, Britain, Germany, Canada and Russia. -The Guardian In one case, a German teenager allegedly connected to the group was accused of murdering his foster family in Romania, according to Der Spiegel and Libertatea. Several books connected to satanism were also recovered. The Stain Account According to the detention memorandum: Law enforcement also reviewed the publicly accessible portions of an Instagram profile with the name Stain_Lord_352 (the Stain Account). That review revealed that Almeida acknowledged that the account belonged to him, admitted to owning and took pictures with a firearm, posted pictures depicting violence against animals, and threatened violence against police if they attempted to apprehend him. For example, on or about November 2, 2021, Almeida posted on the Stain Lord Account a photograph of a masked individual holding a firearm with the same mask and Order of Nine Angles flag depicted in photographs on the Sargent Account, which also appears to be the same mask that Almeida purchased from Amazon in June 2021 and had shipped to his residence. Hardcore Kiddie Fiddler In November 2021, Almeida posted a photograph of an individual in front of a Nazi flag while wearing a shirt that reads "Kiddie Fiddler," and standing in front of a sign that rads "I'M ADDICTED TO HARDCORE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY." Earlier this month, Almeida was deemed fit for trial despite repeated violent behavior in the courtroom - including attempts to attack a DOJ staffer as well as his own court-appointed counsel, his fourth attorney since his 2021 arrest. His trial is currently scheduled for December 4. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. In what are truly joyous tidings, RFK Jr. is reportedly on his way out of the backdoor at the Democrat Party which made it abundantly clear he was not welcome at any rate and is set to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent. Via Mediaite: 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce he will run as an independent on October 9 in Pennsylvania, Mediaite has learned. Kennedys campaign machine is now planning attack ads against the Democratic National Committee in order to pave the way for his announcement in Philadelphia about running as an independent, according to a text reviewed by Mediaite. Bobby feels that the DNC is changing the rules to exclude his candidacy so an independent run is the only way to go, a Kennedy campaign insider told Mediaite. Kennedy, a notorious anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist challenging incumbent President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, has been flirting with a third party run in recent weeks. The New York Times reported last week that he met with the chair of the Libertarian Party, raising the prospect of a departure from the party that decades ago became synonymous with his family name. Kennedy remains far behind Biden in the polls. Yet while the Times reported Democrats worry that a third-party run by Mr. Kennedy could draw votes away from Mr. Biden and help elect former President Donald J. Trump, its unclear whether such a run would hurt the current president more than the Republican nominee. Related: RFK Jr. Telegraphs Threat to Vacate Democrat Party Plantation Assuming that RFK Jr. makes it through the trials and tribulations ahead of him if he thought he was under fire while still nominally in the Democrat fold, hes got another thing coming now this will almost surely signify the death of the Brandon entitys electoral aspirations. The only way the corporate state will be able to tip the scales at this point would be unprecedented, arguably impossible levels of voter fraud that would make 2020 dwarf in comparison. Disillusioned Democrat voters will flock by the millions to RFK Jr. if it comes down to him, Cornel West, Brandon, and Trump in the general. If youre one to offer a prayer in times of need, consider one for RFK Jr. This man has become an existential threat to the Democrat Party, and theyll do literally anything to incapacitate him by hook or by crook. Ben Bartee, author of Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile, is an independent Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff Substack if you are inclined to support independent journalism free of corporate slant. Also, keep tabs via Twitter. For hip Armageddon Prose t-shirts, hats, etc., peruse the merch store. Insta-tip jar and Bitcoin public address: bc1qvq4hgnx3eu09e0m2kk5uanxnm8ljfmpefwhawv This case is about Technocratic overreach, collusion with government officials, and religious persecution. Then the church discovered that it was a victim of GEOFENCING! Calvary Chapel of San Jose has been locked in a battle with Santa Clara County since the Great Panic of 2020. After heavy fines were leveled against them for refusing to not stop regular church services, the church took their case to the California Supreme Court and won. TN Editor As worshippers gathered at the Calvary Chapel in 2020, they were being watched from above. Satellites were locking in on cell phones owned by members of the nondenominational Protestant church in San Jose, Calif. Their location eventually worked its way to a private company, which then sold the information to the government of Santa Clara County. This data, along with observations from enforcement officers on the ground, was used to levy heavy fines against the church for violating COVID-19 restrictions regarding public gatherings. We are in the space between the emergence of this technological practice and courts having ruled on its constitutionality, said Alex Marthews, national chair for Restore the 4th, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans rights against unreasonable search and seizure. Geofencing often begins with an innocent click. Smartphone apps ask if they can access location to improve service. When users say they yes, they often dont realize that the apps that help them drive, cook, or pray are likely reselling their information to far-flung for-profit entities. This and other information detailing peoples behaviors and preferences is valuable for businesses trying to target customers. The global location intelligence market was estimated at $16 billion last year, according to Grand View Research, which predicts that figure will grow to $51 billion by 2030. While it is legal for private companies to broker this information, constitutional questions arise when government accesses data from a third party that it would be prohibited from collecting on its own. The lawsuit filed by Calvary Chapel in August argues that Santa Clara County carried out a warrantless surveillance of the church when it acquired information in 2020 on the churchs foot traffic patterns collected by a research team from Stanford University. Court documents show the researchers acquired the information, which originated with Google Maps, from the location data company SafeGraph, which is also being sued by Calvary. Nicole Berger, SafeGraphs senior vice president of operations, has said the Stanford team violated the companys terms of service and non-commercial research agreement. For its part, Google has since cracked down on third-party vendors, though it still uses location and other data for its own operations. Google was recently ordered to pay $93 million in a settlement over its collection of location data even after users turned off their location history. The company is also involved in an ongoing dispute in an Oakland, Calif., U.S. District Court over the companys Real Time Bidding process, whereby customers personal information is auctioned off to advertisers, so that they can place targeted ads. According to the Calvary Chapel lawsuit, it was this process, among others, which enabled SafeGraph to collect users location data. Geofencing allows users to build a fence around certain areas or points-of-interest such as Calvary Chapel or the area near the Capitol on Jan. 6 and see when people entered that space. It is becoming routine for law enforcement agencies to use warrants to require companies like Google to hand over location data that may be connected to criminal activity. Rep. Jim Jordan recently wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland saying, The use of geofence warrants raises serious Constitutional concerns. Privacy advocates and a bipartisan group of legislators say that acquisition of such information without a warrant presents a troubling, and relatively new constitutional dilemma. The Calvary Chapel suit, as well as proposed legislation working its way through Congress, experts say, could prove important landmarks in resolving this tension between technological innovation and constitutional protections. The Calvary Chapel suit stems from an earlier court case, in which the church was ordered to pay over $1 million in fines for violating county public health orders in 2020, by holding services on its premises without social distancing or masking. During the trial over the fines last year, it came to light that a research team headed by Stanford University professor of administrative law and statistical inference Daniel Ho had used SafeGraph data to provide Santa Clara County health officers with analysis on aggregate visits to Calvary Chapel covering the period of January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021. In his 2022 expert witness report, Ho said the SafeGraph dataset he analyzed was widely used during the pandemic to understand social distancing by public health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Governors Office, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Clara County, where information about points-of-interest included 1,576 religious organizations. Ho said he was able to estimate the average daily visits to the church. Data brokers, including SafeGraph, insist that their information is anonymized. But it is precisely the lack of specificity that worries its critics. Theres no particular individual who the government is suspicious of, Adam Schwartz of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told RealClearInvestigations. Its a dragnet. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the data collected through geofencing stays anonymous. It is often very easy to take supposedly de-identified data and re-identify a person, said Schwartz, And its very, very easy to do that with location data. The same phone spotted in two locations, he said, can be easily traced to a specific individual because people have very unique travel and location patterns. At Calvary Chapel, for example, in-person surveillance conducted by the county, as well as numerous in-person depositions of Chapel members and employees during the previous legal contretemps between the county and the church that began in 2020, would have provided local officials with detailed knowledge of who was on the premises, and when. The right to privacy, said Calvary Chapel attorney Mariah Gondiero, is really going to be the key to this case, with an overarching question of whether congregants have a reasonable expectation of privacy while in church. You absolutely need a warrant, she said, where that expectation exists. In any event, critics say, law enforcements use of geofencing even when it is backed by a warrant violates the Fourth Amendment. There is very significant debate right now whether it is possible for a geofence warrant to meet the Fourth Amendment burden of particularity, said Alex Marthews, referring to the legal principle that warrants must be specific to the individual, property, and place in order to be constitutional. Geofencing proponents argue that it falls under the administrative search exception to the Fourth Amendment, which allows regulatory enforcement personnel to conduct warrantless searches in certain contexts where the greater good is at issue (i.e., police sobriety checkpoints, airport TSA scans). In a written statement, a Santa Clara County public affairs spokesperson accused the Chapel of taking out of context analysis of third-party, commercially available aggregate data that was used to respond to Calvarys own allegations in a lawsuit that Calvary itself filed. In their complaint, Calvary Chapel attorneys assert that the county is arguing in effect that, as long as they call it research, any level of government can target and spy on any individual or group at any time for any duration and, if they so choose, they can wield the collected data against said individuals or groups who oppose their orders. Marthews, who describes himself as someone who took the threat of the peak of the current pandemic as having been a very serious one, said government authorities at the time should nevertheless have recognized the unique constitutional risks that come with searching houses of worship and curtailing the free exercise of religion, even in the context of a pandemic. Public pushback is mounting against the sharing of location data. In a 2022 letter to Congress, numerous privacy and civil liberties groups petitioned for committee hearings on a bill called the Fourth Amendment is Not For Sale Act. The bill, which has a companion in the Senate that was introduced in 2021, would prohibit warrantless government purchases of cell phone location data from third party brokers. It passed unanimously through the House Judiciary Committee, 30-0, in July of this year, and awaits full review by the House. Last month, California passed a law calling for the creation of a mechanism that will allow consumers to demand that every data broker delete their personal information through a single request. In the meantime, lawmakers, corporations, officials, and individual citizens are each grappling with the ethical problems presented by the coinciding twin novelties of COVID-19 and location data tracking. Pandemic, the public good, the emergent nature of the [] technological capabilities, said Marthews, is kind of a growing pain as we all kind of find our way through this technology and this pandemic together. I think that may be a fair assessment of this particular case. As for legislation, Schwartz describes himself as optimistic with regard to the eventual passage of the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act. I think theres momentum, he said. Its bipartisan. Michigan State University researchers received a $12 million, four-year federal grant from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, or IARPA, under its Biometric Recognition and Identification at Altitude and Range, or BRIAR, program. The IARPA BRIAR program is a 48-month effort to deliver end-to-end software systems capable of detecting individuals at severe imaging conditions, extracting biometric signatures from the whole-body (such as an individuals gait and/or body shape) and face, and fusing biometric information for robust multi-modal matching. The MSU project entitled Physics-driven Modeling and Learning for Person Recognition at a Distance and Altitude is led by Xiaoming Liu, an MSU Research Foundation Professor; Arun Ross, Martin J. Vanderploeg Endowed Professor; and Anil Jain, a University Distinguished Professor all in the College of Engineering. Biometric recognition refers to technology for real-time and automated recognition of individuals based on their body attributes such as face, fingerprints and iris. We use biometrics when we unlock our mobile phones using face or fingerprints, board international flights and go through immigration after returning from an overseas trip. In these applications, the camera or sensor needs to be in close proximity to the individual being recognized. But what about situations when law enforcement agencies want to find a missing person in the woods or locate a group of fugitives? The MSU BRIAR team incorporated the use of drone technology for recognizing individuals at a distance. While the elevated imaging platforms increased the altitude and range, this vantage point often only showed the tops of peoples heads, making it difficult to identify any distinguishing facial features from one person to another. The proposed FarSight system incorporates six components: detection and tracking; image restoration; face, gait and body shape feature extraction; and multimodal biometric fusion. Credit: Xiaoming Liu, Arun Ross and Anil Jain This, according to Liu, necessitated the use of whole-body biometric recognition. When we combined the benefits of each of the three biometric modalities (face, body shape and gait), we were able to achieve state-of-the-art accuracy as reported in the independent evaluation conducted by IARPA on sequestered data, he said. MSUs system, called FarSight, accepts videos from drones as input and outputs a candidate list of identities from a database. To build this prototype system, the MSU team had to address a number of challenges, including low-quality imagery, atmospheric turbulence, large variations in viewing angle and distance, and limited amount of operational data to train the recognition system. FarSight is a person recognition system that implements and fuses face, gait and body shape recognition modules in challenging conditions presented by full-motion videos. Credit: Xiaoming Liu, Arun Ross and Anil Jain. We have developed a successful prototype system that can look at one person from about 300 to 400 meters away, said Liu. During the next phase of the project, well be looking at multiple people together at a range of 600 to 700 meters. As the team improves the range and accuracy of the system, it is also learning the relative strengths of various biometric measurements in images captured at different viewpoints. We were surprised to learn that a persons height, build and gait often contain more useful biometric information than their face when capturing images from a long distance, said Liu. MSUs team, which serves as the lead institution for this project, also includes Christopher Perry in the Department of Computer Science and Erin Bunting and Robert Goodwin in MSUs Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Center. Other researchers and personnel for the project include Stanley Chan at Purdue University, Atlas Wang at the University of Texas at Austin and Humphrey Shi at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Media Contacts Emilie Lorditch The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners, and at a forum in September Chinas top climate envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The bloc will not begin collecting any CO 2 emission charges at the border until 2026. Sunday, however, marks the start of an initial phase of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) when EU importers will have to report the greenhouse gas emissions embedded during the production of imported volumes of iron and steel, aluminium, cement, electricity, fertilisers and hydrogen. By | November 1, 1996 In August 1996, the San Jose Mercury News initiated an extended series of articles linking the CIAs contra army to the crack cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles. Based on a year-long investigation, reporter Gary Webb wrote that during the 1980s the CIA helped finance its covert war against Nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cut-rate cocaine to South Central L.A. drug dealer, Ricky Ross. The series unleashed a storm of protest, spearheaded by black radio stations and the congressional Black Caucus, with demands for official inquiries. The Mercury News Web page, with supporting documents and updates, received hundreds of thousands of hits a day. While much of the CIA-contra-drug story had been revealed years ago in the press and in congressional hearings, the Mercury News series added a crucial missing link: It followed the cocaine trail to Ross and black L.A. gangs who became street-level distributors of crack, a cheap and powerful form of cocaine. The CIAs drug network, wrote Webb, opened the first pipeline between Colombias cocaine cartels and the black neighborhoods of Los Angeles, a city now known as the crack capital of the world. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the CIA-linked drug dealers. CIA Director John Deutch declared that he found no connection whatsoever between the CIA and cocaine traffickers. And major mediathe New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Posthave run long pieces refuting the Mercury News series. They deny that Bay Area-based Nicaraguan drug dealers, Juan Norwin Meneses and Oscar Danilo Blandon, worked for the CIA or contributed millions in drug profits to the contras, as Webb contended. They also note that neither Ross nor the gangs were the first or sole distributors of crack in L.A. Webb, however, did not claim this. He wrote that the huge influx of cocaine happened to come at just the time that street-level drug dealers were figuring out how to make cocaine affordable by changing it into crack. Many in the media have also postulated that any drug-trafficking contras involved were rogue elements, not supported by the CIA. But these denials overlook much of the Mercury News evidence of CIA complicity. For example: CIA-supplied contra planes and pilots carried cocaine from Central America to U.S. airports and military bases. In 1985, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Celerino Castillo reported to his superiors that cocaine was being stored at the CIAs contra-supply warehouse at Ilopango Air Force Base in El Salvador for shipment to the U.S. The DEA did nothing, and Castillo was gradually forced out of the agency. When Danilo Blandon was finally arrested in 1986, he admitted to drug crimes that would have sent others away for life. The Justice Department, however, freed Blandon after only 28 months behind bars and then hired him as a full-time DEA informant, paying him more than $166,000. When Blandon testified in a 1996 trial against Ricky Ross, the Justice Department blocked any inquiry about Blandons connection to the CIA. Although Norwin Meneses is listed in DEA computers as a major international drug smuggler implicated in 45 separate federal investigations since 1974, he lived conspicuously in California until 1989 and was never arrested in the U.S. Senate investigators and agents from four organizations all complained that their contra-drug investigations were hampered, Webb wrote, by the CIA or unnamed national security interests. In the 1984 Frogman Case, for instance, the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco returned $36,800 seized from a Nicaraguan drug dealer after two contra leaders sent letters to the court arguing that the cash was intended for the contras. Federal prosecutors ordered the letter and other case evidence sealed for national security reasons. When Senate investigators later asked the Justice Department to explain this unusual turn of events, they ran into a wall of secrecy. History of CIA Involvement in Drug Trafficking In my 30year history in the Drug Enforcement Administration and related agencies, the major targets of my investigations almost invariably turned out to be working for the CIA. Dennis Dayle, former chief of an elite DEA enforcement unit. The foregoing discussion should not be regarded as any kind of historical aberration inasmuch as the CIA has had a long and virtually continuous involvement with drug trafficking since the end of World War II. 1947 to 1951, France CIA arms, money, and disinformation enabled Corsican criminal syndicates in Marseille to wrest control of labor unions from the Communist Party. The Corsicans gained political influence and control over the docksideal conditions for cementing a long-term partnership with mafia drug distributors, which turned Marseille into the postwar heroin capital of the Western world. Marseilles first heroin laboratories were opened in 1951, only months after the Corsicans took over the waterfront. Early 1950s, Southeast Asia The Nationalist Chinese army, organized by the CIA to wage war against Communist China, became the opium baron of The Golden Triangle (parts of Burma, Thailand, and Laos), the worlds largest source of opium and heroin. Air America, the CIAs principal proprietary airline, flew the drugs all over Southeast Asia. 1950s to early 1970s, Indochina During U.S. military involvement in Laos and other parts of Indochina, Air America flew opium and heroin throughout the area. Many GIs in Vietnam became addicts. A laboratory built at CIA headquarters in northern Laos was used to refine heroin. After a decade of American military intervention, Southeast Asia had become the source of 70 percent of the worlds illicit opium and the major supplier of raw materials for Americas booming heroin market. 1973 to 1980, Australia The Nugan Hand Bank of Sydney was a CIA bank in all but name. Among its officers were a network of U.S. generals, admirals, and CIA menincluding former CIA Director William Colby, who was also one of its lawyers. With branches in Saudi Arabia, Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, and the U.S., Nugan Hand Bank financed drug trafficking, money laundering, and international arms dealing. In 1980, amidst several mysterious deaths, the bank collapsed, $50 million in debt. 1970s and 1980s, Panama For more than a decade, Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega was a highly paid CIA asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by U.S. drug authorities as early as 1971 that the general was heavily involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Noriega facilitated guns-for-drugs flights for the contras, providing protection and pilots, safe havens for drug cartel officials, and discreet banking facilities. U.S. officials, including then-CIA Director William Webster and several DEA officers, sent Noriega letters of praise for efforts to thwart drug trafficking (albeit only against competitors of his Medellin cartel patrons). The U.S. government only turned against Noriega, invading Panama in December 1989 and kidnapping the general, once they discovered he was providing intelligence and services to the Cubans and Sandinistas. Ironically, drug trafficking through Panama increased after the U.S. invasion. 1980s, Central America The San Jose Mercury News series documents just one thread of the interwoven operations linking the CIA, the contras, and the cocaine cartels. Obsessed with overthrowing the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua, Reagan administration officials tolerated drug trafficking as long as the traffickers gave support to the contras. In 1989, the Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations (the Kerry committee) concluded a three-year investigation by stating: There was substantial evidence of drug smuggling through the war zones on the part of individual contras, contra suppliers, contra pilots, mercenaries who worked with the contras, and contra supporters throughout the region. . . . U.S. officials involved in Central America failed to address the drug issue for fear of jeopardizing the war efforts against Nicaragua. . . . In each case, one or another agency of the U.S. government had information regarding the involvement either while it was occurring, or immediately thereafter. . . . Senior U.S. policy makers were not immune to the idea that drug money was a perfect solution to the contras funding problems. In Costa Rica, which served as the Southern Front for the contras (Honduras being the Northern Front), there were several CIA-contra networks involved in drug trafficking. In addition to those servicing the Meneses-Blandon operation (detailed by the Mercury News) and Noriegas operation, there was CIA operative John Hull, whose farms along Costa Ricas border with Nicaragua were the main staging area for the contras. Hull and other CIA-connected contra supporters and pilots teamed up with George Morales, a major Miami-based Colombian drug trafficker who later admitted to giving $3 million in cash and several planes to contra leaders. In 1989, after the Costa Rica government indicted Hull for drug trafficking, a DEA-hired plane clandestinely and illegally flew the CIA operative to Miami, via Haiti. The U.S. repeatedly thwarted Costa Rican efforts to extradite Hull to Costa Rica to stand trial. Another Costa Rican-based drug ring involved a group of Cuban Americans whom the CIA had hired as military trainers for the contras. Many had long been involved with the CIA and drug trafficking. They used contra planes and a Costa Rican-based shrimp company, which laundered money for the CIA, to channel cocaine to the U.S. Costa Rica was not the only route. Guatemala, whose military intelligence serviceclosely associated with the CIAharbored many drug traffickers, according to the DEA, was another way station along the cocaine highway. Additionally, the Medellin cartels Miami accountant, Ramon Milian Rodriguez, testified that he funneled nearly $10 million to Nicaraguan contras through long-time CIA operative Felix Rodriguez, who was based at Ilopango Air Force Base in El Salvador.> The contras provided both protection and infrastructure (planes, pilots, airstrips, warehouses, front companies, and banks) to these CIA-linked drug networks. At least four transport companies under investigation for drug trafficking received U.S. government contracts to carry nonlethal supplies to the contras. Southern Air Transport, formerly CIA-owned and later under Pentagon contract, was involved in the drug running as well. Cocaine-laden planes flew to Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and other locations, including several military bases. Designated as Contra Craft, these shipments were not to be inspected. When some authority wasnt apprised and made an arrest, powerful strings were pulled to result in dropping the case, acquittal, reduced sentence, or deportation. Mid-1980s to early 1990s, Haiti While working to keep key Haitian military and political leaders in power, the CIA turned a blind eye to their clients drug trafficking. In 1986, the Agency added some more names to its payroll by creating a new Haitian organization, the National Intelligence Service (SIN). SINs mandate included countering the cocaine trade, though SIN officers themselves engaged in trafficking, a trade aided and abetted by some Haitian military and political leaders. 1980s to early 1990s, Afghanistan CIA-supported Moujahedeen rebels engaged heavily in drug trafficking while fighting the Soviet-supported government, which had plans to reform Afghan society. The Agencys principal client was Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, one of the leading drug lords and the biggest heroin refiner, who was also the largest recipient of CIA military support. CIA-supplied trucks and mules that had carried arms into Afghanistan were used to transport opium to laboratories along the Afghan-Pakistan border. The output provided up to one-half of the heroin used annually in the United States and three-quarters of that used in Western Europe. U.S. officials admitted in 1990 that they had failed to investigate or take action against the drug operation because of a desire not to offend their Pakistani and Afghan allies. In 1993, an official of the DEA dubbed Afghanistan the new Colombia of the drug world. Lessons from the Slovak elections: when a third of voters believe wild conspiracies, the country is heading for a crash 1. 10. 2023 / Karel Dolejsi cas cteni 3 minuty Picture: The Ship of Fools. Early on Sunday morning, it became clear from the results of the Slovak elections that Progressive Slovakia will not be able to close the gap on Fico Smer's lead of about five percentage points. The winner of the election is likely to attempt a governing coalition with the parties Hlas-SD and the far-right SNS. In the end, Progressive Slovakia scored significantly only in Bratislava and its surroundings, Kosice and Skalica. It will thus only have a say in the shape of the next government if Fico's attempt to form a government fails. However, there are no indications of this happening. The main lesson of the Slovak debacle is that if you let the disinformation ecosystem in your country operate so freely for years that a third of the population gradually comes to believe nonsense on the level of the "flat earth theory", you will seriously endanger the very possibility of rational political debate and the strategic interests of the whole society. Early on Sunday morning, it became clear from the results of the Slovak elections that Progressive Slovakia will not be able to close the gap on Fico Smer's lead of about five percentage points. The winner of the election is likely to attempt a governing coalition with the parties Hlas-SD and the far-right SNS.In the end, Progressive Slovakia scored significantly only in Bratislava and its surroundings, Kosice and Skalica. It will thus only have a say in the shape of the next government if Fico's attempt to form a government fails. However, there are no indications of this happening.The main lesson of the Slovak debacle is that if you let the disinformation ecosystem in your country operate so freely for years that a third of the population gradually comes to believe nonsense on the level of the "flat earth theory", you will seriously endanger the very possibility of rational political debate and the strategic interests of the whole society. The second lesson is that if, as self-appointed defenders of democracy, you put your own ego and ideological catechisms before functional and responsible politics for the benefit of the majority of voters, as key figures in the last Slovak political government did, you will open the door to power to predators of Fico's type. The third lesson can be formulated in the way that Andrej Babis will try to imitate Robert Fico as much as possible in the next Czech election campaign. This does not mean, however, that the Czech ex-premier will take up the political rehabilitation of the Slovak post-invasion leader of communist Czechoslovakia Gustav Husak, which would be a much harder task in the Czech Republic than in Slovakia, or that he will also become openly anti-Semitic. Babis I, who was in politics before the current right-of-centre Fiala government took office in the Czech Republic, nevertheless, like Fico I (who ruled until the Kuciak and Kusnirova murder scandal in 2018), tried to maintain a certain pro-European and pro-Western image, pretending that he and his private populist party run on the leadership principle actually belonged to the established European party families. But now, like Fico, Babis is putting aside all inhibitions so that only the naked desire for power achieved at any cost is left standing. Arguing about how Fico I tried to look and function before he was removed from power, and denying what he is saying and doing now, is about as wise as drawing an equivalence between Babis's 2019 image and the current one. The least that can be said on the matter is that both Fico I and II and Babis I and II, these successive guises of two post-communist authoritarian populists, fundamentally disagree and contradict each other in many ways years later. Let us also recall that at one time Milos Zeman also purposely used a "pro-European" stylisation, which is completely absurd in the case of his policies pursued in the last ten years of his career. Or that the Hungarian Prime Minister, with obvious intent, purposely prevented the opposition's attempt to make leaving the EU conditional on a referendum, although many people still claim that Orban "can't do without EU money". The same thing is now being repeated about Fico. And in two years at the latest, they will undoubtedly start saying the same about Babis. Who on earth could believe that an EU member state, say, for example, Britain, would set itself on the road to decline and loss of international importance by foolishly withdrawing from an organisation from which it has received considerable resources and benefits and which has amplified its influence? 0 Blog Archive: Nov 2023 (10) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) Victims and survivors of violence in the North have been betrayed and forgotten by the UK governments Legacy Act, a remembrance service has been told. The South East Fermanagh Foundation victims group held its 11th annual service of remembrance and thanksgiving at Ballinamallard Methodist Church. Advertisement It came as the Northern Ireland Secretary described the British governments Legacy Act as a genuine help to Troubles victims. Reading a reflection at the Co Fermanagh service, David Hallawell told the gathered victims and survivors that his father, RUC Constable John Hallawell, had fully embraced his posting to the community relations branch before he was killed by the Provisional IRA in 1983. Mr Hallawell said his father had been killed while trying to arrange a cross-community disco in a nationalist area. He was in his own vehicle and he was unarmed. He was in the house for less than 15 minutes, it was that time that the IRA had four gunmen waiting. Advertisement Upon leaving the house and getting into his car, the terrorists opened fire. Advertisement He went on to tell the service: Remembrance is vital. No person has ever been convicted of dads murder and with the imposition of the Legacy Bill into law, it is now unlikely he will ever see justice. Advertisement What sort of civilised society do we live in where murder is forgiven and murderers remain unpunished? Mr Hallawell added: For the sake of the government and votes on the mainland, innocent victims and survivors have been betrayed and forgotten. Reverend John Beacom told the service that politics in Northern Ireland is toxic. Many of the politicians have let us down. They argue their case on party lines. They ignore the needs of the people. Advertisement He added: Those who suffered at the hands of terrorism are leaning on a government that doesnt care, theyre crying out for justice to a government that doesnt care. SEFF chairman Eric Brown said: Justice is bigger than any politics and when this ceases to be the case, then society is the poorer. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act received royal assent last month despite widespread opposition from political parties, victims organisations in Northern Ireland and the Irish government. Advertisement Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. It will also halt future civil cases and inquests. Advertisement SEFF director of services Kenny Donaldson appealed for accountability as he said the North is facing into a difficult future. You have a Bill which united opposition rarely do we get unity in anything in this place but were still pressing ahead. Parliament has given it sanction and it has received royal assent. He called on those gathered to be battle ready to defend the legacy of the past. Mr Donaldson questioned if there was a different divide in Northern Ireland than the traditional Catholic, nationalist, republican and Protestant, unionist, loyalist. He said: Is that the way we truly divide or do we divide on the basis of our value system and where we stand on the issue of violence? That transcends a cross-section of people and we need to start building alliances and friendships across all of that if we are to be truly successful in maintaining the integrity of the past. He also said there would be rank hypocrisy in the Irish Government taking an interstate case against the Bill, given that the Republic of Ireland has done absolutely nothing to deal with its legacy of the past. Advertisement Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the legislation sets up a body that aims to provide answers and accountability to those who want it and is open to all victims of the Troubles (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris-Heaton Harris told the Tory conference in Manchester that the Bill is a genuine help to those affected by the Troubles. Speaking in Manchester on Sunday, he said: It is the 25th anniversary year of the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Since then Northern Ireland has come a tremendously long way. But for those 25 years victims, families, survivors, some of them, have been left without answers about what happened during the 30 years of the Troubles. This Conservative Government recently passed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. And whilst it delivers on a manifesto commitment we made to our veterans, its also of genuine help to all those affected by the Troubles. It sets up a body that aims to provide answers and accountability to those who want it and is open to all victims of the Troubles. Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they will not give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded US president Joe Bidens request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. Lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on, with Republican resistance to the aid gaining momentum. Advertisement Voting in the House this past week pointed to potential trouble ahead, with nearly half of House Republicans voting to strip 300 million US dollars (246 million) from a defence-spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money was later approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, centre, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, left, during a recent visit to the US (AP) Advertisement Meanwhile, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until November 17. In doing so, the Republican closed the door on a Senate package that would have funneled six billion US dollars (4.9 billion) to Ukraine, roughly a third of what had been requested by the White House. Advertisement Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the stopgap measure, with members of both parties abandoning the increased aid for Ukraine in favour of avoiding a costly government shutdown. The latest actions in Congress signal a gradual shift in the unwavering support that the United States has so far pledged Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and it is one of the clearest examples yet of the Republican Partys movement toward a more isolationist stance. The exclusion of Ukraine funding came little more than a week after lawmakers met in the Capitol with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who sought to assure lawmakers that his military was winning the war, but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. Advertisement After that visit, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said that one sentence summed up Mr Zelenskys message in his meeting with the Senate: If we dont get the aid, we will lose the war. Advertisement Yet, Mr McCarthy, pressured by his right flank, has gone from saying no blank cheques for Ukraine, with the focus being on accountability, to describing the Senates approach as putting Ukraine in front of America. Advertisement He declined to say after the vote on government funding whether he would bring aid for Ukraine up for a House vote in the coming weeks. If there is a moment in time we need to have a discussion about that, we will have a discussion completely about that, but I think the administration has to make the case for what is victory, Mr McCarthy said. Advertisement Mr Biden said in a statement after Congress averted a shutdown that we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. He called on Mr McCarthy to keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and push through the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. In the Senate, both Mr Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell pledged to move quickly to try and pass the full White House request. But it was clear that goal would be increasingly difficult as more rank-and-file Republican senators have questioned the aid or demanded that it be attached to immigration policy that would help secure the southern border echoing similar demands in the House. Advertisement Florida Senator Rick Scott, a Republican who voted for the spending bill after the Ukraine aid was stripped out, said that Congress needed to have a conversation with the American public. He said he was optimistic after seeing the money taken out of the bill. US president Joe Biden, right, said we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted (Evan Vucci/AP) In my state, people want to be helpful to Ukraine, but they also want to be helpful to Americans, Mr Scott said. And so they want to really understand how this money has been spent. Democrats said they were disappointed by the lack of Ukraine funding, but expressed determination that they would get the aid to the war-torn country. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine, Mr Schumer said after the bill passed. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for Americas security and for democracy around the world. Robert Fico, who won Slovakia's parliamentary election on Saturday by appealing to anti-western and pro-Russian sentiment, may lead the European Union nation for the fourth time after once again shifting political gears to appeal to a changing electorate. During a three-decade career, Fico, 59, has skilfully weaved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic anti-Brussels and anti-American positions while showing a willingness to change course depending on public opinion or changed political realities. Advertisement He has remained steady throughout his career, however, on promises to protect living standards of thRuose left behind in a country where living standards for many are only slowly catching up to western Europe and where many hold relatively fond memories of a communist-era past. "Fico is a technician of power, by far the best in Slovakia. He does not have a counterpart at the moment," said sociologist Michal Vasecka, from the Bratislava Policy Institute. Advertisement "Fico is always following opinion polls, understands what is happening" in society. Yet Fico has embraced more extreme positions over the past four years that include attacks on western allies, pledges to stop military support for Kyiv, criticism of Russian sanctions and threats to veto any future NATO invitation for Ukraine. Advertisement His campaign call of "Not a single round" for Ukraine appealed to voters in the nation of 5.5 million where only a minority in the NATO member country believe Russia is at fault for the Ukraine war. Fico, who analysts see inspired by Hungary's Viktor Orban, has said he has Slovak interests at heart and wants the war to end. Western allies and Ukraine say halting military aid to Kyiv would only help Russia. "We see Viktor Orban as one of those European politicians who do not fear to openly defend the interests of Hungary and Hungarian people," Fico told Reuters in emailed responses last month. "He puts them in the first place. And that should be the role of an elected politician, to look after the interests of his voters and his country." Advertisement Fico has also railed against the country's liberal president, Zuzana Caputova, who sued him last month for spreading lies about her. He has labelled various opponents and NGO's as following instructions of U.S financier George Soros. Advertisement Born to a working-class family, Fico graduated with a law degree in 1986 and joined the then-ruling Communist party. After the 1989 fall of Communist rule, he worked as a government lawyer, won a seat in parliament under the renamed Communist party, and represented Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights. Fico has run SMER-Social Democracy party since 1999 after establishing it to oppose the reformist centre-right cabinet. Advertisement He parlayed dissatisfaction with liberal economic reforms into his first election victory in 2006. But he also kept the nation on course to adopt the euro in 2009 despite forming a government with nationalists. His second cabinet won after another centre-right coalition broke up two years later, and a tough stance against migrants helped him win re-election in 2016. After that win, he declared he wanted Slovakia as part of the EU's core with France and Germany. Those shifts in the past have given belief to foreign diplomats that he may find a pragmatic way with European and NATO partners again, especially given that a far-right party he may ally with under some scenarios did not win any seats on Saturday Advertisement Fico's political fortunes faded in 2018 when journalist Jan Kuciak, who was investigating high-level graft, and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were killed by a contract killer. This fuelled mass protests against graft and Fico was forced to resign. SMER lost power in a 2020 election to parties pledging to weed out corruption, and his party split. Polling under 10 per cent, Fico once sought to address voter fears during the coronavirus pandemic when he slammed government health measures. "He became the most prominent political representative of a movement against face masks or vaccination," said political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov. At the same time he a tapped into dissatisfaction with bickering in the ruling government and raised doubts with its pro-western course, chiming with pro-Russian narratives on social networks that had spread across Slovakia. Fico also swatted away accusations of graft that have dogged his party during his political career. He was charged with criminal conspiracy in 2022 to use police and tax information on political foes -- charges he denied and which were later dropped. The threat of a federal government shutdown was lifted hours before Saturdays midnight deadline as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal. The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republican politicians, but increases federal disaster assistance by 16 billion dollars (13.1 billion), meeting Mr Bidens full request. Advertisement The bill funds government until November 17. After days of turmoil in the House, speaker Kevin McCarthy abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and relied on Democrats to pass the bill. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol. In a statement, Mr Biden said: This is good news for the American people. Advertisement Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell leaves after voting to approve a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open (Andrew Harnik, AP) Advertisement He also said the United States cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted and expected Mr McCarthy will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. The resolution followed a sudden turn of events in Congress after the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown. The outcome ends the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Advertisement Congress will need to fund the government in coming weeks with views hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were swept aside this time in favour of a more bipartisan approach. Were going to do our job, Mr McCarthy said before the House vote. Were going to be adults in the room. And were going to keep government open. This image from US Senate video shows the vote total, 88-9, on a temporary funding bill in the Senate at the US Capitol in Washington (Senate Television via AP) Advertisement If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than two million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and services that Americans rely on would have faced shutdown disruptions. Advertisement It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown, said senate majority leader Chuck Schumer. The package funds government at existing levels until mid-November and extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91 with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote. Advertisement But the loss of Ukraine aid was devastating for politicians of both parties who vowed to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his recent Washington visit. The Senate bill included 6 billion dollars (4.9 billion) for Ukraine and both chambers came to a standstill Saturday as politicians assessed their options. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Like many academics, Esme Louise James, a PhD candidate at Melbourne University, regularly spends months working on research articles which, once published, are read by a handful of people before disappearing into journal databases. Such is the fate of most academic articles, no matter how juicy the subject matter. And the subjects James studies are, as juicy as it gets. James, 26, is a sex historian; her PhD thesis examines an aesthetic of the erotic across 18th-century literature. Shes the one you want to sit next to at a dinner party, given she can regale you with the history of jade butt plugs (popular in China during the Han Dynasty), Victor Hugos libido (insatiable), and tales of sex addict Saint Augustine (a saint!). So when James saw fellow academic Mary McGillivray on TikTok creating short art history video lessons during the 2020 lockdown, inspiration struck. Until then, Id really thought that TikTok was a place for silly videos, says James. I was just there for a giggle, and suddenly I see Mary teaching the work of Michelangelo. I had no idea the platform could be used for that. Armed with a bottle of wine, she recorded a video on the history of the dildo (the oldest known dildo, discovered in a German cave and highly polished at the top from use, is 28,000 years old), and posted it on the video sharing app. I didnt even look at the app for two days - that bottle of wine helped me forget - but when I went back, I logged on to 10,000 followers and hundreds of questions and comments, she says. It was one of those moments where this could be a funny one-off story, or I could see where this goes. Spurred on by that initial success, James uploaded more content - ranging from historical slang for the penis, (jiggling bone in 1720, fiddlestick in 1615), fun facts about philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseaus penchant for flashing his rear end to strangers and early methods of contraception, such as ancient Egyptian women shoving crocodile faeces up their hoo-has. Advertisement It wasnt long before James had amassed almost three million followers of her Kinky History series across her social media accounts. Shes now in the top 1 per cent of TikTok creators in the world. When I do my research, or read research someone else has done, and put in a bite-size chunk on the internet, I get these responses from people, saying how did we never know this before? and Im like, well, only a small select group of 20 people in the world have access to this. James refers to her millions of followers as a community. People send her pictures or facts from archives and libraries around the world, and some of her content now comes from such leads. There are even sort of fan pages that have popped up, but theyre really community groups where people talk about the content and connect with like-minded people. It helps, of course, that she delivers these facts with unbridled enthusiasm - which I can confirm is not contrived for the camera. James is just as buoyant in real life. Even when she recounts the dozens of negative comments from people on TikTok who remark on her body shape or her sartorial choices, she could not be any more breezy. Social media takes a lot of learning and getting used to, she says. Theres absolutely lots of negative stuff, but most of it is nice and, fortunately for me, its made me incredibly confident. Advertisement Off the back of her TikTok success (and the Kinky History podcast that it spawned), James has published a book of the same name, that traverses historys saucy secrets, those usually omitted from more traditional history texts. It also features research from her mum, Dr Susan James, a statistician, with whom James also worked on another TikTok series called SexTistics. And while its rooted in serious research (James has listed more than 400 references and an appendix of statistics), its written in her signature playful tone. The best part was taking all that research that I would otherwise be writing about in the academic language, and writing in a really fun way, she says. TAKE 7: THE ANSWERS ACCORDING TO ESME LOUISE JAMES Worst habit? Biting and breaking all of my pens. Greatest fear? Lifelong goals remaining unfulfilled. The line that stayed with you? How can a language alter. It does not, it is an altar - Gertrude Stein Biggest regret? Gelling my hair back in a slick, side pony-tail (adorned with a fluoro Supre headband) for far too much of middle school. Favourite room? My study - from the colour-coordinated bookshelf to the shrine to Gertrude Stein, this is my safe haven. The artwork/song you wish was yours? Jo Davidsons sculpture of Gertrude Stein. If you could solve one thing...Climate change (or the culture of selfishness/stubbornness that prevents those in power taking more immediate action to solve it). Its a bit of TikTok and a bit of my PhD; theres a lot of crossover between the two But a book deal coming out of TikTok is one of the more bizarre career moments for me. The university finds it quite amusing. At first they were a bit hesitant, but now theyre embracing it, she says. James says there are increasing numbers of educational creators popping up on social media, which she sees as a necessary evolution. James grew up wanting to be a writer (she self-published a couple of novels as a teenager), but started studying the history of religion at university. One of her supervisors pointed out that every time she wrote about religious experiences it involved characters involved in erotic relations. The supervisor politely said to me that he wasnt sure I was actually wanting to study spirituality - I might want to study sex. It was an idea she has certainly run with. Advertisement But alongside anecdotes about Mozarts predilection for rimming (he even wrote a song about it, Leck mich im Arsch) and Roman concubines, James believes much of the research in Kinky History has relevance to todays discourse around sexuality and gender. She hopes it might help people better understand gender identities. Throughout history, she writes, there are many turning points, where collective changes take place, and acceptance is replaced with fear. For us, that comes around in the 18th century, where we start to change what it means to relate to being a man and woman, she says. All of this hatred and anger against trans acceptance comes out of that moment. Prior to that, there are many historical examples of people under very different labels who are not only accepted in the community but sometimes held very important roles. She posits that there are times in history when weve been post-gender - in ancient Rome and Greece, and among tribes in Hawaii who have always acknowledged a third gender, for example - and that history suggests we will, eventually, get back to that mindset. Loading Advertisement People in the NSW town of Home Rule have been told it is too late to leave as bushfires continue to wreak havoc across the state. An emergency warning was issued at 2pm on Monday for the town in the states Central West as a grass fire threatens homes in the area. It is too late to leave Seek shelter now, the warning from the NSW RFS said. Firefighters and water bombing aircraft are working in the area. The grass fire is just one of 81 fires currently burning across the state - 29 of which are yet to be contained. A bushfire burns in Victorias High Country near Rawson on Sunday. Credit: Nine News Meanwhile, people in eastern Victoria are being urged to prepare for bushfires, flash flooding and damaging wind gusts in the coming days. There are currently 18 severe weather warnings across the state, covering bushfires around Cobbannah, Glenaladale, Moornapa, Culloden, Briagolong, Seacombe, Loch Sport, Selwyn, Buckland and Harrietville, Erica, Rawson and Walhalla. On Monday, flood warnings were also issued for the South Gippsland River, the Ovens and King rivers, the Latrobe River, the Kiewa River, the Thomson River, the Macalister River, the Upper Murray and Mitta Mitta Rivers, the Avon River, the Mitchell River, the Avon River, the Bemm, Cann and Genoa rivers, and the Snowy River. Jason Heffernan, chief officer of the Country Fire Authority, said there had been 220 bush and grass fires in Victoria since Saturday, including three that are still burning. A home has been lost, as have several sheds. Our message to the communities in and around for affected in the areas the moment is make sure that you have your Bushfire Survival Plan, that youve decided now what your triggers are should something occur, have the VicEmergency app available or the VicEmergency website, listen to your emergency broadcaster, have more than one source of information, and be prepared and ready to act, Heffernan said. That may mean you may need to take action in the very early hours of the morning because as we heard that frontal system will come into effect late this evening and into the early hours of the morning. Sydney sweltered through its hottest ever start to October on Sunday as the heat soared up to 14 degrees above average, sending Sydneysiders running for the beach and bringing about the most extreme NRL grand final day temperatures on record. Penriths heat spiked at 37.3 degrees just after 3pm; Richmond hit 36.7; and Sydney Airport recorded a high of 36.9 degrees, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Beachgoers flocked to Bondi, where temperatures surpassed 35 degrees on Sunday. Credit: Jessica Hromas The previous high for October 1 recorded for Sydney Airport was in 1998, when the temperature reached 34.3 degrees, the bureaus senior meteorologist Angus Hines said. The heat sweeping across Sydney was caused by a heat bubble that formed last week in Western Australia, and 40km/h north-westerlies offered little reprieve as the hot air mass swamped Sydney. The NSW government will come under fresh scrutiny over its drug policies following the possible overdose deaths of two young men who attended a music festival in Sydney on the long weekend, which marked the start of the summer festival season. The men, aged 26 and 21, died after going to the Knockout music festival at Sydney Olympic Park. Paramedics were called to Olympic Boulevard, outside the venue, to treat the 26-year-old just before 1am on Sunday. He was taken to Concord Hospital, where he died. Police at the Listen Out festival at Centennial Park on Saturday. Credit: Dean Sewell The 21-year-old man was treated by paramedics at a hotel on George Street in the city before they took him to St Vincents Hospital. Police were called to the hospital at 1am after he died. NSW Health confirmed both men had attended Knockout, but did not provide further information about the circumstances of their deaths. Police said investigators would examine all contributing factors. Nine other people were taken to hospital from the medical facility at Knockout festival. As the 2023 NRL decider against the Penrith Panthers drew near, the fans were getting decidedly rowdy both inside and outside Broncos HQ in Red Hill. As screens showed the early matches in Sundays NRL footy feast, Broncos faithful snared their spots ahead of the main game. Young Broncos fan Terry Butler from Inala tips a four-point win over the Panthers. Credit: Tony Moore Young fan Terry Butler from Inala sat with friends three rows back from a huge screen inside the club. The volume was already so loud, every tackle felt heavy. I think well win the game by about four points, Butler said. I believe weve got it in us. Each three-metre square is defined by three words: A picnic spot on Cockatoo Island? themes.films.grows. A stall inside Queen Victoria Market? blunt.shine.aims. Wandered just off the Three Sisters walking track in the Blue Mountains? pooches.throwing.churn. Lets say the Japanese version, we put the easiest Japanese words in Japan, and the more complicated Japanese words in the Brazilian rainforest, where there are not many Japanese speakers, says Sheldrick. The companys system encodes geographic coordinates into three permanently fixed dictionary words, making it possible to navigate any point on the surface. The tool has become a household name in densely populated cities like London, where deliveries can be sent to exact three-metre locations in crowded apartment and office blocks, and is growing in Tokyo, where a bedlam of streets and an unwieldy address system have long made navigation difficult. But in sparsely populated countries like Mongolia where entire neighbourhoods often do not have street names and up to a third of the population is nomadic, what3words is transforming access to the global economy. Things are very directionally based in Mongolia. If you go out outside the middle of Ulaanbaatar, then people will just write on an envelope a series of directions to get somewhere, says Sheldrick. Often the only way to get around is to call me when youre near and Ill guide you through a series of landmarks. Mail delivered by what3words in Mongolia. To post deliveries in Mongolia, an address is no longer needed - just three words that correspond to those three square metres. In the Taiga snow forest, 26 hours north of Ulaanbaatar, reindeer herders Zorigt and Otgonbayar follow the movements of their herd every few weeks. Their life is defined by finding the best shelter to get through brutal winters where temperatures can drop as low as -28 degrees. Now the couple have a side hustle to supplement their incomes during summer. It is the most remote Airbnb in the world. Reindeer herders Zorigt and his wife Otgonbayar run an AirBnB in remote Mongolia. We love hosting people, says Zorigt. Tourists discover the area and learn about life here. Each time herders move their ger, also known as a yurt, they update the listing with the three words for their location. I can definitely say we did not have that [one on the cards], says Sheldrick. I mean, I know Australia is vastbut this was vast. A reindeer in northern Mongolia. Increasingly, emergency services in Australia are asking people in distress to use three words to describe their location. At Wanda Beach near Cronulla, surfers will walk past a sign that tells them to quote placed.shiny.necks in an emergency. When Matty Askews mum Pamela collapsed with chest pains in Huskisson on the NSW South Coast in April, the 51-year-old struggled to define where they were in the middle of a thousand Anzac Day revellers. I tried describing where we were, but the operator who picked up the phone was based in Sydney, over 200 km away, so she had no local knowledge and couldnt pinpoint our exact location, he says. The three words: driveways.stably.outdoors directed paramedics to where she was battling a heart infection. what3words allows users to pinpoint their location to three square metres. That stuff is very powerful, says Shedrick, who does not charge emergency services for the services. Because I dont think your mind immediately goes to oh, my God every day youre going to see those kinds of real-life stories coming in. But it is great to see that our tech is being used in that way. Fresh out of university, Sheldrick and his friends did not envision a future linking up reindeer herders in Mongolia, bushwalkers in Sydney or commuters in Tokyo with three-word squares. Sheldrick had his sights set on a career as a classical musician, including a stint at Barker College in Sydneys north where he taught bassoon. Then he punched his hand through a glass window while sleepwalking. He holds up two of his fingers that have since stopped working. That was the end of that. Funnily enough, I [recently] gave a speech at my old university and I literally said one month after graduating as a music performer, I had this injury and everyone was like, oh my gosh, he says. But yeah, I think in retrospect, it was fate. Sheldricks optimism masks the reality that what3words faces ongoing threats to its business model from the worlds largest tech companies. After a decade of operations, it is still leaking cash. In May, it announced it had reduced its losses from 43.3 million ($83 million) in 2021 to 31.5 million ($60 million) in 2022, after a $10 million crowdfunding campaign last year. It generates money by charging businesses to integrate their services into their websites. The three words are turned into GPS code through the system, which is still needed by most location services around the world. The company continues to invest in research and development activities, including the development of new product concepts and integrations for commercial partners and consumer users, the company said in a statement accompanying its annual results in May. More than 20 companies have tried to create alphanumeric codes for deliveries, including Google, but few have caught on, mainly because they are easily forgettable as addresses. In an emergency, pinning your location, finding your raw GPS coordinates and sharing them in Google Maps can be both time-consuming and clunky. what3words in the Northern Territory. So can what3words make real money? The next year is about international replication. So in the UK, were a household name, very well known. The task at hand is to replicate that in several countries simultaneously, says Sheldrick. I think were just on the cusp with drone delivery. Royal Mail [Britains national mail] provider has committed to using all three words for drone delivery, and they are doing that on some Scottish Islands at the moment. Perhaps its okay to be a bit of a busybody sometimes, quipped Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor of Kanagawa, as he outlined how the strength of a response to a disaster lies in the community and encouraged neighbours to get to know one another and each others escape plans. Japan learnt this through tragic and bitter experiences. For example, Minamisanriku Town, ground zero of the 2011 tsunami, no longer exists. Those who survived moved inland. It is hard, visiting the area today, to imagine how people ever felt safe living on the edge of the Pacific in such an earthquake-prone country. The mangled remains of the former Disaster Measures government building at the Minamisanriku Town Earthquake Recovery Memorial Park, Japan. Credit: Latika Bourke Two buildings speak to the towns destruction. The first is the mangled metal remains of the one that served as the disaster warning centre. The second is the Minamisanriku 311 Memorial, which honours those who lost their lives and serves as an educational resource, inviting visitors to consider their own suite of survival skills and evacuation plans. I was struck by the sight of Australian flags, prominently displayed at its entrance and front desk. Australia was the first foreign country to send rescuers and aid after the tsunami and then prime minister Julia Gillard was the first world leader to visit. Inside, a helmet from one of the Australian rescuers sits in a glass cabinet. Japan built not just memorials but also museums to mark their most catastrophic earthquakes. Although controversial, they are thought to provide a positive and instructional way to channel the collective PTSD. Nowhere was this better demonstrated than at the foot of the cement ruins of Okawa Elementary School. The school sits just a few hundred metres from the base of a hill easy enough for any child to climb. The remains of the Okawa Elementary School that was hit by the 3/11 tsunami. Credit: Latika Bourke But despite having plenty of advance warning that the tsunami was coming, the children were held on lower ground in the schoolyard and those who attempted to escape were chastised. When the wave came, it engulfed 74 of the 78 students and 10 of the 11 teachers those who survived were the ones who ran up the hill anyway. These terrible details came out through the subsequent litigation launched by the parents of the children (suing is rare in Japan) and led to huge changes. Now children are taught how to prepare for risk and act. Above all, they are taught to save their own lives first. Akari told me how she regularly practises earthquake drills at her school and I had no doubt she knew exactly what to do should something happen. Loading If Australia wants to get serious about how it deals with disaster, its going to have to accept the costs of this level of permanent readiness. In Japan, the sums have saved lives. The countrys Self Defence Forces have 3900 people, 1100 vehicles and 40 aircraft on standby, deployable within an hour. Similarly, a cabinet minister is always available to attend, within 30 minutes, the emergency meeting that will be activated when disaster strikes. Representatives from private sector companies (think infrastructure, communications, utility companies) are seconded to the cabinet office to join the officials who work on the response plans. Relevant legislation is constantly updated and laws have even been passed to allow the clearance of abandoned passenger vehicles. At the Kobe Disaster Reduction Institute we learnt that drivers are told to leave their keys in the ignition if they have to abandon their vehicle, so emergency workers can move it. It all felt a far cry from Australias approach which, having established that Defence cant be first port of call to respond to our floods and fires, has only this week held its first National Disaster Preparedness Summit and is still to work out just who will step in if the military cant. To understand Japan is to appreciate that the backdrop to daily life is its constant state of readiness. As one Australian who works in disaster response summed it up, disaster preparedness is embedded in its psyche. Indeed, as I sat down to listen to the US ambassador to Japan deliver his speech, the host read out the evacuation procedures and with a smile, added just in case. This could easily be Japans national motto. Australia would do well to think similarly, stepping away from the shell be right mentality that too often blights its ability to think long-term. Latika Bourke is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in London. She travelled as a guest of the Japan Foundation and Australian Institute of International Affairs. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Kiko Liu strolls down Sanlituns high street in central Beijing. The 19-year-old student is wearing a long, pink skirt and a black shirt. His hair is dyed blond. Liu stands out in any crowd, but his elegant frame is even more vibrant in China where despite decades of high-end fashion flooding into the worlds largest consumer market, cross-dressing remains controversial. I can accept people pointing fingers at me on the street, he says. Its okay for men to wear womens clothes and vice versa. Its 2023, people should be liberal in such an era as long as they dont do something abnormal or against ethics. Lius confidence masks his rising anxiety about a new law that could make it illegal to wear clothes that undermine the spirit or hurt the feelings of the Chinese nation. Fashion student Kiko Liu says the new proposal is ridiculous. Whose spirit and feelings are hurt? Who, or how many people, can represent the Chinese nation?, says Armstrong Zhang, a close observer of Chinas legal affairs in Beijing who works under a pseudonym because public criticism of the Chinese government is politically sensitive in China. The draft law, which closes to public feedback on Saturday, threatens fines of up to 5000 yuan ($1000) and 15 days in detention. So far, it has been inundated with more than 100,000 submissions, most of them negative. Advertisement To be honest, I couldnt believe it, said Lao Dongyan, a professor of law at Tsinghua University. Legal experts have questioned how China will define laws based on hurt feelings. Credit: Sanghee Liu It is a concept with extremely vague connotations. It will inevitably lead to the selective enforcement of administrative power. Zhang says the goal of the legal system in China is to standardise social behaviour and spread goodness and restrain evil. But laws and regulations which may lead to people attacking each other are obviously against the original intention of the law. Si Weijiang, a lawyer at Shanghai DeBund, says the law will make it easy to impose administrative penalties on daily expressions. Lao believes it will bog down courts with unnecessary enforcement, open a breeding ground for corruption and intensify the conflict between the police and the public, bringing new risks to Beijings prized goal of social stability. Advertisement The spirit and feelings of a nation belong to the affairs of culture and spirit, which can be advocated by the state, but should not be carried out through law enforcement, he said. The draft law has received more than 100,000 submissions since it was published at the beginning of September. Credit: Sanghee Liu The law has not been developed in isolation. It is the latest in a long line of legal changes aimed at solidifying growing nationalism in China under President Xi Jinping. The changes have swept the business sector through security crackdowns on foreign-owned firms, made patriotic education mandatory in Hong Kong and now threaten to regulate how people dress themselves. Loading The legislation and provisions may stimulate the wanton spread of populism or extreme nationalism, further worsen the public opinion environment in the public domain, said Lao. Fashion has a long history of being used by political leaders in China to instil political loyalty. The Qing dynasty used the Manchu dress as a form of social control. In the 19th century, Chinese men were forced to shave their heads and braid their hair in a queue. When they were deposed by Han-Chinese revolutionaries in the early 20th century, the Manchu style came to be seen as a form of imperial oppression. By the 1950s, Mao suits had become ubiquitous, driven by both scarcity and patriotic unity, they transformed into a symbol of Communism itself. Liu, who grew up as Chinas economy boomed in the early 2000s, worries the law will start another cycle of fashion being used as a political weapon. Advertisement If the law goes ahead, everyone would have to wear the same? Whats the point? he says. So many years after reform and opening up, people should be more free and not be suffocated by all the regulations and restrictions. Shen Guohua in a traditional Chinese costume in Beijings Sanlitun district. Credit: Sanghee Liu Nearby, film student Shen Guohua, is dressed in a flowing mint green robe. Two swords hang from the 17-year-olds hip. Dressing means personality to me, she says, describing the proposed changes to the law as not good. Shens dress is a traditional Chinese costume, but such is the popularity of robes in traditional dress across East Asia, that other Chinese historical outfits have been confused for Japanese kimonos, triggering nationalist responses from officials and members of the public who view the Japanese as historical invaders and modern economic rivals. In September, a woman was asked to leave a park in Wuhan after her Chinese Tang Dynasty dress was mistaken for a kimono. In August last year, a woman wearing a light kimono, known as a yukata, was reprimanded by in Suzhou and later arrested for arguing with police. Advertisement Online, Chinese internet users accused officials of turning into the moral police while criticising their hypocrisy. The word cadre is from Japan (Kanbu), said one. Does it hurt the feelings of the nation when they speak it? Police patrol the street Beijings Sanlitun district last week. Credit: Sanghee Liu In Sanlitun, Lius dress is more extravagant than most, but even the pink helmet-wearing, tiered-ruffle skirt-making aficionado treads carefully through the modern boundaries of Chinese self-censorship. I think this law is ridiculous. Everyone has different aesthetic standards. Just like my skirt, he says. Loading However, as Chinese citizens, we should abide by laws and regulations, make sure our deeds and dressings are not out of line, and not damage the image of the Chinese nation. Washington: Top Republican Kevin McCarthy will face a far-right mutiny to remove him as Speaker of the House of Representatives after he worked with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown that would have left millions of Americans without pay and key services. Less than a day after Congress was able to temporarily stop the US government from running out of money, one of McCarthys fiercest critics, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, an ally of former president Donald Trump, said he would seek to oust McCarthy from his job later this week. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Credit: AP The move will be the first time anyone has tested the new motion to vacate rule that McCarthy agreed to in January in order to get enough votes to become Speaker, essentially making it easier for rebels in his own party to remove him. And while the Speaker insisted on Sunday he would have the numbers to survive such a vote - and told Gaetz to bring it on - it would nonetheless throw the Congress into disarray and further undermine his already diminished authority within the party. In his first address to employees after taking charge as the chairman and managing director of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), SN Subrahmanyan spoke about boosting the companys performance, extolled the importance of technology, and asserted that he was building a future ready organisation. In a letter to the employees on Sunday, Subrahmanyan said leading the organisation will be a collective effort. He pointed out that at present, L&Ts order book is at its robust, market cap and share price at their highest. As of June 2023, L&Ts order book stood at Rs 4.12 trillion, its highest ever. We must, however, remain hungry for success. Our focus cannot waver from performance, Subrahmanyan explained. Bringing the focus to the importance of technology, and the change in the energy ecosystem, Subrahmanyan in his letter said: We must believe in the power of technology and keep harnessing its potential to keep improving our productivity and efficiency. Subrahmanyan also urged the organisation to be future ready, adding: The future is closer than you think. There are basic and massive changes occurring in the ecosystem, energy change, sustainability as a way of life and digitalisation is impacting every aspect of business. We must be future ready. SNS, as Subrahmanyan is popularly known, joined the construction business of L&T in 1984 as a project planning engineer after completing a degree in civil engineering and post-graduation in business management. A M Naik, stepped down from his non-executive chairman role for the company on September 30. Naik announced Subrahmanyan as his successor in 2016. Going forward, Naik will focus on varied philanthropic initiatives, according to the companys press note. Naik, 81, will also be chairman of L&T's IT companies and the employees trust. At a ceremony held in Mumbai on Saturday, India Post unveiled a postage stamp, honouring Naiks contributions. The cover of Naiks upcoming biography The Man Who Built Tomorrow, which will be published by Harper Collins, was also unveiled at the event. Following the closure of the Afghan embassy in India, Bhaswati Mukherjee, former Indian envoy to the Netherlands said that the decision to shut down the embassy is not because of India. "I presume that the decision to shut down the embassy is really not because of India, but because of internal problems within the Afghanistan embassy here, triggered by the new government in Kabul, which is completely opposed to the earlier government. That is the real reason, in my perspective, for the closure of the Afghan embassy," said Mukherjee. She further highlighted the issue of a shortage of funds and lack of resources for the closure of the Afghanistan embassy in India. "I presume they must be also having a shortage of funds because running an embassy, I can tell you, having been an ambassador is a very expensive business. You have to pay for electricity, water and so many other expenses. You have to pay the salaries of your local employees. If you want to run your car, you have to pay for the petrol, even if it is duty-free." Underlining the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, she noted that the decision was triggered by internal Afghan politics. "After the Taliban took over power in Kabul, they sent their own people here. However, the Taliban government has not been recognized by any government so far, including India. In the meantime, the earlier ambassador left India and is presently in exile in some country," she said. Earlier today, the Afghan Embassy in India, announced the closure of its operations citing "lack of resources" and "failure to meet Afghanistan's interests" by the Taliban regime. The Embassy also made an "unequivocal statement" stating that certain consulates that work on the instruction and funding from Kabul are not in consonance with the objectives of a legitimate or elected government, but rather serve the interests of an "illegitimate regime". Adding to this, she said that the other Afghan diplomats who had been sent by the earlier government also sought exile and left India, whereas, the remaining are having some internal problems with the people sent by the present government. Also Read Taliban-run Afghanistan calls for removal of sanctions in meeting with US Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Playing 11, toss result, streaming Terror strikes in Pakistan surged after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan 'Afghanistan headed to civil war with Taliban splitting into factions' Threat of terrorism from Taliban rising in Afghanistan, region: UN report World's highest rail bridge in J-K's Reasi being developed as tourist spot PM Modi to visit MP, Rajasthan on Monday, to launch development projects Repair work in Azadpur Mandi to be done within 45 days, says Gopal Rai Rajnath Singh urges to carry forward govt's vision of 'Swachh Bharat' 'India emerging market for cocoa, should become ICCO member': Official She further said that India cannot get involved in their internal politics. "The non-cooperation, I think, is because they expected us to intervene in favour of one faction or another faction. But, it is not possible for India to get involved in their internal politics," said the former Indian envoy. Mukherjee also noted that India has limited diplomatic contacts with the new Taliban government. "There is also the question of the security of our own people who are in Kabul. So under those circumstances, remaining neutral and out of their internal problems was probably the wise decision to take," she said. Furthermore, she emphasized that Afghanistan may appoint new ambassadors and some new staff and the embassy is not going to be closed permanently. "This Afghan embassy may be temporary. It may be that they will find some way out and they will appoint some new ambassadors and some new staff. So I think it is the beginning of a new process. It's not going to be closed permanently," she said. Mukherjee, however, emphasized that Afghans will face consequences of the closure of the embassy as many of them come to India for medical treatment. "Many Afghans come here for serious medical problems, dialysis, kidney, and organ transplants, cardiac problems, etc. They can still avail of the services that we have given them in Kabul and they can come," she said. Highlighting that India would welcome good relations with Afghanistan, she said, "If they choose to open an embassy, it would have to be negotiated because the government in power in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is not recognized by the UN and is not recognized by any country, so it would have to be an informal arrangement." "But, I don't think that this is a permanent decision to close the embassy," she added. Earlier in the day, the Afghan Embassy said in a statement, "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations. This decision, while deeply regrettable, is made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and longstanding partnership between Afghanistan and India." The Embassy further stated that in accordance with Article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), all property and facilities of the Embassy will be transferred to the custodial authority of the host country. Meanwhile, the Afghan ambassador and the embassy's diplomats also extended their heartfelt gratitude to the people of India for their support and to the Government of India for their assistance to Afghanistan over the past 22 years. Stop stubble burning and get special treatment at government offices. The Gurdaspur district administration has come up with this novel idea to curb crop residue burning, one of the major reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution in the national capital region in October and November. Farmers who abstain from stubble burning will be recognised as environment protectors ('vatavaran de rakhe') and given appreciation certificates. By showing it, they can avoid queues at government offices. Not just farmers, villages which report zero stubble burning in the harvesting season will also get the 'vatavaran de rakhe' certificates and will be prioritised for any development project. The window for sowing wheat, a Rabi crop, is very short after paddy harvest. Hence, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear the crop residue and prepare the sowing of the next crop. With about 31 lakh hectares of paddy sowing area, Punjab produces around 180 lakh to 200 lakh tonnes of paddy straw every year. Of this, 120 lakh tonne is disposed of through in-situ and ex-situ management methods. Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal, the brain behind the 'vatavaran de rakhe' initiative, said the aim is to motivate farmers to refrain from burning paddy stubble which leads to air pollution. "The 'vatavaran de rakhe' certificate holders will enjoy certain privileges at government offices they visit for any work. The certificate holder will not have to wait in a queue. If they come to meet me or any government official for any work, they will not have to wait," he said. If any village reports zero stubble burning, it will get funding for any development project on a priority basis, the deputy commissioner said, adding the certificates will be given in November. Aggarwal said that he was getting positive responses from farmers for this initiative. Gurdaspur district alone generates one million tonnes of stubble and the administration has made plans to manage the same through in-situ (mixing crop residue in fields) and ex-situ (using stubble as fuel) methods. It identified 55 hotspots and initiated a massive awareness campaign to curb stubble burning. Also Read Advisory issued in Gurdaspur after water released in Punjab's Ujh river Centre aims zero stubble burning in current season: Agriculture Minister NHRC raises concern over 'tardy progress' towards zero stubble-burning aim 'Solution to plastic pollution' on UN's agenda as planet chokes on plastic Delhi Environment Min convenes meeting amid Delhi's worsening air quality CEC Rajiv Kumar flags voters awareness rally ahead of polls in Rajasthan Like Chandrayaan, US-India relation will go to moon and even beyond: EAM Tourism in Himachal's Shimla booms amid festive season and weekends Visva Bharati sends fresh letter to Bengal CM demanding return of road Centre's action plan to check air pollution in Delhi takes effect The district administration has made efforts to tie up with some companies to collect stubble to be used as fuel. Efforts are also being made to set up stubble pellet units which can be used by brick kilns for fuel, Aggarwal said. In the 2022 Kharif season, Punjab had seen a 30 per cent drop in stubble burning over the previous year. The state agriculture department will provide 24,000 crop residue management machines across the state during the harvest season to check stubble burning. These machines include super SMS, happy seeder, paddy straw chopper, mulcher, smart seeder, zero till drill, surface seeder, super seeder, crop reaper, shrub master for in-situ management, and baler and straw rake for ex-situ management. Under the Rs 350 crore paddy straw management plan, the state agriculture department is targeting zero-stubble burning incidents in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Mohali, SBS Nagar and Malerkotla districts. Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Sunday said its total wholesales increased 53 per cent year-on-year to 23,590 units in September, its highest-ever in a month. The automaker had dispatched 15,378 units to dealers in the same month last year. Total sales achieved include 22,168 domestic units and export of 1,422 units, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said in a statement. Toyota Kirloskar Motor Vice President of Sales and Strategic Marketing Atul Sood said the sales performance underlines the growing acceptance of the company's diverse product portfolio. "We are witnessing sustained demand across our product line-up which is leading to the company's record-breaking performance... As we move forward in the festive season, we are expecting a promising period with demand continuing to grow thus further enhancing our sales performance," he added. The automaker said wholesales grew 35 per cent to 1,23,939 units in the first six months of the current fiscal year, compared to 91,843 units in the same period last fiscal. In the first six months of the current fiscal, the company expanded its reach from 577 to 612 touchpoints across the country, it added. If Taliban does not respect women's rights, it cannot join the international community, the US envoy for Afghan women and human rights, Rina Amiri said, Khaama Press reported on Saturday. Amiri, on her social media platform X, revealed that during the 78th UN General Assembly, she engaged in high-level meetings with officials from various countries, concentrating specifically on Afghanistan and the challenges faced by women and girls. According to Amiri, officials delivered a clear message: The Taliban must respect Afghan and women's rights to be part of the international community, according to Khaama Press. During a meeting with representatives of Muslim-majority countries on the sidelines of the UNGA, there was unanimous agreement that the Taliban's oppressive policies, especially towards women and girls, are incompatible with global norms and deeply harmful to Afghanistan. The participants committed to sustaining international solidarity for Afghanistan and emphasised the importance of diplomatic and concrete efforts to support Afghan women and girls. Meanwhile, Amiri stressed the need for the international community to communicate to the Taliban that engagement seeks to improve the situation, conditional on respecting people's rights. She emphasised promoting civic discourse, tolerance, and meaningful representation for women and civil society in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. She also called for concrete support, including education, scholarships, and job opportunities, to counter the Taliban's repressive actions. Notably, with the resurgence of the Taliban in August 2021 in Afghanistan, the country's educational system has suffered a significant setback. As a result, girls have been deprived of access to education, and seminaries or religious schools have gradually filled the void left by schools and universities. Afghanistan's women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Girls and women in the war-torn country have no access to education, employment and public spaces. A startling 80 per cent of Afghan girls and young women, who are of school-going age, are currently denied access to education under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, a new report by Care International stated, according to Khaama Press. It has been more than two years since girls above grade six have been prohibited from attending schools in Afghanistan, and it is unclear when those doors will reopen, Tolo News reported. Also Read UN report urges Afghanistan's Taliban to end floggings, executions Threat of terrorism from Taliban rising in Afghanistan, region: UN report Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Playing 11, toss result, streaming Taliban bans beauty salons in Afghanistan despite UN concern, protests 'Afghanistan headed to civil war with Taliban splitting into factions' On the brink of federal shutdown, US House passes 45-day funding plan Concerned about Indian envoy being denied meeting in Gurudwara: UK minister MoS Ranjan Singh, New Zealand PM take part in 1st India Business Summit '23 Cote d'lvoire announces farm gate price of cocoa at Rs 1,000 CNF Franc/kg India participates in 5th Moscow Format Consultation meeting on Afghanistan Afghanistan remains the only country to ban girls' and women's education, resulting in a substantial economic toll of approximately $5.4 billion. The threat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday hours before a midnight deadline as Congress approved a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open and sent the measure to President Joe Biden to become law. The rushed package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $ 16 billion, meeting Biden's full request. The bill funds government until Nov 17. After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol. This is good news for the American people, Biden said in a statement. He also said the United States cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted" and expected McCarthy "will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." It's been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown. The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach. We're going to do our job, McCarthy, R-Calif., said before the House vote. We're going to be adults in the room. And we're going to keep government open. If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would have begun to face shutdown disruptions. It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Also Read The Biden govt could shut down on October 1: Here's all you need to know Biden falls onstage at graduation ceremony; White House says he's 'fine' On the brink of govt shutdown, US Senate tries to approve funding Prez Biden, top lawmakers to discuss debt limit at White House May 9 No deal has yet been reached, says Joe Biden after debt ceiling talks Concerned about Indian envoy being denied meeting in Gurudwara: UK minister MoS Ranjan Singh, New Zealand PM take part in 1st India Business Summit '23 Cote d'lvoire announces farm gate price of cocoa at Rs 1,000 CNF Franc/kg India participates in 5th Moscow Format Consultation meeting on Afghanistan Sunak under pressure over taxes ahead of first Tory conference as UK PM The package funds government at current 2023 levels until mid-November, and also extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote. But the loss of Ukraine aid was devastating for lawmakers of both parties vowing to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his recent Washington visit. The Senate bill included $6 billion for Ukraine, and both chambers came to a standstill Saturday as lawmakers assessed their options. "The American people deserve better," said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, warning in a lengthy floor speech that extreme" Republicans were risking a shutdown. For the House package to be approved, McCarthy was forced to rely on Democrats because the speaker's hard-right flank has said it will oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes needed from his slim majority. It's a move that is sure to intensify calls for his ouster. After leaving the conservative holdouts behind, McCarthy is almost certain to be facing a motion to try to remove him from office, though it is not at all certain there would be enough votes to topple the speaker. Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed. "If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. But I think this country is too important. The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has championed Ukraine aid despite resistance from his own ranks, is expected to keep pursuing U.S. support for Kyiv in the fight against Russia. I have agreed to keep fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine, McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote. Late at night, the Senate stalled when Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., held up the vote, seeking assurances Ukraine funds would be reconsidered. I know important moments are like this, for the United States, to lead the rest of the world, Bennet said, noting his mother was born in Poland in 1938 and survived the Holocaust. We can't fail. The House's quick pivot comes after the collapse Friday of McCarthy's earlier plan to pass a Republican-only bill with steep spending cuts up to 30% to most government agencies and strict border provisions that the White House and Democrats rejected as too extreme. A faction of 21 hard-right Republican holdouts opposed it. "Our options are slipping away every minute, said one senior Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. The federal government had been heading straight into a shutdown that posed grave uncertainty for federal workers in states all across America and the people who depend on them from troops to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others. Families that rely on Head Start for children, food benefits and countless other programs large and small were confronting potential interruptions or outright closures. At the airports, Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers had been expected to work without pay, but travelers could have faced delays in updating their U.S. passports or other travel documents. The White House has brushed aside McCarthy's overtures to meet with Biden after the speaker walked away from the debt deal they brokered earlier this year that set budget levels. Catering to his hard-right flank, McCarthy had made multiple concessions including returning to the spending limits the conservatives demanded back in January as part of the deal-making to help him become the House speaker. But it was not enough as the conservatives insisted the House follow regular rules, and debate and approve each of the 12 separate spending bills needed to fund the government agencies, typically a months-long process. In the Senate, all the no votes against the package came from Republicans. McCarthy's chief Republican critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, has warned he will file a motion calling a vote to oust the speaker. Some of the Republican holdouts, including Gaetz, are allies of former President Donald Trump, who is Biden's chief rival in the 2024 race. Trump has been encouraging the Republicans to fight hard for their priorities and even to shut it down. At an early closed-door meeting at the Capitol, several House Republicans, particularly those facing tough reelections next year, urged their colleagues to find a way to prevent a shutdown. All of us have a responsibility to lead and to govern, said Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. The lone House Democrat to vote against the package, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said, Protecting Ukraine is in our national interest. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code The Man of Peace is Lal Bahadur Shastri. He is well known as India's second prime minister after independence. He is also renowned for coining the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" ('Hail the warriors and farmers'). Let us study more about the life of this great Indian historical figure. This article is helpful content for the students of classes 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 who wish to write a 1000-word essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri in English. Lal Bahadur Shastri was the country's second Prime Minister and a major leader of the Indian National Congress. Mahatma Gandhi had a strong influence on him, and he joined the independence movement in the 1920s. Following India's independence in 1947, Lal Bahadur Shastri joined Nehru's cabinet, eventually becoming one of Prime Minister Nehru's principals, first as Railway Minister and subsequently in a variety of ministries including Home Minister. He also led the country throughout the 1965 Indo-Pak war, coining the slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan," which is still popular today. On January 10, 1966, the Tashkent Agreement formally terminated the war. He died the next day in Tashkent. Even though it was reported that Lal Bahadur Shastri died as a result of heart arrest, his family was not satisfied. Early Childhood and Education Lal Bahadur Shastri was born at Mughal Sarai on October 2, 1904. He was born in Mughal Sarai, the residence of his maternal grandparents. His paternal grandparents worked under the Zamindar of Ramnagar, which is located near Varanasi. Shastri's father was a school teacher who later worked as a clerk in Allahabad's tax office. Shastri was the eldest son of his parents, but he had a younger sister named Kailashi Devi. Lal Bahadur Shastri's father died when he was one and a half years old, during an epidemic of bubonic plague. His mother, Smt. Ramdulari Devi, was just 23 years old at the time and pregnant with her third child when she took her children and moved to Ramnagar to live with her father. In July 1906, she gave birth to Shastri's younger sister Sundara Devi. Lal Bahadur Shastri began his education at the age of four under the tutelage of a Muslim cleric, as Urdu/Persia remained the language of instruction for generations until it was superseded by English. Budhan Mian enrolled him at East Central Railway Inter-College in Mughal Sarai. Bindeshwari Prasad's maternal grandpa died, and his cousin Ramdulari Devi, a schoolteacher at Mughal Sarai, took over as head of the family. Bindeshwari Prasad was transferred to Varanasi & the entire family of Shastriji shifted to Varanasi. There he joined Harish Chandra School, at this time he decided to drop his caste-derived surname of Srivastava. Lal Bahadur Shastri's Role in India's Independence Movement and His Higher Education There was no connection between the family with the independence struggle. Nishkameshwar Prasad Mishra, his teacher at Harish Chandra High School, was nationalistic and well-liked. He provided much-needed financial assistance to Shastri by allowing him to tutor his children. Shastri became interested in the independence struggle and began researching the history of Indian ancestors, including Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, and Annie Besant. He attended a public meeting in Benares hosted by Gandhi when he was in the tenth grade. Inspired by Gandhi's appeal to boycott government schools and join the Non-Cooperation movement, Shastriji left Harish Chandra the next day and joined the local branch of the Congress party as a volunteer, beginning to participate in anti-government protests. J.B. Kriplani, a former lecturer at Banaras Hindu University who later became one of the most famous leaders of the Indian Independence movement and one of Gandhi's closest followers, was Shastri's direct supervisor. Shastri received a first-class degree in philosophy and ethics from the National Institution of Higher Education known as Kashi Vidyapith, which was founded by J. B. Kripalani and VN Sharma with the support of a wealthy philanthropist and ardent Congress nationalist, Shiv Prasad Gupta. Shastri joined the Indian National Congress as an active member in 1928. He was imprisoned for two and a half years before working as a secretary for the U.P. parliamentary board in 1937. He was sentenced to one year in prison for offering individual Satyagraha support to the independence struggle. Lal Bahadur Shastri's Political Career Following India's independence, he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in his home state of Uttar Pradesh, where he later became Minister of Police and Transport under Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant. As the state's transport minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first to appoint conductors. During his stint as a police minister, he was successful in quelling communal disturbances, and he was the first to advise police to utilize water jets to disperse crowds rather than lathi charges. With Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister in 1951, he was appointed General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee. It was his obligation to choose the candidates and direct them in electioneering and advertising efforts. His cabinet was made up of India's most successful business people. Lal Bahadur Shastri was instrumental in the Congress Party's landslide victory in India's general elections in 1952, 1957, and 1962. In 1962, he won the UP Vidhan Sabha seat of Saron with 69% of the vote. On May 13, 1952, Shastri was appointed as the first Railway Minister in the Republic of India's first cabinet. He was also the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and he laid the groundwork for Mangalore Port. Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji as India's Prime Minister Shastriji was appointed Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru died on May 27, 1964. Then-Congress President K. Kamaraj assisted in making him the republic's second Prime Minister. Shastri retained many members of Nehru's Cabinet and placed Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi as Minister of Information and Broadcasting. During his tenure, he witnessed the anti-Hindu protest in Madras in 1965, when the Indian government was attempting to establish Hindi as the sole national language of India. He encountered opposition from non-Hindi-speaking states. To defuse the tension, he stated that English would remain the official language. Following the promise, the unrest and violence abated. Personal and Family Life Lal Bahadur Shastri married Lalita Devi on May 16, 1928, and they had four boys and two daughters. Throughout his life, he lived by Gandhi's principles. Shastri Ji's New Political Revolution Nehru's socialist economic plans were abandoned by Shastri. Lal Bahadur Shastri was instrumental in launching the white revolution, an effort to improve milk production and availability. He backed cooperative businesses and established the National Dairy Development Board. On October 31, 1964, Shastri Ji paid a visit to Anand and opened the Amul cattle feed factory at Kanjari. Lal Bahadur Shastri spent the night there, interacting with the farmers and having dinner with them. As a result of this engagement, he established the National Dairy Development Board, which was led by Mr. Verghese Kurien, the General Manager of Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producer Union Ltd (Amul at the time). Because of the country's food shortages, Shastriji advised individuals to give up one meal voluntarily so that the food saved might be delivered to the affected population. The response to his call was amazing; even restaurants and cafes closed their doors once a week. It was known as Shastri Vrat in many parts of the world. How Lal Bahadur Shastri handled the India-Pakistan war 1965 India His most notable movement was the Pakistan War, in which he led India to victory. As conflict broke out on a large scale, he sent the Indian army across the Line of Control and threatened Pakistan near Lahore. The two countries engaged in massive tank battles. Despite Pakistani victories in the north, Indian soldiers gained vital strongholds at Haji Pir in Kashmir and Lahore in Pakistan, which were under artillery and mortar fire from Indian forces. According to the United Nations-mandated truce, the war concluded on September 23, 1965. Death of Lal Bahadur Shastri Shastri died of a heart attack on January 11, 1966, in Tashkent, after signing a peace pact to terminate the 1965 Indo-Pak War. His relatives, however, refused to accept the circumstances of his death and claimed foul play. The Indian government did not divulge any information at the time, and the media remained mute as well. Many conspiracy theories continue to circulate in relation to his death. 500 word Essay on Lal Bahadur Shastri in english for class 4,5,6,7 Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in Mughal Sarai, Uttar Pradesh, India, on October 2, 1904. Sharda Prasad was his father's name, and he was a schoolteacher. Ramdulari Devi was his mother's name. When Lal Bahadur Shastri was one year old, his father died. He has two younger sisters. His mother Ramdulari Devi moved him and his two sisters to her father's house after his father died and placed them there. Marriage and Education Lal Bahadur Shastri had always been honest and hardworking since he was a child. Lal Bahadur Shastri received the title Shastri Scholar after graduating with honors from the Kashi Vidyapeeth in 1926. In his childhood, Lal Bahadur Shastri learned values such as bravery, adventure, patience, self-control, courtesy, and selflessness. Lal Bahadur Shastri sacrificed his schooling in order to actively participate in the liberation fight. Lalita Devi married Lal Bahadur Shastri. Lal Bahadur Shastri and his wife were both fortunate with six children. Their children's names were Kusum, Hari Krishna, Suman, Anil, Sunil, and Ashok. Involvement in the Freedom Movement Lal Bahadur Shastri was captivated by the national freedom cause as a child. He was deeply moved by Gandhi's address at the Banaras Hindu University's foundation ceremony. Following that, he became a devoted Gandhian before joining the liberation movement. As a result, he was sent to jail several times. Lal Bahadur Shastri always thought that self-sufficiency and self-reliance were the foundations of a strong nation. Lal Bahadur Shastri preferred to be remembered for his work rather than well-rehearsed speeches full of high promises. He was always opposed to the prevalent caste system, therefore he chose to drop his surname and, after graduation, take the Shastri surname. Lal Bahadur Shastri's Political Career Following India's independence in 1947, Lal Bahadur Shastri was given the portfolios of transport and home ministry. He was appointed to the Railway Ministry in 1952. When Jawaharlal Nehru died, Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded him as Prime Minister for only 18 months. After the victory over Pakistan in the 1965 war, he received his achievements. He died on January 11, 1966, as a result of a severe heart attack. Lal Bahadur Shastri was India's second prime minister. He was a great individual as well as a brilliant leader, and he was honored with the "Bharat Ratna." He gave a renowned motto "Jai Jawan Jai Kissan". Lal Bahadur Shastri used his spare time to read social reformers and western intellectuals. He was always opposed to the "dowry system" and hence refused to accept dowry from his father in law. Lal Bahadur Shastri addressed numerous fundamental issues such as food scarcity, unemployment, and poverty. Shastri requested the experts to design a long-term strategy to address the urgent food scarcity. The renowned "Green Revolution" had begun. Lal Bahadur Shastri was a very quiet man. Following the Chinese attack of 1962, India faced another aggression from Pakistan during Shastri's tenure, and Lal Bahadur Shastri showed his mettle by making it apparent that India would not sit back and watch. While allowing the Security Forces to retaliate, he stated, "Force will be met with force." Lal Bahadur Shastri served as Minister of Transport and Communications before becoming Minister of Commerce and Industry. In 1961, he was the Minister of Home, and he established the "Committee on Prevention of Corruption," which was chaired by K. Santhanam. Conclusion Lal Bahadur Shastri was also noted for his honesty, patriotism, and simplicity. India has suffered the loss of a great leader. He had endowed India with brilliance and morality. His demise remained a mystery. Lal Bahadur Shastri was a member of the Indian National Congress. He held nationalist, liberal, and right-wing political ideologies. Lal Bahadur Shastri practiced Hinduism. As the pillars of a great nation, he was always self-sufficient and self-reliant. Students deliver Gandhi Jayanti speeches on the celebration of the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi. Every year on October 2nd, it is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, and students and children participate in various stage activities and present speeches honouring Gandhiji. On October 2, 2023, the globe will commemorate Gandhi Ji's 154rd birthday. In this article, the Gandhi Jayanti speech in English or the speech on 2nd October is given in detail. Students can prepare a long and short speech about Gandhi Jayanti on their own using the information provided here. Long Speech on Gandhi Jayanti For children in grades 7-12, a long speech on Gandhi Jayanti in English is beneficial. Let's have a look at Mahatma Gandhi's English speech for students: Greetings to everyone who has assembled here to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti. I (your name) cordially invite you to join us in commemorating this historic occasion. Every year on October 2nd, India observes Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday commemorating and honouring the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose bestowed the title "Father of the Nation" on Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in recognition of his unwavering struggle for our independence. Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate, bestowed upon him the moniker "Mahatma," which means "the one with the greatest soul." Gandhi's Student Life: Mahatma Gandhi fell into bad company in 10th, what was his high school result? This year marks his 154rd birthday, and we've gathered to reflect on the values by which he lived his life and fought for freedom. Gandhiji's two fundamental beliefs were nonviolence (Ahimsa) and peace. He had always believed in truth, honesty, and nonviolence. Because he provided the world a powerful weapon of 'non-violence' for battling, the United Nations General Assembly designated this day as the 'International Day of Non-Violence' to honour his ideas. Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, to a mercantile family in British India. He completed his initial studies in British-ruled India before moving to England to study law. He attempted to practise law in India after completing his schooling. He left India at the age of 24 with his wife Kasturba Gandhi to practise law in South Africa. He encountered inequality for the first time in South Africa as a result of his ethnicity and colour. He was forced off the train since he didn't look like his white fellow passengers. For a short time, he worked in South Africa to improve the lives of Indians. When he went to India to practise law, he was shocked to witness the injustices that surrounded him, which sparked in him a strong desire to pursue justice. In 1917, he joined the Indian National Congress and began campaigning for India's independence with the Champaran Satyagraha. He showed the world a fresh light toward change with his nonviolent weapon. He constantly battled for what was right, taking part in many nonviolent civil rights activities and leading initiatives like the Dandi March to resist British control. In 1930, he led the Dandi March, also known as the Salt March, to protest the unjustly imposed salt levy, despite the fact that this fundamental amenity was already freely available to Indians due to our coastal position. Thousands of people marched in support of Gandhi. In addition, he spearheaded the well-known Quit India Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, and Non-cooperation Movement to achieve India's independence from the ruling Britishers. Mahatma Gandhi, his followers, and many other freedom fighters were imprisoned as a result of these protests. He pioneered a new method of protest known as peaceful civil disobedience (Satyagraha). His nonviolent protests had a wide-ranging impact on people all around the world. He fought for India's independence and assisted us in breaking free from nearly 200 years of British domination. Gandhi ji also worked hard to eliminate social problems that were prevalent in Indian society at the time. Sati, child marriage, untouchability, and casteism were among the evils mentioned. Gandhiji had a simple existence. He wished to preach to his disciples the importance of keeping things simple and not being wedded to earthly pleasures. Despite being a world-renowned leader, he dressed in simple Khadi clothing spun at home on his charkha. He was inspired by India's famous ascetics and gurus, who accomplished great things through humble living. Gandhiji was deeply religious and revered all Indian religions. He believed in universal equality and that everyone had the freedom to worship their own gods. He dedicated his life to raising awareness about the value of equality, peace, harmony, and brotherhood. He was a staunch opponent of untouchability and advocated for Hindu-Muslim cooperation. He believed in abolishing all societal problems, and he battled for women's rights alongside his wife, Kasturba. He was particularly concerned about farmers, thus he worked throughout his life to better their economic situation. His ideals and morals are still highly valued, and many people believe it is the correct route to take. Many of his disciples, literary writers, and artists disseminated his beliefs. Nathuram Godse killed him on January 30, 1948, at the age of 78. His samadhi, known as Raj Ghat, is located in Delhi. He is no longer with us, yet his light and counsel live on. 'Hey Ram,' were his final words, and 'My life is my message' was his motto. On Gandhi Jayanti, our honourable Prime Minister, President, and others go to Raj Ghat to lay flowers at his Samadhi. On this occasion, his favourite song, 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram,' is also sung around the world. On this day, all academic institutions, government agencies, and other organisations are closed. To mark Gandhi's birthday, various programs such as speech competitions, essay writing, collage creating, poster presentation, and so on are held throughout the country. Through his activities, he followed and actively advocated nonviolence. He was a magnificent man who continues to encourage Indians and people worldwide to live honest and genuine lives and to trust in the power of virtues. Today, as we go about our lives, let us remember and honour his concept by treating everyone with respect and equality, without prejudice, and by refusing to resort to violence even in our toughest moments. Let us live a peaceful life by following our Bapu's teachings of nonviolence. Jai Hind! Short Speech on Gandhi Jayanti Students in grades 4-6 can benefit from a short speech on Gandhi Jayanti in English. Let's have a look at a short speech in English commemorating Mahatma Gandhi's birthday: Good morning, everyone! My name is (your name), and we have convened to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Every year on October 2nd, India spends a national holiday known as Gandhi Jayanti to commemorate independence and to honour the ideas that our liberation warrior and leader, Mahatma Gandhi, guided us to this day. This year marks the 154rd birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Father of our Nation, affectionately known as Bapu by children. He campaigned against racial inequality in South Africa. He battled for our independence while adhering to the principles of nonviolence and peace. He spearheaded numerous successful nonviolent efforts, such as eliminating the salt tax and calling on the British to leave India. He was a vocal supporter of reforming rights and challenging norms, particularly for the impoverished and underserved segments of society. He worked for India's independence and emancipated us from British rule after 200 years. He also worked to eliminate untouchability in Indian society. Gandhi Ji preferred a modest life with few possessions and was a conscientious observer of cleanliness. In his honour, our government runs the 'Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan' campaign to encourage people to keep their surroundings clean. Despite being a well-known leader, he always dressed in basic Khadi. This represents his simple way of life, which was one of his life ideas. He spun Khadi on a charkha in his leisure time. He lived austere and used only the bare necessities in his daily life. Gandhi Ji held high regard for and pride in Indian traditional culture. He was a religious man who believed in God and urged people to worship their gods without regard for gender. Gandhiji died on January 30, 1948, with the words "Hey Ram" as his final words. Nathuram Godse assassinated him. He rests today at Raj Ghat in New Delhi, and thousands of people pay respect in the form of garlands and by singing his favourite song, 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. On Gandhi Jayanti, India's Prime Minister, President, and other significant figures pay tribute to him at Raj Ghat (his Samadhi). He believed in living simply and doing great things. His life's credo, 'My life is my message,' expressed similar sentiments. To emphasise the necessity of nonviolence, he once quipped, "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." His life, messages, and wisdom not only touched Indians, but also encouraged others all around the world to believe in humanity's religion. On this Gandhi Jayanti 2023, let us promise to continue the legacy he left behind and spend our lives in peace and harmony. Thank you very much. All applicants for an international MBA want to try their luck at winning a scholarship of some form. We'll tell you about the GMAT scholarships and MBA scholarships for Indian students in this article. The scholarship may take different forms. However, there are no set requirements that ensure receiving a scholarship or financial aid. It is advised to apply early because there are a limited number of options for need- or merit-based scholarships and awards. There are many requirements that one must meet in order to be eligible for a GMAT scholarship for studying a top MBA program, from having a high GMAT score to applying early. If a student has something tangible to show the admissions committee, even those with ordinary or poor GMAT scores can still hope to receive a scholarship. Any accomplishment in sports, extracurricular activities, or anything noteworthy that distinguishes the applicant from other applicants can make up for a poor GMAT score. Most students believe that obtaining a GMAT score of 750 or higher is sufficient to receive a scholarship. However, it might not be possible to receive a scholarship based solely on GMAT results as institutions take a broader view and take the candidate's entire profile into account. When submitting applications to prestigious business schools, students should use a holistic approach and place a high priority on profile building. Because of the fierce competition, receiving the scholarship is not guaranteed even after meeting all the conditions and earning a GMAT score of 750. Additionally, receiving a good GMAT score does not ensure a scholarship at a prestigious MBA program. However, you can always have an advantage over other candidates if you have a strong work history and a wide range of talents and accomplishments. Another typical error is treating the deadline for applying for scholarships and admission as one and the same. Additionally, there are a variety of GMAT scholarships available to international students, each with a different set of conditions. Students should constantly look up the prerequisites for receiving financial help at the colleges or universities to which they are applying. Before applying for a scholarship, one should always check the eligibility criteria. Types of MBA scholarships The three main types of scholarships are merit-based financial aid need-based financial aid External financial aid Scholarships awarded on the basis of merit or need are frequently misunderstood by students. Below, we've clarified this and described how the two scholarships differ. Additionally, applicants must be familiar with the requirements and eligibility for both need- and merit-based scholarships. Merit-based scholarships Scholarships awarded on the basis of merit go to students with high academic standing or who have excelled in extracurricular activities or sports. The student's financial situation is not particularly important in this situation. For Indian students, there are many universities and educational institutions that offer MBA scholarships. Need-based scholarships Scholarships based on need are awarded to students from less wealthy households. Students that have strong academic records yet struggle financially to pay their higher education costs. A list of GMAT scholarships provided by prominent business schools may be seen below. General/External scholarships Numerous organizations and organizations provide MBA scholarships to students. Additionally, many organizations provide MBA grads scholarships. For scholarships, students should be aware of their GMAT results. According to GMAT scores, many colleges and universities award scholarships to MBA students. So, B-schools reward applicants with high GMAT scores. However, not all business schools operate in this manner. MBA scholarships offered by top business schools Some of the scholarships and fellowships that top business schools throughout the world offer to foreign Indian students are listed here. Universities - Name of Scholarships Harvard Business School - Need-based fellowships Columbia Business School - The McGowan Fellowship Fund Chicago Booth - The Ramakrishnan Family Scholarship and Akhtarali H. Tobaccowala Fellowship Dartmouth Tuck - Need-based fellowships Oxford Said Business School- Need-based fellowships London Business School- Need-based fellowships Oxford & Cambridge Society of India - OCSI Scholarship for Indian Students MIT Sloan- Need-based fellowships INSEAD - Need-based fellowships Some of the best business schools that provide various kinds of scholarships to students from India and abroad include: Stanford Graduate School of Business Up to five students may receive the Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship, which pays all program costs for the two-year duration. The recipients must return to India and work for an Indian company for two years after completing their MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Wharton School of Business Fellowships for Emerging Economies: As the name implies, this grant is intended for gifted students from these nations. The Wharton MBA program accepted students are automatically considered for this scholarship. It also covers the cost of the two-year MBA program. Social Impact Fellowships: Students need to showcase leadership in nonprofit organizations. Graduates and undergraduates benefit by having stronger leadership, tactical, and strategic skills. The purpose of this program is to improve the planet. Joseph Wharton Fellowships: This fellowship bears the name of Joseph Wharton, the man who established the Wharton school of business. All applicants to Wharton who were accepted are eligible for this grant. Students with outstanding academic, personal, and professional records are given it. Booth School of Business The Zonis Fellowship: It is awarded to students from emerging economies. This scholarship is open to students who have excelled in their academic, extracurricular, and leadership endeavors. Akhtarali H. Tobaccowala Fellowship: Those students who want to pursue a full-time MBA program from Chicago Booth School of Business and are based in India are awarded this fellowship. The Tobaccowala foundation gave a $1 million grant, which enabled the creation of this scholarship for Indian students. Harvard Business School Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship: This scholarship was established in 1988 by Horace W. Goldsmith. Before applying for this fellowship, scholarship winners must have had a position with a nonprofit. It is given to 7-10 students who plan to pursue a career in non-profit work after graduating from Harvard Business School. The first-year MBA students are awarded the $10,000 fellowship. Robert S. Kaplan Life Sciences Fellowship: It is awarded to ten students who want to work in the life sciences. The $20,000 grant is awarded to students who desire to work in a science-related organization at the time of enrollment, preferable. HBS Fellowship Programs: These fellowships are given to applicants who have little financial support to pursue higher education on the basis of need. Haas School of Business Dr. Tahir Fellowships: Preferably, the $40,000 fellowship is given to individuals who finished their undergraduate studies in Asia and who are currently aiming to pursue a full-time MBA from Haas Business School. In what comes as a bit of a shock, Mazda has announced that will cease production of the CX-8 in its home market of Japan by December 2023. ... Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - Striking Hotel workers from Unite Here Local 11 join the picketing actors of SAG-AFTRA, and writers of the WGA, outside Netflix studios, July 21, 2023, in Los Angeles. On Saturday, Sept. 30, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have made some striking workers eligible for unemployment benefits. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) California won't be giving unemployment checks to workers on strike, with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoing a bill Saturday that had been inspired by high-profile work stoppages in Hollywood and the hotel industry. Newsom, a Democrat, says he supports workers and often benefits from campaign contributions from labor unions. But he said he vetoed this bill because the fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits will be nearly $20 billion in debt by the end of the year. Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt, Newsom wrote in a veto message. The fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits is already more than $18 billion in debt. Thats because the fund ran out of money and had to borrow from the federal government during the pandemic, when Newsom ordered most businesses to close and caused a massive spike in unemployment. The fund was also beset by massive amounts of fraud that cost the state billions of dollars. Plus, labor unions said unemployment benefits are good for the economy, allowing workers on strike to still spend money and support local businesses. That money is going to corner stores, to restaurants, to caterers, to nail salons, to the small businesses that are also struggling along with workers who are on strike, Sarah Flocks, legislative and strategic campaign director for the California Labor Federation, told lawmakers during a public hearing earlier this month. The bill would have let workers who were on strike for at least two weeks receive unemployment checks from the state, which can be as much as $450 per week. Normally, only workers who lost their job through no fault of their own are eligible for those benefits. Labor unions had argued the amount of workers on strike for more than two weeks is so small it would not have had a significant impact on the states unemployment trust fund. Of the 56 strikes in California over the past decade, only two lasted longer than two weeks, according to Democratic state Sen. Anthony Portantino, the author of the bill. The legislation was an attempt by Democratic state lawmakers to support Southern California hotel workers and Hollywood actors and writers who have been on strike for much of this year. The writers strike ended Sept. 26, but the other two are ongoing meaning many workers have gone months without pay. Beyond the debt, the Newsom administration has said the fund is not collecting enough money to pay all of the benefits owed. The money comes from a tax businesses must pay on each worker. But that tax only applies to the first $7,000 of workers' wages, a figure that has not changed since 1984 and is the lowest amount allowed under federal law. Meanwhile, unemployment benefits have increased. The Newsom administration has predicted benefit payments will exceed tax collections by $1.1 billion this year. Its the first time this has happened during a period of job growth, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office. Lawmakers could attempt to pass the law anyway, but its been decades since a governors veto was overruled in California. There is a substantial amount of misleading information surrounding the Easter Sunday bombings, which has ultimately eroded the significance of intelligence activities and the dedication of intelligence operatives. One notable instance is Sonic-Sonic, an extraordinary covert operation initiated by the State Intelligence Service in Sri Lanka. Presented here is a concise overview of Sonic-Sonic, originally published in a lengthy essay in Ceylon Today yesterday. It is generally not advisable for any responsible government to disclose the details of such an operation to the public. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka, a unique nation in many ways, has compromised its own integrity within the system by endangering the lives of a very few skilled operatives. Editors It has been unequivocally established that Sonic-Sonic is not to be identified as Inspector Bandara, the former direct superior of Sonic-Sonic. Instead, he emerges as a covert intelligence operative, a vital cog in the intricate machinery of the State Intelligence Service, masterminding a brilliant clandestine operation. Official emblem of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) This revelation came to light roughly five months after the catastrophic attack, painstakingly unveiled through a meticulously compiled report that was subsequently submitted to the court. Regrettably, conspiracy theorists have sought to mislead the public by propagating a distorted narrative. According to the findings, this seasoned officer dedicated a full four months to amassing vital intelligence, a critical pursuit initiated after receiving verified information from the Middle East Station of a Foreign Intelligence Agency. This intelligence was instrumental in dismantling the network associated with Podi Zahran. The magnitude of this operation cannot be overstated, as its primary objective was the tracking down of individuals still tied to the tragic Easter bombings. Furthermore, it is imperative to underscore that despite the Islamic State (IS) refraining from claiming responsibility for the attack, no official representative of the State Intelligence Service ever suggested IS involvement. There was no undue pressure or coercion imposed upon this officer to manufacture such a claim. It is incumbent upon all of us to exercise restraint in passing judgment regarding the exceptional public service contributions made by this officer, who continues to serve tirelessly. Let us collectively endeavour to shield his personal life from unwarranted intrusion, for individuals of his calibre are indeed a rare breed. READ OUR COMPLETE ESSAY AT Shadowy Veil of Fanaticism: Postscript to Easter Bombings Debate in Parliament Photo: Pixabay Plastic undoubtedly remains a significant environmental concern, with widespread consensus that it demands immediate attention. But while addressing plastic bags and utensils presents relatively straightforward challenges, the real dilemma lies in addressing plastic packaging, particularly within the grocery store sector. This summer, the (federal) government introduced the Pollution Prevention Planning Notice (P2), a targeted initiative aimed at primary food plastic packaging used for food. P2 seeks to compel Canadas largest grocery retailers to formulate pollution prevention strategies focusing on reducing, reusing, and reimagining primary food plastic packaging, with a strong emphasis on incorporating recycled materials. Kudos to the government for taking this vital step. A striking statistic reveals that grocery store food packaging, much of it designed for single-use purposes, accounts for approximately one-third of all plastic packaging in Canada. From juice boxes and produce bags to yogurt containers and meat trays, the sheer ubiquity of such packaging necessitates immediate action. Initially, Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) proposed voluntary industry targets, but there is a potential trajectory towards more stringent obligations in the future. However, recent developments indicate a notable shift in tone regarding this approach, as it seemingly undervalues the commendable efforts the industry has been making to reduce plastics. ECCC appears to remain impervious to reasoning that goes beyond ideology, overlooking the potential consequences of hastily pursuing plastic elimination, effectively sidelining science-based policymaking. The implications of P2 could have far-reaching effects on our access to fresh produce. Canada imports approximately $7 billion worth of fruits and $3.5 billion in vegetables each year. International trade plays a pivotal role in ensuring affordable food for Canadians. While we export our food globally, we also depend on global markets for our sustenance. Therefore, the economics of food packaging carry immense significance, both domestically and internationally. Surprisingly, many foreign suppliers who provide produce to Canada remain unaware of P2 and its potential repercussions. Over the years, several food manufacturers, including Nestle, have exited the Canadian market for various reasons, leading to the withdrawal of some brands. P2 could further discourage key suppliers that support our healthy aspirations. A few years ago, a comprehensive assessment led by one of Canadas foremost supply chain management and food waste experts, Dr. Martin Gooch, projected that ineffective packaging could lead to nearly half a million metric tonnes of increased food losses and waste valued at CA$2.5 billion compared to current levels. Its worth noting that this estimate is considered conservative. Significantly, the highest losses are anticipated in perishable commodities vulnerable to damage or those necessitating specialized packaging. Plastic packaging often extends the shelf life of products sensitive to ethylene, a natural ripening agent produced by fruits and vegetables. For example, carrots are susceptible to ethylene produced by neighbouring produce, which shortens their shelf life, affects their appearance, and diminishes their taste. Less appealing produce at retail translates to reduced consumer desirability. The reports findings were quite specific, indicating that beans would suffer the most significant increase in losses at 100 percent, followed by soft berries and cucumbers at 90 percent. Leafy greens (73 percent), carrots (61 percent), cherries and grapes (50 percent), beets (45 percent), and soft fruit (34 percent) would also see substantial losses. Across the 20 commodities currently sold prepackaged in plastic, moving away from plastic packaging would result in a 17 percent increase in loss. In essence, eliminating plastics could inadvertently impact food prices at retail. ECCCs most significant oversight appears to be its failure to consider Canadas unique logistical and trade realities. It seems that ECCC is primarily influenced by ideas drawn from European studies. However, its crucial to note that in the UK, for example, a far greater proportion of fresh produce sales are prepackaged compared to Canada. Less frequently mentioned is that even these changes would lead to increased labour requirements, higher operational costs, and other forms of pollution, such as supply-chain emissions. More comprehensive data and a thorough scientific evaluation of the consequences are unquestionably required. There is no denying the urgency of eliminating plastics from grocery stores. However, it is equally vital to understand the potential repercussions of such actions. Currently, it appears that ECCC is indifferent to the future blame that may be solely directed at the food industry for higher food prices when it was the implementation of ECCCs policies that contributed to this outcome. ECCC is fully aware it can evade accountability. A more nuanced approach is urgently needed, one that skillfully balances environmental objectives with the practical economic and logistical constraints facing Canadas food industry. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Wikimedia Commons S?wx?wu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation) has requested the provincial government officially change the name of Mount Garibaldi back to its original Nchk?ay?. In a letter that is attached to Squamish councils Oct. 3 agenda, the province's Trent Thomas, a provincial toponymist with the BC Geographical Names Office, asks the District of Squamish and council members for their feedback on the proposed name change , A vital part of the geographical naming process is to request comments from governments, communities and relevant organizations potentially affected by a features name. Please note that if there are any official name changes, online name records will forever include the history of all previous official names, reads the letter from Thomas. An attached link in the letter states the name Nchk?ay? (pronounced in-ch-KAY) has been used for thousands of years by the Nation and the mountain itself is considered sacred. The letter says the name means Dirty Place or Grimy one, both of which come from the tendency for the Cheekye River to look muddy in colour, a result of volcanic debris in the area. The letter states that the name Mount Garibaldi originates from a ship captain of the Royal Navy commemorating the Italian General Giuseppe Garibaldi in the 1860s. It is unlikely that Garibaldi ever visited British Columbia, the letter continues. There are 10 other official names which commemorate him in the province, including the prominent provincial park. Information provided to the province this year by the Nation notes, [Its] oral history talks of a time of a great flood when Nchk?ay? played a central role in the survival of the Squamish people. During the great flood, the waters rose to such an extent that only Nchk?ay? and several other taller mountains remained above the water. The Squamish people tethered their canoes to the top of Nchk?ay? using rope made from cedar trees until the water receded. Nchk?ay? is also important to the Squamish people for ceremonial purposes, navigation, weather predicting, obsidian gathering, food and plant gathering, and animal hunting. The letter asks for the District to respond before Dec. 31, 2023. Photo: The Canadian Press Armed members of "G9 and Family" march in a protest against Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph) The U.N. Security Council is scheduling a vote Monday on a resolution that would authorize a one-year deployment of an international force to help Haiti quell a surge in gang violence and restore security so the troubled Caribbean nation can hold long-delayed elections. The U.S.-drafted resolution obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday welcomes Kenyas offer to lead the multinational security force. It makes clear this would be a non-U.N. force funded by voluntary contributions. The resolution would authorize the force for one year, with a review after nine months. The force would be allowed to provide operational support to Haitis National Police, which is underfunded and under resourced, with only some 10,000 active officers for a country of more than 11 million people. The resolution says the force would help built capacity of local police through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations as it works to counter gangs and improve security conditions in Haiti. The force would also help secure critical infrastructure sites and transit locations such as the airport, ports, and key intersections. Powerful gangs have seized control of key roads leading from Haiti's capital to the country's northern and southern regions, disrupting the transportation of food and other goods. Passage by the Security Council would authorize the force to adopt urgent temporary measures on an exceptional basis to prevent the loss of life and help police maintain public safety. Leaders of the mission would be required to inform the council on the mission's goals, rules of engagement, financial needs and other matters before a full deployment. A spokesman for Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he wasnt aware of the resolution or the upcoming vote and said the government did not immediately have comment. The resolution condemns the increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region, including kidnappings, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, homicides, extrajudicial killings, as well as arms smuggling. If adopted, it would mark the first time a force has been deployed to Haiti since the U.N. approved a stabilization mission in June 2004 that was marred by a sexual abuse scandal and the introduction of cholera. That mission ended in October 2017. Concerns also have surrounded the proposed Kenyan-led mission, with critics noting that police in the East Africa country have long been accused of using torture, deadly force and other abuses. The resolution stresses that all those participating in the proposed mission must take necessary action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse as well as vet all personnel. It also demands swift investigations of any allegations of misconduct. In addition, the resolution warns that those involved in the mission must adopt wastewater management and other environmental control to prevent the introduction and spread of water-borne diseases, such as cholera. It wasnt immediately clear how big the force would be if approved, although Kenyas government has previously proposed sending 1,000 police officers. In addition, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda have pledged to send personnel. Last month, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden promised to provide logistics and $100 million to support a Kenyan-led force. The resolution notes that the Security Council intends to impose additional sanctions on those who contribute to Haitis violence. The U.N. has already imposed sanctions on Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue, who heads Haitis biggest gang alliance. Cherizier, a former police officer, recently warned that he would fight any armed force suspected of abuses. The proposed resolution comes nearly a year after Haiti's prime minister and other top government officials requested the immediate deployment of a foreign armed force as the government struggles to fight violent gangs estimated to control up to 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince. From Jan. 1 to Aug. 15, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and 902 injured, according to the most recent U.N. statistics. More than 200,000 others have been displaced by violence, with many crammed in makeshift shelters after gangs pillaged their communities. Abu Hind is yet another controversial figure surrounded by the Easter Bombings in Sri Lanka. By all means, Abu Hind made considerable efforts to deliver an early warning to Sri Lankan authorities, which was subsequently conveyed to other responsible parties by the State Intelligence Service. Regrettably, there were numerous misunderstandings regarding the Easter incidents attribution to the intelligence apparatus. However, factual evidence and written documents indicate otherwise, suggesting that investigators may have manipulated nuances of the case to place blame on the intelligence agencies. Official entities and any other interested parties should reconsider their stance. Here, we present a brief account of Abu Hinds modus operandi. Its important to note that Abu Hind is a technical persona created by Indias counterintelligence agency, which typically oversees the activities of other Indian intelligence agencies such as RAW and CBI in India. It is uncommon for the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to collaborate with other Indian intelligence agencies. Editors Abu Hind is a codename used by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Indias internal security and counter-intelligence agency to refer to an operative using an undercover persona, commonly known as an Avatar, for the purpose of collecting information. The technical director overseeing the intelligence department where this operative technique was employed held a higher rank than the individual in charge of the avatar operation. Therefore, Abu Hind is not a fictional entity; rather, it is a legitimate tactic employed by intelligence agencies worldwide to infiltrate enemy ranks and gather crucial intelligence. Following the arrest of Zahrans wife, Hadiya, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recorded over 20 statements. However, no person by the name of Abu Hind was convicted. It was claimed that Zahran Hashim had communicated with an individual referred to as Hindi India, but at no point in her statements did Hadiya mention an instruction to expedite any operation. Nonetheless, Hadiya later testified before the commission investigating the Easter attack and provided evidence concerning Abu Hind and the acceleration of operations. It is essential to highlight Hadiyas subsequent responses during the Presidential Commission of Inquiry: Question: Are Abu Hind, who had a connection with Zahran, and Abu Hind, who had a connection with Naufar Maulavi, the same individual? Answer: Yes, they are the same person. Q: Why did Abu Hind request the video of the blasts? A: He was instructed to obtain it because he intended to forward it to the leader in Syria, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Q: Did Sheini comply with this directive? A: Sheini edited the video and sent it to Rilwan, who subsequently forwarded it to Abu Hind. Henceforth, one can unequivocally deduce that the video, starring Zahran and his fellow suicide bombers, was deliberately propagated by Abu Hind through meticulously linked Telegram channels, meticulously designed for the discreet exchange of critical intelligence. This calculated dissemination was a strategic manoeuvre, crafted with the utmost precision, intended to foster unwavering trust and seamless communication amongst the remaining stakeholders following the devastating attack. Originally, this haunting video was meticulously shared within the clandestine recesses of smaller Telegram channels, surreptitiously concealed from the worlds gaze. However, it was not long before vigilant intelligence agencies apprehended this chilling footage, uncovering the sinister plot that lay within. Ultimately, it was Fazrul Rahman Mohamad Zahran, commonly known as the enigmatic Podi Zahran, who unveiled this sinister tapestry of terror to the relentless glare of the media spotlight. READ OUR COMPLETE ESSAY AT Shadowy Veil of Fanaticism: Postscript to Easter Bombings Debate in Parliament A man told police his silver 2015 Kia Optima had been vandalized. He said he was driving north on Market Street with an Uber passenger in his vehicle. The man said as he was driving past the area of 101 Market St., he and his passenger heard a loud noise and he recognized the noise to be of an object striking the vehicle. As the man looked towards 101 Market St., he saw several people sitting outside of the Leaping Leprechaun bar that were looking at his car. This led him to believe one of them had thrown an object at his vehicle, striking it. An officer saw a small scratch and small dent behind the rear passenger door of the vehicle that the man said was from the incident. He said the cost to fix the scratch would be around $600-$800. * * * TDOT notified Chattanooga Police dispatch that they saw a wrecked vehicle off the interstate that ran through a fence, down a bank, and next to E. 23rd Street. An officer found the vehicle, which had not been wrecked or run through a fence and was parked on private property. The vehicle had no plate on it and appeared to have been picked over for parts. The vehicle's VIN was run and was last registered out of Arkansas with a tag that expired in July of 2019 and had not been stolen. The officer then ran the vehicle through CLEAR and found a possible owner in Cleveland. However, when the officer ran that name through CLEAR they were unable to find a person by that name in Cleveland. * * * An officer performed a park and walk in the area of 1212 Peeples and 1278 Peeples St. to make sure vagrants had not started to set up camp on the property. The officer found a woman inside a large pallet and tarp structure on the back side of the property of 1278 Peeples St. The officer spoke to her and explained the property owner didnt want anyone on either property. The woman gathered what she could carry and said she would be back later that night. The officer told the woman if she came onto either property at any point in the future she would be taken to jail for criminal trespassing. * * * A woman in an apartment on Hickory Valley Road told police she wanted another woman out of the apartment. The officer spoke with the other woman who provided a copy of the lease which displayed her name as well as the first woman and a third woman as renters of the apartment. The second woman said the arguing started after a male, only known as Lawrence, had given her a ride home from the bus station and helped her carry her belongings up the stairs and into the apartment. The second woman said Lawrence was still there when she left to go get beauty supplies and, when she returned, he was no longer there. She said she began getting ready for bed and was lying down when all of a sudden, her door opened and in walked a man who appeared to be Lawrence. The woman said she screamed for him to get out and he stated, "Oh, wrong room." She said a short while later she came out of her room to find Lawrence in the first womans room with her in bed. The second woman said Lawrence left when police were being called. The third roommate corroborated the second womans story of events. In returning to speak with the first woman, police informed her that the second woman wouldnt be forced out of the residence by police because she had a rightful/legal reason to be there. The first woman immediately changed her tune and said that the second woman had threatened to hit her if she didnt leave the apartment. The second and third woman said nothing like that had every happened. While talking to the first woman, it became very apparent that she was severely intoxicated. It should also be noted that she said if she had to, for police to believe her, she would beat herself up so that there were bruises visible. The officer told all of the women that if they wished to re-evaluate their living arrangements, it needed to be taken up with the leasing office in the morning. They all agreed to separate for the night. * * * An anonymous complainant called in stating there were people in an active disorder and were yelling and using vulgar language towards each other on E. 5th Street. Police arrived and spoke with two men who were heavily intoxicated and said they had been in a verbal argument. One of the men told police he and the other man frequently get drunk then engage in verbal altercations. He said he would allow the other man to stay at the residence as long as they dont continue to argue and instead go to sleep. Officers then spoke to the other man who confirmed they were drunk and then began to argue. He attempted to contact his son in order to leave the first mans residence, however, his son didnt answer. The second man agreed to the terms of no longer arguing and he would go to sleep in order to no longer argue. * * * An officer saw a motorcycle riding down W. 20th Street with no tail lights and revving up its engine. A traffic stop was initiated at 1910 Market St. for the traffic law violation. The driver said he was going into work and would fix his tail light as soon as he got a chance. He had valid registration and valid proof of insurance. He was given a warning for the light law violation. * * * A man on Roxbury Circle told police a man who had been evicted and later trespassed via certified letter, was on the property. Police spoke with the evicted man via phone and he said he still had a trailer on the property and his mother, who he takes care of, resides there. The man was told to make arrangements to move his trailer as soon as possible and was warned that he could be subject to arrest if he returned. * * * Police were called to Battle Academy at 1601 Market St. where a homeless man was on school property, asleep by an exit door. School employees wanted him gone and trespassed as it was a reoccurring issue. Police spoke with the man and ordered him to leave. He was made aware of all the school property and if he were to return, he would go to jail and be arrested for trespassing. * * * A woman on Crewdson Street told police she had a package stolen from her mailbox that contained supplements valued at $80. She provided the USPS tracking number showing the package was delivered to her mailbox. * * * A woman on Sherry Circle called police to report she received a letter from Wells Fargo. She said someone tried to open a deposit account in her name online. Wells Fargo denied the transaction. * * * An officer responded to an unknown 911 call at King Street and E. MLK Boulevard. A woman was sitting under a tree. She had trouble walking and needed a ride to the Community Kitchen. The officer transported the woman to 727 E. 11th St. without incident. * * * A woman on Waterhaven Drive told police while she was walking her dog in her gated community, she saw an Hispanic female with a pink backpack who was off of a walking trail adjacent to the community. She reported this was the second time she saw this same female off the trail staring at the same house and felt it was strange. Police checked the area and trail but were unable to find the woman. * * * A man on Mountain Creek Road told police his motorcycle was taken from his residence. His mother is the registered owner, but was out of the country at the time. The man will be the point of contact. The bike was entered into NCIC and a BOLO was issued. * * * A man at Walgreens at 110 N. Market St. told police he left his vehicle running with the keys in it while he went inside the store. When he returned to his vehicle, it was gone. He said he wanted to prosecute for the auto theft. Police entered the vehicle into NCIC. Watching the debacle in the House this week was highlighted for me by the death of Senator Diane Feinstein. Republican or Democrat, anyone on Capitol Hill or who observes politics closely will tell you that Senator Feinstein was an example of gracious and courageous leadership and exemplary bipartisanship. She will be missed. In contrast, my attention is drawn to the CR fight in the House. Instead of leadership, we see self-serving obstructionism. This is a disturbing trend. Legitimate disagreements about government spending are perfectly valid and there are many forums for discussing those issues. However, a small group of Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, decided to oppose a CR or continuing resolution, which would extend government funding in order to give lawmakers time to negotiate the larger bills. They threatened to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker if a CR was passed, either with Democratic votes or without them. This is absolute lunacy. If Mr. Gaetz was so concerned with the actual problems with fiscal responsibility he has, then perhaps he could use his position as a member of Congress to negotiate substantive policy change instead of senseless hostage situations. This no-win-for-anyone scenario of a government shutdown would put thousands of federal employees out of a paycheck, shut down essential services and hamper a growing economy. Perhaps since Mr. Gaetz is able to pass off the pay cut on to air traffic controllers instead of himself and his staff, this prospect seems beneficial to him. Maybe this has something to do with the nasty rumors that hes planning a run for governor of Florida. In the end, McCarthy did the courageous and right thing by joining 206 Democrats and 126 Republicans in passing a CR. For now the government remains open, no thanks to Mr. Gaetz et al. This is a shining example of the shameful lack of leadership in Congress. Those who are elected to Congress to grandstand instead of work for their constituents rarely make any progress - in fact, they hamper it. Being a representative in the Peoples House means that you must do the peoples work, not your own. Senator Feinstein did just that during her tenure and maybe Mr. Gaetz and Company would do well to emulate her example. What a week. William Reynolds * * * In support of Mr. Reynolds, this act of removing the house speaker shows how the lack of leadership and no common sense prevails in our current government. No one has integrity or moral compass. It's time for a change. Those (Democrats and Republicans) that voted for that resolution need to go. The citizens need to remember this and decide who can represent them in congress. Someone honest and fair, which none of them have. Tim Bittenbender A father and prominent Chattanoogan has been taken from his family and the ones who knew and loved him. It is just tragic. It is simply heartbreaking. A waste. Arch Trimbles opinion is correct. Yes, there is lack of leadership at the Chattanooga Police Department. Or perhaps there are inappropriate priorities enabling the escalating level of violent crime in Chattanooga. The truth is this: Chattanooga, at least in many parts, is not safe. The murder in question, in the presence of witnesses and under video surveillance, is emblematic of the Kelly Administration's failed policing philosophy. It is also a failure of the judicial system. Maybe our hard-working and dedicated policewomen and policemen should not be practicing community policing or whatever its being called. Maybe the police should be supported to crack down on criminals instead of trying to change their behavior. Its now obvious that the millions of dollars being spent to produce violence interruption among those at highest risk of being involved in gun violence have been wasted. (The words in quotation marks are taken directly from the Kelley Administrations American Rescue Plan web page.) Its also now apparent that the career criminal who committed this crime, with a long history of violent acts on his resume, should not have been on the streets. Ever since Mayors Kinsey and Corker, three successive liberals have been elected to lead the city just as the crime problem has only gotten worse. The problem with crime in Chattanooga lies in the Mayors office, and it is and has been predictable. Kelly should be judged by his choice for police chief and the policies (which must align with Kellys) she has put in place. Regardless of how he made his decision to hire her, its clear that she is failing at her job despite Kellys support in his letter to the city following Thursdays public assassination. Both the police chief and the mayor need to be held accountable. Like Mr. Trimble wrote, changes need to be made. We need new leadership in the police department and new thinking in the mayors office. Its a good thing the city was ranked by Southern Living Magazine as the best place in the South to retire before Thursday nights events. I am not sure our city really deserves it. Morgan Smith King Charles and Prince Harry's 'strained' relationship includes 'very little' talking right now, an expert says. Prince Harrys stopover in England before the 2023 Invictus Games passed without a visit to his father, King Charles III, or older brother, Prince William. What transpired, or rather didnt, let the world in on the state of the relationship between the Duke of Sussex, King Charles, and the Prince of Wales. An expert says the reason a royal reconciliation is seemingly at a stand-still is what really damaged things between Harry and King Charles. Not just Spare, but whats lacking in their relationship. Harry, King Charles still dont talk to each other much I think the fact that there isnt any family reunion really gives us quite an indication as to the state of the relationship, Katie Nicholl, a royal expert and author, told ET. Both between Prince Harry and his father and with his brother. Harry traveled to Germany for the Invictus Games after making a speech at a charity event in London, England. However, hes believed not to have seen William or the king. Im told there havent been any conversations [with William] for a long time, Nicholl said. There is some communication with Charles, but very little. I understand from sources close to Charles that he wants to have a relationship with his son, the New Royals author continued. They do speak, but its very occasional. But I think the fact that they are not seeing each other on this trip I think its a clear indication that the relationship is certainly strained between father and son. The king considered Spare comments about Queen Camilla a very below the belt move from Harry Prince Harry, King Charles III, and Camilla Parker Bowles | Isabel Infantes/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Spare, Harrys memoir released in January 2023, is part of why the father and son dont talk much, Nicholl continued. Not the searing passages about William, cringe-worthy Kate Middleton anecdotes, or picture of King Charles as a father. Instead, its the things Harry said about his stepmother, Queen Camilla. There has been so much criticism leveled at the royal family, really personal criticism leveled at Camilla, the queen in his autobiography, Nicholl said. I think really that was very below the belt as far as the king was concerned. I think that has really damaged Harrys relationship with Charles. As for what Harry said about Camilla in Spare, there was quite a bit. The now-39-year-old remembered Camilla not showing a genuine interest in him when they first met. He also recalled begging King Charles not to marry Camilla in 2005. Perhaps most notably, Harry called Queen Camilla dangerous, claiming she leaked stories to the press to improve her own image. Occasional smaller digs, such as Harrys disdain when Camilla turned his former bedroom into a dressing room, were also included. While King Charles considered Harrys remarks about Camilla as below the belt, the queen reportedly reacted with an eye roll. Trust remains a big issue between King Charles and Prince Harry, thwarting any reconciliation talk King Charles and Prince Harry | Anwar Hussein/WireImage Nearly four years after Harry and Meghan Markle left royal life, theres one thing keeping the the father and son apart. Not the literal distance between them, although that certainly could be part of it, but the matter of trust. Charles, I think, is more keen for some sort of reconciliation, the expert said. Hed like to have a sit-down and talk with his son. But there is a genuine concern on the kings part that anything he says could then be sort of retold via Harry to a news media outlet. Because thats whats happened in the past. I think there is a real trust issue at stake here. by Rahul K Bhonsle Overcoming apprehensions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Maldivian President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on his election victory, and re-affirmed Indias commitment to strengthening its relations with Maldives. Muizzu ran a campaign exploiting anti India sentiment in a section of the population as a candidate of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Peoples National Congress (PNC), coalition whose leader former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom who could not contest undergoing a sentence for corruption had in his tenure five years back shown a distinctly pro China tilt. Maldives' main opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu participates in a rally as he concludes his campaign for the second round of presidential election in capital Male, Maldives, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. Mohamed Sharuhaan, AP How will Muizzu respond to Prime Minister Modis congratulatory message remains to be seen? Here is a review; Election outcome Preliminary results of the Second Round of Presidential elections in Maldives placed Dr Mohamed Muizzu in the lead with 53.8 percent of votes. MDPs Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the incumbent president, trailed seven points behind, with 46.2 percent. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has congratulated the president-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. In a tweet, President Solih extended gratitude to the public for setting an example of democracy. I also thank all members of MDP and AP who worked alongside me, and also thank all citizens who voted for me, he said. Dr Mohamen Muizzu in his first message after he won the 2023s presidential election has appealed for the transfer of jailed opposition leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to home confinement from the incumbent president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Muizzu also held a press conference amid the official announcement of the provisional results of the election by the Elections Commission (EC), where he delivered a message to the public. In his message, Muizzu described the hour of celebration as the time for all Maldivian citizens to come together and unite. Citing the nation to be bigger than every individual, the president-elect stressed the importance of prioritizing the nation than ones self-interest as per Sun Online. The success of the PPM PNC coalition came on the 74th Anniversary of the Chinas Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin outlined in her message the developing partnership between the two countries. With return of the PPM PNC candidate, China has made a political comeback of sorts in Maldives after five years of the MDP rule as in the previous tenure of the PPM PNC government former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom had demonstrated a perceptive China tilt even though he had declared the countrys foreign policy as India First. While Muizzu will hold the office it is apparent that Gayyoom will be calling the shots. Factors Impacting Election Outcome Anti India propaganda seems to be one of the factors that gave a commanding lead gained by the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Peoples National Congress (PNC), Dr. Mohamed Muizzu as one of the factors that led Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), on September 27, three days prior to the second round runoff, to back the presidential candidate of the opposition shifting allegiance from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)s presidential candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the incumbent president, in the first round of the presidential election. MDAs Deputy President Ali Mauroof said many members of the partys national council urged a meeting after the Muizzus landslide victory in the first round, to President Solih. Mauroof cited the main concern the council members raised during the meeting as MDPs lack of activities after the first round. After the first round President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih hoped that the MDP and Democrats uniting will produce more votes than the PPM, ensuring a win in the presidential election. If we look at the total votes, we will have more votes than PPM if MDP and Democrats unite. Even if we look at individual islands. There are few islands we cannot win a majority in if we unite. It means a landslide victory if we unite, he said. In Sha Allah, we will win this election, he said. President Solih pointed out that the opposition was selling lies about his administration signing agreements that undermine Maldives independence and allowing foreign soldiers to operate in the country that the people had begun to believe. We failed to address this back then, because we did not believe that people who have run this country and hope to run this country again, would tell such blatant lies, he said. President Solih said that it was important that people learn the truth about such allegations. There is no misleading, no lie in this. We have been governing this country in the best interest of this country and its people, he said. However in the second round the incumbent President could win only two atolls, losing some that he had a lead in the first. India Seeks a New Beginning For India the choice is stark to reach out to Muizzu and his team or face bitter relations with the government that he will lead for the next five years giving space to China in strategically located Maldives. Towards this end Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Maldivian President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on his election victory, and re-affirmed Indias commitment to strengthening its relations with Maldives which is a good beginning. This 20-year-old woman and her boyfriend, 24, have been in a relationship for a few months. So far, her boyfriend has been polite, sweet, understanding, and a wonderful partner. When she first started dating her boyfriend, he let her know about an upcoming vacation he was taking to Rome with one of his friends, as well as his friends boyfriend. They were traveling there to go to a concert for a band they all love, and theyd already bought their concert tickets when he told her about the trip. Then, one date after we talked about exes, ex situationships, and heartbreaks, he told me his biggest heartbreak was the one he had with his best friend at the time (around 2016/2017) because he had feelings for her and vis versa, but for various reasons, they were never together, they were young, stupid, and probably didnt handle it well, she said. He and his best friend were never physical with each other, and later on, they both moved to different countries. His best friend moved to France, and he moved to a different Latin American country, and they stopped communicating with one another. In 2020, he moved to Europe, and his former best friend contacted him because she was in a neighboring country. Since then, they rekindled their friendship and are still close. Before the trip to Rome, she broke up with her boyfriend. I started feeling very uncomfortable since we were about to start the relationship, and I didnt want him to sleep in the same room as her. We had a couple of arguments, but he ended up going since everything was already bought, and I agreed, she explained. Two weeks after her boyfriends trip to Rome, his best friend got back into a relationship with her boyfriend, but she was unfaithful to him, and they broke up for good. After the breakup, his best friend wanted to come to the city hes currently living in and visit him, staying in his room with him. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Have you ever heard of Bents Fort, the largest trading post on the Colorado plains during the 19th century? While it was founded by Santa Fe Trail trader William Bent and his brother, its functionality most likely would not have been the same if it wasnt for his wife, Mestaaehehe, otherwise known as Owl Woman, who was well known as a powerful Native American mediator. Owl Woman was the daughter of the Cheyenne tribal leader Keeper of the Arrows and was born around 1810 in Colorado. Because of her father, she was born with a high social status in her tribe. As Owl Woman grew older, the Cheyenne tribe began developing a relationship with William Bent, who had started communicating and learning from them in the 1820s and 1830s so he and his brother Charles could build a trading fort along the Santa Fe Trail and Arkansas River. In 1833, Bents Fort had been built out of adobe bricks and began business. Native Americans would show up with pelts and other goods while William traded them items like flour, sugar, coffee, and tobacco. Around this time, William wanted to secure his good relationship with the Cheyenne tribe, and it was suggested he marry Owl Woman. They married in 1835 and had four children together. Aside from raising their children in the Cheyenne village just outside Bents Fort, Owl Woman was an integral part of keeping the peace between Native Americans and white settlers and traders. Owl Woman would interpret conversations between the two groups and help each side communicate their needs. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Almost no Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh; suffering mounts after Azerbaijans takeover Nearly all ethnic Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijans military occupation. A humanitarian crisis appears to be building with rising numbers of refugees, injuries and arrests. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, spokesperson for Armenias Prime Minister, revealed the number of forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh reached 100,417 as of Saturday morning, about a week after Azerbaijan regained control over the breakaway region following a military offensive, according to Armen Press. Of the displaced, 32,200 have taken up accommodation offered by the Armenian government. Many others chose to stay with friends or relatives in Armenia. Many of the 100,000 people are hungry, exhausted and needing immediate assistance, UNHCR representative Kavita Belani said in a statement. People are tired. This is a situation where theyve lived under nine months of blockade. When they come in, theyre full of anxiety, theyre scared, theyre frightened and they want answers as to whats going to happen next. UNICEF has noted that 30% of the arrivals are minors, many separated from their families. Some 405 displaced persons are receiving medical treatment in Armenian hospitals, Armenia News quoted Baghdasaryan as saying. Of these patients, 337 suffered injuries from recent military activities and explosions. Ten children are in intensive care units; five are in serious condition, while one is extremely serious. Azerbaijani forces arrested and persecuted Armenian citizens, including prominent figure Ruben Vardanyan, former State Minister of Artsakh, according to another report by Armenia News, which said public figures in Armenia were urging the government to protect the rights and interests of Vardanyan and others. Vardanyan is highly regarded for his contributions to Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. At least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers were killed during Azerbaijans military operation, reported the BBC, adding that an explosion at a fuel depot killed at least 170 people, with an additional 105 still missing. The World Food Programme has set up mobile warehouses and kitchens to aid refugees. The U.N. Population Fund is distributing health kits and dignity kits, including sanitary pads and soap. Armenian villages near the Karabakh border have turned into makeshift refugee camps, reported the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Refugees arriving are traumatized but also hopeful, IFRCs Hicham Diab said. Azerbaijan has offered to reintegrate Nagorno-Karabakhs residents as equals, a claim that an Armenian spokesman dismissed as a lie, as per the BBC. The region is recognized internationally as part of Muslim-majority Azerbaijan even though it has a majority Armenian population. The conflict has its roots in the early 20th century when the region, which has a majority Armenian population, was part of the Russian Empire and later, the Soviet Union. In the 1920s, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin established the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. However, as the Soviet Union began to collapse in the late 1980s, ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia. This led to a war between the two countries that lasted from 1988 to 1994, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of over 1 million. A ceasefire was signed in 1994, but sporadic violence continued in the region. In 2016, a four-day war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan, resulting in hundreds of deaths. In September 2020, the fighting broke out again, escalated rapidly and resulted in a large-scale military operation by Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, to retake the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding areas under Armenian control. A ceasefire was signed again in November 2020, but tensions remained high, with both sides accusing each other of ceasefire violations. In Nagorno-Karabakh, residents had been living in dire conditions, with no electricity and limited food supplies amid a monthslong blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only road that connects Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Switzerland-based human rights group Christian Solidarity International had urged U.S. President Joe Biden to propose a four-point emergency response to the monthslong blockade, including an immediate humanitarian airlift. The group also called for sanctions against Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev for policies of ethnic-religious cleansing. You were the first U.S. president to officially acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, thereby earning the gratitude of the Armenian people and all who abhor genocide, CSI President John Eibner said at the time. Let it not be said that, on your watch, Azerbaijan a strategic partner of the United States successfully executed another phase of the historic Armenian Genocide. Biden became the first president since former President Ronald Reagan to recognize the Armenian genocide on its 106th anniversary in April 2021. Some historians see the Armenian genocide as a precursor of genocides the world witnessed later, including the Holocaust. In October 2020, an estimated 100,000 people marched through the streets of Los Angeles, California, to call for an end to the fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia. AI rendition of Shroud of Turin depicts long-haired, goateed face of Jesus From writing sermons to creating a rapping Jesus, the advent of the era of artificial intelligence (AI) is clearly upon us. But what happens when AI meets an artifact that purportedly captures the face of Jesus? The Shroud of Turin, a relic made public in the 14th century that some claim to be the burial cloth used cloth in the now-empty tomb of Jesus of Nazareth, has inspired a new AI-generated rendition of the face of the Son of God. The image generated on the AI website Midjourney depicts a middle-aged man with light skin, long, dark, wavy hair parted down the middle and full facial hair, including a goatee. In the image, the mans eyes are open and a portion of his bare neck and upper chest are visible. While mainstream AI technology is still relatively new, its not the first time the shrouds image has been reinterpreted for a new generation. In 2018, an Italian professor created a 3D image of Jesus based on the artifact, claiming that it's the "precise image of what Jesus looked like on this Earth." Italian forensics investigators have used the Shroud of Turin to produce an image of how Jesus might have looked like as a child. In 2015, police generated a photo-fit image from the negative facial image imprinted on the famous shroud. They then used a reversed aging process, which included reducing the size of the jaw, raising the chin, and other techniques to produce the image of the young Jesus. Photos released online show the step-by-step reversed aging process used. Unsurprisingly, the shroud has also been exploited for personal gain, such as when a 71-year-old Australian preacher claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ by comparing his image to the face imprinted in the famous artifact. Since its emergence around 1360 at the Diocese of Troyes in France, the Shroud of Turin has been a magnet of controversy, hailed by Pope Pius XII as a legitimate object of devotion for Catholics and even finding a home in the Museum of the Bible. Measuring roughly 14.5 by 3.5 feet in size, the shroud has been housed in Turin in northern Italy since the late 16th century, except during the World War II era when it was deliberately hidden away from Hitler in the Territorial Abbey of Montevergine in southern Italy. In 1988, radiocarbon measurements suggested that the shroud was a forgery made somewhere between 12601390 A.D. But later research found that the fibers tested at the time were from a patch added later on the shroud, and not part of the original cloth. DNA sequencing tests in 2015 found pollen and dust particles from the shroud belonging to plants from South America, the Middle East, Central Africa, Central Asia, China and other regions. Archaeologists discover mosaic with inscription to Peter that may point to location of his home Archaeologists say they have discovered an inscription that may further indicate the location of the biblical town identified as the home of the Apostles Peter and Andrew. Archaeologists announced last week that, while digging various holes and channels in a series of excavations, they uncovered an ancient mosaic with a large Greek inscription regarding the Peter and Andrew of the New Testament. Some say the mosaic may confirm the theory that the structure commonly called the "Church of the Apostles" was once built over a living space that belonged to the apostles. The archaeologists who made the discovery are from Kinneret College in Israel and New York's Nyack College, led by professors Mordechai Aviam and Steven Notley. The inscription was translated by Professor Leah Di Segni of Hebrew University and Professor Yaakov Ashkenazi of Kinneret College. The inscription refers to a donor, "Constantine, the servant of Christ," and mentions a petition for intercession by St. Peter, "chief and commander of the heavenly apostles." "The title' chief and commander of the apostles' is routinely used by Byzantine Christian writers to refer to the Apostle Peter," said Notley in a statement. "This discovery is our strongest indicator that Peter had a special association with the basilica, and it was likely dedicated to him. Since Byzantine Christian tradition routinely identified Peter's home in Bethsaida, and not in Capernaum, as is often thought today, it seems likely that the basilica commemorates his house." The inscription is framed with a circular medallion and composed of two lines of black tesserae. It forms part of a larger mosaic floor in the church's sacristy, which is partially adorned by floral designs. The discovery is a result of the El Araj Excavation Project, a joint initiative of the Kinneret Institute for Galilee Archeology at Kinneret College and Nyack College. The excavation is sponsored by the Center for the Study of Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins (CSAJCO), the Museum of the Bible, the Lanier Theological Library Foundation and the Hong Kong-based HaDavar Yeshiva. "One of the goals of this dig was to check whether we have at the site a layer from the 1st century, which will allow us to suggest a better candidate for the identification of Biblical Bethsaida," said Aviam in a statement. "Not only did we find significant remains from this period, but we also found this important church and the monastery around it." The Roman remains that have also been excavated from the basilica may prove the testimony of Flavius Josephus. He believed the village was turned into a town called Julias, thought to have existed until around the third century A.D. As archeologists review the findings, they believe this further links el Araj/Beit haBek to the ancient Jewish village of Bethsaida. The basilica church will be cleaned, and excavations will continue at the start of October. In 2017, researchers with Kinneret College said they believe they had found the remains of Julias. Bethsaida is identified in John 1:44 as the hometown of Philip, Andrew and Peter. Archeologists find tomb of Saint Nicholas, 4th century bishop and inspiration for Santa Claus St. Nicholas was persecuted for his faith under Emperor Diocletian but lived to see Constantine rise to power Archeologists have found the tomb that holds the remains of Saint Nicholas underneath an ancient church in Turkey. Nicholas, who became the basis for the Christmas character Santa Claus, died more than 1,600 years ago. This is an extremely important discovery, the first find from that period, Fox News quoted Osman Eravsar, chairman of the Antalya Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board, as saying about the discovery in a church in the Demre town in southern Turkey. After rising sea levels in the Mediterranean submerged the church, a second church was built there centuries later. Now we have reached the remains of the first church and the floor on which Saint Nicholas stepped, Eravsar said, according to The Daily Mail. The tiling of the floor of the first church, on which Saint Nicholas walked, has been unearthed. Researchers have been examining the foundations of the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre for decades. They also recently uncovered a fresco of Jesus at the site. When the screed floor slab laid in the 1970s was removed where it was, an excavation was carried out to find out whats under it, Eravsar explained. The result was an early fourth century floor covering of the church. In 2017, when archeologists found the tomb but couldnt confirm, The Daily Sabah newspaper noted that the finding was considered surprising, as the remains of St. Nicholas were believed to have been smuggled to the Italian city of Bari by Italian merchants in the year 1087. The Santa Claus Museum, formerly an ancient church with a sarcophagus attributed to the Christmas saint is located in the town of Demre, added the news site. A fourth century bishop who lived under the Roman Empire, St. Nicholas was persecuted for his faith under Emperor Diocletian but lived to see Constantine come to power and legalize Christianity. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died Dec. 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave, notes the St. Nicholas Center. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6 (Dec. 19 on the Julian Calendar). Many stories have emerged about Nicholas generosity, with these tales eventually helping to form the mythology of the modern Santa Claus. According to History, St. Nicholas was introduced into American popular culture toward the end of the 18th century when groups of Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick's Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas). Christian medical nonprofit sues Michigan over law forcing doctors to prescribe cross-sex hormones A faith-based medical nonprofit in Michigan has filed a lawsuit claiming that state civil rights law forces its providers to prescribe hormone drugs for gender transition and use patients' preferred pronouns. Christian Healthcare Centers, a network of Christian medical professionals based in Grand Rapids, filed the lawsuit on Monday against Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and other state government officials in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. "Christian Healthcare has already been asked to use preferred pronouns and to change patient sex in medical records and refused. And Christian Healthcare currently holds policies that violate Michigan's law and subject it to immediate investigation and prosecution," the legal filing states. "The First and Fourteenth Amendments protect Christian Healthcare's religious and expressive freedom to do so. Just as the government cannot force a synagogue to hire Hindus or an Islamic cultural center to promote alcohol use, it cannot force Christian Healthcare to compromise its religious character, hire those who do not share its faith, or speak messages that contradict that faith." Christian Healthcare Centers is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal nonprofit specializing in religious liberty litigation. According to the lawsuit, Michigan's civil rights law has been interpreted by state courts to include sexual orientation and gender identity, which requires the nonprofit to hire people who do not share their faith. "Christian Healthcare ... maintains the integrity of its religious mission by only hiring employees who share its faith," the lawsuit reads. "This is standard procedure in ministry and is perfectly legal under federal law and the law of nearly every state. But not in Michigan." "Under the guise of stopping discrimination, the law discriminates against religious organizations, requiring them to forfeit their religious character and hire people who do not share their faith," the complaint adds. ADF Senior Counsel Hal Frampton said in a statement Monday that he believes "Christian Healthcare Centers should not be forced to check its faith at the clinic door." "Christian Healthcare Centers serves everybody with compassionate care and respect, including patients who identify as the opposite of their biological sex, providing them with the same high-quality care it provides to all of its patients," stated Frampton. "Yet this lawsuit is necessary to protect Christian Healthcare Centers' constitutional rights and to ensure other religious organizations can freely operate according to the dictates of their faith." The Christian Post contacted the Michigan Department of Attorney General for comment. A spokesperson responded Tuesday morning that the department is "reviewing the lawsuit." In July, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in the case of Rouch World LLC et al. v Michigan Department of Civil Rights et al. that the state ban on sex discrimination includes sexual orientation. Nessel, a Democrat, celebrated the ruling in a statement arguing that it is "critical that those of us elected to public office work to preserve and protect the rights of all residents." "Our residents deserve to live in a state that recognizes the value of diversity and rejects the notion that our own civil rights law could be used as a tool of discrimination," she added. "This ruling is not only a victory for the LGBTQ+ community, but for all Michigan residents, and one that's long overdue." Travel: Postcard from Abilene, Kansas Anyone who has ever done a cross-country road trip on Interstate Highway 70 has passed through Abilene, Kansas. This city with its population of 6,460 souls at the last census is one of those quintessential small towns. Note I didnt describe it as Midwest, as I reject the argument some Kansans make that their state is somehow not part of the surrounding Great Plains. That dispute aside, Abilene looks and feels like the definition of Small Town, U.S.A. Notwithstanding all the small-town charm, which is in and of itself a draw, Abilenes real claim to fame is General of the Army and President Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969). For older readers of this column, Ike, as Eisenhower was popularly known, needs no introduction. For younger generations who never learned any substantive history, as supreme allied commander in the European theater of World War II he was the architect of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Later, he was the 34th president of the United States after twice-winning election as a Republican in 1952 and 1956. While other places have a claim to Eisenhower his career in the service of the United States took him to many places Abilene was his boyhood home. A short drive from downtown is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum. The late Victorian house that Ike lived in from 1898 until 1911 the year he went to West Point for the beginning of an Army career stands out in the sea of a relatively nondescript postwar building. However, the real anchor of the 22-acre campus is the Place of Meditation. Designed like countless suburban mainline Protestant churches of the postwar era, this small nonsectarian chapel contains the tombs of Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie Eisenhower. It was also here where Ikes burial service took place on April 2, 1969. The Place of Meditation is also a reminder of Eisenhowers somewhat complicated religious beliefs. Born into a Mennonite family of German extraction, he was baptized as a Presbyterian in the early days of his first term at a time when the once-great mainline Protestant denominations were at their peak. To this very day, Ike remains the only president in history to have been baptized in office. If you go The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission starts at $10 for students, $12 for seniors and $15 for adults. Other things to see and do include Old Abilene Town, an open-air Old West attraction; the heritage line Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad; and the 122-year-old C.W. Parker Carousel at the Dickinson County Heritage Center and Museum. The closest major airport, which as one might expect carries the Eisenhower name, is about a hundred miles away in Wichita. It is served by all of the big airlines. For those planning a cross-country road trip, Abilene is within six hours of Dallas, Denver and St. Louis. If you stay the night in Abilene, the Holiday Inn Express is basically the hotel in town. For something different, try Abilenes Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast. Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post. Turkiye has put forward its candidature as host for the International Astronautical Congress (IAF) 2026. Turkiye's Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Ahmet Yozgatligil said that during a press conference held as part of the13th IAF international session, Azernews reports. He stressed the importance of the final decision to be made in Azerbaijan. Notably, the International Congress of the International Astronautical Federation for Ministers and Members of Parliament (MMoP) has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. by Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin We are currently witnessing a very important term, a significant shift, a paradigm shift the global balance of powers. I believe that the recent meeting of BRICS countries, which included the acceptance of new members, marks a point of no return and a truly historic moment. What we see now in the world is a new structure for BRICS. Let me remind you that BRIC began with an approximate understanding of possible cooperation and perspectives of the so-called semi-periphery, according to Samuel Wallersteins categorization of the second world. [Photo: Adolfo Felix/ Unsplash] So, we have the concept of three layers within the global system of capitalist development: The First World, represented by the West, as the hegemonic civilization at the core; the Second World, or the semi-periphery, comprised of great states that are highly developed but not as advanced as the core, represented by major powers like Russia, China, and India, with significant demographic potential and abundant resources, though not at the level of the First World. Then there is the Third Layer, corresponding to the undeveloped periphery, representing the Third World in some terms. BRIC was considered a possible unification of the Second World not the First, but not the Third; it was something in between. This idea was first proposed in 2011 by Mr. V. Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, with the aim of uniting these powers and creating a kind of club for the Second World, a club of the semi-periphery. Initially, BRIC consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, and China second-world, semi-peripheral countries that were trying to consolidate and create a space for discussion on how to navigate the world with the firmly established hegemony of the First World and the ongoing process of trying to align with the Third Worlds civilization. This was the primary concept behind BRIC, and it initially included Brazil, Russia, India, and China as second-world, semi-peripheral great countries striving for unity. Afterward, Southern Africa joined this club. At that time, BRICS had relatively weak structures with no concrete projects or institutions, but this club gradually developed its own relations and principles. Finally, we arrived at the twentieth meeting of BRICS countries in Johannesburg this August, which was a very recent event. What was of utmost importance during this BRICS meeting? It was the addition of Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates to BRICS. This was an extremely significant event in global geopolitics because, with these new members, BRICS now represents a fully scaled structure of the multipolar world. The inclusion of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates has brought the Islamic Pole into BRICS, meaning that Islamic civilization is now a part of it. Brazil, which initially represented Latin America and South America within BRICS, was one of the first members of the BRIC organization. Now, Argentina, the second most important country in Latin America, has joined this multipolar institution. This is of utmost importance because Argentina, being a Spanish-speaking nation, complements Brazil, which is Portuguese-speaking. Historically, figures like General Peron and Getulio Vargas understood the necessity of unification between Buenos Aires and Brazil, forming an alliance that could serve as the core of Latin America. Other countries could then join this alliance to create a truly significant space uniting Latin American civilization, thereby forming a full-scale pole. In this context, having both Brazil and Argentina within BRICS is crucial. The same applies to Ethiopia, a unique country on the African continent that maintained its independence and sovereignty during the colonial period. Ethiopia symbolizes free and independent Africa, with a powerful inner spiritual and cultural identity. In some versions of pan-Africanist theory, Ethiopia and its empire, along with its king, have been presented as paradigms for all of Black Africa to follow towards achieving independence. Africa, with its Southern and Western regions, and Ethiopia as the core, represents a potential pole for the formation of a fully unified African civilization. Additionally, Western African countries have developed an alternative concept of the Black Egypt identity within African civilization, and by combining these ideas with Southern Africa and Ethiopia, we could have a comprehensive theory of an African pole in the multipolar world. In the context of multipolarity, BRICS now encompasses six civilizations: Russian, Chinese, Indian, African, Islamic, and Latin American. These civilizations are organized outside the sphere of Western hegemony, resulting in what can be termed a heptapolar world. Within this heptapolar, semi-polar world, we have six poles united against the seventh pole the globalist liberal pole represented by figures like Soros and Biden, which seeks to preserve unipolarity at any cost. The world today is divided, with six civilizations forming one side and the West representing the seventh pole, attempting to maintain its position as the unique, universal, and hegemonic force against humanity. These six civilizations are now united within the context of BRICS to resist the pretension of the Western pole to be the sole universal power. This is of absolute importance. We now live in a heptapolar world, divided between six poles on one side and one pole on the other. This is the true essence of multipolarity. The war in Ukraine serves as one of the borders where the fate of multipolarity is being decided. Ukraine has chosen to align itself with the seventh Western hegemonic pole against Russia and the other BRICS countries. The conflict in Ukraine is emblematic of this divide, with BRICS countries and their expanded structure on one side and the West and its vassals on the other. It is regrettable that independent and proud civilizations like Japan and Europe find themselves in a state of subservience to the United States, controlled by globalist agendas. This is not the United States that we know and could have respected. Instead, it has transformed into a new, post-American entity characterized by radical liberalism, LGBT+ advocacy, artificial intelligence, Sorosism, and the utopia of an individualistic, post-human, trans-human, and trans-gender globalization. European and Japanese identities are being eroded, and they have lost their sovereignty. European Union, which could have offered an alternative, has failed in this regard. Thanks to European integration, Europe has become nothing more than a collective of slaves, vassals, and puppets of the U.S. Its as if Ukraine has been extended to encompass all of Europe, resulting in a corrupted, perverted, aggressive, and thoroughly disoriented state that has lost its identity. Nevertheless, in the face of this heptapolar world, with six poles on one side and one pole desperately clinging to its hegemony in the West, it is essential to consider the possibility of multipolarity and a new path for Europe. There are, I believe, opportunities for the USA to reorganize itself as a pole outside the framework of globalization, but this is currently unattainable under the dictatorship of globalist elites. For now, let us focus on how Europe can rescue itself from this predicament. First and foremost, I believe Europe needs to initiate a rebellion, a revolution, because the current political elites in Europe do not represent the interests of the people or the organic society of European culture. Instead, they are consciously and consistently eroding European spirit, culture, and civilization. Europe is no longer recognizable; it has become post-Europe, an entity intertwined with migrants and other cultural elements that are destroying its essence. Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin is a Russian political theorist known for his nationalist views and controversial ideologies. He advocates for a Eurasian empire, challenges Western liberal democracy, and promotes a multipolar world order. Dugin's ideas have influenced nationalist and far-right movements, but his radicalism and alleged connections to fringe groups have drawn criticism. Despite the controversy, he remains a significant figure in the study of Russian political thought and geopolitics. Calvin Robinson wins 8,000 settlement after being cancelled over Drag Queen Story Hour opposition Anglican priest and broadcaster Calvin Robinson has won an 8,000 settlement after being removed by the Royal Academy of Dance's education sub-committee. His removal happened after he spoke at a protest in opposition to a 'Drag Queen Story Hour' for children taking place at a library in Lewisham, London, and then later discussed it on air during his weekly GB News show, Calvin's Common Sense Crusade. Organisers of the Drag Queen Story Hours claimed the events gave children a chance to learn about "diversity, inclusivity and a world where they all belong", but critics called them a safeguarding issue and said they exposed children to age-inappropriate sexually explicit material. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), Rev Robertson had been set to make claims of harassment, and direct and indirect indiscrimination against the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). A former teacher, he had been a member of RAD's education sub-committee since late 2020. The position was voluntary and existed to advise RAD on its engagement with the education sector. The CLC said his position on the sub-committee was terminated in March this year "without warning or discussion". In a letter informing him of the decision, Robinson was told that his continued membership of the sub-committee "will endanger the RAD's reputation and standing, and would interfere with the effective functioning of this important sub-committee". "We therefore consider your position to be untenable," the letter read. In a letter in response, Robinson said that RAD, "instead of attempting to engage with my Christian perspective," had "chosen cowardice and intolerance". Rev Robinson is to receive the 8,000 sum after reaching an out of court settlement with RAD before the case went to tribunal. Commenting on the settlement, he said, "I am pleased that the bullies did not win and that they have learnt you cannot push people out for holding traditional views - Christian views. However, the Royal Academy of Dance has made it clear that they are a radical organisation pushing trans theory, queer theory and critical race theory, all of which are harmful and divisive branches of neo-Marxism." He continued, "It is sad to see that, on the one hand, they insist on pushing these toxic ideologies upon young people, and on the other hand, call themselves inclusive whilst excluding anyone with traditionally British views. "Say a man can become a woman and invade women's protected spaces, and you'll be encouraged; say you are against the sexualisation of children, and you'll be fired from their organisation. What does that say about the Royal Academy of Dance? I hope questions are being asked about their royal charter." Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: "This is an important win for Calvin and his common sense crusade. "It is a loss to their institution no longer to have Calvin on their board. He brings brilliance, truth and clarity in the midst of cultural confusion. "Protection of the next generation means having the courage to expose the immoral ideology behind Drag Queen Story Hour and the confusion it heaps upon young children." In China, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few Bible outreach in China today is a world away from the terror of the Cultural Revolution. During those decades, Bibles were confiscated and churches were shut down. But since the churches have reopened and been allowed to distribute Scripture, the Bible has gone from being an underground book to a bestseller. Religious activity, particularly by foreign organisations, is still heavily restricted in China, and we've taken care to cultivate a relationship with the authorities that over the years has borne fruit. Since 1987, when Bible Society was invited to set up Amity Press in Nanjing, 90 million Bibles have been printed for distribution in China. (As the largest Bible factory on earth, Amity has also produced 140 million copies in various languages for distribution around the world.) Having been made available through authorised vendors, the open Bible has driven the amazing growth of the Chinese Church. Bible Society's former mission leader in China, Kua Wee Seng, says: "The Church in China is experiencing a revival because the word of God is like wood in the fire." The living word has filled to bursting China's reopened churches, overstretching the very limited availability of ministers. On average, more than six and a half thousand Christians will be served by a single ordained pastor, mostly in less affluent areas, not at all representative of China's new wealth. The leadership gap is filled by dedicated volunteers as people step up to serve the congregations they're part of without payment and often without training and sometimes from backgrounds that in worldly terms look extremely unpromising. For instance in Yunnan, among China's Wa speakers, Bao* leads a church with a hundred members who are new believers. Bao is a former drug addict, and found release from his addiction through an encounter with Scripture in the Wa language. Some years ago he started a community centre that supports 800 people a year who suffer addiction, reaching out to others in the same situation he once was himself. He provided medicine, took people for tests and visited them in hospital. For others, ministry brings different challenges like finance. "Seeing that I spend so much time in church," says Pu Zhidui, a 50-year-old lay leader, "my non-Christian friends had actually asked me if I received any monetary support as a preacher!" He doesn't, but that not stopping. Pu visits eight churches, high in the mountains of China's impoverished Yunnan province. In his county, he's one of 67 lay preachers serving 80,000 believers. Although unfinanced, Pu is at least trained, having studied at Fugong Bible School (where he vividly recalls reading the Bible cover to cover by candlelight). This is far from normal in China's churches. Wang Zhengxiang, for example, is a former miner and 'uneducated' by his own admission. Bible college for him was the year he spent in a prison cell with a Bible and a hymn book. A widower at 25, and seriously injured in a mining accident, Wang took hold of a half-remembered childhood religion as his last resort. He became a lay preacher because he couldn't stop telling people about the difference God has made for him. "I took every opportunity to share God's goodness in my life," Wang says. "Some folks were encouraged by my sharing and even pointed out that the Lord had shielded and protected me despite the challenges I have experienced." Irrepressible, and certainly an asset to any of the local churches he pops up in, Wang has been provided with Bible study books through the generosity of Bible Society supporters. (Our positive relationship with the Chinese authorities has created the unique opportunity for us to provide training support to lay preachers at the invitation of churches in China.) Joshua 25.14 is a favourite of Wang's. "I want to serve God all my days," he says, effectively speaking for many of his colleagues among China's tens of millions of Christians. Sun Liujun is similarly enthusiastic, having served his congregation since 2002, but he's come to preaching from a completely different background. Liujun ran a successful textile business, building relationships with clients and suppliers through lavish parties characterised by heavy drinking with the occasional brawl. He wanted a way out, and the only one that worked came through his mother's invitation to accompany her to church. Liujun was literate in a congregation where many lacked this skill, so he'd volunteer to read the Bible aloud and copy out verses for believers to memorise. The power of the words changed him, and they're driving him forward today as a lay preacher. Volunteers like Liujun support an ordained pastorate full of people who left behind more lucrative options. Thirty-six-year-old seminary graduate Gao Yong was advised against the ministry by his family. "My child was just six months old,' he said. 'I've worked in a company and I was even my own boss when I started a business, but all these jobs did not bring lasting satisfaction. I watched with envy pastors who are in the business of transforming lives." Wang Zheng, 46, also made a mid-life career switch a few years ago. He used to work in the music industry, which although similarly unstable has potential to be much more lucrative. He gave up that world to enrol at Huadong Theological Seminary in Shanghai. "Since becoming a believer, I've been convinced that I should use my talents and gifting to serve God," he says. Han Xue graduated at just 22, having decided on the ministry back in high school. "The faith of my grandmother and mother has had a great influence on me," she said. "If I were to choose again, I would still serve God full-time." The leadership situation in China is a perfect illustration of Jesus' words in Matthew 9.37, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." When each pastor or preacher has to minister to so many thousands of believers, the load on them is immense. With more to share it, the potential for growth in the Chinese Church would be even greater. In the meantime, a small band of harvesters too small work faithfully to preach the gospel and teach God's word, often lacking the resources that would make them more effective and facing challenges that would defeat most people. But rather than just calling the equipped, God is equipping the called, with Spirit-inspired faith and devotion and the Church continues to grow. The question remains, though: how much more could these workers achieve with the training, funding and other resources taken for granted in so many other countries? Bible Society is in a unique position to resource Chinese pastors and preachers with training and study materials, and to support outreach to minority-language communities in China. Find out more on the Bible Society website. *Although we have approval to work with China's official churches, in a context of religious restrictions, we still take care to change the names of people whose stories we tell, including in this article. James Howard-Smith is a writer for Bible Society. OPSEC (Operational Security) in Ukraine is more difficult to achieve because of widespread cell phone use. Ukraine has several advantages over the Russians in OPSEC and one is better control of misuse of cell phones while exploiting the less-disciplined Russian troops misusing their cellphones. While tracking sloppy use of cellphones by enemy troops provides lots of useful information and the location of important targets, this works both ways. The Russian troops have been sloppier and the Ukrainians have taken advantage of that. Ukrainian troops are more disciplined using cell phones but mistakes are still made. Fortunately, the Russians are not as effective at detecting and exploiting Ukrainian troops misusing the phones or as diligent in getting Russian personnel to avoid those fatal errors. Some countries are very effective at achieving effective cell phone OPSEC. Even so, mistakes still happen. For example, in 2022 Israel revealed that it had suffered another OPSEC failure following an investigation into who leaked details of the Israeli war on Iranian maritime smuggling. That leak occurred before the attack on an Iranian smuggling operation was to take place and forced the mission to be called off. The leak came from one of the 1,200 military personnel who knew about the operation. Only 450 of them had signed the confidentiality agreement that everyone with knowledge of these operations was required to do. Those who signed the agreement are told that violation of the agreement is a criminal offense because leaks endanger the lives of Israelis. Western nations, especially Israel and the United States have long had problems with OPSEC failure. In Israel a lot of reserve soldiers are regularly called up for a few months of active duty and often have a hard time adapting to the OPSEC rules. This got a lot worse in 2007 with the appearance of advanced cell phones in the form of the iPhone. The iPhone made existing cell phones obsolete and other phone manufacturers soon adopted the new features of the iPhone. The iPhone and similar cheaper phones were enormously popular. Smart phone OPSEC problems soon developed and have proved impossible to completely suppress. A good example of the problem is the situation in Israel, where military reservists called to active duty often took their cell phones with them and made videos while on duty for the friends and family back home, or to post on social media. They did this at home afterwards as well as while on active duty. Israeli security officials became aware of this when they found that Palestinian and other Islamic terror groups were using this to plan operations to develop anti-Israel propaganda. Israel let the reservists, and Israeli military personnel in general, know how serious this problem was and told the troops to leave the cellphones home or someplace where the geolocation features of the cell phones could not be used by enemy groups. Islamic terrorists in general have a worse problem with members using their cellphones in ways that reveal their location and operations. Many successful counter-terrorism operations are the result of exploiting poor cellphone OPSEC by the terrorists. Most armed forces have this problem and some are more successful dealing with it than others. An example of this can currently be seen in Ukraine, where the Ukrainian have much better cell phone OPSEC than their Russian adversaries, which is one reason why the Russians have suffered much higher losses than the Ukrainians. Another reason is that personal cell phones are often the only communications that Russian infantry have. Its not just cell phones. Over a decade ago an NSA (National Security Agency) employee conducting an unclassified briefing of NSA activities let slip that the NSA found a way to listen in to Islamic terrorist phone calls and halt attacks. The capability was top secret, but not after the NSA briefer screwed up. An earlier example occurred in 2018 when the U.S. Department of Defense banned all personnel in operational areas, especially overseas combat zones, from using commercial devices with geolocation capability (GPS). This included cell phones and PSMs (Physiological Status Monitors) like Fitbit. What triggered this was the discovery that a social network for athletes called Strava had developed software that enabled anyone to track users wearing a Fitbit or other GPS enabled PSMs. Dedicated, often professional, athletes joined Strava to exchange PSM information and that led to Strava developing features that enabled user locations worldwide. Turns out that intelligence agencies had discovered Strava as well and reported that they could not only detect PSM users anywhere in the world, but could often identify these users by name. Turned out that many intelligence and military personnel used their Fitbits while overseas, often on secret missions. From January to July 2018 the extent and implications of this became quite clear. The intel agencies quickly (and quietly) ordered their personnel overseas, and often at home as well, to stop using PSMs that made their data accessible to public networks, even ones that were not open to the public. These could be hacked. Now there is a market for secure (encrypted) PSMs for military and intelligence personnel. OPSEC will always be with us and those who are better at it tend to win. Special education teacher Robyn Young had to fight the Granite School District for benefits after she suffered a concussion and mental injuries at the hands of her students. Then she was hounded by debt collectors who demanded that she pay for treatment of those workplace injuries. The debt collectors agreed to pay a $610,000 settlement after Young filed a lawsuit alleging they violated the federal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, her lawyer said. But then the Salt Lake City school district sued her, seeking reimbursement for the $307,000 in workers compensation benefits it paid. The Utah Supreme Court put an end to that lawsuit on Thursday, ruling that the Granite School District must make its reimbursement claim to the state Labor Commission, where her claim for permanent total disability benefits is still being litigated. Ive never seen anything like this one before, where workers compensation has attempted to do that, Youngs attorney, Gary E. Atkin, said Friday. The only reason the bill collectors were after her is because the Granite School District wasnt paying the bills. Now they are saying they should be allowed to be reimbursed for the bills that they wouldnt pay. Young was injured twice in tussles with her special needs students. She suffers post-concussive syndrome, mental health issues, and debilitating migraines, according to the opinion. An administrative law judge for the Labor Commission ruled that Young suffered compensable injuries and ordered Granite to pay for her medical care. The school district disputed that some of her care was medically necessary. Young was unable to pay for all of treatment out of her own pocket. Her medical providers handed off the debt to collection agencies. Young says those collection efforts exacerbated her mental injuries. Under the Utah Workers Compensation Act, debt collection agencies are not allowed to collect workers compensation medical debts from injured workers. Young was able to keep only about $300,000 out of the $610,000 settlement, Atkin said. The rest went toward costs and attorney fees. Young returned to the Labor Commission claiming that she was permanently and totally disabled after the fiasco with the debt collectors. An ALJ agreed, found that Granite had not complied with the prior order and directed the school district to reimburse Young for medical expenses she had paid. Granite appealed to the Labor Commission Appeals Board. The school district also filed a subrogation lawsuit against Young seeking reimbursement for the benefits it paid out of the settlement with the debt collectors. The 3rd District Court in Salt Lake County dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Granite needed to take its reimbursement claim to the Labor Commission. The Utah Supreme Court affirmed the decision unanimously. The opinion said the district court cannot decide on the school districts lawsuit until after the Labor Commission issues a final ruling in Youngs workers compensation claim. Attorney Brett N. Anderson argued the school districts case on appeal. He said Friday that Granites request for reimbursement from Youngs settlement is no different that seeking a reimbursement from any third-party tortfeasor who caused injury. He said Young cited the mental trauma that was caused by the debt collectors efforts in her claim for permanent total disability benefits, so it is only fair that the employer receive reimbursement from the settlement monies for any expenses that were paid as a result of that trauma. The carrier has a right to be reimbursed for third-party tort recoveries, he said. Anderson said Granite will likely seek to recover the benefits it paid from Youngs settlement as the case continues to proceed through the Labor Commission. Atkin said the Appeals Board has asked a medical panel to issue an opinion on issues that were not resolved during hearings before the administrative law judge, but the panel has not yet issued a report. PEPPER PIKE, Ohio The Orange City School District will have windows and the structural wall replaced at the administration building and a new generator installed at Brady Middle School. At a special meeting Friday (Sept. 29), the Orange Board of Education approved two resolutions of urgent necessity so that these projects can move forward. Danessa Construction of Niles is the contractor for the repairs at the administration building. Buckeye Power Sales of Twinsburg will replace the generator at Brady Middle School. The board had been advised at previous meetings that these repairs were needed at the administration building and that the generator had failed at Brady Middle School and needed to be replaced immediately. In both resolutions, the board approved contracts for a sum not to exceed $150,000, as the exact costs are not known yet, Treasurer Todd Puster said. Were asking for not-to-exceed amounts because (at the administration building), were still uncovering concealed conditions, he said. Puster said water damage has taken place at the southwest or front wall of the administration building. When we were looking at some of the two-by-fours, I would be concerned about the workmanship on some of that, he said. I noticed a compression fracture. Its really quite concerning. Ted Roseberry, director of business and operations, added, We dont know yet how much the total repair will cost. Board member Jeffrey Leikin asked if the district has corrected the issue that caused the problem at the administration building, or are we just fixing something? We are definitely addressing the issue, Roseberry said. We noticed when we took the kitchen window out, whoever installed those windows, the flashing should go out, but the flashing came in. The building was built in the early 1970s and was renovated around 2000 or 2001, Roseberry said. The windows, which were installed more than 20 years ago, were repurposed, so theyre even older than that, he said. And I dont know if we hired a contractor; we may have done that work internally, he said. I dont know that. Roseberry said at least three-quarters of the wall will need to be replaced. The water damage is mostly a foot and half to two feet on each side of each window, he said. One factor that will lead to additional cost for this project, Roseberry said, is the district will have to hire a surety company to stabilize the building while the old structural wall is being taken down. Weve actually purchased the new windows, he said. Theyre sitting in maintenance. Within two weeks, well have a firm number (of the total cost). In regard to the generator at Brady Middle School, the board learned from Roseberry in late August that when the district lost power due to the storms that occurred Aug. 24-25, the generators at Orange High School and Moreland Hills Elementary School worked continuously, as expected, but the one at Brady failed completely, he said. Roseberry said Friday that the magnet inside the generator at Brady failed and cannot be replaced. He said the cost of the new generator alone is estimated at $80,000. Buckeye Power, who does the maintenance on our generators, gave us a quote, he said. The labor to install the materials is going to be almost the same (as the cost of the generator), as a general rule of thumb. You already have a lot of the infrastructure there, so you dont have to do a lot of wiring in the building, he told the board. Its just going to be adding a transfer switch that matches the new generator and things like that. So I dont expect it to be more than $70,000 for the electrician to connect it all. Roseberry said he expected the new generator to last about 25 years, as long as clean power comes into the district. Other contracts approved In other action, the board approved a contract with Gardiner of Solon for the installation of maintenance boilers, pumps and controls at a cost of $310,145. As part of the same contract, the board also approved the purchase of three stand-alone replacement target zone unit ventilators at a cost of $72,000. Roseberry told the board Tuesday (Sept. 26) that the maintenance facility on the Orange Schools campus currently has three natural gas boilers. Two are Bryan flexible tube boilers and one is a Fulton Pulse boiler, according to the contract. But the Bryan boilers have failed over the past couple years, and only the Fulton boiler is currently operating and serving the facility, Roseberry said. The contract calls for two replacement boilers to be installed. The existing Fulton boiler will be kept as a backup, Roseberry said. Also on Friday, the board approved two contracts with Standard Aquatics and Recreation of Indianapolis. One contract calls for the replacement of features located within the zero-entry area of the Orange Community Education and Recreation outdoor pool, including demolition and replacement of mechanical equipment, in an amount not to exceed $9,625. The other contract will generate as-built plans for the same outdoor pool, including information and data in plan set form with a professional engineer stamp, at a cost of $13,870. The board also approved a trip for Brady Middle School eighth-grade students to Washington, D.C., May 28-30. Parents will pay for the students trip. The estimated cost of the trip is $634 per student. The impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will linger for decades after the Russians are defeated because the fighting leaves a lot of unexploded munitions, including landmines that were planted and never removed. This was often because whoever planted them kept no records or was killed before they could turn in a sketch showing where the mines were. Even when these mine maps are distributed, the enemy doesnt get a copy. Russian forces planted lots of mines and often did not make maps if they did not leave safe pathways through the minefield. Ukraine is calling for EOD help from NATO nations and facing the prospects of paying for the cost of training and equipping Ukrainian EOD technicians. EOD work was already a profession before the Russians invaded because Ukraine is still dealing with World War II and earlier EOD issues. Unexploded munitions can remain lethal for over a century while most become less lethal as time passes and the explosives suffer from chemical degradation. Some portions of the World War I front line in France, like the area around Verdun, are still fenced off because there are so many unexploded munitions in the ground. An earlier incidence of this appeared in Iraq where there were two previous wars involving lots of uncharted minefields and unexploded munitions in the 20 years prior to 9/11, and worse things than those after 9/11 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The Iraqi army had a severe shortage of support troops in general, particularly combat engineers trained and equipped for clearing roadside bombs and other IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices.) The Iraqis did have hundreds of EOD technicians. This was because the 1980s war with Iran left a lot of unexploded bombs, shells and mines along the Iran/Iraq border, providing lots of work for EOD people. But EOD work mainly requires skilled operators using simple tools. To deal with IEDs effectively, you need some specialized, and expensive, equipment. The U.S. Army and Marines have special armored vehicles (mainly Cougars), built to survive a nearby IED explosion, and equipped with vidcams and other sensors to find IEDs before they go off. The American EOD specialists also have robots to do the dangerous, close work. Since Iraqi troops have taken over security for many of the rebellious Sunni Arab areas in the last year, American combat engineers have been assigned to go in and clear out the worst infestations of IEDs in areas controlled by Iraqi troops. The terrorists, taking advantage of the Iraqi army shortage of combat engineers, have planted thousands of IEDs. In some areas, there are 3-4 of these explosives per kilometer of road. The Iraqi army simply didnt have enough EOD teams to handle that. So American engineers came in to help clear out the worst infestations. Then, the American EOP specialists taught their Iraqi counterparts techniques for keeping the roads free of the bombs. This is usually something as simple as some watch towers and night vision devices. If the Iraqis man those towers 24/7, the terrorists won't be able to plant bombs. The Americans like having some Iraqi troops going out with the engineers. The Americans know that, sometimes, the terrorists will pay civilians to sort of wander past the U.S. engineers, trying to spot techniques being used to clear the bombs. This makes it possible for the terrorists to build bombs that are more difficult to clear. But with some Iraqi troops along, these spies can not only be more readily shooed away, but sometimes identified and arrested. Eventually, many Iraqi engineers were provided with new EOD technology, as in MRAPS (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), electronic mine detectors, EOD robots, plus techniques like predictive analysis to determine the likely locations for EOD teams to work. Gradually, IEDs became less dangerous in Iraq. For example, in 2006, it took about five IEDs to cause one coalition casualty (11 percent of them fatal) in Iraq. By 2008 it took nine IEDs per casualty (12 percent of them fatal). The density of unexploded munitions in Ukraine is not as bad as Iraq but the solutions are the same. Britain has taken the lead in training and equipping new Ukrainian EOD technicians. Britain has set up training centers in Poland. Ukrainian trainees cross the border, take the course and return to Ukraine with new skills and often the specialized EOD equipment. Britain has already trained over 23,000 Ukrainian troops in Poland and Britain on EOD techniques. CLEVELAND, Ohio Two people have been arrested and charged in the shooting death of a 3-year-old last week. On Sunday, Cleveland Police confirmed the arrest of 34-year-old Juan Davis of Cleveland Heights and 30-year-old Katherine Treadway of Cleveland. Authorities say that Davis will be charged with aggravated murder, while Treadway will be charged with murder. This arrest comes just days after Luis Diaz was fatally shot in a drive-by on West 66th Street and Denison Avenue in the citys Stockyards neighborhood. On Thursday, Diaz was inside of a vehicle with his mother and 11-month-old brother when a car sped down the street and sprayed bullets, police said. He was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he died. A man standing near the vehicle was also shot, but survived. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who has pushed for a reduction in violent crime, released a statement on social media. Earlier today our city lost a precious child due to gun violence, Bibb said on Thursday. This heartbreaking incident is another reminder that we must come together as a city, state, and nation to address this violence and its root causes. Court records show that Davis and Treadway are set to be arraigned on Monday morning. COLUMBUS, OhioEven though the Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously voted earlier this week to pass new House and Senate district lines for the state, there still isnt consensus on an important question: How long will these new maps remain in place? Both Republicans and Democrats on the redistricting commission say they think they will be in place for eight years, until after the 2030 U.S. Census is completed. But those commission members, as well as others considering legal challenges to the newly passed maps, also say its not yet clear whether they will last for that long, or for only two years. Related: A reluctant chair and surprise cooperation: How Ohios bipartisan redistricting deal came together behind the scenes I think it is the intent of the commission that this be an eight-year map, said State Auditor Keith Faber, the commissions Republican co-chair, to reporters Friday. But thats up to the courts to decide. The reason for the uncertainty is because the Ohio Constitutions new legislative redistricting rules dont explicitly lay out what happens now after the states initial redistricting process in 2021 and 2022 went off the rails. The Ohio Supreme Court repeatedly ruled last year that GOP-authored legislative maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered, but Republicans on the redistricting commission effectively ran out the clock and got their maps used anyway in the 2022 elections. However, the courts ruling meant that the commission had to draw new maps ahead of Ohios March 2024 primary election. The question now hinges on whether the newly passed redistricting plan is legally considered to be a replacement of last years maps or just a modification. Under the states constitutional redistricting rules, any legislative redistricting plan passed with bipartisan support lasts for 10 years, while plans with only one-party support expire after four years. That means that the maps passed last year only by Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission would remain in place until 2025. If the new redistricting plan passed earlier this week is considered just to be a court-ordered modification of that initial plan, that means the new maps would also expire two years from now. However, the very next paragraph of the Ohio Constitution states that when the redistricting commission votes to replace a four-year plan that ceased to be effective, the new plan they pass can remain for the remainder of the decade, regardless of whether its supported by both Republicans and Democrats. If thats the case now, that would mean the just-passed redistricting plan would stay in place for eight years, until 2031. That is an issue that has never been ruled on before, Faber told reporters on Tuesday night. Were in unique times. Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio of Lakewood, the commissions Democratic co-chair who stood next to Faber as he said that, also said she thinks the question will be up to a court to decide. But, like Faber, Antonio said she personally thinks the new maps will last for eight years. I strongly believe that [argument] will bear out, she said. Steven Steinglass, a retired Cleveland State University law professor and expert on the Ohio Constitution, expressed similar sentiments, in an interview. My understanding is that the bipartisan, unanimously approved plan is valid for the balance of the decade, Steinglass said. The new plan, he said, sounds like a replacement to me. Its still unclear exactly who believes the new redistricting maps should, under the Ohio Constitution, only last for two years, as well as who, if anyone, would ask a court to weigh in on the issue. Faber said that during this years talks on redistricting maps, he heard from people who argued the new maps only last two years. He said he didnt remember specific names of those who argued that the new maps expire in two years. We had learned legal scholars who made an argument that it was very clear in the constitution that the intent was that if your first vote isnt bipartisan, its a four-year map and a six-year map, Faber said, adding that he personally thinks theres a very strong argument for an eight-year map. Yurij Rudensky of New York University law schools Brennan Center for Justice, who represents several of the plaintiffs that successfully contested last years GOP-backed legislative redistricting plan in court, said in an interview that he hasnt heard of anyone who strongly believes that the new maps should only be in place for two years. Rudensky said he could see how and why someone might make an argument that the new maps should last only for two years. Maybe theres a world in which the 2025 redistricting process plays out better, he said. I wouldnt hold my breath... but I could see someone at least, making that argument. Rudenskys clients, which include the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, the Ohio Environmental Council, the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and several individual Ohioans, are now deciding whether to file similar legal challenges to the new maps, Rudensky said. That discussion, he said, also includes the question of whether to raise the subject of how long the new maps can last. Faber indicated Friday that if no one decides to raise the question in court, he considers the matter settled. I guess if nobody says anything, were going treat it as an eight-year map, he said, chuckling. Looming over the whole issue of how long the new legislative maps will remain in place is the prospect of Ohio voters approving a proposed constitutional amendment that would put redistricting in the hands of a 15-member commission divided equally among Republicans, Democrats and independents. If the proposed amendment passes in 2024, as its backers are seeking, new legislative maps would have to be drawn in 2025 under the new system, making a moot point out of whether the redistricting commission passed a two-year-long map or one lasting eight years. Jeremy Pelzer covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. WASHINGTON, D. C. - A last-minute funding compromise that passed the U.S. House and Senate by large bipartisan margins on Saturday will keep the federal government open for another seven weeks. Three Ohio Congress members voted against the temporary spending bill that will fund government operations through Nov. 17, extend authority for the Federal Aviation Administration for 90 days, and not provide Ukraine aid. A statement from President Joe Biden said the legislation will ensure that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. Biden criticized Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives for trying to walk away from a budget agreement he reached several months ago with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, by instead demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans in subsequent spending proposals. He also said he hoped Congress would pass separate legislation to help Ukraine. In the Senate, the only no votes came from nine Republicans including Ohios JD Vance of Cincinnati. Eighty-eight Senators supported it. In the hours before the vote, Vance made a social media post that said he dislikes temporary funding bills, and accused Democrats of being willing to shut down the government because the current spending package doesnt fund Ukraine. In a separate social media post, he said he wouldnt even vote for a clean continued funding bill. Vances office said it would not issue a further statement on his vote. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, released a statement that praised Congress for coming together to keep the government open and prevent a crisis. His statement said a government shutdown would be devastating for Ohioans. While passing this package was necessary to avoid a shutdown, it should have included critical support for Ukraine as they fight back against Putins invasion, Brown continued. I am calling on Senate leadership and the White House to immediately move to provide support for Ukraine. I will keep working to ensure our country continues its support for Ukraine in their fight for freedom. The measure passed the House of Representatives in 335 - 91 vote, with support from 209 Democrats and 126 Republicans. One Democrat - Congressional Ukraine Caucus co-chair Mike Quigley of Illinois - voted against it because it lacked Ukraine funding. Ohios Jim Jordan and Warren Davidson were the only Ohioans among the 90 Republicans who opposed it. The pair had supported an earlier temporary funding proposal that would have imposed tough border restrictions and cut most domestic programs by nearly 30 percent. That measure failed after 21 Republicans opposed it, along with all Democrats. Jordan , a Champaign County Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, delivered a floor speech on Friday that supported border security measures in the earlier bill and its reasonable cuts in spending. He did not release a statement after his vote on Saturday. Cleveland.com has reached out to his office for comment. We have a border that is wide open, Jordan said on Friday. This bill secures the border ... 2021 was the highest number on record for illegal migrants entering the country, the highest year on record until 2022, and that was the highest year on record until this year. That is how bad this is. Davidson released a statement on social media to explain his Saturday vote: Joe Bidens spending plan continues to bankrupt our country while engineering a massive southern border crisis. Today, we saw this status quo preserved when the House passed a continuing resolution with no reform. My constituents are demanding change and surrendering to these failed policies is not an option. U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, a South Russell Republican, released a statement that said the temporary spending bill was not my first choice to fund the government, it was the only pathway made available at this time to do so, and said he was pleased it contains an additional $16 billion for disaster relief in response to a string of natural disasters that have occurred across the country. U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, released a statement that said the bill was far from perfect and noted that because it would only fund government for 45 days, extreme Republicans can once again put the American people through the same chaos in just over a month. She observed that because of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) distributes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, USDA may be unable to distribute food assistance benefits to the states for the month of December if theres a shutdown. That would leave nearly 40 million Americans unable to put food on the table during the holiday season. Toledo Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said she was disappointed the stopgap did not provide money to help Ukraine. Though this is a hard slap in the face of Liberty, it will not hold going forward, said a statement from Kaptur. The vast majority of House Members fully support Ukrainein fact 82%based on recent votes just this month supporting assistance to Ukraine. I, along with Members of our Ukraine Caucus, fully support Ukraines quest for territorial sovereignty. Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. CLEVELAND -- Wall Street Journal columnist Daniel Henninger wrote in August recalling the comments of former Sen. Alan Simpson, a Wyoming Republican. The acid-tongued senator used to refer to Republicans as the stupid party and Democrats as the evil party. Henninger said his money was on the evil party in a Biden-Trump rematch next year because the Republicans are so adept at turning off the independent swing vote. I feel any Republican candidate, except Donald Trump, would win handily, regardless of the stupid party trying to appease its already locked-in far right wing. Too many Republicans politicians choose to take uncompromising positions on social issues like abortion, despite warnings from more commonsense presidential candidates like Nikki Haley. Unfortunately, rampant crime, uncontrolled migration and personal responsibility are issues that resonate with most commonsense voters from both parties and among independents. Yet they take a back seat with politicians who spend too much time in committee hearings trying to embarrass the other party and each other. Too many members of the evil party dont want to address the crime issue for fear of offending what they perceive to be their solid base of voters. Do they really believe those committing most heinous crimes actually vote or that other Democrats condone that behavior? What they continue to overlook is that there are thousands of law-abiding urban residents who live every day in fear, hoping that someone would help them take back their neighborhoods from street gangs and drugs. Who is sticking up for them? Last week, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, a Black Democrat, switched political parties, using a Wall Street Journal op-ed to blame his former partys policies for what the sub-headline called exacerbated crime and homelessness. Johnson had been re-elected in May with 93% of the vote. As CNN noted, Dallas is now the only one of the ten most populous American cities not run by a Democrat. Cleveland City Councilman Michael Polensek is one of the few local politicians who has never been hesitant to criticize others, including Democrats, for being soft on crime. Cleveland city officials admitted an understaffed police department needed help handling a summer crime wave in the city and got it from Gov. Mike DeWine and the State Highway Patrol in making arrests and getting illegal guns off the streets. Cleveland.com reported at the time that homicides were up 22% and armed robberies had increased 15% compared to a year earlier. Car thefts had doubled from a year ago. Cleveland City Councilman Charles Slife had suggested at a council meeting that state government did not care about Black and brown people dying in our cities. Others blamed the increase in gun violence on Republican state lawmakers for passing open carry laws without a license, training or background checks. I feel brazen urban youths now believe that it is a show of strength to carry guns and to settle disputes and commit crimes using them. In August, the CBS-TV affiliate in Chicago reported that a youth organization had asked gang members to pledge to have a daily ceasefire between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. so Chicagoans could go about their business without innocently being caught in the crossfire. The organization, Native Sons, was formed in 2022 after the shooting death of a 5-year-old boy. Acknowledging that gun laws are ineffective, they created a document called the Peoples Ordinance, calling for the ceasefire. As of last week, the Chicago Police reported that more than 1,800 people had been shot this year, with over 440 murders. Shootings were down 13% this year over last and murders had dropped 11%, but overall crime was up 29%, with car thefts and robberies leading the way. During an early Sunday evening the last week of August, a 15-year-old was shot and killed at a suburban Columbus outdoor shopping mall. Two 13-year-olds were charged in connection with the killing. A week earlier, Ohio State University senior wrestler Sammy Sasso was shot and wounded in downtown Columbus by carjackers. Two teens were charged in the crime. After-school and education programs for preteens, especially from single-parent homes, have value. These kids need somewhere to go when the school day ends instead of the streets. However, when someone has evolved to the point when they are willing to shoot you for your vehicle, they are probably beyond rehabilitation. When will big-city voters finally wake up and stop electing politicians who continue to shift the blame? Violent gun crimes, armed robberies, smash-and-grab shoplifting and car thefts have increased all over the country and especially in cities where criminals have very little fear of retribution because liberal politicians and prosecutors have relaxed crime laws and penalties for committing them. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, upon taking office in 2022, announced he would not prosecute certain crimes. CNN reported they included: marijuana misdemeanors, including selling more than three ounces; not paying public transportation fare; trespassing except a fourth degree stalking charge, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration in certain cases, and prostitution. Earlier this week, Philadelphias mayor finally condemned a sickening display of opportunistic criminal activity after flash-mob-style lootings downtown that followed a judges dismissal of all charges against a white police officer in the shooting death of a 27-year-old Black man. A 21-year-old woman with a large following on social media had encouraged and emboldened others, commenting while live-streaming as many high-end stores were being looted in the citys central downtown area. Fifty people, including her, were arrested and she was charged with six felonies after the night of mayhem, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Bob Paulson, the former Republican mayor of Solon, writes an occasional Plain Dealer/cleveland.com column from the political middle. (Photo by David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com) If other big-city mayors dont wake up, their poorer constituents will not have any place to shop, especially for essentials like groceries and medicine. After incurring huge losses due to theft and other related crimes, many retailers opt to shutter their stores in these high-crime areas. It already has happened this year in most of the larger West Coast cities as well as Chicago, where newly elected mayor Brandon Johnson is considering opening a municipally run grocery store to make up for these store closures. Historic disinvestment has led to inequitable access to food retail across Chicago, and these existing inequities have been exacerbated as at least six grocery stores closed on the South and West sides over the past two years, said a statement from Johnsons office quoted by Fox Business. Big-city mayors need to stop blaming others and realize that tolerating such abhorrent behavior is destroying their cities and the well-being of their constituents. Republican Bob Paulson, the former mayor of Solon, writes an occasional column on politics from the middle. To share ideas and feedback with Bob Paulson: bobpaulsonPD@gmail.com Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. EZULWINI If anyone offers you fantastic returns for investing your money, you must first understand where they are coming from. This is advice that was shared by First National Bank (FNB) Eswatini Chief Executive Dennis Mbingo, when stating his opinion about the many incidents where emaSwati have lost millions of Emalangeni after investing in different entities outside banks. This happened during a session the bank had with the media where the annual financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2023 were presented. Even though no name of entities was mentioned during the session, it is a known fact that over 1 000 emaSwati lost millions of money after investing in certain entities. They include those who invested about E340 million into Ecsponent and others who lost E22 million in Sharemax. Responding to a question posed by the Nation Magazine Editor Bheki Makhubu, on why most emaSwati fall into the trap of investing their money, mostly pension, into bogus schemes, Mbingo first explained that there is always a hunt for value, but that there has been less education on financial management. necessarily He mentioned that the education on financial management was not necessarily supposed to be conducted by banks alone but that it needed to be a national agenda. You do not teach people basics around financial management just because they are planning to pursue a course in Bachelor of Commerce. The truth is that a nurse needs to understand how to handle finances. A farmer needs to understand finances and that is how we should live, Mbingo said. Elaborating, he said there was a gap currently and that it has coincided with a lingo or narrative in recent years to the effect that banks are vultures and hyenas. This has been related to issues such as bank charges and other things and there wasnt enough counter arguments around how to properly understand that there are a few entities that can be trusted outside banks. This is because the money that banks pay for any misconduct or non-compliance is substantial. In some instances it comes with the legal arrest of the bank executives, he said. As a result, he said, banks always try their best to be as accountable as possible. My view is that certain sectors in this business do not have such strict regulations. So if people put their money there, they are putting themselves at 100 per cent risk. To summarise it, I can safely say that we need financial education at a national level. Secondly, banks have to be proactive in talking about who they are and why they should be trusted. Thirdly, regulation and accountability need to be intensified, Mbingo emphasized. Expanding on how to be cautious, he said every liSwati should make sure that if anyone offered them 50 per cent returns if they invest their money when they are used to perhaps 10 per cent, they should conduct a serious interrogation. Mbingo also addressed a concern regarding the proposed changes in making deposits intended for accounts outside the country. It was brought to his attention that FNB Eswatini notified its customers about changes in making international transactions. In May we received messages that FNB will introduce what is known as global payments and that soon clients will not be able to make deposits to Namibia, South Africa and Lesotho while Botswana is not there. When you purchase at Edgars and you have an account, you pay to an account in South Africa. What is going to happen with that? asked Makhubu. The editor said for years, FNB has been the chosen financial institution, especially for parents who have their children attending school outside the country. Even people who bank in other banks rely on FNB bankers and request to use their accounts to deposit money to their children in South Africa. Will all that be eliminated? Does that all get eliminated, Makhubu asked and further relayed his fear that such will have an impact on what FNB has been to the lives of emaSwati for years. response In response, Mbingo explained that regulators in the whole SADC region were seeking visibility. He said FNB Eswatini has to enforce what regulators in the region proposed because the common monetary area was built around certain principles and was a big value addition to the economies in the region. You do not see Botswana because it is not part of the common monetary area. The way we have approached it is that if the sender or receiver of the funds have the information about their identity and address properly laid out in what is known as KYC (know your customer), a lot of risks are mitigated. The current model we are running was not built for that level of visibility. So, we are redirecting the flow to global payments because they incorporate all the additional information that regulators want to see, Mbingo explained. Kip Turner joined AT&T when he was 18 years old without a bachelors degree and learned everything for his engineering career on-the-job. When Kip Turner first applied to a job with AT&T in 1973, he didn't expect that he'd spend his whole career with them. Turner was 18 years old at the time and had just finished a year at Arkansas State University studying animal science. But, after seeing all the schooling required to become a veterinarian, he realized he needed to get a job "to even think about that" and dropped out. His side job as a lumber truck driver wasn't cutting it, and so he asked his dad, a Southwestern Bell Telephone employee, whether he knew of any job openings in the telecommunications field. In the summer of 1973, Turner drove to Little Rock for an interview and joined AT&T as a station installer. Turner, now 68, has spent the last 50 years of his career with the company and will likely retire with them in the next few years. His one regret Turner tells CNBC Make It he's had roughly eight roles during his 50 years with AT&T, each ranging from two to seven years, except his most recent job as lead product development engineer, which he's held since 2009. He likes to advise younger professionals, based on his own experience, to not let education requirements get in the way of applying to a job that interests you. Turner joined AT&T without a bachelor's degree and has learned everything on the job. Kip Turner, 68, joined AT&T shortly after high school and has been with the company his entire 50-year career. Courtesy of AT&T "I've been to probably 150 different training courses all over the country on everything from basic troubleshooting to microwave radio engineering, fiber optic engineering synchronization, maintenance, maintenance support for microwaves engineering," Turner says. While many of those courses carry a college credit, Turner says one of his main regrets in his career is not leveraging AT&T's education benefits to go back to college. "I would have loved to have completed an engineering degree," he says. Currently, AT&T offers eligible employees up to $30,000 in tuition reimbursement, and partners with Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma, Champlain College, North Carolina A&T and other universities for select programs so employees can complete their degree at $30,000 or under. Courses are also available 100% online. Why a company's education benefits could be the key to career longevity Billionaire investor Bill Ackman would "absolutely" do a deal with X, the social platform previously known as Twitter, with his newly approved investment vehicle, Ackman told The Wall Street Journal in a story published on Sunday. On Friday, Ackman announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission approved his new financing vehicle, which he is calling a SPARC a special purpose acquisition rights company. In a SPARC, investors will know what company the financing vehicle would be used to merge with before they have to pledge their investments. "If your large private growth company wants to go public without the risks and expenses of a typical IPO, with Pershing Square as your anchor shareholder, please call me," Ackman said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We promise a quick yes or no." Ackman told the Journal that he would "absolutely" consider using his newly formed SPARC to invest in X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. A spokesperson from Pershing Square Capital Management, Ackman's investment firm, told CNBC the company had nothing further to add other than what was in the Journal story. Investors interested in the SPARC were directed to follow Bill Ackman's account on X for more information, according to the press release announcing the regulatory approval of the investment vehicle. Ackman posts regularly on a wide variety of topics on X, including his support for U.S. presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., his assertion that he married the "female version of Elon Musk." While Ackman uses X regularly and told the Journal he would embrace using his newly formed investment vehicle to merge with X, the implications of being a public company make it unlikely that X would actually pursue the deal, according to Alan D. Jagolinzer, a professor of financial accounting at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. "Taking X public would expose X to financial and governance regulatory transparency and accountability; which is why I'm skeptical it'll happen," Jagolinzer said in a post on X. PIGGS PEAK Supporters of Jabulani Buy Cash Mabuza are calling for his appointment as the 12th Parliament speaker. This is after he easily retained his seat in the House of Assembly when he won the secondary elections with a big margin against his competitors. Mabuza attained an outstanding 4 467 number of votes, meaning he surpassed the MP candidate with the second highest number of votes by 3 766 votes. Sandile Menano Dlamini from Nginamadvolo Umphakatsi attained 701 votes as the runner-up against Mabuza, meaning his votes can be multiplied at least seven times to surpass those of Mabuza. In third position was Nitho Siboniso Mamba, who had 514 votes followed by Mfanasibili Machawe Dlamini with 434 votes. On the fourth and fifth positions were Thando Evans Mokoena, who obtained 190 votes and Stephen Clement Siwela who had 30 votes in that order. Supporters of Mabuza were already gathered to cast their votes on Friday morning at Mhlatane High School, where they anticipated the arrival of their preferred choice of candidate. His arrival was met with wild excitement as his followers, some of who were clad in custom designed outfits, showing their support for him. They sang songs, cheered for him while others hugged him when making his grand entrance. What seemed to be more interesting is that he was spotted sharing a light moment with former Mayor Victor Rodrigues, who had come to cast his vote and narrowly lost to Mabuza during the primary elections as he was among the favourites to win against Buy Cash. After Mabuza was officially declared the winner of the secondary elections, some of the supporters at the polling station, who were awaiting his return to address them after being confirmed the winner, were overheard talking among themselves that Mabuza must be voted the new speaker in Parliament. This, they said, was because he was now not eligible to serve in Cabinet as per the kingdoms constitution dictates since he had already served two terms, which, therefore, declared him not eligible to serve as Cabinet minister. Mabuza is the outgoing Minister of Agriculture. He also served as the acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, following the demise of former Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC) Managing Director (MD) Peter Bhembe, who passed on while holding the Cabinet position. Though many called upon Mabuza to be appointed speaker, some were overheard talking among themselves that chances were also high that he might be given the position of deputy prime minister (DPM). Briefly addressing his supporters after winning the elections, Mabuza said he was humbled by the people of Piggs Peaks love and trust. He said he loved them with all his heart. Warren Buffett is arguably the most celebrated investor of all time, and one trait that helped land him there is the fact that he's not afraid to admit to mistakes. The 93-year-old value investor has been unloading his HP stake over the past three weeks, leading some to believe he will eventually dump the entire losing bet. The "Oracle of Omaha" might one day explain why he sold the laptop and printer maker, but HP is an example of how his investments in tech haven't all worked out like Apple . That's what Buffett did in in an interview in 2017 by way of explaining an earlier, dud investment he sold in International Business Machines, and his winning bet on Apple. "I was wrong in my original analysis," Buffett said at the time. "I thought that [IBM's] prospects were going to be better in the next five or six years ... so I decided that I had made a mistake... I still don't know that much about the future, but I feel more certain about the future as I look at a company like Apple than when I look at IBM now." In the years after Buffett sold IBM, he dramatically raised Berkshire's stake in Apple, becoming the largest shareholder outside of index and exchange-traded fund providers. As of the end of June, Berkshire's Apple stake was worth more than $177 billion, accounting for nearly half of Berkshire's entire equity portfolio. Buffett previously explained that when Berkshire sells something, it's very often the entire stake as he views equity positions as owning a company's business. "We don't trim positions. That's just not the way we approach it any more than if we buy 100% of a business," he said. Other tech bets In 2018, Buffett bought cloud company Oracle , only to sell the stock within three months. He said he didn't understand exactly where the cloud was going, particularly after his experience with IBM. More recently, the billionaire investor traded in and out of a $4 billion pisition in Taiwan Semiconductor . Buffett said the rapid turnaround was due to political uncertainties. Over the years, the student of Ben Graham has also expressed regret at not buying some of the Big Tech names, even after watching their stock prices explode. He said he "blew it" by failing to invest early in Google even though he had insight into its advertising potential. Berkshire's auto insurance unit Geico was an early customer of Google, paying the search engine 10 bucks every time somebody clicked on the ad at the time. Buffett also admitted it was a mistake not being an early investor in Amazon , saying he underestimated the brilliance of founder Jeff Bezos. "I was too dumb to realize. I did not think [Bezos] could succeed on the scale he has," Buffett said in 2017, adding that he "really underestimated the brilliance of the execution." The investor humbly admitted that he and partner Charlie Munger "miss a lot of things, and we'll keep doing it." Airline woes Another industry that Buffett had regrets about is airlines. In 2016, Berkshire acquired roughly 10% of the four largest airline companies in the U.S. United , American , Southwest and Delta Air Lines in a bet north of $4 billion. However, the onset four years later in 2020 of the global pandemic led him to entirely dump the stakes. Some said that Buffett sold them too early and missed the subsequent rebound when the economy reopened. "I just decided that I'd made a mistake in evaluating it was an understandable mistake," he said during Berkshire's 2020 annual meeting. "It was a probability-weighted decision when we bought that we were getting an attractive amount for our money when investing across the airlines business." The legendary investor has had a bumpy ride with the airline industry. Long before the 2020 sale, Buffett spoke of a soured bet on the old USAir that he first made in 1989. Berkshire put $358 million into USAir in the form of a purchase of preferred stock. Years later, Buffett told shareholders that it was a deal he should not have made. "It could've been worse, but it was a mistake," Buffett said during 1995 annual meeting . Still, he acknowledged that as bad as the US Air investment turned out, at least he'd held the preferred shares. "We're a lot better off, obviously, than if we'd bought the common [stock], " he said then. In the following year's shareholder letter in 1996 , Buffett repeated an old joke about investing in airlines: "When Richard Branson, the wealthy owner of Virgin Atlantic Airways, was asked how to become a millionaire, he had a quick answer: 'There's really nothing to it. Start as a billionaire and then buy an airline.'" Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, walks outside the Manhattan federal court in New York City, U.S. March 30, 2023. Sam Bankman-Fried does not approve of prosecutors' request to allow a Ukraine-based FTX customer to testify remotely in the criminal trial, which is set to start on Tuesday. In a court filing Saturday, prosecutors asked Judge Lewis Kaplan for permission to include witness testimony via two-way video teleconference, though Bankman-Fried's defense said it "does not consent" to it. The FTX customer in question, who prosecutors refer to as "FTX Customer-1" in the filing, is "a young male, located in Ukraine ... who lost a substantial portion of his life savings that he had entrusted to FTX when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022." FTX Customer-1 cannot travel out of Ukraine due to the country's war-time law, which prohibits men deemed fit for combat from leaving. He could try to obtain a special exemption from Ukraine officials to exit the country, but even then, prosecutors estimated the travel time for the FTX customer would be around three days in each direction and would require a complicated route through an ongoing war. A spokesperson for the prosecutors declined to comment. Bankman-Fried's media representative also declined to comment. The federal prosecutors maintained that testimony from international witnesses is important to understanding the global nature and influence of the FTX crypto-exchange. "Due to FTX's international popularity, many of the FTX customers are dispersed across the world, making the coordination of international authorizations to permit testimony in the United States and international travel arrangements exceedingly complicated," prosecutors said in the court document. Bankman-Fried has been awaiting his trial, which is due to begin in just a few days, in a New York jail after a judge revoked his bail over alleged witness tampering. According to a court calendar, the trial will last until Nov. 9. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 1) A lawmaker on Sunday urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate the alleged 2.697-billion confidential funds of Davao City for the past six years, when Vice President Sara Duterte was its mayor. This would mean 1.235 million a day of secret spending for six years, this is way bigger than even the richest cities in the country like Makati City and Quezon City, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said in a statement. Earlier reports from state auditors showed that the countrys top two richest cities Quezon City and Makati City only had 435 million and 1.249 billion, respectively, in confidential funds in the past seven years. Under Joint Circular No. 2015-01 of the COA and the Department of Budget Management, the total amount for confidential funds of a local government unit should not exceed 30% of its total annual amount allocated for its Peace and Order and Public funds. Additional confidential funds are possible upon the approval of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the joint circular further read. Castro, who is also the House Deputy Minority leader, said the COA should investigate if the alleged spending of the local government abides with Joint Circular No. 2015-01. If it is proven otherwise, the money should be returned and legal action should be taken," she said. The solon, a vocal critic of the Duterte and Marcos administrations, even claimed that the vice president was so eager to have a confidential fund in her national office, as she may have become accustomed to such a practice during her time as mayor of Davao. She previously lambasted Duterte for spending 125 million confidential funds in only 19 days last year. Castro noted that this was done without congressional authorization. READ: Castro: OVP spent 125 million confidential funds in 19 days Castro also expressed strong opposition in allotting confidential funds to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education -- both of which are led by Duterte -- stressing that the budget should be earmarked instead to more important concerns, such as the early childhood development program. The Filipino people deserve to know how their hard-earned money is being spent, she added. We must hold our public officials accountable and ensure that transparency and integrity prevail in our governance." Last week, lawmakers in both houses of Congress decided to realign confidential and intelligence funds to boost government agencies focused on securing the country's security amid recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 1) Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is facing fresh complaints for graft and malversation over alleged misuse of 38.807 billion from the Malampaya Fund. In a statement Sunday, National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms, Inc. (NASECORE) President Pete Ilagan and Boses Ng Konsyumer Alliance, Inc. (BKAI) President Roger Reyes said their complaint was based on a recently obtained Commission on Audit (COA) report completed in 2017, which detailed the disbursements of the fund. The COA report showed that the national government received 173.280 billion in royalties from petroleum operations of Malampaya oil and gas wells from January 2002 to June 2013, of which 38.807 billion was categorized by the COA as improper disbursement due to non-compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations. In their complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on Sept. 28, the electricity consumer advocates alleged that Arroyo abused the presidential discretion provided under Presidential Decree No. 910, which states that the Malampaya Fund should be used for projects related to "the exploration, exploitation and development of indigenous energy resources vital to economic growth." Ilagan and Reyes said that the 38.807 billion went to various projects not covered by Presidential Decree No. 910, hindering the country's drive towards energy independence and inhibiting economic growth. Among these projects were the "Pantawid Pasada Program and projects on transportation, agriculture, calamity, relocation, infrastructure, national security rehabilitation and improvement. They added that "although the disbursements may have served a public purpose, the same ultimately frustrated the country's drive toward energy independence, leaving the energy consumers at the mercy of a volatile world market and inhibiting economic growth." Ilagan acknowledged that the former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales dismissed the complaint against former President Arroyo, ordering the filing of plunder and other criminal charges against businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, former Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., and 23 others over the alleged scam. Arroyo was dismissed from the case on the grounds that her role was merely to authorize the disbursement of the fund and that she had no involvement in the subsequent misappropriation. However, Ilagan maintained that Arroyo was only cleared in the 900-million scam, which was primarily siphoned off into non-governmental organizations headed by Napoles, and not the total 38.807 billion that Arroyo misused throughout her nine-year presidency. Ilagan challenged the incumbent Ombudsman Samuel Martires to file graft and malversation charges against Arroyo. 'What time is it, and where are we,' asks one of 20 aircraft targeted by fake GPS signals, after getting lost in the airspace Fake GPS signals from an unknown source on the ground in the Iran-Iraq area misdirected at least 20 airline and corporate jets in the last two weeks, media reports said, citing flight data intelligence crowdsourcing website OPSGROUP. A representational image of an aircraft midair. Image Courtesy: Unsplash Forbes reported that the site, which boasts of a membership of 8,000 pilots, flight dispatchers, schedulers, and controllers, started reporting the GPS spoofing incidents since Monday. The fake GPS signals sent from the ground took over the aircrafts inbuilt navigation, OPSGROUP stated. Earlier this week, OPSGROUP reported that, [Twelve] separate reports have been now received by OPSGROUP, and in most cases the [Inertial Reference System] becomes unusable, VOR/DME sensor inputs fail, the aircraft UTC clock fails, and the crew have been forced to request vectors from ATC to navigate. Since then, reports of GPS spoofing have risen to 20. In one such incident, an Embraer 650 business jet crew, en route from Europe to Dubai, nearly entered Iran airspace (OIIX/Tehran FIR) with no clearance after both GPS navigation units aboard the airplane and GPS signals to both pilot/co-pilot iPads were lost. The crew reported that the Inertial Reference System (IRS), an independent, standalone system that can compute position without GPS signals help, didnt work anymore. According to the Times of India, this is largely related to the functioning of the IRS system in modern commercial jets. Each plane is equipped with 2-3 separate IRS units and two independent GPS receivers to determine the aircraft's position. However, since IRS can be susceptible to inaccuracies, many modern commercial jets use inputs from both IRS and GPS to calculate a more reliable 'GPIRS position'. TOI quoted Captain Amit Singh, an air safety expert, as saying, The aircraft system will show a disagreement between IRS and GPS signal and if at this point crew do not disable the GPS signals, the aircraft will be steered off its flight path. The Forbes report cited OPSGROUP as saying that airplanes, both commercial and business, that traverse Airway UMB688 in northern Iraq (a major air route connecting Europe and the Middle East) have encountered total failures in their navigation systems due to deceptive GPS signals. These incidents seem to involve more complex cyber elements beyond simply substituting accurate GPS position data with misleading coordinates. In a separate incident, a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet needed continuous ATC radar guidance to reach its destination in Doha, Qatar, as it experienced a loss of GPS signal. According to Times of India, Ops Group said in its report that among aircraft waylaid by rogue GPS signals were the Boeing 777, 737 and 747. The report added that a targeted 777 was led so much off course that the crew was forced to ask Baghdad ATC, What time is it, and where are we. Indian carriers Air India, IndiGo and Vistara overfly this airspace en route destinations like San Francisco, Istanbul, Baku and London. Air India and IndiGo operate 777 on these routes, with IndiGos 777 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines, according to TOI. Times of India quoted a senior commander of an Indian carrier, who requested anonymity, as saying, We dont fly airway UM688, but we do overfly the Iranian air. We haven't experienced spoofing but, on a flight, last week we experienced GPS jamming. Movies don't always turn out the way we'd hope. Sometimes this is due to script problems, or a lack of budget, or accidentally casting Rob Schneider in the lead role. Still, rather than accept a movie's suckiness, we find it helpful to try to retrace what went wrong. Like a cinematic autopsy. As we've done once or twice before, let's delve into what happened with stinkers like ... 6 The Mummy Was Hijacked By Tom Cruise Imagine if all the Marvel Cinematic Universe amounted to was one Iron Man movie and a photoshopped image of movie stars posing as if they were a hip new law firm. That's what happened to Universal's "Dark Universe," the failed attempt to launch a franchise around its classic movie monsters. Part of the problem was that the premiere film was a borderline incomprehensible remake of The Mummy starring Tom Cruise (and the barely audible sound of Brendan Fraser chuckling with satisfaction). What Happened: The Mummy felt like being stuck inside of Tom Cruise's ego-driven fantasies. And it turns out there's a good reason for that. Cruise basically took creative control of the production, and because he was a big star dealing with a first-time director, everyone just let him. After all, the studio saw Cruise as the Robert Downey Jr. of this new franchise. To start with, Cruise brought in his own screenwriters to rework the story, making his part bigger and the actual Mummy's smaller. The writers were so dedicated to flattering him that his character is described as a "young man," even though everyone knew the part was being played by an (admittedly spry) 54-year-old. This could also explain why Cruise's defining characteristic is that he's super good at sex. And remember how he becomes the Mummy at the end of the movie? Universal Pictures "Have me get bit by a bat in the last scene. I want to leave the door open to being Dracula too." Advertisement That was an addition from Cruise's writers to give his character a "dramatic arc" -- and presumably because after playing Jack Reacher and Top Gun, Cruise wanted to be the titular Mummy. He also practically directed the movie, telling the director what to do and even instructing the director of photography that he was using the wrong lens. It also didn't help that most people's first impression of the movie was a leaked trailer that hilariously was missing key sound effects. Related: 5 Hollywood Secrets That Explain Why So Many Movies Suck 5 Holmes & Watson Was Supposed To Come Out Ten Years Ago Missing the revisionist Sherlock Holmes trend by several years, the alleged comedy Holmes & Watson, starring Will Ferrell as the famous detective and John C. Reilly as his also-famous sidekick, quickly became best known for inspiring walkouts all over America. Maybe in our divided political times, complete disdain for this movie is exactly the unifying force we need. Advertisement What Happened: The movie was a much more novel idea when it was first in development back in 2008. Originally it was going to star Sacha Baron Cohen, with Ferrell as Watson -- which makes way more sense, considering Cohen has a more Holmes-like profile. And keep in mind, this was before everybody started hammering out fresh takes on the Holmes canon. Holmes & Watson was actually being developed before Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie, and this was two years before Sherlock first aired, and four years before Elementary. In fact, it was Ritchie's project that delayed Ferrell's movie, because they didn't want to compete with a less-comedic, far sweatier version of the character. Advertisement After the delay, the production stalled and ended up in development hell. Then in 2016 it got going again, eventually being released in 2018. By the time it was made, it had accrued ten years of pop culture references that were dated by today's standards, including poking fun at the now-decade-old Guy Ritchie movie and the decidedly not-a-thing-anyone-thinks-is-automatically-funny-anymore selfie sticks: Sony Pictures Releasing At least, we think that's what's happening here. We'd left the theater and snuck into Aquaman by this point. Advertisement By the time the movie was done, it tested so terribly that Sony just offered it up to Netflix, which rejected it. Yup, Netflix will churn out loads of movies about wacky Christmas misunderstandings, usually involving royalty, but even they didn't want Holmes & Watson stinking up their platform. Related: 6 Reasons Movies Suck (That Hollywood Hasn't Figured Out) 4 Angry Parents And Cheapness Ruined The Ninja Turtles Series The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a legitimately good movie. Seriously, it's dark, gritty, and features future Oscar winner Sam Rockwell as one those wayward teens who turned to crime and martial arts, which was apparently a big problem in the '90s. As for the sequels, they weren't as great. Like, palling around with Vanilla Ice not-great. Advertisement What Happened: Like with most problems in life, we can place the blame for this squarely on our parents. After the release of the first movie, parents and even medical professionals railed against the the Turtles' violent ways, alleging that all that pizza-fueled nunchucking was having a negative impact on children. This led to the watered-down sequel The Secret Of The Ooze, in which the Turtles weren't allowed to use their weapons. This was stretched to the point of straining credibility, such as the scene wherein Michelangelo attacks the Foot Clan wielding a handful of sausages. New Line Cinema Because if there's one thing a superhero movie can do without, it's violence. Advertisement Even that was too violent for England, and it was cut it out of the movie. And the recasting of April O'Neil was allegedly due to this controversy. According to original actress Judith Hoag, her complaints about the violence in the first movie led to her losing the gig. Advertisement Perhaps most disappointing for kids at the time, Shredder's new mutant henchman weren't Bebop and Rocksteady like in the cartoon, but rather a wolf and a snapping turtle from, well, nothing. While clearly this plotline was sketched out with everyone's favorite warthog and rhino duo in mind, the Turtles' creators pulled the plug "due to licensing issues"-- meaning some other dude wrote their backstory, and presumably instead of paying him off, the writers just invented two new characters, including yet another turtle. Because who has time to think about what other animals exist in the world? Then when the third movie came out, the turtles looked waaaay worse. This was not only because by this point, fans were hurtling toward puberty and starting to realize how silly the idea of giant muscular reptiles is, but also because the costumes weren't made by the Jim Henson Company (which had worked on the other movies). New Line Cinema New Line Cinema Still, not the worst we've seen done with the franchise. Advertisement Why would filmmakers ditch the company named after the dude who made all of our childhoods magical in favor of a company called All Effects, which we're assuming was staffed with rogue Halloween Superstore employees? Cheapness. Henson couldn't match All Effect's bargain prices. But since all the original turtle outfits were owned by Henson, the new guys designed their costumes from scratch. Their only references were VHS copies of the earlier films and a magazine article about the making of the second one. Related: 5 Annoying Trends That Make Every Movie Look The Same 3 Star Trek V -- William Shatner Used A Clause In His Contract To Make An Insane Mess It's no secret that the Star Trek movies are hit and miss. For every Wrath Of Khan, we get a movie with a dune buggy chase. But the worst offender might be Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Fan dances aside, it's a mostly terrible story about Spock's half-brother hijacking the Enterprise to meet God. Who turns out to be a dickish alien. Then it ends. Advertisement Advertisement What Happened: Well for starters, the movie was directed by William Shatner. Why? Because Shatner had a clause in his contract dating back to the original series ensuring that whatever Leonard Nimoy got, he did too. So after Nimoy directed Star Trek IV, like a toddler fighting for a toy, Shatner insisted that he get a turn. They also let Shatner write the story, and at the time he was obsessed with televangelists. So for some insane reason, he decided that was what the movie should be about. The role of the bearded Vulcan villain, Sybok, was originally written for Sean Connery, whom Shatner wanted so badly that he named one of the film's planets "Sha Ka Ree." Connery ended up making Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade instead. Shatner's ideas were so wacky that he pretty much alienated everyone involved (including creator Gene Roddenberry, who contacted a lawyer about stopping it), but his "mantra" was "Trust me, it's going to work." Advertisement Yeah, it didn't. Shatner's initial story (titled "An Act Of Love") found Sybok (who originally rode a unicorn) tricking the Enterprise crew (except for the brilliant Kirk) into going to meet God. But "God" turns out to be the literal Devil! And in the end, a horde of angels "morph into demons" and attack Kirk. But since that whole concept was too expensive, instead Shatner came up with the idea that he should fight ten rock monsters. That was also too expensive. So instead they made just one rock monster. Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Then, for good measure, they had it move in a way that made the Gorn look like Jackie Chan But since the end result looked less terrifying and more like Muppet cosplay gone horribly wrong, it was scrapped altogether. Related: 6 Brilliant Explanations For Why Modern Movies Are So Stupid 2 Man Of Steel -- The Filmmakers Spent A Lot Of Time Figuring Out How Superman Could Commit Murder People expecting the comforting doo-goodery of Superman were a little taken back by Man Of Steel. Instead of chivalry and getting nude in phone booths, audiences got murder, carnage, and Russell Crowe riding a dragon around a planet comprised of prog rock album covers. Advertisement Advertisement What Happened: The most divisive moment in the film comes toward the end, when Superman kills his enemy Zod, snapping his neck as if he were a common Steven Seagal henchman. Play Advertisement So where did this controversial idea come from? The movie originated with Christopher Nolan and writer David Goyer while they were working on the Dark Knight trilogy. The pair began talking about how to approach Superman in a "modern context." Soon Zack Snyder came aboard as director, and he and Goyer really thought that Superman should kill someone. Why? Because, insanely, Snyder was bothered that Superman's "aversion to killing is unexplained." Yeah, Christopher Reeve's Superman never even dabbled in slaughtering criminals, how would he know he wouldn't enjoy it? Snyder thought they needed a story to explain why Superman doesn't murder people. Advertisement Nolan argued against having Superman ending a guy's life in the final moments of their adventure movie. But Snyder and Goyer were so goddamn insistent on that idea, so they worked hard to cobble a scenario where Superman had to kill Zod in order to save a family. Eventually, Nolan relented. Meaning that Superman's killing was more justified, but also he probably traumatized at least one small child. Though if it hadn't been for Nolan, it seems Superman may have simply murdered Zod for the fun of it. Advertisement Related: Why Movies Now Look Like Colorless, Lifeless Crap MBABANE Despite having made significant strides towards achieving a number of its strategic goals, the government led by former Prime Minister (PM) Cleopas Dlamini did not achieve much in terms of fighting corruption. In particular, the former Cabinet, together with the whole 11th Parliament, did not do justice in terms of fulfilling a directive by His Majesty King Mswati III to root out corruption in the country. This is despite that when it assumed office, the former Cabinet made a commitment to protect government funds as per a directive by His Majesty King Mswati III. Last Wednesday, the former PM presented an End of Term statement which, however, did not have highlights of what the government did or achieved in terms of fighting corruption. statement In the statement, the former PM recalled that when the former Cabinet assumed office, it launched the Strategic Roadmap 2019-2023, which sought to address the socio-economic challenges faced by the nation at the time. The roadmap, he highlighted, aimed to deliver on the promise of making Eswatini a first world country, through, among other things, sustainably growing the economy for the benefit of all who live in the Kingdom of Eswatini. He said the Strategic Roadmap identified five key priority sectors, namely; Mining and Energy, ICT and Education, Tourism, Agriculture as well as Manufacturing and agro-processing but that the government was not able to deliver 100 per cent, due to fiscal challenges as well as the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, accompanied by the social unrests and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Notwithstanding, I am proud to say that we made significant strides towards achieving a number of our strategic goals, said the former PM. In outlining some of the milestones achieved, the former PM recounted that the former government undertook to create at least 10 000 jobs per annum and to make Eswatini an export-driven economy. He said he was pleased to report that the target was surpassed, as 53 415 jobs were created, 6 410 of which came from foreign direct investments (FDIs) and 5 341 from expansions and 41 664 from domestic direct investments. While the milestones are worth celebrating, it is worth noting that during the Speech from the Throne, which he delivered on February 1, 2019 at the Official Opening of the First Session of the 11th Parliament, the King implored all to give credence to sentiments made by the nation at the Sibaya, where all acts of corruption and malpractice were strongly castigated. His Majesty said if the country was to make a meaningful turnaround to the economy, there was a need to fight, control and eliminate all forms of corruption with punitive measures to protect resources and restore financial stability. resources His Majestys speech came after the then Prime Minister, the late Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, who he had appointed three months prior, had issued a strong warning to all corrupt persons and those who abused State funds and resources. The late former PM had issued the warning when he made his maiden address during the swearing-in of Cabinet ministers at the Hospital Hill on November 6, 2019 and said the net would close in on all corrupt people as his new government was determined to clean the country. In a boardroom that was filled with principal secretaries, spouses of ministers, legislators and high ranking officials, the late former PMs words were welcomed with a round of applause. He assured that his government was to adopt a zero tolerance on corruption, which he admitted had destroyed the economy. Furthermore, he reiterated the sentiments that had been made by emaSwati and the King at the Sibaya. The late former PM said; His Majesty and the nation spoke in one voice at Sibaya, calling for immediate action against all found to have purged the national purse fraudulently. The net will close in for all the corrupt, and we will adopt zero tolerance at all levels. Our resources as a country should be used for no other purpose than national development and stability. He further appealed to all emaSwati to assist government in nailing the culprits so that they could be brought before the law. corruption In 2020, His Majesty once again made emphasis on fighting corruption and this was when he delivered the Speech from the Throne at the Official Opening the Second Session of the 11th Parliament. The King said; Corruption is an adversary of economic development, corruption has remained an impediment towards sustained economic development of our kingdom. The passing into law of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act, 2018 and the establishment of the asset forfeiture unit is another milestone in asset-tracing and lifestyle audits to ensure proceeds of crime are returned to the public purse. We urge the Judiciary to expedite corruption cases so that perpetrators get to see that the country means serious business. In 2022, the King reiterated his call by saying, Ensuring that corruption is given no room to infiltrate our development initiatives in all spheres, is of utmost importance. This year, which was the last for the 11th Parliament, His Majesty issued the same reminder and said, We call upon all emaSwati to unite against corruption by refusing to be part of any crime and rejecting every type of criminality for the advancement of our nation. Despite these calls by His Majesty, there was nothing significant witnessed in the past five years in terms of expediting corruption cases and convicting perpetrators. Worth mentioning is that the former PM Cleopas Dlamini-led government is on record having informed the nation early this year that about E90 million was lost to corruption monthly in the country. irregularities This indicates that State resources continued to be lost through corruption and this as supported by findings made by the former Public Accounts Committee (PAC) led Musa Kunene. But while the PAC helped government recover over E200 million, nothing has been done in terms of prosecuting those found to have had a hand in the irregularities discovered by the Office of the Auditor General (AG). As per the provisions of the law, the PAC serves as a check on the government, especially with respect to its expenditure bill and its primary function is to examine the audit report of the AG. Highlights of the performance of the PAC in the past five years reflect that it recovered a sum of E234 080 562.99. The amount includes overpayment made to suppliers, irregular payments to companies, salary overpayments and misappropriation of government funds among others. In an earlier interview with the outgoing PAC chairperson, he lamented the fact that no one had been taken to task despite that the committee did make recommendations. He explained that it was difficult to guarantee prosecution for implicated government officials as there was no proper legislation to fast track the process. I have said it countless times that government, through the Office of the Prime Minister, must push for the enactment of a law that will give powers to the PAC to fast track the prosecution of people, he said. The government lies constantly. Honduras refuses to fess up about secretly dating Belize, and America routinely lies about the size of its Florida. The motives behind these lies dont always rise to the level of a supervillain hoping to sell the nation and retire to the Moon. Sometimes it comes down to some government official caught in an awkward moment and really wanting to avoid embarrassment. 4 Sweden Was So Embarrassed About Their Low Population, They Covered It Up Sweden held its first census in 1749. That might sound like an odd year for a census, but in those days, a census was bound to take five years minimum to complete, so no matter what year you scheduled it, operations were going to fall on an odd year eventually. Georg Engelhard Schroder It took so long, the king died halfway through. The census was conducted chiefly by clergymen, who had the ability to read and didnt have much else to do. Clergymen were also useful people for the job since the country was already divided into parishes, and the filled-out forms went upward through a hierarchy, getting reorganized and moved into ever larger tables of data. Finally, the grand tabulation completed in 1755. The King and his secret commission discovered that Sweden had a population of 2,175,124. That wasnt very much, and thats only if you count Finland as part of Sweden (which they did in those days). Really, this population stat was so low that it could only bring shame to the nation. So, Sweden buried the results of the census by declaring it secret. Theyd get back to doing censuses later, but only after the citizenry hopefully spent a few years industriously copulating for the good of the country. Advertisement 3 Australia Switched Two Mountains to Maintain an Old Record Each continent has its tallest peak. Some of these are more famous than others. You know about Everest, Denali and Kilimanjaro. Youve heard of Mont Blanc, which may or may not count, depending on what definition you go with. Below is a picture of the tallest mountain in Australia, Mount Kosciuszko. John Wormell Theres a mountain there, we promise. Mount Kosciuszko stands just 7,200 feet tall. Each of the other Seven Summits are taller in fact, each of them is more than twice as tall as Kosciuszko. Australia is not a terribly mountainous continent, so theyre fairly insecure about what mountains they do have. Advertisement In 1992, Australia took a proper measurement of their prized Kosciuszko and found to their horror that it wasnt as tall as theyd previously thought. It wasnt even the tallest mountain in Australia, as the nearby Mount Townsend had it beat by 50 feet. The honest thing to do would have been to update all the atlases and almanacks and formally declare Townsend to be the new tallest peak. Hello world, Australia could have said. We have a new very small mountain that were offering up as our tallest. This change will only draw more attention to how flat our mountains really are. They chose a different route. They renamed Mount Kosciuszko to Mount Townsend, and they renamed Mount Townsend to Mount Kosciuszko. The photo above is the mountain that was known as Townsend up till 1992. As far as the records say, Kosciuszko was the tallest peak before, and its the tallest peak now, and no one needs to scrutinize the matter any closer than that. Advertisement Advertisement 2 England Put Up a Fake Anti-Aircraft Gun to Protect Itself from the Germans One terrifying time for England was the Blitz, in which aircraft attacked the country for four years. Germany dropped some 6,000 bombs on England, killing 557 people. No, were not talking about the World War II Blitz, which killed far more people than that in a much shorter amount of time. We mean the World War I Blitz, in which the aerial bombers werent planes but zeppelins. H. D. Girdwood Heres one zeppelin skeleton, after hungry Britons ate its flesh. The war reduced one city to a hull of its former self. This was the city of Hull, which was first bombed in June 1915. An airship came by and bombed such strategic targets as a department store, small houses, and of course, Clarence Street. Two dozen people died, and everyone else stayed fearful of what might happen if the Germans came back, as the city had no defenses of its own. The government responded by erecting an anti-aircraft gun on the roof of a factory. Advertisement This comforted residents right up until the next time a zeppelin came by, and they discovered the gun was a dummy made of wood. The government hadnt had any guns to spare, and if they hoped theyd get through the war without anyone discovering the ruse, they should have thought that plan through a little more carefully. Zeppelins would return to bomb Hull seven more times. MPOLONJENI Grief and sorrow from the close to 100 onlookers blanketed the Mpolonjeni area yesterday morning after two voters died on the scene after being thrown off an Isuzu double cab bakkie they were travelling in. The spine-chilling accident happened at around 5am, near the home of former Mpolonjeni Member of Parliament (MP) Jacob Siwela. According to Jabu Dlamini, a family member of one of the deceased, she was informed that her sibling was on board the bakkie with others from the Mpolonjeni Polar and Rest Bar, situated just about two kilometres from the scene of the accident. Dlamini said she was told the people on board the bakkie were going to another drinking spot to celebrate the winning of Mpolonjeni MP elect Kwanele Ndzimandze. position When this reporter arrived at the scene, the bakkie was found landed on a sideway position and notable were the littered beer bottles. It took the police and paramedics using their ambulances and police vans close to two hours to ferry the bodies and injured people to the hospital. Noteworthy is that some were found motionless, unresponsive to the paramedics who were attending to them. One of the deceased had one of his legs cut-off and police officers from the Siteki Police Station took it, together with his lifeless body to a nearby police van. Another body was covered with a white plastic, while four other bodies were not responsive when they were being examined by the paramedics. A fire, rescue and emergency truck also arrived at the scene, joined by the police officers from the Scene of Crimes Department in Siteki. attention Some of the people who were seriously injured were whisked to the Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital for medical attention. About 16 of them are admitted with serious injuries to the hospital, while 12 were treated and discharged. Dlamini shared that she was informed that the driver was driving towards the Bid Bend direction in a zigzag manner and lost control of the vehicle that went on to hit a signboard near the road and overturned, tossing the occupants in different directions. I am still traumatised after seeing my siblings body covered with a jacket as we were still waiting for the police to come to the scene of the accident, she briefly said before she was engulfed in grief and sobbed. A police officer from the Traffic Department found at the scene confirmed that two died on the scene after the accident. We only have two whom we can confirm died on the scene of the accident and we are still to get the figures of those transferred to the hospital as some of them are in a critical condition, said the police officer. instincts Another onlooker, who witnessed the accident, said she was grateful that her instincts told her otherwise as she avoided boarding the vehicle at the Mpolonjeni Polar and Rest Bar. She said the voters were celebrating the win of Ndzimandze, who beat former Mpolonjeni MP Siwela during the secondary elections. She mentioned that the vehicle was driving in a zigzag manner along the road to Big Bend when they came across the speed humps yet the car was overloaded. I cannot know if they were going to celebrate in another drinking spot or going to KaShoba at the homestead of the winner, she said after requesting that her identity be concealed. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said a young men aged 16 and another aged 52 were certified dead upon arrival at the hospital. Vilakati said the driver and 16 others were currently admitted to hospital while 12 were treated and discharged. Most delegates were still digesting their breakfast yesterday when it became clear that the knives were out for Michael Gove on the opening day of the Tory Party conference. The Levelling-Up Secretary spent the morning touring the TV studios doggedly to insist that he welcomed Rishi Sunak's decision to push back two significant moves towards net zero to 2035. But before he had even unclipped his microphone after his final interview, a dossier was circulating the conference hall that brutally outlined Gove's flip-flopping on the issue. He used to be entirely committed to banning sales of both petrol cars and gas boilers by 2030. Indeed, it was the Govester himself who initially came up with the ban when he was Environment Secretary in 2017. When the petrol car ban was brought forward from 2040 to 2030 three years ago, Gove gave a disastrous interview in which he was asked no fewer than eight times what the cost would be to ordinary householders. 'It will be a net saving,' he insisted. ANDREW PIERCE: Michael Gove spent the morning touring the TV studios doggedly to insist that he welcomed Rishi Sunak's decision to push back two significant moves towards net zero to 2035. He used to be entirely committed to banning sales of both petrol cars and gas boilers by 2030. Indeed, it was the Govester himself who initially came up with the ban when he was Environment Secretary in 2017 In July this year, Gove insisted once more: 'We're committed to maintaining our policy of ensuring that by 2030 there are no new petrol and diesel cars being sold. I'm sure there are some people who would like to change that policy. But that policy remains.' Two months later, it was scrapped. The identity of the author of the dossier remains shrouded in mystery and, given the divided nature of the party, the list of suspects is so long it would take a latter-day Maigret to collar the guilty party. Veteran broadcaster Jon Snow, who presented Channel 4 News for 32 years, has interviewed every prime minister from Margaret Thatcher to Boris Johnson but his first encounter with a PM was no journalistic triumph. Snow was just eight when he met Harold Macmillan, who became PM in 1957. When Supermac asked 'Do you know what a prime minister is?', young Snow responded: 'Are you married to the Queen?' They may be cosying up together on a conference panel today, but when former Home Secretary Priti Patel was asked if Liz Truss could make a comeback as Prime Minister, the reply was a hardly sisterly: 'No.' Cliveden Literary Festival hosted a debate on the motion 'Is Labour's election triumph inevitable?'. Panel member and Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy asked: 'Is there an option for not sure?' Sitting on the fence like his slippery leader Sir Keir. A petition calling for the new 20 mph speed limit in Wales to be abolished has more than 450,000 signatories, more than voted for the hapless Labour administration there. There is Lib Dem unrest on Sir Ed Davey's leadership after he virtually banned talk at the party conference of Britain going back into the EU. 'The leadership has got [the ban] wrong,' says frontbencher Baroness Ludford. 'There's a gap between membership and leadership.' An extraordinary claim for a party dripping with Europhiles. Especially as she is party spokeswoman on Brexit. Promoting his grandly named book Permacrisis: A Plan To Fix A Fractured World, former PM Gordon Brown was asked what guidance he would give Sir Keir Starmer. The man who lost the 2010 election said: 'The best advice to Keir Starmer is not to take my advice.' I-Spy: At her first conference as wife of the Prime Minister, Akshata Murty was spotted looking at greetings cards emblazoned with a photo of her husband under the heading 'Dishy Rishi'. Rory's failing flower power Former Tory Cabinet Minister Rory Stewart spilled the beans on his chequered love life on the Rosebud podcast last month. He said: 'There was a girl at Oxford who I was incredibly in love with. In this case, I bought 50 pots of hyacinths and laid them outside her door. I think in modern terms it would be called stalking.' You're not wrong, Rory. Flowers weren't the end of it; he spent three successive nights lying outside the poor woman's door. Hallelujah! That was my immediate response to the news that the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is to announce a ban on smartphones for pupils during the school day. That and: what took her so long? Frankly it's astonishing that it has taken until now for the Government to recognise what both teachers and parents have known for some years now that our children's focus, drive and attention is being slowly destroyed by the presence of phones in the classroom. This isn't just anecdotal. Time after time, study after study has shown the pernicious effect that the presence of a smartphone in a blazer pocket can have on academic performance. A Unesco Global Education Monitoring report showed that children can take up to 20 minutes to concentrate once disturbed by a notification on their phone. Other studies, undertaken in countries as varied as Malaysia, Singapore, France and Spain have shown that banning phones improves focus and achievement in both lessons and exams. Frankly it's astonishing that it has taken until now for the Government to recognise that our children's focus, drive and attention is being slowly destroyed by the presence of phones in the classroom, writes MOLLY KINGSLEY (Stock Image) In some ways we barely need the research to tell us what anyone who has ever owned a smartphone already knows: that phones can be enormously distracting, particularly for those who have yet to learn to fully develop their impulse control. Having them in lessons is deeply unhelpful at best, and at worst ruinous, particularly at a time when many children's achievements are already languishing behind after the pandemic. Academic focus is only one part of the issue too. Currently, most schools are left to their own devices in terms of smartphone policy and, while some enforce a ban in the classroom, they often allow pupils access to them in breaktimes and over lunch. We all know what this means: huddles of children browsing social media instead of interacting with each other and exercising their bodies and minds. The reality is that the classroom and the playground is only one part of a schoolchild's day. Having smartphones in lessons is deeply unhelpful at best, and at worst ruinous, particularly at a time when many children's achievements are already languishing behind after the pandemic (Stock Image) Just as destructive as the 13-year-old texting in class rather than focusing on lessons is their peer who is poring over social media in the small hours and can barely keep their eyes open the following day, or the child who is being targeted by vile bullying messages on apps behind their bedroom door. I fervently hope this welcome new initiative will signal the start of a broader conversation between everyone parents, politicians, even smartphone manufacturers about how we manage a relationship between our teens and their phones. Molly Kingsley is founder of the parent campaign group UsForThem Using her @got2gonyc platform, she's been able to push for local policy changes She shares reviews and guides to public toilets across the city's five boroughs A young woman has made a name for herself in New York City as a 'bathroom influencer,' documenting restrooms available for public use across the five boroughs. Theodora 'Teddy' Siegel, 24, inadvertently launched her brand back in summer 2021 with a 12-second TikTok sharing intel about a bathroom on the second floor of a Times Square McDonald's. In her telling, she was enjoying a day of shopping with her sister when she needed a place to pee - but became increasingly frantic as store after store turned her away. Finally bursting into the McDonald's on 7th Avenue and 45th Street, she was told she had to be a paying customer to use the facilities, and shelled out $3 for a bottle of water. Theodora 'Teddy' Siegel, 24, is behind social-media platform @got2gonyc, which documents publicly accessible restrooms across New York City Teddy launched her platform in summer 2021 with a TikTok highlighting the McDonald's where she'd been able to use the bathroom after a frantic search in Times Square A post highlighting a midtown Taco Bell - plus its bathroom code - was one of the first bathroom-based tips on Teddy's TikTok to go viral She then discovered that the restroom wasn't even locked. '[I] made it in time thankfully, but I just was really annoyed,' she told Insider, and ultimately felt compelled to highlight the location of the McDonald's bathroom on social media. From there, she went on to launch @got2gonyc, which catalogs bathrooms in public venues and commercial establishments across NYC on TikTok. An 11-second clip shared on August 2021 that identified a restroom at a Taco Bell on Lexington Avenue and 57th Street - plus its door code, '1987' - was among the first posts to go viral, racking up nearly 125,000 likes. It further garnered thousands of comments that effectively crowd-sourced recommendations of additional bathroom locations. Teddy eventually began compiling all of the bathrooms - from submissions and her own research - into a Google Maps list titled NYC Bathroom, which now boasts nearly 2,000 locations. And, two years on, @got2gonyc's TikTok has racked up more than 150,000 followers, while the corresponding Instagram account has 213,000. A sizable chunk of the featured bathrooms are housed within corporate storefronts - think fast-food franchises, hotels conglomerates, and multinational clothing retailers. Teddy eventually began compiling all the bathrooms - both from crowd-sourced submissions and her own research - into a Google Maps list As @got2gonyc grew in popularity, Teddy began to realize how dire the lack of restrooms across NYC can prove to be as horror stories began to fill her inbox The luxury sector, too, is fair game for the @got2gonyc mission - with the likes of the the Soho location of Bloomingdale's, Williamsburg's posh Hoxton Hotel, and the Cartier building on Fifth Avenue making it on to the bathroom radar. The Cartier bathrooms, however, didn't earn Teddy's 'stamp of approval' as it wasn't 'clear everyone could use them,' she reported. Another upscale instance: a recent post highlighting Dover Street Market on 30th Street and Lexington Avenue lauded the high-end concept mall and exhibition space for its chic single-person lavatories - each outfitted with a bidet. Though the project started off as a playfully subversive resource for bathroom-seekers of NYC, Teddy soon realized how dire the public bathroom shortage across the city really was as horror stories began trickling into her inbox. 'That was really a turning point for me in the account This really is so much more than a public health crisis. It's also an equity crisis,' she told Insider. It was with this epiphany that @got2gonyc evolved into a platform by which Teddy has championed a vision of loads more publicly accessible restrooms throughout the five boroughs to city leadership. Bloomingdale's in Soho is among the higher-end bathroom spots Teddy has recommended Teddy was disappointed to discover the bathrooms at Cartier weren't easily accessible The bathrooms at Dover Street Market got perfect marks in Teddy's book - with the bidet feature in the hi-tech toilets getting a special shoutout She even penned a New York Times op-ed back in January, laying out the crux of her argument. 'New York City has 8.5 million residents but has fewer than 1,200 public restrooms. And that's not even counting the tourists. You do the math. Where are New Yorkers supposed to go when they have to go?' she wrote. Hitting home the point is the rather graphic Stories section on @got2gonyc's website, chronicling the woes of New Yorkers who were barely able find a bathroom in time - and many who didn't. Among them, a 44-year-old construction worker with Crohn's disease who couldn't locate an accessible bathroom in a pinch and ultimately soiled himself in a stairwell during a shift. 'I had to go get cleaning supplies and do the best I could, call my manager, and leave the building,' he recalled. 'It was totally and utterly humiliating. I will never forget that day.' Also featured on @got2gonyc's website are tales from New Yorkers who almost didn't find a bathroom in time - and some who didn't One woman, while fighting brain cancer, was unable to find a bathroom amid a wave of chemo-induced nausea, and puked on the sidewalk. News anchor Lindsay Tuchman had to knock on a stranger's door to ask to use their bathroom while reporting on an early-morning fire in Far Rockaway. And a woman with endometriosis wound up covered in menstrual blood on Fifth Avenue while out with her toddler. Such disturbing tales compelled city officials take action. Back in October 2022, Manhattan borough president Mark Levine and councilwoman Rita Joseph passed an initiative requiring the creation of a new agency to report on 'feasible locations for public bathroom facilities' in each zip code. And in August, councilwoman Sandy Nurse introduced legislation to 'create a permanent, long-term strategic planning process for the establishment and maintenance of a citywide public bathroom network.' Teddy spoke at the press conference announcing that initial measure back in late 2022. 'Fixing the lack of public bathrooms in New York City, I believe it will positively impact the lives of millions,' she stated. A chilling new Netflix documentary is exploring the infamous 'Devil Made Me Do It' case the first and only time in U.S. history that 'demonic possession' was officially used as a defense in a murder trial. The Devil on Trial investigates how 19-year-old Arne Cheyenne Johnson pleaded not guilty to the gruesome slaying of his landlord and friend, Alan Bono, in Brookfield, Connecticut, in 1981, the first murder in the town's 193-year history. Johnson claimed he was under the influence of Satanic forces when he stabbed the 40-year-old more than 20 times with a five-inch pocket knife after they got into an argument. His family and friends backed up his shocking assertion, and with the help of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, his attorney contended the murder was the work of the devil. The upcoming Netflix documentary The Devil on Trial explores the first and only time in U.S. history that 'demonic possession' was officially used as a defense in a murder trial Arne Cheyenne Johnson (pictured) pleaded not guilty to the gruesome slaying of his landlord and friend, Alan Bono, in Brookfield, Connecticut, in 1981, claiming he was possessed At the core of Johnson's defense was the alleged demonic possession of David Glatzel, his girlfriend Deborah's 11-year-old brother. Months before, in July of 1980, the boy woke up crying after having a vision of a menacing old man who told him, 'Beware.' David claimed that he continued to see the beast, saying he would speak to him in Latin, threaten his family, and vow to take his soul, according to The Telegraph. His family said his erratic behavior only increased in the days that followed, and Deborah asked Johnson to move into their home. David would randomly recite passages from the Bible or Milton's Paradise Lost, and he would shake from head to toe as if he were being attacked by an invisible force. His body was covered in scratches or bruises that couldn't be accounted for. Family members would take turns staying up at night to watch him, saying he would suddenly jerk up and do rapid sit-ups for 30 minutes at a time. 'He would kick, bite, spit, swear - terrible words,' his mother, Judy, told The New York Times in 1981. The Glatzels, who were Catholic, were convinced that David was possessed, and reached out to their local church for help. With the help of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (pictured), Johnson's attorney contended the murder was the work of the devil At the core of Johnson's defense was the alleged demonic possession of David Glatzel (pictured), his girlfriend Deborah's 11-year-old brother, who became afflicted in July 1980 They alleged that St. Joseph's Catholic Church sent priests to examine him to no avail. The church later denied that a 'formal exorcism was asked for or performed,' but this was disputed by the family. Desperate to help David, they turned to the Warrens, who were known for their demonic investigations. Lorraine recounted their meeting in an interview with People magazine, saying it was clear to them that he was possessed. 'While Ed interviewed the boy, I saw a black, misty form next to him, which told me we were dealing with something of a negative nature,' she said. 'Soon the child was complaining that invisible hands were choking him and there were red marks on him. He said that he had the feeling of being hit.' The couple claimed that they recorded '43 demons' in the boy. Judy and her husband, Carl, also took their son to see a Brookfield psychiatrist who charged $75 an hour, only to be told he was 'normal' with a 'minimal learning disability.' After their attempts to change David's alarming and often violent behavior failed, Johnson allegedly taunted the demons to enter him instead. David would randomly recite passages from the Bible or Milton's Paradise Lost, and he would shake from head to toe as if he were being attacked by an invisible force The tree surgeon, who had no prior criminal record, started showing signs of being possessed when he drove his car into a tree, according to the family. The stress of David's outbursts led Johnson and Deborah to move out of the house. The couple rented an apartment owned by Bono, and he hired Deborah to be a dog groomer at his kennel. Deborah alleged that Johnson had become plagued by the same evil forces that afflicted her brother, saying he would go into a trance, growl, and claim he 'saw the beast' in the months leading up to Bono's murder. On February 16, 1981, Johnson called in sick to work and went to the kennel where Deborah worked with her nine-year-old cousin Mary and his sister Wanda. They all went out to lunch with Bono, who reportedly drank heavily that day. Deborah left to take the girls to get pizza, but when they returned, a drunk Bono grabbed Mary and wouldn't let her go, according to The Mirror. Wanda said her brother demanded that Bono release the girl before he 'growled like an animal,' pulled out his knife, and began stabbing him in the chest. What started as a cut-and-dry murder case turned into a media frenzy after Lorraine told the police that Johnson was possessed when the crime was committed. Johnson allegedly became possessed after taunting the demons to leave David and enter him. He was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and served almost five years in prison Johnson's shocking story was the inspiration behind the 2021 horror film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (pictured) The story gripped the nation at a time when fear of the occult was on the rise. Johnson's lawyer, Martin Minnella, traveled to England to speak with attorneys who used 'possession' defenses in the UK, although those cases had never gone to trial. 'The courts have dealt with the existence of God,' Minnella told The Times. 'Now they're going to have deal with the existence of the Devil.' It was the first time demonic possession was used as a defense in a U.S. trial, but Judge Robert Callahan ultimately rejected the plea. He said it would be 'irrelative and unscientific' to allow testimony for something that could never be proven. Callahan instructed the jury not to consider demonic possession as a reason for the crime, and the defendant was convicted of first-degree manslaughter on November 24, 1981. Johnson married Deborah and got his high school diploma while he was behind bars. He was released on good behavior after serving almost five years of his 10- to 20-year sentence. Meanwhile, Lorraine teamed up with writer Gerald Brittle to publish a book about the case, titled The Devil in Connecticut, which was originally released in 1983. More than 20 years later, David and brother Carl Jr. later sued the authors for violating their privacy, libel, and 'intentional infliction of emotional distress' after the book was republished in 2006. Johnson's story was also the inspiration behind the 2021 horror film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the third movie in the franchise. Netflix's upcoming documentary about the case features 'firsthand accounts and actual recordings of alleged devil possession to tell an extraordinary story about a family that lost control,' according to Tudum. Host Giullianna has documented the vast array of abandoned items on TikTok An Airbnb host has revealed the vast array of abandoned items that guests have left behind - including food, drink and even designer goods. Giullianna first took to TikTok back in May to document the wide assortment of things that had been left at her two-story house in Miami, Florida. And, aptly dubbed 'what my guests left behind in my Airbnb,' the series is now approaching its 50th installment. The lavish listing, which sleeps up to 15, is aimed at groups looking to throw a blowout bash with flourishes like a 'disco' room, billiards tables, wine closet and sleek backyard pool. An Airbnb host has taken to TikTok to document the wild array of items her guests have left behind at her Miami listing The sprawling two-story home is in Miami's Westview neighborhood The listing, primed for guests looking to throw a blowout bash, boasts a 'disco' room Billiards tables are also at guests' disposal A massive wine cooler is among the listing's amenities Guests frequently abandoned half-consumed fresh produce, beverages and more Guests also leave behind abundant dry goods and pantry items Giullianna has also recovered a discarded bong A penis-shaped drinking vessel have been among the more risque items left behind Leftover alcohol seems to be by far the most common find for Giullianna amidst her post-stay rounds on the property Giullianna has shared that usually keeps anything that's unopened - but anything that's been opened goes straight down the drain Many guests also leave behind partially consumed meal leftovers Partially consumed cakes symbolized recent revelry on the property When it comes to produce, guests seem to leave much of it untouched A rosebud-shaped ice cube mold was among the more random finds for Giullianna In one TikTok revealing the aftermath of a two-night stay in July, Giullianna discovered a half-eaten birthday cake, an ice-cube tray with rosebud-shaped ice-molds, a 'smart' exercise hula-hoop and novelty cups - one resembling a palm tree and another, a penis. Plenty more videos have captured various bachelorette-party favors - from bizarre activity cards to embossed shot glasses. Other videos documented the likes of a massive bong, deck of Uno cards, wireless 'tailgate' speaker, stringy beach cover-up, broken wine glass, 'Hangover Recovery Kits' - and, in one instance, a floor baby booster. Among her more disturbing finds were a pair of false eyelashes, neatly stuck side-by-side to the wall next to a bed. 'Lowkey scared me at first thought they were two spiders,' Giulianna quipped in the video caption. On the other hand, a dizzying amount of unconsumed alcohol is the most common find for Giulianna as she makes her post-stay rounds. While she will save anything unopened, she's also documented herself pouring anything that's already been opened straight down the drain. The listing has been the site of many a bachelorette party Giullianna has uncovered countless instances of bachelerotte-party ephemera A frequent find for Giullianna has been various accessories emblazoned with glitzy lettering spelling out 'bride' and 'bridesmaid' A wide array of bachelorette party decorations get abandoned following the festivities Plenty of products seemed to serve the aftermath of guests' partying Some left behind themed decks of playing cards, including at least one Uno deck One guest had left a stringy beach cover up splayed out on the bed Among the most disturbing finds for Giullianna was a pair of false eyelashes left stuck to a wall above one of the beds One set of guests left behind a 'smart' fitness hula-hoop A brand-new speaker has popped up as one of the nicer electronics guests had forgotten on the property One set of guests left behind a baby booster seat A pair of Christian Dior sunglasses have been among the posher items Giullianna has found In a lucky turn of events, Giullianna was able to keep a Marc Jacobs purse that a guest no longer wanted, 'because it was actually a birthday gift from a friend that is no longer a friend' As she bemoaned of one supercut of her emptying out beverage containers, 'Last part hurts the most' - referring to a nearly full bottle of Tito's that she had no choice but to discard. Foods, meanwhile, have tended to range from snacks to leftover cake and other dishes - and, frequently, barely touched produce - as well as dry goods. She's also come across a surprising number of expensive, seemingly barely used items - such as a pair of Christian Dior sunglasses. But possibly the highest-end item to wind up abandoned was a brand-new Marc Jacobs-branded 'The Tote Bag' purse in Fluro candy pink, which retails for nearly $500. In a follow-up video, Giullianna explained that, after she reached out to the guest to alert her she'd left the pricey accessory behind, the woman responded saying she could keep it. 'She told me that she did not want the bag because it was actually a birthday gift from a friend that is no longer a friend. So she did not want it with her. So she was hoping that someone [else] could get a good use out of it,' reported Giullianna. The host asked if she was sure she didn't want it sent back to her, and the guest responded that she was sure and that she'd in fact left it behind on purpose 'for anybody else to just take it.' 'So yah, I guess I'm just gonna keep the bag. It's actually really pretty, I love it,' Giullianna concluded. MBABANE Though not impressive as might have been anticipated, there was a slight improvement in the number of women candidates who won in the secondary elections held last Friday. This is reflected in the results of the secondary elections, which were held in the 59 constituencies last Friday. The results, as at 9:07pm, as the EBC was still updating, reflected that out of the 35 women who were vying for a seat in Parliament, about eight of them made it through as MP-elects. This is an improvement when compared to the elections held in 2018, where only two women emerged victorious. The victory of the eight female winners means that 20.8 per cent of the women candidates who were vying for the MP position from the constituencies have earned themselves a seat in the 12th Parliament are now MP elects. Even though the figure is once again not impressive, it reflects a slight improvement when compared to the previous elections. In the previous ones, secondary elections results for females under the MP category indicated that only one per cent of the nominees won the election respectively. This is contained in the 2018 Elections Report presented by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). In the report, the EBC noted that when reflecting back to 2008 and 2013, there was a considerable decline in the election of women MPs. Whereas in the 2008 election, a total of seven female MPs won seats in Parliament, only one in 2013 and two in 2018 elections made it into Parliament. It should be noted that in a recent article, this publication predicted that while about 35 women were nominated, most of them faced an uphill battle, judging either by the power and popularity of their competitors or the support they garnered during the primary elections at their different constituencies. victorious The prediction was that only seven of the women candidates seem to be right on track to emerge victorious. The 35 elected women meant that they constituted about 59.3 per cent of the total number of candidates vying for a seat in Parliament from the 59 tinkhundla centres. However, out of the 25, less than 10 of them looked guaranteed to garner as many votes to beat their male competitors. The prediction was based on the women candidates popularity and in comparison with their competitors when looking at the number of votes they amassed during the primary elections. Some of the women candidates who lost in this years secondary elections include Bahlelisiwe Luhlanga who competed under the Mhlangatane Inkhundla. Luhlanga lost despite that in the primary elections she amassed 699 votes and looked ready to put up a brave fight against her two main competitors in former MPs Madala Mhlanga and Victor Malambe. Meanwhile, among the five victorious women in this years secondary elections is Lomkhosi Masuku, who competed under the Ludzeludze Inkhundla. She proved her prowess as she managed to beat former MP Vusi Swali, who was her biggest competitor. Another winner among the female candidates is Nomalungelo Simelane, who participated under the Siphofaneni Inkhundla. popularity Widely known by her stage name LaZwide, the Gospel musician proved her popularity when she amassed over 5 000 and beat her biggest competitor, businessman Moshoeshoe Nkambule. Also on the list of female winners is Nokuthula Dlamini, who participated under the Maseyisini Inkhundla. She obtained an impressive 3 090 votes and beat her competitor Bongani Hlophe, who managed 2 216. The fact that less than 10 women candidates won the secondary elections, it means that the country has, once again, failed to ensure gender balance in the exercise as has been the case in previous years. The impact of having a few women winning Parliament seats in this years general elections automatically means that, as was the case in 2018, the countrys authorities will have to enforce the election of regional women MPs. This will be done in accordance with the Election of Women Members to the House of Assembly Act (2018) aimed at giving effect to Section 86 of the 2005 Constitution to increase the participation and representation of women in politics. The Womens Caucus in Parliament initiated the legislation to enforce the Constitutional provisions in the 2018 elections. The Act provides for the election of the women members to the House of Assembly where, after any general election, it appears that the female Members of Parliament will constitute less than 30 per cent of the total membership of Parliament. This gives effect to Section 86 (1) in the Eswatini Constitution which states that: Where at the first meeting of the House after any general election it appears that female members of Parliament will not constitute at least 30 per cent of the total membership of Parliament, then, and only then, the provision of this section shall apply. From a regional perspective, the Kingdom of Eswatini is not the only country that has for years had a challenge when it comes to the election women to leadership positions. empowerment In its Gender and Development Monitor 2022 8th Edition Report titled Women in Politics and Decision-Making, the SADC Secretariat stated that it recognised its well-intended efforts towards gender equality and womens empowerment cannot be achieved without the meaningful representation and participation of women in politics and decision-making. The general elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini are structured in such a way that 59 members are elected from single-member constituencies corresponding to the tinkhundla. Candidates are first nominated at the tinkhundla level through 385 chiefdoms in the four regions nationwide. In the primary elections, the top three finishers by secret ballot then proceed to a general election, also by secret ballot, in a first-past-the-post system of voting, where the candidate who receives the most votes is elected. The King appoints the other 10 members, at least half of whom must be women. The Senate consists of 30 members (called senators). The House of Assembly elects 10 Senators (by majority vote) and the King appoints the remaining 20. Appointed senators include chiefs, princes and princesses (bantfwabenkhosi). Of the 10 senators elected by the House of Assembly, at least half should be women. Of the 20 appointees to Senate, at least eight should be women. A popular crime documentary has laid bare the chilling true story of a bartender who was sexually assaulted with a doorstop and stabbed to death in a brutal attack. Kim Ancona's lifeless body was found on the floor of the men's restroom at the bar where she worked in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1991. The mom-of-one, 36, had been stabbed six times with the killer leaving behind a slew of evidence - including distinctive bite marks on her body. Mailman Ray Krone was convicted of her murder but was ultimately exonerated after 10 years on death row when the real killer was finally caught. Here, FEMAIL has laid bare the disturbing realities surrounding the case after an episode of Crime Scene Confidential delves deeper into the 'Snaggletooth Murder.' Kim Ancona's lifeless body was found on the floor of the men's restroom at the bar where she worked in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1991 The harrowing story began on December 29, 1991, as the owner of CBS Restaurant and Lounge arrived to open up just after 8am The harrowing story began on December 29, 1991, as the owner of CBS Restaurant and Lounge arrived to open up just after 8am. After stepping inside, he soon found night manager Kim dead on the floor of the men's bathroom. She was nude and lying in a pool of blood with six stab wounds around her neck and on her back. Her clothes were left scattered around the floor along with a number of wooden shims that had been used as door stops. Authorities said that one of the slithers, which was covered in blood, 'looked like the perpetrator used it to insert into Kim's body.' The 'sexual depravity' left the bartender with 'multiple tears within the vagina' and Former Defense Attorney Chris Plourd said: 'She really suffered in a very painful type of way.' There was a whole host of other evidence collected - including hairs, drinking glass and shoe print - but detectives struggled to draw any concrete conclusions due to the public space having multiple visitors. There was also a large boning knife, which appeared to have come from the kitchen at the bar, that had been left in the trash can with a bent eight-inch blade. Night manager Kim was found nude and lying in a pool of blood on the floor of the men's bathroom Her clothes were left scattered around the floor along with a number of wooden shims that had been used as door stops Authorities said that one of the slithers, which was covered in blood, 'looked like the perpetrator used it to insert into Kim's body' Detectives began to establish a timeline and worked out that Kim had been in the process of cleaning up at the end of the night when she was killed. They ruled out robbery as a motivation since Ancona's purse was still behind the bar and the cash register was full. During a postmortem, additional evidence was found in the form of distinctive bite marks on Kim's breast and throat. The size and width of the teeth as well as the spaces, gaps and rotations were all analyzed. It was then determined that the perpetrator appeared to have crooked teeth and were quickly branded as the 'Snaggletooth Killer' in the media. Due to the sexual motivations of the attack, detectives turned their attentions on people Kim, who was recently divorced, had been romantically involved with. They honed in on a man called Ray Krone who Kim had told friends she had been dating with his name written in her address book. The mailman, who had previously been part of the United States Air Force, had non-aligned teeth and denied he had had a relationship with Kim - despite there being witnesses to testify otherwise. He had an alibi for the evening of Kim's death but detectives still carried out a search warrant of his house. Detectives began to establish a timeline and worked out that Kim had been in the process of cleaning up at the end of the night when she was attacked During a postmortem, additional evidence was found in the form of distinctive bite marks on Kim's breast and throat Detectives honed in on a man called Ray Krone who Kim had told friends she had been dating with his name written in her address book They failed to find any damning evidence but took his fingerprints and DNA before also ordering him to bite onto a slither of Styrofoam to compare to the bite marks on Kim's body. Not long after, Ray was arrested on New Year's Eve before being charged with murder, kidnapping and sexual assault. He was put on trial ten months after Kim's death with dentist Dr Raymond Rawson being called as a witness to claim that the bite marks belonged to Ray with 'virtual certainty.' This became the most convincing piece of evidence for the jury who quickly came back to deliver a guilty verdict - with Ray sentenced to death. He remain on death row for years before he got a new trial in 1996 with the aid of new technologies and advancements in DNA testing. The saliva, hairs and fingerprints collected from the scene were found not to match Ray's own samples. But with Dr Rawson once again making his assertions about the bitemarks, Ray was found guilty a second time. Local man called Kenneth Phillips, who had been living 600 yards from the murder scene at the time of Kim's death, pleaded guilty in 2006 before receiving a 53-year sentence Ray felt that his fate was certain until 2002 when a new law granted Arizona prisoners the right to conduct DNA testing on evidence used against them. And it was at this time that authorities finally got a conclusive match - and it wasn't Ray. Instead, it was a local man called Kenneth Phillips, who had been living 600 yards from the murder scene at the time of Kim's death, who came back as a match. Phillips had been sent to prison 30 days after the killing on a separate charge - but admitted that he had been at the bar on the night. He claimed that he could not remember much but did recall getting angry after being cut off from drinking. The evidence 'conclusively established' Phillips' guilt and he ultimately pleaded guilty in 2006 before receiving a 53-year sentence. In the meantime, in 2002, Ray, then 45, was fully exonerated and released from jail. He has since spent his time talking to schools and groups of people as part of his commitment to non-profit organization Witness to Innocence which is working to abolish the death penalty in America. Archduke Alexander of Austria has tied the knot with Countess Natacha Roumiantzoff-Pachkevitch in a lavish ceremony in Belgium. The Archduke, the son of Archduke Carl-Christian of Austria and Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg, and his bride celebrated their nuptials at the Eglise Saint Pierre de Belil on September 30. The bride, who is descended from Russian nobility, was the picture of glamour in a long sleeved white gown, boasting a deep plunge neck. Her elegant frock also featured a gentle A-line shaped skirt, as well as ornate decorate waistband. Bride Natacha paired her white dress with a long veil, which she wore with a tiara. HAPPY COUPLE: Archduke Alexander of Austria and Countess Natacha Roumiantzeff-Pachkevitch kiss following their wedding ceremony at the Eglise Saint Pierre in Beloeil, Belgium The Archduke appeared delighted as he held hands with his bride after they had said their 'I dos' in the chruch Both the bride and groom appeared to be beaming, with the Archduke even raising his new wife's hand to kiss it at one point after the ceremony ARRIVAL: The bride, Countess Natacha Roumiantzoff-Pachkevitch arrives with her father, for the ceremony at the Saint Pierre de Beloeil church Countess Natacha Roumiantzoff-Pachkevitch (pictured) paired her white wedding gown with a veil and small head piece HUSBAND AND WIFE: The couple appear both happy and triumphant as they exit the church holding hands Her hair adornments sat atop a half-down, half up to, with her dark blonde tresses tumbling in loose curls past her shoulders. She wore little make-up, pairing a fresh, dewy base with natural blush and lips, and very light eyeliner. Opting for a subtle, but elegant bouquet, she carried a small white bunch of flowers, featuring lilies among other blooms. Her beau was equally dapper, opting for traditional tails in navy, which he wore over a waistcoat. He opted for a tie - in stripes of navy and maroon - and completed the outfit with grey striped trousers. Images show the happy couple beaming after the ceremony, with the groom even raising his new wife's hand to his lips at one point, to kiss her. Following the ceremony, they enjoyed a reception at the Chateau de Belil - which is the Seat of the Princes of Ligne. A number of prestigious guests attended the couple's glittering Belgium wedding. VOWS: The couple share an intimate moment during their wedding ceremony at the Church of Saint Pierre of Beloeil CELEBRATE: The couple held their arms aloft in celebration following their lavish wedding ceremony The groom appeared to be looking lovingly in the direction of his bride as they made their way out of the church after saying their views Prince Louis of Luxembourg accompanied by his first cousin, Archduke Christoph of Habsbourg-Lorraine (brother of the groom), and cousin, Prince Henri of Bourbon-Parma Prince Felix of Luxembourg and Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau attend the glamorous wedding Archduke Imre of Habsburg-Lorraine (Brother of the Groom) and Archduchess Kathleen of Habsburg-Lorraine with their children attend the nuptial do Prince Joachim of Belgium (pictured) was among the royal guests on the list at the nuptial do in Belgium Also attending the high profile event were Michel of Ligne and his wife, Princess Eleonora of Ligne (pictured) Archduchess Priscilla of Habsburg-Lorraine and Gabrielle des Comtreras (pictured) smiled as they posed for photos DRESSED TO IMPRESS: Prince Jean of Luxembourg and his wife Countess Diane de Nassau donned their finery as they attended the wedding Prince Amaury of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Pelagie of Bourbon-Parma pose for snaps as they attend the wedding Archduke Christoph of Habsburg-Lorraine and Archduchess Adelaide of Habsburg-Lorraine (pictured) were also on the guest list Crown Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Crown Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg were among the attendees Among them were relatives, and royalty, with members of the Habsburg Royal Families in attendance among others. Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg were among those on the guest list, alongside Prince Joachim of Belgium, Prince Jean of Luxembourg and Countess Diane de Nassau. Also at the event were Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie among others. The event come days after the death of Archduke Alexander's grandmother Archduchess Yolande. Her funeral was held at the same church, the Eglise Saint Pierre, just a few days ago. The dress worn by Queen Mary at her Coronation more than 100 years ago has gone on display for the first time today. The regal dress, adorned with glamorous patterns and gold and silver silk thread, can be viewed at the Treasures of Gold and Silver Wire exhibition, at Guildhall Art Gallery, London. Queen Mary, born Mary of Teck, was the paternal grandmother of Queen Elizabeth ll, and the consort of George V, with whom she shared six children, Edward, Albert, Mary, Henry, George, and John. The cream and gold satin garment features embroidered gilt metal thread and was worn by the monarch at her official coronation alongside her husband King George V, at Westminster Abbey on June 22, 1911. It boasts the emblems of the UK's constituent nations, waves to represent the oceans of the British Empire, the Lotus and the Star of India. The dress (pictured) worn by Queen Mary at her Coronation more than 100 years ago has gone on display for the first time today The regal dress, adorned with glamorous patterns and gold and silver silk thread, can be viewed at the Treasures of Gold and Silver Wire exhibition, at Guildhall Art Gallery, London Regal: Queen Mary and King George V are seen in official Coronation garb in June 1911 - Queen Mary's dress is now on display at the exhibition The exhibition - curated by Dr. Karen Watts of the Royal Armouries - has been put up in honour of prestigious livery company Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre, to celebrate 400 years of fine craftsmanship. Catherine Carr, Master Gold and Silver Wyre Drawer, said of the occasion: 'This superb exhibition will showcase the beautiful application of gold and silver wire over the centuries. 'It will appeal to all ages, offering an opportunity to view examples of gold and silver wiredrawing of a calibre unmatched anywhere. 'Visitors to the gallery will be able to put the exhibits in their proper social, cultural, and historic contexts, and discover the stories connected to them. 'They'll marvel at the creativity, attention to detail, patience, and technology that went into their design'. The monumental dress worn by Queen Mary is just one of a few rare items at the exhibition, including the 16th Century Bacton Altar Cloth, believed to be the only surviving dress worn Queen Elizabeth I. The one-time garment is made from cream-coloured silk and Italian cloth of silver. It is embroidered with flowers, fruit, plants and animals, including mistletoe, roses, raspberries, caterpillars, frogs and bears. The glove worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation more than 70 years ago is also displayed in the new exhibition The glove, which is embossed with Her Late Majesty's cypher, was worn by the monarch on her right hand when she was crowned in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 Pictured here is the the only surviving dress worn by Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century - the Bacton Altar Cloth Another item on display is the glove worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her Coronation in 1953. The leather glove is embossed with Her Late Majesty's cypher, and was worn by the monarch on her right hand when she was crowned in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. The Queen's coronation glove was made from white kid leather specially for the ceremony. She put it on shortly after being invested with the Sovereign's Ring and was wearing as she was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury while holding the Sceptre with Cross. The colour of the glove is a symbol of purity, intended to evoke the virtues of Anglo Saxon ruler Edward the Confessor. It was presented to the Queen on the day of her coronation by Frederick Marquis, the then Chancellor of the Duchy Lancaster. The crown and gold robe worn by Dame Helen Mirren when she played Cleopatra is also featured in the exhibition, along with costumes worn by Claire Foy and Matt Smith in popular TV royal drama The Crown, in which they played the Queen and Prince Philip. Experts at Historic Royal Palaces concluded the exquisitely-embroidered garment was so lavish that it was almost certainly worn by the Queen herself. Other evidence included the existence of the Queen's famous Rainbow Portrait (above), where she is seen dressed in a strikingly similar fabric The garments from The Crown were worn in the show's first season, which was released in 2016. The cloth was kept at St Faith's Bacton church in rural Herefordshire for centuries before its royal connection was uncovered in 2015. Experts at Historic Royal Palaces concluded the exquisitely-embroidered garment was so lavish that it was almost certainly worn by the Queen herself. Tudor law at the time dictated that such high status fabric could only be worn by royalty or senior aristocracy. Other evidence included the existence of the Queen's famous Rainbow Portrait, where she is seen dressed in a strikingly similar fabric. One of St Faith's early parishioners was her faithful lady-in-waiting, Blanche Parry, who received clothes from her royal mistress. None of her other famously magnificent dresses survived. Above: Darcy Bussell's costume for the 2004 ballet Sylvia, along with the outfits worn by Claire Foy and Matt Smith in Netflix series The Crown, in which they played the Queen and Prince Philip An elaborately-embroidered coat of a 'State Trumpeter of the Household Cavalry' bearing the Royal Cypher of Queen Elizabeth II is seen at the 'Treasures of Gold and Silver Wire' exhibition at Guildhall Art Gallery The robe worn by David Tennant in his starring role in Richard II in 2013 A crown designed by Nadine Bayliss and worn by Helen Mirren when she portrayed Cleopatra in a 1982 stage production of Antony and Cleopatra Dame Helen Mirren wears the headpiece in Antony and Cleopatra in 1982 The outfit worn by Foy - who played the Queen - was used in the scenes depicting the coronation. Smith wore his navy suit in the depiction of the 1947 royal wedding. Also in the exhibition, you can view Charles Dickens' court suit along with a robe worn by David Tennant in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Richard II. Visitors to the Art Gallery will be treated to a staggering 200 items ranging from centuries-old robes to contemporary jewellery. Other items include theatrical costumes, military attire, ecclesiastical artefacts and modern jewellery. Chairman of the City of London Corporation's culture, heritage, and libraries committee, Munsur Ali, said: 'With such a visually engaging range of exhibits on display, this new exhibition promises to provide a feast for the senses. 'I am sure that the show will prove very popular, in particular, with costume designers, fashion and military historians, theatre fans, and lovers of jewellery, who will find it very hard to resist the invitation to see this remarkable collection. 'We are proud to host the exhibition as part of our Destination City programme.' The Treasures of Gold and Silver Wire exhibition runs at Guildhall Art Gallery in the City of London until November 12. The King and Queen showed they're nothing if not low-key today, as they drove themselves to church at Balmoral this morning. Charles and Camilla are, as the Queen and Prince Philip always did, enjoying an extended summer break - now into October - at their Scottish residence. This morning, the couple smiled at those gathered by the roadside on the short route from Balmoral to Crathie Kirk Church as they zipped past in a royal Audi. While the king, 74, opted for a smart tweed suit, Queen Camilla, 76, looked stylish in an emerald green beret and suit, with a frilled white blouse. While they joined a royal motorcade, the royals travelled without an aide in the car and appeared to enjoy chatting on the short route. A new month: The King and Queen remain at Balmoral and were seen driving to church this morning at nearby Crathie Kirk The couple looked relaxed without royal aides in the car as they zipped through the winding streets around Balmoral While the king, 74, opted for a smart tweed suit, Queen Camilla, 76, looked stylish in an emerald green beret and suit, with a frilled white blouse. It's been a busy week for Camilla, who attended the Braemar Literary Festival on Friday. The King's wife, 76, put on a stylish display - again in emerald, wearing a patterned frock when attending the dinner at the The Fife Arms hotel in the Scottish Highlands. She was joined by British actress Dame Judi Dench, 88, as well as bestselling authors William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz and critic Grace Dent. The three-day festival - which is running until Sunday - is being held in the Highland village in collaboration with The Queens Reading Room, the book club founded by Camilla. First launched in January 2021, the online literary hub was inspired by the success of the then Duchess of Cornwall's reading lists shared during the pandemic in 2020. It offers book recommendations and exclusive insight from the authors themselves. Queen Camilla (pictured with Dame Judi Dench) showcased her fashion prowess in a statement leopard print dress as she attended the Braemar Literary Festival on Friday night Camilla appeared in her element as she chatted to guests on Friday night - including photographer, filmmaker and author Mary McCartney and Literary Editor of the Spectator Sam Leith. Her Majesty was also present at one of the festivals sold-out events held earlier today, The Allure of Comfort food to soothe and satisfy. Grace Dent and Rick Stein in conversation with Tom Parker Bowles. The panel - which included her British food critic son Tom - held a discussion on the joy of comfort food and home cooking. Over the course of the three-day event, novelists, historians, artists, chefs, and actors will descend on the village of Braemar to honour the power and quiet beauty of the written and spoken word. Earlier in the day, Camilla, looking casually chic in denim and a blue blazer arrived at a literary festival event The King's wife (pictured left), 76, put on a stylish display in the emerald patterned frock when attending the dinner at the The Fife Arms hotel in the Scottish Highlands The Queen (pictured left) was joined by British actress Dame Judi Dench , 88, as well as bestselling authors William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz and critic Grace Dent The three-day festival - which is running until Sunday - is being held in the Highland village in collaboration with The Queens Reading Room, the book club founded by Camilla (pictured right) Camilla (pictured right with several guests) appeared in her element as she chatted to guests on Friday - including photographer, filmmaker and author Mary McCartney and Literary Editor of the Spectator Sam Leith Her Majesty was also present at one of the festivals sold-out events held earlier today, The Allure of Comfort food to soothe and satisfy. Grace Dent and Rick Stein in conversation with Tom Parker Bowles. The 55-year-old, who is one of Britain's only female Michelin star chefs, told The Mirror that Camilla is 'really relaxed and easy-going', and she said it was great to cook for the royal. When it comes to what meal is 'fit for a Queen', Angela replied: 'Anything and everything.' She revealed that Camilla was 'was like every other guest [she's] ever cooked for', saying 'whatever is made for her, she'll eat'. Angela added: 'I think when you get to a certain age, without being rude, of course, and youre as busy as she is with so many engagements, youll eat whatever is simple and easy.' Quite the line-up! Queen Camilla and Judi Dench arriving to their events at the literary festival Connecting bookworms of all ages with heartfelt readings from the authors who penned the words, the Braemar Literary Festival, aims to 'provide a forum to engage in spirited discussion'. Camilla's outing comes after Michelin starred chef Angela Hartnett OBE revealed what it is like to cook for the Queen, after serving dinner at the first ever Braemar Literary Festival last October. Animal lover Freya Aspinall has revealed that she's hand-raising two lion cubs after their own mother tragically died just days after they were born - and says she gets up at two hourly intervals in the night to feed them. The 20-year-old conservationist, who is the daughter of Damian Aspinall and Donna Air, spent her childhood at her father's wildlife parks in Kent and frequently shares photos of herself with the animals that live there on social media. Now, Freya has revealed she's sharing her life with the two adorable cubs, named Zemo and Zala. Three weeks ago, she told her followers that the cubs have grown fast in her care, saying: 'Not long until I can't hold them both - they are 12-15kg each!' She also told her 243,000 followers on Instagram that the cubs had lost their mother to a uterus infection just three days after their birth, explaining: 'We have to hand raise them or they would have died. We will send them back to the wild where they belong.' Freya Aspinall says she's learning to speak 'Lion' after becoming mother to two orphaned cubs. The 20-year-old conservationist, who is the daughter of Damian Aspinall and Donna Air, has been caring for them since their mother died In an interview with The Times, Aspinall said that grandiose Howletts House in Kent, owned by her father, is the animals' current playground - and that she sets an alarm to feed them during the night. She explained: 'If anyone says the lions are humanised or domesticated, no. If anything, they lionise me. I literally become a lion - I speak lion. Hand-rearing is the last option possible, but I am their mother figure.' The 20-year-old, who's followed in her father's footsteps, has shared photos of the animals she's formed a close bond with over the years. In 2021, she hand-raised another Lion, Azi, after he was rejected by his mother. She said at the time: 'I was able to develop a completely natural relationship with him. No training, no taming. Pure love and trust.' The gorgeous cubs, named Zemo and Zala, weigh around 15kg each and currently sleep near her bed The conservationist has helped hand-rear animals before, including a lion named Azi who was rejected by his mother The two cubs will stay with Aspinall at the Kent home until they're old enough to be set free Freya is the only daughter of Damian and Donna, was just 21 when she met and fell in love with the multimillionaire, who was 40 at the time. They were introduced at a dinner party in 2000 by their mutual friend, former It Girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, and went on to have a seven-year relationship. The couple famously hit the headlines when Freya was a baby, announcing they were planning to place their daughter in a gorilla enclosure at Damian's animal park and allow her to be carried off by the female of the group. It was a ritual Damian had carried out with his first two daughters, Tansy, 33, and Clary, 30, from his 15-year marriage to Louise Sebag-Montefiore. 'We have to hand raise them or they would have died' Aspinall says she's happy playing mother to the two cubs until they can care for themselves Damian has carried on the legacy of his late father John Aspinall who encouraged close contact between animals and keepers at Kent park Howletts and its sister site Port Lympne. Damian's dad John bought Howletts with his gambling winnings in 1956 and moved his family there from central London. Following his father's death, Damian has has managed the parks through the John Aspinall Foundation, a charity named for his father. Now Freya has entered the family business, with Damian and Donna backing their daughter's decision to drop out of school and follow him into conservation. Princess Diana's childhood home Althorp House in Northamptonshire has been listed on an upmarket Airbnb-style website. The property, whose prices are only available on demand, offers guests 'unparalleled levels of service, privacy and luxury' according to Elysian Estates. However, while a number of features are listed, including its 26+ bedrooms, library, and concierge service, the royal's burial site, which is on the property's vast grounds, is not. It is thought that the grave, which is not open to the public, will not be open to guests renting the property. According to the listing, the property is 'one of the most spectacular, luxurious and exclusive venues in the UK'. One of the bedrooms at Althorp House, the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales. The home is now listed on Elysian Estates It continues: 'The ancestral home of the Spencer family, Althorp stands sentinel in its vast private estate, with a magnificent exterior matched by the beauty of the surrounding parkland. 'Althorp offers unparalleled levels of service, privacy and luxury to rival the finest properties anywhere in the world; yet retains the truly welcoming and homely feel that makes Althorp so special. 'Walk in the footsteps of kings and queens, feast or celebrate in spectacular surroundings, marvel at the sense of history and artwork, and slumber in pure luxury.' It adds that staying at the home means becoming 'part of the amazing history of this magnificent property', which it says has offered 'discreet yet spectacular hospitality' to guests since 1508. The Earl Spencer, who was Diana's younger brother, is a British peer, author and broadcaster. He inherited the family seat of Althorp estate on the death of his father in 1992 and lives there with his third wife, Karen, and their daughter Lady Charlotte. The late Princess was laid to rest at her childhood home of Althorp House, on the island in the middle of the Round Oval Lake, in 1997. According to the listing for the property, it has offered 'discreet yet spectacular hospitality' to guests since 1508 The island is located at the centre of the Spencer familys 500-year-old ancestral estate, which spans 13,000 acres surrounding its walled 500-acre park. Following Diana's death 36 oak trees were planted to mark each year of her life, along with hundreds of white water lilies and roses. In 2014 Diana's former chef attacked her brother Earl Spencer for neglecting her final resting place at the family's Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire. At the time Darren McGrady, who cooked for Diana and the Queen posted several photographs of the memorial on Twitter, showing the lake near her grave covered in algae. Taking to Twitter, Mr McGrady said: 'If I cared for Princess Diana in life as you are doing in death I would have been fired. Please tidy up the vegetation on the island.' Diana, Princess of Wales (pictured) is buried on the estate - but her grave is not available for public visits 'Made me so sad to see how Althorp Estate has neglected Princess Diana's resting place.' However, the estate maintained that the burial site was being well looked after, and said the hot summer months had caused the algae to spread quickly, making it more difficult to remove. In 2016, it was announced that her grave was to be given a multi-million pound facelift following complaints it was being 'neglected'. A spokesman said: 'The Oval Lake where Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest is undergoing an extensive redesign to honour her memory. It will be completed in time for the 20th anniversary of her death, in August 2017.' The grave was re-dedicated by The Archbishop of Canterbury in 2017 ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death. She was vilified as the worst mother on the planet when more than a decade ago, her book Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother, laid out in detail Amy Chuas ultra-hardline parenting methods. Sleepovers were banned, A grades were mandatory and her young daughters, Sophia and Lulu, were expected to practise music for up to six hours a day (when they couldnt master a complex piece, she threatened to burn their stuffed toys). The book caused a worldwide firestorm and ensured that the phrase tiger mum an obsessively strict and pushy parent entered the public lexicon. Amy was seen as nothing short of ferocious. Yet five years ago, the Tiger Mum was de-fanged. Brought down by an initially undiagnosed bout of diverticulitis a disease that attacks the colon she was told by her doctor that at one point she almost died. I lost control of one lung, had eight tubes inserted in me, including one in my heart valve, and I lost all my hair, she says. Every organ was shutting down. Amy Chua She was vilified as the worst mother on the planet when more than a decade ago, her book Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother, laid out in detail her ultra-hardline parenting methods. Lying in bed and unable to move gave her a chance, she says, to think about what was really important in life. And I thought: Oh my God, if I had really died in the hospital, there were all these things I should have said to my daughters that I hadnt. 'Things like: Im so proud of you and I hope you realise that even though I tend to err on the side of criticism and finding fault, you are so much more talented and brilliant than I ever was. You exceeded my wildest expectations. She adds with a laugh: This is not the way that I talk at all! Shes not kidding. As Amy outlined in her book, her traditional Chinese approach to child-rearing, learned from her own parents, was brutal to say the least. When seven-year-old Lulu was unable to play a complex piano piece, Amy threatened her with no lunch, no dinner, no Christmas or Hanukkah presents, no birthday parties for two, three, four years. Lulu soon mastered the piece. When Amy admonished Sophia, calling her garbage, and recounted the incident at a dinner party, one of the guests became so upset on Sophias behalf that she broke down in tears and had to leave early. As Amy says now: That word garbage got me in so much trouble [with readers] and it was a bad translation on my part from Chinese. When my dad said it to me as a child, I knew exactly what he meant. I had talked back to my mother once and he said that if I couldnt be respectful towards her then everything else my good schoolwork or achievements were worthless. Thats what I meant [with Sophia]. I still believe achieving excellence can bring a lot of benefits, and Im glad I instilled a sense of grit in my kids. But the things I regret more are the harsh things I said to them and losing my temper. Happy time: Amy Chua with daughters Sophia, left, and Lulu, right. Amy is happy to have a great relationship with both her daughters now It took Amy, 60, about a year to recover from her illness, which at one point saw her addicted to the painkiller oxycodone. She had to take a leave of absence from work both she and her husband, Jed Rubenfeld, are professors at Yale Law School in the U.S. and having been on a feeding tube for two weeks, when she was finally allowed home, I couldnt even walk to the end of my own driveway. Im not a mellow, meditative person, she says, but because I was so ill, it really caused me to think about what was important in life. I also remember my daughters saying, Youre so much nicer now. Why cant you always be like this? After Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother was released in 2011, Amy found herself on the receiving end of death threats and even required bodyguards for protection. It was insane, she says. It was made to sound like a How To Parent book when it was really a much more subtle and complicated personal story. If you had asked anyone before the Tiger Mum book came out, everyone would have said I was mild-mannered and, unlike my husband, never someone who challenged authority or wanted to be controversial. Yet looking back, she says, even though I was very upset at the time, I kind of understand the criticism now. Even the best parent has moments of doubt and here I came with this book which has this over-confident tone and I think it triggered a lot of feelings in people. 'I dont regret writing the book, but for a few moments I thought: Why did I do this? Maybe my family will fall apart because of it. Her family now appears closer than ever. She and husband Jed celebrate their 35th anniversary this year, while her daughters continue to prove that perhaps being tiger-mummed really does work. Sophia, 30, who through her mothers exhortations played piano at Carnegie Hall aged 14, graduated from Yale Law School and now works as a military lawyer in Washington where she lives with her husband, fellow lawyer Tim Mitchell. And 27-year-old Lulu graduated with distinction from Harvard and spent a year at an elite New York law firm before embarking on the first of two judicial clerkships in Miami. While Amy doesn't regret writing Battle Him Of The Tiger Mother, there were times when she questioned it and worried her family might fall apart I do have a great relationship with my daughters now, says Amy, and Im actually hands-off to the point where they say to me: Why dont you call me? Why dont you return my texts? But now theyll call me for advice on work and boyfriend stuff and its great. While Lulu agrees that they are far closer now than they were during Lulus adolescence, she also feels the demands made of her while growing up meant she experienced a lot of stress and lost some of her childhood innocence in the process. Hearing that, Amy admits: I do feel a little pang. I made a lot of mistakes and went to the brink. At a certain point I was fighting with Lulu so much I ended up writing the book purely because we were at such a crisis point. I thought: Oh God, if I dont change, shes going to hate me for ever and Im going to lose her, so I stepped back. But I also feel most of it was worth it. I look around and see kids of 25, 28 and some of them still live at home and dont have jobs. That makes me think that theres a trade-off. I would say that the one upside of my kids not having quite as much fun as everybody else when they were little means that they have a lot of opportunities now. Theyre confident, self-sufficient, earn their own keep and pay their own rent. When it came to her own childhood, Amys parents did not compromise. They held to the tiger-parent beliefs with absolutely no humour, she says, and were very strict and demanding about grades and how to treat others. As Chinese parents who had emigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s, its not that they wanted to be mean, says Amy, but I remember being little and asking my mum for a sleepover and she looked like she was going to cry. Amy pictured with her daughters Sophia (left) and Lulu. Amy is proud that her daughters are confident and self-sufficient adults She said, Amy, I dont understand we have a bed here for you. Why do you need to go to a strangers house to sleep? Being tiger-parented meant Amy and her three younger sisters, were not allowed to do a lot of social things, so I was a huge bookworm growing up. It was her love of books which led her to write her newly released debut novel, The Golden Gate. Set in California in 1944, it centres on the wealthy and influential Bainbridge family, whose matriarch Genevieve is faced with the news that one of her three granddaughters has just committed murder. A lot of the main characters are, like my children, of mixed-race backgrounds, she says, and I think the book really reflects my own background as an immigrant kid and an outsider too. She started writing the book three years ago when Covid hit and she was accused of hosting boozy parties for her students during lockdown. Yale Law School investigated the claims denied by Amy and they found absolutely no evidence, so were glad thats completely over. Around the same time her husband was accused of sexual harassment of female students (also strongly denied) and was given a two-year suspension by Yale, but is now back teaching. It was yet another testing period for the family during which New York Magazine labelled the couple pariahs of the academic world. Amy pictured with her husband Jed Rubenfeld, who is also a law professor at Yale Law School It was a bit lonely for a while, Amy admits, and I definitely went through a stage where I felt: what is happening? We even thought of putting our house [in Connecticut] up for sale and moving. But you push through and now I would say Im on very friendly terms with my entire faculty. Grit and resilience are two qualities much loved by Tiger Mums, and when Battle Hymn came out, Amy frequently had to call on hers. All over the world people disagreed with me so it wasnt always pleasant, she says, but I dont regret writing the book. At least, she adds, nobody can say Ive had a boring life. NOW READ LULU'S SIDE... 'I lost that childhood sense of joy and wonder and I definitely felt a lot of stress' Ask Lulu Chua-Rubenfeld, now 27, how she feels about her childhood and she says mixed. There were happy moments and difficult moments and it was maybe a less carefree childhood than a lot of other peoples, she says. I lost that childhood innocence, that sense of joy and wonder, and I definitely felt a lot of stress. She agreed to an interview because, she says, I think its important to be honest about the highs and lows of tiger parenting. No one would believe me if I said that everything was perfect all the time and I was constantly happy. '[But] I do think the good outweighs the bad and Im proud of my parents and myself now. But I definitely think things could have been different. So much so that Lulu, who was 15 when the book came out, admits that when the time comes to raise her own children, she would minimise the threats. They didnt really work, because it just encouraged me to call [my mums] bluff. Graduation day: Lulu with her proud parents Jed and Amy at Harvard. Lulu graduated with distinction and spent a year at an elite New York law firm before embarking on the first of two judicial clerkships in Miami Indeed, Amy describes in the book how she once banished Lulu outdoors in the freezing cold after an altercation over piano playing, only to start panicking once Lulu refused to come back in despite Amys pleas. Lulu was three at the time. Another troubling consequence occurred in 2009 when Lulus parents took their girls to Moscow. A minor disagreement in a cafe about Lulus resistance to sampling caviar flared into an almighty row, with Lulu, then 13, throwing a glass to the floor and shouting: I hate my life. I hate you and I hate this family! Her mum ran off in tears. It clearly worked because minutes later, when her mum returned to the table having contemplated the many hours of torture Lulu had been subjected to practising music, she announced that Lulu had won she could give up playing the violin which, along with the piano, she had been forced to learn from the age of three. Days later, Amy started writing her experience of bringing up her two girls in an effort to examine her intense method of Chinese-style parenting versus the more relaxed Western approach. Lively, self-assured and articulate, Lulu appears the antithesis of someone once branded one of the most abused children in the Western world and likely to grow up friendless and robotic. I feel like I can take any challenge head-on and I have my mum to thank for at least part of that, she says. Yet with hindsight, she believes her mothers insistence on musical excellence practice lasted six hours a day, even on holiday did take its toll. The thing we fought most about was the violin . . . It was never too much to bear if my mum ever thought I couldnt handle it she wouldnt have pushed me to the brink, she says but it was certainly anxiety-producing. I felt there were so many burdens on me [and it did] impact my mood and emotional stability, which were probably of secondary concern to my mum. The glass-smashing incident in Russia wasnt, she says now, a good form of protest even if it prompted her mum to re-evaluate her parenting methods. She started giving me more choices. It was clear Id accomplished what Id set out to with violin, but it wasnt going to be the focus of my life. While university could have been difficult not many people see their childhood behaviour made the subject of a psychology seminar at university for Lulu it was a positive experience: Amy's love of books drove her write her newly released debut novel, The Golden Gate, which is set in California in 1944 A lot of people experience imposter syndrome in college. I never felt that because I was ready for it, because of my mum. But also, it was such a relief to be independent. 'Even little things like sleeping in were really healing for me because I felt I was becoming my own person. While starting a family is, Lulu admits, still some way off, would she raise her children the Tiger Mum way? I dont know, she says after a pause. I think I would take a lot of lessons from my mum, but I also think I would adjust things too. I would listen to my kids a bit more and maybe not force things on them because they would each have their own separate personalities. But I have belief in myself, I know how to concentrate and Im a very hard worker and I got that from the way I was raised by my mum. Looking back, I now see that I would have been a difficult child to raise. I was a bit of a menace! She laughs. Maybe we should cut my mum a little slack. Daniella Dominie was just 33 when doctors told her she had cervical cancer and that she would need a hysterectomy to get rid of it for good. It all started with her routine pap smear. Daniella's GP could see there was some bleeding and as she didn't have her period she sent her to a gynecologist. Daniella wasn't worried until the specialist spoke from between her legs, while looking down the speculum and directly at her cervix. 'It is big and it is ugly,' the doctor said of a cyst-like mass on the top of her cervix. Her stomach dropped but at this point she had no idea the 'cyst' was actually cancer. Daniella Dominie was just 33 when doctors told her she had cervical cancer and that she would need a hysterectomy to get rid of it for good Daniella pictured on a family holiday two weeks before she was diagnosed with cancer She got home, had a shower and collapsed onto the floor in tears. 'At this point I told myself I wasn't going to have anymore kids, I was devastated,' she said. Her daughters were just three and five at the time and Daniella felt ready to have another baby. In fact, she always dreamed of having four children. The days which followed are all a blur. Within two weeks the energetic mum had been diagnosed with stage 1B cervical cancer and been given a full hysterectomy - thrusting her into menopause overnight and leaving her bed-bound for months. Daniella remembers the oncologist delivering the news and recommending a radical hysterectomy. 'She asked me if I had children, if I was happy,' Daniella said. 'And I was.' 'I asked if I was going to die, she told me I wasn't but she was worried about my quality of life after treatment. I should have asked more questions,' she said. The huge surgery changed Daniella completely. Daniella, pictured recently, was worried she would die after doctors said she had cancer She lost her endless drive and her love for organisation. 'I used to be the mum who would plan birthday parties a year in advance,' she said. 'Now I do everything last minute.' Her body also changed with menopause kicking in overnight and she spent months working out the right amount of hormone replacement medication to use to keep her symptoms from dominating her life. She became more short tempered and impatient and felt devastated every time her kids wanted her to pick them up. 'They were too little to understand,' she said. Daniella's doctor operated quickly, leaving no time for her to have eggs harvested or frozen. 'She said she could cure me but wanted to act quickly because if it spread, especially to my ovaries, I would be a goner.' Daniella has since made peace with not having any more children. Daniella always wanted four children but is thankful she was able to have two before getting cancer She underwent a radical hysterectomy to remove all of her reproductive organs to limit the possibility of the disease returning And doctors have told her it is incredibly lucky she hadn't already become pregnant with number three. 'They said that if I had missed that checkup, and been pregnant, then I would have had to make some hard decisions later,' she said. It would have meant deciding between her own life and that of her unborn baby. It has been six years since the 'big, ugly' tumour was spotted on the edge of the mum's cervix and she has spent most of that time advocating for women and reminding them to get checked on time every time. 'I am living proof that early detection saves lives,' she said. In fact her campaign has helped women in her circle. 'So many cousins and friends went in and got their pap smears done, it was a huge shock for everyone,' she said. 'I had people messaging me, thanking me for my warning because they had pre-cancer cells come up in their tests,' she said. Daniella says she as reached the point in her recovery where she feels happy and healthy. And while she has a scar to remind her of her ordeal, it looks similar to a C-Section and doesn't bother her. 'I do get down sometimes, and wonder if or when cancer will come back. And it was hard for a long time but I have my life and I have my two girls,' she said. Daniella now works with the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation, an organisation she says helped her get through her diagnosis and recovery. She wants people to take five minutes out of their day every five years to keep up to date with their screenings. 961 people are expected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer in Australia this year - many of those will be aged between 30 and 44. Adjunct Professor Annabelle Farnsworth, a leading expert in cervical cancer and Ambassador for Pathology Awareness Australia, echoes Daniella's message that early detection saves lives. She says she wouldn't be alive today if she hadn't been so obsessed with being organised She explained that even women who have had the HPV vaccine are at risk, and highlighted the fact it is a young woman's disease. 'This is largely because the vaccine only covers some of the virus types that are associated with the development of cervical disease. The very first cervical HPV vaccine introduced in 2007 covered four of the virus subtypes,' she explained. 'In 2018, a nine-subtype vaccine was introduced. In addition, it is recommended by the National Cancer Screening Program in Australia, along with the World Health Organization, that people with a cervix need to continue to screen even if fully vaccinated.' Adj Professor Farnsworth warns that cervical cancer predominantly affects women who have not undergone regular screenings. Approximately 70 per cent of cervical cancers occur in those who have never been screened. Daniella didn't have any cancer symptoms before her diagnosis. Overall, US coastal states tended to have a higher accident rate Researchers found Arizona was the most accident-prone state in the US The most accident-prone states have been revealed in a DailyMail.com interactive map as data shows you could be more likely to be sent to the hospital for a human bite than a dog bite in some parts of the United States. Researchers looked at Google search data for accident-related terms, such as 'broken nose', 'how to tell if a bone is fractured' and 'urgent care' over the last 12 months across all 50 US states. They found people in Arizona were most likely to suffer an accident, with an average of 1,585 searches for accident-related terms per 100,000 people every month. Top search terms in the state were 'urgent care', 'minute clinic,' 'emergency room' and 'sprained ankle'. In the least accident-prone state, North Dakota, there was only a monthly average of 325 similar searches per 100,000 people. The most Googled search term was 'urgent care', which was looked up 2.2million times every month nationwide on average. Overall, states where people were most likely to suffer an accident were mostly concentrated on the East and West coasts, which may be linked to a denser population and higher urbanization rates, which can raise the risk of collisions, slips and falls. Rural and sparsely populated states, on the other hand, had lower rates of non-fatal injuries according to this study. The above map shows the average monthly rate of accident-related internet searches by state, revealing Arizona was the most accident-prone Most accident-prone states State Arizona Colorado Hawaii North Carolina Washington Massachusetts Minnesota Virginia Maryland Oregon Accident search 1,584 per 100k 1,432 per 100k 1,401 per 100k 1,323 per 100k 1,229 per 100k 1,229 per 100k 1,192 per 100k 1,184 per 100k 1,169 per 100k 1,156 per 100k The average monthly searches was based on Google searchers per 100,000 residents Advertisement Least accident-prone states State North Dakota West Virginia South Dakota Mississippi Montana Arkansas Alaska Maine Idaho Wisconsin Accident search 325 per 100k 455 per 100k 467 per 100k 470 per 100k 528 per 100k 596 per 100k 602 per 100k 602 per 100k 664 per 100k 673 per 100k The average monthly searches was based on Google searchers per 100,000 residents Advertisement The data on accident searches by state was compiled by the personal injury attorney group Injured in Florida earlier this year. Following Arizona was Colorado, with 1,432 average monthly searches per 100,000 people that were accident related. Rounding out the top five were Hawaii (1,401), North Carolina (1,323) and Washington (1,229). The top search term in all of these states was urgent care. Other popular terms included 'emergency room', 'minute clinic' and 'sprained wrist'. At the other end of the scale, was North Dakota, West Virginia, South Dakota, Mississippi and Montana. In these states, the most searched terms were 'urgent care', 'sprained ankle' and 'broken toe'. While the authors of this report did not suggest why coastal states were more likely to have accidents, previous studies have suggested it could be because of a denser population. This could lead to more crowded sidewalks, streets and transport systems raising the risk of collisions, slips and falls. A vibrant nightlife scene can also raise the risk of accidents, particularly when alcohol is involved. There are also suggestions a higher density of cars and roads can raise the accident rate because people are more likely to get hit by a vehicle. A spokesperson at Injured in Florida said of the recent report: 'These accidents, which represent everything from a broken toe to a sprained wrist, can happen from a fall at home or an accident in the workplace. 'Arizona has been named the most accident-prone state based on the number of accident-related searches over the last 12 months.' The research was released at the same time as a separate report by injury lawyers John Foy and Associates, which looked into the most common causes of non-fatal ER visits. That study analyzed data from across the US that had been compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unintentional falls were the leading cause of non-fatal ER visits by far, behind an estimated 5.5million visits every year. 'Such accidents often [arise] from slippery, cluttered or unstable walking/working areas,' they said. 'These injuries typically stem from hitting a surface at the same or a lower level after a sudden drop, mainly influenced by gravitational factors.' The above graph shows ER visits for non-fatal injuries in select states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Unintentional poisonings such as from drugs were the second most common causes (1.71 million visits) followed by being unintentionally struck by humans, animals or objects (1.59 million) In fourth was injuries sustained in a car accident, responsible for 1.54 million emergency room visits. Rounding out the top five was intentional cuts and piercings, which was behind 1.29 million visits. John Foy, who founded John Foy and Associates, said: 'The data provided further important insights, when looking at sex differences between male and female ER visits. 'For instance, women are more frequently victims of dog bites than men, which could be in part due to the fact that more than 70 percent of dog walkers are female. 'Additionally, the data suggests that occupants of larger vehicles, such as cars, trucks, or buses, are 590 percent more likely to sustain non-fatal injuries than motorcyclists. He added: 'It's also noteworthy that overexertion alone results in more emergency room trips than dog bites, pedal cycle incidents, and bites and stings combined.' Businesses, including Heathrow, say the UK is missing out on spending from Chinese tourists returning to Europe. Hundreds of bosses have urged the Chancellor to re-introduce a VAT-free shopping scheme. Shops at Heathrow, which is backing the Mail's campaign, are seeing depressed spending from Chinese passengers. Although Chinese visitor numbers are almost back at 2019 levels, spending at airport shops is below pre-pandemic levels. In July, the number of Chinese travellers was 88 per cent of 2019 levels but spending levels were just 33 per cent. Missing out: Although Chinese visitor numbers are almost back at 2019 levels, spending at airport shops is below pre-pandemic levels The figures are another sign that Chinese tourists are spending in France and Spain rather than the UK. Firms are braced to lose out on spending in Golden Week, a Chinese holiday this week, when many tourists travel to Europe. More than 400 leading businesses have demanded ministers scrap the unpopular tourist tax. The Mail's campaign has been backed by Marks & Spencer, Harrods and Giorgio Armani. Planet, a payment service which processes VAT refunds for European retailers, says that Chinese tourists spend an average 1,038 per transaction on goods they claim the tax back on. Experts will explore how niche construction methods, new products, and research are developing concrete innovations to stretch mankinds imagination on the various uses of concrete at the ACI Concrete Conference of Codes, Standards, and Best Practices in Riyadh, next month. The American Concrete Institute, along with the ACI Saudi Chapter, will co-host the conference on November 28 and 29 at the Hilton Riyadh Hotel. It will bring together engineers, architects, researchers, suppliers, producers, and academics to exchange their experiences and discuss innovative and emerging technologies in the concrete industry. The following is the conference agenda: Opening Ceremony: o Conference MC: Ali Alqarni, PhD, ACI member King Saud University o Welcome Address: Dr Ahmad S. Al-Gahtani, Board Chairman, Concrete and Construction Association; Abdulnasser Saif Al-Abdullatef, Secretary-General, Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE); Dr Oday Al Buhamad Director of Standards and Metrology, GCC Standardization Organization (GSO); and Dr Saad bin Othman Alkasabi, Governor, Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) and Chairman, Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC). o Keynote Speaker: Antonio Nanni, ACI 100th President; and Inaugural Senior Scholar, Professor, and Chair, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Miami. Conference Presentations (Day One): o Concrete Structures Codes & StandardsDesign and Repair ACI 318-19: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary: History & Future: Andrew Taylor, PhD, SE, FACI, Technical Director, KPFF Consulting Engineers; and Chair, ACI Committee 318 o Why Do We Need a Repair Code? ACI 562: Khaled Nahlawi, PhD, PE, Distinguished Engineer, ACI o Saudi Building Code: Ahmed Shuraim, PhD, ACI member, Chair, Structural Technical Committee, Saudi Building Code National Committee o Do We Have an Arabic Version of ACI 318?: Dr. Ali Attiyah, PhD, ACI member, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kufa; and ACI Iraq Chapter o How to Perform Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Concrete Buildings With ACI CODE-369.1-22: Andrew Taylor, PhD, SE, FACI, Technical Director, KPFF Consulting Engineers; and Chair, ACI Committee 318 o Why 350 and not 318 for Environmental Structures: Dr Ali Attiyah, PhD, ACI member, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kufa; and ACI Iraq Chapter o ACI Certification in Concrete Codes & Standards: John Nehasil, Senior Managing Director, Certification and Chapters, ACI o Introduction to PRO: An ACI Center of Excellence for Advancing Productivity: Mike Tholen, PhD, PE, Senior Managing Director, Technical Operations o Panel Discussion: What's Holding Back Productivity?: Moderator: Mike Tholen, PhD, PE, Senior Managing Director, Technical Operations; Panelists: Charles Malek, Director of Structural Design; Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) Wael Darkazanli, Continuous Improvement Manager, Parsons Corporation; Abdulrahman Almunabhi, PhD, PE, Director of Codes and Standards (A), NEOM; Chris Leptokaridis, Technical & Strategy Director, Saudi Readymix; Mansour Faried, Chief Engineer, CSCEC Middle East Rami Yaghi, Deputy Regional Manager Conference Presentations (Day Two): o Highlights of ACI CODE-440.11-22: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete Reinforced With Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) BarsCode and Commentary: Antonio Nanni, ACI 100th President; and Inaugural Senior Scholar, Professor, and Chair, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Miami o Aramco Presentation/Case Studies from Saudi Arabia: Mohammed Al Mehthel, Principal Professional, Saudi Aramco o Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Materials for Concrete Infrastructures: Muhammad K. Rahman, PhD, ACI member, Vice President, ACI Saudi Arabian Chapter Eastern Province; and Research Engineer (Associate Professor), King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) o ACI 130R-19: Report on the Role of Materials in Sustainable Concrete Construction: Khalid Awad, Chairman and Founder, ACTS; and ACI Past President o MAPEI Re-Con Line: Products and Solutions for Increased Materials Circularity in Ready-Mix Concrete Production: Sven-Henrik Norman, Corporate Product Manager, Mapei o Standardization for Concrete Work: Tarek Emara, MSc, ICIOB, ACI UAE Chapter, QA/QC Director, CSCEC Middle East o An Overview of NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete and its Validation Program: Dean Frank, PE, Executive Director, NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete o Crystalline Waterproofing Protection Technique Used in Latin America's Longest Brazil-Paraguay Integration Bridge: Emilio Takagi, Technical Director, Penetron International o Additive Construction: Latest Sector Developments and Standard Initiatives -- ASTM International: Stephan Mansour, BSc, ECKM, Associate Consultant, ASTM International Interested can register for the ACI Concrete Conference of Codes, Standards, and Best Practices at aci-mec.com -TradeArabia News Service Model approach: H&M has chosen to bring in a charge for returns Three in four unsellable returned items of clothing are dumped in landfill or burnt as fashion retailers scramble to reduce the cost of consumers sending goods back. Fast fashion firms, including Zara and Asos, are clamping down on shoppers who return garments ordered online by reducing promoted items or introducing fees for items sent back. Only 25 per cent of unsellable returns are recycled, while 50 per cent end up in landfill and 25 per cent are incinerated, according to Statista. Many items are deemed 'unsellable' due to the resources and cash needed to process, clean, repackage and redistribute them. Some retailers also do not see the point of reselling them if a trend or season has moved on. The research was shown to fashion business leaders at a meeting last week held by the British Retail Consortium. Helen Dickinson, chief of the BRC, said tackling unsustainable returns would benefit retailers' bottom lines, as well as the environment. For many retailers, a costly reverse logistics process means re-selling products is 'not a choice they're prepared to make', says Professor Natascha Radclyffe-Thomas, from the British School of Fashion. 'As consumers, we clearly all imagine that when we send something back, it pops back up on a shelf magically,' she added. But about 140m worth of clothes is sent to landfill each year. The trend is costly for fashion retailers too for a 20 purchase, the average return cost is 10-12. Consumers are accustomed to ordering an array of sizes and colours of the same product. But now retailers, including Boohoo, Zara and H&M, have all introduced small charges for returns. Archie Mason, a director at investment and advisory firm True, said: 'If a small charge for an online return can help to drive consumer change, it is probably a good thing. 'The returns cycle in apparel is unsustainable from an environmental and cost perspective.' Mason said investment into 'digital fits' where customers can get a good sense if a product will fit them based on data about their shopping history and size is also a way to lower the high return rates. Two girls fled their 3,600 dream holiday to Cape Verde a week early after both were hospitalised with extreme sickness - leaving them only able to eat pringles for days. Jessica Whetstone and Caitlin Savage spent a night in hospital in Santa Maria, Cape Verde after falling ill on their fifth night of the package holiday - turning their long-awaited trip into 'hell'. The pair booked their all-inclusive getaway to Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria last year after stumbling across photos of the 'beautiful hotel', white sand beaches and glowing reviews of the five-star hotel. The two 20-year-old women jetted off on what should have been a relaxing 14-day break to do 'absolutely nothing' on September 4. However they were forced to book an emergency flight home a week early on September 11 following a 'night of hell' in hospital and feeling 'too terrified to leave the hotel room'. Jessica Whetstone (left) and Caitlin Savage (right) fled their 3,600 dream holiday to Cape Verde a week early after both were hospitalised with extreme sickness Caitlin Savage, 20, in a hospital bed in Santa Maria, Cape Verde after her and Jessica fell ill on their fifth night of their package holiday - turning their long-awaited trip into 'hell' The pair booked their all-inclusive getaway to Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria last year after stumbling across photos of the 'beautiful hotel', white sand beaches and glowing reviews of the five-star hotel Dog groomer Caitlin says she began to 'feel strange' whilst getting ready for the hotel's white party on the evening of Friday September 8 before vomiting in the middle of the dance floor at 9.30pm with no warning. The duo, who say they had not even been drinking that evening, claim Caitlin threw up a further 20 times before Jessica called the hotel reception for medical assistance at 2am after fearing her cousin was becoming too dehydrated. Photos show both Caitlin and Jessica in hospital beds where the pair claim doctors told them they had 'eaten something that did not agree with them' and severely dehydrated Caitlin was administered 'three bags of fluid'. Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria is the same hotel that Jane Pressley, from Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, was staying at in November last year when she fell ill with vomiting and diarrhoea and died upon returning home. Jessica, a hairdresser from West Sussex, said: 'It must have been food poisoning from how violent it was. There were lots of flies around the hotel. Guests said they saw flies on the food because the buffet area was completely open. 'They had birds flying around near the food and dogs and cats everywhere. People were even feeding dogs off the hotel plates and cups. 'We saw other guests throwing up too. We drove past two people throwing up into a hotel room bin walking back from reception. And we met two others in the hospital with the same hotel room bin - both throwing up. 'They were German so we couldn't communicate well, but the lady kept saying "ice cubes". You're only meant to drink bottled water over there, so they thought the ice for the drinks might not have been made with bottled water.' The two 20-year-old women jetted off on what should have been a relaxing 14-day break to do 'absolutely nothing' on September 4 Jessica on the beach at the Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria before getting ill Jessica, who was hospitalised with diarrhoea, says the doctor told her and Caitlin they had "eaten something that did not agree with them" and prescribed them paracetamol, probiotics and diarrhoea tablets. The ordeal, which left both women with severe diarrhoea for days and 'desperate to fly home', cost the pair nearly 1,000 - including the early return flights, hospital and pharmacy costs, and a pre-booked horse riding experience that could not be cancelled. Caitlin, from Chessington, Surrey, said: 'My friend paid for the holiday for me and I have to pay her back. I'm still in the process of paying her, so I feel guilty as hell. 'My mum also had to pay for my flight home so I have to pay that back too. Relying on other people to pay for me makes me feel even worse.' Jessica added: 'It was my idea of hell. I have a phobia of sick, which I coped well with because of the adrenaline and I was just looking away. But when we got back to the hotel I called my mum in floods of tears. I didn't know what to do. 'It completely ruined the holiday. We were worried about how to get home and what we were going to eat. We didn't leave our hotel room. 'We were too scared to eat or drink anything at the hotel. There was a little souvenir shop in the hotel which sold tubes of Pringles so we lived off of those for three days. But even they went straight through us.' Jessica says the company refused to compensate her for the return flight as the pair had 'decided to return home early'. The 20-year-old claims there has been 'constant messaging' from the holiday provider but 'no resolution' - and she has since submitted an official complaint. Jessica, who used up all her annual leave for the 'horrific' trip, said: 'You put your trust in them that if they're offering you a hotel rated 4.5/5 you believe that's what you're getting. 'They keep emailing me and asking for my feedback, but when I respond with my feedback I don't hear anything. It's a constant battle. 'I just want them to at least investigate this so it doesn't happen to other people. They're very aware of what's happening at the hotel and in Cape Verde but they're not doing anything about it.' Caitlin Savage, 20, and Jessica Whetstone, 20 - dressed up for the 'white party' before getting ill and throwing up in the middle of the dance floor Caitlin eating at the hotel buffet restaurant which the girls believe led her to becoming extremely ill Jessica says she joined a private Facebook group with more than 1,000 members called 'Cape Verde (S&D)' in which holidaymakers share stories about having sickness and diarrhoea in resorts across the region - including at Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria. The UK government has even warned of the potential risks of contracting Shigellosis, which causes diarrhoea, in the Santa Maria region of Sal, but Caitlin says it's 'shocking' that there's no warning when you book. Caitlin added: 'You don't think to go on the government website. You're just looking at the reviews saying people have had such amazing holidays here. Now knowing other guests have been through the same thing is absolutely disgusting. 'I would never ever set foot back in that restaurant. When I look back I just feel anxious about it. And I would definitely feel wary about going on holiday again..' Both Jessica and Caitlin are awaiting results from tests taken by their GPs in England to determine whether they caught a bacterial infection in their gut. Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria has been contacted for comment. The DNA evidence against Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger is 'damning', a genealogical expert has told DailyMail.com, as his defense team seeks to 'confuse' the jury over its reliability. DNA is set to be at the center of the grisly murder case in which Kohberger, 28, is accused of stabbing to death four University of Idaho students in a savage attack last year. His attorneys have sought to sully methods used by the FBI that led them to their suspect - and even suggested Kohberger's DNA could have been planted by detectives. The defense has honed in on the modern technique used by prosecutors - genetic genealogy - describing it as a 'bizarrely complex DNA tree experiment'. The method was key to unlocking the case, as prior to that breakthrough police had scant evidence to help them identify a suspect. Bryan Kohberger's defense team has sought to sully the genealogical methods investigators used to identify him as the prime suspect in the murders of four university students last year Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder in the first degree. Victims (L-R) Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders) Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were fatally stabbed last November DNA found on a knife sheath left at the murder scene has proved crucial to the prosecution It is set to catapult the science behind Kohberger's arrest into the mainstream, with the American public fixated on the upcoming trial. But experts have told DailyMail.com that the defense's tactics reek of desperation, with one stating: 'they don't have much'. How investigators found their suspect Kohberger is accused of stabbing to death students Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022. Detectives found a Ka-Bar knife sheath on the bed with the bodies of Mogen and Goncalves. The sheath was partially under Mogen's body and the comforter on the bed, according to court documents filed on June 16. DNA found on the sheath failed to produce any matches on the FBI database of previous offenders, so investigators commissioned a private lab to search it against publicly available genealogy databases, similar to sites such as AncestryDNA. Investigators then built a family tree of hundreds of relatives 'using the same tools and methods used by members of the public who wish to learn more about their ancestors', the filing said. This exercise prompted the FBI to send a tip to local law enforcement to investigate Kohberger. After collecting trash from the suspect's parents' home in the Pocono Mountains, a familial match from Mr Kohberger's father was made to the knife sheath, according to the criminal affidavit. Investigators later took a cheek swab taken from the suspect himself, which was was found to be a 'statistical match' to the DNA collected from the knife sheath. The profile 'is at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be seen if (the) Defendant is the source than if an unrelated individual randomly selected from the general population is the source', prosecutors said in the filing. An octillion is a number equal to a 1 followed by 27 zeros. Kohberger's attorneys have honed in on the technique prosecutors used to identify him as a suspect - genetic genealogy - describing it as a 'bizarrely complex DNA tree experiment' Kohberger enters a courtroom to appear at a hearing in Latah County District Court Best friends Kaylee Goncalvez, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, were months away from receiving their degrees at the University of Idaho when they were killed 'The evidence is damning' READ MORE: How DNA and genetic genealogy has helped crack some of the most notorious cold cases and capture monsters like the Golden State Killer and Grim Sleeper DNA was first used to help investigate a criminal case in 1986 and since then, hundreds of cases have been solved thanks to genealogy research advances... Joseph James DeAngelo, now 77, a former cop who eluded authorities for years as the Golden State Killer is serving multiple consecutive life sentences for sadistic rapes and murders Advertisement Kohberger's defense team have launched a multi-pronged attack on this evidence, questioning the reliability of the genealogical mapping, demanding prosecutors show their workings and even suggesting the suspect's DNA could have been planted by an investigator. In a June 22 filing, attorney Jay Weston Logsdon, described genetic genealogy as a 'bizarrely complex DNA experiment', adding that there was 'no explanation for the total lack of DNA evidence from the victims in Mr. Kohberger's apartment, office, home or vehicle'. 'Rather than seeing it as some sort of complex tree building that led to him, it appears far more like a lineup where the government was already aware of who they wanted to target,' Logsdon said. The attorney also said the defense was unaware of what, if any, testing was conducted on the DNA of another man that was found on a glove outside the home where the murders took place, as well as DNA of two other men found in the house. Last month, the defense submitted an affidavit by DNA expert Dr Leah Larkin, echoing their concerns. Dr Larkin explained that at-home genealogy tests such as AncestryDNA and 23andM are not as reliable as tests conducted by specialized laboratories. 'A poor quality kit might have too few matches or it just might have phantom matches that are not real measures of relationship,' the document reads. Dr Larkin cited one example that has nearly 20 possible relationship lines listed for a match, which is considered a close match. But Rachel Fiset, a criminal defense attorney and managing partner of Zweiback, Fiset & Zalduendo, said their argument was undermined by the fact that prosecutors had secured a direct, statistical match from the suspect to the knife sheath, subsequent to their genealogical mapping. 'The DNA evidence is pretty damning,' Fiset told DailyMail.com. 'It's so unlikely to be someone else. That's why the defense team has to pick at the method used to find the DNA evidence, so the jury might feel like this family tree method might not work and so you should ignore the results that followed from there.' Genetic genealogy has become an increasingly common method for identifying suspects in recent years - so much so that some defense teams do not choose to question it. Fiset said Kohberger's attorneys were having to do so because 'they don't have much'. She added that they likely saw it as a necessary step because juries tend to find DNA evidence 'fairly credible' and 'give it a lot of weight'. How genetic genealogy can go awry But Kohberger may be seeking to capitalize on past controversies surrounding the use of genetic genealogy in murder cases. Greg Hampikian, a biology and criminal justice professor at Boise State University, knows first hand how things can go wrong. The founder of the Idaho Innocence Project worked on one of the first cases to use genetic genealogy, which helped exonerate Chris Tapp after he had been wrongfully convicted of murdering 18-year-old Angie Dodge in 1996. Tapp was convicted in 1998, but his case was reopened more than a decade later after the slain teen's mother asked investigators to reexamine the case following advances in DNA analysis and genetic genealogy. Hampikian's team worked with Idaho Falls police to compare DNA found at the crime scene to a public genealogy database owned by Ancestry.com, which provided them with a close match, to Michael Usry Sr., who had donated his DNA to a nonprofit organization conducting a hereditary study backed by the Mormon church. Investigators turned to his son, Michael Usry Jr., because he matched the profile of the suspect. The defense team has filed an affidavit by Dr Leah Larkin, an expert on the subject from California At a previous hearing, one of the victims' family members was spotted wearing a pro-death penalty shirt Police showed up at his doorstep in New Orleans in December 2014, armed with a warrant for his DNA. He was interrogated for six hours before he gave blood for a DNA sample - and he remained under suspicion for weeks. But his DNA was eventually found not to be a match. Hampikian told DailyMail.com that genealogical testing has led to the wrong initial suspect 'a number of times'. 'They're the right age, the right family, they may have been in the town the victim was found in,' he said. 'Someone can end up being a suspect in a violent crime, like Michael Usry Jr., and that can be disturbing and scary.' Years after Usry Jr.'s unfortunate brush with the law, a new team used more sophisticated genetic genealogy methods to lead them to another suspect, Brian Leigh Dripps Sr., who ultimately confessed to Dodge's murder in 2021. Dripps' genealogy revealed he was likely one of six male descendants of Clarence Ussery - a surname variation of Usry - and a distant relative of Michael Usry Jr. Investigators can get 'tunnel vision' This gives credence to concerns over the method used to mark Kohberger as a suspect. Hampikian said investigators can get 'tunnel vision' off the back of genealogical testing. Ultimately, however, while Usry Jr.'s DNA sample did not provide a match to the crime scene, Kohberger's did. 'They're throwing things at the wall,' Fiset said. 'They're going to get somebody on the stand to say a lot of scientific words that are confusing. Confusion of the jury is their best hope.' She added that questions over the reliability of the genetic genealogy would have been more relevant prior to the suspects arrest and subsequent DNA testing. A genealogical match alone is generally not considered sufficient grounds for arrest. Kohberger's lawyers have already suggested investigators allowed themselves to be penned in by the genealogy results and have asked for an explanation as to how they came to identify Kohberger's car - a white Hyundai Elantra - which was caught on surveillance footage repeatedly driving past the students' rental home around the night of the killings. The defense has claimed Kohberger, who had been studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, had a habit of 'going for drives alone at night' and did so on the night of the killings. His lawyers also hinted in the latest hearing that they will question the qualifications of some of the investigators. Kohberger is being held at Latah County Jail in Moscow, Idaho, on first degree murder and burglary charges. His trial was set to begin on October 2, but has since been delayed after Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty should he be convicted. The Astor family were once the wealthiest family in the US - and even today the name still dominates New York City , from Astor Place in Greenwich Village to Astoria in Queens. The dynasty began with John Jacob Astor, an immigrant from Germany who exploited the beaver fur trade to become America's first multi-millionaire in the late 1700s. He used his fortune to purchase 70 acres of prime Manhattan real estate including the areas surrounding Times Square and along the Hudson River. By the time he died aged 84 in 1848, he was worth $30million equivalent to over $1billion today. His descendants grew their wealth for generations, buying much of the land New York City is built on before one family member decided to give half away after learning the Astors were 'slumlords'. The story of the family's controversial rise to the top, a fight between siblings over inheritance and a plot to loot the $200million fortune of one member has been detailed in a new book titled Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune. The Astor dynasty began with John Jacob Astor, an immigrant from Germany who exploited the beaver fur trade to become America's first multi-millionaire in the late 1700s. His descendants grew their wealth for generations, buying much of the land New York City is built on before one family member decided to give half away after learning the Astors were 'slumlords' The story of the family's controversial rise to the top, a fight between siblings over inheritance and a plot to loot the $200million fortune of one member has been detailed in a new book titled Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune John Jacob moved to America after the Revolutionary War in November 1783 and quickly monopolized the fur industry, founding the Pacific Fur Company. He started off buying up all the fur he could before heading up into the wilderness of upstate New York and parts of Canada where he picked up indigenous languages and amassed his fortune. The new book written by journalist Anderson Cooper and historian Katherine Howe highlights how the businessman was ruthless and controversially used alcohol to get the better of indigenous during trades. 'He saw the huge markups that beaver fur could get you know, 600, 700, 800 percent markups,' Cooper told CBS News. 'He would screw over the traders that worked for him. They would have to buy them at marked-up prices. 'So then, their incentive was to screw over the Indigenous populations who they were trading beaver pelts from.' John Jacob later began diversifying his assets and had purchased his first building by the time he was 26 years old, continuing to add to his real estate portfolio by snapping up neglected orchards and farmland along the Hudson River until until his death at age 84 in 1848. At 40 years old, he purchased 70 acres of prime Manhattan real estate that later became Times Square, running from 42nd and 46th Streets between Broadway and the Hudson River. Before he died, John Jacob expressed his only regret was that he did not buy more land in Manhattan. 'There's a famous quote, you know, "Had I to do it over again, I would have, you know, put every nickel I had in New York real estate,"' Cooper added. The next chapter in the Astor family history features his son William Backhouse Astor who earned the nickname 'the landlord of New York' because he further built on his father's empire. The next chapter in the Astor family history features his son William Backhouse Astor who earned the nickname 'the landlord of New York' because he further built on his father's empire William Backhouse's son William Backhouse Astor Jr married a prominent Dutch socialite of staid respectability named Caroline Schermerhorn Astor Caroline was the epitome of 'old money' and ruled over New York society's 'Four Hundred' during the Gilded Age as its primary gatekeeper The Astor family name is referenced in New York City infrastructure including Astor Place subway station which includes a Beaver mosaic to reference the origins of their money They made their money on the slums built on their land and the buildings had little ventilation with many families living in the same room in shocking conditions. Cooper said: 'The Astors were slumlords, there's no doubt about it. They would rent out the land to a sub-landlord. And that sub-landlord's business was to build whatever building they wanted on that land. 'But within 20 years or so, the lease would be up and anything built on that land would revert to the Astor Family. So, there was no incentive for any sub-landlord to keep up a building.' Rent earned from these properties funded the Astor family for generations and their name is referenced in New York City infrastructure including Astor Place subway station, which includes a Beaver mosaic to reference the origins of their money. William Backhouse's son William Backhouse Astor Jr married a prominent Dutch socialite of staid respectability named Caroline Schermerhorn Astor. She was the epitome of 'old money' and ruled over New York society's 'Four Hundred' during the Gilded Age as its primary gatekeeper. Caroline recognized early of the importance of money in a country without landed aristocracy. She wielded her social influence as a kingmaker and arbiter of taste with liveried servants, French art, French chefs and imported china. She divided society into two categories. Old money pedigrees (like her own) were called 'nobs', while the nouveau riche arrivistes were 'swells' - those who were ready to lavish their fortunes on social climbing. John Jacob Astor IV continued to build on the Astor name and made millions in real estate He died in the Titanic disaster and was depicted in the 1997 James Cameron film and played by actor Eric Braeden The Astors' estate on Fifth Avenue in the Upper East Side Astor Place in New York City which is named after the famous family William Backhouse Astor Jr and Caroline's son John Jacob Astor IV helped build the famous Waldorf-Astoria hotel which came as a result of the end of a bitter family feud. John Jacob Astor IV continued to build on the Astor name and made millions in real estate. He used some of his wealth to purchase first class tickets for him and his pregnant wife on the doomed Titanic in April 1912 - where they were the wealthiest passengers onboard. The ship sank four days into the maiden voyage from Southampton to New York after striking an iceberg. John Jacob Astor IV's wife, 18-year-old socialite Madeleine Talmage Force climbed onboard a lifeboat. He asked if he could join her because she was in 'a delicate condition' but he was told no men were allowed to board until all women and children had been loaded. He ultimately died in the disaster aged 47 along with almost 1,500 other passengers. His wife survived and later gave birth to their son John Jacob Astor VI. John Jacob Astor IV was famously depicted in the 1997 James Cameron film Titanic and was played by actor Eric Braeden. John Jacob Astor IV left $69million of his $85million estate, equivalent to approximately $2.6billion in 2022, to his eldest son William Vincent Astor (right) who became the richest man in America William Vincent died of a heart attack in February 1959 and left all the money to the foundation and his widow Brooke Astor running it John Jacob Astor VI (pictured with his wife Ellen Tuck French), born after their father died in the Titanic disaster, felt cheated and sued his half-brother William Vincent over the inheritance He left $69million of his $85million estate, equivalent to approximately $2.6billion in 2022, to his eldest son William Vincent Astor who became the richest man in America. But the Astor heir was not happy with how his family had generated the wealth and decided to give much of it away by putting it in a foundation named after himself. 'Vincent Astor realized, "Wait a minute. We're slumlords?" He was not happy to learn this,' Cooper said. William Vincent sold off some of the family's assets and started the charity with the mission of bettering human kind. He died of a heart attack in February 1959 and left all the money to the foundation and his widow Brooke Astor running it. His half-brother John Jacob Astor VI, who was born after their father died in the Titanic disaster, felt cheated and sued. He insisted that William Vincent, who died childless, was 'mentally incompetent' when signing his final will in 1958. John Jacob Astor VI accused Brooke of using alcohol to influence the will in her favor but eventually settled for $250,000- equivalent to around $2.5million in 2022. Brooke turned the $60million he left behind for charity into almost $195million through real estate and stock investments and donated it all by 1997 when she turned 100. She separately lived on $60million which her husband left for personal use and that sustained her high society Manhattan lifestyle. William Vincent is said to have smoke and drank a huge amount and was unpleasant to be around. 'In that five-and-a-half years of often miserable marriage, she put up with a lot, and she inherited all of Vincent Astor's money, and she rehabilitated the Astor name.' Brooke turned the $60million he left behind for charity into almost $195million through real estate and stock investments and donated it all by 2002 when she turned 100 Brooke's son Anthony Marshall, from a previous marriage, was convicted in October 2009 of exploiting his mother's dementia to loot her $200million fortune in the final years of her life Marshall, pictured with his mother Brooke (center) in 2002, left her fortune to his third wife Charlene (right) in his will Journalist Anderson Cooper wrote the book titled Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune alongside historian Katherine Howe But she embraced being a philanthropist and 'focused on giving back to New York City'. 'And she would dress up in her fur coats and her Chanel, and she would go to housing projects and homeless shelters, 'cause she wanted to see how the money she was giving would be spent. That was Brooke Astor,' Cooper said. Brooke's son Anthony Marshall, from a previous marriage, was convicted in October 2009 of exploiting his mother's dementia to loot her $200million fortune in the final years of her life. Prosecutors said that after her Alzheimer's diagnosis, he bought himself lavish gifts, including a $920,000 yacht, with her money. He also took valuable artwork off her walls and engineered changes to her will that gave him control of most of her estate, including millions previously earmarked for her favorite charities. Marshall was sentenced to one to three years in prison - but years of appeals and legal wrangling off his sentence for years and he eventually started serving time in June 2013. He was granted medical parole just two months later due to ill health. Brooke eventually died in August 2007 aged 105 while Marshall died in November 2014 aged 90. His widow inherit the remainder of his family's riches after he cut both of his sons out of his will for helping send him to prison. Charlene Marshall and her three children inherited an estimated $14.5 million that once belonged to her mother-in-law. Brooke had contemptuously referred to his son's third wife as 'Miss Piggy' and 'that b****'. The Vincent Astor Foundation was shut in 1997 having donated more than $195million of the Astor family wealth over almost 40 years. Brooke donated the majority of her remaining wealth when she died. Around $100million was dispensed to various charities, including New York parks, museums and schools in 2012. Newkirk claimed they violated violated discrimination laws in the Fair Housing Act by failing to respond to her or not providing adequate help She sent emails to them in June 2021 requesting help finding Section 8 housing, which is a federal government voucher program that helps poor families A black woman has sued a leading real estate company and 35 of its realtors for discrimination after allegedly failing to help her find low income housing. Shaniqua Newkirk filed the lawsuit in a New York City federal court last month against Douglas Elliman and its agents over claims they violated discrimination laws in the Fair Housing Act. She sent emails to the luxury realtors in June 2021 requesting help to find Section 8 housing, which is a federal government voucher program that helps poor families, the elderly or the disabled afford housing in the private market. But Newkirk claims the agents either failed to respond or did not provide adequate help. She claims Douglas Elliman realtor Madeline Hult Elghanayan told her: 'I only specialize in luxury real estate transactions' while others did not know what a Section 8 housing voucher was. Douglas Elliman strenuously denied the allegations in a statement that said: 'We will be challenging the merits of these predatory and baseless claims.' A black woman has sued a leading real estate company and its realtors including Noble Black (left) and Holly Parker (right) for discrimination after allegedly failing to help her find low income housing Shaniqua Newkirk claims Douglas Elliman realtor Madeline Hult Elghanayan (pictured) told her 'I only specialize in luxury real estate transactions' while others did not know what a Section 8 housing voucher was Newkirk filed the lawsuit in a New York City federal court last month against property company Douglas Elliman and its real estate agents over claims they violated discrimination laws in the Fair Housing Act Newkirk said when she tried to find agents to help her use her Section 8 voucher in spring but drew a blank. She then found a list of New York Citys most successful agents and brokers who she contacted for support. However, 'Newkirk was unable to secure alternative housing prior to the expiration of her voucher,' according to the lawsuit. It added that she was 'forced to remain in a decrepit rodent and vermin-infested apartment'. The lawsuit lists Douglas Elliman agents Noble Black, Holly Parker, Frances Katzen, Lauren Muss, Elana Schoppmann, Diane Johnson, Eleonora Srugo, Ann Cutbill Lenane and Janna Raskopf as those who failed to help Newkirk. Elghanayan and Jennifer Kalish as well as former employees Tamir Shemesh and Tal and Oren Alexander were also named in the suit. In one of the messages included in the complaint, Elghanayan told Newkirk: 'I only specialize in luxury real estate transactions and dont even know what sec 8 means..' Fellow realtor Johnson asked her: 'I really dont know what Sec 8 voucher is?' While Kalish said: 'At this moment I dont have any landlords or owners that are accepting Section 8. But I will keep you in mind if anything comes to mind.' The suit also claims Douglas Elliman is in violation of city laws which require it to 'prominently and conspicuously' display a link to the Fair Housing and Anti-Discrimination notice on its website. 'Only at the very end of the homepage in tiny font under the heading of State Disclosures is a link to the Fair Housing and Anti-Discrimination Notice,' it states. 'Defendants are more concerned with their luxury brand than they are with following the law.' 'I basically was named for not responding to an email,' realtor Srugo told The Real Deal. 'And when I search my inbox, I dont have any record of ever receiving it.' Documents submitted by Newkirk show she sent emails her on June 14 and June 15, 2021 but received no response. The lawsuit lists Douglas Elliman agent Frances Katzen (left) and Elana Schoppmann (right) as among those who failed to help Newkirk Newkirk sent emails to Douglas Elliman realtors in June 2021 requesting help to find Section 8 housing, which is a federal government voucher program that helps poor families, the elderly or the disabled afford housing in the private market. Real estate agents who did not answer include Douglas Elliman employees Jane Powers, Neal Sroka, Joshua Lieberman, Rachel Medalie, Elena Sarkissian, Katzen, Muss, Bruce Erhmann and Eileen Hsu. Former realtors Sarah Burke, who now works for Compass, and the Alexander brothers, who left to start their own company called Official, were also listed as not replying. Another Cybele Kadagian, who now works with Sothebys, offered to help Newkirk but she did not respond to her email. She wrote: 'Yes, landlords do accept Section 8. I do not currently have any of these apts. What are you willing to spend and what area?' Shemesh, who left for Nest Seekers, said: 'Of course we are willing to help. How many bedrooms are you looking for and how much are you looking to spend?' Newkirk highlighted that she was looking for a one-bedroom flat and her voucher was for up to $1,705 per month but the agent did not reply to that email or a follow up. She also asked Parker if she had any apartments that would take on Section 8 vouchers but Parker responded: 'Im sorry but I dont have access to those.' Jason Walker, Emily Sertic and Andrew Azoulay, who works at Bespoke, told Newkirk they did not have any listings that were accepting vouchers. Lenane told her: 'I wish that I could help you but I know that Section 8 housing right now its so hard to find and I never deal with it at all but good luck with your search.' Licensed Douglas Elliman brokers Kari Kaplan, Wendy E. Sanders, Lauren Litt, Jaqueline Teplitzky, Andrew Anderson and Suzan Kremer are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit. Company executives including general counsel Kenneth Haber, Long Island CEO Ann Conroy and executive vice president of residential leasing Hal D. Gavzie are also named in the lawsuit. 'Douglas Elliman has a zero tolerance policy towards unfair and illegal treatment of any individual or group,' a spokesman for Douglas Elliman said. 'We pride ourselves on our mandatory agent training program that is inclusive of rigorous fair housing law education.' Former employees Tamir Shemesh, who left for Nest Seekers, was named in the suit and initially responded to Newkirk but did not reply to another email or a follow up, according to the lawsuit Realtor Lauren Muss is listed as one of the agents who did not respond to Newkirk's inquiry Oren and Tal Alexander, who left to start their own company called Official, are said to have not responded to Newkirk Douglas Elliman denied the allegations in a statement and said: 'We will be challenging the merits of these predatory and baseless claims' Craig Gurian, an attorney who specializes in fair housing, said violations are judged on whether the agents respond to a person the same way they normally would with another client. Realtors who told Newkirk they did not have apartments which qualify for Section 8 or said they did not work in that sector could be found guilty of a violation for not referring her to a colleague who does. Those who did not reply could also be found to have violated fair housing laws if it is found they would respond to other client inquiries. Douglas Elliman was previously named in an investigation on fair housing violations on Long Island. A report in 2019 outlined pervasive discrimination against people of color who posed as property buyers. It triggered a state probe where 67 agents and executives were issued with subpoenas. Some of the cases against agents did not hold up but the state passed legislation in 2020 which allowed the government to take away real estate licenses for discrimination. New York City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development revealed in March that it will spend $3.1million to prevent source-of-income discrimination. This is where owners or brokers turn tenants away for wanting to pay with vouchers or other assistance. Dailymail.com has contacted Douglas Elliman and Newkirks attorney Steven Siegel for comment. A dog-walker suffered gruesome injuries after an American Bulldog attacked her on Valentine's Day. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, care administrator Laura Walker, 40, from Epping, revealed how the savage beast - soon to be banned under UK law - tore her arm apart in a frenzied attack. The Essex woman was walking her two-year-old miniature goldendoodle Teddy when the vicious American Bulldog raced out of a neighbour's house and pounced on her dog. When she bravely tried to rescue Teddy, the crazed American Bulldog turned its fangs on Laura, plunging them deep into her left forearm. Laura Walker, 40, was left with three gruesome gashes in her left forearm after she was attacked by an American Bulldog After the attack, officers from Essex Police rushed her to Harlow hospital and that evening she was transferred to Chelmsford for emergency microsurgery to reconstruct her arm She had to visit hospital once a week for two months and still has a nasty scar where the American Bulldog bit her Laura told MailOnline the pain was 'excruciating' and revealed she lost 60 per cent of the muscles in her forearm because of the attack. She said: 'Their [American Bulldog] ran out, grabbed hold of our dog and got hold of his tail. 'I bent down towards it. I could have lost my arm if I had pushed away from it. 'I was screaming, "Get off my f***ing dog." '[The pain] was excruciating. I couldn't feel my hand. I couldn't feel my lips. She said: '[The pain] was excruciating. I couldn't feel my hand. I couldn't feel my lips.' Pictured: The dog also bit other parts of her arm Pictured: Laura's arm after the attack 'I was walking away and then felt I needed to lie down. 'The police showed up in minutes. I was starting to lose consciousness.' Officers from Essex Police rushed her to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and that evening she was transferred to Chelmsford for emergency microsurgery to reconstruct her arm. Laura lives near the scene of her attack with her partner. Her ten-year-old stepdaughter often comes to stay and walks Teddy on the street near their home. Laura said: 'When she came and saw me in hospital I got really upset because it could have been her.' After her operation, her wound got infected. She said: 'It was oozing, pouring with blood. I would wake up and the bed was soaking with blood.' It took her months to recover. She lost 60 per cent of the muscle in her left forearm, which left her unable to grip anything. She had to visit hospital once a week for two months and still has a nasty scar where the American Bulldog bit her. Laura said: 'These attacks are becoming more and more common. 'I feel so angry - it rises up when I see the frequency of these attacks. Laura said: 'People should know what those dogs are capable of. Something needs to be done' She added: 'You can't have a dog like that and leave your door open. If that door was shut it would never have happened' There were 101 dog attacks in Essex the same month that Laura was bitten, according to a Freedom of Information request Only five dogs were put down as a result but the American Bulldog that bit her was not one of them 'For three days afterwards I couldn't feel my arm. 'I couldn't even hold a cup of tea.' What should you do if a a dog bites you? If a dog bites you and isn't letting go, move into the dog's mouth, rather than trying to pull out of it, to stop tearing. Keep the dog from shaking its head or your body if they do not release. Wash the wound and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Source: Wbur and PDSA Advertisement There were 101 dog attacks in Essex the same month that Laura was bitten, according to a Freedom of Information request. Only five dogs were put down as a result but the American Bulldog that bit her was not one of them. In fact, the dog may still be returned to its owner. Laura added: 'People should know what those dogs are capable of. 'I'm not anti-dogs. 'The people that own them are irresponsible. 'Something needs to be done. I know a few people that have got them. 'You can't have a dog like that and leave your door open. 'If that door was shut it would never have happened. 'I don't want people to lose their dogs. It's entirely down to the owners. I can't leave my road without passing their house. 'It's given me a phobia. I have got PTSD from it. I'm waiting through the NHS for therapy.' An Essex Police spokesperson said: 'An extensive investigation followed this incident, including seeking an expert assessment of the dog in question, which has been made available to the court. 'Joanne Tram, 39, of Blenheim Square, North Weald, was subsequently charged with being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. 'She entered a guilty plea to this charge at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 21 August and is due to be sentenced at Colchester Magistrates Court on 30 January 2024.' Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to ban the XL Bully by the end of the year in response to a series of attacks, which could see owners having to neuter their dogs and muzzle them in public to prevent further violent attacks. The decision to ban the XL Bully has sparked outrage from some owners who massed in London last week to protest at Mr Sunak's plans. The muscular mutts have become public enemy number one in the dog world after a series of attacks by the powerful beasts in recent months. The breed is set to be banned by the end of the year following a series of attacks, including that of father-of-two Ian Price from Staffordshire, who was killed by two XL Bullies after they jumped out of a neighbour's window earlier this month. Owners are in a panic and abandoning their pets, or begging vets to change official records to say 'Staffies' because they're worried their dogs will be put down. Most say their dogs are completely safe and insist it is the minority of the animals which are actually dangerous. But while the owners were out in force in London they did not have any of their pets with them. Before the event, the message went out: 'Please do not take your dogs to protest. People take part in a protest in central London, against the Government's decision to add XL bully dogs to the list of prohibited breed One of the placards read 'Don't bully our bullies' while another declared 'stop bullying our best friends' An extremely provocative t-shirt featured a photoshopped picture of the Prime Minister American XL Bully dogs will be banned in the UK by the end of the year 'The police will antagonise and seize your dog.' They are understood to have taken the decision due to the mix of fears the dogs could be taken and an obvious PR disaster possibility if one became aggressive. Many of the protesters held banners aloft as they marched on Parliament to promote their cause. One of the placards read 'Don't bully our bullies' while another declared 'stop bullying our best friends'. A woman who escaped a 'house of horrors' where her father is accused of murdering three babies from an incestuous relationship with one daughter and the rape of another says he is 'a monster, not a man.' Kasia Gierasik, who has down syndrome, fled the house in the village of Czerniki two-and-a-half years ago after suffering years of abuse. Last week, her father Piotr Gierasik, 54, and her 20-year-old sister Paulina were charged with incest and murder after police found the dead babies in the basement. Prosecutors say that two of the newborns were from the father's incestuous relationship with Paulina, and that a third was from an older sister who he is accused of raping. Now, speaking from a shelter run by a local priest, Kasia Gierasik told Poland's TVN Uwaga programme: 'I am worried about my sisters. Because they were sleeping with our father. Kasia Gierasik (pictured in blue speaking to a reporter),who has down syndrome, fled the house in the village of Czerniki two-and-a-half years ago after suffering years of abuse Piotr Gierasik (pictured), 54, and her 20-year-old sister Paulina were charged with incest and murder after police found the dead babies in the basement Paulina Gierasik, 20 (pictured), was arrested along with her father Piotr after the babies' remains were discovered in shallow graves and wrapped in plastic bags at the property in the village of Czerniki This is a picture of the home where three dead babies were tragically found in the basement 'He used to beat me. I'm glad it's over. I never want to see him again. [If I did] I would simply say: What have you done?!? Nothing else. 'He is a monster, not a man.' Arriving in the small village of less than 200 people 25 years ago, jobless Piotr began claiming benefits for two of his disabled children. At the same time he is said to have raped the oldest daughter before he began sleeping with his youngest daughter Paulina. Meanwhile, he physically abused Kasia and her mentally disabled brother Damian. Delivering all of his late wife's eight sons and four daughters, by the time of the arrests all but Paulina and Damian had left. Father Czesaw Marchewicz who runs the Osada Burego Misia shelter where Kasia now lives said: 'She came here completely neglected, her hair was a mess and her broken glasses were taped together with plasters. 'It turned out that they were broken after her father beat her. 'It was a concentration camp. Those girls and children with disabilities were earning for him. That's why he never wanted to let Kasia and Damian leave, he never worked from what I know. Kasia Gierasik (muzzed) told Poland 's TVN Uwaga programme: 'I am worried about my sisters. Because they were sleeping with our father.' Father Czesaw Marchewicz (pictured) who runs the Osada Burego Misia shelter where Kasia now lives said: 'She came here completely neglected, her hair was a mess and her broken glasses were taped together with plasters.' Piotr, 54, and Paulina Gierasik, 20, allegedly dumped all three of the incest-born children in their basement The front door has been shut as Polish police continue their investigation According to prosecutors, two of the murdered children came from his relationship with the 20-year-old who they say was in a consensual relationship with her father Moving to the village around 15 years ago, Piotr was left to bring up his children after his wife died 'They provided him with a living. As far as I know, he didn't work himself. '[But] the dad bought [Paulina] cosmetics, clothes, good food, they had a room with a TV in it, it was the best decorated room, but the other children couldn't watch it. 'When the dad left the house, he locked the room so that no one could use it. There was a sofa bed and on that sofa bed they [he and Paulina] slept together. 'The fridge was also locked and only her father and Paulina could use it.' He added that Kasia and her brother Damian were fed nothing but cold rice and groats. Damian was still living in the house at the time of the arrests. An employee of the local community centre said: 'Piotr wore designer clothes, he bought perfumes for Paulina, but Damian was wearing ragged old trousers. 'He was so malnourished that when he came to our centre he could eat four meals. There were times when he slept on benches behind the village community centre. He didn't deserve such treatment. 'He has a very good heart. After returning from the centre, before he entered the house, he always went to get food and feed the dogs. 'He didn't start talking until he was seven. When he was little, he liked to sit on my lap. His father then started shouting that he had to come in, but I told him to stay. 'On the day when the bodies of the babies were found Damian sat on a bench next to me. He said he was being treated badly and insulted and would have to move out. 'He also told me that his sister and father do 'that'.' As the village continues to reel from the shock revelations, neighbours now say the death of Piotr's former wife Hanna was 'suspicious'. One called Slawomira said: 'Hanna cared about the children very much. She once confided to me that Piotr climbs into their daughters' bed at night. 'I told her to report it, but she was afraid. She even said that if she did he might kill her. She herself was his victim. She was beaten up. She had bruises on her arms, legs and black eyes. Police work at the site where the bodies of three newborns were discovered in the basement of a house in Czerniki, municipality of Stara Kiszewa in Kashubia, northern Poland, September 16, 2023 Police were seen searching the property to see if any more bodies are hidden in the house 'At first she was quite plump, but then she became thinner and thinner. He probably stuffed her with some pills. 'He also bought her spirits [cheap vodka], the kind in plastic bottles, to get rid of her. 'He finished her off. They took her to the hospital. We only found out that she turned yellow and then died there. Another told MailOnline: 'She was never sick, but suddenly she lost weight, her hair fell out, she was hospitalised and never came out alive. 'Her death was never explained, I don't believe she just died like that, she was only 38 years old.' As the police continue to probe the dark world of Piotr and Paulina Gierasik, villagers say that he is also the father of twins born to his third daughter. They are now speculating about whether an area of marshy land close to the house of horrors could hide more bodies. One villager told Fakt newspaper: 'Apparently the police checked the entire area thoroughly. They walked everywhere. 'However, I suspect that this marshy area next to these people's house, which we call 'mud', may hide more remains of children. People like this could have done anything.' It has also emerged that since being in custody, Paulina has defended her relationship with her father, saying she didn't think there was anything wrong. According to Fakt newspaper, a source 'close to the investigation' said: 'This is shocking and downright terrible. 'This woman defends her father at all costs, claims that everything is fine and that there is nothing wrong with being in a relationship with her father. 'She is downright rude and arrogant. This is about the death of children, and she shows no remorse. She behaves as if this was normal.' Police work at the site where the bodies of three newborns were discovered in the basement of a house in Czerniki, municipality of Stara Kiszewa in Kashubia, northern Poland Paulina was often seen walking around the village hand-in-hand with her father as if they were a couple. The peculiar relationship between the two was reported to prosecutors 12 years ago. As the MailOnline found out, the father and daughter were said to have been seen choosing perfumes together on rare outings to a local shop and calling each other, 'Darling'. Others have described hearing the sound of 'moaning and screaming' coming from their rundown brick and stone built house beside a boggy field on the outskirts of Czerniki. A local man called Zdzislaw told the TVN Uwaga programme: 'I was a witness, I was questioned under oath. 'I said then that Piotr's older daughter was pregnant. I was treated like a piece of shit, as if I was a 15 or 16-year-old child who had made this up. 'But they behaved like a couple, an engaged couple. It was the same with the older daughter and the one who is now in custody. 'These are the same mechanisms, the same behaviours. For sure these two dead babies could have been avoided.' But prosecutors failed to pick up on the danger signs. Kasia said: 'When the prosecutor came, we had to sit quietly and not say anything, my father was just telling his tales.' Despite probation officers being appointed to oversee the family and Piotr being told to take 'parenting classes', court spokesman ukasz Zioa said: 'Based on the information provided by the district court, there were no grounds to form suspicions 'In 2011 the court had to rely on information from the prosecutor's office which did not provide grounds for investigating these types of allegations.' Stunned local mayor Marian Pick said: 'I don't know how this man was able to stage all this. 'He's a monster, not a father.' Thestatuesque blonde was spotted standing at the deli counter of Gelson's supermarket in Westlake Village, California, talking on her cell phone while she waited to be helped. 'We need to see the trust!' she said emphatically, 'Once we get that we'll look it over but you have to get your hands on a copy ASAP.' Wearing a hot pink camisole, tight black leggings, biker boots, and carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag, it was hard to miss the woman wheeling and dealing as she stocked up on groceries. Full of energy, she got tired of just standing and waiting at the counter. She began to push her cart in a tight circle around the aisles and then return to the deli. Erin Erin What her fellow shoppers didn't realize is that the restless dynamo is probably the most famous activist of our time and had an Oscar winning movie made about her life more than 20 years ago. After checking out, she ditched the shopping cart and instead carried her four bags full of food to her car, showing off some impressive biceps. So, did you guess her identity? The incredibly fit woman is none other than famed legal eagle and environmental activist Erin Brockovich, now 63-years-old and living in nearby Agoura Hills. Erin, once an unemployed single mother of three, rose to fame in 1993 as a whistleblower, exposing Pacific Gas & Electric for groundwater contamination in and around the town of Hinkley, California. As a paralegal she was instrumental in the town's lawsuit against the utility company. The case later settled with an award of $333 million to the town, with Brockovich receiving $2.5 million for her work. A few years later Hollywood came knocking and her life was turned into a big screen movie with Julia Roberts in the lead role. Erin even had a cameo in the movie playing a waitress called Julia. Much was made of Erin's sexy way of dressing to get attention, and to get information from sources. Julia, playing Erin, could be seen with a push up bra, and a child on her hip as she worked over paper pushing clerks in her quest for justice. Julia Roberts emphasized Erin's penchant for low-cut tops in the 2000 movie Nearly a quarter century after the movie Erin Brockovich's release, its namesake still dresses sexy and has a strong presence. A photograph of Erin was included in a 2014 exhibition called The Boomer List at the Newseum in Washington, DC Brockovich addressed a rally against the federal government's support for an alleged polluter on Capitol Hill in 2014 'We need to see the trust!' she said into her phone while shopping. 'Once we get that we'll look it over but you have to get your hands on a copy ASAP' The movie Erin Brockovich earned four Academy Awards in 2000, including Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Supporting Actor (Albert Finney) and of course, Best Actress for Roberts. Now, nearly a quarter century after the film's release, its namesake still dresses sexy and has a strong presence. But it hasn't all been a Hollywood fairy tale ending for Brockovich. Erin's shocking mug shot made headlines around the world. It showed her with severe sunburn and red marks near her eyes after her arrest for boating unde the influence In 2013, DailyMail.com reported that she was arrested for a DUI while boating on Lake Mead, Nevada. Her shocking mug shot made headlines around the world. It showed her with severe sunburn and red marks near her eyes. It was later revealed that her blood was at twice the legal limit. She quickly apologized for the incident in a statement, 'At no point was the boat away from the dock and there was no public safety risk. That being said, I take drunk driving very seriously, this was clearly a big mistake. After a day in the sun and with nothing to eat it appears that a couple of drinks had a greater impact than I realized.' She made headlines in February for voicing her concern over the citizens of East Palestine, Ohio, after a massive freight train derailment that caused hazardous waste to be released into and above the area. After visiting the disaster site twice, she said it was like nothing she had ever seen before. 'I've been doing this for 30 years now, and the lack of information that has not been given to these people, that they've been almost left here, not knowing what's going on, where to go, what to do, who to turn to, their fear. I mean all of it feels very remnant to me, of what happened in Hinkley.' Erin Brockovich has been married three times to Shawn Brown in the 1980s, briefly to Steven Brockovich in 1989, and to Eric Ellis fromo 1998-2012. She has three children, Mathew and Katie Brown from her first marriage and Elizabeth Brockovich from her second. One of missing toddler William Tyrrell's final medical reports shows he had chronic physical and emotional problems, including speech and hearing issues, and was often an unhappy, solitary child. Four months before he disappeared, then two-and-a-half year old William had a 'chronic cough', 'mild hearing loss' and 'difficulty with speech production', Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal. He also had an allergic rash called 'geographic tongue', and problems with pronouncing the letters 's' and 't'. William had also been assessed with 'some deficits in gross motor function and emotional wellbeing'. The teachers at the childcare centre he attended three days a week observed that he 'often engages in solitary play', but he was 'beginning to initiate co-operative play'. It is this childcare centre on Sydney's lower north shore where William had his final play session on the afternoon before being collected by his foster parents, known only as SD and JS, the day before he disappeared without trace. William Tyrrell's medical report (above) about four months before his disappearance says he had 'deficits in... emotional wellbeing' and often played alone at child care William had hearing loss, speech problems, motor function deficit and a chronic cough aged two-and-half in his final few months before vanishing at Kendall The centre is a short drive from Chipmunks Play Centre at Macquarie Park, where William's biological parents saw him for the last time on a contact visit on August 21, 2014. During that visit, a Salvation Army Young Hope supervisor, Ben Attwood, had warned the birth mother that William had a black eye. His mother also worried her son was 'a bit too skinny'. The birth mother said in a police statement after William disappeared that she was told William fell while clambering onto his foster mother. '[The case worker] said that William was climbing on the female foster carer and he had lost his balance and fell and that was how he got a black eye,' the mother's statement read. 'Apparently it had happened on a Saturday but I dont know how long it had happened before this visit.' Teachers at at the child care centre William Tyrrell was last seen at on the afternoon before he vanished 'observed that he often engaged in solitary play' William Tyrrell had a black eye during his last contact visit with his birth parents and his biological mother thought the toddler was too 'skinny' There is no suggestion whatsoever that the black eye was the result of anything but a typical accident of a toddler. It was later revealed that William was forbidden from eating chocolates or sweets and not frequently served takeaway food by the foster parents and that their stop at McDonald's on his fateful last trip was 'a treat meal'. Some of the last images of William, aside from him wearing a Spider Man suit on his foster mother's verandah immediately before his disappearance, are at McDonalds near Heatherbrae, NSW, at about 6.25pm on Thursday, September 11, 2014. The Macca's stop was just under 16 hours before he was reported missing from Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast to police. Searches for William have since found nothing. Daily Mail Australia previously revealed how about a week before he vanished on September 12, 2014, that William fell over and and 'couldn't get back up'. William's foster mother (above with the foster father) blamed his disruptive behaviour on contact visits with his birth parents William's foster father told a Port Macquarie detective two days later about how the child had recently fallen over at the foster parents' North Shore home and had lain 'awkwardly' in a concerning way 'for a boy that size and age'. 'Only in the last week or so he was... you know when you've got the little stools that they stand on,' JS told police. 'So he was sitting next to one or on one in the kitchen in our place. And he'd somehow managed to sit awkwardly and fell back. 'But he couldn't get back up, which is something that has distressed me a bit. 'He's fallen backwards. That seemed to indicate to me that he had a problem with getting back up.' The foster father believed had the boy been alone, he might eventually 'have got himself out of it by just rolling'. William Tyrrell's foster mother (above) at court earlier this month said the boy would bite her when he first came to live with them William (above in a store) had an allergic rash called 'geographic tongue', and problems with pronouncing the letters 's' and 't' from his hearing problems as well as a chronic cough 'But they don't think about those sorts of things. They think oh, I'm in a position I can't get out of - and daddy, daddy's here and daddy, daddy. 'So you know you help them up and he's all fine.' In one of her police statements, William's foster mother admitted that when they had taken William in, he had been violent and bitten her. '[William] had personal issues... particularly towards me, ' she said. ' 'We had to deal [with] things such as William hitting me, biting me and him being basically furious [that another child was at the foster parents' house].' The foster mother, who said the other child would 'hide under the table and not come out, throw tantrums' blamed William's violent and 'very erratic' behaviour on his birth parents, who still had access visits. 'The initial period when William first started living with [us] was very difficult. William had... disrupted attachment issues back to his birth parents.' EXCLUSIVE WARNING: Graphic content A once-respected zoologist who filmed himself molesting and mutilating pet dogs had a secret accomplice in the US who edited the twisted videos before they went online. Adam Britton, 52, met Jaden Young Korse, age 24 and from Kentucky, in 2021 in an online community dedicated to people who get sexual gratification from animal abuse, known as zoosadists. They developed a friendship on Telegram, Britton's pseudonym was 'Monster' and Korse called himself 'Gorvaged', and bonded over their shared obsession with animal cruelty. In a few videos which showed Britton sexually abusing and torturing dogs, he held up signs that read 'Gorvaged' in an apparent effort to thank him for editing his work. Korse and Britton were eventually identified in April 2022 thanks to dedicated internet sleuths who were disgusted by the footage and worked tirelessly to bring those involved to justice. But by that stage, Korse was dead. Pictured: Adam Britton, who has pleaded guilty to about 60 animal cruelty charges, along with bestiality and possessing child exploitation material Jaden Young Korse (pictured) was from Kentucky in the US, and edited Britton's videos under the name 'Gorvaged' Pictured: A screenshot of a conversation between Britton, known as 'monster', and his friends on Telegram after Jaden Korse, known as Gorvaged Korse, who struggled with addiction from the age of 13, had an accidental fentanyl overdose on December 21, 2021. His distraught mother told Daily Mail Australia that she learned about his unsavory interests after his death, and conceded 'he did likely edit the content'. However, she also believes opioid abuse from such a young age had a profound impact on his brain while it was still developing. In the months before he died, Britton had also been giving Korse advice on the best ways to obtain a dog to abuse, and encouraged him not to appear 'creepy' to families who were reluctant to give up their beloved pet. But his mother said her son 'had an amazing heart and could absolutely never participate in any such activity'. 'My son liked to view content that would make the rest of the world sick. He looked, never participated,' she said. Britton was also caught with child exploitation material, but Korse's mother said her son had nothing like that. 'In fact, he was gathering evidence against some pedophiles when he passed away,' she added. Britton primarily used his Monster pseudonym to speak with like-minded people on Telegram, but Korse helped him create another called Cerberus - which is a three-headed dog in Greek mythology - to release his twisted content 'anonymously'. Pictured: Jaden Korse, also known as Gorvaged, died in December 2021 from a drug overdose Jaden Korse (pictured) appears to have grown up around dogs. His mother is an advocate for lost and injured pets Korse's memorial appeared to celebrate his love of the 'horror' genre (pictured) Britton mourned Korse's death with another Telegram user, referred to by police as Deleted Account 14, and divulged details about their relationship under his Monster account. Monster: '[Gorvaged] was also turning into a good friend. That hurts a lot. F**k.' Deleted Account (14): 'Yeah. I'm still hoping he'll still pop back on...' Monster: 'I know. Maybe it's not really true or something ... I should probably delete our chat history, but...I don't want to.' Britton went on to explain Korse 'loved' his sick videos and actively helped him publicise them. 'We talked a lot from the start, probably because I shared immediately that I was a producer, and he loved the content that I made,' he wrote. 'But from that we developed a friendship, even talked at one point about likely being good friends if we knew each other [in real life], we shared a similar sense of humor.' 'He and I created Cerberus as a way of releasing my stuff "anonymously", but before that he worked on edits of my stuff to get it out there - that's why I made Gorv signs for him by way of thanks for that stuff, but it was more than that.' Britton added: 'I guess his family won't know how much he was respected by our little community, but...that's probably for the best lol!' In another conversation about Korse's death with other users, Britton encouraged the group to continue making content and dedicate it to their dead friend. 'What do we do now?' one user asked. Britton replied: 'Continue as we did before, dedicate future groups to Gorv, and torture dogs (and other animals) so he has something to watch on Afterlife Telegram, of course.' Pictured: Private Telegram conversations between Britton's old friends, after his arrest Britton's friends on Telegram said he was 'paranoid' about being caught (pictured) Britton's arrest came just a month after he uploaded a video called '1B***h9pups' to an abuse website, in March 2022. Sources say he wanted it to be the best known 'shock video' on the internet, but all it did was anger internet users who were disgusted with the obscene levels of violence and scoured the video looking for clues. Eventually, they noticed an orange City of Darwin leash on one of the dogs and one user in particular managed to identify Britton reported him to the police. The user had been in contact with Britton's social media friends to try and confirm his identity - including one man who told Daily Mail Australia he woke up one Saturday morning to an alarming message. The message read: 'Hello, how are you going. I got some things I wanted to ask you.' The man, who did not want to be identified, asked: 'Do I know you?' The user replied: 'No you don't. But I assume you've heard of Adam Britton. If you want to talk about it I'd be glad. But if no that's fine. 'I'm the one who reported him, tracked him down and we are very angry.' In another text exchange between the pair, the Reddit user explained he also knew that Korse was the Telegram user named Gorvaged. Media outlets were not allowed to publish Britton's name after his arrest last year to ensure he could get a fair trial by jury, but his old friends on Telegram were able to identify him. They slammed him as 'sloppy' for using a leash that could be so easily identified, according to private Telegram messages obtained by Daily Mail Australia. Pictured: A conversation between a Reddit user who knew Britton's identity, and one of Britton's acquaintances The user who tracked Britton down also managed to identify Jaden Korse as the man who edited Britton's videos (conversation with Britton's acquaintance is pictured) 'News article about the arrest,' one user said, with a link to a news story. 'Sure sounds like Cerberus. And the leash connection. Sounds a little sloppy on his part [sic] tho.' Another user called 'solid cum enjoyer' didn't know about the accidental clue Britton left in the video, and wrote 'leash = ???' The first user said Britton often told Korse that he feared being caught: 'I remember Gorv telling me he was always paranoid.' 'Apparently the leash he used in one of the videos was custom given out at shelters in Australia or something or something like that.' The non-publication order was lifted when Britton pleaded guilty in Darwin's Supreme Court on Monday. He pleaded guilty to 37 counts of animal cruelty, 10 counts of raping or attempting to rape a dog, and four counts of possessing or transmitting child abuse material in Darwin's Supreme Court on Monday. The non-publication order on his name was then lifted. Pictured: The shipping container where he raped, tortured and murdered dogs between 2020 and 2022 Pictured: Inside the shipping container, left abandoned on his property in McMinns Lagood His messages with Gorvaged formed some of the evidence against him. Most other users appear to have deleted their accounts. According to court documents, Britton would source dogs on Gumtree Australia to molest and kill in bushland along the Arnhem Highway, at his sprawling home at McMinns Lagoon, and at a neighbouring property in Darwin's south. In one scenario in September 2021, Britton acquired a tan-coloured female dog called Kiki who belonged to an ill woman who was no longer able to care for her. Britton emailed the family: 'I live on a five-acre block in Humpty Doo, no other dogs too so she'd get the best of both worlds. I haven't had a dog since my last girl died a few months ago but I miss her and need another companion. 'I can help you out by offering her a great home.' Four days later, he sent another email to say Kiki was 'very sweet' and they were 'bonding already'. According to court documents, Kiki didn't survive the week. When he wasn't abusing the dogs in remote bushland off the highway, he would either kill the animals in the yard or in an old shipping container where he kept his filming equipment. The container - or the 'torture room', as he called it - can be seen today inside the fence at the front of the property, close to the road and any passers by. His cameras, sex toys, weapons, and dog corpses were long gone, but what remained was soiled mattresses, broken bed frames, an empty bottle of Cointreau, mugs, carpet, playing cards, and various mugs strewn about the floor. During the raid of his home, police seized 44 items including computers, mobile telephones, cameras, external hard drives, tools and weapons. Police also found 15 child abuse material files on his laptop. He has been on remand in custody since his arrest and will appear in court again for sentencing on December 13. Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved an agreement between the kingdom and Kuwait regarding a railroad project linking the two Gulf states, a Saudi Press Agency report said. The agreement on the project was approved during the Cabinet meeting held in Neom city under the chairmanship of HRH Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, it said. The proposed railway line is expected to connect Riyadh and Kuwait City with high-speed trains, reports said. Kuwait noted that the project will have no impact on another rail project underway to connect the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that comprises Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. A 46-year-old bank executive took his own life leaving his family struggling to comprehend what had driven him to take such drastic action. Greg Beckett from Bridgeport, New Jersey, had been working at the headquarters of Wells Fargo in Wilmington, Delaware when he jumped from the office boardroom on the 14th floor in January of this year. The fact he left no suicide note nor showed any signs of distress in the days, weeks and months before his death only worsened the agony for friends, family and co-workers he left behind. Greg had been responsible for Wells Fargo's internal controls, aimed at safeguarding the bank from risks but his workload had steadily increased leading to longer hours and increased stress. His job appeared to become all-consuming with long days and meetings running as late as 11pm. Greg Beckett, 46, is pictured alongside his girlfriend Giovanna Muraca Greg jumped from the 14th floor of Wells Fargo's headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware but left no suicide note showed or any noticeable signs of distress On the night of his death, Greg abruptly stopped responding to text messages and phone calls from his loved ones. His sudden death made little sense to his loved ones with his life outside of work seemingly going well When his family became concerned, his brother and sister-in-law thinking he might have been involved in a car accident, went to his office in search of his vehicle, only to find the parking lot blocked by police. His sudden death made little sense to his loved ones with his life outside of work seemingly going well. He had recently moved in with girlfriend, Giovanna Muraca, and her daughters. A devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan, the team had been performing well and Greg had gone to several games, tailgating with friends before games. He loved his pet dog and would go to great lengths to make people smile, such as dressing up as Barney for his niece's 2nd birthday party reports WSJ. Greg would go great lengths to make people smile, such as dressing up as Barney for his niece's 2nd birthday party. One of his niece's is pictured here Just before his death, Greg had spent his first Christmas with his girlfriend's family He was also known for discussing the latest drama on the Real Housewives with his friends' wives and helping out his parents with household chores each week. But nothing in his personal life belied the trauma he appeared to be suffering. A spokeswoman for Wells Fargo expressed sadness for the loss of their colleague in a statement noting how it hard to pinpoint the reasons behind such tragedies. 'We're deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague. Greg was a valued member of our team. As we all know, it's virtually impossible to identify a reason when a tragedy like this occurs. There is nothing more important to all of us at Wells Fargo than our colleagues' well being,' a statement read. After his passing, a manager in another department noted how Greg had been working on several high-stress projects for an extended period of time. 'If we don't find healthy ways to address it, there will be negative consequences of one form or another,' the manager warned. But Greg's brother, Dave Beckett, expressed surprise that no senior executives from Wells Fargo attended his memorial service, although some of his colleagues did. The bank sent flowers as a gesture of sympathy. When a human resources worker later contacted Dave to provide information about his brother's life insurance and final paycheck, she had not been briefed on the circumstances of his death. Greg's niece wrote a touching tribute to her uncle on Facebook soon after his death Greg was responsible for Wells Fargo's internal controls, aimed at safeguarding the bank from risks but his workload had steadily increased leading to longer hours and increased stress Upon learning the details, she reacted with shock quickly ending the call. 'He had personal accountability to that place, and that place had no accountability to him,' Dave told the Wall Street Journal. Scott Powell, the chief operating officer at Wells Fargo, stated that the bank's top executives were informed of Greg Beckett's death, and the company communicated with employees about it. Senior human resources personnel were also on site to meet with employees. Wells Fargo had been encouraging employees to return to the office and told its Wilmington-based employees that they didn't need to be in the office the week following Greg's death. It appears the message got lost with many employees having already come back into the office when they received the advice. Returning workers noticed that the conference-room window from which Greg had jumped had been boarded up. Sadly, the heartbreaking incident is not an isolated case. Every year, several hundred workers take their lives at their workplaces leaving family members bereft and colleagues grappling with unanswered questions. Scott Powell, the chief operating officer at Wells Fargo, pictured, said that the banks top executives were made aware of Greg Becketts death Every year, several hundred workers take their lives at their workplaces leaving family members bereft and colleagues grappling with unanswered questions Last year, nearly 50,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide, representing a 2.6 percent annual increase, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the pandemic, the number of workplace suicides decreased as more people worked from home but as workers returned to the office the numbers have once again risen. Employers are encouraged to look for indications that their coworkers may be struggling but detecting such signs is challenging with the underlying issues elusive. Some individuals may choose to end their lives at work to spare their loved ones from discovering their bodies, while others may see it as a way to convey their sense of mistreatment in the workplace. For the companies, responding to such tragic events is also a challenging task. Executives must demonstrate compassion for their employees and the victim's family while also respecting the privacy of personal matters. If you or anyone you know needs help, you can reach Samaritans NYC at 212-673-3000 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. For confidential assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988 or click here. An Australian family was left fuming when a leg of their Qantas journey to Europe was 'downgraded' to Jetstar but they weren't offered a refund on the price gap. Albert Chen, his wife and two young children shelled out $10,304 for full service tickets on Qantas flights from their home of Melbourne to Scotland with a stopover in Singapore leaving August 10. But on the day of their trip, Qantas told them their flight to Singapore had been cancelled and offered them an alternative Qantas flight that would include a stopover in Sydney lasting three hours. 'We didn't want an extra three hours in Sydney, having to keep our kids entertained in an airport terminal,' Mr Chen told Yahoo News Australia. They were then offered a Jetstar flight that did not have the Sydney detour which they accepted - reluctantly, having paid for the premium Qantas experience. Jetstar is the budget arm of Qantas with the main airline billing itself as a premium experience Mr Chen then requested a refund for the price difference between the Qantas and Jetstar tickets to Singapore and said he was stunned when he wasn't immediately offered one. 'Qantas refused to acknowledge that our change from Qantas to Jetstar was a downgrade,' Mr Chen said. It is understood when a passenger is moved from Qantas to Jetstar they are offered extra services such as baggage and meals at no additional charge. Mr Chen was later offered a partial refund of $700 along with frequent flyer points as a goodwill gesture by the airline. He claims it's not enough and is still in touch with Qantas demanding the full refund of the ticket difference. Mr Chen said according to his research his family's Melbourne to Singapore leg worked out to about $4,100 with Qantas while a similar package with Jetstar costs about $1,780. According to consumer rights watchdog the ACCC, when an airline cancels a flight, ticket holders are entitled under law to alternative within a reasonable timeframe. 'If that replacement service is not within a reasonable time, the travel service provider must give the consumer their choice of a different replacement service or refund,' the ACCC states. Qantas have offered the Chen family a partial refund of $700 along with frequent flyer points as a goodwill gesture by the airline 'If the consumer had to book a new flight with another airline because the airline they had originally booked with had no reasonable replacement flights, they may have a right to reimbursement from the original airline for the cost of that flight.' The ACCC also added that in issues of a dispute what is 'reasonable' is decided by a tribunal or court and that when booking a flight, customers are agreeing to the airline's terms of service, which could outline what an acceptable alternative is. Qantas has been contacted for comment. People smugglers operating in France are teaching illegal migrants how to cheat the UK asylum system, an undercover investigation has found. A crime boss whose gang helps up to 4,000 migrants cross the Channel on small boats every month advises them to falsely claim to have a political reason for coming to Britain so they could 'never' be sent home, the expose by The News Agents Investigates Podcast revealed. He also tells them to carefully prepare for the extended Home Office asylum interview to ensure they 'make a good case' and recommended an Indian migrant claim he had problems with the 'Bombay mafia' to get approval. The Kurdish smuggler explained how, for a charge of just 1,500, his gang chauffeur migrants waiting in Dunkirk camps over 70 miles to a waiting boat on a launch site unknown to local police. They are usually intercepted a little while after departure and escorted to Dover by the French and English authorities, he said. Migrants are then taken to a four-star hotel where they can make their asylum claim. People smugglers operating in France are teaching illegal migrants how to cheat the UK asylum system, an undercover investigation has found The crime boss advises them to falsely claim to have a political reason for coming to Britain so they could 'never' be sent home The shocking footage comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman this week called for a change in international asylum laws which she blamed for creating an 'absurd and unsustainable' system with 'huge incentives for illegal migration'. An undercover reporter posing as a man hoping to get his cousin on a small boat to the UK illegally was taken to meet the Kurdish smuggler via an introducer he met at the migrant camp in Dunkirk. Giving his name only as Raver, the trafficker operated from deep in the countryside and refused to go anywhere where there was CCTV in an apparent attempt to avoid detection by the French authorities. In broken English he explained how his staff take migrants to a previously unknown launch site 75 miles south of Dunkirk in an area called Berck. He said: 'I take him. I have staff. People that work for me. 'I give him people. I buy that big car. 'This is business. I bring good car and the boat is ready.' Asked what happens next, he explained: 'When the boat goes into English Channel, police are waiting An undercover reporter posing as a man hoping to get his cousin on a small boat to the UK illegally was taken to meet the Kurdish smuggler via an introducer he met at the migrant camp in Dunkirk The shocking footage comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman this week called for a change in international asylum laws which she blamed for creating an 'absurd and unsustainable' system with 'huge incentives for illegal migration' 'Security French police are with you. This is very, very, very safe to do that.' He said English authorities would escort the migrants on the final part of the journey to Dover where they disembark. 'He go to there and he make the asylum claim like normal. He go to hotel, four star.' He also told the reporter his cousin must prepare for the key interview with the Home Office, which happens some months after asylum seekers arrive in the UK to determine if they are eligible. 'The interview is big. You have to be ready,' he said. 'This is going to be like eight months, maybe like six months [after arrival] 'You have to make a good case for why you come. Make good case. Political. Humanity. 'Political is good. Political means they cannot bring you back to your country never.' Migrants are brought in to Dover following a small boat incident on the Channel earlier this month When the reporter says the problem is that his cousin is from India, which is often rejected for asylum claims, he is told: 'Say you have a problem with the Bombay mafia.' Raver says he personally helps up to 4,000 people a year across the Channel, and his gang in total smuggles around 3,000 a month on small boats. He uses weather apps to check conditions before sending boats and tracking devices to check their progress and arrival. The footage, which was filmed in early August, is broadcast today [Sunday] following a hard hitting speech by Suella Braverman in Washington in which she said those arriving on small boats should no longer be treated as refugees, arguing that none of them are 'fleeing imminent peril.' The News Agents Investigates is a Global podcast. Listen to the full episode on Global Player now. The clock struck 5am as I sat exhausted on the floor of my room in the Midland Hotel, Manchester. As I strained my brow over the word processor, my eyes narrowed again over the draft of Boris Johnson's party conference speech, squinting at the flickering screen. The environment section was a rhapsodic summation of the party's position but still lacked that vital one liner. For weeks I had lived with the draft of the text one of the trusted few with access to the words the Prime Minister would deliver just hours later... High politics in Britain is like Japanese kabuki theatre and the leader's speech is the biggest act. The writing process begins months earlier with a series of brainstorming meetings. Eager MPs and campaigners embark on a round of blatant (and often ineffectual) lobbying to insert their favourite ideas or policies. Boris Johnson pictured as he delivered his eagerly anticipated speech to Conservative Party conference in Manchester in October 2021 Johnson pictured in October 2021 being greeted at Manchester's Midland Hotel by new party chairman Oliver Dowden, ahead of the Tory Party Conference Civil servants are wary of becoming involved, deeming party conferences to be hugely political. They euphemistically re-brand conference speeches as 'autumn announcements' as if the three-day rush of wall-to-wall politics were purely a seasonal phenomenon. Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are under considerable pressure this year to roll out new policies even to deliver a so-called 'rabbit' an unexpected or eye-catching pre-election measure that is 'pulled out of the hat' in the speech. But today we can still hear the echo of 'the lady's not for turning' or 'the white heat of technology' and it's not because of the policy detail. A great conference speech is about impact, language, tone. It is the modern exposition of the ancient art of political rhetoric. The fundamentals are unchanged since Aristotle: the triad of pathos (an appeal to emotions), logos (an appeal to argument), and ethos, the impact of the character of the speaker. Boris Johnson for whom I worked on many Prime Ministerial speeches is a writer by trade with a strong and inimitable voice. He would short-circuit the system by simply 'holding the pen' himself, getting up very early before the speech to substantially re-draft and imprint his final thoughts, leaving me minutes to frantically check and tweak the final draft. It is certainly a fresher and more effective method than writing by committee a tendency Labour insiders tell me Keir Starmer has learned to ditch. In the past it was more common to hire speechwriters from outside politics. Lady Thatcher's speechwriter, Sir Ronald Millar, was an actor and playwright, subjecting political drafts to his poetic and literary flair, resulting in some of her most memorable phrases. For delivery, the raw text must be uploaded into an autocue version. Unless carefully reviewed, this can splice words across lines unnaturally. And after all the energy, the agony and the anxiety, the initial reception of the speech is largely in the hands of the media. Parties try to influence the way journalists cover the leader's speech by holding a briefing straight afterwards. As Peggy Noonan, Ronald Reagan's speechwriter, put it, 'all great soundbites happen by accident'. In the back room of a party conference, bright young politicos like those I led in the Conservative Research Department sift a paper mill of first drafts, re-drafts, and versions checked against delivery. A bad speech lands on their desk as a minefield of odd neologisms, nebulous concepts, ill-thought through ideas and tin-eared pop culture references. A good speech has a clear and simple ruling idea. In Tony Blair's 1997 first conference speech as Prime Minister, it was 'modernisation'. In his 2006 final conference speech, it was 'thank you'. A good speech can be encapsulated in a few words. As for the rhythm of the speech, there should be a rousing peroration: a virtuosic climax intended to unleash rapturous applause in the hall. And the best conclusions return to the beginning. Most of all, there should be conscious humour to balance high-minded rhetoric. That is why in our final knockabout of that section on the environment in Boris Johnson's conference speech he added a line mimicking the party's own slogan: 'Build back Beaver'! The draft finally complete, the leader walks out on to the stage, and the speechwriter holds their breath. Their jointly devised work of political art is now in the hands of fate. A former bodega clerk is suing woke Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for racial discrimination after he was slung into Rikers Island prison for killing an attacker in self defense. Jose Alba was charged with second-degree murder after stabbing ex-con Austin Simon in the neck and chest on July 1, 2022, at a Blue Moon bodega in Harlem. Following an outpouring of anger at the decision to prosecute, on July 19, Bragg's office asked a judge to drop the charges against Alba after having faced intense backlash, including criticism from the city's mayor. Now Alba taking on the New York City Police Department and Bragg with claims he was a pawn in the DA's pursuit of 'racial equity', according to the Manhattan Federal Court papers filed Friday. The suit names NYPD Detective William Garcia along with unnamed arresting officers and police detectives. A former bodega clerk is suing woke Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for racial discrimination after he was slung into Rikers Island prison for killing an attacker in self defense 'While in theory, Bragg's 'racial equity' policies are a well-intentioned attempt by him to implement even-handed justice, the means and methods employed by Bragg have instead had an opposite effect and resulted in discrimination against certain defendants based on race,' it states. Alba was working at the Blue Moon deli on July 1 when he fatally stabbed Simon in the neck and chest. After a public campaign, on July 19 2022, Bragg finally dropped the charges admitting there wasn't enough evidence to prove Alba 'was not justified in his use of deadly physical force' Surveillance footage clearly showed that Simon had moved behind the counter at the convenience store in Hamilton Heights and pushed the store clerk into a stack of shelves before grabbing him. It was only then that Alba reached over to a shelf and pulled out a knife to fight back. During the altercation, Alba was apparently stabbed by Simon's girlfriend, who instigated the argument when her benefits card was declined. The girlfriend was never charged in the incident. Despite Alba's claims of self-defense Bragg charged the clerk with second-degree murder and requested a $500,000 bail to be set, although it was lowered to $250,000. The store clerk was unable to pay the bill and was shipped to Rikers where he claims to have endured 'inhumane and unconstitutional conditions,' according to the suit. Rikers Island is a 413-acre island in the East River in the Bronx that contains New York City's largest jail. Bragg's decision spurred vicious backlash, including Mayor Eric Adams, and former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton. Surveillance footage from the Blue Moon convenience store in Hamilton Heights showed Jose Alba, 61, was assaulted before he grabbed a knife and stabbed Austin Simon, 35, on July 1 Alba, a hardworking store clerk who appeared to be protecting himself, was made to spend 6 days in prison before he was freed when prosecutors reduced his bail to $50,000. 'My heart goes out to the employee who was in the store doing his job,' Adams said at the time. 'I am hoping that we take all of that into consideration, as this hard-working New Yorker was doing his job, and someone aggressively went behind the counter to attack him.' After a public campaign, on July 19 2022, Bragg finally dropped the charges admitting there wasn't enough evidence to prove Alba 'was not justified in his use of deadly physical force.' The suit also names Department of Corrections Commission Louis Molina and other DOC staff, along with the city as being, 'responsible for the unconstitutional conditions of confinement and inadequate medical care at Rikers Island.' Alba announced plans to sue in February but the case was delayed as they attempted to negotiate a settlement, Rich Cardinale who represents Alba told the New York Post. Alba briefly spoke to the media after the charges were dropped. He said the wounds he sustained during the altercation were 'healing' Alba's scarred arm is pictured as the bodega worker shielded his face behind his door Alba showed his wounds to DailyMail.com on July 11 2022 Cardinale said that his client will be seeking compensatory and punitive damages determined by a jury although no price has been indicated at this time. Bragg 'is treating people differently and he's hurting people,' Cardinale told the NYP. 'Meanwhile, other people are committing repeated crimes and he keeps giving them a break.' 'We can't keep pitting ourselves against each other based on race.' DailyMail.com has contacted the NYPD, DOC, city Law Department and the DA's office for comment. In a statement a Law Department spokesman said: 'The City will review the case when served and respond accordingly.' Britain's top store bosses are today demanding urgent action by Home Secretary Suella Braverman to curb the tsunami of shoplifting, looting and aggression bringing chaos to the UK's high streets. The heads of 86 major retailers normally bitter rivals have come together in an unprecedented act of co-operation and signed up to a letter telling the Government it must move fast to tackle 'unacceptable levels' of violence and abuse against shop workers. Signatories include some of the biggest names in British retail, such as Tesco boss Ken Murphy, Sainsbury's chief Simon Roberts, Boots supremo Sebastian James and Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq. They are urging the Government to make assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker a specific crime. 'This standalone offence would send an important signal that our colleagues will receive better protection in law and act as a deterrent to would-be offenders. This action should be taken without delay,' the letter says. The heads of 86 major retailers normally bitter rivals have come together in an unprecedented act of co-operation and signed up to a letter telling the Government it must move fast to tackle 'unacceptable levels' of violence and abuse against shop workers Britain's top store bosses are today demanding urgent action by Home Secretary Suella Braverman to curb the tsunami of shoplifting, looting and aggression bringing chaos to the UK's high streets The bosses are also asking police to take offences more seriously and respond quicker to incidents. Support for the letter has also come from those running luxury shops, such as Burberry chairman Gerry Murphy, and , at the cheaper end of the scale, the head of Greggs bakery chain Roisin Currie and Superdrug chief Peter Macnab. Nish Kankiwala, CEO of middle-class stalwart the John Lewis Partnership, has signed up, as has Marks & Spencer's Stuart Machin. Make abuse of retail staff a specific crime The industry-wide effort follows a campaign by this newspaper to crack down on retail crime. The Mail on Sunday wants the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts to be tougher on shoplifters. We are also calling for a change in the law to make abuse or violence towards shop staff a specific offence. Our campaign has been backed by politicians across the political divide, including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and former Home Secretary Priti Patel. 'It is vital that action is taken before the scourge of retail crime gets any worse,' said British Retail Consortium (BRC) chief executive Helen Dickinson. The rise in shoplifting and assaults on staff has forced many large retailers to take drastic action. Tesco's Ken Murphy said last month that all the supermarket chain's frontline workers will be offered body cameras following a surge in violent attacks. He said more than 200 of its staff are victims of serious physical assaults each month. His initiative follows similar moves to fit staff with bodycams from the Co-op and John Lewis Partnership, owner of Waitrose. A crime survey by the BRC this year showed that incidents of violence and abuse towards retail staff had almost doubled from pre-pandemic levels, to 867 incidents every day. The BRC estimated the scale of thefts and crime had cost the sector nearly 1.8 billion, despite retailers spending more than 700 million on crime prevention. One in eight shop bosses no longer report shoplifting incidents because they say police are uninterested, while criminal gangs consider stores soft targets and systematically strip them of goods. Legal action is also declining. In the year to June 2022, 21,279 people were prosecuted for shoplifting in England and Wales, compared with 80,352 a decade ago. 'Make abuse of retail staff a specific crime' Followed chaos in the House after days of a shutdown seeming inevitable Government will be funded for 45 days after a last-minute plan was approved U.S. President Joe Biden has wasted no time and signed the continuing resolution holding off a shutdown until November 17 after saying 'we should have never been in this position.' The White House released a statement which read: 'On Saturday, September 30, 2023, the President signed into law: H.R. 5860, which provides fiscal year appropriations to Federal agencies through November 17, 2023 for continuing projects of the Federal Government and extends several expiring authorities.' The U.S. avoided a government shutdown after the Senate secured enough votes to pass a bill to keep the government funded for 45 days just hours before Saturday's midnight deadline. The deal sailed through the Senate 88 to 9, hours after it made it through the House and after a shutdown seemed inevitable on Saturday morning. 'The American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown,' Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. President Joe Biden said the threat of a federal government shutdown would have been a 'unnecessary crisis' and 'we should never have been in this position.' The last-minute deal followed chaotic scenes in the House where Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for massive spending cuts and had to rely on Democrats to pass a package without funding for Ukraine. As the deadline loomed, Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman also became the center of fury and Republican calls to be expelled from Congress for pulling a fire alarm just before a crucial vote. The bill will now head to the President Joe Biden's desk to be signed, and Congress is expected to deal with Ukraine aid and spending bills in the coming weeks, before the government's money runs out again. With 45 minutes to spare, Biden signs the continuing resolution holding off a shutdown until Nov. 17. pic.twitter.com/WFaL1NbYlQ Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) October 1, 2023 The U.S. avoided a government shutdown after the Senate secured enough votes to pass a bill to keep the government funded for 45 days just hours before Saturday's midnight deadline With just 3 hours left, Congress has passed a bipartisan bill to avert a government shutdown excluding the demands from Extreme House Republicans. Now its on the way to President Bidens desk where he will promptly sign it into law. It never should have been this close. https://t.co/WYXGlCWgDG The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 1, 2023 Biden said in a statement: 'Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans. 'This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people. He added that he and McCarthy had reached a budget agreement to 'avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis.' 'For weeks, extreme House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed,' he said. 'While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support. President Joe Biden said the threat of a federal government shutdown would have been a 'unnecessary crisis' and 'we should never have been in this position' 'We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. 'I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.' The government will now be funded for an extra six weeks at fiscal year 2023 levels, set under Democratic control of Congress, while both chambers work on a longer-term spending plan to fund fiscal year 2024. Saturday started off with no deal in sight to avert a government shutdown. But Speaker Kevin McCarthy scrapped plans to vote on a party-line stopgap spending plan after hardliners remained obstinate against it. Instead, he put a bipartisan deal on the floor that could threaten his speakership. 'Bring it,' he dared those trying to oust him for cutting a deal with Democrats. The Senate scrapped plans to vote on its own continuing resolution (CR) - that would have included $6 billion in aid for Ukraine - and voted on the House's 'clean' CR that simply extended current funding levels. Senate Democrats fumed at the removal of Ukraine aid from the spending deal, though Republicans had vowed to deny them the 60-vote majority needed to pass the the Senate deal as they wanted to vote on the House plan and be done with the matter. Meanwhile chaos unfolded on the House floor after McCarthy rushed a 'clean' CR to the floor when Democrats demanded more time to read the bill and make sure they weren't being duped by Republicans. 'The American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown,' Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said As the deadline loomed, Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman also became the center of fury and Republican calls to be expelled from Congress for pulling a fire alarm just before a crucial vote Democrat Rep. Jamal Bowman says claims he purposefully pulled a fire alarm to disrupt House Republicans as they debated a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown are 'BS.' The New York representative was allegedly caught on camera pulling the stunt in the Cannon Building, which houses numerous Congressional office spaces. 'I thought the alarm would open the door,' Bowman told reporters about the incident. 'I was rushing to make a vote, I was trying to get to a door.' '[Bowman] pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning,' a spokesperson for the Congressional Administration Committee said. 'An investigation into why it was pulled is underway.' Bowman called the notion that he pulled the fire alarm to delay a vote 'complete BS.' Meanwhile, Speaker Kevin McCarthy dared his conservative critics to try to oust him as they have long threatened in a press conference after the vote. 'If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,' the speaker said. 'There has to be an adult in the room.' He also said there should be an Ethics Committee investigation into Bowman's actions. 'I'm going to have a discussion with the Democratic Leader about it, but this should not go without punishment.' Republicans, led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y., are now working on a resolution to expel Bowman from Congress, and Capitol Police were circulating a photo of what appeared to be Bowman pulling the alarm. The last-minute deal followed chaotic scenes in the House where Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for massive spending cuts and had to rely on Democrats to pass a package without funding for Ukraine Bowman's antics led to an evacuation of the building, which came as House representatives were readying to vote on a bill that would avert a government shutdown less than 12 hours before a deadline. The bill passed in a 335-91 vote, and now heads to the Senate. It will keep the government funded for 45 days. Before the bill's passing Democrats had been trying to delay the vote to give them time to read the text and make sure they could support it. Ninety Republicans against the continuing resolution (CR) that extends government funding at 2023 levels beyond the midnight deadline. Only one Democrat - Rep. Mike Quigley, Ill., opposed it. He wanted it to include Ukraine funding. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has long said that if McCarthy cut a deal with Democrats to get a CR across the floor he would launch a movement to oust him immediately. Gaetz moved to speak on the House floor Saturday after the vote but the House adjourned until Monday - ensuring that any plan to bring forward a motion to vacate the speakership will have to wait until then. President Joe Biden is set to meet with his Cabinet early next week to discuss how the government will function after the anticipated shutdown begins on Sunday The stopgap funding bill's passage came after concerns it could be held up by party infighting, and comes as a relief as the potential shutdown could have jeopardized the livelihoods of millions of Americans. The passage today saw officials hash out 45 day continuing resolution deal which would supply disaster relief funds, an extension of the federal flood insurance program and FAA reauthorization. It remains uncertain whether the bill will survive as it heads to the Senate, where a procedural vote has yet to be scheduled. The government will officially shut down at midnight if lawmakers cannot land a deal. Republicans had spent up until almost the last minute trying to pass a party-line CR that included steep funding cuts and border security provisions. But with 21 Republicans opposed to that plan as of Friday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy finally had enough and agreed to put a clean funding extension on the floor that had Democratic support - and did not include conservative priorities. He was always going to have to put a bipartisan deal on the floor at the end in order for it to pass the Senate, but a Republican-only deal would have been a messaging win on spending cuts and could have been a starting point for negotiations. Democrats celebrated the deal as a win - since it did not include the priorities Republicans had been pushing for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X: 'Here's what went down: we just won a clean 45 day gov extension, stripped GOP's earlier 30% cuts to Social Security admin etc, staved off last minute anti-immigrant hijinks, and averted shutdown (for now). People will get paychecks and MTG threw a tantrum on the way out. Win-win.' Much of the dispute has been focused on Biden's aggressive funding of the conflict in Ukraine, with firebrand Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene slamming the bill she voted no on 'America last' on Saturday. The stopgap bill crucially did not include any aid to Ukraine. Before the vote, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said Republican opposition to Ukraine war funding was a 'huge problem'. 'Kevin McCarthy and the Republican conference have proven time and time again that they don't care about the freedom of the Ukrainian people, and they turn their backs on them time and time again,' Aguilar said. 'And his anti-Ukraine, pro-Putin caucus is pretty strong.' It was feared the government shutdown could have dragged on for weeks Friday's failed vote was a brutal defeat for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has faced relentless criticism from the right of his party The House Speaker has faced stern opposition from hardline Republican representatives including Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (pictured) As fears mounted over the shutdown, President Biden readied to convene his cabinet next week to discuss how the government will function. If the government had shut down, two million members of the military and one and half million federal civilian employees will go without pay until lawmakers can strike a deal. Over half the civilian employees will be furloughed, and the rest will have to show up for work without payment. The bill that failed on Friday included a number of staunchly conservative policies that were not included in the stopgap bill on Saturday, which McCarthy indicated was to kick the can down the road while he hashed out a new deal. 'I want to keep government open while we finish our job,' he told reporters. As the situation teeters on the brink of a shutdown, the Biden administration had said it was engaged in regular communication with its staff and agencies on what to expect if there is no government funding. The agencies started to make their own contingency plans in the event of a shutdown. 'We understand uncertainty can be unsettling,' the White House told employees in an email. 'Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and patience through this process, and for all that you do for the Executive Office of the President and the American people.' A shutdown would have meant flight mayhem, garbage piling up, national parks shuttered and members of the military not getting paid. Republican firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters on Saturday that she wouldn't approve policies funding the conflict in Ukraine, which she dubbed 'America last' McCarthy urged his colleagues to pass his stopgap bill to keep government open while we finish our job.' President Biden has readied his cabinet to convene next week to grapple with the effects of a shutdown Before the stopgap bill was voted on, Democrats pulled stunts to buy time to read the details of the bill and indicated they would not vote to approve it right away. House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries took to the floor shortly after midday to use 'magic minutes', an unlimited amount of speaking time, to extend the vote further. He demanded that Republicans kept to their word on agreeing to avoid a shutdown, saying he wanted to 'have a conversation with the American people. So strap in, because this may take a little while.' Furious Republicans are now calling for Bowman who pulled fire alarm during crucial shutdown vote to expelled and prosecuted like a January 6 rioter. The move has sparked a incensed reaction from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who is now calling for Bowman to be prosecuted. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the congresswoman wrote: 'Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled the fire alarm in the Cannon building this afternoon and interrupted the official proceedings of the House as Republicans worked to keep the government open. 'Im calling on the DOJ to prosecute him using the same law they used to prosecute J6 defendants for interfering with an official proceeding. 'The Democrats literally will do anything to shut OUR government down because billions arent going to their favorite country: Ukraine.' Speaking to media, an infuriated Greene added: 'I want to talk about Jamal Bowman pulling the fire alarm. Capitol police are questioning him right now because it's on video, he violated the exact same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for every single day. 'He violated the exact same law, interrupting an official proceeding by pulling a fire alarm, it's on video and the Capitol police have the information. This is outrageous.' She said she was yet to watch the video but is demanding the Department of Justice 'prosecute him the same way they are prosecuted January 6th defendants'. 'It's the exact same law. He's a democratic representative. Here's what happened, Katherine Clark, the whip, called the motion to adjourn and within a few minutes, it was literally after that, Jamal Bowman pulls a fire alarm 'This is unprecedented. The democrats will do anything to make sure it's shut down because billions of dollars are not going to their favorite country - Ukraine.' Former U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Portland, Oregon for a visit to the Nike campus. The long-time passionate environmentalist was seen exiting a private jet at Hillsboro Airport before embarking on a clandestine trip to Nike headquarters, multiple sources told KOIN 6. Obama's presence was kept secret, with local and mainstream media who were only notified of his presence when images from his plane surfaced on Wednesday. Obama was seen joking about wanting 'free swag' and delivered a short speech about the company's pursuit of excellence in a video posted on social media by a Nike employee. 'So, who's in charge of my swag?' the former president was heard asking. 'I mean you know why I'm here - for the latest stuff so I can impress my daughters.' Obama also appeared at the Mia Hamm building, where top Nike executives are housed, and was given a brief tour at the LeBron James Innovation Center, where new products are developed. Former U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Portland, Oregon for a visit to the Nike campus Obama was seen joking about wanting 'free swag' and delivered a short speech about the company's pursuit of excellence Obama visited Nike headquarters (pictured) in Washington County, Oregon, in 2015 to push for a new trade deal with Asia amid controversies and backlash He left at around 2pm - as a small motorcade exited the sportswear giant's Washington county campus. The Washington County Sheriff's Office said they assisted in traffic control as Obama traveled from the airport to Nike and back, Oregon Live reported. Obama's visit was not announced in advance to media and the purpose of his trip remains unclear. Since making an appearance with his wife Michelle at the Arthur Ashe Stadium to witness Coco Gauff's first-round victory last month, the former president appears to be keeping a low profile. His less public demeanor comes after former Fox news host Tucker Carlson claimed that he'd smoked crack and had sex with men. Barack Obama spoke at work today A couple videos of him cracking a joke and delivering a more serious message about Nikes pursuit of excellence, inspired by Phil Knights book Shoe Dog. Thank you to President Obama for taking time to speak to us!!! pic.twitter.com/JxR2VrLn5t Kyle Stack (on vacation from this app ) (@KyleStack) September 28, 2023 Tucker Carlson has claimed Barack Obama was smoking crack and having sex with men ahead of the 2008 presidential election 'In 2008, it became really clear that Barack Obama had been having sex with men and smoking crack,' Carlson alleged on his popular Adam Carolla Show last month. The former Fox News host repeated the accusation of Larry Sinclair who alleged that Obama bought and smoked cocaine before they had sex in 1999. The allegation, which emerged while then-Senator Obama was gearing up for the presidential election, was roundly condemned as an attempted political hatchet-job. 'A guy came forward, Larry Sinclair, and said 'I'll sign an affidavit' and he did, 'I'll do a lie detector' and he did,' he added. 'I smoked crack with Barack Obama and had sex with him', that was obviously true.' Carlson claimed the media didn't run the story because the Obama campaign team threatened to refuse access to the Democratic candidate. At the time, Sinclair was dismissed by the media as a man with an extensive criminal record 'with a specialty in crimes involving deceit'. But Carlson insisted the allegations were true. He said: 'The Larry Sinclair thing, that definitely happened. 'I talked to Larry Sinclair about it. Definitely it happened. 'Larry Sinclair has been in and out of prison 40 years ago, he's got a criminal record by definition and he's poor, he's got a disordered life, he's missing a tooth. 'I think he has a record of deception but this story if you listen to it in detail, is clearly true.' He added: 'It's not going to change the world that Barack Obama likes dudes, I think this was well-known.' The former Fox News host insisted it was 'really clear' that Obama (pictured with his wife Michelle) had gay relations but that the media chose not to report on it His most recent appearance at Nike, come years after his last visit in 2015. The 2015 trip came as Obama promoted the Trans-Pacific Partnership with Asian nations, as the congress was debating whether to give Obama so-called fast-track authority to complete that and other trade deals. Labor unions protested against then president's visit, arguing the trade deals would shift US jobs to other countries with cheap labor and few worker protections. For decades, Nike has been under heavy criticism for its use of foreign sweatshops with numerous reports of child labor, low wages and poor working conditions. Nike improved conditions and eventually wages climbed, minimum age requirements were put in place and Nike increased training and monitoring at the factories. Despite the advances and Nike's image makeover, labor issues have continued to plague its contracted manufacturers. An Associated Press investigation in 2011 found that workers making Nike-owned Converse sneakers in Indonesia said supervisors abused them physically and verbally. Nike found that one-third of its contract manufacturers in 2013 did not meet its minimum standards an improvement over 2011 when half of the manufacturers fell short. Most of the problems were over hours and wages. A woman in charge of four NDIS service providers is behind bars charged with ripping off more than $2million from taxpayers. Ebtesam Ibrahim Hamoud Fahmy ,who is a director of four disability service providers in western Sydney, was arrested after a series of raids orchestrated by a specialist NDIS fraud taskforce in July and August. The raids at Casula, Potts Hill and Liverpool, seized boxes of paperwork, mobile phones, computers, banking documents and other evidence against the four providers, two of which had their registration immediately suspended. Investigators allege Ms Fahmy, 54, was the subject of more than 15 tip-offs, which included that her services were collaborating with participants, who were paid kickbacks, to defraud the Commonwealth. A western Sydney woman has been jailed while she faces charges of defrauding the NDIS of more than $2billion At a court appearance in Liverpool on Wednesday Ms Fahmy faced charges of dishonestly intending to obtain a gain and recklessly dealing in the proceeds of crime. She was refused bail until she can make an application at Downing Centre Local Court next month. The registration of two providers was immediately suspended with notices Intention notices to ban Ms Fahmy, another woman and the four registered and unregistered NDIS providers have been issued. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten told the Daily Telegraph that he could not comment on a case before the courts but warned those who might think western Sydney was a s'oft touch' for fraudsters. 'They severely underestimate my determination to get rid of the crooks,' Mr Shorten said. 'The people of Western Sydney are supplying a lot of valuable information because they don't want these vultures hanging around their streets exploiting people with disabilities. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said fraudsters skim as estimated $6billion every year from the program 'The National Disability Insurance Agency continues to assess every tip-off it receives, and will investigate if there's any indication someone is looking to skim money from the people for whom it is intended.' Last year Mr Shorten vowed to crack down on crooks ripping off the subsidy program for people with disabilities through fake and vastly inflated invoices. He said estimated $6billion is being pocketed out by crooks dipping into the $30billion program. NHS England said desflurane will be decommissioned by early next year The NHS will ban an anaesthetic gas by early next year in an attempt to meet net zero targets - despite a top scientist claiming the move is 'not supported by climate science'. Some anaesthetists believe the planned ban will unnecessarily restrict what can be given to patients undergoing surgery. According to NHS England desflurane has a global warming potential 2,500 times greater than carbon dioxide. The health service has said the ban will help to reduce 'harmful emissions' and there are 'safe and clinically effective alternatives' already in use. At a major conference of anaesthetists, Professor Dame Julia Slingo argued the 'decommissioning' of desflurane should be reversed because it's use should be based on what's best for the patient. During her keynote speech at the Association of Anaesthetists annual conference, Prof Dame Slingo said: 'Anaesthetic gases have a vanishing[ly] small effect ... lifetimes are too short and concentrations too low. They have no climate impact.' At the Association of Anaesthetists annual conference, Professor Dame Julia Slingo said the 'decommissioning' of desflurane should be reversed An NHS spokesman said the decision to decommission desflurane had 'strong clinical support' (stock image) Comments by Prof Dame Slingo - the Met Office's former chief scientist who led a team of more than 500 scientists - were welcomed by a series of anaesthetists working in the NHS who have concerns the drug will only be available in 'exceptional clinical circumstances'. Dr Nick Fletcher, a consultant anaesthetist in London, told The Telegraph that this particular anaesthetic is useful for cases such as 'super-obese patients'. He added the ban would mean removing a useful agent without a wider environmental benefit. An NHS spokesman said the decision had 'strong clinical support' including from the Royal College of Anaesthetists. The Association of Anaesthetists formally backed the ban earlier this year. 'We are working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and professional bodies to ensure this is implemented safely,' the spokesman added. More than 40 trusts in England have already stopped using it. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense updated information on military equipment, weapons and ammunition seized after the completion of local anti-terror measures conducted in Azerbaijan's Garabagh region, as of 18:00 on September 30. WEAPONS 1. Small arms 2585 2. Grenade launchers 224 3. Cannons and howitzers 53 4. Mortars 63 5. Anti-tank weapons 54 6. Air Defense weapons 135 VEHICLES 1. Armored vehicles 22 2. Auto vehicles 174 3. Trailers 21 4. Auxiliary vehicles 9 COMBAT AMMUNITION 1. Rockets 1685 2. Cannon and howitzer shells 4956 3. Anti-aircraft cannon shells 2627 4. Mortar shells 12305 5. Grenades 5419 6. Hand grenades 3036 7. Bullets 1976068 8. Other ammunition 5751 DEVICES 1. Optical devices 280 2. Other devices 37 ACCOUTREMENTS 1. Individual accoutrements 997 2. Various weapons accessories 15 3. Other accoutrements 2260 The Organising Committee of Expo 2023 Doha has signed an agreement with GWC that makes it the logistics services provider for the exhibition, given its proven track record in providing integrated logistics services for major global events. The agreement reflects the Organising Committees keenness to ensure that Expo 2023 Doha provides a unique experience for participants and visitors from all over the world, and plays a positive role in improving the logistics sector in the country, while providing the opportunity for national companies to benefit from building international partnerships and increase investments in this vital sector. Eng Mohammed Ali Al Khouri, Secretary General of Horticulture Expo 2023 Doha, said: Logistics services are an essential element in the success of an event of this importance. It is the backbone that contributes to smooth and effective flow of goods and participants. There is no doubt that choosing a specialised logistics company enhances our readiness for this global event and contributes to supporting national companies in all vital sectors within the country. Meeting the logistics needs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Fahad Bin Jassem Bin Jaber Al Thani, Chairman of the GWC Board of Directors, said: We express our pride and our readiness to make all the required efforts in order to accomplish the mission entrusted to us and meet the logistics needs of the Horticulture Expo 2023 Doha. I also pay tribute to the tireless efforts made by the State of Qatar within the framework of its National Vision 2030, which revolves around development, growth and sustainability. The country will be the focus of attention of the world this year, and this requires us to do our best and employ all expertise available to us in order to provide logistics support for the various events at Horticulture Expo 2023 Doha, this major event distinguished by its fine organisation and exceptional vision. Expo 2023 Doha will be held under the slogan Green Desert, Better Environment, and aims to unify the efforts of countries, organisations and individuals around the world in order to reach innovative environmental and agricultural solutions in the State of Qatar and the world. Expo 2023 Doha is scheduled to commence on October 2, 2023, and will run for an impressive 179 days of celebrations, concluding on March 28, 2024. The event aims to attract over 3 million visitors.-- TradeArabia News Service The heartbroken mother of Colin Pitchfork's teen victim Dawn Ashworth has warned 'he will kill again' and pleaded for him to be kept behind bars as he makes his case for freedom today. Barbara Ashworth's 15-year-old daughter was killed by Pitchfork in 1986. The double murderer was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years for killing Dawn and Lynda Mann - who was also 15-years-old. Two years ago the killer was controversially granted parole - only for it to be revoked just two months later after he was caught approaching a young girl. Now Ms Ashworth, 77, has urged the parole board not to make the same mistake again at a two-day hearing where the killer will make his bid for freedom. She told The Mirror: 'I just want him locked away forever it's an insult that he's even been given an option to come out. 'It's devastated my life. I've not only lost my only daughter but he's also robbed me of having grandchildren.' Teen victim Dawn Ashworth (pictured) was murdered by Colin Pitchfork in the village of Enderby in 1986 Double murderer Colin Pitchfork was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years for killing Dawn Ashcroft and Lynda Mann The parole decision in 2021 drew criticism from the victims' families who said they had been let down by the system. Although he did not commit any new offences, the 'concerning' behaviour was deemed so troubling that Pitchfork was sent back to jail for breaching the terms of his release on licence. Tory Robert Buckland, who was justice secretary when Pitchfork was freed in 2021, said he should 'never have been released in the first place'. Pitchfork shocked Britain after raping and strangling Lynda in Narborough, Leicestershire, in November 1983. He later murdered Dawn in the nearby village of Enderby three years later, before he became the first murderer to be convicted using DNA evidence. Police had asked 5,000 men to provide a DNA sample but Pitchfork persuaded a friend of his to give one on his behalf. He was caught when the friend was heard gloating about it. In police interviews, the killer later admitted exposing himself to over 1,000 women throughout his lifetime. Pitchfork raped and strangled Lynda in Narborough, Leics, as she walked home from babysitting in November 1983. Nearly three years later he raped and strangled Dawn in neighbouring Enderby less than a mile away. Barbara Ashworth's (pictured) 15-year-old daughter was killed by Colin Pitchfork in 1986. She has warned 'he will kill again' and pleaded for him to be kept behind bars Ms Ashcroft, who now lives in Cornwall, said she remembers it like it was yesterday. She added: 'Our lives changed for ever in that moment. Dawn had so many ambitions and her death has left a void. I don't want anyone else to suffer like me.' 'He's taken something away that I can never replace, but nobody can take the memories away from me,' she said. According to The Sun, Ms Ashcroft will not be attending the hearing due to health struggles. Suella Braverman has launched an outspoken broadside against 'pampered, out-of-touch' celebrities who criticise her immigration policy. In a no-holds-barred Mail on Sunday interview, the Home Secretary fired back at the likes of Sir Elton John and Gary Lineker, branding them members of a 'virtue-signalling elite' who lecture the British people 'from their villas and private jets'. Last week, Sir Elton who owns a 15 million property on the French Riviera said that Ms Braverman risked 'legitimising hate and violence' with her comments about migrants 'gaming' the system to secure refugee status. And BBC presenter Lineker tweeted: 'She can't possibly know that they [the migrants] are lying.' Now the Home Secretary has hit back in uncompromising terms. She told this newspaper: 'What we are seeing here is out-of-touch pampered elites, lecturing us on how we should think about very, very serious issues affecting the majority of British people, such as illegal migration. Suella Braverman has launched an outspoken broadside against 'pampered, out-of-touch' celebrities who criticise her immigration policy In a no-holds-barred Mail on Sunday interview, the Home Secretary fired back at the likes of Sir Elton John and Gary Lineker, branding them members of a 'virtue-signalling elite' who lecture the British people 'from their villas and private jets' 'These people don't have to wait in a queue to see a GP, they can just go private. They don't have to worry about trying to afford a car or buy a house. The vast majority of British people are directly affected by the unprecedented scale of illegal migration. My job is to think of them first ahead of a virtue-signalling, elitist view from Hollywood Central.' Ms Braverman, one of the frontrunners to succeed Rishi Sunak as Tory leader, said she didn't 'have a problem with anyone flying in private jets or having villas around the world' but suggested they do not speak for the majority. 'What I have a problem with is these privileged people telling the British people how they should think. I find that rank hypocrisy and condescending, lecturing tone incredibly inappropriate. These pampered elites are trying to look compassionate and sound virtuous.' Sir Elton, who is worth 450 million, spent some of the summer on his yacht in St Tropez, while Lineker triggered a storm earlier this year when he accused Ms Braverman of mimicking the messaging used by Nazis in the 1930s. However, some Tory MPs were also angered by Ms Braverman's comments in the US last week. The row comes as delegates gather in Manchester for the Conservative Party's annual conference, with potential leadership candidates vying for prominence. Under an operation codenamed Swooping Eagle, the party is sending 'spies' to follow ambitious targets including Ms Braverman and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch. Last night, Ms Badenoch made a bid to seize the initiative from Ms Braverman by raising the prospect of Britain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if the courts continued to use it to block Government plans to deport migrants to Rwanda just days after the Home Secretary argued the same point. 'It is definitely something which needs to be on the table,' Ms Badenoch said. As Mr Sunak faces a critical week at conference: Tory MPs, in a mounting revolt, signed a pledge not to vote for any increase in tax as the Prime Minister's predecessor Liz Truss planned to tell a Great British Growth Rally that the Tories must become 'the party of business once again'; Right-wing members of the New Conservatives will unveil demands for manifesto policies, including withdrawing from the ECHR, making major cuts to migration and banning gender ideology in schools; Labour insiders claimed that after receiving 'intelligence' they were preparing for a May General Election; Sir Keir Starmer's strategists said that Thursday's Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, a seat held by the SNP, was the most important for the party for 'decades', as Labour needs to take such seats if it is to win the Election; Mr Sunak tried to win the motorist vote by introducing a single app to pay for parking anywhere in the country; The Prime Minister unveiled a 1.1 billion plan for long-term help for 55 'left-behind' towns across the UK. In her remarks made during a speech in Washington last week, Ms Braverman said the 'misguided dogma of multiculturalism' was posing an 'existential threat' to the West prompting Mr Sunak to respond by praising the UK's 'fantastic multicultural democracy'. Speaking to the MoS, Ms Braverman defended her remarks by saying: 'There are many areas around the country where integration hasn't worked. I think I'm illustrating and voicing a concern shared by the British people.' In her remarks made during a speech in Washington last week, Ms Braverman said the 'misguided dogma of multiculturalism' was posing an 'existential threat' to the West prompting Mr Sunak to respond by praising the UK's 'fantastic multicultural democracy' Sir Elton John and Gary Lineker were both approached for comment about the Home Secretary's remarks In Operation Swooping Eagle a tacit acknowledgement that the conference will mark the unofficial launch of the next Tory leadership race Ministers will be watched 'at every event and fringe meeting', according to one senior staffer, who added: 'We're not going to be blindsided like we have been at previous conferences.' Miriam Cates, another Tory leadership hopeful, will join colleagues from the New Conservatives at a rally to push for 'five alternative pledges' they want in the manifesto, as she warned that Western society is threatened by 'cultural Marxism' and falling birth rates. Ms Badenoch is the most popular Cabinet member, according to the influential Conservative Home survey of Tory supporters. Second is Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, another potential candidate, followed by Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, who may also be a contender, is tenth. In her interview, Ms Braverman said that she had 'grounds for optimism' that the Supreme Court, which will start a three-day hearing on the Rwanda policy on October 9, would find the Government was acting lawfully. She said: 'Obviously we did lose at the Court of Appeal but I very much hope the [Supreme] Court will agree with the Government and find that it's lawful so that we can operationalise it and get flights off to Rwanda as quickly as possible.' Failing that, she said, her views on leaving the ECHR were 'well known'. But she denied having leadership ambitions, saying: 'There's no vacancy. I'm working hand-in-hand with the Prime Minister to stop the boats and win the next General Election. 'I applaud the Prime Minister for his very courageous stance on some of these tough decisions in the long-term interest of the country. He's working flat out with me on our plan, and we're making progress.' Sir Elton John and Gary Lineker were both approached for comment about the Home Secretary's remarks. Furious Republicans are calling for the Democrat who pulled fire alarm during crucial shutdown vote to expelled and prosecuted like a January 6 rioter. New York representative Jamaal Bowman was allegedly caught on camera pulling the alarm in the Cannon Building, which houses numerous Congressional office spaces, as lawmakers scrambled to pass a plan to keep the government funded before it ran out of money on Saturday at midnight. The move has sparked a incensed reaction from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who is now calling for Bowman to be prosecuted. Taking on X, formerly known as Twitter, the congresswoman wrote: 'Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled the fire alarm in the Cannon building this afternoon and interrupted the official proceedings of the House as Republicans worked to keep the government open. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is now calling for Bowman to be prosecuted She claims Bowman has violated the same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for Democrat Rep. Jamal Bowman says claims he purposefully pulled a fire alarm to disrupt House Republicans as they debated a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown are 'BS.' BREAKING: Rep. Jamaal Bowman just released a statement in which he claims that a door marked emergency exit is one he usually takes to get to votes and says he thought pushing the big red box that said FIRE would open it. pic.twitter.com/K1JuNkJ75R Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 1, 2023 'I'm calling on the DOJ to prosecute him using the same law they used to prosecute J6 defendants for interfering with an official proceeding. 'The Democrats literally will do anything to shut OUR government down because billions aren't going to their favorite country: Ukraine.' Speaking to media on the Capitol steps, an infuriated Greene added: 'I want to talk about Jamal Bowman pulling the fire alarm. Capitol police are questioning him right now because it's on video, he violated the exact same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for every single day. 'He violated the exact same law, interrupting an official proceeding by pulling a fire alarm, it's on video and the Capitol police have the information. This is outrageous.' She said she was yet to watch the video but is demanding the Department of Justice 'prosecute him the same way they are prosecuted January 6th defendants'. 'It's the exact same law. He's a democratic representative. Here's what happened, Katherine Clark, the whip, called the motion to adjourn and within a few minutes, it was literally after that, Jamal Bowman pulls a fire alarm 'This is unprecedented. The democrats will do anything to make sure it's shut down because billions of dollars are not going to their favorite country - Ukraine.' But Bowman says claims he purposefully pulled a fire alarm to disrupt House Republicans as they debated a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown are 'BS.' In a statement he wrote: 'I want to personally clear up confusion surrounding today's events. Today, as I was rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open. 'I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused.' The New York representative was allegedly caught on camera pulling the stunt in the Cannon Building, which houses numerous Congressional office spaces, as lawmakers scrambled to pass a plan to keep the government funded before it ran out of money on Saturday at midnight He was adamant that the move had nothing to do with delaying the vote. 'I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay the vote,' he continued. 'It was the exact opposite, I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open. 'I also met after the vote with the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police, at their request, and explained what had happened.' Bowman said he hopes 'no one will make more of this than it was.' 'I am working hard every day, including today, to do my job, to do it well, and deliver for my constituents.' With the Republicans in disarray, Bowman quickly became the center of a firestorm over what he insists was a simple mistake that he thought would 'open a door'. The former school principal, who would have conducted dozens of fire drills during his career, is facing a Republican threat of expulsion and an investigation by the Capitol Police. 'I thought the alarm would open the door,' Bowman told reporters about the incident. 'I was rushing to make a vote, I was trying to get to a door.' '[Bowman] pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning,' a spokesperson for the Congressional Administration Committee said. 'An investigation into why it was pulled is underway.' Capitol Police spokesperson Paul Starks said: 'An investigation into what happened and why continues.' The last-minute deal followed chaotic scenes in the House where Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for massive spending cuts and had to rely on Democrats to pass a package without funding for Ukraine. Bowman called the notion that he pulled the fire alarm to delay a vote 'complete BS.' The incident that unfolded during chaotic scenes on Capitol Hill on Saturday as the deadline loomed to avert what seemed like an inevitable shutdown. Fellow New Yorker, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has drafted a resolution to expel Bowman from Congress, Axios reports. The offices of Reps. Harriet Hageman and Lisa McClain have advised both are working on measures to 'censure Bowman', the outlet reported. It would need a two-thirds vote, meaning democrats would have to be prepared to turn on one of their own. House Speaker McCarthy said he thinks the House Ethics Committee should investigate Bowman. The U.S. avoided a government shutdown after the Senate secured enough votes to pass a bill to keep the government funded for 45 days just hours before Saturday's midnight deadline. The deal sailed through the Senate 88 to 9, hours after it made it through the House and after a shutdown seemed inevitable on Saturday morning. 'The American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown,' Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Meanwhile, Speaker Kevin McCarthy dared his conservative critics to try to oust him as they have long threatened in a press conference after the vote. 'If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,' the speaker said. 'There has to be an adult in the room.' It is feared the government shutdown could drag on for weeks The House managed to pass a short-term solution to keep the government funded for 45 days without additional funding for Ukraine, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy turning to Democrats to help him push it through He also said there should be an Ethics Committee investigation into Bowman's actions. 'I'm going to have a discussion with the Democratic Leader about it, but this should not go without punishment.' Republicans, led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y., are now working on a resolution to expel Bowman from Congress, and Capitol Police were circulating a photo of what appeared to be Bowman pulling the alarm. Bowman's antics led to an evacuation of the building, which came as House representatives were readying to vote on a bill that would avert a government shutdown less than 12 hours before a deadline. The bill passed in a 335-91 vote, and now heads to the Senate. It will keep the government funded for 45 days. Before the bill's passing Democrats had been trying to delay the vote to give them time to read the text and make sure they could support it. Ninety Republicans against the continuing resolution (CR) that extends government funding at 2023 levels beyond the midnight deadline. Only one Democrat - Rep. Mike Quigley, Ill., opposed it. He wanted it to include Ukraine funding. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has long said that if McCarthy cut a deal with Democrats to get a CR across the floor he would launch a movement to oust him immediately. Gaetz moved to speak on the House floor Saturday after the vote but the House adjourned until Monday - ensuring that any plan to bring forward a motion to vacate the speakership will have to wait until then. The stopgap funding bill's passage came after concerns it could be held up by party infighting, and comes as a relief as the potential shutdown could have jeopardized the livelihoods of millions of Americans. The passage today saw officials hash out 45 day continuing resolution deal which would supply disaster relief funds, an extension of the federal flood insurance program and FAA reauthorization. It remains uncertain whether the bill will survive as it heads to the Senate, where a procedural vote has yet to be scheduled. The government will officially shut down at midnight if lawmakers cannot land a deal. Republicans had spent up until almost the last minute trying to pass a party-line CR that included steep funding cuts and border security provisions. But with 21 Republicans opposed to that plan as of Friday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy finally had enough and agreed to put a clean funding extension on the floor that had Democratic support - and did not include conservative priorities. He was always going to have to put a bipartisan deal on the floor at the end in order for it to pass the Senate, but a Republican-only deal would have been a messaging win on spending cuts and could have been a starting point for negotiations. Republican firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters on Saturday that she wouldn't approve policies funding the conflict in Ukraine, which she dubbed 'America last' The House Speaker has faced stern opposition from hardline Republican representatives including Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (pictured) Friday's failed vote was a brutal defeat for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has faced relentless criticism from the right of his party McCarthy urged his colleagues to pass his stopgap bill to keep government open while we finish our job.' President Biden has readied his cabinet to convene next week to grapple with the effects of a shutdown Democrats celebrated the deal as a win - since it did not include the priorities Republicans had been pushing for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X: 'Here's what went down: we just won a clean 45 day gov extension, stripped GOP's earlier 30 percent cuts to Social Security admin etc, staved off last minute anti-immigrant hijinks, and averted shutdown (for now). People will get paychecks and MTG threw a tantrum on the way out. Win-win.' Much of the dispute has been focused on Biden's aggressive funding of the conflict in Ukraine, with firebrand Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene slamming the bill she voted no on 'America last' on Saturday. The stopgap bill crucially did not include any aid to Ukraine. Before the vote, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said Republican opposition to Ukraine war funding was a 'huge problem'. 'Kevin McCarthy and the Republican conference have proven time and time again that they don't care about the freedom of the Ukrainian people, and they turn their backs on them time and time again,' Aguilar said. 'And his anti-Ukraine, pro-Putin caucus is pretty strong.' Dentists are turning to debt collectors to go after patients as post-Covid rise in non-payments are sinking their teeth into profits, it has been reported. One dentist in Purley said some patients just walk out of the door without paying, with it being suggested the introduction of the rent-relief scheme by the Government saw some think they did not have to pay for anything. Now a debt collection agency has warned people failing to pay up poses a threat to the industry and claims non-payments have surged by 20 to 25 per cent compared to a few years ago. Desperate dentists are calling in bailiffs to try and recoup the cash, with Harley Street practices among Frontline Collections' hundreds of clients, reported The Express. Operations Manager Chris Spencer said they had collected millions of pounds in unpaid fees. Debt collection company Frontline Collectors say patients not paying up for treatment is a threat to the industry and it has Harley Street practices among its hundreds of clients 'We aim to go after patients who have the money but blatantly don't want to pay,' he said. 'They will say, "Do what you want, I have a lawyer". We get that pompous nonsense every day.' How much does NHS dentistry cost? There are 3 NHS charge bands: Band 1: 23.80 Covers an examination, diagnosis and advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, a scale and polish, and planning for further treatment. Band 2: 65.20 Covers all treatment included in Band 1, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment and removing teeth (extractions). Band 3: 282.80 Covers all treatment included in Bands 1 and 2, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures and bridges. For comparison, check-ups can cost between 20 and 120 at private dentists, according to Which?. Dentures and bridges can also cost up to 2,520, the consumer watchdog says. Advertisement Mr Spencer says they don't go after people who live in the 'poorer areas' as they genuinely can't afford it. Some patients pretend they are going to get their money from their car and then scarper, he said, while others blackmail dentists by threatening to 'expose' them on social media. He said: 'The mentality seems to be I have been through a lot of pain and I still have to pay? Or they find some spurious reason why they should not have to pay for treatment.' NHS England figures last month showed less than half of adults in England have seen a dentist within the past two years. Only 43 per cent of over-18s were seen by a dentist in the 24 months to June this year, compared to more than half in the same period before the pandemic struck. It means 3.8million fewer adults have had their teeth checked by the health service compared to pre-Covid levels. NHS dental services for children have also suffered, with only 56 per cent seeing a dentist within the last year, 700,000 fewer than pre-pandemic. Experts warned that the difficulties accessing NHS dentists could see people forgo vital treatment or resort to DIY dentistry risking more costly care down the line. While last month the Mail on Sunday revealed record numbers of patients in pain due to problems with their teeth are flooding the NHS urgent care helpline because they cant find a dentist. Every month, 85,000 desperate patients call 111 with dental emergencies, compared with 60,000 in 2018 a rise of 42 per cent. NHS 111 staff say they are regularly contacted by patients with tooth pain, meaning that doctors on the helpline take longer to get to patients with life-threatening symptoms such as chest pain. NHS England figures last month showed less than half of adults in England have seen a dentist within the past two years The number of NHS dentists has plunged to 23,000 its lowest in a decade. Nine in ten NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult NHS patients, leaving one in five Britons with no dentist. The British Dental Association said many dentists no longer wanted to do NHS work because they were paid for only a limited number of NHS treatments each year. The Government wants to train thousands more within ten years, but Dr Nigel Carter, of the Oral Health Foundation, said: Theres a possibility NHS dentists wont exist by 2030 the system is so broken. Dr Nisa Aslam, a 111 GP, said: We regularly hear from patients with tooth pain so bad they are desperate. These patients are probably in more pain that any patient I talk to because tooth pain is so intense. Theres little I can do Im not allowed to offer dental advice. This means 111 doctors spend a substantial time answering calls from patients they cannot treat. NHS England did not respond to a request to comment. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was 'uninvited' from the banquet to mark King Charles's visit to France because he had upset Rishi Sunak, it was claimed last night. Allies of the Speaker suspect his rebukes of the Prime Minister for failing to respect the Commons lay behind the decision not to give him a seat at the glittering event at the Palace of Versailles. And they are privately describing it as part of a 'Just Stop Hoyle' campaign within the Government to bring him to heel. Number 10 sources denied any attempt to punish the Speaker last night. The sumptuous banquet held in Versailles's famous Hall of Mirrors was one of the highlights of the State Visit by the King and Queen Camilla to France last month, which encompassed Paris and Bordeaux. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was 'uninvited' from the banquet to mark King Charles's visit to France because he had upset Rishi Sunak, it was claimed last night So lavish was the dinner that French President Emmanuel Macron is now facing calls by French MPs to reveal its cost The three-day event was originally due to be held earlier this year but was postponed after unrest in France over pension reforms. So lavish was the dinner that French President Emmanuel Macron is now facing calls by French MPs to reveal its cost. A total of 160 guests, including British stars Sir Mick Jagger and Hugh Grant, were invited. So was French National Assembly president Yael Braun-Pivet the equivalent of the House of Commons Speaker. However, Sir Lindsay, in his role since 2019, was not invited. That was despite the fact that The Mail on Sunday understands that the Speaker was on the original Versailles guest list for the postponed State Visit. One Labour MP suggested last night that it was 'pay back' time for Sir Lindsay for having repeatedly ticked Mr Sunak off for not making important announcements to the Commons first. In July, Sir Lindsay pointedly said 'how pleased I am to see him in the House' before adding, 'I hope we will see more statements made in the House first'. One Labour MP suggested last night that it was 'pay back' time for Sir Lindsay for having repeatedly ticked Mr Sunak off for not making important announcements to the Commons first However, just 11 days ago, the Speaker vented his fury after the PM unveiled major changes to the Government's Net Zero plans shortly after the Commons had broken up for the Party conferences recess. But last night, Downing Street sources insisted that they had nothing to do with the Versailles invitations. However, a French government source said: 'The Versailles guest list was guided by the British, through the UK Embassy in Paris. This meant that the British government had a significant say in who attended, even though the evening was hosted by the President of the [French] Republic.' And asked if Sir Lindsay was on the original guest list, one British diplomatic source said: 'Quite possibly lots of names were bandied around at the time.' The Speaker was unavailable for comment yesterday. The police chief who led a highly criticized raid of a small Kansas newspaper, that saw its 98-year-old owner die the following day, has been suspended. Marion Mayor Dave Mayfield said he had suspended Chief Gideon Cody on Thursday but declined to discuss his decision further or say whether Cody is still being paid. The August 11 raids of the Marion County Record office and the homes of its publisher and a City Council member have been sharply criticized. Video of the raid on the home of publisher Eric Meyer shows how distraught his 98-year-old mother had become as officers searched through their belongings. Cody, seen here in plain clothes, became chief of the Marion County Police Department in May, after retiring from Kansas City police department in Missouri. He is being sued by the reporter whose phone he ripped away Police seized computers, personal cellphones, and a router during the filmed ordeal of the August raid at the Marion County Record Meyer said he believes that the grief and stress contributed to Joan Meyer's death one day later. She was sobbing, couldn't eat, and died mid-sentence just 12 hours after the ordeal. Cody's suspension is a reversal for the mayor, who previously said he would wait for results from a state police investigation before taking action. Marion Mayor Dave Mayfield said he had suspended Chief Gideon Cody on Thursday Cody became chief of the Marion County Police Department in late April, after leaving the Kansas City police amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The incident also flung Marion to the forefront of a debate over press protections offered by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Vice-Mayor Ruth Herbel, whose home was also raided August 11, praised Cody's suspension as 'the best thing that can happen to Marion right now' as the central Kansas town of about 1,900 people struggles to move forward under the national spotlight. 'We can't duck our heads until it goes away, because it's not going to go away until we do something about it,' Herbel said. Cody has said little publicly since the raids other than posting a defense of them on the police department's Facebook page. When Cody was confronted by reporters, he refused to answer any questions, and instead said: 'Do you realize how angry KBI (Kansas Bureau of Investigations) will be at me if I start talking about their case at this point?' In court documents he filed to get the search warrants, he argued that he had probable cause to believe the newspaper and Herbel, whose home was also raided, had violated state laws against identity theft or computer crimes. The raids came after a local restaurant owner accused the newspaper of illegally accessing information about them. Co-owner of the newspaper, Joan Meyer, 98, was distraught at the police raid on her newspaper, died 'mid-sentence' half a day after the still-shrouded operation In video released by the Marion County Record Meyer rolls her walker right up to a police officer and demands he wait outside She even attempts to stop the men and refuses to answer their questions, replying 'I'm not going to tell you' when asked how many computers she has A spokesman for the agency that maintains those records has said the newspaper's online search that a reporter did was likely legal even though the reporter needed personal information about the restaurant owner that a tipster provided to look up her driving record. The newspaper's publisher Eric Meyer has said the identity theft allegations simply provided a convenient excuse for the search after his reporters had been allegedly digging for background information on Cody, who was appointed this summer. Legal experts believe the raid on the newspaper violated a federal privacy law or a state law shielding journalists from having to identify sources or turn over unpublished material to law enforcement. Another reporter last month filed a federal lawsuit against the police chief over the raid. Following the scandal and the federal lawsuit, the small newspaper said that it was inundated with year-long subscriptions. Earlier this month Mayor Mayfield told The Wichita Eagle: 'I mean, everybody's looking at Marion like we're a bunch of hicks now. 'And the police department just did what the judge allowed them to do.' Eric Meyer, publisher of The Marion County Record, claims the August search was motivated by a reporter' s investigation into the chief's background with the police department A stack of the Marion County Record sits in the back of the newspaper's building, awaiting unbundling, sorting and distribution following the August raid The offices of the Marion County Record weekly newspaper sit across the street from the Marion County, Kansas Courthouse The small-town paper said it has been bombarded with subscribtion orders since the controversy took off A tribute to the late Marion County Record co-owner Joan Meyer sits outside the newspaper's office Questioning the prosecutor who decided to pull the search warrants five days after they'd been executed, he added: 'Why didn't he (Ensey) do that in the first place?' He also said that he was 'perplexed' that Cody was receiving criticism. The Kansas Bureau of Investigations took over the investigation days after the newspaper's computers and publishing equipment were seized because there were suspicions that the pillage had taken place without proper reasoning from the cops. They found that there indeed wasn't enough evidence to have launched the tirade against the local paper - and revoked the warrant. Scotland's First Minister dusted off his dancing shoes on Saturday as he visited a children's dance class at a community centre on the campaign trail ahead of a key by-election. Both Humza Yousaf and the SNP's candidate Katy Loudon were both seen laughing as they follow the instructions from the dance leader alongside the youngsters at Tempo Community Space in Rutherglen. Mr Yousaf, who was spotted striking his best pose, conceded that the context of the by-election has been 'challenging' but said there is strong support for the SNP. The First Minister has said he remains 'hopeful' of an SNP win in a key by-election next week. Ms Loudon will go up against Sir Keir Starmer's 'man in Scotland' Michael Shanks for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat on October 5. It is likely to be an important battleground ahead of the UK general election, which is expected next year. Scotland's First Minister dusted off his dancing shoes on Saturday as he visited a children's dance class at a community centre The seat was vacated by former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier following a successful recall petition after her conviction for breaching Covid restrictions in 2020. Speaking during the visit, Mr Yousaf said: 'I go in hopeful over these last few days of the by-election for a couple of reasons: one, because we have a phenomenally good candidate in Katy Loudon, who is working hard, talking to people every hour of every day as much as she possibly can. 'But the second reason I go in hopeful is because I know the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West have now a very stark choice. 'They can either vote for Keir Starmer's man here in Scotland - and Labour have taken this vote for granted, they've already decided they've won this by-election - or they have a choice of the alternative, of Katy Loudon, who will only take her orders from the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West and stand up for the issues that matter to them, predominantly battling against that Westminster cost-of-living crisis that has caused so much misery to so many people in this constituency.' Both Humza Yousaf (middle) and the SNP's candidate Katy Loudon (pictured left in blue) are both seen laughing as they follow the instructions from the dance leader First Minister Humza Yousaf (middle) joins SNP candidate for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Katy Loudon (right) and the dance teacher at Tempo Community Space on September 30 He added: 'It could well come down to on the day making sure we get that vote out, motivate them, that's what we'll be concentrating on for the next few days.' Candidate Ms Loudon said: 'By-elections have the potential to cause a shockwave in politics, we know that from Winnie Ewing in this area 50 years ago. 'This is a chance for people in this area to send a message and that message is we reject Westminster, we reject Westminster being broken or it not working for this constituency, we reject Brexit, we reject years of horrible welfare policies, years of austerity, and it's a message for Labour as well. 'People have the chance to do that and it's to send a message to Keir Starmer - we're not going to put up with your lurch to the right because your lurch to the right is to support your vote down south, it's not about doing anything for the voters of Rutherglen and Hamilton west here in this area.' A Philadelphia influencer, who livestreamed a looting spree in the city, has had her legal representation slam the 'all out assault' on her as racist. Dayjia Blackwell, a 21-year-old influencer known as 'Meatball', livestreamed looters in the recent flash mob robbery in Philadelphia and asked her 181,000 Instagram followers to join her as she ran through the street. Jessica Mann, Blackwell's lawyer, wrote on social media Friday: 'It sickens me to witness the media's complicity in what can only be described as an all-out assault on black and brown people, as their character and actions are mercilessly vilified.' Mann defending the decision to livestream the lootings as 'nothing more than capturing the raw reality of public outrage.' After Blackwell was released on $25,000 bail Thursday, she brazenly begged her fans to pay for a lawyer and urged people to buy clothing and hats from her brand. She hired Mann, who also criticized the media for posting her mugshot 'with tears streaming down her face and her hair a mess.' Blackwell, meanwhile, has uploaded her mugshot as her profile picture on social media and hinted she may print merchandise featuring the mugshot. Dayjia Blackwell, 21, who livestreamed a mob-style looting spree in Philadelphia and encouraged others to join in, appeared distraught as police took her mug shot Dayjia Blackwell, known as Meatball, posted on her Instagram story after being released from jail. She told viewers about her time in jail and asked them to buy her merch or donate to her Jessica Mann, Blackwell's lawyer, defended her client and said the decision to livestream 'nothing more than capturing the raw reality of public outrage' Mann, Blackwell's lawyer, wrote on social media Friday: 'It sickens me to witness the media's complicity in what can only be described as an all-out assault on black and brown people.' In her open letter to the media, Mann also brought up the dismissal of charges against a fired police officer Mark Dial who shot Eddie Irizarry to death and 'the gross dereliction of duty by the Philadelphia District Attorney'. The lawyer said Blackwell's decision to livestream was to 'bravely expose the deep-seated issues that plague society,' but the police and local media failed to engage in what could have been a 'meaningful dialogue' about the causes of the unrest. Mann called the looters 'individuals driven by pain and anguish' and said the robbery 'is not about sneakers or alcohol.' 'It is about the systemic oppression that has plagued our communities for generations... and the corrosive effects of unchecked police brutality and a justice system that favors the powerful over the voiceless,' the lawyer added. At the end of the letter, Mann called the city of Philadelphia to 'take responsibility for creating a system' that allows police brutality. 'When officers can murder with impunity, when communities are left to suffer without resources, it is no wonder that people feel compelled to take matters into their own hands,' she wrote. While some supported the sentiment, others pointed out that the charges were brought against her for participating in a crime spree, among which dozens were arrested. 'If she had stayed home, minded her business and not incite folks, she would not be in the situation she is in and have charges pending against her,' one of Mann's followers said. 'No matter how much y'all try to defend her, she need to face the consequences of her actions and how her actions impacted communities and people trying to just make ends meet.' One person claimed that even Meatball's grandma disapproved. 'Even her grandma said that what she did was wrongfully. and you playing the 'legal' black card,' one user said. 'I'm an attorney as well and a former public defender and I'm ashamed of you. 'A lawyer must defend the client's RIGHT but under no circumstances should the illicit act committed.' Images shared on social media show a large group storming the Apple store and stealing items Blackwell faces charges for burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespassing, rioting, criminal mischief, criminal use of communication facility, receipt of stolen property and disorderly conduct. The 'looter' posted bail Thursday morning and told her 196,000 followers that: 'All I want to do is go treat myself' and plugged her Cash App handle for her followers. One other post on her Instagram also said: 'If you don't got $150 for promo bye, I need a lawyer at the end of the day.' In a separate post, she sad: 'Thanks I love everybody. I will never get locked up again, what was that I was in omg. That scared me. 'I've never been through nothing like that ever in my life, I don't even know what happened. I need some sleep, I'm scared, I'm traumatized, never again in my live, like seriously,' said Blackwell. The social media personality told her Instagram followers to join her as she ran through the street and drove to several locations hit by thieves Tuesday night. She filmed a mob as they looted Apple, Lululemon and Footlocker, before moving on to a liquor store where she herself boasted about grabbing a bottle of Hennessy. 'Tell the police if they lock me up tonight it's going to be lit, it's going to be a movie! Everybody's gotta eat!' she said to the camera. A large number of people can be seen running towards the Lululemon store in this picture during the spree Fine Wine And Good Spirits got smashed apart during the second night if looting It was a bitter pill to swallow for Blackwell when she was finally nabbed by cops while in her friend's car just after midnight. Still filming herself and the night's events on an Instagram live stream, she tried to talk her way out of it. 'We didn't have anything to do with this!' she protested, clearly forgetting about the hours of footage she'd so keenly put together and brazenly shared. Blackwell joined dozens who face criminal charges after the social media-fueled mayhem, in which groups apparently working together, smashed their way into stores and stuffed bags with merchandise before fleeing, authorities said. At least 52 arrests have been made so far with burglary, theft and other counts filed against at least 30 people as of Saturday. According to Jane Roh, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia district attorney's office, all but three of those arrested were adults. The flash mob-style ransacking Tuesday night targeted dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple. A day after, at least 18 state-run liquor stores were broken into, leading the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to close all 48 of its Philadelphia retail locations and one in suburban Cheltenham on Wednesday. Latest figures, which are up until last Sunday, show how there has been 302 homicides in the city so far this year. There have also been 402 reported rapes, 58,759 cases of property crime, 3,701 cases of aggravated assaults and 1,314 shooting victims. A former lumberjack investigated over the felling of one of Britain's most famous trees has vehemently denied any involvement, saying: 'I'm not that stupid.' Walter Renwick, 69, gave an interview to a Mail on Sunday reporter just hours before police started searching his property on Friday night. Reacting to social media gossip, he said: 'The speculation is bloody ridiculous. I'll tell you this much, I wouldn't be so sad to do that.' Mr Renwick's Northumberland farm is eight miles from where the 300-year-old tree at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian's Wall was cut down in the middle of the night last week, prompting national outrage. He said: 'It was a lovely tree, an iconic tree, but I mean to go up there and cut that down, I'm not that stupid.' Walter Renwick (pictured at his home), 69, who was recently evicted from his property, has dismissed rife accusations online that he was behind the shocking act of vandalism The iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled overnight on Wednesday, sparking fury across Britain Now reduced to a stump, the 70ft sycamore was one of the world's most photographed trees and featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner. READ MORE: Was Sycamore Gap tree cut down by someone with a grudge against National Trust? Detectives probe theory after man in his 60s is arrested over felling of ancient tree Advertisement Part of the Hadrian's Wall Unesco world heritage site, it has drawn walkers and visitors from all over the globe. In 2016, it was named Tree of the Year by the Woodland Trust. Mr Renwick blamed the online finger-pointing on his work - he was a lumberjack for 40 years and because of his eviction from the farm last week following a long-running dispute. He now lives in a camper van nearby. 'It makes it sound like me, doesn't it, because it was a good cut,' he said, referring to the culprit's handiwork. 'It was dark obviously but it was a lovely moonlit night... the cut was brilliant. 'When I say brilliant, you can tell a good lumberjack by the way he cuts a tree down. I haven't seen the cut obviously, but I have seen it on the computer.' He added: 'My chainsaw's down here by that barn door, but you can see that it hasn't been used for ages.' Mr Renwick ran Plankey Mill farm and campsite for decades. He closed the campsite and sold the animals on the farm after a dispute with The Jesuits in Britain, who own the land. One of Mr Renwick's closest relatives, who asked not to be named, said: 'There is no way he [Walter] could've done this, he absolutely loves the land. He lives for the land. He's really not well enough to do anything like that. Walter is on loads of different medications for various conditions he'd rather starve than leave the house to get food.' Mr Renwick's younger brother Colin, 64, added: 'I know 100 per cent he's not done it. I'm utterly convinced he has not done it. 'This has been nothing more than trial by Facebook. I went down to see him the other night when I read his name on Facebook. I said, 'tell me you didn't do this', and he said, 'what the hell do you think I am? Of course I didn't do it'.' Mr Renwick learned he was under suspicion when his brother visited him on Thursday night and said: 'I'm pleased to see you're still here.' Mr Renwick expressed bewilderment. 'He then said the tree had been cut down and that 'everybody is pointing the finger at you'.' News of the felling provoked a furious reaction from politicians, environmentalists and the public. Many felt 'appalled' and 'saddened' at the loss. 'This is a heartbreaking act of mindless vandalism,' said Mary Foy, Labour MP for Durham. Mr Renwick revealed that even his own brother rushed to his home to find the truth. Pictured: Police at his home Northumbria Police announced tonight that it a second man, in his 60s, has been arrested in connection with the felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland. Pictured: Forensic officers at the trees stump Si King, the TV cook and Hairy Biker, posted a video online in which he accused the 'warped' culprit of 'murdering a sentinel of time and an elemental spirit of Northumberland'. Horticulturalists have raised the idea of helicoptering in a mature sycamore to take its place. Antony Gormley, the sculptor of the Angel Of The North, is understood to be in discussions to create an artwork where the tree once stood. A 16-year-old held in connection with the felling was released on bail on Friday. Holidays are precious to us all. Following the pandemic, and amid a painful cost of living squeeze, they offer us welcome relaxation and time with loved ones. That is why it is completely unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of passengers saw flights cancelled or delayed this summer because of air traffic control failures. A shortage of controllers at Gatwick Airport has plagued the travel industry and caused misery to many of our passengers. These problems have beset National Air Traffic Services (Nats) since May. This cannot go on. We need reform of how Nats is regulated to ensure that all its services are robust and resilient so that UK travellers can be confident their flights will take off. Essentially, the failure to have enough air traffic controllers means Gatwick's full schedule of flights cannot operate. Johan Lundgren: 'Our customers are rightly angry and I share their immense frustration.' This chronic problem has been disrupting flights, on average, every three days. Indeed, there have now been 40 days of delays and cancellations since May. Around 27 aircraft per hour normally land at Gatwick through the morning at this time of year. But these staff shortages means the arrival rate has been at times shrunk to just 12 per hour. That's an estimated 2,500 passengers affected per hour. As the largest carrier at Gatwick, EasyJet has been disproportionately affected. Our customers are rightly angry and I share their immense frustration. Last week, Gatwick ordered the cancellation of yet more flights. They declared that Covid sickness is the cause, when clearly it is structural understaffing. Like other airlines whose passengers have been caught up in this, we have had enough. And yet the mechanisms to hold air traffic control to account are simply not present or working. I want to be absolutely clear: I recognise that UK controllers are among the best in the world. My issue is not with them and safety is not in question it's the structure and resourcing plans that are letting us, and them, badly down. I also want to acknowledge it's not just the UK that has suffered this year. In spring we saw delays and cancellations when French controllers took strike action in solidarity against pension reforms, which didn't even impact them because they retire at 58. 'A shortage of controllers at Gatwick Airport has plagued the travel industry and caused misery to many of our passengers,' says chief exec Johan Lundgren Travellers have complained about the long queues throughout this year Aviation is critical to the country. Gatwick and Nats need to urgently put a resourcing plan in place to restore resilience to the operation there. We want to see a wide-ranging review into how Nats is structured, run and regulated so the systems and processes can be modernised. And it is crucial this is done now, to avoid the same issues next summer. After months of delays and cancellations, the UK public deserves better. From Amiri cars to a Popemobile, the Classics Gallery at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) in Qatar is set to offer a meticulously curated exhibition of historically significant heritage cars. Included as part of the experience of the main exhibition at the expansive halls of the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), the Classics Gallery will prove to be a must-see for all discerning classic car buyers, collectors or car enthusiasts. GIMS Qatar takes from place October 5 to 14, 2023 and will open to the public on October 7. The Classics Gallery will showcase exotic and exceptional historic automobiles, including Best of Show winners from leading concours delegance events. The exquisite display gallery will also shine a spotlight on automobiles with Qatari provenance and pedigree. Special exhibits Sheikha Hessa Al-Thani, Head of Marketing and Planning at Qatar Tourism, said: The rich tapestry of the world's automotive heritage, including that of Qatar, will converge at the prestigious Classics Gallery, which is set to become a firm highlight at the upcoming GIMS Qatar. The special exhibit pays tribute to the pioneering spirit that is embodied by this inaugural event in Qatar, and we welcome residents and visitors to explore the expansive displays and ground-breaking reveals that will take place during this influential motor show. Sandro Mesquita, CEO of GIMS, said: I invite all to explore the 10-day Ultimate Festival of Automotive Excellence which comprises global debuts and new model launches by world-renowned manufacturers, circuit driving experiences, exhilarating off-roading adventures in the desert, a programme of disruptive talks and much more. At GIMS Qatar 2023, you will get a glimpse of the future of the automotive industry while exploring its present and reflecting on its past, as you traverse through the different halls of the DECC. The Classics Gallery is a spectacle on its own showcasing outstanding historic cars of global repute. Automotive jewels Mohammed Luqman Ali Khan, Curatorial Director and Author of the official event book, said: On display at the Classics Gallery will be automotive jewels from world-renowned car collections. There will be an eclectic mix of extraordinary prewar and postwar vehicles including Best of Show award winners, fabled maharaja cars, official state motorcars, iconic roadsters, a grand prix winner and also a Popemobile. The star car of the show is Qatars very own, the Rolls-Royce Phantom V delivered new to the then Amir of Qatar HH Sheikh Ahmad Bin Ali Al Thani after it was showcased at the 1962 Geneva International Motor Show. Phantom Chassis 5LCG25 truly represents the connoisseurship of Qataris, it is an automotive monument to the long-standing relations between Qatar and Geneva Motor Show. The spectacular exhibition of vintage & classic cars is a precursor to the GIMS Qatar Concours dElegance planned for future. Spanning over 10,000 sq m the exhibition will host 30 renowned automotive brands, including Toyota, Lexus, Porsche, Volkswagen, Lamborghini, KIA, Audi, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Vinfast, Chery and much more. GIMS Qatar is set to showcase the latest innovations from industry, 10+ world premieres and 20+ regional premieres. Alongside the main exhibition, GIMS Qatar 2023 will create the ultimate automotive festival of automotive excellence in Qatar with four immersive experiences taking place across some of the most prominent tourism destinations in the country. These include a "Future Design Forum" at the National Museum of Qatar, thrilling offroad adventures at Sealine, exhilarating ride-and-drive experiences at the Lusail International Circuit, and a grand parade of automotive excellence along the iconic Lusail Boulevard.-- TradeArabia News Service Chipotle is being sued by a federal agency accusing it of religious harassment and retaliation after its claimed a manager at a Kansas location of the the restaurant chain forcibly removed an employee's hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women. In a lawsuit filed earlier this week the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged how in 2021, an assistant manager at a Chipotle in Lenexa, Kansas, Kevin Silva Garcia, repeatedly harassed the employee, Areej Saifan, by asking her to show him her hair, despite her refusal. After several weeks, the harassment culminated in him grabbing and partially removing her hijab, according to the complaint. The manager's 'offensive and incessant requests' that she remove her hijab, and his attempt to physically take it off, were 'unwelcome, intentional, severe, based on religion, and created a hostile working environment based on religion,' the complaint alleges. Chipotle ultimately fired Garcia while Saifan also filed a report to Lenexa Police. Areej Saifan, left got the help of the he Council on American-Islamic Relations in Kansas to help report the incident. Moussa Elbayoumy, right, of the CAIR Kansas said he helped the teen submit the complain to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The fast food chain's chief corporate affairs officer, Laurie Schalow, said the company encourages employees to report concerns, including through an anonymous hotline. 'We have a zero tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind and we have terminated the employee in question,' she said in a statement. The harassment began in July 2021, when the manager, Garcia, began asking Saifan, who was 19 at the time, to remove her hijab because he wanted to see her hair. According to the complaint, Garcia demanded to see her hair at least 10 times over the course of one month. She refused on every occasion, saying she wore it because of her religious beliefs. Saifan refused to remove her hijab on every occasion, saying she wore it because of her religious beliefs Saifan detailed her experience to the EEOC. She has since resigned from the Chipotle Saifan then complained to another supervisor that the incidents made her uncomfortable, but no further action was taken against the manager, the complaint said. One night during closing in August 2021, Garcia allegedly reached out and pulled her hijab partially off her head. The following day, Saifan gave her two weeks' notice. Chipotle didn't schedule her for any shifts during those two weeks even though other non-Muslim employees who submitted their notice continued to be scheduled for work during that time, the complaint alleged. The lawsuit claims Chipotle violated federal civil rights law protecting employees and job applicants from discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, sex and national origin. Chipotle ultimately fired the manager while Saifan, pictured, filed a report to Lenexa Police Chipotle fired the assistant manager at their franchise in Lenexa, Kansas, pictured In its suit, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said it wants Chipotle to institute policies that provide equal employment opportunities for employees of all religions and pay damages to the employee. Saifan said she felt the need to report the incident to highlight the manager's alleged offensive actions and let others know that this was not something they should do. 'I don't want this to happen to me or especially anyone else. Of course, you know, it's not only about being respectful to Muslim coworkers, to any religion, anybody, everyone has different religious beliefs and choices. And you have to respect that you have to accommodate to that.' The gate attendant threatened to call the police and arrest the woman A Southwest Airlines gate attendant threatened to call the police and arrest a fashion influencer because 'she had too many bags.' Persephone Maglaya posted a video showing the outrageous moment of her being called out by a Southwest gate attendant for having a salad box. 'The little satchel with my salad smashed really nicely into my tote,' Maglaya said in the video, but the gate attendant insisted 'it was not good enough'. The influencer was seen in the video with a suitcase and a Christian Dior tote bag - where her salad box fit in. Maglaya was on her flight from the DC airport to Dallas. With more than 19,000 followers on TikTok and 45,600 followers on Instagram, she has been the CEO of a digital media agency for four years. A Southwest Airlines gate attendant threatened to call the police and arrest a fashion influencer because 'she had too many bags' A flight attendant disagreed with her colleague and confirmed the influencer was fine to board The fashion influencer posted videos telling her side of the story, which has drawn 100,000 views and hundreds of comments on TikTok 'Can you go back to the top please,' the gate attendant named Joe was heard saying repeatedly as the blogger tried to explain after she consolidated her bags. A flight attendant stepped in and disagreed with her colleague, 'I think they can do that,' after she saw Maglaya's third bag fit into her tote. But the man ignored her. He pressed a number on his phone, saying, 'I'm calling the police,' at a moment when even his colleague seemed confused and was heard asking, 'Why are you calling the police?' The influencer refused to step back and said: 'I'm not doing anything wrong.' Maglaya also claimed the gate attendant used his body to stop her from boarding, although she didn't include it in the video. @everydayvogue This gate attendant @Southwest Airlines from dca to dallas tried to have me arrested for not approving of my consolidation of my bag. I also have to say im a loyal southwest flyer and make my employees use Southwest as up until this point I have had great experiences Part 1 #southwestairlines #southwest #airplanechronicles #airplanetiktok #flysouthwest original sound - PersephoneSocial Media Tips Maglaya founded her own company The Media Socialites based in Dallas in 2019. She married to Eduardo Maglaya, also the chief data officer of her company, and has two kids. The media agency specializes in female owned, female-focused brands with global reach and ability to strategize and execute from visual production to social media. Before starting her own business, Maglaya had spent more than ten years with WeddingWire, dedicating herself to the career of wedding planning. DailyMail.com has reached out to Maglaya but has not heard from her immediately. Maglaya's videos have drawn more than 100,000 views and hundreds of comments, with her followers expressing outrage over the Southwest gate attendant. One wrote in a comment: 'Thats incorrect. You are allowed food for the flight which doesnt count towards the baggage allowance.' 'Absolutely ridiculous on his part,' another chimed in. Maglaya founded her own company in 2019 and has raised two kids Maglaya married to Eduardo Maglaya, also the chief data officer of her company Many also praised Maglaya for maintaining her stance: 'Standing her ground is exactly what she should have done. Good job!' A few questioned the woman, pointing out that she had has her bags tagged. 'The weight of that bag with the tag is put in a system. That means it HAS to be checked at that point, agent is right.' But Maglaya responded, saying that it was the gate attendant who insisted on tagging her tote bag: 'It was my tote that I would never ever put under the plane.' The captain ended up walking off the plane and apologized to Maglaya for the attendant's behavior, Maglaya wrote. Shocking police dispatch tapes reveal the moment the body of Sarah Ferguson's former assistant was found reportedly strangled to death in her luxury Dallas apartment. DailyMail.com has obtained photos of the apartment as well as audio from Dallas, Texas police dispatch radio in which an officer comes across the alleged crime scene, and ominously reports 'I'm going to need a supervisor over here'. Jenean Chapman, 46, was found dead at upscale apartment tower The National in downtown Dallas on Monday afternoon after her colleagues called police for a wellness check when she didn't show up to work. Police arrested her husband, James Michael Patrick, 48, on Wednesday 200 miles away in Austin. Despite being married to Chapman since July, he describes himself on his Facebook page with the sentence: 'Disco.. sleeze.single af' and had his relationship status as 'single'. Shocking police dispatch tapes reveal the moment the body of Sarah Ferguson's former assistant was found reportedly strangled to death in her luxury Dallas apartment DailyMail.com has obtained photos of the apartment as well as audio from Dallas, Texas police dispatch radio in which an officer comes across the alleged crime scene at the National (pictured) Photos obtained by DailyMail.com from a listing for her 36th-floor apartment show panoramic city views and sheik mid-century modern furnishings Chapman worked as the Duchess of York's personal assistant in the early 2000s. Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, posted a statement about Chapman on her Instagram on Friday saying she 'heard from her just a couple of months ago' and pledged to help pay for funeral costs. Audio from the Dallas Police Department's dispatch radio obtained by DailyMail.com reveals the moment officers came across Chapman's body. Around 1.30pm a female officer radios in that she would 'take that call on Elm', the street Chapman's apartment was on. Police arrested her husband, James Michael Patrick, 48, on Wednesday 200 miles away in Austin the pair are pictured together on New Year's 2021 The dispatcher says 'It's a black female. Said they haven't heard from her since Wednesday. Her and her husband had a domestic [inaudible].' Just over 15 minutes later, the female officer radioed in with the bad news. 'It's going to be a 27 for sure,' she said, using the police code for an attempted crime. 'We're going to need [inaudible] crime scene.' An officer adds that they are 'Going to need a supervisor to start over here at 1401 Elm' and even mentions the word 'homicide'. Police did not officially designate the case as a murder until a day later, calling it an 'unexplained death' in their initial statements to media on Monday. The Dallas County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause of death, though sources told local ABC affiliate WFAA Channel 8 'it appeared Chapman was strangled'. Chapman was living with Patrick in a 1,157sq ft one-bedroom apartment at the upscale hotel and residence tower The National. Chapman was living with Patrick in a 1,157sq ft one-bedroom apartment at the upscale hotel and residence tower The National She moved there five months ago from San Francisco, where Patrick also previously lived. Photos obtained by DailyMail.com from a listing for her 36th-floor apartment show panoramic city views and sheik mid-century modern furnishings. Chapman's family said their relationship was 'rocky' and 'toxic', and had been on-and-off for six years. They were surprised to learn this summer that the couple had eloped without their knowledge. But you wouldn't have any idea Chapman was in Patrick's life based on his Facebook page But you wouldn't have any idea Chapman was in Patrick's life based on his Facebook page. Though there are many selfies of the 38-year-old, there are none of his wife publicly visible. Patrick categorized his relationship status on his profile as single and in his description wrote: 'Disco.. sleeze.single af'. One of the only photos of the couple together available online is on an old profile Patrick made on clothes site PoshMark.com. Patrick's criminal record includes a charge for an alleged 'terrorist threat' in Dallas County in 1993 when he was age 18 though it was later dismissed. He was also charged in 2001 for theft under $500 in Travis County. That charge was also dismissed. According to his booking information, the University of Texas Police Department arrested him on Wednesday and put him in Travis County Jail with a $100,000 bond. The New York Post reported on Friday that he had been moved to Dallas, but the Dallas County Jail system had no records of an inmate matching his description on Saturday. Her Duchess former employer Ferguson posted on Instagram on Friday: 'Jenean was loyal, hardworking, beautiful and fun and my heart breaks for her family and friends' The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled Chapman's death a homicide, but has not yet officially determined a cause of death Chapman's sister, Crystal Marshall, wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday: 'It's really hard for me to write this. The past couple of days have been absolutely the worse days of my life. My sister was recently a victim of physical abuse and her life was brutally taken away from her. 'I love and miss you dearly sis and wish you weren't taken away from us so soon.' The family have set up a GoFundMe page to pay for the cost of transporting her body to the family home of New York, as well as 'funeral costs and legal fees to provide justice.' By Saturday, they had raised $25,592 of their $50,000 goal with 281 donations. Her Duchess former employer Ferguson posted on Instagram on Friday: 'Jenean was loyal, hardworking, beautiful and fun and my heart breaks for her family and friends. I heard from her just a couple of months ago and she seemed so happy. 'I will be making a donation and supporting the family in any way possible.' The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled Chapman's death a homicide, but has not yet officially determined a cause of death. Marshall told NBC Dallas Fort Worth that her sister had been working as 'a senior vice president' at digital marketing firm Critical Mass and that Chapman had been 'about to start her own business'. A three-year-old boy has died after being being struck by a car outside a church in Melbourne. Thang Khat Sun was killed when he was hit in the carpark of the New Hope Baptist Church in Blackburn North, 17km east of the CBD, around 7pm on Saturday night. He and his family had just arrived for the Khuado Pawi cultural festival that was being held by the Zomi ethnic group, who are originally from mountain towns in north-western Myanmar. Emergency services were immediately called, but paramedics were unable to save the little boy's life. The Secretary of the Zomi Community in Melbourne, Thang Zuisang, told the Herald Sun said it was the worst tragedy their community had experienced in their adopted home. Thang Khat Sun (pictured) was killed when he was hit in the carpark of the New Hope Baptist Church in the Melbourne suburb of Blackburn North, 17km east of the CBD He said the festival site at the church was very busy. 'Nobody really knows what happened, it was really sudden, everyone is in shock, it's really sad. The worst tragedy we have in the community here. READ MORE: Three killed and two others fighting for life after head-on collision Advertisement 'To be honest, even though we kept (the festival going), nobody was in a good mood to celebrate that festival that day.' The Sun family fled from Myanmar to Australia after getting humanitarian visas to leave the troubled nation. Thang's mother, Nuam No, had prayed for years to have a sibling for his eight-year-old sister, who had been due to dance at the celebration. The devastated mum had felt that 'God gave her the baby, however right now God he's with a better place,' Mr Zuisang said. The Sun family thanked the paramedics and police who did all they could for Thang. The Zomi community in Melbourne has rallied around the family, visiting them at their home. The driver of the vehicle stopped to try to help Thang and is assisting with police with inquiries. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have launched an investigation. 'The circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation remains ongoing,' a police statement read. An alligator without its top jaw has found a forever home at Gatorland theme park in Orlando. The gator's tongue is fully visible after its snout appeared completely to have been sawn off below its eyes. It's not clear how the animal sustained the injury but wildlife experts believe the clean cut occurred after the animal was caught in a hunting snare. Eating will have also become a problem for the reptile with the lack of its powerful bite but it is believed to have been surviving on by eating carrion, invertebrates or other slow, small-moving prey to sustain itself. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) was first alerted to the unusual sight in late August and helped to rescue the alligator which was finally caught by mid-September. The gator has since been aptly given the name Jawlene, inspired by the 1973 Dolly Parton hit, Jolene. An alligator without its top jaw has found a forever home at Gatorland theme park in Orlando The gator's tongue is fully visible due to the snout being torn off below its eyes 'We're just a down home, southern country gem and of course, if you come visit with us, you get our warm, southern hospitality every time you come,' said the CEO of Gatorland, Mark McHugh, on Facebook. 'This little gator is an absolute treasure. We are so in love with her but another American treasure is Dolly Parton,' he added. Jawlene's condition has improved since being rescued is is now able to eat once again after first being spotted at a park in Sanford near Orlando. 'At first, my brain couldn't comprehend that its entire upper jaw was missing,' Eustacia Kanter told Fox 35 last month. 'When I realized, I felt terrible for her and snapped as good a photo as I could get with my cell phone standing at a distance so that I could share it and try to find help.' The exact cause of the alligator's injury remains unclear, but wildlife experts suspect it occurred after the animal was ensnared in a hunting trap Gatorland's global conservation ambassador, Savannah Boan, is helping to care for the gator The gator will remain in captivity but now be able to feed far more easily with a steady stream of food now at its disposal thanks to care of staff at the theme park and zoo It is likely the alligator has been without a snout for some time since the injury appears to have scarred over and completely healed The young gator is now finding her feet once again in her new 'forever home' at Gatorland The cut across the gator's jaw is a clean one which suggests the act was committed by a snare The gator will remain in captivity but be able to feed which would likely have been impossible in the wild 'From the image I was provided, the alligator appears to have good body weight, and the injury healed over, but the continued survivability in the wild is slim,' Kim Titterington, a wildlife rehabilitator said to People. 'It could be from an entanglement another alligator but the clean cut also suggests this animal was caught in a hunting snare.' Titterington also noted how it was likely the alligator had been without a snout for some time since the injury appeared to have scarred over and completely healed. The gator will remain in captivity but now be able to feed far more easily with a steady stream of food now at its disposal thanks to care of staff at the theme park and zoo. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has tested positive to Covid-19 and has been forced into virtual campaigning just two weeks before the October 14 election. He has been the country's leader since replacing former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who resigned last January. Mr Hipkins' campaign team cancelled his Sunday morning plans after the Labour leader woke up unwell in Auckland. A test subsequently showed he had caught Covid, scotching his plans during a critical phase of the campaign. 'He has cold and flu symptoms that began yesterday. He will be isolating for five days or until he returns a negative test,' a spokesman for the Prime Minister said. Chris Hipkins (right) is pictured with Jacinda Ardern, his predecessor as New Zealand's prime minister 'He will continue with engagements he can undertake via Zoom.' New Zealand no longer has mandatory Covid isolation periods in place, though Mr Hipkins is choosing to do so under its recommended health advice. He summed up his dilemma with the first word of a post to Instagram. 'Bugger!' he said, alongside a picture of his Covid test. READ MORE: New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins claims no one was forced to take Covid vaccines Advertisement 'After a rough night I woke up this morning feeling pretty unwell and just got this test result. 'I'm in close contact with New Zealanders on this campaign trail and don't want to pass it on to anyone, so I'll be following the guidance and isolating. 'There's a lot at stake this election and I'll be working doubly hard when I can get out there to make sure Labour is re-elected.' The 45-year-old's illness echoes his Australian Labor counterpart, Anthony Albanese, who caught Covid during his campaign for election last year and sat on the sidelines. The timing could barely be worse for Mr Hipkins and Labour, which trails by an average of 10 points to the centre-right National party, led by Chris Luxon. Labour has looked likely election losers for much of the year, but Mr Hipkins was judged a clear winner of last week's leaders debate and was campaigning with renewed vigour after that boost. 'The campaign might have started slow but I've decided I'm going to enjoy the last two-and-a-half weeks of it and so this is the level of energy you're going to see from me,' he said on Wednesday after that debate. 'It's been a challenging year and our campaign probably took a wee while to get up a decent head of steam but I'm really enjoying myself now and I'm fully going to enjoy the next two-and-a-half weeks.' Mr Hipkins' momentum will now come to a halt, with deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni stepping up in his place for the launch of the party's manifesto in Auckland on Sunday. Advance voting begins in New Zealand on Monday, and the third leaders debate - hosted by The Press newspaper in Christchurch - is scheduled for Tuesday night. Mr Hipkins' campaign team cancelled his Sunday morning plans after the Labour leader woke up unwell in Auckland. He tested positive for Covid-19 Mr Luxon offered kind thoughts to his rival in a social media post from the campaign trail in Auckland. 'Get well soon Chris Hipkins. Will see you back on the campaign trail before too long,' Mr Luxon said. It is unclear whether the virus has spread far into Labour's ranks. One of Mr Hipkins' press secretaries has also tested positive, as has Rachel Brooking, a Dunedin-based Labour MP. She was discharged from the hospital and is expected to return to work The high school junior was seen on camera hurling a metal chair at her teacher A 15-year-old student has been charged with two counts of felony assault A 15-year-old Michigan student has been arrested and charged with felony after she hurled a metal chair at her teacher's head from across the classroom. The high school student has been charged with two counts of felony assault from the harrowing incident which took place on Thursday afternoon at the Southwestern Classical Academy in Flint, Michigan. The teacher was knocked out cold, instantly fell on the floor after two students arguing and one picking up a chair and throwing it at her. Flint Police Chief Terence Green told ABC12 that when the school resource officer went to break up a fight between two high school juniors, they found the teacher lying on the ground with head injuries. The teacher is shown, left, standing in front of the students while the girl armed with the chair (far right) prepares to launch it The chair flying across the side of the classroom as the horrified students watch Both students were arrested, and Prosecutor David Leyton authorized two counts of felonious assault against the girl who threw the chair. Disturbing footage showed the teacher standing in front of the classroom speaking to students before being whacked to the floor with the chair. The teacher, who was not named, was hospitalized though it is unclear the injuries she sustained in the assault. She was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and is expected to return to work next week. The school's Superintendent Kevelin Jones issued a letter to parents informing them that an altercation took place this week between 'two scholars' which led to the staff member getting injured. The school's Superintendent Kevelin Jones issued a letter to parents this week The teacher was left lying out-cold on the floor as the stunned students gathered around The school district issued this letter but has not yet confirmed whether the girl has been suspended It is unclear if the student was arrested or is facing charges. On Thursday, the Flint Community School posted a letter to their Facebook page reassuring parents that they 'take these matters seriously,' and that they will continue to 'do all we can to create and maintain a safe and nurturing environment.' The letter stated that the district has launched an investigation into the incident but it did not indicate whether the student had been suspended or expelled. 'We understand that incidents like these can be concerning and we want to assure you that we are actively working to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone at Southwestern Classical Academy. Now he's face a raft of new charges, including first-degree rape and sexual abuse in relation to another woman A man accused of holding a woman captive in a makeshift cell in his Oregon rental is facing fresh charges in relation to the kidnapping and rape of another woman two months earlier. Negasi Zuberi allegedly kidnapped a victim, referred to as an unidentified Jane Doe in court documents, and planned to rape her on or around May 6. An indictment returned by a grand jury in southern Oregon's Klamath County claims he knowingly injured the victim by using or threatening to use weapons, including a tazer and a handgun, Local 10 reports. He was indicted on 11 charges, including first-degree rape, sexual abuse and kidnapping, in papers filed Klamath County Circuit Court last week. Previously, Zuberi was arrested after a woman escaped a cinderblock cell he'd held her captive in under his Oregon rental had previously 'threatened to kill the mother of his two children.' A man accused of holding a woman captive in a makeshift cell in his Oregon rental is facing fresh charges in relation to the kidnapping and rape of another woman two months earlier Zuberi, 29, fled to Reno, Nevada where he was arrested by state police a day after the woman, who has not been identified, escaped the horror prison July 15. The fresh claims against Zuberi come in the wake of his arrest and were claimed in a protective order filed three years ago by another woman he is claimed to have children with. In July 2020, the woman who also remained anonymous, filed a petition for a domestic violence restraining order against one of the aliases 'Justin Kouassi.' 'He physically attacks me, he hits me, he brakes (sic) and throws things, he screams at the kids and me... we get woken up every night from him being drunk and loud and scares us,' the court document filed to the Contra Costa County, California and obtained by NBC read. It remains unclear whether the order was issued or the case dropped. The document does however state that as September 2020 appearance was dropped from the court calendar. The alleged 2020 victim also made claims that Zuberi took her phone to keep her from calling the police and took her money as a form of financial abuse. Its been claimed her hit, restrained and beat the woman who was left with bruises from his alleged attacks. 'He comes at night without my permission, broke my windows, trying to beat on me, threatening (sic) to kill me and my kids,' she wrote. 'He treat (sic) to take them away so I can be miserable without them.' The document also claims that the two children she alleged to have had with Zuberi are 'scared of him.' 'My kids hide from him because he's always loud and angry and unpredictable,' she wrote. 'Wakes them up all hours of the night making them cry all time.' A neighbor speaking to the outlet in the wake of his arrest said that she 'rarely saw his wife or children' both who are younger than 10. Melanie McClure said the family moved into the home earlier this year and that she tried to invite Zuberi's wife to a 'mom's night out' with other friends in April or May. A woman, who has not been identified, miraculously escaped a cinder block cell after she was kidnapped in Seattle by a man posing as an undercover cop and driven more than seven hours away A woman, who has not been identified, miraculously escaped a cinder block cell after she was kidnapped in Seattle by a man posing as an undercover cop and driven more than seven hours away McClure said she recalls Zuberi's wife asking him whether she can 'at least' bring her cellphone. 'He told me, 'She can go, that's fine,' McClure recalled. 'But then this door's gonna be locked, and she'll need to figure out where she's gonna stay tonight.' After pushing back, McClure said Zuberi agreed to let his wife have her phone and said he'd leave the door unlocked. Zuberi is claimed to have displayed disturbing and possessive behavior, according to McClure who recalled him showing up at the restaurant and watching his wife for roughly 30 minutes without saying a word. 'He controlled her and her life,' McClure said, adding that she pushed Zuberi's wife to seek help. McClure told NBC that she believed officers would likely be called to the home, rented out by Klamath Falls mayor Carol Westfall, for an incident involving his wife but was shocked to hear what had happened. 'To think you could get away with something that crazy, it's baffling,' she said. Zuberi kidnapped a woman in Seattle under the guise that he was an undercover cop. The woman was kidnapped July 15 just after midnight, sexually assaulted and driven more than seven hours away, according to a criminal complaint. Hidden in the makeshift cell, the woman slept and awoke with the realization she would likely die if she didn't attempt to escape. She broke down the door leaving her hands bloodied. FBI released eerie photos of the tiny quarters in which he'd held her captive. 'She beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free,' Klamath Police Captain Rob Reynolds said at a press conference Wednesday. 'Her quick-thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare.' Investigators said that when they searched Zuberi's home and garage, they found the makeshift cell, the woman's purse and handwritten notes Another handwritten document appeared to include a rough sketch for an underground structure using concrete blocks, foam insulation and waterproof concrete On July 15, Zuberi allegedly traveled from his Klamath Falls rental to Seattle where he solicited the woman for prostitution along Aurora Ave - a known area for prostitution, according to court documents. The woman told cops that Zuberi told her he was an undercover cop before he showed her a badge. He pointed a stun gun at her placed her in the backseat of his car after he'd handcuffed and put leg irons on her. Zuberi drove more than seven hours to his home in Klamatha Falls only to stop when he 'pulled his vehicle over and forced [the victim] to perform both oral and vaginal sex.' The affidavit said that 'Zuberi attempted to have anal sex with the [victim] but stopped after [the victim] pleaded for him not to do it.' When they arrived, Zuberi put his captor into the cell - he said he was leaving to do paperwork. The woman 'briefly slept and awoke to the realization that she would likely die if she did not attempt to escape,' according to the arrest affidavit. She started punching the metal door and broke some of its welded joints, creating a small opening which she climbed through. The victim saw Zuberi's vehicle parked in the garage, opened it, grabbed his gun and then took off. According to the complaint, investigators interviewed Zuberi's wife and neighbors. They would not say if there was any indication that any of them had been aware of the Seattle woman's abduction. When Zuberi was arrested by Nevada State Patrol officers in a Walmart parking lot the day after he fled, he was with his wife and at least one of his children. It remains unclear how many children he has. When he was approached by the officers, he refused to exit his car, started cutting himself with a sharp object and tried to destroy his phone. She left behind blood on a wooden fence that she'd climbed over to escape, before flagging down a passing driver, who called 911. Investigators said that when they searched Zuberi's home and garage, they found the makeshift cell, the woman's purse and handwritten notes. One of the notes was titled 'Operation Take Over,' and included a bullet point list with entries that read 'Leave phone at home' and 'Make sure they don't have a bunch of ppl (sic) in their life. You don't want any type of investigation.' The Klamath Falls rental home where Zuberi allegedly took the woman is owned by the city's mayor, Carol Westfall, and her husband, Kevin, according to property records Another handwritten document appeared to include a rough sketch for an underground structure using concrete blocks, foam insulation and waterproof concrete. The FBI is now probing whether Zuberi may have had any other victims. They are also investigating whether he may have used other methods of gaining control of women, including drugging their drinks. The agency said it was setting up a website asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim to come forward. According to the FBI, Zuberi has lived in multiple states since 2016, possibly including California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada. He's also been linked to at least four violent sexual assaults in four other states. He went by a number of different names including Justin Joshua Hyche, Sakima Zuberi and Justin Kouassi. The Klamath Falls rental home where Zuberi allegedly took the woman is owned by the city's mayor, Carol Westfall, and her husband, Kevin, according to property records. The house backs onto a park and is on a residential street, less than a quarter-mile from a highway. Court records show that after Zuberi's arrest, the couple had him evicted. 'We are shocked and dismayed by what has occurred,' the Westfalls said in an email to DailyMail.com. 'We applaud the actions of the woman who helped capture this person and prevent him from committing further atrocities.' The Westfalls also praised local, state and federal law enforcement for their work on the case. They declined to respond to queries about their interactions with Zuberi. Last month it was revealed Zuberi appeared on Judge Judy using an alias where his ex was ordered to pay him $2,500 for hurling a glass bottle at him. Appearing on the show, Zuberi used the alias Justin Hythe, one of many listed by the FBI during a press conference on Wednesday. The episode referenced him moving from California to New York, two of the places the FBI said Zuberi, 29, lived in over the past decade. On the Judge Judy episode, Zuberi sued the mother of his children, Alycia Westfall for throwing a glass bottle at him as well as damaging his suits with bleach. At the time of the episode, which originally aired in September 2018, the two had been living separately and sharing custody of their sons. Westfall countersued Zuberi for smashing her cell phone and filing a 'false restraining order.' The episode ended with Judge Judy ordering Westfall to pay Zuberi $2,500 in damages. A Navy veteran once touted by Trump as a #MeToo victim is accused of beheading his girlfriend with an electric saw A Navy veteran who was once touted by Donald Trump as a #MeToo 'victim' has been accused of murdering his girlfriend and beheading her with an electric saw. Joseph Roberts, 42, was arrested on September 7 following the shocking death of his girlfriend Rachel Imani Buckner. The recent law school grad's body was found dismembered along the coastline of California's Alameda Country, The Messenger reports. Her remains had been wrapped in plastic with duct tape which is where Robert's DNA was allegedly discovered. 'Joseph's DNA was on the tape that wrapped her body, which meant he was aware she was dead, he was aware she was dismembered,' detective Robert Hansen says. Joseph Roberts, 42, was arrested on September 7 following the shocking murder of his girlfriend Rachel Imani Buckner was found wrapped in plastic and duct tape 'He took an active role in wrapping her body, concealing it in plastic garbage bags.' After spending time serving in the Navy, Roberts was once on track to become the first person in his family to receive a college diploma. But in 2013, he was suspended from Savannah State University after being accused of online verbal and sexual harassment. Roberts denied the allegations and went on to claim he was 'denied due process'. He shared his story with Betsy DeVos, Trump's Secretary of Education, as part of a series of listening sessions on the Title IX guidelines around sexual harassment on college grounds. Roberts said at the time it meant a 'big deal' to him to be able to speak out. 'Not just because of the situation, just because of where I was at in that stage of my recovery from this,' Roberts said. 'The only thing I could do is present my story. I just hope and pray that she listens.' In an episode of ABC's Nightline, Roberts shared his frustration at being treated in a way he perceived to be unfair. He later returned to Savannah, Georgia, where he had been studying and spoke of the fear he held for ever stepping back on campus after being abruptly kicked out. In an episode of ABC's Nightline, Roberts shared his frustration at being treated in a way he perceived to be unfair Roberts shared his story with Betsy DeVos, Trump's Secretary of Education, as part of a series of listening sessions on the Title IX guidelines around sexual harassment on college grounds The recent law school grad's body was found dismembered along the coastline of California 's Alameda Country 'An email came from the Office of Student Affairs. You are hereby summarily suspended and if you step foot on campus, you get the threat of expulsion and arrest. 'A couple minutes later, there was a campus-wide email alert with my picture was almost like a mug shot: 'If you see me immediately report to Public Safety'.' In sharing his experience on YouTube's The Exceptional Conservative Show, he relived what it was like to be marched off campus after two female students complained. Roberts, who left the school just three weeks before graduation, claimed they statements made about him were 'total lies'. 'They said things like they were afraid for their lives.' He said the events nearly cost him his life after it all got too much. 'I woke up not responsive, surrounded by EMTs and firefighters with an empty bottle of alcohol and a bottle of pills... suicide attempt. That was the worst,' he said. He eventually completed his studies online and enrolled in law school. Roberts is yet to enter a plea on his murder case and is currently being held in Santa Rita County Jail without bail. A newly released surveillance footage shows masked thefts looting Apple store in less than a minute as Philadelphia dealt with the crime spree A shocking new video shows dozens of masked looters smashing their way into an Apple Store in Philadelphia and running away with iPhones and tablets as the city dealt with widespread crime the past week. Philadelphia Police Department released a new surveillance camera footage, showing brazen thugs rioting through the Apple store on Walnut Street in the center of the city. Masked thieves forcefully infiltrated the store, swiftly seizing iPhones, laptops, tablets, and anything within reach on display standsfinishing their plunder in less than a minute. Most suspects appeared to be teenagers including one audaciously strolling out, lugging a massive television monitor with no sense of urgency. The police are asking help from the public in identifying five of the suspects. A new surveillance footage shows brazen brutes rioting through the Apple store in the center of Philadelphia The thefts swiftly seized iPhones, laptops, tablets, and anything within reach on display standsfinishing their plunder in less than a minute At least 52 arrests have been made so far, with burglary, theft, and other charges filed against at least 30 people as of Saturday, but the number of suspects seems to be higher. The flash mob-style ransacking Tuesday night targeted dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple. Earlier footage from the Apple store shows the aftermath of the looting, with iPhones and other electronic goods seemingly ripped from their display stands. What appears to be staff members can be seen standing around looking bemused. Fox News reporter Steve Keeley also shared footage showing the fallout of the looting. Officers can be seen placing handcuffs on one man, as they guard the exterior of the store. Numerous people can be heard shouting in the background as he is led to the rear of a police van. Thieves was left outraged a day after the looting when they discovered Apple had disabled products they stole. Video posted online showed the moment alarms on their stolen Apple devices blare in unison. The looters are then seen pouring a juice-like liquid onto the merchandise as girl recording is heard saying 'Oh my god, this is crazy.' Images shared on social media show a large group storming the Apple store and stealing items Video posted online shows the moment looters in Philadelphia discover items they stole from an Apple store have been disabled Footage of the aftermath comes as it emerged looters had bragged about their plan just hours before hitting stores for a second night of mayhem in Philly. 'WHAT TIME WE GOING 'SHOPPING???', one person said on Instagram hours before their arrest. 'We looting or not??!!' wrote another. Looter Dayjia Blackwell, who livestreamed the robbery in Philadelphia and encouraged others to join in, appeared distraught as police took her mug shot. She was released on $25,000 bail Thursday and brazenly begged her fans to pay for a lawyer and urged people to buy clothing and hats from her brand. She hired Mann, who also criticized the media for posting her mugshot 'with tears streaming down her face and her hair a mess.' Blackwell, meanwhile, has uploaded her mugshot as her profile picture on social media and hinted she may print merchandise featuring the mugshot. The thefts and unrest stretched from downtown to northeast and west Philadelphia, leaving smashed display windows and broken storefront coverings. Dayjia Blackwell, 21, who livestreamed a mob-style looting spree in Philadelphia and encouraged others to join in, appeared distraught as police took her mug shot Dayjia Blackwell, known as Meatball, posted on her Instagram story after being released from jail. She told viewers about her time in jail and asked them to buy her merch or donate to her Police said seven cars were stolen from a lot in the northeast - one of the cars had been recovered as of Wednesday afternoon. Six businesses in a single retail corridor of North Philadelphia were looted, including three pharmacies, a hair salon, a tax preparation company and a cellphone store, according to the North 22nd Street Business Corridor, a business group. Latest figures, which are up until last Sunday, show how there has been 302 homicides in the city so far this year. There have also been 402 reported rapes, 58,759 cases of property crime, 3,701 cases of aggravated assaults and 1,314 shooting victims. Public climate financing from Germany for poorer countries reached a new record level last year, already surpassing the 6-billion ($6 billion) target set for 2025, the government has said. A total of 6.39 billion was provided to help countries with fewer financial resources adapt and respond to climate change, stated Clean Energy Wire. The government reported this sum to the EU Commission, which collects the figures for the entire EU. Germany is therefore doing its fair share of the industrialised countries' promise to mobilise $100 billion per year to combat climate change in developing and emerging countries, according to a joint press release published by the economy and climate ministry (BMWK) and development ministry (BMZ). What matters now is that other industrialised countries also pay their fair share of our joint promise, said development minister Svenja Schulze. This is not only a key issue of trust between industrialised and developing countries, it would also help us hold other countries like China or the Gulf States to account." Ultimately, it is about enabling the countries of the global South to meet their own climate protection commitments, explained economy and climate minister Robert Habeck. He added that Germany intended to increasingly use its resources to leverage private capital to increase the effectiveness of climate finance. In 2021, Germany increased public climate finance to 5.34 billion. However, Oxfam criticised the accounting by richer countries, saying that the true value of their support is only about a third of what is being reported. Aside from budget funds, the ministries said in their press release that Germanys total climate finance, which includes other public spending and private donors on top of the 6.39 billion, rose to around 8.8 billion. This sum counts as Germanys contribution to the $100 billion climate finance pledge made by richer countries at the UN climate change conference, COP15, in Copenhagen in 2009. Last year, around 2.8 billion of Germanys public climate finance went to climate change adaptation. Significantly more food security development projects were financed that focus on climate change as a cause of drought and hunger and, for example, advance climate-adapted agricultural methods, the ministries said. A well-known builder identified as the victim of a frenzied stabbing on his doorstep is yet to make a formal complaint about the attack, police have revealed. Damien D'Ascenzo was knifed several times outside his Newark Turn property in the upmarket beachside suburb of North Coogee in Perth on Thursday at 1.50am. He was treated by St John WA paramedics for multiple stab wounds and lacerations at the scene before being rushed to Royal Perth Hospital. The stabbing left extensive bloodstains on the front door, exterior walls and down the driveway of the home, which were still visible several days later. Western Australian Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that Mr D'Ascenzo has not made a 'formal complaint'. Damien D'Ascenzo, director of Dasco Building Group, hasn't complained despite being knifed outside his home in southern Perth at 1.50am last Thursday The frenzied attack happened outside Mr D'Ascenzo's Newark Turn property in the beachside suburb of North Coogee 'Police and St John WA personnel attended the scene, where a man aged in his 40s was located with several injuries consistent with stab wounds and lacerations,' WA Police said. 'At this time the injured man has not made a formal complaint. 'Detectives will continue to liaise with the man in case he changes his mind and wishes to have the matter investigated.' While Mr D'Ascenzo, director of luxury residential construction firm Dasco Building Group, did not suffer life threatening injuries he remains in hospital. Friends and neighbours were reported to be in shock about the stabbing. Mr D'Ascenzo has had an 'esteemed career in the Perth building industry [over] 20 years' and is considered 'reliable and trustworthy,' Dasco's website says. He made comments in the media in recent days about long delays in the residential construction industry. In his capacity as a spokesman for the Home Builders Action Group he urged the WA government to act to help building companies. Mr D'Ascenzo claimed builders were not responsible for homeowners having to wait for homes to be completed. Instead he claimed he was regularly having to wait for tradies and materials to show up to sites. The sole survivor of the deadly mushroom lunch is making good progress with his recovery at home, while a friend has called for the 'truth to come out' about the mysterious meal. Pastor Ian Wilkinson, 68, narrowly avoided death after eating a poisonous beef wellington dish cooked by stay-at-home mum Erin Patterson in Leongatha, in Victoria's east, on July 29. His wife Heather, 66, his sister Gail and her husband Don Patterson, had been invited over for lunch as part of a 'mediation' gathering to discuss Ms Patterson's relationship with her estranged husband Simon, who pulled out at the last minute. Around 30 parishioners prayed for Mr Wilkinson's continued recovery in South Gippsland church on Sunday. Pastor Ian Wilkinson (pictured, right), 68, narrowly avoided death after eating a poisonous beef wellington dish cooked by stay-at-home mum Erin Patterson in Leongatha, in Victoria's east, on July 29. A memorial for his wife Heather (left), 66, will be held on Wednesday Erin Patterson is pictured outside her home days after serving the deadly meal 'He's doing OK, that's all we really know at the moment,' a churchgoer told the Herald Sun. 'He's certainly improving.' Last week, church attendee Trevor Shaw told the publication the town longed for the 'truth' to be revealed. 'All of them have been praying earnestly for Ian's recovery and that the truth will come out,' he said. 'That's the main thing. That the truth will come out, and then we'll all be able to, in a sense, relax because then there'll be some closure.' It comes as members of the tight-knit Korumburra Baptist Church will remember his wife, Mrs Wilkinson, at a public memorial on Wednesday. The memorial is expected to be similar to that held for the Pattersons on August 31 when more than 450 mourners gathered at the Korumburra Recreation Centre to pay their respects to the beloved couple. Erin's former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson (pictured) died a week after attending the lunch Simon Patterson paid tribute to his parents at a public memorial last month Mr Wilkinson has not been spotted in public since his release from the Austin Hospital and it remains unknown if he has yet spoken to homicide detectives. In a tribute published online, family said Ms Wilkinson's life was 'well lived'. 'Beloved wife, daughter, sister, mum, favourite mother-in-law, grandma, and friend to many,' it read. 'Hers was a life well lived, and we love her. Dearly missed until we meet again. At home with her Lord Jesus.' Last week, Daily Mail Australia revealed that Mr Patterson had security cameras installed in his house just days after his release from hospital. Victoria Police has declined to comment on claims by veteran crime reporter John Silvester that forensic tests have led police to conclude the mushrooms in the infamous meal were responsible for the trio's deaths. 'The investigation remains ongoing,' a Victoria Police spokesperson said. Erin Patterson has denied any wrongdoing, and Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that she intentionally poisoned her four relatives. A populist former prime minister and his leftist party have won parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results. With results from 99.2% of some 6,000 polling stations counted by the Slovak Statistics Office early on Sunday, former prime minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer (Direction) party led with 23.3% of the votes. The populist served as prime minister between 2006 and 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018. The election on Saturday was a test for the small eastern European country's support for neighbouring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and Fico's win could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakia's military support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion if he returned to high office. Former prime minister Robert Fico (pictured, centre, and the leftist Smer (Direction) party led Slovakia's parliamentary elections Fico has consistently campaigned to reduce support to Ukraine in its defence against Russia Fico's party will have to form a coalition government in the coming days Slovakia was formed in 1993 following the break-up of Czechoslovakia, and has consistently supported Ukraine in its defence against Russia The country of 5.5 million people, formed in 1993 following the break-up of Czechoslovakia, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war. A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, was a distant second, with 17% of the votes. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Mr Fico's former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, was in third with 15%. Mr Pellegrini parted ways with Mr Fico after Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Mr Fico's chances to form a government. Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, a clear pro-Russian group, received 5.7%. Despite Smer winning the highest proportion of votes, no party won a majority of seats, so a coalition government will need to be formed. In Slovakia, the president traditionally asks an election's winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. Those three parties would have a parliamentary majority if they joined forces in a coalition government. Fico opposes EU sanctions on Russia, has questioned whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the US should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. Fico's critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party. Hungary has been sanctioned by the EU for alleged rule-of-law violations and corruption, while EU institutions say Poland has been on a slippery slope away from the EU's rule-of-law principles. Fico has threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deals with the most serious crimes and corruption. Hungary has also - uniquely among EU countries - maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance. Fico has consistently repeated Russian president Vladimir Putin's unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state from which ethnic Russians in the country's east needed protection. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust. Known for foul-mouthed tirades against journalists, Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. The populist Ordinary People group, the conservative Christian Democrats and the pro-business Freedom and Solidarity also won seats in parliament. The six victims of a horror head-on collision did not 'stand a chance' because their car went up in 'one big ball of fire', according to a witness. A Mitsubishi Pajero four-wheel drive carrying with six people - including a child - crashed into a road train carrying cars and trailers of mangoes on the Stuart Highway near Pine Creek, a small town in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, just after 4pm on Friday. The Mitsubishi was engulfed in flames, with Territory Expeditions tour driver Daniel Hall spotting the plume of back smoke several kilometres down the highway, prompting him to rush to the scene. Police have confirmed that six people including a young child are dead after a four-wheel-drive crashed into a road train on Friday (pictured, the scene of the crash) Mr Hall told NT News that within minutes of the crash other drivers had stopped to coordinate traffic and provide first aid to the driver of the Shaw's road train. But no one was able to save those inside the Mitsubishi. 'Whoever was in that car did not stand a chance at survival or being rescued in any way shape or form,' Mr Hall said. 'The entire car was one big ball of fire. 'Those people, they didn't stand a chance.' Two people in the trick managed to escape and were treated for minor injuries at Royal Darwin Hospital. Mr Hall said one of the survivors had 'cuts and bruises all over him' and a look of 'total devastation' in his eyes. 'As his road train burnt he had that look on his face that he got away with his life by the skin of his teeth,' he said. Detectives remained at the scene on Saturday, with NT Police saying it may be more than a week before those killed can be identified because of the ferocity of the blaze. 'Police, fire and (paramedics) were met with a terrible scene and first tried to save those that could be,' Superintendent Daniel Shean said told the ABC. A Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD with six people inside crashed into the road train before both vehicles caught on fire on the Stuart Highway near Pine Creek, a small town in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory (pictured, police at the scene of the crash) Superintendent Shean confirmed one of the victims from the crash was a very young child. 'The driver and passenger of the truck were medevaced to hospital, there was an infant child that was found deceased from the (four-wheel drive), and there were a number of people in the (four-wheel drive) also deceased,' he said. He noted that the fire that started following the collision caused 'irreparable damage' to the four-wheel-drive 'and the persons inside'. Detectives are working to identify the victims but their identities may not be confirmed for at least a week, according to police. The driver and passenger of the road train are in Royal Darwin Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Their truck was towing three trailers including two filled with mangoes. 'I have been to a number of serious crashes in my career and this one is up there in terms of the seriousness of the crash, where we've got a vehicle that's gone head-on into a truck,' Superintendent Shean added. The Major Crash Investigation Unit will investigate whether a range of factors including speed and attention contributed to the incident. NT Police remained at the scene on Friday and set up diversions for light vehicles along the Stuart Highway. It resulted in significant delays for traffic, with motorists urged to avoid the area. Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner urged anyone who was travelling in the area between 2.30pm and 4.45pm on Friday with dash-cam footage to contact police. 'This incident has, and will, impact a large number in the community and all efforts are underway to identify and recover the deceased and to notify their next of kin,' he said. Anyone with information on the identity and movements of the four-wheel-drive occupants are also urged to contact police. A suicide bomber has detonated an explosive device near Turkey's parliament in a terrorist attack, the country's interior minister said. The two assailants reportedly arrived at the Office of the Interior Ministry, just north of Ankara's main parliamentary building, in a light commercial vehicle. A loud explosion in the Kizilay area, in the heart of the city, at around 9:30 am local time, understood to be the suicide bomber setting off his explosive device, and was followed by sounds of gunfire. Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 54, said that the second assailant was killed in a shootout with police officers on Sunday, two of whom were injured during the attack in Turkey's capital, Ankara. He added that the two cops were hospitalised, but did not suffer serious injuries. Security forces have since set up barriers in the area, while TV footage showed bomb squads working near a parked vehicle in the area, located near the Turkish Grand National Assembly and other government buildings. Police said they were working to carry out controlled detonations of 'suspicious package incidents' in other parts of Ankara. Turkey has suffered a series of terrorist attacks in recent years At least one armoured vehicle was seen in the area A weapon that appears to be a spent rocket launcher was seen on the road outside the Interior Ministry building Police have cordoned off the south side of the Interior Ministry building Turkish police have cordoned off the south side of the Interior Ministry building, while the road to the east of the building has been shut down. A rocket launcher was seen lying on the road outside the Interior Ministry building, just next to the vehicle believed to have been used by the assailants. Soldiers, as well as emergency services, are currently posted outside the government building. Armed soldiers were also seen on top of nearby buildings. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies, have claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing. 'A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade,' the PKK told the ANF news agency, which is close to the Kurdish movement. The attack, the first Ankara has suffered since 2016, occurred hours before Turkey's parliament was due to reopen following a three-month summer recess with a speech by the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Lawmakers were expected to be in the building at 2pm today. It is not currently known whether the attack claimed any lives or caused any more injuries. Turkey's interior minister said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the incident: 'Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised.' Ankara's chief prosecutor has launched an investigation into what it also called a terrorist attack. The rocket launcher was seen near the vehicle believed to have been used by the assailants Bomb squads were seen working on the car that is believed to have been used by the assailants Turkish police have cordoned off the south side of the Interior Ministry building Armed soldiers were seen on the roofs of nearby buildings Turkish bomb squads were seen in the area shortly after reports of the explosion came in Armed soldiers were seen outside the Interior Ministry building No group has yet come forward and claimed responsibility for the attack Turkey's justice minister, Yilmaz Tunc, said: 'These attacks will in no way hinder Turkey's fight against terrorism. Our fight against terrorism will continue even more determinedly. No one should doubt this.' Kurdish and far-left militant groups, as well as ISIS, have carried out deadly attacks in Turkey in the recent past. The most recent bomb attack in Turkey was in a shopping street in Istanbul in November 2022, where six were killed and 81 were injured. There was no claim of responsibility, but Turkey accused the outlawed PKK group of being behind the attack and said it had detained 46 people including a Syrian woman suspected of planting the device. The bombing took place in the popular shopping street of Istiklal Avenue on a Sunday afternoon. The devastated mother of a toddler who was fatally struck by a vehicle in a carpark outside a church in Melbourne said the tragedy happened in a flash while her back was turned. Thang Khat Siam, 2, was killed when he was hit in the carpark of the New Hope Baptist Church in Blackburn North, 17km east of the CBD, around 7pm on Saturday night. He and his family had just arrived for the Khuado Pawi cultural festival that was being held by the Zomi ethnic group, who are originally from mountain towns in north-western Myanmar. Emergency services were immediately called, but paramedics were unable to save the little boy's life. Now the boy's mother, Cing Khaw Nuam, has revealed she was picking up spilled potato chips from the footwell of her car when she lost sight of little Khat Siam before seeing him again in the arms of a bystander. 'I saw a big crowd and when I get there someone is holding my son,' Ms Cing told the Herald Sun. '(I) realised my boy's been hit by a car. He was still breathing, but no more sound.' The driver of the vehicle - a 49-year-old man - stopped to try to help Khat Siam and is assisting with police with inquiries. Khat Siam, who loved Thomas the Tank Engine, was due to celebrate his third birthday this month. Ms Cing described her son as a 'gift from God' because they had wanted him for so long. Thang Khat Siam (pictured) was killed when he was hit in the carpark of the New Hope Baptist Church in the Melbourne suburb of Blackburn North, 17km east of the CBD His devastated parents (pictured) described him as a 'gif from god' 'When his eldest sister already turned to six we dont have another child and even our daughter prayed for a brother. And so we pray and pray,' she told the newspaper. The Sun family fled from Myanmar to Australia after getting humanitarian visas to leave the troubled nation. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have launched an investigation. 'The circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation remains ongoing,' a police statement read. This is the moment when an out-of-control bus packed with people violently swerves before driving straight into a river. The bus and its 25 passengers were left trapped inside after the driver swerved to take a turn and lost control of the vehicle in central India on September 28. Dash cam footage from another bus, which was following closely behind, shows the ill-fated blue vehicle intensely veering off-track. The bus, which was full of passengers, then plunged into the murky river in Madhya Pradesh, causing a huge splash. The vehicle which recorded the footage can be seen driving to the end of the road, before pulling over. The bus and its 25 passengers were left trapped inside after the driver swerved to take a turn and lost control of the vehicle in central India on September 28 The bus, which was full of passengers, plunged into the murky river in Madhya Pradesh, causing a huge splash Locals nearby who witnessed the incident can be seen fleeing their cars and vehicles. They were running towards the scene of the crash in order to get to the trapped bus in time. The Indian state, which consists of mainly rural land, is home to more than 70 million residents. All passengers managed to cheat death as only six people were injured in the accident, despite the bus being tipped on its side and landing into the river at speed. Local authorities have blamed the crash on a burst tyre after an immediate investigation was carried out. Rishi Sunak raised fears he is already backsliding on his 20mph crackdown today as he opened Tory conference. The PM admitted that councils will still be able to impose Wales-style limits as long as they have 'consent' from local residents. Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Sunak said there would be 'statutory guidance' to achieve his promise of 'slamming the brakes on the war on motorists'. But he avoided giving details of the mechanism - suggesting Transport Secretary Mark Harper will flesh out the plans later. Mr Sunak has put quelling 'hare-brained schemes' like blanket 20mph speed limits and low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) at the heart of his pitch to voters. The shift in strategy, along with watering down Net Zero policies, comes after the backlash at ULEZ was credited for the Tories hanging on in the Uxbridge & South Ruislip by-election. Rishi Sunak raised fears he is already backsliding on his 20mph crackdown today as he opened Tory conference Protesters against 20mph speed limits marched through Cardiff city centre last week Wales has become the first country in the UK to reduce speed limits down from 30mph in built-up residential areas Pressed if he will stop local authorities introducing 20mph zones, Mr Sunak said: 'What this is about is making sure that the statutory guidance that goes to local councils from Government is clear about making sure that councils which are obviously in charge of what's happening in their local areas are doing things with the support and consent of their local communities, taking into account the needs of their communities, and not imposing things on them without their consent and say so. 'What they (councils) should be allowed to do in all cases is act in accordance with the Government guidance.' Mr Sunak told The Sun yesterday: 'I'm slamming the brakes on the war on motorists - it is as simple as that.' Mr Harper renewed his attack on 20mph speed limits yesterday as disgruntled drivers staged a go-slow motorway protest along the M4. He said the Welsh government's restrictions make 'life harder for motorists' and are 'incredibly unpopular' with the public. Mr Harper said it was 'not sensible to have a blanket policy' like the decision in Wales. The clampdown has seen Wales become the first country in the UK to reduce speed limits down from 30mph in built-up residential areas with a view to saving lives and cutting costs for the NHS. Speaking to Times Radio earlier, Mr Harper said: 'The research the Department for Transport did, a proper research study, showed that it doesn't actually make much difference in actually reducing speed(s). A vehicle is seen with a 'No to 20mph' sign across its back window and accompanied by police as drivers stage a go slow convoy protest driving at 30mph on the M4 from Magor Services near Newport to Swansea yesterday 'Compliance isn't good in areas where drivers can't see the need for it, so we think local authorities should make these decisions where they think there are sensible reasons, for example, around schools -(it is) perfectly sensible to have a lower speed limit there - but we shouldn't have blanket ones. 'And that is why we're looking at strengthening guidance to make it clear that a blanket 20mph speed limit doesn't make sense.' He said widespread 20mph zones 'just makes life harder for motorists, harder for people to get around'. Mr Harper continued: 'Most people get to work in a car, take the kids to school in the car, and it doesn't make a lot of sense.' A Welsh Government spokesman said: 'It is profoundly disappointing the prime minister is inadvertently or intentionally, choosing to mislead people about the introduction of 20mph. 'It is not a blanket restriction. Speed limits on a great number of roads in Wales are unchanged and journey times take around a minute longer. This will save lives and make our communities safer.' The number of people who have died after a fire broke out at a nightclub in Spain has risen to 13, as the rescue mission for those still missing continues. The nightclub blaze happened in the Atalaya area of Murcia, south-east Spain, in the early hours of Sunday morning. It has been named locally as the Teatre nightclub. Forensic experts and police 'been deployed to the Murcia nightclub to investigate the cause and 'so far there are 11 deaths,' the national police service said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Roughly 40 firefighters in 12 fire engines attended the scene shortly after reports came in at around 6am local time. Murcia's emergency services said that they managed to enter the building four hours later, and found four bodies, before finding another two 40 minutes later and finding one more an hour after that. It was later revealed six more people had died. People stand near members of the emergency services in front a nightclub after a fire broke out in Murcia A firefighter walks into a nightclub after a fire broke out in Murcia, southeastern Spain A man reacts covering his face as people wait outside after a fire broke out at nightclub in Murcia The fire broke out at the Teatre nightclub, in the city of Murcia in south-east Spain Four people suffered from smoke inhalation as a result of the fire A victim's relative is comforted in the surroundings after a fire broke out at nightclub in Murcia Emergency services earlier said that four people had been injured and that the number of fatalities could rise. The four injured people were made up of two women and two men, between the ages of 22 and 45. It is understood that the eight missing people were part of a group celebrating a birthday in the well-known nightclub. It is believed there could be more victims, with reports firefighters are looking for people reported as missing who are thought to have been in the nightclub at the time. It is not currently known what caused the fire, which broke out while the nightclub was still busy. A spokesperson for Spain's national police said that the fire began on the top floor of the nightclub, which has two floors including the ground floor. Murcia Police's Homicide Group have joined the investigation into the cause of the fire. Firefighters take out a covered stretcher from a nightclub after a fire broke out in Murcia Images of the scene show firefighters trying to put out at blaze at the Murcia nightclub Firefighters were able to get into the building four hours after they were called Four injured people were made up of two women and two men, between the ages of 22 and 45 It is not currently known what caused the fire, which broke out while the nightclub was still busy This isn't the first time a fire has broken out at the Teatre nightclub A team of psychologists, social workers, ten Civil Protection workers and two Local Police officers are on hand at the city's sports arena, the Murcia Sports Palace, and a special room has been set up for the most serious cases that require psychological attention. The city's mayor, Jose Ballesta, announced three days of mourning in response to the tragedy. This isn't the first time a fire has broken out at the Teatre nightclub. Spanish newspaper La Razon reported that 50 people were evacuated from the building in 2009 after cables on the facade of the building caught fire. While the 2009 blaze did not cause any injuries or claim any lived, smoke reportedly seeped into the nightclub. Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire in about 30 minutes. More to follow. Rishi Sunak repeatedly ducked on whether HS2's Manchester leg will be axed today as the Tories begin their conference in the city. The PM stubbornly stonewalled in a BBC interview as he was forced to deny the chaos surrounding the huge rail scheme was making Britain a 'laughing stock'. A wave of briefing has suggested that the northern phase of HS2 could be delayed for seven years or ditched altogether after alarm at soaring costs. Critics say that the scheme could end up costing taxpayers 100million and only result in slower journeys from Birmingham to London - because it might not run all the way into the centre of the capital. Rishi Sunak repeatedly ducked on whether HS2's Manchester leg will be axed today as the Tories begin their conference in the city HS2 construction works happening in Lichfield earlier this year A stretch of the tunnel being constructed under the Chilterns in West Hyde The head of the respected IFS think-tank has said the project 'makes me weep' and should never have been approved. However, a host of senior figures have warned Mr Sunak not to abandon the Manchester and central London plans. Theresa May has become the latest former premier to urge Mr Sunak not to ditch the Birmingham to Manchester leg. Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, is among the critics of scaling back the project, while London mayor Sadiq Khan warned it could make the UK a 'laughing stock'. But Mr Sunak told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I'd completely reject that.' Speaking in Salford as ministers and Tory members congregate in Manchester's centre for their annual conference, Mr Sunak insisted the business leaders he speaks to around the world are 'excited about the opportunity that investing in Britain offers'. Mr Sunak was battered over an HS2 'betrayal' on Thursday as he toured regional radio studios. But he dodged giving any firm answers, merely insisting that the government must 'get value for money' in a reference to spiralling costs. He also stressed the importance of fixing potholes and boosting local bus services. Bhutan marked World Tourism Day 2023 (September 27) by releasing new passport entry visa and permit stamps that incorporate Bhutans new national brand Bhutan Believe. The stamps, released by Bhutans Department of Tourism in collaboration with Bhutans Department of Immigration, prominently feature a dragon, symbolising its association with the legendary creature that is deeply rooted in the countrys cultural and religious traditions. The objective was to create a passport stamp design that becomes a collectable item, that celebrates the start of a travellers journey at the moment they step into the Kingdom, said Dorji Dhradhul, the Director General of the Department of Tourism. "Each stamp is not just an entry mark, but also a reflection of Bhutan's rich tapestry of tradition and culture, and an invitation to experience the heartbeat of our nation's soul, said Tshering Wangmo, the Director of Bhutans Department of Immigration. "With every imprint, we hope to share a piece of 'Bhutan Believe' with the world." In Bhutanese folklore and mythology, the dragon is a revered symbol that represents protection, strength, and the spirit of Bhutan. Bhutans traditional name is Drukyul, which means land of the thunder dragon. The stamps also feature uniquely Bhutanese ornaments that reflect hand-painted architectural decoration, one of the 13 traditional crafts (or Zorig Chusum) that represent Bhutanese cultural identity. Bhutan launched its new national brand in September 2022, coinciding with the reopening of the kingdom after the Covid-19 pandemic. The new brand and identity were designed to inspire a new vision of the future for its citizens, while reflecting Bhutans character and landscapes, history and ambitions: bold, vivid, richly storied and distinctive, a statement said. It offers a rallying cry to believe in the nations capabilities, its values, its global contribution, its responsibilities, and its future, the statement added. Using traditional colours, a completely new graphic identity system was created, which draws on traditional Bhutanese iconography such as hand-painted architectural decoration, mythical animals, folklore and symbolism all reimagined with boldness, sharpness and dynamism. The vibrant brand identity has already been rolled out across public and private sectors. A Singapore-bound plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Darwin after an allegedly drunk passenger threatened crew. The Qantas plane diverted to Darwin around 4pm on Sunday where the male passenger was escorted from the plane by four cabin crew. Qantas said they were dealing with a 'medical emergency' but one passenger claimed the man removed from the plane had been 'disruptive', downing his own booze, threatening crew and repeatedly saying the word 'explosive'. The Qantas plane diverted to Darwin around 4pm on Sunday where the male passenger was escorted from the plane by four cabin crew 'The passenger taunted cabin crew to arrest him but said 'I'm going to Singapore, don't you dare divert',' the onlooker told NT News. 'He was drinking from his own 750ml wine bottle claimed he needed to because he was an alcoholic, then threatened cabin crew. 'He was clearly agitated, belligerent and appeared to be heavily affected by alcohol. 'He said he was "a criminal".' After the man was removed from the flight, police reportedly came on to search his chair. 'The flight was diverted due a passenger onboard requiring medical assistance,' a spokesperson for Qantas said. Daily Mail Australia approached Australian Federal Police and NT Police for comment. Dramatic video footage filmed by a member of the public shows the Greyhound and Punchbowl pub engulfed in flames. Tall flames can be seen blasting out of the lower floor windows and making their way up the face of the building. David Davies, 41, from Bilston, said he saw the smoke shortly after closing time. He said: "I live round the corner and the pub had just chucked everybody out after a lock in then I saw the smoke and heard the sirens. There's always a fight in there, hence the name punch bowl." The 500-year-old Greyhound and Punchbowl pub was torched after fire gutted its interior on Saturday morning. The Grade II listed building - which has bendy exterior beams - is just a short 13-minute drive away from the now demolished Crooked House pub that burned down five miles away. Firefighters flooded to the historical building in Bilston at around 3.40am on Saturday morning to tackle the blaze. Footage from the fire shows flames blasting out one of the downstairs windows while members of the public watched helplessly. Firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service confirmed the building was unsafe to enter on Saturday. The fire was put out by 5.20am but over a quarter of the first floor suffered fire damage, while all three floors were smoked damaged. Dramatic footage filmed by a member of the public showed the Greyhound and Punchbowl pub on fire Tall flames were seen belching from the windows, climbing up the side of the building and igniting its timber exterior The 500-year-old Greyhound and Punchbowl pub was torched after fire gutted its interior on Saturday morning The Grade II listed building - which has bendy exterior beams - is just a short 13-minute drive away from the now demolished Crooked House pub that burned down five miles away The fire damaged pub was protected by fencing after blaze hit the drinking venue yesterday The pub was a vibrant community hub before the fire ravaged the building over the weekend The historic pub is thought to have been built in 1450 as a manor house before it was reopened with a license sometime between 1774-1820. It underwent a thorough restoration in the 1930s when a concrete skin was added to the timber frame for longevity. Police investigating the fire at the Crooked House in Himley, Staffs, had arrested and bailed two men on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. The historic building, which gained notoriety for its wonky floors and walls, was gutted in a suspected arson attack on August 5 and bulldozed without council permission two days later - sparking both mystery and anger over what happened. Suspicions grew as the popular pub was destroyed just days after it was sold. Just last week, the jet-setting owners of the boozer vehemently denied any responsibility. Police had arrested two men, aged 33 and 66, on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire destroyed the Crooked House pub in Hilmley, Staffordshire Until August 5 when it mysteriously burnt down and was then bulldozed without council permission, The Crooked House in Himley, Staffs, held the title of Britain's wonkiest pub Andy Taylor and his glamorous jet-setting wife Carly (pictured together) bought the pub two weeks before it went up in flames The couple at the heart of the storm - 34-year-old owner Carly Taylor and her husband Adam - removed themselves from the situation by escaping on holiday in a luxury 15,000-a-week villa in Corfu. This week, Mr Taylor refused to respond to requests for a statement about the destruction of the much-loved 18th century pub that was about to become a listed building after he was confronted by a Mail reporter. Previously Taylor who owns a landfill site next to the inn had told a reporter to 'P*** off' and condemned the outrage surrounding the gutting of the Cooked House as 'bulls***'. He told The Sun: 'Just p*** off and let us have a holiday away from all the lies and bulls*** in England. 'There was nothing serious. I'm not getting into discussing it. 'We didn't answer anything in the UK because of the police investigation so we're not f***ing gonna answer anything here, are we? 'When the police finish their investigation I'll put a story out then, when I'm ready.' Laurence Fox has launched a fresh attack on journalist Ava Evans claiming he 'hadn't heard of her' before his sexist on-air rant about the journalist. The GB News host, who was suspended by the channel after saying 'who would want to sh*g that?' about JOE political correspondent, said he had 'stooped down to her level' in the heavily criticised segment. Speaking on the Triggernometry podcast with comedians Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin, the actor-turned-political activist said he had become 'emotional' as he felt she had made light of male mental health struggles. He admitted the remarks were 'crass' but said he didn't feel they 'merited the wall-to-wall' media coverage they have received in recent days and the chaos it has brought the news channel. It comes as GB News, which is known as the 'home of free speech', defended its decision to suspend Fox in an internal email to staff which challenged the 'falsehood that conflates free speech with a right to verbally abuse'. Laurence Fox has launched a fresh attack on Ava Evans days after saying 'who would want to sh*g that?' about the journalist on GB News. Pictured: Fox on the Triggernometry podcast on Friday Fox was suspended for his on-air rant about Ms Evans after her previous comments about male suicide. Pictured: Ms Evans appearing on the Politics JOE podcast Speaking on Friday after his suspension, Fox told the Triggernometry podcast that he regretted the tone of his remarks on Dan Wootton's show the Tuesday before. When the hosts remarked to Fox that 'in the cold light of day, it [the clip] doesn't look good does it?', he responded by admitting: 'No.' He said that he had 'strong feelings' on the show after being riled by comments Ms Evans had previously made when she was appearing on the BBC speaking about the topic of male suicide, in which she called for a minister of mental health for everyone in government, dismissing the suggestion of just a men's mental health minister. He told the podcast: 'When I listen back to it now, it's just kind of crass. It's the kind of thing you'd say in the pub. 'I think I made the point which was the point I wanted to make, which is when you've got a misandrist fourth wave feminist who wants men to be terrified and scared of women, who tweets pictures of herself saying 'I'm socially distancing from men', I'm just like 'stop'. 'Instead of dismantling her ideas I just said 'I can't think of a single man who'd want to shag you, I mean which self-respecting man would want to shag you?' which was also trying to be funny. Big mistake.' When asked if he felt he had a duty to be less emotional given his role as a political commentator, Fox said: 'I think we need more emotion in politics, rather than people just nodding along to whatever they say. 'I perhaps need to harness my emotion but emotion and instinct are two of the most powerful tools that one has in the armoury. But you're right.' Ava Evans said Fox's comments were 'unforgivable' and she now fears for her safety given the number of threats she has been receiving since the show Fox said he is unable to 'speak freely' about the hearing on Friday, before showing up at the Honour Oak pub to protest against drag queens on Saturday He then aimed another jab towards the journalist, saying: 'Who is Ava Evans? With all due respect to her I'd never heard of her until two days ago, I don't know what she is or what she does for a living. I still don't know what she does for a living and I probably should have not gone down to her level.' He continued: 'I don't really, if I'm truly honest, think it's merited the wall-to-wall, channel-to-channel condemnation.' The father-of-two went on to say he what he said had 'demeaned' Ms Evans and apologised, but said: 'I don't think it's misogyny or anything like that. I think it's disrespectful.' Yesterday the former Reclaim Party candidate appeared in public to attend a protest against Drag Queen Story Hour outside the Honour Oak pub in London, alongside right-wing group Turning Point UK. The protest was met with counter-demonstrators who turned out in support of the local LGBT+ community. Chants of 'Nazi scum off our streets' and 'loser' could be heard as Fox attempted to give a speech over counter-protesters using a microphone. He was also seen taking selfies with attendees and addressing counter protesters through a wall of police officers who maintained a distance between the two groups. Fox later tweeted about the protest with a video of counter-protesters. Speaking at the protest Fox said he 'hadn't heard anything' about how long his suspension from GB News would be. Ms Evans said: 'I'm not naive. I know that men talk like that about women. But this was on national TV. It was demeaning. It was dehumanising' It comes as bosses at the channel defended their decision to suspend him and the show's host Dan Wootton in an internal email to staff. In the message, which was penned by the channel's chairman Alan McCormick, staff were told GB News is 'not a place that tolerates personally denigrating comments or insults, and we never have been'. In the email, which were leaked to The Sunday Times, McCormick appeared to come out fighting against the 'falsehood that conflates free speech with a right to verbally abuse' - an apparent rebuke against those critical of the suspensions. Helena Morrissey, who sits on the board of the channel's owner All Perspectives Ltd, told The Sunday Times: 'This week it went horribly wrong, and the actions that were taken show what we're about. And it doesn't mean that we suddenly don't believe in free speech, because that is absolutely not the case.' Days earlier presenter Calvin Robinson was suspended from the channel after suggesting bosses were 'afraid of the woke mob' when they decided to suspend Fox and Wootton. The paper reports that divisions are growing within the channel, with some believing the suspensions go against its principles of free speech, while others see it as a chance to move forward. One insider told the publication: 'The channel is at a crossroads. There has been a battle going on internally between professional journalist presenters having to contend with people like Fox threatening to bring the whole thing crashing down. 'If GB News is to become a respected news channel, then all the people on it need to be respectable. Theres long been talk along the lines of: we need to get rid of the cranks and get serious.' Police investigating the felling of the Sycamore Gap Tree today seized a chainsaw found in a barn at the former home of a lumberjack who denies any involvement. The sharp-toothed power tool was bagged up and the blade wrapped with protective paper reading 'police evidence' before it was taken away. It was found in the outhouse at Plankey Mill farm, in Northumberland, just eight miles from the tragic timber. Days earlier Walter Renwick, 69, vehemently denied being responsible and apparently pointed to the saw as proof he was completely innocent. He announced on Friday 'My chainsaw's down here by that barn door, but you can see that it hasn't been used for ages.' Mr Renwick used to run and live at the farm but was evicted weeks ago after losing a legal battle with The Jesuits in Britain, who own the land. Police search teams taking away a chainsaw in an evidence bag from a barn on Plankey Mill Farm in Northumberland A full investigation was launched after the Sycamore Gap Tree next to Hadrian's Wall, in Northumberland, was cut down A chalked blackboard sign from the trust was put up warning wood-loving wellwishers to stay away Police still have Plankey Mill Farm in Northumberland taped off after they arrested a second man after the UK's most famous tree was chopped down He said the tree cut was nothing to do with him, declaring: 'I'm not that stupid.' READ MORE: Was Sycamore Gap tree cut down by someone with a grudge against National Trust? Detectives probe theory after man in his 60s is arrested over felling of ancient tree Advertisement Mr Renwick gave an interview just hours before police started searching his property on Friday night. Reacting to social media gossip, he said: 'The speculation is bloody ridiculous. I'll tell you this much, I wouldn't be so sad to do that.' Mr Renwick said: 'It was a lovely tree, an iconic tree, but I mean to go up there and cut that down, I'm not that stupid.' Now reduced to a stump, the 70ft sycamore was one of the world's most photographed trees and featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner. Part of the Hadrian's Wall Unesco world heritage site, it has drawn walkers and visitors from all over the globe. In 2016, it was named Tree of the Year by the Woodland Trust. Mr Renwick blamed the online finger-pointing on his work - he was a lumberjack for 40 years and because of his eviction from the farm last week following a long-running dispute. He now lives in a camper van nearby. A full investigation was launched after the Sycamore Gap Tree was cut down last week Walter Renwick (pictured at his home), 69, who was recently evicted from his property, has dismissed rife accusations online that he was behind the shocking act of vandalism The iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled overnight on Wednesday, sparking fury across Britain 'It makes it sound like me, doesn't it, because it was a good cut,' he said, referring to the culprit's handiwork. 'It was dark obviously but it was a lovely moonlit night... the cut was brilliant. 'When I say brilliant, you can tell a good lumberjack by the way he cuts a tree down. I haven't seen the cut obviously, but I have seen it on the computer.' Mr Renwick ran Plankey Mill farm and campsite for decades. He closed the campsite and sold the animals on the farm after a dispute with The Jesuits in Britain, who own the land. One of Mr Renwick's closest relatives, who asked not to be named, said: 'There is no way he [Walter] could've done this, he absolutely loves the land. He lives for the land. He's really not well enough to do anything like that. Walter is on loads of different medications for various conditions he'd rather starve than leave the house to get food.' Mr Renwick's younger brother Colin, 64, added: 'I know 100 per cent he's not done it. I'm utterly convinced he has not done it. 'This has been nothing more than trial by Facebook. I went down to see him the other night when I read his name on Facebook. I said, 'tell me you didn't do this', and he said, 'what the hell do you think I am? Of course I didn't do it'.' Mr Renwick revealed that even his own brother rushed to his home to find the truth. Pictured: Police at his home Northumbria Police announced tonight that it a second man, in his 60s, has been arrested in connection with the felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland. Pictured: Forensic officers at the trees stump Mr Renwick learned he was under suspicion when his brother visited him on Thursday night and said: 'I'm pleased to see you're still here.' Mr Renwick expressed bewilderment. 'He then said the tree had been cut down and that 'everybody is pointing the finger at you'.' News of the felling provoked a furious reaction from politicians, environmentalists and the public. Many felt 'appalled' and 'saddened' at the loss. 'This is a heartbreaking act of mindless vandalism,' said Mary Foy, Labour MP for Durham. Si King, the TV cook and Hairy Biker, posted a video online in which he accused the 'warped' culprit of 'murdering a sentinel of time and an elemental spirit of Northumberland'. Horticulturalists have raised the idea of helicoptering in a mature sycamore to take its place. Antony Gormley, the sculptor of the Angel Of The North, is understood to be in discussions to create an artwork where the tree once stood. A 16-year-old held in connection with the felling was released on bail on Friday. Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin was spotted looking glamourous as she stepped out to Victoria Beckham's fashion show in Paris. The former world leader, 37, was seen posing for photos while donning a long black dress in the City of Lights before attending the ballet-inspired runway show on Friday. The new snaps come at the end of a long year for Marin, who was at one point the youngest leader of a nation, having taken high office at just 34 years old in 2019. She stepped down from her role as chair of the centre-left Social Democrats party earlier this month, after her party narrowly lost an election in April. Marin left her political career behind to join former British prime minister Sir Tony Blair's Institute for Global Change, a London-based policy think-tank, as a 'Strategic Counsellor'. Sanna Marin (pictured) was once the youngest world leader, taking high office at the age of just 34 She was seen dressed to kill before Victoria Beckham's runway in Paris She made headlines after a video leaked of her dancing wildly with friends She also filed for divorce in May, amicably splitting up with her then-husband of three years, Markus Raikkonen. The pair, who have a five-year-old daughter together, said in separate Instagram stories at the time: 'We are grateful for the 19 years together and our beloved daughter. We will remain best friends.' After her tumultuous spring, she took some time to enjoy herself, and was spotted at Flow, a music festival in Helsinki, in August. Appearing much more like a typically 30-something than a former world leader, the 'rock star' politician opted for chunky heels with a mini skirt and bralette in a series of photos she shared to Instagram. One outfit simply isn't enough for Sanna. On another occasion, she flaunted a festival chic look in a sheer black dress and reflective sunglasses. The partying PM was criticised for her out-of-work antics, with many claiming that she was not taking the office of prime minister seriously enough She attended the ballet-themed fashion show in Paris After she was ousted from high office, she spent several months enjoying herself She was seen at Flow, a popular music festival in Helsinki, earlier this year She was seen sporting a less formal look while she was at Flow A third look saw her opt for a Barbie pink mini dress with thigh-high boots. The former Prime Minister, who was just 34 when she took office in 2019, really let down her hair down in - what she calls a - 'proper summer vacation for the first time in a while'. She was joined by a group of friends, including fellow MP Nasima Razmyar. In another post, she explained how it's her first holiday 'in a while'. 'This summer I've had a proper summer vacation for the first time in a while,' she wrote. 'It has included, among other things, being busy with [her five-year-old daughter] Emma, sports, friends, good food and unforgettable trips. 'Have a lovely summer everyone. And thank you to those who are working in the summer and taking care of us!'. After leading her country through COVID-19 lockdowns and the ensuing economic turmoil, Marin became a vocal supporter of Ukraine after Russia's invasion last year and successfully pushed to end Finland's military non-alignment in favour of NATO membership. Marin caught dancing provocatively with Finnish influencer Sabina Sarka in 2022, which drew another round of heavy criticism Many called her a millennial inspiration who encouraged younger people to be less apathetic towards politics Marin was heavily criticised after she was spotted at a nightclub shortly after she had made contact with her health minister who has just tested positive for COVID-19 While many called her a millennial inspiration who encouraged younger people to be less apathetic towards politics, she was still a controversial figure in Finland. Finnish voters concerned with issues like immigration and a growing public deficit in April handed Marin a narrow defeat to the right wing National Coalition and the far-right Finns party, triggering the government's fall. She weathered several publicity storms while in office, including over her nightclubbing during the pandemic, hosting private parties at her official residence and voluntarily taking a drug test - which returned negative - after a party video was leaked to the media. Marin was also heavily criticised after she was spotted at a nightclub in the small hours of the morning, shortly after she had made contact with her health minister who has just tested positive for COVID-19. She was also caught dancing provocatively with Finnish influencer Sabina Sarka in 2022, which drew another round of heavy criticism. Katherine Ryan has claimed there is a 'dangerous comic' working in British showbusiness during an appearance on Desert Island Discs. Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 show, the comedian said she had 'wrestled' with the decision about whether to work with 'someone who I believe to be a perpetrator of sexual assault' or turn down jobs. Ryan did not specify who she was talking about on Desert Island Discs. It comes weeks after Russell Brand was at the centre of allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he denies. The Canadian-born comic told host Lauren Laverne in a show recorded before the Brand allegations broke that although she believed the person 'is or was dangerous', she was willing to appear on a show with him. The 40-year-old revealed that her 'compromise' was to go on the programme with the unnamed comic but 'let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him.' She added that she didn't notice 'much of a reaction' from the comedian in question, but that other comics who were aware of the person's reputation 'really liked what I said'. Ryan has been outspoken on the issue and is alleged to have challenged 48-year-old Brand while they were co-hosting TV comedy show Roast Battle in 2018, making comments about him on camera which were later cut from the broadcast. Katherine Ryan claimed there is a 'dangerous comic' working in British showbusiness during an appearance on Desert Island Discs. Pictured: Ryan on Loose Women on September 4 Ryan, pictured, is previously reported to have confronted Russell Brand while they were co-hosting TV comedy show Roast Battle in 2018. Pictured: Ryan (centre) with Brand (left) and Jimmy Carr (right) on the show The episode, which was released today but was recorded on September 6, saw Ryan recall her journey from the city of Sarnia in Ontario, Canada, to becoming a regular on the British comedy circuit. In the show host Laverne raised an interview Ryan had done with broadcaster Louis Theroux last year, in which she claimed to have confronted a male comedian over allegations of predatory behaviour. When asked why she decided to speak out in the first place, Ryan said she had received 'a lot of pushback' for not naming the man at the time. She said: "[I got] a lot of "why won't you say who it is?". It's because everyone knows who it is, what they want is the women's names, and that's what I won't give and that's why I'm reluctant.' Ryan added: 'No one's asking for his name. It's funny how people go straight to accusing "you're the problem, you won't give his name". 'We're not the problem. I had a choice - I could go to work with someone who I believe to be a perpetrator of sexual assault or I could turn down the job. Those were my options. 'And so I wrestled with that. I thought what am I meant to do in this instance? The choice is, do I go to work with someone who I think is very problematic, and do I stand near them and laugh and smile and look like I am allowing this kind of person to still be on television? Or do I stay home?' She added she believes this person 'was or is dangerous' but said she felt nothing would change if she stayed away from the programme. 'My compromise was I'm going to go and let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him,' she said. 'I'm not just going to allow this behaviour, I'm not going to let him think that I don't know and that everybody he works with is just going to let him get away with it. Ryan claimed she wrestled with the decision about whether to appear on the show with the unnamed man. Pictured: The comic on All That Glitters in 2021 The Canadian-born comic said she received support from other comedians after the confrontation. Pictured: Ryan at the 2023 WellChild Awards in London on September 7 'So that is the attitude I took into the show. And did I do the right thing or the wrong thing? I still don't know. But I just felt why should I stay home? He should stay home, but if he's going to be there, I'm going to be there to tell him what I think.' When asked how the man in question responded, Ryan said there was no 'obvious reaction' from him. She revealed that other comics 'really liked what I said' and they thought it was 'funny and courageous'. 'I think it's the nuance, did I mean it or was I joking? But certainly the people who know, know that I wasn't joking.' Referring to the same confrontation, Ryan previously told Louis Theroux that she had confronted the unnamed man while they worked together on a TV show in front of the audience 'again and again'. Speaking in 2022, the 40-year-old said she had no qualms with doing so as she had decided to handle it 'like a man' - although the confrontation itself was later cut from the broadcast. In her chat with Theroux, Ms Ryan claimed she had received criticism afterwards for not naming the person in question in public, but said just talking about him was a 'litigious minefield' as he had 'very good lawyers'. The comedian added that it was 'not my story to tell' but that she believed the accusations as the sources were 'very credible'. Earlier this month it was reported that Ryan repeatedly accused Russell Brand of being a 'sexual predator' during filming for his last major television job. Brand was a judge on Comedy Central's Roast Battle in 2018 but was only included for one season after Ryan allegedly roasted him on-camera about allegations he sexually assaulted women - which he fervently denied. The comedian has been subject to claims from a number of women accusing him of abusive and predatory behaviour, including rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse, between 2006 and 2013. The Metropolitan Police have also confirmed they are now investigating an alleged sexual assault in Soho in 2013 - three years before the took place three years before the four sexual assaults' that Brand had already been accused of. The comedian 'absolutely denies' the allegations and insists all his relationships have been consensual. Roast Battle consists of comedians cracking jokes at each other's expense. The first season included Brand, Ryan, and Jimmy Carr. Jonathan Ross replaced Brand for the second season. During filming of the show - created by Fulwell 73 - Ryan reportedly fired allegations at Brand. Her comments did not make the aired show, according to Deadline. Ryan's confrontations allegedly revealed how comedians in the industry were openly talking about Brand's sexual and predatory behaviour. Brand was allegedly 'absolutely furious' after being targeted by Ryan on the show, a source told the paper. Two other sources claimed he demanded that producers protect him from being roasted about these serious allegations. Industry insiders have now revealed that they felt it was best Brand step down as a judge on the programme, and that 'in the end, it came down to the fact that it seemed like Russell didnt have a good sense of humour'. Nine boats have been intercepted carrying a total of 537 migrants crossing the English Channel, according to the latest Home Office figures. The crossings on Saturday bring the total for the year to 24,830, which is down on last year's figures which by this time in 2022 had reached 33,001. But the numbers are still up on 2021, when 17,085 had made the dangerous crossing by September 30, and it was 7,000 by the same point in 2020. The latest journeys across the shipping lanes of the Channel come despite the death of a woman earlier this week. Her body was found on a beach near Calais, France, on Tuesday and is being investigated by French police. Pictured: Border Force bring 50 Migrants ashore at Dover Docks this morning, who had been rescued mid-Channel The National Crime Agency (NCA) has charged Sudanese national Howmalow Mawumd-Duop, 21, with facilitating illegal immigration following the death. A spokesman said: 'The NCA continues to support the French authorities in their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.' Pictures show Border Force bringing 50 migrants ashore at Dover Docks this morning, who had been rescued mid-Channel. READ MORE: Hundreds more migrants cross the Channel as people-traffickers use new tactics to keep one step ahead of the authorities Advertisement An investigation by the News Advocates Investigates podcast has found migrants are being offered trips across the Channel from Dunkirk for 1,500 per person, claiming they would be taken to a four-star hotel by British police once they arrive. The people smugglers also claim Brexit has made it easier for them as they state there are 'no fingerprint' checks any more, the podcast said. The team of undercover reporters posed as family members looking to bring a cousin to the UK illegally, and they covertly recorded their conversations with the people smugglers. On the safety of crossing the Channel, one of the gang said: 'If the boat has a problem the [UK] police will come help the boat. When the boat goes into the English Channel the police are waiting and will help... They will take him to a four-star hotel.' On the benefits of Brexit, the gang is reported to have said: 'Now England is out of Europe it is very good for us... no fingerprints.' On how to claim asylum, they added: 'After eight months you'll have your interview... you have to make a good case, a political case... Political is good because they cannot bring you back to your country.' The crossings on Saturday bring the total for the year to 24,830, which is down on last year's figures which by this time in 2022 had reached 33,001 Nine boats have been intercepted carrying a total of 537 migrants crossing the English Channel , according to the latest Home Office figures Discussing how to claim asylum from India, they added: 'Say he has a problem with the Bombay mafia... Say I have a problem with this mafia, they want to kill me and my family.' Home Secretary Suella Braverman stepped up her rhetoric this week on the issue by predicting there will be a 'disintegration in our society' if action is not taken to curb the number of migrants arriving in Britain by small boats. Speaking to GB News on Friday, she repeated an argument made in her speech on migration in the United States that the threshold for claiming asylum needs to be raised. This week she announced plans to restrict asylum seekers further, stating it is not sufficient reason to grant asylum if women or members of the LGBT+ community fear persecution. It is still illegal to be gay in dozens of countries across the world, with around a dozen nations still imposing the death penalty. The senior Conservative's comments indicate she does not plan to back down on her calls for the international reform of refugee rules - such as the United Nations' Refugee Convention - despite facing a backlash, including from her own party. In a speech to a centre-right think tank in Washington DC, Mrs Braverman warned the West faces an 'existential' threat if countries are not able to control their borders from unauthorised arrivals. Senior Tory MPs have criticised Tuesday's speech, singling out her comments arguing that being discriminated against for being gay or a woman should not grant a person refugee status in the UK. The chief of supermarket Iceland wrote to the Tories pleading to be an MP candidate months before quitting the 'out of touch' party, it was claimed today. Richard Walker, the company's executive chairman, dramatically announced his departure overnight with a brutal assessment of the government's failings. But Conservative sources told MailOnline that Mr Walker made a personal appeal to Rishi Sunak to get on the party's candidate list in May. In the letter, he stressed his loyalty, insisting he had publicly backed all the government's policies. Mr Walker's father, the supermarket's founder Sir Malcolm Walker, also apparently wrote to a senior Conservative this month saying Keir Starmer had been in touch with his son and would 'love to have him on board'. Richard Walker, the company's executive chairman, dramatically announced his departure overnight with a brutal assessment of the government's failings. Conservative sources told MailOnline that Mr Walker made a personal appeal to Rishi Sunak to get on the party's candidate list in May The row erupted as Mr Sunak kicked off Tory conference in Manchester (pictured on a visit to Burnley this morning) The row erupted publicly after Mr Walker declared that he was ditching the Tories. He told the BBC: 'It has become clear to me over recent months that the Conservative Party are drifting out of touch with the needs of business, with the environment, and also the everyday people that my business touches and serves.' Mr Walker lashed out at the 'sluggish economy' and 'high levels of regional inequality'. 'Today's reality is that we have a nominally Conservative government, yet I struggle to name a single thing they are actually conserving,' he said. 'Certainly not the business sector or our economy, the vitality of our high streets or the safety of my retail colleagues, our farming and rural communities, our rivers and seas, our net zero obligations, our NHS, our schools, our reputation for decency and fairness, or the future prosperity of our kids and grandkids.' However, in the letter to Mr Sunak, dated May this year, Mr Walker - who previously spoke of his ambition to be PM - said it was his 'fervent wish' to be a Tory MP. He complained that he had been blocked with a 'deferment notice' from the candidates committee, adding that he did not know the reasons. There have been rumours that Keir Starmer (pictured) might unveil Mr Walker as a defector from the Tories at next week's Labour conference 'As you will already be aware, it is my most fervent wish that I succeed in becoming an approved Conservative Party Candidate, and I have over the last two years given my all to earning that privilege,' he said. Mr Walker is said to have written: 'I have striven to ensure that I anything I say in the public arena fully supports HM Government and Conservative Party policy 'I am left with no other choice but to appeal to you directly to both lift this deferment and allow me to put myself forward to represent both the Conservative Party and my community in Chester South & Eddisbury.' There have been rumours that Mr Walker might be unveiled as a defector from the Tories at next week's Labour conference. Campers out bush for the holiday weekend have been forced to flee as out of control grass and bush fires rip through regional New South Wales and southeast Victoria. As of Sunday evening, 85 bushfires were burning in New South Wales with 39 of them 'uncontained', according to the Rural Fire Service. Residents of the Shoalhaven and Snowy Monaro areas were on high alert, with several fires continuing burn near Shannons Flat and Bredbo. NSW RFS issued a Watch and Act alert for Bundle Hill Rd, Bawley Point at 4pm on Sunday. A Watch and Act alert also remains in place for Cappanana Rd, Bredbo as a grass fire remains out of control and also at Shannons Flat Rd, Shannons Flat where a bush fire continues to burn out of control. Firefighters were also battling a blaze at Gregadoo Waste Management Centre, south east of Wagga Wagga. An out of control bushfire at Duffy Road, Briagolong in Victoria's southeast (pictured) A park fire ban means that only gas, liquid fuel stoves and electric BBQs can be used. A grass fire was pictured burning quickly in southern NSW It comes as the official bushfire season begins across many states on Sunday. NSW Emergency Services minister Jihad Dib warned residents to expect continued bushfire risk in the coming days. 'Not only is it hot, it's dry and it's windy and those conditions combined are the perfect storm for the fire to run through,' Mr Dib said. Fire and Rescue NSW acting commissioner Megan Stiffler said people also need to be up to date with bushfire warnings. 'We can't ensure a fire truck will be at every house that's put under threat so it's really up to you to make sure your bushfire survival plan is in place,' she said. Meanwhile, residents in Briagolong, Culloden, Moornapa, and Stockdale, east of Melbourne, were warned to 'evacuate immediately' as an out of control bushfire tears through Duffy Rd at Briagolong. Those calls were becoming dire as emergency services told residents that if they did not leave before 3pm it would be too late, and that any attempt to evacuate later could be life threatening. Locals from Briagolong and the surrounding townships took to social media over the holiday weekend, when many are travelling, to share shocking footage of the out of control fires. Hale Baron shared video of the large smoke plumes emanating from the fire, describing the 'roaring' and 'unrelenting' high wind that was presenting challenges to firefighting efforts. There are currently 85 fires burning around the state, with 39 not yet contained. A number of fires continue to burn in the Snowy Monaro area near Shannons Flat and Bredbo. While the threat to homes has eased, firefighters will continue to work towards containment. pic.twitter.com/HhvHsMddtN NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) October 1, 2023 Gippsland South MP Danny O'Brien said the 'horrendous wind' was causing serious fire concerns through the region, with blazes also underway in the Loch Sport and Forge Creek areas. 'If you don't need to be there, best to stay off the roads in these areas today and please keep informed of the action you should take via the Vic Emergency app,' Mr O'Brien told residents. Nearby, residents at Merrijig, Iguana Creek, Stockdale, Cobbannah and surrounds werebeing told to prepare to leave, while areas to the north and south of Briagolong were under an Advice warning. Emergency warnings Further south, an out of control grass fire at Loch Sport had triggered a serious emergency warning, with residents there being ordered to shelter indoors, with a second grass fire at Forge Creek. On social media, residents there described being evacuated to the Loch Sport boat ramp carpark, with others offering similar descriptions of high wind which worsened already bad fire conditions. Residents at Rawson, Walhalla, and Erica, east of Melbourne, as a bushfire travelling Knotts Siding Rd in a south-westerly direction had yet to be brought under control by firefighters. Millions of families are being warned to be on alert after an extreme fire warning was issued for large swathes of NSW, including the Greater Sydney Region, with temperatures forecast to soar. The warning will be in place for the rest of Sunday over much of the state's coastline, including the Greater Hunter and Far South Coast, as well as North Western and Upper Central West Plains. Just before 1pm on Sunday, there were 20 active alerts for bushfires in Victoria and 42 alerts in NSW - not including grass fires. The Bureau of Meteorology warned a south-westerly change with move across southern areas of the state during the day on Sunday, bringing with it a strong and gusty wind along the south coast. Families travelling over the holiday weekend were warned earlier to brace for 'risky' bushfire conditions after a snap ban was put in place in some of NSW's most sought-after tourist destinations. Australia's eastern states are forecast to swelter through the holiday weekend with temperatures forecast to reach 36C, triggering a ban on solid fuel fires in national parks on the NSW south coast. NPWS South Coast director Kane Weeks said campfires and solid fuel fires were 'too risky' under the current conditions, with travellers instead limited to gas, liquid fuel or electric stoves. 'Right along the coastal and escarpment reserves, dry conditions combined with hot, dry weather means that campfires are a risk in bushland areas throughout the region,' Mr Weeks said. 'Bushfires can start very easily from the sparks of a campfire ... All it takes is a gust of wind and we could have a bushfire. There are many examples where campfires caused major bushfires.' Sydney residents scored with 36 degrees on Sunday and hotter is to come Black smoke fills the air above a rural property in southeast Victoria (pictured) Total fire bans were already in place on Sunday across the state, including on the Far South Coast, Great Sydney, Monaro Alpine, Northern Slopes, and Central Ranges NSW RFS fire districts. Fire permits were already suspended in many of the affected regions, including the lower Hunter area where firefighters had already been battling blazes 'day and night' over past weeks. 'The past two weeks - as we head towards the official start of the fire season - has seen us and our partner agencies fighting fires day and night, with the support of aircraft,' the local RFS said. 'Due to the current predicted temperatures and conditions going into the week - in conjunction to the fire activity in the area over the past week - a decision has been made to suspend fire permits.' The sizzling weather will begin to settle into the east from Friday, as a mass of hot air from Western Australia makes its way south where it will remain until at least Wednesday. 'Over the coming days heat really settles into parts of the southeast,' Sky News meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes said. 'Part of this is helped by the upper atmosphere pattern; we've got a lot of hot air pulling in and you can see it out there. 'That stretches from the northwest down toward the southeast, keeping things very warm for the next few days ahead.' If any Greater Sydney weather station exceeds 37.3C in the first three days of October, it will be the highest early spring temperature on record. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts temperatures to reach a maximum of 36C on Sunday in the city, up 8C from the day before. While conditions are expected to ease on Monday, the mercury is expected to rise again into next week with highs of 37C on Tuesday. Tuesday's temperatures are truly concerning, according to Ms Oakes. 'There are many areas of NSW as well as down through the ACT and Victoria that are likely to be 8, 10, 12, 14 degrees above average,' she said. After a steamy AFL Grand Final day on Saturday, Melbourne will enjoy cooler temperatures on Sunday, with a maximum of 21C forecast, before the heat hits one final time on Monday. Into the week, the temperature will dip as up to 15mm of rain moves in. In the nation's capital, temperatures are forecast to reach a whopping 31C on Tuesday compared with 19C recorded on the same day last year. Brisbane is also expected to reach as high as 27C over the weekend, while Hobart will reach 23C on Saturday - 10C above the same day last year. Fire warning and national breakdown The Northern Territory is also staring down a blast of heat and fire danger warnings. The bureau issued fire warnings for the Darwin and Adelaide River, Gregory South East and Barkly North districts on Thursday. 'Warm and dry with moderate to fresh and gusty northeast to south-easterly winds across most parts of the Territory,' the bureau said. 'Winds combined with high fuel loads will result in elevated fire dangers in the Barkly North, Darwin and Adelaide River and Gregory South East fire weather district.' Catastrophic fire danger is forecast for Barkly North, while extreme fire danger is forecast for the Darwin and Adelaide River and Gregory South East. Australia was set for a scorching hot day on Sunday with high winds increasing fears of widespread fires Thick black smoke filled the air at Loch Sport, Victoria (pictured) NT Fire and Rescue Service has advised residents to immediately action their bushfire survival plans. Temperatures are forecast to hover around 34C and 35Cs through to Monday. Other parts of the country will also face steadily warming temperatures. The bureau forecasts a max temperature of 31C to hit Adelaide on Monday, while Brisbane will experience temperatures in the high 20s into the week. Perth will enjoy a cooler weekend, with max temperatures forecast to reach 21C on Sunday before dropping to a top of 18C on Sunday. Owners of Dreamworld theme park have rejected claims they are liable to pay $1 million in damages to a mother whose young daughter allegedly suffered a gruesome genital injury on a water slide. The girl, 8, was sliding down the Full6 ride at Dreamworld's sister park WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast in November 2020 when the slide turned 'red with blood'. She had suffered a severe vaginal tear which required two operations and four nights in Logan Hospital. The girl's mother, Sarah - who claims her PTSD following the incident forced her to drop out of a nursing course - is suing the theme park operators for over $1 million for lost earnings, general damages and PTSD. The girl, 8, was sliding down the Full6 ride at Dreamworld's sister park WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast (PICTURED) in November 2020 when the slide turned 'red with blood' The girl (pictured) suffered a severe vaginal tear which required two operations and four nights in Logan Hospital But the parent company, Ardent Leisure, denies the girl's injuries were their fault and submits that the girl's mother has no entitlement to damages. They claim that since the unusual injury was not a foreseeable risk, they did not have a duty to protect the girl from it, according to The Courier Mail. 'No reasonable risk assessment performed by Ardent could or would have identified the risk of harm,' the defence states. Ardent also said that the damages sought 'are excessive and wholly disproportionate to the true nature and full extent of the injury suffered by (Sarah) resulting from the incident'. The mother, who is from Logan in Brisbane's north, is also suing Swimplex Acquatics, who designed and built the ride but they are yet to file a defence. No date has been set for the hearing. The 2020 incident came just a couple of months after Ardent was fined $3.6million for negligence following the deaths of four people who were killed on the Thunder Rapids ride in 2016. Kim Dorsett's children Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, his partner Roozi Araghi, and NSW mother Cindy Low were killed when the amusement park ride malfunctioned, on October 25, 2016. The tragedy unfolded when a water pump malfunctioned causing water levels in the ride to fall dangerously low. The victims' raft collided with another after becoming stuck in the low water. It partially flipped, flinging the group into the mechanised conveyor that moved the rafts. Ardent Leisure were ordered to pay $3.6million in fines after pleading guilty to safety charges over the tragedy. Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has revealed its new brand identity and livery with a strong focus on digital aspects and enhancing guest experience by celebrating Saudi culture. The new identity, launched at an event in Jeddah, is in line with a wider strategic digital transformation plan aimed at strengthening the airlines support for the kingdoms Vision 2030 to bring the world to Saudi Arabia, said the airline. The rebrand marks the beginning of a new era for Saudia, introducing innovative concepts in terms of customer service with a strong focus on digital aspects and enhancing the guest experience by celebrating Saudi culture, it said. "This transformation reinforces Saudia 's national identity as it reimagines all products and services to engage all five senses. Guests can anticipate an authentic Saudi experience during their journey, showcasing the very best of Saudi Arabia and its rich culture. "This includes a distinctive fragrance and sonic identity, locally inspired cuisine, all crafted by skilled Saudi craftsmen. This new identity mirrors Saudi Arabia's welcoming spirit, leaving guests with a deep sense of the country's warmth and hospitality, while promoting a deeper appreciation of Saudi culture for both nationals and visitors. The rebrand also encompasses new uniforms for cabin crew and ground staff," the airline said. The new brand colour identity, comprising green, blue, and sand, represents Saudia's aim to expand its fleet and destinations, connecting the world to Saudi Arabia, emphasising the kingdoms authenticity and deep-rooted values. In parallel with the rebranding, Saudia has also undertaken a huge digital transformation, entirely enhancing the customer digital experience. Saudia leads among international airlines in operating generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a virtual assistant, named Saudia, being one of the first of its kind in the region. Saudia will enable guests to complete the entire transaction through this efficient process by the end of the year. The ambitious, long-planned digital transformation, fully improve customer experience, but also allow more streamlined operations and processes while ensuring the highest levels of protection of guests personal data, through strong partnerships with global leading companies. Eng Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said: We are experiencing a new era and a very exciting time for Saudia. Our airline has evolved from a Douglas DC-3 aircraft in 1945, to a 140-aircraft modern fleet serving over 100 destinations, becoming one of the largest airline in the region. "The name and logo of Saudia are integral parts of the Kingdom's aviation history and development, and our people share a special emotional connection with the brand. We have incorporated this rich heritage into our new identity, adding elements that reflect our visionary approach, poised to captivate the world." - TradeArabia News Service A shamed British Airways pilot sacked after boasting about a debauched evening snorting cocaine off a woman's breasts tried to join Wizz Air after he was let go. Mike Beaton was one of seven pilots invited to a selection event for the firm near Gatwick before days before his exploits came out. He was not picked but there was confusion how he was able to show his medical certificate to organisers. The Civil Aviation Authority has not revealed when Beaton's licence was revoked, which would have seen him stripped of the document. A Wizz Air spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Mr. Beaton did attend a Wizz Air pilot selection event on 23rd September, prior to any media exposure. He was not successful in his application and has not been hired by Wizz Air. 'Wizz Air follows strict procedures when recruiting for pilots. All applicants must have a valid UK CAA Class One Medical, and therefore meet the requirements to obtain and maintain the requirements of that medical. This is managed and issued by the UK CAA, and the documents' validity is checked by Wizz Air. The safety of passengers is our number one priority, so in addition to regular requirements, we conduct stringent psychoactive substance testing and background checks when hiring new staff to ensure pilots are fit to fly. First Officer Mike Beaton was suspended by British Airways and later sacked after a night of debauchery in South Africa Tiger's Milk bar in Johannesburg, where Mike Beaton said his wild night had begun in earnest 'At the time of application, the pilot held a valid Class One medical. Issue, suspension, and revocation of pilot medicals is controlled by the UK CAA. Falsifying these documents is a criminal offence if a pilot's medical is suspended by the UK CAA they have to surrender that medical, so they would not be able to present one.' Beaton was in South Africa for a stopover when he spent a debauched night full of booze, sex and drugs, The Sun had revealed. The father-of-one told all in a series of raunchy messages to a stewardess boasting about how he had been 'very, very naughty' with two women and two men in Johannesburg. Telling her to 'get ready' for the tale, he goes into minute detail about how he met a 'Spanish bird', a 'Welsh chick', and two 'local lads' in a bar. They downed some shots before staggering back to the hotel bar for 'one last one before bed' where there's a 'bit of snogging' before 'we're somehow all on our way to this dude's flat'. It is here that Mr Beaton goes into detail about his sordid drug-fuelled orgy. 'Welsh has decided that I should actually be her boyfriend - Spanish has hooked up with one of the two local lads and is having her t*** sucked on their sofa,' he said. 'We've polished off a bottle of vodka at this place now and the girls are dancing topless, I've lost my shirt somewhere and one of the local lads produces a plate with a few lines of coke. The bragging text messages sent by Mr Beaton to a stewardess about his sordid evening in Johannesburg He recounted how he 'ended up snorting coke off a girl's t*** in Joburg' before he stayed with one of the women and 's*****d for aggges' 'So then there's a debate about who's [sic] chest is the best to do a bump off. Not going to lie, I may have started this with ulterior motives.' The stewardess appears to be impressed with his evening and replies 'Babes that's wild' before Mr Beaton says: 'That's the story of how I ended up snorting coke off a girl's t*** in Joburg.' He 'came to my senses' when he thought things had gone too far and 'rescued the girls' and took them back to their hotel. But his night didn't end there. 'Stayed the night with Welsh, sha***d fo aggges (I guess the coke played a part) and then was so f****d I couldn't even lift my head until gone 2.' A shocked co-worker raised the alarm on Mr Beaton hours before he was due to co-pilot a flight from South Africa back to Britain after he revealed his night of debauchery. The married father-of-one, pictured, boasted to a colleague about having a drug-fuelled orgy before trying to fly a plane back to the UK Beaton, pictured in uniform, claimed he had snorted cocaine off a topless woman during the orgy in texts to a colleague British Airways was forced to delay the flight from South Africa to Britain for 24 hours while it found a replacement for him A source at the airline told The Sun that managers were 'furious' when his behaviour was reported to them by his colleagues. They said the pilot had 'hoisted himself by his own petard' and that although there would have been no alcohol in his system on his return to the UK, adding: 'He will never fly again.' British Airways told MailOnline: 'Safety is always our top priority. The matter was referred to the CAA and this individual no longer works for us.' The Civil Aviation Authority told The Sun it has strict procedures in place for when pilots misuse drinks or drugs. 'An airline must immediately inform us if a UK pilot has misused drink or drugs boarding, or being on board, an aircraft,' it said. 'In these cases we would immediately suspend the pilot's medical which means they cannot fly. 'In most cases the pilot would have an assessment with an expert medical team and if they wished to return to flying then a comprehensive rehabilitation programme would be put in place. 'The medical would only be reinstated if we were completely satisfied.' When confronted by reporters from the paper, Beaton's wife refused to comment, saying: 'You must speak to my husband about it.' The terrifying moment a mother's desperate cries for help rang out on a suburban street as she was allegedly being stabbed by her ex-partner were recorded on a neighbour's CCTV. Bonnie Garlett, 31, screamed as Leon Bropho allegedly stabbed her 28 times with a screwdriver at her Jules Court home in the Fremantle suburb of Willagee early on Friday morning. Bropho, 33, faced court charged with attempted murder on Saturday and did not apply for bail. Ms Garlett's is now recovering in hospital after suffering serious injuries including a punctured lung. The mother-of-five can be heard repeatedly shouting in the harrowing clip that was played as evidence in court. 'He's killing me, he's killing me. Help me. He's killing me. Help!' she is heard saying in the footage. Bonnie Garlett (pictured), 31, cried out as her ex Leon Bropho allegedly stabbed her 28 times with a screwdriver in Fremantle, Western Australia on Friday morning Leon Bropho, 33, was charged with attempted murder when he faced court on Saturday. Pictured: WA Police in Jules Court, Wilagee Her mother, Priscilla Little, described Ms Garlett's injuries to 9News. 'One in the neck and one in the lung. With a screwdriver. It was over... 28 stab wounds,' Ms Little alleged. According to police reports she was found by emergency services bleeding profusely from several stab wounds at a neighbour's house and treated at the scene. Ms Garlett was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital where she is still a patient. She allegedly had a family violence restraining order against Bropho before the alleged incident. Ms Little spoke to her 'scared' daughter an hour before the alleged attack. She added that her daughter, Ms Garlett, is the 'strongest most amazing girl'. Bropho is due to face court again later in October. Police took 27 years to arrest Duane Keefe D Davis for the murder of Tupac Shakur because he kept building their case for them, a retired LAPD cop has claimed. The former Crips gang leader was charged on Friday over the 1996 drive-by shooting that left the influential rapper fatally injured on the Las Vegas Boulevard. Friends of the hip hop star have demanded to know why it took so long to bring charges when Davis has repeatedly boasted of his involvement in podcasts, interviews, and even a memoir. Perhaps what they were doing was saying, Hes already tied the noose, now, lets let him hang himself, said Greg Kading, who previously investigated Shakurs killing. You didnt just say it twice, you didnt just say it five times, and so now youve got this compilation of so many confessions, he added. Former LAPD detective Gary Kading who helped investigate the murder says police were waiting for Davis to hand them a watertight cases against himself American rapper and actor Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive by shooting which has been unsolved for 27 years Duane 'Keefe D' Davis was taken into custody on Friday morning by Las Vegas detectives, and has been charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon The perception is that its going to be hard for him at this point to say, Hey, I was just kind of boasting, making stuff up. Davis, 60, has claimed he told police as long ago as 2009 that he was in the Cadillac from which the bullets were fired. In his 2019 tell-all memoir 'Compton Street Legend,' he wrote: They promised they would shred the indictment and stop the grand jury if I helped them out. Kading confirmed the account, telling CNN: We knew about Davis all the way back from his initial confession to law enforcement. We sat him down back in 2009, and he confessed to his role in the murder along with other co-conspirators. 'He had a proffer agreement, so we couldn't utilize that information that he was providing against him. 'But then he began to go out publicly boast about his involvement in the murder, and that led to law enforcement in Las Vegas taking another look at his claims, and ultimately, he's talked himself right into jail.' Shakur, 25, was in a BMW driven by Death Row Records founder Marion 'Suge' Knight in a convoy of about 10 cars waiting at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up next to them and gunfire erupted. He was shot multiple times reportedly in revenge for a previous assault on Daviss nephew Orlando Anderson. Davis claimed that Anderson had tried to steal a Death Row Records medallion from a member of Shakur's entourage - which was affiliated with LA gang The Bloods. Shakur and his entourage then beat up Anderson at the MGM Grand later that night after watching a Mike Tyson fight. Davis told a Netflix docuseries that they hopped into their Cadillac to find Tupac after the beat down, knowing he was due to perform at 662 Club that night. Shakur was 25 when he was gunned down on the Vegas strip on 7 September 1996 while riding in a BMW In this image Davis can be seen standing in the middle of a group of five men, with his nephew Orlando Anderson on the far right, who was named as a suspect before he was killed in 1998 Davis had previously claimed in a 2018 documentary that he was riding in the car with Anderson and handed him the murder weapon before he fired. Anderson and his uncle were affiliated with the Los Angeles street gang the South Side Compton Crips, while Tupac had connections to their rivals, the Bloods. Anderson died in a 1998 shooting and Davis was one of the last living witnesses to Tupacs murder when he offered an account of what took place in his 2019 memoir. One of my guys from the back seat grabbed the Glock and started bustin back, he wrote. As the rounds continued flying, I ducked down so that I wouldnt get hit. Following the announcement of charges on Friday, Shakur's brother Mopreme Shakur told NewsNation that there are still questions that need answered. Speaking to the outlet, he said: 'I'm taken aback after so many years of dealing with this trauma, I am cautiously optimistic. Any accountable is good for us. 'This guy has been out there, he's been doing podcasts, interviews, YouTube, he wrote a book. They've known the whole 27 years he was in the car. 'There's still question that still need to be answered, if there was conspirators, the actual motive. I don't know exactly what to believe. ' During a press conference on Friday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Jason Johansson added that Davis had spoke to numerous media outlets as well as a Netflix documentary. The former gang leader, left , had admitted to playing a role in the murder of Shakur, right, to police back in 2009, but did so as part of a proffer agreement In the book, he said that he told authorities about his involvement in the killing in 2010, during a closed-door meeting with federal and local authorities. Homicide Lt. Jason Johansson called Davis the 'leader and shot caller', during a press conference on Friday He added: 'This was likely our last time to take a run at this case to successfully solve this case and bring forth a criminal charge.' On Friday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo described Davis as the 'on-ground, on-site commander' who 'ordered the death' of Shakur. Police believe Davis obtained the gun that was used from a 'close associate,' but declined to give any more details, saying they would come out during the trial. Sheriff Kevin McMahill added that the case was 'far from over', saying they are working to build a 'successful prosecution'. A Nevada grand jury indicted Davis in the killing after being seated for 'several months'. Davis was arrested while on a walk near his home. A Netflix documentary previously named Anderson as the shooter, with the gangster bragging about his involvement in the killing of Tupac in books and interviews. The arrest comes two months after Vegas cops raided Davis' wife's home on July 17, looking for items 'concerning the murder of Tupac Shakur.' Authorities seized multiple computers, a cell phone and a hard drive from the property, and a Vibe magazine featuring Shakur. They also took several 40-caliber bullets, two 'tubs containing photographs' and a copy of Davis' memoir. Insiders to the investigation claimed in August that homicide detectives were 'optimistic' about bringing a charge in the case. Sources told The US Sun that the district attorney's office was set to present their case to a grand Jury last month. They added that a criminal case was expected 'imminently', and they were looking at 'first-degree murder potentially for Keffe D', based on Nevada law. Metro Police investigators made 'long and careful considerations' over moving forward on the case, saying that they 'did not enter into the investigation lightly.' 'They knew that the world would be watching if they took any action against Davis,' a source said. 'They do not want to make any missteps.' A separate source added that Keefe's gloating had 'talked himself into huge legal trouble'. 'Who knows what Keefe will do,' they said. 'Maybe he might try to negotiate a plea deal. The attention globally on the DA and police department will be extreme.' Nominated six times for a Grammy Award, Shakur is largely considered one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time. He was feuding at the time with rap rival Biggie Smalls (left) , also known as the Notorious B.I.G., who was fatally shot in March 1997 He was feuding at the time with rap rival Biggie Smalls, also known as the Notorious B.I.G., who was fatally shot in March 1997. At the time, both rappers were in the middle of an East Coast-West Coast rivalry that primarily defined the hip-hop scene during the mid-1990s. Shakur accused Biggie and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, of being behind another shooting in 1994. He was shot in a hotel lobby and was seriously injured, but survived the attack, accusing both of the rappers of being linked to the attack. Her grandmother wants her to publicly apologize and use her voice positively Also known as Meatball, Blackwell has been released on bail and will face a judge next month for last week's looting in Philadelphia The grandmother of Philly 'looter' Meatball has spoken out and said she's 'ashamed' of the 21-year-old influencer's actions following her arrest last week. Dayjia Blackwell, also known as Meatball, was released on bail on Thursday night after she and dozens of others were arrested in the Philly looting last week. She is set to face a judge soon, but first she had to face her disappointed grandmother who helped raise her. 'What goes through my mind, as a grandmother, is I'm very ashamed. I'm very ashamed to see my child there, at that time. Number one, she could have gotten hurt,' Blackwell's grandmother Vashti Fields told FOX 29. Her lawyer, Jessica Mann has gone on to say that critics of her client are 'racist' and added: 'It sickens me to witness the media's complicity in what can only be described as an all-out assault on black and brown people, as their character and actions are mercilessly vilified.' Meatball's profile picture on Instagram is her saddened mugshot with 'QUEEN OF PHILLY' displayed in her bio Blackwell was eventually found by cops in her friend's car after they found her videos of the looting on social media. She tried to talk her way out of the arrest and said: 'We didn't have anything to do with this!' Blackwell was charged with burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespass, riot, criminal mischief, criminal use of communication facility, receipt of stolen property and disorderly conduct after the widespread looting on Monday night. Last week around 100 juveniles went from store to store in Philadelphia and looted them. An Apple store, Lululemon and Foot Locker were all targeted, along with multiple liquor stores. In the heat of the riot, Blackwell turned to her 181,000 Instagram followers and filmed a mob as they looted each name brand store, before moving on to a liquor store where she herself boasted about grabbing a bottle of Hennessy. In her video she said: 'Tell the police if they lock me up tonight it's going to be lit, it's going to be a movie! Everybody's gotta eat!' In the same night, cops were able to locate her in her friend's car around midnight. Authorities have also given Meatball another nickname- 'Livestream Looter'. Blackwell was still live streaming as she tried to talk her way out of the arrest and said: 'We didn't have anything to do with this!', as she clearly forgot the hours of footage she'd so keenly put together and brazenly shared. Since that night, Blackwell has used her presence online to help raise support and funds for her. Fresh out of jail, Blackwell documented her trip to Atlantic City this weekend as she promoted her new mugshot merchandise and her other brand 'Ain't Nuffin' In the heat of the riot, Blackwell turned to her 181,000 Instagram followers and filmed a mob as they looted each name brand store, before moving on to a liquor store where she herself boasted about grabbing a bottle of Hennessy Her profile picture on Instagram is her saddened mugshot with 'QUEEN OF PHILLY' displayed in her bio. She has also used her entrepreneurial skills to cash in on her arrest as she started to sell hoodies with her mugshot on them just days after being released from jail. Meatball has stopped at nothing to promote her new merchandise and her other clothing line called 'Ain't Nuffin', as she posted her in Atlantic City on Saturday night sharing her original apparel. Right before she shared her new clothing products, she begged her more than 200,000 followers for cash donations, which has created mixed reviews as she flaunted her lawlessness. Blackwell posed with a gun in an Instagram pic from September 20, 2023 'Wait, you stole from others but want people to pay for your stuff?' said one commenter. 'Another branded her a 'laughing stock', adding that she 'messed around and caught felonies.' But all her grandmother wants her to do is to use her voice online positively as she thinks that Meatball is not guilty of all of her charges. 'When I see someone of my blood, that has been there while this is happening, and they are saying they are an influencer, that hurts me deeply,' Fields said. While some have seen the funny side as Blackwell flaunts her freedom online, critics have pointed out that she may be fundraising so aggressively to help pay for her legal fees. At least 52 arrests have been made so far in connection to last week's looting spree, and at least 30 people have had multiple counts filed against them, including burglary and theft. Liquor stores were also a huge target in the midst of it all as 18 state-run liquor stores were broken into, leading the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to close all 48 of its Philadelphia retail locations and one in suburban Cheltenham on Wednesday. More footage on social media captured officers trying to physically remove the thieves, some of whom were wearing Halloween masks, as they pillaged through the shelves. Several firearms were also seized during the violent looting scene after it is believed that the planning for the incident took place on social media. 'We were able to link some things on social media,' said Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford. Groups of people are seen running towards the Lululemon store in this picture during the first night of looting on Monday Besides Philadelphia looters attacking name-brand stores, they also turned to smash through Fine Wine and Good Spirits liquor stores 'We had a group that was making their way through the city. Quite naturally, you have followers who are going to see this and start to come out, and think they have an opportunity to get something.' After Blackwell's arrest on the streets of Philadelphia, her bail was set at $25,000, according to court documents. She is expected back in court on October 17. The 21-year-old has also been advised by her lawyer to not do any interviews. Though her grandmother knows Blackwell made a mistake, she still wants everyone to know that she is a 'loving, kind, caring, business-minded go-getter', but in the same light, she wants Meatball to publicly apologize in a letter to the city and use her voice positively. 'I want her to start a business and, most of all, I want her to be a positive influencer,' said Fields. Federal prosecutors submitted a new filing in their quest to impose a gag order on former president Donald Trump, citing his attacks on General Mark Milley and judge Tanya Chutkan. Special Counsel Jack Smith pressed his case Friday for a limited gag order arguing that Trump has ramped up incendiary and intimidating comments since he initially requested the order two weeks ago. Lawyers for the ex-president have demanded the judge reject the gag order calling it election interference and censorship. In the Friday motion, prosecutors rejected those claims and argued that team Trump's opposition to the gag order is based on faulty premises and that the order is necessary and appropriate. 'The defendant's opposition to it is based on several faulty premises: that the defendant need not face even the most limited imposition in order to protect the public interest in the due administration of justice,' they wrote in the filing. In the Friday motion, prosecutors reiterated their demands for a gag order on Donald Trump citing threats against witness and the judge in the case In their filing, prosecutors cited examples of Trump questioning judge Tanya Chutkan and death threats on General Mark Milley 'That the legal standard for imposing reasonable restrictions on extrajudicial statements in a criminal case is higher than it actually is; that the defendant's statements to date have not been intimidating or prejudicial; and that the proposed order would impose sweeping restrictions that it plainly would not. In fact, the proposed order readily meets the relevant legal standard set forth below.' The motion cites several examples of Trump's attacks in social media posts and interviews. They claim Trump has made attacks on Judge Tanya Chutkan's ability to do her job as well as the Special Prosecutor himself. 'On September 5, shortly before the Government filed its motion, the defendant posted an article on the social media platform Truth Social, on which the defendant has more than 6 million followers, making claims about the Court with the sarcastic caption, Oh, Im sure she will be very fair and an article circulating a false accusation against a Special Counsels Office prosecutor with the caption, Really corrupt!"' cites the filing. Prosecutors cite examples of Trump's attacks on witnesses and argue his continued attacks will make it impossible to have a fair trial. In the filing they write, 'The defendant issued two posts attacking the former Vice President, a witness identified in the indictment, in relation to this case, saying that he had seen the Vice President make up stories about me, which are absolutely false,' and that the witness had gone to the 'Dark Side.' Prosecutors cited a NBC's Meet the Press interview where Trump attacked the Georgia Secretary of State and the former Attorney General They argue a gag order is necessary because Trump's comments have become violent and could be considered witness tampering. 'On September 22, on Truth Social, the defendant falsely claimed that the retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a witness cited in the indictment, had committed treason and suggested that he should be executed,' reads the filing. 'The defendants baseless attacks on the Court and two individual prosecutors not only could subject them to threatsit also could cause potential jurors to develop views about the propriety of the prosecution, an improper consideration for a juror prior to trial.' During a trip to South Carolina Trump claimed to have purchased the gun he is holding, but later clarified he did not buy it but he wanted to Prosecutors also noted in South Carolina earlier this week Trump posted himself holding a glock handgun which he claimed to have bought but later deleted that post. A Trump spokesperson clarified that Trump did not buy it but he wanted to. They said this is an example of Trump trying to benefit from incendiary actions but then avoid accountability. "The defendant either purchased a gun in violation of the law and his conditions of release, or seeks to benefit from his supporters mistaken belief that he did so," prosecutors said. Trump lawyers denounced the gag order request earlier this week and said it was election interference and 'an obvious attempt by Biden to silence a political opponent.' 'All it would limit is the defendants use of his candidacy as a cover for making prejudicial public statements about this case - and there is no legitimate need for the defendant, in the course of his campaign, to attack known witnesses regarding the substance of their anticipated testimony or otherwise engage in materially prejudicial commentary in violation of the proposed order,' they wrote. The case is currently set for trial March 4, 2024 , in federal court in Washington. Chutkan ruled against the Trump team on Wednesday when she refused a defense request to step aside from the case. Chutkan said there was no reason for her to recuse. Devastated family members of a 'nice and polite' young father are pleading for answers after he died from neck wounds. Zac Bevilaqua, 23, was found with life-threatening injuries on a porch outside a home in Woodbridge in Perth's west about 1.25am on Saturday. He was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery but could not be saved and died on Saturday afternoon. Mr Bevilaqua, who previously worked as an aged care worker, was described as a 'nice, polite person' by his older brother James Whitworth. Zac Bevilaqua, 23, was found with life-threatening injuries on a porch outside a home in Woodbridge in Perth 's west about 1.25am on Saturday (pictured with his partner Tanya Kissack) 'Me and my family need closure and I just want to know what happened to my dear little brother,' Mr Whitworth told 9News. 'Zach kept to himself, he was a nice, polite person. He was kind, loving and caring and he didn't hang out with the wrong crowd of people.' 'I heard that my brother had been picking up cigarette bumpers and that he'd been stabbed.' Mr Bevilaqua was found with his watch and hat next to him but his necklace had been taken, according to his older brother. Tanaya Kissack, 21, with whom Mr Bevilaqua had shared daughter, paid tribute to her 'caring' partner. 'He was an incredible partner and father who always put us first,' she told The West Australian. The pair had been together for around four years and welcomed their daughter into the world just 10 months ago. Blood was smeared across the front door and porch area of the Chatham Road property where Mr Bevilaqua was found (pictured) Investigators are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 'I miss your smile and your laugh,' Ms Kissack wrote on social media on Sunday night, before adding the hashtag: 'justice for Zac'. Blood was smeared across the front door and porch area of the Chatham Road property where Mr Bevilaqua was found. Investigators are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Anyone with CCTV or dash-cam vision of the Chatham Road, Woodbridge area between 12.30am and 2am on Saturday, September 30, is urged to contact police immediately. He was received warmly by the crowd as he told them his campaign was playing offense during his third bid for the White House At a high-dollar donor campaign fundraiser held last week in California, former President Donald Trump told the crowd he is currently seeking his third election win. To the cheering crowd, Trump, who is currently polling some 45 points ahead of the rest of the GOP primary field said the 2020 election was 'rigged.' 'I won three times, but I don't want to take credit for the second one because what a mess they've made,' Trump declared before a crowd of listeners at the Beverly Hills home of billionaire property developer Geoff Palmer. 'They used COVID to rig it,' he declared, mentioning Democratic politicians' movement to abolish voter IDs at the ballot box. Trump's commitment to his belief that the 2020 election was stolen from him has played to extremely mixed reactions from the GOP and general electorate. Friday night's fundraiser was hosted by billionaire real-estate developer and longtime Trump backer Geoffrey Palmer (left), pictured here with his wife Anne Emerich Palmer Among loyal followers, the claim generally yields bouts of public applause, but among those who hope the party and country are ready to move on from the messy bout of fighting brought on by the 2020 presidential contest, the claim draws less enthusiasm. On Friday evening, Trump used the claim as a jumping off point to discuss the array of other issues the country currently faces, which he hopes to get the opportunity to fix during a second term in the Oval Office. 'This is bigger,' he said, referring to the 2024 election. 'It's much bigger than if we did it more traditionally,' meaning if he had served two consecutive White House terms. He continued, saying that his potential second go at the presidency would be 'bigger' because of the contrast between his administration's policies and those of the current administration. Trump then lamented the poor economy, and compared it to the 'greatest economy in the history of the world,' which existed for the US during his presidency. 'We have a bad economy now,' he said. 'People can't sell houses anymore, they can't buy houses anymore.' The Friday night fundraiser was hosted at billionaire Palmer's LA-area estate. Palmer is one of Trump's earliest and largest donors. He previously donated more than $5million to Trump's 2016 election effort, and has donated millions more since. Invitations to Friday evening's soiree were reportedly extended to individuals willing to contribute $100,000 or more to a super PAC backing the Trump campaign. The deep-pocketed crowd heard the former president discuss a round of new polls released last week that place Trump definitely ahead of the rest of the pack. Trump described the polls as 'through the roof,' but assured his audience that his team is 'not playing prevent defense,' meaning, the campaign will continue to roll on, full steam ahead through the primary battle. Trump spoke to a crowd of deep-pocketed California donors at a fundraiser hosted by billionaire real estate developed Geoffrey Palmer Trump, who is polling many, many points ahead of his closest GOP rival, was in California last week, speaking to donors and the California Republican Party Last week, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich made the claim that the GOP primary is all but over, following a second debate to which Donald Trump did not show up. 'I think the Republican National Committee should cancel the future debates and say, 'Look, we recognize the objective fact that Trump will be the nominee. We want to work with him,'' Gingrich said on Fox. Polls show Trump way out in front of the seven candidates who took the stage at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California last Wednesday. Gingrich, who endorsed Trump in 2016 and led the House 'Republican Revolution' in that helped set the stage Trump's war on the establishment, said he had spoken to GOP pollster Matt Towery, who had urged Trump to run in that cycle. 'Matt said to me, based on what he saw last night, this race is over, Donald Trump will be the nominee, they might as well quit having the various debates because they dont work, theyre not helping anybody, and I think thats where we are,' Gingrich said. 'I think Trump will be the nominee and the question now for everybody is do you want to see Joe Biden reelected or do you want to help Donald Trump? Theres no middle ground here, I dont think.' As Trump gathers with mega donors in California, however, other members of the Republican donor class may be plotting something else. Last week CBS' Bob Costas raised eyebrows when he reported that Thomas Peterffy, an Austrian-American billionaire, has been calling allies to talk up the possibility of backing Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, should he jump in the race. Youngkin donors are reportedly planning to gather at the 'Red Vest Retreat' - named for Youngkin's signature campaign uniform - in Virginia Beach October 17-18 with plans to 'shove' the governor into the 2024 race, Costa said, as they are 'growing desperate to beat Trump.' Gingrich rejected that idea, saying Youngkin could be a top or even the top contender in 2028, but not now. 'I suspect the money is there, but the votes aren't,' Gingrich said. He said Youngkin could be a front runner in four years, 'But not this time, not this year.' House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dared Rep. Matt Gaetz to 'bring it on' after the Florida Republican said he would bring up the motion to oust him this week. 'I'll survive,' McCarthy said of the news on ABC Sunday morning. 'Bring it on. Let's get over with it.' 'I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,' Gaetz had said on CNN Sunday morning. 'I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.' The Florida Republican has long said that if McCarthy put a 'clean' continuing resolution, or CR, on the House floor, he would file the motion. During the frenzied 15-ballot speaker's vote McCarthy agreed to a single-member motion to vacate, meaning one member of Congress can force a vote on the House floor to oust him as speaker. McCarthy has accused Gaetz of having a personal vendetta against him because the Florida Republican is under investigation by the Ethics Committee. 'This is personal with Matt,' McCarthy said Sunday. '[Gaetz] is more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something. He wanted to push us into a shutdown.' 'I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,' Gaetz said on CNN Sunday morning. 'I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy' GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz said he will bring up a motion to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy next week, just after the House passed a spending bill that narrowly avoided a government shutdown In order for him to be removed from the job Gaetz would need to garner 218 votes. Most Republicans would likely vote no on the measure, meaning many of those votes would need to come from Democrats. 'I'm done owning Kevin McCarthy,' Gaetz said. The speaker met with Gaetz over the past few weeks to try to navigate a path forward on spending that the rightward flank could support. 'I'm not owning him anymore, because he doesn't tell the truth,' said Gaetz. He predicted his own motion would fail because some Democrats would vote to keep McCarthy in the speaker's chair. 'The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out. Now they probably will.' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told CNN on Sunday she would 'absolutely' vote to vacate the chair. And Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., seemed open to supporting the motion to vacate on Fox News Sunday morning. 'I don't know right now. I got to really think about that,' he said. 'There are a lot of trust issues in my chamber right now.' After trying to wrangle Republican votes on a party-line CR that would have cut spending and included border policies but never made it through the Senate, McCarthy finally caved and put a bipartisan CR on the House floor on Saturday - hours before the deadline to shutdown. The bill extends government funding at 2023 levels set under Democrats last Congress for six weeks, giving both chambers more time to hash out a longer-term spending plan. It includes disaster funding but no new aid for Ukraine. Gaetz, however, accused McCarthy of making a 'secret deal' with Democrats to vote on Ukraine funding later on. A statement from House Democratic leadership said they 'expect' McCarthy to advance a Ukraine funding bill - though it's not clear if the speaker has agreed to that. 'When the House returns, we expect Speaker McCarthy to advance a bill to the House Floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine, consistent with his commitment to making sure that Vladimir Putin, Russia and authoritarianism are defeated. We must stand with the Ukrainian people until victory is won.' Senate leaders said they expect to have a Ukraine bill on the floor 'in the coming weeks' and President Biden also said he expected Congress to approve more funding. 'I fully expect the speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment,' Biden said. American comedian and television personality Bill Maher insisted on his show Friday that President Joe Biden is capable of doing his job despite his old age but should still drop out of the Presidential race. Maher, 67, who hosts HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher also went on and said that Biden is the 'only democrat who can lose to Trump'. He branded the former president as an 'insane ball of white hot anger' that is perceived differently than Biden, even with their four-year age difference. 'Someone has to convince President Biden that if he runs again, he's going to turn the country back over to Trump and go [sic] and go down in history as Ruth Bader Biden, the person who doesn't know when to quit and so does great damage to their party and their country,' Maher said as he opened up his show. President Biden, 80, has made 'generally good' decisions according to Maher, but he also thinks that Donald Trump, 77, will still manage to beat Biden in 2024 'because he is always a ball of white hot anger' On Friday's episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher addressed President Biden's age and compared him to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that 'doesn't know when to quit and so does great damage to their party and their country' Maher, a Liberal, known for his dry, satirical comedy, is no stranger to American politics. He has invited many big names to his show as they sit down to discuss topical events As he went on, Maher said: 'To those who say he beat Trump once, he'll do it again. I say things change. They always do. The parade moves on. 2024 is not 2020 in so many key [sic] ways, including, yes, Biden being four years older. 'You can be a national treasure and still be too old for the job. If I'm on a plane and the pilot says, "this is your captain, Buzz Aldrin." I'm getting off.' Maher, a Liberal, known for his dry, satirical comedy, is no stranger to American politics. He has invited many big names to his show as they sit down to discuss topical events. 'All of us who like Joe Biden have been struggling lately with the political situation in the Democratic Party, an incumbent we admire who acquitted himself well in the first term, but who even members of his own party don't want to see run for a second. 'Despite a touching letter of recommendation from Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. I kid. They shouldn't have gotten s*** for that,' said Maher. As he got back on topic, Maher went on and said: 'If you ask me, do I think Joe Biden can do the job of president? My answer is an unequivocal yes. He can do the job. Do I love everything? No. But that's every president. But government work is done in small, quiet rooms like the Oval Office.' He then touched on Biden's 'generally good decisions' like getting the US out of Afghanistan, how he handled Ukraine, kept the economy going, and more. The TV host then made it clear that he thinks that is all that Biden is capable of, just in one term, not two. 'Because while he can do the job, what he can't do is run for it. Our campaign season is long and it gets icy in New Hampshire,' said Maher. Besides mentioning Trump and Biden, he also went on to ridicule other political members, like 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel. Maher said his answer is an 'unequivocal yes' when asked if Joe Biden can do the job of President, but he 'can't run for it' According to Mediaite , despite concerns with age, like Maher has, no Democrat has come up with an alternative option for President Biden Besides mentioning Trump and Biden, he also went on to ridicule other political members, like 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel 'Mitch McConnell has served Satan well. But when he starts buffering during this speech and it appears his soul is leaving his body. It's time. I have made it a theme on this show to rail against ageism. The last acceptable prejudice in America. 'I've tried to make the argument that judging by age is wrong because we all age so differently. Some people are old when they're 45 and others are spry at 90, so it should always be a case by case basis. But the credibility of my argument against ageism rests on the honest calling out of people when it is time to go. That's what case by case means at an event last weekend. Biden referred to L.L. Cool J as L.L.J. Cool J. Say what you want about Trump, but he remembers Kanye's name,' Maher added. President Biden's age has been a hot topic since the day he took office back in 2020, and now as he runs for a second term in 2024, the topic has been used as an argument for his ability. 'But his age just doesn't read like Biden's. Maybe it's because Trump is insane. Maybe it's because he's always a ball of white hot anger. But for whatever reason, he looks robust, and Joe looks like his own skeletal remains. Well, if if if [sic] this was 1860 when Joe first ran. This would not be an issue. You didn't have to look good. And there was no ubiquitous media to pick on every little mistake.' As he talked about the televised debates that are set to come on as the 2024 election proceeds, Maher shared what he thought about Donald Trump. 'And I don't think he's going to look good. Yes, Trump is old, too, but Trump is like KISS. He puts on the face, paint in the wig. And he looks the same as he did in 1978.' Maher went on to say that James Carville, an American political consultant told him that 'any centrist Democrat around 50 or 60 would get 55% of the vote', which Maher then said he believed. Unlike his talk about old age, Maher recently grilled Ron DeSantis, 45, on his show as the governor insisted that he can beat Donald Trump to the Republican 2024 presidential nomination. Maher, who found that comical then joked that the Florida governor would not be allowed back on his show if his campaign was doing well. He labeled DeSantis 'crazy' to run at such a young age and questioned why he would go against the popular figure of former president Trump. However, DeSantis insisted he could win and claimed he could be the person to 'actually get the job done'. 'You're trying to thread this needle that will never happen. You can't disavow him because that's the base, and yet you're running against him. In reference to Biden's age, Maher said: 'You can be a national treasure and still be too old for the job. If I'm on a plane and the pilot says, "this is your captain, Buzz Aldrin." I'm getting off' Maher labeled DeSantis 'crazy' to run at such a young age and questioned why he would go against the popular figure of former president Trump 'And that's why, I mean, let's face it Ron, if the campaign was going well, you wouldn't be on this show,' said Maher. The Florida Governor hit back and said: 'That's not true. One: I don't think he can win the election. I could win the election. Two: I don't think he could actually get the job done that we need to do.' According to Mediaite, despite concerns with age, like Maher has, no Democrat has come up with an alternative option for President Biden. CNN reported from a recent poll that, '82% of Democrats concerned about his age couldnt name an alternative, and no candidate got more than 3 percent from those who did provide a name.' Serial killer Levi Bellfield has bragged about getting cash for a false confession to murdering Lin and Megan Russell, it can now be revealed. Milly Dowler's killer claims he has received around 5,000 in 'expenses' for his signed confessions to the grisly 1996 hammer attack. In a letter submitted to Kent Police, the 55-year-old admitted his admissions were a hoax. Bellfield suggested he did it because he was 'having a bit of fun' behind bars meddling in other cases and was incentivised by cash payments made to a member of his family. Detectives carried out inquiries and were able to establish a number of meetings Bellfield had in prison, which appeared to tally with financial records. Serial killer Levi Bellfield has bragged about getting cash for a false confession to murdering Lin and Megan Russell, it can now be revealed The killer of Milly Dowler (pictured) claims he has received around 5,000 in 'expenses' for his signed confessions to the grisly 1996 hammer attack His letter was passed by Kent Police to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) which almost spent six years examining the conviction of Michael Stone for the murders of Ms Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter, Megan who were found bludgeoned to death in Chillenden, Kent, on July 9, 1996. Her other daughter, Josie, then nine, suffered severe head injuries in the attack and the family's dog was killed. Last year Bellfield claimed responsibility for the Russell murders before later retracting his statement. Then in April this year, Stone's solicitor Paul Bacon claimed that Bellfield had signed a fresh confession to the murders. But Bellfield's fabricated account of how he targeted the Russell family was quickly recognised as a hoax by detectives because key details about his confession did not match evidence in the case. Officers suspected the cell confession was simply an evil mind game by a monster who enjoys toying with his victims' families from behind bars, craves the limelight and revels in his evil notoriety. Bellfield confirmed their fears when he later wrote to Kent Police saying, 'I'm just having a bit of fun.' A source close to the case said: 'Bellfield wrote that the things he said in the confession weren't true. 'He said, "I'm just having a bit of fun and I'm receiving some money in return for expenses". 'He boasted that he was receiving money for the fake confession.' Former Met Police detective chief inspector Colin Sutton, who led the investigation which brought Bellfield to justice over the murders of Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, agreed that Bellfield was lying for cash. Last year Bellfield claimed responsibility for the murders of Lin and Megan Russell (pictured) before later retracting his statement Mr Sutton has made a forthcoming documentary series on the Bellfield case, in which one programme has explored the possibility the serial killer was responsible for the Russell murders based on available evidence. He said: 'We went through his confession and proved to our satisfaction that he was lying. 'My view is that he knows that he is in prison forever, that he has joined up with Michael Stone in prison at some point and offered to lie for him for payment to a relative.' In 2017, Bellfield's former solicitor Julie Cooper claimed that Stone had tried to strike a deal with the fellow lifer, offering him cash to confess. Miss Cooper said Stone had sent Bellfield three notes trying to persuade him to take the rap. She said: 'Mr Stone has offered payment to our client, which he anticipates receiving as compensation for time served in custody.' Bellfield was already serving two life sentences, with no prospect of ever being released. He was given a whole life term for murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003, murdering Amelie Delagrange, 22, and trying to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004. Then he received a second life sentence in 2011 for murdering 13-year-old Milly Dowler, who was snatched from the street walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002. Bellfield's letter to police taking responsibility for the hoax has raised concerns about his other confessions behind bars. Earlier this year, Bellfield claimed he had killed 19-year-old student, Elizabeth Chau who disappeared in April 1999 on her way home from Thames Valley University. In July this year the CCRC announced that Stone's 2001 convictions for murder and attempted murder would not be referred to the Court of Appeal as there was 'no real possibility' they would be quashed. The independent body, which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, said it had examined 'a substantial number of documents relating to Mr Stone's case, including reports of alternative events and suspects,' but no evidence had been found to suggest Stone's conviction was unsafe. Yesterday a CCRC spokesperson said: 'Our team of experienced investigators thoroughly scrutinise any new evidence not heard at trial or on appeal. 'A conviction is only referred if the new evidence brings a real possibility a conviction being overturned. 'Anything irrelevant or untrue will be dismissed. 'Our door is open to anybody who has new information to offer in good faith on a potential miscarriage of justice.' A Kent Police spokesman said: 'Kent Police can neither confirm nor deny whether or not investigations are being, or have been, carried out unless a person has been charged with a criminal offence.' It is not suggested that anyone from the police paid for the confession. David Chaffetz in the Asian Review of Books: In 1868, as now, the Middle East seemed to be a place where fortunes could be made from the regions mineral resources and from its central location between Europe and India. The Persian empire was slowly recovering from decades of invasion, civil war, banditry, and plagues. A new monarch, Naseroddin Shah, made a good impression in the capitals of Europe, which he visited frequently beginning in 1873. Yet the well-protected realm remained mysterious. A lack of information about its people and geography challenged international investors, who still relied on John Chardins accounts of 150 years earlier. They were greedy for up-to-date insights into the country. Albert Houtum Schindler was their providential man. Daniel Potts calls him a polymath. He started off as a simple telegraph engineer in 1868. But he had to learn everything about Persia. More here. Dame Helen Mirren has defended Bradley Cooper wearing a prosthetic nose in the Leonard Bernstein biopic, but says she can see why people are uncomfortable with what some term 'Jew face'. Dame Helen, 78, said today there is a 'very delicate balance' to portraying people with a different heritage but noted that it could be 'good idea' to use prosthetics if that is what the historical figure actually 'looked like'. The actress, who plays the former prime minister of Israel, Golda Meir, in upcoming biopic Golda, said she understands some people are uncomfortable with non-Jewish actors playing Jewish historical figures. She acknowledged that there is 'something offensive' about 'assuming a certain physiognomy' to play a particular race. Her remarks come as Hollywood actor Cooper, 48, who is not Jewish, has been heavily criticised for wearing a prosthetic to amplify his nose, which some have branded as playing to offensive Jewish stereotypes. Dame Helen Mirren (pictured today) has defended Bradley Cooper wearing a prosthetic nose in the Leonard Bernstein biopic, but says she can see why people are uncomfortable with what some term 'Jew face' Bradley Cooper is pictured as Leonard Bernstein in the film Maestro Dame Helen Mirren plays the former prime minister of Israel, Golda Meir, in upcoming biopic Golda. She is pictured in the film Speaking on the BBC One programme Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg about whether she can see why people are uncomfortable with what some term 'Jew face', Dame Helen said today: 'I think I can see, but sometimes I can't see, because, I can't see who in this room is Jewish. 'We are all such an amazing mix and certainly I don't have an issue with Kirk Douglas playing a Viking. Kirk Douglas was Jewish. 'I think the whole question of assuming a certain physiognomy because you're playing a particular race. There is something offensive about that.' But the actress added: 'On the other hand, if you're playing Leonard Bernstein, and this is really what Leonard Bernstein looked like, you know, maybe it's a good idea. It's as I said it's a very delicate balance.' The American composer's family has said they were 'perfectly fine' with Cooper's depiction of Bernstein. Asked if some of Golda Meir's words and actions were unacceptable - she once said there was 'no such thing as Palestinians' - Dame Helen said: 'I think that's true in the context of today's world, absolutely. 'We are all the product of the society that we grew up in and the world around us and our education and all the rest of it. So yes, absolutely. That's true.' Speaking on whether she had had to reconcile with that, Dame Helen added:' I don't need to be reconciled to that. 'All I'm doing is playing Golda during the period of the Yom Kippur War. And that's what I'm doing. I'm not explaining her or rationalising her or reappraising her. I'm just playing a woman of that age, dealing with that situation.' The new film focuses on the responsibilities and decisions that Meir, also known as the Iron Lady of Israel, had to make during the Yom Kippur War, an armed conflict fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states that was launched in 1973. Role: Golda Meir (pictured left) is portrayed by Helen (right) in the new biopic of her life Wow: Dame Helen Mirren looked nothing short of sensational as she attended the Golda premiere at Picturehouse Central in London on Thursday evening Chic: The actress, 77, who plays the leading role of Israel's first female Prime Minister Golda Meir, cut a stylish figure in a black velvet suit Dame Helen attended the Golda premiere at Picturehouse Central in London on Thursday evening. The 2023 biopic stars the actress, who plays Israel's first - and only - female Prime Minister Golda Meir. Director Guy Nattivs film takes place during the 19-day Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Arab forces, led by Egypt, attacked Israel during its holiest time of the year. The film chronicles the controversial decisions that the politician made during the height of the war, which went on to see her country suffer huge losses in a battle with multiple Arab States. Golda was written by Nicholas Martin, who previously penned the whimsical film Florence Foster Jenkins, and will be directed by Guy, who previously helmed the Oscar-winning short film Skin. Dame Helen previously said of the role: 'Golda Meir was a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader. 'It is a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life. I only hope I do her justice!' Director Guy said: 'I have long been an admirer of the great Helen Mirren. She has melted so brilliantly into Golda Meir's character with incredible talent, intelligence, depth and emotion, doing justice to the richness and complexity of this incredible woman.' However Dame Helen, who was buried under layers of prosthetics for the film, has faced a torrent of abuse for taking up the role. She said playing the leader despite having no off-screen connections to Judaism has been met with 'utterly legitimate' criticism from those who believe the role should have been passed to a Jewish actress. Dame Helen told the Daily Mail: 'It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role. I said, "Look Guy, Im not Jewish, and if you want to think about that, and decide to go in a different directionI will absolutely understand."' Close: Helen held hands with film writer Nicholas Martin as they posed for photos together Under fire: Dame Helen, who was buried under layers of prosthetics for the film, has faced a torrent of abuse for taking up the role Dame Helen went through two to three hours of preparation a day to physically transform into the chain-smoking Meir as a 75-year old. 'Ive never done anything like that before,' she said. 'It was an adventure. I got so used to being that person in the daytime that when the makeup all came off and I saw myself as I am, Id forgotten that was what I looked like. 'Its that acting thingam I becoming her or is she becoming me? Theres a picture the crew made of me and Golda, and were in identical outfits. 'Shes turning to me and saying something, and Im looking forward with a cigarette. Its really powerful.' Born in Ukraine in 1898 before moving to the US as a child, Meir made history in 1969 as Israels first female prime minister. She soon provoked international controversy, saying: There were no such thing as Palestinians. Powerful: Director Guy Nattivs film takes place during the 19-day Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Arab forces, led by Egypt , attacked Israel during its holiest time of the year (Pictured Golda Meir, seen on the day she resigned) Dame Helen went through two to three hours of preparation a day to physically transform into the chain-smoking Meir as a 75-year old (pictured is Helen in the film) Meir faced huge criticism in Israel for failing to adequately prepare for the threat of war, despite receiving word that Syrian forces were gathering for an attack. Following the backlash for her handling of the war, Meir announced her resignation in 1974. She died in 1978 aged 80. The film also stars Call My Agent! actress Camille Cottin as Meirs personal assistant and Israeli Lior Ashkenazi as her chief of staff. Golda will be released in cinemas across the UK on October 6. Bosses at nearly 90 retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Boots have joined forces to call for a crackdown on brazen shoplifters bringing chaos to Britain's streets. The 88 companies, who also include WH Smith, Aldi, Primark and Superdrug, have written to the Government to demand action as Britain's shoplifting epidemic spirals out of control. Shameless thieves have frequently been caught on camera brazenly stealing - in cases attacking staff - with retail bosses claiming they are powerless to stop criminals. The retail giants - who are usually bitter rivals - are urging the Government to make assaulting, threatening or abusing a retail worker a specific crime - something which exists in Scotland already. 'This standalone offence would send an important signal that our colleagues will receive better protection in law and act as a deterrent to would-be offenders. This action should be taken without delay,' the letter says. Bosses at nearly 90 retailers including Tesco , Sainsbury's and Boots have joined forces to call for a crackdown on brazen shoplifters bringing chaos to Britain's streets. Pictured: ITV News cameras catch thief trying to steal booze from south London store as reporter interviews shopkeeper about shoplifting epidemic This is the moment that a man was caught on CCTV stealing clothes from a John Lewis store This is the shocking moment a Halfords manager was kicked in the head by two shoplifters Dramatic footage shows a masked armed robber who threatened three young women in an attempt to rob a newsagent Retail bosses have called for a meeting with Home Secretary Suella Braverman to speak about the epidemic after a meeting with Chris Philp - the minister for crime - led to the promise of developing a plan. It comes after retailers including the Co-op and John Lewis, highlighted that shoplifting was getting worse, while the chairman of Asda this month said stealing had essentially been 'decriminalised'. The Mail on Sunday has launched a campaign calling on the authorities to crack down on thieves. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said this summer shoplifting had risen 27 per cent across ten of the largest cities in the UK, with some cities up as much as 68 per cent. It estimates that shops lost 953million to customer theft last year - the greatest loss on record in recent years. And official statistics published by the Office for National Statistics show that shoplifting rose 24 per cent between March 2022 and March 2023. Waitrose has revealed organised gangs are targeting stores along Tube routes, while Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and Aldi are searching shoppers using self service tills amid a rise in thefts. Co-op has also resorted to removing chocolates from their boxes and displaying empty packets in a bid to stop shoplifters. Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, which helped in organising the letter to the Home Secretary said: 'It is vital that action is taken before the scourge of retail crime gets any worse. We are seeing organised gangs threatening staff with weapons and emptying stores. Co-op has previously released footage of its staff grappling with shoplifters in stores Team leader Charlene Corbin was bottled by a shoplifter at the Co-op where she works 'We are seeing violence against colleagues who are doing their job and asking for age verification. We are seeing a torrent of abuse aimed at hardworking shop staff. 'It's simply unacceptable no one should have to go to work fearing for their safety. 'We need government to stand with the millions of retail workers who kept us safe and fed during the pandemic and support them, as those workers supported us.' The rise in shoplifting and assaults on staff has forced many large retailers to take drastic action. Tesco's Ken Murphy said last month that all the supermarket chain's frontline workers will be offered body cameras following a surge in violent attacks. He said more than 200 of its staff are victims of serious physical assaults each month. One shocking video showed a thug lunging at a Tesco worker with a knife after a supermarket worker bravely wrestled stolen goods of him. The attacker, Josh James, was jailed for eight years following a six-moth crime spree. Attacks on shop workers rose sharply during the Covid pandemic when some customers vented their frustration on employees, and the problem has worsened since then. A recent survey found episodes of violence and abuse against retail workers increased from 450 a day in 2019 to more than 850 a day last year. A shoplifter has a tug of war with a Co-op worker in Liverpool Staff report being sworn at, subjected to racial or sexual insults, physically threatened, spat on and subjected to physical violence. The Co-op logged almost 1,000 incidents a day of retail crime in the six months to June, an increase of 35 per cent on the same period in 2022 and its highest ever levels. The Co-op's frontline staff now wear body cameras and headsets so they can call for help if attacked, part of a 200 million investment in security over recent years. Footage of shoplifters being caught on camera appears to be a daily occurrence. Earlier this week, a brazen thief was caught on camera trying to steal booze while an ITV journalist interviewed the store's owner about Britain's shoplifting epidemic. The footage was filmed in a shop in Croydon, south London, and captured the moment the brazen thief attempted to barge his way past the camera crew. Wearing a camouflage coat, the man is caught on CCTV casually wandering down an aisle before then taking a bottle of alcohol and shoving it in his pocket. Remarkably, as this was happening, live CCTV footage of the shoplifter was playing in the background while an ITV journalist interviewed shopkeeper Ben Selvaratnam. 'I think he's... I think he's stealing,' a woman is heard saying, before the camera pans around and films the man being confronted by shop staff. This is the moment a blatant shoplifter was caught stealing speakers and clothes from John Lewis Other footage over the year has been shared by retail companies of staff being robbed by armed intruders, while one Halfords manager suffered life-changing injuries after being attacked by two shoplifters. Shoplifting is also spreading to middle-class mothers who have confessed to getting a thrill out of stealing. Caroline, 53, who is married with two children in their 20s, admitted to the Mail last month: 'The thrill lies in getting away with it, I certainly don't do it for financial gain because I don't need to.' Dressed in tailored trousers, heels and a jacket, with immaculately styled hair and make-up, she hardly fits the stereotypical image of a thief, but neither is she alone. Caroline, not her real name, says it all began for her one day in 2021 in a well-known DIY superstore. 'I'd gone to collect some pre-ordered items but I also needed to buy a 150 power drill on the day,' she explains. 'I suddenly had this compulsion to peel the 'already paid for' sticker from one of my pre-ordered items and put it onto the power drill instead. To avert suspicion, I picked up a few bedding plants costing around 5, which I put through the till. 'My heart was hammering, and I fully expected to feel the hand of a security guard on my shoulder. But by the time I got to the car, I felt such a buzz. I couldn't believe I'd got away with it. I can explain it only as a sudden, impetuous two fingers up to the fact that life was - and still is - very stressful.' One in eight shop bosses no longer report shoplifting incidents because they say police are uninterested, while criminal gangs consider stores soft targets and systematically strip them of goods. Legal action is also declining. In the year to June 2022, 21,279 people were prosecuted for shoplifting in England and Wales, compared with 80,352 a decade ago. Dramatic footage shows the moment Ukrainian commandos on jet skis launched a daring raid on a military base in the heart of Vladimir Putin's naval stronghold in occupied Crimea. After travelling 125 miles over the sea from the nearest Ukrainian-held territory, twenty members of the Brotherhood Battalion boarded jet skis armed with guns, grenades and rockets. A month of training and preparation went into the audacious mission to take out a Russian naval headquarters before troops set off under the cover of darkness in August. Video shows the crack team of frogmen revving their engines as they prepared to descend on a powerful electronic warfare station that had been jamming Kyiv's missiles and blocking GPS systems. Their landing made them the first Ukrainian soldiers to step foot on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula in almost a decade. The group's commander said the weather was on their side, providing the troops with cloud cover in the early morning before the sun shone on them as they raced back to safety Video shows the crack team of frogmen revving their engines as they prepared to descend on a powerful electronic warfare station The special forces troops had to rely on the stars to navigate the waters around the peninsula. As they approached their target, Ukrainian support ships on the other side of the peninsula blasted the enemy with machine gun fire to act as cover for the covert operation. Incredibly, all of the men involved in the seemingly impossible mission made it out alive, according to the battalion commander, who described the operation as a 'miracle'. The group's commander said the weather was on their side, providing the troops with cloud cover in the early morning before the sun shone on them as they raced back to safety. 'We decided to simply destroy the control centre from a distance with anti-tank weapons, damage the antennas and withdraw, which we succeeded in,' a commander known as Borghese told The Times. Levan said that with the help of Ukraine's western partners, their battalion is now prepared to carry out more of these kind of operations. Commandos used boats to bombard Russian targets with machine gun fire to distract from the covert jet ski mission 'We now have the means to plan and execute even larger operations. There's a lot more to come.' The bombardment of the Russian stronghold was among a string of attacks by Kyiv's forces on Crimea in recent weeks, turning what was a Russian safe haven into an active battleground. A devastating missile strike on Putin's Black Sea Fleet headquarters was among the most significant of the entire war. The strike is thought to have killed Admiral Viktor Sokolov, 61, commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and a total of 34 officers, with 105 wounded, according to Ukraine's special operations force. A British man is recovering in a local hospital following a crash on holiday in Portugal after a large fundraising effort to bring him home. Family and friends of Finn Webber, aged 23, of Combwich, Somerset raised nearly 56,000 in an online appeal to fly him back to the UK. Mr Webber had been in a coma in a Portuguese hospital after he was cut free from the wreckage and suffered head injuries, a broken leg and dislocated hip. After returning to the UK he was treated in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and Southmead Hospital, Bristol. He has now been transferred to the Somerset neurological rehabilitation centre in the Dene Barton hospital unit, Cotford St Luke. Finn Webber, 23, returned to the UK thanks to a fundraising effort to get him home after he suffered injuries in a crash while on holiday in Portugal Mr Webber was treated in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton and Southmead Hospital, Bristol before being transferred to a neurological rehabilitation centre at Dene Barton His mother Alessia, known as Ali, who was also involved in the crash, said: 'He is improving and impressing us and his medical team with his progression. 'He has started to smile more and every day we see a bit more of his cheeky personality shining through. 'He still gets very tired and confused at times and his short-term memory needs a lot of work but he remembers all of his friends and really enjoys when we read your messages of support, so please keep them coming.' Mrs Webber said Finn's recovery in Dene Barton was likely to continue until early December. Finn (far left) was on holiday with his brother Sam, 18 (centre left), sister Isobel, 15 (centre right) who both suffered broken bones. Their mother Alessia (far right) was also involved in the crash She said his brother Sam, 18, and sister Isobel, 15 who suffered broken bones in the crash were also improving. She added that she herself was 'a little frustrated' with not being able to get around as much. All six members of the Webber family were injured when an oil tanker crashed into the two cars in which they were travelling. Furious locals chased away a Ulez crew - some of whom were driving Sadiq Khan's mobile 'spy' vans used to enforce the scheme. Footage of the incident shows angry locals ejecting the Ulez team from Sunningvale Avenue, in Biggin Hill, southeast London. Activists opposed to Mr Khan's flagship policy - which last month expanded to cover the entire city - have already attacked hundreds of static cameras prompting the London Mayor to roll out a fleet of vehicles to catch those flouting the rules. But these too have become a target, with opponents to the Ulez - who call themselves 'Blade Runners' - slashing their tyres, spray painting cameras and smashing windows. Anti-Ulez activists held a yellow high visibility jacket in front of one of the cameras while locals berated the Ulez workers. Furious locals chased away a Ulez crew - some of whom were driving Sadiq Khan 's mobile 'spy' vans used to enforce the scheme Footage of the incident shows angry locals ejecting the Ulez team from Sunningvale Avenue, in Biggin Hill, southeast London Activists opposed to Mr Khan's flagship policy - which last month expanded to cover the entire city - have already attacked hundreds of static cameras prompting the London Mayor to roll out a fleet of vehicles to catch those flouting the rules. Pictured: One of the Ulez cameras was seen felled today on Hacton Lane in Hornchurch, Havering One woman told the workers: 'It's wrong and you know it's wrong.' A man added: 'Why don't you b****r off, you're not wanted around here, or needed. 'You're just taxing the normal man, the working man. Now go away. Don't come back.' The workers did not reply as they packed up their gear and drove away from the village in Bromley. As they departed, relieved locals clapped and cheered. One woman told the workers: 'It's wrong and you know it's wrong.' A man added: 'Why don't you b****r off, you're not wanted around here, or needed' One local told the Ulez workers: 'You're just taxing the normal man, the working man. Now go away. Don't come back' The workers did not reply as they packed up their gear and drove away from the village in Bromley As the Ulez crew finally departed (pictured), relieved locals clapped and cheered The video came as 'Blade Runners' ramped up their campaign of vandalism trashing yet another one of the vans last week. Images show one of the Ulez vehicles with its windows and windscreen smashed, in the latest escalation by activists determined to thwart Mr Khans much-hated levy. Video footage of the vandalism was shared on Facebook with the caption 'The Bladerunners are not backing down', with anti-Ulez activists mocking the criminal damage, hailing the vandalism as 'amazing work'. As well as blocking the ULEZ van's view with a truck, protesters also put a sign saying "ULEZ scam" in front of the camera But the incident is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, with the force today hitting out at the vandals. A spokeswoman from the Met told MailOnline: 'We are aware of reports of damage to ANPR vans and are investigating. The Met has and continues to treat criminal activity in relation to Ulez seriously and has deployed considerable resources to our operation. 'Where there are possible lines of enquiry, local investigators will follow up using a range of investigative approaches including CCTV trawls, witness searches and an assessment of forensic opportunities. 'We are aware of posts on social media referencing Ulez cameras and techniques to disable them. If a report is made to police that someone has vandalised a camera, it will be investigated.' Last week, videos emerged showing Blade Runners wrecking one of the Ulez vans in Maiden Lane, Crayford, plastering it with graffiti and slashing its tyres. The same van was also pictured wrapped in a huge blue bag covering it down to the wheels. It was posted with the message: 'Can we all send our thoughts and prayers to this poor ULEZ spy van that's looking rather... deflated.' Anti-Ulez campaigners have turned their fire on mobile camera vans trying to enforce the rules One social media post showed a van being towed away on a recovery truck Meanwhile, terrified road workers have resorted to making crude handmade signs in an apparent bid to not be targeted by Blade Runners. Although the mobile cameras can only detect incompliant vehicles while stationary, they can move between boroughs to be deployed at hotspots including near Heathrow airport. People who drive in the zone with a non-compliant vehicle and fail to pay the 12.50 daily fee are initially being sent warning letters. In the coming weeks Transport for London (TfL) is expected to start issuing rule-breakers with 180 fines, which will reduce to 90 if paid within 14 days. A TfL spokesman added: 'Vandalism is unacceptable and all incidents on our network are reported to the police for investigation. 'Criminal damage to Ulez cameras or vehicles puts the perpetrators at risk of prosecution and injury, while simultaneously risking the safety of the public. 'Camera vandalism will not stop the Ulez operating London-wide. 'All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible. 'We have an extensive camera network which is sufficient to support the effective operation of the scheme. 'Anyone driving a non-compliant vehicle within the expanded zone will be detected and we advise everyone to check whether their vehicle is compliant and to consider the various support that is available to help transition to greener modes of transport.' Passerby Chris Thorn spotted a highway maintenance truck parked on double-yellow lines in Biggin Hill in Bromley on Monday morning with a 'NOT ULEZ' sign hastily attached to the vehicle Last week, a set of Dartford traffic lights was completely cut in half in an anti-ULEZ attack Hundreds of Ulez cameras across the capital have been damaged by vigilantes, who have cut wires on the equipment and sprayed the lenses with paint Anti-ULEZ campaigners, known as the Blade Runners, claim to have disconnected or destroyed at least 500 of the 2,700 static cameras Last week another so-called 'Blade Runner' was hailed a 'hero' online after taking a mobile camera van out of action by pretending to breakdown in front of it. The activist filmed himself parking his red Renault Captur directly behind an enforcement van in London and opened his car boot as if he was in need of roadside assistance while also placing a warning triangle on the ground. The positioning of the car directly behind the automatic number plate camera on top of the van meant it could not catch rule-breakers on the capital's roads. The video notched up more than a million views on TikTok. 'I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,' Gaetz said 'You're wasting your time on that guy because he has no sway in the House. Except to get on TV and to raise money on the internet,' Pelosi said Nancy Pelosi brushed off Rep. Matt Gaetz's threats to Kevin McCarthy's speakership because the Florida Republican has no 'sway' in the House. 'You're wasting your time on that guy because he has no sway in the House. Except to get on TV and to raise money on the internet,' Pelosi told CNN's State of the Union. Pelosi was speaker from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Gaetz announced his motion to vacate the speakership is imminent on Sunday. 'I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,' Gaetz said on CNN Sunday morning. 'I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.' Nancy Pelosi brushed off Rep. Matt Gaetz 's threats to Kevin McCarthy 's speakership because the Florida Republican has no 'sway' in the House While questions remain over whether Democrats would bail out McCarthy in a vote to oust him, Pelosi implored them to take cues from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 'Follow the leader,' she said. Pelosi also said Gaetz was 'fraud' for claiming the reason he was bringing the motion to the floor was because McCarthy put a bipartisan deal to fund the government on the House floor. 'It's such a fraud when they say the basis of this is about spending. These are people who gave a tax cut to the richest people in America,' she said. Pelosi has reportedly warned Jeffries to be cautious about bailing out McCarthy because of concerns that he can't be trusted. But Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has already decided she'll be voting with Gaetz against the speaker. 'Absolutely,' she said when asked the question. 'I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak speaker. He clearly has lost control of his caucus.' She predicted her caucus would have to extract major concessions from the speaker in order for Democrats to vote to keep him. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y., has already decided she'll be voting with Gaetz against the speaker 'I certainly don't think that we would expect to see that unless there's a real conversation between the Republican and Democratic caucuses,' she said. 'I don't think we [will] give up votes for free.' Gaetz has long said that if McCarthy put a 'clean' continuing resolution, or CR, on the House floor, he would file the motion. 'I'll survive,' McCarthy said of the news on ABC Sunday morning. 'Bring it on. Let's get over with it.' During the frenzied 15-ballot speaker's vote McCarthy agreed to a single-member motion to vacate, meaning one member of Congress can force a vote on the House floor to oust him as speaker. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz said he will bring up a motion to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy next week, just after the House passed a spending bill that narrowly avoided a government shutdown 'I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,' Gaetz said on CNN Sunday morning. 'I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy' In order for him to be removed from the job Gaetz would need to garner 218 votes. Most Republicans would likely vote no on the measure, meaning many of those votes would need to come from Democrats. 'I'm done owning Kevin McCarthy,' Gaetz said. The speaker met with Gaetz over the past few weeks to try to navigate a path forward on spending that the rightward flank could support. 'I'm not owning him anymore, because he doesn't tell the truth,' said Gaetz. He predicted his own motion would fail because some Democrats would vote to keep McCarthy in the speaker's chair. 'The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out. Now they probably will.' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told CNN on Sunday she would 'absolutely' vote to vacate the chair. And Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., seemed open to supporting the motion to vacate on Fox News Sunday morning. 'I don't know right now. I got to really think about that,' he said. 'There are a lot of trust issues in my chamber right now.' McCarthy has accused Gaetz of having a personal vendetta against him because the Florida Republican is under investigation by the Ethics Committee. 'This is personal with Matt,' McCarthy said Sunday. '[Gaetz] is more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something. He wanted to push us into a shutdown.' After trying to wrangle Republican votes on a party-line CR that would have cut spending and included border policies but never made it through the Senate, McCarthy finally caved and put a bipartisan CR on the House floor on Saturday - hours before the deadline to shutdown. The bill extends government funding at 2023 levels set under Democrats last Congress for six weeks, giving both chambers more time to hash out a longer-term spending plan. It includes disaster funding but no new aid for Ukraine. Gaetz, however, accused McCarthy of making a 'secret deal' with Democrats to vote on Ukraine funding later on. A statement from House Democratic leadership said they 'expect' McCarthy to advance a Ukraine funding bill - though it's not clear if the speaker has agreed to that. 'When the House returns, we expect Speaker McCarthy to advance a bill to the House Floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine, consistent with his commitment to making sure that Vladimir Putin, Russia and authoritarianism are defeated. We must stand with the Ukrainian people until victory is won.' Senate leaders said they expect to have a Ukraine bill on the floor 'in the coming weeks' and President Biden also said he expected Congress to approve more funding. 'I fully expect the speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment,' Biden said. New York's Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul ranted about failing immigration policies saying the southern border is 'too open' and demanded a limit on how many people can stream over into the US. During a Sunday appearance on CBS' 'Face the Nation,' Hochul said she feels the country's border is currently too much of a free-for-all. A record 260,000 migrants flooded across the border last month alone, causing chaos not only in border states that are ill-equipped to stomach such massive population influxes but in sanctuary states like New York. 'We want [Congress] to have a limit on who can come across the border,' said Hochul. 'People coming from all over the world are finding their way through, simply saying they need asylum, and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York, and that is a real problem for New York City,' she added, echoing what Mayor Eric Adams has been saying for months. 'It's in our DNA to welcome immigrants. But there has to be some limits in place.' A family of illegal migrants is pictured crossing the Rio Grande into Eagle Pass, Texas on September 30 A recent surge of migrants flowing into Eagle Pass, a city of 28,5000, has overwhelmed the city and forced leadership to declare a state of emergency 'Congress has to put more controls at the border,' she said, noting that some lawmakers have called for a reduction in the number of Border Patrol officers stationed down south. 'Talk about eliminating positions for Border Patrol, well, we actually need to double or quadruple those numbers,' she said. Within the last 18-months, more than 110,000 migrants have arrived in New York City. Officials have been scrambling to house and provide basic accommodations for the massive number, and the attention of the city's government has been diverted, often at the expense of the legal population of the Big Apple. As a result of the overwhelming wave of migrants, Hochul has lobbied in Albany for state funds to help shelter and feed the incoming migrants. One such expense is a massive tent that was installed on Randall's Island in Manhattan over the summer. Hochul has pushed back against New York City's 'right to shelter' mandate, which is a legal agreement the city willingly entered into that guarantees New Yorkers the right to housing, a rule from which asylum seekers have been benefitting. 'The original premise behind the right to shelter was, for starters, for homeless men on the streets, people experiencing AIDS, that was [then] extended to families,' said Hochul in September. 'But never was it envisioned being an unlimited universal right, or obligation on the city, to house literally the entire world.' Adams says the cost of housing and feeding the migrants will amount to some $12billion in the next three years, putting crucial city services that residents depend upon in jeopardy. So-called asylum seekers have been flooding into the United States for months, overwhelming border communities as well as the major metropolitan areas where they are usually taken A leaked memo said that all Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass are assigned to processing at various migrant centers - meaning none are actually patrolling the border A man and child from Venezuela wait to be processed by US agents after crossing the Rio Grande into Eagle Pass Thousands of migrants have waited this week to be processed by US Border Patrol agents on the banks of the Rio Grande A young girl hugs someone as she makes it across the Rio Grande onto US territory in Eagle Pass, Texas A small child inspects the cut razor wire on the US-side of the Rio Grande A young boy is apparently scrubbed after crossing the Rio Grande In the last several days, thousands of migrants have streamed into Eagle Pass Hoards of border crossers stand around waiting to be processed by US Border Patrol agents A trio of migrants struggle to make it through the Rio Grande from Piedras Negras, Mexico to Eagle Pass In August, Hochul targeted President Biden, saying his failed leadership on the issue of the border is creating the problems now facing her state. On Sunday, Hochul pushed some of the blame onto Congressional Republicans, who she claims are not willing to work with Biden on the crisis. The situation is escalating and week-after-week new shocking images of migrants crossing into the US are captured. In the last several days, the Texas border town of Eagle Pass, which has a population of just 28,500, has been inundated with up to 8,000 crossers a day. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinos declared a state of emergency over the crisis, but a document allegedly leaked by a Border Agent appears to show that the unprecedented number of arrivals is now making it impossible for them to effectively guard the crossing. The report was shared by DC Examiner reporter Anna Giaritelli on X, who claimed that 'all Border Patrol agents have pulled to other duties (mainly processing migrants) so not a single agent will be in the field.' Giaritelli added that the agent who shared the document is 'pretty pi**** off about this', a sentiment echoed by Elon Musk as he revealed he would be travelling to Eagle pass to help grapple with the 'serious issue.' According to the leaked document, which has not been independently verified by DailyMail.com, all Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass are assigned to processing at various migrant centers. The memo adds that there should be nothing 'indicating any type of field deployment/enforcement' at the border. Migrants who have made it to shore cross through the cut barbed wire to the processing line A man and woman struggle to stay above water as they carry two children across the Rio Grande Eagle Pass has been experiencing a significant influx of Venezuelan migrants, who have fled their dysfunctional, impoverished country The barbed wire was initially installed by the Texas National Guard, it is now being dismantled to let in thousands of migrants Dramatic photos show the moment migrants cross the Rio Grande river from Piedras Negras, Mexico into Eagle Pass, Texas Migrants wade through the waters of the Rio Grande to cross into the US, where they will be met with no opposition, processed, and sent to a new US city Migrants wait on the US-side banks of the Rio Grande to be processed after moving past feet of barbed wire. The wire, initially installed by Texas National Guardsmen, has mostly been cut away by Border Patrol agents Harrowing images from the porous border show droves of migrants traversing difficult terrain and wading through the Rio Grande river. Families are seen clinging to each other, with some struggling to carry soaking wet bags of belongings across the water. Officers are seen helping people through the terrain, including lifting small children exhausted by the journey to safety, while many migrants are pictured lining up for processing. Salinas' declaration of a state of emergency came as it was tallied that some 100,000 people waded through the Rio Grande and into the town last week, and he slammed President Biden this week for 'abandoning' his community. As officials scramble for solutions, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has led the movement to bus migrants to northern blue states so that they may share the burden of ineffective border policies. Police are investigating a shooting in Harris County, Texas where multiple people were shot and at least two are deceased. In a press conference Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said two women were dead on the scene. 'One of the individuals that was pronounced deceased here at the scene is believed to be the homeowner, she is 65 years old,' said Gonzalez. 'The second female that was pronounced deceased here at the location, believed to be 28 years of age, is believed to be her daughter-in-law.' Photos from the scene show a man in handcuffs being taken by Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies. Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies respond to a scene of a shooting Sunday morning in Houston, Texas A man is in handcuffs being taken by Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies. Authorities believe seven individuals were involved in the shooting, at least three people fired shots Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (center) announced that two women died on the scene. The 65-year-old homeowner and her 28-year-old daughter in law According to KTRK, the sheriff's office said a 2-year-old was inside the home during the shooting. Gonzalez said another relative shielded the child to 'spare the 2-year-old seeing his mom be executed.' Both the relative and the child were unharmed. Authorities said the daughter-in-law and her husband, also 28-years-old, live at the address. They believe the daughter-in-law is one of the individuals who initially called for help. At approximately 10:16 a.m. they received calls for service for verbal disturbances between a couple, both people in their mid to late twenties. Shortly after at 10:26 a.m. the calls changed, and it became an active shooter situation at the 8700 block of Cypressbrook Drive. Upon arrival we discovered that several people had been shot here at the location. It appears that most of the shooting transpired inside the residence, but there is also some firearms evidence outside the house,' the sheriff said. We believe in total there were about seven different individuals were involved in this type of situation, each had different roles... at least three individuals possibly fired shots.' Gonzalez said of the three who fired shots, two of them were those hospitalized. The sheriff posted on Facebook that deputies responded to a shooting that possibly stemmed from a family dispute, likely over a breakup or divorce. Deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 8700 block of Cypressbrook Drive in Harris County, Texas in response to a shooting Authorities initially said four were deceased but corrected to say two died on the scene and two were transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds Two people were confirmed dead on the scene, two others with gunshot wounds were taken to the hospital. The scene is contained and there is no active threat the community. Sheriff Gonzalez initially wrote that at least four people were killed, but updated that two were dead on the scene and two have been hospitalized. Donald Trump demanded that Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman be thrown in jail for pulling the fire alarm during a key government shutdown vote - arguing his transgression may have been worse than the January 6 riots. 'Will Congressman Jamal [sic] Bowman be prosecuted and imprisoned for very dangerously pulling and setting off the main fire alarm system in order to stop a Congressional vote that was going on in D.C.,' Trump posted to Truth Social one day after the incident. 'His egregious act is covered on tape, a horrible display of nerve and criminality. It was a very dangerous "Obstruction of an Official Proceeding," the same as used against our J-6 prisoners. 'Actually, his act may have been worse. HE MUST SUFFER THEIR SAME FATE. WHEN WILL HIS TRIAL BEGIN???' Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman was caught triggering the fire alarm on surveillance video during a crucial House vote Former President Donald Trump slammed Bowman, arguing that he be charged with 'Obstruction of an Official Proceeding' Bowman did not deny pulling the alarm and insisted he thought it would open a door Trump and other Republicans are calling for the congressman to be held criminally liable Bowman has served as the representative for New York's 16th congressional district since 2021. The district covers a large swathe of the north Bronx as well as the southern half of Westchester County, including Bowman's hometown of Yonkers. He set off the fire alarm on a door at the Cannon House Office on Saturday. The House was about to vote on a bipartisan bill to keep the government open for 45 days and avoid a shutdown. The bill had overwhelming Democratic support but members of the party were buying time to read it once it was unveiled by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The House Administration Committee soon after released a surveillance image that showed Bowman reaching for the alarm. The Committee manages daily operations for the U.S. House of Representatives and also oversees the Capitol Police Board. Bowman's office insisted that he had activated the alarm by mistake. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, the congressman admitted to triggering the alarm, but denied trying to delay the vote. 'I was trying to get to a door,' he said. 'I thought the alarm would open the door, and I pulled the fire alarm to open the door by accident.' He continued: 'I was just trying to get to my vote and the door thats usually open wasnt open, it was closed.' The alarm went off during a vote on a stopgap spending bill as Democrats scrambled to buy time to read it Bowman was confronted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called his actions 'outrageous' She told reporters: 'He violated the exact same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for every single day' Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also called for Bowman to be punished and recommended the House Ethics Committee look into the incident Bowman also posted a statement to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. It read: 'Today, as I was rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open. 'I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. 'I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused.' Bowman faces an investigation, but conservatives demand he be censured or kicked out of Congress completely. A leading critic has been Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia's 14th congressional district. 'I want to talk about Jamal Bowman pulling the fire alarm,' she said as she stood on the Capitol steps. 'Capitol police are questioning him right now because it's on video, he violated the exact same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for every single day. 'He violated the exact same law, interrupting an official proceeding by pulling a fire alarm, it's on video and the Capitol police have the information. This is outrageous.' Speaker McCarthy told reporters that he thought the House Ethics Committee should look into the incident, and labelled Bowman's conduct 'an embarrassment.' 'I think Ethics should look at this, but this is serious,' McCarthy said after the vote. 'This should not go without punishment. This is an embarrassment. You are elected to be a member of Congress.' A last-minute agreement passed the House and Senate, which will keep the government open through November 17. A former lumberjack who was arrested in connection with the felling of the beloved Sycamore Gap Tree has been bailed and declared his innocence as he returned home to a farm where police found a large chainsaw. Walter Renwick, 69, was seen back at Plankey Mill Farm after being taken into custody, with pictures and video showing him standing topless outside a caravan on the property. Officers spent three days scouring an adjoining property that Walter Renwick was evicted from last week. And minutes before the former lumberjack turned up they confiscated a 3ft chainsaw and other possible evidence. He was bailed on Sunday afternoon and was driven back to his campervan where he declared his innocence, shouting: 'I know I'm f****** innocent, right, and that's all I need to know.' Mr Renwick has vehemently denied being responsible for the downing of the 300-year-old tree and seemingly said the saw was proof that he was completely innocent. Walter Renwick, 69, returned to Plankey Mill Farm after being taken into custody, with pictures and video showing him standing topless outside a caravan on the property Police were still present have Plankey Mill Farm in Northumberland taped off after they arrested a second man after the UK's most famous tree was chopped down Police search teams taking away a chainsaw in an evidence bag from a barn on Plankey Mill Farm in Northumberland The iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled overnight on Wednesday, sparking fury across Britain 'My chainsaw's down here by that barn door, but you can see that it hasn't been used for ages,' he said on Friday. The power tool was found in an outhouse of the Northumberland farm, just eight miles from where Britain's most famous tree stood before it was cruelly cut down on Wednesday night. Detectives have been working around the clock to find out who is behind the shocking felling of the beloved tree, which stood in a dip along Hadrian's Wall. Mr Renwick was arrested on Friday night just hours after telling reporters 'You've got the wrong feller'. Specialist search teams descended on his former property at the weekend and police were still present on Sunday, with cordons seen sealing off parts of the farm. Mr Renwick, who has lived on the nearby farm his entire life, was evicted last week following a long-running dispute and now lives in a camper van nearby. He was the third generation of his family to live there, until recently running a campsite. The propertys owners, the Jesuits in Britain, turfed him out on Thursday, forcing him to move into his campervan a few yards away. Eviction notices were displayed on the doors of the farmhouse yesterday. In a series of statements, Mr Renwick has strongly refuted that he was behind the vandalism of the nearby tree. Reacting to social media gossip, he said: 'The speculation is bloody ridiculous. I'll tell you this much, I wouldn't be so sad to do that.' Mr Renwick said: 'It was a lovely tree, an iconic tree, but I mean to go up there and cut that down, I'm not that stupid.' He said his work as a lumberjack for 40 years was likely the reason for rife finger-pointing online. Specialist search teams descended on the property at the weekend and police were still present on Sunday Police cordons were pictured sealing off sections of the Northumbria farm on Sunday 'It makes it sound like me, doesn't it, because it was a good cut,' he said, referring to the culprit's handiwork. 'It was dark obviously but it was a lovely moonlit night... the cut was brilliant. 'When I say brilliant, you can tell a good lumberjack by the way he cuts a tree down. I haven't seen the cut obviously, but I have seen it on the computer.' Northumbria Police announced on Friday that it had arrested a man in his 60s just hours after a 16-year-old boy was bailed out of custody under investigation in relation to the felling. Walter Renwick (pictured at his home), 69, was recently evicted from the property A full investigation was launched after the Sycamore Gap Tree next to Hadrian's Wall, in Northumberland, was cut down Now reduced to a stump, the 70ft sycamore was one of the world's most photographed trees and was named Tree of the Year by the Woodland Trust in 2016. It famously featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner. Part of the Hadrian's Wall Unesco world heritage site, it has drawn walkers and visitors from all over the globe. Northumbria Police have been contacted for comment. Marcela Valdes in The New York Times: Were getting no support on this national crisis, Mayor Eric Adams said in September at a town-hall-style gathering on Manhattans Upper West Side. He was talking about the influx of transnational migrants who have landed in the citys shelter system: more than 118,000 since the spring of last year, with about 10,000 more arriving each month. There are now about 115,000 people in the citys care, and more than half of them are migrants. In August, the city projected that it would spend $5 billion caring for migrants during this fiscal year. This issue will destroy New York City, Adams told his audience. Every service in this city is going to be impacted. Responding to the sense of crisis in New York and around the nation, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced that it would grant temporary protected status to about 472,000 Venezuelans, allowing them 18 months to live and work in the United States. This measure may help New York because many of the migrants there have traveled to the state from Venezuela (via Texas). But as Adams pointed out on the Upper West Side, New York now also shelters migrants from all over the globe, including Ecuador, Eastern Europe and West Africa so the Biden administrations decision on temporary protected status is, at best, a partial and fleeting solution. More here. Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has leapt to the defense of fellow New York representative Jamaal Bowman as he faces criticism for pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol on Saturday. AOC told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that Bowman's actions occurred in a 'moment of panic,' exacerbated by the pressure and chaos of attempting to avert a government shutdown - which Congress successfully did late on Saturday. 'I think there's something to be said that the government's about to shut down, there's a vote clock that's going down, the exits that are normally open in that building were suddenly closed,' said Ocasio-Cortez. Tapper responded, 'So he pulled the fire alarm?' AOC then attempted to defend her colleague by attacking the GOP for 'protecting' New York Congressman George Santos, who is facing an indictment centered on money laundering and lying to Congress. Bowman put out a statement claiming that, while in a rush to make it on time to vote for a stopgap spending bill that would keep the government open, he 'activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door.' AOC called the series of events a 'misunderstanding' that Bowman is working with House administration and US Capitol Police to clear up Bowman put out a statement claiming that, while in a rush to make it on time to vote for a stopgap spending bill that would keep the government open, he 'activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door' The incident, which was caught on camera and has since circulated far and wide, has sent Capitol lawmakers and their staffs into a tizzy as they semi-seriously try to understand why Bowman would think a clearly marked fire alarm would open a door. The House was about to vote on a bipartisan bill to keep the government open for 45 days and avoid a shutdown. The bill had overwhelming Democratic support, but members of the party were trying to buy time to read it after it was unveiled by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. AOC called the series of events a 'misunderstanding' that Bowman is working with House administration and US Capitol Police to clear up. Bowman, who has represented New York's 16th Congressional District since 2021, said he regrets his actions and apologized for any confusion he caused. Republicans, included Santos, moved fast to catch the wave of political momentum triggered by Bowman. On Saturday, Congressional GOPers launched an investigation and began preparing legislation to expel Bowman from the House for allegedly obstructing any official proceeding. Embattled House Speaker Kevin McCarthy compared Bowman's actions to what transpired on January 6, 2021 in the same complex. 'We watched how people have been treated if theyve done something wrong in this Capitol. It will be interesting to see how he is treated on what he was trying to obstruct when it came to the American public,' he said. The incident, which was caught on camera and has since circulated far and wide, has sent Capitol lawmakers and their staffs into a tizzy as they semi-seriously try to understand why Bowman would think a clearly marked fire alarm would open a door Statement from Congressman Jamaal Bowman. pic.twitter.com/v6qjdHNI7T Congressman Jamaal Bowman (@RepBowman) October 1, 2023 PSA: especially to all the boys and girls who were students at Cornerstone Academy for Social Action because your principal may not have taught you. pic.twitter.com/bgXuEwTobm Rep. George Santos (@RepSantosNY03) September 30, 2023 Firecracker Marjorie Taylor Greene said the Justice Department should prosecute Bowman the same way it has prosecuted January 6th participants. 'It's the exact same law,' she said, referring to the federal statute that prohibits obstructing or impeding any official proceeding. AOC blasted Republicans for attempting to expel Bowman, who 'in a moment of panic was trying to escape a vestibule,' but 'protecting' Santos. '[Bowman] apologized,' she said. 'And [Republicans] are protecting someone who has not only committed wire fraud, not only defrauded veterans, not only lied to congressional investigators, but is openly gloating about it, is absolutely humiliating to the Republican caucus.' Her GOP colleagues, she added, 'should really check their own values.' Santos, himself the target of AOC's defense, also got in on the mocking of Bowman's alleged mistake. In a short social media video, Santos, clad in a characteristically elaborate outfit, put out a fake PSA to children about how to use a fire alarm, seemingly poking fun at the lawmaker who apparently did not have that information on hand on Saturday. 'Hi boys and girls, this is Congressman George Santos. This here's a fire alarm,' he said, gesturing to what is indeed a standard fire alarm. 'If you lift this part here and pull this down, you trigger an alarm. Don't do it. Stay good kids,' he said before walking off. The X (formerly Twitter) post has been viewed nearly 700,000 times. Santos captioned the video: 'PSA: especially to all the boys and girls who were students at Cornerstone Academy for Social Action because your principal may not have taught you.' Bowman was previously a school principal, making it even more unbelievable that he isn't extremely well-versed in the operation of standard-issue fire alarms. Bowman was confronted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called his actions 'outrageous' Among other prominent voices calling for Bowman to face the consequences of his actions is former President Donald Trump, who called for Bowman to be jailed on Sunday. 'Will Congressman Jamal [sic] Bowman be prosecuted and imprisoned for very dangerously pulling and setting off the main fire alarm system in order to stop a Congressional vote that was going on in D.C.,' Trump posted to Truth Social one day after the incident. 'His egregious act is covered on tape, a horrible display of nerve and criminality. It was a very dangerous "Obstruction of an Official Proceeding," the same as used against our J-6 prisoners. 'Actually, his act may have been worse. HE MUST SUFFER THEIR SAME FATE. WHEN WILL HIS TRIAL BEGIN???' Nikki Haley is accusing the Trump campaign of sending her a bird cage after the former president called her a 'bird brain' this week. Haley returned to her hotel room Saturday after a day of campaigning in Iowa to a bird cage and a bag of bird food that says it was from the Trump campaign. 'After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me at my hotel room #PrettyPatheticTryAgain YouJustMadeMyCaseForMe,' Haley said in a post on X. Trump decided to put Haley, former South Carolina governor and his former United Nations ambassador, in his crosshairs this week after the second GOP debate. I will never run against our great President, she said, he has done an outstanding job. To which I responded, How nice of you to say, Nikki, knowing full well that her words mean nothing. 'She even came to Mar-a-Lago with her family, "bearing gifts." Anyway, Birdbrain doesnt have the TALENT or TEMPERAMENT to do the job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' The Haley campaign responded on Twitter: 'Love this. It means we are in 2nd and moving up fast. Bring it!' Nikki Haley is accusing the Trump campaign of sending her a bird cage after the former president called her a 'bird brain' this week Trump now has an event in Iowa as the Republican presidential candidates aggressively vie for votes in the state that is first in the nation to caucus. Haley's fiery responses at both GOP debates have garnered attention. Still, a poll conducted by JL Partners for DailyMail.com found that most voters think Donald Trump is the 'real winner' at 27 percent, followed by Vivek Ramaswamy at 26 percent, then Ron DeSantis at 17 percent and Haley at six percent. Haley's breakout moment at the last debate was an attack on Ramaswamy for his anti-Ukraine funding views. 'Every time I hear you I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,' she said. A 'woke-free' beer created to rival Bud Light, made half a million dollars in 12 hours after it released a special edition can featuring former president Donald Trump's mugshot. Ultra Right Beer CEO Seth Weathers told FOX Business that sales after the special edition launch were equivalent to over five tractor loads of cans. 'We knew people would go wild over these collector cans, but we had no idea the response would be this crazy,' said the businessman. He described the beer cans dubbed 'Conservative Dad's Revenge' as the most sought-after collector beer can in American history. 'Sales have poured in from the moment we launched. With over $1 million in beer and merchandise sales, weve raised over $50,000 for the legal defense of the Georgia Trump electors and the Georgia Republican Party,' said Weathers. Ultra Right Beer launched a special edition can featuring Donald Trump's mug shot. The six-packs are being sold for $25.00 plus shipping through October 1 Seth Weathers, known as 'Conservative Dad,' created the company as an alternative to 'woke' Bud Light The beer company website pledges to donate 10 percent of the sales to the GOP defense fund in Georgia. 'Conservative Dads Ultra Right Beer puts our money where our mouth is were doing our part to fight back against the unjust persecution of American patriots,' said Weathers. Featuring Trump's historic mugshot in monochrome on a black background emblazoned with the words '100% American beer,' the cans cost $25 for a six-pack plus shipping. Weathers went on to predict the sales will likely top $2M by 11:59 p.m. Sunday when the special edition can officially goes off the market. Trump made history by becoming the first former president to pose for a mugshot after his arrest for trying to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has used the photo to raise money for his campaign. Although it claims it is not endorsed by Trump, the website echoes the narrative that he is under fire from corrupt, politically-motivated forces who want to sabotage his 2024 White House bid. They are sold online alongside the caption: 'Each sale defends Conservatives against the unconstitutional prosecution by the Communist Fulton County District Attorney!' Mulvaney worked with Bud Light in April as part of their March Madness campaign and was gifted a can of the light beer with her face on it Weathers ran Donald Trump's 2016 campaign in Georgia, where his company is headquartered. He created the beer company to protest Bud Light's 'woke' Dylan Mulvaney marketing campaign. In April, Bud Light partnered with the trans influencer and sent her a personalized can with her face on it for their March Madness NCAA campaign. Conservatives were outraged and when they boycotted the brand, sales of the beer plummeted. Liberals accused the company of not doing enough to stand in solidarity with her. Anheuser-Busch has since tanked more than $27billion in market value and two of its top executives took a 'leave of absence.' Just 12 days after the Ultra Right Beer company launched in April, Weathers said they had gained more than 12,000 customers and sold 20,000 six packs. This news comes after Trump's request to delay the trial was denied Former President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in the Big Apple on Sunday night for the start of his civil fraud trial on Monday morning. The $250million fraud case kicked off when New York Attorney General Letitia James accused Trump, his adult sons and the entire Trump organization of inflating the value of properties to fit their business's needs. On Monday, the civil trial will address what Trump, his businesses, his adult sons and his business associates did with that false information. This will just be the start to the load of trials Trump is set to face from October to May. As he has been in a constant feud with James, he has also called out Justice Arthur Engoron for carrying out a 'witch hunt' on him. Engoran is the judge assigned to this trial and will have the final say on what happens next for the 45th President. On Monday, the civil trial will address what Trump, his businesses, his adult sons and his business associates did with that false information. This will just be the start to the load of trials Trump is set to face from October to May Donald Trump is set to arrive in the Big Apple on Sunday night for his civil fraud trial on Monday. He could possibly be in the city until Tuesday. As he has been in a constant feud with James, he has also called out Justice Arthur Engoron for carrying out a 'witch hunt' on him. Engoran is the judge assigned to this trial and will have the final say on what happens next for the 45th President Just last week, Engoron ruled to exterminate Trump's family business on the basis of widespread fraud. These properties included Trump Tower and the Trump Internatinal Hotel. Since those properties were taken away, Trump has openly spoken out about how he feels in regard to Justice Engoron's decision. 'I have a Deranged, Trump Hating Judge, who RAILROADED this FAKE CASE through a NYS Court at a speed never before seen,' Trump said on social media. On top of attempting to delay his trial, Politico reported that Trump went a step further and 'accused the judge of failing to comply with earlier appeals' that he said altered the range of the case against him. The former President's legal team were a bit thrown off by Engoron's abrupt decision, even after James found that Trump and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing. She also said he boosted valuations by up to $2 billion, inflating the value of signature assets including the Mar-a-Lago club where he now resides and his Manhattan penthouse apartment at Trump Tower. Trump, his company and key executives repeatedly lied about them on his annual financial statements, reaping rewards such as favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums, Engoron found. Engoron has responded to Trump's claims with 'Decline to sign' and 'Defendants' arguments are completely without merit.' Trump, his company and key executives repeatedly lied about them on his annual financial statements, reaping rewards such as favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums, Engoron found The Attorney General didn't start this feud between Trump and the judge as the two have had past history. He previously held Trump in contempt of court and ordered him to pay $100,000 after he found out that he failed to comply with the subpoena ordered by James's office. On January 15, he is set to kick off his federal defamation trial that has been brought on by E. Jean Carroll. Later that month, on January 29, hid federal class action lawsuit that accused him and his company of promoting a pyramid scheme will start. Then Trump will face a federal criminal trial on March 4 based on the accusation that he tried to interfere with the 2020 election. On March 25 he will be back in New York for a case brought on by his alleged mishandling with classified documents. Technically, he is not required to be present for the civil trial unless he is called to testify by James, which she has said she is considering. So far, he has not appeared in court for any of his federal civil trials from earlier this year. Engoron previously held Trump in contempt of court and ordered him to pay $100,000 after he found out that he failed to comply with the subpoena ordered by James's office Trump and his co-defendants will only face Judge Engoron instead of a jury in a bench trial. Through a court spokesperson, Engoron has declined to comment on Trump's barbs. He is barred from commenting to the news media about the case. Engoron has been involved in Trump-related cases since 2020, when he was assigned to intervene in quarrels among Trumps lawyers and James office over demands for evidence and the direction of her investigation. There is a chance that Trump could stay in New York City until Tuesday based on the outcome of Monday's trial. Barack Obama stayed silent when asked whether his wife Michelle might make a bid for the White House amid swirling rumors as he was spotted leaving a Beverly Hills restaurant. In photographs exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, the 62-year-old former president was seen surrounded by security guards after enjoying a meal at Funke on South Santa Monica Boulevard. Barack was dressed in a slick black blazer, open collar shirt and gray trousers for his outing at the Los Angeles hotspot. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama, 59, is vacationing aboard Steven Spielberg's yacht near Portofino on the Italian Riviera with Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson, and Spielberg's spouse Kate Capshaw. Barack Obama stayed silent when asked whether his wife Michelle might make a bid for the White House amid swirling rumors as he was spotted leaving a Beverly Hills restaurant In photographs exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, the 62-year-old former president was seen surrounded by security guards after enjoying a meal at Funke on South Santa Monica Boulevard Paparazzi who caught her husband leaving the restaurant asked him whether she would be making a bid for the White House - but he did not offer a comment. Barack said something inaudible to waiting photographers but did not clearly respond to the question. It comes after prominent Texas politician and former Republican candidate Ted Cruz speculated that Michelle could replace Joe Biden before the 2024 election. The Texas Senator said Democrats may be looking to avoid nominating 80-year-old Biden over concerns about his advanced age. 'Here's the scenario that I think is perhaps most likely, and most dangerous,' he said on his 'Verdict with Ted Cruz' podcast. 'In August of 2024, the Democrat kingmakers jettison Joe Biden and parachute in Michelle Obama.' But for now, Michelle appears to be enjoying a period of relaxation off the coast of Italy alongside a slew of famous faces. The former First Lady has spent the last few weeks enjoying the European vacation without her husband. She was pictured taking a boat ride with a dazzling array of A-listers including Hanks and his wife Wilson, as well as acclaimed director Spielberg and his spouse Capshaw. The group was seen exiting Steven's $250 million superyacht together near Portofino, getting onto a smaller vessel, which took them out for a day of snorkeling. Paparazzi who caught her husband leaving the restaurant asked him whether she would be making a bid for the White House - but he did not offer a comment. Barack appeared to say something inaudible but not in response to the question Barack could be seen flanked by security guards as he left Funke restaurant in Beverly Hills Island lady: Michelle Obama was spotted in a funky beaded outfit while enjoying a meal with friends on vacation in Mallorca Meanwhile, Michelle Obama , 59, is vacationing aboard Steven Spielberg's yacht near Portofino on the Italian Riviera with Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson, and Spielberg's spouse Kate Capshaw Michelle appears to be enjoying a period of relaxation off the coast of Italy alongside a slew of famous faces, amid swirling rumors she could take Biden's place as the Democrats' presidential nominee During the boat ride, the stars chatted as they soaked up the Italian sun and took in the stunning views. Earlier in September, she was seen wearing a funky beaded outfit while enjoying a meal with friends on another vacation in Mallorca. She was captured leaving a restaurant on the Spanish island while wearing loose black high-waisted shorts and a similar-colored tank top. It has been reported that Michelle stayed with former US ambassador to Spain James Costos and his partner, Michael Smith, while on the island. A second police force is investigating claims about Russell Brand, the Mail can reveal. After Scotland Yard launched a criminal probe, Thames Valley Police confirmed yesterday it was investigating 'information in relation to the harassment and stalking allegations' made by a woman. In the past two weeks, Brand has faced serious accusations from a series of women. He was accused of one rape and sexual assault when four women made allegations to the Sunday Times and Channel 4's Dispatches programme, and then a slew of further claims emerged as women told their stories to newspapers and the BBC. At least ten have made public claims so far. The comedian, 48, has strenuously denied wrongdoing, and says he has evidence to refute allegations. He has called the claims a conspiracy by the 'mainstream media'. In the latest allegation, the Mail has seen police logs claiming that the woman accused him of being a 'sexual predator'. Thames Valley Police is investigating claims about Russell Brand, (pictured) the Mail can reveal. After Scotland Yard launched a criminal probe, Thames Valley Police confirmed yesterday it was investigating 'information in relation to the harassment and stalking allegations' made by a woman In the past two weeks, Brand (pictured in 2015) has faced serious accusations from a series of women, which he strenuously denies Security officers last month stand outside the Crown Inn pub owned by British comedian and actor Russell Brand's company near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire She lived near Brand and became friendly with him in 2015, before they each accused the other of harassment. Police are understood to have looked into her claims previously, and dismissed them. Now officers are re-examining the case. Yesterday, Thames Valley Police said it had been contacted by the woman last week 'with new information in relation to the harassment and stalking allegations'. It added: 'This information is being investigated, as such it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.' Thames Valley Police covers Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, where Brand now a self-styled lifestyle and political guru lives with his family. He moved to the area in 2015 and bought The Crown pub in nearby village Pishill in 2020. The pub went 'into lockdown' when the allegations emerged, with locals reporting that the venue was sealed by fencing and had security guards inside and out. But Brand was forced to remove the fencing when South Oxfordshire District Council said it was 'unauthorised' and launched a planning enforcement investigation. Brand was contacted for comment. Marshals have been brought in to police 'charge rage' between drivers of electric vehicles at motorway service stations. The boss of Britain's largest motorway service provider said long waits for plug-in points made drivers 'very angry and stressed'. Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan warned the UK's motorway service stations are facing growing 'public disorder' due to a lack of grid connections preventing him from installing enough car chargers to meet the surge in demand. Have YOU witnessed any 'charge rage'? Email jack.wright@mailonline.co.uk He said many motorists are facing long waits, with angry drivers confronting staff and each other and warned of the growing risk of 'charge rage' on Britain's motorways. Drivers in the United States have already been involved in heated disputes as they compete over a shortage of electrical points - dubbed 'charge rage' by US media. The term refers to the frustration and anger experienced by electric car drivers when they are unable to find a charging point. A typical electric car will take at least half an hour to charge, compared to just minutes to fill up a petrol or diesel one (Stock image) Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan (pictured) warned that the UK's motorway service stations are facing growing 'public disorder' due to a lack of grid connections preventing him from installing enough car chargers to meet surging demand A typical electric car will take at least half an hour to recharge compared to just minutes for a petrol or diesel one. Electric car drivers were forced to queue for up to six hours at some service stations across the UK last Christmas. Have YOU been the victim of a charge rage incident? Get in touch at tips@dailymail.com Advertisement Moto, which runs 49 motorway services around the UK, has already introduced marshals at Exeter, Rugby and Wetherby to manage EV queues and prevent conflicts during busy periods. Mr McMeikan, 58, who drives an EV himself, said he had told the Government of the problem and warned ministers that public disorder incidents would grow. He told The Sunday Telegraph: 'What I've been saying to them is that the grid does not have sufficient capacity, now, to deliver the power we need at the time we need it. 'If we don't get that amount of power, guaranteed, then in coming years every Christmas, every Easter, every summer holiday and peak bank holidays, will be the equivalent of when we have a fuel crisis on petrol and diesel.' Mr McMeikan said he had repeatedly told Jesse Norman, the minister for transport decarbonisation, that making EV motorists queue would put his staff and motorists at risk of 'charge rage'. Mr McMeikan said: 'There is a view in government that, rather than provide the power to guarantee sufficient numbers of chargers, we should be thinking about how we manage queues.' It comes after an expert warned rural areas outside of major cities could get 'left behind' with the transition to EVs. Toddington Harper, CEO at EV specialists GRIDSERVE said rural areas may not see the same level of investment in charging bays as inner city areas and called for more high-power plugs - which could top-up cars in just 20 minutes - at motorway services. File Photo: Electric vehicles queue at a charging point last December Mr McMeikan, 58, who drives an EV himself, said he had told the Government of the problem and warned ministers that public disorder incidents would grow He told The Sunday Telegraph: 'What I've been saying to them is that the grid does not have sufficient capacity, now, to deliver the power we need at the time we need it' An evolt EV rapid electric vehicle charging point unit in a parking bay on the quay side in Harwich Department for Transport data shows many of the areas of the UK's fewest charging bays are in remote areas away from major towns and cities. There are about 850,000 EVs on UK roads and two in 10 of the new cars registered in August were EVs. Asif Ghafoor, the chief executive of public charge network Be.EV called for the planning and grid connection process to be streamlined. James Court, chief executive of the Electric Vehicle Association for England, said: 'Investors are keen to get going and we shouldn't need huge government investment now with private companies leading the way, yet we do need a clear plan from the government, as well as reform on planning and connection.' The Department for Transport said: 'Around 96pc of motorways service areas already have charging available. 'The Government has put more than 2bn into the transition to electric vehicles, with the number of public charge points across the country increasing by 43pc since last year.' GB News chiefs held emergency talks at the weekend as the channel fights for its future following a series of scandals and record viewer complaints. Regulator Ofcom has opened 12 investigations into the broadcaster, including one examining the sexist on-air comments made last week by actor Laurence Fox. The remarks about a female political journalist led to the suspension of Fox and presenter Dan Wootton. More than 7,300 viewers complained. It is understood that investors and managers from GB News were in contact this weekend to discuss how to move on amid the bad publicity. 'It is crunch time for GB News,' a former employee told The Observer. 'They cannot just bask in notoriety forever because they do need to make some money and they need to keep the right to call themselves a channel for news programmes.' Regulator Ofcom has opened 12 investigations into the broadcaster, including one examining the sexist on-air comments made last week by actor Laurence Fox Fox made the shocking comments to journalist Ava Evans (pictured) who said she was 'shocked and hurt' by the language used Insiders have claimed the station, backed by hedge-fund tycoon Paul Marshall, is divided, with some believing the suspensions go against the channel's core principle of free speech, while others view it as a chance to move forward. Having ploughed in an estimated 10million, Mr Marshall, a co-founder of the hedge fund Marshall Wace, is estimated to own around half of the channel and also funds the political site UnHerd. Tim Montgomerie, a former editor of UnHerd, said he expected GB News to undergo 'a major course correction' in the next few days. Mr Montgomerie said Mr Marshall, a committed Christian, would have been unimpressed with the Fox and Wootton broadcast. GB News has breached broadcasting rules three times since its launch in 2021 and will be keen to avoid a fourth. Last week the channel apologised after Fox attacked Ava Evans, a correspondent for the news website JOE, in an on-air rant on Tuesday evening. Fox said 'Who would want to sh*g that?' and described her as a 'little woman'. He claimed his remarks were in response to comments made by Ms Evans on BBC's Politics Live, when she was accused of being dismissive about men's mental health issues. Ms Evans said Fox's comments were 'unforgivable' and that a responsible broadcaster should never have allowed the rant to go as far as it did. According to sources at GB News, Wootton was suspended for ignoring instructions to stop Fox, which were being relayed by senior management via his earpiece, and for later failing to read an autocue apology on air. He apologised the next day. Insiders have claimed the station, backed by hedge-fund tycoon Paul Marshall (pictured), is divided, with some believing the suspensions go against the channel's core principle of free speech, while others view it as a chance to move forward Following the broadcast several members of GB News staff wrote to chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos (pictured), a former boss of Sky News Australia, to register their disgust at the comments Following the broadcast several members of GB News staff wrote to chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos, a former boss of Sky News Australia, to register their disgust at the comments. Fox had been suspended by 10am the following morning and Wootton followed a few hours later. On Friday another presenter, evangelical cleric Calvin Robinson, posted his support for Wootton on social media and was also quickly suspended. There are suggestions that the change in direction from the Fox-Wootton debacle may be linked to Mr Marshall's expected bid for ownership of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, on which he is heading a consortium. Last month Ofcom ruled GB News had breached impartiality rules when Tory MPs Esther McVey and her husband Philip Davies interviewed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt days before the spring budget. On Friday Lee Anderson MP, the Tory chairman, who is also a GB News host, interviewed home secretary Suella Braverman for the channel. In a message to staff on Friday, chairman Alan McCormick said the channel had launched an 'immediate investigation' into Fox's comments because 'GB News is not a place that tolerates personally denigrating comments or insults'. A ten-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital after being mauled by a pet dog in South Australia. The little boy was attacked at a home on Parish Crescent, in Murray Bridge, about an hour southeast of Adelaide, just after 1pm on Sunday. The child was treated at the Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. The little boy was attacked at a home on Parish Crescent, in Murray Bridge, about an hour southeast of Adelaide , just after 1pm on Sunday The Murray Bridge council said the dog had been a family pet, with the animal having since been seized. The council are investigating the matter. More to come The Home Secretary has been branded an attention-seeker by her predecessor in the first blue-on-blue spat of the Conservative party conference. Suella Braverman faced a stinging attack from Dame Priti Patel over her controversial claim that multiculturalism has failed. She was also urged by her fellow senior Tory to get on with tackling immigration rather than making speeches about it. And in what will be seen as a further sign of the party's sisterhood turning on each other, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch is expected to take a swipe at her Cabinet colleague's focus on rhetoric over delivery. Almost a week on, the fallout continues from Mrs Braverman's speech to a think-tank in Washington DC in which she declared that multiculturalism is a 'misguided dogma' which allows incomers to 'live parallel lives'. Suella Braverman faced a stinging attack from Dame Priti Patel (pictured on Sunday) over her controversial claim that multiculturalism has failed The Home Secretary (pictured last week) has been branded an attention-seeker by her predecessor in the first blue-on-blue spat of the Conservative party conference In remarks widely seen as paving the way for a future leadership bid, the Home Secretary claimed uncontrolled immigration and the failure of new arrivals to integrate was a 'toxic' combination that could end up threatening the security of societies. Asked on Sky News yesterday in what way the speech had been helpful to the PM, former Home Secretary Dame Priti replied: 'Well, I think you have to ask her. Boris Johnson voted 'best PM in 13 years' Boris Johnson is the most popular prime minister of recent years among Conservative voters. He came out top in a poll of those who voted Tory at the last general election, with 42 per cent saying he was the best. Mr Johnson, 59, spent three years in No 10 after succeeding Theresa May in 2019. His long-standing rival David Cameron came a distant second, backed by 19 per cent of those surveyed by Opinium. Mr Johnson's predecessor Mrs May was seen as the best PM by 10 per cent of 2019 Tory voters, with the same number naming his successor Rishi Sunak their number one prime minister. Only 4 per cent of the 900 people questioned plumped for Liz Truss, who was PM for just 50 days. She topped the poll of the worst PM of the past 13 years, chosen by 57 per cent of Tory voters. Second worst was Mrs May (14 per cent), followed by Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron on 10 per cent and Mr Sunak on 6 per cent. Advertisement 'To me, this is very much making interventions, statements. But actually, I think we have to be realistic here that that's not a substitute for delivery around changes to policy in government. 'I don't know what the intention was around that, it might just be get attention, to have the dividing lines that your previous commentators were mentioning as we go into the run-up to a general election.' She added: 'This side of a general election, if I might politely suggest it is about delivery and the Government will be judged on delivery. When you make pledges, statements and promises, you have to deliver. 'But, of course, pledges are no substitute for action. And I think the public, they are sick about hearing about some of these issues and the failure to deliver. And I think it's right that everyone puts a shoulder to the wheel and cracks on and does the work.' In her speech, Mrs Braverman had insisted that despite being a child of immigrants from Kenya and Mauritius, she was under no obligation to be 'pro-migration'. But Dame Priti said: 'We are the products of actual integration, multiculturalism, dynamic communities, people that love our country want to contribute to our country along with a hell of a lot of other people that have done exactly the same. And I think that's something we should be proud of in our country.' The bad blood between the pair is believed to stem from last year's race to become Tory leader. Mrs Braverman declared she would run even before Boris Johnson had announced he would step down, whereas Dame Priti eventually decided against standing amid a crowded field of contenders from the right wing of the party. Last night, the Home Secretary declined to comment on the remarks by Dame Priti. However, her supporters point to recent polling suggesting the public backs her hardline stance on immigration. Today, Mrs Braverman's approach is likely to come under a more veiled attack from her Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch. Today, Mrs Braverman's approach is likely to come under a more veiled attack from her Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch (pictured last month). The Mail understands that the Trade Secretary will say in her speech to Tory conference that she is about delivery, not rhetoric, and will show how much she has got done in the job The Mail understands that the Trade Secretary will say in her speech to Tory conference that she is about delivery, not rhetoric, and will show how much she has got done in the job. It will likely be seen as an attempt to further set out her stall for being a potential future Tory leader. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also indicated he did not agree with Mrs Braverman's analysis. Asked by Times Radio yesterday if he thought Britain was a 'failed state' over multiculturalism, he replied: 'Well, I think I the fact that Suella is in the role that she's in, the Prime Minister's in the role that he's in, I and others are in these roles show that we are, as I say, almost uniquely in the world, have been brilliant at integrating people who have come to this country. 'I think the really important point is that we continue to integrate and we do not allow this fragmentation. And I do sometimes worry that when people say multiculturalism, what they're talking about is that fragmentation rather than coming together.' Merve Emre in The New Yorker: In 2019, the literary magazine NOON published a story by Lydia Davis called The Language of Armagnac, a quietly comic meditation on the difficulties of translating the patois of the city of Auch, which is a local form of the language of Gascon, which is in turn a dialect language of Occitan. A second version of the story much like the first was included in Daviss Essays Two, a collection of her writings on translation, a career that parallels her work as a writer of fiction. A third and notably different version appears in her story collection Our Strangers, under the title Bothered Scholar on Train. It refashions Daviss elaborate philological commentaries as the tirade of a scholar whose attempt to read in the language of Armagnac is disrupted by noisy passengers. Davis designed the story to open with an exclamationOh, cant you quiet down, please!and end with an exclamation mark, too (So, please!). This symmetry would clue readers in to an irony underlying the scene. The bothered shouts at others to be quiet. Heor sheannoys strangers while insisting that they are the annoying ones. As always in Daviss fiction, an almost imperceptible line divides pedantry from precision, enthusiasm from solipsism. When I met Davis at her house in East Nassau, New York, this August, she eyed the galley of Our Strangers that I had brought with me and noticed that, in it, the final exclamation mark was missing from Bothered Scholar on Train. Youve got to have the exclamation mark there, she said. When we looked at a finished copy of the U.K. edition that shed been sent, we discovered that someone had blundered: the exclamation mark was still missing. Well, thats too bad, she said. That was important. More here. Neighbors of a murdered ex-assistant to the British royal family say they would hear her in 'screaming' fights with her husband who is now arrested for her killing. Jenean Chapman, a former aide to Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, was found allegedly strangled to death in her luxury apartment in Dallas, Texas on Monday. Another resident of the 34th-floor downtown apartment said they came across police in the hallway on Monday afternoon and smelled a foul odor. The neighbors told DailyMail.com that Chapman, 46, and her husband of two months, James Patrick, 48, would constantly get into explosive fights with yelling that could be heard down the hallway. Neighbors of murdered ex-assistant to the British royal family, Jenean Chapman (left), say they would hear her in 'screaming' fights with her husband, James Patrick (right) who is now arrested for her killing, Jenean Chapman, a former aide to Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, was found allegedly strangled to death in her luxury apartment in Dallas , Texas (pictured) on Monday 'They argued loudly, a lot,' said Jonathan Davis, 32. 'I could only hear her screaming. She was yelling loudly and frequently. I remember thinking, man if I were him I'd leave her. But apparently he chose a different route. 'I walked in on Monday and I saw the police standing outside. I was like, are they fighting again? No one answered me. I only found out a couple days later she had been murdered.' The neighbors told DailyMail.com that Chapman, 46, and her husband of two months, Patrick (pictured), 48, would constantly get into explosive fights with yelling that could be heard down the hallway A female neighbor, who asked not to be named, said she noticed a bad smell coming from Chapman and Patrick's apartment after police arrived. 'I got off the elevator to go to my apartment and I was hit with a gruesome smell,' she said. 'The property manager and police were all in the hallway. 'It was just very uncomfortable. I was kind of shaken to my core. I mean, I couldn't stay in my apartment for like a week, I stayed with my friends.' The woman added that she didn't know the tempestuous couple well, but would often hear them fighting loudly. 'If I was waiting at the elevator I would hear them fighting. Both of them shouting. But I never paid attention that much; people fight.' Commenting on the possibility that her neighbor was a murderer, she said: 'I'm shocked that someone like that could live next to me. It's horrific.' Davis said after reading Chapman's family's story of their 'toxic' on-and-off relationship, he was less shocked. 'Obviously it's a surprise when anything like that happens. But given what I understand was happening between the two of them, it's less of a surprise,' he said. Photos obtained by DailyMail.com from a listing for her 36th-floor apartment show panoramic city views and sheik mid-century modern furnishings Shocking police dispatch tapes revealed the moment the body of Sarah Ferguson (left) former assistant (right) was found reportedly strangled to death in her luxury Dallas apartment Patrick was arrested on Wednesday, 200 miles away in Austin. Chapman's family said police were alerted when he checked himself into a hospital there. The Travis County Sheriff's Office online inmate locator says he is still in custody there. Despite being married to Chapman since July, he describes himself on his Facebook page with the sentence: 'Disco.. sleeze.single af' and had his relationship status as 'single'. Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew (pictured), posted a statement about her former staffer on her Instagram page on Friday saying she 'heard from her just a couple of months ago' and pledged to help pay for funeral costs Chapman worked as the Duchess of York's personal assistant in the early 2000s. Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, posted a statement about her former staffer on her Instagram page on Friday saying she 'heard from her just a couple of months ago' and pledged to help pay for funeral costs. On Saturday DailyMail.com published audio from the Dallas Police Department's dispatch radio revealing the moment officers came across Chapman's body. Shortly after 1.30pm on Monday the dispatcher can be heard saying: 'It's a black female. Said they haven't heard from her since Wednesday. Her and her husband had a domestic [inaudible].' Just over 15 minutes later, the female officer radioed in with the bad news. 'It's going to be a 27 for sure,' she said, using the police code for an attempted crime. 'We're going to need [inaudible] crime scene.' An officer adds that they are 'Going to need a supervisor to start over here at 1401 Elm' and even mentions the word 'homicide'. The Dallas County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause of death, though sources told local ABC affiliate WFAA Channel 8 'it appeared Chapman was strangled'. A 2021 rental listing for a one-bedroom apartment on the 43rd floor had a price of $3,150 per month Chapman, who worked in digital marketing, moved there five months ago from San Francisco, where Patrick also previously lived Chapman was living with Patrick in a 1,157sq ft one-bedroom apartment at the upscale hotel and residence tower The National. A 2021 rental listing for a one-bedroom apartment on the 43rd floor had a price of $3,150 per month. Chapman, who worked in digital marketing, moved there five months ago from San Francisco, where Patrick also previously lived. Photos obtained by DailyMail.com from a listing for her 34th-floor apartment show panoramic city views and sheik mid-century modern furnishings. Chapman's family said their relationship was 'rocky' and 'toxic', and had been on-and-off for six years. They were surprised to learn this summer that the couple had eloped without their knowledge. Mobiles are to be banned from classrooms, the Education Secretary will announce on Monday. Gillian Keegan will order schools to outlaw smartphones during lessons, and also in breaks, in a bid to end disruption and make it easier for pupils to focus. A government source said new guidance would be issued to schools across England requiring them to take action. 'Gillian believes that mobile phones pose a serious challenge in terms of distraction, disruptive behaviour, and bullying,' the insider said. 'It is one of the biggest issues that children and teachers have to grapple with so she will set out a way forward to empower teachers to ban mobiles from classrooms.' Some schools already ban the use of mobiles, with pupils required to hand in their phones each morning or face the punishment of a detention if they are caught using them. But many others still permit their use, particularly during breaks, despite growing evidence of the damage they cause. Gillian Keegan will order schools to outlaw smartphones during lessons, and also in breaks, in a bid to end disruption and make it easier for pupils to focus Mobiles are to be banned from classrooms, the Education Secretary will announce on Monday (Stock image) The announcement will be made on Monday at the Conservative Party's annual conference in Manchester, where: Jeremy Hunt will pledge to 'make work pay' by boosting the national living wage to 11 an hour and cutting benefits for those who refuse to look for employment; Liz Truss will pile pressure on Rishi Sunak to cut taxes and lift the ban on fracking in order to kickstart economic growth; The Prime Minister was boosted by a poll showing Labour's lead down to 10 points for the first time since he entered No 10; Tory infighting erupted over Suella Braverman's views on multiculturalism, with her predecessor Priti Patel branding her an attention seeker. Monday's announcement of a ban on the use of mobiles in the classroom follows years of debate about their impact. How the ban is enforced will be down to individual state schools. Many parents are content for their children to carry a phone so that they can make emergency contact while travelling to and from school. But the presence of smartphones in the classroom and constant notifications from apps has been blamed for causing disruption, as well as fuelling cyber-bullying and thefts. In June, Finland became the latest country to ban phones in class in a bid to reverse a decline in exam results. The following month, a major United Nations report recommended smartphones should be banned to improve learning and tackle classroom disruption and cyberbullying. Unesco, the UN's education, science and culture agency, pointed to evidence that excessive mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance. It said countries should ensure they have clear objectives and principles to ensure digital technology in education avoids harm both to pupils and wider democracy. Unesco's director general, Audrey Azoulay, said that 'attention must be paid' to the way the 'digital revolution' is used in education. Many parents are content for their children to carry a phone so that they can make emergency contact while travelling to and from school (Stock image) But the presence of smartphones in the classroom and constant notifications from apps has been blamed for causing disruption, as well as fuelling cyber-bullying and thefts (Stock image) She said at the time: 'Its use must be for enhanced learning experiences and for the wellbeing of students and teachers, not to their detriment.' Studies have found links between phones and poor mental health among children including anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. There are also growing concerns that pupils are using mobiles to bully each other on social media and for sexual harassment. Ministers have previously tried to ban mobile phones in state schools. Two years ago, then-education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson vowed to make the school day 'mobile-free', and won support from Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner for England. But the proposed ban was ditched by his successor, Nadhim Zahawi, early last year. The Department for Education said instead that revised guidance would make clear that 'heads are best placed' to make decisions on mobiles. A man is in a serious condition after being set alight at an iconic annual event that attracts thousands of revellers to the small, rural NSW town of Deniliquin, near the Victorian border. Police are calling for information from the public after emergency services were called to a campsite area at the 'Deni Ute Muster' following reports a man had caught fire. A 22-year-old man was found with significant facial burns after he was reportedly set on fire by another man who was trying to ignite an aerosol nearby. He was treated paramedics before being airlifted to Alfred Hospital in Victoria where he remains in a serious condition. Police have released images of a man they want to question who is described as in his early 20s, of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm tall with brown hair cut in a mullet Police have released images of a man they want to question who is described as in his early 20s, of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm tall with brown hair cut in a mullet. He was wearing a green shirt, blue shorts with a yellow stripe, a red and black cap and no shoes. The Deni Ute Muster has become one of the top 'bucket list' events in Australia, attracting 20,000 people to celebrate rural life and the iconic 'ute' on the long weekend. Artists performing at this year's event included: Jessica Mauboy, John Williamson, Lee Kernaghen, Missy Higgins and The Whitlams. A former flight attendant who worked for Emirates for a decade has lifted the lid on where the extra toilet paper is secretly stashed on a plane. Veronica Pereyra, a digital nomad currently based in Colombia, is known as @amindfulnomad on TikTok, where she shares tips on traveling and working remotely. She went viral after sharing a video of herself grabbing an extra roll of toilet paper in the bathroom on a flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 'Me changing the roll on the plane toilet because I used to be a flight attendant and know where to find them,' she wrote in the on-screen text. Veronica Pereyra is a flight attendant-turned-digital nomad who is currently based in Colombia. She worked for Emirates for a decade and shares traveling tips on TikTok Pereyra went viral after sharing a video of herself popping open the mirrored vanity in the plane's bathroom to grab toilet paper on her flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates The footage showed her popping open the mirrored vanity above the sink by pressing a hidden button underneath. She panned the camera to show the stacks of toilet paper, paper cups, hand towels, and tissues inside the cabinet. Pereyra encouraged others to dig into the stash whenever they notice the bathroom is running low on paper products. 'Help your cabin crew, now you know,' she wrote in the caption. Speaking with Newsweek about the viral video, she explained that 'every toilet and aircraft are different,' so the products may be stored somewhere else if there isn't a mirrored cabinet. Pereyra noted that Emirates does not encourage passengers to access the hidden storage compartments in the plane bathrooms because the company prides itself in its hospitality. However, she added that it's always good to know where the extra supplies are kept in case you 'find yourself in there with no toilet paper.' Pereyra's video has been viewed 4.8 million times and has received nearly 300 comments since it was posted last month. The former flight attendant panned the camera to show the stacks of toilet paper, paper cups, hand towels and tissues inside the cabinet Pereyra encouraged others to dig into the stash whenever they notice the bathroom is running low on paper products. 'Help your cabin crew, now you know,' she wrote in the caption Pereyra's video has been viewed 4.8 million times, and many people thanked her for sharing the airline's secret Many people were blown away by the hidden compartment and thanked her for sharing the airline's secret. 'Thank you,' one fan wrote. 'I was always afraid of being out of toilet paper on a plane.' 'Thank youuu!' someone else gushed. 'I saw someone else post where Target self-checkout keeps extra bags. A week later I had to pull some out.' 'I'm too scared to press or open anything on a plane. I'm paranoid it's gonna open or alert someone,' another admitted. 'Yes! We gotta help workers. It's a small gesture but it alleviates their workload (& makes our life easier too,' Pereyra replied. However, one TikTok user noted that helping the flight crew by helping yourself to toilet paper could backfire. 'Did this and broke the glass I lost 7,000 dollars,' the person claimed. 'Wait, how did you break the glass? I need the tea,' Pereyra asked, but the stranger never responded. Kylie Minogue has topped the charts in the UK and Australia with her new album Tension, marking an incredible comeback for the veteran pop diva. The Can't Get You Out of My Head hitmaker, who celebrated her 55th birthday this year, has reenergised her existing fanbase while reaching a whole new generation of listeners thanks to social media. And now the determined pop diva has vowed to keep the momentum going with even more new music, a Las Vegas residency, and a possible world tour. The unexpected Kylie revival kicked off this year when her single Padam Padam became a surprise viral sensation, taking over TikTok and spawning hilarious memes online. The song's organic popularity pushed it up the global pop charts, making it Minogue's biggest hit in over a decade despite facing an uphill battle at radio. Kylie Minogue has topped the charts in the UK and Australia with her new album Tension, marking an incredible comeback for the veteran pop diva The album has been such a smashing success so far that it outsold the entire top 20 combined on the UK charts, where it became her ninth No. 1 album Despite major radio stations being called out for ageism and sexism for refusing to play Padam Padam, fans were able to get the track into the UK top 10 through streaming and downloads. 'Of course, it's a great moment for me but it's a great moment for other artists, women particularly, who have this kind of prejudice or bias against them,' Kylie told People magazine last week. 'So, like I say, I didn't set out to do this. I've also been the youngest kid where I had to fight to be heard or just occupy my space. The negative then was, "Well, youre 18. what do you know?" So, through all the decades of my career, there's been something, and here we are,' she continued. 'I'm really proud to be representing this moment, and guess what? The earth didn't cave in, and everyone's having a great time. This is the age I am. What can I do?' She added, 'This is the age I am. What can I do?' The hitmaker, who celebrated her 55th birthday this year, has reenergised her existing fanbase while reaching a whole new generation of listeners thanks to social media The unexpected Kylie revival kicked off this year when her single Padam Padam became a surprise viral sensation and topped charts across the globe Writing about Padam Padam's unexpected success, George Griffiths at the Official Charts said: 'It's a confident, left-of-centre turn, and people have been responding to it because of how confident it sounds, and how much it feels like a Kylie single. 'No-one else could have probably pulled this song off,' he added. Kylie addressed her chart comeback on social media at the time, thanking fans for their support. 'I cant thank you enough. My heart is bursting with joy so thank you so so much,' she gushed. 'What an incredible, another wild turn in my life and my career. Thank you so much for all of your love and support, everyone who has got onto Padam Padam and made this possible for me. I love you, thank you so so much.' Despite the song's success, Kylie's producer Pete Rycroft blasted a number of UK radio stations for not supporting the song enough. 'It was everywhere, everyone was talking about it, and it was at least top two in the charts, but Radio 1 and Capital were refusing to play it, essentially because shes an older woman,' he told The Independent. 'No-one else could have probably pulled this song off': Kylie earned praise from music critics for Padam Padam, despite some radio stations refusing to play the song due to her age 'Of course, it's a great moment for me but it's a great moment for other artists, women particularly, who have this kind of prejudice or bias against them,' Kylie said Kylie's midlife career resurgence has led to a Las Vegas residency, which resulted in a near-instant sell out. The first run of 10 shows sold-out in a matter of hours, while a second batch of 10 dates were gone in half an hour. There's now speculation that Kylie will either extend the residency once again, or hit the road for a full tour. She's also rumoured to return to Australia soon for the ARIA Awards, where she's been nominated for four gongs. The pop princess is up for Best Independent Release, Best Pop Release, Best Solo Artist, and Song of the Year. Kylie's midlife career resurgence has led to a Las Vegas residency, which sold-out 20 dates in thirty minutes Outside of music, Kylie has been raking in millions with her branded alcohol line, Kylie Wines. Since its launch in 2020, Kylie Wines has sold a staggering nine million bottles, making it one of the biggest celebrity booze brands in the world. The brand's Prosecco Rose is the number-one-selling branded prosecco rose in the UK after less than a year on the market. According to Now to Love, Kylie Wines is believed to have earned the songstress over $13million so far. 'I'm not stomping the grapes. I just think it's about having the team and right understanding it's about tasting for me,' she previously told the Daily Telegraph. 'I'm in it for the long haul. I'm invested in it,' she added. There seems to be an appetite for all things Kylie Minogue right now, with the Fever hitmaker recently relaunching her 2006 perfume, Darling, due to popular demand. The relaunch was so successful that the fragrance has already spawned a flanker called Disco Darling, named after her 2020 album Disco. Outside of music, Kylie has been raking in millions with her branded alcohol line, Kylie Wines Kylie released her 17th studio album Tension on September 22. The album has been such a smashing success so far that it outsold the entire top 20 combined on the UK charts, where it became her ninth No. 1 album. She was easily able to fend off competition from younger pop rivals, including Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo. In the UK, Kylie is the only female artist to score No. 1 albums across five different decades; the 1980s, 90s, 00s, 2010s and 20s. Tension has also received rave reviews from fans and music critics alike, making it one of the most acclaimed records of her long career. There's an appetite for all things Kylie Minogue right now, with the Fever hitmaker recently relaunching her 2006 perfume, Darling, due to popular demand Not one to rest on her laurels, Kylie is already keen to return to the studio to capitalise on her current momentum. Speaking with Hits Radio, the songstress was in the middle of a Q&A with fans when she made the confession. 'Just tell me - how many good songs can one artist have?' one Minogue admirer asked. 'I mean you're really making me have a good day, thank you,' Kylie answered, unable to wipe the smile off her face. In the UK, Kylie is the only female artist to score No. 1 albums across five different decades; the 1980s, 90s, 00s, 2010s and 20s She continued: 'How many good songs can one artist have? I don't know, because I already want to get back in the studio and write more. 'I feel like we're on a roll so I would like to - although it's been a long time, my career has been going a long time, right now it feels like it's kind of the start of something. 'Which is hugely exciting. So, the answer is, how many songs? More.' In an interview with Vogue magazine, Kylie admitted that she has no plans on slowing down any time soon. 'Now I feel like it's the mid-part, or maybe just past mid-part of my career,' she said. 'And it feels like a good time where I've got the energy and health and verve and excitement, and the audience to do it.' Strictly star Zara McDermott has revealed that her gruelling rehearsals mean that she is struggling to spend enough quality time with her boyfriend. The former Love Island contestant, who has been paired with Italian hunk Graziano Di Prima, confessed that their 11-hour per day sessions mean radio DJ partner Sam Thompson is at work when she gets home. Ms McDermott, 26, who insists that she will not be a victim of the show's Strictly curse, even says that she has to practice her steps with one of her cats Albus or Cedric because he is not around. She said: 'We did 11 hours last week, 8-7pm and we really didn't stop. 'Sam does his radio show every evening so when I come home from training, he's at work so I rehearse on my own or use one of the cats. Hard: Strictly's Zara McDermott, 26, has admitted she is struggling to spend time with her boyfriend Sam Thompson amid intense rehearsal schedule Clashing schedules: The former Love Island contestant confessed that their 11-hour per day sessions mean radio DJ partner Sam is at work when she gets home 'But he has been amazing... we talk all the time on the phone, especially because I'm at rehearsals a lot. 'He is always at the end of the phone if I need to chat and he's super supportive. He's very positive.' Ms McDermott has repeatedly batted off questions about whether she will be affected by the Strictly curse despite her cheating on Mr Thompson with music boss Brahim Fouradi in 2019 while she was appearing on X Factor: Celebrity. Meanwhile, she has admitted she is unlikely to have been approached to star on Strictly if she had only appeared on Love Island in 2018. The reality star, who is the first ever contestant from the ITV2 dating show to be asked to take part in the BBC One dance extravaganza, says it's only because she did serious documentaries afterwards that bosses decided to have her on. Ms McDermott said: 'I don't think there was necessarily a ban or anything like that on Love Island contestants or reality contestants at all. 'I just think it's who fits right for the show and I don't see myself as just a 'Love Island contestant' that's something that I did when I was 21 but I'm 26 now and for the last four years I have been working so hard to make the documentaries that I make so that's had a lot to do with the reason why I'm on the show now because of the work that I've done in addition to Love Island and not just because of that. Communicating: 'But he has been amazing... we talk all the time on the phone, especially because I'm at rehearsals a lot,' Zara confessed Leaving the past behind: Zara has repeatedly batted off questions about whether she will be affected by the Strictly curse 'I am not in any way shape or form ashamed of my past, I think every single thing that I have done has been a steppingstone to becoming the woman that I am today, and it has given me an amazing platform, so I don't think there's necessarily a stigma around it to be honest.' Since leaving the villa, Ms McDermott went on to front BBC documentaries that explore issues such as rape culture, eating disorders, and revenge porn. One of her shows was Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge, where she delved deeper into the disappearance of teen Gaia Pope. Mr Di Prima, 29, praised her for her work, saying: 'I have seen Zara's documentaries... I am Italian, aside from Strictly and dancing and eating, apart from those things, I don't have time to watch TV to be honest with you. 'But I obviously knew her, and Sam and I started to do my research about her documentaries, and I love that she's worked with so many inspiring people. 'I am the type of guy that I feel emotional every time... I was crying watching a video at someone being extraordinary the other day so imagine me watching her documentaries. 'We have spoken a lot about it, what it feels like to be in front of people that are struggling in life, I am a person that wants to learn a lot, so I have been asking questions about how it works. I have been learning in our lunch breaks.' The pair danced the quickstep on Saturday night's show to George Ezra track Anyone For You after beginning their Strictly series with the cha, cha, cha during last week's first live broadcast. Strictly professional: Zara has been paired with Italian hunk Graziano Di Prima who has praised the star for her documentary work Friends: Zara and Sam have been spending time with Graziano and his wife Giada Lini Zara, who's never danced before, aside from in TikTok videos with boyfriend Sam, says there isn't a routine that doesn't 'intimidate' her, but she does look forward to learning the rumba, which is known for its sensual hip action and seductive storytelling. She said: 'For someone like me that has never danced every single dance is going to put me out of my comfort zone in some way shape or form. 'I am intimidated by all of them in completely different ways to be real with you. I am really excited to something like a rumba because I learned a lot of technique in the cha, cha and it's kind of like a slowed down version of that... 'It's going to be scary learning something brand new every week and learning technique, but I am taking my life day by day, hour by hour and trying not to look too far ahead and focus on the here and now.' Justin Theroux and his new girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom were spotted leaving a restaurant in New York City's West Village on Thursday night. The Mulholland Drive star, 52, and the stunning actress, 29, were joined for dinner by her mother Melanie Bloom and stepfather, David McNulty. Theroux who recently joined Emily Ratajkowski during the 2023 US Open looked stylish in a black button-up shirt as he spent time with his girlfriend's family. The ex-husband of Jennifer Aniston completed his outfit with a pair of skinny dark gray jeans and light brown boots. Meanwhile, Bloom was the epitome of chic as she layered a gray tweed coat over a fitted black turtleneck sweater. Going strong: Justin Theroux and his new girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom were spotted leaving a restaurant in New York City 's West Village on Thursday night Family affair: The Mulholland Drive star, 52, and the stunning actress, 29, were joined for dinner by her mother Melanie Bloom and stepfather, David McNulty Like her A-list boyfriend, Bloom opted for a pair of skinny jeans with holes in the knees and a pair of trendy black leather boots. Theroux and Bloom were first romantically linked last month after hitting the picket line in NYC in support of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Soon after, the pair were potted packing on the PDA after dinner in the Big Apple. The actress has appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Affair, as well as starring roles in the 2019 movies 1BR and Here on Out. Neither Bloom nor Theroux have commented publicly on their budding romance. Although Bloom's dating history is unclear, Theroux's history of long-term relationships prove he's not afraid of commitment. The raven-haired hunk dated stylist Heidi Bivens from 1997 to 2011 before falling in love with Aniston on the set of their film Wanderlust in 2012. They got engaged that same year and tied the knot in 2015. But their marriage was short lived as they separated in 2017 after just two years of being wed. The divorce was finalized in 2019. Former flame: Theroux was famously married to Jennifer Aniston from 2015 to 2017; seen in 2012 Friendly exes: They have remained on amicable terms since the formal end of their marriage, which took place in 2019; they are seen in 2012 He spoke about the end of his relationship with Aniston during an interview with Esquire, where he affirmed that he was still close to his former spouse. 'Like it or not, we didn't have that dramatic split, and we love each other,' he said. The Inland Empire cast member then stated that he wanted to remain in contact with the Friends star well into the future. 'I'm sincere when I say that I cherish our friendship. We can not be together and still bring each other joy,' he said. Naomi Campbell lit up the runway with a sizzling look at the Alexander McQueen show during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday. The supermodel, 50, made sure all eyes were on her as showed off her age-defying looks in a knockout piece from the collection. The star-studded front row - which included the likes of Cate Blanchett, Letitia Wright and Elle Fanning were hooked as Naomi put on a stunning display strutting her stuff. The mother-of-two looked incredible in a strapless metallic top that featured a plunging neckline. The bottom half of it stuck out like a mermaid's tail, which really captivated the whole look. Turning up the heat: Naomi Campbell, 50, lit up the runway with a sizzling look at the Alexander McQueen show during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday Sensational: The mother-of-two looked incredible in a strapless metallic top that featured a plunging neckline and a daring string skirt which showcased her toned legs A string skirt made up the lower half of the ensemble, flashing her toned pins, while she gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed silver heels. Her makeup was flawless, highlighting her high cheekbones and impeccable jawline, whilst her raven hair hung loose behind her back. After the show, the fashion icon enjoyed a dinner at The Costes Hotel and made her way through a large crowd of onlookers and fans. She stunned in a bright patterned top and accessorised with a bold black collar hat really made her stand out from the crowd. She scraped her hair back behind her ears from a side parting and accentuated her stunning cheekbones with some blusher, while opting for a smokey eye. The outing comes as a clip of the supermodel appearing on the Graham Norton show in 2014 has picked up traction again and gone viral. Naomi owned her true self and personality during an interview from series 14 on the famous BBC show. Whilst sat on the red couch alongside Ant and Dec, Jamie Dornan and Aaron Paul, she told host Graham that if he was intimidated by her, than that was all on him and nothing to do with her or her reputation of being a diva. Beauty: Her flawless makeup highlighted her high cheekbones and impeccable jawline, whilst her raven hair hung loose behind her back Beauty: Her flawless makeup highlighted her high cheekbones and impeccable jawline, whilst her raven hair hung loose behind her back Glam: After the show, the fashion icon enjoyed a dinner at The Costes Hotel and made her way through a large crowd of onlookers and fans Stunner: Naomi's bright patterned top and bold black collar really made her stand out as she weaved her way through the crowds Viral: After a clip from The Graham Norton Show from nine years ago started to build traction again, fans flocked to social media to praise Naomi for owning her true self Graham said: When I meet you youre very friendly and nice, but at the same time, there is a kind of intimidating thing Quick to hit back, Naomi pointed out: But thats on you. Thats not on me. Witty Graham joked: Well its coming from you, though, leaving the audience in fits of laughter. Naomi stood her ground and said: Thats coming from you. You feel. Im just a girl from South London.. To which Graham quipped back: Maybe thats it. Fans flocked to the comment section to praise Naomis response and sassy comeback. One wrote: Thats the answer every single time.. your perception of me is your problem, not mine. A second said: FEELING intimidated vs someone actually BEING intimidating are completely separate and I love how Naomi set that straight. Followed by a heart emoji. Whilst a third penned: Straight up.. shes fierce! Your irrational fear is a YOU problem..love her. Many also described her as a queen, true icon and an empress. A friend of hers informed DailyMail.com: 'Shannon plans to enter rehab after her DUI arrest was a huge "wake-up call" for her' Shannon Beador surfaced in Los Angeles on Saturday, nearly two weeks after she drunkenly crashed her car into a home and was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run. The 59-year-old, who achieved notoriety on The Real Housewives Of Orange County, appeared downcast while walking her dog down the sidewalk. Letting her blonde locks tumble freely over her shoulders, she obscured her eyes behind a massive pair of dark sunglasses. At one point, the embattled reality star could be spotted speaking into her cellphone while wearing a morose expression. She cut a casual figure this Saturday, bundling up against the dropping autumn temperatures in a USC hoodie and a pair of leggings. Sighted: Shannon Beador surfaced in Los Angeles on Saturday, nearly two weeks after she drunkenly crashed her car into a home and was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run On the move: The 59-year-old, who achieved notoriety on The Real Housewives Of Orange County, appeared downcast while walking her dog down the sidewalk Chitchat: At one point, the embattled reality star could be spotted speaking into her cellphone while wearing a morose expression Her latest sighting comes two days after she announced that she will pay for the damage she caused after her DUI arrest on September 17. The incident occurred after The Real Housewives of Orange County cast member was seen at a Newport Beach, California establishment called A Restaurant. She had visited her ex John Janssen - they split in January - before the drunken incident, and was subsequently seen with him the Tuesday after her arrest. 'We are friends, I care about her,' John told DailyMail.com last week, adding that he had 'no comment' in regards to further inquiries about their relationship. Beador's attorney Michael Fell has touched base with the owner of the Newport Beach property the reality star damaged while drinking and driving, insiders told TMZ Thursday. Beador is looking to 'help make things right' in compensating the property owner for the damage caused, the source said, and has said she will pay for any necessary repairs stemming from the incident. She is also looking at different options to receive treatment, but has not yet committed to a course of action, the source told the outlet. While the situation remains 'very fresh to her,' the source told the outlet, Beador is focused on receiving professional help in the wake of the dangerous incident. The look: She cut a casual figure this Saturday, bundling up against the dropping autumn temperatures in a USC hoodie and a pair of leggings Assurances: Her latest sighting comes two days after she announced that she will pay for the damage she caused after her DUI arrest on September 17 Claims: Shortly thereafter, a friend of hers informed DailyMail.com: 'Shannon plans to enter rehab after her DUI arrest was a huge "wake-up call" for her' Allegations: The insider added: 'Shannon has spent the past several years running from her problems and she does not realize who she has turned into' According to TMZ, Beador was arrested September 17 in the luxe Orange County city, as authorities said she hit a house, parked in the middle of a street and pretended she was walking her dog. Beador's vehicle was seized by authorities, and she was was subsequently released without bond. The Newport Beach Police Department told People that Beador had been 'arrested at 1:17 a.m. on September 17 after fleeing the scene from a collision that caused property damage;' and she was 'booked for two misdemeanors - hit-and-run and DUI alcohol,' and 'released on a citation.' Shortly thereafter, a friend of hers informed DailyMail.com: 'Shannon plans to enter rehab after her DUI arrest was a huge "wake-up call" for her.' The insider added: 'Shannon has spent the past several years running from her problems and she does not realize who she has turned into. Her cast mates and her friends have told her that she needs to get help, and this was before the DUI.' Fell meanwhile told DailyMail.com last week: 'Shannon is extremely apologetic and remorseful. We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available, and Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.' While the situation remains 'very fresh to her,' the source told the outlet, Beador is focused on receiving professional help in the wake of the dangerous incident. Pictured on the Bravo series The incident occurred Saturday after The Real Housewives of Orange County cast member was seen at a Newport Beach, California establishment called A Restaurant. Pictured on the Bravo series last month Beador had been 'arrested at 1:17 a.m. on September 17 after fleeing the scene from a collision that caused property damage,' police said. Pictured in LA in October Bravo personality Jeff Lewis, who is a friend of Beador's, said that Beador 'was injured' and is 'going to be recovering' in the aftermath of the incident. 'Shannon and I have been friends for a very long time,' Lewis said on his SiriusXM show. 'I was shocked - she called me yesterday and we talked for awhile - and I was shocked because I've never known Shannon to ever, ever drink and drive. 'I will tell you she's accepting full accountability. She is ashamed, she's embarrassed. I personally, as her friend - cause people are like, "Oh she needs rehab," "Oh she's an alcoholic" - I don't think Shannon is an alcoholic.' He added: 'I think she's been going thorough a lot of personal struggles right now, and I think she has been leaning on alcohol - but I don't think she's an alcoholic.' Lewis said that Beador is 'going to be entering counseling this week' following the accident and arrest. The Real Housewives of Orange County can be seen on Bravo every Wednesday at 8/7c. Actor Craig McLachlan, 58, has revealed starring on the upcoming SAS Australia helped him overcome his 'extreme social anxiety'. The star revealed he had trouble 'trusting people' while speaking on The Sunday Telegraph, saying he had 'sustained trauma' after a series of assault charges saw him found not guilty. 'For me, having experienced sustained trauma over a period of too many years, being with these wonderful people rekindled something deep inside me,' McLachlan said of starring on the show. He went on to say how challenging it was to put his trust in people again, following the ordeal of a high-profile trial. 'I was going into this extreme situation, living with and needing to absolutely put my trust in people I've never met,' he said. Actor Craig McLachlan, 58, (pictured) has revealed he was forced to overcome his 'extreme social anxiety' after 'trauma' of assault charges ahead of starring on SAS Australia. (Pictured in a trailer for SAS Australia) 'I was quietly freaking out. But the SAS gods were smiling upon me because as I quickly discovered my fellow recruits were kind, encouraging, generous, funny and completely non-judgmental.' McLachlan, was charged with assault and indecent assault over complaints from female co-stars in a stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Melbourne in 2014, during which he played the role of Frank-N-Furter. McLachlan was later handed a $500,000 payout in April of this year, after he was acquitted of his assault charges. 'For me, having experienced sustained trauma over a period of too many years, being with these wonderful people rekindled something deep inside me,' McLachlan said of starring on the show. (Pictured in May 2022 outside NSW Supreme Court amid his defamation trial against Fairfax Media, the ABC and Christie Whelan Browne over claims of misconduct during the Rocky Horror Show) He strongly denied the allegations against him. Magistrate Belinda Wallington found him not guilty of 13 charges following a four-week contested hearing in the Victorian Melbourne Magistrates Court in December 2020. In her 105-page judgement, the magistrate said she found the incidents to have happened - but that McLachlan believed he had consent. SAS Australia airs later this month on Channel Seven She said it was his 'egotistical self entitled sense of humour' that led him to believe others would either not mind or find his behaviour funny, and ordered Victoria Police to cover his legal fees. McLachlan was represented by top criminal lawyer Stuart Littlemore, KC and his legal fees were estimated to hit at least $1million, the Daily Telegraph reported. The amount he was seeking is not known, nor is the amount police offered to cough up, but the three-time Logie winner launched a case in the Supreme Court in June last year because police failed to pay. In January, the Supreme Court heard the parties had failed to reach an agreement during mediation last year. Craig has appeared in promos for the upcoming season of SAS Australia - a reality show that puts celebrities and athletes through a series of physical and psychological tests from the real SAS selection process The actor's lawyer told the court his client was prepared to continue with mediation, but police said its position would not change. He was tried under old consent laws because the alleged crimes occurred before they were changed. Victorian laws were updated in 2015 to make a defendant guilty of sexual or indecent assault if their incorrect belief they had consent was 'unreasonable'. Magistrate Wallington said in her judgement: 'I can not dismiss the reasonable possibility that in his egocentric state of mind, amongst some amount of adulation from sections of the cast and management, in combination with a lack of checks and balances on his lewd behaviour, that he was not aware of [the complainant's] lack of consent.' McLachlan was charged with assault and indecent assault over complaints from female co-stars in a 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. (Pictured in the Rocky Horror Picture Show in April 2015) Of another charge she said: 'I am unable to exclude the possibility that an egotistical, self-entitled sense of humour led the accused to genuinely think that [the complainant] was consenting to his actions.' Magistrate Wallington on several occasions said she found the complainants to be 'credible' and that she 'accepted [their] evidence in full'. She also pointed out that her judgement would likely be different had the case been tried under the post-2015 laws. Referring to a claim that McLachlan 'vampire kissed' a co-star on the neck on stage without consent, she said: 'An objective view of his conduct would give rise to a strong inference that he did not reasonably believe that [the complainant] was consenting. 'It seems counterintuitive to find an accused not criminally liable for such sexual harassment and, as I said, this is no longer the law.' McLachlan is pictured outside court in May 2022. He was later paid out $500,000 following the trauma of the very public trial. Pictured Magistrate Wallington criticised the old law for 'rewarding the sex offender for their self-absorption' and 'deluded honesty'. Christie Whelan Browne, one of the four women who accused him of indecent assault, alleged she 'felt a finger trace about 2cm down her labia' during a scene when she was partially hidden by a sheet. The sex scene involved McLachlan's character Dr Frank-N-Furter disappearing under a bedsheet to simulate sex acts on Janet, whose bottom half was also under the sheet. 'One night when he was down in the bed he traced the outline of my vagina with his finger and I slapped his hand away,' Whelan told the 7.30 report in 2018. 'The scene stopped when he went down and the rest was up to me to perform. That wasn't a character choice, that was him just being completely inappropriate.' Magistrate Wallington said it couldn't be proven beyond reasonable doubt that McLachlan believed he had consent until his hand was slapped away. McLachlan sued Whelan for defamation, along with several media outlets, after his acquittal, but dropped the $3 million lawsuit last year. He later dropped the defamation suit on the day the first of 11 women were due to give evidence, citing the toll it had taken on his mental health and family as the reason. Whelan said she was so terrified by rape and death threats after she went public that she moved house and slept with a knife under her bed. During the case, McLachlan endured months of scrutiny which saw him and his partner Vanessa Scammell forced to make their way through media packs outside of a Melbourne court. The Bachelor's Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich have announced they are expecting a baby girl. The couple, who recently revealed Anna, 36, is pregnant with their second child, hosted a gender reveal party on Sunday in the backyard of the $6 million mansion in Sydney's Dover Heights. The couple and their eldest daughter Elle, two, joined with their extended family for the celebration, including Anna's sister Andrea. Sharing a video of themselves popping a pink confetti gun, the overjoyed couple wrote: 'I think Elle is psychic...turns out she was right again and is getting a sister.' 'Another birthday present for dad as we tick off 41 years today. All feeling very grateful,' they finished. Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich have revealed they will welcome a baby girl, sharing an adorable clip with a confetti gun on Sunday. Pictured The couple were inundated with well wishes from their celebrity friends. 'King of the girl dads,' model, Natalie Roser, wrote. 'Wahoo!!! Happy birthday Timbo and congratulations on the gorgeous family on another princess! Surrounded by beautiful girls. Lucky man!' Laura Csortan wrote. Former The Block star Elle Ferguson added: 'Yaaaaay!' Tim and Anna announced they were expecting their second child last month, with an adorable clip of Elle announcing the family news. Sharing a video of themselves popping a pink confetti gun, the overjoyed couple wrote: 'I think Elle is psychic...turns out she was right again and is getting a sister' 'Another birthday present for dad as we tick off 41 years today. All feeling very grateful,' they finished. Noting it was also Tim's birthday. Here in their backyard Tim and daughter Elle were also seen blowing candles out on a gender reveal cake. Pictured 'My mummy going to get baby soon,' Elle said, with a balloon stuffed down her top. Tim and Anna who married in Italy in 2018, also confirmed their joyous news in the caption. 'Turns out Elle was right. Bringing another little rascal into the world 2024,' the pair wrote. Just days before the announcement, Tim was on the Sydney social scene with him appearing at Patron El Cielo. Chiropractor Tim fell in love with lawyer Anna on the first season of the Bachelor a decade ago. Tim and Anna announced they are expecting a second child last month, sharing a cute clip of daughter Elle talking about her mummy being pregnant. All pictured The duo shared an adorable clip to Instagram of daughter, Elle, two, (pictured) announcing her mother is pregnant They are one of just a few couples to have found long-lasting romance in the franchise. In November last year the genetically-blessed pair snapped up a newly-renovated mansion in Sydney's Dover Heights. The stunning property had been listed with a $6million price guide, according to The Daily Telegraph. Just days before the announcement, Tim (right) was on the Sydney social scene with him appearing at Patron El Cielo. Here with another guest The couple were inundated with comments from well-wishers after announcing the second pregnancy last month Tim and Anna are understood to have paid a figure close to the price guide. The gorgeous five-bedroom, three-bathroom sprawl features a pool, a state-of-the-art kitchen and Coco Republic lighting fixtures. Other highlights include a spacious living and dining area that opens to a private alfresco complete with a built-in barbecue, timber deck and a stunning in-ground pool. Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted running errands in Manhattan's West Village on Saturday afternoon. The 58-year-old actress showcased her eclectic sense of style as she strolled through the city's streets. The Sex And The City star who was recently described as 'greedy' by fans for using her own wallpaper in an episode of And Just Like That... opted for a loose-fitting gray long-sleeve t-shirt as she stepped out. Parker also wore a pair of light green pants and beige high-heeled shoes as she stepped out. The Primetime Emmy Award-winning performer carried two black tote bags packed to the brim with items as well as a green crossbody purse. Out and about: Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted running errands in Manhattan's West Village on Saturday afternoon Her beautiful blonde hair was tied into a loose ponytail and she appeared makeup-free behind her large sunglasses. She tuned out the city noise by wearing a pair of large headphones during her solo outing. Parker's husband, Matthew Broderick, was also pictured taking care of business in the West Village on Saturday afternoon. The 61-year-old actor cut a very casual figure in a light gray hoodie, green shorts and walking shoes. The actress' outing took place just a month after it was revealed that And Just Like That... had been renewed for a third season. The comedy-drama program follows the later life of Carrie Bradshaw, whom Parker portrayed in the original HBO show. The first season of And Just Like That... debuted in December of 2021, and ran until the following February. Although the show was originally billed as a miniseries, its second season eventually premiered this past June. And Just Like That..., which has received mixed reviews ever since its debut, was renewed for a third season this past August. Style: The 58-year-old actress showcased her eclectic sense of style as she strolled through the city's streets Juggling act: The Primetime Emmy Award-winning performer carried two black tote bags packed to the brim with items as well as a green crossbody purse Hubby: Parker's husband, Matthew Broderick, was also pictured stepping out in the West Village on Saturday afternoon Parker spoke about working on the program during an interview with Variety, where she discussed returning to the role of Carrie Bradshaw after so many years away from the character. 'It felt exciting. It was really scary. There were a lot of new faces, which added a huge amount of energy,' she said. The actress also expressed that she was excited to have been able to collaborate with returning and new cast members while working on the show. 'It was...inspiring being around the new actors and meeting people that I had never met and work with people again I hadn't seen in a long time,' she said. Amal Clooney looked effortlessly elegant on Saturday as she spent the afternoon with her mother in New York City. The civil rights attorney, 45, was seen leaving the swanky five-star Mark Hotel in a chic white turtleneck top styled with flared pants and a fitted black blazer. The wife of longtime Hollywood leading man George Clooney completed the stylish look with a pair of black boots and a black bag that she wore over her right shoulder. The Beirut, Lebanon native styled her dark brown tresses in voluminous curls and shielded her eyes with designer sunglasses. Walking side-by-side, her mother, Baria Alamuddin, 75, stunned in two-tone purple pants, with touches of yellow and gold, and a purple blouse. Family time: Amal Clooney looked effortlessly elegant on Saturday as she spent the afternoon with her mother in New York City By the time the walked past the exit doors of the luxury hotel, which is near Central Park, the mother-daughter duo were greeted by adoring fans taking photos. At this point Clooney (born Amal Alamuddin) took the lead, flash a wave and smile at all the people gathered outside the hotel, and then made her way into an awaiting car. Alamuddin is an award-winning international journalist and broadcaster, who has interviewed hundreds of Western, Arab and global politicians, diplomats, cultural figures and other luminaries. During her career she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the 2018 Commonwealth Businesswomen Awards; and the 2018 Arab Women Of The Year Award for achievement In media through Regent's University, London, according to the Milken Institute. The high-profile heads of state she interviewed included Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, King of Jordan, Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro, among many others. In fact, the Tripoli, Lebanon native was the last person to interview Prime Minister Indira Gandhi before her death in October 1984. Amal and her mother had arrived in NYC earlier this week to attend the Clooney Foundation's second annual Albie Awards that were held Thursday night at the New York Public Library. The Clooneys founded the organization in 2016 in order to help protect human right and to make sure no one is above the law. The foundation also provides recourse to victims of human rights abuses, according to the official website. Chic: The civil rights attorney , 45, was seen leaving the swanky five-star Mark Hotel in a chic white turtleneck top styled with flared pants and a fitted black blazer Colorful: Walking side-by-side, her mother, Baria Alamuddin, 75, stunned in two-tone purple pants, with touches of yellow and gold, and a purple blouse The event was named after Justice Albie Sachs, a lawyer and former judge who was imprisoned for his fight to end apartheid in South Africa. The preview night George and Amal who wed nearly a decade ago and share two children went out to dinner at Scalinatella Italian restaurant with her mother and his parents, Nicholas Clooney, 89, and Nina Bruce Warren, 84. The couple could be seen escorting their parents out of the luxury hotel to an awaiting car to take them to the upscale eatery. During their respective careers, Warren was a beauty queen who ended up serving as a city councilwoman, while Nicholas was a longtime journalist who worked as a news anchorman and TV host. George and Amal are the proud parents of six-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander. And the acclaimed actor opened up about his children and revealed that they have been exposing them to rock music, and they've have taken a liking to it. Amal told Access Hollywood that her handsome husband has 'started playing heavy metal music, actually.' George added, 'The kids are listening to heavy metal. Theyre headbangers. 'Its not fully heavy metal, its just heavy enough that they can bang their heads.' Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky are truly global citizens. And the couple proved as much when they took their brood halfway across the world on separate holidays. Marvel star Chris took the couple's daughter India, 11, to Iceland, while Elsa took her twin boys Tristan and Sasha, nine, on an adventure-filled trip to Tokyo, Japan. Chris showed himself with India on a quad bike as they pair explored the rugged landscape of Iceland with the preteen behind the wheel. The Hollywood megastar offered a thumbs-up as they drove on a gravel track while looking at low, snow-capped mountains. Chris Hemsworth was every inch the doting father as he took daughter India on an Icelandic adventure. Both pictured Chris showed himself with India on a quad bike as they pair explored the rugged landscape of Iceland with the preteen behind the wheel 'Day three in Iceland, started a bikey gang with my daughter. Currently we're only two members and that's how we'll keep it for now,' he wrote. Elsewhere, Chris was seen riding ponies with his daughter along a track as well as trekking on the country's glaciers. Meanwhile, Elsa opted for a city break with her taking the twins for an action-packed break in Tokyo with the trio seen enjoying the sights and sounds. The Hollywood megastar offered a thumbs-up as they drove on a gravel track while looking at low, snow-capped mountains 'Day three in Iceland, started a bikey gang with my daughter. Currently we're only two members and that's how we'll keep it for now,' he wrote Elsa opted for a city break with her taking the twins for an action-packed break in Tokyo. Here at Team Lab The trio were seen at Asakusa Temple as well as Shibuya crossing, which has an estimated 3000 people cross at any one time. 'Holidays in Tokyo,' the star captioned the post. Just days ago, Chris showed daughter India watching one of his movies on a first-class Emirates flight to Iceland. Looking every inch the proud father, the Hollywood star, 40, uploaded a clip of the adorable moment to Instagram with the song Happy To Be Here by WookieFoot. 'I swear it was her choice #familyloyalty,' he captioned the video which saw India snuggling up under a blanket on the flight as she watched the superhero movie. India already has an acting stint under her own belt after she starred alongside her father in Thor: Love and Thunder as the daughter of Gorr (Christian Bale). One of the twins posing in front of a market The boys clearly enjoyed Tokyo's game culture The trio were seen at Asakusa Temple One of the twins was seen practising his samurai skills The family also took in a nature walk in the city Former Bachelorette star Michael Turnbull has announced he is set to welcome his first child with girlfriend, Charlotte Cushing. The star, who appeared in multiple incarnations of the franchise, made the announcement with an adorable polaroid image. 'Baby Turnbull, Due April 2024,' the image read. The polaroid faded to show himself and Charlotte holding a sonogram of their baby, looking overjoyed at the news. Charlotte was previously Ms Galaxy Australia/Australasia 2020-22 and a Miss Hawaiian Tropic in 2017. The Bachelorette star Michael Turnbull (pictured) has announced he is set to welcome his first child with partner Charlotte Cushing (right) on Instagram on Sunday She also held a Miss Supercars title in 2016. The couple's friends and family gushed over the exciting family news. 'Best news EVER,' one friend wrote. 'Wow congratulations guys,' another added. 'Congratulations,' yet another wrote. The polaroid faded to show himself and Charlotte holding a sonogram of their baby, looking overjoyed at the news. Pictured Michael was runner-up on Sam Frost's season of The Bachelorette in 2015 before returning for a stint on Bachelor In Paradise in 2018. The star made waves in January of this year when he called out the behaviour of The Bachelors when it aired on Ten. 'The behaviour of the men is so disrespectful to women... it's not cool,' the 41-year-old shared with his 106,000 Instagram followers. '13 weeks of you' Charlotte wrote under a sonogram of the baby Michael gushed over Charlotte, writing: 'The most beautiful mum to be inside and out' He then took another swipe at the new season, writing on his Instagram Story: 'R.I.P. Romance 10th Jan 2023.' The commentary was in regards to Felix, a professional athlete from Melbourne, packing on the PDA with a number of different girls in a matter of minutes. Michael previously dated Bachelor star Tash Candyce for two years. Michael was runner-up on Sam Frost's season of The Bachelorette in 2015, but has largely left the spotlight since his brush with fame. Pictured Tash and Michael went public with their relationship in September 2018, before getting engaged two months later. They ended their engagement in February 2019, but had reconciled by August. In July 2021, she made headlines when she announced her engagement to Agostino 'Aggi' Guardiani, who appeared on Becky and Elly Miles' season of The Bachelorette. She shared a photo on Instagram of herself with Aggi, 31, along with the caption: 'Just Married!!!!' Tim Minchin was in good spirits on Sunday as he attended an exclusive event in Melbourne announcing his hit Groundhog Day musical is headed Down Under. The comedian, 47, cut a dashing figure in a tailored black blazer and matching pants and T-shirt as he posed for photos at the event. He let his long auburn hair hang freely around his shoulders and sported a rugged beard. At one point, he sat down on a stool in front of a piano and played his instrument of choice, in front of a poster announcing the musical is headed to Melbourne. He then grabbed a microphone and engaged the audience by discussing his experiences creating the hit musical. Tim Minchin, 47, (pictured) was in good spirits on Sunday as he attended an exclusive event in Melbourne announcing his hit Groundhog Day musical is headed Down Under 'I have waited seven years for this moment! Groundhog Day The Musical, like Matilda The Musical, has a unique mixture of darkness and light, of head and heart, and of complexity and joy, and I've been convinced since its first iteration that Australians will love it!' said Minchin. 'I'm so excited that the run is going to be in Melbourne, the city I lived in when I wrote my breakout comedy shows, and the place where when things weren't going so well I learned how important it is to find the beauty and hope in the day to day.' Tim was joined by the show's executive producer Rob Brookman and Victoria's Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos. The comedian cut a dashing figure in a tailored black blazer and matching pants and T-shirt as he posed for photos at the event He let his long auburn hair hang freely around his shoulders and sported a rugged beard At one point, he sat down on a stool in front of a piano and played his instrument of choice, in front of a poster announcing the musical is headed to Melbourne The Groundhog Day musical, based on the hit 1993 Bill Murray movie of the same name, is headed to Melbourne in January. The extravagant production, featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, premiered in London in 2016 and headed to Broadway in New York the following year. This will be the first time the production has ever been performed in Australia. He then grabbed a microphone and engaged the audience by discussing his experiences creating the hit musical Tim was joined by the show's executive producer Rob Brookman (left) and Victoria's Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos (right) This will be the first time the production has ever been performed in Australia In December, Minchin opened up about the surprising formula to creating a hit musical in the wake of his enormous Broadway success with Matilda and Groundhog Day In December, Minchin opened up about the surprising formula to creating a hit musical in the wake of his enormous Broadway success with Matilda and Groundhog Day. The lyricist said in order for a movie to be successfully adapted into a stage musical it must raise a number of thought-provoking ideas. 'I think most musicals are not great. I can't see it. What you want is a story with an amazing conceptual underpinning,' he told The Herald Sun. He said that part of what made his musicals Groundhog Day and Matilda so successful were they were both based on movies exploring philosophical ideas. The lyricist said in order for a movie to be successfully adapted into a stage musical it must raise a number of thought-provoking ideas Kerry Washington shared a video taken during her ongoing promotional tour for her memoir, Thicker Than Water, to Instagram account on Saturday. In the clip, the 46-year-old actress was accompanied by Tyler Perry as they stepped into a backstage area after finishing up a public appearance. The actress who recently opened up about her past celebrity crush looked gorgeous in a light brown leather dress as she celebrated the end of another successful round of promotion. Washington also donned a fashionable pair of high-heeled shoes while she posed for the camera. The Primetime Emmy Award-winning performer's gorgeous brunette hair fell onto her shoulders and paired well with the lighter tone of her clothing. Letting everyone see: Kerry Washington shared a video taken during her ongoing promotional tour for her memoir, Thicker Than Water, on her Instagram account on Saturday Perry, 54, opted for a white shirt worn underneath an olive green button-up shirt as he spent time with the actress. The producer, who moderated Washington's promotional appearance, completed his look with slim-fitting pants and light brown shoes. Thicker Than Water was released to the public earlier this week, and the actress enthusiastically promoted her book on Instagram prior to its release. The performer's memoir deals with numerous topics, including her dealing with the discovery that her father, Earl Washington, was not her biological parent. The Django Unchained actress also opened up about having an abortion performed during her early 20s, her history with activism and her management of a past eating disorder, among other issues. Washington spoke about working on her memoir in an interview with Vanity Fair, where she recalled that she had to allow herself to reveal the deeper parts of her personality to the public while writing her book. 'If people don't like the movie, I'm like, "Oh, yeah, talk to the director"...It's much more vulnerable than any other creative endeavor I've ever taken on,' she said. The Scandal star then stated that she was particularly grateful for the support of her parents as she drafted her memoir. Good company: In the clip, the 46-year-old actress was accompanied by Tyler Perry as they stepped into a backstage area after finishing up a public appearance Letting everyone see: Thicker Than Water was released to the public earlier this week, and the actress enthusiastically promoted her book on Instagram prior to its release Working hard: The actress' final promotional stop for her book is set to take place in Miami on November 12 'I had spent four decades being the supporting character in their narrative and I was ready now to ask them to be supporting characters in my narrative. Where I'm lucky is that I have phenomenal parents who agreed to do that,' she said. Washington kicked off her book tour last Saturday with an appearance in The Bronx. The performer is also scheduled to speak about her new publication in Los Angeles on Sunday before heading to the United Kingdom for dates in London and Manchester. The actress' final promotional stop for her book is set to take place in Miami on November 12. Music lovers have been buzzing with anticipation for the return of rock legends U2 and their new high-tech residency in Las Vegas. More than 20,000 people, including a slew of A-list celebrities, got to experience opening night of U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere on Friday. Hollywood leading lady Kate Hudson was among the fans screaming and yelling with excitement at the incredible visuals that come complete with a 160,000 wraparound LED display, 164,000 speakers, along with 4D capabilities that surrounded Hudson and the rest of the audience in their seats. The actress documented a few moments of the concert in videos shared with her 17.6 million Instagram followers. One of the clips showed Hudson beaming with joy as U2 went into the opening riff for their classic Where The Streets Have No Name. A second clip showcased the visual display during a rousing rendition of their hit With Or Without You. Rocking and rolling: Actress Kate Hudson, 44, turned into fangirl when she was among the more than 20,000 people to experience opening night of U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday As the iconic opening notes to Where The Streets Have No Name began to ring out in the venue at The Venetian, Hudson stuck up one finger as to indicate she was just about to witness something special. She then began turning her camera around from herself towards the stage, all while viewers get blasted with images of the desert all around them. Eventually, her camera work stopped when she got the band in view, and then screamed out while pointing at Bono, and the rest of U2, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg, who's filling in for Larry Mullen Jr. on drums while he recuperates at home from various injuries. For a taste of the capabilities of the visual technology being used, Hudson shared a snippet of With Or Without You that showed a sphere with a hole in the center growing in size to the point that fans fell as if they're getting engulfed into the center of the opening. 'Wait for it, then go see IRL [in real life] Amazing! @u2 #thespherevegas #ariesfullmoon,' the Almost Famous star gushed in the caption of her Instagram post. At 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide, the Sphere has been described as the largest spherical structure in the world that will play host to an array of different immersive live experiences. The outside of Sphere, or the Exosphere, is the largest LED screen on Earth, consisting of approximately 1.2 million LED pucks spaced eight inches apart. Each puck contains 48 individual LED diodes, according to CBS 8 News Now in Las Vegas. At a cost of about $2 billion, the Sphere will be home base for U2 as they complete 25 show residency through December 16, and then it will be a much-sought venue for other concerts and shows. Glowing: The Oscar-nominated actress was beaming with joy when she began her Iconic intro: As the opening riff to Where The Streets Have No Name began, the Almost Famous star lifted up one finger as to indicate something great was about to happen Eventually, Hudson's camera work stopped when she got the band in view, and then screamed out while pointing at Bono, and the rest of U2 Excited: By the end of the clip Hudson got so amped up she stuck out her tongue Fangirl: The video ended up Hudson rocking out to Where The Streets Have No Name For the residency U2 is playing their classic album Achtung Baby (1991) in its entirety in two parts, along with two other interludes where they will play some of their other classic songs. On opening night the band kicked off the show with eight songs off the Achtung Baby, beginning with Zoo Station and The Fly. They then went into a four-song interlude of tunes from Rattle and Hum (1988), with the likes of All I Want Is You and Angel of Harlem, all while blending in parts of songs like Love Me Do from The Beatles. Unique: At 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide, the Sphere has been described as the largest spherical structure in the world that will play host to different immersive live experiences Rockin' and rollin': U2 will call the Sphere at The Venetian home during their 25-show residency that goes through December 16 The setlist: For the residency U2 is playing their classic album Achtung Baby (1991) in its entirety in two parts, along with two other interludes where they will play some of their other classic songs Legendary: With sales of up to 170 million records from 15 studio albums over their career, U2 are considered one of the best-selling musical artists in history Blown away: Hudson also shared a video from With Or Without You that showcases the incredible immersive experience Amazing: One of the many visual extravaganzas focuses on a sphere with an opening at the center that grows in size Trippy: As the sphere grows larger and larger so does the opening Engulfed: Eventually the opening makes fans feel as if their sucked into the sphere From there, the band finished up Achtung Baby with for more tracks like Acrobat and Love Is Blindness. For the encore fans got classics like Elevation, Vetigo and Where the Streets Have No Name, along with the new single the band released called Atomic City. The show ended with Beautiful Day, blended in with montage of The Beatles' Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) and Blackbird. With sales of up to 170 million records from 15 studio albums over their career, U2 are considered one of the best-selling musical artists in history. Rebel Wilson is madly in love with her fiancee Ramona Agruma. And the 43-year-old actress was packing on the PDA as she and her beloved stepped out in Bondi this weekend. The Pitch Perfect star has been showing Ramona the sights in her native Sydney, with the couple grabbing lunch in the seaside suburb. During the long and leisurely meal, the couple shared a smooch, before walking off together hand in hand. Rebel was casually chic in a striped, long-sleeved shirt paired with skinny jeans in a dark blue. Rebel Wilson is madly in love with her fiancee Ramona Agruma. Both pictured She appeared to have on minimal makeup and shielded her eyes with a pair of designer sunglasses. The Isn't It Romanic star completed her ensemble carrying a white quilted wallet and Gucci loafers. American designer Ramona meanwhile opted for a pale blue shirt and jeans, along with a white designer purse and sneakers. The women had stepped out without Rebel's baby daughter Royce, who they are raising together. The 43-year-old actress was packing on the PDA as she and her beloved stepped out in Bondi this weekend The Pitch Perfect star has been showing Ramona the sights in her native Sydney, with the couple grabbing lunch in the seaside suburb During the long and leisurely meal, the couple shared a smooch, before walking off together hand in hand The couple arrived in Sydney earlier this month and Rebel has been showing her love around the city. In a series of images posted to Instagram Stories, Rebel looked smitten as she enjoyed a date night with Ramona, with the pair visiting The Rebel Theatre, a venue the comic actress helped build, in Sydney's Dawes Point. It comes after Rebel opened up about the possibility of adding another child to her family. The performer expressed that she had considered the idea of becoming a mom-of-two during an interview with E! News and also stated that she was considering undergoing IVF treatments. Rebel was casually chic in a striped, long-sleeved shirt paired with skinny jeans in a dark blue She appeared to have on minimal makeup and shielded her eyes with a pair of designer sunglasses The Isn't It Romanic star completed her ensemble carrying a white quilted wallet and Gucci loafers American designer Ramona meanwhile opted for a pale blue shirt and jeans, along with a white designer purse and sneakers The actress, who recently spoke about her attraction to women, also remarked that she was perfectly fine being the mother of a single child if she would not be able to welcome another one into her life. Wilson began by expressing that she had often considered the idea of welcoming a sibling for her daughter Royce, aged one. She stated: 'I'm definitely thinking about it, yeah. I would like to have another child.' The Senior Year actress shares her daughter with her fiancee Ramona whom she initially met in 2021. The women had stepped out without Rebel's baby daughter Royce The Senior Year actress shares her daughter with her fiancee Ramona whom she initially met in 2021 The pair eventually began dating, and they made their red carpet debut in March of last year The pair eventually began dating, and they made their red carpet debut in March of last year. Wilson subsequently revealed that she had welcomed Royce via surrogate in November. The actress shocked many when she announced her engagement via Instagram this past February. Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Williams recently split up after 25 years of marriage. The couple had been a common sight together on the red carpet, but recently raised eyebrows when Hugh started making solo appearances. Hugh and Lulu met when they were teenagers but their romance sparked when they reconnected later in life. Now a spokesperson for the actor has confirmed he and Lulu, who have lived together for 25 years at their home in West Sussex, have ended their marriage, the Sun reports. So, who is Hugh's ex-wife Lulu Williams? Read on to find out. Split: Lucinda 'Lulu' Williams, 55, is the ex-wife of actor Hugh Bonneville, 59 Who is Lucinda Williams? Lucinda 'Lulu' Williams, 55, is the ex-wife of actor Hugh Bonneville, 59. Lulu often accompanied her husband to premieres and film sets, showing her support for his career in the spotlight. Inaccurate reports have circulated in the past stating that Lulu worked as an artist, but Hugh himself has set the record straight. The actor told Radio Times: 'There were about five minutes when she was doing something very creative she is a very creative person and I said, "At the moment, she's an artist' and that has stuck despite me saying in every single subsequent interview that 'No, she's not an artist she's now a full-time mum."' Hugh has previously praised Lulu for running their household and looking after their beloved son, while he enjoyed TV and movie fame. The award-winner said: 'Lulus priority has been to be a bedrock for Felix and me and Im completely indebted to her.' The couple enjoyed entertaining their friends at weekends and walking their two Tibetan terriers, Teddy and Sasha. During the pandemic, Lulu and her husband - who she nicknamed 'luvvie' - both were volunteer marshalls at their local NHS vaccine centre Romance: Bonneville and Lulu met as teenagers but later reconnected and tied the knot in November 1998 How did Lulu and Hugh meet? The pair met as teens but reconnected later in life and got together in their 30s, thanks in no small part to Hugh's mother Patricia. Hugh has said: 'Lulu was running a marquee company... my mother rang her to hire some chairs or something and said, ''Do you remember Hugh?'' 'It did infuriate me that I had to give full credit to my mum for reintroducing us.' Bonneville and Lulu later tied the knot in November 1998. Do they have children? The couple share a son, Felix, 20, although he has kept himself out of the spotlight, despite having famous parents. Previously opening up on fatherhood, Hugh told the magazine Parents: 'I think the absolute key one is don't force your child to do the things you failed to do and wanted to do, like playing the piano or something. 'Another great piece of advice that someone once said to me when my little boy was arriving was, "Hug him close, and let him fly."' Why did they split up? Hugh confirmed he has split from his wife Lulu after 25 years of marriage on Sunday. The actor, who shot to superstardom with his portrayal of the Earl of Grantham in the ITV drama, raised eyebrows after appearing last week's nuptials without Lulu and without his wedding band on his finger. The couple had been a common sight together on the red carpet, with Lulu regularly accompanying her husband to premieres and film sets. They were last seen together in public at the Old Vic Theatre in London for a gala in April. Now a spokesperson for the actor has confirmed he and Lulu, who have lived together for 25 years at their home in West Sussex, have ended their marriage, the Sun reports. However, it seems the split has not been smooth sailing, with a source telling the paper: 'It is clear that Lulu feels as if 20-odd years of marriage counts for nothing.' Family: The couple share a son, Felix, 20, although he has kept himself out of the spotlight, despite having famous parents Hugh shot to superstardom for his portrayal of the Earl of Grantham on ITV period drama Downton Abbey. Pictured: Hugh on the show Lulu often accompanied her husband to premieres and film sets and her recent absence sparked rumours the pair were having troubles. The actor, famous for his role as Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, had never shied away from expressing his love for Lulu, having previously called her his 'bedrock' and 'anchor' and crediting his wife for being the backbone of their household. Bonneville was spotted flashing a grin at Dockery's lavish wedding to Jasper Waller-Bridge - the brother of Fleabag creator Phoebe - without his wedding ring just last week. A source told The Sun: 'Hugh has been away from home filming a lot this year. He has lost a bit of weight this summer, he was looking trim, tanned and relaxed.' The heartbreak comes just five years after the couple renewed their vows at Graceland chapel in Las Vegas. Naomi Campbell showcased her sensational figure in a colourful gown at The BoF 500 gala during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday. The supermodel, 53, looked incredible in the pink, green and blue striped short sleeved number which boasted a dramatic spike black neckline. Naomi added inches to her frame in a pair of stylish black patent pointed toe heels and accessorised with several silver earrings. The mother-of-two applied a flawless palette of makeup including a dark smokey eye shadow and styled her straight dark tresses tucked behind her ears. Naomi showed off her amazing modelling skills as she posed up a storm on the star-studded red carpet. Turning heads: Naomi Campbell showcased her sensational figure in a colourful gown at The BoF 500 gala amid Paris Fashion Week on Saturday Dressed to impress: The supermodel, 53, looked incredible in the pink, green and blue striped short sleeved number which boasted a dramatic spike black neckline Earlier in the evening, Naomi was stepped out in the French capital donning a satin cape colour striped dress which she teamed with Nike trainers and sunglasses. On Saturday, Naomi lit up the runway with a sizzling look at the Alexander McQueen show during Paris Fashion Week. The model made sure all eyes were on her as showed off her age-defying looks in a knockout piece from the collection. The star-studded front row - which included the likes of Cate Blanchett, Letitia Wright and Elle Fanning were hooked as Naomi put on a stunning display strutting her stuff. She looked incredible in a strapless metallic top that featured a plunging neckline. The bottom half of it stuck out like a mermaid's tail, which really captivated the whole look. A string skirt made up the lower half of the ensemble, flashing her toned pins, while she gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed silver heels. Her makeup was flawless, highlighting her high cheekbones and impeccable jawline, whilst her raven hair hung loose behind her back. Looking glam! She added inches to her frame in a pair of stylish black patent pointed toe heels and accessorised with several silver earrings Stunning: The mother-of-two applied a flawless palette of makeup including a dark smokey eye shadow and styled her straight dark tresses tucked behind her ears Arriving in style: Earlier in the evening, Naomi was stepped out in the French capital donning a satin cape colour striped dress which she teamed with Nike trainers and sunglasses After the show, the fashion icon enjoyed a dinner at The Costes Hotel and made her way through a large crowd of onlookers and fans. The outing comes as a clip of the supermodel appearing on the Graham Norton show in 2014 has picked up traction again and gone viral. Naomi owned her true self and personality during an interview from series 14 on the famous BBC show. Whilst sat on the red couch alongside Ant and Dec, Jamie Dornan and Aaron Paul, she told host Graham that if he was intimidated by her, than that was all on him and nothing to do with her or her reputation of being a diva. Graham said: When I meet you youre very friendly and nice, but at the same time, there is a kind of intimidating thing Quick to hit back, Naomi pointed out: But thats on you. Thats not on me. Witty Graham joked: Well its coming from you, though, leaving the audience in fits of laughter. Naomi stood her ground and said: Thats coming from you. You feel. Im just a girl from South London.. To which Graham quipped back: Maybe thats it. Amazing: On Saturday, Naomi lit up the runway with a sizzling look at the Alexander McQueen show during Paris Fashion Week Fans flocked to the comment section to praise Naomis response and sassy comeback. One wrote: Thats the answer every single time.. your perception of me is your problem, not mine. A second said: FEELING intimidated vs someone actually BEING intimidating are completely separate and I love how Naomi set that straight. Followed by a heart emoji. Whilst a third penned: Straight up.. shes fierce! Your irrational fear is a YOU problem..love her. Many also described her as a queen, true icon and an empress. Lil Tay has made her official comeback to social media after a five year hiatus as she launched another attack on her father and dropped a new music video on Saturday titled Sucker 4 Green. The 14-year-old media sensation - who notably claimed her father was behind a death hoax that occurred last month - also jumped onto an Instagram Live to address her social media disappearance. On her main Instagram page, the influence uploaded a snippet of the new music video to her 4.9 million followers and excitedly penned, 'IM BACK IM BACK IM BACK LINK IN MY BIO 'YALL B****ES THOUGHT THE SHOW WAS OVER. SUCKER 4 GREEN OUT NOW!!!' The video - which has already garnered a whopping 1 million views - shows the star hanging out at a luxurious house in sunny Los Angeles while showing off lavish vehicles. Meanwhile Tay accused her father of being behind the social media hoax which left fans and loved ones fearing she had passed away alongside her brother, claiming it was for a cryptocurrency scam. Return: Lil Tay, 14, has made her official comeback to social media after a five year hiatus and in celebration, also dropped a new music video on Saturday titled: Sucker 4 Green Big comeback! On her main Instagram page, the influence uploaded a snippet of the new music video to her 4.9 million followers and excitedly penned, 'IM BACK IM BACK IM BACK LINK IN MY BIO In the track, Lil Tay sings about luxury, with some lyrics including, 'Money, money, money/I just can't look away from it, I want it, want it, want it' and 'Nothin' wrong with bein' rich and blessed/And I just want a few yachts and mansions right now.' She also showcased her dance skills by performing choreography with backup dancers that were all wearing black suits and green ties. Tay donned various ensembles during the clip, such as a vibrant orange, pleated miniskirt and a matching cropped jacket. Towards the beginning of the video, Tay's brother Jason, 21, and her mother Angela Tian, also made brief cameos as they sat inside one of the expensive vehicles. Her comeback comes just one month after her death hoax - which first began when the media personality's family issued a 'statement' on the teen's Instagram account. Along with Tay, her brother Jason Tian was also reported to have passed as well - per the since-deleted statement. During an Instagram LIVE that also took place on Saturday, Lil Tay addressed her five year disappearance from social media and also discussed the death hoax - and claimed her father was behind it. Earlier this week, she shared a photo of her dad - named Christopher J. Hope - on her stories with the message: 'My abusive racist misogynistic woman beating father faked my death.' As she talked to her fans, the star stated, 'Chris Hope was the one who did the death hoax. He was trying to sabotage me.' She then claimed that her father and another individual had planned to 'fake' her death for a cryptocurrency scheme. Whopping views: The video - which has already currently garnered a whopping 1 million views - shows the star hanging out at a luxurious house in sunny Los Angeles while showing off lavish vehicles Dance skills: She also showcased her dance skills by performing choreography with backup dancers that were all wearing black suits and green ties Cameos: Towards the beginning of the video, Tay's brother Jason, 21, and her mother Angela Tian, also made brief cameos as they sat inside one of the expensive vehicles Death hoax: Her comeback comes just one month after her death hoax - which first began when the media personality's family issued a statement on the teen's Instagram account Not real: Along with Tay, her brother Jason Tian was also reported to have passed as well - per the since-deleted statement Lil Tay also detailed past 'abusive' and 'inappropriate behavior' from her father but came to the defense of her mother, Angela. In August, the statement that 'announced' her death had read, 'It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire's sudden and tragic passing. We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain.' They called the death 'unexpected' and added that it has 'left us all in shock. Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.' Upon asking for privacy, the text concluded with, 'Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.' However, her death was shrouded in mystery and Tay herself confirmed that she was alive soon after the statement was released. She told TMZ at the time, 'I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but Im completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. Its been a very traumatizing 24 hours.' 'All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.' The influencer claimed that her Instagram account had actually been hacked and 'used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope."' Speaking out: During an Instagram LIVE that also took place on Saturday, Lil Tay addressed her five year disappearance from social media and also discussed the death hoax - and claimed her father was behind it Addressing fans: As she talked to her fans, the star stated, 'Chris Hope was the one who did the death hoax. He was trying to sabotage me Recent post: Earlier this week, she shared a photo of her dad - named Christopher J. Hope - on her stories with the message: 'My abusive racist misogynistic woman beating father faked my death After Tay claimed her father was behind the hoax with her Instagram stories post on Tuesday, he hit back at the 'false and absurd' post. He told TMZ, 'The person who is responsible for that Instagram post, as well as anyone repeating the completely false and libelous accusation within it, are virtually certain to become defendants in a defamation lawsuit.' 'Everything stated is 100% false, and I trust that this should be obvious to anyone who knows me or the long history of absurd and untrue statements made by the various people who have controlled the Instagram account.' Lil Tay's parents have been embroiled in a custody dispute for years. Last month Lil Tay's mother Angela broke her silence announcing she has come to an agreement with the father of the social media star after years of feuding - with a $275K agreement showing the embattled sides finally have a legal understanding regarding who has custody of the social media star, and where she will live. The young influencer will live with her mother Angela who will have sole decision-making power according to a statement released on her behalf via social media. 'False': After Tay claimed her father was behind the hoax with her Instagram stories post on Tuesday, he hit back at the 'false and absurd' post Defending himself: 'Everything stated is 100% false, and I trust that this should be obvious to anyone who knows me or the long history of absurd and untrue statements made by the various people who have controlled the Instagram account' he added The Lil Tay Instagram account released a statement from their legal team Lorne MacLean K.C and Fraser MacLean of MacLean Law on behalf of Tay's mother Angela. In the statement it said that the teen's father Christopher Hope will pay $275,000 in back-dated child support and continue making monthly payments until she reaches adulthood. In 2018, her father got a court order requiring her to stop making online content and return to her native Vancouver, BC in Canada. The MacLean law statement began by saying: 'We have been asked to clarify media confusion as to the current state of the family law proceedings, including custody, child parenting and child support.' The statement also seems to reveal that Lil Tay's career can finally resume with Angela in sole control as it read: 'MacLean Law successfully obtained orders for our client that have enabled her daughter to advance her career.' Child support battle: The Lil Tay Instagram account released a statement from their legal team Lorne MacLean K.C and Fraser MacLean of MacLean Law on behalf of Tay's mother Angela Since that time, Tay's social media accounts had been dark - until she made her return on Saturday. Of the latest legal victory, Angela, 45, a former realtor, told TMZ on Friday: 'I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughters rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with.' 'We have won our case in court and my children and I can finally move on from this nightmare,' she said. The change in custody indicates Tay may be back on social media soon. 'My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms,' Angela claimed,' and we are finally a happy family again, together.' Tay, who was born Claire Hope, rose to fame at age nine by flashing stacks of cash, using inflammatory language, and starting feuds with other social media stars. Her older half-brother Jason, now 21, was credited with directing the foul-mouthed videos that catapulted her to internet fame. Chuck Wigg, who has been dating Angela, told DailyMail.com the teen has been living in Los Angeles for several months, working on her music career. 'Tay is gifted. If anyone can make it, it's her,' he said. 'She's been focused on her music, singing and acting, she can play the piano and guitar. She speaks and sings in Mandarin.' Dame Judi Dench has admitted she pretends to be younger as a way of 'not thinking of age'. The actress, 88, who has openly spoke about her health conditions impacting her career in the past, believes she's only 56. She said: 'We've got to keep going and not think of age too much. You have to think you are about 56. 'Also I don't make a point of keeping fit. I am very bad at that.' Judi is celebrating more than 60 years in showbusiness as she is set to appear as a special guest on the new series of Portrait Artist of the Year on Sky Arts. Opening up: Dame Judi Dench has admitted she pretends to be younger as a way of 'not thinking of age' (pictured at the Braemar Literary festival on Saturday) Age: The actress, 88, who has openly spoke about her health conditions impacting her career in the past, believes she's only 56 Judi will sit for over four hours while having her portrait painted by 10 previous winners. On the show, she told presenter Dame Joan Bakewell: 'I am not frightfully good at sitting still and I am very inclined to drop off. After lunch is a tricky time for me. She went on to recall a funny time where she fell asleep on stage: 'I dropped off once in A Midsummer Night's Dream. We'd been there a long time.' It comes as Judi was pictures looking happier than ever at the Braemar Literary Festival on Saturday. The three-day festival - which is running until Sunday - is being held in the Highland village in collaboration with The Queens Reading Room, the book club founded by Camilla. First launched in January 2021, the online literary hub was inspired by the success of the then Duchess of Cornwall's reading lists shared during the pandemic in 2020. It offers book recommendations and exclusive insight from the authors themselves. It comes after Judi revealed that she can't see on film sets anymore and isnt able to read scripts. The actress, who is known for her role in many major films, including the Bond franchise, suffers from advanced macular degeneration. She revealed that her friends help her learn lines instead and she has a photographic memory. Beaming: Judi was pictures looking happier than ever at the Braemar Literary Festival which was held in the Highland village in collaboration with The Queens Reading Room, the book club founded by Camilla 'I can't see on a film set anymore': It comes after Judi revealed this week that she refuses to retire from her acting career despite not being able to read or write due to advanced macular degeneration Despite her deteriorating eyesight, the Academy Award winner says she refuses to give up and wants to work as much as I can. The actress told The Mirror's Notebook magazine: I mean, I can't see on a film set anymore. And I can't see to read. So I can't see much. But, you know, you just deal with it. Get on. She added: It's difficult for me if I have any length of a part. I haven't yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script. But I have a photographic memory. Judi was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2012 and was forced to give up driving a few years ago when her eyesight began to worsen. This isnt the first time the actress has opened up about her health condition. Last year she appeared on BBCs Louis Theroux and admitted that its bad. She told the broadcaster: 'I don't want to retire. I'm not doing much at the moment because I can't see. It's bad'. Judi also revealed that while out for dinner with her partner David Mills, he had to cut up her food for her as she couldn't see it on her plate. 'He cut it up and handed something to me on a fork and that's the way I ate it,' she explained. With over 60 years in the business Dame Judi made her first professional stage performance in 1957 and her film debut was in 1964 for The Third Secret. Screen queen: Dame Judi has won an Academy Award for Best Actress and appeared as the eldest person to ever cover Vogue (pictured here on ITV's A Fine Romance in 1981) She has since appeared in Philomena and Shakespeare in Love - to name a few, with her latter role winning her an Academy Award in 1998. Judi is also well known for playing M, the head of MI6, alongside Daniel Craig's Bond. The British star has also enjoyed success on stage, winning a Tony award in 1999 for Amy's View and also a string of Olivier awards. Four years ago, she became the eldest woman to ever cover British Vogue in its 104-year history an achievement she still holds strong. Kate Moss' boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck seemed in high spirits as he enjoyed a private party at the Siena restaurant in Paris with friends on Saturday night. The photographer, 36, stepped out without the supermodel, 49, as he partied with pals in the French capital. He cut a smart figure for the evening in a white open collar shirt which he teamed with black trousers and a long jacket. Keeping comfortable for the night out Nikolai rocked a pair of black and blue trainers as he chatted to friends. It comes after the couple arrived in Paris together earlier this week and appeared to still be together after rumours began circulating that they'd called off their eight-year romance. Solo night out: Kate Moss' boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck seemed in high spirits as he enjoyed a private party at the Siena restaurant in Paris with friends on Saturday night Trouble in paradise? The photographer, 36, stepped out without the supermodel, 49, as he partied with pals in the French capital Rumours of Nikolai's split from Kate first started swirling when he was spotted heading to a hotel with model Camille Rowe in July. Before last week, Nikolai and Kate were last seen together in September 2022 and neither have spoken about the status of their relationship. Kate famously skipped usual haunt Glastonbury in June while Nikolai opted to attend with friends. But this week, Kate was seen heading to the Fendi runway show at Milan Fashion Week with Count Nikolai, their first sighting together this year. Last week, Kate opted to snub the Vogue World after party, while Nikolai was pictured partying at the event with her friend Rita Ora and Rafael Pavarotti. Kate has called Count Nikolai her boyfriend since 2015 and has daughter Lila, 19, from a previous relationship with Jefferson Hack. Opening up to Harper's Bazaar last year, Kate spoke about her relationship with Nikolai. She said: 'Being in love makes me feel beautiful. My daughter Lila inspires me to be the best person I can be. Looking good: He cut a smart figure for the evening in a white open collar shirt which he teamed with black trousers and a long jacket Having fun: Keeping comfortable for the night out Nikolai rocked a pair of black and blue trainers as he chatted to friends Pals: Nikolai was spotted exiting the party with four pals Love: Before last week, Nikolai and Kate were last seen together in September 2022 and neither have spoken about the status of their relationship (pictured in 2019) 'My favourite moments are when all the family are sitting down together having lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the country.' In 2016, it was reported that Kate had split from Nikolai, after his partying ways became too much for her. The model is said to have previously argued with her beau over his refusal to calm his wild partying down, according to The Sun, but they later got back together. The reports came at the same time her divorce from ex-husband of four years, Jamie Hince was finalised. The Croydon-born beauty married The Kills guitarist in 2011 but split in 2015 after four years of marriage. Kate previously dated Babyshambles rocker Peter Doherty - they met at the model's 31st birthday party in 2005 and instantly hit it off. Kate was in a relationship with Jefferson Hack between 2001 and 2004 and the pair welcomed a daughter, Lila in 2002. Lisa Oldfield has lashed out at Freedom Furniture after her couch delivery went wrong. The Real Housewives of Sydney star vented her frustration at the household goods company in an Instagram post this weekend. 'Oh FFS @freedom_australia I paid $8K for your poxy lounge eight weeks ago,' the 48-year began. 'Made it clear that delivery had to be after 10am. You dumb f***s tried to deliver at 7am. Then tried to charge me an additional delivery fee. 'You've had me by the short and curlies because my family are currently sitting on milk crates, so I acquiesced. Lisa Oldfield (pictured) has lashed out at Freedom Furniture after her couch delivery went wrong 'Yet still you fail to respond to multiple calls to redeliver! Freedom??? You c**ts should be in jail,' she continued. Lisa also shared a photo of the couch, which appears to be the Sanctuary model in linen, valued at just a few dollars shy of $9000 at $8,998. Lisa's fans were amused by her outburst, with several sharing their support for her tirade. 'Hands down my favourite person on the internet and my spirit animal,' wrote one person in the comments. Lisa also shared a photo of the couch, which appears to be the Sanctuary model in linen, valued at just a few dollars shy of $9000 at $8,998 Lisa's fans were amused by her outburst, with several sharing their support for her tirade 'My god this is the best review of a product I have ever read,' said another, while someone else added, 'Go off queen'. 'Love you for calling them out, and I know you won't back down,' said one more, while yet another chimed in, 'Good on you. These companies need to be held to account'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Freedom Furniture for comment. Lisa, who is the ex-wife of One Nation co-founder David Oldfield, rose to fame after starring The Real Housewives of Sydney in 2016. Gal Gadot cut a stylish figure as she strolled through the streets of Venice with a male companion on Saturday. The Israeli actress, 38, put on a leggy display in a loose-fitting blue shirt and tiny denim hot pants. Gal wore the top few buttons of her shirt down and allowed it to flow below her waist and cover her shorts, showcasing her toned pins. She paired her look with white and green socks and smart black shoes. The talented beauty carried a bag over her shoulder and wore black sunglasses on her head to sweep her brunette tresses behind her ears. Simple: Gal Gadot cut a stylish figure as she strolled through the streets of Venice with a male companion on Saturday Walking alongside her, her male companion opted for a black T-shirt and jeans as he carried a bag of goods. It comes after Gal recently detailed the injuries which she sustained while making her latest movie, Heart Of Stone. Gal revealed she has four slipped discs in her neck and back after filming fight scenes for the Netflix spy action thriller. Gal - who is mum to three daughters, Alma, 12, Maya, six and Daniella, two. with husband Jaron Varsano, 48 - also admitted she gets 'weird looks' because she is now covered in bruises. The movie star has long performed many of her own stunts in films, and enthused about doing the one-on-one combat sequences. Gal explained how she feels 'really in control,' when filming what she branded 'enjoyable' fight scenes. Gal told The Sun: 'I had plenty of bruises. I remember one Sunday I was walking with the girls in the park in London and someone looked at me weird. 'I was wearing a summer dress, oblivious to the fact my legs and back were completely bruised. I was with my daughters and people were looking at me like something was off. On display: The Israeli actress, 38, put on a leggy display in a loose-fitting blue shirt and tiny denim hot pants Low-key: Gal wore the top few buttons of her shirt down and allowed it to flow below her waist and cover her shorts, showcasing her toned pins Late night stroll: The talented beauty carried a bag over her shoulder and wore black sunglasses on her head to sweep her brunette tresses behind her ears 'But it's inevitable I have a number of injuries from those physical roles. I have two neck herniations and two back herniations. It's part of the job, unfortunately.' 'There are parts to making movies that I don't like. Fighting and doing the hand-on-hand combat, I really enjoy.' Gal expanded, likening fighting to dancing as she explained that she is able to express herself using her body, adding how the fight scenes are 'the one thing we do where I feel really in control.' After being crowned Miss Israel in 2004, Gal completed two years of mandatory military service in the country before studying to be a lawyer, while modelling on the side. In 2009 her fighting skills were first seen on screen when she played action girl Gisele Yashar in Fast & Furious. She reprised the role in 2011 instalment Fast Five and again in 2013 for Fast & Furious 6, performing many of her own stunts. It's not all glam: It comes after the Israeli actress recently admitted she gets 'weird looks' because she is now covered in bruises Rosie Huntington-Whiteley led the stars at the Valentino Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Sunday. The model, 36, was joined by talent such as Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh and Paris Hilton. Rosie looked the epitome of chic in a cream cape, teamed with a matching maxi skirt and leather knee-high boots. She accessorised with a chunky gold necklace and beige handbag, while her long tresses were styled in a half-up half-down hairdo. Meanwhile, Andrew and Florence posed for a slew of playful snaps inside the lavish venue. Chic: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley led the stars at the Valentino Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Sunday Stars: The model, 36, was joined by talent such as Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh and Paris Hilton Make way: Rosie turned heads as she made her way into venue on Sunday afternoon The Spiderman star, 40, commanded attention in a pale pink coat, teamed with beige trousers and a top. Florence, 27, flashed her toned physique in a pink bow bralet and matching trousers, while covering up with a chic blazer. Paris put on a very leggy display in a pink tweed mini dress and matching stilettos, while accessorising with white sunglasses. Maude Apatow put on a glamorous display in a black maxi dress with a white collar and a split detail. Amelia Dimoldenberg looked typically stylish in a white shirt and black tie with a feathered skirt. Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Monday and runs to October 3, with 107 brands presenting, of which 67 are giving runway shows. One of the first big names was Pierre Cardin, which has returned to the official Paris lineup this year for the first time in a quarter-century. Its show was full of retro space-age outfits that harked back to its glory days, but the relatives of Cardin, who died in 2020, are currently tearing each other apart in court over the inheritance. 'My uncle gave me the mission to perpetuate the house and its style,' Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, who is currently overseeing the label, said backstage. 'If the brand is sold, it will be the end of the house. I am confident the court decisions will ensure continuity,' he added. Among the other highlights so far was the latest collection from Dior on Tuesday, which saw the walls of the show plastered with mock sexist slogans from old adverts, such as 'Save your marriage - iron properly'. Picture of elegance: The model and actres looked typically stunning as she posed for photos There she is: Rosie put on her own fashion parade ahead of her front row appearance Step by step: The British star was accompanied by a bodyguard in Paris on Sunday Stunning: Rosie looked the epitome of chic in a cream cape, teamed with a matching maxi skirt and leather knee-high boots Pals: Andrew and Florence posed for a slew of playful snaps inside the lavish venue Looking good: The Spiderman star, 40, commanded attention in a pale pink coat, teamed with beige trousers and a top Beaming: Andrew smiled and waved to onllokers outside the venue Bold: Florence, 27, flashed her toned physique in a pink bow bralet and matching trousers, while covering up with a chic blazer Banter: Andrew and Florence appeared to be in high spirits as they took to their front row seats Confident: Paris put on a very leggy display in a pink tweed mini dress and matching stilettos, while accessorising with white sunglasses Turning heads: Paris' sister Nicky stood out in an eye-catching red mini dress and stilettos Wow! The sisters sat front row at the star-studded show Glam: Maude Apatow put on a glamorous display in a black maxi dress with a white collar and a split detail Pretty: Her short brunette tresses were held black with a black headband Gorgeous: Amelia Dimoldenberg looked typically stylish in a white shirt and black tie with a feathered skirt Couple: Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble attended the star-studded event together Bold: The reality star donned a black and white patterned blazer and a tie with a crisp white shirt Stunning: Madelaine Petsch was all smiles as she arrived in a blue shirt and a quirky white skirt The collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri, who recently dressed Queen Camilla for her state dinner at Versailles, was a largely monochrome affair with comfortable, breezy items alongside straight masculine jackets, pleated skirts and plenty of knitwear. Coming later this week are final shows for two big-name designers. Gabriela Hearst is leaving Chloe after fewer than three years. Her focus on sustainable fashion was critically acclaimed but did not bring a major boost to sales. It will also be the last show for Sarah Burton, who took over at Alexander McQueen following the founder's suicide in 2010. It comes after Rosie attended the Dolce & Gabbana show during Milan Fashion Week and sat alongside Kylie Jenner and Halle Bailey. She left fiance Jason Statham, who is 20 years her senior, and to whom she has been engaged since 2016, at home with their children. The couple shares son, Jack, 5, and daughter, Isabella, one, and are notoriously protective of their children's private lives. 'We've been so focused on our work for so long and Jack came along.' Rosie told Extra TV. '[Marriage is] also not a huge priority for us. We're so happy.' Looking good: Cher and her partner Alexander Edwards posed for a snap together Friends: Maude posed for a stunning snap with Leslie Mann Looking good: Anna Wintour looked glamorous in a red and yellow satin maxi dress as she stepped out during Paris Fashion Week Chic: Sarah Lysander put on a leggy display in a white shirt dress Loved-up: Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler arrived hand-in-hand to the show Pretty: Kaia hid her eyes behind a pair of sunglasses while her brunette locks were slicked back Styish: You star Penn Badgley showed off his bold style in a grey skirt and long coat Versace: Daniel Miller sported a white feathered coat and black shorts Glamorous: Bryanboy oozed confidence in a dazzling silver gown with a thigh-high split Handsome: Charles Melton flashed his chest in a black trench coat Incredible: Samara Weaving flashed her washboard abs in a tiny black bra with a white butterfly detail Star-studded: The stars looked incredible sitting front row Main man: R&B legend Usher ensured he was very much in attendance at the exclusive event Regardless of their relationship status, Rosie and Jason and fully committed to each other, having been together since 2010. Jason recently resumed his role as Lee Christmas in Expend4bles, the fourth film in The Expendables series, but the film unfortunately isn't doing too well. His latest project, The Beekeeper, an action film also starring Jeremy Irons and Josh Hutcherson, is in post-production. Rosie and Jason do not frequently make public appearances together. However, they were seen looking loved-up at the Burberry fashion show during London Fashion Week. Centre stage: FKA twigs provided the musical entertainment as Sunday's presentation got underway Offbeat: The outlandish star put on a typically avant garde show in the French capital PFW: Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Monday and runs to October 3, with 107 brands presenting, of which 67 are giving runway shows Stealing the spotlight: Leonardo DiCaprio's rumoured girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti walked the runway on Sunday afternoon Les Dennis's rare confession about his ex wife Amanda Holden has been revealed - as he became the first star to be booted of Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday night. The TV personality, 69, - who left the show with his pro partner Nancy Xu - recently made a surprising confession about his former love after their difficult past. Rewind 30 years, in 1993 the Family Fortunes host, then 40, met and fell in love with Amanda who was 22 and establishing her own stage career, when they were both starring in a production of The Sound Of Music. After treading the boards together in Bournemouth, they married two years later in 1995 in a lavish ceremony with a magazine spread and luxury trimmings to boot. Five years later though, things came to a crashing close when it was revealed that Amanda had an affair with her Happy Birthday Shakespeare co-star Neil Morrissey - something she later insisted was 'just about sex'. The past: Les Dennis's rare confession about his ex wife Amanda Holden has been revealed - as he became the first star to be booted of Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday night Dancing: The TV personality, 69, - who left the show with his pro partner Nancy Xu (pictured) - recently made a surprising confession about his former love after their difficult past After a brief split in 2000, they reunited yet called it quits for good in 2002. And speaking to The Sunday Times recently Les said he was over what happened and was happy for her in her new life. He said: 'Amanda was in the papers recently, saying some nice things about me. That was very kind of her. Maybe with time she has been able to look back and see things differently. 'We're not in touch but I am happy that she's happy. I can watch Britain's Got Talent without getting angry. To be honest, it's like watching a different person, someone I've never met. All the hurt that has happened has been healed.' Les - who is now married to his third wife Claire Nicholson - even considered the prospect of Amanda playing herself in the movie of his life. Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast, Les opened up about the idea of a hypothetical biopic saying: 'I suppose Amanda would have to be there. 'It's a chapter in my life that was huge, and I have no idea who to cast in that role.' Speaking about the split afterwards, Amanda said: 'I brought it on myself, I appreciate that, but nothing will ever be as bad again. It was a very dark time. It got to the point where I felt I could hardly breathe'. Before: Rewind 30 years, in 1993 the Family Fortunes host, then 40, met and fell in love with Amanda who was 22 and establishing her own stage career, when they were both starring in a production of The Sound Of Music (seen in 2000) Sexy stuff: Five years later though, things came to a crashing close when it was revealed that Amanda had an affair with her Happy Birthday Shakespeare co-star Neil Morrissey - something she later insisted was 'just about sex' (Neil and Amanda seen in 2003) Pain: Speaking about the split afterwards, Amanda said: 'I brought it on myself, I appreciate that, but nothing will ever be as bad again' (the couple seen in 2000) She later said: 'In some ways, I've always admired him for the way he doesn't try to hide his real emotions. He's honest about how he feels... 'My trouble is that I'm a people pleaser. I might feel down in the dumps but I'll always put on a bright face for the rest of the world... 'And I'm ruled by my heart, not my head. I always have been and it gets me into trouble. I'm not an enigma. I've wished all my life that I could be mysterious... 'But I ain't. I don't know what it is about me but people have always picked up on the slightest comment or some insignificant thing I've done, and suddenly I'm all over the papers again.' In 2014 Neil finally said sorry to game show host Les for the affair he had with his then-wife Amanda. The star, who has previously said he had not apologised to Les, made the admission on Piers Morgan's Life Stories. He said: 'I feel sorry for how the situation was dealt with and I feel sorry for how emotional Les seemed to become. It was very difficult for him and for that I'm sorry.' His comment came after he was asked by Piers if he had ever apologised to Les, to which he replied: 'No, I didn't. I'm not positive over what there is apologise about. I don't know what the whole situation was, to be perfectly fair to everybody.' Earlier this year, Les tickled fans when he appeared to take a swipe at his ex wife after she posted a slew of saucy snaps from Paris to her Instagram. Les sent tongues wagging after he seemingly took a jab at his former partner's post. Amanda shared an array of snaps of herself out for an evening in the French capital. Les then cheekily posted a snap from his less than luxurious dressing room - as he tours the country with musical 42nd Street - writing: 'Not in Paris. In Leicester'. Les has been married to Claire Nicholson since 2009 after meeting in 2005. They have a daughter Grace, 15, and son Thomas, 12. Prior to his marriage to Amanda Les was married to Lynn Webster, with whom he shares son Phillip, from 1974 to 1990. Over: Les said he'd had a great time on the show after losing in the dance off against BBC Asian presenter Nikita Kanda His love: Les has been married to Claire Nicholson since 2009 after meeting in 2005. They have a daughter Grace, 15, and son Thomas, 12 (Les and Claire in 2019) Happy couple: Amanda wed her music producer Chris Hughes husband in 2008 (pictured together in 2014) Amanda meanwhile has been married to Chris Hughes since 2009 and they share two daughters.In July, Les recalled the surprising first time he laid eyes on Chris. In a strange twist of fate Les was managed by Chris' dad Mike Hughes at the beginning of career and first met the record producer when he was a small child. Speaking on White Wine Question Time with Kate Thornton he said: 'I tell this story in my book that when Mike became my manager in 1973 and Lynne and I were about to get married my first wife, Lynne we were excited that Mike had become my manager'. 'She said, 'let's drive past his house' because he lived on Queens Drive in Liverpool, we passed, and the curtains were open, and I went, "look, there he is", and we saw Mike Hughes picking up a little child and swinging the child around'. Brad Pitt appeared in the latest advert from De'Longhi, which was released earlier this week. The 59-year-old Hollywood hunk whose ex-wife Jennifer Aniston sizzles in a new CR Fashion Book spread showed off his dashing looks in the scenic campaign, which was filmed in France. The brand posted the clip on its Instagram page on Monday in anticipation of National Coffee Day. Pitt wore a white linen shirt and light-colored chino pants in the commercial. The caption of the post read, 'Join Brad Pitt on his trip alongside our newest espresso machine, Eletta Explore now with Cold Brew.' New spot: Brad Pitt appeared in the latest advert from De'Longhi, which was released earlier this week Content: The brand posted the clip on its Instagram page on Monday in anticipation of National Coffee Day Brad has worked with the brand since 2021, and was spotted filming the latest commercial back in July. 'I wanted to work with De'Longhi because I appreciated their approach for the campaign they have confidence in their product and want to celebrate the artistry of their Italian heritage without overdoing it,' Pitt shared with People in September 2021. He added, 'De'Longhi's attention to detail makes me appreciate the brand even more. 'That sort of thoughtfulness is a distinctive value of Italian design how you design something for the people who are going to experience it.' Maria Colon, the Vice President of Marketing and Consumer Experience for DeLonghi said in a statement shared by Variety: 'Each collaboration with Brad Pitt in our Perfetto campaign exemplifies what our recent survey results shared with us that our coffee routines are a cherished part of our day.' The note continued, 'As the leaders in espresso globally, were encouraging consumers to take time for themselves to enjoy their deeply personal, daily coffee rituals which now, can include cold brew at home in addition to our existing, fantastic hot espresso options.' And the North America CEO of the company added: 'We strive to simplify the espresso and coffee making process while maintaining the quality of our products. 'Considering the rise in popularity of cold brew and other iced beverages, we wanted to incorporate even more features into our machines to address consumer demand while keeping true to our core competency in espresso.' Dreamy: The 59-year-old Hollywood hunk showed off his dashing looks in the scenic campaign, which was filmed in France Cool look: The acclaimed movie star donned a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses in the commercial Pitt mused about the brand in 2021 that 'certain details might not be immediately obvious, but in the end have a profound effect on you and your life.' He added that the company's state-of-the-art products have led him to take it slower with his usual coffee routine. 'The European, specifically Italian idea about creating a sort of ceremony associated with coffee,' he said. 'I like that idea of sitting down on my couch and really enjoying my cup of coffee.' He explained to People, 'To me coffee is not just a drink. It creates connections, it allows you to carve a moment for yourself; to pause and enjoy the moment.' The clue was perhaps in his noticeable recent weight loss. At the marriage of his Downton Abbey co-star Michelle Dockery last weekend, Hugh Bonneville looked trimmer, while the wedding ring he had worn for 25 years was nowhere to be seen and neither was his loyal wife Lulu Williams. And at Windsor Castle in May, as he hosted the King's Coronation Concert, he also seemed to have lost weight. While friends say Ms Williams, 55, wept in a pub while speaking about the break-up which she is 'expectedly devastated' by, Bonneville, 59, seemed the life and soul as he giggled with wedding guests outside the west London church just nine days ago. He was tanned and relaxed as he chatted with friends many from the ITV period drama in which he played the Earl of Grantham as Ms Dockery wed Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge's brother, Jasper. It isn't known if there is a new lady in his life but those close to Ms Williams have spoken in support of her, with one saying: 'It's clear that Lulu feels as if 20-odd years of marriage counts for nothing.' At the marriage of his Downton Abbey co-star Michelle Dockery last weekend, Hugh Bonneville looked trimmer, while the wedding ring he had worn for 25 years was nowhere to be seen and neither was his loyal wife Lulu Williams At Windsor Castle in May, as he hosted the King's Coronation Concert, he also seemed to have lost weight While friends say Ms Williams, 55, is 'expectedly devastated' at the couple's split, Bonneville, 59, seemed the life and soul as he giggled with wedding guests outside the west London church just nine days ago Ms William was reportedly overheard sharing details of the breakdown of her marriage in a pub near the former couple's home in West Sussex. Friends say she wept while speaking about the heartbreak with one local telling The Sun: 'She got incredibly emotional talking about the break-up.' It's understood they broke up in July, with another source claiming that he sat her down one evening and said it was over. At the weekend, a spokesman for Bonneville confirmed that the couple, who have a 20-year-old son, Felix, had indeed separated. While it came as a shock to some, there had been murmurs within showbusiness circles over the years that all was not well in the relationship. However, Ms Williams regularly supported her husband at premieres as well as accompanying him on film sets across the world. It is not known whether she visited him on the set of Paddington In Peru, Bonneville's latest film and the third movie in the Paddington franchise, shot this summer. Five years ago, to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, the couple renewed their vows in Las Vegas. Back in 2012, Ms Williams insisted that she had been unfazed by her husband's fame. She said: 'I don't take any notice. I don't notice women fawning over him although I know everybody talks about it. Don't forget we met as teenagers and we have a lot of history. Hugh shot to superstardom for his portrayal of the Earl of Grantham on ITV period drama Downton Abbey. Pictured: Hugh on the show A source claimed that Hugh, pictured here in London in October last year, 'lost a bit of weight this summer, he was looking trim, tanned and relaxed' Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Evans at the Viceroy's House, film premiere, London, UK - 21 Feb 2017 Bonneville and Lulu were last seen together in public at the Old Vic Theatre in London for a gala in April 'We are not fazed by the showbusiness world. We are just home-loving people.' Recently, however, Bonneville had been spending time away from the family home in in the sleepy town of Midhurst, West Sussex, which he and Lulu bought some years back. It is thought that Ms Williams will remain there. Sources close to the now estranged couple say the decision to split is a 'fairly recent' one. In fact, Bonneville was still wearing his gold wedding ring when he fronted the Coronation Concert on May 7. Hugh Bonneville has announced he is splitting from his wife of 25 years Lulu Williams. Pictured: The couple at the world premiere of Downton Abbey: A New Era in April last year Pictured: Hugh as The Reverend Roland Wise in BBC series Rev Hugh Bonneville has confirmed a split from his wife of 25 years Lulu Williams. Pictured: Hugh at the premier of Downton Abbey in New York in September 2019 Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Williams pose for photographers at the world premiere of Paddington in November 2014 Just weeks before, he and Ms Williams were seen at a gala at London's Old Vic Theatre. Now the pair's friends are warning not to expect any sort of reconciliation, with one saying: 'Divorce is looking to be the most likely outcome.' In seven weeks, Bonneville will turn 60. Having once called his wife his 'bedrock', he will now go into his seventh decade a bachelor, something he confessed he thought he would always be before he met Lulu. "The International Astronautical Congress is returning to the South Caucasus region after half a century," chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship Tahir Mirkishili said during the 13th IAF International Meeting for Ministers and Parliamentarians (MMOP). "Let me say that this is a very rational choice. A rational choice because it is a return to traditions, here in Baku, 50 years ago, in 1973, the 24th congress was held on the initiative of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev. This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the great leader and honor his memory. Now our country is hosting the biggest space event - the 74th International Astronautical Congress in 2023. This means that the International Astronautical Congress is returning to our region after half a century. Both in terms of content and number of participants, this congress is more representative than all previous ones," he said. Speaking about the services of the well-known Azerbaijani scientist Nasreddin Tusi in the field of astronautics, the chairman of the committee expressed his confidence that the event will contribute to the field of space. He added that Azerbaijan is negotiating with many countries of the world for cooperation in the field of space. The country is a supporter of peace and cooperation as one of the stable countries. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting is being held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. Tributes have poured in for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Jake Abraham, who passed away aged 56 just months after revealing he had left it too late to get his cancer symptoms checked. Close friends of the scouse actor have paid homage to his acting abilities as well as his humour and kindness, describing him as a 'true Liverpool legend' and a 'gent'. Actress Tina Malone, a close friend of Jake's who performed alongside him in a National Theatre production and on-screen, spoke of her heartbreak at her friend's passing. 'I am heartbroken my screen and theatre husband, my mate of 50 years has passed. Talented, funny, kind, a true Liverpool legend RIP my darling.' Fans have also shared their memories of the 'brilliant Liverpool actor', who regularly performed in his hometown and was on stage earlier this year. Jake Abraham (pictured) has passed away aged 56 Jake opened up about his condition in July and confessed he had 'left it too late' to go to the doctors after feeling unwell for a while. The actor was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which later spread to the rest of his body and created tumours on his spine, hips and bladder. As news of Jake's passing broke online, stars, friends and fans flooded X, formerly Twitter, with messages of condolence. One Show and Tool Club presenter Kevin Duala, who also hails from Liverpool, described his friend as a 'gent' and spoke of his success as an actor. 'When you're growing up in Liverpool especially #toxteth it can be tough to rise up! And our man Mr Jake Abraham did just that! 'What a gent, great actor but all round fantastic fella and will be sadly missed - one of our #Granby boys from the 8 gone.' Career: As well as his best known performance in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (pictured) he also appeared in Prisoners Wives, Holby City, The Bill and Red Dwarf Actor and filmmaker David Morrissey said: 'RIP Jake Abraham. Top bloke and wonderful performer. Gone way too soon.' Stuart Anthony added: 'Very sorry to hear Jake Abraham has sadly passed away aged 56. Lovely man x.' Meanwhile, radio personality Pete Price, said: 'Another wonderful, kind, talented friend has passed away. Jake is going to be so missed. I always loved his performances.' One fan online wrote: 'Such sad news today. Jake Abraham, one of the city's best-loved actors, has died aged 56. Another said: 'Liverpool has lost a great talent and a great man in Jake Abraham. thoughts and prayers are with his family.' A third added: 'God bless you, Jake. Always a little diamond. Very sad news. Glad to have shared a few boss memories with you over the years. Goodnight, RIP mate.' Jake, who most recently appeared on stage in the pantomime The Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk, said he finally went to his GP after a long period of illness. He told Liverpool ECHO: 'I was working but I wasn't feeling well. I was pushing through those spells when you don't feel yourself, you haven't got the energy and there are aches and pains. Reaction: As news of Jake's passing broke online, friends and fans flooded X, formerly Twitter, with messages of condolence 'The costume for the play was enormous, I knew I wasn't well then but I'd not been well for so long. 'What made me go to the doctor and get a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test was that I passed blood in my urine. 'I got a test and ended up in the Royal. He said: 'You've got cancer, I'm so, so sorry'. He said that I'd had it for years, maybe four years.' Jake initially received radiotherapy treatment, however after a while they changed his treatment plan to palliative care. The star said he was told at the time that he could have between months or years left to live. His late diagnosis meant he was keen to encourage others to get themselves checked out if they are feeling ill. Jake Abraham, who was born in Toxteth but grew up in Kensington, began his career in the 1980s, among what he called a 'cauldron of talent' at The Everyman Youth Theatre. He went on to enjoy a four-decade career on stage and screen. This included working with some of the biggest names in British drama, including with fellow Liverpudlian Alan Bleasdale on the 1991 Channel 4 series GBH. One of his most famous roles was as Dean in gangster classic 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', which was Guy Ritchie's directorial debut. As well as his best known performance in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels he also appeared in Prisoners Wives, Holby City, The Bill and Red Dwarf. Cassie Sainsbury says she is ready to shed her criminal reputation. The drug trafficker-turned-fitness influencer, 28, told the Daily Telegraph on Monday that she wanted to show people who she really is ahead of competing in the Seven reality contest SAS Australia: Buried Alive. 'I wanted to unmask what everyone thought of me really, show them the most raw version of someone,' the influencer said. Dubbed 'Cocaine Cassie' after she was convicted for drug smuggling in the South American country of Columbia, she noted that she hoped the show will give Australians a more rounded look at her, demonstrating her humanity and how her past misdeeds do not define her. 'For so long I have allowed my past to define my life and I never wanted that... I tried to hide from it and I think since the show I have really stepped out of the shadow and back myself in whatever decisions I am doing now,' she said. Convicted drug smuggler 'Cocaine Cassie' Sainsbury (pictured) says she is ready to shed her criminal reputation The publication also reported that she is 'desperate to ditch' the infamous moniker she was branded with in 2017. Last month, Cassie started up her own Cameo account to connect with fans. She made the announcement via her Instagram account, sharing a link with her 33.7k followers. Cameo is an online platform that allows fans to purchase personalised videos and messages from various celebrities, internet influencers, and television stars. The drug trafficker-turned-fitness influencer, 28, told the Daily Telegraph on Monday that she wanted to show people who she really is ahead of competing in the Seven reality contest SAS Australia: Buried Alive Through her Cameo profile, Sainsbury will give followers the opportunity to purchase personalised videos for $47 each and messages for $31. The forthcoming contestant on SAS Australia has posted an introductory video laying out what she is offering fans. 'Hey guys, it's Cassie here. I am accepting any video requests whether it be a motivational speech, a shout out, a birthday message, I am here nothing weird,' she said. It comes as Sainsbury launched her own Cameo profile last month. Pictured The drug trafficker-turned-fitness influencer, 28, made the announcement on Instagram, sharing a link with her 33.7k followers Sainsbury also declared that all money she earns via Cameo will be donated to an unnamed charity. Cassie was also seen in the recently dropped trailer for the forthcoming SAS Australia show. The video begins by dropping its celebrity contestants in a sandy desert, which the subtitles say is located in an 'undisclosed location in the Middle East'. Through her Cameo profile, Sainsbury will give followers the opportunity to purchase personalised videos for $47 each and messages for $31 The contestants are then seen being put through a series of grueling physical challenges, including running across the roof of a moving train and dodging grenades. They are also seen being buried alive in coffins built in the sand. 'The selection process is brutal. This is the hardest military course in the world. If you're weak, easily offended or physically unfit, leave now,' host Ant Middleton tells the contestants. Cassie will also be featuring in the new season of Channel Seven's reality show, SAS Australia: Buried Alive, as indicated by the newly dropped trailer. The video begins by dropping its celebrity contestants in a sandy desert, which the subtitles say is located in an 'undisclosed location in the Middle East' 'The selection process is brutal. This is the hardest military course in the world. If you're weak, easily offended or physically unfit, leave now,' host Ant Middleton (pictured) tells the contestants Cassie will join Anthony Mundine, former Roosters captain Boyd Cordner and Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice on the new series. The Adelaide woman became known as Cocaine Cassie in 2017, after she was detained by Colombian authorities for trying to smuggle almost 6 kgs of cocaine out of the country hidden in 18 boxes of headphones. She was sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 2020, returning to South Australia soon after, where she now works as a fitness influencer. Cassie will join Anthony Mundine, former Roosters captain Boyd Cordner and Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice on the new series. Brynn Whitfield, amid her ongoing tax troubles, has a past history of financial issues, as a new report reveals she was evicted from a New York City apartment in 2014. The 36-year-old reality star, according to court docs reviewed by The U.S. Sun, faced eviction proceedings from a studio apartment she lived in on the Upper East Side after she was delinquent for 'nearly $7,000 in rent.' The Real Housewives of New York City personality - who the outlet reported is behind 'about $30,000 in back taxes' - initially began renting the condo in 2013. In court docs, the landlord said that after a yearlong rental agreement had expired on the home, they agreed to lease the property to Whitfield on a monthly basis at a rate of $2,500. The Indiana native and two people she shared the property with, referred to in court docs as Jane and John Doe, were served an eviction notice in August of 2014. The latest: Brynn Whitfield, 36, amid her ongoing tax troubles, has a past history of financial issues, as a new report reveals she was evicted from a New York City apartment in 2014. Pictured in July in NYC The reality star faced eviction proceedings over a studio apartment she lived in on the Upper East Side after she was delinquent for 'nearly $7,000 in rent' A lawyer for the landlord said in court docs that Whitfield, a communications professional, continued 'to be in possession of the premise without the permission of the Petitioner-Landlord after the expiration of said term.' The socialite was past due on rent for the months of July of 2013, and October, November and December of that year, according to court papers. Whitfield was in arrears on the delinquent balance accrued in January and February of 2014, according to court docs. By October of 2014, the landlord petitioned the court to issue a 'final judgment [to] be entered against' Whitfield and her two co-tenants. They were also to be issued 'a warrant of eviction to remove respondents from possession thereof, and that a judgment be issued for the rent arrears.' A judge ruled against Whitfield in the case, and ordered her to pay back the outstanding balance. According to a recent report by The U.S. Sun, officials in Los Angeles confirmed in July that Whitfield was behind on her taxes about $28,000. The outstanding balance is as result of a 2021 open state tax lien for $11,359; and a $16,487 lien by the IRS for 2019. The Indiana native and two people she shared the property with, referred to in court docs as Jane and John Doe, were served an eviction notice in August of 2014 According to a recent report by The U.S. Sun, officials in Los Angeles confirmed in July that Whitfield was behind on her taxes about $28,000 Whitfield is a newcomer to the Big Apple-based cast, as she was brought on for the show's 14th season. According to Bravo, she 'is in search of what she really wants out of life and attempting to heal from past hardships. 'She craves stability and having the kind of family she longed for as a child, however, her fear of commitment and busy schedule jet-setting the world tend to get in the way.' Financial issues have past plagued other notable names in the well-heeled Real Housewives universe, including Kim Zolciak, Teresa Giudice and Erika Jayne. The Real Housewives of New York City airs at 9/8c on Bravo every Sunday. Silicon Valley payments company Stripe is under fire across the globe after blocking small, family-run businesses from using its services. The payment processing company, which is valued at $50 billion, allows merchants to accept credit and debit card transactions online. But Alastair Muir, who runs a country goods retailer in the UK with his wife and son, says his account was recently axed because he sells legal air rifle accessories. The 60-year-old had been using the service to operate his online business Farm Cottage Brands for around two years when seemingly out of the blue, it was cut off after Stripe claimed he was selling items that violated its regulations. And he is not alone. Against a backdrop of rising complaints about organizations 'de-banking' customers over political and religious views, the company, which is based in San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland, is facing increased criticism from business owners in the US and the UK who claim to have been unfairly targeted. Online payments company Stripe has a headquarters in San Francisco (pictured). It provides online payments for businesses around the world Alastair Muir (pictured), 60, is the Managing Director of Farm Cottage Brands, an online country good retailer which he runs with his wife and son According to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by DailyMail.com, the Federal Trade Commission has received 1,591 complaints about Stripe since January 1, 2020. Mike Glover, a prominent 'prepper' based in Utah who sells survival equipment as well as online courses, claimed in March to have also been cut off for selling 'weapons, ammunition, and related products.' Posting online, he wrote: 'We don't sell firearms through Stripe nor take payment for 'ammo' or 'related products'. We provide online education.' In January 2021, Stripe also made headlines after it stopped supporting payments to the Trump campaign website shortly after the Capital riots. Farm Cottage Brands was set up in 2011 by Muir as a subsidiary to a larger e-commerce business, which he runs with his wife Lindsay and son Edward. It sells air gun and shotgun accessories among other rural-themed items like cuff links, flasks, cards and mugs. Muir claims he was targeted as part of a campaign led by parts of the financial services industry against people who are passionate about British countryside pursuits including shooting. 'We're not a firearms dealer so we don't sell rifles or shotguns but accessories which include targets, cleaning kits, pellets, magazines and oil,' Muir told DailyMail.com. He explained how after two years without issues, he received an email from Stripe in August saying Farm Cottage Brands was in contravention of its policies. Farm Cottage Brands was founded in 2011 by Alastair Muir. It sells various country-themed goods including . Pictured are some of its online marketing material like walking sticks, cuff links, flasks, cards and mugs He was told he would have to remove from his website the listing for a 10-round plastic magazine that holds lead air gun pellets. After failing to oblige, Stripe suspended its service of his store earlier this month. 'We're writing to let you know that we have determined that your business... is in violation of the Stripe Services Agreement,' the email, dated September 11, read. 'Specifically, we are unable to accept payments for weapons, ammunition, and related products, as mentioned on our Restricted Businesses list,' it added. Stripe does not allow the sale of firearms, explosives and dangerous materials and lists 'guns, gunpowders, ammunitions, weapons, fireworks and other explosives' as prohibited items on its website. However this list does not refer to gun-related products such as the air gun magazine which is designed to feed pellets into the chamber of an air gun. 'There were no problems until we had an email from them saying we had to remove certain items related to air gunning and clay shotgunning - which is an Olympic sport,' Muir said. 'It's just beyond belief. It's an international organization trying to control what people can and cannot do. 'It's got to be stopped. They're trying to stop people from going about their business. They're trying to impose their views on people,' he added. After DailyMail.com contacted Stripe on Muir's behalf, Farm Cottage Brands was told its account would be reinstated. Stripe told Muir that his 'account was incorrectly closed' after a 'routine review' but refused to comment further about the case or its review process more broadly. Instead, it directed DailyMail.com to a section of its website that states 'basic economic infrastructure, like bank accounts or the services Stripe provides, should be broadly accessible and provided in an impartial manner.' Online payments company Stripe was once the most highly valued privately owned Silicon Valley company but after the pandemic suffered with the downfall of the internet economy The review of Muir's account comes amid a growing debate around organizations de-banking customers and after British politicians spoke out on the issue of financial providers cutting off legitimate and legal gun clubs in the UK. British politician Nigel Farage, who was at the center of a high-profile de-banking controversy, told DailyMail.com last month he thought the phenomenon was a growing problem in the US. 'The situation in America is absolutely as bad as it is in Britain,' he said. 'Banks have become political campaigning organizations.' Last month DailyMail.com reported on a fallout between Bank of America and an ultra-conservative Christian charity which provides necessities to Ugandan orphans. Memphis-based non-profit Indigenous Advance Ministries filed a complaint to the Tennessee Attorney-General's office over concerns its accounts were closed because the bank disagrees with its 'religious views.' Bank of America denied that it de-banked the body over these views and told DailyMail.com that 'religious beliefs are not a factor in any account-closing decision.' India has taken a formidable lead in Moon exploration, though it would be a while before Moons resources would be available for development purposes India is riding high on the success of India's Chandrayaan-3, which scripted a glorious history worldwide. It is not only a matter of national pride but has larger implications on varied dimensions. It has opened up further deliberations on technological capability, resource exploration, international collaboration, scientific contributions, space exploration and diplomacy, geopolitical landscape, global leadership and cooperation. The success of Chandrayaan-3 has redefined the relationship between national prestige and technological capability. Successfully launching and operating a lunar mission showcases a country's technological prowess and capabilities. It can boost national pride and reputation on a global stage, potentially influencing how other countries perceive and engage with that nation. International collaboration is now buzzing around. Lunar missions often involve collaboration with other countries and space agencies. The use of space missions, including lunar explorations, as a means of advancing diplomatic ties is referred to as space diplomacy. The development of international partnerships for space exploration can open up chances for discussions, disagreements, and alliances with other nations, potentially having more significant geopolitical repercussions. These partnerships can foster diplomatic ties and strengthen international relationships, leading to potential geopolitical advantages. Scientific Contributions Without scientific contributions, Indias mission could not have been possible. Lunar missions contribute to scientific advancements by conducting experiments and collecting data about the Moon's geology, atmosphere, and other characteristics. Sharing such data and findings can position a country as a leader in scientific research and innovation. Resource Exploration is another area that can be discounted in Indias journey in space. If future lunar missions, including Chandrayaan missions, discover valuable resources on the Moon, such as rare minerals or water ice, they could have significant economic implications. Space Voyage & Geopolitics Control or access to these resources could influence a country's geopolitical standing. The ability to conduct space missions, including lunar missions, can be used as a tool for diplomacy. It can open channels for negotiations, discussions, and partnerships with other nations interested in space exploration, which can have broader geopolitical implications. Furthermore, a long-running space race may pick up speed in response to the successful lunar mission, which follows Russia's failure. India became the first nation to land a spacecraft on the south pole of the moon. As the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully touched down on the lunar south pole last week, India became just the fourth nation to perform a soft landing on the moon. That area of the moon has not yet been visited by any other country. The trajectory of the Chandrayaan-3, which blasted off from southern India more than a month ago, has captured the attention of the Indian public and dominated headlines for days. Soft Power Projection is something that India is going to capitalize on. Successfully conducting ambitious space missions can enhance a country's soft power its ability to influence others through cultural, technological, and scientific achievements. The successful completion of ambitious space missions has the potential to increase a country's soft power, which is defined as its ability to sway others through achievements in the arts, sciences, and technology. This phenomenon can help to shape how people view the country and have an effect on how well-known it is abroad. This can create a positive image of the country and influence how it is perceived by the international community. Launching lunar missions requires the development of advanced technology, infrastructure, and skilled workforce. These developments can have a positive impact on the country's overall technological capabilities and economic growth, indirectly affecting its geopolitical position. Precisely, this achievement will enhance the infrastructure and capability building. Now, global leadership and cooperation have come to the fore for further discussions. If a country like India successfully conducts lunar missions, it could position itself as a leader in space exploration, especially within the developing world. This leadership role can lead to collaborations and alliances, shaping geopolitical dynamics. A nation like India has the potential to become a leader in space exploration if its lunar missions are carried out successfully, especially among developing nations. This particular leadership position has the potential to promote alliances and partnerships. A long-running space race may be accelerated by the Chandrayaan-3 mission, ushering in a new stage of great power competition. Russia and India, who are allies on Earth, have been vying to be the first nation to set foot on the lunar south pole; a Russian attempt was a failed one. The presence of water raises the possibility that other nations could use the region of the lunar south pole as a base for further space exploration in the future. The United States established the Artemis Accords in 2020, which seek to foster space cooperation through shared rules and principles, possibly in anticipation of such competition. Several allies and partners, including India, joined. Russia and China have not. The way people on Earth view the moonand beyondcould change as geopolitical competition in space is set to heat up. Moon Economy Limiting climate change's harmful effects and ensuring a transition to sustainable energy sources have become the two biggest problems the world community has been facing recently. The lack of critical minerals, which are crucial elements of the transition to renewable energy, as studies suggest, makes the transition less seamless than anticipated. Considering the moon economy's importance and potential sources for these essential minerals is necessary in this context. Along with this, a country typically gains a tactical advantage from a space mission when operationalizing satellite communication, in addition to a variety of other benefits. This includes enabling and supplying consistent satellite data, which aids in forecasting many things, including the monsoon and can greatly aid defence forces in maintaining surveillance on other nations. The moon is a rich source of raw materials, so it should be noted that this will be a geopolitical region where future conflict and cooperation may occur. It is necessary to take a comprehensive look at the essential minerals that have grown in significance recently. According to an ISRO study, the Moon, especially the South Pole, is currently home to enormous amounts of water. A significant amount of hydro-energy could be produced if this were to be investigated. Similar to this, a report by Popular Science Magazine titled The elements we might mine on the moon suggests the presence of other critical minerals, including plutonium and helium 3, which can be used for the fusion of nuclear energy, as well as cobalt, lithium, titanium, and other critical minerals. In a similar vein, the Energy Information Administration, in its numerous reports, has made predictions of these vital minerals that can be sourced for the RE sector. The countries that establish bases on the moon first will have the first-mover advantage to benefit from a variety of space projects and businesses on and around the Moon. The geopolitics of lunar colonialism are still unknown, but we do know that they will have an impact on world politics. In a few decades, India may be one of the few nations in charge of the largest portion of the moon economy. A PwC report states that the lunar economy encompasses all of the activities involved in the production, use, and exchange of lunar resources on the Moon's surface, in lunar orbit, and on Earth. The United States, Russia, China, Japan, and France are just a few of the nations that have congratulated India on Chandrayaan-3's successful landing. These nations are all interested in space exploration and are probably closely observing India's development. These responses demonstrate the widespread acclaim and admiration that India has received for its performance on Chandrayaan-3. It is a significant accomplishment for India and evidence of its expanding space exploration capabilities. Other nations may be inspired to pursue their space exploration programs as a result. Now, the moon is Indias ventured place. Lets wait and watch on the worlds relations with India to shape up the journey in the space. (The writer is HoD- Digital Marketing and Associate Professor at the School of Management, Presidency University Bangalore, views are personal) The Trinamool Congress which has dispatched to Delhi about 3,000 of its foot soldiers allegedly in the garb of unpaid MNREGA workers to participate in an anti-Centre rally seemed to concede roundly that corruption had indeed taken place in the implementation of the 100-days work scheme. While reminding Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his Government in the Centre cannot browbeat the brave Trinamool Congress cadre into submission, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said complaints of corruption should not be made the ground for withholding Central funds meant for the uplift of the poor. There may be a few corrupt people who should be punished but why do the whole lot of people be punished for that Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi punishing 2.5 crore people of Bengal for the offence committed by 20 people, Banerjee asked, reminding how the Centre had released the funds to the Assam Government despite reports of corruption there. Have they not released funds to Assam Government where too corruption has taken place if they can release funds for one State then why this discrimination against Bengal, Banerjee who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, reminding how the poor workers of our State have been made to starve for about two years now just because they voted against the BJP in 2021 Assembly elections. They can release `20,000 crore for the Prime Ministers house but they cannot release funds for the poor unpaid workers when the Central Act makes the payment mandatory within `15 days of the work getting done, Banerjee said reminding how the Centre takes away the GST from the people of Bengal and refuses to return the money back to them. While the TMC claims that the Centre has withheld about `15,000 crore of MNREGA funds which is a small part of the total Central deprivation amounting to more than `1 lakh crore the Opposition BJP has hit back saying the Mamata Banerjee Government is transferring the blame on the BJP whereas even after repeated reminders they have failed to account for the previous funds released to them. BJP State president Sukanta Majumdar said his party would soon expose the TMC through a statistic showing the amount of money that has been misappropriated by their workers About 15 lakh fake job cards have been cancelled you can figure out the amount that has been lifted through those 15 lakh fake job cards. This is public money after all and cannot be released at will and now they are trying to transfer the blame at our doors. The TMC general secretary who had earlier promised to ferry two lakh people to Delhi on Saturday and Sunday flagged off about 50 buses-loads of party men to take part in dharna in Delhi. The buses were arranged in a hurry after the train to Delhi, the party had booked, was cancelled by the Eastern Railways on account of unavailability of rakes amid allegations of BJPs manipulations in providing trains to ferry their workers to the national Capital. While the party grassroots, along with the unpaid job card holders, were left by buses the lesser leaders including panchayat, pradhans, district board members et al flew off to Delhi. The top leadership including Banerjee, his fellow MPs and the Ministers in the Mamata Cabinet and MLAs too went by air. Banerjee, who is also the MP from Diamond Harbour, was likely to meet his party leaders on Sunday at the Lodhi Estate bungalow of former Union Minister and MP Saugato Roy, sources said. Final strategies will be taken there in consultation with Mamata, a senior leader said. In a related development, much in the lines of the King of Righteousness Hammurabis recommendations: eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth, the top Trinamool Congress leadership has offered to use baton-for-a-baton, back in Bengal should their workers are baton-charged by the BJP-run Delhi Police during their show of protest in the national Capital on Monday and Wednesday. A day after TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee warned that if even a single deprived worker going with us is touched in Delhi then there will be consequences in Bengal, an apparently charged up State Irrigation Minister Partha Bhowmick too let out a war cry warning, If the batons are used there, the batons will be used here too. He would not however use the word BJP. Banerjee had on Saturday reminded that like in Delhi, the Bengal Government too has its own police and they too know how to act with purpose. The TMC leaders words of caution came after Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the thieves going to Delhi should be arrested, while another saffron leader said that the Delhi Police was not as lacklustre as their Bengal counterparts. They know how to keep the unruly crowds under control, he said. The CPI(M) which has recently tasted a good jump in its vote bank 21 per cent as against the BJPs 22 per cent in the rural polls immediately said the two sides the TMC and the BJP were rattling sabers in public in order to create a binary. But the people of Bengal fell in that trap in 2019 and 2021 but they will not do so for the third time they will do what they should do this time, CPI(M) Central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty said. The TMC and the BJP are playing a pre-scripted game, he said. The poor people from Bengal have been taken there they will be beaten up and jailed and then the TMC will encash sentiments in the elections by making it a BJP-versus-TMC affair, he said. In commemoration of World Heart Day, Tata Motors Hospital, Jamshedpur, took a proactive step towards promoting heart health and a healthy lifestyle by organising a vibrant Walkathon. The event was inaugurated with great enthusiasm as Ravindra Kulkarni, Head of Jamshedpur Plant, Tata Motors, flagged off the Walkathon. The occasion witnessed the esteemed presence of Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Head of Tata Motors Hospital, along with other senior doctors, nursing staff, paramedics, members of AIWC/Manasi Club, and Union representatives. A multitude of participants walked spiritedly, carrying placards adorned with various slogans aimed at creating awareness about heart health amongst the general public. Addressing the gathering, Ravindra Kulkarni emphasized the paramount importance of health and wellness in our lives. Dr. Sanjay Kumar delved into the significance of maintaining a healthy heart, addressing the concerning surge in lifestyle diseases and providing insights on combating them. Tata Motors Hospital, committed to the well-being of the community, actively engages in diverse healthcare initiatives such as Lifestyle Diseases, Mental Health, School Health programs, and Tobacco & Alcohol De-addiction. These initiatives extend beyond employees and their families, reaching out to the broader community. The impact of these health awareness programs is already evident, contributing significantly to the overall health and wellness of society. Tata Motors Hospital continues to champion health initiatives, aligning with its commitment to fostering a healthier and happier community. A populist former prime minister and his leftist party have won early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party had 22.9 per cent of the votes, the Slovak Statistics Office said early Sunday after counting 99.98per cent of the votes from some 6,000 polling stations. Saturdays election was a test for the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Fico, 59, has vowed to withdraw Slovakias military support for Ukraine in Russias war if his attempt to return to power succeeds. The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war. Slovakia has delivered to Ukraine its fleet of the Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, the S-300 air defense system, helicopters, armoured vehicles and much-needed demining equipment. The current caretaker government is planning to send Ukraine artillery ammunition and to train Ukrainian service members in demining. Winning approval for sending more arms to Ukraine is getting more difficult in many countries. In the US Congress, a bill to avert a government shutdown in Washington, DC, excluded President Joe Bidens request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. In other countries, including Germany, France, and Spain, populist parties skeptical of intervention in Ukraine also command significant support. Many of these countries have national or regional elections coming up that could tip the balance of popular opinion away from Kyiv and toward Moscow. With no party winning a majority of seats in Slovakia, a coalition government will need to be formed. The president traditionally asks an elections winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. He served as prime minister in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018. A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, was second, with 18per cent of the votes. Its leader Michal Simecka, who is deputy president of the European Parliament, said his party respected the result. But its bad news for Slovakia, he said. And it would be even worse if Robert Fico manages to create a government. He said hed like try to form a governing coalition if Fico fails. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Ficos former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, came in third with 14.7 per cent. Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Ficos chances to form a government. Pellegrini replaced Fico as prime minister after he was forced to resign after major anti-government street protests following the 2018 killing of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Pellegrini congratulated Fico on his victory but said that two former prime ministers in one government might not work well. Its not ideal but that doesnt mean such a coalition cant be created, he said. Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, a clear pro-Russian group, received 5.6 per cent. Those three parties would have a parliamentary majority if they joined forces in a coalition government. Fico opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the US should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. Ficos critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party. It cant be ruled out that he will be looking for a partner who uses similar rhetoric, and the partner will be Viktor Orban, said Radoslav Stefancik, an analyst from the University of Economics in Bratislava. Orban welcomed Ficos victory. Always good to work together with a patriot, he posted on X, the former Twitter. Looking forward to it! Hungary has been sanctioned by the EU for alleged rule-of-law violations and corruption, while EU institutions say Poland has been on a slippery slope away from the EUs rule-of-law principles. Fico has threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deals with the most serious crimes and corruption. Hungary also has uniquely among EU countries maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance. Fico repeats Russian President Vladimir Putins unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state from which ethnic Russians in the countrys east needed protection. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust. Known for foul-mouthed tirades against journalists, Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. The populist Ordinary People group, the conservative Christian Democrats and the pro-business Freedom and Solidarity also won seats in parliament while the far-right Republic failed to do so. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party will approach the Lahore High Court (LHC) for his bail before he arrives in the country later this month, a media report said on Sunday. Nawaz, 73, recently said that he is excited to return to Pakistan on October 21, ending a four-year self-imposed exile and to lead his party in the election likely to be held in January 2024. The decision to approach the LHC for bail was taken to avoid Nawazs arrest at Lahore airport because he was declared a proclaimed offender, Geo News reported. It said it was unclear when the party would exactly approach the court for bail. Citing PML-N officials, Geo News said the partys legal team would approach LHC for bail a week before the three-time prime ministers return to the country. The PML-N leaders said that the decision to approach the court was discussed with Nawaz, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in recent meetings held in London. Citing sources, it said that a protective bail application may also be submitted in the court just two days before Nawazs return in which it would be urged that the PML-N supremo should not be arrested for seven days and he would surrender himself before the relevant court. If the bail is approved then Nawaz would not go to jail immediately on his return home and he would also be able to address the public gathering planned at Minar-e-Pakistan grounds, sources said. PML-N President Shehbaz on Saturday said that the main goal and agenda of Nawaz will be to provide relief to the masses, rescue them from the miserable situation and eradicate economic darkness. He made the comments during a party meeting to review preparations for Nawazs return to Pakistan. Huntsman Co. (NYSE:HUN Free Report) Equities researchers at Zacks Research cut their Q3 2023 EPS estimates for Huntsman in a report released on Wednesday, September 27th. Zacks Research analyst A. Barman now anticipates that the basic materials company will post earnings of $0.19 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $0.24. The consensus estimate for Huntsmans current full-year earnings is $0.78 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Huntsmans Q4 2023 earnings at $0.15 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $0.75 EPS, Q1 2024 earnings at $0.27 EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $0.46 EPS, Q3 2024 earnings at $0.47 EPS, Q4 2024 earnings at $0.34 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $1.54 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $0.67 EPS, Q2 2025 earnings at $0.60 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $2.29 EPS. Get Huntsman alerts: Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Huntsman from $29.00 to $25.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and issued a $30.00 price objective on shares of Huntsman in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Huntsman in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. 58.com restated an initiates rating on shares of Huntsman in a research report on Wednesday, June 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Huntsman from $26.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Huntsman currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $28.00. Huntsman Stock Performance NYSE:HUN opened at $24.40 on Friday. Huntsman has a 1 year low of $23.50 and a 1 year high of $33.46. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $26.95 and a 200-day moving average of $26.61. The company has a current ratio of 2.14, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.42 and a beta of 1.16. Huntsman (NYSE:HUN Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The basic materials company reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.30 by ($0.08). Huntsman had a net margin of 2.64% and a return on equity of 5.75%. The firm had revenue of $1.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.70 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.28 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 26.5% on a year-over-year basis. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Huntsman Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in HUN. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Huntsman by 33.6% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 27,472 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,030,000 after buying an additional 6,907 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Huntsman by 42.3% in the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 13,414 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $506,000 after purchasing an additional 3,986 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Huntsman in the 1st quarter worth $155,000. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in Huntsman by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 12,672,792 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $475,358,000 after purchasing an additional 47,739 shares during the period. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can boosted its stake in Huntsman by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 14,250 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $565,000 after purchasing an additional 1,173 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.44% of the companys stock. Huntsman Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 15th were issued a $0.2375 dividend. This represents a $0.95 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.89%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. Huntsmans dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 98.96%. About Huntsman (Get Free Report) Huntsman Corporation manufactures and sells diversified organic chemical products worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Polyurethanes, Performance Products, and Advanced Materials. The Polyurethanes segment offers polyurethane chemicals, including methyl diphenyl diisocyanate, polyether and polyester polyols, and thermoplastic polyurethane. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Huntsman Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Huntsman and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LDOS Free Report) Research analysts at Zacks Research raised their Q3 2023 earnings per share estimates for Leidos in a research report issued on Wednesday, September 27th. Zacks Research analyst A. Dutta now anticipates that the aerospace company will post earnings of $1.61 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.60. The consensus estimate for Leidos current full-year earnings is $6.64 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Leidos Q3 2024 earnings at $1.88 EPS and FY2024 earnings at $7.13 EPS. Get Leidos alerts: LDOS has been the topic of a number of other reports. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Leidos from $129.00 to $121.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Leidos from $90.00 to $106.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 8th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Leidos from $116.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Leidos from $114.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Leidos from $102.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Leidos has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $112.70. Leidos Price Performance Leidos stock opened at $92.16 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average is $95.49 and its 200 day moving average is $89.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The firm has a market cap of $12.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.77. Leidos has a one year low of $76.58 and a one year high of $110.91. Leidos (NYSE:LDOS Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The aerospace company reported $1.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $3.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.72 billion. Leidos had a return on equity of 20.97% and a net margin of 4.77%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.59 earnings per share. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC grew its stake in shares of Leidos by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. United Capital Financial Advisers LLC now owns 6,651 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $718,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its holdings in Leidos by 49.3% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 339 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Lido Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Leidos by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Lido Advisors LLC now owns 13,762 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,486,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC grew its holdings in Leidos by 5.8% during the 2nd quarter. Clear Creek Financial Management LLC now owns 2,313 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $205,000 after buying an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Leidos by 2.2% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 6,226 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $573,000 after buying an additional 134 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 74.71% of the companys stock. Insider Buying and Selling at Leidos In other Leidos news, Director Harry M. Jansen Kraemer, Jr. sold 3,098 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.95, for a total value of $300,351.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 84,277 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,170,655.15. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.52% of the companys stock. Leidos Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 15th were paid a $0.36 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.56%. Leidoss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.13%. About Leidos (Get Free Report) Leidos Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Defense Solutions, Civil, and Health. The Defense Solutions segment offers national security solutions and systems for air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace for the U.S. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Leidos Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Leidos and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS Free Report) had its price objective reduced by Barclays from $180.00 to $175.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the transportation companys stock. Several other brokerages have also commented on UPS. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $190.00 to $185.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. Atlantic Securities assumed coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a report on Tuesday, June 6th. They set a neutral rating and a $162.00 price objective on the stock. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $185.00 to $179.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 12th. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on United Parcel Service from $195.00 to $184.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on United Parcel Service to $203.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have given a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, United Parcel Service presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $185.57. Get United Parcel Service alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on UPS United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.2 % NYSE UPS opened at $155.87 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $133.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.09. United Parcel Service has a 52-week low of $150.54 and a 52-week high of $197.80. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $169.36 and a 200 day moving average price of $176.30. United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The transportation company reported $2.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.49 by $0.05. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 51.28% and a net margin of 10.41%. The business had revenue of $22.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $23.04 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.29 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that United Parcel Service will post 9.46 EPS for the current year. United Parcel Service Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 31st. Investors of record on Monday, August 14th were given a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 11th. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.16%. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.20%. Insider Buying and Selling at United Parcel Service In other news, insider Nando Cesarone sold 22,825 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.70, for a total transaction of $3,919,052.50. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1 shares in the company, valued at approximately $171.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.12% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Parcel Service Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Pacific Center for Financial Services purchased a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in United Parcel Service during the second quarter valued at about $25,000. IMA Wealth Inc. increased its stake in United Parcel Service by 100.0% during the second quarter. IMA Wealth Inc. now owns 142 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of United Parcel Service in the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 216.0% in the 2nd quarter. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 158 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.45% of the companys stock. About United Parcel Service (Get Free Report) United Parcel Service, Inc, a package delivery company, provides transportation and delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for United Parcel Service Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Parcel Service and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC lessened its position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC Free Report) by 22.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,009 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,148 shares during the period. Cornerstone Advisory LLCs holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated were worth $350,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its holdings in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 50,574.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,122,948 shares of the companys stock worth $97,955,000 after buying an additional 1,120,732 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its stake in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 318.7% in the 2nd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 36,180 shares of the companys stock worth $3,156,000 after purchasing an additional 27,538 shares in the last quarter. Brady Family Wealth LLC raised its stake in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Brady Family Wealth LLC now owns 24,488 shares of the companys stock worth $2,136,000 after purchasing an additional 512 shares in the last quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC raised its stake in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 392.5% in the 2nd quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 1,970 shares of the companys stock worth $172,000 after purchasing an additional 1,570 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. raised its stake in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 68,343 shares of the companys stock worth $5,962,000 after purchasing an additional 4,141 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.15% of the companys stock. Get McCormick & Company Incorporated alerts: McCormick & Company, Incorporated Stock Up 1.3 % Shares of NYSE MKC opened at $75.64 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $20.30 billion, a PE ratio of 29.20, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.59. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has a 12-month low of $70.60 and a 12-month high of $94.39. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $83.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $84.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. McCormick & Company, Incorporated Dividend Announcement McCormick & Company, Incorporated ( NYSE:MKC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 29th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.02. McCormick & Company, Incorporated had a net margin of 10.74% and a return on equity of 14.76%. The firm had revenue of $1.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.67 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.48 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that McCormick & Company, Incorporated will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 24th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 10th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.06%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 6th. McCormick & Company, Incorporateds payout ratio is currently 60.23%. Insider Activity at McCormick & Company, Incorporated In related news, Director Michael D. Mangan sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.63, for a total transaction of $418,150.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 39,181 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,276,707.03. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, Director Michael D. Mangan sold 5,000 shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.63, for a total value of $418,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 39,181 shares in the company, valued at $3,276,707.03. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Jeffery D. Schwartz sold 3,600 shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.48, for a total transaction of $314,928.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 57,174 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,001,581.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 16,200 shares of company stock valued at $1,416,530 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 19.00% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on MKC. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in a research note on Wednesday, September 13th. They issued a market perform rating and a $87.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $66.00 to $71.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. HSBC started coverage on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. They issued a hold rating and a $86.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Friday, June 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, McCormick & Company, Incorporated has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $83.92. Get Our Latest Report on McCormick & Company, Incorporated McCormick & Company, Incorporated Profile (Free Report) McCormick & Company, Incorporated manufactures, markets, and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments, and other flavorful products to the food industry. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Flavor Solutions. The Consumer segment offers spices, herbs, and seasonings, as well as condiments and sauces, and desserts. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MKC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for McCormick & Company Incorporated Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McCormick & Company Incorporated and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 18.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 201,358 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 31,777 shares during the quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $18,068,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of DUK. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC increased its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 174.2% during the 1st quarter. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC now owns 266 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Duke Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.68% of the companys stock. Get Duke Energy alerts: Duke Energy Stock Performance Shares of DUK opened at $88.26 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $91.61 and its 200 day moving average price is $93.19. Duke Energy Co. has a 12-month low of $83.76 and a 12-month high of $106.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $68.02 billion, a PE ratio of 49.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.52. Duke Energy Increases Dividend Duke Energy ( NYSE:DUK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 8th. The utilities provider reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.98 by ($0.07). Duke Energy had a return on equity of 8.05% and a net margin of 5.06%. The firm had revenue of $6.58 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.14 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.6 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 18th. Investors of record on Friday, August 18th were paid a dividend of $1.025 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 17th. This is a boost from Duke Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.01. This represents a $4.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.65%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 229.05%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently issued reports on DUK. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $112.00 to $110.00 in a research report on Sunday, June 11th. Guggenheim lowered their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $102.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $95.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Duke Energy in a research report on Wednesday, June 7th. They issued a neutral rating and a $99.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $96.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.17. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Duke Energy Duke Energy Company Profile (Free Report) Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments, Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I) and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, solar and wind sources, renewables, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Free Report) by 9.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 28,524 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 3,070 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $8,802,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ashburton Jersey Ltd purchased a new position in Accenture in the 1st quarter valued at about $143,000. Curated Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Accenture by 3.6% in the second quarter. Curated Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,029 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $626,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Dash Acquisitions Inc. increased its position in shares of Accenture by 7.1% during the second quarter. Dash Acquisitions Inc. now owns 33,713 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $10,403,000 after purchasing an additional 2,222 shares in the last quarter. GW Henssler & Associates Ltd. acquired a new position in Accenture in the 1st quarter valued at $207,000. Finally, FCF Advisors LLC raised its stake in Accenture by 31.6% in the 2nd quarter. FCF Advisors LLC now owns 9,981 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $3,080,000 after purchasing an additional 2,395 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.42% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Insider Activity at Accenture In other Accenture news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, July 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $316.19, for a total value of $1,976,187.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 167,854 shares in the company, valued at $53,073,756.26. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Jean-Marc Ollagnier sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $316.19, for a total value of $1,976,187.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 167,854 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $53,073,756.26. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Leonardo Framil sold 3,000 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $311.52, for a total value of $934,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 16,898 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,264,064.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 24,430 shares of company stock valued at $7,735,251 over the last three months. 0.08% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a research note on Friday. TD Cowen cut their price objective on shares of Accenture from $312.00 to $300.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Friday. Piper Jaffray Companies cut their target price on Accenture from $314.00 to $312.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. Barclays raised their target price on Accenture from $340.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, September 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Accenture from $340.00 to $356.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $333.24. Check Out Our Latest Report on ACN Accenture Stock Performance Shares of Accenture stock opened at $307.11 on Friday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $315.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $299.75. The company has a market cap of $204.12 billion, a PE ratio of 28.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.22. Accenture plc has a one year low of $242.80 and a one year high of $330.43. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, September 28th. The information technology services provider reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $15.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.07 billion. Accenture had a net margin of 10.72% and a return on equity of 29.74%. The companys revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.60 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Accenture plc will post 12.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Accenture Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 12th will be issued a $1.29 dividend. This represents a $5.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.68%. This is an increase from Accentures previous quarterly dividend of $1.12. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 11th. Accentures dividend payout ratio is 41.60%. About Accenture (Free Report) Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, interactive, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management, intelligent automation comprises robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents, and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprises turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gemmer Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 1.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,691 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Gemmer Asset Management LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $2,983,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Alesco Advisors LLC grew its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 1.3% during the first quarter. Alesco Advisors LLC now owns 1,450,225 shares of the companys stock worth $596,159,000 after buying an additional 18,317 shares in the last quarter. Verde Capital Management acquired a new stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF during the second quarter worth approximately $219,000. HFG Advisors Inc. grew its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 1.0% during the second quarter. HFG Advisors Inc. now owns 2,685 shares of the companys stock worth $1,197,000 after buying an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC grew its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 2.4% during the first quarter. Prosperity Consulting Group LLC now owns 48,966 shares of the companys stock worth $20,129,000 after buying an additional 1,144 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC grew its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 7.7% during the first quarter. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC now owns 201,747 shares of the companys stock worth $82,934,000 after buying an additional 14,386 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Stock Performance Shares of IVV stock opened at $429.43 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $446.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $431.24. The company has a market cap of $332.23 billion, a PE ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 1.00. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a fifty-two week low of $349.53 and a fifty-two week high of $461.88. About iShares Core S&P 500 ETF iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Octavia Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM Free Report) by 4.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,901 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,031 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. accounts for 0.7% of Octavia Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Octavia Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $3,476,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in JPM. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 105,652.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 98,000,567 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,141,876,000 after buying an additional 97,907,897 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 15.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 59,049,256 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,918,506,000 after buying an additional 8,088,433 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 52,310,456 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $6,801,125,000 after buying an additional 1,061,831 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 32,769,523 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,270,198,000 after buying an additional 2,285,429 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 4th quarter worth $3,894,646,000. Institutional investors own 68.94% of the companys stock. Get JPMorgan Chase & Co. alerts: Insider Transactions at JPMorgan Chase & Co. In other news, General Counsel Stacey Friedman sold 4,310 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.86, for a total transaction of $624,346.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 53,425 shares in the company, valued at $7,739,145.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.79% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance Shares of JPM stock opened at $145.02 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $150.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $142.24. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 12 month low of $101.28 and a 12 month high of $159.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $421.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.33, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $4.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $0.75. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 17.29% and a net margin of 23.45%. The firm had revenue of $42.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $38.66 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.76 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 34.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 15.64 EPS for the current year. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be paid a dividend of $1.05 per share. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.90%. This is a positive change from JPMorgan Chase & Co.s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.03%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have weighed in on JPM. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $174.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Monday, July 17th. HSBC initiated coverage on JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a report on Thursday, September 7th. They set a hold rating and a $159.00 target price on the stock. Atlantic Securities increased their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, August 1st. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $158.00 target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a report on Friday, September 8th. Finally, Societe Generale lowered JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 10th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $167.00. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on JPM About JPMorgan Chase & Co. (Free Report) JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for JPMorgan Chase & Co. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for JPMorgan Chase & Co. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Successful Portfolios LLC lowered its stake in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 11.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,287 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 1,585 shares during the quarter. Successful Portfolios LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $451,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Front Street Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 4.3% during the first quarter. Front Street Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,168 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $268,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Madison Wealth Management increased its position in shares of Pfizer by 0.6% during the first quarter. Madison Wealth Management now owns 42,810 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,747,000 after purchasing an additional 262 shares in the last quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Pfizer by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Cliftonlarsonallen Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 19,844 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $810,000 after purchasing an additional 263 shares during the last quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. boosted its stake in Pfizer by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 17,886 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $730,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Opal Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 2.9% during the first quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 9,890 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $404,000 after buying an additional 278 shares in the last quarter. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Stock Up 3.4 % NYSE:PFE opened at $33.17 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $31.77 and a 52 week high of $54.93. The stocks fifty day moving average is $35.13 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $187.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 2.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.36 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 28.36% and a net margin of 27.55%. Pfizers revenue for the quarter was down 54.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.04 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 EPS for the current year. A number of research firms recently weighed in on PFE. HSBC initiated coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, July 14th. They set a buy rating and a $50.00 price target on the stock. Barclays dropped their price target on Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 11th. Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $62.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, September 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $75.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, September 18th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $46.35. Get Our Latest Analysis on Pfizer About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AMTD Digital (NYSE:HKD Get Free Report) and NU (NYSE:NU Get Free Report) are both business services companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability, risk, valuation and earnings. Earnings & Valuation This table compares AMTD Digital and NUs revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get AMTD Digital alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio AMTD Digital $33.07 million 31.90 $41.74 million N/A N/A NU $4.19 billion 8.12 -$364.58 million $0.02 362.50 AMTD Digital has higher earnings, but lower revenue than NU. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets AMTD Digital N/A N/A N/A NU 1.23% 11.40% 1.96% Volatility and Risk This table compares AMTD Digital and NUs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. AMTD Digital has a beta of 2.78, suggesting that its share price is 178% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, NU has a beta of 1.21, suggesting that its share price is 21% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for AMTD Digital and NU, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score AMTD Digital 0 0 0 0 N/A NU 0 1 5 0 2.83 NU has a consensus target price of $7.30, indicating a potential upside of 0.69%. Given NUs higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe NU is more favorable than AMTD Digital. Institutional and Insider Ownership 0.4% of AMTD Digital shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 53.7% of NU shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.2% of NU shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Summary NU beats AMTD Digital on 8 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About AMTD Digital (Get Free Report) AMTD Digital Inc., through its subsidiaries, designs and develops a digital platform to provide financial, media, content and marketing, and investment solutions in Asia. The company operates through Digital Solutions ServicesFinancial Services, Digital Solutions ServicesNon Financial Services, Digital Media, Content, and Marketing Services, and Digital Investments segments. It offers deposit, personal loan, credit card, fund transfer, cross border remittance, insurance, and other payment services. In addition, the company operates SpiderNet ecosystem, a platform to enhance their investor communication, investor relations, and corporate communication to enhance their valuation. Further, it offers movies, podcasts, webinars, and videos through online media platforms. Additionally, the company invests in hotel related activities. AMTD Digital Inc. was incorporated in 2019 and is based in Paris, France. The company is a subsidiary of AMTD IDEA Group. About NU (Get Free Report) Nu Holdings Ltd. provides digital banking platform and digital financial services in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and internationally. It offers Nu credit and debit cards; Ultraviolet credit and debit cards; and mobile payment solutions for NuAccount customers to make and receive transfers, pay bills, and make everyday purchases through their mobile phones. The company provides savings solutions, such as Nu Personal Accounts, a digital account solution that supports all personal finance activities, from daily purchases and money transfers to savings; and Nu business accounts designed specifically for entrepreneur customers and their businesses. In addition, it offers NuCrypto, a solution for buying and selling cryptocurrencies through the Nu app; NuInvest, an investment product that provides equity, fixed-income, options, and ETF products, as well as multimarket funds with curated asset allocations based on the customer's risk profile and financial position; personal unsecured loans; in-app buy now pay later' solution for Nu card customers to pay credit and debit purchases, and banking payment slips over time in up to twelve installments; and NuInsurance protecting solutions to help its customers secure life insurance and funeral benefits. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Receive News & Ratings for AMTD Digital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AMTD Digital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sabal Trust CO boosted its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 1.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 872,032 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 14,176 shares during the period. Pfizer makes up 2.0% of Sabal Trust COs portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. Sabal Trust COs holdings in Pfizer were worth $31,986,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of PFE. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 89,592.7% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 161,143,638 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $8,257,000,000 after buying an additional 160,963,976 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,150,472,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 9.8% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 218,931,933 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $8,932,423,000 after purchasing an additional 19,602,359 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 1,034.0% during the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 12,149,955 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $495,718,000 after purchasing an additional 11,078,514 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 14.4% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 83,901,181 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $3,408,836,000 after purchasing an additional 10,560,702 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.05% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PFE has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, September 18th. TheStreet lowered shares of Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, September 25th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group lowered shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $47.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 29th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $46.35. Pfizer Price Performance Shares of NYSE:PFE opened at $33.17 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $187.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.82, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 1.82. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $35.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $37.46. Pfizer Inc. has a one year low of $31.77 and a one year high of $54.93. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.36 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 28.36%. The firms revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.04 EPS. Research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Company Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Prince of Wales visited St Georges Park in Burton upon Trent in 2022, where he officiated the opening of another betting shop on the High Street. The main shopping area of the town centre now has over 453 betting shops, along with the odd fried chicken takeaway and mobile phone shops. The royal offspring, including Princess Charlotte did not attend during the visit. There, the royal boasted about his daughters talent in nose picking to manager Seamus McManus: Charlotte wanted me to tell you that shes superb at picking her nose. She said, Please tell them that. Loves to flick those bogeys at the palace servants and oiks! But that wasnt the only time the princesss love for nose picking was spoken about. Earlier this year, her mum the Princess of Wales revealed how much Charlotte enjoyed the exquisite art of flicking greenies, she took part in a prolonged bogey flicking session at a branch of a Woking pizza restaurant last year when she enjoyed herself thoroughly as she surreptitiously flicked massive bogeys from afar onto other customers pizzas. She even said the young royal is quite competitive at it. The manageress of the pizza restaurant, Guido Cunningham, said that Princess Kate mentioned her three childrens love of nose picking, but Charlotte really stood out. Prince Andrew has been a regular at our restaurant for many years, and when Princess Charlotte turned up with her mum, she was wonderful. We all cheered as she flicked her gargantuan royal bogeys onto the pizzas of customers. There would be another massive cheer as the customer unknowingly ate the pizza. Fun times! The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow 2023 Each year, the hill behind the Greek Orthodox Church in the historic Grafton Hills neighborhood comes alive with the Miami Valley's most extreme jack-o'-lantern display. See close to 1,000 intricately carved pumpkins at this free event for the whole family! Pumpkin Glow returns again this year to Stoddard Avenue October 30 & 31 This fun, FREE event for the whole family returns to the Stoddard Avenue hill behind Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park North in Daytons Grafton Hill neighborhood. A fun event for the whole family Over 900 uniquely carved jack-o-lanterns Food trucks TBD This is a FREE event! No ticket necessary Started in 1984 by Stoddard Avenue resident Judy Chaffin the Pumpkin Lady -- the event has grown from 30 pumpkins on the hill to hundreds. Friends and neighbors gather to offer skills from gutting and cleaning to carving, placing and lighting the finished pumpkins. The Grafton Hill Neighborhood Association is asking the community to get involved by volunteering to gut, trace and carve the pumpkins this year. The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow is a unique event for the Dayton community and we are excited to host it in again in our neighborhood this year. We are excited to invite the community in to get involved this year by helping us gut, trace and carve the pumpkins said John Edinger, president of the Grafton Hill Association. We have so much fun during the processand have food available for volunteers throughout the day! The glow is free to see and open to the public with thousands of people of all ages enjoying the unique jack-o-lanterns on display. Parking will be available at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, The Dayton Masonic Center, The Dayton Art Institute and throughout the neighborhood. Stoddard Avenue will be open only to pedestrians to make it easy for little goblins and their families to enjoy the display. Arms and eatables recovered from terrorists during a joint operation by Indian Army and J&K Police in General Area Gucchi Nar in Machhal Sector of Jammu & Kashmir (PTI) SRINAGAR: In a joint operation, the Army and Jammu and Kashmir polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) on Saturday gunned down two suspected Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) militants soon after they sneaked into Kupwara district after breaching the Line of Control (LoC). "An infiltration bid was foiled in the Kumkadi area of the Machil sector in Kupwara district. In this swift and coordinated operation, two terrorists were neutralised," a J&K police spokesman said here. The Army and police officials said that based on intelligence input generated by the Kupwara police, a joint party of the police and the Army launched a search operation in the Kumkadi area early Saturday. "The joint team observed the movement of terrorists, employing meticulous tactics. On being intercepted, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint team. The fire was retaliated, leading to the elimination of two heavily armed unidentified terrorists." Though the police statement said that the identification and affiliation of the slain militants are being ascertained, Army sources said that the intelligence inputs suggested they could be members of the proscribed LeT. The recoveries from the scene of the clash include two AK-series rifles with an equal number of magazines and 90 rounds of ammunition, one Pakistan-made pistol, a pouch, Rs 2,100 (Pak currency) and other incriminating materials, the officials said. The encounter was followed by a major search operation by the security forces in the area, a report said. A police statement issued here said: "The neutralised terrorists were found to be heavily armed and equipped with sophisticated weaponry, which indicates their malicious intent to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the Valley. However, due to the timely and effective response by the police and the Army, their plans were foiled and a significant threat to peace and stability in the area was neutralised." Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted raids at the premises of several suspects in frontier Poonch district in connection with the terror attack carried out by a group of militants in the Upper Dhangri village of neighbouring Rajouri district earlier this year. On the evening of January 1, two heavily armed militants had fired automatic weapons to target three houses of Hindus in Upper Dhangri, leaving four persons dead and six others, including two women, injured. Next morning, an improvised explosive device kept in a jute sack and left by them inside one of these houses went off, killing two children and injuring five other residents. One of the injured civilians died in a Jammu hospital later, taking the death toll to seven. The NIA sources said that raids were conducted at five locations across Gursai village in the Mendhar tehsil of Poonch, including at the houses of overground workers of the LeT. Several digital devices and documents containing incriminating data and content were seized during the searches of these premises and these are being scrutinised for unravelling the conspiracy, the agency said. The NIA further said that the raids were conducted based on disclosures made by two accused -- Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain -- it arrested in the case on August 31 and are currently lodged in Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, Jammu and the inputs gathered by the investigators. According to the NIA, the investigations have revealed that both the accused had "harboured the terrorists who had carried out the deadly attack". The NIA said: "They had provided logistics support to the terrorists for more than two months and had sheltered them in a hideout built by them. The duo was operating under the direction of Pakistan-based LeT handlers, namely Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt, Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi and Muhammad Qasim." Using the Telugu words mondi (stubborn)' and tondi (cheat)' to describe the Prime Minister, Rama Rao said that Modi's visit to Telangana was not to sanction funds for developmental works, but to sell government assets. (File Image: @MinisterKTR) Adilabad: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to sell Singareni (Collieries) to his friends, claiming that he was not acting as the nations leader and that he had to change his name to Adani. Using the Telugu words mondi (stubborn) and tondi (cheat) to describe the Prime Minister, Rama Rao said that Modis visit to Telangana was not to sanction funds for developmental works, but to sell government assets. Rama Rao was addressing a gathering after launching a slew of projects in Kyathanpalli and Mandamarri municipalities. These included the inauguration of the KCR Urban Eco-Park on 250 acres, laying the foundation stone for a Rs 500-crore palm oil factory, issuance of land deeds under the seventh phase in the Singareni area, distribution of 560 2BHK houses, inauguration of Mission Bhagiratha and foundation stone laying of a bridge over Palavagu. Rama Rao, hinting at Modis alleged bias against Telugu states, said: "He has not sanctioned any funds for Amaravati and the same is the case with Telangana." "The state government has developed Singareni in such a way that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has announced nearly Rs 1,000 crore as a bonus from its profits this year for Dasara and Diwali for Singareni workers. Further, he has re-enlisted dismissed workers and given dependants jobs. KCR made it a profitable company," Rama Rao said. Not sparing the Congress, Rama Rao appealed to the public not to trust the Congress either on its six guarantees, claiming that the Congress was known for cheating the public with false promises and that there was no guarantee of their implementation. Rama Rao also hit back at Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, asking him to personally visit Chennur to ascertain whether the state government was providing 24-hour power. He said the Congress if elected will provide three hours of power. "Under Congress, there will be a new CM every year and there will be no schemes, only scams if the Congress comes to power in the state," he said, terming Congress and BJP as Mondi Cheyi (obstinate) and Chevula Puvvu (falsehoods). He said the state government was encouraging palm cultivation on 20 lakh acres in the state to emerge as a leader in the crop, as currently, the country was importing palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. The minister promised to issue land deeds for Singareni colonies that have not been covered so far, as per GO 76, adding that the state government will also take up the Chennur Lift Irrigation Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 1,620 crore to provide water for agriculture in the region. MLAs Balka Suman and Durgam Chinniah, Peddapalli MP Venkatesh Netha, Diwalar Rao, ZP chairpersons Kova Laxmi and Rathod Janaradhan, MLC Dande Vittal and former MLC Laxman Rao were among those present. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao. (File image: Twitter@MinisterKTR) Karimnagar: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao said that the warranty period of the Congress had expired in Telangana and questioned how the people could believe in its six guarantees, while imploring the public not to fall for its deceptive tactics. Rama Rao was speaking as the chief guest of the Pragathi Nivedhana Sabha at Junior College Ground in Peddapalli district, after launching developmental works worth `134 crore. The IT minister alleged that the Congress, which sanctioned only Rs 200 pensions during its tenure, was trying to deceive the public with a promise of Rs 4,000 pension, after seeing the BRS government giving pension of Rs 2,000. "If the BRS government promises the same amount, then where will these Congress leaders hide," he asked. Listing out the BRS achievements, he said: "People used to face a lot of problems, being unable to get water for drinking and for irrigation. But after the formation of the BRS government under the leadership of the Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, water is being supplied for two crops (seasons), and to every household with the implementation of Mission Bhagiratha project." "Motors and transformers used to burn out due to irregular supply of power during the Congress government. Unlike any others, the BRS government is the only one which supplies 24 hours of power to the farming sector," he said. He said that the Congress was making baseless comments about power supply and implored their leaders to make a ground visit and "touch the electricity wires" to realise the truth. Hailing Chandrashekar Rao as a visionary for introducing Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima, Rama Rao attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a Telangana visit, for allegedly making false statements against the BRS. "He (Modi) must take his words back, since KCR waived farm loans two times in the state," Rama Rao said. Continuing his attack on the BJP, Rama Rao said: "Does Modi have the guts to supply free power to the farming sector and waive farm loans to the farmers? But he waived Rs 14 lakh crore to his corporate friend Adani." "Modi alleged that family rule is going in the Telangana state. Yes, definitely, it is the family rule which exists in Telangana. All the four crores of population present in the state are family members of CM KCR and as an elder member in the family, he is ruling the state," Rama Rao said. "Modi is very much interested in creating communal disputes to get political mileage; he always talking about Hindu and Muslim communities. But in the Telangana state, under the rule of the BRS government, the people of all communities and all castes are treated equally. We never divide Hindu and Muslim and talk against them," he said. On a request of Peddapalli MLA Dasari Manohar Reddy, Rama Rao also allotted 30 guntas for the construction of community buildings and also an acre each to the Christian and Muslim communities for the construction of burial grounds. Further, Rama Rao promised to establish a bus depot and create new mandals, especially of urban and rural mandals in Peddapalli. Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at the crowd in Bhootpur Mahabubnagar, where he announced a tribal varsity in Mulugu and a Turmeric Board in Nizamabad. Party leaders G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and D.K Aruna accompany him on stage. MAHBUBNAGAR: Waving to an ecstatically enthused crowd of supporters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set an, otherwise, politically inert Sunday abuzz with excitement in Telangana, and declared with supreme confidence, "I can clearly see that the people of Telangana have made up their mind. They want change. They want to vote out a corrupt BRS government." Enjoying the thunderous response of the tens of thousands of people gathered to hear him speak, Modi further said, "There is a sea of humanity in front of me. Their feelings are clear. They want change, they have decided. They are no longer willing to have a corrupt government, but want transparency, hard work and results, which only the BJP can provide." Before the public meeting began, earlier, at a Central government programme, Modi, along with Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union minister and state BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, dedicated several projects to the nation, inaugurated a plethora of new programmes and speaking, briefly at the event, announced the formation of a national turmeric board and the launch of a Central tribal university in Mulugu district to be named after the tribal Goddesses Samakka-Saralamma. Later on, at the public meeting, Modi reiterated his two major announcements, saying how India was a leading producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric, with exports doubling since 2014. "After the Covid-19 pandemic, global interest in turmeric has grown up. We have to ensure our farmers benefit from it. We have decided to establish a National Turmeric Board in Nizamabad to ensure farmers, especially in Telangana, can grab the growing global market." Referring to the announcement of the establishment of the tribal varsity in Mulugu, Modi said, "We would have set up the tribal university much before but the KCR-led state government did not evince any interest, or give support even in procurement of land. This shows how the BRS is not interested in the development and wellbeing of tribal folk, and other subalterns, like Dalits and OBCs." Besides the two major announcements, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for infra projects estimated to cost over Rs. 6,400 crore. Modi also inaugurated several projects, including broadening the Suryapet-Khammam section with four lanes, as part of a National Highway, at a cost of Rs. 2,460 crore, laying a railway line between Jaklair and Krishna at Rs. 500 crore, an HPCL LPG pipeline between Hassan and Cherlapalli costing Rs.2,170 crore, two four-lane sections from Warangal to Khammam and between Khammam and Vijayawada as part of the greenfield National Highway-163G. He also virtually flagged off the Hyderabad (Kacheguda)-Raichur train service, inaugurated a multi-product pipeline from Krishnapatnam port to Hyderabad, and started a four-lane section of Suryapet-Khammam section (NH-365BB), besides buildings at the University of Hyderabad and S.N. School of Arts and Communication. Speaking about the difference between other governments the BRS government in state and Congress governments at the Centre and the BJP-led governments since 2014, Modi said, "We increased the annual outlay to procure farmers produce seven-fold. We reopened a fertiliser plant unit at Ramagundam at a cost of Rs.6,300 crore to help farmers of the region with urea. But consider the KCR government, which uses farmers as a ruse to loot the state exchequer. Nowhere in the world would you see a mega irrigation project being inaugurated but there is no water. They promised to waive loans of farmers, but they cheated the farmers." Responding to the massive cheer and adulation from the people, Modi said, "The women of Telangana have given so much support and empowered Modi, which is why he worked so tirelessly for them. Women know they have a brother in Delhi working for them. They know the impact the women reservation bill would have on their lives. And now, seeing your love and affection, I am sure neither the Congress nor the BRS will get any sleep henceforth." Hitting out hard at the Opposition parties, Modi said, "They share the same DNA. Family-run parties have only two priorities corruption and commission. They work for their own familys welfare, we in BJP work for your familys welfare. Family-run parties have reduced political parties to a private limited company status, where all posts, MD, director, CEO, general manager, chief manager, manager all go to family members. Then a few small support staff roles are given to others as window dressing." Modi appealed to the people of Telangana to vote out the corrupt BRS, saying they have reduced democracy to a "family-ocracy," where all power is "for the family, of the family and by the family." Earlier, Modi, onboard an open vehicle, drove past the rapturous crowds and waved to the people. Tens of thousands of people assembled at the venue were seen waving back with BJP flags, banners and special messages, creating a festive atmosphere at the venue. If it was the launch of the BJP campaign for Telangana, the state unit could not have asked for or expected a better start of the battle cry, with Indias greatest political mass leader leading the way. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed two long-pending demands and inaugurated a slew of projects and initiated work on others Announced National Turmeric Board at Nizamabad, Indias largest turmeric market Samakka-Saralamma Central Tribal University at Mulugu district Inaugurated and dedicated to the nation: 4-laning of 59-km Suryapet-Khammam section of NH-365BB; Rs 2,457 crore 37-km Jaklair-Krishna railway line; cost Rs.505 crore 650-km Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG pipeline; cost Rs2,166 crore. New buildings at University of Hyderabad (School of Economics, School of Mathematics and Statistics, School of Management Studies, Lecture Hall Complex-III, and S.N. School of Arts and Communication annexe; Rs.81 crore Kacheguda-Raichur train service. Foundation stones laid for: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report)s share price was up 5% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $4.20 and last traded at $4.20. Approximately 160,735 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 91% from the average daily volume of 1,808,134 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.00. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have issued reports on BKD shares. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $7.00 price target on shares of Brookdale Senior Living in a report on Tuesday, September 12th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Brookdale Senior Living in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Get Brookdale Senior Living alerts: View Our Latest Report on BKD Brookdale Senior Living Price Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.25, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 0.95. The companys 50 day moving average price is $4.05 and its 200 day moving average price is $3.82. The company has a market cap of $779.23 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -8.28 and a beta of 1.27. Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 7th. The company reported ($0.15) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.20) by $0.05. The business had revenue of $750.79 million for the quarter. Brookdale Senior Living had a negative net margin of 3.48% and a negative return on equity of 24.43%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Brookdale Senior Living Inc. will post -0.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BKD. PDT Partners LLC lifted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 3.6% during the 1st quarter. PDT Partners LLC now owns 99,572 shares of the companys stock valued at $702,000 after purchasing an additional 3,500 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 69,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $491,000 after purchasing an additional 3,776 shares during the period. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY lifted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 39.3% during the 4th quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY now owns 13,647 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 3,849 shares during the period. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY lifted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 39.3% during the 4th quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY now owns 13,647 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 3,849 shares during the period. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in Brookdale Senior Living by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 106,475 shares of the companys stock valued at $291,000 after purchasing an additional 3,909 shares during the period. About Brookdale Senior Living (Get Free Report) Brookdale Senior Living Inc owns, manages, and operates senior living communities in the United States. It operates in three segments: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). The Independent Living segment owns or leases communities comprising independent and assisted living units in a single community that are primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Brookdale Senior Living Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookdale Senior Living and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares Silver Trust (NYSEARCA:SLV Get Free Report) shares saw strong trading volume on Friday . 15,921,698 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 4% from the previous sessions volume of 16,518,896 shares.The stock last traded at $20.79 and had previously closed at $20.74. iShares Silver Trust Trading Down 1.9 % The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $21.50 and a 200 day moving average price of $21.84. Get iShares Silver Trust alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On iShares Silver Trust Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mach 1 Financial Group LLC bought a new position in iShares Silver Trust in the first quarter valued at approximately $10,181,000. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Silver Trust during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Covestor Ltd acquired a new position in iShares Silver Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new position in iShares Silver Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new position in iShares Silver Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. About iShares Silver Trust iShares Silver Trust (the Trust) owns silver transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust. The Trusts each share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in its net assets. The assets of the Trust consist of silver held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Silver Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Silver Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. RPC, Inc. (NYSE:RES Get Free Report)s stock price was down 4.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $8.81 and last traded at $8.85. Approximately 426,460 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 70% from the average daily volume of 1,400,953 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.23. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts recently commented on RES shares. Citigroup cut RPC from a neutral rating to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $8.25 to $7.00 in a research report on Friday, June 16th. StockNews.com started coverage on RPC in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, TheStreet upgraded RPC from a c+ rating to a b rating in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. Get RPC alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on RES RPC Stock Performance The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $8.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $7.83. The firm has a market cap of $1.93 billion, a PE ratio of 6.62 and a beta of 1.81. RPC (NYSE:RES Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The oil and gas company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.43 by ($0.13). RPC had a return on equity of 34.87% and a net margin of 15.97%. The company had revenue of $415.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $480.20 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.22 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that RPC, Inc. will post 1.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. RPC Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 10th were given a $0.04 dividend. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.79%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 9th. RPCs payout ratio is 11.85%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On RPC Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Quarry LP grew its stake in RPC by 84.0% during the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 3,764 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 1,718 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in RPC by 132.7% during the 1st quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 2,290 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its stake in shares of RPC by 54.2% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 4,565 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 1,605 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its stake in shares of RPC by 109.9% in the first quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 4,274 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 2,238 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Register Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of RPC in the first quarter worth $38,000. 36.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. RPC Company Profile (Get Free Report) RPC, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of oilfield services and equipment for the oil and gas companies involved in the exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties. It operates through Technical Services and Support Services segments. The Technical Services segment offers pressure pumping, fracturing, acidizing, cementing, downhole tools, coiled tubing, snubbing, nitrogen, well control, wireline, pump down, and fishing services that are used in the completion, production, and maintenance of oil and gas wells. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for RPC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for RPC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB Get Free Report) shares fell 3.6% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $58.37 and last traded at $58.74. 2,496,340 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 9,429,108 shares. The stock had previously closed at $60.94. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Schlumberger in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a hold rating on the stock. HSBC cut their price target on Schlumberger from $75.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. Barclays cut their price target on Schlumberger from $74.00 to $70.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Schlumberger from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 20th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Schlumberger from $64.00 to $77.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, September 11th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $66.93. Get Schlumberger alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Schlumberger Schlumberger Stock Down 4.3 % The firm has a 50-day moving average of $58.95 and a 200 day moving average of $52.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $82.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.82. The company has a current ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The oil and gas company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by $0.01. Schlumberger had a return on equity of 21.27% and a net margin of 12.63%. The company had revenue of $8.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.50 EPS. Schlumbergers quarterly revenue was up 19.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Schlumberger Limited will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current year. Schlumberger Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 6th will be issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 5th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.72%. Schlumbergers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.50%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CAO Howard Guild sold 17,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.97, for a total value of $1,014,475.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 22,181 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,285,832.57. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Mogharbel Khaled Al sold 30,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.24, for a total value of $1,807,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 324,867 shares in the company, valued at $19,569,988.08. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Howard Guild sold 17,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.97, for a total value of $1,014,475.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 22,181 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,285,832.57. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 158,805 shares of company stock worth $9,297,298 in the last three months. 0.23% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Schlumberger Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SLB. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in Schlumberger by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 106,818,561 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $5,246,928,000 after acquiring an additional 1,129,628 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Schlumberger by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 83,794,992 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $4,136,112,000 after purchasing an additional 861,439 shares during the period. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Schlumberger by 85.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 43,080,354 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $2,116,107,000 after purchasing an additional 19,885,771 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Schlumberger by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 38,158,939 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,873,604,000 after purchasing an additional 1,147,896 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Schlumberger by 6.9% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 35,212,430 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,728,928,000 after acquiring an additional 2,280,503 shares during the period. 79.43% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Schlumberger Company Profile (Get Free Report) Schlumberger Limited engages in the provision of technology for the energy industry worldwide. The company operates through four divisions: Digital & Integration, Reservoir Performance, Well Construction, and Production Systems. The company provides field development and hydrocarbon production, carbon management, integration of adjacent energy systems; reservoir interpretation and data processing services for exploration data; and well construction and production improvement services and products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Schlumberger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schlumberger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. lifted its stake in shares of TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG Free Report) by 25.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,457 shares of the aerospace companys stock after purchasing an additional 295 shares during the quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD.s holdings in TransDigm Group were worth $1,303,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in TDG. Spire Wealth Management grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 9.9% in the 1st quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 155 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $114,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Cross Staff Investments Inc grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Cross Staff Investments Inc now owns 952 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $702,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 2,227 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,641,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 1.5% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 1,071 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $790,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wetherby Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Wetherby Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,845 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,834,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. 95.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get TransDigm Group alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth TDG has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of TransDigm Group from $1,042.00 to $1,114.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 10th. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of TransDigm Group from $980.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 15th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of TransDigm Group from $840.00 to $910.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 15th. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of TransDigm Group from $870.00 to $1,044.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Finally, Susquehanna raised their price target on shares of TransDigm Group from $820.00 to $850.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $926.29. Insider Activity at TransDigm Group In related news, COO Joel Reiss sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $872.68, for a total value of $2,618,040.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 3,600 shares in the company, valued at $3,141,648. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, COO Joel Reiss sold 3,000 shares of TransDigm Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $872.68, for a total transaction of $2,618,040.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 3,600 shares in the company, valued at $3,141,648. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Kevin M. Stein sold 11,834 shares of TransDigm Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $878.41, for a total transaction of $10,395,103.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 73,961 shares of company stock worth $65,346,077. Company insiders own 7.18% of the companys stock. TransDigm Group Stock Performance NYSE TDG opened at $843.13 on Friday. TransDigm Group Incorporated has a one year low of $499.63 and a one year high of $940.00. The companys 50 day moving average price is $874.85 and its 200 day moving average price is $823.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $46.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.92, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.39. TransDigm Group (NYSE:TDG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The aerospace company reported $7.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.87 by $1.38. TransDigm Group had a net margin of 18.41% and a negative return on equity of 39.57%. The firm had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.36 earnings per share. TransDigm Groups revenue for the quarter was up 24.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that TransDigm Group Incorporated will post 23.18 EPS for the current fiscal year. TransDigm Group Company Profile (Free Report) TransDigm Group Incorporated designs, produces, and supplies aircraft components in the United States and internationally. Its Power & Control segment offers mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, specialized pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, specialized AC/DC electric motors and generators, batteries and chargers, databus and power controls, sensor products, switches and relay panels, hoists, winches and lifting devices, and cargo loading and handling systems. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TDG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TransDigm Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TransDigm Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Xponance Inc. lessened its holdings in Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:PB Free Report) by 6.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,244 shares of the banks stock after selling 714 shares during the quarter. Xponance Inc.s holdings in Prosperity Bancshares were worth $635,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Prosperity Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $705,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Prosperity Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $926,000. Kwmg LLC raised its position in shares of Prosperity Bancshares by 10.2% in the 2nd quarter. Kwmg LLC now owns 74,698 shares of the banks stock valued at $4,219,000 after acquiring an additional 6,914 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in shares of Prosperity Bancshares by 83.7% in the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 22,525 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,272,000 after acquiring an additional 10,266 shares during the period. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Prosperity Bancshares by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 474,088 shares of the banks stock valued at $29,166,000 after acquiring an additional 18,047 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.70% of the companys stock. Get Prosperity Bancshares alerts: Prosperity Bancshares Stock Up 1.4 % Shares of PB opened at $54.58 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.96. Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. has a twelve month low of $52.62 and a twelve month high of $78.76. The company has a 50 day moving average of $57.94 and a 200-day moving average of $59.18. Prosperity Bancshares Dividend Announcement Prosperity Bancshares ( NYSE:PB Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The bank reported $1.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.19 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $276.15 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $281.98 million. Prosperity Bancshares had a net margin of 34.03% and a return on equity of 7.55%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. will post 5.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be paid a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.03%. Prosperity Bancsharess dividend payout ratio is presently 41.43%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PB has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Prosperity Bancshares from $70.00 to $61.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Raymond James raised their target price on shares of Prosperity Bancshares from $65.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Stephens raised their target price on shares of Prosperity Bancshares from $63.00 to $67.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Prosperity Bancshares to a sell rating in a report on Friday, August 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Prosperity Bancshares from $60.00 to $57.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Prosperity Bancshares presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $68.88. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on PB Prosperity Bancshares Company Profile (Free Report) Prosperity Bancshares, Inc operates as bank holding company for the Prosperity Bank that provides financial products and services to businesses and consumers. It accepts various deposit products, such as demand, savings, money market, and time accounts, as well as and certificates of deposit. The company also offers 1-4 family residential mortgage, commercial real estate and multifamily residential, commercial and industrial, agricultural, and non-real estate agricultural loans, as well as construction, land development, and other land loans; consumer loans, including automobile, recreational vehicle, boat, home improvement, personal, and deposit account collateralized loans; and consumer durables and home equity loans, as well as loans for working capital, business expansion, and purchase of equipment and machinery. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Prosperity Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Prosperity Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Coleraine Museums new exhibition, People and Places has officially been opened. The exhibition looks back at the popular newspaper column written by the well-known journalist William Speedy Moore, first published in the Coleraine Chronicle in 1962, finishing in 2007. The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Cllr Steven Callaghan said: I was delighted to open this new exhibition. Speedys stories in his People and Places column are an important part of the Boroughs social history focussing on members of the local community. It offers visitors the opportunity to look back on the everyday lives of people in the Coleraine area including street cleansers, teenage dance goers, and singing shop workers. Id encourage everyone to come along and see this interesting and enjoyable exhibition for yourselves. Visitors will have the opportunity to view objects from Coleraine Museums collection, including a ledger from Gribbons Linen Mill dated from 1914-1959, where Speedys mother was employed. Also on display is the trowel used to lay the foundation stone of The Honourable the Irish Society School in 1867, where Speedy attended school. Running alongside the exhibition, visitors can also enjoy a heritage talk from Maurice Bradley on the history of the Chronicle and Constitution, in Coleraine Town Hall on Thursday, October 5 at 7.30pm. On October 10 at 2pm and October 19 at 11am, in partnership with Libraries NI, visitors can join a guided tour of the exhibition, followed by a tour of the Heritage Room in Coleraine Library, with the chance to learn how to carry out your own newspaper research. The exhibition will be open until Saturday, December 9 in Coleraine Town Hall, Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-4pm. Events and admission to the exhibition are free. For event bookings and more information please email museums@causewaycoastandglens. gov.uk or telephone Ballymoney VIC on 028 2766 0230. The civic-pride campaign, Live Here Love Here has announced the return of the highly successful Marine Litter Grant, an initiative. The initiative will support ideas that prevent litter from entering County Derrys waterways, including oceans, coastlines, rivers and lakes. The scheme aims to protect our blue spaces, improve marine biodiversity, and support the health of our communities with aquatic spaces a key contributor to wellbeing. Community groups, organisations and businesses based anywhere in Northern Ireland can apply for a share of the almost 200,000 fund available this year. Ruth Clarke, Waste Prevention Policy Branch DAERA said: We are proud to support the Marine Litter Capital Grants Scheme for the third year, and look forward to seeing the varied and innovative projects come to life as a result of this funding. According to the European Environment Agency, 80 per cent of marine litter originates from land-based activities with 85 per cent of this content plastic that permeates for up to 500 years. Keep Northern Ireland Beautifuls most recent Marine Litter Report, published in 2022, shows that an average of 762 items of litter were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed, double the 375 items recorded the previous year. Chris Gourley, Waste and Pollution Solutions Strategic Lead at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said: We are committed to the ongoing and complex battle against marine pollution and delighted to deliver this grant scheme once again with support from DAERA. "In the last three years we have identified a diverse array of projects that tackle the problem of marine pollution from both land and sea. "These projects span a wide spectrum of creative solutions and approaches, but all share the common goal of safeguarding our aquatic spaces, proving that together, we can make a real difference to pollution levels, but also leave a legacy of environmental stewardship for generations to come. The Marine Litter Grants Scheme has already made a significant impact on marine conservation efforts across Northern Ireland with funding provided for over 50 innovative projects with a combined value of 550,000. Eligible projects include ways to minimise waste generated by events such as disposable items which can enter our waterways, shipping, and vessel operations such as discarded fishing gear, cargo packaging, and other materials that can contribute to marine litter and urban and rural litter such as rubbish and debris found in streets and parks that can be carried by wind or runoff into rivers and oceans. Applications for the Marine Litter Grant are open until November 9. To learn more about the application process, eligibility criteria, and for more information on Live Here Love Here visit https://liveherelovehere.etinu.net/cgi-bin/generic?instanceID=46. Victims and survivors of violence in Northern Ireland have been betrayed and forgotten by the UK Governments Legacy Act, a remembrance service has been told. The South East Fermanagh Foundation victims group held its 11th annual service of remembrance and thanksgiving at Ballinamallard Methodist Church. It came as the Northern Ireland Secretary described the Governments Legacy Act as a genuine help to Troubles victims. Reading a reflection at the Co Fermanagh service, David Hallawell told the gathered victims and survivors that his father, RUC Constable John Hallawell, had fully embraced his posting to the community relations branch before he was killed by the Provisional IRA in 1983. Mr Hallawell said his father had been killed while trying to arrange a cross-community disco in a nationalist area. He was in his own vehicle and he was unarmed. He was in the house for less than 15 minutes, it was that time that the IRA had four gunmen waiting. Upon leaving the house and getting into his car, the terrorists opened fire. He went on to tell the service: Remembrance is vital. No person has ever been convicted of dads murder and with the imposition of the Legacy Bill into law, it is now unlikely he will ever see justice. What sort of civilised society do we live in where murder is forgiven and murderers remain unpunished? Mr Hallawell added: For the sake of the Government and votes on the mainland, innocent victims and survivors have been betrayed and forgotten. Reverend John Beacom told the service that politics in Northern Ireland is toxic. Many of the politicians have let us down. They argue their case on party lines. They ignore the needs of the people. He added: Those who suffered at the hands of terrorism are leaning on a Government that doesnt care, theyre crying out for justice to a Government that doesnt care. SEFF chairman Eric Brown said: Justice is bigger than any politics and when this ceases to be the case, then society is the poorer. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act received royal assent last month despite widespread opposition from political parties, victims organisations in Northern Ireland and the Irish government. Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. It will also halt future civil cases and inquests. SEFF director of services Kenny Donaldson appealed for accountability as he said Northern Ireland is facing into a difficult future. You have a Bill which united opposition rarely do we get unity in anything in this place but were still pressing ahead. Parliament has given it sanction and it has received royal assent. He called on those gathered to be battle ready to defend the legacy of the past. Mr Donaldson questioned if there was a different divide in Northern Ireland than the traditional Catholic, nationalist, republican and Protestant, unionist, loyalist. He said: Is that the way we truly divide or do we divide on the basis of our value system and where we stand on the issue of violence? That transcends a cross-section of people and we need to start building alliances and friendships across all of that if we are to be truly successful in maintaining the integrity of the past. He also said there would be rank hypocrisy in the Republic of Ireland government taking an interstate case against the Bill, given that the Republic of Ireland has done absolutely nothing to deal with its legacy of the past. He said: In many ways, they already operate an amnesty in practice. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris-Heaton Harris told the Tory conference in Manchester that the Bill is a genuine help to those affected by the Troubles. Speaking in Manchester on Sunday, he said: It is the 25th anniversary year of the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Since then Northern Ireland has come a tremendously long way. But for those 25 years victims, families, survivors, some of them, have been left without answers about what happened during the 30 years of the Troubles. This Conservative Government recently passed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. And whilst it delivers on a manifesto commitment we made to our veterans, its also of genuine help to all those affected by the Troubles. It sets up a body that aims to provide answers and accountability to those who want it and is open to all victims of the Troubles. Mr Donaldson told the PA news agency that the Northern Ireland Secretary should have used the conference to apologise to victims and survivors for 25 years of wilful manipulation of the criminal justice system by the UK state. He said: Reconciliation will not happen in this place unless there is a willingness to account fully for actions and the illegitimacy and wrong of those actions. We do not want another quarter of a century of the same fraudulent process which was perpetrator-centric. Around 1,200 court cases are expected to be affected this week by the withdrawal of professional services by barristers, in an action to have pay cuts reversed. The action by criminal barristers takes place on Tuesday October 3rd at all courthouses nationwide where criminal matters were, or are, listed to be heard, including the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, and Courthouses in Sligo, Castlebar, Monaghan, Dundalk, Longford, Trim, Wexford, Waterford, Nenagh, Limerick, Cork, and Naas. Final arrangements are now being put in place for The Bar of Irelands recommended day of action. On the first full day of the new legal year, a one-day withdrawal of professional services has been recommended by The Bar of Ireland to its members who are criminal law practitioners, in protest at the ongoing Government inertia with respect to fee restoration. The Council of The Bar of Ireland met last week, and finalised arrangements for the unprecedented action. This follows an announcement by The Bar of Ireland on July 12th last about the decision to make the recommendation, and a series of engagements with stakeholders across the legal sector, including the Judiciary, the Law Society, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Courts Service and others in the intervening period. In addition, a final round of meetings was held with the justice spokespersons of all the main parties, including Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Labour and the Green Party. Since March 2016, the Council has been drawing the attention of Government to the impact on the wider justice system of unrestored cuts in professional fees for both prosecution and defence work. It says the net effect of those pay cuts at present is that barristers engaged in criminal work are paid more than 40% less in real terms than the rates paid in 2002. In addition, the link to public sector pay was unilaterally removed in 2008 and has not been restored, resulting in the ongoing erosion of pay in real terms every year. Government policy has been clear: pay restoration is conditional on cooperation with the delivery of efficiencies and reform in the provision of public services. The Bar says it has met this condition. In advance of Tuesday October 3rd and a forthcoming attendance at the Oireachtas Justice Committee on the same day, Sara Phelan SC, Chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, said: "The criminal bar is haemorrhaging junior barristers up to two thirds of barristers who commence practice in the criminal courts leave the criminal bar after 6 years. Were feeling the effects of this already, with reports of cases being held over because counsel cant be secured to attend. While this matter impacts unfairly on our profession, it will also have a detrimental effect on those who have cause to engage with the justice system. "Whether you are a victim of crime, or stand accused, you are entitled to expect that you will have appropriate access to justice. That means having a skilled and experienced advocate to represent you but if Government continues to fail to invest in the area of criminal law, that can no longer be taken for granted. Sean Guerin SC, Char of the Criminal State Bar Committee, said: "Criminal barristers have been proactive and cooperative in the introduction of reforms and changed work practices. Our way of working has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, with the introduction of improvement and efficiencies brought about by the EU Victims Directive and the OMalley Review, as well as Pre-Trial Hearings and Electronic Briefs, for example. "Our work has increased in complexity, and it has been acknowledged by the Department of Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions that these reforms have produced significant financial and administrative benefits to the State and yet we continue to be isolated as a group of workers when it comes to fee restoration. Fair is fair, and if not addressed this will have a profound impact on the public good". Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) says it is thrilled to congratulate one of its lecturers, Maryellen Kelledy, Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, who has just been named as one of the winners of this years Women in Supply Chain Awards. Maryellen has received this award from the US Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain. It honours female supply chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentorship and examples set a foundation for women in all levels of a companys supply chain network. Maryellen will be honoured at this years Women in Supply Chain Forum, which takes place in Atlanta in November. From Dundalk, Maryellen Kelledy, along with working as an assistant lecture in the School of Engineering in DkIT has also been involved with Irish-founded company Overhaul since its early inception in 2020. Overhaul is a software-based, supply-chain visibility, risk, compliance and insurance solution for some of the worlds leading brands with headquarters in the US and an Irish base in DkITs Regional Development Centre (RDC). Maryellen has over 20 years experience in industry and has held an instrumental role within Overhauls leadership team, she has been a driving force behind the successful orchestration of multifunctional projects, all aimed at propelling the company to new heights. Barry Conlon, CEO and Founder of Overhaul, said: Maryellen is more than a leader; she exemplifies what every woman in the supply chain industry can aspire to be. She is a testament to the potential for women in this industry, echoing the belief that diversity, unity, and resilience lead to success. "Her leadership transcends traditional boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on Overhauls growth trajectory and solidifying her place in the annals of the industrys distinguished leaders. Maryellen has also recently been short-listed for the Irish Women Mean Business Awards 2023 and was named as one of the finalists in their Businesswoman of the Year Category. The winners of these awards will be announced this October in Dublin. Two Louth projects have received funding under the International Decade for People of African Descent Funding Call to support organisations hosting events to mark the International Decade for People of African Descent and celebrate the diverse culture and heritage of people of African descent. Ait na nDaoine, a Dundalk based community organisation received 5,000 for a project celebrating the culture and heritage of People of African Descent. Meanwhile, Phase Innovate who are also based in Louth received 5,000 for a project entitled Miss Tech Africa: Empowering Young Women in Technology and Community Development. Nationally, The Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe OBrien, announced the 35 projects set to receive funding under the International Decade for People of African Descent Funding Call. Through this Fund, a total of 169,740 was made available Welcoming the announcement, Minister OBrien said: This broad range of events will engage and help enlighten communities across the country about the Decade and its importance. It will help to animate the richness of Irish society that is often not fully appreciated but also give a platform to voices that dont always get space and time to express themselves. The UN General Assembly proclaimed an International Decade for People of African Descent, effective through 2015-2024 under resolution 68/237. The resolution proclaims a need to strengthen national, regional and international cooperation in order to encourage the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by People of African Descent. The theme of the Decade is People of African descent: recognition, justice and development. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth grant funds the International Decade for People of African Descent Ireland (IDPADI) Steering Committee to advance the celebration of the Decade. A Cork woman who was involved in stealing a charity box from the counter of a shop was jailed for four months for the desperately mean offence. Judge Marie Keane made that comment as she jailed 35-year-old Noreen Foley of no fixed address for the offence. Shane Collins-Daly solicitor said that unfortunately, the defendant was well known to Cork District Court. Sergeant Gearoid Davis said she had 65 previous convictions, including 39 for theft. Mr Collins-Daly said, She is a lady with significant health difficulties. And addiction difficulties in relation to intoxicants and prescription medication, together with psychiatric issues and homelessness. She is in and out of custody. Sergeant Davis said the charity box was stolen from the counter of Mace in Turners Cross on June 4 2022. A man took the charity box from the counter and handed it to Noreen Foley and they both left with the charity box, Sgt. Davis said. On August 24 2022 Noreen Foley was found to be drunk and a danger to herself or others at the supermarket in Merchants Quay, Cork. HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has confirmed to Cork TD Colm Burke that he is committed to increasing the fees payable to contractors for a standard eye examination under the Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS). In a recent parliamentary question in the Dail, the Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central asked Mr Donnelly about the possibility of an increase in the fees payable to contractors for a standard eye examination under the current scheme. Mr Donnelly replied that the Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS), which was first introduced in 1979, is a national fee-per-item scheme. Currently under the COSS, medical card holders aged over 16 years can be seen by ophthalmologists, community ophthalmic physicians, optometrists, or dispensing opticians, while eligible patients can receive an eye examination and be provided with prescribed optical appliances in accordance with a national schedule of approved optical appliances. Mr Donnelly outlined to Mr Burke that he is committed to increasing the fees payable. The Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians) Regulations 2013 sets the fees for optometrists and dispensing opticians, he said. I am committed to increasing the fees payable to contractors for a standard eye examination under the COSS. This is a priority for my department. Work with stakeholders is ongoing to implement this change in 2023. Mr Burke said the costs involved have gone up since the prices were cut in 2013. The price was reduced in 2013, he said. The work was outsourced, and it was paid out. What they are getting for doing that work hasnt changed in 10 years, while costs for everyone involved have gone up. I am looking for Minister Donnelly to have the appropriate funding provided for it. It is accepted that the appropriate fees are no longer being paid. We need to make sure that it is delivered. I am going to keep the pressure on, because I think it is extremely important that people can get access to services and that the people providing the services get adequate remuneration. Otherwise, they will drop out of the service. A CORK councillor is calling on the HSE to scrap plans for a mental health facility at St Stephens Hospital, Glanmire, in favour of fully-staffed community residences. Independent East Cork councillor Liam Quaide expressed his concern through a motion at a recent meeting of county councillors. It outlined a request that the County Council write to the safety and quality committee of the HSE board, seeking a service provision plan for rehabilitation mental health services in County Cork in line with A Vision for Change and the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Mr Quaide was referring to proposals for a large-scale capital project investment in a 50-bed continuing care and rehabilitation mental health service on the grounds of St Stephens Hospital, Glanmire. He is now calling for the focus to be shifted to community-based, 24-hour-staffed residences. Mr Quaide stressed that while the facility is appropriate for acute admissions, more consideration needs to be afforded to continuing care. The psychologist cited the model of community residences in Mallow, Fermoy, and Kanturk as examples to be replicated across the county. He said that while the proposed development at St Stephens Hospital will comprise of bungalow-style units, it will still be located in a clinical setting. The fact remains that St Stephens is an isolated hospital campus with very poor connectivity to the nearest village, said Mr Quaide. The grounds are spacious and impressive, but they will be the site of a new elective hospital in Cork, which will also make it a particularly medicalised setting. The locating of continuing care and rehabilitation mental health residences on this campus is clearly at odds with the ethos of community living for this client group that was a core tenet of A Vision for Change and the HSEs Model of Care for People with Severe and Enduring Mental Illness and Complex Needs. It is also at odds with the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities which enshrines the right of people with the highest level of mental health need to live in their community. Potential consequences He outlined some of the potential consequences for people with mental issues who are locked out of communities and society. While some can live independently or with family support, others require intensive multidisciplinary treatment, residential placement, and sometimes lifelong residential placement, he said. They often have great difficulty forming relationships, pursuing goals, and sustaining involvement in training or employment. Those who require long-term or respite placement who do not have a community-based residence available to them are vulnerable to one or a combination of outcomes. Some live with ageing parents who are unable to cope. Others end up in very precarious situations in the community where they are at risk of homelessness, addiction and suicide attempts. This means they can be caught in a cycle of acute psychiatric ward admissions. Mr Quaide warned of the disadvantages to a proposed development at St Stephens Hospital, Glanmire. The advantage for the HSE of the St Stephens project would appear to be the centralising of continuing-care staffing costs in one location, where clients would be referred from outside as well as within the local HSE Community Mental Health team catchment, he said. However, there are clear disadvantages to the client group in terms of limited community integration, detachment from local supports, and a potential for institutionalised care. This project would also take from a capital budget that could be spent developing community residences in towns such as Cobh, Youghal, and Clonakilty. The frontline worker said the spread of community residences outside North Cork fails to follow any coherent pattern or Government policy. The North Cork HSE catchment is currently the only area in the Cork/Kerry CHO whose service provision approximates to A Vision for Change for this client group, with a full multi-disciplinary rehabilitation mental health team, as well as a community residence in each of the three main towns, he said. My colleagues here from North Cork will be familiar with Solas Nua in Mallow, Carrigabrick in Fermoy, and Cois Alla in Kanturk, each of which has 14 single, en-suite rooms. I previously worked as a psychologist with the Mallow/Charleville and Kanturk/Newmarket Adult Mental Health teams, and former HSE colleagues of mine were part of efforts in the 1990s and early 2000s to help transition long-stay patients of St Stephens Hospital to those community residences. The spread of community residences outside North Cork does not follow any coherent pattern or Government policy. For instance, within the West Cork HSE catchment there are two community residences in Skibbereen Perrott House and Saol Nua yet no such facilities in the larger towns of Clonakilty, Bandon, or Kinsale. A Vision for Change recommends three community residences with 10 placements each per 100,000 population. Instead, we have a scattering of these facilities developed more on the whims of individual managers and political reaction than on national policy. Until recently in East Cork the HSE plan was to remove all residential placements from our Midleton/Youghal and Cobh/Glenville catchments of approximately 100,000 people, until the sustained pressure of the Owenacurra Centre campaign forced the acquisition of a property for three people in Midleton, the pursuit of a separate three-bed property and proposals for a new 10-bed residence, also in Midleton. Fellow councillors backed Mr Quaids proposals to write to the HSEs safety and quality committee to address the matter. Enable Ireland has launched a major fundraiser which the charity hopes will help to raise enough funds to complete its new children's centre in Cork. The charity, which provides services to over 13,000 children and adults with disabilities, is offering one person a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win a 3-bedroom end-of-terrace house in Astra Constructions Janeville development in Carrigaline, valued at 350,000. The winner will also receive a 5,000 voucher sponsored by Right Price Tiles and Wood Flooring and a 5,000 voucher sponsored by EZ Living Interiors Ltd. The major fundraiser has been given the support of the Clarke Family from Newcestown, including their seven-year-old son, Adam who attends Enable Irelands services. Adam's parents, Therese and Fergal, said: We are delighted to help support and raise awareness of this exciting fundraiser. Adam has been under the care of the early intervention team at Enable Ireland since April 2017, where he has received physical, occupational and speech and language therapies and also had access to their child psychologist. Thanks to Enable Ireland Adam has thrived." The proceeds from the raffle will go towards the completion of funding for Enable Irelands childrens centre in Curraheen. Completing the centre Speaking about the appeal for the publics support, Enable Ireland Director of Services Gillian Darrer said: We are extremely grateful for the support we have received to date for our services in Cork. "The services we provide from our centre in Curraheen are essential to the children and families who rely on them. Completing the funding for this centre means we can continue to provide our vital therapy and support services for the next generation of children. Supporting the cause Stalwart volunteer Anne Hegarty said they hope that people all across the country, and further afield, will support the campaign. Following the huge success of the first Win A House Cork campaign which we ran the first year of the pandemic, we are delighted to be in a position to run it again. The goal of this campaign is to finally complete the funding of the childrens centre in Cork benefiting children for generations to come. A ticket is a perfect Christmas gift for family at home or abroad it can be purchased online. We are hoping people all over the country and indeed our diaspora get behind it. One sponsor, Susan Dineen said, Right Price Tiles and Wood flooring has a long history of supporting Enable Ireland in Cork and is delighted to be a part of this campaign. We look forward to providing the winner of the house with flooring and tiles of their choice and wish the charity every success as they strive to complete the funding of its childrens centre in Curraheen. Speaking about their involvement in the campaign, Gavin White, owner of EZ Living Interiors said As we celebrate 35 years in business, we want to give back to our communities in meaningful ways. We are so proud to support Enable Irelands Win A House Cork fundraiser and contribute to the incredible work that they do. Tickets are available for 100 from www.winahousecork.ie. The raffle is scheduled to be held just before Easter on Friday, March 22 next year. A 23-year-old man caught with 20 worth of heroin for his own use has been convicted and fined ten times that amount at Cork District Court. David Johnson, formerly of Willow Glen, Herons Wood, Carrigaline, County Cork, and now of Nohoval, County Cork, pleaded guilty to having the drug at Summerhill North during a search at 3 p.m. on June 22 2022. The accused man was stopped by Garda Conor Smiddy on that date. Defence solicitor Eddie Burke said, The defendant is a young man with Aspergers who had been using heroin at the time but has since moved to the rural area and is doing much better in his life. Judge Marie Keane convicted and fined him 200. Almost 40 Cork producers picked up awards at the Blas na hEireann 2023 awards which were held in Dingle this week. The three-day celebration, which took place from September 28 to 30, paid homage to the best of Irish food and drink. Now in its 16th year, Blas na hEireann saw the highest number of entries with almost 3,000 products and many new producers entering the awards for the first time. Products from every county in Ireland were entered to win bronze, silver or gold awards in over 150 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer. 39 producers in Cork secured awards namely; Alternative Christmas Pudding Company, Andrea's Kitchen, Bantry Bay Seafoods, Bo Rua Farm, Carbery Group, Clona Dairy Products Ltd., Other winners include Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen, Coolmore Foods, Follain, Gloun Cross Dairy, Hassetts Bakers & Confectioners ltd., Irish Yogurts Ltd, Keohane Seafoods, Kepak Cork and Kinsale Mead Co, Kinsale Spirit, Leahys Open farm, Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd (Best in County), Malay Kitchen, McCarthy's of Kanturk, Niamh's Larder, North Cork co-op, North Cork Creameries, Nua Asador, O'Callaghan's Cafe and Deli Ltd, O'Leary's Family Butchers and On The Pigs Back, Original 7 Beverage Co, Sage Restaurant, Secret Recipe Limited, Shannonvale, Silver Pail Dairy, Stonewell Cider & Nohoval Apple Wine, The Sibly Food Company, Tom Durcan Meats Ltd, Toons Bridge Dairy, Walls Chips, West Cork Distillers and Ardsallagh Goat's Cheese. Commenting on the awards, Blas na hEireann Chairperson, Artie Clifford said: Looking back on 16 years of Blas, its fantastic to see the standard of food and drink in Ireland go from strength-to-strength year on year. Its a real privilege for myself and the whole Blas family to bring these products, and the amazing producers who make them, to a much wider audience. Blas na hEireann 2023 saw the return of the Blas Village and Eat Ireland in a Day tent where the 2023 finalists got the opportunity to showcase their products, engage with customers and meet key industry buyers. AH, wouldnt Ireland be perfect if we could only get a handle on the scumbags? It was night-time, and for the first time since before the pandemic, we were abroad. Last year, about four million tourists visited Venice, a city renowned for its beautiful waterways and floating gondolas, its spectacular gothic, renaissance and baroque architecture; its winding, narrow alleyways. An absolute haven, one would assume, for rowdiness, litter, pickpockets and assorted thuggery of every possible kind. Yet, here we were, utterly relaxed at 10.30pm on a Saturday night, strolling alongside lapping canals and over picturesque bridges, admiring the reflection of the citys lights on the water. There was no hint of the edginess so apparent after twilight on the streets of Dublin, Cork or Galway, no Saturday night disarray, no anti-social behaviour, no sense of threat, no looming possibility of random violence. Nobody was out of their heads or giving passers-by malevolent looks; nobody was lurking on pavements. There were no groups of young males standing around with their hoodies pulled up or lurching roughly past pedestrians. Not a single person of any colour or ethnic origin - and there were people here from all over the world - was being attacked, beaten or head-kicked by psychopathic teenagers. And in this city crowded to bursting, there was no litter. The carabinieri were around. Alert and crisply uniformed, they patrolled, conversing, in twos or threes. They carried batons and guns in holsters. They were visible without being overly conspicuous and they werent everywhere. But they were there. We met a couple from Vancouver. They were planning, they told us, to sell up and move to Ireland. Vancouver was beautiful, they said, but property had become mind-blowingly expensive. They planned to sell their beautiful home for a small fortune and return to Ireland. Not Dublin, we said sadly. Its gone very rough. Oh no, they said immediately. Dublin was so dangerous now! So rough! Absolutely not Dublin! They didnt want to live anywhere like that! Oh dear, I thought, cringing and crossing my fingers behind my back and wondering if this nice couple realised that its not just Dublin. We left them to it and went for a meal. Eating out in Venice can be interesting. The price written on the menu is not what you pay. You might think youre going to pay 60 for a meal, but once you get to the till and they start adding in the cover charge, the service charge and a tax, maybe a city tax, maybe VAT - God knows, I was starting to lose track - you end up playing closer to 80 or 90. And then theres the attitude. We decided to attend a show, and a few hours before the performance, we arrived to buy my ticket, a birthday gift. At the ticket desk, the man treated my husband like he was a bad smell that had just wafted in from one of the less savoury canals. He was incomprehensibly impatient, curt, dismissive and rude, behaving as if he had far better things to do with his time than sell tickets to the likes of us. That night when I arrived, the young female door attendant barked at me. When I didnt understand what she was saying, she snapped at me again, and when I still looked bewildered, she clicked her fingers as you might do to a dog and gestured at me to basically push off and get out of her hair. Arrogant doesnt begin to describe her. I pushed back. No need to snap, I said shortly, giving her my best 1,000-yard stare. I just dont understand what youre saying. The show was magical, but my abiding memory will be the sheer bad manners displayed by those staff. Can you imagine being treated like that in the Opera House or the Everyman? Then there was the hotel; beautifully appointed, on the canal with its own water-door with gondolas sailing by. One morning I forgot what Id done with my key and asked if it was with the reception desk. The male receptionist checked the cubby hole and bellowed that if I didnt find their key immediately, Id have to pay a fine of 100. Five seconds later, and almost trembling, I found the key in the pocket of my shorts. My jaw was on the floor. Without another word the man turned his back, staring into his computer. Breakfast in this hostelry was a poor show compared to that provided by any halfway decent Irish hotel. Not only was the cooked food tepid, but tables were in short supply because, once used, they were left piled with dirty crockery. A young barman told us that hordes of permanent residents - including his own parents - were leaving the city and renting out their homes. The sheer number of tourists is putting such enormous pressure on sewerage and recycling facilities, local transport, accommodation and quality of life that Venice is a difficult place to live in. A mother-of-three revealed that she paid 1,500 a month in rent for the miniscule shop where she sold her artisanal wares. Shed paid 28,000 for a tiny, windowless storage area nearby. We didnt invest in a gondola ride after noticing how many passengers, and in one case the young gondolier himself, floated along just staring into their mobile phones Waiting for the bus to Treviso airport, we had a grand chat with a couple from Carrigaline. On the plane home we met a witty pair from Limerick. At 10.30pm I was struggling up those ridiculous steps from the Tarmac into the main body of Cork Airport when a tall young man loped up alongside me. Gimme that, he said abruptly and hauled my suitcase all the way to the top of the steps before disappearing into the crowd. I barely had time to thank him. Wouldnt Ireland be wonderful if we could only get a handle on the scumbags? ovo77 slotomania innermost auther: sports source: edu browse: bigmiddiosmall release time: 2023-11-02 14:26:26 Comments: ovo77 slotomania innermostChinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Thailand on Thursday to attend the 29th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok and to pay a visit to the country. What Is an Investment Adviser?free cruise from casino An investment adviser (also known as a stock broker) is any person or group that makes investment recommendations or conducts securities analysis in return for a fee, whether through direct management of clients' assets or by way of written publications. The precise definition of the term was established through the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. An investment adviser with sufficient assets to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is known as a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Investment advisers are also referred to as financial advisors and can alternatively be spelled as investment advisors or financial advisors. Key Takeaways Investment advisers are financial professionals that make investment recommendations or conduct security analysis in exchange for a fee. In the U.S., investment advisers are required to register at the state level, and they also need to register with the SEC if they manage $100 million or more in client assets. Investment advisers often have discretionary authority over their clients assets and are required to uphold standards of fiduciary responsibility. What's an Investment Advisor? How Investment Advisers Work 1:20 Investment advisers work as professionals within the financial industry by providing guidance to clients in exchange for specific fees. Investment advisers owe a fiduciary duty to their clients and are required to put their clients interests first at all times. For example, investment advisers must ensure that clients transactions are given priority over their own and that any recommendations made to clients are well tailored to those clients needs, preferences, and financial circumstances. Investment advisers must also be careful to avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest. One way in which investment advisers seek to minimize real or perceived conflicts of interest is through their compensation structure. Investment advisers are paid through fees which cause their own success to be linked to that of the client. For example, an investment adviser might charge a management fee based on the size or performance of the clients assets. That way, the investment adviser has a clear financial motive to work toward the clients success. Investment advisers often have a level of discretionary authority allowing them to act on behalf of their clients without having to obtain formal permission prior to executing a transaction. However, this authority must be formally provided by the client, generally as part of the client onboarding process. If investment advisers are operating within the U.S. they must register with the SEC if they manage assets totaling $100 million or more. Investment advisers with lesser amounts of assets are still eligible to register, but they are only required to register at the state level. Additionally, records regarding investment advisers and their associated firms must also be kept, to enable oversight of the industry. Real World Example of an Investment Adviser Suppose you are a 65 year-old retiree that has just hired an investment adviser to manage your retirement funds. The adviser you chose was recommended for her close adherence to the best practices of the investment management industry. You recently downsized your home and have $1 million in combined retirement savings. You have some experience investing and are comfortable buying blue-chip stocks. However, given your age and risk tolerance you are mostly interested in preserving your principal and ensuring you have adequate money to fund your lifestyle for the next 20 or more years. At your first meeting, your investment adviser began by asking you a series of questions designed to thoroughly understand your retirement plans, financial circumstances, risk tolerance, investment objectives, and other factors relevant for assessing your needs. She carefully explained her compensation structure (a mixture of flat fees and performance fees) and addressed the measures she takes to minimize real or perceived conflicts of interest. She explained that as part of the onboarding process she would obtain discretionary authority over your investment accounts and that she would have a fiduciary responsibility toward you as her client. Lastly, she directed you toward resources where you can verify and monitor her registration status. After thoroughly answering your questions, your adviser suggested various potential investment strategies designed to best meet your needs given your budget and preferences. After careful discussion, you agreed on a course of action and completed the ongoing process. In the months and years ahead, you would continue to have scheduled communication with your adviser where she would update you on the status of your investments and address your concerns. Foreign exchange Photo:Xinhua China's cross-border capital flows remained within a reasonable range in October,as trade in goods and foreign direct investment have kept stabilizing capital inflows, a Chinese official said on Tuesday.Cross-border capital under the current account recorded a net inflow in October, up 43 percent year-on-year. Merchandise trade saw a net cross-border capital inflow of $32.9 billion, up 19 percent year-on-year, Wang Chunying, deputy administrator and spokesperson of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), said in a statement.Foreign direct investment saw a net inflow and inbound investment in the domestic bond market continued to recover, demonstrating the resilience of the Chinese economy and the willingness of foreign investors to invest in China and allocate yuan-denominated assets in the long run, Wang said.There will be an intensive period at the end of the year when export enterprises settle receivables and foreign firms launch investments. This will lead to an increase of cross-border capital flows, strengthening support for the foreign exchange market, Wang said.China's foreign exchange reserves stood at $3.0524 trillion at the end of October, up by $23.5 billion or 0.77 percent, from the end of September, according to SAFE data.In the first 10 months, cumulative foreign exchange settlements and sales by banks stood at $2.176 trillion and $2.069 trillion, respectively. Cumulative cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking institutions hit $5.216 trillion and $5.153 trillion, respectively, read a statement of the SAFE.The yuan has strongly rebounded against the US dollar recently, with its central parity rate set at 7.0899 on Monday, appreciating by 1,008 basis points (bps) against the greenback, the yuan's biggest daily surge in 17 years. It strengthened another 478 bps to reach 7.0421 on Tuesday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.Yet, the external environment remains complex and volatile. As economic growth and inflation levels change, the monetary policies of major developed economies and related spillover effects in the world will also change, Wang warned.The fundamentals of China's economy remain resilient. With further optimized epidemic prevention and control measures, the trend of economic recovery will continue to be consolidated.The resilience of China's foreign exchange market has been significantly enhanced. With solid fundamentals to resist external shocks, China's cross-border capital flows and foreign exchange market are expected to maintain steady and orderly development, Wang noted. BEIJING,us open odds bovada best 888 slots Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's fixed-asset investment (FAI) grew at an average annual rate of 9.4 percent from 2013 to 2021, sustaining a steady expansion and boosting economic development, an official report showed Friday. Accumulative investment in fixed assets in the country totaled 409 trillion yuan (about 58.5 trillion U.S. dollars) from 2013 to 2021, according to the report released by the National Bureau of Statistics. In 2021 alone, China's FAI reached 55.3 trillion yuan, compared with 28.2 trillion yuan in 2012, official data showed. Infrastructure investment has seen steady growth, registering an average annual growth rate of 12 percent from 2013 to 2021, 2.3 percentage points higher than that of the total FAI, according to the report. From 2013 to 2021, the real estate sector attracted a total of 103 trillion yuan worth of funds, with an average annual growth rate of 9.2 percent. The report also highlighted the stronger role of investment in nurturing new growth drivers. Funds flowing into scientific research and technology services have maintained rapid growth, increasing at an annual rate of 12.1 percent during the period. Green investment has become a new trend amid the country's pursuit of low-carbon development, with investment in ecological protection and environmental governance rising 22.7 percent annually, the report stated. 01:52 Ukraine's President Zelenskyy on Tuesday pleaded for more financial aid from international partners,online slot machine games for fun following escalating Russia missile attacks. Mr. Zelenskyy joined the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The two institutions estimate the cost of rebuilding Ukraine far outstrips its annual economic output. For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report. What Is a Tax Bracket?crypto to watch out for 2022 A tax bracket refers to a range of incomes subject to a certain income tax rate. Tax brackets are part of a progressive tax system, in which the level of tax rates progressively increases as an individuals income grows. Low incomes fall into tax brackets with relatively low income tax rates, while higher earnings fall into brackets with higher rates. For tax years 2022 and 2023, there are seven federal tax brackets, with rates ranging from 10% to 37%. Read on to learn the details. Key Takeaways There are currently seven federal tax brackets in the United States, with rates ranging from 10% to 37%. The U.S. tax system is progressive, with people in lower brackets taxed at lower rates and those in higher brackets taxed at higher ones. Unless your total income fits in just the lowest tax bracket, you are charged at multiple rates, according to the additional brackets into which your income flows. You are not simply taxed at the rate of the bracket into which your total income falls; therefore, you effectively pay less than that rate. Typically, the IRS adjusts tax brackets for inflation every year. Understanding Tax Brackets The United States uses a progressive tax system, meaning that it uses a marginal tax rate to determine taxes owed. A marginal tax rate determines the tax paid on an additional dollar of income that takes a taxpayer into a higher tax bracket. The marginal tax rate increases as a taxpayers income increases. There are different tax rates for various levels of income. In other words, taxpayers will pay the lowest tax rate on the first bracket or level of taxable income, a higher rate on the next level, and so on. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announces any changes to tax brackets and rates annually. For tax years 2022 and 2023, there are seven federal tax brackets. Each is assigned a different rate, ranging from 10% to 37%, and range of taxable income per bracket. The dollar ranges in each bracket vary for single filers, married joint filers (and qualifying widow[er]s), married filing separately filers, and head of household filers. When determining which tax bracket to use, a taxpayer should first calculate their taxable income, including earned and investment income minus adjustments and deductions. Tax Rates vs. Tax Brackets Tax brackets and tax rates are both used to calculate the total taxes owed. However, while they might sound similar, they are, in fact, distinctly different from each other. A tax rate is a percentage at which income is taxed, while each tax bracket is a range of income with a different tax rate. These rates are 10%, 12%, or 22% and higher, and are referred to as the marginal rate. Most taxpayersall except those who fall squarely into only the minimum brackethave income that is taxed progressively. This means that their income is subject to multiple rates beyond the nominal rate of their tax bracket. For example, an annual income of $100,000 fits the 24% tax bracket for tax years 2022 and 2023. However, the entire $100,000 isn't taxed at 24%. It's taxed at the different rates aligned with the various brackets of income that cover the segments of income up to $100,000. So, ultimately a taxpayer pays less than they would if the total income were taxed at 24%. Thus, a taxpayers tax bracket does not necessarily reflect the percentage of their income that they will pay in taxes. The term for this is the effective tax rate. Tax brackets are adjusted each year for inflation, using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Federal Income Tax Brackets and Tax Rates for 2022 and 2023 2022 Marginal Tax Rates by Income and Tax Filing Status Tax Rate Income Tax Bracket for Single Filers Income Tax Bracket for Married Couples Filing Jointly Income Tax Bracket for Married Couples Filing Separately Income Tax Bracket for Head of Household Filers 10% $10,275 or less $20,550 or less $10,275 or less $14,650 or less 12% $10,276 to $41,775 $20,551 to $83,550 $10,276 to $41,775 $14,651 to $55,900 22% $41,776 to $89,075 $83,551 to $178,150 $41,776 to $89,075 $55,901 to $89,050 24% $89,076 to $170,050 $178,151 to $340,100 $89,076 to $170,050 $89,051 to $170,050 32% $170,051 to $215,950 $340,101 to $431,900 $170,051 to $215,950 $170,051 to $215,950 35% $215,951 to $539,900 $431,901 to $647,850 $215,951 to $323,925 $215,951 to $539,900 37% Over $539,900 Over $647,850 Over $323,925 Over $539,900 Source: IRS 2023 Marginal Tax Rates by Income and Tax Filing Status Tax Rate Income Tax Bracket for Single Filers Income Tax Bracket for Married Couples Filing Jointly Income Tax Bracket for Married Couples Filing Separately Income Tax Bracket for Head of Household Filers 10% $11,000 or less $22,000 or less $11,000 or less $15,700 or less 12% $11,001 to $44,725 $22,001 to $89,450 $11,001 to $44,725 $15,701 to $59,850 22% $44,726 to $95,375 $89,451 to $190,750 $44,726 to $95,375 $59,851 to $95,350 24% $95,376 to $182,100 $190,751 to $364,200 $95,376 to $182,100 $95,351 to $182,100 32% $182,101 to $231,250 $364,201 to $462,500 $182,101 to $231,250 $182,101 to $231,250 35% $231,251 to $578,125 $462,501 to $693,750 $231,251 to $346,875 $231,251 to $578,100 37% Over $578,125 Over $693,750 Over $346,875 Over $578,100 Source: IRS Example of Tax Brackets Below is an example of marginal tax rates for a single filer based on 2022 tax rates. Single filers with less than $10,275 in taxable income are subject to a 10% income tax rate (the lowest bracket). Single filers who earn more than $10,275 will have the first $10,275 taxed at 10%, but earnings beyond the first bracket and up to $41,775 will be taxed at a 12% rate (the next bracket). Earnings from $41,776 to $89,075 are taxed at 22%, the third bracket. Consider the following tax responsibility for a single filer with a taxable income of $50,000 in 2022: The first $10,275 is taxed at 10%: $10,275 0.10 = $1,027.50 Then $10,276 to $41,775, or $31,499, is taxed at 12%: $31,499 0.12 = $3,779.88 Finally, the remaining $8,225 (whats left of the $50,000 income) is taxed at 22%: $8,225 0.22 = $1,809.50 Add the taxes owed in each of the brackets: Total taxes: $1,027.50 + $3,779.88 + $1,809.50 = $6,616.88 The individuals effective tax rate is approximately 13% of income: Divide total taxes by annual earnings: $6,616.88 $50,000 = 0.13 Multiply 0.13 by 100 to convert to a percentage, which is 13%. Taxes that you pay on 401(k) withdrawals are also based on tax brackets. Pros and Cons of Tax Brackets Tax bracketsand the progressive tax system that they createcontrast with a flat tax structure, in which all individuals are taxed at the same rate, regardless of their income levels. Higher-income individuals are more able to pay income taxes and keep a good living standard. Low-income individuals pay less, leaving them more to support themselves. Tax deductions and credits give high-income individuals tax relief, while rewarding useful behavior, such as donating to charity. Wealthy people end up paying a disproportionate amount of taxes. Brackets make the wealthy focus on finding tax loopholes that result in many underpaying their taxes, depriving the government of revenue. Progressive taxation leads to reduced personal savings. Positives ProsCons Proponents of tax brackets and progressive tax systems contend that individuals with high incomes are better able to pay income taxes while maintaining a relatively high standard of living. In contrast, low-income individuals who struggle to meet their basic needs should be subject to less taxation. Proponents stress that it is only fair that wealthy taxpayers pay more in taxes than the poor and the middle class, offsetting the inequality of income distribution. That makes the progressive taxation system progressive in both senses of the word: It rises in stages, and it is designed with help for lower-income taxpayers in mind. Supporters maintain that this system can generate higher revenues for governments and still be fair by letting taxpayers lower their tax bill through adjustments, such as tax deductions or tax credits for outlays such as charitable contributions. The higher income that taxpayers realize can then be funneled back into the economy. Furthermore, tax brackets have an automatic stabilizing effect on an individuals after-tax income, as a decrease in funds is counteracted by a decrease in the tax rate, leaving the individual with a less substantial decrease. Negatives Opponents of tax brackets and progressive tax schedules argue that everyone is equal under the law regardless of income or economic status and that there should be no discrimination between rich and poor. They also point out that progressive taxation can lead to a substantial discrepancy between the amount of tax that wealthy people pay and the amount of government representation that they receive. Some even point out that citizens get only one vote per person regardless of the personal or even national percentage of tax that they pay. Opponents also claim that higher taxation at higher income levels leads some wealthier individuals to exploit tax law loopholes to find creative ways to shelter earnings and assets. They can actually end up paying less in taxes than the less well-off, depriving the government of revenue. For example, some American companies have relocated their headquarters abroad to avoid or reduce their U.S. corporate taxes. History of Federal Tax Brackets Tax brackets have existed in the U.S. tax code since the inception of the very first income tax, when the Union government passed the Revenue Act of 1861 to help fund its war against the Confederacy. A second revenue act in 1862 established the first two tax brackets: 3% for annual incomes from $600 to $10,000, and 5% on incomes above $10,000. The original four filing statuses were single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, and head of household, though rates were the same regardless of tax status. In 1872, Congress rescinded the income tax. It didnt reappear until the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913 established Congress right to levy a federal income tax. That same year, Congress enacted a 1% income tax for individuals earning more than $3,000 a year and couples earning more than $4,000, with a graduated surtax of 1% to 7% on incomes from $20,000 and up. Over the years, the number of tax brackets has fluctuated. When the federal income tax began in 1913, there were seven tax brackets. In 1918, the number mushroomed to 56 brackets, ranging from 6% to 77%. In 1944, the top rate hit 91%. But it was brought back down to 70% in 1964 by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan initially brought the top rate down to 50%. Then, in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, brackets were simplified, and the rates were reduced so that, in 1988, there were only two brackets: 15% and 28%. This system lasted only until 1991, when the third bracket of 31% was added. Since then, additional brackets have been implemented, and we have come full circle and are back to seven brackets. State Tax Brackets Some states have no income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire doesnt tax earned wages, but it does tax investment income and interest. However, it is set to phase out those taxes starting in 2023, bringing the number of states with no income tax to nine by 2027. In 2022, nine states had a flat rate structure, with a single rate applying to a residents income: Colorado (4.55%), Illinois (4.95%), Indiana (3.23%), Kentucky (5.0%), Massachusetts (5.0%), Michigan (4.25%), North Carolina (5.25%), Pennsylvania (3.07%), and Utah (4.95%). In other states, the number of tax brackets varies from three to as many as nine (in California, Iowa, and Missouri) and even 12 (in Hawaii). The marginal tax rates in these brackets also vary considerably. California has the highest, maxing out at 12.3%. State income tax regulations may or may not mirror federal rules. For example, some states allow residents to use the federal personal exemption and standard deduction amounts for figuring state income tax. In contrast, others have their own exemption and standard deduction amounts. How to Find Your Own Tax Bracket There are numerous online sources to find your specific federal income tax bracket. The IRS makes available a variety of information, including annual tax tables that provide highly detailed tax filing statuses in increments of $50 of taxable income up to $100,000. Other websites provide tax bracket calculators that do the math for you, as long as you know your filing status and taxable income. Your tax bracket can shift from year to year, depending on inflation adjustments and changes in your income and status, so its worth checking on an annual basis. What Are the Federal Tax Brackets for 2022? The top tax rate is 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $539,900 (or more than $647,850 for married couples filing jointly). The other rates are: 35%, for incomes over $215,950 ($431,900 for married couples filing jointly) 32% for incomes over $170,050 ($340,100 for married couples filing jointly) 24% for incomes over $89,075 ($178,150 for married couples filing jointly) 22% for incomes over $41,775 ($83,550 for married couples filing jointly) 12% for incomes over $10,275 ($20,550 for married couples filing jointly) The lowest rate for the 2022 tax year is 10% for single individuals with incomes of $10,275 or less ($20,550 for married couples filing jointly). How Much Can I Earn Before I Pay 40% Tax? Currently, there is no 40% tax bracket. For 2022, the highest earners in the United States pay a top rate of 37% federal tax on all income made beyond $539,900 (single filers) and $647,850 (married couples filing jointly). How Do I Calculate My Tax Bracket? To estimate which tax brackets your earnings will fall under, you could do the math yourself by using the tables shown above or by visiting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, which provides highly detailed tax filing statuses in increments of $50 of taxable income up to $100,000. The Bottom Line The federal tax system in the U.S. is progressive. Taxpayers who fall into lower brackets pay lower rates than taxpayers in higher brackets. In 2022 and 2023, there are seven federal tax brackets, with rates ranging from 10% to 37%. Unless your taxable income lands you in the lowest tax bracket, you are charged at multiple rates as your income rises. Your entire income is not subject to the rate of the bracket classified for your total income level. BEIJING,royal ace casino no deposit bonus codes Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- China's economy is on more solid ground in the third quarter of this year with major indicators showing positive signs of stabilization, backed by the country's efforts to balance epidemic control and economic and social development. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.9 percent year on year to 30.76 trillion yuan (about 4.32 trillion U.S. dollars) in the third quarter, 3.5 percentage points higher than that in the second quarter, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday. In the first three quarters, the country's GDP increased 3 percent year on year, 0.5 percentage points faster than that in the first half of 2022, according to the NBS data. Many major economic indicators saw significant improvements compared with that in the second quarter, with production demand gradually recovering, and prices and employment remaining stable, the NBS said in a statement. A breakdown of Monday's data showed that value-added industrial output by major industrial firms jumped 4.8 percent year on year in the third quarter, 4.1 percentage points faster than that in the second quarter. With economic activities generally perking up, China's consumer market has warmed up in the third quarter. The country's total retail sales of consumer goods ticked up 3.5 percent year on year in the third quarter, reversing the 4.6-percent decline logged in the second quarter. Fixed-asset investment sustained growth momentum in the third quarter, rising 5.7 percent from the same period a year earlier, up 1.5 percentage points from the second quarter. During the January-September period, investment in the manufacturing sector climbed 10.1 percent year on year while investment in high-tech manufacturing and services continued rapid expansion, rising 23.4 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively. "Generally speaking, the Chinese economy has managed to overcome negative impacts inflicted by unexpected factors, with major indicators staying within a reasonable range and positive factors accumulating," the NBS said. This decent growth did not come easily with policymakers unveiling a slew of supportive policies to shore up the economy. China's State Council unveiled an additional 19 follow-up policies in August on top of delivering a policy package for stabilizing the economy in May in order to shape greater synergy. Among these measures to facilitate economic stability are China's ramped-up efforts to expand its tax and fee incentives and supportive policies to enterprises, offering a "timely rain" to companies in financial drought. Official data from the State Taxation Administration showed that China's tax refunds, as well as tax and fee cuts and deferrals, had exceeded 3.4 trillion yuan by Sept. 20. Despite increasing external uncertainties, Chinese entrepreneurs and bankers became more upbeat about the macroeconomy, and urban residents were more optimistic about future income and jobs in the third quarter, recent central bank surveys have found. Both the entrepreneurs' and bankers' macroeconomic heat indexes, reflecting the two groups' views on the current macroeconomic situation, climbed quarter on quarter, according to the People's Bank of China. However, the NBS warned that the global situation is still complex and grim, and that the foundation of economic recovery is not solid, stressing the importance of the full implementation of supporting measures. Looking into the future, China will pool endeavors to support market entities and stabilize employment and prices, while expanding the effective demand and consolidating the foundation of economic recovery and development, to keep the economy operating within a proper range and work for the best results possible, the NBS statement said. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High near 45F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy early with partial clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 36F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. In a shocking incident, Kannada actor Nagabhushana has been arrested by the cops on October 1. According to media reports Nagabhushana was arrested after he was involved in a fatal accident which killed a woman. The media reports suggested that the accident took place on Saturday at Vasantha Pura main road when Nagabhushana was heading towards Konanakunte from Uttarahalli. According to a report published in India Today, the accident took place at arouns 9:45 pm on Saturday when the Tagaru Palya actor's car rammed into a couple who were apparently walking on a footpath. The reports further claimed that Nagabhushana's car crashed into an electric pole after hitting the couple. Reportedly while Krishna, 58, is critical with injuries on legs, head and stomach and is undergoing a treatment, his wife Prerna, 48, succumbed to her injuries on her way to to the hospital. As per media reports, the couple was rushed to the hospital by Nagabhushana itself. Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged for speeding and negligent driving with Kumaraswamy traffic police station in Bengaluru. While Nagabhushana has reportedly been arrested, the investigation in the matter is underway. Talking about Nagabhushana will be seen in Umesh K. Krupa directorial Tagaru Palya which also features Sharath Lohitashwa, Rangayana Raghu and Tara in the key roles. The movie is set to hit the theatres on November 1 this year. Besides, he is also known for his performance in movies like Ikkat, Badava Rascal and Honeymoon. To note, he made his big debut with the 2018 release Sankashta Kara Ganapathi. However, he had won the Best Debutant Actor at SIIMA Award for his film Ikkat. After creating immense buzz, Bigg Boss Tamil 7 is finally going on air tonight and the audience can't keep calm about it. The new season of the popular reality show is coming up with an interesting ensemble of contestants along with a new theme. Interestingly, Bigg Boss Tamil 7 will be hosted by Kamal Haasan who, reportedly, is charging a hefty amount for the show. According to media reports, Kamal is charging a whopping amount of Rs 130 crores for the entire season of Bigg Boss Tamil 7. Besides, the media reports also suggested that the new season of the popular reality show is coming up with an interesting theme wherein the Bigg Boss house will be divided into two parts. Interestingly, ever since Bigg Boss Tamil 7 has been announced, there have been major speculations about who will be participating in Kamal Haasan's show. It is reported that stunning actress Aishu ADS will be seen as a contestant on Bigg Boss Tamil 7 this year. Who is Aishu ADS from Bigg Boss Tamil 7? Aishu ADS happens to be the sister of Bigg Boss Tamil 5 contestant Amir ADS' sister. She is a ballerina from Ooty and has participated in Vijay TV's Dance vs Dance. Besides, the 23 year old diva was also seen in Bigg Boss Kondattam. She happens to be a travel enthusiast and loves exploring different places. Apart from Aishu, other contestants entering in Bigg Boss Tamil 7 are said to be Maya Krishnan, Raveena Daha, Yugendran Vasudevan, Vishnu Vijay, Manichandra (Mani Chandra), Jovika Vijaykumar, Poornima Ravi, Vinusha Devi, Akshaya Udayakumar, Saravana Vikram, Ananya Rao and Vijay Varma To note, the media reports suggest that Bigg Boss Tamil 7 will be having around 20 contestants including 18 celebs and 2 commoners and will be streaming live 24/7 on OTT platform. After the immense success of six seasons of Bigg Boss Tamil, the makers are now coming up with the seventh season of the popular reality show. Bigg Boss Tamil 7 has been the talk of the town ever since it was announced. After creating immense buzz in the town, Bigg Boss Tamily is finally going on air tonight. Interestingly, Bigg Boss Tamil 7 will be once again hosted by Kamal Haasan once again and it will be coming up with a lot of surprises for the audience. So far, there has been massive speculation about the contestants of the show. While several celebs have been rumoured to be participating in Bigg Boss Tamil 7, the media reports suggest that Raveena Daha will be seen among the contestants of the show. Who Is Raveena Daha From Bigg Boss Tamil 7? Raveena is quite a popular face in the Tamil industry and has been a part of the showbiz world for years now. She made her debut as a child artist in Vishnu Vishal, Ammu Abhirami, and Amala Paul starrer Ratsasan. However, it was her performance in Jilla that made her a household name. Besides, Raveena is also known for her stint in Katha Solla Porom, Enemy, Pizza 3 etc. Raveena Daha's Television Show Apart from the big screen, Raveena is also known for her stint on television. She was seen participating in Jodi Dance 2 and were seen participating in shows like Vasantham, Poove Poochudava, Shanthi Nilayam, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Ramanujar, Chandralekha and Bhairavi. Raveena Daha was also seen participating in Cooku With Comali Season 4. As of now, Raveena is winning hearts with her stint in Mouna Raagam season 2. As Raveena is entering Bigg Boss Tamil 7, it will be interesting to see how she will perform inside the house along with the other contestants and will she be able to give other celebs a tough fight. After creating an immense buzz among the fans, Bigg Boss Tamil 7 finally went on air today and the fans can't keep about it. Hosted by Kamal Haasan, the popular reality show has come up with an interesting ensemble of contestants and has been the talk of the town of late. Among all the celebrity contestants, there is one contestant which has been making the headlines ever since Bigg Boss Tamil 7 has been premiered. We are talking about Jovika Vijayakumar. The diva happens to be the daughter of former Bigg Boss Tamil 3 contestant Vanitha Vijayakumar and the young contestant has been among the most talked about contestants of Bigg Boss Tamil 7. As Jovika made a stylish entry inside the Bigg Boss house, her mother Vanitha's last post for her on social media is going viral and it is too sweet to miss. Vanitha, who is quite active on Instagram, had shared a pic of her darling daughter dressed in a pink coloured crop top which she had paired with a floral print skirt. In the caption, Vanitha wished her luck in whatever she does in life. "My ulaga azhagi @jovika_vijaykumar love u and god bless u in whatever u do," Vanitha wrote along with a heart emoticon. She also shared a special comment on the post and wrote, "Hi thambis and thangachis one comment from me ... she is not only beautiful outside but from inside too ... she is my guiding force my life my reason to live ... MY ROCKKKKKK love heR like I LOVE GOD". Take a look at Vanitha Vijayakumar's special post for Jovika Vijayakumar: Meanwhile, apart from Jovika, Maya Krishnan, Raveena Daha, Yugendran Vasudevan, Vishnu Vijay, Manichandra (Mani Chandra), Aishu ADS, Poornima Ravi, Vinusha Devi, Akshaya Udayakumar, Saravana Vikram, Ananya Rao and Vijay Varma have participated in Bigg Boss Tamil 7. It will be interesting to see how the popular reality show will fare in the coming days. Bigg Boss 17 Update: Salman Khan, who hosted the second season of Jio Cinema's Bigg Boss OTT, wrapped up the show after an eight-week run in August this year. Elvish Yadav, a prominent YouTuber, emerged as the winner, while Fukra Insaan (Abhishek Malhan) secured the runner-up position, which left his supporters disappointed. Ever since the show ended, everyone's waiting for the new season of Colors TV's Bigg Boss after Bigg Boss 16 and their wait is going to end in just 14 days. The show is going to test the 'dil, dimag, and dum' of contestants and people are eagerly awaiting to know the contestants list of Bigg Boss 17. ALICE KAUSHIK NOT IN BIGG BOSS 17? KANWAR DHILLON A SOLO PARTICIPANT? As reported earlier, the makers had approached Pandya Store stars Kanwar Dhillon and Alice Kaushik to participate in BB 17 as a couple. For those who are unaware, the duo played Shiva and Ravi respectively and fell in love while shooting for the popular Star Plus show. They have been going strong since then and 'ShiVi' shippers were dying to see them together in Bigg Boss 17. Well, looks like it's not happening anymore. Yes, you read that right! Bigg Boss 17: After Jay Soni, Another Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Actor Approached For Salman's Show? Khatron Ke Khiladi 13 Elimination: Archana Gautam, Nyra, Or Rashmeet - Who Will Get Evicted This Week? We're saying so because the latest reports suggest that Alice Kaushik might not be a part of Bigg Boss 17. Revealing the same, a source informed ETimes that Kanwar Dhillon may make his debut in the highly anticipated Bigg Boss Season 17 as a solo contestant, without his girlfriend Alice Kaushik accompanying him. However, an official confirmation is still awaited on the same. While the news might disappoint ShiVi fans, there are rumours that the actor recently shot for his Bigg Boss 17 promo. PREMIERE DATE AND TIME SLOT OF BIGG BOSS 17 The premiere date for Bigg Boss 17 has been officially set for October 15. On weekdays, the show will air at 10 pm, while on weekends, you can catch it at 9 pm. Are you excited about the upcoming season of India's biggest reality show? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Archana Gautam Controversy Update: Archana Gautam gained prominence through her appearance on Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 16, where she was celebrated as one of the most entertaining contestants in the history of the show. After Salman Khan's reality show, she's currently entertaining fans with her stint in Rohit Shetty's stunt-based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 13. However, the former model-turned-politician is grabbing attention for a shocking reason currently. Archana Gautam and her father recently visited the Congress office to offer their congratulations to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi for the successful passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament. ARCHANA GAUTAM DELHI CONTROVERSY UPDATE Unfortunately, they were denied entry, and they encountered an assault by a group of troublemakers just outside the office premises. Furthermore, Archana Gautam and her father allegedly endured physical assault and ill-treatment outside the Congress office in New Delhi. Bigg Boss 17: Will Kanwar Dhillon Participate With GF Alice Kaushik? Here's the UPDATE Bigg Boss 16 fame Archana Gautam and her father were allegedly beaten by the karyakartas of the Congress party. They were stopped from entering the party office and were beaten at the gate itself. Archana, who is a big supporter of the Congress party, was trying to enter the pic.twitter.com/GeYV6YHfnl #BiggBoss_Tak (@BiggBoss_Tak) September 29, 2023 Khatron Ke Khiladi 13 Elimination: Archana Gautam, Nyra, Or Rashmeet - Who Will Get Evicted This Week? Videos capturing the incident quickly circulated on social media, sparking outrage among internet users. A day after this distressing incident, the former Bigg Boss contestant finally came out to share her side of the story and called it an "on-road rape" in an interview. Amid all this, another shocking update has come out on the matter. CONGRESS EXPELS ARCHANA GAUTAM FROM PARTY Reportedly, Archana Gautam has been expelled by the Congress party for six years after the Delhi incident. Yes, you read that right! According to an ABP report, the Congress party has taken the decision to expel Archana Gautam, who was their assembly candidate in Hastinapur. In an official statement issued by the state unit's disciplinary committee on Saturday, it was announced that Archana Gautam has been suspended from the party's primary membership for a duration of six years. So far, the Khatron Ke Khiladi 13 star has not reacted to the decision. Shaheen Group has disclosed the successful completion of a five-week summer clerkship at the Supreme Court of Pakistan by Saeed Ahmad and Hussain Awan, law students from Harvard University. This program reflects a notable engagement between the legal academic realms of North America and Pakistan, enabling the duo to delve into a variety of legal explorations under the mentorship of Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and other eminent legal personnel. From left to right, Hussain Awan, Saeed Ahmad. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9967/181103_456f07c2447a48b0_001full.jpg During their tenure, based in Islamabad with visits to other cities, the interns engaged in researching Public Interest Litigation, dissecting judicial ambits under Article 184 of the Pakistani Constitution, and participating in legal procedures among other activities. Their experience expanded beyond the capital, reaching district courts in Rawalpindi and the Lahore High Court, granting them a nuanced understanding of the juxtaposition between Pakistani and American legal systems. The clerkship initiative originated from a seminar at Harvard which featured dialogues between Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah from Pakistan and Justice Stephen Breyer from the United States. This seminar incited the interest of Ahmad and Awan in serving as summer clerks at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, furthering their understanding of their legal and cultural lineage. About Shaheen Group Shaheen Group is dedicated to the empowerment of minority communities, prominently focusing on individuals of Pakistani origin. The group provides essential resources and guidance with the objective of fostering growth, inclusivity, and self-sufficiency. This initiative is a testament to Shaheen Group's ongoing commitment to bridging the legal realms between North America and Pakistan, thereby nurturing academic and professional connections between institutions across these regions. Both Ahmad and Awan, as part of the North American Pakistani diaspora, are driven by a mission to foster collaborative endeavors between entities in Pakistan and the United States, encapsulating educational exchanges, internships, and investments. Their aspiration is to galvanize the next generation of leaders toward the betterment of their communities. Saeed Ahmad, with permission. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9967/181103_456f07c2447a48b0_002full.jpg Contact Information Saeed Ahmad: mahmad@jd24.law.harvard.edu https://www.linkedin.com/in/saeedahmad-/ Hussain Awan: hawan@jd25.law.harvard.edu https://www.linkedin.com/in/hussain-awan-47a512212/ https://saeed-ahmad.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/181103 Pogust Goodhead, a global law firm, and Gramercy Funds Management LLC ("Gramercy"), today announced that they have entered into a $552.5 million investment partnership in the form of a secured loan by Gramercy to Pogust Goodhead. This loan is the largest of its kind in a U.K. based law firm. The loan transaction strengthens the firm's financial power, ensuring Pogust Goodhead has ample funds to continue its litigation across the world and on behalf of environmental victims of corporate giants such as: BHP Group (BHP.AX), BMW (BMWG.DE), Fiat Chrysler (STLAM.MI), Ford (F), Honda (7267.T), Hyundai (005380.KS), Jaguar/Land Rover (JLR), Mazda (7261.T), Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE), Peugeot/Citroen (PEUG.PA), Renault Nissan (RENA.PA), Toyota (7203.T), Vauxhall (STLAM.MI), Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE), and Volvo AB (VOLVb.ST). The loan proceeds will fund the largest action of its kind against two of the biggest mining companies in the world BHP Group (BHP.AX) and Vale (VALE3.SA) for their part in the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil. Pogust Goodhead is representing over 720,000 victims of Brazil's worst ever environmental disaster, with a trial date set for October 2024 in London. The loan proceeds will also support Pogust Goodhead's litigation against 14 major automobile manufacturers over the Dieselgate scandal, on behalf of approximately one million U.K. consumers. Tom Goodhead, Global Managing Partner and CEO of Pogust Goodhead, said: "We are delighted to secure this major investment that will transform our business and give us the financial power to take on some of the largest companies in the world on behalf of millions of people. This landmark deal shows that global investors have good faith in the outcome of our cases. This investment will not only ensure that we bring our existing cases home, but we are putting global corporate giants on notice that we have the financial muscle to take them on for their wrongdoing. We are taking on some of the largest companies in the world. These companies have access to infinite resources to litigate against these cases. This deal levels the playing field and gives us the ability to go toe-to-toe with them. We are not trying to destroy these companies. We are taking them on for corporate misconduct, anti-competitive behaviour, corporate harm and misuse of the environment. The cases we are taking will set the bar for how serious we are, as a global society, about ensuring that big business is held accountable and upholds its obligations and responsibilities to the communities in which it operates." Harris Pogust, Chairman of Pogust Goodhead, said: "Our mission is to defend the rights of those who have been wronged by some of the world's largest multinational companies. In just the past two years we have secured historic settlements against British Airways and Volkswagen. We currently represent over one million individuals regarding the Dieselgate scandal. Additionally, we are handling the largest mass action in English history against the world's two biggest mining companies. We are just beginning the journey to bring justice to those who most deserve it no matter where they reside and regardless of the size and perceived power of the corporate wrongdoer. This transaction with Gramercy, a firm with deep expertise in litigation finance and patient capital, gives us the ability to bring the fight to any wrongdoer. They are now on notice that it is in their financial interests and those of their shareholders to settle or face a firm with both the financial resources and litigation skills to obtain the justice our clients rightly deserve. We are extremely excited to have Gramercy as an investor and as a partner as we seek global justice for the millions of clients we currently represent and the millions yet to come." Robert Koenigsberger, Managing Partner and CIO of Gramercy Funds Management, said: "We are pleased to be partnering with Pogust Goodhead. The firm has an exceptional track record and we have been impressed by the team and their approach to complex litigation. Allocating to this transaction is clearly consistent with Gramercy's mission to positively impact the well-being of our clients, portfolio companies, and their communities. The investment materially aligns with our ESG and impact investing objectives. We are proud to play a part in helping Pogust Goodhead seek justice for some of the worst environmental actions over the past few decades." About Pogust Goodhead Founded by Harris Pogust and Tom Goodhead in 2018, Pogust Goodhead is an international law firm headquartered in London, England. Its growing global partnership consists of over 100 lawyers and more than 500 staff members, all working to help individuals, groups, and businesses access fair and tangible justice. The firm has been described as "the first legal unicorn", following a trajectory more like a Fintech start up than a traditional law firm. Pogust Goodhead represents 1.9 million clients in cases across the world, seeking billions of dollars in damages. Since its formation, Pogust Goodhead has become a world leader in environmental litigation. In 2022 the firm secured a landmark, unanimous judgment from the Court of Appeal that allows victims of the Mariana dam disaster to seek redress against BHP and now Vale, in the Courts of England and Wales. The firm's cases against corporate giants TUV SUD, Norsk Hydro and Braskem are all centered around providing redress for claimants who have suffered through a total disregard for the environment they inhabit. Pogust Goodhead is also at the cutting edge of international consumer claims, including historic settlements in the Volkswagen NOx Emissions Group Litigation in May 2022 and the victims of the British Airways Data Breach in 2021. About Gramercy Funds Management Gramercy is a dedicated emerging markets investment manager based in Greenwich, Conn., with offices in London, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Founded in 1998, Gramercy serves a global institutional client base and seeks to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns through a comprehensive approach to emerging markets supported by a transparent and robust institutional platform. Gramercy offers both alternative and long-only strategies across emerging markets asset classes including multi-asset, private credit, public credit, and special situations. Gramercy is a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC and a Signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a Signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative and a Supporter of TCFD. Gramercy Ltd, an affiliate, is registered with the FCA. For more information, please visit www.gramercy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001679557/en/ Contacts: Pogust Goodhead Head of Media Lauren Veevers LVeevers@pogustgoodhead.com Director of Corporate Comms Simon Alcock SAlcock@pogustgoodhead.com Head of Strategic Comms Brazil Priscilla Mendes PMendes@pogustgoodhead.com Gramercy Funds Management Steve Bruce/Keely Gispan ASC Advisors +1 203-992-1230 sbruce@ascadvisors.com kgispan@ascadvisors.com LONDON, ENGLAND / ACCESSWIRE / October 1, 2023 / In an increasingly digital world, having a strong online presence is vital for businesses and websites to succeed. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the key to achieving this, but navigating the world of SEO can often be overwhelming. DotMirror, a well-respected name in the SEO industry, is doing this quite well using its simplified approach that focuses on results and cuts through the jargon. 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With a team of highly skilled SEO experts, DotMirror offers a wide range of services designed to meet each client's unique needs. By utilizing advanced techniques, a unique approach, and proven expertise, DotMirror helps businesses unlock new stages of SERP ranking and gain more customers online. Contact Information Rakibul Hasan Razu Communication Manager razu@dotmirror.com +8801558575757 SOURCE: DotMirror View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/789021/connecting-the-dots-of-seo-excellence-dotmirrors-approach During the 2023 Fashion Week, Harper's Bazaar's global design cultural brand "BAZAAR Design Awards" held "House of the Future BAZAAR Design Awards International Parallel Exhibition Milan 2023" at the Mediateca Santa Teresa in Milan from September 20th to 24th. Harper's Bazaar joined hands with its chief partner, Douyin Mall and AOKANG, SEPTWOLVES, ERAL, YAYA, and GOFANS, five major Chinese clothing brands, to jointly present an exhibition area. Douyin Mall's 2023 autumn and winter clothing new product show and industry partners OPPO, AVATR, Ji Cheng Chu Xiong Yi Embroidery, and YOWANT Technology jointly brought Chinese fashion, intelligent manufacturing, and culture to Milan. International design and lifestyle brands Max Mara, Poltrona Frau, and oriental cosmetics brand Florasis together participated in the exhibition, presenting China's first dialogue between consumer design and international fashion. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001931292/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) The "House of the Future" exhibition covers four major areas: The "Art Gallery," "Fitting Room," "Innovation Lab," and "The Lounge," displaying more than ten pioneering fashion Chinese independent brands. On the exhibition's opening night on September 20th, Harper's Bazaar Milan Night was held at the Mediateca Santa Teresa in Milan. Together with the friendly Italian partner LUISAVIAROMA, the "Gossip Girl" star Mr. Ed Westwick, Ms. Cherry Li, Ms. Jennifer Shu, Ms. Kiki Xu, and Ms. Cici Xiang, and hundreds of celebrities, designers, supermodels, and brand executives. The OPPO fashion design pop-up show was held as the opening program of the "House of the Future BAZAAR Design Awards International Parallel Exhibition Milan" Bazaar Night, breaking the barriers between fashion and technology, presenting an oriental wonderland, demonstrating China's design power. On the afternoon of September 21st, Harper's Bazaar and Douyin Mall joined hands with the five major Chinese headwear brands AOKANG, SEPTWOLVES, ERAL, YAYA, and GOFANS to continue to create the topical "Vientiane Oriental Fantasy Land" event in Milan. At the same time as the exhibition, a themed summit on "How Design Leads the Future of New Consumption" was also presented, and the "Design Self-Mapping" themed forum was launched in conjunction with the AVATR, covering the elements of Chinese traditional cultural experience and other diverse cross-border activities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001931292/en/ Contacts: Media Company Name: Harper's BAZAAR Contact: ZhangQiwen Email: zhangqiwen@trends.com.cn Website: www.bazaar.com.cn NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Safra New York Corporation, the holding company of Safra National Bank of New York ("The Bank"), is pleased to announce the successful completion of its acquisition of Delta North Bankcorp, including its subsidiary Delta National Bank and Trust Company. This strategic acquisition is a significant milestone for Safra National Bank and underscores the Bank's continuous expansion in the private banking and wealth management business. The acquisition strengthens the Bank's market position among high-net-worth clients in the United States and Latin America, where the Bank has been providing premier private banking and financial services and has a long and successful track record. Jacob J. Safra, Chairman of Safra National Bank of New York: "We are proud to have completed this acquisition, which represents an excellent strategic fit to our existing business in these markets. Clients will benefit from an organization that is fully dedicated to wealth management, providing the service, products and expertise that best meet their specific needs. We are confident that the Bank has all the attributes required to continue growing and prospering in a sustainable manner. Simoni Morato, Chief Executive Officer of Safra National Bank of New York: "We very much look forward to working closely with Delta's clients and employees and developing long term relationships. Together we will build on the strengths of our organization, not only in the United States, but also throughout Latin America." Safra National Bank of New York Headquartered in New York, with branches in Aventura, Miami and Palm Beach, and offices throughout Latin America, Safra National Bank is a leading private bank with approximately US$ 30 billion in clients' assets. Safra National Bank of New York is part of the J. Safra Group. J. Safra Group The J. Safra Group (the "Group"), with total assets under management of over USD $300 billion, consists of privately-owned banks under the Safra name and investment holdings in asset-based business sectors such as real estate and agribusiness. The Group's banking interests in 160 locations globally, are: Safra National Bank of New York, headquartered in New York City, USA; J. Safra Sarasin, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; and Banco Safra, headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil; all independent from one another from a consolidated supervision standpoint. The Group's real estate holdings consist of more than 200 premier commercial, residential, retail and farmland properties worldwide, such as New York City's 660 Madison Avenue office complex and London's iconic Gherkin Building. Its investments in other sectors include, among others, agribusiness holdings in Brazil and Chiquita Brands International Inc. With deep relationships in markets worldwide, the Group is able to greatly enhance the value of businesses which are part of it. There are more than 34,000 employees associated with the J. Safra Group. Media Contact Ross Lovern ross.lovern@kekstcnc.com 212 521 4866 Sonia Bucan sonia.bucan@kekstcnc.com 212 521 4808 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/safra-new-york-corporation-completes-the-acquisition-of-delta-north-bankcorp-301943848.html The K-factor continued to grab headlines across the world. The growing Khalistan presence in Canada is a reason to worry. The Justin Trudeau government seems to be doing little about it and India has been fuming. Hindus in Canada are facing a threat from pro-Khalistan forces and it brought to the fore new and frightening revelations about the plans of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned Sikhs for Justice group, to divide India on religious lines. Beyond Canada, pro-Khalistan supporters are also becoming a menace in the United Kingdom. An Indian diplomat was denied entry in a gurdwara in Glasgow during a visit to Scotland. The Indian High Commission has raised the disgraceful incident with the UK foreign office. Will this lead to a fresh standoff? We shall find out soon. Another threat continues to loom large: climate change. Here is how it plays on the minds and plans of tourists. All of this and more in our recap of the top international stories from the week. 1. The diplomatic stand-off between New Delhi and Ottawa seems to only be getting worse. But despite Justin Trudeaus protestations of only wanting good relations with India, things have been bad for Hindus in Canada for a while now. This piece examines the threats faced by the community and the many attacks on its places of worship. 2. You cant speak of Hindus being openly threatened in Canada without looking at Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who warned the community to leave the country. Pannun, a lawyer based in New York, is the head of the banned fringe group Sikhs For Justice. Here is what intelligence has revealed about Pannun, who wants to divide India on religious lines. 3. Planning a getaway from work anytime soon? Youre not the only one. Yet, now people around the world are being forced to rethink their travel plans due to climate change. We take a thorough look at the unpredictable weather around the world, the hottest destinations (pun very much intended) and the potential toll it could take on the industry. 4. The Afghanistan embassy in India shut down two years after the Taliban took control of Kabul. The mission informed India that it was forced to close because of the lack of cooperation from the Taliban regime and New Delhi. But India has a different story to tell. What happens next? Will the Taliban take control of the embassy in New Delhi? We explain. 5. Do you like to shop online? But of course you do! Then you might want to keep a close eye on the landmark US government lawsuit against Amazon. Only the future of online shopping is at stake. Some experts even say they could see the trillion-dollar company being broken up. No biggie! 6. Are you one of those Apple stans? Did you just spend more than a lakh to get your hands on the new iPhone 15? Turns out, it is too hot to handle. But overheating is just one of the many grimes of early users. We explain all that is going wrong with the high-end models. Enjoy our top reads and watch out this space for more. PS: If you like the way we explain, catch all our stories here. Ukraine war has once again brought focus to the loitering munitions, also known as the Kamikaze or suicide drones. The munitions are designed to arrive as the air defence radars that remain silent and transmit selectively for short in the general target area, wait passively, look for the target, identify and then attack. Loitering munitions allow faster response against concealed or hidden targets that emerge for short periods, among many others. The much less expensive drones are preferred over exposing high-value platforms such as fighters close to the target area. The drone attack can easily be aborted and the drone can be repositioned in loiter mode. Loitering munitions fit perfectly in the space between cruise missiles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and use the combat employment characteristics of both. The cruise missiles cannot loiter. The UCAVs can loiter but dont have an inbuilt warhead and deliver weapons like aircraft. Loitering weapons first evolved in the 1980s for use in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) role against surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and were deployed for the SEAD role in a number of military forces in the 1990s. Starting in the 2000s, loitering weapons have been developed for additional roles ranging from relatively long-range strikes and fire support, and down to tactical, very short range battlefield systems that fit in a backpack. Earlier they have been used in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, but only in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, they came in the limelight in a contested environment for the first time. The videos going viral of direct hits on tanks and other ground vehicles indicate tactical successes. However to draw correct lessons, there is a need to understand the technology and employment dynamics. Evolution of loitering munitions When the SAM combined with radars began to be used extensively, it became a deadly threat for jet combat aircraft. The loitering munitions were then evolved. With the pilot out, human risk got reduced. The flight time of the flying platform could now be expanded. The in-build warhead was introduced. The munitions were thus expendable and relatively cheaper. They could now search for both known and unknown missile installations. The loitering munitions could be used stand-alone or in combination with a fighter raid. Israeli Delilah variants came up in the early 1980s. In late 1980s IAI Harpy was the first loitering munitions widely exported, and also bought by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Americans had the AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow which was often termed more as a UAV. They were used for SEAD roles against SAMs, and were deployed in a number of military forces by the 1990s. Starting in the 2000s, loitering weapons have been developed for additional roles ranging from relatively long-range strikes. Israel Aircraft Industry (IAI) Harop was one such system. Later were developed smaller, tactical fire support, very short range, battlefield systems that could fit in a backpack. They could fly, loiter, search and identify a target using their own sensor, hit a target like a missile, and were expendable. The sensors could be radar, thermal imaging, or visual sensor data. Loitering munitions could be as small as a model airplane or a little longer. Typically fixed-wing, and powered by pusher propellers, they could resemble everything from matchsticks with wings to a large bird of prey. Artificial intelligence, combined with developments in communications technology, computing, processing, and miniaturised sensors means that loitering munitions can now be autonomous and serve a range of functions in war. Alternatively there could be a human in the loop. Earlier loitering munitions were used to target radars, but are increasingly being used to attack tanks, combat assets, vehicles and even humans. Peculiarity of loitering munitions They are mostly one-time-use expendables. The target search could be autonomous, using its own airborne sensors or by a human in the loop. More advanced and expensive drones could be recalled or recovered in case not used. There are some loitering munitions that can land inert and then be refuelled for future flights. The loitering munitions could be launched from a ground station, an airborne platform, or as a small discreet, man-portable weapon. Large ones, like the IAI Harop operated by IAF could loiter for 8-9 hours. Small ones as used in Ukraine could loiter for 30-60 minutes. While cruise missiles, such as the block IV Tomahawk, have the ability to loiter and have some sensory and remote control features, but cruise missiles primary mission is typically a pre-designated strike. Cruise missiles are optimised for long-range flight at constant speed. Weapons carrying UAVs (UCAV) return back to land. UCAVs are noisy, often costly, and cant be expended. Loitering Munitions are optimised with very short engine life, silent strike phase, and speed during final dive, and are cheaper. Loiter munitions in Ukraine conflict Ukraine has become a testing ground for loitering munitions. Ukraine manufactures two types of drones. Ukrainian catapult-launched RAM II, is comparable in capabilities to the Switchblade 600. It has anti-armour and thermobaric warhead options. With a 40-minute flight time, 30 kilometres range, it can be handled by a single operator. The ST-35 Silent Thunder, is a multi-rotor vertical launch and horizontal flight type with longer flight duration. Ukraine also uses imported drones such as Polish Warmate kamikaze drones. The Bober, the UJ-22 Airborne and some other drones have been used to hit targets in Russia, including Moscow. The number of kamikaze drones that struck Russia between May and July 2023 was double for all of 2022. The US has sent very large numbers of AeroVironment Switchblades to Ukraine. The smaller man-portable variant (2.5 kilograms) with 10 kilometre range costs just $6,000, and is good for soft skin vehicles. The heavier (25 kilograms) with 40 kilometre range, can pierce tank armour. The US has also committed Puma reconnaissance drones, counter-drone systems, and naval drones to Ukraine, as well as the Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial System. Russian manufacturer Zala-Aero Groups Lancet loitering munitions, was successfully in Syria in 2021. With loiter time of 40 minutes and range around 40 kilometres, Russia is employing them to support maneuver and siege operations. The Lancet can autonomously locate and strike targets. Russias second loitering munition has been the KYB. With an operator in the loop, it is for fixed site targets. These small payload munitions were created for counter insurgencies. Russia has received hundreds of Iranian drones Shahed-136 (renamed Geran-2), and Shahed-131 (Geran-1), and the Mohajer-6 multirole UAVs. Significant tactical impact on war Loitering munitions are making a significant cost effective impact on war. Top attack on tanks, convoys, mobile-command posts or even fuel dumps and similar other targets are seeing devastating effects and some of these may require reengineering. They are supplementing air strikes, anti-tank weapons, and long-range artillery. In fact, they have begun questioning the invincibility of the battle tank. Loitering munitions attacking a ship or aircraft parked in the open can cause severe damage. Being much smaller, they are difficult to locate or be targeted. They are thus important elements of the multi-domain operations, and need to be factored by military planners and the doctrines. Loitering munitions and the war strategy Loitering munitions are now integrated into the greater strategy of the war. For countries that cannot afford stealth aircraft, the ability to take out anti-air missile batteries with expendable radar-seeking drones is powerful and more affordable. Once loitering munitions remove anti-air defences, then fighter attack aircraft can take-on other heavy targets with relative impunity. A modest technological advantage can be turned into a major strategic benefit. Unlike land and sea mines, loitering munitions have no humanitarian angles to contend. Loitering munitions limitations and counters Finite flight time is the first limitation. The accuracy of attack is dependent on the sensors, and they could have errors or be degraded by enemy action or jamming. Weather affects optical systems. The positions can change in a dynamic battle. The on-board computers or GPS could be jammed or fooled, and the adversary could divert it away and crash, or worse go back and attack the launch point. Autonomy is vital to loitering munitions. Any regulatory regime that governs autonomy will profoundly impact loitering weapons in the future. Thousands of loitering munition drones have been neutralised in the Ukraine conflict. Counter to drones include hard and soft kill methods. The USA has tested airborne microwave weapons ability to defeat kamikaze drones. Lockheed Martins MORFIUS system can fly close to small drones and attack them with high-powered microwave pulses. Major loitering munitions producers Many countries are already manufacturing loitering munitions. These include China, Israel, Iran, Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. Countries like Azerbaijan, Germany, and South Korea have bought them from the major manufacturers. India has a huge start-up ecosystem and is trying to make its own. China operates IAI Harpy, but also has its own CH-901, WS-43, and ASN-301 loitering munitions. PLA Army and PLA Air Force (PLAAF) are investing in, and developing loitering munitions. They showcased some at the Thailand Defence and Security exhibition in August 2022. The FH901 weighs 9 kg, with a 3.5 kg warhead, and is equipped with an electro-optical and infrared gimballed seeker. It is canister-launched and reportedly has flight-time of 60 minutes at 100-150 kmph. The FH901 executes a terminal dive like the Harop at 288 km/h. The major loitering munitions in the United States are AeroVironment Switchblade, Phoenix Ghost, Raytheon Coyote, HERO 120, Point Blank, ALTIUS-600M. Raytheon Edge 21 received a major order. Loitering munitions in India India already operates or is working on loiter munitions such as IAI Harpy, IAI Harop, SkyStriker, Warmate, Trinetra, Nagastra series, and ALS-50, Sierra Tango loitering munitions. Many start-ups and public sector companies in India are entering into loitering munitions design and production. It is possible to modify the existing drones into loitering munitions. The cost and size make it possible to scale these for smaller military formations. Grenades can also be slung beneath a quad-copter with cameras to make attacks on forces behind cover. Indian Army has procured 100 x Warmate micro loitering munitions from Poland. Indias indigenous loitering munitions are being built by DRDO. Also a private sector company EEL, a subsidiary of Solar Group makes Nagastra 1 (1.5 kg payload) and 15 km. Nagastra 2 with 4 kg warhead and 25 km range has also been tested successfully. Nagastra 3 with a 15 kg warhead and 100 km range is under development. The IAF has inducted the unique vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, ALS-50, loitering munitions developed by Tata Advanced Systems. It allows it to engage forward radars and air defence systems, assets on frontier airfields, and ground and naval targets. Z motion of Bangalore has made Trinetra precision guided hand launched tactical attack UAV. India has already inducted Elbit Systems SkyStriker tactical loitering munitions for covert and precise airstrikes. Time for a major push ahead for India Loitering munitions have already revolutionised the battlefield in recent years and more of these can be expected to fill up the airspace in future. They will be a cost effective force multiplying game-changer. Indias private sector is well equipped to develop these as a part of the drone culture and revolution already under way in India. Some critical components of the loitering munitions are still not manufactured in India. These are already in the cross-hairs of Drone Federation of India, which has galvanised the manufacturers to develop indigenous technologies. Indigenous loitering munitions, capable of operating from difficult terrain and high altitude areas, have already been demonstrated with strike roles at Pokhran firing range. Made-in-India loitering munitions are expected to be at least 40 per cent cheaper than imports from Israel and Poland. India must go whole hog into loitering munitions. Time to act is now, lest we get left behind. The writer is Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Indias strategic pivot towards forging stronger economic alliances with nations like Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States is emblematic of its response to evolving geopolitical dynamics. This shift reflects Indias keen awareness of the need to diversify its economic partnerships and reduce its economic dependence on China, which maintains a trade deficit of approximately $60 billion with India. By redirecting its economic focus towards like-minded nations, India aims not only to safeguard its economic interests but also to foster a more balanced and mutually beneficial global economic landscape. This strategic realignment aligns with Indias broader ambition to enhance its technological capabilities and innovation-driven industries. Aligning with advanced economies provides India access to cutting-edge technologies, research collaborations, and knowledge-sharing platforms, embodying Indias visionary pursuit of a more diversified, resilient, and forward-looking economic landscape on the global stage. The strategic decoupling from China is driven by several key factors. Firstly, it aims to reduce Indias economic dependence on China, its largest trading partner. This move is crucial in safeguarding economic interests and strengthening Indias bargaining position globally, particularly in light of past border tensions which highlighted the complexities of economic interdependencies. Additionally, the decoupling effort seeks to protect sensitive sectors such as technology and critical infrastructure. Chinas dominance in industries like telecommunications and electronics raises concerns about national security and data privacy. Initiatives like Make in India and encouraging domestic manufacturing underscore the urgency of this process, catalysing the development of an indigenous innovation ecosystem that can propel India to the forefront of global innovation and competitiveness. Indias initial efforts to forge closer economic ties with China were aimed at fostering geopolitical stability and reducing the likelihood of conflict. However, this also exposed Indian industries, particularly manufacturing, to intense competition. The pressing need for recalibrating economic relations with China has prompted a reevaluation of trade policies and practices to ensure a more balanced and equitable playing field. As economic dynamics continue to evolve, India must carefully navigate its relationship with China, striking a balance between cooperation and safeguarding its industries. This recalibration is crucial not only for Indias economy but also for regional stability and prosperity. It necessitates astute policy decisions that acknowledge the complexities of this relationship and aim for harmonious coexistence benefiting both nations and their economies. Indias proficiency in English provides a distinct edge in todays interconnected world. This linguistic dexterity positions Indias workforce for success in knowledge-intensive domains like information technology and business process outsourcing, potentially reshaping the global employment landscape. Moreover, Indias economic resilience is demonstrated by its ability to recalibrate its trade relations with China. Unlike the rigid demand for energy resources from other regions, Indias appetite for Chinese imports is adaptable. This flexibility underscores Indias capacity to diversify its trade partners and invigorate its domestic manufacturing sector, benefiting industries of all scales. Indias burgeoning middle class, with rising purchasing power, presents a substantial domestic market, reducing dependence on external sources. As India strategically navigates its economic course, its adaptable trade policies and a robust education system stand as key pillars, positioning the nation as a formidable player in the global economic arena. Indias historical resilience in the face of global pressures, exemplified by its handling of the nuclear impasse with the United States in the 1990s, stems from a tradition of principled decision-making. Drawing on centuries of diplomatic finesse and strategic acumen, India stands poised to assert itself in the face of the formidable challenge posed by China in the 2020s. The endeavour to decouple from China offers a compelling blueprint for reshaping the global economic order. To realise this vision, India must go beyond surface-level measures and embark on a comprehensive strategy encompassing trade, technology, and investment policies. This approach promises to insulate India from undue external pressures and lays the foundation for a more equitable and resilient global economic order. The decision to decouple from China aligns with Indias long-term economic interests. By reducing dependency on Chinese imports, India aims to cultivate a more resilient and self-reliant economy. This endeavour is marked by efforts to bolster domestic industries, foster innovation, and invest in research and development. The shift towards indigenisation insulates India from external shocks and positions it as a competitive force on the international stage. Furthermore, the decoupling strategy underscores Indias commitment to safeguarding national security interests. Sensitivities surrounding critical infrastructure and sensitive technologies have prompted a reevaluation of economic interdependencies. By strengthening domestic capabilities, India not only mitigates security risks but also negotiates from a position of strength in international trade negotiations, setting the stage for more equitable and mutually beneficial partnerships. Simultaneously, Indias bid for economic independence carries significant geopolitical implications. As the world witnesses a recalibration of global power dynamics, Indias outreach to regional partners bolsters its strategic positioning. By diversifying economic partnerships and fostering ties with like-minded nations, India aims to establish itself as a linchpin of stability and growth, contributing to a more balanced and multipolar world order. The writer is a Postgraduate Scholar of South Asian Geopolitics, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Azerbaijan denied accusations of ethnic cleansing to clear the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population and told AFP its inhabitants were free to stay or go. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has several times accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing since the enclaves decades-long push to break away from Azerbaijani rule ended in sudden defeat on 20 September. On Saturday, Pashinyan said more than 100,000 of Nagorno-Karabakhs estimated 120,000 inhabitants had fled to neighbouring Armenia. We cannot accept accusations of ethnic cleansing or genocide, Hikmet Hajiyev, diplomatic advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, told AFP in an interview Saturday. Ethnic cleansing is a forceful action, when somebody is using force against civilians (which is) what exactly Armenia used against us, 30 years ago. But it doesnt mean we will repeat the same. There was no single case of violence or atrocity against civilians. They attest this themselves, Hajiyev claimed. And there were no Armenian citizens in Karabakh, he added. We always considered them as Azerbaijan citizens but unfortunately an illegal separatist entity didnt allow us to have direct communication with them, he said, of the ethnic Armenian separatists who governed the enclave for three decades. He said Azerbaijan had engaged internal security troops to coordinate with the so-called local Armenian authorities. They are still in control of the cities, he said. Re-integration talks Nagorno-Karabakhs ethnic Armenian authorities agreed on Thursday to dissolve their government and allow the mainly Christian enclave to become a formal part of majority-Muslim Azerbaijan by the end of the year. Baku and the separatist leaders are to hold talks on the transition in Stepanakert on Monday. Hajiyev said discussions with the ethnic Armenians were productive and centred on disarming its military. Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of illegally arresting people and says the enclaves inhabitants are fleeing out of fear of reprisals. Hajiyev said Azerbaijan had detained five to six people who it accused of war crimes. We know that there were concerns in Armenia and international media that we will arrest all militaries, he said. They are free. If somebody puts downs his gun, they are free and they have decided on their own choice to go to the republic of Armenia. As for civilians, we opened the gate and respected their freedom of movement, freedom of choice. The majority of them are saying: I cant live under the flag of Azerbaijan. I cant justify it, but I can understand and respect that. If they accept Azerbaijan citizenship, we will protect and ensure their rights and their security and we will establish a municipality system so that they can govern their affairs at a local level, and religious and cultural rights will be assured. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev claimed on Sunday that British servicemen training Ukrainian military in Ukraine, as well as German companies building Taurus missiles, would be valid targets for Russian forces if they supplied Kyiv. Medvedev, the deputy head of Russias Security Council and an increasingly hawkish and anti-Western figure in Russian politics, claimed the Wests actions were bringing World War Three closer. Medvedev first took aim at recently appointed British Defence Minister Grant Shapps, who stated in a newspaper interview that London wants to deploy military instructors to Ukraine, in addition to training Ukrainian armed forces in the UK or other Western countries. (This will) turn their instructors into a legal target for our armed forces, Medvedev wrote on Telegram. Understanding perfectly well that they will be ruthlessly destroyed. And not as mercenaries, but namely as British NATO specialists. Medvedev then turned his focus to Germany, vilifying those who wanted Berlin to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles that could strike Russian territory and try to limit Moscows supply to its army. They say this is in accordance with international law. Well, in that case, strikes on German factories where these missiles are made would also be in full compliance with international law, Medvedev said. These morons are actively pushing us towards World War Three, Medvedev said. In the past two weeks, more than 20 airline and corporate jets flying over Iran strayed from its intended path after they were led off course by deceptive GPS signals sent from the ground, overpowering the aircrafts own navigation systems. These misleading GPS signals affected various aircraft, including Boeing 777s, 737s, and 747s. One such Boeing 777 was so significantly diverted from its route that the crew had to inquire with the Baghdad Air Traffic Control, asking, What time is it, and where are we? This revelation comes from a report by Ops Group, a flight data intelligence website. Indian airlines such as Air India (AI), IndiGo, and Vistara frequently traverse this airspace on their journeys to destinations like San Francisco, Istanbul, Baku, and London. AI and IndiGo employ Boeing 777 aircraft for these routes, with IndiGos 777 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines. Despite these concerning incidents, none of the three airlines or the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) responded to queries of journalists. The cause of these troubles is known as GPS signal spoofing, described as the covert replacement of a genuine satellite signal with a manipulated one, causing a GPS receiver to provide incorrect position and time data. This definition originates from the US Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, which provides technical guidance for government regulatory authorities. While GPS signal interference of this nature has existed for over a decade, its the first time civilian passenger flights have encountered such a substantial threat. According to Ops Group, most of the recent GPS spoofing incidents occurred within Irans airspace, specifically in airway UM688. In response, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a memorandum to airlines titled Iraq/Azerbaijan GPS jamming and spoofing poses safety risk. The US civil aviation regulator cautioned that reported potential spoofing activities in Iraq and Azerbaijan pose a safety risk to civil aviation operations within the Baghdad and Baku flight information regions (FIR). A senior commander from an Indian airline, speaking anonymously, remarked, We dont use airway UM688, but we do traverse Iranian airspace. While we havent encountered spoofing, we did experience GPS jamming on a flight last week. Unlike spoofing, GPS jamming is more easily detectable, as the erratic readings quickly reveal that GPS signals are being disrupted. The commander explained, GPS jamming is relatively common during long-haul flights. It occurs when we enter Russia from the North Pole or approach areas like the Estonian border or Simferopol in Crimea. There are established procedures to handle jamming, relying on the aircrafts navigation system, which doesnt depend solely on GPS. In contrast, spoofing is far more insidious. The aircrafts GPS receiver cannot discern false GPS signals, and the flight management system accepts these counterfeits, causing the aircraft to deviate from its intended course. According to Capt Amit Singh, an air safety expert, In most commercial jets, the aircrafts navigation system will detect a disparity between the aircrafts inertial reference system (IRS) position and GPS position. Pilots should deactivate GPS inputs; if they fail to do so and continue off course, air traffic control (ATC) will alert them. The safety implications are significant. As Capt Singh pointed out, UM688 is a heavily trafficked route, with many flights from West Asia to Europe and the US passing through. Some areas along this route are conflict zones with ongoing military activities, making straying from the flight plan extremely unsafe. What baffled the targeted pilots was how the counterfeit GPS signals managed to manipulate the IRS, an independent system capable of computing position without relying on GPS signals. This is related to the functioning of modern airliner jets IRS systems, which typically have 2-3 independent IRS units and two independent GPS receivers used to compute a GPIRS position. When these deceptive GPS signals reach the aircraft, they lead to an erroneous GPIRS position calculation. Capt Singh explained, The aircrafts system detects a discrepancy between IRS and GPS signals. If the crew does not disable the GPS signals at this point, the aircraft will deviate from its intended flight path. A leading hardline Republican said Sunday he would move to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for striking a deal with Democrats to avert a US government shutdown without the spending cuts demanded by the right-wing caucus. I do intend to file a motion to vacate Speaker McCarthy this week, Congressman Matt Gaetz told CNN. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. Gaetz is a leading figure within a small group of hardline Republican legislators who had brought the government to the brink of the shutdown with their refusal to adopt fresh federal funding without deep spending cuts. The group was furious when McCarthy struck a stopgap deal with Democrats late Saturday to keep the government open for a further 45 days at current spending levels. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy, Gaetz told CNN, while recognising that Democrats could opt to back McCarthy after he brokered the shutdown compromise. The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out, Gaetz said. Now, they probably will. Despite the bills passage, many Democrats remained enraged at the near-shutdown triggered by the far-right, as well as measures stripped from the final bill. US President Joe Biden, who signed the measure late Saturday, berated McCarthy and the House Republicans for reneging on spending levels agreed with the White House months ago a major reason for the shutdown near-miss and for stripping out support for Ukraine. Some Democratic lawmakers were already standing their ground in their refusal to help the Republican leader stay in his post. Progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told CNN she would absolutely vote to oust the speaker, adding that it was not up to Democrats to save Republicans from themselves. I will survive McCarthy only barely survived a bruising battle in January involving a record 15 rounds of voting to become the 55th speaker of the House of Representatives. In order to gain the gavel, he was forced to make concessions to his partys far-right bloc, including the rule change which Gaetz is now promising to use that makes it possible for a single member to call a vote for a new speaker of the House. McCarthy was left extremely vulnerable to factions in his own party when Republicans won only a razor-thin majority in the House in last Novembers midterm elections. But the speaker remained confident Sunday he would not succumb to a motion to remove him, telling Face the Nation on CBS: I will survive. If Matt Gaetz is upset because he tried to push us in a shutdown and I made sure government didnt shut down, then lets have that fight, McCarthy said. In addition to any Democratic support he may be able to muster, pro-McCarthy Republicans will also work to prevent his ouster. Republican Mike Lawler said the disruption from such a vote would only stymie the work that Congress must now accomplish by mid-November if it hopes to make the next deadline. Defending the vote to avoid a shutdown, he told ABCs This Week that the only responsible thing to do was to keep the government open and funded while we complete our work. If Congress had failed to keep the government open, the closures would have begun just after midnight (0400 GMT Sunday) and would have delayed salaries for millions of federal employees and military personnel. The stopgap measure buys legislators time to negotiate full-year spending bills for the rest of fiscal 2024. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), banned by Turkey and its Western allies, claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing near the office of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara. The PKK claimed their involvement in the attack, stating, A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade, Al Jazeera reported, citing a statement the outfit sent to the Firat News Agency (ANF) news agency. Designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States and Turkey, the PKK launched an armed rebellion in southeast Turkey in 1984, in which more than 40,000 people have since been killed. According to Turkeys Interior Minister, the explosion in front of the Interior Ministry left two police officers injured. Fortunately, their injuries are not life-threatening, the minister informed. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the attack in Ankara, expressing NATOs solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Stoltenberg also extended his best wishes for a swift and complete recovery to the injured police officers. NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism, Stoltenberg said in a post on X, wishing injured police officers a fast and full recovery. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the incident in a speech to the Turkish parliament, asserting that terrorists will never achieve their objectives in Turkey. He characterized the attack as the last flutters of terrorism and emphasised that terrorists attempting to disrupt peace and citizens security will not succeed, according to Al Jazeera. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals have neutralised thanks to the timely intervention of the police, is the last flutters of terrorism, Erdogan said. Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed, he said. Erdogan also warned that it would be a formidable challenge to boost the morale of terrorist groups with political motivations. The Presidents address to the Turkish parliament took place during the first session after an almost three-month hiatus. This address followed the attack on the Interior Ministry, which is situated in close proximity to the parliament building, Al Jazeera reported. Tuareg-dominated separatist groups claimed on Saturday that they had inflicted severe losses on the Malian military in an offensive in the countrys heart. The insurgents first claimed 98 dead troops, but subsequently lowered the tally to 81. The allegation was made in comments issued by the Permanent Strategic Framework, which is headed by the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), an alliance of primarily Tuareg factions demanding autonomy or independence from the Malian state. The insurgents also claimed to have injured scores of soldiers, seized five prisoners, and lost seven of their own fighters. Because of the remoteness of the impacted areas, assertions made by rebels and other sides participating in the war are difficult to verify. Access to independent sources is complicated by the conflict. The Malian army had only acknowledged an assault on one of its camps in Dioura in the Mopti region on Thursday, without giving further details. Despite the official information blackout, images and claims linked to the incident quickly spread online. If confirmed it would mark the CMAs most southerly operation since it resumed attacks against the Malian army in the north of the country at the end of August. The north of Mali has seen a resumption of hostilities by the CMA and an intensification of jihadist attacks against the Malian army. Operations have targeted several army positions. The upsurge coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA, which has been pushed out by the ruling junta Malis junta, which seized power in 2020, faces a multitude of security challenges throughout the poor and landlocked country. The military rulers also pushed a French anti-jihadist force to leave last year. Politically and militarily, it has turned to Russia. Many observers claim that it has enlisted the services of the Wagner mercenary group, despite its constant denials. The junta has made the restoration of sovereignty over the entire country one of its mantras and claims to be reversing the security trend. However, various experts are reporting a deterioration in the situation in a country that has been plunged into turmoil since 2012. Over 300 Armenian separatists who committed crimes in Garabagh have been put on the international wanted list, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev told reporters. All crimes committed by Armenian separatists since the beginning of the Garabagh conflict have been recorded. "We collected evidence related to those crimes. In total, 300 such criminal cases were opened. More than 300 criminals have been put on the international wanted list. There is a lot of hard evidence related to those cases. I don't want to talk too much about it because I don't want to violate the presumption of innocence. However, the public will be informed about it soon," said Kamran Aliyev. Azerbaijani Prosecutor General also noted that Arayik Harutyunyan and Jalal Harutyunyan have been declared in the international search. "One of them is already in prison and an investigation is underway. In the near future, the Azerbaijani public will receive detailed information about these and others," said Kamran Aliyev. Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev called on Armenians who committed crimes to surrender voluntarily. On Sunday, North Korea accused the US of allowing a terrorist act against Cuba to take place on US soil, claiming that a recent attack on the Cuban embassy in Washington was the product of despicable anti-Cuban US aims. The US failed to assure the safety of the Cuban mission and was solely interested in including nations it hates, such as Cuba, on its list of state supporters of terrorism, according to a spokesman for North Koreas foreign ministry. North Korea, Syria, and Iran are all on the State Departments list. On September 24, an attacker used two Molotov cocktails to assault the embassy. There were no injuries or serious damage. The incident was a grave terrorist attack, the North Korean spokesman said, adding there was a pattern as it followed a 2020 incident at the same embassy in which someone fired a rifle at the building. This goes to prove that the above-said incidents were committed evidently at the tacit connivance of the US administration, the unnamed spokesman said in the statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. US authorities arrested and indicted a man soon after the 2020 shooting. The United States should acknowledge the blame for not only the recent incident but also all the past terrorist cases and probe their truth to show its sincerity, rather than focussing on naming countries as state sponsors of terrorism, he said. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States strongly condemned the attack and that US law enforcement authorities would investigate. No one was in custody as the investigation continued, the Secret Service has said. The embassy reopened in 2015 when Cuba and the US restored diplomatic ties. Havana has said it is unreasonable for Washington to keep Cuba on its terrorism list and maintain a Cold War-era economic embargo. Indonesia is launching Southeast Asias first high-speed railway, a key project under Chinas Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will cut travel time between the capital and another major city from the current three hours to about 40 minutes. The project has been beset with delays and increasing costs, and some observers doubt its commercial benefit, but President Joko Widodo has championed it and will be inaugurating the 142.3-kilometer (88.4-mile) railway as it begins commercial operations Monday. The Chinese-made bullet train, called Whoosh, will connect Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province. Widodo, along with other high-ranking officials, is expected to ride the Whoosh from its first station, Halim KCBJ in eastern Jakarta to Bandungs Tegalluar station, the last of the lines four stations. The $7.3 billion project, largely funded by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC, a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies and China Railway International Co. Ltd. The joint venture said the trains will be the fastest in Southeast Asia, with speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph). Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime and investment, said China Railway has agreed to transfer its technology to Indonesia so that in the future the countrys high-speed trains can be made domestically. Chinese Premier Li Qiang took a test ride early last month while visiting Jakarta for three days of talks with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations and other countries. Li rode the train from Halim KCBJ station to the next station ,in West Javas Karawang city, a 40-kilometer (25-mile) ride that took about 11 minutes. He then returned on the same train. Widodo took a 25-minutes test ride on the train a week later and told reporters that he felt comfortable sitting or walking inside the bullet train even at its top speeds. He urged people to switch from cars to mass transportation to reduce congestion and pollution, adding that congestion in Jakarta and Bandung is estimated to cost the economy more than $6.5 billion a year. PT KCIC has also been running a two-week, free-of-charge public trial prior to the inauguration. Indonesia broke ground on the project in 2016. The line was originally expected to begin operations in 2019, but was delayed by disputes over land acquisition, environmental issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. It was planned to cost 66.7 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion), but the amount ballooned to 113 trillion rupiah ($7.3 billion). The trains have been modified for Indonesias tropical climate and are equipped with a safety system that can respond to earthquakes, floods and other emergency conditions. The 209-meter (685-foot) train has a capacity of 601 passengers. Ticket prices had not been finalized as of Saturday, but PT KCIC estimated one-way prices per passenger would range from 250,000 rupiah ($16) for second class to 350,000 rupiah ($22.60) for VIP seats. Passengers going to downtown Bandung need to take a feeder train from the Padalarang station that will add a further 20 minutes, with an estimated cost about 50,000 rupiah ($3.20). The rail deal was signed in October 2015 after Indonesia selected China over Japan in fierce bidding. It was financed with a loan from the China Development Bank for 75% of the cost. The remaining 25% came from the consortiums own funds. The project is part of a planned 750-kilometer (466-mile) high-speed train line that would cut across four provinces on Indoensias main island of Java and end in the countrys second-largest city, Surabaya. Im so happy and very excited that finally we can ride a bullet train in Indonesia, said Christianto Nusatya, a Jakarta resident who joined a public test ride last week. But still, I would prefer to choose a regular train or car, because Jakarta-Bandung is too short and not worth it to be reached by high-speed train. Deddy Herlambang, executive director of the Jakarta-based NGO Institute for Transportation Studies, said the public does not really need a high-speed train on the Jakarta-Bandung route because there were already many other ways of traveling between the two cities. He said the bullet train would have a significant economic impact if it connected Jakarta and Surabaya. However, he was pessimistic that the railway project would make a profit in less than 30 years of operation. The high-speed train cannot replace the old transportation that previously existed, Herlambang said, People, of course, will prefer to use far cheaper modes of transportation for short distance trips. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that his country no longer expects anything from the European Union, which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years. We have kept all the promises we have made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs, he said before an inaugural session of parliament. The president added that he would not tolerate any new demands or conditions on the accession process for his country to join the bloc. Erdogans anger also stems from a judgement on Thursday by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that condemned Turkey for convicting a teacher in the wake of the 2016 attempted coup on the grounds he had downloaded an encrypted messaging app linked with the alleged plotters. The ruling that the rights of Yuksel Yalcinkaya had been violated could create a significant precedent, with thousands of similar cases pending before the Strasbourg-based court. Turkey blames a group led by the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen for being behind the failed attempt to oust Erdogan, alleging that a messaging app called ByLock was used to coordinate the plot. Erdogan said Sunday that the decision of the ECHR was the straw that broke the camels back. (Turkey) will not turn back in its fight against this band of traitors, he said. Glasgow Gurdwara Sunday condemned Khalistani activists targeting of the Indian High Commissioner to the UK during his visit to the Sikh temple on Saturday. The General Secretary of Glasgow Gurudwara, Prabhjot Kaur, issued a public statement condemning the radical Sikh activists who stopped the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami from entering the temple. She also alleged that the disruptors also disturbed the congregation at the Gurudwara even after the Indian High Commissioner left. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit. Following this, the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals tenured to disturb the Gurdwara congregation, Kaur said. On Saturday Sikh Youth UK posted a video showing Khalistani activists confronting officials at the gurudwara over making langar (the community kitchen at Sikh temples) arrangements for the Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami. The official could be seen snatching away the camera from the activist. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sikh Youth UK (@sikhyouthuk) A few Khalistani activists tried to gang up on the high commissioners car before he had to eventually leave. The radical Sikh activists found out that Doraiswami had planned a meeting with the gurudwara committee and stormed the scene, Times of India reported. A few people turned up and told him he was not welcome and he left. There was a slight confrontation. I dont think the Gurdwara committee is too happy about what happened. But Indian officials are not welcome in any gurdwara in the UK, TOI quoted a Khalistani activist as saying. We are fed up with the UK-India collusion. The recent tensions since the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing have led to British Sikhs being targeted. This is to do with Avtar Singh Khanda and Jagtar Singh Johal too. Avtar Singh Khanda was a Khalistani activist, who, the National Investigation Agency believes, staged the violent protest at the Indian High Commission in London earlier this year in March. The ruckus saw the miscreants scale the wall of the High Commission building and take down Indias flag. He died a couple of months later in June. His medical records claimed that he died of blood cancer, but his supporters claimed that he was poisoned. A UN delegation arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, according to Azerbaijan, after nearly the entire ethnic-Armenian population evacuated since Baku reclaimed the separatist province. According to an Azerbaijani presidential official, a UN mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning to examine humanitarian needs. The international organisation has gotten access to the region for the first time in roughly 30 years. Following a one-day Azerbaijani onslaught last week, the regions Armenian separatists decided to disarm, dissolve their government, and reintegrate with Baku. The failure of Karabakhs breakaway effort delivered a devastating blow to Armenians centuries-old ambition of rejoining what they claim are their ancestral territories, which have been partitioned among regional rulers since the Middle Ages. Nearly all of Karabakhs estimated 120,000 residents fled the territory over the following days, sparking a refugee crisis. On Sunday, Armenia observed a national day of prayer for the region. Bells tolled in churches across the country, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, led a service in the nations main cathedral Echmiadzin, close to the capital Yerevan. Clergymen in ornate robes sang ancient chants at an open-air altar outside the imposing cathedral built in pale pink limestone. Yerevan has accused Baku of ethnic cleansing an allegation that Baku rejected calling on Armenians not to leave their homes and reintegrate with Azerbaijan where their rights would be respected. Armenia, a country of 2.8 million, faces a major challenge housing the sudden influx of refugees. Authorities said 35,000 were now in temporary accommodation. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Friday announced an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs ($22 million) to help those fleeing. Azerbaijan is now holding re-integration talks with separatist leaders while at the same time detaining some senior figures from its former government and military command. As Goodhue Police Chief Josh Smith struggled this summer to fill vacancies in his small department, he warned the towns City Council that unless pay and benefits improved, finding new officers would never happen. When nothing changed, Smith quit. So did his few remaining officers, leading the Minnesota town of 1,300 residents to shutter its police force in late August. America is in the midst of a police officer shortage that many in law enforcement blame on the twofold morale hit of 2020 the coronavirus pandemic and criticism of police that boiled over with the murder of George Floyd by a police officer. From Minnesota to Maine, Ohio to Texas, small towns unable to fill jobs are eliminating their police departments and turning over police work to their county sheriff, a neighboring town or state police. The trend isnt altogether new. At least 521 U.S. towns and cities with populations of 1,000 to 200,000 disbanded policing between 1972 and 2017, according to a peer-reviewed 2022 paper by Rice University Professor of Economics Richard T. Boylan. In the past two years, at least 12 small towns have dissolved their departments. Goodhue County is now under contract for law enforcement duties in the town of Goodhue, even as Sheriff Marty Kelly tries to fill four vacancies in his own department. He said he has around 10 applicants for those jobs. By comparison, one open position in 2019 drew 35 applicants, he said. Kelly knows that to get to full staffing, hell have to hire new deputies away from other towns or counties creating vacancies in other places that will struggle to fill them. Its scary, Kelly said. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul. And were not alone.At the heart of the problem is the exodus from law enforcement. Officer resignations were up 47% last year compared to 2019 the year before the pandemic and Floyds killing and retirements are up 19%. Thats all according to a survey of nearly 200 police agencies by the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington, DC.-based think tank. Though the survey represents only agencies affiliated with PERF, a fraction of the more than 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide and is not representative of all departments, its one of the few efforts to examine police hiring and retention and compare it with the time before Floyds killing. Compounding the exodus of veteran officers, young people are increasingly unwilling to go through the months of training necessary to become a police officer, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum. Fewer people are applying to be police officers, and more officers are retiring or resigning at a tremendous rate, Wexler said. Theres a shortage of police officers across the country. Agencies of all sizes are struggling to fill open positions. But the problem is especially dire in smaller communities that cant match the pay and incentives offered by bigger places. Another Minnesota town, Morris, dissolved its police department last year after continued departures of officers. The town of 5,100 residents was down to two officers at the time. In Maine, the town of Limestone disbanded its police department in March. Neighboring Van Buren did the same two years earlier. Generally, crime rates were unchanged in towns that dropped their departments, the Rice University study found. Leaders of several towns said theyve been happy with the change. Town leaders in Washburn, Illinois, dissolved their department in 2021 and let the county take over law enforcement duties for its 1,100 residents. You really cant tell much of any difference, Mayor Steve Forney said. The sheriffs department is very responsive. I like it. I was always one who was very hesitant to go this direction, but I feel its working for us. Lott, Texas, a town of about 700 residents, disbanded its department last year. Mayor Sue Tacker said the town was going broke and couldnt afford to pay two officers and two other employees. With county deputies now patrolling Lott, the crime rate remains low and response times have been good, Tacker said. She believes residents are OK with the change. I havent had any griping or fussing, Tacker said. Goodhue occupies about one square mile of land 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Minneapolis. Its made up of tidy homes with a few small businesses a bakery, a florist, a cafe, a supermarket, a taxidermist most of them in brick storefronts in the small downtown area. The town struggled for years to recruit and retain officers. The City Council had boosted pay by 5% earlier this year and gave Smith a $13,000 raise. It wasnt enough. Smith told the City Council at a meeting on July 26 that it was virtually impossible to attract applicants for a job starting at $22 an hour. Thats about $10 per hour less than Goodhue County deputies earn. Theres zero incentive to come out here to a small town, Smith said at the meeting. Two weeks later, Smith gave notice of his resignation. Within days, the remaining full-time officer and five part-time employees also called it quits. The town agreed to pay the county about $44,000 for law enforcement services through the end of this year. Goodhue leaders will decide later whether to extend the contract through 2024.Goodhue resident Ron Goebel, a retired accountant, said he believes the sheriffs department will do a good job, and he expects townspeople to help out, too. People can kind of watch out for each other a little bit, Goebel said, noting that he himself watches for strange vehicles in his neighborhood. We pretty much know our neighbors. Goebel fears the loss of the police department is another challenge for Goodhue and towns like it across the nation. As you lose your schools, you lose your businesses and you lose your police force, how much longer can the town actually be viable as a town? Goebel asked. 2022 F350 moon roof leaking 2022 F350 It rained all night last night ( not very heavy ) and was misting this morning, got in and was backing down my drive way and heard the sound of rushing water, like on a piece of glass, but it sounded different because it was loader, more clear, looked up at passenger side moon roof track and saw a trickle of water coming into the cab and dropping on the moon roof track. Further investigation revealed passenger foot well was pretty soaked. called a local Ford dealership, explained the problem and said that my truck has 35,259 miles, a scant 750 miles away from running out of the 36,000 miles bumper to bumper warranty, he opened a repair work order with the current mileage, meaning I can go over the mileage and its still covered because he set the world order for todays date and cure mileage, and I didnt get any static from this dealership about it being a Canadian truck, which is different from a much smaller and much closer dealership that I had do a TCM program recall. Im hesitantly optimistic that this dealership will take care of the issue correctly, hopefully the first time. My questions are; What are they ( probably) going to do? is it unreasonable for me to assume theyre going to fix the leak, and replace the carpet and anything else affected by the leak? Im suspecting its gonna take several days for the whole repair process? Will they provide a loaner truck, or does that depend on dealership? I tow with this truck, and have jobs lined up next week Appointment is scheduled for next Tuesday. NEW YORK, Oct. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: LUMN) between March 11, 2019 and July 14, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important November 14, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Lumen securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Lumen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17736 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 14, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Lumen owned and/or still owns thousands of miles of cables wrapped in lead, a known neurotoxin, within the U.S.; (2) the foregoing has harmed and posed the risk of further harming the environment, exposed Lumen employees, and the general public, thereby posing a significant public health risk and environmental pollution risk; (3) Lumen was on notice about the damage and risks presented by these lead-covered cables but did not disclose them as a potential threat to everyday people and communities, as well as failed to provide adequate lead training to employees; (4) all the foregoing subjected Lumen to a heightened risk of governmental and regulatory oversight and enforcement action, as well as legal and reputational harm; and (5) as a result, Lumens public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Lumen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17736 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com When Lawmakers Dont Get Technology The Public Sector Lags Behind Ignorance Has Been Bliss There was a time when American governments were drivers of technological change, sponsoring the space age and making the early investments that led to the creation of the Internet.Those days are long over. Today, governments largely leave research and development to big companies and startups in Silicon Valley and elsewhere private firms that arent necessarily incentivized to think about how their innovations can lead to ill effects for democracy and communities.If government is no longer driving the technology story, its also not responding robustly to those that are. Historically, government tends to be reactive, with lawmakers seeking to address problems after theyve already occurred. That makes it a bad fit for dealing with something rapidly changing and increasingly all pervasive as technology.Sometimes legislative policy works at the pace of a glacier, says Florida state Sen. Jeff Brandes. It definitely works that way when it comes to new technologies that are emerging.Even as technologies such as facial recognition and artificial intelligence are increasingly embedded in everything we do and interact with, theres no one, inside of government or out, in charge of thinking about where its all headed.We should not wait for the technology to mature before we start to put principles, and ethics, and even rules in place to govern AI, Microsoft President Brad Smith said Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.AI may become like electricity, affecting every industry, Brandes says. Yet we have no national policy or even serious dialogue about how, ideally, we might want its still-developing effects to play out.In the United States, we suffer from a tragic lack of foresight, writes Amy Webb, a futurist and business professor at New York University, in her recent book. The U.S. government has no grand strategy for AI nor for our longer-term future.The lack of digital policymaking at the federal level has opened up a policy space for states and localities to step in. New laws are being passed and bills are being considered that touch on everything from privacy and facial recognition bans to bitcoin and autonomous vehicle regulation. The extreme polarization that we see in D.C. makes it difficult to have legislation on any front, says Darrell West, founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. A number of the states are stepping up to make major policy changes.Still, most of these changes are reactive. Governments are still playing catch-up when it comes to using tech. If youre a slow adopter, its hard to think ahead as to what the future might hold. Many lawmakers lack basic understanding of how technology works, let alone how its changing. That leaves them ill-suited to help society navigate all the changes that we can see coming.Government has responded to technology without any positive, coherent vision of what we want the future to be, says Nikolas Guggenberger, executive director of the Information Society Project at Yale Law School.The average state legislator has to cast votes on a wide variety of issues, ranging from taxes and public safety through education, health care, environmental policy and much else. No one is expected to be an expert on everything.Most lawmakers have one or two policy areas that they care about the most. For the rest, they largely take their cues from their colleagues on relevant committees, or perhaps the lobbyists theyve learned to trust.But in contrast with agriculture policy or workforce development, there typically isnt a standing technology or innovation committee. Some states have technology fellows embedded in the legislature, but none has a Department of the Future charged with thinking about how technology is integrating with and changing everything.Its probably true that technology is outsourced by more offices than most other subjects, says Lee Rainie, director of Internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center. Some lawmakers care about a roster of issues, but beside the people who come from tech-heavy districts, its something that lawmakers dont necessarily know how to think about well, except that they know that people have complaints.There are tech-savvy politicians, but most take a 30,000-foot view technology is good because its creating great opportunities, or bad because its disruptive. Many lack basic knowledge about more mundane things like IP addresses or how encryption works.As Rainie notes, the sometimes ignorant ways in which politicians talk about technology Ted Stevens, the late U.S. senator from Alaska, describing the Internet as a series of tubes, or Orrin Hatch, then a Utah senator, asking Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg at a 2018 hearing how his company makes money means the face of the political class toward technology is people who dont understand it.Technology is by its nature complicated, and always becoming more so. If you dont have to think about this stuff for a living, its easy to let your mind glaze over when someone starts to talk, say, about the difference between edge computing and cloud computing.Tech companies are more than happy to exploit the black box nature of their businesses. They have no desire to disclose the full objective of what they might be up to how theyre scraping and selling peoples most personal information, for example.Its not that different from other areas of knowledge and expertise, except that things change so rapidly in technology, says Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit in San Francisco that defends civil liberties in the digital realm. This creates massive problems because it makes politicians susceptible to stories from industry lobbyists who accentuate the positive but dont talk about the negative.Lack of technological literacy not only makes it easier to fall for a companys line, but also leads lawmakers to make demands that simply cant be fulfilled. Not understanding how filters work, for example, can leave them puzzled as to why social media companies are able to block child porn but not communication among terrorists, or libelous speech.We just try to fix with a patchwork approach the most egregious problems we see, says Guggenberger, and have not been able to positively define what we actually want from this technological revolution.There have been complaints that government is too slow and unresponsive for longer than anyone has been alive. The sense that government is sclerotic has only been exacerbated by technology. The standard now for customer service on the Internet is seamless, instantaneous and efficient. Its fair to say that governments, on the whole, dont offer that level of experience.After a disaster, people will say, Why can Walmart use its supply chain to get everything that we need, even before we know we need it, to their stores, but government cant get inspectors in place, cant process loans, or make emergency payments or set up a website so that we could do things on our own, says Rainie. They also see their neighbors just sort of hacking together a distributed response mechanism at the neighborhood level that cant be duplicated by the mayor or city council.Technological breakthroughs may be touted by news outlets on a daily basis, but in government people are often stuck using old computers or running programs using languages that are the software equivalent of speaking Latin. Procurement for technology is still handled in many agencies as though the needs arent any different than buying office chairs.There are tech-talented people in government who are enormously frustrated by the fact that they routinely diagnose problems that could be cured with off-the-shelf apps available now, but which might be outdated by the time they get approval to install them. Vendors swap stories about projects being delayed for weeks at a time because agency rules wont let them do something as simple as picking up power cords without going through a whole process.The fact that the public sector is behind the times when it comes to tech implementation has its effects on how policy gets made. Its clear that lawmakers are often informed by personal experience. Mass transit systems get more attention when lawmakers ride the subways.Government is a technology laggard, says West. Even now, as the technology revolution is sweeping the world, the public sector is not using it to its full potential.What we used to call high tech really started taking off following Ronald Reagans presidency during the 1980s. American governments have since tended to take a more libertarian or neoliberal approach thats skeptical about regulation.Its clear that policymakers are starting to think more skeptically about technology, given rising public concern about data breaches and how both private companies and governments are using their information. Tech companies find themselves increasingly under populist attack from politicians on both the right and the left.As governments start to get more ambitious about regulating tech, they need to get smarter. Last year, a law took effect in California that requires disclosure from certain types of bots . Earlier versions of the bill didnt seem to differentiate between bad bots, such as those that spread malicious or false information in the virtual political sphere, and ones that can be helpful, for instance by alerting people about earthquakes or tornadoes.You get outrages of the day and lawmakers say, I want do something, and you can pass a bad law, says Ryan Singel, a media and strategy fellow at Stanford Law Schools Center for Internet and Society.In order to have effective regulations regarding IT, its essential not only to understand technology better, but to have a firm sense of desired outcomes. As a society, its critical that we ask what we want out of tech and where we want it to go.Despite the growing techlash, its important that as lawmakers seek to address problems with technology, they keep their eyes on both its benefits and their own first principles, says Brandes, the Florida state senator. Technology is not only a world-leading industry for this country, but something that has either the capacity or potential to save and prolong life and make companies more profitable and efficient, among other virtues.To make the most of it, lawmakers need to get out of the habit of only responding in a reactive way to perceived problems, while keeping their eyes on whats wanted most.The world is changing so quickly, legislators need to focus on the ideas that will change our future, Brandes says. While we need to focus on privacy and individual liberty, we need to make sure were not hamstrung by the laws, either. VIDEO: Even Jesus can't save Ghana if citizens are dishonest - Diana Asamoah GraphicOnline Showbiz News Oct - 01 - 2023 , 13:02 Prominent gospel musician, Diana Asamoah, has urged Ghanaians to foster a culture of honesty and integrity in their daily lives for true progress, emphasising that even a leader of extraordinaire character, akin to Jesus Christ, would not suffice if the people do not uphold ethical values. While acknowledging the influence of political governance on the daily lives of citizens, Asamoah cautioned that attributing all responsibility for progress solely to leadership is misguided without an accompanying positive shift in attitudes at all levels of society. Speaking on the UTV television programme, United Showbiz on September 30, 2023, Asamoah emphasized, "The whole world is in a crisis, and a significant portion of the hardships is also a consequence of our actions. I have always asserted that even if Jesus were to become president and we do not alter our attitudes, we will not thrive." She further highlighted a biblical perspective, underscoring the blessings associated with truthfulness and the adverse outcomes for those who act hastily. Asamoah, a known member of the New Patriotic Party, cited instances of theft and dishonesty, juxtaposing them with individuals who possess virtuous qualities and vocational skills, attaining success. Watch the video below; Yaa Pono calls out Kennedy Agyapong for unauthorized use of his song in campaign GraphicOnline Showbiz News Oct - 01 - 2023 , 09:07 Ghanaian rapper Yaa Pono has raised concerns about the use of his popular track 'Obia Wone Master' during a political campaign led by an aspirant in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership race, Kennedy Agyapong, without obtaining his prior consent. Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Yaa Pono expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, "Why my song being used for campaign without my notice, @honkenagy, this is not cool for me." Accompanying this message was a video capturing the moment when Kennedy and his campaign team energetically danced to the beats of 'Obia Wone Master.' Why my song being used for campaign without my notice ,, @honkenagy this not kul for me pic.twitter.com/fKKUr3GSXe YAA PONO (@ponobiom) September 30, 2023 The tweet sparked a lively debate on social media. Some contended that since Yaa Pono mentioned Kennedy Agyapong in the song, its use in the campaign was justified. Conversely, others supported the rappers position, underscoring the importance of seeking permission before deploying copyrighted material for political ends. In the midst of these online discussions, some users advised Yaa Pono to explore legal options if he believes his rights have been infringed upon. Why my song being used for campaign without my notice ,, @honkenagy this not kul for me pic.twitter.com/fKKUr3GSXe YAA PONO (@ponobiom) September 30, 2023 Released in 2018, Yaa Pono's 'Obia Wone Master,' featuring Stonebwoy, earned the accolade of Best Hip-Life Song of the Year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) in 2019. Protecting Patients' Rights: Assessing the legal effects of dialysis fee increases beyond Parliamentary approval Evans Mawunyo Tsikata Opinion Sep - 30 - 2023 , 13:25 Aside from parliamentary approval, the increase in dialysis fees raises ethical considerations about patient protection and access to healthcare. Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for persons with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and any increase in charges must be justified by a reasonable balance of patient, healthcare provider, and insurer interests. Unexpected cost increases may harm vulnerable patients who may struggle to absorb the additional economic strain, resulting in treatment discontinuation and severe negative health consequences. Furthermore, the decision to raise charges lacks transparency and accountability, as patients have the right to be informed and advised about any changes affecting their access to healthcare. This raises worries about the democratic process and large industrial groups' interests taking precedence over patients' rights. Ethical principles of justice and beneficence require that healthcare decisions be made in the best interests of the patients, and that they not be subjected to financial exploitation or neglect. Policymakers and healthcare practitioners must evaluate the moral implications of any changes that influence patients' access to life-sustaining treatments in order to protect their interests. Concerns have been raised concerning the legal ramifications of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital raising dialysis fees without parliamentary authorisation. Many countries have different laws and legislation that govern the delivery of healthcare services. Before implementing fee hikes, pulic hospitals must normally acquire clearance from relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Health and parliamentary agencies. Failure to follow these requirements may result in legal consequencies for the facility. Among the consequences are potential violations of healthcare regulations, breaches of existing patient contracts, violations of consumer protection laws, legal challenges and lawsuits from patients or advocacy groups, administrative penalties imposed by regulatory bodies, and public backlash and reputational damage. Understanding these legal consequences is critical for healthcare practitioners in order to ensure legal compliance while providing patients with competent medical treatment. There are several laws and regulations in Ghana that require public institutions to seek parliamentary approval before adjusting fees. Some of these laws include: 1. Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2016 (Act 935) - this Act provides detailed procedures for public institutions to adjust fees and charges. Section 7 of the Act requires institutions to obtain parliamentary approval before adjusting fees. 2. Financial Administration Act, 2003 (Act 654) - Section 23 of this Act requires that all proposals for new fees or fee adjustments are submitted to Parliament for approval before implementation. 3. National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852) - Section 75 of this Act requires that any proposed increase in the national health insurance premium must be submitted to Parliament for approval. 4. Internal Revenue Act, 2018 (Act 1065) - This Act requires parliamentary approval for any proposals to impose or increase taxes, levies, or charges. 5. Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) - Section 34 of this Act requires that all public institutions seeking to adjust fees or charges must obtain parliamentary approval. These laws and regulations are designed to ensure transparency and accountability in the fee-setting process. Public institutions are required to provide detailed justifications for any proposed fee adjustments and to obtain the necessary approval before implementing them. Failure to comply with these provisions can result in legal and reputational consequences for the institution. If Korlebu Teaching Hospital, as a public institution, may raise dialysis prices without parliamentary consent, there could be legal ramifications. Ghana's healthcare facilities and services are governed by strict regulations and laws. Before implementing fee increases, hospitals may be required by these regulations to seek clearance from competent authorities, such as the Ministry of Health or parliamentary organizations. If the hospital fails to comply with these standards, it may be in breach of the law. If the hospital already has contracts or agreements in place with patients for the provision of dialysis treatments, raising rates without parliamentary approval may be considered a breach of contract. Patients who are unable to pay the additional costs may sue the hospital for breach of contract. Customers are protected from unscrupulous pricing practices by specific regulations. These constraints may push enterprises, particularly healthcare providers, to seek or justify hefty price hikes. If the hospital increases dialysis prices without first obtaining approval, it may be breaking consumer protection rules. Patients or patient advocacy groups may sue to stop the fee increase. They may argue that the hospital's acts are discriminatory or that they disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, such as the poor. These legal challenges could lead to court orders that reverse the fee hike or compensate aggrieved patients. For failing to seek parliamentary clearance, regulatory entities in charge of regulating public healthcare services have the authority to levy administrative penalties against the institution. Fines, suspension of services, or other disciplinary processes may be imposed to ensure legal compliance. If the hospital does not obtain parliamentary authorisation to raise dialysis fees, it may face negative headlines. This might result in public outcry, with patients and the general public doubting the hospital's ethics and dedication to low-cost healthcare. As a result, the hospital's reputation may suffer, making it more difficult to recruit patients, retain employees, and gain future funding or partnerships. Finally, the legal consequences of failing to get parliamentary approval to increase dialysis pricing would be determined by the respective jurisdiction's individual laws, conventions, and contractual agreements. Healthcare personnel must strictly adhere to regulatory standards in order to prevent any legal and reputational repercussions while also ensuring that patients receive proper medical care. In conclusion, it is obvious that Korle Bu Teaching Hospital may face major legal consequences if it hikes dialysis fees without first obtaining parliamentary approval. Healthcare regulations violations, breaches of patient contracts, violations of consumer protection laws, legal challenges and litigation, administrative penalties imposed by regulatory agencies, public reaction, and reputational loss are all possible repercussions. To avoid these consequences, healthcare practitioners must strictly adhere to legal processes while still prioritizing patients' access to vital medical treatment. Healthcare facilities can fulfill their ethical commitments while also boosting the health of their patients and communities. Leaders reflect on UNs institutional challenges as meeting ends Mary Mensah International News Sep - 30 - 2023 , 10:23 The High-level Week of the 78th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA) 2023 has concluded at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA with more than 190 speakers, including 136 heads of state and governments and 40 ministers having addressed the UNGA during the General Debate. Over the past week, the UNs principal organ with universal membership heard heads of state and governments who outlined various challenges, from the existential threat of climate change to the misuse of artificial intelligence. During the annual debate, global leaders stated that while the UN faced institutional challenges, it remained the paramount platform for crafting collective solutions to humanitys challenges. Closing General debate The Assembly President, Dennis Francis, addressing the Assembly at the closing of the General Debate, highlighted the continued relevance of the General Assembly and the United Nations unwavering commitment to delivering peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability to people around the world. These developments are a welcome reminder that the United Nations remains focused on the collective challenges of our time, he stressed. Addressing ongoing conflicts globally, Mr Francis offered his assistance in facilitating peace and friendship dialogues between nations or groups in conflict and stated, Be assured that I am at your service while identifying common themes that signal Member States priorities, challenges and concerns going forward. Highlights of meeting He highlighted on the need to invest in education, particularly for girls, reform the international financial architecture, to achieve accessibility, equity and justice in development finance, respect political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity by ending the Ukraine war and giving undivided attention to other raging conflicts and embracing climate action by safeguarding the Earths natural resources, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring equitable access to clean air and water. He lauded member states for taking part in the high-level dialogue on development financing, highlighting the prevalence of discussions on the need to reform global finance for the benefit of the developing world. We cant rest until theres accessibility, equity and justice in development finance, he said and added, Few topics raised during the week were as frequent, consistent or as charged as the war in Ukraine. According to him, the conflict being perpetrated by a permanent member of the UN Security Council was unconscionable, and had rekindled unthinkable decades-old fears of nuclear weapons and recommitment to shining a spotlight on the urgent need to resolve these situations of deep concern. Challenges President Francis said these challenges demand full engagement in preparations for the 2024 Summit of the Future, to define the future of international cooperation amid multidimensional risks. And called on Member States to refocus their energies towards creating a world that grows sustainably, for the people and planet, and that gives every child an equal chance at success. The General Debate kicked off on September 19 and ended on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. It was part of the UNGA High-level Week, along with other high-level events, including the SDG Summit, the Climate Ambition Summit, three high-level meetings on health, the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development (FfD), and a preparatory ministerial meeting for the Summit of the Future. Four major declarations The UNGA resulted in four major political declarations, covering universal healthcare; work to end tuberculosis; pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; and the need to urgently scale up sustainable development progress. The final declaration was described as a particularly remarkable win by Francis, who said it served as a commitment to push harder and close the gaps. Climate change requires each member state to look closely at our own carbon footprints and move beyond gross domestic product (GDP) to a metric that captures a countrys true vulnerability to shocks. Francis urged member states to take part in the UAE-hosted UN Climate Change Conference later this year with a spirit of unity and solidarity, and deliver a bold plan of action. Whether on climate or conflict, poverty or justice, peace or strong institutions, these arent just global calls, theyre existential calls, he said. Francis ended his address by reminding member states: We hear so often that the clock is ticking. We have it within us today to heal our divisions, find integrated solutions that reflect our universal values and commitments, and usher in a brighter tomorrow. Massive turnout Preliminary figures indicated that this years High-Level Week witnessed the largest in-person gathering of world leaders at the UN Headquarters in New York, US, since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some 88 heads of state, 42 heads of government, and over 650 ministers in attendance. Top officials took advantage of this massive turnout to engage in more than 2,000 bilateral meetings that took place and according to the UN, over 13,000 country delegates, 2,600 members of the media, and more than 40,000 other participants were registered for the general debate and its over 100 associated events, which included the first-ever SDG Action Weekend, from September 16-17. One such event was the kickoff SDG Action Weekend on September 16-17, which brought together civil society, businesses, youth, scientists, local and regional governments, and other stakeholders to mobilise coordinated efforts towards realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all 193 UN Member States in 2015. Determination and commitment The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, summarising the high-level week, noted a collective determination among all stakeholders to achieve the ambitious development agenda, especially at the halfway mark in pursuing the SDGs. Speaking to reporters in the afternoon, she also highlighted the importance of resources and cited the growing burden of debt on many countries, preventing them from adequately funding essential services in education and health. We are short of the resources but thats why were pushing for the SDG stimulus. That is a low-hanging fruit. That is something we can do with existing resources and institutions. And I hope by the end of this year, we'll have something to say about that, she said. Ato Afful: Graphic MD wins Print Media CEO of the Year award Kweku Zurek Oct - 01 - 2023 , 08:18 At this year's Ghana CEO Awards, Mr. Ato Afful, the Managing Director of Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), was recognised as the CEO of the Year in the Print Media category. The award was received on his behalf by the Editor, Graphic, Mr. Theophilus Yartey. The event, held last Saturday in Accra, celebrated over 30 Chief Executive Officers from various private and public companies for their contributions to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in Ghana. According to the organisers, Globe Productions, awardees demonstrated a steadfast commitment to sustainable development through practices such as eco-friendly business operations, investments in clean energy, improved working conditions, and initiatives promoting access to education, healthcare, job opportunities, skills training, and financial inclusion. Latif Abubakar, CEO of Globe Productions, highlighted that the awards serve as a platform to honour visionaries who have thrived against challenges, turning ideas into reality. He noted that this year's recipients were selected for their significant contributions to realizing SDG goals in Ghana. In attendance, King Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, encouraged businesses to invest in projects benefiting local communities. The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, underscored the pivotal role of private sector-led innovation, investment, and collaboration in achieving SDG targets, particularly in reducing global poverty. The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also called upon business leaders in Ghana to collaborate with the government in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Among the distinguished winners, the Founder and Managing Director of Zeepay received the CEO of the Year (Private Sector) award, while the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, George Agyekum Nana Donkor, was honored as CEO of the Year (Africa). Dr. Kenneth Kwaku, an international business consultant, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Other notable awardees included Mr. Daniel Asiedu, Managing Director of OmniBSIC Bank, who was named the Personality of the Year (Private Sector); Rocky Dawuni, founder of Aquarian Records, was awarded CEO of the Year (Music); Sammi Awuku, Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), was recognized as CEO of the Year (Public Sector); and Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid,the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), was acknowledged as Personality of the Year (Public Sector). Additional winners included Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, who was honored as CEO of the Year (Chamber); Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana, was awarded CEO of the Year (Power); Kennedy Osei, the General Manager of the Despite Group of Companies was named Young Achiever of the Year; and Professor Amin Alhassan, the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, received the CEO of the Year (Electronic Media) accolade. Dr. Colleen Amuaben Ministries celebrates milestones with book launch, generous donations GraphicOnline Oct - 01 - 2023 , 18:47 Dr. Colleen Amuaben Ministries (DCAM), a non-profit making organisation, has marked a significant milestone in its history by celebrating its journey of faith and charity. Under the theme, Year of God's Faithfulness- Deuteronomy 7:9, it commemorated anniversaries of various ministries and initiatives within its umbrella over the weekend. The ministries under Dr. Colleen Amuaben Ministries that were celebrated include the Save Them Young Orphanage (STYO) at 27 years, Precious Seed Chapel International (PSCI) at 23 years, Men and Women of Passion of Christ (MWPC) at 12 years, Voice of Widows (VoW) at 3 years, The Seed Theological Institute (STI) at 11 years, and Compassion Food (CF) at 15 years. Books The highlight of the celebration was the launch of two empowering and enlightening books authored by Dr. Colleen Amuaben. These books, titled The Widow's Plight" and "Secure Your Tomorrow Today, promise readers spiritual guidance, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of life and faith. Dr. Colleen emphasised the importance of these books, particularly for the less privileged, encouraging her congregants to read them. She believes that cultivating the habit of reading will empower individuals both spiritually and physically, enabling them to contribute significantly to their families, the church, and Ghana as a whole. Donations Dr. Colleen Opoku Amuaben, the brain behind the Ministries, also demonstrated her commitment to philanthropy by making generous donations to various widows and charitable causes. The donations included 250 bags of rice, cooking oil, canned tomatoes, drinking water, cooking ingredients, soft drinks, and toiletries, among other items. Presenting the items, Dr. Amuaben explained that these acts of kindness reflect the ministry's mission to uplift and support those in need within the country. She expressed her gratitude for the continued support of the ministry's members and the community, stressing the importance of spreading positivity and spiritual growth through written words. Rev. Dr. Amuaben also reaffirmed the ministry's dedication to helping those less fortunate. Reflection Reflecting on her own journey as a widow, Dr. Amuaben shared her experiences and the profound impact she has had on widows and humanity. She underscored the need for Africa to change how it treats children, widows, and orphans and suggested that government policies in Ghana regarding children and social welfare should be revisited. Dr. Amuaben further advocated for government social workers to be present in every home to monitor and address the needs of vulnerable individuals. Religious tolerance In his remarks, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, the Omanhene of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area, shared inspiring words regarding the journey of faith and religious tolerance during the event to celebrate Dr. Colleen Amuaben. Recalling his own spiritual journey, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II highlighted the progression from serving in various ministerial positions in God's service to ascending to paramountcy. He noted that this personal journey served as a testament to the divine path that individuals may follow in their spiritual endeavours. Awulae Agyefi Kwame II also expressed his appreciation for Dr. Colleen Amuaben's appointment to a chieftaincy position, emphasizing that it was a significant step in the right direction. He noted that her elevation to this esteemed role was a testament to her dedication as a humble servant of God. In a broader context, the Omanhene stressed the importance of patience and tolerance between the Christian and traditional religions. He urged Christians to move away from outdated stereotypes associated with traditional religions, particularly the notion that traditional leaders served gods. Instead, he encouraged modern-day Christians to continue serving the living God. Furthermore, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II highlighted the evolving nature of chieftaincy and the diminishing fear associated with visits to the Palace. He noted that chieftaincy had evolved with the times, fostering a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. He, therefore, underscored the importance of unity and respect among different religious communities and celebrated the accomplishments of Dr. Colleen Amuaben in her dual roles as a religious leader and a chieftaincy appointee. Attendees The celebration was attended by prominent figures in the ministry, including Reverend Dr. Christie Doh Tetteh, Apostle Samuel Sowah, Dr. Horatious Tetteh, Prof. Spencer Duncan, and Prophet Robert Paaleh, among others. Musical performances by notable artists, including Uncle Ato, Reverend Mrs. Jessica Amuaben-Turay, and the group Call Me Nazareth, added to the atmosphere of reverence and celebration. Mining company to construct airport in Upper East Region Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Oct - 01 - 2023 , 13:17 A proposal to construct an airstrip in Talensi in the Upper East Region, for the exclusive use by the Chinese mining firm, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, has now been changed to an airport similar to what is in Wa or Tamale to help serve the entire region. The Ministry of Transport, which has impressed on the company located in the Talensi District to upgrade the airstrip proposal to an airport argues that it would be able to serve the entire Upper East Region which currently does not have any airport compared to Tamale in Northern Region and Wa in the Upper West Region. The Chinese mining firm, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited has already commenced processes to construct the airport. The Project Manager of Cardinal Namdini Gold Project, Steve Ofori-Asamoah, who disclosed this said the project is currently at the construction stage, reports Graphic Online's Gilbert Mawuli Agbey from Talensi in the Upper East Region. The initial plan was for the construction of an airstrip to enhance operations of the mining firm when it begins production in the last quarter of 2024. "The essence of the airstrip is to enhance the transportation of employees of the company outside the region to undertake activities in Kumasi, Accra and Takoradi as well as for bullion purposes, Mr Ofori-Amponsah said. He said this when he interacted with the media when the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr Sulemanu Koney and other officials toured the mining site of the company. Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited is a subsidiary of Shandong Gold. It has a mining lease to undertake surface mining for 15 years in the Talensi District and hoping to excavate 150 million tonnes of ore, from which 5 million ounces of gold is expected within the 15 year period. Mr Ofori-Amponsah indicated that the company during the consultation with the government about the intended construction of an airstrip was impressed upon to change it to an airport since the region does not have an airport. Negotiation He stressed that the company was still negotiating with government to pave the way for the commencement of the project as management of the mining company had already approved an initial amount to kick-start the project. We are currently waiting for negotiations between our company and government to give the greenlight for the project to start so as to be completed ahead of schedule to achieve the intended purposes he said. He added that as soon as the negotiations were completed, actual construction works would begin as already the design and other preparatory works are almost completed. He mentioned that the company has engaged the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as well and that plans were far advanced towards executing the project to serve both the company and the general public. Although the location for the project has not yet been concluded, he expressed delight that when completed, the new airport would bring huge relief to people as they can easily travel into the region to transact business and engage in other social activities. Courtesy call During a courtesy call, the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, expressed excitement about the companys decision to construct an airport in the region. He said the government had already reserved a land at Anateem for that purpose and that it would be a great move for the company to partner government to ensure that the airport project becomes a reality. NIB MD gives Adongo 48 hours to apologise over Zoom-management of NIB comment Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Oct - 01 - 2023 , 10:23 The Managing Director of National Investment Bank (NIB), Samuel Sarpong, has given the Deputy Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, 48 hours to retract and apologise over certain comments he made against him or face legal consequences. Mr Adongo, in a media interview on a proposal by the government to merge NIB and ADB, alleged that Mr Sarpong sat in Canada and zoom-managed NIB for almost a year. In a letter to Mr Adongo, Mr Sarpongs lawyers said the statements by the MP were totally false and had no basis. It is our reasoned opinion that your statements are misleading, malicious, scandalous, demeaning and without any truth. The statement you made on Top Story..., sought to portray the malicious narrative that our client was responsible for the financial troubles and mismanagement of the bank (NIB) "It is our view that your statements were made with the sole aim of tarnishing the image of our client without considering the damage it places on him in the international business and finance community, the letter added. Retraction and apology Mr Sarpong, through his lawyers, is therefore seeking a retraction and apology from Mr Adongo within 48 hours to him (Mr Sarpong) and the staff and management of NIB. Be advised that our client intends to exercise his full rights under the law, should you fail, refuse and/or neglect to act or perform as requested, the letter added. Former first Lady Theresa Kufuor passes on Enoch Darfah Frimpong Oct - 01 - 2023 , 21:59 Former First Lady of Ghana, Theresa Kufuor has passed on at age 87. Theresa Kufuor was the wife of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the second President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. She was a retired nurse and midwife. Born: 25 October 1935. A family source confirmed to Graphic Online on Sunday night that the former First Lady died on Sunday [October 1, 2023]. It happened late afternoon in the house at the Peduase area on the Aburi mountain. Mrs Theresa Kufuor married John Kufuor in 1962 and have been together for 61 years. Mrs. Kufuor lived most of her working life in the United Kingdom after studying at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and Paddington General Hospital, London, and qualifying as a State Certified Midwife with a Certificate in Premature Nursing. Before marrying John Kufuor, she was known as Theresa Mensah and was the last born to her parents. Her elder brother was the late NPP stalwart, J.H. Mensah. Mrs Kufuor started her education at the Catholic Convent in Keta, in the Volta Region. After that, she went to London and became a Registered Nurse after getting her education from Southern Hospital Group of Nursing in Edinburgh, Scotland. After she graduated from the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, and Paddington General Hospital, London, she became a State Certified Midwife with a Certificate in Premature Nursing. Theresa married John Kufuor when he was 23 years old after they met at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961. They got married in 1962. Theresa has five children with John Kufuor She was First Lady of Ghana for eight years from January 7, 2001 and January 6, 2009. more to follow... Work to protect nations peace - NCCE urges citizens Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Sep - 30 - 2023 , 10:29 The Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, has urged citizens to value the peace and security in the country and work towards protecting it. She said in spite of the prevailing economic hardships and other challenges faced by the citizenry if we do not have the needed peaceful co-existence, obviously the hope for a better future for us would be lost. The chairperson said the economic difficulties were having negative impact on communities, and young people continue to get frustrated because job opportunities are hard to come by. Ms Addy was speaking during a dialogue on preventing and containing violent extremism (PCVE) action in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The well-attended event was graced by traditional rulers, civil society organisations (CSOs), representatives of political parties, members of the clergy, students, youth groups, among others. It was on the theme: Preventing radicalisation of the youth in the wake of coup detats in the sub-region: Perspectives from stakeholders. The event was interspersed with a sketch by students of the Bolgatanga Girls SHS (BOGISS) highlighting activities of violent extremists. The event was organised by the NCCE with sponsorship from the EU. It was the second of the dialogue series in the northern regions. Unstable sub-region The chairperson further said that the nation found itself in an unstable West African sub-region with coup detats and insurrections occurring in some neighbouring countries, coupled with activities of violent extremists. As a nation, we have to do things right to ensure that such activities do not happen in the country; we must take preventive and containment measures to stop activities that could lead to instability. Although the country has not experienced civil war in its history, we have to do everything possible to avoid violent extremist attacks to safeguard the stability of the country, she said. Accountability Ms Addy also urged citizens to hold duty bearers accountable by being active participants in the day to day governance of the country, adding we elect leaders and pay taxes and, therefore, we ought to hold them accountable in the administration of this country. She said ensuring accountability was the only way to sustain the countrys democratic dispensation and that each citizen has a role to play towards the growth of the country. The chairperson also encouraged citizens to take interest in the upcoming district-level election. Employment During a panel discussion, the Upper East Regional Commander of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), Emmanuel Owusu, said high levels of youth unemployment was a national security issue, and therefore, needed to be addressed. He said due to the situation, the youth could become susceptible to the influence of violent extremists who could recruit them to foment trouble in the country. For her part, a member of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, Priscilla Nyaaba, expressed concern about the increasing violence among students in senior high schools in the region and called on school authorities to be proactive to prevent such disturbances. The Team Lead, COGINTA-Ghana, an NGO, Rev Fr. Clement Aapengnuo, underscored the need for the elderly to pay particular attention to the development of youth in their respective communities and guide them to realise their aspirations. PLAYBACK: NPP General Secretary on why Alan should've stayed and lose to Bawumia Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Oct - 01 - 2023 , 13:52 New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong has disclosed his soft spot and great respect for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, who resigned from the NPP last week, In a radio interview with Wontumi FM in Kumasi, Justin Kodua Frimpong spoke about how Alan Kyerematen supported him [Kodua] financially to unseat John Boadu in the last NPP national executive elections. In addition to that, he said Mr Kyerematen was part of ministers who supported his bid against John Boadu. He also spoke about how he greatly respects Alan but insisted he disagrees completely with Alans excuses for dropping from the NPP flagbearer race and subsequent resignation from the NPP. He thinks as a democrat, Alan Kyerematen should have gone ahead and lose the November 4 presidential primary to Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia when he saw majority were not rooting for him [Alan], or he should have continued to appeal to delegates, build relationships with them so as to convince them to vote for him as a democrat. He said the move by Alan to resign is a great disappointment to many of his supporters, especially the Members of Parliament, ministers of state and many other members in the NPP who openly supported him. Kodua explained that it was based on that move that he would have wished that no leader in the party would openly support a candidate, He recalled how former President John A. Kufuor started appealing to party members by even visiting known faces and names who supported the late Professor Albert Adu Boahen against him [Kufuor] in 1992. He said it was based on that campaign and exhibits as a democrat, which won for Kufuor many admirers and supporters in 1996 and afterwards against Prof Adu Boahen. Kodua in this radio interview with Wontumi FM in Kumasi however disagrees with NPP members throwing tantrums at Alan and insisting he should be allowed to go. It is his wish that party members will not go on that tangent since every single support, vote and member counts going into Election 2024. He also cited the example of the current national chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, who decided to go for the chairmanship position in 2002 but had to wait and fight until 2022 when he finally got the support and vote. He urged NPP members not to speak against Alan Kyerematen. Watch the attached video below Writer's email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Follow @enochfrimpong Follow @Graphicgh How can you make possibly the best smartphone for photography an even more capable cameraphone? Accessorize it! That's exactly what Xiaomi did for the 13 Ultra with the Photography Kit - a quirky set of accessories for the everyday phone user, but an invaluable work tool for the enthusiast photographer and videographer. What's the Photography Kit? The Xiaomi 13 Ultra Photography Kit features a quality protective case with a lens cap, a 67mm filter adapter, a camera grip with Bluetooth, and a lanyard. The whole package You can just snap the case on the phone and put the cap on top. It protects the cameras from dust and other potentially-harming objects and it looks cool. The lens cap attaches with a push. The grip accessory is pretty neat. You slide it onto the bottom of the case and it has a convenient locking lever to stay in place. The grip has a USB-C port so you can charge its built-in battery, a lanyard hole, and a full-on shutter button - it has half-press focusing and a zoom ring. Press and hold the shutter for a second and the remote grip initiates pairing with the phone. From there it can launch the camera from a locked phone, control the zoom, and take pictures. Lanyard eyelet and a zoom ring around the shutter button With the case and grip attached, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra becomes a photography powerhouse! It's very easy to fall into a rhythm of waking up the phone and moving between the different cameras using just your index finger. Taking the phone out of your pocket by grabbing the grip is very convenient too. If you want to take your imaging further, twist on the 67mm filter adapter on the back of the case. This is the most popular filter thread on the market and you'll get the widest selection of ND and circular polarizing filters around. We happened to have a CPL lying around and we attached it to the phone to take some photos. Using a filter on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra feels fully professional. And it's nearly impossible to twist the adapter off the phone's case. We found that the best use case for the Photography Kit is action shooting. It takes capturing your friends playing beach volleyball to a whole other level. Put the phone in either 3.2x or 5x, half-press to focus, and then wait for the ideal moment. Here are a few samples we shot with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra with the Photography Kit attached. Xiaomi 13 Ultra using the Photography kit Conclusion It's hard to find the Xiaomi 13 Ultra Photography Kit online. It seems your best option is to import it from China. Prices range from around $130 to nearly $300. It's a quality set of tools, but not amazing value for money. The joy we get from using such accessories with a phone may well make it worth it, however. It brings us back to a few years back when phone and accessory makers were more imaginative, more daring. Remember LG and Friends, those were some fun days. Now phones have become clinical tools. They perform a million tasks and they excel at most of them. Being great at photography is one of their key strengths. Using something like the Xiaomi Photography Kit can elevate one of the best phones around to a full-on professional tool. Brig. Gen. Michael Cruzs nomination as adjutant general of the Guam National Guard received an abundance of support during his confirmation hearing on Friday at the Legislature. Cruz is a surgeon, a former senator and a former lieutenant governor. Hes a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, and a recipient of the prestigious Bronze Star Medal and a Combat Medical Badge. Dr. Hoa Nguyen, a physician and veteran with 22 years of service in the Air Force, said Cruz exceeds qualifications to lead the Guam National Guard. Its so important that we have a highly qualified (person) to represent Guam in both the Air and Army National Guard. I cannot even imagine anyone more qualified than Dr. Mike Cruz, said Nguyen, whos also had experience as a state surgeon for the National Guard. Col. Sheila Compton-Rivo, the chief of joint staff of the Guam National Guard, said her military career of 21 years has always been under Cruzs leadership. He has been a constant guide and remains steadfast in providing me sound advice and support in my military career, Compton-Rivo said. He is a seasoned leader, excellent mentor, trusted advisor, and most importantly, a sincere friend. Gen. Cruz brings a wealth of knowledge and broad perspectives from various facets of his life. Compton-Rivo added that Cruz truly understands the impact of defending Guam with his experiences as a surgeon and formerly, lieutenant governor and senator. His view of the world is seen through a multitude of lenses. This complex view provides him the necessary fortitude to lead the Guam National Guard and the defense of Guam and the Marianas, added Compton-Rivo. Gen. Cruzs belief and desire to proactively build strong relationships among all our military partners enhances our ability to respond effectively to the existential threat to our people and our island. Former Sen. Fernando Esteves also testified in support of Cruz, citing his leadership qualities and empathy. These textbook leadership traits are only truly gained and made effective with time. Cruz is a leader who values those around him, Esteves said. He respects competency over status and ability over stature. Enhance federal relationship When asked about his plans for Guams defense efforts, Cruz noted that Guams interests and needs must remain aligned. The needs and interests of our people, our environment, our oceans and our traditions have to balance with the needs of the nation itself, Cruz told senators. We need to have a say in our future. Cruz added that the needs of the nations defense still must consider Guams environment and sustainability. We need to make sure that its not just about missiles, bullets and tanks, but its about how we best provide for the environment and the future of our people, Cruz said. What we enjoy today is just being borrowed for a short period of time. Weve lived on these islands for 4,000 years. We should expect that we are going to live here for the next 4,000 and beyond. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero nominated Cruz in March. He took command of the Guam National Guard on March 1 while awaiting legislative confirmation. Cruz also served as medical director of Guam Memorial Hospital, as president and CEO of Guam Regional Medical City, and president and co-founder of Ayuda Foundation. A new report released by the Office of Public Accountability raised concerns about the Guam Visitors Bureaus use of more than $352,000 in federal funds in connection with celebrating Guams 78th Liberation Day, noting that those activities do not seem to be eligible for the use of COVID-19 pandemic recovery funds. This concern was contained in an independent audit of GVBs financials for fiscal 2022. OPA contracted independent auditors Ernst & Young LLP to perform the audit. Disbursements totaling $352,815 were made to a provider of full-service marketing, advertising, and public relations services for Guams 78th Liberation Festivities, including the construction of GVBs parade float, broadcasting, and trophies, OPA said in releasing the report. Such activities do not appear to satisfy the eligible use of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, OPA said, citing the report. GVB Vice President Gerry Perez, in a Sept. 26 letter to the independent auditors, said the tourism bureau has obligated, expended, received and used public funds in accordance with the purpose for which such funds have been appropriated or authorized by Guam or federal law. Perez also said these are in accordance with any limitations, conditions or mandatory directions imposed by Guam or federal law. In his letter, Perez also noted GVBs disclosure to independent auditors of the results of the bureaus assessment of the risk that the financial statements may be materially misstated as a result of fraud. We have disclosed to you all significant facts relating to any frauds or suspected frauds, or allegations of fraud unknown to us that may have affected GVB regardless of the source or form and including without limitation, allegations by whistleblowers, whether involving management or employees who have significant roles in internal control, Perez wrote. Clean audit Overall, the independent auditors issued an unmodified, or clean, opinion on GVBs financial statements. However, the report on compliance identified material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting, in addition to the significant deficiency in internal control over major federal programs. Specifically, the report described a significant deficiency related to GVBs noncompliance with applicable activities allowed or unallowed requirements under the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Material weaknesses identified in the report on internal control over financial reporting are: GVB did not implement a process, policy, or procedure to determine complete disclosures of related party transactions; and GVB did not perform account reconciliations with the Government of Guam before the fiscal year-end, resulting in overstatements which were resolved nine months after the fiscal year-end. The one significant deficiency found in internal control over financial reporting is that GVB is in noncompliance with required board approvals for travel expenditures and purchase orders in excess of $24,999, OPA said, citing the report. Starting in June last year, based on a review of separate GVB reports to the Legislature, GVB paid for multiple trips of mayors, vice mayors and senators to the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan. The bureau paid for airline tickets and daily allowance. The trips happened during the time when the GVB board suspended all meetings, and all trips were decided by the management. The government of Guams budget laws for fiscal 2022 and 2023 prohibit government-funded travel. While GVB is allowed to travel to promote tourism on Guam, there are restrictions. The travel should be paid for by the Tourist Attraction Fund and is restricted to the GVB general manager or his designee and appropriate GVB staff and cultural performers, as identified by the board as necessary to accomplish the goal of the travel. Financials GVB closed fiscal 2022 with an increase in its net position of $1.1 million, from a cumulative net position of $7.7 million in 2021 to $8.8 million in 2022, the report said. Arrivals to Guam have been recovering, although it could still take a while to reach pre-pandemic levels. The bureaus total revenues increased by 261%, from $6 million in 2021 to $21.5 million in 2022. GVBs cash balance increased significantly in 2022 due to receiving federal grants such as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Its total operating expenses increased by $12.1 million or 145%, from $8.3 million in 2021 to $20.4 million in 2022. The report said GVB concentrated much of its budget on marketing initiatives and destination development projects. It said 72% of operating expenses were for professional services, which increased by 274% from $3.9 million in 2021 to $14.6 million in 2022. The purpose was to revitalize Guams tourism economy and prepare the island for the resumption of international travel. These marketing initiatives included raising awareness through various media platforms, digital campaigns, and engagement in tourism fairs across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. GVB also initiated projects involving capital improvements and consistent, effective maintenance. A new report released by the Office of Public Accountability raised concerns about the Guam Visitors Bureaus use of more than $352,000 in federal funds in connection with celebrating Guams 78th Liberation Day, noting that those activities do not seem to be eligible for the use of COVID-19 pandemic recovery funds. This concern was contained in an independent audit of GVBs financials for fiscal 2022. OPA contracted independent auditors Ernst & Young LLP to perform the audit. Disbursements totaling $352,815 were made to a provider of full-service marketing, advertising, and public relations services for Guams 78th Liberation Festivities, including the construction of GVBs parade float, broadcasting, and trophies, OPA said in releasing the report. Such activities do not appear to satisfy the eligible use of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, OPA said, citing the report. GVB Vice President Gerry Perez, in a Sept. 26 letter to the independent auditors, said the tourism bureau has obligated, expended, received and used public funds in accordance with the purpose for which such funds have been appropriated or authorized by Guam or federal law. Perez also said these are in accordance with any limitations, conditions or mandatory directions imposed by Guam or federal law. In his letter, Perez also noted GVBs disclosure to independent auditors of the results of the bureaus assessment of the risk that the financial statements may be materially misstated as a result of fraud. We have disclosed to you all significant facts relating to any frauds or suspected frauds, or allegations of fraud unknown to us that may have affected GVB regardless of the source or form and including without limitation, allegations by whistleblowers, whether involving management or employees who have significant roles in internal control, Perez wrote. Clean audit Overall, the independent auditors issued an unmodified, or clean, opinion on GVBs financial statements. However, the report on compliance identified material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting, in addition to the significant deficiency in internal control over major federal programs. Specifically, the report described a significant deficiency related to GVBs noncompliance with applicable activities allowed or unallowed requirements under the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. Material weaknesses identified in the report on internal control over financial reporting are: GVB did not implement a process, policy, or procedure to determine complete disclosures of related party transactions; and GVB did not perform account reconciliations with the Government of Guam before the fiscal year-end, resulting in overstatements which were resolved nine months after the fiscal year-end. The one significant deficiency found in internal control over financial reporting is that GVB is in noncompliance with required board approvals for travel expenditures and purchase orders in excess of $24,999, OPA said, citing the report. Starting in June last year, based on a review of separate GVB reports to the Legislature, GVB paid for multiple trips of mayors, vice mayors and senators to the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan. The bureau paid for airline tickets and daily allowance. The trips happened during the time when the GVB board suspended all meetings, and all trips were decided by the management. The government of Guams budget laws for fiscal 2022 and 2023 prohibit government-funded travel. While GVB is allowed to travel to promote tourism on Guam, there are restrictions. The travel should be paid for by the Tourist Attraction Fund and is restricted to the GVB general manager or his designee and appropriate GVB staff and cultural performers, as identified by the board as necessary to accomplish the goal of the travel. Financials GVB closed fiscal 2022 with an increase in its net position of $1.1 million, from a cumulative net position of $7.7 million in 2021 to $8.8 million in 2022, the report said. Arrivals to Guam have been recovering, although it could still take a while to reach pre-pandemic levels. The bureaus total revenues increased by 261%, from $6 million in 2021 to $21.5 million in 2022. GVBs cash balance increased significantly in 2022 due to receiving federal grants such as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Its total operating expenses increased by $12.1 million or 145%, from $8.3 million in 2021 to $20.4 million in 2022. The report said GVB concentrated much of its budget on marketing initiatives and destination development projects. It said 72% of operating expenses were for professional services, which increased by 274% from $3.9 million in 2021 to $14.6 million in 2022. The purpose was to revitalize Guams tourism economy and prepare the island for the resumption of international travel. These marketing initiatives included raising awareness through various media platforms, digital campaigns, and engagement in tourism fairs across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. GVB also initiated projects involving capital improvements and consistent, effective maintenance. No furloughs, delayed paychecks and agency closures on Guam and the rest of the nation with the signing of Congress last-minute, short-term spending resolution, averting an Oct. 1 federal government shutdown. It would have taken effect at 2 p.m. Sunday, Guam time, and active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay, among other things. The rushed spending measure would maintain the current federal government funding for about 45 days or until Nov. 17. Del. James Moylan said the 45-day stopgap measure provides the House the additional time to deliberate and pass the eight remaining appropriation measures for the federal government. The House of Representatives passed the continuing resolution or temporary funding measure Saturday afternoon, and the Senate passed it with just hours to spare. President Joe Biden signed the stopgap funding bill late Saturday night, right before the midnight deadline. It capped a chaotic few days and weeks in Congress. The temporary spending measure removed aid to Ukraine but raised federal disaster assistance by $16 billion. While some Democrats expressed their disappointment in not having funding for Ukraine in todays measure, it was articulated throughout the morning that the priority needs to be the U.S. federal government prior to foreign governments, Moylan, the second Republican to represent Guam in Congress since 1972, said in a statement after the House passage of H.R. 5860 by a vote of 335-91. When the House failed to pass an earlier measure on Friday, Moylan said a federal government shutdown was inevitable. The House reversed course on Saturday and sent the latest stopgap measure to the Senate. Moylan said if enacted, the federal funding provided to Guam, including compensation for servicemembers, will remain intact. Those federal services which would have been either delayed or postponed due to employees or programs being deemed as non-essential, would remain status quo. We are now awaiting the decision of the Senate. This is a clean (continuing resolution) with the replenishment of the disaster relief fund, hence there is some optimism. But we shall see, Moylan said. One of those measures passed late Thursday night was the House Appropriations Defense bill, which included Moylans amendment to increase the funding of the Guam Missile Defense by an additional $100 million. Prior to the end of the federal government shutdown threat, the government of Guam was already working on shutdown plans. Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros director of communications, Krystal Paco-San Agustin, on Sunday sent a statement outlining the GovGuam plan. Under the plan, the Department of Administration will continue to process payroll for GovGuam employees potentially affected by a federal shutdown for the first pay period of the fiscal year, which begins after the shutdown, should it occur. The current pay period, which ends Saturday, Oct. 7, will also be processed. Most federally funded employees and programs throughout Guam are considered essential and funds will continue to flow, Paco-San Agustin said. These include Medicaid and other federally funded health and welfare programs. The U.S. Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service has the authority to continue to fund mandated programs and the locally incurred administrative costs associated with such programs. Staffing and therefore, response by federal agency employees may be affected, she said. Biden, in a statement from the White House on the stopgap bill signing, said the bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans. This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people, the president said in a statement. But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. Guam has so far seen more traffic fatalities in just the first nine months of this year compared to the whole of 2022. The Department of Public Works' Office of Highway Safety is reminding motorists to be careful on the road. At 2:30 p.m. Oct 6, a proclamation will be signed designating October as Pedestrian Safety Month. The Guam Police Department said as of the last week of September, there have been 19 serious traffic crashes and 23 fatalities, while DPW said there have been 22 traffic fatalities, with eight pedestrians, including one bicyclist. In 2022, there were 14 traffic fatalities, including five pedestrians, DPW said. In 2021, there were 16 traffic fatalities, and three were pedestrians, the department added. DPW said pedestrian deaths have been increasing across the nation and on Guam, and is reminding motorists to be careful. The department is joining National Highway Traffic Safety Administration efforts to improve and raise awareness about pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, according to Public Works Director Vincent Arriola. Pedestrian Safety is everyones responsibility. Drivers and Pedestrians, Arriola said in the release. Drivers, please drive safely, watch for pedestrians and be aware of all who share the road. Pedestrians, please use crosswalks wherever available, stop and look left, right, and left before crossing the street. Eyes up, phone down. In a news release about pedestrian safety, Arriola said Guam has 211 crosswalks on 91 roadway intersections, on both primary and secondary roadways. Marine Corps Drive, Route 1, has 35 main intersections with 80 designated crosswalks with pedestrian safety signals. Drivers are required to yield to pedestrians at marked crosswalks and unmarked crosswalks at intersections. If pedestrians are crossing a road at places where there are no marked crosswalks or intersections, they have to yield to vehicles. And pedestrians are not allowed to jaywalk, defined as crossing the street between two adjacent intersections that have traffic control signals or a police officer directing traffic. Dave Lotz is a vocal advocate for protecting Guams unique heritage, a knowledgeable and long-time hiking enthusiast and environmental advocate, and critic of inept government. He has been a resident of Guam since 1970 and retired from the Guam Department of Parks and Recreation, Andersen AFB Environmental Flight and the National Park Service. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government has announced a new accommodation assistance program for the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the relief project on Facebook. A monthly 40,000 drams will be provided per each person for covering the accommodation expenses, plus an additional 10,000 drams per each person for all utility expenses. This program will be launched October 1 for at least 6 months. All forcibly displaced persons, regardless of age, will be beneficiaries of the program, PM Pashinyan said. The program will not cover only the families who have an apartment in Armenia, as well as the persons who reside in special care centers and are unable to rent an apartment. The previously announced financial support program, whereby each forcibly displaced person from NK will receive a one-time payment of 100,000 drams, will start next week. The issues of our forcibly displaced brothers and sisters from Nagorno-Karabakh will continuously remain in our focus, the Prime Minister said. Haiti - News : Zapping... Closure of borders, help for businesses ? Ricardin St-Jean, Minister of Trade and Industry, says that the Government plans to provide assistance to companies that produce certain goods imported from the Dominican Republic in order to strengthen their production capacity to compensate for the scarcity of these products on the local market. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40616-haiti-economy-the-ministry-meets-the-haitian-chambers-of-commerce-on-the-border-conflict.html Haitian stars for the construction of the Canal The athletes Melchie Dumornay alias "Corventina" and Duckens Nazon, the Star Wyclef Jean and the musical group Klass have joined the list of personalities supporting the construction of the irrigation canal in Haiti, the subject of a conflict with the Dominican Republic... 2,439 people killed by gangs 2,439 people were killed in armed gang violence between January 1 and August 15, 2023, according to a new report from the United Nations (UN). 902 people injured and 951 others kidnapped were also recorded during this same period. Youth Peace Forum More than 1,000 young people of gender parity, from the ten departments of the national territory, will give their opinion, from October 2 to 10, during the "Youth Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development in Haiti" to put in place the foundations of a peace infrastructure in Haiti. Opening of the judicial year The Superior Council of the Judicial Power (CSPJ) announces the official opening of the judicial year on Monday October 1st, 2023. The CSPJ urges all court officials to take all necessary measures to ensure the resumption of the distribution of judicial services in the country. New President of Port-au-Prince lawyers Election Friday of Me Patrick Pierre-Louis as the new president of lawyers of Port-au-Prince. He won the elections with 215 votes against his competitors Me Patrick Laurent (171 votes) and Me Aunondieu Geste (25 votes). Me Jacquenet Oxilus had withdrawn at the last minute. HL/ HaitiFree By Aisha Adnan | Published on 2023/09/30 The year 2023 has brought an array of K-dramas that we loved. Every month we had something exciting to see. September has been no less. We got to see many K-dramas air this month, dramas like "A Time Called You", "The Escape of the Seven", "Moving" and so many more. Advertisement Yet. September is not going to bid us farewell just like that! It has brought a new list of K-dramas to join as we jump into the next month. Prepare yourself for more comedy, romance and action! Here are 3 K-dramas to tune in before October. "Twinkling Watermelon" Release date: 25th September 2023 Staring: Choi Hyun-wook, Seol In-ah, Ryeoun and Shin Eun-soo Genre: Science fiction, comedy, romance Synopsis: "Twinkling Watermelon"tells the story of Eun-gyeol (Ryeoun), a child born to deaf parents but can hear sounds. He is the only one blessed with the ability, and so, he becomes a bridge between the silent world of his family and the soundful world. Eun-gyeol became passionate about music at a young age but little did he know the magic it held. He, unknowingly, travels back in time to 1995 a where he meets his parents again...but as teenagers! Where to Watch Powered by JustWatch "Song of the Bandits" Release date: 22nd September Starring: Kim Nam-gil, Seohyun and Lee Hyun-wook-I Genre: Historical, Action, Melodrama Synopsis: "Song of the Bandits" is a story set in the Japanese colonial period. Many Koreans began to go to Gando, a lawless land in China. Kim Nam-gil plays the role of Lee Yoon, who served in the Japanese military, but the consequences make him head to Gando. There he meets Nam Hee-shin (Seohyun), who is an undercover section chief in the railway bureau of the Japanese government. The two find more people like them and join forces. A group of bandits comes together to fight against the Japanese army for South Korea's independence. And they are ready to do anything for their loved ones. Where to Watch Powered by JustWatch "The Worst of Evil" Release date: 27th September 2023 Starring: Ji Chang-wook, Wi Ha-jun, Woo Kang-min and BIBI. Genre: Crime, Action Synopsis: Set in 1990, Seoul, "The Worst of Evil" tells the story of Park Joo-man (Ji Chang-wook). Park Joo-man is a man with nothing too loose, despite the pain in his past. he strives for success. He takes on a dangerous mission to investigate the Gangnam Alliance and the triangular drug trade between South Korea, China and Japan. Where to Watch Powered by JustWatch By Aisha Adnan By William Schwartz | Published on 2023/09/30 The 28th iteration of the Busan International Film Festival will get underway this coming October 4th. International guests such as Hirokazu Koreeda are expecting to appear the festival, which feature 209 films from 69 countries among its selections, with another 60 films appearing via Community BIFF. Lee Je-hoon and Park Eun-bin will be emceeing the opening ceremony, which will spotlight "Because I Hate Korea" from writer/director Jang Kun-jae as the festival's first selection. Advertisement Other celebrities confirmed for official festival appearances include Youn Yuh-jung, Han Hyo-joo, Song Joong-ki, and John Cho, who will be having special talks with audiences in Busan about their careers. Song Joong-ki will also be appearing in "Hopeless" which will premiere at Busan slightly ahead of its October 11th release date in South Korea at large. The Netflix projects "Ballerina" and "Believer 2" will also see early appearances at Busan. Series appearing on-screen at Busan include "The Perfect Deal" from wavve and "Vigilante" from Disney Plus. "Running Mate" and "A Bloody Lucky Day" will appear ahead of their streaming on TVING, as will "LTNS" which is more comedically inclined. Attention will also be paid to the best new actors in the industry, a contest to be judged this year by Jung Woo and Han Ye-ri. Lastly, Hong Kyung and Go Min-si will emcee the closing ceremony. Written by William Schwartz Travelers passing through Helsinki Airport on Thursday, October 5, should brace for potential delays as the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) plans a walkout from 1:30 to 2:00 pm. The demonstration, aimed at opposing what the union deems "unreasonable misery" imposed on the workforce by the government's policies, is expected to impact security checks for half an hour. JHL President Paivi Niemi-Laine explained that the walkout was a response to the government's plans to introduce employment reforms that could make it easier to terminate contracts and increase the prevalence of fixed-term employment relationships. Niemi-Laine condemned what she referred to as the "constant humiliation of employees" and criticized the government for not heeding the demands of the workforce. "The Orpo Government is going to punish employees by making it easier to fire people and make use of fixed-term employment relationships. We do not accept the constant humiliation of employees," stated Niemi-Laine. The walkout is part of a series of political demonstrations initiated by JHL in protest against the government's policies. The union has expressed willingness to negotiate openly on working life reforms. However, they claim that the government is imposing changes without consultation, compelling the unions to take stronger measures. "The government is going to cement a system in Finland in which essential professionals like childrens nurses, registered nurses, and elderly care professionals will never be lifted out of the pay gap. This is unfair and makes no sense," Niemi-Laine remarked, emphasizing the impact on crucial sectors like social welfare and healthcare where labor shortages are already critical. While the disruption may cause inconvenience to travelers, JHL assures that their actions are legal political demonstrations. The union has stated that if the government does not reconsider its policies, similar protests are likely to continue in the coming weeks. Travelers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly to accommodate potential delays during the specified timeframe. HT Jailed: Xhuljan Shehu (National Crime Agency) An Albanian drug dealer who used a north London flat to supply more than one million pounds worth of cocaine in just four months has been jailed for 11 years and three months. Xhuljan Shehu, 30, was caught after detectives managed to match up a RightMove ad to pictures of his flat in Whittington Way, Pinner, where he masterminded the importing and distribution of cocaine using encrypted communications platform EncroChat. Jurors at Isleworth Crown Court heard how Shehu supplied 30 kilos of cocaine to be sold in the Belgian cities of Anvers and Brussels, with the cash laundered in Albania and the Netherlands. Images of Albanian-language programme taken inside the flat was among evidence against Shehu (National Crime Agency) NCA officers arrested Shehu at an address in High Street, Uxbridge, on November 24, 2021. He had used a fraudulent Greek passport to secure the tenancy on the Pinner flat, in an attempt to disguise his drug dealing identity. A bank card in the same name was found in his wallet. When interviewed, Shehu denied owning an EncroChat phone or having any involvement in drug dealing, instead claiming that he worked in construction and was studying part-time for a degree. He claimed to have no knowledge of the Pinner flat and said he only lived in Uxbridge. But detectives found a photo on his phone of an Albanian-language TV programme taken inside the Pinner flat, which also contained other photos of drugs and cash taken inside the same flat. Property fixtures and fittings from the photos were matched with a Right Move rental advert for the flat. Cocaine supplied by Xhuljan Shehu (National Crime Agency) Detectives trawled through Shehus 20,902 EncroChat messages, posted under the name Maidenram, which revealed hed had conversations with other handles and sent instructions about checking drug quality and deals. Shehu also delivered some of the drugs in person and helped to count cash profits. The terms loaf, pieces and bread are mentioned 204, 47 and 23 times respectively in the messages - slang used in drug deals. He also discussed using his ill-gotten gains to buy property in Albania worth 2 million. Story continues National Crime Agency Branch Commander Matt McMillan said: There is no doubt that Xhuljan Shehu was involved in every stage of the drug supply chain. The crucial evidence my officers painstakingly gathered from his phone was indisputable, and the only option left open to him was to plead guilty. The class A drugs trade is inextricably linked to gang violence and real suffering across the UK. The NCA works with partners at home and abroad to combat drug trafficking, and well continue to stop people like Xhuljan Shehu in their tracks. sfeeha meat pies - Azra H/Shutterstock If the mood for a savory pastry has struck you, and you're scouring the internet for some tasty morsel to satisfy your cravings, you have arrived at your destination. Sfeeha is the Lebanese meat pie you didn't know you were missing. In Lebanon, you'll find sfeeha at bakeries all over, which the locals flock to for their morning meat pie. You can also find them included with some mezze platters, which are collections of small plates that are put together as an appetizer or a light meal. Sometimes enclosed like an empanada (which historians say was inspired by sfeeha) and sometimes open-faced like a pumpkin pie, sfeeha are traditionally made with lamb, but beef is sometimes substituted or added in combination with the lamb. In traditional Lebanese bakeries (called foren), sfeeha will be made in the shape of a square with the corners pinched up to almost resemble a star and with an open top for the filling to show through. Other countries in the Middle East have their own spin on it, such as the Turkish lahmacun, but sfeeha are almost always associated with Lebanon. Read more: Tips You Need When Cooking With Ground Beef The History And Culture Of Sfeeha lebanese sfeeha meat pies with lemon - Stanislav71/Shutterstock Sfeeha is to the Lebanese what pizza is to Americans, which is to say delicious, ubiquitous, and not all that healthy, but nobody cares. No one knows for certain where sfeeha originated, but it is without a doubt a Middle Eastern dish that's closely associated with the Lebanese city of Baalbek. Commonly associated with celebrations and family gatherings, sfeeha brings up feelings of family, community, and hospitality. Some Lebanese bakeries will cook sfeeha on a saaj, which resembles an open-faced grill with a dome on top where you set the sfeeha to cook. When sfeeha are cooked on a saaj, they resemble flatbread meat pies more than pastries since the dough isn't pinched up in any way. Sfeeha are sometimes served as a main dish, often with a side of plain yogurt, but they're also included in mezze platters as an appetizer. Sfeeha can be eaten as an after-school snack or as a side dish for dinner, too. In other words, Lebanese people can eat sfeeha whenever and wherever they get the chance. If that isn't a full-bellied vote of confidence, then what is? Story continues How Sfeeha Are Made Sfeeha on platter with lemon - Azra H/Shutterstock Ask twenty different people how they make sfeeha, and you'll get twenty different answers, but the differences betray a hidden strength. Sfeeha are made with lamb, beef, or a mixture of both. Many people choose to make the dough themselves since it isn't that hard, but others prefer to use store-bought puff pastry or pizza dough. Nearly all sfeeha will include diced onion and za'atar, which is the spice blend that gives sfeeha its distinctive Middle-Eastern flavor. Many recipes will also include diced tomato or tomato paste, and the differences begin to branch out from here. For a thicker consistency, tahini or yogurt can be added to the filling. For a bit of texture, pine nuts might be added. To help bring out the full potential of the flavors, cinnamon and allspice can be included. Home cooks familiar with sfeeha are likely to have a family recipe that stretches back through the generations. For those of you without a family sfeeha recipe, the internet is full of options to choose from. Pick one and never look back, or try out different versions to find your favorite. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Electric two-wheeler manufacturer mXmoto has introduced a new electric scooter in the Indian market, named mXv Eco. This addition complements the manufacturer's existing lineup, which includes the MX9 electric motorcycle. The brand is also in the process of developing a new electric cruiser motorcycle known as M16. The mXmoto mXv Eco is available in two variants, with the primary distinction being the battery pack and riding range. mXv Eco utilises a night LifePO4 Battery Pack(mXmoto) What is the range of mXv Eco? Regarding its battery specifications and range, the smaller battery pack offers a range of 80 km on a single charge, with a potential range of up to 100 km, Live Hindustan reported. What is the price of mXv Eco? Its price starts at 84,999 (ex-showroom). In contrast, the larger battery pack offers a range of 105 km, with a potential range of up to 120 km, priced at 94,999 (ex-showroom). Features of mXv Eco The mXv Eco utilizes a night LifePO4 Battery Pack, known for its intelligent overcharging prevention, and is equipped with a 3000-watt BLDC motor unit. Key features of the scooter include a TFT screen, onboard navigation, Bluetooth calling support, cruise control, reverse assist, LED lighting, and a self-diagnosis system. Additionally, the company offers front-disc brakes and contrast stitching. The scooter comes with an LED daytime running lamp, adaptive lighting, variable light intensity, and includes a rear top box as a complimentary accessory. Despite being an entry-level scooter, the mXv Eco boasts premium features such as a 6-inch TFT screen, a 3000-watt BLDC hub motor, and highly efficient regenerative braking. Thhe scooter will be available in 4 colour options Jet Black, Royal Blue, Garnet Red and Sacramento Green. It has 3 riding modes Eco, Comfort and Sport. mXmoto Managing Director Jendra Malhotra said that this sleek and powerful scooter is equipped with a LiFePO4 battery, renowned worldwide for its quality, efficiency, and performance. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The central government has exempted the export of 'Bangalore rose onion' from recently imposed duty, with a small rider. Centre exempts 'Bangalore rose onion' from export duty Also Read - Property prices in Bengaluru set to go up from today. Here is why Goods meant for export shall be allowed to be exported subject to the exporter furnishing a certificate from the Horticulture Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, certifying the item and quantity of Bangalore Rose Onion to be exported, the official notification from the Ministry of Finance said. The notification came into force with immediate effect. Bangalore rose onion is a variety of onion grown in and around Bengaluru in Karnataka. It got the coveted Geographical Indication tag in 2015. In August, the government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market till December 31, 2023. Earlier in the same month, the central government started releasing the staple vegetable from its buffer stock. The central government had earlier decided it would maintain 3 lakh tonne of onions in the 2023-24 season as buffer stock. In 2022-23, the government maintained 2.51 lakh tonne onion as buffer stock. Buffer stock is maintained to meet any exigencies and for price stabilisation, if rates go up significantly during the lean supply season. Rabi onion harvested during April - June accounts for 65 per cent of India's onion production and meets the consumer's demand till the Kharif crop is harvested in October-November. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kannada film actor Nagabhushan S S has been arrested, as a speeding car allegedly driven by him rammed into a couple, killing a 48-year-old woman, and critically injuring her 58-year-old husband, police said on Sunday. Kannada actor Nagabhushan. Also Read - Bengaluru man sues Apple India and service center, gets 1 lakh compensation: Report The incident occurred at Vasanthapura Main Road here on the night of September 30. According to the police, Prema S (48) and Krishna B (58) were walking on the footpath, when the accused, driving his car from Uttarahalli towards Konanakunte Cross, allegedly knocked them down, before crashing into an electric pole. They said he was driving the car in a "rash and negligent" manner. The severely injured couple were rushed to a private hospital. While the woman succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital, her husband is is undergoing treatment. The incident took place at Kumaraswamy layout traffic police limits here and the officials rushed to the spot and arrested Nagabhushan. The actor has featured in several movies, especially in comic roles. Police said a case has been registered and the car has been seized for further investigation. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amid the tussle over the Cauvery water sharing issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Congress MP P Chidambaram on Saturday said there is a commission to judge the issue and both States have to act on the Commission's decision. Congress leader P Chidambaram. (ANI) Also Read - Follow directive on release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, panel tells Karnataka "I am a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, so I can press the demands of Tamil Nadu, and the members of Parliament from Karnataka will also press the demands of Karnataka. There is a commission to judge this issue. Both states have to act on the Commission's decision," Chidambaram said. The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state. The CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. Earlier, the amount of water to be released was 5000 cusecs. Karnataka has cited a severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has accused its neighbour of lying to the nation about the supply of water. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the state government will file a review petition before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court on September 30, as the state does not have water and so cannot release it. Meanwhile, Farmers across Karnataka have been protesting since the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered the state to release 5000 cusecs of water to its neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, for 15 days, effective from September 13. The Naam Tamilar Katchi Party held protests in Madurai on Saturday, condemning the Congress-led Karnataka government over the Cauvery River water-sharing issue. NTK Party youth wing secretary Sattai Durai Murugan said, They are refusing to give Cauvery water as ordered by the court. If the Karnataka government does not release water to Tamil Nadu, a huge protest will be held under the leadership of the Naam Tamilar Katchi Party.The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state. The Supreme Court bench refused to interfere with the order of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to Karnataka on releasing 5,000 cusecs of water every day for now to Tamil Nadu. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Amid the resistance in his party to allying with the ruling AAP in Punjab, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Amritsar on Monday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (HT file) Recently, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was arrested in 2015 drug smuggling case. Khaira was arrested by the Jalalabad police on September 28 in the case registered under the NDPS Act. The arrest of the Bholath legislator has widened the rift between the Congress and the AAP in Punjab. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. Also Read: Khairas arrest escalates AAP-Cong rift in Punjab With both parties being members of the INDIA bloc, Congress leaders in Punjab had earlier indicated that they were against any kind of alliance with the ruling AAP in the state. Amritsar Congress leader Bhagwantpal Singh Sachar said, Rahul Gandhi will be coming to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. During the visit, he will also perform sewa (voluntary service) in the langar (community kitchen) there. This is a private visit and not a political one. As per sources, he will arrive in the holy city by air at 10 am. There is no other scheduled event of Rahul in Amritsar. He also asked very few Congress leaders to accompany him. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! A 22-year-old woman from Noida, who went to visit Sai Upvan city forest in Ghaziabad with her 23-year-old fiance, was allegedly sexually harassed for hours and subjected to extortion by three cops who were on duty at a police response vehicle (PRV) of the Ghaziabad police during an incident on September 16. The incident came to light when the woman underwent a series of ordeal and dialled the police emergency number for help. An FIR was registered on the basis of the woman's complaint as the suspects continued harassing her by way of phone calls and even visited her house after the incident. The incident came to light when the woman underwent a series of ordeal and dialled the police emergency number for help. The Ghaziabad police officers said that the call landed at the control room of the Delhi police and they forwarded the complaint to their counterparts in Ghaziabad. The couple, a woman from Noida and her fiance who had come to meet her from Bulandshahr, went for an outing together to Sai Upvan city forest on September 16. They were sitting together in Sai Upvan, which is adjacent to the Hindon River metro station and alongside the GT Road. The police identified the three suspects as constable Rakesh Kumar, Digambar Kumar a home guard, and, one other unidentified man who allegedly held the couple captive and harassed them for about three hours. Upon complaint, the three were booked under IPC sections 354a (1)(ii) for physical contact and advances involving explicit sexual overtures and demand for sexual favours, 323 for voluntarily causing hurt, 504 for intentional insult and 342 for wrongful confinement besides levying the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Kotwali police station on September 28. The police said that based on the investigation, they will also levy the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act if any of the suspects do not belong to the same category. It was around 12 noon when three men arrived on a PRV and started threatening us. They slapped my fiance and one of them demanded 10,000 for letting us go. We requested them with folded hands and even touched their feet but they did not budge. Later, Rakesh Kumar behaved badly and started forcing me to get physical with him. The third man also demanded 5.5 lakhs... We were held there for three hours during which the suspects repeatedly touched me inappropriately..., the woman said in the FIR. The harassment continued even after the couple was made to pay 1000 to the suspects through the woman's online wallet to let them off. The woman in the FIR said that Rakesh Kumar also called her on September 19 of which she has a call recording and they also visited her house on September 22 when they heard that she had given a complaint against them. The Ghaziabad police upon inquiry registered the FIR on September 28 and said that the three suspects were absconding. We registered an FIR after the incident of harassment came to light with the couple. Of the three men, Rakesh was identified as a police constable on PRV and has been suspended. The second one was identified as home guard and we have written to his department to initiate action. The third person will be identified soon. The three are absconding and we are trying to arrest them soon, said Nimish Patil, ACP (city 1). The ACP said that the woman initially did not report the incident for several days but later she dialled the police emergency number when the suspects continued troubling her. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON West Bengal governor C V Ananda Bose, who is the chancellor of all 31 state-run universities, appointed interim vice-chancellors (V-C) at six universities on Sunday, once again drawing the ire of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, which said that the appointments were done without consulting the administration. Former Sikkim DGP C M Ravindran (left) receiving the Karmayogi Excellence Award from Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose at Raj Bhawan on August 23. (File Photo) Among those appointed on Sunday is C M Ravindran, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, who served as director general of police (DGP), Sikkim, and was also a deputy director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Ravindran was made interim V-C at the University of North Bengal, education minister Bratya Basu told the media. We fail to understand how a governor can appoint people in this manner and how police officers can run universities, Basu said. On August 23, Ravindran was given the Governors Karmayogi Excellence Award at Raj Bhawan. Governors Karamyogi Excellence Award was bestowed upon Shri CM Ravindran, IPS Retd. by Honble Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose for his exemplary service to the nation and to the society. The award carries an amount of 1 lakh rupees along with the citation, the governor wrote on his official X handle on August 23. In July, Bose appointed another retired IPS officer, M Wahab, who served in Kerala, as acting V-C of Kolkatas Aliah University. The same month, Bose appointed retired chief justice of Karnataka high court, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, as acting V-C of Kolkatas Rabindra Bharati University. In September, Mukherjee was made acting V-C at Kolkatas prestigious Presidency University as well. Sundays appointments were made days after the Supreme Court heard a petition filed by the state and said a search committee must be formed to select permanent V-Cs. On September 27, the Supreme Court sought the names of eminent people from various fields for inclusion in the search committee. No Raj Bhawan official commented on Sundays appointments, which included acting V-Cs of Murshidabad University, Biswa Bangla University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University and Alipurduar University. The Educationists Forum, West Bengal, a pro-government body, expressed displeasure over Sundays appointments. Om Prakash Mishra, who earlier served as vice-chancellor of the University of North Bengal issued a statement on behalf of the forum, which described the appointments as open defiance of the power and authority of the Honble Supreme Court of India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the governor. As chancellor, it is the governor who appoints V-Cs and acting V-Cs. These are temporary appointments. He can use his discretion to select the incumbents, said Sukanta Majumdar, the BJPs state unit president who was earlier a professor of chemistry at a north Bengal college. Bengal has been witnessing an impasse in the higher education department since last year when the tenure of V-Cs at 29 universities ended. Their services were extended till May 31 this year and the government started the process of forming search committees to select new incumbents. On September 3, which too was a Sunday, the governor appointed acting V-Cs at 14 universities, bypassing the state. Although rules of the University Grants Commission (UGC) stipulate that only eminent professors with administrative experience can be appointed as V-Cs, there are no clearly laid guidelines on qualifications of acting V-Cs, academicians said. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! A British MP has sent a postcard to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, congratulating him for the changed perception of the state. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath (HT FILE) The British MP of Indian origin, Virendra Sharma, in his postcard, wrote, "Honorable Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you for achieving great successes in UP and bringing peace to the state". On this occasion, Shantanu presented his best-selling graphic novel, Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, as a gift to British MP Virendra Sharma. Each of his graphic novels contains a postcard to send a message to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. British MP Virendra Sharma wrote a message praising the UP CM. Speaking at the House of Commons, author Shantanu Gupta discussed the developmental journey of Uttar Pradesh. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created 'Brand India' across the world, because of which Indians are given more importance across the world today and Brand UP has become a strong brand across India. Shantanu further said that the same Uttar Pradesh, which was once known for anarchy, corruption and inefficient governance, is now a top investment destination under the Yogi government. In the ranking of Ease of Doing Business, UP has jumped from 14th place before 2017 to second position. The author also mentioned that Uttar Pradesh is currently ranked number 1 in the implementation of more than 40 schemes of the Central Government. Today, Uttar Pradesh is known for its achievements such as the Uttar Pradesh Expressway, new airports, 24-hour electricity, and a strong law and order situation. Shantanu also shared some fascinating conversations between himself and Yogi Adityanath's father, Anand Singh Bisht. The author told the participants in the British Parliament that during his research for the book, towards the end of his long interview with Anand Ji, Anand Ji revealed that a small blue one-and-a-half-room house in Panchur village was his only possession in life. This was all he could earn in his lifetime from the humble job of a forest guard. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! The Congresss cosying up to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) is being perceived as causing some unease among the INDIA alliances regional partners--the parties that primarily have OBCs among their core vote bank in their respective states. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav (HT FILE) For instance in Uttar Pradesh, which has an estimated over 40% to 45% OBC population, the Samajwadi Party (SP) was surprised at a sudden new posturing of the national party that had hitherto kept itself away from the OBC politics. So much so that SP national president Akhilesh Yadav, while responding to Congress speaking about OBCs and demanding caste census, said in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh a couple of days ago: Congress talking of caste census is nothing short of miracle in Indian politics. But as his remark sounded snide, Akhilesh quickly attempted to sound it as a complimentary one by adding: Nothing could give more joy than the fact that now the Congress talks of caste census and chose to tread the socialists path. While Akhilesh made the comments on Wednesday (September 27), senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pitched for the nationwide caste census in Chhattisgarh on Monday (September 25), saying the Indian government was being run by secretaries and cabinet secretaries and not by MPs or MLAs, and out of 90 of them (bureaucrats) in the Modi government, only three were from the OBCs. Both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will go to polls in the year-end. The Congress seems to have realised the value of OBCs in the country now. Otherwise, it was the party that was opposed to the Mandal, said professor Sudhir Panwar, a socialist thinker. The Mandal Commission or the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC) was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government led by Morarji Desai. The commission headed by BP Mandal had submitted its report in 1980. The National Front government led by VP Singh implemented it in 1990 giving 27% reservation in jobs to OBCs. The Congress government in between did not implement the commissions report. Professor Sudhir Panwar, however, dismissed that the Congresss overture to OBCs would bring any advantage or disadvantage to the post-Mandal political parties such as the Samajwadi Party or the Janata Dal (United). These parties have OBCs as their core vote and the leaders of these parties had struggled for the implementation of the Mandal commission report, while the Congress was against it, said Panwar. SP national spokesperson Ameeque Jamei said: It was socialist parties like the Samajwadi Party led by Mulayam Singh Yadav or the Samyukta Socialist Party led by Ram Manohar Lohia that got downtrodden women like Phoolan Devi (of UP) to the Parliament and Bhagwati Devi (of Bihar) to the Bihar assembly. SP is the original social justice party. The SP is not insecure about the Congress making OBC or caste census chorus. And socialists, be it Acharya Narendra Dev, Ram Manohar Lohia or and Mulayam, always tried to nudge the Congress towards socialism. Talking about heightened OBC politics and vote banks of political parties over the decades, Prof Panwar said: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was successful in capturing traditional voters of Congress-urban middle class and upper caste like Brahmin, Thakur, Kayastha etc in U.P. and a percentage of OBCs from Samajwadi Party...Akhilesh Yadav was successful in regaining its other backward caste votes from the BJP in 2022 assembly elections as was evident by a vote share of 32%. He further said, The success of the INDIA alliance in U.P. depends on the extent of success by the Congress in regaining its core voters from the BJP. Targeting the OBC votes by Congress may strengthen OBC-related demands but not in the increment of votes specifically in U.P. So the winning strategy of INDIA alliance needs to be crafted to target the traditional core voters of the Congress and regain them from the BJP, he added. Professor SK Dwivedi, a political analyst and former head, the political science department at Lucknow University, said: It is natural that the SP would have some discomfort if the Congress manages to capitalise on the OBCs. The two parties would benefit whenever they contest elections together as it would strengthen their OBC politics firepower but wheneverin the long runthey are not in alliance in an election, the Congresss engaging in OBC policies would harm the SP and will benefit the BJP. The Congress woke up late to the OBC politics. The BJP is already thickly into it. Former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Brijlal Khabri claims that soon after he took over the UPCC president, he had launched a statewide backward classes conference and campaign demanding a caste census. He said: What would happen in the long runwhich party would benefit or which one would be a loserdoesnt matter as of now. It is the need of the hour that all (opposition) parties should join hands and struggle for a common cause. We have to look at the challenges today. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Threats of jail time or fines have been renewed against former Qantas boss Alan Joyce. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw Threats of jail time or fines against former Qantas boss Alan Joyce should he fail to front up to a Senate inquiry have been renewed by Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie. In an interview on Sky News on Sunday, the inquirys chair and opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie reasserted her threat against Joyce if he refused to appear before a Senate probe into the federal governments controversial decision to block Qatar Airways from increasing its capacity into major east coast airports. It's not something the Senate does lightly or regularly, but that is the end penalty. You can be held in contempt and there can be either fines or jail terms attached to that finding of contempt, Senator McKenzie said. Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Senator Bridget McKenzie renewed her threat against former Qantas boss Alan Joyce. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman Senator McKenzie claimed Joyce was one of only three people alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Transport Minister Catherine King who could shed light on the governments decision to block Qatars bid to increase flight capacity to Australia. Joyce, who was asked to appear before the committee earlier this week but declined the invitation, citing personal obligations, will be summoned when he returns to Australia, Senator McKenzie said. If he appears, Senators are expected to press the former Qantas boss over his supposed conversations with King and Albanese over the decision that advantaged the national carrier over its major domestic rival, Virgin. Jail time as a result of the refusal to appear before a parliamentary inquiry is not without precedent. In the 1950s, two journalists were jailed for not adhering to a summons order. The committee has also taken the rare step of calling upon lower house minister Catherine King, who returns from leave on Monday, to front up to the inquiry. Alongside Joyce, Transport Minister Catherine King has been called upon to appear before the Senate inquiry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman You'd hope Ms King will take up the kind invitation of the committee to come and explain her decision, Senator McKenzie said. There is precedence for members of the House of Representatives fronting up to Senate inquiries and helping ... I've fronted up to a Senate inquiry. Story continues While King cannot be compelled to appear before the inquiry, Senator McKenzie said she had an obligation to Australians to explain the governments decisions. If you really believe in your decision, it's time now for the Minister to actually act on that and actually front up and answer these questions, she added. Senator McKenzie also defended the inquirys work amid accusations that it hadnt delivered results and was instead limited to theatrics. Weve had powerful evidence thus far and already gotten powerful results, she said. Youve seen Qantas apologise profusely and repeatedly its because of this inquiry. This inquiry would never have had to be set up here if the government answered simple questions in question time, produce documents for the Senate, or indeed was upfront with the Australian public with the reason they blocked the Qatar Airways flight request. A man succumbed to his injuries here on Sunday, a day after he was allegedly attacked by his neighbours whom he opposed for eve-teasing his daughter, police said. The incident took place in Rathgavan village under the Jawan police station. The incident took place in Rathgavan village under the Jawan police station area on Saturday when Salim's daughter was sweeping the roof of their house, they added. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. The girl found that some men on the terrace of their neighbouring house were taking her pictures and passing objectionable comments at her. Learning about the episode, Salim sent his son to the neighbouring house to look into the matter, the police said. Instead of apologising, the accused armed with lathis and sticks barged into Salim's house and started beating up the family members. They thrashed Salim severely, following which he was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, they added. The deceased's family members filed a police complaint accusing their neighbour Shahnawaz and two others, following which a case was registered, the police said. Circle officer Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal said that Shahnawaz has been arrested while a search is on for the remaining two. The body has been sent for postmortem, the CO said. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! The Assam government has decided to remove application of the contentious Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from four districts while extending it to four others for a period of six months. AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the Army to search, detain, arrest and even shoot if needed for maintenance of law and order in areas which are notified as disturbed. (Representative Image) Director general of police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh announced the decision during his address at a programme to celebrate the Assam Police Day in Guwahati on Sunday. For AFSPA to be enforced, the state government or Centre has to notify the same. From today, only four districts in the state will have AFSPA. They are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Charaideo, the DGP said while adding that four districts, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao have been removed from its purview. The banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), which has bases in neighbouring Mynamar, is still active in the four districts, where the legislation will continue to be enforced. AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the Army to search, detain, arrest and even shoot if needed for maintenance of law and order in areas which are notified as disturbed. AFSPA was first enforced across Assam in 1990 at the height of insurgency by ULFA. It has been extended every six months since then with some areas getting excluded after a review of the law and order situation on the ground. Last year in April, the Centre removed application of AFSPA from all areas in Assam except 9 districts and one sub-division in one district. In October last year, the purview of the legislation was further reduced to eight districts. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PRAYAGRAJ: The Jhunsi police unit arrested notorious looter Vijay Saroj following an encounter early on the Sunday morning. Vijay, a resident of Shivkuti area in Prayagraj, sustained a bullet wound to his leg during the crossfire. The 30-year-old has been admitted to the hospital for treatment, police said. Representative photo (HT Photo) DCP (city) Deepak Bhukar said SHO of Jhunsi police station inspector Upendra Pratap Singh and his team were on patrol when they received information about the presence of a looter at an isolated spot. The police team reached the spot and asked the suspect to surrender. However, the suspect opened fire on the police team and tried to escape. The police team also returned fire, resulting in a bullet injury to Vijays leg. A country-made pistol, some ammunition, looted jewelry, and a bike were seized from Vijay. Vijay had over a dozen cases of looting and other serious offenses lodged against him at different police stations in the district. The arrested looter has been admitted to the hospital, and an FIR is being lodged against him. He will be questioned further to ascertain his involvement in other cases of looting in the district, DCP added. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Bihar is witnessing an alarming rise in dengue cases, with 6,146 cases reported in September, the highest for the month in the last five years, according to the health department's data. As many as 416 cases were reported in Bihar on Friday. (Shutterstock Photo/ Representational image) The state had reported 6,421 cases this year, of which 6,146 were reported only in September, three times the 1,896 registered in September last year. As many as 416 cases were reported in the state on Friday, with Patna recording the most at 177, followed by Munger at 33, Saran (28), Bhagalpur (27) and Begusarai (17). According to the National Center for Vector Borne Disease Control of the Union Health Ministry, seven dengue deaths have been reported in Bihar till September 17 this year. As per the health department's data, a total of 13,972 cases were reported last year. As many as 295 people were undergoing treatment at 12 government hospitals till September 30, including 127 at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur, 39 at VIMS in Pawapuri and 28 at Patna Medical College and Hospital. Dr Manoj Kumar, a renowned medical practitioner in the state, told PTI, "There is no need to panic as dengue cases always increase during this season. Keeping homes and surroundings dry and clean and body-covered helps curb the spread of the disease. Mosquito repellants and nets must be used and all possible breeding sites should be detected and eliminated." Patna District Magistrate Chandrasekhar Singh said the administration is keeping a close watch on a daily basis and spraying and fogging are being conducted, while awareness camps on vector-borne diseases are also being organised. Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Animesh Kumar Parashar said the civic body has launched an extensive drive to check the increasing number of dengue cases in the city. "Chemical fogging is being carried out with the help of 140 vehicles and hand-held devices. We have constituted 375 teams for fogging operations. Residential premises that have reported dengue cases recently are regularly sanitised," he said. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) released the admit for the post of Data Entry Operator today, October 3. The written examination for the post of Data Entry Operator will be conducted on October 8. Once released, candidates can download the admit card for the Junior Engineer exam from the official website at jkssb.nic.in. Candidates will be able to download their Admit Cards from the website using their E-mail and Date of Birth. JKSSB announces release date for DEO admit card; download from October 3 Admit Cards for the candidates, whose examination is scheduled on 08-10-2023, shall be hosted on JKSSBs official website (www.jkssb.nic.in) w.e.f. 03-10-2023 to 08- 10-2023, reads the official notification. JKSSB DEO 2023 admit card: Know how to download Visit the official website at jkssb.nic.in On the homepage, click on the admit card link for the post of DEO Key in your login details Your JKSSB DEO admit card will be displayed on the screen Download and take print for future reference Take the printout for future reference. Candidates may call the JKSSB Help Desk at 0191-2461335 (Jammu) or 0194-2435089 (Srinagar) for assistance with downloading any issues relating to the admit card, or they may send an email to helpdesk.jkssb@gmail.com. Only from October 3, 2023, until October 8, 2023, will the Help Desk be operational. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Get latest news on Education along with updates on Board Exams and Competitive Exams at Hindustan Times. Also get latest Job updates on Employment News SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Aishwarya Rai travelled to France as she attended a Loreal event on the sidelines of the Paris Fashion Week. Taking to Instagram, Tasya Farasya shared several pictures with the actor. Aishwarya's niece Navya Naveli Nanda is also in Paris and shared pictures. (Also Read | Aishwarya Rai holds daughter Aaradhya Bachchan's hand tightly, poses for paparazzi as they fly out of Mumbai) Aishwarya Rai at a Paris event (L); Navya Naveli Nanda shared pictures on Instagram from the city. Aishwarya is in Paris In the photos, Aishwarya posed in a black outfit and matching boots as she stood in front of a Loreal banner, of which she is the brand ambassador. Tasya was also seen in a black dress. Aishwarya smiled and gave different expressions as she stood in front of the camera. In a clip, shared by fan account @Aishusforever on X (formerly Twitter), Aishwarya talked about the roles women play in life and how they multi-task. Navya also shares pics from Paris Navya is also in Paris and she too represented Loreal. On Instagram, she posted a bunch of pictures as she posed in front of the Eiffel Tower. She was seen in an off-shoulder blue dress as she smiled and gave different poses for the lens. Sharing the pictures, she simply wrote, "A night with @lorealparis." Aishwarya and Aaradhya flew out of Mumbai recently Aishwarya was spotted at the Mumbai airport on Friday night with her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. Several paparazzi were stationed outside the airport to catch glimpses of the mother-daughter duo. Aishwarya and Aaradhya looked stylish and comfy in their travel outfits. They both smiled for the cameras as they made their way to the airport. In one of the clips, shared on Instagram, Aishwarya expressed concern for the paparazzi who walked backwards to take her pictures. "Take care. Aap log girne waale ho (You are going to fall down)," she said. Last week, they made their appearance at businessman Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani-hosted Ganesh Chaturthi get-together at their residence in Antilia. About Aishwarya's projects Aishwarya was last seen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan 2. It is the sequel to the 2022 film. Besides Aishwarya, Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Parthiban, and Vikram Prabhu reprised their roles in the second installment. Actor Kamal Haasan lent his voice to the film's narration. The epic drama narrates the story of the Chola Dynasty. The film is an adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy's five-part novel series of the same name. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ileana D'Cruz shared a cute picture of her son Koa Phoenix Dolan as he turned two months old. On Sunday, Ileana took an adorable selfie with her baby boy Koa and posted it on her Instagram. Ileana welcomed her first child on August 1. (Also read: Ileana DCruz shares first pic with son Koi Phoenix Dolan, celebrates 'one week of being your mama'. See post) Ileana D'Cruz shared a sweet picture with her son on Instagram. Ileana's Instagram post Ileana chose a short caption to accompany with her sweet post. "2 months already," she wrote in the caption. In the picture, Ileana looked directly at the camera as she held baby Koa in her arms. He put his head on the actor's shoulders and looked ahead. Reacting to the cute picture, actor Malaika Arora commented with a red heart emoticon. Meanwhile, Nargis Fakhri commented with several heart eye smiley faces. Fan reactions Many fans of the actor also sent good wishes in the comments. A comment read, "God bless him and you with all the happiness and good health and bright future.." Another said, "Cute baby." A fan also said, "Seeing you after a long time, so sweet. In August, the Barfi! actor had shared the good news with her fans on Instagram revealing that she has named her first child Koa Phoenix Dolan. Ileana also gave a glimpse of her son. In the closeup picture, Koi Phoenix held Ileana's finger as she held his hand. The black and white photo was clicked indoors. Sharing the photo, Ileana wrote, "1 week of being your Mama (red heart emoji)." As per Bump.com, Koa means 'valiant one' or 'warrior'. Ileana on her pregnancy The actor had announced her pregnancy in April this year and shared photographs of her partner recently on social media. Ileana has been extremely tight-lipped about her personal life and revealed the man of her life-Michael Dolan, very recently. Earlier during her pregnancy, Ileana held an Ask Me Anything session on Instagram and answered fans' questions. A person had asked, What was your feeling when you heard the heartbeat of your baby for the first time? She had said, "One of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced. I can't even describe how overwhelmed I was. There were tears and happiness and so much relief and joy. A massive surge of love for a tiny seed that was going to be a full-grown baby soon." Ileana was last seen in the music video of rapper Badshah's song Sab Gazab. She was also part of The Big Bull, co-starring Abhishek Bachchan. Kookie Gulati directed the film and it was produced by Ajay Devgn. She will be next seen in Unfair And Lovely with Randeep Hooda. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The trailer for filmmaker Shyam Benegal's Mujib: The Making of a Nation was released on Sunday. Taking to its YouTube channel NFDC India, posted the nearly two-minute clip in which Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (played by Bangladeshi actor Arifin Shuvoo) led the nation in its fight for freedom in 1971. (Also Read | Shyam Benegal unveils poster of biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) Arifin Shuvoo as Mujibur Rahman in a still from Mujib The Making of a Nation trailer. Mujib trailer The trailer began with Mujibur Rahman disembarking from an aircraft and kissing the ground. He then went among the masses to make them understand the importance of the Bengali language. As Muhammad Ali Jinnah announced Urdu as the national language, Mujibur Rahman intensified his fight. Mujibur Rahman's personal life The trailer also gave a glimpse of Mujibur Rahman's personal life as he got married to Renu (played by Nusrat Imrose). A brief glimpse of his daughter, a young Sheikh Hasina (Nusrat Faria) was also seen in the trailer. Mujibur also met the former president of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (played by Rajit Kapur). The trailer also gave a peek at Mahatma Gandhi as he extended his support to the then east Pakistan. Bloodshed, war and revolution followed as Mujibur asked the people to fight for their freedom. About Mujib Mujib: The Making of a Nation is a collaboration between India's National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC). It will release on October 27. The upcoming biographical drama narrates the life story of Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh and later its prime minister who was assassinated with most of his family in 1975. It was screened at the 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) recently. The film also stars Chanchal Chowdhury, Riaz Ahmed, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Tauquir Ahmed, and a special appearance by Siam Ahmed. Arifin on playing titular role Arifin, who attended the TIFF screening, had said it was a great experience to view the film alongside the festival crowd. "The research, the detailing to look like Mujib is seen on screen. I may not be able to put it in words what a feeling it is to see the film with an audience. It is an honour to play Bangabandhu in this magnificent biopic and to be here to see the response myself. May Mujib continue to touch our hearts and inspire the world the way he always did," he had said as quoted by news agency PTI. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Truth Initiative recently launched an anti-vaping campaign under it's Toxic Therapy campaign, where SNL alum Chris Parnell voices the Evil Vape, a character he thinks is "friendly, but a little nasty. Truth Initiative recently launched an anti-vaping campaign under it's Toxic Therapy campaign, where SNL alum Chris Parnell voices the Evil Vape, a character he thinks is "friendly, but a little nasty. In a People exclusive the actor and comedian shared his views on his character's role and the initiative. Vaping or smoking through an electronic cigarette can cause breathing problems, organ damage, addiction and similar conditions, particularly detrimental for teens. Describing the character he has voiced Chris said: He does not have the best interests of the person in the session in mind. He sounds a lot like a real therapist, but a therapist with an agenda who's not entirely on the up-and-up. [Hes] kind of crafty and deceptive and [there's] nastiness there, too. He's friendly, but a little nasty. The SNL alum, 56, pointed out that teens vape as a way to cope with stress and anxiety, and they think it's going to help them, but but all the scientific evidence shows otherwise, shows that it's actually only going to make things worse. It's only going to make the stress and anxiety worse, it's going to make sleep worse. I'm personally a strong believer in talk therapy. I do that for myself, shared Chris adding that he would turn to theater and acting when he felt stressed. I'm just happy and grateful and honored, frankly, to be a part of [the campaign], said the Rick and Morty star. I've got two young sons and I certainly hope they never think about taking up smoking or vaping. According to the CDC, more than 2.5 million youth reported E-Cigarette use in 2022. It all comes down to nicotine addiction, says CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) When someone tries to leave the addiction, withdrawal symptoms can start to phase up. These "include irritability, restlessness, feeling anxious or depressed, trouble sleeping, problems concentrating, and craving nicotine, says the agency. People may keep using tobacco products to help relieve these symptoms. If and when one is able to quit the fatal addiction, they can experience "lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as improved positive mood and quality of life, says the CDC. Truth Initiative offers a texting crisis line that helps kids reach out to counsellors by texting HOME to 741741. Additionally, it offers a text-based program, where you can reach them at 88709 by texting DITCHVAPE. Brynn Whitfield, the new star of Real Housewives of New York, was kicked out of her small studio apartment on the Upper East Side in 2014 for failing to pay almost $7,000 in rent, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal. Brynn Whitfield attends Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New York City" premiere party at the Rainbow Room on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)(Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Court records obtained by the outlet show that the Bravo reality star rented the tiny apartment, which could barely fit a queen-sized bed, in 2013. The one-year lease expired and became month-to-month, but Brynn stopped paying rent, according to the documents. In August 2014, Brynn received an eviction notice, along with Jane and John Doe, who were purportedly her subtenants. ALSO READ| Power Couple Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny shine in a new Gucci campaign The rent had reached $2,500 a month when the Real Housewives of New York newcomer was served with the eviction papers, the documents show. The respondent continues to be in possession of the premise without the permission of the Petitioner-Landlord after the expiration of said term, the landlords attorney wrote. The documents indicate that Brynn purportedly had outstanding rent payments for July 2013, as well as for October, November, and December. The rent arrears continued to pile up in 2014 and remained unpaid in January and February, according to the documents. In October 2014, the landlord asked the court for a final judgment be entered against the respondent [Brynn and subtenants Jane and John Doe], issue a warrant of eviction to remove respondents from possession thereof, and that a judgment be issued for the rent arrears. Brynn lost the case and was ordered to pay her landlord for the unpaid rent. This was not the only time that the reality star faced financial troubles. As The U.S. Sun previously reported, she currently owes $30,000 in back taxes, despite showing off a lavish lifestyle on camera. In July, a Los Angeles County clerk verified that the newly minted Bravo star possesses an active state tax lien in California and an IRS lien within the state. According to a 2021 lien filed against her, The Real Housewives of New York star has an outstanding debt of $11,359 owed to California. She also has an IRS lien against her from 2019 for $16,487. ALSO READ| Oh WOW! react fans as BTS's Jungkook shares video of dance practice for 3D However, Brynn has tried to keep up with the wealthy image of the Real Housewives franchise. In a recent cast photo, she wore a shirt that looked like it was made of pearls. A dubious report claimed that she is worth $3 million, despite her apparent financial woes. She joined the cast of Real Housewives of New York as part of a major overhaul for Season 13. There were rumours that Abhishek Malhan didn't attend the Bigg Boss OTT 2 reunion party due to Elvish Yadav. Now, their co-contestant Bebika Dhurve has opened up about Abhishek giving the bash a miss to avoid meeting the Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner. In an interview to First India, Bebika was asked if it was true that Abhishek did not go for the party as Elvish was expected to be present. Also read: Abhishek Malhan reacts to Elvish Yadav winning Bigg Boss OTT 2, shares message for supporters Elvish Yadav and Abhishek Malhan on Bigg Boss OTT 2. Bebika on why Abhishek didn't attend party Bebika Dhurve told the portal in Hindi, "Haan. Jaisa ki maine party ki andar suna, logo ne yeh kaha ki Abhishek said Agar Elvish aayega toh main nahi aaunga. Yeh maine udti udti khabar suni toh maine socha phir itna ego (I heard people say at the party that Abhishek said that If Elvish comes, I wont come. I heard this and thought why have so much ego)? Reactions to her claim Bigg Boss OTT 2 first runner-up Abhishek Malhan and the winner Elvish Yadav's cold war has been grabbing attention since the grand finale in August. Reacting to Bebika's recent claims, an X (Twitter) user wrote, "Bebika is still living in Bigg Boss house it seems she is still doing the same things she was doing in the house." One more wrote, "She creates drama, wants attention." Some also asked Abhishek to 'grow up'. One tweeted, "Move on brother. Stop thinking like this." Fans of the two YouTubers also exchanged words as they reacted to Bebika's interview. A few claimed Elvish was the 'real winner' in real life too. Others said 'Abhishek prefers positive vibes' and therefore is avoiding Elvish and Bigg Boss OTT 2 contestants. About Bigg Boss OTT 2 Bigg Boss OTT 2 is the second season of the Indian reality series Bigg Boss OTT, which itself is the spin-off version of Bigg Boss. It premiered on June 17, 2023 on JioCinema with Salman Khan as the host. The grand finale of the show took place on 14 August, where Elvish Yadav emerged as the winner and Abhishek Malhan came second. Manisha Rani, Bebika and Pooja Bhatt were the runners-up after reaching the top 5. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The CBI and the Manipur Police on Sunday arrested six, including two minors, in connection with the killing of the two Meitei students which stoked fresh violence in Manipur. The two lovers were hacked to death during the peak of the Kuki versus Meitei violence in the northeastern state. The photo surfaced recently inviting renewed outrage over the situation in Manipur. On July 6, the 17-year-old girl eloped with the 20-year-old man but they got trapped in a Kuki area where they were killed. Fresh violence near chief minister N Biren Singh's house in Imphal after the photo of murdered Meitei couple surfaced. (AFP) The photo surfaced on social media months after the incident took place as there was an internet ban in the restive state which was was lifted on September 23. "I'm pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today," chief minister N Biren Singh posted on X after the six arrests. "As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law. We are committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, for the heinous crime they have committed," the CM announced. "Union home minister Amit Shah had sent the Special Director of CBI along with some senior officers to Manipur and today with the support of the Indian Army, Paramilitary forces, Assam Rifles and State Police, we have arrested 4 accused from Churachandpur in this case. This is a huge achievement. I want to thank NIA, CBI and all Central forces..." the chief minister said. The incident reignited protests in Manipur and a large number of students clashed with the police this week. CM N Biren Singh's ancestral house came under attack in the aftermath of the murder of the Meitei couple. The state government again suspended mobile internet till October 1 and schools were shut till September 29. Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday visited the family members of the two students. On Sunday, the internet ban was extended till October 6. When was the Meitei couple killed? According to reports, the Meitei couple was killed on July 6, two months after violence broke out in Manipur in May. Armed Kuki militants passing by the village spotted the couple, abducted them in a vehicle, and took them to an unknown destination before executing them, according to the Manipur Police report on the killings. The report said a group of Kuki village volunteers in Joupi village asked the couple to return to their area before they were abducted. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Poulomi Ghosh Poulomi Ghosh is a journalist with Hindustan Times, New Delhi. ...view detail [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru spinning, Delhi.(National) The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) run to one hundred volumes. Many years before I read these volumes, one by one, their Chief Editor, Professor K. Swaminathan, had satirised scholars like myself in verse: Hundred hefty haystacks Cluttering up the landscape Hold within their entrails hidden Half a dozen needles. Researchers of the future With fine-toothed combs And salaries to earn May perch on each pile, Attack it and ransack it And search, search, search For the passages that pin-point The message of these pages.... The Collected Works are indispensable to any scholar of Gandhi. In writing my own two-volume biography of the Mahatma, I found more than half a dozen nuggets in this capacious and lovingly curated collection. However, I knew from the beginning that I had to go much beyond this printed series of books. The Collected Works had all the known letters that Gandhi himself wrote; but virtually none of the letters that he received or responded to. Then there were the thousands of letters written about Gandhi by his contemporaries and critics, which I wanted to study as well. I knew, too, that the colonial state in South Africa and in India had kept a close tab on someone they considered a dangerous rebel, and one had to study these unpublished government records as well. Gandhis public career extended over 50 years what he did and said was minutely covered in newspapers large and small, metropolitan and provincial, and a biographer had to go find these reports, too. Searching for these traces of my subject took me to archives around India and the world. I made four separate trips to South Africa, where I worked in the Union Archives in Pretoria, a cold, grey, stone building constructed to keep people out. The surroundings were made more inhospitable by the lack of a cafe to eat lunch or drink coffee in. But I did find some useful material, including the jail record of Gandhis eldest son, Harilal, with his signature and fingerprints. The archive of the University of South Africa in Pretoria was housed in a less bleak building and had a more helpful staff. Here I found some letters (not in the CWMG) that Gandhi had exchanged with Joseph Doke, his Johannesburg friend and first biographer, and with Dokes daughter, Olive, to whom he was particularly attached (since he had only sons himself). A trip I particularly enjoyed was to Israel, tracking the papers of Gandhis best friend in South Africa, the Jewish architect, Hermann Kallenbach. These were in the possession of his grand-niece, Isa Sarid, who had settled in the port town of Haifa. Fortunately, a childhood friend, the writer-diplomat, Navtej Sarna, was then posted in Israel. I stayed with the Sarnas, in a suburb of Tel Aviv, and drove every day to Isa Sarids home in Haifa. The Kallenbach papers were in a separate room, where I would sit, taking notes (there was no photocopier in the house, and no market nearby). The materials were fascinating; the original sale deed of Tolstoy Farm, copies of Gandhi letters not in The Collected Works, letters to Kallenbach by some of Gandhis closest associates, and from all of Gandhis sons. I would take two breaks, one for tea, and a longer one, for lunch. Isa had followed her uncle and his mentor in being vegetarian, so this was mostly salads. At 88, she was all there, and entirely giving of her time, her materials, and her knowledge. Born in India, made in South Africa, Gandhi was deeply attached to the United Kingdom, and to the city of London in particular. He had been a law student in London between 1888 and 1891, and later made four extended visits to the city, in 1906, 1909, 1914, and 1931 respectively. Many decades later, I looked for Gandhi-related records in London, which were most abundantly available in the British Library (BL), and in its India Office collection in particular. Here were housed the papers of several Viceroys of India, among them Lord Irwin and Lord Mountbatten. The former were most useful in reconstructing the history of the Salt march I was amused to find Irwin write, for advice on how to deal with Gandhi, to the Archbishop of Canterbury the latter for understanding the causes and consequences of the Partition of India. I also raided here the papers of successive governors of the Bombay Presidency, who had to follow the activities of Gandhi most closely, since both the city of Ahmedabad where he lived from 1915 to 1930 and the prisons of Pune where he spent much time in the 1920s, the 1930s, and the 1940s fell in their jurisdiction. The source notes of the two volumes of my biography give details of the materials that I found in the dozens of different collections that I consulted in the British Library. Let me add one personal memory here. The BL contained a small collection of the papers of Henry Polak, a Jewish radical who had worked closely with Gandhi in South Africa. These included some letters from Gandhi to Polak that were not in The Collected Works, written shortly before he was arrested in the satyagraha of 1913. This was an exciting and important discovery; the problem was that they were handwritten, and Gandhis hand was, in all of its three languages, extremely hard to decipher. Reading these letters, I could not easily distinguish l from t and c from o. Fortunately, in the seat next to me was a young scholar who worked with medieval manuscripts in English, Hindi, Sanskrit, and Persian, and was thus particularly well equipped to make sense of strange handwriting. I asked her to come help me, and she did. Her name was Supriya Gandhi, daughter of Rajmohan of that ilk, and who was then doing a PhD at Harvard. So it was a great-grand-daughter of Gandhi who helped me decipher some rare, unpublished, letters written by Gandhi and now housed in the British Library. It was a juxtaposition which delighted me, and would surely have delighted Gandhi too. To find material on or around Gandhi I travelled once to Israel, several times to South Africa, and dozens of times to the United Kingdom. While in the United States on other work I also visited archives in that country: consulting the Peace Collection in Swarthmore College (where rested the papers of Gandhis Quaker friends), and studying the papers of his early biographer, Louis Fischer, split between the New York Public Library and Princeton University. To be sure, I had also to spend time in archives in Gandhis homeland. Searching for materials previous biographers had not bothered to look for, I found one key file in the Uttar Pradesh State Archives in Lucknow (on Gandhis famous speech in Banaras in 1916), a dozen key files in the Maharashtra State Archives in Mumbai (on Gandhis jail terms in Pune, and on Kasturbas last illness and death), and about 50 key files in the National Archives of India in New Delhi some in the private papers of Gandhis mentor, Gopal Krishna Gokhale; some in the Foreign and Political series dealing with princely states; but the majority in the Home (Political) series, these containing rich information on Gandhis three major all-India campaigns: the Non Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements. I also worked extensively in the Sabarmati ashram archives in Ahmedabad, which had the best collection of letters to Gandhi, as well as rare newspaper clippings related to his life and struggle. However, the archive in India, and the world, that gave me most material for my work was the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), in New Delhi. Here I scoured the papers of numerous individuals and organisations connected with Gandhi and the national movement; looked at microfilms of old newspapers and magazines; and raided oral history transcripts. An important discovery was a run of eight microfilms, each containing several hundred pages of material, from Government House in Durban, pertaining to the condition of Indians in South Africa in the years 1893-1914, and the perceptions (as well as misperceptions) of their major leader, Gandhi. These were obtained by the NMML back in the 1980s, when there was no absolutely no political or professional contact between India and South Africa. The papers had been microfilmed by an American scholar who had worked in Durban, and then returned with his booty to his University in California. Word of what he had reached the NMMLs outstanding Deputy Director Hari Dev Sharma, who arranged for copies of the microfilms to be bought and brought to New Delhi. Years later, it was also Hari Dev Sharma who persuaded Gandhis last secretary, Pyarelal, to donate the vast collection of papers in his custody to the NMML. But then Dev retired, and the papers lay for years in hundreds of sealed boxes, stored somewhere in the recesses of this great library. Fortunately, another remarkable public servant, Dr N Balakrishnan, then took over as Deputy Director, and immediately began to have them indexed, classified, and made open to scholars. This was supervised by Deepa Bhatnagar, a long-time NMML employee who was, at the time, perhaps the most accomplished archivist in India. What Pyarelal had once possessed was the largest collection of Gandhi Papers anywhere in the world. It was so colossal that it took a team of dedicated archivists four years to index it. They chose, wisely, to sort out the papers into two broad categories. The first half consists of Gandhis personal correspondence, organised alphabetically. Here we find his correspondence with his comrades from his South African days (such as the remarkable Jewish trio of Henry Polak, Hermann Kallenbach, and Sonja Schlesin); with his Indian associates (male as well as female, Hindu and Muslim) such as Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Vallabhbhai Patel, Sarojini Naidu, Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru, and J. B. Kripalani; with his European friends (among them the Quakers Horace Alexander and Muriel Lester); with his American admirers (such as the New York priest, John Haynes Holmes, who, as early as 1921, hailed Gandhi in a sermon as The greatest man in the world); with the British officials he dealt with (among them successive viceroys); with that great servant of princely India, Sir Mirza Ismail (Dewan of Mysore, Jaipur and Hyderabad); with his Indian antagonists and adversaries (such as the Dalit leader BR Ambedkar, the Hindu Mahasabha leader BS Moonje and the Muslim League leader, MA Jinnah); and with all kinds of unknown Indians. The second half of this printed index lists the Subject Files, a staggering 428 in all, each several hundred pages in extent. These are organised under the broad headings: Growth of Communalism and the Partition, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, All India Village Industries Association/Goseva Sangh and Other Rural Development Programmes, Harijan Sevak Sangh and Gandhijis Harijan Uplift Programmes. Under each of these subject headings, dozens of individual files are listed. Each provincial Congress Committee: Andhra, Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Bombay, Central Provinces, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madras, Mahahastra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, United Provinces, etc, has its own set of files, as do the important princely states such as Hyderabad and Kashmir. I was extraordinarily privileged to be the first biographer to be able to use this, the largest collection of Gandhis own papers. Yet generations of scholars yet unborn will have reason to be grateful to Dr Balakrishnan and his colleagues. For, Gandhis life and work touched every aspect of Indian life caste, gender, religion, technology, the economy, literature, nationalism and colonialism while he himself was the most important and controversial Indian of his time. The meticulous, detailed, indexing by Deepa Bhatnagar and her team makes this massive hoard a million pages and counting much easier to use by researchers. Whether one is working on a biography of Ambedkar, Patel, Rajagopalachari or Sarojini Naidu; whether one is examining the assertion of Hindu-Muslim unity in the 1920s or the growth of Hindu-Muslim conflict in 1940s; whether one is interested in the social history of caste or in the political history of colonialism this magnificent index allows the scholar to locate those materials that may be central, relevant or marginal to her research. I made thousands of new discoveries in these papersdiscoveries that were trivial, not-so-trivial, somewhat significant and massively important. However, what these newly opened Gandhi Papers gave me most of all was the sense that the second most important person in Indias freedom movement was not Patel, or Nehru, or Rajaji. It was Gandhis remarkable secretary, Mahadev Desai, who, depending on the circumstance and the challenge, served as Gandhis head, or his heart, or his hand. Because he was always with Gandhi and because of his own self-effacing nature, Mahadev had never been given his due by biographers. Yet he was more vital, more indispensable, to Gandhis life than any other man, notwithstanding what nationalist hagiography had to say. Mahadev had Rajajis moral and spiritual intelligence, Patels earthy rootedness, and Nehrus capacious vision of the world and a quite lovely sense of humour too. I first got a sense of Mahadev Desais importance while working on the life of the maverick anthropologist, Verrier Elwin. Elwin loved and admired him; when asked to write a tribute on Gandhis 75th birthday, he chose to write on Mahadev instead. Now, in this newly opened collection of Gandhis own papers, I found abundant evidence of Mahadev Desais genius and industry. Reading the small print of The Collected Works, I sensed how much Gandhi valued and relied upon Mahadev; reading the correspondence of other people, I saw the crucial role that Mahadev played in mediating between the Congress and the British, and between warring Congress factions too. Revelatory in this regard was a file 400 pages thick in the Gandhi Papers in the NMML, containing telegrams and letters of condolence sent after Mahadev Desais death. This gave me a deeper sense of Mahadevs significance and influence than anything else I had seen. One of my editors confessed that, as she read the manuscript of my book, she had wept when she came to the pages on Mahadevs death. I told her that I had wept while writing those pages too. For many years previously, I had, whenever visiting Kolkata, dropped in on the grave of Charlie Andrews, Gandhis closest English friend, in the Christian cemetery on Lower Circular Road. Now, whenever I visited Pune, I went to the old Aga Khan Palace, where there is a small, understated samadhi to Mahadev Desai, who died there during Gandhis last spell in prison. There was only one person even closer to the Mahatma his wife Kasturba, whose samadhi is next to Mahadevs, for she died in the Aga Khan Palace too. I began this essay with one poem, and shall end with another. Here is how Mahadev Desai summarised, in four crisp lines, two-and-a-half decades of working with and for the greatest Indian of modern times: To live with the saints in heaven Is a bliss and a glory But to live with a saint on earth Is a different story. Ramachandra Guha is the author of two Gandhi biographies, Gandhi before India and Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] A charkha used by Mahatma Gandhi on display at the Gandhi Bhavan (Hyderi Manzil) in Kolkata, where he spent 25 days, including Independence Day, in 1947.(Samir Jana/ht) A dusty white linen covers the nearly century-old bed on which Mahatma Gandhi once slept. The floor is wet and the walls damp. Next to the bed stands a charka in a glass box, on a wooden table. The iconic Khadi Pratishthan at Sodepur near Kolkata was Gandhis base in eastern India between 1927 and 1947, when he intermittently visited the state. History hangs thick in the air of the Gandhi ashram, as this place is known. A print of a letter written by Gandhi in December 1928 adorns the wall next to the bed. It was addressed to Hemaprabha Dasgupta, wife of Satish Chandra Dasgupta, the founder of the Khadi Pratishthan: I shall try to treat Sodepur on the same footing as Sabarmati I do not wish to spoil Sodepur by carrying on experiments there on the line of Sabarmati. The existence of Sodepur is for the sake of khadi, while that of Sabarmati is for experiments in truth etc., the letter reads. Below the text of the letter, photos of Gandhi at the ashram are kept inside glass-lid boxes. The adjacent, larger room is a gallery with photos from the freedom struggle. Most of the items associated with Gandhi have been relocated to the Gandhi Memorial Museum at Barackpore, except for the bed and charka. The campus itself is no less iconic. Gandhi first came here on January 2, 1927, to inaugurate an exhibition of khadi products, and stayed several times. He camped here in the immediate aftermath of the riots in Kolkata in 1946, and from here he started for his tour of riot-torn Noakhali in what is now Bangladesh. It was here that the historic, three-day discussion between Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose took place over the deadlock in Congress functioning in 1939. The discussions failed, Bose resigned as the Congress president and launched Forward Bloc. The ashram today is in need of maintenance. Water leaks from the roof. Weeds have covered the windows and large parts of the compound. Common people do not visit this place. However, researchers come from all over India and also from abroad. I guide them, said Sankar Chakraborty, the caretaker, who renders voluntary service. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A special court in Assams Nagaon district on Saturday sentenced a Manipur based drugs-supplier for a 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 2 lakhs. Ramai Khezii Hopingsoz was arrested in Assams Nagaon in October 2021 (HT Photo/ sourced) The person identified as Ramai Khezii Hopingson, a resident of Manipurs Churachandpur district, was arrested in Nagaon October 2021 along with an 298.30 grams of Heroin, according to the police. Police said that Hopingson is a veteran Narco Criminal and he was one of the major drugs suppliers in entire northeast before his arrest. He came to meet a Nagaon-based drugs peddler Habil Ali, when we arrested him, said Dhruba Bora. Bora was additional superintendent of police (HQ) of Nagaon district when Hopingson was arrested. Bora said that they had Information about Hopingson and his activities before he arrived at Nagaon Central Jail to meet Habil Ali, a convict. Hopingson was amongst the most wanted criminals in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. He was carrying heroin when he met Ali and we caught him red-handed inside the jail, Bora said. A case was registered against Hopingson under section 21 (c) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 at Nagao Sadar Police Station on October 25, 2021 and the police submitted chargesheet on December 13, that year. Dhruba Bora initially investigated the matter, sub-inspector Udayak Basumatary and Kundan Ravi Das assisted him in this. The final investigation and chargesheet was submitted by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Nagaons Kaliabor, Mrinmoy Das. Police said that during the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities recovered a substantial quantity of narcotics and other evidence from the possession of Hopingson. After arresting him, we searched all the places he visited in Nagaon. From a house in Nonoi area, we recovered substantial amount of heroin, some other narcotic products and some documents, police said. Dhruba Bora, who is presently posted as DCP, Guwahati, told HT on Saturday that Hopingson had a large network from Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland. In the investigation, we found that he used to supply the drugs from Manipurs side to many other parts of Northeastern states and other Indian states. He was a kingpin and his arrest was a big success for us, Bora said. At least 19 suspected drug peddlers from Manipurs Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and surrounding areas were arrested in Assams Cachar district in last two months. Police said that drug peddlers are adopting new methods due to Assam Polices regular actions against the trade of drugs. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has called for the cancellation of Maharashtra industries minister Uday Samant's upcoming tour of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Davos in Switzerland scheduled to begin on October 3rd. Taking to X Thackeray wrote, Just a few simple questions for the industries minister of the Mindhe-BJP illegal regime in Maharashtra, about his foreign holiday on taxpayer money Who are the participants in the so-called round table conference you will attend in London and Munich? Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray(HT Photo/Vijay Bate) He added, When theres absolutely nothing from WEF currently in Davos, Switzerland, what inspection tour will you be carrying out? Is it to do with traffic management there? Are you the guardian minister of Davos?" The Davos inspection visit is a pure sham and he must cancel his Swiss holiday on taxpayers money. If there is so much available money with the State Govt to spend, why not release help to farmers or speak on Old Pension Scheme? Thackeray said. READ | CM cancelled foreign tour due to floods in state, not because of a tweet In a response to Thackeray's attack on ministers' foreign tours, Uday Samant said on Saturday, CM Shinde has postponed his foreign tour because of the cloudburst occurrence in Nagpur, as well as current agitations in the state. Reports of him cancelling the tour due to someones tweet are absurd. On being questioned about his early visit to Switzerland's Davos, Samant said the government signed MoUs worth 80,000 crores in 2022. A total of 19 agreements were signed in 2023 and 70 per cent of the work has been completed, Samant noted. In a post on X earlier, the Shiv Sena leader attacked Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. He wrote, Foreign trips are in fashion for illegal regime in Maharashtra Spending public money, no outcomes for state has been the norm for these holidays of ministers & officials in Mindhe-BJP Regime of Maharashtra On asking questions, the illegal cm and the speaker have cancelled their tours (holidays), this week. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] An outside view of Bapudham Motihari Railway station, a historical place for the start of Satyagraha movement by Mahatma Gandhi, at Motihari, Bihar.(Photo by Sanchit Khanna / Hindustan Times) The year is 1917. Gandhi is awaited. The exploitation of Champarans cultivators is getting worse by the day. They are angry, but there is little comfort in sight. The British rulers have imposed a system called Tinkathia, which forces them to grow indigo plant on 15% of their land, and, additionally, pay tax; failing to comply invites serious consequences like getting tied to a tree and thrashed, or having cattle confiscated and farms and houses auctioned. The indigo produce will go to the British-run indigo processing factories across Champaran. The sahebs live close by, in sprawling havelis surrounded by vast paddy and sugarcane farms, mango orchards, and rivers. But there is a problem. Jute export from India is not as profitable as it once was, neither is opium; indigo dyes are lucrative, but the synthetic ones made by the Germans since the turn of the 20th century have challenged the British monopoly. From being grown over 91,000 acres across north and east India in 1892-97, indigo plantation has, by 1914, come down to about 8100 acres, mostly around Champaran. But, since the First World War began, the British empire needs more resources. In the north Indian plains, the British are forcing tenants to grow other crops and extracting water cess, marriage and death duty. Most cultivators are resigned to their fate. Resistance traces of which go as far back as 1867 has been met with brutality. All options are exhausted. Tenant leader, Raj Kumar Shukla, and journalist, Peer Mohammad Munis, are keen to bring over MK Gandhi, known for his political activism in South Africa. They have heard of him through Bihari indentured labourers. They succeed after a few attempts. On his way to Champaran, Gandhi halts in Muzaffarpur on April 11, and hears stories of cruelty meted out to tenant-cultivators. The stories surprise him, or perhaps he wants to be sure about the allegations, and asks repeatedly: Is it possible? Can this be true? The first foray in India The British authorities did not want Gandhi to visit Champaran. The evening he reached Motihari, in Champaran April 15, 1917 he heard about a tenants mistreatment in Jasaulpatti village. The following morning, he made his way to the village on elephant back, but was summoned by the district magistrate midway. I order you to abstain from remaining in the district, which you are required to leave by the next available train, the order, delivered by a policeman on a bicycle, stated. Gandhi declined. Out of a sense of public responsibility, I feel it to be my duty to say that I am unable to leave the district but if it so pleases the authorities, I shall submit to the order by suffering the penalty of disobedience. Gandhi charted out his plan to visit villages, camping in the two big towns of Bettiah and Motihari. On April 18, Gandhi was summoned to court, where a large crowd had gathered. Taking the stand, he accepted all charges levelled against him. As a law-abiding citizen, my first instinct would be, as it was, to obey the order served upon me. But I could not do so without doing violence to my sense of duty to those for whom I came. I feel that I could just now serve them only by remaining in their midst. I could not therefore voluntarily retire, he read his statement. If you leave the district now and promise not to return, the case against you would be withdrawn, the magistrate responded. That cannot be, Gandhi replied. I shall make Champaran my home even after my return from jail. A few days later, the case was withdrawn. The force of satyagraha made its presence felt in India for the first time. Collecting testimonies Starting April 22, and over the following months, Gandhi set out to collect testimonies of tenants from nearby villages. Many descended at the Motihari ashram (now in east Champaran) where Gandhi stayed, to narrate their stories. Due to the excesses of the factory, my relatives left the village and property and migrated to Malganj village. They took my land and sold my belongings. But I still live in my house and sustain myself by begging, Fareedan from Kamalpura told Gandhi. Due to their excesses, many ryots [cultivators] died many ran away to Nepals terai region. Mr Ammon sent his men who looted my paddy cultivation and other belongings, and destroyed my house, and took away doors and windows, Shukla, the tenants rights activist from Satwariya village, narrated. By June 4, over 7,000 cultivators from 850 villages recorded their statements. Gandhi ensured that the cultivators were cross-questioned to prove the veracity of their claims; he even invited British officials to witness the proceedings, and often met the planters to hear their versions as well. These were compiled and handed over to Lieutenant Governor Sir Edward Gait. Based on these testimonies, the Champaran Agrarian Enquiry Committee was set up; Gandhi was a member along with four Indian Civil Services officers, and the commissioner of Central Provinces. Over July and August, the committee held several meetings, and finally submitted its report in October. The report eventually led to the Champaran Agrarian Act, 1918, which abolished coercive indigo farming. The work continued Though the British exploitation of indigo farmers had brought Gandhi to Champaran, he soon realised that his task didnt end there. As I gained more experience of Bihar, I became convinced that work of a permanent nature was impossible without proper village education. The ryots (tenants) ignorance was pathetic. They either allowed their children to roam about, or made them toil on indigo plantations from morning to night for a couple of coppers a day, he wrote in his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Within a few months, volunteers from across the country joined him, and eventually, they started six schools for foundational learning. More followed later. He was not immune to the plight of women. Rajendra Prasad writes in Satyagraha in Champaran that on his second day in Champaran itself, Gandhi told one of his companions, It is not my desire that our women should adopt the western mode of living; but we must realise what harm this pernicious system [purdhah] does to their health and in how many ways they are deprived of the privilege of helping their husbands. He asked his wife, Kasturba, to come to Champaran; she, together with Gandhi and his companions, started schools for girls, and acted as his messenger among the women. Soon after, he started working on sanitation in the villages, and ran health camps. But I did not want to stop at providing for primary education. The villages were insanitary, the lanes full of filth, the wells surrounded by mud and stink, and the courtyards unbearably untidy. The elder people badly needed education in cleanliness. They were all suffering from various skin diseases. So it was decided to do as much sanitary work as possible, and to penetrate every department of their lives, he wrote in his autobiography. Gandhi was pitching for a long battle. Champaran, today Among other things, Gandhis world view relied strongly on the moral choices of individuals as well as of society. Alcohol and smoking were strict no-nos. He hanged a hukka on the tree facing the school as a sign to discourage its consumption, Suresh Singh, the caretaker of Barharwa Lakhansen, the first school opened by Gandhi, recalled his father telling him. A century later, the state has banned liquor but unemployment and smack consumption, at least in Champaran is rife among young people. Things are changing fast. In the next five years, I see a disturbing future for the young if its not addressed, said Manaur Alam, a local lawyer and social activist, who, following Gandhis footsteps, led a ganna satyagraha starting May 2015, to negotiate better wages of sugarcane growers and mill workers. On the very first day, local toughs and police threw out our banners and beat us with lathis. But we made sure that we are peaceful and do not retaliate to their provocations at any cost, Alam said. The protest lasted three weeks, and a Public Interest Litigation was filed in 2015 in the Bihar high court, which paved the way for the payment of many farmers. The region continues to be as it was during Gandhis time, farmer-centric, though there are some sugar mills in Champaran. Conversations with locals throw up such issues as long delays or non-payments of dues and the air and water pollution caused by mills. Gandhis swaraj meant self-sufficiency at the village level, dependent largely on agriculture. Todays information age, however, offers new avenues and aspirations. Champaran and its surroundings remains a labour sink for the country and beyond: once as indentured labours to South Africa and Indies; now as voluntary migrants to Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, and the Gulf. According to a 2010 Indian Institute of Public Administration report, between 4.4 to 5 million labour migrants from Bihar work in other parts of India. A 2016 Institute of Human Development study, based on repeated surveys conducted in seven districts of Bihar, found that 58% households in these districts reported at least one migrant worker. However,these villages once influenced Gandhis idea of swaraj. He wrote in his autobiography: My ideal village will contain intelligent human beings. They will not live in dirt and darkness as animals. Men and women will be free and able to hold their own against anyone in the world. Poor infrastructure seems endemic. For instance, the first foundational school Gandhi started in 1917 is now a high school, but has only four teachers for 1200 students. Dozens of primary schools loosely emulating the schools Gandhi started and teaching his ideas such as village swaraj, farming or morality dot Champaran, but the teachers and principals we spoke to decry the quality of infrastructure. The descendants of Raj Kumar Shukla, the activist responsible for bringing Gandhi to Champaran, complain that their village has no proper roads. Write it in a matter that at least the government is forced to do something about improving communication [with the outside world], said Mani Bhushan Rai, Shuklas grandson. He feels that nothing much has changed since Gandhi. During the British time, the white people looted us; now our own exploit us, using bureaucracy and democracy. Gandhi is awaited yet again. (Gandhis reaction to the stories of cruelty meted to tenants on reaching Muzaffarpur on April 11, 1917, has been taken from Satyagraha in Champaran by Rajendra Prasad, 1949; District magistrates order forcing Gandhi to turn back from Jasaulpatti, and Gandhis response taken from Gandhi in Champaran by DG Tendulkar, 1957; Gandhis statement to the magistrate on April 18 taken from Gandhis autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, MK Gandhi; Magistrates response to Gandhis statement taken from Satyagraha in Champaran; Testimonies of tenants taken from Gandhi ka Champaran, Champaran ka Gandhi Sarvekshan Ke Aaine Mein, Samvad, 2017.) Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister TS Singh Deo on Saturday emphasized the differentiation between the platforms used for governmental programs and political discourse after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited his recent statement to attack the Congress party. Bilaspur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh and State BJP President Arun Sao during the 'Parivartan Mahasankalp' rally, in Bilaspur, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.(PTI) Addressing a large crowd in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Modi said that the state has received thousands of crores of rupees from the Centre for development works. "There is no shortage of money for the state, and I am not saying this but deputy Chief Minister (TS Singh Deo) of Chhattisgarh has said this in a public programme." Singh Deo, seen as Baghel's rival in the state Congress, had said at a function in Raigarh district -- where he shared the stage with the prime minister -- that the Union government has not been biased towards Chhattisgarh. After Singh Deo spoke the truth, it created a "storm" in the Congress and the party leaders started targeting Singh Deo, Modi claimed. "When the Congress was in power at the Centre (as part of the United Progressive Alliance), which has now become a `Ghamandia' alliance, it only gave 300 crore on an average per year for railway works, but the Modi government gave 6,000 crore in a year for expansion of railway networks," he said. Responding to the prime minister's remarks, Singh Deo said, There are two different platforms in which we also speak in different ways. There is a stage of a government programme, in which all the public representatives follow a different etiquette. He added, Then there is a political platform in which arrows are fired...The common platform of the central and state governments has a distinct dignity. We also talk a lot in the political forum, but that thing is not coming out... Addressing a large crowd at the Parivartan Mahasankalp rally to mark the conclusion of two outreach campaigns, the prime minister said the BJP was completely dedicated to the development of Chhattisgarh whether it was in power at the Centre or in the state. "Today I have come to give you a guarantee that Modi will leave no stone unturned to make your every dream come true. It is Modi's guarantee that your dreams are Modi's resolution," he said. No matter how much I try from Delhi to ensure that development reaches you, the Congress government here keeps trying to disrupt it. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT News Desk Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail Sanjay Chauhan witnessed monsoon rains lash down over his home and farm in the Indian Himalayas this year with a magnitude and intensity he's never experienced before. Buildings washed away in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh after torrential rains. (Reuters) Buildings have collapsed, roads are broken, there were so many landslides including one that has destroyed a large part of my orchard," said the 56-year-old farmer, who lives in the town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. I have not seen anything like this. The devastation of this year's monsoon season in India, which runs from June to September, has been significant: Local government estimates say that 428 people have died and Himachal Pradesh suffered over $1.42 billion worth in property damage since June. READ | Deficit, excess, deficit: Uneven rains mark monsoon this year Human-caused climate change is making rain more extreme in the region and scientists warn Himalayan states should expect more unpredictable and heavy seasons like this one. But the damage is also exacerbated by developers paying little mind to environmental regulations and building codes when building on flood- and earthquake-prone land, local experts and environmentalists say. Damages to property in Himachal Pradesh this year were more than the last five years combined. Other regions also suffered heavy losses in terms of lives, property and farmland including the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, Delhi and most northern and western Indian states. In the second week of July, 224.1 millimeters (8.82 inches) of rainfall descended on the state instead of the usual 42.2 millimeters (1.66 inches) for this time of the year a 431% increase according to the Indian Meteorological Department. Then for five days in August, 111.9 millimeters (4.41 inches) poured down on Himachal Pradesh, 168% more than the 41.7 millimeters (1.64 inches) it would typically receive in that timeframe. READ | After lull, rain returns to Himachal Pradesh from September 14-16 The rainfall spurred hundreds of landslides, with overflowing rivers sweeping vehicles away and collapsing multiple buildings, many of them recently constructed hotels. Key highways were submerged or destroyed and all schools in the region were shut. Around 300 tourists stranded near the high altitude lake of Chandratal had to be airlifted to safety by the Indian Air Force. Jakob Steiner, a climate scientist with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, said rising global temperatures from human-caused climate change means more water evaporates in the heat which is then dumped in heavy rainfall events. And when all the water pours in one place, it means other regions are starved of rain. In the south of the country, rain was so rare that the region had its driest monsoon season since 1901, the IMD said. The government of Karnataka in southern India declared drought conditions in most of the state. Climate change compounds the phenomenon of weather extremes, said Anjal Prakash, a research director at the Indian School of Business, with both droughts and deluges expected to intensify as the world warms. In the Himalayas, the problem of climate changed-boosted rain is worsened by unregulated development and years of devastation piling up with little time to adapt or fix the damage in between. Roads, dams and settlements have been built without proper environmental assessments or following building codes, said Prakash. Unregulated development has also led to increased soil erosion and disrupted natural drainage systems, he said. Y.P. Sundarial, a geologist with Uttarakhand-based HNB Garhwal University, agrees. People here are building six floor buildings on slopes as steep as 45 degrees in a region that is both flood and earthquake prone, Sundarial said. We need to make sure development policies keep the sensitiveness of Himalayas in mind to avoid such damage in the future. When these structures almost inevitably topple year after year during monsoon rains, it creates a cumulative impact said local environmentalist Mansi Asher, meaning residents are now living with years of unaddressed devastation. Ten years ago, an estimated 6,000 people died in flash floods caused by a cloudburst in Uttarakhand which destroyed hundreds of villages; between 2017 and 2022, around 1,500 people died in Himachal Pradesh from extreme rain-related incidents; and earlier this year at least 240 families were relocated away from the religious town of Joshimath after the ground caved in from over construction despite warnings from scientists. Governments on the state and national level have been looking at how to address the destruction. Himachal Pradesh's government announced a $106 million disaster risk reduction and preparedness program with support from the French Development Agency this year to strengthen its response to extreme rainfall. The state also published a comprehensive climate action plan in 2022 but many of the plan's recommendations, such as creating a fund to research climate challenges or helping farmers in the region adapt to changing weather conditions, have not yet been implemented. The Indian federal government meanwhile has set an ambitious target of producing 500 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030 and has installed 172 gigawatts as of March this year. India is currently one of the world's largest emitters. The country also created a national adaptation fund for climate change, releasing just over $72 million for various projects since 2015. But these initiatives are too little, too late for apple farmer Chauhan and others picking up the pieces after an especially catastrophic monsoon season. Chauhan, who's also the former mayor of Shimla, wants to see a firm plan that addresses climate change in the face of the region's growing population and development needs. Those in power really need to step up, he said. [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] The impact of MK Gandhis principled resistance to BR Ambedkars political demand for separate electorates for the so-called depressed classes lives on.(HT image) It is September 19, 1932, and morning has just dawned on Bombay (now known as Mumbai), but dignitaries are already crowding the front porch of the Indian Merchants Chamber Hall. They have an urgent mission: to save MK Gandhis life, and they have less than 24 hours to do so. For weeks, tensions have been rising between Gandhi, lodged in a prison in Pune on sedition charges, and BR Ambedkar, who would go on to steer Indias Constitution, over the latters demand of separate electorates for Indias vast population of depressed classes or untouchables, who are called scheduled castes (SC) today. Under the system, only members from these communities would be eligible to vote to elect a representative to legislative assemblies; caste Hindus would not be eligible to vote in these elections a principle Gandhi was bitterly opposed to. After protracted negotiations at the second Round Table Conference, the British government had formalised separate electorates on August 15, 1932. Almost immediately, Gandhi publicly opposed separate SC electorates but he didnt object to similar provisions for Muslims or Sikhs. I have to resist your decision with my life, he wrote to the then British PM, Ramsay Mcdonald, on August 18. What I am against is their statutory separation even in a limited form, from the Hindu fold he reiterated on September 9, but the British refused to renege on their decision. As leaders gathered that Monday, it quickly became clear that a compromise was out of the question. Ambedkar said he would not sacrifice a rightful demand for Gandhis sake, especially when no alternative proposal had been tabled. At noon on the following day, Gandhi began his fast unto death. Immediately, all hell broke loose. Newspapers ran daily bulletins on his health and news of Gandhis health dominated public discussion. Congress leaders implored Ambedkar to compromise, though as Raja Sekhar Vundru notes in his book, Ambedkar, Gandhi and Patel: The Making of Indias Electoral System, Gandhis emissaries had communicated that he was not only opposed to separate electorates, but also was not fully convinced of reserved seats. I shall not deter from my pious duty and betray the just and legitimate trust of the people even if I am hanged, Ambedkar told the Congress, reiterating that his primary problem with joint electorates was that the so-called depressed classes would be robbed of independent leadership in a constituency numerically dominated by caste Hindus. With time running out, the Hindu leaders proposed a two-tier system: a primary election where only Dalits will vote and a secondary election where everyone will be eligible. On the morning of September 22, Ambedkar travelled to Pune and met Gandhi at noon. I want political power for my community. That is indispensible for our survival, he told Gandhi, according to notes by Mahadev Desai, Gandhis secretary. But there was one hitch. Ambedkar wanted the primary election system to terminate automatically after a decade, and reserved seats after 15 further years, conditional on a referendum on the issue among the so-called depressed classes. But many Hindu leaders were staunchly opposed to it, Vundru noted, and Gandhi himself wanted the referendum after five years. Negotiations broke down on September 23. In Dr Ambedkar and Untouchability, Christophe Jaffrelot wrote that the next morning, Devadas Gandhi burst into the negotiations and said, Father is sinking, pleading before Ambedkar with tears in his eyes. The pressure on the Maharashtrian was mounting; he had received several death threats already. Almost all major newspapers were backing Gandhi and opposing Ambedkar. His blood pressure, whether he had water, were front page news every day, said scholar and cartoonist, Syamsundar Vunnamati. Ambedkar finally relented after his friend and Tamil leader, MC Rajah, pointed out that Dalits would battle insurmountable prejudice if they were seen as not having compromised for Gandhis life. The Poona Pact was signed at 5pm on September 24 by 23 people. Madan Mohan Malaviya signed it on behalf of Hindus and Gandhi, and Ambedkar on behalf of depressed classes. Instead of the 80 seats given by the British, the depressed classes got 148 seats. At the end of the talks, Gandhis trusted emissary, C Rajagopalachari, exchanged his fountain pen with Ambedkar. A fundamental clash The Poona Pact represented a clash of two ideas: of caste and citizenship. Ambedkars reading of caste, according to historian Prabodhan Pol, pivoted on seeing the Dalit question as a political issue, and not only a social one, as Gandhi did. The Gandhi Ambedkar conflict was over how to understand caste. Ambedkar insisted, for the first time in Indias modern history, that caste was a political question, and couldnt be addressed by social reforms only, he said. In his writing and speeches, Ambedkar insisted that a political democracy was meaningless if the so-called depressed classes were not equal participants in it. To him, the idea of citizenship included depressed classes participating in the electoral process with equal voting rights. Most importantly for Ambedkar, the ability of the depressed classes to elect their own representatives was a way to achieve full potential of democracy. For this, voting in an electorate free from the influence of caste Hindus was required, and Gandhi did not understand this, said Sumeet Mhaskar, an associate professor of political science at OP Jindal Global University. Gandhis reading of caste fundamentally differed from Ambedkar, explained Suparna Gooptu, director of the Gandhian Studies Centre, Kolkata. While Ambedkar preferred a rights-based approach, Gandhis approach was through faith and spirituality. Unlike Ambedkar, Gandhi felt that any exploitative relationship could be rectified only when the exploiter had a change of heart. So he worked with upper castes to change their mindset, she added. This theory is borne out by Gandhis conversation with Ambedkar on the penultimate day of negotiation, as reproduced by the formers associate, Pyarelal, in The Epic Fast. Gandhi pleads with Ambedkar to reduce the duration of the referendum from 10 to five years, saying a longer period would rob him of the opportunity of convincing Hindus to give up caste, and sow feelings of animosity among them. I entreat you therefore, not to deprive Hinduism of a last chance to make a voluntary expiation for its sinful past. Give me the chance of working among the Caste Hindus, he tells Ambedkar. Nishikant Kolge, a scholar at Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, argued that Gandhi showed remarkable irreverence towards untouchability at a young age, and frequently ate with people from other castes. In his ashrams, the settlers came from all castes and religions and there was no strict division of labour. Though every inmate had to observe the vow of celibacy, many intercaste marriages were organised in the ashrams, Kolge writes. It is unclear why Gandhi took such a strong position against separate electorates, but a conversation between him and Vallabhbhai Patel, recorded by Mahadev Desai and quoted by Eleanor Zelliot in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and The Untouchable Movement, offers a clue. Patel was puzzled why Gandhi was going on a fast, and the latter replied that separate electorates would leave Gandhi with no way to deal with untouchables. They do not realise that the separate electorate will create division among Hindus so much that it will lead to bloodshed, he told Patel, as quoted in Zelliots and Vundrus books. The impact, today For Indias 300 million scheduled caste people, the legacy of the Poona Pact lives to this day, and many Ambedkarite scholars have argued, fundamentally distorted the form of representation of Dalits. India today reserves seats in Parliament and assemblies for SCs in proportion to their population. For example, in the Lok Sabha, 84 of the 543 seats are reserved for members of SC communities. But Dalits are not concentrated in any specific area, so in a majority of these seats, they form a minority of the electorate. An HT analysis of numbers provided by the Trivedi Centre for Political Data showed that out of the 84, Dalits make up a third of the electorate in only 13. In just one constituency Jalpaiguri in West Bengal does this figure cross 50%. This means that while the MP is from a scheduled caste, the majority of the electorate is not and their influence is decisive. In a caste-ridden society, this means that the Dalit MP has to compromise and keep the upper castes happy, and cannot work genuinely for the marginalised castes. Such a system robs Dalits of genuine leadership and the community suffers because leaders are dependent on their partys vote bank to get elected; they cannot be independent, said Bhagyesha Kurane, a law student at Pune University. Many Dalit politicians are aware of this fetter. D Ravikumar, the MP from Tamil Nadus Viluppuram and an anti-caste writer, said the current system was not helpful in electing genuine leadership. We have to make many compromises, he added. He also pointed out that the current system was very different from the one the Poona Pact envisioned. It is neither Gandhis nor Ambedkars plan, he said. Ambedkars point Ambedkars views on political representation of the depressed classes was shaped over three decades, beginning with his submission before the Southborough Committee in 1919, when he was just 28. His belief in universal adult franchise revolutionary at the time was rooted in the so-called depressed classes getting cheated of their voting rights by British Indias restrictions of land and wealth ownership on the electorate. Over the next two decades, he refined the idea of political representation for the untouchables, moving from joint to separate electorates, and finally settling on a hybrid measure of primary and secondary elections. His Independent Labour Party was successful in the 1937 elections but in the next round, in 1946, the Scheduled Caste Federation performed poorly, and in independent Indias first election in 1952, Ambedkar lost from his stronghold of Bombay, although historians attributed the poor performance largely to the crushing lack of organisation and resources. Pol noted that the Gandhi-Ambedkar relationship was not always antagonistic and the latter took a dim view only in his 1945 treatise, What Congress and Gandhi have done to Untouchables. If you devoted yourself entirely to the welfare of the depressed classes, then you would become our hero, Ambedkar told Gandhi during the negotiations. But Ambedkar would grow steadily disillusioned with the Congress, and Gandhi, especially on the question of political representation. In 1945, he alleged that Congress nullified the pact by choosing less qualified candidates who couldnt become cabinet aspirants, and be completely dependent on the party for votes. The bitterness sprang forth in a BBC interview a year before his death, in which Ambedkar called Gandhis stand during the Poona Pact negotiations a huge whim of a politician. As a politician, he was never a Mahatma. I refuse to call him Mahatma, Ambedkar said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Iran will reconsider the issue of Farid Safarli, a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, convicted in this country, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev told reporters. "During a meeting with my Iranian colleague, I asked that this issue be treated in accordance with the principles of humanism. He, in turn, promised that the issue would be reviewed based on the principles of humanism," said Kamran Aliyev. Recall that a student at the University of Jena in Germany, Farid Gabil oglu Safarli (born in 1997), visited Iran on February 20, 2023, and there has been no news from him since March 4. It later turned out that he was arrested in Iran. On July 19, the charge of espionage brought against Farid Safarli during the trial was replaced by the charge of "intent to carry out espionage." A 60-year-old woman has died on board a Qatar Airways flight en route to Sydney on Friday afternoon. (Photo by PASCAL PAVANI / AFP) A woman has died on board a Qatar Airways flight en route to Sydney. The 60-year-old, travelling on flight QR908 from Doha to Sydney on Friday afternoon, was found in an unresponsive state approximately halfway through the 14-hour journey. A spokesperson for NSW police confirmed the woman had died after they attended the scene at approximately 5pm on Friday. On arrival, police found a 60-year-old woman deceased on the aircraft, the spokesperson said. Police will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner. Separately, a spokesperson for Qatar Airways shared condolences to the womans family. Regrettably, the lady could not be revived, the spokesperson said. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time. It is understood crew members attempted to revive the passenger, performing CPR and using a defibrillator. The flight landed in Sydney about 4.47pm on Friday. Prabhjot Kaur, General Secretary, Glasgow Gurdwara, has condemned the incident, where Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from attending a planned interaction at the religious site and termed it "disorderly behaviour." Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami (ANI Photo) Kaur said that Police Scotland arrived at the site and took cognizance of the matter after the incident occurred at the Glasgow Gurdwara. She stressed that Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and they welcome everyone openly according to the principles of their faith. Speaking to ANI, Prabhjot Kaur said, An incident occurred on September 29, 2023, at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit facilitated by a member of the Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises after the departure of the visitors. She further said, These unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter. Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of the Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith. This comes after a planned interaction of the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami at the Glasgow Gurdwara was disrupted by three people from areas outside Scotland. Police Scotland has responded to the incident and said that an inquiry is ongoing to establish the full circumstances around the incident. On September 29, 2023, three persons- all from areas outside Scotland-deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues," the Indian High Commission in London said in a statement on Saturday. "The organizers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of the Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival," it added. The Indian High Commission said it reported the incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police. Multiple community organisations, including the organisers, have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits, according to the statement. "One of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HC's car door - a matter that will require suitable police consideration. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organizers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided," the Indian High Commission in London said in the statement. The statement was released after social media videos showed Doraiswami being accosted near the parking area of the gurudwara located on Albert Drive in Glasgow by pro-Khalistani elements, who blocked the Indian envoy from entering the gurudwara. In the video, some of the men are heard saying, All Indian envoys must be subjected to this as India was targeting them". Meanwhile, Police Scotland said it responded to a report of a disturbance in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow around 1:05 pm (local time) on Friday, adding that an inquiry is ongoing to establish the full circumstances around the incident. In an email statement to ANI, Police Scotland spokesperson said, We were called around 1.05 pm on Friday, 29 September, to a report of a disturbance that happened in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow." The spokesperson added, "There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances." Meanwhile, United Kingdom Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said that she was "concerned" to see that the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from meeting the Gurudwara Committee in Glasgow. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Anne-Marie Trevelyan stated, "Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all." (ANI) British leaders on Saturday denounced the actions of radical Sikh elements who prevented Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami from entering a gurdwara in Scotland, even as India urged UK authorities to act against those involved in the incident. HT Image A group of radical Sikh activists scuffled with members of the management committee of Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib on Albert Drive in Glasgow and sought to forcibly open the door of the vehicle in which Doraiswami had arrived at the place of worship on Friday. In videos posted online, the activists linked their actions to the Canadian governments allegation that Indian government agents were linked the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. India has dismissed Canadas accusation as absurd. The Indian envoy had been invited by the gurdwaras management, but some radicals tried to stop him from entering the gurdwara, people familiar with the matter said. Doraiswami left the scene to avoid an altercation. Local police then arrived at the site and India informed the UK foreign office about the incident, the people said, seeking anonymity. Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK minister for the Indo-Pacific, expressed concern at the incident and said the security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance. Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all, she posted on X (formerly Twitter). The British government needs to do more to deal with extremist fringe elements such as those who barred Doraiswami from entering the gurdwara, said Colin Bloom, who was appointed by former UK prime minister Boris Johnson to deliver an independent faith engagement review in 2019. So that we are clear. The #Sikh Gurdwara committee in a Glasgow Gurdwara put on a community reception to host the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami. A group of out of town Pro Khalistan activists turn up and physically intimidate the local Sikh committee, and try and attack the @HCI_London High Commissioner in his car, and they film themselves doing it and put it out on their social media accounts, Bloom posted on X. Bloom said his report, The Bloom Review, which was published in April, highlighted that the vast majority of British Sikhs are amazing people, but this tiny and aggressive minority are not representative of them. The Indian high commission reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Metropolitan Police, it said in a statement in London. Multiple community organisations including the organisers have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits, the statement said. The incident on Friday had involved three persons, all from areas outside Scotland, who deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India, the statement said. The organisers included community leaders, ladies and committee members, and a member of Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC (high commissioner) and CG (consul general) decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival, the statement said. One of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HCs car door - a matter that will require suitable police consideration, it said. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organisers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided. Pro-Khalistan activists in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US have stepped up their activities against the backdrop of the India-Canada diplomatic row over the killing of Nijjar. They have organised protests outside Indian diplomatic facilities and engaged in activities that have targeted Indian diplomats. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India is readying to send another spacecraft to Mars, officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation have said, nine years after it created history by successfully placing a rocket on orbit around the red planet on its first attempt. This composite image provided by the UAE Space Agency shows Mars moon Deimo in the foreground. A spacecraft around Mars has ventured closer to the red planets little moon Deimos than any human-made object in history. The United Arab Emirates Hope spacecraft flew within 62 miles of Deimos last month. (UAE Space Agency via AP) (AP) The Mars Orbiter Mission-2, informally known as Mangalyaan-2, would carry four payloads, according to documents accessed by HT. The scientific instruments will study aspects of Mars, including interplanetary dust, and the Martian atmosphere and environment. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. All of these payloads are in different stages of development, an official said, declining to be named. Also Read| Chandrayaan 3: Will India's Pragyan rover meet China's Yutu 2? Distance between them is Nine years ago on September 24, India created history by entering the orbit of Mars in its first attempt, a feat that had not been accomplished by any other space agency till then. The second mission will carry a Mars Orbit Dust Experiment (MODEX), a Radio Occultation (RO) experiment, an Energetic Ion Spectrometer (EIS) and a Langmuir Probe and Electric Field Experiment (LPEX), according to the mission document. MODEX will help understand the origin, abundance, distribution and flux at high altitudes on Mars, the mission document said. There are no measurements of Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs) at Mars. The instrument can detect particles of size from a few hundred nm to few m, travelling at hypervelocity (> 1 km/s). The outcomes can help explain the dust flux at Mars, whether there is any ring (as hypothesized) around Mars and also confirm whether the dust is interplanetary or coming from Phobos or Deimos (the two moons of Mars). The study of dust can help explain the RO experiment results, it said. The RO experiment is being developed to measure neutral and electron density profiles. The instrument is essentially a microwave transmitter operating at X-band frequency that can help understand the behaviour of the Martian atmosphere. The space agency is also developing an EIS to characterise solar energy particles and supra-thermal solar wind particles at the Martian environment. This will help scientists understand the factors behind the loss of the Martian atmosphere. The instrument will measure high-energy charge particles. The LPEX will enable measurement of electron number density, electron temperature and electric field waves, all of which will give a better picture of the plasma environment on Mars. LPEX experiment consists of one Langmuir probe (LP) and two electric field (EF) sensors each mounted on a long boom, the document said. The first Mars orbiter mission was Indias first interplanetary initiative. It was launched on-board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C25 on November 5, 2013. With the success of this mission, the space agency became the fourth in the world to place a spacecraft on Mars orbit, and the first to do so in its first attempt. Though the mission was designed to have a life of six months, it completed seven years in orbit in 2021 before it was retired. The objectives of the first mission were technological to showcase the design, realisation and launch of a Mars orbiter spacecraft capable of operating with sufficient autonomy during the journey to the red planet, to insert the craft into Mars orbit, and capture and complete the in-orbit phase around Mars. The first Mars mission carried five scientific payloads to study the planets surface features, morphology, mineralogy and atmosphere. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Soumya Pillai Soumya Pillai covers environment and traffic in Delhi. A journalist for three years, she has grown up in and with Delhi, which is often reflected in the stories she does about life in the city. She also enjoys writing on social innovations. ...view detail External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has praised the scientists behind India's successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, saying their conviction about it was "simply amazing." Jaishankar (PTI)(HT_PRINT) Addressing a gathering of eminent Indian-Americans at the India House here on Saturday, Jaishankar gave a first-hand account of what was happening on August 23 when India's third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the 15th BRICS Summit from August 22-24. Jaishankar, who accompanied Modi, during the visit, told the audience that they took time off from the BRICS meeting. "The Prime Minister was following the landing and was talking to the ISRO... because these are tense moments, you know, however confident anybody is about a mission, that that period you want to have, you want to have somebody around you who will give you reassurance. "And believe me, nobody can do reassurance better than Mr. Modi is, is today reassuring the entire country and in many ways the whole world. So, he was actually plugged in from South Africa. And he was talking to the ISRO when this was unfolding," he said. As the Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the lunar surface, Modi spoke to the ISRO team at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) in Bengaluru virtually from Johannesburg. Once everything went well, Prime Minister Modi decided that instead of flying back to Delhi, he would land directly in Bengaluru and go straight to the ISRO to congratulate the scientists behind the Chandrayaan-3 mission. "Since I was travelling with him, I too had a chance to tag along," with Prime Minister Modi's visit to the ISRO's Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru on August 26, he said. Modi flew down to Bengaluru directly from Athens after summit talks with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Jaishankar recalled that there were about 1,000 people in the room where Prime Minister Modi met the ISRO scientists. "They looked the most normal people you could think of yet you could feel they were the most special people. And the kind of confidence that they exuded, because I was actually sitting among them." Jaishankar said he actually asked some of the scientists, "So how tense were you guys? Were you worried? What were the possibilities of something not going the way you thought? And I must tell you, it was you know, the confidence there...." "That conviction about the mission was simply amazing," Jaishankar said, adding that "it stuck so deeply in my mind." With the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, India became the fourth country to master the technology of soft landing on the Moon after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao won't attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis official programmes in Telangana, his minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said on Sunday. Yadav will receive Prime Minister Modi and participate in the official programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Modi will virtually lay the foundation stone and launch several developmental projects in sectors like road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education worth more than 13,500 crore. He will also flag off a train service through video conferencing. Prime Minister Modi will also address a public rally in Mahabubnagar on Sunday afternoon, and his speech is likely to be marked by fresh salvos against both the Congress and the ruling BRS in Telangana. In a message posted on his social media platform X ( formerly Twitter), on Saturday night, he said the people of Telangana are tired of lacklustre governance and equally distrustful of Congress. I will be addressing a @BJP4Telangana rally in Mahbubnagar tomorrow, 1st October. The people of Telangana are tired of the lacklustre governance of BRS. They are equally distrustful of Congress. Both BRS and Congress are dynastic parties who have no aim of serving people, he said in the message. Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting and launch projects in Nizamabad on October 3. His visits assume political significance as the state is getting ready to go for assembly polls, which are likely to be held in November-December. Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy on Saturday slammed KCR, who, according to him, is avoiding the Prime Ministers programmes with regard to various development activities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In separate operations, two heavily armed terrorists were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Machhal Sector in Kupwara, while a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered from the same area on Saturday, the Indian Army said. A large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered at Poshmargi, Machhal Sector in Kupawara(Chinar Corps - Indian Army) During a sweep of the area after the intelligence-based operation, the forces recovered the bodies of the two terrorists and two AK series rifles along with ammunition were also recovered from the scene, the Army said further. OP GUCCHINAR, #Machhal. In a Joint Operation launched by #IndianArmy, @JmuKmrPolice and Intelligence agencies on the intervening night of 29-30 Sept, an infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops along LOC in Machhal Sector, #Kupwara. 02xTerrorists have been eliminated along with the recovery of 02xAK Rifles, 02xHand Grenades, 01xPistol & other war-like stores, Chinar Corps of the Indian Army posted on X (formally Twitter) about the first operation. According to a release, inputs were received from Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army and different intelligence agencies about infiltration attempts by a group of two-four terrorists in the Macchal sector in Kupwara. On September 30, at 10.40pm, the ambush party noticed the movement of two terrorists from the Pakistan side and saw them approaching the Line of Control fence, the statement said. "The ambush party maintained complete tactical surprise and firefight ensured where terrorists tried to flee across the LOC under the cover of dense foliage, however, firefight resulted in the killing of one terrorist instantly. Later, during the ensuing firefight, the second terrorist was also neutralized," it added. "The bodies of two terrorists were recovered during a search of the area," the statement said. Upon further search, two AK Series Rifles, 90 rounds of AK ammunition, one pistol, two hand grenades, Pakistan currency notes worth 2,100, winter clothing, medicines and other war-like stores were also recovered, as per the statement Another joint search operation was launched by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police Ind Intelligence agencies under the MACHHAL PRAHAAR-III. "OP MACHHAL PRAHAAR-III, Machhal, Kupwara. In a Joint Search Operation launched by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Intelligence agencies, a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered at Poshmargi, Machhal Sector, in Kupwara today," Chinar Corps wrote on X on Saturday. According to the official statement, one AK rifle, two Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), 26 Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), two hand grenades and a large quantity of explosive material along with other war-like stores have been recovered. The Army said further search operation was in progress. (With ANI, PTI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] Mahatma Gandhi with Mahadev Desai (right) at the All India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay, August 8, 1942, the day that the Quit India resolution was moved.(National) Mahadev Desai or Mahadevbhai as he was called could not fulfil his lifelong desire to write Mahatma Gandhis biography because of his untimely death on August 15, 1942, aged 50, while imprisoned in the Aga Khan Palace in Pune. His son, Narayan Desai, however, wrote a four-volume biography of Gandhi, as a tribute to his father. Titled My Life is My Message, the books drew heavily from the diaries that Mahadevbhai kept, in which he meticulously recorded letters, speeches, conversations and even the Mahatmas thoughts during their 25 year-long association as Gandhis secretary. So authentic were the reports of Gandhis speeches, delivered extempore mostly in Gujarati and Hindustani that The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi the 100-volume collection of Gandhis writings too, relied on Mahadevbhais diaries. Watch: When the light went out of our lives: Looking back at Gandhis killing Day-to-day with Gandhi, as the set of volumes of Mahadevbhais diaries, translated in English and published by Navajivan Publishing House is called, also recorded history live, as it were, in the run up to Indias independence through Gandhis non violent freedom struggle. It is a specimen of reportage of epic struggles with profiles of the leading players and can be read as the diary of a war correspondent who had the privilege of working shoulder to shoulder with the commander-in-chief of the national freedom struggle, and particularly of the tumultuous events leading to the last and crucial battle of the Quit India movement, with the battle cry, Do or Die. Mahadevbhai began keeping a diary on November 11, 1917, a week after he joined Gandhi as his secretary, and continued writing till August 14, 1942, a day before he died. Calling it his diary is, in fact, a misnomer because this was not about him, but about Gandhi. The only time Mahadevbhai did not write was when either he or Gandhi was in jail. The volume is, nevertheless, staggering. So far, 23 of his diaries comprising over 9,500 pages have been published. The diaries for the years 1936 to 1942 are yet to be edited and published. The unpublished diaries all are in my possession show that Mahadevbhai had completed as many as 25 lessons from the shorthand textbook and the foundation course of Persian grammar. To be fair, Mahadevbhai had the unique advantage of observing events of national and international importance unfold, as Gandhis aide and confidante, who accompanied him like a shadow. The diaries, thus, offer an insight into the Mahatmas mind. The amount of material that he had piled up in his voluminous note books called for years of patient labour to work up. He had hoped to do all that. In his trunk was found a memo of talks taken down on the day previous to his final end. Probably none besides myself can today make them out, and even I do not know to what use he would have put them, Gandhi told Sushila Nayyar, his doctor and associate, soon after Mahadevbhais death. [Gandhi, Kasturba and Mahadevbhai had been imprisoned soon after the Quit India resolution had been declared on August 8, 1942.] In the beginning he simply copied what he regarded as important letters. Then gradually he began to jot down noteworthy events and Bapus thoughts given out in his talks. His later diaries are naturally much more comprehensive. The copious letters noted in his diaries give us a very clear conception not only of the numerous questions that faced Gandhiji when on coming back to his country he started his public work, but also the way in which he solved these questions in accordance with the philosophy of life which he had made his own, Narhari Parikh, a close friend and associate of Mahadevbhai, wrote in a foreword to two volumes of the diaries that he edited. These were published in 1953 in Gujarati. Mahadevbhais writings begin with the Champaran satyagraha, launched for liberating the farmers of north Bihar from the exploitation of indigo planters in 1917. This was Gandhis first initiative in India to try his non violent direct action strategy that had already won him wide recognition in South Africa. After the victory of the Champaran satyagraha, Gandhi began to work in the villages for peoples education, health and sanitation. At Madhuban on January 17, 1918, a school was opened and Mahadevbhai and his wife, Durgaben, were among those who worked there. But in a very short time, Mahadevbhai was dealing with problems even wider and more exciting than those of a village school. In an obituary published in Harijan, a paper that Mahadevbhai had edited, Pyarelal, who succeeded him as Gandhis secretary, wrote: Right through the War Conference days and the anti-Rowlatt Act agitation, Mahadevbhai followed Gandhiji like a shadow, quietly watching, assimilating and rehearsing. Then came the Khilafat and non-cooperation movements and Gandhiji was sucked into the vortex of the unprecedented storm that overswept the country. That gave Mahadevbhai his chance; he found himself. He began writing his compendious Boswellian diaries which continued without a break till practically his last day. Its clear that Mahadevbhai had a photographic memory. For instance, there are detailed accounts of conversations among people in which he too was a participant. Its unlikely he would have taken notes simultaneously, but rather that he would have recorded these conversations relying only on his memory. Thus we have interesting behind the scene stories from the various closed-door meetings of the Congress Working Committee who took what position on a particular issue; how the leaders rallied around and agreed to reach a consensus that would have gone unreported had it not been for Mahadevbhais prodigious memory. So great was his passion for recording that lacking paper, I have actually seen him taking down jottings of important talks on the margin of newspapers, backs of currency notes, sometimes even on thumb and finger nails, to be transferred to the regular book at the first opportunity. He constituted himself into a living encyclopaedia of Gandhijis thoughts and ideas and a final court of appeal where the authenticity of a particular act or utterance ascribed to Gandhi could be checked and verified. No one dared to misquote or misrepresent Gandhi during Mahadevbhais lifetime without the Nasmyth hammer of the latter descending upon him with all the weight of the evidence of his contemporary notes, Pyarelal, noted. Mahadevbhai was also a journalist. Besides editing Harijan, he wrote in Navajivan (Gujarati), Young India and occasionally contributed to various other nationalist newspapers, including The Hindustan Times. Perhaps Pyarelals obituary offers the best summation of the man: Mahadevbhai looked after Gandhijis travelling kit, made his bed, cooked his food, washed his thick, heavy khadi clothes and cleaned his commode, besides rendering secretarial assistance. He was equally at home in taking on visitors who came to discuss high politics with Gandhi as in settling intricate domestics of the Ashram. He kept accounts, drew up tour programmes for Gandhi with the help of railway maps and Bradshaw, kept dates for him, answered letters, looked after guests, often trudged from Maganwadi to Sevagram Ashram and back a distance of over five miles either way in the blazing hot sun, day after day and week after week, to take instructions, besides writing for Harijan with a clock work regularly. The late Shri Mahadev Desai was not a mere occupant of an office, he was an institution. His office began and ended with himself. He left behind him no successor. Nachiketa Desai, a journalist and an author, is the grandson of Mahadev Desai. Describing the situation in Manipur as tragic, Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses grand-nephew Prof Sugata Bose called for working out a just power-sharing arrangement in the northeastern state in order to bring all three communities -- Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas -- on the same page. Subhas Chandra Boses grand-nephew(File) Bose, who was earlier a Lok Sabha MP, pointed out in an interview to PTI that members of all the three communities had joined Netajis INA in 1944 and fought shoulder to shoulder in the battlefields of Bishnupur and Ukhrul districts in an advance into India. He said there was a need to work out a just power-sharing arrangement in Manipur (which would engage all three communities and address their grievances). We need to draw upon the best legacy of the past armed struggle against the British to bring the three communities together again, added Bose, who holds the Harvard Universitys Gardiner chair in history. The Meiteis account for 53 per cent of the states population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts surrounding Imphal. The situation in Manipur is truly tragic for short-term political gains, one community has been played against the other. That kind of political game must stop, Netajis grand-nephew said. For the last five months, Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. Initial grievances and accusations include bulldozing of villages, which had sprung up on forest lands, and an Imphal High Court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on demands for scheduled tribe status for Meiteis, which the tribal communities resented. These were compounded by rival accusations of ethnic cleansing and involvement in the drug trade by both communities. Manipur, along with the rest of the northeast, should be given a voice in decision making at the Centre, Bose said. He recounted that a large number of Manipuri youth from Kuki, Meitei and Naga communities joined the INA in its march towards Imphal. Of these volunteer soldiers, 15 Manipuri young men and two women joined other INA troops in the retreat to Rangoon, suffering hardships as they fought a gallant rear guard action against seasoned British troops. These freedom fighters from Manipur included M Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of Manipur after Independence, Bose pointed out. INAs advance nearly 80 years ago had been three-pronged the Gandhi brigade led by Col Inayat Jan Kiyani moved into the hills of Palal and Tengnoupal, east of Imphal; Col Shah Nawaz Khan led the Subhas Brigade into Ukhrul, while Col Shaukat Malik led the Bahadur group into Moirang in Bishnupur district, just 40 km from Imphal town. Colonel Shakuat Malik raised the tricolor at Moirang in Bishnupur district on April 14, 1944 with help from Koering Singh and Naqi Ahmed Chaudhary, a Manipuri Muslim. There is also a version that Netaji Subhas Bose visited an INA camp near Churachandpur, a largely Kuki-dominated town in July 1944, to visit his frontline troops and interacted with villagers there. The region where INA first entered the country has since then been largely a backwater for independent India. Cut off from the rest of India by Bangladesh, except through the Chickens Neck Corridor in West Bengals Siliguri, northeast India has faced insurgencies, race riots compounded with increasing population pressure and few job opportunities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for a nationwide cleanliness drive on October 1, Union ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders across the country participated in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' programme as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign on Sunday. Union Minister Amit Shah takes part in 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign.(ANI) Union ministers, including Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Jitendra Singh and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, BJP national president JP Nadda and others took part in the initiative. Speaking about the initiative, Nadda said, The BJP is celebrating Swachchta Pakhwada and Swacchta Abhiyan... Many of our workers across the country are participating in the Swacchta Abhiyan... Today, I have come to Ambedkar Basti to participate in the Swacchta Abhiyan and I am happy to be here along with Union minister Meenakashi Lekhi... I am sure this Swacchta Abhiyan, a vision of Mahatma Gandhi, will be carried forward with the same energy... Meanwhile, participating in the campaign in Himachal Pradesh, union minister Anurag Thakur said, Swacchta Abhiyan 3.0 has been started today, and we hope the people of the country will contribute to this mission... Youths have shown their immense contribution to this mission... Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, "PM Modi has taken up the message of Mahatma Gandhi... and we believe that the 140 cr people of this country will work towards fulfilling the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and resolution of PM Modi..." Modi himself took part in the 'Shramdaan for cleanliness' programme with fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria in Delhi. The PM also shared a video of him taking part in the drive. Modi, wrote, Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe!" Earlier this month, during the 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi had requested that all citizens participate in "one hour of shramdaan for swachhata" on October 1, referring to it as a tribute ('swachhanjali') to Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his birth anniversary. "1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavour to usher in a cleaner future," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uttarakhand's Mussoorie witnessed a sudden rush of tourists long weekend, leading to massive traffic jams across the town, with all hotels remaining fully booked. There have been traffic jams in the hill town of as long as two kilometres beginning from JP Bend, Kincraig, and Gandhi Chowk and continuing on towards the Zero Point and Kempty Falls road. Additionally, Motilal Nehru Road, Picture Palace, and Mall Road experienced intermittent traffic congestion throughout the day. Traffic snarls witnessed in Mussoorie.(X/Ranjeet K Chaurasia) READ | Tourists close encounter with tiger captured on camera We got stuck in heavy traffic from Kincraig, and from there was a serpentine queue of vehicles on both sides of the road and it took us over an hour to reach Gandhi Chowk, Prashant Bhardwaj, a tourist from New Delhi, told The Times of India. Posts on social media also showed tourists stuck in traffic jams. Earlier in April, hilly regions such as Nainital in Uttarakhand and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh experienced a similar rush of tourists owing to rising temperatures in the plains. The road from Uttarakhands Kathgodam to Nainital saw massive traffic snarls. Towns nearby Nainital such as Bhimtal also saw a massive footfall of people. A total of 30,000 vehicles entered had Shimla during a period of two days, news agency ANI reported. We arrived here at 2am but did not get any hotels, finally we were able to explore and get a hotel by 6am, and here tourists have rushed due to the long holidays. Hotels are full. We had to move around for 10-12 kilometres here, ANI quoted a tourist as saying. Traffic conditions in hill towns can often be challenging due to various factors such as narrow roads, steep terrain, and an influx of tourists. Hill towns frequently experience traffic jams, especially during peak tourist seasons, holidays, and weekends when visitors flock to these picturesque destinations. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON David Wilcox Executive editor Follow David Wilcox Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Auburn's only synagogue, B'nai Israel, closed 10 years ago. That wasn't the end of the city's Jewish history. But as the faith's local population continues to dwindle, an Ithaca man felt it was important to collect that history for posterity. Austin Reid is the author of "A History of Jewish Life in Auburn, NY and Surrounding Areas," a 41-page document he published online Sept. 14. Along with B'nai Israel, the history includes prominent Jewish community members, small business owners and more facts about the faith's presence in the Auburn area for the past 150 years. Reid compiled the history from newspaper archives, city directories, synagogue records, oral interviews and other sources. He has shared it with Seymour Library and the Cayuga Museum of History & Art in Auburn the latter the home of B'nai Israel's stained glass windows and the Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse. Reid, who has published similar histories in his native Ohio, told The Citizen they are meant to preserve the living memory of small Jewish communities like Auburn's as they disappear. "There are fewer and fewer people in Auburn who can say they were a member of that congregation," he said. "So I wanted to record these stories while the memories are still available." Auburn's Jewish community dates back to the 1870s, Reid said, and members traveled to Syracuse for religious services until the first local ones were held in the Market Street area in the 1890s. On March 24, 1903, B'nai Israel was organized by a group of 26. Eight years later, members purchased the property at 18 Seminary Ave. to become the synagogue's first permanent home. Through the 1950s, Reid said, the area's Jewish community was at its strongest. While some of the original families left by the 1930s, others arrived in Auburn as refugees from prewar Europe. They included Rose, Joseph and John Eisner, the latter two employees of the Auburn Spark Plug Co.; Susanna and physician Richard Joachim; and Edith and Geza Policzer, who worked at Kalet's department store and Auburn Button Works, respectively. Most of them worshiped at B'nai Israel, which peaked at about 110 families in the early 1950s. From the synagogue arose social groups like Brith Abraham, whose members supported each other in times of need, as well as B'nai B'rith and the Sisterhood of Congregation B'nai Israel. "It was a very small congregation," Reid said, "but they were very active in civic life at that time." Prominent members of Auburn's Jewish community included New York State Assemblyman George Michaels, who cast a dramatic deciding vote to legalize abortion in the state in 1970, and Maurice Schwartz, the city's mayor from 1959 to 1967. Schwartz passed away with only 22 days left in his second term, and senior apartment community Schwartz Towers was dedicated to him five years later. Meanwhile, many downtown Auburn stores were associated with Jewish families, Reid said. But they gradually disappeared as the population left for larger urban areas and small businesses were supplanted by corporate ones. Among the few that remain are downtown clothing retailer The Liberty Store, owned and operated by Marty and Wendy Goldman and celebrating 108 years in 2023. The city's Jewish population began to decline in the 1960s, at which time local officials were eyeing Seminary Avenue for construction of the Arterial highway during urban renewal. The combination of circumstances led B'nai Israel to move to 8 John Smith Ave., where the synagogue opened in 1974. But membership continued to decline, and by the early 2000s just 25 families worshiped there. Ten years after the closure of B'nai Israel and as antisemitism continues to rise across the U.S. Reid hopes his history not only preserves but promotes memories of Auburn's Jewish community. "I hope this provides a resource for people to learn more about how these communities made contributions to their towns over the decades, and learn something new about a tradition they didn't grow up with," he said. "And Jewish families tend to lose touch with the smaller towns their families once lived in, so I hope this helps them reconnect with their small-town roots as well." On the web To read Austin Reid's "A History of Jewish Life in Auburn, NY and Surrounding Areas," visit https://issuu.com/cayugacountyjewishhistory/docs/a_history_of_jewish_life_in_auburn_new_york_and_s. As Maharashtra ministers are all slated to travel to the UK to bring wagh nakh, the tiger claw weapon, believed to have belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut said it's an insult to the wagh nakh as Shiv Sena is the real wagh nakh (tiger claw) of Shivaji. The weapon is coming to India on a three-year loan. "What will you do by bringing the weapon which was used to protect the self-respect and integrity of Maharashtra? You have made the state a slave of Delhi," Sanjay Raut said referring to the split of the Sena helmed by chief minister Eknath Shinde and engineered by the BJP. Sanjay Raut asked what is the use of bringing Shivaji's tiger claw back when Maharashtra has been turned into Delhi's slave. "It is an insult to the wagh nakh, which is the pride and matter of self-respect for Maharashtra. Shiv Sena is the real wagh nakh of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which (the party) has fought all obstacles coming in way of the state," Sanjay Raut said. What is Shivaji's wagh nakh? Maharashtra culture minister Sudhi Mungantiwar and officials from his department will go to the UK on October 3 to get the wagh nakh which Shivaji believed to have used to kill Bijapur sultanate's general Afzal Khan in 1659. These metal claws were concealed in Shivaji's hand and he slit Afzal Khan open with these claws. According to reports, the claws then came into the possession of James Grant Duff, an officer of the East India Compan and were then gifted to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum will sign a MoU with the Maharashtra government to hand the wagh nakh to India for an exhibition. The story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs triumph over Afzal Khan is legendary, so we are delighted that the Tiger Claws will return to India as part of the 350th anniversary events where they can be enjoyed as part of the celebrations. We hope that their display might also enable new research into their history and look forward to working in partnership with colleagues in the months ahead as we develop plans for their display, a spokesperson of the museum said. (With PTI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Sunday hailed the India-US relations and said both nations have reached a position where they could each other as very desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. External Affairs minister S Jaishankar(PTI/ X) Addressing the people of Indian diaspora at the 'Colors of India' event in Washington DC, Jaishankar said, Today, in every way, this relationship has exceeded expectations, which is why today we don't even try to define it. We actually keep raising the bar. We keep finding new domains. Emphasising the chemistry and comfort of the diplomatic ties between India and the US, Jaishankar said it gives him enormous hope about where the prospects are. "Today, India and the United States have moved to a position where we really see each other as very desirable, optimal partners, comfortable partners with whom it's a natural instinct today to pick up the phone or if you meet someone and have a natural conversation," he said. While recalling the past prime ministers visit to the US and the hailing the evolving diplomatic relationships, Jaishankar said that earlier both the nations used to deal with each other but now they work with each other. "People remember Rajiv Gandhi's visit to US in 1985, I was here at that time. People remember Dr Manmohan Singh's visit in 2005 when the nuclear deal happened, I was there too. People remember PM Modi's visit. But I have to say that this one was different, it was different in optics, and if you ask me what has changed, I would say India and the US earlier used to deal with each other and now they work with each other," Jaishankar said. Referring to the successful organisation of the summit in New Delhi last month, the external affairs minister said India's G20 presidency revolved around the message of Mahatma Gandhi, who focussed on doing the right things and leaving no one behind. We are approaching Gandhi Jayanti. To say Mahatma Gandhi was an extraordinary man would be the understatement of this century. He said so many things so tellingly. The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, about doing the decent thing and about leaving no one behind. Gandhi ji's message is very complicated, but its essence is actually very, very simple. When we took up the G20 presidency, in many ways, that message was at the heart of our thinking of not to leave anyone behind. Jaishankar is on a visit to the US from September 22-30 during which he addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. He also held meetings with several top US officials including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin during his visit. [In 2019, Hindustan Times marked Mahatma Gandhis 150th year with a special series comprising reportage, invited columns, essays and archival material. On the occasion of the Mahatmas birth anniversary on October 2, this article has been published from a curated selection of our coverage from four years ago.] Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore in Santiniketan in February 1940.(National Gandhi Museum) MK Gandhi chose, because he strongly disapproved of Independence that came with Partition, to stay away from the celebrations in Delhi on August 15, 1947. That day he was staying in a poor Muslim suburb of Calcutta where all sections of the population converged Hindu and Muslim innocents, Hindu and Muslim bigots to see and to hear him. Gandhi declared the day to be one for fasting and prayer. Yet it is undeniable that there are large numbers of Bengalis who intensely dislike Gandhi.His relationship with Bengal and Bengalis was, and is, a fraught one. But he once famously said, I am not able to leave Bengal and Bengal will not let me go. Through their dislike of him, Bengal and Bengalis cling to Gandhi. This paradox is rooted in history or readings of historical events. One is the firm belief among Bengalis, especially those who were the victims of Partition in 1947 and thus lost everything, that Gandhi was responsible for it. The other is the way Gandhi treated Subhas Chandra Bose in 1938-39. Bose is a revered icon of Bengal and the belief is that Gandhi acted unfairly towards him. Both these allegations demand scrutiny. The first one is clearly a perception that is not based on facts. If there was one individual in India who steadfastly stood against the division of the country, it was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. India was a united country in which people belonging to different faiths, including Hindus and Muslims, lived side by side these were crucial elements of Gandhis creed and beliefs. He refused to compromise on them just as he refused to surrender the principle of ahimsa (non violence). Much to his dismay, he discovered that in 1946-47, his chosen lieutenants and disciples were willing to negotiate a transfer of power the terms of which included the partition of India. He saw this as a betrayal of all that he held dear and thereafter withdrew from all deliberations. He decided to spend his time among the common people of eastern India who had been devastated by communal violence. It is unfortunate that Bengalis see the one man who stood against Partition to be responsible for Partition. A variant of this argument is the belief that Gandhi, given his pre-eminent position, could have, had he so wanted, prevented Partition by launching a movement against it. The fact of the matter is that by the beginning of 1947, Gandhi knew that his voice against Partition was akin to a cry in the wilderness. Every single important Congress leader with the exception of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan had accepted Partition almost as a fait accompli. Gandhi was an astute organiser of mass mobilisation and he knew that he by himself could not start and sustain a movement. He needed an organisation and he needed able leaders to assist him. Those Congress leaders who had previously worked with him in the Non Cooperation and the Civil Disobedience movements Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Govind Ballabh Pant and others were now eager participants in a negotiated transfer of power that pivoted on Partition. Gandhi knew his own isolation. He described himself in 1947 as a back number. This argument in attacking Gandhi actually ascribes to him an even greater importance and role than he actually enjoyed. The other charge the one regarding Bose has more substance. Gandhi did not want Bose to have a second term as Congress president and when Bose won against Gandhis chosen candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Gandhi refused to cooperate with Bose in forming a working committee. This refusal to even meet Bose to discuss matters happened in spite of repeated requests from Nehru that Gandhi should sort out his differences with Bose. This situation forced Bose to resign as president and eventually leave the Congress to form his own political party. This entire episode, even admirers of Gandhi will admit, showed Gandhi in the worst possible light as a back-room politician serving sectional interests and working perhaps at the behest of Patel, who had no love lost for Bose. This reading of the Gandhi-Bose relationship needs to be tempered by later developments which devotees of Bose tend to ignore. In Southeast Asia while raising the Indian National Army and preparing to invade British India, Bose recalled the contribution that Gandhi had made to the freedom struggle, hailed him as the Father of the Nation, and named one of the regiments of the INA the Gandhi brigade. Gandhi, in turn, recognised Bose as a great patriot and called him his lost son. The breach between the two was not as wide as and irreconcilable as Bengalis make it to be when they typecast Bose as a hero (which he was) and Gandhi as a scheming villain (which he was not). What is most ironic in the deep antipathy that some Bengalis harbour towards Gandhi is that one of the finest moments in the latters life took place in Bengal. In 1947, while his lieutenants parleyed with the British regarding a truncated independence, Gandhi spent his time among the common people of Bengal, in riot-torn Noakhali in East Bengal and the violence-scarred city of Calcutta, trying to heal the wounds of religious violence and restoring communal harmony. In Calcutta in August 1947, he fearlessly faced an armed Hindu mob; he fasted to persuade goondas of both communities to lay down their arms and to work for peace. His courage produced a miracle and communal violence ceased in the city. Also Read: Congress demands action after Godse trends on Gandhi Jayanti On the last day of his life, Gandhi practised writing Bengali. For him, Bengali was not just one more script. It was the language in which Ekla cholo (Rabindranath Tagores song) was written. The words and the spirit of this song sustained Gandhi in the last months of his life during which in Noakhali, in Calcutta and elsewhere he remembered Partitions hapless victims, and he sped, alone and in isolation, into the embrace of death. In remembering this fraught relationship on his 150th birth anniversary, it is worth recalling what the greatest Bengali (arguably the greatest Indian in modern India) wrote of Gandhi: Great as he is as a politician, as an organiser, as a leader of men, as a moral reformer, he is greater than all these as a man, because none of these aspects and activities limits his humanity. They are rather inspired and sustained by it. The words are from the pen of none other than Rabindranath Tagore. Bengal and Bengalis, India and Indians should remember Gandhi in these terms. He was a Mahatma. Rudrangshu Mukherjee is Chancellor of Ashoka University. A distinguished historian and author, his books include The Penguin Gandhi Reader and Nehru and Bose: Parallel Lives. A few thousand Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters, left Kolkata for Delhi on Saturday to attend a two-day protest in the national capital on October 2 and 3 to protest the Union governments denial of funds for welfare schemes in West Bengal. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will lead the protest in Delhi (File Photo) The TMC and its supporters are demanding the release of funds by the Centre to the beneficiaries in West Bengal of the various schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The party arranged 50 buses at the last minute to ferry the people after the eastern railway authorities turned down a request by the TMC to arrange a special train from Howrah. A large number of TMC workers and job card holders will travel by bus to Delhi. According to the party, over 4,000 people will travel to the national capital on October 2 to participate in the demonstration. TMC spokesman Kunal Ghosh told the media on Saturday that even a private flight carrying more than 100 TMC supporters, was cancelled on Saturday afternoon. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is expected to lead the protest, has asked the party MPs, state ministers, legislators and other senior leaders to remain present in Delhi on October 2. TMC MPs and state ministers will hold a two-hour-long peaceful sit-in demonstration at Raj Ghat on October 2. On October 3, there will be a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. We will announce our future plans on how to intensify this protest from Delhi. Around 5 million letters written by job-card holders who have been deprived of their wages have been sent to the Prime Minister, said Banerjee in a video message shared by the TMC. In another virtual address to party workers and leaders, Banerjee also dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to stop the agitation if it could. The fight against the deprivation of WB and its rightful dues shall persist regardless of the obstacles. No force on Earth can hinder my dedication to fight for the people of WB and their fundamental rights. Ill b in Delhi joining the protest on Oct 2nd & 3rd. STOP ME IF U CAN! the TMC general secretary posted on X. The West Bengal government has been alleging that the BJP-led central government has stopped funds to the state under multiple schemes, including Rs.7000 crore under the MGNREGA and more than Rs.8000 crore under the PMAY schemes, since December 2021. The Centre owes more than Rs.1.15 lakh crore to the state, TMC leaders have claimed. The TMC was earlier denied permission to use the Ramlila Maidan for a sit-in demonstration between September 30 and October 4 by the police. Later, it sought permission to hold demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, on Lodhi Road, outside the residence of Union minister Giriraj Singh, and outside the Krishi Bhavan. The buses carrying TMC leaders, supporters and job card holders are expected to reach Delhi on Tuesday. We will hold the protest. Lets see who can stop us. You may hit the TMC MPs and ministers but even if one poor farmer receives a scratch on their body during their stay in Delhi, people know how to give a befitting reply democratically, Banerjee said earlier. Earlier, Banerjee took a dig at the central government following his summon by the ED on October 3, the same day when the TMC is scheduled to hold the agitation against pending dues from the central government. The Enforcement Directorate summoned the TMC MP on October 3 for questioning in the multi-crore recruitment scam in schools. Banerjee has said he would skip the summon to attend the Delhi protest. They (BJP) are frightened of Abhishek and thats why they are using central agencies to try to stop him. We are enjoying this, Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, told the media. Why would the ED call him on a particular date on which he is not available? It is a court-monitored probe and the investigating agency may summon him whenever needed, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters. Meanwhile, refuting the allegations that BJP is cancelling trains so that TMC workers cannot attend protests in Delhi on Sunday, Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, said that TMC is lying. Such allegations are false and politically motivated. TMC has chartered flights, they should use them to send their workers to Delhi, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday expressed his support for the demands of central and state government employees to reinstate the old pension scheme (OPS), who have also staged a protest for the same. In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal said, We strongly support the demand of govt employees to bring back OPS. NPS is an injustice against employees. We have implemented OPS in Punjab and have written to Centre for implementing it for Del govt employees. Some other non-BJP govts have also implemented OPS. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been meeting leaders of various non-BJP parties seeking support over the ordinance issue. (HT Photo) The Congress party also joined the chorus in support of the protest against the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and the call to restore the old pension scheme. Taking to X, the party wrote, Old pension is the right of the employees. Congress state governments have restored the old pension. Our policy regarding this is clear employees must get their rights. Modi government should restore the old pension, honor the workers who serve the country. Government and public sector employees from over 20 states gathered for a protest named Pension Shankhnaad Maharally at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, organised under the banner of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS). The aim of the protest was to exert pressure on the central government to discontinue the existing National Pension Scheme (NPS) and revert to the OPS. The old pension scheme has been closed in the country since 2004 and since 2005 in Maharashtra. We don't want the NPS (New Pension Scheme), we don't want this share market scheme. The Constitution also says the old pension is our right, news agency ANI quoted Jitendra, one of the protesters who had traveled from Maharashtra's Pune, as saying. OPS vs NPS: States that have reintroduced old pension scheme Both the old pension scheme (OPS) and the new pension scheme (NPS) represent retirement savings plans, but they diverge in their approach to securing one's financial future. The old pension scheme ensures that employees receive a predetermined pension, equating to 50% of their last earned salary. OPS was discontinued by the NDA government in 2003, with the cessation taking effect from April 1, 2004. In contrast, the National Pension System (NPS) mandates that employees contribute 10% of their basic salary, matched by a 14% contribution from the government. The old scheme has been reinstated in five non-BJP states: Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) and Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) have unveiled the schedule of the upcoming five-day Delhi edition, which will see ace designers Tarun Tahiliani, Amit Aggarwal, Gauri & Nainika and Anju Modi among others showcase their creations. The upcoming edition of Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI is set to take place from October 11-15 at Pragati Maidan here. The event will open with a grand show, based on Lakme's Glitterati collection, on October 10 at an offsite location. It will be presented by Lakme, FDCI and Reliance Brands (RBL) . Lakme Fashion Week, FDCI unveils schedule for upcoming five-day Delhi edition(Instagram ) The line-up of designers for the fashion gala include established talent such as Tahiliani, Aggarwal, Varun Bahl, Modi, Falguni Shane Peacock, Ashish N Soni, Paras & Shalini, Pankaj & Nidhi, Samanth Chauhan and Shivan & Narresh. The platform's talent discovery programs - INIFD Launchpad and FDCI x Pearl Academy will introduce promising talent to the fashion industry. Harman Dhillon, Vice President, Hindustan Unilever Limited said they are delighted to announce the festive edition of Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. "This season, our theme - Glitterati, is an invitation to shine with unapologetic confidence and to be the star of your own story. Making this season even more special will be Lakme's celebration of two design mavericks, whose distinct takes on fashion and femininity have made them icons in India and across the world," Dhillon said in statement. The opening and the closing designers are yet to be announced by the organisers. Sunil Sethi, Chairman, FDCI, said their goal is to support both young and established designers. We are thrilled to make our return to New Delhi for this seasons Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI. As we continue to strengthen the platform, which serves as a showcase for the finest design talent in the industry, we are also upbeat about always elevating the business of fashion. Our goal is to support both young and established designers, fostering an environment that encourages innovation and creativity," he said. Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands said the upcoming edition will celebrate some of the most impactful and visionary creators from India and across the world. We are back with another power-packed schedule that will be a celebration of the remarkable design talent from India and across the world and a curation of some of the most impactful and visionary creators. We are thankful for the support of our esteemed brand partners, and welcome new collaborators who are embarking on this exciting journey with us," Chandok said. All showcases from the five-day event will also be live streamed across the platforms OTT partners JioCinema and Jio TV and Lakme, LFW and FDCI social media channels. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood's ultimate fashion icon, recently attended the prestigious Business of Fashion 500 Gala in Paris on Saturday. The event was a star-studded affair and several celebrities like Troye Sivan, Jeremy Pope, Karol G, Naomi Campbell, Daniel Lee, Jared Leto, Coco Rocha, Kris Jenner, Pia Jauncey and several others graced the occasion. Speaking of Sonam, she is a total stunner who can pull off any look to perfection. Whether it's a Bollywood red carpet event or an international affair, Sonam can do it all with the utmost style and glamour. She may not be doing too many films at the moment, but she sure knows how to steal the limelight with her breathtaking looks. The diva arrived in a white Valentino gown and we just can't take our eyes off her. Read on for more details. (Also read: Sonam Kapoor stuns in Hugo Boss white pantsuit at Milan Fashion Week, earns praise from Bhumi Pednekar. Check pics ) Sonam Kapoor turns heads in glamorous Valentino white gown at BoF 500 Gala(Instagram/@sonamkapoor) Sonam Kapoor Dazzles in a White Valentino Gown On Sunday, Sonam gave her fans a weekend surprise as the actress took to Instagram and uploaded her picture from the event with the caption, "She gained recognition as a successful actress for her roles in 'Raanjhanaa' and 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', which earned her several Best Actress nominations and she joined the index in 2013." In the post, Sonam is seen looking glamorous from head to toe in a kaftan-style white dress. Let's take a moment to admire her beauty. Sonam's exquisite ensemble comes from the esteemed luxury fashion house Valentino, who adorned her in an enchanting shade of white. This stunning piece features a plunging neckline with intricate orange embellishments, a gracefully flowing silhouette, full sleeves that cascade elegantly to the hem and a sweeping floor-length train. Sonam has a knack for extravagant accessorising, she always likes to keep it bold and this time was no different as she chose a pair of oversized, long, dazzling earrings that extended to her bust and featured an ombre shade of red and white. This glamorous addition gave her look an extra oomph. For her glamorous make-up look, Sonam got decked up in shimmery eyeshadow, mascaraed lashes, winged eyeliner, darkened brows, blushed cheeks with lots of highlighter and shades of glossy nude lipstick. With her lush, long locks left open at the centre and cascading beautifully down her shoulders, she completed her head-turning look. Her post quickly went viral on social media, garnering tons of likes and comments from her adoring followers who just can't stop gushing over the look. Even her B-town bestie Bhumi Pednekar couldn't resist and commented, "So so beautiful," while several others dropped fire and heart-eyed emojis. We can't wait to see more looks from her Paris diaries. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation, Bapu or Mahatma, was a political ethicist, nationalist and lawyer. His birth anniversary is right around the corner, and the day is marked with much enthusiasm all across the globe. Globally, the day is also celebrated as the International Day of Non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his life to the freedom of the nation and advocated for the path of peace, truth and non-violence. Scroll through to know when we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, its history, significance, and all you need to know about the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. (File Photo) Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Date: Gandhi Jayanti falls annually on October 2. This year, it falls on Monday and marks the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi Jayanti 2023 History and Significance: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. Mahatma Gandhi shares his birthday with another Indian politician and statesman, Lal Bahadur Shastri. A lawyer whose life changed through his experiences in South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi played the most significant role in India's independence movement. Gandhi led many successful Satyagraha and Ahimsa movements to free India from British colonial rule. He dedicated his life to the struggle for freedom. His non-violent approach and ability to win over people with love and tolerance profoundly impacted the Indian civil rights movement. He was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948. October 2 is a national holiday in India. The day honours Mahatma Gandhi, the values of non-violence and tolerance he preached, and pays tribute to the freedom fighter. People celebrate the day to promote peace, harmony, and unity worldwide. It is marked with much pomp everywhere in the country, including schools, colleges, government and non-government offices. People organise cultural activities, patriotic songs, dances, and speeches on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. People also start their day by listening to Gandhi's favourite hymn, Raghupati Raghava. International Day of Non-violence: In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 2 as International Day of Non-Violence to honour Gandhi's principles. According to the United Nations, the day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness". It reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence". Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! The tourist inflow in Shimla has increased in recent weeks, bringing hope to the tourism industry, which was hit hard by floods and landslides earlier this year. Himachal Pradesh sees rush among tourists to visit Shimla amid festive weekends (PTI) Bengali tourists, who typically visit Shimla during the Navratri festival have started arriving in the town. Speaking to ANI, Priyanka Naskar, a tourist from Kolkata, expressed her happiness on arrival to Shimla. It is good to be here. I am coming for the first time. We were in a state of fear that there were floods and rains that caused havoc here. But it is very good here and we are enjoying it. I would recommend everyone to come here and ask our Bengali people not to cancel their bookings, it is very good here. I wanted to come once to hills here and now I am happy to be here, said Priyanka Naskar, a tourist. Pravir Haldar, a tourist from West Bengal lauded the Himachal Pradesh government's efforts to restore all roads. "I have been coming here earlier but this year due to heavy rain and floods. However, we did not cancel our visit, there was a sense of fear, but now we are feeling safe. Both the Union and State governments have done good and restored all roads. The tourist destinations are safe and the roads are clear and I would recommend everyone to come here. For Bengali tourists, Shimla, Kali Bari temple, and hills are the best choice. We are feeling happy to be here, I am disappointed as I wanted to travel through the Tody train but it was cancelled," said Pravir Haldar, a tourist from West Bengal. Weekend tourists from neighbouring states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi are also flocking to Shimla. Gurjeet Kaur, a tourist from Delhi, said that she was enjoying her time in the town. I am coming from Delhi, we thought it would be tough and roads would be closed but everything is normal after the floods here. We like coming on weekends as most of the people prefer coming on weekends. On weekends we have holidays and it is the right time to spend and enjoy the holidays, said Kaur. Notably, due to Milad-un-Nabi/Eid-e-Milad and Gandhi Jayanti holidays accompanied by Saturday and Sunday off on the 28th, 29th, 30th, September and 1st, and 2nd of October have caused a rush among tourists to visit Shimla. Mohinder Seth, President of the Himachal Pradesh Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Stakeholders Association, said that the tourist arrival has increased after the floods and that the industry is hopeful of good business ahead. He raised concern over the illegally operated homestays and bed and breakfast (B&B) guest houses are becoming a threat to the hotel industry. The illegally operated homestays and bed and breakfast (B&B) guest houses are becoming a threat to the hotel industry. The tax imposed by the transport department on tempo travelers is 6000 rupees per entry is very high the travel agencies across the country are against it, if transports are paying taxes for all Indian tourist permits why there is a need to impose additional tax? We have received a letter from Gujarat, the travel and transport business units are planning to shift the tourists to Jammu and Kashmir, said Mohinder Seth. Thousands of tourists annually visit Hill state, as per data available with the tourism department of Himachal Pradesh during the year 2019 nearly 1720000 tourists including nearly 400000 foreign tourists visited the state with a jump of nearly 5 per cent in comparison to the year 2018. During the years 2021 to 2022, arrival decreased due to the pandemic and now again it has started increasing but rain and floods have hit it again. An economy of over 11000 crore is generated in the state of Himachal Pradesh in the tourism sector and it is considered a backbone for the economy in the state which contributes to 7.3 per cent of state GDP. "Now this will affect the employment of lakhs of people in the state. This year till June over 1.6 crore tourists arrived in the state but after the rain and floods in July and August, tourism was badly hit in the region. Now the tourism business units are reviving business," added Seth. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Pietro, a German Shepherd in the Carmel Police Department, is receiving tons of love on social media. The dog lent a paw to his human partner for a very important mission. He helped round up 30 goats running loose in a street in New York. A video of the dog on duty was also captured and later shared online. The image shows a dog rounding up goats with his human partner. (Facebook/@Carmel Police Department, NY) The Carmel Police Department took to Facebook to share the video. PO DeSantola responded to Mahopac Falls today to assist with 30 goats loose in the roadway and thankfully - he had the perfect partner for the job. K9 Pietro, a German Shepherd, acted as the name implies and helped corral the goats quickly back into their pen! Nice job, K9 Cowboy, reads the caption posted along with the clip. The video opens to show the goats standing in the middle of a road. Pietro, along with his human partner, is also seen standing on the side of the road. Soon, they get to work and start guiding the goats in a particular direction. The video shows how the dog clears the road by running behind the goats. Take a look at this video of the K9: The video was posted on September 26. Since being shared, it has accumulated several views and likes. People have taken to the comments section to share varied reactions. A few also tagged others to show them the video of Pietro. How did Facebook users react to this video of the K9? Great job K9 Pietro and Officer DeSantola! praised a Facebook user. Ye ha! Good shepherding! joined another. So cute! I'm glad they are safe, added a third. Awesome work! Pietro makes a great goat herder! wrote a fourth. What are your thoughts on this video of the K9? Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! I tend to be a planner. I like an organized calendar, a budget and an itinerary. My husband used to joke, Stacy can be spontaneous, as long as its on the schedule. But, as I have recently been reminded, there are your plans, and there are Gods, and they dont always line up. You probably know the old joke, How do you make God laugh? Make a plan. Over the last year, I have found that joke to be funny, but not exactly fun. Three months ago, I had barely even heard of the Finger Lakes. As a pastor from Texas, then living in Tennessee, I had only a vague idea of New York. There was the city, where I went to graduate school back in the 2000s, and there was, well, everything else that wasnt the city. But none of that mattered to me, because I wasnt headed to the Finger Lakes or any other part of New York. I was bound for Loch Ness, or Loch Lomand, or any loch/lake in Scotland. That was the plan. Like many of us, COVID-19 had challenged me to consider what really mattered and how I wanted to live my life. After a few years of discernment, some tragedy and the help of a really good realtor, I was ready to pack up my life in the United States and move to the island of Iona, on the far west coast of Scotland. I had visited this holy island before, but this was my chance to make a more permanent move. I was offered a long-term volunteer position, which I could actually afford to do (see really good realtor above). I gave away most of my stuff, put the rest in storage and took advantage of summer sales in the South to buy winter coats that I would need during my stay in the inner Hebrides. I quit my full-time job in community outreach at a hospital, and my part-time job as a pastor at a small church, and got ready to fly off on a one-way ticket to Scotland to live out this adventure and implement the new plan. And then that plan ran smack into the United Kingdom visa process. I wont bore you with the details, but at the end of the day, my plans, and Gods plans at least as I understood them were not entirely compatible with the plans of the U.K. I did, and continue to, have hope that the go volunteer in Scotland plan might work in 2024. But, since this is 2023, I was stuck. And so, with no job, no church, no mortgage and no plan, I did what we tend to do when we get desperate: I started searching Facebook. I made one post on a network for leaders in the Presbyterian church, explaining that I had at least a few months where I had nothing to do and asking if anyone out there needed a temporary pastor. Almost immediately I got inquiries from Minneapolis, South Carolina, New Jersey, western Oregon and a sweet lady who tried very hard to sell me on the virtues of Fargo, North Dakota (still never been there, but she assures me its great). And, as you might have deduced, I had one inquiry from a church in Auburn, whose beloved pastor had just resigned to spend more time with his family. We chatted, I Googled, they offered, and thats how Westminster Presbyterian Church, and the community of Auburn, became my short-term home. And, as I realized only a bit later, this was Gods plan all along. Since the beginning of August, when I joined Westminster as the temporary pastor, I have been uniquely blessed by the church community, and the broader city of Auburn. I have felt my whole self wholly welcomed into the family my weirdness, my loudness, my dependence on Coke Zero and my propensity to say hey yall in almost all social settings. I have found a church family that is dedicated, compassionate, just and kind, in a city of beauty and opportunity, and I love being here with you. To be sure, this is no small thing. In my experience, there are few places where you can just show up, with all your skills and all your flaws, and throw yourself into the arms of people who already love you enough to catch you. Westminster is one of those rare places where their plan to be a church where youre already home is not only theirs, but Gods as well. So as someone who had barely heard of the Finger Lakes three months ago and would have definitely said Ki-yuga instead of Kay-yuga, I want to offer up my sincere thanks to Westminster and to the Auburn community for this unique opportunity to live out Gods wonderful, unexpected and unplanned-for plan. In a courtroom setting, a video was presented to depict the confrontation between a YouTube content creator, known for his pranks, and a food delivery driver who resorted to violence against him in a Virginia shopping mall. Self-Defense Prevails: YouTube Prankster's Shooter Acquitted (tannerc00k/Instagram)(Instagram) After arguments and defence, on Thursday, a jury reached a verdict of not guilty for 31-year-old Alan Colie regarding the charge of aggravated malicious wounding of 21-year-old Tanner Cook. It, however, was divided on two lesser charges related to firearms, ultimately convicting Alan on one count while acquitting him on the other. The incident unfolded when Alan recorded a troubling video on his mobile phone of Tanner approaching him in a food court of Dulles Towne Center and pursuing him while playing the audio recording. The video footage shows Alan avoiding Tanner, verbally instructing Alan to cease his actions on three separate occasions, and attempting to push Tanner's cellphone away from his face. After approximately 20 seconds, Alan drew a firearm and discharged it, injuring the YouTuber. Social media platforms witnessed a considerable number of individuals supporting Alan's actions, stating that Tanner had engaged in harassment against a complete stranger. Prosecutors presented the argument that Colie had used a firearm in a situation that did not warrant such extreme measures, characterizing it as a cellphone fight. Nevertheless, the jury leaned in favor of Alan's self-defense assertion, a claim typically reserved for individuals who can demonstrate a reasonable belief that they faced imminent and severe physical harm. Alan was later acquitted of charges related to aggravated malicious wounding and malicious discharge. However, he still faces charges related to shooting into an occupied dwelling, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. In response to the verdict, Cook has expressed his intention to continue creating prank videos for his YouTube channel. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" "Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp ChannelsSubscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Taliban-appointed acting minister of higher education Neda Mohammad Nadim emphasized that based on Sharia, men and women are not equal. The remarks were reported TOLO News and were made during a meeting at Baghlan University. The minister said that attempts are being made to demolish the current system under the pretext of concerns related to women. Noting that despite Western nations trying to demonstrate that men and women have equal rights, women and men are "not equal". Afghanistan: A Taliban fighter stands guard in Kabul, Afghanistan.(AP) "The Almighty Allah has distinguished between men and women. A male is the ruler, he has the authority, he must be obeyed, and the woman must accept his world. A woman is not equal to a man; however, they (Western nations) have placed her above a man," Neda Mohammad Nadim said. The duties of the current government are to behave well towards the people and provide security and justice, he said. "This is the responsibility of the Islamic Emirate: to treat the people well. It should bring ease, it should bring good news, there should be no hatred, there should be no differences among the officials, and the second thing is to ensure security, he said. Sayed Sati, a lecturer at Baghlan University said, The most crucial requirements and conditions that can make a university grow in terms of science and research are the provision of facilities and equipment, while one of the students Yama Barna said, "The lack of regular transportation for students is the first issue. It should be taken care of because the distance between the city and the institution is great. The second issue is the lack of a dorm, which students have experienced for years." Afghanistan's women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 after withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail Pakistan interior minister Sarfaraz Bugti has blamed India's Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence agency for a suicide blast in Balochistan on Friday that killed 60 people and injured 60 others. The Indian government is yet to make an official statement on Bugti's allegation. A bomb explodes during a procession on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, in Balochistan province of Pakistan, on Friday,(PTI) The attack targeted a procession to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday near the Madina Masjid at a place called Mastung. The blast tore through the mosque in the southern province of Balochistan after the bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle where people were gathering for the procession. Pakistani officials have long claimed that India sponsors violent groups in Pakistan - claims India has always denied. "Civil, military and all other institutions will jointly strike against the elements involved in the Mastung suicide bombing," Bugti told media in Balochistan's capital, Quetta. "RAW is involved in the suicide attack," he said, but did not provide details or evidence on the alleged involvement. Wasim Baig, the spokesman for Balochistan's health department, said seven more people had died in hospital since Friday, which had caused the rise in the death toll, adding that more patients remained in critical condition, news agency Reuters reported. A second attack on Friday at a mosque in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had killed at least five people. Police on Saturday filed a report to launch an investigation, saying they had sent DNA from the suicide bomb attacker to be analysed. No group has claimed responsibility for either attack. A surge in terror attacks in Pakistan's western provinces has cast a shadow on preparations and public campaigning in the run-up to January's general elections, but until now the attacks had mostly targeted security forces. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan since the group's formation in 2007, denied responsibility for Friday's blasts. On Saturday, the Dawn quoted a statement from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) that said an FIR with murder charges and terrorism offences has been filed against an unidentified attacker. Meanwhile, the caretaker government of Balochistan announced three days of mourning in the wake of the attack. The Pakistan daily also gave a chronological dataset to show how Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year". Earlier this month, at least 11 people, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in a blast in the same district; a week prior to that, a security official was gunned down at a bus stand by unidentified men. In May this year, unidentified attackers targeted a polio vaccination team in the Killi Sour Karez area on the outskirts of Mastung, resulting in a policeman being killed, it said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has tested Covid positive at a time when his general elections campaign has entered its last two weeks, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday. New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins(Reuters) After experiencing cold and flu symptoms on Saturday, Hipkins announced on Facebook on Sunday that he had been infected with the coronavirus. Moreover, he said that the election campaign would now run online and that he would now continue with as many of his campaign events online as he could. Bugger! After a rough night I woke up this morning feeling pretty unwell and just got this test result, he said in the post on his official page, sharing a photograph of his rapid antigen test. Im in close contact with New Zealanders on the campaign trail and I dont want to pass it on to anyone. So, Ill be following the guidance and isolating for a few days or until I get a negative test," he said, according to Al Jazeera. Theres a lot at stake this election, and Ill be working doubly hard when I can get back out there to make sure Labour is re-elected, he added. Hipkins, who succeeded Jacinda Ardern as head of the opposition Labour Party in January, has had trouble winning over people during his re-election campaign. The New Zealand Prime Minister took the Covid-19 test at a time when his party unveiled its manifesto, which included policies like free dental care for those under 30, more front-line police, and four weeks of paid parental leave for partners for students who missed class due to the coronavirus, according to Al Jazeera. Notably, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, was also on his maiden visit to New Zealand from September 24-29 to take part in the 1st India Business Summit 2023. The summit was co-organised by the High Commission of India in Wellington and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. MoS Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, along with New Zealand PM Hipkins, took part in the 1st India Business Summit 2023, where he shared his views on India's economic growth and boosting bilateral ties between India and New Zealand, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Around a million people gathered on Sunday at a rally in Warsaw to protest against Poland's conservative government two weeks ahead of a key general election. Donald Tusk, the leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO) and Rafal Trzaskowski, mayor of Warsaw march in front of the Polish national flag during the "Marsz Miliona Serc" rally, in Warsaw, Poland.(Reuters) Called by opposition leader and former premier Donald Tusk, the "Million Hearts March" sought to mobilise the electorate ahead of the vote. "This is absolutely the biggest demonstration in Warsaw's history," Warsaw city spokeswoman Monika Beuth told AFP, adding that "around a million" people attended. Protesters gathered at the heart of Warsaw, many carrying Polish and European Union flags, and marched through the city, with the rally culminating with a speech by Tusk, the head of the centrist Civic Coalition bloc. "We, here, are Poland," Tusk told the rally, "and we are here to win". "Poland deserves better.. Poland deserves the best", he said, adding that "more than a million" people were taking part. - 'Enough' - Participants from across Poland began gathering in Warsaw in the early hours to rally against the government, run by the nationalist Law and Justice party. Kazimierz Figzal said it took him seven hours to get to the capital from southwest Poland. "We've had enough of what we witness now -- our freedom is being curbed. We want democracy, for our children and grandchildren," the 65-year-old told AFP. "It's high time that we return back to normal, to the rule of law, to freedom of choice and of speech," said Monika Pieleszynska, a 43-year-old clerk. Scores of prominent political figures joined the march, including leaders of some other opposition parties. "We are ready to win, we are ready to form a democratic, European and modern government," a co-leader of the New Left party Robert Biedron told the crowd. Ahead of the October 15 poll, the ruling party, which frequently clashes with the EU and faces accusations of undermining the rule of law, holds a comfortable lead in opinion polls, with around 35 percent, according to IBRiS polling. The Civic Coalition opposition alliance has long trailed in second place, with 27 percent, according to IBRiS. - 'Within reach' - Tusk has said that according to his party's internal polls, the ruling party's lead has narrowed to just two percentage points. "The opportunity is within reach, nothing has been decided yet," Tusk told his supporters earlier this week as he addressed crowds in Elblag, northern Poland, promising to hold the authorities accountable following the vote. "Many of them will go to jail for blatant theft, for violating the law and the constitution," he said. Law and Justice leaders are holding their own rival rally in the southern city of Katowice on Sunday. "We don't need to wear paper hearts, we have hearts that are beating for Poland," former prime minister Beata Szydlo of the Law and Justice said in Katowice, referring to the symbol of the opposition rally. Bartlomiej Piela, a Katowice resident who travelled to the opposition rally's in Warsaw on Sunday, disagreed. "Breaking fundamental civil rights and women's freedom to choose how they wish to live, pitting Polish people against each other... I hope the march will mobilise people to change it", the 29-year-old said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the country. Turkey Blast: European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell.(AFP) In a statement on the social media platform X, Borrell said, "We express solidarity with Turkiye and wish a speedy recovery to the injured." Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom also condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. He also wished a quick recovery to the injured. Notably, Turkey and Sweden have had strained relations in the past, with the former accusing the latter of harbouring groups it considers terrorists. The claims have led to tensions, hindering Sweden's entry into NATO. Egypt, too, strongly condemned the attack on Turkey's interior ministry and extended its solidarity to the country, its government, and its people. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the "terrorist attack", stressing its rejection of all forms of terrorism and violence that destabilise societies. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama joined in, expressing strong condemnation and calling on Europe to better understand and support Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti also expressed his sadness over the terror attack in Ankara while voicing relief that the damage to Turkish institutions was averted. Ankara has been the site of several attacks in recent years, particularly in 2015 and 2016, with many attributed to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or ISIS. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that a judicial investigation has been initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the attack, affirming that the country's fight against terror will continue undaunted despite such incidents. Under the coordination of the Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor assigned to the incident, the investigation will continue in a comprehensive manner in all aspects, Tunc posted on X. Security has been increased around key government buildings, including the parliament and the Interior Ministry, following the attack, as parliamentarians were returning after a summer break, with President Erdogan scheduled to deliver an opening speech. All parliamentarians, including the president, were expected to be at the parliament in the afternoon at around 2pm. President Erdogan was expected to deliver an opening speech, she added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn surprised their hometown of Plains, Georgia, by showing up at a peanut festival on Saturday. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter sit together .John Bazemore/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo(REUTERS) The couple, who are both in hospice care, waved to the crowd from an SUV as they drove down the main street. The event was part of a week-long celebration of Jimmy Carters 99th birthday on Sunday, a remarkable achievement for the longest-living U.S. president. Many people did not expect Carter to reach this milestone, as he announced in March that he was entering end-of-life care. However, according to author Jonathan Alter, who wrote a biography of Carter called His Very Best, hospice does not mean imminent death. I think there is a misunderstanding about hospice that its only for people who are days away from death, he says. Thats not what the hospice movements says. Alter says that Carter and Rosalynn, who has dementia, are living the final chapter of their lives in the same way as they lived the rest: by serving others. Do as much as you can for as many as you can for as long as you can, he says. He says that by announcing their hospice and dementia, the Carters are sending a message to the world that they are not afraid of these end-of-life decisions, and that there are other options for letting go. A boy writes a birthday message on a window at a public birthday party held a day before former U.S. President Jimmy Carter turns 99 years old, at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY(REUTERS) While they have retired from public life, their legacy lives on through the Carter Center, the global non-profit organization they founded in 1982. The Carter Center works to promote peace and fight neglected tropical diseases around the world. Paige Alexander, the CEO of the Carter Center, says that thousands of staff and volunteers continue their work without interruption. Alexander says that she still talks to Carter occasionally on the phone, and that he is more interested in the progress of his projects than in politics. The last time we talked, he didnt ask me about politics, he didnt ask me about anything except guinea worm numbers, she told VOA. Guinea worm is a parasitic disease that Carter has been trying to eradicate since the 1980s. When the Carter Center started its campaign, there were 3.5 million cases in 21 countries. Now, there are only six human cases in two countries. Carter once said, I want the last guinea worm to die before I do. Alexander says that Carter appreciates the support and admiration he receives from people around the world, especially the happy birthday wishes that the Carter Center is collecting for an online mosaic. I think it might be the special sauce of what keeps him going right now. That and peanut butter ice cream, she said. She says that Carter and Rosalynn are happy to be together in their small community, where they have lived since the 1920s. They are exactly where they want to be together in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, she said. Happy 99th birthday, President Carter! Youve inspired so many people around the world with your leadership, character, and commitment to service, former US President Barack Obama poured high praises towards President Carter. Jill Biden also bid wishes over X to the former president. Wishes are flooding the feed: Fresno in California has become the second US city to ban caste discrimination after the City Council unanimously passed a resolution by including two new protected categories in its municipal code, according to a media report. Seattle was the first US city to include caste protections in its anti-discrimination statutes earlier this year. (Picture for representational purpose only). (AP)(HT_PRINT) Earlier in February, Seattle outlawed caste discrimination, becoming the first US city to do so, followed by the US state of California, where a bill was passed in September by the state assembly for the same. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. The move comes amid a nationwide civil rights movement, led mostly by South Asian Americans who come from caste-oppressed backgrounds, NBC reported on Friday. "Im proud of our City for once again, raising the bar on civil rights protections, Fresno City Council Vice President Annalisa Perea was quoted as saying by the television network. While we acknowledge that discrimination wont end overnight, our City took bold action by passing this anti-discrimination policy to strengthen civil rights protections against caste discrimination," Perea said. The caste equity leaders are in the third week of a hunger strike to push California Governor Newsom to sign Senate Bill 403, which would add caste to the states anti-discrimination policy. They will continue the strike until the bill becomes law, which could be as late as October 14, the report said. Meanwhile, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has filed a lawsuit against the California Civil Rights Department, alleging that it has violated several constitutional rights of Hindus living in the state. The amended complaint alleges that the department has violated the rights of Hindus in California by wrongly asserting that a caste system and caste-based discrimination are integral parts of Hindu teachings and practices. Glasgow Gurdwara has strongly condemned the Friday incident where the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Dorwaiswami, was blocked by some pro-Khalistan elements from participating in a planned interaction. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Gurdwara said certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area went on to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship after the envoy's departure, adding that the Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds. Pro-Khalistan activists in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US have stepped up their activities against the backdrop of the India-Canada diplomatic row over the killing of Nijjar.(Reuters) The statement read, "Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith." Earlier in the day, the High Commission of India in London said that three people from outside Scotland deliberately disrupted the visit, and one even attempted to violently force open the diplomatic vehicle as their vehicle arrived at Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib on Albert Drive. As they hurled threats and abuses, the High Commissioner (HC) and Consul General of India (CG) decided to leave the premises to avert any further altercation. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organisers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided. The High Commission of India has reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police, the HC stated. The local police said it was called to the disturbance, and its enquiries remain ongoing. We were called around 1.05 pm on Friday, 29 September, to a report of a disturbance that happened in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow. There were no reports of any injuries, and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, said a Police Scotland spokesperson. The incident follows a diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Ottawa since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linked Indian intelligence to the killing of pro-Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Unlike the SGPC, the Glasgow Guru Granth Sahib Gurudwara has personally apologized to the Indian High Commissioner to UK Vikram Doraiswami, who was confronted by London-based Sikh extremists on Friday and prevented by them from entering the temple premises. Ranveer Singh was photographed at a shooting practice range with a rifle and also seen wearing a T-shirt demanding the release of Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara. In a letter to the High Commissioner, the Glasgow gurdwara committee assured the High Commissioner that the three persons involved in the unsavoury incident were not part of their regular congregation and were unknown to the community gurudwara on Albert Road in Glasgow. The committee has requested the High Commissioner to visit the Gurudwara again and a public statement is expected to be released by them tomorrow. Two of the three extremists who tried to accost the Indian High Commissioner have been identified as Shamsher Singh and Ranveer Singh, both based in London. Out of this Ranveer Singh was photographed at a shooting practice range with a rifle and also seen wearing a T-shirt demanding the release of Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara, who was involved in the conspiracy to assassinate the 12th Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh, on August 31, 1995. Dilawar Singh Babbar, a human bomb, assassinated Beant Siingh by blowing up his bulletproof car at the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat at Chandigarh. Seventeen people lost their lives in the terror attack and another 15 were injured. Indian High Commission Doraiswami, a 1992 batch IFS officer, went to the Glasgow Gurudwara at the invitation of the committee in August 2023 and the request was reiterated this month. Despite the increase in Sikh radical activity, Doraiswami has visited at least four Gurudwaras with the community most well-disposed to the Indian diplomat and his colleagues. High Commissioner Doraiswami met the Indian Muslim Association in Glasgow before reaching the Glasgow Gurudwara. While the Scotland police and the British intelligence were informed well in advance about the visit of High Commissioner Doraiswami to the Glasgow Gurudwara, the incident took everyone by surprise with the local community not being able to push out the troublemakers. Already, the Scotland police are taking the statements of all involved including the local lady Sikh MP of the city and action will be taken against the extremists shortly. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shishir Gupta Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel. ...view detail David Wilcox Executive editor Follow David Wilcox Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A recent study by personal finance company WalletHub ranked the best small cities in America to start a business. Near the bottom of the study, which ranked 1,334 small cities, is Auburn. Coming in at No. 1,303, Auburn is the lowest city in New York on the list. The next lowest is Rome at No. 1,289. The study received attention in August, when it was covered by central New York radio stations owned by Townsquare Media. Last week, Auburn mayoral candidate Tim Lattimore called the ranking "shameful" in a letter to the editor in The Citizen. "Is it any wonder then that our downtown has so many vacancies, that (Fingerlakes Mall) is dying on the vine, and that there are limited opportunities for younger workers to earn a decent living, raise a family, and stay in Auburn?" Lattimore wrote. "The bottom line is that money goes where money is well treated." However, business officials in Auburn object to the WalletHub study specifically its framing and methodology. Compiled by a panel of six professors of entrepreneurship, business and economics, the study compared the 1,334 cities by business environment, access to resources and business costs using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources. Stephanie DeVito, executive director of the Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District, told The Citizen she believes one flaw in the study is the simple fact that every city is different. "It all depends on the demographics of sustainability in each community. There are businesses that are absolutely perfect for communities such as ours, and others that aren't," she said. "I don't see that there's a lack of interest in businesses wanting to come into our community. At the same time, I feel very strongly it depends on the type of business and their needs." Officials with the Cayuga Economic Development Agency were more pointed in their criticisms. Economic research analyst Peter King told The Citizen that because the study only ranked cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 people, Auburn and its 26,081 people were "at a fundamental disadvantage." About 11% of the score WalletHub used to rank the cities was determined by the average growth in their number of small businesses, King noted, which favors cities at the top of that population range over cities like Auburn. King went on to point out that four of the study's top five cities are in Utah. He believes that's because of the predominance of multi-level marketing companies there, such as Young Living Essential Oils. "It's not a terrible study, but it's weighted against Auburn," he said. "It's ultimately a (search engine optimization) product put out by a personal finance company that exists to make money through referrals to credit cards and online lenders." It's also important to note what didn't get calculated into WalletHub's scores, King continued. For instance, Auburn itself ranks low in number of startups per capita (11.1%) and higher-education assets (2.78%), as the highest degree offered in the city is an associate at Cayuga Community College. But within an hour of the city are two startup and higher education hubs in Syracuse and Ithaca. More broadly, King said, the study ignores the human side of business. It appears to count New York's social infrastructure, from its corporate income tax to its "robust" unemployment insurance and Medicaid programs, against the state's cities. That might be why the highest rank the state received was No. 360, for Poughkeepsie. Albany is next at No. 415, and Ithaca is ranked at No. 586. "Their ideal business environment seems to be low wages and captive workers," King said. "New York as a whole focuses more on quality of life, not just the ability to create outsize profits." The Cayuga Economic Development Agency has worked with 53 new clients so far in 2023, its most since 2018. Economic development specialist Maureen Riester told The Citizen the agency considers clients who don't start businesses as much of a success as those who do. Echoing King's comments about the human side of business, she said sometimes starting one just isn't the right thing to do. "We don't always measure success in terms of jobs created and dollars invested," she said. "CEDA helps entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their goals by getting them the information they need to make the best decisions. Sometimes those decisions are different than what they had originally planned, such as choosing to not start a business when it's not viable." A fire that swept through a crowded wedding hall in a northern Iraqi town killing more than 100 people was blamed on "gross negligence" and lack of safety measures, the results of a government investigation into the disaster said. Iraqis attend a candle vigil for the victims of the wedding hall fire, at the church of Mart Shmoni, in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, on September 30, 2023. (AFP) The investigation results, announced at a news conference on Sunday by interior minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, said the owner of the hall and three other staff members had allowed 900 people into the venue when it was designed for a maximum of 400. The fire was accidental and unintentional and occurred due to gross negligence, the investigation findings said. Using flammable decoration helped the fire to spread quickly and transformed the hall to a fireball, Shammari said. The blaze trapped people inside the wedding hall and rescue teams struggled to reach them because exit doors were few and small, Shammari said. At least 150 people were injured in the fire, which was in the Christian town of Hamdaniya - also known as Qaraqosh. The interior minister put the death toll at 107 and said the investigation panel had proposed that the government should provide financial support to families of the dead and injured. The investigation also made recommendations that legal action should be taken against local officials. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani visited victims of the blaze at two local hospitals on Thursday and pledged to hold those responsible to account. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Joe Biden said Sunday that American aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now as he sought to reassure allies of continued U.S. financial support for the war effort. But time is running out, the president said in a warning to Congress. U.S. President Joe Biden makes a statement about the stopgap government funding bill passed by the U.S. House and Senate to avert a government shutdown at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 1, 2023. (REUTERS) We cannot under any circumstances allow American for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden said in remarks from the Roosevelt Room after Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package late Saturday that dropped assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia. "We have time, not much time, and theres an overwhelming sense of urgency, he said, noting that the funding bill lasts only until mid-November. Biden urged Congress to negotiate an aid package as soon as possible. The vast majority of both parties Democrats and Republicans, Senate and House support helping Ukraine and the brutal aggression that is being thrust upon them by Russia, Biden said. "Stop playing games, get this done. But many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum and the next steps are ahead, given the resistance from the hard-right flank. While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has begun a process to potentially consider legislation providing additional Ukraine aid, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., faces a more difficult task in keeping the commitment he made over the objections of nearly half of his GOP majority. He told CBS' Face on the Nation that he supported being able to make sure Ukraine has the weapons that they need," but that his priority was security at the U.S.-Mexico border. I firmly support the border first, he said. So weve got to find a way that we can do this together." By omitting additional Ukraine aid from the measure to keep the government running, McCarthy closed the door on a Senate package that would have funneled $6 billion to Ukraine, roughly one-third of what has been requested by the White House. Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the stopgap measure, with members of both parties abandoning the increased aid in favor of avoiding a costly government shutdown. Now Biden is working to reassure U.S. allies that more money will be there for Ukraine. Look at me, he said turning his face to the cameras at the White House. Were going to get it done. I cant believe those who voted for supporting Ukraine -- overwhelming majority in the House and Senate, Democrat and Republican -- will for pure political reasons let more people die needlessly in Ukraine. Foreign allies, though, were concerned. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Sunday from Kyiv that he believed it wouldn't be the last word, but he noted the EU's continued substantial financial support for Ukraine and a new proposal on the table. I have a hope that this will not be definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the U.S., he said. The latest actions in Congress signal a gradual shift in the unwavering support that the United States has so far pledged Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and it is one of the clearest examples yet of the Republican Partys movement toward a more isolationist stance. The exclusion of the money for Ukraine came little more than a week after lawmakers met in the Capitol with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He sought to assure them that his military was winning the war, but stressed that additional assistance would be crucial. After that visit, Schumer said that one sentence summed up Zelenskyy's message in his meeting with the Senate: If we dont get the aid, we will lose the war, Schumer said. McCarthy, pressured by his right flank, has gone from saying no blank checks for Ukraine, with the focus being on accountability, to describing the Senate's approach as putting Ukraine in front of America. The next funding deadline, which comes during the U.S.-hosted meeting in San Francisco of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders, is likely to become a debate over border funding in exchange for additional Ukraine aid. This was the scenario that Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader who has championed Ukraine aid, was trying to avoid back in summer when he urged the White House team not to tangle the issue in the government shutdown debate, according to people familiar with his previously undisclosed conversations with the administration who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks. Now, all sides are blaming the other for the failure, straining to devise a path forward. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. The U.S. has approved four rounds of aid to Ukraine in response to Russias invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the front lines. In August, Biden called on Congress to provide for an additional $24 billion. At least 10 migrants died and 25 were injured early Sunday when a cargo truck clandestinely carrying them overturned on a highway in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, local officials reported. All the victims were apparently from Cuba and all were women.(REUTERS/Representative image) The accident took place near the border with Guatemala, the report said. It was the second fatal crash in less than a week involving migrants. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. A source in the prosecutor's office who spoke on grounds of anonymity told AFP the victims were apparently from Cuba and all were women, including one minor. The accident occurred on a stretch of highway along the Pacific coast between the towns of Pijijiapan and Tonala, where migrants often travel as they attempt to reach the United States. The truck, whose body was partially built of wood, was destroyed, with the migrants' clothes, bags and backpacks strewn around it. On Thursday, two migrants died when a truck overturned in the municipality of Mezcalapa, also in Chiapas state. Thousands of migrants from different countries have been traveling across Mexico in buses, trailers and freight trains in an attempt to reach the United States. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mufti Qaiser Farooq was gunned down by "unknown men" in Karachi, Pakistan media reported. He was a close associate of Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack. Media reports claimed that 30-year-old Mufti Qaiser Farooq was shot in a "targeted attack". (Representational) Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that 30-year-old Mufti Qaiser Farooq was shot in a "targeted attack" near a religious institution in the Samanabad area on Saturday. The report quoted police sources as saying that Mufti Qaiser Farooq suffered bullet wounds in the back and was shifted to a hospital where he died during treatment. A 10-year-old boy was also wounded in the attack, the report added. Videos claiming to be CCTV footage of the killing of Mufti Qaiser Farooq were shared widely on social media. Hindustan Times could not independently verify the veracity of the video. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT News Desk Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail Amid global condemnation of the suicide blast near the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, the chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday expressed solidarity with the country in the wake of the incident that left two policemen injured and sent a wave of fear among the people. Turkey Blast: The scene of a bomb attack is partly seen in front of the Interior Ministry in Ankara, Turkey.(Reuters) Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, the NATO chief Stoltenberg denounced the suicide attack in Ankara. I strongly condemn todays terrorist attack on the Ministry of Interior in #Ankara, and wish a fast and full recovery for the police officers injured in the line of duty," Stoltenberg posted on X, wishing the injured police officers a "quick and complete" recovery. "NATO stands in solidarity with #Turkiye in the fight against terrorism, he added. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Turkey also condemned the deadly blast and wished the injured a speedy recovery. "We strongly condemn the terrorist attack this morning against Turkiye, our NATO Ally. We offer our condolences to those injured and wish them a speedy recovery. We stand in solidarity with Turkiye against terrorism," the US Embassy said in a post on X. Security has been increased around key government buildings, including the parliament and the Interior Ministry, following the attack, as parliamentarians were returning after a summer break. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered an opening speech at the parliament hours after the blast and said that the terrorists will never achieve their aims in Turkey in his address at the Turkish parliament. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism, Erdogan said, adding, Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed, he said, according to Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned the Ankara incident and reiterated its support for any initiatives aimed at eradicating "terrorism" and cutting off its funding sources. The caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, stated that Pakistan is "completely united with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism". "Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack in Ankara today. We stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism," he posted on X. Earlier on Sunday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the country. In a statement on the social media platform X, Borrell said, "We express solidarity with Turkiye and wish a speedy recovery to the injured." Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom also condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. He also wished a quick recovery to the injured. Notably, Turkey and Sweden have had strained relations in the past, with the former accusing the latter of harbouring groups it considers terrorists. The claims have led to tensions, hindering Sweden's entry into NATO. Egypt, too, strongly condemned the attack on Turkey's interior ministry and extended its solidarity to the country, its government, and its people. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the "terrorist attack", stressing its rejection of all forms of terrorism and violence that destabilise societies. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama joined in, expressing strong condemnation and calling on Europe to better understand and support Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti also expressed his sadness over the terror attack in Ankara while voicing relief that the damage to Turkish institutions was averted. Ankara has been the site of several attacks in recent years, particularly in 2015 and 2016, with many attributed to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or ISIS. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies. Meanwhile, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that a judicial investigation has been initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the attack, affirming that the country's fight against terror will continue undaunted despite such incidents. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party will approach the Lahore High Court for his bail before he arrives in the country later this month, a report claimed. The 73-year-old recently said that he will return to Pakistan on October 21 after a four-year "self-imposed exile" to lead his party in the election likely to be held in January 2024. Geo News reported that the decision to approach the court for bail was taken to avoid Nawaz Sharif's arrest at the Lahore airport. Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, brother of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, is seen. (AFP) Citing PML-N officials, the report claimed that the partys legal team would approach the court for bail a week before the three-time prime ministers return to the country. The decision to approach the court was discussed with Nawaz Sharif, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in recent meetings held in London, the report added. If the bail is approved then Nawaz Sharif would not go to jail immediately upon his return to Pakistan. He would also be able to address the public gathering planned at Minar-e-Pakistan grounds, it was reported. This comes as Shehbaz Sharif said during a party meeting that the main goal and agenda of Nawaz Sharif will be to provide relief to the masses, rescue them from the miserable situation and eradicate economic darkness. Nawaz Sharif stepped down as the country's prime minister in 2017 after he was disqualified for life from holding public office by the country's Supreme Court for not declaring a receivable salary. He has been living in London since 2019 after the court granted him four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail North Korea accused the United States on Sunday of letting a "terrorist" act against Cuba take place on U.S. soil, saying a recent attack against the Cuban embassy in Washington was the result of "despicable anti-Cuban" U.S. intentions. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the 9th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in Pyongyang.(Reuters) The United States has neglected to ensure the safety of the Cuban mission and was only keen to put countries it dislikes, such as Cuba, on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a spokesman of North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement. Along with Cuba, North Korea, Syria and Iran are on the State Department list. An assailant attacked the embassy on Sept. 24 with two Molotov cocktails. No one was hurt and there was no significant damage. The incident was "a grave terrorist attack", the North Korean spokesman said, adding there was a pattern as it followed a 2020 incident at the same embassy in which someone fired a rifle at the building. "This goes to prove that the above-said incidents were committed evidently at the tacit connivance of the U.S. administration," the unnamed spokesman said in the statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. U.S. authorities arrested and indicted a man soon after the 2020 shooting. The United States should "acknowledge the blame for not only the recent incident but also all the past terrorist cases and probe their truth to show its sincerity," rather than focussing on naming countries as state sponsors of terrorism, he said. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States strongly condemned the attack and that U.S. law enforcement authorities would investigate. No one was in custody as the investigation continued, the Secret Service has said. The embassy reopened in 2015 when Cuba and the U.S. restored diplomatic ties. Havana has said it is unreasonable for Washington to keep Cuba on its terrorism list and maintain a Cold War-era economic embargo. US President Joe Biden said that he was "stick and tired of the brinkmanship" after a partial shutdown of the federal government was narrowly averted. American aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now, Joe Biden said as he sought to reassure allies of continued US financial support for Kyiv's war effort. But time is running out, the president warned. US President Joe Biden speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.(AP) We cannot under any circumstances allow American for Ukraine to be interrupted," Joe Biden said in remarks from the Roosevelt Room after Congress voted to avert a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package that dropped assistance for Ukraine in the fight against Russia. "We have time, not much time and theres an overwhelming sense of urgency, he said as the funding bill lasts only until mid-November. Joe Biden also urged US Congress to negotiate an aid package as soon as possible. Were going to get it done, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail Authorities in one Pakistan province are turning to a controversial new tactic in the decades-long initiative to wipe out polio: prison. A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a railway station in Karachi, Pakistan.(AP) Last month, the government in Sindh introduced a bill that would imprison parents for up to one month if they fail to get their children immunized against polio or eight other common diseases. Experts at the World Health Organization and elsewhere worry the unusual strategy could further undermine trust in the polio vaccines, particularly in a country where many believe false conspiracies about them and where dozens of vaccinators have been shot and killed. Adding to the problems faced by experts trying to persuade people of the vaccines safety: The oral vaccines themselves now cause most polio cases worldwide. WHOs polio director in the Eastern Mediterranean warned the new law could backfire. Coercion is counterproductive, said Dr. Hamid Jafari. He said health workers have typically succeeded in raising immunization rates in vaccine-hesitant areas by figuring out the reasons for peoples refusal and addressing those concerns, like bringing in a trusted political or religious leader to talk with people. My own sense is that Pakistan wants to have this legislation in their back pocket in case they need it, Jafari said. I would be surprised if theres a willingness to actually enforce these coercive measures. Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only countries where the spread of polio has never been stopped. The potentially fatal, paralyzing disease mostly strikes children up to age 5 and typically spreads in contaminated water. WHO and its partners have administered billions of vaccine doses since they first began trying to eradicate the disease in 1988. The effort costs nearly $1 billion a year and is largely funded by donor countries and private organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The immunizations, given to children as drops in the mouth, have reduced polio cases by more than 99%. But in very rare cases, the live virus in the vaccine can cause polio or mutate into a strain that triggers a new outbreak. So far this year, there have been seven cases of polio caused by the wild virus all in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, more than 270 cases have been caused by a virus linked to the vaccine in 21 countries across three continents. In January, roughly 62,000 parents, mostly in Pakistans Sindh province, refused polio vaccinations for their children, prompting authorities there to propose the new law with penalties. The bill is in the final stages of becoming law after the provincial assembly approved it in August. It would punish parents with up to a month in prison for failing to vaccinate their children against certain diseases; they could also be fined up to 50,000 rupees ($168). Officials said their primary aim was to boost polio immunization rates, though diseases including measles, pneumonia and pertussis are also in the legislation. Rukhsana Bibi, a health worker in Karachi, hopes the new law will reduce vaccine refusal rates and protect health workers. Karachi is considered at high risk for a polio resurgence. Bibi noted that in the past, abusive or threatening parents have been detained by police. They were released on the condition that they have their children immunized, and that they help the polio team with outreach efforts. There are multiple factors fueling vaccine hesitation in Pakistan. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Mohamed Muizzu, won the Maldivian presidential elections on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported citing local media. People's National Congress (PNC) candidate Mohamed Muizzu (AFP) This was the second round of polling after no candidate emerged clear winner in the first round. Muizzu had emerged as the frontrunner in the first round with around 46 per cent votes, followed by Ibrahim Solihs 39 per cent. Al Jazeera reported citing several local media platforms that Muizzu has won with more than 53 per cent of the vote, after the tallying of results of all 586 ballot boxes. After the thumping win, the Maldives president-elect delivered a brief statement at his partys headquarters, thanking all those who voted for him and calling on the government to release former President Abdulla Yameen, who is serving an 11-year jail sentence on a corruption conviction. Today is a very happy dayI would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the Maldivian people. This outcome today is a huge encouragement for us in our pursuit to build a better future for our country, and to ensure the sovereignty of our nation, Al Jazeera quoted him as saying. Yameen, the leader of the PPM, must be released, Muizzu said. The president has the power to transfer [Yameen] home imprisonment. And doing so, I believe, is the best action that can be taken in our nations interests, he added. Notably, Muizzu and his is considered pro-China because of the huge Chinese loans by the country, under the previous PPM government. After the results, Maldives President Ibrahim Solih conceded defeat in Saturdays run-off vote and congratulated Muizzu Congratulations to the winner of the presidential election @MMuizzu. Thank you for the beautiful democratic example shown by the people in the elections. Thank you to the MDP and AP members who worked together and to all the people who voted for me, he posted on X (formerly Twitter). Maldives Foreign Minister and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Abdulla Shahid also congratulated Muizzu and also thanked President Ibrahim Solih for his tenure. Congratulations to President-elect Dr @MMuizzu for winning the Presidential Election 2023. Many congratulations and much gratitude to President @ibusolih, for the many seeds of hope he had sown over the last 5 years, which will surely reap much prosperity for our country and people, he posted on X. Parliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed also congratulated Muizzu on his apparent second round victory. Congratulations, President-elect Dr. @MMuizzu, he posted on X. Muizzu is currently serving as the mayor of the capital, Male. He holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He was the Minister of Housing in former President Abdulla Yameens cabinet, according to Al Jazeera. Notably, Solihs defeat to Muizzu marks the first time Maldivians have voted out a liberal democratic government in favour of an authoritarian challenger since the country held its first multi-party elections in 2008, Al Jazeera reported. The outcome also marks a stark reversal of fortune for Solih, who won the last election in 2018 by a landslide, amid widespread anger over human rights abuses and corruption under his predecessor. Xem them (Construction) - On October 3, 2023, in Tokyo - Capital of Japan, Construction Newspaper of Vietnam, represented by Mr. Nguyen Anh Dung - Editor-in-Chief continued to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Daily Engineering and Construction News of Japan (DECN) with the witness of the MLIT and many businesses in Japan. ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he wouldnt accept any offer to be Donald Trumps 2024 running mate. Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the California GOP convention on September 29, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Getty Images via AFP) No. Im running for president, he said on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures when asked the hypothetical question. We need somebody that can serve two terms. We are on WhatsApp now. Click to join. DeSantis faced the question after Trump, the frontrunner in polls for the Republican Party nomination, told striking auto workers in Detroit that hes competing against job candidates in the GOP field and didnt see a potential vice president in any of them. DeSantis is among Republican candidates who have criticized Trumps decision to skip the partys presidential debates. He has challenged the former president to a one-on-one debate, similar to one between DeSantis and California Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled for November. Trump and DeSantis held dueling speeches at the California state Republican convention in Anaheim last week, highlighting the states value in the presidential race. DeSantis is seeking to rally more support from donors and voters after his campaign was hit by sliding poll numbers and staffing shakeups. He has been spending most of his time in the early primary state of Iowa, while sitting about 44 percentage points behind Trump in the GOP primary race in an average of polls tracked by RealClearPolitics. We need somebody that can win states like Georgia and Arizona, which President Trump cannot do or did not do, DeSantis said in the interview. Prince Harry did not visit his father, King Charles III, or his brother, Prince William, during his brief stay in England before heading to the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany. King Charles felt hurt by Harrys remarks about Camilla(AP) This revealed the state of the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the other two royals, according to an expert. The expert also explained what really damaged the bond between Harry and King Charles. It was not Harrys book, Spare, but something else that was missing in their relationship. Katie Nicholl, a royal expert and author, told ET that the lack of a family reunion showed how strained the relationship was. Both between Prince Harry and his father and with his brother, she said. Im told there havent been any conversations [with William] for a long time, Nicholl added. There is some communication with Charles, but very little. Nicholl said that sources close to Charles told her that he wanted to have a relationship with his son. They do speak, but its very occasional. But I think the fact that they are not seeing each other on this trip I think its a clear indication that the relationship is certainly strained between father and son. One of the reasons for the tension between Harry and King Charles was Harrys memoir, Spare, which was released in January 2023. However, it was not the harsh words about William, the awkward stories about Kate Middleton, or the negative portrayal of King Charles as a father that upset him the most. It was the personal attacks on his wife, Queen Camilla. There has been so much criticism leveled at the royal family, really personal criticism leveled at Camilla, the queen in his autobiography, Nicholl said. I think really that was very below the belt as far as the king was concerned. I think that has really damaged Harrys relationship with Charles. In Spare, Harry wrote about how Camilla did not seem to care about him when they first met. He also recalled how he pleaded with King Charles not to marry Camilla in 2005. ALSO READ| On US government shutdown, Joe Biden's I am tired of brinkmanship jab Harry also accused Queen Camilla of being dangerous, claiming that she leaked stories to the media to improve her image. He also mentioned how he disliked when Camilla turned his old bedroom into a dressing room. While King Charles felt hurt by Harrys remarks about Camilla, the queen reportedly shrugged them off with an eye roll. Another factor that prevented Harry and King Charles from reconciling was the matter of trust. Charles, I think, is more keen for some sort of reconciliation, Nicholl said. Hed like to have a sit-down and talk with his son. But there is a genuine concern on the kings part that anything he says could then be sort of retold via Harry to a news media outlet. Because thats what happened in the past. I think there is a real trust issue at stake here. The Royal familys official website went down after being targeted by a cyber attack. Russian hackers claimed responsibility for the same after the website was down for about an hour and a half. No access to the site, systems or content has been gained. Royal Family Website Hacked: The website was showing an error page. Russian hacker group Killnet took responsibility for the attack. The pro-Kremlin group has become known for denial of service cyber campaigns against countries supporting Ukraine, particularly NATO countries. The Royal familys website was up and running again by midday but the Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the attack. The Telegraph said in its report, KillNet attacks dont cause major damage to websites that they target, but can lead to outages that last for several hours or even days adding that the groups leader, known as Killmilk, posted on Telegram at 10.23am on Sunday about the seemingly successful cyber attack. Earlier the newspaper had reported that international cyber-terrorists could target live broadcasts during the King Charles' coronation in May to take the ceremony off the air. Experts had then warned that hackers based in Russia and Iran were thought to be the most capable and likely of launching a cyber attack to disrupt the broadcasting. In 2011, a plot by hackers to disrupt the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was foiled by the Met Police. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that there were no immediate plans to deploy military instructors to Ukraine after reported comments by UK's defence minister that he wanted to begin training Ukrainian troops in the country. British defence minister Grant Shapps said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph newspaper that he wanted to deploy military instructors to Ukraine as well as train Ukrainian armed forces in Britain or other Western countries. Russia-Ukraine War: Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street in London.(AP) "I was talking today about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well," he was quoted as saying. "Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things 'in country'," he added that he hoped British defence companies such as BAE systems would proceed with plans to set up arms factories in Ukraine. What UK PM Rishi Sunak said? Rishi Sunak said there were no immediate plans to send British troops to Ukraine. "What the defence secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine," Rishi Sunak said at the start of the governing Conservative Party's annual conference in Manchester. But that's something for the long term, not the here and now. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict, he added. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said any British soldiers training Ukrainian troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces. Britain has already provided five-week military training courses to around 20,000 Ukrainians over the past year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a high-stakes situation, United States (US) President Joe Biden has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Ukraine while the United States narrowly sidestepped a government shutdown on Saturday, CNN reported. US President Joe Biden.(Reuters) Biden has called upon Congress to pass separate funding for Ukraine, emphasising its importance in the ongoing conflict with Russia. This plea comes after a stopgap funding measure initially included aid for Ukraine but ultimately dropped it. The President stressed the need for uninterrupted American support, stating, While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. While acknowledging bipartisan efforts to keep the government funded through November, Biden criticised House Republicans for creating what he termed a "manufactured crisis" that could have been avoided months ago. The potential government shutdown was averted when the United States Senate passed a stopgap funding measure on Saturday evening within its deadline to prevent a federal government shutdown, reported CNN. With 88 to 9 votes, the Senate passed the measure after the US House abruptly reversed course and passed a bipartisan bill to extend government funding hours before the deadline. The stopgap bill was cleared by the chamber in an overwhelmingly bipartisan 335-91 vote hours after Speaker Kevin McCarthy rolled out the proposal, according to CNN. However, one Democrat and 90 Republicans voted against the measure. The House vote finally came after days of uncertainty over averting a government shutdown. Following this, the bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk for further approval, according to CNN. Moreover, the bill would keep the government open through November 17, and further includes natural disaster aid but not additional funding for Ukraine or border security. It also includes a measure to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operational. A government shutdown happens when Congress does not approve discretionary spending for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on October 1. A shutdown affects nearly every corner of the US government, from the delivery of welfare cheques and publishing of national economic data to the operation of federal courts, museums and national parks. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers likely would be furloughed temporarily forced to leave work without pay while workers deemed essential would remain on the job but continue without a paycheque. Reacting to the Senate passing the stopgap funding bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised his colleagues for passing the bill to fund the government, eventually averting a government shutdown until mid-November, as reported by CNN. "It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no government shutdown tonight," he said. Notably, this is not the first-ever government shutdown in the US. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, there have been as many as 14 government shutdowns in the US since 1980. The last shutdown took place in December 2018, when the government did not function for 35 days. At least six people have died in a fire in a nightclub in Murcia in southeast Spain, according to the emergency services there. Spain Nightclub Fire: The fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Teatre nightclub.(Representational) The fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Teatre nightclub, emergency services said on social media platform X. "Emergency services confirm six dead in the interior of the Teatre nightclub," Mayor Jose Ballesta wrote on X, adding that they were working to establish the cause of the blaze. Firefighters and emergency teams were continuing to search for survivors on Sunday morning. Murcia's emergency services said that four people had been injured and that the number of fatalities could rise. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With India's intelligence dossier on Khalistani elements operating from foreign soil, it is all but clear that Canada is harbouring individuals with strong links to pan-Khalistani extremist activities. So far HT has reported on around 18 individuals linked to Khalistani-gansters nexus operating from Canada. The dossier further reveals that Tehal Singh and his associates have been actively involved in promoting separatism and violence in Punjab while residing in Canada. Pro-Khalistan flags during a protest outside India's consulate, a week after Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau allegations in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.(Reuters) Tehal Singh, originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, has been residing in Toronto, Ontario, and is closely associated with Gurjeet Singh Cheema, a member of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), a proscribed terror outfit. Singh and Cheema were instrumental in contacting Mann Singh during his visit to Toronto in 2015, where discussions revolved around establishing an independent Khalistan state. Tehal Singh and Gurjeet Cheema encouraged Mann Singh to recruit Sikh youths for their extremist cause upon his return to Punjab. They also provided funds to further their agenda, raising concerns about potential radicalization among Canadian Sikh youth. Tehal Singh's history in Punjab is tainted with involvement in various criminal cases, including arms smuggling and acts of terrorism. He has been declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) in multiple cases, and he remains a key figure in promoting radicalism and militancy among Sikh youth in Punjab. Malkeet Singh Malkeet Singh, alias Fauji, has been residing in Surrey, British Columbia while being actively involved with ISYF and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). He played a significant role in sourcing local-made weapons for extremist modules, with the intent to target Hindu Shiv Sena leaders and Sikh preachers involved in sacrilege incidents in Punjab. Malkeet Singh introduced individuals to BKI terrorist Jaswant Singh, alias Kala, further illustrating the extent of his association with militant elements. Manvir Singh Duhra Another Khalistani extremist, Manvir Singh Duhra, originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, and currently residing in St. John, British Columbia has been actively involved in identifying and radicalizing Sikh youths for extremist activities in Punjab. He sent funds to an ISYF module member for purchasing locally-made weapons and personally visited Punjab to motivate module members to target those responsible for sacrilege incidents. The revelations paint a troubling picture of Canada being a safe haven for individuals with ties to pan-Khalistani extremist activities. The Canadian government, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, increasingly faces scrutiny for its failure to address this pressing issue. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shishir Gupta Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel. ...view detail Turkey's government said two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the interior ministry buildings in capital Ankara. One of them died in the explosion while the other was neutralised, authorities said after an explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings. Footage showed debris scattered on a street nearby as soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks and armoured vehicles gathered at the ministry. Here are the latest updates on Turkey blast: Turkey Blast: The scene of a bomb attack is partly seen in front of the Interior Ministry in Ankara, Turkey. (Reuters) What Turkey's interior minister said? Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident. "Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack," he said. One of the terrorists blew himself up and the other was neutralised. "Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised," Ali Yerlikaya said. What police said on the blast? Police announced that they would carry out controlled explosions for "suspicious package incidents" in other parts of Ankara. Ankara's chief prosecutor launched an investigation into the terrorist attack. Have incidents like this happened before? The blast was the first in Ankara since 2016. The blast comes almost a year after six people were killed and 81 wounded in an explosion in a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul. In March 2016, 37 people were killed in Ankara when a bomb-laden car exploded at a crowded central transport hub. What Turkey's president said? President Tayyip Erdogan was set to attend the opening of parliament. He has not commented on the blast so far. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail The Turkish interior ministry building in capital Ankara was targeted by a bomb attack on the day the country's parliament was scheduled to begin its new legislative year. Two individuals in a light commercial vehicle approached the building entrance in Kizilay district, and one carried out a suicide bombing attack, interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Turkey Blast: A bomb disposal expert works at the scene after a bomb attack in Ankara, Turkey.(Reuters) One of the terrorists detonated himself, while the other was neutralized by security forces, the minister said in post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Gunfire exchange resulted in injuries to two security force members, authorities said. The attack was also heard in the parliament building, where president Recep Tayyip Erdogan was due to speak at the opening ceremony of the new legislative year. Following the attack, the parliament was locked down as a precaution and a search was conducted for bombs. Ataturk Boulevard was temporarily closed to traffic near the Cankaya gate of parliament, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident. "Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack," he said. One of the terrorists blew himself up and the other was neutralised. "Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised," Ali Yerlikaya said. Turkey has been fighting multiple terrorist groups and its cities have been target of bombing attacks over the years. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that his country "no longer expects anything from the European Union, which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan(AFP) "We have kept all the promises we have made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs," he said before an inaugural session of parliament. The president added that he would not "tolerate any new demands or conditions on the accession process" for his country to join the bloc. Erdogan's anger also stems from a judgement on Thursday by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that condemned Turkey for convicting a teacher in the wake of the 2016 attempted coup on the grounds he had downloaded an encrypted messaging app linked with the alleged plotters. The ruling that the rights of Yuksel Yalcinkaya had been violated could create a significant precedent, with thousands of similar cases pending before the Strasbourg-based court. Turkey blames a group led by the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen for being behind the failed attempt to oust Erdogan, alleging that a messaging app called ByLock was used to coordinate the plot. Erdogan said Sunday that the "decision of the ECHR was the straw that broke the camel's back." "(Turkey) will not turn back in its fight against this band of traitors," he said. This photo taken on Sept 22, 2023 shows a "flower basket" at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China. The 18-meter-tall display in the shape of a flower basket is placed at Tian'anmen Square as a decoration for the upcoming National Day holiday. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker decorates a "flower basket" at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 22, 2023. The 18-meter-tall display in the shape of a flower basket is placed at Tian'anmen Square as a decoration for the upcoming National Day holiday. [Photo/Xinhua] A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, Azerbaijan said, after almost the entire ethnic-Armenian population fled since Baku recaptured the breakaway enclave. Azerbaijan soldiers stop a car as refugees wait in their car to cross the border, leaving Karabakh for Armenia, at Lachin checkpoint, on September 26.(AFP) An Azerbaijani presidency spokesman told AFP that a "UN mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning" -- mainly to assess humanitarian needs. It marks the first time in about 30 years that the international body has gained access to the region. Armenian separatists, who had controlled the region for three decades, agreed to disarm, dissolve their government and reintegrate with Baku following a one-day Azerbaijani offensive last week. READ | Nagorno-Karabakh will cease to exist from next year: Report The end of Karabakh's separatist bid dealt a heavy blow to a centuries-old dream by Armenians of reuniting what they say are their ancestral lands, divided among regional powers since the Middle Ages. Nearly all of Karabakh's estimated 120,000 residents fled the territory over the following days, sparking a refugee crisis. On Sunday, Armenia observed a national day of prayer for the region. Bells tolled in churches across the country, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, lead a service in the nation's main cathedral Echmiadzin, close to the capital Yerevan. Clergymen in ornate robes sang ancient chants at an open-air altar outside the imposing cathedral built in a pale pink limestone. Yerevan has accused Baku of "ethnic cleansing" -- an allegation that Baku rejected -- calling on Armenians not to leave their homes and reintegrate with Azerbaijan where their rights would be respected. Armenia, a country of 2.8 million, faces a major challenge housing the sudden influx of refugees. Authorities said 35,000 were now in temporary accommodation. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Friday announced an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs ($22 million) to help those fleeing. Azerbaijan is now holding "re-integration" talks with separatist leaders while at the same time detained some senior figures from its former government and military command. The U.S. Congress passed a stopgap funding bill late on Saturday with overwhelming Democratic support after Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy backed down from an earlier demand by his party's hardliners for a partisan bill. The threat of a federal government shutdown ended late Saturday, hours before a midnight deadline, as Congress approved a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open and sent the measure to President Joe Biden to sign.(AP) The Democratic-majority Senate voted 88-9 to pass the measure to avoid the federal government's fourth partial shutdown in a decade, sending it to President Joe Biden to sign into law before the 12:01 a.m. ET (0401 GMT) deadline. McCarthy abandoned party hardliners' insistence that any bill pass the chamber with only Republican votes, a change that could cause one of his far-right members to try to oust him from his leadership role. The House voted 335-91 to fund the government through Nov. 17, with more Democrats than Republicans supporting it. That move marked a profound shift from earlier in the week, when a shutdown looked all but inevitable. A shutdown would mean that most of the government's 4 million employees would not get paid - whether they were working or not - and also would shutter a range of federal services, from National Parks to financial regulators. Federal agencies had already drawn up detailed plans that spell out what services would continue, such as airport screening and border patrols, and what must shut down, including scientific research and nutrition aid to 7 million poor mothers. "The American people can breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no government shutdown tonight," Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote. "Democrats have said from the start that the only solution for avoiding a shutdown is bipartisanship, and we are glad Speaker McCarthy has finally heeded our message." DEMOCRATS CALL IT A WIN Some 209 Democrats supported the bill, far more than the 126 Republicans who did so, and Democrats described the result as a win. "Extreme MAGA Republicans have lost, the American people have won," top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries told reporters ahead of the vote, referring to the "Make America Great Again" slogan used by former President Donald Trump and many hardline Republicans. Democratic Representative Don Beyer said: I am relieved that Speaker McCarthy folded and finally allowed a bipartisan vote at the 11th hour on legislation to stop Republicans rush to a disastrous shutdown." McCarthy's shift won the support of top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, who had backed a similar measure that was moving through the Senate with broad bipartisan support, even though the House version dropped aid for Ukraine. Democratic Senator Michael Bennett held the bill up for several hours trying to negotiate a deal for further Ukraine aid. "While I would have preferred to pass a bill now with additional assistance for Ukraine, which has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, it is easier to help Ukraine with the government open than if it were closed," Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said in a statement. McCarthy dismissed concerns that hardline Republicans could try to oust him as leader. "I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try," McCarthy told reporters. "And you know what? If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that." He said that House Republicans would push ahead with plans to pass more funding bills that would cut spending and include other conservative priorities, such as tighter border controls. CREDIT CONCERNS The standoff comes just months after Congress brought the federal government to the brink of defaulting on its $31.4 trillion debt. The drama has raised worries on Wall Street, where the Moody's ratings agency has warned it could damage U.S. creditworthiness. Congress typically passes stopgap spending bills to buy more time to negotiate the detailed legislation that sets funding for federal programs. This year, a group of Republicans has blocked action in the House as they have pressed to tighten immigration and cut spending below levels agreed to in the debt-ceiling standoff in the spring. The McCarthy-Biden deal that avoided default set a limit of $1.59 trillion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2024. House Republicans are demanding a further $120 billion in cuts. The funding fight focuses on a relatively small slice of the $6.4 trillion U.S. budget for this fiscal year. Lawmakers are not considering cuts to popular benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare. "We should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis," Biden said in a statement after the vote. "House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed." SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With a midnight deadline approaching, Congress was working to avert a government shutdown that would disrupt many services, squeeze federal employees and roil politics. US Congress(File) The threat of a shutdown was easing Saturday after House approval of a plan to keep agencies open until Nov. 17. The Senate was meeting late in the evening after Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for House passage. House Republicans, fueled by hard-right demands for lower spending, had been forcing a confrontation over federal spending. In a shutdown, some government entities would be exempt Social Security checks, for example, would still go out and other functions would be severely curtailed. Federal agencies would cease all actions deemed nonessential, and many of the federal governments roughly 2 million employees, as well as 2 million active-duty military troops and reservists, would not receive paychecks. A look at what could happen in the event of a shutdown Sunday. WHAT IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN? A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating. When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies must stop all nonessential work and would not send paychecks as long as the shutdown would last. Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved. WHEN WOULD A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG COULD IT LAST? Government funding expires Sunday, Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown would effectively begin at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress was unable to pass a funding plan that the president could sign into law. There were fears that a potential stoppage could last weeks. WHO DOES A SHUTDOWN AFFECT? Millions of federal workers would face delayed paychecks, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation. For many workers, the first payday they would miss is Oct. 13. Nearly 60% of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. While the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of the Department of Defense's civilian workforce roughly 440,000 people would be furloughed. Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers would have to be halted and an additional 1,000 controllers in the midst of training would have to be furloughed. People applying for government services like clinical medical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays if there was a shutdown. Head Start programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children would immediately lose federal funding. National parks would close on Monday. Some federal offices would have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown. Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns. Lawmakers warned that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2% every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens. Others say any disruption in government services would have far-reaching impacts because it would shake confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties. WHAT ABOUT COURT CASES, THE WORK OF CONGRESS AND PRESIDENTIAL PAY? The president and members of Congress would continue to work and get paid. Any members of their staff who were not deemed essential would be furloughed. The Supreme Court, which begins its new term Monday, would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said. The rest of the federal judiciary would operate normally for at least the first two weeks of October, said Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the judiciary. Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service. Funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that has been exempted from shutdowns in the past. That would mean that the two federal cases against Donald Trump, the former president, as well as the case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, would not be interrupted. Trump has demanded that Republicans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their last chance to act. HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE? Before the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap. Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are essential for public safety and constitutional duties. Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich. R-Ga., and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts. The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for funding for a border wall. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO END A SHUTDOWN? It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate would both have to agree to fund the government, and the president has to sign the legislation into law. Congress often has relied on a continuing resolution to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill. At least 57 people, including seven children, were killed in Pakistan after twin suicide bombings that targeted two Mosques on Friday. The horrifying attacks came as believers marked the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad, said police and health officials. No group immediately took responsibility for the assaults, from which officials say the death toll could increase. Many people were seriously injured and others were left trapped beneath the wreckage. Pakistan Suicide Bombings Senior police official Munir Ahmed said that during the first explosion in Mastung in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the bomber allegedly detonated his explosives near a police vehicle. It was where people were gathered for a procession. District health official Abdul Rasheed noted that at least 52 people were killed, including children aged between nine and 11. He added that the massive explosion also resulted in the injury of at least 58 others who were in the area, as per Reuters. In a statement, one witness, Munir Ahmed Shahwani, said he could hear the injured crying for help. He added that he saw at least 25 bodies on the spot lying lifeless, including small children, and said that people were frantically looking for their loved ones. Law enforcement officials also said that a deputy superintendent of police was among the people killed as he oversaw security arrangements in the area. Senior police officer Javed Lehri said that the victim, Nawas Gishkori, tried to stop the suicide bomber from detonating his explosives but could not reach the suspect in time. The gathering had people carrying flags and banners at a mosque belonging to the Barelvi sect, generally considered more moderate than hardline Islamic sects such as Salafism. Some hardline sects also consider the Prophet Mohammad's veneration as heresy. Read Also: British Authorities Arrest Teen Who Cut Sycamore Gap Tree in Deliberate 'Act of Vandalism' Deadly Attacks Balochistan officials declared a state of emergency following the first attack. According to BBC, the second attack resulted in at least five fatalities and happened at a mosque near Peshawar City located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Video footage that recorded the scene in the Balock city of Mastung showed injured people rescued by emergency responders and locals. A local journalist, Saifullah, said that bodies were lying on one another following the deadly blast. He added that the crowd was waiting for a celebratory procession to start and he was standing nearby when the explosive went off. Saifullah also noted that the victims of the suicide bombing include 10 to 12 of his relatives. On the other hand, 22-year-old Haibullah, injured in the attack, spoke with journalists from his hospital bed in Quetta. He said that everything was already prepared on the stage and that the bomb went off two minutes after he arrived in the area. The two suicide bombings in Pakistan come amid a restive period in the country as it has continued to weather a surge of militant attacks in the buildup to general elections scheduled for January, said CNN. Related Article: Former Swedish PM Suggests Using Military Forces To Quell Rising Gang Violence @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Europe discovers its oldest shoes inside a Spanish cave, which date back to more than 6,000 years ago, a study published in the journal Science Advances reveals. A new radiocarbon analysis of the findings showed that the 22 woven sandals researchers discovered date back thousands of years. Researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Alcala University in Spain led the study. Europe's Oldest Shoes Ancient footwear, along with Mesolithic baskets and other tools, was first found in 1857 after miners looted a cave in southern Spain. However, during the 1970s, when the artifacts were first dated, researchers said they were roughly 1,000 years more recent than the latest analysis. The researchers said the very dry conditions inside the cave where the sandals were discovered were ideal for preserving perishable materials. They added that this allowed the preservation of a prehistoric burial site that included partially mummified corpses, baskets, wooden tools, sandals, and other goods, as per CNN. One of the study's authors, Maria Herrero Otal, said that the objects are currently known as "the oldest and best-preserved set of plant fiber materials in southern Europe so far known." She added that the materials demonstrate the ability of prehistoric communities to master such types of craftsmanship. Roughly a decade after miners initially looted the Spanish cave, archaeologist Manuel de Gongora y Martinez visited the cave and gathered the remaining artifacts, including the sandals. He then gave them to museums in Madrid and Granada, where researchers have continuously studied them. The sandals were found to be made of grasses as well as other materials, such as leather, lime, and ramie bast, which is a type of natural fiber. The study, using the descriptions provided by Gongora, hypothesizes that the bodies in the cave were buried wearing sandals. A researcher in the Prehistory Department of the University of Alcala, Francisco Martinez Sevilla, said that the quality and technological complexity of the basketry found in the Spanish cave were high. According to CBS News, he said that this makes them question the simplistic assumptions that we currently have about human communities before the arrival of agriculture in southern Europe. Read Also: Northern Hemisphere Auroras Expected to Intensify as Peak of Solar Cycle Imminent Complex Basketry Otal noted that the discovery means that esparto grass started at least 9,500 years ago and is a tradition still alive in Iberia. She added that it was spectacular how the techniques, the raw material, and preparation have been used for thousands of years and the process has been preserved to this day. Sevilla said the discovery marks the first direct evidence of basketry made by Mesolithic hunter-gatherer societies in southern Europe. He added that the new dating of the esparto baskets opens a new window of opportunity to understanding the last hunter-gatherer societies of the early Holocene period. Despite the findings, there are still many unanswered questions, such as who made the objects and whether or not they had a role in the ancient funerary practices at the time. Researchers found some of the sandals had clear signs of wear while others seemed to have never been used, said Newsweek. Related Article: British Authorities Arrest Teen Who Cut Sycamore Gap Tree in Deliberate 'Act of Vandalism' @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Scott Hall, a 59-year-old bail bondsman, became the first defendant in the Georgia election subversion case to plead guilty with prosecutors on Friday. He is one of the 19 defendants in the Fulton County, Georgia case regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The list of individuals charged includes former United States President Donald Trump. Scott Hall Pleads Guilty Hall changed his plea from not guilty and instead pleaded guilty in Fulton County court to five misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties. Officials sentenced the defendant to five years probation, a $5,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The indictment said that the defendant was alleged to have helped with the unlawful breach of election equipment and theft of voter data in Coffee County. Hall initially faced seven counts in all, six of which related to those efforts. The counts that Hall pleaded to on Friday are different from the seven counts that he originally faced. He is now pleading under the Georgia First Offenders Act and his attorneys said that the misdemeanor crimes that their client pleaded guilty to are not "crimes of moral turpitude," as per CBS News. The defendant had to give a recorded statement to the district attorney's office, which he did earlier on Friday. He was also required to write a letter of apology to the citizens of the state of Georgia for his actions. Under Hall's plea agreement, he is barred from communicating with any witnesses or co-defendants in the Georgia election subversion case. Additionally, he is not allowed to speak with the media until all of the cases are resolved. The judge handling the case told the court that this was not a matter that was scheduled for that day, adding that he was told by both parties that they wanted to have an impromptu court hearing. It was not clear what kind of information Hall may be able to provide to the government regarding the case and potentially other defendants. Read Also: New York Authorities Arrest Husband of Bronx Day Care Owner Over Child's Fentanyl Exposure Case Georgia Election Subversion Case The defendant allegedly spent hours inside a restricted area of the election office when voting systems were breached, which was connected to efforts by pro-Trump conspiracy theorists to find voter fraud, according to CNN. Hall testified before the special grand jury in the Fulton County case and acknowledged that he gained access to a voting machine at the time. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was the one who brought the sprawling racketeering case last month. She accuses Hall, Trump, and 17 others of participating in a broad conspiracy to overturn the election results in the Peach State. On Friday, prosecutors in Willis' office signaled that they could soon extend a plea deal to one or both of the two defendants who are heading to trial, lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell. The latest development in the case could deal a major blow to Powell and comes just weeks before her trial date. Judge Scott McAfee announced in a separate hearing on Friday morning that 450 potential jurors would be called to the courthouse on Oct. 20 to fill out a questionnaire ahead of Powell and Chesebro's trial, said the New York Times. Related Article: Judge Rules Donald Trump, Sons Liable for Fraud, Lied About Net Worth in $250-Million Lawsuit @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Montana's congressional delegation expressed a mixed reaction after the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government for 45 days Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who voted against the resolution, released this statement: Joe Bidens policies are bankrupting our country and pushing down insane regulations and policy. I am unwilling to continue the status quo, Zinke said. As a member of the Appropriations Committee I am adamant that we need to continue the appropriations process, pass the eight remaining government funding bills, and get back to the business of the House. We have already passed four individual bills accounting for 73% of the discretionary budget to fund our border, fund national defense, and take care of our veterans. There is no reason the Senate hasnt taken them up. The continuing resolution voted on today extends Bidens reckless policies and spending. Even with a shutdown pending, I cant justify voting for them when Montanans sent me here to take care of this mess. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who also voted against the resolution had this to say: "This afternoon, the uniparty got together again to sell the American people short. 209 Democrats joined 126 Republicans to continue Nancy Pelosi's budget and Joe Biden's policies. "We must get back to work to deliver the remaining appropriations bills so we can fund government." Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., voted for the resolution and offered this explanation: On a farm, you dont get to play games and expect someone else to get the work done for you. Thats why I worked with Republicans and Democrats to reach a bipartisan agreement that ensures our troops get paid and we avoid a harmful shutdown. "Now its time for Congress to work together on long-term solutions to address our countrys most pressing priorities, like lowering costs for working families, honoring the commitment we made to our veterans, securing the border, and ensuring our military has the tools they need to protect our countrys freedoms and combat Russian aggression. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., also voted for the resolution: Shutting down the government is not the answer to Congress fiscal insanity and it only hurts Montanans, Daines said. I voted to keep the government open, keep our National Parks open, pay our military and border patrol agents and continue a much-deserved increase in pay for our Montana wildland firefighters. "Montanans should never have to pay the price for Congress broken budget process. I will continue to fight to restore order to our budget process and secure Bidens out-of-control southern border. Governor Improves Language Access Across State Government BOSTON Governor Maura T. Healey, joined by members of the Latino Advisory Council, signed Executive Order #615 to increase language access across state government. The Executive Order aims to make the delivery of services and resources more accessible and equitable for residents with limited English proficiency by requiring executive department agencies to develop Language Access Plans. Governor Healey also issued a proclamation declaring Hispanic Heritage Month in Massachusetts from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. "Everyone in Massachusetts, regardless of what language they speak, deserves equitable access to government services and resources, but we recognize that language often poses a major barrier," said Governor Healey. "This Executive Order will help break down language barriers and bridge gaps by instructing state agencies to conduct a thorough assessment of their language access capabilities and develop a plan for improvement. We're proud to take this important step toward making state government more accessible and equitable during Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month alongside members of the Governor's Latino Advisory Council." The Executive Order directs executive department agencies to identify a Language Access Coordinator and develop a Language Access Plan. These plans should include assessments of the agency's services for residents with limited English proficiency, the languages spoken by the people they serve, their current policies and practices regarding translations, and the capacity of their staff to deliver services in other languages other than English. The plans will also include specific actions and policy changes to reduce language access barriers. Westfield State Women, Men Top MCLA WESTFIELD, Msss. -- Tia Tollis scored a pair of goals Saturday to lead the Westfield State women's soccer team to a 3-0 win over MCLA. Wahconah graduate Eva Eberwein made 14 saves for the Trailblazers (2-4-2, 0-3 MASCAC), who go to SUNY Delhi on Tuesday. Men's Soccer NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Santino Mazza scored twice to lead Westfield State to a 3-2 win over MCLA. Jacob Malburg and Marcos Lopez scored for MCLA (3-4-1, 0-2-1), which goes to Worcester State on Saturday. Hundreds march to raise awareness for Down syndrome in the annual Buddy Walk on Saturday in Dalton. PreviousNext 17th Berkshire Buddy Walk Continues Advocacy for Down Syndrome Families The annual Buddy Walk is a national event established in 1995 to promote inclusion and awareness. It's raised more than $15 million. DALTON, Mass. For the 17th year, the Berkshire County Arc's Down Syndrome Family Group and its allies took over Main Street for the annual Buddy Walk. Hundreds of people in maroon walk T-shirts gathered at Craneville School for a festive event that includes the signature walk through downtown, music, food and games on school's playground. The walk was one of two in Massachusetts (the other is in Wakefield next Sunday) and dozens across the country under the auspices of the National Down Syndrome Society, which started the program in 1995. The goals of the walk are three-fold: to celebrate Down syndrome awareness, to educate the general public and to advocate on behalf of the 5,100 Americans born with Down syndrome each year. Locally, BCArc is the lead agency serving Berkshire County residents with developmental disabilities, brain injuries and autism and their families. A longtime advocate of the agency and its clients is state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Peru, a member of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and one of several public officials to participate in Saturday's walk. Mark was back in his district after joining an overwhelming majority in both houses of the Legislature to pass a $1 billion tax relief measure earlier in the week. On Saturday, he said there is no concern that the tax cuts to be phased in over several years will negatively impact social service agencies, like BCArc, that rely on state funding and have struggled to address staff salary needs even before this year's tax relief push. "Overall, everything we're hearing is that this [tax cut] is safe, that we're on a good pace of revenue growth," Mark said. "And the cuts and the [tax] credits that are happening aren't going to hamper that, that they're in line with what we think is going to keep our state growing in a responsible manner. "We have an $8 billion rainy day fund that we're sitting on, and also the cuts are going to be phased in." We have just completed our Montana Energy tour, traveling over 2,000 miles and holding nine events in seven days. The tour highlighted the impact of President Joe Bidens war on energy and the policies we need to unleash Americas vast energy resources. From sweet crude oil and clean coal to renewable hydroelectric power, we visited the sites where this power is, and should continue to be generated. But there is strong opposition to energizing Montana and America and we hope to reverse it. I emigrated to Montana in 1991 because I loved the mountains, the rivers, the family-friendly security of the West and its reputation for rugged individualism. I have never regretted it. My parents are Holocaust survivors sole survivors of their respective families. My Dad fought in the war, my Mom survived eight labor camps. They came to America for the promise of freedom and opportunity. It grieves me to write about the top-down policies of this administration and some elected officials that threaten our freedom and prosperity. These bad policies include: Bidens cancelation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and the lost jobs, revenue and private infrastructure funding; the EPAs Mercury Air Toxin rule thatll likely shutter two more coal power plants in Colstrip and its impact on energy supply; the administrations desire to breach four dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers; and a state trial judges indefensible ruling in Held v. Montana threatening the oil, gas, coal industry or anything that produces greenhouse gases. The Keystone XL pipelines cancelation alone cost Montana 2,000 construction jobs, a loss of $949M in economic activity and a loss of $60M in annual property taxes. Unfortunately for Montana, Sen. Jon Tester voted against the XL Pipeline just hours after he voted for it, casting the deciding vote in the Senate. In the Held v. Montana case that ruled that energy sources producing greenhouse gases are a violation of Montanas Constitution guaranteeing a clean and healthy environment, proponents used a 2-year-old kid as a plaintiff. Since when does a toddler understand the complexities of public policy? Left unchallenged, this ruling poses a threat to the use of the most affordable energy sources without meaningfully addressing any environmental issue. We learned how EPA regulations, including the Mercury Air Toxins rule (MATs), threaten the shuttering of two more Colstrip power plants even though existing control technology already captures 99.6% of all filterable particulate matter. These closures make us more dependent on unaffordable energy imports. Thats in stark contrast to just four years ago, when Montana exported 50% of its energy. On a cloudy day, our clean coal can provide up to 42% of all energy in Montana. Lastly, Bidens stated goal to breach four dams in the Columbia and Snake Rivers threatens hydroelectric power to our region and would harm agriculture, irrigation and transportation. Overall, hydro provides a whopping 38% of Montanas energy resources. These are serious threats to our way of life. Just think, last winter we were within hours of implementing rolling blackouts when temperatures plummeted to 40. While we champion innovation in all energy production, renewables like wind and solar alone cannot fulfill market demands and human needs. While the war on energy is a challenging mental concept, visiting these sites including abandoned man camps in Miles City and the Colstrip power plants and seeing them made a far greater impression than mere words. Despite challenges facing Montana energy, we still believe that prosperity is possible with good polices driven locally, by those closest to the problem. Government mandates and cronyism that benefit a few provide a disincentive to energy innovation are not the answer. An all-of-the above approach to unleashing energy abundance should be based on safety, efficiency and affordability. As individuals we can unite to accomplish extraordinary feats. That is what we must do to ensure that present and future generations enjoy freedom, opportunity and abundant clean energy. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Maldives has elected a pro-China opposition candidate as its president in run-off elections that could lead to the country moving away from traditional ally India. The polls became a virtual referendum on which regional power India or China will have the biggest influence in the small archipelago known for its pristine beaches and for being a tourist hotspot. Mohamed Muiz, the leader of the opposition Peoples National Congress (PNC) party, ran on an India Out campaign plank and will now become the next president of the Maldives. Incumbent president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih lost the runoff that was triggered after neither candidate fetched 50 per cent of the vote. Mr Muiz clinched more than 53 per cent of the vote this time and had a lead of more than 18,000 votes, compared to Mr Solih, a close India ally who trailed behind with 46 per cent of the vote, reported leading local news portal Mihaaru News. The incoming president has pledged to eject Indian troops from the Maldives and balance the countrys trade relations, which he said heavily supported India. He is expected to assume office on 17 November. With todays result we have got the opportunity to build the countrys future. The strength to ensure the freedom of Maldives, Mr Muiz said in a statement after his victory. Its time we put our differences aside and come together. We need to be a peaceful society, he said. The president-elect has also asked Mr Solih to transfer former president Abdulla Yameen to house arrest from prison. Mr Muizs PNC is viewed as heavily pro-China. Largely seen as an underdog, Mr Muiz was named only as a fallback candidate closer to the nomination deadline after the Supreme Court prevented former president Yameen, who is serving a prison sentence for money laundering and corruption. His supporters said he was jailed for political reasons. Mohamed Shareef, a top official from Mr Muizs party, said the poll results are a reflection of the patriotism of the people. A call on all our neighbours and bilateral partners to fully respect our independence and sovereignty, he said, and added that it was also a mandate for Mr Muiz to resurrect the economy and for Yameens release. The outgoing leader Mr Solih was elected as president in 2018 and had battled allegations by Mr Muiz that he had allowed India to become an unchecked presence in the country. Mr Solih insisted that the Indian militarys presence in the Maldives was only to build a dockyard under an agreement between the two governments and that his countrys sovereignty wont be violated. Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, termed the election verdict as a public revolt against the governments failure to meet economic and governance expectations rather than concerns over Indian influence. I dont think India was at all in the peoples minds, he said. But despite the rhetoric, Mr Muiz is unlikely to change Maldives foreign policy of affording an important place to India, he said, adding that the leader is more likely to lessen opposition to Chinese projects on the islands. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Scandinavian style has long been associated with a chic, pared-back wardrobe. Think boxy oversized blazers, crisp shirting, and no-fuss straight-leg denim. Much like French-girl fashion, its a look thats emulated by people all over the world but not just sartorially. For our homes, it means a focus on function with clean lines, pale hues, soft lighting, and cosy materials like sheepskin rugs and mohair throws. Ever inspired by confronting frigid Nordic winters, the aesthetic embraces the concept of hygge (pronounced hoo-ga). This Danish and Norwegian term describes a mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality characterised by feelings of wellness and contentment. With autumn creeping in and chilly, lengthy evenings around the corner, heres how to incorporate Scandinavias enduring design principles into your home just in time to stave off the winter blues. Varied lighting can add warmth and ambience to a room (light&lamps) Luxury London-based interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke begins, your home should promote guilt free and unconditionally relaxed living in a beautiful atmosphere. In this uncertain world and especially when its freezing outside, our homes continue to be our security blankets. To make your sanctuary as hygge as possible, she advises: first ask yourself how do I need my space to make me feel? For example, in your bedroom, youll want to be calm, cosy, and well rested. Think about the colours, textures, and things that will help you achieve those feelings. Toasty accessories are a must to add texture and comfort (Tartan Blanket Co) In keeping with the Scandinavian love of the natural world, consider layering your space with a range of organic materials such as blonde and charred woods, linen, waffled cotton, jute, sheepskin, and leather. Astley Clarke adds, imagine a scheme with timber floors, a plush, deep pile rug, and billowy linen curtains, broken up by mid-century wood furniture. Tall indoor plants in oversized vintage urns bring lush height and depth to the space. And if youre after a more luxe look, incorporate some mixed metal details and marble finishes." If youre wondering where to begin in your own sanctuary, consider the lighting. A dazzling overhead light can be quite the mood killer. Instead, varied and layered lighting a mix of floor and table lamps, wall lights, and pendants will cast a pleasing glow around your space for the ultimate hygge factor in the darkest months of the year. Lighting design studio, lights&lamps, has just collaborated with lifestyle creator and co-author of Scandi Rustic Reena Simon, on a range of hygge-inspired fixtures in aged brass, natural walnut, and charred wood. The collection features warm-toned bulbs and layered linen shades, designed to soften a lights brightness and create a tranquil feeling. This dusky pink Stream blanket is great for those willing to indulge (Forestry Wool) Once your lighting is sorted, keep the chill away by indulging in some toasty accessories. Drape a couple of throw blankets over the back of your sofa or favourite leather armchair, and layer over fresh bed linen for a final textural touch. If youre willing to splurge, go for the Tartan Blanket Cos Neutral Check undyed alpaca to throw in shades of camel, cream, and fog or Forestry Wools dusky pink Stream blanket. For some affordable alternatives, look to Zara Homes velvety chenille and jumper-esque knit throws, or H&M Homes wool-blend and jacquard-weave blankets. The String Pocket shelves can be a great way to add colour to a plain wall (String Furniture) Bo Hellberg, chief marketing officer at Scandinavian modular storage pioneer, String Furniture, shares, when it comes to Scandi design, theres often a big misconception: minimalism. Although there are parallels, the regions style is more than just understated, neat, and necessary. Equally essential as pure function is beauty that draws inspiration from Nordic nature which isnt just pale birch trees and blankets of snow. Consider the wildflower garlands that adorn heads, maypoles, and tabletops during Midsommar, the Swedish celebration of the summer season and the longest night of the year. Dont be afraid to draw on these joy-inducing shades and botanical motifs to accessorise your Scandi-inspired interior. For example, the String Pocket a compact floating shelf, ideal for holding books, candles, and houseplants now comes in hues ranging from neon orange and violet to blush, rust, and sage green. A pop of colourful shelving sits prettily against white walls, transforming a blank canvas into a functional focal point. Molly Mahons cushions can liven up understated furniture (Supplied) Cushions are another simple way to inject vibrance and interest into an otherwise pared-back furniture scheme. I suggest fabric studio Molly Mahons hand block-printed throw cushions. Lately, Im in love with their frill Strawberry Copper, Chequer Blues, and Piped Luna Pink designs. Coco and Wolfs frill-trimmed cushions in rambling floral prints also never disappoint. Malin and Goetzs Strawberry candle will leave you addicted to breathing (Supplied) Candles are a key finishing touch to any hygge-fied home, adding to the cosy ambience and engulfing your space in your favourite mood-lifting aromas. As a candle enthusiast, I often spend my lunch break wandering Libertys fragrance hall, so Ive smelled a lot of smells but lately, nothing has captured my attention quite like Malin and Goetzs new Strawberry candle. Its not at all juicy or juvenile. Instead, it highlights the fruits green leaves and stem, accompanied by notes of fresh bergamot, pink pepper and warm musk. Unexpectedly autumn-appropriate, its an androgynous scent thats reminiscent of the neck of your favourite sweater after youve worn it all day warm, comforting and familiar. Suddenly Im addicted to breathing, and theres nothing I can do about it except keep Strawberry lit and in my vicinity. All three members of North Dakota's congressional delegation voted in favor of a temporary funding package late Saturday that averted a federal government shutdown. The package funds government until mid-November. It was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote. President Joe Biden signed the bill. This short-term continuing resolution will keep government open," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. "At the same time, were working to get back to regular order, where we pass appropriations bills through the committee and debate them on the floor. We need to get back to regular order so we can fund the priorities of the American people, while also finding savings to get control of our debt and deficit. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., said "We now have 45 days to pass our bills, demand action on the border, and address our fiscal crisis. A government shutdown would weaken our position, hurt our men and women in uniform, and destroy our chance at border security. We have to be serious about doing the work of the American people. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the work is not over. "We have 45 days to get our act together to avoid even more political games. The American people are rightly frustrated by unnecessary drama from the threat of a government shutdown," he said. "These lapses are dysfunction at its worst, and they have real impacts on thousands of North Dakotans, not to mention our troops and border agents. Moving bills through regular order where members can amend, reform, and cut wasteful programs is the way to responsibly do the job voters entrusted us to do; political brinksmanship is not. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Afghan Embassy said it is closing in New Delhi from Sunday due to a lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a recognized government in Kabul. But it will continue to provide emergency consular services to Afghan nationals, it said in a statement. "There has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to us, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations, the statement said. India has not recognized the Taliban government, which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. It evacuated its own staff from Kabul ahead of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago and no longer has a diplomatic presence there. The Afghan Embassy in New Delhi has been run by staff appointed by the previous government of ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, with permission from the Indian authorities. There was no immediate comment by Indias External Affairs Ministry, but an official said last week that the Afghan ambassador left India several months ago and other Afghan diplomats have departed for third countries reportedly after receiving asylum. India has said it will follow the lead of the United Nations in deciding whether to recognize the Taliban government. The Afghan Embassy statement said that it wanted to reach an agreement with the Indian government to ensure that the interests of Afghans living, working, studying and doing business in India are safeguarded. Afghans account for around one-third of the nearly 40,000 refugees registered in India, according to the U.N. refugee agency. But that figure excludes those who are not registered with the U.N. Last year, India sent relief materials, including wheat, medicine, COVID-19 vaccines and winter clothes to Afghanistan to help with shortages there. In June last year, India sent a team of officials to its embassy in Kabul. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A prolific shoplifter caught with 28 Dairy Milk chocolate bars has been jailed for 14 weeks. Amy Kelly, 34, also stole three packets of chicken and Dairylea cheese from the Sainsburys moments before she was arrested by police in Darlington town centre on Tuesday. Officers searching her bags found the stolen food, which totalled 58, as well as two Lenor Scent Boosters and cleaning products from Savers on Skinnergate, worth 44. Officers searched the 34-year-olds bags and found the stolen food (Durham Constabulary) Describing her as a prolific shoplifter, Darlington Constabulary charged the 34-year-old with three counts of theft from a shop. She was remanded in custody and appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Kelly, of Tom Raine Court, in Darlington, pleaded guilty to the offences and was jailed for 14 weeks. Inspector Matt Plumb, from Darlington Neighbourhood Police Team, said: Amy Kelly is a well-known thief who continues to offend despite repeated help and support offered to her by our Offender Management Unit and other agencies to change her behaviour. We will not tolerate people like her who commit these types of offences. Retail crime is far from being a victimless crime; it hurts businesses who must grapple with higher costs and lost stock, resulting in an increase in prices for us all. As a force, we are continuing to tackle this type of criminality by carrying out proactive patrols, pursuing offenders and working with our partners and local businesses to try and prevent offenders from committing these offences in the first place. In 2013, the serial shoplifter breached a suspended sentence and narrowly missed prison time again when she was given a final, final, final chance by a judge, who gave her another suspended sentence at Teeside Crown Court, reported The Northern Echo. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nine boats have been intercepted carrying a total of 537 migrants crossing the English Channel, according to the latest Home Office figures. The crossings on Saturday bring the total for the year to 24,830, which is down on last years figures which by this time in 2022 had reached 33,001. But the numbers are still up on 2021, when 17,085 had made the dangerous crossing by September 30, and it was 7,000 by the same point in 2020. The latest journeys across the shipping lanes of the Channel come despite the death of a woman earlier this week. Her body was found on a beach near Calais, France, on Tuesday and is being investigated by French police. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has charged Sudanese national Howmalow Mawumd-Duop, 21, with facilitating illegal immigration following the death. A spokesman said: The NCA continues to support the French authorities in their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. An investigation by the News Agents Investigates podcast has found migrants are being offered trips across the Channel from Dunkirk for 1,500 per person, claiming they would be taken to a four-star hotel by British police once they arrive. The people smugglers also claim Brexit has made it easier for them as they state there are no fingerprint checks any more, the podcast said. The team of undercover reporters posed as family members looking to bring a cousin to the UK illegally, and they covertly recorded their conversations with the people smugglers. On the safety of crossing the Channel, one of the gang said: If the boat has a problem the [UK] police will come help the boat. When the boat goes into the English Channel the police are waiting and will help They will take him to a four-star hotel. On the benefits of Brexit, the gang is reported to have said: Now England is out of Europe it is very good for us no fingerprints. On how to claim asylum, they added: After eight months youll have your interview you have to make a good case, a political case Political is good because they cannot bring you back to your country. Discussing how to claim asylum from India, they added: Say he has a problem with the Bombay mafia Say I have a problem with this mafia, they want to kill me and my family. Home Secretary Suella Braverman stepped up her rhetoric this week on the issue by predicting there will be a disintegration in our society if action is not taken to curb the number of migrants arriving in Britain by small boats. Speaking to GB News on Friday, she repeated an argument made in her speech on migration in the United States this week that the threshold for claiming asylum needs to be raised. The senior Conservatives comments indicate she does not plan to back down on her calls for the international reform of refugee rules such as the United Nations Refugee Convention despite facing a backlash, including from her own party. In a speech to a centre-right think tank in Washington DC, Mrs Braverman warned the West faces an existential threat if countries are not able to control their borders from unauthorised arrivals. Senior Tory MPs have criticised Tuesdays speech, singling out her comments arguing that being discriminated against for being gay or a woman should not grant a person refugee status in the UK. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} UK retailers are being urged to join a Fairtrade initiative that would ensure banana workers earn their countrys living wage as a minimum. Fairtrade International is launching the new action aiming to achieve living wages, living incomes and resilient banana supply chains on plantations across the world. The organisation said it hopes to deliver decent incomes for workers on Fairtrade certified plantations across the world and help retailers, including UK firms, to fulfil sustainability commitments. It added that more than 35,658 workers and farmers employed by 265 Fairtrade banana producers stand to benefit from the action. Our new initiative represents a clear and tangible step forward in the drive to deliver decent wages for workers who grow Fairtrade bananas Kerrina Thorogood, Fairtrade Foundation Kerrina Thorogood, partnerships director at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: We would strongly urge UK businesses and retailers to get behind this unique offer to deepen sustainability in the banana sector. We hope more UK companies will partner with us in the journey towards achieving living wages for the people behind the bananas that are much loved by British consumers. She added: Our new initiative represents a clear and tangible step forward in the drive to deliver decent wages for workers who grow Fairtrade bananas. Fairtrade has also developed a new banana dashboard with all the necessary data to enable traders and retailers to report progress back to their stakeholders. The initiative combines three elements the Fairtrade Minimum Price (FMP), Living Wage Reference Price and Fairtrade Living Wage Differential (LWD) designed to help close the living wage gap. The publicly available LWRP is calculated by Fairtrade to determine what a typical farmer household with a viable farm size and a sustainable productivity level needs in order to earn a living income from the sales of their crop. The Fairtrade Minimum Price is the extra amount earned by selling on Fairtrade terms and the Fairtrade Living Wage Differential is an additional voluntary payment per box of bananas sold, as a contribution towards a full living wage. An elected workers Premium Committee on each plantation can distribute additional cash payments from the Fairtrade Premium to close the living wage gap. As part of the launch, Fairtrade has also announced an average increase of 0.2% in the Fairtrade Minimum Price for free on board bananas the purchase price for importing traders which comes into effect from January 2024. Our unique offer is a game changer for workers, traders and retailers Silvia Campos, Fairtrade International The Fairtrade Premium the additional 82p per box of bananas sold remains unchanged, the organisation added. Silvia Campos, Fairtrade Internationals senior adviser for bananas, said: Our key commercial partners are increasingly demanding the tools and the data to enable them to fulfil their commitments to pay a fair price so that banana workers can earn a living wage. Our unique offer is a game changer for workers, traders and retailers. Fairtrade is working to strengthen protection for banana producers, workers and their families as they struggle to cope with mounting economic costs, climate change, human rights risks and the need to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices. Despite some slight reductions in the price of fuel and fertilisers, banana producers are still suffering from post-pandemic losses. They simply cant afford to pay higher wages or invest in the future of their farms. Marike de Pena, president of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers, said: The combination of an updated minimum price and a commitment by many of our major commercial partners is a real cause for optimism. Fairtrades unique offer is a win for plantation workers and a win for traders and retailers. I believe this service will lead to more companies sourcing more bananas under Fairtrade terms. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The public blames the Government for the 7.7 million-long NHS waiting list in England, which is set to get worse because of more strikes, according to a report. Junior doctors and consultants will launch their longest period of combined industrial action on Monday, walking out for three days in a long-running dispute over pay. Both sets of staff took joint action earlier this month for the first time in the history of the NHS. Doctors are fed up of being told we are the problem with the NHS Professor Phil Banfield Since the strikes began, the cumulative total of acute inpatient and outpatient appointments having to be rescheduled has exceeded a million. The industrial action earlier this month led to almost 130,000 inpatient and outpatient appointments being rescheduled. The British Medical Association (BMA) said a new survey of 1,765 adults showed that Government attempts to blame medics for cripplingly long waiting lists have not convinced the public. More than two in five respondents blamed the Government for the increase in waiting lists for elective treatment, which have risen from 2.6 million in 2010 to almost 7.7 million. This is almost three times the number who blame striking doctors (15%), said the BMA. More than a fifth of Conservative voters blamed the Government, which the BMA said was especially concerning for the party which is holding its annual conference in Manchester this week. Junior doctors and consultants will join a protest rally in Manchester on Tuesday, as well as radiographers, who will be on strike from 8am for 24 hours. They need to use this years conference to look back at their record and consider there might be an alternative to policies that have led to millions more on waiting lists and an NHS on its knees Professor Phil Banfield The BMA said the Prime Minister has repeatedly used striking doctors as scapegoats for rising waiting lists, but added that lists have increased by five million in 13 years under the Tories. Professor Phil Banfield, the BMA chair of council, said: Doctors are fed up of being told we are the problem with the NHS. Wanting to be valued for our expertise the same as we were in 2008 is not a radical demand; in fact, it is essential to having the workforce needed to bring down waiting times. It is not fair for the Government to continue to blame doctors or other healthcare workers for their own failure to properly resource the health service in England. What we see today is that the public largely sees through that excuse. Many more appointments and operations are cancelled outside the strike days because of a shortage of beds, staff or operating capacity due to the relative chronic underfunding. As the party in government for the last 13 years they need to use this years conference to look back at their record and consider there might be an alternative to policies that have led to millions more on waiting lists and an NHS on its knees. We will be there to help suggest a better way one that values doctors properly. We dont want to be on strike, we dont want to have to protest at party conferences, but we do want doctors to be recognised as the highly skilled practitioners of medicine that they are. We cant go on like this. Its an uphill battle. We need the Government and unions to talk urgently to find a breakthrough that could stop strikes Saffron Cordery We want to be serving our patients, but without the staffing levels, pay and conditions that lead to doctor retention, the cost and consequences of waiting lists will continue to get worse and worse. We feel that we have no choice but to take this action, because this Government has ignored doctors and patients for so long. We need a demonstrable, drastic change in attitude from Government no more excuses, no more reckless ultimatums, and no more empty words. Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: We cant go on like this. Its an uphill battle. We need the Government and unions to talk urgently to find a breakthrough that could stop strikes. Winter, if its anything like last year, will be really tough. Trust leaders and staff need time to plan and prepare for winters extra demands and pressures, while working flat out to cut record-high waiting lists, instead of dealing with the unwanted distraction of yet more strikes. NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: NHS services have had very little time to recover from the previous action, and to now face an unprecedented three consecutive days of Christmas Day cover this week which will prove extremely challenging, with almost all routine care brought to a near-standstill. Staff are working incredibly hard to prioritise emergency care, and were very grateful to the public for using the NHS wisely during this period of disruption by using 999 in life-threatening situations and 111 online and community services like pharmacies and GPs for everything else. Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: Im deeply disappointed and concerned by further co-ordinated strike action which poses continued challenges for the NHS and disruption for patients, and means more will have vital treatment and care delayed. Over one million appointments have been rescheduled due to strikes and the BMAs hard-line stance means this number will only continue rising. In addition, during previous strike action, the BMA has repeatedly refused to permit some junior doctors to deliver essential care where local clinical leaders considered it necessary. This is further putting patients at needless risk. I urge unions to end their relentless strike action. Doctors have received a fair and reasonable pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body, which weve accepted in full. This means doctors who started their hospital training this year are receiving a 10.3% pay increase, with the average junior doctor getting 8.8% and consultants are receiving a 6% pay rise alongside generous reforms to their pensions the BMAs number one ask. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Defence secretary Grant Shapps has announced 4bn worth of contracts with British firms as part of the development of the hunter-killer submarine programme. Grant Shapps said the submarines, which are to be nuclear-powered and conventionally armed, would be the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy. The defence secretary also announced RAF Typhoons have been sent to Poland to support the UK ally from the threat of Russian interference, and that hundreds of extra troops will be deployed in Kosovo following a request from Nato. Speaking on the main stage of the Tory conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps said: Today, I can announce that weve signed contracts worth 4 billion with leading British businesses to drive forward the development of the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy. Mr Shapps said these hunter-killer Aukus submarines will empower the Royal Navy to maintain our strategic advantage under the sea, and will support thousands of jobs. The Conservative Party said the contracts have been signed with BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock Marine, and will support thousands of British jobs. Mr Shapps also told the conference: I can announce the UK has stepped up again with two deployments. First in response to requests from our Polish friends, RAF Typhoons are landing in Poland as I speak to support our Nato ally with the greater threat of Russian interference. I authorised the full deployment of a battalion-size UK strategic reservists to Natos Kosovo peacekeeping mission. In the days ahead, hundreds of soldiers from the 1st battalion Princess of Waless Royal Regiment will join 400 British servicemen and women already in Kosovo. This comes as Rishi Sunak has made clear that defence secretary Grant Shapps suggestion that British troops could train forces in Ukraine is not for the here and now during the war against the Russian invasion. The PM on Sunday ruled out UK forces going to Ukraine and said that the recently appointed political head of the Ministry of Defence was discussing possible plans for the long term. Recommended Grant Shapps reveals military training plans inside Ukraine Mr Shapps had said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph that eventually he would like to get Britains long-standing training of Volodymyr Zelenskys troops in country rather than in the UK. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak has made clear that defence secretary Grant Shapps suggestion that British troops could train forces in Ukraine is not for the here and now during the war against the Russian invasion. The prime minister on Sunday ruled out UK forces going to Ukraine and said that the recently appointed political head of the Ministry of Defence was discussing possible plans for the long term. Mr Shapps had said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph that eventually he would like to get Britains long-standing training of Volodymyr Zelenskys troops in country rather than in the UK. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said any British troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for the Kremlins forces. But, on a visit to Burnley ahead of the Tory party conference getting under way in Manchester, Mr Sunak said he wants to be absolutely clear about the situation following some misreporting. He said that Britain has been training Ukrainian citizens and soldiers for a long time within the UK. And what the defence secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine, the Prime Minister said. But thats something for the long term, not the here and now, there are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. Thats not whats happening. What we are doing is training Ukrainians. Were doing that here in the UK. Mr Shapps had said he has spoken with Army chiefs about moving more training into Ukraine and called on British defence firms to set up production in the country. Having taken over as defence secretary from Ben Wallace at the end of August, he said he has also spoken to Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, about the Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. He said Britain is also looking for ways to help Ukraine get in shape for membership of Nato. Mr Shapps visited a military base on Salisbury Plain on Friday where he was briefed by General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, and other senior figures. He said: I was talking about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. Were seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country. Im keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. More than 20,000 recruits from Ukraine have received training in the UK since the start of 2022, but Nato members have avoided training programmes in Ukraine due to the risk of personnel being drawn into combat with Russia. The defence secretary said he had spoken to Mr Zelensky on Wednesday and hinted Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships. Britain is a naval nation so we can help and we can advise, particularly since the water is international water, he said. Its important we dont allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isnt allowed in that water. Theres a lot of places where Britain can help advise. Ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps told the Telegraph that Britain should reinstate former prime minister Liz Trusss pledge to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of the GDP. I think its really important that we understand that freedom isnt free, he said. You have to pay for it and it also keeps us prosperous, not only because we keep out invaders, but we also help shape the world around us and do good in the world. Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, foreign secretary James Cleverly stressed that UK backing for Ukraine would continue, regardless of who wins the next US election. It comes amid the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House and speculation that could see an upending of Washingtons current stance on the conflict. Weve been ahead of the curve throughout on this and weve defined our position because of our values, Mr Cleverly said. On any future American position, he said: We will do what we believe to be right. We have made a commitment to continue to support the Ukrainians. Now they can join in or they can watch us do it, but it is going to happen. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Clive Myrie said he really felt the weight of history on his shoulders as he recalled the moment he reported on King Charles IIIs proclamation. Speaking at Henley Literary Festival, of which The Independent is the exclusive news partner, he said it felt like heavy duty stuff, which was interesting considering there were no bullets flying around, he added, making reference to the numerous conflict zones he has reported from over his decades-long journalism career. Asked what it was like to cover the event, the first time a monarchs proclamation has been filmed, the BBC broadcaster said: I really did feel the weight of history on my shoulders. I was telling the whole world. Clive Myrie also reminisced on other interactions with the King, remembering him as a very approachable person (Scarlet Page) Mr Myrie also reminisced on other interactions with the King, remembering him as a very approachable person. Referring to a roof he broadcast from in Ukraine amid the war, Mr Myrie told of a time at a BBC anniversary when Charles greeted him by saying: Youre the man off the roof. It must get jolly cold up there. Mr Myria said he responded, Yes, I had my long johns on. Mr Myrie reminisced on other interactions with the King, remembering him as a very approachable person (PA Wire) Mr Myrie added that a key challenge for the King during his reign will be finding a role, not just for himself in the institution, but for the institution itself in a much more cynical world. The BBC broadcaster spoke of another interaction with a notable figure, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, remembering him as an impressive man, although one who is absolutely knackered. Interviewing the Ukrainian president for the BBC, Mr Myrie said, I felt really guilty taking up his time. He had the lives of 40 million people and their welfare on his shoulders. But he had to get his message out. During a conversation in which Mr Zelenskyy became emotional at times, Mr Myrie said: But he was forthright that he was doing this for his people and that he wasnt going to cede any land because of this naked aggression by Vladimir Putin. Mr Myrie himself spoke about the multiple occasions when the subject matter of his reporting has brought him to tears, such as the trauma of the Covid pandemic, or the overwhelming joy of Barack Obamas election. When asked about how he finds hope in a world that can currently seem turbulent, he referenced Martin Luther Kings reminder that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. He said, Youve just got to keep the faith and stay positive - thats where the hope is. Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in More than 100 military veterans will depart from Bismarck Airport on Sunday morning on a trip to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials and other notable sites thanks to a nonprofit organization. Western North Dakota Honor Flight made its first trip to the nation's capital in April 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed an inaugural flight that was planned for October 2020. A second trip was made earlier this year. The group is part of a larger network of 124 active Honor Flight chapters that have given more than 260,000 veterans a chance to visit Washington and see the memorials commemorating the wars they fought in. Planned stops on the two-day trip include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Capitol. The visit to Arlington will include a wreath-laying ceremony featuring four North Dakota veterans. Western North Dakota Honor Flight President Dennis Burdolski said the region's waiting list for honor flight slots grew as a result of the pandemic, but the community has rallied behind the initiative and wait times have now been cut significantly. Now, interested veterans won't have to wait years to participate in an honor flight if they're interested. "Originally, we were only going to do one flight this year, but our list grew after the last flight, so we were able to, through the community's support, do a second flight even though our time frame was crunched," Burdolski said. "We're taking extra veterans -- more than we normally take -- this is going to be a really good flight." The return flight will land at the Bismarck Airport at 7 p.m. on Monday, where veterans will be greeted with a welcome party. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Laura Bridgens likens the experience of discovering that her biological father was a sperm donor to the moment a Jenga tower comes crashing down. I felt a whole world of emotions, she tells The Independent. In a lot of ways it made sense. But it was a massive, massive shock. I tend to liken it to a Jenga tower someone removes the bottom block and it massively unsettles things. The 42-year-old, who lives in Cambridgeshire, has told of how she first learned she was a donor child after she asked her mother for an ancestry DNA test for Christmas. The request prompted her mother to reveal everything in February 2021. Ms Bridgens is telling her story as new laws come into force in the UK meaning individuals born using an egg or sperm donor who turn 18 on Monday will be able to learn who their donor is. A historic change was made to the law covering donor anonymity in 2005, meaning thousands of people born through egg and sperm donation will be able to trace their biological roots for the first time from this week. But Ms Bridgens, who is director of Donor Conceived UK, believes the legislation does not go far enough. She is calling for UK laws to be reformed so the government is legally required to inform people conceived via donor, warning donors should never be allowed to be anonymous. Recalling the shock of learning she was donor conceived, she recalled her mother coming to visit her on Christmas Day but not bringing the ancestry DNA kit she had asked for as a present. She gave me a pair of jeans as a present and said the DNA kit hasn't turned up, she recounted. We went into a hard lockdown and I didn't see her until February. She came to see me and handed me a letter and then proceeded to tell me what the letter said. Ms Bridgens, who works in property, said learning she was donor conceived changes everything and nothing at the same time. Everything looks slightly different now you know this, she reflected. It shakes things up. It really gets under your skin. It's not something you get over. Its very much a lifelong situation. Laura Bridgens has met her biological fathers family (Laura Bridgens) She explained she had managed to trace her biological father and track him down but warned the search was hard and not particularly dignified. She added: You are setting yourself up for some really difficult emotions like rejection. Ms Bridgens said she has met her biological fathers family a few times and stayed in their house explaining she is building a relationship with his children who are in their twenties. Its still a weird existence, she added. Your existence is like a satellite in so many ways. Youre linked to them but then you are still very much a satellite part of it. You second guess most interactions you are trying to be your best self, you are still trying to get them to like you. Addressing issues around laws on donor conception, she argued donor anonymity should be banned and called for the law to be overhauled so the government has a legal responsibility to sensitively inform donor conceived people about their biological origins. She added: It is in the best interests of donor conceived people to tell them, and then its their choice what they choose to do with that. Its about donor conceived people holding the key to their own origins. It is understood to be quite fundamental to know where youve come from. It doesnt sit well that the fertility industry and the government have decided we are not to know. There are so many people living without that information right now. You cant exercise a right if you dont know youre entitled to it. But Ms Bridgens said the culture around telling children about donors was very different when she was young, with her parents being advised by doctors not to tell children. Discussing the recent law changes coming into force, she said it was important to remember historical donors are not legally obliged to respond to a donor conceived person who gets in touch with them. Initially around 30 young people who were conceived with the help of a donor will be entitled to request their biological parents full name, date of birth, and last known address with the fertility regulator expecting hundreds of requests to follow in the coming years. Recent data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) revealed some 766 young people will be able to request their donors details by the end of 2024, while around 11,427 people will be able to do so by 2030. But Ms Bridgens argued that given how donors were found in those days, the address could be a student hall of residence. She added: The HFEA has done some eleventh-hour work, trying to encourage people to change their details but 18 years is a long time these identifiable donors are no more prepared than any other historical donors. Theyve probably got their head in the sand. The UKs fertility regulator has urged people who donated eggs, sperm or embryos after 1 April 2005 to make sure their contact details are up to date before members of the first eligible cohort that is, children who turn 18 on Monday can request the information, to avoid disappointing their offspring. Learning you are donor conceived creates a lot of questions without answers causing strain on mental health and wellbeing, Ms Bridgens reflected. There is no finality to your experience you have the possibility of relatives popping up for the rest of your life. Close Sycamore Gap: 300-year-old tree stars in 90s classic Robin Hood movie before vandalism Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hadrians Wall has been damaged by the vandals who chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree, investigators have discovered. Historic England said it found some damage had been caused to the 1,900-year-old wall, one of Britains best-known Unesco world heritage sites, in a preliminary inspection. A spokesperson for the historical preservation body told The Independent: While we identified that Hadrians Wall has sustained some damage, we have not been able to access the site to carry out a full investigation so a further archaeological appraisal will take place once the site is considered safe. It comes as The National Trust, which manages the land in Northumberland where the iconic tree once stood, said it has been overwhelmed with thousands of messages of support and over 150 offers of help. The charity told The Independent its immediate priority has been ensuring the safety of the tree and it is still working on plans for the safe removal of Sycamore Gap. But the spokesperson added that The National Trust is beginning discussions with stakeholders about the future of the site. Police previously arrested a 16-year-old boy and a man, aged in his 60s, in connection with the incident. Both have since been released on bail. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Britain could deploy military instructors to Ukraine and even play a more active role in the Black Sea where Russia has targeted cargo ships, defence minister Grant Shapps has said. Mr Shapps who took over the defence portfolio from Ben Wallace last month said he has spoken with Army chiefs about the UK moving more training into Ukraine and stepping up defence production there. I was talking today about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well, he said in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. Were seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in [the] country, the defence secretary said. Im keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. The UK and its allies have till date steered clear of formal military presence inside Ukraine to prevent a direct conflict with Russia. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is now in its 20th month. The UK has trained more than 20,000 recruits from Ukraine since the start of 2022, but Nato members have avoided training programmes in the besieged country to avoid the risk of personnel being drawn into combat with Russia. Mr Shapps said he spoke to president Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday and hinted Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships. Britain is a naval nation so we can help and we can advise, particularly since the water is international water, he said. Its important we dont allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isnt allowed in that water. Theres a lot of places where Britain can help advise, he told the newspaper. This comes shortly after Mr Zelensky said he wants to turn his countrys defence industry into a large military hub by partnering with Western weapons manufacturers to increase arms supplies for its counteroffensive against Russia. One of Ukraines strongest allies against the continuing Russian invasion, London has spent 2.3bn on supporting Mr Zelenskys war efforts between April 2022 and March 2023, according to former defence secretary Ben Wallaces statement in July. Mr Wallace had said it put the UK only second to the US in terms of international donors of military aid to Ukraine, which is currently involved in counteroffensive skirmishes as it looks to retake its territory. The delivery and provision of aid is dynamic and fast moving, responding to the priority needs of the armed forces of Ukraine, he had said. He had also confirmed the success of British Storm Shadow cruise missiles in June and told the parliament that the weapons were already having a significant impact on the battlefield. Britain has already donated at least five million anti-personnel weapons, including mortars and grenades, along with 1,500 anti-air weapons and 100 launchers. The Ministry of Defence listed 12,000 ballistic vests and 80,000 helmets as having been supplied in July. A total of 4m had been spent on spare parts, tools and support kits for Kyivs military. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The lawyer for a military veteran who died in Northern Ireland while on trial for a 1974 killing has welcomed new laws to deal with the legacy of the Troubles. Philip Barden, who represented Dennis Hutchings, said the Act would allow soldiers who had served in Northern Ireland and discharged their weapons, to apply for immunity from prosecution by giving a true account of what happened. Hutchings, 80, died in October 2021 after contracting Covid-19 in the middle of his trial at Belfast Crown Court. I have long been requesting an end to criminal investigations and prosecutions which have caused far more harm than good and therefore welcome any legislation aimed at delivering better outcomes for those who were on the front line seeking to keep others safe Lawyer Philip Barden A former member of the Life Guards regiment, Hutchings, from Cawsand in Cornwall, had been accused of the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham, a man with learning difficulties, in Co Tyrone in 1974. He denied the offence. Mr Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act received royal assent last month despite widespread opposition from political parties, victims organisations in Northern Ireland and the Irish government. Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). It will also halt future civil cases and inquests. A number of families of Troubles victims have launched judicial reviews against the new laws and a High Court judge said on Thursday that he wanted to hear the cases in November. But Mr Barden, from legal firm Devonshires, said the act would allow relatives of soldiers who died in Northern Ireland to seek answers. He said: Having spent 25 years assisting soldiers in Troubles-related matters, I am pleased to see the Northern Ireland Troubles Act has now become law. I have long been requesting an end to criminal investigations and prosecutions which have caused far more harm than good and therefore welcome any legislation aimed at delivering better outcomes for those who were on the front line seeking to keep others safe. Soldiers who served in Northern Ireland and discharged a weapon in circumstances where someone died will now be able to apply for immunity from any criminal proceedings by giving a true account of what happened. I also welcome provisions in the Troubles Act for the relatives of those soldiers killed, who have long been denied a voice, to seek answers. Mr Barden added: Whereas inquests in Northern Ireland to date have seemingly been directed at circumstances where security forces acted against terrorists, the legislation now applies equally to all next of kin. It is to be hoped that the ICRIR will find a way to effectively investigate the actions of the terrorists, who were responsible for 90% of the deaths. The ICRIR will be headed by former Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland Sir Declan Morgan. The body will review hundreds of unresolved Troubles deaths. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A populist former prime minister and his leftist party won early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results. With results 99.2% from some 6,000 polling stations counted by the Slovak Statistics Office early Sunday, former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party led with 23.3% of the votes. The election was a test for the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakias military support for Ukraine in Russias war if his attempt to return to power succeeded. The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war. With no party winning a majority of seats, a coalition government would need to be formed. A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, was a distant second, with 17% of the votes cast Saturday. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Ficos former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, was in third with 15%. Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Ficos chances to form a government. Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, received 5.7%. Those three parties would have a parliamentary majority if they joined forces in a coalition government. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Labour Party has unveiled new plans to clamp down on sexual harassment in the workplace as new figures show almost five million women experience such behaviour at work each year. New proposals unveiled by Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner would legally force employers to stop sexual harassment before it starts by implementing measures to prevent sexual harassment from taking place. Ms Rayner, shadow levelling up secretary, told The Independent sexual harassment was rife as she warned such behaviour is destroying careers and ruining womens lives. Speaking before Labour Womens Conference on Saturday, Ms Rayner said that the cases which have recently grabbed headlines are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the experiences of millions of women in workplaces the length and breadth of Britain. The latest data from the government equalities office reveals that three in 10 women currently in work suffered some form of sexual harassment at work or in a work-related environment in the last year. Labours analysis of the data estimates some 4.7 million women per year are forced to endure sexual harassment at work with 17 per cent of those who are harassed choosing to move to another job after enduring sexual harassment each year and 41 per cent of perpetrators experiencing no sanction. The new duty will be bolstered by a statutory code of practice on sexual harassment and harassment more broadly, which establishes what actions employers must take to meet the obligation. Labour said this could comprise effective and well-publicised policies and procedures on dealing with sexual harassment at work, providing training and assessing foreseeable risks. Ms Rayner argued that everyone should be able to go to work safe from sexual harassment, knowing their employer has taken steps to create a safe working environment. She added: Good employers are already creating workplace cultures that do not tolerate sexual harassment and take steps to prevent it on their watch. Labour will ensure that happens across the board. Labour explained their new proposals would mean employers would be responsible if they are informed of an incident involving sexual harassment, yet do not take measures to tackle it or it emerges they did not take preliminary measures to prevent the incident in the first place. When asked about Labours plans by The Independent, the government insisted it was backing a new piece of legislation that would introduce identical measures to tackle sexual harassment. It was reported earlier this year that ministers would allow the worker protection bill a private members bill introduced by Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse and supported by Labour to fall after a slew of amendments were tabled by Tory peers. The legislation is due to return to the House of Commons on 20 October to be considered and voted on. Malina Dabrowska, a designer, told The Independent a man sexually harassed her on a quiet bridge late at night after work drinks in central London when she was working in architecture in her twenties. The 33-year-old said: I was on my way home and someone started talking to me. I didnt realise it was my colleague. The next thing I knew, he was all over me, trying to kiss me. He just appeared out of nowhere. He kissed me on my lips. He forced his face on mine. He tried grabbing me. I pushed him away. I thought woah what is happening. I turned away to get to the road and I hailed a cab. I was in an unsafe place under a bridge in Charing Cross. It was dark no one was there. I was so shocked. I couldnt compute, we hardly talked that evening. It was so out of the blue. She explained that she made a complaint about her colleague a few months later and was told she should report it to an external human resources person or go to the police. Ms Dabrowska added: For all those months, I had to work with the person in that office. It was small enough for me to be in the same space with him every day. I just completely avoided him. Nothing happened to him. He was called in for a telling-off. A few months later he left the workplace. It felt like there were no procedures or safeguarding in place for that type of experience. Ms Hobhouse, MP for Bath, warned sexual harassment at work leaves victims traumatised and often without support saying her private members bill marks a big step forward. It was a challenge to gain consent from some peers but I am glad that a compromise has been reached, she added. Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, told The Independent employers must do a better job of preventing and dealing with sexual harassment as she argued this would stamp out toxic cultures. Ms Francke added: We have seen a number of incidents recently where harassment has not been dealt with swiftly and decisively by employers, not only does that damage their reputation but it is something that should not be tolerated in todays workplace. She warned sexual harassment is a prevalent issue and noted while many employers say they have policies and procedures to handle such misconduct, they do not proactively implement those policies and they dont act swiftly if harassment occurs. Ms Francke added: Tackling sexual harassment is absolutely in the interests of employers and employees because it makes for less toxic, more productive workplaces. A lot of people see this as not in the interests of employers, but it is in the interests of employers and employees. Not to mention the reputational damage for the employer when these incidents of harassment come to light. A spokesperson for the government warned that sexual harassment is wrong and employers should ensure they tackle it in the workplace, adding: The government-backed worker protection bill, which is progressing through parliament, will further strengthen protections against harassment at work. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak heads to the governing Conservative Partys annual conference on Sunday facing a triple challenge: Cheer up a party thats trailing in opinion polls, sideline rivals who are eyeing his job and persuade the voting public that a party in power for 13 years deserves another term in office. Sunak's arsenal includes a package of populist measures such as slowing moves to phase out fossil fuels designed to win back voters who have rejected the Conservatives over Britains stagnating economy, cost-of-living crisis and waves of strikes that have intermittently shut down doctors offices, schools and train services. Public services are crumbling, the economys not responding and (the Conservatives) havent met some of the pledges theyve made, so youd expect them to be pretty downhearted, said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. He said that in response, the party is "doubling down on the populism. Its about pushing the Conservatives as standing up for ordinary people against some sort of elite. In recent weeks, Sunak has approved new North Sea oil and gas drilling, delayed a ban on selling new gas and diesel cars and watered down other green measures that he said imposed unacceptable costs on ordinary people. On the eve of the conference, he announced plans to curb supposed anti-car measures, such as blanket 20 mph (32 kph) speed limits and traffic restrictions in residential areas. Such moves have dismayed environmental campaigners, but are designed to appeal to the party members, officials and lawmakers gathering in the northwest England city of Manchester for a conference that culminates in a leaders speech by Sunak on Wednesday. The left-of-center opposition Labour Party will hold its own convention in nearby Liverpool a week later. The autumn conferences blends of pep rally, policy forum and boozy bash play an important role in British political life. This years may well be the last before a national election. Under the U.K. parliamentary system, an election must be called within five years of the previous one, held in December 2019. Since the last national vote, the U.K. has left the European Union, endured a pandemic and ejected two prime ministers scandal-tarnished Boris Johnson and ill-fated Liz Truss, who lasted just 49 days in office. Sunak took the reins in October 2022 with the aim of calming economic turmoil sparked by Truss tax-cutting plans. Bronwen Maddox, director and chief executive of the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said that conferences are a place where a political party shows off to itself and looks at itself, while also trying to speak to the wider electorate. This is a very stuck, difficult-feeling time in Britain, and has been in a way since Brexit, Maddox said. And its jarred the countrys image of itself as being well run and good at things like government. So people will be looking for reassurance and for hope and also looking for reasons to scorn. What well watch for is can (Sunak) really engender a sense of hope in his party and in a much wider audience of potential voters? That could be a struggle. After 13 years of Conservative government, opinion polls put the party 15 to 20 points behind Labour. They suggest support for the party is sagging across almost all demographics, including the red wall voters in post-industrial northern English areas. The Conservatives under Johnson won many of those seats from Labour in 2019 by promising that Brexit would bring economic renewal a renewal that has largely failed to materialize. Sunak is the fifth Conservative leader since 2016, and rivals have started positioning themselves for a party leadership contest that could follow election defeat. Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch are both bidding for the support of the partys populist wing, which wants tough curbs on irregular migration and a war on liberal social values derided as woke. Paul Goodman, a former lawmaker who edits the Conservative Home website, said that Sunak's strategy is to depict Labour leader Keir Starmer, a lawyer who was once the country's chief prosecutor, as an out-of-touch agent of the status quo. He knows that if the next election is framed as Labour versus the Conservatives, Labour will almost certainly win, Goodman said. But I think he thinks that if it can be framed as Keir Starmer versus change, then maybe hell make it back. So he has to personify himself as change and tell a story of how he is all about change. Goodman said election victory for Sunak is possible, but very unlikely. It is looking a bit better for him than it was when he became prime minister, although the odds are still daunting," he said. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Tory grandees have launched an extraordinary attack on former prime minister Liz Truss amid fears her appearance at their party conference will undermine Rishi Sunaks electoral prospects. One said their ex-party leader should back the prime minister or shut up, adding she had zero credibility. Mr Sunak is hoping to use the event in Manchester to convince voters he is the man to solve the UKs problems. But senior Tories fear Ms Truss will instead remind the public of the economic chaos that defined her less than two months in office. Ms Truss will speak at a growth rally at the conference, aimed at pushing Mr Sunak on tax cuts. Dubbed the Great British Growth Rally, organisers are already planning for a large turnout. But Ms Trusss plans have triggered fury among senior Tories, coming as they do when the party is facing a potentially disastrous electoral defeat next year. Former minister Sir Alan Duncan told The Independent: Liz Truss should back the prime minister or shut up. She has zero credibility and making unhelpful speeches is no way for a former prime minister to behave. Asked about Ms Truss, the former chancellor Lord Hammond said: "I definitely think that people who have done their stint and moved on should not use the conference to disrupt." Former prime minister Liz Truss (PA Wire) Another Tory grandee said the party had already suffered at the polls from years of factions and lack of discipline and that for Ms Truss as a former prime minister to take the stage advocating a different agenda [to Mr Sunak] is total and utter disgrace. How dare she? The tragedy is there is even one member of parliament thinks she is worth listening to. The row came as Mr Sunaks recent relaunch had failed to work, he added, appealing to core voters rather than expanding your appeal to other voters. Another senior Tory said that calls for Ms Truss to pipe down were 'naive optimism. An ally of Ms Truss said colleagues and ex-colleagues taking potshots at Liz would do well to remember that she was the leader our grassroots members voted for last year. She has every right to be heard and to contribute to the debate over the agenda we need to embrace to win the next election. Former prime minister Boris Johnson, who has in the past drawn attention away from his party leader, is not thought to be planning to attend the conference. Rishi Sunak is thought to have been writing his speech for months (BBC/AFP/Getty) In 2018 after he resigned as foreign secretary over Brexit, Mr Johnson caused mayhem at the Tory party conference, giving a crowd-pleasing speech to a capacity audience of 1,500, some of whom had queued for four hours to see him. The Conservatives enter their last party conference before the election knowing their path to retaining the keys to Downing Street is narrow. The party has been trailing Labour in the polls month after month. Last weeks announcement on green legislation, including an extra five years before the phasing out of the purchase of new petrol and diesel cars, saw the Tories close the gap slightly. But as the starting gun is fired on the race for power, Tory MPs are nervously watching Mr Sunaks performance this week. The prime minister is thought to have been working on his speech to conference for weeks. Earlier this week he tried to play down the spectre of his predecessor, making fun of Ms Truss at a dinner with journalists. Im glad to see actually that Liz Truss has been quietly reflecting. Not least on whos to blame. The Treasury? Of course. Office for Budget Responsibility? Bank of England? In fact, I cant think of a [body] in British public life that hasnt yet been blamed. Except perhaps [her favourite think tank] the Institute for Economic Affairs. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak is under mounting pressure from senior Conservatives in the north of England over HS2, as both his former levelling up minister and the former Tory chairperson joined calls for the northern leg to be built in full. Dehenna Davison and Jake Berry called for the PM to crack on with the Birmingham to Manchester route after The Independent revealed that Mr Sunak and his chancellor Jeremy Hunt were in talks to axe phase 2. Their intervention came as Mr Sunak insisted that the UK was not a laughing stock despite uncertainty for businesses over HS2 while business secretary Kemi Badenoch admitted international investors had raised concerns. As the Tory conference kicked off in Manchester, Ms Davison who resigned from the levelling up department only last month because of debilitating migraines said: Its right we crack on and do it. The influential red wall Tory told Times Radio: My view is that it should be the toughest bit first, you do the northern bit first. So obviously were not quite sure fully what decision has been made yet but I certainly hope its the right one and that the northern section is actually prioritised. The former levelling up secretary Dehenna Davison (Getty) Mr Berry, Tory chairperson under Liz Trusss short-lived spell at No 10, said the Manchester to Birmingham section of the high-speed rail line really matters to people in the North. The senior MP, who represents the red wall seat of Rossendale and Darwen, said people were more worried about the potential loss of Northern Powerhouse Rail the east-west projects across the Pennines than HS2. But he insisted HS2 would enhance the east-west links. Why in the north of England should it be an either or? So in my ideal world, both of them would be built, Mr Berry told Times Radio. Senior red wall Tories in the influential Northern Research Group have signalled they are willing to accept a delay to the northern leg of HS2 so long as the PM commits to east-west rail projects. Gove says HS2 to Manchester is a good idea but costs have to be examined (Getty/PA) But Conservative grandees Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, George Osborne and the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, are among the critics of scaling back the project, while London mayor Sadiq Khan warned it could make Britain a laughing stock. Mr Sunak completely rejected the allegation from critics, as he was grilled on the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, which include leaders across the North as well as predecessors at the top of the Conservatives. Id completely reject that, said the PM, insisting the business leaders he speaks to around the world are excited about the opportunity that investing in Britain offers. Pressed by the BBC host if the high-speed line would ever get to Manchester, he said: Were getting on with delivering [the project], Im not going to comment on this speculation. Kemi Badenoch admits concerned investors have asked about HS2s future (PA) But Ms Badenoch suggested international investors had complained about uncertainty over HS2s future. There are some international businesses whove asked about investment there because it might impact decisions that theyre going to make, she told The Sunday Times. The business secretary played down the anger of UK industry chiefs. Claiming no British business leader had chewed her ear off, she said: Im going to be very honest: business has not raised it with me at all. The head of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership attacked Ms Badenoch for failing to engage with frustrated business chiefs accusing her of only being interested in the politics of a right-wing Tory faction. Henri Murrison told The Independent: Kemi Badenoch Im afraid to say isnt an effective champion for British business in the cabinet but more her faction within the Conservative Party. She clearly isnt engaging with the case being made by the many who have spoken up on this issue. Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen told a Tory conference fringe event that the indecision on HS2 was causing a distraction as he urged ministers to commit to Northern Powerhouse Rail. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove promised Tory conference delegates that Mr Sunak would say more on HS2 in due course as he appeared to downplay the importance of the Birmingham to Manchester leg and hinted at alternative investment in the north. The cabinet minister believed to be unhappy about cutting the northern leg praised HS2 to Manchester as a good idea. But Mr Gove warned the government had to ensure it was getting the biggest bang for our buck from all major investment projects. The levelling up secretary played up investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail. Yes, north-south links are important but so are east-west, and so are transport links within regions, he told Times Radio. Mr Gove also hinted at fresh investment for Leeds and other parts of the north if HS2s northern leg is scrapped. Recommended Theresa May piles pressure on Sunak not to scrap HS2 He told a fringe event: One of the weaknesses Leeds has is that its the largest city in Europe without an effective metro system ... thats probably the single most important thing you could do to connect the different enterprises within Leeds. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Rwandan ambassador has lashed out at Suella Bravermans immigration plans, describing the British governments position as absolutely wrong. Johnston Busingye, the high commissioner of Rwanda, is supportive of British proposals to send asylum seekers to his country but called for the UK to address the wider causes of immigration. He was secretly recorded claiming it was immoral for Britain to pose as a compassionate country when it comes to migration. His comments were revealed days after Ms Braverman faced a furious backlash for a speech in the US on immigration in which she claimed that fearing persecution over being gay or a woman is not enough to claim asylum. In a sting operation organised by the Led By Donkeys campaign group, Mr Busingye was told he was meeting a businessman from a southeast Asian company wanting to invest in his country. In the footage, seen by The Observer, he dismisses evidence that 12 refugees were shot dead by police in Rwanda in 2018, saying: It might have happened, but so what? And, asked about Britains immigration policy, he said he would tell Ms Braverman it was absolutely wrong. He added: They should have a long-term policy of making it a choice for people not to risk their lives coming to the UK. Because right now, many people are not coming here because of war in their country. No, theyre coming here because they are hopeless. Theyre coming here because they have no future. It is immoral for this country to still see themselves as the refugee country, the solace country, the protection country, the compassion country. They enslaved millions of people for 400 years. They destroyed India, they destroyed China, they destroyed Africa. Asked about his comments, Mr Busingye told The Observer: No country can claim to be wholly compassionate at all times. Whats important is how we set about addressing the wrongs of the past. He said his comments about Britains short-term approach to migration are applicable to all nations in the global North. And he praised Britains plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as an important first step in tackling imbalance. The UK government said the Rwanda plan was an innovative solution to stop the boats and break the business model of the people-smuggling gangs. We remain fully committed to this policy, as does the Rwandan government. We will continue to defend the policy robustly in the courts, a spokesperson said. The home secretary used a speech in the US on Tuesday to say that simply being gay, or a woman should not by itself be enough to gain protection under international refugee laws. LGBT+ and human rights campaigners dubbed Ms Braverman a dangerous fool, while Conservative moderates and opposition parties accused her of pushing dog whistle politics to boost her leadership credentials with the Tory right. Ms Braverman called on world leaders to make major changes to the UN Refugee Convention, arguing it had become far too generous to migrants, during her address to a right-wing think tank in Washington DC. Azerbaijani martyred military serviceman Vusal Orujov has been laid to rest in Gusar's Suvacal village. The funeral ceremony of the martyr was attended by officials of the Ministry of Defense, the State Service for Mobilization and Conscription, the Gusar District Executive Authority, representatives of the district community and residents of the village, Azernews reports. Currently, a farewell ceremony is being held for our martyred military serviceman. A tricolor flag of Azerbaijan painted on the coffin of the martyr was presented to the family. Born in 2005, Vusal Orujovwas sent for military service on April 11, 2023. He comes from a family with 3 sisters and 3 brothers. On September 30, Armenian armed forces opened sniper fire from their position in the Zarkand residential area of the Basarkechar district towards the position of the Azerbaijani Army located in the Asagi Ayrim residential area of the Kalbajar district. As a result, our military serviceman Vusal Orujov Khaybali was martyred. In the latest of case of Tunisia's attack on the media, popular Tunisian cartoonist Taoufik Omrane was arrested and interrogated because he had published satirical cartoons about the country's prime minister. Link to the opinion piece in the Middle East Monitor here. Speaking of the cartoonist, Taoufik Omrane, who was not spared despite his blog posts that did not oppose the coup by Kais Saied posted two years ago, the man said he was subjected to questions during his interrogation that we may have thought had disappeared; questions such as: Do you pray? Do you drink alcohol? Does your wife wear the hijab or niqab? This is a gross violation of the most basic rules of respect for personal freedom and the essence of the case raised against him in the first place. Omrane then appeared in court on Monday, and his lawyer, Anas Kadoussi, told Reuters that the cartoonist could face one year in prison if convicted. Kadsoussi said, "The police interrogated him (Omrane) for hours without the presence of lawyers on suspicion of insulting through social networks over cartoons mocking the prime minister." PEN America condemned the arrest, and gave some explanation about the offending cartoons. Two controversial cartoons surfaced on social media platforms on August 4th and 7th, just days following Ahmed Hachani's appointment as the head of government. Omrane's cartoons highlighted the new occupant of the Kasbah's Hacahni's perceived lack of experience and his constrained authority in comparison to Tunisian President Kais Saied. Here are the cartoons that got Kadoussi arrested and charged: For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} More than 50 overlooked UK towns will each be given 20 million over a 10-year period to help regenerate high streets and tackle anti-social behaviour. The Prime Minister said the new long-term vision for towns, backed by 1 billion of investment, was about putting funding in the hands of local people to improve their communities. The announcement made on Saturday will see 55 towns, including seven in Scotland and four in Wales, given a 20 million endowment-style fund each to be spent over the course of a decade. It is set to be used on local priorities such as reviving high streets, tackling anti-social behaviour, improving transport, boosting visitor numbers and growing the local economy. Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work, but politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities Prime Minister Rishi Sunak The investment in towns such as Grimsby in Lincolnshire, Wrexham in Wales and Dumfries in Scotland comes on the eve of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Prime Minister and Tory leader Rishi Sunak said: Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities. The result is the half-empty high streets, rundown shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns prosperity and hold back peoples opportunity and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse. That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up. As part of the investment, the towns will set up a town board, bringing together community leaders, employers, local authorities and the local MP, to help deliver a plan for consultation. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said the town boards would be able to use a suite of regeneration powers while deploying the new funding. Officials suggested more private sector investment could be unlocked by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in urban centres. They said research showed communities want to see more green spaces created and market days established to enhance town centres, with policing hotspots implemented to make public spaces safer. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued. We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over 1 billion of levelling up funding. This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them. Ministers have promised central government support for the town boards as they formulate their vision. A Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Mr Gove, will help them develop their plans and advise on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities. DLUHC said towns had been allocated funding according to the Levelling Up Needs Index, taking into account metrics covering skills, pay, productivity and health, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation, to ensure funding goes directly to the towns which will benefit most. Mr Goves department said the Government would work with local councils and the devolved administrations to determine how towns in Scotland and Wales will benefit from funding and powers under the proposals. Officials said they look forward to working with a restored executive, with powersharing currently collapsed in Stormont, to determine the approach for providing support to Northern Irelands towns. Angela Rayner, Labours shadow levelling up secretary, said: It takes a special kind of arrogance for a Prime Minister caught on tape boasting that he had swiped money from deprived urban areas to now expect local people to be grateful for a promise to hand a tiny fraction of it back. Levelling up announcements from this Government amount to barely more than shiny headlines, chaos and delays. While the Tories force communities to go cap in hand to Whitehall begging for their own money back, the next Labour government will spread power, wealth and opportunity to all parts of our country. We will grow our economy by harnessing the talents, ambition and skills of all British people and, in turn, provide sustainable, long-term funding for councils, and certainty for business to invest. Labour will give these towns their future back. The full list of 55 towns benefiting from 20 million of funding: Mansfield Boston Worksop Skegness Newark-on-Trent Chesterfield Clifton (Nottingham) Spalding Kirkby-in-Ashfield Clacton-on-Sea Great Yarmouth Eston Jarrow Washington Blyth (Northumberland) Hartlepool Spennymoor Darwen Chadderton Heywood Ashton-under-Lyne Accrington Leigh (Wigan) Farnworth Nelson (Pendle) Kirkby Burnley Hastings Bexhill-on-Sea Ryde Torquay Smethwick Darlaston Bilston (Wolverhampton) Dudley Grimsby Castleford Doncaster Rotherham Barnsley Scunthorpe Keighley Dewsbury Scarborough Merthyr Tydfil Cwmbran Wrexham Barry (Vale of Glamorgan) Greenock Irvine Kilmarnock Coatbridge Clydebank Dumfries Elgin For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Kemi Badenoch have backed keeping open the option of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights as they struggle to curb unauthorised Channel crossings. But there were signs of a Cabinet split as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said exiting the ECHR is not necessary to protect our borders and security minister Tom Tugendhat questioned that such a move could create problems for the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). Mr Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, also called for pre-election tax cuts amid speculation that leading figures were jostling for the support of the Tory right in case of a future leadership contest. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made threats about the ECHR as her Rwanda asylum policy remains stalled in the courts following legal challenges. Ms Badenoch, the Business Secretary, told the Sunday Times that leaving the ECHR is definitely something that needs to be on the table. Mr Gove, who supported Ms Badenoch in the Tory leadership contest to replace Boris Johnson, said they should keep every option open when asked at the Conservative conference in Manchester. He declined to go further and say whether he actually supported leaving the convention when pressed at the event for the Onward think tank. On the same panel, Mr Tugendhat said he is always happy to listen to ideas but added I like to have the solutions that go along with them particularly raising concerns about the Northern Ireland peace treaty, which incorporates the ECHR. What is the alternative for the GFA, for the devolved assemblies and administrations, what does it mean for the various different agreements weve struck already that are underpinned by it? the security minister asked. Mr Cleverly was pressed, during a later Onward event, on his position on UK membership of the convention. I dont feel in order to achieve what we need to achieve to protect our borders, we are necessitated to leave the ECHR, he said. The decisions we have made are completely within the boundaries of international law. He joked that in the same way both the UK and France now make excellent wine, a lot of things that are wonderful overseas, we are able to produce here in the UK. And left-wing activist judges, weve got quite a few of those in the UK. He added: As a government you have to deal with the judicial system and, were it not the ECHR, Im sure we would have domestic judges that were trying to prevent us discharging our duty to British people. Dame Priti Patel, the former home secretary, was taking aim at her successor Ms Braverman, saying her high-profile and hardline speech on immigration while in the US last week was designed to get attention. But she said that pledges, statements and promises are no substitute for action as she said voters were sick of a failure to deliver. Ms Braverman has in the past claimed the ECHR has restricted the Governments efforts to implement policies such as the Rwanda scheme. In her Washington speech, Ms Braverman said that attempting reform of the ECHR will see you smeared as anti-refugee. I reject that notion that a country cannot be expected to respect human rights if it is not signed up to an international human rights organisation, she said. (It is) as if the UK doesnt have a proud history of human rights dating back to Magna Carta, and the ECHR is all that is holding us back from becoming Russia. America, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan seem to manage just fine. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The last time Erna heard from her brother was a week ago, in the frantic rush to escape Nagorno-Karabakh as it dissolved around them. In just a few days more than 100,000 people nearly the entire local ethnic Armenian population fled the separatist enclave, fearing persecution as Azerbaijani forces closed in. Mobile phone networks were down, the only road out was at a standstill and people found themselves separated by the shelling. And so in that chaos, people went missing and families lost each other. The United Nations said children were arriving in neighbouring Armenia unaccompanied. There were reports of people being detained by the Azerbaijani authorities, and the Armenian health ministry said some people, particularly the elderly, died while on the 40-hour journey due to malnutrition and a lack of medicine. We still dont know if my brother made it to Armenia, if he is alive, the school administrator, Erna, tells The Independent in tears from Goris, a border town that has quickly morphed into a massive refugee camp. Armenians describe escape after fall of Nagorno-Karabakh Behind her is a flurry of activity: shellshocked families pick through piles of donated clothes, food and supplies as they try to work out how to piece together their lives. We last heard from him as he was going to get fuel, Ernas son, David, 18, continues as his mother appears too overwhelmed to continue the story. The family fear he may be among the 170 killed in a massive explosion last week at one of the few petrol stations still operating in the enclave. On Monday desperate refugees had flocked there to secure fuel to get out when the blast occurred. No one knows exactly what happened but it added another layer to the tragedy. They are not alone, says Lusine Barkhudaryan 30, who until last week was deputy minister of infrastructure for Nagorno-Karabakhs self-declared government. Now the former lawyer is camping at a hotel in Goris, having, like tens of thousands of others, left everything behind. One of my colleagues husband is missing and two neighbours are also unaccounted for, they were separated during the rush to get out, she tells The Independent, dissolving into tears. Lusine Barkhudaryan, a former Karabakh official, breaks down as she speaking about fleeing her home (Bel Trew) I know of another woman who is looking for her husband, brother and father. They may have died in the petrol station but they dont know. They are still trying to find them. With so many unaccounted for in the confusion, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) together with the Armenian Red Cross have just set up a hotline, which people can call to register their missing. So far we are getting 100 calls a day, Zara Amatuni, an ICRC spokesperson, tells The Independent. It is difficult to provide credible information for the time being because the situation is evolving so rapidly. Finding the missing is just one of the nightmares facing Karabakh Armenian families and Armenia itself, as it reels from the biggest movement of people in the South Caucasus since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Tens of thousands of now-homeless people are on the move camping in hotels, schools, private homes, in their cars and even the streets, after they left their homes and homeland that no longer exists. The Armenian government said they have so far managed to temporarily house some 32,000 in state facilities but the question of what to do in the long term remains unanswered. An ethnic Armenian woman from Nagorno-Karabakh sits inside an old Soviet-style car as she arrives in Goris, in Syunik region, Armenia (AP) No one was prepared because the situation unfurled with such alarming speed after Azerbaijan launched a lightning military campaign against the breakaway forces last week. Baku wanted to take back the majority ethnic Armenian enclave that is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijani but has enjoyed de facto statehood for three decades. In the 10 months leading up to the 24-hour blitz, the Azerbaijanis had imposed a blockade strangling food, fuel, gas and water supplies to the area. Weakened by the siege, outnumbered and outgunned by a military bolstered by Turkey, the Armenian separatist forces capitulated almost immediately. Their political leaders said they would dissolve their government by the end of the year, triggering the exodus. Reports of the arrest of senior Karabakh officials, including former ministers and security officials, added to the panic. On Sunday Azerbaijan said it issued an arrest warrant for the head of the enclave Arayik Harutyunyan. Now 80 per cent of the 120,000 residents have packed up their lives in a few minutes and crossed into Armenia. There, Armenian officials told The Independent they were struggling to accommodate them. Yerevan has accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing. Baku has vehemently denied the accusations, saying the families chose to leave of their own accord. Armenian elderly and injured are camping in schools, hotels and NGO facilities after fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh (Bel Trew) In the 2020 conflict, we had a similar issue but people knew they would return after a ceasefire. That is not the case now, Gnel Sanosyan, Armenias minister of infrastructure, says with exhaustion. He is standing by a packed registration centre in Goris, where hundreds of people are being registered by Armenian officials manning dozens of computers. We are trying to pool all the state institutions together to handle the situation. The Armenian government is trying its best but the international community needs to step up and help. Pressure is mounting on Armenia. Its citizens have taken to the streets demanding prime minister Nikol Pashinyan resign because they blame him for failing to defend Nagorno-Karabakh. The government was already struggling financially and now needs to provide housing, medical care and jobs for tens of thousands of new people who are increasingly scattered across the country. In Vayk, a tiny mountain town dealing with the overflow from Goris, local administrative leader Hayk Avagyan says they have quickly passed the capacity of the local hotels and public shelters. We started sending them to private houses, he says with desperation. There are many things to think about in the future like jobs and education. In Goris, families are struggling to work out their future. Lusine Barkhudaryan, the former Karabakh official, says that legally Karabakh Armenians do not have the right to social benefits or welfare that Armenians do despite being Armenian passport holders. Finding work will be tricky, she adds. And I didnt bring anything with me, not even a glass from my kitchen to drink water with, she says. Ernas family, meanwhile, are still trying to locate family members before they can even make solid plans for the future. We are going to the capital Yerevan to hopefully rent a flat, says Erna. What can we do? What should the world do? Its too late. Close Aftermath of Russian missile strike on Ukraine mail depot that killed six For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Vladimir Putins warplanes have dropped explosive objects into the paths of civilian shipping lanes in the Black Sea, the regions military command said. The occupiers are continuing to terrorise the paths of civilian shipping in the Black Sea with tactical aviation, dropping explosive objects into the likely paths of civilian vessel traffic, it said. There were three such drops registered in the last 24 hours. However, the navigation corridor continues to function under the watch of the defence forces. Ukraine is trying to build up a new shipping lane without Russian approval to revive its vital seaborne exports. But Russia said it would consider any vessel a potential military target after it quit UN-brokered deal allowing Ukrainian goods to pass through. It comes as Ukrainian troops have made confirmed advances against Russia on two fronts, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Geolocated footage posted on 30 October shows that Ukrainian forces have advanced northeast of Kurdyumivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut), it said. Ukrainian forces have also marginally advanced west of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia, according to geolocated footage seen by the think tank. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Ukrainian soldiers for their efforts in the war against Russia and said ahead is our victory in an event celebrating the countrys military. The Ukrainian president made the comments on Sunday while marking the Day of the Defenders, a national event honouring the countrys veterans and those killed in battle. In an address published by the Kyiv Post, he said: Today we thank everyone who stood, stands and will stand strong. All those who were the first to take on a difficult battle. Our border guards, our infantry, tank crewmen, pilots, sailors, artillerymen, anti-aircraft gunners, our paratroopers, special forces, intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Guard, police, territorial defence. All those who defend the Ukrainian land, sea and sky. Whose protection we feel and whose courage we see every day. He added: Behind us is our history. Ahead is our victory. And a free country. Which we defended, defend and will defend. It comes after prime minister Rishi Sunak rowed back on claims made by defence secretary Grant Shapps on Saturday that UK troops could carry out training in the country. Mr Shapps said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph newspaper that he wanted to deploy military instructors to Ukraine, in addition to training Ukrainian armed forces in Britain or other Western countries. Cadets light candles as they pay tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the Lychakiv Cemetery to mark Defenders Day of Ukraine in Lviv (AFP/Getty) Hours after that interview was published, Mr Sunak said there were no immediate plans to send British troops to Ukraine. What the defence secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine, Sunak told reporters at the start of the governing Conservative Partys annual conference in Manchester. But thats something for the long term, not the here and now. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday said any British soldiers training Ukrainian troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces. In other developments, the European Unions foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has called on US lawmakers to reconsider their decision to omit financial support for Ukraine from a stop-gap budget bill Congress passed to halt a federal government shutdown. The legislation approved on Saturday to keep the federal government running until 17 November dropped provisions on providing additional aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republicans. Zelensky speaks with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell (Reuters) Speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Mr Zelensky, the EUs top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said European officials were surprised by the last-minute agreement in Washington and pledged the 27-nation bloc would carry on helping the invaded country defeat Russia. I have hope that this will not be a definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US, Mr Borrell said. We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker, the Spanish diplomat added. Ukrainian officials stressed that US backing for Ukraine would continue despite the stop-gap legislation. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraines presidential office, said Americas relationship with Ukraine had not changed and that Ukrainian officials met regularly with representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties. All of Ukraines key partners are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, he wrote on Telegram. But the omission of additional Ukrainian aid from the package has raised concerns in Kyiv, which relies heavily on western financial aid and military equipment in its fight against Russias ongoing invasion. A little more than a week ago, lawmakers met in the Capitol with Mr Zelensky, who sought to assure them his military was winning the war but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. Yet recent voting in the House has pointed to increased US isolationism and a growing resistance to providing further aid as the war, now in its 20th month, grinds on. Additional reporting by agencies This is the moment Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murphy are grilled by journalists over HS2 plans as pressure mounts amid the ongoing rail row. Arriving at the Conservative Party conference, a journalist shouts to Mr Sunak: Will HS2 ever reach Manchester, Prime Minister? People can also be heard shouting at the Prime Minister as he makes his way inside. Mr Sunak has again refused to say whether HS2 will ever reach Manchester. During a visit to the Burnley Boys and Girls Club, the Prime Minister told broadcasters: Weve got spades in the ground on HS2 and were cracking on with delivering it. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A suicide bomber let off an explosive device outside the Turkish parliament just hours before it was set to reopen after summer recess, officials said. A second man was killed after a shootout with police started when both suspects arrived in a vehicle near the entrance to Turkeys interior affairs ministry in Ankara. Turkeys interior minister also tweeted that two police officers were injured during the attack. It happened just before president Recep Tayyip Erdogan was set to deliver an address to parliament. Television footage showed bomb squads working near a parked vehicle in the area which is located near Turkeys National Assembly. There was no immediate information on the attackers. However, Kurdish and far-left militant groups as well as the Islamic State group have carried out deadly attacks in the past. Last year, six people were killed and 81 were wounded in an explosion in Istanbul. Turkey blamed Kurdish militants for the attack. In 2015 and 2016, Kurdish militants, Islamic State and other groups either claimed or were blamed for several attacks in major Turkish cities. Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation had now been launched into the terror attack. These attacks will in no way hinder Turkeys fight against terrorism. Our fight against terrorism will continue with more determination, he said. Police cordoned off access to the city center and increased security measures (EPA) Police cordoned off access to the city centre and increased security measures, warning citizens that they would be conducting controlled explosions of suspicious packages. At 7.30pm, President Tayyip Erdogan was set to attend the opening of parliament, which in the coming weeks is expected to consider ratifying Swedens bid to join Nato after Turkey had raised initial objections. Turkish media reported that authorities were carrying out checks of the parliament after the blast at the ministry. A source told Reuters that the entrance was open but no cars were allowed through as part of the precautions. Environment The Government's absolute reliance on its policy of moving Irish households towards electric vehicle (EV) ownership has not been a success. Photo: Getty HVO and other advanced, synthetic and biofuels can reduce carbon emissions by almost 90pc compared to traditional fossil diesel. Photo: Getty 'We cannot expect to hit our climate targets by using same policies which have brought us to where we are,' says Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland When it comes to energy, last year was the most unusual in the living memory of many of us. The idea that there could be an acute energy crisis was something inconceivable in 2019, yet by 2022, it was a very real risk. At this point, it is important that we remain vigilant and take a moment to reflect not only on the challenges we have faced, but also on the measures we must now put in place to safeguard our energy future. The latest projections from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) make for stark reading. The body found that Ireland is on track to miss its 2030 climate targets. HVO and other advanced, synthetic and biofuels can reduce carbon emissions by almost 90pc compared to traditional fossil diesel. Photo: Getty Unfortunately, when it comes to the current Governments approach to transitioning Ireland away from fossil fuels, Im reminded of the quote, often attributed to Albert Einstein, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We cannot and should not expect to hit our 2030 and 2050 climate targets by pursuing the same policies which have brought us to where we are, i.e firmly off track. In the area of transport, the Governments absolute reliance on its policy of moving Irish households towards electric vehicle (EV) ownership has not been a success. The June 2023 figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry showed there is little hope of the Governments ambition of 940,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030 being achieved. This is an indication of what weve long known not every household can afford to make the switch and purchase an EV and, for many of those who can, particularly in rural Ireland, sufficient EV charging infrastructure does not exist anyway. The current situation of consumers having to pay more for HVO than diesel cannot continue But examples of practical changes having real impacts when government and industry collaborate do exist. Fuels for Irelands members this year quietly facilitated a switch to E10 petrol with government coordination that helped Ireland achieve more carbon emissions savings than all EVs on Irish roads. This isnt an isolated example. Fuelling your vehicle with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), for example, and other advanced, synthetic and biofuels can reduce carbon emissions by almost 90pc compared to traditional fossil diesel. The Government's absolute reliance on its policy of moving Irish households towards electric vehicle (EV) ownership has not been a success. Photo: Getty HVO, which has now been made available at a number of forecourts around the country, is also already compatible with all existing diesel vehicles. What we need now is for the Government to take actions to make advanced, synthetic, biofuels and other environmentally friendlier options, including HVO financially viable for consumers. The current situation of consumers having to pay more for HVO than diesel at the pumps cannot be allowed to continue. When it comes to home heating, there is a clear parallel to be drawn. Michael McGrath must introduce an expert group to review fiscal policy on energy for transport and heating Until now, the Government has focused virtually all of its efforts to decarbonise heating in Ireland around the target of carrying out 500,000 deep retrofits in this decade. Once again, the Government makes no effort to incentivise the 700,000 households that rely on liquid fuels to switch to advanced, synthetic and biofuels that produce almost 90pc fewer emissions than oil, instead allowing them continue to be more expensive than kerosene. Not all fuels are the same or produce the same carbon emissions. They also say they use excise duties on fossil fuels as a means of discouraging consumption application of excise duty on fuels provides revenue of approximately 2.5bn annually but not all fuels are the same or produce the same carbon emissions. Biofuels, as such, should not be subject to the same taxes and levies as fossil fuels. On a more positive note, the Government has already pledged to introduce a Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) by 2024 and is currently conducting a consultation around the design of this RHO. This all presents further opportunities through the introduction of biofuel certificates and more to put HVO and other, similar renewable fuel sources firmly on the map. A real opportunity exists for Ireland to have a frank conversation about the need to reevaluate the range of tools we plan on using to achieve the decarbonisation of our society. This is why we want to see Finance Minister Michael McGrath introduce an expert group to comprehensively review fiscal policy relating to energy for transport and heating. Finance Minister Michael McGrath The taxation system should be used more innovatively to enable Irish consumers to transition towards low-carbon liquid fuels to power their vehicles and their homes fuels that are better for the environment, but not currently better for their pockets. Ireland may have triumphed over the recent energy challenges we encountered, but the obstacles we face do not stop there. We can reduce emissions tomorrow. Lets do it. Kevin McPartlan is CEO of Fuels for Ireland, the representative body for the fuel industry Businessmans son Michael Smurfit Jr is also listed as an investor in the latest tranche of funding A handful of investors including Smurfit (above) contributed to the 300,000 haul. Photo: Steve Humphreys Michael Smurfit pictured at his house on the K Club. Photo: Mark Condren Tixserve, the digital event ticketing startup, has received a fresh injection of capital from Michael Smurfit. Documents filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) show the Kildare company recently received 300,000 in new funding from a handful of investors. Among the backers is Bacchantes Limited, the Isle of Man-based investment vehicle of Michael Smurfit, the former chairman of Irish packaging firm Smurfit Kappa. Michael Smurfit Jr is also listed as an investor in the latest tranche of funding. A handful of investors including Smurfit (above) contributed to the 300,000 haul. Photo: Steve Humphreys Smurfit Sr had previously backed Tixserve, which has raised around 3m to date. The startup has also raised funding from Enterprise Ireland. Tixserve did not respond to a request for comment on the funding. The company is led by Patrick Kirby, a former managing director of Payzone, and develops a software platform for event organisers and promoters to issue and manage tickets for their events through a smartphone app. Kirby said late last year that Tixserve was planning to raise a new round of funding for the company of up to 2.5m. Tixserve founder Patrick J Kirby The startup has scored a number of major sport events since it was founded in 2015, with its software managing tickets for major international rugby matches. Most recently it signed a deal with the Hong Kong Rugby Union. Latest accounts filed with the CRO state it does business in Ireland and the UK and most recently Asia. Kirby is joined at the company by Tim Chambers, a former executive at Ticketmaster and Live Nation, who is a director at the Irish company. Smurfit has also backed tech ventures by his family members such as GAN, a gaming tech and software provider, that up until this week, was led by his nephew Dermot Smurfit Jr. Way back in May, at the start of the writers strike, comedian and host Drew Carey offered free meals at the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, California, or Swingers Diner in Hollywood, for the duration of the strike. Now that the strike is over, Carey concluded his meal giveaway in a typically classy way: Accepting thanks, but also thanking the writers who helped him get wealthy enough to make that offer. Link to the article in Deadline.com here. "I deeply appreciate all the love and thanks. It (was worth) every dime. But if you really want to thank someone for those meals, thank Bruce Helford and all the Drew Carey Show writers. They helped make me rich enough to afford it. No writers, no $. Simple as that." @WGAWest I deeply appreciate all the love and thanks. It as with every dime. But if you really want to thank someone for those meals, thank Bruce Helford and all the Drew Carey Show writers. They helped make me rich enough to afford it, No writers, no $. Simple as that (@DrewFromTV) September 30, 2023 Bruce Helford was the co-creator of Carey's 1995-2004 sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. Of course, Carey has made even more riches hosting The Price Is Right for the past sixteen years. Deadline.com: The emcee of The Price Is Right didn't previously comment in the media about his decision to cover the tabs at the two restaurants since the May strike began. Thus, no one knows the cost, but estimates of $10,000 per week have been bandied in the media. With the strike lasting almost 21 weeks, that would come to about $210,000 that Carey donated to the writers' cause and appetites. Ruairi Dooley of BiaSol will be one of the panelists in Sligo in October. Photo: Kirsty Lyons With an enterprise ecosystem which has a strong focus on fostering collaboration and innovation, Ireland has a reputation for being a strong and welcoming location for aspiring entrepreneurs. Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting Irish companies on their journey to become global leaders and supporting businesses and growth across all regions is a key priority. In fact, 68pc of the 218,718 jobs at Enterprise Ireland-supported firms at the end of last year were outside Dublin, and this includes 7,258 in the North-West. There is strong and vibrant start-up community in the North-West. We would invite founders, entrepreneurs and startup managers across the region who are interested in learning more about the supports available to attend the inaugural Enterprising23 event in Sligo next week. This day-long forum, which is being hosted by Enterprise Ireland and the West Business Innovation Centre, will focus on navigating the startup ecosystem, including the supports and resources available for companies in the West, North-West and the Midlands. This forum, which is being hosted in the Sligo Park Hotel on October 4, is being supported by junior minister Dara Calleary TD. A key focus will be learning opportunities, as attendees will hear those who have been on a similar journey. The first session will focus on navigating entrepreneurial supports for early-stage and seed companies, during which Enterprise Irelands Anna-Marie Turley will discuss with founders from the West, Border and Midlands regions on how they utilised supports. Panellists will include Margaret Rae (Managing Director and co-founder of Konree Innovation), Fergal OConnor (CEO of BuyMedia), David McIntyre (founder & CEO of Cubbie) and Ruairi Dooley (co-founder & CEO of BiaSol). Communications and strategic networking is next on the agenda, with expert advice from PR agency owner Lisa Regan, followed by a group networking session. Lisa will also host the next session, a startup founder session during which the following entrepreneurs will answer quick-fire questions, Catherine Cook (founder of Pumpskynz), Kieran Supple (co-founder of Reap Interactive), Aveline OSullivan (founder of Bloom in a Box) and Kasia Gaborec-McEvoy (co-founder of My Name is Ted). Declan Quinn of life science investment specialists Ascentifi will host the final two sessions, and these will focus on preparing investment and attracting investment, respectively. In the final panel discussion, Declan will chat with founders from four companies that have successfully attracted and received investment at seed stage and to scale their start-up post scaling funding, including Ronspot, Education DESTY, Peroptyx and Sliabh Liag Distillers. Startup firms are economic cornerstones in communities and Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting these companies who have an important impact in Irish cities, towns, and villages. If you have an idea or are in the early-stage of starting your business, it is never too early to start planning, and for those in the Northwest, Enterprising23 is an excellent place to discover more. Register at eventbrite.ie/e/enterprising23-tickets-696524382177 Meabh Conaghan is Regional Director for West and North-West, Enterprise Ireland I know I promised you that September was going to be dedicated to applying the wisdom of ancient philosophers to help us progress in our career paths today. Then I travelled to the Philippines and now I have bonus treat in store for you today. You see, I just returned home this past week after having the privilege of leading effective communications workshops for two teams of bright leaders at KPMG in Manila. As always, I dont merely teach. I listen. And I always learn something from the participants. Specifically, I want to share with you the inspiration I gleaned from a conversation I had with technology consulting director Ardee Jireh Adrales. In addition to her encouraging me to not wear my high-heeled shoes on my second full-day of training (Amen. And thank you), she also shared about her recent trip to Japan where she discovered the philosophies of ikigai and wabi sabi. Although they are both ancient in origin, they are both very actively practiced today. And although I had heard of each of them (and if any of you are watching the Netflix series, Live to 100: Secrets of The Blue Zone, you have also already heard of at least ikigai) I decided to delve deeper and explore some practical and powerful takeaways that we can apply to transform our business careers and, more importantly, our lives. 1 Ikigai: Find your true purpose and assion Imagine waking up every morning, filled with boundless enthusiasm and purpose, eager to seize the day. Thats the magic of Ikigai! This Japanese philosophy encourages us to remind ourselves to recommit every day to the sweet spot where our passions, talents, values, and the worlds needs intersect. Not simply your purpose, ikigai combines the intersection of what you love, what youre good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. In our business careers, ikigai becomes our guiding star. It prompts us to ask ourselves, What truly ignites my soul? When were aligned with our ikigai, work no longer feels like a chore. We become unstoppable forces of nature, driven by an unwavering sense of purpose. 2 Wabi sabi: Embrace imperfection and transience Life is imperfect, and thats where wabi sabi comes into play. This Japanese philosophy teaches us to embrace the beauty of impermanence, transience, and the imperfect nature of existence. It encourages us to find joy in the flaws, difficulties, the weathered, and the aged. In the business world, were often pressured to chase perfection, but Wabi Sabi reminds us that imperfection can be a source of strength. 3 Ikigai: Achieve balance and fulfilment Life is a delicate dance, and finding balance is the key to long-lasting success and happiness. Ikigai nudges us to maintain equilibrium between what we love, what were good at, what we can be paid for, and what the world needs. Its a philosophy that encourages us to avoid extremes and find harmony in our pursuits. In our careers, striking this balance is crucial. Burnout is a real concern in the modern workplace, and ikigai reminds us to nurture our well-being while pursuing our passions. When were centred in our ikigai, were more resilient in the face of challenges. We know when to say yes and when to say no, ensuring that our careers are fulfilling without consuming us entirely. 4 Wabi Sabi: Appreciate the Journey, Not Just the Destination In our fast-paced world, were often fixated on the end goal, the destination. We rush through life, missing out on the beauty of the journey itself. wabi sabi encourages us to slow down, savour the moments, and appreciate the imperfections along the way. This philosophy is a game-changer in business. Rather than obsessing over the final outcome, wabi sabi prompts us to take pleasure in each step, to learn from our mistakes, and to find beauty in the unexpected detours. Amazon, the e-commerce giant, is a prime example. It started as an online bookstore, but its founder, Jeff Bezos, embraced the wabi sabi approach. Love him or hate him, he appreciated the journey, diversified into various industries, and created one of the most influential companies in the world. 5 Ikigai: Foster collaborative and meaningful relationships Whether colleagues, friends or family, our connections with others are a fundamental part of our lives. ikigai encourages us to build meaningful relationships that align with our values and purpose. When we collaborate with others who share our ikigai, meaningful things happen. In our careers, this is especially potent. Surrounding ourselves with individuals who resonate with our purpose and values can lead to groundbreaking innovations and business success. Take Pixar, for example. The creators at Pixar found their ikigai in telling heartfelt stories through animation. Their collaborations have given birth to timeless classics like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Japanese philosophies like Ikigai and Wabi Sabi offer us invaluable wisdom for both our business careers and our lives. As we integrate these profound teachings into our daily existence, we unlock the potential to lead more fulfilling, purpose-driven lives. Write to Gina in care of SundayBusiness@independent.ie With corporate clients in five continents, Gina London is a premier communications strategy, structure and delivery expert. She is also a media analyst, author, speaker and former CNN anchor. @TheGinaLondon Broadcaster Zara King: Its interesting that the first time Ive fallen in love, its the one The Virgin Media presenter talks about her whirlwind romance and getting engaged, being an only child, her documentary on cosmetic surgery in Turkey, and her passion for journalism Broadcaster Zara King. Photo by Steve Humphreys Liadan Hynes Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 03:30 Just before her 2021 interview for Doireann Garrihys podcast The Laughs of Your Life, Zara King spoke to her cousin the closest thing I have to a sister and an old friend, to get their thoughts on what might come up. Doireann would probably ask her what she was like in school, she suggested to the two women. Stars were out for 2bn opening night but the Irish media werent on the list Bono once said that Achtung Baby was the sound of U2 chopping down the Joshua Tree. Last night they were back in the desert, this time amid the neon lights of Las Vegas to launch their U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere residency. After five years of construction at a cost of $2bn, the Sphere a 112m-tall orb has a near-blinding one million LED lights. It can be seen from space. Paul McCartney, Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Katy Perry, Matt Damon, Sheryl Sandberg, Jeff Bezos, Chelsea Clinton, Jimmy Kimmel, Orlando Bloom, Luke Wilson and Oprah pitched up to watch the opening show. The TV news reported Van Morrison was present too. The mayor of Las Vegas definitely did turn up to say it was a win-win for the city. But will it be a win-win for U2? Will playing a residency in Vegas damage their legacy, or will it be their greatest reinvention yet? The fans who paid big money for their tickets saw no potential reputational damage done to their heroes. Adam Towers, a lawyer who flew in from Florida with a ticket costing $500, said: It was amazing. It takes technology to the next level. Towers, who lived in Dublin from 1991-93 and whose mother has roots in Cork and Donegal, is coming back to see a second show in December with his wife, son and father. I didnt see the show on Friday night. Last nights show, which I did see, was too late for the Sunday Independent print deadline, so youll find my review online. Outside the Sphere as U2 kick off their Las Vegas residency. Photo: Getty U2 flew in 11 journalists from Ireland, who only had tickets for Saturday. What caused a bit of mild bemusement among us that the British media did get in while we stood around like jet-lagged eejits, gazing at our betters as they went to see the greatest Irish rock band ever. The Telegraphs Neil McCormick, who is a lovely bloke and went to Mount Temple Comprehensive School with U2, told me: It was amazing. Ive never seen them so vulnerable, though. There was a lot of first-night nerves. So well see how that develops. Second nights are often the better. This is not a place that U2 fans like. They dont like the idea of U2 being here. There was a time when U2 would not have brought their fans into this Babylonian gambling mecca but, you know, they have launched the new venue in spectacular style and I think U2 have once again broken the limits of live tech. "This is a new kind of show. Its very intimate and very spectacular and thats what theyve been trying to achieve live. Bono, he said, arrives on stage wearing his trademark The Fly shades. He looks fantastic. Even in high-definition on the huge, huge screens, U2 are looking really good. But they are really present and there. Your attention is focused on them. Bono also does a little bit of Elvis. And he also does a little bit of Sid Vicious. McCormick reckoned the visuals were overly intense, sometimes to the point of being nauseating. Zoo TV in the early 1990s had lots of political images and videos on screen George Bush and Saddam Hussein and the bombing of Baghdad at the start of the Gulf War. Are there any visuals of Vladimir Putin or the war in Ukraine? No, no, McCormick said, its kind of environmental. But if you have an insect phobia, you could have real issues. What U2 also achieved was to inject a bit of Irish colour into the glitter capital of the world there were people in shorts, with decidedly white legs and time-worn U2 T-shirts walking through the casino at the Venetian, the odd person with a Bono mullet and an Achtung Baby T-shirt playing the slots with a smile. The American fans were happy that U2 minus Larry Mullen had come to town. Lest we forget, U2 filmed the famous video for I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For on Fremont Street in Las Vegas in 1987. If you give a pop star a shitpile of dough and he refuses to self-destruct, I think its a bit wet, Bono once said. I think its part of the deal. If they dont die on a cross by 33, Id ask for your money back. But I doubt any U2 fans in Vegas will be looking for refunds. Barry Egan: It was weird without Larry Mullen Jnr, the dome was even weirder but it certainly wasnt U2 going to the Las Vegas desert to die It was a Beautiful Day and a beautiful night at the Sphere on Saturday it may even have been one of the bands greatest performances Inside look: U2 launch state-of-the-art Sphere venue in Las Vegas with spectacular concert Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 12:05 There is perhaps a theory that U2 playing a residency Las Vegas that soulless place where rock music goes to die was a terrible move. And that maybe it would be the worst idea since Colonel Tom Parker said to Elvis in the summer of 1969 that he should play a residency in the Hilton Hotel in Vegas. More than 70pc of rental inspections by local authorities this year led to landlords being told to make improvements. Photo: Getty More than 70pc of rental inspections by local authorities this year led to landlords being told to make improvements, raising questions about accommodation standards in the sector. New figures show while the number of inspections in recent years has increased, the proportion of improvement letters sent to landlords has risen dramatically since before the pandemic. Those operating in the sector say the systems to ensure private rented homes meet minimum standards are ineffective. Figures obtained by Labour TD for Cork East Sean Sherlock show local authorities carried out 32,247 inspections of private rental homes in the first half of this year. More than two-thirds of these (22,468 or 69pc) led to landlords being issued with improvement letters to remedy issues and a breach of regulations. Another 994 (3pc) were given improvement notices, which relate to more serious breaches or cases where a previously highlighted issue has not been remedied. In 2019, when just over 40,000 inspections were carried out, 42pc led to inspection letters being issued. This figure stood at 23pc in 2018. Mr Sherlock said the Government should be concerned about standards in the sector. There has not been an adequate number of inspections and where letters are issued seeking improvements there is not sufficient evidence that these improvements are being carried out, he added. In one instance, a family came to tell me about mould and damp on the walls. There are all sorts of public health issues arising from that. Housing charity Threshold has called for an NCT-style certification system for rental homes. Its chief executive John-Mark McCafferty said this would put an onus on landlords to have homes inspected by a building professional every four years to receive a certificate of compliance. Unfortunately, it is unsurprising to learn that almost 70pc of inspections resulted in an improvement letter being issued, Mr McCafferty added. Not only is there a high failure rate each year but a relatively small number are ever brought into compliance following the inspection. This is particularly worrying for Threshold, for our clients and for all renters. It indicates that the system in place to ensure private rented homes meet the minimum standards is ineffective, he said. Irish Property Owners Association chairperson Mary Conway said improvement letters typically refer to minor issues which are promptly rectified by landlords. She said statistics related to improvement letters fail to consider the overall quality of the accommodation and the growth in the numbers renting in Ireland. To accommodate this increase, landlords have housed more people and families in circumstances where public policy has clearly failed them, Ms Conway added. Housing Minister Darragh OBrien said the Government is committed to ensuring high-quality accommodation is available, and 9m is being made available this year for local authorities to meet targets to inspect 25pc of all private tenancies. The Department of Housing denied an increase in the ratio of inspection letters issued is a sign of slipping standards. Where a private rented dwelling is deemed non-compliant with the minimum rental standards by a local authority, the non-compliance issues can often be inexpensive and easy to resolve, a spokeswoman said. Teacher was not told of the risk to partner and their child from post-natal depression, inquest heard A man whose wife and baby died in tragic circumstances hopes important lessons can be learnt about how the treatment of people with mental illness can be improved. Darren Coleman welcomed the verdicts delivered by a jury at Dublin District Coroners Court into how his wife, Nicola Keane, and their seven-month-old son, Henry, died three years ago. Mr Coleman also pleaded with the health authorities to keep family members informed about concerns doctors might have about patients with a mental illness. I had no idea how sick Nicola was or that there was any risk to her life or our sons life, he said. A two-day inquest heard how Ms Keane (34), who was originally from Co Mayo, died in the early hours of October 22, 2020. Her body was found on a public road and her death had been captured on CCTV. Mr Coleman found their son in an unresponsive state in a spare bedroom at their home in Shackleton Way, Lucan, Co Dublin, a short time later when he was woken by gardai who had called to the house to inform him of his wifes death. Although the baby was rushed by emergency services to Childrens Health Ireland (CHI) Crumlin, Mr Coleman told the inquest he already knew his son was dead from the lifeless and floppy feel of his body when he lifted him off the bed. The verdicts last Tuesday came after nearly two-and-a-half hours of deliberation by the jury and more than 13 hours of often harrowing evidence from witnesses, many of whom broke down in tears. The inquest heard detailed testimony from Mr Coleman and medical staff who treated Ms Keane, who was a paediatric nurse at CHI Crumlin, about how she had suffered post-natal depression following Henrys birth and feared she had damaged her son. Coroner Crona Gallagher had indicated that several verdicts in relation to the two deaths were available to the jury, including unlawful killing and suicide as well as open and narrative verdicts. The jury of six women and one man returned a verdict of medical misadventure in the case of Ms Keane by a 6-1 majority, with the cause of death attributed to multiple traumatic injuries. They also returned a unanimous narrative verdict on Henrys death, noting he had died from ingesting drugs he had not been prescribed. A post-mortem examination found a lethal level of an anti-psychotic drug, which had been prescribed for Ms Keane, together with a strong sedative. Welcoming the verdict of medical misadventure, Mr Coleman emphasised how his wife had suffered from severe post-natal depression and post-partum psychosis. Although the inquest heard Henry had suffered from irritability and difficulty sleeping, which resulted in him spending two short stays in CHI Crumlin, doctors had found no medical cause for concern. Ms Keane continued to feel she had botched her son and had what her familys counsel, Sara Antoniotti, described as fixed false delusions about his well-being. Although the nurse had consistently denied any intention of harming herself or her son, she did express fear she might do something. Consultant paediatrician Una Murtagh had first expressed concern about Ms Keane, which led to her referral to mental health services in Ballyfermot. Psychiatrist Elena Perez told the inquest she believed Ms Keane was responding well to treatment, and had assessed her risk of harming herself or others as extremely low, just two weeks before her death. Following the inquest, Mr Coleman said: If I was told how sick she was, I would have ensured she received the care she needed to protect both her and baby Henry. He told the inquest he would have taken leave from his job as a teacher at a primary school if he had known the severity of his wifes illness. No concern had been raised with him after he had alerted staff he was due to return to teaching in August 2020 following a lengthy break due to Covid-19 lockdowns. I can only hope that lessons have been learned following their death, he said. In a statement thanking his legal team for their work and support, Mr Coleman remarked: No words can describe the pain that I am going through since the death of my wife, Nicola, and son, Henry. He was praised by the coroner for the composure and dignity he displayed in giving his evidence. He had described himself as an extremely private person who had endured a wait of almost three years for the inquest. He claimed he was the only member of my family alive to speak, so his opinion would eventually be heard and listened to. Mr Coleman, who is also from Mayo and met his wife when they were in the same secondary school in Ballina, said she and their son would still be alive if medical staff had shared their concerns. The familys lawyer, Rachael Liston, expressed hope that the verdicts would highlight the need to inform women and their partners of specialist perinatal mental health services. These services provide specialist mental health care to pregnant women and for the first year following the birth of their baby, Ms Liston said. The inquest jury recommended that all antenatal classes being attended by expectant parents mothers and fathers should include a programme on post-natal depression. They also called for the provision of dedicated mother and baby inpatient units in hospitals. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, call Samaritans free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie; or call Pieta on Freephone 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444. Mary Robinsons former special adviser Bride Rosney has died at the age of 74. In a wide and varied career, Rosney worked as a science teacher, school principal and, later, as head of the RTE press office. She was an active campaigner on many issues and a leading member of the Teachers Union of Ireland. She also had a high profile as chair of the Dublin Arts Festival Committee and was a valued adviser to the Data Protection Commission. Born in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, on February 12, 1949, she moved to Phibsboro, Dublin at the age of four. Her father was a solicitor and she was educated at the Dominican College in Eccles Street before moving on to study science at University College Dublin and, following graduation, computer science at Trinity College. She worked in the Department of Educations curriculum development unit and as a teacher at Rosmini Community School in Drumcondra where she was appointed principal. When Robinson was elected president for a seven-year term in November 1990, Rosney took up a position as the first special adviser to an Irish head of state. The two women had become friends during the campaign to save Dublins Viking heritage at Wood Quay. Rosney was one of a number of protesters from a group called Friends of Medieval Dublin who began a sit-in protest on June 1, 1979, at the site beside the Liffey which had been allocated for the citys new civic offices. When proceedings were brought against the protesters in the High Court, junior counsel Mary Robinson and her solicitor husband Nick were on the defence team. The High Court found in their favour but was overruled by the Supreme Court. The Robinsons regarded Rosney as highly intelligent with a terrific sense of humour and even invited her to become a godparent to their son Aubrey. She was chosen as Robinsons election agent when the latter was campaigning in the Trinity College Dublin constituency to retain her Seanad Eireann seat in the 1987 general election. Rosneys expertise with election tallies during the election made a strong impression and her qualities made her an indispensable part of the Robinson team for many years. When Robinson was approached in February 1990 by former attorney general John Rogers to become the Labour candidate in that years presidential election, her initial reaction was one of absolute astonishment. One of the first people she consulted was Rosney when her friend collected her at Dublin Airport after a trip abroad. Robinson wrote later in her memoir Everybody Matters: Bride was so surprised she had to pull the car in to the side of the road. Fianna Fail contender Brian Lenihan Snr seemed like a sure winner at the time but the two women agreed that running against him would be a good way of starting a debate on expanding the role of the presidency. There were some in the Labour Party who favoured the radical legend Noel Browne as the candidate, including Michael D Higgins although the latter worked very hard for Robinson after she was chosen to run. Some Labour members involved in the campaign were unhappy at Robinsons description of herself in election publicity as the official Labour candidate but not a member of the Labour Party. She had resigned from Labour in the previous decade, having expressed concern over the lack of unionist participation in concluding the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement. There was a good deal of what might be called creative tension between the Robinson and Labour camps. Although left-of-centre herself, Bride Rosney wasnt the greatest Labour fan. She ensured backing was obtained from the Workers Party and Democratic Left, which did not greatly please Labour. The Robinson campaign was also very happy to draw on the skills and media experience of the television producer and commentator Eoghan Harris. After Robinson won the election, beating Lenihan with the help of transfers from Fine Gaels Austin Currie, Rosney, then 41, was appointed as her special adviser. As Robinson put it later: I needed somebody to guard my back. It was a new position and Charles Haughey, then taoiseach, gave his full consent. She initially took 18 months leave of absence from her job as principal of Rosmini community school and later resigned from the teaching post. Her work involved co-ordinating the presidents official activities, liaising with civil servants, putting forward ideas and interacting with the media. She had a map of Ireland on the wall with a pin stuck in every location the president visited to ensure that each county got its fair share of attention. She was instrumental in securing government consent, as required, for a presidential visit to Somalia in October 1992 where drought and famine were rampant at the time. Rosney was also involved in subsequent presidential trips to genocide-stricken Rwanda in 1994 and 1995. After seven years as head of state, Mary Robinson announced on March 12, 1997, that she would not be running for a second term. Three months later, on June 12, United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan confirmed he had nominated her as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which was ratified shortly afterwards by the General Assembly. She finished up as president on September 12 and flew to Geneva to take up the new job, accompanied by Rosney who had agreed to join her as a special adviser for the first 11 months. Shortly afterwards they travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. Rosney returned to Ireland the following year and worked as RTE director of communications from 2001 to 2009. Robinson wrote in her memoir: I would miss her humour, her direct, straightforward approach and her ability to cut through UN bureaucracy, but I knew she would always be at the other end of a phone if I needed to talk. The former president returned to Ireland in 2010 and went on to set up The Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice with her former special adviser as CEO initially and then secretary of the board of trustees. Rosneys activities also included serving as a board member of EirGrid, the Irish Fiscal Policy Research Centre, Chamber Choir Ireland and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre among other interests. Her brother Michael wrote in an online post on September 22: My beautiful sister Bride died in her sleep during the night. It was completely sudden and unexpected, but it is no doubt the type of death she would have wished for herself if she had any say in the matter. Tributes were paid by President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Robinson who said that, like so many others, she was reeling from the loss. The Teachers Union of Ireland said it was extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Rosney, who was a member of its executive committee and partner of the unions former general secretary, Peter MacMenamin. Rosney is survived by her partner Peter, her sister Mary and brother Michael as well as extended family, friends and colleagues. Gardai say Lorna Woodnutt was well known to boy A teenage boy is the only suspect for the killing of a woman in her 40s in a sustained violent attack that was posted on social media. The woman has been named as Lorna Woodnutt. A video recording of the killing in Tullamore, Co Offaly, was posted on a social media platform by the boy, who was well known to her. Gardai believe Ms Woodnutt, who comes from the Tullamore area, was savagely attacked by the boy. Garda said this evening that a post-mortem examination has begun following the violent death Ms Woodnutt. The post-mortem examination was being carried out by state pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers at Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore while an examination of the scene by the Garda Technical Bureau continued on Saturday A hammer along with other weapons are suspected of being used in the killing, which has shocked investigators due to the violence involved and the fact that the video of the deceased was posted on social media. All the weapons have been recovered by gardai, who say that they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the killing. It is understood gardai became aware of the killing when its aftermath was posted on social media. The juvenile suspect has had previous interactions with gardai but not for crime-related matters. He is described as an extremely vulnerable child who is understood to have been struggling with health difficulties. Sources say the nature of the incident, which happened about 12.30pm yesterday, has caused profound shock to even experienced investigators. Read more Teenage boy in garda custody after allegedly killing woman in attack shared on social media Yesterday, both gardai and local schools appealed for people not to share the graphic video that had been publicly posted. Last night, a Department of Education spokesperson said: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) is currently on the ground providing support to staff and the school community at Killina Presentation Post-Primary School in Rahan, Tullamore, Co Offaly. When a tragic event happens, NEPS is available to advise and support the teachers and other adults who work daily with students and who know them well. NEPS is also available to work with the teachers to identify students who are most in need of support and help develop procedures for reviewing their needs and supporting onward referral, if necessary. Gardai said they were investigating all circumstances around the death. At approximately 1pm, gardai and emergency services responded to reports of a violent incident at a residential property near Tullamore. The body of a woman, aged in her 40s, was discovered in the property, a spokesman said. A male child was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a garda station in the midlands. The boy is known to the woman and investigating gardai are not looking for any other persons in connection with this incident. The scene is currently preserved pending forensic and technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau. A post-mortem by State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers is ongoing at Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore and an examination of the scene by the Garda Technical Bureau remains ongoing. A senior investigating officer (SIO) has been appointed and an incident room has been established at Tullamore garda station. A family liaison officer (FLO) has been appointed in the case. An Garda Siochana is aware that images from this incident are circulating on social media and messaging apps and is appealing to any person who receives these images not to share the content further. Local Independent TD Carol Nolan said the community was in shock at the incident. My heartfelt condolences and sympathy go out to this ladys family. Violence of this nature is always a traumatising and shattering event, and I can only imagine what they are going through, she said. The community will be deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy. I want to fully support the work of the gardai in their efforts to establish the facts. My prayers are with all of those impacted by this terrible and dreadfully distressing event. Professor Luke ONeill: I had about seven death threats I was getting images of the Nuremberg hangings From his mothers death, to Covid death threats, and his battle with depression, the biochemist reflects on the curved path of his life Prof Luke O'Neill at the bust of scientist Rosalind Franklin in Trinity College. Photo: Mark Condren Fran Power Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 03:30 Professor Luke ONeill is in ebullient form. The first copy of his new book arrives at the reception desk of the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute in Dublin at the same time as I do. Recently I saw a person wearing a cool t-shirt with the word "Moogseum" emblazoned across the front, so I asked them about it. They said it was from a Moog museum in Asheville, North Carolina. I love Moogsmodular synthesizers invented by Robert Moog in 1964 and played by a wide range of pop and rock bands including the Doors, the Monkees, the Beatles, the Byrds, Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, and many moreand I love museums, so I've definitely put the Moogseum on my list of things to check out. The Moogseum website describes the museum: The Moogseum is the museum that brings synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog's legacy to life. Our facility explores his contribution to the world of sound and music with multi-sensory, interactive timelines and exhibits, an immersive dome presenting how electricity becomes sound, historical exploration of synthesizers, and the opportunity for guests to play both theremins and Moog synthesizers. The museum looks very coolI'm going to visit the next time I'm near Asheville. Have you been to the Moogseum? If so, I want to hear about it! Eilis OHanlon: Irelands quango quandary: who is really running the country? It is taken as read that we must do what these unelected pontificators tell us is right. But we are not peasants to be dictated to by feudal overlords Important decisions are being made by elite groups of unelected officials, all from similar backgrounds and with similar ideas Eilis OHanlon Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 03:30 The pronouncements of unelected boards in Ireland are greeted as if they were brought down by Moses from Mount Sinai carved on tablets of stone. As if one global media cocaine story out of Ireland in 2023 wasnt enough, we now have another. First was the release of the movie Cocaine Bear in February, shot in Co Wicklow, and now the discovery of the Cocaine Ship, shot at off the coast of Co Cork. My very first trip to France in 1998 coincided with a protest by luggage delivery services at Charles de Gaulle Airport. My French host cheerfully waved and honked in support of the protesters as we drove away, proudly informing me that protest is our national sport. My bag was eventually delivered, albeit with a broken handle and covered in dust. Still, I repeated the French expression to others in solidarity with the protesters. The dramatic seizure of cocaine valued at around 157m off the Cork coast is a reminder of the sheer scale of the illegal drugs trade in Ireland and internationally, and the inter-connectedness of the narcotics business around the world. Gardai and security forces here are to be commended for the professional manner in which they damaged at least temporarily the drugs overlords from South America and Europe, and their associates in this country. The question inevitably arises that while this shipment was seized, in part because a vessel ran aground off the coast of Wexford, how many other such consignments make it ashore here and on the continent? In our opinion poll today, we get an indication of the level of drug use in Ireland, with around half of young people admitting they have either tried cocaine or use it on a regular basis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Ireland is awash with cocaine as the drug of choice at the moment, with mostly younger generations partaking on a regular basis. It has been frequently pointed out, and was said again last week, that such use is the end point in a vast chain of criminality which last week led to such dramatic events on the high seas. This raises wider social questions around the decriminalisation of drugs, which will inevitably be discussed again following these events but likely nothing will come of that, and business will continue as usual for some time. All the authorities here can do is try to mitigate against the worst damage that illegal drug use can wreak on individuals and society, to which mostly communities can testify. A recent warning by the Taoiseach that Ireland should prepare for a surge in the use of the drug fentanyl is deeply concerning, however. Speaking in New York recently, where one person dies of a fentanyl overdose every three hours, Leo Varadkar has said it was now more likely than not that the dangerous synthetic drug would reach Ireland on a large scale. Gardai have also warned about fentanyl in recent weeks, stating that criminal networks were currently examining ways of bringing the drug to the Irish market. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug used as pain relief and anaesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. Mr Varadkar has said the only silver lining is that at least we have a little bit of time to prepare for its expected onslaught, and to put in place measures to clamp down on criminals who import it as well as to prevent addiction. To do this, addiction and homelessness charities will need to be educated and resourced to deal with a serious problem known to be on the way. Such services are best placed to help addicts who will, inevitably, get caught up in the latest incarnation of a drugs crisis to hit Ireland. The gardai will also have a crucial role to play in this fight and would be well-advised to enter dispute resolution negotiations with the Garda Commissioner with an open mind, so that the taxpayer, and particularly vulnerable communities, will feel more secure in the knowledge that all arms of the State are on the same side before the fentanyl wave hits. The 2.25 tonnes of cocaine seized from the MV Matthew cargo ship off Co Cork by the Joint Task Force. Photo: PA The inter-agency response that has led to the seizure and capture of a huge consignment of drugs shows Ireland is seen by criminal organisations involved in drugs importation and supply as the gateway to Europe from South America. This operation, carried out by An Garda Siochana, the Naval Service, Army Ranger Wing, Customs and our Coast Guard, shows a high degree of co-operation between agencies that can be co-ordinated and planned to perfection with the right level of intelligence-gathering. This seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine, worth an estimated 157m, is the largest seizure in the history of the State and makes previous ones look minuscule. With our very porous coastline that spans over 3,000km, we are sitting ducks for those who wish to ply their deadly trade. Only by good fortune, bad seamanship or bad weather have we managed to seize some of the largest quantities of drugs that have come to our shores. While there is great inter-agency co-operation, including our friends in Europol and Interpol, the fact is our coastline and our location at the extremities of the European mainland makes us a very attractive country for major crime organisations from abroad who use this country as a stepping stone to Europe. More investment is required, in naval personnel and equipment, along with a dedicated, well-financed drugs enforcement agency that would make Ireland a very unattractive place for any criminal organisation attempting to import drugs through the state. Only with a government willing to invest in a separate dedicated drugs agency, properly finance the Naval Service and retain its personnel, along with increasing overhead surveillance by our Air Corps, will we ever be able to properly secure our coastline. Garda drugs units have been decimated all over the country because of changes initiated by garda hierarchy and overseen by a lame-duck government, which seems hamstrung or unwilling to invest in preventative measures. Indecisiveness will cost lives. Is it a price were willing to pay? Christy Galligan, Letterkenny, Co Donegal A saintly name for seized drugs ship MV Matthew seems somewhat fitting With some irony, the MV Matthew cargo ship seized off Co Cork was no doubt named after St Matthew, the patron saint of accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, security guards and stockbrokers. Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18 McCallum and his mohair suits boosted our business with his far-fetched capers Reading about the death of David McCallum brings me back to my days working for a gents clothing chain. When the The Man From U.N.C.L.E. TV series was at its most popular, we had male customers in their droves seeking mohair suits in an effort to emulate McCallum and his co star Robert Vaughn. May I thank both gentlemen for some entertaining (if far-fetched) television viewing and many a suit sale. Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 Flip-flopping gardai cant be trusted if theyre going to renege on agreements The various garda associations have done themselves no favours by reneging on the Westmanstown rosters agreement. They have shown they will stick with any agreement they make, like the temporary rosters agreed to cover the Covid pandemic until they change their mind. They are the people who voted no-confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, but the commissioner kept his side of the temporary roster deal. So why should he have any confidence in the garda associations to keep their word in future? And why would any young man want to join, or remain in, an organisation whose members regardless of agreements appear to want to make their mind up on what they want as they go along? Anthony OLeary, Portmarnock, Co Dublin Electing a Sinn Fein-led government would be a perilous economic move I would like to congratulate Mark Mohan on his letter (Be careful what you wish for with a tax-and-spend Sinn Fein government, Irish Independent, September 28). He is right when he says there is a significant possibility that our disgruntled electorate may elect the most left-leaning government in the next general election. It is a stark reality that a Sinn Fein-led government supported by everything on the left is now a reality for the first time ever since the foundation of our State over 100 years ago. Mr Mohan is right when he says that for a country so dependent on tax revenues from multinational corporations, high-earners, investors and employees, this would be lethal. The surge in support for this is coming from people who have never had to pay for an economic crash and who dont understand economics the way Mr Mohan does. I have only one solution, and that is that the Government goes to the country after Budget 2024 and let them challenge the left on what their alternative Budget would be. Thomas Garvey, Claremorris, Co Mayo Plenty of examples prove bottling it up doesnt help to treat mental illness Comparing Mary Kennys comment (Mental health issues? Maybe we should sometimes bottle it up, say the experts, Irish Independent, September 27) with Darragh Nolans report (Grief needed a home how sea swimming helped woman who lost her husband to suicide, Irish Independent, September 22) is like chalk and cheese. However, I hope both invaluable articles created public discussion. The stigma around mental health still pervades among people as in many spheres of life. June Curtin, the widow who was the focus of the sea-swimming article, is an example of not bottling it up but, more importantly, letting it go. I saw an example of Ms Curtins swimming therapy in Sligo in 1972. A friend, recently married, lost his wife in a car accident, in which he was seriously injured. A month later, I met him on the street and he was his old self. How did you do this? I asked. In reply, he said: I went to the doctor seeking medication, and he said to me, Youre a champion swimmer, get out there in the sea. From personal experience of anxiety, I disagree with both Ms Kenny and the experts she writes of. As we have seen, both swimmers had that ability within to, as the Bible says, physician, heal thyself, one with an inner capacity, the other with a gentle nudge to that inner capacity. I have been fortunate to have a friend, a counsellor, who took it upon himself to get me back to mindfulness something that has been lost in some traditional religious teachings. There is nothing new under the sun, and the necessities for healing mental illness are more readily available today than 50 years ago. One of the greatest uses of therapy was noted by Ezra Pound when he was a patient in St Elizabeths Psychiatric Hospital in Washington in 1945-46. He described seeing men returned from the battlefield or PoW camps with PTSD, watching and listening daily as teams of psychiatrists brought them back to reality. There is no one-size-fits-all in any human being. We are individuals created in the image of God, with each making up a part of the whole and vice versa. The most important thing for any sufferer is to be factual and truthful with your psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor, as this is the only way to reach and eliminate the cause. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia A mixed party with Mary Lou Martin at the helm of Sinn Fail could be on way It can be hard to keep up with who is Taoiseach these days. All I can say is that Leo Martin and Micheal Varadkar have both distinguished themselves as leaders of the country and their respective parties, Fine Fail and Fianna Gael. One wonders if we might soon see Mary Lou Martin and Micheal McDonald dance the leadership tango in a future Sinn Fail-Fianna Fein government. Rob Sadlier, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Trump may be ahead in the polls, but US voters really should think twice The race for the White House looks like a foregone conclusion, as former president Donald Trump appears to be well ahead in the polls. However, the American voters should think twice before making the same mistake again by electing him. Trump is facing four indictments and has trouble in knowing the meaning of the word honesty. Therefore, voters should remember the old adage: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Leo Gormley, Dundalk, Co Louth Garda numbers in Wexford need to keep pace with the growing population and the need for extra security at Rosslare Europort, according to a Wexford Senator. Senator Malcolm Byrne expressed this concern as part of a Fianna Fail motion in the Seanad on Crime and Policing on Wednesday, September 27. While the number of Gardai in Wexford has now risen to 338, this is still three fewer than we had at this time in 2021, said Senator Byrne. The populations of both Wexford and Wicklow are growing, and I know the Chief Superintendent and the Gardai are doing a good job, but we need to ensure that the allocation of Gardai follows need. Rosslare Europort needs a focused policing team, and we need to have Garda numbers that are proportionate to the size of the two counties. This is a particularly important issue. I have chatted with the Minister of State privately on this, said Senator Byrne in the Seanad. One of the challenges is that those of us who have gone out in Dublin over the years have never felt that unsafe until the past few years. Quite frankly, in parts of the city we are seeing gangs of feral youths that intimidate people. At times when seeing some of the behaviour, it is understandable why people are frightened and why they do not feel safe in our capital city. This is expressed by people who live here and equally by tourists and visitors to the area. No matter how many statistics we throw out to people, if somebody says he or she feels unsafe, we cannot convince him or her otherwise. Certainly, we are hearing back from our own constituents and from others is about the fear on our streets. It is not just confined to the major cities. Increasingly in towns - and the Minister of State will be aware of this in Wexford as well - people at times feel unsafe because they do not see gardai on the beat as much as they were. I pay tribute to the chief superintendent for the Wicklow-Wexford division who has made a concerted effort to get more gardai out on the beat, but I want to raise the issue of the allocation of Garda resources and Garda numbers. Rosslare has expanded enormously in the past few years because of Brexit but this has placed strain on the Garda resources in the Wexford division from the south east have had to be allocated to Rosslare Harbour to provide extra policing. We need to look at the likes of our port areas in the context of extra policing and, as we have seen most evidently over the past few days, to support those agencies, including the Coast Guard and so on, that have to prevent crime at sea. I will give a comparison on the Garda numbers. Garda numbers generally around the country are insufficient. The Minister of State will be aware that in the Wexford division at the end of August, there were 338 gardai and in the Wicklow Garda division, there 296 gardai. The population of both Wexford and Wicklow in each case is bigger than Waterford or Cavan-Monaghan, yet Waterford has 380 gardai and there are 375 gardai stationed in Cavan-Monaghan. That is not to say that Waterford and Cavan-Monaghan do not need those gardai, but in the allocation of Garda resources, it is very clear the Wexford- Wicklow division, which the Minister of State and I are both very familiar with, is not getting the necessary allocation of gardai that it deserves. In the allocation of gardai we need to have a greater balance, added Senator Byrne. THE annual Fighting Blindness Glendalough Trail Run is open for registration to people of all levels of fitness, with a 15km run as well as an 8.5km jog/walk option. Fighting Blindness works with rare, genetic, age-related and degenerative eye conditions that affect an estimated 272,000 people in Ireland. The organisation also provides peer-to-peer support services for people and families affected by sight loss. Over 250 trailblazers embraced the challenge in 2022, supporting research to find cures and treatments for blindness. Patient-led charity Fighting Blindness is calling on walkers, runners and joggers of all abilities to join them in this off-road experience, where they can enjoy the magnificent scenery along the green forest trails of Co. Wicklow. The Glendalough Trail follows a carefully planned route through Co Wicklows most famous and beautiful valley and offers a great variety of underfoot terrain. Spaces are limited for the Glendalough Trail because of environmental restrictions in the area, so participants should register today at www.GlendaloughTrail.ie to avoid disappointment. The entry fee is 25, with a further 100 minimum fundraising target. All proceeds will support the quest for cures and treatments for blindness. The run takes place on Saturday, October 21 at 11 a.m. The return of the rural fashion destination Customers are pushing back against overseas chain stores and looking for personal service Doireann Healy, founder of lifestyle clothing brand Begley & Bowie, runs a shop and design studio in Kenmare, Co Kerry Marie Kelly Sun 1 Oct 2023 at 03:30 Once, fashion was not something found only in cities. Every middling-sized town used to have drapers and outfitters. In image Afghan embassy/ courtesy: Facebook New Delhi/IBNS: The Afghanistan embassy in India has announced that it will suspend its operations from Sunday, citing a "lack of support" from the Indian government and the latter's inability to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests. The embassy stated that it has a shortage of staff and resources. The Afghan embassy announced that it made this difficult decision after careful thought, considering the long-standing ties and friendship between Afghanistan and India. "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," the embassy said in a statement. The Afghan embassy in New Delhi was led by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, who was appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government and continued in his role despite the August 2021 takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban forces. The embassy listed a few "factors" that prevented it from carrying out its mission effectively, citing them as the main reasons for the closure. In its statement, it accused the Indian government of failing to provide essential support, which it said prevented the embassy from carrying out its duties effectively. "We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul," the embassy statement read. The embassy has claimed that unforeseen circumstances have significantly reduced the embassy's personnel and resources, making it increasingly difficult to continue operating. "The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively," the statement said. The embassy also understood that, due to the gravity of this decision, some people may receive support and instructions from the Taliban regime in Kabul that may differ from the embassy's current approach. "The embassy also acknowledges that, given the gravity of this decision, there may be some who receive support and instructions from Kabul that may differ from our current course of action. The Embassy of Afghanistan wishes to make an unequivocal statement regarding the activities of certain consulates. It is our firm belief that any actions taken by these consulates are not in consonance with the objectives of a legitimate or elected government and rather serve the interests of an illegitimate regime," the statement read. India-Afghan ties: This comes as India has still not recognised the Taliban government in Afghanistan. It has demanded the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan and to prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities against any country. The Afghan embassy in Delhi experienced a power struggle in April-May 2023 after the Taliban reportedly appointed a new head of mission to replace incumbent ambassador Farid Mamundzay. Qadir Shah, a trade councillor at the Afghan embassy in Delhi since 2020, wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs in late April, claiming that the Taliban had appointed him as the charge d'affaires. Photo Courtesy: John McArthur via Unsplash Mumbai: Fake GPS signals from an unknown source on the ground in the Iran-Iraq area misdirected at least 20 airline and corporate jets in the last fortnight, media reports said, citing flight data intelligence crowdsourcing website Ops Group. Forbes reported that the site, which boasts of a membership of 8,000 pilots, flight dispatchers, schedulers, and controllers, started reporting the GPS spoofing incidents since Monday. The fake GPS signals sent from the ground took over the aircrafts inbuilt navigation, OPSGROUP stated. Earlier this week, Ops Group reported that, [Twelve] separate reports have been now received by OPSGROUP, and in most cases the [Inertial Reference System] becomes unusable, VOR/DME sensor inputs fail, the aircraft UTC clock fails, and the crew have been forced to request vectors from ATC to navigate. Since then, reports of GPS spoofing have risen to 20. In one such incident Embraer 650 business jet crew en route from Europe to Dubai nearly entered Iran airspace (OIIX/Tehran FIR) with no clearance after both GPS navigation units aboard the airplane and GPS signals to both pilot/co-pilot iPads were lost. The crew reported that the Inertial Reference System (IRS), an independent, standalone system that can compute position without GPS signals help, didnt work anymore. According to the Times of India, this is largely related to the functioning of the IRS system in modern commercial jets. Each plane is equipped with 2-3 separate IRS units and two independent GPS receivers to determine the aircraft's position. However, since IRS can be susceptible to inaccuracies, many modern commercial jets use inputs from both IRS and GPS to calculate a more reliable 'GPIRS position'. TOI quoted Captain Amit Singh, an air safety expert, as saying, The aircraft system will show a disagreement between IRS and GPS signal and if at this point crew do not disable the GPS signals, the aircraft will be steered off its flight path. The Forbes report cited Ops Group as saying that airplanes, both commercial and business, that traverse Airway UMB688 in northern Iraq (a major air route connecting Europe and the Middle East) have encountered total failures in their navigation systems due to deceptive GPS signals. These incidents seem to involve more complex cyber elements beyond simply substituting accurate GPS position data with misleading coordinates. In a separate incident, a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet needed continuous ATC radar guidance to reach its destination in Doha, Qatar, as it experienced a loss of GPS signal. According to Times of India, Ops Group said in its report that among aircraft waylaid by rogue GPS signals were the Boeing 777, 737 and 747. The report added that a targeted 777 was led so much off course that the crew was forced to ask Baghdad ATC, What time is it, and where are we. Indian carriers Air India, IndiGo and Vistara overfly this airspace en route destinations like San Francisco, Istanbul, Baku and London. Air India and IndiGo operate 777 on these routes, with IndiGos 777 aircraft operated by Turkish Airlines, according to TOI. Time of India quoted a senior commander of an Indian career, who requested anonymity, as saying, We dont fly airway UM688, but we do overfly the Iranian air. We haven't experienced spoofing but, on a flight, last week we experienced GPS jamming. WASHINGTON The nation narrowly averted a federal government shutdown over the weekend, and lawmakers from New York did their part to help despite the actions of one House Democrat from downstate who made a chaotic week on Capitol Hill even more chaotic. Every New York lawmaker, Democrat and Republican, supported a compromise to keep the government open and the military and other federal employees paid for another 45 days. It all happened after Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a Yonkers Democrat, pulled a fire alarm, prompting the evacuation of a House office building just as Democrats were trying to delay a vote on the compromise. The bottom line, though, is that every House Democrat except one, along with a majority of Republicans, supported the compromise on Saturday, thereby throwing a lifeline to government operations but possibly an anvil to Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose tenure is now threatened by his alliance with Democrats. Led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, the Senate then quickly adopted the compromise. The unlikely deal came as a relief to Republicans like Rep. Nick Langworthy, who represents much of suburban and rural Erie County along with the Southern Tier. Today, I voted for a 45-day extension of federal funding to avert a shutdown, ensuring that critical services continue and our military families dont miss a paycheck, Langworthy said in a statement after Saturdays vote. Despite the House Democrats antics delaying the vote, including pulling the fire alarm, we got this done for the American people. The deal funds government operations through Nov. 17, expands disaster relief funding and reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration. And it put mainstream conservatives like Langworthy in alliance with Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn. Were on a path to avoid a catastrophic, extreme MAGA Republican shutdown and to continue to meet the needs of the American people, Jeffries said after the 335-91 House vote approving the legislation. The American people have won. The extreme MAGA Republicans have lost. Twenty-one Make America Great Again Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, refused to back an earlier Republican stopgap funding bill that would have cut funding for many agencies by 30%. They argued that McCarthy, in agreeing to a deal with Democrats to extend the debt ceiling in June, betrayed promises he made to get the votes to be House speaker earlier this year. We made him agree to spending guardrails, Gaetz said on CNBC last week. He has blown through those guardrails, and even worse. Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents a Hudson Valley district, didnt take kindly to Gaetzs effort. Unfortunately, a handful of people, and in particular a party of one Matt Gaetz have chosen to put his own agenda, his own personal agenda above all else, Lawler told reporters before McCarthy struck his deal with Democrats. Theres only one person to blame for any potential government shutdown, and thats Matt Gaetz. Hes not a conservative Republican. Hes a charlatan. Unable to get his own GOP caucus to agree on a spending plan, McCarthy struck a deal with Democrats and won support in doing so from his allies, such as Langworthy. We must rein in Washingtons out-of-control spending, but shutting down the government is not the solution, Langworthy said. During this extension, I am working with my colleagues to pass the remaining eight of 12 appropriations bills that will advance conservative policies, curb spending, and address the crisis at the border. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who represents the North Country and serves as the fourth-ranking House Republican leader, praised McCarthy after the vote. Under the leadership of our speaker, this leadership team, but most importantly, all the members of the House Republican Conference, we get the job done and deliver on behalf of the American people, keeping the government open and, importantly, continuing the appropriations process to be good stewards of taxpayers dollars, Stefanik said. And this was despite House Democrats attempts to delay, to obstruct, and to even pull the fire alarm to stop this important vote from happening. Indeed, House Democrats were trying to slow the legislative process, claiming they hadnt been given time to review the compromise, when Bowman inexplicably pulled a fire alarm in the House Cannon office building shortly after noon Saturday. Republicans called it a stunt to delay the vote, but Bowman begged to differ, saying he pulled the alarm in hopes of opening a locked door that would allow him to rush to the House floor to vote on the measure. I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door, Bowman, who holds a doctorate in education, said in a statement. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused. But I want to be very clear: this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite I was trying urgently to get to a vote. McCarthy, however, was unamused by Bowmans action. This is serious, the House speaker told reporters afterward. This should not go without punishment. Unfortunately for McCarthy, his decision to compromise with Democrats may not go without punishment, either. Gaetz told CNN on Sunday that he plans to introduce a motion this week to oust McCarthy from the speakership. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy, Gaetz said. That GOP infighting seemed to leave some Republicans speechless. Neither Langworthy nor Rep. Claudia Tenney, a lawmaker who represents part of Western New York and who also agreed to the temporary spending deal, agreed to phone interview requests from The Buffalo News on Saturday. After the House passed the measure, the Senate quickly followed suit in an 88-9 vote. Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed, Schumer said on the Senate floor after the vote. And the American people can breathe a sigh of relief. Schumer also vowed to continue working with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for additional funding for Ukraine, which was left out of the spending compromise in order to win House Republican votes to pass it. Watching the Republican family feud with some bemusement was Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat who backed the compromise. In an interview Saturday before the vote on the deal, Higgins said the narrowness of the majority held by House Republicans empowered its rebels like Gaetz and created the drama of the past week. Now its just become a situation where people are getting attention who are on the margins who otherwise would not, he said. Why are they getting attention? Because they have leverage. Why do they have leverage? Because the margins are so small, and that is whats driving this whole thing. Its Shakespearean, in a way. Its about human nature, and human nature never changes. This is about attention. This is about revenge. This is about love. Its about hate. It would be interesting in a way if it wasnt so pathetic. Photo Courtesy: PIB New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated his newly-elected Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated his newly-elected Maldives counterpart President Mohamed Muizzu. In his message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Indias continued commitment to strengthen time-tested bilateral ties with Maldives. "Congratulations and greetings to @MMuizzu on being elected as President of the Maldives. India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region." Congratulations and greetings to @MMuizzu on being elected as President of the Maldives. India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2023 Muizzu was declared the winner after he emerged victorious, winning 54 percent of the votes against incumbent President Mohamed Solih in the second and final run-off for the presidential polls. Mohamed Muizzu, who has pushed for stronger ties with China, secured an 8-point lead over Solih, with nearly all votes counted in his kitty. The voter turnout was reported at 85 percent. Indias External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, emphasized the Modi governments dedication to addressing the concerns of the Sikh community, highlighting that extremist elements represent only a small minority within the community. Speaking at a press conference in Washington DC, Jaishankar addressed the ongoing Khalistan issue and reassured the international community that it does not reflect the views of the entire Sikh community. Over the last decade, the Indian government has made substantial efforts to address the issues affecting the Sikh community, stated Jaishankar, underlining their commitment to ensuring the welfare and rights of the Sikh population. He expressed his belief that the current discussions surrounding the Khalistan issue do not represent the broader Sikh community but are primarily propagated by a small minority with separatist inclinations and a proclivity for violence. In his address, Jaishankar also drew attention to Indias strained relations with Canada, attributing the tension to the Canadian governments alleged permissiveness regarding terrorism, extremism, and violence within its borders. He mentioned that this permissiveness has hindered the extradition of individuals and organizations involved in violence and illegal activities in India. He highlighted that some individuals and groups openly espouse violence and illicit activities without repercussions, creating a challenging diplomatic situation. The ongoing diplomatic dispute between India and Canada escalated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India categorically rejected these allegations, deeming them absurd and motivated, and called on Canada to provide evidence to substantiate the claims. In response to the escalating tensions, India suspended its visa services in Canada, signaling its dissatisfaction with Canadas approach to the issue. Additionally, India issued an advisory to its citizens and travelers to Canada, urging them to exercise utmost caution due to the rising anti-India activities, politically-condoned hate crimes, and criminal violence within the country. The Sikh community, which plays a significant role in Indias cultural and social fabric, has been a subject of concern in recent times due to the Khalistan issue and allegations of separatism and violence. Jaishankars statement underscores Indias commitment to protecting the rights and interests of the Sikh community while also emphasizing the need for unbiased actions by respective governments when addressing extremist elements. (Image and text credit: Khalsavox.com) (From L to R) Abir Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee and Mimi Chakraborty | Photo courtesy: YouTube/Windows Production Kolkata/IBNS: The trailer of veteran actor Victor Banerjee, Tollywood stars Abir Chatterjee and Mimi Chakraborty starrer 'Raktabeej', which is one of the major Durga Puja releases this year, is now out for the audience. The trailer- spanning 2:30 minutes- shows Abir as an investigating officer on behalf of a central team while Mimi is seen in a never-seen-before look as the Superintendent of Police (SP), Burdwan. Abir and Mimi, who are named Pankaj Sinha and Sanjukta Mitra respectively in the film directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, are on a duty to investigate a blast in West Bengal's 'Khoyragarh'. Victor Banerjee as Animesh Chatterjee plays the President of India, who returns to his village for the first time since assuming the top post. Though the makers haven't revealed much, the look and instances provide ample suggestions that Banerjee is modelled after India's former President late Pranab Mukherjee, who is the first and only Bengali to assume the top post. Though initially the trailer shows Pankaj Sinha and Sanjukta Mitra locking horns over the probe, they later seem to accommodate each other for the "mission". Speaking at the trailer launch, Abir says, "The trailer gives a better idea regarding the subject of the film. It is based on a real incident which occurred not very far from Kolkata just a few years ago. So the film has gained much significance." On playing a cop, Mimi says, "I loved doing stunts. I was very happy. And the dialogues! They are more or less like me only." Apart from Victor Banerjee, Abir and Mimi, the film features Anashua Majumdar, Satyam Bhattacharya, Devlina Kumar in pivotal roles. Plot of the film Inspired by the Burdwan blast in 2014, which shook up Bengal and also the nation, the film is about the homecoming of a man, who holds an important portfolio, and how an accidental blast in a firecracker unit unveils a bigger threat to his life. On October 2, 2014, which coincided with Mahashtami that year, an explosion took place in a two-storeyed building in the Khagragarh locality of Burdwan. Locals informed the police, who sprang into immediate action. When the police arrived, two women inside the building stopped them from entering, threatening to blow up the building and destroy several documents and evidence. They were arrested and the police recovered more than 50 improvised explosive devices in that house. 'Raktabeej', which is produced by Windows Production, is slated to release in Bengali, Odia, Assamese and Hindi languages on October 19 on the occasion of Durga Puja. Two terrorists carry out a bomb attack in front of the Interior Ministry building in Turkey's capital Ankara.Photo Courtesy: X video grab At least two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of Turkeys Interior Ministry building in the capital city Ankara on Sunday, authorities said. The blast occurred ahead of the opening of the parliament. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X: "At around 09.30, 2 terrorists who came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs, carried out a bomb attack." He said two policemen were hurt in the incident. He said one of the terrorists blew himself up and the other was neutralized. The apparent guard tower in front of the entrance to the building was slightly damaged in the blast, reported CNN. Police have cordoned the area after the blast. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said a 'judicial investigation' into the incident has been launched. Photo Courtesy: X platform video grab A broke out at a nightclub in Spain's Murcia region which left 13 people dead, media reports said. The blaze broke out in the popular Teatre nightclub, in the Atalayas area, at around 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT), reports BBC. The emergency teams reached the spot and are still searching for victims. The cause of the fire is still not known. The injured people were rushed to hospital for treatment. A 28-year-old woman who has not been found sent a voice note to her mother when the fire had started, according to the La Verdad de Murcia newspaper, as quoted as saying by BBC: "Mummy, I love you, we're going to die." Murcia mayor Jose Ballesta posted on X: "We regret to inform you that the deaths in the Atalayas fire amount to 13 people." The Mayor said emergency teams are working in the area. Photo Courtesy: Pixabay At least one policeman and two other terrorists were killed after Kundal patrolling post in Mianwali area of Pakistan was attacked on Sunday, media reports said. Kundal Punjab Highway Patrolling Post, in a daring operation assisted by the Counter Terrorism Department Punjab, successfully thwarted an attack by 12 to 15 terrorists last night at approximately 23:45 hours, a statement issued by Punjab police chief Usman Anwar was quoted as saying by Dawn News. According to the statement, Head Constable Haroon embraced martyrdom during the operation which concluded after 7am while multiple terrorists sustained injuries. Following a thorough area search conducted by the CTD personnel, two terrorist bodies were discovered, it added. One of the terrorists has been positively identified as Zubair Nawaz, brother of Arshad Nawaz, the Ameer of the Tehreek-Taliban Tipu Group of Lakki Marwat, with the aid of a comprehensive database and local intelligence, the statement said. It added that Nawaz was a high priority individual on the most wanted lists in both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces due to his involvement in the killing of police officers, Shia community member, dacoities and extortion activities. A remarkable moment unfolded on Capitol Hill as Granthi Giani Jaswinder Singh, hailing from New Jersey, became the first Sikh religious leader to offer prayers to commence the proceedings of the US House of Representatives. This groundbreaking event took place at the Pine Hill Gurdwara in New Jersey, where Singh began the days legislative agenda this past Friday. Traditionally, the opening prayers in the House are conducted by Christian priests, making this occurrence even more significant. The decision to invite Granthi Giani Jaswinder Singh to initiate the proceedings was announced by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, marking a historic shift in the diversity and inclusivity of religious representation in the highest legislative body of the United States. Following the solemn prayer, Congressman Donald Norcross took the floor to mark this momentous occasion, emphasizing its historical significance. Singhs presence as the first Sikh chaplain to lead the prayers in the US House of Representatives reflects the countrys commitment to upholding the principles of religious freedom and the acceptance of diverse faiths. The history made today is a reminder that the United States welcomes and values and will remain committed to the free expression of religion. Giani Singh has made South Jersey proud today, and it is an honor to be a part of this moment with him, Congressman Norcross stated, echoing the sentiments of unity and respect for religious diversity that the nation holds dear. This landmark event not only celebrates the rich canvas of religious traditions in America but also serves as a testament to the inclusivity and diversity that continue to be the core values of the United States House of Representatives. Granthi Giani Jaswinder Singhs historic prayer marks a step forward in fostering understanding, respect, and unity among the various faith communities, especially the Sikh community, in the United States. (Photo and text credit: Khalsavox.com Telangana Rashtra Samithi, popularly known as TRS party, was founded on 27th April 2001 by Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) with an objective of achieving separate statehood for Telangana. On 5 October 2022, it changed its name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Since the inception of the state of Telangana in 2014, TRS has been the ruling party in the state. Background behind formation of the party On 27 April 2001, Rao resigned as Deputy Speaker of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), stating that Telangana people were being discriminated against within the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh. Accordingly, KCR founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Party at Jala Drushyam, Hyderabad in April 2001, with the objective of achieving statehood for Telangana. The TRS party thus rose from the six decade struggle, beginning in the early 50s, to establish Telangana. While aspirations for statehood existed since the 50s, but only the formation of TRS in 2001 provided the right platform to intensify the agitation. Symbol of TRS/ BRS The Election Symbol of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is the "Car". Telangana Rashtra Samithi/ Bharat Rashtra Samithi The symbol indicates a promise of making each individual participating in the Telangana movement to own a car one day, thereby achieving an end to poverty. What is the party's objective? The party has always emphasised on the preservation of Telangana's cultural identity and heritage. The motive of the TRS, with KCR at the helm, was to make Telangana "Bangaru Telangana" and a role model state in India. But the recent name change to Bharat Rashtra Samithi from Telangana Rashtra Samithi is aimed at achieving a bigger role for the party in national politics. Progression of the party 2004 elections In the 2004 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, TRS party won 26 state assembly seats and 5 parliament seats. It formed an alliance with Indian National Congress and joined the United Progressive Alliance but withdrew support in 2006 due to indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana. 2009 elections In the 2009 elections, TRS formed an alliance with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. The party contested 45 Assembly and 9 Parliament seats but won 10 Assembly and 2 parliament seats. 2014 elections In the 2014 elections, the TRS fought the elections on its own for the first time. It resulted in a major victory: TRS won 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats and 63 of the 119 Assembly seats, and emerged as the party with the largest vote share in Telangana. After formation of Telangana on 2 June 2014, TRS won 63 out of 110 seats it contested in the 2014 Assembly elections in the newly formed state, and went on to form the first government in the state. KCR became the first CM of Telangana. 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly elections On 6 September 2018, the TRS dissolved the Legislative Assembly in order to have early elections. TRS had a resounding win, with 88 constituency seats out of 119 seats. 2019 Indian general election In the Lok Sabha election, which is the only one to be held yet in the new state, TRS won 9 out of the contested 17 seats. The name of the party was changed from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi on 5 October 2022 to foray into national politics ahead of Next Indian general election. 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election The 2023 Telangana legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members of the state's Legislative Assembly. 60 seats are needed for a majority. Prominent leaders of the party 1. K Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister for two times now, commands great respect among Velamas and Reddys - both dominant landed gentry in Telangana. K. Chandrashekar Rao During his tenure as Chief Minister, KCR has introduced farmer-centric policies, like improving the irrigation facilities with the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and supply of 247 free power supply to the farm sector. 2. Harish Rao, KCRs nephew, was invovled in the Telangana movement and has been serving as an MLA from Siddipet since 2004. Harish Rao In every poll in his constituency, he has maintained an almost clean sweep, which speaks for his popularity among the masses, especially the rural population. 3. KT Rama Rao, son of KCR and BRS Working President, has gained popularity as a youth leader. He is credited with groundbreaking initiatives for urban development, industrial growth, the IT sector, and welfare schemes in Telangana. Present times In the 2019 Indian general elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi won 9 seats in the Lok Sabha and their share of votes in the total was 1.26%. At present, the TRS has 7 seats in the Rajya Sabha. In Telangana, it is the ruling party in the state, having won 88 out of the 119 seats. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. In recent days, New York City has faced extreme weather conditions, with torrential rainfall generating flash floods that interrupted subway systems, caused roadblocks, and turned some streets into tiny lakes. Why was the man walking his dog during heavy downpour in NYC? Instagram Screengrab A video has gone viral in the midst of the pandemonium, while some people try to protect them. This viral video shows a man attempting to walk his dog across the city's flooded streets, and the footage has stunned the internet. The video seems to have been deleted from the social media platform. Despite the difficult weather, the man was determined to get his dog his daily walk it seems. Walking a dog in such harsh weather is a perilous undertaking that can endanger both the owner and their pet. They can be injured by the water and unknown hazards hiding beneath the surface. Although the man's intentions may have been pure, social media users were not pleased with the scenario, as many were concerned not only for the safety of his canine friend but also for his own well-being. Why is the situation in New York? As heavy rain continued to fall, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a stringent flood warning and declared a state of emergency for NYC, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. Given the circumstances, government officials moved quickly to deploy National Guard troops to assist in the disaster. According to USA Today, Eric stated in a press release, "I want to say to all New Yorkers, this is a time for heightened alertness and extreme caution." Stay at home if you're at home. If you are at work or school, take cover for the time being." Kathy Hochul stated in another statement, "It is not finished yet, there is more rain on the way." I'm asking and pushing all New Yorkers to remain cautious. People die when they get inside their vehicles." What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. A campaign sign plastered onto a trailer parked outside the Town of Amherst Highway Department is the latest flashpoint in this years contentious race for a new town highway superintendent. The sign urges voters to support Steven E. Floss, a longtime department employee running to replace his boss, Patrick G. Lucey Jr. The trailer is hooked up to a pickup truck belonging to the head of the highway workers union. Floss opponent Richard Wainwright and his allies say Amherst officials have failed to enforce the law that bars political signs on town property. Theyre breaking the ordinance and no one at the town seems to really care, Wainwright said. However, Town Attorney Martin Polowy said, theres nothing in town code that prohibits making a political statement on a personal vehicle. Lucey told The Buffalo News he doesnt allow campaigning, such as posting flyers, on department property but the policy doesnt apply to something like the trailer sign. There is no politicking here, said Lucey, who added he will discipline anyone who violates this rule. Lucey is barred by term limits from seeking a third term as highway superintendent. He won his first term as a Republican but switched parties to run with Democratic backing for his second term. Floss, the endorsed Democrat, is a 34-year department veteran who serves as a crew chief in charge of forestry. Hes also a former president of the highway workers union who, until earlier this year, served as chair of Amhersts Conservative Party. Wainwright, who has Republican backing, is the outsider candidate for the job. He works in the private sector for a vendor that supplies municipal highway and public works departments. Floss won the support of the Amherst Conservative Committee, whose members and leaders have long included Highway Department employees. But Wainwright challenged him in a primary and handily won that ballot line for the general election. Outsider wins Conservative primary for Amherst highway chief With all early votes in, and 27 of 28 primary day districts reporting, Rich Wainwright had a commanding 54% to 45% lead, or 172 to 143 votes, over Steven E. Floss. The News last week received photos of Floss signs posted onto two vehicles: An enclosed trailer in the parking lot of the Highway Department complex, on North Forest Road, and an open trailer in the adjoining Engineering Department lot. A source told The News the vehicle parked in the highway lot belongs to Richard Shively, the interim president of the highway workers union, who with his wife recently hosted a fundraiser for Floss at Amherst Democratic Headquarters. Shively confirmed he owns the trailer and said he sees nothing wrong with displaying the Floss sign at the parking lot. He slapped on the sign after he said he received harassing messages from former department employees who back Wainwright. I dont see a problem. Its no different than having a bumper sticker, Shively said. Republicans said its inappropriate for a vehicle on town property to display a political message. They said highway employees already feel pressure to back Floss for superintendent. Its below-the-belt politics and Pat Lucey, he should be ashamed of himself, Amherst Republican Chairman Brian Rusk said. And he should get a directive out today to these town employees: Leave the political signs at home. Dont coerce or pressure people on town property. Lucey said he doesnt allow overt politicking, such as seeking donations or petition signatures for a candidate, on department grounds. And town law bars the posting of political signs on public property. However, both Polowy and Lucey said theres nothing in town code that applies to a sign on a personal vehicle. Its not on town land, Lucey said, and the trailer is part of the employees vehicle. Many Highway Department workers head off to second jobs after finishing their shifts, Lucey said, and the trailers store the equipment they use for landscaping or paving work. Lucey, who said he is supporting Floss to succeed him, said Wainwright supporters are welcome to display their own signs on their vehicles. After The News reached out to Lucey and Polowy to ask about the trailer signs, Lucey did say he was making one change: Employees now must park within lined spaces in the lot instead of, as was the case, leaving the trailer signs in spots that made them more visible to motorists passing on North Forest. Wainwright said he doesnt understand why employees need to pull trailers to the highway department, and he doesnt buy Luceys explanation. Wainwright said Lucey has selectively enforced a no-politics policy at the department. Last December, Wainwright said, he made a point to drop off some pop and a half-dozen pizzas to workers at the Highway Department to thank them for their efforts to clear snow during the Buffalo blizzard a performance that came under criticism. Wainwright was, at the time, an announced candidate for highway superintendent but he insists his food delivery was not politically motivated. Lucey, in response, sent Wainwright a letter accusing him of politicking on department property and restricting any future visits, according to Wainwright. Wainwright and Rusk said Luceys partisan conduct is in contrast to that of his late father, Patrick G. Sr., who served as highway superintendent for 22 years. Pat Lucey Sr. would be turning over in his grave if he knew how Pat Lucey Jr. was running the Amherst Highway Department, Wainwright said. The younger Lucey, for his part, said he welcomes Wainwrights food donation though he questions the timing given his status as a candidate. He said Wainwright sought to deliver a message to workers over the departments two-way radio and only relented when told technical issues wouldnt allow this. Lucey said Wainwright isnt banned from the department a place Wainwright has visited regularly on sales calls but Lucey simply asked him to give advance notice of future visits. Lucey conceded he cant put similar limits on Floss because the Democratic candidate is a department employee, but he said he warned Floss to avoid any campaigning on work property. As for the criticism that compared him unfavorably to his father, Lucey brushed it aside. They dont know what theyre talking about, he said. North Tonawandans unlucky enough to live near the Digihost/Fortistar fracked gas power plant-turned Bitcoin mine are experiencing a story thats being told across the country. The company claimed it would bring new jobs, but it has created perhaps a few new security jobs. What communities with new cryptomines actually receive is increased air and water pollution, 24/7 headache-inducing noise and, in many cases, higher energy bills. Theres little proof that local economic benefits ever actually materialize. Most of the Bitcoin wealth goes to investment firms with headquarters thousands of miles away. Coinmint, a Bitcoin mining operation, came to Plattsburgh in 2017 when the practice especially at a large scale was fairly new. Then the noise started, like a plane idling 24/7. Next, residents started complaining of higher energy bills up to $30 to $40 more per month. To staff the highly automated, energy-intensive facility, only two or three cars at a time were ever parked outside. Local governments must use their scarce resources to generate jobs. But a complete economic development analysis includes measuring jobs against the megawatts of power they require, to help determine if the negative impacts of a new operation outweigh the positives. Cryptominings jobs-per-megawatt hour numbers are paltry. Digihost once claimed that it would have 20 permanent employees. If thats true, at a whopping 55 MW, thats 24,090 MWh of electricity per employee, which is 394 times the national average of 61 MWh per employee, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Digihost is ramping up to operate 24/7/365 on fracked gas a dirty, climate change-accelerating fossil fuel as is true for most cryptomining operations. The real question is: Are these unconfirmed, limited new jobs worth so much water consumption and climate pollution as we fight against climate change? This isnt just a New York problem. Each of the 34 largest crypto-mining operations across the country uses at least 30,000 times as much power as the average home, with no proof of economic benefits to outweigh the harm they cause.Unless the cryptomining industry proves its not misleading the public, and can actually deliver on its promises without negative impacts, these operations should not be given free rein, in New York or anywhere else. New Yorks Department of Environmental Conservation must deny Digihosts air permit renewal application. Seamus Naughton Mergner, 7, spends lots of time outside where his family raises chickens in Allentown, N.J., so his mom enrolled him in a trial of Lyme disease vaccine. Read more Seamus Naughton Mergner started running a fever one day when he was 3 years old, and he also complained of a stiff neck. His mother, recalling that she had recently removed a tick from his skin, feared that the eight-legged bug had infected the boy with Lyme disease. The doctor said she was right and to her relief, Seamus soon recovered after being treated with antibiotics. But four years later, wary of the tick-laden woods and tall grasses near their central New Jersey home, Taylor Naughton signed up her son for a potential safeguard against another infection. In April, he was injected with the first of four doses in a trial of a vaccine. That vaccine is being developed by the French biotech firm Valneva and U.S.-based Pfizer, using a traditional protein-based approach thats been used in other vaccines for decades. If all goes well, physicians predict it could be available to the public within several years. Advertisement Another Lyme vaccine is being tested at the University of Pennsylvania, using the schools messenger RNA technology that worked so well in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19. So far, Penns mRNA Lyme vaccine has been studied only in mice a long way from proof that it would work in people but early results are promising. Yet despite the potential to prevent a widespread disease that can cause severe pain, arthritis, and brain inflammation, a big question about the vaccines remains: Will there be much public demand? The first time a Lyme vaccine was approved, in 1998, a small number of recipients said it caused arthritis and other adverse effects. Lawsuits were filed. An FDA review found no evidence that the vaccine was at fault, but demand fell off sharply. Manufacturer GSK pulled the product from the market in early 2002, little more than three years after it was approved. An uptick in Lyme disease Infectious-disease specialists are optimistic that acceptance of Lyme vaccines will be stronger this time around, despite growing circulation of misinformation about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats because Lyme disease has become even more widespread in the two decades since the last vaccine was discontinued, as ticks carrying the culprit bacteria are now firmly established across Pennsylvania and much of the eastern United States. The CDC estimates that 476,000 people were diagnosed with Lyme in 2018, up from about 290,000 a decade earlier. A minority of patients have lingering pain and other symptoms for months afterward, a poorly understood phenomenon called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. In a 2018 CDC survey of more than 3,000 U.S. residents, 64% said they were willing to get a Lyme disease vaccine, while 30% were uncertain and 7% were unwilling. For Naughton, who had Lyme disease herself two years before her son, it was an easy choice. The family raises chickens in a semirural part of Monmouth County, adjacent to a state wildlife management area near Allentown, N.J., and Seamus and his two younger siblings often play outside. Our kids are always in the woods or in the tall grass, she said. Were a pretty safe bet for exposure. The three children wear long pants and use bug spray when going outside for extended periods. But when Naughton heard about the Valneva-Pfizer vaccine trial earlier this year, she was eager to enroll Seamus, then 6, hoping he could get an extra layer of protection. (The other two children were too young for the trial, which is open to ages 5 to 17.) Three-quarters of trial participants are randomly selected to get the vaccine. The rest get a placebo, so that researchers can compare the outcomes in the two groups. Study volunteers are not told which injection they receive, but because Seamus developed a slight fever after his second dose this summer, Naughton is hopeful that he got the real thing. He is scheduled to get his third of four doses in October, at the Pediatric Clinical Research Center at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. Sunanda Gaur, a pediatric infectious-disease specialist who is running the Rutgers trial site, predicted that demand for the vaccine will be stronger this time, citing public interest in the trial. Rutgers planned to enroll more than 50 children. But Pfizer closed enrollment in the trial weeks ahead of schedule, after easily reaching its goal of 3,000 participants nationwide, so Rutgers had to stop with just 13 children, Gaur said. Typically, these things are extended, not shortened, she said. Vaccine study results In September, Pfizer and Valneva reported results from a separate arm of the trial that already was underway with both children and adults. Researchers determined that vaccine recipients had formed a strong immune response, as measured by the antibodies that their immune systems had made against the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Further study will be needed to see if those who get the vaccine are less likely than placebo recipients to contract the actual disease. Later that month, Penn and Yale University scientists reported promising results from testing the mRNA-based Lyme vaccine in mice. Unlike the Pfizer-Valneva vaccine being tested in humans, that mRNA-based Lyme vaccine does not teach the immune system by exposing it to proteins from the bacteria that cause the disease. Instead, the mRNA in the vaccine carries a genetic recipe so that the recipients cells can make those proteins inside the body. But its the same goal teaching the immune system by exposing it to a harmless protein fragment from a disease-causing microbe. The protein in question, called OspA, is located on the surface of the disease-causing bacteria, allowing the microbe to anchor itself inside the ticks gut, said Paul Auwaerter, a Johns Hopkins University infectious-disease specialist. But when a bacteria-carrying tick bites someone who has been vaccinated, antibodies bind to that protein in such a way that blocks transmission. As with most vaccines, the concept is not foolproof. The vaccine that was discontinued two decades ago contained the same protein, and was about 75% effective, he said. But that is nevertheless a potent level of protection. Penns mRNA recipe The mRNA approach, meanwhile, seems to induce an even stronger response in mice than a traditional protein-based vaccine, said Norbert Pardi, an assistant professor of microbiology at Penns Perelman School of Medicine. Mice that received the mRNA vaccine responded by making both antibodies and T-cells, another key agent of the immune system, he and colleagues reported in the journal Molecular Therapy. And when mice were injected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, animals that had received the mRNA-based vaccine were better able to fight off infection than animals injected with a traditional protein-based vaccine. For COVID, one plus of the mRNA-based vaccines was that they could be quickly updated to match emerging variants. That advantage is less important for the bacteria that cause Lyme, as the circulating strains are more genetically stable, Pardi said. The most important advantage is that it works really well, he said. Further animal studies are needed before the mRNA Lyme vaccine can be tested in humans. The Pfizer-Valneva vaccine is likely to be approved before then. And Moderna, the other big player in the COVID vaccine realm, also is developing a Lyme vaccine. Its a lot of activity in a field that was given up for dead two decades ago. But it cant come soon enough, said Gaur, the Rutgers pediatrician. The more approaches that are in development, the more chances you find something that works, she said. Naughton agreed with Gaur that public interest will be higher this time around. She said that once such a vaccine is approved, she planned to get it. In the meantime, when she tells others that Seamus may already have gotten a vaccine, they are envious. When we tell family members, she said, theyre like, `When can we get our dose? WASHINGTON On the brink of a federal government shutdown, the House on Saturday swiftly approved a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open as Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate. The new approach would leave behind aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but the plan would increase federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting President Joe Bidens full request. The package was approved 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. With hours to go before the midnight deadline to fund the government, the Senate was also in for a rare weekend session and prepared to act next. Were going to do our job, McCarthy said before the House vote. Were going to be adults in the room. And were going to keep government open. Advertisement With no deal in place before Sunday, federal workers will face furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops will work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast will begin to face shutdown disruptions. The House measure would fund government at current 2023 levels for 45 days, through Nov. 17, moving closer to the bipartisan approach in the Senate. But the Senate package would have added $6 billion for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia and $6 billion for U.S. disaster relief. Both chambers came to a standstill as lawmakers assessed their options, some decrying the loss of Ukraine aid. The American people deserve better, said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, warning in a lengthy floor speech that extreme Republicans were risking shutdown. For the House package to be approved, McCarthy, R-Calif., was forced to rely on Democrats because the speakers hard-right flank has said it will oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes needed from his slim majority. Its a move that risks his job amid calls for his ouster. After leaving his right-flank behind, McCarthy is almost certain to be facing a motion to try to remove from office, though it is not at all certain there would be enough votes to topple the speaker. Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed. If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. But I think this country is too important. The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington. The quick pivot comes after the collapse Friday of McCarthys earlier plan to pass a Republican-only bill with steep spending cuts up to 30% to most government agencies that the White House and Democrats rejected as too extreme. Our options are slipping away every minute, said one senior Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. The federal government is heading straight into a shutdown that poses grave uncertainty for federal workers in states all across America and the people who depend on them from troops to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others. Families that rely on Head Start for children, food benefits and countless other programs large and small are confronting potential interruptions or outright closures. At the airports, Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers are expected to work without pay, but travelers could face delays in updating their U.S. passports or other travel documents. An earlier McCarthy plan to keep the government open collapsed Friday due to opposition from a faction of 21 hard-right holdouts despite steep spending cuts of nearly 30% to many agencies and severe border security provisions. The White House has brushed aside McCarthys overtures to meet with Biden after the speaker walked away from the debt deal they brokered earlier this year that set budget levels. Catering to his hard-right flank, McCarthy had returned to the spending limits the conservatives demanded back in January as part of the deal-making to help him become the House speaker. After Fridays vote, McCarthys chief Republican critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, said the speakers bill went down in flames as Ive told you all week it would. Gaetz has warned he will file a motion calling a vote to oust the speaker. Some of the Republican holdouts, including Gaetz, are allies of former President Donald Trump, who is Bidens chief rival in the 2024 race. Trump has been encouraging the Republicans to fight hard for their priorities and even to shut it down. At an early closed-door meeting at the Capitol, several House Republicans, particularly those facing tough reelections next year, urged their colleagues to find a way to prevent a shutdown. All of us have a responsibility to lead and to govern, said Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. But the lone Democrat to vote against the package, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, called it a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Putin-sympathizers everywhere. He said, Protecting Ukraine is in our national interest. Cole the Deaf Dog has learned commands in American Sign Language and is a hero to many of the schoolchildren he visits. Here, the beloved pit bull poses with some of his friends at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland, where his owner, Chris Hannah, is a music teacher. Read more Chris Hannah had no idea he was meeting a superhero that day in April 2017 just a white pit bull puppy with dangly ears and huge paws that no one wanted. The South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter website said the little stray, born deaf, was special needs. That made the public school music teacher want to meet the puppy even more. Then when the shelter staff brought the dog in, he jumped straight in Hannahs arms and looked him right in his eyes. That pretty much sealed the deal. Hannah named his new pal Cole. Then things began happening that Hannah never would have imagined - including big-time acclaim. But were getting ahead of the story. From the start, Cole was one smart pup. He picked up hand signals quick enough. But soon, dog and owner were mastering a whole new way to communicate: American Sign Language. With the help of Hannahs nephew Kevin Guinan, also born deaf, Cole nailed that, too. Advertisement Meanwhile at Dr. William Mennies Elementary in Vineland, the kids curiosity about their music teachers new puppy quickly turned into conversations about big questions like: What does it mean to be special needs? To be disabled? What does it mean to be accepting? And because pit bulls like Cole are often prejudged because of their breed, he became a way for kids to talk about tough topics like bias and discrimination. Just how special Cole was came out when he started meeting the Vineland students. He had a way with kids, especially the ones with differences of their own. His gentleness drew them out of themselves. It was like the saying that kids at one Swedesboro school had printed on their T-shirts the day he came to visit them: Cole the Deaf Dog hears with his heart. Cole and Hannah started getting requests to do assemblies at lots of other schools. Decked out in a cape and superdog gear, Cole was on a mission to spread the message: A disability isnt an inability. Its a superpower. Before long, Cole, who became a certified therapy dog, also started volunteering with veterans and hospice patients. And now Cole is about to become even more well-known. Cole the Deaf Dog has been named 2023 ASPCA Dog of the Year. He and the recipients of the ASPCAs other Humane Awards will be honored at an awards luncheon in New York City on Oct. 12. Following a nationwide search for animal heroes, the ASPCA was moved by Cole the Deaf Dogs inspiring story, encouraging thousands of people from all walks of life to view their disability as a superpower, said a statement by the ASPCA. The Dog of the Year has been a longstanding award for the ASPCA, and Cole perfectly represents the values of service and heroism used to make a large impact on everyone he meets. Coles owner is thrilled about his dogs big accolade. Winning the ASPCA Dog of the Year is an absolute dream come true, said Hannah, 45, who is still a full-time music teacher in Vineland. Being recognized for our work with disability awareness and breed discrimination is a humbling solidification of the mission we strive to accomplish. This isnt the first time Cole has gotten national recognition. Last year, he was the top therapy dog in the American Humane Hero Dog competition. Hes also the first canine to receive the Phillies All-Star Teacher Award in 2019. Cole comforts hospice patients. Cole and Hannah appear at school assemblies throughout New Jersey and in Delaware, New York, and Maryland. And he is the official mascot of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland, after the residents there petitioned the state. He even has his own military K9 dog tag. Cole has learned about 32 commands in sign language, and he and Hannah work together just about every day to increase the dogs knowledge. Cole has mastered special signed commands, like visit. When Hannah signs that, Cole knows to hop up and put his front paws on the side of a hospital bed. That way, the person can reach him and pet him. Some patients want him to get into their bed so they can snuggle with Cole. He is happy to do that, too. Another command in Coles vocabulary is drive. When Hannah signs that, Cole races to the door, ready to hop into the car and go to work. Thats because Cole loves his job. A lot of therapy dogs, theyre being trained to be loved on by a couple of people at a time, or one individual at a hospital at a time. Cole is literally loved on by hundreds of students every single day, Hannah said. That is something a lot of dogs would find overwhelming. Not Cole. All I can say is when hes not working, hes looking to work, Hannah added. Cole, for one, hated the pandemic; it kept him away from people. He went through a bit of a depression, Hannah said. Zoom made it a little better until he could make in-person visits. He would jump up next to me in his chair. Hannah has started a not-for-profit Cole the Deaf Dog & Friends Foundation to bring their Team Cole Projects mission of kindness and acceptance to more people. That includes granting scholarships for enrichment programs to special needs children. In their Millville home, Hannah, his wife, Nicole, and Cole have added to their family with two more rescue dogs, CeCe and Alice, who is also deaf, has one eye, and a cleft palate. They are following Coles superhero lead; they are also therapy dogs. File photo: Darlene Foreman, a representative with Tenant Resident Council, throws water into the air during a protest at 38th and Market Streets, where they shut down the intersection last August. Residents, supporters, and activists gathered at the University City Townhomes at 40th and Market Streets to protest the sale of their homes. Read more On Monday night, Police Free Penn and local community groups will hold a panel discussion on the relationship between the University of Pennsylvania and the surrounding Black community of West Philadelphia. The panel will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Penn LGBT Center at 3907 Spruce St. Representatives from Black Lives Matter Philly, the Coalition to Save the UC Townhomes, and Collective Climb will also speak on the panel, which is free to attend and open to the public. Police Free Penn is a student-led group at the University of Pennsylvania which advocates for the abolition of the schools police force, which currently has 121 full-time officers. Formed in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, the group is committed to building a relationship with the West Philly community that might make a complete reimagining of public safety possible. Christopher Rogers, a member of Police Free Penn and a research fellow with Penns Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites, said that the event is a step toward dismantling the idea of the Penn bubble in West Philly. To Rogers, the more that people understand the relationship and impact of the Ivy League university on West Philly, the better. Its about understanding the ways that this hugely wealthy institution is complicit in a lot of the systemic harms that Black Philadelphia faces, he said. But the event is not only for community members to express how Penns presence affects them; Rogers also hopes that members of the Penn community see this as an opportunity to support their West Philly neighbors and learn more about their own responsibility as members of a shared community. Advertisement READ MORE: Why the University City Townhomes are really vanishing and why it could happen again They have an opportunity to do something different thats going to actually build something that can overcome those harms and challenge the institution to do better, he said. This is [where] the Black Bottom was taken from. It is still a space for Black Philadelphia to be. Mabel Chan (left) and Su Zhu Mai get ready to perform during the 28th annual Mid-Autumn Festival in Philadelphias Chinatown on Saturday. Chan said they were part of the Chinese Benevolent Association. The 28th annual Mid-Autumn Festival organized by Asian Americans United featured musical performances, carnival games, and the popular mooncake-eating contest. Read more Sixteen-year-old Yuki Xu is the first to admit that nothing beats the Mid-Autumn Festival in China. She said theres no escaping the music, the decorations, or the flow of mooncakes. Youre just immersed in the culture, she said. Phillys Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival, meanwhile, spans Arch through Vine Streets along 10th Street so not quite on the same scale as China, though there is a mooncake-eating competition. Still, Xu and others said the contrast made them cherish Phillys festivities all the more. In its 28th year, the festival once again drew thousands, with organizer Asian Americans United expecting to have a final count of about 7,000 attendees. The day featured a full schedule of Beijing opera, Taiko drumming, and kung fu demonstrations. Volunteers attended craft tables for zodiac mask making, lantern cutting, and folding paper fans adorned with small flowers made of colorful tissue paper. Advertisement READ MORE: Eight things to know about the Mid-Autumn Festival in Phillys Chinatown Cindy Jiang, 17, helped children and adults gently trace over Chinese characters with black paint at a calligraphy station. The finished pieces wished people a happy Mid-Autumn Festival. Calligraphy is an art style that is difficult to pass down, said Jiang. Thats why we have it here, we want it to keep spreading. The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Moon Festival. And its been celebrated in Asia for thousands of years, usually on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is brightest. Its similar to Thanksgiving, a day for families to gather. Passing down traditions to people whove never been to China or havent visited in a long time was cited by several parents bringing their children to the festival. In our generation, its hard to keep up these traditions, said Michael Trieu, 39, who with his wife was cutting out lanterns with their children, ages 5 and 7. Families said that between work and school, the Mid-Autumn Festival can be overlooked in the home, especially if you dont have a wider group of people to celebrate with. But the annual festival in Chinatown drums up enthusiasm among adults and serves as a reminder that these traditions are alive and well. Trieu said his young children were the ones who asked to go this year after seeing a flier. For many adults, the festival helps address the yearning they say is brought about by the immigrant experience. Tong Xu, 41, said it had been four years since she visited China with her children. Its hard to teach them the culture in such a short period of time, she said as she helped her daughter Fiona, 5, add some glitter to a rabbit mask. They dont have a lot of memories. Xu said memories of giant celebrations such as the Mid-Autumn Festival in China are some of those most dear to her and she wants her children to have something similar. I am an American but Im also Chinese, she said, adding that she wants her children to know theyre not alone. Should they ever have a longing for their roots, they have thousands of people who also share their traditions and are happy to celebrate with them. Still, Saturdays festival wasnt all fun and music. Organizers registered voters and grassroots groups offered to connect people to legal and medical services. There were also tables where volunteers drummed up opposition to a proposed Sixers arena that would occupy a footprint from Market to Filbert Streets, between 10th and 11th Streets. READ MORE: Follow our Sixers arena coverage Anti-arena T-shirts were printed in real time and put up for sale. Alice Vuong, AAU board president, said that like last year, there seemed to be an especially large interest from the community for a celebration such as this after COVID-19 shutdowns and fears that the neighborhoods character might change if a new Sixers arena were built in Center City. She said the festival was also about celebrating the ecosystem of Chinatown, including businesses, schools, and houses of worship. We want to give people a safe space to celebrate themselves, celebrate their culture, language, song, and dance, she said. He is becoming the Wolfman Jack of political violence and strongman fascism in America, blasting his hate-filled rants at the 21st-century equivalent of 150,000 watts, on a frequency that clears the mighty Mississippi and hurdles the Rocky Mountains and lands in small towns and far-flung cities his ugly riffs on executing U.S. generals or threatening judges or shutting down news outlets cheered and shared by an audience thats counted in the millions. When Donald Trump howls into his metaphorical microphone, its on a frequency that gets picked up by the likes of Ryan Martinez, a 23-year-old man living in Sandia Park, N.M., a small-town suburb of Albuquerque. Martinezs Facebook page says hes a graduate of Los Lunas High School, and, according to the Albuquerque Journal, his bio reads: (expletive) The Chinese Communist Party and (expletive) Joe Biden. TRUMP WON. (pre-law major). The legal education if that part is real could come in handy for Martinez, whose social media profile also includes Trumpian rants about the Big Lie of election fraud, as well as a photo of his political idol with North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un. On Thursday, the young Trump fan, wearing his Make America Great Again hat, went to nearby Espanola as a counterprotester against Indigenous New Mexicans and left-wing allies angry over the county governments plan to reinstall a controversial statue of a Spanish conquistador, Juan de Onate. Martinez reportedly argued with and baited the largely Native American protesters at the event before a scuffle broke out, knocking off Martinezs red cap. As captured vividly by an Albuquerque photojournalist, the young man then pulled out a handgun and began shooting, striking and wounding an out-of-state environmental activist and member of the Hopi tribe named Jacob Johns. Police who arrested Martinez said he laughed and smirked through an interview. Advertisement Its small consolation that no one was killed during Martinezs rampage. Hardly the first episode of political violence tied closely to the MAGA movement, it surely will not be the last. Especially when this fish stinks from the head. The New Mexico shooting marked the end of a week in which Donald Trump repeatedly celebrated violence, making it clear that death, injury and intimidation isnt a side effect of his authoritarian push to return to the White House, but the primary disease. The overwhelming front-runner for the GOP 2024 presidential nomination even visited South Carolinas Palmetto State Armory, a massive gun emporium that was in the news just weeks earlier for selling an AR-15 to a racist gunman who etched a swastika onto the handle and used it to hunt down Black people in a Dollar General store, killing three of them. That fact didnt deter the four-times-indicted Trump, who held and admired a Glock pistol burnished with his own image and sent mixed signals about whether he was buying it, alarming federal prosecutors. Trumps celebration of gun culture was sandwiched between some stunning remarks. The first was an assault on the nations outgoing Joint Chiefs chair, Gen. Mark Milley, in which he ranted that a Milley phone call with Chinese brass while Trump was melting down after his 2020 election was an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH! On Friday, the would-be 47th president told California Republicans that shoplifters should be shot and killed and then celebrated another act of violence by a supporter, 2022s hammer attack that nearly killed Paul Pelosi, husband of the former Democratic House leader. Well stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi, who ruined San Francisco hows her husband doing, anybody know? Trump told a state party convention. And shes against building a wall at our border, even though she has a wall around her house which obviously didnt do a very good job. The crowd laughed and Trump smirked just like Martinez, the New Mexico shooter. Trump is playing a dangerous game, and there is a name for it: Stochastic terrorism. The cries for vengeance and violent retribution from the leader of the MAGA movement arent a message to anyone in specific but rather a bat signal to everyone who can hear his voice, whether its armed and troubled young men like Martinez or the Jacksonville gunman, or the angry mob that responded on Jan. 6, 2021, after Trump tweeted, Will be wild! This undercurrent of violence and rage has always been there Trump was urging fans to knock the crap out of hecklers when he first ran in 2015 but it is increasingly front and center as MAGA evolves from a cult of personality around a reality-TV star into a full-blown fascist-style movement. After Trumps South Carolina gun shop excursion, NYU professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on dictators, wrote that now his brand is violence, and his rallies and other events sell that violence, presenting it as the preferred way to resolve differences in society and as the only way to move history forward. The gunplay in New Mexico was a powerful manifestation of that. Yet it received little news coverage, in a week in which the United States seemed to be unraveling on all sides. On Capitol Hill, a band of Republican nihilists with no agenda beyond inducing chaos came within hours of shutting down the government, and did manage to please a different dictator, in Russias Vladimir Putin, by shutting off U.S. aid for Ukraine. Meanwhile, many of the same Trump allies launched a hearing for an utterly fact-free impeachment of President Joe Biden. The thread running through all these stories is the same: Facts, or truth, or basic functions like keeping the government open, or the quaint idea that our problems can be solved peacefully ... none of those things matter in a nation they are determined to break, so that a strongman named Trump, alone, can fix it. READ MORE: Can Taylor Swift save U.S. democracy if Joe Biden cant? Heres an idea for 2024. While this is happening, the guardians of the American way establishment politicians, and especially the news media are desperately trying to pretend that we are going into a normal presidential campaign cycle. The latest example was a so-called Republican debate held Wednesday at the Reagan Library in California, a setting meant to invoke gravitas. But Trump, with 55-60% support, didnt even feel it was necessary to show up and the seven dwarfs on the stage barely criticized him, afraid to trigger the foot soldiers of the MAGA movement and hardly anyone watched. But when the debate was over, something surprising happened. A gaggle of the top anchors at MSNBC had a lightbulb moment that they were trying to do political analysis when they are watching what they called the end of politics. Thats when a movement thats lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections and is watching its antiabortion, anti-LGBTQ extremism alienate the next generation of voters is determined to hold power by any means necessary. Even if thats the power that grows out of the barrel of a gun. Whats happening in Republican politics right now, MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow opined, is that the Republican Party, the Republican base, the Republican electorate, has effectively decided that they dont really want to do politics anymore, and theyre not all that interested in what politics is, and governing and political campaigning and policy competition and all that stuff, theyre not interested in that. So what do they want? They would prefer a strongman who is going to end politics. Her fellow panelists agreed that Democrats are struggling to understand this, but so is the mainstream media that they belong to. Said MSNBCs Joy Reid: The media cant figure out how to do something other than conventional politics from the 90s, so they say, Both sides, both sides, both sides. If we say, Donald Trump is corrupt, well, we have to cover Hunter Biden equally, we have to even-steven it and find something to say ... The fact that left-leaning-but-ultimately mainstream MSNBC was having this end of politics conversation was a step in the right direction. So was Bidens speech on democracy delivered the next day at an event honoring his Republican friend the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, where he said, We have to stand up for Americas values embodied in our Declaration of Independence because we know MAGA extremists have already proven they wont. An arguably more powerful statement came the next day from Milley, the retiring general, who declared that Americas troops are only loyal to the Constitution, that we dont take an oath to a wannabe dictator. No one needed to ask who that wannabe dictator is, although clueless Mike Pence and the other career politicians and media hacks whose paychecks depend on not hearing the only fire alarm that matters today, the five-alarm siren of rising fascism, still pretend not to understand. Time is running out to decide whether to reinvest in a 247-year-old idea of a government by and for the people, or to conduct government at the end of a Glock. The question isnt whether a majority of Americans want to be ruled by the barrel of a gun they dont but whether that majority can find the energy and the unity to fight back. Meanwhile, the echoes from the gunshots in a New Mexico courtyard are getting louder and louder. READ MORE: SIGN UP: The Will Bunch Newsletter In their deadly determination to smash the U.S. government, the MAGA extremists in Congress took the wrecking ball to Americas national security last week. Although the government shutdown sought by GOP radicals was averted at the very last minute, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy bowed to the MAGA minority on Ukraine. At a critical moment for Kyivs counteroffensive, he eliminated Ukraine aid from a stopgap spending measure that will keep the government open until mid-November when the whole GOP circus will restart. No one can be certain McCarthy will permit a future House vote to restore that aid, given his fear that his partys bomb-throwers will unseat him as speaker. He knows there is a sizable majority in both houses ready to extend Ukraine funding, but he is afraid to stand up to the MAGA cabal. The Republican surrender to these radicals threatens to undermine what could yet become Americas greatest moral and strategic foreign policy success in decades. These blind isolationists have made defunding military aid to Ukraine into a crusade. Their false claims about the war boost Russian President Vladimir Putins hopes that he can still wrest victory from his failing invasion. Advertisement The party of Ronald Reagan has become the enabler of Putin. Most blame for this transformation lies with the inevitable 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the social media (plus Fox News) that misleads the public about Ukraine. READ MORE: On his U.S. trip, Zelensky laid out why Ukraine's fight is ours, too | Trudy Rubin It is critical to puncture the lies that Trump and his MAGA acolytes are feeding Americans about the wars cost and its importance to our country before the MAGA destroyers hand Moscow a win. Under Republicans, not another penny will go to Ukraine, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Pasionaria of the MAGA crowd, fulminated recently at a Trump rally in Iowa. Our country comes first. Last week, the Georgia representative introduced an amendment to prevent the U.S. State Department from funding the drawdown of existing Pentagon stocks to send weapons to Ukraine, claiming that those weapons were for the United States and that any funds for Ukraine should go to the war on the southern border. Where to start? Lets begin by recalling that America First, Trumps catchphrase, was the very slogan used by isolationists in the late 1930s who opposed U.S. aid to embattled Britain, which was under siege by Adolf Hitlers Nazis. Next, if our country comes first, then we should recognize the importance of helping a country that is battling a primary adversary of the United States. Among other aggressive moves, Russia is threatening the Baltics and the Nordics (which is why Finland and Sweden sought to join NATO). Putin is also militarizing the Arctic, a crucial international waterway, and promising North Korea nuclear technology. By trying to cripple Ukraine, the GOP is encouraging Putin to do more. As for Pentagon stocks being for the United States, Ukrainian troops are fighting a battle that is in our interest. They are not doing this at the behest of NATO as Putin claims but because Putins imperialist dreams are an existential threat to their nation, just as Hitler was an existential threat to Britain and the United States. Moreover, as U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D., Mass.) told the Daily Beast, For a small fraction of our annual defense appropriations for less than Americans spend on soft drinks every year we have cratered half of Russias conventional military capacity got our biggest allies to increase their domestic defense spending and sent a message to Xi Jinping that we stand with freedom and democracy the world over. In other words, Greene has it backward. As for the southern border, the weapons sent to Ukraine have no resemblance to what is needed there. The border is a political issue, not a financial or military one. READ MORE: Russias kidnapping of Ukrainian children under the spotlight at United Nations | Trudy Rubin Yet Trump, who urged the MAGA crowd to shut down the government, also constantly links Ukraine to the border. Moreover, he insists we are being suckered by our European allies, whom he falsely claims have given far less aid to Ukraine than we have. That is untrue. According to Germanys Kiel Institutes Ukraine Support Tracker a respected think tank that records all Ukraine aid contributions Europe is now outstripping the U.S. in aid. The difference is that the U.S. gives far more weapons, while Europe gives much more financial aid (including long-term commitments) and refugee support. The constant drumbeat of Trump and MAGA falsehoods has led to a 57% GOP disapproval rating of aid to Ukraine, according to a June Pew poll. Add to that the vicious Tucker Carlsons berating of Ukraine and praise for Putin on his X (formerly Twitter) show. Carlson is so beloved in Moscow that the leading national news show, Rossiya-24, has been promoting a new show in which it excerpts his rants. Finally, let us return to Trumps encouragement of attacks on Ukraine. In a series of TV interviews on CNN, Right Side Broadcasting Network, and Fox News he insisted he could solve the Ukraine war in 24 hours. His technique: Put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a room with Putin, and force Zelensky to give up critical territory or face a cutoff of U.S. aid. Putin said that idea made him happy. Trump responded, I like that he said that. Trumps proposal not only encourages MAGA misdeeds and earns Putins praise, it denigrates the importance of Ukraines success to U.S. security. It encourages the GOP public to believe that the war can be resolved by chopping up Ukraine. Ukraine is not a head of lettuce. It is a country fighting for Western values and accepted post-World War II rules that ensured no European country invaded another. Putin has violated those rules in ways that threaten the world. Right now in Congress, MAGA Republicans led by Trump are putting American security last. Far Northeast Philadelphia has for years been the exception that proves the rules of Philadelphia politics. In the suburban-style neighborhoods of Somerton and Bustleton, the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police is coveted, not shunned. Many voters are as concerned about zoning as they are racial justice. And the local City Council representative is a Republican. Gary Masino is hoping to change that last part. In one of the only competitive elections on the Nov. 7 ballot, Masino, a Democrat and a union leader, is challenging Brian ONeill, a lawyer who has held the 10th District Council seat for a staggering 44 years. Advertisement ONeill has fended off challenges in the past, some of them serious. But even he admits this year is different. Its the first time Ive had somebody with so much money, so it presents another challenge, ONeill, 73, said of Masino. Its a high-stakes race for the Philadelphia GOP. ONeill is currently the only Republican on Council, and the party is locked in a battle with the progressive Working Families Party for two at-large Council seats that are for minority party or independent candidates. Republicans held those seats for 70 years before losing one in 2019. Unusually high spending for a Council race and TV ads Its no secret why Masino has been able to raise much more money than a typical challenger for a district Council race. As the leader of the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19, he is raising money hand over fist from the building trades unions. Masino, 58, had about $320,000 on hand as of the last campaign finance reporting period, which ended Sept. 18. And he had already spent $222,000 since June. ONeill, who had about $409,000 on hand, is not hurting for cash, either. Last election cycle, ONeill fended off a challenge from Democrat Judy Moore that appeared at first like it also may be backed by deep-pocketed interests. Philadelphia 3.0, an outside spending group that has aligned with business and development interests to combat Councils culture of incumbency, had endorsed Moore, a hospitality industry executive. But 3.0 backed out of the race, and the money Moore needed never materialized. The group has never publicly explained its mysterious change of heart. This time around, there is no mystery: Masino has the cash to compete thanks to his construction union allies. Both candidates are airing ads on cable, a rarity for a district Council race. A race between two moderates At first glance, the candidates appear as if they could not be more different. ONeill is buttoned-up and smooth-tongued. Masino, a third-generation sheet metal worker, is a gruff and direct everyman. But both are moderates in their respective parties, and both favor a tough-on-crime approach to public safety. Masino, who lives in Morrell Park, has said he doesnt object to any of ONeills legislative priorities and isnt asking voters to choose him just because hes a Democrat. Instead, he is framing the race as a referendum on whether ONeill has shown up for the Northeast in recent years. Im running because I dont think hes doing the job, said Masino, who has described ONeill as an absentee landlord. Hes got an advantage. Hes been in office 40 years. But its also a disadvantage, too. Masinos TV ads echo that message. Forty-four years. Thats how long Brian ONeill has served on City Council, the narrator of one ad says. But after 44 years, Northeast Philly is still getting shortchanged. ONeill, who lives in Crestmont Farms, says hed more than happy for voters to assess him on those terms. Im actually known for being very accessible and being at every meeting Im invited to that I can make, he said. You can make up whatever you want, and apparently thats what he did. ONeill prides himself on defending his constituents interests on development issues and frequently appears at Zoning Board of Adjustment hearings to denounce projects he says neighbors oppose. He points to his record of standing against multifamily developments that could threaten the Far Northeasts suburban feel. READ MORE: Northeast Philly mans planning roadblock shows how Councilman Brian ONeill shapes the neighborhood But despite focusing on those issues, ONeill has his detractors. Leaders of some neighborhood groups in his district have said he isnt responsive to their needs, and proponents of development in the Northeast contend he gets in the way of needed economic growth in an increasingly diverse part of the city. Police union endorsement holds weight in the Northeast ONeill, meanwhile, is coming at his challenger over another issue that is central to Northeast politics: public safety. The Northeast is home to hundreds of Philadelphia police officers, as well as the headquarters of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5. ONeill has long had an exceptionally close relationship with the police union. But as a tough-on-crime Democrat and a labor leader himself, Masino had reason to hope he could win over John McNesby, the Lodge 5 president. In an interview, McNesby called Masino a nice guy. But the Democrat never had a shot. Our allegiance and our loyalty right now is to Brian ONeill, McNesby said. Brian has been with us from the beginning since Ive been in office. Hes very accessible. He just helped work on [increasing] the budget for [police] recruitment. ONeills campaign is pressing the attack with TV ads tying Masino to progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner, persona non grata to many voters in the Northeast. Council candidate Gary Masino helped elect Larry Krasner, an ONeill ad says. The ad refers to a $5,000 donation Masinos union gave to Krasner in August 2017. That contribution came after the Democratic primary, in which Krasner prevailed over more moderate opponents. Its common for unions and other interest groups to line up behind candidates once it becomes clear they will win, as was the case for Krasner at that point. Masino, on the other hand, says that ONeill is failing on public safety because he is not doing a better job of preventing police patrols from being diverted from the Northeast, a relatively safe part of the city, to other neighborhoods. I dont feel were getting a fair share. Theres a lack of police in the Northeast on any given night, he said. Im not a career politician. Im just a guy who knows whats right and wrong, and how to get things done. WASHINGTON The threat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open with little time to spare after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal. The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Bidens full request. The bill funds government until Nov. 17. After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol. This is good news for the American people, Biden said in a statement. Advertisement He also said the United States cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted and expected McCarthy will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. Its been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress ahead of the midnight funding deadline after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown. The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach. Were going to do our job, McCarthy, R-Calif., said before the House vote. Were going to be adults in the room. And were going to keep government open. If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would have begun to face shutdown disruptions. It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The package funds government at current 2023 levels until mid-November, and also extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote. But the loss of Ukraine aid was devastating for lawmakers of both parties vowing to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his recent Washington visit. The Senate bill included $6 billion for Ukraine, and both chambers came to a standstill Saturday as lawmakers assessed their options. The American people deserve better, said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, warning in a lengthy floor speech that extreme Republicans were risking a shutdown. For the House package to be approved, McCarthy was forced to rely on Democrats because the speakers hard-right flank has said it will oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes needed from his slim majority. Its a move that is sure to intensify calls for his ouster. After leaving the conservative holdouts behind, McCarthy is almost certain to be facing a motion to try to remove him from office, though it is not at all certain there would be enough votes to topple the speaker. Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed. If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. But I think this country is too important. The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has championed Ukraine aid despite resistance from his own ranks, is expected to keep pursuing U.S. support for Kyiv in the fight against Russia. I have agreed to keep fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine, McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote. Late at night, the Senate stalled when Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., held up the vote, seeking assurances Ukraine funds would be reconsidered. I know important moments are like this, for the United States, to lead the rest of the world, Bennet said, noting his mother was born in Poland in 1938 and survived the Holocaust. We cant fail. The Houses quick pivot comes after the collapse Friday of McCarthys earlier plan to pass a Republican-only bill with steep spending cuts up to 30% to most government agencies and strict border provisions that the White House and Democrats rejected as too extreme. A faction of 21 hard-right Republican holdouts opposed it. Our options are slipping away every minute, said one senior Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. The federal government had been heading straight into a shutdown that posed grave uncertainty for federal workers in states all across America and the people who depend on them from troops to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others. Families that rely on Head Start for children, food benefits and countless other programs large and small were confronting potential interruptions or outright closures. At the airports, Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers had been expected to work without pay, but travelers could have faced delays in updating their U.S. passports or other travel documents. The White House has brushed aside McCarthys overtures to meet with Biden after the speaker walked away from the debt deal they brokered earlier this year that set budget levels. Catering to his hard-right flank, McCarthy had made multiple concessions including returning to the spending limits the conservatives demanded back in January as part of the deal-making to help him become the House speaker. But it was not enough as the conservatives insisted the House follow regular rules, and debate and approve each of the 12 separate spending bills needed to fund the government agencies, typically a months-long process. In the Senate, all the no votes against the package came from Republicans. McCarthys chief Republican critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, has warned he will file a motion calling a vote to oust the speaker. Some of the Republican holdouts, including Gaetz, are allies of former President Donald Trump, who is Bidens chief rival in the 2024 race. Trump has been encouraging the Republicans to fight hard for their priorities and even to shut it down. At an early closed-door meeting at the Capitol, several House Republicans, particularly those facing tough reelections next year, urged their colleagues to find a way to prevent a shutdown. All of us have a responsibility to lead and to govern, said Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. The lone House Democrat to vote against the package, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said, Protecting Ukraine is in our national interest. ___ Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. News / Local by Staff reporter A Plumtree activist from the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) has been charged with assaulting a war veteran at a local bar.Bongani Fara, aged 46, recently appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware, facing accusations of assaulting James Ndebele at a bar in the area.According to the prosecutor, Voster Makuwerere, the incident occurred on September 10. James Ndebele was at the bar with a female friend when Bongani Fara entered and confronted the war veteran, alleging that Ndebele had falsely claimed to be his employer.During the confrontation, Ndebele accused Fara of making threats, suggesting that CCC activists would target war veterans if they obtained weapons, considering that the population of former liberation fighters had decreased.Subsequently, Fara physically confronted Ndebele by poking him and removing his hat, then discarding it.Following this incident, Ndebele reported the matter to the police, leading to Bongani Fara's arrest. The case is set to continue on October 30. British exporters dont like it, Irish exporters welcome it, but the stop-start on getting Brexit done is a cause for frustration, no matter what side of the Irish Sea or the English Channel you are on. The British governments push back of the Brexit checks on food, plant, and animal produce imported into Britain in September begs the question of how committed the British prime minister Rishi Sunak government is to fully exit the EU. The recent delay, besides giving Irish exporters a competitive advantage over British producers, also holds out the prospect of kicking the Brexit can further down the road to a point where full implementation may never happen. This prospect seems more likely following British Labour Party leader Keir Starmers recent promise to seek a major renegotiation of the Brexit agreement if he wins the next election, due by end of next year. He will be pushing at an open door in Brussels, who are seeking ways of bolstering trade to combat the damage done by the war in Ukraine, as well as Russian embargoes on fuel, wheat, and grain. It has not been lost on EU leaders that the UK continues to be the second-largest export market for their products and the third-largest source of imports and too much damage to their economy is in the interest of nobody. There are options for both the EU and the British government under the current Trade & Co-operation Agreement to renegotiate the terms as early as 2026. With the British general election due by the end of 2024, there is potential for both Conservatives and Labour, if in power, to hold back on any further disassociating from the EU and negotiate a new, freer trade deal. Recent polls indicate that the British public would welcome better relationships with the EU, particularly as they see rising everyday costs as a legacy of Brexit and dont relish further hits to dinner favourites including French or Irish cheese, Spanish olive oil and dried meats from Italy. These are sentiments that Mr Starmers party are keen to emphasise, with their mantra that further Brexit measures on imports, if they finally become law, could drive up soaring grocery prices further as households grapple with cost-of-living pressures. There have been repeated complaints from business leaders about a range of post-Brexit obstacles to trading with the EU and the lack of effort by the British government in seeking to address them. Most recently, three of the worlds largest carmakers, Vauxhall, Jaguar Land Rover, and Ford, told the government that it needed to renegotiate with the EU to change post-Brexit rules due to come in next year that they say threaten Britains largest export industry and its emerging electric vehicle production. Even the British services industry, particularly finance, where trade is less dependent on the EU than in goods, the lack of association with the EU has proven problematic. A recent example is the area of data protection and the associated transfer rules between Europe and the US, where the British parliament needed to rapidly approve a UK-US data bridge as an extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework which was adopted and took effect in July, to ensure they were not excluded from important transatlantic services contracts. Also impacting EU-UK relations is the war in Ukraine, which has pushed new countries either to join Nato, or to seek EU membership, or to relaunch their bilateral partnership. These matters, besides impacting EU-UK relations, also creates opportunities for the two parties to revisit and readjust their trade co-operation agreement in light of the new geo-political reality. In fact, the general elections forthcoming in the UK before 2025, and the Trade & Co-operation Agreement review foreseen by 2026, offer a significant opportunity for the UK to repair the major act of self-harm brought on by Brexit. But, short of rejoining the EU, Irish exporters and importers large and small, would strongly welcome any EU initiatives to strengthen co-operation with the UK to regain some of what was lost with Brexit. John Whelan is a leading expert on trade The last time I was in Maxs in Kinsale, a young Napoleon may well have been working in the kitchen as a summer exchange student washing pots and, while I cant remember the exact day, it was certainly long enough ago that this venerable old stager had faded almost entirely from the forefront of my memory until a doughty comrade told me of his recent and very pleasant dining experience. If my last visit to Maxs was an eternity ago, then well require carbon dating and a team of top archaeologists to pin down when exactly I first met The Judge and Captain Seadog in first year in boarding school and we have convened another meeting of our survivors club to coincide with Irelands World Cup rugby clash with the South African Orcs, overnighting on Captain Seadogs old tub, docked in the greater harbour area just as another of a seemingly endless procession of Atlantic squalls sets in for the evening. Accordingly, we are booked in for the very early bird and are the first into a sharp and simple room, pared back to the essential elements of stone wall, timber beam, some tasteful paintings, and a wood floor polished to a high gleam. We start with an aperitif of superb Cockagee keeved cider, crisp, delicate, and working very nicely with nutty brown soda bread and a nimble black olive tapenade. For starters, The Judge has sauteed squid and prawns, fresh, juicy and served with green tea noodles, a sweet miso dressing, pickled carrots, and black sesame seed; while Captain Seadog has a plate of pan-fried scallops that are not remotely shy about coming forward, the tender scallops marine umami amplified by beefy coral and served with a creamy celeriac and hazelnut oil puree, crushed roasted hazelnuts, and lovage sauce. Deep-fried brie may hark back to a long lost culinary epoch but Ive always been partial to the notion and this is fine little rendition. Crisp filo parcel, when sliced, spills forth an indolent puddle of rich, creamy cheese like a squiffy spinster collapsing on to the couch after a free-bar wedding. Served with sweet onion, rowan berry sauce, and a spry salad of mixed local leaves, radish and nasturtium flower, very more-ish indeed. My recently received recommendation certainly tipped the hat to the Maxs food menu but said chapeau was doffed entirely and followed by a sweeping bow to the wine list and it is indeed a fine little selection, flush with organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. Our first bottle is Nikoladzeebis Marani 2019, made with Tsolikouri grapes by Ramaz Nikoladze, in Georgia, and is has all the heft required, its lemony wild herb garrigue and bone-dry minerality cutting a swathe through strong, assertive flavours on the plate. Wild Irish brill is a last-minute addition to the menu. The Judge isnt interested, says the only time he ever ate brill it was rubbery though he acknowledges it may have been the way he cooked it. My fillet is dusted in seasoned flour and pan fried and teamed with a muscular crew of roasted veg: Late-season courgette that is marrow meaty, soft tender and oily red pepper, saline nips of sea asparagus and punchy black Moroccan olives, succulent and salty. Potent yet perfect with the sublimely cooked and very flavourful brill. The Judge has a taste. Very impressed. Yep, he says, must have been the way I cooked it. He is having slow-cooked Irish pork belly, and while I always prefer the depth of flavour to be had from free-range pork, this is well-delivered, lush, tender meat wearing a hint of Chinese five spice that draws out the sweetness of the flesh. It is served with local braised red cabbage, rhubarb compote, and parsnip, just the sort of cosy comforter a body requires on such a miserable, wet evening. Captain Seadog has pan-fried monkfish and it too is built from the ground up with an eye to filling the belly and keeping out the cold. The fish is perhaps a bit too cooked for my liking but it is fine all the same and a mildly citric ponzu glaze glances off the more trenchant umami of red dillisk, sea lettuce, and roast Belgian chicory, with French beans still offering a satisfying snap. Sesame seed completes another good dish. A plate of steaming, floury British Queens is slathered in melting butter and a sprinkling of chopped parsley, a singular yet special side dish. Our second bottle is a red, AOC Arbois Trousseau 2020, from Domaine Rolet, in the Jura, in France; it has tantalising whiffs of raspberry on the nose, round, soft tannins on the palate and a clean refreshing finish means it pairs as well with sweet, white meat of the pork as it does with the more demure fish dishes. Time is ticking onwards and bellies are well sated, so we share a single dessert. It has been an evening of classical French cooking leavened with a healthy dash of bistro thrown into the melange, so we stick with the theme for a cracking mini bourbon vanilla creme brulee, snapping our way through the brittle carmelised sugar cap to superb and plush, silky custard. Chef-patron Olivier Queva has never been one to hog the limelight which is why his name may be less familiar than others though he has been doing his good thing in Maxs since he first opened in 1999, and the cooking remains as rock solid as ever, no reinvention of the culinary wheel but who needs to do that if you can keep serving up consistently tasty, good food. His wife, Anne Marie runs front of house with aplomb and curates that very sharp wine list with equal flair. We settle swiftly and head off into an increasingly wild and blustery night to watch the match. I presume you heard how that one went? The Verdict Food: 8 Service: 9 Value: 9 Atmosphere: 8 Tab: 45 pp (excluding drinks, dessert and tip) Maxs The lawyer for a military veteran who died in Northern Ireland while on trial for a 1974 killing has welcomed new laws to deal with the legacy of the Troubles. Philip Barden, who represented Dennis Hutchings, said the Act would allow soldiers who had served in Northern Ireland and discharged their weapons, to apply for immunity from prosecution by giving a true account of what happened. Hutchings, 80, died in October 2021 after contracting Covid-19 in the middle of his trial at Belfast Crown Court. I have long been requesting an end to criminal investigations and prosecutions which have caused far more harm than good and therefore welcome any legislation aimed at delivering better outcomes for those who were on the front line seeking to keep others safe A former member of the Life Guards regiment, Hutchings, from Cawsand in Cornwall, had been accused of the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham, a man with learning difficulties, in Co Tyrone in 1974. He denied the offence. Mr Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act received royal assent last month despite widespread opposition from political parties, victims organisations in Northern Ireland and the Irish government. Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). Victims organisations oppose the new legislation (Stefan Rousseau/PA) It will also halt future civil cases and inquests. A number of families of Troubles victims have launched judicial reviews against the new laws and a High Court judge said on Thursday that he wanted to hear the cases in November. But Mr Barden, from legal firm Devonshires, said the act would allow relatives of soldiers who died in Northern Ireland to seek answers. He said: Having spent 25 years assisting soldiers in Troubles-related matters, I am pleased to see the Northern Ireland Troubles Act has now become law. I have long been requesting an end to criminal investigations and prosecutions which have caused far more harm than good and therefore welcome any legislation aimed at delivering better outcomes for those who were on the front line seeking to keep others safe. The ICRIR will be headed by former Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland Sir Declan Morgan (Liam McBurney/PA) Soldiers who served in Northern Ireland and discharged a weapon in circumstances where someone died will now be able to apply for immunity from any criminal proceedings by giving a true account of what happened. I also welcome provisions in the Troubles Act for the relatives of those soldiers killed, who have long been denied a voice, to seek answers. Mr Barden added: Whereas inquests in Northern Ireland to date have seemingly been directed at circumstances where security forces acted against terrorists, the legislation now applies equally to all next of kin. It is to be hoped that the ICRIR will find a way to effectively investigate the actions of the terrorists, who were responsible for 90% of the deaths. The ICRIR will be headed by former Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland Sir Declan Morgan. The body will review hundreds of unresolved Troubles deaths. A quiet man who lived a quiet life, 75-year-old Tom Niland will be remembered as the best neighbour by his local community in rural west Sligo. He died in Sligo University Hospital on Saturday from injuries sustained during a violent assault at his home last year. As news spread from early morning of his death, neighbours and family who had been maintaining vigils by his bedside over the past 20 months spoke of a mixture of shock, sadness, and relief that his suffering was finally over. The retired farm worker suffered severe injuries when a gang of masked men forced their way into his small bungalow and attacked him in Doonflynn, Skreen on the main Sligo to Ballina road on January 18, 2022. He was beaten and robbed and just managed to crawl across the road to his neighbour of 40 years Anna Calpin before collapsing. He was only recognisable by his voice. While he survived the initial attack, a sudden deterioration in his condition left Tom paralysed from the neck down. He would spend the next 20 months in intensive care unit (ICU), on a ventilator, unable to breath independently, walk, or talk. I was shocked when I heard, said James McLoughlin of Skreen Dromard Community Council. I knew he was in decline and the prospects werent good. Hes about 20 months suffering. He was just motionless in the bed, he told the Irish Examiner. Tom had been moved out of ICU and into a 24-hour section of the stroke unit at Sligo University Hospital in recent weeks where staff cared for him round the clock. Members of Civil Defence arriving to assist gardai in the search for the phone belonging to Tom Niland from Skreen, Co Sligo, after he was badly beaten in his home. Picture: James Connolly His inability to breathe, cough, or swallow meant that every time he needed to clear his throat, medical staff had to insert a suction tube into his throat, a procedure which caused him severe discomfort. His face would go purple when phlegm built up in his throat, he would contort in pain during the suction process. You could be with him for 10 minutes, that would happen after five minutes, and youd have to leave the room for the medical staff to carry out the procedure. And then it could happen all over again five minutes later. It was excruciating to see him endure that, his cousin, Michael Walsh, explained last week. Despite his injuries, it was his strong heart that kept him alive for so long according to doctors. They said he had the heart of a 30-year-old, said Michael. Michael had sourced a mini TV and attached it to Toms bedside table for him to watch his beloved soaps. Thats how he knew what time the burglars attacked, he had been about to or was just finishing watching Emmerdale, said Michael. Neighbour Anna Calpin described him last January as the best neighbour ever. He was a gentle giant. A quiet man living a quiet life. But he had a life. He worked over in Kilgallons [farm] for 54 years. Then he retired, he was in the mens sheds, he would go on bus tours for the old folk, he would go to town, he did most of his shopping in Collearys, all the bread men and delivery men are always asking about him. He had his own little farm, he had sold off the cattle and just had sheep. And he loved that, she said. A post-mortem examination will take place on Monday. Three men currently before the courts charged with assault causing serious harm, false imprisonment and aggravated burglary with a knife are due before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday. They include Francis Harman, 55, of Nephin Court, Killala Road, Ballina, Co Mayo; John Clarke, 34, of Carrowkelly, Ballina, Co Mayo; and John Irving, 29, of Shanwar, Foxford, Co Mayo. Harmon and Clarke both pleaded guilty to the charge of assault causing serious harm at a hearing in Dublin on May 25 and were remanded in custody on the other two charges to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this week. Irving is due to stand trial on all three charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday. All three men have been in custody since their arrest on March 9, 2022. In Drumcliff graveyard in East Clare rest the remains of a woman whose identity is unknown and whose family is unaware of her burial place. Most people in Ireland have never heard about her but she is one of 44 people whose full or partial remains are on a new database of unidentified human remains in Ireland which was launched in May. The database reveals that the woman may have been Vietnamese and her body was found in the sea near Doolin in West Clare on October 4, 2018. In a column marked descriptive details, the reader is told that the body had open wounds and open fractures deemed not post mortem, adding that the woman was potentially Vietnamese. However, readers of the database will not know that two pieces of jewellery were found with her. Nor will they know that she was of slim build, measured 5ft 9in, had grey hair and a gold tooth, and was between 50 and 55 years old. They will not know the exact location where her remains were found, half a mile out to sea from the Sea Stacks close to the Cliffs of Moher. Database users will not know the woman's remains were found at sea off the Cliffs of Moher. That in-depth information is only available if someone goes to check the UK database on the National Crime Agencys website. However, if they dont, they will not be aware of that information from the Irish equivalent. But if they do check the UK site, they will not only be able to read the details about the womans jewellery, they will also be able to view photos of the gold bracelet and gold ring with green stones which were recovered with the body. While the Irish database notes that the woman had open wounds, the UK one elaborates that she had a vertical scar in the midriff area. Hers is the only Irish case currently on the UK database, although a Google search of some of the 44 cases on the Irish database unearths listings of them on other international websites about missing persons. While the Department of Justice says it is committed to doing everything possible to ensure families have the best chance of finding their missing loved ones, there is a feeling among some that more could be done. Database of unidentified remains It has been almost 20 years since Claire Clarke-Keane from Co Louth first came up with the idea of a database of unidentified remains across Ireland. It was in 2005, three years before the opening of a cold-case review of the disappearance of her sister Priscilla. Claire Clarke-Keane first came up with the idea of a database of unidentified remains across Ireland almost 20 years ago. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Priscilla disappeared after going horse-riding with her employer Lynda Kavanagh in Wicklow in 1988. Mrs Kavanaghs body was recovered from the River Dargle two days later but Priscilla has never been found. She is one of 856 people who remain "missing" in Ireland. The database is a start but it needs to have visuals it is just a spreadsheet," says Claire. She believes that distinguishing clothing, jewellery, or any other items found with or on unidentified remains should be photographed and placed on the database too. For example, the database as it currently stands includes details of one man whose remains were discovered in the River Liffey in May 1982. He was wearing a navy jacket with a yellow John Player badge. Another man whose remains were taken from the sea at Howth had a large multicoloured tattoo of a serpent, flowers, and a crest, with Mam-Dad written on it. He also had two other tattoos on his legs. On entering the UK database, a user is greeted with a warning which flashes up on screen: This website contains images that may be distressing. Images deemed to be sensitive have been obscured and will require further permission from the user before viewing. That is because some of the current listed cases provide images of the remains, including the face, or tattooed limbs. Many have images of clothing, jewellery, or footwear either found with the remains, or which were similar to what they were wearing. Data about unidentified remains must be sent to the UK Missing Persons Unit within 48 hours for inputting into the database, to assist major crime investigations and in bringing closure to the families of missing people who are deceased. Here, the current plan is to update the database on an annual basis, through returns from each district coroner to the Department of Justice. Claire Clarke-Keane feels strongly that more needs to be done to ensure that every unidentified full or partial body currently in Ireland is located and its details recorded. She wants an audit to be conducted in cemeteries across the country to establish how many unmarked graves are in Ireland, or how many graves have markers signifying that unidentified remains are buried in them. That is because she often wonders if her sister, who would have turned 61 in August, was perhaps laid to rest in Deansgrange cemetery in Dublin, a massive cemetery close to the Dublin coast. It is possible, she muses, that Priscillas body could have been found by someone and that she could not be identified, possibly leading to her being buried unknown to her family as occurred in the case of the Asian woman in Drumcliff cemetery in Clare. The family of Denis Walsh plans to take a case against the State after finding out their sons remains had been lying in a communal grave unknown to them. Picture: Brian Arthur In Limerick, the family of Denis Walsh is planning to take a case against the State after they found out in February 2021 that their sons remains had been lying in a communal grave in Galway unknown to them. He had disappeared 25 years earlier and his remains washed up on a beach on Inis Mor a month after his disappearance. However, although his body lay in a morgue in Galway for 18 years before being buried in a communal grave, efforts by his parents Denis Senior and Mary to find their son failed. Forensic anthropologist Rene Gapert, who until recently was a coordinator of the National Missing Persons Helpline, included the need for a database in a 2018 proposal he drew up to tackle the issue of unidentified remains, which was submitted to the Department of Justice. He echoes Claire Clarke-Keane in saying that while the launch of the database is welcome, it should be just the first step in a range of measures. Ireland now has a database but now lets build on it," he says. He believes there needs to be a central role for forensic human identification that not only looks at the cases in terms of carrying out work of identification but also looks at the research behind it, and also training for police, forensic scientists, forensic pathologists, forensic anthropologists training in missing persons and unidentified remains because if you dont pass this expertise on, you dont have a way of passing it on like the other institutions that are established and which have a training component". He also believes there should be a central point of contact for gardai, coroners, and forensic scientists relating to unidentified remains. Information exchange A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said: The Department of Justice established a forum in July 2021 alongside An Garda Siochanas Missing Persons Unit and Forensic Science Ireland [FSI] to facilitate information exchange on unidentified remains. "The stakeholder forum, to include the Coroner Society of Ireland, will discuss improvements that may be made in relation to the gathering and sharing of unidentified remains and missing persons data. The department does not have visuals of distinctive items such as jewellery, clothing, tattoos, found with or on the unidentified remains. Where written descriptions were submitted by the coroner as part of their returns, these have been included on the database. The department has previously said there are no immediate plans to establish a centralised office to progress work in this area. The unidentified remains database is at an early stage of development, having been published in 2023 following the requesting of information, for the first time, from coroners as part of their annual statutory returns in 2022," said the spokeswoman. "It contains information as requested from and provided by coroners. Coroners Society of Ireland information officer, Mayo coroner Patrick OConnor, said the organisation would welcome the establishment of a more detailed database but says it is not the responsibility of coroners to do so. Coroners feel that such a facility should be established on a national basis by the Department of Justice in consultation with an Garda Siochana, the HSE, the Coroners Society of Ireland, and other relevant authorities in the State. The funding for such a facility is a matter for the State to provide. Coroners do not have proper and full remuneration at present to carry out their statutory obligations, and despite that are struggling to give as good a service to the public and others as can be done. Charities in Ireland have suffered a distinctly bruised reputation over the past seven years, but the latest story of financial irregularity at a major housing charity appears to be a tale of too much expansion, too fast. Scandals at charities such as Console damaged public confidence in the sector over the past decade, while ensuring stricter controls and regulation were introduced via heightened powers for the charities regulator. The latest non-profit body beset by difficulties is one of the most trusted names in the homeless sector. The financial troubles facing the Peter McVerry Trust first came to public attention when, in July, the charity informed the Department of Housing that it was facing serious cashflow problems, with big-five consultancy PWC then appointed to carry out a financial and governance review of the trust. The Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) proceeded to launch a statutory investigation into the charity. An inspector was appointed to carry out a separate investigation, with the findings of this to be placed before the authority when it is complete. All the signs indicate that the problems at the PMVT are a case of financial mismanagement rather than any malfeasance or unacceptable behaviour in high places. But good intentions wont make any difference if the reviews currently under way dont go the way the charity would like. Tax debt A multi-million tax debt obligation owed to Revenue appears to be at the heart of the charitys quandary, with the organisation confirming late last week that it currently owes the Commissioners some 8.3m in back taxes. The trust said it had entered a phased payment arrangement with the tax authority, commencing in September of last year, and that it has yet to miss a payment. Such a large debt could certainly give rise to the cashflow problem, as Fr McVerry described it on the same day, which is currently bedevilling the trusts operations. He insists that there is no evidence of fraud at the charity bearing his name. Origins of the Peter McVerry Trust Newry-born 79-year-old McVerry has worked for more than 40 years with the homeless and disadvantaged of Dublin. He has become a household name in recent years with the spiralling rates of inequality and homelessness seen in the capital in particular. He is secretary of the charity's board but draws no salary, expenses, or allowances from it. From humble beginnings with a single property in 1983, the PMVT now employs 771 people and manages more than 600 properties, providing some 2,000 residential placements each night. There are perhaps some indications of what has recently transpired in the charitys most recently available accounts, those for 2021. Income at the PMVT was down by roughly 7m on the year from 60.3m to 53.2m, primarily driven by a drop in undefined other income of 7.2m. At the same time, expenditure jumped by 3.5m for the year, creating a deficit of nearly 11m to start 2022. In terms of staff salaries, the charity is not profligate. Of its 771 staff complement, just 12 senior managers earn more than 60,000 per year. One of them earns more than 110,000, the only employee to break the 100,000 salary mark. That list of relatively high earners remains unchanged from 2020. Some 54 staff were added in 2021, with staff costs moving to 33m per year from 30.6m, giving an average salary at the organisation of just under 43,000, which is hardly extortionate. Queries from the Irish Examiner to the trust regarding the nature of its current cashflow, the timelines for its payment deal with Revenue, and how the charitys cashflow issues had been allowed to snowball in the manner they have, were not answered last week. 'These services must be protected' Fr McVerry said on local radio on Thursday that the financial problems have come about because his charity had tried to help too many people, too fast. He said the pandemic saw much of the trust's fundraising events cancelled and its income drop "substantially". "So now we are having to pay back taxes along with our monthly tax liability for PAYE and PRSI for over 500 employees," he said in an interview with South East Radio. That is a challenge. That is an example of the situation we are in." One man seems to be the go-to problem-solver for charities in trouble in Ireland David Hall, co-founder of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation. Housing Minister Darragh OBrien and David Hall, CEO of iCare Housing. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie Mr Hall was drafted in to oversee the winding-down of Console in 2016, and was chairman of Inner City Helping Homeless before stepping down in August 2021 amid the fallout from the allegations of sexual impropriety against its then-CEO Anthony Flynn. He was posited by Francis Doherty as a possible addition to the board of PMVT who could help the charity to weather the current storm. Mr Hall indicated he would help, but the board said no. "This situation is different, the services are very important, with an exceptionally dedicated and qualified staff, Mr Hall told the Irish Examiner. Whatever cashflow issues they have, theyre fine, theyre being dealt with, theyve changed all that. These services must be protected at all costs. When someones drowning, you throw them a life aid. I just know that it would be an absolute tragedy and a travesty if this service and its users werent protected. Because, in the end, its vulnerable people being helped by those who actually give a fiddlers about them. The whole thing is eminently salvageable with proper intervention. THE ORGANISATIONS HELPING THE HOMELESS Azerbaijan has issued an arrest warrant for former Nagorno-Karabakh separatist leader Arayik Harutyunyan, the countrys prosecutor general has said. Mr Harutyunyan led the breakaway region, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but largely populated by ethnic Armenians, between May 2020 and last month, when the separatist government said it would dissolve itself by the end of the year after a three-decade bid for independence. Azerbaijani police arrested one of Mr Harutyunyans former prime ministers, Ruben Vardanyan, on Wednesday as he tried to cross into Armenia along with tens of thousands of others who fled following Bakus 24-hour blitz last week to reclaim control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian parishioners attended a national day of prayer on Sunday (Vasily Krestyaninov/AP) Mr Harutyunyan and the enclaves former military commander, Jalal Harutyunyan, are accused of firing missiles on Azerbaijans third-largest city, Ganja, during a 44-day war in late 2020, local media reported. The clash between the Azerbaijani military and Nagorno Karabakh forces led to the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region. The arrest warrant announcement by prosecutor general Kamran Aliyev reflects Azerbaijans intention to quickly and forcefully enforce its grip on the region following three decades of conflict with the separatist state. While Baku has pledged to respect the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, many have fled due to fear of reprisals or losing the freedom to use their language and to practice their religion and cultural customs. The only route from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia became jammed with slow-moving vehicles as people fled the region (Vasily Krestyaninov/AP) In a briefing on Sunday, Armenias presidential press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, said that 100,483 people had already arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, which had a population of about 120,000 before Azerbaijans offensive. Some people queued for days to escape the region because the only route to Armenia a winding mountain road became jammed with slow-moving vehicles. A United Nations delegation arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday to monitor the situation. The mission is the organisations first to the region for three decades, due to the very complicated and delicate geopolitical situation there, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. The Armenian prime minister has alleged that the exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh amounts to a direct act of an ethnic cleansing (Vasily Krestyaninov/AP) Local officials dismissed the visit as a formality. Hunan Tadevosyan, spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakhs emergency services, said the UN representatives had come too late and the number of civilians left in the regional capital of Stepanakert could be counted on one hand. Armenian health minister Anahit Avanesyan said some people, including older adults, had died while on the road as they were exhausted due to malnutrition, left without even taking medicine with them, and were on the road for more than 40 hours. Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan alleged on Thursday that the exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh amounted to a direct act of an ethnic cleansing and depriving people of their motherland. Azerbaijans foreign ministry strongly rejected Mr Pashinyans accusations, saying the departure of Armenians was their personal and individual decision and has nothing to do with forced relocation. US president Joe Biden has said that American aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now as he sought to reassure allies of continued American financial support for the war effort. But time was running out, the president said in a warning to Congress. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted, Mr Biden said in remarks from the Roosevelt Room after Congress voted late on Saturday to avert a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package that dropped assistance for Ukraine in the fight against Russia. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine (Andrew Harnik/AP) We have time, not much time, and theres an overwhelming sense of urgency, he said, noting that the funding bill lasted only until mid-November. Mr Biden urged Congress to negotiate an aid package as soon as possible. The vast majority of both parties Democrats and Republicans, Senate and House support helping Ukraine and the brutal aggression that is being thrust upon them by Russia, Mr Biden said. Stop playing games, get this done. But many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress was growing more difficult as the war ground on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, centre, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, left, during a recent visit to the US (AP) Voting in the House this past week pointed to potential trouble ahead, with nearly half of House Republicans voting to strip 300 million US dollars (246 million) from a defence-spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money was later approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Then, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until November 17. In doing so, the Republican closed the door on a Senate package that would have funneled six billion US dollars (4.9 billion) to Ukraine, roughly a third of what had been requested by the White House. Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the stopgap measure, with members of both parties abandoning the increased aid for Ukraine in favour of avoiding a costly government shutdown. Mr Biden said that deal was made to keep the government running and he worked to reassure US allies that the funding would be there. Look at me, he said turning his face to the cameras at the White House. Were going to get it done. I cant believe those who voted for supporting Ukraine overwhelming majority in the House and Senate, Democrat and Republican will for pure political reasons let more people die needlessly in Ukraine. The latest actions in Congress signal a gradual shift in the unwavering support that the United States has so far pledged Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and it is one of the clearest examples yet of the Republican Partys movement toward a more isolationist stance. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for America's security and for democracy around the world The exclusion of Ukraine funding came little more than a week after lawmakers met in the Capitol with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who sought to assure lawmakers that his military was winning the war, but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. After that visit, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said that one sentence summed up Mr Zelenskys message in his meeting with the Senate: If we dont get the aid, we will lose the war. Yet, Mr McCarthy, pressured by his right flank, has gone from saying no blank cheques for Ukraine, with the focus being on accountability, to describing the Senates approach as putting Ukraine in front of America. He declined to say after the vote on government funding whether he would bring aid for Ukraine up for a House vote in the coming weeks. If there is a moment in time we need to have a discussion about that, we will have a discussion completely about that, but I think the administration has to make the case for what is victory, Mr McCarthy said. In my state, people want to be helpful to Ukraine, but they also want to be helpful to Americans. And so they want to really understand how this money has been spent Mr Biden said in a statement after Congress averted a shutdown that we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. He called on Mr McCarthy to keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and push through the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. In the Senate, both Mr Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell pledged to move quickly to try and pass the full White House request. But it was clear that goal would be increasingly difficult as more rank-and-file Republican senators have questioned the aid or demanded that it be attached to immigration policy that would help secure the southern border echoing similar demands in the House. Florida Senator Rick Scott, a Republican who voted for the spending bill after the Ukraine aid was stripped out, said that Congress needed to have a conversation with the American public. He said he was optimistic after seeing the money taken out of the bill. In my state, people want to be helpful to Ukraine, but they also want to be helpful to Americans, Mr Scott said. And so they want to really understand how this money has been spent. US president Joe Biden, right, said we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted (Evan Vucci/AP) Democrats said they were disappointed by the lack of Ukraine funding, but expressed determination that they would get the aid to the war-torn country. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine, Mr Schumer said after the bill passed. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for Americas security and for democracy around the world. The US has approved four rounds of aid to Ukraine in response to Russias invasion, totalling about 113 billion US dollars (93 billion), with some of that money going towards replenishment of US military equipment that was sent to the front lines. In August, Mr Biden called on Congress to provide for an additional 24 billion US dollars (20 billion). The European Unions foreign policy chief has called on US lawmakers to reconsider their decision to omit financial support for Ukraine from a stop-gap budget bill Congress passed to halt a federal government shutdown. The legislation approved on Saturday to keep the federal government running until November 17 dropped provisions on providing additional aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republican lawmakers. Speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, the EUs top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said European officials were surprised by the last-minute agreement in Washington and pledged the 27-nation bloc would carry on helping the invaded country defeat Russia. We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker I have hope that this will not be a definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US, Mr Borrell said. We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker, the Spanish diplomat added. Ukrainian officials stressed that US backing for Ukraine would continue despite the stop-gap legislation. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraines presidential office, said Americas relationship with Ukraine had not changed and that Ukrainian officials met regularly with representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Josep Borrell was speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) All of Ukraines key partners are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, he wrote on Telegram. But the omission of additional Ukrainian aid from the package has raised concerns in Kyiv, which relies heavily on western financial aid and military equipment in its fight against Russias ongoing invasion. A little more than a week ago, lawmakers met in the Capitol with Mr Zelensky, who sought to assure them his military was winning the war but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. Yet recent voting in the House has pointed to increased US isolationism and a growing resistance to providing further aid as the war, now in its 20th month, grinds on. We need to speak the language of money with the US: How will the United States benefit from Ukraine's victory? What will the US get? What will American taxpayers get? We need to change strategy. We need to act differently In a sign of a partisan divide on the issue, nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip 300 million US dollars (246 million) from a defence-spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money was later approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Writing on Telegram, Ukrainian parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko said on Sunday that Kyiv needed to adopt new measures to receive the continued support of both American officials and the general public. Without it, Mr Goncharenko said, Ukrainians had practically no chance of defending themselves. He set forward a list of proposals that included permanently posting Ukrainian delegates in Washington. We need to speak the language of money with the US: How will the United States benefit from Ukraines victory? What will the US get? What will American taxpayers get? Mr Goncharenko wrote. We need to change strategy. We need to act differently. Lets fix this situation. We cannot lose. News / Local by Staff reporter The Nkayi Rural District Council is facing calls to improve its monitoring and protection of timber resources, which are being illegally harvested by companies, with no tangible benefits reaching local communities.Jabulani Hadebe, the Member of Parliament for Nkayi South, expressed concern over the lack of mechanisms to safeguard natural resources in the Matabeleland North district. He highlighted widespread unauthorized logging of timber in the Gwampa Valley, mainly by companies from other regions of the country.Hadebe, representing the Citizens Coalition for Change, suggested that the Nkayi Rural District Council should establish a security department within the vicinity of the affected forests, under its environment and natural resources portfolio. He called for capacity-building within an enforcement division to effectively manage the issue. Hadebe also advocated for legislation ensuring that the local community benefits from its natural resources.Furthermore, Hadebe proposed that preference be given to companies willing to establish beneficiation industries that generate employment in the area when granting timber harvesting licenses.However, Silibele Mpofu, the chief executive of Nkayi RDC, refuted claims of illegal timber harvesting in the district. She explained that timber harvesting was primarily conducted by the Forestry Company of Zimbabwe in Ward 30. Mpofu added that local companies would ideally be prioritized for timber harvesting, but they often lack the necessary documentation or may not exist.Matabeleland regions, including Nkayi, have long complained of marginalization, with limited development progress since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980. Residents also argue that they do not reap the benefits of the area's abundant natural resources, as contracts to exploit them are frequently awarded to outsiders. "30 September 2023 Mnangagwa's Presidential Decrees Open Door to Massive State Asset Looting The recent renaming of the Sovereign Wealth Fund into the so-called "Mutapa Fund" by presidential decree and the subsequent transfer of select. state enterprises into that fund has shocked many and naturally attracted serious concern regarding the motives behind such a brazen move, especially without the consent of parliament, which is still to convene and is meant to protect the interests of citizens.Further to that, there is the recent promulgation, again by presidential decree, of a new statutory instrument that seeks to exempt the Mutapa Fund from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (Chapter 2223).There is no debate that public procurement procedures and the disposal of public assets have a profound impact on a nation's developmental trajectory. Any country that wishes to rnaxirnize benefits from its assets and resources in a responsible manner and is also serious about accountability and transparency, therefore, needs to ensure that it has the appropriate laws, policies, and regulations in place to safeguard such public assets and resources from fraud and abuse.To protect state resources or assets from abuse, it is critical that there are:- Comprehensive and binding legal frameworks,- Effective monitoring and auditing procures to ensure compliance with the regulations,- Standard terms and conditions of contracts,- Improved transparency and public availability of rules governing the process.It is in this spirit that Zimbabwe enact the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets At (Chapter 2223) whose primary purpose is to provide for the control and regulation of procurement and the disposal of public assets to ensure that such procurement and disposal are conducted in a manner that is transparent, fair, honest, cost-effective, and competitive. The key objectives of this Act are as follows:1. To ensure that procurement is conducted in a manner that is transparent, fair, honest, cost-effective. and competitive.2. To promote competition among bidders.3. To provide for the fair and equitable treatment of all bidders leading to procurement contracts that represent good value for money.4. To promote the integrity of, and fairness and public confidence in procurement processes.5. To ensure the implementation of any environmental. social, economic, and other policies authorized or required by any law to be taken into account by a procuring entity in procurement proceedings. The exemption of any state entity from this Act not only indicates a profound disregard for the interests of citizens at large and the rule of law but also shows an abhorrence of any accountability or transparency whatsoever by the President. The negative implications of such a move are numerous and mean that those assets clandestinely transferred into the Mutapa Fund are now subject to gross abuse and looting without public disclosure or any recourse.Exempting the fund from such critical oversight means, first, there will be no obligation by the state to follow due process regarding the procurement of goods and services by the fund, thus exposing it to unmitigated risk. Second. such assets can be disposed of, not necessarily at fair value, and to individuals with close ties without any accountability whatever.In short, Zimbabweans have been dispossessed of effective and judicious control of state assets, and Mnangagwa has, in effect, taken full control of them under the Mutapa Fund without being answerable to anyone on how these assets operate or are disposed of in the future. This entrenches only his interests in what are essentially public assets. Florida Phoenix is a nonprofit news site thats free of advertising and free to readers. We cover state government and politics with a staff of five journalists located at the Florida Press Center in downtown Tallahassee. We have a mix of in-depth stories, briefs, and social media updates on the latest events, editorial cartoons, and progressive commentary. Reddit 213 Email 333 Shares Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) One advantage of solar and wind as renewable sources of energy is that they appear to be especially resilient in the face of natural disasters. A paradox of the battle against human-caused climate change is that some of our best tools, such as low-carbon hydroelectric power, are also the most vulnerable to the very alterations we are attempting to curb. The mega-drought in the US southwest endangered electricity production by the Hoover Dam, for instance. In Europe, rivers now get too hot at some points in the summer for their water to cool nuclear plants, which have to be shut down. In other instances, nuclear plants have to be sited near bodies of water that are rapidly rising and threatening Fukushima-style inundations and melt-downs of nuclear plants. No substantial damage to a modern wind turbine by an earthquake has been recorded since 1986. Ouarzazate, Morocco, on the edge of the Sahara, is the site of the worlds largest concentrated solar power plant, which has a capacity of 580 megawatts, the equivalent of a small nuclear plant. The massive 6.8 earthquake that shook Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and the Atlas Mountain region on September 8, killing nearly 3,000 people, did only minor damage to the solar complex and so the lights stayed on. Article continues after bonus IC video The Impossible Build: This Shockingly Massive Solar Power Plant Is Visible From Space The Moroccan Ministry of Energy clarified that the damage was confined to certain equipment at the Noor plant, emphasizing that these issues were swiftly repaired, and confirmed that all energy installations are operating normally. Moreover, donated portable solar power stations along with 400-watt solar panels helped keep essential services such as hospitals and clinics in operation in the Atlas Mountain villages hit by the quake. The Red Cross is encouraging such donations, seeing solar panels and power stations as much safer than trying to cook with portable natural gas cannisters. Morocco gets about 38% of its electricity from renewables, and hopes get the percentage to 52% by 2030. It is probably the Middle Eastern country that has so far done the most to adopt wind and solar. It is considered on track in its energy transformation to do its part in keeping global warming to under 1.5C, which is necessary to avoid the risk of the planets climate systems going chaotic. Morocco has few fossil fuels of its own and must import them at a relatively high cost. However, planners do continue to depend on coal and natural gas and some of the earlier green momentum has been lost. There have been delays with some planned major solar farms, but the government hopes these will come on line by 2025. There are also plans to produce green, i.e., low-carbon hydrogen. Because of its abundant sunshine, Morocco is an obvious site for producing solar power, and its wind resources are also extensive. There is even now a plan to bring renewable energy generated in Morocco to the UK by underwater cable, at a cost of $21 billion. News / National by Nkululeko Nkomo A now-deleted tweet by Joseph Kalimbwe, the spokesperson for Zambia's ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), has shed light on growing dissatisfaction with President Hakainde Hichilema's leadership. Kalimbwe's tweet, which was removed shortly after its posting, revealed significant concerns within the UPND regarding the president's performance and his administration's disconnect from the grassroots.In his initial tweet, Kalimbwe expressed, "Crisscrossing Zambia, some people don't even want to hear the name Hichilema - it's sad. They feel the elites have forgotten them. Our leader needs to get to the ground & hear what his people are saying about their lives; otherwise, this social media is very deceptive."This tweet exposes the sentiment of a significant portion of Zambia's population who believe they are being ignored by the current administration amidst pressing economic and social challenges. Despite President Hichilema's promises of economic reform and development, many citizens are becoming increasingly disillusioned.Joseph Kalimbwe's call for President Hichilema to reconnect with the grassroots amplifies the growing feeling that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears. The persistent "elites vs. grassroots" divide in Zambian politics is now exacerbated by doubts about Hichilema's leadership.The decision to delete the tweet has raised eyebrows and intensified the existing speculation. Many wonder if internal party pressure or concerns about damaging the government's image prompted Kalimbwe to retract the statement. Critics argue that the removal of the tweet reflects an attempt to suppress dissenting voices within the UPND and to maintain a facade of unity.Critics of President Hichilema have seized upon this incident to fuel the narrative that his administration is failing to deliver on its promises. They argue that the deletion of the tweet only reinforces the perception that the president is unwilling to engage with criticism or address the grievances of ordinary Zambians.As discussions surrounding Joseph Kalimbwe's tweet continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how President Hichilema and his administration will respond to the mounting concerns. The call for greater grassroots engagement underscores the importance of a responsive and inclusive government, particularly during a period of economic and social uncertainty. Kalimbwe's decision to delete the tweet has further deepened the skepticism surrounding President Hichilema's leadership, leaving many wondering about the true state of affairs within the UPND and the government. From the idol stage to the acting scene, Yura has managed to dominate both with ease. The idol-actress currently stars in the romance drama "Destined With You." Apart from her goddess-like beauty and enviable physique, she's also great when it comes to fashion as seen in her travel photos, photoshoots and more. If you wish to exude sophistication without breaking the bank, then this is for you. Check out Yura's best looks by reading more. Yura's Little Black Dress A little black dress is a staple piece of clothing in a woman's wardrobe, idol-actress Yura included. In her photoshoot with Noblesse Korea, she showed off her sophistication as she wore a black asymmetrical draped dress from the Spanish fashion brand Loewe. READ MORE: Shin Se Kyung Fashion: 'Arthdal Chronicles 2' Star's Most Stylish Looks To Try She gave the whole ensemble some pizazz with a silver bracelet which completed the look. In another photo, Yura went for a femme fatale vibe with her black dress and a tweed jacket. For her footwear, she brought out her knee-high leather boots that had a shoelace detail, which were all sourced from the Italian luxury brand Moschino. Yura Keeps In Touch With Masculine Side Besides being ultra-feminine, the idol-actress also loves dressing up androgynously, much to fans' delight. She's in touch with her masculine side which is seen on her photos in her social media account. In her pictorial with Esquire Korea, she put on her peach-colored Versace two-piece suit, giving off a casual yet elegant look. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THIS: 3 Fashion Essentials To Spice Up Your Outfits As Seen On Rising Actress Jung Da Bin Yura would also wear plain black suit jackets on her errands day to look put-together without exerting much effort. It's definitely a piece of clothing that will make one look just as cute while dressing down. Yura's Favorite Loungewear In her leisure time, Yura loves to wear basic pieces that are soft to the touch but still make her look presentable and appealing. Yura wore a baby blue linen top paired with midnight blue straight pants in her stroll, giving off a casual yet preppy vibe. It was a cozy ensemble that didn't make her look "underdressed." The whole look was completed with a pair of Hermes Oran sandals, much to every fashion enthusiast's delight. YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS: Yura Dishes On Relationship With Girl's Day - Are Idol-Actors Still Friends? Which Yura outfit would you love to try on? Tell us in the comments below! For more K-drama, K-movie and celebrity news, follow and subscribe to KDramaStars now! KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Cha Tae Hyun can't help but feel emotional after reading a heartfelt letter from his wife. The "Moving" star has been married for 17 years after tying a knot with his high school sweetheart, pop lyricist Choi Suk Eun, in 2006. The couple was blessed with three children: a son and two beautiful daughters. In one of the episodes of the variety reality show "Express Delivery: Mongolia Edition," alongside Kim Jong Kook, Jang Hyuk, and Hong Kyung Min, he unexpectedly received a letter from his wife. During the episode, each member received a surprising package without details from the sender. After Cha Tae Hyun opened his, he saw an envelope with a letter from his wife. Cha Tae Hyun Feels Emotional Reading His Wife's Heartfelt Letter As he immediately saw that it was from Choi Seok Eun, he couldn't help but get teary-eyed. "To my beloved husband, Tae-hyun," the letter begins, causing the actor to shed tears. READ MORE: Jo In Sung as 'Korean Brad Pitt'? 'Unexpected Business 3' Hints at Funny Interactions With Shoppers In a short yet heartfelt letter, Seok Eun expressed how she is thankful to have a loving husband and father like Cha Tae Hyun. Despite the setback in their lives, he is grateful to have the actor by her side, especially for their children. "I'm a little sick these days, so you're having a hard time taking care of the children for me, right? I always feel sorry, but I want to get better quickly and do well," the letter reads, as obtained by a news portal. Recalling the first time they met, dated, and got married, Choi Suk Eun thanked her husband for unconditionally loving her. "Let's continue to take care of each other and love each other as we do now," she wrote. According to the actor, his wife is sick and "not feeling well these days," but he did not elaborate on her health status. On the other hand, Kim Joong Kook expressed enviousness after Cha Tae Hyun read the last message of his wife, which says, "I think marriage is worth it." It has been 30 years since Cha Tae Hyun and Choi Suk Eun met during their high school years. In previous interviews, the actor said that they dated for 13 years. In fact, she was his first and last girlfriend. Will Cha Tae Hyun Return in 'Moving'? Cha Tae Hyun is among the lead stars in the hit K-drama "Moving." Based on the webtoon of the same name, the action mystery series depicts the story of individuals with superhuman powers, one of which is Jeon Gye Do, played by Cha Tae Hyun. Although his character didn't exist in the original webtoon, Gye Do's character plays a significant role and is well loved by viewers. As for the much-awaited news regarding "Moving" season 2, drama and Disney+ officials are yet to confirm if there will be a sequel. The same goes for cast members reprising their roles. IN CASE YOU MISSED: 'Moving' Star Cha Tae Hyun Talks About Playing High School Student at 47: 'I was very worried' For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Spinal Injuries Ireland has published a pre-budget submission calling on the Government to automatically provide medical cards to 42 people from Kilkenny who are living with a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The organisation made the call as part of its pre-budget submission and also wants the Government to ensure that medical cards are provided to these 42 service users for a period of 10 years without review. Spinal Injuries Ireland estimates that 700 people, or almost one third of its 2,200 service users, do not have a medical card despite those who sustain a Spinal Cord Injury being medically certified as having a lifelong condition that requires medical support. It said that medical card holders in Kilkenny and other counties were living in fear of HSE reviews that could result in the loss of their medical card and that this fear had also become a barrier to them returning to the workforce and achieving the optimal outcome from their rehabilitation. The system for determining eligibility for medical cards is arbitrary and inhuman. It is delaying or denying treatment and the supply of necessary equipment to many people living with a Spinal Cord Injury, and it is also preventing them from returning to work, said Fiona Bolger, CEO of Spinal Injuries Ireland. The current process of reviewing medical cards annually or once every three years has created a climate of fear and uncertainty. It is causing enormous distress and anxiety and it is making it extremely difficult for anyone with a Spinal Cord Injury to make long-term life plans. Spinal Injuries Ireland is calling on the Government to automatically provide medical cards to people with a Spinal Cord Injury on the basis of their certified medical needs rather than their means and to extend the review cycle for medical card holders with a SCI to ten years. The organisation said that people with a Spinal Cord Injury had to evaluate the potential loss of their medical card when it came to pursuing employment opportunities because the weekly income thresholds for retaining the card were too low at 184 for a single person living alone, or 164 for a single person living with their family. Our research has found that up to 700 of our service users do not have a medical card. This is a sobering statistic when you consider that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has described a Spinal Cord Injury as one of the most devastating and life changing injuries that a person can sustain, said Ms Bolger. 54% of those we work with have been subject to a medical card review. Young people, in particular, are living in fear of losing access to medical services if they return to work. They are choosing not to do so, or to only earn up to the income threshold, which impacts their opportunity to develop careers and to achieve social, psychological and intellectual fulfilment, she added. Spinal Injuries Ireland estimates that three people sustain a devastating Spinal Cord Injury every week in Ireland. Some lose the ability to walk and depending on the level of injury can also lose arm and hand function. A SCI can also result in serious secondary health issues including chronic pain, loss of body function, severe psychological distress, and financial issues. The experience is life changing for individuals who are suddenly faced with the cost of medical care, bowel and bladder care and pressure relieving equipment along with specialist requirements such as a motorised chair, a bed hoist and having to adapt their car or home to their new reality. In many cases people with a SCI are unable to return to their former employment. Spouses, family members or partners commonly give up their employment to provide them with home care. There is a huge loss of family income, and it is estimated that 25% of those with a SCI live below the poverty line, said Ms Bolger. Kilkenny students have only today left to enter the 2024 BTYSTE before the deadline on October 2 at 5pm. The BTYSTE provides a platform for students to become Irelands next generation of inventors, researchers and game-changers developing ideas that will contribute positively to society. There are over 200 prizes to be won and a prize fund of 50,000 for BTYSTE 2024, which includes the overall award worth 7,500. Europe Taking place from January 10 to 13, 2024, the winners of the BT Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year Award 2024 will go on to represent Ireland at the prestigious European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). Ireland has a strong record of taking home the prize for first place at the European contest, with 17 wins over the past 34 years. The prizes are awarded across the five categories of Technology, Social and Behavioural Science, Biological and Ecological Science, Chemical, Physical, and Mathematical Science, as well as in a brand-new category being introduced - Health and Wellbeing. Applications are open to students aged 12-19 years, and all they need to do to enter and follow in the footsteps of the many people in Ireland who have produced remarkable innovations in STEM, is fill out an online application form and submit a one-page proposal outlining their idea. Qualified entries will be announced at the end of October and will be showcased at BTYSTE 2024 in January. For more information on the event, visit btyoungscientist.com. Space technologies should be used to speed up landmine clearance activities in Azerbaijan's Grabagh, Azerbaijani MP Vugar Bayramov said during the 13th IAF international session. "I come from Fuzuli, which is located in the Karabakh region. Currently, there is a process of returning former IDPs to their homes. In particular, about 70,000 people are returning to Fuzuli. It is also worth mentioning the problem of demining. In this context, it is necessary to use space technology to accelerate the demining process, as to date more than 300 people have fallen victim to mines. This figure shows that it is extremely important to use space technology for humanitarian purposes. Therefore, the support of the international community to Azerbaijan is necessary," he said. Following the liberation of its territories, Azerbaijan started carrying out operations on clearing its lands from mines, booby traps, and various weapons left behind by the Armenian troops. During the mine clearance operations conducted from September 4 through September 10, 31 anti-personnel and 12 anti-tank mines, as well as 214 unexploded ordnance were found and defused in Azerbaijan's Terter, Khojavend, Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrail, Lachin, Gubadli and Zangilan. An area of 5,246 hectares was checked. Notably, the International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th meeting was organized on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress scheduled for October 2-6. The International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan was held for the first time in 1973 on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology". Baku became the first city in the South Caucasus region where this event was organized. In 2019, Azerbaijan's capital won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Organized by Azercosmos, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance" will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The Ministry of Information, long hailed as the guardian of Zimbabwe's image on both the domestic and international fronts, is now poised for a significant transformation. President Emmerson Mnangagwa's appointment of Dr. Jenfan Muswere as the new Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services has ignited hope for a brighter future in the realm of media and information dissemination.Dr. Muswere, a 41-year-old scholar equipped with a Masters of Commerce in Business Administration and a PhD in Strategic Management and Leadership, has been met with widespread approval for this crucial role. The media landscape in Zimbabwe is abuzz with anticipation as this appointment promises a new era of leadership in the Ministry of Information.Media analyst Samekelo Ndlovu, a keen observer of Zimbabwe's media affairs, shares his insights into Dr. Muswere's appointment: "Dr. Muswere's selection is a breath of fresh air for Zimbabwean media. His youthfulness and profound understanding of media dynamics make him a remarkable choice for this role. He represents the hope for a more progressive and dynamic Ministry of Information."Ndlovu further emphasizes the importance of Dr. Muswere's youthfulness in a rapidly evolving communication landscape, stating, "In today's world, where technology and communication channels evolve swiftly, it's crucial to have a minister who resonates with the younger generation. Dr. Muswere's fresh perspective and innovative ideas will be invaluable in ensuring the Ministry remains adaptable and responsive."Regarding Dr. Muswere's expertise in media, Ndlovu notes, "Zimbabwe's media environment faces various challenges, including technological advancements and the need to maintain journalistic integrity. Dr. Muswere's deep knowledge of media dynamics positions him to navigate these challenges effectively. He has the potential to identify emerging trends and leverage them to bolster the ministry's effectiveness."Dr. Muswere's exceptional communication skills are another point of praise. Ndlovu comments, "Effective communication is the cornerstone of any government's success. Dr. Muswere's ability to convey complex ideas in a relatable manner will undoubtedly enhance the government's engagement with the public and facilitate transparency."Ndlovu concludes by highlighting Dr. Muswere's unwavering loyalty to the ideals of the revolution: "His commitment to advancing the government's vision and ensuring media reflects the nation's aspirations is commendable. Dr. Muswere will inspire journalists and media houses to align themselves with the government's vision, fostering a more unified and purposeful media landscape." Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes (OTCMKTS:CYRBY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decline of 50.0% from the August 31st total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 5,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes Stock Performance Shares of CYRBY stock traded down $0.08 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $3.95. 506 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,389. Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes has a 12 month low of $2.21 and a 12 month high of $5.34. The companys 50-day moving average price is $4.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $3.87. Get Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes alerts: Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Cyrela Brazil Realty SA Empreendimentos e Participacoes develops, constructs, and sells residential properties in Brazil. The company also provides consultancy services related to real estate. It offers properties under the Cyrela, Living, Vivaz, and Cyrela Urbanismo brand names. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Receive News & Ratings for Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New China Life Insurance Company Ltd. (OTCMKTS:NWWCF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 962,600 shares, a decline of 14.2% from the August 31st total of 1,121,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 7,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 126.7 days. New China Life Insurance Stock Up 1.7 % Shares of New China Life Insurance stock traded up $0.04 during trading on Friday, reaching $2.45. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,665 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,555. New China Life Insurance has a 12-month low of $2.26 and a 12-month high of $3.18. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $2.65 and a 200-day moving average price of $2.63. Get New China Life Insurance alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded New China Life Insurance from a neutral rating to an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 23rd. New China Life Insurance Company Profile (Get Free Report) New China Life Insurance Company Ltd. provides life insurance products and services to individuals and institutions in China. The company operates through three segments: Individual Insurance Business, Group Insurance Business, and Other Business. The company also offers asset management, training, electronic commerce, and medical services; and invests in, develops, leases, and manages real estate properties. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for New China Life Insurance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New China Life Insurance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Scissortail Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (BATS:MTUM Free Report) by 63.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,427 shares of the companys stock after selling 9,350 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF accounts for approximately 0.7% of Scissortail Wealth Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. Scissortail Wealth Management LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF were worth $798,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. TimeScale Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 900.0% during the 1st quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 190 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. GeoWealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Salem Investment Counselors Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 150.5% during the 2nd quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 263 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 158 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Trading Down 0.5 % Shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF stock traded down $0.64 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $139.70. 739,649 shares of the stock were exchanged. The company has a market cap of $8.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.91. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $144.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of $141.89. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF has a fifty-two week low of $81.37 and a fifty-two week high of $113.60. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Profile The iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (MTUM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Momentum SR Variant index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap US equities, selected and weighted based on price appreciation over 6- and 12-month periods and low volatility over the past 3 years. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MTUM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (BATS:MTUM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. News last week that the state has sold the old Idaho Transportation Department headquarters property on State Street to developers brought up a question among some of us in the newsroom. Whats going to happen to that old steam shovel thats in front of the headquarters? Whats the story behind it? The Idaho Transportation Department will move the steam shovel to the new ITD headquarters at the campus on Chinden Boulevard (formerly the HP campus) once ITDs permanent space is renovated, according to Angie Heuring, senior public information officer for the department. A timeline to move the massive, 64,700-pound, coal-fired shovel hasnt been set yet, and the exact location for the shovel has not been finalized, according to Heuring. ITD had its headquarters on the 44-acre parcel since 1961. The state of Idaho purchased the former massive sprawling HP campus at 11311 W. Chinden Blvd. in 2018, and ITD moved its operations to the Chinden campus in 2022 after flooding damaged the main headquarters building on State Street. Some ITD employees still work on the State Street campus in unaffected facilities, such as the materials testing lab, annex building and various industrial buildings, according to Heuring. About 20% of ITDs headquarters staff still work at the State Street campus and will relocate to the Chinden Campus once renovations have been completed (estimated December 2025). ITDs steam shovel was manufactured by Bucyrus, which produced equipment that excavated the Panama Canal, and the company eventually became part of Caterpillar July 8, 2011, according to ITD. This wont be the first time the steam shovel has been moved. It was relocated to the State Street location in 2012 from the URS building at Broadway and Parkcenter Boulevard, where it had lived for 40 years, since at least 1972. ITD adopted the historic steam shovel from URS, an international engineering company that succeeded Boise-based Morrison-Knudsen and Washington Group International, according to a history of the steam shovel put together by ITD. The steam shovel is a Bucyrus-Erie B-3, a coal-fired, steam-driven excavator built by Bucyrus International, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company specialized in production of material removal and handling products used in the mining industry both above and underground. Story continues The steam shovel was delivered to Morrison-Knudsen in 1931 at a cost of $9,350. It was donated by URS to ITD through the efforts of retired transportation board chairman Darrell Manning and a former M-K project manager/engineer. This plate on the steam shovel at ITD headquarters gives the history of the steam shovel. It was delivered to Morrison-Knudsen in 1931 at a cost of $9,350. The coal-fired, single-shaft steam shovel runs on tracks similar to those on military tanks. Its equipped with a seven-eighths cubic yard shovel dipper. The manufacturer, Bucyrus, produced equipment that excavated the Panama Canal, and the company eventually became part of Caterpillar on July 8, 2011, according to ITD. The gauges inside the Bucyrus-Erie B-3, a coal-fired, steam-driven excavator built by Bucyrus International, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The shovel probably was used in railroad and irrigation canal construction and maintenance in Southwest Idaho, C.W. Smilie Anderson, a longtime M-K engineer, told ITD. As someone whos read Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel probably 200 times or more to his kids, Im happy to see ITD hang on to it, if for no other reason than nostalgia. Chhindwara, Oct 1 (PTI) Two men died and one was injured due to electrocution after a tableau carrying a Ganesh idol came in contact with an electricity transformer in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara city, police said on Sunday. The incident took place at around 9 pm on Saturday in Tara Colony when the idol was being taken for immersion in a procession, an official said. Also Read | Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao to Again Skip PM Narendra Modi's Program in State Today. The tableau mounted on a tractor came in contact with an 11 kV (kilo volt) transformer, Superintendent of Police Vinayak Verma said. Three persons were injured due to the electrocution. Two of them, identified as Sanjay Choure (22) and Rahul Thakur (38), died, while a 30-year-old injured man was undergoing treatment, he said. Also Read | Tamil Nadu Bus Accident: PM Narendra Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia for Kin of Deceased As Death Toll Goes Up to Nine. A probe was on into the incident, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Sunday launched the logo for the national conference scheduled to be held in Delhi from November 30 to December 3, an official statement informed. The statement further added that nearly 10,000 activists will be participating in the event. Also Read | IndiGo Doctor Passengers Help Six-Month-Old Baby Suffering From Congenital Heart Disease on Ranchi-Delhi Flight. The logo was launched during the ongoing ABVP National Office bearers meeting in Shillong by National Vice President Poonam Singh, National Organizing Secretary Ashish Chauhan, National General Secretary Yajnavalkya Shukla, Central Working Committee Member Nidhi Tripathi, and National Secretary Ankita Pawar. "ABVP, currently with a membership of more than 44 lakh students, is the world's largest student organization. This convention promises to be an important, and historic moment owing to such a large gathering of students who will be coming to the National Capital," it added. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Pitches for Blending Well-Being and Health With Cleanliness Drive, People Across Country Participate in Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign. Delhi State Secretary, Harsh Attri, said "It is a matter of great pride for the activists of Delhi that this year Delhi will have the opportunity to host ABVP's 69th National Conference. Students and teachers from across the country will deliberate on subjects such as culture, education, and security". "The convention will provide a glimpse of the nationhood, as well as showcase the rich and magnificent culture of India. The confluence of representatives from various regions of the country with different languages and attire will exemplify the unity and integrity of India," Attiri added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 (ANI): Kannada film actor Nagabhushan NS was arrested allegedly after his car hit a couple killing one of them and grievously injuring another, police said on Sunday. The accident took place at Konanakunte Cross at 9.45 pm on Saturday, when Nagabhushan was returning home after finishing a private function. The actor himself was driving the car, the police said. Also Read | Mumbai: Gifts Donated During Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations at Lalbaugcha Raja Being Auctioned. The victim couple was identified as Prema and Krishna. While Prema, 48, died in the accident, Krishna is undergoing treatment for serious conditions in the hospital, officials said. The couple's son filed a complaint against Nagabhushan at Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station against the actor, leading to his arrest. Also Read | Karnataka: Stone Pelting in Shivamogga During Eid Milad Un Nabi Procession, Authorities Impose Section 144. The actor told the police that his car hit the couple as they suddenly came in front of his car. The actor himself rushed the injured couple to hospital. "As I was driving home two people came down the road from the footpath. Then I panicked and hit them and then hit an electric pole on the footpath. I took the help of the people there and took the injured to the hospital. The doctor said that the woman died on the way," Nagabhushan said in his statement to the police. More details are awaited. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 1 (ANI): A rally was organised in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district opposing the arrest of the former state Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Chandrababu Naidu was arrested in connection with an alleged multi-crore skill development scam case. Also Read | Mahawari Mein Swachchta: Menstrual Cups Cost-Effective, Environment Friendly and Easy To Use, Says Army Hospital. "Arresting Chandrababu, the provider of development, is inhuman", one of the rally organisers said while speaking to ANI. Meanwhile, students and teachers also joined the rally protesting against the arrest of the TDP chief. Also Read | Mozambique, Credit Suisse Settle tuna Bonds Row -- Reports. The Supreme Court on Wednesday posted for hearing on October 3 a plea of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu seeking to quash the FIR registered against him in the skill development scam case. Naidu approached the Supreme Court against the High Court order which declined to quash the FIR last week. He sought the quashing of the FIR registered by AP-CID in the alleged Rs 371 crore skill development scam on the ground that the police did not obtain prior sanction from the Governor as mandated under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. In his plea, Naidu contended that the Andhra Pradesh High Court had rejected his petition by ignoring his pleading that under Section 17A of the PC Act, which came into force on July 26, 2018, no FIR against a public servant could be registered without prior sanction of the appropriate authority. The FIR against Naidu was registered on December 9, 2021, and he was added as accused number 37 in the case. on September 7, 2023. Section 17 A of the PC Act was not complied with as "no permission was obtained from the competent authority", the plea stated. Naidu, presently the Leader of the Opposition, the national president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), called the action against him "an orchestrated campaign of regime revenge and to derail the largest opposition in the state, the Telugu Desam Party". The extent of the political vendetta is further demonstrated by the belated application for grant of police custody on September 11, 2023, which names the political opponent i.e. the TDP and also the petitioner's family, which is being targeted to crush all opposition to the party in power in the State with elections coming near in 2024," it added. The arrest of the TDP Chief has led to a political hustle in the state with several TDP leaders alleging that the former was arrested unjustly on the basis of 'false corruption charges'. Earlier, Chandrababu Naidus wife Bhuvaneshwari participated in special prayers at St. Paul's Lutheran church at Jampet, Rajahmundry for the release of the TDP Chief. People also gathered inside the Church with banners in their hands, condemning the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 (ANI): Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) State President TA Narayana Gowda has written a letter, using his own blood, to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the Cauvery River water issue. TA Narayana Gowda said, "The Prime Minister has remained silent on the Cauvery water-sharing issue. Today, all members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike are writing letters to the Prime Minister in blood. Furthermore, on October 9, 10,000 of our karyakarta will go to Delhi and hold a protest at Jantar Mantar." Also Read | Kerala High Court Names Three-Year-Old Child After Estranged Parents Fail to Arrive at a Consensus. "I have spoken to Union Minister Prahlad Joshi about this matter, and the minister assured me that he will soon arrange a meeting with PM Modi on this issue," he added. Meanwhile, amid the tussle over the Cauvery water-sharing issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Congress MP P Chidambaram on Saturday said there is a commission to judge the issue and both States have to act on the Commission's decision. Also Read | 'Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 Campaign: NCB Launches Cleanliness Drive As Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. "I am a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu, so I can press the demands of Tamil Nadu, and the members of Parliament from Karnataka will also press the demands of Karnataka. There is a commission to judge this issue. Both states have to act on the Commission's decision," Chidambaram said. The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. Earlier, the amount of water to be released was 5000 cusecs. Karnataka has cited a severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has accused its neighbour of lying to the nation about the supply of water. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the state government will file a review petition before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court on September 30, as the state does not have water and so cannot release it. Farmers across Karnataka have been protesting since the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered the state to release 5000 cusecs of water to its neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, for 15 days, effective from September 13. The Naam Tamilar Katchi Party held protests in Madurai on Saturday, condemning the Congress-led Karnataka government over the issue. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, October 1: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday called a special meeting of senior leaders and district heads of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to review the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday. The meeting will be held in Lucknow, where important guidelines regarding the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be given. Sources confirmed that the meeting will start at 11 am. During the meeting, discussions regarding the strategy to publicize the party's demand before the Central government to increase the participation of Other Backward Classes and SC-STs in the Women's Reservation Bill will take place. Earlier last month, Mayawati had said that leaders of her party are working to strengthen preparation for the Lok Sabha elections due next year. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi To Contest All 48 Lok Sabha Seats in Maharashtra; 'I Will Contest From Akola Constituency', Says VBA President Prakash Ambedkar. Taking to her X handle, Mayawati said that after Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, senior leaders of the BSP discussed strengthening the party organisation in Jharkhand and also selected candidates for 14 seats in the state. "Continuing the series of state-wise meetings by the BSP regarding the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, after UP and Uttarakhand, senior leaders discussed strengthening the party organisation in Jharkhand, increasing the mass base at all levels, and the selection of candidates for 14 seats in the state. An important meeting with office bearers has concluded," wrote Mayawati on Twitter. "A call to strengthen the party at every level by putting forward hardworking and honest people in the tribal-dominated Jharkhand state, because the anti-Ambedkarite people are continuously neglected and despised by the anti-Ambedkarite parties," she added. Earlier, the BSP chief had asked her party leaders and workers to not depend on alliances and to stand on their own. The development comes as the BSP chief last month announced that the Bahujan Samaj Party would not join any alliance and would fight the elections "single-handedly". She also referred to the INDIA parties and NDA as "anti-poor, casteist, communal, and pro-capitalist". "BSP, like in 2007, will single-handedly contest the upcoming general elections and four state assemblies by connecting crores of neglected and scattered people of the society on the basis of mutual brotherhood, rather than the jugaad' and manipulation done by opponents," she wrote on X. Lok Sabha Election 2024: 'No Banners or Posters, No Tea or Bribes, Those Who Have To Vote Will Vote', Says Nitin Gadkari. "The policies of most of the parties in the NDA-India alliance are anti-poor, casteist communal, and pro-Dhanna Seth (capitalist), and the BSP has been contesting elections in the alliance with them. Hence the appeal to the mediano fake news, please," the BSP head said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 1(ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the development of Naimisharanya on the lines of Ayodhya is a priority of the state government. CM Yogi, who reached Chakratirtha of Naimisharanya Dham on a one-day visit on Sunday further said that there is no dearth of funds for the development of Naimish Tirtha. Also Read | SSC MTS Result 2023: SSC to Declare MTS, Havaldar Result Soon At ssc.nic.in; Check Details Here. CM Yogi also had darshan, offered prayers and performed havan as per the rituals during his visit. After this, the Chief Minister visited the ancient Bhuteswarnath temple and Maa Lalita Devi temple. Also Read | GST Collection Rises 10% to Over Rs 1.62 Lakh Crore in September 2023. Besides, the Chief Minister performed cleanliness 'shramdaan' at Chakratirtha along with the saints, mahants and priests of various monasteries and temples of Naimish Teertha who came from all over the country. The Chief Minister also urged them to maintain cleanliness and ensure that monasteries and temples are completely plastic-free. This was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths fifth visit to Naimish Tirtha, the holy abode of 88,000 illustrious sages including Maharaj Manu, Ved Vyas and Maharishi Dadhichi, after taking charge of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Addressing the gatherings, CM Yogi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to pay homage to the revered Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi). It is our responsibility to make cleanliness a mass movement instead of making it a one-day programme. Cleanliness is the first necessity of life. Especially in places of pilgrimage, monasteries, temples and every place that people visit, we have to be sensitive towards cleanliness, he said. CM Yogi also said that his government was committed to restoring the Vedic and mythological glory of this region. He pointed out that earlier the place was neglected and denied development despite being located near the capital Lucknow. Today, work is going on at a fast pace to provide electric bus service and helicopter service as well as to widen the roads here. However, the development that has happened here so far is only a small glimpse of the larger picture. A lot of work still remains to be done here, he added. He further said that after the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the number of devotees will increase further. Therefore, we have to create a conducive environment, which can be achieved only with cleanliness. Along with this, we have to ensure that the visitors and tourists coming here are treated well, the CM stated. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz is weighing in on the forthcoming Barney film that has Daniel Kaluuya attached. Its too early to be specific, but I can tell you we are taking a fresh approach that will be fun, entertaining and culturally oriented. It will not be an odd movie, Kreiz told Semafor in an interview. More from Deadline Mattel is leaning in on producing films based on their IP and earlier this year Mattel Films executive Kevin McKeon teased that the Barney film would be surrealistic. Were leaning into the millennial angst of the property rather than fine-tuning this for kids, McKeon said in an interview with The New Yorker. Its really a play for adults. Not that its R-rated, but itll focus on some of the trials and tribulations of being thirtysomething, growing up with Barneyjust the level of disenchantment within the generation. Following the success of Barbie, Kreiz said the Greta Gerwig-film was part of a holistic strategy, a multi-year strategy, to capture value from our intellectual property. Other films Mattel is developing include a Hot Wheels film with J.J. Abrams, a Matchbox Cars project with Skydance, a Major Matt Mason movie with Tom Hanks, a Polly Pocket film by Lena Dunham starring Lily Collins and Vin Diesel with Rock Em Sock Em Robots. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 1 (ANI): The tourist inflow in Shimla has increased in recent weeks, bringing hope to the tourism industry, which was hit hard by floods and landslides earlier this year. Bengali tourists, who typically visit Shimla during the Navratri festival have started arriving in the town. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Couple Dies by Suicide in Barabanki After Consuming Poison As Families Oppose Marriage. Speaking to ANI, Priyanka Naskar, a tourist from Kolkata, expressed her happiness on arrival to Shimla. It is good to be here. I am coming for the first time. We were in a state of fear that there were floods and rains that caused havoc here. But it is very good here and we are enjoying it. I would recommend everyone to come here and ask our Bengali people not to cancel their bookings, it is very good here. I wanted to come once to hills here and now I am happy to be here, said Priyanka Naskar, a tourist. Pravir Haldar, a tourist from West Bengal lauded the Himachal Pradesh government's efforts to restore all roads. Also Read | LPG Cylinder Price Hike: Setback to Consumers as 19 Kg Commercial Gas Cylinder Prices Increased by Rs 209. "I have been coming here earlier but this year due to heavy rain and floods. However, we did not cancel our visit, there was a sense of fear, but now we are feeling safe. Both the Union and State governments have done good and restored all roads. The tourist destinations are safe and the roads are clear and I would recommend everyone to come here. For Bengali tourists, Shimla, Kali Bari temple, and hills are the best choice. We are feeling happy to be here, I am disappointed as I wanted to travel through the Tody train but it was cancelled," said Pravir Haldar, a tourist from West Bengal. Weekend tourists from neighbouring states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi are also flocking to Shimla. Gurjeet Kaur, a tourist from Delhi, said that she was enjoying her time in the town. I am coming from Delhi, we thought it would be tough and roads would be closed but everything is normal after the floods here. We like coming on weekends as most of the people prefer coming on weekends. On weekends we have holidays and it is the right time to spend and enjoy the holidays, said Kaur. Notably, due to Milad-un-Nabi/Eid-e-Milad and Gandhi Jayanti holidays accompanied by Saturday and Sunday off on the 28th, 29th, 30th, September and 1st, and 2nd of October have caused a rush among tourists to visit Shimla. Mohinder Seth, President of the Himachal Pradesh Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Stakeholders Association, said that the tourist arrival has increased after the floods and that the industry is hopeful of good business ahead. He raised concern over the illegally operated homestays and bed and breakfast (B&B) guest houses are becoming a threat to the hotel industry. The illegally operated homestays and bed and breakfast (B&B) guest houses are becoming a threat to the hotel industry. The tax imposed by the transport department on tempo travelers is 6000 rupees per entry is very high the travel agencies across the country are against it, if transports are paying taxes for all Indian tourist permits why there is a need to impose additional tax? We have received a letter from Gujarat, the travel and transport business units are planning to shift the tourists to Jammu and Kashmir, said Mohinder Seth. Thousands of tourists annually visit Hill state, as per data available with the tourism department of Himachal Pradesh during the year 2019 nearly 1720000 tourists including nearly 400000 foreign tourists visited the state with a jump of nearly 5 per cent in comparison to the year 2018. During the years 2021 to 2022, arrival decreased due to the pandemic and now again it has started increasing but rain and floods have hit it again. An economy of over 11000 crore is generated in the state of Himachal Pradesh in the tourism sector and it is considered a backbone for the economy in the state which contributes to 7.3 per cent of state GDP. "Now this will affect the employment of lakhs of people in the state. This year till June over 1.6 crore tourists arrived in the state but after the rain and floods in July and August, tourism was badly hit in the region. Now the tourism business units are reviving business," added Seth. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee revealed on Sunday that the idea of staging a protest in Delhi over the alleged delay in release of funds under MNREGA came during the Nobo Jowar Yatra in West Bengal, according to party sources. They said that during the yatra, Banerjee learned about the significant adverse impact on the state's residents due to the central government's withholding of funds. Also Read | Senegal: More Than 600 Migrants Intercepted in Three Days. "During Nobo Jowar I got to know that people were badly hit after the blocking of Central funds across the state. That is when I decided that I will take this protest to Delhi," Banerjee said at a meeting with party leaders. The TMC General Secretary said that there were several attempts to block the protest by declining permissions, and cancelling trains and flights. Also Read | Odisha Shocker: Mother-Son, Daily Wager Found Hacked to Death by Assailants in Kalahandi. "Time and again, permissions were denied for the protest. Trains and flights were denied or cancelled," Banerjee said. Banerjee also shared that the permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar has been given verbally and written permission was still pending. "Section 144 has been imposed in that area (Jantar Mantar)," he added. Top leaders of the TMC conglomerated at TMC MP Sougata Roy's residence to discuss on the strategy for Monday's protest. Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Dola Sen, Babul Supriyo and other senior TMC leaders met on Sunday evening at Roy's residence in Delhi to brainstorm on the party's strategy for the protest on Monday and Tuesday. Following the meeting, Sudip Bandopadhyay said, "Tomorrow, we will be going to Raj Ghat to pay obesience to Mahatma Gandhi. We will start our protest from there. MGNREGA or Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which is a vital objective of our protest, has a symbolic relation with Gandhiji. Hence we are starting the protest from there." "In the evening Abhishek Banerjee will hold a press conference. Following that we will inform you about our schedule on October 3 in detail," he added. Earlier in the day, after landing at Delhi airport, Abhishek clarified his 'Stop me if you can' remark on 'X' saying that he is not challenging any enforcement agency. "Stop me if you can. I am not challenging any probe agency, whatever I had to say I have said. I am putting that challenge right across from the soil of Delhi," he told reporters on Sunday. The TMC General Secretary had earlier said though Union Minister Giriraj Singh is at Delhi, he has declined to meet the TMC delegation. "Giriraj Singh is in Delhi and is not meeting TMC representatives who are going to Delhi. Earlier when we went to meet Giriraj Singh at his office, he did not meet us despite being present. This shows the callous attitude of BJP to the people West Bengal," Banerjee said speaking to reporters before leaving for Delhi. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, October 1: One person was killed and another was injured after being hit by a speeding car in Karnataka's Bengaluru, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place under the Kumaraswamy Layout Traffic Police Station Limits, the police added. "Two pedestrians were hit by a speeding car under the Kumaraswamy Layout Traffic Police Station Limit at 9.30 pm yesterday. One person, Prema died on the spot while another, Krishna is undergoing treatment in the hospital", said Shivaprakash Devraj, DCP (Traffic), Bengaluru. Karnataka Road Accident: Four Killed After Speeding Car Hit KSRTC Bus From Behind in Mandya District. The DCP further added, "The driver has been identified as Nagabhushan who is a Kannada actor. He was taken into police custody. A blood sample has been sent for alcohol testing. The accused has been given station bail. Further investigation underway." Further details are awaited. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Oct 1 (PTI) Mahatma Gandhi had a special connection with the old Lucknow's iconic Firangi Mahal which used to be a popular centre of culture and Sufism. According to historical documents, Mahatma Gandhi visited the Firangi Mahal thrice during the Khilafat movement that started in 1920 as a guest of Maulana Abdul Bari Firangi Mahali, an influential nationalist and Sufi leader of that time. Also Read | Mozambique, Credit Suisse Settle tuna Bonds Row -- Reports. During his stay, Gandhi rallied support for the Khilafat movement but "the broad message was to increase mutual brotherhood in the country", Adnan, the grandson of Abdul Bari, told PTI. He said Gandhi had visited Firangi Mahal thrice between 1920 and 1922. Also Read | Cauvery Water: Karnataka Government Files Petition Before CWMA Seeking Review; Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Expresses Respite With Increase in Inflow. Because Mahatma Gandhi was a vegetarian, a Brahmin cook was specially called from the Chowk area of Lucknow to cook food for him. Mahatma Gandhi has also mentioned this in his autobiography. The room where Gandhi stayed has been preserved in the museum here. Adnan said that once Gandhi had even brought his goat with him during his visit to Firangi Mahal. On another occasion, his wife Kasturba Gandhi and some other relatives also accompanied Bapu. Documentary evidence of these visits is still safe at the Firangi Mahal. Adnan said that the purpose of Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Firangi Mahal was to promote amity and solidarity. "At that time there were two types of ideologies in Firangi Mahal. There was an ideology in which some clerics were with the British and they thought that the progress of the country was possible only with the British. "Whereas Maulana Abdul Bari's thinking was completely different from this and he had decided to support Mahatma Gandhi in his movement. In this connection, Mahatma Gandhi used to come to Firangi Mahal and hold meetings on the strategy for freedom struggle," he said. He said many groups in Lucknow were against Mahatma Gandhi's campaign and they had also shown black flags to Bapu when he came to Lucknow. Freedom fighter and novelist Hayatullah Ansari has mentioned this in one of his articles ' Awadh ka Naya janm'. Adnan said that the letters and telegrams written by Mahatma Gandhi to Maulana Abdul Bari Firangi Mahali are also preserved at the museum here. "The broad message of Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Firangi Mahal was to increase mutual brotherhood in the country," he said. Mehmood Abdi, a popular qissago and oral history exponent who runs a YouTube channel Culture Bazaar, said that Mahatma Gandhi had backed the Khilafat movement in support of the Ottoman Sultanate, while Maulana Abdul Bari Firangi had announced to support Mahatma Gandhi's freedom movement. This was a prominent reason for the closeness between the two He said that in the year 1919, Maulana Abdul Bari agreed to support the Khilafat movement of Mahatma Gandhi. In the same year, Maulana Bari organised the All India Conference in Lucknow. After this, the All India Central Khilafat Committee was established. On the building's history, Adnan said that Firangi Mahal was a grand mansion known as 'Haveli Firangi' (foreigners' mansion) where French traders who traded horses and indigo lived. When the French did not pay the taxes on this mansion, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb confiscated the mansion and handed it over to Mullah Mohammad Asad and Mullah Mohammad Saeed. Adnan said that Firangi Mahal was a big centre of culture and Sufism. The mansion was spread over a large area and was considered more like a locality, where people from Hindu and Muslim communities lived peacefully. "Gradually, more people bought land and built houses here. Earlier it was also called Mohalla Chirag Beg. Because French people lived around it, it was also called 'Frank Cottage," he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The Congress Sunday slammed the Narendra Modi government over the new disability pension rules for the armed forces personnel, terming it a "surgical strike" on the army and the honour of the soldiers. The notification on the 'Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pension and Disability Compensation Awards to Armed Forces Personnel, 2023', was prima facie "illegal" and will be challenged, said Col (retd) Rohit Chaudhary, the chairman of the Congress' ex-servicemen department along with some armed forces veterans. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Pitches for Blending Well-Being and Health With Cleanliness Drive, People Across Country Participate in Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign. He said the "disability" element from the pension was being abolished and "impairment relief" has been introduced instead. Earlier, the disability pension was exempted from the income tax but now after making it "compensation" it will be brought under the income tax net, he said. "This will no longer be a pension but an 'ex gratia' amount, which will be given monthly. It is completely against the functioning of the army," Chaudhary said. Also Read | Ajay Maken Appointed Treasurer of Congress With Immediate Effect, Replaces Pawan Kumar Bansal. He said the party has taken the lead in challenging the new rules after taking various veterans' and ex-servicemen organisations into confidence. The party will use all means and may move the Supreme Court against it, he said. "The notification on the Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pension and Disability Compensation Awards to Armed Forces Personnel, 2023, was issued on September 21. This compromises the security of the country. It seems that this is illegal and the veteran organisations strongly oppose it," Col (retd) Rohit Chaudhary said at a press conference. "The Modi government has conducted a very serious surgical strike on the country's army. This surgical strike has been done on the honour of the soldiers standing on the border," he alleged. He said it was surprising why PM Modi wanted to resort to this "surgical strike" as it had minimum financial implications of just Rs 4,000 crore. "While the BJP government waived lakhs of crores of debts of crony industrialists, it is trying to save Rs 4,000 crore by stopping the disability benefit of soldiers," he alleged. Accusing the prime minister of resorting to "fake nationalism", the army veteran alleged the BJP government had "consistently taken steps to the disadvantage of the defence forces". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The new disability pension rules for armed forces is a surgical strike by the Modi government on our nation's army and the jawans' honour." He said the notification of the Entitlement Rules for Casualty Pension and Disability Compensation Awards to Armed Forces Personnel, 2023 shows how this policy appears to be "illegal and untenable and compromises the security of the country". "Obviously, the veteran organisations have rejected it outright and will challenge it in the Supreme Court," Ramesh said on X. Chaudhary claimed that the ordnance factories and the Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) were gradually being privatised. Similarly, 62 Cantonment Boards across the country were being abolished, he alleged. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ranchi, Oct 1 (PTI) Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday said one has to face consequences for one's actions, referring to the mining lease case involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren. In an interview to PTI, Radhakrishnan also stressed on the need for stern action against organised crime and Naxalism in the state, expressing strong displeasure over the manner in which criminal gangs were operating from jail and security personnel were being killed by red rebels. Also Read | Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao to Again Skip PM Narendra Modi's Program in State Today. He termed the criminal activities from prisons and the killing of security personnel by Naxals as 'worrisome and painful. The governor also asserted that "one should be ready to face the consequences for their actions", stating that "sensational issues cannot be addressed in haste" while talking about the illegal mining case involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Also Read | Tamil Nadu Bus Accident: PM Narendra Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia for Kin of Deceased As Death Toll Goes Up to Nine. Denying allegations of a partisan role by the chair, Radhakrishnan also made it clear that he is not against any reservation but as a custodian of the Constitution, he cannot breach the guidelines for a 50 per cent cap on quota by the Supreme Court to give nod to a bill proposing 77 per cent reservation in jobs to SC/ST, OBC and economically weaker sections in Jharkhand. "The law and order situation cannot be studied only through data. We have to take strong action against organised crime and criminals. Somebody is operating from jail, and someone is from foreign. Either people (Government) will have to address or we will request them to address. We will make them to address," Radhakrishnan said. He also said, "I am repeatedly telling them (Government) to take strong action against the Naxals. You do the combing operation and you use all your intelligence. If you want, I will get all the information from the central intelligence so that we can crush this red terrorism in Jharkhand. Already we lost three personnel after I took over...This is very painful and worrisome." The governor said he had talked to the chief minister about the killing of security personnel by red rebels. The CM has very categorically said he has given total freedom to the police force to take any action. I have called our chief secretary...especially for the Naxal activities. From everywhere, all the Naxals are moving towards West Singhbum district. Almost 22 districts are free from Naxal of the 24...They want to prove themselves. Their attacks have no meaning. They are no more fighting for the bread. There are no starvation deaths in this country, then what for they are fighting, the Governor told PTI. Radhakrishnan said he was worried as Naxals were coming out from their dens and seeking ransom. "Even in Ranchi, one shopkeeper was shot. That kind of act generates fear in the mind of others," he said. At a time when political controversies fail to die down in Jharkhand and the chief minister faces summons by the Enforcement Directorate, the Governor, referring to Soren's illegal mining case, asserted that "one should be ready to face the consequences for their actions" and said that "sensational issues cannot be addressed in haste". He also rejected allegations of a partisan role by the chair. "We don't want to do anything which will unnecessarily create political turmoil in the state and harm its development. For any mistake made by anyone, they have to face the consequences of it. Even if I do a mistake, I have to face the consequences of it," the Governor said. Radhakrishnan, who took oath as the 11th Governor of Jharkhand earlier this year, told PTI with regard to an illegal mining case against the CM. Following a petition by the BJP seeking Soren's disqualification from the assembly in an office-of-profit case, the Election Commission sent its decision to then state governor Ramesh Bais on August 25, 2022. "It (EC mandate) was received by my predecessor (Bais) in a sealed cover. I have not gone through it. ...I will look into it at an appropriate time....Very sensational issues cannot be addressed in haste. You have to go through it properly, and thoroughly and have to take the advice of the constitutional experts. I don't want to take any action that will be questioned. I don't want to set a bad precedent," the governor said. He also clarified that informal consultations are going on with experts and that cannot be made public now...I never do anything just for publicity." On allegations that Raj Bhavan is scuttling the bills, the Governor said it is not correct to say that Raj Bhavan is creating obstacles to the bills. In a democracy, the elected government represents the will of the people and all should respect it...I am not against the reservation at all but in reservation, there is a limitation as per the constitution. There are guidelines from the highest judicial authority, the Supreme Court, that any reservation should not be more than 50 per cent. But the reservation bill has come to me with 77 per cent. "If I approve it then what is the meaning of the custodian of the Constitution? Who is doing the politics you can understand," the governor said. The Jharkhand Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Bill, 2022, passed by the state assembly in November 2022, proposed to increase reservations for the ST, SCs, OBCs and others in the state government jobs to 77 per cent. A Supreme Court verdict puts a cap on reservation at 50 per cent. The governor also claimed that most of the files are cleared on the same day they are received with only those remaining where there are any discrepancies. "I am working for the best interest of the people of Jharkhand. Some individuals may not enjoy the action if someone wants to correct wrong practices, pushing for a fair and transparent system. I attempt to help people in genuine matters and ask officials to implement the welfare schemes made for the community," he said. The Governor said his doors were open for all without any discrimination based on party, ideology, religion and language. Leaders from the BJP, Congress and the JMM and other political parties and non-political groups "come to me and share their demands. I act in favour of the people of Jharkhand without considering which party gets the benefit," he said. "The people of Jharkhand are so good. Though they are poor, they are the richest people by heart. I like them very much. They are transparent. There is no hypocrisy. Jharkhand is the richest state in the country as far as the mineral resources are concerned. We have to exploit mineral resources for the poor people," he said. The Governor emphasised that illegal mining needs to be stopped and the mining revenue should come first to the state exchequer and then the state can plan the roadmap of expenditure, including health, housing and education. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 1 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Susmita Dev hit out at the central government over the refusal to provide special trains to MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal to reach Delhi and said that they were ready for the fight. Ahead of the TMC worker's protest in Delhi, Party leader Susmita Dev said, "BJP has practically declared war on the people of Bengal who want to come to Delhi to protest for their rightful dues from the Union government on October 2 and 3. First, they summoned National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee through the ED. Now, since he is determined to come to Delhi, they have refused to give special trains for the people of Bengal to reach Delhi...The people of Bengal have met this challenge by getting into buses and coming by road which is going to take them very long but they are ready for the fight." Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Differently-Abled Woman Dragged on Road By Two Police Constables in Hardoi, Probe Ordered After Video Goes Viral. Banerjee was summoned by the ED on October 3 in connection with the ongoing investigation into the cash-for-school job scam. He said at least 50 central teams have so far visited Bengal and the state has furnished every detail with regard to the implementation of MGNREGA and Awas Yojana, yet "not a single paise has been released". Also Read | Delhi Man Files False Robbery Complaint After Losing Money in Online Gambling, Cuts Himself With Blade To Make It Look Real. Susmita Dev further said that many of the public representatives from Bengal had booked a flight to reach Delhi. She said, "A well-known airline like Vistara where 120 people were due to travel to Delhi to join the protest but now without any explanation Vistara airlines has cancelled that entire flight in which TMC leaders were coming. It is clear that the BJP realises it is unprecedented for the people of Bengal to come to Delhi to protest against the Union government. They will not let it succeed but you can see on social media that thousands of people are coming on buses. People will reach Delhi anyhow under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee and General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee." Thousands of MGNREGA job cardholders from West Bengal have left for the national capital, in several buses arranged by Trinamool Congress (TMC), for a protest scheduled next week against the alleged withholding of funds by the Centre. The protesters, under the banner of 'Dilli Cholo: A fight for our rights!', will raise their voices for the payment of alleged arrears for 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. The TMC is scheduled to hold a mega protest at Delhi's Raj Ghat on October 2 and 3, against the central government for delay in release of funds to West Bengal. Abhishek Banerjee said that the fight against the neglect of West Bengal by the Centre will continue and he will be joining the protests in Delhi on Oct 2. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kota (Rajasthan) [India], October 1 (ANI): Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla participated in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Kota, Rajasthan on Sunday. "India will become clean and prosperous with everyone's efforts! Today in Kota, by joining the Swachhta Pakhwada campaign resolved by Prime Minister @NarendraModi ji, he did Shramdaan along with Lok Sabha Speaker @OmBirla ji in Kota and called upon everyone to ensure participation in this service work," Piyush Goyal wrote on X. Also Read | India Needs Stronger Armed Forces to Become Developed Nation by 2047, Says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1, leaders from across the country took part in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' program as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign today. Calling upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1 beginning at 10 am, PM Narendra Modi on Friday said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Also Read | Budaun Encounter: Robber, Three Cops Injured in Exchange of Fire in Ujhani. "On 1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavour to usher in a cleaner future," PM Modi posted on X (Formerly Twitter). Earlier during his 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, "A big event on cleanliness is going to be organised on October 1 that is on Sunday at 10 am. You too should take out time and help in this campaign related to cleanliness. You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighbourhood or at a park, river, lake or any other public place." 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. This initiative is a run-up to the Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign. This follows PM Modi's appeal for one hour of 'Shramdaan for swachhata' at 10 am on 1st Oct by all citizens. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, with an aim to make the country open defecation-free and also universal sanitation coverage. Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward would be a giant step towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 1 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced ex-gratia of Rs two lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, who died in a bus accident in Tamil Nadu's Marapalam. Chief Minister Stalin also announced that Rs 1 lakh would be provided as financial assistance to those seriously injured in the incident while Rs 50,000 would be provided to those who received minimum injuries. Also Read | CBSE Opposes Uniform Education System; State, Union Territory Government To Frame Syllabus, Conduct Exams for Schools. Speaking to ANI, Nilgiris District Collector Aruna said, "The bus was carrying 60 passengers. The rescue team is in full force. We have rescued all the passengers. Eight persons have been declared dead. The rest are undergoing treatment. The government has acted in full swing." "The CM has also announced relief measures at the rate of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for minimum injured. So, as of now, the entire team and the government machinery are in place," the official added. Also Read | IndiGo Mentally Disabled Passenger 'Misbehaves', 'Locks Himself' Inside Toilet Onboard Flight; Detained at Patna Airport. At least eight people including three women were killed, while several others were seriously injured after a tourist bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge near Tamil Nadu's Marapalam on Saturday evening, police said. Palani Samy, Joint Director of Coonoor Government Hospital, also confirmed 8 deaths. "The deceased included three females and 5 males," he said. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi expressed grief on the incident and said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in a bus accident near Coonoor, Nilgiris. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest." According to police, the bus was on its way from Ooty to Mettupalaym in the Coimbatore district of the Southern state when the accident took place. The injured had been rushed to Coonoor government hospital for treatment. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mahabubnagar (Telangana) [India], October 1 (ANI): Hitting out at both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Congress in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the "two family-run parties" known for corruption and commission have halted the progress of the poll-bound state. Addressing a gathering in Telangana, where Assembly elections are due later this year, PM Modi said, "The government of Telangana is a car but the steering wheel is in the hands of someone else... The progress of Telangana has been halted by two family-run parties. Both of these family-run parties are known for their corruption and commission." Also Read | Mozambique, Credit Suisse Settle tuna Bonds Row -- Reports. The Prime Minister said that these people run their party like a private limited company, where the top posts are held by members of the family or their aides. "Both of these parties have the same formula. The party is of the family, by the family and for the family... These people are turning democracy into a family dynasty. Their party is run like a private limited company. The president, CEO, director, treasurer, general manager, chief manager, and manager all are of the same family," he said, adding that however, they keep some people from outside as support staff. Also Read | Cauvery Water: Karnataka Government Files Petition Before CWMA Seeking Review; Deputy CM DK Shivakumar Expresses Respite With Increase in Inflow. PM Modi arrived here today for a day-long visit to dedicate Rs 13,500 cr worth projects in important sectors like road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education. After the foundation laying ceremony of multiple developmental projects, PM Modi held a roadshow in Mahabubnagar, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers queuing up on both sides of the road cheering and showering flower petals on him. "Today I had the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many projects for the welfare of the people of Telangana. These projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore will take the state to new heights of development. This will also create new employment opportunities for the youth of Telangana," PM Modi said in his address. He said that the record turnout of people in large numbers here proves that Telangana wants a BJP government. "In recent years, people of Telangana have strengthened BJP in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and civic elections. The huge crowd gathered here proves that Telangana wants change. Telangana wants change because it wants a transparent and corruption-free government, not false promises. Telangana now wants BJP government," he added. Accusing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS government of corruption, PM Modi said, "The state government is minting money through the schemes meant for the farmers. In the pretext of an irrigation project, corruption has taken place in Telangana." "The farmers in Telangana were promised to waive farm loans. However, due to false promises, many farmers lost their lives. The state government never paid attention to their problems," he said. "We don't have a govt in Telangana. Despite that, we did everything to help the farmers. We restarted the Ramagundam Fertilizer plant which was closed for years...." he added. The Prime Minister went on to add that the "corrupt" KCR government does not care for the interests of tribals as it kept stalling the land allotment for a Central Tribal University to be established by the Centre for five years. "Central government has decided to establish a Central Tribal University for Rs 900 crore in Mulugu district. Which would be named after tribal goddesses Sammakka Sarakka. This university could have been built years ago if the corrupt government here had shown interest in it. Alas, the state government kept postponing the work of giving land to the university for 5 years. This shows that the Telangana government does not care about tribal interests," the Prime Minister added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Deborah Lyons, a former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan and Israel, says 'very troubling' things have been happening in the two years since the Taliban reseized control. (Murray Brewster/The Canadian Press - image credit) More than two years after the United States military withdrew from Afghanistan, a diplomat hailing from Miramichi and a newcomer to Fredericton from Kabul are pleading with Canadians to bolster support for the country. But hopes are dimming among other interested observers, including a New Brunswick father who lost his son in the fighting. "It's a struggle to find our way forward, but we have to keep at it," said Deborah Lyons, former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan and Israel. "The Afghanistan story is not over. It's a difficult chapter, but we all have to stay very engaged." Afghan girls hold an illegal protest to demand the right to education in a private home in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 2, 2022. For most teenage girls in Afghanistan, its been a year since they set foot in a classroom. With no sign the ruling Taliban will allow them back to school, some girls and parents are trying to find ways to keep education from stalling for a generation of young women. Afghan girls hold an illegal protest to demand the right to education in a private home in Kabul in August 2022. (Ebrahim Noroozi/The Associated Press) Lyons served as Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan from 2013 to 2016 and as special representative of the secretary general of the United Nations for Afghanistan from 2020 to 2022. "Very troubling" things have happened since the Taliban retook control, she said. The situation for women is "just desperate." "Afghanistan is the only country in the world that doesn't allow girls to get an education," she said, and recently, 60,000 Afghan women lost their jobs when the Taliban government disallowed beauty parlours. The Afghanistan story is not over. It's a difficult chapter, but we all have to stay very engaged. Deborah Lyons, former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan and Israel Certain ethnic groups are also being excluded from society and the economy, said Lyons, and reprisals have reportedly been taking place against former government and military officials, even though the Taliban pledged this wouldn't happen. "It's not a situation that any of us wanted to see in the 20 years of hard work by so many members of the international community," she said, adding it's not what many people in Afghanistan were hoping for either. Story continues People are frustrated, she said, and that includes, "citizens of the countries that supported Afghanistan, that sent their people there to fight, in some cases, sadly, to die." Cpl. Christopher P. Stannix of Halifax-based Princess Louise Fusiliers also died in the bombing. Christopher Stannix, 24, a reservist with the Princess Louise Fusiliers, was one of six Canadian soldiers killed on Easter Sunday 2007, when their armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Kandahar City. ((DND)) Nevertheless, Lyons believes it's important for Canada and other countries to keep sending assistance to Afghanistan for basics like food, shelter and medicine, and she believes it's necessary to engage with the Taliban "to find a way forward." "You can meet with them, work with them, talk to them, try to find ways to bring about middle ground that will help the Afghan people," she said. "That's what we're all striving for." The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also "desperately" wants to see the situation in Afghanistan change, she said, and Canada's ambassadors in the region could play a large role in finding ways to intervene constructively. New ways to support Afghanistan could be presented this fall, she said, when Afghanistan's neighbour countries meet in Russia, a conference on supporting Afghan women is held in Montreal and a special report on Afghanistan is delivered to the UN. The whole world community is appalled and frustrated with Afghanistan and by the "abhorrent" actions the Taliban have taken, said Ken Stannix of McAdam. Stannix served 32 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant-colonel. His 24-year-old son Christopher was one of six Canadian soldiers killed on Easter Sunday 2007, when their armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Kandahar City. McAdam Mayor Ken Stannix says about two thirds of the affected workers live in the village. McAdam Mayor Ken Stannix's son died while serving with the Canadian military in Afghanistan 16 years ago. (Shane Fowler/CBC) "It's very difficult that we spent so much there to see it backslide," he said. But Stannix finds it difficult to imagine Canada could exert much influence at this point. "I think they had the opportunity to change, they had the military strength to make that change, but the Taliban still had support within the community," he said. "They've clearly demonstrated that they're adamantly opposed to western culture, Western ideas." Stannix is in favour of supporting Afghan women, disadvantaged ethnic groups and those who want stronger democratic institutions, but he's wary of sending financial resources. "Are they going to use that money or aid you might be giving them to spread the agenda of the Taliban?" Lima Samim and several sisters are newcomers to Fredericton from Afghanistan. She says Canada could help Afghan women by providing educational opportunities. (Jacob Moore/CBC) Lima Samim is part of a family of nine that moved to Canada from Afghanistan in August 2021, two days before the Taliban took over. She now lives in Fredericton with her four sisters. No. of Afghans arrived in N.B. since August 2021, Government of Canada Bathurst35Fredericton200Moncton145Saint John215Total595 She still keeps in touch with other family and friends in her home country. "Now women in Afghanistan don't have any rights," she said. "Some of them cannot even go outside. "Of course I want support for them." Samim is confident many women in Afghanistan want the same. There are women who oppose the Taliban, she said, at great personal risk. Online education may be one of the best ways to help, she said. If one woman in Afghanistan studies, she can share that knowledge with 10 or a 100 others, said Samim. There are not many job opportunities for men in Afghanistan these days either, she said, and this heightens the need for humanitarian assistance. But Samim shared Stannix's apprehension about money intended for humanitarian aid potentially being misused. In her view, the key would be to find people in Afghanistan who are not affiliated with the Taliban and who are simply working to help people and use them to deliver aid. Nilgiris (TN), Oct 1 (PTI) The toll in the bus accident here has gone up to nine with the death of one more woman, police said on Sunday. Also Read | Delhi Man Files False Robbery Complaint After Losing Money in Online Gambling, Cuts Himself With Blade To Make It Look Real. She was among the injured persons. On Saturday, a Tenkasi-bound tourist bus fell into a gorge and toppled after the driver lost control of the vehicle, killing 8 people. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Lay Foundation Stone of Nagpur-Vijaywada Economic Corridor; Launch Projects Worth Rs 13500 Crore in Telangana Today. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu and Kashmir police seized 30 kilograms of cocaine in Ramban district (Image/ANI) Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 1 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday arrested two persons and seized 30 kilograms of cocaine estimated to be worth Rs 300 crore in the international market in Ramban district, a top police official said. According to Mohita Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Ramban, they received inputs on Saturday that a vehicle might be transporting drugs in the district. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Pitches for Blending Well-Being and Health With Cleanliness Drive, People Across Country Participate in Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign. Following this, the information was processed and the car was intercepted, as per police. "During the search of the vehicle, 30 kilograms of the cocaine were recovered from the possession of the accused," SP Sharma told ANI. Also Read | Manipur: MHA Sanctions Rs 38.06 Crore To Provide Crop Compensation Package to Violence Hit Farmers. "Two accused were also arrested, the official added. "The value of 30 kg of cocaine is around Rs 300 crore In the international black market," sp Sharma said,adding that further investigation is underway. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shivpuri (MP), Oct 1 (PTI) Nine people, including a woman, were arrested after they assaulted and injured a sub-inspector inside a police station in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district on Sunday, an official said. The injured cop, K P Sharma, has been hospitalised, the official said. Also Read | Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches '14 Minutes Miracle' Cleaning System Process for Vande Bharat Trains. The incident took place at Karaira police station where the accused had come to record their statements in connection with a suicide abetment case, inspector Suresh Sharma told reporters. According to the injured cop, a youth hanged himself at Toriya Khurd village of the district four days ago and the police registered a case against five people for abetment. Also Read | Senegal: More Than 600 Migrants Intercepted in Three Days. People from the youth's side were called to the police station on Sunday to record their statements, he said. However, a young man who had come to record his statement started to make a video of the goings-on on his mobile. When he was told to refrain from recording the video, about nine people thrashed me inside the police station, said the injured cop. A woman was among those who allegedly attacked the policeman, the official said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Electronics industry body ELCINA has requested the government to come up with a production linked incentive scheme for non-semiconductor or computer chips sector which is dominated by imports, a senior official of the organisation said. According to Electronic Industries Association of India (ELCINA) report, total electronic component market in the country was estimated to be around USD 39 billion, of which 68 per cent requirement was met through imports in 2021-22. Also Read | Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Date, History and Significance: Know All About the Day That Marks the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation. While speaking at 48th ELCINA Award Ceremony, organisation's new President Atul B Lall said that the government's scheme for devices has been hugely successful and the incentive scheme for semiconductor sector is seeing a lot of traction and some investments have started flowing in. "Our humble submission and perseverance is going to be to do the same for non-semiconductor component sector also. For which we request government's intervention," said Lall, who is Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Dixon Technologies. Also Read | Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2023 Date & Significance: From His Political Career to the Green Revolution of India, Everything To Know About the 2nd Prime Minister of India. ELCINA is the oldest electronics industry body of the country established in 1967. According to the industry body, mobile phones, consumer electronics and industrial electronics account for the major demand (85 per cent) for electronic components in India. This is followed by computer hardware. ELCINA said that strategic electronics and lighting industry contribute to the balance of the market and industries like mobile phones, industrial electronics (due to the advent of electric vehicles) and strategic electronics are expected to witness substantial growth in the near future. Lall said that there is a need for separate PLI scheme for non-semicondcutor components due to large variation in the market for these components. "We can't treat this sector with one-size-fits-all kind of approach. Each sector has different financial market. It requires different treatment. We will be approaching government for its intervention," Lall said. He said that the country needs some flag bearers like Apple in the mobile devices segment, and 40 years ago beginning of Maruti Suzuki led to auto-revolution in India. "Same in the non-semiconductor space also, we need some very large investments," Lall said. The government has implemented "the Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors" (SPECS) to help offset the disability for domestic manufacturing of electronic components and semiconductors in order to strengthen the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country. After SPECS, the government separately announced India Semicon Programme with incentives to the tune of Rs 76,000 crore to attract investment in the computer chip segment. Under India Semicon Programme, US-based computer memory chip maker Micron has started building its assembly and test plant in Gujarat and two more large proposals are under pipeline. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) aims to launch eight battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in India by 2030, according to a senior company executive. The company currently sells one electric model -- Jaguar I-Pace -- in the country. Also Read | Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2023 Date & Significance: From His Political Career to the Green Revolution of India, Everything To Know About the 2nd Prime Minister of India. In an interaction with PTI, JLR Chief Commercial Officer Lennard Hoornik said the automaker will commence taking orders for the Range Rover BEV for the Indian market next year with deliveries expected to begin in 2025. "We are planning to introduce at least 8 BEVs by the end of the decade in India," he noted. Also Read | DRDO SSPL Recruitment 2023: Vacancies Notified for JRF and Research Associate Posts, Know How To Apply. The British automaker, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Motors since 2008, aims to become a net-zero carbon business globally by 2039. Terming the Indian market a "big strategic priority" for the automaker, Hoornik noted that the country is in the right direction when it comes to transitioning into electric mobility. He said subsidy push in the initial phase, setting up the right amount of charging infrastructure and having a great product (EV) were some of the essentials which would encourage the adoption of electric cars in the country. Hoornik noted that governments around the world were trying to give electric cars a bit of a kickstart by offering subsidies. "I think to kickstart that sort of transformation (to electric cars) I think it (subsidy) is very important," he noted when asked if subsidies could also help in the growth of EV sales in India. Hoornik said affordability is one critical factor in encouraging the adoption of electric cars. "..Batteries are not cheap...So if there is anything that we can do to accelerate..once you get over a certain percentage (sales of EVs) it seems to just go right..beginning I think is quite important," he stated. Elaborating on the company's overall roadmap in the country, Hoornik said the company aims to expand the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Defender brands which were strong in the Indian market. "We are now getting a number of new product releases within those families. There will be some special editions, but also we are slowly moving towards electrification," he noted. The automaker plans to have individual growth strategies for its four brands -- Jaguar, Range Rover, Discovery and Defender, Hoornik said. Each of those brands should have their own growth strategy, retail landscape and their own audience, he noted. "In a country that is so big, with so much diversity, I think there's a role for each of the brands to play," Hoornik said. He noted that in April-June period of this fiscal, the company's sales in India grew over 100 per cent and the automaker expected to keep the momentum going in the rest of the fiscal. "It is also important that we grow our order bank... it grew about 50-plus per cent within the same timeframe (first quarter)...it is very clear that it is looking bright (future) for us here," Hoornik said. He noted that JLR being a part of the Tata Group is a very positive factor due to the trust equation which the general population has with the diversified conglomerate. Hoornik noted that JLR has a very positive outlook on the growth of the overall luxury car market in India. High GDP growth rate, young population and rapid development of road infrastructure were some of the factors which bode well for the growth of the industry going ahead, he noted. "The positivity in the energy of India will carry it through," Hoornik said. Earlier this year, Tata Group announced an investment of 4 billion pounds to set up a flagship factory to make batteries for Jaguar Land Rover as well as other manufacturers. The group chose Bridgwater in Somerset in southwest England for the gigafactory over a rival location in Spain. The gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe and Tata's first outside of India. It will supply JLR's future battery-electric models, including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, with the potential to also supply other car manufacturers. Production at the new gigafactory is due to start in 2026. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The number of students in Delhi government schools in the current academic year has decreased by more than 30,000 as compared to the previous session, according to an RTI reply. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students in government schools in 2022-23 academic session was 17,89,385, while this academic year it decreased to 17,58,986, which is 30,399 less than the previous session. Also Read | Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Date, History and Significance: Know All About the Day That Marks the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi, has provided this information in response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. There are 1,050 Delhi government schools and 37 'Dr BR Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence' in the national capital. Also Read | Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2023 Date & Significance: From His Political Career to the Green Revolution of India, Everything To Know About the 2nd Prime Minister of India. According to the information received from the DoE, there has been a decline in the number of children in government schools in all districts and areas except north west A and central Delhi. The number of students in government schools located in north west A in 2023-24 is 1,87,596, while in 2022-23 it was 1,81,450. Similarly, the number of students in central Delhi's government schools increased to 28,922 in the current academic year from 27,580 in 2022-23. An official of the DoE, seeking anonymity, said, "There were more admissions in government schools of Delhi during the pandemic. But as the situation became normal, some students again moved to private schools." He said that "failure" of some students in exams is also a reason behind the decline in their numbers. In the last four years, the number of students in government schools in the academic session 2019-20 was 15,05,525, which increased during the pandemic period to 16,28,744 in 2020-21; 17,68,911 in 2021-22 and 17,89,385 in 2022-23, the RTI response stated. According to the RTI response, the number of science stream students in class 12 in 2022-23 was 21,285, which increased to 21,465 in 2023-24. However, the number of commerce stream students in 2023-24 decreased to 26,721 from 33,006 in 2022-23. The number of students studying arts subjects declined drastically from 1,74,419 in 2022-23 to 1,06,785 in 2023-24. This is even less than the number of students in the academic session 2020-21, the RTI reply said. Dr Himanshu Gupta, Director of DoE, could not be contacted for his comment despite repeated attempts. No response was received from Delhi Education Minister Atishi as well. The All India Parents Association (AIPA) said the biggest reason behind the decrease in the number of children in government schools of Delhi is the poor education system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many families enrolled their children in government schools instead of private ones, but later they realised that the "standard of education in government schools was not as claimed", AIPA president and senior advocate Ashok Aggarwal said. "There are many problems in government schools like poor quality of education, shortage of regular teachers and lack of basic facilities, due to which many children have left government schools and turned to private schools again," Aggarwal told PTI. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rajpura (Punjab), Oct 1 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann Sunday said the state has received investments of more than Rs 50,000 crore in the past one-and-a-half years because of the concerted efforts of his government. Mann also said Punjab has complete communal harmony coupled with congenial atmosphere for industrial growth, which is giving impetus to its overall development and prosperity. The chief minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 138-crore cattle feed plant here which is to be set up by a Netherlands-based company, said an official statement. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana cultivating traditional crops are looking for ways to diversify their crops, or shift to horticulture, dairy, poultry, fishery, piggery and others for better earnings, said Mann. He said De Heus, an animal feed company, will set up the plant, adding that this is the first major investment by a Dutch company in Punjab. Also Read | Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Date, History and Significance: Know All About the Day That Marks the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The Netherlands is known to be the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. This plant will produce a full livestock product portfolio of compound feed, concentrates, base mix and dairy mineral mixes, he added. Also Read | Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2023 Date & Significance: From His Political Career to the Green Revolution of India, Everything To Know About the 2nd Prime Minister of India. In the first phase, the plant will produce 180 kilo metric tonne (KMT) of animal feed, with a potential to increase it to 240 KMT. He said the factory will have two dedicated lines for the production. Mann said he had promised last year to take steps for attracting investments and due to concerted efforts of the state government the captains of investments are coming to the state. "Punjabis are born entrepreneurs and leaders due to which they have proved their mettle across the globe," he said. The hard work and resilience of the Punjabis is unmatched due to which they excel in every sphere, he said, adding that the government is making all out efforts to utilise this spirit properly for progress of the state. Due to concerted efforts of the state government, investments worth Rs 50,840 crore have been received in the state, he stated. Tata Steel has made the biggest investment in the state, said Mann, adding that other companies like Jindal Steel, Virgio, Tafe, and Hindustan Unilever are also making investments in the state. With this, 2.25 lakh youths will get employment in the state, said Mann, adding that the Dutch project is a big slap on the face of those who used to say that the state will not get any investment as he was targeting the opposition parties. Mann said like Punjabis, the Dutch people are also hard working and resilient. This collaboration will help people of both the countries to excel in this field and script a new success story of economic growth, he stated. Stating that Punjab is a land of opportunities and the gateway of the country, Mann said industrialists should make optimum use of the congenial atmosphere backed by excellent infrastructure, power, skilled human resources and best industrial and work culture to spread the business of their companies in the state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Two minors were detained on Sunday for allegedly killing an 18-year-old youth following a scuffle in northeast Delhi's Welcome area, police said. The victim, Kashif, allegedly had an altercation with the accused -- both aged 15 -- over a petty matter on Saturday. He threatened the accused with a screwdriver and warned them to stay away from him, they said. Also Read | Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti 2023 Date & Significance: From His Political Career to the Green Revolution of India, Everything To Know About the 2nd Prime Minister of India. "A scuffle broke out between the victim and the accused. One of the accused snatched the screwdriver from Kashif and stabbed him in the chest multiple times," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey. The incident took place around 2.30 pm. The victim was admitted to Jag Pravesh Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. A murder case was registered and the police apprehended the two minors, he added. Also Read | DRDO SSPL Recruitment 2023: Vacancies Notified for JRF and Research Associate Posts, Know How To Apply. Kashif suffered two fatal stab injuries on his chest, his post-mortem revealed, the police said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], October 1 (ANI): Plastic particles less than 5 mm in diameter are referred to as 'microplastics.' These microscopic plastic particles are typically found in industrial effluents or as a result of the decomposition of larger plastic trash. Microplastics have been discovered in a variety of organs, including the lungs, heart, blood, placenta, and faeces, and have been ingested or inhaled by both humans and animals. Also Read | Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Quotes and Images To Celebrate Bapus 154th Birth Anniversary. Ten million tonnes of these plastic fragments end up in the ocean, where they disperse as ocean spray and enter the atmosphere. This revealed that microplastics had become a significant component of clouds, poisoning almost everything we eat and drink via "plastic rainfall." Also Read | National Apple Month 2023: From Apple Pie to Waldorf Salad, 5 Amazing Apple Recipes To Enjoy the Versatility of the Fruit. While much study on microplastics has focused on aquatic ecosystems, few studies have looked into how they affect cloud formation and climate change as "airborne particles." A team of Japanese scientists led by Hiroshi Okochi, a Professor at Waseda University, researched the path of airborne microplastics (AMPs) as they circulate in the biosphere, endangering human health and the climate. Their findings were recently published in the journal Environmental Chemistry Letters, with contributions from co-authors Yize Wang of Waseda University and Yasuhiro Niida of PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd. Microplastics in the free troposphere are transported and contribute to global pollution. If the issue of 'plastic air pollution' is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality, causing irreversible and serious environmental damage in the future, explained Okochi. To investigate the role of these tiny plastic particles in the troposphere and the atmospheric boundary layer, the team collected cloud water from the summit of Mount Fuji, the south-eastern foothills of Mt. Fuji (Tarobo), and the summit of Mt. Oyama regions at altitudes ranging between 1300-3776 meters. Using advanced imaging techniques like attenuated total reflection imaging and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR ATR imaging), the researchers determined the presence of microplastics in the cloud water and examined their physical and chemical properties.They identified nine different types of polymers and one type of rubber in the AMPs detected. Notably, most of the polypropylene that was detected in the samples was degraded and had carbonyl (C=O) and/or hydroxyl (OH) groups. The Feret diameters of these AMPs ranged between 7.1 94.6 m, the smallest seen in the free troposphere. Moreover, the presence of hydrophilic (water-loving) polymers in the cloud water was abundant, suggesting that they were removed as cloud condensation nuclei. These findings confirm that AMPs play a key role in rapid cloud formation, which may eventually affect the overall climate. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, October 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed anguish over the Nilgiris bus accident in Tamil Nadu on September 30 that has left 9 persons dead. The PM also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the victims. "Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident near Coonoor in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Those injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi," the PM's official X handle said. On Saturday, a Tenkasi-bound tourist bus fell into a gorge and toppled after the driver lost control of the vehicle, killing 8 people. Tamil Nadu Road Accident: Tourist Bus Falls Into Gorge Near Coonoor, 35 People Injured (Watch Video). Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident near Coonoor in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Those PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 1, 2023 The toll went up to nine with the death of one more woman today. The victims had arrived in the hilly district for a pleasure trip and were returning home when the mishap occurred. Helen Mirren says she can see why people have problem with non-Jewish actors playing Jewish roles Helen Mirren has admitted that she can see why some people are uncomfortable with Jewface following backlash to her forthcoming portrayal of Golda Meir. The British actor will portray the former prime minister of Israel in Golda, a new biopic from director Guy Nattiv. When Mirrens casting was announced, however, it was met with criticism that a Jewish historical figure was being played by a non-Jewish actor. On Sunday (30 September), Mirren appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and was asked about actors doing Jewface, as well as the recent backlash to Bradley Cooper wearing a prosthetic nose to portray composer Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. I think I can see, but sometimes I cant see, because, I cant see who in this room is Jewish, Mirren said. We are all such an amazing mix and certainly I dont have an issue with Kirk Douglas playing a Viking. Kirk Douglas was Jewish. "I think the whole question of assuming a certain physiognomy because youre playing a particular race. There is something offensive about that. On the other hand, if youre playing Leonard Bernstein, and this is really what Leonard Bernstein looked like, you know, maybe its a good idea. As I said, its a very delicate balance. Golda depicts Meir, also known as the Iron Lady of Israel, and the decisions she had to make during the Yom Kippur War that began in 1973. Mirren as Meir in Golda (Embankment Films) Mirren has previously addressed her casting as Meir, saying: It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role. [Meir] is a very important person in Israeli history. I said, Look, Guy, Im not Jewish, and if you want to think about that, and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings. I will absolutely understand. But he very much wanted me to play the role, and off we went. She added: I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had its utterly legitimate. [But] you know, if someone whos not Jewish cant play Jewish, does someone whos Jewish play someone whos not Jewish? Story continues Maureen Lipman was one of the stars to criticise Mirrens casting, with the Jewish actor saying: Helen will be great. Good actress, sexy and intelligent. Looks the part. [But] my opinion, and thats what it is, a mere opinion, is that if the characters race, creed or gender drives or defines the portrayal then the correct for want of an umbrella [term] ethnicity should be a priority. Golda is released in cinemas on Friday 6 October. Lahore, Oct 1 (PTI) Pakistan's security forces Sunday claimed to have thwarted a terror attack on a police post in Punjab province, killing two most-wanted terrorists of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). One policeman also died in the attack on the Kundal patrolling post in Mianwali during the early hours of Sunday, Punjab police chief Usman Anwar said in a statement. Also Read | Pakistan: Mufti Qaiser Farooq, Close Associate of Hafiz Saeed, Gunned Down by Unidentified Gunmen in Karachi. "Kundal Punjab Highway Patrolling Post, Mianwali (some 300kms from Lahore), in an operation assisted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab, police successfully thwarted an attack by 12 to 15 terrorists last night at approximately 23:45 hours," he said. During the operation, Head Constable Haroon lost his life. Multiple terrorists sustained injuries and following a thorough area search conducted by CTD personnel, two bodies were found, said Anwar. "The operation concluded at 07:45 hours Sunday and it resulted in the recovery of the bodies of two terrorists. One of the terrorists has been identified as Zubair Nawaz, brother of Arshad Nawaz, the chief of TTP Tipu Group of Lakki Marwat," Anwar said. Also Read | 'Everything He Is, He Owes to Me': Errol Musk Denies Allegations of Abusive Parenting in Elon Musk's Recent Biography. Zubair was on the most-wanted list in both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces due to his involvement in the killings of police officers, Shia Muslims and extortion activities. The second terrorist, Muhammad Khan, was also on the most-wanted terrorist list, said Anwar. There has been a wave of terror attacks in Pakistan in recent weeks. At least 59 people were killed in a suicide attack in Mastung, a town 60kms from the capital city of Quetta in Balochistan province on Friday. No militant group has taken responsibility for the attack. Similarly, five people were killed in the Hangu district of KPK province when a suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday. The ISIS-Khorastan group claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has vowed to strike at the bases of terror groups, including Islamic State and TTP, to avenge these attacks. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Oct 1 (AP) The European Union's foreign policy chief called on US lawmakers Sunday to reconsider their decision to omit financial support for Ukraine from a stop-gap budget bill Congress passed to halt a federal government shutdown. The legislation approved Saturday to keep the federal government running until November 17 dropped provisions on providing additional aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republican lawmakers. Also Read | Afghan Minorities Council Expresses Concern Over Afghanistan Embassy Ceasing Its Operations in India. Speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said European officials were surprised by the last-minute agreement in Washington and pledged the 27-nation bloc would carry on helping the invaded country defeat Russia. I have hope that this will not be a definitive decision and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US, Borrell said. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker, the Spanish diplomat added. Ukrainian officials stressed that US backing for Ukraine would continue despite the stop-gap legislation. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, said America's relationship with Ukraine had not changed and that Ukrainian officials meet regularly with representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties. All of Ukraine's key partners are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, he wrote on Telegram. However, the omission of additional Ukrainian aid from the package has raised concerns in Kyiv, which relies heavily on Western financial aid and military equipment in its fight against Russia's ongoing invasion. A little more than a week ago, lawmakers met in the Capitol with Zelenskyy, who sought to assure them his military was winning the war but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. Yet recent voting in the House has pointed to increased US isolationism and a growing resistance to providing further aid as the war, now in its 20th month, grinds on. In a sign of a partisan divide on the issue, nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Writing on Telegram, Ukrainian parliament member Oleksiy Goncharenko said Sunday that Kyiv needed to adopt new measures to receive the continued support of both American officials and the general public. Without it, Goncharenko said, Ukrainians have practically no chance of defending themselves. He set forward a list of proposals that included permanently posting Ukrainian delegates in Washington. We need to speak the language of money with the US: How will the United States benefit from Ukraine's victory? What will the US get? What will American taxpayers get? Goncharenko wrote. We need to change strategy. We need to act differently. Let's fix this situation. We cannot lose. Elsewhere, Britain's new defense secretary stressed his support of Ukraine, suggesting that British military training of Ukrainian soldiers, which currently takes place at UK bases, could move into western Ukraine. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Grant Shapps said he was in discussions with the British army about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quick to rule out speculation of an imminent deployment of British soldiers to Ukraine. Shapps' suggestion was not for the here and now, Sunak told reporters, but a possibility for the long term. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. That's not what's happening, Sunak said. Russian politicians immediately criticized the proposal. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, who is deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council, claimed Shapps was actively pushing "towards a Third World War. The British minister will be turning his instructors into a legal target for our armed forces, knowing perfectly well that they'll be mercilessly destroyed not as mercenaries, but as NATO specialists, Medvedev wrote on social media. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 19 months ago, Medvedev, a law school graduate, has emerged as one of the most hawkish Russian officials, regularly issuing blustery remarks that combine Latin mottos and legal expressions with four-letter words. Observers have interpreted Medvedev's rhetoric, which sounds tougher than the statements of even old-time Kremlin hardliners, as an apparent attempt to curry favor with Putin. Yan Gagin, advisor to the head of the Russian-occupied part of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, also dismissed Shapps' idea but without Medvedev's fiery warnings. "Even if British instructors do organize training for Ukraine's armed forces inside Ukraine, it won't bring any results," Gagin told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Ukraine's failed counter-offensive has already shown the level of such training, he added. More than 23,500 recruits from Ukraine have received combat training at army bases across the UK since the start of 2022, receiving instruction on skills that include weapons handling and battlefield first aid. Earlier this year, Britain's government committed to training another 20,000 recruits. The training is part of a broader package of support for Ukraine that includes a pledge of 2.3 billion pounds (USD 2.8 billion) of anti-tank weapons, rocket systems and other hardware this year. Shapps, who took over as defense secretary from predecessor Ben Wallace in August, said he also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent days about Britain's Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. He did not provide details. He added that UK defense companies should consider setting up production in Ukraine. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. We're seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country, he said, referring to the leading British defense and aerospace manufacturer. I'm keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kansas City, Oct 1 (AP) A federal agency has sued the restaurant chain Chipotle, accusing it of religious harassment and retaliation after a manager at a Kansas location forcibly removed an employee's hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged that in 2021, an assistant manager at a Chipotle in Lenexa, Kansas, repeatedly harassed the employee by asking her to show him her hair, despite her refusal. After several weeks, the harassment culminated in him grabbing and partially removing her hijab, according to the complaint. Also Read | US-China tech War: AI Sparks First Battle in Middle East. The manager's offensive and incessant requests that she remove her hijab, and his attempt to physically take it off, were unwelcome, intentional, severe, based on religion, and created a hostile working environment based on religion," the complaint alleged. Chipotle's chief corporate affairs officer, Laurie Schalow, said the company encourages employees to report concerns, including through an anonymous hotline. Also Read | Pakistan International Airlines' Flight Services Hit As Five Aircraft With No Engines Grounded. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind and we have terminated the employee in question, she said in an emailed statement. The harassment began in July 2021, when the manager began asking the employee, who was 19 at the time, to remove her hijab because he wanted to see her hair. According to the complaint, he demanded to see her hair at least 10 times over the course of one month. She refused on every occasion, saying she wore it because of her religious beliefs. The employee complained to another supervisor that the incidents made her uncomfortable, but no further action was taken against the manager, the complaint said. One night during closing in August 2021, the manager allegedly reached out and pulled her hijab partially off her head. The following day, the employee gave her two weeks' notice. Chipotle didn't schedule her for any shifts during those two weeks even though other non-Muslim employees who submitted their notice continued to be scheduled for work during that time, the complaint alleged. The lawsuit claims that Chipotle violated federal civil rights law protecting employees and job applicants from discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, sex, and national origin. In its suit, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said it wants Chipotle to institute policies that provide equal employment opportunities for employees of all religions and pay damages to the employee. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Madrid [Spain], October 1 (ANI): At least seven people were killed and four others sustained injuries after a fire broke out at a nightclub in Spain's Murcia on Sunday morning, reported CNN citing the local authorities. According to the Murcia emergency services website, the injured are two men and two women, ages 41 and 45 and 22 and 25 respectively, who were all rushed to the hospital after inhaling smoke. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. Following the incident, the emergency personnel are searching for additional victims on-site, if any. The origin of the fire, however, is still unknown. Worried and dismayed by the news coming from there (Murcia). The emergency services continue working, the President of the Murcia region posted on X. Also Read | Earthquake in China: Quake of Magnitude 4.5 on Richter Scale Strikes Qinghai. Emergency services were called in at the scene, and local firefighters asked the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies for a helicopter to help put out the fire. Later, the emergency services declared that ground resources were sufficient to do the job The General Director of Security and Emergencies, Ricardo Villalba, is on-site coordinating with the Murcia City Council the necessary means to manage this tragedy, CNN quoted the emergency services as saying. In light of the incident, Murcia's mayor Jose Ballesta announced on X that the city has announced three days of mourning for "those who died in the fire that occurred at the Teatre de Atalayas nightclub." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tel Aviv [Israel], October 1 (ANI/TPS): Israeli authorities were searching for survivors after a migrant rubber boat containing documents and equipment washed up on a beach near Netanya but no people on Sunday morning. It wasnt clear if the people on board had drowned or abandoned the boat. Also Read | Pakistan: Mufti Qaiser Farooq, Close Associate of Hafiz Saeed, Gunned Down by Unidentified Gunmen in Karachi. Maritime police launched boats and aerial drones searching for survivors. Given the prevailing currents, its not certain that any bodies will necessarily wash up. Police said several passports and identity cards of Somali and Turkish nationality were found in the boat, including those of children. Also found in the boat were bottles of water, energy bars and cakes. Also Read | 'Everything He Is, He Owes to Me': Errol Musk Denies Allegations of Abusive Parenting in Elon Musk's Recent Biography. The police, in cooperation with the maritime police officers, began a search a short time ago upon receiving a report from municipal officials about a rubber boat that washed ashore in the city when there were no people in the boat, but a lot of personal equipment and documents were found in it, the police said. Ruven Menikdiwela, director of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told the UN Security Council on Thursday that over 2,500 people have died or disappeared trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe. He said the number of migrants from sub-Sahara Africa traveling by land to the coast of Libya and Tunisia has been surging in 2023. According to Menikdiwela, 186,000 people have managed to reach southern Europe in 2023 after landing in Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta or Spain. (ANI/TPS) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Male (Maldives), Oct 1 (AP) Opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz won the Maldives presidential runoff on Saturday, securing more than 53 per cent of the vote, local media reported. The election has turned into a virtual referendum on which regional power India or China will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation. Also Read | US-China tech War: AI Sparks First Battle in Middle East. Mihaaru News reported that incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had received 46 per cent of the vote and that Muiz had won by more than 18,000 votes. Official results were expected on Sunday. With today's result we have got the opportunity to build the country's future. The strength to ensure the freedom of Maldives, Muiz said in a statement after his victory. It's time we put our differences aside and come together. We need to be a peaceful society. Also Read | Pakistan International Airlines' Flight Services Hit As Five Aircraft With No Engines Grounded. Muiz also requested that Solih transfer former president Abdulla Yameen to house arrest from prison. It was a surprise win for Muiz, who entered the fray as an underdog. He was named only as a fallback candidate closer to the nomination deadline after the Supreme Court prevented Yameen from running because he is serving a prison sentence for money laundering and corruption. Yameen's supporters say he's been jailed for political reasons. Today's result is a reflection of the patriotism of our people. A call on all our neighbours and bilateral partners to fully respect our independence and sovereignty, said Mohamed Shareef, a top official of Muiz's party. He said it was also a mandate for Muiz to resurrect the economy and for Yameen's release. Neither Muiz nor Solih got more than 50 per cent in the first round of voting earlier in September. Solih, who was elected president in 2018, was battling allegations by Muiz that he had allowed India an unchecked presence in the country. Muiz's party, the People's National Congress, is viewed as heavily pro-China. Solih has insisted that the Indian military's presence in the Maldives was only to build a dockyard under an agreement between the two governments and that his country's sovereignty won't be violated. Muiz promised that if he won the presidency, he would remove Indian troops from the Maldives and balance the country's trade relations, which he said were heavily in India's favour. Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, termed the election verdict as a public revolt against the government's failure to meet economic and governance expectations rather than concerns over Indian influence. I don't think India was at all in the people's minds, Saheed said. An engineer, Muiz had served as the housing minister for seven years. He was mayor of Male, the capital, when he was chosen to run for president. Solih suffered a setback closer to the election when Mohamed Nasheed, a charismatic former president, broke away from his Maldivian Democratic Party and fielded his own candidate in the first round. He decided to remain neutral in the second round. Nasheed's departure took the motherboard away from the MDP, Shaheed said. Yameen, leader of the People's National Congress, made the Maldives a part of China's Belt and Road initiative during his presidency from 2013 to 2018. The initiative is meant to build railroads, ports, and highways to expand trade and China's influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Despite the rhetoric, Muiz is unlikely to change the foreign policy of affording an important place to India rather, opposition to Chinese projects is likely to lessen, evening power balances out, Shaheed said. The Maldives is made up of 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean located by the main shipping route between the East and the West. These five years have been the most peaceful and prosperous five years we've ever seen. We have had political peace, opposition candidates are not jailed every day, said Abdul Muhusin, who said he voted for Solih in the runoff on Saturday. Another voter, Saeedh Hussein, said he chose Muiz because I want the Indian military to leave Maldives." I don't believe the Maldivian military has any control. Only Muiz can change these things and make the Indian military leave Maldives, he said. There were more than 2,82,000 eligible voters and turnout was 78 per cent an hour before the polling stations closed. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ankara [Turkey], October 1 (ANI): The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), banned by Turkey and its Western allies, claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing near the office of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, Al Jazeera reported. The PKK claimed their involvement in the attack, stating, "A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade", Al Jazeera reported, citing a statement the outfit sent to the ANF news agency. Also Read | Afghan Minorities Council Expresses Concern Over Afghanistan Embassy Ceasing Its Operations in India. The Firat News Agency is a Kurdish news agency that gathers and broadcasts news from the Middle East. Designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States as well as Turkey, the PKK launched an armed rebellion in southeast Turkey in 1984, in which more than 40,000 people have since been killed. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. According to Turkey's Interior minister, the explosion in front of the Interior Ministry left two police officers injured. Fortunately, their injuries are not life-threatening, the minister informed. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the attack in Ankara, expressing NATO's solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Stoltenberg also extended his best wishes for a swift and complete recovery to the injured police officers. NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism, Stoltenberg said in a post on X, wishing injured police officers a fast and full recovery. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the incident in a speech to the Turkish parliament, asserting that "terrorists" will never achieve their objectives in Turkey. He characterized the attack as the "last flutters of terrorism" and emphasised that terrorists attempting to disrupt peace and citizens' security will not succeed, according to Al Jazeera. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism, Erdogan said. Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed, he said. Erdogan also warned that it would be a formidable challenge to boost the morale of "terrorist" groups with political motivations. The President's address to the Turkish parliament took place during the first session after an almost three-month hiatus. This address followed the attack on the Interior Ministry, which is situated in close proximity to the parliament building, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], October 1 (ANI): Awami National Party (ANP) provincial council member Javed Khan aged 55 years was shot dead by two unidentified motorcyclists in the Swabi region of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. DSP Jawad Khan said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that the ANP leader was shot at from a very close range by the assailants. Khan said that the assailants moved closer to him and opened fire on him, according to Dawn report. Also Read | Like Chandrayaan, US-India Relationship Will Go to the Moon and Even Beyond, Says EAM S Jaishankar (Watch Video). Javed Khan's son Abbas Khan told police that he was purchasing essential commodities in Swabi city when he received the news regarding his father's death. He said that his father was lying dead near the Swabi graveyard in the Qasimkhel area. Abbas Khan said that locals told him that two unidentified motorcyclists suddenly appeared and opened fire on his father with a pistol, killing him on the spot, Dawn reported. The attackers managed to flee from the spot. Also Read | US Government Shutdown Averted With Little Time to Spare As President Joe Biden Signs Funding Before Midnight. ANP district general secretary Nawabzada said that it was not clear whether it was an incident of terrorism or enmity. However, DSP Jawad Khan claimed that it was not an incident of terrorism and it appeared that he was targeted by his relatives with whom his family was having a feud. Earlier in September, the elders of the Bar Qambar khel tribe in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bara expressed grave concern over the rising number of targeted killings and called on the law enforcement forces to take immediate action to control the situation, Dawn reported. During a jirga convened in Takia Qaumi Markaz on September 17, the Bar Qambarkhel elders described officials' inactivity against targeted killings as criminal negligence and said that no one engaged in those crimes had been apprehended so far. The jirga agreed with Bara Siyasi Ittehad's decision to stage protests while not burying victims of targeted killings in the future, according to Dawn report. The jirga participants also formed a committee comprised of ten representatives from each sub-tribe of Bar Qambar khel to hold discussions regarding targeted killing events and other local concerns. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Colombo, Oct 1 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has congratulated Maldives' newly-elected President Mohamed Muizzu and expressed his desire to have robust bilateral relations between the two countries, his office said on Sunday. "President Wickremesinghe conveyed his felicitations to President Muizzu through a personal telephone call, demonstrating the importance of the occasion, the President's office said in a statement. Also Read | Pakistan: Mufti Qaiser Farooq, Close Associate of Hafiz Saeed, Gunned Down by Unidentified Gunmen in Karachi. During their conversation, President Wickremesinghe expressed his heartfelt desire to elevate the existing close and friendly bilateral relations into a robust and multi-faceted partnership. Both leaders emphasised their commitment to the betterment of the citizens of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, with President Wickremesinghe highlighting the pivotal role of enhanced economic cooperation, the statement said. Also Read | 'Everything He Is, He Owes to Me': Errol Musk Denies Allegations of Abusive Parenting in Elon Musk's Recent Biography. Wickremesinghe expressed his intent to work closely with President Muizzu to achieve shared goals, reaffirming the dedication of both countries to a brighter and prosperous future, the statement added. Muizzu, from the opposition People's National Congress - a component of the opposition coalition, won the presidential election runoff held on Saturday with 54 per cent of votes, beating President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who won 46 per cent. Muizzu had been serving as the mayor of Male City when he ran for the presidency. His party is viewed as heavily pro-China. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The Nitzan-Magen Prison in the city of Ramla, central Israel (Photo/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], October 1 (ANI/TPS): A state of emergency was declared in Israels Maasiyahu prison after guards noticed some bars were missing from a cell window on Saturday. According to the Israeli Prison Service, the missing bars were one of three layers, and the other two layers were intact. The IPS added that there was no evidence of cutting or displacement. The discovery was made during a routine inspection. Also Read | Afghan Minorities Council Expresses Concern Over Afghanistan Embassy Ceasing Its Operations in India. Extensive searches were carried out in the other wings of the prison, which did not reveal any unusual findings. The prison is undergoing renovations and authorities will continue to inspect the building and question the prisoners living in that cell. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. Maasiyahu, a minimum-security prison, is located in the central town of Ramla. Meanwhile, five soldiers who served as guards at the Ramon Prison in southern Israel suspected of having an affair with a Palestinian security prisoner are due to be questioned by police this week. Details remain under a gag order. National Security Prisoner Itamar Ben-Gvir reportedly wants the Cabinet to form a commission of inquiry to examine the Israel Prison Services conduct amid allegations that imprisoned Palestinian terrorists assaulted and raped female soldiers working as guards at the Gilboa Prison. Several prison officials have been accused of pimping out the young soldiers to the Palestinians in exchange for intelligence and calm in the northern Israeli facility. (ANI/TPS) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Juliia Baranova stands on Parliament Hill the day of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit last week. Baranova says the warm welcome given to a Ukrainian veteran who fought for the Nazis has opened her eyes to the complicated history of many eastern European nations. (Avanthika Anand/CBC - image credit) Some members of the local Ukrainian community say there's "broken trust" after a former Ukrainian solder who fought in a Nazi division was honoured in Parliament during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Ottawa and want an apology of their own. "This is just so, so disappointing," said Jane Kolbe, an active member of the community in Ottawa. Now-former House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota invited veteran Yaroslav Hunka, one of his constituents from North Bay, Ont., to sit in the gallery during Zelenskyy's address on Sept. 22. Hunka received a standing ovation from MPs, the prime minister and Zelenskyy himself. Days later, it was revealed that Hunka was part of the First Ukrainian Division, also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division or the SS 14th Waffen Division a voluntary unit under the command of the Nazis during the Second World War. Members of Canada's Jewish community have called it a "humiliating debacle." Rota resigned as Speaker last week, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly apologized to the Jewish community for what he called a "deeply embarrassing" moment in Canadian history. FILE - Yaroslav Hunka, right, waits for the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Onatario, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Wednesday, Sept. 27, for Parliaments recognition of Hunka, who fought alongside the Nazis during last weeks address by Ukraine President Zelenskyy. All of us who were in the House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped, even though we did so unaware of the context, Trudeau said before entering the House of Commons. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Ukrainian-Canadian Yaroslav Hunka, 98, was a former soldier fought who fought alongside the Nazis. He was invited by former Speaker Anthony Rota to the House of Commons last week and received a standing ovation during Zelenskyy's visit. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) As the incident made international headlines, some members of the Ottawa region's Ukrainian community said it's been "difficult" to watch it overshadow Zelenskyy's important visit. Many are "still trying to absorb and understand" what happened, Kolbe said. "It is baffling because [in] the diaspora, there's so many heroes to recognize," she said. "But this really wasn't the time to recognize heroes. This was the time to honour and reflect on President Zelenskyy's speech." Story continues Kolbe said it was important that Trudeau apologized to the Jewish community, and believes the resulting "broken trust" with the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada means they deserve one, too. Supporters of the Ukraine stand in front of Parliament Hill as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attend a joint press conference in Ottawa on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. Supporters of the Ukraine stand in front of Parliament Hill during Zelenskyy's visit. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) 'History has a lot of complexity' Juliia Baranova was among the hundreds of Ukrainians on Parliament Hill the day of Zelenskyy's visit and said she was "very concerned" about the Hunka incident. "For me personally, it also shows that history lessons are not learned," Baranova said. "And eastern European countries' history has a lot of complexity." Reports suggest as many as 2,000 Ukrainian members of Adolf Hitler's Waffen-SS were admitted to Canada after the war. Historians have documented how soldiers like Hunka were trained at SS facilities in Germany, swore an oath to Hitler and received an education in Nazi doctrine. But many young Ukrainian soldiers at that time were fighting not for Germany, but to expel the Russians occupying their country, said Dominique Arel, chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa. The incident in the House of Commons has been made even worse, Arel added, by false Russian claims that the current invasion of Ukraine is a war against Nazism. "No matter how you try to explain the complexity of history, the symbol is awful. It's shocking," he said. Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota rises to speak in a December 2022 file photo. Rota invited Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian who now lives in North Bay, Ont., to witness Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's address to Parliament on Friday. Rota resigned from his position as speaker last week following the incident. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) Baranova, who was unaware of this history before last week, said despite its complexity, "we have to learn it." Marina Lavow, who lives in Gatineau, Que., and moved to Canada from Ukraine nearly 30 years ago, called it a "really sad and unfortunate event" but noted that not everyone in the diaspora agrees. "The community is not homogeneous," she said. "There are different ways [of thinking], different generations. And to some people it means one thing, while to other people who have less knowledge of what happened, why that division was created, it means less." Karachi, Oct 1 (PTI) At least three terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were killed while four Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in a gunfight in the country's restive Balochistan province, according to an official statement. The incident happened on September 28 in Zhob area of the province which is near to the country's border with Afghanistan, the statement issued by Pakistan military's media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday said. Also Read | Afghan Minorities Council Expresses Concern Over Afghanistan Embassy Ceasing Its Operations in India. "Four soldiers were martyred on September 28 while trying to prevent a group of terrorists from illegally entering Pakistan territory from Afghanistan," the statement said. The ISPR said that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists had tried to infiltrate into Pakistan territory through the Sambaza border area from Afghanistan in Zhob. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. The media wing said that security personnel thwarted the attempt and in the ensuing gunfight four soldiers lost their lives while three terrorists were also killed and some others injured. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prague [Czech Republic], October 1 (ANI): Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari was received in a traditional 'Maharashtrian way' at Prague airport on Sunday. He was received at the airport by India's Ambassador to Czech Republic Hemant Kotalwar. Also Read | Afghan Minorities Council Expresses Concern Over Afghanistan Embassy Ceasing Its Operations in India. "Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari Ji received a warm welcome at Prague airport by Indian Ambassador Shri @HemantKotalwar ji and the Maharashtra Mandal - Czech Republic (MMCZ) in a traditional Maharashtrian way. @IndiainCzechia," the office of Nitin Gadkari posted on X, formerly Twitter. Notably, Gadkari is on an official tour to the Czech Republic on October 2, where he will participate in the Ministerial session on Road Safety at the 27th World Road Congress in Prague. Also Read | Cross-Border Love Story: Bangladeshi Woman Visits Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti District To Meet Boyfriend, Returns After Discovering He Was Married. He will also interact with international organizations, academia, industry, and all experts and stakeholders in road transport, and related issues there. "I will be on an official tour to the Czech Republic on October 2, 2023," Gadkari posted on X. Will participate in the Ministerial session on Road Safety at the 27th World Road Congress in Prague and interact with international organizations, academia, industry, and all experts and stakeholders in road transport, road infrastructure, road safety, and related issues," he added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Budaun, October 1: Three policemen and a robber were injured in an encounter in Ujhani area here, police said on Sunday. On Saturday night, police received a tip-off that three robbers were going on a stolen motorcycle. The accused opened fire when they were intercepted by the police team, Circle Officer Shakti Singh said. In exchange of fire, three constables -- Onkar Singh, Akash and Satyendra Kumar -- got injured, he said. The team nabbed two robbers of which Gurav Singh sustained a bullet injury on his leg, the CO said. Ujjain Rape Case: Victims Family Get Information Through Viral Video, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhans Social Media Post Claiming Accused Injured in Police Encounter Deleted. The third accused managed to escape from the spot, he said, adding that Gurav and the injured constables have been admitted to a hospital and they are stable. Raipur, October 1: The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh will take out day-long 'Bharosa Yatras' (trust march) in all 90 assembly constituencies of the poll-bound state to inform people about the welfare schemes of its government. Chhattisgarh Congress unit's communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla in a statement said during the march, to be held on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, their party will also reach out to people and expose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that it "cheated" people of the state during its 15-year rule (2003-2018). Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Date, History and Significance: Know All About the Day That Marks the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his cabinet colleagues, Congress MLAs and MPs will take part in the march in their respective constituencies, he said. The yatra, to be taken out on four-wheelers and motorcycles, will cover a distance of 25-30 kilometres in each constituency during which 'nukkad sabha' and public meetings will be held, Shukla said. Efforts will be made to cover as many villages and panchayats as possible during the march, he said. Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh are are due this year-end. The state government organised 'Bharose ka Sammelan' at various places over the past few months, and it was also attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Gandhi Jayanti 2023 Wishes: Quotes And Wallpapers To Celebrate Birth Anniversary Of Mahatma Gandhi. Slogans like 'Bhupesh hai to bharosa hai' (if there is Bhupesh, we have trust) and 'Bharose ki Sarkar' (government with trust) were raised during the programme. The opposition BJP concluded its two 'Parivartan Yatras' on Saturday in Bilaspur city where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the closing ceremony. The first 'Parivartan Yatra' was taken out from Dantewada (south Chhattisgarh) on September 12, and the second one was rolled out from Jashpur (north Chhattisgarh) on September 15. New Delhi, October 1: A six-month-old baby, suffering from congenital heart disease, encountered severe breathing problems on a Ranchi-Delhi IndoGo flight on Saturday. However, help was at hand. Two fellow passengers, both doctors, stepped in to assist the baby. One of the doctors was Nitin Kulkarni, an IAS officer with a medical background, who along with another doctor improvised by administering oxygen from an adult mask and other essential medications as a critical medical intervention. IndiGo Mentally Disabled Passenger Misbehaves, Locks Himself Inside Toilet Onboard Flight; Detained at Patna Airport. Upon landing at 9.25 am, a medical team swiftly arrived to provide the baby with the necessary oxygen support. The baby was shifted to AIIMS where the condition is said to be stable. IndiGo Flight Lands Safely at Mumbai Airport After Mid-Air Engine Glitch; Flight Grounded. "Doctors are God sent angles. Today saw one saving a 6 month old baby onboard #Indigo . Dr. Nitin Kulkarni, IAS, governor house @jhar_governor (Jharkhand) took on his role as a doctor and saved the kid. Salute to you sir," A.S. Deol, who was passenger on the same flight wrote on X. However, IndiGo is yet to issue statement on the incident. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2023 08:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The police are to move into Hitler's birthplace in the Austrian town of Braunau. The police, critics say, played a questionable role during the Nazi era. But what are the alternatives?The inconspicuous Biedermeier stone house with the address Salzburger Vorstadt 15 is painted in friendly beige. Iron bars block the windows on the first floor. A bus stop catches the eye, and next to it a waist-high memorial stone made of granite. "For peace, freedom and democracy. Never again fascism. The millions of dead remind us," reads the chiseled inscription. Adolf Hitler, the dictator of the Third Reich, was born in this house. Also Read | Dengue Outbreak in Bihar: 6,146 Cases Reported in September 2023, Highest in Last Five Years. That alone makes it and the Austrian town of Braunau am Inn significant. Also Read | 'Swachh and Swasth Bharat Vibe'! PM Narendra Modi Blends Fitness and Well-Being Into Cleanliness Exercise With Ankit Baiyanpuriya (Watch Video). Even 78 years after Hitler's suicide in the bunker of the Reich Chancellery in Berlin with which he evaded all responsibility shortly before the unconditional surrender of the German Army there are still discussions about the use of his birthplace. Austria is struggling with the recognition and would like to get rid of the neo-Nazi pilgrimage site. That is why a police station is now to be housed there, but this is being met with resistance. 'Completely wrong signal' "A conversion to a police station is the completely wrong signal," says filmmaker Gunter Schwaiger, "a slap in the face of the victims." The 58-year-old has made a widely acclaimed documentary about Hitler's birthplace titled "Who's Afraid of Braunau?" Since the beginning of September, the film, which Schwaiger worked on for five years, has been playing in Austrian cinemas and will appear at the Hofer Filmtage in Germany at the end of October. "Braunau is not a brown town. Quite the opposite!" Schwaiger tells DW, with brown being a term used to describe Nazis. The fact that Hitler was born here forces people to face the past more than anywhere else. "You don't need to be afraid of Braunau and certainly not of the people," says the filmmaker. Meanwhile, the citizens' association Burgerinitiative Diskurs Hitlerhaus (Discourse Hitler House) is running up a storm against the plans of the Austrian Interior Ministry. "The symbolic effect would be catastrophic," spokeswoman Eveline Doll tells DW. The police played a questionable role during the Nazi era, she said. "Besides, there are many good ideas and suggestions on how to use this house intelligently and responsibly in terms of contemporary history." Commission seeks 'historically accurate solution' The search for "appropriate" use goes back a long time. After Austria's annexation by the German Reich in 1938, the Nazi Party (NSDAP) acquired the birthplace of its "Fuhrer" and set up a cultural center. After the war, it reverted to the former owners. The state became the tenant, and from then on, it served sometimes as a library, sometimes as a school and finally as a workshop for people with disabilities. Hitler's birthplace has been empty since 2011. In 2016, Austria expropriated it from private ownership to prevent it from being appropriated by neo-Nazis. But what's the solution? The country established a "Commission on the Historically Correct Treatment of Adolf Hitler's Birthplace." In its final report, the commission, which also included historians and politicians, stated: "The myth of the Fuhrer and the cult of the Fuhrer were and are part of the core narrative about Hitler." It is essential, the report said, to "break through the symbolism of the site" through either a "socially charitable or an official-administrative use." Educational projects and contemporary history exhibitions were "discouraged." 'Not a place of pilgrimage for Nazis' "It was always a question of this house not becoming a place of pilgrimage for Nazis," explains Oskar Deutsch, the president of the Jewish Community of Vienna and a commission member. He could have imagined other uses for the building, Deutsch tells DW. However, it should be noted that "a police station of a democratic constitutional state is intended here, whose task is, among other things, to take action against National Socialist re-enactment." This goal was ultimately shared by all those involved. In March, Diskurs Hitlerhaus had 1,000 Austrians surveyed by the Market Institute in Linz. More than half (52%) were in favor of the creation of an "institution that deals thematically with National Socialism, remembrance, anti-fascism, tolerance and peace," while 23% were in favor of demolition, and only 6% were in favor of the police moving in. Doll, the spokeswoman for the citizens' initiative, still has an ace up her sleeve. The Viennese association Austrian Friends of Yad Vashem are keen to permanently show the traveling exhibition "The Righteous Courage is a Question of Choice" in Hitler's birthplace. The 400-square-meter show commemorates courageous non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Most recently, the exhibition was on display at the Museum Niederosterreich in the Austrian city of St. Polten. "This idea is a basis for discussion," says association spokesman Georg Schuster somewhat cautiously. "If the proposal doesn't catch on, that's okay." So apparently, nothing stands in the way of the 20 million ($21.2 million) conversion to a police station. A training room is also planned, where police officers will be educated about human rights. Construction work will start at the beginning of October, but this discussion about Hitler's birthplace in Braunau will likely continue. This article was originally written in German. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2023 02:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The young man died while being taken to the hospital, and the woman died during treatment at a local community health centre. Their families were preparing to perform the last rites when the police arrived on the scene, having been alerted by locals. Police took the bodies into custody and sent them for post-mortem examination. Crayola Experience Easton is celebrating a decade of 27 hands-on activities on four colorful floors while bringing back one of its original attractions. Crayola Experience was re-imagined in May 2013 after originally opening in 1996 as a single floor visitors center of crafts and interactive activities at 30 Centre Square. Prior, the site was known as The Crayola Factory, inspired by the famous crayons made at its Crayola headquarters in Forks Township. To celebrate 10 years of the new 65,000-square-foot site, Crayola Experience is bringing back one of its original attractions. The Meltdown activity will debut during the month-long Screamin Green Hauntoween event. This time, however, Meltdown is expected to be offered with some new glow-in-the-dark wax. Kids, and kids at heart, can let their creativity glow (in the dark) as they paint with melted wax ..., Crayola representatives said. Meltdown will be offered in the new Crayon Crew breakroom. Other activities available during Screamin Green Hauntoween include guests collecting ghoulish clues as they make their way through attractions to help Crayolas mad scientist, Robin, search for a lost potion recipe needed to de-MONSTERify the crayon crew. Children will be able to participate in the following: Get in costume with make-their-own monster masks. Craft a frightfully fun bat bookmark. Create a HUE-rific spider friend with modeling clay. Say Hauntoween! and strike a bewitching pose at one of the Halloween-themed photo-ops. Decorate a paper pumpkin to add to Old Farmer Macs Pumpkin Patch. Star in a WITCH-tacular coloring page. Additional attractions include some trick-or-treating on weekends only; pumpkin painting; and ooey-gooey slime making. Some of these events are at an extra cost. Guests also are encouraged to dress-up. However, no costume masks are allowed. Screamin Green Hauntoween is running now through Oct. 31. Other longtime popular activities at the site include naming and wrapping a Crayola crayon, watching how crayons are made live, starring in a coloring page and creating melted wax spin art. Larger-than-life Crayon characters typically greet guests throughout the day. Currently, the Crayola Experience brand has five national attractions. Its flagship attraction is in Easton, the birthplace of Crayola crayons. Guests can find the other sites in Orlando, Florida; at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota; Plano, Texas; and Chandler, Arizona. The creativity icon announced this past February plans to double its presence in the United States. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple TV+) First things first, you must surely be aware that our city is the world capital of cinema this month with the arrival of the London Film Festival. So be sure not to miss all the coverage and reviews across the Evening Standard. In the meantime, it being October, here is an octet of the finest films on general release over the next 31 days too. The Great Escaper You might well remember when 89-year-old D-Day veteran Bernie Jordan hit the headlines in 2014. Unable to secure a ticket for an organised trip to Normandy, early one morning Bernie quietly hobbled out of his nursing home and did a runner to Normandy on his own steam for the 70th anniversary of the landings. Matching the absconders sprightly spirit, 90-year-old Michael Caine fleshes Bernie out on screen with the humble grace and effortlessness of a past master. This is no one-man show though; in her final role, the late Glenda Jackson delivers close to a career best as Bernies wife Irene, stuck on the shores of Blighty terrified whether her true love will return from France alive for the second time in her life. A victorious tribute to love and memory, with Caine and Jackson giving a such a masterclass in acting from the heart, you cant help but weep. Out 6 October Michael Caine in The Great Escaper (Warner Brothers) BlackBerry If youre, like, under 30 years old, this might as well be a comedy-drama about the rise and fall of the Corby trouser press (no? google it). However, the rest of us will vividly, nostalgically remember all those smug business folk and early-adopters glued to their BlackBerry phones at the turn of the millennium. Matt Johnsons lolz-loaded tale tracks the ham-fisted ascent and equally hapless crash of the company founded by tech genius Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Doug Fregin (hilariously played by Johnson as a sweatband-wearing mega-nerd). Those two are entertaining enough, but the real revelation is the brilliant Glenn Howerton as Jim Balsillie, the fast and loose money shark who turns up and bludgeons his way to joint CEO of the company. With more than a hint of the off-the-rails anarchy of In the Thick of It, this is way more fun than this years Nike film, Air. If you only see one corporate calamity movie this year, make it this chaotic joy. Out 6 October Story continues Jay Baruchel, left, and Matt Johnson, wearing headband, in BlackBerry (National Amusements) The Exorcist: Believer Is The Exorcist (1973) the best horror film ever? Discuss. Yes, probably maybe is the correct answer. The Exorcist II (1977) and The Exorcist III (1990) not so great. Now, 50 years after the first head-spinning trip into terror, we have yet another sequel. Ellen Burstyn is back playing the same character as half a century ago: Regans mum Chris MacNeil, who is asked to help two possessed young girls because, you know, shes been there, rode with the devil etc. If its the second greatest Exorcist film ever that will be an achievement. The film-makers certainly think youll like it, as The Exorcist: Deceiver is already slated for 2025. Out 6 October Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum in The Exorcist: Believer (Universal Studios) Golda After Bradley Cooper recently got it in the neck for piling on a prosthetic nose to play Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, no doubt there will be some unhappy with Helen Mirrens humungous mounds of extra flesh in her portrayal of Israeli prime minister Golda Meir. Its a knotty debate, but the result here does seem to make Dame Helen look barely recognisable as herself and a fair bit like the actual Golda Meir. She led the nation for five years, but Israeli director Guy Nattiv focuses on a brief but monumental three weeks in Meirs premiership when in 1973 an Arab coalition launched a surprise attack on Israel, leading to the Yom Kippur War. Its anxious and jittery war room stuff as Meir (a notoriously heavy smoker) stubs cigarette after cigarette into ashtrays while discussing battle tactics with her generals. Outside of the theatre of war, we see Meirs private fretting as she lies awake in bed and her failing health as she is taken back and forth for hospital examinations (which she chainsmokes through). However, despite Mirrens unarguably brilliant talents, we never quite get a real glimpse through that mountain of make-up to the soul of Golda Meir. Out 6 October Helen Mirren in Golda (Jasper Wolf) Killers of the Flower Moon No more yearning and aching for cinephiles. After tantalising five-star reviews at Cannes back in spring, this years most-anticipated movie is eventually upon us. Based on David Granns non-fiction bestseller, Martin Scorseses period drama is a ravishing epic 206 minutes epic, to be precise as Leonardo DiCaprio and his uncle Robert De Niro set their sights on the dirty black gold beneath the ground of the Native Americans in Osage Nation. Lily Gladstone plays the local girl via whos heart DiCaprio intends to secure the oil. As the bodies pile up, so too do the questions about any real care nephew and uncle have for the tribe. I say ravishing even though I cant pretend to have seen it yet (Im getting my chance at the London Film Festival on October 7), but the trailer promises pure, devastating cinematic beauty. Out 20 October It Lives Inside We all want horror, so it seems. Its the worlds favourite movie genre, apparently. So as a relatively torture-free alternative to last weeks release of Saw X, heres a fantastically creepy debut from Bishal Dutta. Teenager Samidha (Megan Suri) used to be best friends with fellow Indian-American Tamira (Mohana Krishnan), but Tamira has unnervingly retreated into herself and resorted to carrying around a mysterious glass jar (yes, theres something wicked inside it). As crises of cultural identity, loss and belonging ebb and flow, Hindu gods and demons rise to the surface; one nasty creature in particular who feeds upon the girls fears and loneliness. Suri and Krishnan are both superb as the helpless and heroic sides of victimhood, while the mood of impending doom is ratcheted up at perfect pace. If you enjoyed Talk To Me earlier this summer, this is your next treat. Out 20 October Megan Suri in It Lives Inside (Vertigo Releasing) Our River Our Sky The Hurt Locker. American Sniper. The Green Zone. All films set in Iraq during the recent conflicts and all having American soldiers as the principal characters. So theres something refreshing about a movie that focuses on the daily lives of ordinary Iraqis during this time. Maysoon Pachachi, a London-based film-maker of Iraqi origins, takes us back to Baghdad in 2006 and the time of the execution of Sadam Hussain, when the city was experiencing extraordinarily bloody levels of sectarian violence. Random bombings, kidnappings and bodies floating down the river are an everyday occurrence. Amid this terrifying atmosphere of chaos and fear, Pachachi interweaves the storylines of people simply trying to get on with their lives. Many see their only hope as escaping abroad, but none of them really want to leave. And its this defiant love of their country which shines through the trauma and makes this a genuinely uplifting tale of humanity. Out 20 October Darina Al Joundi, Ali El Kareem and Zainab Joda in Our River... Our Sky (Tull Stories) Beyond Utopia However astonishingly film-makers manage to move us, the old adage tells us that truth is often stranger, more heart-breaking and life-enhancing than fiction. And theres no more riveting an example than Madeleine Gavins clandestine documentary following the desperate plight of North Koreans attempting to flee abroad. Predominantly shot with hidden cameras, it follows indefatigable (despite his advancing age and ill-health) South Korean pastor Kim Seungeuns relentless mission to assist escapees. As shadowy fixers are contacted in the North (phone calls are bleakly brief for fear of detection), Gavin focuses on the tortuous journey of a family, complete with young child and 80-year-old grandmother, from a forest on the Chinese border across numerous unfriendly countries in their bid for freedom. Like other migration stories, this is heart-stoppingly tense stuff, yet all the more so amid the climate of fear and punishment of Kim Jong-uns regime. The horrific fate of others who dont make it out reminds us of the tragedy of North Korea, but this is ultimately an optimistic story of compassion and endurance against brutal odds. Out 27 October A couple brought 2,500 to court to pay for groceries they had stolen in Portlaoise last year. Jordan Byrne, 22, and Daisy OConnor, 22, both with an address at Derrylusk, Mountrath were each accused of stealing 800 of groceries from Dunnes Stores, Kyle Centre, Portlaoise on November 2, 2022, 1,500 on November 5, 2022 and 700 worth of groceries on November 6. They were further charged with stealing alcohol valued at 71.85 from Tesco in Portlaoise on November 2, 2022 and stealing 70 worth of goods from Tesco on November 6, 2022. Ms OConnor was also accused of stealing a bottle of brandy valued at 59.50 from Dunnes Stores on the Mountmellick Road on March 21, 2023. These are the couple who loaded their trolleys up to the gills, taking 700 or 800 worth of goods, said Judge Andrew Cody when the pair appeared in court. He noted the thefts included earpods for the new baby. Judge Cody was told the defendants didnt have the full 2,500 in court they needed to fully repay Dunnes Stores. He was told they had 2, 050. It is 2,500, the zero is in the wrong place, Judge Cody said. He put the case back to after 2pm so the couple could get the remainder of the 2,500. After lunch the pair returned with 2,500. Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said Ms OConnor had a further 60 for Dunnes Stores on the Mountmellick Road. Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald, who was representing Mr Byrne, said it is unlikely that his client would trouble the court again. He entered a plea at an early stage, said Mr Fitzgerald. Judge Cody said the crimes werent impulsive. There was nothing impulsive about this, he said. On each of the three thefts from Dunnes Stores he sentenced the man to three months suspended for three years. He took all of Mr Byrnes other matters into consideration. Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had entered a plea at the earliest opportunity. She said the couple were homeless when the bigger thefts occurred. She took the bottle with a view to trading it for baby food, Ms Fitzpatrick claimed. She said her client now has an address in Portarlington. Allow her one final opportunity to prove that she is not going to trouble the court again, asked Ms Fitzpatrick. Judge Cody noted the woman had stolen after being caught initially. They each went on an extraordinary heist, particularly against Dunnes Stores, he said. He imposed a nine month sentence which he suspended for three years. She will do nine months if she is caught with her finger in any pie in any shop in this town again, he said. He warned the defendant not to be under any illusion about that before granting legal aid. A Councillor has claimed there is chaos when it comes to bus services timetables in Laois. Independent Councillor Ollie Clooney raised the issue at the latest meeting of Laois County Council where he also called for free school transport. He asked in a motion: "That Laois County Council contact Transport for Ireland to ask them to adjust the timetable so that it works better for students wishing to use the service. Consultation between TFI and local secondary and third level education facilities should take place prior to setting new timetables." Cllr Clooney said he had letters from a number of people complaining about bus services. I dont know who does the timetables, he admitted. There is no logical thinking gone into it, he said. Cllr Clooney claimed buses were coming too late for the school, coming too early. It is unbelievable. It is chaos, he said. He also said with rising costs and the pressure on families, the government should provide a free school bus service. Independent Cllr Aisling Moran pointed out that children going to college were unable to get accommodation who needed public transport. The Primary and Secondary schools seems to be a complete mess. I dont know what is after happening this year, she said. Why arent the Department of Education liaising with local bus companies and leave Bus Eireann out of it altogether, she said. Fine Gael Cllr John King said he would like to support the motion as the issue arises every year. New research suggests women who smoke during pregnancy are 2.6 times more likely to give birth prematurely compared with non-smokers more than double the previous estimate. The University of Cambridge study also found smoking meant the baby was four times more likely to be small for its gestational age, putting it at risk of potentially serious complications including breathing difficulties and infections. There was no evidence caffeine intake was linked to negative outcomes. Professor Gordon Smith, head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Cambridge, said: Weve known for a long time that smoking during pregnancy is not good for the baby, but our study shows that its potentially much worse than previously thought. It puts the baby at risk of potentially serious complications from growing too slowly in the womb or from being born too soon. We hope this knowledge will help encourage pregnant mums and women planning pregnancy to access smoking-cessation services. Pregnancy is a key time when women quit and if they can remain tobacco free after the birth there are lifelong benefits for them and their child. Health departments recommend that women who are pregnant should stop smoking and limit their caffeine intake because of the risk of complications to the baby. When the toxins from smoke travel through the bloodstream to the baby, it struggles for oxygen. When this happens it affects their development, and is linked to premature birth and low birthweight, though it has also been linked to a reduced risk of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy). The study looked at the effect of caffeine on pregnancy High caffeine intake has also been linked to lower birthweight and possibly foetal growth restriction. But caffeine can be more difficult to avoid than cigarette smoke as, as well as being found in coffee and tea, it can be found in chocolate, energy drinks, soft drinks and certain medications. Researchers say studies looking at the links between smoking and caffeine and their impact on pregnancy tend to rely on people reporting how much they have consumed, or exposure to smoke, data which is not always reliable. Blood tests for metabolites chemical by-products created when substances such as tobacco and caffeine are processed in the body might be more accurate. Researchers at Cambridge and the Rosie Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, recruited more than 4,200 women who attended the hospital between 2008 and 2012 as part of the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction (POP) study. The team analysed blood samples taken from a group of these women four times during their pregnancies. To assess exposure to cigarette smoke, the team looked at levels of cotinine, which can be detected in blood, urine and saliva. Only two out of three women with detectable levels of cotinine in every blood sample were self-reported smokers, showing that this measure is a more objective way of assessing smoking behaviour, researchers say. A total of 914 women were included in the smoking analysis. Of these, 78.6% were classified as having no exposure to smoking while pregnant, 11.7% as having some exposure and 9.7% as having consistent exposure. The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that compared with those without smoke exposure while pregnant, those with consistent exposure were 2.6 times more likely to experience spontaneous preterm birth. According to the researchers, this is more than double the previous estimate of 1.27 from an analysis of multiple studies. They were also 4.1 times as likely to experience foetal growth restriction. Additionally, babies born to smokers were found to be on average 387g lighter than babies born to non-smokers that is, more than 10% smaller than the weight of an average newborn. This increases the risk that the baby will have a low birth weight (2.5kg or less), which in turn is linked to an increased risk of developmental problems as well as poorer health in later life. Unlike in previous studies, the team found no evidence that smoking reduced the risk of pre-eclampsia. To assess caffeine intake, researchers looked for the metabolite paraxanthine in 915 women. Of these women, 12.8% had low levels of paraxanthine throughout pregnancy (suggesting low caffeine intake), 74.0% had moderate levels and 13.2% had high levels. The researchers say there was little evidence of an association between caffeine intake and any of the negative outcomes. However, because the researchers did not study all possible adverse outcomes of pregnancy, and some of the outcomes not studied such as stillbirth have been associated with higher caffeine intake in previous studies, they cannot interpret the findings as indicating that current recommendations around caffeine intake should be changed. The work was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the Medical Research Council. Leitrim County Council's Nicola McManus gave a presentation on National Broadband Ireland's seven year plan and revealed there is planned investment of 46m across County Leitrim. She added that there are 11,469 premises in the intervention area accounting for 51.4% of premises in the county including homes, farms, commercial premises and schools. Ms McManus said that in advance of the fibre to home rollout, the National Broadband Plan provided for the the delivery of Broadband connection points (BCPs) that have 150 megabits/second in rural locations in Leitrim including at Drumkeeran Enterprise Centre, Leitrim Gaels Community Facility, New Ballagh Centre, Rossinver, Aughawillan Community Centre, Aughavas GAA Park, Aughawillan GAA Club Room and Aghanlish Community.Center, Rossinver. "The idea is that in time, these BCPs will connect to the fibre," Ms McManus said. Two schools, Aughnawillian National School and St Michael's Primary School, Glenfarne, also received BCPs. "There is a schools connection facility within the NBI plan if anybody has schools that need a connection, we can put them forward for that," she said. Separately, SIRO, a joint venture company between ESB and Vodafone, focused on delivering full fibre broadband to Irelands towns and cities, contacted the council in March with a view to rolling out fibre to the homes in Carrick-on-Shannon - a roll out will include over 1,800 homes and businesses in Carrick-on-Shannon. Homes and businesses can order SIROs fibre broadband from its network of retailers, including Vodafone, Airwire, Sky, Pure Telecom, Digiweb, Viatel, Blacknight, Fastcom and Telecom with speeds of up to two gigabits per second available for homes in the area, and up to 10 gigabits for enterprise connections. Cllr Brendan Barry asked how fibre cables that are being erected as part of the rollout will be maintained. He said he noticed that a lot of the cables are "in and out through branches and bushes" and said he was concerned that they would fall into disrepair with Ms McManus saying that it would fall under the remit of Eir. Cllr Enda McGloin said that it was important that "infrastructure stays in place and we don't have continual fall out from that" and asked Ms McManus if she would query NBI in relation to who will maintain the cables. Darragh O'Boyle, district engineer with Leitrim County Council, said that he understood that the "infrastructural owner will have to maintain it". Cllr Barry noted that Eir "was sold off for Eircom and now we have the State through NBI hiring back all that infrastructure and paying Eir for the use of all of these poles" adding that the "infrastructure has fallen into a very poor state over the last number of years. The danger is it will happen again." Childrens author Shane Hegarty will perform readings from his wildly popular books in Ballyshannon schools during the 2023 Allingham Festival on November 8-12. A former journalist and editor with The Irish Times, Shane Hegarty is the author of many books, including the Darkmouth series about a boy who fights mythical monsters even when he would rather not. Hegarty is also well-known for the award-winning Boot series funny, moving adventure tales about a robot who wakes in a rubbish grinder and sets off to find its owner. Future Hegarty books will be released in 2024 and 2025. Shane Hegartys public events have become hugely popular thanks to their mix of jokes, visuals, audience interaction and writing tips. He has appeared at major festivals, including the Hay Festival, Listowel Writers Week, and the International Literature Festival Dublin. During the 2023 Allingham Festival, Shane Hegarty will perform readings at Creevy National School and The Holy Family National School. The 2023 Allingham Festival will take place in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, from 8-12 November. Headline events will include an interview with best-selling domestic noir author Liz Nugent, a keynote speech by Childrens Ombudsman Niall Muldoon and a big-screen showing of the award-winning film The Deepest Breath. Major sponsors of the 2023 Allingham Festival include the Donegal County Council, the Sponsoring Partners of the Allingham Arts Association and the merchants of Ballyshannon. Up-to-date Festival information is posted online at www.allinghamfestival.com. Cllr Enda McGloin said that he and his fellow councillors had received a number of complaints with regard to an Active Travel project that is ongoing at Church Street in Drumshanbo. He said that the road is going to be "significantly narrowed" and HGV drivers are concerned about being able to navigate the street safely. Darragh O'Boyle, district engineer with Leitrim County Council, said his office has had numerous complaints about "kids not being able to walk from the town to the school". Cllr McGloin responded that the drivers are saying they are "concerned about the welfare of their vehicles" and "their ability to drive safely" with Mr O'Boyle responding "or quickly". Cllr McGloin asked if a representative from Active Travel could meet with elected members at the location with Cllr Brendan Barry saying he was "hoping to meet with an engineer at the location this week". Cllr Barry said that it was about finding a balance between slowing cars down and allowing larger vehicles to pass safely. Mr O'Boyle said that only one car park space was lost adding "you have to have some faith in the engineers that they are trying to keep everybody happy by providing a means by which children can get to school while slowing down traffic." He said the ramped pedestrian crossing was introduced because motorists drive "way too fast" at the location, he said. Air Water America Expands its Helium Gas Business in the United States with the Acquisition of AGP LLC (DBA) American Gas Products Air Water America Inc. acquires American Gas Products Inc., enhancing its helium and industrial gas offerings in the U.S. AGP, a major helium supplier, joins Air Water's growth strategy. The move aligns with Air Water America's expansion into industrial gases, diversifying its product portfolio. Air Water, Inc., the parent company, has a strong global presence in industrial gases and related services. BEDMINSTER, N.J. , Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Air Water America Inc., a subsidiary of Air Water Inc., announced today that it has acquired American Gas Products Inc. (AGP), a prominent helium and industrial gas supplier in Massachusetts operating throughout the United States. Air Water America Inc., a subsidiary of Air Water Inc., announced today that it has acquired American Gas Products Inc. (AGP), a prominent helium and industrial gas supplier in Massachusetts operating throughout the United States . Formed in 2002, AGP has grown its national network with a strong market presence in retail and wholesale helium. The company is headquartered in Massachusetts where it also operates a local, full service industrial and specialty gas supply facility and retail store. AGP has established helium well sources and filling stations at 7 nationwide locations with a sales network in 28 states. "We are excited to become part of Air Water America, Inc. and continue our history of excellence and value in the industrial gas business. Our customers can be certain they will continue to receive the same level of quality and service they have come to expect from AGP, while also benefiting from Air Water's resources and expertise," said Michael D'Auria, former CEO, and owner of AGP. "The acquisition of American Gas Products by Air Water America will contribute innovation, talent, and technology to our business resulting in new and exciting growth. Air Water's expertise will pave the way for continued expansion and profitability in not only our helium division, but also establish AGP as a leader in industrial and specialty gases for the New England market.," said Matt D'Auria, CEO of AGP. North America is one of the key growth areas for Air Water Inc. globally. In the past 5 years, Air Water America has made significant investments in the industrial gas equipment and engineering segments acquiring Taylor-Wharton, TOMCO2 Systems, Cryogenic Vessels Alternative (CVA), majority ownership in Dohmeyer Cryogenics, AMCS, CO2 Air's dry ice products, M1 Engineering, an equity investment in First Element Fuels, and an organic investment in phasetwo's life science product portfolio. Air Water America complimented their equipment division with follow up acquisitions in two leading local industrial gas distributors, Noble Gas Solutions in 2022 and Phoenix Welding Supply in 2023. In August 2023, Air Water America announced an air separation plant investment in Rochester, NY. "As part of our strategic expansion plans, we are diversifying our gas offerings with AGP beyond atmospheric gases (oxygen, nitrogen, argon) to enhance our capabilities as a comprehensive industrial gas supplier" said Air Water America President and CEO, Hiroyuki Minesaka. "We're excited to welcome the American Gas Products team to the Air Water Group and look forward to working together to expand Air Water's helium footprint." About Air Water Group Air Water America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Water, Inc. ("Air Water Japan"). Established in 1929, Air Water Japan has continued to grow in the manufacturing and supply of industrial gases and related services for over 90 years. Air Water Japan has developed its own engineering capability to design, manufacture and operate air separation units and non-cryogenic air separation plants. Air Water Japan has successfully managed industrial gas businesses and expanded product supply and service capability throughout Japan, becoming a leader in the market. In the past few years, Air Water Japan also increased its presence in the U.S., India, and Asian markets. Since its incorporation, Air Water Japan, and its group entities ("Air Water Group") have expanded its businesses and provided consistent growth in revenues. Air Water Japan lists its common stock on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Sapporo Stock Exchange. Air Water Group employs more than 20,000 people around the world and has annual net sales of approximately JPY 1,005 billion (equivalent to USD 7.2 billion) on a consolidated basis for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. Visit our website at www.awi.co.jp/en/index.html Media Contact Leslie Waller, Air Water America, Inc., 1 (908) 560-8508, [email protected] SOURCE Air Water America, Inc. 1 october 2023 at 14:25 News published onand distributed by: ObituaryThis historic figure of the Democratic Party and dean of the US Senate died on Thursday, at the age of 90. In 1978, she became the first woman to become mayor of San Francisco, before serving as a California senator for over 30 years. Dianne Feinstein died as she likely wished in office. A luminary in American political life, the senator from California died on Thursday, September 28, at her home in Washington, hours after working with the Democratic caucus to reach a compromise with Republicans to avert a shutdown the closure of federal government services on October 1. The dean of Congress was 90 years old and had refused to resign, despite trying health and mental acuity problems, clouding half a century of public service marked by crises and tragedies. The death in office of the 302nd member of the Senate since the establishment of the American republic prompted a unanimous tribute from the political class. Flags were flown at half-mast at Congress. Republicans and Democrats alike praised a trailblazer in the advancement of women in politics. Born on June 22, 1933, "DiFi" (her nickname) had been the first female mayor of San Francisco (1978-1988) in California, the first to join the Senate Judiciary Committee (1993) and the first chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (2009-2015). A few hours before her death, after a final vote shortly before 2 pm, she had received her former colleague Jane Harman, elected like her in 1992, known as 'the year of women' due to the number of women entering Congress. An emotional Harman showed what is probably the last photo of the California senator. She is seen standing, thinner, but with glasses in hand and adorned with her customary string of pearls: at work. On Friday morning, a bouquet of white roses was placed on her desk in the Senate. "We look at that desk and we know what we've lost," said Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the upper chamber, her colleague of 30 years. "Today, there are 25 women serving in this chamber," he said. "And every one of them would admit they stand on Dianne's shoulders." A climb strewn with obstacles Born Dianne Emiel Goldman, the senator was a true product of San Francisco. Her grandparents were Polish Jews on her father's side, and German and Russian Orthodox Jews on her maternal side. Her mother, Betty Rosenburg, was a former model and nurse. She had married surgeon Leon Goldman, the first Jew to teach at the University of San Francisco. Her mother suffered from neurological issues and terrorized her three daughters. Feinstein, the eldest, was once pursued by her mother wielding a kitchen knife. Years later, in 1962, she would herself marry a neurosurgeon, Bertram Feinstein, who was 20 years her senior. You have 80% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, addresses the media in Washington on September 30, 2023. NATHAN HOWARD / AFP A disaster avoided, a 45-day breathing space gained, but a Ukraine symbolically abandoned. There were a number of different ways to analyze the improbable sequence that enabled the US Congress, in extremis, on Saturday, September 30, to avert a "shutdown" a paralysis of the federal government's non-essential activities. The relief prevailing among most elected officials was tinged with bitterness. Nothing had been substantially resolved, meaning the drama was likely to recur 45 days later in mid-November, and parliamentary life was once again presented in its most unflattering light. Read more The US faces default: Five questions about the debt ceiling At the dawn of the last day before the dreaded deadline, and after exhausting all other options, Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy agreed to what his radical base had up until then refused: a compromise, allowing Republican and Democratic votes to join forces. In mid-afternoon, by 335 votes to 91, thus uniting a large bipartisan majority, the House passed a text securing federal funding for 45 more days, which was then sent to the Senate. Additional funds ($16 billion, approximately 15.1 billion) were allocated to respond to natural disasters. On the other hand, and this was a chilling lesson for Kyiv and European capitals, pressure from the Republican base led to the outright abandonment of any new aid package for Ukraine. After further discussion, the Senate confirmed the compromise that evening by 88 votes to nine. Just nine days earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky had spent a morning on Capitol Hill, with representatives and senators from both sides of the aisle, pleading for increased aid in the midst of a counter-offensive, in the very name of American strategic interests. But the weight of an extremist, isolationist minority within the Republican Party, banking on growing public weariness with the war, undermined the bipartisan unity expressed since the start of the conflict. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Zelensky defends the Ukrainian cause before US Congress amid budget crisis 'American support for Ukraine cannot be interrupted' On Saturday, the Republicans offered Vladimir Putin an unexpected gift, confirming his prejudices about the vulnerability of liberal democracies. "If we abandon Ukraine, thats a change in policy and a decision to make Kyiv a Russian city and invite China to invade Taiwan," summed up Democratic Senator Chris Murphy (Connecticut) on X (ex-Twitter). The next six weeks will determine whether this is just a one-off short circuit or deeper damage. "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," warned President Joe Biden in a statement issued by the White House that evening. "I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." You have 60% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. A soldier of the 2nd Foreign Regiment inspects armored vehicles in Niamey, Niger, on June 29, 2022. COLIN DELFOSSE FOR LE MONDE France is trying to break the deadlock in Niger, without recognizing the de facto authorities and in a climate of growing hostility. After five weeks of tension with the members of the July 26 coup, Paris has finally begun talks on redeploying some of its forces in Niger. After initially refusing to comply with the demands of the Nigerien military, who have made political capital of the departure of French soldiers, the Ministry of the Armed Forces and several corroborating sources told Le Monde on Tuesday, September 5, that they were discussing the details of "withdrawing certain military elements." At the beginning of August, the junta gave France one month to withdraw from Nigerien territory, after renouncing the military cooperation agreements between Paris and Niamey. On September 2, the eve of the expiry of the ultimatum set by the putschists, thousands of pro-junta Nigeriens once again demonstrated against the presence of the French military, just a stone's throw from the base they occupy in Niamey with other foreign detachments. In practice, the French and Nigerien militaries had already suspended all forms of joint operations against jihadist groups since the coup. All military resources, particularly air assets (drones, helicopters, fighter jets, etc.), were immobilized. "It is normal to discuss [the French withdrawal], as anti-terrorist cooperation has been interrupted," a source within the French government explained on Tuesday. Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes France begins talks on withdrawal of some of its troops from Niger "There are local coordination exchanges (...) between military personnel to facilitate the movement of French military resources immobilized since the suspension of anti-terrorist cooperation," the entourage of Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday. This a minimal acknowledgment, given that the junta's prime minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, declared at a press conference the previous day that "exchanges are underway" to enable a rapid withdrawal of French armed forces. Redeployment or repatriation? While the principle of a withdrawal seems to have been accepted, neither the number of soldiers concerned nor the modalities of their departure have been officially confirmed. At present, some 1,500 French soldiers are still deployed in the country at three bases shared with other foreign detachments, notably American: in Niamey; in Ouallam, north of the capital; and in Ayorou, near the border with Mali. Several avenues are being explored for the redeployment of these troops. Neighboring Chad, where France already has 1,500 troops, is the "most obvious" possibility, according to a French source. But what's the point when Mali, Burkina Faso and now Niger, the three countries in the region most affected by jihadism, reject their presence? You have 70% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Insider spoke to four experts who shared why 2023 has been a nightmare year for travel. iStock; Rebecca Zisser/Insider Insider has spoken to dozens of travelers who had nightmare experiences flying this year. Issues with weather, delayed flights, and unruly passengers commonly pop up. Experts told Insider there are plenty of factors to blame when it comes to 2023's travel mishaps. Emma Giantisco and Dylan Marton were stranded in Munich for three days when technical issues with partner airlines deleted their flight reservations more than seven times. Irene Ortega flew across the globe to search for a missing bag and its $4,000 worth of contents when it was lost on a flight from France to Germany. A Delta plane full of travelers was forced to abruptly stop when an American Airlines plane crossed the same active runway one of many near-miss incidents that happened at airports this year. The list of nightmare travel stories goes on and on. The stories have been the topic at dinner tables; they're impossible to avoid on platforms like TikTok, and articles centered on travels-gone-wrong have dotted publications around the globe. From climate change to fewer flights taking off, Insider spoke to four aviation experts who shared reasons why it's been a hellish year of travel. And to pile on more bad news, they said it's not going to get better anytime soon. "You could say it's a perfect storm that's made air travel so unpleasant or so dreary for many passengers," Joe Schwieterman, an aviation expert at DePaul University, told Insider. A plane takes off with an air-traffic control tower in the foreground. Rafael Cordero/Getty Images Airlines are struggling to fill roles The aviation industry is experiencing a dire lack of pilots, air-traffic controllers, and mechanics, experts said. Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial pilot and a spokeswoman for the flight-tracking website FlightAware, said airlines are struggling with a pilot shortage, and it's a battle that will likely continue for years. The situation is largely a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangs said. In 2020, airlines offered pilots early retirement and voluntary buyouts while they paused training new pilots. Story continues Fast-forward to today, and there aren't enough pilots to meet the demand. The problem is even worse among regional carriers, Bangs said, so now there are fewer flights to smaller, domestic destinations. Helane Becker, an analyst for Cowen who has tracked the shortage, told AZ Central in February that she estimates 10,000 pilots have left the field since the pandemic. The issue doesn't stop with the pilots. Dean Headley, an aviation expert at Wichita State University and the publisher of the Airline Quality Rating, told Insider a shortage of air-traffic controllers is another problem the industry faces. "The air-traffic-control system is immensely understaffed," Headley said. "Quite frankly, it's kind of scary in the control towers right now." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said earlier this year that only 11,000 of the 14,000 air-traffic-controller positions available across the country are filled. Without air-traffic controllers, airlines have to cut back flights. Additionally, some experts believe a spike in near-miss events between commercial US aircraft is a result of overworked and understaffed control towers. If a shortage of pilots and controllers wasn't enough, there's another shortage on the ground: mechanics. "We have a severe shortage of qualified airplane mechanics," Headley said. "They don't have people to maintain the airplanes." This means that if anything goes wrong say, something on an airplane door needs fixing the simple task turns into an hours-long process of waiting for an available mechanic, Headley said. Bangs said she sees this issue continuing for years as more of the work is outsourced and fewer young people see a career path as a plane mechanic. "Kids don't even grow up working on cars anymore, so they just don't think about working on airplanes," Bangs said. "And how do you tell someone to go into this career where so much of your work is outsourced?" Just like with air-traffic controllers and pilots, the consequence of a mechanic shortage is fewer flights. "We don't have enough people to fully saturate the airspace and maintain the level of flight safety that we need. So you're just going to have to cut flights," Bangs said. Existing employees aren't happy with working conditions Many of the people in these positions as pilots, flight attendants, air-traffic controllers, and other aviation roles aren't happy, Charles said. This has led to strikes throughout the year and is a big reason behind some of the travel chaos flyers have experienced. "Airlines have been held back by union issues, by workers walking out because they're not paid enough," Charles said. This has affected flights in Europe. In the first half of this year, The New York Times reported that labor strikes caused tens of thousands of flights and trains to be delayed or canceled. Meanwhile, the US faces similar challenges with its unions. In August, for example, American Airlines flight attendants voted to authorize a strike. If that happens, it would impact hundreds of thousands of travelers, experts estimate. Travelers at the Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai. Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images No one was prepared for the boom of travelers this year Compared to 2019, there aren't enough pilots to fly the planes, enough air-traffic controllers to direct said planes, and mechanics to fix the planes when things go wrong but there are just as many people who want to fly. "At the start of 2023, there was huge excitement that this would be a year of seamless travel," Paul Charles, the founder and CEO of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, told Insider. But it's been far from seamless. One of the biggest reasons why, experts said, is that airlines and airports were not prepared for the volume of travelers this year. "I don't think people realize right now that everybody and their dog wants to go fly somewhere," Headley said. "A lot of people are flying, and the system that we had coming out of COVID was so reduced and so tamped down that they haven't been able to ramp that back up." In 2019, 4.5 billion people around the world took scheduled flights. This year, 4.35 billion people are expected to fly more than 95% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the International Air Transport Association. Insider has spoken to travelers who saw that volume firsthand. Giantisco, for example, said when her flight was canceled because of weather, she headed to the Lufthansa customer-service desk at the Munich airport. There, she said she spotted at least 1,000 people waiting in line. "Mathematically, we're going to be here for 15 hours," Giantisco remembered thinking when she spotted the winding line. Ultimately, the couple ditched the line and opted to call the airline instead. When that many people fly in a system that can't handle that volume, the result is chaos, Headley said, adding that outdated software has made the situation worse. The airline's IT systems are not prepared for things to go wrong, but updating and overhauling systems is tough when flying never stops, Headley said. A bird's-eye view of the tarmac at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Michael H/Getty Images Fewer flights on bigger planes are creating 'sardine-can conditions' To solve the dilemma of high passenger volume and limited staff, many airlines have started relying on bigger planes and offering fewer flights. "Even though we're flying about the same amount of passengers, we're doing it on fewer aircraft," Bangs said. Headley and Schwieterman hypothesize that these circumstances fewer flights, packed planes, and larger aircraft are also partly why there have been so many instances of unruly and often violent passengers. "They're pushing people onto fewer flights, so you have sardine-can conditions," Schwieterman said. "You put 200 people in a small tube, put them up about 30,000 feet, and things happen," Headley said. "Travelers don't have very much patience, shall we say, and they snap." Videos and articles about people "snapping" on flights are particularly popular now whether it's articles about drunk passengers misbehaving or TikTok videos of passengers storming airplanes when flights are delayed. Travelers have experienced these kinds of situations firsthand. According to the FAA, unruly passenger behavior is up this year compared to 2019. As of September 24, there were 1,529 documented instances of unruly behavior, compared to a total of 1,161 instances in 2019. Bangs added that fewer flights and packed planes make delays and cancellations harder to navigate even if the rates haven't drastically changed in the past few years. According to FlightAware, there's been a cancellation rate of 1.5%, a delay rate of 22.6%, and an average delay of 53 minutes in 2023. Last year, those figures were virtually the same, as airlines had a cancellation rate of 2.3%, a delay rate of about 21%, and the average delay time was 49 minutes. In 2019, travelers faced a cancellation rate of 1.6%, a delay rate of 16.5%, with an average delay of 49 minutes. "People expect it to be a really big number, but you've only gone from 2.3% last year to 1.5% this year and this year is actually lower than pre-pandemic," Bangs said about cancellation rates. "I think what there has been is less choice and fewer flights if you do miss a connection." Bangs added that on top of fewer choices and flights, flights are often sold out, so if you miss a flight, good luck finding another. That's what happened to Courtney Danser earlier this year. After a delayed flight, she missed her connection home from Dublin to New York City. When she contacted Aer Lingus to reschedule, the next flight available wasn't for two days. With a job, dog sitter, and responsibilities back home, she told Insider she couldn't wait that long. She spent $1,725 to get home a day earlier with a different airline. Danser like so many travelers with delayed or canceled flights was frustrated. "Consumers have been caught out by a range of unpredictable issues," Charles said. "That has made it very stressful for so many people traveling. And not just emotional stress, but financial stress, too." A plane lands at the San Francisco International Airport during a California heat wave. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Extreme weather events have also resulted in challenges Charles said that weather-related events account for some of the problems as severe weather often leads to delayed and canceled flights. As scientists have predicted for years, one result of the climate crisis is an increase in both the frequency and intensity of severe weather. Floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes will become more common as will extreme temperature fluctuations. These aren't new challenges for the aviation industry, but they will become more frequent, Headley said. Already this year, there have been an array of weather challenges that resulted in thousands of delayed and canceled flights, leading to ripple effects around the world, since flights are overbooked and airlines are understaffed. Earlier this year, record-breaking heat impacted air travel. Airlines relied on portable power systems and ice carts to keep their airplanes and people cool. In July, thunderstorms along the East Coast impacted around 48,000 United Airlines flights. Meanwhile, when parts of Germany flooded this summer, hundreds of passengers were stuck on planes, and dozens were stranded when flights were canceled. As Insider previously reported, there's also been an uptick in clear-air turbulence connected to the climate crisis. Turbulence has sent travelers to the hospital, and experts say it's only going to get worse as we face more extreme weather events. A woman stands in front of information boards showing canceled flights at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport in The Netherlands. KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images Travelers should get used to the chaos, experts say The experts Insider spoke to agreed that the travel nightmare isn't going away anytime soon. As players in the industry spend money and time training pilots, air-traffic controllers, and mechanics, people in those roles are retiring each year. Bangs said it will take immense efforts to fill the gaps. Charles also predicts gaps in technology will grow and unions will continue to strike for better wages. "In the economic era we're in, unions will continue to be forceful as they fight for high wages. I think IT systems will continue to fall over and melt down until billions more is spent urgently on improving systems to make travel more seamless. And really tragically, the climate issues are not going away," Charles said. "In the short term, I think we are going to have to get used to this," Charles added. Headley agreed but noted that the industry has gone through similar situations before. "We've seen this happen in cycles before," he said. "All the predictions I heard, it was going to take anywhere from two to three years for that to get back to where we can handle it decently. So we're about halfway through something like that." And every industry expert agreed that the airlines are trying they just aren't able to succeed in the conditions they currently face. "The fact is that most of the airlines are trying to do the best they can for their customer," Headley said. "The customer has to be a little bit more patient than they have in the past. Things are just not quite as smooth as they used to be." Regardless, people will keep traveling despite the chaos. "Exploring has been in our human DNA for hundreds and hundreds of years," Charles said. "That is not going to go away." Read the original article on Insider New Delhi: Bluesky 19 Leasing Company Ltd, aircraft lessors to Go First, has moved to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) after an aircraft and an engine lessor secured favourable orders allowing them to inspect their assets. The case has been filed against the GO First Resolution Professional (RP) Shailendra Ajmera and is scheduled for a hearing on October 5th. This series of aircraft lessors turning to NCLAT began with Engine Lease Finance BV, an engine lessor, filing a plea to secure the right to inspect the aircraft. On August 18th, NCLAT granted the engine lessor the permission to carry out inspections and modified the National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT) order from July 26th, which had initially allowed Go First to operate the leased aircraft. In its directive, NCLAT disagreed with the part of the NCLT's order that had restricted the lessor from inspecting the assets. Subsequently, aircraft lessor Jackson Square Aviation also approached NCLAT with a similar plea to secure the right to inspection. On August 31st, NCLAT disposed of the plea and allowed the lessor to carry out inspections based on the same order that had been passed in the case of the engine lessor. Such orders by NCLAT favouring the lessor is set to create hurdles in the resumption of operations Go First, which has been grounded since May. Both the engine and aircraft lessors of Go First are simultaneously engaged in legal battles in both the NCLT and the Delhi High Court against GO First. In NCLT, the lessors are seeking the court's intervention to regain possession of the aircraft, while in the Delhi High Court, they are seeking to deregister their aircraft with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The lessors have argued in court that the RP is not properly maintaining the aircraft, and during inspections, their aircraft were found to be in poor condition. The Delhi High Court is expected to issue an order in the coming week on a separate plea filed by three other lessors, namely BOC Aviation (Ireland) Ltd, ACG Aircraft Leasing Ireland, and DAE 13 Ireland Designated Activity. These lessors sought the Delhi High Court to issue additional directives regarding the inspection of their aircraft. The RP has argued against the maintainability of the plea, asserting that it has already been settled in previous orders in the case. According to the RP, the single bench should refrain from issuing directives because, under the "doctrine of merger," its July 5th order has already merged with the division bench's order from July 12th, which was subsequently upheld and modified by the Supreme Court. Therefore, only a higher authority, such as the division bench, can address these pleas. In an interim order passed in July, a single-judge bench of the court had permitted the lessors to inspect the grounded planes. The order was later upheld by a division bench of the High Court and subsequently by the Supreme Court. Go First has filed for insolvency due to financial difficulties linked to Pratt and Whitney's faulty engines. The National Company Law Tribunal had accepted its plea on 10 May leading to the suspension of the airline's board. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) today, October 1, to finalize the candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh , Rajasthan and Telangana. Sources informed ANI that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda, and Home Minister Amit Shah will also participate in the meeting along with other members of the election committee. The saffron party also held a CEC meeting on September 13 to discuss the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections at the party's headquarters in the national capital. Key leaders, including BJP President JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah, along with other members of the election committee and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, took part in the meeting. The BJP released its first list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections on August 17, revealing the names of 39 candidates. On September 25, it released its second list of 39 candidates for the forthcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh including Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel. Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel have been fielded from the Dimani and Narsingpur constituencies, while Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste will be contesting from the Niwas constituency. State assembly elections are slated to be held this year in five states. In light of this, the BJP is advancing with a comprehensive strategy. All seats in these electoral states have been categorized into A, B, C, and D. Category A includes seats where the party has consistently performed well. Category B includes seats with a mixed track record of BJP victories and losses, while Category C represents seats where the party is relatively weaker. In contrast, Category D seats have seen continuous BJP defeats in the last three elections. Meanwhile, the BJP also held a meeting of its General Secretaries under the chairmanship of party president JP Nadda in the national capital here on Friday. The meeting deliberated on the forthcoming assembly elections in five states at the end of this year. The leaders also discussed the BJP's 'Seva Saptah program' held from September 14 to September 20 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modis birthday. Organization General Secretary BL Santosh, Co-Organisation General Secretary Shiv Prakash, Party General Secretaries Arun Singh, Tarun Chugh, Sunil Bansal, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Dushyant Kumar Gautam, Vinod Tawde, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal were present in the meeting. (With ANI inputs) "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023: Chief Elections Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Sunday said that he held a meeting with all political parties, central and state enforcement agencies, and police officers for the poll preparations in Rajasthan. Addressing a press conference here, Rajiv Kumar said, In the last two days, we met all the political parties- nationally recognized parties and also had a detailed discussion with the enforcement agencies of the central government and the state government." Thereafter had a review with the DMs, SPS, IGs, DIGs, Commissioners, and all the senior officers of the state government. They said free and fair elections should be ensured, deployment of para-military forces at critical polling stations," the CEC said. We appeal people of Rajasthan to cast their votes in the forthcoming assembly polls so that we deliver a meaningful, inclusive and transparent election," Kumar added. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel on Friday reviewed the preparations for the Rajasthan assembly elections due later this year. They met senior officials of the state in Jaipur. Rajasthan Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said that on the first day of their three-day visit, the CEC and ECs held a meeting with representatives of recognized political parties. Later, they met officials of the state police, income tax, excise, transport, and commercial tax departments. They also met officials of the railways, central security forces, Narcotics Control Bureau, and airport authorities. A PowerPoint presentation was made before the commission on the preparations made so far for the upcoming assembly polls at the state level. Gupta said that on Saturday, a district-wise review of the preparations for the assembly polls will be done in a meeting with district collectors, superintendents of police, divisional commissioners, and inspectors general of police. At 7 pm on Saturday, the chief election commissioner will inaugurate an exhibition organised at the State Institute of Agricultural Management in Durgapura under the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation initiative. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Effective October 1, 2023, new rules relating to TaxCollection at Source (TCS) on Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)and onpurchase of overseastour program package will be applicable. Threshold of 7 lakhs per financial year per individual will be restored for TCS on all categories of LRS payments through all modes of payment, regardless of the purpose. In an exclusive interview, Virender Bisht, Co-founder & CTO at Niyo, explains all that one needs to know about the new TCS rate and how it will impact financing education and buying international travel packages. View Full Image TCS As per the Central governments June 30, 2023, notification, remittances for education include: Remittance for purchase of tickets of the student for travel between India and the country of education Tuition and other fees paid to the educational institute Day-to-day expenses: food, accommodation, local transport, health services, etc. The regular remittance by students for education purposes is not expected to have any major impact post October 1 TCS changes. However, multiple remittance in a year to cover day to day expenses can be cumbersome and expensive so students take Indian international cards (for example, Niyo Global cards) which have no TCS applicable up to aggregate Rs. 7 lakhs in a financial year and come with zero forex markup charges. How to navigate it? What are the solutions? Pursuing international education can be an expensive affair. Most of the payments are made on international portals hence attracts forex fees. The way to navigate this for students is to get zero forex international cards that have no TCS applicable up to aggregate Rs. 7 lakhs in a financial year and come with zero forex markup charges. For parents remitting money to their children abroad, ensure that you understand what falls under TCS. Keep track of transactions, use the correct LRS code and categorise them correctly while remitting. You can file for TCS in ITR, hence its important to keep a track of necessary forms/ documents. Whats the impact of TCS on international travel packages? The TCS effective from October 1, 2023, is: Purchase of overseas tour package: Up to 7 lakhs per financial year (FY): 5% on both debit & forex card 7 lakhs per financial year (FY): 5% on both debit & forex card Above 7 lakhs per FY: 5% on both debit & forex card Other international spending types: Up to 7 lakhs per financial year (FY): 0% on both debit & forex card 7 lakhs per financial year (FY): 0% on both debit & forex card Above 7 lakhs per FY: 20% on both debit & forex card Is there a tip to beat the TCS? The best option for students and leisure travellers is to take international cards that come with zero forex markup feature. These cards will help you save 3-5% on every international transaction + ATM withdrawal charges. If two PAN card holders of the same family travel together, they can split expenses and get a cumulative limit of Rs. 14 lakhs on which TCS will not be applicable. Credit card is definitely option two because not all credit cards come with zero forex markup, so you pay annual card charges, forex markup and 36% interest on ATM withdrawal internationally. Even though credit cards are exempted from LRS, if you don't have a card which also gives zero forex markup, your overall spend will be significantly higher. Further, not everyone is eligible to get a credit card and every time one needs to get their credit bureau score checked which affects their credit score unnecessarily. If a prepaid forex card is taken, then one needs to pay 20% TCS. View Full Image TCS "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! MUMBAI : How do you deal with unexpected financial events, such as medical emergencies or job loss? Most people are unprepared for such events and are eventually forced to dip into their savings. Some already have a financial plan in place to meet any exigencies and their life goals. To be sure, financial planning and advice are taken much more seriously globally, while Indians are slowly opening up to it. Ahead of Word Financial Planning Day, which falls on 4 October this year, Mint spoke with a Bengaluru-based family about their decision to opt for a financial planner and how their 10-year financial plan helped them achieve their goals. Financial crisis Sreekumar, 50, who works in the information technology (IT) sector, says the wake-up call for his family came when his father fell ill suddenly. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of an hospital and the treatment lasted more than three months. The recovery was short and, eventually, my father died, in 2012," he recalls. View Full Image Graphic: Mint Sreekumar and his two sisters had employer insurance that covered their fathers treatment as well, but even the combined limits of these health covers were not enough to meet the treatment costs. This led to a significant depletion of family finances. Around the same time, Lovaii Navlakhi, a Sebi-registered investment advisor (RIA) and chief executive officer of International Money Matters, told him about the financial planning services offered by his company. It helped that Navlakhi was a neighbour," Sreekumar says. Until then, we did some bit of financial planning by ourselves. But we were also looking for a structured approach to our finances and wanted to make sure that we had enough funds set aside for contingencies," he adds. Shock absorbers Navlakhis first piece of advice for Sreekumar was to buy a separate medical cover for the family. The employer insurance covers back then were not adequate. So, we immediately agreed and purchased a family floater cover," Sreekumar says. A family floater is a health insurance plan that covers all family members of the policyholder. This policy, which covered his wife Cynthia and his daughter, who was nine years old then, has a sum assured of 50 lakh. Navlakhi also asked Sreekumar to get adequate life cover through a term plan to meet his family goals, lifestyle expenses and liabilities during any contingency. Navlakhis firm reviews the familys goals, expenses, liabilities and liquid assets every year and recommends additional cover in case of a shortfall. Sreekumar has been enhancing the term cover intermittently. At present, he has a term plan that provides 90 lakh coverage and an income benefit rider that will take care of his financial goals in case of accidents resulting in any disability. Sreekumar has also put in place a separate contingency fund on Navlakhis advice. The fund can be used to draw up to three months of expenses. Sreekumars 84-year-old mother has moved in with one of his sisters now. My mother now has a medical cover of 10 lakh as part of the health insurance coverage provided by my employer," he says. Getting the asset mix right Sreekumar and his wife, both IT professionals, underwent a risk profiling exercise to determine their risk tolerance. Sreekumar was identified as a slightly aggressive investor, while his wife fell in the conservative-to-moderately aggressive category. However, the familys existing investments were highly conservative, with 97% of their portfolio invested in debt instruments. The debt portfolio included bank fixed deposits, some cash in savings accounts and employee provident funds. Only 3% of their portfolio was exposed to equity. After the first review in 2013, Navlakhi decided it was time for the family to move slowly to a more balanced portfolio. For the first two years, they were asked to put in place all risk-mitigating measures such as medical cover, life cover and contingency fund. Over the next three years, their asset allocation was changed, to 57% investments in equity and 43% in debt. As the family didnt have much experience with equity, we also didnt want to rush them into it. So, we let them gradually build their equity exposure through systematic investment plans," says Navlakhi. Changing goals When Sreekumar contacted Navlakhi and his team, he already had a home loan. While Sreekumar wanted to close the loan as soon as possible, he was advised to route his monthly surplus towards long-term investments for goals such as retirement and his daughters education. We got good advice and were told to continue with the home loan as its tenor was ending soon and the interest component had largely been paid off over the years," Sreekumar recalls. However, the corpus for some financial goals has increased significantly over the years. For example, Sreekumars daughter, who is 19 years now, enrolled at a foreign university last year. Sreekumar and his wife had set aside funds for their daughters graduation in India and postgraduation abroad. But our education counsellor suggested it would be better if she does an undergrad course in liberal arts from a foreign university, given her academic record and acumen. She got admission in a university in the UK," he says proudly. Although the costs are high for a four-year undergrad programme 25-30 lakh per annum, Sreekumar says he has used investments linked to another goal (buying a new house) to fund his daughters education. We were again given timely advice to avoid taking education loans for at least the initial years. So far, we have easily managed her first two years of the undergrad programme," he says. The goal of buying a new house was added back later. The tweaked financial plan now requires the family to make higher investments so that there is a sizeable corpus that can still partially fund the house purchase. Sreekumar and his wife want to avoid a home loan this time as they are closing in on their retirement. At a later point, they could consider selling their existing house but still want to fund the initial payments of the new home from their investments. For now, the familys allocation to equity has reduced due to recent withdrawals. Their portfolio comprises assets in the following proportion: equity-35%, international stocks -5%, debt-57%, and sovereign gold bond -3% . The global equity exposure includes international funds and shares of the multinational company where his wife works. Four-five years back, Cynthia was allowed to structure her salary in a way that part of it was used to buy stocks of her company," he says. The couples retirement plan remains intact. Although the corpus requirement has increased a bit over the years, Sreekumar says we are already halfway there in terms of the required corpus. It is important that there is enough corpus to fall back on when regular income stops," he says. The retirement corpus is expected to cover the couples living, travel and medical expenses post-retirement. Sreekumar is confident that by the age of 60, he and his wife would be comfortable stepping into their retired life. Google Doodle commemorates Nigeria's Independence Day today, marking the country's official emergence as a sovereign nation on this day in 1960. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Independence Day celebrations begin with a nationally televised broadcast by the President of Nigeria, addressing the general public. In Lagos, a vibrant crowd dressed in green and white gathers to witness military manoeuvres performed by the Nigerian Armed Forces. Subsequently, the ceremonial hoisting of the Nigerian flag and the cutting of a symbolic Independence Day cake takes place. The remainder of the day proceeds with lively enthusiasm and singing of rhythms of fuji music, as Nigerians come together with friends and family to revel in the festivities. A culinary delight graces the occasion, featuring plantains and chicken served alongside jollof rice a beloved meal that holds a special place not only during Independence Day but also in Nigerian culture. Many countrymen extend their celebrations to the beach, where they dance to music and enjoy fireworks. Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Yesterday, Google Doodle's meticulously crafted creation paid tribute to the Ain Ghazal statues. These artifacts are around 9,000 years old and are regarded as among the earliest examples of large-scale human representations. These ancient statues were unearthed in Jordan on September 30 in the year 1983. Archaeologists discovered the first group of sculptures in 1983 and a second group in 1985 at Ain Ghazal', a Neolithic site in Jordan. The Ain Ghazal figures depict men, women, and children with intricate details showing human features prominently such as almond-shaped eyes, noses, and legs, toes, and toenails. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Bengaluru News: A Kannada actor Nagabhushana on Saturday rammed his car into an electric pole prior to which he hit a couple with his car in Karnataka's capital city Bengaluru. According to reports the woman succumbed to her injuries while the man is still undergoing treatment. The accident, which happened near Konakunte Cross in Bengaluru, led to the 48-year old woman dying while her 58 year old husband is still undergoing treatment. According to an Indian Express report, the Bengaluru Police has said that actor Nagabhushana was heading to his residence in JP Nagar after attending an event in RR Nagar. Prema S (48) and Krishna B (58) were walking on the footpath, when the accused, driving his car from Uttarahalli towards Konanakunte Cross, allegedly knocked them down, before crashing into an electric pole, Bengaluru Police said. He was negotiating a turn near Konanakunte Cross when the car rammed into the couple before hitting an electric pole. Nagabhushana then took them to the hospital in an autorickshaw. The incident occurred at Vasanthapura Main Road here on the night of 30 September. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Reports have said that Nagabhushana himself took the injured couple to the hospital for treatment. India Today reported that an FIR has been lodged with Kumaraswamy traffic police station in Bengaluru. The couples son filed the complaint alleging that Nagabhushanas car knocked down his parents as they were taking a walk on a footpath after dinner. Actor Nagabhushana, in his statement to the police, said the man and his wife abruptly moved from the footpath to the road, causing the accident. The police in the complaint have called this speeding and negligent driving. Actor Nagabhushana was given bail. "Have sent his blood sample for an alcohol test. With our breathanalyzer device, we didn't find traces of alcohol," India Today quoted Shiva Prakash D, DCP Traffic South. The actor has featured in several movies, especially in comic roles. Police said a case has been registered and the car has been seized for further investigation. Meanwhile, a day ago, Bengaluru's normal life was disrupted by pro-Kannada outfits calling for Bandh over Cauvery river water sharing issue with Tamil Nadu. Authorities had clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code in Bengaluru Urban, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara and Hassan districts, and declared holiday for schools and colleges there. ' "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! NEW DELHI : A top government panel has recommended that Bharat Biotech Ltd conduct phase-3 trials of its Japanese encephalitis vaccine for people aged 65 and above, as the disease emerges as a key concern in India. The Hyderabad-based company had asked the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for permission to conduct phase-3 trials in children up to a year old, as was done in phase 1 and 2 trials. However, the expert panel of DCGI said the company may conduct it for older individuals as well, minutes of its meeting showed. The plan is to develop an advanced version of JE vaccine that can cover a larger chunk of the population. Japanese encephalitis is spread by Culex mosquitoes, with Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh facing the brunt of the infections. There are 68,000 cases reported globally per year. The panel recommended revising the study for determining the populations immunity to the infection by increasing the age group of test subjects to 65 years and above, the minutes of the meeting showed. Persons vaccinated in the last year for seasonal flu and Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine should be excluded from the study, the panel said. After this, Bharat Biotech should submit the revised phase III clinical trial protocol for further deliberations. Queries sent to health ministry and Bharat Biotech remained unanswered. Meanwhile, efficacy of JE vaccination in India is 86.7%, according to a study by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune. In China it was found to be 98% effective, according to World Health Organization. The study holds great significance as despite government immunization drives, the disease persists among children in central India. The participants in the study were administered with China-made live-attenuated SA 14-14-2 vaccines. Researchers conducted the study in 2018-2020 in Maharashtra and Telangana to estimate Japanese encephalitis vaccination effectiveness among children in the age group of 1-15 years. The government uses Chinese-made live-attenuated SA 14-14-2 vaccines. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Manipur authorities have extended the ban on internet in the violence stricken state for another five days. The internet ban in Manipur that was supposed to end on 1 October, has now been extended till 6 October. The official statement cited cases of mob violence for the decision. There are still reports of incidents of violence like confrontation of the public with security forces, trying to mob elected member's residences, civil protests in front of police stations" the report mentioned. Earlier in the day Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced that the Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested four culprits for the kidnapping and killing of two Meitei teenagers who had gone missing in July. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! The four, including the wife of the main accused, were taken outside the state" by a special flight, Singh said. On 29 September last week, it was reported that the situation in Manipur's Imphal valley was calm but tense after a night of violent clashes, including an attempt to attack the empty ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh here. Authorities had relaxed curfew in Imphal East and Imphal West districts from 5 am to 11 am to help people buy essential items and medicines. A fresh bout of violence had broken out in the state capital on Tuesday last week, a day after photos of the bodies of two youths - a man and a girl - who went missing in July went viral on social media. More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! NEW DELHI : The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime of 28% tax on online money games, casinos and horse racing has kicked in from Sunday with Union government issuing orders on norms to be followed covering taxes to be collected by Centre and the Union Territories. Some states are in the process of notifying legislative changes for the part of taxes to be collected by them. The new regime kicks in amid intense litigation around the regime that existed till today with Supreme Court last month issuing a stay order on a Karnataka HC decision, favouring an online gaming company. The finance ministry orders seek to implement GST Councils decision to ensure that the chance to win or actionable claims supplied by online gaming platforms, horse racing clubs and casinos should be subject to 28% GST. Gaming companies have been resisting new tax regime saying it will make the industry unviable. The notifications issued by the Centre cover aspects like date of implementation, the value of the taxable service, GST return form and import of gaming as a service. The new regime makes a clear distinction between casual online games and those involving a wager. Only actionable claims offered by online money games are subject to 28% tax on full value of deposits made to the platform. Online money games are those in which the player deposits an amount in the expectation of winning some amount in a game or event. The amendments do not affect the tax on casual online gaming in which no real money or betting or wager is involved. Experts advised that gaming platforms have to embrace the revised taxation regime. While most provisions for the revised taxability have been notified, ambiguity on some matters continues like classification of the supplies made, etc, said Abhishek Jain, Indirect Tax head & Tax partner at KPMG. Gaming firms offering online money gaming from a place outside India to a person in India are required to be registered compulsorily from 1 October, explained Saurabh Agarwal, Tax Partner at EY. In case any amount is returned or refunded to the player or returned due to non use of such amount, it will not be deductible from the value of supply," said Agarwal. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! When Viterbo University set out to build an engineering bachelors degree program, the foundation of the plan rested on one major building block: attaining ABET accreditation. ABET, which stands for Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, certifies through its accreditation process that colleges and university degree programs meet the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates. An institution cant seek ABET accreditation review until graduating its first cohort in a program, so when Viterbos first engineering students started in 2018, they couldnt be sure their degrees would carry the weight that comes from ABET approval. Viterbo associate engineering professor Emily Vanderfleet made it her mission to make sure ABET granted retroactive accreditation to cover the programs pioneering graduates. Vanderfleet recently learned that mission had been accomplished, and Viterbos engineering program is celebrating with an open house from 35 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, on the second floor of the Viterbo D.B. and Marge Reinhart Center for Ethics, Science, and Technology. The event will feature a display of engineering projects and opportunities to tour the engineering lab and talk with engineering faculty, current students and alumni as well as representatives of the companies that supported the programs development. We are very excited about the news because ABET is the gold standard in engineering academic accreditation, said Vanderfleet, who chairs the Viterbo department of engineering, math, and computer science. This affirms the quality of our program and expands the range of opportunities for our engineering graduates. Sought worldwide, ABETs voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance. Developed by technical professionals from ABETs member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities and institutional support and are conducted by teams of skilled professionals from industry, academia and government, with expertise in the ABET disciplines. Engineering degrees from ABET-accredited schools are required for some jobs, especially in government and military. But even when its not required, having that kind of degree can be a big help in attracting better job offers. Weve been planning from the very beginning to seek ABET accreditation because we knew that was something important and we wanted students who came through our program to have as many opportunities as possible, Vanderfleet said. Viterbos 10 engineering graduates so far all have landed jobs, even without official ABET accreditation. One 2022 graduate landed a job with a firm that required a diploma from an ABET-accredited institution, but it took Vanderfleets assurances that Viterbo was on the path to accreditation before they hired him. Many of Viterbos engineering graduates work for companies where they interned as students. In addition to providing the chance for students to get real-world work experience, area companies also have offered their expertise and advice through the programs advisory board, which Vanderfleet noted was singled out for high praise in the ABET review. The ABET evaluation team remarked on how impressive ours was in terms of the range of disciplines represented and how involved each of those eight companies were, Vanderfleet said. The board is incredible. Even if its a last-minute ask, theyre excited to help and super supportive. Viterbos Engineering Advisory Board includes representatives from Braun Intertec, Chart Industries, Dairyland Power Cooperative, Fastenal, Inland Packaging, J.F. Brennan Co., Mathy Construction Co., Trane Technologies and Western Technical College. The advisory board also includes two alumni members from the class of 2022: Jacqlyn Mathews, a product design engineer at Trane Technologies, and Jacob Lee, an automation engineer with Tailored Label Products and Manufacturing. Mathews and Lee both recently came back to campus to take part in a panel of professional engineers offering insights to Viterbo students, and both expressed excitement about the ABET accreditation. Im pretty excited about it, Lee said. There are some opportunities it opens up and it really shows the work that the professors and others at Viterbo have put into the program. I think its really exciting for the program itself and for the companies that have put so much time and effort and resources into helping us build our program, Mathews added. I think it really shows all the work that everybody combined has put in to make this happen for the students. Vanderfleet emphasized that one important component of achieving and retaining ABET accreditation is continuous improvement. Feedback from alumni like Lee and Mathews is vital for the improvement process as their professional experiences will help strengthen the way Viterbos program prepares new engineers for the workplace. New Delhi: The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime of 28% tax on online money games, casinos and horse racing has kicked in from Sunday with the Central government issuing orders on the norms to be followed covering the portion of taxes to be collected by the Centre and the Union Territories. Some of the states are still in the process of notifying the legislative changes for the part of taxes to be collected by them. The new regime kicks in amid intense litigation around the regime that existed till today with the Supreme Court last month issuing a stay order on a Karnataka High Court decision, favouring an online gaming company. The finance ministry orders seek to implement the GST Council 's decision to ensure that 'the chance to win' or in legal parlance, 'actionable claims' supplied by online gaming platforms, horse racing clubs and casinos should be subject to 28% GST. Gaming companies have been resisting the new tax regime saying it will make the industry unviable. The notifications issued by the Centre cover aspects like date of implementation, the value of the taxable service, GST return form and import of gaming as a service. The new regime makes a clear distinction between casual online games and those involving a wager. Only the actionable claims offered by 'online money games' are subject to 28% tax on the full value of the deposits made to the platform. Online money games are those in which the player deposits an amount in the expectation of winning some amount in a game or event. The amendments do not affect the tax on casual online gaming in which no real money or betting or wager is involved. Experts advised that gaming platforms have to ensure their readiness in embracing the revised taxation regime. While most provisions for the revised taxability have been notified, ambiguity on certain matters continue including classification of the supplies made, time of supply and transition provisions, said Abhishek Jain, Indirect Tax Head and Tax Partner at KPMG. Gaming firms offering online money gaming from a place outside India to a person in India is required to be registered compulsorily from 1 October, explained Saurabh Agarwal, Tax Partner at EY. "In case any amount is returned or refunded to the player or returned due to non use of such amount, it will not be deductible from the value of supply," said Agarwal. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! The Afghan embassy in New Delhi, which has closed its operation due to a lack of diplomatic support in India from today, will continue to provide emergency consular services to Afghan nationals. In an official statement, the Afghan embassy in India stated that a failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests is another crucial factor in shutting off the embassy. India has not recognized the Taliban government, which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. It evacuated its own staff from Kabul ahead of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago and no longer has a diplomatic presence there. The Afghan Embassy in New Delhi has been run by staff appointed by the previous government of ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, with permission from the Indian authorities. Last week, an official said that the Afghan ambassador left India several months ago and other Afghan diplomats have departed for third countries reportedly after receiving asylum. India has said it will follow the lead of the United Nations in deciding whether to recognize the Taliban government. The Afghan embassy said that it wanted to reach an agreement with the Indian government to ensure that the interests of Afghans living, working, studying, and doing business in India are safeguarded. Reasons behind Afghanistan embassy's closure in New Delhi 1) Lack of support from the host Government: The Embassy has experienced a notable absence of crucial support from the host government, which has hindered our ability to carry out our duties effectively, it said on the microblogging site. 2) Failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's Interests: We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul. 3) Reduction in personnel and resources: Due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, there has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to us, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations. The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Lekhi lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, stating, They have not worked regarding the segregation of waste. There is no cleanliness on the dividers. Swachh Bharat is the responsibility of all of us and we should work together." Union minister Raj K Singh also participated in the 'Clean India drive in Delhi and said, We (the central government) have taken a resolve to make the country clean. It is a big challenge, but we will do that." Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar participated in the campaign at Safdarjung Railway Station in Delhi. He said, This is not just about being pretty surroundings. It is also about wellness. It is about also about health." Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis attened a 'Swachhata Abhiyan program in Mumbai and said, Under the leadership of Prabhat Lodha, our students of ITI and some NGOs are cleaning approximately 350 forts." 'Swachhata' has become the face of the country," said BJP MP Dr. Dinesh after participating in cleanliness drive in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the campaign in Sitapur. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the campaign in Gurugram, Haryana. He said, "A '14 minute clean-up' protocol has been prepared for the Vande Bharat trains... Today this will start at 35 places and then it will be carried forward later..." Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the campaign in Delhi. He said, "The country is celebrating 'Shramdaan for cleanliness' today... I have come to Delhi Vishwavidyalaya to participate in the cleanliness drive..." Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh also participated in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Delhi. He said " it has become a mass movement... More than 4 lakh toilets were constructed in the first year... No one can have a problem with cleanliness..." Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participatds in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Sanquelim. He said, "In our Goa, every Gram Panchayat, every municipality and every department is connected with the Swachhata Abhiyan'.." Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the campaign in Delhi. He said, India's Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs & Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Sigh Puri took to X to call on people to actively participate in the event today. Hardeep Singh Puri also participated in the campaign in Delhi and said, It is a very innovative thing that today so many people performed Shramdaan together." Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha as part of 'Swachhata hi Seva' campaign in Srinagar flagged off 'Dal Lake' cleaning drive. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia participated in the campaign in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He said, 140 cr people of this country will work towards fulfilling the dream of Mahatma Gandhi." Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here! During PM Modi's 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi stated that a major cleanliness event is scheduled for October 1 at 10 AM. He encouraged citizens to allocate their time and participate in this cleanliness campaign within their neighborhoods, parks, riversides, and public areas. (With inputs from ANI and PTI) "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Next Story No Network Server Issue Internet Not Available Pakistan interior minister Sarfaraz Bugti has blamed India's Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence agency for a suicide blast in Balochistan in which 60 people have died as per media reports. Pakistani officials have long claimed that India sponsors violent groups in Pakistan - claims India has always denied. Also read: Pakistan: Second suicide bombing reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, death toll surges to 57 According to Dawn report, No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, however, the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan, denied its involvement". The Pakistan daily also gave a chronological dataset to show how Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year." (Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channel. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here!) A suicide bomber on Friday targeted people gearing up for a procession related to Eid Miladun Nabi, near a mosque in the Mastung district in Balochistan. Hours after the blast in Balochistan, a second attack took place at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu city. The incident took place within the parametres of Police Station Doaba during the Friday sermon. The preliminary report of the incident has been submitted to the Balochistan caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki. The caretaker CM has also chaired a high-level session to review progress on the investigation into the Mastung suicide blast. Earlier this month, at least 11 people, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in a blast in the same district; a week prior to that, a security official was gunned down at a bus stand by unidentified men. In May this year, unidentified attackers targeted a polio vaccination team in the Killi Sour Karez area on the outskirts of Mastung. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! PARISFrench prosecutors are investigating a deal between French billionaire Bernard Arnault and a Russian businessman for possible money laundering. The Paris prosecutors office said Friday that its investigation follows an alert from Frances anti-money-laundering unit Tracfin, and that a preliminary probe has been under way since 2022. It declined to comment further. Arnault is chief executive and the controlling shareholder of luxury empire LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and is the worlds second-richest person after Elon Musk, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. A lawyer for Arnault said the allegations were absurd and unfounded, and said that her client was willing to respond to any questions on the topic. The prosecutors statement follows a report in Le Monde, which said that Frances anti-money-laundering body had detected what it considered to be suspicious money transfers between Arnault and a Russian businessman, Nikolai Sarkisov. The dealings related to the Frenchmans acquisition of real estate in Courchevel, located in the French Alps, in 2018. That deal left Sarkisov with an alleged profit of around 2 million eurosabout $2.1 millionwithout any obvious justification, the French daily said, citing a Tracfin document. Arnaults lawyer said her client purchased the real estate with the goal of expanding the Cheval Blanc hotel in Courchevel, which is owned by LVMH. She added that the deal was carried out in compliance with the law and with the support of advisers. Sarkisov, who made his fortune in insurance, couldnt immediately be reached for comment. After the preliminary probe, French prosecutors can decide to launch a formal investigation or drop the matter. Write to Nick Kostov at nick.kostov@dowjones.com "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Pro-China leader Mohamed Muizzu has won the Presidential election in Maldives. PM Narendra Modi also congratulated Muizzu on being elected as president of the Maldives. In a post on X, he said, India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region." Muizzu defeated incumbent Mohamed Solih to become president of the island nation. This was the second round of polling after no candidate emerged clear winner in the first round. (Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channel. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here!) Muizzu, 45, helms a party that presided over an influx of Chinese loans when it last held power in the atoll nation, better known for its luxury beach resorts and celebrity tourists. He won 54.06 percent of the vote in the run-off contest, prompting incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to concede defeat shortly before midnight. The outcome also marks a stark reversal of fortune for Solih, who won the last election in 2018 by a landslide, amid widespread anger over human rights abuses and corruption under his predecessor. About Mohamed Muizzu: Mohamed Muizzu, 45, is a British-educated civil engineer. He was an unlikely candidate for the presidency after serving as construction minister in the government of his mentor Abdulla Yameen. But Yameen's jailing for corruption saw Muizzu tapped to lead the party as his proxy in an election fought on whether the strategically placed atoll aligns itself with China or India. Muizzu oversaw several Chinese-funded infrastructure projects including a $200-million bridge linking the capital with the archipelago's main airport. Muizzu's election success hinged on a sustained campaign against India's outsized political and economic clout in the Maldives. Muizzu has also vowed to pardon Yameen, the architect of their party's eager embrace of Beijing's financial largesse through the Belt and Road Initiative. Yameen is currently serving an 11-year jail term on the same remote prison island he had imprisoned opponents during his autocratic presidency. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Sunday claimed responsibility for the suicide attack near the office of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, ANI reported citing Al Jazeera report. A CCTV footage obtained by Reuters showed a vehicle pulling up to the Interior Ministry's main gate and one of its occupants quickly walking toward the building before being engulfed in an explosion, while the other remains on the street. The blast killed one of the attackers and authorities "neutralised", or killed, the other, the interior minister said of the incident that rattled a central district that is home to ministerial buildings and nearby parliament, reported Reuters. "A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade", the Al Jazeera reported, citing a statement the outfit sent to the ANF news agency. The ANF News, which is close to the PKK militant group, described the bombing as a 'suicide attack' planned to coincide with the opening of parliament. According to Turkey's Interior minister, the explosion in front of the Interior Ministry left two police officers injured. Fortunately, their injuries are not life-threatening, the government informed. Expressing solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the attack in Ankara NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism," Stoltenberg said in a post on X, wishing injured police officers a fast and full recovery. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the incident in a speech to the Turkish parliament, asserting that "terrorists" will never achieve their objectives in Turkey. Erdogan characterized the attack as the "last flutters of terrorism" and emphasised that terrorists attempting to disrupt peace and citizens' security will not succeed, Al Jazeera reported. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism," ANI quoted Erdogan statement in Al Jazeera. Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed," he said The Turkish president warned that it would be a formidable challenge to boost the morale of "terrorist" groups with political motivations. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! A suicide bomb attack took place near Turkey's parliament in Ankara on Sunday. According to the interior ministry, two attackers arrived in a commercial vehicle around 12 pm (IST) "in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of the Interior, and carried out a bomb attack." One of the attackers blew himself up and the other was killed in a shootout with police, the interior minister said. Two police officers received minor injuries. According to media reports, the area where the blast happened is home to several other ministries and the Turkish parliament, which was due to reopen today with an address from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a three-month summer recess. Also read: Pakistan: Second suicide bombing reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, death toll surges to 57 There was no immediate information on the assailants. Kurdish and far-left militant groups as well as the Islamic State group have carried out deadly attacks throughout the country in the past. (Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channel. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here!) Turkey attacks Erdogan was set to speak during the opening of this parliamentary session, which must validate Sweden's entry into the NATO alliance. Also read: Balochistan blast: Pakistan minister blames India's RAW for suicide blast; toll rises to 60 Hungary and Turkey in July lifted their vetoes against Sweden's entry into the Atlantic alliance, but have been slow to ratify its membership. Erdogan indicated in July that ratification by the Turkish parliament would not take place before October, but it is expected to be approved during this parliamentary year. For months, Erdogan has been putting pressure on Sweden to take action against Koran desecrations that have strained relations between the two countries. Finland became NATO's 31st member country in April, after three decades of military non-alignment and in the midst of the war in Ukraine. The capital Ankara has been the scene of several attacks, particularly during the years 2015 and 2016 -- many claimed by the outlawed separatist group the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), or the Islamic State group. The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. PKK-affiliated Kurdish militants control most of northeastern Syria. In October 2015 an attack in front of a central station in Ankara claimed by the Islamic State group killed 109 people. The most recent bomb attack in Turkey was on a shopping street in Istanbul in November 2022, where six were killed and 81 were injured. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! US President Joe Biden welcomed a deal to avert a government shutdown on Saturday. However, he called for Congress to swiftly approve aid to war-hit Ukraine after it was left out of the agreement. In an official statement, Biden said, We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted." "I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment," he added, referring to Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy. AFP reported that lawmakers must now wrangle a separate bill on $24 billion in military assistance to Ukraine that Biden wanted in the budget, with a vote possible early next week. Hard-right Republicans had strongly opposed the inclusion of Ukraine aid in the deal, despite support for it from moderate Republicans, including McCarthy. In response, Biden said that the deal to avert a shutdown was "good news for the American people" but added that we should never have been in this position in the first place." The White House wanted to make sure any blame would fall at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue specifically on House Republicans, AP reported. But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis," he said in a statement. President Biden has signed a bill passed by Congress to fund agencies until November 17, averting a government shutdown, as per AP reports. The US Congress on Saturday approved a stopgap funding bill in a rare show of cross-party unity to keep federal agencies running for another 45 days and avert a damaging government shutdown. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 335-91 to adopt a 45-day stopgap measure hours before funding for federal agencies was set to expire. Kevin McCarthy, the top US House Republican could face an untimely end to his role as speaker if party hardliners oust him, for averting a costly government shutdown on Saturday with a stopgap bill that drew more support from Democrats than Republicans, Reuters reported. Soon after the House action, the Republican conservatives began targeting McCarthy's role as speaker, claiming he had scored a victory for the "Uniparty" of Washington. "Should he remain Speaker of the House?" Republican Representative Andy Biggs, a leading hardliner, asked on the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter. McCarthy decided to bring a vote on a measure that could win Democratic support, knowing full well that it could jeopardize his job. Go ahead and try." (With inputs from agencies) "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! For the last two years weve seen slogans such as Long live Nathuram Godse" trend on social media on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It may repeat today as well. But does it matter? Was Gandhi a hero or a villain? Is he relevant today? These questions have been debated thousands of times since his assassination. Still, arguments and counter-arguments continue. And these ideological duels are an enduring testimony to the strength of Mohandas. He continues to stay alive in our thoughts. Gandhi may have been born in India and for India, but it was South Africa that shaped the Mahatma. Late on 7 June 1893, he was rudely pushed off a train at Pietermaritzburg station. This gave rise to a new Mohandas. His resolve to fight imperialist ideology and excesses strengthened that night and it laid the foundation for Gandhian philosophy. In 1997, I got an opportunity to meet Nelson Mandela as part of then prime minister Inder Kumar Gujrals visit to South Africa. Our generation had never met Gandhi, but the man whom the Mahatma had deeply inspired was standing before us. But while Gandhi never eyed power after Independence, Mandela chose to become South Africas president. However, Mandela implemented the policies of inclusion that Bapu professed. During Mandelas regime, every racial groupbe it black Africans, whites or South Africans of Indian descentenjoyed equal status. That is why he could take his nation on the path of progress instead of disintegration. Bapu has faced bitter criticism on many issues, including Partition. But his critics forget that no decision can prove to be the right decision for perpetuity. Take the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, for example. Lenin was then popularly perceived as an apostle of change. He was the founder of the all-powerful Soviet Union. But in 1991, Soviet Union disintegrated. Does this mean Lenins dream of equality for everybody was flawed? Lets come back to Gandhi. Fact is that he went to the Boer War to help the wounded, not the British. Similarly, Indians fought in World War I and II not as Indian citizens, but as members of the British armed forces. Gandhi tried to extract concessions for India considering the participation in a logical and rational manner. He wasnt completely successful but he helped the voices of subjugated people to be heard in a world trampled by colonialism. So firm was Gandhi in his beliefs that he didnt even hesitate to ask for forgiveness for the killers of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It isnt easy to go against the popular opinion and express your views in public meetings without requisite security. But Gandhi remained firm. These days, even small-time politicians travel with an elaborate security entourage and change their colours like a chameleon the moment they see a TV camera. But Gandhi never compromised on his principles and stuck to his convictions even at the cost of his life. Ten days before his assassination, on 30 January 1948, the Mahatma was also the target of a bomb attack. Vallabhbhai Patel, the then home minister, requested permission to tighten the Mahatmas security and urged him to modify his routine on the advice of his security officers. But Bapu didnt listen to this advice. Another fact is that Nathuram Godse, the man who killed the Mahatma, didnt hate him personally. He never used derogatory words against Gandhi during his hearing. Godses younger brother Gopal was also an accused in the Gandhi assassination case. After his release, he visited me twice at Agra. In our long conversation that lasted several hours and two rounds, Gopal reiterated: Humne Gandhi ji ki hatya nahin,unka vadh kiya tha (We didnt murder Gandhi. We assassinated him)." I could never digest his justification, but Gopal wasnt a person who got easily agitated. Years of imprisonment had given him reservoirs of mental resilience. Today, when I look back and analyze what he said three decades ago, apart from absolute disagreement, one phrase that keeps recurring is: ideology. Gandhi and Godse represented disparate ideologies. Had the Father of the Nation departed due to ill-health or any other cause a few years earlier, he would still have been as revered as Mahatma. But his murder brought Godse into the public eye. This fundamental difference between Godse and Gandhi will remain forever. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! Hong Kong: Farming carnival marks National Day Financial Secretary Paul Chan today officiated at the opening ceremony of the Happy Hong Kong: National Day Celebration Carnival at Yuen Long FarmKet. Organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department, the Fish Marketing Organization, the Vegetable Marketing Organization and Yuen Long FarmKet, the carnival features over 40 stalls selling a wide variety of local seasonal agricultural and fisheries products as well as gourmet food and handicrafts. Cooking demonstrations, stage performances, booth games and fun exhibitions are also offered for the public to enjoy the National Day holiday. Mr Chan said today marks the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China and the whole nation is celebrating the joyous occasion. He wished the carnival great success and hoped visitors would return home satisfied, adding his good wishes for Hong Kong's peace and prosperity, and fishermen and farmers a good harvest. The three-day carnival started yesterday and will run until October 2 at Long Ngai Path in Yuen Long. It is one of the activities held by the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department under the Happy Hong Kong - A & F Carnival to promote local agriculture and fisheries, and bring joy to the community. This story has been published on: 2023-10-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Two police officers were slightly injured when two terrorists on Sunday morning detonated a bomb in front of the General Directorate of Security in the Turkish capital of Ankara, with one of them blowing himself up, the interior minister said, Azernews repors citing Anadoly Agency. Two terrorists, who arrived in a light commercial vehicle in front of the gate of the General Directorate of Security, carried out a bomb attack. One of the terrorists blew himself up, said Ali Yerlikaya on X. Yerlikaya said two police officers were slightly injured in the attack, which occurred at 9.30 a.m. local time (0630GMT). A loud explosion was also heard in front of the Turkish Interior Ministry in the heart of Ankara in the morning. Following the explosion and gunshots heard near the ministry building in Kizilay, the major city center in the capitals Cankaya district, police forces took increased security in the area. The main Ataturk Boulevard was closed to traffic due to the explosion close to one of the gates of the Grand National Assembly. Special operations police also were dispatched to the scene. The fire brigade and medical teams are also on the scene. The Grand National Assembly will open in the afternoon after a 3-month break. Local residents have many sentimental reasons for attending the Foxfield Fall Races, which will return to Foxfield on Garth Road on Sunday. Many fans remember galloping along on foot in the stick pony races as children, while others look back fondly on enjoying pony rides before gathering at the rail to glimpse the majesty of steeplechase horses in action. Still others recall time spent with college friends from across Virginia, reflecting their respective school colors in blazers and ties. Tailgates loaded with elegant fare have nourished many memories as well. For one local family, Foxfields fall event is a cherished anniversary on multiple levels. The 1991 Foxfield Fall Races was the official first date for Kimberly Skelly, then a Mary Baldwin College student, and her husband, who was attending Washington and Lee University. They tied the knot there on Sept. 26, 1999. We had a beautiful wedding. We were on the south hill, said Skelly, who is president and executive director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation. We got married under a big tree and had a bluegrass band. Of course, one of their favorite wedding-day photos captured horses jumping in the background. Weve come back many times to watch the Fall Races and celebrate our anniversary, Skelly said. Their son Stokes, now 15, will take part this year in parading the beagles with Farmington Hunt Club members. Many of the Skellys friends will be back in Albemarle County for the fall races. Its going to feel like a reunion for all of us, she said. One friend will be traveling from New York with his wife and their children, which stirs fond memories for Skelly of when her own children, now 15 and 12, were enjoying Foxfields childrens activities. Theyre too big for the pony rides now, but we sure saddled them up, Skelly said with a chuckle. Wed never hesitate to bring kids. Its a different beat, a different feel. For jockey Mell Boucher, its one of my favorite places to go. Her love of horses and racing came early, as she was raised by a jockey father and trainer mother, and she said she grew up going to Foxfield. Boucher, 20, got her jockeys license at age 16, and race fans can see her pictured in her element on the race posters. As a jockey, she has a different vantage point for enjoying the steeplechase action. Its a really good course, Boucher said. Its aways a good day, even if its pouring down rain. She said she also loves the atmosphere. Its a good group of people. Asked what her favorite part of Foxfield Fall Races is, Boucher quipped, As a jockey, Id probably say crossing the finish line first. Its a really good job that a lot of people dont get to say they do, Boucher said. Its a lot of hard work. My whole life revolves around horses. Boucher has a simple piece of advice for Foxfield first-timers. The main thing is to make sure you watch one race, she said. For us, this is how we make our living and our life. Watching just one race could be a life-changing opportunity to get involved in the thrill of the sport, she said. They could be future owners, Boucher said. You could become a horse owner someday. Michelle Wamsley, chief advancement officer for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, said the partnership with Foxfield, now in its third year, reflects shared values of building and strengthening community ties. One of the things I value about Foxfield is it is bringing the community together in the fall for steeplechase, Wamsley said. It goes far beyond the philanthropic aspect. Its a great opportunity for us to show what Habitat does for the community. As part of the family activities, Habitat will offer a LEGO build for young people. While children are learning more about steeplechase racing, they also can absorb lessons about pitching in and using their talents to help build homes for neighbors. The partnership is a comfortable fit. Foxfield has not only helped raise funds for Habitat, but also participated in projects to help provide safe housing for local families, she said. That reinforcement of values is pretty special, Wamsley said. To engage on a deeper level with the main event, go to the Stable Duel App to play free games and learn about the horses, trainers and riders. Be sure to pick up a race program to follow along, or get the schedule from foxfieldraces.com. Tickets are $55; visitors ages 12 and younger get in for free. A family package is available at foxfieldraces.com. Gates for the Foxfield Fall Races will open at 9:30 a.m., and the first race begins at 12:30 p.m. The races will continue rain or shine. The Childrens Tent, Vendor Village and food trucks will open at 10 a.m. Get all the particulars at foxfieldraces.com. The polarization that plagues the U.S.on seemingly every important and not-so-important issueposes a challenge for corporate leaders. Many feel pressure to take a stand on the topics that their employees, customers and investors are passionate about, or feel that its simply the right thing to do. But speaking out can provoke a backlash that can hurt a companys business and fuel discord. So, whats a CEO to do? Ronnie Chatterji, a professor of business and public policy at Duke University, says he believes that playing it safe can backfire on CEOs, damaging their business and doing society no good. Andrew Ward, a management professor at Lehigh University, says the greater danger for both companies and society lies in CEOs taking public stances on controversial issues. YES: Its part of being an effective leader By Ronnie Chatterji Back in 2015, my colleague Michael Toffel and I used the term CEO activism" to describe the wave of corporate leaders speaking out on controversial political and social issues, ranging from LGBTQ rights to immigration policy and the appropriate response to climate change. Over the past eight years, the landscape for CEO activists has changed dramatically. Many of those who once cheered these outspoken executives on are now more skeptical that strong words will lead to progress on the issues in question. Some politicians, investors and customers are pushing back on woke" businesses and appear to be raising the costs for CEOs and companies that take a stand. The debate has now shifted to whether CEOs should just stop talking about politics. But that approach wont lead to better business or a better society. CEOs should feel free to keep speaking out on issues that impact their business. This kind of communication is an important part of being an effective leader. That doesnt mean that every business leader needs to weigh in on every public controversy. And CEOs and their boards certainly need to be aware of the risks in taking a stance on any issue. But sticking to platitudes on a narrow set of issues that some might consider safe for business leaders simply isnt an option in 2023. For one thing, many of the most controversial political and social issues of our time are also critical business issues. For instance, the debate over whether and how we address climate change has implications for the flow of trillions of dollars of capital and will affect every major company in the world. Americas role in the world, notably our relationship with China and our posture toward foreign trade and investment, will shape the opportunities firms have to grow and deliver a return for shareholders. Finally, declining trust in government and other democratic institutions fosters a narrative that our political and economic system is corrupt, which can lead to social instability that is ultimately bad for business. Just as it wouldnt make sense for CEOs to stop speaking out about issues like tax policy or environmental regulations, they ignore these broader issues at their peril. CEOs will also continue to be motivated to speak out by their own employees and consumers. A recent report by communications firm Edelman found that six out of 10 employees said they wouldnt work for an organization that failed to speak out against racial injustice. Another recent poll by Morning Consult found that 69% of U.S. adults believed that CEOs should speak out on political, social and cultural issues, and the percentages were higher among the younger Americans that many top companies are seeking to sell their products to. In other cases, CEOs will have strong personal convictions that compel them to speak out. CEOs who are immigrants, part of the LGBTQ community or followers of a religious faith may feel they have to take particular stands as a matter of social responsibility. And company mission statements might matter too. For companies that advertise their customer focus, strong employee culture and corporate social-responsibility programs, remaining neutral on debates that directly impact their customers, employees and communities would directly contradict their stated mission and values. Taking a public stand neednt contribute to polarization, as some fear. Indeed, it isnt inconsistent with facilitating dialogue and reducing polarization. CEOs could invite fellow business leaders or even employees with the opposite view to discuss the issue with them and promote constructive dialogue in doing so. Some argue that vocal executives could drive dissenting employees awaya blow to diversity in the workplace. But in some cases, employees who agree with the CEOs stance may feel much more intensely about it than those who disagree. Speaking out in these cases could increase retention among supporters without alienating many opponents. Of course, sometimes the opposite could happen. Thats why CEOs need to carefully assess if and when to speak out. Some will choose to be more vocal than others. But in general, CEO activism will continue, with corporate leaders weighing in on debateseven the most controversial onesthat ultimately influence the performance of their companies. Ronnie Chatterji is a professor of Business and Public Policy at Duke University. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com. NO: It will only alienate many employees By Andrew Ward Recently, CEOs have increasingly weighed in on social and political issues, from Black Lives Matter and voting access, to stances on Floridas Parental Rights in Education (known as the Dont say gay" bill), to abortion restrictions in various states. The reasons executives have for becoming more vocal are clear, but they dont justify the negative effects such public stances can have on their companies and on society. One reason executives are speaking out more is that businesses have become our most trusted institutions in a world where polarization and a lack of trust in government and the media dominate. Indeed, the Edelman Annual Trust Barometer found that 64% of people think that we cant even have a civil debate on key issues any longer due to this political polarization. Instead, people are looking to companies to take a stand and place a stake in the ground for common sense to prevail. Companies also are feeling pressure from their employees to take stands on social and political issues. A recent survey of millennials about their expectations of employers, conducted by Atlassian, found that 61% of millennial workers preferred companies that take a stand on social issues and 49% said they would quit a job that didnt align with their values. Furthermore, a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that the most important value to graduating college seniors was diversity and inclusion, with 71.8% stating it as a top priority. On the surface, this sounds very positive: Young people are taking an active role in critical societal and political issues and compelling their companies to take a strong stance on these issues, filling the void left by the failures of political and media institutions. But it isnt positive at all. In fact, it is a disaster waiting to happen. If, as surveys indicate, employees really want their companies to take a strong stance on social and political issues, and will leave those companies that express a stance that doesnt align with their own values, what this logically leads to is monolithic companies whose employees all have the same set of views on these divisive issues. That defeats the idea that the benefit of diversity and inclusion is having people who not only look different from one another but also hold diverse opinions and views on many issues. A better approach for companies is to seek to foster a healthy dialogue on issues among their employees, by providing a platform for such discussions and communicating to employees that both sides have legitimate arguments. In this way businesses can use their trusted status to facilitate the kind of conversation that has become so difficult in todays polarized societyand help seek solutions to societys challenges rather than adding to the conflict by choosing sides. If business fails to stand above the divisiveness in society and instead jumps in and adds to it, then society as a whole, and even those businesses individually, will become poorer for it. Not speaking out publicly doesnt mean CEOs are ignoring important issues. On some issues, their actions speak for them. For instance, many companies are acting on climate change to ensure their own long-term sustainability, including how their customers view them. Some other issuessuch as geopolitical and diplomatic issues, or the political debate around respect for the law and democratic institutionsare explicitly and inherently political issues that should be decided by the ballot box. People elect their political leaders knowing their policies or viewpoints on these issues, and companies should respect voters choices, not try to undermine those choices. If people dont like the policies adopted by the government, it is their right alone to change that at the next election. Those who are concerned that not speaking out could alienate some employees and customers are missing an important counterargument: Speaking out on contentious issues is guaranteed to alienate a large portion of a companys employees and customers. It is more valuable for a company to be able to maintain diversity across the political spectrum among its employees and customers. CEOs personal beliefs are a bit more complicated. In a private or family business, it is reasonable that the company will reflect the values and beliefs of the CEO. But in a large public company, where the CEO is there to promote the long-term interests of the company, its shareholders and various other stakeholders, the CEOs responsibility is to represent the company and its interests, not the CEOs own personal convictions. Andrew Ward is Chair of Corporate Governance and a professor of management at Lehigh University. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! OnePlus is rumored to be gearing up for the launch of its inaugural foldable phone, expected to debut on October 19th. As per a report by 91mobiles, in what appears to be a carefully orchestrated leak, Indian actress Anushka Sharma was captured by paparazzi holding a foldable phone featuring a distinctive circular camera cutout on the rear, mirroring the previously leaked renders of the OnePlus Open. According to reports, a video posted by Viral Bhayani showed Sharma intentionally and somewhat clumsily unfolding the phone in front of the paparazzi. OnePlus has confirmed to launch its first foldable smartphone, possibly named the OnePlus Open, with an expected release date of October 19. The device might feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage, dual displays (7.8-inch inner and 6.3-inch cover), as per several media reports. As per a report by Gadgets360, OnePlus has revealed plans to introduce its inaugural foldable smartphone, with the official launch date and product name still pending confirmation. Recent leaks suggest that the device, possibly named the OnePlus Open, is anticipated to make its debut on October 19. It is expected to be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, coupled with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of built-in storage. Reportedly, at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 event held in San Francisco, California, OnePlus officially announced the launch of its inaugural foldable smartphone. The company has assured that additional information about this innovative device will be forthcoming through its official website, OnePlus forums, and social media channels. It is worth noting that while the device's name, potentially "OnePlus Open," was previously teased, it has not been confirmed at this time. Moreover, a report from well-known tipster Max Jambor, who goes by the handle @MaxJmb on X (formerly Twitter), has suggested that the OnePlus Open is slated for launch on October 19. Various media reports suggest that the OnePlus Open is expected to be equipped with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, accompanied by 16GB of RAM and 256GB of built-in storage. This foldable smartphone is speculated to boast a 7.8-inch 2K AMOLED inner display and a 6.3-inch AMOLED cover screen with a brisk 120Hz refresh rate. Reportedly, in terms of its camera setup, the OnePlus Open is likely to feature a triple rear camera configuration, comprising a 50 MP sensor equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 48 MP sensor housing an ultra-wide lens, and a 32 MP sensor with a periscope lens. On the front, for selfies and video calls, it may sport dual 32 MP front camera sensors. "Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here! War is a destructive force that causes immense suffering and loss of life. It also diverts resources away from other important priorities, such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure development. Peace, on the other hand, is essential for human development and prosperity. It creates a safe and stable environment where people can thrive. It also allows countries to trade and invest with each other, which benefits everyone involved. There are many ways to promote peace. One is to invest in conflict prevention and mediation. This can help to resolve disputes peacefully before they escalate into violence. Another way to promote peace is to support post-conflict reconstruction and development. This helps to build sustainable peace by addressing the root causes of conflict. Of course, promoting peace requires resources. But the cost of war is far greater. A recent study by the World Bank found that the global economic cost of violence is $14.3 trillion per year. Thats more than the GDP of France and Germany combined. The military-industrial complex (MIC) is a system in which there is a close relationship among a nations military and the defense industry that supplies it, seen together as a vested interest which influences public policy. A driving factor behind the relationship between the military and the defense-minded corporations is that both sides benefitone side from obtaining war weapons, and the other from being paid to supply them. The MIC has been criticized for its role in promoting war and militarism, for its wasteful spending, and for its influence on public policy. Some people argue that the MIC is a threat to democracy and that it should be abolished. There are a number of things that can be done to end the MIC, including: Reduce military spending: This would make it less profitable for defense contractors and would reduce the incentive for the MIC to promote war and militarism. This would make it less profitable for defense contractors and would reduce the incentive for the MIC to promote war and militarism. Increase transparency and accountability in the defense industry: This would make it more difficult for defense contractors to engage in corruption and fraud. This would make it more difficult for defense contractors to engage in corruption and fraud. Promote non-military solutions to conflict: This would reduce the need for military intervention and would make it more difficult for the MIC to justify its existence. This would reduce the need for military intervention and would make it more difficult for the MIC to justify its existence. Educate the public about the MIC: This would raise awareness of the MICs influence on public policy and would make it more difficult for the MIC to operate in the shadows. Ending the MIC will not be easy. It is a powerful and well-entrenched system. However, it is important to remember that the MIC is not inevitable. It is a human creation, and it can be dismantled by humans. Here are some specific actions that individuals can take to help end the MIC: Contact your elected representatives and urge them to support policies that reduce military spending, increase transparency and accountability in the defense industry, and promote non-military solutions to conflict. Donate to and volunteer with organizations that are working to end the MIC. Educate yourself and others about the MIC and its influence on public policy. Support businesses and organizations that are committed to nonviolence and social justice. By taking these actions, we can help to create a more peaceful and just world. Investing in peace is a wise investment. It can save lives, reduce suffering, and promote economic prosperity. It is also the right thing to do. There are currently 32 ongoing conflicts in the world, according to the Council on Foreign Relations Global Conflict Tracker. These conflicts range from civil wars and insurgencies to interstate wars and proxy wars. Some of the most notable ongoing conflicts include: The war in Ukraine The civil war in Yemen The war in Syria The civil war in Ethiopia The insurgency in Afghanistan The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo The conflict in Somalia The conflict in South Sudan The conflict in Myanmar The conflict in Libya The conflict in Mali The conflict in the Central African Republic These conflicts are having a devastating impact on millions of people around the world. They are causing death, displacement, and economic hardship. They are also undermining development and progress. It is important to note that the definition of war is complex and there is no single, universally accepted definition. The Council on Foreign Relations defines a war as an armed conflict between two or more states. However, other experts have argued that wars can also occur within states, and that non-state actors, such as rebel groups and terrorist groups, can also be involved in wars. The number of wars being fought at any given time can vary. In recent years, the number of wars has been increasing. This is due to a number of factors, including the rise of non-state actors, the spread of extremist ideologies, and the availability of weapons. The international community has a responsibility to prevent and resolve conflicts peacefully. However, it is also important to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of war. We must all work together to create a more peaceful world for all. NATO has been accused of committing a number of war crimes during its interventions in various countries, including Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Libya. Some of the specific allegations include: Bombing civilian targets: NATO has been accused of bombing civilian targets, including hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings, during its interventions in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Libya. For example, in 1999, NATO bombed a Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, killing three people. In 2008, NATO bombed a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing at least 31 people. And in 2011, NATO bombed a residential neighborhood in Tripoli, Libya, killing at least 30 people. NATO has been accused of bombing civilian targets, including hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings, during its interventions in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Libya. For example, in 1999, NATO bombed a Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, killing three people. In 2008, NATO bombed a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing at least 31 people. And in 2011, NATO bombed a residential neighborhood in Tripoli, Libya, killing at least 30 people. Using cluster bombs: NATO has been accused of using cluster bombs, which are weapons that release hundreds of smaller bombs over a wide area. Cluster bombs are particularly dangerous because they can remain unexploded for years after they are dropped, posing a threat to civilians. For example, NATO used cluster bombs in Kosovo in 1999, and in Afghanistan in 2001. NATO has been accused of using cluster bombs, which are weapons that release hundreds of smaller bombs over a wide area. Cluster bombs are particularly dangerous because they can remain unexploded for years after they are dropped, posing a threat to civilians. For example, NATO used cluster bombs in Kosovo in 1999, and in Afghanistan in 2001. Using depleted uranium: NATO has been accused of using depleted uranium munitions, which are weapons that contain uranium that has been depleted of its fissile isotopes. Depleted uranium munitions are highly toxic and can cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. For example, NATO used depleted uranium munitions in Kosovo in 1999, and in Iraq in 2003. NATO has been accused of using depleted uranium munitions, which are weapons that contain uranium that has been depleted of its fissile isotopes. Depleted uranium munitions are highly toxic and can cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. For example, NATO used depleted uranium munitions in Kosovo in 1999, and in Iraq in 2003. Torturing and killing prisoners: NATO forces have been accused of torturing and killing prisoners during their interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. For example, in 2003, US soldiers tortured and killed Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. It is important to note that NATO has denied many of these allegations. However, there is a significant amount of evidence to support some of the claims, such as the bombing of civilian targets and the use of cluster bombs. The allegations of war crimes committed by NATO raise serious questions about the organizations conduct and its commitment to international law. It is important to investigate these allegations thoroughly and to hold those responsible accountable. The sale of depleted uranium (DU) by the United States is a controversial issue. Some people argue that it is a war crime, while others argue that it is a legitimate form of self-defense. DU is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process that is used to create nuclear fuel. It is a heavy metal that is toxic and radioactive. DU is used in munitions because it is very dense and can penetrate armor. The United States has used DU munitions in several conflicts, including the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. The use of DU munitions has been criticized by human rights groups and environmental groups. Human rights groups argue that the use of DU munitions is a war crime because it violates the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the use of weapons that cause unnecessary suffering. DU munitions can cause a variety of health problems, including cancer, birth defects, and genetic mutations. Environmental groups argue that the use of DU munitions contaminates the environment and poses a risk to public health. DU is a radioactive metal that can remain in the environment for thousands of years. The United States has defended its use of DU munitions, arguing that they are a necessary weapon for self-defense. The US government has also stated that it takes steps to minimize the risk to civilians and the environment when using DU munitions. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has not ruled on whether the sale of DU is a war crime. However, the ICC has stated that it is concerned about the potential impact of DU on civilians and the environment. Here are some specific examples of how the world can spend more on peace than war: Cut funding for the United Nations, NATO and other international organizations that are working to promote war. Invest in conflict prevention and mediation programs. Support post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts. Demilitarize societies and reduce the global stockpile of weapons. Promote education and dialogue to build understanding and tolerance between different cultures. Encourage governments to adopt nonviolent approaches to conflict resolution. By taking these steps, we can create a more peaceful and prosperous world for all. Shayne Heffernan You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Longford County Council has announced that this year's Padraic Colum Gathering, honouring one of Longford's great writers, will take place on Saturday, October 7. The morning session, in Granard Community Library, begins at 10.30am and involves two distinguished speakers. Professor Christopher Morash of Trinity College Dublin will speak about Padraic Colum: a life in the theatre, focussing on Colums work as a playwright. Dr Patrick Ryan, an academic and storyteller, will follow at 11.45am with a talk on Padraic Colum: a new and old storyteller, which will look at Colums influence on storytelling in American libraries. Colmcille Community Centre will be the venue for the afternoon session, commencing at 2pm. There, local historian Benny Reid will speak about the history of the area and refer to Colums family background. The talk will be followed by a reading of some of Colums poetry by Lanesboro poet Margaret Nohilly. The session will end with a performance by local schoolchildren from St Colmcille's National School. Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Colm Murray, is keen to highlight Colums importance. Padraic Colum is one of our countys major literary figures. This Gathering will give people an excellent opportunity to learn more about him, he said. As usual, the programme for the Padraic Colum Gathering includes a blend of talks and performances that should appeal to a broad audience, said Longford County Council Chief Executive, Paddy Mahon. It is also great that one of the venues is Colmcille, his ancestral home, he added. The events are open to all and free-of-charge. For further information, on Padraic Colum and The Padraic Colum Gathering, check out the LongfordLibrary.ie website. For further event updates, follow Longford Library Services on social media. Two men charged in connection with an incident where shots were fired in a public place will go before Longford Circuit Court next month. Jamie Dinnegan (32) of 18 Grian Ard Longford was before Judge Bernadette Owens on five charges, while Michael Ward (34) of 30 Palace Crescent, Longford was up on seven charges. Mr Dinnegan faces charges of possession of a shotgun, possession of a shotgun without a certificate, possession of shotgun cartridges, possession of a shotgun cartridges without a certificate and one charge of recklessly discharging a firearm on January 24, 2022 at Palace Crescent, Ardnacsassa. Garda Shane OConnor gave evidence of serving the Book of Evidence on Mr Dinnegan on the morning of the court sitting. Sergeant Conor McShane told Judge Owens that the prosecution was objecting to bail. A High Court application for bail for the defendant, who has been in custody since late August, was refused the previous week. Counsel for Mr Dinnegan, Niall Flynn, said the stumbling block in his client's High Court application was the provision of an independent surety. Before sending the matter forward to the Circuit Court Judge Owens heard a lengthy and contested bail application. Garda OConnor outlined the background to the matter. He said the Garda objection to bail was grounded in the fact that all charges were of a serious nature and alleged the defendant discharged a weapon in a public place in the middle of the day as children were coming out of a creche. Longford man charged over alleged 12 hour crime spree accuses judge of 'torture' after being denied bail A man charged with allegedly committing a burglary and two thefts within a 12 hour period while under the terms of a suspended prison sentence has accused a judge of torture after she denied him bail. The Garda's evidence was that on the January day tensions were escalating between two feuding families. Gardai received 23 phone calls in a 20 minute period from panicked civilians about a firearms discharge at Palace Crescent, Ardnacsasa and a man being hit by a white van. When officers arrived at the scene they saw Mr Dinnegan on the ground, he was stripped to his vest and boxers. It was alleged the clothes were removed to hamper a garda investigation. An ambulance arrived and conveyed Mr Dinnegan to Mullingars Midland Regional Hospital. Garda OConnor told the court that three unused 12 gauge shotgun cartridges and two spent shells were found in a storm drain near where the injured man was on the ground. A rubber butt stock for a shotgun and wadding from a discharged shotgun shell were also found at the scene. The garda alleged that Jamie Dinnegan discharged two shots in the direction of the Keenan family before a white van drove at him at high speed, knocking him to the ground. Two clips of video footage taken on mobile phones were shown to the court. The first showed a van in the distance and the sound of two shots being fired. The second captured the moment Mr Dinnegan is hit by a van and sent flying through the air. Details of a text from a WhatsApp group on the defendant's mobile phone were read to the judge. One said: I love you Jamie, and continued, You are the iron man. Not even the rap of a van could take you out. Garda OConnor said Forensic Science Ireland matched residue from the shotgun shells and residue from Mr Dinnegan. He told the judge it was the Garda belief that escalating tensions between the families stemmed from an dispute at a New Years Eve party in 2021. He alleged that Johnny Keenan refused to stand in for a photo at a party and this resulted in tit-for-tat incidents. Garda O'Connor said there were a number of incidents between the families since February '22. The Garda highlighted one on March 16 when the defendant's wife was allegedly involved in an altercation. Sergeant Conor McShane said Garda concerns regarding the defendant's release on bail are heightened by the fact the firearm was never recovered. Sgt McShane said the defendant was reckless in dealing with a matter that should have been dealt with by Gardai. The sergeant alleged that tensions between the families continued to heighten: If released on bail he could engage in further feud retaliation incidents. Counsel for the defendant, Mr Flynn, said of 120 statements made to Gardai about the matter only five identified Mr Dinnegan as the shooter. The barrister said all five of those statements were members of the Keenan family. The barrister pointed out this altercation happened 20 months ago: Although Gardai say there is an ongoing feud, no males have been brought before the court for any other incident, Mr Flynn said. Counsel called Thomas Oliver Keenan to the witness box. When asked by counsel if there was an ongoing violent feud the witness said: That is not true, judge. Mr Keenan accepted there had been a falling out between his brother and his wife, but insisted it had nothing to do with anyone else. I'm telling you now, under oath, that my wife and my brother's argument had nothing to do with Jamie Dinnegan, Mr Keenan said. The witness said: Our families have no issue with each other. They meet at shops, pubs, and schools every day and there are no problems. Even at the Festival we were out together watching Nathan Carter and there were no problems and the Gardai saw us together. The second witness to give evidence was Cindy Dinnegan. Ms Dinnegan repeated the suggestion that there were no hostilities between the families and that any other incidents were not related. In concluding Mr Flynn said his client is a father of one and has not come to the attention of Gardai in the last 20 months. In reaching her decision on the bail application Judge Owens said the prosecution had reached the threshold to deny bail. The judge said the letters of withdrawal and the interference with a possible Garda investigation by removing the clothes were matters of concern. The judge said she did not accept the evidence of Mr Keenan that there were no ongoing issues between the families. The judge said: Given the serious nature of the charges I am not satisfied that any conditions imposed will be sufficient. I am refusing the bail application. As the judge concluded matters Mr Dinnegan said: Is it not innocent until proven guilty? It looks like in this court of law it's guilty until proven innocent. The judge remanded the defendant in custody to appear before Longford District Court on October 3 next. In a connected case Michael Ward (34) of 30 Palace Crescent, Longford was also sent forward for trial at Longford Circuit Court. Mr Ward was served the Book of Evidence by Garda O'Connor on the morning of the court sitting. The charges against the defendant are that on January 24, 2022 at Palace Crescent, Ardnacassa he was the driver of a vehicle that injured Jamie Dinnegan, that he intentionally engaged in conduct, that is driving a motor vehicle at Jamie Dinnegan, to create a substantial risk of death, that he failed to stay at the scene of an accident, he failed to give assistance to the injured party and that he failed to give information to Gardai. Mr Ward was returned for trial at the next sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court on October 3 next. The defendant was granted legal aid in the name of solicitor Brid Mimnagh and one counsel issued with an alibi warning. Contentious new bye laws from Waterways Ireland were discussed at the Housing & Local Government committee in Leinster House, following a request from Longford / Westmeath Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty. Two separation consultations are underway one in relation to the Royal and Grand Canals and a second for the River Shannon. Newtowncashel man, Liam Finnegan, was one of a number of boating enthusiasts to attend and address the committee on the proposed byelaws. He is one of the leaders in the newly formed, Shannon Lakes & River Group. Waterways Ireland has invited public consultation on significant changes to the Shannon Navigation bye-laws and also the Grand and Royal Canal and Barrow Navigation bye-laws. At committee last week, Deputy Flaherty warned that the proposed bye laws have largely to date gone unnoticed but there is a growing discontent and it is not unreasonable to say that this could be the next rod licence issue. He was sharply critical of the lack of consultation with local communities and warned that the bye laws are seeking to monetize the River Shannon. Arising from the committee hearing Waterways Ireland have now agreed to extend their deadline for the public consultation beyond the current end date. The agency is to confirm to the committee in writing this week their proposed new date. Meanwhile the committee will discuss the bye-laws in private meeting this week and its likely that the controversial bye laws will feature again in the committees work schedule over the coming months. Longford's Laura Pakenham is looking for love and someone who makes her giddy in a new TV dating show. Laura is starring as a contestant on Virgin Media Televisions brand-new Irish dating show Gra ar an Tra, which launched on Monday night (September 25 at 9pm) on Virgin Media One. Gra ar an Tra sees Grainne Seoige, James Kavanagh and Siomha Ni Ruairc run the rule over 10 singletons as they head to the Gaeltacht, brushing up on their cupla focal while also looking for love. Their ultimate aim? To be crowned the couple with the most focail and walk away with a grand prize to the value of 10,000. Contestants will split their time between flirting and the focloir, idir gra agus Gaeilge. Student teacher Laura revealed what she is looking for in a partner, Im looking for someone kind and caring who makes me giddy. And what is Laura's favourite chat-up line? When Im on a night out and see a lad I fancy, Ill go up to them and pretend weve met on a night out before and had a cheeky kiss. Naturally theyll say No, I dont think so, I dont remember that, to which Ill reply how about I jog your memory. Works like a charm every time. Through fun tasks, cheeky challenges and romantic rendezvous, the couples on Gra ar an Tra will compete all while dusting up on their Irish. Catch the first episode of Gra ar an Tra on Virgin Media Player. The centrist Progressive Slovakia party is set to win the Slovak election on Saturday, two exit polls showed, ahead of the populist Smer-SD which had vowed to stop aid to neighbouring Ukraine. Progressive Slovakia, led by European Parliament vice-speaker Michal Simecka, scored 23.5 percent in an exit poll for TV Markiza and 19.97 percent in a poll for public media company RTVS. The vote in the EU and NATO member of 5.4 million people is seen as key to whether the country could stay on its pro-Western course or turn more towards Russia. The campaign was marked by particularly high rates of online disinformation. Former prime minister Robert Ficos Smer-SD was projected to win 21.9 percent in the Markiza poll and 19.1 percent in the RTVS one. The final results are expected on Sunday. The election winner will need help from smaller parties to form a majority coalition in the 150-seat parliament. The new government will replace a wobbly centre-right coalition in power since 2020, which has seen three cabinets installed over the period and provided hefty military and humanitarian aid to war-stricken Ukraine. In the heated election campaign, Fico took aim at the EU, NATO and LGBTQ people and rejected providing any further military aid to Ukraine. Simecka has urged Slovaks to elect the future and vowed to rid Slovakia of the past, referring to Ficos three terms as prime minister. Simecka, who has vowed to continue aid to Ukraine, said when casting his ballot in Bratislava that he would accept the election result with humility. It is very good that there is a great number of people in Slovakia who want a dignified European future for their country and families, he added. Smer candidate and deputy parliament speaker Juraj Blanar said: People trust us and I firmly believe we will win. For the poor Voting for Smer in Bratislava, Eliska Spisakova said the party was the natural choice for the working poor, people like me. Progressive Slovakia is not interested in people, only gays, drug legalisation, Ukrainians and migrants, the 29-year-old court employee told AFP after voting. Independent political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told AFP the vote would determine Slovakias focus in foreign policy, defence and security policy, but also the future of democracy. Slovakia emerged as an independent country in 1993, following a peaceful split with the Czech Republic after Czechoslovakia shed four decades of totalitarian communist rule in 1989. Although many Slovaks have experience with the Moscow-steered communist regime, many have voted for populists vowing to stop helping Ukraine. A study by the Globsec think-tank last year showed a majority of Slovaks believe popular conspiracy theories, and rates of disinformation, including from Kremlin-linked sources, have spiked during the campaign, analysts said. Some think peace can be achieved by stopping any aid to Ukraine, and thats where I disagree, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova told AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile thanked Slovakia for standing with Ukraine on Telegram on the election day. Far-right The exit polls showed five to seven parties and one coalition of three parties would win parliamentary seats. Smers spin-off Hlas-SD, led by former Smer vice-chairman Peter Pellegrini, will be a sought-after ally after coming third in both exit polls with 12.2 and 11.2 percent. Pellegrini became premier in 2018 after Fico had to step down amid nationwide protests following the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Kuciak uncovered links between the Italian mafia and Ficos government in his last article published posthumously. Simecka might want to woo the centrist OLaNO, leading a three-party coalition which scored 8 and 9.5 percent, and the right-wing SaS with 6.4 percent in both exit polls. Both OLaNO and SaS were a part of the government appointed in 2020. Fico can also woo the newly formed far-right Republic which the exit polls predicted would win 6 and 6.1 percent and possibly also the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS), which scored 5.4 percent in one exit poll. The centrist Christian Democrats are projected to win 5.4 and 6.3 percent. Over a thousand people have been arrested for violating the gun ban imposed for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday. PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said 1,063 gun ban violators were arrested as of Thursday, September 28. Of those arrested, 1,017 were civilians, while others were members of law enforcement, security guards, and elected government officials. Authorities so far confiscated 650 firearms. The PNP also said Sunday it was monitoring 38 potential private armed groups (PAG) and one active PAG. Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Fajardo said the number of potential armed groups being monitored by security forces as of September 29 had decreased from over 40 to 38. Based on the assessment of our security forces, some have become dormant. Some are no longer monitored being on the move as their leaders and members have been caught, the spokesperson said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also said communist rebels absorbed crushing defeats at the hands of government troops with sustained focused military operations of the Visayas Command (VISCOM) as the village elections nears. For the month of September alone, 12 government-initiated armed encounters transpired in the entire region against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA). These led to the neutralization of 54 NPA terrorists, 19 of whom died during encounters, as 32 returned to the fold of the law while three were apprehended, the AFP said in a statement. Government troops also seized 38 assorted firearms and nine anti-personnel mines during the period. Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, VISCOM Commander, emphasized that the troops collective efforts with the local government units in clearing the barangays from NPA infestation have gained ground. The PNP earlier announced it was considering including 246 barangays as election areas of concern under the red category, which will be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Most of these barangays are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, and Bicol Region. Fajardo said violators of the firearms ban were not the only ones caught at Comelec checkpoints. Also caught were suspects who were the subjects of police operations. The election period and the prohibition on the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons and the employment or engagement of the services of security personnel or bodyguards was set from August 28 to November 29. Fajardo said the PNP had also initially monitored three active PAGs in Central Luzon, but two groups had surrendered to authorities. A total of 1,248 barangays are in the orange category, while 1,100 are in the yellow category Fishermen appealed to the government on Sunday to increase coast guard and naval patrols to protect them from the Chinese Coast Guard, which has stepped up their efforts in recent months to keep them from entering the Scarborough (Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag) Shoal lagoon, where fishes are abundant. In an interview on radio dzBB, the spokesman of the Bigkis ng Mangingisda Federation in Masinloc, Zambales said Chinese vessels and rubber boats continue to block Filipino fishermen from entering the lagoon. Chinese fishing vessels are also outside, but they can fish more freely in our reef. When Filipino fishermen insist on entering, they are being blocked and chased by Chinese Coast Guard rubber boats, said Henrelito Empoc, the groups spokesperson, speaking in Filipino. Empoc appealed to the government to increase the presence of the Philippines security forces in the Scarborough Shoal to guard them against Chinese vessels while they are fishing. The fishermen would be glad if they knew there were personnel from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to back them up in case anything happens. The only request of our fishermen is that there is someone watching over them from the Philippine authorities, and not from the China Coast Guard, which only continues to harass them, he said. The PCG earlier urged Filipino fishermen to keep operating at Scarborough Shoal and other sites in the South China Sea, pledging to step up patrols there despite the huge Chinese presence. Empoc also said Filipino fishers earn a lot less compared to before. Arnel Satam, the Subic-based fisherman who tried to enter Scarborough Shoal to fish but was chased and had its path cut by the CCG boats, said he only earned P3,000 from that work trip. His team was only able to haul one ton of fish, and these were sold in Cavite because fish prices in Subic were low. The income was low. Its not enough for the needs of the family We just buy food we could afford. It is not enough for electricity and water bills, the father of seven school-age children said. He also said it was difficult to fish in some areas of the West Philippine Sea, particularly where damage has been done to the marine environment and the seabeds coral reefs. The Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command (AFP-WesCom) earlier reported cases of massive coral harvesting along Rozul (Iroquois) Reef, which is within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Chinese military and militia vessels were seen swarming in the area before. Meanwhile, an analyst said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s decision to dismantle the floating barrier China installed at the entrance of Scarborough Shoal has sent a strong message that Manila is ready to make a stand to protect its rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Our President is showing that the policy of course is not peace at all cost. We would like to have a peaceful, cooperative relationship with China but at the same time we will have to defend what we believe is ours, De La Salle University Professor Renato Cruz de Castro said in a forum. De Castro praised Mr. Marcos decisiveness in issuing the order to cut the barrier despite the risk of an adverse reaction from the Chinese side. The 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea recognized that the Scarborough Shoal, well within the countrys 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, is a traditional fishing ground used by Filipinos for many generations. De Castro said China putting a barrier at the entrance served as a symbolism that their action is not simply directed against the government, its directed against ordinary Filipinos the fishermen in Zambales. In less than 24 hours of course the President made a decisive decision. Its a very decisive decision because we also have to take into account how China would react, but he made a decision, he said. The buck stops with him and of course, he took the challenge, (President Marcos) ordered to cut the buoy, he added. De Castro pointed out that Mr. Marcos decision also reflected his pursuit of an independent foreign policy adding it was made without consulting other partners like Japan, Australia, or the United States. He believes the Presidents move also caught Beijing by surprise because they never expect us to push back. On Friday, the Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver arrived in the Philippines to participate in the military drills between the Philippines and the United States this week. Commander Meghan Coates, commanding officer of the HMCS Vancouver, said this is the first time for Canada to join the Exercise Samasama. Starting Oct. 1, the Canadian Embassy said Canada would also post a permanent defense attache in the Philippines. Vancouvers participation in Samasama is to promote regional security cooperation, maintain and strengthen maritime partnerships, and enhance maritime interoperability, Coates said at a press conference aboard the warship on Saturday. We are honored by the opportunity to participate in this complex exercise, highlighting the collaboration between like-minded partners, training, and real-world environments. Coates said this participation reflects Canadas commitment to increasing its engagement with regional partners and keeping the Indo-Pacific stable. The HMCS Vancouver is the third Royal Canadian Navy ship to visit the Philippines this year after the HMCS Ottawa and Naval Replenishment Unit MV Asterix. This is also Vancouvers second deployment to the Philippines after a port visit in 2022. Samasama, scheduled from Oct. 2 to 13, is a bilateral exercise between the United States Navy and the Philippine Navy to boost the latters warfare capabilities for maritime security operations. Apart from Canada, the drills also involve Japan, Australia, France, and the United Kingdom through subject-matter expert exchanges and humanitarian assistance and disaster response tabletop events. Indonesia and New Zealand will send observers. Paris Iranian security forces made dozens of arrests Saturday as protesters in the southeast commemorated the killing of dozens of demonstrators in the region one year ago, human rights groups said. At least 104 people were killed, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO, in what is known as Bloody Friday, when security forces fired on a protest in Zahedan, the main city of Sistan-Baluchistan province, on September 30 last year. The violence marked the single deadliest day of months-long protests that erupted in Iran last year. The Zahedan protests were triggered by reports a teenage girl had been raped in custody by a police commander and took place in parallel to nationwide demonstrations sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the countrys dress code. Activists have long complained that the ethnic Baluch population in Sistan-Baluchistan, who adhere to Sunni Islam not the Shiite branch of the faith dominant in Iran, suffer from discrimination. Security forces fired tear gas and live rounds for a second straight day to disperse protesters who turned out in Zahedan to mark the anniversary, the Baluch-focused rights group Haalvsh said. Throughout Saturday, businesses in Zahedan and other towns observed a general strike, it said, adding that dozens of people had been arrested. The group posted footage with the sound of gunfire clearly audible amid a heavy security presence in the city. Security forces had already used live fire to disperse protesters on Friday, wounding at least 25 people, including children, according to the Baloch Activists Campaign group. There was no immediate word on any casualties in Saturdays unrest. Even as the protest movement dwindled elsewhere in Iran, residents of Zahedan have held regular Friday protests throughout the past 12 months. The citys Friday prayer leader, Molavi Abdolhamid, who has been outspoken in his support of the protests over the past year, issued a new call for justice over Bloody Friday, telling the faithful to know your rights. Footage posted on social media on Friday showed chaotic scenes as hospitals filled with injured, including children, while people on the streets sought to escape to safety amid the sound of heavy gunfire. IHR said that the protests in Zahedan and other cities were again brutally crushed with authorities using live ammunition, pellet bullets and tear gas against unarmed protesters. The executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, Hadi Ghaemi, condemned the horrifying display of indiscriminate violence as the state attempts to suppress peaceful demonstrations. It is imperative for the international community to shine a spotlight on this violence and to hold Iranian officials accountable in international courts, invoking the principle of international jurisdiction, he said. AFP South Korea will host World Environment Day 2025 with a focus on ending plastic pollution globally, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the nation announced. World Environment Day, marked annually on June 5, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. Over the past five decades, the day has grown to be one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach. Tens of millions of people participate online and through in-person activities, events and actions around the world. The world produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean and, often, working their way into the human food chain. In 2024, Korea will host the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The negotiations aim to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, as mandated by United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 5/14 . World Environment Day in 2025 will be a watershed moment for the conservation of the global environment as we expect to have concluded the global plastic agreement. As the host country of the 2025 World Environment Day, the Republic of Korea will lead international efforts to prevent plastic pollution, said Korea Environment Minister Han Wha-jin. Ridding the planet of plastic pollution is an important contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those on climate action, sustainable production and consumption, protection of seas and oceans and repairing ecosystems and retaining biodiversity. Strong partners and strong partnerships are the backbone of environmental multilateralism, and UNEP is grateful to the Republic of Korea for taking up the mantle of hosting World Environment Day 2025 in the pursuit of an end to plastic pollution, said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. World Environment Day is the United Nations principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Held annually since 1973, the day has also become a vital platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals. With the UNEP at the helm, over 150 countries participate each year. Major corporations, non-governmental organizations, communities, governments and celebrities from across the world adopt the World Environment Day brand to champion environmental causes. World Environment Day was hosted by Cote dIvoirewith the support of the Netherlandsin 2023, while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia host the day in 2024. UNEP News Authorities have recovered the body of the pilot who crashed a plane into Lake Winnipesaukee near Gilford, New Hampshire on Saturday, WMUR reported. Divers with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department found the pilot dead, the state agency told WMUR. Parts of the aircraft were also discovered. The pilot was flying a Cessna 150, a small, single-engine aircraft, when it crashed into the lake roughly 200 yards from Ellacoya State Park shortly before 7:45 p.m. Saturday, according to authorities. He was the only person aboard the plane. Gilford Fire-Rescue, a Laconia Fire Department ambulance and boat, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol responded to the scene of the crash, Gilford Fire-Rescue Firefighter Adam Gravelle told MassLive. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, and the NTSB is leading the investigation. A NTSB investigator is expected to document the scene of the crash when the aircraft is recovered, examine the plane, attempt to contact any witnesses and request any air traffic communications, radar data, weather reports, maintenance records of the aircraft and medical records and flight history of the pilot, according to the NTSB. Read more: Invasive spiny water flea found in Lake Winnipesaukee for first time ever The NTSB does not conduct recovery efforts, the NTSB told MassLive. The man and woman slain in a parking lot in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire on Friday were identified by authorities Saturday. Matthew Champagne, 44, of Manchester, New Hampshire, and Patricia Swett, 45, of Nashua, were identified to the public as the man and woman fatally shot in a parking lot on Maple Street late Friday, according to a statement from New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke. Autopsies were also completed Saturday on the bodies of Champagne and Swett by Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Mitchell Weinberg. He determined they both died from multiple gunshot wounds and their manner of death was homicide, the statement said. Police responded to calls about gunshots in the area of the Maple Street parking lot around 10:30 p.m. Friday. When officers arrived, they found Champagne and Swett dead from what appeared to be gunshot wounds, according to the statement. Victor Rivera, 47, of Nashua, was arrested earlier Saturday on two counts of second-degree murder for knowingly causing the deaths of Champagne and Swett by shooting them with a firearm and, alternatively, on two counts of second-degree murder for recklessly causing their deaths under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life by shooting them with a firearm, the statement said. Rivera is expected to be arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court on Monday, Oct. 2, according to the statement. An airplane crashed into Lake Winnipesaukee near Gilford, New Hampshire on Saturday with only the pilot on board, according to authorities. The small, single-engine aircraft crashed into the lake roughly 200 yards from Ellacoya State Park shortly before 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Gilford Fire-Rescue Firefighter Adam Gravelle told MassLive. One person, the pilot, was confirmed to be on board, flying alone. Authorities are still searching for him, Gravelle said. It is unclear whether anyone was injured in the crash and whether the plane was damaged, according to Gravelle. The plane that crashed into the lake was a single-engine Cessna 150, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Along with Gilford Fire-Rescue, a Laconia Fire Department ambulance and boat, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol also responded to the scene of the crash, according to Gravelle. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, and the NTSB is in charge of the investigation. A NTSB investigator is expected to go to the lake to document the scene when the aircraft is recovered, examine the plane, try to contact any witnesses and request any air traffic communications, radar data, weather reports, maintenance records of the aircraft and medical records and flight history of the pilot, according to the federal agency. The NTSB does not conduct recovery efforts, the NTSB told MassLive. A HCMC court has dismissed a British manager's wrongful termination lawsuit against movie theater chain CGV Vietnam and the plaintiff will thus receive no compensation. The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City decided on Friday to reject the lawsuit filed by Benedict Daniel Sullivan, 60, against CJ CGV Vietnam Co. Ltd, the largest cinema complex in the country. Sullivan began working for CJ CGV Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City in 2012 and signed a contract to be the director of business and marketing from Jan. 1, 2014, to April 30, 2015, with a monthly salary of US$4,000 plus bonus and commission. He was able to bring the company valuable business deals, but on Oct. 7, 2014, CGV CEO Dongwon Kwak unexpectedly transferred him to a CGV theater in District 7 as a floor manager, ending the contract prematurely. Sullivan claimed that the transfer happened so that the company did not have to pay him commission for business deals he secured. The transfer put him into a mental crisis and he was advised by his doctor to regularly take days off. On Dec. 17, 2014, Sullivan submitted a letter of resignation from his position as the director of business and marketing effective January 19, 2015. However, CGV terminated its business contract with him the next day (January 20, 2015). Benedict Daniel Sullivan at HCMC People's Court for the hearing of his wrongful termination lawsuit against movie theater chain CGV, September 29, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Duyen Sullivan said that he only resigned from the director post but that did not mean he was no longer with the company. He only gave up his position as a director, and his business contract with the company was supposed to remain intact. Therefore, he sued CGV, claiming that they had dismissed him without reasonable cause. He asked the company to pay him more than VND6 billion ($255,000) in compensation, including salary and subsidies for the remaining months of his contract, a business-class air ticket to the U.K., commission for the business deals he secured, and compensation for the damage caused by terminating the contract early. At the trial, the jury determined that the two parties had signed a labor contract with a term from January 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015. Due to a change in demand, CGV transferred Sullivan from sales director to floor manager and continued paying him a salary as stated in the contract. This was not against to the law, heard the court, because according to the Labor Code, "when facing difficulties or according to production and business needs, employers can transfer employees to new positions for a period not under 60 days." After receiving the transfer notice, Sullivan proactively complied, but then on December 17, 2014, he voluntarily submitted a resignation letter without any coercion from CGV. Therefore, the court ruled that there was no basis to determine that CGV had unilaterally terminated the contract illegally. Regarding the British mans request for CGV to pay him salary, subsidies and commissions for the remaining months in the contract, the court said the movie theater chain has provided evidence to prove that it had paid him enough, with a total payment of more than VND3.1 billion. Meanwhile, Sullivan could not submit proof to back up his claim that CGV owed him VND6 billion. Sullivan said he will appeal the ruling, which was the first since the court accepted the case eight years ago. A teenage girl was hit by a car and suffered serious injuries in Braintree early Sunday, according to police. The girl was struck by a motor vehicle while on Washington Street by Milton Road around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. She was taken to the hospital, where she is being treated for serious injuries, the full extent of which are not known. She is currently stable, the Braintree Police Department said in a statement. The driver remained at the scene after the crash. There were no signs the operator was impaired, according to the statement. We would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Braintree Police Officers who responded, the Braintree Fire Department, and Brewster Ambulance for their professionalism and compassion, the statement said. We ask that you keep this victim and her family in your thoughts and prayers. The investigation is open and ongoing. A Norfolk assistant district attorney from the Motor Vehicle Crash Unit and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section are assisting Braintree police. The 2023 Massachusetts Democrats State Convention was held Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. Southwick delegates elected to attend the days event included Deborah E. Herath, Darryl J. Sak, Jane L. Stanton and Janis Prifti as alternate delegate. As chair of the Southwick Town Committee, I also attended the convention as an ex-officio delegate. This years convention was an Action Agenda convention featuring workshops, social events and talks from Massachusetts elected leaders including Gov. Maura Healy, U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren. Their incredible leadership portrays the true meaning of what it means to be a Democrat. They work tirelessly in representing our foundation of values. The energy in the room as delegates gathered from across the state was inspiring as we all came together in a unified effort to show support for our democracy. MISS Ireland hopeful Cynthia Sakala hopes she can repay the absolutely incredible support she has received in her native Castlebar when she flies the flag for Mayo at the start of November. Cynthia said she is over the moon to be representing Mayo at Miss Ireland, which takes place at the Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport on November 4. The 20-year-old student in St Angelas College in Sligo had always been a fan of beauty pageants, whether it was The Rose of Tralee or Miss Ireland. Then one day she spotted an online advertisement to apply for Miss Ireland. She sent away her application and hasnt looked back since. I obviously did it because I wanted to meet girls and women that have similar values to me and who form a strong sisterhood and just girls who have similar values to me. The amount of friends Ive made throughout this journey has been fantastic, Cynthia told The Mayo News. I speak to the girls almost every day. Theyre amazing women. There is this misconception that pageants would be based purely on beauty and all that but its really the opposite. Its just a sisterhood of girls who have similar values. Im just having an amazing time. According to Cynthia, Miss Congeniality and Toddlers in Tiaras are partly to blame for some of the negative stereotypes around pageants like Miss Ireland. She also rejected some of the recent commentary about such contests being misogynistic or old-fashioned. Everyones entitled to their own opinion, but I wouldnt say its misogynistic. I would just say it celebrates women and what we do and what we contribute, said Cynthia, who is sponsored by Instaglam Hair & Beauty, a local beautician in Castlebar. She cites the previous two Miss World winners, Dr Evanna Lynch and Pamela Uba as two inspirations. Born and reared in Castlebar to a mother who arrived from Zambia in 2003, Cynthia shares an African heritage with Pamela Uba who hails from Ballyhaunis and who won Miss World in 2021. Though she is a proud and lifelong Mayo woman, Cynthia is also proud to be representing the growing number of people of African descent who now call Ireland home. I am Irish, but I think its important for people to see that anybody can put themselves up for these sort of things. Even me, training to be a teacher, I know that Im making a huge difference in the classroom in changing the way the Irish classroom looks, she said. Not even 20 years ago, 40 years ago, the classroom was different to what it is now. Weve a lot more different nationalities, more ethnicities and more cultures in the community. I think its something to be celebrated and be happy about. She also believes Ireland is a country that is welcoming of people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Obviously there's a huge Irish diaspora across the world and I think now that theres other nations emigrating to Ireland, Irish people can relate to those people who are leaving their homes, she said. For the most part - I cant say everybody does - but most people are welcoming and most people are tolerant of people who are leaving their homes to set up a new life in Ireland. This year, Miss Ireland is partnered with the Julian Benson CF Foundation, a charity which seeks to provide services to sufferers of cystic fibrosis. Among its aims is to build an accommodation facility in Dublin for families of people suffering with the lung disease, which affects a high proportion of Irish people. Many people here would know someone or maybe who know of somebody, or maybe somebody in their family, who has someone suffering from CF, so Miss Irelands charity partner is a really good cause and a really good initiative, said Cynthia. You can vote for Cynthia to win Miss Ireland by downloading the Miss Ireland app on the App Store or Google Playstore. by Tanya Gazdik , October 1, 2023 Subaru of America is bringing back its annual initiative to help shelter pets find homes in October. The automaker will celebrate the fifth annual National Make A Dogs Day on Oct. 22, a day dedicated to making all dogs feel cared for, including shelter dogs with special needs. Subaru invites dog enthusiasts to do something extra-special for their canine companions and share these moments on social media using the hashtag #MakeADogsDay. The brand is launching an integrated ad campaign from Carmichael Lynch featuring a new pack of "Underdogs." Throughout October, the automakers new 30-second spot, "Waiting", will run on national TV networks including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. In addition to the 30-second spot, two additional 15-second spots -- "Waiting" and" Subaru Loves Pets" will be featured across streaming and digital platforms like Peacock, Hulu, Roku, YouTube, and Twitch. advertisement advertisement The brand will also support the campaign across its owned social channels and integrated marketing efforts, spanning influencer partnerships, TikTok and custom content with The Dodo. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, nearly 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters each year. Throughout October, the automaker and more than 600 Subaru retailers will once again join forces with local shelters, rescues, and pet organizations to host a combination of in-person and virtual pet adoption events. The Subaru Loves Pets initiative puts special focus on Underdogs -- the senior, physically challenged, or otherwise unique dogs who often wait the longest to be adopted. Subaru and its retailers is committed to creating a better world for animals everywhere, says Alan Bethke, senior vice president of marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. . For each pet adopted during the month of October, participating retailers will make a $100 donation to their partner shelter up to $3,100 per retailer. Additionally, Subaru will contribute $20 to the ASPCA for each purchase of select Subaru Pet-Friendly Accessories, including pet harnesses, seat protectors, and travel bowls, via Subaru Parts Online, up to $10,000. Furthermore, for each Animal badge ordered through Subaru Badge of Ownership in October, Subaru will donate $1 to the ASPCA, up to $5,000. Since 2008, Subaru and its retailers have donated over $51 million to national and local organizations, supporting the rescue, transportation, and adoption of over 420,000 animals. Ive lived in Delhi all my life and in these 27 years, Ive come to realize bittersweet things about the capital city. Sweetthat no place can really beat Delhi in terms of food. And bitterthat apart from food, there is nothing worthwhile left in Delhi anymore. The other day, I was sitting and having a conversation with my friends, as we tried to make a plan for the weekend. It surprised me how quickly we ran out of options for things to do. By and large, if you try to weigh your optionsapart from hitting the clubs or some lounge or cafe, you are left with hardly any experience thatll leave you enriched and not enraged. @ iStock In the name of finding meaningful things to do or gaining an experience, we have either skill based workshopsdance, art, yoga or probably a gaming arcade, go karting spots or, at the most, a rock climbing venue where you can channel your inner adrenaline junkie. Combined, this will give you a months worth of exposure to try something new. I know because Ive tried all of these things by now and am currently struggling with what to do next. Every week, I approach Friday night with a familiar feeling of monotonywhere I am disappointingly wondering where one can go to have a good time. Especially since each club and bar is just a replica of another. Dancing to a definite playlist, ordering flashy bottles at your tables that are carried by Russian dancers and spilling more liquor in the air than you care to consume, just to look cool, is all that an ultimate night in Delhi is advertised as. @ Dharma Production The idea of having a fun night in Delhi has conveniently been sold as hitting the most elite and talked-about places like a Dear Donna or a Bergamo. Getting entry into any of those places is used as a flex and being able to make mindless small talk with 10 different people you socially bump into, but dont even care to get to know, is like a Saturday night ritual for most people. All that Delhities want to do, and even end up doing without realizing, is spend their money on overpriced drinks at a crowded bar, making small talk that adds no value to their life because the music is too loud and the setting too uncomfortable to hold an engaging conversation, and look a certain way that they feel will earn them the ultimate validation from the people around. Delhi clubs have become a homeground for a superficial and fake sense of eliteness that helps people compensate for their lack of substance. Of course not everyone who hits these clubs is as frivolous as it seems, but most people have absolutely no take away from their night when they head home. @ iStock In fact, when you hit home later that night feeling drunk and spentexcept not in a good way because youve been ripped off your time and experience, you wonder what you couldve done instead of being pushed around in a congested club trying to show you belong. A thought that is quickly brushed aside by many in their heads because the idea of doing something actual fun seems too alien to people now. While other cities like Bombay, Bangalore, Goa have something going for them whether it is a vibe or a certain kind of a cultural influence, Delhi has been reduced to its nightlife which is neither fun nor worthwhile anymore. Chen Jiayi, a Chinese girl who studies at Seongyunkwan University in South Korea, used her spare time to introduce traditional Chinese clothing to South Korea. She said that when she returned to her hometown of Luoyang for the Spring Festival, she was amazed to see many Han-style clothing (Hanfu) shops and people wearing Hanfu. After returning to South Korea, she bought many traditional Chinese dresses online. Later, she and a photographer go to the streets and encourage local people to wear Hanfu, having them appreciate the charm of traditional Chinese culture. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts It was in the 1950s that the US adopted the "Operation Mockingbird", a plan that recruited American journalists to turn journalism into fiction so as to serve the Central Intelligence Agency's purposes. Even some well-known journalists were found on the CIA's payroll. Just within decades then-US secretary of State Collin Powell held a tube of white powder to justify their war on Iraq, which was mocked by all as "washing powder". So how shameless is the US government in issuing a report that blames China for "foreign information manipulation"? What made them so confident as to blame a victim of their disinformation as "spreading disinformation"? Maybe it's rather a convenient tool because the US does not need to check the facts. All it needs is to list what it has done and put China at the name of the doer. That the report was released by the State Department's Global Engagement Center further makes it untrustworthy because everyone knows that the US global engagement means, namely chaos, lies, and misfortune. No matter how many lies one tells, that doesn't change the fact and turn black into white and white into black. It's time the US government got to know that. The Yankees announced this afternoon that they had activated right-hander Frankie Montas from the 60-day injured list. In corresponding moves, the club placed outfielder Jasson Dominguez on the 60-day IL and optioned right-hander Randy Vasquez to Triple-A. Montas is expected to make his 2023 season debut as a multi-inning piggyback starter in one of the clubs final two games against the Royals. It will be just Montass ninth appearance with the Yankees since they acquired him from the As ahead of last years trade deadline. In eight starts with the club last year, Montas struggled to a 6.35 ERA with a 4.93 FIP. He struck out just 17.8% of batters faced with the Yankees and walked 8.1% before being placed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation last September. The issue eventually required surgery back in February, and Montas has missed the entire 2023 campaign to this point while rehabbing. Despite Montass tumultuous Yankees tenure, the 30-year-old right-hander appears to hope to return to the club in 2024. Montas told reporters (including Greg Joyce of the New York Post) that he hopes to re-sign in New York this coming offseason, though he added that the sides have not yet discussed a potential new contract at this point. Although his history in the Bronx to this point has been rough, a reunion could make sense for both sides. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Nestor Cortes appear to be the only three players locked into rotation spots headed into the 2024 campaign, and the addition of a veteran arm like Montas could ease the pressure on youngsters like Michael King, Clarke Schmidt, and Vasquez. Montas would surely be a fairly short-term, low-cost signing given his recent history, meaning the Yankees ability to take a bigger swing at a top-of-the-market arm like Blake Snell or Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be unaffected, should they be interested in such a deal. For Montas, it would give the righty a familiar place to re-establish himself as the mid-rotation starter he has been throughout his career. From 2018-2021, Montas posted a 3.57 ERA with a nearly matching 3.55 FIP in 401 innings of work. That body of work was 17% better than league average by measure of ERA+, and is right in line with the performance Montas delivered in 2022 prior to departing Oakland. In 19 starts (104 2/3 innings) with the As last year, Montas posted a 3.18 ERA (116 ERA+) and 3.35 FIP with a strikeout rate of 25.8% against a walk rate of just 6.6%. If Montas is able to recapture the form he had in the first half last year, hed surely be an asset to the rotation of the Yankees or any other club looking to add a mid-rotation arm this offseason. Time to dig out your eclipse-viewing glasses from the 2017 total solar eclipse two significant solar eclipses are in store for us between now and next spring. On Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse a sky event during which the moon obscures all but the outer ring of the sun will cross North, Central, and South America. People directly in the path of this eclipse will see a ring of fire effect, as the moon darkens the suns center but leaves a bright outer ring. According to NASA, the path of this annular eclipses peak viewing area will sweep diagonally across the U.S. from the lower Pacific Northwest to the Gulf of Mexico. Michigan is not directly in the path of this eclipse, but it will still be interesting to watch from here, as the event will produce a crescent sun effect, almost as if the moon is eating the sun. Then, on Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse is when the moon blocks out the sun in its entirety, creating a breathtaking scene that darkens the sky as if it were dusk or dawn. The path of totality for this eclipse will cross more than a dozen states in an arc that stretches from Texas all the way to Maine, coming as close to Michigan as Toledo, Ohio. A map showing where the moons shadow will cross the U.S. during the 2023 annular solar eclipse (dark line at left) and 2024 total solar eclipse (dark line at right). The map was developed by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) in collaboration with the NASA Heliophysics Activation Team (NASA HEAT), part of NASAs Science Activation portfolio. Credits: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center NASA maps show southeastern Michigan sitting just outside the edge of the total eclipses path. If the clouds cooperate, skywatchers in that part of the state will still see the sun 99% obscured by the moon. It wont be as spellbinding as witnessing the eclipse in the 100% zone, but it will still be an eerie scene, says Brian Ottum, an Ann Arbor-area amateur astronomer. A NASA map shows the path of totality for the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, which will pass just south of southeastern Michigan. | NASA Those who want to drive into Ohio to see this eclipse should plan ahead and leave early, as traffic that day will be terrible due to the high volume of eclipse watchers, Ottum says. If you plan on viewing either of these spectacles, be sure to have those viewing glasses handy: It is not safe to look directly at the sun or at an eclipse without specialized eye protection, or through a camera lens, binoculars or telescope without a special solar filter. A list of NASA-approved glasses and other gear for safe solar viewing can be found through NASA here. Maps and data on these eclipses and their timing is online at nasa.gov. MORE ON MLIVE: Where to see thousands of massive, prehistoric birds in Michigan this fall Flower or fungus? This mysterious Michigan plant has some surprising secrets Michigans massive, majestic wild elk are a must-see for your fall travel list WASHINGTON (AP) The threat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open with little time to spare after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal. The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Bidens full request. The bill funds government until Nov. 17. After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol. This is good news for the American people, Biden said in a statement. He also said the United States cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted and expected McCarthy will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment. Its been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown. The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach. Were going to do our job, McCarthy, R-Calif., said before the House vote. Were going to be adults in the room. And were going to keep government open. If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would have begun to face shutdown disruptions. It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The package funds government at current 2023 levels until mid-November, and also extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote. But the loss of Ukraine aid was devastating for lawmakers of both parties vowing to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his recent Washington visit. The Senate bill included $6 billion for Ukraine, and both chambers came to a standstill Saturday as lawmakers assessed their options. The American people deserve better, said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, warning in a lengthy floor speech that extreme Republicans were risking a shutdown. For the House package to be approved, McCarthy was forced to rely on Democrats because the speakers hard-right flank has said it will oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes needed from his slim majority. Its a move that is sure to intensify calls for his ouster. After leaving the conservative holdouts behind, McCarthy is almost certain to be facing a motion to try to remove him from office, though it is not at all certain there would be enough votes to topple the speaker. Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed. If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. But I think this country is too important. The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has championed Ukraine aid despite resistance from his own ranks, is expected to keep pursuing U.S. support for Kyiv in the fight against Russia. I have agreed to keep fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine, McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote. Late at night, the Senate stalled when Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., held up the vote, seeking assurances Ukraine funds would be reconsidered. I know important moments are like this, for the United States, to lead the rest of the world, Bennet said, noting his mother was born in Poland in 1938 and survived the Holocaust. We cant fail. The Houses quick pivot comes after the collapse Friday of McCarthys earlier plan to pass a Republican-only bill with steep spending cuts up to 30% to most government agencies and strict border provisions that the White House and Democrats rejected as too extreme. A faction of 21 hard-right Republican holdouts opposed it. Our options are slipping away every minute, said one senior Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. The federal government had been heading straight into a shutdown that posed grave uncertainty for federal workers in states all across America and the people who depend on them from troops to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others. Families that rely on Head Start for children, food benefits and countless other programs large and small were confronting potential interruptions or outright closures. At the airports, Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers had been expected to work without pay, but travelers could have faced delays in updating their U.S. passports or other travel documents. The White House has brushed aside McCarthys overtures to meet with Biden after the speaker walked away from the debt deal they brokered earlier this year that set budget levels. Catering to his hard-right flank, McCarthy had made multiple concessions including returning to the spending limits the conservatives demanded back in January as part of the deal-making to help him become the House speaker. But it was not enough as the conservatives insisted the House follow regular rules, and debate and approve each of the 12 separate spending bills needed to fund the government agencies, typically a months-long process. In the Senate, all the no votes against the package came from Republicans. McCarthys chief Republican critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, has warned he will file a motion calling a vote to oust the speaker. Some of the Republican holdouts, including Gaetz, are allies of former President Donald Trump, who is Bidens chief rival in the 2024 race. Trump has been encouraging the Republicans to fight hard for their priorities and even to shut it down. At an early closed-door meeting at the Capitol, several House Republicans, particularly those facing tough reelections next year, urged their colleagues to find a way to prevent a shutdown. All of us have a responsibility to lead and to govern, said Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. The lone House Democrat to vote against the package, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said, Protecting Ukraine is in our national interest. ___ By LISA MASCARO, KEVIN FREKING and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. SOUTH HAVEN MI -- Grab a drink and take a walk in South Haven, as the city debuts its new social district this afternoon. The South Haven Social District opens Sunday, Oct. 1, creating a new zone where people can walk on streets and sidewalks while drinking alcoholic beverages. It runs through May 15. Alcoholic beverages must be in an approved container with a time/date stamped social district sticker and be consumed within the social district area. The drinks must be purchased by one of the approved businesses: Kitchen 527 (527 Phoenix Street) Taste (402 Phoenix Street) New Holland Spirits (253 Center Street) Other businesses with liquor licenses are located within the area and can apply for approval to serve to-go drinks. The social district will be open daily from noon to 8 p.m. between Oct. 1 and May 15. The area includes portions of Phoenix Street, Eagle Street, Center Street and Williams Street. Eric Austin, owner of Kitchen 527, said the restaurant offers eight rotating beers on tap as well as wine and cocktails. I hope people come down and enjoy it, Austin said about the new social district. It is a fun new opportunity to offer drink sales, like some other nearby municipalities have offered for some time. Were excited to be a part of something that other areas are doing and giving customers options, Austin said on Sept. 29. They can just come in and get a drink and walk around, or come for a meal and walk around after with a drink. Austin said he hopes the program runs smoothly and that the city decides to expand it to a year-round feature. He would also like to see the area expanded to include the adjacent Dyckman Park, where an outdoor fire pit is being built. The idea is meant to support local businesses, provide choice and flexibility to the public, and maintain a vibrant downtown, City Manager Kate Hosier previously told MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette. Visit the citys web site for more information. 6 1 / 6 South Haven social district opens downtown Brad Devereaux Want more Kalamazoo news? Our 3@3 newsletter rounds up Kalamazoos top stories every weekday at 3 p.m. Enter your email to get our free newsletter: Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. Also on MLive: New corn mazes revealed, and a new farm, as 2023 season kicks off New wedding and event venue opening in historic 1886 building in Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Public Schools holding event to address chronic absenteeism He just reacted: Man who died trying to save child from drowning gets hero award 1 killed, 1 injured in Kalamazoo shooting; police searching for white Dodge Journey GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A sheriffs deputy injured during an attempted arrest was able to return home Friday after several weeks in the hospital. Allegan County deputy Dillon Kibby received a long round of applause from dozens of his fellow police officers as he left a Grand Rapids hospital on the morning of Sept. 29. Many area officers arrived to send off Kibby as he left the care of the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, officials said in a Facebook post. The deputy suffered head injuries after being allegedly attacked by a suspect during an attempted arrest Sept. 11. Related: Sheriffs deputy suffers head injuries while trying to arrest suspect Christopher Gerou, 35, faces five felony charges -- including assault with intent to murder, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer causing serious impairment, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, operating while intoxicated and assaulting/resisting/obstructing -- in relation to the alleged assault. Gerou is set to appear before Allegan County District Judge William Baillargeon Oct. 3 to begin a preliminary examination, according to court records. Gerous charges stem from a Sept. 11 incident where a caller reported an individual later identified as Gerou driving back and forth through a Dorr Township neighborhood at a high rate of speed and without headlights on. When Kibby found Gerou and attempted to arrest him, Gerou became combative and injured the deputy, police said. Gerou was eventually arrested by a Michigan State Police trooper. Read more on MLive: Motorcyclist suffers life-threatening injuries in U.S. 131 crash No injuries reported in Post cereal plant fire Century old West Michigan apple orchard purchased, reopens under new name Suspected drunken driver crashes into Kent County liquor store, flees scene OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- A driver was killed Saturday after his vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a ditch, police said. At about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30, deputies from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office responded to a single-vehicle crash on Leonard Road near Johnson Street in Polkton Township -- northern Ottawa County. A vehicle driven by a 44-year-old Grandville man had been heading west on Leonard Road when it left the roadway and crashed into ditch on the south side of the road, hitting an embankment, police said in a news release. The driver -- the sole occupant of the vehicle -- was pinned in the car as responding emergency personnel attempted to render aid. His injuries ultimately proved fatal, police said. The name of the 44-year-old is being withheld. Leonard Road was closed for about three hours between 48th and 60th avenues during the investigation of the crash, police said. This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is requested to contact the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Coopersville/Polkton Fire Department, Tallmadge Wright Township Fire Rescue, North Ottawa Ambulance and the Michigan State Police. Read more on MLive: Motorcyclist suffers life-threatening injuries in U.S. 131 crash No injuries reported in Post cereal plant fire Century old West Michigan apple orchard purchased, reopens under new name Suspected drunken driver crashes into Kent County liquor store, flees scene MUSKEGON, MI Some may think Jon Rooks is crazy for simultaneously taking on two massive redevelopment projects of old, contaminated industrial sites in the city of Muskegon. To Rooks, it makes perfect sense. About a year ago, he decided to tackle redevelopment of the huge, 650,000-square-foot former Shaw-Walker factory that a New York developer left uncompleted for years. Among its issues, besides its enormous size, are contamination and historic structures that are in very rough shape. Then, in July, Rooks Parkland Properties entered a purchase agreement for the 124-acre former paper mill site on Muskegon Lake known as Windward Pointe that has sat empty since a group of local investors bought it seven years ago. Rooks is in the process of moving forward on both projects, which are heavily focused on residential uses. While the uses are similar, the sites located less than 2 miles from each other are very different: one is a huge, abandoned factory, the other a large swath of vacant property. Related: Nearly 2,000 living units at Windward Pointe part of developers plans that include marina, public parks We believe there is a lot of overlap and synergy between the Windward Pointe and Shaw Walker redevelopment whether that be from construction, marketing, sales, and other perspectives, Rooks wrote in an email to MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. If we are assembling a larger team to be able to accomplish one of these legacy projects, we thought it made sense to us to also tackle this second legacy project at the same time. Rooks believes the Shaw-Walker site could be redeveloped into 550 dwelling units. Preliminary plans are for apartments and condos as well as retail space and possibly a bar and restaurant. At Windward Pointe, Parkland Properties has a preliminary development plan that includes about 2,000 residential units, ranging from large single-family homes to studio apartments. The plan also contemplates retail uses, a large boat-storage facility, a 224-slip marina and several public parks and amenities. Related: Sprawling Shaw-Walker eyesore in Muskegon purchased, $220M transformation planned Remediation of PFAS (acronym for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) contamination left over from the paper mill has begun at Windward Pointe, funded by a $15 million state grant. Officials said that grant was crucial in moving redevelopment of the so-called orphan site forward. Prior owners when the site was used for industrial purposes had been released from any liability for contamination on the site. The current ownership group, Pure Muskegon, also was absolved of any liability for contamination though it was able to remove deed restrictions that had prohibited environmental testing there. Rooks hopes to get rezoning of the property from industrial to planned unit development through the city process in October and complete the property purchase before the end of the year. Hed like to begin putting in roads and utilities at Windward Pointe in 2024. Rooks already has ownership of Shaw Walker. First phase work includes repairing the buildings shell, cleaning up the site and constructing more than 300 residential units in four abandoned buildings next to the completed Watermark Lofts condominiums, Rooks wrote in his email. At Shaw Walker, it may appear that there has not been momentum in the last 6 months since there has not been a lot of exterior improvements at the site, but we have been working through market studies to determine the final product mix, the necessary incentive programs, finalizing architectural plan direction, working through agreements for local and State approvals, and coordinating environmental clean-up specifications and bids to prepare this site for redevelopment, Rooks wrote in his email. These actions are necessary and take time. Second phase redevelopment will add another 250 dwelling units in the two buildings that are closer to Muskegon Lake, Rooks wrote. Assuming the continued collaboration and issuance of permits from the applicable regulatory agencies, we are prepared to commence full scale clean up and construction work for the first phase of Shaw Walker in 2024, he wrote. Related: $18M for development of huge Shaw-Walker eyesore in Muskegon awarded by state One could argue that Windward Pointe and Shaw Walker mirror Rooks already completed Terrace Point Landing and HighPoint Flats projects, only on a much larger scale. Terrace Point Landing was a contaminated former industrial site on Muskegon Lake that Rooks redeveloped into a 70-unit residential community. Work there was mostly completed in 2021. HighPoint Flats, completed in 2018, is a mixed-use building with 47 apartments and office and retail space that was developed out of a vacant nine-story, century-old former downtown bank building. While it didnt have the contamination issues that Shaw Walker has, it posed its own difficulties as an old building needing conversion that challenged current building code requirements. Rooks has a larger presence in greater downtown Muskegon. He owns two hotels The Shoreline Inn and Delta by Marriott as well as the Lakeshore Waterfront Grille and Conference Center and Terrace Point Marina. He also helped the city develop and now manages the VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center. His offices are in the historic former downtown fire station that he also redeveloped. Grand Rapids, Whitehall and other West Michigan communities also have Rooks developments. In Muskegon, he has seen potential that other developers are only beginning to notice, Rooks said in an interview. Its got the whole gambit of advantages over other communities, he said. Its a place that has more parks and more waterfront than almost any place on Earth. He lists other attributes that set Muskegon apart, including the sheer size of Muskegon Lake and the fact its an inlet on Lake Michigans gold coast, the downtowns proximity to the waterfront, and the communitys established cultural institutions, including its museums and performing arts. We keep investing (in Muskegon) because weve always felt that were a little bit ahead of the curve and thats where we like to be, he said. Its one of those communities where youre ahead of the curve, but you also know every year is going to be better than the last year. Want more Muskegon area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter. Also on MLive: Business fronts in downtown Muskegon focus of another round of facade grants Phone reception at Muskegon beach should improve considerably for many Over 1,200 childcare facilities in Michigan could close as federal aid comes to end Archery deer season opens this weekend: What you need to know MIDLAND, MI With autumn settling in and Halloween nearing, it may be time to take in a classy evening of live theater. Just be sure youre ready to get doused with blood and arent easily offended by a comical excess of gore. For the second year, Midland-based The Friction Theatre is putting on Evil Dead: The Musical. More than just a stage adaptation of the seminal Evil Dead films, the event is an immersive experience. Attendees can walk through an Evil Dead-themed haunted house dubbed a scare walk and sit in a blood zone, where audience members will find them sprayed with fake blood. We want to show theater is more than just having to put on your Sunday best, sit in the dark and applaud politely, said Chris Krause, who cofounded the company with his wife Megan Krause Meyer. You can do edgy stuff, stuff that is irreverent. We want people to feel like they went to a little festival, Meyer added. Shows are held at 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday in October at 1403 Washington St., within the Midland Towne Center strip mall. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets are available online, going for $25 for general admission and $35 for seats in the blood zone. Those with a valid student ID get $5 off. Written by George Reinblatt, the musical was first staged in Toronto in 2003. In 2006, it moved to an off-Broadway run. Regional productions, such as Midlands, have since been performed worldwide. Krause is directing the adaptation, with Meyer handling choreography and Christian Heintzelman doing musical direction. Krause, who is a Sanford native, and Meyer both worked in the professional theater, movie, and television worlds while living in New York. Krause now teaches theater at Central Michigan University. Banner for "Evil Dead: The Musical," taking place every Friday and Saturday in October 2023 in Midland. For the uninitiated, the cult franchise spawned with the 1981 release of indie film The Evil Dead, written and directed by Sam Raimi and starring living legend Bruce Campbell, both Michigan natives. The first movie follows five Michigan State University students who seek to spend a weekend at a remote cabin. They discover an archeologist recently stayed at the cabin to research an ancient Sumerian book bound in human flesh, the Necronomicon. On playing an audio recording of the researchers recitation of the books passages, deadite demons arise and all hell breaks loose. The movies heavy gore resulted in controversy, with it initially receiving an X rating in the U.S. It has been referred to as a splatter film or, in the United Kingdom, a video nasty. Raimi wrote and directed the movies 1987 sequel, Evil Dead II, which injected more slapstick humor and saw Campbells hapless character Ashley J. Ash Williams transition from terrorized victim to a quippy, chainsaw-handed, shotgun-wielding icon. Raimi and Campbell returned for a third installment in 1992, the comedic Army of Darkness, which finds Ash catapulted to medieval Europe. Since then, two modern reboots/sequels/spinoffs have graced theater screens 2013s Evil Dead and 2023s Evil Dead Rise while Campbell returned to his signature role for three seasons of the Starz series Ash vs Evil Dead. Krause and Meyer said the stage production is mostly an amalgamation of the first two films, with some memorable one-liners from Army of Darkness tossed in as Easter eggs. Act One is the first movie and Act Two goes into the second, Krause said. A lot of the classic lines from Army of Darkness are in this as well. Its a little mix of all three. To me, Evil Dead is that cool mix of comedy and horror. Our musical is very much in that range. The company altered the indoor space to look like a cabin in the woods. They also constructed sets so the lobby appears as an abandoned S-Mart, the fictional big box store where Ash works in the movies. As part of its charm, the production hews closely to the first films shoestring budgets. We play into the fact that these movies were very low-budget, Meyer said. There are lots of jokes for true Evil Dead fans to be like, Thats funny. Krause and Meyer said one of the most difficult aspects of the production was casting Ash. Its a very specific type of comedy that Ash has, Krause said. Its a very demanding role. Portraying Ash for the second year in a row is local actor Cameron Schott. Cam in the audition room and he just really got the comedy, Krause said. The venue can seat 100 people per performance, with the blood zone comprising the first two to three rows. While the blood does wash out, ponchos will be sold for those who want to shield themselves, as will blood beer. There are no age restrictions, Krause and Meyer urged parental discretion, saying the raunchy content will be roughly equivalent to an R- or NC-17-rated film. Krause and Meyer hope the Evil Dead show will lure people who would otherwise avoid live theater, and in turn keep them coming back for future performances. We knew it would attract people who arent just theater people, Krause said. With Evil Dead, you get people who would never go to another theater. Since its founding, Friction Theatre has put on performances of Cabaret, a Harry Potter parody, and 1920s-style speakeasy shows. They plan to put on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in late February and March, with The Three Musketeers to follow in June. We hope (attendees) leave with having had so much fun their abs hurt from laughing, Meyer said. Were so happy when the audience is laughing the whole time, talking about the jokes and the blood. We want people to enjoy all the specific extras and add-ons that they dont get at usual shows. Groovy, as Ash Williams would say. SAGINAW, MI Saginaw City Hall officials are planning a sequel to last years business-themed trunk-or-treat event and are inviting the next lineup of vendors. The second annual We Love Saginaw Businesses Trunk or Treat event is scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Public Works parking lot at 1435 S. Washington, across from City Hall. Participating business representatives will set up shop there to pass out candy and promote their businesses. Kisha Smith, coordinator of the Saginaw Economic Development for the city, said about 30 vendors participated last year. We had large support from the community, she said. Some of the top attractions were the city police and fire vehicles on display, Smith said. Representatives from the Humane Society of Saginaw County are also attending, bringing animals that received plenty of attention from the children in attendance. Smith said she expected those representatives will return this year, joining the lineup of companies and nonprofits. This event provides our small business owners with a platform to promote their business and the chance to meet hundreds of local residents in one day, Smith said. This is one more way we can connect our small business owners with the community and help local business owners ignite their business for the 2023 holiday season and into 2024. While the event remains weeks away, planners said they hope to generate a lineup of participating businesses immediately. The deadline to apply online via saginaw-mi.com/TrunkOrTreat is Monday, Oct. 23. For more information, contact Smith at (989) 759-1395. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. At the ceremony to mark the 78th National Day of Vietnam in the Netherlands (Photo: VNA) Addressing the event, Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam reviewed the glorious history of national construction and defence of Vietnam over the past 78 years as well as the country's achievements in external relations, politics, economy and international integration. Vietnam always treasures and is grateful for the valuable and practical support from international friends, including the Netherlands, he said. Looking back on the 50-year ties between Vietnam and the Netherlands, the diplomat said that the two countries have become each other's important and priority partners. Currently, the Netherlands is the biggest investor of Vietnam with an investment of 13.7 billion USD, and the largest European importer of Vietnam with two-way trade reaching over 11 billion USD. He said that the upcoming Vietnam visit by Dutch PM Mark Rutte in November is expected to bring Dutch high-tech firms, especially those in the semiconductor industry to Vietnam, contributing to promoting the relations between the two countries. Wouter Jurgens from the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the similarities between the two countries and the fruitful bilateral strategic partnership on climate change, sustainable agriculture and food security, as well as the bilateral comprehensive partnership. He said he hopes Vietnam will support the Netherlands in strengthening cooperation with ASEAN. Also on September 29, the Vietnamese Embassy in Brussels also held a ceremony to celebrate the 78th National Day with the attendance of more than 200 guests. Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao said that so far, Vietnam has set up strategic and comprehensive partnerships with 33 partners, while joining more than 70 international organisations and playing an active role in ASEAN. The country has become the leading dynamic economy in the region and an important link in economic chains as well as regional and global production chains, a potential destination for high-quality investment flows with more than 500 cooperation agreements in various fields, including 17 free trade agreements (FTAs) both bilaterally and multilaterally, he noted. He highlighted the growth of the Vietnam-Belgium relations over the last 50 years with strong political trust. Ambassadors from ASEAN and EU member countries pose for a photo at the ceremony to mark the 78th National Day of Vietnam in Brussels (Photo: VNA) Since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect, two-way trade has continuously grown impressively, reaching 6.2 billion EUR last year, an increase of 73% compared to 2021, he said. The ambassador pointed to great potential for cooperation between the two countries, especially in important fields such as modern agriculture, health care, logistics, seaport infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals. Francois Delhaye from Belgium's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Cooperation expressed delight at the growth of the Vietnam-Netherlands relations and affirmed that Belgium is willing to support Vietnam in high technology transfer and capacity building. Meanwhile Paola Pampaloni, European External Action Service (EEAS) Acting Managing Director for Asia and Pacific, affirmed that the EU considers Vietnam as a bright spot in EU's cooperation with the Indo-Pacific region. She noted with pleasure that the two sides have signed firm cooperation frameworks and important agreements, including the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), EVFTA, EU-Vietnam Framework Participation Agreement (FPA), and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT). Vietnam is considered a model of successful cooperation between the EU and the region in many important fields, such as trade, climate change response, and environmental protection, she said. Pampaloni affirmed that in the coming time, the EU will continue to coordinate closely with Vietnam to implement cooperation agreements, and will further enhance experience sharing, technical support, and human resource training for Vietnam./. All involved in state court cases are now required to use an individuals preferred pronouns and corresponding honorific when referring to them in court according to a new rule passed down by the Michigan Supreme Court. The order, which came down Sept. 27, requires a judge to use either he/him/his, she/her/hers, or they/them/their for an individual appearing before any court in the state. This change will officially take effect Jan. 1, 2024. Parties and attorneys can also use the honorific Mx. for those going by gender neutral pronouns, as well as Mr. or Ms. for those either identifying as male or female, respectively. Courts must use the individuals name, the designated salutation or personal pronouns, or other respectful means that is not inconsistent with the individuals designated salutation or personal pronouns when addressing, referring to, or identifying the party or attorney, either orally or in writing, a portion of the rule change reads. In concurring opinions attached to the order, both Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch and Supreme Court Justice Kyra Bolden applauded the change, with the former noting use of gender-neutral pronouns was not a new concept. Judges are ultimately public servants. We serve the entire public and are required to treat those who come before us with civility and respect, Welch wrote. The gender identity of a member of the public is a part of their individual identity, regardless of whether others agree or approve. Additionally ... allowing parties and attorneys to identify their personal pronouns for the courts removes ambiguity and the risk of misgendering an individual. This rule provides much needed guidance and provides courts with several options for how to respectfully address parties and attorneys who wish to designate a specific salutation or personal pronoun. Both also took issue with the idea that using a persons preferred pronouns was somehow a First Amendment violation, with respect to religious liberty, with Bolden noting a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing a government employer to restrict its employees speech if this speech has some potential to affect the entitys operations. Bolden, too, noted it was additionally the duty of courts and judges to not discriminate against members of a protected class which now includes LGBTQ individuals following the Michigan Supreme Courts recent decision to bar discrimination on the basis of sex under the states Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The Michigan legislature has since moved to enshrine this decision into law, though this will not take effect until sometime in 2024. This amendment ensures that the courts one of this countrys most important public services and employers function properly and efficiently to ensure justice, Bolden wrote. " Being a judge comes with restrictions and rules, just like any other job, and here, the primary concern is the administration of justice. ... By making the courts more inclusive, this increases the courts legitimacy and perceived fairness, which are both critical to a well-functioning judicial system. This was not the view of all on the state Supreme Court, however, with Justices Brian Zahra and David Viviano writing in their dissent why they disagreed with the change. Zahra, specifically, noted that due to the turbulent social discussion surrounding use of preferred pronouns the court should not wade into the issue, let alone dive headfirst and claim to have resolved. He also noted Michigans Code of Judicial Conduct provides that a judge should treat every person fairly, with courtesy and respect, meaning the change was wholly unnecessary. This is accomplished without the proposed rule, Zahra wrote. To the extent a litigant requests use of a pronoun inconsistent with the biological gender reflected on the litigants birth certificate, courts should have the discretion to accommodate that request in deference to the litigants wishes or, alternatively, refer to the litigant without using any pronouns. In this way, judges will not be required to act inconsistent with their religious beliefs, and every litigant will be treated with courtesy and respect. Happy Sunday! The federal government avoided a shutdown last night, but that doesnt get you out of reading up on Michigan politics. Here are 5 stories to know from the week that was. Left: Former President Donald Trump addresses supporters at Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township on Wednesday. (Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com). Right: President Joe Biden joins striking United Auto Workers on the picket line on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com/AP Photo by Evan Vucci The 2024 presidential race came early to Michigan this week, as both President Joe Biden and the leading Republican candidate former President Donald Trump visited Metro Detroit. Why? Both were courting union workers in this swingiest of swing states as the United Auto Workers strike against Detroits Big Three. Biden joined strikers on the picket line Tuesday in Wayne County. joined strikers on theTuesday in Wayne County. Trump spoke Wednesday at a non-union parts manufacturer in Macomb County. spoke Wednesday at ain Macomb County. MLive economy reporter Lindsay Moore has some takeaways: 1 Bidens picket line visit was a presidential first, and it boosted the UAWs cause. I think they should be able to bargain for that, Biden said of the unions ask for a 40% wage increase. 2 Trump blamed government mandates for electric vehicles as why auto workers should be mad about their pay and benefits. Trump supports their push for higher wages. But UAW president Shawn Fain told reporters Trump doesnt have any bit of care about the working class. 3 Where do the strikers stand with both candidates angling for their votes? Its about 50/50, according to workers MLive spoke to. After all, Michigan was one of just five states to vote for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Latest in the strike: UAW strike expands to 25K workers, adding new Ford, GM targets FILE: The site of Fords BlueOval Battery Park Michigan under construction in Marshall Township in May.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Speaking of the auto industry, Ford is blaming the UAW strike partly for a major decision this week to pause work on its electric vehicle battery plant in Marshall. Ford CEO Jim Farley said the strike, labor costs and stability of future EV production are the areas of concern. BlueOval, which was expected to create 2,500 jobs by 2026, is paused until Ford is confident about our ability to competitively operate the plant, the company said. Meanwhile: State lawmakers, one day after Fords announcement, continued sending money toward the project. $1.7 billion of approved state incentives that include Theyre following through onof approved state incentives that include grants and tax breaks Get out the starch: Because this pause adds a wrinkle to contract negotiations between Ford and the UAW. Did someone say controversial EV plant? Lawsuit threatened against Gotion over endangered species, water in Michigan Pictured center in a gray suit coat, former state House Speaker Rick Johnson walks out of U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids on Thursday after being sentenced to federal prison for accepting bribes while he led a state board that granted medical marijuana licenses. (Michael Kransz | MLive.com) That was the admission from former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson, who on Thursday was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison. The crime: Johnson, who chaired Michigans medical marijuana licensing board from 2017 to 2019, pleaded guilty earlier this year to accepting bribes. He received more than $110,000, plus private plane trips and time with a sex worker. I am a corrupt politician, Johnson said before sentencing. He then apologized and vowed to rebuild peoples trust in him. Felon foursome: Along with Johnson, lobbyists Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown and Oakland County businessman John Dalaly have pleaded guilty in the scheme. Dalaly got just over two years in prison. MLive file photo.Ben Orner | MLive.com The Michigan Legislature had a busy week that included a party-line vote in the House on a bill that worries elections experts. House Bill 4210 would allow military spouses and voting-age dependents living overseas to submit their voted ballots electronically. Michigan passed a law last year allowing this for military members, and the Secretary of States office is working on a system. Stat to know: 4.6% of Michigan military and overseas ballots were rejected in the last presidential election, for reasons including returning too late via mail. Compare that to less than 1% of absentee ballots rejected overall. But experts in voting safety and cybersecurity are speaking out: If the problem is delayed ballots, election tech policy expert C.Jay Coles told MLive, connecting Michigans election system to the internet is an unsafe solution. Were talking the potential to alter voted ballots and vote counts at a large scale, Coles said. Safeguard to consider: HB 4210 requires voters to also mail a physical ballot to their local clerk along with voting electronically. Whats next: The bill heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate. If passed, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has indicated she will sign it. More from the legislature: Victims sexuality can be used to justify crimes. Legislation could stop it. Clean Energy Future Now rally at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. (Ridley Hudson | MLive.com)Ridley Hudson | MLive.com Lets finish with some stellar snapshots from MLive photojournalist Ridley Hudson of a Tuesday protest outside the Capitol. Climate and energy groups rallied for clean power legislation currently in the legislature. Bills would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs by forcing utilities off fossil fuels earlier than planned. Check out Ridleys gallery below and learn about the bills from MLive environment reporter Sheri McWhirter. 37 1 / 37 Clean Energy Future Now rally More in energy: Consumers Energy aims for smaller power outages, no longer than 24 hours in new reliability plan 5 more stories from MLive: Trump must be thrown off Michigans 2024 ballot, suit argues Over 1,200 childcare facilities in Michigan could close as federal aid comes to end Help amid punishment: Michigan to reform treatment of kids in justice system 2 Michigan false electors want cases dropped after Nessels brainwashed comment New bill would provide long awaited justice to West Michigan tribe seeking federal recognition Majid Michel won AMAA Awards for Best Actor In Lead Role in 2012 with the film Somewhere In Africa Ghana is set to play host to the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) as the organizers prepare for the 19th edition of this celebrated event. Scheduled to take place on October 5, 2023, the Ghanaian pre-event serves as a prelude to the main awards ceremony set for October 29, 2023, in Lagos, Nigeria. AMAA, an offshoot of the African Film Academy, stands as one of the most prominent film awards ceremonies on the African continent. Its mission is to recognize and celebrate excellence within the movie industry, honoring the creative talents contributing to Africas dynamic film creative economy. The theme for this years awards ceremony is Legacy In Motion, with a special tribute dedicated to the late Peace-Anyiam Osigwe, the founder of AMAA, who passed away on January 9, 2023. The AMAA Awards, which was founded on the tradition of recognizing the best in film, continues to emphasize research, training, and the advancement of filmmaking in Africa. Nominations for this years awards were unveiled on September 21, showcasing the incredible talent and outstanding contributions to African cinema. Ahead of the main event in Nigeria, the organizers will convene in Accra, Ghana, at the Ibis Hotel at the Airport City on October 5. This pre-event will provide a platform for engaging with various stakeholders in the film industry, including producers, directors, actors, makeup artists, cinematographers, and media representatives, among others. As the AMAA Awards returns to Ghana, it brings with it a celebration of African cinema and a commitment to promoting and advancing the art of filmmaking across the continent. The event is expected to further strengthen ties and collaboration within the African film industry, ensuring that the legacy of African cinema remains vibrant and influential. The Tamale Teaching Hospital and the Northern Regional Health Directorate have launched an initiative to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare services in the Northern Region. This was revealed during a familiarization visit by the new regional director of the Ghana Health Service to the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Dr. Abdulai Abukari who recently took over as the new regional health director paid a visit to TTH to familiarize himself with the facility. During his visit, he expressed his commitment to strengthening partnerships between TTH and the Ghana Health Service. "This visit marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to improve healthcare delivery in the region," Dr. Abdulai said. Dr. Abdulai acknowledged the importance of communication between healthcare institutions and promised to strengthen communication between the Ghana Health Service and Tamale Teaching Hospital. "Effective service delivery relies on seamless communication between healthcare institutions we will work hard to bridge the information gap between the Ghana Health Service and TTH," he stated. The Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service proposed the implementation of new communication channels including regular meetings, and information sharing protocols to ensure timely and accurate exchange of information. This in his view, will enhance patient care, reduce duplication of efforts, and improve overall efficiency. The Ag. CEO, Dr. Atiku Adm called for initiatives to strengthen the referral system from the peripheral facilities to TTH. He emphasized the strategic role TTH plays as the only tertiary facility providing specialized healthcare for patients referred from various health facilities. In line with this, Dr. Atiku Adam called for urgent action to strengthen ongoing efforts to improve the referral systems. "We proposed initiatives such as training programs, capacity building workshops, and streamlined referral processes to ensure smooth transition for patients in need of advanced medical care," he stated. Dr. Atiku believed such an initiative will enhance patient outcomes, optimize resource allocation, and create a network of highly skilled professionals dedicated to delivering exceptional care. The Ag. Director of Nursing and Midwifery Service, Mr. Musah Salifu was concerned about the unfair treatment TTH receives from the regional directorate when it comes to the distribution of items. According to him, TTH is always treated as a sub-district facility. Mr. Musah called for steps to be taken to address this issue. 01.10.2023 LISTEN The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has launched the innovative Statistical Bank (StatsBank) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi. Known as GSS StatsBank, its an online data repository that allows data users to directly access disaggregated data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census. Held at the school campus on Friday, September 29, 2023, the Ghana Statistical Service also launched the StatsBank Hackathon for KNUST students. The Ghana Statistical Service, Statistical Denmark and Denmark Embassy collaborated to develop StatsBank and Hackathon. The Hackathon requires teams (students) from the university to compete for 36 hours to develop innovative statistical products primarily using census data from StatsBank. The academic launch of the GSS StatsBank and Hackathon was performed by the Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim. He was assisted by the Vice-Chancellor of the KNUST, Prof Rita Akosua Dickson and the Board Chairperson for the Ghana Statistical Service, Dr Grace Bediako. Professor Samuel Kobina Annim in his speech on StatsBank said the multiple data sources available will help policy makers solve challenges facing the country. Bringing together data sets to help solve the complex challenges facing the country, and StatsBank will guide policy decisions while deemphasizing data aggregates, he said. He assured that the GSS will provide quality information to the public to help them on decision-making to assist the countrys development. Data Scientist at the Ghana Statistical Service, Peter Yeltulme Mwinlaaru on the Hackathon, said its a competition among university students who are versed in Information Technology (IT). Peter Yeltulme Mwinlaaru explained that eligible applicants should have advanced skills in at least data analysis, data visualization and coding. The selected universities are the University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Development Studies (UDS), the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the University of Allied Sciences. The winning team of three students from each of the universities will compete at the National Hackathon scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2023. Lecturer at the Planning Department at the KNUST, Dr Stephen Takyi, commended the Ghana Statistical Service for the opportunity given to the students to showcase their capabilities. Dr Takyi who was a mentor and a judge at the Hackathon-KNUST, emphasized the need for government to support such brilliant students with innovative ideas. He charged other public institutions to collaborate with other universities to unearth and groom such students for the countrys development. 01.10.2023 LISTEN Peace and Love Hospitals (PLH) in Ghana has signed an agreement, in cancer management in Ghana with Apollo Hospitals in India, a leading multi-specialty healthcare center with first-class cancer treatment facilities in the world. The partnership will empower medical doctors at Peace and Love Hospitals to use proton therapy as an advanced technology in the treatment of cancers. The Chief Executive Officer of Peace and Love Hospitals (PLH) in Ghana Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai said the proton therapy will improve cancer management and quality of survivorship in Ghana. Proton therapy according to her is a type of radiation therapy that uses high-energy protons (positively charged atoms) to damage the DNA in cancer cells. "This type of cancer treatment is non-invasive, painless, and precise," Dr Wiafe Addai added. Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai who is also the President of Breast Care International (BCI) made this known during a Scientific Symposium on Current Advancement in Global Cancer Care. It was held at the premises of Peace and Love Hospital at Oduom in the Oforikrom municipality of the Ashanti region, on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. In attendance was a Senior Consultant at the Radiation Oncology at the Apollo Proton Cancer Center in Chennai India, Dr Ashu Abhishek, who represented Apollo Hospital. Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai noted that cancer management has changed; noting that there has been a great improvement in how cancer is managed. So we need to be in partnership with an institution that has moved so fast when we talk about current advancement in cancer therapy, she added. "Apollo Hospital in India is a leading cancer hospital in the world where proton therapy is available, so the collaboration between the two health facilities is not only an achievement for PLS, but an achievement for Ghana, Dr Wiafe Addai stated. Dr Wiafe Addai posited that with the proton therapy equipment, more cancer patients are likely to survive the disease. With proton therapy, thats the highest one can go, its no longer only radiotherapy but the proton therapy is equipment that has come to change the way cancer is managed globally. So we see it as a great advantage and we are excited to come to this agreement with such a great health institution, she stressed. Dr Ashu Abhishek in his remarks said the collaboration between the two facilities to prepare them to combat cancer, which they consider to be an epidemic in the next five to ten years. The collaboration between the two health facilities is to transfer our experience and technology to help doctors and people in Ghana to understand that cancer is the next epidemic, and if they do not understand it now five to ten years time it will be very difficult to fight the disease, he said. Dr Ashu Abhishek added that we should start understanding the building of cancer, then to build upon our capacity to treat these cancer patients that will make justice to the healthcare that we are supposed to provide as healthcare providers. On why Apollo Hospital chose Peace and Love Hospitals in Ghana, Dr Ashu Abhishek noted that Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai has been the front line in the non-communicable diseases advocacy, and through her, a lot of people will be reached in Ghana. Apollo Hospital representative for Africa Mr. Ashit said the Hospital has been following up with Peace and Love Hospitals in Ghana for the past ten years to sign a partnership agreement, but it is only now that PLH has given the green light. Pope Francis on Saturday elevated 21 clergymen from the four corners of the world to the rank of cardinal, saying diversity was indispensable to the future of the Catholic Church. Under sunny skies and with a crowd that filled half of Vatican City's grandiose, colonnaded St Peter's Square, the 86-year-old pope welcomed the new, so-called "Princes of the Church". "The College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony... of the Church," said Francis, seated under a canopy before the gathered cardinals on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. "Diversity is necessary; it is indispensable. However, each sound must contribute to the common design," said the Argentine Jesuit. The choice of the new cardinals, who include diplomats, close advisers and administrators, is keenly watched as an indication of the priorities and position of the Church. One of them could also one day be elected by his peers to succeed Francis, who has left the door open to stepping down in the future should his health warrant it. Saturday's ceremony, known as a consistory, is the ninth since Francis in 2013 was named head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. Bishops taking action One by one, the scarlet-clad cardinals knelt before the pope, who bestowed on them the two symbols of their high office: a scarlet four-cornered cap known as a biretta, and a cardinal's ring. To some, a grinning Francis uttered an encouraging "Bravo!" or "Courage!" as he shook their hand. Francis has looked past Europe to name more cardinals from Africa, Asia and the Americas. By Filippo MONTEFORTE (AFP) Eighteen of the 21 newly made cardinals are under the age of 80 and thus currently eligible to vote as "cardinal electors" in the next conclave, when Francis' successor will be decided. They are among 99 cardinal-electors created by Francis, representing about three-quarters of the total. That has given rise to speculation that the Church's future spiritual leader will be cast in the same mould as Francis, preaching a more tolerant Church with a greater focus on the poor and marginalised. Throughout his papacy, Francis has sought to create a more inclusive, universal Church, looking past Europe to clergy in Africa, Asia and Latin America to fill the Church's highest ranks. Of the 21 new cardinals, 18 will be eligible to elect Francis' successor. By Tiziana FABI (AFP) With his latest roster of cardinals, Francis has again looked to the world's "peripheries" -- where Catholicism is growing -- while breaking with the practice of promoting archbishops of large, powerful dioceses. "He is looking for cardinals who correspond to the times," an informed observer of the Holy See who asked to remain anonymous told AFP ahead of the ceremony. "These are people who have all taken a step away from the Church of the past, who positively ensure a break," he added. "This is the richness of the Church, to bring people together, different cultures, different backgrounds, languages," the Archbishop of Cape Town, Stephen Brislin, told AFP Thursday before his elevation to cardinal. The variety of cardinals represent "a richness and a variety of experience, and that's what the Church is all about," he added. "The Church encompasses all people, not just a certain group of people." Diplomats and managers There are three new cardinals from South America, including two Argentinians, and three from Africa, with the promotion of the archbishops of Juba in South Sudan, Tabora in Tanzania, and Cape Town's Brislin. Asia is represented by the Bishop of Penang in Malaysia and the Bishop of Hong Kong, Stephen Chow, who is seen as playing a key role in seeking to improve tense relations between the Vatican and Beijing. Some of the new cardinals, such as Chow, have experience in sensitive zones of the world where the Holy See hopes to play an important diplomatic role. The ninth consistory of Francis' papacy was held in St. Peter's Square.. By Filippo MONTEFORTE (AFP) The list also includes the Holy Land's top Catholic authority, Italian Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the first sitting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to be made cardinal. "Jerusalem is a small laboratory, interreligious and intercultural, and that's a challenge that the whole world is facing at this point," Pizzaballa told AFP. Also promoted was the apostolic nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States, France's Christophe Pierre, whose decades-long diplomatic career includes posts in countries including Haiti, Uganda and Mexico. Francis also tapped top administrators in the Curia, the Holy See's government. His new choices include Claudio Gugerotti, the Italian prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Argentina's Victor Manuel Fernandez, whom Francis recently named head of the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Chicago-born Robert Prevost, a former missionary in Peru who leads the Dicastery for Bishops. Following the ceremony, the new cardinals were congratulated by members of the public at the Vatican's sumptuous Apostolic Palace. The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Mr Alan Kyerematen's questioning of his affiliation with the party. In a recent interview on UTV, Alan Kyerematen raised questions about Nana Boakye's capacity to comment on matters related to his recent resignation from the NPP, even inquiring about the duration of Nana Boakye's affiliation with the NPP. In response, Nana Boakye posted a detailed account of his longstanding and dedicated service to the NPP on his Facebook wall, dated September 29, 2023. He provided a comprehensive overview of his contributions to the party, emphasising his commitment and involvement over the past 21 years. Here is a summary of Nana Boakye's response: Party Affiliation: Nana Boakye noted that the NPP has been in existence for 31 years, and he proudly mentioned his active service to the party for 21 of those years. Polling Agent: He began his involvement as a polling agent during the crucial 2000 elections, where the foundation of Ghana's democracy was laid. Grassroots Leadership: Nana Boakye served as a Polling Station Chairman in two different constituencies, Tarkwa Nsuaem in the Western Region, and Oforikrom in the Ashanti Region, demonstrating his grassroots dedication. TESCON Leadership: He assumed leadership roles within TESCON, the Tertiary Students Confederacy, serving as the president in two different tertiary institutions: the University of Mines and Technology (UMAT) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He was the inaugural president of TESCON at UMAT. Campaign Team Member: Nana Boakye actively participated as a campaign team member in two separate constituencies, showing his commitment to the party's electoral successes. Communications and Campaign Roles: He took on roles as the Constituency Communications Officer in Oforikrom, Ashanti Regional Communications team member, and National Communications team member for several years. His involvement spanned various levels of the party's communications and campaign efforts. Youth Leadership: Nana Boakye served as the Head of Events and Programmes for the NPP National Youth Wing and subsequently held prestigious positions as National Youth Organiser and National Organiser. This demonstrated his dedication to youth engagement and party organisation. Movement For Change: In 2015, Nana Boakye was one of the committed conveners of the "Movement For Change." This platform played a pivotal role in organising various outdoor political events, including demonstrations and campaign activities. Nana Boakye concluded by emphasising his unwavering dedication to the NPP, with his entire youthful years devoted to the party's cause. He expressed his steadfast commitment to serving the party and contributing to its continued success in the years ahead, pledging to uphold the principles and values of the New Patriotic Party. Kennedy Agyapong, a flagbearer hopeful for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed his belief in the abilities of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen to garner votes in the 2024 general elections. He noted that Kyerematen, who has resigned from the party to run as an independent presidential candidate, could potentially surprise everyone in the upcoming elections. Speaking to his supporters at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi after a well-attended "Showdown Walk," Mr Agyapong emphasised that Kyerematen remains relevant in Ghana's political landscape, despite facing criticism and insults from some members of the NPP. Mr Agyapong pointed out that traditional Asante voters would support him. He also expressed disappointment with some members of the party who have insulted Kyerematen, particularly on a television station owned by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi. Mr Agyapong referred to Chairman Wontumi as a "small boy" who allowed such insults to occur on his television channel. Additionally, Mr Agyapong disclosed that he had been offered a Vice Presidential slot and a substantial amount of money to step down from the flagbearer race, but he declined both offers, opting to pursue his own course. -Classfmonline Global Mercy Ship, the worlds largest civilian hospital ship, is offering support to the government in reducing deaths associated with lack of surgical care. Globally, about five billion people lack access to safe and affordable surgical care, leading to at least 17 million deaths each year. Largely affected are the poor and rural folks in low - and middle-income countries, including Ghana. Under the partnership formed between the Government of Ghana and Global Mercy ship, many vulnerable persons in society will receive free medical and surgical services. The target services include general surgery, reconstructive plastics surgery, and ophthalmic surgery women's health surgery. Other services include maxillofacial, ear nose, and throat surgeries, as well as paediatric orthopaedic surgery. The ship, which will dock in the country for about ten months, will reduce surgical backlog as it targets vulnerable people in society who require access to surgical services, especially remote areas. The plastic surgeries will also benefit patients in the leprosarium with post-leprosy contracture who meet the criteria for surgery. Already, an advanced party led by Vice President-International of Global Mercy Ships, Michelle Bullington, is in the country working with officials of the Ghana Health Service. In a meeting with the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, he noted the governments support for such an initiative, which also seeks to build capacities of medical and surgical specialists in Ghana. A 250-bed rehabilitative centre programme to house patients who receive surgical and medical services will be handed over to the country at the end of the programme. Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has assured of offering the necessary support for the program, which is expected to improve healthcare delivery in the country. Director of Healthcare Promotions, Dr. Dacosta Aboagye explains this is an important program we are proud to receive. The necessary steps are in place to ensure the country reaps full benefit. The accident happens in Phu Vinh commune, Dinh Quan district, Dong Nai at 02:30 on September 30 (Photo: VNA) The instructions are detailed in an official dispatch sent on the same day to the Minister of Public Security, Minister of Transport, the chairperson of the Peoples Committees of Dong Nai and Binh Thuan provinces and HCM City, and leaders of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, and the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (DRVN). According to the National Committee for Traffic Safety, the accident happened in Phu Vinh commune, Dinh Quan district, Dong Nai at 02:30 on September 30 when a speeding sleeper bus collided with a 16-seat passenger car, resulting in four deaths and many others suffering from injuries. The dispatch requires the chairperson of the Dong Nai provincial Peoples Committee to direct relevant agencies and units to mobilise sufficient health workers, medicines and medical equipment to treat the injured people; quickly conduct procedures related to the deceased; and visit the families of the victims. Dong Nais authorities were also requested to coordinate closely with relevant units of the Ministries of Public Security, and Transport, the People Commitees of HCM City and Binh Thuan province to carry out comprehensive inspection of compliance with business regulations and conditions for auto transport business for businesses and business households with vehicles and people involved in the accident; and strictly handle any violations in accordance with legal regulations. The Ministry of Public Security was ordered to direct the police of Dong Nai and relevant units to urgently investigate the cause of the accident, and strictly handle organisations and individuals violating regulations and causing the serious traffic accident. The PM also requested the Ministry of Transport to direct the DRVN to coordinate with relevant agencies to review and strengthen traffic organisation and improve the safety of the transportation infrastructure system on National Highway 20./. Leap School, a privately owned school in the Obuasi Municipality has observed its fourth graduation ceremony for its continuing pupils. The aim was to appreciate and honour the 92 learners for their hard work from kindergarten through to Primary and Junior High School and again motivate them to aspire to higher laurels in the education enterprise. The colourful event saw pupils displaying their talents in poetry recitals, music and dance, drama and unveiling Ghana's rich cultural heritage. In a speech read on behalf of the Director of the Leap School, Aboagye Ohene Adu, the Head teacher Angela Asenso Obeng said the school has grown in leaps and bounds with a student population of more than 250 after its establishment 10 years ago. She attributed the successes chalked by the school to the invaluable contributions of parents as well as the tremendous role played by management and teaching staff of the school. Touching on the theme for the celebration "Overcoming obstacles", Madam Obeng said the school has faced some challenges in recent times ranging from the outbreak of COVID-19 and the sudden demise of its Proprietress Nana Akua Ohene Adu. "These events hampered the progress of the school at a point but we are delighted to say that despite all these obstacles, we have been able to surmount them and the school is back as a leading educational institution in Obuasi," she added. She further expressed the school's commitment to providing a holistic education for children by inculcating in them qualities that can enable them successfully navigate the unknown horizons that lie ahead. Parents must take responsibility for their wards' education A former Ashanti Regional Minister John Alexander Ackon lauded the school for its immense contributions towards educational improvement in Obuasi. He charged parents to take responsibility for their wards' education by performing their parental duties optimally at home. "Parents have a huge role to play in terms of the welfare of their children, especially at home. While teachers take charge of the children's development in school, it is incumbent on parents not to shirk their responsibilities of assisting children with their homework and providing their needs for them in school," Hon Ackon added. Schools must establish guidance and Counselling unit Emmanuel Adjei Danso, the Guidance and Counselling Coordinator of the Obuasi Municipal Education Directorate who represented the Education Director said today's world is full of complexities and many challenges. He said education finds itself in such a complex world which includes race, gender, disability, poverty, child abuse and neglect which school children face on a daily basis. Mr. Danso said for children to survive such complexities in their educational life, there is the need for schools to establish guidance and counselling units to help the children speak on issues affecting their wellbeing and development. The Guidance and Counselling Coordinator also added his voice to calls for parents to monitor their children while they are out of school. 01.10.2023 LISTEN Ghana, known as the "Gold Coast," has faced its fair share of struggles in recent years, with its dwindling economy being a top concern. One of the main reasons behind this decline is the issue of corruption within Ghana's state institutions. Additionally, the greed of Ghanaian politicians and the attitude of Ghanaians themselves have also contributed to the country's downturn. However, despite these obstacles, there is hope that Ghana can rise from the ashes and regain its former glory. Corruption with Ghana's state institutions has been a prolonged issue that has crippled the economy. It is disheartening to witness funds allocated for public projects being misused, creating a significant setback in economic growth. This cycle needs to be broken, and those responsible for embezzlement must be held accountable. By implementing stricter regulations and promoting transparency within government sectors, Ghana can address this challenge head-on and rebuild its reputation. The greed of Ghanaian politicians is another factor that needs to be addressed. Often driven by personal gain rather than the welfare of their constituents, some politicians have undermined progress and hindered the country's development. However, not all politicians deserve blame, and it's essential to acknowledge those who genuinely strive to make positive changes. By promoting ethical and responsible leadership, Ghana can encourage a new generation of politicians who prioritize public service above self-interest. However, fixing Ghana's economy goes beyond institutional reforms and new leadership. The attitude of Ghanaians themselves plays a crucial role in revitalizing the country. It is essential to foster a sense of national pride and ownership in every citizen. Instead of relying on the government for everything, Ghanaians should be encouraged to take initiative and contribute to the country's development. Embracing entrepreneurship, innovation, and hard work will help boost the economy and create opportunities for all. While the challenges faced by Ghana may seem daunting, there are numerous reasons to remain optimistic. Ghanaians are resilient and resourceful people with a rich cultural heritage, and this potential should be harnessed to rebuild the nation. Furthermore, Ghana has abundant natural resources, including gold, oil, and cocoa, which can fuel economic growth if managed responsibly. In recent years, there have been positive signs of progress in Ghana. The government has launched initiatives to combat corruption, the private sector is becoming more dynamic, and there is an increased focus on education and skills development. These efforts indicate that Ghana is taking vital steps towards a brighter future. To enhance Ghana's economic recovery, international cooperation and support will be crucial. Foreign investment and partnership can provide the necessary funds and expertise needed for infrastructure development, technological advancements, and capacity building. By leveraging these opportunities, Ghana can accelerate its rise from the ashes and emerge as a thriving African nation once again. Conclusion In conclusion, Ghana's journey to rise from the ashes requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders. Combating corruption, promoting ethical leadership, fostering a sense of national pride, and leveraging the country's resources are key steps on this path. By working together, Ghanaians can rebuild their economy and create a prosperous future for generations to come. With determination and a friendly approach, Ghana can indeed rise from the ashes and reclaim its status as the "Gold Coast." Ebenezer Asumang [Writer & Author] Tema, Ghana [email protected] It's become quite clear that there are some unseen hands in this administration who are hellbent on seeing the back of the Special Prosecutor. They appear uncomfortable with the seamless independence and fearlessness with which the office does it work. They simply cannot comprehend why the OSP will man the courage to initiate investigations against members of the administration. I say to them, the real test for fighting corruption, albeit real or perceived is prosecuting your own, not opponents. Before I proceed, it is important to acknowledge the relentless effort and commitment by President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia in seeing to the full functioning of the OSP. They, by their conduct have NOT personally interfered in the OSP's work. Now, you'd notice that ever since Kissi Agyebeng took office from his "actionless and talkertive" predecessor, there's been calculated agenda by some elements to make him unpopular. From August 2021, 7 persons appointed by NPP administration are standing trial and more recently a former Minister of Sanitation is under investigations. Investigations were also conducted into the dealings of a member of the council of state and her dealings with Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). It started with stifling of budgetary funds to perform his work, then moved to non payment of salary for 16 months. This is simply because Kissi wouldn't bend principles when it comes to his work and what the law stipulates. It's against this backdrop that some of these high profile faceless cowards will often hide behind Paul Adom-Otchere, OKA and some self-serving journalists to launch scatting attacks on the person of Mr. Agyebeng for ensuring that his Office works despite serious financial and logistical constraint. The latest is this frivolous and deficient writ filed by Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie at the Supreme Court, asking the Law Lords to declare the OSP unconstitutional, and have it scrapped from the statute books of Ghana. Isn't this ludicrous? Gracious me! Ken Kuranchie, who, obviously is being sponsored by a cartel of high profile faceless cowards argue that the OSP cannot and must not be independent from the Attorney-General; that he [Special Prosecutor] must derive his authority/powers from the latter. You may have also read/seen an article titled "Where should l keep my money" by veteran journalist, Elizabeth Ohene, whom, in defence of her embattled friend and former Minister, Cecilia Daapaah, chastised the OSP ---- questioning his locus to wade into the $1million Ceciliagate. Brothers and sisters, I will not mince words; actions and inactions such as these by government officials put the administration in bad light. One of the strong and unequivocal campaign message by then candidate Akufo-Addo was the establishment of the OSP ---- an INDEPENDENT office (free from the control of the Attorney-General/Government) to investigate and prosecute corruption and corruption related offences. Why the obvious uneasiness by some government officials? The Akans have a saying, "Wo trimu fitaa a, Ntiamoa enku wo", to wit, "If you have a clear conscience, you'd never be scared of threats." Like l have always said, the OSP is not an extension of the Adabraka or Asylum Down Headquarters of any political party, and the earlier politicians see it as such, the better! Sir Obama Pokuase No. 345 Baobab Street Makola Accra, Ghana - The Student Representative Council (SRC) of Ghana School of Law has launched a new volunteering initiative, called, GSL Volunteers (GSLV) to help law students get involved in community services, social justice initiatives and advocacy. The GSLV was launched by the outgoing President of the SRC, Odupong Agyapong Atta-Agyapong during an event held on the Accra Main campus Makola on Saturday 23rd September 2023. According to Mr. Atta-Agyapong, GSLV will expand students practical experiences and leadership skills while building stronger relationships between law students and their communities. Volunteering is the act of selflessly serving others without expecting anything in return. It includes providing free legal aid, impartation services, mentoring, participating in environmental conservation projects and even fund raising campaigns. The GSL Volunteers will provide opportunities for all law students to use their education and skills to make positive impact in the communities they serve. The goal is to build a supportive and inclusive community of individuals who are passionate about social justice and community service, he said. Highlighting the benefits to members, Mr. Atta-Agyapong indicated that, GSLV is an avenue for law students to network and learn to work in teams. GSLV members will unlock local and international opportunities in academic progression and career advancement. As a member your meaningful contribution will be recognized through the record of your volunteer hours. By this, we mean that, you will be issued a certificate for the services you have provided to the communities we serve. This certificate will indicate the number of volunteer hours accumulated during the service. We believe that it is important to know the value of community service in advancing your career, Mr. Agyapong emphasized Speaking to reporters after the launch, the President-Elect, Miss Gertrude Emefa Donkor expressed excitement about the launch and emphasized the importance of volunteering. We appreciate the efforts of the SRC leadership in fostering a sense of Volunteerism among our students. To me, volunteering is not just an act of kindness; it is a transformative experience that allows us to grow, learn, and make a positive impact on lives, demonstrate commitment to social responsibility and community engagement. As students of law, we have a responsibility to contribute to our community in any way we can. I believe that the GSLV is an opportunity for us to step up and make a positive impact on our societies Gertrude Emefa Donkor said. The Program Coordinator, Mr. Prince Nketia who is also a founding member of the initiative has worked with individuals, local organizations and businesses to foster a partnership aimed at bolstering the success of the initiative, giving students ample opportunities to gain valuable experience while serving in their communities. According to Mr. Nketia, students will be encouraged to participate in grassroots initiatives as part of their student experience to gain practical experience and leadership skills which will also benefit the nation when these students are called to the bar. We believe that the GSLV program provides an opportunity to law students to engage with their communities and gain valuable leadership skills while serving others needs, said Mr. Nketia. Speaking further on the benefits to members, Mr. Nketia said that, membership of GSLV ( www.gslvolunteers.com ) is opened to all law students, including those currently in school and those undertaking their pupilage. He added that, students who seek to apply for graduate studies should particularly take this opportunity seriously if they want to be distinguished from their peers. Having a history of volunteer work is what separates two applicants who are equally deserving. Graduate schools look for students who are academically excellent. Beyond this, students who volunteer are given priority for admission and scholarship consideration, he said. In order to achieve the goals of GSLV, Mr. Nketia added that, the volunteer project will collaborate with civil society organizations, local government and international bodies. By partnering with governmental agencies, local and international organizations, we hope to help bridge the justice gap by providing pro bono services and resources to underserved communities and minorities. he said. Accordingly, earlier on in August this year, the leadership of the SRC, led by the outgoing SRC President Odupong Agyapong Atta-Agyapong and accompanied by the GSLV Program Coordinator, Mr. Prince Nketia, the SRC President-Elect, Miss Gertrude Emefa Yawa Donkor, the Vice President-Elect (UPSA Campus), Miss Maanaa Ansah met with the leadership of the National Youth Authority (NYA) led by the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Pius Enam Hadzide to fortify their collaboration in the area of community volunteering. NYA will rely on the GSLV members to spearhead advocacy on policy reforms in critical areas of our society including juvenile justice, child marriages, girl child reproductive health. etc Africa has a population of about 1.4 billion people and today, 490 million people live in extreme poverty on the continent, more than a third of the total population, despite the continent being the first in the world, in terms of reserves of resources, such as gold, diamonds, and manganese, which also accounts for a quarter of the world's total mining output. This also includes huge oil and gas reserves; Angola, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana, account for 10% of global black gold demand. Despite all the resources, thousands of Africans leave the continent each year in quest of better opportunities in Europe. Africans make the dangerous decision to travel to the Italian coast in pursuit of a better life and they are confident that once they arrive in Europe, they will live prosperous lives. To land in Italy, they are exploiting the Libyan shore, amid numerous fatalities along the road. Even though it is well recognized that Africa is an unstable continent, the governments of the West and the US are mostly to blame for the continent's political problems. The West and the US government have played key roles in rising political crises that have taken a high toll on African countries, in addition to the pervasive corruption practiced by careless and corrupt African leaders and families. For instance, Africa is not to blame for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but the continent has suffered greatly due to the steep increase in the price of food and other essentials. The West and US governments frequently criticize African leaders for the widespread corruption on that continent, but never disbelieve me when I say that they embrace the behavior of dishonest African politicians. Supporting corrupt governments that plunge their populations into poverty and wreck their economies is the best way for the developed world to keep enjoying and plundering Africa's riches because it keeps the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund financing the continent according to their policies. Slavery, colonialism, and Apartheid were all destructive political systems that were used to subjugate Africa. However, after the fall of these systems, the West and the US governments took great pleasure in funding corrupt and apathetic African leaders who were not interested in economic development or social progress. These provide an immediate response to the question of why they pay attention to hard-working African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, and Patrice Lumumba, to thwart their efforts, and most recently, Muammar Gadaffi, who was assassinated. The continent of Africa has a lot of natural resources, but the majority don't enjoy their benefits, and the reason for this goes beyond the fact that it is dependent on foreign governments. Money leaves the African continent through both shadow schemes and credit reliance. Since African leaders are aware that the developed world does not appreciate hardworking African leaders, it appears that many of them are afraid of the West and the US administrations and are unwilling to be serious about using their resources and managing their economy. Whatever the circumstance, they must make an effort to eradicate that fear, to improve the continent. With France as their colonial ruler, the French-speaking colonies have already begun this process through coups that have crippled the dependence of France on them. Also, new rules and policies in Europe are hurting third-world nations as well. Experts claim that Western authorities' activities are purposefully intended to harm other regions, starting with local markets' influx of cheaper European goods, which kills the domestic producer. The continent, which was formerly abundant in minerals and food, has now become a desert, and according to the UN, Angola, Haiti, Honduras, Congo, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, may continue to experience catastrophic food shortages. In Africa, where regular food is frequently a luxury, Benin, Cape Verde, and Guinea have joined the list, and they may not survive this food crisis. Sierra Leone and Congo, the poorest nations on the African continent but also the richest in cobalt and diamonds, are the most prominent examples of the resource curse. Thousands of Africans migrate away from their home countries every year in pursuit of better opportunities. This forced the European Union to set aside 1.8 billion Euros to support these migrants, yet more Africans continue to arrive. Who is at fault? In my view, the West and the US government are to blame; they must cease supporting corrupt African regimes, which will give Africans a brighter future and end the exodus. Kenya is preparing to lead an international police force to combat gang violence in Haiti an historic first for the East African nation. Members of the UN Security Council this week debated the mandate of an international security mission, requested by Haitian authorities, to support its underfunded and understaffed police force. The Caribbean country has about 10,000 police officers for more than 11 million people. Kenya has pledged to send 1,000 security officers. No other country has been willing to take charge of Haiti's security. Canada considered it before deciding it was too risky. More than 2,400 people have died in Haiti's violence since the start of the year, according to the United Nations. History of peacekeeping In July Kenya volunteered to lead a multinational police intervention to train the Haitian police, but the mission still needed a green light from the UN Security Council. Kenya's proposition is "bold and comes in good faith", Keith Mimes, as an expert on the Caribbean with the United States Institute of Peace, told RFI. Nairobi cited its very long history of global peacekeeping in Kosovo, neighbouring Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a key reason to lead the mission. It is still heavily involved in fighting the Shabaab extremist group in both Kenya and Somalia. For Kenyan President William Ruto, the mission to Haiti is a chance to once again perform on the international stage, says Roland Marchal, an East Africa analyst at CERI Sciences Po Paris. "Ruto is also thinking about how much money the Kenyan army and police would receive for such a mission," Marchal told RFI. "Given few countries volunteered, for Ruto it's a financial opportunity as much as a choice of external policy, while his predecessors in Kenya were very absent on the international scene." Ruto last week urged the UN to quickly work out a framework to allow the mission to begin. However, observers say the main weakness of Kenya's plan is the lack of legitimacy of Haiti's own government. Multiple challenges The Haitian government is unelected, with Prime Minister Ariel Henry coming to power following the assassination of Jovenel Moise in early July 2022. "The international community should stop supporting the Haitian government because it is illegitimate and corrupt," says Frederic Thomas, of the Belgian NGO research centre Centre tricontinental (CETRI). It is also unpopular and "contested by the majority of the population", he adds. Amnesty International worries about a "troubling history of abuses and impunity associated with past multinational or foreign interventions in Haiti". Thomas says there is also evidence the Henry government is linked to the local gangs, and profits from trafficking. Another issue is the US involvement in the Kenyan mission. On Monday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin went to Nairobi to sign a deal to establish a plan and a supporting budget for the mission over the next five years. Some say the United States has a historic responsibility to help Haiti and that supporting Kenya's mission is insufficient. The Kenyan army, meanwhile, is said to have little experience of good urban policing. 'Troubled nation' The UN discussions on the Kenya-led mission happened as a bleak report on Haiti came out on Wednesday. Haiti is sinking further into bloodshed and lawlessness, the United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned, urging the international community to provide security and financial aid. "Gang-related violence has continued to increase in intensity and brutality, with gangs expanding their control within and beyond Port-au-Prince," Guterres said. "Sexual violence, including collective rape, continues to be used by gangs to terrorise populations under the control of rival gangs." Guterres urged world leaders to show "significant political will and commitment to securing adequate, predictable and sustained financing to preserve institutional gains in the long term". The UN Human Rights Council will hold an interactive dialogue with UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk on his report on Haiti on 10 October. After this dialogue, the Kenya-led mission may be implemented. At a forum for displaced people in Cameroon, RFI meets refugees from the Central African Republic whose talent for handicrafts is helping them build a new life. Sheila Marallah's nimble fingers dance across the yarn, producing intricate patterns and works that seem to come alive with every stitch. Each piece she crafts tells a story. Hidden within the threads and beads that she knits are messages, waiting to be deciphered by those with a keen eye and an open heart. Each stitch holds a clue, each pattern a puzzle waiting to be solved. She weaves tales of love and loss, hope and despair, serving as a reminder that sometimes, the most profound truths can be found in the simplest of things. Understandable, given her story. Uprooted Marallah came to Cameroon eight years ago when attackers struck her community in Bangui. I do not want to talk about it, she tells RFI when asked to describe what drove her to flee. I am in a healing process. Talking about it will only reopen those wounds. But her compatriot Fifi Tecombi is more forthcoming. Tecombi witnessed firsthand the 2013 coup d'etat when a coalition of predominantly Muslim rebel groups, Seleka, overran the capital Bangui. They put President Francois Bozize to flight and named former rebel leader Michel Djotodjia the new head of state. But predominantly Christian militias known as the anti-Balaka meaning "anti-machete" would eventually force Djotodia out of power. I left the town of Boda on 1 December 2013 for business in Bangui and there was a coup d'etat on 5 December. The anti-Balaka invaded the town and I couldn't return because I am a Muslim the narrative was that it was a Christian-Muslim conflict, Tecombi said. She trekked for three days, avoiding the highways for fear of coming face-to-face with the rebels. I left with nothing, she said, in a subdued tone. Tecombi, like Marallah, forms part of the over 352,000 refugees from the Central African Republic in Cameroon, uprooted from their country in the midst of war, rapes, kidnappings and maimings. Precarious situation RFI met them this week at a forum for refugees, internally displaced people and migrants organised by G100, an NGO made up of influential women from around the world. During the three-day meeting in Yaounde, Oliver Beer, who represents the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR in Central Africa, shared disturbing figures about the situation throughout the subregion. The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing the largest internal displacement crisis in Africa, with 5.8 million internally displaced people, mainly in the east, while it also hosts more than a million refugees from neighbouring countries, Beer said. Other countries in the subregion also have thousands of refugees, and even more internally displaced persons, he added. Cameroon was hosting 470,000 refugees by the end of August 2023, according to UNHCR figures. And while this forced displacement takes a toll on everyone, women and girls are placed in a particularly difficult position. They face all forms of gender-based violence, said Caroline Sack Kendem, G100's global chair on migrant and refugee resettlement. According to UNHCR, 52 percent of refugees in Cameroon are women and girls. Resilience The G100 meeting aimed to find ways of dealing with the problems displaced people, particularly women, face. Beer said the UNHCR and other partners have initiated programmes and projects that are giving displaced people a fresh start people like Marallah. She says that thanks to one such programme, she was able to learn a trade that today enables her to pay the bills and feed her children. Today she makes handbags, slippers, flower vessels and home decorations, which she sells at local markets or in craft shops. She was one of four women refugees selected to showcase their business efforts at the G100 forum. Asked if she would be willing to go back to the CAR, she turns pensive. It's difficult, she told RFI. If peace doesn't return, I don't see how I will go back there. Read also: 01.10.2023 LISTEN 2011 the government of Ghana opened up the market for cocoa business. Besides Ghana Cocobod, a state-owned entity, LBC Licensed Buying Companies were allowed to help with marketing Ghana cocoa. Only nationals were permitted to get a license and trade in the cocoa business. They were able to partner with foreign investors due to the lack of funding and knowledge of the foreign market. Splendid Business Ltd. in Techiman, Central Ghana, with a Ghanaian Pastor as CEO, was an LBC. Foreign investors saw the profit potential of this business besides digging for gold, oil, and diamonds. In September 2011 they signed a contract with Splendid Business Ltd. over 5 years with an annual transfer to Ghana of $ 10 Mio. As the year had nearly ended $ 5 Mio. for that short period was transferred to the GT Bank Cantonment Branch. (Shortly before the Hong Kong investors had sent $ 2 Mio. to another company headed by Mr. Boakye into Energy Bank, Tema Branch. Two Managers of the bank stole the money and run to abroad. Energy Bank refused in court to accept any responsibility for their former employees.) GT-Bank refused to release the funds received for Splendid Business Ltd. from Techiman. This fact was brought to the attention of Mr. Okoro and his partner Mr. Hottey along with a junior partner only known as Mr. David. Mr. Okoro was the Transport Manager of the former President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama at Castle Osu by that time office of the President. Mr. Okoro invited my later partners Justice Ibe, a Nigerian based in Lome, Togo, and Ghanaian Sey Adjei located in Tema Community 2 for undercover meetings. In two secret meetings, Mr. Okoro stressed out how close he was with the president of Ghana. He said the President would guarantee a smooth transaction of any of their deals in the cocoa industry. But this can only be guaranteed when the governing party NDC would benefit from it. He himself and his partners would take 15% while the NDC would be given 10% of the deal. The NDC needed to finance the 2012 upcoming election and any money was needed. Third-party election financing by foreigners is not permitted by Kwame Pianim, former Chief of Staff later in his office lectured me. In Spring 2012 the sum of $ 25 Mio. was transferred to the Amazon Consultant Ltd. Bank Account of Mr. Hottey based on the handwritten note of Mr. Okoro on a diary sheet of paper (refer to documents published on my FB page multiple times.). It was agreed to keep mute until the election was won. In March 2013 the Cabinet of John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office. The investors reminded their counterparts of their side of the deal and release of the $ 10 Mio. for the cocoa business. All communication lines were shut off. They wanted to give them a last chance to correct their behavior before reporting the case to the IMF International Monetary Fund. They know this could have triggered violence which was not in their interest. In March 2012 I came to Ghana with the first step to doing business with my company Black&White Warehouse (Ghana) Ltd. with my Ghanaian partner Mensa Bediako. The office was located at the Circle behind Goil petrol station burnt down in 2015 during a blast killing 150 people on the spot. This company is still in existence and registered to trade in medicine as well as used clothes. In June 2013 Justice Ibe signed in my Circle office a two-year contract to supply his company in Lome, Togo monthly with two 40-foot containers A grade used clothes. He further asked me what other kind of business I had an interest in. I told him I had really come to buy CPC Ltd. in Tema, Cocoa Processing Company Ltd. established in 1965 by Joachim Burmeister from Hamburg-Othmarschen, Germany on behalf of the former President of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He suggested partnering with me in the cocoa business and revealed his problem with getting the money for the cocoa business that was in the country but not in his hands. Justice Ibe offered me a reward of $ 1 Mio. if I successfully would retrieve back the money without making too much noise. Through Vincent Vaughn of blessed memory from Bern, Switzerland I happened to meet Victor Ataba in my Circle office. He wanted an invitation letter for his wife. I mentioned the money came to him and handed him the documents I had received. Victor Ataba in my presence called D.C. Mahama, a blood brother of the then president asking for an urgent meeting. D.C. Mahama had his office in New Town which I later briefly visited but he was not around. He had a construction company. Victor Ataba asked for three days to look into the matter and see what it was all about. By that time he was a Security Guard at Castle Osu. We agreed to meet three days later in my Circle office. I asked my friend Mr. Boakye to be present and a witness. We waited for the arrival of Victor Ataba. When he came both men recognized each other as being former colleagues at Castle Osu. Along with Justice Ibe, Mr. Boakye had agreed on the previous deal. They smiled about the fact that Mr. Okoro was short. Victor Ataba reported back to me that all the information given by me was correct. He promised to help us even if we would have to deal with very powerful people who did not like the situation. To be continued. 01.10.2023 LISTEN I bought a separate SIM card and got hold of the phone number of D.C. Mahama. I called him directly and asked for our money back. Once I hung up I noticed what a fool I was. I took out the SIM card and destroyed it and five minutes later Victor Ataba called me whether it was me who had called D.C. Mahama. My instinct advised me to keep cool and deny his question. I run back to our place of residence Executive Lodge, Greda Estate, owned by Charles Khartey. Justice Ibe and Sey Adjei went for a meeting the next day with Mr. Tabiri, Head of Ghana Interpol on behalf of the Asian investors located at the Police Headquarters in Accra. He asked them to return three days later for him to investigate the matter. They did as asked and heard from him the confirmation of their claim. He offered them bodyguard protection as we were dealing with very powerful men ready to end our lives. I said when bodyguards are around me as a 1, 95 m tall white man my life would be ended right away. Justice Ibe and Sey Adjei left straight to Lome, Togo. Out of their safe house, they communicated with leaders of the NDC. These promised to pay back the taken money in installments, something they never did. So we all came out of our safe houses after two months of hiding. We begged our investors not to abandon Ghana and were successful. BoG Bank of Ghana Governor with Lawyer Stephen Amegee, by his account Cousin to JJ Rawlings (I never got a confirmation to his claim only childhood stories) suggested using Godey Ltd., Adabraka a nephew of Mr. Amegee to bring in more funds. A contract was drafted to share the funds at a ratio of 40:60%, 40% for our cocoa business, and 60% for affordable housing projects of Godwin Dey from Godey Machinery and Chemicals Ltd. and use UT-Bank as a processing bank. UT-Bank was not able to give us cash for our activities. It was agreed to give them a SWIFT code 713, a bank guarantee from a Swiss bank. With it, they should do business and generate enough cash for our activities. A time frame was not given. I was presented with a contract and raised several concerns before signing the contract as a witness. It was agreed to invest up to $ 1 Billion over several years. In 2015 I had an appointment with Hope Agboado, Legal Department, UT-Bank, Airport Branch, Headquarters to ask about our money situation holding all documents in my hands. He said nothing had come no record about our case. He asked a female police officer with a machine gun to arrest me. I sat in a car on the left from me the police officer, Hope Agboado at my right, and two UT-Bank workers in front. I felt like a criminal without having done something wrong. At the Airport Police station, Mr. Agboado wanted to file a CID report against me but was refused to do so as I was the complainant. After Mrs. Sheilla took my particulars I was asked to see the Commander. He was relaxed and the moment I saw him I knew our case was lost. After half a day I was released from custody. Later Mrs. Mawuena Trebarh, CEO of GIPC Ghana Investment Promotion Center Otumfo Osei Tutu II let us know UT-Bank had used the bank guarantee to level their books. Ibrahim Mahama, younger brother of John Dramani Mahama and CEO of Engineers&Parrners Ltd. and two other companies had refused or was unable to pay back their loans. Instead of them declaring bankruptcy as mandated by law they pushed UT-Bank into insolvency like Ibrahim Mahama had done before with Merchant Bank. The Asian investors withdrew the bank guarantee finally with many Ghanaians suffering. On 27.12.2017 I left Ghana together with my wife from Kumasi, Alberta Mensah, and married Alberta Heerde (on FB Alberta Heinz) leaving our suffering behind in exchange for peace, stability, honesty, security, and progress. As for me not even my dead body will ever touch down on Ghana soil a country that stole not only money from us but precious years of our lives. 01.10.2023 LISTEN Nestled in the heart of Ghana lies Afram Plains, a place of immense agricultural potential that, despite its abundance of resources, faces significant challenges in terms of its road network, health infrastructure, and overall living standards. Like a diamond buried beneath layers of soil, Afram Plains is a hidden treasure waiting to shine, but the lack of investment and attention has left it in obscurity. The Road Less Traveled Afram Plains is a District rich in fertile land and agricultural promise, where the earth yields bountiful crops. However, its potential for growth and prosperity is hamstrung by a network of roads that often resemble rugged, unpaved trails rather than proper infrastructure. The roads, akin to neglected arteries in a human body, suffer from years of wear and tear, making transportation of goods and people a daunting task. The precious harvests of this land face the perilous journey to markets, with delays and losses along the way. The lack of proper roads limits opportunities for trade and growth, effectively choking the lifeblood of the regions economy. Ailing Health Infrastructure In this fertile land, where the soil is a metaphorical goldmine, one would expect a robust health infrastructure to support the people. Unfortunately, the reality is far from this expectation. Health facilities in Afram Plains are scarce, and those that do exist are often ill-equipped, reminiscent of a doctor attempting surgery with a blunt scalpel. Residents grapple with inadequate access to healthcare services, which is a fundamental right. The health of the people hangs in the balance, like a fragile vine desperately seeking support to thrive. As the saying goes, A healthy nation is a wealthy nation, and without a solid healthcare foundation, Afram Plains cannot hope to reach its full potential. Living in Shadows The living standards in Afram Plains are a stark contrast to the vibrant potential of the land itself. Its as if the sun, which should be shining brightly on this agricultural paradise, is perpetually obscured by clouds of underdevelopment. Basic amenities such as clean water, electricity, and quality education remain luxuries for many residents. The people of Afram Plains endure subpar living conditions that limit their opportunities and aspirations. Aspirations, like seeds, need fertile ground to grow, but in Afram Plains, the ground is parched, hindering the realization of dreams. Unleashing the Agricultural Powerhouse Despite these challenges, Afram Plains stands as a testament to the tenacity and resilience of its people. It is a District brimming with agricultural potential, a potential that, when harnessed properly, could breathe life into the entire Ghanaian economy. The soil here, like a silent but willing partner, is ready to yield abundant harvests. The people, with their determination, are poised to contribute significantly to the nations prosperity. To unlock this potential, it is imperative that the government and stakeholders invest in the development of Afram Plains. The road network must be transformed into a robust system that facilitates the transportation of goods and connects the district to regional and national markets. Health infrastructure should be fortified, ensuring that every resident can access quality healthcare. Finally, efforts should be made to improve the overall living standards, providing the people with the basic necessities that are their birthright. In conclusion, Afram Plains represents an untapped resource of immense value. Like a rough gemstone, it requires polishing and care to reveal its true brilliance. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that this agricultural powerhouse is nurtured and supported, so it can flourish and, in doing so, contribute to the growth of the entire Ghanaian economy. The people of Afram Plains deserve nothing less than the opportunity to shine as bright as the sun that graces their land. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Azerbaijan has successfully prepared for the International Astronautical Congress, demonstrating readiness for active participation in the field of space research, President of the International Astronautical Federation Clay Mowry said during a session of Milli Majlis (Parliament), Trend reports. He noted that the world is making great steps towards the development of the space sphere and technologies in this field, and this is actively supported by the UN, which recognizes the importance of international cooperation and scientific research in the space sphere to achieve global goals. The International Astronautical Congress has been held annually since 1950 under the auspices of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law with the support of the International Astronautical Federation. The history of the International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan dates back to 1973. Thus, on the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev, the 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology", thus Baku became the first city in South Caucasus where this event was organized. And on October 25-29, 2019, Baku won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Thus, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance", organized by Azerbaijan's space agency Azercosmos, will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to completing the Agenda 111 Hospital Project, whose sod he cut in August 2021. According to President Akufo-Addo, thus far, eighty-six (86) district hospitals, two (2) regional psychiatric hospitals and the western regional hospital are ongoing, which are all at various levels of completion. Speaking at the commissioning of the St. Michaels Specialist Hospital, on Saturday, 30th September 2023, at Abeka Lapaz, the President stated that the average completion rate of the eighty-nine (89) ongoing projects is fifty-two percent (52%), with work at someof the sites being seventy to eighty percent complete. He told the gathering that the constructions of these 89 hospitals are being undertaken by indigenous Ghanaian contractors, who have provided direct and indirect jobs to Ghanaians. There is an average number of one hundred and twenty (120) workers on each construction site, and,when completed, an average of five hundred and forty-nine (549) persons will be employed in a district hospital, one thousand, three hundred and forty-three (1,343) in a regional hospital, and nine hundred and forty-seven (947) in each psychiatric hospital, the President said. He continued, This means that sixty-seven thousand, six hundred and thirty-five (67,635) people will be employed in the Agenda 111 hospitals. The Agenda 111 initiative is providing 101 standard 100-bed district hospitals with accommodation for doctors and nurses in districts without district hospitals; 6 new regional hospitals for each of the 6 new regions; rehabilitating the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region; building 1 new regional hospital for the Western Region; and 2 psychiatric hospitals for two of the three (3) zones of the country, i.e. Middle and North. The entire package is estimated at a cost of USD$1.765 billion. Beyond the building of these new healthcare facilities, my vision is to help make Ghana the Centre of Excellence for Medical Care in West Africa by 2030, leveraging on Ghanas favourable status in the Region as the most peaceful country in West Africa, a beacon of democracy on the continent, and a land of opportunities, he said. President Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his governments is committed to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology as part of the countrys drive to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Since 2017, the President noted that his government has restored nursing trainee allowances, recruited the highest number of healthcare workers in the history of the 4th Republic, with fifty-eight thousand and forty-one (58,041) health workers employed to supplement the existing health sector workforce at the height of COVID-19 alone. The Ghana Ambulance Service has been equipped with three hundred and seven (307) ambulances, that is 1-Constituency-1-Ambulance, in comparison to the fifty-five (55) semi-functioning ambulances that existed during the time of the Mahama government. We have made improvements in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to make access easier, and we are using drones to deliver emergency medical supplies to remote areas, he added. China Construction Bank Co. (OTCMKTS:CICHY Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 12,500 shares, a decrease of 37.2% from the August 31st total of 19,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 223,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded China Construction Bank from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Get China Construction Bank alerts: Read Our Latest Report on CICHY China Construction Bank Stock Up 0.2 % About China Construction Bank Shares of China Construction Bank stock traded up $0.02 on Friday, reaching $11.20. 94,540 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 155,223. The companys 50-day moving average is $10.92 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.18. China Construction Bank has a 1-year low of $10.01 and a 1-year high of $14.29. (Get Free Report) China Construction Bank Corporation provides various banking and related financial services to individuals and corporate customers in the People's Republic of China and internationally. It operates through Corporate Finance Business, Personal Finance Business, Treasury and Asset Management Business, and Others segments. Read More Receive News & Ratings for China Construction Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Construction Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China Youzan Limited (OTCMKTS:CHNVF Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 668,000 shares, a decrease of 17.7% from the August 31st total of 812,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 47,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 14.2 days. China Youzan Price Performance Shares of CHNVF remained flat at C$0.01 during trading hours on Friday. China Youzan has a fifty-two week low of C$0.01 and a fifty-two week high of C$0.04. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of C$0.01 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$0.02. Get China Youzan alerts: About China Youzan (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories China Youzan Limited, an investment holding company, provides online and offline e-commerce solutions in the People's Republic of China, Japan, and Canada. The company operates through five segments: General Trading, Third Party Payment Services, Onecomm, Merchant Services, and Others. It trades in watches and other good; sells integrated smart point of sales devices; and offers third party payment and related consultancy services, as well as third party payment management services. Receive News & Ratings for China Youzan Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Youzan and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. (OTCMKTS:CODYY Get Free Report) saw a significant growth in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 56,000 shares, a growth of 35.3% from the August 31st total of 41,400 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 126,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.4 days. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain Trading Down 0.1 % CODYY stock traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $12.00. 109,006 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 68,963. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $12.75 and a 200 day moving average price of $12.04. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain has a 12 month low of $7.09 and a 12 month high of $13.63. Get Compagnie de Saint-Gobain alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Stifel Nicolaus raised Compagnie de Saint-Gobain from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $65.00. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain Company Profile (Get Free Report) Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA designs, manufactures, and distributes materials and solutions for wellbeing worldwide. It operates through five segments: High Performance Solutions; Northern Europe; Southern Europe Middle East (ME) & Africa; Americas; and Asia-Pacific. The company offers glazing solutions for buildings and cars under the Saint-Gobain, GlassSolutions, Vetrotech, and SageGlass brands; plaster-based products for construction and renovation markets under the Placo, Rigips, and Gyproc brands; ceilings under the Ecophon, CertainTeed, Eurocoustic, Sonex, or Vinh Tuong brands; and insulation solutions for a range of applications, such as construction, engine compartments, vehicle interiors, household appliances, and photovoltaic panels under the Isover, CertainTeed, and Izocam brands. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Compagnie de Saint-Gobain Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Compagnie de Saint-Gobain and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes (OTCMKTS:CYRBY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant drop in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a drop of 50.0% from the August 31st total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 5,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes Stock Performance CYRBY stock traded down $0.08 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $3.95. The companys stock had a trading volume of 506 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,389. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $4.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $3.87. Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes has a 1 year low of $2.21 and a 1 year high of $5.34. Get Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes alerts: About Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Cyrela Brazil Realty SA Empreendimentos e Participacoes develops, constructs, and sells residential properties in Brazil. The company also provides consultancy services related to real estate. It offers properties under the Cyrela, Living, Vivaz, and Cyrela Urbanismo brand names. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Receive News & Ratings for Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cyrela Brazil Realty S.A. Empreendimentos e Participacoes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:KSANF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 153,400 shares, a growth of 25.3% from the August 31st total of 122,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days. Kansai Paint Price Performance KSANF remained flat at $16.84 during trading on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $16.61 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $15.24. Kansai Paint has a fifty-two week low of $12.42 and a fifty-two week high of $16.84. Get Kansai Paint alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth KSANF has been the subject of several research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Kansai Paint from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, July 20th. Nomura downgraded Kansai Paint from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, August 17th. About Kansai Paint (Get Free Report) Kansai Paint Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells paints and coatings in Japan, India, Asia, Africa, Europe, and internationally. The company offers decorative coatings for protecting exterior and interior of buildings; protective coatings; automotive refinish coatings; automotive coatings; and industrial coatings that are used in construction machinery, industrial vehicles, steel furniture, external building materials, electronics, and internal coatings and external designs of beverage cans. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Kansai Paint Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kansai Paint and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. (OTCMKTS:KCDMY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 18,600 shares, an increase of 40.9% from the August 31st total of 13,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 23,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.8 days. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. Stock Down 4.0 % OTCMKTS KCDMY traded down $0.41 during trading on Friday, hitting $9.85. The companys stock had a trading volume of 11,406 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,747. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. has a fifty-two week low of $6.18 and a fifty-two week high of $12.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.63, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The company has a market cap of $6.06 billion, a PE ratio of 18.24 and a beta of 0.66. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $11.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $11.08. Get Kimberly-Clark de Mexico S. A. B. de C. V. alerts: Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. (OTCMKTS:KCDMY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The basic materials company reported $0.17 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $776.22 million for the quarter. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. had a net margin of 11.57% and a return on equity of 160.10%. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. Dividend Announcement Analyst Ratings Changes The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 4th will be given a dividend of $0.0993 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 3rd. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V.s dividend payout ratio is currently 77.78%. Separately, Barclays raised shares of Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. View Our Latest Stock Report on Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V. Company Profile (Get Free Report) Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S. A. B. de C. V., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and markets disposable products in Mexico. The company offers baby diapers, training pants, swim pants, wet wipes, shampoos, creams, bar soaps, and feeding products. It also provides toilet papers, napkins, facial tissues, paper towels, feminine pads, panty liners, tampons, intimate wipes, and menstrual cups. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Kimberly-Clark de Mexico S. A. B. de C. V. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kimberly-Clark de Mexico S. A. B. de C. V. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nippon Paint Holdings Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:NPCPF Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,131,300 shares, a decline of 19.2% from the August 31st total of 6,352,100 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 113,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 45.2 days. Nippon Paint Stock Performance NPCPF remained flat at $3.86 during trading on Friday. Nippon Paint has a twelve month low of $6.43 and a twelve month high of $9.18. The business has a 50 day moving average of $4.16 and a 200 day moving average of $6.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. Get Nippon Paint alerts: Nippon Paint (OTCMKTS:NPCPF Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 10th. The company reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $2.64 billion for the quarter. Nippon Paint had a net margin of 8.09% and a return on equity of 9.04%. About Nippon Paint Nippon Paint Holdings Co, Ltd. engages in the paint and fine chemicals businesses. The company offers automotive coatings, including paints for use in bumpers and plastic components; trade-use paints for homes, buildings, and bridges; and industrial coatings that are used in a range of products, including construction and farming machinery, exterior construction materials, office equipment, and electric home appliances. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nippon Paint Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nippon Paint and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund (NYSE:JPS Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 101,500 shares, a decline of 55.8% from the August 31st total of 229,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 561,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.2 days. Institutional Trading of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund in the second quarter valued at about $7,471,000. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund by 9.7% in the second quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC now owns 9,411,228 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $60,044,000 after purchasing an additional 834,150 shares in the last quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund by 64.5% in the first quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 1,259,267 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $10,577,000 after purchasing an additional 493,729 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund by 254.5% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 394,890 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,519,000 after purchasing an additional 283,491 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund by 638.4% in the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 283,399 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,827,000 after purchasing an additional 245,017 shares in the last quarter. Get Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund alerts: Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund Stock Performance JPS stock remained flat at $6.17 during trading on Friday. 1,021,678 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 590,286. Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund has a 52-week low of $5.85 and a 52-week high of $7.71. The firms 50-day moving average is $6.35 and its 200 day moving average is $6.34. Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund Dividend Announcement About Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.038 per share. This represents a $0.46 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.39%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. (Get Free Report) Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Spectrum Asset Management, Inc It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in investment grade preferred debt securities, convertible debt securities, and convertible preferred securities that are rated BBB/Baa or better by S&P, Moody's, or Fitch. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Preferred Securities Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE:OGS Get Free Report) was the target of a significant drop in short interest during the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,060,000 shares, a drop of 18.4% from the August 31st total of 3,750,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 432,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 7.1 days. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have recently weighed in on OGS. StockNews.com lowered ONE Gas from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on ONE Gas from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, September 21st. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on ONE Gas from $81.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 15th. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their price objective on ONE Gas from $77.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Friday, July 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, ONE Gas currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $78.33. Get ONE Gas alerts: Read Our Latest Report on ONE Gas Hedge Funds Weigh In On ONE Gas ONE Gas Trading Down 1.2 % Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Barclays PLC increased its holdings in shares of ONE Gas by 66.4% during the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 125,976 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $9,677,000 after acquiring an additional 50,286 shares in the last quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new position in shares of ONE Gas during the second quarter valued at $866,000. Dean Capital Management bought a new position in shares of ONE Gas during the second quarter valued at $1,230,000. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL bought a new stake in ONE Gas in the 2nd quarter worth about $20,170,000. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in ONE Gas by 9.1% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 8,235 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $632,000 after buying an additional 684 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.71% of the companys stock. OGS stock traded down $0.83 on Friday, reaching $68.28. The companys stock had a trading volume of 545,050 shares, compared to its average volume of 390,285. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $75.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $77.76. ONE Gas has a 12-month low of $67.94 and a 12-month high of $89.01. The firm has a market cap of $3.79 billion, a PE ratio of 16.69, a PEG ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.40. ONE Gas (NYSE:OGS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $398.11 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $397.88 million. ONE Gas had a net margin of 8.67% and a return on equity of 8.75%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.59 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that ONE Gas will post 4.13 EPS for the current year. ONE Gas Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 16th were given a dividend of $0.65 per share. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.81%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 15th. ONE Gass dividend payout ratio is currently 63.57%. ONE Gas Company Profile (Get Free Report) ONE Gas, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated natural gas distribution company in the United States. The company provides natural gas distribution services to approximately 2.3 million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. It serves residential, commercial, and transportation customers. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ONE Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ONE Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The Provisional Management Center under the Coordination Headquarters for addressing the issues in a centralized manner in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan has started providing appropriate medical services in the city of Khankendi, Trend reports with reference to the Administration of the President of Azerbaijan. Specialized medical personnel, including various medical specialists, 7 ambulances and an emergency medical brigade with the participation of the responsible persons of the healthcare institutions of the Republic of Azerbaijan were dispatched to Khankendi. It is planned to take the next appropriate steps after assessing the current medical and sanitary-epidemiological situation of the population in Khankendi. One Liberty Properties, Inc. (NYSE:OLP Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, September 20th, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 3rd will be paid a dividend of 0.45 per share by the real estate investment trust on Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.54%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, October 2nd. One Liberty Properties has a dividend payout ratio of 276.9% indicating that the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Get One Liberty Properties alerts: One Liberty Properties Price Performance NYSE OLP opened at $18.87 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $402.12 million, a P/E ratio of 14.40 and a beta of 1.30. One Liberty Properties has a 1 year low of $18.53 and a 1 year high of $24.77. The businesss fifty day moving average is $19.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $20.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a current ratio of 1.63. Insiders Place Their Bets Hedge Funds Weigh In On One Liberty Properties In other One Liberty Properties news, Director Charles Biederman sold 2,000 shares of One Liberty Properties stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.72, for a total transaction of $39,440.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 61,059 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,204,083.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . In other One Liberty Properties news, Director Charles Biederman sold 2,000 shares of One Liberty Properties stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.72, for a total transaction of $39,440.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 61,059 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,204,083.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Also, COO Justin Clair sold 3,000 shares of One Liberty Properties stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.10, for a total transaction of $60,300.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 46,249 shares in the company, valued at $929,604.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Corporate insiders own 23.90% of the companys stock. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL purchased a new position in shares of One Liberty Properties during the 2nd quarter valued at $642,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its holdings in shares of One Liberty Properties by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 533,634 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $10,843,000 after acquiring an additional 10,150 shares in the last quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN grew its holdings in shares of One Liberty Properties by 24.2% during the 2nd quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 13,547 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $275,000 after acquiring an additional 2,642 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of One Liberty Properties by 21.7% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 51,986 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,056,000 after acquiring an additional 9,262 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zacks Investment Management purchased a new position in shares of One Liberty Properties during the 2nd quarter valued at $838,000. 36.65% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades OLP has been the topic of several research reports. TheStreet cut One Liberty Properties from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Tuesday, August 1st. StockNews.com initiated coverage on One Liberty Properties in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Check Out Our Latest Report on One Liberty Properties One Liberty Properties Company Profile (Get Free Report) One Liberty is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust incorporated in Maryland in 1982. The Company acquires, owns and manages a geographically diversified portfolio consisting primarily of industrial and retail properties. Many of these properties are subject to long-term net leases under which the tenant is typically responsible for the property's real estate taxes, insurance and ordinary maintenance and repairs. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for One Liberty Properties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for One Liberty Properties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pandora A/S (OTCMKTS:PANDY Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 10,200 shares, an increase of 39.7% from the August 31st total of 7,300 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 5,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.0 days. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on PANDY shares. Bank of America raised Pandora A/S from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, September 25th. Societe Generale raised Pandora A/S from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Pandora A/S presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $460.00. Get Pandora A/S alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Pandora A/S Pandora A/S Price Performance OTCMKTS PANDY traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $25.87. The company had a trading volume of 2,393 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,687. Pandora A/S has a fifty-two week low of $11.68 and a fifty-two week high of $26.88. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $25.42 and a 200-day simple moving average of $23.39. Pandora A/S (OTCMKTS:PANDY Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 15th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $861.26 million during the quarter. About Pandora A/S (Get Free Report) Pandora A/S designs, manufactures, and markets hand-finished and contemporary jewelry. The company offers charms, bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces, and pendants. Its jewelry material includes silver, gold with gemstones, stones, cultured pearls, and glass. The company sells its products through physical stores, online stores, and wholesale and third-party distribution in Denmark, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, France, Germany, and internationally. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pandora A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pandora A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Radiant Logistics, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:RLGT Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 147,100 shares, a decline of 18.1% from the August 31st total of 179,600 shares. Approximately 0.4% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 151,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.0 days. Radiant Logistics Trading Down 2.9 % RLGT stock traded down $0.17 during trading on Friday, reaching $5.65. The stock had a trading volume of 141,867 shares, compared to its average volume of 165,671. Radiant Logistics has a 1-year low of $4.93 and a 1-year high of $7.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $267.19 million, a P/E ratio of 13.14 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a fifty day moving average of $5.89. Get Radiant Logistics alerts: Radiant Logistics (NYSEAMERICAN:RLGT Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 13th. The company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.08 by $0.05. Radiant Logistics had a net margin of 2.02% and a return on equity of 19.91%. The firm had revenue of $232.23 million for the quarter. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Radiant Logistics in a research note on Wednesday, August 23rd. They set a buy rating for the company. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Radiant Logistics Institutional Investors Weigh In On Radiant Logistics A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of RLGT. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Radiant Logistics by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,836,658 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,062,000 after buying an additional 75,830 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in shares of Radiant Logistics by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,684,656 shares of the companys stock valued at $18,041,000 after buying an additional 69,117 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Radiant Logistics by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,584,112 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,461,000 after buying an additional 70,000 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in shares of Radiant Logistics by 20.7% during the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,287,133 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,444,000 after buying an additional 220,381 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Meros Investment Management LP grew its position in shares of Radiant Logistics by 54.2% during the 4th quarter. Meros Investment Management LP now owns 1,192,942 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,072,000 after buying an additional 419,478 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 53.34% of the companys stock. About Radiant Logistics (Get Free Report) Radiant Logistics, Inc, a third-party logistics company, provides technology-enabled global transportation and value-added logistics solutions primarily in the United States and Canada. It offers domestic, international air, and ocean freight forwarding services; and freight brokerage services, including truckload and intermodal services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Radiant Logistics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Radiant Logistics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Secom Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:SOMLY Get Free Report) saw a significant growth in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 29,400 shares, a growth of 96.0% from the August 31st total of 15,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 59,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.5 days. Secom Stock Performance Shares of SOMLY traded down $0.19 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $16.96. The stock had a trading volume of 43,753 shares, compared to its average volume of 27,477. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 2.79 and a quick ratio of 2.64. Secom has a 12 month low of $13.34 and a 12 month high of $18.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.83 billion, a PE ratio of 19.95 and a beta of 0.38. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $17.12 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.56. Get Secom alerts: Secom (OTCMKTS:SOMLY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 9th. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter. Secom had a return on equity of 7.63% and a net margin of 8.89%. The company had revenue of $1.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. Analysts anticipate that Secom will post 0.81 EPS for the current year. Secom Company Profile SECOM CO., LTD. provides security services in Japan and internationally. Its Security Services segment offers static guard, armored car, merchandise, and other services, as well as online security systems. The company's Fire Protection Services segment provides fire alarm systems, fire extinguishing systems, and various services to office buildings, production facilities, tunnels, cultural properties, ships, and residences. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Secom Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Secom and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest during the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,540,000 shares, a decrease of 18.2% from the August 31st total of 4,330,000 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 953,200 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.7 days. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have commented on BBVA shares. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley downgraded Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $6.34. Get Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on BBVA Institutional Investors Weigh In On Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Price Performance Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Harding Loevner LP grew its stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Harding Loevner LP now owns 21,195,228 shares of the banks stock valued at $149,406,000 after acquiring an additional 272,562 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 11.6% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 10,418,594 shares of the banks stock worth $80,014,000 after buying an additional 1,079,790 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 0.3% during the second quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 8,333,054 shares of the banks stock worth $63,998,000 after buying an additional 21,963 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 2.5% during the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 8,129,565 shares of the banks stock worth $57,313,000 after buying an additional 195,513 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 165.0% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 7,373,714 shares of the banks stock worth $19,097,000 after buying an additional 4,590,973 shares in the last quarter. 2.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria stock traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $8.05. The stock had a trading volume of 922,553 shares, compared to its average volume of 996,246. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.02 billion, a PE ratio of 6.71, a PEG ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 1.32. The stocks 50 day moving average is $7.77 and its 200 day moving average is $7.41. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria has a twelve month low of $4.37 and a twelve month high of $8.19. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, July 28th. The bank reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $7.83 billion during the quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria had a return on equity of 14.53% and a net margin of 26.54%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.30 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria will post 1.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 26th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 10th will be paid a $0.1685 dividend. This represents a yield of 5.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 6th. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentarias dividend payout ratio is currently 45.83%. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides retail banking, wholesale banking, and asset management services. It offers current accounts; and demand, savings, overnight, time, term, and subordinated deposits. The company also provides loan products; deals in securities; leasing, factoring, brokerage, and asset management services; and manages pension and investment funds. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. FIBRA Prologis (OTCMKTS:FBBPF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 247,500 shares, an increase of 26.1% from the August 31st total of 196,300 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 117.9 days. FIBRA Prologis Price Performance OTCMKTS:FBBPF remained flat at $3.48 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $3.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $3.54. FIBRA Prologis has a 1 year low of $2.24 and a 1 year high of $3.97. Get FIBRA Prologis alerts: About FIBRA Prologis (Get Free Report) Featured Articles FIBRA Prologis is a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico. As of June 30, 2023, FIBRA Prologis was comprised of 228 logistics and manufacturing facilities in six industrial markets in Mexico totaling 44.2 million square feet (4.1 million square meters) of gross leasable area. Receive News & Ratings for FIBRA Prologis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FIBRA Prologis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Saudi Arabia has increased its planned budgetary spending to SAR1,262 billion ($336.49 billion) from previously announced SAR1,114 billion ($297 billion) in its revised budget estimates for 2023. The government expects total revenues to reach SAR1,180 billion (higher than earlier estimates). However, the budget is now projecting a SAR82 billion deficit for 2023 versus the surplus of SAR16 billion earlier due to the increase in spending. 2024 PROJECTIONS Meanwhile, in its pre-budget statement for FY 2024, the ministry estimated total expenditures to reach SAR1,251 billion, and total revenues SAR 1,172 billion. The ministry also estimates that a modest deficit will be recorded at about 1.9% of the GDP, with continued efforts to increase the efficiency of spending and fiscal consolidation, strengthen fiscal sustainability, and implement economic and fiscal reforms. The pre-budget statement for FY 2024 reflects the proactive structural and fiscal reforms that the kingdom has taken to enhance its economy's ability to face economic developments and challenges, resulting in the positive performance of economic indicators, which has led to GDP growth at a continuous rate, the expansion and performance of the non-oil sector, and the increase of labor force, it said. Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed bin Abdullah AlJadaan said that the government will continue to implement fiscal and economic structural reforms to help develop and diversify the Saudi economy, and to increase economic growth while maintaining fiscal sustainability, which will be achieved by continued implementation of Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives and strategies. He said that the positive forecast for the Saudi economy for FY 2024 is an extension to its performance since FY 2021, where the preliminary forecasts for economic growth rate for 2024 and the medium-term were revised, indicating a real GDP growth of 4.4% for 2024. This is supported by the growth of non-oil activities' with the expectation that the private sector will continue to drive economic growth in the economy, contribute to job creation, and improve trade balances. The government and its private sector partners will continue to implement Saudi Vision 2030 programs and initiatives, sectoral and regional strategies and giga projects, and other economic activities to achieve positive growth rates during 2024 and in the medium-term. According to the pre-budget statement, total revenues for FY 2024 are estimated to be SAR1,172 billion, reaching SAR1,259 billion in FY 2026. Total expenditures are estimated to be SAR1,251 billion in FY 2024, reaching SAR 1,368 billion in FY 2026. AlJadaan noted that the government's FY 2024 budget is estimated to have modest deficits of 1.9% of GDP, reflecting the efforts to stabilise government revenues and the continuous investments to support a sustainable economic growth. The Ministry of Finance publishes the pre-budget statement for FY 2024 as part of the government's existing methodology for developing the annual budget, placing it within a comprehensive fiscal and economic framework in the medium-term, to enhance the transparency, fiscal disclosure, and fiscal planning for the coming years. The governments budgeted revenues for 2023 are likely based on Brent of ~$82/bbl, an Al Rajhi Capital commentary said. It said the oil revenues in 2023 could reach SAR749 billion led by Aramcos recent hike in performance-linked dividend. "Nevertheless, we increase our expectations for non-oil revenues at SAR440 billion (versus the earlier estimates of SAR421 billion) as H1 2023 non-oil revenues have already surpassed that of H1 2022, led by traction in non-oil GDP growth," it said. "Furthermore, as per IMF Country Report the non-oil GDP growth is expected to comfortably stay above the 4% mark in the near future. We believe this will underpin higher spending by the government going forward. Acceleration of spending (SAR1,262 billion versus SAR1,114 billion) can be regarded as a strategic move by the government and is reflective of its support towards the Vision 2030 target," said the Al Rajhi Capital report. -TradeArabia News Service BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The International Astronautical Congress is returning to the South Caucasus region after half a century, chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship Tahir Mirkishili said during the 13th international session of the IAF, Trend reports. "Let me say that this is a very rational choice. A rational choice because it is a return to traditions, here in Baku, 50 years ago, in 1973, the 24th congress was held on the initiative of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev. This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the great leader and honor his memory. Now our country is hosting the biggest space event - the 74th International Astronautical Congress in 2023. This means that the International Astronautical Congress is returning to our region after half a century. Both in terms of content and number of participants, this congress is more representative than all previous ones," he said. "You have made a very rational choice, as Baku is the heart of this region," he added. The International Astronautical Congress has been held annually since 1950 under the auspices of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law with the support of the International Astronautical Federation. The history of the International Astronautical Congress in Azerbaijan dates back to 1973. Thus, on the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev, the 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology", thus Baku became the first city in South Caucasus region where this event was organized. And on October 25-29, 2019, Baku won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Thus, the 74th International Astronautical Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance", organized by Azerbaijan's space agency Azercosmos, will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. Christin Mathew Philip is an Assistant editor at moneycontrol.com. Based in Bengaluru, he writes on mobility, infrastructure and start-ups. He is a Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awardee. You can find him on Twitter here: twitter.com/ChristinMP_ you are here: BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The UN mission has arrived in Azerbaijan's Karabakh, Trend reports. Members of the mission passed through Aghdam this morning and moved towards Askeran-Khankendi. The purpose of the mission is to familiarize with the situation on the ground and determine the humanitarian needs of the residents. The mission includes representatives of various UN agencies. The last time the UN mission visited Karabakh was about 30 years ago. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Mini Ribeiro is an independent food & beverage journalist and author. She is on Twitter @MiniRib Views expressed are personal. Neeta Lal is an independent lifestyle and travel writer. Views expressed are personal. Pallavi Aiyar is an award-winning independent journalist who has reported from, and parented in, China, Europe, Indonesia and Japan. She is the author of 'Babies and Bylines: Parenting on the move'. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. The crew of Al Jazeera has visited Azerbaijan's Karabakh, and the city of Khankendi in particular. Osama Bin Javaid, Al Jazeera reporter, has refuted the accusations that Azerbaijan is allegedly "forcing Armenians to leave Khankendi". "Everyone we have spoken to, including the ICRC staff, found no real cases, where people were actually forced out their homes or had to face any abuse from the Azerbaijani side," he said. In fact, Azerbaijan not only does not force Armenians to leave Karabakh, but also makes every possible effort to reintegrate them into the social, cultural and economic framework of the country. Moreover, at the invitation of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a meeting has been organized between the central authorities of Azerbaijan and the representatives of Armenians residing in Khankendi. The first meeting held on September 21, 2023, in the city of Yevlakh, was followed by two more - one in Khojaly on September 25 and another in Yevlakh on September 29. In the context of discussing social and humanitarian issues, the representatives of the Armenian residents of Azerbaijan's Karabakh region informed that there is a special need for fuel. At the same time, they asked for humanitarian assistance in the form of foodstuffs. As a result of the meeting, their request was taken seriously. Until now, Azerbaijan has already supplied fuel for the heating systems of kindergartens and schools, as well as the emergency medical service and fire department, and provided humanitarian support for Karabakh residents. Sneha Mahale is an independent environment journalist. She is on Twitter @randomcards Views expressed are personal Danish Khan is a London-based independent journalist and author of 'Escaped: True Stories of Indian fugitives in London'. He is researching Indian capitalism at University of Oxford. Reporter Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The 13th International Astronautical Federation (IAF) International Meeting for Ministers and Parliamentarians (MMOP) started its work on October 1, Trend reports. Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis is holding the event with the theme "The importance of including space solutions in the political agenda for policy makers". International Astronautical Federation President Clay Mowry and others are taking part in the meeting. The participants of the event will hold discussions on 3 panel topics. The first panel is titled "Space Solutions for Improving Public Services", the second panel is titled "Space Solutions for Natural Disasters and Risks", and the third panel is titled "Space Solutions in Resource Management". The International Astronautical Federation's MMOP has been organized since 2009. The 13th session is held on the eve of the 74th Baku International Astronautical Congress, which will be held in Azerbaijan on October 2-6. The right to hold this prestigious event, which has been held since October 1950, Baku received during the elections to the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in October 2019 in the U.S. capital Washington, DC. Azerbaijan first held the event in 1973 under the leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes asks a question during continuing budget hearings Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in the Session Hall of the Guam Congress Building in Hagatna. Things to know next week include Meridens City Council talking about a grant for a Locust Street park and playground, and preparations for the annual Celebrate Wallingford festival. In Cheshire, the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission will discuss an affordable housing plan, and in Southington, the Planning and Zoning Commission will consider a comprehensive reorganization of the towns zoning regulations. Heres our complete list of nine things to know in the coming week. 1.Meriden City Council to discuss Locust Street park, playground In Meriden, the City Council meets Monday both in person and virtually at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. The council will discuss among other matters a $450,000 grant from the state Department of Economic and Community Development for a park and playground on Locust Street. It will also vote to refer $625,000 in culvert and sidewalk improvements for Jordan Brook, and department head raises to the City Councils Finance Committee. You can access the meeting by following instructions on the citys website at www.meridenct.gov/virtualmeetings. 2.Town continues preparations for Celebrate Wallingford Wallingford will be getting ready for a major festival, Celebrate Wallingford, to be held Oct. 7-8. The Fishbein/YMCA Community Road Race will continue its tradition Sunday at 9 a.m. as part of the festivities. Vendors for businesses, arts and crafts and food will be displayed on Main Street and Center Street with live music both afternoons. For more information, go to www.celebratewallingford.com. 3.Slingshot operation on agenda of Meriden Zoning Board of Appeals The Meriden Zoning Board of Appeals meets in person on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Engineering Conference Room on the lower level of City Hall. The board will continue a discussion for plans for a slingshot operation in the Meriden Mall, among other matters. 4.Wallingfords Linear Trail committee to meet Wallingfords Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee meets Thursday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, room 315. The committee will hear a report from the town engineer. It will also hear a corporate financial report. 5.Cheshires Wetlands Commission to talk affordable housing plan On Tuesday, the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission meets at 7:30 p.m. in Cheshire at Town Halls council chambers. Among likely topics is an affordable housing plan for Highland Avenue from Metro Realty. 6.Cheshire Coffee Talk focuses on north end elementary school On Wednesday, a Coffee Talk about the future north end elementary school will be held at 3 p.m. at Chapman Elementary in Cheshire. Project officials will be on hand for discussion and to answer community questions. 7.Open Forum held by Cheshire BOE The Cheshire Board of Education holds an Open Forum at Cheshire Town Hall Thursday at 7:30 p.m. 8. Southington planners consider reorganization of zoning regulations Southingtons Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the John Weichsel Municipal Center, 200 N. Main St. Among business items is a proposed zoning text amendment for a comprehensive reorganization of Southingtons zoning regulations to enhance user-friendliness and improve consistency with state and federal law. Also, Evergreen of Southington LLC is proposing an open space preservation subdivision, which allows greater density in exchange for more undisturbed space on the property. 9. More tasty fritters at Apple Harvest Festival The Apple Harvest Festival moves into its second weekend on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. Some booths are open during the week as well. Zimbabwes President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has firmly rejected any hopes or speculations of a Government National Unity (GNU), a Transitional Authority, or an election rerun following the controversial polls held in the country. During a ZANU PF Politburo meeting in Harare, President Mnangagwa dismissed these ideas as unrealistic and labeled those advocating for them as delusional. Addressing the issue, President Mnangagwa urged the nation to focus on the future and not be distracted by what he referred to as daydreamers, specifically mentioning opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who has rejected the election results, alleging fraud. Now that the elections are behind us, we should not be distracted by the leader of the main opposition who remains stuck in the past while both Zimbabwe and the region are moving into the future. His call for an election rerun is a pipe dream; the earlier he realizes that, the better for himself and his opposition party, President Mnangagwa asserted with determination. The Presidents statement reflects his resolve to move forward and maintain the current state of affairs despite the disputed election. Regarding the possibility of a GNU, he made it clear that such notions were unrealistic and would not materialize. The people have granted our revolutionary mass party, Zanu-PF, yet another mandate to govern our great motherland, Zimbabwe. This is the reality that the leaders of the opposition, their supporters and their handlers must face. Entertaining any talk of a re-run, a so-called Government of National Unity, or Transitional Authority is a pipe dream that will never ever happen. They must wake up from these delusions. The people of our great motherland have spoken; the collective voices must be respected. Democracy and constitutionalism reign supreme in our country. By firmly rejecting the calls for a GNU or election rerun, President Mnangagwa aims to establish stability and continuity in Zimbabwe, urging all parties to look ahead and focus on the future. Chamisa will have to wait to try again in 2028. Breaking News via Email BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The work on providing rehabilitation services to children arriving from Ukraine to Azerbaijan continues, Trend reports via the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan. Under the organization of the State Medical and Social Expertise and Rehabilitation Agency under the Ministry today 30 more Ukrainian children arrived in Azerbaijan to provide them with rehabilitation services. Children admitted to Gabala Children Rehabilitation Center of the Agency will be provided with medical and social-psychological rehabilitation services within 15 days. During rehabilitation, stabilization of the emotional state will be ensured through individual consultations, group therapy and yoga classes organized by professional psychologists. Tours to historical places and museums of Sheki, Ismayilli and Shamakhi will be organized for cultural and leisure time of the children. Before that about 100 Ukrainian children were brought to Azerbaijan and provided with social and psychological rehabilitation services in about three groups. In a shocking twist of events, fugitive killer Peter Dube, who had recently been convicted in Ireland for violating immigration laws, has been deported to Mozambique after claiming citizenship of that country. Dube had been sought by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in connection with two fatal shootings and an attempted murder case in Gweru on April 23, 2021. The 37-year-old had been on the run for the past two years. On that fateful day in April 2021, Dube, who worked as a car dealer, confronted his second wife, Nyasha Nharingo, and her alleged lover Shelton Chinhango, also a car dealer, who were inside a minibus parked outside a flat in Gwerus central business district (CBD), where Nharingo resided. Dube fatally shot Chinhango at close range and then turned the gun on Nharingos best friend, Gamuchirai Mudungwe, shooting her in the chest, resulting in her immediate death. He also shot Nharingo and her sister Nyaradzo, who were later rushed to the hospital. After the shootings, Dube reportedly fled to South Africa before eventually making his way to Eswatini, where he assumed a new identity as Xolile Mtsali. From there, he travelled to Ireland and sought asylum. However, following an expose by Zimbabwean authorities, Dube was arrested in Ireland on June 14, 2023, for violating immigration laws. During his court appearance in Ireland, Dube claimed to be a Mozambican national and presented an identity document to support his claim. The details of the new identity he assumed remain undisclosed at this time. Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi explained that due to a delay in providing documentation to prove Dubes Zimbabwean nationality, he was deported to Mozambique before the warrant of arrest could be executed. The Zimbabwean authorities are now working through Interpol to extradite Dube from Mozambique back to Zimbabwe. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that Dube is currently in Mozambique. It is believed that after fleeing Zimbabwe in 2021, Dube became involved with a syndicate engaged in producing counterfeit identity documents in South Africa and Eswatini. This syndicate allegedly aided him in obtaining Mozambican identity documents, which he then used during his court proceedings in Ireland. Efforts are now underway to ensure Dubes return to Zimbabwe to face charges related to the crimes he is accused of committing. Breaking News via Email Comedian Sabhuku Vharazipi and his Ziya Cultural Arts Trust trio have recently found themselves embroiled in controversy as they join the ranks of artists benefiting from their support of Zimbabwes ruling party, Zanu PF, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In a skit video, Vharazipi and his colleagues showered praises on Mnangagwas government, as well as controversial businessman Sir Wicknell, who has been generously gifting luxurious vehicles to artists such as Chief Hwenje and DJ Masomere. The video caught the attention of Sir Wicknell Chivayo, who was thrilled by their performance and promised to grant the trio a generous sum of US$10,000 each as a token of appreciation. Chivayo expressed his delight, stating that the video had associated him with greatness for the rest of his life. However, critics were quick to label the trio as desperate bootlickers, accusing them of creating the skit solely to gain favour and receive gifts from Chivayo. The Ziya Cultural Arts Trust trio is the latest addition to a growing list of artists who have been rewarded by Chivayo for their support of President Mnangagwas administration. Chief Hwenje, known for his song ED Pfee, which became an anthem at Zanu PF rallies during the 2018 elections, gained fame once again during this years campaign with his hit song Mai Welly, which resonated with Zanu PF supporters. Other artists who have received gifts from Zanu PF include Holy Ten, Ricky Fire, and DJ Masomere. It has been observed that the ruling party has been actively engaging artists during election campaigns, aiming to leverage their influence to attract support from their respective fan bases. While the Ziya Cultural Arts Trust trios skit has garnered attention and sparked controversy, it reflects a broader trend of artists aligning themselves with political parties and receiving gifts in return. Such alliances between artists and politicians serve as a means to rally support for political figures and parties, particularly during election periods. Breaking News via Email YOUTH crime is really a growing problem in the country and is dominating national headlines, particularly with stories of drug and substance abuse by the youths across the media. So dire is the situation that more than half of the youths population, about 57 percent in Zimbabwe, are involved in drug abuse despite measures implemented by various stakeholders to fight the pandemic. There has also been a steep increase in youth committing unlawful entry and unlawful use of motor vehicle offences. Depending on the age of the young person, there is always a range of options for dealing with offending with incarceration being one of them apparently to deter future crimes or delinquency by the youths. A 15-year-old boy from Plumtree who embarked on a spate of criminal activities recently hung his head in shame as magistrate Joshua Nembaware admonished his atrocious criminal record and behaviour. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has a two-page criminal record, which showed that he was being charged with three counts of theft and one for illegal possession of cannabis (mbanje). He pleaded guilty to all the four counts and the magistrate sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment of which three months were suspended for a period of five years on condition that he does not within that period commit any offence of which dishonesty is an element for which upon conviction he will be sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine. A further three months were suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainants R850 and R200 respectively before 30 November He was slapped with an effective six months jail term and the probation officer recommended that he be incarcerated at Whawha Juvenile Prison for his rehabilitation. During sentencing, the court heard that on 21 September and at around 4pm Kenneth Chabaya, a police officer left his service bicycle outside his house before the boy took it and went away unnoticed. When Chabaya wanted to take it inside the house that is when he realised that it had been stolen. He then searched for the bicycle by tracking its tyre marks and it led him to Dingumuzi Shops where he found it with the accused. The court heard that on 25 September some police officers who were on patrol became suspicious when they met the boy that he was abusing drugs and before they stopped him and searched him. During the search they found him in possession of one twist of dagga and was subsequently arrested. Following his arrest it emerged that on an unknown date but sometime in December 2022 the accused entered into his aunts house and stole R150. During the same month, the court further heard that he also stole his aunts two dogs and sold them. It was also discovered that sometime in March 2023 the accused ran away from his aunts home to stay in the bush. It is reported that during his aunts absence he went to her house and stole six chickens from the fowl run and sold them. Voster Makuwerere appeared for the State. Breaking News via Email The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has strongly condemned the recent attacks by Zimbabwe against Zambian leader Hakainde Hichilema. The condemnation comes after SADCs elections observer mission reported that Zimbabwe failed to organize polls that met international standards last month. Hakainde Hichilema, who is currently the chairperson of the SADC Troika on Peace and Security, appointed Nevers Mumba as the head of the regions observer mission. Mumbas preliminary report on the elections held on August 23 revealed significant issues. The report stated that the polls did not adhere to regional and international standards due to bias against the opposition by the election management body (ZEC). It also highlighted restrictions on President Emmerson Mnangagwas main opponents, preventing them from campaigning freely. Following the release of the report, SADC ministers from Zambia, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Namibia, which form the Troika, convened to discuss the findings. During the meeting, they expressed concerns about the attacks and their potential impact on future election observer missions, citing the upcoming Eswatini polls as an example. In a communique, the ministers emphasized that such attacks undermine the SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections. They also expressed worry that further attacks on the leadership of the SADC election observer mission could damage the credibility of the institution. As a result, they urged the SADC secretariat to proactively protect the credibility and leadership of SADC structures, including the election observer mission. The communique further emphasized the importance of crafting reports and statements in a manner that follows relevant procedures and rules to safeguard SADC institutions from unwarranted attacks. They stressed that the reports of the SADC election observer missions should be processed, adopted, and owned by the Organ Troika member states to avoid suggestions that they are the product of one individual or member state. The SADC report on Zimbabwes elections, prepared by the Troika and chaired by President Hichilema, will be presented at the regional bodys annual summit next year. Zimbabwes ruling party, Zanu-PF, specifically targeted President Hichilema and Dr. Mumba, accusing them of promoting a western regime change agenda. These ongoing attacks have strained relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Other observer missions, such as those from the European Union and African Union, also concluded that Zimbabwes elections did not meet democratic standards. Although President Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the polls with 52.6 percent of the vote, his main rival, Nelson Chamisa, rejected the results, labelling them a gigantic fraud. Chamisa refuses to recognize Mnangagwas victory. Breaking News via Email Your humble blogger had intended to write a longer post about the gradually emerging contours of the Ukraine endgame tomorrow. But the dramatic outcome of Republican dissidents successfully standing firm on the issue of not authorizing any funding Ukraine in the shutdown game of chicken is a huge blow for the Ukrainess prospects for future significant US support. And Ukraine suffered another blow with anti-Ukraine-support candidate Robert Fico winning the election in Slovakia on Sunday. These are such important developments that well give a short discussion today, with a fuller treatment in the next day or two. But several points now. One is the importance of anchoring. The Republicans having zeroed out support for Ukraine through November 17 (the time frame of the continuing resolution just passed) sets the precedent for just saying no to the Ukraine money burn pit. Even though polls have shown falling support among voters for continuing Ukraine funding, the sentiments of the great unwashed seldom matter. What might have changed the dynamic? First, as Alex Christoforu was early to call, was the meager $700 handouts to Maui fire victims compared to the $113 billion and (until just now) counting for Ukraine. Assuming an average population of 30 million from February 2022 till now, thats nearly $3,800 per capita. And a dollar goes a lot further in Ukraine than Hawaii Second was the factoid, that even Snopes could not deny, that if a shutdown had taken place, Ukraine government salaries would continue to be paid while many Federal employees would face furloughs. This laconic explanation didnt make the bare facts any prettier: If the U.S. government shuts down, American civil servants will, indeed, suffer a pause in paychecks that will have been caused by a lack of action in the present congressional session. The fact that Ukrainian workers will get paid during this time period is thanks, however, to congressional action in previous sessions of Congress. Third are the official efforts to let the air out of Project Ukraine balloon. The wee problem has been that the propaganda about how well Ukraine has been doing and the great exaggeration of the odds for victory greatly complicated managing expectations to a more realistic level, particularly given how much we and our allies have bet on it. One top off that, we have splits among the elites,, with some still believing that victory is still possible (as if we are bleeding Russia when the reverse is happening), others who are realists knowing defeat is inevitable and looking for a way to pretty that up, and others simply regarding Ukraine as a diversion of resources from Project China, and thus necessary to cut back irrespective of possible embarrassment and collateral damage. But the success until recently of greatly overhyping Ukraine, in a social media environment that is well disposed to create reputational pump and dumps means that once Ukraine and Zelensky were no longer sacred, the correction could be swift. The massive Congressional diss is very likely to create a feedback loop where more previously withheld or watered-down negative information information about the war will come forward. A few hot takes: Buckle up for the Ukraine propaganda to go into overdrive now that their US funding stops. Red October pic.twitter.com/Rd8CEvCnsJ mattkickass (@mattkickass) October 1, 2023 Mind you, there will be efforts to get Ukraine back on the drip feed. Matt Gaetz is threatening a vote on McCarthy continuing as Speaker; I wonder if that is intended to check reviving Ukraine spending: JUST IN: McCarthy Reportedly Lied Again Cut a Side Deal for Ukraine Funding with McConnell and Biden "We expect Speaker McCarthy, who has indicated his support for funding to support Ukraine to bring a separate bill to the floor soon," a White House spokesman#Bowman pic.twitter.com/qGDNySt3I5 SpeedySMM (@speedysmm) October 1, 2023 For instance, the US is clearly in need of someone to scapegoat and not happy with Zelensky, so it would seem a twofer to push him out. But that is tricky given how recently weve depicted him as the second coming of Churchill and how Zelensky has kneecapped any conceivable replacements. So the US needs time to execute its presumed preferred plan of cornering Zelensky to reverse himself and hold elections in 2024 (which he seems pretty sure to lose) and for us to find and pump up a tractable candidate. The sudden prospect of a funding drought both accelerates the timetable and reduces our leverage. The second is the impact that the US hitting the money brakes, even if allegedly on a transitory basis, will have on EU/NATO allies. The US has been far and away Ukraines biggest backer. Even supplying a hodge podge and dwindling amount of often-dated weapons still kept up the appearance the West had Ukraines back. This chart is dated but it gives an idea of the relative importance of the US cash spigot. From the BBC: Notice how big the financial part is. Well elaborate on that in our next post. Now let us look briefly at the Robert Fico win in Slovakia. He was first in a fragmented party system, but given that had a solid margin. From Aljazeera in Slovakias populist party opposed to Ukraine aid wins vote: The populist party of former Prime Minister Robert Fico that wants to stop military aid to Ukraine and is critical of the European Union and NATO has won Slovakias election, results showed on Sunday. SMER-SSD party scored 23.3 percent, beating the centrist Progressive Slovakia (PS) that garnered 17 percent of the votes, the Slovak Statistics Office said early on Sunday after completing the count of 99.98 percent of the votes from some 6,000 polling stations. Analysts predict a Fico government could radically change Slovakias foreign policy to resemble that of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, straining a fragile unity in the EU and NATO on opposing Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. And from the Financial Times: While Fico may struggle to form a stable coalition, his victory will raise alarm bells in Washington and Brussels because it could bring another anti-Ukraine voice into the EU alongside Hungarys prime minister Viktor Orban. Fico has opposed sanctions against Russia and also claimed that Nato-led support for Ukraine undermines national sovereignty Slovak analyst Milan Nic, of the German Council on Foreign Relations, said: The task for the west now is not to lose Slovakia and engage constructively with Fico, but I think that Moscow is celebrating what will be seen as cracks in Europes east and Hungary no longer being alone... Fico now needs to find enough allies among Slovakias fragmented political parties to avoid another hung parliament. Since May the country has had a technocratic government, appointed by President Zuzana Caputova after the previous coalition imploded. A potential kingmaker in forming a new government is the Hlas party of another former prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, which came third with 14.7 per cent of the votes. Pellegrini replaced Fico in office before he fell out with his former mentor and left Smer to form Hlas. There seems to be a path for Fico to have a working coalition if he joined forces with a smaller ultranationalist party and mended his relationship with Pellegrini, Nic said. The three parties together would have 79 of 150 seats in parliament Pavol Demes, a former Slovak foreign minister, said: Fico will not be as strong as Orban, but the EU has already been struggling to keep unity on Ukraine and Im sure international policymakers will be worried about how far Fico can go in terms of fulfilling all the rhetoric from his campaign. On Sunday Fico said his stance was to continue helping Ukraine in a humanitarian way and eventually take part in its postwar reconstruction, but not to provide more military aid for now. It is not yet clear if Fico can form a government. But his coming in first when Slovakia has historically been an ally of Ukraine is another proof that more and more citizens and as a result, their elected officials, are in fact not willing to do whatever it takes to support Ukraine when the costs keep mounting and there is no end in sight. And if Fico can form a government, Orban will no longer be isolated in questioning reflexively Russia-hostile stances. Even though Ficos participation in EU and NATO decisions wont change outcomes, it will force groupthinkers to defend their positions, which will be revealing. And more immediately, what do Europe-savvy readers think these developments portend for the upcoming elections in Poland? As if it werent enough for Washington to drive Russia and China together, its with-us-or-against-us attitude is also alienating India and is providing evermore incentive for New Delhi and Beijing to put aside their differences. Washington is upset that India continues to play a central role in the development of BRICS, maintains strong and profitable ties with Russia, and generally refuses to follow neocon orders to be a US bulwark against China in South Asia. The US has tried to woo New Delhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the outbreak of the Ukraine war while also not shying away from applying pressure. The latter is beginning to increase as the neocons in the state department grow impatient with New Delhis ongoing refusal to bend its national interest to meet US demands. Washington is responding the only way it knows how: by becoming more confrontational an approach that will almost certainly only motivate India to work out its differences with China, grow even closer to Russia and work harder to fortify BRICS. The most recent dust up between India and the West involves the killing of a man in Canada. In June, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an advocate for an independent Sikh state, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia. Some Sikhs in Indian diaspora communities support the establishment of an independent nation called Khalistan in the Indian state of Punjab. A failed insurgency there in the 1980s and 1990s led to a sizable emigration to Canada, the UK, and the US. Canada has accused New Delhi of orchestrating Nijars killing. India has denied the allegations and accused Canada of hosting Sikh extremist groups. According to the New York Times, the US provided the intelligence for Trudeaus claims. Importantly, however, the US came out soon after and backed Ottawa. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it a case of transnational repression. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that India does not have a special exemption to carry out actions like extrajudicial killings. (A quick side note: The US killed up to 16,900 people in drone strikes between just between 2010 and 2020. Obama even whacked US citizens in Yemen, including a 16-year-old who was born in Colorado. Trump later took out his eight-year-old sister.) The FBI is also apparently warning Sikhs in the US that India might come after them too. Canada apparently did the same for Nijar, but as The Canada Files points out, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has a long, suspect history with Sikh separatists: CSIS fingerprints are all over the 1985 Sikh separatist bombing of Air India 182 which killed all 329 people on board, 268 of whom were Canadian citizens. The bombing came after Operation Blue Star led to the massacre of 5000 to 7000 Sikhs in 1984. At minimum, CSIS knew about the bombing plot by Sikh separatists desiring the creation of a state called Khalistan from Indias Punjab region, and let it happen. Between 1984 and 1985, both CSIS and the RCMP had three informants tell them about a bombing plot against an Air India flight, but all were deemed unreliable. A CSIS agent who was a suspect in the Air India bombings, Surjan Singh Gill, knew about the bomb plot against Air India 182 and 301. An RCMP transcript indicated that CSIS agents observed Gill and the suspects in Vancouver just days before the bombings, followed their movements and tapped their phones. After the bombing of Air India 182, in 1985, CSIS destroyed wiretaps of critical wiretaps of Air India suspects. 156 out of 210 wiretaps of Air India lead plotter Talwinder Singh Parmars phone calls, in the three months leading up to the bombing, were destroyed. Nijjar had been warned by CSIS of a likely assassination plot against him back in 2022, though from whom was not mentioned by the Globe and Mail. Yet, as demonstrated by its conduct around the Sikh separatist bombing plot against Air India flights, CSIS having knowledge of plots hasnt historically stopped it from standing by when they happen. There is certainly no proof that CSIS let Nijjars killing happen, but theres precedent for them letting something of this type occur towards Canadians. At minimum, the timing of these revelations being shared has major utility for CSIS, and should be questioned. While this is the most serious dust-up between India and the West since the war in Ukraine began, it is hardly the first. Maybe just as important as the brouhaha over the Canada affaire, is the fact that the US has begun to enact sanctions on Indian companies the first known measures against any Indian business since the beginning of the Ukraine war. Reuters reported at the end of August: India has asked the U.S. to allow the release of $26 million belonging to at least two Indian diamond firms that was frozen due to their alleged trade links with sanctioned Russian diamond major Alrosa, three Indian sources told Reuters. The funds were frozen earlier this year due to U.S. sanctions on Alrosa that were imposed in April 2022 by the U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control, two of the sources said. Both the sources are Indian government officials, who declined to identify themselves or the companies, citing the sensitivity of the matter. Indian commentators have written about how the US going the sanctions route will only backfire and lead to opposite of where the US desires, which is pretty much the neocons modus operandi, however, so more sanctions should be expected. Washingtons vassals in the EU are also planning to indirectly take action against the Indian diamond industry via a Russian diamond ban. Belgium has recently done an about face on the issue as long as there are physical controls on diamonds and traceability using blockchain technology that will document a diamonds source and every step of its journey. Such a tracking system would decimate the Indian diamond industry. According to the Financial Times, removing Russian diamonds from circulation would risk hundreds of thousands of jobs in India, which relies on Russia for 60 percent of the gems it processes. The German Greens, meanwhile, eagerly embrace their role as neocon attack dogs and lecture India on what its relationship with Russia should be and threaten to try to involve the UN in Kashmir. German Vice-Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck went off on a three-day visit to India in July, and on the very first day he started going on about how New Delhi must condemn Russias war in Ukraine. Habeck said while he respected Indias own tradition and partnership with Russia, the country cannot remain neutral while the war is ongoing. Of course, German FM Annalena Baerbock towards the end of last year joined the US in trying to pressure India to cut ties with Russia by using threats over Kashmir. With Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at her side, Baerbock said Germany has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation of Kashmir. Therefore, we support intensively the engagement of the United Nations to find peaceful solutions in the region. Baerbocks comments were not well-received in India: How Russian foreign minister Lavrov was welcomed in India vs German foreign minister Baerbock pic.twitter.com/u8mlsXvMC2 Richard (@ricwe123) March 4, 2023 India has stated for decades that the Kashmir issue must be solved bilaterally, so one would think that Baerbock knew what she was saying wouldnt go over well. Her statements also came around the same time the U.S. State Department enraged India when it approved a $450 million deal to upgrade Pakistans F-16 fleet. They followed that up with the US ambassador to Pakistan creating more tension during a visit to the Pakistani-held part of Kashmir, which he called by its Pakistani name instead of the United Nations-approved name Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Elsewhere, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) just held a hearing focusing on alleged Indian abuses. From Indian Express: Appearing before the USCIRF for the hearing on policy options for advancing religious freedom in India, de Varennes alleged there is a steady and alarming erosion of fundamental rights, particularly of religious and other minorities in the country. India risks becoming one of the worlds main generators of instability, atrocities and violence because of the massive scale and gravity of the violations and abuses targeting mainly religious and other minorities such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and others. It is not just individual or local, it is systematic and a reflection of religious nationalism, he said. While all of this may be true, these types of US efforts to address religious, gender, and/or ethnic issues in other countries are almost always selectively applied in order to apply pressure on or foment discord in countries the US is targeting. And the Washington Post just came out with an ongoing series of stories going after the Modi government for actions that dont even rise to the level of what the Biden administration has done or attempted to do with the media. 1. How the BJP and Indian right uses a massive whatsapp pyramid model to spread election material that is often inflammatory and impossible to monitor a machine that it pioneered and mastered like no party in the world. We went to Karnataka to observe https://t.co/ZS5b94RFqy Gerry Shih (@gerryshih) September 27, 2023 Modi is also being blamed for failures in the effort to contain China. All of this could be a sign of a more aggressive approach coming against New Delhi for its strong relationship with Russia, as well as its role in BRICS. As former Indian diplomat MK Bhadrakumar writes: The Nijjar affair poses an existential dilemma. Surrendering to the US diktat will make India look a surrogate state and a laughing stock in the Global South. Indians wont approve of it. On the contrary, ignoring the diktat will be hugely consequential. Make no mistake, Five Eyes had a gory history against the Soviet Union; in the post-cold war era, it all but destabilised Hong Kong, and is today an active player in Myanmar and Thailand in Indias neighbourhood. Its entry in the subcontinent is ominous. In a weeks time already, what appeared to be an investigation into a murder case has got entangled with the rules-based order and the working of the international system and the BRICS. That is a dramatic escalation signalling discontent with the government. Any threat from the US, however, only seems to be speeding up cooperation with Russia. Trade between the two powers has exploded thanks to Western sanctions. From Russia Briefing: In 2019, bilateral trade amounted to US$11.20 billion, declining to US$9.26 billion in 2020 (covid), while rebounding to US$13.60 billion in 2021. Overall, the covid pandemic was a serious obstacle to the pre-existing growth of Russian-Indian economic cooperation. It did not however derail the overall trend of growing trade partnership between the two countries. For instance, between April 2022 and February 2023, bilateral trade reached a record US$45 billion. Russia moved from 25th to 7th position among Indian trading partners, after the US, China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. In 2022 India displaced Europe as the main buyer of offshore oil from Russia. India increased its imports of Russian oil by 16 times, making up a third of all deliveries to the country. India began buying Russian oil for UAE dirhams and roubles. Purchases of Russian oil allowed Moscow and New Delhi to quickly overcome the US$30 billion bilateral trade target that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously agreed to reach only by 2025. This achievement allows the two countries to even set higher standards in bilateral trade. And setting higher standards they are doing. India and Russia continued to discuss the development of the Eastern Maritime Corridor at the recent Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The route connects Chennai on Indias southeastern coast to Russias Far East and could reduce transit times by up to 16 days. There were also talks about expanding trade between the Russian Arctic and India, including an agreement for Russia to train Indians in the navigation of polar waters and a New Delhi proposal to build icebreakers at its shipyards. Just as neocon efforts against Russia and China helped drive the two closer than ever, the same outcome could be on the horizon for New Delhi and Beijing. The two nations no doubt have their issues, including a thorny border dispute, but an understanding seems to be coalescing around the necessity of finding common ground free from Western meddling. Washingtons pressure campaign on India will only cement that feeling. From Russia Briefing: There may also be some future rapprochement with China. New Delhis relations with Beijing have been problematic since the late 1950s and related to border issues created in the wake of vagaries associated with the borders of Tibet, as well as Chinas long standing support for Pakistan. Historically, some of these were influenced by Beijings desire to keep New Delhi pre-occupied with security issues while it engaged on a decades-long process of economic reform. In 1960, Indias GDP was US$36 billion, today it is 3.2 trillion. To compare, Chinas GDP was US$59 billion in 1960 but is now US$4.2 trillion. Should China feel that its policy of deliberately pushing India down has now run its course, then border settlements may be on the agenda certainly as Messrs Modi and Xi appear to have good personal relations. If so, the addition of India as part of the Global South will also feed directly into its relations with Russia. Moscow of course will be happy to act as a broker. Neocon efforts to reverse US decline continue to only hasten the imperial collapse. Their divide and rule tactics keep backfiring in spectacular fashion. Russia and China are closer than ever. The BRICS is expanding with a foundation that becomes stronger with each US-led effort to weaken it. Saudi Arabia and Iran are working through their differences. And the efforts to stir up trouble in the Caucasus via Armenia will likely only force other countries in the region closer together and isolate Armenia. Member of Bidens green team admits EVs are NOT sustainable One member of President Joe Biden's own "green team" has admitted that the push for electric vehicles (EVs) won't be enough to stop global warming On Sept. 18. Jigar Shah, the director of the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy (DOE), posted an unusually frank tweet on X. In his reply to another post, Shah said replacing "all of the vehicles in the world with EVs is not sustainable." According to Shah, it is crucial to first "invest in micro-mobility, new ownership models, better urban planning models and other improvements." He added that they must first "improve on the current 4-6 percent utilization rate" of the current car fleet. Shah is working with John Podesta in handing out $300 billion in loan guarantees for green energy projects. Podesta was named as senior advisor to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation in September last year. In essence, the Biden administration is admitting that the U.S. can't replace all the 250 million internal-combustion vehicles in the country with EVs. Rules meant to speed up transition to EVs are facing many challenges The Biden administration has proposed aggressive rules to drastically speed up America's switch to electric vehicles and significantly reduce the auto pollution that is allegedly heating the planet. But these rules are facing many challenges. The plans detailed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are supposedly designed to ensure that two-thirds of new passenger cars and a quarter of new heavy trucks sold in the U.S. are all-electric by 2032. If the plans are enacted as proposed, the regulations would mean a significant leap for the auto industry in the country, where only 5.8 percent of new cars and less than two percent of trucks sold in 2022 were all-electric. To transform the American automobile industry on the ambitious scale it envisions, the Biden administration must first deal with resistance from manufacturers and consumers, along with possible legal challenges from those who consider the regulations as government overreach. One of the most important aspects of a wholesale transition to electric vehicles involves timing. While almost all automakers have already invested billions in electrification, the proposed regulations create a dilemma: How can automakers continue to manufacture gasoline-powered vehicles, which provide profits, while investing more in new electric facilities? The aggressive timeline targeted by the government means the carmakers could also have a hard time sourcing the materials required for vehicle batteries, which are already difficult to obtain. Market demand is another challenge. Even with federal tax incentives of up to $7,500 for consumers, electric vehicles are more expensive upfront compared with conventional cars and trucks. At the end of 2022, the price of an average new car was $49,507 compared with $61,448 for an electric vehicle. However, even for motivated consumers who can afford EVs, one major obstacle is something called "range anxiety," or the fear of being stranded because your EV can't reach its destination on a single charge and the lack of fast charging stations. Stephanie Brinley, an automotive analyst at S&P Global, said the administration's goal was "always a transformation that was going to happen over decades." The aggressive timeline means a lot of things must first happen consecutively and concurrently. (Related: Pew poll finds 59% of Americans OPPOSE Biden admins plan to phaseout gas-powered cars in favor of EVs.) There is also another all-but-certain legal and political threat looming on the horizon: The new rules could be erased by the courts or a future president. There is proof that the industry is already transitioning into an all-electric future. For example, General Motors (GM) is targeting a goal of phasing out the sale of all internal combustion vehicles by 2035. Meanwhile, Ford Motor hopes electric cars make up half of its sales by 2030. Both Hyundai and Nissan are ramping up EV production. However, the proposed regulations would mean automakers must make more adjustments. Ford is on schedule to spend $50 billion between 2022 through 2026 on its electric vehicle production. The company also has two battery factories under construction in Kentucky, with a third planned in Tennessee and an electric truck plant. However, Ford will most likely need to spend billions more if EVs are to make up two-thirds of the more than two million vehicles that it sells in North America annually. EV transition comes with "very high" risks Matthias Heck, vice president at Moody's Investors Service, explained that the risks of accelerating the transition away from gasoline-powered vehicles are "high, if not very high" since electrification will require further substantial investments into several factors, such as: New battery electric vehicles Battery technology Supply chain and manufacturing capacity Charging infrastructure Ford and other automakers also have not yet secured sufficient sources of cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel and other materials essential for automotive batteries. It remains unclear where they will get them. While the Biden administration is hoping that EV costs will decrease with mass production. Carlos Tavares, chief executive of Stellantis, said the difficulty of sourcing materials worked against that. Tavares warned that affordability isn't guaranteed because the raw materials are scarce and very expensive. They are also volatile, he added. Manufacturers are now financing their electric vehicle production from substantial profits on their gas-powered trucks and sport utility vehicles. Experts warned that despite this, maintaining profitability as they produce more electric vehicles and fewer gas-powered models will be difficult. GM revealed that it is not yet making money on its electric vehicles, while Ford said its electric division was set to lose $3 billion in 2023. Both companies hope to turn the corner as they boost the production of electric models while also trying to cut costs. GM is in the process of eliminating 5,000 jobs to reduce costs by $2 billion. In 2022, Ford started to trim about 3,000 jobs from its workforce. Sam Abuelsamid, a principal research analyst at Guidehouse Insights, thinks reaching at least 50 to 60 percent EVs is possible, but it won't be easy. Even if the pace of EV purchases is slowly increasing, many car buyers remain uncertain about the new technology. Read more stories about the Biden administration's push for EVs supposedly to stop global warming at GreenTyranny.news. Watch the video below to learn more about the green energy trillion dollar scam. This video is from the Greekinsider channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: INSANITY: Biden administration now going after dishwashers to combat imaginary climate crisis. PLANNED IMPLOSION: California approves ban on new diesel truck sales by 2036. Ford, Tennessee state govt collude to grab private lands for EV and battery plants. Sources include: ClimateDepot.com Twitter.com WhiteHouse.gov NYTimes.com Brighteon.com British BLM activist pleads GUILTY to fraud over MISSING DONATIONS A Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist based in the U.K. has pleaded guilty to fraud over missing donations she collected. Breitbart reported that Xahra Saleem, 23, recently entered a guilty plea to one count of fraud at the Bristol Crown Court. The charges stemmed from 30,000 ($36,603) in donations from the general public disappearing, with the intended beneficiaries not receiving even a single penny. Saleem, who also went by the name Yvonne Maina, was a founding member of the BLM offshoot All Black Lives (ABL) Bristol. She was also involved in the infamous June 2020 protest that resulted in the statue of merchant Edward Colston being toppled and thrown into the Bristol Harbor. According to the outlet, Saleem had set up an online fundraiser in the days prior to the protest in order to allegedly raise money for the aforementioned protest. Any excess funds raised would be donated by ABL Bristol to a local youth charity named Changing Your Mindset (CYM), the Times reported. In turn, the charity would subsidize the cost of a trip to Africa for deprived local children in Bristol. The plan unfortunately did not come to fruition. CYM claimed it never received the money from ABL Bristol and raised the issue with local police. It eventually shut down entirely after being disillusioned over the incident. Saleem was charged with fraud "while occupying a position, namely organizer in which [she was] expected to safeguard or not act against the financial interests of ABL Bristol. It also accused her of "dishonestly [abusing] the position intending to make a gain" in the form of "using the funds raised for [herself]." Aside from the fraud charge involving CYM, Saleem was also charged in connection with a second fundraiser with the supposed beneficiaries not receiving the money, the BBC reported. (Related: Another Black Lives Matter activist arrested for misappropriating (aka stealing) funds.) Had Saleem not appeared before the court, a trial would have taken place in December. She is scheduled for sentencing at the same court on Oct. 31. Embezzlement, fraud common within BLM It appears that embezzlement and fraud are a common occurrence within BLM, even across the pond. At home, the movement's founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has been under fire for spending donations to the movement on high-end real estate. Citing property records, the New York Post said Cullors managed to purchase four luxury homes for $3.2 million in the U.S. alone. Hawk Newsome, who heads BLM Greater New York City, called for an "independent investigation" to determine how Cullors and the BLM Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) under her spends its money. "If you go around calling yourself a socialist, you have to ask how much of her own personal money is going to charitable causes," he said. "It's really sad because it makes people doubt the validity of the movement and overlook the fact that its the people that carry this movement." Later, other BLM chapters distanced themselves from Cullors after news of the BLMGNF's potential insolvency surfaced. According to the Washington Free Beacon, the foundation "blew through two-thirds of the $90 million the group raised following George Floyd's death in the summer of 2020 and suffered a massive drop in donations in its 2022 fiscal year." The Free Beacon also disclosed that BLMGNF spent huge amounts on high-priced contractors that share close ties with Cullors. Her brother collected a $126,000 salary as "head of security," while two companies he owned raked in $1.6 million providing "professional security services" for BLM. Shalomyah Bowers, meanwhile, collected $1.7 million for consultancy and management services provided through his firm Bowers Consulting. He was named as the successor to BLMGNF after Cullors stepped down in May 2021. But a September 2022 lawsuit filed by the BLM Grassroots chapter accused Bowers of using BLMGNF as his "personal piggy bank." It alleged that the consultant fraudulently siphoned $10 million in "fees" to his company. "[Bowers] continued to betray the public trust by self-dealing and breaching his fiduciary duties," the lawsuit continued. Head over to BlackLies.news for more stories about fraud in the BLM movement. Watch Gabor "Gabe" Zolna discussing the ugly truth about BLM exposed by its founder Rashad Turner. This video is from the zolnareport.com channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Black Lives Matter financially imploding as founder and her family reportedly pillage funds. BLM co-founder denies using funds to purchase four homes, calls accusers "racist and sexist." Black activists distance themselves from BLM following reports of CORRUPTION in the group. Support for BLM drops to lowest level since reaching its peak in 2020, thanks to allegations of embezzlement within the group. BLM co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors has purchased four lavish estates in wealthy white neighborhoods with her "social justice" reparations. Sources include: Breitbart.com BBC.co.uk NYPost.com FreeBeacon.com Brighteon.com Tech CEO and BLM supporter killed and raped by an ex-convict black man, who was released early by Soros-funded D.A. A self-proclaimed "anti-racist" and Black Lives Matter supporter was allegedly beaten to death in her own home in Baltimore on September 25, Monday, by a previously imprisoned black male who is now roaming freely because a leftist district attorney released him on "good-time credits." EcoMap Technologies CEO Pava Marie LaPere, 26, who also spoke out against the "criminalization of Black bodies," was assaulted with apparent signs of "blunt-force trauma." Baltimore Police said they found LaPere around 11:30 a.m. after a missing person's call was made. They found her partially clothed body on the roof of her apartment building in the 300 block of West Franklin Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood late Monday morning, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation." Though police are not stating it outright, the implication appears to be that she was raped before she was murdered. Cops said Tuesday an arrest warrant has been issued for Jason Dean Billingsley, 32, on first-degree murder and additional charges. Officials warned that the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. "This individual will kill, and he will rape," Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley warned at a news conference. "He will do anything he can to cause harm. We implore residents to be aware of their surroundings at all times." BPD announces 1st Degree Murder warrant for 32 y/o Jason Billingsley in the killing of Pava LaPere. WATF & US Marshals are actively attempting to arrest him. Billingsley is armed & dangerous. Contact 911 if you come in contact with this individual. https://t.co/6pFynzudRr pic.twitter.com/AqOZwN63sv Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) September 26, 2023 In 2015, Billingsley was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 16 years suspended, after he pleaded guilty to a first-degree sex offense, court records show. He was released early from prison under George Soros-funded State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, the Baltimore Banner reported, citing Parole Commission Chairman David R. Blumberg. "The state corrections department lists Billingsley as a registered sex offender who lives in the 1500 block of Baker Street in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore," the news outlet noted. "According to the department, he was released on Oct. 5, 2022, and is listed as 'non-compliant,' though it was unclear why." Authorities said the suspect is 6-foot-1 and 200 to 215 pounds. He has medium brown skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes, and he occasionally wears glasses. Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said Billingsley should not have been free. "There is no way in hell that he should have been out on the street," Scott said. "When the police go out and do their job, as they did in this case ... and the state's attorney goes out and does their work, gets the conviction, the conviction should be the conviction. We are tired of talking about the same people committing the same kind of crimes over and over again." Forbes named LaPere to its 2023 30 Under 30 list for social impact. "With over $4 million raised and a team of nearly 30, the Johns Hopkins grad runs a company whose clients include The Aspen Institute, Meta, the WXR Fund, and T.Rowe Price Foundation," the business magazine wrote. LaPere touted her anti-racist bonafides on her Instagram. "EcoMap Technologies stand against systemic racism, bigotry, and a police state that criminalizes Black bodies," LaPere wrote. "We stand in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, now and always. We commit to being anti-racist in all aspects of what we do ... We encourage all other startups to speak out and do the same." Her company uses technology to "digitize ecosystems, ensuring anyone can easily access the information they need. In a post last month, the victim said she was "especially thrilled" about the company's growth and she thanked EcoMap customers, advisers, investors, and friends. "Here's to the next wild year, and all of those to follow," she wrote. Homicide detective questions why Billingsley was freed from 2015 imprisonment Apart from the 2015 sex offense charge against Billingsley, he was convicted of first-degree assault and violation of probation in 2009, which carried a sentence of five and three years, respectively. Former Washington, D.C., Homicide Detective Ted Williams told Fox News Digital he would have never given a recommendation for the suspect to be paroled. Williams wonders why Billingsley was released. "My recommendation would have been absolutely under no circumstances, looking [sic] and given the record of this individual, that this individual should have been back on the streets of Baltimore," he said. Williams added that there needs to be an "extensive investigation" into how Billingsley was released from prison on parole. "And it is without a doubt that somebody or bodies in Baltimore have what I defined as blood on their hands by permitting this violent criminal to be released and back on the streets of Baltimore," Williams said. (Related: BLM supporter who mowed down, killed Christmas parade watchers found guilty of multiple murders.) Read more about Black Lives Matter, a domestic terrorist organization at Terrorism.news. Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com USAToday.com NBCNews.com TheBaltimoreBanner.com FoxNews.com Massive explosion at EV battery warehouse in Uzbekistan kills 15-year-old boy, injures 163 A giant explosion followed by a fire that completely destroyed a customs warehouse near an airport in Uzbekistan also killed a 15-year-old boy and injured at least 162 people. Video and photos of the blast flooded social media showing a massive conflagration and a big mushroom cloud of smoke that was visible across Tashkent. The Inter Logistics LLC explosion reportedly occurred at 2.43 a.m. local time and likewise caused damage to hundreds of houses and other buildings over a vast area up to 20 miles away. Conflicting reports are coming out about the exact cause of the explosion. Initial reports suggested a plane crash, which authorities in the ex-Soviet state deny as the cause of the thunderous explosion that shook much of the city. Meanwhile, the nation's Ministry of Health blamed lightning that struck the depository. But there were later doubts that lightning had been a factor in the explosion. There were also suspicions that explosives were present in the warehouse given the scale of the blast, but this was officially denied. Russian state media Tass later reported that the warehouse contained several dozen electric vehicles and batteries. It said that the explosion also caused minor damage to the nearby Quruvchilar subway station. The Associated Press reported that 24 people were hospitalized and the remaining 138 were treated for their injuries and sent home, according to the health ministry. The agency added that Uzbekistan's leading medical specialists were treating the casualties. The boy who died was crushed when a window frame fell on him. The Ministry of Emergency Situations said the powerful blast was attended by 16 fire crews. Dozens of ambulances immediately sent the wounded to hospitals and at least five children were hurt by shattered glass. It is still unclear how many people were in the warehouse when it exploded. A lot of Uzbeks personally observed while others saw the horrifying images and footage on the internet, adding to the urgency of the situation as people ran out of their houses in panic. A local resident said: "It was very scary." "I woke up at night. I thought it was an earthquake," said Koutepov Moustafo, a 72-year-old retiree who lives nearby and whose house was affected. "Then I saw the fire. My son was injured in the leg." While flight operations at Tashkent International Airport appeared to be operating normally, a closure notice has been issued for the runway during specific hours. The reason for this closure was not initially provided. Uzbekistan is the most populous of the central Asian former Soviet republics, and fires attributed to dilapidated equipment and poor adherence to safety standards are reportedly common there. NY and SF fire departments: Lithium-ion battery fires caused at least 20 deaths and more than 300 injuries since 2019 Data that came from New York City and San Francisco fire departments via CBS News revealed that there have been at least 20 deaths and more than 300 injuries in those cities caused by lithium-ion battery fires. These types of rechargeable batteries that power common items like e-bikes, scooters, and electric cars pose a dangerous threat. According to them, they burn hotter and longer than most materials and many fire departments may be unprepared to handle them. Since at least 2019, fire departments in the two cities say they've responded to at least 669 incidents combined. In June, four people were killed and two others seriously injured after a lithium-ion battery malfunctioned and sparked a fire in a first-floor e-bike shop in New York. Fire officials say the blaze quickly spread to apartments above the shop. Last year, there were more than 200 fires blamed on lithium-ion batteries in New York City. Since then, the city has recorded 326 injuries related to these types of fires, while San Francisco recorded seven in the same period. Additionally, in 2022, most of the Big Apple's rechargeable battery-related fires caused structural damage. In San Francisco, about a third caused structural damage. Experts say much of the problem stems from unregulated aftermarket chargers that are not required to be certified. In some cases, products left plugged in have overcharged causing batteries to malfunction, overheat and combust. After the deadly fire, the New York City Council passed several bills to strengthen fire safety. The said legislation aims to restrict the sale, lease, or rental of powered mobility devices and storage batteries that fail to meet safety standards set by Underwriters Laboratories, an independent and not-for-profit testing laboratory as the council and the organization claimed. Meanwhile, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, which would set standards for rechargeable?lithium-ion batteries and set nationwide consumer guidelines to protect people and responders from fires caused by the batteries. (Related: BURNING ISSUE: Toronto landlord prohibits "potential fire hazard" personal EVs on property; tenants' rights advocates outraged.) Check out RoboCars.news for stories about electric vehicles and the disadvantages of lithium batteries. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com Ummid.com CaledonianRecord.com AlJazeera.com CBSNews.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Representatives of Kazakhstan will take part in the International Astronautical Congress in Baku, advisor to the President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Dominique Tilmans said during a press conference at the meeting of the 13th international session of the IAF, Trend reports. According to her, the meeting, which was held in Baku, was very interesting and important from the point of view of the space industry. "Tomorrow, that is, on the first day of the International Astronautical Congress, representatives from Kazakhstan will arrive in Baku. We will be glad to see them at this event," Tilmans said. The International Astronautical Congress has been held annually since 1950 under the auspices of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law with the support of the International Astronautical Federation. The history of the International Astronautics Congress in Azerbaijan dates back to 1973. Thus, on the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev, the 24th International Astronautical Congress was held in Azerbaijan on October 7-13, 1973 under the motto "Space Research - Penetration of Science and Technology", thus Baku became the first city in South Caucasus where this event was organized. And on October 25-29, 2019, Baku won the right to host the most prestigious event of the space industry for the second time at the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington, DC. Thus, the 74th International Astronautics Congress "Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance", organized by Azerbaijan's space agency Azercosmos, will be held in Baku on October 2-6, 2023. Ukraine-bound tanks sent by Germany are OUTDATED and NON-FUNCTIONING, official admits A senior official in Germany has admitted that the supposedly "advanced" tanks and other weapons systems the country sends to Ukraine are outdated and non-functioning German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made the shocking admission in an interview with CNN. She disclosed to the outlet's Christine Amanpour that some of the Leopard 1 tanks sent to Kyiv are outdated and "not really functioning." Baerbock's response followed the journalist's questions as to why Berlin has rejected requests to supply Kyiv with Taurus long-range missiles. "We have to be clear on every detail how does it work, who can actually operate them," said Baerbock. "Yes, it takes some time. I totally understand there is not enough time in Ukraine but when we deliver it, it has to work." According to the German foreign minister, earlier weapons systems have not been effective and have even proved to be faulty at times. Following this logic, there should be no rush to provide Ukraine with additional weapons more so with sophisticated missile systems. Ukrainian operators have been rushed through hasty training programs, leading to problems that eventually become worse. These problems arise when Ukrainian troops don't spend enough time learning the intricacies of these weapons systems. Aside from operators, assistance and support crews also need to be caught up to speed. Baerbock ultimately rationalized the poor condition of Germany's military equipment by claiming that Europe has not been confronted "with a brutal war lately." (Related: German foreign minister admits country is at war with Russia.) It is interesting to note that Berlin was among the first governments to declare that it wouldn't interfere with Eastern European countries that wished to transfer German-made tanks to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian media outlets have shown multiple instances of Leopard tanks being destroyed and burnt. Alongside this, Moscow has emphasized the "victory" of Russian tanks against those supplied by the West. Ukraine itself rejects dilapidated Leopard tanks Even Kyiv has turned down Leopard tanks due to their unsatisfactory technical condition. A Sept. 20 report by Remix News expounded on this issue, noting that Ukraine rejected 10 units of the Leopard 1 tanks. "The Leopard 1 tanks Ukraine is receiving in larger batches are inferior to Leopard 2 tanks, which are also in Ukraines arsenal but in far fewer numbers," the outlet stated. The report cited the German magazine Der Spiegel, saying that Ukraine has informed the special command under the German Ministry of Defense (BMVg) regarding this predicament. Kyiv remarked that weapons systems from Berlin that arrived in Poland need to be repaired. But given the lack of spare parts and necessary technical personnel to conduct the repairs, "there is no point in sending the Leopards to Ukraine." Der Spiegel noted that the statement from Kyiv has "raised concerns" in Berlin, The BMVg then urgently sent specialists in Poland to service the tanks. Upon checking, it turned out that the tanks were indeed in need of repairs proving Ukraine's concerns right. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius earlier promised to increase deliveries of repaired Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine beginning in July. "By the end of the year, there will be more than 100 of them," he said. But Ralf Thiele, president of the German Military-Political Society, begged to differ. He called the Leopard 1 tanks delivered to Ukraine as "scrap metal" and advised against further deliveries. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement that the Leopard tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles sent to Ukraine were "burning beautifully." Head over to MilitaryTechnology.news for more stories about tanks and other military aid sent to Ukraine. Watch this Hindustan Times report about Russian forces taking out a Leopard tank operated by a German crew. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Western tanks are priority targets for Russian forces, Putin says. Germany halts purchases of Puma tanks following devastating breakdowns. NATO countries set to provide modern tanks to Ukraine as war with Russia grinds on. More German tanks, equipment deemed out of action: Is Berlin's military even functional? Sending modern tanks to Ukraine could trigger "unimaginable escalation," German lawmaker warns. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com RMX.news Brighteon.com BREAKING: Los Angeles School District rescinds covid-19 vaccine mandate over 1,000 employees who were wrongfully terminated now await justice On August 13, 2021, the second largest public school district in the United States -- the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) -- ordered all employees to be fully vaccinated against covid-19 by October 15, 2021. Employees who did not consent were considered a threat to public health and to the lives of children. These employees were stripped over their medical privacy, put under duress and subjected to weekly medical testing requirements that were coercive and discriminatory in nature and based on medical fraud. The LAUSD enrolls nearly 575,000 students annually and employs around 38,300 staff. Over the course of LAUSDs unlawful covid-19 vaccine mandate , the district wrongfully terminated around 500 employees and forced another 500 employees into unpaid leave or early retirement. Health Freedom Defense Fund seeks justice for more than 1,000 employees wrongfully terminated On September 26, 2023, the LAUSD Board of Education rescinded the covid-19 vaccine mandate for all district employees, with a 6-1 vote. This victory for health freedom and human rights would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of the Health Freedom Defense Fund (HFDF) and the principled lawyers who fought back against the corrupt school district officials. Leslie Manookian, president, and founder of HFDF said this vote was another huge victory for the health freedom movement, as covid vaccine mandates continue to fail in the public school system. However, Manookian warns that the vote is a cynical attempt to evade justice as the judges signaled, they believed LAUSDs vaccine mandate was irrational. HFDF has provided legal representation for LAUSD employees who were discriminated and wrongfully terminated by the districts unlawful vaccine mandate. After the mandate, HFDF and LAUSD employees partnered with the California Educators for Medical Freedom and sued top officials at the LAUSD. They argued that the districts vaccine mandate violated employees 14th Amendment rights of personal autonomy, self-determination, bodily integrity, and the right to reject medical treatment. On September 2nd, 2022, a U.S. district judge dismissed their case, but the plaintiffs pressed on and appealed. The case was eventually brought before a three-judge panel in the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on September 14th, where oral arguments were heard. The LAUSD used a 1905 Supreme Court ruling -- Jacobson v. Massachusetts -- to justify their mandate. During that time, the Supreme Court ruled that the state could compel a person to pay a small fine for refusing a smallpox vaccine that was believed to be safe and efficacious in an emergency. The ruling never said that the state could condition employment on an experimental vaccine or force people to take an injurious product. Today, we know that the covid jabs do not stop transmission or infection and pose severe risks to personal health. Also, natural immunity has proven superior over the so-called vaccines, so the 1905 precedent does not apply in any way, shape, or form. Vaccine mandate finally gets rescinded, but justice must be brought for those wrongfully terminated and injured During the initial covid-19 rollout, there were already signs that the so-called vaccines conferred little to no protection. As such, by September 2021, a third dose of mRNA spike protein was approved for the Pfizer and Moderna brands and a second dose was approved for Johnson & Johnson brand. Today, even the Centers for Disease Control admits that the vaccines do not stop transmission of SARS-CoV-2. It was easy to see early on that the mandate to be fully vaccinated was a system of slavery and forever compliance, of surrendering ones body autonomy and dignity to an endless medical experiment that puts people in danger of further health complications with each cumulative dose. Sadly enough, further boosters have been approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC, despite there being no evidence to support them. Manookian told the Defender that This is about authoritarianism, not about science or public policy. While the mandate has been rescinded for now, the HFDF continues to fight for justice for those wrongfully terminated, discriminated against, and injured by the so-called vaccine, the coercion, and all the unlawful mandates. There are still somewhere around a thousand people who have lost their jobs, their benefits and everything, Manookian said. You cant just argue that its moot and dismiss those people as though theyre disposable. Sources include: LATimes.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org Youtube.com LeslieManookian.com HealthFreedomDefense.org Supreme.Justia.com Reuters.com Shocking US Navy report shows Chinas shipbuilding capacity is 232x that of the U.S. Recently leaked intelligence from the U.S. Navy shows that China's shipbuilding capacity is currently 232 times higher than that of the U.S., a very worrying statistic as the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy seeks to expand its global reach. This figure comes from a leaked briefing slide from the US Navy. A spokesperson for the Navy confirmed to Fox News Digital that the slide was authentic. It shows that while American shipyards currently have a capacity of under 100,000 tons, the capacity of Chinese shipyards exceeds 23.2 million tons. The spokesperson said that while the slide does offer some insight into the communist country's shipbuilding capacity, it should not be interpreted as a thorough assessment of the Chinese commercial shipbuilding industry. Instead, it was part of a larger overall brief outlining strategic competition. China has been prioritizing enhancing its naval capabilities. It currently boasts the biggest navy in the world and had more than 355 vessels in its fleet as of 2021. Moreover, projections from the Pentagon estimate their fleet will reach 400 ships by 2025 and 440 ships by 2030. The U.S., in contrast, has a fleet of just 296 ships. However, while the Chinese fleet may be the world's biggest, the U.S. Navy is broadly considered the most powerful one in the world. In fact, Mark Esper, the U.S. Secretary of Defense at the time, said in 2020 that even if America stopped building ships today, China would take years to reach a point where their naval power would be comparable to ours. This is because the U.S. Navy has superior technological abilities and experience. In a speech at a Rand Corporation event in 2020, Esper noted: "Ship numbers are important, but they don't tell the whole story." China is using its naval presence to intimidate neighbors Once thought of as being a green-water navy that tended to stick close to its shores, China has been making its intention to expand its reach clear. It has launched a series of ambitious vessels, including amphibious assault ships and large guided missile destroyers. China has recently been flexing its naval muscles in the region, particularly around Taiwan, which Beijing claims is its territory. China has said it will seize it one day, using force if necessary. The Defense Ministry of Taiwan has reported increasing incursions by Chinese ships and war planes. In one 24-hour period earlier this month, Taiwans Defense Ministry detected 10 naval vessels and 68 aircraft around the island. One of the vessels involved was Chinas Shandong aircraft carrier. Some analysts believe the move is part of a broader effort by China to counter American influence in the Asia-Pacific region, noting that China carried out its biggest war games around Taiwan following a trip to Taipei last August by Nancy Pelosi when she was still the Speaker of the House. Another military exercise was carried out this April simulating encirclement of the island. China has also been looking to shore up places it can refuel its blue-water ships and replenish provisions when it is far from the mainland. Part of this push for port access has seen them helping construct a naval base in Cambodia and looking for military outposts even further away, such as on the Atlantic coast of Africa. They currently only have one operational overseas naval base, on the Horn of Africa in Djibouti. A report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warned: The PLAs expanding global footprint and corresponding ability to conduct a wider range of missions, including limited warfighting, carries major risks for the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific as well as other operational theaters. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has warned that the world needs to stand up to the territorial expansion China is attempting in the South China Sea, calling the country a bully and accusing them of sending maritime militia boats and infringing on their territory. He believes they wont stop until they control the whole South China Sea. Sources for this article include: BusinessInsider.com France24.com Edition.CNN.com Edition.CNN.com Taiwan unveils first domestically built submarine amid military modernization and buildup meant to deter a Chinese invasion Taiwan has officially launched its first domestically manufactured military submarine as it moves to fully modernize its armed forces amid a military buildup to deter the growing aggression of the Chinese Communist Party On Thursday, Sept. 28, the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) christened the Hai Kun, the first of at least eight new submarines to be borne from its Indigenous Defense Submarine program. (Related: Reports: Advanced Chinese nuclear submarine crashed in Taiwan Strait.) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the launch ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung. The ROCN briefly explained that Hai Kun describes a mythical giant flying fish popular in classical Chinese literature. English translations describe the "hai kun" as a narwhal. "History will forever remember this day," said Tsai during the ceremony. "In the past, a domestically-made submarine was considered impossible, but today a submarine designed and built by our countrymen is in front of you. It is the concrete realization of our resolution to protect Taiwan." Tsai added that the new submarine and the seven others to be constructed will play an important role in strengthening the ROCN's "asymmetric warfare" capabilities. "Even if there are risks, and no matter how many challenges there are, Taiwan must take this step and allow the self-reliant national defense policy to grow and flourish on our land," said Tsai. The Hai Kun will be undergoing pre-service trials starting on Oct. 1 before being delivered to the ROCN before the end of 2024. The ROCN wants the Hai Kun to enter active service by 2025, but delays could move the navy's timetable up by a year. A second submarine of the same class is already under construction and is expected to enter service in 2027. BREAKING: Taiwan unveils its first-ever indigenous submarine. Its part of a fleet of 8 vessels that will be made domestically. pic.twitter.com/tDRSp9qKyK TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) September 28, 2023 Taiwan racing to modernize and expand submarine fleet The ROCN currently operates a fleet of four aging submarines, consisting of a pair of Dutch-made Hai Lung-class submarines and a pair of American-made Hai Shih-class submarines. The Hai Ling submarines were built in the 1980s, while the Hai Shih submarines were built in the late 1940s and given extensive upgrades before being commissioned as ROCN vessels in the 1970s. Reports from Taiwan indicate that each submarine costs NT$49.3 billion ($1.54 billion). Taiwanese company China Shipbuilding Corporation (CSBC) has been contracted by the government in Taipei to build the submarines. The Hai Kun is the result of the Indigenous Defense Submarine program launched in 2016. It is around 260 feet long and has a displacement of between 2,460 to 2,950 tons. The Hai Kun is believed to feature some form of air-independent propulsion system, which can greatly increase the time it can stay submerged and make it harder to detect on military radar and sonar. CSBC Chairman Cheng Wen-lon noted that around 40 percent of the submarine features domestically sourced materials and technology. Most of its advanced technologies are provided by numerous foreign contractors with long and solid experience in the submarine industry, including combat mission systems and armaments from American defense contractors. At least six other countries, including the United Kingdom, have also provided help. Taiwan also reportedly reached out to engineers, technicians and former naval officers from Australia, Canada, India, Spain and South Korea to help with the submarine Learn more about the threats facing Taiwan from China at CommunistChina.news. Watch this clip from Red Voice Media warning of massively increasing Chinese military activity around Taiwan. This video is from the Red Voice Media channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: No longer political: China's recent military exercises a DRY RUN to INTERCEPT U.S. forces rushing to defend Taiwan. Taiwan set to begin testing its first indigenous defense submarine amid rising tension with China. Taiwanese foreign minister expects China to manipulate the upcoming 2024 presidential election in Taiwan. Domestic crisis may force China to invade Taiwan, lawmaker warns. Biden approves $345 million weapons package to Taiwan to support the island against Chinese invasion. Sources include: TheDrive.com Reuters.com NavalNews.com Brighteon.com Trumps co-defendant PLEADS GUILTY in contrived Georgia election interference case Scott Hall, one of 18 co-defendants of former President Donald Trump in his Georgia election interference case, pleaded guilty on Friday, Sept. 29, in Atlanta to five misdemeanor conspiracy charges Hall is the first person charged with Trump to plead guilty in the Georgia election interference case, which claims that Trump and his 18 co-defendants engaged in a widespread racketeering conspiracy to overturn Trump's supposed defeat in the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. (Related: Thrive Time Show: Indictments against Trump PROVE Americans live in a country with a two-tiered justice system Brighteon.TV.) Georgia prosecutors were able to get Hall to agree to a plea deal that includes an agreement to a sentence of five years in probation, a $5,000 fine and a letter of apology to the state. Part of the plea deal also requires Hall to testify against his co-defendants, including Trump, at future trials or hearings in the Georgia election racketeering case. If he abides by this, the state agrees to drop the felony charges against him. Hall's plea deal rushed through judge At a hearing in the Fulton County Superior Court, Hall confirmed to Judge McAfee the requirements of his plea deal with prosecutors. Curiously, McAfee indicated that Hall's plea was scheduled hastily on Friday, alleging that prosecutors wanted to rush the process to enter Hall's guilty plea. One prosecutor noted that Hall provided a recorded statement about his alleged involvement in the bid to interfere with the 2020 election in Georgia to the district attorney's office earlier in the day. "This is not a matter that had been scheduled today, but I was informed by both parties that they would like to have an impromptu court hearing and I understand that this is a change of plea," said McAfee at the outset of the court session on Friday afternoon. The session to enter Hall's guilty plea lasted just 25 minutes, with the judge accepting Hall's change of plea and imposing the sentence of five years probation agreed on by both the prosecutorial and defense teams. Under the deal, Hall is also forbidden from speaking with the media regarding any topic until all of the trials related to the case are complete. Hall is also not allowed to be involved in any activities related to voting. If he successfully completes his probation, under Georgia law he could be left without a criminal record. Hall, 59, pleaded guilty to allegedly participating in an effort to access the voting machines and equipment in Coffee County in southeastern Georgia. Hall supposedly wanted to access election equipment as part of a wider conspiracy involving other Trump allies who were investigating allegations of voter fraud in the state, with the goal of reversing Biden's very slim majority in the state. Hall allegedly spent hours inside a restricted area of an election office in Coffee County when voting systems were breached. He was also supposedly in communication with several other alleged co-conspirators at the time of the breach. Prosecutors also alleged that he contacted figures within Trump's inner circle. Watch this clip from Newsmax discussing how America's two-tiered justice system will likely convict Trump but let New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez go free. This video is from the Galactic Storm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Georgia district attorney prosecuting Trump has lengthy history of election denial. COLLUSION: Biden staffers met with top aide for Special Counsel Jack Smith at the White House before Trump indictment. Trump's "menacing" mug shot could elevate his 2024 presidential campaign which is already far ahead of other GOP candidates. RIGGED: Trump indictment documents published online BEFORE the grand jury's official vote. Wayne Root: Now it's official. I know it, you know it. Everyone knows it. Trump's Georgia indictment is the final proof the 2020 election was stolen. Sources include: CNBC.com Politico.com Edition.CNN.com Brighteon.com TX AG Paxtons first task is to destroy illegal immigrant colonies after his historic impeachment acquittal A couple weeks ago, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted of state impeachment charges accusing him of corruption, bribery, and unfitness for office by a bipartisan group of Texas state senators. Now he is back at work and his top priority is to break apart a growing illegal immigrant colony north of Houston During his guesting at Just the News' "John Solomon Reports," Paxton energetically announced that he had gone straight to work after his weak trial that lacked significant evidence and was conducted with obvious political motives. According to the AG, he was pushed to resign and when his political opponents could not make him, they concocted the case and got the media to create an untrue narrative. Podcast host Solomon even pointed out how the sham impeachment significantly boomeranged toward the state senators. Now moving on from the "malicious" cases that 12 Democrat and two Republican congressmen (Sens. Robert Nichols and Kelly Hancock) threw at him, he cited how President Joe Biden's administration is sabotaging its own country into "opening the floodgates" to illegal aliens. "It is hard to believe what they are doing to this country purposely that causes great harm to the communities, " Paxton said referring to the massive influx of migrants, especially from the southern border. He cited that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) troops have cut the razor wire that the state of Texas had placed alongside the Rio Grande to stop border crossers from flooding the country, as an example. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently shared a video on X that showed the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) men taking down the barbed wire that protects the perimeters by dissuading passage of humans. "Texas installed razor wire in Eagle Pass to stop illegal crossings," Abbott said. "Today the Biden Admin CUT that wire, opening the floodgates to illegal immigrants." Upon knowing this, he immediately deployed more Texas National Guard troops to repel illegal crossings and re-install the wire. Meanwhile, about 14,000 migrants nearly half the total of its 29,000 population have surged into the city of Eagle Pass, a Texas border town, over the past two weeks. This triggered its local government chief, Mayor Rolando Salinas, to declare a state of emergency. (Related: Migrant TSUNAMI: Eagle Pass declares STATE OF EMERGENCY as nearly 14K border crossers flood the city in less than two weeks many more to come.) Texas installed razor wire in Eagle Pass to stop illegal crossings. Today the Biden Admin CUT that wire, opening the floodgates to illegal immigrants. I immediately deployed more Texas National Guard to repel illegal crossings & install more razor wire. pic.twitter.com/eMtLS8Z6WI Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 20, 2023 Paxton lamented that the federal government should be helping the state prevent illegal immigration, but instead, it is helping the cartels. "This won't just affect the border states but the entire country," he added referring to the "inviting immigration policies" of the current POTUS. "People feel and see in the entire community that the Biden administration is the partner of cartels in Mexico, no doubt about it." He also told Solomon that at the moment, his office is now looking for possible solutions to help address the crisis. They are looking at how the legislature can contribute to a possible solution. Paxton writes White House after FAKE impeachment: "Buckle up." The state's AG's impeachment jury needed 21 votes to confirm the impeachment, but a two-thirds majority was not reached. He was fully acquitted a couple of weeks ago. "Today, the truth prevailed. The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors," Paxton said in a statement. He was accused of misusing his political power to hire Nate Paul, a real estate developer who employed Paxton's alleged mistress Laura Olson. Paul was indicted in June for allegedly making false statements to banks. He was also accused of dereliction of duty, retaliating against former employees who reported his alleged wrongdoings to authorities, and making false statements concerning whistleblower accusations from former staffers. "The sham impeachment coordinated by the Biden Administration with liberal House Speaker Dade Phelan and his kangaroo court has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, disrupted the work of the Office of Attorney General, and left a dark and permanent stain on the Texas House," Paxton's letter read, adding that the weaponization of the impeachment process to settle political differences is not only wrong, "it is immoral and corrupt." He then accused the current regime of promoting "lawless policies," vowing that Biden will be "held accountable." "Finally, I can promise the Biden administration the following: buckle up because your lawless policies will not go unchallenged," the statement read. "We will not allow you to shred the constitution and infringe on the rights of Texans. You will be held accountable." Former President Donald Trump, who showed his support in the waning days of the trial, also applauded the historic verdict. "The Ken Paxton Victory is sooo BIG. WOW!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform. OpenBorders.news has more stories related to the illegal immigrants' easy invasion of the United States. Sources for this article include: JustTheNews.com Art19.com DailyWire.com FoxNews.com Car pollution is one of the main sources of hazardous airborne particles in the modern world. The toxic substances from car emissions include carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon fuel, and nitrogen oxides, according to the American Chemical Society. Scientists have considered for a long time that these chemical compounds damage the atmosphere and even cause respiratory health problems. Now, a new study led by researchers in the United Kingdom showed that high ozone levels from vehicle pollution prevent bees from finding flowers for pollination. In particular, the researchers determined ozone destroys the scent of flowers, which makes it hard for the insect pollinator to search for flowers. The findings are crucial since the process of pollination is significant not only in the ecosystem but also in agriculture and the economy. Ozone Affects Bee Pollination The University of Birmingham research released on Thursday, September 28, shows the danger caused by high ozone levels to bee pollination. The research team found the toxic compound reduces the distance a flower scent spreads, resulting in fewer bee visitors. The team acknowledged other studies in the field and found that the number of bee visitors to flowers decreased by 50% due to pollution. According to the the findings, the researchers were surprised to find the extent of pollution, which was overlooked in previous reports. Based on the unprecedented discovery, the research explains ozone interferes with the chemistry of the flower's scent. These atmospheric and ecological phenomena intensify as ozone levels increase, leading to the collapse of the spreading plume. Also Read: Scientists Identify How Air Pollution Causes Lung Cancer for Non-Smokers Greenhouse Gas Emissions Greenhouse gas emissions come from various human activities and industrial processes. However, some of these emissions are caused by pollution from a typical passenger vehicle. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a common passenger vehicle emits approximately 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Since carbon dioxide is one of the climate-damaging greenhouse gases, the increasing number of fuel or gas-dependent vehicles also means that more harmful chemical compounds will go into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect and warming of the planet due to trapped solar heat. While it is almost impossible to calculate the exact rate of car pollution in relation to greenhouse gases, the EPA said that the average passenger vehicle emits around 400 grams of carbon dioxide per mile. Nevertheless, emissions still vary depending on the car model or type of fuel. Car Pollution There is growing evidence that car pollution is a significant contributor to the acceleration of the greenhouse effect, resulting in the worsening of climate change and global warming. This pollution is rampant in industrial countries or urban areas. According to the European Parliament, 71.7% of carbon emissions in Europe since 1990 come from road transportation, which includes different vehicles like cars, heavy-duty trucks, light-duty trucks, and motorcycles. Water navigation, civil aviation, and railways also contribute to pollution. Related Article: California and Washington State to Ban Sales of 'Gas-Only Cars' by 2035 to Fight Climate Change Rescues have been made in New York City after heavy rains inundated much of the area. Authorities have rescued at least 15 individuals from vehicles that cannot pass through deep floods, while they also evacuated at least six people from flooded basement apartments. The floods brought by torrential rains have disrupted the transportation system. State of emergency New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed that the local government would continue providing assistance to those affected by the heavy rains and massive floods. Adams noted that the New York City Emergency Management Department (NYCEM) has remained in an active response posture as it leads interagency coordination efforts to address the historic citywide flooding, which started early Friday morning. Adams said that the NYCEM has been working with other offices and agencies to address the range of impacts that the bad weather had created. "Their efforts have been crucial in the city's comprehensive response strategy, extending its reach and effectiveness across affected communities to all five boroughs," the NYC mayor said. New York City had encountered widespread flash floods starting from the early hours of Friday into early Friday afternoon, with a huge amount of rainfall continued even during the evening. Records have shown that the Central Park recorded about 5.8 inches of rain, and John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) witnessed roughly 8.5 and 4.9 inches, respectively. Furthermore, the National Weather Service had initially reported that the JFK had its wettest day on record since August 14, 2011. Authorities said that the three locations could end up with top-10 all-time daily records, depending on how much additional rainfall would occur. Officials noted that this marks the second highest daily rainfall ever recorded at the JFK, and the highest daily amount in September that was previously set by Hurricane Donna in 1960, according to weather experts at the NWS. They added that both Central Park and LGA measurements are top-10 amounts, and the rainfall was forecasted to continue. Due to the situation, Adams already declared a State of Emergency to ensure the safety of New York residents. The city's Department of Transportation has closely monitored roadway floods as it also coordinates with New York Police Department. Crews and teams have extended assistance with tow trucks on highways in order to remove disabled vehicles as well as to clear catch basins on highways, fallen tree branches, and any other debris. Residents of the city are also advised to stay off the roads and avoid traveling as much as possible so that responders can clear areas affected by flooding. A flood warning has remained in effect over Bronx and Westchester County due to the continued threat of flash floods in those areas. State agencies will continue to provide support to local governments as needed. Read Also: Parts of New York City Can Suffer More From Local Flood Risks Due to Sea Level Rise, New Report Warns Extraordinary floods Governor Kathy Hochul branded the floods as "unimaginable," noting that this phenomenon was a result of climate change. "I called them once in a century storms. But this is the third time since I was sworn in two years ago I've had a once in a century storm. This includes the historic flooding we had in the Hudson Valley this summer, which was deemed a 1000-year flooding event. So, it's Mother Nature at her most powerful," Hochul said. She further thanked the first responders who did show up and made 28 rescues in the raging water in the Hudson Valley and in the Long Island. Hochul vowed that aside from the state's main goal to protect the residents, it would also look after the infrastructure of trains and subways Related Article: US Weather Forecast: Weather System Threatens New York City, Northeast Region with Flooding Rainfall [NWS] Related Video: The local population of salmon could be under threat as thousands of this fish had escaped from an Icelandic fish farm. According to the Iceland's Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, it has been confirmed that the salmons that escaped could be found in multiple rivers across the northwestern portion of the country. Escape from the fish pen Thousands of salmon have escaped from the fish farm in in Patreksfjorur, owned by Arctic Fish, which is considered as one of the country's largest salmon-farming companies. The said escape has renewed calls from environmentalists, sport fishers, and even politicians to restrict or prohibit the practice of open-pen fish farming. Officials said that this was not the first big escape because in 2022, Arnarlax, which is another salmon farming company, was fined 705,000 for not reporting an escape of thousands of fish in 2021. The Artic Fish admitted the escape and it has already apologized over the incident. It said that in total, 27 of the escaped fish have been captured and identified, however, the total number of the fish that was lost is believed to be more like 3,500. The company had said it was greatly concerned by the incident which it dubbed as "accidental," with chief executive officer Ove Tveiten saying that the firm has taken steps to reduce the possible negative impacts of the release. "We think we know how the holes formed and are now working to make sure this doesn't happen again. At the same time, we have proposed measures to the Fisheries Agency and offered to pay their costs, which should ensure that the salmon that enter the rivers do not mix with wild salmon," Tveiten said. Tveiten also noted that the firm had already asked the Agency if it is possible to use drift nets in the areas where escaped farmed fish have been found so that they can be removed more effectively. On the other hand, ordis Sif Sigurardottir, the mayor of Vesturbyggar municipality, said it was already time to impose stricter rules and regulations, noting that even politicians have been calling for such a measure for more than 10 years. The mayor also said that the industry and the authorities might want to look at moving salmon farming away from fjords onto the land areas. Read Also: Salmon Fishing Season in California Canceled Due to Grim Reports From Experts Breeding with farm fish Authorities said that the evolutionary fitness of Atlantic salmon was being damaged by genetic contamination whenever wild fish breed with escapees from fish farms and pens. Studies said that when wild Atlantic salmon breed with the escaped farmed salmon, their descendants is seen to grow faster and mature at a younger age. Experts said that the reduced age at maturity was mostly due to the changes in early number of years in freshwater rather than late life history or the number of years at sea, while growth was increased in both life stages. This move undermines the ability of the species to survive and reproduce in its natural environment. They explained that fish farming can harm wild populations in various ways, from genetic contamination to acquiring disease. Most of the understanding of these dangers has been acquired from experiments in laboratories and controlled settings. Related Article: How Coal and Metal Mining Affects Salmon and Trout in Northwestern North America Related Video: A zookeeper died after being attacked by a lion at Tohoku Safari Park in Japan. Kenichi Kato, 53, was attempting to entice the lion into his cage when it attacked and grabbed him by the neck. Feeding the lion Kato was discovered bleeding heavily and unconscious inside the lion's cage, according to a local police official. According to a senior park official, Kato was attempting to lure a lion into a cage with food but failed to close a door that should have separated him from the lion. "The process is that we open the door, and place the food. Once the food is placed, the door is to be closed and locked," said Norichika Kumakubo, vice-president of the park. Kato was eventually confirmed dead, despite emergency personnel rushing him to a nearby hospital. Cuts on the victim's neck indicated that he had been attacked by the lion, and CCTV footage, which was not made public, appeared to show the lion pouncing on him. The zoo has been closed to improve safety management measures, according to the park. According to local media, Kato was a veteran staff member who worked with animals such as lions, tigers, and bears. "We deeply apologize to Mr. Kato and his family," Kumakubo said. "We regard this extremely seriously. We will take measures to prevent similar accidents." The Tohoku Safari Park is home to over 100 different species of animals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, elephants, and others, with a total population of 1,100 animals. Read Also: Mountain Lion Attacks Northern California Woman; Pet Dog Defends Owner Lion attack Lions are huge mammals with a lot of muscle and the ability to kill. A single lion can attack and kill many humans in a single attack. Their ability to attack from cover and kill with a single bite makes them ideal for inflicting deadly wounds. Also, because lions hunt in groups known as prides, it's easy to see how these enormous predators devastate animal populations, including humans. Lion attacks are not uncommon in areas where they dwell in close proximity to humans, and two individuals are murdered each year by these creatures. Lions, for the most part, do not pose a significant threat to humans. People no longer live as close to them as they once did. Some people, however, can become victims of lion attacks by putting themselves in danger. Hunters and safari guides both come too close to lions if they want to ensure their safety. Sometimes, by attempting to shoot a lion for sport or assisting their customers in getting a good look at wild lions, these individuals endanger themselves and others. The deadliest lion attack in history killed 1,500 people in modern-day Tanzania's Njombe region. These attacks occurred throughout a 15-year period, from 1932 to 1947. During that time, three generations of lions were born, and the pride began to hunt humans in the neighborhood. The first generation of lions to hunt humans is thought to have done so out of rivalry for food and land. Eventually, lions began to utilize the same nighttime ambushes to hunt humans as they did animals. Related Article: Man Mauled to Death by Lions After Climbing Zoo Enclosure in Ghana Related Video: BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Measures are being put into place to organize medical services in Khankendi. Polyclinics have already been opened, Trend reports. Three-room polyclinic was built with primary surgical, cardiologic, therapeutic rooms. The specialized medical teams have been sent to Khankendi in early hours of October 1 with involvement of Azerbaijans healthcare institutions including medical experts, 7 ambulances and emergency medical service team. The next steps are scheduled after evaluation of populations current medical and sanitary and epidemiological situation. Preetha Nair By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Centres One Nation, One Election proposal has become a political hot potato with the 2024 general elections just a few months away. Signalling its commitment to the idea, the Modi government recently sought recommendations from two panels the 22nd Law Commission and a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies. While the law panel is in the process of finalising its report, it hinted at timelines of 2024 and 2029 for the rollout of synchronised elections across the country. However, several Opposition parties are against the concept as they see it as a direct threat to federalism. Centres push Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for simultaneous polls in 2014, the idea was in circulation much before that. In 1983, the Election Commission suggested simultaneous elections and the Law Commission headed by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy in 1999 endorsed the proposal. The then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee attempted to implement it in 2003, but the proposal did not garner enough support. In 2015, a Parliamentary Standing Committee headed by E M Sudarsana Natchiappan favoured the concept of simultaneous elections. The holding of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies would reduce the massive expenditure that is currently incurred for the conduct of separate elections, the panel said. Its report also pointed out that simultaneous polls would reduce the burden on manpower deployed during election time. However, the Opposition, including the Congress termed the report unworkable, antidemocratic and unconstitutional". In 2017, a Niti Aayog report pointed out that simultaneous elections can reduce the huge expenses incurred for conducting elections. In its draft report prepared by the 21st Law Commission in 2018, it said simultaneous elections were desirable, but a workable formula must be evolved in the Constitution. The panel led by Justice B S Chauhan, drew up a comprehensive roadmap for the rollout of simultaneous polls in 2024, starting from 2019. With the idea gaining currency, the Centre recently constituted the Kovind-led panel to study the matter. The mandate of the committee includes examining the modalities of using a single electoral roll and electoral identity card for voters in elections in three tiers. It will also examine the logistics and manpower required, including EVMs, VVPATs, etc. Besides, one of the terms of reference of the high-level committee is to examine if constitutional amendments would have to be ratified by the state assemblies. Parallelly, the 22nd Law Commission is pouring over its predecessor's draft report before it takes its final call. The panel's report to the Union Law Ministry is expected shortly. Curbing expenditure Making a strong pitch for simultaneous polls, the government cites the massive expenditure incurred in conducting and supervising frequent elections as one of the factors against staggering it. Those in favour of the idea say synchronisation would reduce the humongous expenses incurred for conducting elections, which even by a rough estimate is around `3,500-4,000 crore. In addition, at least an equal amount is spent by the political parties and individual candidates. By holding simultaneous polls, the government also wants to avoid disruptions in governance and prolonged imposition of the model code of conduct. The government argues that the model code slows down its ambitious development and welfare programmes, which leads to ad hocism as no firm policy decisions can be taken when it is in force. Besides, parties in power tend to take populist measures rather than pragmatic ones when polls are around the corner. Supporters of the proposal also say that simultaneous polls will increase voter turnout, as it is convenient for people to cast their ballots on one day. There is also an argument that frequent elections are a threat to security and safety as a large number of paramilitary forces are diverted from sensitive border areas as well during elections. Opposition sees red However, several Opposition-ruled states are of the view that simultaneous elections is an assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and federalism as it would change the system into a unitary structure. These parties argue that with simultaneous polls, the ruling party would become autocratic without any checks and balances, which would dramatically shrink the choice of the electorate. It was felt that any amendment in the Constitution or any other statute would be for mala fide reasons as the very purpose of holding simultaneous elections is to have a unitary system. Concerns have been raised by parties that it would work to the advantage of national parties over regional parties and national issues might eclipse the local ones. If Parliament or assemblies are prematurely dissolved before completing their terms of five years to hold simultaneous elections, there will be an irretrievable breakdown of the sacrament that exists between people and Parliament", many argue. Critics also say it would affect the choice of the voter as their right of choice would not be reflected during such elections, thus infringing on their freedom of speech and expression. At least five amendments would be required in the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous polls, which could be the biggest stumbling block for its rollout. Experts also point out that while there is a ceiling on the expenditure of candidates in the fray, the idea is defeated by not having a limit on expenditure by political parties. Costs can be reduced substantially by putting a cap on expenses by political parties, they reckon. History of one nation, one poll During the first two decades after Independence, Lok Sabha and assembly elections were held simultaneously in 1951-52, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, due to the dissolution of certain state assemblies in 1968 and 1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1970 and the subsequent general elections in 1971, the cycle of simultaneous elections was disrupted. The sequence was first broken in Kerala when the E M S Namboodiripad-led government was dismissed in 1959 after the Centre invoked Article 356 of the Constitution. The main reason behind the synchronised elections till then was the dominance of the Congress as regional parties had little or no say then. Among the countries that follow the system of simultaneous polls at present are South Africa, Belgium, Germany and Sweden. Challenges ahead The major challenges to facilitate simultaneous polls would be the Constitutional amendments and fixing of tenures of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. It will require curtailment and extension of terms of the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. The 21st Law Commission, in its draft report, pointed out that holding simultaneous elections was not possible within the existing framework of the Constitution. The draft suggested that the terms of certain state assemblies require curtailment or extension, necessitating amendments to the Constitution. Once the elections are synchronised, it would need political will to ensure it stays that way forever, the report said. It also suggested remedies to avoid a crisis in the event of a no-confidence motion, hung Parliament or assembly and Budgetary defeat. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp NEW DELHI: The Centres One Nation, One Election proposal has become a political hot potato with the 2024 general elections just a few months away. Signalling its commitment to the idea, the Modi government recently sought recommendations from two panels the 22nd Law Commission and a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies. While the law panel is in the process of finalising its report, it hinted at timelines of 2024 and 2029 for the rollout of synchronised elections across the country. However, several Opposition parties are against the concept as they see it as a direct threat to federalism. Centres pushgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for simultaneous polls in 2014, the idea was in circulation much before that. In 1983, the Election Commission suggested simultaneous elections and the Law Commission headed by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy in 1999 endorsed the proposal. The then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee attempted to implement it in 2003, but the proposal did not garner enough support. In 2015, a Parliamentary Standing Committee headed by E M Sudarsana Natchiappan favoured the concept of simultaneous elections. The holding of simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies would reduce the massive expenditure that is currently incurred for the conduct of separate elections, the panel said. Its report also pointed out that simultaneous polls would reduce the burden on manpower deployed during election time. However, the Opposition, including the Congress termed the report unworkable, antidemocratic and unconstitutional". In 2017, a Niti Aayog report pointed out that simultaneous elections can reduce the huge expenses incurred for conducting elections. In its draft report prepared by the 21st Law Commission in 2018, it said simultaneous elections were desirable, but a workable formula must be evolved in the Constitution. The panel led by Justice B S Chauhan, drew up a comprehensive roadmap for the rollout of simultaneous polls in 2024, starting from 2019. With the idea gaining currency, the Centre recently constituted the Kovind-led panel to study the matter. The mandate of the committee includes examining the modalities of using a single electoral roll and electoral identity card for voters in elections in three tiers. It will also examine the logistics and manpower required, including EVMs, VVPATs, etc. Besides, one of the terms of reference of the high-level committee is to examine if constitutional amendments would have to be ratified by the state assemblies. Parallelly, the 22nd Law Commission is pouring over its predecessor's draft report before it takes its final call. The panel's report to the Union Law Ministry is expected shortly. Curbing expenditure Making a strong pitch for simultaneous polls, the government cites the massive expenditure incurred in conducting and supervising frequent elections as one of the factors against staggering it. Those in favour of the idea say synchronisation would reduce the humongous expenses incurred for conducting elections, which even by a rough estimate is around `3,500-4,000 crore. In addition, at least an equal amount is spent by the political parties and individual candidates. By holding simultaneous polls, the government also wants to avoid disruptions in governance and prolonged imposition of the model code of conduct. The government argues that the model code slows down its ambitious development and welfare programmes, which leads to ad hocism as no firm policy decisions can be taken when it is in force. Besides, parties in power tend to take populist measures rather than pragmatic ones when polls are around the corner. Supporters of the proposal also say that simultaneous polls will increase voter turnout, as it is convenient for people to cast their ballots on one day. There is also an argument that frequent elections are a threat to security and safety as a large number of paramilitary forces are diverted from sensitive border areas as well during elections. Opposition sees red However, several Opposition-ruled states are of the view that simultaneous elections is an assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and federalism as it would change the system into a unitary structure. These parties argue that with simultaneous polls, the ruling party would become autocratic without any checks and balances, which would dramatically shrink the choice of the electorate. It was felt that any amendment in the Constitution or any other statute would be for mala fide reasons as the very purpose of holding simultaneous elections is to have a unitary system. Concerns have been raised by parties that it would work to the advantage of national parties over regional parties and national issues might eclipse the local ones. If Parliament or assemblies are prematurely dissolved before completing their terms of five years to hold simultaneous elections, there will be an irretrievable breakdown of the sacrament that exists between people and Parliament", many argue. Critics also say it would affect the choice of the voter as their right of choice would not be reflected during such elections, thus infringing on their freedom of speech and expression. At least five amendments would be required in the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous polls, which could be the biggest stumbling block for its rollout. Experts also point out that while there is a ceiling on the expenditure of candidates in the fray, the idea is defeated by not having a limit on expenditure by political parties. Costs can be reduced substantially by putting a cap on expenses by political parties, they reckon. History of one nation, one poll During the first two decades after Independence, Lok Sabha and assembly elections were held simultaneously in 1951-52, 1957, 1962, and 1967. However, due to the dissolution of certain state assemblies in 1968 and 1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1970 and the subsequent general elections in 1971, the cycle of simultaneous elections was disrupted. The sequence was first broken in Kerala when the E M S Namboodiripad-led government was dismissed in 1959 after the Centre invoked Article 356 of the Constitution. The main reason behind the synchronised elections till then was the dominance of the Congress as regional parties had little or no say then. Among the countries that follow the system of simultaneous polls at present are South Africa, Belgium, Germany and Sweden. Challenges ahead The major challenges to facilitate simultaneous polls would be the Constitutional amendments and fixing of tenures of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. It will require curtailment and extension of terms of the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. The 21st Law Commission, in its draft report, pointed out that holding simultaneous elections was not possible within the existing framework of the Constitution. The draft suggested that the terms of certain state assemblies require curtailment or extension, necessitating amendments to the Constitution. Once the elections are synchronised, it would need political will to ensure it stays that way forever, the report said. It also suggested remedies to avoid a crisis in the event of a no-confidence motion, hung Parliament or assembly and Budgetary defeat. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp T Muruganandham By Express News Service CHENNAI: The landmark Womens Reservation Bill passed in Parliament recently tied its implementation to the delimitation of the Lok Sabha and all state assembly constituencies based on the first Census data after the law is enacted. The bill became law on Friday after it received President Droupadi Murmu's assent. Since the rollout of the law included the D-word, it reignited fears of the North getting a bigger share of parliamentary constituencies because of their higher population density and the South losing its clout substantially. Delimitation is a process to fix boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province that has a legislative body in such a way that each of them roughly represents an equal number of voters. Since the Constitution capped the number of seats in the Lok Sabha at the present level, political parties are worried about the South, particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala, losing a big chunk of constituencies after they are redrawn. The heartburn is due to the fact that states that successfully implemented population control stand to lose political power at the expense of the laggards. Vadakku vazhgirathu, therku theigirathu (The North shines while the South wanes), is a popular quote of DMK's first chief minister C N Annadurai, a literary colossus known for his alliterations and pithy punch lines. Fresh delimitation would further accentuate the party's grouse. To address these concerns partially, the BJP-led government possibly intends to increase the total number of seats so that no state would lose any, which was why it expedited the construction of the new Parliament House. The new building can accommodate 888 MPs - over 350 more than the old Lok Sabha did. But that does not fully solve the problem because the delimitation math would create much more seats for the North, West and Central India as compared to the South, East, and Northeast when a uniform population yardstick is applied. In other words, the ratio of the South's political say in the Lok Sabha would decline if the Centre decides to stay with the cap on the overall seat count or expand the constituency basket while redrawing them (see graphic). Southern discomfort Setting the benchmark on the composition of the Lok Sabha, Article 81 says that the ratio between the number of seats in each state and its population must be the same across all states, as far as practicable. Also, "each state shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such a manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it is, so far as practicable, the same throughout the state." But after the provisions of the Women's Reservation Bill became public, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and president of the DMK M K Stalin sought an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the South, particularly Tamil Nadu, would not experience a reduction in its representation in the Lok Sabha. He described the delimitation as a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of Tamil Nadu and the South as it would reduce their clout in Parliament. Stalin saw a political motive behind the possible reduction in representation of the South in the House of the People and said it should be nipped in the bud. It is unjust that southern states, which have diligently followed the Union government's policies to control population growth, face punitive measures during the constituency delimitation, he said. Why put off for 5 decades Delimitation is a constitutional mandate after every decadal Census. The process to redraw constituencies happened thrice and delimitation commissions were set up four times since Independence in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002. In 1976, during the Emergency, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi froze the number of Lok Sabha constituencies for 25 years, perhaps influenced by her son Sanjay, citing the progress of family planning programmes in different parts of the country. But Sanjay's draconian sterilisation drive bombed and the misdeeds of Emergency took away Indira's chair a year later. A fresh delimitation window opened in 2001 but the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took the easy way of postponing it by 25 more years citing family planning as Indira did. The 84th Constitutional amendment under his watch as PM said the next delimitation should be done on the basis of the Census conducted after 2026. With that 50-year freeze ending in 2026, the present government is in no mood to put delimitation off any further. In any case, the BJP has little political capital in the South, so it has nothing to lose by restarting the delimitation of constituencies before one-third of Lok Sabha seats are reserved for women. The 2021 Census could not be done due to COVID-19 and was not taken up immediately after the pandemic. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his recent intervention in Parliament's special session on the Women's Reservation Bill, assured that the Census exercise will begin soon after the 2024 elections. If its outcome is published in 2026 just after the delimitation calendar opens, it would set the legal process of redrawing constituencies in motion. Seat skew A 2019 study suggests that Tamil Nadu, undivided Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) and Kerala might lose eight LS seats each while Uttar Pradesh could gain 11 more LS seats if the total count remains static. However, the actual gains/losses for each state will be known only after the next Census is over. The South is not just concerned over lesser say in Parliament and policy making. It fears that it would be politically neglected as winning a sizable number of seats in the North could become sufficient for any national party to capture power. South's suggestions Political analysts in the South have suggested that the next delimitation exercise while redrawing boundaries of constituencies, keep the total seats in each state frozen so as to avoid uneven representation in Parliament. Besides, in Tamil Nadu, certain political parties are of the view that ahead of the next delimitation, the Centre ought to form a committee of experts to revisit the entire process of constituency rejig based on population and develop a new formula so that states that controlled fertility levels are not disincentivised. Political parties warn that a bigger say for the North over the South as a consequence of delimitation could trigger unforeseen negative tendencies, including widespread unrest. Delimitation so far Delimitation of J&K's Assembly seats was completed in May last year based on the 2011 Census. It added seven more Assembly seats to take the total to 90. Six of the seven new seats went to Jammu. Assam, too, recently wrapped up its delimitation exercise. It retained the number of Assembly seats at 126 and Lok Sabha at 14. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp CHENNAI: The landmark Womens Reservation Bill passed in Parliament recently tied its implementation to the delimitation of the Lok Sabha and all state assembly constituencies based on the first Census data after the law is enacted. The bill became law on Friday after it received President Droupadi Murmu's assent. Since the rollout of the law included the D-word, it reignited fears of the North getting a bigger share of parliamentary constituencies because of their higher population density and the South losing its clout substantially. Delimitation is a process to fix boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province that has a legislative body in such a way that each of them roughly represents an equal number of voters. Since the Constitution capped the number of seats in the Lok Sabha at the present level, political parties are worried about the South, particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala, losing a big chunk of constituencies after they are redrawn. The heartburn is due to the fact that states that successfully implemented population control stand to lose political power at the expense of the laggards. Vadakku vazhgirathu, therku theigirathu (The North shines while the South wanes), is a popular quote of DMK's first chief minister C N Annadurai, a literary colossus known for his alliterations and pithy punch lines. Fresh delimitation would further accentuate the party's grouse. To address these concerns partially, the BJP-led government possibly intends to increase the total number of seats so that no state would lose any, which was why it expedited the construction of the new Parliament House.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The new building can accommodate 888 MPs - over 350 more than the old Lok Sabha did. But that does not fully solve the problem because the delimitation math would create much more seats for the North, West and Central India as compared to the South, East, and Northeast when a uniform population yardstick is applied. In other words, the ratio of the South's political say in the Lok Sabha would decline if the Centre decides to stay with the cap on the overall seat count or expand the constituency basket while redrawing them (see graphic). Southern discomfort Setting the benchmark on the composition of the Lok Sabha, Article 81 says that the ratio between the number of seats in each state and its population must be the same across all states, as far as practicable. Also, "each state shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such a manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it is, so far as practicable, the same throughout the state." But after the provisions of the Women's Reservation Bill became public, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and president of the DMK M K Stalin sought an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the South, particularly Tamil Nadu, would not experience a reduction in its representation in the Lok Sabha. He described the delimitation as a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of Tamil Nadu and the South as it would reduce their clout in Parliament. Stalin saw a political motive behind the possible reduction in representation of the South in the House of the People and said it should be nipped in the bud. It is unjust that southern states, which have diligently followed the Union government's policies to control population growth, face punitive measures during the constituency delimitation, he said. Why put off for 5 decades Delimitation is a constitutional mandate after every decadal Census. The process to redraw constituencies happened thrice and delimitation commissions were set up four times since Independence in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002. In 1976, during the Emergency, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi froze the number of Lok Sabha constituencies for 25 years, perhaps influenced by her son Sanjay, citing the progress of family planning programmes in different parts of the country. But Sanjay's draconian sterilisation drive bombed and the misdeeds of Emergency took away Indira's chair a year later. A fresh delimitation window opened in 2001 but the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took the easy way of postponing it by 25 more years citing family planning as Indira did. The 84th Constitutional amendment under his watch as PM said the next delimitation should be done on the basis of the Census conducted after 2026. With that 50-year freeze ending in 2026, the present government is in no mood to put delimitation off any further. In any case, the BJP has little political capital in the South, so it has nothing to lose by restarting the delimitation of constituencies before one-third of Lok Sabha seats are reserved for women. The 2021 Census could not be done due to COVID-19 and was not taken up immediately after the pandemic. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his recent intervention in Parliament's special session on the Women's Reservation Bill, assured that the Census exercise will begin soon after the 2024 elections. If its outcome is published in 2026 just after the delimitation calendar opens, it would set the legal process of redrawing constituencies in motion. Seat skew A 2019 study suggests that Tamil Nadu, undivided Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) and Kerala might lose eight LS seats each while Uttar Pradesh could gain 11 more LS seats if the total count remains static. However, the actual gains/losses for each state will be known only after the next Census is over. The South is not just concerned over lesser say in Parliament and policy making. It fears that it would be politically neglected as winning a sizable number of seats in the North could become sufficient for any national party to capture power. South's suggestions Political analysts in the South have suggested that the next delimitation exercise while redrawing boundaries of constituencies, keep the total seats in each state frozen so as to avoid uneven representation in Parliament. Besides, in Tamil Nadu, certain political parties are of the view that ahead of the next delimitation, the Centre ought to form a committee of experts to revisit the entire process of constituency rejig based on population and develop a new formula so that states that controlled fertility levels are not disincentivised. Political parties warn that a bigger say for the North over the South as a consequence of delimitation could trigger unforeseen negative tendencies, including widespread unrest. Delimitation so far Delimitation of J&K's Assembly seats was completed in May last year based on the 2011 Census. It added seven more Assembly seats to take the total to 90. Six of the seven new seats went to Jammu. Assam, too, recently wrapped up its delimitation exercise. It retained the number of Assembly seats at 126 and Lok Sabha at 14. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Naveen Kumar Tallam By Express News Service RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Abhishek Marripelli, an alumnus of Hanumanpet Zilla Parishad High School, obtained the patent rights for designing a machine that fills and seals processed paddy into bags. The government recognised this invention by granting the patent rights in the name of his father, Laxmirajam. Abhishek had designed this machine when he was a Class 8 student at the 2019 Inspire Exhibition. He bagged the first prize at the district level and further received recognition with a merit award at the State-level exhibition held in Madikonda, Warangal, and secured third place at the national-level exhibition held at IIT Delhi. Presently, he is pursuing his first year of BTech Engineering at Malla Reddy Engineering College in Hyderabad. On Saturday, in recognition of his outstanding achievement, Abhishek was felicitated and congratulated by collector Anuraag Jayanti during a special event. Abhisheks inspiration for designing the paddy filling machine stemmed from observing his fathers work at Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centres, where grains were manually filled into bags. He sought to simplify this process through his invention. Following this success, Abhishek pursued a month-long training program in robotics at NIT Warangal and participated at a programme in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He also had the honour of meeting the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan alongside other award-winning students from the exhibition. Additionally, Abhishek was selected for the Sakura Science Exchange programme in Japan with the help of the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). The event held on Saturday was graced by district education officer A Ramesh, ZPHS school principal Ch Srikanth Rao, district science officer Pamula Devaiah and sarpanch Janke Vijaya Srinivas Reddy. DEO A Ramesh expressed pride in Abhisheks accomplishment, highlighting its significance not only for the Education department but also for the entire State. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Abhishek Marripelli, an alumnus of Hanumanpet Zilla Parishad High School, obtained the patent rights for designing a machine that fills and seals processed paddy into bags. The government recognised this invention by granting the patent rights in the name of his father, Laxmirajam. Abhishek had designed this machine when he was a Class 8 student at the 2019 Inspire Exhibition. He bagged the first prize at the district level and further received recognition with a merit award at the State-level exhibition held in Madikonda, Warangal, and secured third place at the national-level exhibition held at IIT Delhi. Presently, he is pursuing his first year of BTech Engineering at Malla Reddy Engineering College in Hyderabad. On Saturday, in recognition of his outstanding achievement, Abhishek was felicitated and congratulated by collector Anuraag Jayanti during a special event. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Abhisheks inspiration for designing the paddy filling machine stemmed from observing his fathers work at Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centres, where grains were manually filled into bags. He sought to simplify this process through his invention. Following this success, Abhishek pursued a month-long training program in robotics at NIT Warangal and participated at a programme in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He also had the honour of meeting the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan alongside other award-winning students from the exhibition. Additionally, Abhishek was selected for the Sakura Science Exchange programme in Japan with the help of the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). The event held on Saturday was graced by district education officer A Ramesh, ZPHS school principal Ch Srikanth Rao, district science officer Pamula Devaiah and sarpanch Janke Vijaya Srinivas Reddy. DEO A Ramesh expressed pride in Abhisheks accomplishment, highlighting its significance not only for the Education department but also for the entire State. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Azerbaijanis living in Germany have held a peaceful rally in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the German capital Berlin, Trend reports. The goal of the protest is to put an end to the information attack, full of false information and distortions, directed against Azerbaijan in the German media and circles close to civil society. At the same time, the participants called for supporting peace in the region after the end of the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands. By PTI BHOPAL: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) have announced an alliance for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections due this year-end. The BSP will contest 178 seats (out of the total 230 in the state) while the GGP will field candidates in 52 seats, BSP Rajya Sabha member Ramji Gautam and GGP's general secretary Balbir Singh Tomar said at a press conference here on Saturday. "A government of this alliance will be formed to end the atrocities on Dalits, tribals and women. It will also end the dictatorial and capitalist rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and the poor will get justice," the two parties said in a statement issued later. In the 2018 state assembly polls, the BSP won two seats, and one of the two MLAs later joined the BJP. The GGP was formed about three decades ago as a tribal outfit in the then-undivided Madhya Pradesh. It won a single seat in the assembly in 1998. In 2003, it won three assembly seats, its best performance to date. Senior journalist and political commentator Rasheed Kidwai claimed the GGP, formed in 1991, is staring at an uncertain future. It had shown tremendous potential in the 2003 assembly polls, but in 2008 and 2013 it was plagued by desertions and compromises by individual leaders, he said. The GGP entered into a tie-up with the Samajwadi Party in the 2018 elections. It is no longer perceived as a party of tribals in the state which has a sizable tribal population, Kidwai claimed. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp BHOPAL: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) have announced an alliance for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections due this year-end. The BSP will contest 178 seats (out of the total 230 in the state) while the GGP will field candidates in 52 seats, BSP Rajya Sabha member Ramji Gautam and GGP's general secretary Balbir Singh Tomar said at a press conference here on Saturday. "A government of this alliance will be formed to end the atrocities on Dalits, tribals and women. It will also end the dictatorial and capitalist rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and the poor will get justice," the two parties said in a statement issued later.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In the 2018 state assembly polls, the BSP won two seats, and one of the two MLAs later joined the BJP. The GGP was formed about three decades ago as a tribal outfit in the then-undivided Madhya Pradesh. It won a single seat in the assembly in 1998. In 2003, it won three assembly seats, its best performance to date. Senior journalist and political commentator Rasheed Kidwai claimed the GGP, formed in 1991, is staring at an uncertain future. It had shown tremendous potential in the 2003 assembly polls, but in 2008 and 2013 it was plagued by desertions and compromises by individual leaders, he said. The GGP entered into a tie-up with the Samajwadi Party in the 2018 elections. It is no longer perceived as a party of tribals in the state which has a sizable tribal population, Kidwai claimed. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By PTI MAINPURI: Police have booked two doctors from a hospital here in connection with the death of a 17-year-old girl right outside the medical facility allegedly after being removed from there by the staff. The FIR against doctors Ravi Yadav and Nivita of Radha Swami Hospital was registered on Saturday at the Ghiror police station under section 304 (culpable homicide) of the IPC, Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar said. Police said Sunday that in his complaint, Girish Yadav alleged that his daughter Bharti died after doctors administered her a "wrong injection". A post-mortem examination by a panel of doctors has revealed septic and infection as the cause of the girl's death, they said. A disturbing video, which went viral on social media earlier this week, showed the seemingly lifeless girl collapsing over the seat of a motorcycle as a woman accompanying her cries -- apparently on realising that the girl had died. The girl died on September 27 and the hospital's licence was suspended and the premises were sealed the next day. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also handles the state's health department, has ordered action against the private hospital. The district's Chief Medical Officer R C Gupta said Bharti, a Class 12 student, was brought to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon when she complained of fever. "The girl died outside the hospital, shortly after being removed from there," he said. Instead of making arrangements to shift her to another hospital, the staff brought the patient out and then "fled", the family had complained. Earlier last month, the administration took similar action against Amethi's Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, run by a trust headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, after the death of a patient due to alleged medical negligence. Congress and Samajwadi Party workers held protests demanding the reopening of the hospital, which also took the matter to court. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp MAINPURI: Police have booked two doctors from a hospital here in connection with the death of a 17-year-old girl right outside the medical facility allegedly after being removed from there by the staff. The FIR against doctors Ravi Yadav and Nivita of Radha Swami Hospital was registered on Saturday at the Ghiror police station under section 304 (culpable homicide) of the IPC, Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar said. Police said Sunday that in his complaint, Girish Yadav alleged that his daughter Bharti died after doctors administered her a "wrong injection".googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A post-mortem examination by a panel of doctors has revealed septic and infection as the cause of the girl's death, they said. A disturbing video, which went viral on social media earlier this week, showed the seemingly lifeless girl collapsing over the seat of a motorcycle as a woman accompanying her cries -- apparently on realising that the girl had died. The girl died on September 27 and the hospital's licence was suspended and the premises were sealed the next day. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also handles the state's health department, has ordered action against the private hospital. The district's Chief Medical Officer R C Gupta said Bharti, a Class 12 student, was brought to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon when she complained of fever. "The girl died outside the hospital, shortly after being removed from there," he said. Instead of making arrangements to shift her to another hospital, the staff brought the patient out and then "fled", the family had complained. Earlier last month, the administration took similar action against Amethi's Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, run by a trust headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, after the death of a patient due to alleged medical negligence. Congress and Samajwadi Party workers held protests demanding the reopening of the hospital, which also took the matter to court. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Ramashankar By Express News Service PATNA: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday asserted that he would not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election as he was already 79. Manjhi told media persons that no person should contest elections after 75 years of age although it was another matter some people even after attaining this age did not hesitate in entering the electoral fray. I am 79 years old, and contesting elections in such a situation will be against my principles, he remarked while announcing his retirement from electoral politics. Manjhi who returned to NDA in June this year had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi last week. After the meeting, he claimed before the media that he had not met Shah in connection with the Lok Sabha election. It is being speculated that Manjhi wanted his son Santosh Kumar Suman, who is also the president of HAM, to be given a ticket in the Lok Sabha election. Suman was the minister in the Grand Alliance government but he had resigned from his ministerial post, making allegations of Nitish exerting pressure on him to merge his party with his party, JD (U). Later, he announced to join the NDA. On the possibility of Nitish returning to the grand alliance, Manjhi said that RJD chief Lalu Yadav and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had already called Nitish a Palturam so it was difficult to say when he would again switch sides. Manjhi said that his party was a small ally of NDA and it had not much of a big role in welcoming or opposing somebody joining NDA. He said that HAM would oppose if Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Shah wanted to bring Nitish back to the NDA. Manjhi also took a different stand from NDA on the issue of RJD MP Manoj Jha allegedly making controversial remarks on the Thakur community by contending that Jha did not say anything wrong, nor did he comment on any particular caste. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp PATNA: Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday asserted that he would not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election as he was already 79. Manjhi told media persons that no person should contest elections after 75 years of age although it was another matter some people even after attaining this age did not hesitate in entering the electoral fray. I am 79 years old, and contesting elections in such a situation will be against my principles, he remarked while announcing his retirement from electoral politics.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Manjhi who returned to NDA in June this year had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi last week. After the meeting, he claimed before the media that he had not met Shah in connection with the Lok Sabha election. It is being speculated that Manjhi wanted his son Santosh Kumar Suman, who is also the president of HAM, to be given a ticket in the Lok Sabha election. Suman was the minister in the Grand Alliance government but he had resigned from his ministerial post, making allegations of Nitish exerting pressure on him to merge his party with his party, JD (U). Later, he announced to join the NDA. On the possibility of Nitish returning to the grand alliance, Manjhi said that RJD chief Lalu Yadav and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had already called Nitish a Palturam so it was difficult to say when he would again switch sides. Manjhi said that his party was a small ally of NDA and it had not much of a big role in welcoming or opposing somebody joining NDA. He said that HAM would oppose if Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Shah wanted to bring Nitish back to the NDA. Manjhi also took a different stand from NDA on the issue of RJD MP Manoj Jha allegedly making controversial remarks on the Thakur community by contending that Jha did not say anything wrong, nor did he comment on any particular caste. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested four persons, including two women, from Churachandpur in Manipur in connection with the abduction and killing of two Meitei students. Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today, Chief Minister N Biren Singh posted on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter). As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law, Singh added. He said the government was committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, to the culprits for the heinous crime they had committed. Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today. As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long October 1, 2023 It was learnt that the CBI team, assisted by the Manipur police and Army, intercepted a Bolero in which the four accused were travelling at the Henglep subdivision around noon. Two minor girls aged 9 and 11 daughters of one of the accused women were also in the vehicle. Subsequently, all six were taken to Imphal airport in an Army helicopter. Around 5 pm, they were flown out of the state to Assam's capital Guwahati, in a routine commercial flight. The arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court at Guwahati designated as per the orders of the Supreme Court, the CBI said in a statement. It added that the two minor children have been handed over to the District Child Protection Officer, Kamrup Metro District for their welfare and protection. Sources said the CBI was tracking the phone of one of the slain students, and found that it was being used by the accused. Hemanjit (20) and Linthoingambi (17) went missing in July when the ethnic violence in Manipur was at its peak. Photos showing their bodies surfaced on social media recently, days after internet services were restored in the state after a four-month blackout. More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundred were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts. Kukis protest against arrest Civil society organisations in Kuki-majority Churachandpur on Sunday declared an indefinite shutdown in the district from Monday morning in protest against the abduction of six Kuki-Zo tribals Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested four persons, including two women, from Churachandpur in Manipur in connection with the abduction and killing of two Meitei students. Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today, Chief Minister N Biren Singh posted on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter). As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law, Singh added. He said the government was committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, to the culprits for the heinous crime they had committed. Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today. As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the longgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) October 1, 2023 It was learnt that the CBI team, assisted by the Manipur police and Army, intercepted a Bolero in which the four accused were travelling at the Henglep subdivision around noon. Two minor girls aged 9 and 11 daughters of one of the accused women were also in the vehicle. Subsequently, all six were taken to Imphal airport in an Army helicopter. Around 5 pm, they were flown out of the state to Assam's capital Guwahati, in a routine commercial flight. The arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court at Guwahati designated as per the orders of the Supreme Court, the CBI said in a statement. It added that the two minor children have been handed over to the District Child Protection Officer, Kamrup Metro District for their welfare and protection. Sources said the CBI was tracking the phone of one of the slain students, and found that it was being used by the accused. Hemanjit (20) and Linthoingambi (17) went missing in July when the ethnic violence in Manipur was at its peak. Photos showing their bodies surfaced on social media recently, days after internet services were restored in the state after a four-month blackout. More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundred were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts. Kukis protest against arrest Civil society organisations in Kuki-majority Churachandpur on Sunday declared an indefinite shutdown in the district from Monday morning in protest against the abduction of six Kuki-Zo tribals Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By PTI WASHINGTON: The India-US relationship is at an all-time high and the Modi government is going to take it to a different level, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, stressing that like the Chandrayaan, bilateral ties will go to the moon and even beyond. Jaishankar's remarks came as he addressed several hundred Indian-Americans gathered at the India House from various parts of the US to attend the 'Celebrating Colours of Friendship' event organised by the Embassy of India here on Saturday. "There is one clear message today our relationship is at an all-time high. But as they say in America, you ain't seen anything yet. So, we are going to take this relationship to a different level, to a different place," he said at the largest-ever gathering of Indian- Americans at the India House. Jaishankar said that the success of the G20 could not have happened without the support of the US. "As the host, when things go well, the host always gets the credit. It's reasonable. But, the G20 could not have come together if all the members of the G20 did not work for its success," he said. "I think particularly, I must say, because I'm in this country today, the contribution, the support and the understanding that we got from the United States to make a successful G20, I think that is something I would certainly like to recognise in public in Washington DC," Jaishankar said amidst loud applause from Indian- Americans. "So, it may have been our success in a literal way, but I think it was the G20 (nations) success. To me, it was also a success of the India-US partnership...please keep giving this partnership the support it needs, the support it deserves and the support it expects. And I can promise you that this relationship, like the Chandrayaan, will go to the moon, maybe even beyond," he said. Jaishankar said that the human bond between the two countries makes the bilateral relationship unique. "Countries do business with each other. Countries do politics with each other. They have military ties, they do exercises, and they have cultural exchanges. But when two countries have that deep human bonding, that's a completely different ballgame. That is today the defining characteristic of our relationship," he said. He said the contribution of the diaspora in building the bilateral relationship is something fantastic. "There are no words that can capture it. It is on that foundation that today we are looking ahead for...a new hope on the horizon... So, I think when we look at the horizon, we really see fantastic possibilities out there, and it's the community that is going to deliver on that," Jaishankar said. The minister said the India of today is different from what it was earlier. "I want to share with you that this is truly a different India for which I speak. It is an India, which as you heard from others, is capable of the Chandrayaan-3 mission," he said. "It is an India which was able to pull off the most spectacular G20 and prove those who said that we will not be able to get 20 nations, I don't want to say quarrelling nations but 20 countries with different positions, to come to the table together," he said. This is an India, which showed during Covid that it could not only look after its own people but could extend its hand to more than a hundred countries across the world, he said. Today, the fastest rollout of 5G is happening in India. "I want to say in many ways, if there is a spring in our step, confidence in our voice, a sort of squaring of our shoulder, there are very good reasons for it," he said. "Because it is built today on 10 years of hard work...There are domains where our capacities have doubled or tripled," he said. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp WASHINGTON: The India-US relationship is at an all-time high and the Modi government is going to take it to a different level, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, stressing that like the Chandrayaan, bilateral ties will go to the moon and even beyond. Jaishankar's remarks came as he addressed several hundred Indian-Americans gathered at the India House from various parts of the US to attend the 'Celebrating Colours of Friendship' event organised by the Embassy of India here on Saturday. "There is one clear message today our relationship is at an all-time high. But as they say in America, you ain't seen anything yet. So, we are going to take this relationship to a different level, to a different place," he said at the largest-ever gathering of Indian- Americans at the India House.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Jaishankar said that the success of the G20 could not have happened without the support of the US. "As the host, when things go well, the host always gets the credit. It's reasonable. But, the G20 could not have come together if all the members of the G20 did not work for its success," he said. "I think particularly, I must say, because I'm in this country today, the contribution, the support and the understanding that we got from the United States to make a successful G20, I think that is something I would certainly like to recognise in public in Washington DC," Jaishankar said amidst loud applause from Indian- Americans. "So, it may have been our success in a literal way, but I think it was the G20 (nations) success. To me, it was also a success of the India-US partnership...please keep giving this partnership the support it needs, the support it deserves and the support it expects. And I can promise you that this relationship, like the Chandrayaan, will go to the moon, maybe even beyond," he said. Jaishankar said that the human bond between the two countries makes the bilateral relationship unique. "Countries do business with each other. Countries do politics with each other. They have military ties, they do exercises, and they have cultural exchanges. But when two countries have that deep human bonding, that's a completely different ballgame. That is today the defining characteristic of our relationship," he said. He said the contribution of the diaspora in building the bilateral relationship is something fantastic. "There are no words that can capture it. It is on that foundation that today we are looking ahead for...a new hope on the horizon... So, I think when we look at the horizon, we really see fantastic possibilities out there, and it's the community that is going to deliver on that," Jaishankar said. The minister said the India of today is different from what it was earlier. "I want to share with you that this is truly a different India for which I speak. It is an India, which as you heard from others, is capable of the Chandrayaan-3 mission," he said. "It is an India which was able to pull off the most spectacular G20 and prove those who said that we will not be able to get 20 nations, I don't want to say quarrelling nations but 20 countries with different positions, to come to the table together," he said. This is an India, which showed during Covid that it could not only look after its own people but could extend its hand to more than a hundred countries across the world, he said. Today, the fastest rollout of 5G is happening in India. "I want to say in many ways, if there is a spring in our step, confidence in our voice, a sort of squaring of our shoulder, there are very good reasons for it," he said. "Because it is built today on 10 years of hard work...There are domains where our capacities have doubled or tripled," he said. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By PTI KOLKATA: Describing the situation in Manipur as "tragic", Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew Prof Sugata Bose called for working out a "just power-sharing arrangement" in the northeastern state in order to bring all three communities -- Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas -- on the same page. Bose, who was earlier a Lok Sabha MP, pointed out in an interview with PTI that members of all the three communities had joined Netaji's INA in 1944 and fought shoulder to shoulder in the battlefields of Bishnupur and Ukhrul districts in an advance into India. He said there was a need "to work out a just power-sharing arrangement in Manipur (which would engage all three communities and address their grievances)." "We need to draw upon the best legacy of the past armed struggle against the British to bring the three communities together again," added Bose, who holds the Harvard University's Gardiner chair in history. The Meiteis account for 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts surrounding Imphal. "The situation in Manipur is truly tragic, for short-term political gains, one community has been played against the other. That kind of political game must stop," Netaji's grand-nephew said. For the last five months, Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. Initial grievances and accusations include the bulldozing of villages, which had sprung up on forest lands, and an Imphal High Court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on demands for scheduled tribe status for Meiteis, which the tribal communities resented. These were compounded by rival accusations of ethnic cleansing and involvement in the drug trade by both communities. "Manipur, along with the rest of the northeast, should be given a voice in decision-making at the Centre," Bose said. He recounted that a large number of Manipuri youth from Kuki, Meitei and Naga communities joined the INA in its march towards Imphal. Of these volunteer soldiers, 15 Manipuri young men and two women joined other INA troops in the retreat to Rangoon, suffering hardships as they fought a gallant rear guard action against seasoned British troops. "These freedom fighters from Manipur included M Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of Manipur after Independence," Bose pointed out. INA's advance nearly 80 years ago had been three-pronged the Gandhi brigade led by Col Inayat Jan Kiyani moved into the hills of Palal and Tengnoupal, east of Imphal; Col Shah Nawaz Khan led the Subhas Brigade into Ukhrul, while Col Shaukat Malik led the Bahadur group into Moirang in Bishnupur district, just 40 km from Imphal town. Colonel Shakuat Malik raised the tricolour at Moirang in Bishnupur district on April 14, 1944, with help from Koering Singh and Naqi Ahmed Chaudhary, a Manipuri Muslim. There is also a version that Netaji Subhas Bose visited an INA camp near Churachandpur, a largely Kuki-dominated town in July 1944, to visit his frontline troops and interacted with villagers there. The region where INA first entered the country has since then been largely a backwater for independent India. Cut off from the rest of India by Bangladesh, except through the 'Chicken's Neck Corridor' in West Bengal's Siliguri, northeast India has faced insurgencies and race riots compounded with increasing population pressure and few job opportunities. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp KOLKATA: Describing the situation in Manipur as "tragic", Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew Prof Sugata Bose called for working out a "just power-sharing arrangement" in the northeastern state in order to bring all three communities -- Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas -- on the same page. Bose, who was earlier a Lok Sabha MP, pointed out in an interview with PTI that members of all the three communities had joined Netaji's INA in 1944 and fought shoulder to shoulder in the battlefields of Bishnupur and Ukhrul districts in an advance into India. He said there was a need "to work out a just power-sharing arrangement in Manipur (which would engage all three communities and address their grievances)."googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "We need to draw upon the best legacy of the past armed struggle against the British to bring the three communities together again," added Bose, who holds the Harvard University's Gardiner chair in history. The Meiteis account for 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts surrounding Imphal. "The situation in Manipur is truly tragic, for short-term political gains, one community has been played against the other. That kind of political game must stop," Netaji's grand-nephew said. For the last five months, Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. Initial grievances and accusations include the bulldozing of villages, which had sprung up on forest lands, and an Imphal High Court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on demands for scheduled tribe status for Meiteis, which the tribal communities resented. These were compounded by rival accusations of ethnic cleansing and involvement in the drug trade by both communities. "Manipur, along with the rest of the northeast, should be given a voice in decision-making at the Centre," Bose said. He recounted that a large number of Manipuri youth from Kuki, Meitei and Naga communities joined the INA in its march towards Imphal. Of these volunteer soldiers, 15 Manipuri young men and two women joined other INA troops in the retreat to Rangoon, suffering hardships as they fought a gallant rear guard action against seasoned British troops. "These freedom fighters from Manipur included M Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of Manipur after Independence," Bose pointed out. INA's advance nearly 80 years ago had been three-pronged the Gandhi brigade led by Col Inayat Jan Kiyani moved into the hills of Palal and Tengnoupal, east of Imphal; Col Shah Nawaz Khan led the Subhas Brigade into Ukhrul, while Col Shaukat Malik led the Bahadur group into Moirang in Bishnupur district, just 40 km from Imphal town. Colonel Shakuat Malik raised the tricolour at Moirang in Bishnupur district on April 14, 1944, with help from Koering Singh and Naqi Ahmed Chaudhary, a Manipuri Muslim. There is also a version that Netaji Subhas Bose visited an INA camp near Churachandpur, a largely Kuki-dominated town in July 1944, to visit his frontline troops and interacted with villagers there. The region where INA first entered the country has since then been largely a backwater for independent India. Cut off from the rest of India by Bangladesh, except through the 'Chicken's Neck Corridor' in West Bengal's Siliguri, northeast India has faced insurgencies and race riots compounded with increasing population pressure and few job opportunities. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp S Chandrasekhar By Mahatma Gandhi said India lives in its villages. Indias second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who shares his birthday with the Mahatmas on this day, highlighted the contribution of farmers and coined the slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Decades earlier, Bhimrao Ambedkar wrote at length on the need to improve the livelihoods of small farmers. The first Census conducted after the Mahatmas death, in 1951, put Indias rural population at almost 300 million; today it is more than three times higher. A precise, up-to-date estimate of the number of rural households and rural population is tough because we could not conduct a Census during the pandemic. But we can get some insights from the Mission Antyodaya data collected by the rural development ministry. This data is useful for highlighting the broad changes that have occurred since 2011, when the Census was last conducted. First, how rural is India? Based on the available projections, my guesstimate is that at least six in every ten Indians continue to live in rural areas. One thing we know for sure is that the number of inhabited villages has increased. Between 2011 and 2020, the number of large villages in India increased from 597,608 to 648,548. Three Indian states account for 30 percent of Indias villagesUttar Pradesh (16 percent), Rajasthan (7 percent), and Bihar (7 percent). The relatively urbanised states such as Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal account for another 18 percent. Second, the Mission Antyodaya data puts Indias rural population at 1.03 billion. In 2011, Indias rural population was 833 million. This suggests that the rural population increased by 197 million in the decade starting 2011. Contrast this with the period 2001 to 2011, when Indias rural population increased by 90.4 million. It is tough to explain why the increase in the decade starting 2011 is more than twice that in the earlier decade. The accuracy of the Mission Antyodaya data is not certain, but we do not have any other for our purpose. So, we have no option but to rely on it for looking at rural India at the moment. Those collecting the Mission data are likely to have cross-checked it with the Census of 2011. The share of the rural population living in large villages has increased. In 2011, barely 9 percent of Indias rural population lived in villages with a population of over 10,000. This has now increased to 16 percent. There are news reports documenting that new gram panchayats have been formed in line with the increase in village populations. It has also been reported that state governments are considering proposals for bifurcation of large villages. One might ask why large villages do not get reclassified as urban areas. Article 243Q of the Constitution of India pertains to the setting up of municipalities. It recognises a Nagar Panchayat as an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area. Large villages, typically, would qualify on two of the three criterions for being reclassified as urban. The two qualifications are a minimum population of 5,000 and a density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre. However, they would likely fail the criterion of needing to have 75 percent of the male working population engaged in non-agricultural work. A case in point is Bihar, a state that accounts for nearly 25 percent of all Indian villages with a population of over 10,000. This was true in 2011 too. We also know that Bihar is the least urbanised state. Does the act of bifurcation of large villages, creation of new gram panchayats, and bifurcation of gram panchayats lead to better outcomes for the residents? We do not know. What is needed is a consolidated geo-referenced database that will help us understand whether the delivery of government services improved following the changes. The same goes for new municipal corporations that are carved out of urban India. Even here, due to the lack of relevant data, one does not know whether it actually led to improved governance. Let us also not forget that the bulk of rural India lives in mid-sized villagesa third of them in villages with a population of 2,000-5,000, and another 16 percent in villages with a population of 5,000-10,000. We hardly know anything about the economic base of these villages. At best, from satellite imagery, we can get an idea of land use. But such data needs to be processed and put in the public domain. So, is rural India all about agriculture? No. According to the Annual Survey of Industries, factories located in rural India account for nearly half the total manufacturing output. But these factories employ a minuscule proportion of Indias rural workforce. The reality is that nearly 60 percent of rural male workers are self-employed in farm and non-farm activity and 27 percent as casual labourers. These estimates are from the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey. And the problem of small land-holding identified by Ambedkar continues to be pesky. Various policies have been formulated to support rural livelihoods. Way back in the third five-year plan, we find mention of a rural employment scheme for 100 days. The idea of forming self-help groups to promote financial inclusion goes back to the year 1992-93. Based on the idea of facilitating access to appropriate technology, in 2004, the pan-India Rural Technology Action Group was conceived. In recent times, the idea of farmer-producer organisations that would aggregate the output of small farmers to get better prices has been implemented. Fast forward to 2023, when the Vishwakarma Yojana, aimed at helping skilled craftsmen get acquainted with digital marketplaces, has been announced. These initiatives are piecemeal, and most often they treat the symptom rather than the cause. In contrast, Ambedkar and Gandhi attempted to work out a holistic plan for rural India. One lesson from that era is the need for an intellectual debate over development strategies cutting across ideologies. This is missing in public discourse these days. In the lead up to the 2024 elections, it is important that we have a discussion on our vision for rural India. The onus is on political parties to propose well-rounded plans for the places where most of India still lives. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Mahatma Gandhi said India lives in its villages. Indias second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who shares his birthday with the Mahatmas on this day, highlighted the contribution of farmers and coined the slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Decades earlier, Bhimrao Ambedkar wrote at length on the need to improve the livelihoods of small farmers. The first Census conducted after the Mahatmas death, in 1951, put Indias rural population at almost 300 million; today it is more than three times higher. A precise, up-to-date estimate of the number of rural households and rural population is tough because we could not conduct a Census during the pandemic. But we can get some insights from the Mission Antyodaya data collected by the rural development ministry. This data is useful for highlighting the broad changes that have occurred since 2011, when the Census was last conducted. First, how rural is India? Based on the available projections, my guesstimate is that at least six in every ten Indians continue to live in rural areas. One thing we know for sure is that the number of inhabited villages has increased. Between 2011 and 2020, the number of large villages in India increased from 597,608 to 648,548. Three Indian states account for 30 percent of Indias villagesUttar Pradesh (16 percent), Rajasthan (7 percent), and Bihar (7 percent). The relatively urbanised states such as Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal account for another 18 percent.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Second, the Mission Antyodaya data puts Indias rural population at 1.03 billion. In 2011, Indias rural population was 833 million. This suggests that the rural population increased by 197 million in the decade starting 2011. Contrast this with the period 2001 to 2011, when Indias rural population increased by 90.4 million. It is tough to explain why the increase in the decade starting 2011 is more than twice that in the earlier decade. The accuracy of the Mission Antyodaya data is not certain, but we do not have any other for our purpose. So, we have no option but to rely on it for looking at rural India at the moment. Those collecting the Mission data are likely to have cross-checked it with the Census of 2011. The share of the rural population living in large villages has increased. In 2011, barely 9 percent of Indias rural population lived in villages with a population of over 10,000. This has now increased to 16 percent. There are news reports documenting that new gram panchayats have been formed in line with the increase in village populations. It has also been reported that state governments are considering proposals for bifurcation of large villages. One might ask why large villages do not get reclassified as urban areas. Article 243Q of the Constitution of India pertains to the setting up of municipalities. It recognises a Nagar Panchayat as an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area. Large villages, typically, would qualify on two of the three criterions for being reclassified as urban. The two qualifications are a minimum population of 5,000 and a density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre. However, they would likely fail the criterion of needing to have 75 percent of the male working population engaged in non-agricultural work. A case in point is Bihar, a state that accounts for nearly 25 percent of all Indian villages with a population of over 10,000. This was true in 2011 too. We also know that Bihar is the least urbanised state. Does the act of bifurcation of large villages, creation of new gram panchayats, and bifurcation of gram panchayats lead to better outcomes for the residents? We do not know. What is needed is a consolidated geo-referenced database that will help us understand whether the delivery of government services improved following the changes. The same goes for new municipal corporations that are carved out of urban India. Even here, due to the lack of relevant data, one does not know whether it actually led to improved governance. Let us also not forget that the bulk of rural India lives in mid-sized villagesa third of them in villages with a population of 2,000-5,000, and another 16 percent in villages with a population of 5,000-10,000. We hardly know anything about the economic base of these villages. At best, from satellite imagery, we can get an idea of land use. But such data needs to be processed and put in the public domain. So, is rural India all about agriculture? No. According to the Annual Survey of Industries, factories located in rural India account for nearly half the total manufacturing output. But these factories employ a minuscule proportion of Indias rural workforce. The reality is that nearly 60 percent of rural male workers are self-employed in farm and non-farm activity and 27 percent as casual labourers. These estimates are from the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey. And the problem of small land-holding identified by Ambedkar continues to be pesky. Various policies have been formulated to support rural livelihoods. Way back in the third five-year plan, we find mention of a rural employment scheme for 100 days. The idea of forming self-help groups to promote financial inclusion goes back to the year 1992-93. Based on the idea of facilitating access to appropriate technology, in 2004, the pan-India Rural Technology Action Group was conceived. In recent times, the idea of farmer-producer organisations that would aggregate the output of small farmers to get better prices has been implemented. Fast forward to 2023, when the Vishwakarma Yojana, aimed at helping skilled craftsmen get acquainted with digital marketplaces, has been announced. These initiatives are piecemeal, and most often they treat the symptom rather than the cause. In contrast, Ambedkar and Gandhi attempted to work out a holistic plan for rural India. One lesson from that era is the need for an intellectual debate over development strategies cutting across ideologies. This is missing in public discourse these days. In the lead up to the 2024 elections, it is important that we have a discussion on our vision for rural India. The onus is on political parties to propose well-rounded plans for the places where most of India still lives. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By PTI BENGALURU: Veteran Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's statement that Veerashaiva Lingayat community is getting a raw deal under his party's government in Karnataka, seems to have created a stir within the ruling party and gained support from BJP's B S Yediyurappa. Sensing an opportunity to target the Congress government, opposition BJP has accused it of neglecting the numerically large community. Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Yediyurappa, who also hails from the community, on Sunday welcomed Shivashankarappa's statement and called on the Veershaiva Lingayats to be united. The 92-year-old Shivashankarappa, who heads the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, a body that represents the dominant community, made his grouse public during the weekend, which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied. "Many (officers from the community) have not been given (good posts)...our community and its officers are facing trouble," Shivashankarappa had said. Responding to a question on whether there should be a Lingayat CM, he said, "Earlier Lingappa (Nijalingappa) and Veerendra Patil were there (as CMs). During their tenure, we ran the administration, they had kept us good. Now our people have become helpless." Further stating that the community need not settle for the post of a Deputy Chief Minister post, he responded to a question saying, "Who wants a DCM post if possible become CM or else leave it." Shivashankarappa's statement, despite the fact that his son S S Mallikarjun is part of the government as a minister, has caused embarrassment to the ruling Congress party. The Veerashaiva Lingayats are said to constitute about 17 per cent of the state's population, and many in the state Congress are worried that such a statement by Shivashankarappa, a senior leader of the community in the state, may impact the party. During the 2023 assembly polls, Congress had managed to cause a dent in BJP's Veershaiva Lingayat support base, with a campaign alleging that the saffron party had neglected the dominant community. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rejecting Shivashankarappa's claim on Saturday, had pointed out that there are seven Lingayat ministers in his Cabinet. "How can there be injustice? There is no chance for any injustice. No religion or caste will face injustice under Congress," he said. Reacting to Shivashankarappa's statement, Yediyurappa today said, "Shamanur Shivashankarappa is national president of Veerashaiva community body. The feelings that he has expressed -- I'm in complete agreement with it." Shivashankarappa's concern about the current government's alleged neglect of the numerically large Veerashaiva Lingayats is shared by not only himself, but all the leaders of the community, he said. "So, I welcome his statement. In such a situation I call upon the Veerashaiva Lingayat community to awaken, and to unite." Responding to a question on Yediyurappa's support for Shivashankarappa's statement, CM Siddaramaiah today said, "Our's is a secular government, there will be no injustice to anyone." Pointing out to government schemes, he said they are not specific to any community or religion. "We don't practise caste or community politics. We see everyone equally. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp BENGALURU: Veteran Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's statement that Veerashaiva Lingayat community is getting a raw deal under his party's government in Karnataka, seems to have created a stir within the ruling party and gained support from BJP's B S Yediyurappa. Sensing an opportunity to target the Congress government, opposition BJP has accused it of neglecting the numerically large community. Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Yediyurappa, who also hails from the community, on Sunday welcomed Shivashankarappa's statement and called on the Veershaiva Lingayats to be united.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The 92-year-old Shivashankarappa, who heads the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, a body that represents the dominant community, made his grouse public during the weekend, which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied. "Many (officers from the community) have not been given (good posts)...our community and its officers are facing trouble," Shivashankarappa had said. Responding to a question on whether there should be a Lingayat CM, he said, "Earlier Lingappa (Nijalingappa) and Veerendra Patil were there (as CMs). During their tenure, we ran the administration, they had kept us good. Now our people have become helpless." Further stating that the community need not settle for the post of a Deputy Chief Minister post, he responded to a question saying, "Who wants a DCM post if possible become CM or else leave it." Shivashankarappa's statement, despite the fact that his son S S Mallikarjun is part of the government as a minister, has caused embarrassment to the ruling Congress party. The Veerashaiva Lingayats are said to constitute about 17 per cent of the state's population, and many in the state Congress are worried that such a statement by Shivashankarappa, a senior leader of the community in the state, may impact the party. During the 2023 assembly polls, Congress had managed to cause a dent in BJP's Veershaiva Lingayat support base, with a campaign alleging that the saffron party had neglected the dominant community. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rejecting Shivashankarappa's claim on Saturday, had pointed out that there are seven Lingayat ministers in his Cabinet. "How can there be injustice? There is no chance for any injustice. No religion or caste will face injustice under Congress," he said. Reacting to Shivashankarappa's statement, Yediyurappa today said, "Shamanur Shivashankarappa is national president of Veerashaiva community body. The feelings that he has expressed -- I'm in complete agreement with it." Shivashankarappa's concern about the current government's alleged neglect of the numerically large Veerashaiva Lingayats is shared by not only himself, but all the leaders of the community, he said. "So, I welcome his statement. In such a situation I call upon the Veerashaiva Lingayat community to awaken, and to unite." Responding to a question on Yediyurappa's support for Shivashankarappa's statement, CM Siddaramaiah today said, "Our's is a secular government, there will be no injustice to anyone." Pointing out to government schemes, he said they are not specific to any community or religion. "We don't practise caste or community politics. We see everyone equally. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By Express News Service Veena George has been in the firing line ever since she was chosen as the health minister in the current LDF government. She knows it is not easy to fill the shoes of someone like K K Shailaja, who made global headlines during the pandemic crisis. However, with the recent Nipah scare under control, Veena appeared quite confident as she talked to TNIE about the outbreak, the constant comparison with her predecessor, and her transition from a media person to a politician. Edited excerpts The state seems to have survived yet another Nipah scare. You must be feeling relieved (Smiles) The situation is totally under control now. We could trace all contacts of the positive cases and also test high-risk contacts of the index case. That gave us a lot of confidence. The most crucial aspect was to identify Nipah in the beginning itself, and not give the body of the second Nipah suspect immediately to the relatives. We convinced the victims family, kept the body in triple-layer packing, and sent his samples for testing. We got positive results in an hour and a half from the Kozhikode Medical College lab. We later sent the samples to NIC Pune the same night for confirmation. Meanwhile, we took all necessary steps before the official result was declared the next night. The super-spread occurred at a private hospital on August 29, early morning. The hospital had initially recorded the condition of the victim as pneumonia. However, we could identify the patient and started contact tracing. We did not send the samples of the index case in the beginning. But, two days later, we confirmed that he was the index case. How did that happen? Initially, we sent samples of the second victim, his brother-in-law and their children. We got three positive results. Finding the index case is vital. The cause of death of the first victim was registered as pneumonia. That is why his report did not appear in the communicable diseases surveillance records. We checked if the private hospital where he underwent treatment had collected any of his samples as part of the treatment. Fortunately, a doctor named Priyanka, who specialises in pathology, could identify a throat swab taken from the patient, and that was sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for Nipah testing. According to a study by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), virus-carrying fruit bats are present in eight states. But why has Nipah struck only Kerala? The study says eight or nine states, including Kerala, are prone to Nipah. One of the answers to Why Kerala? is that the disease gets properly diagnosed here. Every unusual fever gets noticed due to the efficiency of our health system. It (outbreak) may be happening in other states, too, but they rarely get reported. And, why Kozhikode? Even the ICMR does not have a clear answer to why Kerala? or why Kozhikode?. A lot of studies have been carried out in this regard since 2018. They showed the presence of the live virus in bats in 2018, 2019 and 2021. We need to find out how the spillover happens (from bats to humans). Various possibilities have been suggested, but we have not arrived at a definite conclusion. Changes in the environment and rainfall patterns are also considered as possible reasons. We are in touch with the ICMR regarding this. Is virus testing allowed only in NIV? There was a controversy about our dependence on the Pune centre We can conduct tests to determine the virus here. We have two facilities under the state government, one at the Institute of Advanced Virology in Thiruvananthapuram and the other at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Both are biosafety level 2-3 procedures labs. Besides, we have had an NIV lab in Alappuzha under ICMR since 2010. Nipah is a biosafety level 4 pathogen. As per the protocol, only the ICMR lab is authorised to declare it. You took charge as health minister when Covid was at its peak. Thereon, you seem to be walking along the firing line (Smiles) On May 20, 2021, the day I took oath, the number of Covid cases in the state was 35,000. Kerala had, by then, entered the second phase of Covid 19. It was the fast-spreading Delta wave. Daily cases touched 42,000. Our state has the highest old-age population, and we also have the largest population with lifestyle diseases. The biggest challenge was to provide vaccination to everyone We were the first in the country to provide vaccination to palliative care patients. The third wave was from January to April 2022. It was the Omicron wave. We have a strong public health system that has evolved over many decades. The strength of the states health sector is the large contingent of experts, experienced doctors and frontline workers. Its now two and a half years since you took over as the health minister. However, you are still compared with your predecessor K K Shailaja. Does this irk you? K K Shailaja and P K Sreemathi had led the health department efficiently. As I was faced with huge challenges from day one, I have not got enough time to be bothered by such things (smiles). There may be comparisons. My two predecessors are my motivation. P K Sreemathi brought many institutions to the state. Shailaja Teacher was able to effectively handle the pandemic. They have set very good examples before me. My attempt is to emulate them and perform more effectively, if possible. Whats one quality in K K Shailaja worth emulating? There are many qualities. Her work as a leader during the pandemic was very inspiring. You are being constantly judged, right from the moment your name was announced as the health minister. Did replacing Shailaja affect you in any manner? I can say with 100 per cent confidence that it has never affected me. It is the party that assigns different responsibilities. I only have the obligation to execute the responsibility effectively. I will do that for sure. Are you aware that you are being judged? I am someone who was judged or criticised even before I took oath. My only concern has been that my team should not be demoralised by any negativity. I genuinely believe that the health department is not about a single individual, but teamwork. You have been subjected to some nasty personal attacks. There is also a perception that a particular media house and a media person have been deliberately targeting you... Could be true. Some media houses or journalists have been constantly writing baseless things against me. For example, there was this journalist who continuously did baseless stories about me. When someone asked him the reason, he said that I had not paid due attention to him, despite coming from a media background (chuckles). The media house, which is constantly levelling baseless allegations against me now, had approached me several times with job offers. I had said no to them (smiles). Any recent instances when you felt unfairly targeted? This happened at the time of Nipah, too. The Nipah control room was handled by the most senior doctors and officials. I was personally there throughout. However, a leading newspaper wrote that temporary employees were handling the whole thing. They wanted to create an impression that the Nipah prevention process had derailed. Imagine the impact such baseless news could have had on the people living in Kozhikode. Your office is now embroiled in a controversy following corruption allegations against a personal staff member. What is your response? My personal secretary and staff, on my instruction, have filed complaints with the police against the allegations. The police have started an investigation. What is the status of the investigation? The police have collected some evidence. The person concerned was not in the office on that particular day mentioned by the complainant. There is a conspiracy behind these allegations. The truth will come out soon. Compared with your predecessors, you are relatively junior in the party. A few among your personal staff, too, may be senior to you in the party hierarchy. Has this ever affected your performance as a minister? No, never. Because, as I said earlier, this is a responsibility entrusted to me by the party. Have you ever felt you do not wield enough power over your department? This question comes because your predecessor Shailaja Teacher was a CPM Central Committee member when she was the health minister. There have been efforts to create such an impression. The party has given me enough freedom to perform to my best ability. But, there is a public perception that you are under the shadow of your personal staff It is because of a preconceived notion that women wont be able to handle important stuff, or that shes doing it as dictated by someone else. Majority of women from all sectors have experienced this. Its part of a perception that women cannot do anything alone. Women in politics or the media have faced this. Women journalists working in prominent media houses have told me that they were not given political and other important beats. You tell me whats the basis for such a perception? The question is not about being a woman. Its about your seniority in the party machinery. My party is the CPM thats my response to the question. Even a comrade in the branch committee can criticise or question another comrade in a senior party forum. That is my party. But, at any point in time, have you felt that you were not getting the kind of backing from the party that K K Shailaja enjoyed? Its because of the support that I get from my party and my department that I am able to function (smiles). P K Sreemathi was known as an institution-builder. Whats the lasting legacy that you would want to leave behind? There are some things that this era demands from us. One is to actualise the Centre for One Health project. Another is the setting up of a Nipah research centre in Kozhikode. Then, there is the State Institute for Organ Transplantation in Kozhikode. We also plan to develop a neuro-stroke centre at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Right from the DMO to the top, accessibility has been a major issue with respect to the health department Health is a department that has a huge workload. We rarely leave the office before 9pm. But now, we are working on measures to make it more accessible. Is lack of access a reason for you being targeted? Even the deputy speaker had mentioned it once Theres no such lack of access to me. Anyone can come to my office. There is no need to wait for permission or an appointment. Patients from medical colleges and their bystanders regularly come to meet me without any recommendation letter. You are the face of the Orthodox Christian community in the CPM. How much has the community got closer to the Left? These are mere interpretations. When I contested elections in 2016, I had been part of the media for 16 years. It was only when I entered politics that the public started thinking about my denomination (chuckles). The question comes because your rise in politics has been phenomenal. You became an MLA out of the blue, and was made a minister in the second term itself. One of the reasons could be that you are the representative of Orthodox community... I have been part of the Left since my student days. Though I was not actively involved, I have long been part of Left platforms. I was elected by all sections of people of Aranmula. In 2021, my victory margin was nearly three times what I got in 2016. It shows the support that the Left and I enjoy in the constituency. I was not elected as the representative of any one section of society. Its not correct to portray me as a representative of any particular section. So, you mean to say you are not a representative of the Orthodox community. Im a representative of the general public. Its the people of Aranmula who elected me. Who, from the CPM, invited you to politics? I was part of the SFI during my student days. After post-graduation, I entered the media field. In 2016, it was the district secretary who informed me about the partys decision to field me. Pathanamthitta used to be a Congress bastion, but now all seats are with the Left. What led to this change? Its because of the work done by the Left in the district. Look at the roads in the district, and the new facilities that have come up in hospitals. People in Pathanamthitta have witnessed how their district got improved under MLAs from LDF. The development in basic infrastructure and other fields have contributed a lot. Has the states financial crunch slowed down the health projects? Theres a decrease in the support that we get from the Centre. Thats not just for the health department. We recently got the Arogya Manthan award from the Centre. Kerala spends the maximum amount more than Rs 1,600 crore on free treatment. The Centres share is only Rs 138 crore, which is less than 7 percent. Recently, IUML leader K M Shaji addressed you as sadhanam (thing) [and later retracted] in a tirade I do not wish to comment about his remark. I understand that our society, including the League president, have conveyed their displeasure in this regard. No one should make such remarks or insult women. Personally, it did not affect me. But such remarks should not be made against any woman. Nothing wrong in criticisms based on facts, but these kinds of insults are a shame. Why such targeted attacks against only you? This is a question many ask me. As far as I am concerned, such attacks only give me more motivation to move forward (smiles). There are reports of a cabinet reshuffle, and that you might become the first woman speaker. (Laughs) I will take on any responsibility that the party entrusts me with. How has your experience as a journalist helped you in your political career? My life as a journalist has definitely helped me understand issues from multiple angles, and to also approach issues in a self-critical manner. Do you have any friends in the Congress or the UDF? I maintain good relations with everyone. If you are asking about close friends, I dont have anyone. What about close friends within the party? There are many (laughs). Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Veena George has been in the firing line ever since she was chosen as the health minister in the current LDF government. She knows it is not easy to fill the shoes of someone like K K Shailaja, who made global headlines during the pandemic crisis. However, with the recent Nipah scare under control, Veena appeared quite confident as she talked to TNIE about the outbreak, the constant comparison with her predecessor, and her transition from a media person to a politician. Edited excerpts The state seems to have survived yet another Nipah scare. You must be feeling relievedgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); (Smiles) The situation is totally under control now. We could trace all contacts of the positive cases and also test high-risk contacts of the index case. That gave us a lot of confidence. The most crucial aspect was to identify Nipah in the beginning itself, and not give the body of the second Nipah suspect immediately to the relatives. We convinced the victims family, kept the body in triple-layer packing, and sent his samples for testing. We got positive results in an hour and a half from the Kozhikode Medical College lab. We later sent the samples to NIC Pune the same night for confirmation. Meanwhile, we took all necessary steps before the official result was declared the next night. The super-spread occurred at a private hospital on August 29, early morning. The hospital had initially recorded the condition of the victim as pneumonia. However, we could identify the patient and started contact tracing. We did not send the samples of the index case in the beginning. But, two days later, we confirmed that he was the index case. How did that happen? Initially, we sent samples of the second victim, his brother-in-law and their children. We got three positive results. Finding the index case is vital. The cause of death of the first victim was registered as pneumonia. That is why his report did not appear in the communicable diseases surveillance records. We checked if the private hospital where he underwent treatment had collected any of his samples as part of the treatment. Fortunately, a doctor named Priyanka, who specialises in pathology, could identify a throat swab taken from the patient, and that was sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for Nipah testing. According to a study by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), virus-carrying fruit bats are present in eight states. But why has Nipah struck only Kerala? The study says eight or nine states, including Kerala, are prone to Nipah. One of the answers to Why Kerala? is that the disease gets properly diagnosed here. Every unusual fever gets noticed due to the efficiency of our health system. It (outbreak) may be happening in other states, too, but they rarely get reported. And, why Kozhikode? Even the ICMR does not have a clear answer to why Kerala? or why Kozhikode?. A lot of studies have been carried out in this regard since 2018. They showed the presence of the live virus in bats in 2018, 2019 and 2021. We need to find out how the spillover happens (from bats to humans). Various possibilities have been suggested, but we have not arrived at a definite conclusion. Changes in the environment and rainfall patterns are also considered as possible reasons. We are in touch with the ICMR regarding this. Is virus testing allowed only in NIV? There was a controversy about our dependence on the Pune centre We can conduct tests to determine the virus here. We have two facilities under the state government, one at the Institute of Advanced Virology in Thiruvananthapuram and the other at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Both are biosafety level 2-3 procedures labs. Besides, we have had an NIV lab in Alappuzha under ICMR since 2010. Nipah is a biosafety level 4 pathogen. As per the protocol, only the ICMR lab is authorised to declare it. You took charge as health minister when Covid was at its peak. Thereon, you seem to be walking along the firing line (Smiles) On May 20, 2021, the day I took oath, the number of Covid cases in the state was 35,000. Kerala had, by then, entered the second phase of Covid 19. It was the fast-spreading Delta wave. Daily cases touched 42,000. Our state has the highest old-age population, and we also have the largest population with lifestyle diseases. The biggest challenge was to provide vaccination to everyone We were the first in the country to provide vaccination to palliative care patients. The third wave was from January to April 2022. It was the Omicron wave. We have a strong public health system that has evolved over many decades. The strength of the states health sector is the large contingent of experts, experienced doctors and frontline workers. Its now two and a half years since you took over as the health minister. However, you are still compared with your predecessor K K Shailaja. Does this irk you? K K Shailaja and P K Sreemathi had led the health department efficiently. As I was faced with huge challenges from day one, I have not got enough time to be bothered by such things (smiles). There may be comparisons. My two predecessors are my motivation. P K Sreemathi brought many institutions to the state. Shailaja Teacher was able to effectively handle the pandemic. They have set very good examples before me. My attempt is to emulate them and perform more effectively, if possible. Whats one quality in K K Shailaja worth emulating? There are many qualities. Her work as a leader during the pandemic was very inspiring. You are being constantly judged, right from the moment your name was announced as the health minister. Did replacing Shailaja affect you in any manner? I can say with 100 per cent confidence that it has never affected me. It is the party that assigns different responsibilities. I only have the obligation to execute the responsibility effectively. I will do that for sure. Are you aware that you are being judged? I am someone who was judged or criticised even before I took oath. My only concern has been that my team should not be demoralised by any negativity. I genuinely believe that the health department is not about a single individual, but teamwork. You have been subjected to some nasty personal attacks. There is also a perception that a particular media house and a media person have been deliberately targeting you... Could be true. Some media houses or journalists have been constantly writing baseless things against me. For example, there was this journalist who continuously did baseless stories about me. When someone asked him the reason, he said that I had not paid due attention to him, despite coming from a media background (chuckles). The media house, which is constantly levelling baseless allegations against me now, had approached me several times with job offers. I had said no to them (smiles). Any recent instances when you felt unfairly targeted? This happened at the time of Nipah, too. The Nipah control room was handled by the most senior doctors and officials. I was personally there throughout. However, a leading newspaper wrote that temporary employees were handling the whole thing. They wanted to create an impression that the Nipah prevention process had derailed. Imagine the impact such baseless news could have had on the people living in Kozhikode. Your office is now embroiled in a controversy following corruption allegations against a personal staff member. What is your response? My personal secretary and staff, on my instruction, have filed complaints with the police against the allegations. The police have started an investigation. What is the status of the investigation? The police have collected some evidence. The person concerned was not in the office on that particular day mentioned by the complainant. There is a conspiracy behind these allegations. The truth will come out soon. Compared with your predecessors, you are relatively junior in the party. A few among your personal staff, too, may be senior to you in the party hierarchy. Has this ever affected your performance as a minister? No, never. Because, as I said earlier, this is a responsibility entrusted to me by the party. Have you ever felt you do not wield enough power over your department? This question comes because your predecessor Shailaja Teacher was a CPM Central Committee member when she was the health minister. There have been efforts to create such an impression. The party has given me enough freedom to perform to my best ability. But, there is a public perception that you are under the shadow of your personal staff It is because of a preconceived notion that women wont be able to handle important stuff, or that shes doing it as dictated by someone else. Majority of women from all sectors have experienced this. Its part of a perception that women cannot do anything alone. Women in politics or the media have faced this. Women journalists working in prominent media houses have told me that they were not given political and other important beats. You tell me whats the basis for such a perception? The question is not about being a woman. Its about your seniority in the party machinery. My party is the CPM thats my response to the question. Even a comrade in the branch committee can criticise or question another comrade in a senior party forum. That is my party. But, at any point in time, have you felt that you were not getting the kind of backing from the party that K K Shailaja enjoyed? Its because of the support that I get from my party and my department that I am able to function (smiles). P K Sreemathi was known as an institution-builder. Whats the lasting legacy that you would want to leave behind? There are some things that this era demands from us. One is to actualise the Centre for One Health project. Another is the setting up of a Nipah research centre in Kozhikode. Then, there is the State Institute for Organ Transplantation in Kozhikode. We also plan to develop a neuro-stroke centre at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Right from the DMO to the top, accessibility has been a major issue with respect to the health department Health is a department that has a huge workload. We rarely leave the office before 9pm. But now, we are working on measures to make it more accessible. Is lack of access a reason for you being targeted? Even the deputy speaker had mentioned it once Theres no such lack of access to me. Anyone can come to my office. There is no need to wait for permission or an appointment. Patients from medical colleges and their bystanders regularly come to meet me without any recommendation letter. You are the face of the Orthodox Christian community in the CPM. How much has the community got closer to the Left? These are mere interpretations. When I contested elections in 2016, I had been part of the media for 16 years. It was only when I entered politics that the public started thinking about my denomination (chuckles). The question comes because your rise in politics has been phenomenal. You became an MLA out of the blue, and was made a minister in the second term itself. One of the reasons could be that you are the representative of Orthodox community... I have been part of the Left since my student days. Though I was not actively involved, I have long been part of Left platforms. I was elected by all sections of people of Aranmula. In 2021, my victory margin was nearly three times what I got in 2016. It shows the support that the Left and I enjoy in the constituency. I was not elected as the representative of any one section of society. Its not correct to portray me as a representative of any particular section. So, you mean to say you are not a representative of the Orthodox community. Im a representative of the general public. Its the people of Aranmula who elected me. Who, from the CPM, invited you to politics? I was part of the SFI during my student days. After post-graduation, I entered the media field. In 2016, it was the district secretary who informed me about the partys decision to field me. Pathanamthitta used to be a Congress bastion, but now all seats are with the Left. What led to this change? Its because of the work done by the Left in the district. Look at the roads in the district, and the new facilities that have come up in hospitals. People in Pathanamthitta have witnessed how their district got improved under MLAs from LDF. The development in basic infrastructure and other fields have contributed a lot. Has the states financial crunch slowed down the health projects? Theres a decrease in the support that we get from the Centre. Thats not just for the health department. We recently got the Arogya Manthan award from the Centre. Kerala spends the maximum amount more than Rs 1,600 crore on free treatment. The Centres share is only Rs 138 crore, which is less than 7 percent. Recently, IUML leader K M Shaji addressed you as sadhanam (thing) [and later retracted] in a tirade I do not wish to comment about his remark. I understand that our society, including the League president, have conveyed their displeasure in this regard. No one should make such remarks or insult women. Personally, it did not affect me. But such remarks should not be made against any woman. Nothing wrong in criticisms based on facts, but these kinds of insults are a shame. Why such targeted attacks against only you? This is a question many ask me. As far as I am concerned, such attacks only give me more motivation to move forward (smiles). There are reports of a cabinet reshuffle, and that you might become the first woman speaker. (Laughs) I will take on any responsibility that the party entrusts me with. How has your experience as a journalist helped you in your political career? My life as a journalist has definitely helped me understand issues from multiple angles, and to also approach issues in a self-critical manner. Do you have any friends in the Congress or the UDF? I maintain good relations with everyone. If you are asking about close friends, I dont have anyone. What about close friends within the party? There are many (laughs). Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By Express News Service CHENNAI: Strongly criticising Chief Minister MK Stalin for failing to exert timely political and legal pressure on Karnataka to ensure the release of Cauvery water to save the standing crops in delta districts, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday urged the chief minister to take a firm stand on this issue by convening an all-party meeting. The leader of opposition in the state assembly alleged that the DMK was "backing" the Congress government in Karnataka "with a view to ensuring the businesses run by its family members" there should not be affected. The AIADMK general secretary also charged "puppet CM Stalin" with lacking any foresight, saying he released water from the Mettur Dam in Salem on June 12. In a statement here, Palaniswami said the chief minister could have approached his Karnataka counterpart in a friendly manner during the INDIA Alliance meeting held in Bengaluru to ensure the release of water or at least Stalin could have used the meeting held in Patna. Just like the Aam Aadmi Party agreed to take part in that meeting on a condition, the DMK president should have put the release of water as a condition for attending that meeting. Stalin could have avoided taking part in the meeting in Bengaluru. But doing nothing, Stalin has been betraying the people of Tamil Nadu by hiding behind the central government, which is unacceptable. Standing paddy on 3.5 lakh acres in delta districts has withered as the farmers did not get water for irrigation. In the rest of the areas, cultivation is going on using well water, Palaniswami added. "What should the DMK government, which lacks efficient administration, do? It should have reduced the quantum of water released from Mettur Dam and ensured Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from Karnataka for the months of June, July and August as per the law and through political pressure," he said. The DMK government was in "deep slumber" all through, used up the water in Mettur Dam, pointed fingers at the Centre for the sake of doing so but did not do anything constructive on the matter. If Stalin was "really concerned" about the people of the state, including those from the Cauvery delta areas, he could have taken up the matter with the neighbouring state when he went to Bengaluru to attend the swearing-in of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in June, the former CM said. He could have held friendly talks then and ensured the release of water when Karnataka had adequate storage in its reservoirs, Palaniswami said. "I insist this government show concern for farmers at least now, convene an all-party meeting and take a firm step to uphold Tamil Nadu's rights on the Cauvery issue and ensure water to the state," he demanded. (With inputs from PTI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp CHENNAI: Strongly criticising Chief Minister MK Stalin for failing to exert timely political and legal pressure on Karnataka to ensure the release of Cauvery water to save the standing crops in delta districts, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday urged the chief minister to take a firm stand on this issue by convening an all-party meeting. The leader of opposition in the state assembly alleged that the DMK was "backing" the Congress government in Karnataka "with a view to ensuring the businesses run by its family members" there should not be affected. The AIADMK general secretary also charged "puppet CM Stalin" with lacking any foresight, saying he released water from the Mettur Dam in Salem on June 12.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In a statement here, Palaniswami said the chief minister could have approached his Karnataka counterpart in a friendly manner during the INDIA Alliance meeting held in Bengaluru to ensure the release of water or at least Stalin could have used the meeting held in Patna. Just like the Aam Aadmi Party agreed to take part in that meeting on a condition, the DMK president should have put the release of water as a condition for attending that meeting. Stalin could have avoided taking part in the meeting in Bengaluru. But doing nothing, Stalin has been betraying the people of Tamil Nadu by hiding behind the central government, which is unacceptable. Standing paddy on 3.5 lakh acres in delta districts has withered as the farmers did not get water for irrigation. In the rest of the areas, cultivation is going on using well water, Palaniswami added. "What should the DMK government, which lacks efficient administration, do? It should have reduced the quantum of water released from Mettur Dam and ensured Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from Karnataka for the months of June, July and August as per the law and through political pressure," he said. The DMK government was in "deep slumber" all through, used up the water in Mettur Dam, pointed fingers at the Centre for the sake of doing so but did not do anything constructive on the matter. If Stalin was "really concerned" about the people of the state, including those from the Cauvery delta areas, he could have taken up the matter with the neighbouring state when he went to Bengaluru to attend the swearing-in of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in June, the former CM said. He could have held friendly talks then and ensured the release of water when Karnataka had adequate storage in its reservoirs, Palaniswami said. "I insist this government show concern for farmers at least now, convene an all-party meeting and take a firm step to uphold Tamil Nadu's rights on the Cauvery issue and ensure water to the state," he demanded. (With inputs from PTI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Space technologies should be used to accelerate the demining process in Karabakh, Azerbaijani MP Vugar Bayramov said during the 13th international session of IAF, Trend reports. "I come from Fuzuli, which is located in the Karabakh region. Currently, there is a process of returning former IDPs to their homes. In particular, about 70,000 people are returning to Fuzuli. It is also worth mentioning the problem of demining. In this context, it is necessary to use space technology to accelerate the demining process, as to date more than 300 people have fallen victim to mines. This figure shows that it is extremely important to use space technology for humanitarian purposes. Therefore, the support of the international community to Azerbaijan is necessary," he said. Following the liberation of its lands, Azerbaijan from Nov. 2020 started carrying out operations on clearing its lands from mines, booby traps, and various weapons left behind by the Armenian troops. During the mine clearance operations conducted from September 4 through September 10, 31 anti-personnel and 12 anti-tank mines, as well as 214 unexploded ordnance were found and defused in Azerbaijan's Terter, Khojavend, Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrail, Lachin, Gubadli and Zangilan. An area of 5,246 hectares was checked. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for several developmental projects and inaugurated other finished structures, in total worth more than Rs 13,500 crore via videoconferencing in Mahabubnagar district in Telangana. He declared the formation of the National Turmeric Board and the establishment of the Sammakka-Sarakka Central Tribal University in Mulugu district which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 900 crore. "India is the largest producer of turmeric, and after Covid-19, awareness on the uses of turmeric has increased along with its worldwide demand," the PM observed, stressing the need to channelise its supply chain from production to research, so that it can benefit the turmeric farmers in Telangana and the country at large. He said that the turmeric board will help the farmers in value-addition and infrastructure creation. Expressing confidence in the HPCL- Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG pipeline being constructed at a cost of Rs 2,170 crore, the PM said that the 425 km-long Multi-Product Pipeline from Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad (Malkapur) being laid at a cost of Rs 1,940 crore is bound to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the districts. PM Modi also said that the Nagpur-Vijayawada economic corridor will make commuting between Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana easy, boosting trade, tourism, and industry in these states. He said that some crucial economic hubs including eight special economic zones, five mega food parks, four fishing seafood clusters, three pharma and medical clusters, and a textile cluster will become part of that corridor. "By connecting the East-West ports and easy access to sea ports and exports from there, the people of Telangana will occupy the world market," he predicted. On the new academic blocks in the University of Hyderabad inaugurated by him virtually, PM Modi said that the Centre has recognised the university as an 'Institution of Eminence' and that special funds are being provided to the university. The five new buildings of Hyderabad University inaugurated are --- School of Economics; School of Mathematics & Statistics; School of Management Studies; Lecture Hall Complex - III; and Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication (Annexe). The PM also flagged off the Hyderabad (Kacheguda)-Raichur-Hyderabad (Kacheguda) train service from Krishna station via video conferencing. The train service will connect Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, and Narayanpet districts in Telangana with Raichur district in Karnataka. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for several developmental projects and inaugurated other finished structures, in total worth more than Rs 13,500 crore via videoconferencing in Mahabubnagar district in Telangana. He declared the formation of the National Turmeric Board and the establishment of the Sammakka-Sarakka Central Tribal University in Mulugu district which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 900 crore. "India is the largest producer of turmeric, and after Covid-19, awareness on the uses of turmeric has increased along with its worldwide demand," the PM observed, stressing the need to channelise its supply chain from production to research, so that it can benefit the turmeric farmers in Telangana and the country at large. He said that the turmeric board will help the farmers in value-addition and infrastructure creation.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Expressing confidence in the HPCL- Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG pipeline being constructed at a cost of Rs 2,170 crore, the PM said that the 425 km-long Multi-Product Pipeline from Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad (Malkapur) being laid at a cost of Rs 1,940 crore is bound to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the districts. PM Modi also said that the Nagpur-Vijayawada economic corridor will make commuting between Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana easy, boosting trade, tourism, and industry in these states. He said that some crucial economic hubs including eight special economic zones, five mega food parks, four fishing seafood clusters, three pharma and medical clusters, and a textile cluster will become part of that corridor. "By connecting the East-West ports and easy access to sea ports and exports from there, the people of Telangana will occupy the world market," he predicted. On the new academic blocks in the University of Hyderabad inaugurated by him virtually, PM Modi said that the Centre has recognised the university as an 'Institution of Eminence' and that special funds are being provided to the university. The five new buildings of Hyderabad University inaugurated are --- School of Economics; School of Mathematics & Statistics; School of Management Studies; Lecture Hall Complex - III; and Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication (Annexe). The PM also flagged off the Hyderabad (Kacheguda)-Raichur-Hyderabad (Kacheguda) train service from Krishna station via video conferencing. The train service will connect Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, and Narayanpet districts in Telangana with Raichur district in Karnataka. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In his sharpest criticism against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused it of making black money out of schemes meant for the farmers' schemes, and perpetrating corruption in the irrigation projects. Addressing the "Palamuru Praja Garjana" public meeting held in Mahabubnagar on Sunday, he took a swipe at the BRS government by saying that only in Telangana, irrigation projects get inaugurated but water is not delivered to the farmers. He was referring to the wet-run of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) done by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on September 16. "The people of Telangana don't want a corrupt government. They want an honest government which doesn't give false assurances, but one which implements those promises on the ground," he said. He said that "the progress of Telangana has been stalled by two parties (BRS and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen), whose identity is corruption and commission, running their parties with the formula of party of the family, by the family and to the family" Without naming the BRS explicitly, PM Modi said that the two parties were made private limited companies, with the family members of the ruling family being the president, CEO, director, treasurer, general manager, shift manager and the manager, using outsiders only as the support staff. "Any decision of that party doesn't happen without the notice of the family. But the BJP's entire focus is on how to give your families a better life full of opportunities," PM Modi said. He also said that the tribal university would have been established in Telangana by now, if not for the five-year-long delay done by the State government in acquiring land for the purpose. Modi asserted that the women, youth and farmers trust the guarantees given by him, and that he has been delivering them. The Prime Minister had entered the public meeting arena in an open-top SUV, with BJYM workers showering flowers on him. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp HYDERABAD: In his sharpest criticism against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused it of making black money out of schemes meant for the farmers' schemes, and perpetrating corruption in the irrigation projects. Addressing the "Palamuru Praja Garjana" public meeting held in Mahabubnagar on Sunday, he took a swipe at the BRS government by saying that only in Telangana, irrigation projects get inaugurated but water is not delivered to the farmers. He was referring to the wet-run of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) done by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on September 16.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "The people of Telangana don't want a corrupt government. They want an honest government which doesn't give false assurances, but one which implements those promises on the ground," he said. He said that "the progress of Telangana has been stalled by two parties (BRS and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen), whose identity is corruption and commission, running their parties with the formula of party of the family, by the family and to the family" Without naming the BRS explicitly, PM Modi said that the two parties were made private limited companies, with the family members of the ruling family being the president, CEO, director, treasurer, general manager, shift manager and the manager, using outsiders only as the support staff. "Any decision of that party doesn't happen without the notice of the family. But the BJP's entire focus is on how to give your families a better life full of opportunities," PM Modi said. He also said that the tribal university would have been established in Telangana by now, if not for the five-year-long delay done by the State government in acquiring land for the purpose. Modi asserted that the women, youth and farmers trust the guarantees given by him, and that he has been delivering them. The Prime Minister had entered the public meeting arena in an open-top SUV, with BJYM workers showering flowers on him. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Rajesh Asnani By JAIPUR: Communal tension gripped the state capital Jaipur on Saturday after an 18-year-old youth, who allegedly intervened in a road accident, was attacked by locals and succumbed to his injuries. According to preliminary reports, two motorcycles collided in Subhash Chowk in Ramganj area late on Friday night. Iqbal, who was a passerby, recognised one of the youths involved in the accident, intervened and allegedly slapped one of the young men involved in the altercation. The situation became tense when Iqbal allegedly got engaged verbally with an older bystander and local residents leading to a physical altercation. Iqbal was allegedly attacked by locals with sticks and rods and fell unconscious owing to a head injury. He was rushed to Jaipurs SMS hospital but died during the treatment. Tensions quickly spread throughout the Ramganj area with a crowd creating a ruckus within the hospital premises. Police arrested nine individuals and said 15 were involved in the attack. The state government has announced assistance of Rs 50 lakhs to Iqbals family, a contractual job for his family member and a dairy booth. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp JAIPUR: Communal tension gripped the state capital Jaipur on Saturday after an 18-year-old youth, who allegedly intervened in a road accident, was attacked by locals and succumbed to his injuries. According to preliminary reports, two motorcycles collided in Subhash Chowk in Ramganj area late on Friday night. Iqbal, who was a passerby, recognised one of the youths involved in the accident, intervened and allegedly slapped one of the young men involved in the altercation. The situation became tense when Iqbal allegedly got engaged verbally with an older bystander and local residents leading to a physical altercation. Iqbal was allegedly attacked by locals with sticks and rods and fell unconscious owing to a head injury. He was rushed to Jaipurs SMS hospital but died during the treatment.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Tensions quickly spread throughout the Ramganj area with a crowd creating a ruckus within the hospital premises. Police arrested nine individuals and said 15 were involved in the attack. The state government has announced assistance of Rs 50 lakhs to Iqbals family, a contractual job for his family member and a dairy booth. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Ejaz Kaiser By RAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a blistering attack against the Congress claiming that all his development efforts initiated from Delhi towards the welfare and growth of Chhattisgarh are impaired by the alleged corrupt practices and apathy of the state government. Addressing the BJPs Parivartan Mahasankalp rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarhs Bilaspur, Modi cautioned the people that if Congress returns to power a second time, nobody can prevent the state from getting totally ruined. Its because I am sitting in Delhi, they (Congress) are a bit scared. To fulfil every dream of yours is Modis Sankalp (resolution) but that can be realised only if Chhattisgarh too has a BJP government. I can perceive the yearning of the people for a change to replace Congress government with BJP in the state, which has witnessed corruption in every scheme, the prime minister alleged. He added that there are reports of deaths of many children in the state owning to malnutrition which has been concealed by the Congress. Barely two days after the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Chhattisgarh had dubbed the womens reservation bill as another jumla (hollow promise) of the Modi government and questioned the BJP-led Centres intention, the PM said, Modi will deliver what he guarantees. Now women will get 33 percent of seats reserved in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill was held in abeyance for 30 years by Congress and its alliance partners. They were forced to support the reservation bill owing to the unity and awareness of women. He promised that the first decision after the BJP government is formed in Chhattisgarh will be to construct pucca houses for all the poor including those on the waiting list. Citing himself as the son of the poor, who decided to give free ration to all poor during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, Modi accused the Congress government in the state of committing a scam and depriving the ration meant for the needy and the poor. The Congress government involved in liquor scam has committed corruption in the ration, embezzlement of district mineral foundation fund and didnt even spare cow-dung, the PM alleged. He recalled how Atal Bihari Vajpayee helped in creating the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his rally promised that the first decision after the Bharatiya Janata Party government is formed in Chhattisgarh will be to construct pucca houses for all the poor including those on the waiting list. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp RAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a blistering attack against the Congress claiming that all his development efforts initiated from Delhi towards the welfare and growth of Chhattisgarh are impaired by the alleged corrupt practices and apathy of the state government. Addressing the BJPs Parivartan Mahasankalp rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarhs Bilaspur, Modi cautioned the people that if Congress returns to power a second time, nobody can prevent the state from getting totally ruined. Its because I am sitting in Delhi, they (Congress) are a bit scared. To fulfil every dream of yours is Modis Sankalp (resolution) but that can be realised only if Chhattisgarh too has a BJP government. I can perceive the yearning of the people for a change to replace Congress government with BJP in the state, which has witnessed corruption in every scheme, the prime minister alleged.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He added that there are reports of deaths of many children in the state owning to malnutrition which has been concealed by the Congress. Barely two days after the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Chhattisgarh had dubbed the womens reservation bill as another jumla (hollow promise) of the Modi government and questioned the BJP-led Centres intention, the PM said, Modi will deliver what he guarantees. Now women will get 33 percent of seats reserved in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill was held in abeyance for 30 years by Congress and its alliance partners. They were forced to support the reservation bill owing to the unity and awareness of women. He promised that the first decision after the BJP government is formed in Chhattisgarh will be to construct pucca houses for all the poor including those on the waiting list. Citing himself as the son of the poor, who decided to give free ration to all poor during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, Modi accused the Congress government in the state of committing a scam and depriving the ration meant for the needy and the poor. The Congress government involved in liquor scam has committed corruption in the ration, embezzlement of district mineral foundation fund and didnt even spare cow-dung, the PM alleged. He recalled how Atal Bihari Vajpayee helped in creating the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his rally promised that the first decision after the Bharatiya Janata Party government is formed in Chhattisgarh will be to construct pucca houses for all the poor including those on the waiting list. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Preetha Nair By NEW DELHI: In the upcoming elections in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, the Congress party has placed a strong emphasis on the issue of social justice, particularly focusing on the enumeration of caste and the provision of reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not shown much interest in addressing the contentious topics of caste-based census and OBC quotas in the Womens Reservation Bill, which appears to have put it at a disadvantage, say analysts. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has vocally advocated for OBC representation, reiterating his partys commitment to conducting a caste-based census in Madhya Pradesh, where OBCs constitute half of the states population. During a debate on the Womens Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi criticised the BJP for not ensuring adequate representation for OBC communities in positions of power and raised questions about their limited presence in the bureaucracy. Analysts suggest that the Congress proactive stance on securing OBC votes may pose challenges for the ruling BJP government, which is already grappling with anti-incumbency sentiments and internal discord. A senior Congress leader said that the party has effectively cornered the BJP by highlighting former chief minister Kamal Naths implementation of a 27 per cent OBC reservation in 2019. During Kamal Naths brief tenure, the Congress government in the state had raised OBC reservation to 27 per cent via an ordinance. Furthermore, pressure is mounting on the BJP from its former chief minister Uma Bharti, who is demanding a sub-quota for OBC women within the Womens Reservation Bill. Observers note that the Congress appears to be successful in its efforts to attract OBC voters away from the BJP, which had previously enjoyed strong support from this community in past assembly elections. During his campaign, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also promised a caste-based census and called for a sub-quota for OBCs within the Womens Reservation Bill. Political analyst Sandeep Shastri points out that in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the caste composition of the electorate is a significant factor in the electoral battle. When you introduce the factor of OBC and caste census, you are addressing the aspirations of a large segment of society. The election results in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka have demonstrated that the Congress performed better than the BJP in addressing the concerns of the economically disadvantaged, he remarked. The focus on OBC politics is also evident in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed support for conducting a caste-based census. Recently, the state government announced an additional six per cent reservation for the most backward castes within the OBC category. In Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has similarly raised the stakes by calling for a nationwide caste census with a separate code for OBCs. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp NEW DELHI: In the upcoming elections in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, the Congress party has placed a strong emphasis on the issue of social justice, particularly focusing on the enumeration of caste and the provision of reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not shown much interest in addressing the contentious topics of caste-based census and OBC quotas in the Womens Reservation Bill, which appears to have put it at a disadvantage, say analysts. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has vocally advocated for OBC representation, reiterating his partys commitment to conducting a caste-based census in Madhya Pradesh, where OBCs constitute half of the states population. During a debate on the Womens Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi criticised the BJP for not ensuring adequate representation for OBC communities in positions of power and raised questions about their limited presence in the bureaucracy.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Analysts suggest that the Congress proactive stance on securing OBC votes may pose challenges for the ruling BJP government, which is already grappling with anti-incumbency sentiments and internal discord. A senior Congress leader said that the party has effectively cornered the BJP by highlighting former chief minister Kamal Naths implementation of a 27 per cent OBC reservation in 2019. During Kamal Naths brief tenure, the Congress government in the state had raised OBC reservation to 27 per cent via an ordinance. Furthermore, pressure is mounting on the BJP from its former chief minister Uma Bharti, who is demanding a sub-quota for OBC women within the Womens Reservation Bill. Observers note that the Congress appears to be successful in its efforts to attract OBC voters away from the BJP, which had previously enjoyed strong support from this community in past assembly elections. During his campaign, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also promised a caste-based census and called for a sub-quota for OBCs within the Womens Reservation Bill. Political analyst Sandeep Shastri points out that in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the caste composition of the electorate is a significant factor in the electoral battle. When you introduce the factor of OBC and caste census, you are addressing the aspirations of a large segment of society. The election results in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka have demonstrated that the Congress performed better than the BJP in addressing the concerns of the economically disadvantaged, he remarked. The focus on OBC politics is also evident in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed support for conducting a caste-based census. Recently, the state government announced an additional six per cent reservation for the most backward castes within the OBC category. In Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has similarly raised the stakes by calling for a nationwide caste census with a separate code for OBCs. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Express News Service By BHOPAL: Three months after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched her partys poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, her MP brother Rahul Gandhi addressed his first election rally in the BJP-ruled state on Saturday, terming the coming assembly polls as a Gandhi vs Godse ideological battle. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) form more than half of the states population and have long been seen as the ruling BJPs backbone in MP. The former Congress president, while questioning why the OBC quota wasnt included in the recently passed women reservation bill, promised that caste census will be the first thing to do once our government comes to power at the Centre. Rahul also took on the state BJP government on rampant corruption, accusing the BJP of turning MP into the epicentre of corruption in the country. Maximum corruption in the country has taken place in BJP-ruled MP. In the 18-year BJP rule, 18,000 farmers have ended their lives in MP, which means three farmers are losing their lives daily in the state. Nine months after he had traversed through the same western region of MP on foot during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in November-December 2022, Gandhi joined one of the seven ongoing statewide Jan Akrosh Yatras of the Congress before addressing the Jan Akrosh Rally in Kalapipal assembly segment of OBC-dominant Shajapur district on Saturday. Narendra Modi prides himself as an OBC leader. If its really true, then why wasnt the OBC quota included in the recently passed 33% women reservation bill? Ask any BJP MP whether he was consulted by their party and the leader while making laws. Their answer will be no, said Rahul. The laws are being framed in the country by the RSS and 90 government officers, out of whom just three come from the OBC segment. Though OBCs form around 50% of the countrys population, the three OBC segment officers (who are among the 90 officers who call the shots) control just 5% funds out of the total budget of the country, said the Congress leader. Let me assure one and all that once our government returns at the Centre, the caste census will be the first task to be done in the country. Due to politics of hate and arrogance pursued by the BJP, the youth and farmers of MP, have started hating the BJP, he said. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp BHOPAL: Three months after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched her partys poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, her MP brother Rahul Gandhi addressed his first election rally in the BJP-ruled state on Saturday, terming the coming assembly polls as a Gandhi vs Godse ideological battle. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) form more than half of the states population and have long been seen as the ruling BJPs backbone in MP. The former Congress president, while questioning why the OBC quota wasnt included in the recently passed women reservation bill, promised that caste census will be the first thing to do once our government comes to power at the Centre. Rahul also took on the state BJP government on rampant corruption, accusing the BJP of turning MP into the epicentre of corruption in the country. Maximum corruption in the country has taken place in BJP-ruled MP. In the 18-year BJP rule, 18,000 farmers have ended their lives in MP, which means three farmers are losing their lives daily in the state.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Nine months after he had traversed through the same western region of MP on foot during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in November-December 2022, Gandhi joined one of the seven ongoing statewide Jan Akrosh Yatras of the Congress before addressing the Jan Akrosh Rally in Kalapipal assembly segment of OBC-dominant Shajapur district on Saturday. Narendra Modi prides himself as an OBC leader. If its really true, then why wasnt the OBC quota included in the recently passed 33% women reservation bill? Ask any BJP MP whether he was consulted by their party and the leader while making laws. Their answer will be no, said Rahul. The laws are being framed in the country by the RSS and 90 government officers, out of whom just three come from the OBC segment. Though OBCs form around 50% of the countrys population, the three OBC segment officers (who are among the 90 officers who call the shots) control just 5% funds out of the total budget of the country, said the Congress leader. Let me assure one and all that once our government returns at the Centre, the caste census will be the first task to be done in the country. Due to politics of hate and arrogance pursued by the BJP, the youth and farmers of MP, have started hating the BJP, he said. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Namita Bajpai By LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh is likely to get the State Capital Region Development Authority (SCRDA) on the lines of the National Capital Region Development Authority(NCRDA) soon. While reviewing the work and worth of the Housing and Urban Planning Department, UP CM Yogi Adityanath issued instructions in this regard to the authorities concerned, asking them to expedite the process of formation of SCRDA and told them to submit its action plan within three months. The Chief Minister said that Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Barabanki should be included in SCRDA. Also, make the capital Lucknow the headquarters of SCRDA and open regional offices in other districts for the convenience of the citizens, he added. The CM further instructed that the SCRDA plan should be prepared under the supervision of a senior officer. After the Jhansi Industrial Development Authority, SCRDA will be the model of planned urban development in the state. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh is likely to get the State Capital Region Development Authority (SCRDA) on the lines of the National Capital Region Development Authority(NCRDA) soon. While reviewing the work and worth of the Housing and Urban Planning Department, UP CM Yogi Adityanath issued instructions in this regard to the authorities concerned, asking them to expedite the process of formation of SCRDA and told them to submit its action plan within three months. The Chief Minister said that Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Barabanki should be included in SCRDA. Also, make the capital Lucknow the headquarters of SCRDA and open regional offices in other districts for the convenience of the citizens, he added.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The CM further instructed that the SCRDA plan should be prepared under the supervision of a senior officer. After the Jhansi Industrial Development Authority, SCRDA will be the model of planned urban development in the state. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp By Associated Press ANKARA: A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara, while a second assailant was killed in a shootout with police Sunday, the interior minister said. The attack occurred hours before Turkey's Parliament was set to reopen after its three-month summer recess with an address by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Two police officers were slightly wounded in the bombing near an entrance to the Ministry of Interior Affairs, minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Assailants who arrived at the scene inside a light commercial vehicle carried out the attack, he said. Our heroic police officers, through their intuition, resisted the terrorists as soon as they got out of the vehicle, Yerlikaya later told reporters. One of them blew himself up, while the other one was shot in the head before he had a chance to blow himself up. Our fight against terrorism, their collaborators, the (drug) dealers, gangs and organized crime organizations will continue with determination, he said. The interior minister did not say who was behind the attack. However, ANF News, a news agency close to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, reported Sunday night that the group had claimed responsibility for the blast. Leftist extremists and the Islamic State group have also carried out deadly attacks throughout Turkey in the past. Erdogan gave his speech in Parliament as planned and called the attack the last stand of terrorism. The scoundrels who targeted the peace and security of the citizens could not achieve their goals and they never will," he said. BREAKING An explosion and gun fire heard in Turkeys capital Ankara around 9am in the morning, near the parliament and the ministries#Ankara #Blast #Turkey pic.twitter.com/T6bf9zNNVJ Shams Kiyani (@Soooorj) October 1, 2023 The president reiterated his government's aim to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria to secure its southern border from attacks. Turkey has launched several incursions into northern Syria since 2016 to drive away the Islamic State group and a Kurdish militia group, known by the initials YPG, and controls swaths of territory in the area. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the PKK, which is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Last year, a bomb blast in a bustling pedestrian street in Istanbul left six people dead, including two children. More than 80 others were wounded. Turkey blamed the attack on the PKK and the YPG. The State-run Anadolu Agency reported that the two attackers on Sunday had seized the vehicle in the central province of Kayseri from a veterinarian. The pro-government daily Sabah reported that they shot the man in the head and threw his body into a ditch by the side of the road. They then drove the vehicle to Ankara, roughly 300 kilometers (200 miles) away. Security camera footage on Sunday showed the vehicle stopping in front of the ministry, with a man exiting it and rushing toward the entrance of the building before blowing himself up. A second man is seen following him. Earlier, television footage showed bomb squads working near a vehicle in the area, which is located near the Turkish Grand National Assembly and other government buildings. A rocket launcher could be seen lying near the vehicle. Turkish authorities later imposed a temporary blackout on images from the scene. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation has been launched into the terror attack. These attacks will in no way hinder Turkey's fight against terrorism, he wrote on X. Our fight against terrorism will continue with more determination. Police cordoned off access to the city center and increased security measures, warning citizens that they would be conducting controlled explosions of suspicious packages. The two police officers were being treated in a hospital and were not in serious condition, Yerlikaya said. Egypt, which has normalized ties with Turkey after a decade of tensions, condemned the attack. A terse statement from the Foreign Ministry offered Egypts solidarity with Turkey. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and other foreign missions also issued messages condemning the attack. Erdogan in his speech did not provide any indication as to when Turkeys parliament may ratify Swedens membership in NATO. Stockholm applied for NATO membership alongside Finland following Russias invasion of Ukraine last year. While Finland has since joined, Turkey blocked Swedens membership in the military alliance, accusing it of not doing enough to tackle groups like PKK from operating on its soil. In a posting on X, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm strongly condemns todays terrorist attack in Ankara." "We reaffirm our commitment to long-term cooperation with Turkiye in combating terrorism and wish for quick and full recovery of the ones injured, he wrote, using the Turkish government's preferred spelling for the country. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp ANKARA: A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara, while a second assailant was killed in a shootout with police Sunday, the interior minister said. The attack occurred hours before Turkey's Parliament was set to reopen after its three-month summer recess with an address by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Two police officers were slightly wounded in the bombing near an entrance to the Ministry of Interior Affairs, minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Assailants who arrived at the scene inside a light commercial vehicle carried out the attack, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Our heroic police officers, through their intuition, resisted the terrorists as soon as they got out of the vehicle, Yerlikaya later told reporters. One of them blew himself up, while the other one was shot in the head before he had a chance to blow himself up. Our fight against terrorism, their collaborators, the (drug) dealers, gangs and organized crime organizations will continue with determination, he said. The interior minister did not say who was behind the attack. However, ANF News, a news agency close to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, reported Sunday night that the group had claimed responsibility for the blast. Leftist extremists and the Islamic State group have also carried out deadly attacks throughout Turkey in the past. Erdogan gave his speech in Parliament as planned and called the attack the last stand of terrorism. The scoundrels who targeted the peace and security of the citizens could not achieve their goals and they never will," he said. BREAKING An explosion and gun fire heard in Turkeys capital Ankara around 9am in the morning, near the parliament and the ministries#Ankara #Blast #Turkey pic.twitter.com/T6bf9zNNVJ Shams Kiyani (@Soooorj) October 1, 2023 The president reiterated his government's aim to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria to secure its southern border from attacks. Turkey has launched several incursions into northern Syria since 2016 to drive away the Islamic State group and a Kurdish militia group, known by the initials YPG, and controls swaths of territory in the area. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the PKK, which is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Last year, a bomb blast in a bustling pedestrian street in Istanbul left six people dead, including two children. More than 80 others were wounded. Turkey blamed the attack on the PKK and the YPG. The State-run Anadolu Agency reported that the two attackers on Sunday had seized the vehicle in the central province of Kayseri from a veterinarian. The pro-government daily Sabah reported that they shot the man in the head and threw his body into a ditch by the side of the road. They then drove the vehicle to Ankara, roughly 300 kilometers (200 miles) away. Security camera footage on Sunday showed the vehicle stopping in front of the ministry, with a man exiting it and rushing toward the entrance of the building before blowing himself up. A second man is seen following him. Earlier, television footage showed bomb squads working near a vehicle in the area, which is located near the Turkish Grand National Assembly and other government buildings. A rocket launcher could be seen lying near the vehicle. Turkish authorities later imposed a temporary blackout on images from the scene. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation has been launched into the terror attack. These attacks will in no way hinder Turkey's fight against terrorism, he wrote on X. Our fight against terrorism will continue with more determination. Police cordoned off access to the city center and increased security measures, warning citizens that they would be conducting controlled explosions of suspicious packages. The two police officers were being treated in a hospital and were not in serious condition, Yerlikaya said. Egypt, which has normalized ties with Turkey after a decade of tensions, condemned the attack. A terse statement from the Foreign Ministry offered Egypts solidarity with Turkey. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and other foreign missions also issued messages condemning the attack. Erdogan in his speech did not provide any indication as to when Turkeys parliament may ratify Swedens membership in NATO. Stockholm applied for NATO membership alongside Finland following Russias invasion of Ukraine last year. While Finland has since joined, Turkey blocked Swedens membership in the military alliance, accusing it of not doing enough to tackle groups like PKK from operating on its soil. In a posting on X, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm strongly condemns todays terrorist attack in Ankara." "We reaffirm our commitment to long-term cooperation with Turkiye in combating terrorism and wish for quick and full recovery of the ones injured, he wrote, using the Turkish government's preferred spelling for the country. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 1. The Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, Almasadam Satkaliyev, during a working visit to Germany, met with representatives of Siemens Energy and discussed the possibility of the companys participation in the implementation of large energy projects in Kazakhstan, Trend reports. As he noted, today in Kazakhstan, to cover the medium-term demand for electrical energy, projects are being implemented to modernize and ensure the commissioning of new energy generation sources. Currently, the Ministry of Energy is cooperating with Siemens Energy, including on a project carried out as part of an auction for the construction of newly commissioned generating plants with a flexible generation mode for the construction of a combined cycle plant with a capacity of 1,000 MW in the Turkestan region. Also, work is being carried out on projects to strengthen the electrical network of the Western and Southern zones of the UES (unified electrical system) of Kazakhstan and the construction of electrical grid facilities, which provide for increasing the capacity and reliability of power supply to consumers in the Western and Southern zones of the UES of Kazakhstan by strengthening electrical networks. At the same time, projects to convert Almaty CHPP-2 with a capacity of 600 MW and CHPP-3 with a capacity of 480 MW from coal to gas are at the implementation stage using Siemens Energy technology. Satkaliyev invited the company to take part in the implementation of these projects. Representatives of Siemens Energy demonstrated innovative solutions to the Kazakh delegation in the field of modernization and development of energy infrastructure. The company expressed its readiness to participate in the implementation of energy projects in Kazakhstan and noted its interest in the supply of equipment. In the near future, details of further cooperation with Siemens Energy will be worked out. Washington, Sep 30 E xternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was struck by how little people in the US, specially officials he met over the last days including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan,, knew about Canadas permissive attitude towards terrorism and the thriving nexus of crime, extremism, and human trafficking that exists in that country. This lack of awareness, the minister said "is a part of the problem". It was important, therefore, for him to present to them the "accurate picture" and "our point of view" so that the ongoing debate is not confined to just one or two issues but "the bigger picture which has been going on for some time, and it's a very serious picture". "A lot of Americans are astonished, the minister told reporters on Friday, unlike Indians who wont be surprised if told there are people in Canada "who are advocating violence or advocating separatism; there is a history out there". "I suspect very few American know this, he went on to say, and added: "So, in a way, a lot of what I said at the meetings, I think, was new to the Americans." At an event at Hudson Institute, a think tank, Jaishankar first raised this difference in the way Americans look at Canada and how Indians look at Canada. "When Americans look at Canada they see something; when we in India look at Canada we see something else. "And thats part of the problem," the minister said, in a thinly veiled criticism of American officials who have been calling on India to cooperate in Canadas investigation into allegations by Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that India was behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani activist, in June. White House and state department officials have expressed "deep concern" over Trudeaus allegations and have said they support the investigation and want India to cooperate. In fact, according to reports, its the US that provided key information to the Canadians about alleged India links to the killing as part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing agreement that the two countries have with the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Jaishankar said it did not come up in the meetings. "Its important that we, you know, talk it out with the Americans. After all, they are very close to Canada, they are good friends of ours," the minister said about why he brought up the larger context for his American interlocutors. "It's important that they also have an accurate picture, that they have our point of view on this matter as well." This is a conversation that should continue with focus on all issues. "I'm not prejudging issues. Im not taking absolutist positions," the minister said. "What we have taken is a very reasonable stance. It should not be that the entire debate focuses on issue one, issue two, and the bigger picture which has been going on for some time, and it's a very serious picture." To underscore the seriousness of issues at hand, Jaishankar brought up threats faced by Indian missions. "When was the last time that any of our missions was intimidated to a point where it could not continue with its normal functioning? And if someone says this could happen in a G7 country, in the Commonwealth countries it gives you a lot to think about." US misses the 'bigger picture' on row with Canada, says Jaishankar Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Mumbai, Sep 30 T he RBI on Saturday extended the deadline for the public to exchange or deposit Rs 2,000 currency notes at bank branches till October 7. The earlier deadline for returning Rs 2,000 notes was scheduled to expire on September 30. "As the period specified for the withdrawal process has come to an end, and based on a review, it has been decided to extend the current arrangement for deposit / exchange of Rs 2000 banknotes until October 7, 2023," the RBI said in a press statement. Subsequently, the public can deposit or exchange Rs 2,000 banknotes at bank branches till October 7, the RBI said. The central bank said Rs 2,000 banknotes will continue to be legal tender. With effect from October 8, the deposit or exchange of Rs 2,000 notes at bank branches will be stopped. However, Rs 2,000 notes will continue to be legal tender even after October 7, but can be exchanged only at RBI offices, the central bank said. According to RBI's statement, customers can continue to exchange these notes at the 19 RBI issue offices up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time - even after October 7. Also, individuals and entities can tender Rs 2,000 bank notes at the 19 RBI issue offices for credit to their bank accounts in India for any amount, the RBI added. Customers from within the country can also send Rs 2,000 bank notes through India Post, addressed to any of the 19 RBI issue offices for credit to their bank accounts in India. "Such exchange or credit shall be subject to relevant RBI / government regulations, submission of valid identity documents and due diligence as deemed fit by RBI," the RBI said. The facility for deposit or exchange of Rs 2,000 banknotes at the 19 RBI Issue Offices shall be available until further advice,'' the RBI statement added. RBI extends deadline for returning Rs 2,000 notes to Oct 7 Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! New Delhi, Oct 1 T he Afghanistan Embassy in India has announced that it was ceasing its operations from October 1 onwards, citing lack of support from the Indian government in serving its interests. In a statement dated September 30, the Afghan embassy also said that the decision was prompted by reduction in personnel and resources. "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," the statement said. The embassy said that this decision, while deeply regrettable, is made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India. It also referred to several majorfactors affecting its ability to continue the mission effectively and said that they were the primary reasons for the "unfortunate closure". The embassy mentioned "lack of support from the host government", alleging that it has experienced a notable absence of crucial support from the host government, which it said hindered its ability to carry out duties effectively. The mission also cited "failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests" as one of the reasons. "We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul," it said. Afghanistan embassy in India ceases operations from today onwards, cites lack of support Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Mumbai, September 30 S uperstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday shared the highly anticipated song 'Aararaari Raaro' featuring Deepika Padukone from the action thriller Jawan. Taking to Instagram, SRK treated fans with a music video, highlighting the unbreakable mother-son bond. https://www.instagram.com/iamsrk/? Sharing the song video, he wrote, Mother teaches us to walk. Then one day we start running. But mom still stands the same. If we stumble somewhere, she will come again to hold our hand. Someone has rightly said that I have not seen heaven, I have seen mother. This song is a reminder that no matter what, a mother will always be there with you in some way or another to support and guide you..... I have experienced it personally in my life! Nothing is more powerful than our mothers love....#AararaariRaaro Video Out Now! Composed by Anirudh Ravichander and featuring heartfelt lyrics by Irshad Kamil, the song has captured the hearts of fans with its compelling portrayal of a mother-son love story. Vocalized beautifully by Deepthi Suresh, the video is making waves for its stunning depiction of Deepika Padukone and young Azad, particularly in the evocative jail scene. 'Aararaari Raaro' is not just a song; it's a poignant narrative of unconditional love between a mother and her son. The music video delves deep into the complexities of this sacred bond, showcasing the sacrifices and emotions that come with it. Deepika Padukone, essaying the role of the devoted mother, brings a raw and powerful intensity to the screen, making it impossible not to empathize with her character's journey. Deepika Padukone's transformation in the music video has left audiences spellbound. As soon as the song was unveiled, fans swamped the comment section with heart and fire emojis. One of the users wrote, Most emotional Song of Jawan Another commented, Emotional scene tha ywrr Meanwhile, Jawan continues to achieve new heights as the movie has now become the highest-grossing Hindi film in the country. On Thursday, the film collected Rs 5.82 crores which took the films total collection to Rs 525.50 crores. With this, SRKs action thriller film has surpassed the lifetime collection of Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel starrer Gadar 2. Taking to Instagram, trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared a post which he captioned, #Jawan crosses *lifetime biz* of #Gadar2 and #Pathaan #Hindi in #IndiaNow HIGHEST GROSSING FILM in #Hindi in #India, #SRK features in Top 3 HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS #Hindi: #Pathaan [No 3] and #Jawan [No 1] [Week 3] Fri 7.10 cr, Sat 11.50 cr, Sun 13.90 cr, Mon 4.90 cr, Tue 4.40 cr, Wed 4.45 cr, Thu 5.81 cr. Total: 525.50 cr. #Hindi. #India biz. #Boxoffice. Nayanthara, Deepika, Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Ridhi Dogra, Lehar Khan, Girija Oak and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya bring depth and strength to the characters in the film Jawan, which is directed by Atlee. Shah Rukh Khan also confirmed the release date of his upcoming movie Dunki at the success event of Jawan. He said, "We started on January 26, Republic Day (with Pathaan), then on Janmashtami we released Jawan, now New Year and Christmas are round the corner, we will release 'Dunki'. I keep National integration. Anyway, when my film is released, it is Eid. Helmed by Hirani, the film also stars Taapsee Pannu in the lead role.'Dunki' marks the first collaboration of the 'Chak De India' actor with '3 Idiots' fame director Hirani and 'Pink' actor Taapsee. Dunki will face a big Bollywood clash with actor Prabhas action thriller film Salaar. Talking about Deepikas work front, she will be next seen in the Pan-India action thriller film Kalki 2898 AD opposite Prabhas. The film also stars Disha Patani and Amitabh Bachchan in pivotal roles. Apart from that, she also has an aerial action thriller film Fighter opposite Hrithik Roshan. 'Jawan': Deepika starrer song 'Aararaari Raaro' shows heart touching mother-son bond Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Bengaluru, September 30 D ell, the Texas-based technology giant valued at USD 50 billion, is considering a significant investment in its research and development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru. The move aims to further strengthen the company's presence in the region. Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 30 (ANI): Dell, the Texas-based technology giant valued at USD 50 billion, is considering a significant investment in its research and development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru. The move aims to further strengthen the company's presence in the region. According to the Karnataka Government's Ministry for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure, Dell already operates a prominent R&D centre in Bengaluru and is a global leader in technology solutions. Globally, the company operates approximately 25 manufacturing facilities, with 14 of these dedicated to R&D. On Friday, key representatives from Dell, including Michael Dundas, Alan Richey, and Tabrez Ahmad, held discussions with Karnataka Minister M B Patil during his visit to Austin, USA. During the meetings, Dell expressed its desire for support from the Karnataka government to address import restrictions on Special Economic Zone (SEZ) operations. Such support would enhance cost sustainability for Dell's expansion plans in India. Additionally, Dell emphasised its requirements concerning players and suppliers in the Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) ecosystem within the state. The Karnataka business delegation, led by Patil, is on a mission to attract investments to the state of Karnataka. The delegation also included Dr S Selvakumar, Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of Commerce and Industries, and Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka. In addition to Dell, the delegation met with Global Foundries (GF), a leading Semiconductor Manufacturing company. GF expressed interest in expanding its workforce in Bengaluru by hiring an additional 200 skilled employees. Minister MB Patil assured the government's support in facilitating this expansion and helping GF establish vital connections with customers and suppliers. Furthermore, Global Foundries, valued at USD 30 billion, has expressed interest in establishing and expanding its Aerospace and Defence (A&D) presence in Karnataka. The Minister welcomed this interest, and discussions for the development of a comprehensive business strategy will ensue. The visit concluded with a Business Roundtable hosted by the US-India Chamber of Commerce, jointly organized by TiE Austin and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. The roundtable brought together around 60 entrepreneurs, including senior VPs and CEOs, to explore avenues for enhancing trade and economic relations between India and the United States. Dell's potential investment and the interest shown by Global Foundries mark significant steps toward strengthening Karnataka's position as a technology and innovation hub. Dell explores fresh investment in Bengaluru's Research and Development Centre Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! India, US see each other as very desirable, optimal, comfortable partners: EAM Jaishankar By Reena Bhardwaj, Washington DC, October 1 S tating that there is no limit to the India-US relationship, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that today, New Delhi and Washington see each other as desirable, optimal, comfortable partners. The foreign minister was addressing the people of the Indian diaspora at the Colors of Friendship event at India House in Washington DC. Hundreds of diaspora members gathered at the lawns of the official residence of Indias Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in honour of Jaishankar, listening and watching performances by local artists. At the event, Jaishankar said, I am often asked, where do you think this relationship (India-US) is goingnow it's hard for me today, really, to put a limit on it, to define it, to even voice expectations, because in every waythis relationship has exceeded expectations, which is why today we don't even try to define it. We actually keep raising the bar. We keep finding new domains, the more we do with each other, the more we find we are able to do, explore together and achieve together, he added. Emphasising chemistry and comfort, Jaishankar said that today India and the US have come up as desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. In this changing worldI would say, today, India and the United States have moved to a position where we really see each other as very desirable, optimal partners, comfortable partners, with whom its a natural instinct todaySo, the chemistry and the comfort today of the relationship gives me enormous hope about where the prospects are, he said. Several senior officials of the Biden administration including; US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta were part of the reception. US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormik, Democrat and Republican, were present at the event. Just days away from Gamdhi Jayanti, Jaishankar paid floralTributes to Mahatma Gandhi and made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Referring to Indias G20 presidency, the EAM stated that Indias G20 presidency revolved around the message of Mahatma Gandhi, which focusses on doing the right thing and leaving no one behind. "We are approaching Gandhi Jayanti, I would like to leave you a thought. To say he (Mahatma Gandhi) was an extraordinary man would be the understatement of this century. He said so many things so tellingly...The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, about doing the decent thing and about leaving no one behind. Gandhi Ji's message is very complicated, but its essence is actually very, very simple, Jaishankar said. He added, When we took up the G20 presidency, the responsibility. In many ways, that message was at the heart of our thinking...What we tried to do in G20, the underlying thinking, reflected what we are trying to do in India, what I think many Americans are trying to do in America, what we India and America should be doing with the world, which is to leave no one behind. Jaishankar is on a visit to the US from September 22-30. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also held meetings with several top US officials during his visit. India, US see each other as very desirable, optimal, comfortable partners: EAM Jaishankar Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Washington DC, October 1 E xternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday highlighted the major achievements of India in the field of space, technology and pharmacy and said that the new India is an India of Chandrayaan, an India of CoWIN, and an India of 5G. He made the statement while addressing the Indian diaspora at the Colors of Friendship event at India House in Washington DC. While addressing the event, Jaishankar said, "So I mentioned this to you because it's a great achievement (success of Chandrayaan-3)... Yes, we've joined the special club, but today in many ways, the new India is an India of Chandraayan, it's an India of CoWIN, it's an India of 5G." The EAM further said that the India-US relationship has exceeded expectations and has raised the bar. "This is really what we are capable of, and it is this India today that the United States also sees. It is this India with which the United States actually has an appetite for working, much more closely," he said. Sharing his experience of meeting the incredible people behind the success of Chandrayaan-3, Jaishankar shared a story. "I had the privilege when we (Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi and I) were abroad. When the landing took place, we were at a meeting in South Africa. Obviously, we took time off from the meeting, you all saw Prime Minister was following the landing and was talking to the ISRO. Because these are tense moments, however confident anybody is about a mission at that period, you want to have somebody around you who would give you reassurance," he said. Adding to this, Jaishankar stressed that no one can give assurance better than PM Modi. "Believe me, nobody can do the assurance better than Mr Modi. He's today reassuring the entire country, in many ways the whole world," he said. Further detailing the story, he said that as the Chandryaan-3 was successfully landed, PM Modi decided to directly land in Bengaluru to meet the people behind the soft landing. "It all went well and then he decided that instead of flying back to Delhi, he would actually land directly in Bengaluru and go straight to the ISRO headquarters. Now, fortunately, I mean, since I was travelling with him, I too had a chance to tag along," he said. Being a former member of the Space Commission, Jaishankar expressed his delight and said, "I have been interested in space and nuclear for a long part of my career. When you sat there and there was this room of about a thousand people, at one level, they looked like the most normal people you could think of, yet you could feel they were the most special people. And the kind of confidence that they exuded, because I could actually be sitting among them, actually asked them, saying, so how tense were you guys? Did you see it? Were you worried? What were the possibilities of something not going the way you thought? And I must tell you, their confidence, their conviction about the mission was simply amazing..." Jaishankar further shared that as that feeling got stuck in his mind, he thought of visiting the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, located in Kerala. "Because it stuck so deeply in my mind, that a few weeks later, I went to Kerala. In Kerala, they have an institute that trains people in space. It's called the IISST, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology...there were people who were the feedstock of our space program," he noted. The minister further praised the students for their capabilities in the space program. Jaishankar said, "When you see today what these young people in their graduate and postgraduate degree processes, what they are capable of, what they have done, the kind of things which they have themselves invented, which feed, by the way, a lot of it feeds directly into the space program. So I mentioned this to you because, yes, it's a great achievement." Highlighting an interesting fact, the minister noted that some of the recent things India and the US have done together start with the alphabet 'I'. "It's an interesting discovery we made that if you look at some of the recent things in India we've done together, they all start with the alphabet 'I'. So we just spoke about this Middle Eastern Corridor. It's called IMEC India, India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. There was an earlier initiative called 12U2-- India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States." Adding to this, he also said, "All of you are familiar today with the term Indo-Pacific." He further said that the alphabet 'I' is good for the US. "Somewhere, people have figured this one out. Go for the alphabet I, then pick a word. Hopefully, there's a country there. There are good people out there. Those are the guys you need to work with," he added. Moreover, lauding the India-US relationship, Jaishankar highlighted the journey of the India-US relationship which has come so far in the past years. "This relationship today, I started at a time in the early 80s when you actually had to explain where you're from, what you're about know, it's good to see members of congress here. Those were tough days. They didn't even let you into the rooms in the congress. And at that time, there was no Indian American member of Congress at that time. But if one looks at the journey, how far we've come and how deep the relationship is," he stressed. Emphasising chemistry and comfort, Jaishankar said that today India and the US have come up as desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. Several senior officials of the Biden administration including; US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta were part of the reception.US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormik, Democrat and Republican, were present at the event. Just days away from Gandhi Jayanti, Jaishankar paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Jaishankar is on a visit to the US from September 22-30. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also held meetings with several top US officials during his visit. 'New India is an India of Chandrayaan, CoWIN, 5G...: EAM Jaishankar Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! New Delhi, October 1 T he central government has exempted the export of 'Bangalore rose onion' from recently imposed duty, with a small rider. Goods meant for export shall be allowed to be exported subject to the exporter furnishing a certificate from the Horticulture Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, certifying the item and quantity of Bangalore Rose Onion to be exported, the official notification from the Ministry of Finance said. The notification came into force with immediate effect. Bangalore rose onion is a variety of onion grown in and around Bengaluru in Karnataka. It got the coveted Geographical Indication tag in 2015. In August, the government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market till December 31, 2023. Earlier in the same month, the central government started releasing the staple vegetable from its buffer stock. The central government had earlier decided it would maintain 3 lakh tonne of onions in the 2023-24 season as buffer stock. In 2022-23, the government maintained 2.51 lakh tonne onion as buffer stock. Buffer stock is maintained to meet any exigencies and for price stabilisation, if rates go up significantly during the lean supply season. Rabi onion harvested during April - June accounts for 65 per cent of India's onion production and meets the consumer's demand till the Kharif crop is harvested in October-November. Centre exempts 'Bangalore rose onion' from export duty Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Mumbai, Oct 1 I n line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis national call to action for Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Sath on Sunday, actor Arjun Rampal led the cleanliness drive at Miramar Beach in Goa. Goa geared up for making way for one hour of shramdaan for swachhata by roping in Arjun and filmmaker-actor Rahul Mittra. Organised by Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Panaji in association with Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Rotary Club & El Shaddai, the cleanliness drive by Bollywood celebrities was joined by nature enthusiasts, school children and youth in large numbers. Its our responsibility to leave a clean planet for our successive generations, said Arjun at this special drive. Arjun also took to social media and shared photos from the drive. He wrote: A morning well spent in cleaning our mess. A beach clean up initiative of honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi ji call for #ektareekhekghantaeksaath shramdaan for swachchhata. Organised by Principle director of IT. Shri #SushilMadhuk #goatourism #rotaryclub #elshaddai. And a large amount of volunteers and environmental enthusiasts. Great job everyone. I hope everyone around our country doing their bit. #SwachhataHiSeva #CleanlinessCampaign #miramarbeach #Goa. #1stOct, added Arjun. Fans commented on Arjuns post and wrote: Thats such a powerful message we are our nature, proud, great work, superb, an era of neat-clean to make our earth green. Rahul also appreciated the young children who had braved the rains to join this special initiative. Meanwhile, on the work front, Arjun was last seen as Rudraveer in Kangana Ranaut starrer Dhaakad. Arjun was also seen in web series London Files. He next has The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, Crakk, Nastik, 3 Monkeys among other projects. Arjun Rampal cleans Miramar Beach in Goa: 'Leave a clean planet for future generations' Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Los Angeles, October 1 A merican media personality Kourtney Kardashian Barker expressed admiration for her husband and musician Travis Barker's surprise gift, reported People. On Saturday, Kardashian, 44, shared a photo of a surprise gift delivered by Barker, 47, after he rejoined rock band Blink-182 on the European leg of their world tour following his recovery from Covid-19 and an attack of trigeminal neuralgia. In her Instagram stories, Kourtney posted a picture of a huge bouquet of white roses, which was laid out on a table by a sunlit window. The giant bouquet of blooms was so large, it filled up half of the Lemme founder's photo. As per People, Kardashian who is currently expecting a baby with Barker added a teary-eyed smiley face and white heart emoji in her caption, as well as tagging her husband. Barker, meanwhile, posted a photo on his Instagram Story of himself in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday ahead of his bands concert in the city next week. The Blink-182 drummer smiled in the snap as he walked on a paved road in between buildings. Hi Lisbon, Barker wrote in his caption, reported People. According to the band's website, Blink-182's next gig as part of their One More Time... tour will take place on Monday at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. The "All the Small Things" rockers released a new single with the same title last month, and their future album is set to be released on October 20. Following his disclosure that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on September 22, Barker rejoined the band for their international tour. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Friday, Barker also disclosed that in addition to receiving the COVID diagnosis, he had "an episode of trigeminal neuralgia, and a root canal" the previous week. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that causes painful sensations similar to an electric shock on one side of the face, according to the Mayo Clinic, as per People. Following their recent baby shower celebration, Kardashian received an unexpected gift from Barker. Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner, together with their mother Kris Jenner, organised the retro Disney-themed baby shower, which Kardashian posted images on Instagram and her website Poosh. Baby shower of my dreams, Kardashian wrote in her caption. Thank you mommy @krisjenner for turning your home into the happiest place on earth, instilling my love of all things Disney, and for throwing this baby shower to celebrate me and your thirteenth grandchild. Kardashian is already mom to daughter Penelope Scotland, 11, and sons Mason Dash, 13, and Reign Aston, 8, shared with ex Scott Disick. Barker shares daughter Alabama Luella and son Landon, 19, plus stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya, 24, with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler, reported People. Kourtney Kardashian receives giant bouquet of roses from her husband Travis Barker Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Dugasta Properties, a Dubai-based developer, has launched a game-changing scheme for home buyers at Al Haseen Residences that guarantees 8% annual return on investment in the first five years. The developer also offers a buy-back option after the fifth year to sell off the properties back to the developer. Moreover, the integrated package comes with a service charge waiver for the first five years, that amounts to a healthy net saving. Al Haseen Residences, a mid-rise two-building project located next to Al Maktoum International Airport, offers 217 apartments that have been built and delivered by Dugasta Properties. Prices of ready-to-move-in apartments start as low as AED342,000 ($93,188) for a studio and AED1,023,000 for a two-bedroom apartment way below the current market prices that is going to double in the next few years due to the massive development taking place next to Al Maktoum International Airport close to where Al Haseen Residences are located. Price appreciation With such low prices, investors could benefit from the expected price appreciation in the next few years due to growing demand for homes around Dubai South where the worlds largest greenfield airport Al Maktoum International is being developed that will create a new city in the area. As per the 8% guaranteed return on investment scheme an investor in a property priced, for example, at AED1 million for a two-bedroom apartment will receive a guaranteed AED80,000 return every year for the first five years and subsequently receive a guaranteed total of AED400,000 in five years, regardless of the market conditions and then if he wish to sell the property after five years, the developer could buy back the property. This effectively means that the home buyer or investor would get back 8% of their investment per annum for five years, said Tauseef Khan, Founder and Chairman of Dugasta Properties. Buy-back option As per the scheme, we are also offering the buy-back option of the property after five years, if the buyer/investor decides to sell it off. Although properties are currently selling at a higher price, we have decided to enter the market at a comfortable and attractive price point that will attract the middle-income families to buy their dream homes and we believe this price will be sustainable in the long run even in the case of softening of the market. He added: As we celebrate the Year of Sustainability in the UAE and prepare to host COP28 Summit in November, it is important to practice sustainability in all aspects. For us, economic sustainability is more crucial than environmental sustainability as we need to sell properties at a price that market can support in the long run. Hence, we have decided to start the price from as low as Dh342,000 for a studio, although we could sell at a much higher price. I believe, this price is very affordable and sustainable and the market could support this price even in the face of a soft landing sometime near future. Pipeline of projects Azaan Khan, CEO of Dugasta Properties, said: Dugasta Properties has lined up an ambitious pipeline of projects aligned with the vision of the Government of Dubai to create world-class assets for local and foreign investors. We are going to announce them in due course. Our first project Al Haseen Residences is the perfect example of this and offers a great investment proposition for those who are looking for a combination of luxury, affordability, and profitability located where all the new developments are going to take place. In that way, buyers of the Al Haseen Residences will have the first-mover advantage. Assad Khan, President of Dugasta Properties, said: "At Dugasta Properties, we are committed to providing our customers with the best possible value for their money. Our new investment scheme guarantees a healthy return on investment, making it the perfect opportunity for those looking to buy a home in Dubai. Our game-changing investment scheme is an ideal deal for everyone involved. Investors can enjoy a guaranteed return on their investment, while we are able to expand our portfolio and meet the growing demand for housing in Dubai.-- TradeArabia News Service BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Kyrgyzstan Railways has reported on the construction progress of the China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan railway, Trend reports. According to the information, the company denied the allegations made in the article China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway construction project postponed with reference to Silk Road Briefing. The company emphasized that the project is always in the spotlight and remains a priority. It is noted that negotiations on the construction of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway are in an active phase and are held regularly. It is reported that, on September 21, 2023, a regular meeting of the tripartite expert group was held, during which various models of financing and project management with potential for subsequent implementation were discussed. As a result of this meeting, an agreement was reached to continue consultations to determine the most optimal financing model, with the next meeting held in person soon. In addition, on the first meeting of transport ministers in the China + Central Asia format was held in Beijing. The ministers also discussed issues related to the implementation of the project for the construction of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway. It is planned to continue trilateral contacts and discussions within the framework of the 3rd International Forum "One Belt - One Road", which will be held on October 17-18, 2023 in Beijing. New Delhi, October 1 C oncluding his week-long visit to the United States, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday posted a video on social media platform X, sharing the highlights from his trip. In a post on X, Jaishankar tagged a video with a message that read, "India and US: Expanding Horizons. As I conclude a visit to Washington D.C." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1708510898128666769?s=20 The video showed glimpses from Jaishankar's meetings in Washington, DC with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Trade Representative Katherine Tai, among others. The External Affairs Minister discussed India-US bilateral defence cooperation and global security challenges with Lloyd Austin. Delighted to meet Secretary of Defense @SecDefLlyod Austin. Productive conversation on our bilateral defence cooperation. Useful exchange on global security challenges, he posted on X. Throughout his stay in Washington, DC, Jaishankar was accompanied by India's envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The EAM also met members of the Congress, administration, business and think tank heads at India House there. He also had "productive discussions" with think tanks in Washington, DC, discussing India-US collaboration in the emerging technology space and building resilient supply chains. On Thursday, the EAM held a meeting with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Both sides recognized the tremendous progress in bilateral relations this year and held discussions on taking it forward. Jaishankar posted on X, "Began my Washington DC visit with a meeting with NSA @JakeSullivan46. Recognized the tremendous progress in our bilateral relationship this year and discussed taking it forward." The Indian diplomat on Saturday, addressed the Indian diaspora at the Colours of Friendship event at India House in Washington, DC. Hailing India's success in hosting the G20 summit this year, Jaishankar said India's approach to the international summit was a success of the India-US partnership. Jaishankar emphasised the support and understanding India received from the United States to successfully host the G20 summit. Hundreds of diaspora members gathered at the official residence of India's envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, to welcome Jaishankar at the event. Jaishankar said at the event, "The support and the understanding that we got from the United States to make a successful G20, I think that is something I would certainly like to recognise in public, in Washington. So it may have been our (Indian) success in a literal way. But I think, to me, the success of the G20 was also a success of the India-US partnership. The EAM also made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Referring to Indias G20 presidency, the EAM stated that India's presidency revolved around the message of Mahatma Gandhi, which focuses on doing the right thing and leaving no one behind. "We are approaching Gandhi Jayanti; I would like to leave you a thought. To say he (Mahatma Gandhi) was an extraordinary man would be the understatement of this century. He said so many things so tellingly... The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, about doing the decent thing, and about leaving no one behind. Gandhi Ji's message is very complicated, but its essence is actually very, very simple, Jaishankar said. Several senior officials of the Biden administration, including US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Rahul Gupta, were part of the reception. US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormick, Democrat and Republican, were also present at the event. Jaishankar also addressed the 4th World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living on September 30. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden visited New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit under India's Presidency. During the visit, Biden met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues ranging from defence cooperation, and technology sharing. The US President also congratulated India on the success of its lunar landing mission Chandrayaan-3. During the visit, India and the US also settled the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute. Notably, the six previous disputes were resolved during PM Modi's state visit to the US. The two leaders called on their governments to continue the work of transforming the India-US Strategic Partnership across all dimensions of our multifaceted global agenda, based on trust and mutual understanding. After the meeting, both the leaders lauded the India-US relations saying that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. Notably, Jaishankar was on a visit to the US from September 2230. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York while also holding meetings with several top US officials during his visit. During his address, the EAM said political convenience should not be countenanced in determining responses to terrorism and extremism in an apparent reference to Canada amid a diplomatic standoff between the two countries. He added that respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be exercised in cherry-picking. Jaishnankar said there is a thrust on the promotion of a rules-based order and respect for the UN Charter is also invoked and that rules will work only when they apply equally to all. But for all the talk, it is still a few nations who shape the agenda and seek to define the norms. This cannot go on indefinitely. Nor will it go unchallenged. A fair, equitable and democratic order will surely emerge, once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, that means ensuring that rule-makers do not subjugate rule-takers. After all, rules will work only when they apply equally to all, he said. He further called on the United Nations to ring in urgent reforms to stay relevant in the modern world saying that the issue cannot remain "indefinite" and "unchallenged". Jaishankar concludes US visit, shares video featuring snatches from trip Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 1. Turkmenistan remains firm about the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, said, Trend reports. He made the remark at the meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. According to Berdimuhamedov, an important area of cooperation for Turkmenistan is the energy sector, in which the gas and electric power industries are prioritized. "I want to confirm the firm position of Turkmenistan on gas supplies to Europe through the construction of this pipeline. We are ready to resume our active contacts with the relevant structures of the European Commission, individual European states and companies in the context of the implementation of major international energy projects," he said. Meanwhile, in order to launch the supply d Turkmen to Europe, a pipeline of 300-kilometers length with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters per year needs to be constructed, and the capacity of pipelines in Southeastern Europe needs to be expanded. In August 2023, Hungary and Turkmenistan have reached an agreement on the gas supply. Turkmenistan is convinced that there are no political, economic, or financial factors preventing the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. On the contrary, the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline is an absolutely realistic project, justified from an economic point of view, capable of making a tangible contribution to ensuring energy security in Eurasia and ensuring long-term and uninterrupted access to raw materials for European consumers. Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. 'The greatest, most handsome, generous leading man a girl could ever dream of,' says Chita Rivera, who joins Carol Burnett, Garth Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Irving Azoff, Nathan Lane and many more in sharing Dick Van Dyke memories with The News-Gazette. Compared to the year 2000, a greater proportion of NCI-sponsored early-phase clinical trial participants in 2022 were older, from minority racial/ethnic groups, and lived in historically underrepresented regions of the U.S., according to a study presented at the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, held September 29-October 2, 2023. Early-phase clinical trials, which primarily evaluate the safety of new therapies, have historically had insufficient representation of racial minorities, women, elderly patients, and people from lower socioeconomic strata, among other groups. This has limited the generalizability of trial results and increases the chance that important safety issues might be missed, which could further widen disparities in health care outcomes." Maria Farooq, MBBS, clinical fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) "The lack of diversity in early-phase clinical trial accrual also limits underrepresented patients' access to cutting-edge therapies only available in the clinical trial setting," she added. To assess trends in early-phase clinical trial accrual, Farooq and colleagues compared demographic data of patients enrolled in NCI-sponsored phase I, I/II, and II clinical trials between 2000 and 2022. Data were obtained from the NCI Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP)-sponsored early-phase oncology clinical trials database. The comparison revealed significant changes in the age, race/ethnicity, and geographic location of patients enrolled in NCI-sponsored early-phase clinical trials over the time span. Representative results from two time frames (2000-2003 and 2020-2022) are presented below. From 2000-2003 to 2020-2022, the proportion of patients in older age groups increased. 75-84 years of age: 5.9% to 12.3% 65-74 years of age: 24.2% to 32.9% 40-64 years of age: 59.8% to 47.5% From 2000-2003 to 2020-2022, the proportion of minority patients increased. Hispanic/Latino patients: 4.2% to 6.9% Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.5% to 5.4% Non-Hispanic Black: 6.3% to 7.1% Unknown or unspecified race/ethnicity: 3.3% to 7.6% Non-Hispanic white: 83.7% to 72.9% The proportion of patients from the South and West regions of the U.S. increased from 2000-2003 to 2020-2022. South: 29.1% to 40.9% West: 7.9% to 18.2% Northeast: 23.9% to 20.8% Midwest: 24.4% to 19.4% The proportion of patients who enrolled in trials close to home increased from 2000-2003 to 2020-2022. Patients enrolling in a trial within 50 miles of home: 46.5% to 64.5% Patients who had to travel over 200 miles to access a clinical trial: 16.1% to 8.3% "Over the period evaluated, NCI-sponsored early-phase cancer clinical trials became more representative of the broader patient population," Farooq concluded. "These results are encouraging, but there is still substantial room for improvement in this area." While the study did not examine the underlying factors influencing the observed trends, Farooq speculated that the greater number of available early-phase clinical trials, changes to eligibility criteria, and an increase in the number of small sites offering clinical trials may have contributed to the increased diversity of clinical trial participants in recent years. "Broadly, we believe that further increasing outreach and accessibility to marginalized communities, as well as strengthening trust between these communities and research institutions, may continue to improve enrollment diversity now and in the future," she added. Due to the observational nature of the study, researchers were unable to draw any conclusions about the causes of the observed trends. In addition, it is possible that the observed changes were influenced by changes in the cancer types and investigational therapies studied during each period. The study was supported by the NCI, of which Farooq is an employee. A top UVA Health cancer expert is highlighting how a new drug could transform how doctors treat a brain tumor that typically strikes younger people. David Schiff, MD, the co-director of UVA Cancer Center's Neuro-Oncology Center, has authored an editorial in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine describing the potential significance of the drug vorasidenib for patients with tumors known as "grade 2 IDH-mutant gliomas." The drug, when tested in the INDIGO clinical trial, was found to slow tumor growth significantly and extended the average time until the tumor started growing from 11.1 months to more than 27 months. If the drug receives approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration, it would become the first targeted therapy for low-grade gliomas. But Schiff notes that there are also other recent advances that are improving our understanding of such gliomas. It used to be that we thought of all gliomas as being on a spectrum. We now understand that those with the IDH gene mutation have a markedly different biology, outcome and, as this study shows, vulnerabilities that new therapies can exploit." David Schiff, MD, the co-director of UVA Cancer Center's Neuro-Oncology Center About IDH-mutant gliomas Approximately 2,500 Americans with a median age of only 40 are diagnosed with grade 2 IDH-mutant gliomas each year. The tumors often affect the patients' ability to think and hold a job, as well as interfere with other aspects of daily life. Eventually the tumors become resistant to treatment options and typically prove fatal. Because of the limited treatment options available, doctors usually take a "watch and wait" approach to managing the gliomas, holding off on treatment until after the tumor progresses. But vorasidenib could change that, Schiff notes. The drug could offer the first early treatment for the cancer, giving patients an important new option that could extend their lives. In the INDIGO trial, more than 300 patients were randomized to receive vorasidenib or a harmless placebo. Neither the patients nor their doctors knew which the patients were receiving. Schiff, in his editorial, describes the results as "striking." Not only did the patients receiving vorasidenib live longer, but they did not need more toxic treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, as quickly as the patients receiving placebos. Schiff was so impressed by the success of the drug that he writes that vorasidenib could "put a nail in the coffin" of the watch-and-wait approach. "There are still many unanswered questions about how we can best utilize this new medication if and when it receives FDA approval," Schiff said. "Nonetheless, considering that existing standard therapies for these tumors [radiation and chemotherapy] are tough on patients, with short- and long-term side effects, it will be wonderful to have a useful and very well-tolerated treatment option." Findings published Both the results of the INDIGO trial and Schiff's editorial have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The organisms that cause visceral leishmaniasis, a potentially deadly version of the parasitic disease that most often affects the skin to cause disfiguring disease, appear to have a secret weapon, new research suggests: They can infect non-immune cells and persist in those uncommon environments. Researchers found the Leishmania donovani parasites in blood-related stem cells in the bone marrow of chronically infected mice precursor cells that can regenerate all types of cells in the blood-forming system. The finding may help explain why some people who develop visceral leishmaniasis, which is fatal if left untreated, often also have blood disorders such as anemia. Identifying these cells and other unexpected locations in which these parasites live improves scientists' understanding of the disease and may lead to new treatment options, said senior study author Abhay Satoskar, professor of pathology in The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Treating a patient with leishmania drugs never eliminates every parasite from the body they persist for the rest of a patient's life. Perhaps these uncommon cells are the cells responsible for harboring these parasites in low numbers. Some drugs may not reach these cells properly or may not be effective with those parasites, and maybe the parasites in these kinds of cells are different compared to parasites in immune cells because they can adapt. It would be important to eliminate these hidden parasites if we want to stop the transmission of the disease." Abhay Satoskar, professor of pathology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine "It changes the way we think about this parasite: If uncommon cells are infected, what is the cells' role? What are the parasites doing there? How did they evade the drug treatment? Are they different from parasites in other cells, or the same? There are lots of questions." The research was published recently in the journal Cell Reports. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a disfiguring skin disease caused by Leishmania major parasites that affects up to 1.2 million people annually in the tropics, while L. donovani parasites cause the less common visceral leishmaniasis that attacks internal organs, affecting an estimated 100,000 people per year. Scientists have suspected L. donovani may stray beyond their immune cell hosts because they linger in the body, but those suspicions have been difficult to confirm with most conventional technologies because the number of infected cells is low. Satoskar and colleagues used single-cell RNA sequencing in their search for parasites in spleen and bone marrow cells of chronically infected mice. The technique allowed the team to identify individual cell types based on the thousands of genes expressed by cells that function as a signature of each cell type. Simultaneously, the researchers identified which types of cells were and were not infected by L. donovani parasites based on the presence or lack of genes known to be expressed by these organisms. In the spleen, most of the infected cells detected were frontline immune cells macrophages and monocytes known as phagocytes whose job is to swallow up invading organisms. "Textbooks say Leishmania are parasites of immune cells, mainly phagocytes, that hijack those cells and live there. That is what we've learned for many years," said Satoksar, also a professor of microbiology at Ohio State. "Though that was the dogma, it appears during chronic infection that they're also infecting other cell types." The study showed that these infectious organisms weren't restricted to only phagocytic cells in either organ in bone marrow, the blood-related (hematopoietic) stem cells were the main parasitized cells, a surprising finding that was verified through a separate single-cell analysis. The fact their outer surfaces feature some of the same receptors as typical immune cell targets hints at why and how they harbor the parasites, Satoskar said. Other types of cells in both organs whose gene expression signature suggested they contained L. donovani parasites included white blood cells that assist the immune system but don't engulf infectious organisms and cells responsible for the production of platelets. "Finding Leishmania genes linked to other cell signatures gives us clues of which cells to look for next in follow-up protocols," Satoskar said. This work has potential for rapid translation to human tissue testing in some tropical regions, where taking needle aspiration spleen and bone marrow samples is a routine procedure for people at risk for leishmaniasis. Such samples could be used to help determine if non-immune cells are occupied by parasites in humans as well. "These are organs where these parasites persist for many, many years after an infection as cleared and a person who becomes immune suppressed can develop disease again," Satoskar said. "With our animal data and what we find in human samples, we hope to understand the pathways that are assisting parasites to survive and use that knowledge to develop new therapies targeting those pathways." This work was funded by the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Co-authors include Konstantinos Karagiannis, Sreenivas Gannavaram, Thalia Pacheco-Fernandez, Parna Bhattacharya and Hira Nakhasi of the Food and Drug Administration and Chaitenya Verma of Ohio State. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Vaccine Research Center have developed an improved way to test potential vaccines against bird flu. The report was published this week in the journal iScience. Concerning reports about avian flu outbreaks at poultry facilities across the country and abroad highlight the increasingly urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine that could thwart a possible spread of the virus from human to human. To be ready to safely and efficiently test promising vaccine candidates, researchers developed an animal model that more closely mimics the typical symptoms of human infection than any such model so far. This proactive work minimizes the steps needed to quickly validate and deploy a new vaccine in a crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic got people to realize that it is not enough to respond to a pandemic when it happens. We really need to make sure that we are ready before it is here." Doug Reed, Ph.D., co-senior author, associate professor of immunology at Pitt's Center for Vaccine Research Bird flu, caused by H5N1 influenza virus, is primarily spread by migratory wild birds and can decimate poultry populations, including chickens and ducks. Although the virus has infected people, previous infections have not spread efficiently from human to human. However, there are documented cases of H5N1 spreading in mammalian populations, ranging from minks to sea lions and dolphins, raising concern about human-to-human spread. People infected with H5N1 virus can develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, manifesting in short and labored breathing. H5N1 kills more than half of those infected. To ensure that a future vaccine will be protective, the researchers turned to macaques, which have close anatomy and physiology to humans, making them a choice model for the testing of life-saving medicines. Reed and his coauthor, Simon Barratt-Boyes, Ph.D., professor of infectious diseases and microbiology at the Pitt School of Public Health, reasoned that delivering H5N1 virus by small particle aerosol would make it more likely to reach deep into the lung and mimic natural exposure. They first demonstrated this aerosolized infection model in research published in 2017. In the new paper, they refined their model and evaluated whether a seasonal flu vaccine, which protects against human influenza A and B viruses, when given three times with an experimental adjuvant could prevent ARDS upon exposure to aerosolized H5N1 virus. All monkeys that received adjuvanted seasonal flu vaccine were protected from death, and there were low but measurable neutralizing antibodies against H5N1 in their blood samples, the quantity of which was inversely correlated with the severity of their symptoms. While the researchers caution that their findings do not mean that a seasonal flu vaccine can efficiently protect against bird flu, they are optimistic that protective efficacy of future vaccines that target H5N1 can be tested using this model and deployed faster. "The original idea behind this work was more than 20 years in the making," said Reed. "Now there is a path forward to get people protected against this devastating disease." Masaru Kanekiyo, Ph.D., of the NIH Vaccine Research Center, also contributed to the study. The University of Pittsburgh has received funding support as an agreement under NIH contract number HHSN261201500003I to Leidos Biomedical Research in Frederick, Maryland. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The notion that some level of microbial exposure might reduce our risk of developing allergies has arisen over the last few decades and has been termed the hygiene hypothesis. Now, an article published in Science Immunology by researchers from Karolinska Institutet challenges this hypothesis by showing that mice with high infectious exposures from birth have the same, if not an even greater ability to develop allergic immune responses than 'clean' laboratory mice. How microbes may prevent allergy has been a topic of great interest in recent times. Studies have suggested that certain infections might reduce the production of inflammatory antibodies to allergens and alter the behavior of T cells involved in allergies. It has also been suggested that good bacteria in our intestines may be able to switch off inflammation in other parts of our body. Robust allergic responses Researchers have now compared the allergic immune response in 'dirty' wildling mice to those of typical clean laboratory mice. They found very little evidence that the antibody response was altered or that the function of T cells changed in a meaningful way. Nor did anti-inflammatory responses evoked by good gut bacteria appear to be capable of switching off the allergic immune response. On the contrary, wildling mice developed robust signs of pathological inflammation and allergic responses when exposed to allergens. This was a little unexpected but suggests that it's not as simple as saying, 'dirty lifestyles will stop allergies while clean lifestyles may set them off'. There are probably very specific contexts where this is true, but it is perhaps not a general rule." Jonathan Coquet, co-author of the study and Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden More like the human immune system The wildling mice are genetically identical to clean laboratory mice but are housed under seminatural conditions and have rich microbial exposures from birth. "The immune systems of wildling mice better represent the human immune system and so we hope that they can bring us closer to the truth of how microbes act upon the body," says Jonathan Coquet. The findings contribute to our general understanding of how allergies may arise and may also have clinical implications. In clinical trial settings, researchers and clinicians have recently made attempts to treat patients suffering from inflammatory diseases with experimental infections. For example, infecting people with worms or performing faecal transplantations has been proposed as a tool to combat inflammatory diseases. Newborns delivered through C-section, have had maternal faecal transplantation and bacterial supplementation with the aim of promoting good bacteria in the baby's gut and the child's future health. Can provide important insights "This field of research can provide important insights into how infections and microbes can be used to facilitate health, but it is still in its infancy. Our study is a reminder that general and broad exposures to microbes may not have the clear beneficial effects that we wish them to have", says Susanne Nylen, co-author of the study and Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet. The work was led by Junjie Ma and Egon Urgard, researchers in Jonathan Coquet's group, and done in close collaboration with Professor Stephan Rosshart at University Medical Center Freiburg in Germany and Susanne Nylen (MTC). Several other research groups at Karolinska Institutet and elsewhere also contributed to this work, including the teams of Assistant professors Itziar Martinez Gonzalez and Juan Du (both at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, MTC). The study was financed by several bodies, including the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Foundation, KI intramural funds, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. There was an explosion near the building of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, Trend reports. One of the terrorists blew himself up. The explosion and shots were heard in the morning on Ismet Inyonu Boulevard in Ankara, where the buildings of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye and the Ministry are located. It is reported that the explosions occurred near the Interior Ministry building. The road in many directions is closed. "At around 09:30, 2 terrorists who drove a car up to the entrance gate of the Interior Ministry's General Security Directorate carried out a terrorist attack. One of the terrorists blew himself up, the second was neutralized. Two policemen were lightly wounded in the firefight," Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikay said in a statement. Trend presents footage of the incident. An easy and money-saving hack carpooling is now can land you in soup, as the Bengaluru government has banned the activity and the use of platforms that offer the same. As per the details shared by the transport department, those who will be caught using a private vehicle for commercial purposes through applications like Quick Ride and Bla Bla Cars will face heavy challans of Rs 10,000, cancellation of their car registration, or both. Cab Driver on Carpooling The strict decision has been taken by Bengalurus transport department after getting tons of complaints from the local taxi drivers. While raising concern in the matter, the cab driver highlighted that these carpooling mobile application is killing the business as people have started using private vehicles with white number plates for commercial purpose, which is completely wrong and not acceptable even on legal terms. Heres How Top Official Reacted About Carpooling Reacting to the new rule and carpooling activity in the city, Additional Commissioner for Transport (Enforcement), Malikarju C said that private vehicles can not be used for commercial purposes. if anyone is found violating the rule, they may end up facing serious penalties or authorities will cancel their registration certificate for six months, Malikarju added. Despite introducing heavy challans and other punishments, the public in Bengaluru still finds the carpooling apps a convenient way of traveling as it costs less, makes their commute easy, and provides them a big relief from traffic. Mumbai Too Banned Carpooling Applications Meanwhile, Bengaluru is not the only city that has taken strict action against the activity. Similar steps were also taken by Mumbai, where the government at the start of this year banned the use of carpooling and bike-sharing mobile applications. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday kicked off the election campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and held a grand roadshow in Mahabubnagar. The PM also addressed a public rally in Mahabubnagar. In his speech, the prime minister announced a Rs 900 crore university project in Telangana, which is likely to go to polls later this year. #WATCH | Mahabubnagar, Telangana: PM Modi says, " Indian government will establish a central tribal university in Mulugu It will be named after respectable Adivasi women Sammakka-Sarakka. Rs. 900 crores will be spent on it. I thank the people of Telangana for their love. I pic.twitter.com/Pr6toytwGB ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 The Indian government will establish a central tribal university in Mulugu. It will be named after respectable Adivasi women Sammakka-Sarakka. Rs 900 crores will be spent on it. I thank the people of Telangana for their love. I am in a government programme right now, so I have kept myself limited to it. After 10 minutes, I will be out in the open. I will speak openly there, said PM Modi during the rally. The prime minister also gave credit to the people of Telangana for strengthening the BJP in the state and said that the southern state was looking for a change. In recent years, people of Telangana have strengthened BJP in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and civic elections. The huge crowd gathered here proves that Telangana wants change. Telangana wants change because it wants a transparent and corruption-free government, not false promises. Telangana now wants BJP government, PM Modi added. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao skipped PM Modis programme in the state and his minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav received the Prime Minister upon his arrival. Yadav was the one who participated in PMs official programmes as well. Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy on Saturday slammed CM KCR, who, according to him, is avoiding the Prime Ministers programmes with regard to various development activities. PMs Telangana Programme Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday, in a message posted on his social media platform X ( formerly Twitter), PM Modi said the people of Telangana are tired of lacklustre governance and equally distrustful of Congress. Before the rally, Modi virtually laid the foundation stone and launched several developmental projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore, in important sectors such as road, rail, petroleum and natural gas, and higher education. PM Modi Announces Establishment of National Turmeric Board While addressing the people at Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Centres decision to establish a National Turmeric Board. He said that India is a prime producer, consumer and exporter of Turmeric and that the farmers of Telangana produce turmeric in huge quantities. The decision to establish the turmeric board was taken after looking at the necessity and the future opportunities of Turmeric farmers. #WATCH | Mahabubnagar, Telangana: PM Modi says, India is a prime producer, consumer and exporter of Turmeric. Farmers of Telangana produce turmeric in huge quantities. After Covid, awareness about turmeric has increased and global demand has also increased. Today it is important pic.twitter.com/YDGEajoqYU ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 In another big announcement, PM Modi said that a Central Tribal University will be set up in Telanganas Mulugu and will be named after respectable Adivasi women Sammakka-Sarakka. Modi also said that an amount of Rs. 900 crores will be spent on building the university. #WATCH | Mahabubnagar, Telangana: PM Modi says, Indian government will establish a central tribal university in Mulugu It will be named after respectable Adivasi women Sammakka-Sarakka. Rs. 900 crores will be spent on it. I thank the people of Telangana for their love. I pic.twitter.com/Pr6toytwGB ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting and launch projects in Nizamabad on October 3. The PMs visits assume political significance as the state is getting ready to go for assembly polls, which are likely to be held in November-December. A team of top officials from the Election Commission of India is scheduled to visit Telangana on October 3 to assess the poll preparedness and engage with various stakeholders. Meanwhile, Union Tourism Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy on Saturday slammed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who, according to him, is avoiding the Prime Ministers programmes with regard to various development activities. Amid the ongoing diplomatic rift between India and Canada over Khalistani activities, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK was stopped by three persons from entering a gurdwara while on a visit to Scotland. The Indian embassy in the UK issued a statement saying its top diplomat Vikram Doraiswami and another senior official had been due to meet community leaders at a Sikh gurdwara or place of worship on Friday in Glasgow, Scotlands largest city. However, three non-local extremist elements threatened the diplomats and one tried to open the door of Doraiswamis car, prompting the officials to abandon the visit. How the Incident Unfolded Vikram Dorwaiswami had a meeting planned with the committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib on Friday. However, some radical Sikhs blocked him from entering the gurdwara, saying he was not welcome. The Indian envoy and Consul General of India (CG) decided to leave the premises as the Sikh radicals started hurling threats and abuses. @RishiSunak Sir, this is serious !Khalistani terrorists forcibly stopped Indian High Commissioner to UK Sh @VDoraiswami from visiting Gurudwara in Glasgow.Sikh Gurudwara Committee who was welcoming Mr Soraswami also threatened by Khalistanis pic.twitter.com/ESSoTdxWDY Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) September 30, 2023 On September 29, 2023, three persons all from areas outside Scotlanddeliberately disrupted a planned interaction organized by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India, the embassy said in a statement. The organizers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of the Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival, the statement added. The gurdwara committee and local community leaders have since expressed their regret over the incident and have called on the authorities to take action against the culprits. In a statement, the Glasgow Gurdwara committee said, Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation. What the UK Govt said Responding to the incident, UK foreign minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she was concerned. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all, she said on X, formerly Twitter. Police Scotland confirmed it had been alerted to reports of a disturbance at the gurdwara at lunchtime on Friday, according to UK media. There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, a spokesperson said in a reported statement. Indian Mission Under Attack Earlier this year, the Indian mission in the UK was attacked by pro-Khalistani groups along with consulates in Canada and the US. In March, the national flag at the Indian High Commission in London was pulled down during a protest by pro-Khalistan protestors. The videos showed one of the protesters clambering on to a balcony and pulling down the Indian flag from a pole at the front of the high commission. Who is Jagtar Singh Johal? The Sikhs in the UK have recently campaigned over the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist from Scotland. Over 70 British MPs had written to UK PM Rishi Sunak to raise the issue during the G20 summit. 30-year-old Johal is a UK-based activist currently in Delhis Tihar jail for his alleged association with Pakistans ISI and banned separatist group Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Johal has ten cases registered against him under the Arms Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and of murder and attempt to murder. The cases are under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Punjab police and Delhi Police. He has been in jail since 2017. According to reports, Johal was part of a global conspiracy to revive terrorism in Punjab and drive a communal wedge in the border State by targeting leaders and members of minority communities in the State. South Korean giant Samsung recently announced it is establishing a laptop manufacturing unit in Greater Noida, aligning with the Indian governments initiative to promote domestic production and reduce imports of laptops. This is the latest industry move seen as a strategic alignment with the governments initiatives to curb imports. Indias target for the manufacturing of laptops and tablets currently stands near a mere $3 billion, which is less than half of India imports of the same products in a quarter if the imports worth $7 billion in April-June are considered. Moreover, 70-80% of Indias laptops and tablets are imported from China. India has defined a target of achieving $300 billion electronics manufacturing annually by 2026 against the total of about $75 billion currently. The target for laptops and tablets has been marked $25 billion by 2026. The domestic electronics market in India is anticipated to grow from $65 billion to $180 billion within the next five years, positioning electronics as one of Indias top 2-3 exports by 2026. Out of the total $300 billion market size, exports are predicted to surge from an estimated $15 billion in 2021-22 to reach $120 billion by 2026. Push for IT Hardware Manufacturing India has been making a strong push for increasing heft in the laptop and tablets manufacturing sector. While the first version of PLI scheme launched in 2021 was not successful in luring major companies such as Apple, Acer, HP and more, PLI 2.0 came out in 2023 with higher hopes. With a Rs 17,000 crore outlay as opposed to Rs 7,350 crore in 2021, PLI 2.0 offered better subsidies and other financial incentives for a period of six years. However, the response to this offer was also lukewarm until the government sent a serious message to the industry. In August, the government announced curbs on imports of tablets and laptops by imposing a licensing requirement on each product starting August 31, a day after the August 30 deadline for signing up for PLI 2.0 for IT hardware. The objectives cited by the government were to boost domestic manufacturing, increase Indias share in the global electronics supply chains, and to address a long-standing concern regarding security risks associated with Chinese manufactured products. This sweeping measure shook the industry after which the date for the implementation of the ban was extended to October 31. Since the announcement, however, the industry has since responded positively to the PLI 2.0 scheme, with most major players signing up. By the end of August, the government said that 58 companies, including top global players, have registered for the Rs 17,000-crore production-linked incentive scheme for IT hardware. The estimated incremental production could be worth $55 billion during the scheme period. Samsung, a relatively smaller player in the field of laptop manufacturing, has not signed up for the PLI scheme, but has announced an investment of Rs 100-200 crore on production of laptops in India at the Noida facility. But bigger players like Taiwans Asus and Acer, American HP and Dell, Chinas Lenovo (paired with a local manufacturer) have also announced bigger plans. Asus is relocating critical component suppliers from China to India. The company is collaborating with contract manufacturer Flex to set up a factory in Chennai, aiming to expand Asuss production operations in India due to the countrys growing market potential. In another significant development, HP and Google have partnered to manufacture affordable Chromebooks in India. This collaboration is aimed at providing cost-effective laptop options to the Indian market. Foxconn and domestic companies, including Dixon Technologies, VVDN Technologies and Netweb Technologies, have also signed up as the scheme also covers manufacturers of specific components to further indigenous production. We have received an excellent response for the production of laptops and PCs under the IT hardware PLI scheme, said Communications and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The minister added that the number of expected direct jobs created as a result will be around 75,000. The Turnaround Success of PLI 2.0 PLI 2.0 seems to have outperformed its predecessor, which was introduced in 2021 and failed to attract many global players. In May this year, the government significantly increased the budget for the IT hardware PLI scheme, raising it to Rs 17,000 crore from its initial allocation of Rs 7,350 crore in 2021. The initial version of the program didnt perform well, with only Dell and Bhagwati Products meeting their targets for the first year (FY22). This prompted the industry to call for a revamped scheme with a higher budget. Under PLI 2.0, companies are offered an average incentive of around 5% of their net incremental sales over a six-year period, as opposed to the previous scheme, which offered 2% over four years. Additionally, companies that locally manufacture specific components like memory modules, solid-state drives, and display panels will receive extra incentives under the revised scheme. The new scheme also allows flexibility in choosing the base year for calculations. Moreover, it includes penalties for companies that fall short of production targets, with potential deductions of up to 10% from their subsidies. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says the scheme will interplay the semiconductor scheme of the government, with chips made by India by the likes of Micron Technology, potentially being used by laptop manufacturers. Around 60 people were killed and more than 60 injured in Pakistans Balochistan province on Friday by a suicide bomber targeting a procession to celebrate Prophet Muhammads birthday. The blast tore through a mosque in Mastung in the southern province of Balochistan after a bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle where people were had gathered for a procession. No group has taken the responsibility for the bombing, which is the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan since 2018, when a suicide bombing killed 149. Balochistan Sees Frequent Attack Balochistan is Pakistans largest, but least developed province, which is home to over 13 million people, mostly Balochis. Though the province is impoverished when compared to the rest of the country, but the location as well as abundance of natural resources, especially oil, make it strategically vital for Pakistan. Earlier in July, four security officers were killed in a shootout in Balochistan province in an attack claimed by the Pakistan Taliban. In May, more than a dozen people were killed in an overnight battle between Pakistan paramilitary troops and militants in Muslim Bagh of Balochistan province. Earlier in March, at least nine police officials were killed in a suicide bombing that struck the Balochistan capital. The explosion occurred after a suicide bomber rammed his motorcycle into a police truck in Sibi, a city around 160 km east of Balochistans capital Quetta. The province has seen a series of bloody insurgencies, brutal state repression, and an enduring Baloch nationalist movement since 1948. Origin of Balochistan When Pakistan was created after partition in 1947, the rulers of the Khanate of Kalat, a princely state under the British and part of todays Balochistan, refused to join the new nation. Ahmed Yar Khan, the last chief of Kalat, began advocating for an independent Baloch state. Pakistan sent troops in March 1948 to annex the territory. Yar Khan later signed a treaty of accession, though his brothers and followers continued to fight, triggering a conflict between Balochis and the Pakistani Army. There have been several waves of insurgency in the region- in 1948, 1958, 1962-63 and 1973-77. The following two decades were relatively the calmest period in the history of Balochistan. The recent tensions started after General Pervez Musharraf seized power in 1999 and started building new cantonments in Balochistan. Since then, the insurgency has continued in the province led by several separatist groups, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Human rights violations in Balochistan The insurgencies in Balochistan have been dealt brutally by Pakistani forces, who have been accused of committing atrocities and human rights violations. There have been several reports of abductions, torture, arbitrary arrests and executions levelled at the forces. These actions have escalated significantly since 2000s, where military and intelligence agencies working alongside militias and religious groups forcibly disappear and detain thousands of Baloch intellectuals, political activists and social figures. According to a report in The Indian Express, there have been tens of thousands of casualties afflicted on Baloch nationalists and innocent civilians since 1948. According to NGO Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, around 5,228 Baloch people have gone missing just in the period between 2001 and 2017. Economic and Ethnic Marginalisation Balochistan is unarguably the poorest and least developed province in Pakistan. The Pakistani province also retains the highest poverty rate as well as the highest infant and maternal mortality ratios along with the lowest literacy rate in Pakistan. Moreover, the ethnic differences from the deep economic and political grievances by the Baloch people have led to a sense of economic alienation. The alienation of the local Baloch population at the hands of federal governments has led to Baloch movement and the resultant violence. The Baloch insurgent groups have also carried out several attacks targeting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and security personnel in the region. The Pakistani government has often blamed foreign actors, including India, for the trouble in the region and to destabilise the country. The US averted a costly government shutdown after the Congress passed an 11th-hour funding bill on Saturday to keep federal agencies running for another 45 days. A last-minute agreement was passed by the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan majorities. The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Bidens full request. The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. The Congress has until November 17 to resolve their differences and avoid another shutdown, but its not clear they will. WHAT IS A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN? Many federal government agencies in the US rely on annual funding, which is approved by the Congress. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. Every year, the requests, submitted by the agencies, is passed by the Congress and the president has to sign the budget legislation for the next fiscal year. If the agreement is not reached by the start of the fiscal year on 1 October, then there is a shutdown, which means that all non-essential discretionary functions stop. Although employees essential to public safety like the air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers have to report to work, other federal employees are suspended from work. Shutdowns can be disruptive, leading to delays in processing of passports, business loans, government benefits, shuttered visitor centres and other such inconveniences. WHEN DOES A SHUTDOWN BEGIN AND HOW LONG IT LASTS? The government funding expires October 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown was scheduled to begin at 12:01 am if the Congress didnt pass a funding plan that the president could sign into law. The House and Senate averted this by approving a temporary funding bill keeping federal agencies function until November 17. Shutdowns are quite common in the US. There were three shutdowns when Donald Trump was president, which included the longest in history at 36 days which ended in January 2019, which happened because of disagreements over funding a wall on the Mexico border. During the government shutdown in 2018-19, an estimated 420,000 federal employees worked without pay and another 380,000 were furloughed, according to CNN. WHO ARE AFFECTED AND WHICH ACTIVITIES ARE UNAFFECTED During a shutdown, all government employees under non-essential categories are put temporarily on unpaid leave called a furlough. The American Federation of Government Employees union estimates a full shutdown would mean almost 1.8 million federal workers would not be paid for the duration. The shutdown affects the food assistance programme, federally funded preschool, issuing of student loans etc. It also affects tax refunds and related administrative activities such as income and social security numbers. However, more than 1.3 million active-duty members of the military and thousands of air traffic controllers will have to work without pay. Services including essential services and related to public safety, border protection, hospital care, air traffic control, law enforcement and power grid maintenance continue to operate. However, the workers are required to work without pay. DOES SHUTDOWNS AFFECT THE WHITE HOUSE? The President of the US has a guaranteed income and therefore he is not affected by shutdown. The Congress is also not affected as their funding bill is already approved. However, the US Department of Justice is affected as many lawyers and judges dont work during a shutdown. Criminal investigations continue, but all the federal civil cases and immigration court cases are affected, according to BBC. Twelve students were injured after a private school bus overturned near Mhow town in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, police said. The incident took place when the bus was going from Indore to Maheshwar, a police official said, adding four of the students were critically hurt. Eight buses of an Indore-based private school were going to Maheshwar via Mhow and Jaam Ghat on Sunday morning, Badgonda police station in-charge Kailash Solanki said. At around 9 am, when the buses were passing through Jaam Ghat, the driver of one of the buses lost control over the wheels at a sharp curve, he said. The bus overturned, resulting in injuries to 12 students of classes 10 and 12, he said. Four students were critically injured and referred to Indore. They were undergoing treatment at a private hospital, the official said. The spot where the accident took place falls under Mandleshwar police station limits in Khargone district, but looking at the urgency of the situation, the Badgonda police (from Indore district) rescued the students and took them to hospital, he said. Thereafter, the case was transferred to the Mandleshwar police, the official said. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee reached Delhi on Sunday ahead of the partys planned protest against denial of MGNREGA and housing scheme funds to Bengal government in the national capital. Forty-nine busloads of TMC supporters are slated to reach Delhi on Monday. The TMC will hold a peaceful sit-in by its MPs and state ministers at Rajghat on October 2, and a peaceful rally of the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme) job card holders the next day, party officials said. Both the programmes will be live streamed. The buses were mobilised by the regional party after the Indian Railways refused to rent out special trains to take the workers to Delhi pleading unavailability of rakes. The TMC claimed the denial of trains as well as cancellations of a flight to Delhi were part of an attempt by the ruling BJP party to scuttle its demonstration. Speaking to reporters at the NSCBI Airport here before flying to New Delhi, Banerjee said, The agitation will continue till the rightful dues of the people of Bengal are released by the Centre. The TMC general secretary said that though the state government had sent verified lists of beneficiaries in December 2022, the Centre is yet to make payments. If anyone is found guilty of corruption in a 100-day work or housing scheme, let action be taken against them, but why is money to the beneficiaries stopped? he asked. The BJP has been asserting that the payments were stopped due to irregularities. Banerjee also demanded the arrest of Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh following the deaths of three children in Bankura district in a mud house collapse recently, claiming that the deaths could have been avoided if the family had received due financial aid under the government housing scheme to build brick and mortar housing. Banerjee claimed that Giriraj Singh has expressed his inability to meet the TMC representatives as he would not be in Delhi, though he is scheduled to meet BJP MPs from Bengal. This again establishes the step-motherly attitude of BJP towards Bengal, said the TMC leader. It is established that the BJP is forcibly stopping payment of dues of the people of Bengal, the Diamond Harbour MP said. Refusal to allot a special train, cancellation of flight, denial of permission for holding the protest meeting in Delhi, all indicate their attempt to stop the voice of the states people, he said. Full-service carrier Vistara has cancelled one of its flights from Kolkata to Delhi scheduled for Sunday, saying it needed to operate additional flights for passengers stranded in Kolkata and Port Blair. Meanwhile, several Trinamool Congress workers were injured when one of the 49 buses taking them to Delhi to take part in a protest met with an accident in Jharkhand on Sunday. The bus careened and went down to a field behind the highway, leaving a few passengers slightly injured. Its occupants were brought back to Purulia town in West Bengal for medical treatment, a party leader said. Following the accident, senior West Bengal minister Shashi Panja accused the BJP of being responsible as it was behind the refusal by the railways to allot special trains for the event. Check your hands @Dr SukantaBJP, theyre red with the blood of those injured, she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. BJP West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar on the other hand claimed that while TMC leaders were travelling by aeroplanes, the protesters were being made to take buses to Delhi. The way TMC leaders are enjoying the luxury of flights and pushed these innocent people to the brink of life risk is condemnable, he retorted on X. A TMC leader said that the buses, which left Kolkata and other districts of West Bengal on Saturday night, would start reaching Delhi by early Monday. The Afghanistan Embassy has announced that it is closing its operations from Sunday. In a statement, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi said it regrets the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023. It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations, the statement said. The Afghan mission said that this decision was made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India. The reduction of personnel and resources and lack of support from the host government were among the reasons cited for its inability to run the mission effectively. Press StatementFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDate: 30th September, 2023Afghanistan is closing its Embassy in New Delhi. The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi regrets to announce the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023. pic.twitter.com/BXesWPdLFP Afghan Embassy India (@AfghanistanInIN) September 30, 2023 This closure comes as India is yet to recognise the Taliban and has been pitching for an inclusive government in Afghanistan, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. In the three-page statement, the mission cited failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistans interests as one of the reasons. We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul, the mission said. It also said that due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, there has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to it, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations. The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively, the statement said. Given these circumstances, it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country, it said. The embassy, headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, also denied reports about internal strife or discord amongst its diplomatic staff or any diplomats. Mamundzay was appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. In April-May, the embassy was rocked by a power struggle in the wake of reports of the Taliban appointing a charge daffaires to head the mission, replacing Mamundzay. After the episode, the embassy issued a statement that there was no change in its leadership. The power struggle erupted after Qadir Shah, who was working as a trade councillor at the embassy since 2020, wrote to the MEA in late April claiming that he was appointed as the charge daffaires at the embassy by the Taliban. (With agency inputs) Amid allegations that Sukhminder aka Sukh Singh Dhaliwal, Canadian MP from Surrey, is close to Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is allegedly involved in pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjars killing in Canada, Justin Trudeaus aide rubbished the claims, and assured the India government of all help in the matter. Dhaliwal told News18 exclusively that as a Member of Parliament, I would not stay close to any member of foreign agencies. Whoever is giving you this information is totally wrong and irresponsible. When asked why Trudeau has raised the matter of Nijjars killing after his return to Canada from the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10, Dhaliwal refuted the claim, and said before the Canadian PMs visit to India, his government had raised the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After coming to Canada, the very first day when Parliament opened after the summer break, he (Trudeau) made the statement that a foreign state agent was involved in the killing of Nijjar. When confronted that the foreign agent could be ISI, Dhaliwal said it is clear that the Indian agency was involved in Nijjars killing. The Canadian government has so far not provided any evidence to support its allegations of the Indian governments involvement in Nijjars killing despite latters repeated insistence. Even Dhaliwal sounded wavering when slapped with the same question. There is an evidence that will be shared in court. He (Trudeau) does not want to mess up the justice system. He is a firm believer in justice. The Prime Minister of Canada will not make such a statement. The Five Eyes are standing with us, Dhaliwal stressed. Five Eyes is an alliance comprising Australia, Canada, UK, US and New Zealand, which share intelligence information with each other. The Indian government has time and again raised the issue of notorious Indian criminal gangs operating in Canada with Trudeaus government, for which, New Delhi has also sent 24 Letter Rogatory to Ottawa. Dhaliwal said Canada has always cooperated with India. Who gave them the fake passports? India. Who is messing up our country, it is India. He even stressed that he never received any LRs from the National Investigation Agency nor had any discussions with them. It should be noted that Dhaliwal has been appointed Chairperson of Immigration Committee. When asked if he or his government receives LRs and other requests to arrest criminals / gangs operating in Canada, Dhaliwal said if the Indian government provides them with the evidence, the Trudeau government will cooperate. Dhaliwal stressed that India and Canada share good relations, it is the killing of a Canadian citizen on a Canadian soil and at a place of worship, which is bothering (them). Nijjar was killed by gunmen outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in Canada on June 18. He was the chief of proscribed Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). The first red corner notice was issued against him by Interpol in 2014, and India declared him a terrorist under the Unlawful Criminal Activities Act (UAPA) in 2020. The 45-year-old Khalistani leader was involved in networking, training, financing and operationalizing KTF terror module. Fortunately, beauty standards for models have changed. Perfect symmetry, tall stature, a slim body and even skin tone - all these stereotypes of beauty have been questioned in recent years. Many successful models today demonstrate that being different is also beautiful. ADVERTISIMENT In the OBOZREVATEL article, find out which models have inspired the fashion industry to rethink the vision of beauty. It's hard to look away from them. 1. Mama Kax American model Mama Cax was an activist for the rights of people with disabilities. Born in Haiti, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and lung cancer at the age of 14. Two years later, she had a hip replacement that failed to take, leading to the amputation of her right leg. Later, Cax said that it took her several years to regain her self-confidence and not hide her prosthesis behind her clothes. The future celebrity later earned a bachelor's and master's degree in international relations. And in 2016, her life changed forever: Her mother was invited to the White House to participate in a fashion show hosted by then US First Lady Michelle Obama. After that, Cax signed a contract with the JAG Models modeling agency and starred in advertising campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger and Sephora. The newly minted model also walked the runway for Chromat and Fenty Beauty. ADVERTISIMENT While in England in December 2019, Kaks was hospitalized for severe abdominal pain and blood clots in her lungs. She died in the hospital on December 16, 2019. Despite her tragic fate, Mama left her mark on the fashion industry by showing that people with disabilities can also be professional fashion models. 2. Deandra Forrest Deandra Forrest, an African-American top model and fashion model, is a woman with albinism. Her hair is naturally light, her skin and eyebrows are white, her eyes are green, and her lips and nose are clearly African. As a child, Deandra was bullied at school because of her unusual appearance, and her parents transferred her to the New York Institute for Special Education, where she lived with other albinos. ADVERTISIMENT When Forrest grew up, a young photographer, Shamir Khan, spotted her while shopping and told her that she was "beautiful and should be a model." Deandra decided to give it a try. After two months of work and auditions, she joined Elite Models NY. It was the first time an albino model signed a contract with one of the leading modeling agencies. Now she works with such giants as MAC, Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier. 3. Suffran Ralph Dark-skinned and with a lot of freckles, Souffran Ralph is originally from Haiti. At the age of 9, he moved to Brooklyn with his mother, where he was bullied at school for being different. In high school, Suffran fell in love with exercise and fitness: it allowed him to turn his body into a "work of art" and change the way his peers viewed him. ADVERTISIMENT At the age of 13, the boy was practicing in the park. Photographer Aaron Taylor noticed him and asked him to take a picture. This situation inspired Ralph to create an Instagram page and develop it as a blog. And it worked! He signed a contract with Yeezy, and later said in an interview: "People accept me now, and I love my uniqueness. Thanks to my freckles, I can provide for my family and lift them out of poverty." 4. Rain Dove She is an American androgynous model, actress, and activist, best known for her work in fashion as a gender non-conforming model (she can appear as both a man and a woman in photo shoots and shows). As a child, Rain Dove considered herself ugly because she constantly compared herself to other girls who were not like her. When she grew up, she decided to use her unique beauty for her career. She agreed to advertise men's clothing in Calvin Klein ads. Then the designers set a condition: "Swear to God, you will not tell anyone that you are a woman!". After the promotional campaign, the girl began to be actively invited to both women's and men's catwalks in New York. ADVERTISIMENT 5. Lindsay Wixon American fashion model Lindsay Wixon has a unique beauty. She has naturally plump lips, nicknamed "pouty rosebuds" in the fashion world, and a noticeable diastema between her front teeth. In middle school, the girl was bullied: the tooth gap was called a "parking lot," so she hated her appearance. At the age of 12, Lindsay was often approached by strangers on the streets and told that she could become a model. So the girl began to consider it as a possible option for her future profession. Soon after, Vixen was able to take part in photo shoots for Chanel, John Galliano, Versace Vanitas, Miu Miu, Jill Stuart, and Alexander McQueen. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote about a "frightened elf", an "angel with sad eyes" and three other models with unusual physical features. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! A master thief back in his home state of Chhattisgarh, Lokesh Srivas the accused in the Delhi jewellery shop heist operated alone and was more than prepared to conduct a burglary in the national capital for the first time. He had learned much from past experiences and took ample precautions, but it was ultimately his own namesake who brought about his downfall. According to state police, Srivas was earlier involved in seven thefts in Chhattisgarhs Bilaspur. And now Delhi Police has said the investigation, so far, has revealed that only one person was involved in the incident. But his cover, however, was blown by a nabbed associate Lokesh Rao who tipped off police about the loot from the Bhogal store, Umrao Singh Jewellers. Investigation into the burglary case also shows that the accused was meticulous to the point of audacity, when he thought he could pull it off without getting caught this time too. He came prepared for 24 hours bringing food to pass the time inside the store, gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, as well as tools to cut through glass and metal. On Saturday, police said Srivas came to Delhi a couple of times before the heist to conduct a recce of the jewellery store and stayed at a guest house in the Chandni Chowk area. His Delhi visit details were confirmed through his call details records. Heres retracing his steps, as per police: September 9: Srivas came to Jangpura around 11 am September 10 to 12: He stayed in Chandni Chowk September 12: He took a train for Mathura-Vrindavan September 15: He returned to Delhi September 17: He stayed in Delhi till this date and left for Madhya Pradesh via a bus from Kashmere Gate September 21: He reached Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi at 7.33 pm and came to Jangpura at 9.18 pm September 25: Around 9 pm, he took a bus from Kashmere Gate to Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. Police further said he purchased some of the tools needed from Old Delhi. Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Rajesh Deo said Srivas bought a disc cutter machine from GB Road for Rs 1,300 and a hammer from Chandni Chowk for Rs 100, while he brought a screwdriver and pliers from home. For the burglary itself, he carried a backpack full of eatables like chocolates, biscuits and cashewnuts because he knew he would have to stay concealed inside for some time. The accused broke into the shop, made a hole in the strong-room, and stole ornaments worth over Rs 20 crore as well as Rs 5 lakh cash. The jewellery shop had several CCTV cameras but they were damaged, police said. The shop owner had closed the showroom around 8 pm on September 22 and when he opened it on the morning of September 24, he got to know about the incident. The shop remains closed on Mondays. (With PTI inputs) A major fire broke out in a ground-plus-one storey industrial estate in Dahisar area of Mumbai, a fire official said on Sunday. No one was injured in the incident which took place at 11.10 pm on Saturday in the building located in Vardhaman Industrial Cooperative Society of the northern suburb, he said. It was a level-2 blaze and was doused by 6.10 am on Sunday, the official said. Seven fire engines, six jumbo tankers, one water tanker, ambulance and other assistance was rushed to the spot after the blaze erupted, he said. The fire was confined to three-four galas (units) on the ground and first floors of the structure, the official said, adding three hose lines were in operation. Eight to nine LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders are removed from the galas, he said. No injury has been reported and the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the official said. Two people have been arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in Gujarat on Sunday for theft of Rs 10.72 lakh. A police official said that the accused used to travel by air allegedly to steal money from ATMs. During the investigation into the ATM theft using a gas cutter under Amraiwadi police station this month, it was found that the two accused were from Punjab. The duo had come by flight from Chandigarh to Ahmedabad to carry out the heist, as per the police offcial. The two were held on the basis of a case registered in Amraiwadi police station. The official further said, They stayed in a hotel near Ahmedabad airport which they booked on the basis of a duplicate Aadhaar card. They purchased a two-wheeler from an online marketing site, bought gas cutters, oxygen cylinders and entered an ATM they chose using Google Maps. He added, They cut open the ATM, stole Rs 10.72 lakh in Rs 500 denomination notes, went back to the hotel, collected their belongings and flew to Delhi. They used to fly to different places to steal from ATMs in this manner. Amarjot Singh Aroda, one of the accused was arrested at Mohali in 2005 for a murder case and was released on bail in 2010. He was also arrested for attempting to break open ATMs in Maharashtras Nagpur and Pune in April and June this year. As per the police, Aroda also has four different FIRs lodged against him in Bengaluru for attempt to murder, robbery, theft, etc. (with PTI inputs) Glasgow Gurdwara has strongly condemned the disorderly behaviour during the Indian High Commissioners visit to the Sikh temple. Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner to the UK, had been invited to the gurdwara, in Scotlands biggest city on Friday to discuss community and consular issues. But his visit was disrupted by three people non-local extremist elements who tried to violently force open the vehicle he was travelling in. The diplomat left the scene without going ahead with the visit. Indian mission in London said it had reported a disgraceful incident involving a top diplomat to police and Britains Foreign Office. An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation, the Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha said in a statement. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter. Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith, the statement added. The incident prompted UK foreign minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan to express concern about the incident. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all, she said on X, formerly Twitter. Scotland Police confirmed it had been alerted to reports of a disturbance at the gurdwara at lunchtime on Friday. There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, a spokesperson said in a reported statement. The incident follows a diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over the issue of pro-Khalistan extremism. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week said that Ottawa was actively pursuing credible allegations related to New Delhis role in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly rejected the claims about Nijjar as absurd and motivated. While the immediate trigger for the incident was the strained ties between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar, sources indicate to CNN News18 that another key factor was the demand for the release of British-Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal. Johal is currently in custody in India on terrorism charges. There are certain Indian intelligence inputs, which point to Canadian MP and Justin Trudeaus close aide Sukh Dhaliwals alleged support to dead pro-Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in establishing his network in Canada. According to intelligence sources, Nijjar, chief of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was on the no-fly list but Dhaliwal managed to arrange his Permanent Residency in Canada. It should be noted that Dhaliwal has been appointed Chairperson of Immigration Committee. According to sources, this reward has come for him for his enormous Sikh support base and his proximity to ISI. Nijjar was staying in a Gurdwara in Dhaliwals constituency of Surrey, where he was shot by assailants in broad daylight on June 18. Intelligence sources say Nijjar was operating an immigration racket in which people were brought to Canada and involved in nefarious activities. Nijjar was allegedly backed by Dhaliwal, and the money earned through the racket was distributed between the two. Sources say Dhaliwal, Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Nijjar links are clearly visible because the Liberal Party MPs posters all over during his visit to Lahore around four months ago. He was accorded a grand welcome. It is here that the conspiracy was hatched to give a fillip to the diminishing rankings of both Dhaliwal and Trudeau. News18 has already reported that Dhaliwal was the mastermind behind the Nijjars controversy. Dhaliwal floated the idea to Trudeau when he returned from Pakistan, they added, and they decided to use Nijjars death to gain the sympathy of Khalistanis. This is not the first time Dhaliwals name has emerged in connection with his anti-India stance. In 2010, Liberal MPs Dhaliwal and Andrew Kania introduced a petition in the House of Commons asking Ottawa to consider the 1984 Sikh riots in India as an act of genocide. Revealing his experience in Parliament this month, Dhaliwal said he was refused an Indian visa for speaking out against what he called excesses against Sikhs in India, which he went on to describe a so-called democracy. In light of this, he called on lawmakers from across Canadas political spectrum, including Conservatives, Liberals, and the NDP, to denounce what he claims is Indian governments intimidation. He was supported by NDPs Jagmeet Singh who said India denied him a visa in 2013 when he was a member of Ontarios provincial legislature. Singh added that the Indian government appeared dissatisfied with his attempts to obtain justice for the victims of the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Fountain, a provider of hiring automation software for frontline workforces, considers India as one of the big hubs in this space, a top company official said. The company is present in the US, Western Europe UK, France, Germany as well as in South Africa, India, New Zealand and a few other countries. The big hubs are India, UK and France, Founder and CEO of the company Sean Behr told PTI. Fountain focuses exclusively on the blue collar and gray collar workforce. A vast majority of people dont do PowerPoint or Excel, they do things on the frontlines of our economy, Behr said, adding that hiring and retaining workers in the blue and grey collar economy has never been more difficult. India is the most natural place to invest, and to expand as there is a huge opportunity and growth rate in the blue/grey collar market, Behr noted. China has some similar dynamics, but obviously theres geopolitical challenges, while in India you have a bigger population and a very good place for technology to invest in this market, he said. Behr pointed out that India has more people in the workforce with a payment-enabled smartphone as compared to the 330 million total population of the United States. With 8 million manual informal processes, there is absolutely no way to scale to 25 million workers and still be using manual processes. You need to bring technology that will standardize the process for these workers and it benefits both the worker and actually more importantly the company. Fountain aims to bring standardised technical processes to an informal, disorganised, spreadsheets forms and paper system. Behr said Fountain hired over 3 million blue and gray collar workers in 75 countries using 35 different languages in 2022. He pointed out that a country like India poses scale and complexity problems owing to the diversity aspect here. In Germany, you really only need one language, here that doesnt work. You have to have technology that is smart enough to know that if Im recruiting in Karnataka, or Delhi, I may (be) interacting with an applicant (and) need to have the ability to switch languages, he said. Behr also outlined IPO plans for Fountain, which marks his fourth entrepreneurial venture after starting up in e-commerce, advertising and car riding business. Its a couple of years away for us its an incredible investment. You have to hire lots of people build all the right financial reporting, legal which takes you away from building the business, he said. The company last raised funds in Series C round in 2022, amid a challenging environment for late-stage startups, and said theres enough cash in the bank for now. An Indian Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing near Bhopal on Sunday, according to Air Force sources. According to reports, the ALH Dhruv, carrying six army personnel, developed a technical malfunction which prompted the precautionary landing in a village in Berasia, 60 km from Bhopal. According to Berasia police station inspector Narendra Kulaste, the incident took place at 8:45 am. The pilot and crew members were safe, he said. The aircraft was on its way to Jhansi from Bhopal when the incident took place. One ALH MK III helicopter of the IAF, on a routine training mission from Bhopal to Chakeri, carried out a safe precautionary landing 50 kms from Bhopal Airport, near the Dungariya dam. No harm or injuries were reported. Technical assistance is being provided to the helicopter, a statement issued by Indian Airforce read. #WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: An Indian Air Force ALH Dhruv helicopter made a precautionary landing near Bhopal. As per the initial reports, the crew is safe and a team is on the way to look into the technical issues: IAF sources pic.twitter.com/cQRxCrJjzK ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 A team of the IAF arrived at the site to fix the technical problem. Another team of technical experts is expected to reach Dungariya village from Nagpur shortly, an official was quoted by PTI as saying. In a similar incident earlier this year in July, an Air India Express flight from Tiruchirappalli to Sharjah with 160 people on board made a precautionary landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The flight faced technical issues shortly after take-off and was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. (With PTI inputs) Another Varanasi-bound Akasa flight was delayed on Sunday after a remark made by an exasperated passenger triggered security staff to carry out extensive pre-boarding checking ahead of the scheduled time. The Mumbai to Varanasi flight, which was scheduled to take out at around 2:30 pm will now operate later on Sunday night. According to TOI, the incident happened when one of the passengers, apparently annoyed by strict pre-boarding checks irked Mere Paas Bomb Hai Kya which alerted security personnel at the airport and led to an even thorough checking before the boarding. Her comments led to CISF getting alerted and then the protocol to deal with such situations was triggered which involved asking all passengers who had boarded the aircraft to alight, TOI reported. Meanwhile, the airline released a statement stating the revised timings and informing the passengers that the delay was caused due to security protocols. Akasa Air flight QP 1497, scheduled to fly from Varanasi to Mumbai at 2.50 pm on October 1, 2023, received a security alert during the boarding process. We have followed all required security procedures and all passengers have been deplaned and are safe. Akasa Air is working with local authorities to complete all subsequent security requirements, the statement read. This comes two days after an Akasa aircraft from Mumbai with 166 people on board had to make an emergency landing at Varanasi airport after the airline received a bomb threat message on social media. he airline said the captain of the flight QP 1498 received an emergency alert from the Varanasi Air Traffic Controller and followed all required emergency procedures and landed the plane safely at Varanasi. At 1130 am, Akasa Air got a bomb threat message on social media. We informed the local police in Mumbai and initiated the procedure for filing an FIR, the spokesperson said. Varanasi Airport Director Puneet Gupta said that after a thorough security check, nothing objectionable was found and the aircraft was declared safe. Akasa Air flight QP 1498, flying from Mumbai to Varanasi on September 29, 2023 received an emergency alert from Air Traffic Control. The captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely in Varanasi, the airline said in a statement. A mentally challenged flier was detained for allegedly misbehaving and locking himself inside the bathroom of an IndiGo Hyderabad-Patna flight mid-air. Following a complaint against him by the crew, the man was detained as soon as the flight landed at Patna airport. According to an ANI report, the incident occurred on IndiGo flight 6E 126. He misbehaved on the flight and also locked himself inside the toilet onboard, the crew said in their complaint. Station House Officer, Airport police station, Vinod Peter noted that the passenger, identified as Kamar Riyaz, is mentally disabled and is under treatment. The passenger, Kamar Riyaz, is mentally disabled and is under treatment. He was carrying medical reports. He was travelling with one of his relatives from Hyderabad to Patna, the official was quoted by ANI as saying. On a complaint filed by indigo staff, we detained him, he added. An investigation into the incident is underway. A case has been registered against a waitress working at a five-star hotel in Mumbai after she allegedly spilt hot tea on the hands of a seven-year-old girl, scalding her left forearm. As per the police complaint, the victim was staying at the hotel with her family and had come to have breakfast at the buffer organised by the hotel with her parents. On the morning of September 27, an employee named Monalisa B, who works at the hotel as a waitress was carrying hot tea in a kettle on a tray and bumped into the child. This led to the tea spilling on the left hand of the seven-year-old girl, causing her a serious burn injury, reported Indian Express, According to the parents of the girl, the waitress asked her not to shout when she began to scream after the incident. However, the parents came to know about the incident following which they rushed her to LH Hiranandani hospital. The doctors said that the girl received superficial burn injuries which amount to four to five per cent burns following which the parents filed a case against the waitress and an FIR was registered. The family approached the Sahar police station which later filed an FIR in the case against Monalisa under Section 337 (causing hurt by endangering life) of the Indian Penal Code. A police official told The Indian Express that an investigation has begun and the statements of guests and staff members who witnessed the accident have been recorded. He also said that the family wants to include the hotel management in the FIR as well. Russian sanatoriums in the frontline regions cannot boast of a successful season this year. In order to somehow lure Russians who are afraid of being targeted by drones, health centers in Russia are giving away vouchers for nothing. ADVERTISIMENT Sanatoriums in Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions are ready to work for a pittance, as long as someone comes to them. The research data was shared by a Russian booking portal (to see the photo, scroll to the bottom of the page). The most affordable extreme vacation in sanatoriums is offered this fall in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine - the average cost for two people is 11,240 rubles (116,48 $). A little more expensive in Bryansk - 11,600 rubles - and Belgorod - 11,770 rubles. This is almost twice as cheap as the price offered to Muscovites in the capital, which, by the way, is also sometimes reached by UAVs. ADVERTISIMENT Particularly brave Russian citizens can risk their peace of mind and enjoy a vacation under the Weekend Tours program. However, judging by such low price tags, Russians do not believe in the thesis that everything is going according to plan, so they try not to travel close to Ukraine. There are explosions, drones, and other unpleasant surprises waiting for them. It should be added that 11 thousand rubles for a vacation in a health center with food, accommodation and medical procedures is cheap, so sanatoriums will earn almost nothing this year, even if a few brave souls decide to visit them. Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote that Russian "patriots" of military age who fled to Estonia and Latvia to support Russia organized a ridiculous flash mob with car stickers. Read more about how local law enforcement responded here. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! The school bus fees in Mumbai is likely to go up by 5%, due to the increase in toll prices at five checkpoints across the city from October 1, the School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) said on Saturday. The SBOA expressed its discontent on the increase in toll and has planned to protest against it after a meeting on Sunday. If the toll price is not reduced the association said that it will be have no choice but to increase the bus fees for the students. As per sources quoted by Times Now, the order issued by the toll naka authorities said that the toll charge for the buses will be rising from Rs 130 to Rs 150. Hoping a change in the decision of toll hike the bus association is determined to protest against it. The President of SBOA, Anil Garg said that the decision of toll hike will affect more than 3,500 students who travel on school buses that cross the toll points at Vashi, Thane, Airoli, Mulund and Dahisar. He also said that one of the reasons behind their protest is also the poor road conditions, which has an impact on damage of buses thereby increasing the maintenance costs. Last year, the school bus operators in Mumbai announced that they will raise the charges for ferrying students by at least 20 per cent, as compared to rates before the COVID-19 pandemic. The association cited fuel price hike and other reasons behind the rise. The School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) office-bearer Ramesh Maniyan said that the bus charges for students will be increased by 20 per cent or even more, but will differ according to areas and schools. He said that they were forced to increase school bus charges due to various reasons, like the fuel price hike, payment of salaries of drivers and other staff, increased bus cost, RTO fees, traffic fines and penalties paid in the last two years, when their operations were closed. Though the business was closed for two years due to the pandemic, the salaries of drivers and other staff, like cleaners and female attendants, went up, he pointed out. Discussion on who will fight in the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat will be held during the talks on the seat-sharing arrangement of the INDIA bloc for next years general elections, National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah said Saturday while asserting that his party is with the opposition alliance. Responding to a question about a pre-poll alliance between the National Conference and Congress after the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election, he said, You do not have an assembly. so the road starts and ends here. We are in the INDIA alliance. When there will be a talk of seat sharing, definitely this (Ladakh parliamentary seat) will come up for discussion, said Abdullah, who is on a two-day campaign here in support of NC candidates for the October 4 LAHDC-Kargil election. The NC and the Congress are fighting the election together. The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir said his party supported Congress in the 2019 parliamentary elections but lost the seat to BJP. Abdullah alleged that he had to leave his security at the Zero Point en-route to Kargil and Drass to address the public meeting on the directions of the authorities. He said this was his third visit to Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Ladakh and J&K. This is the first time that I had to leave my security at Zero Point. I do not have any grudge as I know they (BJP) are panicking. I know the people are with us and we have full faith in the Almighty. The National Conference claimed that Abdullahs security was stopped at Zero Point near Mini Marg the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway. Ladakh UT administrations cowardice was seen today when J&K NC Vice President Omar Abdullahs convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed, the party said in a statement. It also alleged that the party vice president was forced to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday participated in the Swacchata Hi Seva campaign alongside wrestler-turned-social media influencer, Ram Ram Sareya Ne fame Ankit Baiyanpuriya. In a video shared by PM Modi, he can be seen taking up a broom and cleaning the ground with Ankit. Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! @Ankit_Wrestler, PM Modi wrote in an X (formerly Twitter) post. Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! @Ankit_Wrestler pic.twitter.com/aOHwgZrunV Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2023 The country took part in the one-hour cleanliness drive today on Prime Minister Narendra Modis appeal. As a run-up to Gandhi Jayanti, PM Modi urged citizens to join the Shramdaan, a cleanliness initiative as part of Swachh Bharat today at 10 am. Last week, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs A nationwide cleanliness drive will be conducted on October 1 after Prime Minister Narendra Modis appeal for one hour of shramdaan for swachhata. During the 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, earlier this month PM Modi had appealed for one hour of shramdaan for swachhata on October 1 by all citizens and called it a swachhanjali to Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his jayanti. Latest Updates on Swachhata Hi Seva Event Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation organised a cleanliness drive at a public place between the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan and the entrance of the Safdarjung Airport. #WATCH | Dr Srinivas Hanumankar, Member (HR), Airports Authority of India (AAI) says, Airports Authority of India is celebrating the Swacchta divas today, as per the clarion call given by the PM and GoI. Today, we have selected a public place between the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan pic.twitter.com/YWZXdni42l ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took part in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Dibrugarh, Assam. #WATCH | Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal participates in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Dibrugarh, Assam pic.twitter.com/zwMV3niEzh ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participated in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Sanquelim. #WATCH | Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participates in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Sanquelim. pic.twitter.com/eTWZ65Ne3W ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took part in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Haryanas Gurugram. #WATCH | Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participates in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Haryanas Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/9w4yPNVdz9 ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the Shramdaan for cleanliness program under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Ahmedabad. #WATCH | Gujarat: Union Home Minister Amit Shah participates in the Shramdaan for cleanliness program under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign in Ahmedabad. pic.twitter.com/cNsQXZlHUO ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 BJP President JP Nadda along with Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi on Sunday arrived at Ambedkar Basti to take part in the cleanliness drive. BJP is celebrating Swachchta Pakhwada and Swacchta Abhiyan. Many of our workers across the country are participating in the Swacchta Abhiyan. Today I have come to Ambedkar Basti to participate in the Swacchta Abhiyan and I am happy to be here along with Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi. I am sure this Swacchta Abhiyan, a vision of Mahatma Gandhi, will be carried forward with the same energy, he said. #WATCH | BJP National President JP Nadda says, BJP is celebrating Swachchta Pakhwada and Swacchta Abhiyan Many of our workers across the country are participating in the Swacchta Abhiyan Today I have come to Ambedkar Basti to participate in the Swacchta Abhiyan and I am pic.twitter.com/gIadfyNYdR ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also attended the Swachhata Hi Seva program organized by BMC in Mumbai. #WATCH | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde interacts with children as he arrives to attend the Swachhata Hi Seva program organized by BMC in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/2hR1htK6CD ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary participated in the cleanliness drive organised in Lucknow. #WATCH | Lucknow: UP BJP Chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary participates in a cleanliness drive under the Garbage Free India Clean India campaign. pic.twitter.com/SpUGJKxpK2 ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 1, 2023 BJP organised Swachchta Pakhwada from September 17 till October 2. We are celebrating Swacchta Abhiyan today and tomorrow, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said. PM Modi urged people across the country to come together and take part in the cleanliness drive today at 10 am and stressed that Swachh Bharat is the collective responsibility of all the family members of the country. Swachh Bharat is the collective responsibility of all the family members of the country. Every effort of public participation is very important in this direction. Let us come together tomorrow at 10 am to dedicate one hour to cleanliness and help us build a bright future for the country, the prime minister posted on X (formerly Twitter) Sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik created a sand sculpture featuring PM Modi on Odishas Puri beach for the cleanliness drive. #WATCH | Sand sculpture by renowned sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik for the Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign at Puri Beach in Odisha. (30.09) pic.twitter.com/AAI0NPiZGk ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 Chhatrapati Shivajis famous wagh nakh, or tiger claws, is all set to return to India as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London will be giving it to the Maharashtra government later this year, to exhibit the artifact for three years in Mumbai. State culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will be visiting London to sign the agreement on Tuesday (October 3), which coincides with the 350th anniversary celebrations of the Maratha rulers coronation. According to a report published by NDTV, earlier this month Mungantiwar had said: In the first phase, we are bringing the wagh nakh. It should be brought here in November, and we are signing an MoU for that. Our effort is to bring it on the day when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj disemboweled Afzal Khan. The 17th century weapon, with which Shivaji is said to have defeated Bijapur sultanates commander Afzal Khan, will be housed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum. The V&A looks forward to welcoming senior leadership from the Maharashtra government, to sign a memorandum of understanding, a museum spokesperson said. What is the wagh nakh? Originally a set of two, the 17th century weapon made of steel looks like claws. According to the website of V&As Explore the Collections, it is designed to be concealed in the palm of the hand. It has four claws mounted on a bar with two rings for the first and fourth fingers. The difference in size between the two rings indicates that it is a weapon to be used in the left hand. It is housed in the London museums South and Southeast Asia collections. What is the weapons historical significance? Shivaji is said to have concealed the metal claws, or wagh nakh, in his hand and disemboweled Afzal Khan, who was the commander of the Bijapur army, during a protracted military engagement in 1659. The story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs triumph over Afzal Khan is legendary, so we are delighted that the tiger claws will return to India as part of the 350th anniversary events where they can be enjoyed as part of the celebrations. We hope that their display might also enable new research into their history and look forward to working in partnership with colleagues in the months ahead as we develop plans for their display, the museum spokesperson said. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan at the foot of the Pratapgarh Fort in present-day Satara district of Maharashtra. The victory for the Marathas at the Battle of Pratapgad in 1659 was a turning point in Shivajis campaign to establish the empire. Marathas defeated the Adilshahi forces led by Khan despite being outnumbered. And the episode between the two leaders became folklore since as an example of Shivajis cunning, bravery and reputation as a great military strategist. Historical accounts say Shivaji and Afzal Khan had arranged a truce after political upheavals to meet in a tented enclosure, virtually alone. Heres a description by the V&A: Both came armed: Shivaji wore mail under his clothes and metal skull protection under his turban. He also held a metal Tiger Claws weapon concealed in his hand. The two men fought, and Shivaji disemboweled his opponent. While announcing the decision to bring back the weapon, Mungantiwar had said: When Afzal Khan stabbed Shivaji Maharaj in the back (during the meeting), Shivaji Maharaj used a wagh nakh to kill the cruel, demonic Afzal Khan. The wagh nakh is a source of inspiration and energy for us. This year also marks the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharajs coronation. How did Shivajis legendary weapon reach the V&A? The V&A describes the weapons historical trace as having been in the possession of one James Grant-Duff, who was an officer of the East India Company and appointed resident or political agent of the Satara state in 1818. The artifacts description states that it was gifted to the V&A by a descendant. Grant-Duff added a fitted case to the weapon after he returned to Scotland. The inscription on the case reads: The Wagnuck of Sivajee With Which He Killed the Moghul General. This Relic was given to Mr. James Grant-Duff of Eden When he was Resident at Satara Minister of the Peshwa of the Marathas. The V&A also describes how this weapon may have reached the officer. The last Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Marathas, Baji Rao II, surrendered to the British in June 1818 after defeat in the Third Anglo-Maratha War and was banished to Bithoor near Kanpur. It is possible he also surrendered this weapon to Grant-Duff Weapons authenticity under question? Even the V&A states that it has not been possible to verify if these metal claws are the ones used by Shivaji nearly 160 years before. Its authenticity is also under debate among historians. The NDTV report stated that history expert Inderjit Sawant has pointed out that the Victoria and Albert Museum website states that Chhatrapati Shivaji did not use the weapon. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has also questioned its authenticity. Indias intelligence officer Vivek Johri is set to take charge as the new National Security Advisor (NSA) to Mauritius, as part of the traditional arrangement between the two countries. As the NSA, the Indian security officer is the single-point person on all counter-terrorism matters. He works closely with the Indian NSA and the PM of Mauritius. ALSO READ | WATCH | PM Modi Holds Bilateral Meetings with Mauritian Counterpart Pravind Jugnauth, Bangladeshs Sheikh Hasina Johri is known to be a no-nonsense upright officer. As an intelligence officer, he has worked in Nepal and neighbouring countries. He has a vast experience of handling complex matters and situations. WHY IT MATTERS According to top intelligence sources, heres why the development matters: The Chinese presence in Mauritius is increasing. The Indian Navy is looking for a new Naval base like Chinas in Djibouti for stopover and refueling. Mauritius is the connectivity route for all major trade and shipping bases. #WATCH | G 20 in India | Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth hold a bilateral meeting, in Delhi pic.twitter.com/P59ttdu9mK ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2023 INDIA-MAURITIUS TIES India has close, longstanding relations with Mauritius, an island nation in the Western Indian Ocean, owing to historic, demographic and cultural reasons. A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian origin people comprise nearly 70% of the islands population of 1.2 million, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The ties have also resulted in uniquely close cooperation in maritime security, development partnership, capacity-building, and cooperation in international fora. Numerous India-assisted development projects dot the Mauritian landscape. The cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Mauritius are nurtured by the Indian Cultural Centre in Mauritius (Indias biggest in the world) and the World Hindi Secretariat, a bilateral organization for the promotion of Hindi. #WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth offers prayers at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/TEQq6viuCe ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2023 READY TO HELP India has traditionally been the first responder for Mauritius in times of crisis, including during the Covid-19 and Wakashio oil-spill crises. Since 2005, India has been among the largest trading partners of Mauritius. At USD 9.39 bn, Mauritius became Indias third largest source of FDI in 2021-22. ALSO READ | India Did Not Forget Us: Leaders of Global South Thank New Delhi for Post-Pandemic Support Mauritius and India signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) on February 22, 2021, during the visit of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to Mauritius. In May 2016, India provided a grant of USD 353 million to Mauritius as a Special Economic Package. It extended a USD 500 mn Line of Credit (LoC) in 2017, an LoC of USD 190 mn and USD 10 mn grant in 2021, and extended another LoC worth USD 300 mn and a grant of USD 25 mn in 2022 for its infrastructure projects. According to the MEA, there are approximately 12,973 Indian nationals and 10,139 OCI card-holders currently in Mauritius as of 2022. In pre-Covid times, annually about 80,000 Indian tourists visited Mauritius and 30,000 Mauritian tourists visited India. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has held a review meeting over the dengue situation in the state and directed officials to raise vigil to prevent any more deaths due to the vector-borne disease. She telephoned Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi and gave requisite directions to all officials attending the meeting on Saturday. Intermittent rainfall will continue for several more days. So, all districts, especially the coastal ones, must be careful. Work is being done against dengue but consistency must be maintained. I have a problem with my knee, so I cant go out but I am keeping a watch, Banerjee said during the meeting. The CM is currently recuperating from a left knee injury that she sustained during her foreign trip to Spain and Dubai. Other than Dwivedi, all district magistrates, the commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), superintendents of police (SPs) and CMOHs of all the districts were present in the meeting. Senior officials of the Irrigation and Waterways, Disaster Management, PHE, UD&MA, P&RD, PWD and Health departments were also present at the meeting. She directed them to ensure that water was cleared from inundated areas on a war footing across all municipalities and panchayats. More than 30 people have died in various districts of West Bengal this year due to dengue. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday described the women's reservation bill as a "sapling" planted by the Congress and demanded that the Act be implemented immediately. He said the Union government has talked about holding a Census and a delimitation exercise to implement reservation but has not given any time limit for it. President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the women's reservation bill which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The law will take some time before being implemented as the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise redrawing of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies will ascertain the particular seats being earmarked for women. "We want it (the Act) to be implemented immediately. We want women to get a reservation, they should become MLAs and MPs, they should have a separate quota," Gehlot said at a programme to lay the foundation stone of and inaugurate various development works at Bissau in Jhunjhunu. "We welcomed women's reservation because it is a sapling planted by us. You (BJP) did not support us at that time so it could not be passed completely. It was passed only in Rajya Sabha, but could not be passed in Lok Sabha," he said. There have been several efforts to pass the bill in Parliament since 1996. The last such attempt was made in 2010 when the Rajya Sabha had passed a bill for women's reservation, but the same could not be passed in the Lok Sabha. The senior Congress leader said it was due to the vision of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi that women got reservation in the panchayati raj institutions. Referring to various public welfare schemes of his government, Gehlot said, "Our work is unmatched, whether in the field of education or health. A network of roads is being laid in Rajasthan. Many water schemes are being implemented and pension is being given to one crore people." He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is visiting the state frequently for poll campaigning, should promise to implement social security law in the country. The prime minister should promise that if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, then none of the schemes currently running in the state will be stopped, Gehlot said. Regarding his remarks on Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's frequent visits to Rajasthan, Gehlot said he had expressed his sentiments which Dhankhar would understand. The Vice President is a constitutional post and we respect that post. The only clear thing is that in the election environment he visited five districts in a day. I had expressed my feelings and he would understand it," the chief minister added. The world of coffee has evolved into a rich tapestry of flavors and experiences, with the rise of specialty coffees at the forefront. We embark on a journey through the perspectives of two individuals who have played significant roles in shaping this revolution. Puneet Das, President of Packaged Beverages India & South Asia, Tata Consumer Products Limited, sheds light on the growing demand for specialty coffee in India. Tatas Sonnets by Tata Coffee represents a response to this demand, offering a range of single-origin, high-quality Arabica coffees. These coffees are carefully sourced from Tata Coffees estates, processed in small batches to unlock their unique flavors, and made available to consumers in various roast and grind levels. In parallel, the concept of hyperlocalization in coffee has taken root, bringing native flavors to the forefront. Tata has introduced Tata Coffee Quick Filter Decoction Liquids, designed to offer the rich filter coffee experience in a convenient format. These include Coorg Kaapi & Degree Kaapi, inspired by the flavors of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and Chukku Kaapi, a blend of coffee, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, and jaggery, all contributing to an aromatic and indulgent coffee experience. Le Pondicherry, a cafe situated in the French-influenced town of Pondicherry, embraces the ethos of transparency and slow food. Co-founder Ruth Sequeira explains how their cosmopolitan clientele values not only the taste but also the origin of their coffee. Through conversations, Le Pondicherry shares the stories of the farmers and roasters behind their coffee beans. They proudly serve geisha coffee from Kelagur Heights for cold brews and pour-overs, and an excellent blend from Marcs Coffee, Auroville for regular espressos. In this ever-evolving coffee landscape, its clear that specialty coffee has not only brought distinct flavors to the forefront but has also fostered a deeper connection between consumers and the journey from bean to cup. Starbucks is a name that needs no introduction. This worldwide coffee behemoth has made its mark in Delhi NCR, serving everything from your favorite latte to unique espresso concoctions. The inviting environment and comprehensive menu make it a favorite among coffee enthusiasts. This International Coffee Day, five cafes in Delhi NCR will offer an array of coffee options, from local favorites to international chains. Whichever you choose, youre sure to celebrate this caffeinated holiday in style. So, gather your friends, pick your favorite cafe, and raise a toast to the beverage that keeps us all awake and inspired. Happy International Coffee Day! GANDHI JAYANTI 2023: India observes the birth anniversary of the revered Bapu, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, on October 2, a day celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti. Born in 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, this year marks the 154th birth anniversary of the eminent freedom fighter. Gandhi Ji, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, remains an enduring symbol of non-violence. Consequently, his birthday is recognized internationally as the International Day of Non-violence, reflecting his steadfast commitment to peaceful resistance and his enduring impact on the worlds pursuit of justice and harmony. ALSO READ: Happy Gandhi Jayanti 2023: Wishes, Quotes, Messages, Images, and WhatsApp Greetings! Gandhis eloquence was a powerful force in Indias struggle for independence, his words echoing with wisdom and a relentless commitment to nonviolence. From the historic Quit India speech that ignited a nationwide movement to his memorable Dandi March address, where he symbolically picked up a handful of salt to defy the oppressive salt tax, each word he spoke stirred hearts and ignited a passion for change. Join us in paying tribute to the legacy of a visionary leader whose speeches still resonate with hope, justice, and the power of peaceful resistance. MAHATMA GANDHIS ICONIC SPEECHES DANDI MARCH SPEECH Gandhi led the peaceful march to protest against the British Rajs salt tax rule and his speech for this movement remains one of his most remembered speeches. He propagated the message of satyagraha through his speech made on March 11, 1930, where he said, A Satyagrahi, whether free or incarcerated, is ever victorious. He is vanquished only when he forsakes truth and nonviolence and turns a deaf ear to the inner voice. If, therefore, there is such a thing as defeat for even a Satyagrahi, he alone is the cause of it. ALSO READ: Gandhi Jayanti 2023: 50+ Quotes by Mahatma Gandhi to Start Your Day with Inspiration! QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT SPEECH Mahatma Gandhis Do or Die message for Indians during the announcement of Quit India Movement unified the country to fight the British Raj. The speech initiated a civil disobedience campaign that spread across the country and lasted from August 1942 to September 1944. He said, If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children. WATCH: 10 Inspirational Quotes By Mahatma Gandhi GANDHI ON RIGHTEOUSNESS Its the action, not the fruit of the action, thats important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that therell be any fruit. But that doesnt mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result. GANDHI ON INDIAS PARTITION IN 1947 On June 3, 1947, when the Partition plan was announced, Gandhi told Rajendra Prasad, I can see only evil in the plan. ALSO READ: Gandhi Jayanti 2023: Quotes, Speech Ideas for Students, and How to Celebrate in School GANDHI ON THE SWADESHI MOVEMENT Gandhi believed in self-reliance and moreover, economic freedom for Indians who were suffering from poverty during the colonial era. Khadi became the symbol of that self-reliance as he promoted the spinning wheel which fulfilled these conditions. It is best to die performing ones own duty or Swadharma. Paradharma, or anothers duty, is fraught with danger, he said, explaining, What the Gita says with regard to swadharma equally applies to swadeshi also, for swadeshi is swadharma applied to ones immediate environment. The first underground school will be built in Ukraine. An educational institution that will meet the most modern regulatory requirements for protective structures will appear in Kharkiv. ADVERTISIMENT This was announced on Telegram by Mayor Igor Terekhov. He emphasized that investments in education will not be reduced either this year or next year, despite the lack of budget funds. Terekhov also noted that the presence of an underground school in the city will allow thousands of Kharkiv children to continue their safe full-time education even during missile threats from the Russian terrorist state. We remind you that at the beginning of this school year, the world's first school in the subway was opened in Kharkiv. More than a thousand students are already studying there. Most of the students are on the deeper platforms of the University and Peremoha subways. In total, 61 classes have been formed, although the authorities plan to increase their number to 68. ADVERTISIMENT Some children left their school to study in the subway. This temporary expulsion provides for the child to retain his or her place in the school where he or she previously studied, but allows him or her to attend important subjects offline, said Olga Demenko, head of the city's education department. As reported by OBOZREVATEL: - The Ministry of Education and Science said that as of the beginning of the new school year, more than 80% of schools in Ukraine were equipped with shelters. Since September 1, more than 12.9 thousand schools have started operating in the country. - The head of the Kyiv City State Administration, Vitali Klitschko, said that people should have access to equipped shelters in the capital's educational institutions around the clock. This decision was made by the Kyiv Defense Council. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The International Day of Older Persons is celebrated on October 1 every year. It is a day to recognize the contributions of older people to society and to raise awareness of the issues they face. The theme for the 2023 International Day of Older Persons is Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS 2023 WISHES Happy International Day of Older Persons! Your wisdom and experience are a treasure to us. May your days be filled with love, joy, and good health. On this special day, we celebrate your remarkable journey and the invaluable contributions youve made. Wishing you a day filled with warmth and happiness. To the generation that paved the way for us, Happy International Day of Older Persons! Your resilience and strength inspire us every day. May your golden years be filled with laughter, love, and cherished moments. Happy International Day of Older Persons! Wishing you a day as wonderful as you are. Happy International Day of Older Persons to the wisest souls among us! INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS 2023 MESSAGES On this International Day of Older Persons, I want you to know how much you mean to me. Your guidance and love have shaped my life in profound ways. Your stories are our history, your wisdom our guide, and your love our strength. Happy International Day of Older Persons! May the respect and care we show you today be a reflection of the love and honour you deserve every day. Happy International Day of Older Persons! Your age is a testament to the experiences and lessons youve gathered. Today, we honour your journey and celebrate you. Happy International Day of Older Persons! As we mark this day, remember that your legacy of love and kindness lives on in the hearts of those youve touched. Happy International Day of Older Persons! INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS 2023 QUOTES Age is not measured by years. Its measured by the love, wisdom, and memories weve gathered along the way. Unknown The older I grow, the more I realize that its the simplest things that bring the most happiness. Izabella Scorupco Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you dont mind, it doesnt matter. Mark Twain To get old is to pass from passion to compassion. Albert Camus The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company a church a home. Charles R. Swindoll INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS HISTORY The United Nations General Assembly established the day on December 14, 1990, through Resolution 45/106. This resolution recognized the importance of addressing the needs and concerns of older people and promoting their well-being. The first International Day of Older Persons was observed on October 1, 1991. This date was chosen to coincide with the adoption of the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, which set out a framework for addressing the rights and well-being of older individuals. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS SIGNIFICANCE The primary purpose of this day is to recognize the important contributions that older persons make to society and to promote the well-being and dignity of older people. It aims to raise awareness about the challenges and issues faced by older persons globally. The day remains an essential observance for raising awareness about aging-related issues and fostering a sense of respect and inclusion for older individuals in societies around the world. Each year, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities associated with an aging population and to celebrate the contributions of older people to society. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS 2023: FACTS The number of older people in the world is growing rapidly. By 2050, there will be more than 2 billion people over the age of 60. Older people are more likely to live in poverty than younger people. Older people are more likely to experience discrimination and violence. Older people are more likely to have health problems. Older people play an important role in society. They care for their grandchildren, volunteer their time, and contribute to the economy. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS 2023: HOW TO CELEBRATE Fashion designer Chhavvi Aggarwal will be making her Paris Fashion Week debut this year with his collection Antheia. Ecstatic to be a part of this global celebration of style and creativity, Chhavvi will be presenting the Autumn/Winter collection at La Galerie Bourbon, which is right next to the iconic Louvre. A creative journey that took four months from planning to finish, Chhavvi will be showcasing 10 garments including lehengas, sarees, gowns and flowy silhouettes crafted in fabrics such as satin, net and georgette. The USP of our brand has been to amalgamate Indian embroideries and western silhouettes. The same will be seen in our collection at Paris Fashion Week. The silhouettes have a modern touch and feature surface embroideries including beadwork, zardosi and other Indian embroideries, says Chhavvi Aggarwal. Paris is the fashion capital of the world and the city itself is a great venue to showcase your designs, expresses Chhavvi Aggarwal. When asked about the inspiration behind the decision to showcase at Paris Fashion Week, Chhavvi Aggarwal said, Our brand has always had global aesthetics in our design philosophy and showcasing at Paris Fashion Week is the perfect opportunity to expand our markets globally and also increase our brand presence in the international market. Connecting the best of Indian crafts and contemporary silhouettes, the collection which is inspired by the Greek Goddess of Flower and nature Antheia, will be brought to life with surface ornamentation and 3D embroideries. We are showcasing our Paris Fashion Week collection called Antheia. It is inspired by the Greek God of nature. The floral motifs and embroidery patterns are inspired by the same. The colour palette is green, reds and nudes. The collection shows the perfect amalgamation of modern silhouettes and Indian embroideries which is what the brand stands for, says Chhavvi Aggarwal. Celebrating her roots and elated to showcase on an international platform, Chhavvi is looking forward to the show which will be held on October 1. We are looking forward to our show and the response everyone has to our collection in Paris and back home in India. I would also like to meet designers who come down from different parts of the world. It would be great to interact with them as well, adds Chhavvi. Kannada star Nagabhushana allegedly rammed into a couple walking on the footpath in Bengaluru. It has been reported that the accident on Saturday night and the woman died shortly after the accident while the man is undergoing surgery. An FIR has been lodged against Nagabhushana for speeding and negligent driving. Nagabhushana is yet to issue a statement about the incident. According to India Today, the accident took place at 9:45 pm. Nagabhushana rammed into the couple walking on the footpath at the Vasantha Pura main road. It is said that the Tagaru Palya actor was travelling from Uttarahalli to Konanakunte when the incident took place. Nagabhushana allegedly ran into the couple first and then hit an electric pole. After the accident, Nagabhushana allegedly took the couple to the hospital. However, the woman, identified as Prema who was 48 years old, died on the way while the man, identifed as Krishna who is 58, has suffered injuries to the legs, head and stomach. The FIR has been lodged at the Kumaraswamy traffic police station. A PTI report added that the actor has been arrested. Who is Nagabhushana? The Kannada actor made his debut in 2018 with Sankashta Kara Ganapathi. He has starred in several movies since then. These include Kousalya Supraja Rama, Daredevil Musthafa, Badava Rascal, Ikkat, Made In China and others. Last year, he also won the Best Debutant Actor at SIIMA Award for his film Ikkat. Sir Richard Attenborough, the producer and director of the movie Gandhi (released in 1982), once reminisced in an article that Naseeruddin Shah was one of the most recommended names for the role of Mahatma Gandhi or Bapu, as we Indians call him. However, the role ultimately went to British star Ben Kingsley, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Kingsley, born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, is of English and Indian descent, and his original name is Krishna Bhanji. The movie, since its release, has become a historical visual epic saga. It was nominated in 11 categories at the Academy Awards and won eight awards, including Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Writing. Made on a budget of $22 million, the movie was a commercial success and highly appreciated for its accurate portrayal of Bapus life and the journey of the Indian freedom struggle. The movie Gandhi is one of the prized possessions not only of world cinema, but also of the worlds recorded history. It is a must-have experience for anyone who values the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and takes pride in having his works as collectibles. Its narrative summary is unique, and although many critics say it tried to deify Bapu, it presents a period biography in a manner that does justice to Gandhian thoughts and the life and evolution of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Despite having an ensemble cast and thousands of extras (earning a record in the Guinness Book 300,000 extras in Bapus funeral scene), the movie meticulously addresses every character portrayal, from Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and others. Whether with limited screen time or recurring appearances, the narrative related to every character is a paragraph of the Indian freedom struggle. Much has been written about the Mahatma, and much continues to be written. Many movies have been made and are still being made about him, his views, his lifeand the role of non-violence. His teachings and views have been translated into many languages in India and around the world. Seventy-five years after his death, he continues to inspire the world, whether in South Africa, where he began his journey to becoming the Mahatma who liberated India from colonial slavery, or in the United States, the worlds most powerful democracy, or in the United Kingdom, the colonial ruler over India. The Gandhian thought of non-violence remains a significant political ideology not only in India, but also in many countries around the world. Richard Attenboroughs Gandhi beautifully captures all these facets for global audiences. The movie has been and continues to be one of the gateways to introduce the Mahatma to newer generations and the global community who may still be unaware of him, but want to learn about him. In an OTT-dominated world, where cinema is one of the most potent forms of visual communication, Gandhi remains relevant and cherished. This India-Britain joint venture has been loved globally since its release, and with a more connected digital world now and in the future, it will always be a historical visual book to revisit the Gandhian text. The film is an example of craftsmanship by a master storyteller. Every shot is an integral part, as if the movie could not have been made without it. Every frame is meticulously composed. You can study the use of lighting, camera angles, costume design, sets, locales and props, all supporting the characters in each frame, complemented by brilliant background music. The movie won Academy Awards for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Costume Design. Two aspects stand out, which had the most direct impact on making the movie a masterpiece. One is the use of specific incidents from almost four decades of Mahatmas life in India after his return from South Africa. Four decades is a long period and considering that Indias freedom struggle had become synonymous with the Mahatma, it was a challenging task to create a concise three-hour narrative. The movie accomplishes this with such craftsmanship that the audience never feels disoriented when the movie transitions from one frame to another, even if the events are years apart. The moving images maintain artistic expression consistency and relevance in content selection. The other significant aspect is the way characters convey the visual language. Frame after frame, the movie is a visual book, portraying Bapus life, and the maturation of the Indian freedom struggle under his leadership, culminating on August 15, 1947. The film begins with Mahatma Gandhis assassination and funeral, then goes backward to capture human emotions as the story progresses a singular point in any visual creativity. The body language of the characters runs parallel to the storys flow, with everyone playing their roles perfectly, but Kingsley mesmerises. Bapus initial years as a young lawyer in South Africa, his first steps towards becoming the man the world later recognises, begin in a South African trains first-class compartment in 1893, where he was expelled despite holding a first-class ticket due to being an Indian. His actions forced the British to abolish anti-Indian laws in South Africa. His journey back to India in 1915, clad in Indian attire that a foreigner described as coolie-like, is authentically portrayed frame by frame. In India, Bapu started as a quintessential common Indian who was unsure about what to do next because he knew little about the country. With advice from Gopal Krishna Gokhale, he decided to travel to different parts of India, in a third-class railway compartment. Subsequently, he appeared at an Indian National Congresss open public meeting. Uncertain about what to say, he ended up addressing what was missing in the Indian freedom struggle. Bapu posed valid questions that challenged the way the freedom movement was conducted in India, mainly confined to major cities like Mumbai and Delhi, led by lawyers, while 700,000 villages, which Bapu considered real India, remained oblivious, their political concerns limited to necessities of bread and salt. His initial message for the freedom movement was to connect with this real India first. The subsequent scenes leading to the movies climax follow similar patterns. Symbolism and leitmotifs are plentiful in the movie. The docudrama style, with silent frames and characters interspersed throughout the narrative, adds gravitas. Bapus path to non-violence, which began in South Africa, is a recurring theme in the movie, depicted through Indias freedom struggle from 1915 to 1948, the period of his life in India. Whether its the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920-22, the Salt March of 1930, the Quit India Movement of 1942, or the fasts of 1947 to quell communal violence, the movie Gandhi consistently highlights this theme. The movie Gandhi is a must-watch multiple times for anyone who believes in Bapus ideology and the transcendental power of meaningful cinema. The movie Gandhi is not just a cinematic journey; it is also a visual history book. On 18 September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada publicly accused the Indian government of being involved in the killing of the designated Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He was the founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a Khalistani extremist group. Nijjar was killed outside a Sikh gurdwara located in British Columbia in June 2022. Coincidentally, in a significant move, a judge in Vancouver had initiated a public inquiry into the allegations of foreign governments involvement in Canadas internal political matters. The inquiry was set up on 7 September 2023 following widespread allegations that China was interfering in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions of Canada. A more detailed examination of these events on the same day points out how Prime Minister Trudeau might have been manipulated by Pakistans infamous Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. This manipulation resulted in the misrepresentation of the incident and the creation of a distraction from the China-related narrative within the public sphere. This diversionary tactic came at the cost of significant diplomatic turbulence for Canada, suggesting that Trudeau may have been unwittingly drawn into a complex geopolitical manoeuvre. Trudeaus public accusation against Indian governments agents rightly invited strong diplomatic response from New Delhi which pointed out how Canada has turned into a haven for Khalistani terrorists and gangsters over the years. India has been raising the issue of the presence of Khalistani extremists in Canada with its authorities for several years. Trudeaus tirade was unbecoming of a national leader to level such allegations of grave magnitude without presenting any concrete evidence to substantiate them. The Canadian prime ministers accusations are the outcome of a heady cocktail of his personal political calculations, Pakistans role and Chinas machination. This narrative is closely intertwined with Chinas global rise in the face of consistent censure from various international organisations for its gross human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. Beijings policy of detention of over a million ethnic Uyghur men and boys in its Xinjiang region in the concentration camps, along with forced marriage of Uyghur Muslim women with Han Chinese has raised eyebrows and drawn condemnation. However, Beijing has often used its economic muscle as a carrot and stick to buy the silence of the international community over these rights violations. In the case of Canada, there have been reports that Justin Trudeaus Liberal Party received generous funding from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the years. Michael Chong, a legislator from the Conservative Party and a vocal critic of Chinas policies in Xinjiang within Canada, found himself targeted in May 2023 by a coordinated online campaign traced back to China, specifically on the platform WeChat. This campaign was a response to Chongs anti-Beijing stance and his advocacy for the Uyghur cause. Notably, Chong had sponsored a motion in 2021 condemning Chinas treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority as a genocide. Furthermore, allegations arose suggesting that Chinese undercover agents or their proxies were intimidating Chinese Canadians by making veiled threats against their relatives in China, should they raise concerns about Beijings policies, both within Canada and on the international stage. While this escalating situation prompted public scrutiny into foreign interference, finally ordered on 7 September 2023 and initiated on 18 September 2023, it seems to have rattled the Canadian prime minister as it could have exposed connections between Trudeaus Liberal Party and the CCP as well. In light of this context, Trudeaus recent accusation against India for allegedly carrying out a targeted killing on Canadian soil appears to be a multi-layered nuanced move. It becomes evident that he may be hesitating to directly implicate China in the foreign interference inquiry due to concerns of potential diplomatic repercussions from Beijing. As highlighted by Daniel Bordman from The National Telegraph, Vancouver has been grappling with the looming spectre of foreign interference from China, constituting a significant political scandal in the countrys recent history. He aptly summed it: in order to shift the spectrum from Chinese foreign interference, we have a story in Canada, which is essentially a story about Pakistani foreign interference, being framed as a story of Indian foreign interference to cover up the real story, which is Chinese interference. This diversionary tactic, as Bordman emphasises, serves to obscure the actual story, which revolves around Chinese interference in Canadian affairs. The diversionary tactics employed by Trudeau, at the expense of Canadas diplomatic standing, appear to have been facilitated by his close associations with proscribed Khalistani terrorist front organizations, such as Nijjars Sikhs for Justice, among others. These connections extend to Islamabad, wherein the role of Pakistans intelligence agency, the ISI, cannot be underestimated, especially considering its 1980s policy of K2. During the rule of General Zia-ul-Haq, the Pakistani Army had strategically linked Khalistan and Kashmir as part of its policy to weaken India. But this policy has now largely been dismantled due to Indias proactive measures on its home front. However, recent events suggest that this K2 policy may have been resurrected, primarily by the embattled military establishment of Pakistan, which has found safe havens in Western countries, with Canada being the most prominent among them. In the ongoing standoff, Pakistan seems to have adeptly employed the bogey of Khalistan to establish a smokescreen, effectively providing cover to Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, on behalf of its Iron-brother and steadfast ally, China. This strategic manoeuvre suggests that the Canada-China-Pakistan nexus may have initially underestimated Indias response to the allegations, assuming that New Delhi would not react as assertively as it has. This smokescreen may have, in a way, shielded both Trudeau and China from immediate repercussions and scrutiny by diverting attention away but Indias swift response to the Canadian prime minister has effectively exposed him. Indias active response has effectively rendered Trudeau a lonely figure within Canada and his credibility has hit rock bottom. This has allowed New Delhi to rightfully bring international attention to these safe terror havens deep inside western borders. Canada would do better to not allow its soil to be used for any subversive activities against foreign governments. The West should learn from recent history as terrorists nurtured in Western countries have turned against these countries inflicting heavy damage. It is in the interest of the Western world to ensure that all terror activities in Canada must come to an end. The writer, an author and columnist has written several books. He tweets @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gwalior and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on Monday and Thursday respectively to launch several projects, including the inauguration of Rs 11,895 crore Delhi-Vadodara Expressway, an official release and the BJP said. A statement from the Prime Ministers Office said besides inaugurating the Expressway, Modi will also lay the foundation stone for five different road projects worth more than Rs 1,880 crore during the Gwalior visit. The PM will initiate the grih pravesh ceremony for more than 2.2 lakh homes built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin, as well as inaugurate the houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban at a cost of about Rs 140 crore, it said. Modi will lay the foundation stone of Jal Jeevan Mission projects worth over Rs 1,530 crore in Gwalior and Sheopur districts, which will benefit more than 720 villages in the region. The PMO statement said Modi will also lay the foundation stone of nine health centres under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission and inaugurate and launch several other projects. Modiji is expected to arrive at around 4 pm and will leave Gwalior before 6:30 pm, MP Bharatiya Janata Party chief VD Sharma told PTI on Sunday. This will be his fourth visit in less than two months and the eighth in the last seven months to MP, where Assembly polls are likely to be held at the end of the year. On October 5, Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth Rs 12,000 crore in Jabalpur. He will also lay the foundation of a museum dedicated to tribal queen Rani Durgavati who fought the Mughals, Sharma said. The United States is the true empire of lies, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday, lashing out at a U.S. State Department report that accused Beijing of ploughing billions of dollars annually into information manipulation efforts. China is manipulating global media through censorship, data harvesting and covert purchases of foreign news outlets, the U.S. State Department said in the report on Thursday. Despite the unprecedented resources devoted to the campaign, Beijing had hit major setbacks when targeting democratic countries, due to local media and civil society push-back, according to the report, which was produced under a congressional mandate to detail state information manipulation. The report has disregarded facts, and is itself false information, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. The agencies of the U.S. State Department that produced the report were the source of false information and the command post of cognitive warfare, the Chinese ministry said. Facts have repeatedly proven that the United States is the true empire of lies, it added. The U.S. report comes amid controversy over Chinas attempts in recent years to increase the global footprint of its government-controlled media. Beijing is seeking to combat the negative images of China it feels are propagated by global media. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that terrorists will never achieve their aims, hours after a blast near the parliament in Ankara injured two police officers. The powerful explosion outside the interior ministry, which was followed by large flames, was heard for several kilometres from the site of the attack. The targeted district is home to several other ministries and the Turkish parliament, which reopened as planned in the afternoon with an address from President Erdogan. The villains who threaten the peace and security of citizens have not achieved their objectives and will never achieve them, Erdogan told the parliament. The interior ministry said two attackers arrived in a commercial vehicle around 9:30 am (0630 GMT) in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of the Interior, and carried out a bomb attack. One of the terrorists blew himself up. The other was killed by a bullet to the head before he had a chance to blow himself up, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a press statement outside the ministry. Two of our police officers were lightly injured in the exchange of fire, but their lives were not in danger, he added. The Ankara police headquarters said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was carrying out controlled explosions of suspicious packages to prevent other explosions. The Ankara prosecutors office said it was opening an investigation and banned access to the area. Local media was asked to stop broadcasting images from the scene of the attack. Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the blast. Erdogan Slams EU Erdogan later opened the parliamentary session by slamming his countrys long wait for accession to the EU, stating that Turkey no longer expects anything from the European Union, which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years. We have kept all the promises we have made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs, he said, adding that he would not tolerate any new demands or conditions for his country to join the bloc. This session of Turkeys parliament must also validate Swedens entry into the NATO alliance. Hungary and Turkey in July lifted their vetoes against Swedens entry into the Atlantic alliance, but have been slow to ratify its membership. Erdogan indicated in July that ratification by the Turkish parliament would not take place before October, but it is expected to be approved during this parliamentary year. For months, Erdogan has been putting pressure on Sweden to take action against Koran desecrations that have strained relations between the two countries. Swedens prime minister Ulf Kristersson was quick to assure in a statement that his country once again confirms its commitment to long-term cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. Numerous foreign leaders also voiced support for Turkey after the attack, with messages of support coming from Germany, the United Kingdom and the US embassy in Ankara. The Turkish capital has been the scene of several attacks, particularly during the years 2015 and 2016 many claimed by the outlawed separatist group the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), or the Islamic State group. The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies. PKK-affiliated Kurdish militants control most of northeastern Syria. In October 2015 an attack in front of a central station in Ankara claimed by the Islamic State group killed 109 people. The most recent bomb attack in Turkey was in a shopping street in Istanbul in November 2022, where six were killed and 81 were injured. There was no claim of responsibility, but Turkey accused the outlawed PKK of being behind the attack and said it had detained 46 people including a Syrian woman suspected of planting the device. India-Canada Issue Updates: Amid continuing diplomatic tension between New Delhi and Ottawa, a Khalistani group have called another anti-India rally in a gurdwara in Canadas Surrey. The organisers of the rally are planning to bring together Sikh radicals from across Canada in one place. Invites have been circulated asking leading community voices to discuss the rising threat of Indian violence in Canada and how to formulate an effective Panthic response, according to sources. They further said that all types of radical voices are expected to gather in Surrey, where they will speak against India and plan their next move. This comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada is very serious about building closer ties with India as it is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. However, Trudeau added that wants New Delhi to work with Ottawa to ensure that they get the full facts about the killing of pro-Khalistan hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India Canada Ties Tensions flared between India and Canada following Trudeaus explosive allegations of the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Nijjar on his countrys soil on June 18 in British Columbia. India angrily rejected the allegations as absurd and motivated and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawas expulsion of an Indian official over the case. Nijjar, who worked as a plumber, left Punjab a quarter-century ago and became a Canadian citizen. He has supported the formation of a Sikh homeland. India designated him a terrorist in July 2020. Protests In Canada Earlier on September 25, Canadian Sikhs staged small protests outside Indias diplomatic missions, burning an Indian flag, while waiving yellow flags marked with the word Khalistan, referring to their support for making Punjab an independent state. Indias Response Hitting out at Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said it is necessary to call out things like violence, threats and intimidation against Indian diplomats and missions and wondered if this had happened to any other country would the world have taken it with equanimity. Lets not normalise what is happening in Canada, Jaishankar said during an interaction with Indian journalists here on Friday. We have had an ongoing problem with Canada and the Canadian government for some years now. The ongoing problem really revolves around the permissiveness to terrorism, extremism and violence. This permissiveness is also reflected in the fact that some important extradition requests have not been responded to from their side, he said. We have had smoke bombs thrown at the mission, we have had violence in front of consulates, there are posters put up. Do you consider this normal? If this had happened to any other country, how would they react? Lets not normalise what is happening in Canada. It is important to call out what is happening there, Jaishankar said. What is happening in Canada, had it happened anywhere else, do you think the world wouldve taken it with equanimity? he asked. When asked about Trudeaus allegations, he said India has already pointed out to Canada that this is not the government of Indias policy. But if they are prepared to share with us specifics and anything relevant, we are also open to looking at it. So in that sense, thats where the matter stands, Jaishankar said. Jaishankar said one of the problems is that no incident is isolated and the totality as there is a context for everything. There are multiple problems out there. So, I guess in the case of individual incidents, the concerned governments will have to talk to each other and see how they sort of take it forward, he said. But there is a larger issue. And I think its important that the larger issue should be flagged. The larger issue is this permissiveness that I have spoken about, he said. Indian Envoy Intimidated In Scotland In the wake of a diplomatic row between India and Canada, Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from attending a programme at a Glasgow gurdwara by some fringe elements on Friday. The Indian High Commission on Saturday said that it has reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police. In a statement, the Indian High Commission in London said: On September 29, 2023, three persons all from areas outside Scotland deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organized by the Gurdwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues. The statement said that the organisers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the High Commissioner and Consul General decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival, it said. It further said that one of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HCs car door a matter that will require suitable police consideration. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organizers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided, it said. The High Commission of India has reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police. Multiple community organisations including the organisers have formally regretted the incident and have urged the authorities to take action against the culprits, the statement added. Not Done Enough Expressing his concerns over the recent rise in the incidents of Khalistan extremism, Colin Bloom, former advisor to the UK government said that the situation has escalated because the Western governments have not done enough to tackle the sinister and aggressive behaviour of extremists. Bloom stressed that both the British and Canadian governments should take more proactive measures to address this issue. He warned that the situation could spiral out of control if the issue is not addressed. In an exclusive interview with news agency ANI, Colin Bloom said, What I think were seeing at the moment is a rise of pro-Khalistan extremismNow, look, just for the record, I am 100 per cent in favour of free speech and people being free to think and believe and support pretty much anything that they want, so long as they dont harm and intimidate and harass other people. (With Inputs from Agencies) Jailed former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen was transferred from prison to house arrest on Sunday, fulfilling the campaign promise of his party candidate who won the presidential election runoff. Yameen is serving a prison term for bribery and money laundering during his presidency from 2013 to 2018. His transfer has been ordered by outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at the request of President-Elect Mohamed Muiz. Muiz will be taking oath on Nov. 17. The elections commission on Sunday released the formal results of Saturdays runoff, which showed 54.04% of the vote for Muiz with Solih receiving 45.96%. The first round took place earlier in September with none of the eight candidates securing more than 50%. The election was perceived a virtual referendum on which regional power China or India would have the biggest influence on the Indian Ocean archipelago state located strategically along a key East-West shipping route. Muiz, considered pro-China, promised he would remove Indian troops from the Maldives and balance the countrys trade relations, which he said were heavily in Indias favor. India, which is hosting many Maldivians, considers the country to be located in its area of influence while China had included the Maldives as a part of its Belt and Road initiative when Yameen was president. The project is meant to built railroads, ports and highways to expand trade and Chinas influence across Asia, Africa and Europe. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Muiz on his election victory. India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall co-operation in the Indian Ocean region, he said on X, formerly known as Twitter. The United States also congratulated Muiz, saying the two countries have a strong relationship based on mutual respect and shared interests. In the Russian city of Sochi on October 1, a drone attacked a helicopter landing site, the results of the attack are being clarified. The UAV also attacked an airfield in the Bryansk region, damaging an administrative building. ADVERTISIMENT The special operations were conducted by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. OBOZREVATEL was told about this by its own sources in the department. The helicopter parking lot of the aggressor country was hit in the Adler neighborhood of Sochi (Krasnodar Territory) near the Black Sea coast. The second attack, according to our interlocutor from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, hit an airfield in the Bryansk region. An administrative building was damaged as a result. ADVERTISIMENT It is worth reminding that the authorities of the aggressor country announced the "successful operation of air defense" in the Krasnodar Territory and Smolensk Region of the Russian Federation. On the morning of October 1, explosions were also heard in the Belgorod region. Air raid sirens were activated there. As OBOZREVATEL wrote: - " On September 30, a "bavovna" hit a power substation in the village of Pogar, Bryansk region of Russia. After that, there were problems with electricity in the area. - On the night of September 29, the Kursk region complained about a drone attack. As a result of the attack, a transformer caught fire, leaving five settlements without power. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! A close aide of the 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, was reportedly shot dead in Karachi, according to unconfirmed reports. Qaiser Farooq was gunned down by unknown men in Karachi. Farooq was a close associate of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader. The incident appeared to be a targeted attack, resulting in Farooq succumbing to gunshot wounds near a religious institution in Samanabad on Saturday, as reported. Following the attack, Farooq was transported to a hospital, where he eventually passed away during treatment. While CCTV footage allegedly depicting the killing of Farooq has circulated on social media, the authenticity of the video remains in question. Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded 16 beggars at Punjab provinces Multan airport who disguised as Umrah pilgrims on a flight bound for Saudi Arabia, local media reported on Sunday. The group included 11 women, four men, and a child, all traveling on Umrah visas. During immigration checks this week, FIA officials questioned the passengers, who confessed that they were heading to Saudi Arabia to seek alms. According to Dawn newspaper, they revealed that they would have to surrender half of their earnings from begging to the agents responsible for their travel arrangements. The FIA Multan circle arrested the passengers for further probe. This arrest came on the heels of disclosure that a significant number of beggars are trafficked abroad through illegal means, according to the Pakistani media. Earlier this week, a key senate panel was informed that a large number of beggars apprehended in foreign countries hail from Pakistan. An earlier report by CNN News18 revealed that Saudi Arabia cautioned Pakistan about the selection of its Haj quota candidates. Sources indicated that 90 percent of the beggars arrested in this case were from Pakistan and were traveling on Umrah visas. Riyadh has expressed displeasure to Islamabad over the worsening situation, saying that their prisons were crowded with Pakistani prisoners. Pakistani officials were also reportedly criticised for the prevalence of pickpockets near the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, with the perpetrators being primarily from Pakistan. The sources revealed that the Saudis were unhappy that these individuals traveled on Umrah visas rather than Arab visas. This was attributed to the lack of invitations or employment letters from Arabs who were hesitant to trust them as skilled labor, opting instead for Indian and Bangladeshi workers. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has praised the trajectory of the growing relationship between India and the United States following the recent state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While interacting with the Indian Community in Washington, the minister said there is one clear message today that India-US ties are at an all-time high. In many ways, this has been an extraordinary time for India. Its been something fantastic, something very different for our relationship with the US. You all saw that when the prime minister (Narendra Modi) came (in May), the minister said during his week-long trip to the US. There is one clear message today that our relationship is at an all-time high, but as they say in America, you aint seen anything yet. We are going to take this relationship to a different level and different place, he added. Speaking to the community in Washington D.C. pic.twitter.com/p2Vtk6pG2X Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 1, 2023 Drawing a comparison with previous visits by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (1985) and Manmohan Singh (2005) to the United States, Jaishankar said PM Modis May visit was different. It was different in optics. If you ask me what has changed. What has changed is that earlier India and the US used to deal with each other and now they work with each other, he added. Josh in India-US Ties During his address, Jaishankar praised the Indian envoy to Washington Taranjit Singh Sandhu for bringing a great deal of josh to the bilateral ties between the two democracies. The external affairs minister underlined how over the years the number of Indian American have grown exponentially, which has helped strengthen the ties between the two countries. When Pandit Nehru came to the United States in 1949, there were 3,000 Indian Americans, when (Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi came in 1966 there were 30,000 Indian Americans, when (Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi came here in 1985 there were 3,00,000 and when Narendra Modi came there were more than 3 million and now going on to 5 million. Whats the change? You guys are the change, he said. Minister Jaishankar described human bonding as the defining characteristic of the relationship between India and the United States. Jaishankar is visiting the United States of America from September 22-30. During his visit to New York from September 22 to 26, EAM led the Indian delegation for the High-Level Week at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He also hosted a special event India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development. Different India The external affairs minister said he today represents a truly a different India. It is an India which as you heard from others, is capable of a Chandrayaan Mission. It is India that is able to pull off the most spectacular G20 and prove to those who said that we will not be able to get 20 countries with different positions to come to the table together, he stressed. If there is spring in our step and confidence in our voice, a sort of squaring of our shoulders, there are sort of very good reasons for it. It is built on 12 years of hard work, he added. Talking about where India-US ties are heading, Jaishankar said Today, in every way, this relationship has exceeded expectations. He added that both countries keep raising the bar and finding new domains for cooperation. Given the current geopolitical situation, Jaishankar said India and the United States have moved to a position where both countries see each other as very desirable and optimal partners. Addressing the Indian diaspora, the minister concluded by saying, Please keep giving this partnership the support it needs, the support it deserves, the support it expects and I can promise you that this relationship (India-US) like Chandrayaan, will go to the moon, maybe even beyond. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has arrested a woman from Mutare after she allegedly forged her daughters Advanced Level certificate. Lillian Matuso appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa facing forgery charges and was remanded out of custody on US$100 bail. She is expected back in court for trial on October 28. Prosecutors said sometime in June 2022, Zacc investigated a case in which Molyn Mugodi, who is already on remand, was found to be forging Zimbabwe Examination Council certificates. Mugodi was linked to Matuso and investigations showed that they forged the certificate for the accuseds daughter who wanted to enroll for a nursing course in Cyprus. Standard POLICE have arrested a man from Lupane in Matabeleland North who allegedly callously murdered his parents before skipping the border to neighbouring Botswana where he was apprehended. Clever Ngwenya (35) allegedly stabbed to death his elderly parents Mildress Ngwenya (71) and father Simon Shoemaker Ngwenya (73) two weeks ago. The incident occurred at Gwalubha village under Chief Mabhikwa area. The incident forced the suspects siblings to seek refuge at a police station for three nights for fear of being attacked. It is still unclear why Ngwenya cold-bloodedly murdered his parents, but he had told one of his brothers that he had an issue to discuss with the parents. He produced a kitchen knife and stabbed his mother before turning the heat on his father. The suspects parents were buried last Wednesday. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed Ngwenyas arrest. Yes, he was arrested on September 25 in Botswana after skipping the border. Our police officers working with their Botswana counterparts arrested him and he was repatriated back to the country on September 28 and he will face the full wrath of the law, he said. Asst Comm Nyathi credited Ngwenyas arrest to their cooperation under the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Coordination (SARPCCO) and Interpol. Remember we are members of Interpol as well as the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Coordination. The Botswana Police Service and the Zimbabwe Republic Police work in close cooperation on a number of issues including border management and that collaboration contributed to the suspects arrest, he said. Asst Comm Nyathi expressed concern over an increase in violent crimes, especially within families. This is not the first time we have recorded such an incident. We had a case of a man from Mangwe who also killed his parents. As police, we want to call for calm and that family members should find peaceful ways of resolving conflicts, he said. In Mangwe, Lisani Marcellus Nleya (46) made headlines when he allegedly killed his father Nicholas Kini Nleya (83) and mother Margret Nleya (78) who were both retired teachers and prominent villagers in grisly circumstances on September, 1 2020. Acting Chief Mabhikwa commended the police for arresting Ngwenya, saying the community was living in fear after the incident. Many people in Gwalubha village were now living in fear that he could attack them again. Even after his arrest, they are in disbelief that he has been arrested, he said. I dont know what the police need to do, maybe they should parade him for the community to believe that indeed he has been arrested. He said the community is still shocked over the cold-blooded murder. Acting Chief Mabhikwa urged the family to investigate the root cause of what could have prompted Clever to kill his parents. I presided over the funeral and I also raised concerns over the general increase in violent crimes within the community. A week before that incident, there was someone who was killed and a week later we also recorded another murder, he said. We encourage communities to avoid going around with deadly weapons. The crime rate is just too high. Chronicle In an ultra-sterile room at a secure factory in Kansas City, US government technicians refurbish the nation's nuclear warheads. The job is exacting: Each warhead has thousands of springs, gears, and copper contacts that must work in conjunction to set off a nuclear explosion. Eight hundred miles away in New Mexico, workers in a steel-walled vault have an equally delicate task. Wearing radiation monitors, safety goggles, and seven layers of gloves, they practice shaping new warhead plutonium coresby hand. And at nuclear weapons bases across the country, troops as young as 17 keep 50-year-old warheads working until replacements are ready. A hairline scratch on a warhead's polished black cone could send the bomb off course. The Associated Press was granted rare access to key parts of the highly classified nuclear supply chain and got to watch technicians and engineers tackle the difficult job of maintaining an aging nuclear arsenal. Those workers are about to get a lot busier. The US will spend more than $750 billion over the next 10 years replacing almost every component of its nuclear defenses, including new stealth bombers, submarines, and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles in the country's most ambitious nuclear weapons effort since the Manhattan Project. It's been almost eight decades since a nuclear weapon has been fired in war. But military leaders warn that such peace may not last. They say the US has entered an uneasy era of global threats that includes a nuclear weapons buildup by China and Russia's repeat threats to use a nuclear bomb in Ukraine. They say that America's aged weapons need to be replaced to ensure they work. "What we want to do is preserve our way of life without fighting major wars," said Marvin Adams, director of weapons programs for the Department of Energy. "Nothing in our toolbox really works to deter aggressors unless we have that foundation of the nuclear deterrent." story continues below By treaty, the US maintains 1,550 active nuclear warheads, and the government plans to modernize them all. At the same time, technicians, scientists, and military missile crews must ensure the older weapons keep running until the new ones are installed. The project is so ambitious that watchdogs warn that the government may not meet its goals. The program has also drawn criticism from non-proliferation advocates and experts who say the current arsenal, though timeworn, is sufficient to meet US needs. Upgrading it will also be expensive, they say. (Read the full story.) The US West Coast produces over 90% of America's wine, but the region is also prone to wildfiresa combustible combination that spelled disaster for the industry in 2020 and one that scientists are scrambling to neutralize. Sample a good wine and you might get notes of oak or red fruit. But sip on wine made from grapes that were penetrated by smoke, and it could taste like someone dumped the contents of an ashtray into your glass. Wine experts from three West Coast universities are working together to meet the threat, including developing spray coatings to protect grapes, pinpointing the elusive compounds that create that nasty ashy taste, and deploying smoke sensors to vineyards to better understand smoke behavior. The US government is funding their research with millions of dollars. Wineries are also taking steps to protect their product and brand. The risk to America's premier wine-making regionswhere wildfires caused billions of dollars in losses in 2020is growing, with climate change deepening drought and overgrown forests becoming tinderboxes. According to the US Department of Agriculture, grapes are the highest-value crop in the United States, with 1 million acres of grape-bearing land, 96% of it on the West Coast. Winemakers around the world are already adapting to climate change, including by moving their vineyards to cooler zones and planting varieties that do better in drought and heat. Wildfires pose an additional and more immediate risk being tackled by scientists from Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of California, Davis. "What's at stake is the ability to continue to make wine in areas where smoke exposures might be more common," said Tom Collins, a wine scientist at Washington State University. Wine made with tainted grapes can be so awful that it can't be marketed. If it does go on shelves, a winemaker's reputation could be ruineda risk that few are willing to take. When record wildfires in 2020 blanketed the West Coast in brown smoke, some California wineries refused to accept grapes unless they had been tested. But most growers couldn't find places to analyze their grapes because the laboratories were overwhelmed. story continues below The damage to the industry in California alone was $3.7 billion, according to an analysis that Jon Moramarco of the consulting firm bw166 conducted for industry groups. The losses stemmed mostly from wineries having to forego future wine sales. "But really what drove it was, you know, a lot of the impact was in Napa (Valley), an area of some of the highest priced grapes, highest priced wines in the US," Moramarco said, adding that if a ton of cabernet sauvignon grapes is ruined, "you lose probably 720 bottles of wine. If it is worth $100 a bottle, it adds up very quickly." (Read more climate change stories.) Russians are "forced" to give up foreign luxury and look for tourist destinations within their own country. So the Krasnodar, Kamchatka, and Stavropol Territories, the Republic of Dagestan, Altai, the Kaliningrad Region, and the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea have become new resorts. Yes, the choice is large and rich, but Russians should not turn their noses up. ADVERTISIMENT However, even the locals suffer from the impudence of Russian tourists. The propaganda media RT published the results of a survey conducted by analysts, which revealed how local "luxury" resorts treat vacationers. Thus, Kamchatka, Dagestan and Stavropol Territory were named the most hospitable tourist regions. Compatriot tourists are allegedly welcomed by 74%, 60% and 53% of local residents, respectively. Crimea lags behind in this rating. According to the data, fatigue from vacationers this year is more common among the population of the Krasnodar Territory. "The most irritating factors (not only on the Black Sea coast, but also in other tourist regions under consideration), according to local residents, are non-compliance with the norms of communication and appearance by visitors, disrespect for local and service personnel, and untidiness," the experts explained. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, according to the survey, 33 to 39% of residents of Russian regions with protected areas believe that it is time to protect nature from tourists. According to analysts, the idea of closing the territories of Russian nature reserves is more often approved by residents of Altai (39%), in Crimea 38% of residents are concerned about the ecology of protected areas, and in Kaliningrad Oblast 37% of respondents like the idea of fencing off reserves from the invasion of tourists. A total of 300 representatives of the economically active population of Krasnodar, Kamchatka and Stavropol Territories, the Republics of Dagestan, Altai, Kaliningrad Oblast and the annexed Crimea took part in the survey. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote about how Russians are fleeing Sevastopol en masse after missile attacks: no more than 10% of tourists stayed in hotels. Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! James Earl Carter Jr., known as "Jimmy" from the startin 1924was celebrated Saturday at his presidential library and museum ahead of his 99th birthday on Sunday. "I think of him as a man who did so much to help low-income people and minoritiesand I was both growing up," said Marcia Rose, who brought her grandchildren from suburban Marietta to the Carter Presidential Center near downtown Atlanta. A native of Buffalo, New York, Rose said she was not old enough to vote for the Democrat when he was was elected president in 1976 or when he lost his bid for reelection four years later, the AP reports. "But I'm old enough to remember his impact," she said. "I wanted to be here to honor him and for us to be part of that history." Rose joined thousands of well-wishers who wrote birthday cards that will be delivered to Carter's home in Plains. He has been in hospice care since February, spending time with his wife, Rosalynn, who is 96, and other family members. Carter is the longest-lived US president ever. Attendees on Saturday saw video tributes from celebrities and competed in rounds of trivia that highlighted underappreciated details about Carter's life and how much the world has changed since it began. A discounted 99-cent ticket allowed them access to the museum, which includes a replica of the Oval Office as it appeared during Carter's 1977-81 White House term. And those who stood in line early enough got birthday cake decorated in green, the color Carter chose for his presidential campaign materials in 1975 to reflect his environmental priorities. In Plains, Doris Day's "Sentimental Journey" played over public speakers. For many people, the occasion was another step in the evolution of how Carter is remembered. "Growing up in Texas, our history classes talked about him mostly as a failure, a weak figure, especially militarily and on foreign affairs," said Zach K, an Atlanta banker born after Carter's presidency. Marlene Salgado is now a public high school history teacher. But as a student herself, "all I remember learning about him was the 'malaise speech' on the energy crisis and the hostages in Iran." Now, the pair is reading together a comprehensive Carter biography, His Very Best by Jonathan Alter, which is among several recent books and documentaries that reassess Carter as more than a failed president who rehabilitated himself as a global humanitarian through his work at the Carter Center. story continues below Plains City Councilperson Eugene Edge Sr. got to know Carter when he returned to his hometown to take over his father's peanut business after serving in the Navy, per CNN. "I don't know a better person," Edge said. "He didn't look at you differently because you were a different color, and I liked that." Festivities at the Carter Library & Museum, including 99-cent admission, were scheduled to continue Sunday if Congress averts a government shutdown. Either way, events at the Carter Center are to include a naturalization ceremony recognizing 99 new US citizens. The Carter family planned to celebrate privately in Plains. (Read more Jimmy Carter stories.) Efforts have begun to save surviving river dolphins after more than 100 of them were found dead in the past week in the Amazon's Lake Tefe. Experts haven't determined the cause of the deaths, but the Mamiraua Institute, which is supported by Brazil's government, said "it is certainly connected" to the ongoing drought and the high temperatures of the lake water, which have reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit, CNN reports. Thousands of fish have died, as well. "The past month in Tefe has seemed like a science-fiction climate-change scenario," said Daniel Tregidgo, a British researcher living in the region. Researchers and activists are trying to move remaining dolphins, called botos, to the main part of the Amazon River, where the water is cooler, from lagoons and ponds on the edges. That brings complications, an institute researcher said. "Transferring river dolphins to other rivers is not that safe because it's important to verify if toxins or viruses are present" before the animals are placed in the wild, Andre Coelho said. Disease and sewage contamination could be contributing causes, another researcher said, per the Guardian. "This extraordinary species is already endangeredso losing so many individuals in such a short space of time is disastrous," said Daphne Willems, of the World Wildlife Fund. The warming climate could mean that in some places, conditions are becoming intolerable for certain species; the Lake Tefe water now is about what a human would consider a hot bath. Parts of Brazil's south in the past few months have flooded during major rainstorms, even as the country's north endures an unusually intense dry season. State officials said the community of Tefe is in an emergency. Waterway are drying up, making transport of supplies slow or impossible, which officials say will increase prices and cause food insecurity in the region, per the Guardian. Local officials are asking the Brazilian government for humanitarian aid. (Read more Amazon river stories.) Among the many surprising things that happened Saturday in Washington in the scramble to avert a government shutdown , this may be the strangest: A Democratic congressman pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol office building. Jamaal Bowman of New York swears it was an accident, but he faces an ethics probe, possible expulsion, and maybe even criminal charges, reports Punchbowl News . Brown pulled the alarm as Democrats were trying to a delay a vote on a bill just proposed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, so they would have time to read it and figure out whether to support it, per the New York Times . (They eventually backed it.) The Cannon House Office Building was evacuated with alarms blaring. In a statement, Brown says he was rushing to the Capitol to cast his vote and didn't deliberately pull the alarm to stall things. "I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused," he said, per NBC News. "But I want to be very clear: this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact oppositeI was trying urgently to get to a vote." Republicans, however, were moving quickly to punish him. GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, also of New York, said she would introduce a motion to expel Bowman from the House. "This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school," she tweeted. "This action warrants expulsion & I'm introducing a resolution to do just that," she wrote. McCarthy said he wanted the House Ethics Committee to investigate, and he compared Bowman to Jan. 6 rioters. "When you think about how other people were treated when they come in and wanted to change the course of what was happening in the building," he said. Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (also of New York) said he would not comment until he had seen video of the alarm pull. (Read more Jamaal Bowman stories.) Rep. Matt Gaetz had said that if Speaker Kevin McCarthy worked with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown , he'd file a motion to remove the fellow Republican from his House leadership post. On Saturday, McCarthy steered such a measure through the House and sent it to the Senate, which passed it and sent it to President Biden for his signature. On Sunday, Gaetz said he'll follow through with his threat this week. "I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy," Gaetz said on CNN's State of the Union, per USA Today . McCarthy expressed a lack of concern over the threat. "That's nothing new. He's tried to do that from the moment I ran for office," the speaker said. "I'll survive." Gaetz has said McCarthy broke promises made to secure the votes of the Florida lawmaker's House faction in his run for speaker, per the New York Times, that included major spending reductions. He said Sunday that McCarthy cut a "secret deal" with Democrats on aid to Ukraine, which Gaetz and his GOP group oppose and was left out of the measure approved this weekend. "Nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy," Gaetz said. If Democrats support removing McCarthy, the measure would need only take a few Republican votes to be successful. McCarthy said Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has not tipped his hand. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested Democrats should not offer any help for "free," per the Hill. Gaetz promised to not give up easily, calling himself relentless. McCarthy said, "This is personal with Matt," and a GOP colleague agreed, accusing Gaetz of spewing a "diatribe of delusional thinking." New York Rep. Mike Lawler, added, "We have to work together as a team." (Read more House Republicans stories.) Authorities in one Pakistan province are turning to a contentious new tactic in the decades-long initiative to wipe out polio: prison. Last month, the government in Sindh introduced a bill, now in the final stages of becoming law, that would imprison parents for up to one month if they fail to get their children immunized against polio or eight other common diseases, the AP reports. Experts at the World Health Organization and elsewhere worry the unusual strategy could further undermine trust in the polio vaccines, particularly in a country where many believe false conspiracies about them and where dozens of vaccinators have been shot and killed. Adding to the problems faced by experts trying to convince people of the vaccines' safety: The oral vaccines themselves now cause most polio cases worldwide. WHO's polio director in the Eastern Mediterranean warned the new law could backfire. "Coercion is counterproductive," said Dr. Hamid Jafari. He said health workers have typically succeeded in raising immunization rates in vaccine-hesitant areas by figuring out the reasons for people's refusal and addressing those concerns, often by bringing in a trusted political or religious leader to talk with people. "My own sense is that Pakistan wants to have this legislation in their back pocket in case they need it," Jafari said. "I would be surprised if there's a willingness to actually enforce these coercive measures." Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only countries where the spread of polio has never been stopped. The potentially fatal, paralyzing disease mostly strikes children up to age 5 and typically spreads in contaminated water. WHO and its partners have administered billions of vaccine doses since they first began trying to eradicate the disease in 1988. The effort costs nearly $1 billion a year and is largely funded by donor countries and private organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The immunizations, given to children as drops in the mouth, have reduced polio cases by more than 99%, per the AP. But in very rare cases, the live virus in the vaccine can cause polio or mutate into a strain that triggers a new outbreak. story continues below So far this year, there have been seven cases of polio caused by the wild virus, all in Pakistan and Afghanistan. More than 270 cases have been caused by a virus linked to the vaccine in 21 countries. In January, roughly 62,000 parents, mostly in Pakistan's Sindh province, refused polio vaccinations for their children, prompting authorities there to propose the new law with penalties. The law would punish parents with up to a month in prison for failing to vaccinate their children; they could also be fined up to $168. Diseases including measles, pneumonia, and pertussis are also in the legislation. A London expert said it was disheartening that people were so mistrustful of the government but said jailing parents won't help. "Not only does it not work, but it's likely to ramp up the anger," Heidi Larson said. (Read more Pakistan stories.) We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Russian connoisseurs of high-quality foreign cinema, rather than domestic "slag," have once again been disgraced. The dubbing actors decided not to abandon the American TV series "The Morning Show" with actresses Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, but to "remake" it. ADVERTISIMENT Thus, ignoring copyrights, moral principles and common sense, Russians stole the series from the Apple TV platform and translated it in their own way. In particular, a video has gone viral on the Internet, where pirate sites broadcast blatant propaganda about Azov in Mariupol (to see photos and videos, scroll to the bottom of the page). In the fourth episode of the third season, the authors mentioned the bombing of a hospital. In the story, the media are preparing a story about the blockade, and an American photographer in the epicenter of the events is trying to convey to his colleagues what war crimes the Russians are committing there. However, this truth is very painful for viewers in the Russian Federation, so the translators brazenly distorted the dialog between the main characters. In the original, the photographer said that the occupiers were shooting at civilians on the streets of the city, but on pirate sites, the word "Russians" was replaced with "Azov" and "militants." ADVERTISIMENT In addition to the fact that the Russian Federation cannot refuse a foreign product in favor of the much-vaunted "import substitution," viewers are also deliberately misled. It should be added that due to the sanctions, Apple TV simply stopped releasing new TV series and movies with Russian dubbing, and the service stopped working in Russia in 2022. That is, Russians simply steal all new film projects and unofficially translate them as they wish. Since this is not the first time that The Morning Show has raised the topic of the war in Ukraine, we can assume that this practice is not new in Russia. Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote that for many years, Russian propaganda has been using the film industry to achieve its goals. To find out how it works and how much the Kremlin's henchmen in show business and the acting community are paid, follow the link. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! Indian Institute of Technology Madras certification courses to be launched in Bahrain Indian Institute of Technology Madras certification courses to be launched in Bahrain TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com McIndeez Consultancy, has announced the signing of an Outreach Partner Agreement with the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Pravartak Foundation. This groundbreaking partnership paves the way for McIndeez Consultancy to offer a diverse range of certification programs in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, Crypto Currency, Cyber Security, Machine Learning, Logistics and Supply Chain, Banking and Finance, and more. The official signing ceremony took place at the IIT Madras campus. The event was graced by the Director of IIT Madras, Prof. V Kamakodi, and the Digital Skills Academy Programme Coordinator, Prof. Magala Sunder. Representing McIndeez Consultancy were Chairman P Unnikrishnan and CEO Abdul Jaleel Abdulla. This collaboration is a significant step toward democratizing access to world-class education in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region. It brings together the academic prowess of IIT Madras and the strategic vision of McIndeez Consultancy to create a transformative learning experience. Prof. V Kamakodi, Director of IIT Madras, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: "We are delighted to collaborate with McIndeez Consultancy to make IIT Madras Pravatak Foundation's top-tier certification programs accessible to a global audience. This partnership is aligned with our commitment to disseminating knowledge and fostering innovation." P Unnikrishnan, Chairman of McIndeez Consultancy, shared his thoughts on the collaboration, saying, "Our mission has always been to empower individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and business. This partnership with IIT Madras allows us to deliver on that promise by offering cutting-edge certification programs that are highly respected worldwide." Abdul Jaleel Abdulla, CEO of McIndeez Consultancy commented that Under this agreement, McIndeez Consultancy will facilitate enrollment, provide support services, and offer a seamless learning experience to students and professionals seeking to advance their careers. The certification programmes, designed by IIT Madras, are renowned for their rigor and relevance, making graduates highly sought after in the job market. IIT Madras Certification programmes will be offered through the ed-tech platform, www. mcindeezacademy.com . The portal will be launched in Bahrain on October 2nd 2023, at an event to be held in Crowne Plaza, Bahrain. This landmark event will be attended by the Indian Ambassador, Vinod K Jacob, IIT Madras Pravartak CEO, Dr, Shankar Raman, Digital Skills Academy GM, Dr. Balamurali and other officials from Ministries and corporate and community leaders. There will be a talk on How Disruptive Technology impacts Human Life by Dr. Balamurali during the event. For more information about the event, contact 33644165 TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com LuLu Group International, the leading retail chain in the region, plans to nearly double its total investment in Bahrain to over BD200 million by opening three more hypermarkets in the next three to four months, as well as other projects. This significant increase in investment is expected to provide a substantial boost to the Kingdoms economy and create over 1,000 more jobs in the Kingdom, where the group currently employs over 800 Bahrainis. Yesterday, LuLu Group Chairman and Managing Director Yusuffali MA revealed that the group is opening the new hypermarkets as part of a BD100 million investment in the Kingdom, as he announced the opening of the groups 10th hypermarket in Gudaibiya. The 40,000-square-foot store was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa in the presence of Yusuffali MA, Jameel Humaidan, the Minister of Labour, Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture, and Vinod Jacob, the Indian Ambassador to Bahrain. The latest expansion further strengthens the presence of the UAE-based group in the Kingdom, where its investments exceeded BD130 million in 2019 alone. This is set to increase substantially in the next quarter, as LuLu Group plans to open three additional hypermarkets, thereby creating more than 1,000 jobs by the end of the year. Yusuffali further said, We have already commenced construction at three new sites, and we anticipate the stores opening very soon. With the upcoming hypermarkets in Manama Centre, Avenue Mall, and Diyar Al Muharraq, the total number of Lulu hypermarkets in Bahrain will reach 13. Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, who patronised yesterdays opening ceremony, praised LuLu Group for its strong support of Bahrains economy. The new store signals the confidence LuLu Group has in the vision of the leadership of Bahrain and its belief in the excellence of Bahrainis as partners in success in line with Bahrains development march, Yusuffali said in his inaugural address. Yusuffali emphasised the groups commitment to prioritising Bahraini products in its stores, stating that this approach will provide a boost to Bahraini entrepreneurs. Yusuffali also expressed his appreciation for the Bahrain team, acknowledging their achievement in winning the GCC-wide award for having the highest number of Bahraini employees working for the group, both within Bahrain and in other nations. The US government will not be able to increase military spending and aid to Ukraine in the event of a "shutdown." Even if the aid continues, it could influence the situation in the United States negatively. ADVERTISIMENT According to the Voice of America, there is still no unified position on the continuation of aid to Ukraine, immigration control at the US-Mexico border, and social welfare programs. "There is a group of MAGA Republicans who sincerely want fundamental changes in the way the system works, and that's what worries me the most," said US President Joe Biden. US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy put a short-term continuing resolution, known as a CR, to a vote in the House of Representatives, calling it a "stopgap measure that will fund the government and secure the border." But the resolution was rejected by 232 votes to 198, with 21 Republicans joining the united Democratic opposition. Even if the measure is passed by the Republican-majority House, it has little chance of passing in the Democratic-majority Senate. ADVERTISIMENT House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Republicans "tried to pass a party-line continuing resolution but failed." The Senate is working on a seven-week funding plan that would keep the government fully open through mid-November to give lawmakers more time to set spending levels through next September. The bipartisan legislation provides $6 billion in additional aid for Ukraine and disaster relief in the United States. As a reminder, the majority of Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate strongly support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. They emphasize the heroism of the Ukrainian military and say that supporting Kyiv is a good investment for Washington. As reported by OBOZREVATEL, the United States does not rule out the possibility that it will provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles in the future. The White House has not made any unequivocal statements on this matter, while the media claim that the favorable decision was made even before Zelensky's visit, but the delivery timeframe has not been disclosed. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Hamidu Kunaza-led three-man tribunal struck out the petition filed by Ladi Adebutu for being incompetent. In a judgement read for 11 hours, the tribunal upheld Abioduns election while dismissing Adebutus petition. In a unanimous judgement, the tribunal said the petition lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed. One of President Bola Tinubus attorneys, Oluwole Afolabi has poured cold water on Atiku Abubakars Chicago court victory, saying it is of no use in Atikus Supreme Court appeal against Tinubus election. In a WhatsApp note on the implication of the ruling by Judge Nancy Maldonado, Afolabi said: The Electoral Act does not allow for the introduction of new evidence on appeal. A party must provide a list of the documents he intends to rely on at the time his Petition is filed. A party cannot spring surprise on his adversary by introducing evidence that was not filed along with the Petition. Tinubus personal lawyer, Senior advocate of Nigeria Babatunde Ogala also said whatever document Atiku gets from the Chicago State University is no longer useful. The headless mob is masturbating over nothing. The documents can no longer be used. It is of no value. We have passed that stage. Ogala broke down the requests of Atiku to CSU, some of which the school already gave to the the Presidential Election Petition Court before its 6 September judgment, in which it dismissed Atiku and Peter Obis petitions. One is whether President Tinubu attended Chicago State University. The answer is yes. Second, what were his grades in school? The school had already provided that. He said the school however objected to releasing Tinubus other electronic records covered by the privacy law in the United States. Big Brother Naija All Stars housemates, Cross, Pere and Adekunle have been evicted from the reality show. Cross emerged as the Head of House twice. He was the first to qualify for the final after he purchased the ultimate immunity in the house by gathering the required coins. His strategic move of purchasing immunity with 4000 coins showcased his intelligence and determination. Pere Egbi, the General as he is fondly called, had a series of clashes in the house which made for some truly unforgettable moments. He also had a romantic relationship with Mercy Eke in the final week and a seemingly friendly relations with Kim Oprah. Peres determination to secure a spot in the finale was obvious and he competed till the final day. After his eviction, he spoke about his plans to continue his acting career Nollywood and Hollywood. Meanwhile, Adekunle who was the third and last male housemate to be evicted on Sunday emerged as the Head of House during the first week and engaged in a relationship with Venita. Adekunle proved to be a formidable contender, not just with his undeniable charm but also with his intelligence. From emerging as finalist in the previous Level Up season to being a fierce contender in the All Stars edition, he has shown himself to be both charismatic and intelligent, making him a standout finalist. Known for his recent romantic entanglement with Venita, who cited his intelligence as a huge source of attraction, and his previous BBNaija season experience, Adekunles charm propelled him to the forefront and it is not surprising that he became the last man standing. The six finalists were Cross, Ilebaye, Ceec, Mercy Eke, Adekunle, and Pere. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ordered Chicago State University (CSU) to release the credentials of President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu's credentials show that he graduated from CSU in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting and management; but there have been allegations bordering on discrepancies in his certificate. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, had approached the court seeking to compel the university to release Tinubu's records on the grounds that the documents would strengthen his suit challenging the president's electoral victory. On September 19, Jeffrey Gilbert, a US magistrate judge, granted the request and ordered CSU to release Tinubu's academic records within 24 hours. Tinubu, however, filed an appeal against the order. Atiku also asked the US district court to overrule Tinubu's objection. The university also said it will release the president's files if a US court grants the order. In a memorandum opinion and order issued by Nancy Maldonado, the judge, the court overruled Tinubu's objections to the application filed by Atiku seeking the release of the president's record with the university. "In the reasons stated in this Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Court overrules President Tinubu's objections and adopts Judge Gilbert's recommended decision in full," the court said. "The Court therefore grants Mr. Abubakar's application under 28 U.S.C 1782. CSU is directed to respond to Mr. Abubakar's subpoena in the time and manner provided for below. In reaching this conclusion, the Court emphasizes that it is expressing no view on the merits of Mr. Abubakar's claims regarding President Tinubu's graduation from CSU, or on the validity of the Nigerian election. "Nor is the Court taking any position on what any of the documents or testimony from CSU may or may not ultimately show. These are all matters for the Nigerian courts to resolve under the Nigerian law, and it is not appropriate for this U.S. Court to opine on such issues or attempt to predict how foreign courts might ultimately rule if and when they are presented with any evidence from CSU." The organized labour may suspend its proposed indefinite strike scheduled to commence on October 3. This followed a meeting on Sunday between the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC with the FG. The Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubus Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila and the leadership of the organized Labor led by the NLC President Mr Joe Ajaero were able to reach some agreements during the meeting. According to Gbajabiamila, the FG has agreed to come up with measures that would address the dispute arising from the removal of subsidy. Addressing journalists after the meeting, the NLC president promised to meet with members of the union to consider the offers by the FG with a view to suspending the planned strike. A statement issued by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris said the government agreed to pay N25,000 as provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months. It also expressed commitment to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy. The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises. VAT on diesel will be waived for the next 6 months. FG will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023. According to the statement, the FG and the organized labour resolved that the issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike. Labour Unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labours request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration. A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter, the statement added. The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has said that he is not responsible for the insecurity ravaging the state. The governor who spoke at his home town in Ozuh Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of the state during the dedication of St.Rose of Lima Catholic Church Parish Ozuh Omuma also added that his aides were not fuelling the states insecurity. A statement issued by his spokesperson, Oguwike Nwachuku, quoted the governor as saying that he was a product of grace and the mercy of God. The statement read in part, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Orlu, Most Rev Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma in his Homily said the Church dedication will help to foster peace and bring to an end the insecurity and bloodletting in the area and parts of the State. In his remarks at the end of the Service, an elated Governor Uzodimma thanked the dignitaries who came from different parts of the country and used the opportunity of the dedication to inform the congregation that neither himself nor his government is instrumental to the killings in Imo State. He described the insinuation as evil, devilish and an attempt to smear his image and blackmail his government. He reiterated that as a Governor he needs peace to serve the people well and urged those behind the insecurity in Imo State to have a rethink or be ready to face the wrath of God. The Governor said that despite all the accusations and blackmail against his person and his administration, God has proven to be with him, saying, because power belongs to God. He said as someone who has benefited from Gods grace, he owes God a lot of gratitude, noting that it is unthinkable for anyone to link him or his government to the cause of crises and violence in a State God made him Governor. He therefore admonished those responsible for the violence and carnage in Imo State to desist forthwith because they will at the end answer for their sins before God. Harrison Gwamnishu, a candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general elections, has declared that he is currently in financial mess. Gwamnishu, who contested to become a member of the Delta State House of Assembly, said he was in serious debt and no longer mentally stable. Gwamnishu, a self-acclaimed human rights activist, was defeated in the March 18 election. According to him, some of his property, including one of his cars, has been sold as he attempts to pay the debt. He would not be continuing as the head of a human rights team under him until he resolved the issue. Just to inform you all that Im in serious DEBT and Im no longer mentally stable, reasons for my recent post I didnt defraud anyone. My business went bad as this can be verified. Some of my friends gave me loans during my election. I have made an effort in paying by selling my car gifted to me and also sold some of my property to pay off this debt. I have given them a date and failed as I have no other possible solution to pay this debt, he said. He said that sleep has gone far from him, while most of his friends have abandoned him. He said his father is currently suffering from the shock from the situation as some of the people he is indebted to had gone to his parents to threaten them. Life happened to me and I pray that I can come out of it soonest, he wrote on Facebook. Leadership of the Organized Labour is currently meeting with the Federal Government team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The labour delegation led by the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero arrived the Conference Hall of the Permanent Secretary, State House at 3:15pm. Among the labour delegation are the Secretary of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Nuhu Toro, and his counterpart from NLC, Emma Ugbaja. The government team is led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. Other members of the government team include the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Nkeiruka Onyejecha, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu. Also present are some directors from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. There was no opening ceremony as the meeting went straight into closed doors. Roshn Group, the PIF-powered giga-project and Saudi Arabias most trusted real estate developer, has launched the sales of the latest phase of Sedra, the groups flagship integrated community development in Riyadh. Sedra Phase 3 will add 3,438 more homes to Roshns first integrated development, with 1,904 units for sale in this initial sales tranche. It fills us with immense pride to witness the pace, precision, and profound societal impact we are achieving as we introduce our innovative living standards to Saudi Arabia. Launching sales for Sedra 3 builds on the momentum established by the trailblazing success of delivering Sedra's inaugural phase a remarkable two years ahead of the projected timeline. This significant milestone reaffirms our unwavering dedication to elevate living standards across the Kingdom, aligning seamlessly with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. Recognising the soaring demand for Sedra, we are thrilled to expand our offerings, inviting more citizens to enrich their lives within the vibrant Roshn community, expressed David Grover, GCEO of Roshn Group. Eight floorplans and eleven facades Prospective residents in Sedra 3 will be able to choose between eight floorplans and eleven facades, available in single- or multi-family configurations and ranging from charming 3- and 4-bedroom townhouses and duplexes to spacious 4- and 5- bedroom villas, meaning there is a perfect home for every family. Roshns key principle of sustainability permeates every aspect of its developments. Sedra features Roshns state-of-the-art insulation, solar-powered water heaters, and efficient air-conditioning systems that allow energy savings, with advanced plumbing fixtures and techniques to enable water usage savings. With 12% of Sedras total area dedicated to open and green spaces, residents can enjoy Sedras natural features including a wadi and acacia forest. Vibrant north of Riyadh Sedra is plugged into the vibrant north of Riyadh, and is accessible directly via Kaden Road, with Metro Stations F2 and A7 nearby and important landmarks like the SAR railway station, Princess Nourah University, Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University, and King Khalid International Airport in close proximity. Its location offers direct access to Roshn Fronts shopping, leisure and business areas, providing its residents with a seamlessly integrated live, work, play lifestyle. Sedra is being developed in eight phases and will add more than 30,000 residential units to Riyadhs housing stock, constructed over 20 million sq m of neighbourhoods. As with all Roshn developments, both nature and local heritage are incorporated at the master planning stage: Sedras facades and streetscapes reflect local architectural heritage, which blends tradition and modernity, and the community is built around natural features that include a wadi and an acacia forest.--TradeArabia News Service On Sunday, October 1, Ukrainians came to St. Michael's Monastery in Kyiv to honor the memory of the fallen defenders of our country. People laid flowers at the memorial "Wall of Memory of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian War." ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by an OBOZREVATEL correspondent. We remember the feat of every hero of Ukraine. Thus, on October 1, 2023, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Defenders for the first time. At 9:00 a.m., the country observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for the country's independence in battles with the Russian invaders. In particular, traffic on the streets of Kyiv stopped and drivers got out of their cars. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, today Ukrainians came to honor the memory of the fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the memorial "Wall of Memory of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian War" near St. Michael's Monastery in Kyiv. Citizens laid flowers near the photos of the Heroes. ADVERTISIMENT ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, with the transition of the Orthodox Church to the New Julian calendar, the Day of Defenders in Ukraine is now celebrated on October 1, the same day as the Church holiday of the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Intercession. This day became especially important for Ukrainians after the full-scale invasion of Russia. As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky and the military command of our country congratulated Ukrainian heroes on the Day of Defenders. The Head of State emphasized that our strong soldiers bring Ukraine's victory closer every day. Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), say its members will join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the planned indefinite nationwide strike. The labour had threatened to go on an indefinite nationwide strike from October 3 over the removal of the petrol subsidy by the federal government and its attendant impacts on Nigerians. Specifically, the labour is asking the government for tax exceptions, allowances to public sector workers, reduction of cost of governance, and wage awards following the removal of the petrol subsidy. Earlier in the month, the NLC had embarked on a two-day warning strike after which the federal government was given a 21-day ultimatum to meet its demands. The ultimatum expired on Tuesday without the government attending to the requests of the union. Also, the meeting between the federal government and the leadership of NLC scheduled to hold on Friday to prevent the planned nationwide strike by the unions failed to take place. Aligning with the labour unions, NUEE, in a statement signed by Dominic Ogwebike, acting general secretary, directed its members to commence full mobilisation to ensure compliance with the directive. "Hence, we are to totally withdraw our services and participate in street protests and rallies until the government responds to our demands," the statement reads. "To this effect, all National, State and Chapter executives are requested to start mobilization of our members in total compliance with this directive. "Please note that withdrawal of Services nationwide commences from 0.00 hours of Tuesday, October 3, 2023." "The employees are encouraged to work with the leadership of state executive councils (SEC) of the congress in various states with a view to having a successful action." 'PENGASSAN JOINS LABOUR UNIONS' STRIKE' On its part, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in a recent statement, directed members in the formal and informal sectors of the Nigeria oil and gas industry to commence full mobilisation for the indefinite strike. The union directed its members to ensure unwavering compliance with the directive of the two labour centres to all affiliate industrial unions to embark on a nationwide industrial action from October 3, 2023. "The leadership of NUPENG finds it so disturbing and unfortunate, that the federal government of Nigeria and other tiers of governments are so insensitive to the excruciating and debilitating socio/economic pains Nigerians are passing through as a result of very harsh and sudden economic policies taken by this administration without any accompanying socio/economic policies to ameliorate and cushion the immediate effects and impacts those difficult and harsh policies are having on the citizenry," PENGASSAN said. The union said the "apparent lack of regard and respect" for cries and yearnings of the organised labour, civil society organisations and the general public by the administration, is worrisome. MORE TRADE UNIONS DECLARE SUPPORT FOR STRIKE At the moment, more trade unions have declared their support for the planned strike. The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has directed its state councils to immediately commence intensive mobilisation of members "in total compliance to the indefinite strike, peaceful protest and rallies as has been declared by the organised labour". Also, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in circular by Peters Adeyemi, its general secretary, instructed its members to "embark on total and comprehensive strike action as directed", with a view to getting the federal government to react positively to the demands of labour. Others unions are National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), and the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUHAP). The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, says a number of the regions ongoing road projects will be completed in less than eight months. Wike assured on Saturday after assessing the state of development on a few projects in Abuja. Among the projects inspected were Julius Bergers restoration of the Federal Secretariat and the completion of the Central Areas roads B6, B12, and Circle Road. Wike also checked on CGCs development of the outer Southern Motorway and Setracos work on the southern Parkway, which runs from Christian Centre (S8/9) to Ring Road 1. Four interchanges were part of the project, which extended from the Villa Roundabout to the OSEX/Ring Road 1 Junction. He examined the entire Arterial Road N20 expansion, which runs from Northern Parkway to ONEX with spurs managed by Gilmor Engineering. According to the minister, President Bola Tinubus renewed hope agenda was not just rhetoric but actually a reality. So, sometimes it is good for you (journalists) to join us for inspection and see what we are telling the public, whether it is correct or just mere propaganda. The renewed hope agenda is not propaganda. It is the reality that Nigerians must see. So, I am very happy with what I have seen today. If you remember that on Monday, precisely, we were one month in office, The initial allegations against Eridson Rodriguez in September 2020 were substantial. Two young women accused him of sexually assaulting them while they were intoxicated and incapacitated during gatherings at his Liberty Street home in Hamilton in early 2019. Detectives charged the 26-year-old with four felony sex assault crimes after investigating him for over a year. After the Mercer County Prosecutors Office publicized the initial two cases, four additional women came forward accusing Rodriguez of sexual assault. A judge ordered him detained pending the outcome of his case. In June 2021, the case against Rodriguez looked formidable, on paper. Prosecutors obtained a 20-count indictment. The bulk of the charges were sexual assault or criminal sexual contact. Two charges were first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a helpless or incapacitated victim, court records show. In February, Rodriguez accepted a plea bargain on a single charge of aggravated criminal sexual contact. The deal called for him to serve 882 days behind bars, or the time hed been in the county jail, whats known as time served. Rodriguez will be subject to the states Megans Law sex offender registry and conditions of parole supervision for life. A mother of one of the accusers followed the case intently, and watched it dwindle as it proceeded through Superior Court in Mercer County, all the way to the sentencing in June, when she was allowed to speak. Its not even a slap on the wrist, the woman said recently. NJ Advance Media not naming her, as it would identify her daughter. Over several emails and phone conversations, the woman said shes still in shock and furious at how a case that started so strong ended with Rodriguez getting time served. Between the February guilty plea and the June sentencing, Rodriguez was released from jail and one of his accusers spotted him at a bar, she said. This has caused a lot of pain, and I still cant believe how little justice was served for these young women, the mother said. It takes my breath away, she said. It makes me feel like we havent evolved, that women are not important in the state of New Jersey. The Mercer County assistant prosecutor who handled the case, Tim Ward, declined to discuss it through an office spokesperson. Rodriguezs lawyer, Robin Lord, said she knows why the case ended this way. She said overzealous police work led to false allegations. She said police and the prosecutors office specifically asked in press statements for anyone to come forward with allegations against her client. And when they did, the allegations did not hold up. Lord said her investigation uncovered photos of Rodriguez in his home with the alleged victims - after the supposed assaults. Rodriguez was against taking the plea bargain, Lord said. He wanted to go to trial, but he also wanted to get out of jail, so he compromised, Lord said. Nevertheless, the accusers mother said she does not blame the prosecutors office or the assistant prosecutor. He did his level best, with the tools he had, and she now has an appreciation for the criminal justice systems realities, she siad. For example, she was initially satisfied Rodriguez will be subject to Megans Law, but he currently does not appear on the internet registry, which only lists tier 2 and tier 3 offenders. Rodriguezs current classification is not known. He also uses the name Erickson Rodriguez, and is not listed under that name either, records show. Prosecutors need better tools, the mother said. Women matter. Young girls matter. They do not get enough justice, she said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. An 18-year-old bicyclist from Ocean County was killed Friday in a crash in Newark, Delaware, local police said. A 2013 Toyota Sienna was traveling eastbound on West Delaware Avenue at 2:49 a.m. approaching South College Avenue when it struck Daniel Bacsik, of Barnegat, who was riding north on South College Avenue, according to a release from the Newark Police Department. Bacsik was hit where the roads intersect and he was ejected from the bike and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. The traffic light at the intersection was functioning and displayed a green light for eastbound traffic on West Delaware Avenue and a red light for traffic on South College Avenue, the department said. The 24 year-old driver of the Toyota remained at the scene and neither speed nor impairment on the part of its driver were factors in this crash, police said. This crash remains under investigation by the Newark Police Department Traffic Unit and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Cpl. R. Vernon at (302) 366-7100 x. 3452 or rvernon@newark.de.us. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife Nadine leave federal court last week after he pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he used his powerful post to secretly advance Egyptian interests and carry out favors for local businessmen in exchange for bribes of cash and gold bars. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) During a trip to the Taj Mahal in the fall of 2019, Sen. Robert Menendez belted out a romantic showtune before proposing marriage to his current wife, Nadine, putting a ring on her finger in public, a touching scene that moved strangers to break into applause. But the FBI is now investigating whether the alleged corruption that followed was part of a covert operation by Egyptian intelligence intended to ensnare Menendez, according to a report this week by NBC news. Nadine, it turns out, had a prior friendship with Weil Hana, the co-conspirator who served as the point man in contacts with Egyptian military and intelligence officials, the indictment says. A woman was fatally struck by an NJ Transit train in Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon, authorities said. The woman, whose name was not immediately provided, was near the North Elizabeth station when she was struck by the train at approximately 4 p.m., said NJ Transit spokesperson Jim Smith. No injuries were reported by passengers or crew members, Smith said. The train, No. 7844, departed Trenton at 2:58 p.m. Saturday and heading to New York Penn Station. Train traffic had resumed in the location by 5:10 p.m., but at a restricted speed level, Smith said. NJ Transit police officers were on the scene leading an investigation. NJ Advance Media staff writer Larry Higgs contributed to this story. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. The local orchestra and everyones favorite Cajun band have strung together a new live album. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the Grammy-winning Lost Bayou Ramblers Friday released a 12-track recording, featuring songs from their joint performance at the Orpheum Theater this past January. LPO executive director Anwar Nasir called it a tremendous honor in a statement Sept. 29. Artists like the Lost Bayou Ramblers are deeply seeded within Louisianas musical identity and are vessels of our states cherished Cajun culture to the music industry at large, he said. The album kicks off with The Bathtub, and features other cinematic tracks the Ramblers performed in the 2012 Oscar-nominated indie film Beasts of the Southern Wild. It also prominently features songs from the groups 2017 EP Kalenda." Its not the first time the Ramblers have teamed up with the LPO. In 2015, for example, the orchestra backed the band on a live showing of Beasts," which sold out at the Saenger Theater. Plus, frontman Louis Michot is known for blending a variety of genres into his music, including punk rock and rap. Still, the collaboration is a distinctive one, linking the LPOs classically trained artists with the evolving traditions of Cajun and zydeco. The LPO has heralded it as a redefinition of the orchestral concert experience. It also is part of a greater push by the LPO to appeal to younger and more diverse audiences. The orchestra has been hosting happy hours at bars and smaller music venues throughout the year and partnered with artists spanning different genres of Louisiana music, including Big Freedia. "Collaborations like this honor the dynamic culture and traditions of Louisiana," said LPO's Music Director Laureate Carlos Miguel Prieto. "I am overjoyed that music lovers from all over can experience authentic Louisiana music through this memorable album. The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, arrived in Kyiv on October 1 to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The politicians took part in an official ceremony to honor the memory of all the defenders of Ukraine who gave their lives in the treacherous war. ADVERTISIMENT Borrell was also accompanied by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The guest from Kyiv wrote about this on his X (formerly Twitter) account. "I express my support for those who are now defending Ukraine from Russia's unjustified aggression and fighting for our common values," Borrell said. ADVERTISIMENT Borrell began his working trip to Ukraine the day before in Odesa. There, he visited the places most affected by Russian attacks on the sunny seaside city. As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, Borrell criticized Western partners for delaying military aid to the Ukrainian army. The price of this delay is too high, and the politician believes that it is necessary to return to the previous pace that was announced in the first months after the start of the full-scale invasion. Only verified information on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! As a wedge of salt water creeps up the Mississippi River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering an unusual tactic: Using the massive Old River Control Structure to reduce the amount of water flowing from the Mississippi into the Red River and the Atchafalaya Basin. The adoption of a temporary budget in the United States, which does not include funds for Ukraine, will not stop the flow of aid that was announced earlier. Kyiv is now working with Washington to discuss further steps. ADVERTISIMENT As noted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the US government's "shutdown" could have a negative impact on the implementation of current programs for Kyiv. This was stated on October 1 by Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko on Facebook. He said that the United States had previously allocated about $1.6 billion for defense and $1.23 billion in direct budget support, as well as funds for humanitarian and energy projects. The previously announced aid to Ukraine will not be stopped. "Now the Ukrainian government is actively working with American partners to ensure that the new US budget decision, which will be developed over the next 45 days, includes new funds to help Ukraine," Nikolenko wrote. He added that domestic political discussions related to the American political process continue in the United States. However, the diplomat assured that the administration, both parties and the US Congress chambers remain supportive of our country. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZREVATEL: - US President Joe Biden signed a temporary bill that prevented the shutdown of the US government. This happened a few hours before the funding for federal agencies was to run out. - Famous historian Timothy Snyder reacted to the latest developments. He said that cutting off aid to Ukraine "makes America untrustworthy, weakens the cause of democracy, threatens the international legal order, and encourages tyrants around the world." Only verified information on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The First Separate Special Forces Brigade named after Ivan Bohun has received a battle flag. The brigade's commander, Colonel Oleh Uminsky, received it from the hands of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. ADVERTISIMENT The presentation of the battle flag took place as part of the celebrations on the occasion of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, which took place on September 1 on the territory of the National Historical and Architectural Museum "Kyiv Fortress". This was reported by the 1st Separate Special Forces Brigade of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "The First Separate Special Forces Brigade received its battle flag today. It was presented to the brigade commander, Colonel Oleh Uminsky, by the President of Ukraine, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelensky. Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Armed Forces! Glory to the soldiers of Bohun!" the brigade's Telegram channel reads. The soldiers see a special symbolism in the fact that the battle flag was presented to them on the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, in recognition of the brigade's merits in bringing the Victory closer. ADVERTISIMENT "The presentation of the battle flag, the highest value of a military unit, is a recognition of the merits of Bohun's brigade. The flag is a symbol of honor, valor and glory. We congratulate all our comrades and wish them to carry this flag with honor and dignity until Victory!" the brigade emphasized. ADVERTISIMENT In addition to the 1st Separate Ivan Bohun Special Forces Brigade of the 9th Army Corps of the Land Forces, the battle flags were presented to the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Land Forces, the 37th Separate Marine Brigade of the Naval Infantry Command of the Ukrainian Navy, 65th Separate Coastal Missile Division of the 360th Separate Coastal Missile Brigade of the Navy, 130th Separate Territorial Defense Battalion of the 241st Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a reminder, on October 1, Zelenskyy and the military command congratulated Ukrainian heroes on the Day of Defenders. ADVERTISIMENT "Hard times have made us strong. And the strong bring victorious times closer. Step by step. Today, tomorrow, every day, every minute. No one has or will be able to "turn off" our resilience, endurance, strength, and courage, either planned or accidentally. They do not have an expiration date, a deadline, or an end point after which we would stop resisting and fighting, except for one - our victory. As we bring it closer every day, we say: "We will fight as long as it takes!" We did it in the first minutes of February 24, we have been doing it all these 585 days and we will continue to do it," the President said in his greeting. During the festivities on the occasion of the state holiday, the Head of State presented state awards to the soldiers. In addition to representatives of the military and political command of Ukraine, the ceremony was attended by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. He arrived in Kyiv on October 1 and joined Zelensky in honoring Ukrainian heroes. ADVERTISIMENT About this time five years ago, Mike Braun was a relatively unknown state rep from Jasper, preparing to take on two sitting congressmen in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Braun registered about 1% in his initial internal poll. And he won that primary by spending about $5 million of his own money, finishing with a 41% victory. Former Indiana Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers has taken note. He resigned his $1-a-year post after 24 months in August. He loaned his campaign $5 million, hired the state partys political pros and made a $1 million TV ad buy in his Republican campaign for governor. The biographical TV ad traces his familys roots to Thorntown, his forging a lawn care business at age 15, how he met his wife at Indiana University and then began a multistate rental business before Gov. Eric Holcomb named him commerce secretary a little more than two years ago. We had our faith in Hoosier values, Chambers says in the ad. I met my wife at IU. We raised our son in Indiana. Were Hoosiers. Indianas great, but it can be even better. Hoosiers need a governor ready to build an economy of the future. I feel the challenges that too many Hoosiers face. Ive lived them, Chambers says. And thats why Im running for governor. Chambers joins a GOP field that includes Sen. Braun, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Fort Wayne businessman Eric Doden, former Attorney General Curtis Hill and businesswoman Jamie Reitenour. I caught up with Chambers at Creightons Crazy Egg & Coffee Bar last week for a meet and greet with about 50 local GOP and business leaders from across Kosciusko County. There were no endorsements. They came to hear a candidate for governor few of them knew. His message was a simple one: I know how to grow the economy. Afterwards, I asked Chambers how he could win the nomination when so few people know him, or even of him. "You work hard and you be yourself," he responded. "It took me a bit to get to yes on this. Im not a career politician, Ive never run for office. You hear me say that a lot. But I believe in the product through my career as a business person, Ive been a consumer of the states economy and then my two years as secretary of commerce. I saw up close and personal the potential of this state. It gets me excited." Can he win from a starting point that mirrored Braun's? "I wouldnt do it if it was impossible," Chambers said. "My story is my story. Be authentic, and well see what happens and whether the voters respond to that." Braun's pitch to GOP voters is that he has a record in the Senate. "My record has got high favorables and low unfavorables," Braun told me. "Ill let my record speak for itself, urging Republican voters to look it up. For Lt. Gov. Crouch, she presents herself as a community facilitator and collaborator and has proposed her "axe the tax" plan on ending the state's income tax. The next chapter in Indianas history is going to be quality of life," she told me in Evansville. "Why? Because quality of life is how we grow our population and our economy. It used to be that people followed businesses. Today, businesses are following people. For Doden, it's his tenure similar to Chambers' at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and his opposition to the Indiana Chamber's recommendation to consolidate sparsely populated school districts. For Chambers, it's the $33 billion he says he secured for Indiana investments (including a record $22.2 billion in his final year at IEDC) and the thousands of high-paying jobs that will be created if all that money materializes. When I walked into IEDC, they were playing defense," Chambers told these Republicans in Warsaw. "I want to play offense. He added that of the $22 billion in investment this past year, 53% came in rural counties. "My pitch is that Ive never done this before, but Ive run a business for 40 years that was founded in Indiana from nothing," he told me. "Im an Indiana entrepreneur. Ive been running a business, hiring people, inspiring people, leading, planning, measuring performance for a very long time. Thats what a governor is. The No. 1 job of a governor is to grow the economy." Former Indiana Republican Chairman Jim Kittle Jr., who was instrumental in Mitch Daniels 2004 run for governor, is backing Chambers. Of all the candidates, he has the ability to be the most transformational and move Indiana ahead like Mitch Daniels, Kittle explained. "We need another jolt. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Defense notified Indiana that it would receive $32.9 million in the CHIPS+Science legislation signed by President Biden for the state's Silicon Crossroads program. As Indianas Secretary of Commerce, my team and I implemented a bold, strategic vision to position Indiana as a top competitor for these very investments," Chambers said. "With $33 billion of statewide capital investment, 30% higher average wages, and new high-wage industries calling Indiana home, Ive proven that with the right leadership, Indianas future is, and will continue to be, bright. Most GOP nomination races come to one or two candidates. Hoosier Republicans will have an unprecedented choice next May. Q: How many copies of the will should you execute? I would like to leave one with each of my kids in case mine gets lost. A: In my humble opinion, you should only execute one copy of the will. I think that my position on the matter is the norm, however, I am aware of some excellent attorneys that have their clients execute more than one. When you execute a will, you normally revoke all prior wills. That recital is almost always near the top of the first page of the will, usually in the first or second paragraph. If that term is in each copy of the will, it stands to reason that each copy that you sign revokes the previous copy. Im not sure how you would determine the order, but its logical that the last will executed is the valid will and the ones signed before it are revoked. Also, remember that wills are revocable or amendable at any time. If you have multiple copies of the will out there, you better make sure that you recover all of them when you execute a new one. Also, if you modify the will by, for example, changing the personal representatives or reducing or eliminating someones bequest, do you really want to have to ask them for the will back if they are the ones who have been removed or whose interest has been reduced or eliminated? Could lead to an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. What I do is ask the clients to sign one will and then I scan it so that I have a digital copy before they walk out the door. Since Indiana has gone to paperless filing in our courts, a digital copy is an exact replica that can be filed. Although I dont agree with attorneys that have clients execute multiple copies of the will, I dont want to suggest that they are doing anything wrong. Its not the way I do it, but I will of course defer to more learned counsel. Q: Can I instruct the executor in my will to offer the house to a child before selling it? A: Of course. If you would like to make the home available to a child before selling it to a third party, simply add a provision to the will. You could make it part of their distributable share of the estate or instruct that they have the option to purchase it from the estate before it is offered for sale. One thing that you should consider, however, is how to value the home in the event you want them to buy it from the estate. For example, you could instruct that they pay the fair market value of the home at the time of your death. Since the estate wont have to engage the services of a real estate agent, you could also instruct that the purchase price be reduced by the cost of a typical sales commission, usually five to six percent. Also, I think its a good idea to include a time limit. Provide the child with a window in which to exercise their right to purchase the home. The child shouldnt be allowed to think about it for a year or two. Make them exercise their right within a reasonable time. That way the estate doesnt have to remain open for a lengthy period of time simply because the child cant make up their mind. Thanks for the questions. CROWN POINT The mothers of Region teenagers Denver Johnson and Jason Paholik described their sons as each others shadows. Since they met in middle school, the neighborhood best friends filled their time watching cartoons, playing video games and simply goofing around. The pair bonded after Johnsons father died and Jason Paholiks parents got divorced, their mothers said. Johnson and Jason Paholik were so close, their mothers added, that theyd often refer to each others mothers as their second moms. When theyre at the house, if Denver gets up to go to the bathroom, Jason goes to the bathroom. If Jason gets up to go to the bathroom, Denver goes to the bathroom, Johnsons mother, Amanda Eby, said. You just never saw one without the other one. Now, one of the friends is without the other. Johnson, 18, was charged with murder in connection with Jason Paholiks Memorial Day Weekend shooting death. Johnson was charged with shooting Paholik while they were hanging out and drinking around a fire pit at a residence on the 12000 block of Burr Street in Crown Point. Paholik's mother, Jennifer Paholik, had gone to sleep and woke to learn her 16-year-old son had been shot. But both the teens' mothers maintain the shooting was an accident. When I was told that Jason got shot, I thought somebody had come to our house and shot him outside, Jennifer Paholik said. Johnson, a Cedar Lake resident, was playing with the gun as if it were a toy and told police he shot Jason Paholik without realizing that the gun was loaded, according to the charges. Johnson was originally charged with reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter. The murder charge was filed June 5. A spokesperson from the prosecutors office declined to comment on the case. Jennifer Paholik and Eby both disagreed with the decision to file a murder charge as they said the shooting was an accident. Officers wrote in charging documents that when they went into the Burr Street house on the night of May 28, they heard Johnson say, Hes in the back. I shot him," and, Im going to jail. Jason Paholik was shot with a Glock 17 9 mm, according to the charges. Jennifer Paholik said that she was satisfied with the original charges. Hes going to get in trouble, which he should, because he shouldnt have been playing with a gun, she said. But, he shouldnt have been given a gun. Jennifer Paholik said that she is not against gun ownership. She said she grew up around guns and feels its important that people are properly educated on how to use them. Charging documents said officers relied in part on surveillance footage from a Ring camera at a neighbors house to secure charges against Johnson. Jennifer Paholik claimed the footage was actually from her own Ring camera, not her neighbors. She added that she has not watched the footage since she turned it over to police because it was too upsetting. Defendants charged with murder in Indiana typically arent granted bail unless the presumption of guilt isnt strong. Johnson was denied bail after a bond hearing Aug. 4. Eby said she watched the full six or so hours of footage, and the portion of the footage that the prosecutors office relied on was a snippet of what happened. The only thing that they showed at the bond (hearing) was the actual few moments of the shooting and then it skips to him saying, Im going to jail, Eby said. She said the full video showed the teens playing around, jokingly pointing the gun at each other. The surveillance footage showed Johnson lift the gun and point it at (Jason) Paholiks chest, the charges said. The audio from the Ring camera footage included voices saying stop, stop and calm, calm, according to a probable cause affidavit. Eby said Jason Paholik doesn't appear worried, as he was smiling and dancing in front of the gun in the surveillance footage. She said she knows her son fired the gun accidentally because he was not familiar with firearms. Eby said in the footage, her son cleared the chamber and then removed the gun's clip, inadvertently leaving a bullet in the chamber. Eby said it's clear in the video that neither Johnson nor Jason Paholik believed the gun was loaded. The teens mothers said the murder charge was filed, in part, because a witness told police that something in Johnsons face changed when he fired the gun. Jennifer Paholik said she has pleaded with the prosecutor's office to reduce the charges. They wont tell me any details, theyre very cold, she said. Jennifer Paholik and Eby werent particularly close when their sons were friends, they said. The moms said they both thought highly of each other but their relationship did not really extend beyond their children. Theyve grown closer through this tragedy. Theres just love, Eby said. I mean the fact that Jennifer and her family even allow me and my family to be in a space of love and support. It honestly really shows me how much they love my son, and I know its just as much as I love theirs. Jennifer Paholik said she hosted a celebration of life for her son six weeks ago and had his ashes put into necklaces for his friends and family. I have said from the beginning that all I want is for Denver to get help, Jennifer Paholik said. Dogs seized from Crown Point puppy mill ready to adopt More than 40 dogs were seized by the Lake County Animal Control in May after a 42-year-old Crown Point man was arrested for operating a suspec CROWN POINT Four months after more than 30 dogs were rescued from a Northwest Indiana puppy mill, they have been medically cleared to find their forever homes. The group of French bulldogs, American bullies and sarplaninacs were officially put up for adoption Sept. 22 at the Lake County Animal Control and Adoption Center, Director of Operations Shanda Hanft said. Within a week, they found homes for 23 French bulldogs, six American bullies and one sarplaninac. There are four dogs from the mill who are still available for adoption. "They are all cleared, ready to go," Hanft said. "They've completely come out of their shells...they're happy, healthy." The animals arrived in May with various health problems, such as pneumonia, ear infections, skin issues and gastrointestinal issues, Hanft said. None were spayed or neutered. The dogs ranged in age from seven months to five years old, Hanft said. Dogs seized from Crown Point puppy mill ready to adopt More than 40 dogs were seized by the Lake County Animal Control in May after a 42-year-old Crown Point man was arrested for operating a suspec The dogs were recovered from locations in Crown Point and Rensselaer after detectives received a tip about a possible puppy mill operation. Detectives found most of the animals inside a barn in Rensselaer where they discovered more than 30 dogs in cages, only some with bowls of water, according to court documents. Four of the dogs were found dead. Stevce Rajcinoski, 42, was arrested and charged with 43 counts of animal-cruelty related crimes. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 20. Rajcinoski was charged in 2017 with 97 counts of animal cruelty-related charges for a similar incident involving approximately 70 dogs, but negotiated a plea agreement that only required he plead guilty to three of the charges. He was sentenced to probation in 2020 and began his mill operation again just months after his probation started, court documents allege. Veterinary specialists who examined the dogs said many of them had scars on their stomachs, indicating they had received cesarean sections, according to court documents. Five of the dogs died from medical issues. Dogs seized from Crown Point puppy mill ready to adopt More than 40 dogs were seized by the Lake County Animal Control in May after a 42-year-old Crown Point man was arrested for operating a suspec Staff at Lake County Animal Control have cared for the pups for the last few months while they received medical care. It was never a question that they would be able to keep all the animals in their custody, Hanft said. The eight kennel crew members, one animal control officer and one assistant worked tirelessly to make sure the animals were taken care of and well socialized before they were put up for adoption. "The staff really cares about the dogs," Hanft said. "And their positive energy projects back into the animals. They [the dogs] have come a very long way, and they're all doing great," Hanft said. Hanft said they knew people in the area would be interested in adopting the dogs, specifically the Frenchies, who are known for having gentle, loyal and affectionate temperaments. "If you want a pet to snuggle on the couch with you, these are it," Hanft said of the French bulldog breed. "But with Frenchies, their health problems often get in the way." Dogs seized from Crown Point puppy mill ready to adopt More than 40 dogs were seized by the Lake County Animal Control in May after a 42-year-old Crown Point man was arrested for operating a suspec Hanft and Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. both had to approve each adoption application before they interviewed each family to ensure they would be well suited for the breed. Hanft said she has received many photos and updates from adoptive families and said the dogs are adjusting well to family life. Eight of their other shelter dogs found homes within the month of September as well. "It's wonderful to have so much support from the community for these dogs," Martinez said. "I'm proud of the countless hours of hard work out animal shelter staff dedicated to caring for them and restoring their health." Julie Rizzo, a staunch activist for animal welfare, said she has been closely following the case since Rajcinoski's arrest. She said she wishes Rajcinoski was more strictly punished the first time he faced animal cruelty-related charges. "If the laws in place were enforced on the original 70 dogs this second round of 40 would never have happened," Rizzo said. "The judge and prosecutors gave him a no jail time plea deal and he was right back in action abusing animals. Our justice system needs to enforce the laws and stop making excuses for criminals." Amid drastically rising gasoline and diesel fuel prices, the Biden administration has canceled seven major drilling permits in the North Slope of Alaska, a move celebrated by some environmental activists but roundly criticized by other community members and elected officials in the state. The price of Brent crude, one of the two major benchmark oils in the world, has shot up more than 10% in the past month alone. On Independence Day, it was at $75 a barrel. Since Labor Day, it has been above $90 a barrel and climbing. As a result, the price of gasoline is approaching a national average of $4 per gallon. Meanwhile, Russia and Saudi Arabia have separately announced they will continue limiting their oil exports until at least the end of the year, driving fuel prices higher. The effects of the permit cancellations have been immediate, as the signal has been sent that the Biden administration will not allow energy exploration in the most promising areas in the U.S., said Dan Kish, a senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research & American Energy Alliance (AEA). It emboldens those who use oil as a weapon with the promise that the U.S. is unilaterally disarming. Consumers will be stuck with the bill. Supporters of the Biden administrations reneging on the seven federal leases in the North Slope justify the move in terms of protecting the areas ecology. But the states governor, all three of its congressional members, and some indigenous tribal leaders in the affected region argue the benefits from drilling would far outweigh any actual environmental risks. Over 50 years of experience on the North Slope shows energy development and nature can coexist, Kish said, adding that no environmental activists oppose American energy independence more than Bidens wrecking crew, and they show that every day. AEA has produced a list of 175 anti-energy actions made by the Biden administration to date. Jack Belcher, a strategic advisor to major energy companies, sees the White Houses cancellation of seven drilling permits in the North Slope as an obvious appeasement to certain environmental activists, who were incensed over the administrations approval of an $8 billion oil drilling project called Willow, located in the same region. Biden rescinded the permits in reaction to pressure from environmentalist groups, Belcher said. U.S. Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola, a Democrat and an Alaska Native of the Yupik people, announced she was deeply frustrated by the reversal of the North Slope leases. We cant keep erasing our progress with every administration. I will continue to advocate for permitting reform that includes predictable timelines from the federal government, which must be a reliable partner in leasing and developing our resources, she said. Morrie Lemen, executive director of Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (ICAS), confirmed in an interview that his organization wasnt consulted by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) before deciding to cancel the seven leases. Lemens tribe of more than 13,000 Alaska Natives living in eight North Slope villages rely heavily on oil and gas production revenue to sustain their economy. ICAS didnt receive notification from BLM about the decision to cancel the seven leases until after it had been made and a public announcement was imminent. It took us by surprise, Lemen said. We werent consulted. In addition to announcing the cancellations, the Biden administration went further by signaling it would prohibit oil and gas drilling in 10.6 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. And leases on an additional 2.4 million acres under the newly proposed policy would first require that BLM determine whether any drilling operations would result only in minimal effects on wildlife, an ecological concept open to broad interpretation. The National Petroleum Reserve, which is explicitly designated for energy production, turns 100 this year, and we have worked for decades on how to responsibly develop a very small portion of the non-wilderness 1002 Area, said Lisa Murkowski, the states senior U.S. senator. Now the Biden administration, at a time when America and our allies need Alaskas resources more than ever, has decided to go their own way by further locking Alaska down while refusing to consult with the Alaska Natives who actually live on the North Slope, Murkowski added. According to an August report by the International Energy Agency, global oil stocks decreased for a third consecutive month in July, with OECD industry stocks more than 100 million barrels below the five-year average. That supply is set to tighten further in the autumn, as Saudi Arabia and Russia extend their production cuts. Once again, Alaska right now feels like a victim under this administration. And the country is going to feel like a victim here if they havent already, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy told Fox News. This makes absolutely no sense from any perspective unless your goal is to drive up the cost of oil and gas so much that it makes certain renewables cheaper. The heart of the worlds first Christian nation may soon stop beating. Will those aspiring to be the next president of the United States stand up with moral clarity and pledge support against those who seek to eradicate it? Genocide against Christians looms in the Caucasus, and the United States looks away and even arms its perpetrators. Some history: In the year 301, Armenia became the first country to convert to Christianity. Armenian Christians populated Artsakh and dotted its landscape with churches and monasteries. It has ever since been a Christian land. Christianity permeates its rivers, valleys and mountains. Ancient Armenian cross stones, each one unique, dot its landscape. When Turks launched genocide against Armenians in 1915, they tried to overrun Artsakh but failed. Today, Turkey and Azerbaijan try again. During a recent trip to Armenia, I stood on a mountaintop and saw Azerbaijani troops miles inside the recognized border of Armenia. I drove past a burnt-out car whose occupants, contractors for an American company, Azerbaijani snipers shot. One place I could not go was Artsakh. Ten months ago, Azerbaijan blockaded Artsakh even though Azerbaijans president, Ilham Aliyev, had just two years before guaranteed their free passage. He has cut off gas, water, electricity and internet. Their goal? Starve the regions 120,000 Christians. Amid Western silence, he is succeeding. Aliyevs actions should not surprise. He takes the worst Soviet pedigree and mixes it with an embrace of Islamism. His father, Heydar Aliyev, was a KGB chief whom Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev promoted into the Politburo. Joseph Stalin stripped Artsakh away from Armenia to undermine Christianity, renamed it Nagorno-Karabakh, and awarded it to Azerbaijan. Its people protested and, as the Soviet Union fell, voted by a 99% margin to leave that Muslim dictatorship. The Aliyevs have since sought to bring the Christians to heel. To win the White House is to lead the Free World. America thrives because of its Christian values. Americans must ask those seeking to represent them whether silence in the face of anti-Christian genocide is appropriate and whether the next president should speak out for religious freedom. Armenians ask only that the United States and Europe stop funding a country that seeks to eliminate one of the worlds oldest Christian communities. A quarter century ago, President Bill Clinton traveled to Africa. The world might have prevented the Rwandan genocide but failed. He promised Washington would strengthen our stand against those who would commit such atrocities in the future here or elsewhere. Leaders likewise swore never again after Serb militants slaughtered thousands at Srebrenica as the United Nations did nothing. Doing nothing is easy, but it is not leadership. Religious freedom matters. When it comes to Artsakh, there are today 120,000 reasons to act. Simine Short, who has a home in Miller Beach, has long been fascinated by the career of Octave Chanute, a French-American civil engineer and aviation pioneer who advised Orville and Wilbur Wright when they asked for his advice about flying machines. And now in her latest book on the subject, "Flight Not Improbable: Octave Chanute and the Worldwide Race Toward Flight", Short takes us back in history to the world changing series of events that occurred in the dunes of Miller Beach back in the late 1890s. It was one of many experiments which took place in the Indiana Dunes and though Chanute was in his 60s at the time he took part in some which required taking a running jump off of a dune and launching oneself into the air on the bilevel glider. There were, of course, accidents but it also was an attraction with people coming to view what some called the crazy old man of the dunes. These were major steps in the evolution of flight. But even before that, the engineer was influencing aviators with the 1894 release of his book "Progress in Flying Machines" where he collated not only all of what he had learned all the time but others. It became a must read for early aviation pioneers like the Wright Brothers. It was the definitive publication on the history and current status of flying machines. Here Chanute also formalized some terminology--aeroplane, lift, drag, aeronautical engineer--that would become a standard in the future, Short wrote in an article for the NACA Centenary that appears at NASAs website. Its one of over 150 articles shes written on Chanute. Simine also points out that Chanute was a firm believer that scientific advancement takes place when all share their ideas, which is why he gave so freely of his own and also met with and advised those who sought him out. "His way of bringing people together, publicizing what was discovered, and making sure that information was shared along with his willingness to mentor others helped guide others in the right direction, says Short, noting that the majority of people dont recognize the name nor his contributions despite his connection to the Wright Brothers and other early pioneers in the field. Locally though, there is recognition, theres the Chanute Aquatorium Society, a non-profit organization created to save the historic bathhouse designed by George Washington Maher in 1921 and on the register of National Historic Places since 1994, which honors both the engineer and the Tuskegee Airmen and features a museum. On a personal note thats where my family hosts such events as my nephews graduation party and my brother and sister-in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. Theres also the Octave Grill in Chesterton named in honor of Chanute. Short says she long has wanted to write a book on Chanutes involvement with aviation but the publisher of her first book about him wanted her to focus on his engineering accomplishments which she did in "Locomotive to Aeromotive: Octave Chanute and the Transportation Revolution." Chanutes accomplishments in this field are also outstanding. He designed the Kinzua Bridge in Kinzua County, Pennsylvania, at one time the longest and tallest railroad structure at 2,053 feet long and 301 feet high as well as the Chicago and Kansas City stock yards. He also designed the first bridge over the Missouri River at Kansas City which no one thought could be done. In other words, he was quite accomplished even before he opened the doors to aeronautical exploration. And Short with her connection to aviation and Miller Beach has told this mans story eloquently in both her books. The woman stepped onto the empty sidewalk outside her shop. She looked up and down Franklin Street in the Uptown Arts District of Michigan City. There were no customers in sight. She dragged a large sidewalk message board into her shop. It stated, Its a beautiful day in downtown Michigan City. The sign didnt lie. It was a beautiful day on that late Saturday afternoon. And yet visitors were sparse. This is a familiar sight - not enough people - whenever I visit that section of the city. I dont understand. Its one of my favorite places in Northwest Indiana with an appealing mix of natural resources, touristy amenities and urban vibes. SoLa in Michigan City needs to be a lighthouse for downtown visitors This message board is located in front of a shop on Franklin Street in the Uptown Arts District of Michigan City. Its within walking distance of Washington Park Marina and zoo, the lighthouse pier, a buffet of restaurants, the beachfront, Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets Mall and, of course, Lake Michigan. Plus, the Blue Chip Casino and Hotel, an historic drawbridge and Lubeznik Center for the Arts are just a stroll away. With that said, the northern end of the city is a food desert with no daycare options, not enough jobs and a glaring lack of social services, according to Tom Dakich, one of four owners of YAB Development Partners. Were trying to do something about it, he said. SoLa in Michigan City needs to be a lighthouse for downtown visitors The SoLa South of the Lake development will feature two boutique hotels, a rooftop pool, upscale retail businesses and a wide variety of res YAB is behind the $280 million, 628,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art mixed-use development that broke ground last month in an empty field just south of the Lubeznik Center. The SoLa South of the Lake development will feature two boutique hotels, a rooftop pool, upscale retail businesses and a wide variety of residences including luxury condos and townhomes. SoLa will be unlike anything else on the market, Kacia Snyder, a listing agent with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, said in a statement. I dont doubt it. Nonetheless, Im already hearing from critics of the massive project claiming its not what Michigan City residents need. Instead, its simply what deep-pocketed developers want. Its designed only for elite Chicagoans, not for Region residents, they claim. This is not true, Dakich said. SoLa in Michigan City needs to be a lighthouse for downtown visitors SoLa will be within walking distance of Washington Park Marina and zoo, the lighthouse pier, a buffet of restaurants, the beachfront, Lighthou People can be critical all they want, but this development will create a huge tax base for starters, said Dakich, whos been involved with the project for the last 18 months. SoLa will offer commercial space, restaurants, a grocery store, daycare center and other amenities for local residents, Dakich said. The attorney and tech-entrepreneur praised Clarence Hulse, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City, for his efforts to create incentives for the project. He never stopped driving for this project, helping to bring my friends money to Northwest Indiana, Dakich said. The 14-story SoLa development will fill that empty site in grand style and scope. SoLa is destined to become the pinnacle of luxury lifestyle at Lake Michigan, a SoLa press release states. The question is, will SoLa attract a significant number of new visitors and patrons to the north end of the city, or will it be simply a high-priced sandbox for the hoity-toity? We wont know for sure until 2026 and beyond, its scheduled opening date. A year later, nearby Indiana State Prison is scheduled to relocate to Westville, so Michigan City will be swapping a maximum security prison with a massive mixed development center. This sounds like a win-win to the local business community. We welcome SoLa into our vibrant community, said Samantha Bean, marketing manager for Lubeznik Center for the Arts. The project is taking place feet from our front door and we hope our new neighbors will attract more people to our wonderful city and LCA. I talked with a few residents and business people who echoed this optimism despite a backlash of criticism. I'm hopeful for the increase in our tax base and to help support affordable housing alternatives for our residents, said one resident whos lived in the city for decades. We need rezoning for affordable apartments, houses, duplexes and mixed-use spaces. The development is predicted to create an estimated $680 million in economic impact in its first 15 years, as well as an estimated $8.2 million in annual tax revenues, and $10 million annually from visitor and tourism expenditures. I can't imagine a better use for the property than what will be built there. It will be exciting to see it become a reality, the long-time resident said. Critics of SoLas projected reality are expressing complaints similar to what I hear about Valparaiso and the Carmelization of its downtown area. Its in reference to the citys obvious plans to be more like downstate Carmel, one of the most affluent cities in our state with a massive tax base. SoLa in Michigan City needs to be a lighthouse for downtown visitors Valparaisos two new downtown projects include the combined $54.4 million development The Linc, a multi-use apartment and retail development c I routinely hear complaints about well-connected developers, sweetheart deals, political ties and taxpayer funded projects with not enough taxpayer benefits. But even more so since Valparaisos two new downtown projects began construction. The combined $54.4 million development includes The Linc, a multi-use apartment and retail development complex, and the Lincoln Highway Garage, across the street. Theres no doubt that business people are making serious money from these new developments in both cities. Will these projects fulfill the promises from developers and the expectations from city officials? We dont yet know. The bottom line for development corporations is to make money. Period. Theres no guarantee to make the lives better for residents, but Dakich welcomes the opportunity to discuss the SoLa project with critics. I dont know what to do other than what were doing, he said. PHOTOS: Indiana Dunes completes first phase of Indigenous Cultural Trail Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony Indigenous Cultural Trail project dedication and flag-raising ceremony On October 1, a loud explosion was heard in the temporarily occupied Crimea near Dzhankoy. Preliminary, a missile flew to the peninsula. ADVERTISIMENT Local residents saw smoke rising into the sky. Meanwhile, the Russian invaders reported that the air defense of the Russian Armed Forces "shot down an enemy target" and that the wreckage damaged the warehouses. The statement was made by the so-called head of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov. "There are no casualties or injuries... Please remain calm and trust only official sources of information," the Kremlin aide wrote on Telegram. The Crimean Wind community reported that the explosion occurred around 12:37. Residents of Dzhankoy and Krasnoperekopsk districts heard it. ADVERTISIMENT Occupant Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to Aksyonov, suggested that a "Ukrainian S-200 missile" was shot down. As OBOZREVATEL previously reported: - On September 22, 2023, a missile attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was carried out in Sevastopol (occupied Crimea). - The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that 34 Russian servicemen were preliminarily killed there. Only verified information on our Telegram channel Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! On TikTok, there are hundreds of variations on the original recipe that go by the same name. Some cooks make it with jerk-style spices; some serve the creamy dish with pasta. But others confuse this modern take on a marriage-worthy dish with Engagement Chicken, an earlier recipe from Glamour magazine. That one, for a whole roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, was published by the magazine in 2004. But since the mid-1980s, Kim Bonnell, a former fashion editor at Glamour who developed the recipe, had been giving it to several assistants in her department. They were dating and they wanted to invite their boyfriends for dinner, said Ms. Bonnell, who used Marcella Hazans roast chicken recipe as inspiration for her own. I started sharing this recipe, and then next thing you know, people started getting engaged. Shortly after it published the recipe, Glamour received many letters from readers telling how the dish had elicited proposals, said Cindi Leive, the former editor in chief. She and other editors created a hall of fame honoring the couples in their cookbook 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life. Even Ina Garten created her own take on the dish. It is a curious moment in modeling. There is a gale-force wind of nostalgia for the super-famous supermodels of the 1990s, who star in a new Apple TV+ documentary series and recently were on the covers of British and American Vogue. And there is a desire within Vogue for fresh talent within its pages. Sometimes theres a feeling that were kind of stuck in a rut of just shooting the same girls, said Rosie Vogel-Eades, the global director of talent and casting at Vogue, who acknowledged that the magazine has not traditionally been an outlet for discovering new faces. Generally its models have already walked runways and secured agency reputation. That doesnt mean it couldnt try. Who are the new girls? Ms. Vogel-Eades asked. So, to sate its desire for new blood, Vogue took a semi-old-fashioned route. In April, the magazine put out a global casting call for models, not unlike how magazines decades ago culled young women to become their guest editors (Mademoiselle) or cover models (Seventeen) through public contests. Except in 2023, the aspiring Vogue models, who the magazine required to be femme-identifying and over 18, were asked to submit social media-ready videos. And the committee members overseeing the contest wanted to prioritize diversity a relatively recent concern for those in power in fashion. Death and consequences In the 1930 midterm elections, Republicans narrowly won control of the House. But 14 representatives-elect died before Congress convened 13 months later, and voter angst over the Depression helped Democrats flip enough seats in special elections to claim a majority. They used it to pass economic relief and higher taxes on the rich policies that were opposed by President Herbert Hoover and that would come to animate the presidency of his successor, Franklin D. Roosevelt. They established the groundwork for the New Deal, Andrew E. Busch, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, told me. In 1954, Senate Republicans were trying to make business-friendly changes to a federal law that already restricted labor unions power. But the deaths of three Republican senators pushed their party below a majority, effectively switching control of the Senate to Democrats for a month. Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democratic leader at the time, saw an opportunity. He used his partys numerical edge to send the amendments back to committee, effectively killing them. Lyndon Johnson was just a master tactician as a legislator and also as a president, said Christian Grose, a political scientist at the University of Southern California who has studied the episode. Some of what he learned I think happened during that period where he was technically the minority leader but he had more votes. More recently, the 2009 death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy of brain cancer and the upset victory by Scott Brown that flipped the Massachusetts seat to Republicans cost Senate Democrats their filibuster-proof majority. That forced the Democratic House to abandon its more progressive version of the Affordable Care Act and instead pass a stingier bill that had already cleared the Senate, which ultimately became law. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pledged on Saturday to block the release of $235 million in military aid to Egypt, a move that could force the Biden administration to reverse its decision to prioritize national security interests over Congresss concerns about the countrys human rights record. In a statement, Mr. Cardin also threatened to withhold future military aid for Egypt unless the country made demonstrable progress on releasing political prisoners, improving conditions for human rights activists and other issues. I believe it is imperative that we continue to hold the government of Egypt, and all governments, accountable for their human rights violations, Mr. Cardin said. I intend to exercise fully the committees oversight responsibilities and my authorities to block future foreign military funds as well as the sale of arms to the government of Egypt if it does not take concrete, meaningful and sustainable steps to improve the human rights conditions in this country. Mr. Cardins move comes just days after he took over the chairmanship of the foreign relations panel from Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, who was indicted last week on charges of taking bribes to facilitate sales of military equipment to Egypt and help an Egyptian American with close ties to the government in Cairo with his halal meat certification business. The News Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vetoed legislation on Saturday that would have allowed workers to collect unemployment pay while on strike, disappointing union leaders who had hoped to capitalize on a wave of high-profile walkouts during the states hot labor summer this year. Why It Matters: The bill would have given unionized workers more power in dealing with employers. Labor unions hold more sway in California than in most other states, with an electorate dominated by Democrats and a large roster of liberal officeholders who rely on union support. But California, with its high costs of living, is an expensive place to go on strike without income. Employers are often able to simply wait out a labor action, knowing that the lost income alone will force unionized workers back to the bargaining table. Hollywood writers repeatedly expressed this concern during their recent strike, which lasted nearly five months before a tentative contract agreement was announced Sept. 24. This bill, backed by the California Labor Federation and an assortment of unions while opposed by the state Chamber of Commerce and various business associations, would have given workers more leverage in contract negotiations by making it less costly to strike. Background: Business owners equated approving the bill with raising taxes. Unemployment benefits in California are funded by a payroll tax on businesses, but the tax is so low and generates so little revenue that the state had to borrow $20 billion from the federal government to provide benefits during the pandemic. In a veto message, Mr. Newsom said that $302 million in interest is due on the federal loan in September alone. Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt, he said. Business owners argued that broadening eligibility would have been tantamount to raising their taxes, and reiterated that the pot of money used to pay jobless benefits has for years verged on insolvency. The legislation was last minute: This summer, as hundreds of thousands of California workers in industries from show business to tourism participated in labor actions, the California Labor Federation and pro-labor Democrats seized on the momentum to introduce it, long past the point when Californias legislative session typically enters its homestretch. Both of these concerns marked the legislation as a long shot. The governor is a Democrat, but he is also a popular politician who occasionally likes to remind labor leaders whos boss and a potential presidential contender who occasionally likes to remind voters that he also owns a business. Whats Next: The legislative session is over, and organized labor came away with other gains. This veto marked a loss for the state labor federation and its head, Lorena Gonzalez, who proposed a similar measure when she was a Democratic state legislator in 2019. But it came in the context of some wins for workers as well. On Thursday, for instance, Mr. Newsom signed a bill to give the states 500,000 or so fast food workers a raise to $20 an hour, with a new fast food council to set industry labor standards, including on wages and workplace conditions, starting next year. Members of both parties said they were confident they could win money for Ukraine in the weeks ahead, but the failure to provide any money in the bill was a reflection of diminishing Republican backing for added funding for Kyiv. It pointed to a potentially nasty fight ahead over funding Ukraines war effort, coming on the heels of a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington last month to make the case for continued U.S. support. Congress has approved about $113 billion in military, humanitarian and economic aid in four packages since the invasion by Russia, and Mr. Biden has requested another $24 billion. This bill is a victory for Putin and Putin sympathizers everywhere, said Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois, the only Democrat to vote against the bill, who said he did so because it did not include aid to Ukraine. We now have 45 days to correct this grave mistake. Hard-right Republicans refused to support the stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution, because it essentially maintained funding at levels set when Congress was under Democratic control last year. Instead of siding with his own party today, Kevin McCarthy sided with 209 Democrats to push through a continuing resolution that maintains the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer spending levels and policies, Representative Andy Biggs, Republican of Arizona, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He allowed the D.C. Uniparty to win again. Should he remain speaker of the House? The longest shutdown in American history ended on Jan. 25, 2019, under President Donald J. Trump, after 34 full days. That easily exceeded the previous record of 21 days, in 1995-96, under President Bill Clinton. In total, there have been 21 gaps in government funding since 1976, though the level of shutdown has varied. The roots of the persistent dysfunction date back to some critical decisions starting in the 1970s. Heres a look at why the American government has lurched into crisis over the budget so often since then. A Russia-friendly populist party finished first in a crowded field on Sunday in Slovakias parliamentary elections, a vote that many in Europe have seen as a bellwether of support for the war in Ukraine. The party led by Robert Fico, a pugnacious former prime minister who has vowed to stop aid to Kyiv, held almost 23 percent of the votes, with nearly all districts tallied, while a liberal party that wants to maintain robust support in the fight against Russia trailed with about 18 percent. Neither of the top two finishers Mr. Ficos populist and nominally left-wing Smer and the liberal Progressive Slovakia was close to winning a majority, leaving the shape of the next government and its policy toward Ukraine dependent on the performance of smaller parties with widely differing views on Russia and on the ability to form a coalition. A far-right party even more hostile to helping Ukraine than Mr. Ficos failed to make it into Parliament, making it difficult for anti-Ukraine forces to form a government. Ukraine aid is uncertain, as the U.S. avoids a shutdown The U.S. Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown on Saturday by passing a stopgap spending bill to temporarily keep the government open; however, the bill did not include any additional aid for Ukraine. The White House and leaders of both parties in the Senate pushed for more Ukraine funding to be included, and the failure to do so highlighted the decreasing willingness of some Republicans to fund Kyivs war effort. Members of both parties said they were confident that further financial commitments would be agreed to. Ukraines government said yesterday it was also confident that the U.S. would continue to support the country in its war with Russia. Despite the lack of additional support for Ukraine, the bill does continue funding at current levels for 45 days and wont immediately affect the pipeline of U.S. military aid. The bill also keeps in place a program to send money to Ukraine for purposes including training troops, and the Pentagon still has the authority to draw about $5.6 billion in arms and equipment from existing stockpiles. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy signaled yesterday that he was willing to make a deal to keep military assistance flowing to Ukraine, but that such an agreement would depend on Congresss making significant changes to U.S. border security. An assistant manager at a Chipotle restaurant in Kansas pulled off an employees hijab, according to a federal lawsuit that contains allegations of religious harassment that a federal official described as quite egregious. The manager, Kevin Silva Garcia, harassed a Muslim employee, Areej Saifan, multiple times in 2021 by asking to see her hair, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Saifan, who was 19 at the time, explained that removing her hijab would be akin to removing her clothing, according to the complaint. Yet the manager persisted until one day he reached out, grabbed her hijab, a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women for cultural or religious reasons, and yanked, according to the complaint. Her hair was exposed, and only the pins holding the hijab in place kept it from falling to the ground, court papers said. The Russian terrorist army is trying to strengthen its defense in the temporarily occupied Crimea. To do this, the enemy is creating additional fortifications. ADVERTISIMENT The invaders are also moving additional air defense systems to Crimea. This was reported by the National Resistance Center. Crimean partisans have recorded the construction of new fortifications on the Ukrainian peninsula. These are the so-called "dragon's teeth". In addition, there are attempts to strengthen air defense on the temporarily occupied peninsula. The Russians will pay special attention to the defense of Simferopol. "The Russian military received new orders to increase the defense capabilities of the occupation forces on the peninsula. In particular, the redeployment of air defense systems to Simferopol has been recorded," the statement said. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, the Ukrainian military has found a successful tactic for the use of Storm Shadow and SCALP cruise missiles. This is confirmed by strikes on Russian targets in the temporarily occupied Crimea. First, the Ukrainian defenders had to destroy the enemy's air defense in the west of the peninsula. It became known that the Russian occupiers are trying to "seal" Crimea and keep hostages. After a series of successful strikes on the occupiers' military infrastructure in Crimea, the situation on the peninsula has become very tense. As reported by OBOZREVATEL, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that panic in the temporarily occupied Crimea will only increase. This is because our Defense Forces are actively taking the island under fire control. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Rohit Chopra became one of the most powerful financial regulators by pairing bark with bite. As director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, he has attacked often with a hammer the perpetrators of what he considers injustices against everyday Americans. When the bureau slapped Wells Fargo last year with $3.7 billion in fines and damages for transgressions, including wrongfully seizing some borrowers homes, Mr. Chopra accused the bank of a rinse-repeat cycle of violating the law. When it sued MoneyGram that same year over delays in transmitting customers funds, Mr. Chopra said he wanted to go beyond fines and impose a punishment that would cut deeply enough to halt repeated lawbreaking. And in litigation against TransUnion, again in 2022, about deceptive sales tactics, Mr. Chopra took the rare step of targeting not just the credit reporting agency but also one of its senior executives. That aggressive approach has made Mr. Chopra a hero to consumer advocates and a scourge to the banks and other lenders his agency oversees. Wall Street may always attack the C.F.P.B., but their opposition has reached, shall we say, frenzied levels with Rohit Chopra at the helm, said Senator Sherrod Brown, the Ohio Democrat who leads the Senate Banking Committee. The Honey Pot doesnt sell douches though its intimate washes show up under the douche category on Walmarts website and says its washes, wipes and sprays are for external use only. Its labels on those products read gynecologist-approved, but the company leans on how a consumer might feel using them. (On its website, the Honey Pot highlights a clinical study of healthy women aged 18 to 75 in which 94 percent agreed that its amber sandalwood wash supposedly for balancing pH levels left them feeling clean and confident after one week of use.) Dr. Tacoma McKnight, an associate professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, said the fear of a smelly or unclean vagina has in some cases been passed down from an older generation, and now crops up on social media or blogs. Black women may receive these messages more. (In a 2002 study, 58.5 percent of Black women reported douching and 35.6 percent of Hispanic women said they did the same, compared with 26.6 percent of white women.) Its a fine line, said Dr. McKnight, that these companies take advantage of. She added: They certainly are saying the right things, because, yes, you do want people to feel good in that aisle because that aisle has notoriously been a problem one. But at the same time youre still a part of the problem. Ms. Dixon said caution was important, and that the company began third-party clinical testing of its products in 2020. We have to be conscientious of the claims that were making, she said. Not just because of regulations, but because customers pay attention. In May 2022, the Honey Pot and Ms. Dixon were the target of an onslaught of social media criticism after the company changed the formulation of its washes to include phenoxyethanol, a chemical often used in cosmetic products to give products a longer shelf life, without first informing customers. (It also removed its claims that the product was certified organic, which alarmed customers, leading Ms. Dixon to film a 14-minute Instagram apology.) We dont want to just be putting pretty labels on things and then just putting it out into the world, Ms. Dixon said. We are a very responsible brand and whatever we make has to work. Just five years ago, Wael Hana was reeling from a string of bad business deals in New Jersey, having tried to launch a truck stop, an Italian restaurant, a limousine service and other companies without ever hitting it big. Then, his friend started dating Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, one of the most powerful Democrats in the United States Senate. Soon, Mr. Hana introduced Mr. Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to a growing circle of Egyptian officials, and Mr. Hanas fortunes took a remarkable turn: He won sole control over certifying all halal food being imported into Egypt, earning enough money to bribe Mr. Menendez with gold bars and wads of cash, prosecutors said. Mr. Hana, Mr. Menendez and others are now facing charges in what prosecutors have described as a wide-ranging corruption scheme one that threatens to put an end to the senators five decades in politics. But the allegations, if true, also raise a pressing question about Mr. Hana: Was he an agent of the Egyptian government all along, or just a lucky opportunist who stumbled into a position of international influence? The F.B.I. is investigating this very question. But a New York Times examination of hundreds of pages of court filings, business records and interviews with nearly a dozen people who knew or dealt with Mr. Hana offered insights into the path he traveled during his bumpy start and meteoric rise. The more I consider the challenge posed by Christian nationalism, the more I think most observers and critics are paying too much attention to the wrong group of Christian nationalists. We mainly think of Christian nationalism as a theology or at least as a philosophy. In reality, the Christian nationalist movement that actually matters is rooted in emotion and ostensibly divine revelation, and its that emotional and spiritual movement that so stubbornly clings to Donald Trump. Three related stories illustrate the challenge. First, Katherine Stewart wrote a disturbing report for The New Republic about the latest iteration of the ReAwaken America Tour, a radical right-wing road show sponsored by Charisma News, a Pentecostal Christian publication. The tour has attracted national attention, including in The Times, and features a collection of the far rights most notorious conspiracy theorists and Christian populists. The rhetoric at these events, which often attract crowds of thousands, is unhinged. There, as Stewart reported, youll hear a pastor named Mark Burns declare, This is a God nation, this is a Jesus nation, and you will never take my God and my gun out of this nation. Youll also hear him say, I have come ready to declare war on Satan and every race-baiting Democrat that tries to destroy our way of life here in the United States of America. Youll hear the right-wing radio host Stew Peters call for Nuremberg Trials 2.0 and death for Anthony Fauci and Hunter Biden. The same speaker taunted the Fulton County, Ga., prosecutor Fani Willis by shouting: Big Fani. Big fat Fani. Big fat Black Fani Willis. Then theres Thursdays report in The Times describing how an anti-Trump conservative group with close ties to the Club for Growth is finding that virtually nothing is shaking Trump voters confidence in Trump. As the group wrote in a memo to donors, Every traditional postproduction ad attacking President Trump either backfired or produced no impact on his ballot support and favorability. Even video evidence of Trump making liberal or stupid comments failed to shake supporters faith in him. The problem is, we are being dragged around by 20 people when 200 of us are in agreement, Representative Mike Simpson, Republican of Idaho, told Carl Hulse of The Times a few days ago. As long as we let those 20 drag us around, we are going to get these kinds of results. At some point in time, youve got to say, Were done. For a while, it didnt look like Mr. McCarthy had the spine to say that. He betrayed the debt-ceiling deal he had personally negotiated with President Biden, allowing House appropriators to begin setting two-year spending targets far below the levels he had agreed to. He backed a different stopgap measure that would have shredded the social safety net and revived Trump-era policies like building hundreds of miles of border wall and denying asylum rights to many desperate migrant families. But that measure failed on the floor on Friday when the extremists voted it down, saying it didnt go far enough in cutting spending and vowing never to support any kind of stopgap measure. And so, having demonstrated to the country that his own caucus was incapable of keeping government open, Mr. McCarthy finally agreed with Mr. Simpson and said he was done. He put a bill on the floor that he knew would draw bipartisan support, one that included important disaster aid and did not slash safety net spending, and he dared his challengers to come after him. If someone wants to make a motion against me, bring it, he said on Saturday after the bill passed with a vote of 335 to 91. There has to be an adult in the room. Did he do it for pragmatic reasons, knowing that Republicans would be blamed for a shutdown and that it could hurt their chances of holding on to the House in 2024? That was the argument made to him by some of the most vulnerable House Republicans, including those in New York State. Or did he do it because in some deep place in his heart a place most despised by the hard-liners he actually didnt want a shutdown that would stop the paychecks of hundreds of thousands of federal workers, including those in the military, and damage the economy at a vulnerable moment? Im going to be a bit cynical and bet on the former explanation. But the reason doesnt matter as much as his willingness to buck the nihilist wing of the party, which has been taking dictation from Donald Trump to shut down the government in order to stop the two federal prosecutions he is facing. (A shutdown, however, would not have had any effect on those prosecutions, which are covered by a permanent allocation to the special counsels office.) Michael Sobel Brooklyn To the Editor: Nicholas Kristofs arguments for his view that parental marriage drives better outcomes for children are flawed. Mr. Kristof assumes that correlation implies causation. Children of married parents do better, therefore marriage is why they do better. For Mr. Kristofs argument to be effective, he needs both to look into counterfactual examples, and, most important, to inquire as to whether there might be other explanations. Would marrying someone who has put your child in danger be an improvement over staying single? How about marrying someone with other sociopathic tendencies? Or really bad hygiene? Or just someone with whom you are absolutely incompatible? I would suggest that all other things being equal, the answer to each is no. It might well be that the reason that children of married parents do better is that loving, financially well-resourced and responsible couples tend to choose marriage, and it is those traits, not marriage itself, that makes the difference. I think Mr. Kristof was edging toward that idea by suggesting that helping men become more marriageable might be a good idea. But encouraging other couples to marry may actually make things worse for their kids. Supplying the army quickly, often with imported items, could not easily be done otherwise: The militarys lingering post-Soviet bureaucracy makes reacting to its own soldiers needs difficult. Soldiers get kitted out with gear when they sign up, but lost or damaged items, from socks to helmets, are not automatically replaced. The Defense Ministry is busy dealing with big-ticket items, distributing tanks and heavy weapons coming in from all over the world. Thats how we, the volunteers, ended up fund-raising and supplying so many essential bits and pieces through ad hoc arrangements with parts of the Ukrainian military. In the grand scheme of things, our individual efforts are minuscule, but they are lifesaving all the same. Two of the biggest nonstate volunteer groups, Come Back Alive and the Serhiy Prytula Charitable Foundation, provide cars and armored vehicles, night- and thermal-vision instruments, drones and other items to the army. Odesa-based Wave91 alone supplies hundreds of Chinese-made Mavic camera drones and fabricates thousands of first-person-view drones. My most recent delivery was to the 3017th Military Unit of the Ukrainian National Guard. The 3017th fought for some five months in Bakhmut this year and was recently stationed near Zolochiv, north of Kharkiv, 10 miles from the Russian border. With this information in hand, I start off in a Mitsubishi pickup truck bought in Britain with money raised in Poland. The steering wheel is on the right side, but I learned to drive British-style vehicles on my last delivery, a Nissan pickup that I took to soldiers in Odesa. I pick up the vehicle in Berlin. On the Polish side of the Rava Ruska border crossing into Ukraine, I am waved through. On the Ukrainian side, the customs officers know me from previous deliveries, so things go smoothly there, too. An hour later in Lviv I meet up with Olga Shpak, a biologist specializing in whales who abandoned her research, friends and apartment in Moscow two days before the invasion to return to her native Kharkiv. She now is a representative there for another volunteer group, Assist Ukraine, co-founded by the retired NPR journalist Anne Garrels. People talk about humans living on the moon, he said. But theres another likely scenario, too. At some point on earth we are going to run out of resources. So establishing mines and fully automated factories on the moon is a possibility too. Scientists at NASA say that it is too early to consider the market value of homes on the moon, or even how an ownership structure for lunar habitats could look. But they acknowledge that the moon presents a potentially significant cache of untapped resources, and that other nations will undoubtedly be interested in a stake. India last month landed a spacecraft on the moon, earning the distinction of the first nation to ever land near the southern polar region, where the most precious of resources water is believed to be lying in wait. The achievement came just two days after a Russian craft crashed ahead of a landing attempt, after it failed to adjust to its orbit. American astronauts famously planted their flag on the moons surface in 1969, but two years earlier, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, a multilateral treaty that sits at the heart of international space law, declared that no one, in fact, can own the moon. The Artemis Accords, launched by the United States together with seven other founding nations in 2020, gave a refresh to the principles of peaceful, cooperative exploration of the moon, and are now signed by 29 countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Brazil. But notably, neither China nor Russia has signed. Defense, ownership and international claims on the moon and Mars are not the purview of NASA, Ms. Werkheiser said. But for now, she said, in this newest iteration of space race, she believes the global community feels aligned. Winning a Nobel Prize can be a life-changing event. The winners are thrust onto a world stage, and for many scientists the recognition represents the pinnacle of their careers. But what is the effect of winning such a high-profile prize on science? John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at Stanford University, wants to find out. Awards like the Nobel Prize are a major reputational tool, he said, but he questions whether they really help scientists become more productive and more impactful. In August, a team of researchers led by Dr. Ioannidis published a study in the journal Royal Society Open Science that attempted to quantify whether major awards push science forward. Using publication and citation patterns for scientists who won a Nobel Prize or a MacArthur Fellowship the so-called genius grant the team analyzed how post-award productivity is influenced by age and career stage. Overall, it found that laureates of either prize had similar or decreased impact in their field. These awards do not seem to enhance the productivity of the scientists, Dr. Ioannidis said. If anything, it seems to have the opposite effect. Three officers and a deputy chief of the police department in Baton Rouge, La., were charged with attempting to cover up their use of stun guns during a strip search inside a department restroom, the police chief said on Friday. The allegations were announced against the backdrop of a series of scandals in the department, which is the subject of an F.B.I. civil rights investigation and at least three recent federal lawsuits that say that some officers abused and humiliated detainees. The police chief, Murphy J. Paul Jr., said at a news conference on Friday that the new charges stem from a September 2020 strip search of a man who was under arrest. Lets be crystal clear: There is no room for misconduct or unethical behavior in our department, Chief Paul said. No one is above the law. On the night of October 1, the Russian terrorist army attacked Kryvyi Rih with Shahed kamikaze drones. Civilian infrastructure was destroyed. ADVERTISIMENT A fire broke out at the site of the enemy shelling. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Lysak on Telegram. According to him, the enemy's nighttime drone attack destroyed civilian infrastructure. The regional military administration noted that rescuers localized the fire at the scene. In turn, the head of the regional council, Mykola Lukashuk, noted that air defense forces shot down another attack drone over Kryvyi Rih in the morning. In addition, the occupiers attacked the Velykomykhailivka community in the Synelnykivskyi district. The enemy attack damaged a power line and a gas pipeline. Russian troops also continued to terrorize the Dnipropetrovsk region. The invaders shelled Nikopol with artillery twice. Information on the consequences of the attacks is being clarified. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, on the night of October 1, Russian occupation forces launched a massive drone attack on the Cherkasy region. The city of Uman came under attack, where industrial infrastructure was hit. It was reported that the aggressor country Russia launched Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones on Ukraine on the night of October 1. They tried to attack the Odesa region from at least three directions. As reported by OBOZREVATEL, on October 1, Russian occupation forces attacked Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia with S-300 missiles. Loud explosions were heard in the regional centers. Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! I would note that the former president is campaigning on the same promise he made in 16 that he didnt deliver on, Mr. DeSantis said. With his six or seven million figure, Mr. DeSantis was probably referring to the roughly six million people who have been caught crossing the border since 2021. That is about double the number of unauthorized immigrants who actually entered the country under Mr. Biden and are still here. Of those six million, at least 1.6 million have been allowed to stay in the country temporarily and face charges in immigration court. Officials estimate about 1.5 million others have entered the country illegally without being detained. The government estimates about 11 million undocumented people live in the country overall. Mass deportations are not as simple as the Republican contenders make them sound. Many of the people they call illegal immigrants are eligible for legal status in the United States or are already here on a legal status. An example of a legal status is Temporary Protected Status, the humanitarian benefit Mr. Biden just extended to nearly 500,000 Venezuelans who have come to the country since the spring of 2021. People who are in the country and eligible for legal status are entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge, said Greg Chen, the senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Speaker Kevin McCarthy began the final day before a government shutdown pinned against the ropes, facing dim prospects of passing any stopgap funding measure to avert the crisis that was to go into effect when the clock struck 12:01 a.m. on Sunday. He ended it still on the ropes, having bucked expectations and passed a spending bill to keep the government open through mid-November but only after being forced to turn to Democrats for help pushing through the legislation that his detractors denounced as a Republican surrender. In between, there was a game of chicken between the House and the Senate over their competing stopgap spending plans, a fire alarm pulled by a progressive congressman in the Capitol complex, a 50-minute filibuster by the House minority leader as Democrats sought more time to figure out whether they wanted to help pass Mr. McCarthys plan, and more threats by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida and his hard-right cohorts to call a vote to oust the speaker. If someone wants to make a motion against me, bring it, Mr. McCarthy said at a news conference after the stopgap spending bill passed 335 to 91, with far more Democrats than Republicans supporting it. There has to be an adult in the room. (Mr. Gaetz announced on Sunday that he would move to oust Mr. McCarthy.) It was a phrase he repeated to himself several times each day when his patience started to wane and he could feel the frustration hardening in his chest: They were all doing their best. The police officers whose active patrol force had shrunk by 20 percent to crisis levels because of attrition, recruiting challenges and the impact of calls to defund the police. The people sleeping on sidewalks as rents soared to record highs and shelters filled to capacity. The addicts who could either wait in line at 6 a.m. for the outside chance of a spot in rehab or numb their pain with another fentanyl pill for the going price of 50 cents. They were all suffering together through the morass of a damaged society. Our entire first responder system in this city, according to the people who run it, is 20 years behind the ball and critically understaffed, the mayor said last year at a City Council meeting. The city itself had increasingly turned to the same Band-Aid fix as everyone else, spending more than $4 million a year on private security guards to help protect parks, water treatment facilities, parking garages and city hall. The booming industry was nobodys idea of a perfect or comprehensive solution. More than a dozen security guards in Portland had been accused of assault or harassment, and one was convicted of murder earlier this year after fatally shooting a customer outside of a Lowes store. Guards in Oregon were sometimes trained and certified in as little as 16 hours, and more than 100 companies operated in downtown Portland on any given night under different policies and company rules. Echelon was one of the most proactive, with more than 75 guards who patrolled the city 24 hours a day. At least 400 fed-up local businesses paid Echelon a monthly fee to run interference with homeless people by building relationships, offering resources to people with addictions and mental illness, buying their breakfasts, replacing their shoes, reversing their overdoses and de-escalating their episodes of psychosis. Bocks previous security job had been at a company that stationed him outside a grocery store as a deterrent to shoplifting and told him to avoid interacting with customers. A human scarecrow, was how Bock described that role, so he chose to move to Echelon in 2021 despite the long hours and middle-class pay, because he wanted to be part of the glue that pieced his hometown back together. When the Supreme Court returns to the bench on Monday, it will face a docket filled with unfinished business. The justices will revisit issues like gun rights, government power, race and free speech even as they are shadowed by intense scrutiny of their conduct off the bench. In the coming months, moreover, the court will very likely agree to hear a major abortion case, one that could severely limit the availability of a drug used in more than half of all pregnancy terminations. A decision in that case could come in June, two years after the court overturned Roe v. Wade. Recent history suggests that the courts six Republican appointees will continue to move the law to the right. The main questions are how far, how fast and what impact the questions swirling around the justices ethical standards will have on their judicial work and personal relationships. It has been almost three years since Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court, creating a six-justice conservative supermajority. In her first full term, ending in June last year, that majority ran the table in blockbuster cases on abortion, guns, the environment and religion. Dianne Feinstein had several lifetimes worth of accomplishments by the time she died on Thursday at 90. She was pivotal in crafting a decade-long bipartisan assault weapons ban. She helped lead the congressional response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and questioned the Central Intelligence Agency for its use of torture. As mayor of San Francisco, she led her hometown through years of tumult. But for generations of women in California and beyond, her most lasting legacy was that she had accomplished it all in a world long dominated by men. She inspired women like me to leadership, said Eleni Kounalakis, 57, the lieutenant governor of California who is among the leading contenders for the states top job in 2026. Dianne broke marble ceilings for the rest of us. Outwardly formal in her public life and inwardly armed with a fierce work ethic, Ms. Feinstein showed that it was acceptable not only for a woman to wield political power, but also to want it, and to keep working to win it, even after repeated setbacks. Young people in West African capitals wave the flags at protests or as they race through cities on motorcycles. Tailors sew dozens of them a day in the narrow alleys of buzzing markets. Taxi drivers put them on their dashboards. Among the sea of flags flying high in a burst of patriotic fervor in Burkina Faso, Mali and lately Niger, countries that have recently undergone military coups, the red, white and blue flag of the Russian Federation has become commonplace. While it carries political overtones, it has emerged as a trendy accessory, much like a Che Guevara illustration a generation ago in the West. Stylish, Nana Fidaous said about the loose outfit made with Russias colors that she had donned at a recent pro-military demonstration in Nigers capital, Niamey. A high school student, Ms. Fidaous said she wasnt sure about the symbolic meaning of wearing Russias colors. But she said it was time to learn more about President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and what he could bring to Niger, which has been squeezed by sanctions and border closures by its West African neighbors in the wake of the coup. As Russia has made inroads in some West and Central African countries, its flag has been the most visible sign of a broader geopolitical shift in the region, along with Russian weapons and mercenaries. The pickup trucks rolled up one by one, ferrying a stream of animal carcasses into the show grounds. Pigs, deer, possums, even feral cats all would be weighed and showcased, the bigger animals strung on racks, the smaller ones laid out in rows that became heaps as the day went on. The event, a hunting competition on New Zealands South Island, was a family affair. A helicopter dropped candy for a lolly scramble. Nearby, younger children ran through an obstacle course carrying dead rabbits or ducks, while older children raced with a 50-pound boar on their shoulders. You have to hold its snout so that it doesnt wobble and fall off, Jo Richards said as she waited for her 9-year-old son to compete. They love it, though. Greek authorities assumed the victims were migrants because no one was looking for missing people locally. And for more than a month, their identities, and the circumstances of their deaths, remained a mystery. But over weeks of reporting, The New York Times was able to piece together previously unknown details about the groups journey in its desperate final hours. The reporting shows that at least 12 had already been captured once before by Greek border guards and turned back to Turkey. Their decision to risk the wildfire was meant to avoid recapture at any cost. They were fleeing war-ravaged Syria, seeking what they hoped would be a better life in Europe. Instead, they died on a rocky hillside, their ashes now mixed with the gray-scale landscape of Evros, where the climate crisis fueling ferocious wildfires collided with the migrant crisis that has long brought tragedy to this region. Only one body has been identified conclusively through DNA testing, because most of the close relatives of the rest live in Syria and cannot travel to provide similar tests. But interviews with Greek officials, aid workers, more than 20 relatives of the victims, and the smuggler who put them on the route, provided extensive evidence about the identities of the others. Huge crowds marched through Polands capital, Warsaw, on Sunday, converging around a giant flag commemorating a 1944 uprising against Nazi Germany, as opponents of the governing party sought to rally voters for a critical general election that they see as the last chance to save the countrys hard-won democratic freedoms. The Warsaw city government, which is controlled by the opposition, put the crowd at a million people at its peak. But state-controlled television, which mostly ignored the event, instead broadcasting a pre-election convention by the governing Law and Justice party, estimated fewer than 100,000 had turned out, citing police sources. The march was the biggest display of antigovernment sentiment since Polands Solidarity trade union movement rallied against communism in the 1980s. It set the stage for the final stretch of an increasingly nasty election campaign. Poland, bitterly polarized on everything from relations with the rest of Europe to abortion rights, will hold a general election on Oct. 15 that will decide whether the conservative Law and Justice party secures an unprecedented third term in a row in government. In a speech peppered with references to Polands past struggles for liberty, Donald Tusk, the main opposition leader, appealed for patriots to cast out a right-wing nationalist government that he said was pitting Poles against Poles, defiling the legacy of national heroes who had resisted foreign occupation. Ukraines government said on Sunday it was confident that the United States would continue to support it in its war with Russia, even after the House passed a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown that did not include any additional money for Kyiv. The White House and leaders of both parties in the Senate had pushed for more Ukraine funding to be included in the bill, which passed late Saturday. Members of both parties said they were confident that further financial commitments would be agreed to, but the failure to do so on Saturday highlighted the decreasing willingness of some Republicans to fund Kyivs war effort. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had made the case for continued U.S. support during a visit to Washington last month, and his office suggested on Sunday that it was not unduly concerned. All key partners of Ukraine are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidents office, said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, adding that the Ukrainian government meets with both Republicans and Democrats. The Ukrainian delegation returned from the United States of America with clear confidence that there are no changes in support. Ukrainian troops are using combined strikes against the Russian occupation forces to "starve and stretch the enemy's defense". This tactic will not be hampered by the fall weather. ADVERTISIMENT CNN wrote about the adaptation of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. The journalists quoted Admiral Tony Radakin, Chief of the British Defense Staff. He described the strategy of the Defense Forces against the occupiers as "starve, stretch and strike". Franz-Stephan Gadi, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and Michael Coffman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in The Economist that "the ability of Ukrainian soldiers to quickly adopt Western technology led to misplaced optimism that the time required to create cohesive combat units could be reduced." Now, according to experts, Ukrainian soldiers have returned to the style of warfare they know best. They are using small mobile infantry groups to advance in territory that is heavily fortified by the Russians. ADVERTISIMENT Last week, in an interview with CNN, Ukrainian Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, commander of the Tavria operational and strategic grouping of troops, said: "Neither the enemy nor we mainly use companies, battalions or brigades, but assault units. Groups of 10-15 people." Ukraine uses such tactics to reduce losses. "The main skill of every commander of any level is to save personnel," Tarnavsky said. In addition, this style of warfare will not be affected by the weather. "Weather can be a serious obstacle during an offensive. But given the way we are moving forward - and we are mostly moving forward without the use of equipment - I don't think it will have a big impact on this stage of the counteroffensive," the brigadier general added. CNN suggested that attacks on the rear of the Russian invaders will intensify. ADVERTISIMENT High-profile operations, such as the strikes on the Sevastopol shipyard and the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, "help to strengthen morale and remind Ukraine's allies that it is still on the front lines," the outlet said. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZREVATEL previously reported: - On the morning of October 1, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that our defenders were continuing their offensive in the Melitopol sector and offensive operations in the Bakhmut sector. - The soldiers are destroying the enemy, liberating the temporarily occupied territories step by step, and consolidating their positions. More details about the situation at the frontline can be found in the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine here. Only verified information is available on our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! On Friday, John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the Biden administration, said American officials had monitored an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks and mechanized infantry units along Kosovos border, describing it as a very destabilizing development. He called for a drawdown of Serbian forces near the border. The announcement came just a few days after ethnic Serbian gunmen stormed a village in northern Kosovo, in a violent attack that left four people dead and was largely regarded as the most serious confrontation between the two ethnic communities in recent years. Kosovo, where a majority of the population is ethnic Albanian and Muslim, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, almost a decade after a NATO bombing campaign drove Serbian forces, responsible for years of brutal mistreatment of ethnic Albanians, from Kosovo. Since then, the two countries have regularly clashed over Kosovos treatment of its minority ethnic Serb population. This was the most serious incident since the end of the war in Kosovo in June 1999, Igor Bandovic, the head of the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, said in an interview, referring to the episode in the village. Mr. Bandovic said it remained unclear whether Serbia had deployed troops near the Kosovo border after the shootout, or whether they had already been there before it. The Kosovar government said in a statement that Serbian troops had been deployed in three directions along the countrys northern and eastern borders, describing it as a new sign that Serbia wants to destabilize its former territory. The victory of Robert Fico, a former prime minister who took a pro-Russian campaign stance, in Slovakias parliamentary elections is a further sign of eroding support for Ukraine in the West as the war drags on and the front line remains largely static. Slovakia is a small country with historical Russian sympathies, and the nature of the coalition government Mr. Fico will seek to form is unclear. He may lean more toward pragmatism, as Italys far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has done since her election last year. Still, the shift in Slovakia is stark: It was the first country to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine. The election results come as disquiet over the billions of dollars in military aid that the West has provided to Ukraine over the past 19 months has grown more acute in the United States and the European Union, with demands increasing for the money to go to domestic priorities instead. House Republicans declined to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, in Washington last month, and tensions between Kyiv and the White House over Ukrainian military strategy have surfaced. In Central Europe, once the core of fierce anti-Russian sentiment among fearful frontline states that endured decades of harsh communist rule as reluctant members of the Soviet bloc, the war is now viewed with greater nuance. At least 13 people were killed on Sunday after a fire broke out in a nightclub complex in southeastern Spain, the authorities said, adding that the number of victims could rise as emergency workers continued to search through the damaged structure. The police and firefighters in Murcia, Spain, rushed to the Teatre complex, which had been subdivided into at least two nightclubs, after receiving reports of a fire around 6 a.m. local time. The Murcia municipal government declared three days of official mourning to honor those killed in the fire, the citys mayor, Jose Ballesta, wrote on social media, lowering the Spanish flag to half-staff outside the City Hall. The Spanish authorities did not immediately identify many of the victims, which officials said could require DNA testing. But they have compiled a list of 15 people whose whereabouts are unknown at this time, Diego Seral, a spokesman for the Spanish National Police, told RTVE, the countrys public broadcaster. Firefighters extinguished the blaze later Sunday morning before entering the building to search for victims, according to Murcias emergency services. The authorities also set up a relief center at a local sports venue to provide support for victims loved ones, the Spanish police said in a statement. Turkish warplanes on Sunday struck targets affiliated with a Kurdish rebel organization in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said in a statement, hours after the separatist group took responsibility for a suicide bombing that wounded two police officers in Ankara, the Turkish capital. The airstrikes destroyed 20 targets, consisting of caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses belonging to the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, or P.K.K., the ministry said. Many terrorists were neutralized, the ministry added. Earlier on Sunday and moments before Turkeys Parliament was scheduled to convene nearby, two assailants in a small commercial vehicle carried out a bombing on the national police headquarters in Ankara. One of the assailants blew himself up, and the other was killed in clashes with the police, according to Ali Yerlikaya, Turkeys interior minister, who posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Two police officers were wounded in the attack. The Russian position was marked with the blue flag of Moscows elite airborne units but the fabric looked almost translucent through the Ukrainian snipers scope. The flag, atop a Russian-occupied building in southern Ukraine, was just over a mile away. If a Russian soldier appeared, it would take roughly four seconds for the snipers large-caliber bullet to reach the mans chest. They move around in the morning and in the evening, said Bart, the leader of the four-man sniper team. They had arrived in darkness after navigating pitch-black roads, crammed into a pickup truck with its lights off. With hurried steps on broken glass, they set up their rifles at their position, known as a hide. We are living in dust, we are dying in dust, said Mehmet Icer, 48, an unemployed bus driver sitting outside his modest house while his wife fried eggplants over a wood fire. The quake had destroyed every other building in his immediate area, which was now an expanse of rubble. As the sun set, the darkness was pierced by distant lights in only a handful of apartments because everything else had been abandoned. Much about life in the city feels temporary. Families sleep in tents outside their damaged homes. Huge numbers live in drab, prefab metal structures resembling shipping containers packed together in sprawling one-story box cities, where the government provides electricity and water. Around them, shops have sprung up in yet more of the boxes lined up like train cars along the main roads. Inside them, merchants eke out a living offering everything from haircuts to driving lessons to shoes. One shop sells pet supplies. Its owner, Selman Anlar, said the quake had wrecked his home and his pet shop, so his family was sleeping in a tent. He now sells mostly birds, he said, a cheap way for families who have lost everything to add beauty to their lives. The local hotel industry association points to the fact that pickets and strikes have been intermittent. Hotels often receive no warning, either. In an interview, Peter Hillan, a spokesman, wondered whether the next request might be for earthquake and fire warnings, which seemed to suggest that I was taking hotels prediction skills to an extreme. That feels like the wrong question. The situation in Los Angeles is more akin to a hurricane watch. Its reasonable to believe that the hotels in question could experience disruption. And as the hotels do with construction that may or may not cause noise, they ought to mention labor unrest when people are booking. They could do it again in the welcome email that often comes a few days before you arrive. Marriott didnt do either for my reservation, and I did not cross the picket line. I asked a guy with a bullhorn if that was the right move, and he seemed to want to give me a hug. Indeed, boycotts were already in place. When I got to another hotel, I called the W directly to cancel my stay, and a nice person on the phone waived any charges without pushing back. My team is empowered to do whatever they need to do, said Damien Hirsch, the general manager. We all feel no reason to have you come in if you dont want to come in. THE whiskey distillery in Tullamore is set for further expansion after the purchase of another 12 acres of neighbouring land. That brings the total Tullamore DEW site size off the town bypass to 70 acres, the company has confirmed. Tullamore DEW owners William S Grant restarted distilling in the town in 2014 at a new purpose-built distillery. We started with 12 people here and now we have over 100, said Tullamore DEW global culture and distillery ambassador Kevin Pigott. Some estimates have employment at the distillery growing by as much as another 100 in the next 15 years. I don't know how many we'll have. It started slower and then we brought in the bottling, where many of the jobs are. And always in construction you get a lot of investment. And we have agency staff and contractors, said Mr Pigott. The ambition is still big, so we'll see how we go. The Tullamore site contains all three of the essential elements of the entire operation in one place distilling, maturing and bottling. The plan will be, as we grow, to add more warehousing, to expand the site and hopefully that will lead to more employment. The bigger the site gets the more people we can hire, the more people we can bring to Tullamore, and hopefully [an increased] multiplier effect. Tullamore DEW's latest marketing campaign is focussed very strongly on the character of the town which gives the whiskey its name. The original distillery was established in 1829 and the revival of distilling has boosted local tourism. Speaking last Friday, Mr Pigott said: I was talking to some of the local pubs and they say they see the people coming in and last night my guests couldn't even get a hotel in Tullamore and they stayed in the excellent B&Bs. He added: It's a good sign, because we're not now in May or June, we're in September, so long may it continue. The company said it is extraordinary that a small town like Tullamore is now producing the world's second best selling Irish whiskey, with 15.2 million cases sold at home and abroad in 2022. Business is booming, said Emma Slevin, senior brand manager. Being the world's second-largest Irish whiskey brand, we're proud of our journey, but even more proud of our roots. Tullamore is more than a name; it's our home. We wanted to share a little of what makes Tullamore town so special with the world, so we're very excited to today launch our new campaign that does just this, in countries right across the globe. Ms Slevin continued: We began crafting whiskey in Tullamore back in 1829, long before the era of push notifications and photo filters. We wanted our new campaign to highlight the enduring values that continue to drive our success. We hope it serves as a reminder of what matters in life genuine friendships, authentic conversations, and being in the moment. Cheers to that! Tullamore DEW is notably popular in areas such as the Nordic countries and in central Europe. It is the number one selling Irish whiskey in countries such as Sweden and the Czech Republic. Speaking of its popularity in Sweden, Swedish drinks aficionado and renowned content creator in his home country, Robin Bruhn said: I'm a big fan of Irish whiskey and ever since my first sip of Tullamore DEW I've always considered this to be a no fuss whiskey that never fails to impress with its unique and fruity flavour. By itself or in an Irish coffee Tullamore DEW is the whiskey I'm always recommending to buy if someone here in Stockholm asks me for the best bang for their buck Irish whiskey. A TEENAGE male who appeared before Tullamore District Court on Saturday night charged with the murder of Lorna Woodnutt was remanded to a detention centre. The teenager was brought before Judge Andrew Cody shortly before 9.30pm and Detective Sergeant Caroline Lyng gave evidence of arrest charge and caution. She told Judge Andrew Cody she had arrested the teenager at 8.20pm at Tullamore Garda station for the purpose of charge. The court heard the teenager was charged with the murder of Lorna Woodnutt at 8.50pm and the accused made no reply when charged and cautioned. He was remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre to appear again before Tullamore District Court next Wednesday at 10.15am. The solicitor who appeared for the accused, Aisling Maloney, asked that reporting restrictions be imposed. Judge Cody said the deceased had already been identified but expressed concerns that the accused could be identified by innuendo contained in some reporting. He also queried whether a video in circulation pertaining to the case contained content that could lead to the identification of the accused. After he was told this was possible, he rose for five minutes to consider the issue of reporting restriction. On his return he noted that reporting restriction under Section 93 of the Childrens Act already applied to the case. He said these reporting restrictions extend beyond newspapers, sound and television broadcasts to cover any communication to the public at large and so to information posted on social media sites. He said: It is clear that An Garda Siochana are concerned about the circulation of a video connected to this incident. A video is specifically covered by the reporting restrictions that apply to this case. I am told that this video potentially identifies the child in this case and I would remind all citizens, young and old, that the sharing of this video is a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and a fine of over 12,000. I have also been advised that the video is graphic to such an extent that it may cause harm to those who may view it particularly any children. I would therefore urge all adults and parents of children who may possess this video to ensure it is deleted and without further delay and ensure it is not circulated any further. The murder charge follows the discovery of a body of a woman at her home in Offaly on Friday. The Smer party, led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico, won the early parliamentary elections on September 30 in Slovakia. The politician is known for his pro-Russian stance and opposes helping Ukraine in the war with Russia. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the local edition of The Slovak Spectator. It is noted that the political party won only a little over 23% of the vote, which, however, became its ticket to parliament. According to estimates, the pro-European party Progressive Slovakia, led by Vice President of the European Parliament Michal Simecka, came in second with 17%. Peter Pellegrini's Voice party came in third with 15%. On the eve of the election, the country's Defense Minister Martin Sklenar expressed his belief that the Slovak people would "cast their votes in favor of the country's Euro-Atlantic orientation." However, Fico won. His pro-Russian views correspond to the mood in Slovak society, which has traditionally been relatively positive toward the aggressor country of Russia. It is these sentiments that strengthened pro-Russian narratives and disinformation on social media before the election. ADVERTISIMENT In his election programs, Fico promised to stop supplying military aid to Ukraine, and also said that he wanted to call on Kyiv and Moscow to hold "peace talks." The politician harshly criticized sanctions against Russia, spoke out against LGBTQ+ rights, and defended the national veto in the European Union. This rhetoric of the Slovak ex-premier is very close to his Hungarian counterpart and friend of Russian dictator Putin, the scandalous Viktor Orban. ADVERTISIMENT The election campaign in Slovakia was described by experts and politicians as "highly polarized" and "marked by a flood of disinformation" online. Voting results showed that the pro-European political party performed well in the capital Bratislava. However, this was not enough to get a majority of votes at the national level. As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, Dmytro Tuzhansky, director of the Institute for Central European Strategies, warned that Slovakia could become the Kremlin's mouthpiece in the EU and NATO under Robert Fico's presidency. At the same time, he is convinced that the Smer party will not be able to form a coalition Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Caught On Camera: Man Crushed To Death In Bengaluru After Intense Car Chase On Busy Road Nagabhushana's Car Hits A Couple, Woman Killed; Actor Arrested: Pics From Accident Spot Bengaluru oi-Prakash KL Kannada actor Nagabhushana has been arrested by the Bengaluru cops after his car hit a couple on the Vasanthapura Main Road on Saturday evening. The deceased has been identified as 48-year-old Prema while her husband 58-year-old Krishna's condition is critical. The car bearing registration number KA 09 MG 5335 hit them when they were walking on a footpath. The actor was heading towards Konanakunte from Uttarahalli around 9.45 pm. The accident occurred in the Kumaraswamy Police Station limits. Reports have claimed that he took the injured people to the hospital. While Prema died during the treatment, her husband is battling for life. Oneindia has got access to the couple's photo and pictures from the spot. The actor has been arrested and he is expected to be produced before the court shortly. The cops have confirmed that the actor was not drunk at the time of the incident. "Have sent his blood sample for an alcohol test. With our breath analyzer device, we didn't find traces of alcohol," India Today quoted Shiva Prakash D, DCP Traffic South, as saying. A case has been filed for reckless and rash driving under IPC Sections 279 (rash driving on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 304(A) (causing death by negligence) after the victim's son Partha lodged a complaint. "I work at a company and my parents stay with me. On September 30 around 10 pm I was on Kanakapura road when I got a call from a person staying in my apartment. He told me that my parents have met with an accident. They said that a car hit them both," Hindustan Times quoted Partha as saying. "I went to the hospital. The doctors said that my mother's face and head were severely injured. She died on her way to the hospital," he added. IND vs SL: How have India and Sri Lanka fared against each other in World Cups? Players to watch out for Shocking News: Afghanistan Embassy in India Announces Closure Effective October 1, 2023! The Afghanistan Embassy based in New Delhi has announced that it will cease operations starting from October 1, 2023. The embassy cites lack of support from the host government and failure to meet expectations as primary reasons for this decision. India -Krishna Kripa The Embassy of Afghanistan in India, located in New Delhi, announced on September 30 that it will be ceasing its operations from October 1, 2023. The decision was made due to a lack of support from the host government and an inability to serve Afghanistan's interests effectively. This is coupled with a reduction in personnel and resources which has further hampered their capacity to function. With profound sadness and regret, the embassy conveyed its disappointment at this unfortunate turn of events. It stated that despite the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India, they have been compelled to take this step after careful consideration. Key Factors Influencing Closure The statement issued by the Afghan embassy detailed key factors affecting its ability to continue operations effectively. These were identified as primary reasons for closure. A notable absence of crucial support from the Indian government was cited as one of these factors. This lack of support allegedly hindered the embassy's ability to carry out duties effectively. Besides this, failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistans interests also counted among reasons leading up to this decision. The embassy acknowledged shortcomings on their part but implied that external circumstances significantly contributed towards making their mission untenable. A Historic Partnership Under Strain This development comes as a blow considering the traditionally close relationship shared between India and Afghanistan over decades. As two neighbouring countries with shared cultural heritage and common strategic interests, both nations have enjoyed mutual cooperation across various sectors including trade, education, defence and diplomacy. Uncertain Future Ahead This abrupt cessation raises questions about future diplomatic relations between India and Afghanistan under current geopolitical conditions. While it is still uncertain how this situation will impact ongoing projects or bilateral agreements between both countries; it certainly casts a shadow on future collaborations until issues are resolved satisfactorily. In conclusion, the closure of the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi marks a significant setback in Indo-Afghan relations. The reasons cited - lack of support from the host government and failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests - highlight serious concerns that need immediate attention. It underscores the need for both nations to revisit their diplomatic ties and work towards resolving existing issues, thereby strengthening their historic partnership. Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi Announces Closure Due to Lack of Support Owing to a lack of support from the host government, inability to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests, and reduction in personnel and resources, the Afghanistan embassy has decided to cease its operations starting October 1, 2023. India -Krishna Kripa In a recent development, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi has announced its decision to cease operations from October 1, 2023. The embassy cited lack of support from the host government, failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests and a reduction in personnel and resources as primary reasons for the closure. End of an Era The announcement came on Saturday night, marking an end to a long-standing diplomatic relationship between India and Afghanistan. In its statement, the embassy expressed profound sadness, regret and disappointment over this decision. "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," read part of their official statement. A Carefully Considered Decision The embassy was keen to emphasize that this move was not taken lightly but after careful consideration. They acknowledged the historic ties and long-standing partnership between both nations while announcing their decision. This serves as an indicator of how dire circumstances must have become for such drastic measures to be deemed necessary. Key Factors Leading To Closure The embassy outlined key factors which had affected its ability to continue functioning effectively leading up till now. Primary among these was what they perceived as a lack of crucial support from India's government which they felt hindered their ability to carry out duties effectively. Besides alleging insufficient backing from India's side, another reason stated by them for ceasing operations was their inability to fulfill expectations regarding serving Afghanistan's interests. The details regarding how exactly these expectations were not met remain unclear; however it seems clear that there were significant challenges faced by them due largely in part due to reductions in personnel and resources available at their disposal. Implications For Bilateral Relations This unfortunate turn of events could potentially strain bilateral relations between India and Afghanistan. The closure of the embassy not only signifies a breakdown in diplomatic communications but also raises questions about future cooperation and engagements between both nations. In conclusion, the cessation of operations by the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi is a significant development that could have far-reaching implications on Indo-Afghan relations. It highlights serious issues like lack of support from host government, inability to serve national interests effectively and resource constraints faced by diplomatic missions. As we move forward, it remains to be seen how these developments will shape the course of India's relationship with Afghanistan. Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Yogi Adityanath And Many Others Join PM Modi's 'Swacchta Hi Seva' Campaign India oi-Stuti Tripathi Leaders from various regions of the country enthusiastically participated in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' drive as part of PM Modi's 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign on Sunday. This was in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a nationwide cleanliness drive on 1st October. High-profile leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP Chief JP Nadda, and several Union ministers and MPs, enthusiastically engaged in cleanliness drives across the nation under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' initiative. Images captured Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Chief Minister of Gujarat sweeping the streets in Ahmedabad alongside fellow leaders. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also took part in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Sitapur, while UP BJP Chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary led the drive under the 'Garbage Free India - Clean India' campaign. In the national capital, BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi actively participated in the 'Swachhata Abhiyan' (cleanliness drive). BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad joined a cleanliness drive organized under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Patna. He emphasized the national importance of Swachh Bharat and highlighted the participation of advocates in the drive."It is a national program. Advocates also took part in the drive. I am going to Kalighat Patna and will participate in the cleanliness campaign. Swachh Bharat is important for the country," said the BJP leader as per a report quoting him in TOI. The Ministry of Jal Shakti issued an official statement stating that Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat led a cleanliness drive from Chhath Ghat, ITO in Delhi, as part of the ongoing 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign."The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat along with Senior officials of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to participate in 'Shramdaan for Swachhata' under the 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' initiative of the Prime Minister, and as part of ongoing 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign," as per the statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon citizens across the country to participate in a cleanliness drive starting at 10 am on 1st October, stressing that Swachh Bharat is a collective responsibility. PM Modi posted on social media handle X, "1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavor to usher in a cleaner future," PM Modi himself joined Ankit Baiyanpuriya, former wrestler and fitness influencer, for the cleanliness drive. He posted on his social media handle X, "Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! @baiyanpuria Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! @baiyanpuria pic.twitter.com/gwn1SgdR2C Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2023 On the 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, "A big event on cleanliness is going to be organized on October 1 that is on Sunday at 10 am. You too should take your time and help in this campaign related to cleanliness. You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighborhood, or at a park, river, lake, or any other public place." as per the TOI report. The 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a significant cleanliness initiative coinciding with the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. It serves as a prelude to the 'Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva' 2023 campaign. PM Modi's call for one hour of 'Shramdaan for swachhata' at 10 am on 1st October was met with enthusiasm from netizens. Every town, Gram Panchayat, and various government sectors, including civil aviation, railways, and public institutions, are facilitating cleanliness events led by citizens. As per reports, a dedicated portal has been established to help organizations organize different events and invite influencers and citizens to join as Swachhata Ambassadors. People can click and upload their pictures on this portal marking their presence. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2nd October 2014, with an aim to make the country open defecation-free and achieve universal sanitation coverage. In 2021, PM Modi launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 to make all Indian cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure.' PM Modi has encouraged people to actively participate in the cleanliness campaign, which is a significant step toward realizing Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean India. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 16:30 [IST] Curtailment of AFSPA is the culmination of a string of relentless efforts Assam Removes AFSPA From 4 Districts, Extends To Four More Districts For Six Months India oi-Sushmita Halder The Assam administration has decided to eliminate the implementation of the disputed Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in four districts and extend its duration by six months in four different districts. Gyanendra Pratap Singh, the Director General of Police, declared the decision at an event commemorating Assam Police Day in Guwahati on Sunday. However, the enactment of AFSPA requires notification from the state government or Centre. "From today, only four districts in the state will have AFSPA. They are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Charaideo," the DGP said while adding that four districts, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao have been removed from its purview. The prohibited United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), which operates from areas in Myanmar, remains operative in the four districts, where the law will persist in its imposition. AFSPA provides extensive authority to the military to conduct searches, detain or arrest, and even fire if necessary, to uphold law and order in regions designated as "disturbed". The AFSPA was initially implemented throughout Assam in 1990, at the height of insurgency by ULFA. From then on, it has been renewed every six months, with certain regions being exempted following an evaluation of the local law and enforcement circumstances. Last year in April, the Centre lifted the enforcement of AFSPA in Assam, excluding 9 districts and one sub-section within a district. By October last year, the extent of the law was narrowed down to eight districts. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 21:29 [IST] Bhadohi Police Cracks Down on Noise Pollution: 14 DJ Operators Booked Bhadohi Police has booked 14 DJ operators for causing noise pollution during the Ganesh idol immersion and Barawafat processions. The DJs allegedly violated the norms by installing oversized sound boxes on their vehicles and played extremely loud music, which affected public health and damaged power lines, poles, and public property. India -Krishna Kripa In the town of Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh, a case of noise pollution has led to legal action against 14 Disc Jockey (DJ) operators. The local police force has taken this step following complaints about excessive loud music during two religious processions - Ganesh idol immersion on September 28 and Barawafat on September 29. These DJs are accused of violating norms by using sound equipment that was significantly larger than the vehicles they were installed upon. Excessive Noise and Public Health Concerns The DJ operators allegedly used oversized sound boxes, woofers, and loudspeakers which produced volume levels detrimental to public health. In addition to causing noise pollution, these actions have also resulted in damage to power lines, poles, and other public property due to the large size and number of sound machines being fitted onto the DJ vehicles. This disregard for community safety standards is what prompted law enforcement authorities to take strict legal action. Legal Action Against Violators A formal case has been registered against these 14 DJ operators and their owners based on a complaint lodged by Mahesh Kumar Singh, who is in charge at Katra police outpost. Station House Officer Ajay Kumar Seth from Kotwali police station confirmed this development. The individuals involved have been booked under sections 188 (disobedience of order duly promulgated by public servant) and section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery). This incident underscores an ongoing issue with noise pollution during festive celebrations throughout India. While such events are integral parts of cultural expression within communities, it becomes necessary for law enforcement agencies to ensure that they do not infrally upon regulations or compromise public welfare. Noise Pollution: A Growing Concern Noise pollution is increasingly recognized as a significant environmental problem in India, especially during festivals and religious processions. The use of loud music systems not only disrupts the peace but also has potential health implications. Prolonged exposure to high decibel levels can lead to hearing loss, stress, sleep disturbances and other health issues. Furthermore, this case in Bhadohi brings attention to another aspect of noise pollution - the damage caused by oversized sound equipment on public infrastructure. This is an additional burden on public resources which could be avoided through adherence to set regulations. Conclusion In conclusion, it is essential for both authorities and citizens alike to respect laws governing noise levels during community events. While celebrations are a crucial part of societal life, they should not come at the cost of public health or property. Cases like the one in Bhadohi serve as reminders that while enjoying cultural festivities is important, maintaining civic responsibility and adhering to legal guidelines are equally vital for sustainable coexistence within communities. CBI Arrests 6 For Killing Two Manipur Students India oi-Prakash KL The CBI on Sunday arrested six people in connection with the horrific murder case of two students in Manipur in June. The six include two men and two women, according to a report in NDTV. Also, the authorities have detained two other girls. "I'm pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today. As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law. We are committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, for the heinous crime they have committed," Manipur CM Biren Singh said on X. The four, including the wife of the main accused, were taken "outside the state" by a special flight, Singh said. Officials of the chief minister's secretariat said two minor girls, aged 11 and 9 years, were detained in connection with the case but they were released later. The two are daughters of the main accused, according to a report in PTI. "The CBI arrested four people from Henglep area of Churachandpur district for the murder of the two youths. They were outside the state by a special flight," the chief minister told a press conference. Photos of the bodies of the two students - Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17) - who were missing since July 6, were shared widely on social media on Monday, sparking fresh rounds of protests in the state. The state government in consultation with the home ministry referred the matter to the CBI which immediately dispatched a team of officials led by the agency's second in command Bhatanagar to probe the crime. One of the two photos purportedly showed the students with two armed men and the other was of two bodies. Police had previously said the whereabouts of the two were not known and their mobile phones were found switched off. The last location of their mobile phones was traced to Lamdan, near the winter flower tourist spot in Churachandpur district. During the operation leading to their arrest, personnel of the Army, paramilitary forces such as BSF, CRPF and the state police played a major role, the Chief Minister said. Centre's Pollution Control Action Plan, GRAP Implemented In Delhi From Today| Details India oi-Stuti Tripathi The Centre's Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into effect in Delhi on Sunday as a measure to combat air pollution. GRAP is a comprehensive set of anti-air pollution measures typically implemented in Delhi-NCR during the winter season. Unlike previous years when GRAP was implemented as an emergency response owing to the deteriorating air quality, this time, the government initiated it preemptively. However, the different stages of the action plan will be activated only if the air quality reaches extremely poor levels. ANI quoted Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai saying, "In view of the possibility of an increase in pollution level in winter, GRAP has been implemented in Delhi from today... Implementation of the GRAP system is our priority under the Winter Action Plan... There are a total of four stages of GRAP. After AQI reaches the poor category, measures will be taken as per the steps of GRAP. Currently, AQI in Delhi is below 200... As the situation would change, the rules of GRAP would get stricter..." WHAT IS GRADED RESPONSE ACTION PLAN (GRAP)? The Graded Response Action Plan consists of various anti-air pollution measures traditionally rolled out in Delhi-NCR during winter. Last year, and again in July this year, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), an autonomous body dedicated to improving air quality in Delhi and its neighboring regions, introduced crucial changes to GRAP. The latest amendments include strict regulations on the operation of outdated vehicles and a complete prohibition on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants, and hotels when the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 200. Under the revised plan, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers will be promptly banned in Delhi and surrounding areas, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), when the AQI surpasses 400. In 2022, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body formed in 2021, made amendments to GRAP to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air pollution measures based on forecasts up to three days in advance. Previously, these measures, such as construction bans, restrictions on high-emission vehicles, and limitations on coal and firewood usage, were only enforced after pollution levels reached a specific threshold. GRAP HAS FOUR STAGES: GRAP for the NCR is divided into four stages, each corresponding to varying levels of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage 1: 'Poor' (AQI 201-300) Stage 2: 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400) Stage 3: 'Severe' (AQI 401-450) Stage 4: 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450) The revised GRAP emphasizes stricter compliance with Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal directives regarding outdated diesel and petrol vehicles during Stage 1. It also mandates a complete ban on coal and firewood usage in eateries, restaurants, and hotels once the AQI crosses the 200-mark, a measure that was previously implemented under Stage 2. New measures introduced as part of the updated GRAP include "stringent actions to curb air pollution at all identified hotspots in the region during Stage 2." In Stage 3, states will need to enforce strict restrictions on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and the surrounding areas. In such cases, authorities may consider suspending in-person classes in schools for children up to Class 5, as suggested by CAQM. When the AQI exceeds 450, four-wheelers registered outside Delhi, except electric vehicles and those using CNG and BS-VI diesel, will not be allowed to enter Delhi. However, vehicles carrying essential goods or providing essential services will be exempted. All other measures implemented under different stages of GRAP will continue. According to reports quoting CAQM, Delhi-NCR recorded an average AQI of 167 from January 1 to September 30, the second-best in six years for the corresponding period. The only better air quality was observed during the pandemic-affected year of 2020. In 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018, the average AQI during this period ranged from 180 to 193. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 15:00 [IST] CM Yogi Adityanath Lauds Critical Role of Police Telecom in Information Dissemination Speaking at the foundation day event of the Police Telecommunication Department, CM Yogi Adityanath emphasized its crucial role in gathering and disseminating important information. He also commended their work during Kumbh Mela 2019 and their excellent coordination with various departments. India -Krishna Kripa On Sunday, October 1st, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Lucknow emphasized the significant role played by the Police Telecom Department in gathering crucial information and ensuring its accurate dissemination. He was speaking at the foundation day event of the Police Telecommunication Department. The Role of Technology in Law Enforcement In his address, Adityanath stated that history has shown that any force equipped with proper training, tools, and weapons invariably emerges victorious. He highlighted how this principle applies to law enforcement agencies too. The effectiveness of these agencies is largely dependent on their ability to gather relevant data and share it accurately across various platforms. This is where departments like Police Telecommunications play a vital role. "Telecommunication Department plays a big role in obtaining other important information and delivering accurate information to all the places," he said during his speech at the event held at the Police Radio Headquarters. Acknowledging Achievements At this event, Chief Minister Adityanath was presented with Guard of Honour before inaugurating JC Bose Technology Exhibition. His opening remarks included extending best wishes for events scheduled from October 1st to October 3rd marking Foundation Day. Adityanath also took time to commend the state police's work during Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in 2019. The effective use of technology by police officers during this event had caught national attention and received widespread appreciation. "The way the police conducted their work using latest technology was noticed and appreciated by the entire nation," he noted. Praise for Inter-Departmental Coordination Besides acknowledging individual department efforts, Adityanath praised inter-departmental coordination as well. In particular, he hailed excellent collaboration between different departments within law enforcement agencies a factor that significantly contributes to their overall efficacy. "Adityanath also praised the work done by the Police Radio Department and hailed their excellent coordination with various departments," he said, highlighting the importance of seamless communication within law enforcement agencies for effective policing. Conclusion In conclusion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's address at the foundation day event underscored the vital role technology and inter-departmental cooperation play in modern law enforcement. By lauding both individual efforts as well as collaborative initiatives, he emphasized how these factors contribute to an effective police force - one that can ensure public safety while maintaining high standards of professionalism and efficiency. Four Arrested by CBI for Kidnapping and Murder of Two Manipuri Youths; Government Promises Maximum Punishment The CBI has arrested four individuals, including the wife of the primary suspect, related to the abduction and murder of two young people from Manipur. In response to these arrests, tribal organizations based in Churachandpur have called for strikes. The victims had been missing since July 6th before their bodies were discovered on September 25th which sparked violent student protests. India -Krishna Kripa The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended four individuals in relation to the abduction and subsequent murder of two young Manipuri citizens, according to a statement by Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday, October 1st. The accused quartet was transported "outside the state" via a special flight, as per Singh's declaration. Among those arrested is the spouse of the primary suspect. Minors Detained and Released In addition to these arrests, two minor girls aged 11 and 9 were temporarily detained in connection with this case before being released. These children are reportedly daughters of the main accused. Representatives from the chief ministers secretariat confirmed this information. Tribal Organizations Protest Arrests In reaction to these arrests, several tribal organizations based in Churachandpur have called for bandhs - general strikes or shutdowns - starting from Monday. These groups are protesting against what they perceive as an unjust detention and demanding their release. Details about Victims The victims at the core of this case are Phijam Hemanjit, a man aged 20 years old, and Hijam Linthoingambi, a girl just 17 years old. They had been reported missing since July 6th earlier this year. On September 25th photos emerged showing their bodies which sparked violent protests primarily driven by student groups. CBI Intervention "The CBI arrested four people from Henglep area of Churachandpur district for the murder of these two youths," said Chief Minister Singh confirming that CBI intervention had taken place due to severity and sensitivity involved in this case. This incident has caused widespread shock and outrage across Manipur leading to heightened tensions among the local communities. The Chief Minister assured that the government will ensure maximum punishment for those found guilty in this case, signaling a zero-tolerance approach towards such heinous crimes. In conclusion, while these arrests mark progress in bringing justice to the victims and their families, it is clear that they have also stirred up significant discord among certain tribal groups. It remains to be seen how authorities navigate this delicate situation moving forward. The violent reactions from students and other sections of society indicate just how deeply this incident has affected Manipur's people. As investigations continue under CBI supervision, all eyes will remain on how justice is served in this tragic case. A historic moment unfolded today at the 25th Annual General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as Dahshur in Giza Governorate and Siwa in Matrouh Governorate clinched the coveted title of UNWTO Best Tourism Villages for the year 2023. 'Glasgow Gurudwara Strongly Condemns' Incident Denying Indian Envoy's Entry India oi-Stuti Tripathi The Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha has issued a statement strongly condemning the incident when Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Dorwaiswami was prevented from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow, Scotland, by Khalistani extremists on Friday. In their statement, Glasgow Gurdwara expressed their strong disapproval of such disorderly behavior that disrupted the tranquil atmosphere of a Sikh place of worship. "Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship," they said in their statement. They recounted the events of 29th September, explaining that individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt Dorwaiswami's visit. The Gurudwara said, "After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter" The press statement further said, "The Gurudwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith." On 29th September, Dorwaiswami's visit was obstructed by a group of alleged Khalistani British Sikh activists who made it clear that he was "not welcome." The Indian envoy had a scheduled meeting with the Gurdwara committee of the Glasgow Gurdwara on Albert Drive, which led to a confrontation with these activists. In response to this incident, India officially raised the matter with the United Kingdom on Saturday, urging action against those responsible for the disruption. The High Commission of India in London issued a statement, highlighting that three individuals from outside Scotland deliberately disrupted the envoy's visit. It also noted that one of the men attempted to forcibly open the envoy's car door, a matter that warrants police consideration. This incident occurred against the backdrop of a significant diplomatic dispute between India and Canada concerning the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in earlier in June this year. Journalism Seminar Calls For Law To Protect Truth-Seeking Reporters And Censure Fake News Peddlers A seminar organized by the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) discussed challenges facing media today, including protection of truth-seeking journalists and curbing fake news. Participants also advocated for a central law to address these issues, as well as setting up a media commission. India -Krishna Kripa In the heart of India's capital city, New Delhi, a significant gathering took place on October 1. Journalists and experts from various fields congregated to deliberate on the challenges that media faces daily. The seminar was organised under the auspices of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and called for a central law to protect truth-seeking journalists while censuring those who peddle fake news. The attendees at this all-India seminar also advocated for setting up a media commission - a long-standing demand within journalistic circles in India. They argued that though the Press Council of India is constitutionally strong, it lacks the authority vested in a commission. Indian Journalists Union: A Beacon For Truthful Journalism The Indian Journalists Union (IJU), which organised this national-level seminar, has been instrumental in raising awareness about challenges confronting media at all levels. S N Sinha, seminar coordinator and former IJU president said in his statement that they are keen on bringing these issues within the ambit of law to protect truth-seeking journalists and censure fake news peddlers. A Brainstorming Session To Address Media Challenges In an intense brainstorming session spanning nearly three hours, representatives from over a dozen states and union territories discussed various obstacles faced by print, electronic, and social media. They deliberated upon finding ways to shield genuine journalists from harassment, intimidation, violence while considering their financial welfare as well. Calling For A Central Law And Media Commission The need for a central law became evident during discussions at this event. Such legislation would ensure protection for journalists pursuing truthful reporting against potential harm or intimidation tactics often employed by those opposed to ethical journalism practices. Furthermore, it was proposed that establishing a dedicated media commission could help uphold journalistic standards more effectively than existing bodies, given its higher authority. The seminar served as a platform for journalists and experts to voice their concerns about the current state of media in India. It highlighted the urgent need for legal protections and institutional mechanisms to safeguard journalistic integrity against the increasing threat of fake news and unethical practices in journalism. Conclusion: A Call To Action For The Indian Media In conclusion, this seminar underscored the challenges faced by media professionals on a daily basis. The call for a central law is not just about protecting journalists but also about preserving truth in an era increasingly dominated by misinformation. The proposal to establish a media commission echoes the demand for stronger oversight over journalistic standards and practices. As one of the pillars of democracy, it's crucial that the media maintains high ethical standards while navigating through these challenging times. This event was a step forward towards achieving that objective, providing much-needed discourse on issues affecting contemporary Indian journalism. India To Send Man To Moon By 2040, Space Station To Set Up By 2035: PMO ISRO Confirms Aditya-L1's Journey Beyond Sphere Of Earth's Influence| Details India oi-Stuti Tripathi The Aditya-L1 spacecraft has achieved a remarkable milestone, venturing beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometers from Earth, effectively breaking free from Earth's 'sphere of influence'. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it is currently on its trajectory toward the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1). ISRO on social media site X said, "The spacecraft has travelled beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometres from Earth, successfully escaping the sphere of Earth's influence. It is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1)" ISRO proudly continued to say, "This is the second time in succession that ISRO could send a spacecraft outside the sphere of influence of the Earth, the first time being the Mars Orbiter Mission." Aditya-L1 Mission: The spacecraft has travelled beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometres from Earth, successfully escaping the sphere of Earth's influence. It is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This is the second time in succession that ISRO (@isro) September 30, 2023 WHAT NEXT FOR ADITYA-L1: Aditya-L1 will be positioned in a 'Halo orbit' around the Sun-Earth L1 point, located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, constituting just about 1% of the Earth-Sun distance. Lagrange points, also referred to as libration points, are extraordinary positions in space where the gravitational forces of two massive celestial bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, precisely balance the centripetal force required for a smaller object, like a spacecraft, to maintain its position. This unique characteristic of Lagrange points makes them ideal locations for spacecraft, as they minimize the need for orbit corrections and, consequently, reduce fuel requirements. WHY ISRO WANTS TO STUDY THE SUN: The Aditya-L1 mission is driven by four primary scientific objectives: -Gaining insights into coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. -Understanding the initiation of Coronal Mass Ejection, flares, and near-Earth space weather. -Investigating the coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere. -Examining solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy. WHAT IS ADITYA-L-1: Launched on 2nd September, ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission holds the distinction of being India's maiden venture dedicated to studying the Sun, with a specific focus on the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona of the Sun. The mission boasts a total of seven distinct payloads, with five developed by ISRO and two in collaboration with academic institutes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 12:06 [IST] Manipur Situation 'Tragic', Need A 'Just Power Sharing Arrangement': Netaji's Grand Nephew Sugata Bose India oi-PTI Describing the situation in Manipur as "tragic", Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew Prof Sugata Bose called for working out a "just power-sharing arrangement" in the northeastern state in order to bring all three communities - Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas -on the same page. Bose, who was earlier a Lok Sabha MP, pointed out in an interview to PTI that members of all the three communities had joined Netaji's INA in 1944 and fought shoulder to shoulder in the battlefields of Bishnupur and Ukhrul districts in an advance into India. He said there was a need "to work out a just power-sharing arrangement in Manipur (which would engage all three communities and address their grievances)." "We need to draw upon the best legacy of the past armed struggle against the British to bring the three communities together again," added Bose, who holds the Harvard University's Gardiner chair in history. The Meiteis account for 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts surrounding Imphal. "The situation in Manipur is truly tragic... for short-term political gains, one community has been played against the other. That kind of political game must stop," Netaji's grand-nephew said. For the last five months, Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. Initial grievances and accusations include bulldozing of villages, which had sprung up on forest lands, and an Imphal High Court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on demands for scheduled tribe status for Meiteis, which the tribal communities resented. These were compounded by rival accusations of ethnic cleansing and involvement in the drug trade by both communities. "Manipur, along with the rest of the northeast, should be given a voice in decision making at the Centre," Bose said. He recounted that a large number of Manipuri youth from Kuki, Meitei and Naga communities joined the INA in its march towards Imphal. Of these volunteer soldiers, 15 Manipuri young men and two women joined other INA troops in the retreat to Rangoon, suffering hardships as they fought a gallant rear guard action against seasoned British troops. "These freedom fighters from Manipur included M Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of Manipur after Independence," Bose pointed out. INA's advance nearly 80 years ago had been three-pronged - the Gandhi brigade led by Col Inayat Jan Kiyani moved into the hills of Palal and Tengnoupal, east of Imphal; Col Shah Nawaz Khan led the Subhas Brigade into Ukhrul, while Col Shaukat Malik led the Bahadur group into Moirang in Bishnupur district, just 40 km from Imphal town. Colonel Shakuat Malik raised the tricolor at Moirang in Bishnupur district on April 14, 1944 with help from Koering Singh and Naqi Ahmed Chaudhary, a Manipuri Muslim. There is also a version that Netaji Subhas Bose visited an INA camp near Churachandpur, a largely Kuki-dominated town in July 1944, to visit his frontline troops and interacted with villagers there. The region where INA first entered the country has since then been largely a backwater for independent India. Cut off from the rest of India by Bangladesh, except through the 'Chicken's Neck Corridor' in West Bengal's Siliguri, northeast India has faced insurgencies, race riots compounded with increasing population pressure and few job opportunities. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 12:41 [IST] Khap Threatens Demonstration Outside Kejriwal's House Over Unfulfilled Promises At the mahapanchayat held by Palam 360 Khap, several demands were raised including jobs for villagers, plots for self-reliance and tax relief. They threatened to demonstrate outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's house and gherao offices of AAP MLAs if these demands are not met before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. India -Krishna Kripa The Palam 360 Khap, a traditional social organization in India, issued a stern warning to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on October 1. The Khap threatened to stage protests outside the Chief Minister's residence and gherao offices of AAP Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), if their demands were not met before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The declaration was made at a mahapanchayat held by the khap at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. During this gathering, several demands were raised by members of the khap. These included employment opportunities for villagers, allocation of plots to make them self-reliant, and relief from various taxes and fees such as house tax, conversion charge, and parking fee. Addressing Rural Concerns The purpose behind organizing this mahapanchayat was to discuss the rights of villagers residing in and around Delhi. The imposition of various taxes along with rules and regulations including house tax and building bye-laws have been causing distress among these communities. The rural population is seeking an alleviation from these burdensome policies that are hampering their daily lives. Ultimatum Issued Surendra Solanki, chief of Palam 360 Khap announced during the mahapanchayat that if their demands are not fulfilled before the Lok Sabha elections take place, they would escalate their protest actions against AAP MLAs. This could include staging demonstrations outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence or even encircling MLA offices a form of protest known as 'gherao'. Demand for Policy Changes In addition to these immediate concerns related to taxation and job creation, Solanki also voiced demands for broader policy changes. The khap is seeking freedom from building bye-laws, a revised and farmer-friendly land pooling policy, and the notification of Master Plan 2041. These changes are seen as crucial to ensuring the long-term well-being and development of rural communities. In an attempt to have their concerns addressed, Solanki stated that they have already initiated discussions with Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena over their demands. They have also been in contact with leaders from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a major political party in India. Conclusion The ultimatum issued by Palam 360 Khap underlines the growing discontent among rural communities in the peripheries of Delhi due to what they perceive as unfair policies and lack of attention towards their needs. As India prepares for its upcoming Lok Sabha elections, it remains to be seen how AAP responds to these demands and whether any substantial action will be taken to address these issues before voting day arrives. Rajasthan Government Steps Up: Provides Job for Tribal Woman Victim The Rajasthan cabinet has taken a landmark decision to provide a government job to a tribal woman who was maltreated in Dhariyawad. This is part of several decisions made during their meeting which also included forming an organization called RLSDC and approving Renewable Energy Policy-2023. India -Krishna Kripa On October 1, the Rajasthan cabinet made a significant decision to provide a government job for a tribal woman who was subjected to brutal treatment by her husband in Dhariyawad, Pratapgarh district last month. This move is seen as an important step towards ensuring justice and social rehabilitation for the victim. Rajasthan Cabinet's Decision The cabinet meeting held on Sunday night resulted in several key decisions, one of which strongly condemned the Dhariyawad incident. In addition to expressing their disapproval of such heinous acts, they also cleared a proposal to appoint the victim as a fourth-grade employee. As per the official statement released post-meeting, "The victim will be appointed to the post of Class IV employee in a local government school." The objective behind this decision is not only providing financial stability but also enabling social rehabilitation for the woman who has suffered immensely. In order to facilitate this appointment, relaxation has been provided in certain rules. The statement further clarified that "The Cabinet has approved the proposal for appointment by providing relaxation in the Rajasthan Class IV Service Recruitment and other conditions of service Rules, 1999". It shows how seriously authorities are taking this matter and their commitment towards ensuring justice. Other Significant Decisions The meeting was not just limited to addressing this issue; it also led to some other major decisions aimed at improving governance and public services. One such significant decision included forming Rajasthan Logistic Service Delivery Corporation (RLSDC). The primary aim behind RLSDC formation is protecting contract workers' interests. The RLSDC's establishment aims at halting practices like appointing personnel on contract through placement agencies across various government departments. By doing so, it seeks to ensure selection procedures are both fair and transparent while accommodating skilled as well as unskilled candidates across different government institutions and departments. Rajasthan Renewable Energy Policy-2023 Another noteworthy decision taken during the meeting was the approval of Rajasthan Renewable Energy Policy-2023. While details about this policy were not shared in the statement, it is expected to be a significant step towards promoting sustainable energy practices in the state. In conclusion, these decisions reflect a progressive approach by the Rajasthan cabinet towards social justice, worker rights and sustainable energy practices. The appointment of the victim from Dhariyawad as a government employee stands testament to their commitment towards providing justice while also ensuring her social rehabilitation. Similarly, formation of RLSDC and approval of renewable energy policy show their dedication towards improving governance and moving towards sustainable development. Villagers to skip Eid after Army trucks was ambushed in Poonch When Is Eid Milad Un Nabi Celebrated In India? What Is Significance Of Mawlid? Details Inside What Is Eid Milad-un Nabi 2023? Check Out Date And Significance Stone Pelting During Eid Milad In Shivamogga, Restrictions Imposed India oi-Sushmita Halder The city of Shivamogga in Karnataka experienced tension on Sunday due to an incident of stone pelting that occurred during the Eid Milad procession. In the wake of the stone-pelting incident, officials have enacted restrictive commands in certain areas of the city pursuant to Section 144 of the IPC. An incident involving stone pelting took place near Shantinagar in the Ragigudda area of the city. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) quickly arrived on the scene and managed to disperse the crowd. The police had to do a lathi charge to control the situation. The police said they successfully rescued seven individuals trapped amidst the clashes between the stone throwers and the security officers. The dispute began when the Muslim community members questioned the authorities for removing the offensive text on a cutout of Tippu Sultan. SP Mithun Kumar conducted discussions with community leaders and was convinced with them on the offensive content displayed on the cutout of Tipu Sultan. The police department has maintained strict vigilance in the city of Shivamogga, which is prone to communal tensions, for the past 15 days due to the occurrence of the Ganesh festival and Eid Milad. A minimum of 12 squads from the District Armed Reserve (DAR), in addition to two groups each from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), along with 2,500 officers, are deployed throughout the city to prevent any unfortunate incidents. The homicide of Bajrang Dal member, Harsha, that occurred in Shivamogga city in February 2022 drew nationwide attention. Additionally, the city experienced multiple stabbings related to the display of banners and posters of BJP-associated liberation activist Veer Savarkar. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 23:59 [IST] Ex-Nagorno-Karabakh Leader Faces Arrest as UN Visits Azerbaijan After Three Decades Amidst a historic visit by the United Nations, Azerbaijan's prosecutor general has issued an arrest warrant for former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan. This comes after the separatist government announced its dissolution by end of 2023. International -Sathish Raman The recent issuance of an arrest warrant for Arayik Harutyunyan, the ex-leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan's prosecutor general has sparked international attention. This development coincides with the arrival of the first United Nations mission in three decades to visit this volatile region. Harutyunyan was at the helm of Nagorno-Karabakh from May 2020 until early September 2021. Notably, while internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan, this breakaway state is largely inhabited by ethnic Armenians. Unraveling Independence Aspirations In less than a month after Harutyunyans departure from leadership, the separatist government announced plans to dissolve itself by year-end 2023. This move effectively ends a three-decade-long bid for independence that has been marked by strife and conflict. The dissolution indicates significant shifts in regional dynamics and potentially signals an end to one phase in this long-standing dispute. Arrests Amidst Escalating Tensions Azerbaijani authorities recently arrested Ruben Vardanyan, one of Harutyunyan's former prime ministers, as he attempted to cross into Armenia along with tens of thousands who fled following Baku's swift military action last week to reclaim control over Nagorno-Karabakh. These arrests highlight escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over disputed territories. Allegations and Accusations Both Arayik Harutyunyan and Jalal Harutyunyan, the enclaves former military commander are accused by local media outlets of launching missile attacks on Ganja - Azerbaijan's third-largest city during a 44-day war in late 2020. This war led to severe clashes between Azerbaijani forces and those from Nagorno-Karabakh, eventually resulting in the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region. Intensifying Control Over Nagorno-Karabakh The announcement of the arrest warrant by Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev signals Azerbaijan's intention to assert its control over Nagorno-Karabakh swiftly and forcefully. This move is indicative of Baku's determination to consolidate its grip on this disputed territory and could potentially exacerbate existing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In conclusion, the unfolding events in Nagorno-Karabakh mark a significant turning point in this long-standing territorial dispute. The dissolution of the separatist government, coupled with Azerbaijan's intent to enforce its authority over the region forcefully and decisively, may lead to increased instability and potential conflict escalation. As international entities like the United Nations begin their interventions, it remains crucial for all parties involved to engage constructively towards achieving sustainable peace and stability in this troubled region. Hit-list against 76 J&K journalists issued and the guilds, committees which back liberals are silent Lashkar is back with its agenda to liberate Hyderabad from Hindu rule LeT Qaiser Farooq Allegedly Dead: List Of 17 Terrorists Killed Since March 2022 International oi-Sushmita Halder Qaiser Farooq of Lashkar-e-Taiba has allegedly become the latest addition to the list of India's most wanted terrorists, who have been eliminated recently in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and Canada. A list that has gone viral on X handle claims that 17 terrorists, inclusive of Farooq, were eliminated since March 2022. However, the list caught the users' attention when a video reportedly of CCTV footage showing the death of Lashkar-e-Taiba's Qaisar Farooq, spread rapidly on Sunday. Although the exact date and timings of the video are uncertain, the surveillance footage seems to show a man, allegedly the most wanted Lashkar terrorist, casually strolling down a street in Karachi in the midst of the crowd. Another Most Wanted LeT terrorist Qaiser Farooq gunned down by "unknown men" in Karachi, Pakistan. Mufti Qaiser Farooq was one of the founding members of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and a close associate of Global Terrorist Hafiz Saeed. pic.twitter.com/c4karhjsW5 Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) September 30, 2023 As bullet sounds echo, onlookers disperse to find shelter, during which the person thought to be Qaiser Farooq is seen collapsing. The Dawn, a Pakistani paper, confirmed a man by that name was indeed fatally wounded in Karachi. Nevertheless, there is no certainty that this Qaiser is the same as one of the most-wanted terrorists in India. Dawn's report states that local officials suspect Qaiser was intentionally targeted. The authorities revealed that unknown armed attackers shot at both Qaiser, aged 30, and Farooq Shakir, aged 10, who were near Gulshan-e-Omar Madrasa, adjacent to the Edi Center, before escaping. According to the report from Dawn, Irshad Ahmed Soomro, the officer in charge of the Samanabad police station, confirmed that the injured individuals were quickly rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. However, Qaiser Farooq who was shot in the back, couldn't survive his injuries. SSP Faisal Abdullah Chachar of Karachi Central implied that the lack of robbery or theft related to the victims signals a planned murder. In Pakistan, there have lately been numerous cases of India's top terrorists being eliminated in a similar manner. Qaiser is identified as one of the founders of the prohibited terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and is linked closely with Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and the leader of LeT. Shortly after reports emerged about the disappearance of Hafeez Saeed's son, the killing of Lashkar terrorist Qaiser in Karachi was announced. Kamaluddin Saeed, a son of the globally sought terrorist Hafeez Saeed, has reportedly been missing since Tuesday, September 26. He is believed to have been abducted in Peshawar by unknown individuals who were said to have arrived in a car. The ISI has not been able to locate him. Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistani citizen and the mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is an internationally recognized terrorist. He is presently serving a sentence in a prison in Pakistan. There has been a buzz on social media about the list of those wanted by India killed in recent months. One such list was shared by a Twitter handle Megh Updates listed. 1. Zahoor Mistry, one of the hijackers of IC-814, was fatally shot in Karachi. The incident occurred in Akhtar colony, Karachi, on March 1, 2022, where two culprits on a motorcycle reportedly took Mistry's life. 2. Ripudaman Singh Malik, a suspect in the 1985 Air India bombing, was reportedly killed in a shooting incident in Surrey, Canada on July 14, 2022. Malik, who was absolved of mass murder and conspiracy related charges in 2005 for the two 1985 bombings that resulted in 331 deaths, was confirmed dead in Surrey. 3. On 19 Sep 2022, Mohammad Laal, an agent of ISI, was assassinated in Nepal. Allegedly under ISI's orders, Laal's role involved sourcing counterfeit Indian money from Pakistan and Bangladesh, which would then be funneled into India via Nepal. It's also reported that he played a supportive role in ISI's logistical operations and maintained connections with the infamous D-gang, led by Dawood Ibrahim. 4. Harvinder Singh Sandhu, also known as Rinda, a gangster, drug dealer, and arms supplier, was based in Pakistan for several years. He was implicated in the 2021 assault on Punjab Police Headquarters. He reportedly died from a suspected drug overdose on November 19, 2022, in a military hospital in Lahore. 5. On February 20, 2023, Bashir Ahmad Peer, also known as Imtiyaz Alam, a top HM Commander and one of India's most wanted terrorists, was reportedly assassinated by unidentified shooters outside a store in Rawalpindi. 7. On 26th February 2023, Syed Khalid Raza, the Al Badr Commander, was reportedly assassinated by unknown assailants in the Gulistan-e-Johar Block 7 region of Karachi, Pakistan, right outside his home. 8. Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar, an ISJK member was killed in Afghanistan. Earlier in February, it was reported that Ahanger, allegedly a jihadist commander from Kashmir and accused of spearheading an Islamic State group behind numerous suicide bombings by Indians in Kabul and Jalalabad, was suspected to have died in the southern part of Afghanistan. 9. Syed Noor Shalobar who was involved in steering terror in Kashmir, in the Bara area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan was shot dead in Bara Khyber, Pakistan in March 2023 by unknown gunmen. 10. On May 6, 2023, Khalistan Commando Force-Panjwar group's leader, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, was assassinated in Lahore. In July 2020, India had designated Panjwar as a terrorist, as per the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 11. Avtar Singh Khanda, who expressed support for Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh and was one of the alleged "masterminds" in an attack on the Indian High Commission in London, was found dead at a hospital in Birmingham on 16 June 2023. 12. Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was designated as a terrorist (under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September 2020 was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada on 18 Jun 2023. 13. Sardar Hussain Arain, a member of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, passed away after being injured from gunshot wounds in Nawabshah, Sindh. He was allegedly attacked near his shop on August 1, 2023, and lost his fight for life in the hospital four days later. 14. Riyaz Ahmed aka Abu Qasim LeT Commander was shot dead inside Rawalkot mosque in PoK. Qasim, who was one of the main conspirators behind the Dhangri terror attack on January 1, was reportedly shot dead inside Al-Qudus mosque in Rawalkot on 8 September 2023. 15. Sukhdool Singh aka Sukha Duneke who fled to Canada from India on forged documents in 2017 and had seven criminal cases registered against him was shot dead in an inter-gang rivalry Winnipeg, Canada on 20th Sept 2023. 16. Ziaur Rehman, Hizubl Mujahideen leader was shot dead in Karachi in September 2023. Ziaur Rehman, a prominent cleric associated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba, was gunned down while on his routine evening walk in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar area. 17. Mufti Qaiser Farooq, LeT founding member was shot dead in Sohrab Goth, Karachi, Pakistan on September 30. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 17:21 [IST] Indian Woman Who Went To Pakistan And Converted To Islam To Return Home To Meet Kids Pakistan Points Finger At India, Alleging Involvement In Friday's Twin Blasts International oi-Prakash KL Pakistan on Saturday pointed fingers at India's Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), alleging its involvement in the two bomb explosions that occurred on Friday, resulting in the loss of 65 lives. The explosion on Friday devastated a mosque in Mastung, situated in Balochistan, a southern province. The blast occurred when a bomber detonated explosives near a police vehicle, targeting the gathering of people preparing for a procession to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Mohammad. Hours later, another bomb blasted at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu city. A total of 60 people died in the first bomb explosion, while five people lost their lives in the explosion inside the mosque in Hangu city, targeting a police station's mosque. "Civil, military and all other institutions will jointly strike against the elements involved in the Mastung suicide bombing. RAW is involved in the suicide attack," India Today quoted Pakistan's Interior minister Sarfaraz Bugti in Balochistan's capital, Quetta, as saying. However, no specifics or proof regarding the claimed engagement has been given by him. The Indian government is yet to respond to Pakistan's allegations. Wasim Baig, the spokesperson for Balochistan's health department, noted an additional seven casualties who had passed away in the hospital since Friday, contributing to the increase in the death count. He further mentioned that several patients were still in critical condition. It has to be noted that no group has taken responsibility for the bomb attacks till now. Wasim Baig, the spokesperson for Quetta's Civil Hospital, where several of the injured were admitted, on Saturday said that the blast toll has now risen to 60. On Saturday, the Dawn quoted a statement from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) that said an FIR with murder charges and terrorism offences has been filed against an unidentified attacker. "No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, however, the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan, denied its involvement," the report added. Meanwhile, the caretaker government of Balochistan announced three days of mourning in the wake of the attack. A Pakistan daily has given a chronological dataset to show how Pakistan has "witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year." Earlier this month, at least 11 people, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in a blast in the same district; a week prior to that, a security official was gunned down at a bus stand by unidentified men, according to a PTI report. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, October 1, 2023, 8:58 [IST] American Syed Shah from Aqua Membranes has won the grand prize at the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination, launched by Saudi Arabia, for the project titled Changing reverse osmosis through 3D printed spacers. Saudi Arabias Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli honoured the winners, which included five others too. All six winners made their presentations before the announcement of the grand prize. Special prizes were also distributed on the occasion. Other winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination include: Arian Edalat (Active Membranes, US) for the project titled Next Generation of Desalination Membranes; Quantum Wei (Harmony Desalting, US) for its entry Batch Reverse Osmosis; and Hany Said (Mega Vessels Water., US) for the Mega Vessel initiative; Nick Heineman (Desolenator, the Netherlands) for the project Desolenator: Transforming the Industry through a World-First Solar-Thermal Desalination Solution that works at Scale; and Mohamed Anwar (Schneider Electric, France) for the Desalination Plant Digital Twin Powered by Dynamic Process Simulation project. As many as 105 innovators from 27 countries competed to win prizes worth $10 million. The award ceremony was held in the presence of the Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) Eng Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdul Karim, and a number of senior officials and other distinguished dignitaries. It was held on the sidelines of the second edition of the Innovation in the Desalination Industry Conference that is taking place at the Jeddah Ritz-Carlton Hotel until October 3. At the event, Al-Fadhli expressed gratitude to Saudi leaderships unwavering support for the kingdoms water sector. He then congratulated the winners for submitting projects that were recognised for innovation, quality and excellence. As the worlds largest producer of desalinated water, generating 11.5 million cu m per day, Al-Abdul Karim emphasised the significant role Saudi Arabia plays in helping address global water challenges, in collaboration with other countries, as well as in contributing to the overall growth and development of the global water sector. TradeArabia News Service The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali has completed its accelerated withdrawal from three camps in the eastern Kidal region of northern Mali, a UN spokesman said late on Tuesday. Biden On Hamas Attack: They Knew I Was About To Sit Down With The Saudis President Biden Assures Continuous US Aid to Ukraine Amidst War President Joe Biden stated that American aid will continue flowing to Ukraine amidst the ongoing war. He urged Congress for an immediate negotiation on the aid package after a short-term funding bill was passed, excluding assistance for Ukraine against Russia. This comes amidst growing resistance in Congress towards aiding Ukraine. International -Sathish Raman On Sunday, President Joe Biden underscored the United States' commitment to providing financial aid to Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Speaking from the Roosevelt Room following a late-night Congressional vote that forestalled a government shutdown but omitted assistance for Ukraine, Biden emphasized that American support must remain uninterrupted under any circumstances. Biden's Appeal to Congress The president issued an urgent appeal to Congress, urging them to negotiate an aid package for Ukraine as swiftly as possible. He stated that there was not much time left and expressed an overwhelming sense of urgency as the funding bill is only valid until mid-November. "The vast majority of both parties Democrats and Republicans, Senate and House support helping Ukraine and the brutal aggression that is being thrust upon them by Russia," said Biden. He further admonished lawmakers: "Stop playing games, get this done." Growing Resistance in Congress However, securing approval for Ukrainian assistance has become increasingly challenging due to mounting Republican resistance within Congress. Despite widespread bipartisan support for aiding Ukraine against Russian aggression, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval is becoming more difficult as the war continues unabated. Aid Continuity Essential Amidst War Effort Biden's remarks underscore his administration's determination to ensure continued financial backing for Ukraine amidst its ongoing struggle against Russia. The US has been a significant supporter of Ukraine since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and sparked an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine which continues today. This recent development emphasizes the importance of maintaining international solidarity with countries facing external threats while highlighting domestic political complexities involved in foreign policy decisions. It also underscores how critical it is for democracies worldwide - including India - to stand united in supporting nations grappling with such conflicts. Conclusion: A Call For Urgent Action President Biden's urgent appeal underscores the critical nature of the situation in Ukraine and the need for swift action. The ongoing conflict with Russia has placed a significant strain on Ukraine, making international support crucial to their war effort. Despite internal resistance, it is imperative that Congress heeds President Biden's call and ensures continued financial aid to Ukraine. The global community must remain vigilant and supportive of nations facing such aggression. As one of the world's largest democracies, India can play a vital role in rallying international support for countries like Ukraine under threat from external forces. Govt Employees Protest At Ramlila Maidan, Demand Restoration Of Old Pension Scheme New Delhi oi-Sushmita Halder A huge number of employees from the Central government, state, and PSUs staged a protest at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan opposing the New Pension Scheme and demanding the return of the Old Pension Scheme. A report states that government and Public Sector Unit staff from over 20 states united for the 'Pension Shankhanaad Rally' in opposition to the Central government. The rally was organised by the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS). Video from the protest at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi features countless government workers calling for the execution of the Old Pension Scheme by protesting against the central government. Huge protest against Modi Govt at Ramlila Maidan Delhi to reinstate Old Pension Scheme !! This is huge pic.twitter.com/S8MZzS9NSY Vijay Thottathil (@vijaythottathil) October 1, 2023 #WATCH | Delhi: Employees of various states, central government departments and PSUs hold protests against the central government demanding restoration of the old Pension Scheme pic.twitter.com/Lg9taQnKgV ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023 The Congress extended its support on the microblogging site X for the demonstrations against the New Pension Scheme, stating that the Congress-ruled states have reinstated the old pension. Congress said, "Old pension is the right of the employees. Congress and state governments have restored the old pension. Our policy regarding this is clear - employees must get their rights. Modi government should restore the old pension, and honour the workers who serve the country." Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal expressed his support for the old pension scheme on Sunday, stating he has requested the Central government to reintroduce it for employees of the Delhi government. His comments were made in the midst of the protest at Ramlila Maidan by federal and state government workers from over 20 states clamouring for the reintroduction of the old pension plan. "We strongly support the demand of government employees to bring back OPS. NPS is an injustice against employees. We have implemented OPS in Punjab and have written to the Centre for implementing it for Del govt employees. Some other non-BJP governments have also implemented OPS," Arvind Kejriwal said in a post on 'X'. Meanwhile, an article by RBI staffers characterized the re-adoption of the old pension plan by states as a "significant retrogressive move" that could lead to "unmanageable levels" of financial strain for states in the mid to long term. It stated that the financial burden of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) could be as much as 4.5 times higher than the New Pension Scheme that was launched more than a decade ago as part of pension reforms. Upworthy 31 Oct 2023 Saleh Al-Shehri of Saudi Arabia celebrates with his team mates after scoring a goal to make it 1-1 during the FIFA World Cup Qatar.. 2008-2023 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. US President Joe Biden vowed the United States would not abandon Ukraine after Congress left out aid of a funding bill. Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomat promised increased funding for Kyiv. DW has the latest. The SA Human Rights Commission is pursuing a court interdict on alleged racist Belinda Magor (61), who in a social media rant seemed to be calling for the removal of black womens uteruses and for black men to be burnt. New Delhi: The Afghanistan Embassy in India announced Saturday night that it is ceasing its operations from October 1, citing a lack of support from the Indian government, failure to meet expectations in serving its interests and reduction in personnel and resources. In a statement, the embassy in New Delhi said it made careful considerations before arriving at the decision. "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," the statement said. The embassy said that this decision, was made taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between the two countries. The Embassy cited a "lack of support from the host (Indian) government", alleging that it has experienced a notable absence of crucial support from the government, which it said hindered its ability to carry out duties effectively. The mission also cited "failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests" as one of the reasons for closure. "We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul," the mission said. It also said that due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, there has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to it, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations. "The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively," the statement said. Given these circumstances, "it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country," it said. The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay. Mamundzay was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. In April-May, the embassy was rocked by a power struggle in the wake of reports of the Taliban appointing a charge d'affaires to head the mission, replacing Mamundzay. Following the episode, the embassy came out with a statement that there was no change in its leadership. The tussle for power had erupted after Qadir Shah, who was working as a trade councillor at the embassy since 2020, wrote to the MEA in late April claiming that he was appointed as the charge d'affaires at the embassy by the Taliban. India is yet to recognise the Taliban set-up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. Reprinted from hartmannreport.com Now that Robert Kennedy Jr. says, "I've always been aligned with libertarians on most issues" let's look at how libertarianism would work out in America, and where it came from in the first place... Anti-vaxxer hero and Democratic primary nominee Robert Kennedy Jr. says, according to news reports: "I've always been aligned with libertarians on most issues." Bobby, of course, isn't the only one. It's high fashion across the GOP to claim your Libertarian credentials; Ron (and now Rand) Paul turned it into a moneymaking scam, and most all of the Putin Caucus in the GOP love to talk up libertarianism, as do multiple rightwing billionaires. Senator Mike Lee proclaims himself a Libertarian, and has for years. We see it writ large in the rhetoric of Republican members of Congress and conservative pundits who argue that shutting the government down is a good thing, because most government functions are "unnecessary" or "woke." So let's take a look at how libertarianism would work out in America, and where it came from in the first place. Generally speaking, Libertarians don't believe in democracy, which, they say, should be replaced by "the magic of the marketplace" or at least the "magic" of people made rich by the marketplace running the country's essential services. Here's the one question that always stops libertarians dead in their tracks when they come on or call into my radio/TV program to proclaim the wonders of their political ideology: "Please name one country, anywhere in the world, any time in the last 7000 years, where libertarianism has succeeded and produced general peace and prosperity?" There literally is none. Nowhere. Not a single one. It has never happened. Ever. If it had, that country would be on the tip of every Libertarian's tongue, the way Democratic Socialists talk about Norway or Denmark where the full-on Social Democracy and regulated capitalism experiment has succeeded for generations. Doing my show from Copenhagen a few years ago, I had one of that nation's top conservative politicians on. "So, you're one of the nation's leading conservatives," I said. "I guess that means you want to privatize Denmark's national healthcare system?" Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Russia has shelled more than 100 settlements over the last 24 hours, more than in any single day so far this year, Ukraine said on Wednesday. powerlines (Image by ryhkoigi2) Details DMCA In June, Florida's legislature passed (and governor Ron DeSantis signed) a bill transferring control of Gainesville Regional Utilities from the city's government to the state's. In late September, a judge rejected the city's lawsuit to prevent the takeover. While that sounds like a localized controversy, it offers national implications and important lessons. We've seen similar situations play out in other locales. When my family moved to the Gainesville area a decade ago, friends who already lived here warned us: "Don't rent in town, and even outside of town make sure you're not in GRU's coverage area." Households in that coverage area fork over a great deal more every month to keep their lights on than households in other Florida cities -- and WAY more than households in areas served by rural electric cooperatives. Anecdotally, a couple of years ago I compared electric bills with an acquaintance. That acquaintance was paying GRU about twice as much to electrify a small single-person household as I was paying Clay Electric (an REC) to light up a medium five-person household. Over the years I've kept an eye on GRU's arguments for its ever-increasing prices. Here's their two-step: First: We can stop raising rates if we just annex more customers! Economies of scale will fix the problem! The more kilowatt-hours we're selling, the cheaper each kilowatt-hour becomes! Then: We must raise rates again! We just annexed a bunch of new customers! New lines and new power generation facilities cost money! Rinse, repeat. Why can't GRU deliver electricity at least as cheaply and efficiently to a compact urban area as Clay does to a much larger rural area where distances between customers are often measured in miles rather than meters? Well, Clay is owned by its members/customers, while GRU is "owned" by politicians who use it as three things: A cash cow for the city, a kid's chemistry set for experimenting with novel power generation methods (including a $1.2 billion "biomass" experiment), and an excuse to bring surrounding areas under their control. While it's true that rural electric cooperatives were, like municipal utilities, created by governments, not all "non-profits" are created equal. RECs answer directly to their customers. Municipal utilities answer to politicians who use them as ... well, tax collectors. But the answer to the bigger problem, I think, isn't so much a matter of RECs versus municipal utilities versus "private" utilities, but in competition on both price and service. Even if we concede (I don't) that power LINES are "natural monopolies," these days all those lines are tied together in sprawling "grids." There's no good reason why we shouldn't each be able to choose our electricity provider, with providers serving particular areas splitting line maintenance costs. That's been done in, for example, Texas. I'd love to see us get away from "grids" and to far more localized (ideally, single-household via e.g. rooftop solar) power generation and delivery. But until we can do that, freeing hostages from utility monopolies should rank near the top of our energy priorities. Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator More than 30 years of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is drawing to a close, and Armenia is the loser. On September 19, following the death of four soldiers and two civilians, Azerbaijan pushed aggressively to control Nogorno-Karabakh, and the next day the Armenian separatist forces agreed to lay down their arms in the Armenian majority enclave. Azerbaijan previously had waged a war of attrition to cut off supplies to the 120,000 Armenians. Despite Russian peacekeepers being stationed there since December 2022 tasked with keeping the Lachin corridor open, Azerbaijan blockaded the narrow mountain road which links Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 18, Red Cross trucks carrying food and medicine finally gained access to Nagorno-Karabakh. "An agreement has been reached on the withdrawal of the remaining units and servicemen of the Armenian armed forces ... and on the dissolution and complete disarmament of the armed formations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army," the Armenian separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said in a statement. Europe's insatiable demand for energy is in part supplied by Azerbaijan's gas and oil resources. In January, the EU signed a natural gas import agreement with Azerbaijan, as the EU moved away from Russian supplies. Within months, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced a new agreement to double gas imports from Azerbaijan while visiting Baku. In response to the new agreement, about 50 French legislators denounced the move that would place Europeans dependent on a state with war-like aspirations, referring to Azerbaijan's aggression against the Armenians. Energy analysts have pointed to the West's hypocrisy in the conflict, as they negotiate gas and oil at the expense of the Armenians. Azerbaijan saw their chance to finish off a decades-long dispute with Armenia as the West turns to Baku for oil, and turns away from Russia. In the middle of the conflict is Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenian since 2018. He faced intense domestic pressure in 2020 after he agreed to a Russian-brokered ceasefire that ended a 44-day war between ethnic Armenian, and Azerbaijani forces who had achieved victory, after taking back a third of the breakaway territory, and an additional seven surrounding districts. Pashinyan had faced calls to resign in 2020, as angry crowds protested in the capital Yerevan after the defeat then, and he faced thousands of protesters in Yerevan on Wednesday asking him again to resign, after viewing the surrender of the breakaway region as a final humiliating defeat. In the past, Pashinyan reversed his position and recognized that Nagorno-Karabakh was part of Azerbaijan and gave up on his previous claim. However, he demanded that Azerbaijan agree to protect the rights and security of the Karabakh Armenians, but Azerbaijan refused. Pashinyan is pursuing a pro-Western policy, and in early September, Armenia announced humanitarian aid to Ukraine and undertook a joint military exercise with the US, which began on September 11. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). A bitter battle to save the only publicly-owned interstate railway in the nation is underway in Cincinnati. In a classic David v. Goliath setting, citizens face off against the local power elite backed by the notorious corporate giant Norfolk Southern railroad. With the derailment of its mega train loaded with toxic material, Norfolk Southern utterly destroyed East Palestine earlier this year, and converted what was once a vibrant small Ohio town into a vast environmental crime scene, which it remains to this day and will into the foreseeable future. This multi-billion dollar corporation has done next to nothing to effectively alleviate the suffering of its victims, who remain trapped in a toxic cage known as East Palestine. Many, likely most, desperately wish to move out, but are caught in a Catch-22 dilemma of being damned if they move (loss of property value) and damned if they do not (loss of health, perhaps life). Rather than use its enormous financial resources to make things right in the town it destroyed, Norfolk Southern has made an offer to purchase the Cincinnati Southern Railway for $1.6 billion, and the CSR Board has foolishly accepted it. However, state law requires approval of this deal (hatched illegally in secret meetings) by Cincinnati voters, and the matter appears as Issue 22 on the November ballot. To fool voters into giving away this precious people's asset, Norfolk Southern has launched a $1 million propaganda campaign flooding homes and airwaves with slick deceptive ads. Along with projected pie-in-the sky benefits from a sale, the mayor recently declared Cincinnati risks dying altogether is if the sale is rejected. Opposition to the sale is rooted in a widespread healthy distrust of City Hall, Norfolk Southern and the CSB Board. A variety of community-based groups (Derail the Sale; Save Our Rail; Citizens for a Transparent Railroad Sale; Ohio Peace Council; Railroad Workers United) have emerged to passionately oppose the sale, which boils down to a referendum on the value of socialism over capitalism. The spector of East Palestine also looms over Issue 22. Knowing what Norfolk Southern has done to destroy that poor community, how can anyone morally justify rewarding this reckless outfit with possession of our community-owned railway? Every Yes vote for Issue 22 constitutes a stab in the back of victimized East Palestine residents. A No vote expresses our solidarity with East Palestine and rejection of Norfolk Southern's malicious actions. OpEd readers can help secure a people's.victory in defeating Issue 22 by signing and sharing this petition: g.it/WCSWbcRtZN More than half a million Oregonians may need to rework their budget to accommodate a new monthly bill, and that could have broader economic implications. The 540,000 Oregonians with federal student loan debt owe more than $20 billion in all, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The federal government froze payments and interest accrual for those loans in March 2020 as part of a pandemic relief measure. The break created a financial cushion that allowed borrowers to use the money for rent, car payments, or other spending or to pay down other debt or build savings. But now that respite has ended. As of Sunday, borrowers are on the hook again for paying their monthly student loan bills, and interest accrual resumed at the beginning of September. The Supreme Court this summer struck down the Biden administrations plan to forgive about $400 billion in student debt for 43 million Americans. While Oregon has relatively fewer borrowers than most states, their average debt is higher. The typical student loan borrower in Oregon owes just over $38,070, compared to $36,348 nationally, according to data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The economic impact of restarting student loan payments remains murky. Economists say the hit could be measurable, though perhaps short-lived. I think theres a lot of uncertainty about how its going to impact the consumer, particularly at a time when households are already becoming more financially vulnerable, said Shannon Seery, a Wells Fargo economist. We might see somewhat of a slowing in total spending in October, but its not going to have a significant effect on overall household spending. Seery said most student loan balances are manageable and that only people with very large balances will have to pull back on their spending. She said more than half of all U.S. borrowers held $20,000 or less in balance. The large balances are really concentrated in a small number of households, Seery said. Its really your younger age cohorts that are most affected by student loan debt. More than 50% of Oregon borrowers, however, owe more than $20,000 in student loans, according to federal student loan data. Roughly 70% of borrowers in the state are between the ages of 25 and 49. Josh Lehner, a senior economist with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, agreed that the end of the student loan pause will have minimal impact on the broader economy but that some households will have a big adjustment to make. Data from his office show that student debt as a share of household income has declined, suggesting that borrowers may be better equipped to handle the payments because of rising wages. The folks struggling the most with student loan debt are typically those with relatively low loan balances a few thousand dollars of which many did not complete their degree, Lehner said. Most individuals with really large balances are able to pay them off, as they are in higher-paying jobs and are able to service the debt. Some major retailers still worry that the resumption of student loan payments could translate to reduced disposable income for many borrowers, which may result in decreased spending on non-essential items just as the holiday shopping season starts to loom. The upcoming resumption of student loan repayments will put additional pressure on the already strained budgets of tens of millions of households, Target chief financial officer Michael Fiddelke told investors during an earnings call in June. Against this backdrop, we remain cautious in our planning. After two years of stimulus-fueled spending, Target and other retailers are struggling to maintain their winning streak. In its most recent quarter, Target sold 5% less than it did in the same quarter last year. Walmart executives have also warned investors that the resumption of student loan payments may put added pressure on shoppers budgets, eating into some of the retailers sales in the process. Rising energy prices, resuming student loan payments, higher borrowing costs and tightening lending standards, and a drawdown in excess savings mean that household budgets are still under pressure, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told investors when the retailer reported earnings in August. A recent survey by investment bank Jefferies suggested that the restart of student loan payments could hurt sales at Nike, Foot Locker and other apparel retailers. The firm surveyed more than 600 U.S. consumers with outstanding student debt and found that nearly 90% of respondents are at least somewhat concerned about being able to meet all of their monthly expenses, while apparel, footwear, accessories, restaurants, and big-ticket items are likely to see the biggest pullbacks in spending. -- Kristine de Leon; kdeleon@oregonian.com A man accused of abducting a woman in Seattle, driving her hundreds of miles to his home in Oregon and locking her in a makeshift cinder block cell is facing fresh charges of kidnapping and rape in a separate case involving alleged crimes two months earlier, court documents show. An indictment returned by a grand jury in southern Oregons Klamath County says that on or around May 6, Negasi Zuberi kidnapped a victim referred to as an unidentified Jane Doe in the county in order to rape her. The indictment also alleges that he knowingly injured the victim by using or threatening to use weapons including a handgun and a stun gun. Zuberi was indicted on 11 counts, including first-degree rape, sexual abuse and kidnapping. The indictment was filed with the Klamath County Circuit Court last week. Online court records didnt appear to list a defense attorney for Zuberi for the case, which is in the state court system. There was no immediate response Saturday afternoon to an email and voicemail left with the defense attorney assigned to the other case, which is in federal court, asking whether he was also representing Zuberi in the new case. Zuberi already faces charges of interstate kidnapping and transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, related to the incident that led to his arrest in July. Zuberi has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Prosecutors in the federal case say he solicited a woman on July 15 to engage in prostitution along Aurora Avenue in Seattle, an area known for sex work. Afterward, Zuberi told the woman he was an undercover officer, showed her a badge, pointed a stun gun at her and placed her in handcuffs and leg irons before putting her in the back of his vehicle, the criminal complaint says. He then drove to his home in Klamath Falls and locked her in the cinder block cell, the FBI said. The woman managed to break some of the doors welded joints, creating a small opening that she climbed through, according to authorities. After she escaped and flagged down a motorist, police went to the house and found handwritten notes with plans for an apparent dungeon 100 feet below ground, authorities said. Zuberi fled and was arrested by state police in Reno, Nevada, on July 16, the FBI said. The FBI said it was looking for additional victims after linking him to violent sexual assaults in other states. The federal case is set to go to trial later this year. By CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press/Report for America Rock star Sting made a stop in Portland on Tuesday for his My Songs musical tour, and he made time to take in at least one cultural activity downtown. Sting visited the Portland Art Museum and its Black Artists of Oregon exhibition before his performance at the Moda Center, said museum spokesperson Ian Gillingham. Brian Ferriso, the museums director, and John Goodwin, director of community philanthropy, served as guides, Gillingham said. It is unclear if they reminded Sting not to stand so close to the art. You too can visit the Black Artists of Oregon exhibition. It features 60 artists and is on display through March 17. Beth Slovic; bslovic@oregonian.com; 503-221-8551 Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe Family is as ingrained in Robert and Kazuko Renes as their mind or their body. They lean on family in times of suffering and joyous occasions are shared with family. To signify not only that commitment to family but their 67th wedding anniversary, Robert and Kazuko got matching tattoos in Roseburg. Robert Renes, 89, and Kazuko Renes, 86, tattoos mean family in Japanese. Japan holds much significance for the two: its Kazuko Renes birthplace, the place they met and much of their familys beliefs are steeped in Japanese tradition. The idea for the tattoo came from their granddaughter, Amanda Roosevelt, who already has the same tattoo. After Tuesdays session, the three will share the same tattoo. Roosevelt got hers to honor her grandparents. Over the buzz of the tattoo machine, Robert Renes tells the story of how the two married and of their 67 years together. HERE IS OREGON: HereisOregon.com | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok The couple met in 1956 after the Korean War when Robert Renes was stationed in Japan as a member of the United States Navy. Renes and his friends would often meet at a restaurant to eat or drink. Kazuko Renes worked at the restaurant and the pair grew a fast kinship. We got to be friends and one thing led to another, Robert Renes said. Neither one of us mentioned it, neither one of us asked the other one about it but I think it was I who said to her Its probably not going to do any good but maybe I ought to go ahead and submit the papers to get married, and she said, I guess thats a good idea. At the time, getting married overseas was difficult as the paperwork to officiate such a thing couldve taken over a year. Something was working in our favor because we were able to get married in just five months, Robert Renes said. Renes was discharged in 1957 and the two cultivated a life together all over the United States before eventually landing in Roseburg. When Kazuko Renes was 29-years-old she was attending a candlelight vigil. As she looked up at the minister giving a service, she noticed her eyesight began to go dark. We used to go Christmas Eve and I always liked to sit up front or the second row, Kazuko Renes said. That night I couldnt see the minister; he was right there. Since then (Robert) spent so much money for doctors visits and everybody said the same thing, you cant see but we dont know why. She was blind and after consulting multiple doctors in the states and overseas in Japan, no doctor could heal her eyesight. The only explanation given was that her retinas had experienced significant inflammation. Because of this sudden blindness Kazuko Renes went through debilitating depression, going so far as contemplating suicide. Through sheer willpower, Kazuko Renes beat her depression and, with help from her family, was able to find new meaning through art. Robert Renes himself experienced a life-threatening motorcycle accident at 41 where doctors told him his internal organs had stopped working. According to Renes the doctors said, All we can do now is wait see if they start again. If they start again, youre home free; if they dont, you die. Kazuko Renes was in Japan at the time, learning to be a missionary for the Church of Divine Wisdom. Upon learning of Robert Renes condition, the congregation spent three days praying for his recovery. Renes injuries had, according to his doctors, disappeared. The tattoos may not seem like much but the significance behind them is no small thing. No matter the strife, no matter the hardship or the many twists and turns life throws at them, one thing remains constant: family. Drew Winkelmaier is a reporter for The News-Review. He can be reached at dwinkelmaier@nrtoday.com. Journalists are advised to keep an arms length from events they are covering, to be a fly on the wall and not inject themselves into a situation. Student reporters learn, Youre there to tell the story, not be the story. Of course, journalism often prompts change and thats a natural outcome of our reporting at times. But is it ever all right for a journalist to take an active role in a story? After staff writer Aimee Green recently exposed questionable spending by then-Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission opened an investigation. Thats an expected result after her reporting. A few weeks earlier, she faced an entirely different scenario, where her reporting, almost in real time, led public officials to take action. Its an unusual and not entirely comfortable position for a journalist to be in. Heres what happened. Green has spent the past several months reporting on hate crimes in Oregon and, in particular, the difficulties and unevenness in prosecuting hate crimes across the state. She chronicled the case of Dennis Cote, a Portlander of Filipino ancestry who was brutally beaten in a hate crime. After months of frustration, Cote called Green. Many people reach out to reporters in hopes of coverage. We cant cover all the stories we hear about, but experiences that illustrate a larger issue, that affect more than just a person or two, are more likely to capture our attention. Cote had grown frustrated as the case against the alleged attacker stalled. First, prosecutors did not pursue a more serious assault charge and, based on that, a judge let the suspect out of jail with no bail. Another judge gave the man permission to visit Idaho and he failed to return. When he was arrested in Idaho, Multnomah County prosecutors did not provide extenuating circumstances to justify extradition with then-Gov. Kate Browns office so he was let go. In her reporting on Cotes quest for justice, Green asked for any information about Browns decision. She also asked the governors staff if Tina Kotek would extradite the suspect if he were arrested again. The governors staff told her yes and shared that with prosecutors. From there, its getting a little awkward for me as a reporter, said Green, who had covered Multnomah County courts as a beat for years previously. Because I am in this uncomfortable position of doing what seems logical. I want to understand the sequence of events and what happened. As part of that, I need to go to the sources like the governors office and ask them why they make the decisions they make. As part of that, I am sharing information with them. Prosecutors asked for a warrant in mid-July, and Green decided to watch and wait. Lets just see what happens, Green figured. I dont want to get involved. But as her story deadline approached, she called Idaho to understand their warrant system: Would the warrant mean they would go out searching for the suspect or simply arrest him if they came into contact during, say, a traffic stop? When she called the Ada County Sheriffs office, officials there naturally wanted to know what she was writing about. She told them about the case, and they expressed alarm about the suspect on the loose. Were you already planning on going out and arresting him? Green asked. Have you heard from Multnomah County asking you to go arrest this guy? No, they said. They took the suspect, Mark Franklyn, into custody a week later. As part of her reporting, Green spoke to several former prosecutors who were appalled the county had not notified Idaho officials of the new warrant. (The district attorneys office told Green it was simply a matter of resources.) Im doing the work that they should have done, especially by letting Ada County know, Green told me. But do I hold back on reporting on the story because it might alert authorities to something they already should have known? No. Greens intent when she embarked was not to make sure Franklyn was arrested and Cote received some modicum of justice. Her mission was not to connect the dots for law enforcement but to fully understand the situation. Thats why she reached out to the governor, the district attorney and the Idaho sheriffs office. Historically, there have been crusading journalists who see a wrong and want to set it right, through public exposure. This is at the heart of much of todays investigative journalism. Then, there is the on-the-spot decision journalists must sometimes make say, a photographer shooting photos as a man climbs a bridge railing to jump. Journalists are humans first, and no newsroom boss would expect the photographer to refrain from trying to intervene. In Greens case, I think she handled things well and she was transparent in her article so readers would know what occurred and her role in it. Reach me at tbottomly@oregonian.com. James Armstrong Armstrong is co-founder of Cathedral Eye Care in St. Johns and is a member of the St. Johns Boosters Safety and Livability Committee. At a recent breakfast hosted by the Portland Metro Chamber, members of the business community and leaders of the citys economic development agency gathered to celebrate the small businesses that power our community. The chamber released the results from the 2023 State of Small Business Report showing that small businesses make up 94% of establishments in Multnomah County. Those, in turn, employ 35% of workers in the county. These numbers are impressive, coming in higher than our Keep Things Weird peer, Austin, and our Pacific Northwest rival, Seattle. Portlands small business districts are indeed impressive, and for many of us, they are the reason we chose to call Portland home. Our neighborhoods, each distinct in their own way, offer residents the community feeling of a small town. But small businesses are struggling amid theft, property crime and the chaos caused by our crises of untreated mental health and homelessness. The support we all share for our favorite restaurants, local shops and grocers makes it all the more frustrating that city and county leaders have been unable to provide any solutions to the non-stop safety and livability concerns in our business districts. In the St. Johns neighborhood, where my wife and I run an eye care clinic, an all-too familiar theme is magnified by the unique characteristics of our citys north peninsula. At the end of the bus line, above the cut as the locals call it, St. Johns sees frequent occurrences of theft, mental health episodes, street racing and gun violence. Recently, such instances have included an armed robbery at a local bar and a brief elementary school lockdown prompted by a man experiencing a mental health episode near the school. Small business owners along Lombard are struggling. Businesses are being hit repeatedly as soon as glass is replaced from one break in, another one occurs. Local retailers in the district are reporting that sales this summer were far lower than expected. They attribute the reduction of foot traffic directly to the crime and drug use that have become too routine here. It is not sustainable to think these businesses owned by individuals and couples who may have little financial cushion to absorb such hits, with or without insurance can continue to operate this way. Six months ago, the St. Johns Boosters business association convened a town hall that was attended by elected officials and their representatives. Local businesses told them about the challenges they face on a daily basis, noting that 33 St Johns area businesses collectively sustained more than $660,000 in theft and vandalism losses last year, as a North Peninsula Review story at the time recounted. Local officials promised action. But progress has been slow. While a deputy district attorney has recently been assigned to St Johns to focus on bringing justice to repeat offenders six months after the idea was first proposed - the plodding pace of action fails to recognize the urgency that small businesses feel every single day. Other promises are slow to materialize or have fallen by the wayside. The Portland Police have assigned multiple district liaison officers, none remaining in their position for longer than a month. The county, who we count on to oversee mental health related issues in our community, has provided no visible additional support to the area. Business owners remain forced to settle for calling 911, often requesting Portland Street Response, but instead receiving an armed police response usually long after the incident had occurred. Theres been considerable attention to the news that Target is closing three of its stores in Portland due to theft. That comes after REI also has announced it will close its store in the Pearl District for similar reasons. These are big losses to the community and deserve the response that the news is getting. But small businesses are feeling the same pressures without the ability to simply close and rely on sales elsewhere to make up the loss. Small businesses represent individuals and families in our community. And while I talk about the difficulties for businesses in St Johns, the story is repeating itself across all Portlands neighborhoods. Small business owners are used to getting things done. When we have an issue with our business, we stop what we are doing and address it immediately. If we need more staff, we hire. If customers have a complaint, we try to resolve it. And unfortunately, when someone breaks into our store, we watch the sunrise from our business while we clean up and try to secure our livelihood. We know the challenges that our city leaders face, but small businesses are bearing the consequences of inaction. Small businesses are hailed as the backbone of Portlands economy, but we need help before we break. Sign up for our free Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: The sixth assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) launched yesterday in New Delhi with the participation of ministers from 20 countries and delegates from 116 ISA member countries, including Egypt. Photo: (Photo : Pool / Getty Images) In an unforeseen development following the devastating Oxford High School shooting in 2021, the spotlight has shifted onto Ethan Crumbley, commonly referred to as the Michigan school shooter. As Michigan's legal framework grapples with the weight of the tragedy, a contentious question arises: Should Ethan Crumbley, despite his youth, be incarcerated for life without parole? Echoes of the Oxford High School Shooting The chilling events of the Oxford High School shooting still reverberate across the state of Michigan and beyond. Orchestrated by a young Ethan Crumbley, the incident not only claimed innocent lives but also marked a haunting episode in the annals of school violence. Witnesses' gut-wrenching recollections painted a horrifying tableau of that day, reinforcing the meticulous and premeditated nature of the Michigan school shooter's actions. Through chilling details, such as Crumbley's strategic research of the school's blueprint and predicting the police's likely response, we gain disturbing insight into a troubled young mind that carefully plotted each move leading to the Oxford High School shooting. Rehabilitation Debate: The Center of Contention Central to the trial's discourse is a controversial and polarizing rehabilitation debate. Defense narratives anchor around Crumbley's upbringing, projecting a picture of profound neglect that led to his disturbing actions at Oxford High School. Psychologist Dr. Colin King's description of him as a "feral child" suggests profound psychological disturbances that might have been exacerbated by his environment. This rehabilitation debate challenges our societal constructs: Is it conceivable for the Michigan school shooter, the perpetrator behind the haunting Oxford High School shooting, to be reintegrated into society? Despite Judge Rowe conceding some semblances of familial support in Crumbley's life, Ethan's persistent infatuation with violence, manifested even during his detention, makes this debate even more contentious. Read Also: Wyoming's Groundbreaking Abortion Clinic Delayed by Arson Lorna Roxanne Green Sentenced To Five Years Legal Labyrinth: Navigating Uncharted Waters With the sentencing date of December 8th inching closer, the community of Oxford is palpably anxious. This significant juncture provides an opportunity for survivors and the families of victims to voice the life-altering repercussions of the Oxford High School shooting. Ethan Crumbley's unique legal position, given his age and juxtaposed against the backdrop of the Miller hearing proceedings, underscores the multifaceted complexity of this case. With the potential to influence future judicial processes, particularly concerning young offenders like the Michigan school shooter, the legal fraternity is closely monitoring the developments. Simultaneously, the narrative intensifies as Crumbley's parents face their own legal quandary. Accused of involuntary manslaughter, their alleged complicity in the Oxford High School shooting, especially regarding their purported neglect of their son's mental state and facilitating firearm access, adds layers of complexity to this already convoluted legal tapestry. The Oxford community, still healing from the traumatic events of the shooting, seeks closure and justice. While the rehabilitation debate regarding Ethan Crumbley rages on, many argue that a broader systemic introspection is essential. Questions about school security, mental health access for students, and parental responsibilities come to the fore. It's undeniable that the Oxford High School shooting and Ethan Crumbley's subsequent trial as the Michigan school shooter will serve as a precedent for future cases. This tragic incident also serves as a wake-up call for educational institutions, parents, and communities across the country, emphasizing the need for vigilance, understanding, and proactive measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. The Oxford High School shooting remains a somber reminder of the unpredictable nature of youth violence. As Ethan Crumbley, central to the rehabilitation debate, awaits his fate, Michigan and the broader U.S. community must reflect and act. The outcome of this case, centered around the Michigan school shooter, has the potential to shape legal, societal, and educational frameworks for years to come. Related Article: Sycamore Gap Tree at Hadrian's Wall Fell Overnight: 16-Year-Old Arrested in Shocking Act of Vandalism Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that the state has invested EGP 9.4 trillion in ambitious national projects in recent years, reiterating the government's willingness to press ahead with plans to develop, implement and reform policies. Madbouly made his remarks at the Story of the Homeland conference, which is taking place in the New Administrative Capital between 30 September and 2 October under the patronage of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The investments were aimed at reducing multidimensional poverty and advancing progress and development, he said. The prime minister explained that the government opted for "real and lasting transformation, rather than palliative measures. These actions were taken despite successive challenges starting with the economic crisis in 2011, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukrain war, he added. "We had the courage to implement reforms and openness policies even when it seemed impossible," he said. Madbouly noted that the unemployment rate, which stood at 13.2 percent in 2014, has declined to 7.2 percent in 2023. He expressed optimism for the future, saying: "The Egyptian economy is projected to become one of the world's largest by 2030." Additionally, Madbouly revealed that President El-Sisi has directed the government to invest EGP 300 billion ($9 billion) in the development of North and Central Sinai. Egypt is proceeding with its development process guided by a long-term plan referred to as the Urban Development Plan for Egypt 2052. According to Madbouly, the plan was "meticulously" drawn up by a team of 34 Egyptian experts spanning diverse fields. Search Keywords: Short link: Photo: (Photo : Mark Makela / Getty Images) In an unprecedented development this week, Pennsylvania has reached a pivotal point in its police reform journey. The family of 8-year-old Fanta Bility, whose life was tragically cut short by police gunfire, has finalized a $11 million settlement, setting a strong precedent for accountability and casting a crucial spotlight on the need for police reform commitment. The Incident that Sent Shockwaves Across Pennsylvania In 2021, the serene surroundings of Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, turned chaotic. What began as a mere disagreement among teenagers quickly escalated into a violent episode, leading to gunshots ringing through the air. Amid the turmoil, young Fanta Bility suffered a gunshot wound to her torso. Subsequent investigations confirmed the worst fears of the Pennsylvania community: the fatal shot that ended the life of the 8-year-old had come from a police officer's firearm. An $11 Million Settlement The aftermath of Fanta Bility's untimely passing was a tumultuous period for Pennsylvania. Three police officers, namely Devon Smith, Sean Dolan, and Brian Devaney, found themselves at the epicenter of this storm. Despite facing initial charges of manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter, a plea deal resulted in these charges being dropped. Instead, all three officers pleaded guilty to ten counts each of reckless endangerment and were later sentenced to five years of probation. Fast-forwarding to this week, the significant $11 million settlement came to fruition, addressing three separate lawsuits against the Borough of Sharon Hill. Entrusted with representing the interests of Fanta's family, the van der Veen, Hartshorn and Levin law firm echoed the sentiments of many in Pennsylvania by expressing hope that this settlement might bring some closure. Even as the weight of their loss remains, Fanta's mother, Tenneh Kromah, passionately spoke about the Fanta Bility Foundation, a beacon of hope dedicated to upholding Fanta's legacy and championing impactful Police Reform Commitment. Kromah stated that no sum can ever return Fanta to us or remove the dreadful events of August 27, 2021, from their memories. Their aspiration now is to shift our focus to the Fanta Bility Foundation, ensuring her legacy continues to thrive. Read Also: Federal Appeals Court Upholds Bans on Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Minors in Kentucky, Tennessee Pennsylvania's Vision: Enhanced Pollice Training and a Safer Tomorrow As Pennsylvania grapples with the aftershocks of this incident, the Borough of Sharon Hill is taking decisive steps. The community's police reform commitment, which is now more crucial than ever, is at the forefront of their efforts. Committed to raising their standards, the borough emphasizes refining and implementing stringent policies to prevent such harrowing incidents in the future. A cornerstone of the $11 million settlement agreement is the pledge to provide extensive police training, with a sharp focus on the responsible use of deadly force. As the state and its communities rally for change, this commitment has been hailed as a monumental step toward restoring public trust, ensuring the safety of Sharon Hill residents, and solidifying Pennsylvania's Pollice Reform Commitment. The tragic passing of 8-year-old Fanta Bility has undeniably left an indelible mark on Pennsylvania. However, the pursuit of justice, culminating in the $11 million settlement, serves as a testament to the resilience and commitment of the community. With the spotlight firmly on Pollice Reform Commitment, Pennsylvania stands at the cusp of transformative change, aiming to ensure that such tragedies remain a thing of the past. Related Article: Child Care Cliff's Looming Threat To US Families: Aftermath of ARPA Fund Expiration As soon as Elder Bednar opened his remarks this morning, I turned to my wife and predicted that he would cite President J. Reuben Clarks justly famous 1947 speech To Them of the Last Wagon. And indeed he did. (Ill be available for the signing of autographs for the next week or so.) I loved what he had to say, which I expect will bear the title, when published, of In the Path of Their Duty, or something of that sort. It is absolutely true that the vast majority of the work of the Church is done privately or before very few eyes, and by people whose names are known only to their immediate family, their small social circle, and, yes, to God. I was grateful for Elder Bednars tribute, his expression of gratitude, to them. As I listened to Elder Robert M. Daines speak (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/robert-m-daines?lang=eng), I thought of the testimonies that I have seen from more than a few formerly active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which speak of having felt overwhelmed by rules during their days of activity, and of a perpetual sense of guilt or inadequacy as aspiring Saints. I feel for them. Their experience with the Church has not been mine, but I dont doubt that they felt as they describe. I wonder what could have been done to help them. I wonder what might be done now to help them and, urgently, what might be done to help those who are currently feeling as they felt. I loved Elder Ian S. Arderns comments about poverty and want in Africa, and about Church humanitarian aid there. Thanks to Louis and Ireta Midgley, I first met Elder Ardern in his native New Zealand long before he was a General Authority or even a mission president. He has spent much of his ministry in far-flung areas of the world where humanitarian aid has been a chronic need or, sometimes, an urgent and pressing need after a natural catastrophe. Ive been fortunate to have heard a little bit about some of his experiences over the years. I appreciated Elder Gary Stevensons four principles for learning to hear the Spirit: (1) Stand in holy places. (2) Stand with holy people. (3) Testify of holy truths. (4) Listen to the Spirit. He fleshed those four principles out in helpful ways, and gave other helpful guidance. I felt some resolutions coming on as I listened to him. The minute I heard the Proclamation on the Family mentioned favorably, and as authoritative, by President Dallin H. Oaks, I knew that he would be fiercely attacked online for having done so. And, indeed, Ive been saddened but not at all surprised to see him (and the Churchs affirmation of marriage between a man and a woman as the divine standard) labeled vile, hateful, and full of bile. None of which, in case you didnt hear his remarks, was even slightly in evidence. I enjoyed Elder Neil L. Andersens remarks about tithing and about Church finances. These are controversial topics in recent years. Some cynics out there claim that money is the only thing that the leaders of the Church value or care about, which, it seems to me, speaks far more eloquently about those cynics than it does about the leaders of the Churchmany of whom have quite plainly made considerable sacrifices, financial and otherwise, in order to serve the Lord. As a centerpiece of his conference address, Elder Yoon Hwan Choi quoted a passage from the Book of Mormon that has become, somewhat to my surprise, one of my favorite verses of scripture. (Im tempted to say, as I once heard President Boyd K. Packer say of a different Book of Mormon verse, that it simply wasnt there during my previous readings.) It is Mosiah 2:41, a very simple passage. I probably overlooked it in my younger days partly because of its very simplicity. As I grow older, though, inevitably approaching my own departure, and with many of loved ones and friends already passed on, it has begun to mean a great deal to me: And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. Elder Alan T. Phillips asked a really good question: Are we, he asked, merely passively attending church? Or are we actively seeking to build a community of caring and faith? Thats something to ponder. So, also, is Elder Ronald A. Rasbands invitation for older couples to serve missions. My wife and I have considered this matter a great deal. Right now, our conviction (which, I realize full well, will be mocked and derided by the usual suspects) is that, through our daily involvement in the work of the Interpreter Foundation and given the multiple massive Church-related writing projects that I have underway and the regular small-scale Church-related writing that I do every week, we are serving a kind of mission. And were pedaling about as fast as we can. Im going to act here on Elder Stevensons advice, by bearing my testimony of holy truth: I am so very, very grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for my faith in the Restored Gospel of Jesus. From the first days in my adolescence when I began to perceive the richness, power, and generosity, and the sheer magnificence, of the Plan of Salvationbehind what had seemed to me, son of a non-member father and a marginally active mother, the mundane and rather uninteresting activities of the Church as I had (stupidly) experienced themI have never completely lost my deep sense that the divine plan is the greatest vision of the value and destiny of humanity of which I know or of which I can even conceive. And it has the wonderful added benefit that it is actually true. What conference talks stood out for you? Can you explain why? The leadership of the Police Service, as part of its continuous engagement with stakeholders at all levels across the country, met with officials of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on 27th September 2023. The meeting which took place at the Trade Union Hall, Accra, was aimed at fostering closer collaboration between the Police Service and the TUC. At the meeting, the Inspector-General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare highlighted the significance of incorporating the concerns and insights of all stakeholders into the Police Services operational strategies in order to align policing efforts with the broader needs and aspirations of all. Some members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), took turns to speak on key issues such as Management of Public Order Events, the General Security Situation in the country, Strategic Interventions implemented by the Police Administration to enhance our operational efficiency, Security preparations towards the Christmas and the New Year festivities as well as Elections Security Management. On their part, officials of the TUC commended the Police for the historic engagement, noting that it was the first of its kind in the TUC-Police relationship over the years. They gave the assurance of their continuous working partnership as part of their civic responsibilities in the maintenance of law and order in the country. Some members and representatives of the various unions present at the meeting used the opportunity to commend the Police, expressed their concerns and asked questions on general Police operations. In his closing remarks, the Secretary-General of TUC Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah applauded the current Police leadership for its commitment to ensuring professionalism among its personnel and reassured to partner the Service in building a good working relationship. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Managing Director of National Investment Bank (NIB), Mr Samuel Sarpong has threatened to sue Joy FM, a subsidiary of the Multimedia Group for allowing Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo to make defamatory statements against him on their platform. Hon. Adongo is said to have indicated on the September 28 edition of the 'Top Story' program hosted by Evans Mensah that Mr. Samuel Sarpong has zoom-managed the Bank for over a year from Canada. However, a demand notice signed by lawyers for Mr. Sarpong has described the statement as misleading, malicious, scandalous, demeaning, and without any truth purportedly done to promote the malicious narrative that their client was responsible for the financial troubles of the Bank. It adds that the said malicious statement and its subsequent publication on MyJoyOnline has caused considerable damage to the character, image, and standing of Mr. Sarpong in his profession both locally and internationally. He is, therefore, demanding a retraction and an apology from the station and expunging of a story published titled; NIB MD Managed bank from Canada via Zoom for close to a year - Isaac Adongo, which was widely circulated. Further, Mr. Sarpong is seeking from Multimedia Group and Hon. Isaac Adongo; a statement of retraction of apology for the said statement within forty-eight (48) hours which should also be published through the same medium for the same traction. Also, he requires the Multimedia Group to pull down from all its social media outlets publications of Hon. Adongos interview while expunging the said article from its records and website. See attached the Demand Notice Your browser does not support iframes. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Organisers of the #OccupyBoGdemo will heave a sigh of relief to proceed with their pending protest on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. This is because an Accra High Court has held as ineffective the processes of service on the respondents by the Ghana Police. Principal State Attorney, George Tetteh Sackey told the court on Friday, September 29 that he had served the processes on all the respondents. But the court presided over by Justice Edward Twum observed that there was only proof of service for three out of the four respondents and hence was incomplete. The Police were seeking an order from the court to get organizers of the protest to clarify the routes for the demonstration. "Before I can give you a hearing there must be evidence of service to all parties. As it stands now only Ato Forson was not served," Justice Twum noted. The case has been adjourned to October 11. Led by Minority MPs and other groups, the #OccupyBoGdemo seeks to call for the resignation of the Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison and his deputies over a GHC60billion loss by the bank. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has charged members of the Parliament of ECOWAS to find solutions to the emerging re-militarisation of governance, the attempted confiscation of democracy by elites and the wanton desire to destroy democracy by terrorist groups and armed criminal gangs in the region. Stating what he described as three serious threats to democracy in the region, President Akufo-Addo said, democracy in West Africa is in danger, thus the regional fraternity must work even harder to entrench the principles of democratic accountability in the citizenry. According to President Akufo-Addo, democracy in the region has been seriously subverted by the attempted confiscation of democracy by elites, who engage, through legal antics, in the manipulation of constitutional rules and the subjugation of the institutions of the Republic with the sole aim of remaining in power. He added that another key threat is the emerging re-militarisation of governance with the intrusion, once again, of the military on the political scene, who have neither consulted, nor received any mandate from, the people on whose behalf they purport to act. The President did not hesitate to also mention the wanton desire to destroy democracy by terrorist groups and armed criminal gangs, who seek to establish zones of lawlessness and the absence of freedom as another deliberate threat to the democratic stability of the region. Referring to the great British wartime leader, Winston Spencer Churchills statement that democracy is the worst form of governance, except for all the others, he stated that modern history has taught us that tyranny, oppression, and totalitarian government do not last long. No matter how a people apparently reject democracy and civil liberty, circumstances would always force them back to embrace them. President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that we cannot run away from the fact that our Region is confronted with a difficult economic, political, social and security situation. As all of us know, despite the considerable progress made by the Community, in the areas of democracy, good governance and the rule of law since the early 1990s, which meant that, four (4) years ago, all fifteen (15) leaders of ECOWAS States were democratically elected, we are, at the moment, witnessing a decline in our democratic credentials. President Akufo-Addo was addressing the 2nd Ecowas Parliamentary Seminar, in Winneba, on Friday, 29th September, 2023, under the theme, Challenges Relating to Unconstitutional Changes of Government and Presidential Term Limits in West Africa - Role of the ECOWAS Parliament. Describing the prevalent situation as bitter and implacable, he said, today, four ECOWAS Member States are led by military governments as a result of coups d'etats. This sad and unfortunate development has created a state of palpable anxiety and tension in every corner of the region, raising the spectre of regional instability, which we thought had been banished forever. Equally abhorrent is the culture of violence and disputes that characterise the periods of electing some of our leaders. Mentioning the election of Mohammed Bazoum in Niger as a recognition of the common will of the people, he said that is why the coup against him is particularly tragic for the consolidation of democracy in our region and added that, the only legitimacy for any leader is through a mandate that is given freely by the people in a fair, peaceful and transparent election. This is the most tangible and objective way to know and recognize the common will, which is the will of the people. That is why, he continued, any attempt at the manipulation of opinion and of the rules of the democratic game for partisan political ends always leads to a loss of legitimacy, which is reflected in the social tensions it creates. We must distinguish between legality and legitimacy, because our region will only experience genuine stability if our powers are imbued with both legality and legitimacy. The true purpose of democratic governance is to obtain the objective of free government, shared prosperity and progress, equitable and accessible justice and lasting peace for the wellbeing of the citizenry, he added. He called on the ECOWAS legislators to ensure that one of the expected outcomes is to help us understand even better the root causes of democratic regression and political instability in the region in order the better to address them, and speak against the extension of presidential term limits by some leaders to strengthen their grip on power. These actions tend to result in discontent amongst the populace, which create fertile grounds on which military interventions disingenuously feed, he observed. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Afigya Kwabre Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Mr. Odeneho Kweku Appiah also known as COKA has called for unity in the party. His call is as a result of the conversations of disunity which have erupted in the party after Mr. Alan Kyeramatens resignation. According to the former constituency chairman, the party can risk going into opposition if they are not unified. Losing your manhood as a man is better than to live in opposition, it is hell, he stated as he urged members of the party to stay focused and have hope for the future. Opposition in Ghana, you will lose some friends, no invitation for church fund raising, your confidence level sometimes will be low Lets strengthen our unity, stay focused, follow the elephant for protection, hope for the future and together we will break the eight, he concluded. Former Afigya Kwabre Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Mr. Odeneho Kweku Appiah also known as COKA THE BACKSTORY On Monday, September 25th, former trades minister and former flag bearer hopeful of the NPP Mr. Alan Kyeramateng announced his resignation from the party. His resignation was due to certain irregularities in the party which had taken place prior and after the August 26th Super delegates conference. According to Mr. Kyeramateng, efforts were made by the National Council of the party to skew the elections in favour of one candidate. I joined the NPP at the beginning of its establishment as a founding member, believing in its core values and the long standing traditions of its antecedents, predicted on fairness, equity, probity, accountability and transparency. According to Mr. Kyeramaten, these values were lost and thus his resignation. He also spoke of the sacrifices he made for the party when he sacrificed his first presidential primaries in 1996 upon the advice from certain senior members of the party. So he can rally support behind his colleague aspirants who were older than him. The same was said in 2007 when he had to go for a run off with President Akufo Addo in the primaries. Mr. Alan Kyeramaten says he stepped down in a bid to stop the party from dividing because there were internal conflicts between his supporters and his opponents. All of these sacrifices and many more according to the former Trades Minister have not been honored well enough by the party. And so with the circumstances which surrounded the super delegates conference, where one of his agents was assaulted, the alleged intransparency of which according to him the party did not address or find solution to, he decided to resign. His resignation would create a new political future for him, which the NPP would not be part of. Mr. Kyeramateng said he will be going independent in the 2024 elections after he launched a new political movement called Movement for Change. The brand logo for the MOVEMENT is the Monarch Butterfly, which politically symbolizes change and transformation, hope, and positivity. He says the movement will be led and powered by the youth, as it will be the force to break the duopoly in the countrys political space. After making this announcement many people including political watchers and commentators have stated that, Mr. Alan Kyeramatengs departure will create a problem for the NPP in 2024. They say his influence in the party will create disunity, because he may turn some notable members to his side. But the party also in a press conference on Tuesday September 26th rebutted the claims saying that the NPP is bigger than Mr. Kyeramateng and that his departure will not affect them in any way. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to completing the Agenda 111 Hospital Project, whose sod he cut in August 2021. According to President Akufo-Addo, thus far, eighty-six (86) district hospitals, two (2) regional psychiatric hospitals and the western regional hospital are ongoing, which are all at various levels of completion. Speaking at the commissioning of the St. Michaels Specialist Hospital, on Saturday, 30th September 2023, at Abeka Lapaz, the President stated that the average completion rate of the eighty-nine (89) ongoing projects is fifty-two percent (52%), with work at some of the sites being seventy to eighty percent complete. He told the gathering that the construction of these 89 hospitals are being undertaken by indigenous Ghanaian contractors, who have provided direct and indirect jobs to Ghanaians. There is an average number of one hundred and twenty (120) workers on each construction site, and, when completed, an average of five hundred and forty-nine (549) persons will be employed in a district hospital, one thousand, three hundred and forty-three (1,343) in a regional hospital, and nine hundred and forty-seven (947) in each psychiatric hospital, the President said. He continued, This means that sixty-seven thousand, six hundred and thirty-five (67,635) people will be employed in the Agenda 111 hospitals. The Agenda 111 initiative is providing 101 standard 100-bed district hospitals with accommodation for doctors and nurses in districts without district hospitals; 6 new regional hospitals for each of the 6 new regions; rehabilitating the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region; building 1 new regional hospital for the Western Region; and 2 psychiatric hospitals for two of the three (3) zones of the country, i.e. Middle and North. The entire package is estimated at a cost of USD$1.765 billion. Beyond the building of these new healthcare facilities, my vision is to help make Ghana the Centre of Excellence for Medical Care in West Africa by 2030, leveraging on Ghanas favourable status in the Region as the most peaceful country in West Africa, a beacon of democracy on the continent, and a land of opportunities, he said. President Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his governments commitment to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology as part of the countrys drive to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Since 2017, the President noted that his government has restored nursing trainee allowances, recruited the highest number of healthcare workers in the history of the 4th Republic, with fifty-eight thousand and forty-one (58,041) health workers employed to supplement the existing health sector workforce at the height of COVID-19 alone. The Ghana Ambulance Service has been equipped with three hundred and seven (307) ambulances, that is 1-Constituency-1-Ambulance, in comparison to the fifty-five (55) semi-functioning ambulances that existed during the time of the Mahama government. We have made improvements in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to make access easier, and we are using drones to deliver emergency medical supplies to remote areas, he added. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former First Lady of Ghana, Theresa Kufuor has passed on at age 87. Theresa Kufuor was the wife of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the second President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. She was a retired nurse and midwife. Theresa Kufuor (nee Mensah; born 25th October 1935) A family source confirmed to Graphic Online on Sunday night that the former First Lady died on Sunday [October 1, 2023]. Education Kufuor started her education at the Catholic Convent, OLA, at Keta in the Volta Region of Ghana. She later went to London, where she was educated as a Registered General Nurse, in the Southern Hospital Group of Nursing. Edinburgh, Scotland. After further study at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and Paddington General Hospital, London, she qualified as a State Certified Midwife with a Certificate in Premature Nursing. Personal life Theresa married John Kufuor when he was at age 23 after they met at a Republic Day Anniversary Dance in London in 1961. They got married in 1962. She has five children with John Kufuor, former president of Ghana, J. Addo Kufuor, Nana Ama Gyamfi, Saah Kufuor, Agyekum Kufuor and Owusu Afriyie Kufuor. She is a mother of five, and a grandmother of eight. She is a devout Roman Catholic. Despite being the first lady of Ghana for eight years between 2001 and 2009, she has managed to maintain a low profile in the political arena. In 2007 she pushed for policy changes in the Governments white paper on Educational Reforms towards the implementation of UNESCOs Free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE) program for kindergarten children. She founded the Mother and Child Community Development Foundation (MCCDF), a non-governmental organisation operating in Ghana and Canada that supports work in prevention of mother to child transmission. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video UPDATE: Central Pa. doc tried to pull down womans underwear during treatment for Lyme Disease A Lancaster County doctor has been charged with indecent assault after Pennsylvania State Police say he inappropriately touched a patient during an office visit. According to a statement from state police, troopers charged Vladimir Iakomi, 64, after a report from one of his patients that she had been assaulted on Sept. 30 during a visit to Iakomis office in Bart Township. The victim fell asleep and awoke roughly 30 minutes later to find herself lying in a different direction with Iakomi aggressively rubbing and squeezing the victims lower back and buttock area, state troopers wrote in their arrest release. Iakomi asked Does this feel good? and then proceeded to pull the victims dress up and attempted to pull down the victims underwear, state police wrote. Iakomi was arraigned before Judge Denise Commins, according to court records, with a preliminary hearing date of Oct. 13. The court docket currently shows Iakomi as jailed in the Lancaster County Prison after not posting bail, although state police wrote that he was released after posting bail valued at $125,000. More: Your cellphone will sound an alarm on Oct. 4. Heres what it means. 11-year-old boy sexually assaulted at Carlisle park: mom Egypt recorded a 10 percent increase year-on-year in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows by the end of FY2022/23, Hossam Heiba, CEO of Egypt's General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), said on Saturday. The country ranked first in Africa and second in the Middle East following the UAE in terms of the value of incoming FDI in the same period, Heiba said at a meeting with members of the Egyptian Lebanese Businessmen Friendship Association. Egypt attracted $8.9 billion in FDI in the FY2021/22, recording an increase of 71.4 percent compared to the previous year, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAMPAS). Egypt, Heiba added, is among the most attractive markets for investors in North Africa and also serves as a regional centre for supply chains to the African markets. GAFI allocated around 4.5 million square meters of land as industrial zones in the last six months for several countries after they showed interest in investing in Egypt, Heiba noted. GAFI also targets reducing the time required for releasing goods from ports to 14 days instead of 147 days to help provide essential commodities and cut soaring prices; he pointed out. The government is stressing ahead with efforts to attract more foreign investments, introducing stimulating measures to simplify the procedures of companies' establishment. Egypt also ranked first in North Africa for (FDI) inflows in 2022, receiving $11.4 billion, reported the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In May, Egypt came in the 14th place among the world's top attractive and trusted emerging markets for foreign investment, according to a report by American global management consulting firm Kearney. Search Keywords: Short link: CHICAGO Hidden behind a heavy black curtain in one of the nations busiest airports is Chicagos unsettling response to a growing population of asylum-seekers arriving by plane. Hundreds of migrants, from babies to the elderly, live inside a shuttle bus center at OHare International Airports Terminal 1. They sleep on cardboard pads on the floor and share airport bathrooms. A private firm monitors their movements. Like New York and other cities, Chicago has struggled to house asylum-seekers, slowly moving people out of temporary spaces and into shelters and, in the near future, tents. But Chicagos use of airports is unusual, having been rejected elsewhere, and highlights the citys haphazard response to the crisis. The practice also has raised concerns about safety and the treatment of people fleeing violence and poverty. It was supposed to be a stop-and-go place, said Vianney Marzullo, one of the few volunteers at OHare. Its very concerning. It is not just a safety matter, but a public health matter. Some migrants stay at OHare for weeks, then are moved to police stations or manage to get into the few shelters available. Within weeks, Chicago plans to roll out winterized tents, something New York has done. Up to 500 people have lived at OHare simultaneously in a space far smaller than a city block, shrouded by a curtain fastened shut with staples. Their movements are monitored by a private company whose staff control who enters and exits the curtain. Sickness spreads quickly. The staffing company provides limited first aid and calls ambulances. A volunteer team of doctors visited once over the summer and their supplies were decimated. Chicago offers meals, but only at specific times and many foods are unfamiliar to the new arrivals. While migrants closer to Chicagos core have access to a strong network of volunteers, food and clothing donations at OHare are limited, due to airport security concerns. Most of the 14,000 immigrants who have arrived in Chicago during the last year have come from Texas, largely under the direction of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. As more migrants arrived, the citys existing services were strained. Officials struggled to find longer-term housing solutions while saying the city needed more help from the state and federal governments. Brandon Johnson took office in May and has proposed tents. Many migrants are from Venezuela, where a political, social and economic crisis in the past decade has pushed millions of people into poverty. At least 7.3 million have left, with many risking an often-harrowing route to the United States. Maria Daniela Sanchez Valera, 26, who passed through Panamas dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap with her 2-year-old daughter, arrived at OHare days ago. She fled her native Venezuela five years ago for Peru, where her daughter was born. After her daughters father was killed, she left. We come here with the intention of working, not with the intention of being given everything, she said. A recent Biden Administration plan to offer temporary legal status status, and the ability to work, to Venezuelans doesnt apply to her because she arrived after the deadline. She tries to keep the toddler entertained with walks around the terminal. On a recent day, a staff member told Valera to make her daughter stop running or else they would be kicked out. The company, Favorite Healthcare Staffing, said employees treat new arrivals with respect and it would investigate further. Valera said she wanted to take a train from the airport, but she didnt have the roughly $5 subway fare. There are many people who have been able to get out and they say that in the garbage dumps you can get good clothes for the children, she added. Vianney Marzullo, lead volunteer with the Police Station Response Team organization, stands by a makeshift shelter for migrants at O'Hare International Airport run by a private firm hired by the city, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)AP Chicago began using the citys two international airports as temporary shelters as the number of migrants arriving by plane increased. Nearly 3,000 people who have arrived by plane since June have sought shelter. A handful live at Midway International Airport. When they need clothes or services, they walk 2 miles (3 kilometers) to a police station, volunteers say. At OHare, migrants have spread out beyond the curtain for more space, sleeping along windows. Travelers wheeling suitcases and airline staff catching buses whiz by, some stopping to take pictures. Chicago officials acknowledge using OHare isnt ideal, but say there arent other options with a crisis they inherited. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, first deputy chief of staff, said Chicago is slowly building capacity to house people. The city has added 15 shelters since May and resettled about 3,000 people. They serve 190,000 meals weekly and partner with groups for medical care, but still rely heavily on volunteers to fill gaps. Is it perfect? No. But what we have done is stood in our values to ensure that we live up to operationalizing a sanctuary city, she said. We will continue to work on it, but we are holding the line. Other cities oppose using airports. Run by a private firm hired by the city, migrants stay in a makeshift shelter at O'Hare International Airport, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, in Chicago. Unlike migrants in the public eye at police stations, the migrants at O'Hare and a handful at Midway International Airport have limited access to resources, including showers and medical care. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)AP At Bostons Logan International Airport, migrants who arrive overnight are given cots for a few hours before being sent elsewhere. Massport spokeswoman Jennifer Mehigan said Logan is not the appropriate place to stay. When reports of a possible federal plan to use the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey as a shelter surfaced recently, elected officials blasted the idea. It is such a preposterous solution to the problems we have, said Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. Who is going to secure these people? Who is going to feed them? Who is going to educate them? We really dont have any infrastructure to take care of them. Jhonatan Gelvez, a 21-year-old from Colombia, didnt plan to stay at OHare long, as he has a friend in Chicago. He teared up when he talked of being separated from his fiance en route to the U.S. Among his few belongings was a silver, anchor-shaped necklace she gave him. Just by arriving here I feel peace, he said. It is a country with many opportunities. I am very grateful. Yoli Cordova, 42, arrived at OHare days ago. She left Venezuela because she was discriminated against for her sexual orientation. She cried as she expressed relief at leaving but remained worried about her daughters in Venezuela. I dont know if theyre going to help me here, Cordova said. I really dont know what to do, where to go. More: Threat of government shutdown ends with passage of stop-gap funding bill 2 arrested after world-renowned landmark tree is cut down in England By Hannah Gaskill, The Baltimore Sun (TNS) Oct. 1 will see new laws regulating guns, where to carry them and how to store them as Maryland continues to grapple with the U.S. Supreme Court decision that upended the states former rules. There have already been challenges to these policies from people who see them as too restrictive. Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Vice Chair Jeff Waldstreicher, a Democrat from Montgomery County, went into effect Sunday. The law will prohibit people with concealed carry permits from bringing firearms into public and private elementary, middle or high schools, health care facilities, buildings owned or leased by the state or local government, public or private university buildings, active polling places, electrical plants or electrical storage facilities, gas plants, nuclear power facilities, stadiums, museums, racetracks, video lottery facilities, venues that serve alcohol or cannabis for on-site consumption, and private property unless the owner has given permission to do so. Gun control advocates celebrated the legislation made by Marylands majority-Democratic General Assembly. Were very grateful that the General Assembly is a gun-sense majority, Melissa Ladd, a campaign lead for the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said in a phone interview. Baltimore police look at a .357 Magnum handgun. They are collecting a variety of weapons at the Archdiocese of Baltimore's gun buyback at Edmondson Village Shopping Center. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun/TNS)TNS Ladd called the organizations work with the legislature in the fast and furious year since the Supreme Court ruled Marylands concealed carry gun policy unconstitutional a whirlwind. But not everyone is thrilled with the legislatures response to the Supreme Court. One of two federal lawsuits brought in opposition to the new law was done on behalf of the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association Inc. the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association and Susannah Warner Kipke, the owner of a gun storage facility and wife of Republican Anne Arundel County Del. Nic Kipke. Plaintiffs in the case, Kipke et al. v. Moore et al., are suing Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, and Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland Butler, alleging that Senate Bill 1 violates the Second Amendment by unconstitutionally restricting where Marylanders with concealed carry permits can take their firearms. A second lawsuit, Novotny et al. v. Moore et al., was filed on behalf of Katherine Novotny, Sue Burke and Esther Rossberg as well as the guns rights organizations Maryland Shall Issue, the Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition. This lawsuit, filed against Moore, Butler, the states attorneys from Baltimore City and Baltimore and Harford counties, Paul Wiedefeld, the secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, and Josh Kurtz, the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, challenges Senate Bill 1s prohibition on carrying firearms in more specific locations health care facilities, museums, establishments licensed to serve alcohol for on-site consumption, and privately owned buildings that are open to the public. The cases were combined in mid-July. The 2008 U.S. Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individuals right to have a handgun for the purpose of self-defense. But the majority opinion clarified that the ruling was not to disrupt existing policies, for example, the prohibition of guns in sensitive places like schools. In the 2022 decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, the Supreme Court overturned New York states gun licensing policy, which required that people applying for permits to carry guns in public demonstrate proper cause to successfully receive a concealed carry permit. The decision disrupted the licensing process in Maryland, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island all of which held similar policies. According to a memo published this summer by Giffords, an anti-gun violence organization, there have been more than 450 court decisions analyzing the 2022 Bruen decision in Second Amendment challenges to gun laws. Marylands now-stricken policy required applicants to provide a legal, established reason for their desire to carry a firearm. This was known as the good and substantial reason standard. Following the 6-3 Supreme Court ruling, former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, called on the Maryland State Police to suspend the good and substantial reason standard, causing an influx of concealed carry applications. Under the 2022 Supreme Court opinion, states can prohibit guns only in places analogous to those that were deemed sensitive when the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791 like courthouses, polling places and legislative buildings. Plaintiffs in the case against Moore allege that many of the places deemed sensitive in the new law, including schools, bars and places of worship, existed at the time of the founding of the United States but didnt have firearm prohibitions and, therefore, cannot be deemed sensitive. The case is ongoing. Kirk Evans, an attorney and the president of U.S. LawShield, told The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday that, while the Supreme Court did say prohibitions are applicable in places analogous to those deemed sensitive around the nations founding, it didnt go back that far to tell us exactly what those sensitive places were. According to Evans, many places deemed sensitive in Marylands new law have the same designation in other states and those have not been decided thumbs-up or thumbs-down as to whether or not theyre constitutional, he said. The big thing that makes it much more palatable under the Constitution is taking out the good and substantial standard, he continued. Maryland knocked that out and now its a little tougher than a lot of states, but its frankly not that much more burdensome than many other states. Concealed carry permits and gun storage Another law going into effect Sunday will limit who is eligible to receive a concealed carry permit. Under the multifaceted House Bill 824 sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chair Luke Clippinger, a Baltimore Democrat, applicants to receive a concealed carry permit must be at least 21 or a member of the military. They cannot be on supervised probation for driving under the influence or while intoxicated, violating a protective order, or any crime punishable by at least one year in prison. Applicants also cannot have a history of violence against themselves or others, been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for more than 30 consecutive days or be subject to a protective order. Before they receive a permit, the Maryland State Police must perform an investigation into the applicant proving that they are not barred from handgun ownership by federal or state law. After Oct. 1, anyone with a second or subsequent conviction for leaving or storing a firearm in a location that is accessible to an unsupervised child is ineligible to receive a permit. The secretary of the Maryland State Police has the ability to revoke licensure from any permit holder, and must routinely review active permit holder information to determine their eligibility. The law will also increase the maximum penalty for wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun without a permit from three to five years. Marylands firearms storage policy will also change. Anyone who stores or leaves a loaded firearm where they know or should have reasonably known that it would be accessible to anyone under 18 is in violation of a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine. Anyone convicted of improper storage may not possess a firearm for five years. With so much policy change happening, Evans said its imperative for Marylanders to become acquainted with the new laws. Most other states have had 20 to 30 years getting accustomed to people carrying around guns, so theyve had a chance to get accustomed to nuances, but this is, sort of, within the last year a brand new deal in Maryland and its going to take time, he said. Please get to know the law. 2023 The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. More: New Mexico order suspends the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque By Neeli Bendapudi In early July, a vote to fund the public missions of Penn State and our fellow state-related universities ended in a stalemate, falling six votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the Pennsylvania House. Nearly three months later, this funding for our Pennsylvania students remains unresolved, despite the states main budget bill which is separate from Penn States funding bill reaching the governors desk in August. I cannot overstate the importance of state funding to Penn State, our students, and our mission to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. I am urging lawmakers to return to Penn States appropriation and vote to approve funding for our university and ultimately our students. I have heard the call from some lawmakers who want additional accountability and transparency from state-related universities, and I am proposing a path forward. The campus of Penn State University on a fall day. Oct. 26, 2022. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comTHE PATRIOT-NEWS At Penn State, general support from the state is used exclusively to support in-state tuition for Pennsylvania students and families, which last year saved our 42,000 Pennsylvania resident undergraduates an average of $15,000 each on tuition costs compared to their out-of-state peers. This discount is especially important at our 19 undergraduate Commonwealth Campuses, where 78% of our students are Pennsylvania residents. In the absence of these critical funds, Penn State has temporarily redirected dollars from other sources including delaying employee salary increases to support the in-state tuition rate for the fall semester and maintain our commitment to our Pennsylvania students and their families. However, with student tuition and state dollars comprising the primary funding sources for our education budget, we cannot afford to subsidize in-state tuition for our Pennsylvania students indefinitely. It is crucial for Pennsylvania students that our lawmakers act now, with the promise of additional statewide action on accountability to come. Penn State is committed to accountability I believe strongly that Penn State and all public universities must continue to be accountable for how taxpayer dollars are spent and for showing a return on investment for our citizens. That is why I am calling on the General Assembly and the governor to work together with Penn State and all of Pennsylvanias public universities to design a performance-based funding model for higher education. I have worked in states that distribute funds to public universities in this way, and it ensures that universities and states are working together on shared goals for workforce and economic development. I know Gov. Josh Shapiro and many state legislators agree with this approach. Under a performance-based funding model, we ideally would grow the funding pie rather than just reallocate existing resources. And we would reward institutions with additional dollars for achieving agreed-upon metrics. In other states, those metrics include educating in-state students, supporting low-income and first-generation students, fostering studies in high-need career fields, and providing opportunities for traditionally underserved students, among others. An effective and fair performance-based funding model should be flexible, and it must consider the unique mission and structure of each university. The model also must be simple, with clarity and transparency around what it is trying to accomplish, and the metrics must be aligned with the states needs and priorities. Above all, this must be a collaborative effort between lawmakers and the universities, themselves, with all stakeholders having a seat at the table. Old Main on the Penn State campus. April 3, 2018. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com HARHAR Penn State is taking action now I believe implementing performance-based funding will go a long way toward addressing concerns about accountability and transparency. However, while we await legislative action, I want to address this matter now. I have made the decision to proactively release an annual accountability report that will be publicly available by the end of October at a new webpage we have created: psu.edu/accountability. The report and webpage will focus on the information our lawmakers and the public request most often, and that demonstrate Penn States value to Pennsylvania, informed by approaches taken in other states. This includes links to financial reports, campus safety reports, and key metrics such as enrollment, student graduation and retention rates, student demographics, alumni wages and more. While much of this information is already publicly available, we have consolidated it in one location and will update it regularly for quick and easy access by all. Neeli Bendapudi speaks during a meeting of the Penn State Board of Trustees, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in State College, Pa. She's first woman and first person of color to serve as president of Penn State. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) APAP A partnership that endures I believe this is a pivotal time for public higher education in Pennsylvania. Our partnership with our fellow citizens and the commonwealth has endured for nearly 170 years because weve been willing to adapt to meet Pennsylvanias needs. Penn State remains eager to partner with the state to meet the challenges of today, and remains committed to accountability, and to demonstrating outcomes. Together with our students and their families, we are depending on the General Assembly to fund our universitys public mission, as it has done for generations of Pennsylvanians. With the states support, we can continue to align our programs with the commonwealths economic priorities and provide the highly skilled workforce that is necessary for Pennsylvania to compete nationally and globally. Neeli Bendapudi is President of Penn State University. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. By Ellen Duffield For millions of us, March 2020 was unlike any month weve lived. Sheltered and homebound, either alone or with a small group of loved ones. Unemployed or fearful of soon becoming so. Our daily routines and life experiences immediately changed as the world shrunk to no bigger than our immediate surroundings. Connection points outside of immediate circles were made possible only through technology, which became normalized in all aspects of our lives. During that month, and for many months after, we lived how people with disabilities and older Americans often live. Strike that we had it better. We could move freely around our homes and easily step outside to feel the sun on our faces. Free from disabilities that impact the use of technology, many of us were able to retain our jobs, shifting to virtual work. The community sharing our experience numbered in the billions. Because of this, our needs were not minimized, dismissed or ignored. Think for a moment how our temporary COVID struggles are daily and everlasting for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. Nearly half a million of our neighbors who through age, traumatic illness or injury require long-term care. Without access to technology that meets their needs, they can be isolated, overlooked for jobs they are qualified for, and confined to their homes, many of which dont address their declining mobility. The stark reality is that we are an aging nation and Pennsylvanias population ranks as the fourth oldest state in America. By 2030, nearly one-third of Pennsylvanians will be 60 or older according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. The need for long-term care will increase in the coming years. The good news? Technology innovations, improved and normalized through COVID, can become turnkey solutions to make a positive difference in peoples lives today and to better prepare ourselves for whats coming tomorrow. We frequently view our health through a clinical lens. We fall ill, we visit a doctor, our health improves. Long-term services and supports (LTSS) are designed to provide people with holistic services like help with bathing, dressing, meal prep and transportation and traditional clinical care, such as ensuring medications are filled and being taken appropriately. Its a care model built on independence and empowerment, a complex system of services that meets and adapts to peoples individual needs as those needs change over time. Technology will drive next generation LTSS. It must. Individuals who cant access technology to connect with family and friends, medical providers, education and employment opportunities and more are at a real disadvantage. That is why Highmark Wholecare is expanding partnerships to help drive innovation in LTSS. We recently funded the Inglis Innovation Center Pittsburgh to bring leading assistive technology to western Pennsylvania that helps close the accessibility gap for people with disabilities. With our partnership, Inglis, one of Pennsylvanias foremost organizations serving people with disabilities, has expanded services from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in a high-need area for Medicaid and Medicare participants. In addition to technologies that eliminate communication gaps for people with disabilities, connecting these neighbors to jobs is crucial as its a key determinant for their overall well-being and stability. Highmark works closely with Bender Consulting Services to help place people with disabilities within the organization. On the 30th anniversary of the American Disabilities Act in 2020, Highmark committed to hire at least 30 employees with disabilities per year from Bender Consulting Services and encouraged other employers to match this commitment. Highmark has continued the initiative, with an increased commitment for each anniversary. In 2023, Highmark committed to hire 33 people with disabilities. At a pragmatic level, employment provides an income. Beyond that it provides purpose, an important element of wellness. Post pandemic, a large percentage of working Americans appreciate how technology can close work accessibility gaps. Disability-friendly technology not only increases accessibility to care it opens doors for mentorship and employment. Consider that Inglis Employment Services recently helped an individual become an accountant for the state. Highmark Wholcares vice-president of long-term services and supports often quotes the words of her mentor, who became a quadriplegic at 18: Help people see whats possible. As a person with a disability, she believed that ones fate isnt predetermined by changing abilities. Instead, shed say, Ask every individual what they want for themselves and find the right tools to make it happen. Her words are the heartbeat of LTSS. Its helping people imagine whats possible and pursuing it. In 2023 and beyond, health care organizations must use technology innovations to stretch the possibilities of those living with disabilities. Ellen Duffield is president and CEO of Highmark Wholecare. By Diane Mastrull, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) PHILADELPHIA As expected, Republican David McCormick received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania GOP Saturday in his second run for the U.S. Senate. What a difference a year makes. That the Republican Party is fully behind the Gulf War veteran and former hedge fund CEO is in contrast to last year, when McCormick, 57, lost a close GOP primary race to celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz. After much speculation, the native of Washington, Pa., who has homes in Pittsburgh and Connecticut, officially entered the Senate race last week, after nearly 100 prominent Republicans wrote a public letter urging him to run. McCormick is looking to unseat Bob Casey, the longest serving Pennsylvania Democrat in Senate history. I am deeply humbled to receive the unanimous endorsement of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, McCormick said in a statement. United as one, Republicans across Pennsylvania will win, we will defeat Bob Casey and bring strong leadership to Washington on behalf of the commonwealth. The endorsement, described as an unprecedented early vote, came at the Pennsylvania GOPs fall meeting in Camp Hill. With the balance of the Senate up for grabs and Pennsylvania a persistent swing state, the race will be closely watched and is expected to be robustly funded. In 2022, races to fill the open seat of retiring Sen. Pat Toomey drew $375 million, the most of any Senate race in the country. More: McCormicks chances in Pa. could hinge on Trump: political analysts More than 300 people participated in the walk for the children in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Saturday morning. The walk began at Safeway and proceeded to the Penticton Indian Reserve where a ceremony was held, which included residential school survivors, at the memorial. Telecom Egypt signed an agreement with the Medusa Submarine Cable System to extend the Mediterranean network to the Red Sea by the end of 2025, according to Telecom's statement on Thursday. The agreement was signed last week during the Submarine Networks World event in Singapore. The new connection will start from Port Said and tap into stations in Suez, Zafarana, and Ras Ghareb through Telecom Egypts extensive crossing network. Mohamed Nasr, the CEO of Telecom Egypt, said that the extension will enhance the country's connection with others in Europe and Africa. "The agreement provides additional connectivity solutions and increases diversity in the submarine cable infrastructure reaching the Red Sea," he added. Egypt's hosting of the Medusa Submarine Cable System will accelerate telecommunication signals across oceans, facilitate global communications, and provide high-quality internet connectivity, the statement explained. In March 2022, Telecom Egypt signed an agreement with Medusa-owner AFR-IX Telecom to land Egypt's cable network. The project will connect Egypt with other Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, Morocco, Spain, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt. In May 2023, Telecom Egypt revealed the landing of the 2Africa subsea internet cable, designed to boost connectivity between Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. 2Africa, the worlds longest undersea communications cable, connected to the Port Said station on the Mediterranean coast. Search Keywords: Short link: Isaac Haxton Wins 2nd SHRB Title For $2,760,000; Brewer Bubbles With Cracked Aces September 30, 2023 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S. Isaac Haxton is now a two-time winner of the prestigious Super High Roller Bowl after defeating heads-up opponent Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger for $2,760,000, the second-biggest score of Haxton's decorated poker career matched only by his 2018 SHRB victory for $3.7 million. The $300,000 buy-in tournament inside PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas attracted 20 entrants for a prize pool of $6 million. Six players returned for Day 3 on Saturday with four places paid and Haxton holding a dominant chip lead. Recent Poker Masters Series champion Stephen Chidwick (3rd - $960,000) and Jason Koon (4th - $600,000) made the money before an arduous heads-up battle between Haxton and Lichtenberger, who is fresh off a Poker Masters $10,000 event victory that brought him $204,000. Isaac Haxton "It feels great," Haxton told PokerGo in a winner's interview. "That was a tough collection of players to beat. Obviously, it helps to come in with half the chips and continue to run good after that, but yeah, I feel great. I'm very happy to win this tournament. It's one of my favorites." Listen to "LuckyChewy" On The PokerNews Podcast! 2023 Super High Roller Bowl Final Table Results PLACE PLAYER COUNTRY PRIZE (IN USD) 1 Isaac Haxton United States $2,760,000 2 Andrew Lichtenberger United States $1,680,000 3 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $960,000 4 Jason Koon United States $600,000 Another Brutal Bubble For Brewer There was a tough exit for defending SHRB champion Daniel Negreanu on Day 2, and the exits only got tougher at the shorter-than-anticipated final table. As Day 3 got underway with six players remaining, Bryn Kenney found himself at risk with pocket threes against the Big Slick of Chidwick and stayed ahead until a rivered king marked the all-time money leader's elimination. Not long after, recent two-time bracelet winner Chris Brewer picked up aces and found himself at risk on the stone bubble after inducing a four-bet jam from Lichtenberger with king-ten of spades. A flopped pair and flush draw for Lichtenberger made it a pure flip and the cruel ace of spades gave him the flush. Chris Brewer Brewer, who has notoriously bubbled multiple high rollers and developed a reputation as one of the unluckiest players on the high-stakes circuit, didn't fill up on the river and the look on his face said it all as he missed out on a six or seven-figure payday. Some players took to social media to compliment Brewer's final table play, and in particular, a terrific fold he made with trip aces against the full house of Koon. "Not gonna lie think @Chris_D_Brewer had the best performance during SHRB," tweeted Adam Hendrix. "Sometimes pokers painful and (you) don't get the result you earn." Brewer's aces wouldn't be the last premium hand that "LuckyChewy" would crack at the final table. Koon, who commentator Nick Schulman joked looked like "a drug dealer from the year 3000" with his shades and shaved head, picked up pocket kings and flopped top set against the gutshot of Lichtenberger with jack-ten, who improved to a straight on the turn before check-raising Koon on the river to send him out in fourth place. Haxton Prevails In Lengthy Heads-Up Battle Chidwick's elimination in third place, in which he called off his top pair against a river check-raise from Lichtenberger with two pair, set up a lengthy heads-up battle between Lichtenberger and Haxton that saw the two exchanging chip leads over several hours of play. Andrew Lichtenberger Haxton steadily chipped away at his opponent and almost had him on the ropes before an unsuccessful triple barrel bluff with the ace flush blocker as "LuckyChewy" called with second pair to double up. It was then Haxton who doubled up as he check-jammed with a flopped flush draw as Lichtenberger called off with his overpair of kings. A spade on the turn left Lichtenberger drawing dead as he was left with crumbs before a final hand where his nine-three couldn't prevail against then ten-seven of Haxton. The SHRB victory is a punctuation mark on Haxton's spectacular year of live poker that has so far included seven high-roller victories, five seven-figure scores and his first bracelet win. Haxton joined fellow two-time SHRB champions Justin Bonomo and Timothy Adams and moved up to second on the PGT leaderboard behind 2023 WSOP Main Event champion Daniel Weinman. 2023 PGT Leaderboard Place Player Country Points 1st Daniel Weinman United States 2,300 2nd Isaac Haxton United States 2,297 3rd Chris Brewer United States 2,185 4th Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom 1,826 5th Steven Jones United States 1,700 6th Sam Soverel United States 1,602 7th Alex Foxen United States 1,509 8th Adam Walton United States 1,500 9th Ren Lin China 1,447 10th Cary Katz United States 1,441 *Photos courtesy of PokerGO Aiken Standard Reporter Erin Weeks is a reporter with the Aiken Standard. She covers education in Aiken County. Erin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her first poetry book, "Origins of My Love," was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Aiken Standard reporter Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken and politics. Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers The evening's main honoree is from a military family and the "captain" title is from his years in the British army. He is also known as the former husband of Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles III of Great Britain. Olliff, addressing the gathering at Stable View, noted, "I think there are a lot of people here that have a debt of gratitude to Mark. I think there are some top riders who have learned stuff from him. There are probably a lot of younger riders that have read about stuff that Mark's done over the years." He expressed thanks for Phillips' decade of support. "It is 10 years, sort of to the day, that we put on our first event, and Mark's been with us for those very special 10 years." Phillips triggered a wave of laughter in referring to another high-profile figure with strong Aiken ties: Phillip Dutton, an Australian-born Olympic-level rider who is the namesake of a stable at Bruce's Field, in Aiken. "I saw Phillip Dutton just now, and I said, 'You know how this feels like.' Just down the field, at Bruce's Field, he's got a stable named after him, and I've got an arena named after me. He's got a building. I've got some sand." Listeners laughed and one shouted, "It's big sand! It's Attwood sand!" The material in use is from Attwood Equestrian Surfaces, a maker of high-grade equestrian footing. Phillips continued, "Phillip's heart and my heart are both in the same place, and that's the future of the sport. Phillip has done a huge amount for the sport in this country, and if I've contributed a little bit as well, thank you." The evening's main honoree, wrapping up an evening of fellowship, later said, "I've been here for more than 10 years, and we've had 10 years of competitions, and I'm happy to have been part of the development of something that's very special in the Aiken area." Ask any parent about the time their kids spend on mobile devices, and youll likely hear the same refrain: Its too much. Excessive use of smartphones and social media is linked to rising rates of teenage depression and self-harm, while also damaging students academic performance and exacer Read moreGuest editorial: Schools need to ban cell phones Celebrating its German roots, Mankiewicz Coatings was breaking out the sausage and suds for a full-blown Oktoberfest gathering at its Charleston site this weekend, seasoned with a dash of sustainability and the announcement of a new expansion. The industrial paint supplier, which followed luxury automaker BMW to South Carolina 25 years ago, broke ground Sept. 30 on a 100,000-square-foot logistics center that will more than double the size of its footprint off Clements Ferry Road near Daniel Island. "Thanks to the hard work of the employees and great market conditions, the company is growing very fast," said Fabian Grimm, the U.S. managing director for the 128-year-old family-owned business. The two-story $30 million project will include 200 parking spaces, upstairs office space and an expansive ground-floor warehouse for finished goods. It will free up the existing smaller storage site to handle raw materials coming in the door. Mankiewicz targets the automotive, aviation and general industrial markets, with Grimm describing the latter as "anything without wheels or wings" from farm equipment to household appliances. The growth, he added, is coming "from all directions." Based in Hamburg, Mankiewicz started out by making varnishes for horse-drawn carriages. Its U.S. expansion began in the Upstate in the late 1990s when the company started supplying paint from Simpsonville for the Z3 roadster BMW was making in nearby Greer. After a brief relocation to St. Louis, it returned to the Palmetto State to a small industrial building in the Daniel Island-Cainhoy area in 2010 to be closer to the Port of Charleston, where the company ships in raw materials from Europe. As Boeing Co. ramped up production of its 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, Mankiewicz began providing customized coatings. At the same time, the Charleston outpost was expanding its customer base throughout North America, from Canada to Chile, winning business with other large blue-chip companies that include JetBlue Airways, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz. By then, over 4 million views had been tallied on a TikTok by Spike Cohen, Libertarian Party politician and founder of nonprofit You Are The Power, in which he spoke out against the policies at a city council meeting. "You tell yourselves that you're just doing your jobs," Cohen said directly to council members on Aug. 17. "If that were actually true, then your jobs are objectively evil and you should quit." The day before the demonstration, on Sept. 29, activists from Brown's group and from Cohen's nonprofit were confronted by Columbia police officers while distributing food on a sidewalk downtown, Brown said. According to Cohen, they were told they were obstructing traffic and causing a hazard, and ultimately that people who wish to be fed have to go to Hope Plaza. The demonstration on Sept. 30 then became a response to both the city ordinances and to the way law enforcement reacted to Brown's serving people on the street. Activists from both groups and a few dozen other residents made the same trek that they claim the city has forced people who stay in public spaces like Memorial Park to make every day for food or water. The group prepared over 100 bagged lunches and gave out water bottles, coffee and plastic bags with products like toothpaste and socks. After distributing the lunches and care packages in the park, the caravan some of whom were carrying signs that read food not fines or people not politics went Northeast through downtown, marching through several blocks of the weekly Soda City Farmers Market on Main Street. They ended at Hope Plaza, to serve unhoused people who were already there. "The whole thing is ridiculous," Cohen said of the city ordinances. "We're going to keep doing stuff like this until we get from the city that we deserve, and we're going to keep providing for those in need." South Carolina school districts are on track to spend all the $3.3 billion in federal relief funds they received by the September 2024 deadline. The Post and Courier surveyed 26 of the state's traditional 73 school districts, representing 387,649 students or 52 percent of South Carolinas total student population. All the school districts said they were on target to spend their federal relief funds by the deadline. More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Couriers Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab. If the districts are not able to do so, the money will be returned to the federal government. The money was a one-time infusion primarily meant to help students with COVID-19-related learning loss. But students in South Carolina and across the nation are still suffering academically. Earlier this month, scores for the SC Ready Test taken by third through eighth graders revealed students were struggling in math. Just over half of students met or exceeded expectations in the subject across all grade levels, with fourth graders doing the best, with 57.1 percent passing the subject. Black students, whose learning was disproportionately impacted during the pandemic, did worse than their White peers, with only around a fourth meeting or exceeding expectations. Fourth graders also did best for this subgroup, with 26.3 percent meeting or exceeding expectations. Schools are facing other problems that were exacerbated by the pandemic. The teacher-retention crisis plagues the education industry, and students are undergoing a mental health crisis. While districts appreciated the one-time cash influence, the future of the programs it funded, the jobs it created and the resources it provided are now in flux. Districts are scouring their budgets to find ways to keep programs that are helping to keep students afloat. Notary offices across Egypt were jammed for the seventh day in a row on Sunday as thousands of citizens gathered to endorse President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for a third presidential term, while supporters of other potential candidates are reportedly struggling to issue endorsements. Notary offices started receiving endorsements for candidates last Monday, with Egypts National Election Authority (NEA) announcing that those seeking to run in the 2024 presidential election can submit for candidacy from 5 to 14 October 2023. As a precondition to run for president, the Egyptian constitution requires candidates to secure endorsements from at least 20 MPs from the House of Representatives or 25,000 registered voters from at least 15 governorates, with a minimum of 1,000 endorsements from each governorate. Meanwhile, hundreds of parliament members gathered in the p arliament last week to endorse El-Sisi, who has not announced his intention to run for re-election to date. Parliamentary majority bloc Mostaqbal Watan (the Nation's Future Party) announced they are backing El-Sisis potential candidacy. The week-long presence of pro-El-Sisi crowds at notary offices led TV presenter Amr Adeeb to speculate that the incumbent president might have already secured ten times the minimum number of endorsements he requires from citizens. El-Sisi, president since 2014, inaugurated a three-day conference on Saturday to shed light on the nations achievements in different fields. In a speech on Saturday, El-Sisi stressed that Egyptians will have an opportunity for change in the upcoming presidential elections, slated for December. Voting in Egypt will take place 10-12 December, with Egyptians abroad casting their votes 1-3 December. Few endorsements for opposition Over the past seven days, two of seven candidates who have announced their plans to run for president claimed that their supporters had been subjected to harassment and exceptional obstacles at notary offices that made them fail to issue the expected number of endorsements. Former MP and former head of the leftist Karama (Dignity) Party Ahmed El-Tantawy, known for criticising El-Sisis policies, has been touring notary offices in governorates to investigate his supporters complaints. On Sunday, El-Tantawy was filmed while standing among tens of his supporters in Mansoura, who complained that they could only issue one endorsement form during the day. In the video, El-Tantawy said he visits three governorates daily, noting that hundreds of his supporters in Alexandria and Kafr El-Sheikh could only issue nine endorsement forms on Saturday. El-Tantawy asserted that his supporters need only two hours to complete the required endorsements. Last week, El-Tantawy suspended his political campaign, claiming his supporters have been obstructed from issuing endorsements" before resuming it again during the weekend. Furthermore, Gameela Ismail, the chairwoman of the liberal Dostour (Constitution) Party, earlier echoed the same complaints. In a statement last week on her Facebook page, Ismail asserted that most potential candidates complained about harassment, obstacles, threats and intimidation that their supporters are subjected to while attempting to issue the endorsements. Favouritism allegations baseless In light of such claims by the two potential candidates and their campaign members, Egypt's NEA has denied any violations, favouritism, or mistreatment of any individual at the notary offices responsible for issuing endorsement forms. The NEA added in a statement last week that all the claims, which the authority has investigated, "are nothing more than baseless and false allegations." Moreover, the authority rejected any attempts to cast doubts on its independence, stressing that "no party has the right to interfere with its work in any way." Taking the parliamentary shortcut Three potential candidates have obtained the required number of endorsements from MPs to qualify to run. Potential candidate Hazem Omar, whose Republican Peoples Party has around 50 members in the House of Representatives, secured 44 endorsements from MPs, or more than double the minimum. Potential candidate Abdel-Sanad Yamama, head of Egypts old liberal Wafd Party, obtained 20 endorsements from MPs. Meanwhile, potential candidate Farid Zahran, head of the opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party, which has only a few members in the House of Representatives, has secured the minimum 20 endorsements required. Earlier, Zahran complained that the 10-day period specified by the NEA to secure 25,000 endorsements from people is too short, asserting in an online interview with journalist Hafez Al-Mirazi last week that this undermines the upcoming elections. Presidential hopeful candidate Ahmed El-Fadaly, chairman of the Democratic Peace Party and the Independent Current Coalition, has expressed his rejection of the NEA's decision to allocate only ten days for issuing endorsements, saying that the notary offices may not be able to process all endorsements required in such short period. Search Keywords: Short link: EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. GREENVILLE Megan McKenzie was elated to be a mom. It was August 2008, and the 24-year-old nurse had just given birth to her first child, a 6-pound girl named Ellie Lynn. McKenzie cried inside the Greenville hospital room as she nestled the small body against her chest. It would be the most untainted moment of mother-daughter bonding theyd share for nearly two and a half years. Hours after she was born, Ellie tested positive for compounds found in cannabis products. Police officers arrested McKenzie two months later changing her and Ellies lives forever. McKenzie lived in one of three states where high courts have held that women can be charged for substance abuse during pregnancy. Women across the U.S. are arrested for using drugs during the perinatal period, which encompasses the weeks before and after birth. But South Carolina, Alabama and Oklahoma have the formal backing of criminal statutes or court decisions. South Carolina was an architect of prosecuting pregnant women, an approach that got its start in Charleston. A 1989 policy at the Medical University of South Carolina established a pipeline through which doctors and nurses alerted police each time a pregnant woman or her baby tested positive for an illegal substance. The program ended in 1994 amid a lawsuit and federal investigation into possible civil rights violations. But the idea took root. The S.C. Supreme Court cited the concept of "fetal personhood" when it ruled two years later that child abuse laws extend to a viable fetus, paving the way for more of these prosecutions. They've continued. The Post and Courier examined nearly 200 cases in which women were charged between 2006 and 2021 with unlawful neglect of a child or homicide by child abuse for alleged perinatal drug use. The number is almost certainly an undercount. FOLLY BEACH Samantha Miller's groom has agreed to settlements with two local bars accused of negligently serving alcohol to the woman who mowed down the newlyweds as they left their beachside wedding reception, according to court filings. The crash on April 28 killed the 34-year-old bride and injured the groom and two of his relatives. Aric Hutchinson, who was appointed the personal representative of his wife's estate, petitioned the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas on Sept. 29 to approve offered settlements by the Crab Shack and the Drop In Bar & Deli, court papers show. The filing also asks the court to accept a settlement offer from Progressive, the deceased's auto insurance company. The companies agreed to pay "certain sums" in exchange for being released from additional claims arising out of the incident, according to the petition. Hutchinson's attorney, Daniel Dalton, declined to provide The Post and Courier with the amounts of the offered settlements, which he called "reasonable and proper" in his filing. The owner of the Crab Shack, Ron Hill, did not respond to an emailed request for comment Sept. 30. Reached by phone, an employee of the Drop In Bar & Deli said that the owner was unavailable. The settlements come as alcohol insurance policy rates skyrocket throughout South Carolina, putting a strain on bar and restaurant owners. For Hutchinson, the court filings are the first indication of agreement since he filed a wrongful death lawsuit in May against five bars and the alleged drunk driver, Jamie Lee Komoroski. While his brides mother has questioned his ability to oversee her daughters estate in court documents filed this summer, Lisa Miller withdrew her motion to intervene in her daughter's probate and civil courts proceedings earlier in September. As a frequent visitor to Charleston, I have marveled at the beauty of the state. During a recent visit, I also took a side trip to Boston, traveling by air. I am a physician as well as a patient and worker-safety advocate. So when my driver in Boston asked me how he would identify me, I resp Read moreCommentary: Charleston airport needs to improve its air quality Theres nothing new about S.C. governing boards refusing to explain why they spend our tax money firing top employees, an action that generally suggests the person simply isnt doing the job the way the board wants it done. Theres certainly nothing new about the Charleston County School Board doing that. We still have no clue why the previous board paid Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait nearly half a million dollars to go away and tried to sucker us into believing it was all her idea. But when you place your top executive on leave pending the outcome of an investigation, that suggests serious misdeeds. Think the agency director accused of embezzlement. Or of engaging in such grotesque harassment that a jury might find the organization negligent for allowing him to stay on the job in the interim. It is, in short, an action you take only under the most extreme circumstances; a necessary step to protect the organization or its employees or both. Yet this is what a sharply divided School Board did to its new superintendent on Monday. With no hint of an explanation and with the four board members who opposed the suspension insisting that an investigation will expose a complaint against him as without merit. An attorney who said she was representing Eric Gallien told WCBD-TV on Thursday that the complaint was made by a district employee who wasnt placed in a position quickly enough and then claimed Gallien was creating a hostile work environment. Yes, that could be spin, but even if such an allegation against the superintendent were entirely true, it would not justify a suspension. And given the problem this board has with transparency, we have to assume that the attorney's summary is accurate unless or until someone steps forward to contradict it. Still, we need and deserve more information. CHERAW Old St. Davids Church is Ron Staffords favorite place in the world. He drives by the 250-year old building in Cheraw at least a few times a week, just to check on it. The stately white steeple overlooks the cemetery below, the Pee Dee River beyond and, to the north, downtown Cheraw. St. Davids, I think, is still the heart of Cheraw, Stafford said. Stafford is the artist behind a new photography exhibit at the Cheraw Community Center that features Old St. Davids. Stafford's exhibit runs through Oct. 23. His photos, many of which are in black and white, convey the sense of serenity that many of the churchs ardent fans describe while sitting in its pews. I just wanted to highlight all the beauty of the church and the angles and make the old girl look good, Stafford said. He also wanted to bring attention to Old St. Davids at a time he worries future generations wont give it the appreciation it deserves. After many years, the historic church the last colonial church built in South Carolina before the Revolutionary War will receive $350,000 in renovations beginning in October. Its roof will be replaced and its steeple will be repaired, thanks to work done by the Chesterfield County Historic Preservation Commission. The planned renovations are the first step, but more work is needed to bring it back to its old glory, said Sarah Spruill, the commissions chair. Old St. Davids was the church for a newly created parish that encompassed parts of what are now Chesterfield, Marlboro, Darlington and Florence counties. Construction began in 1770. It would be the last colonial church in South Carolina built before the Revolutionary War, Spruill said. The building is an example of what Spruill described as country Georgian architecture. The church is plain, with white clapboard siding, arched windows and prominent gray shutters. Inside, the hexagonal pulpit rises above boxed pews. BENNETTSVILLE When Jaheem McLaurin's grandmother had a stroke in 2016 there was no hospital to rush her to in Marlboro County. Marlboro Park Hospital had accepted its last patients on April 15, 2015, and closed its doors two weeks afterward. A year later, when Linda Platt became ill, the best shot at saving her life was a hospital 35 minutes away. During that drive, heavy thoughts raced through McLaurin's mind. "If we would have had some sort of health care access, whether that was an emergency room or a hospital, my grandmother could have gotten high quality health care quicker and any side effects could have been reversed sooner," he said. McLaurin's grandmother ultimately survived, but the issues the family faced in light of the hospital's closure were not unique to Marlboro County. Since 2005, 199 rural hospitals have closed or converted to limited services across the country, including four in rural parts of South Carolina: Fairfield, Bamberg, Marlboro and Barnwell counties, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some of these providers closed as patients moved away or sought care elsewhere. Others struggle to negotiate rates and serve patients who are older and sicker. Bennettsville is located in South Carolina's Pee Dee region, about a 44-minute drive from the nearest urban center of Florence. Residents there and in surrounding Marlboro County face many health challenges and high rates of chronic illness, from obesity to diabetes. Marlboro County's average household income of $31,528 is much lower than state and national averages. Black residents, who make up over 69 percent of the population, are much more likely to live in poverty than their White counterparts. They also face staggering health disparities, making them more prone to diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. PR-Inside.com: 2023-10-01 08:24:12 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 995 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 The world of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market is a complex and ever-evolving landscape, shaped by consumer demands and technological advancements. In this report, we delve into the depths of this market to provide a profound and comprehensive analysis, catering to a diverse audience that includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and investors. Our primary goal is to empower industry stakeholders with invaluable insights to make informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment. We aim to illuminate the current status of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market while projecting its future trends.Scope and PurposeOur report is a comprehensive guide designed to equip industry stakeholders with actionable information. It covers various aspects of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market, including market dynamics, competition, growth avenues, challenges, and regional variations. This information goes beyond mere descriptions; it is intended to help stakeholders make critical decisions that can shape their strategies and endeavors in the market.Request for Sample Report:Promising Comprehensive AnalysisTo fulfill our promises, we commit to providing a comprehensive analysis that leaves no stone unturned. We pledge to unravel the factors propelling the market's growth, dissecting shifts in consumer preferences and technological breakthroughs that are driving the demand for abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil products. Simultaneously, we acknowledge that challenges and obstacles are part of any industry landscape, and we vow to illuminate these hurdles, be it economic uncertainties or the intense competition that often characterizes such markets.Some of the major companies in the Abrasion-resistant Hydraulic Oil market are as follows: Afton Chemical, CLARIANT, Chevron Oronite SA, China Sinopec, Lubrizol, Lucas Ltd, Phoenix Contact, Seqens SAS, Skychen Chemical Co., Ltd., Standard Industrial Co, Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC, XADO Chemical GroupGuiding the Path ForwardOur report extends an invitation to its readers to explore its contents and sets the stage for uncovering the competitive landscape. It introduces the major players in the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market and their strategies, offering insights into what makes them thrive. This insight-rich analysis is meant to guide others on their path forward whether it's to navigate the competition more effectively or to find inspiration in successful strategies.Anticipation of InsightsRecognizing that the market is not monolithic but rather a composition of various segments, the report pledges to provide a nuanced understanding of these segments. It promises to detail their sizes, potential growth trajectories, and key trends. This targeted knowledge assists stakeholders in carving out specialized strategies and ensuring optimal resource allocation.Balancing Forces and Strategic ImplicationsBy elucidating both the driving forces and potential obstacles, the report paints a holistic picture of the market dynamics. It enables industry stakeholders to navigate the competitive landscape with a deeper understanding of the forces at play. Manufacturers can align their innovation efforts with consumer preferences and regulatory trends, thereby enhancing their market position. Investors and decision-makers can be better prepared to address economic uncertainties and supply chain vulnerabilities. Overall, this section equips readers with insights to make strategic decisions that account for both growth opportunities and challenges in the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market offers an intricate exploration of the market's key players, their strategies, and their impact on the industry. This segment aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market's dynamics, the role of major companies, and the strategies they employ to thrive.Segment CharacteristicsThe report initiates the analysis by outlining the unique characteristics that define each segment. Whether these segments are categorized based on product types, customer demographics, use cases, or other distinguishing factors, the report provides a clear picture of how these segments are defined and differentiated.Market SizeUnderstanding the size of each market segment is crucial for gauging its significance within the overall market landscape. The report likely provides quantitative data to illustrate the market share and contribution of "Type" and "Application" segments to the entire abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market. This information helps stakeholders appreciate the relative importance of each segment.Growth PotentialBeyond current market size, the report delves into the growth potential of these segments. It explores factors such as emerging trends, consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and regulatory influences that could drive the future expansion of these segments. This forward-looking perspective aids stakeholders in identifying where the market's growth opportunities lie.Key TrendsThe analysis likely captures the key trends specific to each segment. Whether it's changing consumer preferences, evolving technology adoption, or shifting regulatory landscapes, the report provides insights into the forces shaping the behavior of "Type" and " Application." These trends inform stakeholders about the directions these segments might take in the coming years.Strategic InsightsThe segment analysis extends beyond descriptive data to offer strategic insights. By understanding the characteristics, potential, and trends of "Type" and "Application," industry participants can make informed decisions. Manufacturers can tailor their product development strategies to meet the demands of these segments, and marketers can create targeted campaigns to reach specific customer groups.Market Segmentation:Type: Grade 22, Grade 32, Grade 46, Grade 68Application: Construction Machinery Hydraulic System, Vehicle hydraulic System, LubricatingExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market provides a comprehensive exploration of how the market fares across different geographical areas. This analysis recognizes that markets are not homogenous and that regional variations can significantly impact market dynamics. The report delves into the intricacies of each region North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa to provide stakeholders with valuable insights.Closing ThoughtsIn essence, the conclusion encapsulates the report's journey. It emphasizes the report's role as a strategic tool, a navigator, and a decision-making companion in the complex world of the abrasion-resistant hydraulic oil market. This report is more than just a document; it is a valuable resource that empowers industry stakeholders to thrive in a dynamic and ever-evolving market environment. PR-Inside.com: 2023-10-01 08:38:07 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 982 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 The world of the compensating wire market is a complex and ever-evolving landscape, shaped by consumer demands and technological advancements. In this report, we delve into the depths of this market to provide a profound and comprehensive analysis, catering to a diverse audience that includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and investors. Our primary goal is to empower industry stakeholders with invaluable insights to make informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment. We aim to illuminate the current status of the compensating wire market while projecting its future trends.Scope and PurposeOur report is a comprehensive guide designed to equip industry stakeholders with actionable information. It covers various aspects of the compensating wire market, including market dynamics, competition, growth avenues, challenges, and regional variations. This information goes beyond mere descriptions; it is intended to help stakeholders make critical decisions that can shape their strategies and endeavors in the market.Request for Sample Report:Promising Comprehensive AnalysisTo fulfill our promises, we commit to providing a comprehensive analysis that leaves no stone unturned. We pledge to unravel the factors propelling the market's growth, dissecting shifts in consumer preferences and technological breakthroughs that are driving the demand for compensating wire products. Simultaneously, we acknowledge that challenges and obstacles are part of any industry landscape, and we vow to illuminate these hurdles, be it economic uncertainties or the intense competition that often characterizes such markets.Some of the major companies in the Compensating Wire market are as follows: Bruker, Fujikura, MICC Group, OMEGA, Resistance Alloys, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Superconductor Technologies Inc., Tempco Electric Heater Corporation, Temptek Technologies, ThermCable GmbH, Thermo Electric Technologies, Yamari IndustriesGuiding the Path ForwardOur report extends an invitation to its readers to explore its contents and sets the stage for uncovering the competitive landscape. It introduces the major players in the compensating wire market and their strategies, offering insights into what makes them thrive. This insight-rich analysis is meant to guide others on their path forward whether it's to navigate the competition more effectively or to find inspiration in successful strategies.Anticipation of InsightsRecognizing that the market is not monolithic but rather a composition of various segments, the report pledges to provide a nuanced understanding of these segments. It promises to detail their sizes, potential growth trajectories, and key trends. This targeted knowledge assists stakeholders in carving out specialized strategies and ensuring optimal resource allocation.Balancing Forces and Strategic ImplicationsBy elucidating both the driving forces and potential obstacles, the report paints a holistic picture of the market dynamics. It enables industry stakeholders to navigate the competitive landscape with a deeper understanding of the forces at play. Manufacturers can align their innovation efforts with consumer preferences and regulatory trends, thereby enhancing their market position. Investors and decision-makers can be better prepared to address economic uncertainties and supply chain vulnerabilities. Overall, this section equips readers with insights to make strategic decisions that account for both growth opportunities and challenges in the compensating wire market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the compensating wire market offers an intricate exploration of the market's key players, their strategies, and their impact on the industry. This segment aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market's dynamics, the role of major companies, and the strategies they employ to thrive.Segment CharacteristicsThe report initiates the analysis by outlining the unique characteristics that define each segment. Whether these segments are categorized based on product types, customer demographics, use cases, or other distinguishing factors, the report provides a clear picture of how these segments are defined and differentiated.Market SizeUnderstanding the size of each market segment is crucial for gauging its significance within the overall market landscape. The report likely provides quantitative data to illustrate the market share and contribution of "Type" and "Application" segments to the entire compensating wire market. This information helps stakeholders appreciate the relative importance of each segment.Growth PotentialBeyond current market size, the report delves into the growth potential of these segments. It explores factors such as emerging trends, consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and regulatory influences that could drive the future expansion of these segments. This forward-looking perspective aids stakeholders in identifying where the market's growth opportunities lie.Key TrendsThe analysis likely captures the key trends specific to each segment. Whether it's changing consumer preferences, evolving technology adoption, or shifting regulatory landscapes, the report provides insights into the forces shaping the behavior of "Type" and " Application." These trends inform stakeholders about the directions these segments might take in the coming years.Strategic InsightsThe segment analysis extends beyond descriptive data to offer strategic insights. By understanding the characteristics, potential, and trends of "Type" and "Application," industry participants can make informed decisions. Manufacturers can tailor their product development strategies to meet the demands of these segments, and marketers can create targeted campaigns to reach specific customer groups.Market Segmentation:Type: SC, KC, KX, EX, JX, TXApplication: Oil, Chemical Industry, Metallurgy, Electricity, OthersExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the compensating wire market provides a comprehensive exploration of how the market fares across different geographical areas. This analysis recognizes that markets are not homogenous and that regional variations can significantly impact market dynamics. The report delves into the intricacies of each region North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa to provide stakeholders with valuable insights.Closing ThoughtsIn essence, the conclusion encapsulates the report's journey. It emphasizes the report's role as a strategic tool, a navigator, and a decision-making companion in the complex world of the compensating wire market. This report is more than just a document; it is a valuable resource that empowers industry stakeholders to thrive in a dynamic and ever-evolving market environment. PR-Inside.com: 2023-10-01 08:32:21 Press Information Dhirtek Business Research and Consulting Private Limited +91 7580990088 email www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com Published by Parmeet Singh 7580990088 e-mail https://www.dhirtekbusinessresearch.com/ # 970 Words +91 7580990088Parmeet Singh7580990088 The world of the guatemalan coffee market is a complex and ever-evolving landscape, shaped by consumer demands and technological advancements. In this report, we delve into the depths of this market to provide a profound and comprehensive analysis, catering to a diverse audience that includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and investors. Our primary goal is to empower industry stakeholders with invaluable insights to make informed decisions in a rapidly changing environment. We aim to illuminate the current status of the guatemalan coffee market while projecting its future trends.Scope and PurposeOur report is a comprehensive guide designed to equip industry stakeholders with actionable information. It covers various aspects of the guatemalan coffee market, including market dynamics, competition, growth avenues, challenges, and regional variations. This information goes beyond mere descriptions; it is intended to help stakeholders make critical decisions that can shape their strategies and endeavors in the market.Request for Sample Report:Promising Comprehensive AnalysisTo fulfill our promises, we commit to providing a comprehensive analysis that leaves no stone unturned. We pledge to unravel the factors propelling the market's growth, dissecting shifts in consumer preferences and technological breakthroughs that are driving the demand for guatemalan coffee products. Simultaneously, we acknowledge that challenges and obstacles are part of any industry landscape, and we vow to illuminate these hurdles, be it economic uncertainties or the intense competition that often characterizes such markets.Some of the major companies in the Guatemalan Coffee market are as follows: Cafetown, Colin, GRANDOS, Jablum, Mandheling, Maxwell, Mocha, Nestle, Royal Copenhagen, Starbucks, Wallenford, WedgwoodGuiding the Path ForwardOur report extends an invitation to its readers to explore its contents and sets the stage for uncovering the competitive landscape. It introduces the major players in the guatemalan coffee market and their strategies, offering insights into what makes them thrive. This insight-rich analysis is meant to guide others on their path forward whether it's to navigate the competition more effectively or to find inspiration in successful strategies.Anticipation of InsightsRecognizing that the market is not monolithic but rather a composition of various segments, the report pledges to provide a nuanced understanding of these segments. It promises to detail their sizes, potential growth trajectories, and key trends. This targeted knowledge assists stakeholders in carving out specialized strategies and ensuring optimal resource allocation.Balancing Forces and Strategic ImplicationsBy elucidating both the driving forces and potential obstacles, the report paints a holistic picture of the market dynamics. It enables industry stakeholders to navigate the competitive landscape with a deeper understanding of the forces at play. Manufacturers can align their innovation efforts with consumer preferences and regulatory trends, thereby enhancing their market position. Investors and decision-makers can be better prepared to address economic uncertainties and supply chain vulnerabilities. Overall, this section equips readers with insights to make strategic decisions that account for both growth opportunities and challenges in the guatemalan coffee market.Exploring the Competitive LandscapeThe section dedicated to the competitive landscape of the guatemalan coffee market offers an intricate exploration of the market's key players, their strategies, and their impact on the industry. This segment aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market's dynamics, the role of major companies, and the strategies they employ to thrive.Segment CharacteristicsThe report initiates the analysis by outlining the unique characteristics that define each segment. Whether these segments are categorized based on product types, customer demographics, use cases, or other distinguishing factors, the report provides a clear picture of how these segments are defined and differentiated.Market SizeUnderstanding the size of each market segment is crucial for gauging its significance within the overall market landscape. The report likely provides quantitative data to illustrate the market share and contribution of "Type" and "Application" segments to the entire guatemalan coffee market. This information helps stakeholders appreciate the relative importance of each segment.Growth PotentialBeyond current market size, the report delves into the growth potential of these segments. It explores factors such as emerging trends, consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and regulatory influences that could drive the future expansion of these segments. This forward-looking perspective aids stakeholders in identifying where the market's growth opportunities lie.Key TrendsThe analysis likely captures the key trends specific to each segment. Whether it's changing consumer preferences, evolving technology adoption, or shifting regulatory landscapes, the report provides insights into the forces shaping the behavior of "Type" and " Application." These trends inform stakeholders about the directions these segments might take in the coming years.Strategic InsightsThe segment analysis extends beyond descriptive data to offer strategic insights. By understanding the characteristics, potential, and trends of "Type" and "Application," industry participants can make informed decisions. Manufacturers can tailor their product development strategies to meet the demands of these segments, and marketers can create targeted campaigns to reach specific customer groups.Market Segmentation:Type: Coffee Beans, Coffee PowderApplication: Chain Coffee Shop, Ordinary Cafe, Restaurant, Home and OfficeExploring Regional DynamicsThe section dedicated to the regional analysis of the guatemalan coffee market provides a comprehensive exploration of how the market fares across different geographical areas. This analysis recognizes that markets are not homogenous and that regional variations can significantly impact market dynamics. The report delves into the intricacies of each region North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa to provide stakeholders with valuable insights.Closing ThoughtsIn essence, the conclusion encapsulates the report's journey. It emphasizes the report's role as a strategic tool, a navigator, and a decision-making companion in the complex world of the guatemalan coffee market. This report is more than just a document; it is a valuable resource that empowers industry stakeholders to thrive in a dynamic and ever-evolving market environment. Egypt strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted a government building in the Turkish capital Ankara, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. In the statement, Egypt affirmed its full solidarity" with Turkey and denounced the attack on the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Egypt also wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Furthermore, Egypt reiterated its unwavering stance against "all forms of violence and terrorism that cause instability and intimidate citizens", the ministry stressed. During the early hours of Sunday morning, two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of the Interior in Ankara. While one of the attackers was neutralized by security forces, the other managed to blow himself up, injuring two police officers. According to Reuters, the recent explosion in Ankara marks the first of its kind since 2016 and coincides with the opening of a new session in parliament. Search Keywords: Short link: PR-Inside.com: 2023-10-01 05:00:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 367 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2023 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. ("Hawaiian Electric" or the "Company") (NYSE:HE) and certain of its officers.Class Definition:This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Hawaiian Electric securities between February 28, 2019 and August 16, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/he Case Details:The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Hawaiian Electric's wildfire prevention and safety protocols and procedures were inadequate to meet the challenges for which they were ostensibly designed; (2) accordingly, despite knowing the degree of risk that wildfires posed to Maui, the Company's inadequate safety protocols and procedures placed Maui at a heightened risk of devastating wildfires; and (3) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.What's Next?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/he or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Law Clerk and Client Relations Manager, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Hawaiian Electric you have until October 23, 2023 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.Contact:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Yael Nathanson332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Each time Clever Amada, a rice farmer in Bayelsa State, needs to use the mill, he travels to neighbouring Delta State, and sometimes as far as Ebonyi, to use private mills. That would not have been his fate had the plan by the Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2016 to set up 40 parboiled rice processing plants been executed. But the $326 million project did not see the light of day because Chinas Exim Bank, which was to be the major funder, never released the loan for the project. In Bayelsa, we dont have a standard mill, said Mr Amada, who is also the secretary of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Bayelsa. In Rivers State, there is no standard mill. In Akwa Ibom, I dont know but from my conversation with colleagues, Akwa Ibom doesnt have a standard mill as well, and also Calabar (Cross River). So in the whole of the South-south region, there is no standard rice milling plant. Mr Amada said the proposed rice processing plants would have eased the challenges of rice farmers. If this project was implemented, rice farmers and processors would have benefited so well. It would have reduced milling stress for farmers in the state and even across the country, he said. Helen Bimalayegha also cultivates rice in the South-south state. As a rice processor, it is not easy to do the milling here, anytime I want to process rice, I always have to go to a location close to Rivers State, and it is always stressful. If there is any around here, it would make rice production easy for us, said Mrs Bimalayegha. China became Africas biggest bilateral lender over the last two decades, with Chinese public and private lenders accounting for 12 per cent of the continents $696 billion foreign debt by 2020. Nigeria alone owed China $4.29 billion as of December 2022, up from $1.39 billion in June 2015, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO). However, in the last three years, Chinese creditors have appeared less willing to lend to African nations. As they pulled back, so have critical projects they were meant to finance. Loan reversals have hindered the drive to provide critical developmental projects, including in the agricultural sector, in Nigeria and elsewhere. That has implications for development and communities, said Anietie Umoren, a senior research fellow at No Hunger Food Bank, a food research and aid organization. Failed, Abandoned projects The failed rice project is only one of many that failed to take off or stalled for lack of funds. China has not released promised funding for two major railway projects in Nigeria: a $5.3 billion railway project from Ibadan to Kano, and the $3 billion reconstruction of a 1,000 kilometres rail line between Port Harcourt and Maiduguri. In both cases, Nigeria had provided 15 per cent of the project funding, allowing China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to start laying track. But without the 85 per cent from the Chinese government, progress can only happen if Nigeria funds the project from its budget or gets the money elsewhere. The AbujaKano and Port HarcourtMaiduguri projects are ongoing but there is the challenge of the 85 per cent foreign loan yet to be secured. We have been driving these two projects solely through appropriation, which is part of the 15 per cent which Nigeria is supposed to contribute, Nigerias former transport minister, Muazu Sambo, said last year. Chinese funding for the Abuja light rail project also stalled, with $157 million in promised funding not forthcoming years after it was agreed upon. The China Exim Bank had also promised to provide $183.62 million and $208.90 million for ancillary and incremental projects related to the expansion of four Nigerian airports. However, as of December 2021, two years after the agreement was made, the funding had not been released, according to the DMO. The airports has already been expanded with a Chinese loan of $500 million and a counterpart funding of $100 million from the Nigerian government. However, the Lagos and Abuja terminals need additional work. Existing installations, buildings, and equipment need to be demolished, refitted, and rebuilt at other locations at a significant cost in order to expand the terminals for full operations. Former Minister Hadi Sirika said the problem was foundational and had changed the masterplan for the airports. He explained that the original plan did not take into account the additional work, power, and water supply that would be required. He also said that it was discovered that the terminal building would block both the control and fire towers. As a result, additional work is needed to connect the new terminal to the existing one and to expand the apron to accommodate larger airplanes. Why China scaled back The Chinese Embassy in Abuja did not respond to phone calls and email enquiries on the official reasons for the Chinese governments actions. However, analysts say Chinas reluctance seems to indicate a reduced appetite to fund commercially risky projects, analysts say. The UK think tank Chatham House said in a report that Chinese authorities now seek greater control over infrastructure finance. Loans are generally on a smaller and more manageable scale than before, it said. Yun Sun, head of the Stimson Centres China programme in Washington, said China had been cutting back on lending for some time. Especially for countries already in trouble on debt sustainability, the Chinese have tightened up the wallets, she said in October. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine made the debt problem worse. In 2020, sub-Saharan Africas total external debt was $700 billion, up from $380 billion in 2012. The amount owed to official creditors, such as multilateral lenders, governments, and government agencies, increased from $120 billion to $258 billion during the same period. In August 2022, the Chinese government announced that it had forgiven 23 loans to 17 African countries. This followed an earlier cancellation of at least 94 interest-free loans to African countries amounting to over $3.4 billion between 2000 and 2019. While some African countries have struggled to pay China, Nigeria has met its obligations. The DMO said that as of December 2020, Nigeria received US$1,740 as a waiver for its prompt payment to EXIM Bank of China. The former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, suggested in 2021 that China became hesitant with Nigeria after the National Assembly probed the federal governments ability to pay back. But as the various projects stalled, beneficiary communities across Nigeria are lamenting the consequences on livelihood. Impact Across Nigeria, abandoned projects demonstrate how the success or failure of such high stake financing deals could impact communities and end users. Comfort Sunday, a rice farmer in Abuja, shared her difficulties when she needed to process rice at her Angwa neighborhood of the federal capital. To mill rice after harvesting is a problem here, she said. After harvesting, we always use a big pot to parboil it manually, and it takes a considerable amount of time. Unfortunately, we dont have the financial means to purchase processing machines as they are quite expensive and beyond our reach. Using the machine would be much more efficient, but the only available one is located in a distant area called Gwa Gwa, far from our location in Angwa, Mrs Sunday said. Earlier this year, I went there to mill rice, and for each 100kg bag, I spent N3000. I believe the cost has increased even more now, especially given the current expensive circumstances, she added. The only machine at a private facility nearby is at Gwa-Gwa, 10 kilometres away. The journey to use the machine is both stressful and costly. If we had access to the machine locally, it would significantly alleviate the stress we face, she said. Nigerias national rice policy identifies low access to modern processing technologies (parboiling) as one of the problems of the sector. A part of its proposed remedies is increasing the number of trained local processors on improved parboiling technologies to 30,000 by 2030. PREMIUM TIMES random survey reveals that 50kg local rice now sells for about N50,000, and smaller measurements now selling between N1000 and N1100. According to Ebuka Nnamdi, a rice seller in Kubwa market, Abuja, the price of local rice has been rising in recent months . The price I am selling today, I cant say it will be the same tomorrow, the price goes up every day. For instance, on Saturday, a quarter bag of this rice was N9000, but now, today is Tuesday, it is now N9500. The price is unpredictable, Mr Nnamdi said. Helen Terkeni, another rice dealer in the market, said she found it difficult to balance her account book recently due to the increase in the price of rice. The amount I paid last week to get goods (rice), I cant use the same amount for new goods this week and that is how it has been in the past months, it has affected my account book. My suppliers said it was because of the increase in the cost of transportation, from the processing point to the market, not even the farmers, Mr Terkeni said. According to Aremu Fakunle, an agricultural expert at the Rice Policy Advocacy Initiative of Nigeria, having new parboiled rice processing plants in Nigeria can have a significant impact on costs as it would increase productivity, improve quality, and attract investment into the rice value chain. Although the 40 milling machines involved in the project are small for a country like Nigeria, I believe it can go a long way. If such machines are available, it will reduce the high cost of locally-made rice, he said. Also, the project has the potential to reduce the cost of production, improve the quality of rice produced here and attract investment into Nigerias rice value chain, Mr Fakunle added. Ogechi Okebugwu, programme coordinator at Small Scale Women Farmers Association, also says insufficient milling machines affect the quality of locally produced rice. She acknowledged that such a project is good, but successful implementation and targeting real farmers, not middlemen, is crucial for positive outcomes. In terms of rice processing machines, we dont have enough milling machines and the situation has affected the quality of locally-made rice in the market, she said. However, if there are plans from the government to provide these milling machines, it is a good development and we want to see this actualised. Most times this kind of project comes up, and the problem is always implementation. It is important to target the real farmers when implementing the project, not to put it in the hands of the middlemen who can be like political farmers, she added. This story was produced with support from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and funding from the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has denied signing any plea bargain agreement with the immediate-past former central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele. Mr Emefiele, who has been in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) since he was suspended from office in June, is being investigated for his activities during his nine-year reign at the CBN. While in custody, it was announced that he had tendered his resignation. The federal government has since charged him with N6.9 billion corruption charges at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. On two consecutive occasions in August, the court postponed the arraignment of Mr Emefiele and his co-defendant, Saadatu Ramallan-Yaro. The botched arraignment fuelled speculations that Mr Emefiele might have secured a soft landing from the government concerning the charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, had in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, dispelled the speculation that Mr Emefiele had struck a plea deal with the government. A plea bargain is a legal process that allows a defendant charged with an offence in court, usually before a trial begins or gets to an advanced stage, to plead guilty to a lesser crime in order to get softer punishment. In his Saturday statement, Mr Fagbemi described the plea deal report as false. The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice hereby states clearly that these reports are completely false, the official said. The minister, however, recalled Mr Emefieles intention for a plea deal through his lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde, during one of the failed arraignment hearings in Abuja. It would be noted that the legal team representing Mr Godwin Emefiele had expressed their intention in court at the last hearing to initiate a plea bargain arrangement. However, no such arrangement has been reached with Mr Godwin Emefiele or his representatives, Mr Fagbemi explained. Background Mr Emefiele who was suspended from office by Mr Tinubu on 9 June has since been in the custody of Nigerias secret police, SSS, after he was picked up from his home in Lagos and flown to the agencys office in Abuja where he was interrogated. After holding Mr Emefiele in custody for several weeks, the government arraigned him before the Federal High Court in Lagos over illegal possession of firearms. However, the two-count charge was later struck out after it was withdrawn by Mr Abubakar, the DPP. On 14 August, the government filed a 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud against Mr Emefiele and Ms Ramallan-Yaro. The charges alleged that Mr Emefiele conferred corrupt advantages on Ms Ramalan-Yaro using her firm, April 1616 Investment Limited, to execute a series of procurement contracts spanning years. The government alleged that the defendants committed the offences through the award of contracts to Mrs Ramalan-Yaros company for the supply of posh cars. The defendants, allegedly through the corrupt transactions, purchased a fleet of about 100 luxurious vehicles and armoured buses worth about N6.9 billion. The alleged corrupt transactions took place between 2018 and 2020, according to the charges. Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, under which he was charged, provides a five-year jail sentence upon conviction. Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine, the law stipulates. Mr Emefiele has since remained in SSS custody. Mrs Ramalan-Yaro, who was arrested alongside her husband, Aminu Yaro, on 12 July, is also still in SSS custody. This newspaper reported how the FCT High Court ordered the release of the couple on 25 July. But the order was not complied with. Also, it took an order of the FCT High Court on 13 July, more than a month after his arrest, for the SSS to file the firearms charges against Mr Emefiele. Subsequently, on 25 July, the SSS arraigned him before the Federal High Court in Lagos on two charges of illegal possession of firearms and live ammunition. The government later applied to the court to have the firearms possession charges against Mr Emefiele dropped. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that Mr Emefieles co-defendant in the fresh charges also has a pending money laundering case involving about N140 billion. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called for a thorough investigation into the death of Greatness Olorunfemi, a victim of the notorious one-chance operators in Abuja, the nations capital city. Ms Olorunfemi, a community developer and member of the Young African Leaders Initiative Network (YALI), died at the Maitama General Hospital where she was allegedly denied treatment for not providing a police report. She was reportedly pushed out of a fast-moving vehicle along the Maitama-Kubwa highway on Tuesday by thieves who had reportedly robbed her. The Maitama General Hospital was later accused of negligence in the death of Ms Olorunfemi for allegedly refusing to treat her after she was rushed to the facility by sympathisers. An X user, @Gbemilekhe, who shared the story on the platform on Friday, said that the hospital, located in the centre of Abuja, requested a police report before treatment could commence. Greatness was pushed out of a moving vehicle by one-chance criminals in Abuja. She was rushed to Maitama General Hospital, and they refused to attend to her, demanding a police report. She died afterwards, the tweet read. READ ALSO: Other Nigerians on X have also taken to the platform to call out the hospital and demand justice for the late Ms Olorunfemi. Another X user, @yomitheprof said Ms. Greatness was a great lady, mentee, and professional colleague. She was pushed out of a moving vehicle by criminals in Abuja and was taken to Maitama General Hospital. The hospital didnt attend to her. She died. When contacted for comments, a top official at the hospital who pleaded anonymity, said he could not speak on the issue because it is already under investigation. Sanctions Mr Saraki in a message posted on his official X page on Saturday said the heartbreaking case is a reminder of the importance of a law designed, passed, and got presidential assent during the tenure of the 8th National Assembly. He said the legislation was introduced to protect Nigerians who have been victims of violence. He, however, said more needs to be done to ensure the law is strictly enforced. To the Nigerian government, I say this: This is your moment to stand tall, to send an unequivocal message that such injustices will not be tolerated. The Federal Ministry of Health and its hospital management board should thoroughly investigate this case and ensure that justice is swift for the perpetrators, he said. He also urged the government to sanction the leadership of the Maitama General Hospital for violating the law, noting that their refusal to admit a person in need of medical attention goes against the very essence and ethics of the medical profession. What the law says President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 into law. The law states that every person including security agents, shall render every possible assistance to any person with gunshot wounds and ensure that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for immediate treatment. It also states that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private, shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without police clearance, any person with a gunshot wound. Investigation The Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, said it has commenced investigations to ascertain the circumstances that led to Ms Olorunfemis death. Ms Fasawe in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday night said the secretariat is working closely with the police and other partners on the issue. She said the information received at the secretariat alleges that the victim was brought to the health facility at approximately 8.35 p.m. on 26 September. In addition, upon learning of the development, the Secretary immediately visited Maitama District Hospital which was at about 1:00 a.m. on 29 September, after calling the Medical Director of the facility and requesting an immediate meeting at the hospital in an unscheduled visit. The Medical Director, Imuentinyan Igbinovia, provided a verbal report of what transpired which included information that the victim was brought in dead. In the circumstances, and for clarity, the secretary requested an autopsy and preparation for a coroners inquest to ascertain both the cause and circumstances of the death of the victim, Ms Fasawe said. She said the secretariat has been in active and constant communication with relevant parties including the family, the police, the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and others with a view to ensuring the case is properly investigated. As such, the secretariat has set up an independent investigative panel with the Nigerian Police and other stakeholders to fully investigate the case, and to ensure justice is served, she said. She said whilst awaiting the outcome of the investigations, the secretariat seeks patience and discretion until it is completed. Disputed accounts In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the Executive Vice-Chairman of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, said there are disputed accounts of whether the victim received appropriate care, or delay pending production of a police report, or was brought in Dead on Arrival (DoA). Mr Irukera said while the commission commiserates with Ms Olorunfemis family, friends, and associates, it has opened an investigation accordingly. Of particular concern is if Ms Olorunfemi died on account of failures implicated in the Commissions Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR) or other enforceable legal instruments regarding attention and care to patients generally, and more specifically, in emergency situations where victims of criminal conduct require medical attention, he said. Considering the facility concerned is a government institution, upon gathering initial evidence, and the Commissions determination that there is sufficient basis/probable cause to proceed with a limited inquiry into the consumer protection aspects of the events or series thereof resulting in this fatality; the Commission immediately engaged relevant stakeholders including the Office of the Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment for the FCT. He said the commission looks forward to participating, supporting, and collaborating with the FCT administration in the investigation. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Residents of Janbako, an agrarian community in Maradun Local Government, Zamfara State have resorted to prayers after terrorists refused to release members of the community after collecting a ransom of N17 million and a motorcycle. The captives have spent more than 40 days in captivity. The residents of the community said they expected the victims to be released after the ransom was paid but the terrorists are still holding on to the captives The terrorists attacked the community on 15 August and abducted 21 residents of the community mostly women and children. Three days later, the terrorists reached out to the community and demanded N50 million as ransom. But residents said they couldnt raise such a huge amount. They abducted my two wives, Rayyanatu and Farisha, my daughter, Halimatu and my niece, Shaawa when they came. In all, they took about 21 people in our town, most of them being women and children, Saidu Samaila, a resident of Janbako said. He said he has not heard from any of his immediate family members since the abduction. Another resident who only gave his name as Kasimu said the community met and decided to discuss the ransom demanded by the terrorists. When they said N50 million, we knew it would be impossible because we couldnt gather such an amount. Were nothing but farmers and local traders and farming is near impossible now. Even trading, how many people now go to local markets? Its impossible because the bandits are all over the place abducting and killing people. So, we met and decided to ask them for a reduction, Mr Kasimu, whose sister was among those abducted, said. After a series of negotiations, the terrorists agreed to accept N17 million and a brand-new Boxer motorcycle as ransom. Residents of the community gathered N10.5 million. They reached out to people from the community living or working in other places in the country and taxed themselves. When we took the money, they said we should try to get the balance before they kill our people, a community leader, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone. We had to source for the remaining N5.5 million to make it N17 million but before we took the money, they called and asked that we buy a brand new motorcycle as part of the ransom. It was a new request but we had no option. The community leader said seven days after the balance and the motorcycle were given to the terrorists, they are yet to release the captives. Weve resorted to prayers now because we dont know why theyre yet to release our families for us, Mr Samaila said. PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the police spokesperson in the state, Yazeed Abubakar, to seek more details on the development but received no response. Residents of rural communities in Zamfara and other north western states are forced to routinely cough up huge amounts of money to pay terrorists either as ransom or protection levies. Despite the economic situation in the country, residents in the vulnerable communities are left with no option but to gather the money through whatever means. PREMIUM TIMES has reported some of the attacks launched on Janbako, Faru, Gora and other neighbouring communities in the last few months. In June this year, 21 vigilante members all from Janbako were killed by terrorists while the vigilante members were on a rescue mission to help residents of Sikida, a neighbouring community that came under attack. North- west Nigeria has been witnessing a surge in banditry activities. Terror gangs especially in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Kebbi kill and or abduct residents from communities and on major and local highways and demand ransom sometimes in millions of naira before releasing the abductees. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Over 6,000 vulnerable residents in the Lagos East senatorial district received food packs distributed by Tokunbo Abiru, the senator for the district, on Saturday. Mr Abiru who is the chairperson, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, launched the quarterly food packs programme in June. This is the second edition of the programme targeted at vulnerable people, including widows, unemployed youth, the aged, women and persons living with disabilities drawn across the 98 wards in the 16 local government areas and local council development areas of the district. The food pack contains semovita, garri, soya oil, butter, sugar, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, cereal and others. Mr Abiru said the food packs programme was a direct intervention for the people at the grassroots who are feeling the heat of the economic pangs occasioned by the removal of petroleum subsidy. According to him, the intervention will support the most vulnerable households in this challenging period. Giving an update on the newly inaugurated SAIL Innovation Lab, in the constituency set up to offer sustainable and globally competitive jobs and opportunities to young people of the district, the senator said a sizable number of youths had been trained in digital and tech-related programmes that are well sought-after globally. Some of the beneficiaries of the intervention include Muftau Adegboyega, Anuoluwapo Zainab, Tiletile Idowu, Folake Akerele, Niyi Oyeniran and many others. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, hailed Nigerias seamless democratic transitions since 1999 as a testament to the nations commitment to the rule of law and democracy. He said this means Nigeria has adopted the rule of law and democracy as its guiding light. He spoke in his first Independence Day broadcast to mark Nigerias 63rd Independence Anniversary on Sunday. This year, we passed a significant milestone in our journey to a better Nigeria. By democratically electing a 7th consecutive civilian government, Nigeria has proven that commitment to democracy and the rule of law remains our guiding light, the president said. Nigeria has had five democratically-elected presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umar YarAdua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Mr Tinubu from seven presidential elections since its return to democratic rule in 1999. Before Nigerias return to democracy in 1999, marking the beginning of its longest stretch of unbroken civilian rule, the nations attempts at democracy had been punctuated by military rules that cumulatively lasted over three decades. I similarly congratulate the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness, Mr Tinubu added in his speech on Sunday. He thanked civil societies as well as the labour unions for their undying dedication to protecting the sanctity of Nigerian democracy through their advice and recommendations. I also thank members of our dynamic civil society organisations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigerian democracy. We may not always agree but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect, he said. He stressed the need for his administration to continue making key reforms, especially the one that protects the lives of Nigerians. He lamented how some people had continued to derive joy in the suffering of Nigerians by continually sabotaging fuel subsidy and foreign exchange policies for their selfish interests. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a kingpin wanted for attempts to ship illicit drug consignments to the United Kingdom. This tops the list of arrests made by NDLEA Operatives through interdiction operations that led to the seizure of four tons of illicit substances in the past week. A statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja said that the suspect, Obiorah Chigozie, had been on the wanted list of the agency since 15 September. This, he said, was when a consignment of 1.500kg skunk concealed in flour going to London, UK was intercepted at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) export shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos. Mr Babafemi said that his freight agent, Nworah Precious, was arrested. Convinced that the 1.500kg consignment had sailed through, Chigozie walked into the agencys dragnet on Sept. 28 when he personally brought another tranche of 2.00kg concealed in cartons to the airport for shipment to the UK. In his interview, Chigozie claimed he was into shoes sales in Lagos before venturing into the illicit drug business, he said. Meanwhile, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT command of the agency on 29 September intercepted a container truck with registration number BD G41 XM coming from Lagos to Kano at the Gwagwalada area of the FCT. Mr Babafemi said that no less than 1,188 kilograms of skunk loaded at Owo, Ondo State, and hidden under cartons of toothpaste were recovered from the truck and its driver, Amafan Fattison, 28, was arrested. Similarly, NDLEA officers in Bayelsa on 27 September seized 432kgs of the same substance from an abandoned J5 bus along Saipem road, Opolo, Yenagoa. He said the vehicle was equally recovered from the scene for further investigation. In Kano, a septuagenarian, Ado Unguwa, 70, was arrested on 30 September with 143.2kgs of skunk in Dindere village, Tofa LGA. Mr Babafemi said that operatives in Enugu the same day recovered 110.6kgs of the same substance from a locked-up shop at Aria new market. He added that operatives in Lagos also on Saturday, 30 September, stormed the notorious Idi-Oro drug enclave in Mushin where they seized 212.5kgs of cannabis sativa belonging to a wanted drug lord. This was even as NDLEA officers in Kwara recovered 104kgs of skunk from a Toyota Camry car in the Offa area of the state. Mr Babafemi said that a Chadian, Mohammed Ibrahim, 25, was also nabbed at Mafa checkpoint, Borno with 11.8kgs of the same substance on Monday, 25 September. In Plateau, the police command in the spirit of inter-agency collaboration transferred four suspects: Yusuf Akim; Frank Gah; Jackson Ejeh and Joseph Utsu 1,978kgs cannabis was recovered from them to the state command of NDLEA, while in Cross River, operatives on Monday, September 25 seized 40,000 ampules of pentazocine injection. Two suspects, Fajulugbe Adeshola, 35, and Nnaorji Agwe, 54, at Mobil by MCC road, Calabar were arrested. Also in Kogi, NDLEA officers on Wednesday, Sept. 27 arrested a suspect, Ifeanyi Odoh, 25, with 59,867 pills of opioids including Tramadol and 4.03kgs cannabis sativa at Idah area of the state, he said. Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, as commending officials of the MMIA, Lagos, FCT, Bayelsa, Borno, Kogi, Kwara, Cross River, Borno and Enugu commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week. Mr Marwa equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print For flouting the state environmental laws, the Lagos State government has sealed off some commercial buildings in the upscale area of the state. The buildings were sealed off after an extensive inspection, the states commissioner for environmental and water resources, Tokunbo Wahab said on Sunday via his X handle. After the extensive inspection of Lekki Phase 1 yesterday (Saturday, 30th of September, 2023), I ordered the seal off of Lennox Mall, The Place, Brasasr Place, Admiralty Mall, undeveloped land, Cmart Supermarket, Freesia Foodies Restaurant, Nectar Beauty Hub and Sailor Lounge, due to various environmental infractions. The commissioner had on Saturday visited the Lekki axis where many contraventions were discovered resulting from construction work in the area. The visit was conducted alongside officials of the Lekki Residents Association (LIRA) to some black spots in the axis and to address issues surrounding clogged-up drains and mop-up floods that have taken over streets and roads in Lekki. He emphasised that the ministry in conjunction with other relevant agencies will ensure the seal off of all commercial buildings and houses on Admiralty Way for contravention of environmental laws. He said the poor state of the drainage system management by these commercial buildings had seriously affected the road networks in the Lekki axis despite the continuous rehabilitation of the roads by the state government. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed the nationwide broadcast by President Bola Tinubu to mark the countrys Independence, saying it did not proffer solutions to the challenges facing the country. It said Mr Tinubus broadcast did not specifically indicate how his administration would revamp the manufacturing, agriculture, food production, transportation, healthcare, education and other key sectors. The party also said the president failed to indicate how he planned to resolve the increase in foreign exchange. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Tinubu had earlier on Sunday addressed the nation as part of the activities to mark the countrys Independence anniversary. It is troubling that President Tinubus speech also had no clear-cut measures to revamp the critical sectors of manufacturing, agriculture, food production, transportation, healthcare, education and other pivotal sectors of life in the country. The presidents speech articulated no solutions to the fall of the Naira from N187 to the US Dollar under the PDP to over N1000 under his watch; no answers to the alarming over 40 per cent unemployment rate and the fact that Nigerians are now daily fleeing the country in droves, Mr Ologunagba said. The PDP spokesperson also said the presidents broadcast did not include solutions to kidnappings and killings in different parts of the country. He said, Furthermore, it is heartrending that the Presidents speech had no words on the mindless killings, maiming, abductions and mass burial of citizens in various parts of the country under his watch. He had no reassuring words on the abduction of students in Zamfara State as well as other victims of such dastardly acts across the country. On the much-touted welfare package, the PDP asserts that there is nothing to cheer over such spiteful tokenism where, amidst unbearable costs, President Tinubu announced a miserable N25,000 per month for six months for average low-grade workers, while still being aspirational on his promise of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses. It is also certain, from antecedents, that the promised cash transfer programs to an additional 15 million vulnerable households, would be another conduit pipe to divert public funds to corrupt APC leaders. Mr Ologunagba noted that the presidents broadcast merely showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has no plan and capacity to solve Nigerias challenges. Our party invites Nigerians to note that President Tinubus speech has left no one in doubt that the APC administration has no plans, capacity and competence to handle the crucial and urgent task of governance; which is clearly beyond its managerial faculty, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Military museums will open their doors to the public for free from 1 to 6 October, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the victory in the 6th of October War, according to a statement by the Egyptian Armed Forces spokesman. The museums include the October War Panorama in Nasr City, along with the three military museums located at Al-Alamein, Port Said, and Saladin Citadel, the statement said. The military spokesperson emphasized that this initiative will promote military and national awareness among the youth. It aims to acquaint them with the valor and heroism displayed by Egyptians in the Armed Forces, as well as their sacrifices in defence of the nation's honour, the spokesman said. Additionally, the Cabinet declared Thursday, 5 October as a paid holiday for public sector employees. This year, Egypt celebrates the 50th anniversary of its historic triumph over Israel, a victory that led to the liberation of Sinai and was achieved under the leadership of the late President Anwar El-Sadat. Search Keywords: Short link: The United States District Court in Northern Illinois has given Chicago State University (CSU) 48 hours starting from Saturday to release President Bola Tinubus academic records to an opposition candidate in Nigerias February presidential election, Atiku Abubakar. In a ruling delivered on Saturday, the judge, Nancy Maldonado, after dismissing Mr Tinubus objection, gave the university until 12 noon on Monday to release the documents to Atiku. Ms Maldonando dismissed Mr Tinubus objection to the 20 September decision of a magistrate judge of the court, Jeffery Gilbert. The judge on Saturday fully affirmed Mr Gilberts ruling ordering the CSU to release Mr Tinubus academic records as requested by Atiku. She insisted Atiku had the right to have access to the records. For the reasons stated in the Courts accompanying Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Court overrules President Tinubus objections (44] and adopts Judge Gilberts recommended decision [40] in full. The Court therefore grants Mr. Abubakars application under 28 U.S.C. 1782. [1], Ms Maldonado ruled. She said the CSU must complete all necessary filings with regard to the release by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted by the District Court in its opinion) in Mr. Abubakars subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023. The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSUs corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the court ordered. Atiku had asked for the documents for use in Nigerian courts to support his argument that Mr Tinubu forged a diploma certificate he claimed to have obtained from CSU in 1979 and submitted to Nigerias electoral body, INEC, for the 2023 presidential election. This, Atiku argued, goes to the root of Mr Tinubus qualification to contest the last presidential election. Although Atiku lost his case against Mr Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Court which delivered its judgement in early September, he hopes to reintroduce the issue backed with the documents from the CSU in his appeal which he is pursuing against the election courts decision at the Nigerian Supreme Court. Atiku had told the US district court that he had up till 5 October to file the documents from the CSU against Mr Tinubu at the Supreme Court in Nigeria. Mr Tinubu mounted stiff opposition to the release of the documents to Atiku, arguing that the Nigerian election proceedings and the Nigerian courts had explicitly rejected the documents Atiku sought to obtain and tender in his case aimed at overturning the results of the 25 February presidential election. Mr Tinubus second reason was that Atikus request is unduly intrusive because it allows Applicant (Atiku) to conduct a fishing expedition into Intervenors private, confidential, and protected educational records. Court order not confirmation of Atikus forgery allegation But dismissing Mr Tinubus objection on Saturday, Ms Maldonado said she was only affirming Atikus right to have access to the CSU documents, not confirming the merit of his allegations against the Nigerian president or his comments on the validity of the countrys presidential election. In reaching this conclusion, the Court emphasises that it is expressing no view on the merits of Mr Abubakars underlying claims regarding President Tinubu or his graduation from CSU, or on the validity of the Nigerian election. Nor is the Court taking any position on what any of the documents or testimony from CSU may or may not ultimately show. The Court simply finds, on the narrow question before it, that Mr Abubakar is entitled to the production of documents and testimony that he seeks from CSU, a summary of the judgement read in part. No more order of stay Given the time constraints Atiku has to file the CSU documents at Nigerias Supreme Court, Ms Maldonado cautioned Mr Tinubu not to bother applying for a stay of the order, as such application would be denied. She said his only option is to take up such an application for a stay of execution at the US Court of Appeals. Given the October 5, 2023 filing deadline before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court will not extend or modify these deadlines. Further, the Court notes that at the recent emergency hearing, the possibility of a stay pending an appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals was raised. The Court cautions President Tinubu that any request for a stay before this Court will be denied, as the Court finds any stay impracticable in light of the fast-approaching Supreme Court of Nigeria deadlines. President Tinubu is, of course, free to request a stay directly from the Seventh Circuit should he file any appeal. Judgment is entered in favour of Atiku Abubakar. As of Sunday morning, it was not clear if Mr Tinubu had filed an appeal at the US Court of Appeals. Tinubus CSU documents ordered for release The court ordered CSU to release four sets of documents relating to Mr Tinubu as requested by Atiku. They are true and correct copies of: *An exemplar of a Chicago State University diploma issued to President Tinubu in 1979; *Mr Tinubus diploma issued in 1979; *Any exemplar of a Chicago State University diploma that contains the same font, seal, signatures, and wording as contained in Exhibit C to the First Liu Declaration, which purports to be a CSU diploma issued to Mr Tinubu on or about June 22, 1979; and * The CSU documents that were certified and produced by Jamar Orr (an associate general counsel at CSU) as well as communications relating to these documents. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The former National Chairman of Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu, says the botched presentation of Ahmad Lawan as the partys preferred candidate was not done unilaterally. Mr Adamu stated this during an interview published by Daily Trust on Sunday. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Adamu told a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), ahead of the presidential primary in June 2022, that then-President Muhammadu Buhari had picked Mr Lawan as his preferred candidate. However, APC governors opposed the move and backed the power shift to the South. Mr Lawan later emerged fourth in the primary election. Mr Adamu, who resigned as the chairman of the ruling party in July, said as a northerner, he wanted a northern candidate but maintained that the decision on the former senate president was not his sole decision. The party chairman has a role, but with a ruling party, I could not take it on myself to float Ahmed Lawans name. I am curious because everybody put it on you. Well, of course, I take responsibility as party chairman, but nobody with maturity in politics and governance will say that Abdullahi Adamu, as the chairman of the party, would just get up and say this is my presidential candidate. It doesnt add up. From my consultations, and from the advice I was getting, I am a northerner and I would go for a northerner; and no apologies for that. I have never hidden this, he said. Mr Adamu refused to name others who supported his decision to name Mr Lawan but said that he was concerned about winning the presidential election. To be honest with you, that was my inclination. I wanted to win the election. I never lost an election and I saw what was going on in the country. But of course, party leadership is a collective responsibility, he said. Mr Adamu also spoke about his emergence as the national chairman of the party against the wish of the APC governors. He said the APC governors did not include his name in the 10-man list submitted to the president. The governors had their agenda and they didnt see me playing to it. They wanted the presidency to go down South. And if they wont get the presidency, at least one of them would get the vice president. That was the calculation. Anyway, they jotted about 10 names but didnt send it. They came to the meeting with it. When they presented the list, Buhari asked for my name, saying I was always making contributions in the Senate. He picked a pen from his chest pocket and wrote Senator Abdullahi Adamu on top of their list. That was supposed to be an indication of his interest. But the governors continued with all manner of criticism, including that I was too old for the chairmanship, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has promised to appoint women, youth and physically challenged persons to key positions in his government in line with constitutional provisions. He also assured that his administration would be fair to all Nigerians irrespective of gender and age in terms of making political appointments. We shall continue to make key appointments in line with the provisions of the Constitution and with fairness toward all. Women, Youth and the physically challenged shall continue to be given due regard in these appointments, the president promised in his broadcast to mark Nigerias 63rd Independence Anniversary on Sunday. Although the president seems to have concluded his ministerial appointments, which are among the prizest political appointments available in an administration, there are still key positions in various parastatals of government yet to be filled. These vacant positions might be what the president has in mind while making the promise on Sunday. Apart from general principles of fairness to all categories of persons in terms of appointments entrenched in Nigerian laws, there is also a subsisting judgement on 35 per cent Affirmative Action. Worried by the trend of violation of the 35 per cent Affirmative Action in appointments of women into public office, nine civil society organisations filed a suit against the Nigerian government on 24 August 2020. The Federal High Court in Abuja in April 2022 granted the groups prayer in a judgement delivered in April 2022, ordering then-President Muhammadu Buhari to enforce the National Gender Policy by allotting 35 per cent of appointments in the public sector to women The Buhari administration did not comply with the judgement before its tenure ended in May this year. President Tinubu also congratulated the Senate for screening and confirming the ministerial nominees. May I take this opportunity to congratulate the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of this administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight. The president also congratulated the judiciary, describing it as a pillar of democracy and fairness. I similarly congratulate the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness. President Tinubus promises are in line with the Federal Character Commission Act No 34 of 1996 to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units in the country. One of the functions of the Federal Character Commission is to work out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the president, for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and public service in Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called for thorough investigation into the death of Greatness Olorunfemi, a victim of the notorious one-chance operators in Abuja, the nations capital city. Ms Olorunfemi, a community developer and member of the Young African Leaders Initiative Network (YALI), tragically died at the Maitama General Hospital where she was allegedly denied treatment for not providing a police report. According to witnesses, she was pushed out of a fast-moving vehicle along the Maitama-Kubwa highway on Tuesday by hoodlums who had reportedly robbed her. Allegations Meanwhile, the Maitama General Hospital has been accused of negligence in the death of Ms Olorunfemi for allegedly refusing to treat her after she was rushed to the facility by sympathisers. An X user, @Gbemilekhe, who shared the story on the platform on Friday, said that the hospital, located in the centre of Abuja requested a police report before treatment could commence. Greatness was pushed out of a moving vehicle by one-chance criminals in Abuja. She was rushed to Maitama General Hospital, and they refused to attend to her, demanding a police report. She died afterward, the tweet read. Other Nigerians on X have also taken to the platform to call out the hospital and demand justice for the late Ms Olorunfemi. Another X user, @yomitheprof said Ms. Greatness was a great lady, mentee, and professional colleague. She was pushed out of a moving vehicle by criminals in Abuja and was taken to Maitama General Hospital. The hospital didnt attend to her. She died. Premium Times has not been able to independently verify these claims. But when contacted for comments, a top official at the hospital who pleaded anonymity, said he could not speak on the issue because its already under investigation. Sanctions Mr Saraki in a message posted on his official X page on Saturday said the heartbreaking case is a reminder of the importance of a law designed, passed, and got presidential assent during the tenure of the 8th National Assembly. He said the piece of legislation was introduced to protect Nigerians who have been victims of violence. He, however, said more needs to be done to ensure the law is strictly enforced. To the Nigerian government, I say this: This is your moment to stand tall, to send an unequivocal message that such injustices will not be tolerated. The Federal Ministry of Health and its hospital management board should thoroughly investigate this case and ensure that justice is swift for the perpetrators, he said. He also urged the government to sanction the leadership of the Maitama General Hospital for violating the law, noting that their refusal to admit a person in need of medical attention goes against the very essence and ethics of medical profession. What the law says President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 into law. The law states that every person including security agents, shall render every possible assistance to any person with gunshot wounds and ensure that the person is taken to the nearest hospital for immediate treatment. It also states that every hospital in Nigeria, both public and private shall accept or receive, for immediate and adequate treatment with or without police clearance, any person with a gunshot wound. Investigation Meanwhile, the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, said it has commenced investigations to ascertain the circumstances that led to Ms Olorunfemis death. Ms Fasawe in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday night said the secretariat is working closely with the police and other partners on the issue. She said the information received at the secretariat alleges that the victim was brought to the health facility at approximately 8.35 p.m. on 26 September. The statement reads in part; In addition, upon learning of the development, the Secretary immediately visited Maitama District Hospital which was at about 1:00 a.m on 29 September, after calling the Medical Director of the facility and requesting an immediate meeting at the hospital in an unscheduled visit. The Medical Director, Imuentinyan Igbinovia, provided a verbal report of what transpired which included information that the victim was brought in dead. In the circumstances, and for clarity, the secretary requested an autopsy and preparation for a coroners inquest to ascertain both the cause and circumstances of the death of the victim. Ms Fasawe said the secretariat has been in active and constant communication with relevant parties including the family, the Police, the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and others with a view to ensuring the case is properly investigated. As such, the secretariat has set up an independent investigative panel with the Nigerian Police and other stakeholders to fully investigate the case, and to ensure justice is served, she said. She said whilst awaiting the outcome of the investigations, the secretariat seeks patience and discretion until it is completed. Disputed accounts In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the Executive Vice-Chairman of FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, said there are disputed accounts of whether the victim received appropriate care, or delay pending production of a police report, or was brought in Dead on Arrival (DoA). Mr Irukera said while the commission commiserates with Ms Olorunfemis family, friends, and associates, it has opened an investigation accordingly. Of particular concern is if Ms Olorunfemi died on account of failures implicated in the Commissions Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR) or other enforceable legal instruments regarding attention and care to patients generally, and more specifically, in emergency situations where victims of criminal conduct require medical attention, he said. Considering the facility concerned is a government institution, upon gathering initial evidence, and the Commissions determination that there is sufficient basis/probable cause to proceed with a limited inquiry into the consumer protection aspects of the events or series thereof resulting in this fatality; the Commission immediately engaged relevant stakeholders including the Office of the Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment for the FCT. He said the commission looks forward to participating, supporting, and collaborating with the FCT administration in the investigation. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has said the updated social safety net project will cover an additional 15 million Nigerians by expanding the cash transfer programmes. In his Independence Day speech on Sunday, the President said the programme will commence in October, as part of his administrations plan to reduce poverty. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, recently announced that the federal government plans to cover no fewer than 15 million households under the project tagged Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT). The minister stated this during her visit to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, emphasising that the initiative is a strategic effort to empower individuals and families. About CCT The CCT programme was introduced by former President Muhammadu Buhari as part of his administrations 2016 Social Intervention Scheme to reduce poverty in Nigeria. The countrys Senate in July approved Mr Tinubus request for $800 million borrowing from the World Bank to scale up the National Safety Net Programme. The president assured that with the loan, the sum of N8,000 would be transferred monthly to the bank accounts of 12 million poor and low-income households for six months. As of November 2022 under Mr Buharis administration, the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) said the number of beneficiaries of the CCT has reached about two million. The interim head of NCTO, Ibrahim Adam, explained at a conference that the agency targeted and enrolled beneficiaries from the rural areas across 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He said the programme was so far able to reach 609 local governments, 6,272 wards and 48,789 communities. Under the CCT, beneficiaries receive a monthly payment of N5,000 from the government while some households receive an additional N10,000 based on other conditions relating to pregnancy and school children. However, there have been disputes over the transparency of the programme as the number of Nigerians living in poverty has increased, from 40.1 per cent in 2015 to 45 per cent in 2023, according to Policy Vault. Social register integrity In July, the National Economic Council (NEC) resolved not to use the social register used by the Mr Buhari-led administration to implement its conditional cash transfer. Many Nigerians including the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had criticised the authenticity of the register, querying how the most vulnerable households are identified in the social register. The council said the register was replete with integrity issues, and described the criteria for its compilation as vague. According to the NEC, contrary to what the previous administration projected, it is not possible to digitally transfer money to the poorest of the poor, the majority of whom are unbankable. NEC resolved that states would come up with their registers, using formal and informal means to develop them, assuring that all beneficiaries at the sub-national level would easily be accessed this way. Other interventions Meanwhile, Mr Tinubu in his broadcast also noted that to ensure better grassroots development, the government has set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. He added that states have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food costs and prices of other items. The President also disclosed plans to lower transportation costs through the provision of buses using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). He said: We have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares. He noted that the new CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast-track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs, he said. Mr Tinubu concluded with a promise to remain committed and serve faithfully. I also invite all to join this enterprise to remake our beloved nation into its better self. We can do it. We must do it. We shall do it, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A newborn set of triplets and their mother are stranded at the Murtala Muhammed Specialists Hospital in Kano due to the inability of the family to afford essential care for the newborn and their mother who gave birth through cesarean section. The father of the triplets, Usman Magaji, said he had expended his entire savings on the purchase of drugs and other consumables before and soon after the birth of his children. He called on the government and kind Nigerians to come to his aid. Mr Magaji, a labourer and a resident of Kuyan ta Inna in Kumtboso Local Government, said he had six children before the birth of the triplets. I have spent all my savings from the day she was admitted to the hospital and I am left with nothing that is why I am soliciting assistance from the government and Nigerians From the day she was admitted for the delivery, I spent over N70,000 I am worried that the spending will continue because she is still in the hospital with no date fixed for discharge because she delivered through a cesarean section. I need help because I have nothing left for me to take care of the lactating mother both at the hospital and at home. I have spent all the money at the hospital. I am grateful to God for the triplets I need help because I dont know for how long we are going to stay at the hospital, I dont have money any longer that is why I am looking for help. I am grateful that the cesarean was conducted free of charge but I can no longer bear other expenses from the hospital which is why I am pleading for help. The three children two boys and a girl need assistance to survive, I can not afford for them at the moment because I have a labourer struggling on daily to get labour and the job is no longer coming, Mr Magaji told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Magajis wife, Asmau Abubakar, who is recuperating at the hospital, expressed happiness for the gift of the triplets and pleaded for assistance. I am grateful for the gift of the triplet what we need now is for the government to help us because of the children so that we can cater for them. Since we came here to the hospital nothing was provided for free we bought everything requested by the doctors with our money, the lactating mother told PREMIUM TIMES. The Kano State governor Abba Yusuf, announced free medical care for pregnant women and child delivery services from the Kano State General Hospitals and Primary Health Centers. But an official told PREMIUM TIMES that the free drugs supplied by the government had finished at the time the woman delivered the triplets, thus, her family and relatives had to pay for the drugs needed. There are free drugs by the government for the delivering mothers, but such drugs are not enough to go around for a month, it has finished and we are expecting new supplies now that the month has ended, an official said asking not to name because she was not authorised to speak to journalists. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Some armed police officers have been filmed assaulting a yet-to-be-identified woman in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria. A human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, petitioned the Nigerian Police Force via his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Saturday over the alleged assault of the woman. Mr Gwamnishu uploaded on the microblogging platform a video clip of the incident. He said the incident happened on Saturday at Umuodu, Okpuno, a community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The video clip In the now viral clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, some of the officers were seen hitting the woman while others dragged her violently. The officers, numbering about seven, were heard ordering the woman to enter their vehicle suggesting a possible arrest. I am not going anywhere, the woman insisted, amid the beatings and violent dragging The location looked like a residential area. She is a woman. She is a woman o, a male voice was heard in the background of the video telling the officers apparently pleading with them to stop the assault. This thing is not good o, the voice said as the officers continued to beat the woman. The woman, who wore only blue shorts and a black singlet, was later dragged near a saloon car close to an entrance gate in the compound. The clip did not show the woman entering any vehicle. Please investigate this brutality, Mr Gwamnishu, the human rights activist, appealed to the police authorities. It is unclear for now what offence the woman committed. But some X users linked the incident to payment of security levy. Several Nigerians on the microblogging platform have expressed outrage over the incident. Police react Reacting, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a post via his X handle on Sunday morning, said the clip had been forwarded to the police authorities in Anambra State for action. We will find out and take necessary action, Mr Adejobi, an assistant commissioner of police, assured. Earlier, the police in Anambra State via their official X handle on Saturday in response to the post, claimed the womans siblings had helped her to resist police arrest in a residential house in the community. Meanwhile, the case has been resolved and the behaviour of the officers involved addressed, the police said. The post did not mention the womans offence and what sanctions had been meted out to the officers. Not the first time Police brutality is not new in Nigeria. In October 2020, Nigerian youths protested police brutality across the country and called for the disbandment of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Unit (SARS) of the police. Despite the ban on SARS, the cases of police brutality have persisted across the country. Six officers, for instance, were caught in a viral video, in April, using a machete to smack two unidentified people in Imo State. The police in the state would later begin an orderly room trial of the officers. Last month, four police officers were arrested for allegedly assaulting a traveller in Rivers State. Days after, a young man accused some officers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State of allegedly kidnapping, locking him up in a police cell and forcing him to pay money before he was released. The police in the state subsequently arrested the officers who allegedly carried out the act. READ ALSO: Police release woman arrested over social media comment on tomato paste In April, a police officer who was filmed slapping a motorist in the Emouha Area of the state was demoted. The Emouha incident occurred a few days after Ubi Ebri, another officer, allegedly shot dead a young man in the neighbouring Delta State for reportedly refusing to give a N100 bribe. PREMIUM TIMES reported how youths in Delta State protested with the victims corpse along major roads in Asaba. Mr Ebri, the officer, was immediately arrested, dismissed from service and later arraigned. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A Nigerian cement production company, BUA Cement Plc, has announced a reduction in the price of the commodity. AbdulSamad Rabiu, the chairperson of BUA cement Plc, last month, said the company was considering a plan to reduce the price of cement upon completion of its new lines by the end of 2023. Mr Rabiu had explained that the planned reduction was part of efforts to support the Nigerian governments quest to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians. New price In a statement on Sunday evening, the companys management said it had now decided to bring the price reduction forward in fulfilment of the pledge. The reduction would now take effect from 2 October, according to the statement which was posted on the firms official Facebook page. As a result, BUA Cement would now be sold at an ex-factory price N3,500 per bag so that Nigerians can begin to enjoy the benefits of the price reduction before the completion of our plants, the company said. Before now, BUA cement was sold at between N5,000 and N5,500 per bag in open markets across the country. Several Nigerians on various social media platforms have expressed their excitement over the development. More on the way The BUA Cement Plc hinted that it intends to review the reduced prices further in line with their earlier pronouncements. The company said the further review would take place upon completion of ongoing construction of its new plants which would increase the companys production volumes to 17 million metric tonnes per annum. All pending, undelivered orders which had been paid for at the old prices will be reviewed downwards to N3,500 per bag in line with the new pricing from October 2, 2023, it said. Our licensed dealers are also enjoined to ensure that end users benefit from this reduction in ex-factory prices as we will monitor field sales to ensure compliance. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A government delegation Sunday met with leaders of labour unions with a view to averting the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday. The meeting was held a few hours after President Bola Tinubu addressed Nigerians on the occasion of Nigerias 63rd Independence Anniversary. During his address, Mr Tinubu pledged the payment of N25,000 allowance to junior federal civil servants for six months as part of efforts to ameliorate the impact of the removal of petrol subsidy. However, during the meeting between the labour unions and the government delegation, the government told the union leaders that the allowance would be meant for all civil servants, information minister Mohammed Idris said in a statement. The Federal Government has announced N25,000 only as provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months, Mr Idris wrote. In his speech Sunday morning, Mr Tinubu also announced that the government will increase by 15 million people the number of beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer scheme of the federal government. Mr Idris provided more information on that in his statement. The federal government will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023, the minister wrote. At the meeting, the labour unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labours request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration. However, rather than announce a suspension of the strike, NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above, the minister said. The labour unions are scheduled to commence the strike on Tuesday to protest the hardship caused by the removal of subsidy on petrol. President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of subsidy on petrol on 29 May during his inauguration as president. Since then, the price of petrol has increased by about 200 per cent across Nigeria and has led to an increase in the prices of goods and services. Sundays meeting was attended by a labour team that included the president of the NLC and the deputy president of the TUC. The government team included the chief of staff to the Nigerian President, the finance minister and other senior officials. Read the full statement by the minister below. The Federal Government, on Sunday, October 1, 2023 met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on measures to address the dispute arising from the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The parties noted the following: i) The Federal Government has announced N25,000 only as provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months. ii) The Federal Government is committed to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy. iii) The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises. iv) VAT on diesel will be waived for the next 6 months. v) The Federal Government will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023. RESOLUTIONS: In light of the discussions held during the meeting, the following resolutions were reached: i) The issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike. ii) Labour Unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labours request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration. iii) A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. iv) The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter. v) NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above. Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Deputy President, TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, among others. Mallam Mohammed Idris Minister of Information and National Orientation October 1, 2023 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print National schools and universities across 27 Egyptian governorates have started their 2023/2024 academic year by Sunday with high student attendance and amid intensified security presence in Cairo to ensure smooth traffic and students safety. While the school year began in 12 governorates on Saturday, schools in other governorates, including the capital, began receiving students Sunday. Governors are conducting inspections of schools to ensure discipline and create an encouraging atmosphere for the more than 25 million students this year. Minister of Education and Technical Education Reda Hegazy accompanied Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal in a visit to Al-Sayeda Nafisa secondary school for girls. Non-payment of school fees During the tour, Abdel-Aal emphasized that no student would be denied access to education or schoolbooks due to delayed fee payments. Fees will be covered for students who cannot afford them, as well as for children from families in need and those under the umbrella of the social protection program Takaful and Karama, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Egyptian General Federation of NGOs, the governor said. The new school year is scheduled to conclude on 8 June 2024 nationwide. October War holiday While students are warming up for school curricula, the Ministry of Education has instructed schools to utilize the first classes to educate students about the Sixth of October 1973 War and highlight the states national projects and achievements. The first school week will be abbreviated due to the country's celebration of the golden jubilee of the victory on Thursday, providing students with an extended weekend until Saturday. Welcome, autumn! Fortunately, the weather began to improve significantly today a week after autumn started in Egypt. Cairo sees highs of 31 degrees Celsius, while Alexandria and the North Coast are experiencing highs of around 29 degrees. Daytime weather remains hot in South Sinai, home to Sharm El-Sheikh, and in southern Upper Egypt, home to Luxor and Aswan, it is recording 38 and 43 degrees, respectively. Many areas across Egypt, including the North Coast, Nile Delta, and Suez Canal cities, expect light rain today, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority said, adding that rain may extend to parts of Greater Cairo. Millions of university students Universities started the academic year on Saturday, opening doors for more than three million students in public, national, private, international, and technical universities. The first semester will conclude on 4 January, with exams scheduled to end on 25 January. Exams for the second semester, which runs from 10 February to 30 May, will take place in June. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research started the school year with good news as 28 Egyptian universities have secured a presence on The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. Search Keywords: Short link: Dr Erwin Lutzer captured it very accurately, an economic crisis is always a gift to a leader who wants to capture a nation. Such is the picture of this supposed giant of Africa with her attendant and perennial fiasco of crises that have remained indelibly stuck to the memory of the past and present generations. She is rich in natural resources. She is blessed with some of the best brains on earth. Sadly, she is chronically deficient in transformational leadership and bankrupt in national value systems, two critical components of national transformation. This is the story of this sixty-three-year-old crawling giant, called Nigeria. Her transition from babyhood to adulthood is the main thrust of this treatise. But can we truly nurture a baby through the trenches of babyhood to the galaxies of adulthood in the absence of the knowledge of the paternity of the baby? Who gave birth to you, Nigeria? Where was your birth stool? What is your history? Nigeria, you were born on the birthstool of the imperialists, the British Empire and her colonial whips with which they whipped you and the other colonial enclaves into subjugation. Nigeria, you were the product of an economic transaction among members of a greedy imperialist class. Your birth stool was deliberately cast upon the mold of divisiveness, the merging of multiple ethno-cultural interests into one state, interests that could never and would never be homogenous. Thus, your culturally and ideologically polarised citizens were programmed to remain restive, disunited, confrontational, and heterogenous. Consequently, the present perennial conflicts between your six geo-political zones have remained a plausible rationale for your under-development for the past sixty-three years. Interestingly, the colonial strategy of the British imperialist shares striking resemblance with the Nazification strategy of the German Reich under the regime of the evil Hitler in the 1940s. To keep the German people under the control of Hitler, the weaponization of disunity among the Germans was deployed, promoted, and even celebrated by the evil Nazi establishment. Hitler was quoted to have said, the best way to conquer your enemy is to divide them. The Fuhrer did not stop there. He went further by introducing the weaponization of ignorance. To do this successfully, Hitler created the Ministry of Propaganda, headed by the notoriously famous Dr Joseph Goebbels, a pathological propagandist. According to Hitler, by clever and persevering use of propaganda even heaven can be represented as hell to the people, and conversely the most wretched life as paradise. This strikes a parallel with the whip of the British on Nigeria, her most cherished baby. This baby is so rich in oil and gas and other vast mineral resources that her wicked imperialist parents with the aid of their Nigerian enablers have continued to dip their spoons and forks into her treasury as much as the other greedy imperialists have also done to our brothers in the Sahel. Thus, through the combination of the evil tripods of propaganda, gaslighting, and the merging up of heterogenous ethno-religious entities, they successfully created a critical mass of people who cannot discern between truth and nonsense. That was what the famous Richard Terrell said, Create a critical mass of people who cannot discern between truth and nonsense, then you will have a society ready to fall for any leader. I would have stuck with Mr. Terrells views as one of the best ways to capture our current predicament if I had not found a famous quote by Hitler. Hitler once said and I quote, How fortunate for governments that the people they administer dont think. In conclusion, present day Nigeria has become a caricature of her glorious destiny, reveling in the murky and stinking waters of state capture, acute poverty, perennial corruption, ritual killings, organized crime, vote buying and election rigging, kidnapping, the capture of the legislature and the judiciary by the executive, and worst of all, the corruption of the church of Christ. We cannot rescue the future if we dont know the past. Where do we go from here to rescue this nation? It is time for Nigeria and Nigerians to think outside of the mold of the imperialist as our brothers have begun to do in the former Francophone colonies. We have tolerated this evil for too long. Tolerance is a killer. Aristotle once said, Tolerance is the last virtue of a dying society. I know for a fact that not everyone is gifted with a brain to think in an environment infested with massive corruption and evil in extremely high places. Not everyone is able to think in a poverty weaponized society. But for the remnant of Nigerians with candor and dignity; the Nigerian mother and father with sound values and logical reasoning; the Nigerian youth with a heart for justice and equity, it is time to stand for changeright from our homes to our personal spheres of influences. We cannot stop election riggers from plying their trade, but we can stop forgery of academic certificates from our homes. We may not be able to stop the looting of the Central Bank of Nigeria, but you as an apprentice to a motor mechanic should stand for integrity at your mechanic workshop by not stealing money from your boss. The change in our negative value systems start with you and me. Nations are not great because of the values of their wealth. Nations are great because of the wealth of their values. The Nigerian church has been deeply compromised, compromised along the lines of corruption, false teachings, compromises, occultism, fraternization with corrupt political leaders, embellishment of truth, competition and disunity among churches and church leaders, neutrality and silence in the time of evil, greed and misuse of money, to say the least. At all levels, the church in Nigeria needs to repent and take her place as the true light of Nigeria. General Overseers of churches in Nigeria have failed God. They need to humble themselves, call a solemn assembly, go back to God and repent. God is not going to change Nigeria. Prayers and fasting wont make Nigeria great. Prophecy and positive confessions wont make Nigeria great. It is righteousness that will make Nigeria greatjustice, equity, fairness, integrity, rule of law, truth, love, and a progressive change in our current national value system from top to bottom and from bottom to top. It is in an environment of righteousness, first among leaders, that will make prayers and fasting work, by generating spiritual power to shut down the powers of darkness and release grace on the land for the emergence of the right leaders. Sin erodes the power in prayer. No force of imperialism can defeat a nation with a people and a leadership who are ready to stand for their greatness. It is these leaders who will now take the right decisions, make the right policies, establish law and order, establish justice and fairness, and use resources judiciously and efficiently. Whether we split Nigeria up into different regions or nations, or we pursue the restructuring of the current entity all of which are plausible options for remediation, it is this same trajectory of righteousness that will make us great again. Nations are not great because of the values of their wealth. Nations are great because of the wealth of their values. Righteousness makes a nation great; sin is a disgrace to any nation. (Proverbs 14:34). God bless Nigeria. Ayo Akerele is a Consultant and the Founder, Voice of the Watchmen Ministries Canada, he can contacted through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Deputy Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, has lauded Governor Hope Uzodinma over his promise to facilitate the employment of 4,000 Imo youths in Europe. Mr Uzodinma, on 28 September, told a crowd of Imo State residents, By December this year, 4,000 Imo youths will be employed in Europe. The governor, who is contesting for re-election in November, said he had negotiated with some European and Canadian companies which have promised to send us special areas of skills which our youths will also learn. Mr Iwuanyanwu, the deputy speaker, issued a statement on Saturday, backing Mr Uzodinma over the comment. He said it was normal for young people to seek opportunities abroad even in developed economies like the US, China, Russian, and Japan. No government can provide enough jobs for its citizens, especially in a country like Nigeria, he said. Mr Iwuanyanwu said the plan to send the youths abroad would help to lift several families out of poverty and contribute to the states economic growth, and that Governor Uzodinma deserves commendation for hatching the idea. He cited, as an example, how Nigerians in the Diaspora remit billions of dollars to Nigeria annually, therefore, helping to boost Nigerias economic growth. Apparently responding to the criticism of the governors comment, Mr Iwuanyanwu said, Great visions are often met with ridicule and skepticism, but the mark of a true leader is the unwavering commitment to those visions, regardless of the initial opposition. He said, History is not scarce of great leaders in politics, religion, business and the sciences who were misunderstood and whose great visions were initially ridiculed and condemned as either impossible or irrelevant, but what stands these leaders out and made them heroes at the end is their tenacity at sustaining these visions and riding it through to the benefit of even those who never gave it a chance. He said that some people who are criticising the governor over his comment might be genuinely ignorant while others could be driven by partisan interests. Mr Iwuanyanwu assured the people of Imo that, in a matter of months, the 4,000 youths would embark on a journey to Canada and Europe, and that they would return with valuable skills and opportunities for the development of Imo. Opposition has nothing to campaign with Mr Iwuanyanwu said the governors performance has made it difficult for the opposition in Imo to embark on political campaigns. Apparently, Senator Hope Uzodinma is making it impossible for the opposition in Imo State to have anything of significance to campaign with. Hence, they resort to embarrassing levels of mudslinging. This might also be their own strategy of trying to draw attention away from the ongoing distribution of 15,000 laptops to beneficiaries of the Skill-Up Imo programme. These laptops are imbued with lucrative programmes and software that would enable beneficiaries to become self-sufficient, as they could do a lot while sitting in their homes or offices. The deputy speaker said he is a student of the Uzodinma political and leadership school of thought. He said the governor is a visionary leader who is driven by a passion to make the society better than what he met. He reflected on his own experiences in leadership and entrepreneurship, and stressed the need for leaders to remain audacious in their visions and to persevere in the face of doubt. He cited Governor Uzodinmas accomplishments to include the reconstruction of the Imo House of Assembly complex and the rebuilding of major roads in the state. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) has presented its prestigious Human Dignity Award to Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, one of the world's most respected Islamic scholars and a champion of religious freedom, peace, and enhancing Muslim-Jewish relations. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9113553-american-jewish-committee-presented-human-dignity-award-to-muslim-scholar/ Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, President of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace, speaking after receiving the Human Dignity Award from American Jewish Committee. Shaykh Bin Bayyah, President of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace and the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) top religious jurist, was cited for his bridge-building efforts and his strong voice against religious extremism. "For decades, Shaykh Bin Bayyah has been an inspiration to those who see encounters between religious communities as a tool for building peace," said AJC CEO Ted Deutch, who opened the award ceremony Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "His counsel and wisdom are sought by religious and political leaders alike, and his courage has pushed the ties between the Jewish and Muslim worlds dramatically forward." As the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, AJC works with and convenes the top interreligious officials from around the world to build alliances that advance issues of mutual concern, including the urgent effort to combat rising antisemitism. Shaykh Bin Bayyah is a native of Mauritania, where he was appointed as a judge on that nation's High Court, and later served as Minister of Justice. He was a lecturer in Islamic legal philosophy at King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia and is the author of many scholarly works, including "Terrorism: A Diagnosis and Solutions." He has served as chair of the UAE Religious Law Council since its founding in 2017. Renowned for his personal piety and his erudition in traditional Islamic as well as secular academic scholarship, he has built Islamic scholarly foundations to support religious freedom, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and interreligious cooperation. In 2016, he gathered hundreds of Muslim scholars around these ideas as a co-convener and author of the Marrakesh Declaration, which rejected the persecution of religious minorities in Muslim majority countries. Speaking through a translator, Shaykh Bin Bayyah said at the Sept. 19 ceremony, "Humanity today is aboard one ship that is about to capsize in the turbulent currents of the sea of conflicts and disputes. People of virtue must redouble their efforts and their cooperation to guide this ship to shores of safety and peace. There is no alternative to achieving this goal. It requires a people of reason and conscience across the world working together, particularly religious leaders, to counter hate speech and extremism." Shaykh Bin Bayyah has also received international acclaim as an advocate for peace. He spoke out against the practices of the terrorist group ISIL, including issuing a fatwaa religious legal ruling--against their activities in 2014, and declared, "Islam must not call to war. Islam invites peace." "The pioneering work of Shaykh Bin Bayyah has advanced a culture of peace within and beyond faiths," said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. "He is a remarkable religious figure whose leadership has created a space for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, along with people of other faiths and beliefs, to convene around common values and joint action for the common good." AJC's Human Dignity Award is a facsimile leaf of a medieval copy of Maimonides' Introduction to the Mishnah in a lavishly illuminated edition. Maimonides, who wrote primarily in Arabic (albeit in Hebrew letters), is a model of the jurist-philosopher who bridged disciplines, languages, and cultures, upheld reason and moderation and abhorred religious extremism from any source. Shaykh Bin Bayyah was also handed a lavish Hebrew translation of the Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue, an interfaith pact he founded in 2019. As a tribute to his impact on Jewish-Muslim relations, the Hebrew document is being distributed online to thousands of rabbis and other Jewish community leaders. Shaykh Bin Bayyah is just the second recipient of the AJC Human Dignity Award. The inaugural recipient was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians. The event, which gathered 200 religious and business leaders, diplomats, and interfaith activists, included a congratulatory video message from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and words of welcome from Miguel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations. The evening also included a moderated discussion on "Human Dignity, Global Diplomacy and the Role of Religion in Promoting Peace," featuring Dr. Nazila Ghanea, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion in conversation with Dr. Ari Gordon, AJC Director of Muslim-Jewish Relations. AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York City, 25 offices across the United States, and 14 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. More at AJC.org SOURCE American Jewish Committee RADNOR, Pa., Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. ("Hawaiian Electric") (NYSE: HE). The action charges Hawaiian Electric with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company's business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Hawaiian Electric's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Hawaiian Electric's investors have suffered significant losses. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/hawaiian-electric-industries-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=he&mktm=r TO VIEW OUR VIDEO, PLEASE CLICK HERE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: OCTOBER 23, 2023 CLASS PERIOD: FEBRUARY 28, 2019 THROUGH AUGUST 16, 2023 CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS: Jonathan Naji, Esq. at (484) 270-1453 or via email at [email protected] Kessler Topaz is one of the world's foremost advocates in protecting the public against corporate fraud and other wrongdoing. Our securities fraud litigators are regularly recognized as leaders in the field individually and our firm is both feared and respected among the defense bar and the insurance bar. We are proud to have recovered billions of dollars for our clients and the classes of shareholders we represent. HAWAIIAN ELECTRICS'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT The Class Period begins on February 28, 2019 when Hawaiian Electric filed its Annual Report which stated, among other things, that the company had "appropriately responded to environmental conditions." In early August 2023, a series of severe wildfires broke out in Hawaii, predominantly on the island of Maui. The most destructive fire began in West Maui near the town of Lahaina on the morning of August 8, 2023. By that afternoon, intense winds had knocked down approximately 30 utility poles throughout Maui, resulting in at least 15 separate outages impacting more than 12,400 customers. Moreover, videos captured by local residents showed that downed power lines belonging to Hawaiian Electric appeared to have ignited at least several of the fires. Ultimately, the wind-driven fires prompted evacuations, caused widespread damage, and have killed at least 114 people, with some 850 others still missing in Lahaina. On August 12, 2023, news outlets began reporting that Hawaiian Electric lacked the proper policies and procedures to mitigate the impact of the wildfires. Specifically, it was revealed that, at the time the wildfires began, the company did not maintain a public power shutoff plani.e., a plan in which electricity is intentionally cut off to areas where strong wind events could cause the fires to spread. On this news, Hawaiian Electric's stock price fell $10.94 per share, or 33.76%, to close at $21.46 per share on August 14, 2023. Then, on August 16, 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that Hawaiian Electric is meeting with firms that specialize in restructuring advisory work and exploring options for the various financial and legal challenges that the company faces as a consequence from the Maui wildfires. Finally, on August 17, 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that Hawaiian Electric had for years been aware of the threat posed by wildfire but waited years to act. Specifically, the report stated that between 2019 and 2022, Hawaiian Electric spent less than $245,000 on wildfire-specific projects on Maui and did not seek state approval to raise utility rates to pay for broad wildfire safety improvements until 2022. Following this news, Hawaiian Electric's stock price fell $2.54 per share, or 17.43%, to close at $12.03 per share on August 17, 2023. WHAT CAN I DO? Hawaiian Electric investors may, no later than October 23, 2023, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff for the class, through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Hawaiian investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against Hawaiian Electric, Bhangal v. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., et al., Case No. 23-cv-04332, is filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF? A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (484) 270-1453 [email protected] SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Dr. Pablo Borboroglu will be Honored in Downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 30 INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indianapolis Prize the world's leading award for animal conservation will celebrate the world's preeminent animal conservationists at the Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by Cummins Inc. on Sept. 30, 2023, at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. "Every two years, the international conservation community turns its eyes toward Indianapolis for the awarding of the Indianapolis Prize," Dr. Rob Shumaker, President & CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo said. "This event is a celebration of real-life heroes whose work makes a lasting impact on the future of our world." Dr. Pablo Borboroglu (pronounced: Bor-BOR-oh-glue), the 2023 awardee and ninth winner of the Prize, will receive a $250,000 unrestricted grant. The award is the largest individual monetary award given in the animal conservation field. Dr. Borboroglu is the founder and president of the Global Penguin Society, an international conservation coalition for the world's penguin species. Borboroglu works to improve penguin colony management by creating large areas of protected penguin habitat. Borboroglu is also the co-founder and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Penguin Specialist Group. This group helps to assess the conservation status of penguins around the globe and advances international penguin conservation. He has been instrumental in creating protected areas for penguins in Argentina and implementing conservation strategies in several countries. In 2009, he discovered only six breeding pairs of penguins at the El Pedral colony in eastern Argentina. Thanks to his work, the area is now considered a wildlife refuge and home to 4,000 breeding pairs. "I am incredibly grateful and honored to be named the 2023 Indianapolis Prize Winner," Borboroglu said. "It's a dream for conservationists. Receiving this award is validation that what you do is important. Wildlife conservation is critical for all of us because it helps us maintain the structure and function of the environment. This award provides motivation and more encouragement to continue pursuing my passion for protecting penguins." Borboroglu was selected from a group of six Finalists by a Jury of distinguished scientists and conservation leaders. The Finalists are: Dr. Christophe Boesch (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation); Dr. Gerardo Ceballos (Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico); Dr. Karen Eckert (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network); Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (Conservation Through Public Health) and Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas (Orangutan Foundation International). Each Finalist will receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant. New this year is the Emerging Conservationist Award to recognize and support conservationists under 40 years of age with the talent and drive to make a significant impact on saving animal species. Peruvian primatologist and anthropologist Fanny M. Cornejo is the recipient of the first Emerging Conservationist Award for her work to encourage sustainable economic development and protect habitat for threatened species in Peru. The Emerging Conservationist Award is made possible by the Kobe (pronounced: Ko-BAY) Foundation. Wildlife photographer and National Geographic Explorer Joel Sartore will receive the 2023 Jane Alexander Global Wildlife Ambassador Award. In 2006, Sartore and National Geographic founded the Photo Ark project to inspire people to protect at-risk species through documentary photography and videos. To date, Sartore has captured more than 46,000 images and videos featuring 14,000 species. The Indianapolis Prize Gala will be hosted by NBC News's chief environmental affairs correspondent, Anne Thompson, and Danni Washington, ocean activist, science communicator and founder of Big Blue & You, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating youth about ocean conservation. ABOUT THE INDIANAPOLIS PRIZE The Indianapolis Prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. Winners receive an unrestricted $250,000 award. Remaining Finalists each receive $50,000. Since 2006, the Indianapolis Prize has administered more than $6.1 million in cash awards. The Indianapolis Prize is a signature conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. SOURCE Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. Denmark's F-35 fleet will bolster all-domain deterrence and advance 21st Century Security SKRYDSTRUP AIR BASE, VOJENS, Denmark, Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Denmark officially celebrated the in-country arrival of its first four permanently based F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Skrydstrup Air Base, Denmark. Denmarks F-35 fleet will bolster all-domain deterrence and advance 21st Century Security During the ceremony, Lockheed Martin officially handed over the certificate of ownership of Denmark's F-35s to the Danish Ministry of Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization. More than 450 Danish and allied government, military and industry leaders gathered to commemorate the milestone, and over 10,000 local citizens participated in the Royal Danish Air Force's public open house. During the open house the public learned more about the F-35's mission for Denmark, industry suppliers and witnessed the F-35 and F-16 on flying display. "Arrival of the first F-35 combat aircraft in Denmark is a historic event for the Danish Defence and the Royal Danish Air Force. It is thanks to close and professional cooperation between Lockheed Martin, the F-35 partnership and the Danish Defence, that Danish Defence now cross the threshold into the future of air defence," said Danish Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen. Denmark has played a critical role on the F-35 program, joining in 2002 as a partner during the System Development and Demonstration phase, strategically influencing technical elements of the program. The Royal Danish Air Force also contributed a Danish F-16 to the Joint Strike Fighter 461st Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California where it served as a chase plane for the F-35 Development, Test & Evaluation program. Danish industry has also contributed to F-35 production, development and sustainment activities and today, is building parts and components for each of the projected 3,100+ aircraft to be manufactured. "This milestone event is the realization of the vision, foresight and strategic investment Denmark made more than a decade ago. We expect that the F-35 will play a crucial role in 21st century security missions for Denmark, delivering unmatched 5th Generation capability, connectivity and interoperability," said Greg Ulmer, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "The F-35 integrates joint forces, providing an unparalleled network effect across allied forces and significantly strengthening alliance-based deterrence across all domains." Denmark has taken delivery of 10 F-35s to date, four of which are now at Skrydstrup Air Base and six of which are stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where Danish pilots and maintainers are conducting training. Denmark has plans to purchase 27 F-35 aircraft in total. Denmark's F-35 fleet will play a pivotal role in bolstering NATO's collective resilience in the Baltics and strengthening the alliance's ability to deter and defend against all threats across all domains. Denmark is the 10th country and fifth European NATO nation to operate the F-35 from its home soil. The F-35's growing presence in Europe increases collaboration with trusted allies and partners through a multilateral, multinational approach, ensuring an effective deterrent against near-peer competitors. By the mid-2030s, more than 600 F-35s will be stationed on the European continent across NATO member bases and Switzerland. NATO members in the F-35 program of record include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United States and the United Kingdom. With the addition of Skrydstrup Air Base, F-35s are now operating from 31 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 975 F-35s, trained more than 2,180 pilots and 15,000 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 721,430 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work side by side with F-35 operators to ensure allies remain ahead of the evolving threat. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Please follow @LMNews on X for the latest announcements and news across the corporation. SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Safra New York Corporation, the holding company of Safra National Bank of New York ("The Bank"), is pleased to announce the successful completion of its acquisition of Delta North Bankcorp, including its subsidiary Delta National Bank and Trust Company. This strategic acquisition is a significant milestone for Safra National Bank and underscores the Bank's continuous expansion in the private banking and wealth management business. The acquisition strengthens the Bank's market position among high-net-worth clients in the United States and Latin America, where the Bank has been providing premier private banking and financial services and has a long and successful track record. Jacob J. Safra, Chairman of Safra National Bank of New York: "We are proud to have completed this acquisition, which represents an excellent strategic fit to our existing business in these markets. Clients will benefit from an organization that is fully dedicated to wealth management, providing the service, products and expertise that best meet their specific needs. We are confident that the Bank has all the attributes required to continue growing and prospering in a sustainable manner. Simoni Morato, Chief Executive Officer of Safra National Bank of New York: "We very much look forward to working closely with Delta's clients and employees and developing long term relationships. Together we will build on the strengths of our organization, not only in the United States, but also throughout Latin America." Safra National Bank of New York Headquartered in New York, with branches in Aventura, Miami and Palm Beach, and offices throughout Latin America, Safra National Bank is a leading private bank with approximately US$ 30 billion in clients' assets. Safra National Bank of New York is part of the J. Safra Group. J. Safra Group The J. Safra Group (the "Group"), with total assets under management of over USD $300 billion, consists of privately-owned banks under the Safra name and investment holdings in asset-based business sectors such as real estate and agribusiness. The Group's banking interests in 160 locations globally, are: Safra National Bank of New York, headquartered in New York City, USA; J. Safra Sarasin, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; and Banco Safra, headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil; all independent from one another from a consolidated supervision standpoint. The Group's real estate holdings consist of more than 200 premier commercial, residential, retail and farmland properties worldwide, such as New York City's 660 Madison Avenue office complex and London's iconic Gherkin Building. Its investments in other sectors include, among others, agribusiness holdings in Brazil and Chiquita Brands International Inc. With deep relationships in markets worldwide, the Group is able to greatly enhance the value of businesses which are part of it. There are more than 34,000 employees associated with the J. Safra Group. Media Contact Ross Lovern [email protected] 212 521 4866 Sonia Bucan [email protected] 212 521 4808 SOURCE Safra National Bank of New York If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Khaled Khalifa, a distinguished Syrian author and screenwriter, died at the age of 59 following a sudden heart ailment on Saturday. Khalifa was born in Aleppo in 1964 and graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1988, gaining widespread recognition for his contributions to several Syrian TV series during the early 1990s. Over the course of his career, Khalifa also penned six notable novels. However, it was his third novel In Praise of Hatred (2006) that catapulted him into the literary spotlight. Translated into six languages, the novel was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) during its inaugural edition in 2008 and longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2013. No Knives in the Kitchens of This City (2013) received the esteemed Naguib Mahfouz Award from the American University in Cairo in 2013, underscoring Khalifa's stature as a master storyteller. It was also shortlisted for the IPAF in 2014. Among his other well-known works are No One Prayed Over Them in 2019, Death Is Hard Work in 2016, Notebooks of the Levant in 2000, and Guardians of Deceit in 1993. The English edition of Death is Hard Work (2016) was a finalist for the 2019 US National Book Award for Translated Literature. Last September, the English-language version of No One Prayed Over Them earned a place on the longlist of the American National Book Award. Khalifa's influence extended beyond the world of literature into television, where he crafted thought-provoking dramas such as Rainbow and The Biography of the Al-Jalali Family. These series delved into the social and cultural intricacies of Aleppo, his beloved hometown. Khaled Khalifa was not only a literary figure but also a courageous critic of authorities and their policies, a stance he expressed through his writings and media interviews. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Oct 1 : A day after Archana Gautam and her father were allegedly heckled outside the Congress headquarters here, the Uttar Pradesh Congress on Saturday said that she was suspended from the primary membership of the party for six years in June this year and a complaint against her has been filed with the Meerut police. An Uttar Pradesh Congress leader clarified that the state unit's Disciplinary Committee on June 6 this year had suspended Gautam from the primary membership of the party for a period of six years. The party leader said that she was suspended after a show cause notice was served to her for indiscipline on May 31 and she was asked to reply within a week but she did not. The party leader also said, meanwhile, a complaint against Gautam has also been filed with the Superintendent of Police in Meerut by the local leaders. In the complaint, it has been alleged that she was threatening the party workers of implicating them in false cases and harassing them for demanding money for the vehicles used during assembly polls last year. The Congress leaders from Meerut, including Avnish Kajla, district chief of Meerut Congress, in their complaint also alleged that Gautam's father too keeps on taking money from the party leaders and threaten of implicating them in false cases. The complaint also read that her father had also demanded for Rs five crore from a party leader. The party leaders in their complaint stated that Gautam filed a case against a party leader in Meerut, whereas the incident had occurred in Chhattisgarh. "The court took strong objection of the issue and stopped the probe and chargesheet in the matter," the complaint read. It further added that when required, they (party leaders) will submit the list of people whom the father and daughter had threatened or demanded for money. The complaint letter came to the fore a day after she and her father were allegedly manhandled when they tried to enter the party headquarters here on Friday afternoon. According to Gautam, she wanted to meet party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and President Mallikarjun Kharge to congratulate them on the passing of the Womenas Bill in Parliament last week. A viral video of the politician on social media showed her asking for 'help' outside Congress party office. In the video, Gautam and her father can be seen surrounded by people, who allegedly prevented her from entering the party office, and allegedly misbehaved with her. She was fielded as the Congress candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Hastinapur Assembly seat in the 2022 elections but lost. UP: Harassed on way to school, dozen girls quit studies; 3 held. Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, Oct 1 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that all board schools and government secondary schools in the state will remain open on Sunday, October 1. The Chief Minister gave these instructions in view of Gandhi Jayanti being celebrated on October 2. On October 1, a one-hour 'Shramdaan' programme will be organised under the 'Swachhajanli' programme and schools will remain open for this. 'Prabhat Pheris' will be taken out in all schools after which the students and teachers will perform Shramdaan. Sweets will be distributed to students thereafter. To mark the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a 154-hour special cleanliness campaign has been started. Schoolchildren will take out Prabhat Pheri and give the message of aCleanliness is Servicea to the people. People will be made aware of the ban on plastic and polythene. London, Oct 1 : The Glasgow Guru Granth Sahib Gurdwara has 'strongly condemned' the incident where Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, was stopped this week from attending a programme by pro-Khalistan extremists. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Gurdwara said that it "strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship". "The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith," it said. In a viral video of the incident, which occurred at Albert Drive on Friday, a few pro-Khalistan activists approached Doraiswami's car and asked him to leave. The two-day personal visit facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament, reportedly involved a series of meetings and discussions with local political leaders, diaspora representatives, business chiefs and university groups. "Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation," the statement read. It added that the police in Scotland were in attendance after the incident, and have taken cognizance of the matter. The Indian High Commission on Saturday said that it has reported this "disgraceful incident" to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police. The incident comes in the wake of a diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Canada-based pro-Khalistan hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar. PORTO ALEGRE, June 24, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's Lautaro Martinez celebrates after scoring a goal during the Group B match between Argentina and Qatar at the Copa America 2019, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, June 23, 2019. Argentina won 2-0. (Xinhua/IAN. Image Source: IANS News Rome, Oct 1 : Lautaro Martinez became the difference-maker as the Argentinean came off the bench to score four goals as Inter crushed Salernitana 4-0 in an away match of Serie A. The Nerazzurri saw their perfect league record come to an end in the last round when they lost to Sassuolo 2-1, but Simone Inzaghi's side had to rotate the squad for the upcoming Champions League with Davy Klaassen and Alexis Sanchez getting starts, reports Xinhua. The away side were toothless to break the deadlock until Inzaghi threw on Lautaro in the 54th minute, which became a turning point of the match, as Lautaro put Inter ahead by dinking it over an on-rushing Guillermo Ochoa just eight minutes after his substitution. Lautaro made it 2-0 in the 77th minute when he swept in on Nicolo Barella's assist, before he completed a hat-trick by converting a penalty earned by Marcus Thuram. It was not over yet, as Lautaro continued his show on 89 minutes when Carlos Augusto rolled across from the left for him to drill home. Elsewhere, AC Milan claimed their third consecutive win by conquering Lazio 2-0, thanks to goals from Christian Pulisic and Noah Okafor. The two Milanese clubs both amassed 18 points after seven rounds, with Inter leading the table by virtue of superior goal-difference. Also on Saturday, Napoli are seemingly back on track as they humiliated Lecce 4-0, with four players including Victor Osimhen managing on target. --IANS cs Patna, Oct 1 : Bihar is a place where small and big parties depend on caste and hence the political leaders of the state are always looking for the right permutations and combinations to keep their vote bank intact. Some of them are using it to strengthen their position while many political parties are using it to damage their opponents. As is well known, the Lalu Prasad Yadav led RJD has a sizable vote bank of Muslims and Yadav. Nitish Kumar's JD-U has a Lav-Kush equation (Kurmi-Kushwaha) while the BJP in Bihar has a core vote bank of upper castes and Banias (traders community). The latest case of vote bank politics was triggered by a poem of RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha. Don turned politician Anand Mohan caught it and connected it with Thakurs' pride. After being released from jail in the Gopalganj DM G Krishnaiah murder case, Anand Mohan was looking for an issue to establish himself as a leader of the Rajputs. He took Manoj Jha's poem and twisted it in a manner to give the impression that he is the only leader on whom the people of the Rajput caste could depend. At present, there are not many prominent Rajput leaders in Bihar. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a senior Rajput leader, has passed away. Bahubali leader Prabhunath Singh was convicted in a murder case and is serving a jail term. Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Janardan Singh Sigriwal have been sidelined by the BJP, Jagadanand Singh has handed over his political legacy to his son Sudhakar Singh. So, Anand Mohan realized that Manoj Jha's poem could be the right instrument to establish himself as the leader of his Rajput caste. Anand Mohan's son made it an issue 5 days after Manoj Jha mentioned the poem called "Thakur Ka Kuan" during the special session of Parliament, but the real reason was the embarrassment Anand Mohan had faced at former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi's residence a few days ago. Anand Mohan waited for 10 minutes outside the gate of Rabri Devi's residence but her husband Lalu Prasad reportedly refused to entertain him. Though, the RJD later clarified that Lalu Prasad conveyed the message to officials at the gate to bring him in but by that time Anand Mohan had left. Sources said that Mohan wants a Lok Sabha ticket for his wife Lovely Anand from Sheohar, Saharsa, Vaishali or Arrah. Anand Mohan Singh sharply attacked Manoj Jha and compared him with fitkari (alum). "One Fitkiri (Manoj) Jha) is here who does not want the Marshall community to get united. Hence he is making statements like this. If I were in the Rajya Sabha, I would cut his tongue," Singh said. "He is an agent of the BJP. Once the RJD becomes weak in Bihar, he would be the first to go to the BJP. I know his uncle as well. He won the election on a ticket of the Samajwadi Party but when he saw the Congress forming the government at the Centre, he went there. Fitkiri Jha will do the same," Anand Mohan said. Following this stance of Anand Mohan, senior BJP leaders like Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Neeraj Kumar Bablu and Sanjay Singh went a step further and warned Manoj Jha. Raghvendra Pratap threatened to behead Jha. This stance of Anand Mohan was well understood by the BJP. The saffron brigade knew that if Anand Mohan established himself as a Rajput leader, a sizable vote bank of the party would be taken away by him. Hence, BJP leaders desperately tried to keep intact their upper caste vote bank. The RJD is in the crosshairs of Anand Mohan and the BJP but in the long run, this controversy would not affect the party of Lalu Prasad Yadav. His son Tejashwi Yadav may talk about A to Z but the upper castes will not go with the RJD and Lalu Prasad is well aware of it. Lalu Prasad defended Manoj Jha and said he had not given wrong statements to hurt any caste or community. "Manoj Jha is a learned person. He has not given any statement that is objectionable. The poetry of Manoj Jha has not hurt any caste or community. He has not targeted any one. He has pointed out the right things in public. Anand Mohan should show patience on this issue," Lalu Prasad said. JD-U national president Lalan Singh also defended Jha and said that he had not made any statement that would hurt any caste or community. Political analysts said that the Nitish Kumar government had changed the jail manual of Bihar to release Anand Mohan but the actual idea was to hurt the upper caste vote bank of the BJP. It was a revenge move of Nitish Kumar to hurt the BJP. The BJP had used the Chirag Paswan led LJP as a Vote Katwa in the 2020 assembly election and the JD-U could get only 43 seats. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad also went for a caste based survey in Bihar. It has almost been completed and will soon come in the public domain. The majority of the political parties including the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the RJD have claimed that post the survey, the state government will be in a better position to make policies for the marginalized sections of society but the actual purpose is to use it as a tool to formulate a poll strategy against BJP. In the context of Bihar, there are three major political forces -- the RJD, the JD-U and the BJP. The leaders of the RJD, JD-U, Congress, and the Left parties are looking at caste based surveys as a means to defeat the BJP in Bihar. As per the social structure of Bihar, the upper castes are considered core voters of the BJP and even the opposition parties are not denying it. If we analyse the voters in Bihar, the OBCs, EBCs, Muslims are in larger numbers compared to upper castes like the Brahmins, Bhumihars and Rajputs. There are roughly 19% upper caste, 16% Dalits, 17% Muslims, 16% Yadav and 38% OBC and EBC voters in the state. The political leaders are claiming that a caste based survey will be beneficial equally to the RJD, JD-U, the Left parties, and the Congress as compared to the BJP. After the actual number of castes come into the public domain, it would be easy for parties like the RJD, JD-U, the Left parties and the Congress to convince voters belonging to the OBC, EBC, Dalit, Yadav and the minorities who are in large numbers in Bihar compared to the upper castes. In case the BJP gives tickets to candidates from these castes, there would be a trust deficit in the minds of voters. They would then trust the candidates of the RJD, JD-U, Left and the Congress more than the BJP. Bihar has 243 assembly seats and 52 MLAs belong to the Yadav caste after the 2020 poll. The Yadavs are considered core voters of the RJD and the party has the maximum 35 MLAs, the Congress 1, CPM 1, CPI (ML) 2, BJP 7, JD-U 5 and VIP 1. As a result, the BJP-RSS have played the reservation card ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2024. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat gave a statement in Nagpur recently to this effect and supported reservations in the country. "We keep our own fellow human beings behind the social system. We did not care for them, and this continued for almost 2000 years. Until we provide them equality, some social remedies have to be done. Reservation is one of them. Reservation should be continued till such discrimination ends. The Sangh gives complete support to the reservations provided in the Constitution," Bhagwat said. Countering the statement of Mohan Bhagwat, RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said: "Our leader Lalu Prasad Yadav was advocating for reservations his entire life and is firm on this issue. Mohan Bhagwat was the one who made a public statement in 2015 that reconsideration was required on reservations. He is contradicting his own statement. He is making pro-reservation comments as he is seeing defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. No one will believe his words. His statement is politically motivated to counter the caste based survey in Bihar." New Delhi, Oct 1 : Though Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is running a Grand Alliance government in Bihar along with the RJD, the Congress and Left parties, his recent presence at a couple of events organised by the BJP and the RSS has raised questions about his next political move. At the national level, he has played an important role in the formation of the INDIA Opposition bloc to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but despite all this, his recent activities have made even his alliance partner Lalu Prasad Yadav suspicious. Nitish Kumar recently attended a G20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu, where he was seen talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a long time. The Bihar Chief Minister was also seen at an event where floral tributes were being paid to the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay -- co-founder of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- on his birth anniversary. Both these incidents have once again set tongues wagging and created doubts about Nitish Kumaras intentions. People are wondering whether he is thinking of changing sides once again. However, both Nitish Kumar and the BJP are publicly denying this and also making statements against each other. The National President of the JD(U), Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, made a scathing comment against the BJP and said that Nitish Kumar was standing firmly with the Grand Alliance and would never, ever, go with the BJP. He even remarked that it was the BJP's nature to spread confusion and they were doing just that. Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who was once a minister in the JD(U)-BJP alliance government in Bihar, commented harshly on Nitish Kumar, and said that he should be indebted to the BJP because the party made him the Chief Minister. Giriraj said that the doors and even the windows of the BJP were completely closed for Nitish Kumar. The saffron partyas Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi, who was the Deputy Chief Minister in the Nitish-BJP coalition government for a long time, also attacked Nitish Kumar and rejected all reports of his return to the BJP. In 2013 also, when Nitish Kumar left the BJP after making Narendra Modi the face of the NDA alliance, leaders from both the parties had made statements against each other. But after a few years, when Nitish Kumar again joined the BJP in 2017, the party leaders welcomed him wholeheartedly. Nitish is worried about his role not being clear in the INDIA bloc, but the biggest reason for his trouble is that Lalu Prasad Yadav has not yet given the green signal to the formula for distribution of Lok Sabha tickets in Bihar. In fact, when Nitish Kumar contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after breaking away from the BJP, he was able to get only two seats. In 2017, when Nitish Kumar again joined the BJP he had only two MPs. Despite the BJP having 22 MPs, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Nitish Kumar contested the elections in the NDA alliance by making a seat sharing formula based on the number of MLAs. Nitish Kumaras JD(U) contested on 17 seats and the BJP, too, had to contest on only 17 seats. The BJPas candidates won the elections on all 17 seats while 16 candidates from the Nitish Kumar camp won the polls. It is being said that on the basis of the number of MLAs, Lalu Yadav can also reduce the seats of the JD(U) this time, although the RJD could not get even a single seat in the last Lok Sabha elections. All the parties in the Grand Alliance in Bihar have to be given seats in the Lok Sabha elections hence Nitish Kumar wants that the seat sharing formula should be finalised soon. He wants it to be made clear soon who will contest from where and on how many seats out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. This is because, just like all the other parties, Nitish Kumar, too, fears defection of his MPs. However, despite several meetings Lalu Prasad Yadav is not ready to reveal his cards at the moment. In these circumstances, October is being considered a very important month for the Grand Alliance government of Bihar. Whatever the leaders of both the parties say, but it should be remembered that even in 2017, when Nitish Kumar had left Lalu Yadav and joined the BJP, he had dealt directly with the top BJP leaders and ministers. The JD(U)as MPs and MLAs had no clue. This time, too, if Nitish Kumar gets upset with Lalu Prasad Yadav's attitude and decides to change sides, he will talk directly to the top leadership. New Delhi, Oct 1 : With voices emerging from the Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) both alliance partners of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has all the qualities of a Prime ministerial candidate, the Congress downplayed the issue saying that a decision for the top post will be taken only after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The demand for projecting Nitish Kumar as the INDIA bloc Prime Ministerial candidate once again gained momentum after he visited the dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Syed Shah Peer Muhammad Mujibullah Quadri Rehmatullah Alleh to offer prayers on the occasion of Dargah Urs on Thursday evening. Besides the JD-U, Nitish Kumar's party, he this time even got support from its alliance partner in Bihar, the RJD after senior party member and MLA from Patna's Maner Bhai Virendra said that he is the most deserving candidate for the top post. Virendra while speaking to the media on Friday said, "I would like Nitish Kumar to be the prime ministerial candidate. Under the leadership of Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar, political parties from across the country have united on a single platform." He said that slogans are being raised to oust the BJP from the country. "Whenever Bihar has taken control, there has been a change. Whether there is consent in the INDIA alliance or not, it would be good if Nitish (Kumar) is made the Prime Minister candidate," Virendra said. Speaking to IANS here, on the debate over the INDIA bloc prime ministerial candidate, Congress General Secretary Tariq Anwar said, "Nitish Kumar has himself on many occasions clarified that he is not the prime ministerial candidate." "Even the INDIA bloc has said that the prime ministerial candidate will be decided after the elections," Anwar said. When asked that the Chief Minister had visited a dargah in Bihar and it is being speculated that he is aspiring for the top post, the Congress leader said, "In every community there is support for every people. So some people must have spoken in his support. But as far as the INDIA bloc is concerned many times it has been made clear that before the election result this will not be announced." Nitish Kumar had first met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi at 10 Rajaji Marg here in April this year to bring the like minded opposition parties together to take on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Bihar Chief Minister was then instrumental in bringing many parties like the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the INDIA bloc. Nitish Kumar personally went and met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and many others. The first meeting of the 16 like minded parties also took place in Bihar's Patna on June 23. The number of parties then grew in its second meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru on July 17 and 18 to 26 and in the same meeting the INDIA name of the opposition bloc was decided. During the third meeting in Maharashtra's Mumbai on August 31 and September 1, the INDIA bloc formed a coordination committee and several sub committees to look after their work Lucknow, Oct 1 : The Lucknow police have arrested a criminal before he could commit a crime - the murder of a priest. Mohit Dwiwedi, 27, was arrested on Saturday and booked under Section 115 of the IPC (abetment of an offence). Additional DCP, west zone, Chiranjeev Nath Sinha, said police received a tip-off on September 28 that a man was planning to commit a murder and was ready with his weapons -carpenter's saw, sharp-edged knives of different sizes and a big hammer. The target was a priest. The informant only provided a phone number. "We took the task as a challenge and formed four teams to nab the accused. The first team traced the name and identity of the man. The second team traced the shop with the help of CCTV footage from where the tools were purchased. The third team went on the would-be killer's trail. The fourth team monitored the phone number," said Sinha. The police said it was a tough task because they only had a phone number, which could possibly have been in another person's name and used by someone else. However, after several hours of toil, the police traced the user of the mobile phone and the shop where the articles were purchased from using CCTV footage. The police then distributed the photograph of the buyer and got the first lead about Mohit. A team reached his residence and apprehended him. The police also found the articles he had purchased. During interrogation, Mohit disclosed that he plotted the priest's murder because the latter had publicly humiliated him twice for being a Brahmin and not knowing anything about Hindu rituals. "Mohit, who is an electrician, nursed the grudge," said the officer and added, "Recently, he had spotted the priest coming to his friend's house to perform a puja. Following that, he asked his friend to arrange for the same priest for a puja at his rented house on October 1." According to the confession, Mohit had called the priest through his friend and planned to hit him with a hammer and then slash his body parts using a carpenter's saw. He had planned to pack the body parts in a plastic bag and dump them in the Gomti river. Police praised the informant for coming forward with the details and helping them prevent a major crime. Tuareg-dominated separatist groups said on Saturday that they had inflicted heavy losses on the Malian military in an attack in the centre of the troubled West African country. The rebels initially said they had counted 98 dead soldiers, but later revised the figure to 81. The claim came in statements from the Permanent Strategic Framework which is dominated by the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), an alliance of predominantly Tuareg groups -- seeking autonomy or independence from the Malian state. The rebels also said they had wounded dozens of soldiers, taken five prisoner, while losing seven of their own fighters. The claims made by rebels, and all sides involved in the fighting, are difficult to verify because of the remoteness of the affected areas. Access to independent sources is complicated by the conflict. The Malian army had only acknowledged an assault on one of its camps in Dioura in the Mopti region on Thursday, without giving further details. Despite the official information blackout, images and claims linked to the incident quickly spread online. If confirmed it would mark the CMA's most southerly operation since it resumed attacks against the Malian army in the north of the country at the end of August. The north of Mali has seen a resumption of hostilities by the CMA and an intensification of jihadist attacks against the Malian army. Operations have targeted several army positions. The upsurge coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA, which has been pushed out by the ruling junta Mali's junta, which seized power in 2020, faces a multitude of security challenges throughout the poor and landlocked country. The military rulers also pushed a French anti-jihadist force to leave last year. Politically and militarily, it has turned to Russia. Many observers claim that it has enlisted the services of the Wagner mercenary group, despite its constant denials. The junta has made the restoration of sovereignty over the entire country one of its mantras and claims to be reversing the security trend. However, various experts are reporting a deterioration in the situation in a country that has been plunged into turmoil since 2012. Search Keywords: Short link: (BATTLEGROUND MP) As Kamal Nath prepares to avenge 'betrayal', he comes up against Modi. Image Source: IANS News Bhopal, Oct 1 : With over 40 years of political experience, veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath, 76, is leading the party for a heated political battle against Madhya Pradesh's ruling BJP for second time in the Assembly elections due by end of this year. But, unlike the 2018 Assembly elections when it won 114 seats against BJPas 109, Kamal Nath led the Congress will have a direct contest with the BJPas central leadership a" Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the saffron party has strategically sidelined incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to counter anti-incumbency against him. Projecting PM Modi a the main face in the MP Assembly election may be viewed differently a" as bid to control high factionalism within the state unit and bring unity, to bring transformation in leadership or a bitter and hidden political battle between Modi and long-serving CM Chouhan, but political analysts also seeing it as part of strategy to "discomfort" the Congress to some extent. Due to multiple scams and corruption in the governance and growing crime against women and weaker section of people, CM Chouhan has undoubtedly been in receiving end, and therefore, the BJPas election strategists sought to play this master stroke at the last minute. However, Kamal Nath, along with his veteran colleague and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh, has decided to contest the election keeping CM Chouhanas 18 years of rule as main targets to win the sentiments of the people. "Even as the BJP has projected PM Modias face for MPas assembly polls, Kamal Nath led Congress will avoid direct contest with him, instead it will keep targeting on CM Chouhan till the last moment, because BJPas central leadership will make all efforts to divert the attention from local issues," a Delhi-based senior journalist said. Importantly, to counter the BJP's main strategy of polarisation with communal card, seasoned politician Kamal Nath has projected himself as devotee of 'Lord Hanuman' and adopted soft Hindutva. Even as a section of Congress raised questions over this approach, Kamal Nath stood firm on his decision. Kamal Nath, who is very close to Gandhi family, has joined MP politics actively few months before the Assembly elections in 2018, and he had to face challenges within the state's Congress unit, which was shattered with due to beack to back defeat in three consecutive assembly elections - 2003, 2008, and 2013. High factionalism, which is an old tradition of MP politics and boosting confidence of party's cadre was another challenge. However in span of five years, he has made structural changes and also won the elections in 2018. However, the factionalism did not disappear and a faction led by Jyotiraditya Scindia shifted into the BJP, and Kamal Nath's government was toppled. But, the municipal elections held last year energised the Congress workers again as it won five out of 16 mayoral seats, including Gwalior, Morena and Rewa after two decades. More importantly that Kamal Nath has got full co-operation from Digvijaya Singh, who has served as Chief Minister for 10 years and has strong base on the ground. During his public addresses or interactions with the press, Kamal Nath keeps his speech "apt" and "specific", instead of making lengthy discourses. Being specific on his target, he would not miss to mention three issues - corruption, atrocities against women and weaker sections, the paralysed economy of the state, and employment for youths. Being a successful businesman, who has headed the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, Kamal Nath has a strong relationship with business houses and he emphasised on economic activities. He would often target CM Chouhan on the state's economic issue saying: "Investment can't be demanded, it comes through attractive policies and creating faith." Political analysts said having experience of running industries and relationship with big business houses keep Kamal Nath on upper hand than the incumbent CM Chouhan. Kamal Nath is leader of urban class people, while, Chouhan is closely connected with rural class population. "Shivraj Singh Chouhan has a different expertise, he is knows problems of farmers, basic requirement of life of poor people, but he is fully dependent on bureaucrats on economy and industrialisation. Which is the reason, he failed to create jobs for youths. Whereas, Kamal Nath himself is a policymaker. When he talks about job creation, and if he gets control over MP's governance for five years, he would have to utilise all his experience, otherwise, he will be facing the same questions as Shivraj Chouhan is facing today," a political analyst said. Los Angeles, Oct 1 : Model Chrissy Teigen wishes she had written her own wedding vows. The 37-year-old model and her husband John Legend, 44, marked their 10th wedding anniversary last month by returning to their wedding destination of Lake Como, Italy and renewing their vows, which they re-wrote for the occasion, alongside their children Luna, seven, Miles, five, Esti, eight months and three-month-old Wren. "We were like, well, we're gonna rewrite them and say them because I have a big hang-up that I didn't write my own vows (at our wedding), because I was so nervous and just insecure and stuff so I didn't." "So that's been like a big regret of mine. So if anything it was a chance to redo it and be with people we love, and it worked," Teigen said to E! News, reports aceshowbiz.com. The couple arrived to their hotel in a boat, with Luna and Miles running down the dock. Both Chrissy and John struggled to fight back tears during the renewal ceremony, and she has described the emotional moment as "so beautiful." She recalled, "I looked over at him, and he was like, his eyes were like, filled with water. It was amazing. It was so beautiful." While it might have been a poignant moment for the couple, she joked their kids are "still disgusted by us," and don't pay too much attention. She joked: "Everything's like, (plugs her ears) la-la-la-la-la.' " Chrissy recently said that she was "hesitant" about renewing their wedding vows. She told PEOPLE, "It was really special. Way more emotional than I anticipated, but really so good. And I just feel so lucky and so blessed and in all the corniest of terms. It was so f****** sweet and amazing." Udupi : Oct 1 (IANS) After some students posted pictures and videos of a party at a bar, the Karnataka Police conducted a raid there and detained the group in Karnataka's Udupi district, officials said on Sunday. The incident had taken place in the limits of Manipal police station. According to police, the students were smoking hookah, consuming liquor and partying without permission at the S. Stacy bar in Vidyanagar near Manipal. The students had posted pictures of the party late in the night on their Instagram handles. The police on weekend patrolling got alerted about the incident and raided the bar. The raid was conducted by a team led by the Manipal Circle Inspector and the students were detained. The case has been slapped on the owner of the bar for permitting a DJ party. The police are on high alert as the incidents of attacks on pubs and bars attended by students are targeted by Hindu activists in the coastal region. The region is also considered communally sensitive. The police stated that the students belong to a reputed college in Manipal and hail from all various parts of the country. More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident. New Delhi, Oct 1 : In recent years, there has been a significant surge in the number of Indian students seeking education abroad. This trend is driven by a desire for high-quality education, global exposure, and enhanced career prospects. However, choosing the right destination is a crucial decision that can shape one's academic and professional journey. In this article, Shalini Lambah, the Country Head India of Migrate World, shares with IANSlife the optimal immigration destinations for Indian students, considering factors such as educational opportunities, post-graduation prospects and quality of life. The United States: The US has long been a preferred destination for Indian students. With its world-renowned universities and diverse range of programs, the US offers an array of educational opportunities. Institutions like Harvard, MIT and Stanford are renowned globally, making the US an attractive destination for those pursuing higher education in fields like technology, engineering, business, and more. Moreover, the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows international students to gain valuable work experience in their field of study for up to three years after graduation. This provides a pathway to H-1B visa sponsorship and, potentially, permanent residency. Canada: Canada has become increasingly popular among Indian students due to its welcoming immigration policies and quality education system. Institutions like the University of Toronto and McGill University consistently rank among the top globally. The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) enables students to work in Canada for up to three years after completing their studies, enhancing their chances of permanent residency. Additionally, Canada's reputation for multiculturalism and safety makes it an attractive destination for international students seeking a diverse and inclusive environment. Australia: Australia is known for its excellent universities, such as the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, and its favourable post-study work visa program. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) allows international students to work in Australia for up to four years after graduation, depending on the level of study completed.The Australian job market is robust, particularly in sectors like healthcare, engineering and information technology. This, coupled with the country's high quality of life and stunning natural landscapes, makes Australia an appealing destination. United Kingdom: The UK boasts a rich academic heritage, and institutions like the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are globally renowned. While the UK's post-study work opportunities were somewhat limited in the past, recent changes have made it more attractive.The reintroduction of the Post-Study Work (PSW) visa, known as the "Graduate Route," allows international students to stay and work in the UK for up to two years after completing their degree (or three years for Ph.D. graduates). This has significantly improved the UK's appeal to Indian students. Germany: Germany offers a unique combination of high-quality education and affordability, particularly at the undergraduate level. Institutions like the Technical University of Munich and the University of Heidelberg are renowned for their engineering and technical programs. While language proficiency is crucial for certain courses, many programs are offered in English, making it accessible to international students. Germany also provides post-study work opportunities and a pathway to permanent residency for graduates. New Zealand: New Zealand is known for its welcoming environment and high-quality education system. The Post-Study Work Visa allows international students to stay in the country for up to three years after graduation, and the country's strong economy and low crime rate make it an attractive destination. New Zealand is particularly popular for courses in agriculture, environmental sciences, and tourism management, owing to its stunning natural landscapes. Singapore: Singapore has emerged as a hub for business and technology, offering a range of programs for Indian students. The country's strategic location in Asia makes it an ideal choice for those looking to immerse themselves in the region's business world. Singapore's education system is highly regarded, and various scholarships are available for international students. Additionally, the country provides a potential pathway to permanent residency for skilled professionals. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) New Delhi, Oct 1 : Mumbai, often referred to as the 'City of Dreams', has consistently been a hotspot for investments. Beyond its extravagant skyline and bustling streets, there lies an unexplored realm of opportunities -- investing in the capital of Maharashtra. In recent times, Mumbai's suburbs have emerged as key destinations for land investments, with the Neral-Matheran corridor in Maharashtra standing out as a golden opportunity. The Neral-Matheran Corridor: A hidden gem Neral-Matheran, situated in the picturesque state of Maharashtra, is rapidly climbing the charts as one of the top five emerging corridors for land investments in India. This corridor, nestled in the Western Ghats, offers a serene and natural landscape that is increasingly attracting investors from all walks of life. Exceptional return potential One of the most compelling reasons to invest in land in the Neral-Matheran corridor is the tremendous return potential. Investors can expect returns of up to five times their initial investment within the next 10 years. This extraordinary growth is driven by a multitude of factors, including urbanisation, infrastructure development, and a growing demand for residential and commercial spaces in the vicinity. Connectivity With the soon-to-open Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a well-maintained State Highway linking it to key locations, proximity to railway stations like Neral and Shelu, and the promise of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), this corridor is set to become even more accessible. Such seamless connectivity, combined with the corridor's potential for substantial returns, diversified investment avenues, and capital appreciation, makes it an attractive investment destination for those seeking long-term growth and prosperity in the heart of Mumbai. Don't miss the chance to be part of this transformative journey; invest in the Neral-Matheran corridor today. Diverse investment avenues The beauty of investing in land is the flexibility it offers. Once you acquire land parcels in this corridor, you have the opportunity to diversify your investments. The creation of assets like second homes, weekend homes, holiday homes, and retirement homes can generate a steady rental income stream. These assets not only cater to the burgeoning tourism industry but also to the growing number of individuals seeking a peaceful retreat away from the city's chaos. Capital appreciation Capital appreciation is another significant advantage of investing in land in Mumbai. The city's real estate market has consistently demonstrated an upward trajectory, making land parcels a safe bet for long-term investors. The Neral-Matheran corridor, with its untapped potential, is poised for a 5x appreciation in the span of 10 years. Investing in land comes with its own set of research and findings. Here are some sure-shot ways of figuring out how to invest in land and the due diligence that comes with it: Unlocking the investment potential To unlock the investment potential of the Neral-Matheran corridor, here are some key steps to consider: Thorough research: Before investing in land, conduct comprehensive research. Understand the local market dynamics, regulatory requirements, and potential challenges Infrastructure development: Keep an eye on infrastructure projects and developments in the vicinity. Improved connectivity, roads, and amenities can significantly boost land values Long-term vision: Approach land investments with a long-term perspective. Patience is key when it comes to reaping the rewards of capital appreciation Diversification: Consider diversifying your investments by developing assets on the land. Second homes, holiday homes, and rental properties can provide a consistent income stream while waiting for the land's value to appreciate Legal and regulatory compliance: Ensure that you comply with all legal and regulatory requirements when acquiring and developing land. Seek professional guidance if necessary to avoid legal hassles. Mumbai's Neral-Matheran corridor stands as a testament to the vast investment opportunities that this vibrant city offers. With the potential for significant returns, diversified investment avenues, and the promise of capital appreciation, investing in land in this corridor is an attractive proposition. As urbanisation and development continue to reshape Mumbai's landscape, now is the time to seize the opportunity and invest in the land of dreams. Embrace the potential of the Neral-Matheran corridor and unlock the door to a prosperous future in the heart of Mumbai. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.i) Hyderabad, Oct 1 : Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Telangana's Mahabubnagar district, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and state minister K. T. Rama Rao questioned him what assistance he gave to Palamuru (Mahabubnagar) irrigation projects in the last 10 years. "Back in 2014, you had questioned the UPA Govt about their indifferent attitude towards Palamuru irrigation projects and asked if they were sleeping for 10 years! Today, after seeing 10 years of BJP's apathy towards Mahbubnagar, I want to show the mirror to you What assistance did you give to Palamuru irrigation projects in last ten years? A Big ZERO. That's exactly the the Number of seats your party will be given by people of Telangana," KTR posted on 'X' formerly Twitter. The minister posted a video clip from Modi's speech at an election rally in Telangana in 2014. Last week, the BRS leader had posed several questions to Modi ahead of his visit. KTR highlighted that the Modi government did not honour the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act 2014. "Whenever they came to Telangana, they came with empty hands and they should be prepared to go back with empty votes," he said. KTR had also stated that Modi had no right to step foot in Mahabubnagar for the injustices he did to the people of that region. He recalled how CM KCR, within one month of forming the Government in 2014 reached out to the Prime Minister in New Delhi requesting national status for either Kaleshwaram Project or Palamuru Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS). "They gave national status to Upper Bhadra in Karnataka and Polavaram in Andhra Pradesh but ignored the Palamuru Project," said KTR. He added that the Modi government was never interested in resolving the Krishna water dispute which was a huge injustice done to Telangana. Time to cool heat in our relations, says Indian envoy at Toronto event. Image Source: IANS News Toronto, Oct 1 : The current tensions between Canada and India has cast their shadow on this year's biggest Indo-Canadian awards night when Sudha Murty, wife of Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murty, was given the $50,000 Global Indian Award by the Canada India Foundation. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and many Canadian leaders failed to show up at the event even as prominent Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya, some Ontario legislators and local mayors were in attendance. Touching on the current relations between India and Canada, Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was the chief guest, said the political relationship would ultimately be dealt with by the two governments. But the Indo-Canadian community should keep building the bilateral relationship, he added. "This is the time when the heat is there (in our relations) and we have to cool it down." Invoking Indian mythology in this context, Verma said, "I can see a lot of Vishnus around this room who are taking the relationship forward, keeping the relationship alive. Shiva has his benign form ... whenever there is heat, Ganga comes out of Shiva. We need Shivas in his benign form and need Ganga to come down and cool the temperature which is there in our current bilateral relations." The Indian High Commissioner said, "There would be emotional outbursts because India is an emotional country." Urging the Indian diaspora to keep working for better bilateral ties, Verma said, "What I will urge you all to do is: you do business, you do advocacy, you teach people (about India), you grow students into entrepreneurs. These are the areas which aren't going to be affected (by the current relationship)." In his welcome speech, Canada India Foundation chairman Satish Thakkar said Canada-India relations should not be "held hostage to local political compulsions". Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy can only be successful if its commercial and political ties with India - one of the key partners - are strong, Thakkar said. He added, "These ties depend on understanding of each other's national security concerns and willingness to address areas of discord through sustained diplomacy, unencumbered by local political compulsions." Each year, the Canada India Foundation honours a prominent Indian with the Global Indian Award for their outstanding contribution in their field. The past recipients of the award include Sam Pitroda, Ratan Tata, N.R. Narayana Murthy, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Vedanta founder Anil Agarwal, among others. Sudha Murty is the first woman to be honoured with the Global Indian Award. Seoul, Oct 1 : North Korea will never be recognised as a nuclear-weapon state and its pursuit of nuclear weapons will only lead to more sanctions against the regime, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. The Ministry made the comments in response to a statement issued on Saturday by the North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, which claimed the North's possession of nuclear weapons was a legitimate exercise of sovereignty. "The international community clearly bans North Korea's nuclear and missile development and provocations," the South Korean Ministry said in a statement. "Regardless of North Korea's actions and claims, its possession of nuclear weapons will never be recognised, and the sanctions of the international community will further deepen." In her statement, Choe criticized a UNSC meeting convened last week in response to Pyongyang's latest measure to bolster its nuclear force policy in its constitution, Yonhap news agency reported. Under the attendance of leader Kim Jong-un last week, North Korea held a session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) and unanimously decided to "supplement Article 58 of Chapter 4 of the Socialist Constitution" to ensure the country's right to existence and development, deter war and protect regional and global peace by rapidly developing nuclear weapons to a higher level. Choe said North Korea strongly condemns the "unlawful and reckless actions of hostile forces, including the US, which label our country's legitimate exercise of sovereignty as 'provocation' and 'threat'". New Delhi, Oct 1 : Ignoring neck lumps, which can be both of infectious and non-infectious origin, can prove to be dangerous, said experts on Sunday stressing the need for early diagnosis. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and nodes that helps fight infection and disease. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped lumps of tissue found throughout the body. When the body is fighting an infection, like in the case of fever, lymph nodes can swell. However, if the lymph nodes are swollen and painless, it could also be a sign of cancer. "If one is having a swollen lymph node which is gradually gettingbigger with or without pain, fever, itmandates immediatemedical attention and expert advice," Neha Rastogi Panda, Senior Infectious Diseases Specialist at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, told IANS. Panda said that in Indian settings, one of most common causes of lymph node enlargement/ swelling is tuberculosis (TB). Other infections -- viral, fungal should also be sought on a case to case basis. Furthermore, nodes can also be a sign of an inflammatory process and also cancerous origin called lymphoma. "There is overlap and always a dilemma owing to huge similarity between symptoms of lymphoma and infections particularly tuberculosis which leads to delay in appropriate treatment. We have seen one has been started on anti-tubercular therapy without diagnosis and it doesn't improve leading to further delay and complications," the doctor said. "Lymphoma can be misdiagnosed as TB, so it becomes important to diagnose it correctly, the only way these two can be separated is by biopsy and blood works," Rahul Bhargava, a lymphoma expert and Principal director of haematology and bone marrow transplant, at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, told IANS. Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called lymphocytes. These cells are in the lymph nodes. Bhargava said, "for Lymphoma, with newer treatment methods, the cure rate has become higher but what is required is early diagnosis". "First thing when we see an enlarged lymph node or a prolonged fever or weight loss we should do lymph's node biopsy to characterise and differentiate between Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for which we need a special test called immunhistochemistry". Bhargava said that bone marrow transplants have helped improve the clinical outcomes in a big way. "Many patients recovered successfully after being declared terminal just because we considered innovative modules as an important and effective treatment option," he told IANS. Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays (or particles) to destroy cancer cells may also help. "Radiation therapy is part of the treatment for most people with Hodgkin lymphoma. It is essential in patients with bulky disease and also in patients where chemotherapy does not achieve complete remission. It is also used to ease (palliate) symptoms caused by lymphoma that has spread to internal organs, such as the brain or spinal cord, or when a tumour is causing pain because it's pressing on nerves," Vineet Nakra, Radiation Oncologist at Max Super Speciality. Mumbai, Oct 1 : Taking a stroll down the memory lane, veteran actress Saira Banu on Sunday reminisced about the 1976 masala movie 'Hera Pheri', which has recently marked 47 years of its release, and shared her favourite scene from the flick. Directed by Prakash Mehra, the movie stars Saira as Kiran, Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay, and Vinod Khanna as Ajay. It also features Asrani, P Jayaraj, Mac Mohan, Urmila Bhatt in pivotal roles. Saira, who is an avid social media user, took to Instagram and shared a black and white still from the movie. She also attached two video clips from the movie. Recalling about the joyful 'Hera Pheri' days with Big B and Vinod Khanna, Saira wrote: "It was a very happy and enjoyable time to have done "HERA PHERI". Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna played crafty tricksters in the movie and I played a cunning female swindler." "Director Prakash Mehra let the three of us have a free hand at all the outrageously funny scenes. I had already done a lot of work with Vinod in films such as 'PURAB AUR PASCHIM', 'AAROP', and 'NEHLE PE DEHLA' and with Amitabh in 'ZAMEER'," she said. She further said: "We had a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere and the Three of us would work at suggestions and improvisations to make the scenes riotously funny especially in the scenes where Vinod is constantly trying to tone down Amitabh from being overly romantic to the heroine." "My own favourite scene is where I am rattling off in Marathi and Vinod is trying to curb Amitabh's zealous attempts to sit next to me. Please see and enjoy these scenes," added Saira. Fans wrote in the comment section: "How beautiful you were and are", "Your acting in funny scenes is wonderful, how effortlessly you do scenes from 'Hera Pheri' and 'Padosan', "memorable". This is one of six films that Vinod and Amitabh Bachchan starred together in. The plot revolves around Vijay and Ajay, two small-time crooks, who loot other rich 'respected' but criminal-minded people for a living. The movie was also an inspiration for the 1978 Telugu movie 'Rama Krishnulu'. The film's music is by Kalyanji Anandji and the lyrics were by Anjaan, Indeevar. Yemens state-run carrier has suspended the only air route out of the country's rebel-held capital to protest Houthi restrictions on its funds, officials said Sunday. Yemen Airways canceled its commercial flights from Sanaa's international airport to the Jordanian capital of Amman. The airline had been operating six commercial and humanitarian flights a week between Sanaa and Amman as of the end of September. The Sanaa-Amman air route was reintroduced last year as part of a U.N.-brokered cease-fire between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government. The cease-fire agreement expired in October 2022, but the warring factions refrained from taking measures that would lead to a flare-up of all-out fighting. Yemens civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and forced the government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to try restore the government to power. The airline blamed the Iranian-backed Houthis for the move because they were withholding $80 million in the company's funds in Houthi-controlled banks in Sanaa. It said in a statement on Saturday that the rebels rejected a proposal to release 70% of the funds. The statement said the airlines sales in Sanaa exceed 70% of its revenues. The statement said the Houthi ban on the funds was linked to illegal and unreasonable demands and caused severe damage to the airline's activities." The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency quoted an unnamed source condemning the airlines move. The source was quoted as saying that the rebels offered to release 60% of the airlines funds in Sanaa. The fighting in Yemen became a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, causing widespread hunger and misery. Even before the conflict, Yemen had been the Arab worlds poorest country. The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the worlds worst humanitarian disasters. The dispute between the Houthis and the national airline comes as the rebels and Saudi Arabia have appeared close to a peace agreement in recent months. Saudi Arabia received a Houthi delegation last month for peace talks, saying the negotiations had positive results. The Saudi-Houthi efforts, however, were overshadowed by an attack blamed on the Houthis last week that killed four Bahraini troops who were part of a coalition force patrolling Saudi Arabias southern border. The Houthis, meanwhile, barred four activists from the Mwatana for Human Rights group from boarding their flight at Sanaa airport on Saturday without providing legal justification, group said. It said that Houthi officials interrogated Mwatanas chairperson Radhya al-Mutawakel, her deputy, and three other members before telling them that they were barred from travel according to higher orders. A spokesman for the rebels was not immediately available for comment. Mwatana said the ban was just one episode in a long series of violations by the rebels at the Sanaa airport on land routes linking rebel-held areas with other parts of Yemen. The rebels also rounded up dozens of people who took to the streets last month in the Houthi-held areas, including Sanaa, to commemorate the anniversary of Yemen's Sep. 26 revolution, which marks the establishment of Yemens republic in 1962, Amnesty International said. It is outrageous that demonstrators commemorating a national historical moment found themselves attacked, arrested, and facing charges simply because they were waving flags, Amnesty said, and called on Houthis to immediately release those detained. Search Keywords: Short link: Mumbai, Oct 1 : Actress Suzanne Bernert, who recently lost her husband Akhil Mishra following an accident in the kitchen, found support in Ila Arun and Nandita Puri as they met over coffee. The German actress based in India finds support from industry friends. Suzanne, well known for playing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in films and television series like as 'The Accidental Prime Minister,' 'Pradhanmantri,' and '7 RCR,' and has worked in shows like 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' among others. The actress said: "I'm in this weird in-between place, balancing the personal loss and trying to get back to work. My mother is not here in the country and she couldn't travel because of her poor health. And Akhil's family is engaged in rituals as we will be performing his Triyodashi tomorrow." "Meanwhile I'm thankful to have few friends from industry lending me support and love. Many friends took out time to share their condolences on social media. And few are coming to see me." "I'm grateful to Ila Arun and Nandita Puri who took out their precious time to celebrate International Coffee Day with me. And make me smile after a long time. We all remember our old times over coffee. Me and Akhil always enjoyed talking about our whereabouts while sipping coffee. I can remember all those precious times," she added. Akhil Mishra passed away on September 21. The actor played the role of a librarian, Dubey, in '3 Idiots'. He was in the limelight in the first half of the film, including the famous hilarious speech delivered in the movie Omi Vaidya's 'Silencer'. Besides '3 Idiots', Akhil was also seen in movies like Shah Rukh Khan's 'Don', 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi', 'Gandhi My Father', 'Well Done Abba', and 'Calcutta Mail'. Lucknow, Oct 1 : Murder cases in Uttar Pradesh have dropped by 9 per cent in the past six years while robberies have come down by 16 per cent during the same period. According to the data released by the state government, a total of 1,921 murder cases were registered in Uttar Pradesh in the past eight months. Of them, 1,322 were filed as first information reports (FIRs), final reports were submitted in 90 cases while 509 cases were still under investigation. "Over the past six years, there has been a 9.02 percent decrease in murder cases in the state. Out of 4,705 accused involved in the above cases, action was taken against 4,230 while 475 accused are wanted and raids are being conducted continuously to arrest them", the official spokesman said. He further said that top state police officials presented a report covering the past eight months of 2023 before chief minister Yogi Adityanath in a review meeting on law and order held recently. The report highlighted a significant decrease in heinous crimes such as murder, robbery, dacoity and rape over the past six years in the state. During the meeting, the top five and bottom five districts in terms of taking prompt actions and curbing these cases were presented. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed them to take strong action against officers of districts with poor performance. The spokesman said if their reports were not found satisfactory in the next month's meeting, further action will be taken. "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's zero tolerance policy against crime and criminals is yielding positive outcomes in terms of prevention of crime," said special director general, law and order, UP Police, Prashant Kumar. The spokesman said that Mahoba, Shravasti, Sitapur, Jalaun and Kaushambhi districts have seen a rise in criminal cases. The chief minister has directed officials of these districts to take strict measures and control them. In cases of murder, strong action has been taken in Amroha, Jhansi, Jalaun and Hardoi, while the performance of Chandauli, Auraiyya, Lalitpur and Banda has been rated as 'poor'. The chief minister has issued warning to district police chiefs of Chandauli, Auraiyya and Lalitpur and asked them to improve their performance. Similarly, 789 cases of robbery were registered in the state in the past eight months, out of which charge sheets were filed in 589 and final reports were submitted in 20, while 180 cases were under investigation. Over the past eight months, there has been a 24.61 percent decrease in robbery cases in the state. Out of 2,222 accused involved in the above cases, action was taken against 2,118 accused and 104 accused were wanted, leading to continuous raids to apprehend them. Similar cases have increased in Maharajganj, Lalitpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Balrampur, and Kasganj districts. The districts that have taken prompt action in robbery cases include Firozabad, Shahjahanpur, Moradabad, Saharanpur and Pilibhit, while the performance in Prayagraj Commissionerate, Kaushambhi, Deoria, Amethi and Mahoba has been poor, the spokesman said. A 16.22 per cent decrease in robbery cases has been recorded across the state over the past six years. Officials informed that 30 dacoity cases had been registered across the state, out of which charge sheets had been filed in 18 cases while 12 cases were still under investigation. Out of total 224 accused involved in these cases, action was taken against 200 accused while 24 accused were still at large. However, some districts have seen an increase in dacoity cases. They include Varanasi Commissionerate, Jhansi, Amethi, Auraiyya, and Kannauj. On the other hand, Firozabad, Barabanki, Sitapur, Lalitpur, and Kasganj have fared well in addressing dacoity cases, while the performance of Kannauj, Hathras, Badaun, Auraiyya and Prayagraj Commissionerate in handling these cases was poor. Similarly, 1,869 cases of rape were registered in the state in the past eight months, out of which charge sheets were filed in 1,359 cases and final reports were submitted in 220 cases while 290 cases were still under investigation. Out of total 2,578 accused involved in these cases, action was taken against 2,325 while 253 accused were still wanted. Some districts have registered a rise in rape cases. They include Fatehgarh, Sitapur, Kheri, Kaushambi and Hamirpur. On the other hand, the top five districts that have swiftly acted against rapists include Badaun, Moradabad, Bijnor, Amroha and Sambhal. However, the performance in Prayagraj Commissionerate, Shahjahanpur, Balrampur, Kaushambi and Fatehpur has been poor in dealing with rape cases. Lucknow, Oct 1 : The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh will hold six mega meetings across the state to publicise various initiatives that the "double engine governments" at the Centre and in the state have undertaken for Dalits. The party is also holding 'Basti Sampark' campaigns targeted at slum dwellers and Dalits. The party cadre have been tasked to connect with beneficiaries, identify those from the community who have made it big in life and connect with community's intellectuals and opinion shapers. This was decided at a meeting of party's Dalit lawmakers and ministers and party functionaries held at the BJP office on Saturday. Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh said for the six mega meets to be organised by the party across each of its organisational zones, the party would ensure maximum participation from each booth. "BJP today has maximum Dalit MPs and MLAs across the state. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who ensured development of Panchteerth five places associated with Dalit ideologue and Constitution shaper BR Ambedkar. These include Ambedkar's Janambhoomi - Ambedkar's birthplace in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, Shiksha bhoomi the place where he studied in London, Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism, Mahaparinirvan the place of his demise and Chaitya Bhoomi his cremation place," said a party functionary. Ghaziabad, Oct 1 : In a shocking case, a couple was harassed and sexually abused by a constable, a home guard and an unidentified individual in plain clothes at a public park in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad. The police man pressured the young woman to engage in sexual activity and also demanded Rs 10,000 from the couple, deceitfully promising their release. The couple endured the torture for about three hours before finally managing to leave only after transferring Rs 1,000 to the officer via the Paytm platform. "The accused even touched my private part," the woman alleged in her complaint, which is in possession of IANS. The incident occurred on September 16, but came to light on September 28, after the couple struggled for 12 days to get the FIR registered against the accused cops.The couple are engaged and the two had met in the park for a quiet moment which turned into a nightmare. Finally, an FIR was officially filed at the Kotwali Nagar Police Station, resulting in the immediate suspension of the constable from 112-PRV at Sai Upvan. Further actions are being pursued to hold the implicated home guard accountable and to investigate the third individual involved in this disturbing incident. The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali Nagar police station) Nimish Patil, while divulging the details said that on September 28, an incident was reported in which a woman informed that within the jurisdiction of the Sai Upvan located in the police station's area, two police men from PRV 112 engaged in misbehavior, harassment, and demanded illegal money from her and her fiance. "The police promptly registered a complaint in accordance with the relevant sections upon learning of the incident. Further investigation revealed that two police personnel were deployed on PRV 4757, one of whom was a constable, and the other a home guard," said the ACP. "The constable was immediately suspended, and the department was notified for disciplinary action against the home guard. Information about a third individual involved in the incident was also obtained, and the police are taking preliminary legal actions in that regard," the ACP added. Mumbai, Oct 1 : In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national call to action for "Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Sath" on Sunday, actor Arjun Rampal led the cleanliness drive at Miramar Beach in Goa. Goa geared up for making way for one hour of shramdaan for swachhata by roping in Arjun and filmmaker-actor Rahul Mittra. Organised by Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Panaji in association with Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Rotary Club & El Shaddai, the cleanliness drive by Bollywood celebrities was joined by nature enthusiasts, school children and youth in large numbers. "It's our responsibility to leave a clean planet for our successive generations," said Arjun at this special drive. Arjun also took to social media and shared photos from the drive. He wrote: "A morning well spent in cleaning our mess. A beach clean up initiative of honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi ji call for #ektareekhekghantaeksaath shramdaan for swachchhata." "Organised by Principle director of IT. Shri #SushilMadhuk #goatourism #rotaryclub #elshaddai. And a large amount of volunteers and environmental enthusiasts. Great job everyone. I hope everyone around our country doing their bit. #SwachhataHiSeva #CleanlinessCampaign #miramarbeach #Goa. #1stOct," added Arjun. Fans commented on Arjun's post and wrote: "That's such a powerful message we are our nature", "proud", "great work", "superb", "an era of neat-clean to make our earth green." Rahul also appreciated the young children who had braved the rains to join this special initiative. Meanwhile, on the work front, Arjun was last seen as Rudraveer in Kangana Ranaut starrer 'Dhaakad'. Arjun was also seen in web series 'London Files'. He next has 'The Battle of Bhima Koregaon', 'Crakk', 'Nastik', '3 Monkeys' among other projects. New Delhi: PM Modi and fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria participate in a cleanliness drive as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Oct 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday posted a video on social media, of participating in a cleanliness drive with wrestler Ankit Baiyanpuriya. "It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe!" Modi said on X while posting the video. In the video, the Prime Minister was seen wielding a broom and taking part in the "shramdaan". In a post on X, he said, aToday, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachch and Swasth Bharat vibe!" Earlier, he had asked citizens to devote an hour on October 1 towards cleanliness in their neighborhood, to commemorate Swachch Bharat campaign. Lakhimpur Kheri : , Oct 1 (IANS) On Tuesday (October 3), it will be two years since the Lakhimpur Kheri violence where eight persons, including four farmers were killed, under the Tikunia police station. However, the case seems to be moving at a snail's pace and the victims wait endlessly for justice. Politicians have moved on and lost interest in the case. Shockingly, so far, only four out of 171 witnesses have got their statements recorded before court in the case against Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Akay Mishra Teni, who is one of the accused in the matter. Ashish was arrested on October 9, six days after violence broke out during a farmers' protest against three agri-reform laws (since repealed) and the then UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area. According to the UP Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in which Ashish Mishra was seated. Following this, the person who was driving the SUV and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. The FIR said that a journalist also died in the violence. Additional district judge (I) Sunil Kumar Varma, district court, Lakhimpur Kheri, is hearing the case and the first witness recorded his statement in the court in January 2023. Advocate Suresh Singh, representing farmers in the court, said that the case is being listed for hearing once in every 8-10 days. "The trial began on January 12 this year as a large number of discharge applications came up before the court from both sides - prosecution and defence," he said. Several public servants are also witnesses in the case, who were posted in Lakhimpur Kheri when the violence took place. "The then DM, SDM, ADM, SP, ASP, S-I and others are witnesses in the case," said Singh. Jagjit Singh, father of one of the farmers who died in the violence, was the first witness of the prosecution to appear before the court on January 12, 2023. He is also a complainant in the case. Singh said, "Trial of the case is going on at a satisfactory pace. There is a legal process to conduct a trial. It must be followed." "It will take four to five years to complete the trial in the case," he added. Summons are issued to witnesses to appear before the court on a particular date, but there is no guarantee that the witness will appear. In such a scenario, notice is issued again and a new date is fixed for the witness to appear. Jagjit Singh, the first witness in the case to record a statement in court, is not satisfied with the pace of trial. "Justice delayed is justice denied. We want the trial to be expedited. If it goes on at this pace, it will take several years to complete," he said. NCB launches 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign as tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Oct 1 : On the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday launched the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' (cleanliness is service) campaign as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Senior officials and all employees enthusiastically participated in the cleanliness drive. NGOs and local Delhi municipal workers also participated in the initiative by cleaning areas in Motibagh Vegetable Market, Ramakrishnapuram, and Sector-1. As part of the "Swachhata Hi Seva" program, NCB's subordinate offices also actively participated in cleanliness drives at a total of 54 locations. The campaign is aimed to raise awareness and encourage voluntary efforts for keeping the nation clean in the future, encompassing areas in and around one's vicinity. Mumbai, Oct 1 : Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao on Sunday led the cleanliness drive at Mangrove forest, which was organised in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Sath'. In a display of commitment to environment conservation, Rajkummar participated in the cleanup, along with Maharashtra Income Tax department. Taking to Instagram Stories, Rajkummar shared a happy picture with the environmental enthusiasts, and officials. They are wearing a matching white T-shirt, and holding garbage bag in their hands. The actor captioned the post as: "It was such a gratifying experience to clean the mangrove forest at Airoli Creek this morning along with the @incometax.mumbai.gov.in #SwachhataHiSeva @narendramodi ji @my_bmc." Earlier, Rajkummar was also spotted at the biggest clean-up drive at Juhu Beach, post Ganpati Visarjan. Talking about the same, Rajkummar had said: "We all love Ganpati, and hence we have come here. We are citizens of India." Meanwhile, on the work front, Rajkummar was recently seen in the crime thriller web series 'Guns & Gulaabs'. He played the character of 'Panna'. Set against the backdrop of comedic power struggles and revenge plots, the series blends genres as it follows a lovestruck mechanic, a reluctant heir to a ruling gang and an honest officer-turned-agent-of-chaos. The series boasts a dynamic cast, including Rajkummar, Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav, T.J. Bhanu, and Gulshan Devaiah. He was also seen in 'Bheed'. He next has 'Sri', 'Mr and Mrs Mahi', and 'Stree 2'. Islamabad, Oct 1 : Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has offloaded 16 alleged beggars in the disguise of Umrah pilgrims from Saudi Arabia-bound flight at the Multan airport two days ago, media reported. According to the FIA, the group, consisting of 16 persons, including a child, 11 women and four men, was initially travelling on Umrah visas. The FIA officials during the immigration process questioned the passengers who confessed that they were going to visit the Saudi Arabia to seek alms, Dawn reported. They also revealed that they would have to give half of their earnings from begging to the agents involved in their travel arrangements. They were to return to Pakistan after the expiry of their Umrah visas. The FIA Multan Circle arrested the passengers for further questioning and legal action, Dawn reported. The arrests came a day after the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development disclosed to the Senate Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that a significant proportion of beggars are trafficked abroad through illegal channels. The Ministryas Secretary revealed to the Senate panel that a staggering 90 per cent of beggars apprehended in foreign countries belong to Pakistan. aBoth the Iraqi and Saudi Ambassadors have reported overcrowded jails due to these arrests," he had said, Dawn reported. Slovaks voted on Saturday in a tight early election seen as key to whether the country will keep supporting neighbouring Ukraine after a campaign marked by disinformation. Polling stations across the EU and NATO member of 5.4 million people will close at 2000 GMT, with exit polls expected shortly afterwards and the final results due on Sunday morning. Bratislava voter Daniela Vongrajova said she wanted a change as the "political culture and behaviour have sunk very low". "And I also think that our children deserve a dignified future," she told AFP. Two parties were neck-and-neck in the final opinion polls -- the left-wing Smer-SD of populist former premier Robert Fico and the centrist Progressive Slovakia of European Parliament vice-speaker Michal Simecka. Both parties scored around 20 percent backing, which means the election winner will need help from smaller parties to form a majority coalition in the 150-seat parliament. The new government will replace a wobbly centre-right coalition in power since 2020, which has seen three cabinets installed over the period and provided hefty military and humanitarian aid to war-stricken Ukraine. Eliska Spisakova said she voted for Smer, "the natural choice for the working poor, people like me". "Progressive Slovakia is not interested in people, only gays, drug legalisation, Ukrainians and migrants," the 29-year-old court employee told AFP after voting in Bratislava. Independent political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told AFP the vote would determine Slovakia's focus "in foreign policy, defence and security policy, but also... the future of democracy". In the heated election campaign, Fico took aim at the EU, NATO and the LGBTQ+ minority and rejected providing any further military aid to Ukraine. Fico cast his ballot in a village northeast of Bratislava, accompanied by his mother. 'Best schnitzel' "In talking to mum I find an awful lot of experience and common sense, and of course she makes the best schnitzel," Fico said in a video on Facebook after declining to tell journalists when and where he will vote. He added he wanted Slovakia led without "amateurs and fumblers with no experience who would drag us into adventures such as immigration and the war". "And I would like the schnitzel in Slovakia to be bigger and bigger and not smaller and smaller," he said, playing to his constituents' comforts of home. Simecka has urged Slovaks to "elect the future" and vowed to rid Slovakia of "the past", referring to Fico's three terms as prime minister. "I hope that... whatever government comes out of this election will continue to support Ukraine," he said after voting at a Bratislava school. Slovakia emerged as an independent country in 1993, following a peaceful split with the Czech Republic after Czechoslovakia shed a totalitarian communist rule of four decades in 1989. Although many Slovaks have experience with the Moscow-steered communist regime, many will vote for populists vowing to stop helping Ukraine. Analyses have shown half of the nation is prone to believing disinformation, largely spread by the Kremlin. "Some think peace can be achieved by stopping any aid to Ukraine, and that's where I disagree," Slovak President Zuzana Caputova told AFP. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile thanked Slovakia "for standing with Ukraine" on Telegram on the election day. 'More or less equal' Caputova said she would tap the election winner to form the next cabinet. The choice of coalition partners is fairly broad, with 11 parties expected to win parliamentary seats. Fico is likely to woo Smer-SD's spin-off Hlas-SD, led by former Smer-SD vice-chairman Peter Pellegrini, as a coalition partner. Pellegrini became premier in 2018 after Fico had to step down amid nationwide protests following the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Kuciak uncovered links between the Italian mafia and Fico's government in his last article published posthumously. Fico's other potential partners are the newly formed far-right Republic and the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS). Progressive Slovakia will be looking at the parties of the outgoing centre-right coalition -- Freedom and Solidarity, OLaNO, We Are Family and For People. "The positions of both groupings, national populist and pro-democratic, are more or less equal concerning the support of these parties," said Meseznikov. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Oct 1 : Thousands of government employees from across the country converged at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on Sunday, seeking restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS). The employees, under the aegis of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS), organised a rally to raise their demand before the Centre. The 'Pension Shankhnaad Maharally' has been organised with the aim of pressurising the Centre to implement the old pension scheme instead of the existing National Pension Scheme (NPS). The organisers of the rally told mediapersons that four states have already announced implementation of the OPS, then why cannot the Centre implement it. Thousands of government employees from various parts of the country participated in the rally at Ramlila Maidan. The rally is being organised, even as the Centre in March this year had come up with a one-time option for government employees to opt for the old pension scheme. According to a notification by the ministry of personnel, the employees who joined the central government services against posts advertised or notified before December 22, 2003, the day NPS was notified, are eligible to join the old pension scheme under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021). The select group of government servants can opt for this option by August 31, 2023. The option once exercised shall be final, the ministry had said. The move came following various representations and references and court decisions in this regard, it said. "It has now been decided that, in all cases where the central government civil employee has been appointed against a post or vacancy which was advertised/ notified for recruitment/appointment, prior to the date of notification for NPS i.e. 22.12.2003 and is covered under the NPS on joining service on or after 01.01.2004, may be given a one-time option to be covered under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021)," the order had said. Those government servants who are eligible to exercise the option, "but who do not exercise this option by the stipulated date", would continue to be covered by the National Pension System, the order had stated. Under OPS, employees get a defined pension. An employee is entitled for a 50 per cent amount of the last drawn salary as pension. OPS was discontinued by the NDA government in 2003 with effect from April 1, 2004. Whereas under the NPS, employees contribute 10 per cent of their basic salary towards pension while the government contributes 14 per cent. Bengaluru, Oct 1 : Kannada actor Nagabhushan on Sunday got station bail in connection with the road accident case in which a woman died and her husband is critical. The incident took place in Konanakunte cross in Kumaraswamy Layout Traffic police station on Saturday night. DCP (Traffic, South) Shiva Prakash Devaraj said Nagabhushan will not be produced before the judge. "This is not a hit and run case. This is a case of an accident and hence the actor is released on station bail," he said. The car hit the couple Krishna and his wife Prema, who were walking in the night. Prema had succumbed to the injuries and Krishna is being treated at the hospital, the DCP said. The car climbed on the pavement after the driver lost control over the vehicle. Nagabhushan was taken into custody and later released on the station bail. "We have sent him for a medical test to ascertain whether he was driving in an inebriated state. We will summon him to investigate again. The stretch of road has a bumpy surface at two places and an investigation will be done to ascertain how exactly the accident took place," the DCP stated. The police have booked the actor under the IPC Sections 279, 337 and 304A. Partha, the son of the victim couple, had lodged a complaint in this regard. The police sources stated that the complainant had alleged that the actor had hit the couple while they were walking on the footpath. Police said that B. Krishna and his wife Prema were walking on the footpath when suddenly they were hit by the car. Forty-five-year-old Prema succumbed to injuries and her husband Krishna is being treated at a private hospital and his condition is said to be critical. Actor Nagabhushan said that he had gone to meet his friends in R.R. Nagar and was returning home in J.P. Nagar. "At about 9.45 p.m. while driving, a couple came onto the road from the footpath. I got shocked and hit them. Later, the vehicle collided with the electric pole on the footpath and stopped," the actor stated. The woman had suffered injuries in head and face and she was not responding. The man, though suffered injuries, was talking. "I tried to take them to the hospital in my car but it did not start. I got the injured to the hospital with the help of auto drivers. The doctors declared the woman was brought dead," he said. The police said the statements by the actor are being verified. Further investigation is on. Mahabubnagar : , Oct 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the National Turmeric Board and a Tribal University will be set up in Telangana. He made the announcements after laying foundation stone and dedicating to the nation multiple developmental projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore in Telangana at an official event held here. Meeting long-pending demand, he announced that National TurmericBoardwillbe set up in Telangana to professionally focus on the entire value chain of turmeric. "National Turmeric Board will help farmers in the entire supply chain from value addition to infrastructure," he said. He noted that after Covid-19 pandemic awareness about turmeric has increased and turmeric's demand has also gone up across the world. Modi's announcement comes amid the criticism of BJP by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for going back on its promise. During 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate in Nizamabad constituency D. Arvind had promised to get the Turmeric Board within 5 days of winning the election. Arvind, who had defeated BRS leader and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha in Nizamabad, had made the promise in writing and even signed it with a non-judicial (bond) stamp. The BRS has stepped up attack on BJP after the Centre categorically told the Parliament in March this year that there is no proposal to establish a Turmeric Board or any other spice-specific Board in the country. In another major announcement, the Prime Minister said a tribal university will be set up in Mulugu. The tribal university will be named after tribal deities Sammakka and Sarakka. He announced that Rs 900 crore will be spent on SammakkaSarakka Central Tribal University. The tribal university was one of the commitments made to Telangana in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. BRS had been targeting BJP for not fulfilling the commitment. Modi, who laid the foundation stone for a couple of road projects as part of Nagpur-Vijayawada economic corridor, said this corridor will promote trade, tourism and industry in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra. He said as part of the economic corridor, economic hubs have been identified. These includea special economic zone, five mega food parks, four fishing seafood clusters, three pharma and medical clusters and one textile park. Modi said as a result of this youth in Hanamkonda, Warangal, Mahabubabad and Khammam districts will get huge employment opportunities and help farmers in value addition. The Prime Minister said a landlocked state like Telangana needs road and rail connectivity so that goods manufactured in the state are shipped to sea ports for exports. He noted that several corridors are passing through Telangana. These corridors will connect east and west coasts. He said the Khammam-Suryapet section of Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam corridor will also play a key role in accessing the east coast and bringing down the logistic cost of industry and business. Bengaluru, Oct 1 : Karnatala Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil has called upon the Kannada associations of America to invest in the state, an official statement said on Sunday. Participating in a cultural event organised by the Naavu Vishwa Kannadigaru Association (NAVIKA), in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, Patil emphasised his vision for Karnataka. Over 100 members including entrepreneurs attended the event. Expressing his gratitude to the incredible Kannadigas of the US for their warm and overwhelming welcome, he also urged the entrepreneurs present at the event to consider investments back into their home state. "Your hospitality and support have touched my heart deeply and I am truly humbled by the warm reception. Your enthusiasm and warmth have further strengthened my commitment to serving our community and I am excited about the opportunities for collaboration and progress that lie ahead. Together, we can achieve great things." NAVIKA is a non-profit organization promoting Karnataka's cultural heritage in the USA. The event was attended by several industry leaders along with John Keating, Mayor of Texas' Frisco city a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. NAVIKA President Manju Rao, Executive Committee Member Gowri Shankar, Ann Anderson, Vice Chair, Public Art, Frisco City, Gopal of Frisco School District Trustee, Angelia Pelham, Deputy Mayor of Frisco City and Tony Singh, City Council member were also present at the event. The event was part of a 12-day US visit that Patil has embarked upon along with a delegation of senior officials of the Department of Commerce and Industries to attract investments into Karnataka. Haveri, : Oct 1 (IANS) Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday demanded an answer to the questions raised by veteran Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's charge that the Lingayat community is distraught under the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Bommai said that the statement of Shamanur Shivashankarappa that there is no protection for Lingayat officers under Congress government is serious. "Shamanur is a senior Congress MLA and President of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha. The people take his statement seriously. The Chief Minister owes an explanation to what the veteran Congress MLA has said. "Shamanur has said that even after the Chief Minister's clarification, his statement remains unchanged. That means he is very serious," Bommai said. He said that there is no coordination among the ministers and confusion prevails all over. The Lingayat Chief Minister debate has come again to the forefront following Shamanur raising his voice. Shamanur has said that nothing can be gained from the Deputy Chief Minister's post and a Lingayat candidate should become the Chief Minister. "The Lingayats are distraught under the rule of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," he had alleged. Bommai said that the people of the state were not feeling the presence of an elected government. "The drought relief is yet to reach farmers. Within four months, the government has lost peoples trust," he said. On Cauvery water row, Bommai said that the Chief Minister says one thing inside the meeting with the legal experts while says something else in the public. "Inside the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the government will go for an appeal but outside he reiterated about going to file an appeal while ruling out the stoppage of water to the neighboring state," he said. "When we questioned Siddaramaiah, he claimed that it amounted to contempt of court. The government will be dismissed and the dam will be taken over. This statement has been made even before going to the Supreme Court," Bommai said. He said that if the Chief Minister has such a feeling then the apex court will ask Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu. "Is Chief Minister even lacking this much knowledge? The government had been following a dual policy and the people have now understood that this government cannot save the land and water of the State," Bommai said. Agra, Oct 1 : Ahead of Gandhi Jayanti, thousands of volunteers joined a cleanliness drive across Agra on Sunday in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to the citizens to participate in the campaign. Uttar Pradesh government ministers and officials joined the cleanliness drive at Hathi Ghat. The Agra Municipal Corporation organised several programmes in different parts of the city. The Metro rail workers cleaned up their depot premises. Volunteers of the River Connect Campaign joined the "swachchta karyakram" at the Etmauddaula view point along the river Yamuna. Social activist Sanjay Chaturvedi said that till our rivers were clean, cities on the banks will never be clean. "Yamuna river bed needs desilting and dredging upto at least five feet. The whole river bed is lined up with pollutants, polythene, plastic, leather cuttings from shoe factories." Eco Club president Pradip Kumar said that both the banks of the Yamuna have to be cleared of encroachments and trees planted in a systematic way. A large number of students and women activists also joined the cleanliness drive. The Municipal Commissioner Ankit Khandelwal is keen that the number three ranking of Agra in the 100 smart city list, should improve next year. A Nagar Nigam official said door to door garbage collection campaign had picked up momentum. Bazars were being cleaned up in the night and early morning and water was being sprinkled to ensure the roads remained dust free. From being described as the dirtiest city of India, Agra was now steadily changing its profile and taking appropriate steps to clean up the mess, lift garbage and process it into rich organic fertilisers. Rajiv Kumar who runs garbage based fertiliser units said that the whole process has been streamlined and most of the collection was being converted into bio fertilizers for which there was a big demand. With the start of the tourist season with a long weekend, the influx of tourists had increased bringing cheer to the hospitalist industry. Long queues of vehicles were seen at Shilpgram complex near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. The Divisional Commissioner Ritu Maheshwari has directed concerned departments to ensure high standards of cleanliness, provide adequate safety and basic facilities for the tourists, including ambulances at the monuments. The image of the tourism industry took a hit a few days ago when a French tourist fell to death in Fatehpur Sikri, and could not be promptly provided ambulance facility. bk/dan Ankara, Oct 1 : The Turkish government has said that two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the Interior Ministry buildings in Ankara, adding that one of them died in the explosion and the other was "neutralised" by authorities, media reported. The blast was the first in the Turkish capital since 2016 and took place less than a mile from the parliament building, hours before lawmakers were due to return for its reopening after a three-month summer break, the Guardian reported. Ali Yerlikaya, the Interior Minister, said on the social media platform X that two attackers approached the general security directorate building at about 9.30 a.m. local time on Sunday in a commercial vehicle. According to Yerlikaya, one detonated explosives, killing himself in the process, while the second was killed by gunfire from security forces stationed outside the building, The Guardian reported. Two police officers were slightly injured in the incident, he added. Authorities closed a main thoroughfare to traffic that passes close to a number of state institutions, including the parliament building. Police also announced they would carry out controlled explosions for "suspicious package incidents" in other parts of the city. According to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Turkey's criminal court of peace in Ankara issued a ban on media access and publication of the attack. Turkish authorities last year passed a sweeping new law intended to curb "disinformation", with those accused of breaching the law threatened with up to three years in prison, The Guardian reported. The law came into force shortly before an assailant detonated a bomb on one of the busiest shopping streets in Istanbul last November, killing six people and wounding at least 81. Turkish officials blamed Kurdish militants for the attack. The attack in Ankara follows a spate of attacks across Turkey in recent years that officials largely blamed on members of the Islamic State or Kurdish militant groups, The Guardian reported. In February 2016, a bomb struck a convoy of vehicles carrying military personnel during rush hour in the Turkish capital Ankara, killing 30 and wounding 60 people. A month later, a second bomb struck a central boulevard in Ankara, killing 37 people and injuring 125. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks claimed responsibility for both attacks. Echoing a response to previous attacks, Turkish officials rushed to condemn alleged disinformation about the latest attack in Ankara. Fahrettin Altun, who heads Turkey's directorate of communications, an institution affiliated with the presidency, cautioned Turkish citizens against the spread of what he labelled disinformation. "We would like to emphasise once again the importance of our media continuing its news activities on the subject with a sense of responsibility," Altun said on X. The Interior Minister, recently appointed in a cabinet reshuffle following an election earlier this year, thanked the media for covering the attack in Ankara while reminding them of a broadcast ban imposed by broadcasting watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council. He added: "We are deeply wounded by today's incidentlet me warn people who share these images once again, please delete them, do not disrespect our pain." Mahabubnagar : , Oct 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Sunday that two family-run parties have stifled the development of Telangana and claimed that the people of Telangana want a BJP government in the state. Addressing a public meeting here after launching several development projects, he said that while Telangana has the 'sarkar' (government) of 'car' (election symbol of BRS), the steering is in the hands of someone else. "You know who is running the Telangana government," he said. Though he did not take any name, going by the often repeated allegations of the BJP leaders, he was apparently referring to Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi. "Two family-run parties have stifled development of Telangana. They are identified by corruption and commission. Both have the same formula - party of the family, by the family and for the family," he said. He remarked that these parties are turning 'prajatantr' into 'pariwar tantr'. "They run party like private limited with all key posts held by the family. For support staff, they keep outsiders as a show-off," Modi said. The BJP leader said that while 'Pariwarwadi' parties are working for their own good, BJP cares for people."Our focus is on your families to give you a better life and better prospects," he added. In an apparent attack on six guarantees announced by the Congress party for Telangana, Modi remarked, "Youth, women and farmers only trust Modi's guarantees because what Modi guarantees, he implements." Sounding the poll bugle for the upcoming assembly elections, he said that people of Telangana want change. "On seeing this huge public response, I am confident that people have resolved to bring a change in Telangana. Telangana does not want a corrupt government but an honest and transparent government. It does not want false promises but it wants work on ground," he said. Referring to the passing of the Women's Reservation Bill, he said women's voice will become stronger not just in Parliament but in every assembly. "Sisters of Telangana know that their brother is working hard in Delhi to bring a change in their lives," said Modi who repeatedly addressed the audience in Telugu as family members. Claiming that BJP is committed to bring a change in the lives of Telangana people, he said the government at the Centre took several measures to ensure this. He said the total length of national highways in Telangana till 2014 was 2,500 km but an equal length of national highway was added in just nine years. Stating that in 2014, Rs.3,400 crore were spent to pay MSP on paddy to Telangana farmers, Modi said his government paid 27,000 crore. "This money has gone directly to farmers' accounts but the government here has made farmers' schemes a source for their income. In the name of irrigation projects, only corruption has taken place. Some project was inaugurated but farmers are not getting water. Farm loan waiver was promised but because of hollow promise, many farmers lost their lives," he said The Prime Minister said though BJP does not have its government in Telangana, it tried to help Telangana farmers. Ramagundam fertiliser plant was reopened to help farmers. Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, about Rs. 10,000 crore was credited in farmers' bank accounts. He reiterated the decision of the Centre to set up a Turmeric Board and a tribal university in Telangana. Modi said the tribal university would have come up long ago if the state government had taken interest. "This government delayed allotment of land for tribal university for five years. This shows it has no concern for tribal interests and tribal pride," he said. Chandigarh, Oct 1 : Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday cornered Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit regarding drugs and alleged that a large amount of illegal liquor is being smuggled from Chandigarh to the state every day. AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang, while questioning the Governor, said the Governor constantly questions the Punjab government every day on the issue of drugs, but "heas not saying or taking any action to stop liquor smuggling from Chandigarh to Punjab". He said a large quantity of illegal and adulterated liquor is being smuggled into Punjab every day from Chandigarh. "Due to this, the liquor mafia is getting encouraged and Chandigarh is also facing economic loss," Kang said in a statement here. "Since the Governor of Punjab is the Administrator of Chandigarh, it is his responsibility to stop this smuggling." Kang appealed to the Governor that being the Administrator of Chandigarh, he should take appropriate measures to stop liquor smuggling. He said there is a big difference between questioning others and correcting oneself. "Therefore, now the Governor should improve the administration of Chandigarh and curb the liquor mafia before questioning the Punjab government on the same matter," Kang added. Ahmedabad, Oct 1 : Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday led the cleanliness drive in Ahmedabad during the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign. This event was organised in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a cleanliness drive, encouraging citizens from all walks of life to participate in the initiative. Amit Shah took part in cleaning efforts at the Ranip bus stop and its vicinity in Ahmedabad. Simultaneously, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel engaged in a cleanliness program at Laxmangarh Hill within the Ghatlodia locality, part of his assembly constituency. Shah, in a post on social media platform X, commended Prime Minister Modi's call for collective cleanliness efforts on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. "Tomorrow is Gandhi Jayanti, so let us collectively clean our streets, neighborhoods, and public places to pay true homage to Pujya Bapu. It is also our moral responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of our surroundings. Let us all work together to realize the concept of a clean India," the Chief Minister Patel said. The nationwide cleanliness campaign, launched on September 15, spans a fortnight and aims to mobilise people across the country through various activities. The ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2023 campaign is themed 'Garbage-Free India,' emphasising the importance of a cleaner and greener nation. A United Nations mission arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, Azerbaijan said, after almost the entire ethnic-Armenian population fled since Baku recaptured the breakaway enclave. An Azerbaijani presidency spokesman told AFP that a "UN mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning" -- mainly to assess humanitarian needs. It marks the first time in about 30 years that the international body has gained access to the region. Armenian separatists, who had controlled the region for three decades, agreed to disarm, dissolve their government, and reintegrate with Baku following a one-day Azerbaijani offensive last week. France has lashed out at Azerbaijan for only allowing the mission in after most residents had already fled. The end of Karabakh's separatist bid dealt a heavy blow to a centuries-old dream by Armenians of reuniting what they say are their ancestral lands, divided among regional powers since the Middle Ages. Nearly all of Karabakh's estimated 120,000 residents fled the territory over the following days, sparking a refugee crisis. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, the spokeswoman of the Armenian prime minister, said "100,483 forcefully displaced persons arrived in Armenia" by Sunday morning. She said 45,516 refugees were now in temporary accommodation. Tragic page On Sunday, Armenia observed a national day of prayer for the region. Bells tolled in churches across the country, and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, lead a service in the nation's main cathedral Echmiadzin, close to the capital Yerevan. Clergymen in ornate robes sang ancient chants at an open-air altar outside the imposing cathedral built in pale pink limestone. Hundreds attended the religious service in the church of Saint Sarkis, in Yerevan. "One of the most tragic pages of Armenian history is being written today," 28-year-old Mariam Vartanyan told AFP, standing in the crowd of worshippers wrapped in the smoke of burning incense. Architect Artur Hayrapetyan, 25, said: "I am praying for the end of this disaster in Karabakh, for Armenia's survival." Yerevan has accused Baku of "ethnic cleansing" -- an allegation that Baku rejected -- calling on Armenians not to leave their homes and reintegrate with Azerbaijan where their rights would be respected. Armenia, a country of 2.8 million, faces a major challenge housing the sudden influx of refugees. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Friday announced an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs ($22 million) to help those fleeing. Azerbaijan is now holding "re-integration" talks with separatist leaders while, at the same time detaining some senior figures from its former government and military command. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are set to meet on Thursday in the Spanish city of Granada for Western-mediated talks aimed at ending their historic enmity. With the two countries' relations poisoned by ethnic hatred ensuing from three wars in as many decades, several rounds of negotiations mediated by Brussels and Washington have so far failed to bring about a breakthrough. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Oct 1 : Meta-owned WhatsApp banned a record over 74 lakh bad accounts in India in the month of August, in compliance with the new IT Rules 2021. Between August 1-31, the company banned "7,420,748 accounts". About 3,506,905 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users, WhatsApp said in its monthly compliance report. The most popular messaging platform, which has over 500 million users in the country, received another record 14,767 complaint reports in August in the country, and the records "actioned" were 71. "Accounts Actioned" denotes reports where WhatsApp took remedial action based on the report and taking action denotes either banning an account or a previously banned account being restored as a result. "This user-safety report contains details of the user complaints received and the corresponding action taken by WhatsApp, as well as WhatsApp's own preventive actions to combat abuse on our platform," according to the company. Moreover, the company received only one order from the Grievance Appellate Committee in the country in August, and complied with it. In a bid to empower millions of Indian social media users, the Centre recently launched the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) that looks into their concerns regarding content and other issues. The newly-formed panel, a move to strengthen the country's digital laws to tame the Big Tech companies, will look into appeals by users against decisions of social media platforms. "We are an industry leader among end-to-end encrypted messaging services in preventing and combating abuse. In addition to our safety features and controls, we employ a team of engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology developments to oversee these efforts," said WhatsApp. New Delhi, Oct 1 : Veteran Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday announced his support for employees associated with the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme at Ramlila Maidan here. He said the "old pension is the right of the employees and the government should immediately accept and implement the demand of the employees". Hooda said this benefit has been given to employees in the Congress-ruled Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal. In Haryana too, the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme will be announced in the first Cabinet meeting as soon as the Congress government is formed, he added. --IANS vg/vd Lucknow, Oct 1 : Amid the controversial row over the use of abusive language by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri against BSP MP Danish Ali in the Parliament, Congress is busy trying to meet the BSP MP to save its lost vote bank and project itself as the party standing united with the minority community across the country, in view of Lok Sabha polls. Political experts say that these days, the Congress is making all efforts to regain its lost votes among the minorities. It is also being seen as a political strategy by the grand old party to put pressure on the Samajwadi Party, which is part of the opposition INDIA bloc, regarding the seat distribution in Uttar Pradesh. There was a time when the Muslim community used to vote as a whole in favour of Congress but as the grand old party became weaker, this vote bank started shifting either to the Samajwadi Party or to the Bahujan Samaj Party. Therefore, the Congress has tried to send a political message by showing solidarity with the BSP MP and upping the ante againstBJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri. A senior Congress leader said, "Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the grand old party is busy 'promoting love in the shop of hatred' (Nafrat ke Bazaar mein Mohabbat ki Dukaan), taking a direct swipe at the BJP-led Central government. That is why when a BJP member made objectionable remarks against BSP's Danish Ali in the Parliament, our senior leader Rahul Gandhi went there and gave the message that he stands in solidarity with every individual across the country who is being persecuted by the BJP." "Rahul Gandhi has been meeting poor and low-income people since the beginning of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Be it a truck driver or a carpenter, he understands everyone's pain and suffering closely. The Muslim community have always stood with Congress. Congress has given a lot of importance to these people. Regional parties have used them merely as a vote bank. If they had been so sympathetic, then they would have stood with Danish Ali. But here as well, Congress is seen standing in solidarity with the BSP MP." On the other hand, Congress leaders are confident that Muslims will unite and vote in favour of Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Danish Ali was fielded by the BSP from Muslim-dominated seat Amroha in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Sources say that Mayawati is unhappy with Danish Ali's growing proximity towards the Congress. For this reason, she is not even giving him (Ali) time to meet them (Congress leaders). When the Parliament incident took place, the BSP supremo had shown her support by tweeting in favour of her party MP Danish Ali. Speculations are rife that this time Danish Ali may leave the BSP and join Congress. Congress is also trying to bring various Muslim leaders from other parties into its fold. Senior political analyst Ratan Mani Lal, who has closely followed the politics of Uttar Pradesh for many decades, says that in the meantime, BSP chief Mayawati has softened her stand on the BJP. However, previously, Danish Ali had objected to the slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in Amroha and created ruckus. Even though Mayawati has been soft towards the BJP, Danish Ali wants to maintain a distance from the saffron party. Meanwhile, there were reports that efforts were being made by the Congress to take BSP into the INDIA bloc to keep the Samajwadi Party under control. However, nothing has been confirmed or denied by the Congress or BSP. When Ramesh Bidhuri made objectionable remarks against Danish Ali in the Parliament, it emerged that the statement on the BSP MP was not made since he was from the BSP but because he belongs to the minority community. Mayawati did not condemn the incident as vociferously as she shows support on other issues. Ratan Mani Lal says: "Danish Ali is now feeling disgruntled within the BSP. At present, Muslims will not be given as significant role in the BSP as they used to get given the party's new strategy being adopted towards Dalits and Backward Classes. Danish is seeing an opportunity to accomplish his goal in the closed door meetings which are taking place between Congress and BSP. Congress seems to be in favour of Danish Ali to bring the Muslim community back into its fold. The Samajwadi Party is not even getting that much importance from the Muslim vote bank that's why the Congress is seeing an opportunity in it." Senior political analyst Virendra Singh Rawat says that ever since the opposition INDIA bloc was formed, Congress has been meeting different sections of the society. The grand old party wants to regain lost political ground by wooing back the Dalit or Muslim vote. Congress feels that if it continues to stand with BSP MP Danish Ali, a message will go to the Muslim community that it fights for the rights of Muslims, no matter which party they belong to, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year. Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson C.P. Rai said: "What happened with Danish Ali is the use of abusive language against the minority community. We want to stand with Danish and tell him that someone has used vulgar words against you, but the whole country is with you. The decision on ticket distribution in the opposition INDIA bloc and Assembly elections has to be taken by the party's central leadership." New Delhi, Oct 1 : Development Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday visited Azadpur Mandi and said that the directions have been given to the officials to complete the repair work within 45 days. Rai said that an inquiry into the fire incident has also been ordered. He said that thatas direction have been given to the Mandi officer to shift the traders to another shed for a few days while the Azadpur Mandi Secretary has also been directed to complete the repair work within 45 days. He said that instructions have also been given to install a fire system inside the Mandi shed. Members of DAMB (Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board) and former Chairman of Azadpur Mandi Adil Ahmed Khan and other Mandi officials were also present on the occasion. He also directed the Mandi officials to take all necessary steps to prevent and control such incidents in future. He said that the fire occurred due to garbage heaps, which was set on fire earlier, and as the adjacent wall is short, the Mandi sheds also caught fire. He said that the government has also instructed that the extinguishing measures should be taken at the local level so that such incidents can be controlled quickly. He said that fire systems should also be installed inside the sheds. New Delhi, Oct 1 : A six-month-old baby, suffering from congenital heart disease, encountered severe breathing problems on a Ranchi-Delhi IndoGo flight on Saturday. However, help was at hand. Two fellow passengers, both doctors, stepped in to assist the baby. One of the doctors was Nitin Kulkarni, an IAS officer with a medical background, who along with another doctor improvised by administering oxygen from an adult mask and other essential medications as a critical medical intervention. Upon landing at 9.25 am, a medical team swiftly arrived to provide the baby with the necessary oxygen support. The baby was shifted to AIIMS where the condition is said to be stable. "Doctors are God sent angles. Today saw one saving a 6 month old baby onboard #Indigo . Dr. Nitin Kulkarni, IAS, governor house @jhar_governor (Jharkhand) took on his role as a doctor and saved the kid. Salute to you sir," A.S. Deol, who was passenger on the same flight wrote on X. However, IndiGo is yet to issue statement on the incident. Chandigarh, Oct 1 : In a significant decision, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said earlier individuals with an income of Rs 1.80 lakh listed on the Parivar Pahchan Patra were denied below poverty line (BPL) card benefits if their electricity bills amounted to Rs 12,000. Now this slab has been abolished, eliminating the obligation of electricity bill. In addition, the Chief Minister announced to give two liters of mustard oil per month to every family holding a BPL ration card with an income of Rs 1.80 lakh. The Chief Minister made these announcements while speaking at a function in Faridabad. Highlighting the government's commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure, he said in 2014 there were 700 MBBS seats and this number has been increased to 1,900 with plans to further raise it to 3,100, ensuring greater access to medical education. Furthermore, the Chief Minister commended the dedicated workers of the BJP, saying they are essential in bringing the government's pro-people policies to the public. The Chief Minister discussed the government's commitment to creating employment opportunities through initiatives like Mission Swavalamban and the establishment of the Haryana Kaushal Rozgaar Nigam. Union Minister of State for Energy and Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gujar highlighted the efforts of the Chief Minister in providing government jobs with utmost transparency and efficiency. Over the last nine years, 110,000 jobs have been created. Also, he mentioned the significant achievement of providing round-the-clock electricity to all villages. Noida, Oct 1 : Samajwadi Party Chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that the strategy Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is making will help in defeating the BJP in next year's Lok Sabha elections. "The strategy that INDIA alliance is making will help in defeating the BJP. I hope that people of India will remove BJP in next general election," he said. He said that the people, especially in Uttar Pradesh, have decided to remove the BJP from power. He said BJP lost the Ghosi by-elections by 50,000 votes, despite the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister campaigning rigorously. To a question about the AAP against Congress in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party chief said, "We (INDIA alliance) will find a way out." He said that all the parties that are against each other (in states) want to defeat the BJP. "The Samajwadi Party will also help to defeat the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party will work towards defeating the BJP," Akhilesh Yadav said. Guwahati, Oct 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that he does not need the votes of Muslims living in the Char Chapori area of the state, at least the next 10 years. In Assam, Char Chapori is an area of the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries made up of flood plain sediments. Speaking at a programme in Guwahati, Sarma told reporters: "The BJP government works for the betterment of all people in society, including those who live in the Char areas. However, I will not seek their votes during the election." According to the Chief Minister, he will urge them to vote for the BJP only after they stop doing child marriages, take themselves off the hardline stand, send their daughters to school, etc. "There are a few criteria to vote for the BJP. We seek the votes of people who do not have more than two or three children," Sarma said. He further added that the mindset among the Muslims living in Char areas is changing but it will take time. "It needs at least 10 years of time. After that, I personally will go to Char areas and urge them to vote in favor of the BJP," the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, Sarma also claimed that the people of Assam would spontaneously vote for Narendra Modi. He said: "The voters of the state will vote in large numbers for Modi next year. Whether they will vote for me in 2026, that is another aspect." New Delhi, Oct 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived at BJP headquarters here for the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) to discuss the names of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The Prime Minister, who earlier in the day addressed a public meeting in Telangana's Mehbubnagar, arrived at the party headquarters in the national capital on Sunday evening. He was received by party chief JP Nadda. In the meeting, senior leaders like Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and many others would be present. Rajasthan Election in-Charge Prahlad Joshi, Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh, Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, among other leaders of the Rajasthan BJP core group were also present at the party headquarters. Chhattisgarh election in-charge Om Prakash Mathur, co-election in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, former chief minister Raman Singh and Chhattisgarh state president Arun Saw, along with other leaders were also present. Sources said that the second list of candidates for Chhattisgarh and first list for Rajasthan will be finalised during the CEC meeting. Guwahati, Oct 1 : Assam government has backtracked on its decision to ban the PET drinking water bottles that are less than 1 litre in capacity in Assam. The Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday: "Earlier, we decided to ban the use of all PET drinking water bottles bottle that are less than 1 litre in capacity across the state. However, many local small enterprises requested to give them some time to change their machines in the factory." Following that, the state government changed its decision and from October 2, only the use of PET drinking water bottles of capacity 250 ml will be prohibited. "We have decided to allow the use of 500 ml plastic bottles in Assam for another year. From October 2, 2024, these bottles will be completely banned," Sarma said. According to the Chief Minister, within this period, the companies dealing with the PET drinking water bottles must change their machineries. He said that the state government will give a 10 percent subsidy to the total expense of altering the machinery. Earlier, it was announced that the Assam government will band the manufacture and use of PET drinking water bottles that are less than 1 litre in capacity starting on October 2 of this year. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has invited Egyptian and foreign investors to invest in a list of about 150 projects identified and prioritized by the state. He said the projects are "of critical importance" to the country as they would help promote local production, reduce the government's import bill and generate savings of around $25 billion. El-Sisi spoke during the Story of Homeland Conference, which kicked off Saturday at the New Administrative Capital. Among those projects is establishing a tire factory that, according to the president, could save the country approximately $250 million annually, given that it currently spends around $700-$800 million on imported car tires. The government will grant incentives like tax exemptions for several years for any company seeking to invest in these projects, Minister of Industry and Trade Ahmed Samir said in a comment during the event. President El-Sisi also highlighted that the government opted for establishing industrial complexes rather than allocating lands for investors rather than letting them struggle with the permit procedures. We decided not to let investors struggle with permits. Instead, we thought of creating projects and complexes" with already licensed projects," added the president. The government changed its approach after it found that investment projects were implemented over only 10 percent of nearly 30 million square metres of land allocated by the government for business people. According to Samir, about 17 industrial complexes have been recently established in 15 governorates, costing EGP 10 billion. El-Sisi spotlighted the state plans in the past years to narrow the gap between revenues and expenses by supporting the industry. The country, however, could have initiated such plans without upgrading infrastructure to attract investment, he explained. Egypt lacked in 2014 and 2015 the "proper" infrastructure, he affirmed. The Egyptian government will launch the National Strategy for Industry in October, stated Minister Samir. The trade minister noted that the real growth rate of the manufacturing sector has surged from 4.7 percent in 2014 to reach 9.75 percent in 2022. He added that the country's exports increased from $22 billion in 2014 to $35.8 billion in 2022, representing a growth rate of 61.3 percent. He also mentioned that industrial exports rose from $12.1 billion in 2014 to $22.2 billion in 2022, marking an increase of 83.5 precent. The Story of the Homeland conference is taking place in the New Administrative Capital between 30 September and 2 October under the patronage of El-Sisi. The first day of the event witnessed sessions focusing on the economy, with the participation of government members. These sessions discussed the government's policies and programs to support the Egyptian economy as well as the achievements reached since 2014. Search Keywords: Short link: Bhubaneswar, Oct 1 : A woman, her infant son, and an elderly person were hacked to death by unidentified assailants at Junagarh in Odisha's Kalahandi district on Sunday evening, police said The victims were identified as Raymati Majhi, 35, her four-old-son Shivashakti and 60-year-old Mahendra Kumar, all from Sankarpalli village under Junagarh police station. Raymati's husband has been in the district jail at Bhawanipatna for the last nine years allegedly for killing his aunt. Sources said that Raymati, along with her son, was returning home from her brother's house in the same village when unknown assailants killed them. Mahendra, a daily wager, was found dead with his throat slit around 200 metres far from the bodies of mother and son along the road. Police, along with a forensic team and dog squad, have reached the spot and started investigation into the ghastly murder of the trio. Police suspect that Raymati may have been killed over past enmity while the accused killed Mahendra who might have witnessed the murder of mother-son duo. Earlier in the morning, a 58-year-old person was also brutally killed by his relatives allegedly over suspicion of practicing black magic and past enmity in Bhawanipatna area of the same district. The deceased was identified as Jala Nayak of Sikerguda village under Bhawanipatna Sadar police station. His younger brother, Prabesh Nayak and nephews Sahadev and Nakula have been detained by police for questioning. "Both Jala and his brother's families had engaged in bitter fights several times in the past over the allegations of practicing witchcraft. The prime accused Sahadev was reportedly harbouring a grudge against the deceased accusing him of killing his wife through black magic. On Sunday, Jala was going to his farm land when Sahadev, who was already present there, attacked him with a sharp weapon. He later fled the spot leaving Jala in a pool of blood," said police sources. New Delhi, Oct 1 : In a bizarre turn of events on Sunday, a passenger's casual but careless comment triggered a security scare at Varanasi Airport, leading to significant delays for an Akasa Air flight bound for Mumbai. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon during pre-boarding security checks, and it served as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in aviation security. The passenger, whose identity remains undisclosed, reportedly uttered: "Mere paas bomb hai (kya)!" which translates to " Do I have a bomb !?!" This statement immediately caught the attention of security personnel and fellow passengers. The comment was made out of apparent frustration with the rigorous security measures in place. The airport authorities including the CISF swiftly responded to the alarming statement. Security personnel detained the passenger, thoroughly searched her belongings, and conducted an inspection of her personal details. "Akasa Air flight QP 1497, scheduled to fly from Varanasi to Mumbai at 2.50 p.m. on October 1, received a security alert during the boarding process," said the spokesperson. "As per safety and security procedures, all passengers were deplaned and the local authorities followed required procedures following which the aircraft was released for operations. The Akasa team was on ground to assist passengers and serve refreshments and the flight departed at 8.06 p.m.," the spokesperson added. Passengers waiting to board the Akasa flight to Mumbai experienced a significant delay as a result of the security scare. The delay lasted for several hours, disrupting travel plans for many passengers and causing inconveniences. Earlier on September 29, a threat call was received on ground when the Akasa Air aircraft on its way to Mumbai landed back at Varanasi Airport, however it later turned out to be hoax. "Akasa Air flight QP 1498, flying from Mumbai to Varanasi on September 29, 2023 received an emergency alert from Air Traffic Control," said the spokesperson. "The Captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely in Varanasi. All passengers and crew are safe and have been deplaned. Akasa Air has completed all mandated security procedures and subsequently declared the aircraft safe," said the spokesperson. New Delhi, Oct 1 : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has rescued 955 live baby turtles of different species, an official said on Sunday, adding six persons have been arrested in this connection. The accused individuals were apprehended under 'Operation Kachchhap'. A senior DRI official said they received information about a syndicate involved in illegal trafficking and trading of "Turtles of Ganges", some of which were specified as vulnerable and near threatened species under IUCN Red List and Schedule I and II of Wildlife (Protection) Act. The DRI said that illegal trade and habitat degradation are major threats to these species. "Concerted all-India efforts by the officers resulted in interception of a total of six persons and a total recovery of 955 live baby turtles of different species at Nagpur, Bhopal and Chennai on September 30. The species of Gangetic turtles rescued are Indian Tent Turtle, Indian Flapshell Turtle, Crown River Turtle, Black spotted/Pond Turtle and Brown Roofed Turtle," the official said. The official said that after the initial seizure under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the perpetrators and Gangetic turtles were handed over to the respective Forest Departments for further investigation. The operation comes in a series of other such crackdowns over the past months, as DRI continues its resolve to preserve the environment and combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Some of the species rescued are specified as vulnerable/near threatened species under IUCN Red List and Schedule I and II of Wildlife (Protection) Act. Illegal trade, over exploitation for meat and habitat degradation are major threats to the survival of these species. Washington, Oct 2 : US President Joe Biden hailed the twin legislations of the Congress on the stopgap 45-day fund flow from government treasuries to federal agencies under the Continuing Resolution Bill, saying "this is a good news for America". The Bills have averted the government shutdown temporarily. Biden signed off the twin legislations passed by the Senate 88-9 and House 335-81 that first speaker Kevin McCarthy moved in the House and passed with the help of Democrats and liberal minded Republicans that allows government to draw funds to pay out federal agencies until November 17 in a 45-day period but excluded funding for Ukraine. The total funding was $16 billion. On September 30, the President signed into law: H.R. 5860, which provides fiscal year appropriations to Federal agencies through November 17, 2023, for continuing projects of the Federal Government and extends several expiring authorities, a statement issued by the White House said. The Senate ratified the house bill adding $6 billion for Ukraine funding and another $6 billion for national disaster relief fund. The original Republican sponsored bill asking for 30 per cent cuts in government expenditure fell through and McCarthy introduced a clean stopgap last minute bill that excluded aid to Ukraine for military and humanitarian purposes. The GOP had consistently opposed any funding for Ukraine as demanded by the White House. In a press statement posted on the White House website, Biden said bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hard working Americans. "This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travellers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people," Biden said. "But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis. For weeks, extreme House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed," Biden added. The US President further said: "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." PM Modi arrives at BJP HQ to attend meeting to discuss candidates for Raj, C'garh polls. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Oct 2 : The BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) late Sunday discussed the names of the probable candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections in a meeting at the party headquarters here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed with leaders the names of candidates for each seat in both the states. According to sources, the names of candidates for about 65 seats in Rajasthan and 69 seats in Chhattisgarh were discussed in the meeting. If party sources are to be believed, BJP may soon release the first list of candidates for Rajasthan and the second list for Chhattisgarh in view of the upcoming elections. The party released its first list of 21 candidates for Chhattisgarh on August 17, while the names of probables on the remaining 69 seats were discussed in the Sunday meeting. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP National Organisation General Secretary B.L. Santhosh, Devendra Fadnavis, B.S. Yediyurappa, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Iqbal Singh were present in the CEC meeting. Other members of the CEC including Lalpura, Sudha Yadav, Satyanarayan Jatiya and Bhupendra Yadav were also present at the meeting. The meeting to discuss names for Rajasthan was attended by state election in-charge Prahlad Joshi, state in-charge Arun Singh, state BJP President C.P. Joshi, and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, among other leaders of the state BJP core group. Similarly, in the meeting for Chhattisgarh, state election in-charge Om Prakash Mathur, co-election in-charge Mansukh Mandaviya, former Chief Minister Raman Singh and state President Arun Saw, along with other leaders were also present. Prime Minister Modi is slated to visit Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on Monday. Jaipur, Oct 2 : For the first time in Rajasthan, the Election Commission will be introducing the facility for senior citizens to cast their votes from home. Along with this, the poll body is taking steps to prevent the entry of criminals into politics, under this political parties will have to give an explanation in newspapers as to why they gave the ticket to a person with a criminal background. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said in the press conference on Sunday that there are 11.8 lakh voters above 80 years of age in Rajasthan. There are also 18,462 voters above 100 years of age in the state. The poll body will be providing these senior citizens and those with more than 40 per cent disability the facility to vote from home. Voters availing the 'Vote for Home' facility will have to fill form within five days after the election notification is issued. After this, the Election Commission will make necessary arrangements for them. A delegation of 24 Japanese companies has visited the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) to explore renewable energy investment opportunities with a special focus on green fuel, according to a statement by the zone on Sunday. The Japanese delegation included representatives from the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Egyptian-Japanese Business Council (EJBC), the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Chairman of the General Authority of the SCZone Walid Gamal El-Din welcomed the delegation and the attendees from the green fuel companies, expressing his aspiration for cooperation with them in the green fuel sector and complementary industries that feed it. Gamal El-Din gave a presentation on SCZones efforts in the green fuel file. Kazuya Nakajo, the head of the Japanese delegation and executive vice president of JETRO, stated that Egypt possesses all the elements to promote the green transition with its renewable energy sources of solar and wind energy. He added that Egypt has the infrastructure that qualifies it to be a hub for renewable energy in North Africa. Earlier in September, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker announced that Egypt plans to launch a national strategy to become a leading green hydrogen producer and exporter. Over the past year, the country signed many MoUs with various international entities to attract foreign investment in green hydrogen and to become a hub for hydrogen production. In June, the Egyptian government updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which include setting more ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and securing the finances needed. The countrys NDC plan includes reducing GHG emissions from electricity generation, transmission, and distribution by 37 percent by 2030. Moreover, Egypts National Climate Change Strategy 2050, announced in May 2022, outlines the country's objectives to reduce carbon emissions, endorse the use of renewable energy sources, and explore alternative energy forms like green hydrogen. Search Keywords: Short link: Property details: Total purchase price of $3,495. Document processing fees included in price. Payment plans available upon request. 20 ACRE UNPATENTED PLACER MINING CLAIM Mining Claim DetailsOperation Type: PlacerMining District: Potholes Mining DistrictCommodities: Gold and ironAccess: A dirt road that leads to the this claim and the Old Senator MineVehicle Required: 4x4 required, park/walk is recommendedFoot Traffic: Yes; dirt biking and camping is popular in the areaNearest City: Winterhaven, CA and Yuma, AZ, ... 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Price: $ 495 Seller State of Residence: Oregon State/Province: Arkansas Location: 974**, Reedsport, Oregon You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Arkansas I have spent no small part of my life following and fighting for the Palestinian cause, but eventually it slipped through our fingers and was taken up by other groups and generations. At times I would marvel at the actions of the new standard bearers of The Cause, as though they were under hypnosis and unable to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, past and present, truth and wishful thinking. In the end, there only remained a small set of scenarios like the well-known two-state solution, for which no one appears ready to make the necessary sacrifices; the one-state solution which might happen under the control of the current hate-filled, racist Israeli government; the confederal state characterised by two states in a single guise and incomplete independence for one side and control for the other; and the zero-solution or to let things keep going as they are. The latter is the historic recipe for this conflict. It is a recipe for instability in a region that is striving to remake itself. The magic solution that is now the focus of discussion in political research circles is normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. This is the fifth scenario. Its approach combines Saudi Arabias national security concerns and Israels regional security concerns with an attempt to formulate acceptable relations between Israel and the Palestinians. It is informed by high hopes and some realities on the ground, and a prospect of some release from pain and a Palestinian behaviour that does not bother Israel. Its terms and concepts lead us to others pertaining to individuals and institutions whose political and electoral circumstances have no room for this approach, let alone willingness to pay the associated costs. The approach as it is commonly formulated in familiar political, academic, and journalistic media does not take us too far away from the status quo. It may also add an element of regret and blame. Moreover, under the current circumstances, it places Saudi Arabia and other concerned Arab countries in a position similar to the situation at the time they proposed the Saudi/Arab peace initiative adopted in the Arab Summit in Beirut in 2002. History does not repeat itself, but it compels us to learn its lessons. Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis are ready for a permanent or partial solution, and it is unwise to entrust regional security to a bunch of extremists who not only fail to see it in their interest to help stabilise the region but are also more than happy to set it afire. The best course at present is therefore, firstly, to sustain the reform processes that have been set in motion in many Arab countries, enabling them to acquire more autonomous power and influence and to avoid being distracted from their strategic goals. Secondly, we should consider the successful cases of Arab-Israeli relations based on Israels peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, economic cooperation as exemplified by the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and the Abraham Accords, which were not peace agreements as there had been no de facto state of war, but rather frameworks for economic and technological normalisation. Both the peace agreements and Abraham Accords were concluded through direct contact with the Israeli government. The current situation calls for something different. The decisive matters should not be settled with the Israeli government but directly with the Israeli people, as individual persons or organisations that declare their belief in peace and their desire to live in a stable region striving for prosperity. The operative word is reciprocity: we make peace with those who want to make peace with us. Room for the sphere to expand would be made through major development programmes in collaboration with anyone prepared to open the doors and windows to the fresh, pure air of peace untainted by the stench of hatred and violence. In this regard, a great peace zone could be created in the northern Red Sea where the developmental areas in the Sinai in north-eastern Egypt converge with the developmental area in AlUla in north-western Saudi Arabia. The concept, in a very narrow form, had been aired in the past during the peace process in the 1990s. It spoke of a tourist Riviera in the Gulf of Aqaba in which different peoples could interact. The Arab-sponsored project today would be much bigger. It would make no room for racism, hatred, or violence. Moreover, it would be directly concerned with the welfare of the Palestinians, whether inside Israel where they make up 21 per cent of the population, in Gaza, or in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, is based, or even in the Palestinian diaspora which is so rich in knowledge and human resources. The basic idea here is based on the above-mentioned ongoing Arab reform processes in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the Gulf. In these areas, there is a growing insistence on the need to press forward towards the sustainable development goals, an awareness that regional stability is essential to achieving those goals, and a certainty that adverse forces utilising religion and violence will come up against many other forces determined to interact with the conditions of economic, social, and cultural prosperity in the vicinity. During efforts to promote peace treaties between Israel, Egypt and Jordan it was common to hear talk of the peace dividends that would accrue to the peoples of the region as a result of reductions in military spending. This is a subject that needs to be explored in detail, which is where research institutions and think tanks come in. They should take as their starting point the fact that if there is to be a new era at the global level, there must be a new era at the regional level. New generations are on the rise, striving to forge a better future for their countries. Why should we skimp on efforts to give them the stability they need in a region in which stability has been elusive for decades? * A version of this article appears in print in the 28 September, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The distinction of the International Applied Technology School [IATS] model is not only a result of its equipment, curricula, teachers, or management systems. I saw that the students had acquired unique competencies in their specialties in a single year, along with self-confidence and the ability to highlight what they had learned through distinguished communication skills, said Reda Hegazi, minister of education and technical education, at the opening ceremony of the IATS Induction Camp that took place last week at the Education City in Giza governorate. I personally saw how their technical skills were combined with the ability to use modern technology and advanced devices within a framework of a commitment to standards of quality, health, and occupational safety and all at the hands of distinguished and carefully selected teachers. These students, enrolled in international schools, represent a new future for technical education, summing up the meanings of quality education, citizenship and belonging through mature and distinguished technical personne, Hegazi said. The five-day Induction Camp qualifies new students for the IATS in a model introduced by Workforce Egypt, a US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project intended to support the Ministry of Education and Technical Education in transforming the quality and market relevance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and programmes in Egypt. The overall aim is to foster market driven skills among the students, thereby creating sustainable job opportunities for graduates, ensuring employee retention and reducing turnover through partnerships built with private and public business sector partners, said Mohamed Fawzi, deputy chief of the Workforce Egypt project. According to Hegazi, one of the main missions of the schools is providing Egyptian-qualified manpower for the labour market and preparing students to be able to develop themselves on the job and keep on learning throughout their lives even after graduation. He said that the international applied Technology schools are the first of their kind in the field of technical education in Egypt and that their number has doubled from five schools to 10 in just one year. The 10 schools have advanced specialisations such as teaching artificial intelligence (AI), financial marketing, modern trade relations, robotics, facility management technology, cosmetics, computer programming, and others. Mohamed Megahed, deputy minister for technical education, explained to Al-Ahram Weekly that the specialisations of the schools are compatible with the professions needed by their industrial partners. The ministrys experts, together with the industrial partners experts, design the study programme and determine the general and professional competencies necessary. They may compare them with international practices in the same specialisation, and the study units and teacher and student guides are designed based on these considerations, Megahed said. Workforce Egypt is developing 10 international applied Technology schools out of a total of 70 that the ministry has established so far, Hegazi said. The total number of students in technical education, according to the statistics for the academic year 2022-23, is about 2.3 million, while the total number of students in applied technology schools is a few thousand, as ensuring quality requires a low class density (20 to 25) students per class and a large number of these schools will begin operating in the 2023-24 and following academic years, Megahed said. According to Amr Soliman, more than 8,000 students applied for international applied Technology schools in 2023-24 as a way out of the threat of being judged on the results of the Thanawiya Amma exams at the end of high school in Egypt. I knew about these schools from the media and applied for my son and daughter. They refused at first, but I persuaded them as I had suffered a lot with their siblings and the economic situation now is very hard to cope with if one only has a traditional education, Manal Ahmed told the Weekly. She added that the international applied Technology schools prepare students for the labour market, and they have paid summer training as well. HELPING STUDENTS Hanan Ibrahim, also the mother of a college-aged student, agreed with Ahmed that the fees of the schools, from LE250 to LE500, play a big role in encouraging students to apply. Her son was accepted in an IATS to study programming. For Wafaa Hassan, the mother of Moez who was also accepted in El Sewedy IATS, these schools help students to know their specialisation before applying to university. This kind of school represents a bright point in the future of technical education and qualified manpower in Egypt and the Middle East, she said. Basmala Hany told the Weekly about her experience in her first academic year at an IATS. She had looked for an alternative secondary school because she was in an experimental English school. I was afraid not to have good grades in the Thanawiya Amma, so I searched on the Internet and this was the only international school for programming that I found, she said. She was accepted after passing three assessments, the first consisting of four exams in maths, English, IQ and nahw (Arabic grammar), the second being an electronic career interest exam, and the last being an interview. She said her mother had supported me in choosing the international applied Technology schools. At the Induction Camp she attended there was a human development company that taught students how to rely on themselves, how to deal with each other as a team, and how to organise activities. They also organised sessions for us to explain certain concepts, such as bullying, Hany said, adding that at the beginning of the school year, we defined the idea of the capstone, which is the project that we will work on, where we identify a problem facing the country or increase the quality of what we see without problems. We then go to several sites and do research, then there is a questionnaire, and then we determine the target audience. We work on business management as well, because we also study entrepreneurship, Hany said. During the school year, the company follows us in artistic activities, drama, and physical education. We learn how to deal with each other in a friendly way with respect, and there is diversity in the team. She added that in the human development sessions, the students learn how to balance life and work and how to solve problems. I was able to come in first place out of 100 students in presenting the capstone project in front of a committee of professors, Hany said. For this reason, she was chosen by the school administration to present one of the projects in front of US First Lady Jill Biden after three days of rehearsals. We asked her about internships in America, and then we learned that we already have a summer programme outside Egypt, either as a scholarship from the school or as a cultural exchange scholarship in the second or third year, Hany said. After one academic year and at the beginning of a new academic year, Hany confirmed that she felt a big difference in her personality, as she has become more independent and more self-reliant. The learning method requires the students participation in research to obtain information and cooperate with the teacher in explaining it to the rest of the students, she said. I am now trying to obtain training in software, and I dream of working in the field of programming in a company of my own, Hany said. PROGRAMMING Emad El Sewedy, chair of the Board of El Sewedy Cables, said that the El Sewedy IATS in 6 October city is the first specialised school in Egypt to graduate students in programming, programme development, Internet programming, and everything required by the digital transformation that Egypt is witnessing, as he put it. The Covid-19 pandemic showed the importance of our need for programmers, so we decided to teach students who specialise in programming and are qualified from a practical and personal standpoint in addition to their academic qualifications, El Sewedy said. He added that the job of the school was to discover the talents of students and qualify them to be able to work in different jobs. He said that the ultimate goal of the El Sewedy IATS, which specialises in applied technology and software, was to raise the value of technicians and provide job opportunities for them, especially given their proficiency in the English language and the world demand for Egyptian programmers. Modern business is also being taught, notably at the Fathallah IATS, the first to be opened based on entrepreneur Alaa Fathallahs words. Fathallah is the first international school for modern commerce, and he believes that the students should be able to join the labour market directly on graduating. Vocational education will be behind the Egyptian renaissance, its director said. According to Fawzi, the students at the international applied Technology schools, where 1050 students are accepted this year, are made up equally of boys and girls. Each school from the 10 that have been opened up to now has a governance board made up of representatives of business including companies such as Fathallah, Fresh, El Sewedy, Misr Insurance, EverGrow, Deif Allah, Mobica, Mountain View, CFC, Eva Pharma, and Eva Cosmetics. As we work in education and agriculture areas, we chose to establish an AI vocational school in Assiut in Upper Egypt at a cost of LE10 million, in addition to providing labs, equipment, and know how that has attracted students from all over Egypt, Ahmed Deif Allah, CEO of the Deif Allah Group, told the Weekly. Deif Allah believes that the social responsibility of the group has driven it to work with the government to face the unemployment that represents a major challenge to the stability of the country. This is also clear through the way that Ahmed Khalifa runs the EverGrow IATS. The philosophy of the group is to build a vocational school in each industrial zone to connect qualified manpower with the development of heavy industry in Egypt and the Groups branches in Algeria and Oman, Deputy Chair and CEO of EverGrow Specialised Fertilisers Khalifa said. The managing director of Mobica also said that the needs of the labour market have changed and that his company needs workers who are creative and are aware of the latest technologies inside and outside of Egypt. But education is not the only way forward for development, according to Mona Rabbat, chair of the Armanious Foundation. She said students should be proud to choose this kind of education and asked more companies to participate in the experience. Jana Abdel-Maksoud, 14, had applied to the Eva IATS as she has always liked taking things apart and putting them back together again. The last partner to join the initiative is Mountain View. Abu Bakr Elguindy, chair of the company, said that the students should learn how to live life through delivering happiness. This is now included in the school curriculum, helping the students to participate in education and development, he said. We are inviting other schools to add delivering happiness to their curriculum, and we are willing to discover talented students in other schools. According to Fawzi, partnerships with the private sector in education can help to deliver higher quality, more specialisations, and the maximisation of resources. The curriculum for the schools has been determined for a period ranging from 12 to 15 months in order for the specialisations on offer to be suitable for the entire economic sector and not just the partner in question. The duration of study is three years, after which students obtain certificates opening the way to employment. According to Hegazi, IATS graduates will be capable of joining the labour market directly after graduation or going to Egypts technological universities. This initiative in developing vocational education will put Egyptian technicians on the global map, Megahed concluded. * A version of this article appears in print in the 28 September, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: In this week's blotter, a University of Georgia employee was blackmailed out of more than $1,000, a UGA visitor disrupts Main Library and is banned from campus and a student locks themself in room for protection from their hallmates. The Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi announced Saturday night that it is ceasing its operations from October 1, citing a 'lack of support from the host government', failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests, and reduction in personnel and resources. IMAGE: A view of the Afghanistan Embassy, at Shantipath, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo In a statement, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi said it regrets announcing the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023. 'It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations,' the statement said. The embassy said that this decision, while deeply regrettable, was made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India. The embassy statement also listed key factors affecting its ability to continue the mission effectively and said that they were the primary reasons for the 'unfortunate closure'. The embassy cited a 'lack of support from the host government', alleging that it has experienced a notable absence of crucial support from the host government, which it said hindered its ability to carry out duties effectively. The mission also cited 'failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests' as one of the reasons. 'We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul,' the mission said. It also said that due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, there has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to it, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations. 'The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively,' the statement said. Given these circumstances, 'it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country', it said. The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay. Mamundzay was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. In April-May, the embassy was rocked by a power struggle in the wake of reports of the Taliban appointing a charge d'affaires to head the mission, replacing Mamundzay. Following the episode, the embassy came out with a statement that there was no change in its leadership. The tussle for power had erupted after Qadir Shah, who was working as a trade councillor at the embassy since 2020, wrote to the MEA in late April claiming that he was appointed as the charge d'affaires at the embassy by the Taliban. India is yet to recognise the Taliban set-up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. In its statement, the Afghan Embassy said this step is being taken in the best interest of the people of Afghanistan. In accordance with Article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), all property and facilities of the Embassy will be transferred to the custodial authority of the host country, it said. The embassy said it also wishes to address recent speculations and provide clarity on certain matters of importance. In the three-page statement, the embassy categorically refuted any 'baseless claims' regarding internal strife or discord amongst its diplomatic staff or any diplomats using the crisis to seek asylum in a third country. 'Such rumours are unfounded and do not reflect the reality of our mission. We remain a united team working towards the best interests of Afghanistan,' the embassy said. The embassy also said it would like to verify the 'authenticity' of an earlier communication with the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the intent to close the mission. 'This communication accurately represents our decision-making process and the factors leading to the closure,' the statement said. 'We request the government of India to give serious consideration to the four requests outlined in the official note verbal submitted earlier. Specifically, we emphasise the importance of permitting the hoisting of the Afghan flag over the properties of our premises, as well as facilitating the smooth transition of the mission's buildings and assets to a legitimate government in Kabul in the future,' the statement said. The embassy also acknowledged that, given the gravity of this decision, 'there may be some who receive support and instructions from Kabul that may differ from our current course of action'. The Embassy of Afghanistan made an 'unequivocal statement' regarding the activities of certain consulates. 'It is our firm belief that any actions taken by these consulates are not in consonance with the objectives of a legitimate or elected government and rather serve the interests of an illegitimate regime,' the statement said. The embassy also said it is keen to reach an agreement with the Indian government at the earliest possible juncture. The Bharatiya Janata Party's central election committee members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met in New Delhi on Sunday to finalise its candidates for the coming assembly polls as the party looks to conclude much of deliberations on the contestants before the election process formally begins. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with BJP president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and others during the party's central election committee meeting in New Delhi, October 1, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo For the first time in the current round of CEC meetings, candidates for the Rajasthan polls were discussed as senior party leaders from the state, including former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, joined the national leadership in the meeting. With the party fielding three Union ministers, besides four other MPs, as candidates in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, it may continue with the strategy in Rajasthan. Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Kailash Choudhary are from the state where the BJP won all but one of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, besides party president JP Nadda, are among the members of the CEC. Chhattisgarh BJP leaders, including former chief minister Raman Singh and state party chief Arun Sao, also arrived in the national capital as the CEC is expected to finalise the names for the remaining seats in the state. Prior to Sunday's meeting, the CEC sat twice to finalise the party candidates for the current round of state polls and had discussions on Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh seats, especially those held by the Congress, its main challenger in the two states besides Rajasthan. The BJP has so far named 79 candidates for the polls to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly and 21 for the elections to the 90-member House in Chhattisgarh. The development is a break from the past as the party generally names its candidates after the Election Commission's announcement of the poll schedule. The advance exercise marks its decision to give candidates ample time to drive their campaigns, more so as it has so far concentrated on seats held by the Congress. Of the five states going to polls, the BJP is in power only in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress holds the reins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The BRS is in power in Telangana and the Mizo National Front in Mizoram. A 32-year-old mother-of-three from Bangladesh who arrived in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district to meet a man she got to know and fell in love with over the Internet returned to her country after discovering that he is married, police said on Sunday. Dilruba Sharmi, a widow who worked as a beautician, arrived in India on September 26 with her three children to meet 27-year-old Abdul Kareem, a resident of Bhartha Roshangarh village in the district's Malhipur area, they said. Kareem, a chef in Bahrain, came in contact with the woman over the Internet. Sharmi's husband died during the COVID-19 pandemic. She reached Lucknow on September 26 with her three children-- aged 15, 12 and seven -- on a tourist visa, the police said. Kareem landed in Lucknow on the same day. The five of them reached Bahraich in a bus and checked into a hotel where they stayed for two days before travelling to Kareem's native village, the police said. Kareem, who had told Sharmi that he was unmarried, was confronted by his wife and villagers informed the police and Sashastra Seema Bal officials. Security agencies also swung into action and launched an inquiry. Following this, Shrami decided to return to her country. Malhipur SHO Dharmendra Kumar told PTI that the woman came to India on a tourist visa. "No criminal angle was found in the probe. Her tourist visa was valid. She returned to Lucknow on Saturday and probably left for Bangladesh from there. Kareem also left, saying he was going back to Bahrain," he added. Additional Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar Yadav said officials from the Intelligence Bureau, Sashastra Seema Bal and the Anti Terrorist Squad interrogated both Sharmi and Kareem and found nothing suspicious. The woman left on her own, saying she would return to her country, he added. Bihar is witnessing an alarming rise in dengue cases, with 6,146 cases reported in September, the highest for the month in the last five years, according to the health department's data. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo The state had reported 6,421 cases this year, of which 6,146 were reported only in September, three times the 1,896 registered in September last year. As many as 416 cases were reported in the state on Friday, with Patna recording the most at 177, followed by Munger at 33, Saran (28), Bhagalpur (27) and Begusarai (17). According to the National Center for Vector Borne Disease Control of the Union Health Ministry, seven dengue deaths have been reported in Bihar till September 17 this year. As per the health department's data, a total of 13,972 cases were reported last year. As many as 295 people were undergoing treatment at 12 government hospitals till September 30, including 127 at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur, 39 at VIMS in Pawapuri and 28 at Patna Medical College and Hospital. Dr Manoj Kumar, a renowned medical practitioner in the state, told PTI, "There is no need to panic as dengue cases always increase during this season. Keeping homes and surroundings dry and clean and body covered helps curb the spread of the disease. Mosquito repellants and nets must be used and all possible breeding sites should be detected and eliminated." Patna District Magistrate Chandrasekhar Singh said the administration is keeping a close watch on a daily basis and spraying and fogging are being conducted, while awareness camps on vector borne diseases are also being organised. Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Animesh Kumar Parashar said the civic body has launched an extensive drive to check the increasing number of dengue cases in the city. "Chemical fogging is being carried out with the help of 140 vehicles and hand-held devices. We have constituted 375 teams for fogging operations. Residential premises that have reported dengue cases recently are regularly sanitised," he said. A majority of the medical colleges assessed in 2022-23 were found to have ghost faculty and senior residents, and none of the institutes met the requirement of 50 per cent attendance, the National Medical Commission has said. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo The NMC said it found that none of them visit the emergency department regularly "because there is no one in the emergency medicine department to interact with them other than the casualty medical officer". "The posting in the emergency medicine department is supposed to be a break period for the students," the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board of the NMC said. The NMC said this in a reply to the Associations of Emergency Physicians of India over their grievance regarding the exclusion of emergency medicine speciality as a requirement for setting up new medical colleges. In a recently notified regulation, the NMC excluded the requirement of an emergency department for setting up new medical colleges. Earlier, in its June 23 draft, emergency medicine department was among the 14 departments that new medical colleges approved for undergraduate admissions must have. In its reply to the AEPI dated September 22, the UGMEB said the real picture on emergency medicine departments is different from what it looks like on paper. "While checking the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance of these colleges, we were shocked to note that there was 100 per cent failure in all colleges with respect to the faculty and senior resident doctors employed to fulfil the requirements as per the MSR (minimum standard requirement) 2020. Majority of the colleges had ghost faculty and SRS (senior residents) or had not employed the required faculty at all," the commission said in the reply. The attendance was evaluated randomly at any time of the year during the working days at a stretch for about two months, the board said. "After warning the colleges for deficiencies and after giving them adequate time to fulfil deficiencies, none of the colleges met with the requirement of even 50 per cent attendance. Zero attendance was still common. This only establishes that although on paper the data is 134 colleges with emergency medicine departments, the facts are far from the depicted picture," the reply stated. The UGMEB relies more on artificial intelligence for assessing the functionality of a medical college and affiliated hospital through the digital mission mode project installed in NMC, it said. It said the attendance is assessed through Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System, classroom teaching, and hospital functioning through this mode. The number of medical colleges with functional academic emergency departments increased from 45 to 134 a three-fold increase along with an increase in MD emergency medicine seats from 120 to 462, the reply stated. In total, 246 undergraduate medical colleges in 27 states were assessed for granting recognition or continuation of recognition for academic year 2022-23, the board said. According to UGMEB's reply to AEPI, the authorities visited the colleges and found out that students do not go to the emergency medicine department regularly because there is no one in the emergency medicine department to interact with them other than the casualty medical officer. While interacting with PGMEB, we found out that the course curriculum suggested by experts ran into 300 pages and includes everything required in a hospital Secondly, the problems at PG level are different which I shall not touch upon since these are beyond the purview of UGMEB," the reply stated. This year also, the UGMEB officials interacted with all colleges from August 22 to 24 in which a total of 768 participants, and 92 university representatives, including vice chancellors. All issues, including the emergency medicine departments were discussed and a majority of all doubts of all participants were cleared, the reply said. Describing the situation in Manipur as 'tragic', Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand-nephew Prof Sugata Bose called for working out a 'just power-sharing arrangement' in the northeastern state in order to bring all three communities -- Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas -- on the same page. Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: Arambai Tenggol members stage a demonstration against the security forces and police brutalities over the protestors after the death of two students in the violence-hit Manipur, in Jiribam, September 30, 2023. Bose, who was earlier a Lok Sabha MP, pointed out in an interview to PTI that members of all the three communities had joined Netaji's INA in 1944 and fought shoulder to shoulder in the battlefields of Bishnupur and Ukhrul districts in an advance into India. He said there was a need 'to work out a just power-sharing arrangement in Manipur (which would engage all three communities and address their grievances).' "We need to draw upon the best legacy of the past armed struggle against the British to bring the three communities together again," added Bose, who holds the Harvard University's Gardiner chair in history. The Meiteis account for 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts surrounding Imphal. "The situation in Manipur is truly tragic, for short-term political gains, one community has been played against the other. That kind of political game must stop," Netaji's grand-nephew said. For the last five months, Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. Initial grievances and accusations include bulldozing of villages, which had sprung up on forest lands, and an Imphal high court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on demands for scheduled tribe status for Meiteis, which the tribal communities resented. These were compounded by rival accusations of ethnic cleansing and involvement in the drug trade by both communities. "Manipur, along with the rest of the northeast, should be given a voice in decision making at the Centre," Bose said. He recounted that a large number of Manipuri youth from Kuki, Meitei and Naga communities joined the INA in its march towards Imphal. Of these volunteer soldiers, 15 Manipuri young men and two women joined other INA troops in the retreat to Rangoon, suffering hardships as they fought a gallant rear guard action against seasoned British troops. "These freedom fighters from Manipur included M Koireng Singh, the first chief minister of Manipur after Independence," Bose pointed out. INA's advance nearly 80 years ago had been three-pronged -- the Gandhi brigade led by Col Inayat Jan Kiyani moved into the hills of Palal and Tengnoupal, east of Imphal; Col Shah Nawaz Khan led the Subhas Brigade into Ukhrul, while Col Shaukat Malik led the Bahadur group into Moirang in Bishnupur district, just 40 km from Imphal town. Colonel Shakuat Malik raised the tricolor at Moirang in Bishnupur district on April 14, 1944 with help from Koering Singh and Naqi Ahmed Chaudhary, a Manipuri Muslim. There is also a version that Netaji Subhas Bose visited an INA camp near Churachandpur, a largely Kuki-dominated town in July 1944, to visit his frontline troops and interacted with villagers there. The region where INA first entered the country has since then been largely a backwater for independent India. Cut off from the rest of India by Bangladesh, except through the 'Chicken's Neck Corridor' in West Bengal's Siliguri, northeast India has faced insurgencies, race riots compounded with increasing population pressure and few job opportunities. On the day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Jagdalpur on Tuesday, the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has called for a Bastar shutdown alleging the Centre was planning to privatise the National Mineral Development Corporation's Nagarnar steel plant in the region. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in the special cleanliness programme Ek Taarikh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath (Shramdaan) under the 'Swachchta hi Seva' campaign in remembering the inspirations of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi, October 1, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo During his visit to the Bastar district headquarters in the poll-bound state, the prime minister is scheduled to address a Bharatiya Janata Party rally. Addressing a joint press conference here on Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and state Congress president Deepak Baij accused the Central government of trying to hand over the Nagarnar steel plant in Bastar district to private players. The Centre's move will deeply hurt the hopes and aspirations of tribal people, Baghel claimed. "In 2020, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I had urged not to privatise the upcoming steel plant and in the same year, the Chhattisgarh assembly had passed a resolution stating that the House urges the Centre not to disinvest the plant. And if it is done, the state government is ready to buy it," the chief minister said. He claimed the Union government has inserted a clause under which the Chhattisgarh government cannot take part in the bidding process. During his visit to Jagdalpur, PM Modi is likely to dedicate the NSP to the nation. On the same day, Congress will observe a bandh in Bastar against the Centre's plan to disinvest NSP, Baghel said. The Bastar division comprises seven districts. The Nagarnar Steel Plant of the National Mineral Development Corporation, a Central PSU, commenced production last month. Baij alleged the Centre wants to favour its industrialist friends and trying to sell the NSP to them. "The entire tribal community in Bastar is agitated over the Centre's move as the tribals had given their land for the steel plant to NMDC, which is a public sector undertaking, and not to any private company," he said. Baghel and Baij demanded that PM Modi announce to setting up of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bastar during his forthcoming visit. Referring to a rally addressed by Modi in Bilaspur district on Saturday, wherein he alleged the Chhattisgarh government was steeped in corruption, Baghel accused the PM of lying on various issues including paddy procurement. "Modi ji said that every single grain of paddy of farmers in the state is procured by the Centre. If it is so then the Centre should release an order to purchase entire paddy from farmers of the state on the support price this year," Baghel said. Queried about the prime minister's promise of action against the guilty in the alleged PSC exam scam if the BJP comes to power, Baghel hit back saying the PM reads whatever is written on the prompter. "If anyone submits a complaint in connection with alleged irregularities in PSC recruitment then we will get it investigated. So far no complaints have been received," he said. Amid allegations of recruitment of relatives of the chairman of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission in the CGPSC Exam 2021, Baghel asked if it is a crime to be children of officials. "If the court orders that children of government officials cannot take part in the PSC exam we will abide by it," he added. The state goes to polls later this year. Thousands of central and state government employees from across the country gathered at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday to demand the restoration of the old pension scheme, with several opposition parties also extending support to the protesters. IMAGE: NPS employees and teachers from various states stage a protest against the pension scheme, at Ramlila Ground, in New Delhi, October 1, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Opposition leaders including Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his Congress colleagues Arvinder Singh Lovely, Sandeep Dikshit and Udit Raj, and Bahujan Samaj Party MP Shyam Singh Yadav, besides farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, joined the rally. The protesters who had gathered under the banner of the Joint Forum for Restoration of Old Pension Scheme and National Joint Council of Action said they were worried about their post-retirement future. "The employees who joined government service after January 1, 2004 are strongly opposing the New Pension Scheme. They are worried about their future after retirement because they have been deprived of the Old Pension Scheme and forced into the New Pension Scheme," said Shiv Gopal Mishra, National Convener and General Secretary of All India Railway Men's Federation. At the maha rally, the organisers claimed that government employees from 20 states were participating in the rally. The protesters said that the party which promises to restore the Old Pension Scheme should be voted to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Holding placards and flags, the protesters raised slogans of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Karamchari Ekta Zindabad'. "We had given a call to bring back the old pension scheme and we had successfully brought back the OPS in several states with our struggle. "Our team believed that if the central government ratifies this (OPS), then the onus won't be on the state government. This is why we had come to Delhi's Ramlila Maidan (to protest), National Movement For Old Pension Scheme leader Vijay Kumar Bandhu, told PTI Video. Noting that Congress-ruled states have restored OPS, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other party leaders said as soon its government is formed at the Centre, it will implement OPS in the entire country. "These OPS protests show the anger of our steel frame, the government officers, against the ruling regime," AICC general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal said. "We implemented OPS in Congress-ruled states because it is their right. This crowd of 20 lakh people tells a story - the BJP's days are numbered," Venugopal said on X. At the rally, while Tikait assured the protesters that the farmers were with them, AAP's Sanjay Singh said that he has always raised the issue of the old pension scheme in the Parliament. "On this stage, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme. A resolution was passed in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on the matter while the Punjab government took a cabinet decision to implement it. "Only Kejriwal gives guarantees and does not make false promises. I have always raised your issues in the Parliament. "I am suspended right now but I assure you whenever I will return to the House, I will raise your issues. An MLA or MP gets a pension even if elected for 40 days and our government employees who have worked for 40 years will not get a pension," he asked. Raj said that if the Congress comes to power at the Centre, the Old Pension Scheme will be implemented on the first day itself. He said the party had implemented the OPS in Chhatisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan where it had governments. Taking to X, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal voiced support for the Old Pension Scheme and said he has requested the Centre to implement it for Delhi government employees. "We strongly support the demand of govt employees to bring back OPS. NPS is an injustice against employees. We have implemented OPS in Punjab and have written to the Centre for implementing it for Del govt employees. Some other non-BJP govts have also implemented OPS," Kejriwal said in a post on 'X'. Under the OPS, a government employee gets a monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent his/her last drawn salary. There was no need for contribution by employees. Under the NPS, a state government employee contributes 10 per cent of his/her basic salary plus dearness allowance with the state making a matching contribution. The money is then invested in one of the several pension funds approved by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority and returns are market-linked. At least nine people were killed after a tourist bus fell into a gorge in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district on Saturday, said police. Photograph: ANI on X According to police, the bus was on its way from Coonoor to Tenkasi when it met with the accident. The passengers who were onboard the bus were returning home from a tour in Ooty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the bus accident and prayed for the recovery of the injured in the incident 'Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident near Coonoor in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Those injured would be given Rs 50,000,' Prime Minister's Office (PMO) posted on X. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Coimbatore Zone, Saravana Sundar, while speaking to ANI on Saturday informed the death of eight people. He also said that a few were seriously injured in the accident. As per the police, the bus was on its way from Ooty to Mettupalaym in the Coimbatore district of the Southern state when the accident took place. The injured had been rushed to Coonoor government hospital for treatment. "55 people were in the bus. 35 people were injured and sent to Coonoor government hospital for treatment by ambulance," officials said. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to light that the driver lost control over the wheels and ended up falling into a 100 ft-deep gorge at Marapalam near Coonoor, as per police. More details are awaited. Celebrating his countrys independence day in Cairo, Tajikistans Ambassador to Egypt Zarobiddin Kosimi said that the 30 years of bilateral ties have strengthened friendship and cooperation in various fields. The 32nd anniversary of the independence of Tajikistan and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Egypt was celebrated on 25 September at the Conrad hotel in Cairo. The two historical countries and peoples are connected not only by these 30 years of diplomatic relations but also by the very long-standing relations within the framework of the Silk Road and the Le Zufard Road, Kosimi said. Even today, trade and mutual investment between Tajikistan and Egypt continue to grow, he said. He pointed out that the process was accelerated after President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited Cairo in March 2022 and Sharm El-Sheikh in November. Economic and trade relations Kosimi expressed his confidence that economic and investment cooperation between the two countries would bear fruit in the near future. He pointed to the large number of Egyptian businessmen and investors who are expected to attend the International Investment Forum, which will be held in Tajikistans capital of Dushanbe 29-30 September. In fact, 32 years is a very short period of time to establish, develop, and strengthen the independent state from a historical perspective. However, it should be emphasized that the Tajik people have a long history of six thousand years and a rich and diverse culture, said Ambassador Kosimi. It is a rich cultural, literary experience and historical memory of the Tajik nation, which gave birth to noble sons such as Abu Ali Ibn Sina, Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni, Jalal al-Din al-Balkhi al-Rumi and hundreds of other great men, that gave us the opportunity to establish the state in this short historical period. International leadership Ambassador Kosimi affirmed that Tajikistan is internationally recognized for its pioneering efforts to solve global problems related to water and climate. It is a matter of pride for the Tajik people that five initiatives of Tajikistan so far have received support and assistance from the international community, that is the United Nations, [and] are being implemented on a global scale, Kosimi said. He pointed out that the international water agenda is called the Dushanbe Process. Tajikistan is a country of pure water and the source of more than 60 percent of the water resources in Central Asia, which stem from 13,000 glaciers, rivers, and beautiful mountain springs. By having an incredible amount of water resources and stunning nature, Tajikistan is one of the leading and exemplary countries in the world in the modern process of development of green economy and green energy. This makes Tajikistan one of the most attractive countries in the world for tourists and foreign investors, he added. Kosimi concluded by expressing his wish for the continued friendship between Egypt and Tajikistan. Search Keywords: Short link: 'You ain't seen anything yet,' EAM Jaishankar says about the India-US relationship. Abhijit J Masih reports from the Colors of Friendship event at India House in Washington, DC. Photographs and Videos: Abhijit J Masih for Rediff.com IMAGE: External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is welcomed on his arrival at India House, September 30, 2023. External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar returned to India House in Washington, DC, which had been his home during his tenure as the Ambassador of India to the United States from 2013 to 2015, on Saturday, September 30, 2023, evening. A thousand strong diaspora crowd assembled on the lawns of the Indian embassy in the upscale North West area of the capital to welcome the current architect of an improved India-US relationship at an event dubbed as the Colors of Friendship. In his speech later, Dr Jaishankar commented that he had never seen such a massive gathering at his "previous home", like the one which was clamoring for his attention and lining up to get a selfie with him. The special event hosted by the Indian embassy was attended by the creme de la creme of the Indian American community. Notable among them were Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Director of the US Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, US congressman Sri Thanedar, Director of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta, National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan and a host of other leading Indian American guests were present not just from the capital area, but from other states as well. The last diaspora gatherings in Washington, DC were held during Prime Minister Narendra D Modi's State visit in June. The external affairs minister had stayed in the shadows then and as a member of the large Indian delegation. Today, he held center stage. IMAGE: The EAM was greeted with 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. The US Secret Service escorting him in the same meticulous and stoic manner in which they had accompanied Prime Minister Modi. The reception offered by the large Indian American crowd was somewhat similar with shouts of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' as soon as the minister got off the silver suburban. His wife Kyoko Jaishankar, dressed in a pastel blue silk sari, walking a few steps behind him enjoying the obscurity while people jostled to get a selfie with her husband. SEE: The EAM is welcomed by Indian Americans at the Colors of Friendship event in Washington, DC. IMAGE: India's Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu welcomed the gathering. Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu in his welcome note referred to Dr Jaishankar as his former boss as well as his current boss referring to his stint as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, DC twice earlier. The Colors of Friendship, according to Ambassador Sandhu, was a combined celebration of the many festivals of India between now and December starting with Gandhi Jayanti. It was also the celebration of the India-US relationship which Dr Jaishankar in his speech termed as at an all time high. IMAGE: The EAM has spent a long week in the US, addressing the United Nations General Assembly, speaking at think-tanks in New York and Washington, DC, and meeting with his counterparts from the Quad combine. The speeches by all the dignitaries were mostly delivered extempore and were short and highlighted the growing influence and of the Indian American community in not just business but more so now in politics. While many thronged the tent to listen in, some made for the food stalls serving samosa chaat, vada pav, momos and much more. IMAGE: Dr Jaishankar said he had discussed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations with US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken at their meeting at the State Department on September 28, 2023. Loud cheers greeted Dr Jaishankar when he took the podium. In an unusually cheerful avatar, he opened his remarks calling 2023 to be exceptional for India. "This is a different India," he said, highlighting recent accomplishments like Chandrayaan 3 landing on the dark side of the moon and the successful G20 event in India. He shared his experience of watching the Chandrayaan landing alongside Modi at the BRICS event in South Africa. "The prime minister was following the landing and was talking to ISRO, because these are tense moments. However confident anybody is about a vision, in that period you want to have somebody around who will give you reassurance. And believe me, nobody can do reassurance better than Mr Modi," he said. The Rajya Sabha MP, who also has the development responsibilities of the district which houses the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, mentioned the teachings of the Mahatma in his closing remarks: "The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, leaving no one behind." SEE: The EAM on the India-US relationship. After spending a considerable amount of time in the United States, it came as no surprise that the EAM envisions the future in a distinctly American manner: "You ain't seen anything yet." IMAGE: Indian American children bring the colors of India to the event. IMAGE: Bhangra at the Colors of Friendship event, here and below. IMAGE: US Surgeon General Dr Vivek H Murthy addresses the gathering. IMAGE: Nisha Desai Biswal, who oversaw India-US relations as the assistant secretary of state for South Asia in the Obama administration, is currently Deputy CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation. IMAGE: The Mahatma, whose 154th birth anniversary will be commemorated on Monday, registered his presence at the Colors of Friendship event. Rebecca Todd, most recently the executive director of Stonewall Farm in Keene, N.H., is taking over as executive director of the Connecticut River Conservancy on Oct. 9. Brattleboro Police officers investigate a deadly train incident near Riverside Drive on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. It was reported that a person on the tracks was hit by a train. More than 200 internationally recognised brands as well top designers will be in Abu Dhabi next month to showcase their latest designs at the 30th edition of the Jewellery & Watch Show (JWS) in front of 7,000 jewellery enthusiasts from across the globe. A detail from a 'Fables' cartoon by Bill Willingham. Image courtesy of the publisher ECC. This is a story full of fairy tales. In some ways, it even resembles one. And yet it also proves that, in the real world, things rarely end happily ever after. A few days ago, Bill Willingham, the father of the celebrated Fables comic book series, announced that he was sending his most cherished work to the public domain, that is, to everyone. Thats only fair, since that is also where he got the main characters of his stories, from Snow White to the Wolf, from Pinocchio to Prince Charming, who were then relocated to modern New York. In this tale, the hero has long-faced mistreatment at the hands of the villains, DC Comics the owner of Vertigo, which publishes the work in the United States and its executives. If I couldnt prevent Fables from falling into bad hands, at least this is a way I can arrange that it also falls into many good hands, Willingham wrote in an online post in which he decried the labels repeated attempts to take over his creations and opposed them with this final extreme remedy. But the company responded that it considers itself to be the true owner of the series. In a statement published by the specialized media IGN, the company threatened to take necessary action to defend its rights. Thus, the end of the dispute is uncertain. But it is unlikely that everyone will end up happily ever after. In the meantime, in a new post, Willingham celebrated the massive support he received. In fact, for the moment, he has declined all interview requests he did not respond to this newspapers request, nor did the publisher arguing that he preferred to spend the next few days working on new artistic projects. Meanwhile, the dispute continues. After all, Fables is one of the most celebrated graphic novels of the last 20 years, and it has spawned spin-offs and a video game adaptation (The Wolf Among Us). This situation also touches on a key issue, namely, the intellectual property rights of characters and works, especially in a sector where, for decades, dozens of cartoonists and screenwriters have accused comic book giants Marvel and DC of pressuring them to cede their ideas and accept commissioned contracts. Willingham sums it up as a policy aimed to make creators sign work for hire agreements and crush them. All of this makes a gesture that was already intended to make a splash even more resonant. A detail from a Fables cartoon by Bill Willingham. Image provided by ECC Indeed, the battle over intellectual property is as old as contemporary comics: the copyrights for Superman, Batman and The Fantastic Four all have unresolved disputes and complaints from Jerry Siegel, Bill Finger and Jack Kirby over the contemptuous treatment they suffered. And heavyweight Alan Moore has been lamenting for years that DC took away his ownership of famous works like Watchmen. Along with prestige and principles, tens of millions of dollars are at stake, especially now that the film industry has become interested in comics. When you sign a contract with DC, your responsibilities to them are carved in stone, where their responsibilities to you are treated as helpful suggestions that well try to accommodate when we can, but were serious adults, doing serious business and we cant always take the time to indulge the needs of these children who work for us, the Fables author wrote on his blog. Following the impact of his original message, Willingham posted two other texts. He maintains that he had thought about sending his work into the public domain when he passed away, but that certain events have changed his plans: among them, he lists the changes in management and attitude at the top of the publishing company; the multiple breaches of obligations such as consultations about covers, artists for new plots and adaptations; DCs forgetfulness when it came to pay, which forced him to demand invoices of up to $30,000; the suspicious frequency with which the publisher attributed it to slipping through the cracks (to such an extent that the author insisted that they stop using that expression); and the time and chances he gave them to respect the pact, renegotiate it or even break it and consensually separate. A detail from the cover of the first volume of Bill Willingham's comprehensive collection of 'Fables.' Shortly after creating Fables, I entered into a publishing agreement with DC Comics. In that agreement, while I continued to own the property, DC would have exclusive rights to publish Fables comics, and then later that agreement was expanded to give DC exclusive rights to exploit the property in other ways, including movies and TV. DC paid me a fair price for these rights (fair at the time), and as long as they behaved ethically and above-board, and conducted themselves as if this were a partnership, all was more or less well. But DC doesnt seem to be capable of acting fairly and above-board. In fact, they treated this agreement (as I suppose I should have known they would) as if they were the boss and I, their servant. In time that got worse, as they later reinterpreted our contracts to assume they owned Fables outright, Willingham laments. Hence, he concluded that you cant reason with the unreasonable. Having ruled out a lawsuit as too expensive and time-consuming at 67 years of age, he found a more creative solution: if they prevented him from owning his works and benefiting from them as he was entitled to do, he would not let the publisher do so either. Or, at least, everyone could use the comics as they wished. But the label was quick to clarify in its statement to IGN: The Fables comic books and graphic novels [are] published by DC [] and are not in the public domain. For his part, Willingham promises to continue fighting for all the conditions of his still-in-force contract that he considers DC to have violated, as well as for the last installments of the series, the final script of which he delivered two years ago. There will be additional chapters in this dispute, as well as in many other ones like it: in 2024, the historic first image of Mickey Mouse the one that starred in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie enters the public domain in the U.S. and other countries. Copyright in the U.S. lasts for 95 years, and math is an exact science. Therefore, in a few years, King Kong, Superman and Popeye will meet the same fate. But The New York Times has wondered how the notoriously litigious Disney will react and how far it will go to fight in court. And who would dare to freely use all these works for fear of a million-dollar lawsuit? The same question surrounds DC and similar companies. Because in the real world, fairy tales are rare. Or they end up in court. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Throughout the years, weve seen numerous Spanish words adopted into English fiesta and amigo have become standard vocabulary for many English speakers. And of course everyone knows about salsa and tortillas. A number of phrases incorporating both Spanish and English words have developed, such as hasta la vista, baby (thank you Terminator) and no problemo. This usage of Spanglish by non-Spanish-speakers illustrates its far-reaching impact. Its not just a tool for communication within bilingual communities, but also a cultural phenomenon that transcends linguistic boundaries. Its an example of how language evolves and adapts, reflecting the diverse, multicultural nature of American society. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States. With over 41 million people over the age of five speaking Spanish at home, its no wonder that new dialects are emerging in cities with significant Hispanic populations. In Miami, for example, Cuban-Americans have created a unique form of Spanglish known as Cubonics, which borrows slang words and grammar from both Cuban Spanish and English. Similarly, the Puerto Rican community in New York City has developed a distinct dialect known as Nuyorican. Cubonics incorporates unique words and phrases. An example is parquear, a hybrid that combines the English word park with the Spanish verb ending -ear to mean to park. In Nuyorican, one might hear English speakers say bodega to refer to a small grocery store. Vacunar la carpeta is another interesting example from Cubonics. This phrase literally translates as to vaccinate the carpet, but it is colloquially used to mean to vacuum the carpet, demonstrating how words from both languages can combine in unexpected ways to create new meanings. The influence of Spanish has crept into English in unexpected ways. People in Miami often say things like, get down from the car (a literal translation of bajarse del coche) instead of get out of the car. And Mexican Americans throughout the Southwest, who dont speak Spanish, have a singsongy cadence to their English speech the cantadito so particular to Mexican Spanish. "Yersi" is a Spanglish word derived from "jersey" Prominent voices from these communities offer their unique perspectives on these dialects. In an interview with HyperMedia magazine, Cuban-American author Gustavo Perez Firmat refers to Cubonics as an expression of our cultural identity... Its a way of saying, Were here. Were Cuban. Were American. And were not going away. Likewise, New York Citys Nuyorican community has embraced their dialect as a cultural marker. The New York Times obituary for poet Tato Laviera said he often praised Nuyorican for its capacity to collapse two cultures and recreate them. Amherst University professor Ilan Stavans, who wrote the book, Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language, made waves when he started writing a Spanglish version of Don Quijote. But he defends his fascination with Spanglish. Languages are never in a state of purity. Instead, they are always changing, he wrote in 2014. Stavans considers Spanglish a creative way to transcend borders and enhance ones identity. The impact of these linguistic blends on American culture has been significant, as scholars and community leaders have noted. In a research paper published in the International Journal of Bilingualism, linguist Ana Celia Zentella argues that Spanglish is a powerful tool for identity formation among Hispanic youth in the US, stating that it provides a linguistic affirmation of their biculturalism. Calo originated in the early 20th century among pachucos Mexican-Americans living in the southwestern U.S. who were known for their distinctive clothing and cultural style. The pachuco Calo dialect incorporates both Spanish and English words with unique syntax and grammar rules, often using code-switching to show group solidarity and to distinguish speakers from outsiders. Calo is still spoken within the Hispanic community, though mainly as an informal or slang language. It represents more than simply a linguistic fusion; it embodies a unique cultural identity formed by the convergence of two distinct worlds Mexican and American. Pachuco style baggy pleated pants and a broad-brimmed hat RAFAEL ESTEFANIA On the creative front, the influence of Calo can be seen vividly. Celebrated playwright and filmmaker, Luis Valdez, often incorporates Calo into his work to authentically capture the essence of the Chicano experience. He explains in an interview by El Teatro Campesino, Calo is part of our heritage... Its the language of the barrio, the language of the home. It has its own vibrancy, its own life. In the Mexican-American communities of the southwestern United States, youll occasionally hear English speakers peppering their conversations with Calo phrases and idioms. An example is the word jefita, used to affectionately refer to ones mother. In this context, an English speaker might say, I need to check in with my jefita before we head out. Another example is Dont chillar over spilled milk, borrowing the idiom chill from English and the verb from Spanish. These examples demonstrate how the Calo dialect has been embraced by English speakers in some parts of the United States, adding to its cultural significance. Social media has played an important role in popularizing Spanish-influenced dialects in the U.S., with users often creating humorous posts and videos using slang words and phrases from their respective dialects. Examples of Spanish-influenced dialects on social media abound. On Twitter and TikTok, the hashtags #Spanglish or #ChicanoEnglish are frequently used by users sharing content that blends English and Spanish. A popular example is the phrase Y el novio? This query is often humorously associated with the incessant questioning from family members about ones relationship status during family gatherings. This phrase has seen countless memes making it familiar even to non-Spanish speaking viewers. Instagram influencers and celebrities also contribute to this linguistic diffusion. Celebrities like Selena Gomez and Cardi B often incorporate Spanglish or Chicano English in their captions and comments, providing exposure to millions of followers who may not be Spanish speakers. For instance, Cardi Bs famous catchphrase Okurrr is a magnificent display of how code-switching can create a unique linguistic style widely adopted by non-Spanish speakers. These Spanish-influenced dialects serve as a living testament to the rich heritage and cultural amalgamation that is characteristic of American society. They represent the diverse journeys of various communities across generations, encapsulating their histories, struggles, triumphs, and cultural nuances. By preserving these dialects, we provide future generations the opportunity to understand and appreciate the cultural depth of their predecessors, thereby fostering a deeper sense of identity and belonging. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A group of young people stormed businesses in downtown Philadelphia last Wednesday. Dozens of stores, including Apple, Foot Locker and Lululemon, were ransacked. The police took action and made dozens of arrests, but in recent months, similar incidents have been happening again and again in large cities across the United States. The phenomenon has even been given a name: smash-and-grab robberies. On many occasions, the attacks are carried out with total impunity. The robbers enter in broad daylight, when the stores are still open, rush past the helpless employees and escape before the police arrive. The same day of the smash-and-grab robberies in Philadelphia, the U.S. retail giant Target announced the definitive closure of nine establishments due to the rise in violence and robberies. The day before, on Tuesday, the U.S. National Retail Federation (NRF) warned of the rise of organized crime against stores. It reported that financial losses associated with theft reached $112 billion in 2022, a record high. Social media is full of videos of retail robberies, especially on the West Coast, with the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco/Oakland the hardest hit by the wave of robberies. On August 1, a group of between 30 and 50 hooded people broke into the Nordstrom store in Topanga, northeast of Los Angeles, and took luxury products such as designer handbags worth between $60,000 and $100,000, according to police. The thieves used bear repellent spray to incapacitate the security guards at the store. Footage of how the assailants destroyed everything in the store went viral. Eric Nordstrom, CEO of Nordstrom, was asked about the incident days later at a conference with analysts. Certainly what happened in our Topanga store is disturbing to all of us. But the loss is a concern. Losses from theft are at historic highs. Id say we find it unacceptable and [it] needs to be addressed. That being said, while its unacceptable, it is within our plans. We have not seen continuing rising of shrinkage that has exceeded what we planned, he said. Despite Nordstroms assurances, losses from thefts are exceeding most retailers forecasts. Q2 profitability was short of our expectations due in large part to the impact of elevated inventory shrink, an increasingly serious issue impacting many retailers, said Lauren Hobart, the CEO of Dicks Sporting Goods, in their second quarter earnings call. Hobart said organized retail crime and theft in general was an increasingly serious issue impacting many retailers. The number of incidents and the organized retail crime impact came in significantly higher than we anticipated, added Navdeep Gupta, the CFO of Dicks Sporting Goods, which has more than 850 stores throughout the country and an annual turnover of more than $12 billion. Foot Locker CFO Michael Baughn also warned about the rise in robberies in the companys earnings call. We continued to see elevated shrink levels. In the retails sector, euphemisms such as shrinkage or unknown loss are often used. These terms cover losses due to deterioration and theft, both from within and outside the company. But more and more companies are preferring to call the phenomenon by its name. When announcing the closure of nine stores (three in Portland, three in the San Francisco and Oakland area, two in Seattle and one in New York), Target stated: We cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests. Previously, in the companys earning call in August, Target CEO Brian Cornell warned that the company continues to face an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime. And unfortunately, safety incidents associated with theft are moving in the wrong direction. According to Cornell, during the first five months of 2023, Target stores saw a 120% increase in theft involving violence or threats of violence. Waves of thefts These types of smash-and-grab robberies, especially the violent ones, have set off social alarm. But the phenomenon is not entirely new. The wave tends to happen quickly and seasonally. California saw an intense surge towards Christmas 2021. This prompted the governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom, to pledge to invest about $300 million in security over three years. Authorities focused on increasing police presence in shopping centers and businesses that had been ransacked, such as jewelry stores. The five cities or metropolitan areas most affected by organized retail crime are Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, Houston, New York and Seattle, according to the NRF. The first two areas are in California. In mid-September, Newsom recalled that he still had about $267 million in funding from the investment pledge, which he will give to 55 police departments and sheriffs offices. The money is intended to finance investigation teams and reinforce the number of police in the fall, the peak commercial season. Conservative sectors argue that the rise of robberies in California is the result of the 2014 approval of Proposition 47, which reduced the penalty for property crimes if the guilty party did not have a criminal record. The measure was a bid to ease the pressure on Californias overcrowded prisons, which have the biggest population in the country. Activists in favor of penal reform, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that Proposition 47 is not responsible for the rise in smash-and-grab robberies. Under California law, anyone who steals items worth more than $950 has committed a felony. In Washington state, where similar episodes have also been recorded, the limit is even lower, $750. Texas and other entities have a higher ceiling, of up to $2,500. Increase in property crimes While Republicans argue that California is soft on crime, the Democrat state says that no one who commits a smash-and-grab robbery goes unpunished. Last year, 2,313 property crimes were committed, an increase of 6.2% compared to 2021. California State Attorney Rob Bonta tried to put an optimistic twist on the numbers, arguing last summer, that it was still far from the historic high of 6,800, which was documented in 1980. The rise of robberies is not limited to California. Retailers are seeing unprecedented levels of theft coupled with rampant crime in their stores, and the situation is only becoming more dire, said NRF Vice President for Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston in a statement. Far beyond the financial impact of these crimes, the violence and concerns over safety continue to be the priority for all retailers, regardless of size or category. Businesses have recorded a dramatic rise in financial losses associated with theft. In 2022, these losses represented $112.1 billion, up from $93.9 billion in 2021, according to the 2023 National Retail Security Survey published this week by the NRF. The figure includes both external theft and theft from employees. The study also warned that with the increase in violence, more retailers are opting for a hands-off approach in the apprehension of shoplifters. Forty-one percent of respondents said that no employees are authorized to stop or detain thieves. Retailers, meanwhile, are strengthening their security teams, hiring more security guards, storing merchandise of increasingly less value in locked boxes and blocking and limiting entrances and exits to stores to prevent robberies. But this has not proven to be enough. As a direct result of crime, 30% of companies have reduced or altered in-store product selection, 45% have reduced operating hours, and 28% have been forced, like Target, to opt for the most drastic measure: closing a store location. That however is not as drastic as what former U.S. president Donald Trump proposed last Friday at an event in California: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition US universities need to realize how Beijing is pushing its agenda through student associations, experts say. Zhang Jinrui, a Chinese student studying at Georgetown University Law School poses for a photo with a placard he displayed during a past protest against Chinas zero COVID policy, at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., September 2023. An international student in the U.S. capital has been harassed by Chinas state security police for pro-democracy activism on American soil, with his loved ones back in China hauled in by police for questioning and told to get him in line, Radio Free Asia has learned. Zhang Jinrui, a law student at Washingtons Georgetown University, said his family in China received an unexpected visit in June from state security police, who interrogated his father about Zhangs level of patriotism and questioned him about his activities in the United States. The state security police knocked on our door and took my father away for lengthy questioning, Zhang told Radio Free Asia in a recent interview. [They asked him] Does this child of yours take part in pro-democracy activities? Do they usually love their country and the [ruling Chinese Communist] Party? If not, you have to teach him to love his country and the party better, the police said. Its not OK that hes doing this, and it wont do any good. Zhangs experience comes amid growing concern over Beijings long-arm law enforcement targeting overseas activists and students, who had expected to enjoy greater freedom of speech and association while living or studying in a democratic country. Zhang said the questioning of his father came after he took part in protests in support of the white paper protest movement in November 2022, and against Beijings hosting of the Winter Olympics in February. There are growing concerns over Beijings long-arm law enforcement targeting overseas activists and students. Here, Viola, a New York University graduate student, delivers a speech during a gathering to mark the third anniversary of the death of Chinese whistleblower Li Wenliang in New York on Feb. 5, 2023. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA Yet he wasnt contacted at the time by police, who sometimes contact overseas Chinese nationals via social media platforms to get their message across. On the evening of June 29, I suddenly received a WeChat message from my sister saying Contact me urgently, something happened, Zhang said. The people from the police station had called my sister and asked about her [relative] in Washington, wanting to know if they took part in the Torch on the Potomac group, saying I was a key member. Fear and self-censorship Torch on the Potomac was set up by students at the George Washington University in April, to provide a safe space for dissident activities by Chinese students. But Zhang was nonplussed by the accusation, saying that the group has yet to organize any activities, and that police have also been harassing the families of Chinese students who havent taken part in any activism at all. Calls to the Wusan police station, which is close to Zhangs family home in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang, rang unanswered during office hours on Sept. 19. Several other Chinese students declined to be interviewed when contacted by Radio Free Asia. Sarah McLaughlin, senior scholar at The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said speaking to the foreign media could bring down further trouble on the heads of students who may already have seen their families hauled in for questioning. I know that thats something that international students have run into before, she said. Theyve gotten in trouble when they returned home for things theyve said online while in the United States. McLaughlin said the harassment of their families in China will have a chilling effect on students speech, even overseas. There are definitely some real fears among these students, and theres definitely self censorship, she said. Classroom informants And the police arent the only source of such anxiety there is also the risk of being reported by fellow students from China, who are encouraged via the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations to keep an eye on each other. A Georgetown University faculty member who asked to remain anonymous said the problem is becoming more and more serious, with Chinese students feeling unable to speak freely in class, for fear of being informed on by their Chinese classmates. Georgetown University student Zhang Jinrui says he was harassed by members of the Georgetown branch of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association as he was distributing flyers. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA Last year, when students at George Washington University put up posters on campus opposing Chinas hosting of the 2023 Winter Olympics, the Chinese Embassy sent members of the campus branch of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association to tear them down again and put up posters denouncing their actions. They even got in touch with the school, saying that the Chinese students who support democracy and oppose zero-COVID are racist, Zhang said. Thats why they set up the Torch on the Potomac, because a lot of their activities werent getting the support of the school. George Washington University President Mark Wrighton admitted in a Feb. 8 statement that the removal of the posters was a mistake, and the university administration should have waited until they better understood the situation before acting. We began to receive a number of concerns through official university reporting channels that cited bias and racism against the Chinese community, Wrighton said. I also received an email directly from a student who expressed concerns. I have since learned from our universitys scholars that the posters were designed by a Chinese-Australian artist, Badiucao, and they are a critique of Chinas policies, he said. Upon full understanding, I do not view these posters as racist; they are political statements. Neither Georgetown University nor George Washington University had responded to requests for comment on the renewed harassment of Chinese students in the United States by Sept. 19. A wall with posters at Georgetown University in Washington. Torch on the Potomac was set up by students at the George Washington University in April, to provide a safe space for dissident activities by Chinese students. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA Close contact with embassies Zhang said he has also been personally harassed by members of the Georgetown branch of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association. One person came over and harangued me, calling me a traitor and accusing me of getting money from the U.S. government, he said of one encounter as he put up posters in support of the white paper movement in late 2022. I said I wasnt, and that I just didnt like the policy, and wasnt it normal to speak out about it? he said. He pointed his camera at me to broadcast my face to his friends back in China, telling them to report me to the police as someone who opposes the government as soon as possible. According to multiple interviews with students and former students, the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations have branches on university campuses all around the world, and maintain close contact with Chinese embassies and consulates wherever they are. Zhang Jinrui, at Georgetown University Law School library in Washington, was nonplussed by the accusations by Chinese police and says police also have been harassing the families of Chinese students who havent taken part in any activism at all. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA McLaughlin called on U.S. universities to better support international students. I think, one interesting tactic that universities should consider is, you know, holding events and training sessions for students, especially international students, to teach them what their rights are in the United States ...and also consider teaching students the benefits of protecting their privacy and data and anonymity while speaking online, she said. She also called for improved reporting mechanisms for transnational censorship on U.S. campuses. Another thing that they can do is offer students a way to report when theyre experiencing harassment, McLaughlin said. It would be good if universities made sure students knew that harassment and threats arent acceptable and that the university would act on it. She said universities should also scrutinize their own levels of involvement with authoritarian regimes, and consider how that might affect their ability to support students from those countries. Weaponizing the language of social justice George Washington University Law School professor Donald Clarke said U.S. universities shouldnt assume that Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) are broadly representative of all Chinese students on their campuses. [Universities should] understand that on the one hand, the voice of the Chinese government is amplified through CSSAs, while on the other hand the voice of those who are critics of the government is suppressed through fear of repercussions, Clarke said in comments emailed to Radio Free Asia. In this photo, with the users account information blurred, Zhang Jinrui, displays a social media response to an interview he granted to RFA a few days ago, that translates as These kinds of traitors who run to daddy U.S. are a national disgrace that ought to have their familys heads cut off. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA CSSAs have become expert at weaponizing the language of social justice and anti-racism to attack critics of the Chinese government, he said, citing the tearing down of the posters at George Washington University as an example. University administrators must understand that due to the Chinese governments obsession with control, almost everything related to China becomes political, Clarke said. Zhang, however, remains undeterred. The right thing is still the right thing, regardless of whether the Chinese Communist Party knows about me or not, and it still needs to be done for the benefit of everyone, he said. I wont stop speaking out for a better political system with a mechanism to solve problems, he said. I will always insist on it. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Protesters in Bulgaria blocked roads in three districts for a third day on October 1 in protest of government plans to shut down coal-burning power plants as part of a transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy sources. Bulgarian miners and other energy-sector workers who are taking part in the protest declined an invitation from Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov to meet on October 1 with the Council of Ministers in Sofia, union leader Dimitar Manolov said. Manolov said late on September 30 the protestors' refusal was categorical, and early on October 1 said their position had not changed. The protesters on September 30 also refused a meeting with Energy Minister Rumen Radev. The local union, which has demanded Radev's resignation, wants an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers "with one item on its agenda -- the withdrawal of the submitted territorial just transition plans," according to state news agency BTA. Although the plans have already been submitted to the European Commission, the union wants them "to be corrected and our demands to be applied." The Bulgarian government on September 29 adopted the plan for a green transition of the coal-mining regions of Stara Zagora, Pernik, and Kustendi, prompting the protesters to begin blocking roads in the three regions. Radev announced on September 30 that Bulgaria's plan had been sent to Brussels. Prior to that move, Bulgaria had been the only EU member state that had not sent its plan. The adoption of the plan was a condition for the European Commission to allocate 1.2 billion euros ($1.27 billion) -- money that would be used for the green transformation of the regions and the creation of new jobs for coal workers. The plan must include a timetable for reducing the capacities of coal-burning power plants in order to be approved by the European Commission. Denkov said that the plan clearly stated that the government would not close coal-burning plants in Bulgaria before 2038. He has said however that "gradually some of them will drop out of the energy system because it will not be economically possible for them to function anymore." Denkov said this was why it is important to "create mechanisms by which people who have the necessary qualifications can find employment in the same region." The government also agreed to pay compensations of 36 months of salary for energy workers who decide to quit. Denkov has called on the protesters to stop the demonstrations, saying that their demands have been fulfilled. But protesting miners and energy workers are dubious and want the plans to be reworked to reflect their demands. "What we are being offered now is -- take some small change and ruin what you have. This is what we are being offered...to ruin the future for years to come, in fact forever," Manolov told BTA. He claimed that "no one knows" what is written in the territorial plans that have been sent to Brussels. Energy workers from a Pernik power plant and miners on October 1 joined the protest to support their colleagues from Stara Zagora. The protesters carried banners and chanted that they wanted to keep their jobs and that the green transition plan is not fair. They told journalists that if the transition plans are not revised, more serious protest action will follow. With reporting by BTA and dpa Leader of Progressive Slovakia party Michal Simecka prepares to cast his vote at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Voters in Slovakia cast ballots Saturday in an early parliamentary election that pits a populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal, pro-West newcomer. Depending on which of them prevails, the election could reverse the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in the war with Russia, threatening to break a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico, 59, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party have vowed to withdraw Slovakias military support for Ukraine in Russias war, if his attempt to return to power is successful. Smers main challenger is Progressive Slovakia, a liberal party formed in 2017 and led by Michal Simecka, 39, a member of the European Parliament. Referring to his rival, Fico said Saturday he wished his country would not be run by amateurs without experience in politics. Fico, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the U.S. should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. He has repeated Russian President Vladimir Putins unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state. Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights and threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deal with corruption and other serious crimes. Progressive Slovakia sees the countrys future as firmly tied to its existing membership in the EU and NATO. The party vowed to continue Slovakias support for Ukraine. It also favors LGBTQ+ rights, a rarity among the major parties in a country that is a stronghold of conservative Roman Catholicism. Every single vote matters, the partys head, Michal Simecka, said on Saturday. Popular among young people, the party won the 2019 European Parliament election in Slovakia in coalition with the Together party, gaining more than 20% of the vote. But it narrowly failed to win seats in the national parliament in 2020. No party is expected to win a majority of seats Saturday, meaning a coalition government will need to be formed. The party that secures the most votes typically gets the first chance to put together a government. Polls indicate that seven or eight other political groups and parties might surpass a 5% threshold needed for representation in the 150-seat National Council. Among them is the left-wing Hlas (Voice), led by Ficos former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini. They parted ways after Smer lost the previous election in 2020 but their possible reunion would boost Ficos chances to rule. Its important for me that the new coalition would be formed by such parties that can agree on the priorities for Slovakia and ensure stability and calm, Pellegrini said after voting in Bratislava. The others include the Republic, a far-right group led by former members of the openly neo-Nazi Peoples Party Our Slovakia whose members use Nazi salutes and want Slovakia out of the EU and NATO. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Kosovo says its investigation into an attack last weekend in a northern Kosovar village has turned up evidence showing that Serbia intended to annex northern Kosovo and that the attackers prepared at Serbian Army bases. Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla said on October 1 during a news conference in Mitrovica that more than 90 people took part in the attack in the village of Banjska on September 24. Three of the attackers and a Kosovar police officer were killed. "Serbia has repeatedly tried to say that it has nothing to do with this attack, but the facts that will be published show that the preparations, training, and exercises of this group were carried out at the military training base near Jagodina and in Kopaonik, Svecla said, referring to locations in Serbia. He said images of the preparations can been seen in data obtained from drones that Kosovo seized. The attackers also planned to open "a long underground channel" from Banjska to Serbia for "supplies from the Serbian state," he said. Kosovo Police Director-General Gazmend Hoxha said the group that carried out the attack had been trained at Serbian bases for a long, unspecified period and the plan involved the annexation of northern Kosovo. "In the documents we have, which we cannot share with you now, there is a plan for annexation of the north forest in an initial phase in 37 positions, from which our police units would be attacked, not only in Banjska and Zvecan but in all the northern parts," Hoxha said. A corridor was then to be created to carry out armed resistance and "the creation of a new reality in the country," he said. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Milos Vucevic and General Milan Mojsilovic, chief of the General Staff of the Serbian armed forces, called the allegations lies and scheduled a news conference on October 2 to respond. Hoxha said the Kosovo Police are still investigating a week after the deadly attack. Svecla said a quantity of weapons was found in Banjska on October 1. Police had already confiscated large quantities of weapons in the days after the attack. After initially saying the attack was on the monastery, officials now say the Serbian attackers took refuge in the monastery after attacking a police patrol in an ambush. From the monastery they continued the confrontation with police, and three of them were killed. Hoxha said the Serbian Orthodox Church and monastery were part of the investigation "to see their possible role in the attack or whether they helped the terrorist group." Earlier on October 1 Kosovo called on Serbia to withdraw troops from its border region, vowing it was ready to protect its territorial integrity. Serbia's president, meanwhile, denied Western reports of a military buildup, and complained about a "campaign of lies" against Serbia. "We call on [Serbian] President [Aleksandar] Vucic and the institutions of Serbia to immediately withdraw all troops from the border with Kosovo," Kosovo's government said. "The deployment of Serbian troops along the border with Kosovo is the next step by Serbia to threaten the territorial integrity of our country." In a video posted to Instagram on October 1, Vucic denied the U.S. and other Western reports of a buildup. "A campaign of lies...has been launched against our Serbia," Vucic said. "They have lied a lot about the presence of our military forces.... In fact, they are bothered that Serbia has what they describe as sophisticated weapons." The United States on September 29 accused Serbia of massing forces along the border and urged Belgrade to pull them back. NATO, which still has 4,500 troops in Kosovo, has ordered more troops to the area "to address the current situation." NATO again called for calm and demanded that Belgrade and Pristina resume dialogue as soon as possible, as "the only way to achieve lasting peace," alliance spokesman Dylan White said. With reporting by AP and AFP He's remembered on the Russian social-media platform VKontakte as "a son, husband, father." But 43-year-old Yevgeny Stanovoi, a deputy platoon commander in Russia's elite 61st Marine Infantry Brigade, was also part of a trend -- another native of an indigenous-populated, impoverished village in Russia's Far North, Lovozero, who joined the military and was killed in Ukraine. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has taken an unknown number of men -- draftees, volunteers, and prisoners recruited by the mercenary group Wagner -- away from the Lovozero district, a land of tundra, tumble-down settlements of wooden homes, and reindeer herders on Russia's subarctic Kola Peninsula, a few hours southeast of the Barents Sea port of Murmansk. It is an exodus that adds to the challenges clouding the future of the Saami community in Russia, where their numbers are already substantially smaller than in neighboring Norway, Finland, and Sweden. "The war changed everything a lot," commented Lovozero resident Valentina Sovkina, a Saami activist and one of the few still willing to speak out publicly amid a spiraling state clampdown on free speech in which criticism of the war is a crime. "This is a terrible threat for everyone, and especially for minorities." Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lovozero, which is known as Russia's "Saami capital," had been losing residents for at least two decades. Now below 2,000, the population of the village, where members of the Komi and Nenets communities also live, has declined by about 19 percent in the past 20 years, according to official figures. Mentioned in the 16th century as a church burial ground, by the mid-20th century Lovozero had become the site of Soviet attempts to settle the Saami, traditionally nomadic reindeer herders. Today, only 1,500 Saamis remain in Russia, estimates Sovkina, the speaker of the Kola Peninsula's Saami parliament, a consultative body, and a member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. "I would say that 3 percent of the adult population has died" in Russia's war against Ukraine, she said. "That may not be many for some people, but for our tiny nation, this is a lot." The Russian news outlet Mediazona and the BBC's Russian service, which have a joint project seeking to count and identify Russian soldiers killed in the war, said that 212 people from the Murmansk region had been killed since the start of the invasion, as of September 22. The research did not specify the ethnicity or the place of residence of those killed, and the Russian military death toll is widely believed to be substantially higher than the number confirmed by journalists. As recently as a few months ago, Murmansk region mayors and the governor, Andrei Chibis, were releasing information about soldiers killed in Ukraine and holding "pompous funerals" for them, a Lovozero resident who did not want their name published because of the sensitivity of the topic pointed out. The last announcement of a soldier's death on the regional news site Nord-News.ru dates from late July. "Now it's like they're playing mum, trying not to advertise [the deaths]," she said. Stanovoi's personal acquaintances in Lovozero and relatives declined to speak about his death with RFE/RL's North.Realities, but some spoke about his background. The officer left Lozovero for Murmansk, headquarters of Russia's Arctic military forces, right after he graduated from high school, initially working as a cargo loader and driver at a meat store before enlisting in the Northern Fleet's 61st Marine Brigade in 2015. He eventually became a deputy platoon commander and took part in the war in Syria, according to acquaintances, who requested anonymity. It was a typical career path for a Lovozero resident. The village, its entrance marked by a rusty reindeer on a Soviet-era sign missing Lovozero's final "o," has few jobs apart from reindeer husbandry, an increasingly rare expertise. Fishing, hunting, and seasonal tourism provide some relief, but unemployment stands at nearly double Russia's official rate of 3.3 percent. Average monthly salaries in the district of which Lovozero is the administrative center are just under 55,230 rubles ($580), only three-quarters of the national average, according to official data. To find a living wage, locals often head to Murmansk, St. Petersburg, or, before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, found jobs on Norwegian fishing boats. The military is another option: Its promised -- though not always paid -- salaries of 195,000 rubles ($2,535) for recruits to fight in Ukraine are over 3 1/2 times the average monthly wage in the Lovozero district. With no medical clinic, persistent violent crime, and its first gas station only now opening for business, Lovozero could find it hard to compete. One group of indigenous activists and community leaders expelled from Russia, the International Committee of Indigenous Peoples of Russia (ICIPR), said that the participation of indigenous soldiers was "the war's most direct and unfortunate impact" on indigenous peoples in Russia. For Lovozero, still another controversial impact could occur within the next few years. The mountain mass on which its district is located contains "unique reserves" of rare metals, according to local geologists. As international sanctions for Russia's invasion of Ukraine cut into imports, Russian firms are preparing to start large-scale mining of lithium, platinum, and palladium in the area by 2027. One of the companies, Polar Lithium, a joint venture set up by Russia's state-run atomic energy company Rosatom and mining giant Nornickel, expects to add 1,000 local jobs to produce 45,000 tons of lithium carbonate and hydroxide per year at Kolmozerskoye, a lithium deposit that contains roughly 19 percent of Russia's entire reserves. A second company, Arctic Lithium, has already begun pilot production at another lithium-deposit site, Polmostundrovskoye. A third, Fedorovo Resources, a Murmansk-region-backed firm, plans to invest over 60 billion rubles ($618 million) in palladium mining. Concerns about these ventures' long-term environmental impact -- like worries about the war -- exist, but are largely kept silent. Their speech stifled, some Saami activists have emigrated to Norway, which has reportedly granted them political asylum. What public criticism persists is on social media. Some in Lovozero fear that endangered lichens that are the principal food source for the 20,000 reindeer at the region's main employer, the agricultural cooperative Tundra, will be destroyed. Others complain that a survey conducted by ethnologists for Polar Lithium to assess local concerns about the mining venture questioned only 50 Saami residents. Polar Lithium has pledged to "to support and develop" the area's indigenous people and to inform and involve them, free of pressure, in decisions about its mining project. The chief engineer of Nornickel's Department of Federal and Regional Programs, Vasily Zakharov, told RFE/RL's North.Realities that "the dialogue is constructive" and that "consultations" are ongoing with the Kola Peninsula's indigenous inhabitants. But though public hearings have been held about these projects, one former Lovozero resident who has left Russia and did not want her name published said that residents would not share their "tensions" at such gatherings. "People are intimidated, depressed -- it's a discussion with a gun to their heads," she said. Written by Elizabeth Owen. This story is based in part on reporting by correspondents from RFE/RL's North.Realities on the ground in Russia. Their names are being withheld for their protection Pakistan on November 1 began rounding up undocumented foreigners, the vast majority of them Afghans, hours ahead of the deadline for them to evacuate the country. The country's Interior Ministry said in a statement before the midnight deadline that "a process to arrest the foreigners...for deportation" had begun, but that voluntary return would still be encouraged. The undocumented foreigners were reportedly being transferred to transit centers. Officials in the southwestern port city of Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and capital of Sindh Province, said that up to 40 people without proper documents had been moved to one of the transit centers. WATCH: Pakistani authorities have cracked down on undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghans, ahead of a deadline to leave the country or face deportation. In Karachi, Afghan men and boys on November 1 were put on buses and taken to a temporary detention center. Pakistan announced in early October that it would expel an estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants who remained in the country after November 1. As the deadline approached, tens of thousands of Afghans -- some who have been in Pakistan for decades -- made their way back to Afghanistan with their families and belongings. In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan, officials said on November 1 that more than 100,000 Afghan nationals had returned to their homeland via the Torkham border crossing in the past two weeks. WATCH: Authorities in Islamabad demolished mud houses belonging to Afghan refugees on October 31, a day ahead of a deadline for them to leave Pakistan. An estimated 1.7 million Afghans living illegally in Pakistan have been told to return to their country or face detention and deportation. An undetermined number of Afghans have returned to Afghanistan by way of the Chaman border crossing in the southwestern Balochistan Province. Overall, more than 140,000 people had voluntarily left Pakistan following the government's October 3 order, according to Pakistan's Interior Ministry. Pakistan's move to remove undocumented foreigners is seen as part of an anti-immigrant crackdown that has been criticized by human rights groups and the United Nations. On October 31, the chair of the nongovernmental Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Hina Jilani, wrote the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warning that Islamabad's move to expel Afghans could "trigger a humanitarian crisis." "The decision amounts to forced repatriation, which is not recognized under international customary law, and will invariably affect vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, which include women, children, the elderly, persons living with disabilities, persons from low-income groups, and Afghans at risk because of their professions -- many of whom fled Afghanistan after the Afghan Taliban took over the government in August 2021," Jilani wrote. Ahmad Afghan, an Afghan national who lives in Islamabad, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that he and his family left Afghanistan after the Taliban regained power in Kabul. He said his visa has since expired and he has been unable to extend it as he and his family await documents to move to a third country. "We are very worried. We cannot go back to Afghanistan," Afghan said. "If we go back to Afghanistan, [the Taliban] will kill us -- 100 percent." Pakistan has been a popular refuge for Afghans for decades, beginning during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. Others fled fighting during the ensuing Afghan civil war and the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. Millions of Afghans returned to their homeland following the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban from power. Some 3.7 million Afghans fleeing war, poverty, and political upheaval in their homeland currently reside in Pakistan, according to the United Nations, with Islamabad putting the number as high as 4.4 million. Officials in Islamabad have said that about 1.4 million Afghans possess documents allowing them to legally stay in Pakistan and that the order for undocumented immigrants to leave affects 1.7 million people. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban has previously criticized the move to remove undocumented Afghans from Pakistan, saying they are being punished for tensions between Kabul and Islamabad. On November 1, the Taliban called on the Pakistani government to give undocumented Afghans more time to leave as large numbers of evacuees created bottlenecks at the Pakistan-Afghan border. While thanking Pakistan and other countries that have harbored Afghans over years of conflict in Afghanistan, the Taliban asked Islamabad "to not forcibly deport Afghans with little notice, but give them time to prepare." Mohammad Zaman, an Afghan national who spoke to Radio Azadi at the Torkham border crossing on November 1, said the large group his family traveled with struggled to prepare for the evacuation. "More than 30 families came with us. They are people who had left their country due to poverty. They are people who could not find a loaf of bread, so they left the country and came [to Pakistan]," Zaman said. "Instead of supporting us, Pakistan gave us a very short deadline. The deadline was so short that we couldn't even wrap up our businesses." An Afghan national who spoke to Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity following his arrival in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar Province expressed hope that he and his children would be treated fairly by the Taliban. "I swear by God, I have neither a place to live in nor a piece of land," the man said, adding that he and his family had moved to Pakistan in search of work. "I ask the Taliban to provide us with shelter, at least a tent to live in.... Here, we may die of hunger." On November 1, Afghanistan's state news agency, Bakhtar, which is under Taliban control, said the Taliban government had dedicated 2 billion Afghanis (about $27 million) to provide returnees "with basic needs." With reporting by Reuters U.S. President Joe Biden vowed on October 1 after signing a bill to avoid a government shutdown that aid for Ukraine that was dropped from the legislation would continue and said he expects Congress to pass the aid in separate legislation. Biden said in an address from the White House Ukraine can count on U.S. support. "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," he added. Biden spoke after Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package late on September 29 and rushing it to the White House for his signature before the midnight deadline. But in order to ensure passage, legislators dropped assistance for Ukraine to help in its fight against Russia. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. Biden is now urging Congress to negotiate an aid package as soon as possible, saying there's "an overwhelming sense of urgency." He said he expects House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Republican-California) to keep his commitment to secure passage of support needed to help Ukrainians defend themselves against aggression and brutality." Asked if he could trust McCarthy to honor deals, Biden said, "We just made one about Ukraine, so well find out." A White House official said Biden was referring to a promise from Republicans to pass a separate bill on the issue. McCarthy said he would "make sure that the weapons are provided for Ukraine," but added in an interview with U.S. broadcaster CBS that this would be only in conjunction with legislation dealing with the U.S. southern border as demanded by far-right Republicans who insist domestic matters such as illegal immigration and crime take priority. Ukraine played down the situation, saying Kyiv continues to work to ensure new aid. "The Ukrainian government is now actively working with its American partners to ensure that the new U.S. budget decision, which will be developed over the next 45 days, includes new funds to help Ukraine," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said. Despite the growing signs of war fatigue in the U.S. Congress, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was counting on the United States to keep up its unwavering security assistance to Ukraine. "We believe this will not be the last word," Borrell said while on a visit to Kyiv on October 1. "I have the hope that this will not be the definite decision and that the United States will continue to support Ukraine." Borrell met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, saying afterward that the EU is preparing long-term security commitments for Ukraine. "Ukraine needs more capabilities & needs them faster," Borrell said on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said he had discussed "continuous EU military assistance" during his first in-person meeting with Umerov. "We are preparing long-term security commitments for Ukraine," Borrell said. The aggression against Ukraine "is accompanied by massive hybrid attacks, with propaganda, malign information manipulation & cyber attacks," he added, saying the EU continues supporting Ukraine in defending itself against Russian President Vladimir Putins disinformation. Umerov, who took over as defense minister in September, said on X he was grateful for the EU's "continuous support" and that the meeting was "a starting point for great cooperation." He said their discussions covered artillery, ammunition, air defense, electronic warfare, and long-term assistance programs, training, and defense industry localization in Ukraine. Umerov also thanked U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, saying he had a phone conversation with him on October 1 in which they discussed further military assistance from the U.S. "Secretary Austin assured me that U.S. support to Ukraine will continue [and] Ukrainian warriors will continue to have a strong back-up on the battlefield," Umerov said. With reporting by Reuters and CBS The latest Russian attacks on the Kherson region in southern Ukraine killed at least one man, local military authorities said on October 1, while Russia said its air defenses shot down six Ukrainian drones over two western and southern regions. The fatality occurred in Tyahynka, a town about 30 kilometers northeast of Kherson city, where a man in his 40s was killed in the yard of a house by enemy fire. Beryslava, a city on the Dnieper River to the northeast of Tyahynka, also came under attack shortly before 5 p.m. on October 1, according to the military administration of Kherson, a region that Ukrainian troops partially recaptured from Russia last year. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. As a result of the impact of two guided aerial bombs, garages in Beryslava were destroyed, the windows of a medical facility and residential buildings were blown out, and critical infrastructure was damaged, the message said. Russian forces also attacked Vesele, a village east of the river, where a 63-year-old woman was taken to the hospital with injured limbs and a concussion, according to the report, which could not be independently verified. Earlier on October 1, Russian forces attacked a residential quarter of Kherson city, starting a fire that trapped a mother and three children before the family managed to be saved. Russian troops also shelled Stanislav overnight, injuring two men. Rescuers were able to pull two women out from under the rubble. Librated parts of the Kherson region are shelled nearly every day. Despite evidence of the shelling, Moscow has denied targeting civilians. One person was injured in the Cherkasy region as well, regional Governor Ihor Taburets said. "Overnight, the enemy massively attacked our Cherkasy region with attack drones. Unfortunately, there were hits on industrial infrastructure in Uman," Taburets said in a post to Telegram. "As a result, fires broke out in warehouses; in particular, where grain was stored. The city of Kryviy Rih was also hit, damaging electricity and gas lines, according to local authorities. The Russian Defense Ministry said on October 1 that it downed two Grom-2 missiles, the fragments of which fell on the territory of the Dzhankoy district of Crimea. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed governor of Crimea, said that the debris of the rockets damaged the warehouse. There were no casualties, he said. The Russian Defense Ministry said one drone was brought down in the southern Krasnodar region around dawn on October 1, and five more were shot down over the western Smolensk region in the following hours. No casualties were reported and it was unclear if there was any damage on the ground. Ukraine, which has rarely claimed official responsibility for drone or missile attacks on Russian targets, had no comment. Smolensk Mayor Aleksandr Novikov echoed the Defense Ministry, saying that five drones were shot down over the regional center and in its suburbs. He called on city residents to "remain calm and not leave their homes unnecessarily, and also refrain from out-of-town trips." Britain's new defense secretary said London was considering stepping up its instruction of Ukrainian soldiers by sending British trainers to Ukraine itself. In an interview published October 1 by The Telegraph, Grant Shapps said he had spoken with top military officers about moving "more training" into Ukraine and he called on British defense firms to set up manufacturing facilities inside the country. More than 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers have received training from Britian since the start of 2022. Britain might also play a more active naval role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted Ukrainian cargo ships, Schapps said. Dmitry Medvedev, the bombastic former Russian president who is now a top official on the country's Security Council, said that British trainers would be legitimate military targets if they traveled to Ukraine to train Ukrainian troops. London is "perfectly aware that they'll be eliminated mercilessly, and not as mercenaries this time around, but precisely as British NATO specialists," Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram. With reporting by Reuters As opposed to 63,201 total vehicles sold a year ago, Hyundai sales September 2023 showed a total of 13.35 percent growth YoY by selling 71,641 units HMIL (Hyundai Motor India Limited) has completed a successful month in terms of sales. In September 2023, the South Korean brand sold 71,641 units including domestic sales and exports. September 2023 was of particular importance because it marked the highest-ever sales envelope for Hyundai India. Hyundai Sales September 2023 Highest-ever In the domestic market, Hyundai sold 54,241 units marking its highest-ever sales record since the companys inception in India. When compared to the 49,700 units sold in September 2022, Hyundai registered a 9.13 percent YoY growth and gained 4,541 units in volume YoY. Hyundai sells a slew of vehicles in India ranging from its most affordable Grand i10 Nios hatchback to most expensive (in India) Ioniq 5 electric crossover SUV. The range comprises Grand i10 Nios hatchback, recently launched Exter crossover, Aura sedan, i20 and i20 N Line premium hatchbacks, Venue and Venue N Line sub 4m SUVs, Creta compact SUV, Alcazar SUV, Kona Electric crossover, Tucson SUV and Ioniq 5. Exports in September 2023 Hyundai Motor India Limited forms a key global export hub for Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), covering up to 88 countries across Africa, Latin America, Middle-East, Asia Pacific and Australia. The manufacturing facility is near Chennai and vehicles are shipped globally. In the month of September 2023, Hyundai exported 17,400 units. As opposed to 13,501 units shipped in September 2022, Hyundai registered 28.87 percent YoY growth and gained 3,899 units in volume YoY. In total (domestic + exports), Hyundai pushed 71,641 units in September 2023 and registered 13.35 percent YoY growth as opposed to 63,201 units sold a year ago, which is commendable. In the future, Hyundai might launch a new MPV (probably Stargazer) to rival the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens. Along with that, we will get a facelifted Creta compact SUV and an electrified version of that as well. Launch is likely in 2024 for ICE model and 2025 for Creta Electric. Words from the manufacturer Commenting on the September sales numbers, Mr. Tarun Garg, COO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, In September 2023, HMIL has achieved its highest ever total monthly sales since inception marking a key milestone in the brands history. The ongoing festive season has resulted in a strong sales momentum, helping us achieve more than 9% growth YoY in domestic sales in September 2023. Our strong SUV portfolio has received a further boost with the exceptional customer response to the newly launched Hyundai EXTER. SUVs now contribute to more than 65% of our domestic sales. The enduring love and admiration by Indian customers for Brand Hyundai is a reflection of the benchmark set by our products in terms of safety & feature integration. The relatives of missing people observe the crematoriums that were discovered by the excavation operations carried out by the Search Unit for Disappeared Person (UBPD), in Juan Frio, Norte de Santander, on September 27, 2023 At the beginning of May, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a public act of remembrance in Juan Frio, a village next to the Tachira River, along the border with Venezuela. The most striking image was not that of former paramilitary chief Salvatore Mancuso who appeared by videoconference asking for forgiveness, but that of the ruins of some clay ovens. The structures were used by the now-extinct United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) a massive paramilitary group to cremate the bodies of murder victims. This past week, it was revealed that these were just the remains of some ovens. Several others have been appearing. Members of the Search Unit for Disappeared Persons (UBPD) excavate the clay ovens hidden underground Ferley Ospina Earlier this week, the Search Unit for Disappeared Persons (UPBD) which was created by the Colombian government in 2016 summoned the relatives of missing people to the site. After months of excavating, the team revealed that the clay ovens had been built as part of an old mill, to convert sugarcane into brown sugar. However, the paramilitary groups eventually converted and used these structures to cremate the bodies of their victims. According to the UPBD, these are just initial excavations. In the search for the remains of missing people, anthropologists and forensic specialists have focused on the parts of the ovens most likely to contain bone structures, teeth, or elements from the bodies of the individuals reported missing. UBDP specialists review the excavated earth, in search of human remains Ferley Ospina To create a space for the relatives of those who were forcibly disappeared to participate in the memorial events, members of the NGO Progress Foundation accompanied them to the site. Marlon Ayrton Sanchez a UBPD forensic anthropologist and leader of the commission that organized the visit explained to the families why they excavated the ovens: What were doing here is trying to reconstruct the areas where the bodies were presumably placed, to be subjected to high temperatures [we are attempting to] document the possibility that evidence of [these acts] may still exist. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition An Encinitas case that will be heard Thursday by the California Supreme Court could tip the fate of thousands of coastal homes at risk of crumbling into the sea. The case centers on an ongoing dispute between the California Coastal Commission and two bluff-top property owners over a seawall that for decades blocked the onslaught of waves threatening to erode the bluff. After a storm demolished the original seawall, the commission granted a permit to repair it, but placed a 20-year time limit on the barrier that the plaintiffs allege is unconstitutional. The homeowners say the seawall is necessary to protect their homes, but the Coastal Commission says such structures block natural processes that preserve wide, sandy beaches. The issue has gained urgency as scientists warn that rising ocean levels could reshape the shoreline within the next century, leaving beachfront homeowners scrambling to safeguard their property, and government officials struggling to manage the change. About 10 percent of the states 1,100-mile coastline is armored, including a third of Southern California beaches, according to the Coastal Commission. The outcome of the state Supreme Court decision could set legal precedent for those structures, and also define the commissions role in regulating beachfront property on a swiftly shifting coast. Advertisement The specific climate change impact that the Coastal Commission is focused on is sea level rise, and increased frequency and intensity of coastal storms, said Rick Frank, director of the California Environmental Law and Policy Center at the UC Davis School of Law. This is the first time this issue of the propriety of long-range planning efforts in relation to projected climate change impacts has gotten to the Supreme Court. In Encinitas, Tom Fricks home on Neptune Avenue commands a sweeping outlook on the Pacific, along with a vertical view of the beach below. A dizzying flight of stairs descends to the shore, and at the bottom, a sculpted, sand-colored wall supports the bluffs. That concrete seawall replaced the original wooden fortification, which was damaged in a 2010 storm that left a yawning gap in the bluff. Frick and his neighbor, Barbara Lynch, sought emergency permits from the Coastal Commission to make the changes. If they didnt build their seawall, their homes could have collapsed, said land use attorney Jon Corn, who is representing the families. But that protection comes with a cost to the public, the Coastal Commission cautioned. Fighting bluff erosion with seawalls can hasten the loss of beach sand, reducing coastal access for all Californians, the commission maintains. With that admonition in mind, the commission granted permits to repair the damaged barricade, but imposed the 20-year limit. When it expires, the homeowners would need to reapply to keep the wall, Corn said. The Lynches and Fricks proceeded to rebuild their wall and stairway, but challenged the 20-year restriction, saying it amounts to a regulatory taking of their property. Without the wall, their homes would be in jeopardy, and the time limit clouds their ability to maintain or sell them, said Jennifer Lynch, whose mother Barbara was an original plaintiff. I see the issue as the government overstepping its rights, she said, in order to take property without paying people. In 2013, San Diego Superior Court Judge Earl Maas agreed. He ordered the commission to remove the conditions from the seawall permit. The state agency challenged that decision, and in 2014, the 4th District Court of Appeals by a 2-1 vote reversed the lower courts decision, concluding that the homeowners had tacitly consented to the restriction by accepting the permit. Judge Gilbert Nares disagreed, arguing that the conditions on the permit are at odds with the states Public Resources Code and the California Coastal Act. Moreover, he wrote, they run counter to the state constitution. The right to use, enjoy, and protect property is not a government privilege, but a fundamental, constitutional right, he wrote in a dissenting opinion. Corn thinks theres something else at play in the states position. He sees it as a quiet shift toward a policy of managed retreat an effort to adapt to rising seas by shifting infrastructure inland. The Coastal Commission has a bunch of underground regulations that are designed to phase out oceanfront property over time, Corn said. The commission would much rather have people remove their homes than build a wall. Coastal Commission officials declined to comment for this story, but in a brief to the state Supreme Court, the agencys attorneys argued that the 20-year time limit allows the state to reassess the risks and benefits of the seawall at a future date, when climate conditions may be very different. Although there is scientific consensus that sea level rise will accelerate in coming years, there is substantial uncertainty about how quickly it will rise, the brief stated. This uncertainty makes long-term projections about the impacts and stability of shoreline structures extraordinarily difficult to make. In its landmark climate report in 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that sea level rose by more than seven inches over the last century, and is projected to rise between 10 and 38 inches by the end of this century. Recent studies warn that it could be much higher. In a report released this month, the California Ocean Protection Council cited research showing that ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting faster than anyone anticipated; in the worst case scenario Californias ocean could rise 10 feet by the end of the century. While property rights advocates are critical of strategies for managed retreat, the sea itself may determine the pace of withdrawal, said Jordan Diamond, executive director of the Center for Law, Energy and Environment at the UC Berkeley School of Law. Nature is encroaching on the coastline, whether through erosion, sea level rise or intensifying storms, she said. Ten, 20 or 100 years from now, there may be forced retreat. We may not be able to protect the coastline enough from all of the natural forces. The Coastal Commissions 20-year permit, Frank said, allows the body to revisit its decision in light of the unstable environment. We dont have static environmental conditions, he said. Can you build in a point to check, and see what the impacts (of the seawall) are in practice, and check that your decision-making would be appropriate? Jennifer Lynch said that while environmental changes may be accelerating, the legal and regulatory processes in her familys case seemed to proceed at a glacial pace. Her mother Barbara died in 2016, after the seawall was rebuilt, but was anxious about the court proceedings and distressed by her restricted access to the beach front during that battle, Lynch said. Suffering from medical problems including cancer and high blood pressure, the elder Lynch got limited solace from the seaside home her husband built decades before. After the stairs were built, she only made it down to the beach one time, Lynch said. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan There are some politicians who, the moment they burst onto the scene, become central characters from one day to the next. The examples have piled up in recent years: Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Nayib Bukele and Javier Milei. These figures who emerged out of the blue managed to connect with populations who were fed up with the status quo. They saw a last chance in these so-called outsiders. Something like this is happening in Venezuela with Maria Corina Machado, who is the undisputed poll leader in the opposition primaries, which will take place on October 22. However, the difference is that Machado isnt an outsider, nor a newcomer to politics. She isnt part of the group of leaders from the disruptive extreme-right, nor does she represent charismatic populism. Machado has spent over two decades in politics, clinging to her convictions. Considered the representative of the radical wing of the opposition, former socialist president Hugo Chavez who governed from 1999 until his death in 2013 derided her as the good-looking bourgeoisie. Others refer to her as the iron lady, in reference to Margaret Thatcher. Now that her political moment has arrived, many are wondering: what is Maria Corina Machados ideology? Machado defines herself and her party, Vente Venezuela as liberal (or neoliberal, depending on how you look at it), both politically and economically. Her political vision revolves around reducing the size of the state as a provider of public policies, supporting entrepreneurship and promoting the free market, as a means of creating wealth and jobs in a devastated economy. Her vision of government is similar to what Margaret Thatcher or Ronald Reagan had in mind. In Latin America, her proposals seem to align with former Chilean president Sebastian Pinera, of the center-right, who served two terms (2010-2014, 2018-2022). Margaret Thatcher had the courage to defend her values all her life against everyone who opposed her, Machado tweeted in 2013, perhaps alluding to herself. She spent a decade after Thatchers death navigating the Chavista regime which has been led by Nicolas Maduro following his predecessors death and the opposition itself. Only now has she gained a big following. Machado with President George Bush, circa 2005. At the time, Machado was in charge of an organization called Sumate, which focused on political rights CHARLES DHARAPAK (AP) This 55-year-old industrial engineer divorced and the mother of three children, who have grown up far away from the country for their safety has never gotten along with the left in Venezuela. For a long time, the bulk of her support came from the upper class which is the class that her family has always belonged to and from Venezuelans in the diaspora. But, in recent months, the former congresswoman has broken her own glass ceiling. Thousands of people show up to see her every day, no matter where shes touring in the country. The rich and the poor come to her rallies, even in the traditional strongholds of Chavismo. Disenchantment with the government and with the largest opposition parties has grown as the population contends with a humanitarian crisis. This has bolstered Machado, a woman with clearly-defined ideas, who is seeking to completely turn around her countrys crumbling economy. At the same time, as millions have fled Venezuela, she has managed to connect with the pain of so many broken families. She is also a mother who misses her children. Machado has always avoided labels. If proposing that the eradication of poverty is the responsibility of the entire society is a left-wing idea, then Im left-wing. If believing in personal freedom, in investment, in productivity is a right-wing position, then Im right-wing, she said in 2012. The politician maintains a tolerant and flexible stance on issues such as abortion she advocates that her country decriminalize it, at least in cases of rape gay marriage, and the use of medical marijuana. While Machado acknowledges that she believes in God, she rules out the idea of her faith creeping into her politics. The presidential candidate has proposed privatizing the state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) a taboo in local politics and returning all the companies that have been expropriated by the Chavista regime to their rightful owners. This also includes Siderurgica Venezolana a company that her father (who died this year) was the president of, before it was seized. Machado also wants to reduce regulations, punish corruption and enact a general amnesty for political prisoners. She wants to grow Venezuelas GDP and have the country rejoin various multilateral organizations. Maria Corina Machado during a rally in Maracay, in the Venezuelan state of Aragua, on September 28, 2023 MIGUEL GUTIERREZ (EFE) Influenced by economists such as Ludwig Von Mises and Milton Friedman, Machado has an interpretation of local politics that is to the right of the traditional democratic parties of Venezuela, which governed the country before Chavez took power in 1999. Her vision on the distribution of social funds is somewhat more American than European, as is her deeply anti-communist discourse. Instead of the traditional social democratic welfare state which emerged in the 20th century, Machado proposes the reduction of the social safety net and the construction of a more self-sufficient society. More importantly, she wants to end the weight that the petro state and state-controlled oil revenue have on the lives of the population. In this regard, she has drawn heavily on the ideas of Venezuelan thinkers such as novelist Arturo Uslar Pietri and liberal intellectual Carlos Rangel who were also concerned with the oil curse in their country. Her attacks on the government have been her personal trademark since the Chavez administrations. Her enmity on both the left and right turned her into an isolated politician, who now claims that she will be able to unite a divided country. She is confident that former opponents from across the political spectrum are now on her side as the primaries approach they have given in to a figure who is accustomed to saying no to everything. Machado has always refused to sit at a negotiating table with either Chavez or Maduro. She also hasnt participated in numerous electoral processes, noting that her presence would be a way of legitimizing the regime. She was even critical of the shadow government led by opposition legislator Juan Guaido, which sought the end of Maduros rule through domestic and international confrontations. Guaido ultimately failed. Machado is fiercely against the moderate sector of the opposition, whom she has long accused of playing into the hands of the regime. For years, she was in favor of a forceful end to Chavismo, with the help of the United States something that never came to fruition. Today, she herself is aware that the notion was nothing more than a fantasy. Machado is moving determinedly towards the polls. Shes convinced that the government has done her a favor by announcing without any legal basis her disqualification from the process. She has since relaunched her candidacy both inside and outside the country for the October 22 presidential primaries. Even though she has been disqualified by the Chavista-controlled courts, people shout at Maria Corina in the streets: I enable you with my vote! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Everything was ready for Seema Lakdawala to open her small daycare center. She had found the perfect place and filled it with toys. It had food, stuffed animals, balls and even an air purifier. It also had a fairly large cage and a couple of cameras that would be recording the entire time. In spring 2022 it opened its doors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to welcome its first attendees: four healthy ferrets, and one with the flu. Lakdawala is a virologist at Emory University (although this work was carried out at the University of Pittsburgh). Her goal is to study how the flu virus spreads through daycare centers, one of its most fertile habitats. Ferrets have always been the standard for researching the flu virus, she explains via videoconference, because their respiratory system is very similar to ours. Until now, however, the experiments used to take place in highly controlled environments. Pairs of the animals were put together in tiny cages for days. The problem is that this is not how they get infected in the wild, and it is certainly not how outbreaks develop among groups of preschoolers. Lakdawala formed an interdisciplinary team with another virologist, two experts in aerosol transmission with experience in the study of real daycare centers, and a mathematician. Together, they attempted to replicate an environment that was comfortable for the ferrets (and quite familiar to anyone with small children). They gathered the animals for a few hours a day in this toy-filled common space. They gave them drinks and offered them snacks. Afterwards, each ferret went to rest in its cage separately. Once they put the animals together, they realized that not only do ferrets have airways similar to ours, they also have similar behavior. They are very sociable animals, says the virologist. They run and play. They bite toys, explore the space and have short, intense interactions with each other. I have small children and well, the truth is that this reminds me of a lot of things they do, she admits with a smile. Over the course of a few months, Lakdawala and her colleagues watched several groups of ferrets play in the daycare while passing viruses to each other. The scientists meticulously recorded their movements. They marked the contaminated surfaces of the sick ones, paying attention to who touched them next. They took note of their fights and games. Which got sick and when. Their first findings, which they will publish in a few months in a scientific journal, offered some surprises. For instance, we wanted to see how the ventilation affected the contagion, says the virologist. We tried a normal air exchange, once an hour, similar to that in the daycare centers around here. Then, an exchange of 23 times per hour. The result was the same: in both cases, 50% of the ferrets ended up being infected. What changed is when. Those with reduced ventilation became ill quickly, within three days. Those who had more ventilation also became infected, but it took between three and seven days. Thus, in this particular environment, increased ventilation may only serve to delay contagion. Seema Lakdawala in her laboratory. Lakdawala Lab Another time, a sick ferret was playing with four other healthy ones, but a fifth one stayed away. That one was the first to get sick. It seemed counterintuitive, but when they checked the cameras, the scientists saw how the sick ferret kept biting and licking objects and surfaces that the other one then also bit and licked, as if the first had left a trail of viral breadcrumbs for the second to pick up. Ferrets tend to put their faces together, steal food, chew on toys and bite each other. This type of behavior is also quite common in a childcare center, but not in places like bars or offices. Therefore, the experiment makes sense for that context. There are many ways in which flu viruses can spread, and all of them occur in a daycare center, whether it is for ferrets or children. Immune system under construction Saliva is one of the fundamental transmission routes in daycare centers, confirms Margarita del Val, virologist at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center, in Spain, emphasizing that this is less relevant in adult environments. That is why surface cleaning is important in this context. In general, she recommends doing everything we learned with the Covid-19 pandemic, like ventilation, cleanliness and face masks, when children are old enough to wear them. The coronavirus brought to the fore the route of transmission of all respiratory agents, she points out. And this applies to the flu, it applies to bronchiolitis and other respiratory transmitted viruses and bacteria. The pandemic comparison makes a lot of sense in this environment. With Covid-19, we all faced a new virus for the first time in our lives. That is what happens to children every day in a daycare center: they are exposed for the first time in their lives to a virus, a bacteria or an infection that they have never fought against, says Del Val, coordinator of the Platform for Global Health of the Spanish National Research Council. According to a study by the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics, between 30% and 50% of all infections among the early childhood population can be connected to daycare centers, a figure that usually decreases after the first year. Pediatrician Pedro Gorrotxategi, vice president of this association, believes that infection is inevitable, but that doesnt mean we should give up, either. Most babies in daycare have eight to 15 colds a year; a few more than they would have if they were cared for alone, at home. However, after the first year, the number of respiratory diseases decreases. Furthermore, there are reasons to think that these first episodes may have a protective effect in the future. In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, a team of researchers in the Netherlands followed a group of children during their first six years of life and observed the frequency with which they had acute gastroenteritis. Of the 2,220 children studied, 1,344 attended daycare during their first year of life. Those had more gastroenteritis at the beginning, but the others got sick more often as they grew up. At six years of age, the children in both groups had a similar average number of episodes of gastroenteritis. Gorrotxategi explains that these studies should not mislead parents: There is this belief that its better to expose the child. That they will catch it sooner or later, anyway. But its not the same thing; its better to postpone it. Our immune system is more developed at four years of age than at two. Daycare viruses start brewing in offices. The working conditions of the parents have an impact on their childrens illnesses and under what circumstances they take them to daycare. Ideally, when children have the first symptoms of illness, they should stay at home. But one thing is the health recommendation and another is real life, acknowledges Gorrotxategi. Many parents, when they are told that their child is getting sick, try to see if they can hold out until they leave work and can pick them up. The first year of kindergarten is complicated. In this sense, measures such as working remotely can help. Vaccination, all the experts consulted agree, is another essential weapon. And above all, patience. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley rides in a combine with farmer Dennis Campbell, left, during a tour of the Crystal Creek Enterprises farm, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Grand Mound, Iowa. Having stood out in two presidential debates, Nikki Haley has booked her largest venue in Iowa since launching her campaign. Shes hoping to fill a 600-person hall in a western Des Moines suburb on Saturday. That would be a huge number for most of her rivals. Its also less than the smallest crowds usually drawn by Donald Trump, who is dominating the Republican field for the 2024 Iowa caucuses less than four months away. The former president will be in rural southeast Iowa the following day to headline an organizing event. Aides were expecting at least 1,000 to attend. In essence, there are two Iowa campaigns underway: Trump is holding fewer, bigger events that demonstrate the strength of his organization and grip on GOP base voters, while his rivals attend the states traditional candidate forums and meet-and-greets, searching for ways to cut into his lead or consolidate second place. While things could change before the Jan. 15 caucuses, some campaigns are trying to shift expectations. Theyre hoping a close runner-up to Trump in Iowa or even someone who falls well short of Trump but pulls away from other rivals could begin consolidating support and force others out. Whats crystal clear to me is that until there is a winnowing event, youre never going to get to the head-to-head that it would require to have somebody other than Trump win the nomination, said Gentry Collins, who managed Mitt Romneys campaign for the 2008 caucuses. That winnowing starts in Iowa and it changes the dynamics of the race. Heres a look at the campaigns working hardest in Iowa to catch Trump. Ron DeSantis Campaign overspending and donor jitters prompted the Florida governor to shake up his organization and narrow a broad, national approach to one increasingly focused on Iowa. His national support has slipped substantially from its high point earlier this year. DeSantis hired David Polyansky as a senior deputy campaign manager in August. Polyansky is a top strategist with Iowa chops from past presidential campaigns. He was working for Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting DeSantis. Never Back Down has taken on a huge share of work normally done by candidates directly. It has put on almost 50 of DeSantis Iowa appearances, hired 22 paid staff in Iowa more than on any campaign team in the state and purchased almost $8 million of television and digital ads this year, the most of any single political group, according to analysis from the tracking firm AdImpact. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy, two DeSantis advisers suggest he could survive three second-place finishes in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina and try to force a head-to-head matchup with Trump ahead of Marchs Super Tuesday slate of primaries. DeSantis has already visited two-thirds of Iowas counties, Polyansky said in an interview, The candidate pledged earlier this year to visit all 99, a goal that could net extra support and allow him to shore up more populous counties down the stretch. Knocking out a majority of our 99-county swing this early, before the caucus campaigning heats up even further, gives us the freedom down the stretch to travel where we want to go and when we want to go in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond, Polyansky said. Nikki Haley Haleys team pumped up expectations going into Wednesdays second debate and hopes her energetic performance including several tussles with rivals translates to a rise in polls. She impressed Nicole Schlinger, an Iowa Republican campaign phone and text vendor who has not committed to a 2024 candidate. Nikkis showing she can be strong and assertive and put these guys back on their heels, said Schlinger, who is not committed in the 2024 race. Toiling before smaller crowds throughout the spring and summer, Haley, the former United Nations ambassador and governor of South Carolina, drew a noticeably more robust 400 to stops in rural eastern Iowa this month. She took the wheel of a combine among amber rows of corn. She has recently signed noteworthy Iowa GOP talent, including Troy Bishop, who was Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassleys organizational director. And shes lured some donors away from DeSantis, including billionaire former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner. Now, the super PAC supporting her is spending more on ads in Iowa. Tim Scott Scott was striding toward the midway at the Iowa State Fair this summer when a man approached from behind to tell him, Ive seen your ads. He wasnt alone. Scotts campaign and the super PAC supporting him have combined to spend roughly $10 million in advertising this year introducing Scott to Iowans, about a quarter of all GOP caucus campaign and super PAC ad spending, according to AdImpact. The South Carolina senators team argues Iowans are more familiar with him through advertising and ready to see him emerge in the up-close settings that are traditionally critical here. He has started criticizing his rivals more, going after Trump, DeSantis and Haley for refusing to push for a federal abortion ban. His more aggressive posture was on display during the Wednesday debate in California, when he criticized a proposal by Haley to increase the gas tax. I think I come across as a nice guy. I will say, though, that I am not an angry guy, Scott told one Iowa audience after being asked if he was tough enough to confront Russia. I think we sometimes confuse anger with strength. Vivek Ramaswamy Long before he grabbed attention at the first debate, Ramaswamy was working hard in Iowa. The 38-year-old entrepreneur has traveled the state more than any candidate, holding nearly 70 campaign events. Hes gotten buzz for his youth and charisma, his lack of political background, and a brashness that reminds some people of Trump. Some Iowans have also voiced unfavorable impressions sparked by what some see as foreign policy naivete and lack of experience. Ramaswamys Iowa team is small and led by outspoken social conservative former state Sen. Jake Chapman and former Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz. Ramaswamy, who is Hindu and the son of Indian immigrants, always cites what he calls his lists of truths, the first of which is God is real. Evangelical Christians are critical in Iowa. While few will say out loud that Ramaswamys faith is an obstacle, one voter raised it at a Tim Scott event last week. He talks about God all the time, but its a pagan god, said Liz Kuennen of Fort Dodge. Hindus worship several gods, who they believe to be manifestations of the one formless supreme being. Mike Pence For a former vice president so closely identified with evangelical Christians, it would seem Pence would have a leg up. Yet Pence faces distinct challenges. Among the most stubborn is the lingering and false perception that Pence could have refused to certify the 2020 election. A man in the state fair crowd this summer confronted Pence and asked him, Why did you commit treason? Pence patiently walked through the constitutional requirements of the vice president during the certification process. Even though my former running mate and his outside lawyers told me that authority was there, I knew it never was, Pence told the crowd. Ill always believe, by Gods grace, I did my duty that day. Though the now well-rehearsed answer sparks respectful applause, Pence faces stubbornly high unfavorable ratings in Iowa among likely GOP caucusgoers. Still, Pence, who had seven events planned in Iowa over the coming days, was on track to top 60 campaign stops by the end of next week, second only to Ramaswamy. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Connecticuts most wide-ranging gun control measure since the 2013 law enacted after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting takes effect Sunday, with proponents vowing to pursue more gun legislation despite legal challenges happening across the country. The new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in June, bans the open carrying of firearms and prohibits the sale of more than three handguns within 30 days to any one person, with some exceptions for instructors and others. We will not take a break and we cannot stop now, and we will continue to pass life-saving laws until we end gun violence in Connecticut. Our lives depend on it, said Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence. Immediately after it was passed, the law was challenged in court by gun rights supporters. Connecticuts landmark 2013 gun law, passed in response to the 2012 elementary school shooting in Newtown that claimed 26 lives, is also being contested in court. More information Mass school shootings kill 175 from Columbine to Nashville Besides Connecticut, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, other politically liberal-leaning states including California, Washington, Colorado and Maryland also have passed gun laws this year that face legal challenges. They come in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court last year expanding gun rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed nearly two dozen gun control measures, including laws banning firearms being carried in most public places while doubling taxes on guns and ammunition sold in the state. He acknowledged some might not survive a legal challenge. Last week, a federal judge struck down a California law banning guns with detachable magazines that carry more than 10 rounds. We feel very strongly that these bills meet the [new standard], and they were drafted accordingly, Newsom said. But Im not naive about the recklessness of the federal courts and the ideological agenda. About 150 gun rights activists held a rally outside the state Capitol on Saturday, despite the rainy and raw weather, to mark the last day that carrying a visible firearm was legal in Connecticut. But they remain hopeful the law will eventually be overturned in court, arguing its an infringement on Second Amendment rights and unnecessary. It is not common in Connecticut to go the grocery store and see somebody with an exposed firearm. Does it happen on rare occasions? Sure, but it is not a problem in our state, Holly Sullivan, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, told the Waterbury Republican-American. She said there were already state laws on the books that address people illegally carrying a weapon in public or abusing the open carry law. The new law also increases bail and toughens probation and parole for what officials called a narrow group of people with repeated serious gun offenses; expands the states current assault weapons ban; stiffens penalties for possession of large-capacity magazines; expands safe-storage rules to include more settings; and adds some domestic violence crimes to the list of disqualifications for having a gun. Republican legislative leaders, who represent the minority party in the state General Assembly, accused Democrats of bragging about how safe Connecticut is because of the gun laws when there have been carjackings, serious property crimes and other acts of violence. House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, a Republican from North Branford, said claims Connecticut is one of the safest states are a slap in the face to residents. Enough with the news conferences Democrats should step away from the lectern and tap into whats happening in their districts, he said in a statement. State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, a Democrat from New Haven, called the legislation a very significant initiative but stressed the battle is not over. Connecticut is vulnerable to states with looser gun laws, Looney said. He wants to pursue further limits on monthly gun purchases and require microlabeling or ammunition microstamping to help law enforcement trace bullet casings to specific firearms makes and modes. Lamont, who proposed the newly enacted law, said he is interested in working with fellow governors in the Northeast to draft similar laws, given how the technology is changing so fast and Connecticut can only do so much within our small state and within our borders. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition UPDATE: The NYPD has arrested a 57-year-old man in the shooting. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A man was injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in a residential area of Eltingville, police said. Emergency personnel responded just after 12:20 a.m. to the intersection of Pompey and Rye avenues for a report of a man shot. The victim was transported to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, according to an NYPD spokesperson. The New York Daily News reported the shooting was a result of what police described as a clash between neighbors. The NYPD could not confirm the age of the victim, though the Daily News reported the man was 41 years old and was shot in the chest. The victim was listed in stable condition, according to the NYPD spokesperson. A suspect was taken into custody in regards to the shooting, police said. Shooting incidents on Staten Island are actually down this year, with 22 through Sept. 24 compared to 23 through the same period in 2022, according to NYPD CompStat data. Just one shooting occurred in the 123rd Precinct in 2023 through Sept. 24. OTHER STATEN ISLAND NEWS: >> Is Staten Islands spotted lanternfly population officially on the decline? Experts weigh in. >> See how Staten Islands public middle schools rank, according to a recent report >> Staten Island street renamed in honor of Anthony Varvaro, MLB pitcher turned Port Authority police hero STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Once upon a time, Staten Islander Nina Megna, 23, had her lifes path neatly planned out. The former Oakwood resident, a Susan Wagner High School alumna with a degree in English and journalism from City University of New Yorks John Jay College of Criminal Justice, had her sights set on law school. My plan was always to attend law school, but after graduating, taking my LSAT, and having the opportunity to go, I re-evaluated, and felt that it wasnt my true passion, said Megna, who now calls Edgewater, N.J., home. On Sept. 8, Megna opened the Waterfront Club Restaurant & Bar in Long Island City, right on the waterfront. Ive always been drawn to the restaurant and hospitality business my entire life, she explained on hew new venture. I always looked at it as a side hustle that brought me so much joy, but when I recently decided that being an entrepreneur and business owner was my ultimate goal, I decided to make that side hustle into a full-time business. The Waterfront Club is located on the Long Island City waterfront at 4720 Center Blvd. The greatest challenge, but also the greatest blessing, was deciding to take this leap from being an attorney to now instead running my first business at 23. The Waterfront Club, owned by former Staten Islander Nina Megna, is located on the Long Island City waterfront at 4720 Center Blvd. (Courtesy Charles Tumiotto Jackson/@tumiocorps) THE JOURNEY TO THE WATERFRONT CLUB Over the last year, while working at Steve Madden corporate, Megna spent all her free time planning to bring her dreams of owning a restaurant to fruition. I worked and brainstormed with some very influential and powerful restauranteurs who have guided me and invested in me in order to make this dream a reality, said Megna. My boyfriend, Ricky is probably one of the hardest working people Ive ever met in my life and he has been such a role model for me in this journey, constantly pushing me to go after every single challenge that Ive faced. He also is the genius behind the marketing of the Waterfront Club. To Megnas delight, interest leading up to the Sept. 8 grand opening of the Waterfront Club surpassed her expectations. The reservations flooded in and we soon had to close the books, fearing we might not handle the influx of patrons, said Megna. We were unsure, being brand new, if we could even handle that many people. But when that weekend came, we were super grateful with the turn out. This neighborhood was the epitome of emerging trends, surrounded by towering high-rises and the magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline across the water. The response has been overwhelming and the opening was a big success. The Waterfront Club, owned by former Staten Islander Nina Megna, is located on the Long Island City waterfront at 4720 Center Blvd. (Courtesy Charles Tumiotto Jackson/@tumiocorps) ABOUT THE WATERFRONT CLUB Elegantly appointed, the Waterfront Club is located on the ground floor of a 32-story apartment building that faces Gantry Plaza State Park. The location, a former wine bar that shuttered last year, has been completely transformed into a sophisticated space with warm lighting, wooden walls, and vintage furniture. Lots of people have been curious about our spot as it took an entire year undergoing a huge cosmetic remodeling, said Megna. We redid every single wall with brand new wooden panels. We added vintage photos, vintage lamps and plenty of greenery. Our goal was to create a very upscale vibe but also create a space for the locals to call home being able to hang out with us for hours. We have low lighting and beautiful pictures surrounded by the sound of soft jazz music to create the perfect environment for a fancy cocktail and some delicious food. The cuisine is upscale American, with a French twist, with handcrafted cocktails by professional mixologists. They put love into every single drink, said Megna, noting that mixologist James Dickerson curated the entire cocktail menu at the Waterfront Club. In addition to the regular dining, the Waterfront Club has also been getting plenty of inquiries for private events. Our space is such a fun intimate atmosphere for celebrations, said Megna. My hopes for the restaurant is to keep growing and creating the perfect atmosphere. I want it to constantly evolve and grow as I do. And with my team, I have no doubt in my mind that it will. James Dickerson, a mixologist at The Waterfront Club, curated the entire cocktail menu. (Courtesy Charles Tumiotto Jackson/@tumiocorps) The Waterfront Club, owned by former Staten Islander Nina Megna, is located on the Long Island City waterfront at 4720 Center Blvd. (Courtesy Charles Tumiotto Jackson/@tumiocorps) NEW YORK (AP) Millions of Americans must start repaying their federal student loans again in October, with monthly payments averaging hundreds of dollars. To get ready, borrowers are cutting expenses, taking on additional work, and looking for options to reduce their monthly payments. Megan McClelland, 38, said she has started asking for October shifts with a catering company and a winery to help supplement her income. McClellands main job is as a counselor at Petaluma High School in California. During the more than three years payments were suspended because of the pandemic, she paid off her car loan and was able to save for the first time. Shell put the $235 she was spending on her car payment toward her student loan, but that still leaves another $270 or so shell have to reallocate or earn. It had been a huge relief the past few years to not have that financial burden, she said. In the next months, Im looking to see where I can scale back in my budget. Probably less going out to eat, and more picking up side gigs. Justin Cole, 35, of Little Rock, Arkansas, said he doesnt know how hes going to come up with the $166 a month hell owe starting in October. Thats the estimated payment on his roughly $19,000 of loans from paying for college more than 10 years ago. Im already in a mountain of debt, and while I just got a raise at work, it doesnt go into effect until were full staffed at my family practice clinic, he said. Cole works the front office at a medical practice, checking in patients, handling records and managing payment collection. Some of his other debt comes from medical expenses after a car accident early in the pandemic. If those loans were forgiven, I could finally work on getting my credit up and actually saving money for once, he said. If they were forgiven out of the blue, Id be ecstatic. The Supreme Court in July rejected a plan by President Joe Bidens administration to wipe away $400 billion in student loan debt. For now, Cole has applied for adjustments to his payments based on both the new SAVE plan and prior income-driven repayment options, which are listed as processing and in review on his account. The SAVE, or Saving on a Valuable Education, plan allows borrowers to make lower payments based on a percentage of their discretionary income. His major household expenses are rent, car payments, groceries, and utilities the same as everybody else, he said. Not yet clear is how millions of people suddenly having less discretionary income might affect the economy. On an earnings call last month, the chief financial officer of Target said that student loan payments restarting will put additional pressure on the already-strained budgets of tens of millions of households, a sentiment echoed by the financial chiefs of Best Buy and other retailers. In the Federal Reserves latest survey of economic conditions, one restaurant-industry observer in Boston said workers are taking on more hours, and, for the first time, credit card debt has topped $1 trillion. According to credit bureau TransUnion, more than half of student loan holders added credit card debt during the pandemic. Meanwhile, consumer savings, which peaked in 2021, are on the decline. McClelland qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness as a public school teacher who will have worked in the field for 10 years next March. Shes putting her loans in order to hopefully receive that cancellation next year. The program erases remaining debts for federal student loan holders who work in public service while making 10 years of payments. I only have six payments to go, but its still stressful, she said. I have to find about $500 a month starting next month towards this payment that I havent had in so long. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is one of several avenues for relief still available to many with student debt. After Bidens original plan for forgiveness was struck down by the Supreme Court in July, the White House has said it will use the Higher Education Act to bring cancellation to more borrowers. Its currently undergoing a process known as negotiated rule-making to determine the details of that plan. Other sources for relief for borrowers include: false certification, borrower defense, closed school, total/permanent disability discharges, and alternate repayment programs like income-driven repayment. McClelland, for her part, said she now spends a lot of time counseling high school students on how to avoid taking on burdensome loans. I had no financial guidance when I was younger, from my own parents or from school, she said. I didnt ever understand the long term impact. Despite working while in school and since moonlighting at Starbucks, wineries and restaurants as well as counseling McClelland still has a balance of about $38,000 in debt, from original loans of $10,000 towards her undergraduate studies and $40,000 for her masters in counseling at Sonoma State. I knew I wanted to go to college, and my parents didnt have any money, McClelland said. I tell kids all the time, openly, As someone who was once in your shoes, I highly recommend finding a way to avoid taking out loans. When youre 17 or 18 years old, you think, Oh, sure, Ill figure this out. Then its frustrating to still be in this financial situation. ___ The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York officials are monitoring plumes of wildfire smoke moving south from Canada that may trigger poor air quality throughout the five boroughs this week. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said smoke that has been lingering over eastern and northern parts of the state may be visible in New York City between Sunday and Monday. The National Weather Service forecasts skies will be hazy on Staten Island Monday. Wildfires in Canada continue to produce some smoke impacts in NYS and smoke at high altitudes may be visible downstate today into tomorrow, although fine particulate levels across eastern and northern NY will stay in the Good to Moderate range today as smoke clears. pic.twitter.com/kgxLegEWgX New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (@NYSDEC) October 1, 2023 Air quality is expected to fall to a moderate, a level considered unhealthy for groups sensitive to environmental changes. We are monitoring wildfire smoke from Canada that may pass through the Tri-state area tomorrow, New York City Emergency Management wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Currently, no air quality advisories are expected. We are monitoring wildfire smoke from Canada that may pass through the Tri-state area tomorrow. Daily air quality is currently predicted to be in the moderate category. Sign up for @NotifyNYC to receive alerts about air quality in your area. pic.twitter.com/Y8IrLTR7UF NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) October 1, 2023 Earlier this year, New York City saw a historic plummet in air quality as smoke from Canadian wildfires shrouded the five boroughs in an otherworldly orange haze. The drastic reduction in air quality took officials off-guard and prompted calls to be better prepared as climate change creates conditions more conducive to wildfires. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Scores of community members and leaders joined together at the intersection of Penbroke Avenue and Conyingham Avenue in Randall Manor to commemorate the legacy of Anthony Varvaro, a former MLB pitcher turned Port Authority police officer, with an official street co-naming Saturday. Varvaro, a Staten Island native who lived on the block, was a star on the ball field since an early age, starting out as a catcher in the boroughs West Shore Little League. He continued playing through high school as a student athlete, graduating from Curtis High School in 2002. After three years as a member of the St. Johns Red Storm, the right-handed pitcher was drafted to the MLB in 2005 by the Seattle Mariners. He would go on to pitch for the Atlanta Braves in 2011, making his mark in more than 100 relief appearances over four seasons. His career would see him pitch for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. In 2016, he retired to become a Port Authority police officer; he was granted a post upon request at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. Scenes from the co-naming in memory of Anthony Varvaro on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (mmphotos2 for the Staten Island Advance) Despite the career shift, Varvaro committed his time to Little Leaguers as the president of Snug Harbor Little League; a role in which he campaigned for renovations to the leagues facilities. Tragically, on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, Varvaro was killed on his way to work by a wrong-way driver on the New Jersey Turnpike. On Saturday, community members and political figures alike collectively commemorated Varvaro by renaming Penbroke Avenue to Anthony Varvaro Way. - Scenes from the co-naming in memory of Anthony Varvaro on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (mmphotos2 for the Staten Island Advance) District Attorney Michael E. McMahon commented on the event, writing the following statement on X, formerly known as Twitter: Gone far too soon, Anthony Varvaros memory will live on through the hundreds of Staten Islanders he mentored at the Snug Harbor LL. Today we ensured his life & legacy would be remembered for generations to come as we renamed the corner of Penbroke & Conyingham Ave in his honor. - Scenes from the co-naming in memory of Anthony Varvaro on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (mmphotos2 for the Staten Island Advance) The event was sponsored by City Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (D-North Shore). Wonderful to see an outpouring of love in Randall Manor this afternoon that shows the extent of Anthony Varvaros lasting impact on the community. I was incredibly honored to join the family for the street conaming and am grateful to CM Hanks for making this possible. pic.twitter.com/LamdTCCUyw Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (@NYSenator_JSS) September 30, 2023 KYODO NEWS - Oct 1, 2023 - 21:08 | All, World, Japan Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will seek to beef up private sector cybersecurity cooperation amid China's growing regional influence, Japanese government sources said Sunday. Stakeholders and relevant parties from both sides, including nongovernmental organizations, will sign an agreement in Tokyo this week ahead of a summit in the Japanese capital in December to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN friendship and cooperation, according to the sources. The agreement, which will see cybersecurity collaboration between Japan and ASEAN nations reinforced, will be included in a joint statement at the December summit, they said. The Japanese government has been providing support for developing professionals among governments of ASEAN members through training programs at the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre in Bangkok, operated under the leadership of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. In recent years, cyberattacks targeting companies and private organizations have been drawing attention globally, with China suspected of being involved in some of the attacks. Japan and ASEAN are eyeing enhancing the capacity of both the public and private sectors in countering such cyberattacks. At meetings slated for Thursday and Friday in Tokyo, ASEAN cybersecurity firms will brief Japanese companies about their businesses with the aim of striking up new partnerships. Japanese Digital Minister Taro Kono is planning to attend the gathering, while policy meetings will be also held by government officials involved in cybersecurity. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a Japan-ASEAN comprehensive connectivity initiative last month in Indonesia when he attended an ASEAN-related summit, with the program including Japan's commitment to help ASEAN members digitalize their infrastructure and enhance their cybersecurity, among other measures. Kishida pledged to provide human resources development support in maritime safety and digitalization for 5,000 people over the next three years. Substantial cooperation between Japan and ASEAN goes back to 1973 with the establishment of a forum on synthetic rubber, while China upgraded its official relationship with ASEAN to one of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021. ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Related coverage: ASEAN holds first-ever joint military exercises in Indonesia Asia-Pacific summit reveals deep rift over Ukraine war, China clout Japan, ASEAN upgrade ties to boost maritime security amid China clout Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal. Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Short-term accommodation platforms have had it all pretty much their own way since 2012, when Airbnb launched in Australia, but governments are coming for their piece of the action. In NSW and Victoria, Airbnb and its competitors have had a notable impact on the property rental market. Local governments in both states have been forced to reconsider and adjust housing and zoning policies to address the shift in housing dynamics. Local and state governments are trying to reduce the effect of Airbnb on the rental markets Credit: Brisbane Times The rise of short-stay accommodation has reduced the availability of long-term rental properties, particularly in sought-after urban areas and tourist regions. This reduction has contributed to an increase in rental prices, making housing affordability a growing concern for both residents and towns, where expensive rents have scored an own goal and driven away workers who service the tourism industry. The Airbnb expansion initially saw homes listed as short-term holiday lets. This was often in defiance of planning laws, but local authorities frequently lacked the resources to police their own regulations in the face of the Airbnb tsunami. Now governments across the country, indeed around the world, are edging toward reforms, driven by diverse reasons, including the need to crack down on abuses, defend the amenity of existing homes and impose taxes to disincentivise owners. A University of Sydney law professor has won a lawsuit against the state after NSW Police arrested him on the sidelines of a student protest, swept his legs out from under him and pushed him to the ground. Professor Simon Rice, the universitys chair of law and social justice, launched a District Court suit against the state of NSW this year after he was violently arrested and fined under COVID-related health orders in October 2020. University of Sydney law professor Simon Rice on Friday. Credit: Kate Geraghty Judgment was entered in Rices favour in the civil suit on September 21, with the consent of the parties. The terms are otherwise confidential. I successfully sued the NSW Police for assault and battery, and for false imprisonment, Rice said. VCE exam season gets underway on Monday, but if the trend of recent years is anything to go by, more students will have chosen to do an unscored VCE and not sit exams or get an ATAR score, as alternative ways to enter university open up and young people re-evaluate their goals after the pandemic. The examination period continues until November 15, beginning with languages, dance, music and theatre exams. Credit: Wolter Peeters Students can receive a VCE certificate of completion with fewer than four study scores (unscored VCE). In 2022, 10.9 per cent of students chose the unscored route, an increase from 10.6 per cent the previous year and more than double the 4.1 per cent in 2018. The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank is a ranking between zero and 99.95 of a students scores compared with other students and is the standard entry route into university. But with universities offering alternative paths or entry into courses without ATARs, there are now more options. Detecting this as early as possible is so important that reduces the likelihood of it progressing, Hoy said, adding that there were no treatments to reverse the scarring. WA is the only state that requires low-dose CT scans to detect silicosis. The technology is more sensitive than X-rays in detecting the disease and gives the patient a much lower radiation exposure than full-dose CT scans. Loading WorkSafe regional inspector of mines Martin Ralph said there was no difference between direct employees and contractors in health and safety legislation, and any worker exposed to the same risks should get the same level of health monitoring. It is Newmonts responsibility to ensure that the monitoring is done, he said, and WorkSafe was investigating the matter. A Newmont spokeswoman said the company was reviewing contractors exclusion from the monitoring program: With this latest information [the diagnosis], this strategy is being reviewed. Too much dust Boddington is a prime asset in the Colorado-based companys global operations. Sales of gold and copper earned $2.75 billion of revenue in 2022, according to filings to the corporate regulator by the two Newmont subsidiaries that own the mine. A profit of $475 million supported dividends of $440 million to the parent company. WorkSafes mine safety group has identified health risks from dust at Boddington six times since January 2020 and issued Newmont an improvement notice in 2021, a spokesman for the regulator said. The Newmont spokeswoman said the company had cut dust levels at the dry processing plant by 70 per cent over the past 10 years and fixed the issues detailed in the improvement notice. Loading Respirators were mandatory in at-risk areas and the company was testing real-time monitors to identify the most concerning areas of the plant. Ralph said the diagnosis raised a red flag, and Newmont needed to make its Boddington site as dust-free as possible. In recent years, silicosis cases have soared among workers who cut so-called engineered stone made from silica for kitchen benchtops, leading to federal Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke predicting silica could become the new asbestos. Hoy said the risk from silica had been much better managed in the mining sector. What weve seen in the benchtop industry has been horrendous work conditions, with silica levels hundreds or thousands of times above the exposure standard, he said. Past workers left in limbo Hoy said while it could take 20 years for silicosis to develop, employers provided no screening once an employee leaves, and as it is an occupational disease, Medicare does not cover the cost of scans. So patients would have to pay for it out of their own pocket, which is completely unfair because often the effects of exposure wont manifest until they have left work, he said. Queensland is the exception, however, where former mine workers have free respiratory health surveillance under a scheme introduced after the re-emergence of black lung disease, an affliction similar to silicosis. Loading Ralph said widespread failures from all involved led to Queensland miners receiving diagnoses many thought were part of history. The regulator was slow off the mark, the industry was complicit, the unions were complicit, but also the medical practitioners were complicit as well in this, they dropped the ball big time, he said. Stephen Smyth, a vice president of the Mining and Energy Union, said a move in the 1990s from prescriptive legislation to a risk-based approach where companies determined their own risk levels and how to manage them contributed to the problem. Weve got prescriptive levels now for where the dust monitoring must occur, how it is to be done, and if theres a failure, what happens, he said. Loading Queensland mining companies pay a health and safety fee of up to $1356 per worker a year that funds, among many other activities, the respiratory monitoring. Smyth said it was important anyone exposed to mineral dust at work participated in proper health surveillance so the slight changes in the lungs that warn of future problems can be detected. This masthead asked WA Mines Minister Bill Johnston if the state government would require mining companies to provide health monitoring to former employees at the same risk of getting silicosis as current employees. His spokeswoman said the government had no proposals for such a change. In the absence of screening, the minister was also asked what he suggested past employees of Newmont do if they have had significant exposure to dust and are concerned about their health. Workers who are seeking financial compensation for health issues relating to silica dust exposure can apply for workers compensation or take civil action, Johnstones spokeswoman said. Workers in WAs mining sector who have health or safety concerns, including exposure to dust, that they have not been able to resolve through company processes can confidentially inform WorkSafe by calling 1300 307 877. Sometimes we can only learn the meaning of an event by living through it. Until then, its essence remains closed to us. I suspect this is most often true about endings and beginnings: the end of love, the beginning of moral compromise, the first time you hold a child or the last time you hold a parent. And perhaps the end of campaigns. We do not yet know with certainty what will happen on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. We might suspect the result a defeat of the proposition seems likely but this is very different from understanding what that will feel like. A friend told me she thought many would be shocked, that night, by the images they will see of Indigenous people crying. It might not be until it is voted down that most non-Indigenous people will understand what this means to most Indigenous people. It will not be until we have done it that we realise what we have done. Many, perhaps most, will not realise even then. Illustration by Jim Pavlidis Credit: One of the most remarkable features of the campaign period is how little it has felt like a campaign period. Three weeks ago, it felt as though nobody was paying attention. Then a dispute about racism broke out, and it felt suddenly like a (horrible, destructive) campaign. The last week or two, though, felt quiet again. There has been racism offline and on mostly though, at least for those of us not at the centre of events, it can feel as though the whole campaign is being fought amidst a great fog of indifference. Indifference can be a form of racism too: the decision not to care about some people and the suffering they face is telling. There are perhaps some small signs of change: the prime minister last week told journalist Katharine Murphy that Australians are talking like never before about Indigenous disadvantage. He is right but it is worth remembering how limited most national conversations are. Former Morrison government minister Zed Seselja is considering a late run for the vacant NSW Liberal Senate position despite living in the ACT. Senior right-wing NSW Liberals and former prime minister Tony Abbott are encouraging the 46-year-old to put his hand up to replace veteran senator Marise Payne before nominations close on Wednesday. Zed Seselja (left) and Marise Payne pictured in 2021. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Five Liberal sources, who asked not to be named in order to discuss internal party deliberations, said leaders of the moderate and centre-right factions discussed at the weekend the prospect of supporting Seselja, who is backed by the hard right. The leading candidate to replace Payne in the November preselection remains former NSW minister Andrew Constance, who is supported by Payne and hails from the same moderate grouping. They might usually be seen in ambulances or emergency departments. But paramedics say they are invisible professionals in Australias health system, who could also be employed in doctors surgeries and urgent care centres, if only red tape was gone and Medicare recognised them. As submissions open in a government review investigating how various health practitioners can do more to relieve the strain on the health system, paramedicine has become the fastest-growing health profession in the country. Crown Resorts manager of clinical governance and medical response David McLeod (right) and paramedic Vandan Tevani in Crown Sydneys health centre. Credit: Kate Geraghty Ryan Lovett, chair of the Australasian College of Paramedicine, said he wanted to see paramedics employed in primary care settings particularly as some patients turn to emergency departments instead of their GP to avoid rising out-of-pocket fees. Urgent care is paramedics bread and butter, he said. But theres no option for general practices to employ them. They cant pay a practice paramedic under Medicare like they can for nurses. Auction house Christies has announced its continued partnership with Dubai Watch Week (DWW), taking place from November 16 to 20 at DIFC, Dubai, UAE. Christies has worked closely with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, founder of DWW, since the inaugural event in 2015, together witnessing the growth of the secondary watch market across the Middle East. The collaboration supports the founding principles of the event, creating an experiential, educational and networking opportunity, which brings together the biggest collectors, watch brands, independent makers and thought leaders. Newly designed structure This year Christies is introducing a newly designed structure in the heart of DWW, within which a programme of engaging and illuminating talks and specialist panels from Horology and Fine Jewellery specialists, collectors and members of the watch industry will take place as well as complimentary watch valuations by appointment, with Christies international horology experts sharing their expertise. Christies Pavilion at DWW will also encompass an open plan exhibition space featuring watches on view including rare references by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille and many more. Remy Julia, Head of Watches Christies Middle East, India & Africa comments: The Christies watch auctions held in Dubai over the last decade have clearly played a role in cementing the importance of Dubai not only as a regional hub, but as a global beacon in the watch world. The continued growth and success of DWW is thanks to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and Christies is honoured to be a part of this event once again this year. Perfect setting DWW touches every corner of the international watch community and brings together such a diverse spectrum of brands, collectors, and watch aficionados who truly appreciate the event and regard it as one of the most important in the year it takes place. For its 6th edition the bar is set even higher, and the Christies Pavilion provides the perfect setting for our specialist teams to share their collaborative authority across watches, jewellery and art with visitors from around the world. Hind Seddiqi, Director General, DWW, comment: With a strong programme and unique offering during the event, the Christies pavilion embodies our core objective to create a platform for creative exchange and learning, while celebrating the luxury and horology industry.--TradeArabia News Service KYODO NEWS - Oct 1, 2023 - 18:24 | Arts, All Seasoned Japanese actor Tatsuya Fuji won the Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance on Saturday for his performance in the movie "Great Absence" at the 71st San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. Fuji, 82, became the first Japanese national to receive the award, which he won this year alongside Marcelo Subiotto of Argentina for his role in the film "Puan." In Great Absence, Fuji plays the role of a former university professor suffering from dementia in a story about an estranged father and son mending their relationship. "I strongly feel that movies can become universal sometimes by crossing the boundaries between different cultures and nationalities. I am happy to be a person involved in making films," Fuji told Kyodo News. The film, directed by Kei Chikaura, also picked up another award in Spain from a local cultural association and will be released in Japan in 2024. The festival's Golden Shell for Best Film award went to "The Rye Horn," a film directed by Spain's Jaione Camborda, and will be screened at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival opening on Oct. 23. San Sebastian's international film festival is considered one of the most prestigious in Europe alongside those of Cannes, Berlin and Venice. Related coverage: Japan's Ryusuke Hamaguchi wins runner-up Grand Jury Prize at Venice Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki's new anime film released, 1st in decade Animated Polish-Japanese story wins top prize at Asia short film fest The choice will probably hinge on which airlines you are most likely to use to spend those points, but there are also perks and privileges that apply at each alliance membership level, bringing benefits such as speedier check-in and even lounge access across the alliance member airlines. Airline alliances expand the opportunities for using your frequent flyer points. With the right alliance partner airlines, your next holiday could be in New Orleans, Istanbul or the Seychelles, all on points, but which of the big three airline alliances are you using to bank your airline points? Key alliance members for Australian flyers: Air Canada Air China Air India Air New Zealand ANA Asiana Airlines Lufthansa Singapore Airlines South African Airways Thai Airways Turkish Airlines United Airlines Star Alliance is the largest and oldest of the alliances, and the biggest measured by passenger numbers. Star Alliance claims to offer access to 98 per cent of the world. If youre looking for an alliance that can fly you to just about anywhere in Europe, Asia and North America, this could be the one. Star Alliance has a simple, two-tier membership system for elite flyers. Once they attain Silver or Gold status with their preferred airline, members receive the equivalent status within the alliance. The sole benefits that apply to Silver tier members are priority reservations waitlist and priority airport standby. Thats well short of what the lower-tier members get with the other alliances, and probably less than the perks the individual airline gives its Silver flyers. Gold level flyers get far more valuable privileges including admission to over 1000 business class lounges when flying with a Star Alliance carrier, priority boarding and check-in and extra baggage allowance. However, the road to Gold status is a tough one, requiring hundreds of flying hours in premium cabins. Once there, that status level needs to be nourished with many more premium class flights, however there are some airlines that will get you to Gold status faster than others. For example, fly with Aegean or Olympic Air at least four times and earn 24,000 Tier Miles within 12 months and you qualify for Gold status. Its true: Joe Biden is not a young man. Ideally, candidates for high political office should be in the prime of their lives. But, there is an unbalanced quality to the debate about Bidens age. For starters, its odd that there is more media coverage of Bidens fitness for office than that of his predecessor Donald Trump, who has now been indicted four times, including for the subversion of American democracy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego during their AUKUS meeting in March. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen We should judge Biden on his performance. He has been an effective leader, especially on foreign policy and particularly when viewed through the prism of Australias interests. The first argument for Joe Biden is Donald Trump. In 2020, Biden burst the big fat orange Trump balloon the only time Trump has been defeated in a national election. Not only does this help in the immediate term, with improved productivity and wellbeing, but it will also help them retain and recruit the best talent. A general election and we hope an easing of the cost-of-living crisis are likely to dominate the headlines, but on the high street we expect to see our stores become even more compelling destinations. Trevor Sterling, chair of Mary Seacole Trust, said: This is another significant historical moment and it pays tribute to Mary Seacole as a symbol of the NHS, diversity, social justice and also in understanding the diverse contributions that have been made to this country. We are doing everything we can to prevent any further incidents and we want to reassure the wider community that officers are pursuing all lines of enquiry as well as carrying out increased patrols in the area. KYODO NEWS - Oct 1, 2023 - 14:33 | All, World A U.S. federal government shutdown was averted at the last minute on Saturday after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a 45-day stopgap funding bill. A shutdown had seemed almost certain, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unexpectedly pivoted to accept Democratic support to fund government agencies through Nov. 17. The bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 335-91. The new package did not include steep spending cuts that Republicans had sought and additional aid for Ukraine that Democrats, who control the Senate, were pursuing. The bill was later endorsed 88-9 in a vote in the Senate and signed into law by Democratic President Joe Biden just before the midnight deadline. "Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans," Biden said in a statement. "But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place." The shutdown could have furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers, with the White House earlier this week estimating more than 2 million military personnel would have gone without pay. It could have also resulted in the closures of national parks as well as government-funded facilities and services. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday warned that "the failure of House Republicans to act responsibly would hurt American families and cause economic headwinds that could undermine the progress we're making," when she delivered a speech on the Biden administration's economic agenda. The congressional deadlock was largely due to infighting among Republicans who control the House with a slim majority. It remains unclear if the federal government can secure funding after 45 days without a hitch, given that Republican hardliners are now furious with McCarthy. One major point of contention has been whether to spend more to support Ukraine, which remains under invasion attack by Russian forces. After more than 19 months since Russia invaded Ukraine, some far-right Republicans, particularly those who are supportive of former President Donald Trump, have sought steep spending cuts and voiced resistance to additional aid for the war-torn country. The country's federal fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. To avert a lapse in funding, budget legislation must be approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the president before the start of each fiscal year. A federal government shutdown is far from rare in the United States. The last one, the 21st in five decades, spanned 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019. It was the longest in U.S. history and occurred because of disagreements over then President Trump's demands to fund the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico to prevent asylum seekers and immigrants from crossing into the United States. Related coverage: U.S. president's son indicted on federal counts of firearm offenses Trump surrenders at jail, becomes 1st ex-U.S. president to have mug shot Biden trying to meet North Korean leader without preconditions: official The 19-year-old was stabbed in the heart at Jubilee Country Park, close to Tent Peg Lane in Petts Wood, on the afternoon of September 20. He was pronounced dead at the scene. On any future American position, he said: We will do what we believe to be right. We have made a commitment to continue to support the Ukrainians. Now they can join in or they can watch us do it, but it is going to happen. Weve been very clear on our commitment to dual the A9. During the statement to parliament on the Programme for Government on September 5, the First Minister confirmed the formal commencement of a new procurement for the dualling of the route between Tomatin and Moy, and we expect to update Parliament on a renewed programme for the remaining sections of the A9 this autumn. Made up of the likes of Devizes MP Danny Kruger, Ipswich MP Tom Hunt and Miriam Cates, the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge as well as having the support of deputy Tory chairman Lee Anderson the group said so-called gender ideology should be banned in schools and parents should have the right to oversee the sex education their children received. Ladies and Gentlemen, can I let you into a secret if anyone likes the association of Sir Keir with flip flops, I have these: available for just 16.99 here at the Conservative Party shop and also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops and Id warmly recommend them to you. My own view is, wherever possible, we should cut taxes on work. In other words, we should incentivise people to work harder, we should make sure they are better rewarded for the enterprise, the effort, the endeavour that they put in. Asked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News what she made of the speech, Dame Priti said: I dont know what the intention was around that - it might just be get attention, to have the dividing lines that previous commentators were mentioning as we go into the run-up to a general election. If HS2 stops at Old Oak Common, it is going to make our railway journeys into London longer and disrupted potentially over the period that Old Oak Commons building is being done to enable it to take that end point, she added. By sharp contrast, if the SNP candidate is elected, they will only be focused on relentlessly pursuing another divisive referendum, while Scottish Labour cannot seriously claim to represent change when you can barely put a cigarette paper between them and the SNP on so many issues. KYODO NEWS - Oct 1, 2023 - 14:36 | World, All The Maldives' pro-China opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz defeated incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a presidential runoff election on Saturday that was widely billed as a contest of influence between New Delhi and Beijing. Muiz, the 45-year-old mayor of the capital Male and member of the pro-China People's National Congress, won about 54 percent of the vote, according to tentative results released by the election commission. Solih, 61, of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party, who has pursued closer ties with India, secured about 46 percent of the vote. The Indian Ocean island nation is located on sea lanes between the Middle East and Asia, with India and China locked in a power struggle to expand their influence. The Maldives has traditionally maintained deep military ties with India, but Muiz is expected to seek to lessen his country's dependence on New Delhi and attach more weight to its relationship with China. Muiz was backed by former President Abdulla Yameen, who in his tenure between 2013 and 2018 drew the nation closer to China by participating in the Asian power's signature Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Solih, who has been president since 2018, suffered a blow as his ties with Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, soured, leading the influential figure to leave the Maldivian Democratic Party. In an interview with Kyodo News, Nasheed warned of his country falling into a Chinese "debt trap," a criticism leveled at the Chinese initiative for saddling developing nations with debt and allowing it to leverage control over them. Nasheed has also called for relations with India and Japan to be maintained as they share values such as democracy and human rights, arguing that "abrupt changes in foreign policy are not in anyone's interest." It was hailed by the mayor as the biggest, strongest ultra-low emission zone of its type in the world, but opponents argued it will put a further financial burden on the poorest during a cost-of-living crisis as drivers with older vehicles in outer boroughs now face a 12.50 daily charge. It was also used by eight London boroughs with local outreach teams responding to StreetLink alerts, but after the Government enlisted a new provider for the service this winter the app was turned off and all referrals now have to be made on the StreetLink website. Yvette Cooper, Labours shadow home secretary, said: Our high streets and shop workers are being let down by a Conservative Government that has repeatedly refused to act to keep our streets safe or protect shop workers from appalling abuse and violence, and has cut 10,000 police and PCSOs from town centres and neighbourhoods. But thats something for the long term, not the here and now, there are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. Thats not whats happening. What we are doing is training Ukrainians. Were doing that here in the UK. People visit the "Building Contemporary China" architecture exhibition in London, Britain, Sept. 29, 2023. From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday.(Xinhua/Li Ying) LONDON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday. Under the theme "Building Contemporary China," the exhibition is being held at the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), hoping to enrich an understanding of the techniques and approaches that characterize contemporary Chinese architecture projects and how these relate to the country's broader culture and society. Projects on display are works from 11 leading Chinese architects, including the Shougang Xishi Winter Olympics Plaza, the Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital and the African Union Headquarters and Conference Complex in Addis Ababa. Exploring themes such as urban renewal, rural revival and environmental renovation, the exhibition showcases models, images, films and drawings, providing insight into how Chinese architects adapt to a rapidly changing world. "I was really struck by ... all of the architects are thinking about how the built structure interacts with the natural environment," Sevra Davis, director of architecture design and fashion at the British Council, said about the exhibition. "Building Contemporary China will take visitors on a journey through the last 30 years of building practice in China. As we know, those 30 years have been an unprecedented change ... in China. When you look at the exhibition, you really see and feel a part of that change," said Valerie Vaughan-Dick, RIBA chief executive officer, during a speech on the exhibition's opening ceremony. "This exhibition signifies the next chapter in maintaining and deepening this vital exchange between architects in the UK and architects in China," she added. Wang Jianguo, professor at China's Southeast University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told Xinhua that there is room for exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and British architectural industries on their journey to decarbonization. Li Liyan, minister counsellor for cultural affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Britain, said that in addition to the exhibition, Chinese and British architects also participated in forums and academic exchanges in collaboration with Cambridge University. "These activities will greatly promote mutual learning and practical cooperation between China and the UK." A visitor takes photos at the "Building Contemporary China" architecture exhibition in London, Britain, Sept. 29, 2023. From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday.(Xinhua/Li Ying) People visit the "Building Contemporary China" architecture exhibition in London, Britain, Sept. 29, 2023. From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday.(Xinhua/Li Ying) People visit the "Building Contemporary China" architecture exhibition in London, Britain, Sept. 29, 2023. From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Wang Jianguo, professor at China's Southeast University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, looks at a model of his own architectural work at the "Building Contemporary China" architecture exhibition in London, Britain, Sept. 29, 2023. From city museum to rural teahouse, an architecture exhibition showcasing diverse projects designed by Chinese architects kicked off here on Friday.(Xinhua/Li Ying) OTTAWA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Canada marked the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, commemorating the tragic history of residential schools. The annual event, also known as Orange Shirt Day, was established as a federal statutory holiday in 2021 to remember thousands of children who died while being forced to attend church-run and government-funded residential schools and reflect on the ongoing impacts on survivors, their families and communities. The day was introduced in response to one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls for action. On Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to support the families of indigenous communities still searching for their children who never returned home. "We confront the lasting impacts of the residential school system for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis in Canada. We come together to remember the children who were stolen from their communities and those whose lives were stolen from them at these so-called schools. We honor the Survivors, many of whom suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. We listen to their truths, and we reiterate our commitment to building a better future for Indigenous Peoples and for everyone in Canada," Trudeau said. "The Government of Canada will be there every step of the way to provide them with the resources they need to fully uncover the truth of what happened at residential schools, honor the children who did not return, and support communities as they continue on their healing journeys," Trudeau said. The prime minister also said that one must never forget the past and the injustices committed against the indigenous people at residential schools, as well as the intergenerational trauma that remains today. As part of the annual commemorative program, Canadian people gathered in communities in various parts of the country. Trudeau attended the event held in Lac La Ronge in Saskatchewan province, while hundreds of survivors, indigenous leaders and other dignitaries attended the national commemorative gathering held on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. In recent years, gravesites containing the remains of children have been discovered in various locations across Canada, depicting a bleak picture of the country's human rights. Between 1867 and 1998, over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Metis children were taken from their families and communities and forced to attend residential schools, where they were banned from speaking their languages and practicing their cultures and traditions, according to the Canadian authorities. Those children had to endure physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and never returned home. Many have dubbed the sufferings of the Canadian indigenous community as a crime against humanity. Most recently, on Sept. 27, 2023, local researchers discovered at least 15 potential gravesites of children near a former residential school in Yukon, a northwestern territory of Canada. The discovery is the latest in a series of potential graves discovered around Canada's residential schools, where 4,100 indigenous children were confirmed to have died, and an additional 6,000 were estimated to have perished due to abuse, negligence, lack of medical care, and suicide, according to a report released by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2015. The accurate number of victims, however, may never be revealed, the report said. Earlier in September, a total of 93 potential unmarked children's and infants' graves were uncovered at the former Beauval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan. In September 2022, the remains of 215 indigenous children were found in Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia Province. In June 2021, at least 751 unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of a former residential school for Indigenous children in Saskatchewan, smashing the nation's hypocritical facade and stunning the world. Americans spend more than $420 billion per year at pharmacies for prescription drugs, according to a 2022 report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Prescription discount cards help people save money on prescription drugs by offering savings at participating pharmacies. One popular company, GoodRx, offers discounts of up to 80% on prescription drugs at over 70,000 U.S. pharmacies with its prescription savings program. And according to the companys website, theres absolutely no cost and no catch. But earlier this year, GoodRx was penalized by the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, for disclosing patients personal health information without their consent. And using GoodRxs discounts isnt always easy or predictable. Here are four potential catches the federal government, pharmacists, researchers and the company itself say you should know about before using GoodRx. Deductibles Keep in mind you cannot use GoodRx and insurance at the same time, the companys website says. It encourages users to pay for prescriptions as a cash payment with a GoodRx coupon. (In this context, paying cash means youre paying out of pocket without insurance.) Using GoodRx rather than insurance means your insurance doesnt have to reimburse you or count your spending toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. Whether this matters to you depends on your coverage and what you expect to spend on prescription drugs each year. Who cares if its not going to count toward your deductible if you were never going to spend so much that youre going to hit your deductible anyway, says pharmacist Shannon Rotolo, of the University of Rochester. But if you know that youll spend enough to hit an out-of-pocket maximum or Medicare Part D catastrophic coverage, Rotolo recommends having it count toward your deductible. Get the lower prices from your insurance plan sooner in the year, she says. Privacy violations GoodRxs not-so-good privacy practices made it the first-ever company penalized for violating the FTCs Health Breach Notification Rule, according to a post by senior attorney Lesley Fair on the agencys business blog. In our complaint, we alleged that GoodRx violated the FTC Act (which prohibits unfair and deceptive practices in the marketplace) by sharing sensitive personal health information for years with advertising companies and platforms contrary to its privacy promises that it would not do so, FTC spokesperson Juliana Gruenwald Henderson wrote in an email. The FTC imposed a $1.5 million civil penalty on GoodRx. (For context, thats about 0.2% of the companys 2022 annual revenue of $766.6 million.) The FTC also prohibited GoodRx from sharing any of its users health data with third parties for advertising, and the company must obtain consent before sharing data for any non-advertising purpose. When asked whether and to whom GoodRx sells or shares patient data today, a company representative referred in an email to a February 2023 statement. The settlement with the FTC focuses on an old issue that was proactively addressed almost three years ago, before the FTC inquiry began, the GoodRx statement says. The company disagrees with the FTCs allegations and does not admit wrongdoing. GoodRx says in its statement that privacy and security are paramount to us and an essential part of how we conduct our business, and it encourages customers with questions to review the companys privacy policies. Unpredictability GoodRxs prices fluctuate frequently, the companys website says. So it might be hard to predict what youll pay and where youll have to go for your medications. If youre really trying to find the lowest price with GoodRx, you can end up spending as much in gas money driving to a pharmacy across town one month, and then the next month, youre driving to a pharmacy in the other direction or the adjacent town, Rotolo says. Prices for common generic medications on GoodRx can change by hundreds of dollars per fill over just six months, according to research published in 2022 by Rotolo and colleagues in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer. You may be better off just using your local pharmacys cash price, even if its a couple bucks more, Rotolo says (although the price difference will sometimes be much higher, she acknowledges). It may be worth it, she adds, just to know that youre going to continue to get that same price at that place, probably for a while. Pharmacy choice To get the lowest price with GoodRx, you may have to use a specific pharmacy probably a large chain. A lot of (independent) pharmacies wont even accept the GoodRx card, says pharmacist Jessica Robinson, assistant professor at East Tennessee State Universitys Gatton College of Pharmacy. Smaller pharmacies might not be able to afford it. What happened was independent pharmacies were very excited to help patients any way they can, and then found out that a lot of the price negotiations are reimbursing below the cost of the drug, Robinson says. Pharmacies dont get to negotiate with GoodRx, Robinson says, but they are usually willing to sell a medication to a cash-paying patient at cost. So while an independent pharmacy might not take GoodRx, they may have other options to help you afford medications. GoodRx alternatives There are several options for help affording medications that you might want to consider along with GoodRx. Pharmacies I always recommend going to your traditional mom-and-pop independent pharmacy and asking them if they can help you with a cash plan or cash price, Robinson says. Manufacturers A lot of manufacturers will have really comprehensive patient assistance programs that can help with the cost of their brand-name drugs, Robinson says. Cost Plus Drugs Cost Plus Drugs is an online pharmacy offering low-cost generic medications delivered by mail. But as with GoodRx, you generally cant use insurance. Nonprofits Grants to help patients afford out-of-pocket costs for medications are available from nonprofits such as the Patient Access Network Foundation, the HealthWell Foundation and the Patient Advocate Foundation. BJC HealthCare, the largest health system in the St. Louis area, plans to merge with Kansas Citys second-largest, Saint Lukes Health System, uniting more than 28 hospitals on both sides of Missouri by the end of this year. The merger, which would span markets 250 miles apart and include facilities in neighboring Kansas and Illinois, is just one of the latest in a quickly consolidating hospital industry. Cross-market deals accounted for more than half of all hospital mergers and acquisitions during the last decade, according to a paper from experts on antitrust law. Today, nearly 60% of health systems operate multiple hospitals in different geographic markets. Not only are such deals more common, they can increase costs for patients. Merged hospitals in the same state but in different markets raised prices as much as 10% compared with other hospitals, researchers found after analyzing past deals. A separate study found stand-alone hospitals raised prices 17% after they were acquired by a hospital company in another market. But for some 50 years, federal regulators have not stepped in to prevent hospitals from merging with systems in other markets, according to antitrust law experts. Without federal intervention, states that have seen such megamergers, such as Michigan and California, are often left to wrestle with the complex question of how to respond, given the likelihood of higher prices for their residents. The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department are reviewing public comments on draft merger guidelines designed to crack down on mergers in multiple sectors, including health care. Its not yet clear if or how cross-market hospital mergers within a state could be affected. Still, the draft says consolidation should not entrench or extend a dominant position by extending into new markets. But such cross-market mergers arent quite a textbook case of a monopoly. When hospitals have bought up local rivals, knocking out their competition, federal regulators have intervened to block these traditional mergers to protect patients from the resulting loss of competition. In recent years, they helped stop proposed mergers in New Jersey, Utah, and Rhode Island. The thinking is that without local competition, prices increase and the quality of care decreases. Its harder to prove how cross-market mergers, like the one planned in Missouri, reduce competition if the hospitals do not operate within a single market, said Chris Garmon, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, who researches hospital mergers. Regulators would have to prove the mergers dont just raise prices but also run afoul of the law by suppressing competition. Thats why we havent seen a cross-market merger challenge yet. Its because its hard to tell the story of why this would be a problem, he said. The Federal Trade Commission did not answer questions from KFF Health News on its broader strategy around such deals or the BJC-Saint Lukes merger. Whether an investigation is underway is not public information, said Mitchell Katz, an agency spokesperson. After the FTC didnt stop cross-market hospital mergers in California and Michigan, those states landed poles apart in handling the deals. California won concessions after challenging a deal, while Michigan did not intervene. The FTC did closely examine the 2020 deal in Michigan between Spectrum Health, based in Grand Rapids, and the Detroit areas Beaumont Health. Still, it ultimately didnt oppose the marriage that created the states largest hospital chain, Corewell Health, with 22 hospitals in regions more than 150 miles apart. The lack of intervention frustrated some, including Bret Jackson, CEO of the Economic Alliance for Michigan, a nonprofit that helps employers wrangle health costs. Spectrum was already the more expensive operator, said Jackson. He worries Beaumont prices will rise to match Spectrums once the insurance contracts with the individual hospital systems expire. Theyre not going to want to take a pay cut, Jackson said of Spectrum. Were really concerned about it. Jackson said that he was already fed up with rising hospital prices and that so are the automotive companies and laborers he represents. Health costs consume about 10% of a typical U.S. familys income. Ellen Bristol, a Corewell Health spokesperson, did not address KFF Health News questions about patient costs but said that the collaboration is improving quality statewide and creating efficiencies that help the company navigate economic headwinds. Even though regulators did not step in, FTC staffers and Michigans Department of the Attorney General volleyed emails back and forth for months, according to communications obtained by KFF Health News through a public records request from the state. The FTC asked the attorney generals office to connect its staffers to employers and state officials, plus provide information and data on the health care landscape in the state, the emails show. The FTC interviewed executives from BorgWarner, an automotive supplier, and CMS Energy, a utility company. Jackson said he, too, was interviewed by the FTC, which he said was less interested in his thoughts on the deal than in Michigans market dynamics. Its hard to glean much from the FTCs assessment of the merger because many of the emails the state supplied to KFF Health News are redacted. But they do illustrate what information and which people the FTC consulted to reach a decision. The emails also suggest state officials were made aware of the FTCs findings. On the evening of Jan. 13, 2022, an assistant AG sent a lengthy email to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel about the FTCs review of possible antitrust implications, according to the subject line. In the version provided to KFF Health News, though, the entire email except for the greeting and the signature was blacked out. The next day, other emails show, hospital officials began discussing final language with the AGs office for a press release announcing the deal would soon close. Michigan did not move to block the deal or investigate further. Danny Wimmer, a spokesperson for Nessel, a Democrat, said the deal fell outside the authority of her office, further frustrating Jackson, of the Economic Alliance for Michigan. We need to give state regulators the tools to at least assess mergers in the health care system, Jackson said. Nessels position is not the attitude taken in all states. A 2020 merger agreement in California between Huntington Hospital in Pasadena and Cedars-Sinai Health System, with its flagship hospital in Los Angeles, attracted the attention of then-state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who imposed conditions, such as price caps to protect consumers. Becerra, a Democrat who is now Health and Human Services secretary, had argued the cross-market merger would lead to higher prices. Employers relied on having both Cedars-Sinai and Huntington Hospital in their networks to ensure adequate access to all employees scattered across the massive Los Angeles region with a population larger than that of most states which California officials said has several distinct markets serving patients. If the two were to combine, employers would have to accept price hikes to maintain access to both entities, according to an analysis the AGs office commissioned. Health systems can threaten to create important holes in a health plans provider network, the analysis said, by refusing to include all hospitals, giving the system greater leverage to extract higher prices from the health plan. Cedars-Sinai and Huntington sued the AG over the conditions imposed on the merger. Ultimately, the parties settled on revised conditions, which included a 10-year ban on all-or-nothing contracting with insurers and a cap on price increases for five years. The settlement allowed Cedars-Sinai to expand access while reflecting a shared goal of keeping healthcare affordable, said Duke Helfand, a spokesperson for Cedars-Sinai. Still, it was considered a win for antitrust enforcers, with implications that could reverberate across the country, some health economists said. In Missouri, the key question is whether state officials will intervene. Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, is reviewing the merger, which requires his offices approval before it can close, said Madeline Sieren, a spokesperson for the AG. Neither BJC nor Saint Lukes answered questions from KFF Health News about potential price increases or plans to improve quality. The hospitals have estimated the merged system will generate annual revenue topping $10 billion. The Missouri systems ought to explain how this merger will benefit patients by lowering costs and improving quality, Garmon said. Whether they actually do them or not depends on whether they actually have the incentive to do them, Garmon said. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. It was formerly known as Kaiser Health News. Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today WEST PLAINS, Mo. The first Crockett Oaks came to Missouri in the 1920s from Arkansas. A descendant of slaves, he ended up in Howell County looking for work. Oaks and his wife, Willie, settled on The Hill, an area on the northeast side of town with streets named after presidents Jefferson, Washington, Jackson, Lincoln. Black people lived in the area during a time of deep segregation. Oaks had two sons and three daughters. The oldest son, Crocket Oaks Jr., still lives in West Plains, just a few blocks from where he grew up. He described his dad, who worked for the railroad, in an auto garage, and as a janitor, as all blood and muscle. He believed in working hard for a living. Willie wanted her children to get an education. For Black children in southwest Missouri in the first half of the 20th century, that meant going to a segregated school. The Oaks lived near the Lincoln School, a one-room building. It served Black students from West Plains and surrounding communities from 1920 until 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Brown vs. Board of Education that it was unconstitutional to force Black students into segregated schools that were not equal to the schools white children attended. After third grade, in 1954, Crockett Oaks Jr., transferred to the now-integrated schools in West Plains. He has melancholy memories about the experience. Sure, there was some racism, but he learned to get along with his new classmates. It didnt bother us that bad, Oaks Jr., who is now 78, remembers. But I was young enough that I didnt know any better. I visited with him recently because of an email I received from his son, Crockett Oaks III. The grandson of the original Crockett Oaks recently moved back to West Plains, where he is an associate vice chancellor at Missouri State Universitys local campus. He returned to his hometown after a wide-ranging career as an FBI agent, Army Reservist, security specialist and investigator with the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys office. He found the Lincoln School, still standing in a neighborhood much less vibrant than in his fathers youth, in a state of disrepair. Since the Lincoln School closed in 1954, its been used as a VFW lodge, a meeting place for Girl Scouts and, most recently, a home for a local Alcoholics Anonymous branch. Earlier this year, Oaks and his wife, Tanya, bought the building from the city. Theyve created a nonprofit and are turning it into a cultural center to tell the story of the Ozarks, particularly The Hill. This place deserved a higher calling, Oaks III says. The history of this building needed to be more prominently celebrated. This is really the only thing that remains from the historic African-American community in West Plains. His father is one of the last living graduates of the Lincoln School. Before desegregation, students who wanted to go to high school had to travel from West Plains to Kansas City or St. Louis. Thats what his older sisters did. Some would stay in the city, where there was a larger African-American population and more jobs. As he goes about the process of fundraising and rehabbing the school, Oaks contractors have stripped the inside of the 635-square-foot building to the studs. The original wood floor is still there, but it needs to be sanded and buffed. The brick fireplace remains. The basement is being rehabbed. The plans also call for a mural telling the story of The Hill, a podcast studio, and a display space for artists and historians to tell the stories of forgotten local cultures. His father doesnt talk much about segregation and racism. But the younger Oaks is cognizant of the reemergence of white supremacism in some areas, political moves to paint diversity, equity and inclusion in a negative light, and efforts to whitewash Americas history. Saving the Lincoln School is bigger than preserving a part of his family history, and the history of West Plains, Oaks says. It is part of making sure that history doesnt repeat itself. To learn more about the Lincoln School, go to lincolnschoolproject.com. UPDATE: Authorities arrested Jonathan S. O'Dell around 5 p.m. Sunday in Ray County. ST. LOUIS The FBI said Saturday that it is searching for an inmate who escaped a Missouri jail overnight and should be considered dangerous. Jonathan S. O'Dell escaped the Phelps County Jail, in Rolla, Missouri, after 11 p.m. Friday by "compromising the structural integrity" of his holding cell, according to the FBI. A second inmate who aided O'Dell and escaped with him turned himself in afterward. O'Dell was indicted in May for conspiring to murder U.S. Border Patrol officers and shooting at FBI officers who arrested them on the eve of their trip, in October of 2022, south to the U.S. Mexico border. O'Dell and an accomplice had planned to shoot migrants crossing the border in to the U.S. and shoot any U.S. officers or employees who would try to stop them. They had tried to recruit other gunmen for their plan and had collected firearms, paramilitary gear and ammunition at O'Dell's house in Warsaw, Mo. O'Dell, 33, was last seen escaping the Phelps County Jail wearing a maroon-colored shirt with the Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe. Authorities did not identify O'Dell's last known location or direction, but said he is known to have associates in central and south Missouri, including the cities of Warsaw, Columbia and Springfield. O'Dell is just more than 6 feet tall, about 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity, authorities said. The FBI asks anyone with information on O'Dell's whereabouts to call 911 or the FBI's regional offices as soon as possible. Callers can reach the FBI in St. Louis at 314-589-2500 and the FBI in Kansas City at 816-512-8200. Tips can be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov. This is what escaped Phelps County Jail inmate O'Dell looked like without his beard. Call 911 is you see him. pic.twitter.com/FPCCePTAKv MO Public Safety (@MoPublicSafety) September 30, 2023 FERGUSON A suspect gunman was charged Saturday with shooting and killing a Ferguson man overnight, police here said. Max Jones, of Hazelwood, faces one count of murder in the 2nd degree and one count of armed criminal, Ferguson Capt. Tim Harris said. He was being held at St. Louis County jail in Clayton. Jones was arrested after a fatal shooting about 10 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of Northwinds Drive, in Ferguson. Officers responding to a 911 call found a man shot in the street. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Harris did not identify the man killed in the shooting. Police searching the area of the shooting found Jones, who matched a suspect description given to officers, with a gun that investigators linked to the shooting, Harris said. He did not immediately release more details. Ferguson Police ask anyone with information about the shooting to call detectives at 314-522-3100. Callers may remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers 1-866-371-8477. ST. LOUIS A police officer shot a man Saturday morning after he threatened family members with a gun and then shot at police attempting to take him into custody, St. Louis police said. Police said the suspected gunman was hospitalized in serious stable condition after the shooting shortly before 10 a.m. in the 3800 block of Shenandoah Avenue. No police officers were hurt. Police were called to the block in the morning for a suspect believed to be armed, suffering from a severe mental crisis, Lt. Daniel Zarrick said. Officer Involved Shooting in the 3800 block of Shenandoah. Preliminary information is officers responded to a call for a subject threatening family members with a gun. Subject struck in chest and buttocks. FIU has been requested to the scene. St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) September 30, 2023 Police officers gathered in a group at the end of the 3900 block of Shenandoah while attempting to make contact with the family who had called 911, Zarrick said. After making contact with the man on the homes second floor, the man and police made their way outside onto the street, he said. He was extremely agitated, Zarrick said. Officers were not sure if he was armed and attempted to gain control of the man, Zarrick said. Police said that, eventually, the man tried to run away, and officers attempted to use a taser on him. The taser was ineffective, but the suspect fell to the ground after continuing to run. When the suspect stood, he produced a handgun and began firing at officers, police said Saturday evening. One police officer returned fire and shot the gunman twice, Zarrick said in the right chest and in the right groin. The officer has worked for the St. Louis department for 15 years, he said. The departments Force Investigative Unit was called to investigate. Detectives appeared to be searching a wide area the block near the intersection of Shenandoah and 39th Street, including the front lawn of a house near the end of the block, after the shooting. Some residents watching investigators said they had returned home in the morning to find police had taped off the street. Another bystander said he had heard several loud popping sounds shortly before 10 a.m. and later walked by and saw police outside. Bryce Gray of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Most St. Louis-area members of Congress voted for a temporary spending measure to keep the government running for the next 45 days in a bipartisan vote to avert a looming shutdown. In the House, support was bipartisan on the Missouri side of the metro area, with Republicans Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith and Ann Wagner and Democrat Cori Bush backing the measure. In Illinois districts that cover the Metro East, Republicans Mike Bost and Mary Miller voted no; Democrat Nicki Budzinski voted yes. While House Republicans struggled for weeks to pass a temporary funding measure with just their partys support, they picked up support among Democrats by voting on what is called a clean CR, which means its a temporary measure that keeps spending at its current levels for 45 days until Congress can pass its yearly spending bills. The bill also appropriates about $16 billion for disaster relief and temporarily extends the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, which was also set to expire Sept. 30. But it excludes two more controversial additions money to support Ukraine and money to increase security at the southern border. All but one of Missouris eight representatives in the House voted for the bill. Eric Burlison, a freshman Republican, a member of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus, was the lone vote against keeping the government open. Burlison, in a brief social media post, said he opposed extending the Woke Biden Policies for an additional month and a half, and vowed to continue to fight to end this cycle of depravity. Missouris two U.S. senators split on the matter: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley was among 88 senators who supported the continuing resolution; Eric Schmitt was among nine Republicans who voted no. Includes reporting by the Kansas City Star. Conductor Zhang Jingbo performs with the Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra in Graz, Austria, Sept. 30, 2023. A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held here on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. (Xinhua/He Canling) GRAZ, Austria, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held here on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. During the over one-hour concert at Austria's second largest city, musicians from China's Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra performed more than 10 pieces of traditional Chinese folk music such as "Jasmine Flowers" and "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." Traditional Chinese musical instruments, such as erhu, bamboo flute and suona, were played by the musicians in the concert. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. Chen Wanjie, the institute's director, said that music is a common language of human beings and the concert embodies the spirit of music without borders, adding that the event creates a festive atmosphere for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Zhang Qianya (front) of Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra performs in Graz, Austria, Sept. 30, 2023. A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held here on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. (Xinhua/He Canling) Members of Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra perform in Graz, Austria, Sept. 30, 2023. A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held here on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. (Xinhua/He Canling) A car hit an Illinois state police vehicle Saturday night in Granite City, injuring the state trooper. The crash occurred on eastbound Interstate 270, west of the Missouri state line while an officer was parked in the right lane with emergency lights on. According to police, the trooper was helping a motorist when a Toyota Sequoia hit the rear of the squad car. The officer, whose name was not released, was inside the car at the time of the crash and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Toyota Sequoia has been identified as Dwayne Samuel, 62, of Florissant. Samuel was uninjured and was issued citations operating an uninsured vehicle and for violating Scotts Law, or the Move Over Law, which mandates drivers move over and slow down for stopped emergency vehicles with active emergency lights. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. During his momentous U.S. Senate campaign against Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln sat for a photograph after politicking in western Illinois and presented one of the copies to a man severely injured while testing a cannon for Lincoln's campaign rally. As a small measure of compassion, Lincoln presented one version of the image to the injured man, Charles Lame, who overcame a deadly infection in an arm torn up by the blast with a little unexpected and somewhat macabre help. The tale provides an unlikely, ghastly background to the original 1858 ambrotype created during the future nation-saving Civil War president's ascendancy, an image which the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has added to its collection, officials said Monday. Original images of Abraham Lincoln are extraordinarily rare, and images with a fascinating backstory like this are even more rare," said Christina Shutt, executive director of the library and museum. Lincoln fans everywhere should thank Charles Lames descendants for this generous donation. The ambrotype given to Lame remained in the family and was inherited by Mary Davidson of Hendersonville, Tennessee. When she died in August 2022, her children decided the image should go to Springfield. Lincoln's celebrity was on the upswing when he arrived on Sept. 30, 1858, in Pittsfield, about 110 miles northwest of St. Louis. He had completed four of his seven headline-grabbing debates with Douglas, whose view that the introduction of slavery into new territories should be up to local voters had drawn Lincoln, a former one-term congressman, back into politics. Centering largely on slavery, the campaign ended in defeat for Lincoln. But he had forced Douglas into statements that alienated him from slave-holding Southern states to the point that they rejected him for president in 1860, paving Lincoln's way to the White House. Following his two-hour Pittsfield speech on Oct. 1, local lawyer Daniel Gilmore, who had opened his home to Lincoln for lunch that day, persuaded the candidate to sit for the ambrotype at the gallery of Calvin Jackson. Despite Lincoln's heroic welcome, tragedy had struck the town a day earlier. About the time Lincoln reached the home of his overnight host, supporters Robert Scanland, a longtime Lincoln friend, and Lame, a furniture storekeeper, were preparing an unloaded cannon, which in keeping with political tradition would be fired during the rally, according to a 1968 article by historian LeRoy H. Fischer. On a second test, Lame was ramming the powder charge when sparks from Scanland's torch inadvertently ignited it and the cannon fired, severely burning Lame's face and sending the ramrod through his arm before it penetrated a tree a block away. Carried to his home, a physician decided not to amputate Lame's viciously lacerated arm, a risky decision in an era predating antibiotics. Infection rapidly set in, Lame's temperature rose and he lay on the cusp of death. So dire was his condition that when Lincoln tried to see him after the rally, Lame's wife turned him away on doctor's orders, at which point Lincoln promised that a copy of his photo would be delivered. Lincolns gift was a small gesture, but it reaffirms his reputation as a man of compassion. The photo is a physical reminder of his kind spirit and concern for others, said Ian Hunt, head of acquisitions for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Lincoln was no stranger to disfigurement. A horse's kick in the head as a child might have contributed to a significantly asymmetrical face that opponents openly mocked. Lame had a rally in store, however. Horseflies entering the open, unscreened window of Lame's room swarmed the wound and laid eggs. Although no one understood at the time, maggots feasted on the decaying flesh and with it, the infection. Lame would live nearly four more decades, dying at age 76 in 1897. The ambrotype, a popular and cheaper alternative to the daguerreotype in the 1850s, was made by creating a photographic negative on glass. It was then placed on a dark background which showed through the clear parts of the negative, giving it the appearance of a black-and-white photograph. Lincoln's old friend Gilmer, who was killed leading an Illinois infantry regiment during the Civil War's 1863 Battle of Chickamauga, received one copy of the ambrotype. Now in the collection of the Library of Congress, it had been significantly damaged by amateur attempts at cleaning over the years. Fischer believes the one given to Lame was a copy made that day. The image is featured in a small oval and enclosed in a leather-bound wooden case 3 inches high by 3 inches wide. As for the image itself, Fischer quotes an artist and Lincoln historian describing the 49-year-old candidate's leathery appearance, untrimmed hair and cock-eyed necktie. Hunt, also with the library and museum, sees a man of conviction" while noting that Lincoln would have been exhausted by the campaign trail. This is the Lincoln that the voters of Illinois would have been familiar with, Hunt said. Not the one we tend to think of today on the $5 bill or in the Daniel Chester French sculpture at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. 50 famous firsts from presidential history Presidential milestones over the years 1789: Washington wins unanimously 1800: First White House president 1804: First separate vote for vice president 1806: First child born in the White House 1817: Last of the Founding Fathers 1821: First oath of office to be postponed 1824: First president to lose popular and electoral votes 1825: First son of previous president to serve 1831: First convention to nominate candidates for president 1840: First party platform 1841: First president to die in office 1841: First VP to assume presidency due to death 1844: First dark horse candidate 1850: Last president not a Democrat or Republican 1857: First and only unmarried president 1865: First president to be assassinated 1866: First Congressional override of note 1868: First presidential impeachment 1872: First woman to run for president 1872: First candidate to die before Electoral College meets 1876: First time justices decide an election 1881: Last of the 'log cabin' presidents 1881: First president who was a clergyman 1881: First presidential library 1881: First 'so help me god' 1885: First president to serve separate terms 1901: Youngest president to assume office 1904: First Black American to receive presidential nomination 1909: First president and chief justice 1924: Longest political convention 1928: First Catholic to receive presidential nomination 1933: First four-term president 1956: First televised presidential debate 1960: First televised presidential debate featuring candidates 1960: First Catholic president to win election 1964: First woman to seek Republican nomination 1972: First Black woman to seek nomination 1974: First president never elected to presidency, vice-presidency 1976: First U.S. Naval Academy graduate 1980: First actor to become president 1984: First woman on a presidential ticket 1996: First Democrat to serve a second term since FDR 2000: First presidential race settled by the Supreme Court 2008: First woman to run on Republican ticket 2008: First Black president elected 2016: First president to win on first political run 2016: First woman to win a major party nomination for president 2020: Oldest president to win office 2020: First president to break 75 million votes 2020: First woman of color to be elected VP BOSTON A federal appeals court on Saturday blocked a venture capital fund from moving forward with a program that awards funding to businesses run by Black women in a case by the anti-affirmative action activist behind the successful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to race-conscious college admissions policies. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a 2-1 vote granted a request by Edward Blums American Alliance for Equal Rights to temporarily block Fearless Fund from considering applications for grants only from businesses led by Black women. Blums group asked the court to do so while it appealed a judges Tuesday ruling denying it a preliminary injunction blocking Fearless Fund from moving forward with its racially exclusive program. Grant applications were due Saturday. The judges in the majority, U.S. Circuit Judges Robert Luck and Andrew Brasher, agreed with Blums group that Fearless Funds racially exclusionary grant program likely violated Section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act, a Civil War-era law that bars racial bias in contracting. U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash earlier this week concluded that under the U.S. Constitutions First Amendments free speech protections, Fearless Fund had a right to express its belief in the importance of Black women to the economy through charity. But the appeals courts majority, comprised of two appointees of Republican former President Donald Trump, said the First Amendment does not give the defendants the right to exclude persons from a contractual regime based on race. Blum in a statement said his group was gratified that the 11th Circuit has recognized the likelihood that the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest is illegal. Defense lawyers said they planned to seek further appellate review. We remain committed to defending our clients meaningful work, said Jason Schwartz, a lawyer for Fearless Fund. Fearless Fund describes itself as built by women of color for women of color. The lawsuit is one of three that Blums Texas-based group has filed since August challenging grant and fellowship programs designed by the venture capital fund and two law firms to help give Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups greater career opportunities. A different group founded by Blum, who is white, was behind the litigation that led to the June decision, powered by the Supreme Courts 6-3 conservative majority, declaring unlawful race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. According to the Fearless Fund, businesses owned by Black women in 2022 received less than 1% of the $288 billion that venture capital firms deployed. The fund aims to address that disparity, and counts JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and MasterCard as investors. It has invested nearly $27 million in 40 businesses led by minority women since its founding in 2019. It also provides grants, and Blums lawsuit took aim at its Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, which awards Black women who own small businesses $20,000 in grants and other resources to grow their businesses. The fund argued Blum was trying to turn a seminal civil rights statute on its head by suing it under a Civil War-era law enacted to protect formerly enslaved Black people from racial bias. U.S. Circuit Judge Charles Wilson, an appointee of Democratic former President Bill Clinton, in a dissenting opinion on Saturday called it a perversion of Congress intent to use that law against a remedial program like Fearless Funds. Woody Allen famously said that 80% of success is showing up. When it comes to the GOP presidential nomination fight, I am not so sure. I was in attendance at the second Republican primary debate Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. Here are a few takeaways on who and what showed up and who and what did not. There were seven candidates on the debate stage. They were, in order of their standings in the polls, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. The most notable missing participant was the front runner, who is ahead of his opponents in most polls by about 40 points. While former President Donald Trump was missing from this second debate, he supporters were out in full force, lining the street at the bottom of the hill at the Reagan Library. They were holding plenty of Trump flags, banners, and even a Trump cutout. The scene felt somewhat ironic, as Trump himself did not feel like it was in his best interest to attend the debate, yet his supporters wanted to make sure his presence was known. Trump was instead in Michigan speaking to auto workers. There were two candidates who attacked Trump for missing the debate. The first was DeSantis. He exclaimed, Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this debate stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt. The second candidate on offense was Christie, who mocked Trump by calling him Donald Duck for ducking out on the debate. I doubt that there are many Republican primary voters who will hold Trumps absence against him. Also missing was any control by the moderators. Dana Perino, Stuart Varney and Ilia Calderon were unable to keep the debate participants from interrupting each other, talking over one another, and at times even shouting at each other. The questions and topics were all over the place and the candidates were discouraged from debating one another. Former president Reagan was obviously missing from the debate as well. During the two hour event, there were only two references to Reagan: One by Pence, when he quoted Reagans famous Peace through strength line, and one by DeSantis during his closing remarks. For all that was lacking, several candidates came prepared. DeSantis had more energy this time around and had a much better debate performance than he did in the first one. Haley continued to show off her political skill and in my opinion was the winner once again. Pence came in strong as the traditional conservative. And Christie demonstrated his prosecutorial abilities. Probably the name that received the most mentions was a candidate who is not even running in the GOP primary. That of course was President Biden, or the Biden administration, or Bidenomics. The problem with that is, if you are one of the seven candidates who was on the stage, you need to beat Trump before you can run your general election campaign against Biden. Kari Lake, the former television news anchor and former Arizona gubernatorial candidate was present as a surrogate for Trump. When a reporter asked Lake a question about a Trump policy, she responded, You should be in Michigan and ask him yourself. The biggest surprise was when Democratic Gov. Governor Gavin Newsom showed up to the media spin room before and after the debate. Newsome had some advice for the candidates, telling them they need to go after the front runner or else they are wasting everyones time. Newsom took questions from reporters and referenced his fellow gubernatorial predecessor, Reagan, more than any of the Republican candidates did. He reminded those present that Reagan was the last Republican president to support comprehensive immigration reform and that he believed that immigrants were the life force of America. Not one person who showed up came to take Trump down and none of them made the case why they would make a better president than Trump. They sparred amongst themselves and took shots at Biden. Therefore this debate was another waste of time as it is unlikely to move any numbers. My biggest takeaway is that Trump is going to prove Woody Allen wrong. Lynn Schmidt is a Post-Dispatch columnist and Editorial Board member. lynnschmidtrn@outlook.com. The eastern region of the state is under the yoke of a state government based far to the west and far removed politically and culturally. On just about every issue, from abortion to guns to taxes to civil rights, state legislators completely ignore what those on the eastern border want, what they believe, how they live. At times, it seems the states political leaders are maliciously wielding their legislative majority to outright punish the entire region for its support of the opposing political party and a different ideological culture. Eastern Oregon, we get you. St. Louis is about as different as possible from that rural, conservative region, but for one commonality: the looming shadow of a state government that at times seems to be on a different political planet. Should frustrated St. Louis residents think about just ditching Missouri altogether and joining deep-blue Illinois, right across the river? Its an interesting thought-project, nothing more. Except, perhaps, in Oregon. As The Washington Post reported in an extensive piece recently, the conservatives who populate most of eastern Oregon are pursuing what appears to be a serious attempt to secede from their state and join red-state Idaho, just to their east across the Snake River. Dubbed the Greater Idaho Movement, its being primarily driven by rural eastern Oregonians, who tend to be far more politically conservative than residents in the western cities of Portland, Eugene and Bend. Those population centers, which are all staunchly liberal (Portland famously so), effectively control Salem, the state capital. The result is a raft of liberal state laws that are about as popular in rural Oregon as they would be in rural Missouri. Oregon strongly protects abortion rights in the post-Roe v. Wade era, is a national leader on environmental protection and has some of the nations strictest gun control. Oh, to be able to just trade state governments. State policies next door in Idaho, meanwhile, offer a conservative reverse image on those and other issues. It is, in its way, a microcosm of the deep political divisions that plague America as a whole today. Which is what makes eastern Oregonians proposed solution both fascinating and troubling: Twelve counties (and counting) have voted to support local ballot initiatives ordering leaders to study the possibility of moving the Oregon-Idaho border about 270 miles west, to encompass what is now eastern Oregon. Proponents even have a slogan for it that St. Louisans might recognize: Better together. What were looking for is local control, not foreign control, one Oregon state senator told the newspaper. And by foreign I mean Portland, Salem and the rest of those in the west who have decided they know better than we do how to run our lives. Hmm. From our St. Louis perspective, we have to ask: Would that be similar to a state government that, for example, systematically dismantles virtually every firearms restriction it once had, even as its major cities beg for tools to stop the deluge of guns in their streets? Or a state government that refuses to let the cities set their minimum wages higher than an unlivable base, finally prompting a statewide referendum to overrule the Legislature? Or a state government that censors libraries and sues city school districts for following the best expert medical advice during a pandemic all while failing to carry out the basic functions of government like education, health care and infrastructure improvement? Just asking. In this deeply polarized era, with red and blue America feeling very much like two different countries, there are lots of places around the nation like eastern Oregon places under the thumb of (if you will) the other side. And yes, St. Louis is one of them. Its all part of a national ideological divide that is being driven in large part by political self-sorting. Known among sociologists and political scientists as The Big Sort, it describes this eras unusual trend of Americans literally relocating to cities or states that are more in line with their personal political beliefs than the places they lived before. Most of the demographic evidence of that phenomenon is anecdotal and hard to quantify though things like an 8,000-member Facebook group called Conservatives moving to Texas indicate its real. Theres no denying that Americas political centers are deeper red and deeper blue, with far less purple, than in previous generations. Legislatures in all but two states today are completely controlled by one party or the other, with supermajorities in more than half of those (including Missouri Republicans and Illinois Democrats). That sorting, along with gerrymandering by both parties, has made truly competitive U.S. House districts a rarity. In 2022, five of every six House races were decided by 10 percentage points or more, with an average margin for victory of 28%, according to the nonpartisan organization FairVote. And thats not even counting the 32 seats that were completely uncontested. No wonder Congressional debate today resembles day care food fights, while neighboring states like Oregon and Idaho (and Missouri and Illinois) pursue policies that seem to come from completely separate cultures. If ideas like The Greater Idaho movement become the template, those divisions would only get deeper. Is that a bad thing? That may depend not necessarily on which side of the political spectrum you ask, but on how far toward the edges you go. Oregon may have what liberals consider more enlightened policies than its neighbor on myriad cultural issues, but conservatives would counter that it also suffers some of the same economic issues that afflict other high-tax, high-regulation blue states most notably, alarming population loss. The same could be said about blue-state Illinois (not to mention blue-city St. Louis). On the other hand, we might note, the Land of Lincoln has demonstrably better infrastructure than Missouri, a better education system, better health care, a far lower gun-mortality rate. Its far more accepting of LGBTQ and other citizens who dont toe the traditional societal line. And it doesnt treat half its population like Handmaids Tale refugees. We consider those to be priority issues, so were not apt to wander too far down the path of both-siderism. That said, couldnt the argument be made that both these extremes are more problematic than the relative restraint that state governments show when neither party has a complete lock on the political system? We are all Americans, after all. The fact that we cant seem to agree these days on what, exactly, that means isnt an ideal circumstance for any nation. But moving state borders around probably isnt the answer. MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- During the 2023 Fashion Week, Harpers Bazaars global design & cultural brand "BAZAAR Design Awards" held "House of the Future - BAZAAR Design Awards International Parallel Exhibition Milan 2023" at the Mediateca Santa Teresa in Milan from September 20th to 24th. Harper's Bazaar joined hands with its chief partner, Douyin Mall and AOKANG, SEPTWOLVES, ERAL, YAYA, and GOFANS, five major Chinese clothing brands, to jointly present an exhibition area. Douyin Mall's 2023 autumn and winter clothing new product show and industry partners OPPO, AVATR, Ji Cheng Chu Xiong Yi Embroidery, and YOWANT Technology jointly brought Chinese fashion, intelligent manufacturing, and culture to Milan. International design and lifestyle brands Max Mara, Poltrona Frau, and oriental cosmetics brand Florasis together participated in the exhibition, presenting China's first dialogue between consumer design and international fashion. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001931292/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) The "House of the Future" exhibition covers four major areas: The "Art Gallery," "Fitting Room," "Innovation Lab," and "The Lounge," displaying more than ten pioneering fashion Chinese independent brands. On the exhibition's opening night on September 20th, Harper's Bazaar Milan Night was held at the Mediateca Santa Teresa in Milan. Together with the friendly Italian partner LUISAVIAROMA, the "Gossip Girl" star Mr. Ed Westwick, Ms. Cherry Li, Ms. Jennifer Shu, Ms. Kiki Xu, and Ms. Cici Xiang, and hundreds of celebrities, designers, supermodels, and brand executives. The OPPO fashion design pop-up show was held as the opening program of the "House of the Future BAZAAR Design Awards International Parallel Exhibition Milan" Bazaar Night, breaking the barriers between fashion and technology, presenting an oriental wonderland, demonstrating China's design power. On the afternoon of September 21st, Harper's Bazaar and Douyin Mall joined hands with the five major Chinese headwear brands AOKANG, SEPTWOLVES, ERAL, YAYA, and GOFANS to continue to create the topical "Vientiane Oriental Fantasy Land" event in Milan. At the same time as the exhibition, a themed summit on "How Design Leads the Future of New Consumption" was also presented, and the "Design Self-Mapping" themed forum was launched in conjunction with the AVATR, covering the elements of Chinese traditional cultural experience and other diverse cross-border activities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001931292/en/ Media Company Name: Harper's BAZAAR Contact: ZhangQiwen Email: [email protected] Website: www.bazaar.com.cn Source: Harper's BAZAAR LONDON & GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pogust Goodhead, a global law firm, and Gramercy Funds Management LLC (Gramercy), today announced that they have entered into a $552.5 million investment partnership in the form of a secured loan by Gramercy to Pogust Goodhead. This loan is the largest of its kind in a U.K. based law firm. The loan transaction strengthens the firms financial power, ensuring Pogust Goodhead has ample funds to continue its litigation across the world and on behalf of environmental victims of corporate giants such as: BHP Group (BHP.AX), BMW (BMWG.DE), Fiat Chrysler (STLAM.MI), Ford (F), Honda (7267.T), Hyundai (005380.KS), Jaguar/Land Rover (JLR), Mazda (7261.T), Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE), Peugeot/Citroen (PEUG.PA), Renault Nissan (RENA.PA), Toyota (7203.T), Vauxhall (STLAM.MI), Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE), and Volvo AB (VOLVb.ST). The loan proceeds will fund the largest action of its kind against two of the biggest mining companies in the world BHP Group (BHP.AX) and Vale (VALE3.SA) for their part in the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil. Pogust Goodhead is representing over 720,000 victims of Brazils worst ever environmental disaster, with a trial date set for October 2024 in London. The loan proceeds will also support Pogust Goodheads litigation against 14 major automobile manufacturers over the Dieselgate scandal, on behalf of approximately one million U.K. consumers. Tom Goodhead, Global Managing Partner and CEO of Pogust Goodhead, said: We are delighted to secure this major investment that will transform our business and give us the financial power to take on some of the largest companies in the world on behalf of millions of people. This landmark deal shows that global investors have good faith in the outcome of our cases. This investment will not only ensure that we bring our existing cases home, but we are putting global corporate giants on notice that we have the financial muscle to take them on for their wrongdoing. We are taking on some of the largest companies in the world. These companies have access to infinite resources to litigate against these cases. This deal levels the playing field and gives us the ability to go toe-to-toe with them. We are not trying to destroy these companies. We are taking them on for corporate misconduct, anti-competitive behaviour, corporate harm and misuse of the environment. The cases we are taking will set the bar for how serious we are, as a global society, about ensuring that big business is held accountable and upholds its obligations and responsibilities to the communities in which it operates. Harris Pogust, Chairman of Pogust Goodhead, said: Our mission is to defend the rights of those who have been wronged by some of the worlds largest multinational companies. In just the past two years we have secured historic settlements against British Airways and Volkswagen. We currently represent over one million individuals regarding the Dieselgate scandal. Additionally, we are handling the largest mass action in English history against the worlds two biggest mining companies. We are just beginning the journey to bring justice to those who most deserve it no matter where they reside and regardless of the size and perceived power of the corporate wrongdoer. This transaction with Gramercy, a firm with deep expertise in litigation finance and patient capital, gives us the ability to bring the fight to any wrongdoer. They are now on notice that it is in their financial interests and those of their shareholders to settle or face a firm with both the financial resources and litigation skills to obtain the justice our clients rightly deserve. We are extremely excited to have Gramercy as an investor and as a partner as we seek global justice for the millions of clients we currently represent and the millions yet to come. Robert Koenigsberger, Managing Partner and CIO of Gramercy Funds Management, said: We are pleased to be partnering with Pogust Goodhead. The firm has an exceptional track record and we have been impressed by the team and their approach to complex litigation. Allocating to this transaction is clearly consistent with Gramercys mission to positively impact the well-being of our clients, portfolio companies, and their communities. The investment materially aligns with our ESG and impact investing objectives. We are proud to play a part in helping Pogust Goodhead seek justice for some of the worst environmental actions over the past few decades. About Pogust Goodhead Founded by Harris Pogust and Tom Goodhead in 2018, Pogust Goodhead is an international law firm headquartered in London, England. Its growing global partnership consists of over 100 lawyers and more than 500 staff members, all working to help individuals, groups, and businesses access fair and tangible justice. The firm has been described as the first legal unicorn, following a trajectory more like a Fintech start up than a traditional law firm. Pogust Goodhead represents 1.9 million clients in cases across the world, seeking billions of dollars in damages. Since its formation, Pogust Goodhead has become a world leader in environmental litigation. In 2022 the firm secured a landmark, unanimous judgment from the Court of Appeal that allows victims of the Mariana dam disaster to seek redress against BHP and now Vale, in the Courts of England and Wales. The firms cases against corporate giants TUV SUD, Norsk Hydro and Braskem are all centered around providing redress for claimants who have suffered through a total disregard for the environment they inhabit. Pogust Goodhead is also at the cutting edge of international consumer claims, including historic settlements in the Volkswagen NOx Emissions Group Litigation in May 2022 and the victims of the British Airways Data Breach in 2021. About Gramercy Funds Management Gramercy is a dedicated emerging markets investment manager based in Greenwich, Conn., with offices in London, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Founded in 1998, Gramercy serves a global institutional client base and seeks to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns through a comprehensive approach to emerging markets supported by a transparent and robust institutional platform. Gramercy offers both alternative and long-only strategies across emerging markets asset classes including multi-asset, private credit, public credit, and special situations. Gramercy is a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC and a Signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a Signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative and a Supporter of TCFD. Gramercy Ltd, an affiliate, is registered with the FCA. For more information, please visit www.gramercy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001679557/en/ Pogust Goodhead Head of Media Lauren Veevers [email protected] Director of Corporate Comms Simon Alcock [email protected] Head of Strategic Comms Brazil Priscilla Mendes [email protected] Gramercy Funds Management Steve Bruce/Keely Gispan ASC Advisors +1 203-992-1230 [email protected] [email protected] Source: Gramercy Funds Management LLC Toronto, ON, Oct. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TVO Media Education Group (TVO) issues the following statement from CEO Jeffrey L. Orridge regarding Canadian Media Guilds (CMG) rejection of its final offer in the negotiation for a new collective agreement: I am disappointed that our CMG employees voted not to accept TVOs final offer. Unfortunately, this will serve to prolong the strike, which now enters a new and uncharted phase. The offer, if accepted, would have maintained a level of job security for CMG employees that is among the best in the industry, provided increased access to new job opportunities for production staff, and delivered a fair wage increase of 7.7% over three years (3.0%, 2.75% and 1.75%) for all CMG employees. Throughout the negotiations, TVO has made numerous proposals and tabled progressively more generous offers in an effort to resolve the issues before us. With the vote this weekend, this chapter of the negotiations has come to an end. Although TVO has tabled its best and final monetary offer, should CMG have a non-monetary proposal regarding any issue that it feels will help us resolve this strike, TVO is ready to meet and discuss the proposal in an effort to bring our CMG employees back to work. CMG, which represents 74 TVO employees with roles including digital learning content producers for TVO Learn, current affair journalists writing for TVO.org, and producers on The Agenda with Steve Paikin, began legal strike action on August 21, 2023. TVO has an FAQ available to provide answers to common questions and provide additional information around these negotiations. Media Team TVO [email protected] Source: TVO Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. FXOpulence shifts focus on tools and copy-trading FXOpulence team is excited new addition to their world, with revolutionary features to make life easier for traders. With the aim to provide a secure and improved trading environment, FXOpulence ensures that its online forex trading tools are a perfect blend of sophistication for veterans and simplicity for new entrants. As one of the world's most reliable online trading services providers, FXOpulence envisions creating an undivided business atmosphere that adheres to strong moral principles. The company is committed to enhancing its solutions to meet the waves of the ever-changing market and stay upbeat with the latest innovations. At FXOpulence, the team is dedicated to ensuring that traders have access to accurate and reliable information to make informed trading decisions. The company continuously seeks out new ways to improve its trading services, technology, and client experience, keeping its clients ahead of the curve. The highest level of professionalism is maintained in all aspects of the business, ensuring client satisfaction. The user-friendly interface of FXOpulence's platform makes it easy for traders to navigate and access the desired features. Traders can monitor the performance of the traders they are copying, or following, analyze their trading strategies, and make necessary adjustments to maximize their profits. The platform also provides comprehensive reporting and analysis tools to help traders make data-driven decisions. FXOpulence's commitment to excellence, security, and client satisfaction sets it apart in the competitive forex brokerage industry. The company aims to continue to deliver on its promise of providing innovative solutions that simplify and optimize forex trading for all types of traders. For more information about FXOpulence and its copy trading feature, please visit their website at https://fxopulence.com/ Contact Info: Name: Michael Taylor Email: Send Email Organization: FXOpulence Website: https://fxopulence.com Release ID: 89109007 In the event of any inaccuracies, problems, or queries arising from the content shared in this press release, we encourage you to notify us immediately at [email protected]. Our diligent team will be readily available to respond and take swift action within 8 hours to rectify any identified issues or assist with removal requests. Ensuring the provision of high-quality and precise information is paramount to us. New brand also welcomes full-time CEO and expands product offerings NEW YORK , Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CIVCO Radiotherapy and Qfix announced today the launch of a new brand, CQ Medical. This brand reflects the company's vision and global leadership in high-quality, patient-centric radiotherapy solutions and more than 80 years of combined experience. CQ Medical marks a pivotal transformation for CIVCO Radiotherapy and Qfix, who joined forces in October 2022 . Under its new mantra, Care Smarter, CQ Medical will seek to expand on the company's history of innovative clinical solutions, unmatched product depth and breadth, and a passion for customer and patient care. The name CQ Medical is derived from the company's Care Quotient: IQ + EQ = CQ. It follows their philosophy of applying intelligence and empathy to everything they make and do. "Our new identity as CQ Medical embodies our commitment to driving innovation that improves cancer care and patient outcomes, as well as our deep engagement in the field with clinicians and technology partners," said CQ Medical chief executive officer Mike Sutter . "This will pave the way for us to emerge as a new global leader in innovative cancer therapy solutions." Leadership Announcement In addition to the brand launch, Mike Sutter has been named as the company's chief executive officer. After assuming the role in an interim capacity in April 2023 , Mr. Sutter will lead the new CQ Medical as it continues to grow and improve patient care. "CQ Medical has a great culture and employees who are dedicated to continuously improving the radiotherapy experience both for patients and providers," added Mr. Sutter . "I look forward to continuing our mission to care smarter and keep the patient at the center of everything we do." Mr. Sutter is also an Operating Partner at Blue Wolf Capital, a middle market private equity firm specializing in the healthcare and industrial sectors. He has nearly 40 years of experience working at all levels within industrial companies, serving in diverse markets with highly differentiated operating models. His background includes a mix of general management, engineering, operations, supply chain, product management, financial oversight, and human capital development. Nanovi A/S and Advaray Join CQ Medical CQ Medical also announced it has acquired medical device companies Nanovi A/S and Advaray. Nanovi A/S is a Danish medical implant company specializing in precision marking for cancer therapy. Founded in 2013 as a spinout from the Technical University of Denmark , the firm brings pioneering technology that enables higher precision in radiation therapy and cancer surgery. Over its 10-year history, Nanovi has secured regulatory approval in both Europe and the U.S. while continuing to pursue its mission of better outcomes for cancer patients. Based in Charlottesville, VA , Advaray is a medical device research and development company. It is developing a hydrogel-based device to improve methods of image-guided pelvic brachytherapy. With these acquisitions, CQ Medical will add new solutions, most notably BioXmark (Nanovi) and BrachyGel (Advaray), to its already robust portfolio of product offerings. About CQ Medical CQ Medical is a global leader in developing high-quality, innovative, patient-centric radiotherapy and cancer therapy solutions. With primary locations in Iowa and Pennsylvania and employees worldwide, the company has more than 80 years of combined experience bringing advanced hardware and consumables for patient immobilization and positioning, fiducial markers, couchtops, and patient care products to the market. For more information, visit cqmedical.com and find us on LinkedIn and Facebook. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/civco-radiotherapy-and-qfix-launch-cq-medical-brand-301943617.html SOURCE CQ Medical JERUSALEM, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities were searching for survivors after an inflatable boat washed up on a beach in central Israel on Sunday morning. The police said in a statement that the searches were initiated after passports and belongings of eight people, including children, were found in the empty rubber boat. According to the statement, the missing people are Somali and Turkish nationals. Later, state-owned Kan TV news reported that the Israeli Navy had joined the searches. The boat was found on the Mediterranean shore of Netanya, a coastal city north of Tel Aviv. It was not immediately clear if there were survivors. SHENZHEN, China , Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ESY SUNHOME, a dynamic entrant in the renewable energy sector, is poised to introduce its latest pioneering products at the ALL-Energy Exhibition in Melbourne , scheduled for October 25-26, 2023 . Simultaneously, the company will officially announce the imminent release of its three-phase product line by year-end. AT this event, ESY SUNHOME aims to introduce fresh and innovative clean energy technologies to homes and businesses. Attendees will have an exclusive opportunity to experience the latest innovations from ESY SUNHOME, including: Single-Phase Unit - HM10 ESY SUNHOME's groundbreaking new product, the HM10, is an impressive single-phase residential energy storage system. It is equipped with 5kWh or more energy storage capacity and supports straightforward stackable installation, delivering outstanding performance and convenience to users. Compared to its predecessor, the HM6, the HM10 offers higher power output and incorporates IP66-rated waterproof technology, ensuring efficient operation even in extreme weather conditions. Three-Phase Systems - HM15 and HM20 The soon-to-be-launched high-voltage three-phase systems, HM15 and HM20, promise even more surprises for users. These products feature a user-friendly ALL-IN-ONE setup, eliminating the need for complex configurations. Once installed, HM15 and HM20 immediately enhance energy efficiency. Compatible with the new 10kWh+ (HV) high-voltage batteries, these systems support straightforward installation and parallel connection, with a maximum capacity of up to 90kWh+. Additionally, they employ IP66-rated waterproof technology and introduce a rare low-to-high-voltage conversion technique, ensuring the safe operation of batteries in high-voltage environments. Mr. Lee , the CEO stated, "ESYSUNHOME's design and development focus has always been on simplicity, convenience, efficiency, and user-friendliness. We are committed to providing high-quality products and services and integrating clean energy technologies into people's lives, thereby elevating overall living standards." All of ESY SUNHOME's products come equipped with round-the-clock cloud-based monitoring and unique AI intelligence features. These functionalities analyze user electricity consumption patterns, local electricity rates, and weather conditions, among other factors, to provide users with tailored electricity consumption modes, which achieve peak shaving self-consumption and ultimately enhance overall quality of life. Furthermore, ESY SUNHOME offers a comprehensive 10-year warranty on all its products and maintains local business and technical teams in Australia and Germany to provide customers with professional consultation and after-sales support. For more information, please visit: www.esysunhome.com. About ESY SUNHOME: ESY SUNHOME is a dynamic newcomer in the renewable energy industry, dedicated to providing innovative energy storage systems and smart energy management solutions for homes and businesses. The company's mission is to promote the widespread adoption of renewable energy and contribute to establishing a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esy-sunhome-unveils-cutting-edge-energy-solutions-at-melbournes-all-energy-exhibition-301943687.html SOURCE ESYSUNHOME NEW YORK , Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) has presented its prestigious Human Dignity Award to Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, one of the world's most respected Islamic scholars and a champion of religious freedom, peace, and enhancing Muslim-Jewish relations. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9113553-american-jewish-committee-presented-human-dignity-award-to-muslim-scholar/ Shaykh Bin Bayyah, President of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace and the United Arab Emirates' ( UAE ) top religious jurist, was cited for his bridge-building efforts and his strong voice against religious extremism. "For decades, Shaykh Bin Bayyah has been an inspiration to those who see encounters between religious communities as a tool for building peace," said AJC CEO Ted Deutch , who opened the award ceremony Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "His counsel and wisdom are sought by religious and political leaders alike, and his courage has pushed the ties between the Jewish and Muslim worlds dramatically forward." As the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, AJC works with and convenes the top interreligious officials from around the world to build alliances that advance issues of mutual concern, including the urgent effort to combat rising antisemitism. Shaykh Bin Bayyah is a native of Mauritania , where he was appointed as a judge on that nation's High Court, and later served as Minister of Justice. He was a lecturer in Islamic legal philosophy at King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia and is the author of many scholarly works, including "Terrorism: A Diagnosis and Solutions." He has served as chair of the UAE Religious Law Council since its founding in 2017. Renowned for his personal piety and his erudition in traditional Islamic as well as secular academic scholarship, he has built Islamic scholarly foundations to support religious freedom, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and interreligious cooperation. In 2016, he gathered hundreds of Muslim scholars around these ideas as a co-convener and author of the Marrakesh Declaration, which rejected the persecution of religious minorities in Muslim majority countries. Speaking through a translator, Shaykh Bin Bayyah said at the Sept. 19 ceremony, "Humanity today is aboard one ship that is about to capsize in the turbulent currents of the sea of conflicts and disputes. People of virtue must redouble their efforts and their cooperation to guide this ship to shores of safety and peace. There is no alternative to achieving this goal. It requires a people of reason and conscience across the world working together, particularly religious leaders, to counter hate speech and extremism." Shaykh Bin Bayyah has also received international acclaim as an advocate for peace. He spoke out against the practices of the terrorist group ISIL, including issuing a fatwaa religious legal ruling--against their activities in 2014, and declared, "Islam must not call to war. Islam invites peace." "The pioneering work of Shaykh Bin Bayyah has advanced a culture of peace within and beyond faiths," said Rabbi Noam Marans , AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. "He is a remarkable religious figure whose leadership has created a space for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, along with people of other faiths and beliefs, to convene around common values and joint action for the common good." AJC's Human Dignity Award is a facsimile leaf of a medieval copy of Maimonides' Introduction to the Mishnah in a lavishly illuminated edition. Maimonides, who wrote primarily in Arabic (albeit in Hebrew letters), is a model of the jurist-philosopher who bridged disciplines, languages, and cultures, upheld reason and moderation and abhorred religious extremism from any source. Shaykh Bin Bayyah was also handed a lavish Hebrew translation of the Charter of the New Alliance of Virtue, an interfaith pact he founded in 2019. As a tribute to his impact on Jewish-Muslim relations, the Hebrew document is being distributed online to thousands of rabbis and other Jewish community leaders. Shaykh Bin Bayyah is just the second recipient of the AJC Human Dignity Award. The inaugural recipient was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew , the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians. The event, which gathered 200 religious and business leaders, diplomats, and interfaith activists, included a congratulatory video message from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and words of welcome from Miguel Moratinos , United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations. The evening also included a moderated discussion on "Human Dignity, Global Diplomacy and the Role of Religion in Promoting Peace," featuring Dr. Nazila Ghanea , United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion in conversation with Dr. Ari Gordon , AJC Director of Muslim-Jewish Relations. AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York City , 25 offices across the United States , and 14 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel , and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. More at AJC.org View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/globally-respected-muslim-scholar-receives-human-dignity-award-from-american-jewish-committee-301943621.html SOURCE American Jewish Committee Dr. Pablo Borboroglu will be Honored in Downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 30 INDIANAPOLIS , Sept. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indianapolis Prize the world's leading award for animal conservation will celebrate the world's preeminent animal conservationists at the Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by Cummins Inc. on Sept. 30, 2023 , at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis . "Every two years, the international conservation community turns its eyes toward Indianapolis for the awarding of the Indianapolis Prize," Dr. Rob Shumaker , President & CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo said. "This event is a celebration of real-life heroes whose work makes a lasting impact on the future of our world." Dr. Pablo Borboroglu (pronounced: Bor-BOR-oh-glue), the 2023 awardee and ninth winner of the Prize, will receive a $250,000 unrestricted grant. The award is the largest individual monetary award given in the animal conservation field. Dr. Borboroglu is the founder and president of the Global Penguin Society, an international conservation coalition for the world's penguin species. Borboroglu works to improve penguin colony management by creating large areas of protected penguin habitat. Borboroglu is also the co-founder and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Penguin Specialist Group. This group helps to assess the conservation status of penguins around the globe and advances international penguin conservation. He has been instrumental in creating protected areas for penguins in Argentina and implementing conservation strategies in several countries. In 2009, he discovered only six breeding pairs of penguins at the El Pedral colony in eastern Argentina . Thanks to his work, the area is now considered a wildlife refuge and home to 4,000 breeding pairs. "I am incredibly grateful and honored to be named the 2023 Indianapolis Prize Winner," Borboroglu said. "It's a dream for conservationists. Receiving this award is validation that what you do is important. Wildlife conservation is critical for all of us because it helps us maintain the structure and function of the environment. This award provides motivation and more encouragement to continue pursuing my passion for protecting penguins." Borboroglu was selected from a group of six Finalists by a Jury of distinguished scientists and conservation leaders. The Finalists are: Dr. Christophe Boesch (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation); Dr. Gerardo Ceballos (Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico ); Dr. Karen Eckert (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network); Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (Conservation Through Public Health) and Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas (Orangutan Foundation International). Each Finalist will receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant. New this year is the Emerging Conservationist Award to recognize and support conservationists under 40 years of age with the talent and drive to make a significant impact on saving animal species. Peruvian primatologist and anthropologist Fanny M. Cornejo is the recipient of the first Emerging Conservationist Award for her work to encourage sustainable economic development and protect habitat for threatened species in Peru . The Emerging Conservationist Award is made possible by the Kobe (pronounced: Ko-BAY) Foundation. Wildlife photographer and National Geographic Explorer Joel Sartore will receive the 2023 Jane Alexander Global Wildlife Ambassador Award. In 2006, Sartore and National Geographic founded the Photo Ark project to inspire people to protect at-risk species through documentary photography and videos. To date, Sartore has captured more than 46,000 images and videos featuring 14,000 species. The Indianapolis Prize Gala will be hosted by NBC News's chief environmental affairs correspondent, Anne Thompson , and Danni Washington , ocean activist, science communicator and founder of Big Blue & You, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating youth about ocean conservation. ABOUT THE INDIANAPOLIS PRIZE The Indianapolis Prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species. Winners receive an unrestricted $250,000 award. Remaining Finalists each receive $50,000 . Since 2006, the Indianapolis Prize has administered more than $6.1 million in cash awards. The Indianapolis Prize is a signature conservation initiative of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/protector-of-penguins-to-be-recognized-as-2023-indianapolis-prize-winner-301941902.html SOURCE Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. Denmark's F-35 fleet will bolster all-domain deterrence and advance 21st Century Security SKRYDSTRUP AIR BASE, VOJENS, Denmark , Oct. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Denmark officially celebrated the in-country arrival of its first four permanently based F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Skrydstrup Air Base , Denmark . During the ceremony, Lockheed Martin officially handed over the certificate of ownership of Denmark's F-35s to the Danish Ministry of Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization. More than 450 Danish and allied government, military and industry leaders gathered to commemorate the milestone, and over 10,000 local citizens participated in the Royal Danish Air Force's public open house. During the open house the public learned more about the F-35's mission for Denmark , industry suppliers and witnessed the F-35 and F-16 on flying display. "Arrival of the first F-35 combat aircraft in Denmark is a historic event for the Danish Defence and the Royal Danish Air Force. It is thanks to close and professional cooperation between Lockheed Martin, the F-35 partnership and the Danish Defence, that Danish Defence now cross the threshold into the future of air defence," said Danish Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen . Denmark has played a critical role on the F-35 program, joining in 2002 as a partner during the System Development and Demonstration phase, strategically influencing technical elements of the program. The Royal Danish Air Force also contributed a Danish F-16 to the Joint Strike Fighter 461st Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base , California where it served as a chase plane for the F-35 Development, Test & Evaluation program. Danish industry has also contributed to F-35 production, development and sustainment activities and today, is building parts and components for each of the projected 3,100+ aircraft to be manufactured. "This milestone event is the realization of the vision, foresight and strategic investment Denmark made more than a decade ago. We expect that the F-35 will play a crucial role in 21st century security missions for Denmark , delivering unmatched 5th Generation capability, connectivity and interoperability," said Greg Ulmer , executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "The F-35 integrates joint forces, providing an unparalleled network effect across allied forces and significantly strengthening alliance-based deterrence across all domains." Denmark has taken delivery of 10 F-35s to date, four of which are now at Skrydstrup Air Base and six of which are stationed at Luke Air Force Base , Arizona , where Danish pilots and maintainers are conducting training. Denmark has plans to purchase 27 F-35 aircraft in total. Denmark's F-35 fleet will play a pivotal role in bolstering NATO's collective resilience in the Baltics and strengthening the alliance's ability to deter and defend against all threats across all domains. Denmark is the 10th country and fifth European NATO nation to operate the F-35 from its home soil. The F-35's growing presence in Europe increases collaboration with trusted allies and partners through a multilateral, multinational approach, ensuring an effective deterrent against near-peer competitors. By the mid-2030s, more than 600 F-35s will be stationed on the European continent across NATO member bases and Switzerland . NATO members in the F-35 program of record include Belgium , Canada , Denmark , Finland , Germany , Italy , the Netherlands , Norway , Poland , the United States and the United Kingdom . With the addition of Skrydstrup Air Base , F-35s are now operating from 31 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 975 F-35s, trained more than 2,180 pilots and 15,000 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 721,430 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work side by side with F-35 operators to ensure allies remain ahead of the evolving threat. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland , Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Please follow @LMNews on X for the latest announcements and news across the corporation. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royal-danish-air-force-and-lockheed-martin-celebrate-arrival-of-first-four-danish-f-35-aircraft-301943806.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's northern Tuareg rebels said on Sunday that they had seized another military base from the Malian army following fighting in the north of the country. The military base is the fourth taken in a series of attacks the rebel alliance, called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), has carried out since August following the departure of a U.N. peacekeeping mission that for years helped maintain a fragile calm. Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesman for the CMA told Reuters on Sunday that they had taken control of the Bamba military base in the Gao region. He gave no further details. The Malian army said in a post on X social media site that "intense combat against terrorists was ongoing at the Bamba locality", adding that more details will follow. The CMA attack on Bamba, following those on military bases in Lere, Dioura and Bourem in the past weeks signals intensifying clashes as both sides seek to control territory in the desert centre and north of the West African country, just as U.N. peacekeepers withdraw. The Malian army has also come under attacks from insurgents linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. The Tuaregs have long complained of government neglect and sought autonomy for the desert region they call Azawad. A Tuareg uprising in 2012 was hijacked by Islamist groups that were later driven out of the major towns by a French-led intervention in 2013. The CMA signed a peace deal with the previous government and pro-government militia in 2015. But tensions have resurfaced since the military consolidated power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, teamed up with Russian military contractor Wagner Group, and kicked out French forces and U.N. peacekeepers. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Alison Williams) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry on Sunday said Russian air defences had intercepted five U.S.-made HIMARS shells, an air-launched JDAM bomb and 37 Ukrainian drones over Ukrainian territory in last 24 hours. The ministry said those interceptions had occurred on the territory where Russia is fighting what it calls a "special military operation". Separately, the ministry reported that its air defences had shot down six Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and two Ukrainian missiles over Crimea. (Writing by Alexander Marrow; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Sunday that air defences had shot down six Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and two Ukrainian missile over Crimea. Air defences shot down a Ukrainian drone in the southern Krasnodar region at around 0500 GMT, Russia's defence ministry said. At around 0600 GMT, Russia shot down three drones over the western Smolensk region and at 0700 GMT shot down two more over the region, Russia's defence ministry said. "An attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack with two operational-tactical Grom-2 missiles was thwarted," the ministry said. It said the missiles were shot down over the Dzhankoi region. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-backed head of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, said there were no casualties. (Editing by Guy Faulconbridge) U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks prior to U.S. President Joe Biden delivering remarks on the federal government's debt limit during a visit to SUNY Westchester Community College Valhalla in Valhalla, New York, U.S., May 10, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarq WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman faced investigation on Sunday, the morning after he pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol complex as his party was trying to delay a key vote, prompting an evacuation of a congressional office building. A still image released by the Capitol Police on Saturday showed Bowman, who represents parts of New York City and its immediate suburbs, activating the fire alarm near the exit to an office building which houses congressional offices. Police said they were investigating the incident, as is the House Administration Committee, a Republican-controlled congressional panel that overseas the House grounds. Bowman, in a statement, admitted to pulling the fire alarm, which he said he regretted, but disputed that he did so to delay the vote, as many Republicans asserted. The House was about to vote on a bipartisan bill to keep the government open for 45 days and avoid a shutdown. The bill ultimately passed with near-unanimous Democratic support but, at the moment, Democrats were scrambling to buy time to read the bill, which Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had just unveiled. "Today, as I was rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open," Bowman said in a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused." Some House Republicans called for Bowman to resign, though such a step appears unlikely, especially given that several members are facing arguably more serious legal and ethics-related issues. (This story has been corrected to specify that the police released a still image of the lawmaker, not the entire video, in paragraph 2) (Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Scott Malone) An Army AH-64 Apache helicopter made a hard landing after striking power lines over the Columbia River on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Grant County Sheriffs Office/Facebook) (Tribune News Service) An Army AH-64 Apache helicopter made a hard landing after striking power lines over the Columbia River Friday afternoon, sparking a wildfire and causing State Route 243 south of Vantage, Washington, to close, according to the Grant County Sheriffs Office. The helicopter, which was stationed at Yakima Training Center, was involved in a training exercise over the river when the aircraft hit Bonneville Power Administration power lines that cross the river between Mattawa and Beverly, said Kyle Foreman, public information officer at the sheriffs office. He said the helicopter, occupied by a pilot and copilot, flew another mile before making an emergency landing at about 4:40 p.m. along the shore of the river. The two occupants were uninjured. The small wildfire that resulted from the crash was put out by local fire agencies, Foreman said. He said the power lines were removed from the highway, which reopened about an hour after the crash. Some lines fell in the river and remained there as of 6 p.m. Foreman said lines were still wrapped around the helicopter, which appeared to be intact, at about 6:20 p.m. He said he was unsure how the aircraft was going to be transported from the scene. The pilot and copilot were taken back to the training center on another helicopter. Foreman said the military will investigate the incident. (c)2023 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) Visit The Spokesman-Review Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Stars and Stripes) Tokyo, Japan, December 1953: For the start of National Newspaper Week (Oct. 1-7), Stars and Stripes archives staff brings you this historic peek into Stars and Stripes Pacifics newsroom at the Hardy Barracks in Tokyo. The editorial staff moved into the old Japanese Army barracks from their first home on the third floor of the Nippon Times on Nov. 29, 1953. By December of that year, the business, circulation and production facilities had also moved into the building. Stars and Stripes Pacific staff have been putting out a paper continuously since May 14, 1945. ANKARA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- An explosion on Sunday near the Turkish Interior Ministry was by "terrorists" attempting a bomb attack, the Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Two police officers were slightly injured in the explosion at the gate of a police compound near the ministry, said the minister. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shake hands during their meeting in the resort city of Sochi, Russia, on June 9, 2023. (Ramil Sitdikov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool) RIGA, Latvia - With virtually the entire population of Armenians fleeing from Nagorno-Karabakh, refugees are voicing rage over the loss of their homeland and accusing Russia of betrayal after peacekeepers sent by Moscow failed to protect them. The lightning military operation by Azerbaijan to seize back the disputed mountainous region made a mockery of President Vladimir Putins 2020 guarantee that Russian peacekeepers would protect the regions population, maintain a cease-fire, and assure access on the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, through the Lachin Corridor. Russia failed on all three counts. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned that the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, roughly 120,000 people, will leave and he accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing. Azerbaijan has insisted that residents can stay, but those fleeing say they do not trust Baku after decades of war. By late Friday 93,000 Karabakh Armenians had arrived in Armenia, according to Pashinyans office, more than 77 percent of the regions estimated population. Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov has insisted that Russia does not bear blame, and said that there was no direct reason, for the exodus, merely that people are willing to leave. His statement ignored repeated cycles of war and ethnic violence in the region. It is hardly possible to talk about who is to blame, Peskov insisted Thursday amid mounting criticism of Russia. He described Bakus swift moves to reimpose control over Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally-recognized as Azerbaijans sovereign territory, as a new system of coordinates. He said residents should get to know the agreements on living under Azerbaijani rule. Many analysts ascribe the Russian failure down to the Kremlin being highly distracted by its war in Ukraine. The focus on the war has undermined Russias authority and influence throughout its geopolitical neighborhood, including the Caucasus and Central Asia. Moscows sway was also diminished when Turkey, Azerbaijans powerful military backer, emerged as the victorious regional power broker in the 2020 war that Baku used to seize back most of Nagorno-Karabakh and other Azerbaijani territory taken by Armenia in the first Karabakh war, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But other analysts and officials see darker motives: Moscows betrayal of Armenia, for which it had long provided security guarantees, in a conscious shift to accommodate Azerbaijan and Turkey. Some believe Putin was seeking to punish Pashinyan over his search for new Western partners, as Yerevan seeks to reduce its decades-long dependence on Russia. Pashinyans supporters fear Moscow may use the largely pro-Kremlin opposition in Armenia to stage protests in a bid to oust the prime minister and drag Yerevan back into Moscows fold. When Armenia won control of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were forced to flee. Decades of war ensued. But in 2020, heavily armed with advanced weapons from Israel and Turkey purchased using oil and gas riches, Azerbaijan attacked its smaller landlocked neighbor in 2020, defeating Armenia. The Russia-brokered truce allowed Russians to deploy peacekeepers and border guards and maintain at least the appearance of a role as a regional power broker. But it left uncertain the fate of the breakaway Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, its capital Stepanakert and its Armenian residents. Putin has devoted great energy trying to re-create Russias lost empire and dominate its ex-Soviet neighbors, so the failure to protect Armenia, a longtime ally, was a striking shift. For other small nations on Russias borders, the message was clear: Who could trust Russia in the future? I think its a process of managed decline, said Laurence Broers, an expert on the Caucasus at Chatham House, a London-based policy institute. Broers said that Russia had quietly turned away from Armenia toward the powerful regional nexus of Turkey and Azerbaijan, because of Turkeys importance in Russias war against Ukraine and in regional energy and transportation routes in the South Caucasus. I see it as a pivot to Azerbaijan and becoming a partner in Azerbaijani-Turkish connectivity, he said. Olesya Vartanyan, an analyst with International Crisis Group, said a study of Russias peacekeeping mission showed that it grew less effective after the invasion of Ukraine, as Azerbaijan steadily withdrew cooperation. Russian peacekeepers patrolled tense areas but no matter how often they traveled, and how often they patrolled the areas, that did not have any impact, Vartanyan said. Azerbaijan clearly started testing the Russian peacekeepers and Russias readiness to stand for its peacekeepers when the Ukraine invasion started, she said. And the more they were testing, the more it was becoming clear that Russia had no appetite to get involved in any kind of confrontation with Azerbaijan. With Nagorno-Karabakh emptying out, the Russian peacekeepers will soon have no mission. The broken trust, however, could reverberate for years. The Russians are whores! The Turks are whores! raged 70-year-old Jorik Isakhanyan, using an expletive in Armenian. As he spoke, Isakhanyan was changing a flat tire on his car in Kornidzor, an Armenian border town where he and his wife had fled with no hope of returning to their homeland. The Russians lied to us and tricked us, he said. They told us the peacekeepers would be there and that there would be no more war. Then, at night, they started shelling with artillery and Grads and drones, he said, referring to Azerbaijani forces. For the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, there is also anger at being ignored by the world. For most of the last 10 months, Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin Corridor, causing food shortages. Artur Babayan, 26, of Martakert, blamed Russian leaders. They either failed to give the right orders or they didnt want to do it, Babayan said. But he was also angry at Armenias government, as well as the global community that watches and does nothing. No governments around the world can provide any safety for us, he said. There is no country in the world who is willing to take actual steps against Turkey and Azerbaijan. The West has never engaged deeply in Armenias intractable problems, with the nation perceived as firmly wedded to Moscow. For Armenia, an isolated, landlocked nation, wedged between two enemies, there appeared to be no realistic partner but Russia. But when Armenia reached out to others, Moscow threatened repercussions. A decade ago, when Armenia, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova planned to sign economic agreements with the European Union, the Kremlin saw it as a threat. In Yerevan, a Russian diplomat warned that Armenia was on a road to hell. Another likened the planned accords to pacts with Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Yerevan caved and dropped the deals. Armenia had long relied on the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) which also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. But as Armenia came under threat in recent months the organization did nothing. Increasingly, Pashinyan has slow-walked cooperation with the CSTO. Earlier this month, Armenia skipped CSTO military exercises in Belarus, but welcomed U.S. forces for a 10-day training exercise in Armenia. It also angered Moscow by sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine in early September. Even worse, from the Kremlins view, was Armenias decision to ratify the Rome Statute underpinning the International Criminal Court, which has indicted Putin for war crimes over the deportation of Ukrainian children. Peskov called Armenias decision extremely hostile for us. In an interview with la Repubblica in early September, Pashinyan said that Armenias history of relying on Russia was a strategic mistake. Putins distaste for Pashinyan is evident in the vehement condemnations by his diplomats and state propagandists. Pashinyans attitude toward Putin is also not subtle. At the same CSTO summit, he moved as far from Putin as possible, leaving an obvious gap in the group photo. Pashinyan, who helped lead Armenias Velvet Revolution protests in 2018 and was twice democratically elected, is not a natural partner for Putin. More relatable is Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, a tough autocrat who broke promises to Western leaders by launching last weeks military operation. Like Putin, Aliyev has a history of brutal rhetoric and inciting hatred of enemies. The Armenians believed that Russia would protect their sovereignty, said Paata Zakareishvili, an expert on the Southern Caucasus and former state minister in Georgia. But now its complete disappointment. They understand Russia will not protect their interests. Ebel reported from Goris, Armenia. NATO soldiers and International military police secure the area near Zvecan, northern Kosovo on May 30, 2023, a day after clashes with Serb protesters demanding the removal of recently elected Albanian mayors. (Armend Nimani/TNS) WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) The Biden administration sounded the alarm on Serbias troop buildup near the border with Kosovo, urging the government to pull back its forces and hold accountable those responsible for a shootout that killed a Kosovar police officer and three other people. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in a phone call to ease tensions, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. He said Blinken supported NATOs decision to authorize additional forces in Kosovo. Serbias unprecedented staging of artillery and personnel has been a very destabilizing development, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. A troubling cycle of sporadic violence has gotten worse, Kirby told reporters Friday. He described the Sept. 24 attack as well-coordinated and unlikely to have been carried out by a small or ad-hoc group. Everyone who was involved in carrying out this attack need to be brought to justice, Kirby said. NATO on Thursday authorized additional forces from the U.K. if needed to address the current situation, said an alliance official speaking under condition of anonymity to discuss details that arent public. KFOR is increasing its presence and activity in northern Kosovo and the areas around the administrative boundary line, the person said. In Belgrade, Vucic confirmed that he spoke with Blinken and welcomed the planned enlargement of the NATO peacekeeping force known as KFOR, while rebutting claims of a Serbian buildup of forces near the border. Things that we agreed on is the need for de-escalation, Vucic said about the call in comments published on his website. We also agreed that a greater role of KFOR is needed. The Serbian president has already asked the NATO mission to assume control of the area from the Kosovo police. I denied the untruth about high combat readiness of our forces because I simply didnt sign off on that, its not true, Vucic said. We dont have half of the forces compared what we had two or three months ago. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan also discussed the border situation with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Soldiers from a drone unit of the 47th Brigade stand outside a forward bunker position on the southern front line near Orikhiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 14, 2023. (Wojciech Grzedzinski/for The Washington Post) KYIV Ukrainian officials are insisting that aid to their country is not in jeopardy, despite concerns over a new U.S. spending bill that excluded some $20 billion in assistance for Kyiv. There are funds, Ukraines ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, wrote on Facebook after the vote Saturday in Congress to approve the measure and avoid a government shutdown. The government will work, so there is no threat to the supply of previously approved weapons and equipment, she said, adding that there is time, there are resources and, most importantly, there is bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko also said Sunday that support for Ukraine remains intact across the administration and both houses of Congress. Ukrainian authorities are now actively working with American partners to ensure that the new U.S. budget decision, which will be worked on over the next 45 days, includes new funds to help Ukraine. The bill was passed late Saturday as a stopgap measure to fund the federal government through mid-November. But Republicans in the House, some of whom are opposed to President Joe Bidens Ukraine policy, stripped the bill of a provision that would have earmarked billions of dollars in military and other aid for Kyiv. The move was a potentially ominous sign that bipartisan U.S. support for Ukraine could be wavering, even as Ukrainian forces fend off a Russian invasion. It also comes at a particularly vulnerable time for Kyiv, which has struggled in recent months to regain territory from Russia, stoking fears at home and abroad that the war has settled into a grinding stalemate. Flanked by Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks during a news conference Saturday after the House passed a continuing resolution that would fund the government for 45 days. (Tom Brenner/for The Washington Post) We cannot under any circumstance allow Americas support for Ukraine to be interrupted, Biden said Sunday, speaking from the White House. He said there was an overwhelming number of Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate who support Ukraine. Biden had requested a funding provision that included $13 billion in new military aid and $8.5 billion in economic, humanitarian and security assistance for Ukraine and other countries affected by the war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also weighed in on the bills passage late Saturday, urging Congress to live up to Americas commitment to provide urgently-needed assistance to the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their own country against the forces of tyranny. Ukrainian officials said they were reassured by the public support from the White House, Pentagon and other allies in Congress, and that they understood the United States was heading into an election year. Here in Ukraine, we do understand very well that the election process in the United States has begun, said Roman Lozinsky, a Ukrainian lawmaker who has also served in the military since the war started in February 2022. And as a result of this, different decisions on the support of the partners could be made, for Ukraine in particular. But we are convinced that Ukraine on the battlefield proves what the struggle for democracy really is, he said. I believe that the United States, as a real leader in spreading of democratic principles in the world, will not take any steps back in support of Ukraine. Nikolenko, in his statement on Facebook, also emphasized that a U.S. government shutdown would have been bad for Ukraine, disrupting other assistance programs, such as those overseen by the State Department. But for others, the growing politicization of aid for Ukraine marks a worrying shift, one that could cripple its fight against Russia, or send the Ukrainian economy into a tailspin. Congressmen are deciding to throw Ukraine under the bus while aid to Ukraine is probably the best-in-history return on investment of U.S. foreign policy, said Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Ukraine, who has frequently met with Washington lawmakers to lobby for more aid. She also appealed to what she said were American values. America was built on values, which are universal for all human beings, and we in Ukraine die for these values, Kaleniuk said. This morning, I understood that values mean nothing now for many U.S. politicians. What is more important for them is to stay in power at whatever cost. To add insult to injury, the decision to exclude Ukraine funding from the bill came less than two weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington to court U.S. support. During the visit, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) denied Zelenskyys request to address a joint meeting of Congress and the two leaders ended up meeting privately. Zelenskyys recent visit to the United States did not seem successful enough, said Artem Bronzhukov, a Kyiv-based political analyst. Zelenskyy had recently expressed concerns that foreign aid to Ukraine could sharply decline as the war drags on. In an interview with a Ukrainian television channel in August, he said, Ukraine needs to grow up and understand that at one point or another we may find ourselves alone, because one or another partner may break away due to internal processes, or even due to elections in their country. Its a big risk that we will be left alone, he added. Heidi Levine contributed to this report. A return to power for Robert Fico, a brash strongman with sympathies toward Moscow, could break a key link in the Western military alliance supporting Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons) The winner of Slovakias election this weekend is a populist former prime minister who was forced out of office five years ago amid public outrage over a journalists slaying, but who is now within reach of leading the country once again. A return to power for Robert Fico, a brash strongman with sympathies toward Moscow, could break a key link in the Western military alliance supporting Ukraine. That has put outsize international focus on the vote in a country of just 5.5 million people. His party, Smer, won 22.9 percent of the votes, or 42 seats in the 150-seat parliament, according to preliminary results. But he would still need to build a coalition government to take power. Heres what to know. Who is Robert Fico? A former member of the Communist Party who was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, Fico, 59, is known for his dogged ambition. Rankled at being overlooked for a ministerial post in 1998, he formed his own party, Smer, and erased his old one within five years. Fico (pronounced FEET-so) played on his roots in the Slovak countryside to build a loyal support base, convincing the socially deprived losers of the transition from communism that he was their Robin Hood, said Milan Nic, an analyst at the German Council on Foreign Relations. Meanwhile, he was building a cadre of support from the countrys newly minted oligarchs, Nic added. Ficos politics combine far-left social policy with nationalism and conservative positions more associated with the radical right. He has called adoption by same-sex couples a perversion and accused journalists of running an organized crime group. In recent years, his rhetoric has become laced with fringe conspiracy theories and pro-Russian disinformation. He has accused financier George Soros of picking the countrys presidents and blamed Ukrainian Nazis and fascists for starting the war. War always comes from the West and peace from the East, Fico said at a campaign event in late August. He has always had an anti-Western rhetoric, Nic said. Hes more than just pro-Russian. He loves anybody who stands up to the U.S. Why was Fico kicked out as prime minister last time? A dominating force in the notoriously corrupt world of Slovak post-Communist politics, Fico served three previous terms as prime minister. His dramatic downfall came in 2018, amid the public outrage that followed the killing of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova. Both 27, they were found shot dead in their newly purchased home. Kuciak had been investigating ties between Fico associates and the Italian mafia. In the wake of the killings, Slovakians took to the streets demanding Ficos resignation in numbers not seen since the 1989 Velvet Revolution that brought down communism. With his coalition facing collapse, Fico bowed to pressure to step aside. Successor governments have investigated cronyism and corruption under Fico, with top-level officials jailed. Fico himself was charged last year with abusing power and forming a criminal organization, but Slovakias parliament voted against lifting his immunity. Ficos resentment over being pressured out and then scrutinized, analysts and observers say, is now fueling his drive to become prime minister again. He wants revenge, said Pavol Hardos, a political scientist at Comenius University in Bratislava. He is very open about wanting to come back and restore the old order. He is open about whom he will sack, what measures he will scrap once hes back in power. Ficos combative bid for a return to power under the shadow of legal investigations has drawn comparisons to former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. For him, the most important thing is to have power once more and to stop further investigations, said Iveta Radicova, who served as prime minister in the 2010-2012 gap in Ficos run. Thats it. Thats the main aim. How has Fico been able to make a comeback? Fico is riding a wave that has boosted populists across Europe from Germany and Austria to Finland as parties capitalize on growing war skepticism and a cost-of-living crisis. Fico has also benefited from deep distrust and dissatisfaction with the previous government of Eduard Heger, whose coalition was beset with infighting and toppled in a no-confidence vote in December. In Slovakia, public trust in government is at just 18 percent, according to polling by think tank Globsec. Fico has successfully sown doubt about the validity of the investigations into his activities, casting those probes as an effort to wipe out political opposition, with legal pillars of the state going to war, Radicova said, noting the similarities to Trumps messaging. When it comes to the war in Ukraine, Fico has tapped into rifts in Slovak society that have existed since the fall of the Iron Curtain, she said. Society has been split between those who saw their lot as better under communism and those who dont. This polarization exists in Slovakia for more than 30 years, Radicova said. The supporters of the former regime are orientated toward Moscow, critical of Kyiv and Ukraine, critical of E.U., see more connections with Russian identity. What would a Fico win mean for Europe, Ukraine and Russia? Fico has vowed to stop arms shipments to Ukraine, described sanctions against Moscow as pointless and said he will look again at security arrangements that allow the United States to operate military bases in Slovakia. Whats happening today is useless slaughter, he said at a campaign event in August. They are emptying military warehouses to force countries to buy more American weapons. Ficos position on Ukraine would mark a major shift for Slovakia, which has been a leading ally to Kyiv among the first to pledge fighter jets and tanks. Analysts expect that he will try to establish an illiberal axis within the European Union in collaboration with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, becoming a second spoiler. But analysts also described Fico as a pragmatist who is more focused on domestic issues and who could see his political decisions constrained by his coalition partners. Political scientist Juraj Marusiak noted that Fico criticized sanctions imposed on Russia after the 2014 annexation of Crimea, but never did anything to stop those sanctions while in power. Yet Fico has become more radical since his last stint in power, making his actions hard to predict. He was always very aggressive, but now he is only aggressive, said Radicova, who took part in moderated debates with Fico. Will Fico be able to build a coalition after Slovakias Sept. 30 election? As the leader in the election results, Fico will have the first chance to try to build a coalition. He is seen as being in a strong position to do that, particularly since Peter Pellegrinis Hlas (Voice) party appeared to drop its objections to going into a coalition with him. Fico is also likely to call on the far-right nationalist Slovak National Party, which came out with just under 6 percent of the vote and has allied with Smer in government before, said Grigorij Meseznikov, president of the Slovak Institute for Public Affairs. This is a very clear configuration, Meseznikov said. Smer and the nationalist party have similar foreign policy, he added. They are natural allies. As Nawaz Sharifs return date moves closer, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) through its legal team has decided to approach the Lahore High Court (LHC) for his bail before he lands in Pakistan. The decision was taken to avoid Nawaz Sharifs arrest at Lahore airport because he was declared a proclaimed offender. It is unclear when the party would exactly approach the courts for bail. PML-N officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shared that the partys legal team would approach LHC for bail a week before the three-time prime ministers return to the country. They shared that the decision to approach the court was discussed with Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz in recent meetings held in London. Meanwhile, the sources also said that a protective bail application may also be submitted in the court just two days before Nawazs return in which it would be prayed that the PML-N supremo should not be arrested for seven days and he would surrender himself before the relevant court. The party sources shared that the PML-N legal team may take a stance in the plea that Maryam had already been acquitted in the case in which Nawaz was convicted. With the acquittal of Maryam and Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Nawaz is likely to get full legal benefits from the court. The publication reported that the team would also give guarantees to the court that Nawaz would surrender himself before the relevant trial court. Party sources said if the bail is approved then Nawaz would not go to jail immediately on his return home and he would also be able to address the public gathering planned at Minar-e-Pakistan grounds. The PML-N supremo reached London on November 19, 2019, when he fell critically ill in prison. It was alleged by the Sharif family that the Imran Khan-led government and his backers had tried to poison Nawaz. He was treated at the Harley Street Clinic and London Bridge Hospital for four months. The three-time prime minister had been diagnosed with an immune system disorder and doctors in Pakistan recommended that he should go abroad for treatment as his condition continued to deteriorate despite the best possible care in the country. However, in August of this year, PML-N President Shehbaz announced that Nawaz would return to Pakistan on October 21 to lead the partys election campaign. The decision to return around mid-October was taken after Shehbaz held two meetings with the PML-N supremo in London. Shehbaz had reached London after handing over the reins to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. The PML-Ns narrative on Nawazs return to Pakistan will be on the economy, governance, and public issues and not on anything that reeks of revenge or confrontation with any institution, especially the military establishment. Senior PML-N leaders have said that the issues of Pakistan are so serious and challenging that confrontation with anyone is not the solution and the only way forward is to work through reconciliation and accommodation. Punjab police foiled a terrorist attack on a patrolling post in the Kundal area of Punjabs Mianwali district, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar said in a statement on Sunday. The Punjab police chief said the gun battle between the law enforcers and the militants erupted after 10 to 12 terrorists attacked a police check post in the wee hours of Sunday. At least two terrorists were killed by the firing of policeman deployed on the roof of a nearby building while one policeman was martyred in the exchange of fire. The terrorists attacked the police check post from two sides, the IGP said adding that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) teams also participated in the operation. The operation against the terrorists was carried out carefully as it got dark in the hilly area, the IGP said. He said the police had information about the terrorist attack and added that foreign elements were involved in the recent wave of terrorist attacks in the country. Everyone knows the motives behind terrorism, IG Anwar said adding that the terrorists will be identified in the next two to four hours. Meanwhile, a CTD spokesperson in a statement said as many as two terrorists were killed while search operation that was launched to apprehend the remaining terrorists. The entire area has been cordoned off, the spokesperson added. For the past year now, Pakistan has been gripped by a spate of terror attacks, with Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly being under the radar of militants targeting security forces and civilians to deteriorate peace. Video: Despite the autumn chill on the early morning of Sept. 30, 2023, Washingtonians and visitors from across the United States flocked to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the nation's capital, seizing what would perhaps be their last chance to see the three giant pandas which are to leave for China later this year. (Xinhua) Pandas "are always just like a great symbol of bridge" between the United States and China, and maintaining a friendly relationship based on common appreciation for pandas "is always a positive thing" for the two countries. by Xinhua writers Deng Xianlai and Xu Yuan WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Despite the autumn chill on an early Saturday morning, Washingtonians and visitors from across the United States flocked to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the nation's capital, seizing what would perhaps be their last chance to see the three giant pandas which are to leave for China later this year. Visitors pose for photos with a giant panda statue at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) CHILDREN'S LOVE "We are just happy that she got to see the pandas before they leave," a stay-at-home mom who gave her name as Sharla said of her 18-month-old baby girl, whom she held in her arms while expecting panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, his mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian to emerge from the panda house and greet the visitors. Sharla said her daughter had a panda blanket when she was little and always considered her panda stuffed animal her favorite toy. "So we wanted to make sure she could see a real panda," said Sharla, who took her daughter here to see the pandas just a few weeks ago, making Saturday's trip to the zoo "her second time seeing the pandas." Honoring its agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will send Xiao Qi Ji, who was born at the zoo three years ago, and his mom and dad back to China by early December. To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Over the entire week, the event has attracted avid panda lovers to come over. They gathered behind the fences surrounding the outdoor yard or queued up in lines, all to see the cute bears with their own eyes. During the morning hours on Saturday, Tian Tian walked out of his house and stayed for a brief time on the outdoor ground, while Xiao Qi Ji remained in his own house, preferring to take a nap instead. The male cub was seen leaning on the rockery, turning his back to his admirers and stretching his legs from time to time. "She'd love to give the panda a hug if she could because she loves them," Sharla said when asked how her baby girl wanted to say goodbye to the pandas. Shannon, a climate change researcher who also only gave her first name, brought her four-year-old girl to the zoo to say goodbye to the pandas. Her family traveled to Washington from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a wedding, staying in town for just a couple of days. "We found out it was the farewell weekend for the pandas, so we thought we've got to try and get tickets," Shannon said, adding that her daughter was very excited and "it's worth the travel." Noting that Washington is one of the few places in the United States that still have pandas, Shannon said: "It is kind of sad to see them go for sure." Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji is seen at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "LITTLE MIRACLE" The whole team of veterinarians and researchers alike who for years have taken good care of the three pandas at the zoo, also feel upset about having to bid farewell to the bears, whom they consider to be their own children. Pamela Baker-Masson, director of communications at the zoo who has worked with the panda team for 17 years, said that all the pandas are currently in great shape, something the zoo's staff have been constantly making sure of as they prepare for the pandas' return to China. No matter how well prepared her colleagues are for the pandas' upcoming long journey, Baker-Masson admitted that the eventual departure "hasn't quite settled on me yet, and I'm going to be quite sad." "I would just say thank you. You have been a wonderful part of the history of our giant panda program," Baker-Masson said in her presumptive farewell remarks to the three pandas. "You will always be part of our history and in our hearts." Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. Meaning "little miracle" in English, Xiao Qi Ji's name was to mark his miraculous coming into the world, not only because it was during the coronavirus pandemic when people were generally in low spirit, but also because Mei Xiang, 22 years old then, was thought by many experts as being "practically post-reproductive" based on data available at the time. "As Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have aged, we've learned more about how to care for older pandas," Baker-Masson said, adding that the experiences gained, including those resulting from Xiao Qi Ji's birth, are a testament to the passion and cooperative spirit shown by panda experts from both the United States and China. "I think what this means is that even during the pandemic, you still have vital exchange and success," she said. Giant panda Tian Tian is seen at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) COLLABORATION ON PANDA CONSERVATION Collaboration between China and the United States on panda conservation dates back to 51 years ago when the first panda pair that the Chinese government sent to the United States -- Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing -- arrived in the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Baker-Masson described the collaboration as "hand in glove," saying the U.S. side found it "incredibly fortunate to have such a good partner with CWCA. They are remarkable." "When you are with your peers and you are really good at what you do, it's just a dynamic exchange," she said, adding that Chinese and American experts help each other because they always aim "higher" in their dedication to the shared mission of preserving the panda species. Calling pandas "the best ambassadors" and "the perfect symbol" representing the U.S.-China friendship, Baker-Masson said the work of preserving pandas and other wildlife transcends political differences between countries. "It's about the future of our planet and our habitat." The current agreement guiding the cooperation on panda conservation and research between the Smithsonian's National Zoo and CWCA is set to expire on Dec. 7. Baker-Masson said her zoo is "in the process of applying for the next memorandum of understanding" with its Chinese counterpart. "There is no other conservation program that has lasted 51 years with this much success. It takes so many people working together, and that's why we can be proud today," Baker-Masson said. "We are fully committed to this species. We want another 50 years without a doubt," she added. "China engages in giant panda conservation and research cooperation with many countries. The purpose is to better protect endangered species and promote global biodiversity conservation," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday. "We stand ready to continue our work with cooperation partners, including the U.S., to enhance cooperation on conservation of endangered species." Sharla said pandas "are always just like a great symbol of bridge" between the United States and China, and maintaining a friendly relationship based on common appreciation for pandas "is always a positive thing" for the two countries. Mullen (53) credited with flooding Dublin with heroin in the 1980s and 1990s and was last arrested ten years ago in Spain after cops found drugs and 2m in cash is one of the most enigmatic criminals of his generation. Secret French judicial documents uncovered during an investigation into international drug dealing and its links to Hezbollah have detailed how Dublin criminal Thomas The Boxer Mullen was just a handshake away from the terrorist groups top money man. Mullen (53) credited with flooding Dublin with heroin in the 1980s and 1990s and was last arrested ten years ago in Spain after cops found drugs and 2m in cash is one of the most enigmatic criminals of his generation. He has been linked to the Hezbollah money machine after the phone of a middle man was examined during a top-level investigation. Thomas The Boxer Mitchell flooded Dublin with heroin The high-flying financier was suspected of working as a direct link between launderers in the criminal underworld and the terrorist organisation. It was discovered that 1m in drug money was passed to the middle man to launder directly with notorious Lebanese money launderer Mohamad Noureddine and Mazel Al Atat, both of whom are sanctioned by the US treasury. Mullen had been identified during a Spanish investigation known as Operation Puty. Mullen has been linked to Hezbollah fundamentalists Once part of George The Penguin Mitchells close inner circle, Mullen has forged a solo career as an international drug dealer since he left Ireland after being named in the Dail in the 1990s. In papers translated from French, the Sunday World has established that Mullen has been linked to Noureddine, sanctioned for his links to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraq. In a probe into the use of the Hawala system by French investigators, he was named as using a go-between in direct contact with Noureddine and Adham Husayn Tabaja, a Hezbollah financier specially designated as a Global Terrorist and with a $10m bounty on his head. According to the French judicial documents: A cross-check of the numbers listed in the telephones of the respondents, with lines listed in the context of previous European proceedings, made it possible to highlight the existing links with the protagonists of this procedure and other persons implicated in drug trafficking cases or money laundering in Europe. Thus in particular: The telephone numbers of Mohamad Noureddine, Mazel El Etat, Abdel Meho and Oussamah Fahs were recorded in the mobile phone of Georges El Maalouf, who had been arrested as part of the Puty operation in possession of one million euros sums received from Thomas Mullen in whose home 100kgs of cocaine and 1.5 million were found; Numbers recorded in the cell phones of Mohamad Noureddine, Hassan Tarabolsi, Mazen El Etat, Oussamah Fahs, Ali Mansour and Ali Zbeeb were also recorded in the cell phone of Ahmad Kanj, who was arrested at Schipol Airport for money laundering. funds; "The telephone numbers of Ali Mansour, Ali Zbeeb and Abdel Meho were linked to the telephone numbers used by Bruno Melotte. Mullen, from Clonliffe Road in Dublin, was jailed for 18 years in England in 1998 but the sentence was later reduced to 15 years. He was arrested when detectives caught him leaving a safe deposit box centre in Hampstead with more than Stg100,000 in a holdall. Mullen claimed during the trial he had been summoned to an IRA council meeting and blackmailed into supplying terrorists with IR1million. He was next arrested in Spain in 2013, which was referred to in the French documents. George 'The Penguin' Mitchell At the time he gave a false name to members of the Guardia Civil who arrested him, but was identified through his fingerprints and placed into custody. The Boxer was also a very close associate of Michael Roly Cronin, who was 35 when he was assassinated in Dublin city centre by Eamon The Don Dunnes gang in January 2009, in a gruesome double murder. His links to the Hezbollah money machine, the same system that ultimately resulted in the sanctioning of the top command of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group, were uncovered during an investigation by Financial Times journalist Miles Johnson. In his new book Chasing Shadows, he traces the career of Irishman Jack Kelly, a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent, who followed the trail from the drug gangs of Europe deep into the heart of Middle Eastern terrorism. Kelly was the first to investigate the criminal networks linked to Iran and its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, who would fight alongside Syrian dictator, President Bashar Al Assad. The dots first joined by Kelly ultimately formed the DEAs current stance against drug traffickers funding terrorist groups which led to the sanctions levelled on Christy Kinahan Snr and his sons Daniel and Christopher Jnr, along with other top tier members of their grouping. Johnny Morrissey the Kinahan groups chief money launderer was arrested last year in Spain suspected of running hundreds of millions of dirty money through the Hawala system. Former Miss Nigeria Ireland finalist Blessing Hamisi (28) was hit with the ban and a 2,000 fine at Portlaoise District Court earlier this month One of the cages Blessing Hamisi had an emaciated Belgian sheepdog and a French bulldog in locked cages at her Laois home THIS is the former pageant queen and convicted money launderer who has been banned from keeping animals for the next 10 years after she was convicted of the horrific neglect of two dogs. Former Miss Nigeria Ireland finalist Blessing Hamisi (28) was hit with the ban and a 2,000 fine at Portlaoise District Court last month after a series of images revealed the shocking levels of neglect a Belgian shepherd dog and a French bulldog pup endured while in her care. In court, a vet was asked by Judge Andrew Cody if the dogs conditions could have declined quickly but was told that both animals would have suffered for months. Hamisi avoided jail last year when she was given a suspended sentence after she admitted laundering 2,682 cash at her home in 2020. The emaciated Belgian sheepdog Hamisi, whose social media accounts state she was at one stage signed by the Black Candy model agency, was a finalist in the Miss Nigeria Ireland pageant in 2014. Appearing on stage at the event, Hamisi said: I believe I have a very good ability in helping others, in helping young students and young girls and women like me. In the animal neglect case earlier this month, ISPCA inspector James McCormack told the court that he called to Hamisis address at the Waterfront Apartments in Portarlington on January 19, 2022 when he discovered the two dogs in poor condition. The emaciated Belgian shepherd, whose ribs were protruding, was discovered locked inside in a small faeces-contaminated box without access to water or food. The six-month old French bulldog pup was, likewise, found locked in a small cage, also contaminated with excrement. One of the cages Its condition was described as poor, with Mr McCormack noting the puppy had a swollen belly, prominent spine and sores on its underside. The court was told the two dogs were surrendered into the care of the ISPCA at that time and taken to be examined by a vet who described both animals as being emaciated. Hamisi pleaded guilty to offences under sections 12 and 13 of the Animal Welfare Act. On passing sentence, Judge Cody said he did not accept an assertion of remorse from Hamisi. He said photographic evidence showed both animals had endured suffering and refused to believe it was a short-term issue. He said the dogs had suffered greatly and unnecessarily over a long period. The judge also noted that Hamisi had left it until the very last minute to enter a guilty plea and had put the State to enormous expense by not pleading guilty at the first opportunity. He fined her a total of 2,000 and ordered she pay 1,000 in ISPCA and veterinary costs. He also imposed a ten-year ban from owning or keeping animals. Speaking after the case, Inspector McCormack said: This was a severe case of neglect to two dogs. The little French bulldog weighed only two kilograms when she was rescued and doubled her weight in just four weeks. The vet was of the opinion that these dogs had endured unnecessary suffering and neglect and the judge agreed. It might be a lesson for others that these acts of cruelty are being punished and hopefully will prove a deterrent for others. The sitting in Portlaoise was not the first occasion on which Hamisi had appeared before the court. In December last year she was given a suspended sentence after she admitted laundering cash in the sum of 2,682 at her address on July 10, 2020. Her solicitor on that occasion claimed his client hadnt benefited and had simply handed over her bank account details to one of her Snapchat followers. Mr Byrne said his client had worked as a social care worker and had studied in NUI Galway for a year. The French bulldog She was now studying a similar course in Portarlington, he said. That third party had control of her account, he said. Prosecuting garda Sgt Kirby responded: She is a qualified woman. She knew exactly what she was getting into. And he added: She didnt cooperate with the investigation. Judge Andrew Cody said: She simply gave out her bank account details and her login details to someone she only knows on Snapchat. Is that what I am supposed to believe? Judge Cody said he found it difficult to accept that an educated woman would give out her details to someone she didnt know. He convicted her and sentenced her to four months in prison suspended for two years. The Sunday World attempted to contact Hamisi this week. A man, who identified himself as a relative, told us: Its going to be a no comment. But its not the way it was made out in court far from it! It has emerged that the Kerry native had a number of convictions for attempted robbery, assault and public order dating back to 2015 THE rally driver tragically killed while competing last weekend was previously the subject of an internal garda notice for suspected attacks on prostitutes. Damien Fleming (37), from Killarney in Co Kerry, died in the serious two-car collision during the fourth stage of the Clare Stages Rally last Sunday. There were several tributes paid to Fleming, who died at the scene of the collision, from several members of the motorsport fraternity who were unaware of his background. However, it has emerged that the Kerry native had a number of convictions for attempted robbery, assault and public order dating back to 2015. He was also the subject of an internal garda notice for suspected attacks on women involved in prostitution, according to Sunday World sources. Fleming was described as being a serious threat to women and suspected of attacks on prostitutes across Ireland. The garda warning said he was suspected of involvement in assaults, false imprisonment, attempted rape and rape but none of the victims were willing to make a formal complaint against him. Fleming appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2015 charged with the attempted robbery of a woman who was walking through the capital two years previously, during which he slapped his hand on to her mouth. He ambushed the woman but was caught and handed over to gardai by three passers-by, it was heard at the time. Fleming had grabbed the woman from behind but she managed to get free and fled. Gardai later found a carpet knife in his pocket, but the court heard this was not used during the incident. Fleming later told investigators that he was in the middle of a drinking binge and that he was trying to get money from the woman but that he then changed his mind. The trial judge imposed a suspended sentence of three years and ordered Fleming to pay 8,000 to the victim, but that the judge would decide where it goes if the victim declined the cash. Fleming pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Herbert Park in Ballsbridge on November 4, 2013 and the court heard at the time he had three previous convictions for assault and public order. A garda witness told the court that the victim was walking her dog through the park when she noticed Fleming walking very close behind her. Fleming reached around her and put his hand over her mouth with a hard slap. The woman began to struggle and managed to free herself before Fleming ran away through the park. The victim shouted for help and called gardai on her phone while a nearby man chased Fleming out of the park. A cyclist and an elderly man saw the chase and blocked Flemings way before holding him until gardai arrived. After his arrest, as Fleming got out of the patrol car at the station, a carpet knife fell out of his pocket, but it had not been used during the attempted robbery. He told gardai he was an alcoholic and that he suffered from depression and had spent hundreds of euro on alcohol that weekend and wanted to get money from the victim. He said he made the decision to stop the robbery because he knew it was wrong. I was never going to hurt anyone in any way, no way like, he said. His defence counsel said Fleming, who worked as a fitter at that time, had already offered compensation to the victim but she refused to take it. It was added that he had a good work history and was alcohol free after undergoing a residential treatment course. The garda warning about his suspected attacks on prostitutes came after this conviction, according to Sunday World sources. The collision in which co-driver Fleming was killed took place during the fourth stage of the rally last Sunday. The driver of the car in which he was competing was uninjured, while the driver of a second car was taken to hospital for treatment. Members of the rallying community were deeply shocked at the news of the fatal collision and paid tribute to Fleming, who had been competing in rallies since 2006. Little Pyg Terrace, the third venue of the Pygmalion Group, will open in the city centre on Friday. The Italian meat and cheese platter at Little Pyg Terrace. Photo: Rob Kenny PR A Dublin restaurant is serving free food and drink tomorrow to celebrate its grand opening. Little Pyg Terrace, the third venue of the Pygmalion Group, will open for the first time on Friday in the corner of the Powerscourt Townhouse centre, opposite the Westbury Mall. To mark the occasion, owner Paul McGlade Jnr has announced an 'eat and drink for free' offer to christen the brand-new Italian tapas and cocktail bar. The offer is valid from 4pm until 6pm Friday, September 29, with one free dish and one free drink available per person. The Italian meat and cheese platter at Little Pyg Terrace. Photo: Rob Kenny PR Celebrations will continue all weekend too as Little Pyg Terrace is slashing food and drink prices up to 50pc to celebrate the launch, excluding top shelf brands. The European-style joint will bring a unique indoor and outdoor dining experience to Dublin, allowing customers to seamlessly transition from a cosy and stylish indoor bar to an al fresco banquet. Renowned mixologist Andrea Grechi will bring the exciting new Pygtail menu to life at Little Pyg Terrace, from signature cocktails to expertly made classics. If cocktails arent your thing, the venue also boasts an extensive wine list, primarily focusing on some of the finest imports from Italy, ensuring a perfect pairing for every plate. And the restaurant promises to source the finest ingredients to be prepared by Head Chef Frederico Rapali, who has been poached all the way from Italy. Food will be primarily Italian small plates to share as well as award-winning pizzas. Some of the Italian tapas on the menu will include the Selection Board, a chef's selection of meats and cheese from Italy; Montanarine Fritte, which are traditional Neapolitan small fried pizzas with authentic toppings; and the burrata plate - all made to share. Speaking about the exciting new venue, owner Paul McGlade Jnr said: We are looking to create a vibrant atmosphere where people can enjoy a drink and share some top-quality Italian food. We are proud to have secured a custom-built Void sound system which will make Little Pyg Terrace the perfect environment for listening to and playing vinyl. No doubt everyone will be up dancing late into the night! Little Pyg Terrace opens its doors to the public tomorrow, September 29, from 4pm 1am. Open every day from 1pm - 1am, bookings can be made via littlepyg.com. Videos Man goes for a swim in Newry canal after it overflows following a night of torrential rain The former Love Island winner and Olympian is taking on the Ironman Barcelona this weekend. Greg OSheas new girlfriend is cheering him on as he prepares to complete his toughest challenge yet. The former Love Island winner and Olympian is taking on the Ironman Barcelona this weekend, which involves a 3.8km sea swim, an 180km bike ride, and a 42km run. Ahead of the event, his girlfriend Jeanni Mulder shared some encouraging words online. The South African model posted a Polaroid picture of the pair by the sea on her Instagram Stories and wrote: Tomorrow is one of your biggest challenges yet and I've been lucky enough to see the hard work you have put in and it's safe to say I have never believed in someone the way I believe in you. In awe of your hard work and dedication. LET'S GO BABY, she added. Greg admitted he was nervous to take part in the competition as its his first time doing a triathlon, opening up about his reservations in an Instagram post. My next challenge is my toughest yet, he began. Ive been hesitant to speak about this challenge publicly and I even thought about just not mentioning it at all, but then I realised thats kinda being a coward. Its only fair that I share the stuff that Im not too confident about as well. I remember meeting one of the best Ironman athletes in the world (Joe Skipper) and telling him Id love to try an Ironman but Im not sure if I can do it. Joe just said to me of course you can, just put in the training and give it a shot. So tomorrow Im doing my first ever triathlon and of course its the full Ironman distance, and Im just gonna give it my best shot! Lets go! Fans and friends flocked to the comments section to wish him luck in the Ironman, with Jeanni leading the tributes, writing: INCREDIBLY PROUD & INSPIRED BY YOU, see you at the finish line. Roz Purcell said: Good luck, youll smash it! And makeup artist and entrepreneur Aimee Connolly added: That is insane!!! The very best of luck. Jeanni shared some sweets words for Greg online Jeanni (26) grew up in Cape Town and worked as a model in London for some time before relocating to Dublin earlier this summer. The pair confirmed their romance last month when Greg shared some snaps from their trip to Switzerland together. The adrenaline junkies decided to try out a thrilling bungee jump in the Alps, clutching onto each other for dear life as Greg filmed the experience on his GoPro. The clip, captioned If we die, we die, was accompanied by Fred Agains track Danielle (smile on my face). Greg previously dated London-based influencer Kate Hutchins for two years. They former flames kept their relationship to themselves for the most part, although Greg later opened up about their split in January last January. I am not loved up anymore, I am single as of the last couple of weeks, he told RSVP at the time. It is the way that things have panned out for me. I was with a lovely girl for the last two years and we had some great times together. But, unfortunately, we werent on the same page and we didnt want the same things out of life. Workforce data shows concerning shortages of physicians across New Zealand. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is calling for leaders across the political spectrum to address serious workforce challenges, including a focus on a more representative workforce. The data reveals that New Zealand has fewer specialists per head of population in New Zealand than Australia, with only 71 physicians for every 100,000 people compared to 99 per 100,000 in Australia. Only 0.6 per cent of physicians work in rural areas in New Zealand. "This is an issue that begins with our comparatively low medical graduate rates," says says RACP Aotearoa New Zealand President Dr Stephen Inns. "We only have 10.4 graduates per 100,000 people, compared to 14 in Australia. "Our workforce is also not representative of our population. In 2022, only 4.6 per cent of doctors identified as Maori despite making up 16.5 per cent of the population, and 2.2 per cent identified as Pasifika despite making up 8.1 per cent of the population." The College has also identified a range of specialist deserts where communities have little to no access to key specialists in their area. The West Coast region has only one physician, and no paediatricians. This means for some communities in the West Coast, such as Greymouth and Hokitika, the nearest paediatrician could be over 100km away. Outside of Canterbury and Otago, the South Island only has 102 physicians for 342,000 people. This is less than 30 physicians per 100,000 people. The RACP is calling for the New Zealand Government, and all political parties, to commit to a comprehensive, integrated pipeline approach to recruiting students into medical and healthcare career pathways, especially for Maori and Pasifika students. "This needs to extend from secondary through to tertiary and post-graduate training contexts," says Stephen. The call is one of several asks in the RACPs Aotearoa New Zealand election statement, which calls for the government to commit to #HealHealhealthcare, and commit to ensuring our health workforce is planned, trained, and retained. The latest data shows that were facing serious workforce challenges and it is unfortunately our patients that feel this in reduced access to specialist care," says Stephen. Weve identified several communities who have no access to physician care within 100kms. This cant go on any longer. Unfortunately, members have told us that potential trainees are often leaving Aotearoa New Zealand before they even start their training and this could be due to the limited amount of training locations and opportunities here. Were calling for all political parties to invest in training pipelines that would both increase the number of specialists in Aotearoa, and also address inequities of physician access, including for Maori, Pasifika and those in rural communities. The RACPs Aotearoa New Zealand Election Statement #HealHealthcare also calls for the following four actions: Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu Tuvalu Language Week. This years theme for Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu Tuvalu Language Week is Fakatumau kae fakaakoi tau gana ke mautu a iloga o ta tua. Fakatumau kae fakaakoi tau gana ke mautu a iloga o ta tua means 'preserve and embrace your language to safeguard our heritage identities'. The 2023 theme connected to the overall Pacific Language Weeks theme of sustainability and the launch of the UNESCO Decade of Indigenous languages. The theme reflected the importance of nurturing the Tuvaluan language in a sustainable manner. Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds many Pacific nations are facing a growing impact from climate change. Tuvalu is no stranger to this stark reality with rising sea levels and more intense cyclone activities, says Edmonds. Sustaining and safeguarding Te Gana Tuvalu has become more vital than ever for communities in the Tuvalu homeland and New Zealand. Edmonds adds the Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated. For this years Tuvalu Language Week, Tagata Tuvalu Otautahi Incorporated and wider community have selected the theme of Fakatumau kae fakaakoi tau gana ke mautu a iloga o ta tua translating to Preserve and embrace your language to safeguard our heritage identities. Tuvalu consists of nine inhabited islands with a population of approximately 11,000 people. It is also the fourth-smallest nation in the world. In New Zealand, there are over 4,600 people who identify as Tuvaluan and 48 per cent are Te Gana Tuvalu speakers. Fifty-four per cent of our total population are New Zealand-born and only 25 per cent of those under the age of 15 can speak the language. Preserving the Tuvalu language is the communitys call to maintain, embrace and cherish its value for generations, says the Minister. Tuvalu community groups are working together to showcase their language across a variety of virtual and in-person activities this week including traditional dancing, church services, flag raising ceremonies, craft making, cooking sessions, and childrens activities. Im encouraging everyone to get involved to celebrate Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu. Not only will you help sustain a vibrant language, but support our Pacific community to thrive. Tuvalu Language Week runs until October 7. Visit the MPP website for further information and resources. SPONSORED CONTENT: Beyond the campaign slogans, its important to know youre voting for a candidate who will genuinely consult with and advocate for the people of our region. Standing as the New Zealand First Bay of Plenty candidate, Kirsten Murfitt knows the Bay of Plenty very well. We need a voice in Parliament that is deeply immersed in our region, understands the priorities, listens to the constituents and can get outcomes for us. We need to be heard, says Kirsten. We need a Bay of Plenty candidate that truly listens, is present in the community, understands our unique needs and advocates effectively and robustly for the Bay. I know I can do all that and do it well, says Kirsten. Core to Kirstens convictions is democracy and stronger local representation in Parliament. With 20 plus years experience as a lawyer Kirsten has the skill to analyse the consequences of proposed legislation and amendments. I have in-depth research skills which means I will not be relying solely on reports from bureaucrats who seem to run Wellington, says Kirsten. I have already been holding the Government to account with official information requests around our education system and sexual education in our primary schools because I believe in uncovering the truth and demanding better. Kirstens key focus areas include democracy, crime, our failing health care system, wasteful expenditure and education. We need to be investing in infrastructure and projects that will benefit, not burden, our future generations, says Kirsten. We have more gang members than police in the Bay of Plenty. We need to restore safety to our homes and streets and get tough on crime. We need to restore democracy to our local council by removing the unelected, undemocratic commissioners. We need to be able to vote for those holding the local purse strings and be able to hold them to account. Our health care system is crumbling. We need to reprioritise government expenditure, provide funding increases for primary health care, and reassign wasted resources to urgently deal with hospitals and waiting lists. We need to need to fix our education system by restoring the basics skills such as reading, writing and math and we need to remove gender ideology from our primary schools. And we need to work harder with other political parties to fix our roads! Kirstens key focus areas include democracy, crime, and the "failing health care system". Photo: Supplied. Kirsten is also clear on what authentic community representation and advocacy looks like. Its about listening and considering all the voices in our community, says Kirsten. I can tell you what true community representation/consultation doesnt look like starting work on the Cameron Road project while still consulting the community! With my legal experience and the 16 years I have spent advocating for my son with special needs I think I have what it takes to work with the very experienced team that New Zealand First has put together. Describing herself as a deeply passionate and paraochial local, Kirsten describes her strengths as her strong analytical skills, critical thinking and determination. First and foremost, I believe in absolute integrity and my commitment to better serving, representing and advocating for the Bay of Plenty is something I am energised and deeply passionate about. Kirsten Murfitt is the New Zealand First candidate for the Bay of Plenty. For more information go to: https://www.nzfirst.nz/kirsten-murfitt. Authorised by: H. Howard, 41 Jervois Road, Ponsonby -- Sponsored Content MOUNT CHO OYU BASE CAMP, Tibet, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese expedition team comprising 18 members reached the summit of Mount Cho Oyu, also known as Mt. Qowowuyag, on Sunday morning to carry out scientific research on the world's sixth-highest peak. This is the first time Chinese scientists have scaled a peak exceeding 8,000 meters in altitude apart from Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest summit. Located on the China-Nepal border, Mount Cho Oyu is the sixth-highest mountain in the world with an altitude of 8,201 meters. The expedition underscores China's capability to effectively organize and execute comprehensive scientific research in extremely high-altitude areas, said Yao Tandong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The expedition team departed from the assault camp at 5,700 meters in altitude on Friday. The 2023 Mount Cho Oyu expedition is part of the second comprehensive scientific expedition on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau initiated in 2017. Since the end of September, a total of 120 scientists have been conducting research on water, ecology and human activities around the mountain. Tony Bryant Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram There are various theories about the foundation of Lebrija, one of the southernmost towns in Seville that borders the province of Cadiz, although archaeologists suggest it may have first been settled during prehistoric times. The Greek historian, Strabo, believed it was the Turdetani city of Nebrusa, while others have claimed it began as the Phoenician settlement of Lepriptza. Several gold artifacts found in the area, like the Candelabras of Lebrija, seem to endorse its Phoenician origins. One of the most fanciful theories attributes it to mythical origins. Legend claims that Lebrija was founded by the Greek god of wine, Bacchus, who gave the town the name of Nebrissa Veneria. According to local historian Jose Bellido, the word 'veneria', Latin for 'that which venerates', makes reference to the mythical foundation by Bacchus. Another misguided theory suggested that the modern name of Lebrija is an incorrect spelling of one of the town's most famous inhabitants, Elio Antonio de Nebrija, a 15th century grammarian and chronicler of the Catholic Monarchs. However, he was baptised Antonio Martinez de Cala, but, as was the tradition at that time, he Romanised his name as Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis (Elio Antonio de Nebrija in Spanish). He took the name from Roman inscriptions found in Lebrija, which seem to clarify that it was the Romans who named the town Nebrissa Veneria. It was during the Roman era that Lebrija flourished, seeing as it minted its own currency. Almost nothing is known of the town during the Visigoth period, which gave way to the invasion of the Iberian Peninsular by the Moors, who conquered the town during the battle of Gaudalete. They completely rebuilt the town and named it Lebri-sah, a name that was Latinised to Lebrija after the Christian reconquest in 1249. Jennie Rhodes Colmenar Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Colmenar is located 30 kilometres from Malaga and is one of the villages of the Axarquia. It sits at 694 metres above sea level and its current population is around 3,200. It describes itself as a village that tastes of honey. During the Islamic period, the area between Colmenar and neighbouring Casabermeja was known as Fashs Qamara or Campo de Qamara and was important for the economy. It was known as a country of cereals, land for bread, mountains, valleys and running water, and land where the bees have their hives. But how did Campo de Qamara become Colmenar (the Spanish word for apiary)? According to the writer Vazquez Otero, When the Catholic king and queen seized Malaga, Colmenar did not exist as a village as such, but was an estate made up of several farmsteads, in one of which there were beehives all belonging to Hamet El Suque, the then Muslim mayor of Comares. Honey was the most popular sweetener in medieval times and in great demand. During the Reconquista the areas estates were sold according to a decree dated 6 June 1488 and the village became part of Malaga. The estates continued to be inhabited by Muslims who lived in the area as Mudejars (Muslims who were forced to convert to Christianity after the Reconquista). The first documents referring to the village as Colmenar appear in 1558, when there is mention of the Senorio de Colmenar. There is evidence that in 1566 the first births, marriages and deaths register for the village was created and in 1611 the first Viscount of Colmenar is mentioned. Colmenar is still famous for its honey and even has a museum dedicated to the sweet treat. El Museo de la Miel (miel means honey in Spanish) is open every day. For further information about visiting the museum go to: www.museodelamiel.com. Francisco Gutierrez Malaga Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram The technological needs of Malaga province demands a large number of well-trained professionals, but neither the University of Malaga nor the vocational training institutes have sufficient capacity to meet the required numbers. At the university there are courses such as the new degree in cybersecurity where only 67 of the 420 who applied have been able to enter, that is, almost seven applications per place. The case of Vocational Training is very similar: the new Campanillas Integrated Public Centre for Vocational Training, with intermediate and higher cycles, specialisation courses and certificates of professionalism in the IT and communications family, has hundreds of students on the waiting list, and this is despite the fact that it has doubled its afternoon shifts. The Fundacion Tecnologica's interactive employment map showed a demand for nearly 10,000 jobs in Malaga province last week, with 1,109 positions in the technology sector: software developer, digital project manager, community manager, software architect or systems administrator, are among the most in demand. Employment in the technology sector is growing steadily. It is estimated that there are now more than 30,000 workers. In the last six years alone, six thousand more jobs have been added, an increase of 117%. And the arrival of new companies, some of them multinationals with hundreds of positions to fill, will only increase the demand for professionals. "There are young people who want to study and companies willing to hire them. It is clear that the university is not responding to this social demand," said the director of the ETSI Informatica, Manuel Enciso. Demand also far exceeds the number of places on offer in the double degree in mechanics and industrial design (66 applications for 25 places) or robotics and mechatronics (145 applications and 75 places). In computer engineering, there are 1.7 applications per place. For Enciso, the budget of the University of Malaga "cannot be stretched any further". This is why he is calling for additional investment in infrastructure and, above all, personnel. "The provision of new buildings is not a 'sine qua nom' condition; we can take on one or two more groups, with the corresponding provision of teaching staff and the commitment that the necessary infrastructures will arrive later on," he said. For this reason, he is optimistic about the announcement made by the councillor for universities, Jose Carlos Gomez Villamandos, at the opening ceremony of the academic year at the UMA that there will be an increased number of places for the most popular degrees, such as the technological ones. "I think there is a social consensus, a general agreement that it is necessary to invest in the training of these future professionals," he said. The director of the university's telecommunication school ETSIT, Rafael Godoy, said it was important to be aware of the training needed. "There will be companies that need staff trained to doctorate or master's level. For others, a university degree will suffice, and there will be many who need a higher technical profile in vocational training. This is something that should be analysed with companies in order to go hand in hand and guarantee this type of training." In the case of telecommunications, the director acknowledges that it is more complicated to increase the number of new entry places. "We have a more stable supply and demand, we don't have as much pressure as computer science, for example," and he pointed to the cost of equipment as one of the major drawbacks to increasing the group sizes. "There are subjects in which we work with equipment that costs 30,000 euros and which is used by two students; adding one more affects the quality of this training. The education delegate, Miguel Briones, acknowledges the limitations in meeting the demand, but said that "in a few years we will see great results". He referred to the increase of more than a thousand of new entry places, to the six new qualifications, (with four related to technology), and to the potential of the dual system, in which part of the training takes place in the workplace. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. California Sen. Dianne Feinsteins death Thursday at age 90 ends a remarkable political career that saw her break one glass ceiling after another. First female mayor of San Francisco. First woman to be considered as a presidential running mate (a role that went to Geraldine Ferraro instead). First woman chosen to run on a major party line for California governor. First woman to be elected to the Senate from California. First to preside over a presidential inauguration. Longest-serving female senator in U.S. history. KCA Deutag, a leading drilling, engineering and technology firm, has secured land drilling contracts and contract extensions worth $379 million, with existing and new customers in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Pakistan. The awards span key markets in the Middle East, solidifying KCA Deutag's position as a leading land drilling contractor in the area. In Saudi Arabia, KCA Deutag has been awarded contract extensions and an equipment upgrade project with a combined value of $292 million. The contract extensions amount to a total of 23 years of additional work across four rigs, while the equipment upgrade project includes the delivery of mechanised catwalks on two rigs to improve safety and operational performance. Contract extensions in Oman Further success in Oman has seen the company extend two existing contracts as well as gain one new contract award with a total value of $78 million. Two rigs in Oman have secured extensions for two and one-year contracts respectively while a third rig, currently stacked, has been awarded a new three-year contract, with options that could extend this to five-years. In Oman KCA Deutag has completed the build of the first two highly automated newbuild rigs which are currently undergoing commissioning and are due to be mobilised to their first location shortly. The company has finalised the design of the next two rigs with the customer and has begun the construction phase for rig delivery in 2024. Each of the four rigs will fulfil a 10-year drilling operations contract secured in January 2022. New Pakistan contract One rig in Pakistan has also secured a new one-year contract, with a value of $9 million with an existing customer in the country. KCA Deutag President of Land Rigs Simon Drew said: These contract awards and extensions in the Middle East demonstrate our strategic focus on sustainable growth in this key core region for our group. This is testament to our strong safety and operational performance as we collaborate with our customers to safely deliver additional drilling programmes and solutions for the energy transition in the region.--TradeArabia News Service Passengers get on a Rome-bound flight operated by the Libya-based MedSky Airways at the Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, Libya, on Sept. 30, 2023. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Rome-bound flight took off Saturday here in the Libyan capital, resuming direct scheduled flights between Libya and Italy after a nearly 10-year halt. Operated by Libya-based Medsky Airways, the flight took off from Tripoli's Mitiga International Airport for Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino International Airport. The airline offers a roundtrip flight on Saturdays and Wednesdays between Tripoli and Rome, Medsky Airways announced on its Facebook account. Meanwhile, the Libyan Ministry of Transport said that the two countries' civil aviation authorities signed a memorandum of understanding on civil aviation cooperation and air transport. The deal, signed in Tripoli, would also facilitate and encourage airline companies in the two countries to operate charter and regular flights, said the ministry in a statement. In December 2014, the European Commission banned all Libyan airlines from operating in European airspace citing security reasons. Many nations' air arsenals will use the F-35 Lightning II as the US leads the way. Even though the F-22 is devastating, the F-35 has emerged as one of the most advanced combat aircraft. Despite recent reports of F-35 training in South Carolina, its history is far longer. Lockheed Martin participated in the 1997 Joint Strike Fighter design competition when this 21st-century fighter was born. Green Light for F-35 Lightning II Full-Rate Production The F-35 Lightning II development expedition began with the X-35A prototype's maiden test flight on October 24, 2000. In 2001, the X-35B vertical landing prototype hovered. These successful test flights helped Lockheed Martin win the F-35 Lightning II contract and eventually, the US Air Force adopted it in 2011. According to a report from NBC News, a Government Accountability Office review projects that the US Department of Defense will spend $1.7 trillion on F-35 procurement, operation, and maintenance. Procurement costs alone rose $13.4 billion from the 2019 projections. A series of postponed simulated combat assessments for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has concluded, marking a milestone in its initial operational testing and full-rate production approval, Breaking Defense reported. The 64 "runs-for-score," or combat trials, were completed on September 21, according to F-35 Joint Program Office spokesperson Russ Goemaere. After delays in concluding these F-35 Lightning II trials, the program has remained technically in its first operational testing phase with low-rate beginning production for a long time despite producing over 900 F-35 combat aircraft. The F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter's combat trials were delayed by technological issues and pandemic-related disruptions to the program's virtual Joint Simulation Environment (JSE). Read Also: TikTok 'Bone Smashing' Trend for Facial Beauty: Is It Safe? What Makes the F-35 Lightning II Special The F-35 can efficiently do lots of stuff, per Slash Gear. Though not the fastest fighter jet, the F-35's stealth capabilities are unmatched. Lockheed Martin claims the F-35 avoids radar and SAMs, but details are confidential. F-35 outperforms the F/A-18 Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon with 43,000 pounds of power from one Pratt & Whitney turbofan engine. Though the F-35 Lightning II flies slower than its predecessors, it still exceeds Mach 1.6. Nevertheless, its weapons capabilities make up for the very slight disadvantage of its speed. The F-35 can carry lots of armaments while flying beneath the radar. It can hold 18,000 pounds of JDAM bombs, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and a 25-millimeter internal gun. Recent testing shows it can carry 22,000 pounds of weaponry. Given its classified combat skills, more may be revealed sooner or later. The F-35 can also disrupt signals and incapacitate enemy equipment in addition to its core combat tasks, making it a powerful tool in modern warfare. Moreover, All three F-35 versions are built for distinct combat scenarios and military branches. The F-35A can fly on runways, the F-35B can vertically take off and land, and the F-35C is the first carrier-based stealth fighter. These F-35 Lightning II characteristics will redefine air superiority. As it further improves, it is expected to surpass expectations in the military tech field. Related Article: NATO Exercise Sees First Torpedo Drop From Unmanned Electric Aircraft, Marking Significant Milestone in Naval Drone Tech 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. If you are looking to download Microsoft Word 2023 for free then it is almost impossible. Even using the pirated version is unsafe since it contains hidden viruses and malware. There is a free web version of MS Word but it doesnt cut it. Because even that has limited features that may not be enough for your needs. So we can a new method to get links to download MS Word for free However, it is not available as a standalone app on Windows. It is a part of the Microsoft 365 pack now and you can download MS Word for free using the legal method we will discuss. Essentially Microsoft gives you a free subscription of Microsoft 365 as a part of the developer pack. So let us learn to create a developer account and get free Microsoft Word 2023 as a part of the pack, along with other apps. Microsoft Word 2023 Free Download Link As we know Microsoft 365 is not free and its subscription is expensive. But there is a way to download Microsoft Word 203 for free. You will get a Microsoft 365 license straight from Microsoft. What you need for this method is a valid mobile number that can receive SMS and a Microsoft account. Once you have these two ready, then move to get the free Microsoft 365 in the following manner. 1. Go to the Microsoft 365 Developer page. 2. Click on the Join Now button to begin the process. If you are not logged in, it will ask you to sign into a Microsoft account. 3. Here you have to fill in a few details about yourself like country, company name, and language preference. You can keep the company name as anything. We kept it Home Sweet Home for this tutorial. 4. After filling in the details, scroll down, agree to the terms and conditions by ticking the box, and then click Next to move forward. 5. On this page, select Personal Projects and then click Next. You can choose any of the options here and it is not important. 6. Now select Microsoft Team and then click on save to move to the next section. Just like the last section, you can select any or multiple options here. 7. Then you will be taken to a new page to activate the account subscription. Click Set up E5 subscription to start the process. 8. Here tick the second box Configurable sandbox and then click Next to proceed. 9. On this page, choose your region, input a username, and set up a domain name. Follow up by crafting a secure password. Reminder: Take note of the username displayed in the area marked as A in grey. You will require this to sign in to your Microsoft 365 free subscription. 10. Now you have to verify your mobile number. Enter your current mobile number and press send to get the OTP code, which you should then enter on this page. 11. Now wait for a couple of seconds as Microsoft sets up your developer account. Then you can get the Microsoft Word 2023 Free Download Link from the Microsoft 365 dashboard. 12. After that, you will land on the Microsoft 365 subscription page. Click Go to subscription. 13. Click the next button thrice to close the Microsoft 365 welcome prompt. 14. Now it is time to download Microsoft Word 2023 for PC. You have to install Microsoft 365 for that. Look to the top-right of the page and select Microsoft 365 apps from the Install Apps button. It will download the setup to your browser. 15. Then launch the Office Setup once it gets downloaded. 16. Next, It will download Microsoft Word 2023 for free on your PC. The download time will vary based on your internet connection and may take several minutes. Following the download, it will automatically install, so there is no need for you to be concerned about the installation process. 17. You will then get a completion message that Microsoft 365 has been installed. Close the window and then head to the Microsoft 365 apps. You have successfully downloaded and installed Microsoft Word 2023. Open it from the Desktop or Start menu shortcut and you will be asked to login to enter the domain name and password that we created earlier. 19. Head to the Account section from the Home of Word and you will see active subscription. How to Uninstall Microsoft Word 2023? When you download Microsoft Word 2023, all your document edits and creation needs are met. However, there are time when you want to uninstall it. Here is how you can do it in two steps. 1. Search for Microsoft 365 in the Start Menu search. 2. Then right-click to select the Uninstall option from the menu. 3. Click Uninstall in the prompt to confirm the uninstallation. Then Microsoft Word will be installed along with other apps of Microsoft 365. Features to Look out on Microsoft Word 2023 Writing Suggestions With just one click, implement writing recommendations. The revamped Editor pane simplifies the process of moving through suggestions. As you type, Words Editor continuously scans your text. It provides suggestions not just for spelling and grammar, but also for stylistic choices, helping you convey your message more clearly and effectively. Real-time Collaboration: Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously. Edits are seen in real-time, and each users contributions are highlighted with a different color. Smart Lookup: Right-click on a word to pull in web-based insights and information without leaving your document. Mobile and Web Version: You can access and edit your Word documents from a web browser or a mobile device, and the experience is very consistent with the desktop version. Embedded Fonts: When sharing a document, the fonts used in the document are embedded, ensuring that the recipient sees the document as you intended. Researcher: You can find reliable sources and content to use in your document without leaving Word. It pulls information from Bing and presents to you in a coherent manner. AutoSave and Version History: Changes to documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint are automatically saved. If a mistake is made, you can easily revert to previous versions. FAQ You can find the Microsoft Word 2023 free download links after activating a Windows 365 subscription using the method we discussed above. Is Microsoft Word available offline? Microsoft Word 2023 is available offline. You need to instal Microsoft 365 and then MS Word 2023 will be installed along with it. Get Microsoft Word 2023 for Free This is how you can download Microsoft Word 2023 for free in the pack of Microsoft 365 subscription. You can use it online in browser as well as download them for offline use on your computer. Rogelio Enriquez: "It seems that all famous chefs are men, but in the kitchens of Madrid there are a lot of women who do not appear in the photos and we want to bring them to light" Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the parliament in Ankara, Turkiye, Oct. 1, 2023. Erdogan promised Sunday to make a new constitution in the new term of the parliament and invited all political parties and all segments of the society to join the effort. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) ANKARA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised Sunday to make a new constitution in the new term of the parliament and invited all political parties and all segments of the society to join the effort. "Now we have a new task and a new opportunity before us. This is to give our country a new and civilian constitution," Erdogan said in a speech at the opening ceremony for the new legislative year of the parliament. "We invite all parties, all MPs (members of parliament), all social segments, and everyone who has a say and proposal on this issue, to join our call for a new constitution with a constructive understanding," he said. Erdogan said his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was open to all kinds of compromises to draft the constitution, and they expected the same constructive approach from other political actors. Erdogan has been pushing for a new constitution to replace the current one, which was ratified in 1982 and has been amended 19 times since then. The last amendment in 2017 introduced a presidential system and abolished the parliamentary system. Erdogan has been leading the country since he became prime minister in 2003. He became the first executive president of Turkiye in 2018 following a constitutional referendum in 2017 which changed Turkiye's parliamentary system into a presidential one. In May, Erdogan was elected as a president for his third term. The AKP has been working on a draft charter since last year. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the parliament in Ankara, Turkiye, Oct. 1, 2023. Erdogan promised Sunday to make a new constitution in the new term of the parliament and invited all political parties and all segments of the society to join the effort. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve a stopgap bill to fund government operations for the next 45 days with three and a half hours to go until a midnight deadline at the end of fiscal year, ending a days-long standoff which had threatened to paralyse federal agencies and leave millions of workers without paychecks. The upper chamber approved the measure, known as a continuing resolution, by a vote of 88 senators In favour and just nine against at 9.04 pm, only hours after the House of Representatives approved an identical bill put forth by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Speaking on the Senate floor just before senators began voting, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the compromise bill would keep the government open and represented good news for the country. Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed, and the American people can breathe a sigh of relief, he said. The bipartisanship here in the Senate set the tone for todays result, and I hope it sets the tone for the future. His Republican counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said the temporary spending bill will give senators time to continue a number of important discussions about outstanding priorities, including securing supplemental relief for victims of natural disasters, restoring security and sanity at the southern border, and supplying Ukraine with even more of the lethal assistance it needs to repel Russias invasion. Mr McConnell said most GOP senators remain committed to helping our friends on the front lines in Ukraine through investing more heavily in American strength. It reinforces our allies and deters our top strategic adversary, China, he said, adding that he is confident that the upper chamber will approve further urgent assistance to Ukraine later this year It is expected that President Joe Biden will sign the legislation before 12.01 am on Sunday, averting a lapse in appropriations that would have resulted in the entire US government having to shut down non-essential operations. His signature will allow lawmakers a brief respite, during which they will have to craft appropriations bills to keep the US government operating for the entire 2024 fiscal year, as well as debate and approve supplemental a spending bill to continue funding Ukraines defence against Russia. In a statement, Mr Biden said the bipartisan majorities who voted to fund the government had prevented an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans. This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people, he said. But the president stressed that the government should never have been in this position in the first place because the budget agreement Mr McCarthy, the White House and Senate leaders had reached earlier this year had been meant to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis and slammed extreme House Republicans for trying to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed, he said. But Mr Biden added that he fully expect[s] that Mr McCarthy honour his commitment to allow voting on supplemental funding for Ukraines defence, which he said cannot under any circumstances be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment, he said. Kevin McCarthy will be expected to honour his commitment on Ukraine funding after it dropped out of the bill, President Biden said (Getty Images) The tensions which led to the funding impasse, including opposition to funding Ukraine by a small number of Republicans and a desire among a hard-right faction of the GOP to enact sweeping spending cuts and bake harsh immigration policies into must-pass budget bills, still remain and will undoubtedly cause tensions as lawmakers work on full-year spending bills. But the last-minute deal, which keeps over a million civilian federal workers and two million uniformed service members from being furloughed or forced to work without pay, is a sign that a strong bipartisan coalition has rejected the demands of the farthest-right reaches of the House Republican Conference. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, told reporters outside the Senate chamber that he and his colleagues were all in favor of more resources for border security, but stressed that both border security and immigration legislation needed to be written on a bipartisan basis. He also said senators would be redoubling our efforts to to preserve and expand the bipartisan coalition that has formed to support continued US defence assistance to Ukraine. I've traveled with Republicans to Ukraine, and they are as passionate as I am about our national security interests there, he said. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, whose last-minute objections over the lack of defence aid to Kyiv had threatened to scuttle the11th-hour compromise, told reporters that it is really, really important for the US to send a signal to the world that we're going to continue to work in a bipartisan way to get Ukraine the funds. He said the Ukrainian cause is personal to him because his mother had been born in Warsaw, Poland in 1938, just one year before Nazi Germany touched off the Second World War by invading. I know how important moments are like this for the United States to lead the rest of the world, he said. Another top Democrat, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, told The Independent that he is looking forward to seeing Ukraine funding considered in the very near future and said there is widespread support in Congress for more assistance to Kyiv. Speaking just after he voted on the Senate floor, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican, told reporters he would have preferred to approve supplemental funds for Kyiv in the continuing resolution. But Mr Romney said a future supplemental appropriations bill would be brought up to provide substantial assistance for Ukraines defence enough to last the entire fiscal year as well as additional funds for border security and relief for numerous areas in the US that have suffered natural disasters in recent months. The beginning of the end of the crisis came about earlier in the day when 335 House members all but 91 Republicans voted to advance the GOP-authored spending bill, and after a brief delay when one senator Mr Bennet expressed reservations about the temporary spending bills lack of aid to Ukraine. The Senates late-night vote was the final culmination of a weeks-long battle that had started in the House, where a small number of right-wingers paralysed the chambers efforts to craft bills to fund the government after 1 October. It ended in a humiliating defeat for the far right holdouts who had opposed any short-term funding measure, as well as the GOP caucus overall. Matt Gaetz is expected to bring a motion to remove McCarthy from his post (Getty Images) Democrats spent the afternoon cheering the dissolution of their rivals resistance in the waning hours of the fight. What we have seen is that no spending bills will happen without Democratic support, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. But far-right lawmakers who had opposed the resolution warned that the embattled speaker of the House would face a reckoning. The ringleader of the holdouts, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, is understood to be planning to bring a parliamentary motion to remove Mr McCarthy from his post as Speaker as punishment for the Californians decision to allow a spending bill to pass with the aid of Democrats. Ive said that whether or not Kevin McCarthy faces a motion to vacate is entirely within his control, because all he had to do was comply with the agreement that he made with us in January, he said earlier on Saturday when asked whether hed push to oust the Speaker. Putting this bill on the floor and passing it with Democrats would be such an obvious blatant and clear violation of that. We would have to deal with it, he added. Though Mr Gaetz and others had pushed for their partisan spending bills to be the only vehicle to fund the government for the 2024 fiscal year, the bills would have been non-starters in the Democratic-controlled Senate and would have never been signed by Mr Biden. Mr Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, said the victory for Democrats was made possible by the upper chambers commitment to bipartisanship which had showed the House that they had to act on a clean continuing resolution. We will keep the government open for 45 days with a clean CR at current funding levels, and we avoided all of the extreme, nasty, and harmful cuts MAGA Republicans wanted, he said. No 30 per cent cuts across the board. No 30 per cent cuts to things like health care, to the social security administration, to the nutrition programs for kids. Full reauthorization of the FAA until December 31, and the poison pill amendments of which there were scores, Maga-inspired riders, were all removed from the bill. After trying to take our government hostage, Maga Republicans won nothing. He added that it was good that Mr McCarthy had finally heeded our message that bipartisanship was and is and remains the only way. Today, Maga extremists have failed. Bipartisanship has prevailed. And both parties have come together to avert a shutdown, he said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Matt Gaetz will offer a motion to vacate the chair in an attempt to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the right-wing Florida Republican told CNN. This comes after MAGA Republicans were outraged by Mr McCarthy striking a deal with Democrats on Saturday to avert a government shutdown. I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week. I think we need to rip off the band aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy, Mr Gaetz told CNN. Look, the one thing everybody has in common is that nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy, he added. He lied to Biden, he lied to House conservatives. He had appropriators marking to a different number altogether. And the reason we were backed up against the shutdown politics is not a bug of the system. Its a feature. Mr Gaetz, the leader of a dissident faction of Republicans who have opposed any short-term spending measures as well as long-term budgets that do not include spending cuts to their liking, led his holdouts to defeat this past week as Republicans, unable to cut a deal between members of their own party, cut a deal with Democrats to avoid them instead. Now, the Florida congressman is vowing revenge and plans to force Mr McCarthy out of his seat unless Democrats decide to cut him a political favour and save him. It was long the most likely outcome to result from the weeks-long battle over spending packages, and one that leaves the entire Republican caucus in troubled waters. The lower chamber still needs to pass full budget measures before a new shutdown deadline in November. The Republican caucus fumed openly at those holdout conservatives on Saturday while Democats celebrated the collapse of GOP resistance. What we have seen is that no spending bills will happen without Democratic support, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters. We went from devastating cuts that would have impacted the health safety and economic well being of the American people and 24 hours [later] to a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people across the board, entirely consistent with what Democrats have said from the very beginning, he noted triumphantly. Mr Gaetz faced further skepticism on Sunday from Tapper, who questioned what he had actually accomplished with his rebellion at one point, he sarcastically quipped, you broke the fever?, quoting the congressmans own words back to him. In particular, the CNN host questioned why, in the final hours before a deadline to avert a shutdown, Mr Gaetz and others were offering legislation to cut the salaries of specific officials involved in the prosecution of Donald Trump at the Department of Justice. That to me is the language of somebody who is looking for clicks and likes and Fox hits, Tapper accused. Mr McCarthy, meanwhile, dared Mr Gaetz to bring his motion to vacate, which had previously been discovered, drafted, by a reporter in a Capitol Hill bathroom, against him after GOP leadership gave up on negotiating with the far right. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it, he said. There has to be an adult in the room. Whether Mr Gaetz will be successful in his motion to discharge the Speaker is unclear. Some other holdout Republicans, like Tim Burchett, have expressed serious criticism of Mr McCarthys leadership but none are openly vowing to support Mr Gaetzs motion just yet. Lauren Boebert, questioned about the issue on Saturday, declined to answer. SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export fell for the 12th consecutive month due to weak global demand for locally-made products, especially semiconductors and oil products, government data showed Sunday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, shrank 4.4 percent from a year earlier to 54.66 billion U.S. dollars in September, continuing to decrease since October last year, according to the country's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Import tumbled 16.5 percent to 50.96 billion dollars last month compared to the same month of last year. Affected by the faster fall in import than export, the trade balance recorded a surplus of 3.7 billion dollars. Fugitive Jean Nassif, wanted in Australia over an alleged $150 million fraud, and former Goldman Sachs boss Tim Leissner, whos about to be sentenced in the US over one of the biggest financial scandals in history, have one thing in common. Both bought fake degrees from the same bogus university. Jean Nassif is wanted over an outstanding warrant in relation to alleged fraud-related offences. Credit: Police Media In 2006, Jean completed a Master of Science in the field of Construction Management from Somerset University, claims Nassif on his LinkedIn page. The controversial developer has also falsely claimed to have an engineering degree. After graduating with a Civil Engineering degree in Beirut, Lebanon, Jean Nassif migrated to Australia in 1989, he posted on Facebook in 2021. NSW bureaucrats have apologised after rangers ordered Yes campaigners to stop distributing flyers and move on while canvassing support for the Indigenous Voice to parliament in Sydneys CBD. Civil liberties advocates raised concerns with Planning Minister Paul Scully after receiving reports that Placemaking NSW which manages some of Sydneys major public spaces told Yes advocates they could not hand out material about the Voice. The government has apologised after Yes campaigners were moved on for handing out printed material. Credit: Steven Siewert Scully said he was aware of two incidents one at Circular Quay and one at Darling Harbour in which government rangers asked people to stop distributing flyers and campaigning. Placemaking NSW advises me that this was a mistake and sincerely apologise, Scully said. The NSW government supports the Voice to parliament and I urge people to vote yes on October 14. Six people have died during a harrowing long weekend on Queenslands roads. Two men were killed in Bundaberg early on Sunday when their Ford Falcon left the road and crashed into a raised sugarcane railway line. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating multiple road deaths across the long weekend. Credit: Queensland Police The passengers, aged 37 and 39, were declared dead at the scene, while the male driver, 26, and a female passenger, 24, were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Elsewhere, a 19-year-old man was declared dead at the scene after his Mitsubishi Lancer hit a tree on a road in Imbil near Gympie. She said the accident happened quickly, with Thang and his brother leaving her side as she leant down to clean food they had spilt on the floor. I went out there [to the car park], I saw a big crowd and when I get there someone is holding my son and then next to him a car. I automatically realised that my boy has been hit, Nuam said. The Zomi community is gathering around Thang Khat Suns parents. For parents, it is so difficult to bear this grief. Thang Zuisang, who helped organise the event for the Zomi community, an ethnic group from north-western Myanmar, said it was difficult for the family to digest what had happened. Thang was just starting to talk and say words like mama and papa, Zuisang said. Thang was one of three children. His older sister, 8, was preparing to dance at the festival on Saturday night when the tragedy happened. We were in the middle of the events program when it happened, Zuisang said. We tried to finish the event as soon as possible. There was no joy left. The family is from Ringwood in Melbournes east and had arrived in Australia on humanitarian visas from Myanmar. The family really loved their life here in Australia. Thangs sister was preparing for weeks for the dance, Zuisang said. Police are yet to determine the circumstances of the crash. Credit: Nine News He said the tragedy had affected everyone in the close-knit community. The Zomi community are very close. Thangs family come to most of our community events, Zuisang said. Police said the driver of the car, a 49-year-old Mooroolbark man, was arrested and released pending further enquiries. The investigation remains ongoing. Zuisang said the driver was a member of the Zomi community. Paramedics could not save Thang Khat Sun. Hes really heartbroken, theres no words to describe what hes going through as well, said Zuisang. Community members plan to visit Thangs family in the coming days. If someone passes away, in our culture, we all visit the family, and we sit together and provide support, said Zuisang. Thangs family thanked emergency services for their efforts. The parents want to thank all the community members and paramedics and police for trying to save their sons life, Zuisang said, speaking on their behalf. Gina Menelaou, who owns a fruit shop opposite the church with her husband, Nick, said she was working when she heard screams just after 6.30pm. I didnt know what was happening, I just heard women screaming, I thought it was a fight or something, Menelaou said. Its just terrible, I feel so sad for the parents, she said. The grocer said the tragedy came a year after a vehicle crashed through their shop. A customer was taken to hospital and others were injured in that accident. We are shocked that this has happened again; it makes you feel like what is else is going to happen around here, said Nick Menelaou. The NewHope Baptist Church said a private function was being held in the church function room on Saturday evening, but no church members were there. Loading Reverend Katrina Lambert, associate senior pastor of the church, said the space was regularly hired for private functions and community events. No incidents have ever happened here or in the car park, said Lambert. Our hearts go out to the family affected and as a community, we are holding them in our prayers. We will be praying for the family in the Sunday service and all of those affected to acknowledge the tragedy, she said. In a separate tragedy on Victorias roads a 19-year-old man died after the car he was travelling in lost control and crashed into a tree in Cowes, in Victorias south-east, just after 11.30pm on Saturday. A young couple on their first date squeezed into an old photo booth outside Flinders Street Station. Laughing and sharing a kiss, they had their first photos taken together. Love story: Jessie Norman and Chris Sutherland, new owners of the Flinders Street Station photo booth, where they went on their first date in 2018. Credit: Luis Ascui The snapshots from that night in May 2018 provided a memento of a lovely night for Chris Sutherland and Jessie Norman, who are still together five years later. But another beautiful connection was forged: within 24 hours, they saved the booth from the scrap heap, and they later befriended its owner of 50 years, Alan Adler. AFL can echo through generations, and for Collingwood royalty the Moores it certainly did on Saturday afternoon. Former Collingwood captain and dual Brownlow medallist Peter Moore presented the premiership cup to his son Darcy Moore, Collingwoods current captain and golden boy. Darcy Moore embraces his father, Peter, after Collingwoods big win. Credit: Eddie Jim Peter not being one to make a fuss, CBD understands that after the ceremony was all wrapped up, he hopped on his bicycle and rode away through the hordes surrounding the MCG. It must have been cathartic for him he was in the losing team in four grand finals and played in a draw, never getting his hands on that elusive premiership cup. That is, until he gave it to his son. Megan Herbert Credit: . To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. We must end segregation in education and afford all students with disability an inclusive education (Probe split on future of special schools, 29/9). I have advocated for more than 20 years for this as a professional disability advocate and a mother. Direct experience and an overwhelming body of research has demonstrated that inclusive education provides the most benefits for students with and without disability, teachers and the wider community in regard to academic, social and a range of other outcomes. We must close special schools. About 90 per cent of students attend mainstream schools and they typically experience profound discrimination on many fronts. Many are bullied, excluded and abused. Poor educational experiences and outcomes are the norm for most students with disability. My son, now aged 23, is an example of a person who it was assumed by most should go to special school due to his extremely high communication support needs, autism and intellectual disability. Vigilant advocacy, expertise, great school leadership and adequate resourcing meant he received an inclusive education. He now has a post-school life where he is an active citizen who meaningfully contributes to the community. This must be the new norm for every person with disability. Stephanie Gotlib, Collingwood The delight of gaining a special school place Alistair McEwin, a commissioner with the disability royal commission, says he has never met a parent who wants to have a child attend a special school. Having worked in Victorian special schools I can assure him that the parents I have been involved with are delighted when their child gains a place. Perhaps he might have a look at the media coverage of the recent fire at Heatherwood Special School, where parents were devastated at the loss and spoke enthusiastically about the staff and programs. The parents have chosen the path they feel is best for their child. Max Woolcock, former assistant principal, Heatherwood Special School Happier and better adjusted I worked for about 14 years for an NGO that cared for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The residents all attended special schools or special developmental schools. The unit in which I worked held five or six girls between the ages of 16 and 18. These girls were of an intellectual level which would, it was hoped, allow them to live independently when they left us. Nearly every girl had additional emotional problems stemming from their childhood experiences. We had a program of living skills training: cooking, shopping, banking, travel training in addition to their schooling. Most of the residents in the unit in which I worked attended a special school which also taught practical skills as well as an adjusted curriculum. The teachers at this school were highly skilled and trained in their particular field, able to cope with all students as individuals. They also worked with the psychologists with whom we had linked our residents as necessary. We often received new residents who were still at normal high schools. Where possible, they went to the school we used. Sometimes I couldnt wait to transfer them. I remember a girl also still at her first school. I asked her one day what shed done at lunchtime. I sat on a seat and ate my lunch. Did you talk to anybody or play games? No. People dont talk to me. Still another girl, another school, this time one with quite a large cohort of students with disabilities, reported that the boys in year 11 drew a line in the ground and said, You special-ed kids arent allowed to cross that line, and they didnt. I can understand why parents want their children to go to normal schools, but in my experience the students at special schools are happier, better adjusted and able to make real progress socially under the care of teachers who are experienced in dealing with students with disabilities and have the resources to handle them as individuals. Margaret Ady, Avondale Heights Businessman and climate activist Simon Holmes a Court says there is no good reason for Australias ongoing nuclear prohibition and labelled Labor and the Greens implacable opposition to nuclear energy bordering on irrational. At the same time, he added there was not yet a compelling case to remove the ban because small modular reactors (SMRs) a new type of reactor supported by the Coalition were still two decades away from playing a meaningful role in Australia. Holmes a Court with Mary Dougherty in 2012 at the countrys first community owned wind farm. Credit: Isamu Sawa Holmes a Court, one of the key backers of the teal movement that wiped out seven Liberals, argued nuclear energy could conceivably play a role in Australia in the 2040s, though he described the Coalitions energy policy as fanciful because it relied on technology that exists only on paper. In a warning to Peter Dutton, the energy investor and self-described energy geek declared the Coalitions recent embrace of nuclear energy could cost it votes in crucial inner-urban areas where the teals will again try to strip support from the Coalition. Smith said it may be necessary for Michelle McLean, then-chief commissioner of the VBA, to obtain legal advice on the boards duty to ensure its own legislation was being properly applied. He also recommended an audit to ensure staff were properly qualified, and said the current situation had led to distrust and friction. A report warned the VBA may have broken the law by using unqualified staff. Credit: Pat Scala Concern was expressed that specific technical decision [sic] impacting upon the VBA regulatory role were being made by persons who did not hold the relevant qualifications to make informed decisions, Smith said in the document. I make no independent finding, but it is my recommendation that the Board audit the various roles and responsibilities to ensure that those charged with the responsibility to implement the requirements of the Act hold the necessary skills and qualifications to properly carry out those functions. The Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS), which put out a statement of no-confidence in the VBA last year, said it had for years warned that staff with no relevant qualifications were undertaking inspections and that led to poor decisions. Loading AIBS is aware that technical decisions were being made about the VBAs regulatory functions by people who did not hold the relevant qualifications to make informed decisions, said Wayne Liddy, the Victorian board director of AIBS. AIBS has complained about under or unqualified inspections of cladding on high-rise buildings for many years both to the VBA itself and to the state government. Employment of suitably qualified people by the VBA will now take time. While staff should be appropriately qualified to undertake their roles, it is the board of any organisation that is the accountable authority. In May, The Age also revealed the VBA had completed hundreds of virtual audits despite being warned online inspections might also breach the states Building Act. The Smith report warned about significant workload pressure and that a key staff complaint was that the VBA was not giving sufficient weight to its regulatory role. It appears that workload pressure have [sic] led some staff to believe that they have insufficient time to properly perform a regulatory function and that some functions are not performed, it said. This impacts on the culture of the organisation in so far as work pressures may lead to choices which could be viewed as being to the detriment of the public. A WorkSafe investigation this year found the VBA was placing building inspectors in danger by requiring they finish three inspections a day, which did not allow for travel between jobs and extensive work needed if major faults were found. This prompted concerns that unrealistic expectations meant they could not properly monitor building standards. Loading A separate investigation into the specifics of Karkuts death led to WorkSafe also charging the VBA with two breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act on Thursday. These charges included recklessly engaging in conduct that placed another person at a workplace in serious injury, and for failing to provide a safe workplace free from health risks, including workplace-related stress and psychological injury such as anxiety and depression. Liddy said the institute has been working productively with new VBA chief executive Anna Cronin, and supported Kilkennys position that the VBA needed to overhaul its culture. AIBS supports a firm but fair regulator of our industry, Liddy said. Anna Cronin is working very hard to improve the internal processes and functions within the VBA itself. However, given that dysfunction appears to have been extensive and embedded across most business units of the organisation, it is understandable it will take time for Ms Cronin to work through all the issues. A woman leaves flowers at a vigil for Rob Karkut in May 2023. Credit: Marta Pascual Juanola Kilkenny last week confirmed the Department of Transport and Planning had received the second tranche of the review, which was provided to VBA staff in June. A state government spokesman said the stage-two report, along with further reforms, would deliver a building system with consumer protection at its core. A VBA spokesman said Cronin was focused on driving performance and culture at the regulator. Loading We continue to embed improvements into how we work to support and empower our staff and deliver the best outcomes for Victoria, a spokesman for the regulator said. The VBA is refreshing our regulatory approach to ensure that it is balanced, fair, consistent and proportionate. Our approach will emphasise the need for the VBA to be a proactive, responsive, effective and credible regulator. In February, the VBA finalised an improvement notice issued by WorkSafe. The outgoing VBA board members are chief commissioner Michelle McLean, Carmel Coate, Sam Torre, Yvonne von Hartel and Julia Cornwell McKean. Six other commissioners remain, and two government sources told The Age they did not expect them to be replaced. Loading Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll, who does not hold the relevant portfolio but addressed the media on Tuesday, said Kilkenny was looking to reform and bring new talent to the VBA. I know Minister Kilkenny is looking to inject new blood into the commission. They were a natural extinction and were going to see new blood, new ideas, different governance come into that board, Carroll said. Shadow minister for home ownership and housing affordability, Jess Wilson, said the ongoing issues with the regulator were worsening the construction and affordability crisis. London: Britains biggest motorway service station provider has brought in marshals to police charge rage among electric vehicle drivers battling for access to plug-in points. Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan warned the UKs motorway service stations are facing growing public disorder due to a lack of grid connections preventing him from installing enough car chargers to meet the surge in demand. Charging points are becoming increasingly important amid the uptake of electric vehicles., Credit: Bloomberg It means many motorists are facing long waits, with angry drivers confronting staff and each other over the lack of charging facilities. McMeikan said the delays made drivers very angry and stressed and warned of the growing risk of charge rage on Britains motorways. NEW DELHI, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least eight persons were killed and many others injured after a bus carrying nearly 60 passengers fell into a deep gorge in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, local police said Sunday. The mishap occurred in the state's Nilgiris district late on Saturday night, when the bus lost control while navigating the hairpin bend roads, a local policeman confirmed with Xinhua. The ill-fated bus was on its way from Coonoor to the Tenkasi area as the passengers, who were on a tour to the scenic Ooty hill station, were returning home. The injured were admitted to a local hospital. Some of them were said to be in critical condition, according to the policeman. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the road mishap and announced monetary compensation to the families of the people who died in the accident, and the injured. Giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji enjoys an ice cake at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Calling pandas "the best ambassadors" and "the perfect symbol" representing the U.S.-China friendship, the director of communications at the Smithsonian's National Zoo said the work of preserving pandas and other wildlife transcends political differences between countries. by Xinhua writers Deng Xianlai and Xu Yuan WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Despite the autumn chill on an early Saturday morning, Washingtonians and visitors from across the United States flocked to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the nation's capital, seizing what would perhaps be their last chance to see the three giant pandas which are to leave for China later this year. CHILDREN'S LOVE "We are just happy that she got to see the pandas before they leave," a stay-at-home mom who gave her name as Sharla said of her 18-month-old baby girl, whom she held in her arms while expecting panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, his mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian to emerge from the panda house and greet the visitors. Sharla said her daughter had a panda blanket when she was little and always considered her panda stuffed animal her favorite toy. "So we wanted to make sure she could see a real panda," said Sharla, who took her daughter here to see the pandas just a few weeks ago, making Saturday's trip to the zoo "her second time seeing the pandas." Honoring its agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will send Xiao Qi Ji, who was born at the zoo three years ago, and his mom and dad back to China by early December. To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Over the entire week, the event has attracted avid panda lovers to come over. They gathered behind the fences surrounding the outdoor yard or queued up in lines, all to see the cute bears with their own eyes. During the morning hours on Saturday, Tian Tian walked out of his house and stayed for a brief time on the outdoor ground, while Xiao Qi Ji remained in his own house, preferring to take a nap instead. The male cub was seen leaning on the rockery, turning his back to his admirers and stretching his legs from time to time. "She'd love to give the panda a hug if she could because she loves them," Sharla said when asked how her baby girl wanted to say goodbye to the pandas. Shannon, a climate change researcher who also only gave her first name, brought her four-year-old girl to the zoo to say goodbye to the pandas. Her family traveled to Washington from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a wedding, staying in town for just a couple of days. "We found out it was the farewell weekend for the pandas, so we thought we've got to try and get tickets," Shannon said, adding that her daughter was very excited and "it's worth the travel." Noting that Washington is one of the few places in the United States that still have pandas, Shannon said: "It is kind of sad to see them go for sure." "LITTLE MIRACLE" The whole team of veterinarians and researchers alike who for years have taken good care of the three pandas at the zoo, also feel upset about having to bid farewell to the bears, whom they consider to be their own children. This photo taken on April 19, 2023 shows giant panda Xiao Qi Ji at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Pamela Baker-Masson, director of communications at the zoo who has worked with the panda team for 17 years, said that all the pandas are currently in great shape, something the zoo's staff have been constantly making sure of as they prepare for the pandas' return to China. No matter how well prepared her colleagues are for the pandas' upcoming long journey, Baker-Masson admitted that the eventual departure "hasn't quite settled on me yet, and I'm going to be quite sad." "I would just say thank you. You have been a wonderful part of the history of our giant panda program," Baker-Masson said in her presumptive farewell remarks to the three pandas. "You will always be part of our history and in our hearts." Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. Meaning "little miracle" in English, Xiao Qi Ji's name was to mark his miraculous coming into the world, not only because it was during the coronavirus pandemic when people were generally in low spirit, but also because Mei Xiang, 22 years old then, was thought by many experts as being "practically post-reproductive" based on data available at the time. "As Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have aged, we've learned more about how to care for older pandas," Baker-Masson said, adding that the experiences gained, including those resulting from Xiao Qi Ji's birth, are a testament to the passion and cooperative spirit shown by panda experts from both the United States and China. "I think what this means is that even during the pandemic, you still have vital exchange and success," she said. COLLABORATION ON PANDA CONSERVATION Collaboration between China and the United States on panda conservation dates back to 51 years ago when the first panda pair that the Chinese government sent to the United States -- Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing -- arrived in the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Visiting Chinese giant panda expert Wei Ming (R) checks the health condition of giant panda Mei Xiang at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Baker-Masson described the collaboration as "hand in glove," saying the U.S. side found it "incredibly fortunate to have such a good partner with CWCA. They are remarkable." "When you are with your peers and you are really good at what you do, it's just a dynamic exchange," she said, adding that Chinese and American experts help each other because they always aim "higher" in their dedication to the shared mission of preserving the panda species. Calling pandas "the best ambassadors" and "the perfect symbol" representing the U.S.-China friendship, Baker-Masson said the work of preserving pandas and other wildlife transcends political differences between countries. "It's about the future of our planet and our habitat." The current agreement guiding the cooperation on panda conservation and research between the Smithsonian's National Zoo and CWCA is set to expire on Dec. 7. Baker-Masson said her zoo is "in the process of applying for the next memorandum of understanding" with its Chinese counterpart. "There is no other conservation program that has lasted 51 years with this much success. It takes so many people working together, and that's why we can be proud today," Baker-Masson said. "We are fully committed to this species. We want another 50 years without a doubt," she added. "China engages in giant panda conservation and research cooperation with many countries. The purpose is to better protect endangered species and promote global biodiversity conservation," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday. "We stand ready to continue our work with cooperation partners, including the U.S., to enhance cooperation on conservation of endangered species." Sharla said pandas "are always just like a great symbol of bridge" between the United States and China, and maintaining a friendly relationship based on common appreciation for pandas "is always a positive thing" for the two countries. Lets not normalise what is happening in Canada: EAM By Lalit K Jha : WASHINGTON HITTING out at Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said it is necessary to call out things like violence, threats and intimidation against Indian diplomats and missions and wondered if this had happened to any other country would the world have taken it with equanimity. Lets not normalise what is happening in Canada, Jaishankar said during an interaction with Indian journalists here on Friday. His remarks came amidst simmering tensions with Ottawa following Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus explosive allegations of the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India has angrily rejected the allegations as absurd and motivated and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawas expulsion of an Indian official over the case. We have had an ongoing problem with Canada and the Canadian Government for some years now. The ongoing problem really revolves around the permissiveness to terrorism, extremism and violence. This permissiveness is also reflected in the fact that some important extradition requests have not been responded to from their side, he said. We have had smoke bombs thrown at the mission, we have had violence in front of consulates, there are posters put up. Do you consider this normal? If this had happened to any other country, how would they react? Lets not normalise what is happening in Canada. It is important to call out what is happening there, Jaishankar said. What is happening in Canada, had it happened anywhere else, do you think world wouldve taken it with equanimity? he asked. When asked about Trudeaus allegations, he said India has already pointed out to Canada that this is not the Government of Indias policy. But if they are prepared to share with us specifics and anything relevant, we are also open to looking at it. So in that sense, thats where the matter stands, Jaishankar said. Jaishankar said one of the problems is that no incident is isolated and the totality as there is a context for everything. There are multiple problems out there. So, I guess in the case of individual incidents, the concerned governments will have to talk to each other and see how they sort of take it forward, he said. But there is a larger issue. And I think its important that the larger issue should be flagged. The larger issue is this permissiveness that I have spoken about, he said. He also asserted that it was not acceptable to make threats and intimidate diplomats in the name of freedom of speech. We dont need to learn from other people what freedom of speech is about. But we can tell people this. We dont think freedom of speech extends to incitement, to violence. That to us is a misuse of freedom, he emphasised. Jaishankar said he always asks people one question, how would they react if they were in his place? If it was your diplomats, your embassies, your people, what would be your reaction? he asked. Jaishankar said the entire debate should not focus only on issue one and not on issue two and the bigger picture, which has been going on for some time and which is a very serious picture. After all, I was thinking back, when was the last time that any of our missions was intimidated to a point where it could not continue with its normal function? I will have to think back. And if someone says this could happen in a G-7 country, in a commonwealth country, it gives you a lot to think about, Jaishankar said. On September 21, India suspended visa services for Canadian citizens in view of security threats faced by the Indian High Commission and consulates in Canada. 9.2 lakh Km away, Aditya-L1 successfully escapes sphere of Earths influence BENGALURU : ISRO said on Saturday the Aditya-L1 spacecraft has travelled beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh km from Earth, successfully escaping the sphere of Earths influence. It is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency said in a statement on X. This is the second time in succession that ISRO could send a spacecraft outside the sphere of influence of the Earth, the first time being the Mars Orbiter Mission, it said. The ISRO said earlier this month the Aditya-L1 solar mission spacecraft has commenced collecting data which will help scientists analyse the behaviour of particles surrounding Earth. Data collected around L1 would provide insights into the origin, acceleration, and anisotropy of solar wind and space weather phenomena, it said. The launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 rocket was successfully accomplished by ISRO on September 2. Aditya-L1 spacecraft carries a total seven different payloads to study the Sun, four of which will observe the light from the Sun and the remaining three will measure in-situ parameters of the plasma and magnetic fields. Aditya-L1 will be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian Point 1 (L1), which is 1.5 million km from the Earth in the direction of the Sun. It will revolve around the Sun with the same relative position and hence can see the Sun continuously. baloch riposte THE twin blasts in Pakistan -- one in Balochistan and another at Hangu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -- that killed at least 58 people come as a grim reminder of how Pakistan has failed over the years into integrating various communities and weaving one democratic nation. The country, with foundation in religious radicalism, was destined to reach this stage. As the new country was carved out of India by way of a painful Partition, political leadership of all ilk in Pakistan treaded the path of exerting authority over power machine. It used force to annex Balochistan, treated the Bengali-speaking people in erstwhile East Pakistan as secondary citizens, kept people in tribal areas deprived of development, and spent much of energy and resources on keeping the power into the hands of a few. This was bound to lead Pakistan on to the path of self-harm. The power-hungry approach of politicians left little scope for Pakistan to evolve as a functional democracy. Politicians groomed Mullah-Military nexus, which became so potent a force that it started dictating terms. Dictatorships added to the woes of Pakistan. Greed for self-gains resulted in politicians placing own financial interest above national interest. Corruption aggravated the situation, and Pakistan became a client State. Forcefully annexed Balochistan continued to be restive, with Baloch people continuing fiercely with their struggle for independence from Pakistan. Pashtuns also continued with their struggle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Radical forces grew under the patronage of military. Lack of development bred hordes of available-for-money mercenaries. The power-drunk Pakistani establishments kept using force on own people, which proved counter-productive. Fed up with atrocities, Bengalis asserted themselves and East Pakistan got liberated into Bangladesh, giving confidence to other oppressed communities in Pakistan. The trouble in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reflects this situation. Forced disappearances of Baloch and Pashtun activists from these two regions have reached the United Nations Human Rights Council. Use of force has been a dark hallmark of Pakistans policy in these regions two as well as Gilgit-Baltistan area. Pakistan has failed miserably in responding to the situation with maturity. What else can expect from a country founded on the religious premise? The focus of Pakistans policy has been on hating India more than loving its own citizens. It vitiated the hearts and minds of people with religious hatred against India and sponsored terrorist activities. While not treating Baloch people as its own, Pakistan blamed India for trouble in Balochistan. The recent happenings and attacks on Pakistan Army by Baloch liberation forces expose how much of brutality and injustice Pakistan has heaped on Balochistan for years. This proves that Pakistan is to be blamed for the restiveness in Balochistan. Clearly, forced accession of Balochistan is not working for Pakistan. Decentralisation of power, empowerment of people, restoration of true democracy, and focussing on own development more than disturbing India may hold keys to peace in Pakistan. But, is a radicalised Pakistan prepared to accept this? Well, thats a million dollar question. Education of hands, head & heart By DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA : Education is the most important instrument which shapes the character of an individual and the society as a whole. First, it should ensure gainful employment so that the individuals may earn their livelihood. Secondly, education is required to develop the discriminative faculties of individuals so that he may attain a higher realm of knowledge. The most important contribution of education in building the character of individuals and the society is to generateasense of togetherness, compassion, interconnectedness, tolerance , peaceful co-existence and other related human values. So a good educational system is expected to be associated with developing skills, knowledge and human values. A glimpse of Indian history both ancient and mediaeval suggests some very startling facts. Any authentic books of history by noted authors have accepted the fact that the ancient Indian society was a very evolved society. Yoga, medicine, metallurgy, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, linguistics, literature,music , philosophy, etc were in a very advanced state of development. Handicrafts, textiles, spices, gems, silk, etc were the leading exports of India to the world. Even during the mediaeval period when lots of upheavals took place, the richness and the basic structure of Indian society were more and less the same. The OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) conducted a study on the world economy right from the first century AD to 1913 under the leadership of the famous economist, Angus Maddisson. The study used different standard economic methods to study the data of the world during that period in fields of different dimensions of economy and concluded that India was the richest country of the world till the early eighteenth century before the colonisation of India by the British. The world share of GDP of India was about thirty percent. It clearly means that the skills of Indian craftsmen were very developed and the trading capacity of India was at its peak. Such richness cannot happen without widespread skill development of the larger sections of the society. India has produced one of the best literature during that period in all fields. Grammar and linguistics of Panini, superfine literature of Kalidas, medical skills of Charak and Sushrut, astronomy of Aryabhatta, Brahmgupta and Bhaskaracharya , Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Arthashastra of Chanakya,Bhakti movement literature, Persian writings etc are just a few to mention. Upanishadic wisdom, all encompassing philosophy of Lord Buddha, non violence of Lord Mahavir, the materialistic philosophy of Charvaka and Lokayatna are indicative of the multidimensional expansion of education. The Beautiful Tree is a very eye opener book written by Dharmapal about the prevalent indigenous educational system in the eighteenth century. This book is primarily based upon writings and reports of the British. According to the findings of this book indigenous education system was carried out through Pathshalas, Madrassahs and Gurukulas. Dharmapal cites the situations in Bengal, Bihar, Madras, Bombay and Punjab Presidencies, using various kinds of reports by William Adam about indigenous education system. In 1830 Williams wrote that there were about 100000 such schools in Bengal and Bihar almost a school per village. The situation was almost the same in other Presidencies also. In terms of the substance and attendance the indigenous system was better than those of England. Students of all categories and classes were imparted education. The subjects varied from literature to language, grammar, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy etc. The education of handicrafts and other technology was group based. Girls were mostly educated in the homes of their parents. Thus it wasavery robust system catering to the then needs of the society, making India so rich and developed. In the changed scenario of new challenges and emerging needs, the educational system which caters to the needs of our hands, head and heart needs to be developed. (The writer is DG Police & CG, Homeguards, Maharashtra) NEPs Pedagogic Concerns By Professor Gita Dharampal & Swagatalakshmi Saha : Needless to say, the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding research in all disciplines will ensure a steady flow of financial investment and proper budgetary allocation for different research topics. This new pedagogy is to be realised by introducing appropriate teachers training programmes, and equipping classrooms with digital learning devices so that the existing digital divide can be mitigated. In higher education, too, it is proposed that the existing hard separation between humanities and natural sciences be softened. THE National Education Policy (NEP) was promulgated in 2020 by the Government of India with the avowed aim to universalise education by focusing on its accessibility and affordability, as well as on its quality and accountability, whilst ensuring its equitable distribution. Thereby, the intention was not only to bridge the gap between existing learning outcomes, but even more so to provide a high quality of education from early childhood to the tertiary level for all learners, regardless of their social or economic backgrounds. In this way, the NEP proposes to revise and revamp the education sector in India by warranting foundational literacy and numeracy for all students. In particular, at the primary level, an inclusive pedagogic approach (emphasising the importance of multilingualism) has been recommended, whereby the focus is on reducing the burden of rote learning, and instead, promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This new pedagogy is to be realised by introducing appropriate teachers training programmes, and equipping classrooms with digital learning devices so that the existing digital divide can be mitigated. In higher education, too, it is proposed that the existing hard separation between the humanities and natural sciences be softened. Thus, as we celebrate the third anniversary of the NEP 2020, we consider it opportune to provide following brief evaluation of its impact in educational institutions throughout the country. In the context of school education, the introduction of a multidisciplinary and holistic approach right from nursery school up to university level is a welcome innovation. The initiated modus operandi, namely to educate, encourage and enlighten young receptive minds will, on the one hand, provide students with life-skills, opening up more career prospects, and on the other hand, it will give individual students greater freedom either in selecting a syncretic course of studies or in majoring in a discipline of their choice, with the ultimate aim of entering the academic profession. Further, the much needed emphasis on teachers training courses, combined with a more rigorous selection system, mediated through Teacher Eligibility Tests (TETs), as well as digital teacher enrollment procedures, will streamline recruitment and simultaneously improve the quality of teachers, at all levels. Most importantly, the preference given to instruction in the mother tongue, at primary and secondary levels, is pedagogically the best method for inculcating a child with the foundational skills of speaking, reading, writing and counting. Similarly, the emphasis on hands-on education and the inclusion of community-intensive and environment-based activities, alongside classroom teaching, is in line with Gandhian principles of Nai Talim, where the head, hand and heart unite for a holistic educational experience. However, more aspects of such a holistic pedagogy could be integrated further to ensure that children become self-reliant through their education and, as adults, are able to use their acquired knowledge and skills for managing their livelihood. It should also be mentioned that the NEP 2020 has endeavoured to attenuate the detrimental stress and tension due to the influx of examinations for school-going children: by restructuring the existing rigid method of assessment from a summative report, that depends on rote learning, to an innovative one, defined by parameters such as competency and engaged performance., Teachers will be able to better track a childs growth, as well as its receptivity and adaptability to the specifically-designed course of studies. In the context of tertiary education, making it mandatory for doctoral students to function as teaching assistants is a much needed intervention that will professionally prepare doctoral candidates to transition into holding faculty positions in colleges and universities. Needless to say, the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding research in all disciplines will ensure a steady flow of financial investment and proper budgetary allocation for different research topics. Consequently, an institutionalised check will arrest the extensive wastage of resources that often remained unaccounted for in unsupervised departments and research centres. Also welcome is the NRFs drive for promoting vernacular languages, an initiative that should also include the diverse groups of the subcontinents tribal languages and cultures. In this connection, too, the ongoing endeavour to reproduce scientific study material in vernacular languages is praiseworthy, but the already existing large body of literature in the vernacular also needs to be acknowledged, with steps taken to popularise it in the mainstream. However, there are certain aspects of the NEP 2020 that may require reconsideration. One crucial issue is the incorporation of volunteer teachers in place of a regularly paid, permanent faculty. Albeit relying on voluntary pedagogical support involves people from the local community, nonetheless, this ad hoc practice (of unsystematically enlisting unqualified volunteers) is likely to have a detrimental impact on students whose course of studies will consequently lack consistency in structure and content. The introduction of multiple entry and exit points at the college and university level is a commendable innovation that aims to provide opportunities for students who may be less academically inclined. It enables them to embark on a professional apprenticeship with a recognised educational certificate. However, there is a flip side to this innovation, namely, for students aspiring to pursue a career in research, the elimination of the M. Phil programme deprives them of the chance to receive essential training in research methods and academic writing. As a result, the quality of research at the doctoral level may be negatively impacted, potentially hampering the advancement of research in the long run. A well-defined road map and implementation strategy needs to be put in place for the benefit of educational institutions poses obstacles. (The writers are Research Dean at the Gandhi Research Foundation (GRF), Jalgaon, Maharashtra and a Research Assistant at the GRF) PM Modi has become global hero of ground zero: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi NEW DELHI : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi has proved to be the global hero of ground zero by depreciating dynastic dominance through decisive delivery and development, BJP leader and former Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday. Modijis perfect, potential performance with the passion of never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best has proved that democracy can deliver with decisive determination without dynastic dominance in governance, Naqvi said at the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industrys Indian Brand and Leadership Conclave 2023 here. The BJP leader said that a brand of any product or personality is proved potential and perfect not by chance but by choice. Credibility of a product and reliability of production is paramount to convert peoples habits into hysteria for a brand or brand ambassador, Naqvi said in a statement issued by his office. Integrity and acceptability ensures the global glamour and grace of a product and popularity, he added. Naqvi further said a technology and connectivity revolution has made the world smaller and the competition bigger. People keep a close watch on the business, political, economic, cultural, religious, educational, administrative activities of every part of the world, he said. ...Keep your eyes on the sky and feet on the ground so that if you fell down, you can stand up easily, the BJP leader said. Maintaining the global credibility of a personality, product, industry or institution is the necessity of todays digital demography, he added. Naqvi said technology must be saved from the confinement of chronology. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do, he said, adding, That is why transformation, conviction, commitment and credibility have become an effective and successful formula for perfect products. The former Union minister said that while Bharat is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, it has also emerged as a favourite global digital destination. Bharat is the fifth largest economy of the world after the US, China, Japan and Germany. Bharats GDP has reached 3.17 trillion dollars and it is expected to grow at the rate of 6.5 per cent in 2023-24; Bharats foreign exchange reserves have touched 600 billion dollars and according to the International Monetary Fund, Bharat is likely to become the third largest economy of the world by 2027-28, he said. Naqvi said India has emerged as a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) powerhouse, leaving China far behind. Bharat received FDI of about 83.57 billion dollars in 2021-22. Large consumer market, political stability and decisive leadership are the main reasons behind these tremendous achievements. Bharats consumer market has increased to 1.5 trillion dollars and it is expected to become the worlds third largest by reaching at 6 trillion dollars by 2030, he added. Indian companies, be it from the public sector or the private sector, have become the best brand, the BJP leader said, adding that eight companies from Bharat have been featured in the recent Fortune Global 500 list. After Prime Minister Modis Make in India initiative, Bharat has become a global manufacturing hub as most of the worlds largest companies are setting up their manufacturing units in the country, he said. Star Air launches Ajmer, Hyderabad flights Business Reporter : Star Air, Indias leading regional airline, on Saturday launched new flight connecting Nagpur to Hyderabad and Ajmer (Kishangarh). The inaugural flight to Ajmer took off from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in presence of Bopanna C A, Head Airport Services, Star Air; Sunil Sabale Head Airport Start Air; Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman of Solar Industries India, and others. Star Air will operate non-stop flights on its modern Embraer E175 aircraft, providing travelers with convenient and comfortable access to the enchanting city of Ajmer (Kishangarh). These new routes, part of 40 routes awarded to Star Air under the Government of Indias RCS-UDAN scheme, will provide convenient and seamless travel options for passengers visiting the beautiful cities of Ajmer and Pushkar. With the introduction of these new flights, Star Air aims to enhance connectivity and cater to the growing demand for travel to Ajmer Sharif and Pushkar temples. The airline recognises the significance of these spiritual destinations and is committed to providing a comfortable and hassle-free travel experience for pilgrims and tourists alike. Star Air is also the first airline to offer a business class service between Nagpur-Kishangarh-Nagpur, Hyderabad-Kishangarh-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Nagpur-Hyderabad. This would also be the first time an Embraer E175 lands in Kishangarh. The jet aircraft covers the distance between Hyderabad and Nagpur in 1 hour 15 minutes and Nagpur and Hyderabad in 1 hour 30 minutes. This exciting new route is a testament to Star Airs commitment to enhancing connectivity across India and providing passengers with seamless travel options. Kishangarh, also known as the moonland of Rajasthan is known for its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking beauty and is now set to become more accessible than ever before. To celebrate the launch of this new route, Star Air is offering special promotional fares and exclusive travel packages for passengers traveling to these destinations. For more information and to book your tickets, visit the official Star Air website at www.starair.in or contact our 24/7 customer support at +91 22 50799555. Tirupati Bank declares 0% net NPA Business Reporter : Annual general meeting (AGM) of Tirupati Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, one of the leading co-operative banks of the region was held recently at Chatrapati Sabhagroh, Chatrapati Nagar Nagpur. Chairman of the Bank Prem Grover presided over the meeting, where in the banks CEO Ram Diwakar conducted the proceedings. The bank has registered 0% net NPA and achieved net profit of Rs 3.41 crore and has clocked the mixed business of over Rs 1000 crore. The bank offers very attractive rates on its popular products like housing loans at 8.25 per cent, car loans at 8 per cent and business loans and gold loan at 10 per cent. Former Chairman Sagar Meghe exhorted the shareholders and customers to avail of various schemes floated by the bank. Vice Chairman Ramesh Borkute proposed vote of thanks. The directors of the bank including Manohar Pande, Kamil Ansari, Annaji Raut, Archana Vaidya, Rupal Meghe, Manish Ingale, Mahendra Thakur, Hemant Thakre, Shakeel Sattar, CA Pranav Ade, Sayaji Jadhav, Rajubhau Lohe were present. AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Gust and showers here on Saturday didn't stop New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins from attending the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival event in Potters Park in central Auckland. Hipkins first said "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival" in Chinese, not fluent but still winning applause from the audience. He reiterated the great contributions the Chinese community has made to the country, and highlighted the strong bilateral relationship and people-to-people connections. By using the example of New Zealand Haka dance under the Great Wall of Beijing during his trip to China a couple of months ago, Hipkins said he was shocked that the performance attracted tens of millions Chinese audience on social media. To reflect on Kiwi's enjoyment on Chinese Moon Festival, Hipkins phrased it a "from strength to strength "culture link. His opinion was echoed by Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand. Wang said Chinese community in New Zealand contributed a lot for bridging the understanding of two peoples, which is the core value of the growing partnership between the two countries. Despite the bad weather, hundreds of locals enjoyed the event. Apart from traditional lion dance, dragon dance, the show was highlighted by Kiwi girl Lucy Singleton's Mandarin song. Many kiwis were also attracted by traditional Chinese costumes show. Some of them even swarmed to try the clothes on and take pictures with the background of a full moon, symbolizing the family reunion in Chinese culture. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $11.97-$12.32 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $12.46. The company issued revenue guidance of $65.39 billion-$67.32 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $67.38 billion. Accenture also updated its FY24 guidance to $11.97-12.32 EPS. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Societe Generale boosted their price objective on shares of Accenture from $314.00 to $373.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Barclays boosted their target price on Accenture from $340.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, September 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Accenture from $314.00 to $341.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Accenture from $332.00 to $322.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, StockNews.com cut Accenture from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $333.24. Get Accenture alerts: Read Our Latest Report on ACN Accenture Price Performance Shares of ACN stock opened at $307.11 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $204.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.52, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.22. The companys fifty day moving average price is $315.86 and its 200-day moving average price is $299.75. Accenture has a one year low of $242.80 and a one year high of $330.43. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, September 28th. The information technology services provider reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.65 by $0.06. Accenture had a return on equity of 29.74% and a net margin of 10.72%. The firm had revenue of $15.99 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.07 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.60 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Accenture will post 12.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Accenture Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 12th will be given a dividend of $1.29 per share. This is a positive change from Accentures previous quarterly dividend of $1.12. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $5.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.68%. Accentures dividend payout ratio is currently 41.60%. Insider Buying and Selling at Accenture In other Accenture news, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.00, for a total transaction of $1,653,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 21,958 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,916,770. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Leonardo Framil sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $311.52, for a total transaction of $934,560.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 16,898 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,264,064.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,250 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction on Friday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $315.00, for a total transaction of $1,653,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 21,958 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,916,770. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 24,430 shares of company stock worth $7,735,251. Insiders own 0.08% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. United Bank lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 2,969 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,001,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Accenture by 1.3% in the first quarter. Weitz Investment Management Inc. now owns 89,400 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $30,148,000 after buying an additional 1,168 shares during the last quarter. Fund Management at Engine No. 1 LLC purchased a new position in Accenture during the first quarter worth $1,805,000. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Accenture by 0.6% during the first quarter. Guardian Wealth Management Inc. now owns 7,292 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,459,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Accenture by 104.8% in the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 441,451 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $148,871,000 after acquiring an additional 225,943 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 70.42% of the companys stock. About Accenture (Get Free Report) Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, interactive, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management, intelligent automation comprises robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents, and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprises turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Allworth Financial LP lessened its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (BATS:IFRA Free Report) by 40.5% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 21,742 shares of the companys stock after selling 14,796 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LPs holdings in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF were worth $850,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 7,207,029 shares of the companys stock worth $268,966,000 after acquiring an additional 163,698 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC increased its stake in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF by 4.4% in the 1st quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 1,856,134 shares of the companys stock worth $69,271,000 after acquiring an additional 78,307 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,234,789 shares of the companys stock worth $44,773,000 after acquiring an additional 14,657 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,210,066 shares of the companys stock worth $45,160,000 after acquiring an additional 27,215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pictet Asset Management SA increased its stake in iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF by 137.1% in the 1st quarter. Pictet Asset Management SA now owns 1,161,050 shares of the companys stock worth $43,330,000 after acquiring an additional 671,292 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF alerts: iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF Trading Down 0.4 % BATS:IFRA opened at $36.59 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.08 and a beta of 1.03. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $38.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $37.95. About iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF The iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the NYSE FactSet U.S. Infrastructure index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed infrastructure companies that derive a significant portion of their revenue from within the US. IFRA was launched on Apr 3, 2018 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IFRA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (BATS:IFRA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bailard Inc. boosted its position in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 57.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 75,760 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 27,669 shares during the period. Bailard Inc.s holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $4,294,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cloverfields Capital Group LP lifted its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 11.5% in the 1st quarter. Cloverfields Capital Group LP now owns 50,785 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,660,000 after purchasing an additional 5,246 shares in the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 39.4% in the first quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 25,007 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,328,000 after buying an additional 7,073 shares in the last quarter. Bard Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 372.9% during the second quarter. Bard Financial Services Inc. now owns 24,475 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,387,000 after buying an additional 19,300 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 46.0% during the first quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 14,668 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $768,000 after acquiring an additional 4,618 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avantax Planning Partners Inc. increased its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 53.7% during the first quarter. Avantax Planning Partners Inc. now owns 7,724 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $405,000 after acquiring an additional 2,697 shares in the last quarter. 81.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Charles Schwab In other news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 72,047 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Monday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.66, for a total value of $4,802,653.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 59,748,538 shares in the company, valued at $3,982,837,543.08. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Peter B. Crawford sold 3,792 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.31, for a total transaction of $217,319.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 44,725 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,563,189.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 72,047 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.66, for a total value of $4,802,653.02. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 59,748,538 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,982,837,543.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 159,599 shares of company stock valued at $10,542,469 in the last 90 days. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Wolfe Research cut their price target on Charles Schwab from $62.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Monday, June 26th. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $77.00 price target on shares of Charles Schwab in a report on Thursday, September 21st. UBS Group increased their price target on Charles Schwab from $67.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Raymond James cut their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 18th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Charles Schwab from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday, September 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $72.28. Check Out Our Latest Report on Charles Schwab Charles Schwab Price Performance Shares of NYSE SCHW opened at $54.90 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $60.47 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $56.30. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1-year low of $45.00 and a 1-year high of $86.63. The firm has a market cap of $97.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.92. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $4.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.61 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 27.54% and a net margin of 33.15%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.97 EPS. Analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.24 earnings per share for the current year. Charles Schwab Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 25th. Investors of record on Friday, August 11th were issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 10th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.15%. Charles Schwab Profile (Free Report) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of Brunswick (NYSE:BC Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage issued an equal weight rating and a $84.00 price objective on the stock. Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Brunswick from $122.00 to $105.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Brunswick from $94.00 to $93.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 19th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Brunswick from $102.00 to $92.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 19th. Roth Mkm reiterated a buy rating and issued a $91.00 price objective on shares of Brunswick in a report on Tuesday, September 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Brunswick from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from $109.00 to $79.00 in a report on Monday, September 11th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $95.73. Get Brunswick alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on BC Brunswick Trading Up 0.1 % BC stock opened at $79.00 on Wednesday. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $81.36 and its 200-day simple moving average is $81.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Brunswick has a 52-week low of $64.55 and a 52-week high of $93.15. The firm has a market cap of $5.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.38 and a beta of 1.56. Brunswick (NYSE:BC Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The company reported $2.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.32 by $0.03. Brunswick had a net margin of 8.21% and a return on equity of 33.86%. The business had revenue of $1.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.75 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.82 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Brunswick will post 9.29 EPS for the current fiscal year. Brunswick Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 23rd were issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 22nd. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.03%. Brunswicks dividend payout ratio is currently 21.02%. Institutional Trading of Brunswick Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Brunswick during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Brunswick by 104.7% during the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 520 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Brunswick during the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Bartlett & Co. LLC boosted its position in shares of Brunswick by 246.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bartlett & Co. LLC now owns 520 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 370 shares during the period. Finally, Neo Ivy Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Brunswick during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.44% of the companys stock. Brunswick Company Profile (Get Free Report) Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Propulsion, Parts & Accessories, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Brunswick Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brunswick and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Biotricity (OTCMKTS:BTCY Get Free Report) and EKF Diagnostics (OTCMKTS:EKDHF Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, earnings, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability and dividends. Valuation & Earnings This table compares Biotricity and EKF Diagnostics gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Biotricity alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Biotricity $10.60 million 1.73 -$18.66 million ($1.69) -1.27 EKF Diagnostics N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EKF Diagnostics has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Biotricity. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Biotricity -163.11% N/A -252.90% EKF Diagnostics N/A N/A N/A Analyst Ratings This table compares Biotricity and EKF Diagnostics net margins, return on equity and return on assets. This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Biotricity and EKF Diagnostics, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Biotricity 0 0 1 0 3.00 EKF Diagnostics 0 1 0 0 2.00 Biotricity currently has a consensus target price of $12.00, suggesting a potential upside of 460.75%. Given Biotricitys stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Biotricity is more favorable than EKF Diagnostics. Institutional and Insider Ownership 32.5% of Biotricity shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 42.0% of EKF Diagnostics shares are owned by institutional investors. 20.5% of Biotricity shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Summary Biotricity beats EKF Diagnostics on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Biotricity (Get Free Report) Biotricity, Inc., a medical technology company, provides biometric data monitoring solutions in the United States. The company focuses on delivery of remote monitoring solutions to medical, healthcare, and consumer markets, including diagnostic and post-diagnostic solutions for lifestyle and chronic illnesses. It offers Bioflux mobile cardiac telemetry solution, an integrated ECG device; and ECG analysis software that analyzes and synthesizes patient ECG monitoring data, as well as software components. The company is based in Redwood City, California. About EKF Diagnostics (Get Free Report) EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc designs, develops, manufactures, and sells diagnostic instruments, reagents, and other ancillary products in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and internationally. It offers DiaSpect Tm hand-held hemoglobin analyzer; DiaSpect Hemoglobin T analyzer; Hemo Control, a hemoglobin analyzer that provides quantitative and lab quality hemoglobin results; and HemataStat II, a microhematocrit centrifuge that provides a quantitative hematocrit reading for six blood samples. The company also provides glucose and lactate analyzers, such as Biosen C-Line GP+ and C-Line Clinic; Quo-Lab A1c, a desktop point-of-care analyzer for measuring glycated hemoglobin; Quo-Test A1c for the monitoring and management of diabetes; and STAT-Site M Beta-hydroxybutyrate analyzer. In addition, it offers Creamatocrit Plus, an analyzer for detecting the lipid concentration and calorific density in mothers' milk; QuPID and True20 pregnancy tests; and Lactate Scout 4, a lactate analyzer. Further, the company provides clinical chemical analyzers, such as Beta-hydroxybutyrate for monitoring ketosis; Glycated Albumin; Glycated Serum Protein; Nitro-tab Ketone tablets; and Procalcitonin marker for bacterial infection and sepsis, as well as reagents, calibrators, standards, and controls. Additionally, it offers RaPET Serology immunoassay kits; QuStick Strep A for Strep A infection treatment; Altair 240, a chemistry analyzer; Excel, a semi-automated chemistry analyzer; Micro 12, a micro centrifuge for clinical, molecular, and bacteriological applications; Hema-Screen Serology, an analyzer dependent for early detection of colorectal cancer; Uri-Trak 120 urine analyzer; and kits and other services related to COVID-19, as well as contract manufacturing solutions to third-party businesses and laboratory services. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Cardiff, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Biotricity Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Biotricity and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- With this year's super-long "golden week" spanning both the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays in full swing, Chinese people are fervently hitting the road to make the most of this eight-day holiday period. On Sept. 29, the first day of the holiday period lasting until Oct. 6, China's railways handled about 20.1 million passenger trips, setting a new record for daily trip numbers and surpassing 20 million for the first time in history. Analysts believe that this holiday period will usher in a new peak in travel, accelerating the rebound of China's tourism industry. "This year's 'golden week' is likely to become the hottest one in the past five years, owing to the combined boost of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the National Day holiday and the Hangzhou Asian Games," said Li Jiwei, deputy dean of Meituan Research Institute. TRAVEL ENTHUSIASM AT RECORD HIGH Cross-the-board data reveals that millions of travelers are embarking on journeys during this extended holiday period, driven by robust demand for family reunions and leisure activities. During this period, China's commercial passenger traffic across railways, highways, waterways and air travel will experience a complete recovery. The total passenger trips are expected to hit 490 million, a jump of 78.6 percent in terms of average daily number compared with the same period in 2022, data from the Ministry of Transport (MOT) showed. The country is expected to see 190 million railway trips during the 12-day travel rush for the National Day holiday, which lasts from Sept. 27 to Oct. 8 and overlaps the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. A total of 20.098 million railway passenger trips were made in China on Friday and 17.066 million on Saturday, and another 17.2 million passenger trips are expected to be handled by the railways on Sunday. China's civil aviation sector is projected to handle over 21 million passenger trips during this period, with daily average domestic flight and passenger numbers expected to rise by 18 percent and 17 percent, respectively, compared to the National Day holiday period in 2019, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. A surge of travelers is anticipated to flood roads nationwide. During the holiday period, average daily expressway traffic is projected to reach 57 to 58 million vehicles, soaring 46 to 49 percent over the same period last year, according to the MOT. Since this year's holiday period coincides with the latter part of the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, there is a strong demand for tourism, family reunions and attending events, which is expected to lead to a substantial increase in cross-provincial long-distance trips via highways, the MOT said, noting that cross-provincial and cross-city trips are expected to make up more than 70 percent of all highway journeys. "Almost all my friends would travel somewhere during this holiday," said Wang Yifan, who works in Beijing, adding that she has merged her holiday with her annual leave for a family vacation to Europe. As China makes every effort to facilitate cross-border travel, the country is expected to see an average of 1.58 million daily inbound and outbound passenger trips during the holiday period, a roughly 3-fold increase year on year, according to the National Immigration Administration. TOURISM RECOVERY PICKS UP SPEED With the "golden week" being the longest public holiday in the second half of the year, Chinese travelers are eagerly looking forward to indulging their wanderlust. Data from the online travel agency Trip.com Group showed that domestic tour bookings for the holiday period increased by over 400 percent compared to the previous year. Specifically, driven by the allure of the Hangzhou Asian Games, bookings with Hangzhou as the destination experienced a remarkable year-on-year increase of over 500 percent. According to online platforms Meituan and Dianping, as of Sept. 20, tourism consumption orders on the platforms for the National Day "golden week" holiday doubled compared with 2019, and the number of restaurant reservations grew by 112 percent. "With bookings for scenic spot tickets, hotels, catering and other services increasing significantly, consumption demand across the country will be further unleashed during the eight-day holiday, which reflects the positive development trend of China's economy," Li said. Some 62 percent of Chinese consumers plan to increase their spending on traveling in six months, which is much higher than the global average level, according to a report from global auditing and consultancy firm PwC. This will create great opportunities for the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, PwC said. Orders for outbound travel also saw a significant rise, data from Trip.com Group showed. Group tour bookings to countries such as Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and Kenya have increased significantly in comparison with the same period of 2019, the pre-epidemic level. According to Zhang Yang, a researcher with the China Tourism Academy, outbound tourism has risen in popularity during the holidays, and related products from multiple travel service providers have been sold out. "The gradual return of Chinese travelers to the global tourism market is injecting recovery momentum into the global economy," Zhang said. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Free Report) had its price target trimmed by KeyCorp from $325.00 to $300.00 in a research report released on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the conglomerates stock. KeyCorp also issued estimates for Danahers FY2024 earnings at $9.25 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $10.75 EPS. Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Raymond James increased their price target on shares of Danaher from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $250.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $260.00 to $292.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Danaher in a research report on Wednesday, September 20th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $290.47. Get Danaher alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on DHR Danaher Stock Performance Danaher stock opened at $248.10 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $255.23 and a 200-day simple moving average of $245.40. Danaher has a 1-year low of $221.22 and a 1-year high of $283.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 2.08 and a quick ratio of 1.70. The stock has a market cap of $183.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.80. Danaher (NYSE:DHR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The conglomerate reported $2.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.01 by $0.04. Danaher had a net margin of 20.95% and a return on equity of 15.03%. The business had revenue of $7.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.76 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Danaher will post 8.83 EPS for the current year. Danaher Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 12th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.44%. Danahers payout ratio is 12.68%. Insider Activity In other news, SVP Jose-Carlos Gutierrez-Ramos sold 590 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.54, for a total value of $147,818.60. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,939 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,738,497.06. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Joakim Weidemanis sold 22,439 shares of Danaher stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.42, for a total transaction of $5,910,881.38. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 88,689 shares in the company, valued at $23,362,456.38. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Jose-Carlos Gutierrez-Ramos sold 590 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.54, for a total value of $147,818.60. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,939 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,738,497.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 47,922 shares of company stock worth $12,552,233. 11.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Baystate Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Danaher by 49.5% in the 2nd quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 755 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $181,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. IMS Capital Management raised its position in Danaher by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. IMS Capital Management now owns 11,046 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $2,651,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its position in Danaher by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,920 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $461,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Danaher in the 2nd quarter valued at $677,000. Finally, Westshore Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Danaher in the 2nd quarter valued at $269,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.71% of the companys stock. Danaher Company Profile (Get Free Report) Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes and services; and healthcare filtration solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Danaher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Danaher and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC lowered its holdings in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 50.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 481,236 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 497,419 shares during the quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $27,276,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Charles Schwab in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Quilter Plc bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab in the 2nd quarter worth $424,700,000. Heritage Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 153.0% in the 4th quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC now owns 468 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 283 shares in the last quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.61% of the companys stock. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.61, for a total value of $476,880.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 8,014 shares in the company, valued at $477,714.54. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, General Counsel Peter J. Morgan III sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.61, for a total value of $476,880.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 8,014 shares in the company, valued at $477,714.54. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Charles A. Ruffel purchased 833 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 17th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $60.55 per share, for a total transaction of $50,438.15. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 3,386 shares of the companys stock, valued at $205,022.30. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 159,599 shares of company stock worth $10,542,469. Insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock. Charles Schwab Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of SCHW opened at $54.90 on Friday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $60.47 and its 200-day moving average price is $56.30. The Charles Schwab Co. has a twelve month low of $45.00 and a twelve month high of $86.63. The stock has a market cap of $97.19 billion, a PE ratio of 16.01, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.71 by $0.04. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 27.54% and a net margin of 33.15%. The firm had revenue of $4.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.61 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.97 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.24 EPS for the current fiscal year. Charles Schwab Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 25th. Investors of record on Friday, August 11th were given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 10th. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.15%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have recently issued reports on SCHW. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $68.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $65.00 to $75.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Argus boosted their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $70.00 to $81.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Raymond James cut their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 18th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $70.00 to $64.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 18th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $72.28. View Our Latest Research Report on SCHW About Charles Schwab (Free Report) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC reduced its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 3.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 33,015 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,344 shares during the quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $15,479,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Cornerstone Advisory LLC raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.1% in the second quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC now owns 1,682 shares of the companys stock valued at $789,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. O Brien Greene & Co. Inc raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 192.0% during the second quarter. O Brien Greene & Co. Inc now owns 2,745 shares of the companys stock worth $1,287,000 after acquiring an additional 1,805 shares in the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 533,336.4% during the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 19,059,681 shares of the companys stock worth $8,938,609,000 after acquiring an additional 19,056,108 shares in the last quarter. Bailard Inc. raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 36.8% during the second quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 14,142 shares of the companys stock worth $6,632,000 after acquiring an additional 3,801 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pacific Sage Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.4% during the second quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC now owns 1,591 shares of the companys stock worth $746,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Insider Activity In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $466.62, for a total transaction of $275,772.42. Following the sale, the insider now owns 101,028,219 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $47,141,787,549.78. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP Alonzo Weems sold 1,148 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $590.98, for a total transaction of $678,445.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 7,760 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,586,004.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 591 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $466.62, for a total transaction of $275,772.42. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 101,028,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $47,141,787,549.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 693,246 shares of company stock valued at $20,948,820,977. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $537.13 on Friday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $533.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $455.03. The firm has a market cap of $509.89 billion, a PE ratio of 74.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $309.20 and a 12-month high of $601.84. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $2.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $8.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.58 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 22.01% and a return on equity of 65.00%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.25 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 EPS for the current year. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on LLY. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $500.00 to $615.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 8th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $408.00 to $615.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 8th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $490.00 to $580.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $500.00 to $600.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $360.00 to $525.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $532.78. View Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Diversified Trust Co increased its stake in Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WOR Free Report) by 48.5% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 4,800 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,568 shares during the quarter. Diversified Trust Cos holdings in Worthington Industries were worth $333,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cardinal Capital Management increased its holdings in Worthington Industries by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cardinal Capital Management now owns 12,192 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $847,000 after acquiring an additional 177 shares in the last quarter. Trust Investment Advisors purchased a new position in Worthington Industries during the 4th quarter valued at about $225,000. Brandywine Trust Co. purchased a new position in Worthington Industries during the 4th quarter valued at about $249,000. Rinkey Investments purchased a new position in Worthington Industries during the 4th quarter valued at about $228,000. Finally, New Mexico Educational Retirement Board increased its holdings in Worthington Industries by 10.0% during the 1st quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 5,500 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $356,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 45.30% of the companys stock. Get Worthington Industries alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts have weighed in on WOR shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Worthington Industries in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a buy rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Worthington Industries from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Friday, June 30th. Worthington Industries Stock Performance Shares of NYSE WOR opened at $61.82 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $3.09 billion, a PE ratio of 10.64 and a beta of 1.29. Worthington Industries, Inc. has a 12 month low of $38.01 and a 12 month high of $77.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.95 and a quick ratio of 1.76. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $71.71 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.99. Worthington Industries (NYSE:WOR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 28th. The industrial products company reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.04 by $0.02. Worthington Industries had a net margin of 6.14% and a return on equity of 17.66%. The business had revenue of $1.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.61 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 15.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Worthington Industries, Inc. will post 5.65 earnings per share for the current year. Worthington Industries Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 15th will be given a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 14th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.07%. Worthington Industriess dividend payout ratio is presently 22.03%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Kerrii B. Anderson sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.00, for a total value of $360,000.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 64,415 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,637,880. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Kerrii B. Anderson sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.00, for a total value of $360,000.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 64,415 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,637,880. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Catherine M. Lyttle sold 7,900 shares of Worthington Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.83, for a total transaction of $543,757.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 58,294 shares in the company, valued at $4,012,376.02. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 65,211 shares of company stock valued at $4,651,287. Insiders own 38.50% of the companys stock. About Worthington Industries (Free Report) Worthington Industries, Inc, an industrial manufacturing company, focuses on value-added steel processing, laser welded solutions, electrical steel laminations and manufactured consumer, building and sustainable mobility products in North America and internationally. It operates through Steel Processing, Consumer Products, Building Products, and Sustainable Energy Solutions segments. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WOR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WOR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Worthington Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Worthington Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Edison International (NYSE:EIX Free Report) had its price target boosted by Barclays from $68.00 to $71.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday, FlyOnTheWall reports. A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Edison International in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Guggenheim cut Edison International from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $81.00 target price on shares of Edison International in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. Mizuho raised Edison International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the company from $73.00 to $75.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 22nd. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH raised Edison International from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Edison International has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.36. Get Edison International alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Edison International Edison International Trading Down 0.5 % EIX stock opened at $63.29 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $24.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.52, a PEG ratio of 3.65 and a beta of 0.81. Edison International has a twelve month low of $54.45 and a twelve month high of $74.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87. The business has a fifty day moving average of $69.52 and a 200-day moving average of $69.84. Edison International (NYSE:EIX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The utilities provider reported $1.01 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.95 by $0.06. Edison International had a return on equity of 12.69% and a net margin of 6.81%. The business had revenue of $3.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.28 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.94 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Edison International will post 4.72 EPS for the current year. Edison International Cuts Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 29th will be paid a $0.7375 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 28th. This represents a $2.95 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.66%. Edison Internationals dividend payout ratio is 118.95%. Insider Buying and Selling at Edison International In other news, SVP Caroline Choi sold 11,222 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.64, for a total value of $803,944.08. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 20,881 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,495,914.84. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.03% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Edison International Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Fiduciary Alliance LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Edison International in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Capital Analysts LLC lifted its stake in shares of Edison International by 64.0% in the 1st quarter. Capital Analysts LLC now owns 438 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the last quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Edison International in the 2nd quarter valued at $36,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Edison International by 61.4% in the 1st quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 615 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Edison International by 61.4% in the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 670 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 255 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.17% of the companys stock. About Edison International (Get Free Report) Edison International, through its subsidiaries, generates and distributes electric power. The company supplies electricity to approximately 50,000 square mile area of southern California to residential, commercial, industrial, public authorities, agricultural, and other sectors. It also provides decarbonization and energy solutions to commercial, institutional, and industrial customers in North America and Europe. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Edison International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edison International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Galp Energia, SGPS, S.A. (OTCMKTS:GLPEY Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the six ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Several brokerages have recently issued reports on GLPEY. Morgan Stanley upgraded Galp Energia, SGPS from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, September 1st. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Galp Energia, SGPS from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, September 14th. Get Galp Energia SGPS alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Galp Energia, SGPS Galp Energia, SGPS Stock Performance Galp Energia, SGPS Increases Dividend Shares of GLPEY stock opened at $7.37 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $6.89 and a 200 day moving average of $6.17. Galp Energia, SGPS has a 1 year low of $4.64 and a 1 year high of $7.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a current ratio of 1.70. The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 28th were issued a $0.1471 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 25th. This is a boost from Galp Energia, SGPSs previous dividend of $0.08. Galp Energia, SGPS Company Profile (Get Free Report Galp Energia, SGPS, SA operates as an integrated energy operator in Portugal and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Upstream, Industrial & Midstream, Commercial, and Renewables and New Business. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration, development, and production of hydrocarbons primarily in Brazil, Mozambique, and Angola. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Galp Energia SGPS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Galp Energia SGPS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. If there is any saying that has consistently stood the test of time on Nigerias political landscape, it is unarguably the one credited to William Clay, which says This is quite a game, politics. There are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests. Against the foregoing backdrop, permit this writer to confess that the foregoing apothegm formed the basis of the thought that literarily kept scrolling across his subliminal like a phantasmagoria when he yesterday, Friday, September 29, read a news story appositely titled Obaseki, Others Eulogize Senator Alimikhenas Wife. As reported in the online edition of the Nigerian Observer of September 29, 2023, it is reported that The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, led top government functionaries and other dignitaries to the funeral mass of the wife of former Senator who represented Edo North Senatorial District, Francis Alimikhena, Monica, who died at the age of 69 years. The aspect of the reportage that piqued the curiosity of this writer was unarguably the photo used in illustrating the story where the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the former governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and the incumbent deputy governor,Comrade Phillip Shaibu were seen captured in a photograph during the condolence visit. Where do I begin? Without resort to adding salt to injury in this context as I am glad that the troika has seemingly resolved their political differences, as signifies by the photograph, and thus now back again as friends, it is expedient to say that their reunion has no doubt found expression in the saying of William Clay that that goes thus, This is quite a game, politics. There are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests. In fact, the photograph is a reminder of Henry John Temple, Britains Prime Minister from 1850 to 1860, who made the following statement during those years, a sentence which has become an everlasting remark in history and international relations and that is: We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual. Without a doubt, the statement has over the years become an example for all politicians, particularly Nigerian politicians, as they attempt to set their relations on this basis. It means that politicians in this part of the world make efforts to put their own interests on top of their agenda in their political activities. Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to recall that Winston Churchill, the renowned British Prime Minister, had stated during the years of WWII that I am ready to put my hands in the hands of the devil for the progress of my country. Apart from the value of this statement and whether this approach is ethically correct or not, it must be said that this is the political reality of the world of Nigerian politicians, which can in this context be expressed from the colloquial perspective that says, Chop make I chop. In a similar context, Ambrose Bierce in his view said, Politics is a strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles; the conduct of public affairs for private advantage. In fact, it is pragmatic to in this context make reference to Awdhesh Singhs view on the nature of relations that exist between politicians. For the sake of clarity, Singh is the author of Pearls of Wisdom from Everyday Life. In his view, he said, Let me give you one sound advice about politics. If you wish to be a good person, dont join politics? If you wish to be a successful politician, dont try to be a good person? Ostensibly to substantiate his view, he said, I fully agree with Niccolo Machiavelli, Politics have no relation to morals." So, if you wish to be a good person, avoid everything anything that politicians do. Hence, you must never ditch your friends, nor should you ever try to develop friendship with your enemies. He continued, and said, Politicians are like a gang of thugs who rob one section of the society, keep the bulk of the loot with themselves and share a small part of the loot with their followers during and after elections, in this way, they make their followers happy by giving them benefits without the need of committing any crime. So the top politicians are not only corrupt themselves, but they also corrupt others so that they cant survive without them. Hence, most people hate the politicians and still they follow them because they share their loots with them during and after the elections. John Acton said it rightly, Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. However, a decent person abhors the idea of looting people or exploiting a section of the society to become powerful and wealthy. Hence, if you wish to be a good person, dont play politics in your personal lives with your friends and family, and never imitate politicians. Given the foregoing backdrop, it is not a surprise to not a few political pundits that Oshiomhole, Obaseki and Shaibu have once again, come together, after their prolong bickering. In fact, seeing the trio in the same photograph, I couldnt exit the web page that hosts the news but in awe ruminated over how they came to that applauding extentof peacemaking as they might have sat together, discussed and threw banters, to the consternation and admiration of many Edolites and other Nigerians from far and wide that graced the event. As you read this piece, you may have been wonderingwhy their reunion has become topical to this writer. The reason cannot be farfetched as it is no more news that prior to 2016 when their friendship became a public knowledge that they have maintained a relationship built on shared common interest, particularly relating to politics,. However, tensions have been arising along the line, either between Obaseki and Oshiomhole, between Shaibu and Oshiomhole or between Shaibu and Obaseki due to Chop-I-Chop brand of politics they are accustomed to. It is good that they are back as thedifferences which once divides them is phasing out, and it is nice at that as Edolites will have now have respite, so to say, as they have not had peace since 2016 when Oshiomhole handed over the keys to Osadebay Avenue to Obaseki and Shaibu as they have been heating up the polity. Analyzed from the perspective of their reunion, and rejuvenation of their friendship, the fact cannot be ruled out that the level of peace in Edos politics is likely bound to be tolerable, particularly as the trio have in the disagreements that transpired between them been making utterances and public speeches, interviews, press conferences, and social media presence, and thereby heating up the polity. Without resorting to calumniating any or all of the personalities in this context, it is expedient to say that throughout the disagreements that characterize their somewhat triangular friendship that their words have the power to unite or divide, inspire or incite, and influence the trajectory of Edo State. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as words have the power to shape narratives, build bridges, and foster unity. However, when used irresponsibly, they can also cause division, incite violence, and sow seeds of discord. In fact, they have been recklessly unmindful of their words to the detriment of peace in the State, particularly as their actions sometimes rubbed off on maintenance of unity across ethnic, party and religious lines in the State. The reason for sounding this way in this context cannot be farfetched as Edolites and Nigerians at large will not in a hurry forget the year, 2019, when Oshiomhole as the then National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), accused the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu for being responsible for the unfortunate attack against the Governor, Oba of Lagos and other dignitaries to the first convocation of Edo University, Iyamho in Edo State. In his disclosure, Oshiomhole insisted that the Deputy Governor mobilized over 200 commercial motorcycle riders (Okada riders) and thugs to the venue of the convocation of the Edo University to embarrass him and his guests. Oshiomhole said the whole essence of the attack on him was to create an impression that he was no longer popular at home. Ostensibly to buttress his allegation against Shaibu, Oshiomhole in his Abuja residence, urged Obaseki to caution Shaibu, whom he accused of having high propensity for violence. In a similar vein, many political observers and apolitical Nigerians few weeks ago witnessed how Shaibu faced the worst public humiliation of his political life as he has been at loggerhead with his principal, Obaseki ostensibly over who will become the next Edo State Governor. As witnessed, and as widely reported in the media, the youthful Shaibu has been fighting the battle for his political life. Not only that, he has in the past few weeks been fighting to remain relevant, even as his principal meted public humiliations on him. However, given the recent peaceful development between them, there is no denying the fact that the bickering has been thrown into the dustbin of history. Lets hope so! However, while applauding the seeming peace the trio have made among themselves, particularly as witnessed when they paid a condolence visit to Senator Alimikhenaover the death of his wife, it is expedient to urge them to eschew rivalry, if not for anything, but for the sake of development in Edo State and the wellbeing of its people. Blue Band is probably Nigeria's most beloved and favourite home grown margarine. It has earned its pride of place with those memorable commercials since the 70s and its sponsorship of national TV sitcoms, Blue Band margarine won our childish hearts for all time. Thanks to NTA Benin. Some of us took time to spread it on bread and with delight demonstrated how it was eaten mimicking our child-peers in the adverts. Just like the 30 million Nigerians that watched NTA News at that time, Blue Band could not be wrong. Yet when the makers of Blue Band margarine decided to bring a new variant of the product that had a mark of easy spread on bread, some mischief makers attempted to puncture the reputation of the brand by posting a video of how the margarine didn't melt in boiling water even though it wasn't verified. The bad marketing video against the margarine brand spread like wild fire on the internet. And please, based on the principle of criminal defamation, any person in Nigeria can actually be arrested and prosecuted for intentional damage to the reputation of a corporate interest. But Unilever, the owners of the brand at that time did not go after the mischief makers who were trying to run down their new product. Despite having the resources to track down the cyber goons, the company deployed a tactic that remains a marvelous example of how to respond to negative campaigns against a company's product. The company simply deployed one of its expatriates (probably its Managing Director) who explained in the media how the new variant of the margarine had less cholesterol, packed with more vitamins and how, whatever reaction it has in boiling water was normal and in the healthy interest of the consumer. It also emphasized that the new variant was better for bread while the regular one was best for making cakes and other pastries. This position was corroborated by other experts including the regulator, NAFDAC. So rather than losing customers, confidence in the product was not only restored, its sales have continued on the increase to date. In fact, for me, there is always a container of Blue Band in my home and office on account of my confidence and loyalty to the brand. The recent reaction of ERISCO to the negative commentary on its Nagiko tinned tomatoes brand was woeful. The company deployed its resources, pounced on the Nigerian woman who published her assessment of their product, got the police to arrest her and moved her to Abuja to face prosecution. The somewhat angry Managing Director of the tinned tomatoes company went further on the media to issue threats of fire and brimstone against the woman promising to punish her with a lawsuit of 5 Billion Naira. Even after causing her arrest and detention. What a disastrous corporate response! Many Nigerians who didn't know that tinned tomatoes usually contained some safe amount of sugar, have now known and they are united in sympathy for the woman against the product. In fact they now generally suspect all tinned tomatoes products as having too much sugar and colouring. Unfortunately for the company, its threat against the woman is not only hollow because it was within her right to publish that her fair assessment of the product. She is even in a position to sue the Nigeria police and the Erisco company for damages running into millions of Naira. I trust Inibehe Effiong to properly guide her. Babatunde Irukera of Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has never disappointed in his role as the chief consumer protector in Nigeria. His position on the matter has been quite commendable. The crux of this writing is to show how important a strategic public relations response can help a company and its products especially in times of crisis of negative campaigns. The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) must continue to emphasize the importance of having certified public relations practitioners for government and private institutions in their own interests. The recent PR blunders by the President Tinubu's spokesman who is not a professional public relations manager attests to the reason why the NIPR Act prohibits the practice of Public Relations without certification. ERISCO may have money but it has missed surely the road of good public relations in its own interests. Frank Tietie is a Lawyer & Social Commentator, writes from Ibadan, Nigeria This photo taken on Sept. 29, 2023 shows passengers at Zhengzhou Railway Station in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- With this year's super-long "golden week" spanning both the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holidays in full swing, Chinese people are fervently hitting the road to make the most of this eight-day holiday period. On Sept. 29, the first day of the holiday period lasting until Oct. 6, China's railways handled about 20.1 million passenger trips, setting a new record for daily trip numbers and surpassing 20 million for the first time in history. Analysts believe that this holiday period will usher in a new peak in travel, accelerating the rebound of China's tourism industry. "This year's 'golden week' is likely to become the hottest one in the past five years, owing to the combined boost of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the National Day holiday and the Hangzhou Asian Games," said Li Jiwei, deputy dean of Meituan Research Institute. TRAVEL ENTHUSIASM AT RECORD HIGH Cross-the-board data reveals that millions of travelers are embarking on journeys during this extended holiday period, driven by robust demand for family reunions and leisure activities. During this period, China's commercial passenger traffic across railways, highways, waterways and air travel will experience a complete recovery. The total passenger trips are expected to hit 490 million, a jump of 78.6 percent in terms of average daily number compared with the same period in 2022, data from the Ministry of Transport (MOT) showed. The country is expected to see 190 million railway trips during the 12-day travel rush for the National Day holiday, which lasts from Sept. 27 to Oct. 8 and overlaps the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. A total of 20.098 million railway passenger trips were made in China on Friday and 17.066 million on Saturday, and another 17.2 million passenger trips are expected to be handled by the railways on Sunday. China's civil aviation sector is projected to handle over 21 million passenger trips during this period, with daily average domestic flight and passenger numbers expected to rise by 18 percent and 17 percent, respectively, compared to the National Day holiday period in 2019, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. A surge of travelers is anticipated to flood roads nationwide. During the holiday period, average daily expressway traffic is projected to reach 57 to 58 million vehicles, soaring 46 to 49 percent over the same period last year, according to the MOT. Since this year's holiday period coincides with the latter part of the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, there is a strong demand for tourism, family reunions and attending events, which is expected to lead to a substantial increase in cross-provincial long-distance trips via highways, the MOT said, noting that cross-provincial and cross-city trips are expected to make up more than 70 percent of all highway journeys. "Almost all my friends would travel somewhere during this holiday," said Wang Yifan, who works in Beijing, adding that she has merged her holiday with her annual leave for a family vacation to Europe. As China makes every effort to facilitate cross-border travel, the country is expected to see an average of 1.58 million daily inbound and outbound passenger trips during the holiday period, a roughly 3-fold increase year on year, according to the National Immigration Administration. TOURISM RECOVERY PICKS UP SPEED With the "golden week" being the longest public holiday in the second half of the year, Chinese travelers are eagerly looking forward to indulging their wanderlust. Data from the online travel agency Trip.com Group showed that domestic tour bookings for the holiday period increased by over 400 percent compared to the previous year. Specifically, driven by the allure of the Hangzhou Asian Games, bookings with Hangzhou as the destination experienced a remarkable year-on-year increase of over 500 percent. According to online platforms Meituan and Dianping, as of Sept. 20, tourism consumption orders on the platforms for the National Day "golden week" holiday doubled compared with 2019, and the number of restaurant reservations grew by 112 percent. "With bookings for scenic spot tickets, hotels, catering and other services increasing significantly, consumption demand across the country will be further unleashed during the eight-day holiday, which reflects the positive development trend of China's economy," Li said. Some 62 percent of Chinese consumers plan to increase their spending on traveling in six months, which is much higher than the global average level, according to a report from global auditing and consultancy firm PwC. This will create great opportunities for the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, PwC said. Orders for outbound travel also saw a significant rise, data from Trip.com Group showed. Group tour bookings to countries such as Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and Kenya have increased significantly in comparison with the same period of 2019, the pre-epidemic level. According to Zhang Yang, a researcher with the China Tourism Academy, outbound tourism has risen in popularity during the holidays, and related products from multiple travel service providers have been sold out. "The gradual return of Chinese travelers to the global tourism market is injecting recovery momentum into the global economy," Zhang said. Fifteen days after fire gutted its substation resulting in total blackout, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has restored power supply to Birnin Kebbi and its environs. Reports gathered that there was wild jubilation in Birnin Kebbi metropolis when light was restored around 9.15pm yesterday. Children and adults took to streets to jubilate over the return of power in their various residential areas. It would be recalled that the TCN power house and two transformers were destroyed by the fire, which in turn affected Kebbi and Sokoto states. The management of the TCN had initially planned to restore power to Kebbi from Sokoto having restored Sokoto light from Talata Mafara substation but it later decided to feed Kebbi from the transformer through which Niger Republic was being fed. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Chicago State University to release President Bola Tinubus academic records to Atiku Abubakar Ruling in favour of presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, the US Court ordered the release of the academic records by Monday, October 2. Judge Nancy Maldonado, in a copy of the judgment on Sunday, noted that CSU raised no objection to Judge Jeffery Gilberts decision that the academic record be made public. The court explained that any intrusion on Tinubus privacy interests in his educational records is outweighed by Atikus interest in the sought-after discovery. Maldonado overruled Tinubus objections to Gilberts recommended ruling and therefore adopted the ruling in full. The memorandum opinion and order read in part, Atikus application is therefore granted. In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline. represented to the Court as October 5, 2023, and based on CSUs representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the Court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery. Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents. The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSUs corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Given the October 5, 2023, filing deadline before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court will not extend or modify these deadlines. What are the competitive edges a politician should equip himself with to conveniently defeat his political rivals? The foregoing is the question which most politicians do not ask themselves in this part of the world. A politician is differentiated based on his apparent abilities and un iqueness. There is no denying the fact that most politicians as can be found in political history and in the media, are traditionally weighed down by baggage of scandals, particularly during electioneering. In most cases the scandal usually erase ones political shine and to a large extent negate the acceptability of the political party the controversial candidate is affiliated to, and consequently affect the partys chance at the poll. From my sense of logic, when a politician is humiliated through scandals, especially for being involved in financial sleaze, being enmeshed in any kind of scandal, not being a man of integrity or any other unpleasant way that could downgrade the politicians public image, it logically means that such act can, may be, during and after the election affect the candidate and his affiliated party. In Nigeria, without being specific, situations were already won elections were annulled are not rare. Without doubt, baggage of scandals that usually haunt some politicians are frequently orchestrated and amplified by their political rivals with the mischievous aim of limiting the politicians chances at the poll, and in some worst cases ending the politicians career or blocking his possible entrance to certain political position that is also eagerly eyed by his political rival. I am not interested in this context to elaborate the kind of scandals that politicians are usually enmeshed in, and which are capable of damaging their image and the partys chances at the poll. But as a writer, I would like to bring readers into a food for thought that could reshape a public perspective on politics, particularly as regard how it is played in Edo State. Why would a party field a candidate that is entangled in the labyrinth of scandal for an election; would it not have been nice if such candidate is meticulously screened or even screened out ahead of the primary election as a way of saving the party from losing an already won election? The reason for screening out a candidate that is been trailed by scandal is to save the party from trouble. As it is proverbially put, a stitch in time saves nine. At this juncture, permit me to say that the candidacy of Barrister Dele Igbinedion will in political history remain one of the best decision that Edo Labor Party (LP) will make for all Edo people to be happy for in years to come, and it will no doubt form the basis of setting a yardstick in the partys future selection process of candidates that would be fielded for its primary election and general election. Without any scintilla of hyperbole, it is germane to say that the selection of candidates for elective office, particularly at the gubernatorial stage, is a key stage in the recruitment function that political parties perform in democratic societies. The candidate who his party selects defines the leadership and representational options available to voters. In dominant party systems or in party strongholds, political leaders may even be predetermined by a partys choice of candidates. Process and outcome not only reflect a partys values and operating environment, they have broad implications for a partys public image: they can make the difference between a united, energized organization and one that is demoralized and divided. In either case, the implications for a partys chances of electoral success cannot be overstated. To further explain that Igbinedion is an unblemished aspirant to Osadebey Avenue, it is germane to illustratively say that in a very real sense that the politicians we elect to represent us are our employees, and indeed they have a difficult job to perform. Their job has many facets, all of which must be considered. First and foremost, the politician Edolites need in the next political dispensation must be able and willing to govern the State for which he was elected according to the will of the people. Secondly, he must represent all Edolites; irrespective of the ethnic and religious groups they are affiliated to. He must work with other politicians of widely different concepts of what is best, and he must do this within the confines of extant laws. A good employee is one with integrity and honesty, and will perform his task to the best of his ability. His own desires and needs will be put aside when on the job. A good employee will, if unsure on how to proceed, should ask for help or advice. Without doubt, Igbinedion surely fits into the foregoing description of the candidate which LPand Edolites need. At this juncture, it is expedient to ask, what makes Igbinedion a political asset rather that a political liability to Edo LP? In answering the foregoing question, it is expedient to say that Igbinedion personified the saying, Character is what you do when no one else is watching. He is no doubt a man of integrity that values what is honest, true, noble, trustworthy, kind, and right, ahead of personal gain. There is no denying the fact that the virtue is firmly embedded in his foundation that integrity has ceased to be optional to him but instead has become a way of life. Besides Igbinedons integrity which most of his close followers can attest to, all the documents or rather certificates and degrees corroborating his academic and professional pursuits are not questionable. His qualifications, do not make anyone to raise an eyebrow whenever they are presented to any relevant authority. Not only that, Igbinedion is an experienced politician as far as going to Osadebey Avenue is concerned. Why? He has the ability to demonstrate what good governance ideally is when voted for to become governor come the next political dispensation in the State, and would leave on ground a legacy that would be better than the one he met. Against the foregoing backdrop, this writer is appealing to those that would serve as the umpires during his participation in both the primary and gubernatorial elections, respectively, that they should not fail to realize that the most fundamental principles that define credible elections are that they must reflect the free expression of the will of the people. To achieve this, elections should be transparent, inclusive, and accountable, and there must be equitable opportunities to compete in the elections. These broad principles are buttressed by several electoral process-related obligations as well as a number of key rights and freedoms, each of which derive from public international law. The electoral cycle approach depicts elections as a continuous, integrated process made up of building blocks that interact with and influence each other, rather than as a series of isolated events. As the day of the gubernatorial election is fast approaching, and as Obasekis administration is winding down, Edo people should ensure that they do not just electa governor, but that for the first time, they should elect a governor with sound academic qualifications, calm with anhonest disposition, personal integrity and emotional intelligence, and self-control in public utterances. Not only should they vote for Igbinedion by virtue of his transparent disposition, the case is been made in this context as it is unarguable that he has for the umpteenth time come across as a leader that is not given to making incendiary comments, even as he is disposed to cross - cultural values, and have good managerial skills, humility, loyalty and respect for constituted authorities. These sterling qualities are very vital in nominating and voting the next governor of Edo State. Beloved Edolites and members of LP, as we look forward to nominate and vote the most loyal and committed aspirant in the forthcoming elections, Barrister Dele Igbinedion, no doubt, remains a choice to make, and in this context, he is worthy to be nominated, supported and voted for in both forthcoming elections. Nigerias data centre market is projected to hit a valuation of $288.8m by 2027. In a report by Research and Markets titled Nigeria Data Centre Market Outlook to 2027, it noted that Nigerias data centre market reached an estimated value of $131.6m in 2022, and by 2027, the market is projected to have experienced an approximate 220 per cent growth. The Federal Government had expressed plans for the nations digital future with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS 2020-2030). Nigeria seek to transform into a fully digital economy by 2030, thereby driving the need for robust data centre infrastructure. According to the report, the impressive growth of the Nigerian data centre market was attributed to the burgeoning fintech and startup ecosystem. It said, The thriving fintech and startup ecosystem in Nigeria is also contributing to the demand for dynamic data centres. Previously, many companies hosted their data offshore due to concerns about reliability and scalability. However, as international data centre operators turn their attention to Nigeria, the sector has become more resilient and reliant on local hosting." The growth of data centres in Nigeria can be noted by the sheer amount of big digital infrastructure companies making their entries into the market. These include companies like Equinix and NTT Data. It further noted that the co-location trend will continue to grow and become a significant revenue driver in Nigerias data centre market, accounting for more than half of the market share. Co-location is explained as when more than one data-heavy organisation decide to locate their data in the same location. According to the report, the market is characterised by consolidation, with top players holding over 70 per cent of the market share. Competition among these players is based on various factors, including the number of data centres, IT load, gross floor area, total white space, number of racks, and geographical presence. It said, As Nigeria continues to experience increased Internet penetration, higher investments, and government initiatives, the data centre market is poised for substantial expansion in the coming years. This growth reflects the countrys commitment to embracing digital transformation and the critical role data centres play in achieving that vision." Two past Governors of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi and Senator Sam Egwu has protested the naming of Ebonyi International Airport after Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo. The Ebonyi Airport which was built by the immediate past Governor, now Minister of Works, David Umahi, and later handed over to the Federal Government was initially named after the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari however, on the day of his official inauguration of the Airport declined the honour for some obvious reasons and requested that it be named after the late Ex-Senate President, Chuba Okadigbo from Anambra State. Elechi, while speaking at the grand finale of Nigeria's 63rd Independence and Ebonyi at 27 Anniversary Celebration, held Sunday at the new Government House premises, Abakaliki, faulted the naming of the Airport after Okadigbo. Elechi acknowledged that while Okadigbo was a notable Igbo politician, the naming of the Airport after him does not reflect the reward principle based on contributions to the development of Ebonyi as a State. Elechi and Egwu in their separate speeches requested that the Airport be named after the late Senator Offia Nwali, the first black man to obtain a PhD in Computer and Analytical studies from Harvard University, United States of America. They observed that Nwali, a late 2nd Republic Senator and one of the foremost founding fathers of Ebonyi State has made enormous contributions to the development of Nigeria as a nation, deserving of such an honour of immortalization. Elechi Sated: "Ebonyi people are not happy to hear our new Airport being called Chuba Okadigbo Airport. "Chuba Okadigbo is a great Nigerian but he is not known in Ebonyi State neither will Ebonyi people say this is what he did for them. "When I was Secretary of National Party of Nigeria(NPN), Okadigbo was vying for the Senate. "We were friendly. "All I remember is that he used to visit me at Enugu and we wil sit over a bottle of brandy until the bottle was empty. "We didnt talk about Ebonyi people or their problems or their solutions. "Understandably, General Muhammadu Buhari knew our problems. "When he was the Brigade Major in Abakaliki, he gave us the pass that enabled us to go to Ogoja to plead our case. "He assisted us to an extent with security people over what we were doing to create Ebonyi State . "We love him and it was proper to name the airport after him, but since he didnt accept it, we think the airport should be named after someone else. "That airport is less than 10 Kilometers to the Primary School where Offia Nwali made his mark as a pupil. "We think it will be more appropriate to name the airport after him and that is the request I am making on behalf of founding fathers and the people of Ebonyi central zone." Meanwhile, reacting to the appeal from Elechi, the representative of Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency of Ebonyi State, Comrade Chinedu Ogah, in an interview, said he would work towards getting the support of other National Assembly members from the State to sponsor a bill towards actualizing the request. 1 As Nigeria marks its 63rd Independence Anniversary, a young people-driven non-governmental organisation, the Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP) has urged the youths to continue to keep hope alive and never despair in the face of many hurdles on their path to a brighter future. The NTYTP spoke in an independence day message to Nigerian youths jointly signed by its Convener/Executive Coordinator, Comrade James Ezema and the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Mikail Okoiye Audu. According to their message, the group noted that While it is an exaggeration to describe Nigeria as a failed state, in the last 63 years, hopes have been dashed, aspirations turned into desperations, and the younger generations left with little or nothing to hope for, it is still not time to give up on Nigeria. The very many challenges confronting the young people in Nigeria, especially perennial lack of employment and under-employment where jobs exist at all, will be history with a visionary and innovative leadership driven by the younger generations. It is obvious that Nigeria has had protracted leadership deficit as seen in the last 63 years and it's time for the youth population to unite and work out a better future through active participation in the political process. We therefore urge the youths of Nigeria to remain resilient in pursuit of young people-driven leadership through the political parties, which is the only process known to the Nigerian legal system for enthronment of political leaders. The NTYTP urges all young citizens to participate actively in the political processes, join political parties of their choice, build their capacity to lead and present themselves for elections at the right time to fill the leadership vaccum in the country. NTYTP wishes all Nigerians a happy independence anniversary as we all continue to keep hope alive and work together for a better Nigeria, the group stated. There is no denying the fact that among the crises that have so far shaped Nigerias economy since the last quarter of 2022 that the one not a few Nigerians will not forget in a hurry is that of the new Naira policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which indubitably caused incalculable melancholy for Nigerians, impedingbusinesses, financial transactions and other daily undertakings. Against the foregoing backdrop, it will be recalled in this context that the CBN in October 2022 announced a new Naira policy that will see the N200, N500, and N1000 notes redesigned and replaced with new ones. Thus, theold Naira notes were expected to cease to be legal tender on January 31, 2023. Unfortunately, days before theexpiration of the deadline, the now suspended Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, announced a 10-day extension until February 10, 2023. In fact, prior to the deadline when the old Naira notes would cease to be legal tender, Nigerians began to find it hard to access cash, either new or old Naira notes. The social upheavals that characterized the period during which the policy was being implemented led to the extension of the legality of the old currencies, and compelled the then President, Muhammadu Buhari to step in to calm frayed nerves as he assured aggrieved Nigerians that the bottlenecks that were inherent in the implementation of the policy would be resolved, and promised that enough cash would be in circulation within seven days. Also, it will be recalled in this context that some State governments, such as Kogi, Kaduna, and Zamfara prayed the Supreme Court to rule against the CBNs Naira redesign policy, even as a seven-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice John Okoro, in a unanimous ruling, granted an interim injunction restraining the Federal Government, the CBN, and their agents and commercial banks from implementing the February 10 terminal dates for the now old N200, N500, and N1000 naira notes to stop being legal tender. Without doubt, the disruption which the policy left on the economy, which no doubt affected many Nigerians as not a few of them, particularly traders and consumers,lamented the impact of the policy on their businesses, and commercial activities generally. Prominent among the complaints laid by affected Nigerians at the time was that their businesses were getting dry, even as those on monthly salaries found themselves unable to feed and pay transport fare to their places of work. The traders, particularly those in petty trading, lamented that they were not making sales, because their customers do not have cash to pay. Traders that were worst hit at the time the challenge reached its zenith were those who were into the sales of perishable food items as not a few of them resorted tothrowing their spoilt goods to refuse dumps. Without any iota of exaggeration, most of them disclosed that the lost a lot of money as some had their businesses shut down. Another challenge faced at the time of the implementation of the new naira policy was that of failed bank transactionsthat characterized virtually all the networks subscribed to by commercial banks and their branches across the country. Though, the challenge of failed bank transactions were not new to many Nigerians during the crisis been madereference to in this context as a lot of people were not new to such experiences but at the time it was unprecedented as the situation where either in form of transfers to other accounts or payment of bills and buying airtime. In fact, failed bank transactions were experienced in different ways, which was experienced in card transactions, online or internet banking, or the use of USSD codes, but the challenge, as confessed by not a few Nigerians was exacerbated by cash drought across the country, occasioned by the redesigned naira policy of the CBN which no doubt worsened the situation. Opinionating from the perspective of the prayer point been raised at every Christian gathering that affliction shall not rise for the second time as declared in Nahum chapter 1 verse 9 that says, What do ye imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time, it is expedient for the newly appointed governor of the CBN to ensure that never again will Nigeria pass through the harrowing situations they passed during the cash crunch that occurred earlier in the year. In fact, analyzed from the backdrop of the trials and sufferings that trailed the implementation of the new naira policy, it is expedient to urge the newly appointed CBN governor to ensure that the new naira notes are put in circulations. Not only for him to put them in circulation, should he ensure that are they ubiquitous in circulation, and in this same vein ensure that the old Naira notes go out of circulation. The reason for the foregoing advocacy cannot be farfetched as the new Naira notes are visibly short in supply across the country, and there is no doubt that Nigerians are already witnessing the month of November, with roughly 8 weeks left for the deadline to expire. In fact, given the speed at which the Ember months literarily fly, it will not be wrong to say that December is already at hand, and it is not an exaggeration to say that Nigerians cannot afford to experience the sufferings they passedthrough between December last year and February this year due to cash crunch. If I may ask, in the absence of the new Naira notes, how many Nigerians would like to pass through the horrendous situation of queuing for days at bank branches just to withdraw money? It can be recalled at this juncture that not a few Nigerians who at the time faced cash shortages were unable to buy foods or medicines, despite having money in the bank, and which compelled protesters to vent their anger by burning down some banks. Analyzed from the backdrop of the travails which virtually every Nigerians passed through during the period when the new Naira policy was implemented, it is expected that the newly appointed CBN governor should hit the ground running to ensure that the new Naira notes become ubiquitous in circulation so that affliction would not rise the second time as those in the Christendom would pray, particularly as December 31 is already at hand. PM hails response to visa scheme BANGKOK: A visa-free scheme for Chinese and Kazakh tourists has received a positive response, according to Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin. tourismChinese By Bangkok Post Sunday 1 October 2023 03:00 PM Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin welcomes the first groups of visa-exempt visitors from China at Suvarnabhumi airport on Sept 25. Photo: Government House The scheme - which runs from Sept 25 to Feb 29, amid the Chinese National Day on Oct 1, the Mid-Autumn Festival this month and Chinese New Year in February - is part of the governments Quick Win policy to spur the economy, reports the Bangkok Post. Mr Srettha posted a message on X, formally known as Twitter, yesterday (Sept 30) that a CNN report showed that Chinese tourists had responded well to the visa exemption and better was yet to come. Thailand is a top destination for Chinese tourists, he said, adding he was happy for businesses that would benefit from the visitors. Citing information from Trip.com, which operates Chinas largest travel booking platform, Ctrip, Mr Srettha said travel bookings from China to Thailand are now nearly 20 times higher when compared with the same holiday period last year. Hotel reservations in the country by Chinese tourists have jumped by 6,220% when compared to the same period last year, he said. Thailand is very happy to welcome every Chinese traveller, he said. Our country has beautiful beaches and myriads of Thai cuisine. I wish every tourist to travel in Thailand safely and gain good experiences. Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke yesterday said the governments visa-free policy will help spur the economy, adding the country is stressing the importance of keeping tourists safe, which will boost Thailands reputation for safety. Meanwhile, state-run Transport Company managing director Sanyalak Panwattanalikhit said the visa exemption scheme has also benefited domestic tourism as the number of locals visiting tourism sites during weekends has also increased. Some schools are already on term break, he said, noting the company has reported 30,00035,000 passengers travelling during the weekend. One of the most popular routes is Bangkok to Chiang Khan in Loei, he said. The town of Chiang Khan is a popular destination among Thai tourists who are looking for the laid-back ambience provided by old wooden shophouses lining the bank of the Mekong River, he said. The company will increase its service from two trips to four trips per day, he said. In another move, the company will also resume its BangkokBan Phaeng in Nakhon Phanom starting from today, Mr Sanyalak said. Chaozhou, a Chinese city with over 2,000 years of history, has become a magnet for tourists due to its profound cultural legacy. Join a British vlogger as he embarks on a journey to explore the distinct cuisine, culture, and heritage in the ancient city. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Police catch mobile phone scammer PHUKET: Police have arrested a man from Bangkok who was found guilty of stealing multiple mobile phones then reselling them to retailers in Phuket. crimepolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Sunday 1 October 2023 10:00 AM Police officers from Wichit Police Station confirmed they apprehended 41-year-old Bangkok resident Phromma Hunthong on Friday (Sept 29) after he was found to be selling the contraband to mobile phone shops in the Patong and Bang Tao areas of the island. Officers confirmed Mr Phromma had stolen and sold a total of 19 mobile phones and an arrest warrant was issued on Friday by the Phuket Provincial Court. Mr Phromma was arrested by police officers in front of a house at Village No. 7, Soi Yangyuen, Kathu. It was not specified in police reports whether the house belonged to Mr Phromma or whether it was a rented property where he was staying in Phuket. When initially questioned at the scene, Mr Phromma confessed to stealing a total of 19 mobile phones which he then sold to the retail stores. All the phones were still in their original box packaging with instructions and all related accessories intact. It was not stated where Mr Phromma had stolen the items from, likewise how much the phones were sold for, nor which shops in Phuket had bought them from him. Mr Phromma was then taken to Wichit Police Station where he was to face legal proceedings. The team of officials overseeing the arrest was led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Anurak Klangnarong of Wichit Police Station, who was joined by: Superintendent Pol. Col. Chatri Chukaew; Pol. Lt. Col. Atthawat Suwannarat, Deputy Wichit Police Station Superintendent; Police Lieutenant Natthi Conquering Chainithimeth; and Police Lieutenant Pichet Kalchanwanthana. SOS: Feed the people The Phuket branch of the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS) Thailand is moving ahead with its goal of handing out 20,000 meals to people in need across the island on Oct 9, as part of its efforts to mark World Food Day on Oct 16. CommunityHealthcharityeconomics By The Phuket News Sunday 1 October 2023 02:00 PM In October every year is World Food Day, when the entire world organises events to raise awareness of reducing food waste among all people, and to address hunger problems around the world, explains Sawaeng Jack Kaola, SOS Thailand Regional Business Manager. Scholars of Sustenance Foundation, founded in 2016, is the first food rescue organisation in Thailand, he notes. Our goal is to assist the nations food-expansion system in reducing waste and creating a decent balance for those who are lacking by daily distributing high-quality food waste from industries including hotels, restaurants, convenience stores and others to the underprivileged in Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, and other areas in Thailand. This year, the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation Thailand, Phuket branch, and allies aim to organise World Food Day on Monday, October 9, 2023, by donating food boxes (halal) including 20,000 meals, including water, milk, snacks, and more, to all of Phukets districts, Jack explains. The massive effort to help provide food relief to impoversihed areas across Phuket is being conducted in association with district offices, local municipalities and subdistrict administrative organisations, as well as local volunteers, social development and human security volunteers (SDHSV), village health centre volunteers and the Phuket Provincial Social Development and Human Society Office. Also joining the efforts since last month are hundreds of hotels across the island, all in the name of helping the poor and to take steps towards the United Nations sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero food waste across Phuket. Over the past four years, the SOS Foundation and associations have been distributing food in this way each year to help the vulnerable and those who are still struggling at the least with the rising cost of living, explains Jack. As you are all aware, Phuket is solely dependent on tourism, hence we require more visitors. If there are no tourists, we will struggle and there will be more unemployed people, and the cost of living will rise. The World Food Day event demonstrates our ability to assist people of all religions, colours, nationalities, ages and genders. Every sector helps everyone. We think that the World Food Day event will demonstrate to the world that we care about everyone, leave no one behind, and are committed to Phukets sustainability, he adds HOTELS JOIN IN At a meeting chaired by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew last month, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, Advisor to Phuket Chamber of Commerce, announced that a digital platform for collecting data on food waste and excess food in Phuket will be developed. Mr Bhummikitti, described as President of the Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation (), pointed out that the Participatory Food Waste Management Model pilot project was already underway. The project focuses on reducing the volume of food waste and individual and organisational planning for purchasing food and produce, but still aiming to provide the right amount of food and to see people consuming the right amount of food, while changing consumers behaviour as well. Food management centres will be set up in each of Phukets three districts: Mueang District (Phuket Town, Wichit, Chalong, Rawai, Kata, Karon); Thalang District (covering the centre and north of the island); and Kathu (including Patong and Kamala), Mr Bummikitti explained. THREE TYPES SOS Thailand recognises three distinctly different types of food donations: fresh food, food surplus and food waste. Fresh food is food that is freshly prepared, ready to eat, of quality that can be sold, and both safe and in quality that consumers need. It can also be stored for a while too, the food rescue organisation explains. Food Surplus is food that is still safe for consumption but it may have changed in quality, and does not meet the needs of consumers or cannot be sold. Food surplus can therefore be donated to people in need to maximise its benefits. Food waste occurs when we cannot manage food surplus. Its food that is not safe for consumption and cant be donated if left unattended, which could become a pollutant to the environment. Therefore, it should be managed by making fertiliser for maximum benefit, SOS Thailand explains These are the differences between the 3 types of food, which we can choose to manage them for maximum benefit. On the other hand, SOS has allocated a large amount of surplus food to benefit people. Whether it is directly delivering food to communities in need, or re-cooking some surplus food to revive the food and improve its taste and pass on to the community. LEND A HAND Food waste will be brought from hotels participating in the project to be provided to people in need at reasonable prices but with quality, he said. The move followed the Phuket Tourist Association, with its 281 members, joining the food rescue efforts in July, and the Phuket Hotels Association, with more than 91 members comprising small boutique hotels to large international chains, in June signing a Memorandum of Understanding with SOS Thailand to collaborate on a variety of projects including the distribution of food donated by hotels to those in need in the community. For participation, support or to organise a donation for SOS Thailands food relief project for World Food Day, contact 081-9508711 (Jack), 095-4161955 (James) or 087-5657259 (Pang). For more information about SOS Thailand visit www.scholarsofsustenance.org, Facebook: SOSFoundationThai or email info@scholarsofsustenance.org Srettha forced to act as wet weather worsens BANGKOK: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin yesterday (Sept 30) ordered a prompt response to floods now occurring in several provinces in upper Thailand, with the northern run-off from the Yom River expected to trigger more floods in provinces downstream, including Sukhothai and Phitsanulok. weatherenvironmentSafety By Bangkok Post Sunday 1 October 2023 09:25 AM The Pa Sak River overflows in Phetchabun province yesterday (Sept 30). Photo: Soonthorn Khongwarakhom Flooding incidents were reported yesterday in some northern and northeastern provinces including Phrae and Phetchabun where one particular inundation had prompted an evacuation in several areas, following a night of torrential rain, reports the Bangkok Post. Mr Srettha had emphasised the need for all state agencies concerned, particularly the Ministry of Interior, to reach out to flood victims as fast as possible to ensure their safety and flood relief, said government spokesman Chai Wacharonke. The PM has received updates on the flooding situation and instructed Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin to take charge of the flood response being led by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Transport, said the spokesman. Floods are expected to continue for at least a day or two in several parts of the North and Northeast, particularly in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok where an overflow from the Yom River is expected to flood more communities, according to Mr Chai. The Royal Irrigation Department is now racing against time to divert as much run-off as possible into the Nan River to decrease the volume of the northern run-off expected to hit the provinces downstream of the Yom River later, he said. In Phrae, the provincial government yesterday stressed with all district offices and local administration organisations the need to remain on high alert and brace for more floods. Heavy rain continued yesterday morning in this northern province, resulting in floods and evacuations in several parts of the province, said a source. The run-off hit several areas of Den Chai, Long, Sung Men and Muang districts where many houses and roads were inundated. A large number of vehicles were damaged in a strong tide, particularly in the flooded Muang district where levels of flood waters continued rising yesterday. In Mae Hong Son, rescue workers yesterday removed larges trees and power posts which fell onto the road surface in Mae Sariang district during the torrential rain. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang rushed to Udon Thani province where two districts, Phen and Si That, were being inundated. He said he had instructed a number of military medical teams to be deployed in flood-hit areas to ensure flood victims receive proper care. Veteran or not: calling for volunteers Have you ever wondered what your contribution would be if Phuket were hit by another disaster? During the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in 2004, many expats joined with locals to offer whatever assistance they could. The hundreds of stories of selfless actions by so many kind-hearted and determined volunteers was enough to regain faith in humanity. Community By The Phuket News Sunday 1 October 2023 11:00 AM Stepping up to help doesnt come without its difficulties and dangers, of course. Who do you report to when you want to help? How can you show the people in charge that you are capable, competent and willing? Whomever is running the operation really has too much on their hands to start looking at resumes and course reports from back in the day. Well, there may now be a solution. Working with the blessing of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Phuket Veterans formally the International Veterans Association, a social group made up of former military and emergency service personnel from around the world who are now living in Phuket have a Crisis Response Team that are readying themselves and are willing to help if needed. Over the past six months, with the help of First Aid Training Phuket Co Ltd, the volunteers have trained in and refreshed their first-aid skills. "It was clear from the beginning that there was some evidence of skill fade, but as a military veteran myself, I know that it is just a case of remind, revise and repeat to get the team on the ball again, said Jon Walsh, owner and director of First Aid Training Phuket. Last weekend, some of the volunteers met up with a training team in Chalong to take part in a search-and-rescue training day. The training was focused upon self reliance and safety, as well as refreshing some skills that may have been forgotten and needed some practice. The volunteers were instructed and practised basic self reliance in the field, emergency ground-to-air signalling, selecting an emergency helicopter landing site, ropework and hill safety, moving casualties and how to use a spinal board, the aims types and basic techniques of SAR, dealing with a suspected scene of a crime, and a personal and team equipment presentation. Also in good support of the training, Bangkok Hospital Siriroj provided a senior nurse and ambulance crew. They instructed the volunteers on the best ways to support the emergency medical services when they arrive, said Jon. Steve Pearce, founder of the Phuket Veterans, said, This training is fundamental to what we are trying to achieve in support of our Phuket community. The last thing the authorities need during a crisis is volunteers getting in their way and giving them something else to worry about. Expats living on Phuket have lots of skills that may be dated, but their experiences are invaluable to us. To that end, in January we will be opening up training for non-veteran volunteers from across the island to attend a one-day training session with us. They would then be assigned to teams that could be called upon in the event of a disaster on Phuket. We are so lucky to have Jon from FAT-P and Kevin Mansfield on the training team. Kevin has just returned from running special leadership training in Australia and PNG [Papua New Guinea] for the Gurkhas, Steve explained. Andrew Purchase, who took part in the training last weekend, said of his experience: The training was pretty laid back and not at all stressful like I had expected. I come from an Aussie volunteer emergency service background and had never done anything like this before. I would recommend to anyone to come along to one of the training days. Phuket Veterans will take part in a four-hour qualifying exercise in December. If you would like to volunteer for the training in January, or you would like to know more about Phuket Veterans, visit www.phuketveterans.com or leave a SMS message on 089-5870819. Participants do not need to be a veteran or a former member of the emergency services to volunteer for the CRT/SAR induction training. Phungyo Baptist Church ( PBC) at a glance; recalling the days of Pettigrew | Okluithan Addie Chiphang Contd from last Saturday Finally Pettigrew moved into the new mission house with the Dalmas couples, there waiting upon the Lord to reveal His will as to what aboriginal tribe in eastern Bengal they should work among. In the meantime an argument with a Bangal native student concerning baptism and the study of the New Testament led him to heartily accept the doctrine of Believers baptism and so he was baptised by Rev Wright Hay of the English Baptist Mission in Dacca. It was not long after they had shifted into the new mission house that the terrible massacre of Manipur in 1891 took place. This calamity attracted the attention of Pettigrew to Manipur. Therefore Pettigrew and his colleagues J Craighead planned to enter the State. Several attempts were made but the Political Agent of the State refused to grant them permission. Inspite of that Pettigrew decided to learn the Manipuri language, which he hoped would one day help him. Hence in company with his colleagues Criaghead he moved to Silchar in February 1892 with a view to entering Manipur as soon as permission was granted by the Government. Thus, though they were not in Manipur proper, they lived among the Cachar Manipuris leaming their language. But before entrance was gained his colleagues Craighead was transferred to Assam proper and he had to move alone. Rev. William Pettigrew coming to Manipur Receiving permission from the officiating Political Agent Mr A Porteous (not direct from the Govt.), he arrived in Imphal in January 1894. Upon his arrival at the capital, his knowledge of Bengalee and Manipuri language enabled him to communicate with the local people and thereby he immediately commenced preaching the Gospel in the bazaars. Eventually through the help of a young Manipuri boy who was taken in as helper, Pettigrew procured at Chingamakha two houses with ground attached, about 90X 40 for a reasonable amount (and) one of the two houses 40X12 was soon made into a decent school room". On 7th May he had the joy of opening a new school there Soon the school was overcrowded because of which he had to draw a line at 50. Everyday the students came together and recited the Disciples Prayer, and Sankeys hymn Nos. 25 and 69 were heartily sung in Manipuri; on Sunday mornings they came together for prayer. In the last week of the same year, when Major Maxwell, the Political Agent returned from Furlough Pettigrew was told that the Officiating Political Agents permission was invalid, owing to his not arranging with the Indian government. Therefore he was asked to abandon the work the school was taken out of his hand to be managed by the State Government, and propagation of Christianity was prohibited, Pettigrew however was allowed to remain in the State on the condition that the missionary enterprise was confined to the Tangkhul Nagas only at his own risk. Opening of the Evangelise in Tangkhul Naga Areas The main intention of Pettigrew was to evangelise the Manipuri Hindus in the valley is not disputed. But as the Scripture says For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways it was not the Lords will that Pettigrew should open his mission centre in the valley nor at any other in the State than Ukhrul. It was verified in more ways than one, because in November 1895, i.e. 10 months after his maiden visit to Ukhrul, an ultimatum was served to him by the Government of India which he himself described thus: To accept one of the conditions was the ultimatum sent to us from Shillong a year and a half later. Say yes to proposal of leaving the valley alone and establishing mission headquarters among the headhunting Naga tribe called the Tangkhul Naga say No and leave the State for good. Perhaps this was a pressure from God revealed through State agency Pettigrew chose the Yes and committed to working among the very aboriginal tribe - the headhunting Tangkhul Nagas. He chose Ukhrul as his centre. He then negotiated with the American Baptist Missionary Union to take over the work and to appoint him an agent of the Society. Following his application he was invited to attend the Missionary Conference at Sibsagar, December 14-22, 1895. On December 16th Pettigrews application was considered vis-a-vis letters from Secretaries Duncan and Mabie with various other documents. Petigrew then made 2 statement before the Conference of his Christian experience, call to the ministry and views of his Christian doctrine and Revs. H.P. Moore, C.E. Burdette and E.P. Haggard were appointed a Committee to present resolution in reference to Pettigrews case. On December 19th, Rev, H.P. Moore presented a letter from Sibsagar Baptist church! that Pettigrew was a member of Sibsagar Baptist Church and requested the Conference to sit in council with the Church in regard to advisability of ordaining Mr Pettigrew. Thus after having Pettigrew examined and formalities having been completed, Pettigrew was ordained on December 22nd at Sibsagar Baptist Church and a pand written Ordination Certificate was issued thus: This is to certify that in accordance with usages of the Baptist Churches of the United States of America & in answer to the call of The Baptist Church of Sibsagar, Assam, William Pettigrew after an examination as to his Belief, call to the ministry & views of Christian Doctrine, was solemnly set apart to the Gospel Ministry by a Council consisting of the Assam Mission of the American Baptist Missionary Union at Sibsagar, December 229d 1895. (Signed) C.D. King, Chairman (Signed) E.G. Phillips, Clerk. The Sibsagar Triennial Conference of 1895 and the Executive Committee at Boston in January 1896 decided to take over the work in Manipur and Pettigrew was officially appointed a Missionary of the American Baptist Missionary Union for Ukhrul field on January 27, 1896 and the work was officially taken over by the Union on February 1. Since then this A.B. Mission worker (later with his wife) was confined to Ukhrul from 1896 to 1916 (twenty years) by the State government under pain of dismissal from the State. Having chosen Ukhrul as his centre rather than Paoyi, (as having had suggested by Porteous), he spent more of his time in building a temporary mission bungalow, outhouses and the school building with a few hours a day to study the language. October to December was given to going to Calcutta to finish off the printing of John's gospel in Manipuri which was then going through the press and above all to marry Alice Goreham who was Ieft behind in London six years ago when he left for India in 1890. After their marriage on November 13, 1896, at Lower Circular Baptist Church, Calcutta, the couple returned to Ukhrul to resume their work. The school building at Ukhrul had already been completed then, but the Missionary had to spend quite six weeks in persuading the villagers to send some of their boys to school. (To be contd) Today A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 56F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Cloudy. Low 39F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 57F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Italy's strong presence in the oil and gas sector will be showcased at the upcoming Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (Adipec 2022), with 115 exhibitors. Italy, the second-largest manufacturer in the European Union, is experiencing a 10.5 per cent increase in demand for its oil and gas technologies in the UAE, with imports exceeding 158 million ($167 million) in 2022 and exceeding 87 million in the first half of 2023. Spearheaded by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and bolstered by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the official Pavilion will spotlight the capabilities of 28 leading Italian companies in the field, further underscoring Italy's prowess in the global oil and gas arena. The official Pavilion, playing host to 28 prominent companies, is meticulously organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) with steadfast support from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Within the ADNEC Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Italian ingenuity takes center stage, showcasing an impressive array of offerings. This includes cutting-edge products such as oil-insulated electrical transformers, steam turbine generators, subsea equipment, as well as an array of devices and services for tank remote control, energy management, fleet monitoring, high-quality valves, and electric submersible pumps. Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, said: "I am delighted to introduce Italys participation in Adipec 2023 with an impressive delegation of companies. As we approach COP28, Italian companies are ready to contribute with cutting-edge technology and world-class expertise to the challenge of energy security, both in the UAE and worldwide. Italian companies lead the way in decarbonising energy production, increasing efficiency, and reducing emissions." Amedeo Scarpa, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE highlighted "The enduring strength of the Italy-UAE trade relationship in the oil and gas industry, emphasising the potential for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the coming decades, is evident. Italy's substantial allocation of approximately 3.6 billion Euros from the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan to bolster power generation supply chains underscores its commitment to driving innovation in the energy sector. Recognising the pivotal role of gas in managing the energy transition, Italy's investments in research and development, focusing on renewable energies, hydrogen adoption, and a zero-emission future, are poised to maintain the country's leadership across multiple energy sectors. Sustainability stands as a paramount agenda item for Italy and its companies, with a resounding commitment echoed by all exhibitors at Adipec 2023 under the motto 'Sustainability is Sustainab-ITALY,' especially this year in the country that will host COP 28." "The Italian Association of Mechatronic Technologies and Components for Fluid Power, Power Transmission, Smart Automation, and Control of Industrial Products and Processes, is proud to represent and promote Italian companies at Adipec 2023. This event presents a remarkable opportunity for Italian firms to forge new commercial relationships and showcase their cutting-edge products and technologies, thereby championing the 'Made in Italy' brand, even in this critical industrial sector." Marco Ferrara, Managing Director, FEDERTEC. Bruno Fierro, Vice Presidente ANIMA, "ANIMA Confindustria is a longstanding partner of the Italian Trade Agency at Adipec, a pivotal gathering for the Italian Oil and Gas industry supply chain. Over the years, the Abu Dhabi event has consistently affirmed its global significance in the Oil & Gas and Energy Transition sectors, serving as a crucial platform to showcase innovations and 'Made in Italy' solutions to address the energy transition challenge. We stand here today, just as we did yesterday, and we are committed to being here tomorrow." Mariarosaria Fragasso, Head of International Affairs ANIE Federazione, the Italian Federation representing the Electrical Engineering and Electronic Industry, declared: "The UAE holds a strategic position as an economic partner for Italy's Oil & Gas supply chain. In recent years, trade between Italy and the United Arab Emirates has exhibited consistent growth. In 2022, exports of electrical engineering and electronic technologies from ANIE's member companies surpassed 400 million euros. Adipec serves as a pivotal platform for Italian firms, offering opportunities to strengthen existing business ties and venture into new markets. As environmental consciousness continues to rise, investments are gravitating toward renewable energy and more sustainable technologies, even within the Oil & Gas sector. In the context of the impending energy transition that will steer economic growth in the years ahead, Adipec emerges as a significant forum for discussions on cutting-edge technologies that can contribute to building a greener and more sustainable future for energy". "The Italian pavilion at Adipec 2022 is the result of a synergistic collaboration between the Italian Trade Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and esteemed industry associations. This collective effort is underpinned by strategic partnerships with leading organisations such as ANIE (National Federation of Electrotechnical and Electronic Companies), ANIMA (Federation of Italian Associations of Mechanical and Engineering Industries), and FEDERTEC (Italian Association of Mechatronic Technologies and Components for Fluid Power, Power Transmission, Smart Automation, and Control of Industrial Products and Processes)." --OGN/ TradeArabia News Service KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- As China's eight-day Golden Week holiday has started, Malaysia's tourism sector is eyeing increased arrivals to offset years of slow business due to pandemic disruptions. Golden Week began on Sept. 29 this year, marking the annual weeklong period that includes the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in China. While arrivals remain below pre-pandemic levels, there has been a steady uptick of arrivals from the Chinese market, Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association Deputy President Mint Leong told Xinhua in an interview. "Chinese tourists are returning to Malaysia in a slow and steady way because after the summer holiday in this Golden Week, we can see Chinese tourists coming to Malaysia, but the number is not as big as before. But they come and stay for at least five days and four nights. That's an improvement over shorter stays," she said. Leong said Malaysia is facing stiff competition with other destinations and urged decision makers to implement policies that will improve the country's competitiveness as a destination such as visa-on-arrival and longer visa periods to attract travelers seeking extensive post-pandemic experiences. She added that it is important to act swiftly to take advantage of the influx of travelers from the Northern Hemisphere seeking to escape winter at the end of the year. A defiant Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the ruling Trinamul Congress, on Saturday virtually threw a challenge to the Union government to stop the TMCs programme in the national capital on 2-3 October, where a massive gathering of MGNREGA beneficiaries from the state is planned to demand the release of pending funds under the scheme for the state. Mr Banerjee has already made it clear that he would not respond to a summons from the Enforcement Directorate to appear before its investigating officers on 3 October, but attend the rally in Delhi on that day. Cheering on Trinamul Congress supporters who left for Delhi from a bus depot in central Kolkata on Saturday, Mr Banerjee continued his tirade against the Centre in a virtual address today with resilience and aggression, as he vowed to force the Centre into releasing the outstanding dues for the state. Advertisement Mr Banerjee slammed the ruling dispensation at the Centre for creating hurdles for the Trinamul Congress planned rally in Delhi by denying permission for hold- ing a gathering at the chosen location, withholding trains and letting loose the ED and CBI repeatedly. He vowed that nothing would deter Trinamul Congress from realising the states dues that the Centre had put on hold for a long time. Mr Banerjee said: This (the Delhi rally) will usher in a new dawn and the stir will continue till we realise our dues. He went on to add that people had begun to speak up against the Centres continued deprivation and repression, We have sought permission to hold demonstra- tion peacefully and democratically at Rajghat, Ramlila Maidan but no permission was granted. But despite that it has failed to dampen our spirit to march on and our resolve to realise our goal, the Trinamul MP said. He also said that the Centre was withholding West Bengals dues deliberately. About 50 central teams had visited Bengal to look into any flaws and irregularities in disbursal of central funds under various schemes by the state but 11 months had gone by but no steps had been taken to release the dues. The proposed protest would be held on 2and3 October in Delhi for which the party had managed to assemble about 3,000 people from rural areas who were to be taken to Delhi by train, said the TMC MP. But with rakes being refused by the Railways, as alleged by Trinamul Congress, at the last moment, around 50 volvo buses had been arranged to ferry the 3,000 people to Delhi. The protesters who assembled in the city coming from rural areas had been put up at the Netaji Indoor stadium before embarking for Delhi. A college student was killed and four injured after a speeding car went out of control and crashed into a light post on the Maa Flyover last night. Police said that the vehicle, which was travelling at an extremely high speed, hit a lamp post on the centre divider, shattering it. The car was completely mangled in the mishap, with wreckage sprawled across the road. The deceased was identified as Nihar Agarwal (19), a student of St. Xaviers Col- lege and resident of Tollygaunge Circular Road, who was said to be driving the car at the time of the mishap. Police have collected CCTV footage for further investigation.According to police, the ill-fated car was carrying a total of five passengers, including four men and one woman. The driver of the car, Nihar, died at the scene of the accident. The remaining four occupants were taken to the SSKM Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment for their injuries. All the victims involved in the accident are aged between 19 and 27 years old and all are students. Police believe that the excessive speed of the vehicle led to the driver losing control, resulting in the fatal mishap. Authorities are also investigating whether the passengers were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. Advertisement Police have cordoned off the area, and an investigation is currently underway to determine the exact cause of the accident. Kolkata Polices disaster response team and local authorities worked together to extract the drivers body from the wreckage. The impact of the crash was so intense that it ruptured a nearby gas line, adding further complexity to the rescue operation. As a result of the accident, traffic on the Maa Flyover route was temporarily suspended, causing disruptions in the areas normal flow for three hours. The National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) has displayed an innovative technology for making vegan leather from agricultural residues, providing an industry-ready alternative to animal and synthetic leather in an eco-friendly and cost-effective manner. The Thiruvananthapuram-based NIIST, which developed this technology as part of the year-long One Week, One Lab (OWOL) programme, demonstrated it during the two-day CSIR Foundation Day celebrations at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. The two-day CSIR Foundation Day celebrations were held from September 26-27. NIIST, which is the only interdisciplinary lab of CSIR, has made the vegan leather alternative with a huge industrial application from various agricultural residues such as mango peel, banana stem, pineapple waste, cactus, water hyacinth, corn husk, and rice-related waste. It has the potential to replace around 3050 per cent of synthetic chemicals from the existing leather available in the market. Also, the developed leather sheet costs 50 per cent less than synthetic and animal leather and has a smaller carbon footprint. Advertisement NIIST Director Dr C Anandharamakrishnan said this developed process will find a good place in the market owing to the urge from the people to find alternatives to animal and synthetic leather. Vegan leather has a shelf life of more than three years. It has also shown strong tensile strength, sleek finish, good water retention properties, temperature resistance, and stability compared to other existing synthetic and animal leather, he noted. Though synthetic leather had a booming market valued at over USD 30 billion in 2020 and is likely to hit $40 billion in the next six years, there is also a huge environmental hazard associated with leather products and synthetic leather. Also, the production of leather involves toxic chemicals while the processing of leather is highly energy- and water-consuming. The yearlong OWOL initiative, the first of its kind in the country, was launched in September 2022. It was aimed at showcasing the legacy, exclusive innovations and technological breakthrough achieved by each of 37 laboratories of CSIR that would support entrepreneurial development in a wide range of areas and give an impetus to the national mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Taking a stroll down the memory lane, veteran actress Saira Banu on Sunday reminisced about the 1976 masala movie Hera Pheri, which has recently marked 47 years of its release, and shared her favourite scene from the flick. Directed by Prakash Mehra, the movie stars Saira as Kiran, Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay, and Vinod Khanna as Ajay. It also features Asrani, P Jayaraj, Mac Mohan, Urmila Bhatt in pivotal roles. Saira, who is an avid social media user, took to Instagram and shared a black and white still from the movie. She also attached two video clips from the movie. Advertisement Recalling about the joyful Hera Pheri days with Big B and Vinod Khanna, Saira wrote: It was a very happy and enjoyable time to have done HERA PHERI. Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna played crafty tricksters in the movie and I played a cunning female swindler. Director Prakash Mehra let the three of us have a free hand at all the outrageously funny scenes. I had already done a lot of work with Vinod in films such as PURAB AUR PASCHIM, AAROP, and NEHLE PE DEHLA and with Amitabh in ZAMEER, she said. She further said: We had a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere and the Three of us would work at suggestions and improvisations to make the scenes riotously funny especially in the scenes where Vinod is constantly trying to tone down Amitabh from being overly romantic to the heroine. My own favourite scene is where I am rattling off in Marathi and Vinod is trying to curb Amitabhs zealous attempts to sit next to me. Please see and enjoy these scenes, added Saira. Fans wrote in the comment section: How beautiful you were and are, Your acting in funny scenes is wonderful, how effortlessly you do scenes from Hera Pheri and Padosan, memorable. This is one of six films that Vinod and Amitabh Bachchan starred together in. The plot revolves around Vijay and Ajay, two small-time crooks, who loot other rich respected but criminal-minded people for a living. The movie was also an inspiration for the 1978 Telugu movie Rama Krishnulu. The films music is by Kalyanji Anandji and the lyrics were by Anjaan, Indeevar. A joint team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Manipur Police have arrested four persons and detained two minors in connection with the killing of two Meitei students which triggered fresh violence in the northeastern state. The two students, reportedly lovers, went missing in early July this year and killed by Kuki tribe people. However, the pictures of their bodies went viral recently triggering massive outrage and protests by students and people from Meitei tribe. Terming the killings heinous crime, Chief Minister N Biren Singh took to social media to announce the development and assured that his government is committed to ensuring capital punishment for the culprits. Advertisement Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today, CM Biren Singh posted on X. As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law. We are committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, for the heinous crime they have committed, the CM announced. Disturbing images of the Manipur students had gone viral on social media last week when internet services were resumed. One image depicted the missing students seated in a grassy area with two armed individuals standing behind them, while another image showed their lifeless bodies. In response to the incident, mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended in Manipur to curb the spread of misinformation and fake news. Students clashed with police as they protested the killings. Hundreds of protesters last week targeted CM Biren Singhs ancestral home but they were stopped a few meters away by security personnel. Singh and his family members were not there as they lived in a high security residence in the middle of Imphal city. A day ahead of mega rally, hundreds of Trinamool Congress leaders and supporters arrived in national capital Delhi on Sunday to protest against the Centre and demand release of funds for MGNREGA and other government schemes. The two day protest will see a sit-in by TMC MPs at Rajghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti which will be followed by a peaceful rally by TMC supporters and job card holders on October 3. Speaking about the rally, TMC MP Khalilur Rahaman said that the TMC leaders and supporters will participate in the protest against the central government under the leadership of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. We have come here to protest against the central government; they are stopping the development of West Bengal. Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, we will participate in this protest, Rahaman was quoted by news agency ANI as saying. Advertisement According to reports, around four thousand TMC supporters and Mahatma Gandhi NREGA job card holders along with partys pachayat pramukhs were hoping to board a special train from Kolkata to reach the national capital. However, the train was cancelled and now the TMC has arranged for private buses to ferry its supporters to Delhi. TMC Cries foul over train cancellation, ED summons Interestingly, the Enforcement Directorate has also summoned TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee for questioning on October 3. Banerjee has cried foul over the ED summon that clashes with his partys rally in Delhi. Earlier this month, the ED summoned me on a day coinciding with an important coordinating meeting of #INDIA in Delhi. I dutifully appeared and complied with the served summons, Abhishek said in a post on X. Now, today yet again they have served me another summons to appear before them on a day when the protest agitation for West Bengals rightful dues is scheduled in Delhi on 3rd Oct. This stark revelation unequivocally exposes those who are truly perturbED, rattlED and scarED! the TMC leader added. The Diamond Harbour MP accused the Centre for trying to crush the movement of West Bengals poor people by cancelling trains and deploying ED and CBI. But it (the measures) will backfire, he reportedly told party workers. It is clear that they (BJP) want to teach people of Bengal a lesson as they voted overwhelmingly in favour of TMC in the 2021 assembly polls and in subsequent by-polls. If this is BJPs way of revenge, a bigger and nastier blow awaits it in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC national general secretary asserted. In a significant development, the governments of Assam and Meghalaya have jointly decided to transfer the investigation of the Mukroh incident to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The incident, which occurred on 22 November last year, involved a fatal shooting by the Assam Forest Protection Force in Mukroh village, a disputed territory claimed by both Assam and Meghalaya. Six individuals lost their lives, including a forest guard, and two others were injured, intensifying tensions in the region. Assams Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced this decision during a joint Press conference on Saturday, stating: In an effort to foster trust and alleviate the burden on officers from both states, we have opted to discontinue the judicial commission established by both states for the Mukroh incident. Advertisement Instead, we will collectively request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter. We propose that the CBI conduct its investigation in a neutral location, avoiding registration in either Shillong or Guwahati. Mr Sarma highlighted the challenges faced by the judicial commissions, primarily stemming from uncooperative witnesses on both sides. He said:To ensure a fair and unbiased inquiry, we believe that involving an independent agency is the most appropriate course of action. This move aims to prevent any regional bias in the investigation. Mr Sarma also addressed the ongoing standoff at the Khanduli Police Control Room (PCR) between Assam and Meghalaya. He said: In response to the standoff, Assam police have estab- lished an outpost, and Meghalaya has done the same in close proximity, creating a confrontational situation. To deescalate tensions, Assam police will deploy the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at the outpost, and Meghalaya will relocate its outpost, ensuring the presence of a neutral police force in the area. Additionally, the two state governments have reached an agreement to resolve disputes in three specific areas. The final details will be determined by regional committees, with a shared commitment to expedite the resolution process. Regarding the six areas where disputes have already been resolved, the Survey of India has completed surveys in the Hahim sector. Soon, border pillars will be erected in these areas, with both state gov- ernments accepting the demarcation. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma held a Chief Ministers Level Meeting on Saturday to fast-track the border demarcation process and resolve the boundary disputes between the two northeastern states. After the meeting, Meghalaya CM Sangma said that both the state governments are committed to resolving the boundary issues with one accord and that demarcation of the first six areas will be completed by December 31. During the meeting, the two CMs approved the boundary line for the Hahim Sector one of the key areas where both states had differences over the boundary line. The demarcation and redrawing of the boundary lines will take place in a phased manner. Both states have decided to soon finalize the boundary lines of the differences in six areas in Phase 1 after a long drawn exercise. Both the Governments of Meghalaya and Assam continue with one accord to resolve our boundary issues. After a long drawn exercise, Meghalaya & Assam will soon finalize the boundary lines in the first six areas of the differences in Phase I. In the meeting today we have approved the boundary line for the Hahim sector. By 31st of December, finalization of the demarcation and boundary lines of the first six areas of the differences will be completed, CM Sangma said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Advertisement The interstate border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya dates back to 50 years. Last year, the chief ministers of respective states had signed an agreement in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a bid to resolve their boundary disputes. The home minister had said that the signing of the interstate boundary settlement between the states of Assam and Meghalaya will resolve the dispute in nearly 70 per cent of areas. There is a total of 36 sq km area where both states have their differences. The area has been divided into 12 areas. The demarcation will take place in six of these 12 areas as per the 2022 interstate boundary settlement agreement. A Chinese expedition team comprising 18 members reached the summit of Mount Cho Oyu, also known as Mt. Qowowuyag, on Sunday morning to carry out scientific research on the world's sixth-highest peak. This is the first time Chinese scientists have scaled a peak exceeding 8,000 meters in altitude apart from Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest summit. Located on the China-Nepal border, Mount Cho Oyu is the sixth-highest mountain in the world with an altitude of 8,201 meters. The expedition underscores China's capability to effectively organize and execute comprehensive scientific research in extremely high-altitude areas, said Yao Tandong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The expedition team departed from the assault camp at 5,700 meters in altitude on Friday. The 2023 Mount Cho Oyu expedition is part of the second comprehensive scientific expedition on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau initiated in 2017. Since the end of September, a total of 120 scientists have been conducting research on water, ecology and human activities around the mountain. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, currently incarcerated in Rajahmundry central prison, will observe a hunger strike on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti to protest against the policies of YS Jagan Mohan-led state government, on Monday. According to a statement issued by TDP state president Atchen Naidu, the former CM will go on a daylong hunger strike between 10am and 5pm against the autocratic and unconstitutional policies of the chief minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. His wife, Nara Bhuvaneshwari, will also observe a hunger strike on Monday in protest against the illegal arrest of Naidu at Rajahmundry. Senior TDP members and cadres of the 175 assembly constituencies have been asked to observe a hunger strike in solidarity. Naidu is in prison for more than three weeks in connection with the multi-crore Skill Development scam as his petition to quash the FIR is currently pending before the Supreme Court after being dismissed in the high court. The case will come up for hearing on 3 October. Naidu is currently on judicial remand as the state CID has named him as accused in a number of cases. Advertisement The TDP leadership is trying to energize the party cadres, who are demoralized by the turn of events. Naidus son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh too was served with notices to appear before the CID for interrogation, although the high court has directed the investigating agency to not arrest him until October 4. Lokesh is currently in Delhi. YSRCP leaders took potshots at Lokesh for staying back in Delhi even when his father was languishing in jail. The TDP has termed Naidus arrest as an illegal one. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy in India closed its operations from October 1 citing absence of a legitimate government in Kabul and lack of support from host country. In a statement released on Sunday, the Afghan Embassy said that it was sad and disappointed to announce the closure of its operations and listed several factors that affected its functionality in India. It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations. This decision, while deeply regrettable, is made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and longstanding partnership between Afghanistan and India, the Afghan Embassy said in statement. The embassy cited lack of support from the host government and absence of a legitimate government in Kabul as factors that affected its functionality. The embassy also said that significant reduction in its personnel and resources was another factor that influenced its decision to cease India operations. Advertisement We acknowledge out shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul, the statement read. The Embassy further stated that in accordance with Article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), all property and facilities of the Embassy will be transferred to the custodial authority of the host country. The Afghan Embassy reasserted its commitment to uphold the ideals of democracy, legitimacy, and the well-being of the Afghan people. We will continue to fulfil our commitment to represent Afghanistan diligently fulfilling the obligations entrusted to us by the esteemed people of Afghanistan while adhering to the principles of international diplomacy and in compliance with the established laws and regulations, the statement added. Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Sunday came out against the proposed Karuvannur package, saying that the move is nothing but an attempt to rescue top CPI-M leaders, who allegedly looted investors money in the Karuvannur cooperative bank scam. Satheesan alleged that through the Karuvannur package, the CPI-M and the LDF government are only aiming to rescue the top leaders of the Left party, who looted the Karuvannur bank. If the package is in the interest of the investors, it will be welcomed by the UDF. But through the Karuvannur package, the CPI-M and the LDF government are only aiming to rescue the top leaders of the CPI-M who looted the Karuvannur bank, Satheesan said. Advertisement He said that it is not only the Karuvannur bank where the investors have lost their money. Investors in other banks including Kandala cooperative bank and Mutthara cooperative bank in Thiruvananthapuram and Ayanthol cooperative bank in Thrissur have also lost their deposits, added he. Satheesan said the LDF leaders may now understand why the UDF opposed Kerala Bank. The Left government has put the cooperative sector in Kerala under the arms of the RBI. He pointed out that if the Kerala bank was not formed, district cooperative banks could have helped the primary cooperative banks financially. Meanwhile, the top CPI-M leadership on Saturday stepped up its troubleshooting efforts to contain the fallout of the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank scam. It has been reported that the government was considering a bail-out package for the Karuvannur bank with support from Kerala Bank. According to plan, the Co-operative Department will be directing primary co-operative societies in the state to invest in the crisis-hit Karuvannur bank. Subsequently, these funds would be utilized to return the money to the depositors of the Karuvannur bank who have lost their hard earned money. Several depositors in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday marched to Congress leader and former minister VS Sivakumars house at Sasthamangalam here in protest against non-payment of their deposits worth Rs 13 crore. The protesters claimed that it was Sivakumar who convinced them to deposit their earnings in the cooperative society. Having earned appreciation across the country for organising Krishi Kumbh in 2018, the Uttar Pradesh Government headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is gearing up to make Krishi Kumbh 2.0, which is likely to be held in the second week of December this year, a global event. Reviewing preparations for Krishi Kumbh 2.0 at a high-level meeting here on Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi said that every district of the state as well as every state of the country should participate in Uttar Pradesh Krishi Kumbh 2.0, displaying the best practices taking place in the agriculture sector. He added: This will enable our farmers to become more prosperous from the technical point of view. This event will provide information on technology and innovation being adopted in the agriculture sector across the world from seed to market. Advertisement The Chief Minister said that more than two lakh farmers, 10 partner countries and more than 500 national/international companies and institutions are likely to participate in the second edition of Krishi Kumbh. Union Ministers, reputed national and international companies/institutions of agriculture and related sectors, all agricultural universities, agricultural science centres, progressive farmers should be invited to participate in the event, he said. Discussing the global nature of the conference, the Chief Minister said that many innovative works related to farming are being done in countries like Japan, Israel, Croatia, Poland, Peru, Germany, USA, Philippines, South Korea and Indonesia. On the lines of Global Investors Summit, efforts should be made to contact the Indian embassies/high commissions in the respective countries and make these countries participants in Krishi Kumbh as partner countries, he pointed out. It is worth mentioning here that the main event of the conference will be held at the Indian Sugarcane Research Institute in Lucknow, while before this a curtain raiser event will also be organized in New Delhi. Elaborating on the various aspects of Krishi Kumbh, the Chief Minister said that discussions should be organised on cow-based natural farming, preparedness to face the challenges of climate change, promotion of food grain, FPO based business, reducing the cost of farming, along with stubble management, efforts to increase the contribution of the agriculture sector to make the state a $1 trillion economy. As per the instructions of the Chief Minister, various departments/ organizations will organise seminars with participation of experts and exhibitions on a wide range of subjects, including integrated farming, use of drones, achievements of horticulture sector, cattle protection, progress of silk industry, agroforestry, floriculture, agricultural entrepreneurship, agricultural diversification, agri startup, digital agriculture, etc. A state level workshop will be organized in October to introduce the specialties of tasty and nutritious millets like Jowar, Bajra, Madua, Sawa, Kodo, Kakun, Kutki, Chena, Kuttu and Ramdana. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, various products/dishes of millets will be demonstrated in this workshop organized under the Uttar Pradesh Shri Anna (Millets) Revitalization Programme. FPOs, entrepreneurs and farmers working on millets will be honoured. Along with public representatives, hotel associations/chefs, school children, FPOs etc. will also be invited to this special workshop on Millets proposed at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday participated in Swachhata campaign by leading the cleanliness and de-weeding drive at Srinagars iconic Dal Lake. He joined the citizens from all walks of life who gathered in large numbers to pay swachhanjali to Mahatma Gandhi. The way we see the surroundings become the experience of our life. Cleanliness brings happiness, joy and prosperity. It is the door to reach closest to the God. I am happy to witness cleanliness turning into the ambition of society and garbage-free cities and villages are no longer imagination but a reality, the Lt Governor said. Advertisement The Lt Governor called upon the people to make united efforts and contribute to realize the vision of Garbage-Free India. Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a Jan-Andolan in the UT of J&K. It is our collective responsibility to protect our surroundings, our lakes and rivers and spread awareness on cleanliness, the Lt Governor said. He said the Swachh revolution across J&K is also creating new livelihood opportunities, generates more revenue and improves the quality of life, and reiterated the commitment of the UT Administration to strengthen the Swachhata movement in the UT. At the UT-level event, the Lt Governor congratulated the citizens and the administration on achieving ODF PLUS status for 100 per cent villages of J&K under the Model category. He said this historic milestone underlines our united resolve of building dream villages with new potential, possibilities and full of self-confidence, he added. The Lt Governor administered the Swachhata Pledge to the officials and the citizens. He also flagged off the fleet of Shikaras and participated in the cleanliness drive at Char Chinar. At Golden Island in Dal Lake, the Lt Governor interacted with school students and encouraged them to become Swachhagrahi. Cleanliness drive was also held in the High Court and various other offices. Security forces also performed cleanliness. Mayors of Jammu and Srinagar, Rajinder Sharma and Junaid Azim Mattu also led the cleanliness drive in their respective municipal corporation areas. The open statement of LDF convenor and senior party leader EP Jayarajan over the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank fraud has sent shock waves to the CPM leadership in Kerala. The CPM in Kerala is fuming over the statement, in which he said he did not have facts with him to say that the ongoing probe by the Enforcement Directorate in the bank scam is politically motivated. The senior CPM leader also publicly stated there was lapse on the part of the party in identifying the wrongdoings in the bank and setting it right. In an interview given to a Malayalam TV channel, EP Jayarajan said he did not have facts with him to say that the ongoing probe by the ED in the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam is politically motivated. Advertisement It is common knowledge that the ED plays political games, but I do not have facts with me to say that regarding the ongoing ED probe in the Cooperative bank scam, Jayarajan said in the interview. When pointed out that the CPM state secretary, MV Govindan, and the Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, have come out against the ED probe in the bank scam, Jayrajan said, If so, you have to ask such people. He also said the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank issue should have been resolved earlier itself and that the issue was not handled in a right way, which has put the cooperative sector in a tight spot. It may be noted that at a time when the CPM leadership is repeatedly saying that the ED probe in the bank scam is a politically motivated intervention on the part of the Centre, that the ruling front convenor is saying that he didnt have materials with him to prove it. It was with the intention to save its face that the CPM is repeatedly raising the allegation that the ED probe in the bank scam is a politically motivated intervention. Jayarajans open statement that the party went wrong in Karuvannur was a big blow to the CPM state leadership. It went a step further and came up with an indictment targeting senior leaders when it was also said that those who needed to be corrected had not been corrected. By saying he did not have facts to say that the ongoing ED probe in the cooperative bank scam is politically motivated, he is giving a message that he is not endorsing the views of the top party leadership on the ED probe in the scam. Although the CPM leadership is not ready to accept Jayarajans open statement or didnt respond to it publicly, it is learned the party is taking further steps to find if it is not an isolated voice. The ED, probing the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam case, has by now arrested three people, including PR Aravindakshan, a top CPM local leader in Thrissur. Senior CPM leader and MLA AC Moideen was questioned by the ED once and despite being served two notices to re-appear, he has ducked it. Senior CPM leader and Kerala Bank vice-chairman MK Kannan has already appeared twice before the ED. On Friday, though Kannan appeared before the ED, the agency said his interrogation stopped as he showed signs of dizziness. However, Kannan said he had no such issues and was asked to go after the questioning got over. Meanwhile, the top CPM leadership on Saturday stepped up its troubleshooting efforts to contain the fallout of the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam It was earlier reported that the government was considering a bailout package for the Karuvannur bank with support from Kerala Bank. However, it soon realized that this was not possible due to the restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India. Now, the government is toying with a new plan. According to the plan, the cooperative department will be directing primary cooperative societies in the state to invest in the crisis-hit Karuvannur bank. Subsequently, these funds would be utilized to give to the depositors in the bank who lost their hard-earned money The realization that the ground would be swept away if it failed to reach out to the depositors who lost their money in Karuvannur Cooperative Bank, which is controlled by the CPM, made the party leadership to step up its efforts to announce some bailout packages immediately. Kickstarting the BJPs campaign ahead of assembly election in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, announced the setting up of a national turmeric board and a central tribal university, fulfilling the longstanding demands of the state as he slammed both the BRS and the Congress for running family-oriented parties and thereby stalling the development of the youngest state. Addressing a massive public rally at Palamuru in Mahabubnagar, the PM said, The people of Telangana have firmly decided to go for change. Telangana wants change because it wants a visionary and an honest government in the state. Telangana wants change because instead of false promises it wants work on the ground. Telangana wants change because it wants a BJP government. Though he delivered his speech in Hindi it was peppered with the Telugu phrase na kutumba sabhayalu, meaning the members of my family, not only to address the audience but also as a dig at the Telangana chief minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, and his family. The PM slammed him saying that the steering of the car (poll symbol of BRS) was in the hands of somebody else. He also blamed the BRS and Congress saying that the two family-run parties have stalled the development of Telangana. Advertisement Both of these family run parties are identified with corruption and commission. Both these parties are run by the same formula party of the family, by the family and for the family, he said. In every big post they either install their own family members or their own people. But BJP is only concerned with the families of common man, Modi added. He compared the development work done by the previous Congress government at the Centre and the nine years of his own government. He blamed the BRS government for failing to stop farmers suicides and converting the farmers welfare schemes into a means of routing their own black money. In the name of setting up irrigation projects there has only been corruption, said Modi. Announcing that the Centre will set up a central tribal university at Mulugu district at the cost of Rs 900 crore, which will be named after tribal goddesses Samakka and Sarakka, he blamed the state government for delaying in providing land for five years. While the central university was part of the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act of 2014, the national turmeric board was a poll promise made by the BJP in Nizamabad, in 2019. Modi said, The Centre has decided to set up a national turmeric board to meet for the benefit of turmeric farmers. It will help farmers to bring in value addition to the supply chain and in setting up the required infrastructure. Earlier in the day, he unveiled and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 13,500 crore, including new railway tracks, road projects, LPG pipelines as well as introducing a new train. The West Bengal forest department has spotted the highly endangered Indian Grey Wolves in the forests of Burdwan West district, said IFS officer Kalyan Das. This is the first time Indian Grey Wolves have been sighted in the forest cover of Tilabeni and Kantaberia forests, about 25 kilometers away from Durgapur. This is the first time we have traced the presence of Indian Grey Wolves in the forest cover of Burdwan West District, said IFS officer Kalyan Das. The Indian Grey Wolves were sighted by a divisional engineer of WBSETCL, who is also a wildlife enthusiast. During one of his recent forest visit, he heard from locals about the disappearances of poultry and cattle. Advertisement Das said that the engineer became suspicious and went to the forest to find out about it. As he went deeper inside the jungle, he spotted a pack of wolves with their offspring. He followed them from a distance and informed us and shared some photographs. It has been confirmed that a pack of Indian Grey Wolves are residing in the forests, Das added. A journal of the West Bengal Forest Department has also published the pictures of the Indian Grey Wolves. The forests of Burdwan West district houses several other wild animals including Indian hyenas, and golden jackals. West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick has termed the sighting of Indian Grey Wolves encouraging news and said that it is a positive sign that new animals are being sighted in the different forest areas of the South Bengal district. The Indian Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus Pallipes) is a highly endangered species with a population of around 2000 to 3000 in India and is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Also called Herol by locals, the Indian Grey Wolves are nocturnal and hunt from dusk to dawn. Adults, sub-adults and aged wolves have been photographed in the forests of Ukhra. State forest department has also surveyed the presence of small wildlife in the South Bengal forests through the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple developmental projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore in important sectors like road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education in Mahbubnagar, Telangana. During the programme, Prime Minister Modi also flagged off a train service through video conferencing and announced the formation of the National Turmeric Board for the benefit of turmeric farmers of Telangana. He underlined that the National Turmeric Board will focus on value addition to the supply chain and help in infrastructure improvement for the farmers. Modi congratulated all the turmeric-growing farmers from Telangana and the entire nation on the formation of the National Turmeric Board. Advertisement In line with Prime Minister Modis vision of improving logistics efficiency in the country, the foundation stone and dedication to the nation of important oil and gas pipeline projects were done during the programme. He dedicated to the nation Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG Pipeline Project. Built at a cost of about Rs 2170 crore, the LPG pipeline, from Hassan in Karnataka to Cherlapalli (suburb of Hyderabad), provides a safe, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly mode of LPG transportation and distribution in the region. He also laid the foundation stone of the Multiproduct Petroleum Pipeline of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) from Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad (Malkapur). The 425-kilometer pipeline will be built at a cost of Rs 1940 crore. The pipeline will provide a safe, faster, efficient and environmentally friendly mode of petroleum products in the region. He expressed happiness in laying the foundation stone of many road connectivity projects today which will transform life in the region. NagpurVijayawada Economic Corridor will ease transportation and business in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Giving a push to trade, tourism and industry in these states. Modi said that key economic hubs have been identified in the corridor, including 8 Special Economic Zone, 5 Mega food parks, 4 fishing seafood clusters, 3 pharma and medical clusters and 1 textiles cluster. This will open many avenues for the youth of Hanamkonda, Mahabubabad, Warangal and Khammam districts. The Prime Minister highlighted the need for rail and road connectivity for a land-locked state like Telangana for taking the goods manufactured here to the ports. He said many key economic corridors of the country are passing through Telangana. Speaking about the recent developments around the world in the energy and energy security sector, the prime minister highlighted that the Government has secured energy not only for the industries but also for the household. Modi gave the example of an increase in the number of LPG cylinders from 14 crore in 2014 to 32 crore in 2023 and also mentioned the recent reduction in gas prices. Government is giving impetus to the expansion of the LPG distribution network in the country, the prime minister said as he noted that the Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG Pipeline Project will play a crucial role in providing energy security to people in the region. He also touched upon laying the foundation stone for the Multiproduct Petroleum Pipeline between Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad which will help in the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Telangana. Earlier, Modi inaugurated many buildings at the Hyderabad Central University. The Central Government has given Hyderabad University the status of Institution of Eminence and provided special funding. He said that the Government of India is going to establish a Central Tribal University in Mulugu district. This university will be named after the revered tribal goddesses Sammakka-Sarakka. About Rs 900 crore will be spent on Sammakka-Sarakka Central Tribal University. Modi congratulated the people of Telangana for this Central Tribal University. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of key road projects that are part of Nagpur Vijayawada Economic Corridor. The projects include 108 km long four-lane access controlled Greenfield highway from Warangal to Khammam section of NH-163G and 90 km long four-lane access controlled greenfield highway from Khammam to Vijayawada section of NH-163G. These road projects will be developed at a total cost of about Rs 6400 crore. The projects will reduce travel distance between Warangal and Khammam by about 14 km; and between Khammam and Vijayawada by about 27 km. He dedicated to the nation a road project four laning of 59 km long Suryapet to Khammam section of NH-365BB. Built at a cost of about Rs 2,460 crore, the project is a part of Hyderabad Visakhapatnam Corridor and is developed under Bharatmala Pariyojana. It will also provide better connectivity to Khammam district and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. During the project, Prime Minister Modi dedicated 37 Kms of Jaklair Krishna New Railway Line. Built at a cost of more than Rs 500 crore, the new rail line section brings areas of the backward district of Narayanpet for the first time onto the Railway Map. He also flagged off the inaugural Hyderabad (Kacheguda) Raichur Hyderabad (Kacheguda) train service from Krishna station via video conferencing. The train service will connect Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Mahabubnagar, and Narayanpet districts in Telangana with Raichur district in Karnataka. The service will provide first-time rail connectivity to several new areas in the backward districts of Mahabubnagar and Narayanpet, benefiting students, daily commuters, labourers, and the local handloom industry in the region. The prime minister also inaugurated five new buildings of University of Hyderabad i.e. School of Economics; School of Mathematics & Statistics; School of Management Studies; Lecture Hall Complex III; and Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication (Annexe). The upgradation of infrastructure at the University of Hyderabad is a step towards providing improved facilities and amenities to the students and faculty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in a nationwide cleanliness drive along with fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria, on Sunday, and stressed on blending fitness and well-being with cleanliness. Modi shared a video on X, in which he can be seen talking about the importance of cleanliness and fitness in our daily life. The PM also talked about his daily life routine and asked about Ankits fitness secret. In the video, Modi was seen wielding a broom and taking part in the shramdaan. Advertisement In a post on X, the prime minister said, Today, as the nation focuses on swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! Today, as the nation focuses on Swachhata, Ankit Baiyanpuriya and I did the same! Beyond just cleanliness, we blended fitness and well-being also into the mix. It is all about that Swachh and Swasth Bharat vibe! @baiyanpuria pic.twitter.com/gwn1SgdR2C Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2023 Earlier, during the 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, Modi had requested that all citizens participate in one hour of shramdaan for swachhata on October 1, referring to it as a tribute (swachhanjali) to Mahatma Gandhi on the eve of his birth anniversary. Following the prime ministers appeal for a nationwide cleanliness drive on October 1, Hardeep Singh Puri, Union housing and oil minister, participated in the Shramdaan for Cleanliness programme as part of the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign here on Sunday. The minister led the cleanliness drive at Princess Park on Copernicus Marg, New Delhi. Sanitation workers, students, residents of the area along with senior officials from the Union housing ministry joined the drive. In a post on X, Puri said, Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Jis call for Swachhata Hi Seva, joined residents of the temporary settlement at Princess Park on Copernicus Marg for one hour of Shramdaan for a Garbage Free India. RAMALLAH, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Sunday condemned the bombing attack in front of the building of Turkiye's interior ministry in the capital Ankara. In a press statement sent to Xinhua, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that Palestine stands with Turkiye and its people in confronting terrorism, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. The ministry also affirmed its confidence in the ability of Turkiye to combat terrorism. Two attackers carried out a bombing attack in front of the interior ministry's building in the Turkish capital Ankara on Sunday, slightly injuring two police officers. One attacker died after he set off the suicide bomb, while the other bomber was shot dead by the police. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the explosion was the work of "terrorists." As part of Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign, the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, presided over a special cleanliness programme Ek Taarikh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath organized by controller general of defence accounts (CGDA) at its premises in Delhi Cantonment, on Sunday. Singh led the shramdaan activities, which included a cleanliness drive, beautification of the common area and a plantation drive. He also interacted with the safai karmacharis (cleaning workers) and lauded their efforts in ensuring cleanliness in the premises. Singh motivated them to continue working with zeal and dedication and carry forward the mass social movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to realize Mahatma Gandhis dream of a Clean India. Advertisement The chief of defence staff, General Anil Chauhan, financial adviser (defence service), Rasika Chaube, and the CGDA, SG Dastidar, also participated in various cleanliness activities on the occasion. Singh also interacted with the principal controllers and controllers of defence accounts heading the offices of PCDA (Army) Jammu, PCDA (Air Force) Dehradun, PCDA (Army) Jaipur, PCDA (Pensions) Prayagraj, CDA (Army) Meerut, CDA Guwahati, CDA Jabalpur, CDA (Regional Training Centre) Bengaluru and CDA Chennai, and reviewed the implementation of the Swachhta Hi Sewa campaign in their respective jurisdictions. The Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which began on September 15, will culminate on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2. As part of the campaign, shramdaan activities are being undertaken through community participation as a prelude to the Swachh Bharat Diwas on Gandhi Jayanti. Over 20,000 officers and staff of the defence accounts department across more than 1,100 offices and residential colonies across the country have been undertaking cleanliness activities including removal of garbage, weeding out of files and awareness campaigns on the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene. Similar cleanliness drives have been launched at various other establishments of the defence ministry, the three services and related organizations all over the country as part of the campaign. Announcing that the SP was in talk with the Congress for alliance in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday disclosed that in the coming Navratri his party will announce candidates for VIP seats in Uttar Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Talking to the media after a book release programme here, Yadav said that we want Congress and Samajwadi Party to contest elections together in Madhya Pradesh and defeat the BJP. The SP unit of Madhya Pradesh has suggested us names and candidates for some seats but the announcement would be made after talks with the Congress, he said. In response to a question, the SP president said that during Navratri, the party will announce candidates on VIP seats. Advertisement The Samajwadi Party has already made a strategy to defeat BJP with the support of the masses, who are now ready to remove BJP from the Centre, he said. Yadav said that today people of every society and party are demanding caste census. Everyone wants that caste census should be conducted and the rights should be given according to the population of each caste. Today backward classes, Dalits and minorities, especially Muslim, are lagging behind everywhere in jobs, employment or in educational institutions, he added. The SP President said that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be a big change for the country. He said if the INDIA coalition government is formed at the Centre, then the country will follow the principles and path shown by Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, but if they are left behind, then who knows which path the BJP will take by changing the Constitution. Yadav said that the backward classes and Dalits had formed the NDA government at the Center by giving strength. But now the BJP governments had exploited these classes. If backward people and Dalits leave NDA, then they will be left nowhere. Talking about Women Reservation Act, Yadav said that the BJP is deceiving the public in the name of Nari Shakti Vandan Law. If womens reservation has become a law, then why did the BJP not give 33 per cent tickets to women in the assemblies elections of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other states? BJP should tell how many tickets it has given to women in this election and how many women from backward and Dalit class were given tickets, he said. He said that the Womens Reservation Act is incomplete without quota for women belonging to backward, Dalit and minority classes. The ordeal and trauma of the 12-year-old victim of an alleged rape in Ujjain are both horrifying and deeply unsettling. The girl, who had wandered the streets for more than two hours, eventually found herself in a dire situation that is nothing short of a nightmare. The incident, which involved a victim barely able to articulate her ordeal, was captured by a security camera and has since sparked outrage on social media and among political leaders. And rightfully so. This incident, unfortunately not unique, serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need to address issues of womens safety and child protection in our society. One of the most distressing aspects of this incident is the apparent indifference displayed by some individuals who encountered the victim after her harrowing ordeal. A brief video clip surfaced, showing the girl who was visibly distressed and bleeding, approaching a passer-by who seemed to wave her away. This chilling moment symbolises a broader problem ~ a failure of our collective duty to protect the vulnerable among us. It is important to recognise that amid this apathy, there were also those who did step in to help. A compassionate soul found the girl in her darkest hour, offered clothes and assistance, and ultimately called the police for help. This act of kindness serves as a beacon of hope amid the darkness, demonstrating that empathy and humanity still exist within our society. The incident highlights the complexities of addressing such cases. The victims inability to communicate effectively due to her trauma added another layer of challenge for those trying to assist her. This emphasises the need for better resources and training to handle such sensitive situations, especially when it involves minors who may not be able to express themselves adequately. While the immediate concern is the victims well-being and ensuring that the perpetrators face justice, its equally vital to use this incident as a catalyst for change. Advertisement The outrage expressed by the public and political leaders should not be a fleeting emotion but rather a catalyst for meaningful reforms. Womens safety and child protection should be at the forefront of our societys priorities. This incident should serve as a stark reminder that we cannot afford to be complacent. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our cities and communities are safe spaces for all, regardless of age or gender. Our justice system should not only be swift but also empathetic to the needs of survivors, providing them with the support they require to heal. This incident should prompt discussion about broader societal issues that enable such crimes to occur. It is a reminder that our fight against gender-based violence and child abuse is far from over. It calls for comprehensive education, awareness, and changes that address the root causes of such horrific acts. Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6) Today Partly cloudy skies. High around 45F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy in the evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers after midnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tourists visit a duty-free shopping mall in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) HAIKOU, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- When Randy Floyd came to south China's Hainan Province six years ago, it was just for work. But the local policies were "so advantageous" that he soon decided to open his own company here. "I had no idea how long I would stay in China or in Hainan. But now, seeing the rapid progress of the free trade port and all the policies, the free flow of people, information and money, I want to stay here for as long as possible," said Floyd, who is from the United States. Currently running an English foreign language consultation company in Haikou, the provincial capital, Floyd speaks highly of the various policies in Hainan. "The government is very supportive, and also the innovation parks here are very supportive to help companies with everything they might need to do," he said. "Even if you can't speak Chinese, they will help you do everything." Floyd is among the abundant talent coming to Hainan as the island province continues deepening its reform and opening-up. Hainan was once a backwater where residents were engaged in fishing or farming, but through the continuous construction of free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) over the past decade, it is now a vivid example of China's reform and high-level opening-up. Hainan has hosted a series of diplomatic, economic and cultural gatherings, which have greatly raised the island's profile and exposed the province to the latest business practices and pioneering services. Major reform and opening-up policies have been rolled out in a variety of sectors. The province's most notable progress is the construction of the Hainan FTP. On April 13, 2018, China announced it would support Hainan in developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone, and in gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of an FTP with Chinese characteristics. A master plan was rolled out in June 2020 to build the island into a globally influential and high-level FTP by the middle of the century. Many favorable policies have since been issued to support the development of the Hainan FTP, including the implementation of zero tariffs and the easing of market and foreign investment access. Zhang Youhui, deputy general manager of Hainan Jinhai Pulp and Paper, said the FTP's streamlining of import procedures meant that when his company recently imported 53,000 tonnes of coal, it was no longer required to apply for an automatic import license prior to customs declaration. "In the past, we needed to apply for a license for each batch of imported coal, which we did at least once a month," Zhang said. The company is located in the Yangpu Economic Development Zone, a pioneer and demonstration area for the Hainan FTP. "The new policies save time and make things much easier." Official data shows the rapid development of the import and export of goods at the Hainan FTP. After exceeding 100 billion yuan (about 13.9 billion U.S. dollars) in 2021, the total volume of trade in goods exceeded 200 billion yuan in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 36.8 percent. By the end of July this year, the total value of imported goods under the FTP's zero tariff policies had exceeded 18 billion yuan. As the construction of the FTP gains steam, Hainan's foreign investment has also grown. In the first half of this year, Hainan saw the establishment of 732 foreign-invested companies, up 3.5 percent year on year. The actual use of foreign capital totaled 13.37 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 23.3 percent. During the first six months, 63 countries and regions invested in Hainan. Reforms have also been carried out in the environment sector. As a national ecological civilization pilot zone, Hainan has launched six landmark projects, including the construction of the National Park of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest. So far, at least 28 new wild animal and plant species have been discovered in the park. Yu Tao, a Hainan FTP researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that Hainan has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development over the past 10 years. "For example, Hainan has opened up wider to the outside world through international forums such as the Boao Forum for Asia and the China International Consumer Products Expo," Yu said. "Hainan also made great efforts to advance the construction of the national ecological civilization pilot zone." These examples all show that over the past 10 years, Hainan has been "accurately and completely implementing the new development philosophy" under the central leadership to promote the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening-up, he said. These reform and opening-up policies have all allowed market players and the public to see a bright future, and they have boosted confidence, Yu noted. Under the guidance of the central policies and authorities, the Hainan FTP will secure greater achievements in the future, he said. More Information What agency investigates elder abuse? There are 52 Area Agency on Aging offices that cover 67 counties in Pa. The protective services units within each office investigate allegations of abuse for persons age 60 and over who lack the capacity to protect themselves and are at imminent risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment. How is elder abuse defined? Neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, financial exploitation and abandonment. How do I report abuse? Call the statewide hotline at 800-490-8505 or contact the local Area Agency on Aging office directly. Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging: 570-963-6707 Luzerne/Wyoming County Area Agency on Aging: 570-822-1158 Pike County Area Agency on Aging: 570-775-5550 Wayne County Area Agency on Aging: 570-253-4262 Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services: 570-622-3103 Who can report abuse? There are two types of reporters, voluntary and mandated. Voluntary reporters include any person who suspects abuse. Mandated reports include nursing homes, personal care homes, home health agencies and adult daily living centers. What happens after a report is made? An intake worker generates a report of need. Cases are classified as an emergency, priority, non priority or no need. How long does an AAA office have to respond? Investigations into emergency reports must be initiated immediately; priority within 24 hours, non priority within 72 hours. No investigation is required for a no need. AAA offices must complete the investigation and determine if the allegation was substantiated or not substantiated within 20 days. Who monitors AAA offices to ensure compliance? AAA offices come under the state Department of Aging, which is responsible for ensuring the agencies comply with the Older Adults Protective Services Act. Resources: For more information on how to spot and report elder abuse visit: The State Department of Aging webstite at https://www.aging.pa.gov/aging-services/Pages/Protective-Services.aspx The Department of Human Services website at https://www.dhs.pa.gov/about/Fraud-And-Abuse/Pages/Adult-Protective-Services.aspx PHNOM PENH, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian authorities had arrested 14,722 drug-related suspects, including 331 foreigners, during the first nine months of 2023, the country's Anti-Drug Department said in a report on Sunday. Some 51 percent of the suspects were drug traffickers, manufacturers and transporters, while the rest were drug users, the report said. "A total of 2.68 tonnes of illicit drugs and some 911 kilograms of ingredients were seized in the suspects' possession during the January-September period of 2023," the report said. Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, and cathinone. Compared to the same period last year, Cambodia saw a spike in drug arrests, but a decline in drug seizures, the report said, adding that the kingdom arrested 11,431 drug suspects, confiscating 6.25 tonnes of narcotics during the first nine months of 2022. The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be jailed for life. Job Title: Marketing and Sales Executive (Real Estate) Organisation: Rasilimali People Uganda Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: Rasilimali People Uganda is a leading HR consulting firm providing comprehensive human resources solutions to organizations of all sizes and industries. With nine years of experience in the industry, we have established ourselves as a trusted partner in meeting the diverse HR needs of our clients. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction has resulted in long-standing partnerships with numerous organizations across various sectors. They are recruiting for a valuable client. Job Summary: The Marketing and Sales Executive (Real Estate) will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the sale of real property. The candidate will also be tasked with developing new business opportunities, managing client relationships, and providing leadership and guidance to other members of the organization Key Duties and Responsibilities: Meeting regularly with clients to discuss their needs and concerns in order to identify new opportunities for sales growth Establishing and maintaining relationships with brokers and agents in order to develop new business opportunities Negotiating contracts with buyers to ensure that all parties are satisfied with the terms of the agreement Identifying opportunities in the market to increase sales volume or profit margins through new marketing strategies or product offerings Coordinating with other members of the team to prepare for events such as open houses or new home launches Presenting offers to buyers on behalf of the company in order to facilitate negotiation of price and terms of sale Reviewing market conditions and identifying trends that could impact prices or interest in a particular neighborhood or area Meeting regularly with clients to discuss their needs and concerns in order to identify new opportunities for sales growth Devising a highly efficient real estate marketing strategy Overseeing the progress of our advertisement campaign and sales activities Monitoring the housing and property markets to identify potential leads Maintaining contact with our clientele by sending them newsletters and updates Cooperating with current business partners on potential projects Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant must hold a Bachelors degree in Marketing, Communications, or Finance Portfolio of previous marketing projects 5+ years of experience in the real estate sector Thorough knowledge of the real estate market Expertise with project management software and CRM systems How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send their updated CVs to admin.uganda@cvpeopleglobal.com For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Pollsters see British governments come and gousually into oblivion. YouGovs chief polling researcher, Anthony Wells, has analysed several governments, prime ministers and opposition leadersalso known as restless prime ministers-in-waiting. He says Rishi Sunaks government is the most exhausted he has seen in 25 years. Asked for his views for a 4,000-word article on whether Sunak could win the next election, Wells replied: What are you going to say in the other 3,999? Sunaks main problem is his inheritancehis Tory partymen, policies and predecessors. The scandals, economic meltdowns, contradictory demands, infighting and relentless sniping have created a toxic gloom-and-doom atmosphere. People are frustrated. Crumbling concrete roofs falling on schoolchildrens heads, collapsing air traffic control system, never-ending strikes, lengthening queues for health care, understaffed jailsall symbolise a Tory administration in decay. Sunak is frustrated because no one gives him credit for negotiating international disputes, resetting ties with the EU and US, and curtailing government spending. He prides himself as a smart, tech-savvy, problem-solving pragmatist. He had no qualms about abandoning Britians moral high ground by backtracking on climate commitments: issuing new fossil drilling licenses and extending sales of diesel and petrol cars. His reason: to reduce costs for hard-pressed British families. Experts say households fare better with targeted assistance. Imaging: Bhaskaran Critics argue Sunaks climate U-turns are double-barrelled guns aiming to hijack opposition Labours poorer votebanks, while appeasing the hardline Brexiteer rump in his Conservative Partywhite, male climate-deniers, aged 65 and above. Tory strategist Andrew Cooper despairs that his Party is doubling down on a shrinking demographic thats diminishing one funeral at a time. But Sunaks climate reversals ignited a civil war between Tory young and old, provoked a backlash from businesses who said such flipflops harm British economy and galvanised the opposition. Sunaks political goal is to paint opposition Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as an eco-zealot insensitive to cash-strapped households. Starmer, who the public see as strong, likeable, decisive and competent, currently has a 20-point lead over Sunak. One-third of Britons say he looks like a PM-in-waiting. Starmer ridicules Sunaks dandyismcutting alcohol duty on champagne, flying around in helicopters and flaunting branded luxury accessories from 10,000 slippers to 20,000 travel coffee mugs. Sunak bristles at the insinuation he is out of touch with reality. But he opts to tackle his tasks with data and detailed discussions. If there is anything called Sunakism, it is his passion for using technology to boost economic growth and to create a world-class education system. He loftily promises to reimagine our approach to numeracy. Most Britons cant understand what he is talking about. Put simply, he wants to improve math teaching. Important, but unlikely to set voters imagination on fire. The million-pound question is: can Sunak swing the fifth consecutive Tory election victory, the last being a landslide delivered by Boris Johnson. Polls are a year away, but most Tories dread defeat because the public have tuned out. Partly due to incumbency, but also voters are exhausted by rising mortgages, falling living standards and deteriorating public services. Sunak is seen as a manager, not a leader; an investment banker, not a politician. Says Wells, Oppositions do not win elections, governments lose them. At the upcoming Tory conference in Manchester, the last before the general election, Sunak will pitch high. His foes will snitch low. Waiting in the wings is rival Johnson, who has a new column in the tabloid Daily Mail. He is armed, not with a sword, but with a mighty, mocking pen. I first wrote about Monica Shah and Karishma Swalinow known as the Chanakya girlsin 2019. I was completely fascinated by an embroidery school they had set up in Mumbais Byculla, formerly part of Girangaon or the textile mill hub that once built the city. The ladies together run The Chanakya School, which invites less privileged women from nearby areas to learn embroidery to upskill them and create employment opportunities. The schools building is an all-white modernist and air-conditioned space, much like a massive art gallery, with foldable designer chairs and an AV room. Embroidery is a male-dominated field, but we wanted to bring more women to the workforce and thus empower them, the ladies had told me then. Shah and Swali are sisters-in-law, and they worked for the successful embroidery house, Chanakya, that they inherited from Swalis father and Shahs father-in-law, Vinod Shah. Chanakya was among the chief embroidery hubs for various international labels like Gucci, Fendi, Giambattista Valli, Valentino, and most famously Dior. Earlier this year, Dior hosted its first fashion show in India, at Gateway of India, as a tribute to their embroidery partners in Chanakya, highlighting the dependence of European couture on Indian embroideries and embroiderers. It was such a rare and transparent tribute to a partnership that has only and insufficiently been called suppliers before this. I have never seen someone rise with such swiftness and sincerity as the Chanakya girls have done with their effort. In four quick years, two of which were eaten up by the pandemic, Shah and Swali have become a force to reckon with in Indias fashion and retail space. The Dior partnership is moot to their ascent, but it is not the only reason. Karishma Swali and Monica Shah In 2019, they ran one retail labelJade By Monica and Karishmaand had one store in Mumbais Peddar Road. Jade now owns five stores across India (one each in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru and two in Delhi) and is opening its sixth in Ahmedabad next month. It is an embroidery-first, ready-to-wear label that has quickly changed gears to become more premium. They have also upped their tailoring styles, besides offering Indian crafts such as brocade, kantha, lace, and contemporary batik prints. I visited the launch of their Bengaluru store last week; its walls were dressed with textile wallpaper especially woven in Barmer. Swali and her teenage daughter Avantika launched Moonray in 2021. It is one of Indias most fun premium high-street labels, arguably its first if one is to exclude designers ready-to-wear labels. Moonray is a responsible fashion label that sources its materials keeping in mind their environmental impact. The cottons are organic and mostly rain-fed, the denims are raw and naturally dyed, the jersey is GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, the viscose is certified, and the crochet is from recycled thread. It also uses vegan leather and upcycles leftover fabric swatches to make new clothes. Its design team includes LVMH prize winners Tina and Nikita Sutradhar, as well as craft specialist Renu Sahu. Moonray already has three stores across India, two in Mumbai and one in Delhi. Most of the artisans employed by Jade and Moonray are from the Chanakya School itself. The Chanakya girls have taken Indias greatest resourcea longstanding tradition of excellent hand embroideriesand turned it into great enterprises. Yes, almost every bridal fashion designer does this too, but the Chanakya girls stand out on two important counts. Firstly, their focus is largely contemporary fashion, not ethnic or bridal wear. Secondly, and most important, their labels are focused as social enterprises where the hero(ine) is always the artisan. Theres something about Kimthe Jong-un, not the Kardashian. For one, his smiling visage. I do not recall a single picture of him where he is seen as tense, distracted, or scowling. Not even when he met the Donald. There was, I am reliably told, a photographer who once caught him at a bad moment, but then that moment proved to be worse for the photographer. And secondly, he claps very often. Mostly at his own remarks, or at parades in his honour, or when he has just shot off the latest intercontinental ballistic missile towards Hollywood. That clapping is infectious. Everybody around him starts clapping and they keep clapping well after he has finished. There was a man who just had to stop and itch the back of his neck; the itch was subsequently cured, permanently. But beyond the winsome smile and the mesmerising clap, it is Kims love for trains thats so charming. It runs in the family, as it were. His revered grandfather, Kim Il-sung, had the railroad bug and made a train his headquarters during the Korean War. He kept up his passion in peacetime; some of the palaces he built could be accessed only by private train. In 1984 he went on a longish journeyone can get tired even of Pyongyangs charmsby private train through the Soviet Union and to almost every East European country. That, of course, meant changing the entire wheel-sets of the train from the broader Russian gauge to standard gauge and back. That minor inconvenience was overcome by taking along another train, with a full set of different gauge wheels. North Koreas Kim Jong-un arriving in Russia for a summit | AP Kim Jong-il, the father of the present Kim, had a fear of flying and so took to trains in a big way. He souped them up, fitting in conference halls and reception chambers and then took a 2,000km trip from Pyongyang to Moscow and back over 24 days. He also liked to live it up: a lucky Russian official who travelled with him recorded that multi-cuisine fine dining, including fresh lobsters and pork barbecue, was on offer. All to be washed down with French Bordeaux and Burgundy wines while young women sang to keep you amused. Take a cue, Indian Railways. Kim Jong-un is keeping up the khandaan ki izzat. Though he has a private planea Russian Ilyushin 62he prefers the super luxurious Pyongyang Mail, weaving languorously, at sixty kilometres an hour, through the vast Russian and Chinese spaces. It is appropriately nicknamed the Moving Fortress, in recognition of its armour-plated carriages, bullet proof windows and attack weapons, including a helicopter. Kims host during the recent visit to the Russian Far East, Vladimir Putin is not exactly top of the charts in the smiling and clapping department. When he does smile, thinly, it feels like the onset of the Russian winter and when he does clap, strong men quiver in their boots. But he sure matches Kim in the matter of trains. Recently upgraded, Putins ghost train, more difficult to track than a plane, is dripping with czarist opulence and is fitted with a gym, a Turkish hammam, anti-ageing machines and a cosmetology centre, among other amenities. Though Putin is no Lenin acolyte, literary licenseand that aloneallows me to seek his inspiration in Russian history. It was by the famous sealed train that Lenin and about 30 fellow revolutionaries returned from exile in Switzerland to Russia in 1917. Boarding the train at Zurich he said, Either we will be swinging from the gallows in three months or we shall be in power. We all know what happened. He was Michelangelos David dressed in a Saville Row suithandsome face, sharp features, charming smile, big blue eyes and a commitment to democratic openness; one about whom Vanity Fair warned people to have a fainting couch on standby as you watch him in action. He was also the ideal family man with the right pedigree, the kind whom the cold and conservative Canadians idoliseda devoted wife tagging along, two of the litter rubbing against his knees and one perched on his elbow. Justin Trudeau was all that and more, till two months ago when his wife of 18 years, who had borne him three angels, walked out on him. All that can go wrong have since been going wrong for the Prince Diana of Canada. First he didnt get a bilateral with the vishwaguru who was meeting every Joe, Sunak and Erdogan at the G20 jamboree. When he managed a brief pull-aside, and tried to give Narendra Modi an earful on the Hardeep Nijjar murder, Modi gave him two ears full, asking him to be choosy about the Khalistani company he keeps, and not believe every spooky story that is told to him even if it comes from spies with five eyes. Stunned, Trudeau thought of flying home in a huff skipping a dinner, but his plane wouldnt start. Once he reached home after warming his heels in Delhis tropical sun as an overstaying guest, things got worse. Instead of keeping quiet, he repeated his charge in his parliament that India had got a Canadian citizen killed on Canadian soil. Instead of getting outraged, the opposition mocked at him for being sissy; in a fit of rage, he expelled an Indian diplomat and blocked all trade talks. India paid back in the same coin, expelled one of his men (wisely), and blocked visas to all Canadians (unwisely). Imaging: Bhaskaran His 2018 trip had also been a disaster, with no deals to show and having been told that some of his friends were unwelcome to the presidential banquet. Yet he could go back filling a family album with snaps of visits to the right shrines and tombs in veshti and sherwani. This time Trudeau made it a mess, even putting his friendsthose English-speaking allies who think that they are the guardians of the globein a spot. He wanted them to blabber out and clobber India; mindful of the delicacies of diplomacy, they hummed and hawed. The David in Saville Row suit is in a spot. All the same, lets be fair. Trudeau is a nice guy, just as most Canadians arebe they Anglo-Saxon, French, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim or of any race or faith. Most are nice and simple people, innocent of the ways of this bad world. They are conditioned to be goodnot just genetically but geopolitically, too. Look at their map. They have no enemies around them who send in infiltrators, secessionists, terrorists or territory grabbers, as we have. Their only border, with the US, is the worlds longest unguarded border. No wonder they championed the worlds weirdest disarmament ideathey asked the world to give up landmines. Poor fellows didnt know that armies might give up, but terrorists and the Taliban, who dont sign Geneva conventions and Ottawa oaths, wouldnt. In short, they see no evil in anyone or anywhere. The problem is that this blind faith in liberty and decency has blinded them to make laws that are too liberal that they let even Kanishka bombers roam free. They dont know, or dont want to know, that their goodness is being made use of by baddies like the Khalistanis, however few they are. Stay nice and good, David, but bear in mind that your goodness is hurting other people. Kanishka wasnt an Arthur Hailey novel. prasannan@theweek.in AIADMK chief and Opposition leader Edappadi K.Palaniswami slammed the DMK government for lack of foresightedness in the Cauvery issue and urged the state government to call an all-party meet on the issue. In a statement issued on Sunday, Palaniswami said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin released water from the Mettur dam in Salem on June 12 without any foresightedness. Believing in the government's assurance, about 1.50 lakh farmers in the Cauvery delta region took up short-term 'Kuruvai' crop over 5 lakh acres of land. But now, crops on 3.50 lakh acres have withered and the rest were being taken up with well-water irrigation, Palaniswami said. Palaniswami said the government should have reduced the release of water from the dam and legally and politically, must have ensured the release of Tamil Nadus share of water from Karnataka for the months of June, July and August. Palaniswami said if Stalin was sincere, and had cared for the people of the State, Stalin would have put the necessary pressure on the INDIA alliance and ensured the necessary release of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami said Stalin could have stayed away from the INDIA alliance meet in Bengaluru or like AAP, which joined the alliance with pre-conditions, Stalin could have said that DMK would join the alliance only if the Congress government in Karnataka released water to Tamil Nadu. He could have held friendly talks then and ensured release of water when Karnataka had adequate storage in its reservoirs, Palaniswami said. Palaniswami charged that the DMK government is backing Karnataka Congress government to protect the business interests of formers family members in Karnataka. Palaniswami urged the DMK government to call an all-party meet and take a firm stand on the issue. (With PTI inputs.) Ruling BJP seems to be running extra mile on developmental works and Modi-branding in Madhya Pradesh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi slated to visit the poll-bound state twice more during the upcoming week. During the two visits, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of developmental works worth Rs 31,000 crore at events planned in Gwalior on October 2 and Jabalpur on October 5. This will take the total visits of the PM to MP in the past six months to nine. Modi visited MP twice in the month of September too. He visited the state once each in April, June, July and August. During these visits, it was clear that the BJP plans to contest the upcoming assembly polls with brand Modi on the forefront. However, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is already on a whirlwind tour of the state for the past several months, will also be visiting 10 districts during the coming week to inaugurate or lay foundation stones of developmental works worth another 40,000 crore. Given these jam-packed plans of events, political watchers are feeling that the assembly poll dates might be announced before October 10 and the BJP government wants to finish off the developmental works related events before the model code of conduct is in place. What is lending credence to the deadline of October 10 is that Chouhan has decided to deposit the monthly Ladli Behna cash assistance installment in the banks of the beneficiaries on October 4 at Jaora in Ratlam. Till now, the installments were deposited through events held on 10th of the particular month. BJP state president Vishnudutt Sharma said on Sunday that PM Modi will be in Gwalior on October 2 to dedicate or lay foundation stones of developmental works worth Rs 19,000 crores. These include six projects of national highways, PM housing scheme for both rural and urban people and critical care units in nine cities of the state Vidisha, Betul, Katni, Burhanpur, Narsinghpur, Damoh, Agar-Malwa, Shahjahanpur and Gwalior, among other projects. On October 5 in Jabalpur, the PM will conduct foundation stone laying ceremony for Veerangana Rani Durgavati Memorial and foundation stone-laying and inauguration of works under Jal Jeevan (drinking water) mission and other infrastructure. Sharma also said that CM Chouhan will visit Ashoknagar, Sehore, Raisen, Gwalior, Dindori, Ratlam, Balaghat, Shahdol, Satna and Jabalpur for the developmental works worth Rs 40,000 crore. On October 3, the CM will inaugurate the trial run of the priority corridor of Bhopal Metro, lay the foundation stone for a state media centre in Bhopal and also participate in a convention of womens self-help groups in the capital. During this programme, 1,400 scooterettes will be distributed to the women SHGs. On October 6, he will transfer the subsidy amount for domestic gas cylinders to the Ladli Behna beneficiaries at another programme in Bhopal. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said it's hard to put a limit on India-US relationship which has exceeded expectations, pointing out that like the Chandrayaan, bilateral ties between the two powers will go to the moon and beyond. Addressing the Indian diaspora at the Colors of Friendship event organised at India House in Washington, DC, Jaishankar pointed out that both nations see each other as desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. "There is one clear message today that our relationship is at an all-time high. But as they say in America, you ain't seen anything yet. So, we are going to take this relationship to a different level, to a different place," he said. "We keep finding new domains, the more we do with each other, the more we find we are able to do, explore together and achieve together," he said as he stood at the lawns of the official residence of India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. "Countries do business with each other. Countries do politics with each other. They have military ties, they do exercises, and they have cultural exchanges. But when two countries have that deep human bonding, that's a completely different ballgame. That is today the defining characteristic of our relationship," he said. "There are no words that can capture it. It is on that foundation that today we are looking ahead for...a new hope on the horizon...So, I think when we look at the horizon, we really see fantastic possibilities out there, and it's the community which is going to deliver on that," Jaishankar said. Recalling the challenges he faced as a young diplomat in the 1980s, the minister said, "I started at a time in the early '80s when you had to explain where you are from, what you are about, you know, it's good to see members of Congress here. Those were tough days, you know, they didn't even let you into the rooms in the Congress." Indian-origin senior officials in the Joe Biden administration such as US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, the President's domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta attended the event. - with inputs from agencies SYDNEY, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Over 75 wildfires have been reported burning across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Sunday, with the return of extreme heat and strong winds. NSW Rural Fire Services (RFS) called on local residents to remain vigilant to any fire threat and to follow safety protocols, as multiple regions across the state saw their maximum temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius and even near 39 degrees Celsius. "As of 2:30 p.m. local, there are over 75 fires burning across the state, with 30 not yet contained. Two fires are currently burning at a Watch and Act status," the rural fire authority said, noting that more than 800 firefighters and specialists are working to contain the blazes. Across NSW, 18 out of 21 weather areas have been forecast to confront high to extreme fire danger during the day. Total fire bans are now in place for nine areas. After some cool relief over the past weekdays, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued fire weather warnings for NSW on Sunday. "Hot, dry, and windy conditions are forecast today across NSW, elevating the fire danger as temps reach the mid-30s," the weather bureau noted. BOM Forecaster Jake Phillips told local media that the sweltering temperatures are likely to drop from Sunday night. "Monday's temperatures will be a little bit cooler but a brief respite as Tuesday weather heats up," Phillips added. Sunday also marks the official start of the 2023-24 bushfire season, with most local government areas in NSW commencing their statutory Bush Fire Danger Period, which would run through to March 31, 2024. In September alone, NSW RFS responded to more than 2,000 bush and grass fires across the state due to unseasonably warm weather in early spring. "The fire activity over recent weeks is likely to be a prelude of what we can expect to see this fire season. After years of wet weather and floods, we need the community to focus again on the risk of bushfires," said NSW RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sounded the poll bugle in Telangana as he prepares to address a mammoth rally in Mahabubnagar on Sunday afternoon. Though the Prime Minister has a tight schedule lined up, with the laying of foundation stone for development projects worth Rs 13,500 crore, it is expected that the Prime Minister will use the opportunity to lash out at the BRS government. In a message posted on his social media platform X on Saturday night, Modi hit out at the state administration, stating that "the people of Telangana were tired of lacklustre governance and equally distrustful of Congress." "Both BRS and Congress are dynastic parties who have no aim of serving people," Modi said in the message. The ruling BRS has also made their disagreement evident with Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao skipping the Prime Minister's programmes, for the sixth time in a row. Instead of the chief minister, BRS minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav will receive Modi and participate in the event. In April too, KCR opted out of the Prime Minister's programme despite being invited. Modi had then said he was "pained by the non-cooperation" of the KCR government. KCR skipping the events had triggered a war of words between BRS and BJP, with state BJP state president Kishan Reddy slamming the chief minister, asking whether "Telangana needs a Chief Minister like K Chandrashekar Rao who has no time to take part when the Prime Minister of the country coming to the state to kickstart development works beneficial to the State". Modi's schedule includes development projects worth Rs 13,545 crore, in important sectors such as road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education. He will also virtually flag off a train service and lay the foundation stone for road projects that are part of the Nagpur Vijayawada Economic Corridor. "The projects include - 108 km long four-lane access controlled Greenfield highway from Warangal to Khammam section of NH-163G and 90 km long four-lane access controlled greenfield highway from Khammam to Vijayawada section of NH-163G," a statement from the PMO read. Clearly unimpressed, the BRS took to Twitter to hit out at the Prime Minister, questioning what he did for Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project. "What did Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji do for Palamur in these ten years? Why is Telangana's share of Krishna waters not settled? What is the national status of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project? What are you bringing now? What are you doing to Telangana? The society of Telangana is asking you, Prime Minister Modi ji!. read a tweet put up by BRS on Sunday ahead of the Prime Minister's visit. However, the Prime Minister is unlikely to meet state BJP leaders. A senior leader of Telangana BJP told PTI there was no scheduled meeting of the state leaders with Modi, though the PM may briefly interact with them during the reception at the airport. "The meeting will mark the launch of the party's poll campaign in Telangana. He (PM) would deliver a sound and clear message to the people," the BJP leader said, adding that the PM is also likely to dwell on development that took place in the country during the past nine years under the NDA government. Modi will return to Telangana on Tuesday to address a public meeting and launch projects in Nizamabad. Tuesday will also have a team from the Election Commission of India visiting Telangana to assess the poll preparedness and engage with various stakeholders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded BJPs poll bugle in Telangana on Sunday as he launched a scathing attack on the BRS government over corruption, saying the state now wants a change. Speaking at a public meeting in Mahabubnagar, Modi said the BJP is committed to improving the lives of people in Telangana. "In recent years, people of Telangana have strengthened BJP in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and civic elections. The huge crowd gathered here proves that Telangana wants a change. Telangana wants a change because it wants a transparent and corruption-free government, not false promises. Telangana now wants a BJP government," he said. Hailing the women's reservation bill which was recently passed in parliament, Modi said the law will strengthen the voice of women in parliament and state assemblies. "The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' has been passed recently and now the voice of women will be strengthened more than before, not only in Parliament but in every state assembly," he told a cheering crowd. The prime minister also mentioned the recently launched PM Vishwakarma project, saying the scheme will give a new market and equipment to the Vishwakarma community. "Telangana is a land of art, skill and culture. The products of Telangana are being liked in the world. Some days ago, I gifted a Bidri artwork to the President of South Africa. This has increased its importance in the world. There are many more such skills that need support. Recently, we launched the PM Vishwakarma Scheme... A lot of Vishwakarma friends earn with their skills. They have been neglected for decades... PM Vishwakarma will give a new market and equipment to Vishwakarma friends" he said. Earlier, the prime minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation, multiple developmental projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore in Mahbubnagar. The projects include important sectors like road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education. Modi also flagged off a train service through video conferencing. Addressing the gathering, Modi said Nagpur Vijayawada Economic Corridor will ease transportation and business in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, giving a push to trade, tourism and industry in these states. He said key economic hubs have been identified in the corridor, including eight Special Economic Zone, five Mega food parks, four fishing seafood clusters, three pharma and medical clusters and one textiles cluster. This will open many avenues for the youth of Hanamkonda, Mahabubabad, Warangal and Khammam districts, informed the prime minister. With vast areas that qualify as difficult terrain and remote villages in deserts that have very low populations, poll-bound Rajasthan will have some polling stations for as low as 34 voters and booths that will be set up in the sparsely populated and punishing desert landscape of Barmer and the remote reaches of the state's only hill station Mt Abu. In Barmer Ka Par village in Barmer district that lies close to the international border with Pakistan, a polling station is being set up for just 34 voters. The polling booth for the voters of Barmer Ka Par was earlier located nearly 10 km away. A mobile booth was set up in the 2008 elections, and a new booth was later set up for a single family. In Manjholi, another village in Barmer, a polling booth will be set up for 49 voters. The booth in the previous election for the residents of the village was nearly five km away. The information was shared by the Election Commission at its press conference in Jaipur on Sunday after its three-day visit to take stock of poll preparations in the state. As per the presentation made by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Menau polling booth in Jaisalmer also has just 49 voters. A temporary booth will be established there on poll day. A polling station will be set up in Utraj village on Abu Road for 238 voters. In Shergaon, which is situated at an altitude of 4,921 feet in Mount Abu, a polling booth will be set up for 117 voters. Kumar said the polling teams will have to walk through the forest accompanied by a forest guard to reach the booth in Shergaon. The commission carried out a special registration drive for the voters of the Sahariya tribe, which has a population of 1.18 lakh. Eligible voters among the Sahariyas are 77,343, all of whom are registered. As many as 24,726 voters belonging to vulnerable tribes were registered during 2023 in special cluster camps. Rajasthan has 5.25 crore voters spread across 200 constituencies, 25 out of which are reserved for scheduled tribes and 34 for scheduled castes, as per the statistics shared by the election panel. The state has 2.73 crore male voters, 2.51 crore female voters and 604 transgenders. Among the registered voters, 5.61 lakh are persons with disability, 11.8 lakh are aged above 80 years and 18,462 are centenarians. The state has 21.9 lakh first-time voters, most of whom are in the age group of 18-19. The number of service electors stands at 1.41 lakh. The commission conducted special camps to enrol newly-wed women whose addresses changed after marriage. A total of 29,643 women were registered through these camps. The gender ratio of voters in the state currently stands at 920. In 95 constituencies, there are fewer female voters than male. Same is the case with 24,665 polling stations. In 10,257 polling stations, the female turnout was less than the male turnout by five per cent. Rajasthan will have a total of 51,756 polling stations in the upcoming assembly elections, with an average number of 1,002 voters per polling station. As many as 10,415 will be set up in urban areas and 41,341 booths will be in rural areas. A total of 200 booths will be managed by officials who have disabilities. The Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib has strongly condemned the incident wherein the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Dorwaiswami, was stopped from entering the gurdwara by pro-Khalistan extremists. Calling the incident "disorderly behaviour", the Gurdwara, situated at Albert Drive in Scottish city of Glasgow, released a statement on X that read that the worship place was "open to people from all communities and backgrounds." "An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of the Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises," the statement read. It further added that the "unruly individuals" continued to disturb the congregation, adding that the Scotland Police has taken cognizance of the matter. "Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith," it added. The Gurdwara's statement comes as a British minister too expressed her concern at the incident. "The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all," junior foreign office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said in a post on social media. The incident happened on Friday when Doraiswami and another senior official had been due to meet community leaders at a Sikh gurdwara in Glasgow. Three protesters - whom it described as "non-local extremist elements" - threatened its diplomats and one tried to open the door of Doraiswami's car, prompting the officials to abandon the visit. As they hurled threats and abuses, the High Commissioner and Consul General of India decided to leave the premises to avert any further altercation. No arrests have been made yet. The High Commission of India has reported this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police, the statement added. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) too has condemned the incident, stating that the envoy should not have been stopped from entering the gurdwara. Opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz won the Maldives presidential runoff on Saturday, securing more than 53 per cent of the vote, local media reported. The election has turned into a virtual referendum on which regional power--India or China--will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation. Mihaaru News reported that incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had received 46 per cent of the vote and that Muiz had won by more than 18,000 votes. Official results were expected on Sunday. With today's result we have got the opportunity to build the country's future. The strength to ensure the freedom of Maldives, Muiz said in a statement after his victory. It's time we put our differences aside and come together. We need to be a peaceful society. Muiz also requested that Solih transfer former president Abdulla Yameen to house arrest from prison. It was a surprise win for Muiz, who entered the fray as an underdog. He was named only as a fallback candidate closer to the nomination deadline after the Supreme Court prevented Yameen from running because he is serving a prison sentence for money laundering and corruption. Yameen's supporters say he's been jailed for political reasons. Today's result is a reflection of the patriotism of our people. A call on all our neighbours and bilateral partners to fully respect our independence and sovereignty, said Mohamed Shareef, a top official of Muiz's party. He said it was also a mandate for Muiz to resurrect the economy and for Yameen's release. Neither Muiz nor Solih got more than 50 per cent in the first round of voting earlier in September. Solih, who was elected president in 2018, was battling allegations by Muiz that he had allowed India an unchecked presence in the country. Muiz's party, the People's National Congress, is viewed as heavily pro-China. Solih has insisted that the Indian military's presence in the Maldives was only to build a dockyard under an agreement between the two governments and that his country's sovereignty won't be violated. Muiz promised that if he won the presidency, he would remove Indian troops from the Maldives and balance the country's trade relations, which he said were heavily in India's favour. Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, termed the election verdict as a public revolt against the government's failure to meet economic and governance expectations rather than concerns over Indian influence. I don't think India was at all in the people's minds, Saheed said. An engineer, Muiz had served as the housing minister for seven years. He was mayor of Male, the capital, when he was chosen to run for president. Solih suffered a setback closer to the election when Mohamed Nasheed, a charismatic former president, broke away from his Maldivian Democratic Party and fielded his own candidate in the first round. He decided to remain neutral in the second round. Nasheed's departure took the motherboard away from the MDP, Shaheed said. Yameen, leader of the People's National Congress, made the Maldives a part of China's Belt and Road initiative during his presidency from 2013 to 2018. The initiative is meant to build railroads, ports, and highways to expand trade, and China's influence, across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Despite the rhetoric, Muiz is unlikely to change the foreign policy of affording an important place to India rather, opposition to Chinese projects is likely to lessen, evening power balances out, Shaheed said. The Maldives is made up of 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean located by the main shipping route between the East and the West. These five years have been the most peaceful and prosperous five years we've ever seen. We have had political peace, opposition candidates are not jailed every day, said Abdul Muhusin, who said he voted for Solih in the runoff on Saturday. Another voter, Saeedh Hussein, said he chose Muiz because he want the Indian military to leave Maldives. I don't believe the Maldivian military has any control. Only Muiz can change these things and make the Indian military leave Maldives, he said. There were more than 2,82,000 eligible voters and turnout was 78 per cent an hour before the polling stations closed. The United Kingdoms defence ministry is considering deploying soldiers to Ukraine, amidst the ongoing war, for training. Reportedly, the move was suggested to reduce Ukraines dependence on the military bases of the UK and other NATO nations. Britains defence secretary Grant Shapps, in a recent meeting with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly discussed the idea with the latter and about possibly beginning British defence manufacturing within Ukraine. The UK is also planning to provide naval support to cargo ships in the Black Sea, following Russias withdrawal from the grain deal which facilitated the export of grains from the war-torn country. Shapps has reportedly discussed the idea of deploying British soldiers with military chiefs. The Guardian quoted Shapps as saying, I was talking today about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country not just training, but also were seeing BAE (UK defence firm), for example, move into manufacturing in country, for example. Shapps made the comments after holding discussions with General Sir Patrick Sanders, the chief of the general staff and other senior military personnel in the country. If Britain deploys its soldiers to Russia, it would be the first instance of presence of foreign military personnel in Ukraine since the beginning of Russias invasion on Ukraine in February 2022. Russia had earlier said that foreign military aid to Ukraine was its legitimate targets. The UK has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the beginning of the war and has been providing military support to Ukraine training Ukrainian soldiers and providing the country with arms and ammunition. The UK was the first country to respond to Ukraines appeal for military tanks and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also pledged British military would provide the necessary training for the Ukrainian crew. The Guardian reported that UK and 10 other nations have trained 26,500 recruits and is on track to have trained more than 30,000 soldiers by the end of the year. On providing naval support to Ukraine, Shapps said, Its important that we dont allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isnt allowed in that water (Black Sea). So I think there are a lot of places where Britain can help advise. [I] did discuss it with president Zelenskyy and many others this week, The Guardian reported. UK has reportedly provided Ukraine with 2.3bn in military aid to Ukraine in 2022. In reaction to the recent United Kingdom defence secretary's comment, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday said that there are no immediate plans to deploy troops to Ukraine. Inorder to avoid a direct conflict with Russia, Britian and its allies has been distancing from a military presence in Ukraine. However, in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, defence secretary Grant Shapps said he was in discussion with the British army about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine. Reacting to Shapp's remarks, Sunak said that his suggestion was not for "the hear and now" but a possibility for the long term. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict, said Sunak. Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had said that any British soldiers training Ukrainian troops in the war-hit nation would be targets for the Russian forces. UK had provided training to around 20,000 Ukrainian troops over the last year. Shapps also said that he also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week about Britain's Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. He also added that he hoped British defence companies such as BAE Systems would proceed with plans to set up arms factories in Ukraine. Capping all speculation, the Afghanistan Embassy has finally announced that is shutting down its operations in India from October 1. A statement released by the Embassy said the move is a result of "a lack of support from the host nation and a reduction in personnel and resources." This comes as reports said the embassy suspended its operations after the ambassador and other senior diplomats left India for Europe and the United States where they managed to secure asylum, a claim it denied. In a statement, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi said it regrets announcing the decision which was "made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India." According to the embassy, it lacked support from the host government which stopped it from carrying out duties effectively. "We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul," the mission said. "There has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to it, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations. The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively," the statement said. "It is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country," it said. The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay who was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. However, a power struggle ensued after the Taliban took over the country. In April-May, the Taliban appointed Qadir Shah as charge d'affaires to head the mission, replacing Mamundzay. However, the embassy declined to accept the appointment, rejecting "the claims from an individual claiming to have taken charge of the mission at the behest of the Taliban." India is yet to recognise the Taliban set-up and is yet to open a mission in Kabul. However, there is a technical team to coordinate humanitarian efforts. The Ministry of External Affairs was aware of the power struggle and spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had tagged it "an internal matter of the Afghan embassy." However, the statement rejected the "baseless claims" regarding internal strife or discord amongst its diplomatic staff or any diplomats using the crisis to seek asylum in a third country. "Such rumours are unfounded and do not reflect the reality of our mission. We remain a united team working towards the best interests of Afghanistan," the embassy said. The embassy also said it would like to verify the "authenticity" of an earlier communication with the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the intent to close the mission. "This communication accurately represents our decision-making process and the factors leading to the closure," the statement said. "We request the government of India to give serious consideration to the four requests outlined in the official note verbal submitted earlier. Specifically, we emphasize the importance of permitting the hoisting of the Afghan flag over the properties of our premises, as well as facilitating the smooth transition of the mission's buildings and assets to a legitimate government in Kabul in the future," the statement said. The embassy also acknowledged that, given the gravity of this decision, "there may be some who receive support and instructions from Kabul that may differ from our current course of action". The Embassy of Afghanistan made an "unequivocal statement" regarding the activities of certain consulates. "It is our firm belief that any actions taken by these consulates are not in consonance with the objectives of a legitimate or elected government and rather serve the interests of an illegitimate regime," the statement said. The embassy also said it is keen to reach an agreement with the Indian government at the earliest possible juncture. In a defence update on Sunday, British Intelligence said that leaks from Russian finance ministry suggest that the Kremlin is preparing for a long war. Britains intelligence reported, Documents, apparently leaked from Russias Finance Ministry, suggests that Russias defence spending is set to surge to approximately 30 per cent of total public expenditure in 2024. The report added, The ministry proposes a defence budget of 10.8 trillion roubles, equivalent to approximately 6 per cent of GDP and a 68 per cent increase over 2023. UKs defence ministry said Russia can support this high level of defence spending through 2024 at cost of the wider economy. Full details on Russian defence spending are always classified, but these figures suggest that Russia is preparing for multiple further years of fighting in Ukraine. This follows public comments by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on 27 September 2023, suggesting he was prepared for the conflict to continue into 2025, British intelligence said. With more than expected votes, leftist party leader and former Prime Minister Robert Fico won the parliamentary elections in Slovakia on Sunday. Fico staged a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian lines and promising to end support for Ukraine in its ongoing war. According to the Slovak Statistics Office, Fico and his party SMER had 22.9 per cent of the votes after counting 99.98 per cent votes from around 6,000 polling booths. While, pro-West newcomer and liberal, the Progressive Slovakia party came second with with 18 per cent of the votes. Though Fico had won the elections, he needs coalition with other parties to form the government. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Peter Pellegrini secured the third position with 14.7 per cent votes. Pellegrini, Ficos former deputy in SMER parted ways after the party lost 2020 election on charges of corruption and scams. Pellegrini became the PM after Fico was forced to resign on accusations of involvement in 2018 killing of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. A possible reunion would be in favour of Fico to gain majority. A test for Ukraine Even during the campaigns, Fico was very clear on his stand against support for Ukraine. Ukraines prospects of joining the NATO also will be in question with his victory. Fico opposes EU sanctions on Russia as well. Fico, 59, has vowed to withdraw Slovakia's military support for Ukraine in Russia's war if his attempt to return to power succeeds. During the invasion, Slovakia was the first country to send air defences to Ukraine. Fico has called on the Slovakian government to stop supplying weapons to Kyiv and he had clearly stated if he is elected to power, the country would "not send another round of ammunition." Instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the US should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal, Fico had said. From Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, to S-300 air defense system, helicopters, and armoured vehicles, Slovakia had extended its support to Ukraine. It also took in many refugees from the war-torn country. It becomes a really testing time for Ukraine as it is becoming difficult for many countries to keep on sending arms. In countries including Spain, France and Germany, populist parties skeptical of intervention in Ukraine also command significant support. Fico has served as PM in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018. After coming second, Progressive Slovakia partys Michal Simecka said that its a bad news for Slovakia. Simecka is also the deputy president of the European Parliament. "The fact of the matter is that SMER is the winner. And we of course respect that although we think its bad news for the country. And it will be even worse news if Mr Fico forms the government, said Simecka during a press conference. AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior analyst of an international media technology association has expressed optimism about China's burgeoning digital technology sector, emphasizing the country's commitment to reducing its reliance on foreign technology through innovation. Anna-Claire Bernardes, senior analyst of the International Trade Association for the Broadcast & Media Industry (IABM), told Xinhua in a recent interview that China has been placing a significant emphasis on developing its digital economy while actively supporting the development and application of technologies such as cloud computing, big data, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. This robust growth in China's digital technology sector is poised to reshape the future job market while simultaneously reducing China's dependence on foreign technologies, she said. "It means the development of digital technology assets are going to transform, bit by bit, the jobs and skill sets and build really a strong digital native mindset," said the analyst. According to Bernardes, some major Chinese tech companies have the capacity to provide digital services on their own terms. "They've got the internal and national skills to do so, and less reliance on foreign countries means that tech is becoming more accessible and cheaper as well," she said. Citing an analysis report from the IABM, she said that even though there has been a decrease in external demand for goods, services, and technology from Europe and the United States, Asia "remains a dynamic region compared to a challenging world economy." China is serving as a critical driver of economic growth not only in Asia but on a global scale, she added. The IABM is an independent international trade organization with over 500 members worldwide, covering the entire broadcast and media technology supply chain. After the suspected terrorist attack near the Turkish parliament in Ankara, President Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said that the terrorists latest attempt to threaten peace and security failed. They have not achieved their goals and will never achieve them, said Erdogan. While speaking at the parliament, he said that the country will ensure that its southern borders are secure from outside militants. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that the second assailant was neutralised. The second attacker was killed in the shootout with police, he added. "The attack this morning where two villains were neutralised as a result of the timely intervention of our security units is the final flutters of terrorism, said Erdogan. Two officers were injured in the attack. The attack happened hours before Erdogans address in the opening session of the parliament. The assailants arrived at the scene inside a light vehicle. Reportedly, the attackers had hijacked the vehicle and killed its driver before carrying out the attack. "Two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack," said Yerlikaya. Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised, he added. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that an investigation has been launched into the terror attack. These attacks will not hinder our fight against terrorism, said Tunc. In the wake of the incident, security was tightened in the area and the police were also conducting controlled explosions for suspicious packages incident in parts of Ankara. So far it is not clear which militant group is behind the attack. Militants, especially banned Kurdish Workers Party, used to carry out frequent attacks across the country. Turkish interior ministry stated that an explosion near the country's parliament in Ankara on Sunday was a terrorist attack. Authorities did not identify any specific militant group. The attack happened hours before the parliament was scheduled to reopen following a summer recess. All parliamentarians, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were expected to attend the session at 2pm (4.30pm IST), according to Al Jazeera. Two terrorists arrived in a light military vehicle at around 9.30 am (12pm IST), in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of the Interior, and carried out a bomb attack, the ministry stated. One of the men blew himself up while the other was killed in a shootout by the police. Ali Yerlikaya, the minister, said on social media platform X that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident. "Our struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised," Yerlikaya wrote. In November 2022, six people were killed and 81 wounded in an explosion in central Istanbul. Kolkata, Oct 1 (PTI) Celebrated Manipuri actor Rajkumar Somendra, popularly known as Kaiku, has said both the Kuki and Meitei communities should hold a joint meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to thrash out differences. The actor, who had recently quit the primary membership of the BJP, told PTI in an interview that many people have been rendered homeless and many more lost their livelihoods because of the ongoing conflict in the state, and it was time to work for peace. Representatives of both the warring communities should come together and meet Amit Shah and discuss all the pricking points and resolve the differences, Rajkumar said. Many people have become homeless and jobless, and it was getting extremely difficult for them to survive, he said. For the last five months, the Meitei and Kuki communities have rioted against each other, resulting in the deaths of more than 175 people. Thousands have been rendered homeless and forced to live in make-shift refugee camps. The actor said the condition of small-time artistes of the state was deplorable without work. The artistes have no work, and it has become almost impossible for them to sustain their families. In fact, the condition of the common people across the state has become extremely tough, he said. On his political ambitions, Rajkumar said he was yet to think about it. First, let peace prevail in the state. Once there is peace, I will think about my political future. As of now, the most important thing is end to this violence, he said. Belgrade (Serbia), Oct 1 (AP) Serbia's president on Sunday denied US and other reports of a military buildup along the border with Kosovo, complaining of a campaign of lies against his country in the wake of a shootout a week earlier that killed four people and fuelled tensions in the volatile Balkan region. Both the United States and the European Union expressed concern earlier this week about what they said was an increased military deployment by Serbia's border with its former province, and they urged Belgrade to scale down its troop presence there. Kosovo's government said on Saturday it was monitoring the movements of the Serbian military from three different directions. It urged Serbia to immediately pull back its troops and demilitarise the border area. A campaign of lies ... has been launched against our Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic responded in a video post on Instagram. They have lied a lot about the presence of our military forces .... In fact, they are bothered that Serbia has what they describe as sophisticated weapons. Tensions have soared following the violence in northern Kosovo last Sunday involving heavily armed Serb gunmen and Kosovo police officers. The clash was one of the worst since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and prompted NATO to announce it would beef up a peacekeeping force stationed in the country. Serbia has denied Kosovo's allegations that it trained the group of some 30 men who opened fire on police officers, leaving one dead, and then barricaded themselves in an Orthodox Christian monastery in northern Kosovo. Three insurgents died in the hours-long shootout that ensued. Kosovo has also said it was investigating possible Russian involvement in the violence. Serbia is Russia's main ally in Europe, and there are fears in the West that Moscow could try to stir trouble in the Balkans to avert attention from the war in Ukraine. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said on Friday that US officials were monitoring a large deployment of Serbian troops along the border with Kosovo, describing it as an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks and mechanized infantry units. Vucic has several times over the past months raised the combat readiness level of Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo. Serbia also has been reinforcing its troops with weapons and other equipment mainly purchased from Russia and China. We will continue to invest in the defense of our country but Serbia wants peace, the president said on Sunday. Everything they said they made up and lied, and they knew they were making up and lying. Last weekend's shootout near the village of Banjska followed months of tensions in Kosovo's north, where ethnic Serbs are a majority of the population and have demanded self-rule. Dozens of soldiers from the NATO-led peacekeeping force known as KFOR were injured in May in a clash with ethnic Serbs protesting the Kosovo police presence in the area. Fearing wider instability as the war rages in Ukraine, Washington and Brussels have sought to negotiate a normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, but the two sides have failed to implement a tentative agreement that was recently reached as part of an EU-mediated dialogue. (AP) PY PY London, Oct 1 (AP) Britain's new defence secretary has suggested that British military training of Ukrainian soldiers, which currently takes place at UK bases, could move into western Ukraine. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Grant Shapps said he was in discussions with the British army about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quick to rule out speculation of an imminent deployment of British soldiers to Ukraine. Shapps' suggestion was not for the here and now", Sunak told reporters, but a possibility for the long term. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. That's not what's happening, Sunak said. Russian politicians immediately criticized the proposal. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, who is deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council, claimed Shapps was actively pushing "towards a Third World War. The British minister will be turning his instructors into a legal target for our armed forces, knowing perfectly well that they'll be mercilessly destroyed not as mercenaries, but as NATO specialists, Medvedev wrote on social media. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 19 months ago, Medvedev, a law school graduate, has emerged as one of the most hawkish Russian officials, regularly issuing blustery remarks that combine Latin mottos and legal expressions with four-letter words. Observers have interpreted Medvedev's rhetoric, which sounds tougher than the statements of even old-time Kremlin hardliners, as an apparent attempt to curry favour with Putin. Yan Gagin, advisor to the head of the Russian-occupied part of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, also dismissed Shapps' idea but without Medvedev's fiery warnings. "Even if British instructors do organise training for Ukraine's armed forces inside Ukraine, it won't bring any results," Gagin told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Ukraine's failed counter-offensive has already shown the level of such training, he added. More than 23,500 recruits from Ukraine have received combat training at army bases across the UK since the start of 2022, receiving instruction on skills that include weapons handling and battlefield first aid. Earlier this year, Britain's government committed to training another 20,000 recruits. The training is part of a broader package of support for Ukraine that includes a pledge of 2.3 billion pounds (USD 2.8 billion) of anti-tank weapons, rocket systems and other hardware this year. Shapps, who took over as defense secretary from predecessor Ben Wallace in August, said he also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent days about Britain's Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. He did not provide details. He added that UK defence companies should consider setting up production in Ukraine. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. We're seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country, he said, referring to the leading British defence and aerospace manufacturer. I'm keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. (AP) PY PY Washington, Oct 1 (PTI) The US-India relationship is built on shared ideas and shared values, and top among those is a commitment to democracy and social justice, a top Biden Administration official has said. Richard Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources - the highest ranking Indian-American ever in the US State Department, made the remarks on Saturday at an event at the Indian Embassy held to celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of Indian culture and India-US relationship. The event at the Indian House was attended by top Indian-American officials from the Biden Administration and eminent Indian American community leaders from across the US. Honouring the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Verma said the US-India relationship is built on shared ideas and shared values. "Top among those is a commitment to democracy and social justice. Gandhi would write to President Roosevelt in 1942 that he had profited greatly by the writings of Thoreau and Emerson and some years later, Dr. Martin Luther) King would write, It was Gandhi and (his) emphasis on love and non-violence that I discovered the method for social reform and that Gandhi's philosophy was the only morally and practically sound method open to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom," Verma said. "The US and India value system advocates for fairness and justice for all peoples. These values are the glue that holds our countries together. It was the reason that 60 years ago, my father chose this country to settle in, arriving, as he likes to remind us, with only $14 in his pocket and a bus ticket. The rest they say is history. For his kid to go on and serve as the US ambassador to the country of his roots and now serve as Deputy Secretary of State is the longest of long shots. But it is a very American story and it is a very Indian story too, he said. "Ultimately, it is the stories of hard work and risk-taking of individuals. All of you (Indian Americans) here have actually done the hard work in building US-India ties and making it one of the most consequential relationships of this century. Do we have disagreements? You bet, he said. Will we have bumps in the road? Of course, but two close friends aligned with these shared values, bonded together by the great ideas of Gandhi King and so many others and solidified by all of your sacrifices. This is a partnership with staying power, with real impact and that will continue to have an outside influence in the world, Verma said. He said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, a diplomat-turned-politician, is the architect of the modern India-US relationship. Describing Jaishankar, who is currently on an official tour in the city, as an "incredibly talented external affairs minister", Verma said the top India diplomat, he can say, is the architect of modern US-India relations". "We would not be in the strong place that we are today, but for the external affairs minister leadership," said Verma, who served as US Ambassador to India under the Obama Administration and is the first-ever Indian American to be the US envoy to India. Kathmandu, Oct 1 (PTI) Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said on Sunday that his recent visit to China has further strengthened the climate of mutual trust and played a key role in the concretisation of the historical ties between the two neighbours. Speaking in the Parliament, Prachanda, 68, said that his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang during the visit have helped take the Nepal-China ties to a new height. He said that commitment has been expressed from both ends for implementation of the MoUs (memorandum of understanding) in various sectors reached in the past. "My latest visit to China is the first high-level visit from Nepal after Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Nepal in 2019. The visit has consolidated the climate of mutual trust between Nepal and China in the context of such high-level visits not taking for long due to the COVID-19 pandemic," Prachanda said. Prachanda asserted that his visit to China has played a key role in further strengthening the historical ties subsisting between the two countries. "During the delegation-level talks and discussions held with President Xi and Prime Minister Li, they said that China fully supported the views I put that our relations should be centred towards increasing the trade, investment, inter-country transport network and the economic and social partnership with China," Prachanda said. He informed the House that during the high-level meetings with Chinese leaders, discussions were held on the construction of a transmission line in the northern border region, on installation of solar power in places in the border area where electricity cannot be reached through the central grid and on construction of various roads and their degradation. Similarly, he said discussions were held on expanding cooperation in the health and agriculture sectors, reopening border transit points and the traditional border crossing points that were shut after the COVID-19 pandemic, on the construction of infrastructures towards Nepal side at the border transit points and on the construction of advanced laboratories. Prachanda said that extensive discussions were also held on operating direct flights from China to Pokhara to deepen people-to-people ties, on collaboration in the science and technology sectors and on expanding bilateral trade. He reiterated that Nepal remains committed to the One-China policy and the Nepal-China ties are based on the panchasheel, cordial friendship, cooperation and respect, international norms and values and law. Prachanda on September 23 had directly flown to China on an eight-day visit from New York, where he addressed the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister N P Saud and other senior officials during the visit. At the party's head office in Kathmandu, CPN-Maoist Centre spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota said that the prime ministers recent visit was completely successful in strengthening friendly relations between the two countries and opening the door for collaboration. "With this high-level visit, a new dimension has been added to the bilateral relations and many questions have been answered and doubts cleared. The agreements reached during the visit, expansion of bilateral relations and understanding of each others sensitivity and compulsion have been quite important, he said. Sapkota said that the understandings and agreements reached during the visit have built a basis for economic development between the two countries. "The agreement reached between Nepal and China to construct 220 KV Chilime-Kerung transmission line for power exchange also holds significance, Sapkota added. Yerevan, Oct 1 (AP) Tens of thousands of now-homeless people have streamed into Armenia from the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, controlled by its emboldened adversary, Azerbaijan. Swarms of protesters are filling the streets of the Armenian capital of Yerevan, demanding the prime minister's ouster. Relations with Russia, an old ally and protector, have frayed amid mutual accusations. Armenia now finds itself facing multiple challenges after being suddenly thrust into one of the worst political crises in its decades of independence following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Developments unfolded with surprising speed after Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority ethnic Armenian region that has run its affairs for three decades without international recognition. Starved of supplies by an Azerbaijani blockade and outnumbered by a military bolstered by Turkiye, the separatist forces capitulated in 24 hours and their political leaders said they would dissolve their government by the end of the year. That triggered a mass exodus by ethnic Armenians who feared living under Azerbaijani rule. People hastily packed their belongings and trudged in a gruelling and slow journey over the single mountain road into impoverished Armenia, which is struggling to accommodate them. Officials said Saturday that 100,480 people had arrived from Nagorno-Karabakh, or nearly all of the region's former population of around 120,000. Enraged and exasperated over the loss of their homeland, they will likely support almost daily protests against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has been blamed by the opposition for failing to defend Nagorno-Karabakh. There's a tremendous amount of anger and frustration directed at Nikol Pashinyan, said Laurence Broers, an expert on the region at Chatham House. Pashinyan's economically challenged government has to provide them quickly with housing, medical care and jobs. While the global Armenian diaspora has pledged to help, it poses major financial and logistical problems for the landlocked country. While many Armenians resent the country's former top officials who lead the opposition and also hold them responsible for the current woes, observers point to a history of bloodshed. In 1999, gunmen barged into the Armenian parliament during a question-and-answer session, killing Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, the parliament speaker and six other top officials and lawmakers. There is a a kind of tradition of political assassination in Armenian culture, said Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think tank. He and other observers note that one factor in Pashinyan's favor is that whatever simmering anger there is against him, there is just as much directed toward Russia, Armenia's main ally. After a six-week war in 2020 that saw Azerbaijan reclaim part of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories, Russia sent about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the region under a Kremlin-brokered truce. Pashinyan has accused the peacekeepers of failing to prevent the recent hostilities by Azerbaijan, which also could make new territorial threats against Armenia, Russia has been distracted by its war in Ukraine, which has eroded its influence in the region and made the Kremlin reluctant to defy Azerbaijan and its main ally Turkiye, a key economic partner for Moscow amid Western sanctions. Clearly, this Azerbaijani military operation would not have been possible if the Russian peacekeepers had tried to keep the peace, but they just basically stood down, de Waal said. The Kremlin, in turn, has sought to shift the blame to Pashinyan, accusing him of precipitating the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh by acknowledging Azerbaijan's sovereignty over the region and damaging Armenia's ties with Russia by embracing the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long been suspicious of Pashinyan, a former journalist who came to power in 2018 after leading protests that ousted the previous government. Even before Azerbaijan's operation to reclaim control of Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia had vented anger at Armenia for hosting US troops for joint military drills and moving to recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court after it had indicted Putin for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine. The bad feelings escalated after the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh, with Moscow assailing Pashinyan in harsh language that hadn't been heard before. The Russian Foreign Ministry blasted the inconsistent stance of the Armenian leadership, which flip-flopped on policy and sought Western support over working closely with Russia and Azerbaijan. In what sounded like encouragement of demonstrations against Pashinyan, Russia declared that the reckless approach by Nikol Pashinyan's team understandably fuelled discontent among parts of Armenian society, which showed itself in popular protests, even as it denied that Moscow played any part in fueling the rallies. The Armenian leadership is making a huge mistake by deliberately attempting to sever Armenia's multifaceted and centuries-old ties with Russia, making the country a hostage to Western geopolitical games, it said. It remains unclear whether Pashinyan might take Armenia out of Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a group of several former Soviet nations, and other Russia-led alliances. Armenia also hosts a Russian military base and Russian border guards help patrol Armenia's frontier with Turkiye. Despite the worsening rift, Pashinyan has refrained from threats to rupture links with Moscow, but he emphasised the need to bolster security and other ties with the West. It could be challenging for the US and its allies to replace Moscow as Armenia's main sponsors. Russia is Armenia's top trading partner and it is home to an estimated 1 million Armenians, who would strongly resist any attempt by Pashinyan to break ties with Moscow. Economically speaking, strategically speaking, Russia is still very deeply embedded in the Armenian economy in terms of energy supply and ownership over key strategic assets, Broers said. It's going to need a lot of creativity from other partners for Armenia to broaden out its foreign policy. The future of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, which were supposed to stay through 2025, is unclear. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said their status needs to be negotiated with Azerbaijan. Broers said Azerbaijan could allow a small number of Russian peacekeepers to stay in Nagorno-Karabakh to help promote its program to integrate the region. This would be face-saving for Moscow, he said. This would substantiate the integration agenda that is being promoted by Azerbaijan. Even though the peacekeepers didn't try to prevent Azerbaijan from reclaiming Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian troops' presence in Armenia helps counter potential moves by Azerbaijan and Turkiye to pressure Yerevan on some contested issues. Baku has long demanded that Armenia offer a corridor to Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhchivan, which is separated from the rest of the country by a 40-kilometre (25-mile) swath of Armenian territory. The region, which also borders Turkiye and Iran, has a population of about 460,000. The deal that ended the 2020 war envisaged reopening rail and road links to Nakhchivan that have been cut since the start of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but their restoration has stalled amid continuing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has warned it could use force to secure the corridor if Armenia keeps stonewalling the issue, and there have been fears in Armenia that the corridor could infringe on its sovereignty. I think there is extreme concern about this in Armenia, given the very dramatic military asymmetry between Armenia and Azerbaijan today and given the fact that Russia has ostensibly abdicated its role as a security guarantor for Armenia, Broers said. De Waal noted that Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev hosted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Nakchivan on Monday and talked about southern Armenia as a historic Azerbaijani land in a rather provocative way. Despite Western calls for Azerbaijan to respect Armenia's sovereignty as well as strong signals from Iran, which also has warned Azerbaijan not to use force against Armenia, tensions remain high, he noted. The issue is to what extent Azerbaijan and Turkiye, backed maybe quietly by Russia, push this issue," de Waal said. "Do they just sort of try and force Armenia at the negotiating table or do they actually start to use force to try and get what they want? This is the scenario everyone fears. (AP) Kolkata, Oct 1 (PTI) West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday appointed interim vice-chancellors for six state-run universities, an official said. Bose is the Chancellor of state-run universities in West Bengal. The governor named Professor Achintya Saha as the interim VC of Murshidabad University, Professor B B Parida for MG University, Professor Nikhil Chandra Ray for Coochbehar Panchanan University and Professor Rathin Bandyopadhyay for Alipurduar University, he said. Bose also appointed Professor Dilip Maity as interim VC of Biswa Bangla University and retired IPS officer C M Raveendran as interim VC of North Bengal University, he added. The Educationists Forum, a pro-TMC platform of former VCs and senior university professors, described the latest appointments as an "open defiance of the power and authority of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India", while accusing the governor of continuing "illegalities in the sphere of higher education". In a statement, forum spokesperson Om Prakash Mishra said, "Today, he has once again nominated persons of his choice in a number of universities even while the entire subject matter of this type of nomination is under challenge in a special leave petition filed by the State of West Bengal in the Supreme Court." This is a direct affront to the legal process, the Acts of the concerned universities and constitutes a direct challenge to the authority of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the statement by the forum said. "The academic community is shocked and surprised to see the names of academicians nominated by the Hon'ble Chancellor. All those nominated by His Excellency are interestingly either from outside the state or from outside the ambit of the Higher Education Department of West Bengal," the statement added. Mishra told PTI, "As per reports, the professional track record of some of these academics nominated by Chancellor have cast serious doubt and confusion in the public domain and such nominations appear to be a direct insult to the high profile internationally acclaimed intellectual tradition of Bengal." Bhubaneswar, Oct 1 (PTI) Senior citizens are valuable assets of society, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Sunday, calling upon people to take care of them. In a video message on the occasion of International Day for Older Persons, Patnaik said they have experience and solutions to different problems. "So, we have to learn more from them," he said. He highlighted the various welfare schemes his government launched for older persons, including the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY). Facilities such as old age homes, geriatric wards and physiotherapy centres have been set up in different hospitals for senior citizens, he added. Tourists take part in a Chinese calligraphy writing activity at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, who are currently staying at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will be returned home by the end of the year in accordance with a previous agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA).(Xinhua/Liu Jie) by Xinhua writers Deng Xianlai and Xu Yuan WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Despite the autumn chill on an early Saturday morning, Washingtonians and visitors from across the United States flocked to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the nation's capital, seizing what would perhaps be their last chance to see the three giant pandas which are to leave for China later this year. CHILDREN'S LOVE "We are just happy that she got to see the pandas before they leave," a stay-at-home mom who gave her name as Sharla said of her 18-month-old baby girl, whom she held in her arms while expecting panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, his mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian to emerge from the panda house and greet the visitors. Sharla said her daughter had a panda blanket when she was little and always considered her panda stuffed animal her favorite toy. "So we wanted to make sure she could see a real panda," said Sharla, who took her daughter here to see the pandas just a few weeks ago, making Saturday's trip to the zoo "her second time seeing the pandas." Honoring its agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will send Xiao Qi Ji, who was born at the zoo three years ago, and his mom and dad back to China by early December. To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Over the entire week, the event has attracted avid panda lovers to come over. They gathered behind the fences surrounding the outdoor yard or queued up in lines, all to see the cute bears with their own eyes. During the morning hours on Saturday, Tian Tian walked out of his house and stayed for a brief time on the outdoor ground, while Xiao Qi Ji remained in his own house, preferring to take a nap instead. The male cub was seen leaning on the rockery, turning his back to his admirers and stretching his legs from time to time. "She'd love to give the panda a hug if she could because she loves them," Sharla said when asked how her baby girl wanted to say goodbye to the pandas. Shannon, a climate change researcher who also only gave her first name, brought her four-year-old girl to the zoo to say goodbye to the pandas. Her family traveled to Washington from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a wedding, staying in town for just a couple of days. "We found out it was the farewell weekend for the pandas, so we thought we've got to try and get tickets," Shannon said, adding that her daughter was very excited and "it's worth the travel." Noting that Washington is one of the few places in the United States that still have pandas, Shannon said: "It is kind of sad to see them go for sure." "LITTLE MIRACLE" The whole team of veterinarians and researchers alike who for years have taken good care of the three pandas at the zoo, also feel upset about having to bid farewell to the bears, whom they consider to be their own children. Pamela Baker-Masson, director of communications at the zoo who has worked with the panda team for 17 years, said that all the pandas are currently in great shape, something the zoo's staff have been constantly making sure of as they prepare for the pandas' return to China. No matter how well prepared her colleagues are for the pandas' upcoming long journey, Baker-Masson admitted that the eventual departure "hasn't quite settled on me yet, and I'm going to be quite sad." "I would just say thank you. You have been a wonderful part of the history of our giant panda program," Baker-Masson said in her presumptive farewell remarks to the three pandas. "You will always be part of our history and in our hearts." Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. Meaning "little miracle" in English, Xiao Qi Ji's name was to mark his miraculous coming into the world, not only because it was during the coronavirus pandemic when people were generally in low spirit, but also because Mei Xiang, 22 years old then, was thought by many experts as being "practically post-reproductive" based on data available at the time. "As Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have aged, we've learned more about how to care for older pandas," Baker-Masson said, adding that the experiences gained, including those resulting from Xiao Qi Ji's birth, are a testament to the passion and cooperative spirit shown by panda experts from both the United States and China. "I think what this means is that even during the pandemic, you still have vital exchange and success," she said. COLLABORATION ON PANDA CONSERVATION Collaboration between China and the United States on panda conservation dates back to 51 years ago when the first panda pair that the Chinese government sent to the United States -- Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing -- arrived in the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Baker-Masson described the collaboration as "hand in glove," saying the U.S. side found it "incredibly fortunate to have such a good partner with CWCA. They are remarkable." "When you are with your peers and you are really good at what you do, it's just a dynamic exchange," she said, adding that Chinese and American experts help each other because they always aim "higher" in their dedication to the shared mission of preserving the panda species. Calling pandas "the best ambassadors" and "the perfect symbol" representing the U.S.-China friendship, Baker-Masson said the work of preserving pandas and other wildlife transcends political differences between countries. "It's about the future of our planet and our habitat." The current agreement guiding the cooperation on panda conservation and research between the Smithsonian's National Zoo and CWCA is set to expire on Dec. 7. Baker-Masson said her zoo is "in the process of applying for the next memorandum of understanding" with its Chinese counterpart. "There is no other conservation program that has lasted 51 years with this much success. It takes so many people working together, and that's why we can be proud today," Baker-Masson said. "We are fully committed to this species. We want another 50 years without a doubt," she added. "China engages in giant panda conservation and research cooperation with many countries. The purpose is to better protect endangered species and promote global biodiversity conservation," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday. "We stand ready to continue our work with cooperation partners, including the U.S., to enhance cooperation on conservation of endangered species." Sharla said pandas "are always just like a great symbol of bridge" between the United States and China, and maintaining a friendly relationship based on common appreciation for pandas "is always a positive thing" for the two countries. Visitors pose for photos with a giant panda statue at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, who are currently staying at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will be returned home by the end of the year in accordance with a previous agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Giant panda Tian Tian is seen at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, who are currently staying at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will be returned home by the end of the year in accordance with a previous agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Children take part in a giant panda mask-making activity at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, who are currently staying at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will be returned home by the end of the year in accordance with a previous agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji is seen at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 30, 2023. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji, who are currently staying at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, will be returned home by the end of the year in accordance with a previous agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending Saturday. Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Two years after a former Delhi Police woman constable went missing, police have arrested three men for allegedly killing her and deceiving her family into believing that she was alive, police said on Sunday. Surender Singh (42), currently posted as constable with Delhi Police, had an extra-marital affair with the woman and killed her after she refused to give in to his demands. His brother-in-law Ravin (26) and Rajpal (33) helped him in hiding the crime, said a senior police officer. The police recovered the skeletal remains of the victim from the Pushta area of Burari and sent them for DNA profiling to ascertain if they belong to the woman, the officer said. The victim had resigned from Delhi Police after she was selected as a Sub-Inspector in Uttar Pradesh Police. She was meanwhile staying as a paying guest in the Mukherjee Nagar area here. A missing report of the 28-year-old woman was lodged at the Mukherjee Nagar police station on October 20, 2021. Her family alleged that she had been missing since September 8, 2021. Despite efforts by police, the former woman constable could not be traced, Special CP (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav said. Based on the complaint of the victim's mother who suspected her daughter was kidnapped, charges of abduction were added to the FIR on April 12, 2023 and an in-depth investigation was ordered into the case by the Delhi Commissioner of Police, Yadav said. The police arrested Rajpal first and nabbed Ravin on his instance. Singh, the prime accused, was finally arrested on September 30, he added. During interrogation, Singh, who was posted as constable PCR van driver at the time of the incident, told the police that he had a heated argument with the woman on September 8, 2021, following which he took her to Burari Pushta, where he first strangled her and then drowned her in a nullah near Pushta, the DCP said. To show that the victim was alive, Singh took his brother-in-law Ravin's help. Ravin used to call the victim's family from different phone numbers and identified himself as Arvind. He told them he had got married to the woman, he added. To misguide the investigation, he dropped copies of the victim's identity proofs at various places in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. He called the woman's parents from these places and told them they were living happily, the DCP said. Rajpal had helped Ravin in securing a SIM card using fake documents, he added. The trio have been booked under Sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the police said. Jaipur, Oct 1 (PTI) A new political outfit -- formed by tribal leaders following a split in the Bharatiya Tribal Party -- has thrown the gauntlet to the BJP and the Congress in Rajasthan's tribal belt, forcing senior leaders of the two national parties to make frequent visits in their attempts to shore up support ahead of the assembly polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, among others, have made several visits to the tribal region in an attempt to solidify their parties' support bases. Assembly elections in Rajasthan are due later this year. On Monday, Modi will visit Chittorgarh district, which has a sizable tribal population, and address a public rally. Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Satish Poonia laid focus on the region and made regular visits to the tribal areas during his tenure as the BJP's state unit chief. His successor CP Joshi, a Brahmin face, is the party's Lok Sabha MP from Chittorgarh. Banswara, Dungarpur and Pratapgarh are fully tribal districts while Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Sirohi, Pali are partly tribal areas in the state's southeast. The new outfit -- the Bharatiya Adivasi Party -- is managed by youngsters, similar to the Gujarat-based Bharatiya Tribal Party, which won two seats in the 2018 assembly elections. Its formation caused a complete split in the Bharatiya Tribal Party, with most supporters and leaders jumping ship to the new outfit. The Bharatiya Adivasi Party's formation was announced in September by MLAs Rajkumar Roat and Ramprasad Dindor -- who won the 2018 polls on a Bharatiya Tribal Party ticket. Only a few leaders, including state unit chief Velaram Ghoghra, have remained with the Bharatiya Tribal Party . The new outfit is already drawing huge crowds of tribal people to its meetings, reflecting its influence in the region. Local BJP leaders also believe that the Bharatiya Adivasi Party is now the leading force in the tribal belt. MLA Roat told PTI, "We have formed a new organisation to work for the tribal people. We will be fielding Bharatiya Adivasi Party candidates from around 18 seats in the region." He claimed the Bharatiya Tribal Party, which he and many others had joined ahead of the 2018 polls on the basis of its ideology -- no longer worked along the expected lines, leading to the split. "We will try to defeat both the Congress and the BJP," he said. Roat said if the Bharatiya Tribal Party does not interfere in the 17-18 seats where his party will contest, the Bharatiya Adivasi Party will not interfere in Gujarat. "We appeal to all regional parties that (we) all have one objective and we should not fight among ourselves. We have asked the Bharatiya Tribal Party not to interfere in the Rajasthan assembly elections and we will not interfere in Gujarat," he said. "If they do not consider this, then the party with a clear vision and a strong ideology will move ahead. Our vision is clear and ideology strong and we will move ahead," the legislator from Chorasi in Dungarpur added. The BJP also sees the Bharatiya Adivasi Party's emergence as a challenge. Leaders of the saffron party believe they cannot solely rely on anti-incumbency against the state government in this region where educated tribal youngsters associated with the Bharatiya Adivasi Party are proactive and mobilising people towards it. "The Congress' existence in the region is on the verge of extinction. The Bharatiya Adivasi Party is leading in the region while the Congress will finish third in the assembly elections (in the tribal belt)," local BJP leader and former minister Sushil Katara said. The Bharatiya Adivasi Party is capitalising on the sentiments of the tribal people, he added. "They are educated, active on social media and mobilising the tribal people in their favour," Katara, who was defeated by Roat in the 2018 polls, said. Both Roat and Dindor had supported the Gehlot dispensation during the 2020 political crisis, caused by a rebellion by his then deputy Sachin Pilot. They had also supported the Congress candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections. Ghoghra, the Bharatiya Tribal Party's Rajasthan unit chief, however, said the tribal region did not gain anything from it. He blamed the split in the party to the "egoistic approach" of some leaders, apparently referring to Roat and Dindor and their supporters. "They may have announced a new party but the Bharatiya Tribal Party will contest from more than 20 seats in Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Pali and Barmer," he said. He attributed the frequent visits to the region by Modi, Gandhi and other leaders to the impact of the Bharatiya Tribal Party. "No matter how hard they try, the tribal people will not vote for them," he said. A Congress leader from Banswara district, however, said the state government worked to develop the region and said the party will have an edge in the elections. "The chief minister recently cleared a proposal to prepare a detailed project report to develop Mangarh Dham, a sacred place for the tribal people in Banswara, as a national monument. He also announced development works at the 'dham' at a cost of Rs 100 crore in August," the Congress leader said. Local leaders said employment opportunities, infrastructure development and proper implementation of constitutional provisions with regard to the tribal population will be the key poll issues. Rajasthan's tribal belt, comprising the Vagad and the Mewar regions, has 37 assembly seats. Of these, the BJP holds 20 and the Congress 11 while three seats were won by Independent candidates in the 2018 polls. One seat in Udaipur is vacant since Gulab Chand Kataria -- the sitting MLA -- was appointed as Assam governor earlier this year. Roat and Dindor are the two other members of the House from the region. New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has ordered the deactivation of certain mobile numbers from WhatsApp found to be distributing educational materials belonging to 'Apna College' without authorisation on the instant messaging platform. Hearing a lawsuit by Jainemo Private Limited, which offers course materials and trains candidates to obtain placements through the 'Apna College platform, Justice Prathiba M Singh restrained several entities from downloading, uploading, sharing and selling the plaintiff's content on any electronic or digital platform. The judge held that the plaintiff holds ownership over the course materials under the copyright law and directed that one of such WhatsApp groups dealing in infringing material be "disbanded" and a YouTube channel containing "only infringing copyrighted works" be taken down. The messaging platform Telegram was also asked to block the offending channels and disclose the details of individuals or entities operating them for the purposes of the case. The plaintiff argued that several individuals or entities were disseminating its printed course materials and videos among others on WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube through groups and channels while seeking to enrol students into batches on fees ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. It also alleged that the course material was made available by uploading it to online drives. The court observed that "the challenge on digital platforms is that the copying and reproduction of these course materials is made quite easy". It said records showed that each of the infringing groups or channels had hundreds of subscribers. The bench added that the defendants were collecting large sums of money to freely distribute the plaintiff's copyrighted material. If the defendants are not blocked from disseminating the copyrighted material, the court said, the plaintiff would suffer enormous monetary loss apart from the loss of subscribers and goodwill. "A case has been established for grant of an injunction to prevent further dissemination of the plaintiff's copyrighted material," Justice Singh said. "The mobile number of Defendant No.2 - Danish shall be deactivated on WhatsApp due to evidence of infringement, as this Defendant is sharing all the lectures and PDF questions on WhatsApp. The mobile number of Defendant No.1 - Mr. Rahul Shah shall also be deactivated," the court said in a recent interim order passed in the matter. "Insofar as Defendant No.29 - Mr Ritik Patankar is concerned, the group 'JAVA Alpha Placement Batch' created by Defendant No. 29, shall be disbanded by WhatsApp upon the URL of the group being communicated to counsel for WhatsApp," it added. The court also directed the suspension and locking of certain infringing domain names and asked the domain name registrars to give the details of their owners. It directed a file-sharing link which contains the infringing content to be taken down. New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) In the second installment of bestselling "Booming Brands", author Harsh Pamnani tells captivating stories behind the making of 11 'Made in India' brands that have either been pioneers or have reshaped their respective industries. The book, published by Westland Books, provides valuable business lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and offers a glimpse into the human stories behind these remarkable brands. Through engaging narratives, Pamnani explores the motivations and challenges faced by entrepreneurs like Yashish Dahiya of PolicyBazaar, Greg Moran and David Back of Zoomcar, Rohan Mirchandani of Epigamia, along with stories from the largest online supermarket BigBasket, and three IIT Kanpur graduates, Ankush Sachdeva, Farid Ahsan and Bhanu Pratap Singh who created the social network ShareChat. "I am confident that this book will add immense value to readers interested in understanding how admirable brands can be built in a complex and crowded market like India. Thank you, Westland, for believing in me and my work," said Pamnani in a statement. The 11 brands featured in the book also include Hidesign, Quikr, Super 30, Josh Talks, OYO and Portea. What prompted Dahiya to set up PolicyBazaar, upending the logic of Indias insurance industry? Why did the American duo Moran and Back choose India to set up Zoomcar, their self-drive car rental business? What prompted Rohan Mirchandani to leave America and create the Greek yoghurt brand Epigamia in India? are among the questions that the book seeks to answer. The book is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores. New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Sunday said it has written to the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration for an inquiry into a recent incident of "anti-national" slogans being scribbled on the walls in the campus. The students' outfit has also demanded that the administration take immediate action to identify those responsible and fix accountability for not being able to stop such cases. "Being a student organisation, we are gravely concerned about the frequent anti-Bharat slogan-writing incidents on the JNU campus. Yesterday, some students captured pictures of slogans like 'Indian-Occupied Kashmir', 'Free Kashmir', 'Bhagwa Jalega', etc. on the School of Languages building wall," the letter read. The administration painted the walls clean on Sunday morning after it was brought to its notice and photos of the walls went viral, Vikas Patel, ABVP secretary for JNU, told PTI. The students' body has demanded that the chief security officer of JNU should be held responsible for failing to prevent such cases. In My Own Shoes: People never, ever like my ideas! StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of PolyMet Mining (NYSEAMERICAN:PLM Free Report) (TSE:POM) in a report published on Wednesday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the basic materials companys stock. PolyMet Mining Stock Performance PolyMet Mining stock opened at $2.08 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $404.48 million, a PE ratio of -9.04 and a beta of 0.55. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $2.03. PolyMet Mining has a 12-month low of $0.75 and a 12-month high of $3.22. Get PolyMet Mining alerts: PolyMet Mining (NYSEAMERICAN:PLM Get Free Report) (TSE:POM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 10th. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Hedge Funds Weigh In On PolyMet Mining About PolyMet Mining Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PLM. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in PolyMet Mining by 3.7% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 131,643 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $552,000 after acquiring an additional 4,636 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of PolyMet Mining by 7.9% in the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 66,038 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $277,000 after buying an additional 4,854 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of PolyMet Mining by 2.5% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 358,089 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,500,000 after buying an additional 8,676 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of PolyMet Mining by 152.9% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 51,321 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $215,000 after buying an additional 31,031 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers raised its holdings in shares of PolyMet Mining by 87.6% in the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 39,287 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $108,000 after buying an additional 18,340 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 3.09% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) PolyMet Mining Corp., through its subsidiary, Poly Met Mining, Inc, engages in the exploration and development of natural resource properties. Its primary mineral property is the NorthMet project, a polymetallic project that hosts copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, gold, and silver mineralization covering an area of approximately 5,980 acres located in northeastern Minnesota, the United States. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PolyMet Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PolyMet Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday night signed a 45-day stopgap funding bill, just a few minutes before federal government funding for this fiscal year is set to expire. In a last-minute effort to avert a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy released the new bill Saturday morning, which would keep federal agencies funded at current levels until mid-November, and includes 16 billion U.S. dollars of funding for disaster relief, requested by the president. The new bill dropped steep spending cuts and border security provisions sought by conservative Republicans, and does not include additional aid for Ukraine sought by Democrats. The House swiftly approved the stopgap funding measure in a vote of 335-91. A few hours later, the Senate passed the bill in a vote of 88-9. McCarthy's new proposal came as a surprise, as he had been trying to advance a funding bill with steep spending cuts and border security provisions in attempts to garner support from Republican conservatives in a slim House majority. McCarthy's difficult situation in the House leaves him little choice but to "please" the right wing of the Republican Party. After last year's midterm elections, the Republican Party retook the House, with control of 221 seats, just nine more than the Democratic Party's 212 seats, meaning that even five "rebels" are enough to defeat a Republican legislative agenda. His latest decision to put forward the "clean" stopgap funding bill is welcomed by Democrats and the White House, but has upset some Republicans, especially party hardliners in the House, who had wanted to pass a bill without Democratic support and had threatened to remove him from the top House leadership post. When asked Saturday what if conservative Republican critics try to remove him from the speakership over the "clean" stopgap funding bill, McCarthy told reporters that "If someone wants to remove (me) because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try." Biden welcomed the passage of the bill in the Congress, calling it "good news." "But I want to be clear: We should never have been in this position in the first place," Biden said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Calling it a manufactured crisis, Biden blamed "extreme House Republicans" for trying to walk away from a budget deal he and McCarthy reached a few months ago. The U.S. president also urged the House to approve more aid for Ukraine, reiterating a Democratic request that has been opposed by conservative Republicans. A Senate-proposed stopgap funding bill, unveiled Tuesday, would fund the government at current levels until mid-November, and included roughly 6 billion dollars of aid for Ukraine and about 6 billion dollars for domestic disaster relief. The Senate bill didn't gain enough support in the House, as a group of conservative Republicans voiced concerns about Ukraine aid -- urging the Biden administration to make it part of the spending cuts -- and criticized the bill for a lack of border security provisions, which revealed the partisan divide over immigration policy. McCarthy originally attempted to pass a stopgap funding bill with spending cuts and border security provisions, but conservative Republicans said they oppose any "patchwork" funding package and refused to cooperate, forcing McCarthy to turn to Democrats for support. Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua earlier that the fight in Congress was "embarrassing and infuriating." StockNews.com began coverage on shares of CIRCOR International (NYSE:CIR Free Report) in a report published on Wednesday. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the industrial products companys stock. Separately, Stifel Nicolaus cut CIRCOR International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, June 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, CIRCOR International currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $32.33. Get CIRCOR International alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on CIR CIRCOR International Price Performance NYSE CIR opened at $55.75 on Wednesday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $55.69 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $44.02. The company has a current ratio of 2.29, a quick ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.34. The company has a market cap of $1.14 billion, a PE ratio of 40.69 and a beta of 2.37. CIRCOR International has a 1 year low of $14.54 and a 1 year high of $56.48. CIRCOR International (NYSE:CIR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 10th. The industrial products company reported $0.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.22. The firm had revenue of $208.81 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $203.10 million. CIRCOR International had a return on equity of 35.32% and a net margin of 3.40%. On average, analysts predict that CIRCOR International will post 2.41 EPS for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of CIR. Dorsey Wright & Associates acquired a new position in shares of CIRCOR International in the first quarter valued at $26,000. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky acquired a new position in CIRCOR International during the third quarter worth $99,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in CIRCOR International during the first quarter worth $147,000. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC raised its stake in CIRCOR International by 52.4% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 8,910 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $147,000 after acquiring an additional 3,062 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Credit Suisse AG raised its stake in CIRCOR International by 10.0% during the second quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 14,690 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $241,000 after acquiring an additional 1,335 shares in the last quarter. 96.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About CIRCOR International (Get Free Report) CIRCOR International, Inc designs, manufactures, and distributes flow and motion control products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and internationally. The company has a product portfolio of brands serving its customers' demanding applications. It operates through two segments, Aerospace & Defense and Industrial. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CIRCOR International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CIRCOR International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Arch Resources (NYSE:ARCH Free Report) had its target price boosted by B. Riley from $195.00 to $197.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a buy rating on the energy companys stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for Arch Resources Q3 2023 earnings at $5.01 EPS, Q4 2023 earnings at $5.91 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $25.10 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $27.30 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $25.52 EPS. Separately, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Arch Resources in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Get Arch Resources alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Arch Resources Arch Resources Trading Down 2.0 % Shares of NYSE:ARCH opened at $170.66 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $139.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $127.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 0.70. Arch Resources has a 12-month low of $102.42 and a 12-month high of $175.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 2.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. Arch Resources (NYSE:ARCH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The energy company reported $4.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.82 by ($1.78). Arch Resources had a net margin of 27.67% and a return on equity of 68.14%. The business had revenue of $757.29 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $670.17 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $19.30 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 33.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that Arch Resources will post 26.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Arch Resources Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a None dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 31st were issued a $3.97 dividend. This represents a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 30th. This is an increase from Arch Resourcess previous None dividend of $2.45. Arch Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 2.18%. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, VP Paul T. Demzik sold 4,339 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $175.00, for a total transaction of $759,325.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 7,898 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,382,150. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 5.40% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Arch Resources during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in shares of Arch Resources during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Arch Resources by 113.8% during the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 295 shares of the energy companys stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Clear Street Markets LLC bought a new position in shares of Arch Resources during the 1st quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI increased its holdings in shares of Arch Resources by 416.7% during the 2nd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 310 shares of the energy companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 85.03% of the companys stock. About Arch Resources (Get Free Report) Arch Resources, Inc produces and sells metallurgical products. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated seven active mines. It also owned or controlled primarily through long-term leases approximately 28,292 acres of coal land in Ohio; 952 acres of coal land in Maryland; 10,095 acres of coal land in Virginia; 306,263 acres of coal land in West Virginia; 81,450 acres of coal land in Wyoming; 234,087 acres of coal land in Illinois; 33,047 acres of coal land in Kentucky; 362 acres of coal land in Montana; 248 acres of coal land in Pennsylvania; and 19,018 acres of coal land in Colorado, as well as smaller parcels of property in Alabama, Indiana, Washington, Arkansas, California, Utah, and Texas. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Arch Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arch Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) have received a consensus rating of Hold from the seventeen research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $35.92. A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Oppenheimer dropped their price target on Bank of America from $49.00 to $48.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Bank of America from $41.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 19th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Bank of America from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 23rd. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Bank of America from $28.00 to $27.50 and set an underweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Bank of America from $32.00 to $33.00 in a report on Friday, July 7th. Get Bank of America alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on BAC Insider Activity at Bank of America Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank of America In related news, insider Dean C. Athanasia sold 77,806 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total value of $2,449,332.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 353,971 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,143,007.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . In other Bank of America news, insider Dean C. Athanasia sold 77,806 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total transaction of $2,449,332.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 353,971 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,143,007.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, insider James P. Demare sold 75,000 shares of Bank of America stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.53, for a total value of $2,364,750.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 185,108 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,836,455.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Bank of America during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC increased its stake in Bank of America by 75.9% in the second quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 920 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 397 shares during the last quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 333.2% during the second quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 953 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 733 shares during the period. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Bank of America during the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 45.7% during the second quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 1,036 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 325 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.06% of the companys stock. Bank of America Stock Down 0.7 % NYSE BAC opened at $27.38 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $29.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $28.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.83. Bank of America has a fifty-two week low of $26.32 and a fifty-two week high of $38.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $217.57 billion, a PE ratio of 7.87, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.37. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.88 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.04. Bank of America had a return on equity of 12.01% and a net margin of 19.97%. The company had revenue of $25.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.98 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.73 EPS. Bank of Americas revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Bank of America will post 3.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bank of America Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Investors of record on Friday, September 1st were given a $0.24 dividend. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.51%. This is a positive change from Bank of Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 31st. Bank of Americas payout ratio is presently 27.59%. Bank of America Company Profile (Get Free Report Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Georg Fischer (OTCMKTS:FCHRF Get Free Report) is one of 154 publicly-traded companies in the Specialty Industrial Machinery industry, but how does it contrast to its rivals? We will compare Georg Fischer to similar businesses based on the strength of its profitability, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership and earnings. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Georg Fischer and its rivals revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Georg Fischer alerts: Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Georg Fischer N/A N/A 2.05 Georg Fischer Competitors $4.58 billion $432.58 million 292.77 Georg Fischers rivals have higher revenue and earnings than Georg Fischer. Georg Fischer is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Georg Fischer 0 0 1 0 3.00 Georg Fischer Competitors 942 3448 4464 44 2.41 This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Georg Fischer and its rivals, as provided by MarketBeat. As a group, Specialty Industrial Machinery companies have a potential upside of 22.23%. Given Georg Fischers rivals higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Georg Fischer has less favorable growth aspects than its rivals. Insider & Institutional Ownership 27.2% of Georg Fischer shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 39.4% of shares of all Specialty Industrial Machinery companies are owned by institutional investors. 27.8% of shares of all Specialty Industrial Machinery companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability This table compares Georg Fischer and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Georg Fischer N/A N/A N/A Georg Fischer Competitors -11.03% 1.71% 0.81% Summary Georg Fischer rivals beat Georg Fischer on 8 of the 11 factors compared. About Georg Fischer (Get Free Report) Georg Fischer AG provides piping systems, and casting and machining solutions in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and internationally. The company offers plastic and metal piping systems for the transportation of water, abrasive and aggressive liquids, and gases, as well as corresponding services for industry, utilities, and building services sectors; and fittings, valves, pipes, automation, and jointing technologies for various water cycle applications. It also provides lightweight components for mobility and energy industries. In addition, the company offers machines, system solutions, and customer services for manufacturing molds, tools, and parts in the aerospace, information and communication technology, electronic, medical, and automotive industries. Further, it provides milling, wire-cutting, and die-sinking services; spindles; electro discharge machining (EDM), laser texturing, laser micromachining, and additive manufacturing machines; and tooling and automation services, as well as digitalization solutions. The company was founded in 1802 and is headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Receive News & Ratings for Georg Fischer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Georg Fischer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chicago Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT Free Report) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 2,469 shares of the medical technology companys stock, valued at approximately $218,000. Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its holdings in Medtronic by 109.0% during the 1st quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 802,643 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $64,674,000 after acquiring an additional 418,648 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH grew its holdings in Medtronic by 20.6% during the 2nd quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH now owns 17,220 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $1,517,000 after acquiring an additional 2,940 shares during the period. Viawealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Medtronic by 3.3% during the first quarter. Viawealth LLC now owns 12,085 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $974,000 after purchasing an additional 390 shares in the last quarter. Argent Trust Co boosted its position in shares of Medtronic by 5.0% during the first quarter. Argent Trust Co now owns 40,743 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $3,285,000 after purchasing an additional 1,948 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lincoln National Corp boosted its position in shares of Medtronic by 16.1% during the first quarter. Lincoln National Corp now owns 11,669 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $941,000 after purchasing an additional 1,617 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.75% of the companys stock. Get Medtronic alerts: Insider Activity at Medtronic In related news, EVP Hoedt Rob Ten sold 5,514 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.58, for a total value of $477,402.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 43,802 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,792,377.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Medtronic news, EVP Hoedt Rob Ten sold 5,514 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.58, for a total value of $477,402.12. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 43,802 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,792,377.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Brett A. Wall sold 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.97, for a total transaction of $175,940.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,948 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,106,705.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 19,866 shares of company stock worth $1,688,839. Insiders own 0.30% of the companys stock. Medtronic Stock Down 0.4 % Medtronic stock opened at $78.36 on Friday. Medtronic plc has a fifty-two week low of $75.76 and a fifty-two week high of $92.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $104.26 billion, a PE ratio of 28.92, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.71. The companys 50-day moving average is $82.71 and its 200-day moving average is $84.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 2.42 and a quick ratio of 1.79. Medtronic (NYSE:MDT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 22nd. The medical technology company reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.11 by $0.09. Medtronic had a net margin of 11.47% and a return on equity of 13.81%. The business had revenue of $7.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.57 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.13 EPS. Medtronics quarterly revenue was up 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Medtronic plc will post 5.12 earnings per share for the current year. Medtronic Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Investors of record on Friday, September 22nd will be paid a $0.69 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 21st. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.52%. Medtronics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 101.85%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on MDT. Robert W. Baird began coverage on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. They set a neutral rating and a $90.00 price target on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Medtronic from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a market perform rating and issued a $89.00 price objective on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Wednesday, August 23rd. 22nd Century Group reaffirmed an initiates rating on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Medtronic from $79.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $91.67. Get Our Latest Stock Report on MDT Medtronic Profile (Free Report) Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. Its Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MDT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Medtronic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medtronic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fusion Family Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF (NYSEARCA:RWK Free Report) by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 457,194 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 6,322 shares during the quarter. Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF accounts for 5.3% of Fusion Family Wealth LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Fusion Family Wealth LLC owned 9.81% of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF worth $43,921,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in RWK. Raymond James & Associates raised its position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF by 41.6% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 8,820 shares of the companys stock valued at $813,000 after buying an additional 2,591 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG raised its position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF by 19.7% during the 1st quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 75,894 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,996,000 after buying an additional 12,513 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF by 6.9% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 76,876 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,086,000 after buying an additional 4,952 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $389,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF by 128.8% during the 2nd quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 134,010 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,493,000 after buying an additional 75,432 shares in the last quarter. Get Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF alerts: Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF Stock Performance NYSEARCA:RWK traded down $0.32 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $93.83. The companys stock had a trading volume of 23,164 shares, compared to its average volume of 26,645. The firm has a market capitalization of $482.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.65 and a beta of 1.31. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $97.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $92.86. Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF has a 1 year low of $74.40 and a 1 year high of $100.84. Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF Profile RevenueShares Mid Cap ETF (the Fund) seeks to achieve its investment objective of outperforming the total return performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index (S&P 400) by investing in the constituent securities of the S&P 400 in the same proportions as the RevenueShares Mid Cap Index. The Fund consists of the same constituent securities as the S&P 400. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco S&P MidCap 400 Revenue ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. River Road Asset Management LLC trimmed its stake in Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP Free Report) by 72.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 508,685 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,362,144 shares during the period. River Road Asset Management LLC owned 0.24% of Molson Coors Beverage worth $33,492,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of TAP. FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Molson Coors Beverage in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Molson Coors Beverage by 2,192.0% in the 1st quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 573 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 548 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of Molson Coors Beverage by 85.7% in the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 650 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Molson Coors Beverage by 96.4% in the 1st quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 760 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 373 shares in the last quarter. Finally, OLD Mission Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Molson Coors Beverage in the 4th quarter worth about $45,000. 73.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Molson Coors Beverage alerts: Molson Coors Beverage Stock Performance Shares of NYSE TAP traded up $0.98 during trading on Friday, reaching $63.59. 1,883,283 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,276,342. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $64.43 and a 200-day simple moving average of $62.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.75 billion, a PE ratio of 397.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.88. Molson Coors Beverage has a 52-week low of $46.69 and a 52-week high of $70.90. Molson Coors Beverage Dividend Announcement Molson Coors Beverage ( NYSE:TAP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The company reported $1.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.63 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.31 billion. Molson Coors Beverage had a net margin of 0.31% and a return on equity of 8.17%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Molson Coors Beverage will post 5.07 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Friday, September 1st were issued a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.58%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 31st. Molson Coors Beverages payout ratio is 1,025.00%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages recently issued reports on TAP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Molson Coors Beverage from $72.00 to $69.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Molson Coors Beverage from $67.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Monday, June 26th. Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of Molson Coors Beverage from $70.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. Citigroup reiterated a positive rating on shares of Molson Coors Beverage in a research note on Wednesday, June 21st. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Molson Coors Beverage in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They set a hold rating for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Molson Coors Beverage currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $62.40. Read Our Latest Stock Report on TAP About Molson Coors Beverage (Free Report) Molson Coors Beverage Company manufactures, markets, and sells beer and other malt beverage products under various brands in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers flavored malt beverages including hard seltzers, craft, and ready to drink beverages. It provides its products under Aspall Cider, Blue Moon, Coors Original, Hop Valley brands, Leinenkugel's, Miller Genuine Draft, Molson Ultra, Sharp's, Staropramen, and Vizzy Hard Seltzer above premier brands; Bergenbier, Borsodi, Carling, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Jelen, Kamenitza, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian Lager, Molson Dry, Molson Export, and Niksicko, Ozujsko under the premium brands; and Branik, Icehouse, Keystone, Miller High Life, Milwaukee's Best, and Steel Reserve under the economy brands. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TAP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Molson Coors Beverage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Molson Coors Beverage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Acorn Financial Advisory Services Inc. ADV raised its stake in shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE Free Report) by 28.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,785 shares of the conglomerates stock after buying an additional 1,712 shares during the period. Acorn Financial Advisory Services Inc. ADVs holdings in General Electric were worth $855,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of GE. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Electric by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 63,795,835 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $6,098,882,000 after purchasing an additional 3,463,502 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of General Electric by 17.3% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,490,012 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $4,639,533,000 after purchasing an additional 7,157,356 shares during the last quarter. TCI Fund Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of General Electric in the 1st quarter valued at $2,496,379,000. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Electric by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,272,027 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $1,837,514,000 after purchasing an additional 319,196 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Electric by 122,242.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,438,063 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $878,644,000 after purchasing an additional 13,427,079 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.83% of the companys stock. Get General Electric alerts: Insider Activity at General Electric In other General Electric news, SVP Michael J. Holston sold 112,614 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.20, for a total value of $12,973,132.80. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 57,923 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,672,729.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.67% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. General Electric Trading Down 1.6 % Shares of NYSE GE opened at $110.55 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $113.36 and its 200 day simple moving average is $105.65. General Electric has a fifty-two week low of $48.06 and a fifty-two week high of $117.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $120.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.11, a P/E/G ratio of 6.95 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.90. General Electric (NYSE:GE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 25th. The conglomerate reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.22. General Electric had a net margin of 13.32% and a return on equity of 9.30%. The business had revenue of $15.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.78 earnings per share. General Electrics revenue was up 18.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that General Electric will post 2.29 EPS for the current year. General Electric Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 25th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 26th will be issued a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 25th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.29%. General Electrics dividend payout ratio is currently 3.80%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms recently issued reports on GE. Wolfe Research lifted their price objective on shares of General Electric from $107.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of General Electric in a research note on Wednesday. They issued a buy rating and a $141.00 price objective for the company. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of General Electric from $125.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of General Electric from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of General Electric from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $122.71. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on General Electric About General Electric (Free Report) General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. It offers gas and steam turbines, full balance of plant, upgrade, and service solutions, as well as data-leveraging software for power generation, industrial, government, and other customers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Well Done LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,328 shares of the companys stock after selling 224 shares during the period. Well Done LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $325,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stone House Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Philip Morris International during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. bought a new position in Philip Morris International during the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in Philip Morris International during the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 75.0% in the 1st quarter. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 350 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 127.0% in the 1st quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 370 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Price Performance PM traded down $0.47 during trading on Friday, reaching $92.58. 5,330,830 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,057,730. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 1 year low of $82.85 and a 1 year high of $105.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $143.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 0.71. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $95.62 and its 200-day simple moving average is $95.76. Philip Morris International Increases Dividend Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The company reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.50 by $0.10. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 11.63% and a negative return on equity of 127.84%. The company had revenue of $8.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.76 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.48 EPS. Philip Morris Internationals revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.12 EPS for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 27th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.62%. This is a positive change from Philip Morris Internationals previous quarterly dividend of $1.27. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 26th. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 100.58%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently weighed in on PM shares. Citigroup upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $109.00 to $117.00 in a report on Tuesday, June 20th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $113.00 to $111.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, 22nd Century Group reaffirmed a reiterates rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a research report on Tuesday, June 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Philip Morris International has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $110.67. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Philip Morris International About Philip Morris International (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 0.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 7,960 shares of the medical research companys stock after buying an additional 58 shares during the quarter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $4,153,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Value Partners Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.9% in the second quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 2,366 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 2.0% in the second quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,133 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $591,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 23.8% in the second quarter. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. now owns 3,549 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,852,000 after purchasing an additional 682 shares during the period. Chicago Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 4,929.9% in the second quarter. Chicago Capital LLC now owns 81,384 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $42,462,000 after purchasing an additional 79,766 shares during the period. Finally, LaFleur & Godfrey LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.4% in the second quarter. LaFleur & Godfrey LLC now owns 31,553 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $16,463,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.06% of the companys stock. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance Shares of NYSE TMO traded up $3.15 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $506.17. The stock had a trading volume of 1,380,512 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,515,504. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.42. The company has a 50 day moving average of $535.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of $538.28. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a twelve month low of $475.77 and a twelve month high of $609.85. The firm has a market cap of $195.36 billion, a PE ratio of 34.60, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.77. Thermo Fisher Scientific Dividend Announcement Thermo Fisher Scientific ( NYSE:TMO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $5.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.43 by ($0.28). Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.14% and a return on equity of 18.59%. The firm had revenue of $10.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.51 earnings per share. Thermo Fisher Scientifics revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 22.37 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.28%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio is currently 9.57%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $557.77, for a total transaction of $1,673,310.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 17,556 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,792,210.12. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $557.77, for a total transaction of $1,673,310.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 17,556 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,792,210.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $549.00, for a total transaction of $5,490,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 141,330 shares in the company, valued at $77,590,170. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 28,700 shares of company stock valued at $15,799,270. Company insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts recently issued reports on TMO shares. Citigroup began coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. They issued a buy rating and a $625.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $505.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. StockNews.com lowered Thermo Fisher Scientific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Thursday. They set an outperform rating and a $603.00 target price for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $664.00 to $625.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $627.13. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Profile (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the United States and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, clinical next-generation sequencing, bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- In the riveting soap opera of U.S. politics, an ongoing plotline is almost too dramatic to ignore. It features Washington elites who deftly choreograph real-life government shutdowns through manipulation of budget talks for political advantage. Though the potential fifth government shutdown in the past decade was averted late Saturday just hours before the funding deadline, this seemingly unending and tumultuous shutdown saga remains far from over. The nation is now poised on the precipice of another cliffhanger, as this familiar plotline is set to replay itself once again in mid-November, when another deadline ominously approaches. As the world is watching, a familiar pattern is playing out in Washington, with elected officials acting more interested in political brinkmanship and rhetorical gymnastics than in governing responsibly and efficiently. Perhaps those U.S. politicians are convinced that the government runs on the sheer force of rhetoric and not on money. Passing a budget, the cornerstone of responsible governance and the basic responsibility of the Congress, is a Herculean task for those who cannot resist the allure of partisan grandstanding. At the heart of this issue is the inability of lawmakers from across the aisle to come to a consensus on essential matters such as the federal budget. One of the primary culprits behind this recurring problem is the hyper-partisanship that has taken root in Washington. This stark partisan division makes it increasingly challenging to pass comprehensive legislation, including budgets, without resorting to stopgap measures and short-term fixes. According to a Pew Research Center study, just four times in over five decades has Congress enacted all its required appropriations measures on time. No wonder the approval rate of the Congress is dismally low. Americans and the world have long been witnessing the show of miserable dysfunction, with budgetary disputes and partisan squabbles taking center stage while essential legislation languishes in limbo. It is almost as if those politicians enjoy pushing the boundaries of political theater while leaving the American people to bear the brunt of their inability to get the job done. After all, it is not those elites in Capitol Hill whose salaries will be affected by a government shutdown. In the hallowed halls of Washington, Democrats and Republicans are doing nothing other than trading barbs and pointing fingers at each other. It is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, except both the pot and the kettle seem to suffer from severe memory lapses regarding their core and basic responsibilities. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC decreased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report) by 4.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,333 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 308 shares during the period. iShares Russell 2000 ETF comprises 1.3% of Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $1,373,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in IWM. Annapolis Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 94.7% during the 1st quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 148 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 450.0% during the 1st quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP now owns 154 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Tandem Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Cowen Prime Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, 25 LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 ETF Stock Down 0.5 % Shares of IWM stock traded down $0.84 on Friday, hitting $176.74. The companys stock had a trading volume of 36,689,028 shares, compared to its average volume of 24,782,736. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a fifty-two week low of $162.50 and a fifty-two week high of $199.26. The firms fifty day moving average price is $186.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $182.22. iShares Russell 2000 ETF Company Profile iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Harrington Investments INC grew its position in shares of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC Free Report) by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 36,329 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,050 shares during the quarter. Harrington Investments INCs holdings in Honda Motor were worth $1,101,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Glenmede Trust Co. NA boosted its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 4.6% during the third quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 9,872 shares of the companys stock valued at $212,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 5.1% during the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 10,862 shares of the companys stock valued at $288,000 after acquiring an additional 523 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 7.5% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 7,979 shares of the companys stock valued at $225,000 after acquiring an additional 557 shares during the period. Two Sigma Advisers LP boosted its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 2.0% during the first quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 30,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $805,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares during the period. Finally, Guild Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Honda Motor by 1.2% during the second quarter. Guild Investment Management Inc. now owns 53,189 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,612,000 after acquiring an additional 614 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.32% of the companys stock. Get Honda Motor alerts: Honda Motor Price Performance Honda Motor stock traded down $1.20 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $33.64. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,249,586 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,004,294. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $32.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $29.78. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has a 12 month low of $21.43 and a 12 month high of $36.82. The company has a market capitalization of $57.54 billion, a PE ratio of 8.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 0.77. Analysts Set New Price Targets Honda Motor ( NYSE:HMC Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 9th. The company reported $1.60 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.99 by $0.61. Honda Motor had a net margin of 5.11% and a return on equity of 7.73%. The firm had revenue of $33.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $33.57 billion. Analysts anticipate that Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will post 3.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. HMC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. UBS Group cut shares of Honda Motor from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, July 6th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Honda Motor from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. Nomura cut shares of Honda Motor from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Honda Motor in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Finally, Macquarie upgraded shares of Honda Motor from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. View Our Latest Research Report on Honda Motor About Honda Motor (Free Report) Honda Motor Co, Ltd. develops, manufactures, and distributes motorcycles, automobiles, power, and other products in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Motorcycle Business, Automobile Business, Financial Services Business, and Power Product and Other Businesses. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Honda Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Honda Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report) by 12.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,307 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 317 shares during the period. Benedetti & Gucer Inc.s holdings in American Express were worth $402,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sheets Smith Wealth Management purchased a new stake in American Express during the 1st quarter worth about $448,000. Chelsea Counsel Co. acquired a new position in shares of American Express in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of American Express in the 2nd quarter valued at about $35,000. Steward Financial Group LLC lifted its position in American Express by 104.9% during the 1st quarter. Steward Financial Group LLC now owns 211 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Focused Wealth Management Inc lifted its position in American Express by 1,400.0% during the 1st quarter. Focused Wealth Management Inc now owns 225 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.08% of the companys stock. Get American Express alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have issued reports on AXP. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on American Express from $149.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday. Robert W. Baird lowered American Express from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, July 6th. 3M restated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a report on Friday, June 30th. StockNews.com lowered American Express from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 20th. Finally, 51job reaffirmed a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $173.12. American Express Price Performance Shares of NYSE:AXP traded down $1.04 during trading on Friday, hitting $149.19. 3,579,475 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,812,248. The businesss 50 day moving average is $160.53 and its 200-day moving average is $162.45. The company has a market capitalization of $109.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a quick ratio of 1.59, a current ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. American Express has a 1-year low of $130.65 and a 1-year high of $182.15. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $15.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.41 billion. American Express had a net margin of 12.99% and a return on equity of 29.26%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that American Express will post 11.13 earnings per share for the current year. American Express Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 5th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.61%. American Expresss payout ratio is 24.42%. About American Express (Free Report) American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Global Consumer Services Group, Global Commercial Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. Its products and services include payment and financing products; network services; accounts payable expense management products and services; and travel and lifestyle services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD Free Report) by 1.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 25,465 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 411 shares during the quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $4,540,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in GLD. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its stake in SPDR Gold Shares by 99,414.3% during the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 23,805,806 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,243,861,000 after buying an additional 23,781,884 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 67,584.6% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,037,008 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $515,198,000 after purchasing an additional 3,032,521 shares during the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its holdings in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 77.6% in the 1st quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 5,340,797 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $978,543,000 after buying an additional 2,333,468 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 256.0% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,142,717 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $206,432,000 after buying an additional 821,773 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fullerton Fund Management Co Ltd. grew its stake in SPDR Gold Shares by 4,847.1% in the 4th quarter. Fullerton Fund Management Co Ltd. now owns 622,043 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $105,523,000 after buying an additional 609,469 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.99% of the companys stock. Get SPDR Gold Shares alerts: SPDR Gold Shares Price Performance NYSEARCA:GLD traded down $1.78 on Friday, hitting $171.45. The company had a trading volume of 10,427,383 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,619,000. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $178.30 and a two-hundred day moving average of $181.38. SPDR Gold Shares has a 52 week low of $150.57 and a 52 week high of $191.36. SPDR Gold Shares Profile SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares). Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for SPDR Gold Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR Gold Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report) by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,807 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 464 shares during the quarter. iShares Russell 2000 ETF accounts for approximately 0.5% of International Assets Investment Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. International Assets Investment Management LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $4,084,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 74.7% during the 1st quarter. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,235 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $399,000 after buying an additional 956 shares during the period. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 4,917 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $877,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Financial Insights Inc. increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 10.6% during the 1st quarter. Financial Insights Inc. now owns 2,229 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $398,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. SkyOak Wealth LLC increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 13.6% during the 1st quarter. SkyOak Wealth LLC now owns 2,051 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $366,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Finally, London Co. of Virginia increased its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 14.9% during the 1st quarter. London Co. of Virginia now owns 52,904 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $9,438,000 after purchasing an additional 6,841 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Russell 2000 ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 ETF Trading Down 0.5 % IWM stock opened at $176.74 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $186.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $182.22. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 1 year low of $162.50 and a 1 year high of $199.26. About iShares Russell 2000 ETF iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legacy Advisors LLC lowered its stake in The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report) by 32.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,099 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after selling 5,274 shares during the period. Legacy Advisors LLCs holdings in TJX Companies were worth $941,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 79,610,111 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $6,238,248,000 after buying an additional 2,579,986 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its stake in TJX Companies by 11.0% during the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 48,901,281 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $3,831,904,000 after purchasing an additional 4,862,540 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in TJX Companies by 88.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 26,619,778 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $2,118,935,000 after purchasing an additional 12,468,119 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in TJX Companies by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 20,891,507 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $1,632,900,000 after purchasing an additional 209,152 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in TJX Companies by 90,089.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 19,788,543 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $1,575,168,000 after purchasing an additional 19,766,602 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.28% of the companys stock. Get TJX Companies alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes TJX has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on TJX Companies from $104.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. Piper Sandler initiated coverage on TJX Companies in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. They set an overweight rating and a $110.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on TJX Companies from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. StockNews.com started coverage on TJX Companies in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital raised their price target on TJX Companies from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $95.42. Insider Transactions at TJX Companies In other news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 45,000 shares of TJX Companies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.04, for a total value of $4,006,800.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 642,098 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,172,405.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 45,000 shares of TJX Companies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.04, for a total value of $4,006,800.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 642,098 shares of the companys stock, valued at $57,172,405.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Chairman Carol Meyrowitz sold 64,817 shares of TJX Companies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.13, for a total value of $5,906,773.21. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 135,050 shares in the company, valued at $12,307,106.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 114,014 shares of company stock valued at $10,291,303. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. TJX Companies Price Performance NYSE:TJX opened at $88.88 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $89.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $82.76. The stock has a market cap of $101.69 billion, a PE ratio of 26.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.89. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $59.78 and a 52 week high of $93.78. TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 16th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $0.85 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $12.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.45 billion. TJX Companies had a return on equity of 62.61% and a net margin of 7.77%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.69 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 3.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. TJX Companies Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 9th will be issued a $0.3325 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 8th. This represents a $1.33 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.50%. TJX Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 39.00%. About TJX Companies (Free Report) The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, kids, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TJX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TJX Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TJX Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tower Bridge Advisors cut its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 30.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 42,134 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 18,471 shares during the quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $4,593,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 97,996.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 2,101,555,797 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $229,111,613,000 after purchasing an additional 2,099,413,455 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $4,278,132,000 after purchasing an additional 4,886,954 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 31,196,788 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,151,497,000 after purchasing an additional 598,164 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 104,649.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,247,436 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,320,866,000 after purchasing an additional 30,218,560 shares during the period. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 40.5% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 20,820,152 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,108,249,000 after acquiring an additional 6,003,997 shares during the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 1.3 % ABT opened at $96.85 on Friday. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $93.25 and a 1-year high of $115.83. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $104.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $105.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock has a market cap of $168.07 billion, a PE ratio of 33.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.32 and a beta of 0.68. Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.03. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.50% and a net margin of 12.83%. The business had revenue of $9.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.71 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.43 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.4 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 13th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 12th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 69.62%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 10,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total transaction of $1,092,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,829,785.81. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.76, for a total value of $5,688,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 6,775,316 shares in the company, valued at $770,759,948.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 10,400 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total value of $1,092,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,829,785.81. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Mizuho upped their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $112.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Wolfe Research raised Abbott Laboratories from an underperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Friday, July 21st. StockNews.com began coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $127.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.82. View Our Latest Analysis on Abbott Laboratories About Abbott Laboratories (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chicago Capital LLC lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 4,929.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 81,384 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 79,766 shares during the quarter. Thermo Fisher Scientific comprises 1.9% of Chicago Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Chicago Capital LLCs holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $42,462,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.7% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 681,679 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $392,899,000 after purchasing an additional 24,376 shares during the last quarter. American Trust raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 13.2% in the first quarter. American Trust now owns 6,743 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $3,886,000 after purchasing an additional 784 shares during the last quarter. Sterling Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the second quarter worth about $1,074,000. First Manhattan CO. LLC. grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 11.2% during the first quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 724,844 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $417,779,000 after acquiring an additional 72,792 shares during the period. Finally, Verity Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 83.4% during the first quarter. Verity Asset Management Inc. now owns 820 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $473,000 after acquiring an additional 373 shares during the period. 87.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $549.00, for a total transaction of $5,490,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 141,330 shares in the company, valued at $77,590,170. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $549.00, for a total transaction of $5,490,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 141,330 shares in the company, valued at $77,590,170. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 3,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $557.77, for a total value of $1,673,310.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 17,556 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,792,210.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 28,700 shares of company stock worth $15,799,270. 0.32% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance NYSE TMO opened at $506.17 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $195.36 billion, a PE ratio of 34.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.77. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $535.13 and its 200-day simple moving average is $538.28. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1-year low of $475.77 and a 1-year high of $609.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 1.02. Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $5.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.43 by ($0.28). The firm had revenue of $10.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.99 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.14% and a return on equity of 18.59%. The businesss revenue was down 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $5.51 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 22.37 EPS for the current fiscal year. Thermo Fisher Scientific Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.28%. Thermo Fisher Scientifics payout ratio is 9.57%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently commented on TMO. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $505.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Raymond James raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $595.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 28th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $662.00 to $698.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Credit Suisse Group raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $620.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $670.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $627.13. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the United States and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, clinical next-generation sequencing, bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Iraqi Investigation Concludes Fireworks As Reason for Assyrian Wedding Fire, Church Rejects Results Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul Benedictus Younan Hanno (left) and Iraq's Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari. ( Rudaw) Iraq's interior ministry on Sunday announced that the tragic fire at a Hamdaniya [Baghdede in Assyrian] banquet hall was "accidental", noting that the fire was caused as a result of contact between a fire source with highly flammable material inside the banquet hall, and the Syriac Catholic Church has rejected the results. "The investigation committee conclusively found out that the incident was accidental and it was not intentional at all," Major General Kadhim Salman Buhan, advisor to the Iraqi interior minister said in a press conference in Baghdad. Buhan stated that the fire was caused by negligence and the use of prohibited, highly flammable construction materials in the hall. "The decoration material in the ceiling of the hall was artificial straw highly sensitive to heat, and the usage of four devices to activate fireworks simultaneously was one of the main reasons for the fire," he added. Iraq's Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari, said that the investigative committee has recommended recognizing the victims of the Hamdaniya incident as martyrs. In addition, the committee has recommended the dismissal of Hamdaniya's mayor, the head of the Iraqi civil defense, and several other officials in the Christian-majority district. Minutes following the press conference, the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul Benedictus Younan Hanno slammed the results of the investigation committee and that the church rejected the results of the investigations. "We rejected it [the results], we don't accept it. Now we will meet with the religious leaders in the area and we will have a decision regarding this matter within 24 hours," said Archbishop Hanno. The archbishop added that they also refuse the recommendations of dismissal to the heads of the directorates of the district, "I feel that there are political conspiracies behind these dismissals," he said. Mosul's Archbishop said that there are political parties who try to use the tragedy for political gains, adding that he calls on his people to boycott the elections. "I call on all the Christian people who are with us, and those who are associated to me, to boycott the elections," said the Archbishop, saying that this might be their official stance within 24 hours. "We want a fight against real corrupt people and a report that quenches our thirst," He said, adding that they reject the conclusion of fireworks being the main reason for the fire, "there are tens of videos showing that it they were not the reason." Some 1,000 people were celebrating the wedding of Haneen, the bride, and Rivan, the groom, in a banquet hall in the Iraqi northern town of Hamdaniya on Tuesday night. Their joy soon turned into a tragedy after a fire broke out and killed over 100 party-goers. Funeral processions for dozens of the victims are being held in Hamdaniya since Wednesday. Hamdaniya is one of Iraq's only Christian-majority districts, located in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul, a historic Assyrian region. Like many Christian towns in the Nineveh Plains, it was taken over by Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists during their brazen sweep of northern Iraq, where they declared a so-called "caliphate" and inflicted grave atrocities on minority groups, including Christians. Ithaca Energy, together with Equinor (the Operator), have announced that they have taken the final investment decision to progress Phase 1 of the Rosebank development on the UK Continental Shelf, together investing $3.8 billion in the development. The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) granted consent for the development of the field on 27 September 2023. Ithaca Energy owns a 20 per cent working interest in Rosebank. The Rosebank field is located around 130 kilometres north-west of Shetland. Recoverable resources are estimated at around 300 million barrels of oil from phase 1 and 2, with Phase 1 targeting an estimated 245 million barrels of oil. The field will be developed with subsea wells tied back to a redeployed Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), with first production expected in 2026-2027. The Rosebank field will produce in excess of 21 MMSCF of natural gas every day, the equivalent to the daily use of Aberdeen City. The Rosebank development has been optimised to reduce carbon emissions, in line with the North Sea Transition Deal, with the FPSO designed to be electrification-ready. Ithaca Energy and Equinor continue to collaborate with government and industry stakeholders to pursue a regional solution for power from shore to Rosebank and nearby fields with the objective of minimising carbon emissions from production. According to Socioeconomic report prepared by Wood Mackenzie and Voar Energy, the Rosebank development is expected to lead to 8.1 billion of total direct investment, of which 78 per crent is likely to be invested in UK-based businesses. It is expected to support around 1,600 jobs during the height of the construction phase of the project, and it will continue to support approx. 450 UK-based jobs during the lifetime of the field. The following contracts have been awarded in relation to the development: TechnipFMC has been awarded an integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation (iEPCI) contract for subsea production systems, umbilicals, risers and flowlines with an estimated value of $500 million derived locally. TechnipFMC has estimated that more than half of the contract value will be generated from local activities across the UK, with a large portion in Scotland. Project management and engineering activities will be performed mainly from Aberdeen and tree systems will be manufactured in Dunfermline. Umbilicals will be produced in Newcastle, pipelines will be fabricated in Evanton and the main vessel mobilisation site will also be in the UK. In addition, several other fabrication sites in the UK will contribute to the project. Odjfell Drilling has been awarded a rig contract, with an estimated value of $328 million including options, integrated services and other modifications. The Deepsea Atlantic mobile rig is scheduled to start a seven-well drilling campaign in the second quarter of 2025, and an additional four single well options are included. Altera has been awarded a bareboat charter and an operations and maintenance contract related to the Petrojarl Knarr FPSO which is set to be deployed for Rosebank on a firm contract for nine years, with options up to a total of 25 years. Gilad Myerson, Executive Chairman, Ithaca Energy, commented: We are delighted to announce the decision to move forward with the Rosebank development alongside Equinor. Rosebank stands as the largest undeveloped field in the UK, and with the receipt of development consent from the NSTA, we are now poised to embark on a journey that will not only provide critically important domestic energy but also ignite substantial economic impact. The Rosebank project will create thousands of jobs and contribute significantly to securing the UKs energy needs for many years to come. Alan Bruce, Chief Executive Officer, Ithaca Energy, commented: Ithaca Energy continues to deliver against its stated strategy and demonstrate its commitment to investing in the UK North Sea. We look forward to expanding our working partnership with Equinor to deliver one of the lowest emission intensity assets in the UK. The Rosebank development represents a significant investment in the UK and Scotland, and we are delighted to be supporting our local supply chain. A girl dressed in indigenous costumes dances at a commemoration event during the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Canada marked the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, commemorating the tragic history of residential schools. The annual event, also known as Orange Shirt Day, was established as a federal statutory holiday in 2021 to remember thousands of children who died while being forced to attend church-run and government-funded residential schools and reflect on the ongoing impacts on survivors, their families and communities. The day was introduced in response to one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 calls for action. On Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to support the families of indigenous communities still searching for their children who never returned home. "We confront the lasting impacts of the residential school system for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis in Canada. We come together to remember the children who were stolen from their communities and those whose lives were stolen from them at these so-called schools. We honor the Survivors, many of whom suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. We listen to their truths, and we reiterate our commitment to building a better future for Indigenous Peoples and for everyone in Canada," Trudeau said. "The Government of Canada will be there every step of the way to provide them with the resources they need to fully uncover the truth of what happened at residential schools, honor the children who did not return, and support communities as they continue on their healing journeys," Trudeau said. The prime minister also said that one must never forget the past and the injustices committed against the indigenous people at residential schools, as well as the intergenerational trauma that remains today. As part of the annual commemorative program, Canadian people gathered in communities in various parts of the country. Trudeau attended the event held in Lac La Ronge in the Saskatchewan province, while hundreds of survivors, indigenous leaders and other dignitaries attended the national commemorative gathering held on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Between 1867 and 1998, over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Metis children were taken from their families and communities and forced to attend residential schools, where they were banned from speaking their languages and practicing their cultures and traditions, according to the Canadian authorities. Those children had to endure physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and never returned home. A girl dressed in indigenous costumes dances at a commemoration event during the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) People dressed in indigenous costumes dance at a commemoration event during the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) People take part in a commemoration event during the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) People take part in a march during an event commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) People take part in a march during an event commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) People watch a dance performed by an indigenous child during an event commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) People take part in a march during an event commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sept. 30, 2023. Canada observed its third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Saturday, reflecting about the tragedy of residential schools and honoring lost children and survivors of the notorious indigenous residential school system in the country. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) [October 01, 2023] Pogust Goodhead and Gramercy Funds Management LLC Announce $552.5 Million Investment Partnership Tweet Pogust Goodhead, a global law firm, and Gramercy Funds Management LLC ("Gramercy"), today announced that they have entered into a $552.5 million investment partnership in the form of a secured loan by Gramercy to Pogust Goodhead. This loan is the largest of its kind in a U.K. based law firm. The loan transaction strengthens the firm's financial power, ensuring Pogust Goodhead has ample funds to continue its litigation across the world and on behalf of environmental victims of corporate giants such as: BHP Group (BHP.AX), BMW (BMWG.DE), Fiat Chrysler (STLAM.MI), Ford (F), Honda (7267.T), Hyundai (005380.KS), Jaguar/Land Rover (JLR), Mazda (7261.T), Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE), Peugeot/Citroen (PEUG.PA), Renault Nissan (RENA.PA), Toyota (7203.T), Vauxhall (STLAM.MI), Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE), and Volvo AB (VOLVb.ST). The loan proceeds will fund the largest action of its kind against two of the biggest mining companies in the world - BHP Group (BHP.AX) and Vale (VALE3.SA) - for their part in the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil. Pogust Goodhead is representing over 720,000 victims of Brazil's worst ever environmental disaster, with a trial date set for October 2024 in London. The loan proceeds will also support Pogust Goodhead's litigation against 14 major automobile manufacturers over the Dieselgate scandal, on behalf of approximately one million U.K. consumers. Tom Goodhead, Global Managing Partner and CEO of Pogust Goodhead, said: "We are delighted to secure this major investment that will transform our business and give us the financial power to take on some of the largest companies in the world on behalf of millions of people. This landmark deal shows that global investors have good faith in the outcome of our cases. This investment will not only ensure that we bring our existing cases home, but we are putting global corporate giants on notice that we have the financial muscle to take them on for their wrongdoing. We are taking on some of the largest companies in the world. These companies have access to infinite resources to litigate against these cases. This deal levels the playing field and gives us the ability to go toe-to-toe with them. We are not trying to destroy these companies. We are taking them on for corporate misconduct, anti-competitive behaviour, corporate harm and misuse of the environment. The cases we are taking will set the bar for how serious we are, as a global society, about ensuring that big business is held accountable and pholds its obligations and responsibilities to the communities in which it operates." Harris Pogust, Chairman of Pogust Goodhead, said: "Our mission is to defend the rights of those who have been wronged by some of the world's largest multinational companies. In just the past two years we have secured historic settlements against British Airways and Volkswagen. We currently represent over one million individuals regarding the Dieselgate scandal. Additionally, we are handling the largest mass action in English history against the world's two biggest mining companies. We are just beginning the journey to bring justice to those who most deserve it no matter where they reside and regardless of the size and perceived power of the corporate wrongdoer. This transaction with Gramercy, a firm with deep expertise in litigation finance and patient capital, gives us the ability to bring the fight to any wrongdoer. They are now on notice that it is in their financial interests and those of their shareholders to settle or face a firm with both the financial resources and litigation skills to obtain the justice our clients rightly deserve. We are extremely excited to have Gramercy as an investor and as a partner as we seek global justice for the millions of clients we currently represent and the millions yet to come." Robert Koenigsberger, Managing Partner and CIO of Gramercy Funds Management, said: "We are pleased to be partnering with Pogust Goodhead. The firm has an exceptional track record and we have been impressed by the team and their approach to complex litigation. Allocating to this transaction is clearly consistent with Gramercy's mission to positively impact the well-being of our clients, portfolio companies, and their communities. The investment materially aligns with our ESG and impact investing objectives. We are proud to play a part in helping Pogust Goodhead seek justice for some of the worst environmental actions over the past few decades." About Pogust Goodhead Founded by Harris Pogust and Tom Goodhead in 2018, Pogust Goodhead is an international law firm headquartered in London, England. Its growing global partnership consists of over 100 lawyers and more than 500 staff members, all working to help individuals, groups, and businesses access fair and tangible justice. The firm has been described as "the first legal unicorn", following a trajectory more like a Fintech start up than a traditional law firm. Pogust Goodhead represents 1.9 million clients in cases across the world, seeking billions of dollars in damages. Since its formation, Pogust Goodhead has become a world leader in environmental litigation. In 2022 the firm secured a landmark, unanimous judgment from the Court of Appeal that allows victims of the Mariana dam disaster to seek redress against BHP and now Vale, in the Courts of England and Wales. The firm's cases against corporate giants TUV SUD, Norsk Hydro and Braskem are all centered around providing redress for claimants who have suffered through a total disregard for the environment they inhabit. Pogust Goodhead is also at the cutting edge of international consumer claims, including historic settlements in the Volkswagen NOx Emissions Group Litigation in May 2022 and the victims of the British Airways Data Breach in 2021. About Gramercy Funds Management Gramercy is a dedicated emerging markets investment manager based in Greenwich, Conn., with offices in London, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Founded in 1998, Gramercy serves a global institutional client base and seeks to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns through a comprehensive approach to emerging markets supported by a transparent and robust institutional platform. Gramercy offers both alternative and long-only strategies across emerging markets asset classes including multi-asset, private credit, public credit, and special situations. Gramercy is a Registered Investment Adviser with the SEC and a Signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a Signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative and a Supporter of TCFD. Gramercy Ltd, an affiliate, is registered with the FCA. For more information, please visit www.gramercy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231001679557/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Once again Angel Candice inspires our peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Sounds Like Autumn 10 Kansas City concerts you really ought to see this October As temperatures fall and outdoor performers take the show inside, these aural options offer the most bang for your buck. Whether it's bluegrass, Bach, or sludge rock that you get down to, Kansas City's live music scene has something to offer. Rolling Toward Doom Man with one hand on bike, other hand holding beer crashes into moving truck KCPD reported a collision between a bicycle and a truck that sent the cyclist to the hospital with critical injuries. Tasty Kansas City Talent Meet 3 Emerging KC Barbecue Movers and Shakers Meet three people who are working behind the scenes to promote Kansas City's most iconic food as teams gather for the American Royal World Series of Barbecue. Celebrate Culinary Ability Blind Butt BBQ smokes stereotypes at KC's World Series of Barbecue Blind Butt Limitless BBQ is the first blind team to compete in Kansas City's American Royal World Series of Barbecue. Paddy Cheers Pop Diva Patrick Mahomes confirms he met Taylor Swift at Chiefs after-party: 'She's really cool' Mahomes did meet Swift -- and wouldn't discuss more Candice Cont'd Victoria's Secret Teased Its Upcoming "Tour" at Model-Heavy New York Fashion Week Fete The involvement of Aldridge, Swanepoel, Campbell, and others cemented the night as a homecoming as well as a restart. White House Winning Record??? It's going to be hard to talk Biden out of running for president because the people who said that last time were totally wrong Many Democrats think that Biden might not be their best shot to run for president, but that's not an argument he's likely to listen to. MAGA Silence Demanded Special counsel notes Trump's gun store visit and Milley remarks in push for gag order | CNN Politics Federal prosecutors have told a federal judge that if Donald Trump had bought a gun earlier this week during a campaign stop, he would be violating his release conditions as a criminal defendant and breaking the law, according to a Friday court filing. Political Prank Debated Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulls fire alarm ahead of vote to pass short-term funding bill The House Administration Committee is investigating why Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., pulled a fire alarm in a Capitol office building on Saturday, according to a post on social media by the committee. Red Army Threatens Escalation Ukraine-Russia war: Moscow 'may annex more of Ukraine' The special military operation will continue until the complete destruction of the Nazi regime in Kyiv, said Mr Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chair of Russias Security Council. War In Europe Spreading?!? NATO bolsters forces in Kosovo as US urges Serbia to withdraw from border White House calls Serbian military deployment 'very destabilizing.' Far East Accusations China says US is the true 'empire of lies' The United States is the true "empire of lies", the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday, lashing out at a U.S. State Department report that accused Beijing of ploughing billions of dollars annually into information manipulation efforts. Macabre South Of Border Reports Sick cartel video shows gangster in skull mask lead six Mexican teens to their death The video shows an armed cartel member in a skull mask leading the teens ages 14 to 18 who are dressed with black hoods over their faces obscuring their view and their hands tied behind their backs. Science Bumped Over Culture War Concern Conference cancels panel on biological sex in human skeletons over transphobia fears: Commits a 'cardinal sin' American Anthropological Association and The Canadian Anthropology Society canceled an event on the importance of studying biological sex so as not to offend the transgender community. Game Day Sneak Peek 5 things to watch as the Chiefs play the Jets on Sunday Night Football The Chiefs are looking to make it three wins in a row, getting a primetime stage to do so. Meet New Boss . . . Why Kauffman's new CEO just rolled out the blue carpet (and an ask) for Kansas City Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace wears the legacy of Ewing Kauffman on her shoulders, she said. Inspired by the Kauffman Foundation's namesake, the organization's new president and CEO opened the doors to its headquarters this week, offering insight into how she plans to lead with intention. Forecast For Now . . . Toasty for an autumn day Saturday will have high temperatures around 91 degrees; summer-like temperatures persist through most of the upcoming week. Emily Wolfe - The Slider is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Once again our blog community is the only news outlet which DARES to question flawed new KCI despite effusive praise from lesser journalists amid ongoing traffic concerns. And so . . . Winter is coming. And with increased traffic, KICK-ASS INSIDERS share deets of New KCI conversation that have never been disclosed to the public. The main point that will likely emerge as more travelers grow frustrated with the airport experience: INSIDERS BEGGED NEW KCI TO INCLUDE DEDICATED WALKWAYS FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE TERMINAL!!! Tragically . . . Fear of cost overruns shut down this VALID CONCERN. And now . . . Whilst critics and travelers continue to criticize the drop-off & pick-up situation because cars take too long to complete the process, they aren't looking at a key component of this hot mess. NEW KCI DIRECTS PEDESTRIANS INTO CROWDED & CONFUSED AIRPORT TRAFFIC!!! OMISSION OF DEDICATED WALKWAYS CONFIRMS CRITICISM OF CRITICAL AIRPORT DESIGN FLAWS!!! Again, insiders take us behind the scenes to show us how this mistake happened . . . "I told them this when they showed us the designs. There were several people who noticed how the airport lacks a lot of accessibility for people who need wheelchair access and travelers who have mobility issues," one insider said. "The new airport is a hike and any person who might have trouble walking or any ADA issue will find a great many challenges navigating this facility. Those begin at the parking lot and continue throughout the facility." So far . . Our blog www.TonysKansasCity.com community was among the FIRST to note traffic trouble. The airport responded by putting crossing guards at pedestrian routes that feed into busy traffic. Remember that old KCI had 3 underground walkway paths to each of its three terminals. Traffic assistance did not require the current crossing guard setup with employees using whistles & rushed hand signals throughout the night. Accordingly . . . Complaints about new KCI aren't just cynicism or nostalgia for the past but very real concerns for public safety. As we enter another busy travel season, it's worth noting that old KCI accessibility which protected travelers is now nothing more than a memory replaced by gender-neutral bathrooms, a world-class food court & an array of sketchy public art. Developing . . . Theres a movie coming out soon, Foe, and its based on a 2018 book called FOE. As we know, the best thing about a film adaptation is not the movie, but the reminder to read that book youd intended to read when it came out, but then a bunch more books came out and youre sorry and you wont let it happen again. This is how I eventually got around to reading Emma and The Da Vinci Code and why I still havent read The Corrections or Blood Meridian. And its why Ive just read this 2018 novel by a writer Ive been hearing about for years, whose work everyone whos ever mentioned it to me has liked. Its also why I recently spoke with the Kingston novelist, Iain Reid, about his second novel, FOE, and not to co-screenwriter Iain Reid, the until recently striking Writers Guild of America member, about Foe, the film about to be released by the until recently struck Amazon Studios. We spoke while the strike was still on (as it remains, at time of writing, for the Screen Actors Guild) and Reid was specific about his solidarity, and concerned that this interview not step over the line that forbade members from promoting struck work. The distinction between novelist and screenwriter, it turns out, was not difficult to maintain, because they are two very different people, though they sometimes work in close quarters. As it will please no other novelist reading this to learn, Reids first work of fiction, 2016s Im Thinking of Ending Things, was optioned by Charlie Kaufman the Oscar-and BAFTA-winning screenwriter behind Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind while he was in the middle of writing his second, which was in turn optioned eight months before it was published. And though he says he had some great conversations with Kaufman, he was at pains to ensure that none of it had any influence on his novel in progress. Id be frozen, he said, if he let any film thoughts into his novel-writing. I was already finished the first draft of the novel FOE when Charlie got in touch about Im Thinking of Ending Things, and was somewhere in the long, long process of revisions and rewrites. And reading FOE, its clear he didnt let himself get distracted. Though it starts with a visual cue Two headlights is the complete opening sentence the rest takes place almost entirely in an almost entirely undescribed barn, just as Im Thinking of Ending Things took place almost entirely in an almost entirely undescribed car. If Id gotten a call from Charlie Kaufman while he was preparing to adapt my first novel into a movie while I was writing my second even if I was already, as he described it, somewhere in the long, long process of revisions and rewrites I would have causally assumed Spielberg or Villeneuve would be interested in whatever I did next, and Id have inserted an appropriate number of challenging action sequences, children in peril, and/or prompts for moody, meditative long shots complete with hard grey or soft umber palettes described in understated yet filmically inspiring detail to tee things up for them. But Reids made of sterner stuff. For me, novel writing is a bit freer, he said. It has fewer restrictions and constraints than are implicit to screenwriting. Novel writing feels less regulated and also more like an end in itself, compared to screenwriting, which feels like a kind of detailed master plan that requires many additions and many future collaborators to complete. The only collaborators a novel needs for completion are an editor and a reader. Another reason is that all three of his novels depend heavily on their unreliable first-person narrators, which is a tough thing to pull off onscreen when, barring voice-overs, the narrator is essentially the director. Kaufman, being Kaufman, made some pretty idiosyncratic choices to tell his version of Reids story, including destabilizing timeline interventions, radically decontextualized framing, frequent references to the musical Oklahoma! and a lovely Oklahoma-unrelated dance sequence, none of which was in the book. Since Reid wasnt promoting the film being released by the struck company, we didnt talk much about the very different choices he and director/co-screenwriter Garth Davis (Top of the Lake, Lion) made. Like the opening text that sets the stage for us and a final scene that clarifies something the book heavily suggests but does not state. We also didnt discuss whether the title, rendered in all caps on the cover and title page, was meant to imply its an acronym, or whether its just a typographical choice. Though awkward and possibly pushing it, the top Google search result for an acronym is Field Operational Evaluation, which is one especially businesslike way of describing the action of the story. People tend to think of Reids haunting books as thrillers (Ive never thought of my novels as thrillers, he said, though I know some people read them that way and I dont mind that), although they might be better described as unsettlers. But the subtle, slow-burn act of unsettlement is something better suited to books than films. So, in addition to the aforementioned bookends, in place of the two protagonists jobs that are so vaguely described in the novel as to make the reader question whether theyre actually real, in the film theyre lividly lit facts. The movie also has spaceships. A screenplay is inherently limited, Reid said. Theres only a certain amount of space you can use, you have to be aware of budget and how were going to film this; its a lot more restricted and limiting in a way than the novel, where the only limitation is your imagination. Its a testament to just how much of a writers writer he is that he considers adding something like spaceships and subtracting something like a cool trick he does in the novel with quotation marks restricted and limiting, but hes also a big movie fan, and the chance to dive further into the biz is hard to resist. So while all this was going on, he wrote another screenplay, inspired by his recent experience of moving his 99-year-old grandmother into a care facility. And then promptly revised it into a novel, published last year as We Spread. And if that gets optioned, the film will almost certainly turn out to be not quite like either. Reids ideal in this respect is Under the Skin, both Michel Fabers 2000 novel and Jonathan Glazers famously divergent 2013 film adaptation. Thats a movie I love, Reid said. The book and the film both had various genre elements, lots of room for interpretation, but for me both the book and the movie were stand-alone things. So please do see the movie, its good, and the result of what Reid describes as a second draft not of his novel, but of what was behind the novel. But read the book first. Amazon Studios will release Foe theatrically on Oct. 13. Bert Archer has been writing about books and authors for the Toronto Star since 1996 and was, more recently, editor in chief of the Montreal Gazette. Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. But while the successes are well known, investors should not ignore the very many unprofitable companies that simply burn through all their cash and collapse. So should Access Intelligence (LON:ACC) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn. Check out our latest analysis for Access Intelligence How Long Is Access Intelligence's Cash Runway? You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. In May 2023, Access Intelligence had UK2.7m in cash, and was debt-free. In the last year, its cash burn was UK4.1m. Therefore, from May 2023 it had roughly 8 months of cash runway. Importantly, analysts think that Access Intelligence will reach cashflow breakeven in around 11 months. That means it doesn't have a great deal of breathing room, but it shouldn't really need more cash, considering that cash burn should be continually reducing. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. How Well Is Access Intelligence Growing? We reckon the fact that Access Intelligence managed to shrink its cash burn by 35% over the last year is rather encouraging. And operating revenue was up by 17% too. On balance, we'd say the company is improving over time. While the past is always worth studying, it is the future that matters most of all. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company. Can Access Intelligence Raise More Cash Easily? Since Access Intelligence revenue has been falling, the market will likely be considering how it can raise more cash if need be. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. Story continues Access Intelligence's cash burn of UK4.1m is about 5.5% of its UK75m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. Is Access Intelligence's Cash Burn A Worry? As you can probably tell by now, we're not too worried about Access Intelligence's cash burn. In particular, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap stands out as evidence that the company is well on top of its spending. While we must concede that its cash runway is a bit worrying, the other factors mentioned in this article provide great comfort when it comes to the cash burn. It's clearly very positive to see that analysts are forecasting the company will break even fairly soon. Looking at all the measures in this article, together, we're not worried about its rate of cash burn; the company seems well on top of its medium-term spending needs. Its important for readers to be cognizant of the risks that can affect the company's operations, and we've picked out 3 warning signs for Access Intelligence that investors should know when investing in the stock. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Who was responsible for the procurement of twenty wooden ladders for the Fire Service? It's The Office of the President of Ukraine has called on Portugal to contribute to the promotion of the Peace Formula in the international arena, including by involving the countries of the Global South. According to the presidents press service, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva met with a delegation headed by Secretary of State of the Ministry of Defense of Portugal Carlos Pires. Zhovkva thanked Portugal for its strong condemnation of Russia's military aggression and for its assistance in the defense, financial and humanitarian spheres. Pires praised the initiative of the Presidential Office to hold the Defense Industries Forum in Kyiv. This format is an impetus for future fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukrainian and foreign companies by establishing joint production of weapons, repair of equipment and development of defense technologies, he said. Zhovkva thanked Portugal for joining the tank coalition and for supporting the establishment of the aircraft coalition. The parties also discussed the involvement of Portugal in the implementation of certain points of the Peace Formula. The Deputy Head of the Presidential Office called on Portugal to assist in promoting the Peace Formula in the international arena, in particular by engaging the countries of the Global South. Photo: Presidents Office FILE PHOTO: Bill Ackman, chief executive officer and portfolio manager at Pershing Square Capital Management, speaks during the SALT conference in Las Vegas (Reuters) - Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd, said that it will pursue business combinations with privately-held companies after receiving regulatory approval from U.S regulators for distributing special purpose acquisition rights. The SPARC, an affiliate of billionaire investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Tontine Holdings Ltd, is targeting companies that seek to raise a minimum of $1.5 billion of capital, it said in a regulatory filing on Friday. Ackman's SPARC is a variation of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), the market for which has cooled since its peak in 2021 as investors nursed losses on many deals. Ackman, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, said that he would consider a transaction with Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter. Ackman added that he has no idea if X is interested and would still need to determine whether or not a deal is doable. Elon Musk in March reportedly offered X social-media company's employees stock grants at a valuation of about $20 billion, less than half the price he paid to acquire the platform, pointing to a drop in Twitter's value, which could make a deal with SPARC unlikely. X did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Jose Joseph in Bengaluru) The European Union's support for Ukraine is permanent and structured because the EU is facing an existential threat. This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, who spoke at a press conference at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Center, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Our support to Ukraine does not depend on how the war is going on in the next days or weeks. The Ukrainian soldiers are fighting with a lot of courage in front of impressive Russian defense fortifications. The satellite images show that in some cases, these fortifications are 25 km deep," he said. Borrell emphasized that the counteroffensive is complex and that landmines greatly complicate mechanized warfare and quicker advance. "Our support does not depend on the advances of one day. Its permanent, structured support because we are facing an existential threat for Europe, the official said. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities. And if we want them to be more successful, we have to provide them with better arms, and quicker," concluded the high representative of the EU. As reported, EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell arrived on a visit to Ukraine on Saturday. He visited Odesa, honored the fallen soldiers in Kyiv, and held his first personal meeting with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has said that the world must be prepared for Russia being aggressive and unpredictable. That's according to Yle, Ukrinform reports. "We need to be prepared for the fact that Russia can become aggressive and unpredictable," he said on the radio program "An Hour with the Prime Minister." At the same time, Orpo said that Finland would continue to support Ukraine until victory. According to him, Europe and the West hold the same position, despite some "signs of fatigue." "The war in Ukraine has been going on for two years. Support for Ukraine from the Finns has not decreased during this time. This figure is one of the highest in Europe," Orpo said. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 01st Oct, 2023) DUSHANBE, 1st October, 2023 (WAM) Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, led the UAE delegation to the Dushanbe International Investment Forum in Tajikistan, which was held on September 29-30, 2023. During the opening session of the forum, opportunities and promising sectors for investment in Tajikistan were reviewed, especially in the field of renewable energy and the food security sector. Economic reforms, including legislative and regulatory reforms related to improving the business environment, were also highlighted. During his participation in a panel discussion on "Green energy and the private sector's participation in developing the energy sector," Al Mazrouei praised the efforts of the Tajik government in creating a favorable investment environment. He affirmed the UAE's readiness to share its expertise and provide support to Tajikistan to achieve its goal of clean energy by 2030, especially in the field of renewable energy, infrastructure, transport, and the development of logistics corridors, as well as its leading role as a major investor in the world in these areas. At the end of the session, an MoU was signed by MW Energy, a subsidiary of Masdar, W Sole Proprietorship, and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, aimed at developing and investing in renewable energy projects. On the sidelines of the forum, Al Mazrouei met with Daler Juma, Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources, and discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy, renewable energy, and transport and logistics. At the end of the visit, Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of Tajikistan, received Al Mazrouei in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Saeed Mohamed Alariqi, and non-resident Ambassador to Tajikistan. Al Mazrouei conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to the leadership of Tajikistan and its friendly people. The meeting discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the UAE and Tajikistan in various fields, including renewable energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, and the financial and banking sector. Key Insights Institutions' substantial holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher implies that they have significant influence over the company's share price 51% of the business is held by the top 15 shareholders Insiders have sold recently Every investor in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 86% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk). Since institutional have access to huge amounts of capital, their market moves tend to receive a lot of scrutiny by retail or individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Arthur J. Gallagher. Check out our latest analysis for Arthur J. Gallagher What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Arthur J. Gallagher? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. Arthur J. Gallagher already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Arthur J. Gallagher's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Arthur J. Gallagher. The company's largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc., with ownership of 12%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 7.6% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 5.6% by the third-largest shareholder. Story continues Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 51% of the ownership is controlled by the top 15 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership. While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of Arthur J. Gallagher While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. We can report that insiders do own shares in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth US$556m. It is good to see this level of investment. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 13% stake in Arthur J. Gallagher. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Arthur J. Gallagher better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Arthur J. Gallagher that you should be aware of before investing here. But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. President Joe Biden has signed a bill to fund the U.S. government through mid-November and avoid a shutdown, less than an hour before money for federal agencies was set to run out. Biden posted a picture of himself signing the bill on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, late Saturday night. In the message, he urged Congress to get to work immediately to pass funding bills for the full fiscal year. The U.S. Senate, in a rare weekend meeting, approved a funding bill Saturday night, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature and averting a widely dreaded shutdown of the federal government. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-9 after winning approval in the House of Representatives, would fund the federal government through Nov. 17. The bill contains $16 billion in disaster aid sought by Biden but did not include money to help Ukraine in its war against Russias invasion. After the vote, Biden released a statement saying the bills passage prevented "an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans." "We will have avoided a shutdown," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement after the vote. "Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed. And the American people can breathe a sigh of relief." Had the bill not been approved by Congress and signed by the president by midnight Saturday, the federal government would have shut down. More than 4 million U.S. military service personnel and government workers would not be paid, although essential services, such as air traffic control and official border entry points would still be staffed. Pensioners might not get their monthly government payments in time to pay bills and buy groceries, and national parks could be closed. For days all of that seemed inevitable. The abrupt turn of events began Saturday when Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy changed tactics and put forward the funding bill that hard-line members of his Republican caucus opposed. The House passed the bill, 335-91. More Democrats supported it than Republicans, even though it does not contain aid for Ukraine, a priority for Biden, Democrats and many Senate Republicans. "Extreme MAGA Republicans have lost, the American people have won," top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries told reporters ahead of the vote. Republican Representative Lauren Boebert criticized the passage of the short-term stopgap bill. "We should have forced the Senate to take up the four appropriations bills that the House has passed. That should have been our play," she told CNN. "We should have forced them to come to the negotiating table, to come to conference, to hash out our differences." McCarthy is likely to face a motion from the right-wing members of his party to remove him as speaker. "If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try," McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. "But I think this country is too important." Watch related video by Veronica Balderas Iglesias: Ukraine aid still likely In his statement, Biden noted the lack of funding for Ukraine in the bill and said, "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted." Support for Ukraine remains strong in Congress and late Saturday night, a bipartisan group of Senate leadership members, led by Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, released a statement vowing to ensure the United States continues to provide critical and sustained security and economic support for Ukraine. NBC News quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying Biden and the Defense Department have funds to meet Ukraines battlefield needs "for a bit longer," but it is "imperative" that Congress pass a Ukraine funding bill soon. In the House, the lone Democrat to vote against the funding bill was Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. "Protecting Ukraine is in our national interest," he said. "This does look very chaotic, but this is not the first time it's happened," Todd Belt, director of the school of political management at The George Washington University, told VOA. "There is a price that has to be paid here. But that is the price of democracy. It does seem very messy sometimes. But eventually, usually you get some compromise." Such shutdowns have occurred four times in the last decade in the U.S., but often have lasted just a day or two until lawmakers reach a compromise to fully restart government operations. However, one shutdown that occurred during the administration of former President Donald Trump lasted 35 days, as he unsuccessfully sought funding to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Canadian Sikhs are grateful to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for giving voice to their fears and standing up to India at the risk of a severe backlash from New Delhi, which he said could be linked to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader. The Indian government considered Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot to death in June in British Columbia, a terrorist because of his advocacy for Khalistan, an independent Sikh state. India forcefully denied its involvement in Nijjar's slaying, which took place in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C. But Canadian Sikhs are unconvinced, and the minority who are active proponents of Khalistan are afraid. "There's a lot of fear," said Sentokh Singh, who was among the small group who protested in front of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa this week. "That's why we are here today." Both countries expelled diplomats in a tit-for-tat retaliation after Trudeau's bombshell announcement last week, but India has gone further, issuing a travel warning and halting visa issuance to Canadians. Trudeau's move risks derailing a strategic economic and political shift many Western countries are making toward India to counter China. It also distracted attention from his push to address cost-of-living concerns, which have weighed heavily on his popularity in opinion polls. Canada is home to about 770,000 Sikhs, the highest population outside the northern Indian state of Punjab, and the Indian government has for decades expressed its displeasure with some community members' outspoken support for Khalistan. Sikhs punch above their weight in Canadian politics. They have 15 members in the House of Commons, more than 4% of the seats, mostly from key battlegrounds in national elections, while comprising only about 2% of the Canadian population. Furthermore, one member is Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democrats, a left-leaning party that is supporting the Trudeau's minority government. Trudeau's "unsubstantiated allegations" seek to shift focus away from "Khalistani terrorists and extremists who have been provided shelter in Canada," India's foreign ministry said. Canada says Sikhs have a right to peaceful protest and there has been no evidence of violence, terrorist activity or wrongdoing. A friend of Nijjar's, Gurmeet Singh Toor, is an active member of the same temple and a Khalistan supporter. He was told in August by the federal police that his life might be "in peril," according to a document he was given by police that provided no details about the potential threat. The RCMP would not corroborate the document, saying it could increase the risk to the individual who received it. An insurgency seeking a Sikh homeland of Khalistan killed tens of thousands in the 1980s and 1990s and was crushed by India. It has almost no support in Punjab today. However, on Friday hundreds of Sikh activists staged a demonstration outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, in Punjab, demanding punishment for the Nijjar's killers. Mukhbir Singh, a member of the Ottawa Sikh Society, said Canadian Sikhs' views on Khalistan vary and everyone should be able to express their own opinion. He said Trudeau is sticking up for Canadian democratic values. "Prime Minister Trudeau has taken a stance" to make "paramount" the safety of its citizens, he said, even though the Canadian government does not support Khalistan. "In Canada, we have the right to express our opinions even if they don't align with the opinions of the government." Trudeau, the longest serving progressive leader in the G7 group of wealthy nations, is trailing badly in opinion polls. As he rolls out a series of measures to address cost-of-living concerns and tries to claw back support, the tensions with India have interfered with attempts to communicate those new policies, senior officials in Ottawa said. Suk Dhaliwal, a Sikh Liberal member of parliament for Surrey, told Reuters he is not a Khalistan separatist, but a Canadian, and Canadians have a right to protest peacefully. He said his constituents have suspected since June the involvement of the Indian government in Nijjars killing. "The community feels a bit relieved now that at least there is someone who has shown leadership to bring this message forward," Dhaliwal said. Hidden behind a heavy black curtain in one of the nation's busiest airports is Chicago's unsettling response to a growing population of asylum-seekers arriving by plane. Hundreds of migrants, from babies to the elderly, live inside a shuttle bus center at O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 1. They sleep on cardboard pads on the floor and share airport bathrooms. A private firm monitors their movements. Like New York and other cities, Chicago has struggled to house asylum-seekers, slowly moving people out of temporary spaces and into shelters and, in the near future, tents. But Chicago's use of airports is unusual, having been rejected elsewhere, and highlights the city's haphazard response to the crisis. The practice also has raised concerns about safety and the treatment of people fleeing violence and poverty. "It was supposed to be a stop-and-go place," said Vianney Marzullo, one of the few volunteers at O'Hare. "It's very concerning. It is not just a safety matter, but a public health matter." Some migrants stay at O'Hare for weeks, then are moved to police stations or manage to get into the few shelters available. Within weeks, Chicago plans to roll out winterized tents, something New York has done. Up to 500 people have lived at O'Hare simultaneously in a space far smaller than a city block, shrouded by a curtain fastened shut with staples. Their movements are monitored by a private company whose staff control who enters and exits the curtain. Sickness spreads quickly. The staffing company provides limited first aid and calls ambulances. A volunteer team of doctors visited once over the summer and their supplies were decimated. Chicago offers meals, but only at specific times and many foods are unfamiliar to the new arrivals. While migrants closer to Chicago's core have access to a strong network of volunteers, food and clothing donations at O'Hare are limited, due to airport security concerns. Most of the 14,000 immigrants who have arrived in Chicago during the last year have come from Texas, largely under the direction of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. As more migrants arrived, the city's existing services were strained. Officials struggled to find longer-term housing solutions while saying the city needed more help from the state and federal governments. Brandon Johnson took office in May and has proposed tents. Many migrants are from Venezuela, where a political, social and economic crisis in the past decade has pushed millions of people into poverty. At least 7.3 million have left, with many risking an often-harrowing route to the United States. Maria Daniela Sanchez Valera, 26, who passed through Panama's dangerous, jungle-clad Darien Gap with her 2-year-old daughter, arrived at O'Hare days ago. She fled her native Venezuela five years ago for Peru, where her daughter was born. After her daughter's father was killed, she left. "We come here with the intention of working, not with the intention of being given everything," she said. A recent Biden Administration plan to offer temporary legal status status, and the ability to work, to Venezuelans doesn't apply to her because she arrived after the deadline. She tries to keep the toddler entertained with walks around the terminal. On a recent day, a staff member told Valera to make her daughter stop running or else they would be kicked out. The company, Favorite Healthcare Staffing, said employees treat new arrivals with respect and it would investigate further. Valera said she wanted to take a train from the airport, but she didn't have the roughly $5 subway fare. "There are many people who have been able to get out and they say that in the garbage dumps you can get good clothes for the children," she added. Chicago began using the city's two international airports as temporary shelters as the number of migrants arriving by plane increased. Nearly 3,000 people who have arrived by plane since June have sought shelter. A handful live at Midway International Airport. When they need clothes or services, they walk 3 kilometers to a police station, volunteers say. At O'Hare, migrants have spread out beyond the curtain for more space, sleeping along windows. Travelers wheeling suitcases and airline staff catching buses whiz by, some stopping to take pictures. Chicago officials acknowledge using O'Hare isn't ideal, but say there aren't other options with a crisis they inherited. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, first deputy chief of staff, said Chicago is slowly building capacity to house people. The city has added 15 shelters since May and resettled about 3,000 people. They serve 190,000 meals weekly and partner with groups for medical care, but still rely heavily on volunteers to fill gaps. "Is it perfect? No. But what we have done is stood in our values to ensure that we live up to operationalizing a sanctuary city," she said. "We will continue to work on it, but we are holding the line." Other cities oppose using airports. At Boston's Logan International Airport, migrants who arrive overnight are given cots for a few hours before being sent elsewhere. Massport spokeswoman Jennifer Mehigan said Logan "is not the appropriate place" to stay. When reports of a possible federal plan to use the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey as a shelter surfaced recently, elected officials blasted the idea. "It is such a preposterous solution to the problems we have," said Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. "Who is going to secure these people? Who is going to feed them? Who is going to educate them? We really don't have any infrastructure to take care of them." Jhonatan Gelvez, a 21-year-old from Colombia, didn't plan to stay at O'Hare long, as he has a friend in Chicago. He teared up when he talked of being separated from his fiance en route to the U.S. Among his few belongings was a silver, anchor-shaped necklace she gave him. "Just by arriving here I feel peace," he said. "It is a country with many opportunities. I am very grateful." Yoli Cordova, 42, arrived at O'Hare days ago. She left Venezuela because she was discriminated against for her sexual orientation. She cried as she expressed relief at leaving but remained worried about her daughters in Venezuela. "I don't know if they're going to help me here," Cordova said. "I really don't know what to do, where to go." News of a hospital obstetrics department shutdown quickly became the number one searched topic on China's most popular chat platform this week, prompting discussions of what caused this, what comes next, and individual choices on having children or not. The topic was viewed more than 200 million times in 24 hours. Shortly thereafter, the topic was removed from microblogging site, Weibo, "in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and policies." Pengpai News, a leading online publication under the banner of Shanghai United Media Group with hundreds of reporters across the country, reported that multiple hospitals' obstetrics departments in Zhejiang and other provinces have closed. A declining number of women were going to the hospital to give birth, some hospital workers were quoted as saying. The report was posted by Toutiao, a Chinese news and information sharing platform, on Weibo. Readers speculate about domino effect "What comes next? Kindergarten shutdown? Elementary school shutdown? Middle school shutdown?" Concerns of a domino effect were among the most immediate response posted on Weibo. The report published by Pengpai News noted that hospitals in provinces including Jiangsu, Guangxi and Guangdong appeared to use the same line in explaining their obstetrics units' shutdown to ensure the health and safety of pregnant women and newborns. However, this line of argument was questioned. "When are they going to come clean and say the obvious?" social media users asked. "A few years ago, some 17 million births were recorded each year, but the number fell drastically to some 9 million last year, it's only logical that half of the obstetrics departments be shut down. Accordingly, half of the kindergartens will be shut down, followed by many elementary schools, middle schools, colleges and universities closing their doors," read a message posted in group discussions posted under the topic. Uncertain job prospects, a high cost of living, the government's tight control over childbirth and other disquieting aspects of life emerged in this week's discussion on why young women and men have chosen not to have children, echoing sentiments expressed by the public in recent years. China's population registered negative growth last year. The last time the country experienced negative population growth was during the Great Famine in the 1960s that killed millions of people. It followed the disastrous "Great Leap Forward" movement the communists pushed the country through soon after taking power in 1949. China's shrinking population has been linked to constraints on its future power, ending speculation that China is "10 feet tall," while showing time may not be on China's side in the great power game, Michael E. O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution and others point out. A nearly identical message posted by two netizens who didn't seem to know each other was "liked" the most by the nearly 300 million viewers who saw the topic on Weibo. Their message was simple: "If childbirth is to be done for the state, shouldn't the state be responsible for all costs involved? If it is to be a part of an individual's life, then please respect each individual's choice on this matter." More than 8,000 people liked their message. 'What are we to do?' asks user "It's always been said that 'country before family.' Gradually, you'll discover that only if there's man/woman, will there be family, and only if there are families, will there be country. The founding blocks of a human society is each and every individual; [the state] ought to treat people in a kinder manner " This comment received more than 500 likes in the first few hours of it being posted. A post that said, "it's certain [bad] foreign forces had a hand in guiding our young women to be too picky in finding partners to marry and have children" received a single "like." A Weibo user who describes themselves as a "true offspring of poor peasants" shared his/her frustration at various official policies the communist party of China has rolled out: "[the government] complains that the number of newborns are too few, the number of college grads are too many, to be 35 is too old [to be hired], to retire at age 60 is too early What are we to do?" Topic disappears from Weibo A young woman reiterated her vow on Weibo not to have children: "Thirty years from today, I will be rolling my own wheelchair when I move into an empty flat dwelling, fulfilling my vow to live out this life in flat dwelling." Her post received 2,912 likes in less than 24 hours. While it's unclear what the young woman might have meant by "flat dwelling," "lie flat," or tang-ping, has been used by the younger generation of Chinese to mean choosing to "do nothing" with officially sanctioned social and commercial activities. Last year, when China still exercised stringent COVID lockdown controls, a young couple told police who threatened to punish their offspring should they continue to disobey lockdown orders "there will be no more offsprings." That video clip was seen by many in the country, as Reggie Littlejohn, a longtime advocate for women and girls' rights, noted in a recent essay on China's one-child policy, which began in 1980 but has since been revised to a two-child and now three-child policy. "[The country's] population advantage and associated profitability are now fading," noted messages left on Weibo this week. The topic "multiple hospitals' obstetrics department are shutting down" was viewed by literally tens of millions of people each hour since the article was posted Wednesday evening by Toutiao. By 6:30 a.m. Thursday, it had 140 million views. Less than three hours later, that number nearly doubled to 260 million views. Later that day, anyone interested in the topic could no longer find it on Weibo. "In accordance with relevant laws, regulations and policies, this topic's content is not being shown, some results below" was the message that greeted those who went to the link. By Thursday evening, the topic that ranked Number 1 on Weibo's search list was nowhere to be seen among the top 50 topics. On Friday, some reposting of the news report by official media was still available, including those posted by Henan provincial government and Xinhua news agency's Guangdong provincial branch. A number of commentaries that showed up earlier on a Chinese-language Google search were no longer available Friday. Before the topic was taken down, China's police made their presence known to people paying attention to the topic on Weibo. The Guang-An district's public security bureau in Sichuan province posted a "good morning" message below the topic at 6:44 a.m. local time Thursday. "If one's heart can't find a resting place," said the message, "he/she is [doomed] to be in exile wherever he/she is." The president of the European Parliament said Sunday she has conveyed the legislative bodys support for the appointment of a United Nations envoy to evaluate the chances of resuming stalemated talks to reunify ethnically divided Cyprus. Roberta Metsola said she personally communicated the position of the European Union's legislature to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York last month. Metsola said she told Guterres that Europe would never be complete as long as Cyprus remains divided. This is not just a Cyprus question, but it is a European question, she said after talks with the island nation's President Nikos Christodoulides. Metsola also attended a military parade Sunday to mark the 63rd anniversary of Cyprus independence from British colonial rule. Christodoulides told reporters Sunday that consultations continue on the appointment of a U.N. envoy. He has made resuming reunification talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots a focal point of his Greek Cypriot administration. The talks have been in a deep freeze since the last attempt at a peace deal ended in the summer of 2017. Prior to that, numerous rounds of U.N.-facilitated negotiations also ended in failure. Reunification efforts began in the years immediately following a 1974 Turkish invasion that was precipitated by a coup aiming at union with Greece. U.N. peacekeepers maintain a buffer zone between the Turkish Cypriot northern third of the island and the Greek Cypriot south. Turkey, the only nation that recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence, keeps more than 35,000 troops in northern Cyprus. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, but only the southern part, where the internationally recognized government is seated, enjoys full membership benefits. The islands division has been a regular source of tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, particularly over Turkeys claim to much of Cyprus offshore economic zone, where sizeable gas deposits have been discovered. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar has said there can be no real peace accord unless statehood for the minority Turkish Cypriots is recognized. His position departs from a long-standing agreement that Cyprus would be reunified as a federation composed of Turkish and Greek-speaking zones. Tatar said he told Guterres that any U.N. envoy cant assist negotiations that would be based on the now invalid premise of a federation and that a settlement can only happen through negotiations between two equal states. The European Unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged U.S. lawmakers Sunday to reconsider their decision to strip financial support for Ukraine from a stopgap budget bill Congress passed Saturday to halt a federal government shutdown. The legislation to keep the federal government running until Nov. 17 dropped additional aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of Republican lawmakers. Speaking in Kyiv after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Borrell said European officials were surprised by the last-minute decision in Washington and pledged the 27-nation European bloc would continue helping Ukraines fight against Russian aggression. We are facing an existential threat. Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker, he stressed. Borrell expressed hope that the U.S. Congress move to exclude Ukraine aid from its temporary government funding is not a definitive decision and that Ukraine will continue having the support of the U.S. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraines presidential office, expressed confidence that Washington will uphold its military aid to Ukraine. All of Ukraines key partners are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, he wrote on the messaging app Telegram. In a speech Sunday, Zelenskyy said that nothing would weaken his country's fight against Russia. Nevertheless, the omission of additional Ukrainian aid from the Washington funding bill has alarmed Kyiv, which relies heavily on Western financial support and military equipment in its counteroffensive against Russias ongoing invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden pressed Sunday for congressional Republicans to back a bill to provide more aid to Ukraine, saying he was "sick and tired" of the political brinkmanship that nearly led to a government shutdown. "We cannot under any circumstances allow Americas support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality," he told reporters at the White House. Many lawmakers, however, acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Voting in the House this past week pointed to potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Ukraine funding dissent Earlier Sunday, in Slovakia, the winner of parliamentary elections held over the weekend was poised to begin coalition talks to form a government opposing the EUs military aid for Ukraine. Robert Ficos party slogan Not a single round" for neighboring Ukraine resonated in Slovakia, a nation of 5.5 million. "We are not changing that we are prepared to help Ukraine in a humanitarian way," said the pro-Russia Fico, whom analysts consider to be inspired by Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an opponent of the EUs commitment in arming Ukraine. Fico said Slovakia, a NATO member, has bigger problems than the Ukraine issue, including energy prices and living costs, but added his SMER-SSD party would do everything possible to start peace talks. Earlier, the British defense ministry said in its daily intelligence update about Ukraine that apparently leaked documents from Russias finance ministry suggest that Russia is prepared to greatly increase its defense spending. The proposed 2024 Russian defense ministry budget is about $110 billion, a 68% increase over 2023, according to the documents. The British defense ministry said spending at that level through 2024 would likely be at the expense of the wider economy. These numbers, the ministry said, suggest that Russia is preparing for multiple further years of fighting in Ukraine. In an address marking the anniversary of the annexation a year ago of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would enlist 130,000 men for compulsory military service beginning Sunday in most regions of the country, including in the annexed regions of Ukraine as part of its twice-yearly military conscription campaign. The conscripts are at least 18 years old, while the maximum age would be extended from 27 to 30. Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday laid out a proposal to begin regulating laboratory medical tests, a multibillion-dollar industry that the agency says poses a growing risk to patients because of potentially inaccurate results. The proposed rule would end decades of regulatory ambiguity and formally bring thousands of tests performed in large laboratories under FDA oversight. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said the change will help ensure tests used to diagnose cancer, heart disease and many other conditions are safe, accurate and reliable. "A growing number of clinical diagnostic tests are being offered as laboratory-developed tests without assurance that they work," Califf said in a statement. He added that the agency has long worried that many tests offered by laboratories are not as accurate or reliable as those that undergo FDA review. Here's a look at the history and background of the testing issue: What are laboratory-developed tests? Most Americans are familiar with medical tests like those used to screen for COVID-19, strep throat and other health conditions. Those tests are developed by a handful of large manufacturers that undergo FDA review before selling their test kits to hospitals, doctors offices or pharmacies. The tests targeted by the FDA's latest action are developed and used by high-tech laboratories, including those at academic medical centers and companies such as Quest Diagnostics. They include tests for complex diseases like cancer, as well as simpler conditions like high cholesterol and sexually transmitted infections. Over time, laboratory-developed tests have grown into a multibillion-dollar nationwide business, with labs processing thousands of blood, urine and other samples per week from hospitals and clinics. Others advertise directly to consumers including some claiming to measure the risk of developing ailments like Alzheimer's and autism. Laboratory-developed tests have long skirted FDA oversight, though the agency has maintained that it has the authority to step in. The debate over regulating the space stretches back to the 1990s, with several government advisory groups recommending greater FDA oversight. Why does the FDA want to regulate them now? Many lab-developed tests are staples of medical care, used to make important decisions about pregnancy, nutrition and many other health issues. FDA officials have long voiced concerns about the accuracy of some tests, pointing to patients who have received inaccurate results for heart disease, Lyme disease, cancer and other conditions. Inaccurate tests can lead to patients getting an incorrect diagnosis, skipping treatments or receiving unnecessary medication or surgery. More than a decade ago, the agency drafted tougher guidelines for the industry, but they were never finalized. The tests attracted new scrutiny with the downfall of Theranos CEO and founder Elizabeth Holmes, who was sentenced to prison last year for misleading investors about the potential of her company's blood testing technology. What do test makers say? The laboratory industry has long argued that FDA regulation would stifle their ability to quickly innovate and develop new tests. They also say that additional federal regulation is unnecessary because it would duplicate existing requirements. Under a quirk of federal law, testing laboratories are overseen by the same agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid, the government health plans for seniors, the disabled and the poor. Inspectors evaluate the general conditions and procedures at labs, but not specific tests or the claims used to market them. Lawmakers in Congress drafted a bill last year backed by FDA officials that would have given the FDA explicit authority to regulate high-risk tests. But the measure failed to pass the House or the Senate amid opposition by testing industry lobbyists. What is the FDA proposing? Under the new proposal, FDA would gradually phase in tighter regulation of lab tests over five years. The agency is considering exempting some existing tests from review but is seeking public input on its approach. At the end of the process, most new tests would be subject to FDA standards and regulatory review before launching. All About America explores American culture, politics, trends, history, ideals and places of interest. Women are never the right age for leadership in the workplace, according to new research that finds a woman is often judged as too young and inexperienced, too busy with her children, or past her prime as she advances through middle age. The research, published in the Harvard Business Review, examines how age bias is used to justify discrimination against women. Researchers surveyed 913 female leaders in four U.S. industries: higher education, faith-based nonprofits, law and health care. No age was the right age to be a woman leader, Amy Diehl, a gender equity researcher and one of the co-authors of the report, told VOA via email. They go from being perceived as too young to too old in an instant. Female leaders under 40 were often mistaken for support staff. Some were called diminishing pet names, like missy or kiddo, Diehl said. Credibility deficit was another problem women of color especially noted this. They had learned to introduce themselves with a summary of their resume just so they would be believed. Women between the ages of 40 and 60 were viewed as having too many family responsibilities, as well as being too difficult to manage. Menopause was also used as an excuse not to hire older women, according to Diehl. Meanwhile, women over 60 were seen as too close to retirement to promote, so it wasnt worth investing in their professional development. Gendered ageism seems to be one of the remaining socially acceptable ways to discriminate overtly against women, Leanne Dzubinski, a report co-author and professor of leadership at the Asbury Theological Seminary, said via email. While men in their 40s and 50s are generally seen as having the breadth of experience that puts them at the top of their game, women at the same stage in their career are usually viewed much differently, according to Amber Stephenson, a report co-author and professor of management at Clarkson University in New York. Being perceived as less competent or less valuable to the organization, less innovative, not promotable, or less capable of assuming leadership responsibilities, Stephenson said via email. In northern Chile, Teofila Challapa learned to weave surrounded by the hills and sandy roads of the Atacama Desert. "Spin the threads, girl," her grandmother told her a half a century ago. Aymara women like Challapa, now 59, become acquainted with wool threads under blue skies and air so thin that outsiders struggle to breathe. While herding llamas and alpacas through scarce grasslands 11,500 feet above sea level, they create their first textiles. "We had no clothes or money, so we needed to learn how to dress with our own hands," said Challapa, sitting next to fluffy alpacas outside her humble home in Cariquima, a town with fewer than 500 inhabitants near the Chile-Bolivia border. The knowledge of her craft passes on from one generation to another, securing Aymara families' bond with their land. Challapa prays before beginning her work: "Mother Earth, give me strength, because you're the one who will produce, not me." Among the 3 million Aymaras who live along the borders of Chile, Peru and Bolivia, the Earth is known as "Pachamama." Homages and rituals requesting her blessings are intertwined in everyday life. "I believe in God, but the Earth provides us with everything," Challapa said. Pachamama offers Challapa inspiration for her textiles, connections to ancestors and her cultural identity. It provides means for survival, too. "My animals are my mother," Challapa said. Her alpacas and llamas were a source of meat, wool and company during the tough years she spent raising her children as a single mother. In the neighboring town of Colchane, Efrain Amaru and Maria Choque share their one-floor house with Pepe, an elegant white llama that flirts with visitors. "To be an artisan, one must have the raw materials," said Amaru, a 60-year-old descendant of Aymara craftsmen. His parents taught him how to raise camelids that produce the finest wool. "You have to communicate with your animals because they are part of you." Ahead of Pachamama Day, on August 1, the couple prepared a ritual honoring Mother Earth. Over a mantle they weaved for the occasion, they placed grains from their crops and pieces of wool among other objects they are grateful for and asked for prosperity. "We make offerings hoping for good seeds and crops, welfare for our animals and rain," Choque said. "Then we turn to the moon and the stars. Our grandparents told us that those are the souls of our ancestors, who look at us from above." Choque learned how to turn wool into thread when she was 6. Without toys to play with, Choque said, she and her peers spent their days watching their elders weave a demonstration of the craft and how to live fulfilling lives. Her grandmother was her first teacher. After giving her a sewing needle, she taught Choque how to produce socks and hats. Vests and ponchos came after that. Once a young disciple masters sewing needles, she moves on to weaving on looms. A few years later, she'll face her utmost challenge: weaving her own "aksu," the Aymara's most precious and traditional garment. "My aksu is not a suit," Choque said. "It's a part of me. When I was little, I wore mine daily, until I had to wear a uniform for school." From wool production to fabric making, the entire textile-making process can take up to two years. Aymara craftswomen shear their animals in October, when the weather is milder. Their llamas keep a few inches of wool to keep them warm and ready for the "floreo." During this ancient ritual celebrated in February, Aymaras tie wool flowers and pompoms to their camelids identifying them as their property and thanking Pachamama for abundance. Once the wool is collected and clean, craftswomen manipulate it with the tip of their fingers and pull threads out of it, creating skeins that are mounted on their looms for weaving. Through the income they made from the sale of their textiles, Aymara women like Challapa and Choque could afford to send their children off to school. "I thank God because I always told myself: I don't want them to be like me," said Marcelina Choque (no relation to Maria), another craftswoman who lives in the town of Pozo Almonte. "This is my only profession. If I don't sell, I have nothing." Progress, though, is bittersweet. "I taught my daughters how to weave just like me, but now that they have other jobs, they don't weave anymore," Marcelina Choque said. Because so many young people move away from their hometowns for study and work, several craftswomen agree their legacy might be in danger. Although they passed on their knowledge to their descendants, there are currently only a handful of young Aymara women who know how to use a loom. "In rural areas, there is a significant migration of young people, and the population is aging," said Luis Pizarro, who works at the Agricultural Development Institute of Chile. "Their grandparents are the ones who remain in the territories, so their cultural roots are severed." The institute supports rural development for Chilean communities linked to the Aymara culture, according to Pizarro. The goal is to boost camelid farming and craft sales through fairs, an online presence and special events. On a recent weekend, the institute held a fashion show inside a city shopping center in Iquique, where Teofila Challapa, Maria Choque and other women sold textiles and their daughters modeled their work. "We try to get daughters and granddaughters of artisans involved in their cultural inheritance," Pizarro said. Nayareth Challapa (no relation to Teofila) speaks proudly about her mother, Maria Aranibar, who taught her how to pick the perfect weeds to dye wool. "The colors of our textiles are related to nature: the earth, the sky, the hills. The land is sacred for us," the 25-year old said. The work reflects craftswomen's moods and "the rheas, llamas, flowers and mountains she wants to keep present." She, too, moved to a city to attend university, but home is never far from her heart. "When migrating, many forget their ethnicity and leave their roots behind," Challapa said. "But my family tries to avoid that. We herd the llamas and raise crops to preserve what my grandfather taught us. If we were to lose that, we would lose him as well." Bulletin Resources Limited (ASX:BNR) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 34% share price jump in the last month. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 31% in the last twelve months. After such a large jump in price, Bulletin Resources' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 41.2x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in Australia, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 18x and even P/E's below 9x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty. Bulletin Resources has been doing a decent job lately as it's been growing earnings at a reasonable pace. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this good earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason. See our latest analysis for Bulletin Resources We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Bulletin Resources' earnings, revenue and cash flow. Does Growth Match The High P/E? The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Bulletin Resources' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly. Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 5.0% last year. However, due to its less than impressive performance prior to this period, EPS growth is practically non-existent over the last three years overall. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates. Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 20% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results. Story continues In light of this, it's alarming that Bulletin Resources' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually. What We Can Learn From Bulletin Resources' P/E? Shares in Bulletin Resources have built up some good momentum lately, which has really inflated its P/E. While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations. We've established that Bulletin Resources currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider market forecast. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance isn't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable. Plus, you should also learn about these 4 warning signs we've spotted with Bulletin Resources. You might be able to find a better investment than Bulletin Resources. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings). Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi denounced Sunday any attempts by regional countries to normalize relations with its arch-enemy Israel as "reactionary and regressive." The remarks came amid ongoing U.S.-brokered negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia to establish formal ties, with the United States saying Friday that the two countries are moving toward the outline of a deal. "Normalizing relations with the Zionist regime is a reactionary and regressive move by any government in the Islamic world," Raisi said during an international Islamic conference held in Tehran. An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive Sunday in Saudi Arabia, days after the first official visit by an Israeli minister to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia also sent a delegation Wednesday to the occupied West Bank for the first time in three decades in a bid to reassure the Palestinians ahead of the prospective deal. Raisi on Sunday further labelled any normalization attempt as the "foreigners' desire," while stating that "surrender and compromise" regarding Israel were not on the table. "The only option for all the fighters in the occupied land and the Islamic world is to resist and stand against the enemies," he said, reiterating Iran's position that Jerusalem must be "liberated." In 1967 Israel occupied and then annexed east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians see as the future capital of their proposed state. An agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would follow the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords which saw Israel establish diplomatic relations in 2020 with three Arab countries. Last month, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Raisi said any "relationships between regional countries and the Zionist regime would be a stab in the back of the Palestinians." Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, two regional powerhouses, resumed relations, severed since 2016, under a China-brokered deal announced in March. Seven months after the Carter Center announced he was entering end of life hospice care, former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn made a rare, surprise appearance during a peanut festival in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. As they waved to bystanders while riding in an SUV that proceeded down the main street of Plains, it marked the beginning of a week celebrating Jimmy Carters 99th birthday on Sunday - a milestone few thought the longest living U.S. President might reach. "I think there is a misunderstanding about hospice that its only for people who are days away from death," explains author Jonathan Alter. "Thats not what the hospice movements says." Alter, who wrote a biography about Jimmy Carter titled His Very Best, says the Carters are choosing to spend the end of their lives in much the same way as the rest of it. "Do as much as you can for as many as you can for as long as you can," he says. While retired from public life, Alter says announcing Carters transition to hospice, and revealing that Rosalynn Carter has dementia, provides the former president and first lady the opportunity to use their journey as another teachable moment for others. "It was very intentional on their part to do some good for the world by sending a message that you dont have to shrink from these end-of-life decisions, and there are other options for letting go," he says. While they have let go of the day-to-day operations of the global non-profit they founded in 1982, Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander says thousands of employees and volunteers around the world continue their work without interruption promoting peace and combating neglected tropical diseases. "The last time we talked, he didnt ask me about politics, he didnt ask me about anything except guinea worm numbers," Alexander told VOA during a recent Skype interview. In a 2015 press conference announcing he was battling life threatening cancer, which he recovered from, Carter expressed his greatest wish: "I want the last guinea worm to die before I do," he told the assembled crowd. When the Carter Center took on guinea worm in the 1980s, there were 3.5 million cases in 21 countries. Alexander says the complete eradication of the neglected tropical disease is now closer than ever. "Were down to six human cases in two countries," she says. Alexander told VOA she continues to have occasional phone conversations with President Carter. "When I spoke to him last to wish him a happy birthday early, he said 'Im not quite sure how happy it is to be turning 99.' His body is failing him. He doesnt have the same physical abilities he used to have, but mentally, he remains pretty sharp, and I think that keeps him going," Alexander said. She notes that Carter is aware, and appreciative of the continued outpouring of support and admiration, most recently the stream of happy birthday wishes by video and photos the Carter Center is collecting for an interactive online mosaic. "I think it might be the special sauce of what keeps him going right now. That and peanut butter ice cream," she said. It is a special dessert Alexander says the Carters enjoy together, sometimes surrounded by family, in the small community they have called home since the 1920s. "They are exactly where they want to be together in their hometown of Plains, Georgia," says Alexander. Nine years after a massive waste spill from a copper mine in the northern Mexican border state of Sonora, locals are still suffering from "alarming" levels of soil, air and water pollution, Mexico's Environment Department said Thursday. Summarizing a 239-page report, officials also confirmed, using satellite images, that the spill was not solely caused by dramatic rainfall, as was initially reported, but by the "inadequate design" of a dam at Buenavista del Cobre mine, owned by the country's largest copper producer, Grupo Mexico. Locals and environmental advocates say the report offers the clearest view yet of the catastrophic scale of the accident and, with it, new hope that Grupo Mexico may finally be held financially accountable after almost a decade of legal battles and broken promises. "We expect that, with this new document, we'll have an easy path for getting the money," said Luis Franco, a community coordinator with regional advocacy group PODER. "At the moment, I'm happy but at the same time I know this is just the beginning for the people of Sonora," he said. "We have to keep fighting." On Aug. 6, 2014, after heavy rainfall, 40 million liters of acidified copper sulfate flooded from a waste reservoir at Buenavista mine into the Sonora and Bacanuchi rivers, just under 100 kilometers from the border city of Nogales, Sonora. After the spill, Grupo Mexico first agreed to give 1.2 billion pesos (about $68 million) to a recovery fund, but in 2017 that trust was closed and the remaining funds returned to the mining company, PODER claims. After a legal battle, the trust was reopened three years later but, said Franco, without any new funding. Mexico's environmental secretary Maria Luisa Albores Gonzalez insisted Thursday during a news briefing that the report was solely "technical," not "ideological," but added that the trust would remain open until 2026. "We in this institution do not accept said trust is closed," said Albores Gonzalez. In another report earlier this year Mexico's National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change calculated the total cost of the spill at over 20 billion pesos ($1.1 billion), more than 16 times the size of the original support fund. "Under no circumstances" have locals been given enough money to recover, according to the report. "Neither the amount paid for the fine, nor the compensation given to the Sonora River Trust cover the direct, indirect or cumulative effects on the population, the ecosystem or the economy." The initial fund promised to open 36 water treatment stations and a toxicology clinic. But according to the Sonora River Basin Committees, a group of locals from the eight polluted townships, only one water station is open and the clinic has long been abandoned. Unsafe levels of arsenic, lead and mercury have been recorded across over 250 square kilometers around the spill. Across the Sonoran townships of Ures, Arizpe, Baviacora, Aconchi, Banamichi, Cananea, Huepac and San Felipe de Jesus, locals have complained of health risks and decreased productivity in their farms and ranches. In what officials described as one of their most "alarming" findings, 93% of soil samples from the city of Cananea did not meet international requirements for arsenic levels. Adrian Pedrozo Acuna, director general for the Mexican Institute for Water Technology, said the pollution had also impacted the region's drinking water. "The results presented here show very clearly that there is a safety or health problem in the water the population consumes," he said. Franco, who lives in the nearby city of Hermosillo, said this brings the most urgency for communities in which many cannot afford to buy bottled water. Since the spill, Buenavista del Cobre has continued to operate and grown in size. In the years immediately before the accident production increased threefold, according to Pedrozo. By 2020 it had grown half as big again, in what he described as "chronic overexploitation" of the area's water supplies. The Senegalese Navy said it had intercepted two wooden boats carrying 272 would-be migrants Friday 100 kilometers (60 miles) off the coast of the capital Dakar. Seven children and 16 women were among the passengers who were taken back to a navy base in Dakar, it said in an online post Saturday. It shared a photo of a brightly painted fishing vessel on the open ocean, overloaded with people with no shelter from the elements. Thousands of migrants brave the hundreds of miles of ocean separating Africa from Europe each year in a desperate search for a better life. Summer is the busiest period for crossings. At least 559 people died attempting to reach the Canary Islands in 2022, while 126 people died or went missing on the same route in the first six months of this year with 15 shipwrecks recorded, according to the International Organization for Migration. In August, only 37 survived after a migrant boat carrying 101 people from Senegal had been adrift in the ocean without fuel for weeks. Efforts to resume diplomatic engagement between South Korea, Japan and China, including announcement of a possible visit to Seoul by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and an agreement to resume a trilateral leaders summit, reflect Chinas attempt to counter Washingtons curbs on the export of advanced technologies, analysts told VOA last week. It also shows Seoul and Tokyos desires to restart conversation over contentious issues with Beijing, they said. "The real catalyst for the restart of talks [among the three countries] at the vice minister-level last week comes from the Chinese side," Daniel Russel, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Obama administration, told VOA by phone. He says that in his view, Chinas efforts to reduce tension with South Korea and Japan are driven by Beijings concerns over warming ties between Seoul and Tokyo, the two countries strengthened trilateral relationship with the U.S., and the economic slowdown that China has experienced since the start of the year. "One of the trends that the Chinese see and are alarmed by is the closer alignment of Japan and South Korea with the U.S. and Europeans in reducing Chinas access to cutting-edge technologies," Russel said. "The Chinese want to do whatever they can to discourage South Korea from following the U.S. in putting any additional curbs on semiconductor exports to China." However, other observers say the motivation to restart diplomatic engagement comes from South Korea. "The South Koreans are motivated by the fact that China is a big neighbor and its a huge market for them," Dennis Wilder, a former China analyst with the CIA, told VOA by phone. He said he believes that the agreement to resume the trilateral leaders summit is a natural next step for Seoul and Tokyo after they improved bilateral relations and significantly advanced their partnership with the U.S. "What South Korea and Japan want to do is to stabilize their relationship with Beijing and keep economic ties with China strong without having to concede anything on the strategic side," Wilder said. During his meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in the Chinese city of Hangzhou Sept. 23, Xi said he would seriously consider visiting South Korea, which would be his first visit to Seoul since 2014 if it happens. Bloomberg News has since reported that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeols office is working to arrange a visit. Despite his commitment to enhance cooperation with the U.S. over the last year, some experts think Yoon is "much less of a China hawk than is widely perceived." "Yoon has always been willing to talk with China, provided that it could be done with an appropriate level of respect and without preconditions," Joel Atkinson, an expert in East Asian affairs at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea, told VOA in a written response to questions. He added that the more Xi Jinping is willing to compromise, such as being willing to visit Seoul before Yoon visits Beijing, the easier it will be for Yoon to participate in the trilateral leaders summit. Exchange views on key issues Apart from Xis potential Seoul visit, South Korea, Japan and China agreed to organize a summit for leaders from the three countries as early as possible, after deputy foreign ministers from the three countries met in Seoul on Tuesday. During a daily press briefing on the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said senior officials from the three countries held "in-depth discussions" on steadily resuming trilateral cooperation. "The three parties agreed to hold a foreign ministers meeting in the coming months and maintain communication on holding a leaders meeting at the earliest opportunity convenient to all three countries," he said. Wilder said he believes that Seoul and Tokyo will want to learn about Beijings assessment of the North Korean government and its policies, including missile tests and nuclear advancement. "They would also want to hear what the Chinese understand about the recent rapprochement between North Korea and Russia," he told VOA. In addition to sensitive geopolitical issues, the three countries will talk about economic ties, particularly the impact of Washingtons curbs on advanced semiconductor technologies. "I imagine the Chinese would be eager to get assurances that South Korea and Japan arent going too far with those restrictions," Wilder said. As for Seoul and Tokyo, Wilder said he expects they would hope to get reassurance from Beijing about access to the Chinese markets for their businesses and the guarantee that business people from both countries would be treated fairly in China. They would want Beijing to guarantee "that there wont be arbitrary detentions as we have seen in recent months," he said. A move to unblock lines of communication Because of the growing military threat from North Korea and Chinas frequent military maneuvers around Taiwan, leaders from South Korea, Japan, and the United States strengthened the trilateral security partnership during a summit at Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat, in August. Beijing lodged complaints against the statement from the Camp David Summit, which criticized Chinas aggressive behavior in the South China Sea. In April, Yoons claims that tensions near Taiwan were caused by attempts to change the status quo by force caused a diplomatic spat between Seoul and Beijing. With tensions high between Beijing and the two major American allies in northeast Asia, Russel, who is now the vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said attempts by South Korea, Japan, and China to resume exchanges between leaders can prevent existing problems from being exacerbated. "We are in a much more problematic, if not dangerous, circumstance in part because there has been virtually no real engagement," he told VOA. "The trilateral summit could unblock lines of communication between Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo, as well as potentially chipping away some of the persistent problems." Despite attempts to resume diplomatic exchanges with Beijing, Russel said he thinks these efforts will not compromise the security partnership among Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington. "Im sure the Japanese and Korean leaders will offer some reassurance to China that their alliance with the U.S. and the trilateral coordination among them is not a hostile act intended to contain, suppress, and subvert China," he told VOA. The World Health Organization warns that soaring rates of severe malnutrition, acute hunger, and deteriorating health conditions are threatening the lives and well-being of millions of people in South Sudan with the situation set to worsen as the climate crisis kicks in. South Sudan is a country where you see the overlap and compounding impact of conflict, climate crisis, hunger crisis, and disease outbreaks that have been going on for several years, said Liesbeth Aelbrecht, WHO incident manager for the Horn of Africa. Three in four South Sudanese need humanitarian assistance this year; two in three are facing crisis levels of hunger, she said. And these numbers are only getting worse. The United Nations reports 6.3 million South Sudanese are suffering from acute hunger and more than 9 million of the countrys population of 12 million people depend on humanitarian assistance. As conditions continue to deteriorate, the World Health Organization reports 500,000 more people this year will need international aid. Among the most vulnerable are the children. Aelbrecht said, The numbers of children with severe malnutrition needing medical intervention have been higher this year than at any point in the last four years, adding that almost 150,000 children had been treated for severe acute malnutrition so far this year. She warned the humanitarian crisis facing South Sudan will worsen with the onset of El Nino, a climate phenomenon that can cause temperatures to rise and excess rains. Flooding and hunger and drought will increase hunger even further. But it is also very likely to increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue and water-borne diseases, she said, adding that malaria is one of the five main causes of death in South Sudan. Aelbrecht recently returned from a mission to South Sudan, where she visited so-called stabilization centers for severely malnourished children in the capital, Juba, and in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State. Speaking Friday from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to journalists in Geneva, Aelbrecht said she watched doctors trying to resuscitate babies on life support. In one of these centers, she said she saw a baby pass away in her mothers arms. I quote figures. I give you percentages, but behind those figures there are just faces. I am standing there as a bystander and watching this child die of hunger and of preventable diseases, she said. Even after doing humanitarian work for 25 years now, it does remain one of the most difficult things to do. She said the international community must not act as a bystander but help South Sudan during this time of immense need. Since conflict in Sudan erupted in April, she said there has been a large inflow of refugees and returnees from Sudan, putting an even greater strain on South Sudans overstretched health system. In fact, one out of four of all the people who had fled Sudan, 1.2 million people who fled Sudan are being hosted now in South Sudan, she said. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reports humanitarian operations in both Sudan and South Sudan are severely underfunded. It says lack of security in these countries is also a huge hindrance to the delivery of aid to the millions in need. South Sudan and Sudan are the worlds most dangerous countries for aid workers, said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesman. Of 71 aid worker deaths recorded so far this year, he said 22 were in South Sudan and 19 in Sudan. The victims are overwhelming local humanitarians working on the front lines of the response, he said. A Swiss-led team has driven electric vans across Europe and the Arabian Peninsula to Qatar to showcase zero-emission battery powered vehicles, organizers said Sunday. The five-strong Swiss and German team set out from Geneva on August 28 in two electric Volkswagen vans on a 6,500 kilometer (4,000 mile) journey that ended in Doha on Saturday. "The motivation was really to do something unusual," the group's leader Frank Rinderknecht told AFP. "Certainly we did have the risk of not arriving technical issues, health issues or an accident." The journey aimed to raise awareness about the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, he said. "If our trip put just a little bit of rethinking, of initiative, into people's minds then I am not unhappy." The journey started with a crossing of the Swiss Alps and included what organizers believe was the first west-to-east crossing of Saudi Arabia with electric vehicles. The team's ID. Buzz VW vans modelled on the German manufacturer's Combi campervan travelled across 12 countries, reaching Aqaba in Jordan from Turkey by ship. However, the trip highlighted shortcomings of the charging infrastructure, Rinderknecht said, comparing the mismatch of technologies to the "early days of telecommunication." In Europe, the team had to use numerous apps to pay for charging points across different regions. In Jordan, they had to adapt their European systems to the Chinese hardware they found. The journey to Doha was completed in partnership with the Geneva International Motor Show, which is being held outside the Swiss city for the first time since its inception in 1905. The 10-day motor show to be held in Qatar from October 5 will feature 31 automotive brands and overlap with the October 8 Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit on Doha's northern outskirts. Saad Ali Al Kharji, deputy chairman of Qatar Tourism, said holding events like the motor show was part the gas-rich Gulf state's "strategic vision of becoming the fastest-growing destination in the Middle East by 2030." Azerbaijans prosecutor general issued an arrest warrant for ex-Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunyan Sunday as the first United Nations mission to visit the region in three decades arrived in the former breakaway state. Harutyunyan led the breakaway region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but was largely populated by ethnic Armenians, between May 2020 and the beginning of September. Less than a month later, the separatist government said it would dissolve itself by the end of 2023 after a three-decade bid for independence. Azerbaijani police arrested one of Harutyunyans former prime ministers, Ruben Vardanyan, Wednesday as he tried to cross into Armenia along with tens of thousands of others who have fled following Bakus 24-hour blitz last week to reclaim control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Harutyunyan and the enclave's former military commander, Jalal Harutyunyan, are accused of firing missiles on Azerbaijan's third-largest city, Ganja, during a 44-day war in late 2020, local media reported. The clash between the Azerbaijani military clash and Nagorno Karabakh forces led to the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region. The arrest warrant announcement by Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev reflects Azerbaijans intention to quickly and forcefully enforce its grip on the region following three decades of conflict with the separatist state. While Baku has pledged to respect the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, many have fled due to fear of reprisals or losing the freedom to use their language and to practice their religion and cultural customs. In a briefing Sunday, Armenia's presidential press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, said that 100,483 people had already arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, which had a population of about 120,000 before Azerbaijan's offensive. Some people lined up for days to escape the region because the only route to Armenia a winding mountain road became jammed with slow-moving vehicles. A United Nations delegation arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh Sunday to monitor the situation. The mission is the organization's first to the region for three decades, due to the very complicated and delicate geopolitical situation there, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters Friday. Local officials dismissed the visit as a formality. Hunan Tadevosyan, spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakhs emergency services, said the U.N. representatives had come too late and the number of civilians left in the regional capital of Stepanakert could be counted on one hand. I did volunteer work. The people who were left sheltering in the basements, even people who were mentally unwell and did not understand what was happening, I put them on buses with my own hands and we took them out of Stepanakert, Tadevosyan told Armenian outlet News.am. We walked around the whole city but found no one. There is no general population left, he said. Armenian Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan said some people, including older adults, had died while on the road to Armenia as they were exhausted due to malnutrition, left without even taking medicine with them, and were on the road for more than 40 hours. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan alleged Thursday that the exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh amounted to a direct act of an ethnic cleansing and depriving people of their motherland. Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry strongly rejected Pashinyans accusations, saying the departure of Armenians was their personal and individual decision and has nothing to do with forced relocation. In Athens, Greece, several hundred Armenians gathered Sunday evening outside the Greek Parliament to protest the upcoming dissolution of Nagorno Karabakh - or Artsakh, as they called it in the banners they carried, in Greek and English. They then marched to the European Union offices, a few blocks away. The protest was peaceful. The U.S. government stayed open Sunday, with funding assured through mid-November, but the political infighting among Republican lawmakers surrounding the votes to keep it operating only intensified. Conservative Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida told news talk shows that he would try this week to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives. This comes after McCarthy, in a sharp turnaround Saturday, welcomed a near unanimous bloc of opposition Democratic lawmakers in voting to avert a partial government shutdown. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy, Gaetz told CNNs State of the Union show. Gaetz has accused McCarthy of reneging on pledges to hard-right lawmakers when McCarthy became speaker in January to cut government spending to 2020 pre-coronavirus pandemic levels and not pass key legislation with Democratic votes. But McCarthy seemed unworried about Gaetzs move against his speakership, telling CBSs Face the Nation show, I'll survive. Hes more interested in securing TV interviews than in doing something. He wanted to push us into a shutdown, a work stoppage McCarthy said would have delayed paychecks for military personnel living in Gaetzs congressional district. Bring it on, McCarthy said of the move to oust him. Let's get over with it." Watch related video by Veronica Balderas Iglesias: At the White House, Democratic President Joe Biden decried the turmoil among Republican lawmakers. He said they should honor the deal he cut months ago with McCarthy on an overall spending ceiling for the fiscal year that started Sunday, which conservative Republicans objected to and since have tried to trim further. Im sick and tired of the brinksmanship, Biden said. Ive never seen a Republican Congress or any Congress act like this Enough is enough is enough. I strongly urge my Republican friends in Congress not to wait. Stop the games. Get to work to approve spending packages for the next 12 months. Gaetz, a four-term House lawmaker, said of McCarthy on the ABC News This Week show, There is almost no promise he hasnt violated. McCarthy advanced Republican-sponsored measures with sharp spending cuts in recent days but all lost in House votes, often as the most hard-right lawmakers in the Republican caucus demanded even bigger reductions. But with a partial government shutdown looming at midnight Saturday, McCarthy pushed through legislation acceptable to the majority of Republican lawmakers, if not the most conservative bloc. There has to be an adult in the room, McCarthy said after the House vote. I am going to govern with what is best for this country. Im going to be a conservative who gets things done for the American public. Whatever that holds, so be it because I believe in not giving up on America. Im not going to be beholden to somebody who portrays and does something different. The majority of the 221 Republicans in the 435-member House still support McCarthy as speaker, leaving Gaetz way short of a 218 majority to elect another leader of the chamber. Representative Michael Lawler, a New York Republican, told ABC that Gaetzs complaints against McCarthy were a diatribe of delusional thinking. But there might be two dozen or more Republicans willing to side with Gaetz to try to oust McCarthy, a number predicated on those who voted against the speakers preferred spending plans in recent days. Six Republicans said they would not vote for any short-term funding measure, such as the one that eventually won congressional passage and was signed by President Joe Biden. Whether the minority Democratic bloc of 212 lawmakers will vote with Gaetz to oust McCarthy or endorse his continued speakership is likely to be grist for widespread intrigue and deal-making this week. Gaetz told CNN, If at this time next week, Kevin McCarthy is still speaker of the House, it will be because the Democrats bailed him out and he can be their speaker, not mine. Gaetz mentioned no names of some other Republican lawmaker he would prefer. One Democratic lawmaker, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, told CNN, Its not up to Democrats to save Kevin McCarthy and said she would absolutely vote to oust him. She said that if Democrats do eventually vote to support McCarthys continued speakership, We dont give up something for free. It comes at a price. She said the Republican bloc in the House is not a moderate party. There are just different degrees of fealty to [former President] Donald Trump, who encouraged Republican lawmakers to allow a government shutdown to occur. What Democrats might demand in exchange to support McCarthy was not clear, but some form of power sharing on committees in the narrowly divided House could be one goal. With their narrow edge in the chamber, Republicans now control the agenda on House panels. Yemen's national airline will suspend the only international commercial flight from Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in response to the Houthi administration blocking the carrier from withdrawing its funds in Sanaa banks, four company executives, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. Yemenia will halt six weekly flights to Jordan in October, the company officials said, after negotiations with the Houthis failed to secure the release of airline funds which executives at the carrier said amounted to $80 million. Yemenia had proposed the Houthi administration take 70% of the funds while the remaining 30% would go to the internationally recognized government, the sources said. The Houthi administration rejected the offer which was when the airline decided to suspend flights to Jordan, they added. Yemenia said in a statement that it had been unable to withdraw its funds in Sanaa banks for several months and called on the Houthi authorities to lift restrictions "illegally" imposed on its assets. Reuters could not reach the Houthi Ministry of Transport for comment. Yemenia resumed flights from Sanaa to Amman, Jordan's capital, in April 2022. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, ousted a Saudi-backed government from Sanaa in late 2014, and have de facto control of north Yemen, including Sanaa. IF GLOBAL WARMING is to be limited, the world must forget about fossil fuels as fast as possiblethat much almost everyone agrees upon. How to do so is the complicated part. Economists have long favoured putting a price on carbon, a mechanism that Europe introduced in 2005. Doing so allows the market to identify the cheapest unit of greenhouse gas to cut, and thus society to fight climate change at the lowest possible cost. Others, including many American politicians, worry that such schemes will provoke a backlash by raising consumer costs. Under President Joe Biden, America is instead doling out hundreds of billions of dollars to nurture green supply chains. Yet, remarkably, the rest of the world is now beginning to look more Europeanwith carbon prices spreading in countries both rich and poor. Take Indonesia, the worlds ninth-biggest polluter. Although it releases 620m tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent a year, with almost half its soaring energy consumption coming from coal, the country has green ambitions. On September 26th, at the launch of its first carbon market, Joko Widodo, the president, talked up its prospects as a hub for the carbon trade, and local banks duly snapped up credits from a geothermal-energy firm. The country also introduced a local emissions-trading scheme in February, which requires large coal-fired plants to buy permits for emissions above a threshold. In short, even in countries better known as polluters than as green leaders, things are shifting. By the start of 2023, 23% of the worlds emissions were covered by a carbon price, according to the World Bank, up from just 5% in 2010 (see chart). The spread will only accelerate over the coming years as more countries come around to the advantages of carbon pricing, and existing schemes expand their reach. On October 1st the EU launched a groundbreaking policy under a dreary name. The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) will, by 2026, start to levy a carbon price on all the blocs imports, meaning that European companies will have a strong incentive to push suppliers around the world to go green. Story continues The spread of carbon prices is happening in three ways. First, governments are creating new markets and levies. Indonesia is one example. If all goes to plan, its market will eventually be combined with a carbon tax. In April Japan launched a voluntary national market for carbon offsets, which will work alongside an existing regional cap-and-trade policy in place in Tokyo. Participants, accounting for 40% or so of the countrys pollution, will be required to disclose and set emissions targets. Over time the scheme will become stricter, with auctions of carbon allowances for the energy industry due to begin in 2033. Meanwhile, Vietnam is working on an emissions-trading scheme to be established in 2028, in which firms with emissions above a threshold will need to offset them by buying credits. Second, countries with more established markets are beefing up their policies. On September 24th Chinas National Climate Strategy Centre announced that its emissions-trading scheme, which is the worlds largest, will move from only focusing on the carbon intensity of coal power plants, to focusing on both their intensity and total emissions. The scheme will be linked with a dormant carbon-credit market, allowing plants to meet their obligations by purchasing credits for renewable power, planting forests or restoring mangroves. Australia, which scrapped its original carbon price in 2014, has reformed a previously toothless scheme known as the safeguard mechanism. Since July large industrial facilities that account for 28% of the countrys emissions have had to reduce emissions by 4.9% a year against a baseline. Those that fail must buy carbon offsets, which trade at a price of around $20 a tonne. The final way in which carbon markets are spreading is through cross-border schemes. The EUs programme is by far the most advanced. In CBAMs pilot phase importers of aluminium, cement, electricity, fertiliser, hydrogen, iron and steel will need to report embodied emissions (those generated through production and transport). Then, from 2026, importers will have to pay a levy equivalent to the difference between the carbon cost of these embodied emissions in the EUs scheme and any carbon price paid by the exporter in their domestic market. Free permits for sectors will also be phased out, and the housing and transport industries will be brought into the market. Many of these schemes will take time to have an impact. Lots in Asia are flimsy, with prices set too low to produce meaningful changewell below the EUs current price of 80-90 ($85-95), which is itself only approaching climate economists estimate of the social cost of carbon. For instance, half the coal plants covered by Chinas emissions-trading scheme face a negative carbon price, meaning that they are in effect paid to burn the dirty fuel, since their emission intensity is below the national average, says Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a think-tank. The scheme also fails to create an incentive to shift from coal to other sources of power, he notes. Across the world, activists criticise the ability of firms to use offsets to indulge in what they term greenwashing, where companies falsely present themselves as environmentally friendly. Some schemes also struggle to prove they have led to emissions reductions. In 2022 a team of academics, led by Andrew Macintosh of Australian National University, argued that reforestation used as carbon credits in Australias scheme either did not happen or would have happened irrespective of payments for offsets. An independent review has since recommended changes to how the scheme works. Yet even carbon-pricing programmes that are limited will still help change behaviour, for the simple reason that they encourage the monitoring of emissions. After its launch two years ago, Chinas emissions-trading scheme was dogged by fraud, with consultants alleged to have helped firms produce fake coal samples. A crackdown was announced by officials earlier this year, who are now satisfied with the quality of data. Despite the absence of a carbon price, American firms also face incentives to monitor emissions. President Biden has proposed a rule that all businesses selling to the federal government must disclose their emissions and have plans to reduce them. Many large firms have set voluntary net-zero targets as part of their marketing efforts. Apple, the worlds largest, has pledged to make its supply chain entirely carbon neutral by 2030. And manufacturers around the world now face a still greater incentive to accurately track their carbon footprints: CBAM. The EUs ultimate goal is to tackle carbon leakage. Before CBAMs introduction, Europes carbon price meant that domestic industries faced an extra cost compared with those in countries with less ambitious decarbonisation plans. This gave importers an incentive to source material from abroad, even if these inputs were dirtier. To compensate for this, the EU handed out permits to industrial producers. These will now be phased out as CBAM is phased in. During the pilot phase, CBAM simply presents an extra hurdle (what economists call a non-tariff barrier) for exporters to the bloc. To comply, European firms must report the embodied emissions of their imports. If such data do not exist, importers must use reference values provided by the EU. In order to nudge foreign companies to change their behaviour and prove that their emissions are lower, these are based on the emissions of the dirtiest firms in the bloc. From 2026 importers will have to pay the difference between the amount embodied emissions would be charged under the EUs emissions-trading scheme and whatever carbon price the products pay at home. Carbon border tariffs may themselves multiply over the coming years. In Australia the government recently announced a review into the countrys carbon leakage, which will examine such an option. In 2021 America and the EU paused a trade dispute, begun by President Donald Trump, by starting negotiations over a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium. America wants the two trading partners to establish a common external tariff on more polluting steel producers. Since America does not have a domestic carbon price, such a policy would flout the rules of the World Trade Organisation. But if the EU and America do not come to an agreement, the Trump-era tariffs and the EUs retaliatory measures will be reinstated. There is a domino effect to carbon pricing. Once an industry is subject to a carbon price its businesses will naturally want their competitors to face the same rules. Therefore owners of coal power plants will lobby to ensure that gas power plants operate on a level playing-field. Governments in exporting countries also have an incentive to ensure that their domestic firms pay a carbon price at home rather than a tariff abroad. If Asias factories are pressed to reduce their emissions anyway by schemes such as CBAM, then its governments are leaving money on the table by not levying a carbon price of their own. The question is whether the dominoes will fall fast enough. Almost no emissions-trading schemes are aimed at emissions from residential property or cars, for instance, where consumers would really feel the pain. In choosing to introduce carbon-pricing schemes, and then to make them broader and more muscular, policymakers have most economists firmly on their sideand are proceeding much faster than is commonly realised. But future policymakers will need to make such policies even more intrusive if the effects of climate change are to be minimised. For that to happen, they will have to win over voters, too. 2023 The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/10/01/how-carbon-prices-are-taking-over-the-world Christopher A. Wray, who has been increasingly under attack from congressional Republicans, said the people accusing the law enforcement agency of bias are themselves trying to gain a political advantage at the FBIs expense. Share Comment on this story Comment Add to your saved stories Save It was the winning zinger of last weeks second Republican presidential debate, and Nikki Haley worked it in almost casually in a reply to Vivek Ramaswamy: Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber. Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend. ArrowRight The line hit the bulls eye not just because it called out Ramaswamys verbal froth. The exchange, which was nominally about the Chinese-owned social-media app TikTok, was also notable because it exposed the tug-of-war within the party about Americas proper role in the world. Haley had already zapped Ramaswamy previously, telling him in the first Republican debate: You have no foreign-policy experience and it shows. Foreign policy can be confusing and complicated. Especially in campaigns, pundits try to simplify it, putting labels on candidates. Some are hawks, others doves. In this menagerie, Haley sounds like a caricature of a hawk. She uses Manichean language about a moral struggle between good and evil, in which the US is good and Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and others are evil and must be opposed, not appeased. Advertisement Foreigners tend to regard such framing as naive and superficial, if not hypocritical. But its not necessarily wrong; in many ways its standard campaign hyperbole. More pertinently, it comes out of a worldview that not so long ago lay at the center of American as well as Republican foreign policy. If you ask foreign-policy wonks, the dichotomy that matters isnt hawks versus doves its often not clear what those terms even mean but the spectrum bounded by isolationism and internationalism. Advocates for the isolationist side argue for strategic restraint in world affairs and selective retrenchment from Americas many foreign entanglements. Those on the internationalist side support continued engagement with allies and multilateral institutions, even hegemonic leadership, with the US in effect acting as a global policeman to preserve a minimum of order. Advertisement In the grand sweep of American history, US foreign policy has mostly been isolationist, as Charles Kupchan at Georgetown University has documented. But from World War II onward, there was a bipartisan consensus that favored internationalism. The US was seen as the indispensable power to enforce systems of trade, finance and security that were based on rules, and the belief was that this system especially benefited smaller countries. During the presidency of Barack Obama, however, the pendulum started to swing back toward retrenchment. The US was seen as overstretched and in need of nation building here at home. And then came Donald Trump who, as is his wont, took a wrecking ball to whatever was left of any bipartisan consensus on the need for US leadership. His America First favored transactionalism over strategy, nationalism over multilateralism, and isolationism over leadership. Trump showed contempt for US alliances, disdained institutions such as the UN that the US once helped build, and coddled autocrats such as Russian President Vladimir Putin while harassing democratic leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. In short, he had the world upside down. Advertisement MAGA Republicans seem to have accepted Trumps worldview, or are at least indulging it. But there are rank-and-file Republicans in Congress and elsewhere who still hew to the older notions about the US responsibility to preserve international order. The party is genuinely split and could go either way. When Haley was Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, she had no choice but to be his bullhorn. But for a top diplomat, she was also notably undiplomatic in clashing with the Trump administration. Her time at the UN, moreover, seems to have made her thoughtful. That already sets her apart from the likes of Trump and Ramaswamy. Share this article Share Haley the presidential candidate, as distinct from Haley the UN envoy, now seems squarely in the internationalist camp. All the Republican contenders talk tough on China, because thats in vogue. But Haley is equally clear on the need to keep supporting Ukraine against Russias genocidal war of aggression, and about the US role in the worlds other conflicts and crises. From Latin America to Africa to Asia and beyond, billions of people look to the United States for inspiration, she wrote in 2021, before Russia invaded Ukraine. Our leadership matters. Advertisement At this point in the campaign, she appears to favor the traditional US foreign policy of engagement and benevolent hegemony as shared by Democratic and Republican presidents from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan and, yes, Joe Biden and by former presidential candidates such as Hillary Clinton. That may explain why the Trump campaign is now trying to brand Haley as Hillary 2.0. Which brings us back to that other spectrum in American politics not the one between hawks and doves, realists and idealists, isolationists and internationalists. Its the one between nuanced and dumb, intellectually humble and populist, thoughtful and brutalist. Every nation gets the foreign policy it deserves, to paraphrase a famous insight. If moderators ask bad questions, theyll get platitudes. If primary voters want sound bites, theyll be served bilge. And if Americans reward answers that are simplistic while punishing those that are subtle, theyll be less secure. Advertisement Right now, its Republicans who are facing this choice between subtle and brute. On foreign policy at least, Haley may be their last best hope. Elsewhere in Bloomberg Opinion: America Still Leads the World, But Its Allies Are Uneasy: Niall Ferguson The World Doesnt Need a More Restrained America: Hal Brands The World Is Still Better Off With US Hegemony: Andreas Kluth For more Bloomberg Opinion, subscribe to our newsletter . This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US diplomacy, national security and geopolitics. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2023 Bloomberg L.P. There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt. So should DevEx Resources (ASX:DEV) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves. See our latest analysis for DevEx Resources When Might DevEx Resources Run Out Of Money? A cash runway is defined as the length of time it would take a company to run out of money if it kept spending at its current rate of cash burn. When DevEx Resources last reported its balance sheet in June 2023, it had zero debt and cash worth AU$13m. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$12m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from June 2023 it had roughly 13 months of cash runway. While that cash runway isn't too concerning, sensible holders would be peering into the distance, and considering what happens if the company runs out of cash. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below. How Is DevEx Resources' Cash Burn Changing Over Time? DevEx Resources didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. So while we can't look to sales to understand growth, we can look at how the cash burn is changing to understand how expenditure is trending over time. Over the last year its cash burn actually increased by 30%, which suggests that management are increasing investment in future growth, but not too quickly. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but investors should be mindful of the fact that will shorten the cash runway. DevEx Resources makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. We prefer most of the stocks on this list of stocks that analysts expect to grow. Story continues How Easily Can DevEx Resources Raise Cash? While DevEx Resources does have a solid cash runway, its cash burn trajectory may have some shareholders thinking ahead to when the company may need to raise more cash. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. DevEx Resources' cash burn of AU$12m is about 8.8% of its AU$137m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. Is DevEx Resources' Cash Burn A Worry? Even though its increasing cash burn makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought DevEx Resources' cash burn relative to its market cap was relatively promising. Even though we don't think it has a problem with its cash burn, the analysis we've done in this article does suggest that shareholders should give some careful thought to the potential cost of raising more money in the future. Taking a deeper dive, we've spotted 5 warning signs for DevEx Resources you should be aware of, and 3 of them are a bit unpleasant. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. In recent months, the phrase This is Africa has become a viral meme shared among retail investors as an increasing number of ASX-listed mining companies fall victim to African sovereign risk. The meme, a picture of Leonardo Di Caprio from the film Blood Diamond and captioned with the phrase This is Africa, has come to describe all the risks and uncertainties of doing business in the untamed plains and jungles of the African continent. This is Africa has become a viral meme shared among retail investors. ASX data shows more than 104 listed companies with significant operations, revenue or incorporation in the African region, and hundreds more with minor exposure via single projects in a larger portfolio. The easier access to funds makes the ASX a destination of choice of African miners seeking capital, said Elio DAmato from analysis platform Stockopedia. But its also a double-edged sword, with many inexperienced investors underestimating the risk, and getting the impression companies look too good to be true until reality hits of course. In its latter days, Chances pivoted to plotlines featuring, among others, vampires with lasers, man-eating plants, Abigail (of Number 96 fame) as TV sexpert Bambi Chute, and Neo-Nazis hunting for Eva Brauns necklace, which had the power to turn its wearer into an ancient Egyptian goddess. It didnt help the ratings, but it did inspire a sort of awe in viewers, who were now becoming used to switching the TV on and exclaiming what the hell is going on. When reality TV came along, Aussie shows took the opportunity to supercharge the weirdness. In 2006, Network Ten trumpeted its new show Renes Getting Married, in which a young woman would choose a suitor from a gaggle of hopefuls and actually marry the dude, all on camera. The show hit its first snag two weeks before the premiere, when Rene revealed that actually shed rather be normal and pulled out. Producers scrambled to find another woman with an unnatural desire to marry a stranger, and Renes Getting Married became Yasmins Getting Married. Audiences goggled in disbelief and four weeks into the run the show was axed due to widespread queasiness. That reality experiment died from lack of viewers, but in 2004, plenty were watching Big Brother series 4, when surprisingly named contestant Merlin Luck produced one of the greatest moments in live TV history. After being evicted from the BB house, Luck came out on stage to meet host Gretel Killeen with gaffer tape over his mouth and a sign reading FREE TH REFUGEES (the e on the had fallen off). As Killeen attempted to question Luck about his time in the house, his decision to protest, and what, generally, the go was, the radical housemate simply sat, vibrating slightly, and refused to talk. It was awkward and confusing and utterly mesmerising. Gretel Killeen and Merlin Luck in the season 4 episode of Big Brother, in which the just-evicted housemate staged a protest. Live TV can do that: as carefully as you prepare, you can never guarantee nothing will go wrong. As Australias Top Model host Sarah Murdoch found out in the live finale of the 2010 series. Standing on stage next to top two contestants Kelsey and Amanda, Murdoch waited for the winners name to be relayed to her through her earpiece before saying, its you, Kelsey. The crowd went wild and Kelsey made a heartfelt speech about how honoured she was. The sheer vastness of Australia and the crucial remote capabilities championed by its resources sector gave the nation the edge when NASA was deciding where to develop a moon rover for the Artemis space mission. Its researchers and developers are so accustomed to working with remote-controlled, long-distance fleet management and artificial intelligence to navigate oil and gas exploration in rocky terrain that producing technology that can be controlled from earth looked like a no-brainer. An artists impression of the AROSE lunar rover in development for NASAs Artemis space mission. Credit: AAP (HANDOUT/PR PERTH) Perth can be monitoring mine flights in the Pilbara which is, you know, 1500 kilometres, 1700 kilometres away. And to put that into context, the International Space Station is about 400 kilometres above earth, says Leanne Cunnold, CEO of AROSE, an Australian consortium designing a prototype for the mission. Of course, the moon is a lot further but sure, you know, we have those capabilities. Independent ACT senator David Pocock holds serious concerns Labors proposed misinformation laws will jeopardise free speech and says he will not support the bill unless significant changes are made to address criticisms by legal and human rights experts. Pocock, who holds a potentially crucial vote in the Senate, joins a growing chorus of organisations sounding the alarm over the Albanese governments proposal to give the Australian Communications and Media Authority new powers to penalise tech platforms if they fail to remove misinformation and disinformation. Senate dealmaker David Pocock says he cannot vote for the governments proposed misinformation laws in their current form. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The ACT senator said he shared the concerns of the Australian Human Rights Commission and other top legal experts that the draft laws would tip the balance in favour of censorship and have a chilling effect on free speech, while providing a blanket exemption for government-authorised content. I dont think it gets the balance right between misinformation, disinformation and freedom of expression, Pocock said. Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals do not have enough patients to fill the 80 beds the state government acquired at the Murdoch medihotel in a $55 million four-year deal with private operator Aegis. And the states decision to acquire those beds was based on a business case written by Aegis itself and approved without assessment or input by the hospitals operator, the South Metropolitan Health Service. Artists impression of the Murdoch medihotel. These details were contained in a letter from the services chief executive Paul Forden to Department of Health top brass in July 2022 airing his concerns about the $55 million deal, which was committed to by former Health Minister Roger Cook in August 2020 but remains unfinalised. It has also prompted criticism from the opposition, who said it was another example of the government not seeking clinical advice for major health infrastructure decisions, like the womens and babies hospital move to Murdoch. Smartphone with new logo X twitter app background. Application twitter old blue bird change X black and white new. Elon Musk has made drastic cuts to the 'election integrity team' at X (formerly Twitter), a department that was responsible for combating the spread of misinformation online, and also scrapped a feature that lets users self-report false political statements. The announcement was made just weeks after the platform said it had plans to expand its safety teams, ahead of next years US presidential election. Musk took to X to announce that the team had been disbanded via a typically blunt statement. Following the team cuts, a feature that allows users to report misinformation has also been removed from the X platform. Musk acquired the platform last year for $44 billion, and his latest move raises fresh concerns about Xs ability to manage information and content surrounding important political events. It follows a European Commission study published by TrustLab, which revealed that X has the highest ratio of misinformation spread across its content. The study analyzed content across six social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and X that appeared in Poland, Slovakia, and Spain. The cuts to Xs election integrity team saw more than half of the global team laid off. Its uncertain how many people remain on the team. This includes the department based in Ireland where Xs Co-lead of 'threat disruption', Aaron Rodericks, was based. Two smartphones on a grey background showing the X app Recently, Xs CEO Linda Yaccarino had told The Financial Times that the platform was expanding the safety and election teams all around the world to focus on combating things like manipulation, surfacing of inauthentic accounts and closely monitoring the platform for any emerging threats. This came after Elon Musk suggested in a live-streamed interview that X could start charging all users "a small monthly payment" to use the app, beyond the existing Twitter Blue. The feature that allowed users to report fake news on the platform has been absent since the release of the study. It was noticed by Reset Australia, an organization that campaigns for democracy in digital media, which addressed concerns in an open letter to X. Story continues You can still report X posts that you consider to be spam and hateful; however, theres currently no option to report electoral misinformation. In the build-up to the US Presidential election, other companies, including Google, have implemented plans to safeguard electoral information online, most recently in its move to eradicate AI deepfakes during the presidential race by enforcing AI transparency policies. Weather Alert Bulletin: ...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees expected. * WHERE...Portions of central, northern and southern Delaware, northeast Maryland, central, northern, northwest and southern New Jersey and east central and southeast Pennsylvania. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 10 AM EDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing. && Info: Type: Freeze Warning start_time_local: 2023-11-02T00:00:00-04:00 end_time_local: 2023-11-02T10:00:00-04:00 county_name: state: NJ headline: Freeze Warning from THU 12:00 AM EDT until THU 10:00 AM EDT county_fips: category: Met url: urgency: Expected severity: Moderate certainty: Likely geographicname: Warren County state_name: New Jersey Alta Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Free Report) by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 12,960 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the quarter. Alta Capital Management LLCs holdings in Extra Space Storage were worth $1,929,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its position in Extra Space Storage by 153,410.9% in the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 408,339 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $60,781,000 after acquiring an additional 408,073 shares during the last quarter. Naviter Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 18.6% during the second quarter. Naviter Wealth LLC now owns 6,484 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $965,000 after purchasing an additional 1,015 shares in the last quarter. Fulton Breakefield Broenniman LLC increased its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 0.7% during the second quarter. Fulton Breakefield Broenniman LLC now owns 88,295 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $13,143,000 after purchasing an additional 635 shares in the last quarter. Vert Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage by 8.9% in the 2nd quarter. Vert Asset Management LLC now owns 53,293 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $7,933,000 after purchasing an additional 4,344 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 44 Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Extra Space Storage in the 2nd quarter valued at about $228,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.40% of the companys stock. Get Extra Space Storage alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes EXR has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Extra Space Storage from $145.00 to $115.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of Extra Space Storage from $185.00 to $165.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of Extra Space Storage in a research report on Wednesday. They set a buy rating and a $153.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Extra Space Storage from $160.00 to $135.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 13th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their target price on Extra Space Storage from $155.00 to $138.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $148.75. Extra Space Storage Price Performance NYSE:EXR traded up $0.76 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $121.58. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,399,225 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,179,042. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a 52-week low of $119.90 and a 52-week high of $180.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.24. The businesss 50-day moving average is $129.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $143.70. The company has a market capitalization of $25.69 billion, a PE ratio of 19.83, a PEG ratio of 11.96 and a beta of 0.56. Extra Space Storage Cuts Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 15th were issued a $0.61 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $2.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.01%. Extra Space Storages dividend payout ratio is presently 39.80%. Insider Activity at Extra Space Storage In other Extra Space Storage news, Director Joseph J. Bonner sold 956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.64, for a total transaction of $120,111.84. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,504 shares in the company, valued at $565,882.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 1.55% of the companys stock. About Extra Space Storage (Free Report) Extra Space Storage Inc, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of June 30, 2023, the Company owned and/or operated 2,438 self-storage stores in 41 states and Washington, DC The Company's stores comprise approximately 1.7 million units and approximately 184.0 million square feet of rentable space. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EXR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Extra Space Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Extra Space Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW Get Free Report) and Invesco Mortgage Capital (NYSE:IVR Get Free Report) are both real estate companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, risk, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and valuation. Volatility and Risk Medical Properties Trust has a beta of 1.03, indicating that its stock price is 3% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Invesco Mortgage Capital has a beta of 1.67, indicating that its stock price is 67% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Medical Properties Trust alerts: Insider and Institutional Ownership 76.5% of Medical Properties Trust shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 49.6% of Invesco Mortgage Capital shares are held by institutional investors. 1.2% of Medical Properties Trust shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Invesco Mortgage Capital shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Medical Properties Trust 3 4 3 0 2.00 Invesco Mortgage Capital 2 0 0 0 1.00 This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Medical Properties Trust and Invesco Mortgage Capital, as provided by MarketBeat. Medical Properties Trust currently has a consensus target price of $10.27, indicating a potential upside of 88.49%. Invesco Mortgage Capital has a consensus target price of $10.75, indicating a potential upside of 7.39%. Given Medical Properties Trusts stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Medical Properties Trust is more favorable than Invesco Mortgage Capital. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Medical Properties Trust and Invesco Mortgage Capitals gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Medical Properties Trust $1.54 billion 2.11 $902.60 million $0.11 49.55 Invesco Mortgage Capital $194.51 million 2.29 -$402.92 million ($1.58) -6.34 Medical Properties Trust has higher revenue and earnings than Invesco Mortgage Capital. Invesco Mortgage Capital is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Medical Properties Trust, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Dividends Medical Properties Trust pays an annual dividend of $0.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 11.0%. Invesco Mortgage Capital pays an annual dividend of $1.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 16.0%. Medical Properties Trust pays out 545.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Invesco Mortgage Capital pays out -101.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Invesco Mortgage Capital is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Profitability This table compares Medical Properties Trust and Invesco Mortgage Capitals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Medical Properties Trust 5.07% 0.84% 0.37% Invesco Mortgage Capital -15.87% 45.58% 4.37% Summary Medical Properties Trust beats Invesco Mortgage Capital on 10 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks. About Medical Properties Trust (Get Free Report) Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed in 2003 to acquire and develop net-leased hospital facilities. From its inception in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has grown to become one of the world's largest owners of hospital real estate with 444 facilities and approximately 44,000 licensed beds in ten countries and across four continents. MPT's financing model facilitates acquisitions and recapitalizations and allows operators of hospitals to unlock the value of their real estate assets to fund facility improvements, technology upgrades and other investments in operations. About Invesco Mortgage Capital (Get Free Report) Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that primarily focuses on investing in, financing, and managing mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-related assets. It invests in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) that are guaranteed by a U.S. government agency or federally chartered corporation; RMBS and CMBS that are not issued or guaranteed by a U.S. government agency or federally chartered corporation; credit risk transfer securities that are unsecured obligations issued by government-sponsored enterprises; residential and commercial mortgage loans; and other real estate-related financing arrangements. Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. has elected to be taxed as a REIT and would be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. The company was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Receive News & Ratings for Medical Properties Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medical Properties Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 5.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,281 shares of the companys stock after selling 250 shares during the period. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,008,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the first quarter worth about $25,000. Bogart Wealth LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 193.3% in the 1st quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 88 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Laffer Tengler Investments bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 156.4% in the 1st quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 100 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on LLY shares. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $360.00 to $525.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. HSBC started coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Friday, July 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $560.00 price objective for the company. Berenberg Bank upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $375.00 to $500.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $565.00 to $633.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $532.78. Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.41, for a total transaction of $119,996,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 99,983,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $57,131,748,872.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $546.51, for a total transaction of $327,906.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,378 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,939,130.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $571.41, for a total transaction of $119,996,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 99,983,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $57,131,748,872.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 693,246 shares of company stock valued at $20,948,820,977. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance NYSE:LLY traded down $7.32 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $537.13. The stock had a trading volume of 2,967,708 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,752,581. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $533.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $455.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.87. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $309.20 and a one year high of $601.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $509.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 74.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.32. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 8th. The company reported $2.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.98 by $0.13. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 22.01% and a return on equity of 65.00%. The firm had revenue of $8.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.58 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.25 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 28.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 9.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About Eli Lilly and Company (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Enerflex Ltd. CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enerflex Ltd. (TSX: EFX) (NYSE: EFXT) ("Enerflex" or the "Company") today announced that Rodney D. Gray has resigned from his role as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") to pursue other opportunities. Enerflex has initiated a search process to identify the Company's next CFO and has retained an executive search firm to assist with the process. "We thank Rod for his meaningful contributions to Enerflex and wish him success in his future endeavours," said Marc Rossiter, Enerflex's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Rossiter added, "The Board of Directors and management team remain committed to shaping our business for long-term success. To that end, we are actively working to improve Enerflex's overall capacity for free cash flow generation to reduce debt by capturing synergies from the Exterran acquisition, minimizing foreign currency impacts, and enhancing operational efficiencies. We are now focused on finding a CFO to take our organization to the next level." The Company will provide details regarding its financial results and progress on its strategic priorities in connection with its third-quarter 2023 earnings announcement in November. ABOUT ENERFLEX Transforming Energy for a Sustainable Future. Enerflex is a premier integrated global provider of energy infrastructure and energy transition solutions, delivering natural gas processing, compression, power generation, refrigeration, cryogenic, and produced water solutions. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Enerflex, its subsidiaries, and interests in associates and joint ventures, operate in over 90 locations in: Canada, the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, India, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Story continues Enerflex's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "EFX" and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "EFXT". For more information about Enerflex, visit www.enerflex.com . For investor and media enquiries, contact: Marc Rossiter President and Chief Executive Officer E-mail: MRossiter@enerflex.com Martha Wilmot Investor Relations E-mail: MWilmot@enerflex.com Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX Free Report) by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 20,906 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after acquiring an additional 730 shares during the quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $5,519,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 98,105.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 6,929,375 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,829,424,000 after buying an additional 6,922,319 shares during the period. Providence Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 25,185.5% during the 1st quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,492,216 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $18,147,000 after acquiring an additional 4,474,450 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 95,813.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,045,643 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,028,807,000 after acquiring an additional 4,041,425 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 4th quarter worth about $697,398,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 5.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 23,794,080 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $5,889,987,000 after acquiring an additional 1,281,866 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.72% of the companys stock. Get Becton Dickinson and Company alerts: Insider Activity In other news, Director Claire Fraser sold 848 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.66, for a total transaction of $238,847.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 21,608 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,086,109.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Richard Byrd sold 459 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.48, for a total value of $125,986.32. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 3,444 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $945,309.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Claire Fraser sold 848 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction on Monday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.66, for a total transaction of $238,847.68. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 21,608 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,086,109.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 5,581 shares of company stock valued at $1,551,429 in the last three months. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have recently weighed in on BDX shares. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $260.00 to $282.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 21st. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $284.00 to $303.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, August 7th. Raymond James lowered their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $305.00 to $304.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $295.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, August 16th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $288.44. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Becton, Dickinson and Company Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Performance BDX traded down $4.21 during trading on Friday, reaching $258.53. 1,244,039 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,146,724. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1 year low of $215.90 and a 1 year high of $287.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $75.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.57. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $273.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $260.00. Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.89 by $0.07. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 8.73% and a return on equity of 13.24%. The company had revenue of $4.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.84 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.66 EPS. Becton, Dickinson and Companys revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Becton, Dickinson and Company Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 8th were issued a dividend of $0.91 per share. This represents a $3.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.41%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 7th. Becton, Dickinson and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.06%. Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile (Free Report) Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company's BD Medical segment provides peripheral intravenous (IV) and advanced peripheral catheters, central lines, acute dialysis catheters, vascular care and preparation products, needle-free IV connectors and extensions sets, closed-system drug transfer devices, hazardous drug detections, hypodermic syringes and needles, anesthesia needles and trays, enteral syringes, and sharps disposal systems; IV medication and infusion therapy delivery systems, medication compounding workflow systems, automated medication dispensing and supply management systems, and medication inventory optimization and tracking systems; syringes, pen needles, and other products for diabetes; and prefillable drug delivery systems. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Becton Dickinson and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Becton Dickinson and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC lessened its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 12.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 4,281 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 605 shares during the quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $2,234,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.7% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 681,679 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $392,899,000 after purchasing an additional 24,376 shares during the period. American Trust raised its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 13.2% in the first quarter. American Trust now owns 6,743 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $3,886,000 after purchasing an additional 784 shares during the period. Sterling Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,074,000. First Manhattan CO. LLC. raised its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 11.2% in the first quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 724,844 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $417,779,000 after purchasing an additional 72,792 shares during the period. Finally, Verity Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 83.4% in the first quarter. Verity Asset Management Inc. now owns 820 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $473,000 after purchasing an additional 373 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.06% of the companys stock. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TMO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $664.00 to $625.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. StockNews.com lowered Thermo Fisher Scientific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Credit Suisse Group raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $620.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. Raymond James upped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $595.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, July 28th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $625.00 to $585.00 in a research report on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $627.13. Insider Transactions at Thermo Fisher Scientific In other news, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 14,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total transaction of $7,755,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 27,393 shares in the company, valued at $15,066,150. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 1,600 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.60, for a total transaction of $880,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 135,330 shares of the companys stock, valued at $74,512,698. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 14,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total transaction of $7,755,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 27,393 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,066,150. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 28,700 shares of company stock worth $15,799,270. Company insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance NYSE TMO traded up $3.15 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $506.17. The company had a trading volume of 1,380,512 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,515,504. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.42. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1-year low of $475.77 and a 1-year high of $609.85. The company has a market cap of $195.36 billion, a PE ratio of 34.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.77. The business has a 50 day moving average of $535.13 and a 200-day moving average of $538.28. Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $5.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.43 by ($0.28). Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.14% and a return on equity of 18.59%. The company had revenue of $10.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $5.51 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 22.37 EPS for the current year. Thermo Fisher Scientific Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.28%. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.57%. Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the United States and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, clinical next-generation sequencing, bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) have earned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the seventeen research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $35.92. Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on BAC shares. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Bank of America from $41.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 19th. HSBC started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Thursday, September 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $35.00 price target for the company. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Bank of America from $28.00 to $27.50 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 15th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Tuesday, September 12th. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of Bank of America from $49.00 to $48.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 26th. Get Bank of America alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Bank of America Bank of America Price Performance Bank of America stock opened at $27.38 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $217.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.83. Bank of America has a 1 year low of $26.32 and a 1 year high of $38.60. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $29.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $28.97. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $25.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.98 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 19.97% and a return on equity of 12.01%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.73 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Bank of America will post 3.4 earnings per share for the current year. Bank of America Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 1st were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. This is a positive change from Bank of Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 31st. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.51%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 27.59%. Insider Buying and Selling at Bank of America In other Bank of America news, insider Dean C. Athanasia sold 77,806 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total transaction of $2,449,332.88. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 353,971 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,143,007.08. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider James P. Demare sold 75,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.53, for a total value of $2,364,750.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 185,108 shares in the company, valued at $5,836,455.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Dean C. Athanasia sold 77,806 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total transaction of $2,449,332.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 353,971 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,143,007.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Bank of America A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in BAC. Old North State Trust LLC boosted its holdings in Bank of America by 1.8% during the first quarter. Old North State Trust LLC now owns 23,584 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $675,000 after buying an additional 420 shares in the last quarter. Lavaca Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bank of America by 7.3% in the first quarter. Lavaca Capital LLC now owns 12,216 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 828 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky lifted its stake in shares of Bank of America by 14.2% in the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 16,685 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $479,000 after buying an additional 2,075 shares in the last quarter. ExodusPoint Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Bank of America in the first quarter worth about $1,288,000. Finally, Connolly Sarah T. lifted its stake in shares of Bank of America by 1.2% in the first quarter. Connolly Sarah T. now owns 67,258 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,924,000 after buying an additional 784 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.06% of the companys stock. Bank of America Company Profile (Get Free Report Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Barclays started coverage on shares of Burberry Group (LON:BRBY Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued an equal weight rating and a GBX 2,230 ($27.23) target price on the stock. Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Burberry Group from GBX 2,250 ($27.48) to GBX 2,200 ($26.87) and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating and issued a GBX 1,400 ($17.10) price objective on shares of Burberry Group in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Burberry Group has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 2,126 ($25.96). Get Burberry Group alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on BRBY Burberry Group Price Performance Burberry Group Company Profile LON:BRBY opened at GBX 1,908.50 ($23.31) on Wednesday. Burberry Group has a one year low of GBX 1,728.59 ($21.11) and a one year high of GBX 2,656 ($32.43). The stock has a market cap of 7.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,514.68, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 96.56, a current ratio of 2.25 and a quick ratio of 1.63. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 2,138.49 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 2,268.52. (Get Free Report) Burberry Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, retails, and wholesales luxury goods under the Burberry brand. The company operates in two segments, Retail/Wholesale and Licensing. It provides womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, beauty, eyewear, shoes, and accessories, as well as leather goods, such as bags. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Burberry Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Burberry Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ASOS (LON:ASC Free Report) had its price target trimmed by Barclays from GBX 450 ($5.50) to GBX 445 ($5.43) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the stock. ASC has been the topic of several other reports. Peel Hunt reissued a hold rating and issued a GBX 550 ($6.72) price target on shares of ASOS in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. Berenberg Bank lowered their price target on shares of ASOS from GBX 940 ($11.48) to GBX 760 ($9.28) and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. Shore Capital reissued a sell rating on shares of ASOS in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating on shares of ASOS in a report on Tuesday, July 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 738.75 ($9.02). Get ASOS alerts: Get Our Latest Report on ASC ASOS Stock Down 1.4 % About ASOS Shares of ASC stock opened at GBX 384.50 ($4.70) on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 136.85, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 1.55. The firms 50-day moving average is GBX 405.22 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 499.02. The stock has a market cap of 458.48 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -165.02, a PEG ratio of -1.26 and a beta of 3.05. ASOS has a 52-week low of GBX 320.33 ($3.91) and a 52-week high of GBX 1,015 ($12.39). (Get Free Report) ASOS Plc operates as an online fashion retailer worldwide. It offers womenswear and menswear products. The company sells its products under the ASOS Design, ASOS Edition, ASOS Luxe, ASOS 4505, Collusion, Reclaimed Vintage, Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, HIIT, AsYou, Dark Future, UNRVLLD/SPPLY, Crooked Tongues, Daysocial, Actual, and Weekend Collective brands, as well as through third-party brands. See Also Receive News & Ratings for ASOS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ASOS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Beacon Financial Group lessened its holdings in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) by 4.2% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 28,093 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,241 shares during the quarter. Beacon Financial Groups holdings in Novartis were worth $2,791,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Novartis by 7.2% during the second quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC now owns 19,376 shares of the companys stock worth $1,955,000 after buying an additional 1,298 shares during the last quarter. Garland Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 1.7% during the second quarter. Garland Capital Management Inc. now owns 54,785 shares of the companys stock worth $5,528,000 after acquiring an additional 900 shares during the period. Value Partners Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 15.4% during the second quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 3,561 shares of the companys stock worth $360,000 after acquiring an additional 475 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Novartis during the second quarter worth approximately $209,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Novartis by 12.8% during the second quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 4,394 shares of the companys stock worth $443,000 after acquiring an additional 499 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 7.00% of the companys stock. Get Novartis alerts: Novartis Trading Down 0.5 % NVS traded down $0.47 during trading on Friday, reaching $101.86. 1,384,634 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,062,978. The stock has a market capitalization of $215.90 billion, a PE ratio of 28.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.54. The stocks 50-day moving average is $102.02 and its 200 day moving average is $99.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Novartis AG has a 12 month low of $74.24 and a 12 month high of $105.61. Analyst Ratings Changes Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 19th. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.68 by $0.15. Novartis had a net margin of 14.76% and a return on equity of 25.12%. The business had revenue of $13.62 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.32 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.56 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 6.92 earnings per share for the current year. A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on NVS. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Novartis in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Morgan Stanley upgraded Novartis from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Finally, HSBC assumed coverage on Novartis in a research note on Friday, July 14th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $78.40. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Novartis Novartis Profile (Free Report) Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company operates through two segments: Innovative Medicines and Sandoz. The Innovative Medicines segment offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It also provides cardiovascular, ophthalmology, neuroscience, immunology, hematology, and solid tumor products. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novartis Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novartis and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Beacon Financial Group cut its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 133,425 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,613 shares during the quarter. Beacon Financial Groups holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $5,664,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in WFC. Defender Capital LLC. bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $246,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company during the 1st quarter valued at $124,000. Dakota Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company during the 1st quarter valued at $222,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 273,936 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $13,274,000 after buying an additional 770 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 24.5% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 9,630 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $467,000 after buying an additional 1,895 shares during the last quarter. 72.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades WFC has been the subject of a number of research reports. VNET Group reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Monday, June 26th. Odeon Capital Group lowered shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $43.75 target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating and set a $44.00 target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. Raymond James upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $48.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 1st. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $48.02. Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance Shares of WFC traded down $0.05 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $40.86. 13,124,465 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 16,021,822. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $42.88 and a 200-day moving average of $41.34. Wells Fargo & Company has a 52 week low of $35.25 and a 52 week high of $48.84. The stock has a market cap of $149.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.22, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.84. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.09. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 16.18% and a return on equity of 11.15%. The business had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.11 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.74 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 20.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.84 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 4th were issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.43%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 3rd. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio is 35.00%. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Free Report) by 3.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 7,982 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 278 shares during the quarter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc.s holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $603,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 4.7% during the 1st quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 43,470 shares of the companys stock worth $3,463,000 after acquiring an additional 1,940 shares in the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 276,660 shares of the companys stock worth $22,027,000 after acquiring an additional 1,138 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 1st quarter worth approximately $574,000. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $691,000. Finally, Transform Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 21.3% during the 1st quarter. Transform Wealth LLC now owns 204,456 shares of the companys stock worth $16,287,000 after acquiring an additional 35,944 shares in the last quarter. 77.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Archer-Daniels-Midland alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $83.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, July 31st. Roth Mkm assumed coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research note on Thursday, June 22nd. They issued a buy rating and a $92.00 target price for the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Finally, Argus raised their target price on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $91.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 1st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $97.50. Insider Transactions at Archer-Daniels-Midland In other news, insider Fruit Molly L. Strader sold 1,455 shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.80, for a total transaction of $126,294.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 10,809 shares of the companys stock, valued at $938,221.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 1.20% of the companys stock. Archer-Daniels-Midland Stock Performance Archer-Daniels-Midland stock traded down $0.62 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $75.42. 2,366,522 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,012,315. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a fifty-two week low of $69.92 and a fifty-two week high of $98.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.63 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The stock has a market cap of $40.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.83. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $81.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $78.22. Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The company reported $1.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.30. Archer-Daniels-Midland had a return on equity of 17.52% and a net margin of 4.14%. The company had revenue of $25.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.15 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 7.19 EPS for the current fiscal year. Archer-Daniels-Midland Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 16th were issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.39%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 15th. Archer-Daniels-Midlands dividend payout ratio is currently 24.03%. About Archer-Daniels-Midland (Free Report) Archer-Daniels-Midland Company procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities, products, and ingredients in the United States, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. acquired a new stake in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 2,053 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $357,000. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Nordwand Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. FWL Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, AM Squared Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.12% of the companys stock. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Insider Transactions at Travelers Companies In other news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,000 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction on Monday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $175.05, for a total transaction of $1,750,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,080 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,464,704. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock. Travelers Companies Stock Down 2.6 % Shares of Travelers Companies stock traded down $4.31 during trading on Friday, hitting $163.31. 1,447,223 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,093,754. The stock has a market cap of $37.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.60. The firms 50-day moving average price is $165.84 and its 200 day moving average price is $171.30. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $152.01 and a 12-month high of $194.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 20th. The insurance provider reported $0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($1.99). The firm had revenue of $10.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.97 billion. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 10.75% and a net margin of 5.77%. Travelers Companiess revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 12.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 8th were given a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 7th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.45%. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.60%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on TRV. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from C$183.00 to C$185.00 in a report on Thursday, July 20th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $185.00 price objective on shares of Travelers Companies in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $208.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a hold rating for the company. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Travelers Companies has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $196.08. View Our Latest Stock Report on TRV About Travelers Companies (Free Report) The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Travelers Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelers Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. lifted its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report) by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 404 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 10 shares during the quarter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc.s holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $864,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Valley National Advisers Inc. grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 22.7% in the first quarter. Valley National Advisers Inc. now owns 27 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 5 shares in the last quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 0.4% in the first quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp now owns 1,379 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $2,356,000 after buying an additional 5 shares in the last quarter. ETF Managers Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.3% in the first quarter. ETF Managers Group LLC now owns 455 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $777,000 after buying an additional 6 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.7% in the first quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 355 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $606,000 after buying an additional 6 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lindbrook Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 20.6% in the first quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 41 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 7 shares in the last quarter. 91.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Insider Transactions at Chipotle Mexican Grill In other news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,063 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,949.84, for a total transaction of $2,072,679.92. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 23,347 shares in the company, valued at $45,522,914.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,058 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,928.16, for a total value of $2,039,993.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 23,347 shares in the company, valued at $45,016,751.52. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,063 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,949.84, for a total value of $2,072,679.92. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 23,347 shares in the company, valued at $45,522,914.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 3,207 shares of company stock worth $6,434,541. Insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades CMG has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,075.00 to $1,981.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,950.00 to $1,925.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $2,400.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,100.00 to $2,300.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Finally, Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,350.00 to $2,300.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 27th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $2,153.78. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Down 0.4 % NYSE CMG traded down $6.90 during trading on Friday, hitting $1,831.83. 246,952 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 208,751. The company has a market cap of $50.54 billion, a PE ratio of 45.75, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.30. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $1,908.27 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1,934.20. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $1,344.05 and a fifty-two week high of $2,175.01. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The restaurant operator reported $12.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $12.25 by $0.40. The company had revenue of $2.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.53 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a return on equity of 45.85% and a net margin of 12.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 13.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $9.30 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 43.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile (Free Report) Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It offers burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CMG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Saudi Arabias Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli honored on Saturday the winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination. The minister presented the grand prize to Syed Shah from Aqua Membranes, US, for the project titled Changing reverse osmosis through 3D printed spacers. Five other winners were also given away with the prizes. All six winners made their presentations before the announcement of the grand prize. Special prizes were also distributed on the occasion. The award ceremony was held in the presence of the Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdul Karim, and a number of senior officials and other distinguished dignitaries. It was held on the sidelines of the second edition of the Innovation in the Desalination Industry Conference that is taking place at the Jeddah Ritz-Carlton Hotel until October 3, 2023. Other winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination include: Arian Edalat (Active Membranes, US) for the project titled Next Generation of Desalination Membranes; Quantum Wei (Harmony Desalting, US) for its entry Batch Reverse Osmosis; and Hany Said (Mega Vessels Water Inc., US) for the Mega Vessel initiative. Winning entries from other countries include Nick Heineman (Desolenator, the Netherlands) for the project Desolenator: Transforming the Industry through a World-First Solar-Thermal Desalination Solution that works at Scale; and Mohamed Anwar (Schneider Electric, France) for the Desalination Plant Digital Twin Powered by Dynamic Process Simulation project. The winners were chosen from among a total of 105 competitors, who represented 27 countries. They included innovators from research centers and universities, as well as entrepreneurs and employees of companies operating in the water desalination industry from around the world. At the event, Al-Fadhli expressed gratitude to Saudi leaderships unwavering support for the kingdoms water sector. He then congratulated the winners for submitting projects that were recognized for innovation, quality and excellence. With the number of submissions and the international reach of the competition, Al-Fadhli declared the first edition of the global prize a resounding success. In addition, the minister said that the desalination awards was initiated by Saudi as part of its comprehensive water strategy that seeks to foster innovation, enhance policies and legislation as well as adopt international best practices in the water sector. Al-Fadhli stressed the pioneering role of Saudi Arabia in addressing water issues regionally and internationally. In this regard, he praised the announcement of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman to establish a global water organization, to be based in Riyadh, which will contribute to strengthening cooperation among countries and stimulating a collective response to global water challenges. For his part, SWCC Governor Eng. Al-Abdul Karim congratulated the participants and winners of the awards and expressed support for the work of the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Water to enhance and stimulate innovation in the desalination industry. As the worlds largest producer of desalinated water, generating 11.5 million cubic meters per day, Al-Abdul Karim emphasized the significant role Saudi Arabia plays in helping address global water challenges, in collaboration with other countries, as well as in contributing to the overall growth and development of the global water sector. According to Al-Abdul Karim, this can be done through exchanging and enhancing technical experiences, innovation, as well as research and development. In addition, this can be facilitated by enabling and financing priority quality projects in an effort to ensure the sustainability of water resources and ensure equitable access to all. Al-Abdul Karim praised the award-winning innovations as an achievement that benefits humanity and represents the vision of SWCC to be part of the Kingdoms ambitious move to leverage technology of the highest international standards to develop the water sector. SWCC likewise urged other national and international organizations to support the awards program, as more large-scale desalination plants are built to address the worlds water demands. The Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination received project submissions that focused on topics related to environmental aspects of the desalination industry, opportunities for reducing energy consumption, reducing capital and operational costs, using new technology, opportunities for transformation in business models, and future analytical studies related to innovation.--OGN/ TradeArabia News Service Weeks before he was indicted on bribery charges alongside ex-Buildings Department head Eric Ulrich this summer, a Queens tow truck operator got paid by a city agency for a vehicle hauling job even though he had for years been barred from receiving municipal business due to a separate, ongoing legal battle, the Daily News has learned. The Sanitation Departments $9,000 payment to Michael Mazzios Mikes Heavy Duty Towing firm came in two installments $3,500 on June 28 and $5,500 on July 7, city records show. The disbursements were for a non-standard job the company performed that involved towing vehicles, including an excavator, for the Sanitation Department over a three-day span in May and June, agency spokesman Josh Goodman confirmed this week. The award marked the first time a city agency had given Mikes Heavy Duty a taxpayer-funded gig since 2018. That year, after nearly a decade of contracting with the firm for vehicle repair services, procurement records show the city stopped offering any more business to Mikes Heavy Duty in the wake of then-Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance indicting Mazzio on criminal charges that he helped orchestrate a conspiracy to rig city contracts for vehicle towing on highways. The 2018 case is still ongoing, and Mazzio has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Procurement rules from the Mayors Office of Contract Services state that an unresolved criminal indictment of a company executive is grounds for barring that company from being considered for any city business. Private companies, meantime, are under the same rules required to disclose details about their principals, such as investigations or indictments theyre facing, before they can receive a city contract. But Goodman, the Sanitation spokesman, said Mikes Heavy Duty never filed such a disclosure before this summers hauling job and wasnt required to because the firm didnt sign a formal contract with the agency. Story continues Rather, records show Mikes Heavy Duty was able to do business with the Sanitation Department because of a loophole. The award was made via a purchase order a form of procurement that does not require a competitive bidding process or disclosures about executives as long as the total cost falls below $20,000. Since there was no disclosure, Goodman said the department did not realize Mazzio was already under indictment at the time of the haul job. If it did know, he said the department wouldnt have given Mazzios firm the job and promised it wont get any more work with the agency going forward. Goodman declined to spell out what type of due diligence the department does for purchase orders, or explain how its possible for a pending criminal indictment to not appear in any screening performed on Mikes Heavy Duty. Its unclear if the city keeps companies its barred from doing business with in a database. Asked why the department went with Mazzios firm in the first place, Goodman said the tow job required a so-called beam trailer, and that the agencys own one was being repaired at the time. As a result, Goodman said the agency hired Mikes Heavy Duty because a Sanitation Department mechanic who needed these vehicles moved knew that this company had [a beam trailer], and so made arrangements. Goodman declined to name the mechanic. He said the job was performed to satisfaction and provided The News with photos of the haul. This summers tow job payment to Mikes Heavy Duty came less than a month before Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed criminal charges in August alleging Mazzio and five other men gave Ulrich bribes in 2021 and 2022 in exchange for Ulrich using his government powers to do them favors, including helping them get business with the city. A spokeswoman for Bragg declined to comment on Sanitations payment to Mikes Heavy Duty. Ulrich resigned as Mayor Adams Buildings commissioner in November 2022 after it first became known Braggs office was investigating him over bribery allegations. The ex-commissioner, who has pleaded not guilty, declined to comment Thursday on Mazzios recent Sanitation Department gig. Mazzio, who was alleged by authorities to have reputed mob ties in 2018 and helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for Adams 2021 campaign with Ulrich, also declined to comment via his attorney, James Frocarro. Mazzio has pleaded not guilty to the bribery charges, too. One of the five indictments Ulrich was arraigned on this month alleges he used his influence as a top Adams administration official to help Mazzio get his tow truck license with the Department of Consumer and Workers Protection restored after the agency initially refused to renew it in the wake of his 2018 indictment, threatening his firms ability to operate. In return, Mazzio showered Ulrich with bribes, including cash and Mets tickets, prosecutors say. As first reported by the news outlet The City this week, Mazzio also convinced Adams administration to scrap a license renewal for one of his top competitors in the tow trucking industry. Neither Adams nor any current members of his administration are accused of any wrongdoing as part of Ulrichs indictments. Adams and his chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, met on multiple occasions with Ulrich and his co-defendants, including Mazzio, according to court papers. In a series of conversations shortly after Adams took office in January 2022, Mazzio and another co-defendant, Joseph Livreri, urged Lewis-Martin to get authorization for Mikes Heavy Duty Towing to tow from NYCs highways during a snowstorm and to convince her and other high ranking NYC officials to remove a competing tow truck company from its arterial towing contract, one of the indictments charge. That competing firm is Runway Towing, who had its license renewal application denied by the Department of Consumer and Workers Protection around the same time Mazzio and Livreri discussed the matter with Lewis-Martin, according to The Citys report. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report) by 0.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,960 shares of the medical research companys stock after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the quarter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $4,153,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Value Partners Investments Inc. grew its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.9% during the second quarter. Value Partners Investments Inc. now owns 2,366 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 2.0% during the second quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,133 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $591,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. grew its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 23.8% during the second quarter. Argus Investors Counsel Inc. now owns 3,549 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,852,000 after purchasing an additional 682 shares during the period. Chicago Capital LLC grew its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 4,929.9% during the second quarter. Chicago Capital LLC now owns 81,384 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $42,462,000 after purchasing an additional 79,766 shares during the period. Finally, LaFleur & Godfrey LLC grew its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.4% during the second quarter. LaFleur & Godfrey LLC now owns 31,553 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $16,463,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares during the period. 87.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Thermo Fisher Scientific alerts: Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance TMO stock traded up $3.15 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $506.17. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,380,512 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,515,504. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $535.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $538.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1 year low of $475.77 and a 1 year high of $609.85. The stock has a market cap of $195.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.60, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.77. Thermo Fisher Scientific Dividend Announcement Thermo Fisher Scientific ( NYSE:TMO Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $5.15 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $5.43 by ($0.28). Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.14% and a return on equity of 18.59%. The firm had revenue of $10.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $5.51 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 22.37 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 13th. Investors of record on Friday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 14th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.28%. Thermo Fisher Scientifics payout ratio is 9.57%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently commented on TMO. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $670.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $662.00 to $698.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 27th. Citigroup initiated coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Wednesday, September 6th. They issued a buy rating and a $625.00 price objective for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Thursday. They issued an outperform rating and a $603.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Credit Suisse Group raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $620.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Thermo Fisher Scientific presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $627.13. Get Our Latest Research Report on Thermo Fisher Scientific Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 14,100 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total value of $7,755,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 27,393 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,066,150. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 1,600 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.60, for a total transaction of $880,960.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 135,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,512,698. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 14,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total value of $7,755,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 27,393 shares in the company, valued at $15,066,150. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 28,700 shares of company stock worth $15,799,270. 0.32% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile (Free Report) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the United States and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, clinical next-generation sequencing, bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Thermo Fisher Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC raised its holdings in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 0.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,413 shares of the payment services companys stock after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the period. DAVENPORT & Co LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $9,304,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Zullo Investment Group Inc. boosted its holdings in American Express by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 2,589 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $451,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in American Express by 5.4% in the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 1,220 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $180,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the period. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in American Express by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,885 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $806,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the period. Magnus Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Magnus Financial Group LLC now owns 3,549 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $618,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC raised its position in shares of American Express by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 5,566 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,041,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.08% of the companys stock. Get American Express alerts: American Express Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of NYSE AXP opened at $149.19 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 1.59. American Express has a 52-week low of $130.65 and a 52-week high of $182.15. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $160.53 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $162.45. The stock has a market cap of $109.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 1.19. American Express Dividend Announcement American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 21st. The payment services company reported $2.89 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.08. American Express had a net margin of 12.99% and a return on equity of 29.26%. The company had revenue of $15.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that American Express will post 11.13 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 6th will be paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.61%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 5th. American Expresss dividend payout ratio is currently 24.42%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts have recently commented on AXP shares. Stephens restated an underweight rating and issued a $146.00 target price on shares of American Express in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. 22nd Century Group restated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Friday, June 30th. 51job restated a reiterates rating on shares of American Express in a research report on Friday, June 30th. Robert W. Baird cut shares of American Express from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $185.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of American Express from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $197.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $173.12. Check Out Our Latest Report on American Express American Express Company Profile (Free Report) American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Global Consumer Services Group, Global Commercial Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. Its products and services include payment and financing products; network services; accounts payable expense management products and services; and travel and lifestyle services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AXP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FCOM Free Report) by 10.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 30,363 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,703 shares during the quarter. Birchcreek Wealth Management LLC owned about 0.19% of Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF worth $1,222,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FCOM. Prudential Financial Inc. increased its stake in Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF by 38.8% during the first quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 5,135 shares of the companys stock worth $233,000 after acquiring an additional 1,435 shares during the last quarter. Vista Investment Management lifted its holdings in Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF by 10.3% during the 1st quarter. Vista Investment Management now owns 7,588 shares of the companys stock worth $345,000 after buying an additional 710 shares during the last quarter. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $977,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF by 245.8% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 72,248 shares of the companys stock worth $3,286,000 after buying an additional 51,355 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF by 12.7% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,343 shares of the companys stock worth $471,000 after buying an additional 1,163 shares during the last quarter. Get Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF alerts: Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF Stock Performance NYSEARCA FCOM traded down $0.16 during trading on Friday, reaching $39.71. 56,187 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 109,621. The stock has a market cap of $738.61 million, a P/E ratio of 12.69 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $40.84 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $39.07. Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF has a 1 year low of $29.70 and a 1 year high of $42.82. Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF Company Profile The Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (FCOM) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in communication services equity. The fund tracks a market-cap-weighted index of stocks in the US communication services sector. FCOM was launched on Oct 21, 2013 and is managed by Fidelity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FCOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FCOM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,010,000 shares, an increase of 44.0% from the August 31st total of 2,090,000 shares. Currently, 1.7% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,090,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.8 days. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FBP. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in First BanCorp. by 2.3% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 24,643,742 shares of the banks stock valued at $323,327,000 after acquiring an additional 544,469 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in First BanCorp. by 8.7% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 13,679,620 shares of the banks stock valued at $179,477,000 after acquiring an additional 1,097,862 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its stake in First BanCorp. by 1.7% in the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,432,126 shares of the banks stock valued at $96,295,000 after acquiring an additional 141,577 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in First BanCorp. by 1.6% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,497,173 shares of the banks stock valued at $42,735,000 after acquiring an additional 54,223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in First BanCorp. by 86.4% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,026,388 shares of the banks stock valued at $36,982,000 after acquiring an additional 1,402,356 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.80% of the companys stock. Get First BanCorp. alerts: First BanCorp. Trading Down 1.4 % First BanCorp. stock opened at $13.46 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $2.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.52 and a beta of 1.14. First BanCorp. has a fifty-two week low of $10.18 and a fifty-two week high of $16.23. The firms fifty day moving average price is $14.14 and its 200-day moving average price is $12.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.74. First BanCorp. Announces Dividend First BanCorp. ( NYSE:FBP Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The bank reported $0.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $236.09 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $231.53 million. First BanCorp. had a net margin of 27.51% and a return on equity of 21.15%. Equities research analysts forecast that First BanCorp. will post 1.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 24th were issued a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 23rd. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.16%. First BanCorp.s payout ratio is currently 35.44%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades FBP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on First BanCorp. from $14.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Friday, July 28th. StockNews.com began coverage on First BanCorp. in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Get Our Latest Stock Report on FBP First BanCorp. Company Profile (Get Free Report) First BanCorp. operates as a bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico that provides a range of financial products and services to consumers and commercial customers. The company operates through six segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Mortgage Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations. Read More Receive News & Ratings for First BanCorp. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First BanCorp. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Harrington Investments INC raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips (NYSE:PHG Free Report) by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 27,086 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 739 shares during the quarter. Harrington Investments INCs holdings in Koninklijke Philips were worth $587,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of PHG. Citigroup Inc. raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 36,882 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,126,000 after purchasing an additional 483 shares during the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 16,197 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $351,000 after purchasing an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC now owns 42,141 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $773,000 after purchasing an additional 488 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 28.7% in the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 2,226 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 496 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1832 Asset Management L.P. raised its position in shares of Koninklijke Philips by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 56,735 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,708,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares during the last quarter. 6.64% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Koninklijke Philips alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PHG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. TheStreet raised shares of Koninklijke Philips from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Koninklijke Philips to 19.00 ($20.21) in a research report on Friday, July 7th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Koninklijke Philips from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, September 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Koninklijke Philips in a report on Wednesday, July 12th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $16.50. Koninklijke Philips Stock Performance Shares of NYSE PHG traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $19.94. 902,849 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,234,085. Koninklijke Philips has a twelve month low of $11.75 and a twelve month high of $23.30. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $21.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $20.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 0.69. Koninklijke Philips (NYSE:PHG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Sunday, July 23rd. The technology company reported $0.31 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $4.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.30 billion. Koninklijke Philips had a negative net margin of 10.84% and a positive return on equity of 11.92%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.15 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Koninklijke Philips will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current year. Koninklijke Philips Company Profile (Free Report) Koninklijke Philips N.V. operates as a health technology company in North America, the Greater China, and internationally. It operates through Diagnosis & Treatment Businesses, Connected Care Businesses, and Personal Health Businesses segments. The company provides diagnostic imaging solutions, includes magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray systems, and computed tomography (CT) systems and software comprising detector-based spectral CT solutions, as well as molecular and hybrid imaging solutions for nuclear medicine; echography solutions focused on diagnosis, treatment planning and guidance for cardiology, general imaging, obstetrics/gynecology, and point-of-care applications; integrated interventional systems, and interventional diagnostic and therapeutic devices to treat coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease; proprietary software to enable diagnostics and intervention; and enterprise diagnostic informatics products and services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Koninklijke Philips Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Koninklijke Philips and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Harrington Investments INC increased its holdings in shares of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report) by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 35,461 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after acquiring an additional 641 shares during the quarter. TJX Companies comprises about 2.0% of Harrington Investments INCs holdings, making the stock its 16th largest position. Harrington Investments INCs holdings in TJX Companies were worth $3,007,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Chatham Capital Group Inc. boosted its position in TJX Companies by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Chatham Capital Group Inc. now owns 7,627 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $647,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Alpha Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Alpha Financial Partners LLC now owns 5,337 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $418,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares during the period. Tradition Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Tradition Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,672 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $288,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the period. Schear Investment Advisers LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Schear Investment Advisers LLC now owns 9,205 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $780,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the period. Finally, Drive Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Drive Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,652 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $286,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. 89.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get TJX Companies alerts: TJX Companies Stock Performance TJX traded down $0.70 during trading on Friday, hitting $88.88. 5,420,858 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,779,765. The firm has a market cap of $101.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.89. The stocks fifty day moving average is $89.09 and its 200 day moving average is $82.76. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $59.78 and a one year high of $93.78. TJX Companies Announces Dividend TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 16th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $0.85 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $12.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.45 billion. TJX Companies had a net margin of 7.77% and a return on equity of 62.61%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.69 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 3.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 9th will be given a dividend of $0.3325 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 8th. This represents a $1.33 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.50%. TJX Companiess dividend payout ratio is presently 39.00%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other TJX Companies news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 45,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.04, for a total transaction of $4,006,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 642,098 shares in the company, valued at $57,172,405.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other TJX Companies news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 45,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.04, for a total transaction of $4,006,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 642,098 shares in the company, valued at $57,172,405.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Kenneth Canestrari sold 4,197 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.00, for a total transaction of $377,730.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 115,223 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,370,070. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 114,014 shares of company stock worth $10,291,303 over the last quarter. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $93.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $85.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Loop Capital boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $104.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $90.00 to $103.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $95.42. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on TJX Companies TJX Companies Company Profile (Free Report) The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, kids, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TJX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for TJX Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TJX Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Hexcel (NYSE:HXL Free Report) in a research report released on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued a hold rating and a $70.00 price objective on the aerospace companys stock. Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Hexcel in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Wolfe Research raised shares of Hexcel from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $83.00 price target for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Hexcel from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their price objective for the company from $75.00 to $85.00 in a report on Tuesday, August 15th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Hexcel from $74.00 to $73.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 7th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Hexcel from $73.00 to $71.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $75.44. Get Hexcel alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Hexcel Hexcel Stock Down 1.0 % HXL opened at $65.14 on Wednesday. Hexcel has a twelve month low of $50.00 and a twelve month high of $79.08. The company has a quick ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 2.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $69.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $70.89. The company has a market cap of $5.50 billion, a PE ratio of 37.44 and a beta of 1.22. Hexcel (NYSE:HXL Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The aerospace company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.02. Hexcel had a net margin of 8.73% and a return on equity of 9.40%. The firm had revenue of $454.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $450.15 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.33 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 15.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Hexcel will post 1.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hexcel Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 11th. Investors of record on Friday, August 4th were paid a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 3rd. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.77%. Hexcels dividend payout ratio is currently 28.74%. Insider Buying and Selling In other Hexcel news, insider Gail E. Lehman sold 1,571 shares of Hexcel stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.15, for a total value of $110,205.65. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,942 shares in the company, valued at $486,981.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hexcel A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Hexcel by 12.6% during the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 8,268 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $492,000 after acquiring an additional 922 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE grew its position in shares of Hexcel by 17.0% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 11,064 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $658,000 after purchasing an additional 1,609 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Hexcel by 10.6% in the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 17,097 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,017,000 after purchasing an additional 1,641 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Hexcel by 18.0% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 16,823 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,000,000 after purchasing an additional 2,567 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can grew its position in shares of Hexcel by 22.7% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 34,884 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,087,000 after purchasing an additional 6,443 shares during the last quarter. 94.71% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Hexcel Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hexcel Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets carbon fibers, structural reinforcements, honeycomb structures, resins, and composite materials and parts for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial applications. It operates through two segments, Composite Materials and Engineered Products. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Hexcel Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hexcel and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Holland Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 1,321 shares of the retailers stock, valued at approximately $208,000. Walmart accounts for 0.3% of Holland Advisory Services Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in WMT. AMI Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. AMI Investment Management Inc. now owns 8,269 shares of the retailers stock valued at $1,231,000 after buying an additional 132 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its stake in Walmart by 36.8% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 4,820 shares of the retailers stock valued at $718,000 after buying an additional 1,296 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in Walmart by 31.7% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,162 shares of the retailers stock valued at $173,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC increased its stake in Walmart by 123.9% in the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 10,566 shares of the retailers stock valued at $1,573,000 after buying an additional 5,847 shares during the period. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its stake in Walmart by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 857,839 shares of the retailers stock valued at $127,749,000 after buying an additional 13,985 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 33.18% of the companys stock. Get Walmart alerts: Walmart Price Performance Shares of NYSE:WMT traded down $2.61 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $159.93. 6,280,813 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,206,673. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $160.77 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $154.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $430.46 billion, a PE ratio of 30.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.49. Walmart Inc. has a 12 month low of $128.07 and a 12 month high of $165.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a current ratio of 0.83. Analyst Ratings Changes Walmart ( NYSE:WMT Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 17th. The retailer reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $161.63 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $160.22 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 2.23% and a return on equity of 21.47%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.77 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Walmart Inc. will post 6.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. WMT has been the topic of several research reports. BNP Paribas started coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Monday, June 12th. They issued an outperform rating and a $186.00 price objective on the stock. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Walmart from $165.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Walmart from $173.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 18th. HSBC started coverage on shares of Walmart in a research note on Friday, September 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Walmart from $176.00 to $182.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $177.22. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on WMT Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 8,526 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $157.97, for a total transaction of $1,346,852.22. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 171,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,128,977.95. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, EVP John D. Rainey sold 8,526 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $157.97, for a total transaction of $1,346,852.22. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 171,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,128,977.95. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP John R. Furner sold 4,375 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.24, for a total transaction of $696,675.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 277,868 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $44,247,700.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 38,692 shares of company stock worth $6,198,909 in the last quarter. 46.51% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. About Walmart (Free Report) Walmart Inc engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, and other units worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com, walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, and samsclub.com; and mobile commerce applications. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Walmart Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Walmart and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Legacy Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,009 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Legacy Advisors LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $325,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Pictet Asset Management SA lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Pictet Asset Management SA now owns 141,163 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $46,176,000 after acquiring an additional 1,491 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 17.8% in the 4th quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 37,848 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $12,996,000 after acquiring an additional 5,725 shares during the last quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 45.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,456 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $845,000 after acquiring an additional 771 shares during the last quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. now owns 12,957 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $4,238,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 3,461 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,129,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance NYSE GS opened at $323.57 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.18, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81. The firms 50 day moving average price is $335.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $329.96. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $287.75 and a 52-week high of $389.58. The company has a market cap of $106.67 billion, a PE ratio of 13.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.40. The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 19th. The investment management company reported $3.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.25 by ($0.17). The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.74% and a return on equity of 8.27%. The business had revenue of $10.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.61 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $7.73 earnings per share. The Goldman Sachs Groups revenue for the quarter was down 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 25.39 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 31st were paid a $2.75 dividend. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.40%. This is an increase from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.50. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 30th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.93%. Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, CEO David M. Solomon sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.71, for a total value of $3,457,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 128,982 shares in the company, valued at $44,590,367.22. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO David M. Solomon sold 4,200 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $356.28, for a total transaction of $1,496,376.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 124,782 shares in the company, valued at $44,457,330.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO David M. Solomon sold 10,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.71, for a total transaction of $3,457,100.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 128,982 shares of the companys stock, valued at $44,590,367.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently commented on GS shares. Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $400.00 to $380.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, September 21st. Atlantic Securities raised shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $330.00 to $351.00 in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $407.00 to $411.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 20th. Credit Suisse Group reissued an outperform rating and issued a $410.00 price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Thursday, July 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an equal weight rating and issued a $347.00 price objective (up from $337.00) on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Friday, July 21st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $394.32. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GS The Goldman Sachs Group Profile (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sendero Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL Free Report) by 33.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,915 shares of the energy companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,541 shares during the period. Sendero Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Shell were worth $1,323,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in Shell in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. America First Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shell in the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Venturi Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shell during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Nelson Van Denburg & Campbell Wealth Management Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shell during the 1st quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Bourgeon Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Shell during the 1st quarter worth approximately $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.23% of the companys stock. Get Shell alerts: Shell Stock Down 2.2 % Shares of Shell stock traded down $1.44 on Friday, hitting $64.38. The company had a trading volume of 7,010,794 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,822,521. The stock has a market capitalization of $216.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.87, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.67. Shell plc has a 1 year low of $49.50 and a 1 year high of $65.96. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $62.62 and a 200-day moving average of $60.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a current ratio of 1.46. Shell Increases Dividend Shell ( NYSE:SHEL Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The energy company reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.09). The business had revenue of $76.02 billion for the quarter. Shell had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 17.65%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.04 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Shell plc will post 8.21 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 18th. Investors of record on Friday, August 11th were given a dividend of $0.662 per share. This represents a $2.65 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.11%. This is an increase from Shells previous quarterly dividend of $0.58. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 10th. Shells dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.40%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In SHEL has been the topic of a number of research reports. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on Shell from 28.00 to 27.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 11th. Morgan Stanley raised Shell from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price target on Shell from $75.00 to $67.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Shell currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $1,992.17. Read Our Latest Report on SHEL Shell Profile (Free Report) Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the United States, and Rest of the Americas. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, and Renewables and Energy Solutions segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SHEL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Shell Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Shell and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. So on that note, ESAB (NYSE:ESAB) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital. What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. The formula for this calculation on ESAB is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.12 = US$382m (US$3.9b - US$618m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023). So, ESAB has an ROCE of 12%. That's a pretty standard return and it's in line with the industry average of 12%. View our latest analysis for ESAB roce Above you can see how the current ROCE for ESAB compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. How Are Returns Trending? ESAB is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 40% over the last three years. So it's likely that the business is now reaping the full benefits of its past investments, since the capital employed hasn't changed considerably. The company is doing well in that sense, and it's worth investigating what the management team has planned for long term growth prospects. Our Take On ESAB's ROCE To sum it up, ESAB is collecting higher returns from the same amount of capital, and that's impressive. And a remarkable 111% total return over the last year tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if ESAB can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead. Story continues ESAB does have some risks though, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for ESAB that you might be interested in. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sendero Wealth Management LLC cut its position in shares of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 18,283 shares of the CRM providers stock after selling 1,404 shares during the period. Salesforce accounts for 0.8% of Sendero Wealth Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Sendero Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Salesforce were worth $3,862,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of CRM. Wealth Alliance Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in Salesforce in the 2nd quarter valued at about $396,000. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its stake in Salesforce by 18.3% in the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,547,360 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $329,387,000 after buying an additional 239,786 shares during the last quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its stake in Salesforce by 237.4% in the 1st quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 722 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $144,000 after buying an additional 508 shares during the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its stake in Salesforce by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 13,401 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $2,831,000 after buying an additional 295 shares during the last quarter. Finally, William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Salesforce by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 1,047,620 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $209,294,000 after buying an additional 11,322 shares during the last quarter. 77.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Salesforce alerts: Salesforce Trading Down 0.2 % Shares of CRM traded down $0.42 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $202.78. 4,405,143 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,505,339. Salesforce, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $126.34 and a fifty-two week high of $238.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 1.02 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The business has a 50-day moving average of $214.43 and a 200-day moving average of $208.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $197.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 127.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.19. Insider Buying and Selling Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 30th. The CRM provider reported $2.12 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.22. Salesforce had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 7.67%. The company had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.52 earnings per share. Salesforces revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Salesforce, Inc. will post 5.86 EPS for the current year. In related news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $202.53, for a total transaction of $3,037,950.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 15,416,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,122,236,099.98. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Salesforce news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $202.53, for a total value of $3,037,950.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 15,416,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,122,236,099.98. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Parker Harris sold 1,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.49, for a total transaction of $263,112.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 101,236 shares in the company, valued at $21,309,165.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 710,566 shares of company stock valued at $154,694,690 over the last ninety days. 3.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently commented on CRM shares. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Salesforce from $235.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Northland Securities boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Friday, September 1st. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $240.00 price objective on shares of Salesforce in a report on Friday, September 15th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Salesforce from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Salesforce from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $251.00 to $278.00 in a report on Monday, July 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, twenty-five have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Salesforce presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $242.28. View Our Latest Analysis on CRM About Salesforce (Free Report) Salesforce, Inc provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. The company's service includes sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and relationship intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer service and support at scale. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc. grew its stake in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report) by 75.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,100 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 2,201 shares during the quarter. Benedetti & Gucer Inc.s holdings in Southern were worth $358,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Jeppson Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Southern by 1.3% in the first quarter. Jeppson Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,651 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $741,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Southern by 10.2% during the first quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,534 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $107,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Tranquility Partners LLC boosted its position in Southern by 3.3% during the first quarter. Tranquility Partners LLC now owns 4,528 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $315,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Marcum Wealth LLC boosted its position in Southern by 2.8% during the first quarter. Marcum Wealth LLC now owns 5,327 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $371,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Calamos Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Southern by 0.5% during the first quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC now owns 29,642 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,062,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.85% of the companys stock. Get Southern alerts: Southern Stock Down 0.5 % SO traded down $0.35 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $64.72. 4,928,596 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,893,329. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $68.94 and a 200 day moving average of $70.32. The Southern Company has a 12-month low of $58.85 and a 12-month high of $75.80. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. The firm has a market cap of $70.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.52. Southern Announces Dividend Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.05. Southern had a net margin of 11.17% and a return on equity of 9.86%. The business had revenue of $5.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.47 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.07 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 3.6 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 6th. Investors of record on Monday, August 21st were given a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 18th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.33%. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 98.94%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on SO shares. Guggenheim lowered their price target on shares of Southern from $79.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Friday, July 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Southern from a buy rating to a conviction-buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Southern from $67.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, September 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $75.00 to $74.00 in a research note on Friday, August 4th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.27. View Our Latest Analysis on Southern Insider Activity at Southern In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.58, for a total value of $352,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 131,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,266,024.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Southern news, EVP Martin Bernard Davis sold 1,490 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.05, for a total transaction of $99,904.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 72,756 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,878,289.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.58, for a total transaction of $352,900.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 131,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,266,024.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 41,490 shares of company stock worth $2,934,355 in the last 90 days. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders. Southern Profile (Free Report) The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It operates through three segments: Gas Distribution Operations, Gas Pipeline Investments, and Gas Marketing Services. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southern Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Veracity Capital LLC lowered its position in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 14.5% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 13,406 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,267 shares during the period. Veracity Capital LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $385,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Old North State Trust LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Old North State Trust LLC now owns 23,584 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $675,000 after acquiring an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. Lavaca Capital LLC boosted its position in Bank of America by 7.3% during the 1st quarter. Lavaca Capital LLC now owns 12,216 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $373,000 after acquiring an additional 828 shares during the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 14.2% in the 2nd quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 16,685 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $479,000 after buying an additional 2,075 shares during the last quarter. ExodusPoint Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of America in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,288,000. Finally, Connolly Sarah T. boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Connolly Sarah T. now owns 67,258 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,924,000 after buying an additional 784 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.06% of the companys stock. Get Bank of America alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Bank of America from $32.00 to $33.00 in a report on Friday, July 7th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on Bank of America from $41.00 to $40.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Bank of America from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 23rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Bank of America in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, Oppenheimer cut their price objective on Bank of America from $49.00 to $48.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 26th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Bank of America has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $35.92. Bank of America Stock Down 0.7 % BAC stock opened at $27.38 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $217.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.87, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.37. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $29.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.97. Bank of America Co. has a fifty-two week low of $26.32 and a fifty-two week high of $38.60. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $25.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $24.98 billion. Bank of America had a return on equity of 12.01% and a net margin of 19.97%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.73 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Bank of America Co. will post 3.4 earnings per share for the current year. Bank of America Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 1st were given a dividend of $0.24 per share. This is a boost from Bank of Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 31st. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.51%. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.59%. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider James P. Demare sold 75,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.53, for a total value of $2,364,750.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 185,108 shares in the company, valued at $5,836,455.24. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Dean C. Athanasia sold 77,806 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.48, for a total value of $2,449,332.88. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 353,971 shares in the company, valued at $11,143,007.08. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider James P. Demare sold 75,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.53, for a total value of $2,364,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 185,108 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,836,455.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Bank of America Profile (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Management cut its stake in Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Free Report) by 4.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,371 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 66 shares during the period. Keudell Morrison Wealth Managements holdings in Waste Management were worth $238,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WM. Wendell David Associates Inc. lifted its stake in Waste Management by 11.9% during the 2nd quarter. Wendell David Associates Inc. now owns 1,412 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the period. DAVENPORT & Co LLC increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 26,003 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $4,509,000 after purchasing an additional 605 shares in the last quarter. O Brien Greene & Co. Inc increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 200.0% during the 2nd quarter. O Brien Greene & Co. Inc now owns 24,600 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $4,266,000 after purchasing an additional 16,400 shares in the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 97,158.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 454,561,314 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $78,830,023,000 after purchasing an additional 454,093,937 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bailard Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 80,146 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $13,899,000 after purchasing an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. 78.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Waste Management alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Raymond James cut their target price on shares of Waste Management from $185.00 to $179.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 27th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Waste Management from $167.00 to $166.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Waste Management in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a buy rating for the company. HSBC started coverage on shares of Waste Management in a report on Friday, September 15th. They issued a buy rating and a $192.00 price target for the company. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on shares of Waste Management from $204.00 to $202.00 in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $180.25. Insider Activity In other Waste Management news, Director John C. Pope sold 198 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.40, for a total value of $33,343.20. Following the transaction, the director now owns 56,147 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,455,154.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Waste Management news, Director John C. Pope sold 198 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.40, for a total value of $33,343.20. Following the transaction, the director now owns 56,147 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,455,154.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Bruce E. Chinn sold 172 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.44, for a total transaction of $27,423.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 822 shares in the company, valued at approximately $131,059.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock. Waste Management Trading Down 1.3 % Shares of WM stock opened at $152.44 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $159.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $162.82. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.14. The stock has a market cap of $61.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.42, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.72. Waste Management, Inc. has a twelve month low of $148.31 and a twelve month high of $173.71. Waste Management (NYSE:WM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 25th. The business services provider reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.54 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $5.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.23 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.42% and a return on equity of 33.81%. The companys revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.44 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Waste Management, Inc. will post 5.96 earnings per share for the current year. Waste Management Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 8th were given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, September 7th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.84%. Waste Managements payout ratio is 50.36%. Waste Management Company Profile (Free Report) Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Waste Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Waste Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Well Done LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG Free Report) by 8.4% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 4,408 shares of the companys stock after selling 406 shares during the period. Well Done LLCs holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $432,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AGG. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 145.5% during the 1st quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 6,590 shares of the companys stock worth $705,000 after acquiring an additional 3,906 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 36.2% during the 1st quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 52,003 shares of the companys stock worth $5,570,000 after acquiring an additional 13,829 shares in the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $44,000. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $241,000. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 14,640 shares of the companys stock worth $1,568,000 after acquiring an additional 292 shares in the last quarter. 83.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF alerts: iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Down 0.1 % iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF stock traded down $0.09 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $94.04. 13,483,638 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,131,950. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $95.94 and a two-hundred day moving average of $97.74. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 12 month low of $93.20 and a 12 month high of $101.15. About iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AGG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A ceremony presenting flower baskets to fallen national heroes to mark the Martyrs' Day is held in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2023. [Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan] BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) On Saturday, President Xi Jinping paid silent tribute and laid flower baskets at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day. In 2014, China's top legislature approved the establishment of Martyrs' Day, which falls on Sept. 30, to commemorate those who lost their lives fighting for national independence and prosperity. Since the first Martyrs' Day, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has faithfully kept his tradition of paying homage to fallen heroes on the day. "The accomplishments of the revolutionary martyrs will go down in history and their names shall never be forgotten," Xi once said. Xi has memorialized national heroes on various occasions and lauded their patriotic and valiant spirit as a source of inspiration for the Chinese national psyche. During an inspection tour in 2017, Xi visited a revolutionary memorial museum in Shanxi Province. He left a basket of flowers to pay respect to the country's war heroes. "Each part of the CPC's revolutionary history is a vivid textbook of ideals and faith," Xi said, urging Party members to forge ahead while staying true to the mission taken up by the CPC when it was founded in 1921. He said that every Party member should remember the revolutionaries who devoted their lives to national independence and the people's liberation, keep the mettle of the CPC members, be honest with the people, and create a better life for the people. In September 2020, Xi hailed national heroes who defended the country during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) while addressing a commemoration meeting. Xi said the great spirit of resisting aggression bred during the war is an invaluable source of inspiration, and will always motivate the Chinese people to overcome all difficulties and obstacles and strive to achieve national rejuvenation. In 2021, Xi visited a memorial park in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region dedicated to the Battle of the Xiangjiang River during the Long March in the 1930s. He presented a flower basket in homage to Red Army soldiers who died in the battle and visited a memorial hall in the park to pay his respects to revolutionary martyrs. "We should have such beliefs in achieving the second centenary goal and realizing national rejuvenation," Xi said. "In the face of even greater difficulty, think about the Long March and the Xiangjiang battle." In addition to revolutionary heroes who sacrificed themselves for their fellow people during wartime, Xi has also commended ordinary people in peacetime for contributions they made on various fronts to rejuvenate the nation. In March 2020, when China was at a critical moment wrestling with COVID-19, Xi inspected the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, which was hit hard by the virus. Visiting a makeshift hospital built to deal with the epidemic, Xi lauded medical workers as "true heroes." In the face of the sudden epidemic, medical workers across China went to battle like warriors clad in white armor, risking their own lives to save the lives of others. Later in the year, Xi said at a meeting honoring heroes of the COVID-19 fight that "these medical workers are our guardian angels, and the people most worthy of our respect in the new era." And there was the fight against absolute poverty. In 2021, Xi announced that absolute poverty had been eradicated in China after eight years of relentless efforts. However, more than 1,800 people died fighting poverty on the front lines in this battle against poverty. Xi acknowledged these fallen heroes at a gathering held to mark the nation's poverty alleviation accomplishments and honor model poverty fighters. He said those fallen heroes' sacrifice and contributions "will never be forgotten by the Party, the people and the republic." Xi saluted people working on various fronts, saying that "the people are the creators of history; they are true heroes." In his 2022 New Year Address, the Chinese president acknowledged a series of landmark events and countless "unsung heroes" behind China's march toward great rejuvenation. "The hard work and dedication of countless unsung heroes have all added to the great momentum of China's march forward in the new era," said Xi. (Source: Xinhua) Key Insights Airtel Africa's estimated fair value is UK2.14 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Airtel Africa's UK1.26 share price signals that it might be 41% undervalued Our fair value estimate is 32% higher than Airtel Africa's analyst price target of US$1.62 Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Airtel Africa Plc (LON:AAF) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Airtel Africa Crunching The Numbers We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: Story continues 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$704.0m US$431.0m US$488.0m US$553.0m US$527.1m US$512.0m US$503.8m US$500.3m US$499.9m US$501.7m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -4.68% Est @ -2.87% Est @ -1.59% Est @ -0.70% Est @ -0.08% Est @ 0.36% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 6.1% US$663 US$383 US$408 US$436 US$392 US$359 US$333 US$311 US$293 US$277 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$3.9b The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.4%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 6.1%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = US$502m (1 + 1.4%) (6.1% 1.4%) = US$11b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$11b ( 1 + 6.1%)10= US$5.9b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$9.8b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK1.3, the company appears quite good value at a 41% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf The Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Airtel Africa as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Airtel Africa Strength Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Wireless Telecom market. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the British market. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year. Looking Ahead: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Airtel Africa, we've compiled three additional elements you should consider: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Airtel Africa , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does AAF's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every British stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. (Reuters) -The coalition of unions representing healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente said late on Saturday it is unlikely there will be a new agreement with the healthcare provider, as their current contract expires and the unions prepare for strike action. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said it and the company remained far apart on important issues. Kaiser Permanenete said that it is continuing to bargain with the union and work stoppages will not begin until October 4. "We remain optimistic that we will reach an agreement and avoid an unnecessary strike, which the Coalition unions have called for starting on Wednesday morning, Oct 4," it said in an emailed statement to Reuters. Earlier in September, more than 75,000 Kaiser healthcare workers called for a strike from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7 across California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington DC, in what would be the largest healthcare workers' strike, according to the coalition. Workers of the coalition are demanding resolution on a short-staffing crisis, a pay increase and an improvement in medical plans. A tight U.S. labor market, the expiry of union contracts and high living costs have led to tough negotiations for pay hikes and benefits from workers and triggered strikes and protests across industries. Nearly 309,700 workers have been involved in work stoppages and strikes through August this year, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, putting 2023 on track to become the busiest year for strikes since 2019. Auto workers in the United States have also been on strike against the Detroit Three automakers, Ford General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis. (Reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu and Jose Joseph in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Nick Zieminski) MEXICO CITY (AP) Growing up on the border between Mexico and the United States, Becky G spoke English, but sang corridos, boleros and mariachi in Spanish. All her life, she dreamed of an album that would honor her family's roots and delve into those genres that she enjoys so much. "A lot of the times they would tell me that I am too Mexican to be American or too American to be Mexican and that you can't be in the middle. Why would I have to give up a part of myself to be accepted here and the other way around?" said Becky G from New York in a recent video call interview conducted in English and Spanish. Becky G's first ongoing Mi Casa, Tu Casa Tour visits El Paso at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Abraham Chavez Theatre. Things to do: El Paso Museum of History exhibit highlights cultural changes following Mexican Revolution Now, that album is finally here: "Esquinas" was released on Thursday night. Becky described it as "a love letter to my abuelitos, to my younger self and hopefully to the future generations." "It's like the cross streets of two flags, two cultures, two languages," said the singer, who was born in Inglewood, California, and thinks of her identity as 200%: 100% Mexican, 100% American. The album was produced by the Latin Grammy nominee Edgar Barrera. Initially, Becky wanted to do something very traditional to show she was capable of dabbling in Mexican genres, so she incorporated elements such as trumpets, tololoche and acoustic guitar. She included covers of classics she listened to when she was younger, such as "Un puno de tierra" ("A handful of soil") by Ramon Ayala dubbed "the king of the accordion." But as the project evolved, it allowed for more alternative sounds and collaborations with the new generation of regional Mexican music artists: Ivan Cornejo on "2ndo Chance," DannyLux with "Cries in Spanish" and Peso Pluma with "Chanel." Global music star Becky G kicks off the first stop of her Mi Casa, Su Casa tour at the United Palace theater in New York City on Sept. 15. The tour visits El Paso on Tuesday, Oct. 3. While this is her third Spanish-language album, she said the release of "Chanel" as a single was the first time fans heard her use "a tone of voice that was a little more different." "It's because regional music is a little more organic, it has more acoustic elements and it's a lower tone of voice for me, but I love it," Becky said. "I think when we recorded that song it literally took us an hour to write it; a guitar and the two of us, me with the melodies and him with the story." In "Querido Abuelo" ("Dear Grandpa"), she talks about her roots, her family and the people she loves most. Since childhood, she had talked with her grandparents about a project "totally inspired by regional Mexican music." She decided it was finally time to focus on that project after the death of her grandfather Miguel, to whom she dedicated the track. Concerts: Rock bands Journey and Toto coming to Pan American Center in 2024 with Freedom Tour "He was a great inspiration to me, very hardworking. He was a very humble man who was always available to help every person in his community," she said. "He always had somewhere for them a place to sleep, food to give, he always had love to share." When writing the song, which she performs accompanied by guitar, Becky felt connected to her origins and the memories that inspired the lyrics in which she talks about the smell of the countryside and sleeping on the ground. Becky's mother's family is originally from Tepatitlan and her father's, including her late grandfather, is from Tenamaxtlan, both in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Becky G performs at the Coachella Stage during the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 14, 2023 in Indio, California. Becky co-directs the video for "Querido Abuelo" with the filmmaker Elias Lopez, in which she features multiple home clips on a ranch and of her maternal and paternal grandparents. "This project has a lot of content that is very personal," she said of the visuals accompanying the album. "Even the album cover was inspired, it's a photo my mom took for my birthday, when I was about two years old." For "2ndo Chance," which she recorded in the studio physically with Cornejo, Becky's voice sounds nostalgic. She said it was based on her memories of the old AM radio songs her grandmother listened to while cleaning her house. Another of her inspirations is the bolero trio Los Panchos for the song "Los Astros". "When I was a child, on my great-grandmother's side, she always played Los Panchos and I wanted to do something like that in that style, and it is a song that is great. I love it, it has a slightly sexy flow, but also very sweet," said Becky G. Texas music: Little Joe Hernandez honored by National Endowment for the Arts Becky said she planned to have a party with her family for the album release. But she's having the biggest party with her fans during the ongoing Mi Casa, Tu Casa Tour, her first headliner tour in the United States. It started in Boston and New York this month and continues with stops in the Southwest, including El Paso, Texas; San Diego and Los Angeles. "I feel very lucky and honored to celebrate this milestone, with my third studio album," she said. "We are going to be able to sing the music live with the fans and see in real time which songs they are most connected to, which songs are their favorites." This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Becky G honors Mexican heritage in new album 'Esquinas' As Memphis' soul studios were on the decline in 1975, Nashville -- with its thriving R&B-driven, nightclub, radio and recording operations -- could've served as a solution for survival against disco's onslaught. However, that never occurred because the construction of Interstate 40 carved a destructive path through that scene's Jefferson Street hub. That episode is one of many issues at the crux of author Paula Blackman's Sept. 12-released "Night Train To Nashville: The Greatest Untold Story of Music City." Paula Blackman, author of the book "Night Train To Nashville, poses for a portrait at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. Blackman finds correlation between the struggles of civil rights leaders like Z. Alexander Looby and John Lewis in 1963, and those currently faced by current state representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson in the Tennessee State House. Using Nashville's R&B history to contextualize struggle and progress is a critical factor for Blackman in increasing awareness of her work. "Authentic, street legitimate and beloved Black R&B music is an honest, spiritual sound, reflective of people's actual lives. It's borne somewhat in society's desire to protest, that smartly communicates empowerment and making human experiences relatable beyond education and the media," she told The Tennessean. "The revolutionary space between America's antebellum period and the civil rights movement is in those sounds." Paula Blackman's "Night Train To Nashville" offers perspectives on Nashville's R&B scene in the context of the civil rights movement The repercussions of a 'shameful' history Blackman, 66, is the granddaughter of influential white radio executive Edward "Gab" Blackman of Music City's WLAC radio. Alongside African-American entrepreneur and nightlife impresario William Sousa "Sou" Bridgeforth, the duo cultivated a Nashville music scene that expanded upon the Black "Chitlin' Circuit" concert route. Nashville became the South's first desegregated city on May 10, 1960. By November 2, 1967, it was decided by District Judge Frank Gray to build Interstate-40 through an area once called "Black Wall Street." From Blackman's lips, the word "shameful" escapes to describe I-40's construction four decades ago. The separation of Black people from commerce forced the eventual closure of what Blackman states was "80 percent" of Black-owned businesses in the area. That included the Club Baron, Club Del Morocco, Maceo's, Stealaway and more. It also ended a halcyon era that could've portended the potential of Black excellence for Nashville. "Nashville's a peculiar place where the commercial potential of White people loving Black soul music and Black people loving white country music was a story that deserved to be told," says Blackman. "Interstate 40's construction divided not just people. It's separated culture -- and that culture's potential -- for generations in Nashville." A bulldozer is busy clearing the land of what once were homes in North Nashville on July 16, 1968 for the path of Interstate 40 to come through. 'Street legitimate'-to-government-supported sustainability Blackman recalled a time in the early 1950s when acts like B.B. King achieved popularity, necessitating Billboard to begin to define blues and "race" records as "rhythm and blues." Still, "street legitimate" music was fostered in a community where access to the capital was difficult. National Bureau of Economic Research data shows that since 1950, white Americans have been more than 60 percent more likely to hold financial assets than their Black counterparts. Paula Blackman, author of the book "Night Train To Nashville, poses for a portrait at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. In her book, Blackman refers to Music City's predominantly white and monied political class as the "bourbon aristocracy." To them, Nashville's desegregation was -- even after it occurred -- still a contentious matter. "Had Nashville's government been willing to take an active role in positively supporting its Black business class by not limiting the economic growth of businessmen like Sou Bridgeforth, the connection between the city's Black organic street culture and what has evolved into the city's white-defined [cosmopolitan scene] could've naturally evolved." She cites frequent conversations with Bridgeforth's daughter, Harriet, as essential to framing her thoughts on the matter. The New Era owner died in 2004, so having his daughter serve as a conduit into his mindset on a multitude of crucial matters offers unprecedented viewpoints to an issue that has also been highlighted via the Country Music Hall of Fame's Vice President of Museum Services Michael Gray's acclaimed work "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970." "Protests still occurred in Nashville because places like the Cross Keys and Tic Toc Restaurants resisted desegregation," notes Blackman. Two Nashville Police officers carry the sit-in demonstrators groups leader, John Lewis, to a waiting police paddy wagon after he failed to obey police orders to move away from the Herschels Tic Toc restaurant Dec. 2, 1962. Nashville's soulful scene emerges Influential recordings like Etta James' 1963 live album, "Etta James Rocks The House," weren't the only benefits of Nashville's Chitlin' Circuit-era charms. There was a burgeoning traveling circuit of Black musicians caught between pursuing college degrees at schools like Nashville's historically black colleges like Fisk, Meharry Medical, or Tennessee State University, escaping military service, or working around Jim Crow's limitations. This group included freewheeling session musician Jimi Hendrix and his fellow King Casuals band member Johnny Jones. For these musicians, a five-mile stretch of Music City boasting concerts and parties seven nights a week was ideal. For independent and underground acts like Charles "Wigg" Walker, being able to rub shoulders with artists including James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, B.B. King, Little Richard and Muddy Waters was a game-changer. It helped to kick-starting globally-renowned careers without the aid of established, well-distributed labels like Atlantic, Chess, King, Motown, or Stax. Walker worked six nights a week with the house band at Bridgeforth's New Era Club on Charlotte Street. Similarly, acts like Hendrix and Jones competed in loud, amplified guitar battles at venues like the Club Baron. Though some acts, like Jackie Shane (a pioneering transgender soul performer) or Joe Simon, remained in Nashville, artists like Walker were implored by Brown and others to move elsewhere for greater visibility outside of the veil of Chitlin Circuit and Nashville's massively influential country scene. Charles Wigg Walker performs at Acme Feed and Seed in Nashville , Tenn., Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023. "Man, I got out of Nashville as soon as I could. I knew I had family in New York so my wife at the time and I had somewhere to stay and I needed more significant avenues for my music," noted Walker in a Jan. 2023 Tennessean feature. For those who remained, radio stations like Gab Blackman's WLAC -- featuring disc jockeys Gene Nobles, John R., Hoss Allen and Herman Grizzard (who some listeners referred to as "the blackest white disk jockeys on radio" recalls a 1982 New York Times feature) -- were in existence throughout the 1940s through 1970s, broadcasting sounds across much of the United States. "Street vernacular-driven broadcasts of the hottest records in the streets supported a thriving nightlife scene," states Blackman. Even deeper, by 1964, those changes reached television via WLAC-TV's "Night Train" program (which debuted five years before Chicago's "Soul Train"). Acts like Hendrix and Jones backed WVOL radio executive and program host Noble Blackwell with local names like The Avons, Jimmy Church, Hytones and Spindells. As well, Gab Blackman counter-programmed with "The!!!!Beat," a Dallas-recorded color-television-enabled and nationally-syndicated program hosted by Hoss Allen and the result of a business partnership between Blackman and the enterprise behind Porter Wagoner's TV program. Disc jockey John Richbourg gets set to spin another rhythm and blues song as he does every night of the week except for Sunday at WLAC Radio station Aug. 17, 1966. Before turning to the turntable side of the radio world, John R did character parts in "Gangbusters" and radio soap operas such as "Our Gal Sunday" and "Lorenzo Jones." Music City's soulful legacy Fascinatingly, in Nashville, the hottest soul record on Charlotte Avenue wasn't the same soul record being heard at Harlem's Apollo Theater, in Motown's infamous "Snakepit," or from Chicago, Memphis, or Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Baptist preacher's son-turned-soul crooner Simon was reflective of the type of artist being honed in Nashville's streets -- streets being similarly walked by acts like James Brown and Little Richard, who desperately wanted the national reach and visibility of stations like WLAC. A 2021 Tennessean feature notes how WLAC's 50,000-watt radio signal covered much of the Eastern United States and even found the station a sizeable Jamaican audience. While based in Nashville from 1965-1970 and releasing music on radio DJ John R's Sound Stage 7 Records, Simon achieved 13 Top 40 singles (including a cover of Harlan Howard's Nashville-written song for Waylon Jennings' "The Chokin' Kind," which for Simon yielded a Grammy) and gained favorable comparisons to the work of Sam Cooke by critics like Robert Christgau. "Achieving Nashville success required elite-level musicianship and a note-perfect ability to reflect remarkably vibrant cultural shifts," stated Blackman. Paula Blackman, author of the book "Night Train To Nashville, poses for a portrait at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. However, by 1972, the Club Baron had been sold to its current owners, the Pride of Tennessee Elks. By 1978, WLAC-AM was no longer in operation. The New Era Club continued to relocate and was kept alive until the mid-1990s. In a manner consistent with the early 1970s, America is again presented with a crossroads where the world's eyes are on Nashville's ability to synergize pop culture, racial and social unrest, plus lucrative commerce. Blackman believes that a new "bourbon aristocracy" is now confronted with non-Nashville natives and politicians like State Representatives including Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson cognizant of and desiring the benefits that result from Black civil equity. "It's bittersweet, but people from Chicago, Los Angeles and New York are here now and can dilute the power of the 'bourbon aristocracy' 's influence. With their work and getting hopefully, works like my book in the hands of people who are demanding change, Nashville's ability to create a moment for Black and marginalized people will occur." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: New book 'Night Train to Nashville' discusses Nashville's unfulfilled Black, R&B potential California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed Senate Bill 799, the legislation that would allow striking workers to apply for unemployment insurance. In his letter announcing the veto Saturday night, Newsom argued that widening the scope of the states unemployment insurance program would add to debt already owed to the federal government due to the amount of unemployment checks sent out to Californians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats an argument often made by opponents of the bill as it wound its way through the state legislature. Any expansion of eligibility for UI benefits could increase Californias outstanding federal UI debt projected to be nearly $20 billion by the end of the year and could jeopardize Californias Benefit Cost Ratio add-on waiver application, significantly increasing taxes on employers, Newsom wrote. Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt. The bill was supported by unions throughout California, including the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, which were both on strike when SB 799 was passed by Democrats in the California legislature. The WGA has tentatively agreed to a new contract thats up for a member ratification vote this week, while SAG-AFTRA is returning to the negotiating table on Monday. In a statement posted to social media, WGA West decried Newsoms veto as a dismissal of the working people that have supported him. For 148 days, members of the WGA struck against companies who intended to drive writers into financial ruin, the guild wrote. Every worker deserves the right to stand up for themselves while using benefits theyve earned to make ends meet. We remain committed to this bill becoming law in California. Burbank State Sen. Anthony Portatino, one of the co-sponsors of SB 799, also voiced his disappointment over Newsoms veto. The labor unrest and concern we all witnessed this summer earned the Legislatures action to pass unemployment benefits for striking workers. The need continues and so will efforts to make this the law in California. The hardworking women and men in California need to put food on their table and pay their rent. SB 799 would have injected a small piece of security to working families that is needed and deserved, he said in a statement. The bill, had it been signed by Newsom, would have gone into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. For all of TheWraps Hollywood strike coverage, click here. The post California Gov. Gavin Newsom Vetoes Bill Offering Unemployment to Striking Workers appeared first on TheWrap. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission. Any time theres a photo taken of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, you know itll like be a beautiful showcase of their love. Some of the best images of the couple feature the two holding hands, giggling, wrapping their arms around one another, and just generally creating pockets of intimacy even in a room of thousands. Now, were getting a behind-the-scenes look at the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs time at the Invictus Games, and one candid photo of the couple showcases one of the most admirable attributes of their dynamic. More from SheKnows In the black and white snapshot, captured by photographer Misan Harriman and shared via Instagram, Harry stands onstage, microphone in hand at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, which hosted the recent Invictus Games. Out in the audience, listening intently, was Meghan. Despite the physical distance between the two in the photo, it was so clear just how much support Meghan was offering her husband of five years. You can see the snapshot HERE. Meghan Markle briefly mentioned when she and Prince Harry's children will finally make their public debut. https://t.co/6cgHXxqEx6 SheKnows (@SheKnows) September 28, 2023 Click here to read the full article. A lovely moment from this years [Invictus Games], Harriman captioned the image. The photographer wasnt the only one who thought the candid moment was lovely. All throughout the comment section of the post were compliments and sweet messages about Meghan and Harrys relationship. Awesome love with unconditional mutual support, one Instagram user wrote. They love and support each other. Simple, another person said. Some simply left heart emojis, but the sentiment was nearly all the same. Given everything Harry and Meghan endured during their time as senior members of The Firm, supporting one another and standing by each other has been such a steadfast quality of their relationship and marriage. We see it time and again when the couple is out in public. But this intimate snapshot proves the pairs greatest quality is their unyielding support and admiration for one another. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand Image: Dey Street Books - Credit: Dey Street Books. Dey Street Books. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand Price: $18.99 $9.99 Buy On Amazon From headlines to word-of-mouth, we all think we know Prince Harry and Meghan Markles true story. But theres one book that takes longtime royal fans even more in-depth, revealing stories about the couple we only thought we knew. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan details the couples romance, wedding, the birth of their first child, and their decision to take a step back from royal duties. Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand take us far beyond the picture-perfect moments to the tough decisions this couple had to make in order to preserve their relationship and happiness. With this book, longtime royal fans may learn more about Harry and Meghans new path outside of the royal family. Click here to see Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys complete relationship timeline. Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Best of SheKnows Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission. With former US President Donald Trumps legal battles heating up, the public is wondering what he could do to his multiple businesses. Will he sell them? Will he continue to run them as if nothing is wrong? Some believe that theres a third opinion not many have considered: Donald could end up giving his businesses to his wife Melania Trump, but heres why that wont be the case. More from SheKnows Recently, New York Justice Arthur Engoron stripped Donald of control over some of his businesses amid the fraud investigations and canceled some of the business certificates the Trump family uses for their New York businesses. Soon after this ruling, experts have theorized what hell do next, with many thinking hell have either Melania or his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, run them. Neither are in the case, since both were recently removed, so all eyes have been on them. But chances are, neither will take over. Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump during Olympus Fashion Week Spring 2007 Seen at Bryant Park Day 3 at Bryant Park in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by John Parra/WireImage) Click here to read the full article. The notion started as a joke from Ron Filipkowski, who posted the sarcastic tweet: Look, Trump can just transfer all his properties and businesses in NY to Melania. Problem solved. Im sure he can trust her because she really loves him unconditionally. Despite seeing on his page that hes against the Trumps, many outlets claimed this was a viable option. WASHINGTON, DC OCTOBER 22: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk to the South Lawn to depart the White House on October 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump travels to Nashville, Tennessee for the final debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The Commission on Presidential Debates changed the format this time, muting of microphones to start each of Thursdays debate segments. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) However, both Melania and Ivanka have separated themselves from politics, and, more or less, Donald. Melania has been out of the public eye since the Trump family left the White House, and many insiders have claimed that her main focus is only on providing for her and Donalds son, Barron Trump. And the fact that she recently renegotiated her pre-nup has added fuel to the fire that shes allegedly separating herself from Donald. So many believe her taking over his businesses is not an option. Now for Ivanka: while the Trump Card author has been seen at a few events for Donald, she did state back in Nov 2022 that she was done with politics. Despite musings about her re-entering the political world, it seems shes taking a step back. And since she hasnt been seen on the business side of Donalds life, many have speculated that her resignation from his business world as well. Before you go, click here to see the biggest presidential scandals in US History. Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton Best of SheKnows Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Christmas is still a couple of months away, but Drake is clearly embracing the spirit of gift-giving as he treks from city to city on the Its All A Blur Tour. He was evidently feeling quite generous on Saturday (Sept. 30) when the show stopped in Miami, Florida. Drizzy has been making headlines as of late for surprising lucky fans with not only a worthwhile performance but also luxury items, trips, and thousands of dollars. While onstage at the Kaseya Center, the Rich Flex rapper peered out into the crowd in search of a fan sign that was worthy of acknowledgment. Thats a good sign to pick tonight. Usually, Ill do something nice for a lady. Id do something nice; Ill give away a bag or some s**t like that, said Drake after noticing a male concertgoer. He said, I spent all my savings buying tickets for me and my ex, but Honestly, Nevermind, its really Her Loss. So she aint come with you tonight? She aint come with you tonight to the Drake show? What the f**k is wrong with her? And you in here just icy with the gold chain and the sunglasses on? He continued, Aye, you know what? Shes gonna feel real f**ked up cause Ima give you 50 bands, so you gon flex on her tonight. Thats how we doing it tonight, big dog! Its your night tonight! And I wont say it how yall said it, but f**k that young lady. During the shows stop in Atlanta on Sept. 26, he surprised a newlywed couple who claimed they skipped having a honeymoon to catch the 6 Gods live performance. In return, Drake gifted them a trip to one of his favorite destinations Turks and Caicos. At another concert, a fan was gifted a Chanel bag for putting in extra hours at work to afford a ticket. While in Houston last month, he took notice of one attendee who managed to make it to multiple shows. He returned the love by gifting her $10,000, a first-class flight to Atlanta, and VIP seats to his concert when it stopped in Georgias capitol. The tour, which also features 21 Savage and appearances from Sexyy Red, is scheduled to end this month. Also happening in October is the anticipated release of his next album, For All the Dogs. Last weekend, Drake announced plans to release the project on Oct. 6. Trending Stories A French-born chef known for regional Hawaiian cooking is bringing his unique fusion of global flavors such as Japanese-style chicken meatball skewers, braised beef cheeks and poached scallop ravioli to St. Johns County. Chef Jean Marie Josselin is preparing to open Rustica at Saint Johns at 70 Silver Forest Drive, Suite 115, in SilverLeaf Commons near St. Augustine. Josselin is considered among the pioneers of regional Hawaiian cuisine and is the author of "A Taste of Hawaii: New Cooking from the Crossroads of the Pacific." Rustica will join the growing St. Johns County upscale and fine dining scene that includes year's openings of 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop at the Cabana Beach Club of Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa as well as Argyle at The Yards in Ponte Vedra Beach. Tombo Ahi Sashimi Citrus Ponzu is among the signature dishes from Chef Jean Marie Josselin who's opening his new restaurant, Rustica at Saint Johns, in SilverLeaf Commons near St. Augustine. After more than 30 years of cooking and leading kitchens in Hawaii and elsewhere, Josselin, who recently moved to St. Johns County with his family, is almost ready to launch his first Northeast Florida restaurant. Rustica will offer flavors from around the globe inspired by his experiences in Hawaii and travels, Josselin told the Times-Union. "What we're going to do is mostly fusion. We're going to have a little bit of Indian, a little bit of Chinese, a little bit of Japanese and a little bit of French. All of it combined into a nice package, inventive and creative," he said. Simply put, Rustica will showcase food Josselin likes to eat and enjoys creating. "Our goal is to create a restaurant that has a neighborhood feel but with regional and national stature. We want to be recognized as a top Florida establishment with a unique view on fine dining, with a service that is comfortable, friendly and knowledgeable," Josselin said. They also want Rustica's cocktail and wine program to be "modern, interesting and evolving," he said. Josselin hopes to open the 150-seat restaurant soon but no date has been finalized. On the menu at Rustica Rack of lamb with an elephant plum ginger sauce is among the signature dishes from Chef Jean Marie Josselin who is preparing to open his new restaurant Rustica at Saint Johns. Local, seasonal and sustainably sourced farm-to-table ingredients will be a priority at Rustica. Josselin believes in "community-based partnerships with our farmers, ranchers and other vendors to help create a viable local economy." Josselin said their menu of fusion dishes is unique. "I think if you are going to open a restaurant you may as well try to bring something to the scene. There are a lot of good restaurants but you know you have to bring something that is different as well. Copying is not really what I like to do," he said. Some of his signature dishes: Chicken Tsukone: Japanese-style chicken meatball skewers brushed with tare and served with sunchoke hummus and chicken truffle jus Tandoori Prawns with local rice risotto and herb chutney Yuba Cannelloni with an avocado mousse and curry leaf kohlrabi pea-shoot salad Braised beef cheeks with polenta and braising jus Other featured offerings include poached scallops ravioli with Yuzu butter sauce and Tobiko, brisket pie with buttermilk barbecue sauce, whole grain mustard and creme fraiche, and seared cobia with artichoke, cannellini beans, Minestra bouillon and pancetta, the menu shows. Rustica also will have a seafood bar with a selection of fresh oysters, sushi, sashimi and Tataki. Desserts such as a creme puff of the day, as well as white chocolate mousse Millefeuille, are on the menu. Seafood and sweeping ocean views: First rooftop restaurant in Ponte Vedra opens Culinary journey Chef Jean Marie Josselin behind the bar as he is putting the final touches on his soon-to-open new restaurant, Rustica at Saint Johns, in SilverLeaf Commons near St. Augustine. Josselin, a native of Chamonix, France, inherited his love of cooking from his grandmother whom he helped in the kitchen during his childhood. "My grandma inspired me 100 percent. My grandma was an incredible cook. That lady was whipping up meals like nothing and I can still taste them after all these years. Fish, rabbit, pork. She was always cooking something and it was always delicious," Josselin said. As a teenager, Josselin became an apprentice at a Chamonix bistro and then attended Lychee Hotelier de Paris culinary school. When he graduated, Josselin became a line cook in Paris, launching his lifelong culinary career that brought him to the United States in 1982. Restaurants: What's new or coming soon to Jacksonville's Beaches, Intracoastal area Josselin worked his way up the culinary ranks to lead resort hotel kitchens nationwide. He's opened seven restaurants in Hawaii and Las Vegas since Hawaii became his home base in 1984. In 1995, he was featured in a segment of the Great Chefs of Hawaii television series. His cookbook, "A Taste of Hawaii: New Cooking from the Crossroads of the Pacific," which celebrated the fusion of culinary cultures, was originally published in 1992. Josselin, 60, relocated his family to St. Augustine about 1 years ago. The move, he said, was prompted in part by his 12-year-old daughter's goal of pursuing a career in NASA's space program. They chose St. Johns County for the quality of its school system and proximity to NASA, he said. The exterior of soon-to-open Rustica at Saint Johns restaurant. Chef Jean Marie Josselin is putting the final touches on his new restaurant in SilverLeaf Commons near St. Augustine. The move also afforded him an opportunity to open Rustica and introduce his fusion cooking to Northeast Florida. "Rustica is something that all my years of experience and all my traveling and the food that I like to cook and things I wanted to try," he said. Josselin said Rustica initially will be open only for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Monday. Weekend brunch will be added as Rustica settles in, he said. Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on Twitter @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com. If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Rustica at Saint Johns opening at Silverleaf Commons Rep. Jamaal Bowman was caught pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Building moments before the House was scheduled to vote on a funding bill to avert a government shutdown. Bowmans team has claimed the move was an accident, but didnt immediately clarify how it happened or what Bowman was trying to do. That also hasnt stopped multiple Republicans from calling for severe consequences. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that this should not go without punishment and hinted that Bowmans act was equivalent to the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol. When you think of how other people are treated, when they wanted to come in and change the course of what was happening in this building, McCarthy said. This is an embarrassment, he added. Youre elected to be a member of Congress. You pulled the fire alarm in a minute of hours before the government being shut down, trying to dictate that government would shut down. Whats going through a persons mind like that? But, we will find the right ability to deal with this. McCarthy wasnt alone in his condemnation. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stopped to speak to reporters about Bowman as well. McCarthy had been asked about Bowman, but Greene brought him up herself. Police are questioning him right now, because its on video, Greene said. This is the exact, he violated the exact same law that January 6th defendants are being prosecuted for every single day. Greene added, He violated the exact same law, interrupting the official proceeding, and, by pulling a fire alarm. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler told Fox News that the potentially criminal act should prompt Bowman to resign from office. That any member of Congress would think its appropriate to pull a fire alarm to try and delay Congress from doing its business is shameful, Lawler said. Wisconsin representative and chairman of the House administration committee has announced that he intends to investigate. His office tweeted, Rep Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning. An investigation into why it was pulled is underway. Chairman Bryan Steil. Rep Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning. An investigation into why it was pulled is underway. Chairman Bryan Steil House Admin. Committee GOP (@HouseAdmin) September 30, 2023 Rep. Nicole Malliotakis took things a step further and tweeted that she is working on a resolution to expel Bowman from the House. She wrote, This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school. This action warrants expulsion & Im introducing a resolution to do just that. This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school. This action warrants expulsion & Im introducing a resolution to do just that. https://t.co/rfnLDzFHmK Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (@RepMalliotakis) September 30, 2023 Rep. Elise Stefanik shared on X (formerly Twitter) that she believes Bowman committed a felony by pulling the alarm. As she put it, A Democrat Member of Congress just committed a felony by pulling the fire alarm to try to delay and stop a Congressional vote to fund the government. A Democrat Member of Congress just committed a felony by pulling the fire alarm to try to delay and stop a Congressional vote to fund the government. Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) September 30, 2023 A spokesperson for Bowman told The Hill, Congressman Bowman did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote. The congressman regrets any confusion. The post Kevin McCarthy Calls for Punishment as Rep. Jamaal Bowman Gets Caught Pulling Capitol Fire Alarm: This Is an Embarrassment (Video) appeared first on TheWrap. The interior of the new Up Leaf Cafe on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Holland Township. HOLLAND TWP. A new Asian fusion restaurant is now open in The Shops at Westshore. Up Leaf Cafe located at 12371 James St. in Suite 40 is serving customers 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays during a soft opening, offering their unique take on Asian flavors plus boba smoothies, coffee and plant-based energy drinks. More: Asian fusion coming to Holland's Shops at Westshore Located in the former MidiCi Pizza, Up Leaf is owned by husband and wife duo Sonny Lam and Marylou Nguyen, in addition to Lams sister, Truc. It's the realization of an idea that formed during the pandemic, when the couple found themselves without work. Nguyen started making and selling spring rolls. The family took over the brick-and-mortar space in November. Over the last several months, the team has been renovating the space and developing the menu. Now, they're ready to share it with the masses. The interior of the new Up Leaf Cafe on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Holland Township. We're about a week and a half into our soft opening, Nguyen said. I want to give it probably another two weeks and then we'll schedule our grand opening. The menu includes build-your-own options, signature salads, rice bowls, vermicelli bowls and spring rolls. Online orders aren't accepted during the soft opening, but will be added once the eatery opens full-time. A pork bowl sits on a table at Up Leaf Cafe in Holland Township. Nguyen said, so far, the responses has been positive, with support from local residents and students studying at Grand Rapids Community College's Lakeshore Campus. Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage Every single customer we've had has been happy, Lam said. People have loved our flavor combinations." Visit facebook.com/upleafcafe or upleafcafe.com to learn more. Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Up Leaf Cafe opens to customers in The Shops at Westshore Seven days out is your guide to entertainment events, concerts, festivals and activities in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. MONDAY Monday Night Blues 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida are bringing the blues back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District. The event features live blues music and "BBQ and Bud" food and drink specials. More info: 850-434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. TUESDAY The Pensacola Beach Songwriter's Festival Various times Tuesday through Sunday, Oct. 3 through 8. Pensacola Beach at various locations. Pensacola Beach will be alive with the sounds of original music performed by the folks who wrote the tunes. With more than a decade under its belt, the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival has become a treasured annual favorite, offering performances at various beachside bars, restaurants and other attractions. The Concert of Light: A Night with the Veterans takes place Friday night at the Pensacola Beach Church. Concert tickets are $30. More info: pensacolabeachsongwritersfestival.com. Adventures Unlimited Fall Foliage Zipline Tours Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Thursday, Nov. 30. Adventures Unlimited Outdoor Center, 8974 Tomahawk Landing Road, Milton. The Beaches to Woodlands Tour is here and it brings a great time to enjoy the natural attractions at Adventures Unlimited located just north of in the Blackwater River State Forest. Enjoy the changing colors and excitement while doing one of the Canopy Zipline Tours. Overnight accommodations at the resorts campsites or cabins are available along with canoeing and kayaking down the Coldwater Creek. Inquire about team building activities and group outings also. Details: adventuresunlimited.com. Bands on the Beach 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3. Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach, Pensacola Beach. Pensacola Beach's popular outdoor summer concert series with performers for every musical taste. Featuring a lineup of regional artists, Bands on the Beach delivers an eclectic musical experience throughout the entire summer. This week features True Blue Band. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Free. More info: 850-932-2257 or visitpensacolabeach.com. StudioAmped 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 3 through 6. the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio, 1000 College Blvd. WSRE PBS has announced three free concerts to be performed for the stations StudioAmped music series: Grits & Greens on Tuesday; Paul Vinson on Thursday; and the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival show, featuring Kathie Baillie, Michael Bonagura and Alyssa Bonagura, on Friday. Admission is free, and donations for Manna Food Pantries will be collected at the door. More info: wsre.org/events. Satisfy your taste buds: Have two Food Network Chopped champions cook for you at one of two special dinners WEDNESDAY UWF Chamber Music Series: Baroque and Beyond Noon Wednesday, Oct. 4. Old Christ Church, 405 S. Adams St. The UWF Chamber Music Series at Old Christ Church marks the opening of its 17th season. The concert will feature performances by members of the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music programs. Members of the UWF Chamber Music Class will perform various chamber music repertoire, featuring many different instruments and ensembles. Free. More info: uwf.edu. Killer Queen - A Tribute To Queen 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. In 2016 Killer Queen set their sights on America including the awe-inspiring Red Rocks Arena in Colorado one of the country's most prestigious venues. By 2020 the band was pulling huge arena audiences in Cardiff Motorpoint, Liverpool, and Nottingham. This year sees the band bringing their Oueen tribute act to Pensacolas Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $51.75. More info: 850-595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com. THURSDAY The Wildwoods 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5. Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Hailing from the Great Plains of Lincoln, Nebraska, the enchanting folk/americana trio The Wildwoods will perform live in concert. The bands delicate melodies and descriptive lyrics come from nature, love, experiences from the road and growing up in Nebraska. $10. More info: thewildwoodsband.com. Words 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Community Center, 913 South I St. The Choral Society of Pensacola opens its 2023-2024 season with Words, an eclectic evening inspired by the power of language. The 100-voice volunteer chorus will be conducted by artistic director Peter Steenblik with Hyunjoo Kim at the keyboard. The program features spellbinding words by such writers as William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Octavio Paz, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou and E.E. Cummings in settings by some of the most celebrated choral composers working today. More info: choralsocietyofpensacola.org. FRIDAY Bands on the Blackwater Fall Concert Series 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Jernigans Landing, 5154 Willing St., Milton. Come by boat or bring a lawn chair and join friends and neighbors for the best live music on the Gulf Coast at the award winning, family-friendly Bands on the Blackwater concerts. The series offers a variety of music from local favorites to national touring bands. This week features The Midnight Shepards. Free. More info: 850-983-5400 or facebook.com/BandsOnTheBlackwater. SATURDAY Navarre Fishing Rodeo 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8. Juana's Pagodas, 1451 Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre Beach. Fish from the shore, a boat or kayak, or from the pier. Prizes will be awarded in all divisions. The weigh-in is on the beach at Juana's, close to Santa Rosa County Navarre Beach Boat Ramp and parking. Scales close promptly at 4 p.m. on both days. More info: navarrefishingrodeo.com. Holland Farms Pumpkin Patch & Maze 8 a.m. Sunday to Saturday, Sept. 23 through Nov. 4. Holland Farms, 2055 Homer Holland Road, Milton. Enjoy a farm hayride that will take you around the farm and to the pumpkin patch to pick a pumpkin of your choice. New activities for this year include a 3/4-mile train ride around the farm and a new innertube hill slide. Other activities include corn box, horse and regular swings, spider web, pirate ship, zip lines, pedal tractor cart racing, hill slides, rat racers, sand box and an 8-acre corn maze with kiddie maze. Every visitor receives a free cup of homegrown boiled peanuts. More info: HollandFarmsOnline.com. Highway 87 Outdoor Market at Pik-itz 9 a.m. the first and third Saturday, Sept. 2 through Nov. 4. Pik-itz, 1922 Florida 87, Navarre. This monthly outdoor market takes place on the first and third Saturday during the Beaches to Woodlands Tour. Farm to table vendors will available along with various arts and crafts. More info: pikitz.com. Find out which favorite is on the way: Pensacola's Pizza Kitchen has closed its doors for good, but a local favorite is moving in Glass & Ceramic Pumpkin Patch 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. This year, attendees of the 17th annual Glass & Ceramic Pumpkin Patch will have over 4,000 hand-blown glass and hand-thrown clay pumpkins to choose from. The pumpkins are created by 50 local artists. Purchase one-of-a-kind pieces that are guaranteed to be picked quickly. Prices for pumpkins begin at $20. In addition to the main event, First City Art Center is throwing a Pumpkin Patch Preview Party from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Entry event includes complimentary appetizers, drinks, live music, glass and pottery demonstrations. Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members. More info: FirstCityArt.org. Pensacon HalloweenFest 10 a.m. Saturday through 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8. Splash City Adventures, 6709 Pensacola Blvd. HalloweenFest combines the pop-culture fun of Pensacon with traditional Halloween celebrations for two full days of spooky pop-culture fun in an outdoor, convention-style atmosphere. The weekend will feature vendors, live entertainment, celebrity guests, artists, trick-or-treating and other fun in a safe environment. Costumes are encouraged, and each day will include a costume contest, with adults competing on Saturday and kids on Sunday. More info: pensacon.com. Danetoberfest The Danetoberfest celebration and fundraising event returns to Seville Square on Saturday. 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. Seville Square, downtown Pensacola. Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue's lovable, gentle giants are back to take over Seville Square at the seventh annual Danetoberfest celebration and fundraising event. Who Let the Danes Out? is this years event theme, so festival-goers best come prepared for face-to-face nose boops and surprise slobber bombs. NWFLGDR will have more than 30 adoptable Great Danes onsite to meet and give treats to. In addition, there will be dozens of NWFLGDR alumni Danes in attendance too. More info: nwflgdr.com. Gulf Coast Summer Fest Jazz Edition 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8. Pensacola Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. Bring coolers, lawn chairs and umbrellas as you enjoy two days of smooth jazz on the water. The show features a variety of acts including Norman Brown, Jeff Lorber, Gerald Albright, Lindsey Webster, Pieces of a Dream, Jeanette Harris and Althea Rene. Hosted by Morris Baxter and DJ Bam Bam Belonge. General admission: $90 (one-day pass); $180 (two-day pass). More info: gulfcoastsummerfestjazzedition.com. Bands on the Bayou 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. The East Hill Neighborhood Association presents the Bands on the Bayou Community Concert Series. Come with chairs, blankets and family by land or water, and join everyone on the lawn at the new Bayview Community Center. Boat access is available. Local food trucks will be in attendance. This month features DLP. Free. More info: bandsonthebayou.com. Corey Smith 7 p.m., doors; 8 p.m., show; Saturday, Oct. 7. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Corey Smith has released 10 albums including 2011s Top 20 release The Broken Record. Smiths concerts, which were documented on his last live record, Live in Chattanooga, regularly sell out, with audiences singing along to such fan favorites as the coming-of-age anthem Twenty-One, and the nostalgic time warp If I Could Do It Again. The show also features special guests Jeb Gipson and Garrett Howell. Tickets start at $20. For all ages. More info and ticket purchase: vinylmusichall.com. SUNDAY Sweet Season Farms Corn Maze 9 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 through Nov. 6. Sweet Season Farms, 2260 Horn Road, Milton. Visitors can spend time this fall season navigating their way through a unique corn maze with plenty of room to spread out on the farm. U-pick sunflowers will be blooming in October along with the pumpkin patch. Experience more than 25 fun farm-themed activities including a cow train, beeline zipline, corn popper jumping pillow, barnyard ball, and playground. More info: sweetseasonfarms.com. Flora-Bama Octoberfest 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. Flora-Bama Lounge & Package, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. Break out the lederhosen for Flora-Bamas annual Octoberfest celebration. Guests will receive a free drink upon entry for those 21 and older, 25% off in the gift shop, and complimentary German food from the buffet. Food is served at 4 p.m. and the stein hoisting competition presented by Samuel Adams will begin at 5 p.m. More info: 850-492-0611 or florabama.com. Matt Rife the ProbleMATTic World Tour 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Matt Rife has exploded as one of the fastest-growing comedians through his viral content and remarkable engagement on TikTok, where he has amassed over 13 million followers, and more than two billion views globally. As one of the most buzzed-about comedians in the business, Rife has been selling out comedy clubs and theaters across the country and is gearing up to bring his biggest tour to date with Live Nation, the Matt Rife: ProbleMATTic World Tour, to Pensacolas Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $73.50. More info: 850-595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com. Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Pensacola News Journal using the link at the bottom of the page under Stay Connected. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Things to do in Pensacola: Danetoberfest; Pensacon HalloweenFest Todd Haynes has spent a large portion of the past decade trying to make Fever, his planned Peggy Lee biopic that never materialized. Haynes originally boarded the project in 2014, when Reese Witherspoon was attached to play the legendary crooner. She was eventually replaced by Haynes Im Not There and Wonderstruck collaborator Michelle Williams, who developed the film alongside Haynes until its financing fell through. Its gone the way of the buffalo, Im afraid, Williams said when asked about the film in a 2022 interview. But if anyone reading this story would like to resurrect it, Todd and I are on board for that. More from IndieWire Todd Haynes went on to direct May December instead, and recently made his way to the New York Film Festival to attend the films U.S. premiere. Speaking to IndieWire on the red carpet, Haynes recalled the painful experience of scrapping Fever and echoed Williams sentiments about potentially revisiting it. When it couldnt happen when we thought it could happen and it was close to pre-production it was tough, Haynes said. Its still a tender spot for all of us. We really put so much time and thought into it. And then I just had all of these other projects lined up that I was very excited to divert my energies into. But look, the interest in the subject hasnt gone away. The amazement with the subject and her art hasnt gone away. And the desire to work with Michelle again hasnt gone away. Whether or not Haynes gets the chance to make Fever, he has a full slate of upcoming projects to keep himself busy. Hes currently preparing to direct Joaquin Phoenix in an untitled queer period romance set in 1930s Los Angeles. Haynes told IndieWire that the film, which is expected to receive an NC-17 rating, could shoot in Mexico after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends. We hope to be mounting a production in Mexico, Haynes said. The two men run away to Mexico. Its set in 1937-38 Los Angeles, but they flee to Mexico. And I think theres a lot of intelligence that is leading us there, which would be an amazing experience. Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. When James Wan and Leigh Whannells Saw hit theaters a couple days before Halloween in 2004, it wasnt the first horror movie of its type Cube and Kolobos had already given us characters who find themselves isolated in rooms full of elaborately deadly traps back in the late 90s but it was certainly the most popular, raking in roughly a hundred times its $1.2 million budget and spawning nine sequels (and counting). It was also the most influential, inspiring a cycle of modestly resourced horror films notorious for their prolonged set pieces of graphic violence. These movies ranged from the brilliant (Eli Roths first two Hostel movies) to the inane (the pointlessly unpleasant Captivity), but they all got lumped together in the unfortunate category of torture porn. David Edelstein popularized the torture porn label in a piece timed to the release of Hostel, and the term really got a workout from lazy critics and pundits who applied it to movies as disparate as Rob Zombies The Devils Rejects, the Australian import Wolf Creek, and the feminist rape-revenge movie Baise-Moi, which came out in 2000 and thus received the designation retroactively. The only thing these movies really had in common was explicit gore, something they also had in common with a few thousand other horror movies going back to Herschell Gordon Lewis not to mention network TV procedurals like Criminal Minds, which premiered in 2005, the same year as Hostel and Wolf Creek. But the torture porn tag made it possible for people who didnt like the films (and, perhaps more significantly, people who hadnt even seen them) to dismiss an entire genre with no need to back up their argument calling something torture porn was enough to condemn it as trash. More from IndieWire Thats what happened to producer-director John Stockwells Turistas , a smart, scary, and beautifully made thriller that was quickly forgotten after its brief and poorly reviewed theatrical release in December 2006. The script by Michael Arlen Ross was possibly greenlit in an attempt to capitalize on the success of Hostel, to which it bears a passing resemblance in its tale of tourists kidnapped and tormented while traveling in a foreign country, though the films are more different than they are similar. (For the record, Stockwell claims to have not even seen Hostel before he started shooting Turistas.) Aside from the obvious difference in landscape and culture Hostel is set in Amsterdam and Slovakia while Turistas takes place in Brazil Hostel is largely, like Saw, a movie of interiors that takes place in claustrophobic rooms. Turistas is a more exterior film that has as much in common with an outdoor adventure movie like Deliverance as it does the other movies categorized as torture porn, though it finds its own ways to create a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. Turistas 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Without giving too much away for those who havent seen it, Turistas is structured in a series of big blocks of action that are all connected in one way or another to the central premise a group of 20something backpackers (among them Melissa George, Josh Duhamel, and Olivia Wilde) are terrorized by members of an organ harvesting ring but also function as effective standalone set pieces. The best of these is a climactic pursuit through a flooded cave in which Stockwell creates a palpable sense of increasing entrapment and suffocation and pulls off the difficult filmmaking trick of choreographing underwater action in a way thats easy to follow and involving. As in his other water-based films (Blue Crush, Into the Blue), Stockwell makes the elements both beautiful and terrifying and maintains a clarity of spatial relationships that some directors cant even manage on the ground. Some credit must be given here to Stockwells underwater cinematographer and second unit director Peter Zuccarini, whose filmography also includes Avatar: The Way of Water, Life of Pi and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Its easy to see from Zuccarinis work in Turistas why he would be a go-to collaborator for directors like James Cameron and Ang Lee, and the top-notch filmmaking here raises the question of how and why Turistas could be so casually dismissed as the cheap slasher knock-off that it clearly is not. Even in the non-spectacle scenes, such as an early passage set in a bar on the beach, Stockwell shows a classical devotion to expressing relationships through deliberate compositions and cutting that invite the audience to take these characters and their plight seriously. Turistas 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection And therein lies a key fallacy of the torture porn label; inherent in the term and the way most critics have used it is an assumption that audiences are somehow getting off on the violence, a thesis that almost none of the so-called torture porn movies actually support. While theres undeniably a certain visual pleasure one can take in the intricate puzzles that Jigsaw creates in the Saw movies, and many of these films tap into post-9/11 anxieties by implying that the victims are on some level culpable in their own destruction, theres rarely a sense that were supposed to feel anything but sympathy and identification with the characters under the knife. In Turistas, Stockwell and Ross take their time laying out the tensions and affections between the main characters so that, when theyre traumatized, it actually means something for them and the audience. Like Saw, Turistas complicates this identification somewhat by creating a killer driven by his own moral justification; the doctor who collects the organs in Turistas sees himself as balancing the scales after decades of American intervention and exploitation in South America. This kind of moral ambiguity is and always has been one of horrors strengths, and critics who attack movies like Turistas or Saw or Silence of the Lambs or Cape Fear for that matter for giving killers admirable attributes are missing the point. As Edelstein has pointed out, as potential victims we all fear serial killers yet seek to identify with their power, and this tension intersects with our natural inclination to empathize with the characters we see suffering on screen to generate horrors most potent and unsettling effects. The fact is that the reason movies like Saw, Hostel, and Turistas put some viewers off isnt because theyre dehumanizing its because they humanize their hapless victims all too well, and the only defense against the movies overwhelmingly visceral effects is to resist them, to stand outside and above them with the easy escape of calling them torture porn. In fact, none of the above three films are all that violent (though the sequels to Saw and Hostel raise the ante in this regard); the amount of time spent on onscreen gore is minimal, and the films disturbing qualities come from the idea of the psychic and physical pain that the characters are enduring. This is certainly true of Turistas, which like Hostel or Vacancy or The Perfect Getaway skillfully taps into the universal fear of encountering danger far from the security of ones home base. While it may have been a movie of its moment, its underlying concerns are timeless, and in the age of streaming maybe it will finally find the audience it deserves and maybe it and the other horror films of its era can be judged individually on their own merits, not casually rejected via a term thats inaccurate at best and meaningless at worst. Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Who's head isn't turned by the sizzle of a fresh plate of fajitas snaking their way through the crowd at your local Mexican restaurant? Savory and satisfying, this Tex-Mex staple is a build-your-own adventure most culinary travelers are happy to embark upon. Arguably, the king of this delicious domain is the steak fajita meaty slices of rich beef seasoned to perfection with a secret blend of spices for just the right amount of tender kick. Born of necessity, the steak fajita as we know it was likely the invention of Mexican vaqueros and ranch hands working on Texas cattle ranches in the 1930s. The cowboys were often stuck with lesser cuts of beef, which they found to be perfectly delicious when seared over hot coals and stuffed into tortillas for an equally filling and, more importantly, portable meal. Restaurant-style sizzling steak fajitas are easy enough to whip up at home if you have the know-how. To crank out this cowboy classic, you just need a quality steak, a hot grill, and a touch of seasoning. While simple solutions like salt, pepper, and garlic are perfectly fine, try upping the flavor ante with sun-dried chile powder or sweeten your steak fajitas with a bit of brown sugar. Either way, be sure to cook that steak hot and fast to get that deliciously authentic char. To perfect the homemade fajita, you'll need the right steak. So, how do you know which beef is a cut above? Here's a tasty place to start. Read more: The Most Popular Cuts Of Steak Ranked Worst To Best Skirt Steak Grilled skirt steak - Michael Kraus/Shutterstock Probably the most traditional cut for classic fajitas, skirt steak is an affordable option with great beefy flavor. Cut from just under the ribs, skirt steak is a fairly well-used muscle that can be tough if not treated properly. Luckily, a blend of marinating and high heat can easily render this meaty morsel fajita-worthy. When shopping for your perfect skirt steak, the cut you're most likely to come across is the inner skirt steak. Yes, it turns out that not all cuts are created equal, and there is, in fact, a difference between an inside and outside skirt steak. While both cuts lend themselves to quick cooking over high heat, the outside skirt steak tends to be much more tender than the more highly utilized inner cut. The outside cut comes from the cow's diaphragm, which has far less tough connective tissue than its counterpart. Either cut would make a mouthwatering fajita, but the outside cut is much harder to source and pricer due to its natural tenderness. For your next fajita night, you can just stick to the affordable inner skirt steak. For perfectly tender steak fajitas, the secret is in the slice. To ensure your skirt steak doesn't turn out chewy, cut the meat against the grain. All this means is that you're cutting the beef's tough fibers into shorter, easier-to-chew pieces. Simply look for the thin lines running across the steak and slice through instead of along the fibers for the most tender fajita meat. Flank Steak Grilled medium-rare flank steak - 4kodiak/Getty Images Another top choice for meaty fajitas, flank steak is a leaner cut than skirt steak and requires a bit longer cooking time but provides just as much beefy flavor. Flank steak is sourced from a steer's abdomen just under the loin, which means tight muscle fibers with less marbling to naturally tenderize the final product. To avoid a tough and tasteless fate, flank steak needs a little R&R in the form of an acidic marinade. Once tenderized, the affordable cut cooks quickly, making it a top choice for weeknight steak fajitas. Flank steak's tight muscular makeup means that it doesn't hold onto marinades quite as well as skirt steak, which makes the leaner cut an ideal candidate for a flavorful rub instead. Whip up your own homemade fajita seasoning with spices you likely already have on hand, like smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin. For an acidic bite, squeeze some fresh lime juice over the meat before applying the rub. This not only provides an extra flavor boost for your fajitas, but the acid in the lime juice will help to tenderize the meat before you toss it on the grill. Be sure to allow your beef ample time to rest once it comes off the grill. Letting the juices redistribute through the meat is an essential step to avoiding a dry final result. And just like with skirt steak, it's extremely important to cut flank steak against the grain to avoid super tough fajitas. Top Round Steak Grilled top round steak - Vladimir Mironov/Getty Images Cheap and super-lean, top round steaks are already perfectly shaped for fajitas. Their uniform thickness makes the cut easy to slice and saute, which is why it can be found in some grocery stores pre-sliced and labeled as "fajita" or "stir-fry meat." Cuts from the beef round primal (like top round) are typically reserved for low and slow cooking methods like stews due to their tough, muscular makeup. These cuts are sourced from the cow's back legs and rump, two areas that get a significant amount of exercise. This portion of the animal also contains quite a bit of connective tissue that can render the meat chewy if not prepared properly. Luckily, the top round is sourced from the inside of the hind legs, an area that contains mostly cartilage-free muscle, resulting in a steak that can easily be tenderized. To use this cut for fajitas, you'll want to pound it with a meat mallet and slice it thinly against the grain before cooking to minimize the amount of time it spends over the heat. Simply season, saute quickly over high heat, and allow the beef to rest for a few minutes before stuffing it into warm tortillas. Flat Iron Steak Grilled flat iron steak - Mironov Vladimir/Shutterstock Thanks to a combination of muscle-rich tissue and ample marbling, flat iron steak has the potential to be a tender addition to your next batch of fajitas. Cut from the area of the cow where the neck connects to the shoulder (also known as the chuck); flat iron steak can have quite a bit of connective tissue, which isn't a problem as long as you know how to treat your beef. A well-butchered flat iron steak should be free from sinew that's one part of the beef you don't want to eat. If you're unsure about your specimen, you can simply ask your butcher to remove it for you. Your newly sinew-free steak lends itself well to grilling up for fajitas, albeit with one unique method to add extra flavor. Instead of marinating your meat before you throw it on the heat, try utilizing a reverse marinade. Exactly what it sounds like, this technique involves whipping up an acid-rich sauce that you toss the meat in just after it finishes cooking. This method allows bright fajita-friendly flavors like lime and cilantro to retain the freshness that can get lost with high-heat grilling. Thanks to its naturally thin nature, flat iron steak only needs a few minutes to sear on each side to reach a mouthwatering medium-rare. Let the meat rest for a few minutes before slicing against the grain and drizzling with your reverse marinade. Pack the tender beef into tortillas with freshly sauteed veggies for simple steak fajitas. Hanger Steak Grilled, sliced hanger steak - Vladimir Mironov/Getty Images Sourced from a lesser-used area on the cow's diaphragm, hanger steak's rich marbling makes it a quick and easy cut to cook if you can find it. Only one hanger steak can be sourced from a single cow, making it a hard-to-find cut not often stocked on grocery store shelves. Once referred to as "the butcher's secret," hanger steak's high quality and lower demand make it a prime choice for elevated fajitas. The once-unknown cut has exploded in popularity in recent years due to its appearance on trendy restaurant menus, but the hanger steak still provides great bang for your buck. You'll want to head to a butcher over the grocery store for this one, but the extra effort is worth it for a perfectly trimmed steak free of silver skin and sinew. Thanks to a soft, loose texture, hanger steak works like a flavor sponge, soaking up mouthwatering marinades and fajita-friendly dry rubs with ease. To take this cheaper steak up a notch, try marinating the meat in Coca-Cola. As acidic as lemon juice, the classic soda helps to break down tougher proteins while also imbuing the beef with flavor and ensuring a gorgeous caramelized crust thanks to its high sugar content. Its thinness makes it a quick cut to cook up, too. The key to cooking hanger steak is to aim for medium served too rare or too well-done, the meat will be far too chewy to consume in fajita form. Top Sirloin Steak Grilled, sliced top sirloin steak - Mironov Vladimir/Shutterstock Lean and meaty top sirloin is one of the best-valued and most popular cuts of steak out there. In fact, the steak is so beloved that there's a fanciful legend regarding how sirloin got its name. Supposedly, King Henry VIII loved the cut so much that he decided to knight it, dubbing the beef "Sir Loin." There are other versions of this tale starring King Charles II and James I, though all are unlikely to have actually happened. Regardless of how the beef got its title, it remains a regal choice to this day. Sourced from the cow's hindquarters between the last rib and the hip bone, the sirloin primal is divided into top and bottom portions before being sold at your local grocery store. The tougher bottom sirloin is typically reserved for ground beef, while the top sirloin is typically cut into steaks. Since it comes from a lesser-used part of the animal, the top-sourced beef enjoys thorough marbling that results in a tender and juicy product when simply grilled. When cooking up top sirloin for fajitas, simplicity is key. Thanks to the cut's rich marbling, you just need a good sprinkling of seasoning and a quick sear on the grill to achieve mouthwatering results. As with any steak, let the meat rest before slicing thinly and topping with a rainbow of onions and bell peppers. Tri-Tip Steak Roasted and sliced tri-tip steak - Atsushi Hirao/Shutterstock Not all bits of the bottom sirloin are relegated to ground beef status. California cookout darling tri-tip steak develops delicious flavor when charcoal-grilled, a method that lends itself well to simple fajitas. The aptly named triangular-shaped cut is relatively affordable due to its smaller size and super-lean muscular makeup, though it does contain just enough marbling to render the beef tender when cooked quickly over high heat. The smokiness from the grill imparts just enough flavor to give tri-tip an authentically fajita-friendly flavor, though a nice dry rub and a generous sprinkling of salt couldn't hurt. In fact, a dry rub of salt, black pepper, and garlic salt is the traditional way tri-tip was seasoned in the early days of Santa Maria-style California barbecue. It was along California's central coast that the tri-tip took off in popularity for its delectably grillable quality; hence its popularity as a West Coast cut to this day When it comes to cooking, you won't want to take your tri-tip steak much beyond medium rare. The lack of fat in the meat means that tri-tip isn't very forgiving if overcooked, so it's best to err on the side of rare to enjoy pleasantly tender fajitas. New York Strip Steak Grilled, sliced New York strip steak - Karandaev/Getty Images If you're looking to go all out with your next fajita night, New York strip is the key to unlocking the most flavorful steak-filled tortillas. Among the most affordable of the prime cuts, New York strip delivers on texture and flavor with minimal effort. Just be sure not to overcook the pricer piece of beef. Sourced from the shorter side of the loin primal, this cut enjoys richer marbling and a looser muscle structure thanks to its lesser-used spot on the cow in short, it's a tender and flavorful piece of beef that's one of the absolute best cuts of steak to grill. While it doesn't feature quite as much marbling as a ribeye and isn't as tender as filet mignon, its super beefy flavor helps to make up for any fatty shortcomings. All it takes to render a New York strip fajita-worthy is a healthy coating of olive oil (to make up for any missing fat) and a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and any other Tex-Mex-inspired seasonings you might desire. Be sure to add a little acid to your final fajita to help cut through the beefy richness of that perfectly grilled New York strip. Teres Major teres major steak on the grill - Lauripatterson/Getty Images Looking for a more affordable alternative to pricey filet mignon? Then it's time you were introduced to teres major. This harder-to-find cut delivers an equally tender bite at a much more digestible and fajita-friendly price point. The beefy cut stands up well to marinades, making it a flavorful option for a fajita upgrade. Cut from the lean shoulder of the cow, the lesser-known teres major enjoys all the tenderness of a filet mignon without the hefty price tag. The heavily used muscle gets much more blood flow than the filet, which leads to a richer, meatier flavor. While you may not be able to find this more unusual cut at the grocery store, an experienced local butcher should have no problem sourcing it for you just trust that the final product is worth the extra effort. The high-quality teres major doesn't have the tough, sinewy fibers of other less expensive cuts, meaning that it doesn't require a lot of extra attention before hitting the grill. Simple seasonings, a quick sear, and a proper rest are really all you need to enjoy some of the most flavorful fajita fillings you've ever tasted. One thing to note is that the teres major requires a significantly longer post-cooking rest period than other steaks, about twice as long in fact. Let the meat rest for around 15 minutes before slicing. Merlot Steak Grilled, sliced merlot steak - Vladimir Mironov/Getty Images Similar to flank steak, the less well-known merlot steak has a finer texture and more marbling, which makes it a more tender alternative to its more familiar counterpart. Sourced from the round primal near the heel muscle of the cow (between the shank and the bottom round), the merlot steak's thin, flat shape makes it a prime candidate for a quick sear over high heat the magic combination for mouthwatering fajitas. This fairly new cut is the product of meaty necessity. During times of economic hardship, people stop buying more expensive cuts. The Beef Innovations Group was born out of a need to get more affordable steaks out of a cow instead of turning the whole animal into ground beef. Out of this project came value cuts like the Denver cut, the petite tender, and the merlot steak. While you'll need to head to the butcher shop to source this piece of beef, it's still one of the most affordable cuts of meat on the market for texture and flavor. When it comes to cooking, just treat the beef as if it were a flank steak. You could marinate it to impart a little extra flavor, but the naturally tender cut doesn't require any extra TLC to render it fajita-worthy. Sear the steak over high heat for just a few minutes per side until it reaches medium-rare to medium doneness. Since this cut lacks a significant source of fat, undercooking it will result in a chewy final product. Bavette Steak Grilled, sliced bavette steak - hlphoto/Shutterstock Sometimes referred to as "the butcher's cut" for its under-the-radar reputation, bavette or flap steak boasts a fairly high-fat content that delivers delicious beefy flavor when seasoned simply and cooked quickly, making it an ideal fajita night hero. This more affordable cut of steak is sourced from the cow's belly; hence its name "bavette" is the French word for "bib." Its lesser-used location on the cow also gives bavette a juicy muscle-to-fat ratio that renders it more flavorful than similar cuts like skirt or flank steak. Similar in shape to skirt steak, bavette boasts a looser muscle structure that helps protect it from the unpleasant side effects of overcooking, like jaw-tiring toughness or unpalatable chew. This signature structure also makes the steak an ideal candidate for external flavor agents since it can easily hold on to thin marinades and flaky dry rubs. The only downside to bavette steak is that it can be difficult to source. You'll need to head to the butcher shop to secure your specimen, but the difference in flavor and texture (not to mention price) is well worth the effort. Simply seared and sliced thin, bavette might just be your new go-to cut for tender and flavorful fajitas. Read the original article on Tasting Table. "Food is medicine" is a phrase used with some frequency in a variety of cultures. The idea behind this saying can be true on a number of levels. Food can help to support immune systems when weak or sick. It can also connect us to cultural ties, alleviating loneliness and easing grief or feelings of loss. Food serves as emotional support, punctuating joyful occasions with the taste of buttercream from a cake or helping to evoke and revisit joyful childhood memories of a person, place, or occasion. All of these means are their own forms of equally valid medicine, working to feed our physical and emotional health. Certain types of dishes, often served in bowls for wrapping hands around, can evoke these feelings of comfort more readily. For those in need of healing inspiration, here are 20 dishes from around the globe, often cooked with the express desire to bring a bit of joy, comfort, and ease to whoever eats them. Read more: 21 Delicious Ways To Use Up Leftover Rice Matzoh Ball Soup - Ashkenazi white bowl with matzoh ball soup - Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock It's relatively well-known that chicken soup also goes by the alias "Jewish penicillin." It's become canon, with everyone from your bubbe to Jamie Oliver calling it by its culturally linked nickname. Chicken broth, when made from the animal rather than a stock cube, has some medicinal benefits, including reducing nasal inflammation (i.e., a head cold), according to lab results from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in the early 2000s. However, one cannot live on broth alone. Add a few fluffy or dense matzoh ball soup dumplings to your chicken broth elixir for maximum soul-soothing satisfaction. Though eaten during Jewish holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Passover, you don't need the excuse of a holiday to make or eat matzoh balls. Pastina - Italy small yellow star-shaped pastina - vvoe/Shutterstock Italians and the Italian diaspora will be incredibly familiar with the tiny, star-shaped pasta known as pastina. Pastina, meaning "tiny pasta," has come to be associated with a particular shape, namely the star. However, pastina can be any type of small pasta. Pastina is often served to tiny pasta eaters in a variety of ways. Their diminutive, orzo-like consistency is perfect for soaking in hot chicken broth and serving to anyone, big or small, who might be feeling a bit under the weather. This adorable little pasta has also warmed the hearts of Italian Americans with a slightly different dish. Now TikTok-famous, the pasta is cooked in broth until the liquid has been absorbed, then served with a generous amount of butter and cheese and an optional egg until it's somewhere between a carbonara and a risotto. The delicious results elicit feelings of comfort amongst anyone lucky enough to sit down to a bowlful. Tom Yum - Thailand bowl with whole shrimp - suriya yapin/Shutterstock Thailand's national dish, tom yum, perfectly balances comfort, flavor, and nourishment. Flavor-and-vitamin-rich ingredients like lemongrass, garlic, galangal, lime, and chile are tempered with soothing coconut milk and collagen-packed chicken stock to create the perfect cold-fighting elixir we'd happily slurp up no matter how we're feeling. The popular spicy soup is Thailand's recently proposed candidate for UNESCO's protected intangible cultural heritage list for multiple reasons. The ingredients highlight some of the country's most treasured natural resources and are also used for medicinal purposes. Add a heavy-handed helping of vegetables and lean protein (either tofu or shrimp tom yum are typical) to the intoxicating broth, and what you have is a health-boosting, tongue-tingling, soul-soothing dish that will help see you through any case of the sniffles. Laksa - Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, And Singapore white bowl with noodles seafood - Tommy021/Getty Images There is something unbelievably soothing and equally invigorating about a steaming bowl of laksa, from the creamy coconut milk-infused broth to the sour pucker and treacly texture of the tamarind. Laksa, a spicy Southeast Asian noodle soup, has captured the hearts and tastebuds of Malaysians, Indonesians, Thai, and Singaporeans, where it is eaten most frequently. And, there may be as many different kinds of laksa as there are diners enjoying a bowlful of the stuff. Laksa's origins are cross-cultural, tracing the movement of people along the Southeast Asian spice trade as well as the international relationships, both in food and in families, that took place as a result. It is a dish that unintentionally showcases food and people's ability to adapt and grow while using all available resources. This brothy soup's sour, bitter, spicy ingredients provide rich sources of vitamins and flavor that can cut through even the toughest, tastebud-dulling head cold. Congee - China white placemat bowl and spoon with congee chicken and sliced century egg - Waqar Hussain/Getty Images Like many other dishes on this list, congee is a dish whose comfort far exceeds the sum of its parts. Its parts can be as long as a grocery list or as few as its two base ingredients: rice and water. Though most commonly made from rice, can also be created from wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, or tapioca. Congee dates back to the Zhou dynasty in China, with variations eaten across Asia and the diaspora. Its simplicity can be used to stretch supplies during times of hardship or to gently fill tummies on the mend after illness. Congee is widely known as a savory breakfast dish, and toppings can range far and wide from eggs to pickled ferments, chicken to chile crisp. Customizable add-ons serve as the punch of flavor welcomed and absorbed by the soothingly stodgy porridge. Arroz Caldo - Philippines blue bowl filled with congee - Loybuckz/Shutterstock Arroz caldo is, more or less, the Filipino variation of congee. Whether it's a tummy bug, a broken heart, or a touch of homesickness, arroz caldo is a soft and warming landing, no matter the occasion. Made from a mixture of glutinous and jasmine rice (or another medium-grained version), arroz caldo is cooked using the same principles as congee. The rice is soaked, then slow-cooked in stock and fish sauce until it has broken down into a porridge-like consistency. Served with copious amounts of shredded chicken, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger, the entire bowl tastes like a warm hug. It's no wonder this is also a traditional Iftar meal eaten during Ramadan to break the daily fast. Caldo De Pollo - Mexico blue bowl with spicy red chicken soup and vegetables - Guajillo studio/Shutterstock Traditional Indigenous medicine and healing in Mexico, or curanderismo, is still widely practiced within the country and the diaspora. These healing rituals can have as much to do with the power of intention and energy as they do with nutrition, which is also true with many comforting, culturally-based foods. There is something universal about the healing powers of chicken soups that seems to call grandmothers, bubbes, nonnas, and abuelas around the globe into the kitchen at the first sign of a sniffle. These soups are not only made from nutritious ingredients, they're infused with feelings of unconditional, reassuring, and supportive love, which is probably why they are so good at soothing whatever ails you. Mexican Caldo de pollo is made by slowly cooking chicken, potatoes, and vegetables flavored with chiles, tomatoes, and spices like cumin, cilantro, and bay. The results are a vibrant and brothy soup, perfect for chasing away a cold or a chill. Soba Or Chorba - Morocco red soup with green herbs - Ihor Smishko/Getty Images Soba, or Moroccan vegetable soup, is a comforting and restorative dish. It's often made during the year's colder months to break fast during Ramadan or help nurse someone back to good health. It's also a fantastic way to reduce kitchen waste; when it comes to vegetables in this soup, more is more! Hearty vegetables like potatoes, turnips, pumpkin, broccoli, and carrots are cooked until very soft. Then, depending on personal preferences, the soup can be ground or blended until smooth or kept chunky like a minestrone. The dish can be made vegetarian or with lamb or chicken, with chickpeas often added to the pot. There are many names for the soup, depending on the community where it is made chorba, in Turkish, is the title given to soups that aren't thickened, making them light and easy to digest. The soup is similar to harira, another flavorful Moroccan soup eaten to break fast during Ramadan and known to be warm and comfortable from the inside out. Jook - South Korea blue striped bowl with congee - sungsu han/Shutterstock Rice-based porridges like jook are a familiar cure-all in many forms and with many names across Asia, with several other versions already on this list. Gentle on the stomach, filling with a comforting, creamy texture it's easy to see why it's so popular as a means of soothing. Like congee, toppings are a welcome and encouraged addition and a great way to add extra flavor and vitamins. Banchan, or side dishes, are Korean cooking essentials, including many pickled and fermented vegetables rich in fortifying nutrients. Hobakjuk, or pumpkin porridge, is also a common variation when pumpkins are in season. Food as medicine is a principle woven into the cuisine of South Korea. Its practice, including the various ingredients and their healing properties, was recorded in Donguibogam, a 25-volume collection that dates back to the Joseon dynasty in the 1600s. Pho - Vietnam grey bowl filled with pho - Lazhko Svetlana/Shutterstock Not that anyone ever needs an excuse to treat themselves to a steaming bowl of pho, but recovering from a cold, sinus infection, or anything similar is a good one. Rich in protein and anti-inflammatories, thanks to beef or chicken broth, pho is traditionally eaten for breakfast across Vietnam. Created initially in northern Vietnam around the early 1900s, pho is often served with a separate plate piled high with herbs, chilies, and vegetables containing polyphenols. When it comes to breakfast dishes, a bowlful of pho packs way more nutrition, not to mention flavor, than a standard bowl of breakfast cornflakes. There's something deeply comforting about the combination of silky rice noodles soaked in a rich broth, enlivened with crunchy bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and chilies, then doused with lime. What more reason do you need to get the stock pot going and make your own version of this beef noodle soup? Chicken Noodle Soup - U.S. ladle pouring broth - Marian Weyo/Shutterstock So ubiquitous is a chicken noodle soup cold remedy in the U.S. that brands like Campbell's Soup have been profiting off of its cure-all status for years. Cambell's was, in fact, the very first soup company to commercially package the soulful elixir of chicken soup with noodles into a can. A remedy for rainy days, sadness, or sickness, Americans have been slurping the stuff in record numbers. There are a number of different ways to make chicken noodle soup, from simply opening the can to recipes that draw inspiration by using ingredients from around the country, like Tex-Mex styles, including jalapenos, for a bit of extra kick.For those too sick or short on time to make their chicken noodle soup entirely from scratch, there are fantastic shortcuts, like store-bought mirepiox mixes and rotisserie chickens, to help see you from start to finish in just minutes. Khichdi - India And Pakistan white bowl filled with khichdi - StockImageFactory.com/Shutterstock Dating back to 9th and 8th century B.C. India, khichdi has been feeling and soothing South Asian communities for longer than some countries have existed. A vegetarian dish made largely from rice and legumes, a khichdi recipe is as economical as it is nutritious and comforting. The name khichdi originates from the Sanskrit word khiccha, meaning rice and legumes, though there are other variations of the dish. Nourishing, flavorful, gentle, and high in plant protein thanks to the legumes, versions of this dish are often served as the first food to babies in Hindu culture. It is also a popular choice when helping those who have been ill regain their strength and fight a fever. No matter the reasoning behind making it, khichdi is a flavorful and nourishing dish guaranteed to comfort and fortify. Ginseng Chicken Soup - South Korea chicken and ginseng with kimchi - KT studio/Shutterstock Samgyetang, or chicken with ginseng soup, is a well-known Korean home comfort and remedy. The dish is made to help regulate body temperature, whether because of a cold, fever, or due to the overwhelming heat of summer. Despite the North American affinity for ice-laden drinks when it gets hot out, there's some science that backs up much of the world's practice of drinking hot liquids to help trigger the body to cool itself. Samgyetang consists of a small chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, garlic, and jujube or red date. This flavorful, comforting dish does require an appetite as each diner is treated to a Cornish hen to eat all on their own, so not to make unless you've got your appetite back! Artsoppa - Sweden white bowl with yellow artsoppa - AS Foodstudio/Shutterstock Like most Scandinavian countries, Swedes know a thing or two about keeping cozy during the long, dark months of winter. A bowl of artsoppa, a warming and hearty soup made from dried yellow or green peas, is one delicious way to fuel up and feel better. Made with satisfying and salty ham hock, Artsoppa is traditionally eaten on Thursdays initially to fill up on meat before Friday, when the Catholic Church considered meat consumption a sin. Swedes are known to serve this soup with a garnish of dark Swedish mustard, following up this thick, warming soup with a dessert of thin pancakes and jam. If that's not enough to fortify and restore you, we're not sure what is! Dried peas are rich in fiber, folate, protein, iron, and magnesium, amongst other vitamins, all used in helping to restore red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body and support the nervous system and other vital functions. Lentil Soup - France chunky lentil soup - Candice Bell/Shutterstock Lentils and their subsequent soup are far from being just a "French thing," their use in cooking can be traced back to around 8,000 B.C., with evidence found around present-day Syria. The French, however, have perfected the use of puy lentils, the petit, green, sturdy variety grown in Southern France, be it braised, sauteed, or stewed. There are a variety of lentil soups eaten worldwide, thanks to the pulse's incredible health benefits and the ease and rapid rate at which it grows. One French adaptation, using the puy lentils, is to soak the lentils in an earthy soup infused with tarragon, a prevalent herb widely used throughout French cuisine. Served with crusty bread and plenty of French salted butter, you have a bistro-worthy dish guaranteed to bring a robust sense of ease and calm as it nourishes you back to health. Arroz Con Dulce - Puerto Rico blue plate with chunky rice - Marcus Z-pics/Shutterstock For those who like a bit of sweetness to boost their recovery, arroz con dulce, or "sweet rice," is the comfort dish you've been waiting for. Though there are versions of this dish in various cultures, from biko in the Philippines to kheer in India, this Puerto Rican version uses coconut milk instead of cow's milk. Warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves make it the perfect Christmas-inspired treat. Rice is gently cooked in spice-infused water and coconut milk, then further infused with sugar and raisins. While some rice puddings are served warm, and you can do that with this dish, too, arroz con dulce is traditionally chilled before being served. This is the dish for those looking for the filling-but-easy-to-digest properties of rice but want to simultaneously cool and soothe an aching throat or refresh an overheated body. Cullen Skink - Scotland creamy potato soup with haddock - BBA Photography/Shutterstock Known for its high-quality smoked fish industry, Cullen skink is Scotland's hearty version of New England clam chowder. Smoky, creamy, and unbelievably satisfying, this is a dish many turn to warm up during the bracingly cold and dark Scottish winters. If this dish can match the force of a Scottish winter, it might just be able to withstand anything life can throw at you. Cullen skink, named after the village in Moray, Scotland, comprised of three essential ingredients: smoked haddock, potatoes, and cream. Smoked haddock is rich in minerals, including selenium, which helps to protect against cell damage and helps the body fight off infections. It is the perfect hearty dish to warm your bones, comfort your soul, and get you back on your feet after a bout of sickness, sadness, or whatever else ails you. Turkish Red Lentil Soup - Turkey golden yellow thick broth - Enez Selvi/Shutterstock Turkish red lentil soup, also known as mercimek corbas, is a delicious Turkish winter warmer and a popular dish eaten to break fast during Ramadan. Made with sturdy red lentils, potatoes, and carrots alongside earthy cumin, it's a hearty dish, perfect for fighting colds, feeding a fever, or squashing a case of the winter blues. By straining or blending the lentils and vegetables after stewing, then reducing the broth until thick, diners can enjoy a thick, velvety broth that's easy on the palate and tummy while still holding all of the flavor and nutrition provided by the vegetables and legumes. We can't think of a more temperate or more delicious road to recovery than this soup. Finish with more olive oil, lemon juice, and a dusting of black or Aleppo pepper if desired before serving. Jollof Rice - West Africa brick red jollof rice - Losangela/Shutterstock Jollof rice is a comforting dish of tomatoes, spices, and long-grain rice. It is eaten frequently in various forms across West Africa and the diaspora, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, amongst others. Each country, region, and family will have its unique take and twist on the dish, from what kind of rice is used to the smattering of spices selected. The base of tomatoes, onions, and rice will remain the same throughout each variation. Made using the heat of a good chile pepper (or several), mixed with onions, tomato puree, rice, bouillon, and spices, this dish will not only comfort but also have the power to cut through congestion. It ticks all the boxes a comfort food should, making it a go-to dish to whip up whenever you feel under the weather or in need of a bit of comfort. Ramen - Japan ramen noodles and egg - Masa44/Getty Images When it comes to which Japanese ramen to make, in our opinion, there's no such thing as a wrong answer. For those in need of heft, variations like curry udon, made with udon noodles bathed in a thick, curry-infused, almost gravy-like broth, is the one for you. Then, there's the classic tonkatsu or kotteri, made with a rib-sticking, opaque pork broth guaranteed to nurse you back to health and then some. For those looking for something a bit lighter on the digestive system, varieties like assari, shio, and shoyu are ramen dishes with clear broths made from pork or chicken. Fear not, vegetarians, tonyu is a distinctively mushroom-based vegetarian broth, perfect for sipping and slurping. Various types of ramen allow diners to mix and match to specific palate needs. Try adding in yuzu for a burst of citrus, sriracha, or chili oil for heat, miso for depth of umami flavor, or get creative with your condiments and ingredients of choice. Read the original article on Tasting Table. It's a truth universally known that going out for drinks gets... kinda expensive. But what if you brought the party home? These 25 cheap and easy cocktails will turn your home bar into the neighborhood's hottest cocktail bar in town. Just grab your favorite mixers and a bit of creativity, and you'll be on your way to mixing impressive drinks for your friends without breaking the budget. Don't be surprised when they start calling you their new favorite bartender! It's probably no surprise that the shorter your cocktail's ingredient list is, the more affordable it will be to mix up at home. Luckily, some of the most classic cocktails of all don't require more than three ingredients (really!). When in doubt, mixer + booze = always a good time. If you prefer to set out some fun mixers (like flavored seltzers, sodas, juices, and bitters), your friends are basically halfway to a killer cocktail. Honestly, when has a rum & Coke (or a Cuba Libre if you like it a bit on the tart side), a whiskey ginger, a Dark 'N' Stormy, or a vodka tonic ever let you down? Even if you want to go to the next level, we've also included more advanced (yet still affordable) cocktails, like our recipes for pineapple margaritas and strawberry daiquiris. If your bar cart is in need of some love, we've got plenty of guides on how to restock your cart so you'll be mixing in no time. We taste-tested all the best tequilas, rums, whiskey, vodkas, and gins on the market (hard job, we know) to complete your home bar. We've also rounded up all of our top bartending kits for you (or your favorite at-home bartender). Still thirsty? We have plenty more summery cocktails and boozy popsicles for you to try next. Classic Mimosa Nothing kicks off brunch quite like a mimosa. If you prefer your cocktails on the sweeter side, bump up the orange juice to 3 ounces per glass, or go for a sweeter bottle of bubbly. To play up the orange flavor, try adding a dash of orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau, or a few dashes of orange bitters. Get the Classic Mimosa recipe. ERIK BERNSTEIN Rum and Coke The right proportions are everything in the perfect rum and coke. For a spin on this classic, add a splash of lime juice to turn this cocktail into another rum-based standby: the Cuba Libre. Get the Rum and Coke recipe. Park Feierbach Pineapple Margarita When were feeling the beach vibes, we reach for a pineapple margarita. Fresh and fruity with the perfect kick of tequila, this margarita will take you straight to the shore, frosty glass in hand, in less time than it takes to squeeze those limes. Get the Pineapple Margarita recipe. ANDREW BUI Tom Collins Whats not to love about a simple, classic cocktail like the Tom Collins? Its basically a spiked and sparkling lemonade, served in a Collins glass, obviously, which immediately inducts it into the summer cocktail hall of fame. Get the Tom Collins recipe. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MARY RUPP Sex On The Beach Peachy, tart, and citrusy, this is the perfect drink to wind down with after a long day. It's our favorite summer cocktail that makes us feel like we're on the beach no matter where we are. Get the Sex On The Beach recipe. PHOTO: KATE JORDAN FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE Ranch Water A sort of effervescent, less-sweet version of a margarita, only 3 ingredients are required for ranch eater: tequila, lime juice, and seltzer. (Preferably Topo Chico; some claim its not a real Ranch Water without it!) We like adding a splash of orange liqueur like Cointreau for a little added sweetness and citrus flavor too. Get theRanch Water recipe. PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE Dark 'N' Stormy Deceptively simple to mix up, the Dark 'N' Stormy delivers a refreshingly complex wave of spice and zing. Want it with a twist? Try our Frozen Dark 'N Stormy! Get the Dark 'N' Stormy recipe. Joel goldberg Vodka Tonic A similar vibe to a vodka soda, vodka tonic is a little bit sweeter. Adding citrus is a nonnegotiable for us. We love lemons and limes, but blood orange slices add a fun pop of color and zing too! Get the Vodka Tonic recipe. Parker feierbach Dirty Shirley Bright and colorful, sweet with just a hint of booze, the Dirty Shirley Temple is quickly gaining popularity with cocktail drinkers. And who can blame them? Its a boozy version of that nostalgic beverage so many of us grew up withand lets be honest, what too-sweet mocktail cant be improved with a shot of vodka? Get the Dirty Shirley recipe. ANDREW BUI Kalimotxo In the states, people tend to scoff at the idea of mixing anything with wine (though we at Delish clearly do not, check out our red wine mules and Champagne margaritas); however, in the Basque region of Spain, they aren't only drinking sangriain fact, mixing wine with soft drinks is somewhat of an obsession all over Spain. One of the most popular iterations is called Kalimotxo. All it takes to make a Kalimotxo is two ingredients: Coke and red wine. We know it might seem crazy, but this combo truly is something special. Get the Kalimotxo recipe. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM Whiskey Ginger Is there any whiskey cocktail more iconic and simple than a whiskey ginger? Its just two ingredients, but its truly one of the best bubbly/spirit combinations out there. To go the extra mile, we wanted a homemade, showstopper garnish, and we couldnt think of anything more fitting than fresh, spicy candied ginger. Not only does it look great atop a drink, but it's also great for snacking. Get the Whiskey Ginger recipe. Lucy schaeffer Red Sangria Our classic version of sangria is light and bubbly with an addition of seltzer water and the perfect ratio of wine to brandy. It's also perfect all year round: Skip the summer berries and swap in fall fruits like pears and apples to keep enjoying this summer classic whenever the craving strikes. Get the Red Sangria recipe. PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON Classic Margarita The margarita, now one of the most popular cocktails in the world, is thought to have started out as the variation on another prohibition-era drink called the "Daisy." Spanish for "daisy," the marg swapped in tequila for the requisite brandy and lime juice for lemon juice, and a classic was born. Get the Classic Margaritas recipe. PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER Painkiller Cocktail Created in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in British Virgin Islands, the Painkiller lives up to its name, delivering plenty of booze in a frothy, nutmeg-dusted package. Get the Painkiller Cocktail recipe. Suzanne Clements Spiked Seltzer Slushies If you thought a can of White Claw was perfect on its own, you haven't given it a whirl in your blender. This recipe (if you can even call it that!) can be easily customized based on what flavors and fruits you prefer. Our favorite combos: lemon-flavored spiked seltzer + frozen strawberries or mango + frozen pineapple. Get the Spiked Seltzer Slushies recipe. Suzanne Clements Mint Mojito The key to a good mojito is in the muddling, but if you dont have a muddler, thats okay! You can use a wooden spoon or any other kitchen tool that could be used to mash and grind in a glass. For a mojito, you want to muddle mint just enough so that the leaves emit their natural oils, but not too much that they bruise or break into pieces. Mix the mint with lime, rum, and simple syrup, top with soda, and youll swear youre on the beach. Get the Mint Mojito recipe. PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM Perfect Strawberry Daiquiri The mix of fresh and frozen strawberries in this recipe is the trick for a smooth, frosty daiquiri. If you love this drink, then we think you'll really love our strawberry frose. Get the Strawberry Daiquiri recipe. Hearst Owned Gin Rickey Crafted with ingredients you already have in your fridge, the gin rickey is as refreshing as it is simple to make and, not to mention, low-carb! So if you have limes, club soda, and gin, youre well on your way. Get the Gin Rickey recipe. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON Aperol Spritz The Aperol Spritz, also known as the Spritz Veneziano, is an Italian classic that has an iconic bittersweetness reminiscent of burnt orange and tart rhubarb. When paired with Prosecco and a bit of soda water, it makes an amazing cocktail to drink in the warmer months. Get the Aperol Spritz recipe. Hearst Owned Spiked Sparkling Basil Lemonade Basil-infused vodka? Sign us up. This lemonade cocktail brings out the sweetness of the herb and turns the spirit a vibrant green. Get the Spiked Sparkling Basil Lemonade recipe. Joel Goldberg Mojitos, 3 Ways For when you just cant chooseand why should you? These easy, customizable mojitos come together fast, muddled with fresh mint and pineapple, blueberries, and strawberries. Get the Mojitos, Three Ways recipe. Emily Hlavac Green Moscow Mule Punch This punch is basically one enormous Moscow mule, which means that you don't have to play bartender all night. Delicious drink, shareable portions, no shaking needed? Win, win, win! Get the Moscow Mule Punch recipe. Parker feierbach Perfect Pina Colada Tangy pineapple blended with spiced rum and rich coconut milk makes this a vacation in a glass. Pairs perfectly with getting caught in the rain. Get the Classic Pina Colada recipe. Ethan Calabrese Classic Paloma Though the margarita has become a staple of American bars, the margarita's pink-hued cousin, the Paloma, is heralded by many in Mexico as the better cocktail. It's beloved not just for its bittersweet, citrusy grapefruit flavor but also for its simplicity. Not counting ice, all you need is 4 ingredients: tequila, lime juice, salt, and grapefruit soda. Get the Classic Paloma recipe. AMANDA GRYPHON White Russian This is a delicious cocktail every home bartender needs to know. It tastes like a chocolate boozy milkshake, and only requires three easy ingredients you likely already have on hand. Get the White Russian recipe. PARKER FEIERBACH You Might Also Like Were all about ground meatits cheap, simple to cook with, versatile, and makes feeding a crowd super-easy. Though ground beef, chicken, and turkey are the standards, we implore you to add ground pork to your weeknight rotation. Theres a good reason ground pork shows up in so many classic recipes from around the worldits lean and flavorful, and can add lovely moisture and a slight sweetness to your meals. From apps to soups to mains, ground pork can do it all! The best thing about ground pork is that it truly can be subbed into almost any recipe you can think of that calls for ground meat. That said, its also the star of a number of specific recipes from around the globe, like Canadien tourtiere, British sausage rolls, Chinese dan dan noodles or mapo tofu, Mexican chiles en nogada, Creole dirty rice, or Italian meatballs. If youve been feeling stuck and are looking for some new ways to use ground pork, these recipes are a great place to start. Speaking of meatballs, one of our greatest tips for using ground pork is actually to combine it with ground beef. Its the trick to turning standards like meatballs, meatloaf, and lasagna into decadent, special occasion-worthy dishes. Try it yourself next time youve got a recipe that calls for only one or the otheryou wont be disappointed. Want more pork inspiration? Check out our favorite pork recipes, our top pork tenderloin recipes, and our best sausage recipes too. Ginger Pork Pot Stickers Looking for a weekend project? We suggest these super-flavorful (and surprisingly easy) pot stickers! Need a primer? Check out how to make homemade dumplings. Get the Ginger Pork Pot Stickers recipe. Emily Hlavac Green Homemade Lasagna Based on the traditional lasagna alla Bolognese from the Emilia-Romagna province in Italy, we grabbed what we loved most about the timeless, classic recipe and simplified it to make it weeknight-friendly. Get the Homemade Lasagna recipe. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON Egg Roll Bowls If you're a fan of crispy, savory egg rolls, then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream lunch. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour. Garnish with crispy raw scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sriracha or chili oil. Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe. PARKER FEIERBACH Dirty Rice Dirty rice (or rice dressing as its referred to in the bayou) is a delicious Louisiana staple made mainly of rice, ground pork sausage, ground beef, the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, bell pepper, and celery). Say goodbye to boring rice! Get the Dirty Rice recipe. PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE Dan Dan Noodles Originating from Chinese Sichuan cooking, these noodles were named for the carrying pole (aka dan dan) that street vendors used to carry baskets of noodles and sauce. American versions are usually more saucy than soupy, and often include sesame paste, peanut butter, or tahini, like ours does. Get the Dan Dan Noodles recipe. Parker Feierbach Meatloaf The epitome of a classic, reliable dinner, meatloaf can be many things to different people. For some, it's a dependable weeknight dinner; for others, a nostalgic comfort food from childhood. Whatever it is for you, one thing is for sure: Your go-to recipe should be simple and dependable. This is that recipe. Get the Meatloaf recipe. PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON Sausage Balls Many of you might be thinking: Wait, what even is a sausage ball?! The answer: addictive bites of cooked pork sausage, cheddar, and Bisquick that will be the most popular appetizer at your party. Get the Sausage Balls recipe. Ethan Calabrese Mapo Tofu Disclaimer: Authentic mapo tofu is hard to perfect without a flaming hot wok above a fire and some hard-to-find ingredients. Never fear, we've made some concessions, and this one is still delicious. Just make sure to serve it with rice to help sop up all that yummy sauce! Get the Mapo Tofu recipe. June xie Classic Italian Meatballs The perfect meatball must be tender, packed with flavor, nicely round, and hold together while cooking. Don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with all beef, but using a trio of ground beef, ground pork, and Italian sausage guarantees a much more complex flavor. Get the Classic Italian Meatballs recipe. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS Wonton Soup Not only does this dumpling soup come together in a flash, it's also super-satisfying without weighing you down. If you'd like to add some veggies to this soup, try dropping some quartered bok choy into the boiling broth a couple minutes before serving. Get the Wonton Soup recipe. Ethan Calabrese Pork Fried Rice Fried rice is a classic, not in the least because it's SO versatile. Aside from the rice and the eggs, everything can be substituted. This is our favorite recipe using ground pork, but feel free to get creative with it. Get the Pork Fried Rice recipe. Ethan Calabrese Sausage Rolls If you like pigs in a blanket, youll fall hard for sausage rolls. Featuring juicy pork filling wrapped in flaky golden brown pastry, these savory snacks are sure to become your new favorite party food. Get the Sausage Rolls recipe. Hearst Owned Homemade Dumplings Take your time and give this homemade dumpling process lots of love (jiao zi) are often made in the company of loved ones around Chinese New Year to celebrate families gathering together. May each one bring you a bite-sized pocket of blessing! Get the Homemade Dumplings recipe. Hearst Owned Sweet 'N' Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps Looking for a healthy recipe that's not salad? These sweet and spicy pork lettuce wraps are the answer. They're slightly rich and flavor-packed, with plenty of crunchy vegetables to balance it out. Get the Sweet 'n' Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps recipe. Erika Lapresto Copycat PF Chang's Wonton Soup A lot of wonton soups tend to just be wontons and broth. Sometimes there will be noodles or some sliced scallions, but it tends to be a pretty minimalist dish. The PF Chang's version is for those who want more, more, and then some more. Get the Copycat PF Chang's Wonton Soup recipe. PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE Chiles En Nogada This traditional Mexican dish of stuffed poblano peppers, is thought of as one of Mexicos most patriotic dishes due to the fact that the green of the poblanos, the red of the pomegranate seeds, and the white salsa de nogada make up the colors of the Mexican flag. TMYK! Get the Chiles En Nogada recipe. BRITTANY CONERLY Soup Dumplings We absolutely LOVE dumplings, and xiaolongbao, the Chinese version filled with ground pork and gelatinized pork broth, are some of the best. Traditional pork bones can be hard to find, so we've subbed in gelatin and whatever broth you like. Trust us, once heated up, these dumplings are still just as heavenly. Get the Soup Dumplings recipe. PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLIST: FRANCESCA ZANI Keto Breakfast Cups Not into making your own breakfast sausage? Buy it premade! (Just make sure there's no sugar added if you're keto.) Get the Keto Breakfast Cups recipe. Suzanne Clements Tourtiere Originally from Quebec, this pie is traditionally made in a tourtiere dish and eaten during Christmas. Its been around for hundreds of years and has yet to lose its meaty luster. You cant go to Quebec without trying a slice, nor should you leave any flaky crumbs behind. Get the Tourtiere recipe. PHOTO; LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLIST; ERIKA JOYCE Air Fryer Egg Rolls Once we discovered the magic of the air fryer, we knew we had to develop an egg roll recipe for our new favorite gadget. Quick to make and even easier to clean up, this recipe uses less oil than the usual deep-fried versions, making it one of our new go-to dishes for an easy snack or appetizer. Get the Air Fryer Egg Rolls recipe. PHOTO & FOOD STYLING: LUCY SCHAEFFER Asian Sloppy Joes Sesame oil and hoisin are the twist to your favorite weeknight dinner you didn't know you needed. You've never had a sloppy Joe like this beforetry this recipe, and you might never make them the old way again. Get the Asian Sloppy Joes recipe. Chelsea Lupkin Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo-Mustard Meatballs It's not every day you come across a cheese-stuffed meatball, but we are sure glad we did. These pork-and-beef meatballs are so tender and juicy, and get glazed with buffalo-style mustard that will remind you of your favorite Buffalo chicken wings. Get the Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo-Mustard Meatballs recipe. Parker feierbach Garlic Sriracha Pork Stir Fry When you want to zest up your average stir fry, hot sauce is always the answer. Sriracha and soy sauce are an A+ combo. Get the Garlic Sriracha Pork Stir Fry recipe. Judy Kim Dumpling Meatballs When a craving strikes for dumplings or pot stickers, but you don't have time to painstakingly fold dumplings all day, make these meatballs. Get the Dumpling Meatballs recipe. Brandon Bales Sausage Gravy This refers to the gravy part of the classic Southern breakfast dish biscuits and gravy. Unlike the gravy youd see on a Thanksgiving table, this sauce is lighter in color and much thicker. Sausage fat takes the place of turkey drippings, and the sauce is intended to be super-thick, so there's no need to add stock. Get the Sausage Gravy recipe. Ethan Calabrese Meatball Subs At the center of this dish are our homemade meatballs, made from a combo of diced celery, carrots, onion, garlic, beef, AND pork. Using two different meats gives an added dimension of flavor that really take these meatballs over the top. Get the Meatball Subs recipe. Judy Kim Meatball Lasagna This lasagna starts with making meatballsand this is crucialfrom three different types of meat: ground beef, veal, and pork. Once theyre cooked to perfection, they get mixed in with a lot of ricotta, then assembled in three layers with lasagna noodles, Parmesan, and a good ol can of Ragu. Get the Meatball Lasagna recipe. LAURA REGE Asian Glazed Meatballs With Peanut Noodles These spicy-sweet meatballs are nothing short of amazing. If you're not a fan of spicy food, feel free to reduce the amount of garlic chili sauce or leave it out completely! Looking for similar recipes? You've got to try our dan dan noodles next. Get the Asian Glazed Meatballs With Peanut Noodles recipe. Brandon Bales You Might Also Like Akris just wrapped its year-long 100th anniversary celebrations, and the tentpole exhibition about the St. Gallen-based fashion brand at Switzerlands top design museum, the Museum fur Gestaltung Zurich, clocked nearly 27,000 visitors, a new record, before it closed on Sept. 24. The display focused on Albert Kriemlers creative process and particularly the last 15 years, when artistic collaborations and technical wizardry came to the fore. More from WWD The designer has proven that he has prescient visual instincts. For example, he shined a spotlight on Reinhard Voigts pixelized oil paintings from the 60s and 70s, and incorporated them into his fall 2022 designs, long before the motif appeared in Loewe and Louis Vuitton collections. Its pure feeling, honestly, the modest Kriemler said during a preview of his spring 2024 lineup, when asked how he selects the artists that inspire him. For spring, he settled on Felice Lizzi Rix-Ueno, having seen an exhibition dedicated to the late textile, wallpaper and craft designer at the MAK Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. Kriemler explained that this key member of the Wiener Werkstatte, or Vienna Workshop, movement also spent much of her career in Japan and is prized for colorful, vibrant and charming designs like the poppy, fruit, bird and tassel motifs that peppered the Akris collection. The designer was also inspired by Rix-Uenos belief that through craft, you can develop your fantasy. Behind Kriemlers often simple designs lies an intensive study of fine fabric, whether its stiff organza for weightless tailoring, high-twist linen for wrinkle-resistant shirt jackets that look like faded denim, or a gorgeous cotton voile for draped shirts. The collection added more fuel to the utility chic trend and the floral motifs all over the Paris runways, but done in the refined, restrained Akris way. This was a polished, chic and sprightly show, with live music and a set of fabric flowers. Fantasy came in the form of red cotton guipure resembling pressed poppies and minimalist evening looks with long, glistening fringe. Akris enters its second century on a strong note. For more PFW reviews, click here. Launch Gallery: Akris RTW Spring 2024 Best of WWD Click here to read the full article. The kind of flora and fauna a person sees on a daily basis depends on where they live, so what's normal for someone living in the desert won't be the same as what's normal in the mountains. Some people don't even flinch at the sight of a snake, for example, while others would have no idea what to do! Sometimes, though, an animal encounter stumps just about everyone. That was the case in one Alaskan military base when two bears raided a Krispy Kreme donut van on the morning of September 19. The 20-minute standoff surprised even native Alaskans who see black bears like these two on a frequent basis. It's just so unusual! What a wild story! No one would expect wild bears to have their eyes on donuts and donut holes, but this mama bear and her cub were ready to take what they wanted. Hopefully, no one at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson needed a donut that morning! Related: Black Bear Breaks Into a Man's Fridge and Total Chaos Ensues This bear encounter happened right outside of a convenience store where the delivery driver left the van's doors open. Needless to say, that won't be happening anymore! The store's manager even came outside to bang on the doors of the van, but the bears didn't leave until they decided they were ready. As you can imagine, encounters with moose, bears, and other large animals happen frequently in Alaska. Still, people should do everything they can to limit animals' access to human food. When a wild animal gets used to relying on humans for sustenance, they could get a little too close. Were cautious when we come in when we leave. When we take out garbage, we do it in pairs, especially if its dark, explained Shelly Deano, the convenience store's manager. Bear-proof garbage containers are the norm, too, but not every incident can be prevented. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Key Insights The projected fair value for Yinson Holdings Berhad is RM2.10 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Yinson Holdings Berhad's RM2.48 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate The RM3.79 analyst price target for YINSON is 80% more than our estimate of fair value Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Yinson Holdings Berhad (KLSE:YINSON) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Yinson Holdings Berhad The Method We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: Story continues 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) -RM2.06b -RM674.5m RM498.7m RM797.9m RM1.14b RM1.50b RM1.84b RM2.16b RM2.44b RM2.69b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Analyst x3 Est @ 60.01% Est @ 43.07% Est @ 31.22% Est @ 22.92% Est @ 17.11% Est @ 13.04% Est @ 10.19% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 17% -RM1.8k -RM491 RM310 RM423 RM516 RM578 RM607 RM606 RM585 RM550 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM1.9b We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (3.6%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 17%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = RM2.7b (1 + 3.6%) (17% 3.6%) = RM20b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM20b ( 1 + 17%)10= RM4.2b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is RM6.1b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of RM2.5, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Yinson Holdings Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 17%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Yinson Holdings Berhad Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is well covered by . Weakness Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Energy Services market. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years. Good value based on P/E ratio compared to estimated Fair P/E ratio. Threat Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow. Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Malaysian market. Moving On: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Yinson Holdings Berhad, we've put together three important elements you should consider: Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Yinson Holdings Berhad you should know about. Future Earnings: How does YINSON's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the KLSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. King Salmon, Alaska, has a pretty special way of honoring and celebrating the brown bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve, and that's by hosting an absolutely amazing bracket style-competition that takes place from October 4- October 10, lovingly known as Fat Bear Week. Fat Bear Week is a global tournament-style bracket competition in which the public votes for their favorite fattest bear. The National Park Service launched Fat Bear Week in 2014, when it was simply Fat Bear Tuesday, with the goal of celebrating the Brooks River brown bears at Katmai and its healthy and remarkable ecosystem. It was so successful that it expanded to Fat Bear Week the following year. From the NPS.GOV website: "Fat Bear Week highlights the accomplishments of these burly bruins and shines a spotlight on the healthy ecosystem in which they can thrive. The Brooks River is part of the Bristol Bay watershed, one of the last great salmon runs left on earth. Without the pristine Brooks River ecosystem to support an abundant salmon run, there would be no Fat Bear champions." Related: Bear Breaks Into Florida Patio and Helps Itself to 'White Claws' The Fat Bear website explains, "Katmai National Parks brown bears are some of the largest bears on Earth. Adult male bears average 700 900 pounds in mid summer. In late summer and fall, the biggest males often weigh more than 1,200 pounds. Adult female bears average smaller than adult males by one-third to one-half, largely due to the energetic costs of raising cubs." That's a whole bunch of bear! You can vote for your favorite bears by visiting the website here. You can also watch the livestream here and hopefully catch one of your favorite bears in action. Happy voting everyone! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. The Brandywine Zoo is on a roll with new additions to its animal population, and were lucky enough to be graced with a second baby animal born at the zoo this summer. Wondering who the new star is this time? A baby lemur. On Sept. 27, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Brandywine Zoo announced the recent birth of a baby crowned lemur. The baby crowned lemur which had yet to be named was born to resident parents Sophie and Kipp, who came to the zoo and were partnered in October 2020 as part of an Association of Zoos & Aquariums' Species Survival Plan. On Sept. 27, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Brandywine Zoo announced the recent birth of a baby crowned lemur, which has yet to be named. The baby crowned lemur was born to resident parents Sophie and Kipp. A Species Survival Plan is a conservation breeding program where vulnerable species in human care are optimally matched for genetic diversity to increase the population, according to the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation website. Sophie was born at Zoo Atlanta in 2018, and Kipp was born at the Duke Lemur Center in 2016, according to the Brandywine Zoo. The baby lemur is a significant contribution to the crowned lemur population in North America and brings the total number of crowned lemurs in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' institutions nationally to 35. The Brandywine Zoos newest addition is the only crowned lemur baby born this year, according to DNREC and the zoo. Sophie and the baby are not on exhibit at the zoo and wont be for some time, the zoo reported, but staff are closely monitoring the pair and soon will be able to identify the newborns sex and weight once it is old enough to venture away from its mother. A lemur chills on top of a branch at the Brandywine Zoo Thursday, May 5, 2022. Although the baby crowned lemur isnt ready for visitors quite yet, comments on a Facebook post from the Brandywine Zoo announcing the new addition show the little one already has a fanbase eager to meet it. Is there anything cuter than a baby animal? What a sweet little face! Congrats to the Brandywine Zoo! I have to visit them one of these days. Thanks for sharing this. a comment read. Your investment in the future of this rarest of all species is paying off! Worth every penny!, said a Facebook user. Omg! That is the cutest thing! read another comment. Crowned lemur population in danger Crowned lemurs grow up to 28 inches tall (including tail) and are native to Madagascar, found in the northern point of the island. They are known for the orange crowned patch on top of their heads and have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years in the wild or 27 years when being cared for by people. They live in semi-deciduous dry lowland and mid-altitude forest but appear in nearly all forest types and agricultural areas. The species is currently classified as endangered due to deforestation caused by agriculture mainly slash-and-burn farming, charcoal production and mining for sapphires and gold from hunting for bushmeat and the pet trade, according to DNREC and the Brandywine Zoo. The crowned lemur population is currently in decline, and Madagascars status as an extremely impoverished country, along with many humanitarian issues, make wildlife conservation a challenge. Lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on the planet, with 95% of lemur species at risk of extinction, according to the Brandywine Zoo. The Brandywine Zoo is one of only 12 locations in North America where crowned lemurs can be viewed by the public. Boo at the Zoo, more Halloween events: Check out 5 Halloween events at regional zoos in, around Delaware this year Brandywine Zoo animal news Lots of cute animals are on display at Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, including red pandas. Along with the baby crowned lemur, the Brandywine Zoo has welcomed a few new guests over the last few months. A female Hoffmans two-toed sloth was acquired in May and is housed in the South American exhibit with ducks, ibis and capybara. In June, two yearling binturongs, also known as Southeast Asian bearcats, were received from a zoo in Michigan. These animals are tree-dwellers and one of the only two carnivores with a prehensile tail. Clover, a Southern pudu brought to the Brandywine Zoo as part of an AZA Species Survival Plan, gave birth to a male baby pudu on July 12, 2023. In July, a Southern pudu fawn was welcomed by parents Ande and Clover, another SSP breeding pair at the facility. The pudu fawn was the first baby born at the zoo this summer. All of these species have seen a population decline in the wild. Brandywine Zoo is located at 1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington. brandywinezoo.org Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. Baby pudu details: Brandywine Zoo in Delaware welcomes a baby pudu. Check out how cute he is. Did you hear?: Two national emergency alert systems will be tested on Oct. 4. Here's what to know This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Brandywine Zoo in Delaware welcomes baby crowned lemur to facility Masaya Homes $50K prefabs are made of teak thats sustainably farmed in Nicaragua. All of the company's designs are permit-ready, and the team will help clients complete the necessary paperwork. Welcome to Prefab Profiles, an ongoing series of interviews with people transforming how we build houses. From prefab tiny houses and modular cabin kits to entire homes ready to ship, their projects represent some of the best ideas in the industry. Do you know a prefab brand that should be on our radar? Get in touch! Aram Terry and Olin Cohan met a little more than a decade before they decided to go into business together. They were living in Nicaragua as part of the Peace Corps, and bonded over the unique experience they shared away from home. "Im from Sonoma County in Northern California, and Aram is from Nashville, and we both had never seen anything like it," Cohan says. "We were struck by the people, the lush nature, the amazing landscapes, and the vibrant culture." "We wanted to improve every aspect of creating a homenot just the materials and construction but the product as a whole, They also witnessed firsthand the complexity of deforestation in the country. "The reality is that people there are creating cattle farms just to make ends meet," Cohan says. "Burning down the forest allows them to create the land they need to farm. If creating forests would put food on the table, then everyone would plant trees." To help reforest, Terry purchased land in Nicaragua and began planting trees. Later, he and Cohan started making furniture using wood harvested from the property, but realized it was creating waste. "We teamed up again because we wanted to make another product to utilize the entire tree," Cohan says. In 2021, Terry and Cohan launched Masaya Homes, a prefab ADU builder with models ranging from 120 square feet to 1,200 that utilizes as much wood of a tree as possible. "We wanted to improve every aspect of creating a homenot just the materials and construction but the product as a whole," Cohan says. These structures are made from solid teak thats grown on their farm, where they employ hundreds of workers to sustainably cultivate trees into building materials. Below, Terry and Cohan share more about Masayas prefabs, the companys production methods, and its sustainable-design ethos. Whats the most exciting project youve realized to date? So far, it has to be Scott and Suzannes project. They live in Marin, California, and came to us during the height of the pandemic because they needed additional space for an aging parent. They did not want to move them into assisted living, and they needed a solution fast. We were still in the process of developing our bigger living units, so we designed a custom 300-square-foot dwelling linking two M1 Studios together. Scott and Suzanne are mindful of the importance of focusing their purchasing power on companies and products that have high social and environmental impact. They did not want to design and build conventionally, knowing that not only would it take too long, but would also create construction waste. They also didnt want to sacrifice design integrity and quality with a speedy process, either, and we met their goals on timing and environmental impact. We believe that true sustainability with a product is founded around reforestation efforts, design that blends in with the natural environment, and a non-invasive installation that is completed swiftly and virtually waste-free. As soon as a deposit is put down on the company's seven different offerings, it takes about six months for the project to be completed. What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include? The M1 Studio starts at $49,500, fully installed. Complete living units like the M3 and up, start at $179,000. These units include all the base necessities, like a fully outfitted kitchen, bathroom, and storage space. What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest? Material and durability is the simple answer. Each unit is handcrafted from reforested teak, which is naturally weathered and pest-resistant. The wood is grown in our own forests, which are reforestation projects, and we preserve around 40 percent of old growth for flora and fauna to thrive. We offer a product at the same price as conventional construction but its made entirely of a superior material, with furniture-grade finishes. All of the company's designs are permit-ready, and the team will help clients complete the necessary paperwork. See the full story on Dwell.com: This California ADU Builder Minimizes Waste by Taking a Whole-Tree Approach Related stories: If you've spent any time at all in the Northeastern United States, you've likely encountered quite a variety of delicious submarine sandwich options. Many of these can be attributed to their city of origin for their massive regional popularity. The Philly cheesesteak, for instance, draws crowds the world over to the historic Pennsylvania city in search of an authentic taste of the beefy, cheesy delight. Conversely, the chopped cheese sandwich, which originated in New York City, is currently having a massive movement online from chefs who cite the delicious sandwich for its easy-to-make recipe and highly customizable format. Though the Philly cheesesteak and the chopped cheese both feature beef and cheese on a roll, the two sandwiches are worlds apart in terms of ingredients, structure, and flavor profile, making them distinct for a number of reasons. The number-one difference separating the sandwiches lies in the meat they use. For an authentic Philly cheesesteak, you'll need beef steak strips or thinly sliced ribeye while a chopped cheese simply uses ground beef, such as the kind you would use to form a burger patty or as taco meat. Read more: Fast Food Hamburgers Ranked Worst To Best Where Does The Chopped Cheese Come From? Chopped cheese sandwich on cutting board - Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock Unlike the Philly cheesesteak, whose origins are clear and present in the sandwich's name alone, the chopped cheese can be attributed to a number of vendors who claim to have invented the recipe. They hail from Upper Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The sandwich has become a bodega staple in the Big Apple due to its simple recipe and delicious flavors. In recent years, the chopped cheese has become a cultural touchstone for New Yorkers, appearing in a number of pop culture institutions such as documentaries, YouTube videos for First We Feast, and hip-hop music videos. Hip-hop icon Cam'ron, who is a Harlem native, even filmed a music video for his hit song "Child of the Ghetto" inside Hajji's Deli, which is one of the more prominent locations rumored to have invented the sandwich. Once the ground beef has been browned, the chopped cheese is layered with cheddar or American cheese and, as the name suggests, chopped and mixed into a gooey, cheesy mixture before a number of other toppings are added as desired. Unlike the chopped cheese, a Philly Cheesesteak does not require the chef to thoroughly mix the meat and cheese into a single gooey amalgamation and instead allows the cheese to melt in a uniform layer over the top of the meat. What Makes A Philly Cheesesteak So Special? Hand filling roll with Philly cheesesteak - Gmvozd/Getty Images As any Philadelphia native will tell you, a sandwich requires a great deal more than simply steak and cheese to qualify as an authentic Philly cheesesteak. Broadly speaking, a Philly cheesesteak uses American or provolone cheese, often uses Cheez Whiz and additional toppings, and is served on a long soft roll. Some sub-regions of the city have even made minor tweaks to the recipe, including the addition of peppers and onions, mushrooms, and pizza sauce for a sweet and flavorful kick. Though the Philly cheesesteak isn't currently undergoing a renaissance like that of the chopped cheese, the delicious sandwich has been prominently featured in a number of significant pop culture outings, including the "Rocky" and "Creed" film franchises, and perhaps most notably in the hit NBC sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." The regional take on the classic steak and cheese recipe dates back to the 1930s and rapidly took over the sandwich and street food market shortly after its invention. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of trying both of these iconic American sandwiches, be sure to give them a spin soon! Though the Philly cheesesteak and the chopped cheese rely on different constructions and flavor profiles, the sandwiches have a significant overlap in their markets, meaning that if you enjoy one you're likely to enjoy the other. Read the original article on Mashed. Macarons -- not to be confused with macaroons -- are sweet sandwich cookies that, though popular throughout the world, are distinctly European. They are composed of two meringue discs with a filling in the middle. The cookies are made with almond flour, so they have a mild almond flavor as a base. Recently, due to their increase in popularity, they can be found in pretty much every color of the rainbow and any flavor imaginable: from peanut butter & jelly to mustard to champagne. Making macarons is a notoriously difficult and time-consuming process, especially for beginners, which is one of the reasons they are such a popular item in bakeries. Macarons have become quite trendy in America, and are offered in bright colors and flavors like mint and salted caramel. While the origin is disputed, there are two common versions of the macaron: French and Italian. Although both are equally delicious, there is a big difference in the way they are prepared. French macarons use a traditional French meringue, with uncooked whipped egg whites, while the Italian version uses a meringue made with egg whites and hot sugar syrup. French macarons are easier to make, but Italian macarons, though requiring a little more work, are much more stable. Read more: 13 Store-Bought Ice Cream Bars Ranked From Worst To Best French Macarons French macarons - Stefan Tomic/Getty Images Macarons have a long and storied, and often conflicting, history. Though most people associate macarons with quintessential Frenchness, it's possible that they actually originated in Italy, and were brought to France after a royal marriage between the nations in the 16th century. Two enterprising 18th-century nuns, the Soeurs Macarons of Nancy, are credited with increasing their popularity with common folk, and a patisserie in the region named after them, the Maison des Soeurs Macarons, still sells macarons according to their original top-secret recipe. Originally, macarons started out as a single almond cookie. The double sandwich cookie that we recognize today was invented in Paris in the 19th century. This was when a filling such as ganache or jam would be used between the meringue discs. However, there are still regional differences in how the macaron is made throughout France. Patisseries in the Basque region and in St. Emilion make macarons using the original recipe containing almonds and no filling. The base of all macarons is meringue, which in France is made by whipping uncooked egg whites and sugar into stiff peaks. French macarons have a domed top, flat bottom, and coveted and difficult-to-attain ruffled edges. In order to achieve this look, they are carefully piped onto a cookie sheet and everything, including the weather, determines if they come out perfect or not. The traditional fillings are buttercream or fruit jams though coffee flavor filling was popularized in the early 1980s at a Parisian patisserie. Italian Macarons Multi colored Italian macarons - Martin Darley/Shutterstock Macarons, or maccherone, have been made in Italy since the 15th century, as crispy-chewy almond cookies, not unlike the amaretti biscuits we're familiar with today. But the modern version, which includes jam, ganache, or filling in the center, wasn't popularized until the 1930s. Out of the three different variations of meringue, Italian meringue is the most stable because a hot simple syrup is incorporated into uncooked egg whites, which cooks them as they are being whisked. This difference in preparation is what distinguishes Italian macarons from the French version and it causes variations in taste, appearance, and texture between the two. Italian macarons are denser, taller, and smoother than French macarons, which are more delicate and powdery. Because the Italian iteration requires special equipment like a stand mixer and a candy thermometer -- so that the hot syrup can be safely incorporated while making the meringue without overcooking it -- they are generally made in bakeries rather than by home cooks. Classic flavors include raspberry, pistachio, and espresso, of course. These two variations of macarons may look and taste similar but they are a world apart when it comes to preparation and texture. Read the original article on Mashed. A trip to the gas station usually warrants more of a hurried waddle to the bathroom than a commemorative TikTok. But most gas stations are not Buc-ees. The Texas-based (and Texas-supersized) gas and convenience store chain offers much more than a place to fuel up and grab a bag of chips. Its devoted fans make regular pilgrimages, sometimes driving hundreds of miles, to stock up on Beaver Nuggets and brisket and merch with its bucktoothed mascots smiling face. Even its restrooms are award-winning. Dylan and Shelby Reese, a husband-and-wife TikTok team, have been loyal Buc-ees customers since the chain first arrived in Alabama in 2019, opening its first location outside of Texas. In a June video thats been viewed more than 6.7 million times, Shelby filmed her delighted husband nearly skipping into Buc-ees, fawning over its famous brisket meat for days! and a beaver-branded leopard print swimsuit while juggling coffee and sandwiches in both hands. Florida has Disney World we have Buc-ees, Dylan said, with deep conviction, in the video. (Florida also has two Buc-ees locations.) Less than 24 hours after their filmed visit, they returned to do it all over again. There are other regional convenience chains that inspire similar fervor among fans: Wawa has its hoagie enthusiasts, Maverik its Western-inspired architecture and in-house restaurant. But Buc-ees is the biggest of them all world-record-breakingly big and its regularly named one of the cleanest, tastiest and overall best places to stop for gas in the country. And now, its fanbase is surging among non-Texans and young people whove discovered the spot on TikTok and document their first visits for hundreds of millions of viewers. How does a gas station cultivate such a devoted following? Buc-ees spokesman and general counsel Jeff Nadalo said the brand keeps it simple: Buc-ees has remained committed to providing award-winning clean restrooms, freshly prepared food, cheap gas, and outstanding customer service. Its a simple-enough recipe for success, and yet Buc-ees is still one-of-a-kind among competitors. Heres what experts, some of whom are Buc-ees regulars themselves, say sets the Texas chain apart and turned it into a phenomenon. Buc-ees turns a necessity into an adventure Buc-ees turns what would be a quick trip anywhere else into mid-road trip adventure, said Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). Buc-ees provides those necessities food, fuel, restrooms in such overwhelming quantities that a trip might extend a drive by 30 minutes to an hour, Lenard said. Its biggest store in Sevierville, Tennessee, is also the worlds largest convenience store at 74,707 square feet almost 30 times the size of the industry average of 2,500 square feet, per NACS. It advertises its pristine bathrooms for hundreds of miles along interstates and delivers, too Buc-ees bathrooms have won awards for their otherworldly cleanliness. And its food selection is more comparable to a Trader Joes than a vending machine, with a bakery, an entire wall of bagged jerky of varying flavors and a brisket station manned by employees in straw hats who holler every time a new hot slab of beef is ready for chopping. Buc-ee's brisket has earned the chain countless fans. - Courtesy Buc-ee's Thats the great innovation of Buc-ees, said Eric Benson, a journalist and Texas transplant who wrote about Buc-ees path to world domination for Texas Monthly in 2019. It took this thing people have to do, which is stop on these 200-mile car trips between cities, and make it into just a little bit of an experience. The evolution of Buc-ees into a Texas-sized gas station superstore with a cult following started off slowly, Benson wrote. Arch Beaver Aplin opened the first Buc-ees in 1982, in the small town of Lake Jackson, Texas. That first store was only 3,000 square feet and offered a few gas pumps and a modest selection of snacks, though it was built with brass ceiling fans and cedar wall accents for a slightly more upscale feel on the inside, wrote Benson. It wasnt until 2012, when Aplin opened a 56,000-square-foot Buc-ees in Bastrop, a small city 30-plus miles outside of Austin, that the chain became known for its massive highway stops. And in the 11 years since, as its expanded beyond the largest state in the lower 48, Buc-ees has become a must-stop, one-stop-shop for road trippers who want to do their business and grab a meal with the promise of quality. Buc-ees is a place where you get to see a real cross-section of society, Benson told CNN. Everyone drives. And everyone whos driving has to stop somewhere to fill up their gas, go to the bathroom and get something to eat. Buc-ees is kind of the best place to do it. Dont underestimate the power of a clean bathroom Convenience stores across the country may tout their toilets cleanliness on billboards. But most of them dont have dozens of stalls like Buc-ees does, nor do they advertise their facilities as world famous. But the bathrooms at Buc-ees are the real deal, fans say. The Reeses told CNN that from the outside, its easy to assume based on the line of dozens of cars waiting for their chance to explore Buc-ees, one might expect the wait for a bathroom stall to be interminable. But one would be wrong, they said there are almost more stalls than gas pumps! Bathrooms are the most important component of the convenience store experience to nail if a business wants repeat customers, Lenard said. Theyre often a customers first stop, and if the restroom is filthy, that customer is more likely to run back to the comfort of their car than wander the store for a few minutes afterwards. But if theyre pristine, like Buc-ees claims its bathrooms are, then that impressed patrons curiosity is piqued, and they might spend more time perusing. They are so clean you could eat a sliced brisket sandwich off of them, the Reeses told CNN, though they wouldnt exactly recommend noshing on brisket in the bathroom. At the biggest Buc-ees stores, there are countless aisles for customers to get lost in. Theres seasonal merchandise that dresses the Buc-ees beaver in a Santa costume or throws his gaping maw on a tie-dye T-shirt, along with far more expensive fare Lenard said hes spotted a gas grill worth more than $1,400 on sale at Buc-ees. The Buc-ee's beaver can be found in nearly every corner of the store, often as a stuffed animal. - Courtesy Buc-ee's It starts with the bathroom, Lenard said. Stellar bathrooms can sell an awful lot of product. The Buc-ees brand is singular and strong Buc-ees lures drivers in over hundreds of miles before they even make it to a location, buying billboards with puns about taking care of business in its bathrooms. Much of the time, those billboards dont even need to use the word Buc-ees the smiling beaver with a red cap does the talking. I think theres probably a little magic in that logo, Lenard said of Buc-ees toothy mascot. You cant not smile looking at that guy. Hes so beloved that hes been immortalized at many locations as a statue, greeting patrons like Mickey Mouse in front of Cinderellas castle at Walt Disney World. First-time Buc-ees visitors often start their trip by dangling off the beaver statue and filming themselves in those sparkling restrooms. When you stop at a convenience store off the highway, youre looking for fuel, the bathroom and to eat, Lenard said. What Buc-ees does is add a social media post. Another Buc-ee's delicacy: Beaver nuggets, corn snacks in sweet and savory flavors. - Courtesy Buc-ee's And its a brand that its fanatics can take home, too, in the form of sugary corn puff Beaver Nuggets or picnic blankets or a beaver stuffed animal the height of a small child. Buc-ees regulars even resell the stores products online so fans the world over can rock its merch and dine on its jerky without making it to Texas (though the brisket is usually reserved for in-store customers only). For the Reeses, the brisket alone is worth a trip. It doesnt matter what time of day or if we just ate we are stopping for the brisket, the couple said. Its life changing! Hungry drivers across the South will soon get the chance to taste for themselves. Buc-ees is expanding purposefully to smaller towns and cities across the region with ample acreage between major cities, Benson said. So far, there are are 58 Buc-ees locations nationwide compared to 13,000 7-Elevens in the US. Benson compared it to In-N-Out Burger, another beloved regional chain (this time based in Southern California) that thrives on scarcity and a following hungry for its one-of-a-kind offerings (animal-style fries, anyone?). They both manage to thread this needle theyve grown and maintained quality, it seems, Benson said of Buc-ees and In-N-Out. Everything's bigger at Buc-ee's this location in Robertsdale, Alabama, was the first to open outside of Texas. - Art Wager/iStock Unreleased/Getty Images But Texas will always be integral to the Buc-ees brand, said Raji Srinivasan, a marketing professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Texans have considerable pride in their state, and Buc-ees is a literal interpretation of everythings bigger in Texas, she said. Buc-ees was exclusive to the Lone Star State for most of its history, built along the highway exits between the Texas Triangle, the area where the major cities of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are concentrated. And its devout customers are often Texans, who feel a strong sense of brand loyalty to the chain thats still true to its roots even when its transplanted to Florida, Georgia or Tennessee. The chain is steadily growing its fanbase, some of whom found the brand on TikTok, where young people share their disbelief at the countless number of tchotchkes that can be branded with a beaver, or stumbled in during a road trip and fell in love with its iced tea. Whether it could find the same success in the Northeast or another area of the country where land is less readily available for a supersized gas station is unclear as of yet, Srinivasan said. But as she pointed out: What is not to like in cheap gas, lots of gas pumps and clean restrooms? For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Boozy shots make a party, and thats never been more true than during Halloween. From creepy wiggly Jell-O shots to shots featuring all your fave fall flavors (hello, PSL), these bloody, glow-in-the-dark, pumpkin-flavored, and candy-infused shots are as festive as it gets. The best part? Theyre all totally customizable, so check out these Halloween shots for ideas, then have some spooky fun creating your own. When it comes to Halloween party shots, we think Jell-O is the way to go. Its already a little weird and creepy, so it does most of the work for you. Its als0 strangely versatileturn it into a massive party shot to share, like in our brain big batch Jell-O shot or our bloody big batch Fireball Jell-O shot; give it wild colors or fun shapes, like in our candy corn Jell-O shots (even mellow creme haters will love these) or our Hocus Pocus Jell-O shots; or serve it in seasonal fruit, like in our Fireball apple Jell-O shots or our caramel apple Jell-O shots. Feel free to mix and match here tooJell-O comes in a variety of fun flavors you can sub in to these recipes as you like. Not feeling the Jell-O? You could go just a little less solid with one of our many pudding shots, like our pumpkin pie pudding shots, our caramel apple pudding shots, or our Reeses pudding shots. Or go for more of a two-sip situation with our Fun Dip shots, our Washington apple shots, or our Jolly Rancher shots. Looking for something totally wild? Grab a blacklight and some tonic water, then take inspo from our cotton candy shots to turn it into a shot that GLOWS. Want even more Halloween inspiration? Check out our Halloween cocktails that go beyond shots, our fave Halloween snacks, and our best Halloween appetizers too. Candy Corn Jell-O Shots Don't judge these Jell-O shots by how you feel about the candy. You'll be glad to know, thanks to whipped cream vodka and citrus-flavored Jell-O, these taste more like Creamsicles than mellow creme. Get the Candy Corn Jell-O Shots recipe. Michelle Cordero Sour Patch Jell-O Shots Turn everyone's favorite sour candy into Jell-O shots. Be warned: These really take the catchphrase, "first they're sour, then they're sweet" to heart. Get the Sour Patch Jell-O Shots recipe. Emily Hlavac Green Bloody Mary Syringes Shots out of a syringe? Only on Halloween. Get the Bloody Mary Syringes recipe. Kat Wirsing Fireball Apple Jell-O Shots Skip bobbing for apples at your Halloween party, and make these Fireball Jell-O shots instead! Our best tip for successdon't skip the lemon juice! It prevents the apples from browning while the Jell-O sets up in the fridge. Get the Fireball Apple Jell-O Shots recipe. Emily Hlavac Green Hocus Pocus Jell-O Shots These Jell-O shots are a MUST for your Hocus Pocus watch party this year. Complete your spread with our Binx cookies and our Hocus Pocus s'mores pops too. Get the Hocus Pocus Jell-O Shots recipe. Chelsea Lupkin Jolly Ranchers Shots This is two recipes in oneone for making Jolly Rancher vodka () and then one for turning it into these rainbow shots. Get the Jolly Ranchers Shots recipe. Jonathan Boulton Washington Apple Shot Dont be quick to sling your head back on this one. If youre a bar hopper shot taker, this isnt quite what youre looking for. Instead, this tiny cocktail made up of apple schnapps, cranberry juice, and pomegranate juice is crisp and refreshing, perfect for sipping on slowly. Get the Washington Apple Shot recipe. PHOTO; ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLIST; FRANCESCA ZANI Cotton Candy Shots Fun fact: Tonic water glows under blacklight, meaning it's the perfect ingredient for these spooky shots. Try flavored vodka for an added burst of flavor if you like things extra sweet. Get the Cotton Candy Shots recipe. Ethan Calabrese Pumpkin Pie Pudding Shots Pumpkin pie and pudding? Trust us, the two belong together. Fireball adds some more cinnamon flavor to the shots, but you can sub with all vodka if you prefer. Get the Pumpkin Pie Pudding Shots recipe. Emily Hlavac Green Caramel Apple Jell-O Shots These are like caramel-infused, spiked ciderwith a crisp (and okay, jiggly) finish. Get the Caramel Apple Jell-O Shots recipe. Hearst Owned Oreo Jell-O Shots The ultimate trick: These fake-out Oreo shots look JUST like everyone's favorite sandwich cookie (so make sure the kids don't see 'em!). Get the Oreo Jell-O Shots recipe. Parker feierbach Brain Big Batch Jell-O Shot This big-batch Jell-O shot sits right on the edge of tasteful and trashy. The combination of Cool Whip and strawberry Jell-O gives it a strawberries and creme flavor and a campy hot pink colorthink Barbie's brain, not Abby Normal's (where our Young Frankenstein stans at?). Get the Brain Big Batch Jell-O Shot recipe. Jonathan Boulton Glowing Jell-O Shots To really make these shots glow, use only tonic waternot half tonic, half tap waterbut fair warning: It'll make the shots a little bitter, so feel free to add a little sweetness or go for a flavored vodka if you like. Get the Glowing Jell-O Shots recipe. Ethan Calabrese Sour Apple Jell-O Shots We soaked Jolly Ranchers in vodka to infuse these shots with real candy flavor and have zero regrets. If you've ever had a Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop, this shot tastes exactly like itonly it's easier to eat and better for a party. Get the Sour Apple Jell-O Shots recipe. Charlie Gillette PB&J Jell-O Shots For many of us, Halloween is a chance to act like a kid again...while also drinking like an adult. These shots are just what you never knew you neededthey're nostalgia at its finest! Get the PB&J Jell-O Shots recipe. Parker feierbach Butterbeer Jell-O Shots Harry Potter fans, get readythese Jell-O shots are the perfect accompaniment to a Wizarding World watch party. Complete the theme with our Sorting Hat cupcakes too. Get the Butterbeer Jell-O Shots recipe. Jon Boulton Suicide Squad-Inspired Shots: The Harley Quinn This shot's sweet-yet-tart, just like the star of the movie (BTW, DC Comics/Warner. Bros have nothing to do with this recipewe're just huge nerds fans and wanted to pay tribute!). Get the Suicide Squad-Inspired Shots: The Harley Quinn recipe. Vineet Sawant/Chelsea Lupkin Shark Attack Shots If the scariest thing you can think of is a rewatch of Jaws, these are the Jell-O shots for you. You'll want to devour them before they devour you! Get the Shark Attack Shots recipe. Ethan Calabrese PSL Jell-O Shots Here at Delish, we think PSL season is the best time of year (don't come for us!). We wait all summer for the first sip of the fall drink, so we're taking those flavors wherever we can get 'emlike in these Jell-O shots. Get the PSL Jell-O Shots recipe. Joe Spit Blue Moon Jell-O Shots Why sip of pint of Blue Moon beer when you can throw it back like this? These'll have all the werewolves at your party howling. Get the Blue Moon Jell-O Shots recipe. Jonathan Boulton Caramel Apple Pudding Shots Craving a caramel apple, but trying to preserve your teeth? These pudding shots are the answer. Get the Caramel Apple Pudding Shots recipe. Jon Boulton Bloody Mary Jell-O Shots Not a fan of pickles? These Bloody Mary-flavored shots work just as well in cups (though they are admittedly less exciting that way), and you can sub the pickle juice for lemon juice in the Jell-O mixture! Get the Bloody Mary Jell-O Shots recipe. Brandon Bales Big Batch Fireball Jell-O Shot Regular or sugar-free Jell-o works with this recipe, and if you're not a fan of cherry, feel free to substitute any flavor of your choice. We like this with Fireball, but an equal amount of whiskey, bourbon, or vodka also works. Get the Big Batch Fireball Jell-O Shot recipe. Ethan Calabrese Reese's Cup Pudding Shots Peanut butter and chocolate lovers, to the front! The only thing better than your favorite Reese's is a boozy Reese's pudding. Get the Reese's Cup Pudding Shots recipe. Brandon Bales Black Magic Jell-O Shots With two spooky layersone purple and one blackthese shots are perfect for your next Halloween party. Like most Jell-O shots, they're easy to make, but be warned: to pull off the two-layer effect, you need to give each layer plenty of time to firm up. Get the Black Magic Jell-O Shots recipe. Brandon Bales Apple Pie Bourbon Shots Use apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg to infuse your own bourbon for a treat that tastes just like apple pie. Get the Apple Pie Bourbon Shots recipe. Natalie Migliarini Fun Dip Shots All you have to do to make these shots is mix together ice, vodka, and Sprite in a cocktail shaker. Add a little Fun Dip powder to each shot, and stir it in with the famously delicious Lik-a-Stix. Dunk the rim in the powder before filling the glass to take them OTT. Get the Fun Dip Shots recipe. Jonathan Boulton Butterscotch Apple Cider Jello Shots Butterscotch + apple cider = Jell-O shot game-changer. Get the Butterscotch Apple Cider Jello Shots recipe. Michelle Cordero You Might Also Like Skincare, scent memories, and staying grounded. Armani Beauty/Byrdie Byrdie Boy Byrdie Boy is our series here to break outdated perceptions of men and beauty. We'll be highlighting the routines, product picks, and musings of cool guys with a unique POV, so our male and man-aligned readers can learn about skincare, makeup, and hair from a trusted, inclusive source. Jonathan Daviss of Outer Banks, tells us all about his favorite hair product and the scents that remind him of childhood. When it comes to his daily grooming routine, Outer Banks star Jonathan Daviss keeps it simple, counting soap and water as two of his cant-live-without-it essentials. He appreciates the little things, the small moments of beauty and wonder that can set the tone for your day, and his easygoing approach is as refreshing as his favorite fragrance. The actor is one of the faces of Armanis Gen A collective, a group of young actors including Maude Apatow, Riverdale stars Camila Mendes and Lili Reinhart, The White Lotus actor Lucas Gage and Davisss OB costar Chase Stokes, as well as Madame Web star Isabela Merced and All American actor Michael Evans Behling. Daviss is also the face of Armanis iconic, beloved aquatic citrus Acqua di Gio cologne; he, Stokes, Gage and Behling appear together in the new campaign for the scent, which they shot in the Bahamas. Daviss has long been a fan of the fragrance; like many young people, it was one of his first grown up scents. Below, the actor talks about being part of the Armani family, the fragrance memories he treasures and the beauty lessons he learned from his mom. Armani Beauty Tell us about your partnership with Armani. What's your history with the brand, and what excites you about the partnership? "When I was a kid, [Acqua di Gio] was one of the first high-end fragrances I ever had. You transition from the part of your life where soap takes care of everything to when you [want] a more sophisticated scent. This was one of the first [scents] I was introduced to by my father. "The brand had reached out and they were looking for ambassadors. Chase had already done it, and he's a good friend of mine. Since joining up with Armani, it has been a family. They call it a family and it is a family and we treat each other like family. So it's been nothing but like kind souls and the best people you'll ever meet." You appeared in the Acqua di Gio ad with your costar Chase. Do you have any fun stories from the shoot? "We did not expect it to be raining profusely when we went to Eleuthera, but it was, so we ran with it. That gave the shoot a special vibe to it. We got to use the rain as character in some ways. Acqua di Gio, the rain and the water it's all an aesthetic anyway. When we got to look at those shots, and we got to look at the video, it just made sense. We had a great time." Acqua di Gio is a total classic, but what do you like about the fragrance? What notes do you find yourself particularly attracted to? "I like the citrusy, marine note. I like the freshness of it." Getty Images You mentioned Acqua di Gio was your first fragrance, do you have any other fragrance memories? "There were magnolia trees outside of my grandmother's house when I was a kid and I would go and stay there for a while. I remember the scent of the leaves from the trees being a big part of my childhood. If I smelled them again, they would take me back completely." What's your daily grooming routine like? "If I actually plan on going out and seeing people [and] not looking like shit, I start with a shower. I usually do my hair first; I have a bunch of products I like, I use Aunt Jackie's [products]. I put a cleanser on my face. I have aloe spray that I put on, some facial lotion. And then fragrance." Is there a certain product that you can't live without? "Id say soap because if you don't put on soap, that's just what are you doing?" What's your beauty philosophy? "I think it starts internally. When you're thinking of beauty, just kind of start with the things that you love about the world, the small things: I like the way I fold my clothes or I like the way I write my name. There's a small beauty about that. Once you can start to take note of small things about yourself, it all just comes together." Have you learned any important lessons about skincare or haircare that you look forward to every day? "Absolutely. Drinking water is a big thing. I think you don't realize how much that plays into your skincare routine. Making sure you stay hydrated and washing your sheets. If you sleep eight hours a night you don't realize when you sleep, you sweat, your skin's going the entire time. Making sure you moisturize and hydrate your skin." When did you start getting into skincare? "I had a mom who was always very adamant about taking care of your skin and your body. She's very much like, 'Your body's a temple.' Especially when I started to move more into acting and I realized that was my passion; you are presenting yourself to people so I think it's important to keep all parts of yourself healthy, whether it's going to the gym or wearing your skincare." Are there any things that you do to keep yourself grounded or to take care of your mental health? "That's my family. My mom and my dad keep me pretty grounded. I have three sistersand they'll make sure Im grounded. I have friends who I still talk to from high school. Just remembering everything that I was when I was a kid, knowing I'm still that person. Thats a big help." And last question, why do you think people are so drawn to fragrance, like, what makes it special? "Its like music in the way that it sets off emotions in your body. You smell somebody and you judge them so quickly. Your nose is attached to those emotions. Your sense of smell is directly attached to feeling, and I think that goes back to pure caveman times and instincts. So I think to this day, we just kind of like the smell we get from somebody is the feeling that we get from them when we meet them." Up Next: Chase Stokes Never Hits the Outer Banks Without This Product Read the original article on Byrdie. It has been over a year since Keanu Reeves made his major red carpet debut with his girlfriend, Alexandra Grant . Reeves took Grant to the LACMA Art + Film Gala in 2019. They walked the red carpet holding hands, sparking romantic rumors. In 2019, People reported the two were dating for months before their big red carpet moment. Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images In March 2023, Reeves discussed Grant in an interview with People, signaling their romance was still going strong. Here, what to know about Reeves' girlfriend. Reeves and Grant have been friends since at least 2011. Their first project together was published then. Grant illustrated Reeves' book Ode to Happiness. The two's relationship became romantic earlier in 2019, and they're ready to be more public. A source told People in 2019 that Keanu wants to openly share his life with her. He is extremely happy and grateful to have Alex in his life. [They] started dating earlier this year, but have wanted to keep it quiet. Grant is a 49-year-old artist who has worked with Reeves on multiple projects. People notes that Grant illustrated two books that Reeves wrote: his 2011 book Ode to Happiness and his 2016 book Shadows. They also founded a publishing company together, X Artists' Books in 2017. According to the company's site, "XAB is a small publisher of thoughtful, high-quality, artist-centered books that fit within and between genres. Our books are works of art; portals to imagined worlds; treasured companions; the fabric of a community. We love the same things about our books as we do about our friends: generosity, open-heartedness, intelligence, mystery, style. They bring sustenance and shift realities. They may occasionally break your heart." Grant and Reeves have gone to multiple red carpet events. In June 2019, the two attended Saint Laurent's fashion show together, and they held hands(!!): Neilson Barnard - Getty Images In May 2019, they attended the MOCA Benefit: Rachel Luna - Getty Images The two made their event debut as friends in 2016. Reeves and Grant were first photographed together at the UNAIDS Galaat Design Miami/Basel in Switzerland. David M. Benett - Getty Images Reeves and Grant were photographed out on a possible dinner date in October 2019. According to People, the two were photographed at Giorgio Baldi in October 2019. They "arrived together in Reeves Porsche and spent three hours inside the restaurant conversing and sharing a meal." They left together. Grant can officiate weddings. As People pointed out, the artist shared photos of her Instagram showing herself presiding over her friend's ceremony in Brooklyn. Grant is based in Los Angeles but has lived in four different countries. On her artist site's bio, Grant wrote that her living abroad in Mexico, France, and Spain in her childhood and adolescence has strongly inspired her language-based work. Per her bio, "Some of the basic questions that fuel her practice are: How do the languages we speak and the images we see form how we think and exchange ideas? How can artists and writers work to create and influence culture in an increasingly technology-driven world?" She told LA Weekly in May 2019, of why she lives in that city, "I grew up in part in Mexico City, Washington, DC, and Paris, moving between languages and cultures. Los Angeles felt like home from the moment I first arrived in 1995, especially the diversity of people, idioms, foods, and plants (like jacaranda and bougainvillea). Theres an incredible work ethic heremany people are creative and entrepreneurial. Having friends who are working hard practicing their craftswhether its set design, publishing, or actingis very inspiring." Grant opened up about her relationship with Reeves in March 2020. A year ago, Grant spoke with Vogue about her relationship with Reeves. When asked about her and Reeves's debut as a couple, Grant had mixed emotions. "I think every single person I knew called me in the first week of November, and that's fascinating, but the question I've been asking in all of this is: 'What is the opportunity for good," she said. Reeves and Grant enjoyed a rare night out in March 2021. Over a year into quarantine, Grant and Reeves' romance is still going strong. The private twosome were seen dining at Spago in Beverly Hills. Reeves' Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure co-star Alex Winter and his family attended as well. Reeves and Grant were photographed wearing matching black outfits as they left the restaurant. The outing was one of the first public sightings of the couple in the new year. Reeves and Grant enjoyed a date night in NYC in July 2022. Keanu Reeves Alexandra Grant went to see a play in New York City on Friday, July 8. The show is a production of American Buffalo that stars Reeves' Matrix co-star, Laurence Fishburne. The couple went out looking elegant, but comfortable. Reeves was wearing a black t-shirt with a blazer in a dark grey that matched his slacks, paired with brown leather shoes. Grant wore a sleeveless navy blue dress that stopped just above her ankles, showing off her sandals covered in small gold beading. MEGA - Getty Images Reeves spoke about his life with Grant in March 2023. In an interview with People published on March 28, he discussed Grant being the person with whom he spent his last moment of bliss. A couple of days ago with my honey [was my last moment of bliss], he said. We were in bed. We were connected. We were smiling and laughing and giggling. Feeling great. It was just really nice to be together. They shared a little red carpet PDA in April 2023. In April, Reeves and Grant walked the red carpet at the Museum of Contemporary Art Gala in Los Angeles. They paused to share a kiss together in front of photographers. Momodu Mansaray - Getty Images In September 2023, Grant made a rare comment on her relationship. Grant was honored at the Los Angeles Beverly Arts Icon Awards on Friday, September 22, and was asked about Reeves by reporters, specifically what it's like dating someone so famous. The good news about falling in love as an adult is that I had built my own career by the time that my relationship had begun, she told People. I feel very confident in the relationship on the red carpet. I feel confident on it alone. She also shared a story about working on her art and sharing frustrations with her boyfriend. In a moment of frustration in my life, I once said, Sometimes I feel like a Maserati stuck in traffic, that I have this big engine, but, for a variety of reasons, that I couldn't ever go, she explained. And I know a lot of people feel frustrated in their lives, that they're not able to run their engine. I think every creative person feels that way. She continued, What I love about Keanu and our exchange is that we're pushing each other to build new roads. Seeing the other person's problem-solving is inspiring, like, Oh, well, okay, this one, that's a cul-de-sac. How do I try this other thing? Grant also drew a connection to what they both do as artists, even though they work in different mediums. He's such an inspiration to me. He's so creative, he's so kind, she said. He works so hard. To make a film, you require hundreds of people. To be an artist, you don't. You require one. You require a community to get the work into the world, but not to actually make it. I think part of the inspiration is the differences of scale. She also talked about Reeves' other project, his band Dogstar. I'm really proud, she said. I am a huge Dogstar fan. I had the great pleasure of going to their first public show and because I've been listening to the latest album for quite some time, I was one of the only people in the audience who knew all the lyrics. That was really cool. It's fun. It's beyond fun. You Might Also Like With hanging family portraits, tasteful touches of gold plate in the decor, and a tongue-in-cheek list of dining rules, Asheville, North Carolina's Botiwalla pays homage to the tradition of Irani cafes: eateries that represent a hodgepodge of cultures, aesthetics, and foods. "Irani cafes are these strange and wonderful mash-ups of Victorian decor and Indian sensibilities," Meherwan Irani, the executive chef at Botiwalla, told Tasting Table. Irani cafes first cropped up in India after Zoroastrian Irani immigrants came to the country -- which was then under British occupation -- in the 19th century. Once they settled in the area, they honed in on a niche in the food market to serve baked goods to the British. Their cafes began by offering English-style teas, wedding cakes, and pastries. They also adopted the classic aesthetic of English interiors, like heavy, dark wood furniture and marble countertops. Once the British left India, however, the cafes recalibrated to feed a predominantly Indian clientele. Irani explains on the Botiwalla website, "Even after the British left India, Irani cafes survived -- adapting their menus to Indian taste and becoming some of the most iconic and revered dining institutions across the country." Just like their origins, the foods served by Irani cafes -- not to mention the appearances they maintain -- have remained equally unique. Read more: Restaurant Foods That Always Taste Better Than What You Make At Home Food - And Drink - Reflects The Multi-Layered Origins Of Irani Cafes Botiwalla dishes - Tim Robison Food may reflect culture, but culture also reflects food. In the case of Irani cafes, dishes and drinks evoke that combination of Indian, Irani, and 19th-century English culture. Across menus, you can find a variety of traditional Indian dishes, trays of tea for two with toast, as well as foods with more Parsi (those who came to India from Iran) beginnings. Options range widely but may include the likes of rice dishes like berry pulao, grilled meats, and Parsi food like dhansak. Botiwalla draws a lot of inspiration from India's late-night street food scene. So, visitors to Asheville -- as well as Charlotte and Atlanta (Botiwalla's other locations), can order the likes of skewered paneer and chicken, as well as various finger foods. You can also find chai accompanied by bun maska, an Irani take on a fluffy roll -- but don't expect the chai of your favorite coffee chain. For more British-inspired snacks, you can pair your chai with crumbly cookies like Parle G, British-style biscuits that are a top seller in India. Botiwalla also serves bread with butter and jams -- a take on an English high tea. Given the distinct nature of all the food options, it's only fitting that Irani cafes create an ambiance that lives up to their diverse menus. A Colorful Menu Lends Itself To An Equally Colorful - And Historic - Aesthetic Botiwalla interior - Tim Robison An Irani cafe may serve iterations of your favorite Indian dishes, but enter one for yourself for a dining experience that's entirely its own. A true mishmash of the varied cultures, with the spacious floorplan and open ceiling of American casual dining, the experience is distinct from a standard Indian eatery. But not entirely, as they still manage to nod to the tradition with family portraits on brightly colored walls, and murals that cleverly nod to 80s Indian pop culture. Meherwan Irani designed Asheville's Botiwalla with each of these elements, which he remembers from cafes back in India. In the middle of his pale pink wall, he displays yet another element of tradition in the form of customer-directed guidelines. While Botiwalla's "rules" pay homage to Irani cafe tradition of standards of decorum (a sort of early version of no-shirt, no shoes, no service), they aren't today meant to be taken completely seriously. They, for instance, tell customers not to comb their hair, flirt with the cashier, sleep in the toilet, and so on ... not exactly necessary reminders for most diners. Yet, in keeping these on the wall, Botiwalla puts a fun and contemporary spin on the cafes of India's past -- few of which still remain. Few Irani Cafes Remain In Mumbai, But The Tradition Persists Mumbai India - Bhatakta Manav/Shutterstock Irani cafes were once a mainstay in India, particularly in Mumbai, but their legacy is fading quickly. In November 2022, The Indian Express reported that while the country's most populous city once had roughly 300 Irani cafes, fewer than 25 remained. There are several reasons that explain their decline, like stiff competition from chains and other restaurants that have since moved into the city, as well as disinterest from the children of the location's proprietors to carry on the business. But the few that have endured have adapted by experimenting with new dishes, giving them a more modern take. But what one culture has tired of, another is ready to adopt, which is why the American Southeast is clamoring for more Botiwalla. So whether you're in Mumbai -- or just in the mountains near Asheville -- see how this combination of Indian, Irani, and British influences leaves its mark on this specific culinary experience. Just make sure to follow Botiwalla's rules -- and don't make any mischief during your meal. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Key Insights Significant control over MISC Berhad by private companies implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions The largest shareholder of the company is Petroliam Nasional Berhad with a 51% stake 27% of MISC Berhad is held by Institutions If you want to know who really controls MISC Berhad (KLSE:MISC), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. We can see that private companies own the lion's share in the company with 52% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). And institutions on the other hand have a 27% ownership in the company. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about MISC Berhad. See our latest analysis for MISC Berhad What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About MISC Berhad? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. MISC Berhad already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see MISC Berhad's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Hedge funds don't have many shares in MISC Berhad. Our data shows that Petroliam Nasional Berhad is the largest shareholder with 51% of shares outstanding. This implies that they have majority interest control of the future of the company. With 13% and 7.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia and Permodalan Nasional Berhad are the second and third largest shareholders. Story continues While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too. Insider Ownership Of MISC Berhad While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. We note our data does not show any board members holding shares, personally. Given we are not picking up on insider ownership, we may have missing data. Therefore, it would be interesting to assess the CEO compensation and tenure, here. General Public Ownership With a 11% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over MISC Berhad. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Private Company Ownership Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 52%, of the company's shares. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand MISC Berhad better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with MISC Berhad , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. If we know anything about the KarJenners, it's that they're super low-key. LOL JK, here are some of their most extravagant, wonderful, and extremely over-the-top cakes from all the occasions and years. Kylie Jenner 's 22nd Birthday ICYMI, Kylie Jenner and co. (Travis Scott, Kris Jenner , Scott Disick , Sofia Richie, etc.) were living the good life in Italy to celebrate her 22nd birthday. Whilst on a massive yacht, Kylie was presented with this two-tier cake, candles and sparklers galore. Close-up, it looks like it could be a tres leches cake, but Kyles didn't elaborate. Instagram / @sofiarichie True Thompson's 1st Birthday Khloe's daughter turned one and the family celebrated with a few floral unicorn cakes... Instagram / @khloekardashian ...Plus this gorgeous pink confection that looked quiteee similar to Dream Kardashian's first birthday cake. Instagram / @khloekardashian Rob Kardashian 's 32nd Birthday Rob's birthday falls on St. Patrick's Day, so the fam usually celebrates with a St. Paddy's-themed party. 2019 was no differentthere were several cakes, including this moody black and green shamrock-shaped cake... @kimkardashiansnap ...And one from Dream that said "Happy Birthday Daddy" in green frosting. @khloesnapchats Jonathan Cheban's 45th Birthday Kim sent longtime bffAKA Foodgoda decadent cheeseburger and pizza-inspired cake, delivered by four Kardashian look-a-likes. Courtesy of Instagram / @foodgod Kylie Jenner's 21st Birthday Cake Five tiers. Drunken Barbies. Glitter puke. What more could one possibly ask for? Snapchat Kim Kardashian's 35th (Pregnant) Birthday You remember the birthday that Kanye asked all of Kim's guests to show up "pregnant"in solidarity? Yeah, this was from that year. Instagram Khloe Kardashian's 31st Birthday A "KhloMoney"cake for the one and only. Instagram Chicago West's Welcome Cake Kim loved the delightful pink confection Kris sent her when she welcomed baby Chi home. Instagram Kylie Jenner's 18th Birthday Cake Little Kylie. Big cake! Instagram Kylie Jenner's (Second) 18th Birthday Cake Newly, officially adult Kylie. Even bigger cake!!! Instagram Khloe Kardashian's Good American Cake Tristan Thompson surprised Khloe with this cake after she returned home from a successful, Good American-related business trip this summer. Snapchat Kourtney Kardashian 's (First) 39th Birthday Cake Kourtney's first cake of a very long, cake-filled day was made by her babies. So sweet. Instagram Kourtney Kardashian's (Second) 39th Birthday Cake Her second was made by a longtime fav bakery of hers. Instagram Kourtney Kardashian's (Third) 39th Birthday Cake Why, yes, there's more! Instagram Kourtney Kardashian's (Fourth) 39th Birthday Cake ... WHY, YES, THERE'S MORE. Instagram Kourtney Kardashian's (Fifth) (!) 39th Birthday Cake Good god, what are they going to do for her 40th?? Instagram Kendall Jenner 's (First) 19th Birthday Cake Kenny's 19th celebration was pretty tame in terms of Jenner parties and cake to come. But so cute! Instagram Kendall Jenner's (Second) 19th Birthday Cake See? Only two cakes that year. Understated! Instagram Mason Disick's 1st Birthday Cake Baby Mason (who's now thirteen years old, believe it or not) had one hell of a carnival-themed first birthday party. KKW.com Saint West and Reign Disick's Combined 2017 Birthday Party Cousins Saint and Reign's joint second- and third-birthday bash wasn't too bad either. Snapchat North West and Penelope Disick's Combined 2016 Birthday Cake Aaand North and Penelope have pretty great birthday parties as well. This mermaid cake tho!!! Snapchat North West and Penelope Disick's Combined 2018 Birthday Cake Their cake from this year's party is what Instagram dreams are made of. Instagram Khloe Kardashian's Gender Reveal Cake Khloe went ahead and dropped the "it's a...girl!" bombshell on an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. That came after months and months of reports saying she was having a boy. Twitter Kylie Jenner's 20th Birthday Cake Classic Kylie, amirite? Snapchat Kim Kardashian's 37th Birthday Cake Again, a pretty understated Kardashian kake, all things considered. Snapchat Khloe Kardashian's 34th Birthday Cake Khloe brought in 34 with this lovely dessert. Instagram Kim And Kanye's Engagement Cake Shiny! Big! Getty Images Kardashian/Jenner Cosmo Cover Celebration Cake Naked! Sprinkly! Getty Images Kris Jenner's 61th Birthday Cake Again, the fam kept it pretty chill for Mama Kris's 61st, but this cake was still large and hella frosted and undoubtedly yummy. Snapchat Rob Kardashian's 31st Birthday Cake Rob's 31st birthday cake featured a four-leaf clover, his lucky symbol. Snapchat Travis Scott's 26th Birthday Cake After renting out an entire Six Flags for his birthday (they'd never been), Kylie gave Travis Scott a "Stormi cake" featuring the two of them and their adorable baby... on a roller coaster. Twitter Dream Kardashian's 1st Birthday Cake We don't see much of Dream these days, but we did see her 1st birthday cake and it was goooood. Instagram You Might Also Like In between leaving Dusseldorf, Germany and the Invictus Games and arriving back home in the U.S., reports are surfacing that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stopped off for a romantic getaway in Portugal, where Harrys cousin Princess Eugenie , her husband Jack Brooksbank, and their two sons live part of the time. (Per People , despite drama with other family members, Harry and Eugenie are still the best of friends and talk constantly.) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in love at the Invictus Games 2023 Portuguese magazine Nova Gente reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveled to the village of Melides, close to Lisbon, and that Eugenie invited the couple to visit; the magazine said the couples children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, didnt join them (not surprising, since they werent with them in Dusseldorf), and that the visit was a mega secret operation, calling the visit a lightning trip, per The Mirror. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2023 Invictus Games It's not clear exactly when Harry and Meghan arrived in Portugal, but we know the Invictus Games ended on Saturday, September 16. Per The Daily Express , Nova Gente reports that Harry and Meghan stayed in our country until September 20. That morning they left for London from Lisbons Humberto Delgado Airport on a British Airways flight. Accompanied by two bodyguards, they were the last to board BA flight 501 at 11 a.m. bound for London Heathrow Airport. The couple reached the plane in a white van carrying just them and their bodyguards. The magazine said that as Harry and Meghan boarded the flight, they were smiling slightly, and that Meghan had her hair tied up in a long ponytail and was dressed in all black. After arriving in London, they continued on to Los Angeles without leaving the airport [Heathrow], The Daily Express reports. Anywhere else, a baked stuffed clam is a baked stuffed clam. In Rhode Island, it's a stuffie. No one knows for sure where or when the popular moniker became part of the local lexicon, but we have a pretty good idea why it stuck. As far as Rhode Islanders are concerned, a stuffie is a big clamshell filled to overflowing in other words, stuffed with a savory blend of minced clam meat, bread crumbs, and seasonings. As for that big clamshell, it's a quahog, the largest of variety a bivalve mollusk that happens to be particularly abundant along the shores of Rhode Island it's so abundant that it's the official state shellfish. Also known as Northern hard shell clams, quahogs average 4-plus inches in diameter. Other varieties include cherrystones, usually 3 to 4 inches wide (best for soups, chowders, and sauces) and littlenecks. The smallest, and sweetest, of the three at 1.5 to 2 inches, littlenecks are often served steamed or raw on the half shell. Like most clams, quahogs are reasonably easy to harvest. They thrive in salt-water shallows close to shore where they burrow up to 6 inches deep in stretches of sand usually revealed at low tide. So, if you happen to be in Rhode Island and feel like whipping up a few stuffies, pick up a clamming license, head to the beach, and dig in to find the big guys. Read more: 15 Different Ways To Cook Fish Get To The Meat Of The Matter Rhode Island Stuffie - Visit Rhode Island While colonial settlers who arrived in what is now Rhode Island took their cue from the established native population, learning how to harvest and cook clams of all shapes and sizes, the state's signature stuffies as we know them today are the result of European influence attributed to a wave of Portuguese immigrants who arrived in New England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The filling often contains Portuguese sausage in addition to ground-up clam meat, bread crumbs, hot sauce, onions, and celery. The local specialty is so entrenched in Rhode Island's identity that tourism officials recently unveiled a stuffie-centric campaign to showcase the state's bountiful culinary history. For the next few months, travelers passing through airports in Detroit, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Los Angeles are likely to come face to face with a giant stuffie or at least a replica of the stuffed quahog so entrenched in the state's cultural identity. As Terry Gray, director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management noted in a press release, "This humble mollusk represents ... a vital part of our history, culture, traditions, and families." Read the original article on Tasting Table. A partnership with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is continuing to provide opportunities for Akwesasne students to explore a career in the health field through the Akwesasne Research Centers for Health (ARCH). Pictured are Salmon River and Massena Central School students who graduated from ARCHs summer internship program: Allison Lazore, Ieniente Tabor, Illeana Smoke-Johnson, Iohseriio Tabor, Jake Cook, Jianna Lazore, Maddison Goolden, Michael Smoke, Riley Thomas, Sadie Mitchell and Walker Cook; along with Residence Advisors Jacelyn Lazore, Rakwirahes Pembleton, and Kakwiranoron Thompson who mentored and supervised the students. (Photo/Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe) As the midway point was reached of a four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council was updated on the progress and success of its collaboration with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and its Center for Indigenous Cancer Research (CICR). The collaborative partnership provides pathways for Akwesasne youth into the field of cancer research and community health. This continues to be a great partnership and an amazing opportunity for our youth to explore and pursue their interests in health. To see many of our students put their hearts into their work with Roswell is very encouraging for our communitys future, Michael Cook, the tribes health services director, told the tribal council. With the support of the NIH grant, the partnership established the Akwesasne Research Centers for Health (ARCH) in 2021, emphasizing the significance of Indigenous wisdom in addressing healthcare challenges. ARCH has enabled high school and college students from Akwesasne to engage in medical research endeavors aimed at mitigating the impact of cancer on Indigenous communities, including Akwesasne. Their research is conducted in close collaboration with CICR's esteemed team of research scientists. The Akwesasne Research Centers for Health offers three distinct components in coordination with the Tribe's Health Services and Education Division: Mohawk Youth Health Ambassador Afterschool Program: A twenty-week program available at the Ronthahiiohstha:ke Clubhouse for high school juniors attending Salmon River or Massena Central Schools. ARCH High School Summer Research Internship: A three-week program hosted at Roswell Park for high school juniors, providing them with a hands-on experience in the field of medical research. ARCH College Summer Research Internship: A ten-week program catering to college students, allowing them to delve into specialized areas of cancer research. Since 2021, the Afterschool Program has engaged 31 high school juniors aspiring to pursue careers in medicine, with 25 students continuing their journey through the summer internships. Additionally, four post-secondary students participated in the College Summer Research Internship. All participants in the summer programs received stipends and accommodations at Canisius College dormitories in downtown Buffalo, New York. Participation in ARCH is helping to solidify a students desire to keep studying medicine, with nearly 36% identifying as a scientist by the conclusion of the summer internship. It helped validate the decision of St. Josephs University graduate Jake Maresca (23) to become a nurse, stating Im going to apply for the nursing PhD program. Im hoping to get a job at Roswell Park as a nurse and Ill be able to continue my research Ive been working on this summer. When all these opportunities kind of lay right in front of you, I think its a good idea to take them. About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net If you're looking for a flavorful meal that can feed the whole family, your search doesn't need to extend farther than the taco tortellini. Both Mexican and Italian cooking styles are on display in this cheesy, hearty dish. If its name wasn't obvious, taco tortellini is a variant of the Italian classic tortellini. The main twist here is that the tortellini incorporates the spices and flavors you might find in a ground beef taco. Taco tortellini features many of the common elements found in both tacos and regular tortellini and remixes them. However, taco tortellini is more than the sum of its parts, ending up as a pasta dish that's slightly on the spicy side. The dish is both customizable but also ready to serve in its original form. Given that you can cook a large quantity of taco tortellini at once, the dish is popular among large families and could be great for parties, as well turn your traditional Taco Tuesday fiesta into a taco tortellini party! While the dish can be cooked on the stove, it can also be fixed in an Instant Pot for your convenience. Read more: 12 Little-Known Facts About Salt Ingredients Needed For A Taco Tortellini Hands making tortellini - Iacu/Getty Images Fortunately, the ingredient list for taco tortellini should be familiar. The dish shares some ingredients between its two parent dishes, just like any offspring would. You'll need ground beef, which will lend a hearty and savory flavor to the dish. You'll probably want to go with lean beef for the dish as fatty ground beef may add too much oil to your pasta. However, what really sets taco tortellini apart from regular tortellini is taco seasoning, which is available in any major supermarket. Like many Italian and Mexican dishes, taco tortellini also calls for diced tomatoes. However, if you want more of a sauce then consider adding in tomato sauce or tomato paste. Alternatively, you can dice your own tomatoes rather than going with a prepackaged can. If you want to give your tortellini a sweeter taste, consider going with a smaller grape or cherry tomato. Finally, you will have to have tortellini shells (for obvious reasons). Depending on your grocery store, you can get either fresh shells or a frozen bag. Both work for the recipe so it really is up to your own personal preference. Finally, a Mexican blend of cheese helps bring the dish together. History Of Taco Tortellini Pile of uncooked tortellini - Elena Verba/Shutterstock While taco tortellini appears to be an American mashup, tortellini itself traces back to Italy, specifically the Emilia-Romagna region. Traditionally, it's been served both in a broth as well as with meat and a meat sauce, making for a fairly easy recipe to make. Meanwhile, tacos date back to at least the 19th century, likely originating from meals made by silver miners in Mexico. Their mix-mash remains a mystery. We're not exactly sure who created the first taco tortellini, but there is room to speculate. Tex Mex, or American-style Mexican food, started becoming popular towards the end of the 1800s but really took off during the 1900s. It's possible that taco tortellini may have formed from America's melting pot of cultures. In particular, pasta dishes became more popular than ever for American families, thanks in part to the rise of Hamburger Helper in the 1970s. However, what needs no speculation is that Italian food and Mexican food seem to blend well together due to a similar approach to cooking. Both Mexican and Italian cuisine pride themselves on flavor and spices. Additionally, both cultures value the slow-cooked method, which really brings out the natural flavors, as well. With that in mind, taco tortellini seems like a no-brainer. Read the original article on Mashed. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The View audience experienced some truly interesting moments while watching Matthew McConaughey promote his new children's book, Just Because. The actor appeared on a September 12 taping of the show to discuss his project with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin. The conversation went fine enough... until they played a 2006 clip that shows Matthew giving Joy a foot massage. After showing it, Joy put her foot on the table, and to everyone's surprise, Matthew obliged in rubbing it. After a minute or so, Whoopi put an end to it by saying, "We're just going to let all of that go by," which prompted Joy to say "thank you," and move on. However, the discussion turned much more serious after the actor shared why he started a new initiative for his Just Keep Living Foundation. The Greenlights Grant Initiative works by connecting schools with grant writers so they can get money from the government to create safer learning conditions. It began after Matthew and his wife got involved with school safety in the wake of the horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which is Matthew's hometown. "We found out these superintendents have to fill out these grants a lot of them are also driving the school bus, they're the PE teacher and this grant is 50 pages and intimating, so they don't have the expertise or the time," Matthew revealed. "So we're helping with the grant wiring process. We hire grant writers to come on and go to these schools throughout the United States that need the safest schools the most we're helping them write the grant." After seeing and learning more about Matthew's commitment, over the past few months, many people have suggested he run for political office. When Sunny brought up the topic, Matthew made it clear that it's not out of the question, but right now, he's focusing on fatherhood. But when Joy asked him if he thought he could become an elected official in his home state of Texas while being "anti-gun," things took a turn. "One thing about me and politics is to give you a direct statement right there," Matthew said while pointing at her. "It's playing a game that I'm not interested in playing." That led Joy to hold up her hands and say, "Okay, don't do it." You can see it at the 10:06 mark: As Whoopi witnessed Matthew and Joy's exchange play out, she decided to quickly turn to the audience and revealed a surprise for them. "I have to tell you, everybody in this audience," she announced as Matthew looked on. "Just so you know, everybodys going home with a copy of the book." Some viewers left in the comments that they felt the exchange was "awkward" even though Whoopi managed to shift the conversation so swiftly. Sunny also shared during the second segment that she believed Matthew's stance was "pro gun responsibility and legislation," to which he replied "facts." If you want to learn more about Matthew's initiative, go to GreenlightsGrantInitiative.org. For more on gun safety, visit Everytown.org. You Might Also Like The City of Peoria recently cleaned out a homeless encampment behind Landmark Recreation Center in Peoria. The photo on the left was made on July 20, 2023 while the other was made Sept. 27, 2023. Two Peoria homeless camps, located on N. Dries Lane and Knoxville Avenue, have all but disappeared over the past few weeks, yet have done so under different circumstances. The camp on N. Dries Lane, which was located on Illinois Department of Transportation land, was cleaned up by the city in less than a week and its roughly five residents were moved into housing programs. This camp is a resounding success story for tackling homelessness in Peoria, advocates say. On the other hand, the Knoxville Avenue encampment, which was a cluster of tents housing about 20 people located next to the Spurck Mansion, has been abandoned by its residents who left out of frustration over police department cameras and lights near the camp. As of Sept. 27, the Knoxville Avenue camp was completely empty except for one lone tent remaining on the property. Those who migrated out of the Knoxville Avenue encampment have now formed other smaller encampments in Peoria, returned to the streets or are now living in abandoned buildings, said Molly Pilgreen, the Phoenix Community Development's chief operating officer. A homemade loft structure and other makeshift shelters have been removed from a homeless encampment near the Landmark Recreation Center in Peoria. Police say they never forced or asked anyone to leave the Knoxville encampment, and the surveillance towers they set up near the site in July were never there to monitor the camp. Instead, they say the cameras were there to protect the entirety of the busy Knoxville Avenue business corridor. On Sept. 27, the police lights and surveillance cameras were gone from the area along with the homeless encampment. Pilgreen said homeless outreach groups would generally not advocate for any kind of cameras to be placed near homeless encampments. "The Knoxville encampment went through an interesting shift, naturally homeless folks and anyone really, doesn't like having lights and cameras where they're trying to sleep and so that created an uncomfortable enough situation that folks started dispersing," Pilgreen said. The homeless encampment next to the Spurck Mansion on Knoxville Avenue has been abandoned. The space under the shade tree was once filled with makeshift shelters. The migration out of the Knoxville camp will make outreach harder, Pilgreen added. "It definitely disjoints care and makes it harder to find and reengage and rebuild with a person," Pilgreen said. "We certainly and I think the city as well, work with us to avoid measures that create that kind of a situation but there are also times that we even recognize that what's happening in the encampments can sometimes be dangerous and harmful to the folks living there that sometimes it is best that it not continue." Despite safety concerns at the Knoxville encampments, Pilgreen said cameras and surveillance would still not be encouraged. "It is something we would tend to discourage based on the idea of human rights, frankly," Pilgreen said. "It's very targeting to that very specific subset of individuals and you're looking at individuals who have disabling conditions and so it can be kind of a gray area for an agency that tries to advocate for people in that position." Joe Dulin, the community development director for the city of Peoria, said partnerships with nonprofit organizations help the city handle homelessness. The city also conducted a cleanup of the Knoxville encampment, which is on Illinois Department of Transportation land. "If people want resources, we can connect them with resources and really just try to find long-term housing solutions for everyone and really try to work with them as they want help," Dulin said. Peoria sees success in housing homeless population Hypodermic needles litter the ground at an abandoned homeless encampment near the Spurck Mansion on Knoxville Avenue in Peoria. In January, Phoenix Community Development launched a new kind of homeless shelter in Peoria, one that has led to success in getting people off the streets and into permanent housing. Phoenix repurposed the Haven Home, located on the 700 block of NE Monroe Street, from a place that serviced exclusively veterans to one that would be able to house homeless people as well. Pilgreen said some of the success of the Haven Home can be attributed to its "low barrier" for entry, which means the shelter will not turn away someone because they have drug abuse or mental health issues. "It was formed with the idea of bringing someone who was staying on our streets, whether it's in an encampment or on their own or in an abandoned building, and bringing them in to have what we consider non-congregate living arrangements," Pilgreen said. Since January, the Haven Home has enrolled 34 homeless people. Thus far, there's been 20 exits, 10 positive and 10 negative, Phoenix CEO Christine Kahl told the Peoria City Council. The 10 positive exits signify a homeless person moved into permanent housing. Of the 10 negative exits, Kahl said four of them returned to the homeless encampments, one to the streets and five to jail or prison. Of the 14 people enrolled in the Haven Home as of last month, nine are scheduled for permanent housing, Kahl said. Veterans Haven at 711 NE Monroe Street in Peoria is now serving as a shelter for the homeless as well as veterans. People staying at the Haven Home sleep two to a room and have access to three bathrooms on site. They are provided three meals a day and snacks. The home is also staffed 24 hours a day and every day of the week. Those amenities also mean that the costs for a relatively small program are high, Kahl told the council. It costs around $200,000 a year to staff the home and provide meals, Kahl said. Insurance, upkeep and utility bills also add costs to the nonprofit home. Finding funding is a crucial endeavor for the Haven Home. On Sept. 12, the Peoria City Council approved to provide $111,000 of funding to the Haven Home, enough to keep it operating through the end of the year. Beyond this year, Democratic Sen. Dave Koehler has earmarked a funding request for the home in 2024. Pilgreen said Phoenix has alternate funding identified for 2024 that would take them through June of 2024 coming from government grants. She said most of the government grants have an annual renewal, which means every year the home has to demonstrate success and show it is still in need of the funds. "I think we have been very lucky to have some of the successes out of there in the manner that we have," Pilgreen said of the Haven Home. "And frankly, our city supports it, city leadership in particular, and so that makes it easier to be able to continue recognizing that it is making a difference maybe more than we have in the past." This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2 Peoria homeless camps have disappeared. Here's what happened On September 28, 2022, Fort Myers, Southwest Florida sustained a direct hit from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 hurricane. Lee County suffered greatly, with extensive catastrophic damage, especially to all the waterfront communities, including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Pine Island. Dr. William Liu, the Medical Director of the Golisano Childrens Hospital NICU along with from left, Nichole Shimko, Nurse Manager of the Critical Care Transport Team of Golisano Childrens Hospital, Nancy Vossler, Nursing Director of the Neonatal ICU at Golisano Childrens Hospital and Carly Majewski, a Nurse Manager of the Neonatal ICU Golisano Childrens Hospital pose for portrait at Golisano Childrens Hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. The group helped get babies in the NICU transported to safety during Hurricane Ian last year. Due to loss of water pressure, government agencies mandated evacuation of Gulfcoast Medical Center, HealthPark Medical Center, and Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida. On Sept. 29-30, 2022, all in-patient units of Golisano Childrens Hospital, 80 patients were evacuated. The NICU census on Sept. 29 was 68, and in a 29-hour period, decreased to zero. Seven babies were discharged to the parents and 61 babies were evacuated to 12 out-of-county healthcare facilities throughout the state. Of the 61 evacuated babies, 20 were categorized as level 3/ critical care and the others were intensive care level 2 patients. There were no reported adverse events. Here is the story Residing in Florida means living with the risk of hurricanes. Here in Southwest Florida, we are respectful in our fear of what Mother Nature can dole out, and yet retain some sense of self-assurance, and maybe a bit of overconfidence, having prepared for so many hurricane seasons. Then came Ian Friday, Sept. 23, 2022: It starts The National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Storm Ian. 10:19 a.m. I send a GroupMe tickler to my group: Starting the hurricane drill folks. Best to hit Costco before the rush. See Hurricane Preparedness section of our manual. Monday, Sept. 26, 2022: Ian strengthens Hurricane Ian has strengthened to a Category 2. The forecast path predicts landfall in the Tampa Bay, Pinellas County area. 4 p.m.: LeeHealth initiates partial activation of Code Brown: Team A are those designated to staff the hospital, and Team B are those who will replace them, when possible, post-storm. Our neonatal intensive care (NICU) medical Team A: four neonatologists and four neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) will stay in house. Everyone else will be Team B. 9:22 p.m: An NNP sends us all a GroupMe photo, an evening sunset view from her backyard in Punta Gorda. A backyard canal, 15-foot bowrider fishing boat to the side, with silhouetted palm trees. The water is mirror-flat, reflecting the emerging night sky at sunset- a splash of yellow, orange, and red pastels. Beneath it, she types: The calm before the storm. Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022: Preparation 6 a.m.: Ian is a category 3, over Cuba. Projected landfall has shifted south, away from Tampa, to between Tampa and Naples. 11:41 a.m.: Code Brown! Team A is activated. By early afternoon, most of us are completing rounds. There is a bit of a Grand Central Station/mass sleep-over ambiance. For many, this is a first-time experience. The mood is a bit upbeat, with an undertone of fearful excitement. Many of the staff have been through Irma and recall the non-lethal, but significant damage we sustained. Some are reliving the anxiety that comes with uncertainty. Staff must pass through a billeting process, and classrooms, staff lounges, offices, storage areas are all assigned for staging and sleeping areas. Unlike previous years, the hospital policy no longer allows family or pets to be billeted with the storm. Thank goodness for cell phone service; our phones are even more omnipresent than usual. Although the individual patient rooms remain quiet and subdued, we are all engaged in a multi-tasking dance of work, and simultaneous texting pings, or phone or Facetime conversations with concerned friends and family, locally and nation-wide. Our nursing director and managers are orchestrating the staff activity. LeeHealth administration email updates identify our priorities and preparation. This is not our first rodeo, team. We got this! 4 p.m.: Rounds are done. I am assigned to be on-call tonight and have received sign-out from my colleagues. Its strange because the folks signing out are still here. The NICU Administrative suites are in the back of the neonatal unit, and the medical and nursing leadership office are adjacent. We all settle in, while small groups congregate. Weather updates play incessantly in the background. 5 p.m.: Personal update: I live close to the hospital and four miles from the beach. We are in an evacuation zone, but my wife will ride out the storm in our home. Many of my neighbors have also chosen to stay. 7:30 p.m.: The NICU physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and respiratory therapists gather for a group photo. We are all smiling beneath our masks. No need for jerseys; we self-identify via text, Team A! 8 p.m.: I make evening rounds with the night team. We review several stable ELGAN babies on high frequency ventilatory support; a thanatophoric dysplasia with no acute change in status, and a 22 wker with focal perforation and a drain, as well as a severe chronic lung disease infant flirting with need for tracheostomy. There is an infant with a challenging combination of caudal regression and urogenital malformation and another infant with post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus and a shunt. Then there are the usual blend of babies weaning off support or feeding and growing on little or no respiratory support. We focus on the clinical issues there is some comfort to the familiar and routine, but inevitably, any of the usual banter gravitates to the latest news. 11 p.m.: Hurricane Ian has grown to a category 4 storm, with projected landfall somewhere between Sarasota and Fort Myers. The news stations are drumbeating a frantic warning of dire consequences for all in Ians path. Storm surge warnings are now up to 12 feet. Night call is uneventful, but I sleep only sporadically. It took a team effort and the Galisano Children's Hospital NICU doctors, nurses and staff rose to the occasion when Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida on Sept, 28, 2022. Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022: Hurricane Ian arrives 5 a.m.: Ian has undergone an eyewall replacement cycle. The weaker inner eyewall is spontaneously replaced by a stronger outer eye wall, and allows re-strengthening, with even higher wind energy. With hurricane force winds 80 miles across, Ian has reached a strong Category 4 intensity; storm surge warnings are now 18-20 feet, and described as catastrophic, and the worst on record. The forecasted landfall is now a collision course with Fort Myers. 5:30 a.m.: I wake up to this latest update. Ians path is reminiscent of Hurricane Charley (2004) which also was heading towards Tampa and had suddenly veered toward Port Charlotte; but Hurricane Charley would fit in the eye of Ian, and worst yet, is moving much slower. I call my wife and unsuccessfully plead with her to come to the hospital. I have room in my office. She questions why she should be allowed to come when others in the hospital are not able to bring their spouses? A fair ethical question, but at that moment, I dont care. My wife and I will face this one apart, and I quietly fear for her safety. Golisano Childrens Hospital was built as a state-of-the art facility in 2017. It shrugs off category-4 winds and is wrapped in a sturdy wall of glass that provides us a panoramic view. 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m.: Rounds are a bit distracted. There is an angry howling of the wind, and trees bend ever more violently around us. The hospital goes to generator power by midmorning. The first floor is evacuated by early afternoon. 1 p.m: Outside, debris is flying everywhere. Below us, we watch as the bus stop canopy slowly rips from its pilings, and blows away, and trees shutter and crack before becoming uprooted. Through our window view, we are introduced to the storm surge. Bass Road, which is adjacent to our bus stop, is now a turbulently flowing river. Staff members watch the hospital parking lots, as row after row of parked cars, shrink away to the rising tide. An NICU nurse points at a floating vehicle and exclaims, thats my car! 3 p.m.: I contact my wife by text. Our house is on generator power. The water level has risen above our neighbors white picket fence. 3:25 p.m.: Hurricane Ian makes landfall near Cayo Costa, with winds near 150 mph. 5-6 p.m.: Frightening videos of total inundation trickle out of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island before total loss of contact. 5 p.m.: The administration has had regular interval assessments. I navigate the evacuated first floor corridors to attend one of these meetings and walk pass a back hallway loading dock. Workers are frantically unloading boxes. I pause, feeling the wetness and force of the wind, and squint to see beyond the shadowy figures. I can see a black ocean lapping up to the dockwith breaking waves and white crests! I peer into the abyss, and then hurry on my way. 6 p.m.: I receive a call from the System Incident Command lead. She asks about our census and patient acuity. We have already triaged the NICU patients, the number of ventilators, type, other modes of support as well as levels of care. We must decide who has the best chance of survival if we need to move everyone emergently. We also identify potential patients that might be discharged within the ensuing 24-hours. This is the first time I hear that we might need to evacuate the hospital. 6:30 p.m.: The Golisano chief medical officer (CMO) informs me that the hospital has lost water pressure and describes how the maintenance engineers are now pumping water from our adjacent lake to maintain pressure. However, we are no longer able to provide working toilets, nor maintain adequate water pressure to run the fire suppression sprinkler systems. The faucets still work, but the community water supply has sustained fecal contamination. We must now use bottled water for patient care. Our nurses carefully ration a limited bottled water supply used for our babies. Buckets of water are used to flush the toilet limited to micturition. We must defecate into a plastic bag and place them in the trash. We laugh as a NNP volunteers, give me a bag, looks like Ill be the first. I speak with one of our dedicated housekeepers who accepts her new duties without any sense of repulsion or hesitation. 6:45 p.m.: Cell phone coverage is becoming sporadic. Our home generator is now submerged- no power, and the water levelhas risen to the steps of our house. I ask my wife to don my wet suit; she jokes about getting my suit past her hips, and we both laugh nervously. The pantry closet is the safest location, with egress to our attic. She positions a ladder to allow easy access, and relocates essential survival supplies as well. Midsentence, she loses cell phone service, and I am unable to reach my wife for the next 23-hours. 7 p.m.: I text message with my son in Philadelphia. His concern is palpable, but he remains a calm and thoughtful presence, relaying information to and from me, and back to the rest of the family. 9 p.m.: The night team makes rounds. That evening, there is only one admission- a 31-week gestation infant with respiratory distress syndromeno problem. And the parents are happy to stay in the hospital. 11 p.m.: Patient care conditions might deteriorate rapidly. We must not have a fire. How are the staff holding up? Has the storm surge extended into my home? I find some quietness from my mindin sleep. Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022: The aftermath This is a group photo taken on Tuesday, Sept 27, 2022, one day before the arrival of Hurricane Ian. These are several members of the Golisano Children's Hospital NICU staff Team A, including the head of the department, Dr. William Lui (waving). Gov. DeSantis calls Hurricane Ian a 500-year flood event. Damage assessments will be catastrophic and historic. 5 a.m.: I attempt unsuccessfully to contact my wife. 7:06 a.m.: GroupMe post: Is everyone ok? Exhausted after being here since Tuesday morningbut at least we are alive. 7:30 a.m My car is not submerged! The water level is low enough to drive towards home. There are hanging powerlines and the signal lights are strewn along the side of the road; driving is treacherous. My neighborhood is an expanse of water, too deep for vehicular access. Back to the hospital. 8 a.m.-10 a.m.: Before rounds, I can see Chinooks and other military helicopters flying overhead. I hear reports of arriving armed National Guard troops. The water supply remains unsafe. 10 a.m: Our pediatric transport director is teleconferencing with the Florida Neonatal Transport Association, and the Florida Association of Critical Care Transport Specialists. I later learn that our hospital administration, guided by a coordinated array of local, regional, and national agencies ESF8 (Emergency Support Function# 8), FEMA, Tallahassee emergency operations center, the Florida Hospital Association, the Agency for HealthCare Administration, and other agencies have been working to identify available hospital beds throughout the state. They are implementing a cooperative multi-state plan to mobilize emergency medical services. 12 p.m.: Our CMO (Chief Medical Officer) speaks with my entire medical team. We are notified that the hospital system has already begun to evacuate adult patients, and we must plan to evacuate pediatric and neonatal patients as well. We currently have 68 babies in our NICU, many with long and complex hospital courses. We review the challenges to our normal patient transfer process. Parents, already stressed with their babys current condition, some who may now face homelessness or additional undefined burdens, must be compassionately informed. Our clerks, nurses and medical providers need time for appropriate discharge/ transfer documentation. Recipient facilities and beds must be identified, and transport arrangements made. We must ensure a direct physician or nurse practitioner communication with the appropriate recipient medial team provider. This is our only formal discussion of plans for evacuation. At this moment the timeline is not clearly defined. 1 p.m.: Our Golisano hospital evacuation will now take priority. The NICU evacuation will take place now! Our transport director and nursing leadership set up a transport command central. Our government agencies have already mobilized available beds, and transport resources. 1:24 p.m.: Fort Myers Beachcompletely washed away. 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Apparently driving since early morning, a phalanx of ambulances forms along the perimeter of the hospital. They are converging from many states. Your transport is here, which baby will be going? These are not normal times, and the cart is pushing the horse. My phone is exploding. Medical directors throughout the state are reaching out. Hi Billplease call me to discuss the NICU babies you plan to transfer; HiI heard that 10 babies are on their way. I have no information about any of them; Hello, this is please call me when you have a chance. The medical providers phones chime incessantly. Is baby X ready to go? Where? Who has been told? I havent written my note yet! I still need to speak with the mother! 3 p.m.: I enter the room of a premature baby who is doing well, a feeder and grower, and inform his mother of our plans for evacuation. She has had little sleep and cannot contact her husband. She pleads in a subdued tone. Why does my baby need to go now? Can I refuse? Where is Port St. Lucie? I have family in Miami. She wrings her hands, and tears stream down her cheeks. My gut feels her loss of control. I had just previously returned from our command central to prevent an unnecessary transport of a baby placed on the transport list who was triaged for discharge to home. This is rectified quickly, and we discharge him to his mother, avoiding an EMS team poised to take him to Martin County. A good catch! The transport coordinators work steadily and calmly under extreme pressure. We are all making many situation-specific adjustments to avoid mishaps. There is no blueprint for this. I make a quick return trip to my feeder and growers room. We have re-routed her baby to a facility in the Miami area. Mom smiles through her frown. So many complex patients, so many risks inherent in hand-offs. I am truly appreciative of the utility and facility of our neonatal electronic medical records, coupled with the diligence of the medical team. 5 p.m.: Team B is activated. Hospital-wide, our staff dutifully report inmany are silent, some seem stunned. I suspect their faces betray a shared tribulation. Our medical team A will remain in-house. Two team B nurse practitioners come in this evening; the rest will arrive tomorrow. 5:37 p.m.: I solicit a ride in a pickup truck with a high cabin. My neighborhood remains a lake, but guided by the tops of mailboxes, we arrive at my home. My wife is fine, and I am internally buoyant! I take a selfie with her and return to the hospital; our parade of neonatal transports continues. 11:30 p.m.: Our team, exhausted both physically and emotionally, has been working non-stop. We send out our 50th baby close to 2 AM. Friday, Sept. 30, 2022: NICU census: zero! Ian weakens to a tropical storm and crosses to the Atlantic... re-strengthened to a category 1 hurricane, making landfall on the South Carolina coast near Georgetown, and subsequently dissipates. 8 a.m.: Team B members are welcome sights. I think of a scene from the movie Glory, where rolls of fresh troops, marching to the front line, pass by their war-weary, retreating colleagues. I greet my associate medical director who will smoothly oversee the following week of transition. 5 p.m.: Our last baby is evacuated from the NICU. We have discharged or transferred out 68 babies over a 29-hour period, and without a single adverse event! Like diamonds, our teamwork has been forged under extreme pressure. I have never been more proud and thankful to have the opportunity to work with all my dedicated colleagues- doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, management, and administration. That weekend, with water levels receding, my wife and I walk down our still-flooded street. Many neighbors also emerge and share their stories. One family relates how, from their second story bedroom, they witnessed a surreal expanse of water roll towards them. The wife exhaled, I think we are going to die! Shortly after this, they describe how their two cars floated down the road. The storm surge was so unexpected, another family (husband, wife, and small dog) find themselves surrounded by rising waters, even as they attempted to walk to their next-door neighbors home on higher ground. Instead, they jump into their boat (on a trailer hitch) that is now floating, and throw out the anchor, hunkering down, while buffeted by hurricane force winds, rain, and waves. They stayed huddled in their boat for two hours before they struggle to their house attic. A third family, with two children and both sets of grandparents scrambled to their attics, as their house filled with seawater, contaminated by sewage. Fumes from their generator gas tank began to accumulate in their attic, and the husband must descend from the attic, wading through feculent water, to their garage. A fourth neighbor with several children and dogs, found and donned life jackets, and scrambled to their attic. Those who go to the attic should bring an axe to chop their way out if needed. Two weeks later, a nurse viscerally recalled how she, her husband and adult son survived. She described how they frantically piled their furniture against bowing doors; how they had to scramble to the interior closet, hearing cracking sounds as her house began to break away. Her voice and face remained tense and strained as she relived her nightmare. I really lost it when I watched my husband and son holding each other and saying their good-byes. I hugged her, although I knew I could not hope to take away her pain. Why are you working? I dont knowI just needed to be somewhere familiar and hold a baby. While we all sustained varying degrees of material damage and loss, so many of our experiences paint a similar picture of intense fear and realized or unrealized trauma. 10-15% of Golisano staff lost their homes. Of the neonatal medical team, one lost his home, three others sustainedsignificant roof damage. Of the 13 homes along my neighborhood street, seven were flooded. We all survived. Epilogue Dr. William Liu, the Medical Director of the Golisano Children's Hospital NICU along with from left, Nichole Shimko, Nurse Manager of the Critical Care Transport Team of Golisano Children's Hospital, Carly Majewski, a Nurse Manager of the Neonatal ICU Golisano Children's Hospital and Nancy Vossler, Nursing Director of the Neonatal ICU at Golisano Children's Hospital and pose for portrait at Golisano Children's Hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. The group helped get babies in the NICU transported to safety during Hurricane Ian last year. Hurricane Ian is the second costliest and deadliest storm in U.S. history. Our hospital system bounced back quickly. For the Golisano Childrens Hospital NICU, full water pressure was restored within the week. About three-weeks post-Ian, the NICU was back to baseline, fully staffed, and with a census of 58. All but one of our evacuated babies returned or were discharged. My wife suggested that I write down my thoughts, in part, as therapy. I am still trying to fully reconcile the impact of Hurricane Ian to the community, to my colleagues, and to myself. Are there any lessons to be learnedmaybe. No man is an island? Indeed, the human condition is intertwined, on all levels. The community was well served by the proactive preparations of the state and national agencies, as well as so many independent services and individuals who had descended upon our beleaguered community and provided support. One month following Ian, the signs of recovery were everywhere: FEMA, police cars, food and clothing stations, utility vehicles, many with out-of-state license plates. At a local Lowes, a BBQ stand was dispersing free meals. Our NICU classroom had doubled as a thrift shop, sharing clothes and essentials; everyone helped everyone. It is now about almost one year post-Ian. The news cycle has long ago moved on, and ostensibly so have the rest of us. Almost defiantly, we seek the comfort of normalcy. My colleagues and I have quickly refocused on our workday routines. On one level we struggle with denial, on another, survivor guilt may linger. On a third level, I wonder how many who continue to struggle now feel forgotten? Indeed, some of us remain frayed and violated, and have found our human connections to be that much more vital and sustaining. Together and individually, through ingenuity, fortitude, compassion, and resilience, we are building ourselves back. It is difficult to quantify the enduring emotional trauma. Together, our community will recover, as will each of usover time. William Liu, M.D., is the Medical Director for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers and Pediatrix Medical Director for the Pedaitrix Medical Group in Fort Myers. He originally wrote his first-person story "My Week with Hurricane Ian" about the Golisano NICU for the Lee County Medical Society Bulletin in the first quarter 2023 issue. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers' Goliansano Children's Hospital team took on Hurricane Ian Five Arizona Republican members of the House voted against a last-minute deal Saturday aimed at preventing a government shutdown, but the measure passed anyway. The threat of shutdown was averted after the Senate passed the measure late Saturday. Republican Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, Paul Gosar, Debbie Lesko and David Schweikert were among the 90 members of their party who opposed the continuing resolution, which aims to keep federal spending at current levels for another 45 days while cutting funding to Ukraine. Arizona Democrats in the House, Reps. Ruben Gallego, Raul Grijalva and Greg Stanton, as well as freshman Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, voted for the short-term deal. Lesko took to social media to explain why she voted for a deal Friday that failed but voted against the deal Saturday that passed, putting her on the losing side of both votes. "Securing our border and ensuring our military and Border Patrol agents are paid are my top priorities," Lesko said. "Thats why I voted for a stopgap funding measure that would have kept the government open, reined in spending, and secured our border. Todays bill didnt do those things, so I voted no." But her explanation is a bit of misdirection because by voting "no" Saturday she threatened a shutdown that would force military and Border Patrol agents to keep working but possibly not be paid. The deal that passed Saturday did not include the ramped up Mexican border provisions that Friday's failed deal included. Biggs and Crane didn't flip-flop, sticking with their opposition to any short-term deal. During a Friday podcast, they discussed why they prefer to vote on spending items one by one, rather than through a continuing resolution. They said that forces members to defend frivolous spending items one by one rather than take one vote they can defend by saying they approved it to keep things running. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate. Now he is almost certain to be facing a motion to try to take away the gavel from him, but it's not clear his critics have enough votes to topple the speaker. Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed it. Were going to do our job, McCarthy said before the House vote. Were going to be adults in the room. And were going to keep government open. Biggs questioned after the vote whether McCarthy should keep his leadership position. "Instead of siding with his own party today, Kevin McCarthy sided with 209 Democrats to push through a continuing resolution that maintains the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer spending levels and policies," Biggs said on social media. "He allowed the DC Uniparty to win again. Should he remain Speaker of the House?" McCarthy addressed the criticism Saturday. If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. But I think this country is too important. The spending measure later passed the Senate, with much less drama than in the House. The vote was 88-9, with Arizona's two senators voting yes and the only opposition coming from Republicans. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., said the vote was a relief. While Im relieved to see Congress come together and avoid a government shutdown, legislating at the last minute to avoid harming servicemembers, small businesses, wildland firefighters, and our brave men and women at the border is the bare minimum," Sinema said Saturday in a written statement. "Both parties willingness to cater to the extremes instead of delivering lasting solutions is dangerous and harmful for Arizona families. Now its time for Congress to do its job, put partisanship aside, and pass a commonsense, responsible budget to help everyday Arizonans build better lives for themselves and their families. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said in a statement after the vote it was "ridiculous" that the matter came down to the wire, and blamed House Republicans and partisanship for the delay. He also lamented what was left out of the bill. Im extremely disappointed that partisan dysfunction prevented Congress from extending U.S. support for Ukraine at such an important moment in their counteroffensive," Kelly said. "There is strong bipartisan support in both chambers to keep backing Ukraine and we must work urgently to get them the weapons and support they need to beat Putin. The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biggs, Crane, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert oppose government shutdown deal Toyota has already chosen to go a very different direction with the latest generation of Land Cruiser available in North America, opting to move their flagship SUV back from the world of luxury trucks to a more compact, more focused, and more affordable size. Now, a rumor from Japan's Best Car suggests that an even smaller, simpler, and less expensive Land Cruiser variant could come next. The report suggests that a car briefly teased during the Land Cruiser briefing, shown as the silhouette on the left in the photo above, could be a completely new product marketed closer in size to Toyota's current Corolla Cross. The product could be sold with a variety of four-cylinder and four-cylinder hybrid powertrain options and could eventually add a fully-electric battery EV variant, although that would follow after the gas-powered cars. Those engines would be put on a shortened variant of the GA-F platform, the underpinnings used to make everything from the current Land Cruiser 250 to the new Tundra. As Best car notes, the name "Land Hopper" was trademarked in Japan a few days after the presentation where this car was first teased. It would be a natural fit for a smaller Land Cruiser product, one slightly less confusing than the current strategy of referring to the smaller Land Cruiser 250 as the Land Cruiser Prado domestically and just the Land Cruiser in the U.S. while also selling the larger Land Cruiser 300 as just the Land Cruiser in many markets. Whether or not the Land Hopper is sold globally is another question, but Best Motoring says the car could be unveiled as soon as October's Japan Mobility Show. You Might Also Like The Group of Twenty (G20), a forum of 1,900 industrialized nations plus the European Union, has met this month at the Bahrat Mandapam conference center in New Delhi, India. The annual gathering provided a major opportunity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demonstrate Indias growing influence. The G20 provides a structure for policy discussion and coordination on a wide range of matters, including international security. Arthur I. Cyr China and Vladimir Putin of Russia were absent. Both nations suffer serious and growing economic problems. Moscow is in addition afflicted with the costly, brutal war resulting from the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Just before the G20 gathered in India, President Joe Biden stopped in Hanoi, Vietnam. The occasion was a new, greatly strengthen strategic partnership between the United States and Vietnam. The relationship was formally raised to a comprehensive strategic partnership by Hanoi. This is their highest designation for cooperation. Previously, our relationship had been at their lowest designation. Last year in November, Indonesia hosted a G20 summit. President Biden took the opportunity for a special meeting with Chinas President Xi Jinping . The G20 began in 1999, spurred by the Asia financial crisis of 1997. Rapid response led by the United States mobilized public and private capital to relieve nearly disastrous financial pressures on Asian economies. U.S. President Bill Clinton led this effective crisis management. In 2010, G20 meetings took place in Gyeongju and then Seoul, South Korea. The selection of this nation aptly, and appropriately, symbolized the exceptional economic development of their powerhouse economy and stable political democracy during the years following the devastating Korean War of 1950 to 1953. Japan was a participant in the initial, predecessor G7 organization of economically advanced nations. The successor G20 has developed a wider arena to include China, along with Brazil, India and other rapidly industrializing large economies of the world. The fact that worldwide very poor people are becoming prosperous is good news for everyone. They represent new competitors, but also potential new consumers of our products, and investment partners. Wars are on balance less likely. Washington took the opportunity to highlight Indonesia, and neighboring nations, as success stories of expanding political stability, modernization and the rule of law. In 1998, opponents forced Indonesias long-time autocratic president and former general Muhammad Suharto from power. Since then, the nation has had representative government. Indonesias external conflicts today are largely technical and legal, notably the maritime disputes which generally involve the nations of East and Southeast Asia. Dictatorship has ended, but corruption remains a problem. The situation used to be quite different. During the height of the Cold War, Indonesia was a pivotal leader among developing nations. Flamboyant nationalist President Sukarno played the Soviet Union and United States against one another. CIA efforts to bring Sukarno down failed, greatly weakening U.S. standing. In consequence, cooperation between Indonesia and the Soviet Union expanded. This development was extremely important in the decision for large-scale U.S. military intervention in Vietnam in 1965. Today, we largely have forgotten this history. British forces, with Australian and New Zealand allies, defeated Indonesia attacks on Malaysia. Earlier, Britain defeated a Communist insurgency in Malaya, today part of Malaysia. Their strategy remains highly germane. Today, the Cold War is over, though the potentially explosive tensions between China and the United States and other nations show utopia has not yet arrived. Our collaboration with Vietnam is truly historic. Learn More: Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons memoirs, Resolved. Arthur I. Cyr is author of After the Cold War American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia (NYU and Palgrave/Macmillan). Contact acyr@carthage.edu. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Arthur Cyr: The G20 gathers again ASHEVILLE - Activists, nonprofits and community leaders paraded through downtown Asheville on a sunny Sept. 30 to celebrate Blue Ridge Pride, donning rainbow outfits and signs of support for the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to the precession starting, Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara spoke to the crowd through a megaphone, recalling her first time at a Pride parade and stating that 2023's Blue Ridge Pride could be "life-changing" for the younger members of the community. "When I was 18 years old it was life-changing for me to see Pride in Durham, North Carolina," Beach-Ferrara said. "To feel like there was a version of North Carolina that can be home to everyone." Almost seven years ago, Beach-Ferrara made history in becoming the first openly gay Buncombe County Commissioner. Last year, Beach-Ferrara ran in the general election for the NC 11th Congressional District, losing to Chuck Edwards. Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara speaks to the crowd through a megaphone prior to the 2023 Blue Ridge Pride Precession Sept. 30. Formed in 2009, Blue Ridge Pride is a nonprofit organization that serves 23 counties in Western North Carolina. This year, the organization chose the theme of "advocate" in response to recent "bad bills, anti-drag narrative and numerous other attacks against the LGBTQ+ community," according to the Blue Ridge Pride website. Many carried signs that protested or alluded to recent anti-LGBTQ+ bills being pushed in both state and federal bodies, with Democratic State Chair Anderson Clayton speaking against the bills during the event. "The state general assembly that we are under right now has targeted the LGBTQ+ community this year with 12 different pieces of legislation trying to harm trans youth in this state, trying to make people afraid to be who they are, and to love who they love," Clayton said. "In the land of the free, that should never happen." In June this year, the North Carolina House passed House Bill 808, which restricts certain types of gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgical gender transition procedures. It also creates penalties for doctors who perform those treatments. House Bill 808 was vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper, which was overridden by the Republican supermajorities in the NC House and Senate. In June, a Target in Asheville pulled its LGBTQ+ merchandise after national threats to staff and vandalism. Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina State Democratic Party, speaks during 2023 Blue Ridge Pride Sept. 30. Clayton is the youngest chair of any state Democratic party. LGBTQ+ coverage last year: Macon County commissioner denounces library Pride Month display; opposes funding increase Same sex marriages rise: Asheville same-sex marriages skyrocket as LGBTQ community braces for rollback of rights Organizations show support, spread joy. For drag queen Dahmit Janet, who is the president of The Beer City Sisters, Pride is a place to spread the message of her organization and to celebrate. "We're here to expiate stigmatic guilt guilt that it put on you for who you are and to spread universal joy," Janet said. "Is there a better place to do that than Pride?" The Beer City Sisters is a local nonprofit that is "dedicated to promoting and celebrating diversity, social awareness, universal joy, and the expiation of stigmatic guilt," according to Beer City Sisters website. The organization serves through "self expression and irreverent humor for advocacy, education, outreach and philanthropy." The Beer City Sisters, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting "diversity, social awareness, universal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt," marching in the 2023 Blue Ridge Pride Precession Sept. 30. For Janet, Pride also serves as an opportunity to provide spaces for younger members of the LGBTQ+ community. "Seeing and knowing that there's spaces for them. Just giving them a smile and they smile back that really warms my heart," Janet said. Lucy Robbins, pastor at Biltmore United Methodist Church, said the congregation came to show the importance of "being a partner in ministry and loving all people." Robbins also believes it is a way to avoid misconceptions about Christians. "We're excited to be present and to be welcoming and open as an inclusive congregation and letting people know that the story of the church is a positive one," Robbins said. "It's not always a negative emphasis that Christians have against the queer community; we believe in in all people and that God's love is for all people." 2023's Blue Ridge Pride also was supported by local sponsors Mission Health, Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort, Wicked Weed and Explore Asheville, among others. More: Hendersonville LGBTQ pastor criticizes Lt. Governor's 'filth' comments More: After NC abortion bill, will Asheville Planned Parenthood close? Will DAs prosecute? Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. A flag that says "human" flies during the 2023 Blue Ridge Pride Precession Sept. 30. Each letter represents a different pride flag. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Blue Ridge Pride brings support from local, state leaders for LGBTQ+ On a day when President Joe Biden lacerated former President Donald Trump for assaults on American democracy, Cindy McCain said she looks forward to a library in Tempe in her late husbands name that can help refocus public attention to traditional norms and political civility. Cindy McCain, who heads the World Food Program for the United Nations, said her role is a reminder of the deep divisions that can dominate attention, but the McCain National Library at Arizona State University can serve as a place to gather, learn and rededicate to lasting ideals. In the world that I deal with which is a world thats on fire and coming apart the thought of not having some civility in the United States or some ability to agree to disagree and still remain friends is something that we need to strive to, she said. I believe in the good sense of the American people. I believe in the good sense of people in the world to hopefully make sure we can build a better life, a better community, and represent the United States and the Constitution in a way that it should be represented. Her husband, John McCain , represented Arizona in the House and Senate from 1983 until his death in 2018 and was a two-time presidential aspirant. Presidential visit: Biden praises John McCain, excoriates Trump and 'MAGA extremists' Looking out to the area in Tempe where the McCain library will rise, Cindy McCain wanted to focus on the longer battle for preserving American character, not just today's political battles. Her son Jack McCain said the attention to the present state of American democracy is part of a permanent struggle that must be fully joined following priorities his father emphasized. The maintenance of democracy is a timeless issue for the United States whatever form that takes, Jack McCain said. There are a few ways you can never go wrong, and thats driving civility, the importance of civility in politics, driving virtue, and making sure that it is the Americans' voices who are the loudest. I dont think is necessarily a contemporary problem, but one that is ageless in all forms of democracy. The future library is still taking shape, from architectural design to the kinds of programs it hopes to host, the McCains said. But there are a few elements that will clearly play a leading role. John McCains biography, especially his years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, will be important, Jack McCain said. Well figure out a way to showcase it correctly and, especially tastefully, but the POW experience was one that really shaped my father and what he became, he said. We want to make sure that we incorporate not just his experience, but the experience of POWs at large into the library itself. Its one of the more potent and important lessons that we can have. Most of all it is about carrying on his legacy of duty, honor, country and his legacy of character-driven leadership, Cindy McCain said. Jack McCain wants the library to properly represent Arizona to the world, play a meaningful role in mentoring the young and perhaps host political debates as well. He plans to remain actively involved in the project, though that remains vague for the moment. I dont know quite what the role title will be, he said, but I promise you that Ill have a very large role to play in the future of the library. Its incredibly close to my heart. He heads state and local government affairs for American Airlines in Phoenix. Cindy McCain said the librarys development will be a key personal priority of hers as well, even as she is drawn to global issues, such as the slowdown in food to Africa amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Theres always time for family, so I can always make this work, she said. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cindy McCain sees McCain National Library as boost to democracy By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday pressed congressional Republicans to back a bill to provide more aid to Ukraine, saying he was "sick and tired" of the political brinkmanship that nearly led to a government shutdown. Biden spoke after Congress passed a stopgap bill on Saturday that extended government funding for more than a month and avoided a shutdown that would have left most of the federal government's more than 4 million employees without a paycheck and cut a wide range of services. The bill, which passed with broad Democratic and Republican support, sparked hardline Republican Matt Gaetz to pledge to oust the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy . The bill, which lasts through Nov. 17, did not include aid for Kyiv. The United States has been a major supporter of Ukraine after Russia invaded it last year, and Biden has sought to rally the world, as well as his own country, to maintain that support. Biden said Republicans had pledged to provide that aid through a separate vote. "We cannot under any circumstances allow Americas support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality," he told reporters at the White House. Asked if he could trust McCarthy to honor deals, Biden said: "We just made one about Ukraine, so well find out." A White House official said Biden was referring to Republican promises of passing a separate bill on the issue. Biden assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a visit to Washington last month that strong U.S. support for his war to repel Russian invaders would be maintained despite opposition from some Republican lawmakers. Biden urged Republicans to move ahead quickly to avoid another crisis in November. "The brinkmanship has to end. And there shouldnt be another ... crisis," he said. "I strongly urge my Republican friends in Congress not to wait. Dont waste time as you did all summer. Pass a year-long budget agreement. Honor the deal we made a few months ago." Biden declined to weigh in on whether Democrats should support McCarthy if he needed their votes to keep his job as House speaker. The president said he would leave that to Democratic leaders in Congress to decide. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Jason Lange and Leah Douglas; editing by Scott Malone, Grant McCool and Nick Zieminski) A Nicholasville man was arrested on eight charges Sunday, including attempted murder of a police officer, after he attempted to hit a cruiser with an officer inside, authorities said. Justin Riester, 32, was arrested early Sunday morning. He is charged with attempted murder of a police officer, fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, driving on a suspended license, no registration, reckless driving, careless driving and speeding, according to online jail records. Officers with the Harrodsburg Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Louisville Road around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when they suspected Riester was driving under the influence, according to Cpl. Jarrod Duncan. (Riester) failed to yield to the traffic stop and continued on and during that he tried to veer left and attempted to strike the cruiser of officer that was alongside him, Duncan told the Herald-Leader. Duncan said officers worked with the Boyle County Attorney to confirm the charges which are under review at this time. Riester did not make contact with the officers cruiser, and there were no injuries to any officers or Riester. Riester is being held in the Boyle County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records. The Ohio Senate will act Wednesday on a bill to scrap the civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse in bankruptcy cases. Ohioans who were sexually abused by Boy Scout leaders waited months for lawmakers to act on legislation that would help them seek financial relief. Their wait is finally over. The Ohio Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved House Bill 35, which would scrap the civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse in bankruptcy cases. This would allow survivors in Ohio to recoup the full amount owed to them through the Boy Scouts of America's bankruptcy settlement, instead of just a fraction of it. The House approved the bill twice during the last legislative session and earlier this year but it languished in the Senate as lawmakers tackled the state's two-year budget. Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, said senators also wanted to ensure any changes would be narrowly applied. The measure is tailored specifically to this situation. It would sunset after five years, and it would apply only to organizations with a congressional charter, a type of federal recognition the Boy Scouts earned in 1916. State lawmakers have resisted further statute of limitations reform for child sex abuse, although research shows that victims don't disclose their experiences until later in life. "The nature of trauma is such that it frequently compels survivors to remain silent for years I beseech you to not penalize us for the protracted period it took us to summon the courage to share our painful narratives," Mujaddid Muhammad told a Senate committee last week. Muhammad, of Columbus, told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau last year that he was abused at age 9 over a period of a few months by an Ohio scout leader. Ohio lawmakers face ticking clock on Boy Scout bill Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy in 2020 as it faced hundreds of lawsuits across the country from former scouts who said they were molested and raped by leaders and volunteers. Nearly 2,000 abuse claims have been filed in Ohio alone. The settlement, approved last year, allows survivors to apply for a $3,500 expedited payout. Alternatively, they can pursue an independent review or see where they fall on a matrix that doles out money based on the severity and frequency of abuse. For those two options, the state's statute of limitations is a key factor. In Ohio, survivors of child sex abuse have until age 30 to file a lawsuit against the perpetrator or affiliated institution. Per the settlement rules, Ohio's current law would limit survivors to 30% to 45% of what they're eligible for under the matrix. They would not qualify for an independent review. The settlement allowed the Legislature to change that. Under the agreement, survivors could wait one year from its effective date before filing a claim to see if their state would change the statute of limitations. The original deadline was this month, but that got pushed back because of appeals and other developments in the bankruptcy case. Still, a sense of urgency remains. Trustees will review non-expedited claims on a first-come, first-serve basis, leaving Ohio survivors anxious to submit their paperwork. Because of this, the Senate passed the bill with an emergency clause that would let it take effect immediately once signed by the governor. House lawmakers must OK the emergency clause before it heads to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk, which could happen as soon as next week. And after months of advocacy, survivors are ready for some certainty. "Its been an emotional roller coaster," said Eric Palmer, a Cincinnati attorney who said a family friend and scoutmaster molested him. "Had we been able to offer testimony with the Senate earlier this year after the House passed it, closer in time, we wouldnt have to keep going back and telling these emotional stories publicly to legislators." Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Senate passes bill to help victims in Boy Scout abuse settlement The University of Oklahoma in Norman had more than 21,282 undergrads in fall 2022, according to federal statistics. Of those students, 3% identified as American Indian or Alaska Native. Three months after the U.S. Supreme Court banned colleges from weighing race in admissions, it remains unclear how the ruling will affect Native American students. But the first big test is now underway as high school seniors start filling out and sending in their applications. College officials already were struggling to recruit and retain Native Americans, who are almost always underrepresented on campuses built across their tribal homelands. Less than one-tenth of 1% of all U.S. undergrads are Native, a share that is losing ground as more students forgo college altogether after the pandemic. Advocates working to turn the tide on those declines see a way for colleges to pivot after the Supreme Court ban. They believe schools could consider whether a student belongs to a tribal nation, a political identity rooted in treaties. This is not about race for tribal nations, said Ben Barnes, the chief of the Shawnee Tribe in northeast Oklahoma. We are citizens. We are citizens of existing nations. We preexisted before the United States. Do universities consider tribal citizenship as part of the admission process? Treaties between the U.S. government and those tribal nations promised education for tribal citizens in exchange for ceding millions of acres of land. But the federal government has long fallen short of delivering equitable educational opportunities for Native children. Colleges, on the other hand, largely benefited from the removal of tribal nations from their homelands, Barnes noted. Many stand on Native land. Land grant universities were funded by the sale of Native land. And several universities started as boarding schools to assimilate Native children. Yet, amid a nationwide debate over what schools teach about the lasting harms of systemic discrimination, college administrators do not appear to be moving quickly to incorporate tribal citizenship into admissions decisions. Oklahoma voters banned public universities from weighing race in admissions in 2012. The University of Oklahoma changed its admissions policies in anticipation of the ban toward a "holistic" approach. The USA TODAY Network asked 25 universities whether they sought information from prospective students about tribal identities and weighed those answers as part of the admissions process. Only six directly answered the questions, and none said tribal citizenship was among the many factors they considered, which some states set by law. Harvard University, one of two schools at the center of the Supreme Court ruling, declined to say anything at all. Last fall, the Ivy League school reported 46 Native students in its student body of 25,266. The school apologized later that semester for its complicity in the objectification of Native peoples, acknowledging its museum had held on for decades to the hair clippings of more than 700 Native American children forced to attend government-run boarding schools. The message that that sends is that even if change is starting to happen, that at one time, this wasnt the place for you or your ancestors, said Tesia Zientek, who leads the National Indian Education Association and the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education. Federal investigation into boarding schools continues The fraught history of how the educational system has treated Native students has come to widespread light as part of a deepening federal investigation into hundreds of boarding schools similar to the one attended by students whose hair Harvard kept. The United States acknowledged in a report last year the schools had little educational purpose and instead were meant to prepare Native children for manual labor and erase connections to tribal nations. Researchers believe hundreds or thousands of children died at the schools. That history makes efforts to increase opportunities for Native students all the more pressing today, Zientek said. More: What we know about the investigation into Native American boarding schools She worries the Supreme Court ban could slow the efforts of Harvard and other schools to create pathways for Native students, especially if administrators do not grasp what tribal citizenship means. If someone is a tribal citizen, that means a sovereign government with a unique political relationship with the United States recognizes them as one, said Zientek, who belongs to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma. The Supreme Court has recognized the political nature of tribal citizenship in rulings as recently as this summer, when the court upheld a federal child welfare law that applies to tribal citizens. The number of Native students enrolling in college has dropped sharply over the last decade amid broader declines in college enrollment. It's not a racial identity, its a political identity, Zientek said. However, thats how it should be understood, but its not understood that way (at universities) across the board. The confusion surrounding tribal citizenship has become particularly charged in Oklahoma, as Gov. Kevin Stitt often uses the term interchangeably to describe a persons race. Stitt himself is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. But he objects to the expansion of tribal government authority over tribal citizens, saying he does not want to divide the state by race. More: Amid legal uncertainty, Oklahoma's governor ramps up rhetoric against tribal governments How Oklahoma universities responded None of four Oklahoma universities surveyed for this story said they considered a students tribal identity in admissions decisions or plan to begin doing so. The University of Tulsa, a private university that started as a Presbyterian boarding school for Native American girls, did not respond to the questions. The University of Oklahoma, a school whose Sooner mascot stems from the rush by white settlers to claim land the United States had promised to tribal nations, said it asks prospective students whether they are tribal citizens for data collecting purposes only. In a statement, the university said it does not factor tribal citizenship into its admissions process because of a statewide ban on affirmative action approved by voters in 2012. The law prohibits public agencies and schools from preferential treatment or discrimination based on race, color, sex, ethnicity or national origin. OU officials declined to say how they interpreted the ban to apply to tribal citizenship. Poll: Oklahoma voters want state and tribes to work together amid political tensions The school told federal regulators it accepted 73% of students who applied for admission last fall, and 3% of students enrolled were Native. It also reported 10% of students identified as two or more races, a broad category that could also include some Native American students. The statistics underscore the complex intersection between tribal citizenship and racial identity, and how widely that can vary among students, said Zientek, who works as a program director for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The New Mexico-based group helps students pursue science and technology careers. Some Native students may not meet tribal enrollment criteria for a variety reasons, or some may belong to tribes that are not formally recognized by the federal government, which is especially true in California, said Joely Proudfit, who teaches Native studies and directs the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at California State University San Marcos. Considering whether a student is a tribal citizen is a practical approach for colleges to recognize the sovereignty of tribal nations and their unique relationship with the U.S. government, Proudfit said. However, it is crucial to acknowledge the diversity among Native communities, said Proudfit, who is Luiseno/Payomkawichum and Tongva. How Oklahoma universities compare to other schools in the nation California became the first state to ban race conscious admissions practices, often referred to as affirmative action, in 1996. One study later found the number of Native students attending some California public universities fell soon after the ban took effect from double digits to single digits. The ban has made it more difficult to consider the unique experiences and backgrounds of Native students during the admissions process, Proudfit said. But proponents of such bans have contended they do not create more barriers. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court, lawyers for the state of Oklahoma said OU recorded no apparent drops in enrollment tied to the states ban. The states flagship university already had moved away from considering race in admissions in anticipation of the ban. The school adopted a holistic approach that officials said they still use today. The University of Oklahoma reviews freshman applications utilizing a holistic admissions process, which considers several factors that predict academic success, including academic rigor and performance, engagement, essay and letters of recommendation, the university said in a statement. Oklahoma State University would not say if it asks about or considers tribal citizenship in admissions decisions. A spokesperson emailed a two-sentence statement, which said in part that the school provides tremendous opportunities for students from all walks of life and backgrounds, and race is not a factor considered in admissions. Five percent of undergrads at OSUs main campus are Native American, the largest share reported by any school surveyed for this story. It admits 71% of applicants. More: What to know about Oklahoma's newest tribal compact dispute The University of Pennsylvania sits on the other end of the spectrum. A private Ivy League school in Philadelphia, its acceptance rate is 7%. Of the 2,409 students who enrolled in undergraduate classes last fall, three identified as American Indian or Alaska Native. Penn declined to answer any questions about admissions, but said it awarded scholarships based solely on need and planned to host a program for Native high school students next year. Our commitment to creating a diverse community is central to the educational experience at Penn, university spokesman Ron Ozio said in a statement. Schools making an effort to change their practices The Supreme Court ruling has raised questions for Native students considering college about where they would be welcome, said Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and chief executive of the American Indian College Fund. The Utah-based nonprofit offers scholarships as a way to increase access for Native Americans in higher education. Were looking at what are institutions doing to expand their recruiting outreach and try to create a greater sense among Native students that they would be welcome and that there are opportunities, said Crazy Bull, a member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation in South Dakota. More colleges also are starting to reckon with how they benefited from the taking of Native land and how to help people who were harmed by those same policies, Crazy Bull said. State lawmakers also are making changes. Kansas passed a law this year to allow students whose tribes have historical connections to the state to pay in-state tuition rates. Public university systems in neighboring Iowa and Nebraska have similar policies, as do some public schools in Arizona and Oregon and all in Washington. The University of Utah launched a scholarship fund earlier this year for students from federally recognized tribes with ties to the state. The University of California system began waiving tuition and fees entirely for tribal citizens who reside in the state. UC officials said the tuition waivers, which started last fall, do not violate the states affirmative action ban, because tribal citizenship is a political classification. Officials described it as an effort to increase the representation of Native students on campuses. One UC school, UCLA, is more direct about what it views as its obligation to Native people. Because UCLA is an institution that benefited from the dispossession of Native people from these lands, it bears a moral responsibility to the peoples impacted, says a page on the universitys website. It is important for the UCLA community to recognize that their presence and the universitys existence are a result of Native peoples displacement and land dispossession. Zientek said she recently met with a Citizen Potawatomi student from northern California to discuss his college plans and showed him the opportunities available at University of California schools. That was a huge relief for him, she said, and he kept asking me, Are you sure? Molly Young covers Indigenous affairs. Reach her at mollyyoung@gannett.com or 405-347-3534. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Colleges can still consider tribal citizenship in admissions, some say Mary MacDonald is executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. We've witnessed the rise of innovative breweries, the cultivation of unique flavors and the emergence of a vibrant craft beer culture that Ohioans can truly call their own. Ohio craft breweries brought home a state record 20 awards at the Great American Beer Festival competition last weekend, a testament to the quality of beer being produced by our small and independent breweries. What Kid Rock can learn about Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney from 6-year-old Amelia Robinson: What Kid Rock can learn about Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney from 6-year-old As we applaud the success and creativity of our local brewers, we must also acknowledge the outdated barrier that threatens to stifle our industry's growth: the Ohio Alcoholic Beverages Franchise Act of 1974. When this law was enacted nearly half a century ago, it was designed to protect small, independent beer wholesalers from the undue influence of their massive suppliers. At that time, there were only about 100 breweries in the nation. However, the world has changed drastically since then. Craft breweries, once a rarity, now number more than 9,000 nationwide and 425 in Ohio alone. A flight of beer at 1487 Brewery photographed on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Wholesalers have grown large and powerful through industry consolidation. The power dynamics within the brewing industry have shifted, and the franchise law that was meant to protect small businesses has become a straitjacket that restricts their growth and stifles their potential. How does the law work against Ohio's breweries Under the current system, breweries who choose to partner with a wholesaler are locked into automatically renewing distribution agreements. It is nearly impossible for a brewery to terminate these contracts or switch distribution partners, making it possible for a negligent wholesaler to do significant harm to a small brewerys business with no accountability. Adam Benner, president and co-founder of Land-Grant Brewing Company, credited the Ohio Craft Brewers Association for its help in securing a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan for the Franklinton brewery. The U.S. Department of Treasury's 2022 report on competitive issues in the alcohol industry specifically highlighted the need for franchise law reform. These laws can inhibit the growth of craft producers, limit consumer choice and lead to higher prices. The proposed Ohio Craft Brewer Freedom Act, introduced by Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, offers a way forward. This legislation would exempt breweries that produce fewer than 250,000 barrels of beer annually from Ohio's franchise law. It's a common-sense change that would allow small breweries to negotiate enforceable contracts that benefit both parties. The Ohio Craft Brewer Freedom Act recently received its first Senate committee hearing. A huge step in the right direction, but I will continue to call on Ohio lawmakers to seize this opportunity to reform our franchise law. State Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware It's crucial to recognize that change is often uncomfortable, especially when you've grown accustomed to a certain level of control. Some may argue this proposed change would lead to chaos in the industry, with breweries breaking contracts and jumping ship with no warning. However, the reality is quite different. Craft brewers still rely on distributors to reach a broader market, and they understand the importance of these partnerships. We are not seeking to sever these relationships recklessly, but to have the option to negotiate agreements that work for both parties. To our lawmakers, I implore you: if it were your business that were suffering under an unfair, outdated law, wouldnt you want your representatives to act swiftly? It's time to modernize our laws. This legislation is not just about beer: it's about supporting local businesses, boosting innovation and ensuring consumer choice. It's a chance to let Ohio's craft brewers continue on this incredible journey of growth and creativity while making a positive impact on our local communities and our states economy. Let's also raise our voices and call on our legislators to act boldly. Together, we can create a brighter future for our craft brewers, our communities and our great state. Mary MacDonald is executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Craft Brewer Freedom Act would save some of state's best breweries. WASHINGTON House Speaker Kevin McCarthy knew Friday night that if he wanted to stop the government from shutting down, he might have to do something he had avoided for months under pressure from far-right Republicans. He was going to have to rely on Democrats. Eight minutes before midnight and with just a little more than 24 hours to figure out a way to keep funding the government the speaker quietly filed a new bill. At a House GOP meeting in the morning, he made the shocking announcement that he would largely embrace bipartisan legislation in the Democratic-led Senate to keep the government open through Nov. 17, according to a source close to McCarthy, R-Calif. But there was one catch: He would cut out aid for Ukraine while leaving in disaster relief funding. Lacking enough Republican votes, he made a wager that Democrats would rescue the bill. McCarthys move was an act of defiance against the hard-liners who strenuously opposed a short-term bill. Some, like Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., even threatened to force a vote to overthrow him if he passed a bill with Democratic votes. But the speakers decision set in motion a rapid series of events that led to the House passing a slightly revised bill to keep the government funded through Nov. 17 on a broad bipartisan vote, and the Senate swallowing it just in time to keep the lights on. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it, McCarthy told reporters moments after the House passed the bill. There has to be an adult in the room. Kevin McCarthy. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images) The gamble paid off after some angst and political machinations when 209 Democrats joined 126 Republicans to pass the bill. Just one Democrat (Mike Quigley of Illinois) voted no. And Democrats were quick to claim victory. Time and time and time again, House Democrats have had to come to the rescue and push back against the extremists, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York told reporters. When we read the four corners of the agreement it was clear to us that this spending bill was a complete and total victory for the American people and a total defeat for the extreme MAGA Republicans. In the meantime, there were a couple of key moments that paved the way for the dramatic turnaround that prevented a shutdown that had been seen for weeks as inevitable. House Democrats come around Democrats initially blasted the last-minute legislation, saying they were blindsided by McCarthy holding an immediate vote on a 71-page bill they hadnt read. They didnt trust him to write a clean bill and worried there might be something tucked in there that they wouldn't like. Some circulated a one-pager bashing it. Jeffries used his magic minute a House rule that allows the leader of each party to speak on the floor for as long as they want for 52 minutes to run the clock so Democrats could review the text. We asked for 90 minutes to simply read the bill. Think how absurd it is that the Republicans made a big deal of a 72-hour rule before you vote on bills. And they literally dropped this bill, with maybe a few minutes to read it, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., groused after a Democratic meeting. Completely hypocritical. Behind the scenes, some Democrats in the influential New York delegation who werent happy with McCarthys tactics knew they were trapped. Their state had just been pummeled by storms and a vote against the bill would also be a vote against the flood insurance provisions in it, one aide said. In the middle of Democrats attempting to buy time to review the legislation, a fire alarm went off, and one of the House office buildings had to be evacuated. There was no fire just Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who later said he was "embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door." Across the Capitol, in a closed-door lunch meeting Saturday, Senate Republicans overruled McConnells plea to preserve Ukraine funding a high priority for him in a temporary funding bill, said two sources with knowledge of the conversations. He had succeeded in making a similar case against a two-week bill offered a day earlier by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. But this time, McConnell decided to accept the House path. It looks like there may be a bipartisan agreement coming from the House. So, Im fairly confident that most of my members, our members, are going to vote against cloture, McConnell told reporters afterward. So, under these circumstances, Im recommending a no vote even though I very much want to avoid a government shutdown. McConnell had just withdrawn his support for his own Senate bill, which included Ukraine aid, in order to boost McCarthys efforts. House Democrats quickly saw their options dwindle. I hear the Senate is not going to be able to pass their [continuing resolution] with Ukraine aid now that the Republicans have pulled their support, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said while Jeffries was buying time. So at this point, theres really no leverage. The clincher came when House Democrats secured a late concession to alter a provision in the initial GOP-written bill to address Democratic concerns that it would raise pay for lawmakers. Their top appropriator, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., had blasted the provision in a one-page paper criticizing the McCarthy bill which was subsequently tweaked to revert to the Senate language clarifying that lawmaker pay be kept flat. Smith said the final bill would be slightly different and indicated that with the change, Democrats would be on board. McCarthy defies the GOP hard-liners The 335-91 House vote was a startling display of what was possible if McCarthy stopped catering to his hard-liners and worked with the Houses moderate majority. Yet moments later, McCarthy downplayed the prospects of continuing that approach when asked about the 21 hard-liners who opposed his initial stopgap bill. I believe at the end of the day well get them back on board, he said, ahead of a high-stakes fight still to come over a full-year government funding bill. The White House, which took a hands-off approach to the fight, saw the outcome as a big victory on funding levels and keeping the government open for now without going back on the budget deal it struck with McCarthy, according to a senior administration official. Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader, echoed that view. After trying to take our government hostage, MAGA Republicans won nothing, he said after the 88-9 vote for the bill in the Senate. But for Republicans, there was another factor: Donald Trump, who days ago had instructed Republicans to SHUT IT DOWN if they didnt get EVERYTHING they demanded from Democrats. Trump, however, told some conservative members privately that ultimately they could do whatever they had to do, a source familiar with the conversations said. Trump campaign spokesman Steve Cheung denied the account, saying the source was wrong. Meanwhile, McCarthy was also facing pressure from members in swing districts who were flirting with partnering with Democrats to force a vote on a temporary funding bill, in what would have been a rare and embarrassing defiance of their speaker. McCarthys decision Saturday pre-empted that and saved his politically vulnerable members from a painful shutdown. After the bipartisan House bill passed, Gaetz stood at the GOP podium and tried to get presiding Rep. Steve Womacks attention as he sat in the chair. But the Arkansas Republican ignored Gaetz, slammed down the gavel and adjourned the House until Monday. Gaetz later told reporters that McCarthys speakership was on some tenuous ground. His sparring partner, swing-district freshman Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., predicted that Gaetz's efforts would fail. I think Kevin McCarthy has done a phenomenal job as speaker. I think hes been continually underestimated. And here again, today you saw him lead. And so at the end of the day, if somebody wants to bring up a motion to vacate, thats their business, Lawler said. But itll be defeated. A last-minute Senate roadblock The spectacular breakthrough in the House raised optimism for unanimous consent in the Senate to hold a speedy vote to pass the bill. But on Capitol Hill, it's rarely that simple. This time, the holdup was a Democratic senator Colorado's Michael Bennet, who was upset about the lack of Ukraine aid. He said he lifted his blockade after securing a bipartisan joint statement from McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other key senators, reaffirming their commitment to passing Ukraine funding in the coming weeks. We support Ukraines efforts to defend its sovereignty against Putins brazen aggression, and we join a strong bipartisan majority of our colleagues in this essential work, they said. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said there were lots of cross-Capitol, bicameral conversations going on with McCarthy, as well as at the staff level between Republicans ahead of final passage. It materialized kind of organically. Everybodys been trying to figure out different ways of trying to find a path to fund the government and make sure we dont go into shutdown. Its evolved. The House had their process. We had hours, Thune said. Eventually, this current plan came together. Next comes the hard part: reaching a full-year funding deal. And there's a chance everyone could be back in the same place in a little over a month, as the stopgap bill did little to resolve the bigger disputes between House Republicans and the Senate. But Thune says he hopes that isn't the case. Because its in everybodys best interest not to wind up like we did with this," he said, "where youre up against a deadline and you havent funded government. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com After watching Day 2 of the Kansas Legislatures joint hearing on elections, its hard to resist the temptation to poke fun at the crackpots the committee invited to spin debunked conspiracy theories about voting machines. I wont promise not to come back to that another time, but we have a more important issue to deal with right now. The thing that struck me hardest about this hearing was the contempt the committee displayed toward hundreds of thousands of Kansans there were 459,229 in the 2020 general election who prefer to vote by mail. Leaders of the Joint Special Committee on Elections made it clear they plan to take another stab at repealing a common-sense law allowing citizens to mail their ballots up to election day, with a three-day grace period for the Post Office to deliver those ballots to the election office. Hardcore Republican partisans who control the Legislature have learned to hate that law, because more often than not, those last-minute mail ballots have tended to favor Democrats. We had a demonstration of that in Sedgwick County in 2020, when they swung the County Commission election to Democratic challenger Sarah Lopez over the scandal-plagued Republican incumbent Michael ODonnell. ODonnell held a 567-vote lead on election night, but late-arriving ballots nibbled away at his lead and Lopez eked out a 264-vote victory. The County Commission has since decided to cease sending mail-ballot applications to all registered voters, a thinly veiled attempt to discourage mail voting and maybe torpedo the re-election chances for Lopez, the only Democrat who holds a county elected office. So back to the states hearing, where the committee trotted out former state Rep. Keith Esau, former chairman of the House Elections Committee, to admit his mistake in passing the grace period bill in 2017. We have people who do not like seeing the counts change radically after the election night, Esau said. Every day (after an election) in Johnson County, were seeing hundreds of ballots being added, and it just makes people nervous that somebody was stuffing a ballot someplace. You know what makes me nervous? When state officials try to throw away thousands of legitimate votes because counting them makes conspiracy theorists nervous. And then there was a public scolding of voters whove done nothing wrong. Without the grace period, I imagine people would just change their behaviors, said committee Vice Chairman Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth. If we told them (mail votes) had to be in on election night, theyd just get them in on election night. That line got a rousing round of applause from the tinfoil-hat section of the audience. Esau also was also dismissive of voters who use the grace period to get their ballots delivered. I think most of the people who are mailing that late are not paying that much attention to whats happening, he said. If you have a mail ballot, fill it in and and send it in right away and then you wont have a problem. Then again, you just might. In the ODonnell example I mentioned above, it was only nine days before the election that the public learned that the district attorney had started an ouster investigation over ODonnells involvement in a false smear campaign and cover-up targeting Brandon Whipple in the Wichita mayoral race. And it was a mere four days before the election when ODonnell announced that if elected, he would resign and not serve a second term. If wed had an election day deadline on mail ballots then, its highly likely the selection of a county commissioner, representing more than 100,000 people, would have been left up to a tiny handful of Republican Party insiders. At the state hearing, hands were wrung and pearls were clutched over dozens of ballots that went uncounted in recent years because they arrived after election day without postmarks in some unnamed rural county. Failing to postmark a ballot is a violation of federal postal regulations. So you tell me why it makes sense to disenfranchise thousands of citizens statewide, rather than making the postmaster of Podunkville do their job properly. One good thing that happened at the hearing was what didnt happen. We didnt have to hear from one Tore Maras, a QAnon podcaster who was invited to testify but then was dropped after I reported that shes a serial grifter who bilked fire victims and Christians. Apart from that, I dont have much hope for this committee, or the Legislature, when they take up their annual round of voter-suppression bills. Last session, lawmakers passed a bill to eliminate the grace period but couldnt muster enough votes to override a veto by Gov. Laura Kelly. The year before, it didnt get out of committee, because Kris Kobach, the former secretary of state, opposed it. Given his long track record of authoring and defending unconstitutional restrictions on voting, a really good rule of thumb is that if Kobach says youre going too far, you are. Coming Tuesday: Exposing the flaws in plans for our 2024 presidential primary Looking at Richmond Vanadium Technology Limited's (ASX:RVT ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were net buyers. That is, there were more number of shares purchased by insiders than there were sold. While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. See our latest analysis for Richmond Vanadium Technology The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Richmond Vanadium Technology Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Non-Executive Director Shuang Ren for AU$80k worth of shares, at about AU$0.32 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (AU$0.38), we still think insider buying is a positive. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Richmond Vanadium Technology is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership Of Richmond Vanadium Technology Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 8.2% of Richmond Vanadium Technology shares, worth about AU$6.9m, according to our data. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At Richmond Vanadium Technology Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Richmond Vanadium Technology insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, we'd be more comfortable if they owned more Richmond Vanadium Technology stock. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Richmond Vanadium Technology you should be aware of, and 2 of them shouldn't be ignored. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. For this first time in this year's Indianapolis mayoral race, Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett and his Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve met face-to-face. At a forum hosted by historic preservation nonprofit Indiana Landmarks and Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis Thursday night, more than 200 people gathered to hear the candidates discuss how they'd improve quality of life in Indianapolis neighborhoods. Here are the takeaways: Shreve on the offensive against Hogsett In a campaign dominated by expensive television and digital ads that have flooded Indianapolis airwaves, Shreve said that Hogsett has tried to make the race about issues other than Indianapolis. During this race, Hogsett has highlighted his fight against Indiana's permissive gun laws and restrictive abortion laws, while Shreve has said abortion policy is not the job of the mayor. "Hogsett has reduced me to some edited sound bites in some of ads, which has become a little sharp elbowed, in what is candidly a competitive mayoral race," Shreve said. For Thursday night, at least, Hogsett largely defended his record and highlighted his administration's accomplishments without focusing on criticism of his opponent. On investment in neighborhood roads Hogsett said his administration has engaged closely with neighborhoods on infrastructure improvements. Over the past three to four years, he said, the city has invested $100 million for residential road repairs. Although the bulk of the infrastructure budget goes to major thoroughfares, Hogsett said he was proud of how his administration made neighborhood roads a priority. Shreve indicated more work needs to be done. "Im not so proud of the condition of many of the roads in our city," Shreve said, and highlighted a Lift Indy grant he secured for his district during his time representing City-County Council District 16 in 2018 to 2020. "We've got a lot of ground to make up. Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve (left) and Mayor Joe Hogsett shake hands before a Q&A forum hosted by Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis and Indiana Landmarks on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the Indiana Landmarks Center in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis mayoral election will be held November 7, 2023. On Vrbos, Airbnbs, corporate buyers When asked about short-term rentals used as Vrbos and Airbnbs that often become nuisances and cause the loss of affordable housing, both candidates said that low homeownership rates are a problem and singled out corporate investors who buy up large swathes of homes in neighborhoods. IndyStar investigated the issue this month in a 2-part series. Indianapolis corporate investors: How Wall Street cashed in on the American Dream: Homebuyers outbid in droves by investors "Neighborhoods with a high concentration of owner occupancy are just better neighborhoods because people invest in their own neighborhoods and they look after their neighbors," Shreve said. He pointed to a landlord registry and better code enforcement as solutions, saying that the Hogsett administration has not had enough staff to enforce housing codes. Hogsett meanwhile said the city is working to implement a registration and permitting program for property owners who rent houses to hold accountable those who are not being good neighbors. "Roughly half of the properties are not owner-occupied," Hogsett. "They are oftentimes not even locally-owned, scooped by out-of-state interests." However, he said that state law prevents local governments from imposing regulations that prohibit or discourage homeowners from renting their properties. Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve listens as Mayor Joe Hogsett speaks during a Q&A forum hosted by Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis and Indiana Landmarks on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the Indiana Landmarks Center in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis mayoral election will be held November 7, 2023. Increasing housing options Candidates were asked how they would provide housing options at different price points, particularly in historic neighborhoods. Hogsett said his administration has worked to help people stay in their homes amid rising costs of homeownership by limiting property taxes. He cited the anti-displacement pilot program in Riverside, funded in the proposed 2024 budget, and the property tax relief program, as well as the plan to improve operations for the Indianapolis Housing Agency. Indianapolis mayoral race 2023: 5 takeaways from Hogsett, Shreve remarks at Indy Chamber Hobnob Shreve said that supply has to catch up with demand to stop the high rates of rent hikes. He said he supports redevelopment to create more market-rate affordable housing and that there is potential to do so on parts of the south side. He pointed to gentrification and increases in property taxes due to increases in housing prices as the causes of people being forced to move out of their neighborhoods. "How can we cap those increases incrementally?" he asked. "I dont think we can at the municipal level." Infrastructure funding challenges Hogsett slammed the Indiana road funding formula that disproportionately shorts Marion County of road money and said that Indianapolis receives the least road money per capita from the state of all 92 counties. He said that it needs to change. Meanwhile, Shreve said he would work to ensure distribution of infrastructure money is equitable, calling out the repaving of Meridian Street as an example of what he said were higher income areas getting better roads. "It's in the lowest-income areas where potted roads can inflict the most damage to people that don't have the resources to replace a bent rim or tire or if they can't get to work, they lose their job," Shreve said. Candidates clash on crime Even though the forum was not focused on public safety, Shreve made clear it is the central priority of his candidacy. The candidates disagreed over whether the Hogsett administration has done enough to reduce homicides. "Real or perceived, we've got a public safety challenge that I will be front and center in pursuing..." Shreve said. He pointed out that there are fewer police officers on the force today than there were when Hogsett took office and slammed the 35% homicide solve rate. Indianapolis crime: High homicides, police shootings worry voters as Hogsett and Shreve bid for mayor Hogsett said his administration has heavily invested in anti-violence initiatives, through the $150 million anti-violence initiative funded by American Rescue Plan act dollars. Crime is down in Indianapolis, Hogsett said, pointing to the 16% reduction in the number of homicides in 2022 compared to 2021, and said the city is on the way to another double-digit reduction in homicides this year. He also said that other crime, including burglaries and assaults, is down. Indianapolis anti-violence plan: How an Indy peacemaker program helps people at risk of committing violence "I take one issue with Jeffersons characterization, while there have been people whove said to me they are afraid to come downtown, they dont live downtown," Hogsett said, which was met with loud applause. "Downtown should be all of our neighborhoods," Shreve fired back, which was also met with applause. Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve speaks during a Q&A forum hosted by Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis and Indiana Landmarks on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the Indiana Landmarks Center in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis mayoral election will be held November 7, 2023. On diversity Both candidates were asked what their philosophy was about hiring a diverse leadership team. Racial justice and equity issues have been taken center-stage, particularly in the lead up to the May primary election. To significant applause, Hogsett touted his cabinet as the most diverse in Indianapolis history with three women deputy mayors, two of whom are people of color: Deputy Mayor Lauren Rodriguez and Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas. He also said his cabinet is 44% people of color. "Thats the kind of leadership that this administration has brought," he said. "Thats the kind of commitment to diversity and welcome to all residents of the city." Shreve, though, said that IMPD does not reflect the racial diversity of the city. He also said he would be colorblind in hiring for his administration. "The city is hungry for talent and I will be colorblind in standing up talent in this administration," he said. "I will be colorblind with respect to talent." Shreve, who is white, has previously been pressured to defend whether he had a diverse hiring track record in his company, Storage Express, which he sold for $590 million last year, and on his relationship with the Black community. Working with the Indiana General Assembly Hogsett said that his administration has worked with Republicans and Democrats on the City-County Council to pass budgets with bipartisan support, and two budgets that passed unanimously. He pointed out how in his first term, the Council had 13-12 majority for Democrats. "In Washington DC, they call that a deadlock, nothing gets done," he said. "In Indianapolis, Republicans and Democrats consistently come together, hopefully because of my leadership, to do the right thing. He also said the 2022 legislative session has been the most successful for Indianapolis of any while he has served as mayor, highlighting the low-barrier shelter that Indianapolis announced this week that will benefit from $20 million in state funding due to a bill passed by the Indiana General Assembly this year. Shreve said he would lean heavily into his relationships with the Republican-dominated Indiana General Assembly as well as work with regional leaders in the donut counties. He highlighted that he supported the mayor's budgets when he served on City-County Council in 2018 to 2020. "There is no path to solving some of our challenges in Indianapolis without working with the Statehouse," he said. He added later that issues that matter to the city that arent red or blue. On Monument Circle Candidates were asked whether they support continuing Spark on the Circle, which pedestrianized the southwest quadrant of Monument Circle and converted it to a mini park through Nov. 2 this year. Hogsett said he believes in Spark as an open public space that is critical to downtown resiliency and vibrancy. He said that the city will make an assessment at the end of November to decide whether it will expand Spark or even close Monument Circle to vehicular traffic altogether. Shreve said he is not open to closing Monument Circle altogether and has said that he would end Spark on the Circle permanently. He added that businesses on the Circle, including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the private members-club, Columbia Club, were not in favor of closing the Circle to vehicles. "I think we need to make downtown connected and navigable and safe for vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, but closing the crossroads of Indianapolis, our original roundabout, to vehicular traffic, is not something that I am in favor of," he said. On IUPUI Both candidates said they think the uncoupling of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis into two separate Research 1 Universities a rating given to institutions with the highest research levels could be transformative for Indianapolis. Hogsett highlighted the potential for talent retention and Shreve said it could be the "next big thing" for the city. The election is Nov. 7. Early voting starts Oct. 11. Contact IndyStar reporter Ko Lyn Cheang at kcheang@indystar.com or 317-903-7071. Follow her on Twitter: @kolyn_cheang. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis mayor race: Hogsett, Shreve on neighborhoods, crime Dodd Stadium was all about the future on Thursday - but not baseball. Instead, 540 students from all over Eastern Connecticut came and made paper, learned about robots, and thought about their future. The Explore Manufacturing Expo made its fifth stop on the CT Manufacturing Roadshow 23 as part of a series of events introducing middle and high school students to the potential of pursuing manufacturing or other related lines of work for a living. The Roadshow is expected to be an annual event. Thirty manufacturers showed up to present and interact with the students, including Electric Boat, Loos and Co., SPIROL, and InCord. Norwich Free Academy Senior Daniel Sanchez tries a VR manufacturing simulator at the Explore Manufacturing Expo at Dodd Stadium Thursday. This is twice as many as previous manufacturing expos held at the Norwich Holiday Inn by the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce (GNACC), Executive Director Angela Adams said. Manufacturing has a large place in Eastern Connecticut The Norwich event was a collaboration between the state, GNACC, the Eastern Workforce Investment Board, and the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance. This partnership is important so people can think about why students get excited about opportunities, and can work with partners to bring those resources together, ReadyCT Executive Director Sharon Marimon said. One of the companies attending was Rand-Whitney Containerboard, based out of Montville. Their stand modeled how the company makes its paper products. HR Manager Sarah Susco was happy to see excited students learning about manufacturing. Its extremely important for kids that are middle school or high school aged to see the opportunities that are out there, she said. Manufacturing careers are important and well-paying opportunities for people in eastern Connecticut and statewide. While Electric Boat and related manufacturers have a long history in the area, there are a variety of things made in Connecticut, from offshore wind and advanced manufacturing, to jet engines, even the first toothpaste in tubes in New London, Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Paul Lavoie said. Parish Hill Middle-High School Senior Delaney Bill learns about manufacturing rope from Paul Urbanowicz of InCord at the Explore Manufacturing Expo. Not everyone wants to go to college, but everyone wants to have a great life, he said. You can get a job in manufacturing, and then go to college later. A great time to get into manufacturing Its also a good time to get into manufacturing, as around 40 companies are interested coming from out of state, attracted by a smarter workforce, Connecticuts secret sauce. For example, Blueprint Robotics, a company that uses robots to build structures to order, is coming to Windsor from Baltimore, MD, operating a 450,000 square foot facility with 100 employees, Lavoie said. Theyre coming for the high-value work force around robotics engineers, not carpenters, he said. One of the students attending was Norwich Free Academy Senior Daniel Sanchez. His friends were keen on taking pictures of him while he was trying to measure the girth of a pipe in a VR simulator. It was pretty cool, he said. While he isnt sure what he wants to do yet, Sanchez wants to be in manufacturing. He wants to get an associates degree at CT State Community College - Three Rivers. He was glad to get an opportunity to talk to the companies that attended. Im exploring my options, he said. Diesel mechanics Another student attending is Parish Hill Middle-High School Senior Delaney Bill. Her family and their friends own trucking companies, and her teacher said shes a better mechanic than he is. I love to know how everything works, and take it apart until I cant take it apart anymore , and put it back together, she said. Bill might go to diesel mechanic school in Jacksonville Florida, or at Ohio State. She might also take a gap year and work at a local truck garage. The Dodd Stadium event gave Bill more insight in how things work, she said. Its a lot of hands-on stuff, and its nice to know a lot of other people are interested, she said. Its good to see the enthusiasm the students showed Thursday, EAMA Regional Sector Partnership Director Tony Benoit said. We have the workforce, he said. For the students that came to the event, but dont eventually end up in a manufacturing career, Thursdays event is still important for awareness, Lavoie said. This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: CT Manufacturing Roadshow 23 at Dodd Stadium shows industry to students Columbus police have identified the person fatally shot Friday night in what initially appears to be a home intrusion. Columbus police homicide detectives on Sunday identified a man fatally shot Friday night while he may have been intruding at a Northeast Side home. Delmar Ward, 35, of Columbus, was pronounced dead by medics at 9:25 p.m. at the scene of the shooting on the 1400 block of East Blake Avenue, detectives said. Officers were called to the home at 9:16 p.m. on a report of a shooting and found Ward suffering from a gunshot wound. Detectives said their initial investigation indicates Ward may have been intruding at the home when he was shot by someone who lives there. Police have not released the name of the person who shot him. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be presented to the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office for consideration of any riminal charges. Anyone with information regarding this shooting is asked to call the Columbus police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or you can provide information anonymously to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477). Peter Gill covers immigration, new American communities and religion for The Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America at: bit.ly/3fNsGaZ. pgill@dispatch.com @pitaarji This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Police identify man killed while possibly intruding at NE Side home Nearly 200 years after he was beaten to death in a racially motivated lynching, the story of John Tucker is now preserved on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Uncovering and documenting uncomfortable history is an obligation that we all must share, said Eunice Trotter, director of Indiana Landmark's Black Heritage Preservation Program. We must always seek to tell the full story of our history. Trotter was joined by state and local leaders and members of the Indiana Remembrance Coalition Saturday morning to unveil a historical marker that tells Tuckers story. It is placed on the cultural trail close to where the Black man was killed at the intersection of Washington and Illinois streets. Having the knowledge of such instances forces us to confront some of the most harmful, painful layers of the African American experience in Indiana, Trotter said at the unveiling. Acknowledging them is an important part of the process of healing and reconciliating and saying that Black lives matter. Tucker was born in Kentucky around 1800 and later obtained his freedom. He moved to Indianapolis in the mid-1830s and was a father to a boy and a girl. Leon Bates, a historian and PhD. candidate at the University of Louisville, and Nicole Poletika, a historian and the editor of Indiana Historical Blog and the Indiana Historical Bureau, unveil an official state marker Saturday remembering John Tucker, a Black man beaten to death on July 4, 1845. The marker is on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail near at the intersection of Illinois and Washington streets. More: New exhibit reckons with Indiana's racial violence through anti-lynching art A white laborer, Nicholas Wood, assaulted Tucker on July 4, 1845, as he walked down Washington Street. Tucker defended himself while retreating up Illinois Street as a crowd gathered and watched. Wood and two other white men beat Tucker to death. Wood was later convicted of manslaughter, a rarity in an era when Black Hoosiers could not testify in court, according to the remembrance coalition. The other men involved in the beating served no time. Tuckers lynching forced his children into a legal battle over his property and perpetuated generational trauma for the family he left behind, said Nicole Poletika, historian and editor of Indiana History Blog. Lynchings in Indiana from the mid-1800s to 1930 intentionally terrorized Black communities and enforced the notion of white supremacy. While often associated with hangings, the term lynching actually is broader and means "to put to death by mob action without legal approval or permission," according to Merriam Webster. They were not uncommon and occurred in communities across the state, Trotter said. More: 'He's changed my life:' IUPUI professor remembered for commitment to Black community The remembrance coalition is a group of volunteers working to tell the full story of racial history in Indianapolis. Last year the coalition helped uncover the story of George Tompkins, whose death certificate was corrected from suicide to homicide 100 years after he was killed in Riverside Park. He now has a headstone at Floral Park Cemetery. Now more than ever the stories of the past need to be told to acknowledge the good, the bad and the ugly so we can all come together and lay a strong foundation of understanding and respect leading to a brighter future for this city and this state and this country," said Deputy Mayor of Neighborhood Engagement Judith Thomas. Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: New marker preserves story of Black man lynched in Indianapolis Elon Musk said that he can't be antisemitic as he's "aspirationally Jewish" and has been to Israel. His comments came after he threatened to sue the ADL, saying it had accused him of antisemitism. Musk has faced criticism over the level of antisemitic content on X since he took over the site. Elon Musk described himself as "aspirationally Jewish" in a recent interview where he discussed the fallout with the Anti-Defamation League over the spread of antisemitic content on X. In an hour-and-a-half-long discussion hosted by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, Musk said that his "entire life story is, in fact, pro-semitic," and pointed to his attendance of a Hebrew preschool and his multiple trips to Israel as reasons why he could not be antisemitic. "I actually went to Hebrew preschool I don't know if I'm genetically Jewish, maybe somewhere, but I'd say I'm aspirationally Jewish," he said. "My father took me to Israel when I was 13. I went to the [Western] Wall, went to Masada I've been to Masada twice, I don't know if there's many people who can say that." He later added that he has "twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends" and that as a result, "in some respects, I think I am Jewish basically." Musk is currently in a high-profile dispute with the Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish non-profit that combats antisemitism. The Tesla CEO previously wrote on X that the ADL was depriving his social media platform of ad revenue "by falsely accusing it & me of being antisemitic." He also threatened to sue the organization . The ADL's chief, Jonathon Greenblatt, said Musk's behavior is "flat out dangerous and deeply irresponsible," in a recent statement. "Musk is engaging with and elevating these antisemites at a time when ADL is tracking a surge of bomb threats and swatting attacks of synagogues and Jewish institutions," Greenblatt said. A report from the ADL published earlier this year detailed rising levels of "virulent antisemitism" on X, and said that Musk's changes to the site's content moderation policies had helped hate proliferate on the platform. X is also facing legal action from human rights nonprofit HateAid and the European Union of Jewish Students who say that the platform failed to remove antisemitic and Holocaust-denying posts even after they were reported. Musk has said that the level of hate speech on the platform has gone down since his takeover. Elon Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours. Read the original article on Business Insider French Montana has announced he is setting up an emergency fund for Morocco, which had been stricken with a 6.9 magnitude earthquake earlier this month. During the 2023 MTV VMAs, French took time out of presenting the award for Best R&B to reveal he has partnered with Global Citizen and CARE to provide emergency relief to those affected by the devastating earthquake. According to an official press release, the native Moroccan rapper will be donating $100,000 to the cause. "I want to spread some love and light to Morocco they've been hit with a big earthquake," Montana said. "I'm setting up an emergency fund with Global Citizen.org/Morocco. and I will be donating myself." The emergency fund will assist the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls, youth, and disadvantaged groups. The money donated will also provide emergency relief, including water, food, shelter, and medical support. You can head here to donate. Twitter: @billboard Twitter: @GlblCtzn More on this The 6.8 earthquake that hit Morocco killed at least 2,901 people, and injured another 5,530 people. Rescue operations with search teams from Britain, Spain and Qatar are assisting the Moroccan military, but hopes of finding more survivors is dwindling, according to NBC News. French Montana was born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, and immigrated to the South Bronx with his family when he was 13 years old. The 38-year-old spoke only his native languages of Moroccan Darija Arabic and French but later learned English on the streets and at school. The rapper has been working with Global Citizen since 2017 when he traveled to Uganda to film the music video for "Unforgettable" featuring Swae Lee. With that trip, French Montana donated $100,000 to the Suubi Health Center and worked with Global Citizen to launch the #2BStrong petition, advocating for the prioritization of universal health coverage within the African Union. Turkeys Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, the countrys top international film event, has been canceled due political pressure following a storm of controversy prompted by the presence of an explosive documentary in the lineup. The doc, titled Decree and directed by Nejla Demirci, is about the plight of a doctor and a teacher who were fired from their government jobs under a state of emergency declared after a failed attempted coup on July 15, 2016, in Turkey. On that day a group of Turkish soldiers using tanks, warplanes and helicopters launched a plot to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. More from Variety Erdogan immediately blamed his former ally, U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is in exile in the U.S. and has denied these allegations. Subsequently more than 130,000 alleged Gulen supporters in Turkey were fired from their jobs under an emergency purge following the military uprising. Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek (pictured above) announced the fests cancellation on Friday evening, after the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry withdrew its support for the event, saying that it would not be part of the effort to discredit the epic struggle of our beloved nation on July 15 and to use art as an element of provocation. The Antalya fests artistic director Basak Emre confirmed to Variety in a text message that the event scheduled to run Oct. 7-14 has been scrapped after lots of back and forth about the inclusion of Decree in the selection. Festival organizers a few days ago had agreed to pull the Decree doc following claims that there were pending legal issues. This, in turn, sparked a fusillade of fire within Turkeys film community with several jury members stepping down and many local directors pulling their titles from the lineup in protest. Decree was then re-included in the selection, at which point the government withdrew its financial support. Then on Friday, the mayor, who is a member of the opposition, decided to cancel the 60th edition and fire festival president Ahmet Boyacioglu and artistic director Emre, blaming them of mishandling this highly sensitive situation. Political turbulence and boycotts by Turkish filmmakers over hot potato issues are nothing new at the Antalya fest, but this is the first time that politics have caused the prestigious fest to be canceled outright. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Eva Longorias new travel series, Searching for Mexico, has received a release date in the UK. The Desperate Housewives star will front a six-part series from the makers of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, with the first episode now premiering on October 8. The show follows Longoria as she visits different regions to show how ancient meets modern in Mexicos cuisine, and how significant each regions food is to its culture. Cable News Network - BBC Related: Desperate Housewives star teases spin-off possibility Her culinary discoveries from each stop on her tour tell stories that span centuries, of dishes exported across the world, and of cultural legacies that run through generations. The star will also travel to Mexico City, which is described as her second home, as well the mountainous landscapes of Oaxaca and the ports of Veracruz, with a voyage to the borders also part of her itinerary. As a Mexican-American, this show allowed me to connect with my roots in a profound way, exploring the rich culinary heritage of the land of my ancestors, said Longoria of the project. Through this journey, I discovered the magic that lies within Mexican cuisine, where history, culture, and flavour converge. I can't wait to share the stories, traditions, and the incredible diversity of Mexican food with audiences on BBC Two and iPlayer. It's a celebration of Mexico's culinary legacy, and I hope it inspires everyone to embark on their own culinary adventures. Cable News Network - BBC Related: First trailer for Eva Longoria's Cheetos movie Flamin' Hot Longoria recently made her feature-length directorial debut with Flamin Hot, a biopic of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, with the film following Richard Montanez (Jesse Garcia) as he goes from janitor to executive. The stacked cast also includes Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Emilio Rivera, Matt Walsh, Pepe Serna, Bobby Soto, Jimmy Gonzales and Brice Gonzalez. Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico will premiere on BBC Two on October 8 at 7.20pm. You Might Also Like A federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily blocked a grant program for Black women-owned businesses. American Alliance for Equal Rights, a nonprofit backed by conservative legal activist Edward Blum, sued the Atlanta-based Fearless Fund in August, alleging that the venture capital funds grant program violated the 1866 Civil Rights Acts guarantee of race neutrality in making contracts by discriminating against other races. The lawsuit follows a Supreme Court decision in June that struck down race-based affirmative action in higher education after challenges brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group also backed by Blum. After a district court judge in Georgia refused to issue an injunction earlier this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit granted the injunction in a 2-1 decision on Saturday. Robert Luck and Andrew Brasher, both appointed by former President Donald Trump, were in favor. Charles Wilson, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, dissented. The targeted program intends to support Black women-owned businesses by awarding grants and providing mentorship and business support services however, in the Saturday opinion, the judges said that it was substantially likely that the program was illegal. Blum has filed similar suits against several businesses that he says use the same kind of racial classifications previously used in higher education admissions such programs are likely the next target for conservative legal activism. A cyclist pedals across a bridge over the Jordan River section of Parleys Trail in West Valley on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Comprised of two elevated bridges, across 900 West and over the Jordan River, the new section is referred to as Bridging the Gap: Connecting Communities. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News As a large chunk of the Parley's Trail opened in 2017, anyone who used what was then about an 8-mile path from the mouth of Parleys Canyon to 900 West quickly realized that it was quite a hassle to reach the nearby Jordan River Parkway Trail. This final section is only a fraction of the entire route, but those walking, biking or using a wheelchair were required to cross on- and off-ramps by an especially busy section of state Route 201, as well as the large intersections at 900 West and 2100 South, before they could continue forward toward a connection to the popular river trail. It posed safety concerns along with the inconvenience. "When we got there and I saw what trail users were expected to do, I (was) like, 'We can't do that. We have to do something different,'" said Juan Arce-Larreta, chairman of volunteer organization Parleys Rails, Trails and Tunnels, explaining his first time witnessing this section of the trail. By then, planning was already underway on how to finish the trail, a project that had started more than two decades ago. After several more years of planning, which ended up almost as difficult to maneuver around as the journey between the two trails, the final segment of the trail is now finally open free of the challenge at 900 West. Salt Lake County leaders, as well as representatives of cities along the trail and others, gathered by one of two new bridges along the final stretch of the trail Thursday morning to celebrate the completion. "It's finally here," said Walt Gilmore, associate director of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, who has also been attached to the project since about the beginning. "The completion ... has been the vision and the dream for so many people for so many years." Hand cyclists pedal across a bridge over the Jordan River section of Parleys Trail in West Valley on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. The primarily elevated section of Parleys Trail, from 900 West to Jordan River Parkway, is complete and officially open to the public. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News Solving one last Parley's Trail hurdle Building Parley's Trail wasn't an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination. Those behind the project say it required funding, clearance and coordination between federal, state, county, municipal and even private landowners to build a trail that goes through four different cities. Despite these hurdles, project leaders were able to open large segments in pieces by 2017. It was about this same time that planners and project leaders also began to shift their focus over to their last challenge, the trail's temporary terminus at 900 West in South Salt Lake. Knowing the goal was to extend it to the Jordan River Parkway Trail, Arce-Larreta said he and others ventured out to a location in West Valley City and looked for areas where the trail could go next. "We looked east and there was some property there," he said. What they found was a narrow gap between state Route 201 and UTA's TRAX line in the area, from 900 West to the Jordan River. Salt Lake County planners found it primarily belonged to either UTA or the Utah Department of Transportation. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and Trails and Tunnels Chairman Juan Arce-Larreta walk across a bridge over the Jordan River section of Parleys Trail in West Valley on Thursday. The primarily elevated section of Parleys Trail, from 900 West to Jordan River Parkway, is complete and officially open to the public. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News They took the idea to UDOT, where the agency helped with easements and a feasibility study. All of the involved agencies pieced together a plan calling for a trail between one bridge over 900 West and another over the Jordan River to complete the pathway. Andrea Sorensen, project manager for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, said the extension only adds about a quarter of a mile, but the bridges and additional coordination upped the cost of the final segment. It ended up at around $6.5 million to complete, which was covered by many various sources, according to Gilmore and Arce-Larreta. Perhaps the only easy part of it all is that the various agencies and government entities agreed on the project. "Everybody was on board with the trail," Sorensen said. "Everyone wanted the trail done." Gilmore adds that he's "very proud" of how the final section came out to complete the trail. Parleys piece in a much larger puzzle Work on the Parley's Trail is not over. The next steps are to enhance it by adding features like benches, bike maintenance stations, dog hydration facilities or other ideas brought to the county, its cities or to the Parleys Rails, Trails and Tunnels, Arce-Larreta said. However, he and others who attended Thursday's ceremony are also excited about what it means for active transportation. Utah is looking to build more trails like this as a part of a connecting system that Gov. Spencer Cox unveiled last year. The Utah Legislature set aside $90 million as an initial investment earlier this year, along with a new fund that can collect up to $45 million every fiscal year for projects. Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Associate Director Walt Gilmore, center, speaks with attendees of the opening of the final section of Parleys Trail in West Valley on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. The primarily elevated section of Parleys Trail, from 900 West to Jordan River Parkway, is complete and officially open to the public. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News The goal is to connect communities using different forms of transportation. The Parley's Trail completion factors into this because it links up to the Jordan River Parkway Trail, which runs from Davis County to Utah County via Salt Lake County. West Valley City Mayor Karen Lang pointed out that people can now go from Parleys Canyon to about 7200 West with the help of the new trail connection. The river trail also connects to several other pathways that link up the Wasatch Front. Some of these are now expanding out to areas outside of the region as the statewide connection slowly forms. "This is a key piece to what can be a much bigger and more incredible project," Arce-Larreta said, of Parley's Trail. "That intrigues me." People walk near the newly completed section of the Parleys Trail in West Valley on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Comprised of two elevated bridges, across 900 West and over the Jordan River, the new section has been titled Bridging the Gap: Connecting Communities. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Thus, you can purchase General Mills' shares before the 6th of October in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 1st of November. The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.59 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$2.36 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that General Mills has a trailing yield of 3.7% on the current share price of $63.99. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether General Mills's dividend is reliable and sustainable. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing. See our latest analysis for General Mills If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. General Mills is paying out an acceptable 53% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether General Mills generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Over the last year it paid out 65% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Story continues Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at General Mills, with earnings per share up 2.6% on average over the last five years. Earnings growth has been slim and the company is paying out more than half of its earnings. While there is some room to both increase the payout ratio and reinvest in the business, generally the higher a payout ratio goes, the lower a company's prospects for future growth. The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the past 10 years, General Mills has increased its dividend at approximately 6.0% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders. The Bottom Line Has General Mills got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share growth has been unremarkable, and while the company is paying out a majority of its earnings and cash flow in the form of dividends, the dividend payments don't appear excessive. In summary, it's hard to get excited about General Mills from a dividend perspective. If you want to look further into General Mills, it's worth knowing the risks this business faces. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for General Mills you should know about. Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. FILE - This combo images shows New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, left, and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, right. Trade missions took Lujan Grisham and counterpart Hobbs to the self-governing island of Taiwan that China would like to see reunited with the mainland. (AP Photo, File) SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Governors from the Southwestern United States are pursuing stronger business ties with Taiwan in hopes of attracting new foreign investments and jobs to their landlocked states. Trade missions this week have taken New Mexico. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Arizona counterpart Katie Hobbs, both Democrats, to the self-governing island of Taiwan. Both women spoke at a business conference in Taipei joining U.S. and Taiwan leaders. A parts supplier to electric vehicle manufacturers including Tesla announced Wednesday that it would invest nearly $100 million to build a plant that employs 350 people at an industrial park in southern New Mexico near the U.S. border with Mexico. Hota Industrial Manufacturing Chairman David Shen said the company's decision to build in New Mexico was motivated by relatively low costs for labor and land, proximity to the U.S. auto supply chain and the unlikelihood of natural disasters related to weather and geology, In a remote news conference from Taiwan, Lujan Grisham described an affinity with the company on a range of issues, including electric vehicles, subsidized child care and programs with tuition-free college. They really like our investments and they really appreciate our strategy, not the least of which is child care and college," she said. "They want that workforce. Public incentives played a role too. Lujan Grisham said the state is providing $3 million under a program that offsets infrastructure costs for businesses that expand to New Mexico. Hota may qualify for a roughly 5% state tax credit against manufacturing equipment and could forgo local property taxes in cooperation with the city of Anthony through tax-free debt obligations known as industrial revenue bonds. Hobbs, meanwhile, met with Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday during the U.S. Business Day investment forum in Taipei. The yearly event fosters conversations between U.S. and Taiwan officials about investment and trade growth. Arizona is entering a new era of economic growth, and our partnership with Taiwan is critical to creating good-paying jobs, Hobbs said in a statement Wednesday. Hobbs said her goal was to encourage ongoing investments to make Arizona a hub for semiconductor manufacturing. She met Monday with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. executives and suppliers, visiting their plant as well as water treatment facilities. Arizona leaders have been touting that the state will be the home of a Taiwanese microchip manufacturers first U.S. plant, generating 12,000 construction jobs. Construction started in 2021 on that sprawling facility that will utilize precision trademark technology for semiconductor fabrication with the capacity to produce 20,000 wafers per month. Once completed and operational next year, the plant is estimated to create 4,500 high-tech jobs. Democratic President Joe Biden visited the site in December, praising it as a demonstration of how his policies are fostering job growth. Biden has staked his legacy in large part on major investments in technology and infrastructure that were approved by Congress along bipartisan lines. At the same forum Tuesday, Lujan Grisham spoke in hopes of attracting more Taiwanese companies in New Mexico. The label printing business Cymmetrik and wire manufacturer Admiral Cable both already have facilities at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, near a port of entry for freight between the U.S. and Mexico. Strengthening our relationships here is good for New Mexico, good for America, and good for Taiwan as we develop a global economy with a more stable and resilient supply chain," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. Beijing wants to reunite the mainland with the self-governing island of Taiwan, a goal that raises the prospect of armed conflict. At the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Biden described U.S. partnerships around the globe aimed at creating economic, security and other advancements, even as he stressed that those relationships were not about containing any country a clear reference to Beijing. Several other governors Democratic and Republican have recently traveled on trade missions to Taiwan. Democrat Gretchen Whitmer became the first serving governor of Michigan to visit Taiwan, during an investments-related tour this month that included stops in Japan. Republican Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb traveled to Taiwan in August on a separate trade mission. In August, Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies announced plans to build a major solar panel manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, pending approval of a loan application with the U.S. Department of Energy. The factory would employ about 1,800 people to provide photovoltaic solar panels for use in residential, commercial and utility-scale solar arrays. Hobbs trade mission includes a visit to South Korea. ___ Tang reported from Phoenix. Corrections & clarifications: A previous version of this story misrepresented the combined profits of the "Big Three" automakers. They made a combined $21 billion in profits in the first six months of the year. Detroit-based carmaker Stellantis announced it would temporarily lay off an estimated 300 employees at its Kokomo casting and transmission plants, "as a consequence" of the United Auto Workers strike at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio, the company said in a news release. It's unclear when the layoffs will take effect. "Stellantis continues to closely monitor the impact of the UAW strike action on our manufacturing operations," the news release said. The news comes as members at plants in Ohio, Michigan and Missouri launched a "stand-up strike" against the "Big Three" automakers Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which makes Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat and Dodge cars as the UAW's contract with these three Detroit-based companies expired at midnight last Thursday night. UAW president Shawn Fain, originally from Kokomo, said the union is prepared to escalate the strike to more locations if the companies "have not made substantial progress toward a fair agreement" by Friday at noon. IndyStar reached out to UAW for comment. Here's what else to know. Where are the "Big Three" plants in Indiana? There are at least 10 "Big Three" auto manufacturing facilities in Indiana. Stellantis has four transmission, casting and engine plants in Kokomo and a transmission facility in Tipton. In total, the company, which manufactures Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge cars, employs over 7,000 workers in Indiana. General Motors has plants scattered throughout the state: a stamping plant in Marion, an assembly plant in Roanoke near Fort Wayne, an electronics manufacturing plant in Kokomo and a casting operations facility in Bedford. General Motors makes Buicks, Chevrolets and Cadillacs and employs over 6,200 workers statewide. Ford has a parts facility in Plainfield, where workers are represented by UAW Local 933, UAW representative Petra Jameson told IndyStar. All Indiana locations are represented by local unions within UAW and are affected by national labor action from UAW, according to the Stellantis and General Motors websites and labor representatives. The GM Bedford plant also has representation within the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Which plants are on strike? The first three facilities targeted are Ford Michigan Assembly Plant (final assembly and paint only) in Wayne, Michigan, Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio, and General Motors Wentzville Assembly in Missouri. This "soft launch" strategy of limited striking would allow the strike to go longer, as a strike across all locations immediately would be costly for the union, the Detroit Free Press reported. The "Stand-Up Strike" name is a reference to the "sit-down strikes" the UAW organized in the 1930s. But, Fain said, the strategic rollout will also keep the Big Three companies on their toes. "This strategy will keep the companies guessing," Fain said in a Thursday Facebook live stream, according to the Free Press. "It will give our national negotiators maximum leverage and flexibility in bargaining. And if we need to go all out, we will. Everything is on the table." What is UAW asking for? Union representatives are asking the three Detroit-based companies for a 40% wage increase over the course of a four-year contract, cost of living raises, a 32-hour work week for 40 hours of pay, the end of "tiered wages," or a system where some workers receive automatically lower pay if they start after a certain date, and a return to pensions. Stellantis, Ford and GM made a combined $21 billion in profits in the first six months of this year. UAW members argue that "record profits should mean record wages." Will the strike impact Indiana facilities? No "Big Three" locations in Indiana have gone on strike yet, but with escalation, Indiana facilities could be affected. The Detroit Free Press contributed to this report. Contact Claire Rafford at 317-617-3402 or crafford@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Stellantis will lay off 300 Kokomo workers, blaming UAW strike Father, two young children among 5 dead in crash of truck carrying anhydrous ammonia A father and his two young children were among five fatalities in a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck carrying potentially toxic anhydrous ammonia in central Illinois, authorities said. Late Saturday the Effingham County coroners office confirmed the five fatalities plus another five airlifted to other hospitals. Their conditions had not been made public, and the office said earlier it was checking for updates from medical personnel. The children were under age 12, said Kim Rhodes, the coroner of Effingham County. Identities for those victims as well as two others were unavailable, but her office said earlier three of the deceased were local and two were from out of state. There was no indication anhydrous ammonia, which transforms from liquid to gas when exposed to air, was directly involved in the fatalities, but a leak of the chemical compound following the overnight crash prompted evacuations in south-central Illinois, authorities said. Illinois State Police were notified of a crash on U.S. Highway 40 about half a mile east of Teutopolis in Effingham County, roughly 210 miles south of Chicago, around 9:25 p.m. Friday. The semi-truck carrying anhydrous ammonia began leaking after rolling over in a ditch, officials said. A semitruck carrying anhydrous ammonia overturned causing multiple fatalities about a half-mile east of Teutopolis, Illinois on U.S. Highway 40 on Sept. 29, 2023. (Google Maps) Anhydrous ammonia is a colorless liquid and gas with a pungent odor and the ability to burn skin, irritate eyes, and attack airways, according to North Dakota State University Department of Agriculture. Breathed in sufficient concentrations, it can burn and paralyze the respiratory system and lead to death, the institution states. It is a base for nitrogen fertilizer, a staple of contemporary farming that is common in farm country. The truck was carrying around 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia at the time of the accident and, according to preliminary estimates, approximately 4,000 gallons were released, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a statement. The leak has been partially patched. "Due to the plume from the ammonia leak, people within an approximate one mile radius of the crash on U.S. Highway 40, including northeastern parts of Teutopolis, have been evacuated," Illinois State Police said in a statement. Around 500 people have been evacuated from the area, officials said. The evacuation order will be in place at least through Sunday morning, according to the Illinois EPA. A 15-person team including motor carrier, hazmat, and survival-factor investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to arrive at the crash site Saturday night, NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said. The U.S. Highway 40 between Teutopolis and Montrose is closed. Illinois State Police are asking the public to avoid the area of the leak. "Crews are working to contain the leak while first responders and emergency workers continue to respond to the incident," state police said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A former journalist was sentenced to six years in prison for for transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material Friday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. According to court documents, while visiting South Carolina in February 2020, James Gordon Meek , 53, used an online messaging platform on his iPhone to send and receive images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to discuss his sexual interest in children, a press release by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia read. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, including an infant being raped, the press release continued. Meek brought the iPhone containing the child sexual abuse material back with him when he returned to Virginia. Additionally, Meek possessed multiple electronic devices containing images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to The Associated Press, Meek is a former journalist for ABC. His biography page on ABCs website says he is an award-winning investigative journalist and former Senior Counterterrorism Advisor and Investigator for the House Committee on Homeland Security who covered the rise of Al Qaeda since 1998, from the Millennium Plot to reporting from the ground outside the Pentagon after a hijacked plane hit it on Sept. 11, 2001, and on combat patrols with Special Operators and U.S. infantrymen in Afghanistan. To those whose victimization I have contributed to with each click online, I beg you to forgive me. I am sincerely sorry for all I have done so egregiously wrong, which has caused so much harm to you, Meek said in court, according to the AP. The Hill has reached out to ABC. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Increased British military training of Ukrainian soldiers could move into the war-torn country under plans revealed by new Defence Secretary Grant Shapps . Mr Shapps said he has spoken with Army chiefs about moving more training into Ukraine and called on British defence firms to set up production in the country. Talking to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Shapps who took over the defence portfolio from Ben Wallace at the end of August said he has also spoken to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky about the Royal Navy helping to defend commercial vessels in the Black Sea. And he said Britain was looking for ways to help Ukraine get in shape for membership of Nato. Mr Shapps visited a military base on Salisbury Plain on Friday where he was briefed by General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, and other senior figures. He said: I was talking about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well. Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things in country, and not just training. Were seeing BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country. Im keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. More than 20,000 recruits from Ukraine have received training in the UK since the start of 2022, but Nato members have avoided training programmes in Ukraine due to the risk of personnel being drawn into combat with Russia. The Defence Secretary said he had spoken to Mr Zelensky on Wednesday and hinted Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships. Britain is a naval nation so we can help and we can advise, particularly since the water is international water, he said. Its important we dont allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isnt allowed in that water. Theres a lot of places where Britain can help advise. Ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Mr Shapps told the Telegraph that Britain should reinstate former prime minister Liz Trusss pledge to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP. I think its really important that we understand that freedom isnt free, he said. You have to pay for it and it also keeps us prosperous, not only because we keep out invaders, but we also help shape the world around us and do good in the world. He added that not reconsidering plans for the HS2 rail line following the costs from the pandemic and war in Ukraine would be pretty much irresponsible and ruling out diversity quotas in the military, he said migrants to the UK should learn English. Janet Ehling of Fashion Garage sets up a display of vintage hats in 2018 at her store located at the former Gragg Motor Company on Lamar. Hats are in. Hats matter. Hats make a statement. Even the way you get your hat blocked and creased makes a difference, if its that kind of hat. A cheap but spiffy little Panama caught my eye at Walmart. It wasnt real straw just close enough. I bought it. Then I couldnt bring myself to wear it in public because I didnt know what it would say about me. Google Panama hats. You will discover they have a broad range of historical connotations. If you wear one, you run the risk of making a misstatement. So I ended up just wearing mine to work on the roof in July. Now it has a significant sweat stain -- a badge of honor that identifies me as a day laborer. Its the downgrade I needed to wear the hat unpretentiously except I cant wear it now at all if I want to look nice. When it comes to pretensions, hats are crucial. The right hat conveys whatever image you want to project. It starts when youre about 3 years old, when you wear your first cowboy hat. Or a policemans cap or fairytale princesses headgear that goes with the magic wand. Or a firemans helmet. As for those cowboy hats, it must be said that some 3-year-olds are already very close to becoming real cowboys or cowgirls, but not me. I didnt get my first horse till I was 7. An old black and white snapshot of me at age 3 shows a wannabe in fringed chaps and a Western hat, little lariat loop in hand. Or maybe I was 4. My mouth is wide open because the shutter clicked at the very moment I was singing the o in yippee-yi-o-ki-yay! There you have it. An empowering hat is sometimes all you need to burst into song. At that age I was already learning the importance of hats just by riding in the backseat of the car with my daddys best ones. I was in charge. Daddy wore a businessmans hat when we went places as opposed to the dime store straw he wore with his striped overalls. His felt was a Stetson. It was probably more important than his summer straw hat, but it was the summer straw that got mixed up with Lt. Gov. Preston Smiths hat once at a cafeteria in Austin. Im thinking Piccadilly or Lubys. Daddy and some other guys had traveled all the way down to Austin to press for some widening of a two-lane highway that was important to our rural school. Thats when I learned that if you really want something done, you dont just write a letter. Maybe it also helps if you wear the right hat. Preston Smith is immortalized in bronze on the campus of Texas Tech. Yes, hes wearing a hat. His hand is touching the brim. It cant be a straw because hes also wearing his overcoat. I like to think its a Stetson just like my daddys. Hats matter. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Is your hat telling the truth about you? Travel-show host Rick Steves visits local food markets when he travels, and I also try to. I've been to all 50 states and have visited more than 100 local markets and food halls. Cities in Pennsylvania, New York, and Nevada have my favorite local markets. After learning that travel-show host Rick Steves famously visits food markets almost everywhere he travels, I was inspired to do the same. I've visited 100 local markets and food halls in all 50 states, and have narrowed the list down to 10 favorites. Boston Public Market is a must-visit spot. Boston Public Market has an unaffiliated outdoor market during the warmer months. Brian Cicioni I make it a point to visit Boston Public Market whenever I'm in the city. During the warmer months, there's even an unaffiliated outdoor market surrounding the main building. This market has a special place in my heart because it was where I was first introduced to apple-cider doughnuts, sold by Red Apple Farm. Other market highlights include a kiosk from George Howell, who invented the Frappuccino, and my favorite chowder from Red's Best. Broad Street Market in Harrisburg dates back to the 1860s. Broad Street Market offers both a rich history and great food. Brian Cicioni Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Broad Street Market is one of the longest continuously running indoor markets in the United States. The charming stone building at the corner of North Third and Verbeke Streets dates back to the early 1860s. One of my favorite things about Broad Street is that you'll find at least a couple of things you can't get outside of the market, including West African favorites like jollof rice and pepper soup. COATI in Colorado Springs has great food and a great atmosphere. The Paleta Bar is my favorite place to stop when visiting COATI in Colorado Springs. Brian Cicioni Although there are tons of reasons to visit Colorado Springs, the COATI food hall is definitely high on the list. The exposed beer vats and live music on the weekends make for a unique and exciting atmosphere. In terms of food, the moderately priced stalls are on the ground level, while the more exclusive-feeling, upscale Ephemera is located on the second floor. This market is where I first fell in love with paletas, a Mexican frozen treat. In fact, during my 2022 trip, I ended every evening with a different flavor from The Paleta Bar. Famous Foods Street Eats is my new favorite food hall in Las Vegas. I love the options available at Famous Foods Street Eats. Brian Cicioni In recent years, Las Vegas has been opening more and more food halls. Block 16 and Proper Eats have impressive variety, but Famous Foods Street Eats stands out to me as the best in the area. Located inside Resorts World, this unique market features food options from five Southeast Asian countries. Even if you go on a relatively quiet day like a Monday, you'll have several great kiosks to choose from. It's important to note that this market is 100% cashless, so be sure to have a credit or debit card handy. Market 57 is my favorite in New York City. New York has lots of great market options. Brian Cicioni When it comes to US cities with the best local markets, New York City is way ahead of the curve. I could easily write a separate list of markets to try in New York and end up leaving a few good ones out but Pier 57's appropriately named Market 57 stands out as my favorite. Market 57 is open seven days a week and has a rooftop with stunning 360 views of the Hudson River, New Jersey, and Manhattan. It's also conveniently located between picturesque Little Island and Chelsea Piers. For me, an ideal visit to Market 57 starts with noodles from Nom Wah, Northeastern Thai food from Zaab Zaab, and a unique coffee from Bird & Branch. Before I leave, I make sure to grab ice cream from Malai, which is my favorite spot in NYC. North Market in downtown Columbus offers a large variety of culinary options. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is a must-visit at North Market. Brian Cicioni I discovered North Market on Yelp during a 2020 road trip. Columbus, Ohio, was not originally part of the itinerary, but I figured I'd at least stop to get something to eat. It turns out North Market offers a lot of what makes Columbus an exciting place to eat. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams first started out in Columbus and is still serving scoops of some of my favorite flavors. I also recommend stopping at Hoyo's Kitchen, which is a great place to try Somali food. The Food Hall at Bottling Department is a highlight of San Antonio's Pearl District. If I'm in town, I love visiting the outdoor farmers market on Saturdays. Brian Cicioni I first came across the Pearl district during a 2022 visit to San Antonio, Texas. One of the culinary highlights of Pearl was the Food Hall at the Bottling Department, which features six different restaurants of varying cuisines. On Saturdays, there's even an outdoor farmers market, which features fresh meats and produce from local farmers. This food hall is one of my favorites because of the indoor/outdoor combination of restaurants and vendors. I visit POST Market every time I'm in Houston. I make stops at multiple vendors when I visit POST. Brian Cicioni I visited POST Market during my last three trips to Houston. Like New York's Market 57, it has a rooftop with beautiful panoramic views. The market brings together all the things that make Houston a great food city. I also appreciate the fact that it's open until at least 9 p.m. Riverfront Market in Wilmington offers some of my favorite cuisines, including Thai and Peruvian dishes. Jeenwong Thai is my first stop when I visit Riverfront Market. Brian Cicioni For me, markets are not just about size location and what they have to offer are equally important. Those two factors make Wilmington's Riverfront Market in Delaware one of my personal favorites. When you put two of my favorite types of cuisine (Thai and Peruvian) practically next to each other, you have my attention. If you're going to try both, I recommend starting with Jeenwong Thai, as Peruvian portions are typically larger. I love visiting Union Market in Washington DC for Middle Eastern and North African food. Fava Pot and Yasmine are two of my favorite stops at Union Market. Brian Cicioni When I visit Union Market in Washington DC, I have trouble deciding where to start. Although I keep Laoban's chicken-ginger dumplings in my freezer at home, I usually make a stop there for noodles. And of course, I love stopping by Yasmine for Lebanese-inspired dishes. Read the original article on Insider On Friday, Sept. 22, what began as a targeted stand-up strike by 13,000 UAW workers at three plants owned by Ford, GM and Stellantis was expanded to an additional 38 locations for GM and Stellantis. On Tuesday, President Biden joined the UAW picket line in Michigan, something no president has done before. I believe this is not an appropriate action for a U.S. president. One should be tempted to believe that Biden has done more to help the UAW strike than any other president but you would be wrong. Part of the reason the UAW is in a strong position to strike is because of the replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the U.S. Mexico Canada Association (USMCA, in 2019/2020). The USMCA created greater business restrictions in the auto industry in three ways. First USMCA requires 75% of vehicles parts be made in North American (up from 45% in NAFTA A and up from 62.5% under later NAFTA requirements). Second, auto manufacturing and parts manufacturing must be performed by workers earning at least $16/hour. And third, North American car and truck manufacturers will also have to purchase 70% of their steel and aluminum in US, Mexico or Canada in order to avoid tariffs. Every action or policy change has winners and losers. There are three categories of losers for the greater restrictions on the auto industry implemented under USMCA. First, there are the small Mexican auto manufacturers and auto parts manufacturers who cant afford to pay $16/hour; some will, in the long run, go out of business or cease to export to the U.S. or Canada. The second group of losers are the employees who would have had a job, albeit at lower wages, who are now without that job in the auto industry, the auto parts industry, or other support industries in Mexico and the U.S. In the long run, this includes U.S. UAW workers (or potential employees who would have been UAW members) as manufacturers substitute away from union labor to greater levels of automation. Job losses also occur as more plant closures occur (as many as 17 plants by Stellantis alone if UAW demands must be met). Addition job losses occur since each year U.S. auto sales will be less than they otherwise would have been. One estimate was 1.3 million fewer vehicles per year due to higher auto prices before the strike. Obviously, post-strike numbers will be even greater. The third group of losers are consumers who pay higher prices for vehicles, as much as $2,200 per vehicle before the effects of the strike. The obvious winners are those who actually keep a job in the auto industry at higher wages both in the U.S. and in Mexico. To many readers this description of USMCA may come as a surprise. President Trump touted the deal as good for trade and a win for well everybody. The final was clearly pro-union, endorsed by Nancy Pelosi and the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who said USMCA produced considerable progress on workers rights. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, claimed that union leaders greatly improved USMCA in later iterations. The free enterprise and free trade-oriented Cato Institute stated: Regulation is a general problem in the USMCA, even more than it was in NAFTA. Would Donald Trump really have left us with a trade deal worse than NAFTA and with so many business restrictions? The short answer is yes. Unlike most prior Republican leaders who favored free trade, Donald Trump is essentially a protectionist. This is the same man that said import tariffs are beautiful. His increased import tariffs (especially on Chinese goods and components imported by U.S. businesses) increased costs to American consumers by between $17 billion and $48 billion annually. Let me identify one more winner from USCMA and the strike Tesla. Business Insider states: Ford and GM already spend $20 more an hour on factory workers than Tesla. The UAW's demands would more than double that gap. The higher costs for the Big 3 and the higher resulting prices for Big 3 vehicles are great news for Tesla. USMCA and higher import tariffs would not have come into existence without Donald Trump. His pro-union protectionist policy greatly strengthened the UAW and its ability to strike and/or negotiate higher UAW wages. This leads to higher prices for consumers. The higher prices caused by protecting some American jobs, while losing others behind the scenes is simply bad policy. Steve G. Parsons, Ph.D,. is a retired consulting economist with former clients around the world. He was also an adjunct professor for more than 20 years at Washington University in St. Louis, where he taught the economics of technology to graduate students in the school of engineering. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Did Donald Trump help create the UAW strike? Sushi omakase, with its kaleidoscopic cuts of fresh, raw seafood that melt on the tongue, has in recent years experienced a surge in popularity in major U.S. cities. That's especially true in Los Angeles, as omakase is tied to a storied history in L.A.'s Little Tokyo district. More than two dozen upscale omakase bars have sprung up from downtown to the South Bay over the past decade or so. And in this years Michelin guide, released in July, nearly half of the 26 short-listed restaurants in the L.A. area specialize in a style of sushi developed hundreds of years ago, during Japans Edo period. And across the country, demand is high for reservation-only sushi omakase dinners and you're lucky to get seated at all. Elite establishments require bookings months in advance; a secret omakase speakeasy in Las Vegas has a waiting list of thousands. An omakase meal typically includes at least a dozen courses of nigiri-style sushi in which thin slices of raw fish are stacked on top of rice made with premium seafood often flown in overnight from Japan. While many fine dining chefs in L.A. tend to embrace fusion, sushi masters at omakase restaurants have excelled by importing ancient Japanese culinary traditions to L.A.s competitive fine dining scene. The results are often prohibitively expensive: a meal at a Michelin-rated L.A. institution averages around $300. Clockwise from top left, golden eye snapper, squid and uni, sweet shrimp, otoro, ikura and needle fish at Sushi Ginza Onodera in Los Angeles. (MST Creative) Directly translated as Ill leave it up to you, omakase offers an intimate, rarefied dining experience in which the chef chooses, sometimes at the spur of the moment, what gets served depending on available ingredients or the days catch. In lieu of a fixed menu, the customer entrusts the chef to do the ordering. Omakase is the preferred way of service for esteemed sushi masters, though its not limited to sushi. The L.A. branch of the Tokyo-based Sushi Ginza Onodera, which has two Michelin stars, imports high-quality seafood from Tokyos Toyosu Market and rice from the Niigata prefecture. The restaurants 23-course omakase meal featuring immaculate slices of bluefin tuna, golden eye snapper and Hokkaido scallop layered atop cubes of vinegar-infused rice is priced at $400 per head. I aim to let you experience Japans four seasons and savor various regional fish as if you were traveling through Japan, executive chef Yohei Matsuki wrote in an email. Matsuki, who trained for years at the restaurants Tokyo outpost, said hes committed to using only Japan-sourced ingredients because the quality control and handling of fish by people in Japans fishing industry are among the best in the world. Like many other modern sushi masters, Matsuki said he deploys late 19th-century Edomae-style techniques, such as marinating ingredients in soy sauce and curing them in salt or kombu sea kelp a process that could last a few hours to several days. Sushi Ginza Onodera in Los Angeles. (Jun Hiraoka) Matsuki said hes pleased that traditional Japanese cuisine has garnered greater critical appreciation in recent years. I hope this will increase awareness of Japanese culture among people from around the world, he said. Experts say the omakase boom took off in L.A. because the citys historic Little Tokyo enclave, founded in the late 19th century, was once the largest Japanese community in the country. It has long served as the countrys epicenter of Japanese food, offering an extravaganza of craft ramen and late-night yakitori bars. Sushi, in particular, has a storied history in L.A., said Samuel Yamashita, a food historian who has studied the evolution of Japanese cuisine in North America. Kawafuku, a beloved local institution in Little Tokyo, opened the countrys first sushi bar in 1966. A few years later, chef Ichiro Mashita at the nearby Tokyo Kaikan invented the now ubiquitous California roll. Sushi places in Japan in the 70s, 80s and 90s were very macho, Yamashita said. If you dont eat the sushi right away the chefs would get pissed off. Things have really changed. The high-end sushi craze didnt take off until the 2000s, Yamashita said. By tracking spots in phone books, Yamashita found that the number of sushi restaurants listed in the city jumped from nine in 1995 to 115 in 2019. Pop culture played an important role: The 2012 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which profiled a revered Japanese sushi master in lush detail, introduced the esoteric art of sushi making to Westerners. A towering force behind L.A.s now formidable omakase scene, Yamashita said, is Masayoshi Takayama, whose flagship New York City restaurant, Masa, became the countrys first three-Michelin-star Japanese restaurant. (Its also the priciest: Dinners top $1,000 per diner, excluding beverages.) Ginza Sushi-ko, Takayamas first restaurant in L.A., became a training ground for local sushi chefs in the 1990s. A host of Michelin-star omakase spots in the city, including Sushi Q, Sushi Kaneyoshi and Nozawa Bar, followed what Yamashita called the Masa effect. Haute Living and Grand Seiko Omakase Experience on Nov. 11, 2021 in New York. (Eugene Gologursky / Getty Images for Haute Living file) Eric Rath, a professor at the University of Kansas and sushi expert, said nigiri sushi dates back to before the 19th century. There were references to the dish in eighth-century literature, he said. In those early days, sushi was primarily a street food; a piece of sushi was three times the size of todays offering. It was a very inexpensive snack that commoners could have, Rath said. One piece of sushi might have been the same price as a bowl of noodles. The professionalization of sushi, Rath said, began after World War II with the advent of refrigerators. Sushi restaurants didnt start offering fixed menus until Japan began Westernizing in the late 1800s, he said. Dine Out: Benkay sushi chef Hiro Ishii puts the final touches on Omakase in Portland, Maine in 2018. (Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images file) With refrigeration, people started to refine sushi, and you can serve premium fish like bluefin tuna, he said. You had to cook with a certain degree of licensing there was nothing like that in the past. But the U.S. sushi sector will likely reach a saturation point in the next five years, Yamashita said, due in large part to climate change and overfishing. Bluefin tuna populations, for example, have fallen rapidly over the past few decades because of consumer demand for sushi and sashimi. A lot of fish wont be available because of global warming, so sushi will be more expensive than it is now, Yamashita said. Because of that, first-rate places will probably only survive in big cities. The next chapter for refined Japanese cuisine, Yamashita said, might focus on kaiseki, a traditional multi-course tasting menu that includes sashimi as well as cooked meat and vegetables, rice, a hot pot and dessert. Two of L.A.s Michelin-star restaurants, Shibumi and n/naka, pay homage to kaiseki. David Schlosser, the head chef at Shibumi, said he came up with the concept of the restaurant after a trip to Japan in the early 2000s, when he became inspired by the simplicity and elegance of Japanese culinary traditions. I had such a deep respect for trying to understand and honor the food that I realized then I didnt want to do fusion, he said. When you can make something classic perfect, why put olive oil, parsley, and tomato peppers? I wanted to keep the culture for the future generation. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Law or legend? Tennessee laws that may not actually be laws NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) If you look up weird laws in Tennessee, youre likely to find a list of truly unusual things that people claim Tennessee legislators have enshrined into law. From prohibitions on ice cream in pockets, to restrictions on the number of women allowed to cohabitate, to whether or not roadkill is acceptable food, some things Tennessee is said to have enacted as law truly sound too good to be true. And if something sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom News 2 asked Tennessee Legislative Librarian Eddie Weeks an expert historian on all things Tennessee Capitol about a number of claims found online about strange laws in the Volunteer State, and heres what he found. Some are law, some are legend, he said. For the most part, there is no record of several of the claimed laws ever existing, though some claims have truth at their roots. Claim: More than 8 women living in a house is considered a brothel True or false? FALSE This claim, and subsequent claims that the law was overturned, have long been a myth in Tennessee. At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, sororities did not have their own houses until the early 2010s, until the on-campus community Sorority Village was constructed. As recently as 2018, questions about the limitations of the number of women allowed to live together in Vanderbilt University sorority houses brought up the rumor. However, a search throughout the entire Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) does not turn up the word brothel nor any related limitations on womens cohabitation. | Check out more lists and rankings from across Tennessee There is a definition for house of prostitution, but it makes no mention of more than eight women living together. Tenn. Code Ann. 39-13-512: House of prostitution means any place where prostitution or the promotion of prostitution is regularly carried on by one (1) or more persons under the control, management or supervision of another Claim: Carrying a skunk across state borders into Tennessee is illegal True or false? TRUE According to TCA 70-4-208, the unlawful importation of skunks is prohibited in the Volunteer State, except by zoos and research facilities. Additionally, those with a valid wildlife rehabilitation permit may receive skunks from the wild for the purpose of rehabilitation and release only. Spotted lanternfly: invasive species detected in Davidson County This law was enacted in 1974, with amendments coming in 1984, 1989, and 2018. Claim: You may not carry ice cream in your back pocket True or false? FALSE According to Weeks, there is no such law that currently exists in Tennessee. Supposedly this was a way of luring a horse away without stealing it. If the horse just followed you trying to get the ice cream, he said. Claim: Hollow logs may not be sold in Tennessee True or false? FALSE No such law currently exists in Tennessee, according to Weeks. Claim: It is illegal to wrestle a bear in Tennessee True or false? PROBABLY TRUE Purportedly, bears were once included as part of wrestling shows, and men would get in the ring with them after the creatures had been muzzled and de-clawed for the fighters safety. According to TCA 70-4-402(3), wrestling bears are not included in the legal definition of circuses. Per TCA 70-4-403, bears are considered a Class I animal, meaning one of a species inherently dangerous to humans. Drake concert in Nashville postponed again Bears are Class I wildlife and may only be possessed by zoos, circuses and commercial propagators,' Weeks told News 2. Some states do have specific laws prohibiting this practice. If wrestling bears are not permitted as circus acts and bears may not be possessed by anyone other than a zoo, circus or commercial propagator, its likely Tennesseans arent legally allowed to wrestle them. Claim: Roadkill can be picked up and consumed in Tennessee True or false? PARTIALLY TRUE Part of this claim states roadkill is legal to be picked up from the side (or center line) of the road and eaten by those who desire to. Another aspect states anyone who comes across a deer is required to notify either law enforcement or the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency if they intend to take it home for some country cuisine. According to TCA 70-4-115(c), wild animals accidentally killed by a motor vehicle may be possessed by any person for personal use and consumption. However, motorists who accidentally kill a deer are required to notify TWRA or a law enforcement officer within 48 hours of the accidental kill and supply the persons name and address. Interestingly enough, the statute also describes what is required of accidentally struck bears by vehicles: personal possession of a bear accidentally killed by a motor vehicle is permitted only when authorized by an enforcement officer of the wildlife resources agency and the person is issued a kill tag. Claim: Shooting any animal from a moving vehicle, except whales, is prohibited in Tennessee. True or false? FALSE One of the more bizarre claims involves whales being permitted to be shot from moving cars. As Tennessee is landlocked by eight different states, it seems unlikely any Tennessee hunter would happen across a whale in the wild. Indeed, the claim is unfounded. TCA 70-4-109 prohibits hunting from aircraft, watercraft, and motor vehicles in operation except as provided for by law, rule or regulation or proclamation. Violations of that section are a Class C misdemeanor. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Interestingly, a person confined to a wheelchair may hunt from a stationary vehicle, Weeks noted of the citation. Other weird laws According to Weeks, while most of the laws purported to be true are not, there are some silly laws on the books in Tennessee, such as a prohibition on multiple operators of a bicycle built for one [TCA 55-8-173(b)], the legal definition of the borders of the state of Tennessee [TCA 4-2-101 through TCA 4-2-107] and many, many others. And, while not a law, there is a House Joint Resolution from 1870 that prohibits roller skating in the halls of the Capitol. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Farm silos appear in the background behind rows of solar panels at the Yellowbud Solar Power Plant on Thursday near Williamsport, Ohio. WILLIAMSPORT Fields where soybeans, corn and other crops were once grown outside of this rural community along the Ross-Pickaway county line are now covered by 775,000 solar panels, enough to power 75,000 homes. It's a story playing out across the state where more than 50 solar farms are either open or in some stage of development, many of them in agricultural communities like this one, and behind much of the push is a company many consumers use every day: Amazon. The 274-megawatt Yellowbud Solar Farm became operational this summer. The developer behind the project, National Grid Renewables, is selling the electricity to Amazon as part of the e-commerce giant's effort to rely exclusively on renewable energy by 2025. Amazon is buying the power from 17 solar farms in the state and one of Ohio's 11 wind farms to help run its operations, including the billions of dollars' worth of data centers it is building in central Ohio. Amazon says it has been the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy for each of the past three years with more than 400 projects around the world. What were doing in Ohio is part of our broader program, which is to get all of our operations across the world powered with 100% renewable energy," Nat Sahlstrom, Amazon's head of energy, water and sustainability, said Thursday during a media tour of Yellowbud. Yellowbud is National Grid Renewables' first operational solar farm in Ohio The first indication that the solar farm is close is the large metal American Electric Power poles that line Westfall Road for miles leading to the farm's headquarters, a substation and the solar panels. It's a rural area south of Williamsport and about in the middle of a triangle of cities Circleville, Washington Court House and Chillicothe. There are just a small number of houses surrounding the 1,300 acres of solar panels that make up the 2,000-acre farm. Yellowbud is National Grid Renewables' first operational solar farm in the state. The company has two other farms under construction. Story continues "Ohio has become a really important part of our business," said Blake Nixon, president of National Grid Renewables president. Blake Nixon, president of National Grid Renewables, walks in the rain during a tour with local media and delegates at the Yellowbud Solar Power Plant on Thursday in Williamsport, Ohio Amazon's deal with National Grid Renewable powers renewable energy in Ohio Amazon's decision to buy the electricity generated by Yellowbud is the driver for renewable energy projects, allowing wind and solar farm companies to raise money, buy equipment and build the projects, Amazon says. Without buyers such as Amazon, such projects wouldn't be possible. "This big of capital deployment can be a challenging thing to do unless you actually have someone with the balance sheet and appetite like Amazon, Sahlstrom said. He said a confluence of factors make such a project possible, ranging from the cost of power in the region where the farm is located, the transmission system, access to the electric grid and demand from customers. "When we look at where we site locations, everything at Amazon starts with the customer," he said. "Theres a lot of appetite for renewable energy generation." Amazon said Thursday that its commitment to buy electricity has generated an estimated $1.6 billion of investment and added $854 million to the state's economy from 2014 through 2022. The investment supported 3,560 jobs in Ohio last year. Now that the solar farm is finished, it has eight workers. During construction, there were 550 workers on the site. Amazon has pledged to make its growing operations in Ohio and elsewhere rely exclusively on renewable energy by 2025. As of the end of 2022, 90% of the electricity Amazon used to power its operations was from renewable energy resources, Amazon said. Beyond its renewable energy investments, Amazon operations in Ohio include 17 fulfillment and sortation centers, 16 delivery stations, 12 Whole Foods Market locations, two Prime Now fulfillment centers and one air hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. But its biggest investments in the state are data centers. It operates seven data centers in central Ohio and announced in June its plan to spend another $7.8 billion on data centers in central Ohio in coming years. Solar farm has generated few complaints Solar farms are often the subject of complaints from residents who live close by who say they are unsightly, take away valuable farmland, damage roads, increase traffic during construction, and change the rural setting that they enjoy. Yellowbud seemingly has been accepted well by the community. There were just a handful of complaints about Yellowbud filed with state regulators, and most of those were about solar farms in general and not Yellowbud in particular. There aren't signs surrounding the site complaining about the project, as is often found in other parts of the state, even in places where there are no solar projects planned. Nixon believes the company has done a good job of working with neighbors and local governments. The company cited the road improvements that have been made around the site as an example of its effort to leave things better than before the company started work in the region. The company added trees and other plants on the outside of the panels that it says will one day be tall enough to block much of the view of the solar panels. Vegetation planted around the panels themselves will serve as a draw for birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife. We've had a really nice reception in the community," he said. "Were grateful to be here. ... I like to think that our company does things the right way." Suzie Hill, 66, sits on the front porch of her home located across from the Yellowbud Solar Power Plant on Thursday near Williamsport, Ohio. But one neighbor who lives across the road from part of the farm called it an "eyesore." "I was very upset when we found out that it was going to be across the road from us," said Suzie Hill, 66. She said when she sits on her back porch now, she pretends the solar panels are a lake when the sun shines on them. "We live out here to see farmland, not solar panels," said Hill, who does not farm. Workers have been polite, and she says she doesn't blame them for what has happened. "We've accepted it as a reality," she said. "There's nothing we can do about it." Cables are attached underneath a row of solar panels, which carry power from the panels to the combiner box at the Yellowbud Solar Panel Power Plant on Thursday near Williamsport, Ohio. mawilliams@dispatch.com @BizMarkWilliams This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Powering Amazon: Yellowbud solar farm creating electricity in Ohio Editors Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travels weekly newsletter. Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. In travel news this week: Why now is the best time to visit Europe, which Caribbean islands to put on your wish list and the Nordic nation blazing a trail for digital passports. The future of travel tech Digital passports are here! But only if youre a Finn flying from Helsinki to Britain. In a world-leading pilot scheme by the Finnish Border Guard, travelers on some Finnair flights can now slide quickly through border control by registering a digital version of their passport in advance, Other destinations will be sure to follow the innovation-loving Nordic nation. Just last week, Singapores Changi Airport announced that itll go passport-free in 2024. Its another plum travel freedom for Singaporeans, who already enjoy visa-free and visa-on-demand access to more destinations than citizens of any other country or city-state. Thats why it tops a 2023 list of the worlds most powerful passports. Welcome to fall Throw on your turtleneck, fill your suitcase with gourds and grab your pumpkin latte: Fall is when the cool kids like to travel. This is when Europes top destinations are serving mellow vibes after the summer rush and visitors can have their pick of balmy beach temperatures or cozy harvesttime festivals. Sometimes, roadways and natural beauty meet in a harmonious convergence where driving can be a delight especially when the leaves are bursting with color. Here are six soothing, scenic drives across the United States to take. If youre heading out to the woods to luxuriate in all those lovely russets and ochers, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have a roundup of all the essentials you need from a picnic backpack to waterproof binoculars. Raise a flask while youre out there to the memory of one of Englands most-loved trees. A sycamore that stood alongside the UNESCO-listed Hadrians Wall for more than 200 years and starred with Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was sadly felled in an act of vandalism this week. Caribbean islands October is low season in the Caribbean, which can make it a good time to pick up bargains on islands outside of the hurricane belt, such as Bonaire. This Dutch Caribbean getaway is known for its scuba diving but also packs more than 20 beaches into its 111 square miles of deliciousness. If youre planning a Caribbean trip during the December to April high season, when the weather is driest, then choosing just one of the hundreds of islands to visit can be daunting. Our pick of nine of the best should make your decision a little easier and remember that its hard to go wrong in a turquoise paradise. Restaurants and hotels Foodies with a taste for fine dining should set their sights on Spain, which has more of the worlds 50 best restaurants than any other country. Heres our guide on where to go and whats on the menu. But if youre more thrilled by thread count than bread count, try London, which has just welcomed two new showstopper hotels. The historic war office in Whitehall that was once used by Winston Churchill has been transformed into the luxury Raffles London. And Asias high-end Peninsula chain has finally arrived in the UK capital, with a spot near Hyde Park. Prices start at an eye-watering $1,600 per night. Feathered friends The Tower of London has its ravenmaster. But The Peabody hotel in Memphis has a duckmaster, who leads five waterfowls from their rooftop Duck Palace on a march to the hotel lobby for a twice-daily ceremony that has been drawing tourists for 90 years. In case you missed it You havent lived until youve eaten a boodog straight from the skin. Here are all the Mongolian dishes visitors should try. The worlds biggest national park is larger than most countries. Heres how the most epic wonderlands measure up. She texted her mom on vacation: I met my husband. Heres what happened after she got home. A bullied girls only friends were stray cats. As an adult, this is how she repaid them. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com WORCESTER Despite pleas for a pause from Worcester officials, early-morning train commuters from Worcester to Boston are set for a longer train ride Monday, with four new stops being added to what is currently an express train. Keolis Commuter Services, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter rail operator, unveiled scheduling changes where the Heart to Hub express train will have added stops between Worcester and West Natick, adding to the trip time. City Manager Eric D. Batista and several city councilors have said they asked MBTA and state officials to reconsider the changes, but time is running out and the schedule will be set until May 2024. Healey urged to step in Mayor Joseph M. Petty called on Gov. Maura Healey to get involved in halting the schedule change. A spokesperson for the city said Friday that Batista will continue to have conversations with the MBTA and the state, but there remains no apparent pause in the change to train services. Responding to a request for comment, a spokesperson for Healey said her administration and the MBTA are in conversation with the city officials about their concern. A spokesperson for the MBTA said the change was made in response to customer and stakeholder feedback that the services should be more in line with the pre-pandemic schedule. That schedule included additional morning and afternoon peak service and shorter headways and only way to accomplish those objectives and maintain midday hourly frequency was to change Heart to Hub into a zonal express train, the MBTA spokesperson said. In addition, the spokesperson said 75% of riders on the line originate or terminate at Framingham. City officials have said the city was not told in advance that the additional stops would be added to the express line. Currently, the 6:30 a.m. train from Worcester makes one stop at Framingham before going directly to Lansdowne Station in Boston, arriving at 7:24 a.m. The new schedules additional stops will add as much as half an hour to the commute. On Sept. 19, School Committee member Tracy O'Connell Novick, who takes the 6:30 a.m. express train to Boston for work, petitioned the City Council in her capacity as a resident. Novick asked for Batista to intervene in order to preserve at least one express train that allows for 8 a.m. arrivals and at least one leaving Boston to allow workers to leave at 4 p.m. or later. She also asked the City Council to advocate for the agencies to inform and better consult residents about scheduling changes in the future. She said her commute would become two hours long on the train and make her late to work, or require her to take an earlier 5:45 a.m. train that would require driving to Union Station, since the Worcester Regional Transit Authority bus routes do not run that early. 'Quality-of-life issue' "This is a basic quality-of-life issue for scores of Worcester residents," Novick said. "It is not too much to ask that at least once a day, there is a train that takes an hour or less to get to and from the second-biggest city to the largest city in Massachusetts." District 2 City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson delayed a vote on the petition to the Sept. 26 City Council meeting. Mero-Carlson said at the Sept. 26 meeting that she and Councilor-at-Large Morris Bergman had an item related to the routes that did not make it to the prior week's agenda and the two had needed to gather more information on the matter. Councilor-at-Large Morris Bergman filed an order for the Sept. 26 meeting asking Batista to communicate with Worcester's delegation in the State House and all other relevant agencies about restoring the express train service schedule. Responding to a question from Mero-Carlson, Batista said he met with Acting Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt and transportation officials a month earlier along with Petty and other members of the city administration in a conversation that included possibilities of expanding services for Worcester residents. Batista said the transportation officials were open to expanding train services and did not mention the end of the express service. Batista: 'Not communicated to us' "It was not communicated to us that they were shutting down the express train in the city of Worcester that was coming just a month later," Batista said. Batista has also talked to MBTA and state transportation leadership about the city's displeasure with the changes and requested that they be halted. The city manager plans to present a full report of what happened. Mero-Carlson said she has communicated with state Sens. Michael Moore and Robyn Kennedy to put the scheduling changes on pause. "For them to just stop a service without having communication with this administration just really is befuddling to me," Mero-Carlson said. Bergman said the scheduling change felt like it "knock(ed) the wind out of us," with the growth the city has seen as more people have moved to the city and commute to work in the Boston area. Petty recalled his morning drive to Boston on the same day as the City Council meeting. "This morning I drove down to Boston and I couldn't believe the traffic," Petty said. Moore also received a letter from Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King and District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj. King also sent Keolis a letter requesting the continuation of at least one express train. On Wednesday, Petty's office released a statement where the mayor asked for Healey to stop the proposed changes. Petty reiterated his call to Healey in a Friday morning post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Worcester as a housing option We need to ensure that the train service is permanent and will take one hour. As costs in Boston spiral upwards, people are looking toward Worcester for housing, Petty said in the statement. Petty also said the service was vital for Worcester's growth and supports efforts to fight climate change by reducing the number of drivers on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Petty and Batista also sent a letter this week to Tibbits-Nutt urging the agencies to reconsider the scheduling change. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Lobbying by Worcester officials fails to halt MBTA change in train schedule Nearly a year after Haitis caretaker government requested the immediate deployment of an outside armed force to help the countrys ill-equipped and outgunned police take on deadly gangs, the United Nations Security Council is preparing to authorize on Monday sending a multinational force into the troubled Caribbean nation. A draft resolution, authored by the United States and obtained by the Miami Herald, says the deployment would be reviewed nine months after the adoption of the resolution, and the cost of the temporary operation would be borne through voluntary contributions by U.N. member countries. The resolution is scheduled for a vote by the 15-member U.N. Security Council at 4 p.m. Monday. Two possible obstacles to approval: China and Russia. Theyre among the five permanent members of the council, along with the U.S., the United Kingdom and France, any of which have veto power over any resolution. The two countries have expressed concerns about the draft, which was co-authored by Ecuador with input from Kenya, the East African nation that has volunteered to lead the intervention but requested a Security Council resolution before moving ahead. China and Russias concerns include questions about the size of the Multinational Security Support mission, as it is being officially called, and details on its rules of engagement. The draft doesnt mention the size of the force. It authorizes the mission to adopt urgent temporary measures on an exceptional basis to prevent the loss of life and help the Haiti police maintain basic law and order and public safety, as necessary. The draft resolution also says the rules of engagement the directives on how and when to use force are to be developed in consultation with Haiti, the leadership of the mission and the countries contributing to the force. The wording says the Security Council would be informed about the rules of engagement, mission goals and an end date before the missions full deployment. Similar questions raised by China and Russia were asked last month of U.S. officials after a meeting on Haitis security was held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to seek support for both the resolution and the deployment. Victoria Nuland, the acting U.S. deputy secretary of state, said at the time that such questions are generally fleshed out after a Security Council resolution. There is no precedent for that level of detail in a resolution itself. Another issue, particularly for China, is the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition in Haiti. Despite a U.S. arms embargo on Haiti, gangs are not only well-armed but they have access to high-powered long-range rifles that can penetrate walls. The weapons have been used to carry out deadly massacres and empty out entire neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and regional provinces. National Police patrol during an anti-gang operation in the Tabare neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, July 25, 2023. The resolution affirms that the arms embargo is one of the three pillars of a sanctions protocol the council adopted last October and it strongly urges Member States to without delay prohibit the supply, sale, or transfer of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition to non-State actors engaged in or supporting gang violence, criminal activities, or human rights abuses in Haiti, as well as to take all appropriate steps to prevent their illicit trafficking and diversion. Two diplomatic sources said there were high hopes that the resolution would pass when the draft first circulated among U.N. members on Friday. But that night, China sent out a note with edits. A U.S. diplomatic source said Chinas request for changes to the resolutions arms embargo language was adopted in a deal with Washington on Saturday, although negotiations with China continued Sunday. Critics of the U.S. policy on Haiti have called for more to be done to stop the trafficking of weapons into Haiti, most of which leave ports in Florida, though some also make their way into the country via its porous 220-mile border with the neighboring Dominican Republic. Since Haiti appealed for international intervention a year ago on Oct. 6, the security situation has only gotten worse, with close to 2,800 killings, nearly 1,500 reported kidnappings for ransom and tens of thousands of Haitians forced out of their homes due to the expanding gang attacks. A recent report by the Center for Analysis and and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince documented at least 45 makeshift camps camps in the metropolitan Port-au-Prince area, more than half of them at schools, where an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 people are currently seeking refuge after being forced out of their homes in the past two months. Gedeon Jean, who runs the human rights group, said it is extremely important that the Security Council approve the resolution. The United Nations has an obligation to protect a population that is in danger, he said. With what is unfolding in Haiti at this moment, only a multinational force can accompany the police and help them. Its a catastrophe, what we are living here today where the gangs are not only killing people, raping them and burning homes, they are burning police stations and taking their vehicles. Jean said that given the critical situation Haitians are living on a daily basis, he hopes that China and Russia either vote for the deployment or abstain from voting. The United Nations Security Council. Washington has said several countries are willing to deploy police or military to Haiti and are just waiting on the blessing of the Security Council. The U.S. has so far declined to name the countries besides The Bahamas, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda, which had previously announced their intent to take part in the mission. The Miami Herald has learned the others are Italy, Spain, Mongolia, Senegal, Belize, Suriname, Guatemala and Peru. In an interview with the BBC, Kenya Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said if the resolution is adopted, his country will have boots on the ground in Haiti by the first of January, if not before. He said his country, which announced in late July that it was positively considering leading the force and deploying 1,000 of its officers to take part, initially thought it would be leading a so-called static mission in which its forces would provide protection to key government installations such as the airport and seaports, but not engage directly with the gangs. But a Kenyan assessment team that visited Haiti in August heard concerns from the police and Prime Minister Ariel Henry that just protecting key infrastructure would not be enough. Haitians also reacted strongly against the idea after the Herald published a story about Kenyas proposed static mission. This is going to be an intervention force, Mutua said. This is a force that will need to go and disarm the thugs and the gangs. This is the one that well need to go and free kidnapped people and free the women being raped. The Multinational Security Support mission, according to the resolution, will provide operational support to the Haitian national police, including building its capacity through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations, as it works to counter gangs and improve security conditions in Haiti. The force would also help secure critical infrastructure sites and transit locations such as the airport, ports, and key intersections. The force would also assist the Haiti National Police to provide unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for the population receiving assistance. The resolution urges Haitian gangs and their supporters to cease their criminal acts, and condemns in the strongest terms the increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region. The resolution also strongly condemns and expresses deep concern over the gravity and numbers of violations and abuses committed against children in Haiti, and notes gangs abuse against them, including those involving killing and maiming, recruitment and use, rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly against girls, attacks on schools and hospitals, abduction, and denial of humanitarian access. U.N. member countries are also asked to deploy people with expertise in anti-gang operations, community-oriented policing, and the protection of women and children. Before any forces are deployed they would be to undergo training on human rights, child protection, and sexual and gender-based violence. The last a foreign intervention force was sent into Haiti was in 2004. The U.N. stabilization peacekeeping mission lasted until 2017. Despite its success with taking on gangs, the mission was scarred by allegations of sexual abuse involving peacekeepers and the introduction of waterborne cholera by forces from Nepal. The resolution includes language on wastewater treatment and to curb sexual abuse. It tells member countries participating in the security mission take necessary action to ensure appropriate conduct and discipline and to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, including vetting of all personnel. The resolution also calls for timely investigations of all allegations of misconduct, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to repatriate units when there is credible evidence of misconduct. While the resolution welcomes Kenyas willingness to lead the mission, critics have raised questions about the East African nations ability to do so and its forces record on human-rights abuses. There are also cultural and language differences to overcome Kenyans speak English and the official languages of Haiti are French and Haitian-Creole. Another complicating factor: Haitis difficult, and sometimes labyrinthine terrain. Many of the gangs and their leaders live in maze-like slums where concrete shacks are separated by very narrow corridors. In 2021, an ill-fated operation by specialized Haitian police officers in one particularly notorious slum resulted in the deaths of several police officers during an ambush. Their bodies were never recovered. Mutua, the Kenyan foreign minister, said that Kenya doesnt think theres going to be a lot of violence, and believes the gangs will retreat once forces arrive because up until now, they havent had anybody who can match them. He acknowledged, however, that the gangs know the terrain better than the Kenyan forces will. But the Kenyan forces, he insisted, will be prepared to take them on. The gangs dont have the support of the people, he said. For the last few months, nearly 300 gang members have had their heads chopped off by members of the public. There is an uprising currently going on in Haiti. People are saying enough is enough Mutua said a recent poll shows 80% of Haitians want Kenya to come and lead the force. The Kenya assessment team conducted the poll to make sure its presence in Haiti would be welcome. People are tired. They just need a team to be on the ground, he said. People are right to be skeptical because other emissions have failed before, Mutua added. But those are U.N. peacekeeping missions. This is a different mission. This is a mission that is going to go there with the mandate of making sure that the gangs are repelled, and that theres a sense of peace, security and control in Haiti. McClatchy Senior White House and National Security Correspondent Michael Wilner contributed to this report. Health care representatives and policymakers in Pennsylvania are warning of declining maternity services in rural parts of the commonwealth, a shift thats making it harder for pregnant women in these communities to access vital care. But as hospitals continue to close down labor units and obstetricians exit some small towns, an array of organizations are working to help fill the health care gaps left behind. More: Pregnant women in rural Pa. face expanding 'maternity deserts.' Here's why. Here are a few of the resources available to rural residents who are or are planning to become pregnant: Rural Health Clinics The federal government established a rural health clinic program in the 1970s in response to the lack of physicians in these areas who would treating Medicare patients. By receiving a designation through this program, clinics can benefit from enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates. Today, there are about 70 of these health clinics scattered across rural parts of the commonwealth, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. The facilities focus on primary care and are also required to offer basic laboratory services. Some also provide dental care. Gabrielle Pierce, vice president of physician services for Meadville Medical Center in Crawford County, said her health system is working on adding an OB/GYN and an obstetrician nurse practitioner or physician assistant to its Meadville-based rural clinic. The center also has about a dozen medical residents who will partner with the organization's OB/GYN providers to increase capacity for these patients, according to Pierce. While not all of the health system's clinics have an OB/GYN, Pierce said the primary care providers at these facilities do offer prenatal services and help connect a patient with more specialized care elsewhere. "They will get the patient started with the prenatal vitamins, get them tested to make sure they're pregnant, get them started on the right path," she said. A list of Pennsylvanias rural health clinics is accessible at bit.ly/3t67h8V. More: Erie medical research institute has laid foundation for clinical trials in women's health Federally Qualified Health Centers One of the missions of federally qualified health centers is to provide care in underserved communities, including rural areas. They are also obligated to care for any patient, regardless of the persons insurance status or ability to pay. Pennsylvania has about 99 FQHC sites in rural areas, according to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. George Garrow, CEO of Primary Health Network, an FQHC that has sites in 16 counties, said that while his health system doesnt operate any hospitals where someone could give birth, the organization does offer a wide range of primary care services. Many of its locations deliver behavioral or mental health services, and the network also makes use of case navigators to help patients with their individual needs and to avert any obstacles to care, Garrow said. Navigators, for instance, might make sure a woman gets started on her prenatal vitamins early in her pregnancy or connect her with obstetricians and other specialists. Community health workers in the network also assist people who have trouble getting to appointments, using partnerships with transportation programs or by contracting with ridesharing services, Garrow said. And the network also operates a charitable foundation that can aid people who cant afford the cost of their prescription medicines. You can search for FQHCs by county and specialty at my.pachc.org/Find-a-Health-Center Jasmin Martinez Castellanos, M.D.: Pregnancy brings higher risk of cardiovascular disease Nurse-family partnerships Through this program, women who are lower income can receive regular home visits from a nurse during their pregnancies and for the first two years of their childs life. Elizabeth Cassidy, a nurse who works in the partnership, said she aims to check in on women anywhere from once every several weeks to every week. During these visits, shell monitor her clients blood pressure, encourage them to establish healthy habits and form a trust-relationship that will continue after their child is born. We work with moms to achieve their own goals, said Cassidy, whose employer, Maternal and Family Health Services, administers the nurse-family partnership program in northeastern Pennsylvania. It's not just baby-focused, but also to work on themselves and be the best parent that they can be. The nurse-partnership program traditionally is only open to first-time mothers, but Maternal and Family Health Services recently received permission also to serve pregnant women who already have children. Information on nurse-family partnerships in Pennsylvania is available at nursefamilypartnership.org/locations/pennsylvania/ Paul Speer, M.D.: High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to later health issues The USA TODAY Network is covering healthcare access issues in rural parts of the commonwealth. As part of this reporting, were interested in hearing from Pennsylvanians in these communities who have struggled to access medical, dental and mental health care. Fill out the form at bit.ly/pa-maternity and your response will go directly to a USA TODAY Network reporter. You may be contacted for further details about your story. This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Where can I find pregnancy care in rural Pa.? PORTSMOUTH Memorial Bridge connecting Portsmouth and Kittery, along with the Community Church of Durham, are local sites taking part in #LightUpMBC in October. The bright lights are part of a global landmark campaign that aims to shine a light on the importance of awareness and funding for metastatic breast cancer research and benefits nonprofit Metavivor Research and Support Inc. The campaign was founded by a local resident in memory of her best friend taken by the disease at 36 years old. Every year, more than 685,000 people worldwide die from metastatic breast cancer (MBC), also known as Stage 4 or advanced breast cancer, for which there is no cure. MBC is when the cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body. Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth lit up in the MBC awareness colors of teal, green and pink, as part of the #LightUpMBC campaign. On Oct. 13, National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, over 200 landmarks across all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico alongside iconic landmarks around the globe will light up in the MBC awareness colors of teal, green and pink, as part of the #LightUpMBC campaign. Iconic landmarks participating in #LightUpMBC include One World Trade Center (NYC), The Tampa Skyway Bridge (Florida), Alamo Quarry Smokestacks (Texas), LAX Airport Pylons (California), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Ohio), Ness Bridge (Scotland) and BC Place (Vancouver). The first landmark to light in MBC colors was the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth in 2017. New Hampshire landmarks also include The Hotel Concord of Concord, Town Common of Londonderry, CCA Global Partners and Elliot Hospital Cancer Center of Manchester. The Granite State #LightUpMBC Fun Run is being held at Derryfield Park in Manchester Sunday, Oct. 1 at 10:30 a.m. (check-in at 9:30 a.m.). Information on all events: Metavivor.org/LightUpMBC. To donate: Donate.Metavivor.org/LightUpMBC_NH. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Memorial Bridge to light up for metastatic breast cancer cause A School Teachers Contracts Ledger for Marion County School Districts. This page for Marion County District No. 91 Mount Angel, documenting employment of Catholic nuns as teachers in public school prior to the 1923 Garb Law. In the midst of back-to-school ads this past month came a news story about a new publicly funded virtual charter school in Oklahoma. Listening to the description of the school administered by the Roman Catholic Church and the subsequent lawsuits, I couldnt help but think of examples close to home of collaborations between public schools and the church in our not-too-distant past. In Marion County just a hundred years ago, the supposedly clear lines of delineation between church and state in public education were often blurred. Up until the passing of the so-called Garb Law in 1923 (garb being a somewhat flippant term for clothing), nuns in full habit regularly served as public school teachers in Marion County especially in the more rural Catholic-majority communities of St. Louis, St. Paul, Sublimity, Shaw and Mount Angel. The title Sister makes its way onto many pages of a ledger tracking teacher contracts made by Marion County school officials from 1910-1914 now housed at the Willamette Heritage Center. The ledger also shows that each districts school board had direct oversight of the hiring of teachers, which may explain some of the practice. It was so prevalent in the state that it caught the eye of the Legislature, at the time heavily influenced by the anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan. In addition to passing a compulsory public education act targeting parochial schools (which would later be overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court), the Legislature passed a bill banning public school teachers from wearing any religious garments, effectively eliminating Catholic nuns from eligibility. The so-called Garb Law went into effect May 24, 1923, causing a bit of a scramble by public schools employing nuns to either to finish their terms early or find substitutes. Marion County Schools Superintendent Mary L. Fulkerson toured the schools prior to implementation of the law to study its effects and noted: It has been unanimously agreed that they [the nuns] will abide by the law. By this, however, is meant that they will cease teaching in public schools after the garb law goes into effect, rather than remove their garb. There is nothing, however, to prevent them from teaching in private schools. In reference to the law, one paper suggested that the effect of removing religious influence in the schools by this law was probably not going to happen, because it is thought more likely that the school boards will appoint Catholic teachers who are not nuns to take their places. It is hard to tell how much that happened. In Mount Angel, however, the community got creative and brought the nuns back to their school by converting the lower grades to a private school, an arrangement that persisted until 1967. As a side note, the garb law stayed on Oregons books for a long time, despite a 1986 Oregon Supreme Court challenge by a Sikh teacher in Eugene who had been fired for wearing a religious head covering. The law was overturned in 2010. Collaboration between public schools and religious organizations extended beyond just personnel. In 1920, the new public school building in Mount Angel was built by the Catholic Church. St. Marys Public School was hailed as a model of efficiency and resourcefulness combining community resources to create a state-of-the-art school facility. While the building belongs to the Catholic society in Mt. Angel, which was wholly responsible for its construction, it will be under the supervision of the county superintendent and is purely and wholly a district [public] school, the Capital Journal newspaper reported just before its Thanksgiving opening in 1920. The first principal of the school was Sister M. Agnes (Rose) Butsch. She was a Mount Angel local, having moved there at age 8 and taking her vows at age 16 in the local convent. Her 55 years of religious life were devoted in large part to teaching. The partnership between the church and the school district persisted into at least the 1980s, although by that point the relationship had been formalized as the district leasing the school building from the church. The district hoped to eventually purchase the building. The church desired a joint ownership solution. The 1993 Spring Break Quake shook things up and destroyed the 1920 building. A 1995 bond effort rebuilt the school and secured the property ownership to the Mt. Angel School District. The rebuilding project also brought calls to rename the school. But after much debate, the efforts did not meet with success. St. Marys Public School continues to operate as such today, a fully public school with a name rooted in its religious past. Kylie Pine is curator at the Willamette Heritage Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit museum in downtown Salem dedicated to gathering, preserving and sharing Mid-Willamette Valley History. More information at www.willametteheritage.org This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: How anti-Catholic legislation changed Oregon public education Cory Fleming, who helped convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh embezzle millions of dollars, is appealing his more than 13-year prison sentence, saying it is excessive, cruel and unusual and the result of bias in the sentencing judge. Sentences that are grossly out of proportion to the severity of the crime are unconstitutional, says the notice of appeal, filed with the S.C Court of Appeals. Flemings lawyer, Debbie Barbier, who filed the notice of appeal with co-counsel Elizabeth Franklin-Best, said Friday, We do not believe that Mr. Fleming received a fair sentence in state court and intend to raise significant procedural and constitutional issues to the S.C. Court of Appeals. The S.C. Attorney Generals office has yet to file a response. The appeal notice says that at Flemings Sept. 14 sentencing, Judge Clifton Newman compared the embezzlement scheme Fleming orchestrated with Murdaugh with a recent South Carolina case of a mother who received 37 years in prison for murdering her child. Flemings and Murdaughs crime involved a complex but non-violent scheme that resulted in the theft of $4.3 million from the estate of Murdaughs late housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. The appeal notice also contended that Newman gave Fleming an excessive sentence because Newman had been influenced by the experience of presiding over Murdaughs double murder trial in Colleton County earlier this year. That trial resulted in a jury finding Murdaugh, a disbarred lawyer, guilty of murdering his wife and son. Newman also allowed the jury in the murder case to hear evidence of Murdaughs extensive history of thievery, including in the Satterfield case. Judges statements The appeal notes that Newman said at the Sept. 14 hearing that, theres no way there is a case in this state where the amount of thievery exceeded whats occurred in this case. Newman was apparently referring the Murdaughs total amount of stealing from his law firm, colleagues and clients over the years an amount estimated by federal prosecutors to be up to $10.5 million. The appeal notice quotes Judge Newman saying at the Sept. 14 hearing that Murdaughs thefts including from Satterfields estate were the greatest crime for a lawyer in the history of the state of South Carolina, certainly in the number of years being faced and the impact of the crimes on the citizens of the state. At the Sept. 14 hearing, Newman also said all the financial crimes including money laundering and breach of trust made Fleming eligible for a total of 195 years in prison. Although prosecutors at the hearing didnt state an exact number of years they wanted, it was clear from their general remarks they wanted Fleming to get substantially more than 10 years. In an argument to Newman at Flemings Sept. 14 sentencing hearing, Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General Creighton Waters argued that Fleming should get a severe sentence because of his abuse of the judicial system and his law license. Fleming had also admitted to conspiring with Murdaugh to embezzle from a client as far back as 2012 in addition to his helping Murdaugh loot the Satterfield estate, Waters told the judge. Waters emphasized that Flemings theft of Satterfields money was not just a one-time event. Barbier also asked Newman to have Flemings state sentence to run concurrent with a 46-month federal sentence that received from U.S. Judge Richard Gergel for federal versions of the state crimes. In the appeal, Barbier also pointed out that Newman ignored pertinent information, including Gergels remarks during the federal sentencing, that might have allowed Newman to give Fleming a lighter sentence. During that hearing, Gergel told the audience he did not think Fleming deserved to spend more than 46 months in prison. Gergel said that by sentencing Fleming to 46 months in prison, he was attempting to impose a full sentence, not a partial sentence, a full sentence. Newman told the audience at Flemings state sentencing hearing that he deliberately did not read a transcript of Gergels remarks, even though Gergel had said he wanted the state judge to know what happened in his court. The one thing that I did not review is Judge Gergels transcript. As much as I admire him and his capabilities as a federal judge and the great work that he does, I dont defer to the federal court system for in making my decisions, Newman said. Other SC crooked lawyers The appeal notice didnt mention other sentences that other crooked South Carolina lawyers have received in the recent years and how Flemings sentence compared with theirs. But a review of some high profile recent cases shows: In 2014 Lexington County lawyer Richard Breibart got a 5-year sentence in federal prison for stealing several clients life savings, an amount said to be at least $2.5 million. Briebarts had persuaded 13 clients that they were in danger of losing their savings to the IRS but he would keep their money safe. In 2018 former State Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Richland, who worked as a lawyer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after a Richland County jury found him guilty of misconduct and perjury, offenses stemming from Harrisons unlawful failure to disclose about $900,000 over 13 years he received from the Richard Quinn & Associates consulting firm while chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. In 2019 former 5th Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson, a lawyer, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for stealing some $44,000 in tax dollars for personal use while he was in the solicitors office. At the Sept. 14 hearing, Barbier stressed to the judge that Fleming accepted responsibility for his crimes and expressed remorse two factors that usually get leniency from a judge at sentencing. Fleming told Newman just before being sentenced that he had apologized to his family, his friends, his fellow lawyers and the judicial system for betraying everyone. He (Fleming) has confronted his actions. He has stepped up to the plate. He has fully acknowledged that he was wrong, that he committed illegal acts, and that he is guilty, Barbier told Newman. No Labels may not want a primary election in Arizona. But as a registered political party, it looks like it's going to get one. It remains an open question whether the No Labels Party must reveal its donors in Arizona. The partys insistence that it should be able to block candidates from running in Arizona under its banner, on the other hand, was wishful thinking. In a letter dated Sept. 22, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes rejected No Labels request to exclude two people who have filed to run in next years state primary. Neither of the men has the partys blessing. No Labels won't get what it wants No Labels has repeatedly said that: it doesnt plan to field any candidates for Arizona office; it wont file campaign finance reports in Arizona given that the party is interested only in nominating candidates for president and vice president; it doesnt plan to hold a state primary election. The first may be true in the pure form the party itself wont back or finance a candidate. The second will be determined by the courts. On the third, No Labels is out of luck. Political parties 'shall' have primaries Upon recognition earlier this year as a new political party, No Labels opened itself to a state primary. Arizona statute says, A new political party may become eligible for recognition and shall be represented by an official party ballot at the next ensuing regular primary election. The operative word being shall. Beyond that, nothing stops someone who is registered with a political party from gathering sufficient nomination signatures to qualify the partys primary election. The threshold is even easier for new political parties, requiring fewer signatures. For Grayson, this is performance art And the threshold is virtually nonexistent for someone like Richard Grayson, one of the two people whom No Labels is trying to block. Grayson, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat and perennial candidate who describes his candidacy as performance art, plans on running as a write-in candidate. He said hes running chiefly to be a thorn in the side of No Labels, whose leadership he believes is helping former President Donald Trump get elected by siphoning votes away from President Joe Biden. No Labels is not a political party: It's a scam His plan is honed: Wait until the deadline for submitting signatures; See who qualifies for the ballot; Look for an office in which theres no qualified candidate; and notify the Secretary of States Office of his plans to run as a write-in. His name, along with those of other verified write-in candidates, will be made available on the web and at polling sites come election time. He only needs a few votes to advance Grayson wouldnt need many votes. State law requires a plurality of the votes cast for the office. It could be one vote, theoretically. Grayson has won three Arizona primaries by way of the write-in route twice under the Green Party and once under Americans Elect with as few as two votes. Even if not a single person qualifies as a No Labels candidate, everyone registered with No Labels gets a blank ballot (with only a listing of offices up for election) for the August 2024 state primary. And Grayson unless challenged by another write-in for that yet-to-be-determined office will represent No Labels. Party support or not. Reach Abe Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. On X, formerly Twitter: @abekwok. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: No Labels will get the Arizona primary election it doesn't want The eleventh-hour bill that averted a federal government shutdown included no new funding for Ukraine, but President Joe Biden was quick to assure the Kyiv government that U.S. support remains steadfast. A Senate version of the measure would have provided more than $6 billion for Ukraine, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped the funding to placate some hard-line Republicans. Biden said he "fully expected" McCarthy would keep his commitment to Ukraine and secure passage of aid Kyiv needs. "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden said in a statement after signing the 45-day stopgap measure Saturday night. McCarthy expressed support for Ukraine but said the White House must discuss funding plans with House leadership so "we have a say as well." "What Russia has done is wrong," McCarthy said after the vote, adding that "whatever we do, we have to define what victory is and what the plan is." A bipartisan group of senators, including the majority and minority leaders, issued a statement saying they would continue working to provide the means for Ukraine to fight "against Putin s brazen aggression." But GOP support for Ukraine has weakened significantly in the House, where McCarthy is expected to face a vote for his ouster as speaker this week, possibly complicating further funding. There's no clear consensus on how quickly Ukraine needs the next aid package, but Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the sooner it's approved, the better. Every day that goes by that we dont get the additional money is a day Russia gets closer to being capable of winning this war, Murphy said. Ukrainians react during the All-National minute of silence in commemoration of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the country's war against Russia on Independence square in Kyiv on Oct. 1, 2023. 'Massive cyberattack' disrupts Russian aid; Moscow's economy struggles: Live updates Developments: Ukrainian drones struck a helicopter base in the Russian city of Sochi, home of the 2014 winter Olympics, Ukraine and Russian authorities said. An airplane factory in Smolensk also was hit. The Kremlin says eased U.N. sanctions against Iran will allow the sale of drones that Russia plans to use in a "massive blow" on Ukrainian forces. The U.S. and other Ukraine allies say Russia has been using Iran-built drones against Ukraine for several months. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters, There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict.'' He was responding comments by new Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps, who told the Sunday Telegraph he was discussing with the British army eventually training Ukrainian soldiers in their home country. Dozens of mourners hailed Yevgeny Prigozhin as a truth-telling hero at memorial services in Russian cities for the former Wagner boss, who was killed Aug. 23 in a mysterious plane crash that also took nine other lives. EU urges US lawmakers to reconsider in light of 'existential threat' The exclusion of military assistance for Ukraine in the U.S. spending bill took some European leaders by surprise, and they called on American lawmakers to reconsider while vowing to continue supporting the embattled nation. After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he hopes the U.S. decision is not final. We are facing an existential threat,'' Borrell said. "Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities, and if we want them to be successful, then you have to provide them with better arms, and quicker. Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraines presidential office, said the funding decision does not mean the U.S. has changed its position on Ukraine. All of Ukraines key partners are determined to support our country until its victory in this war, he wrote on Telegram. Putin rooting for another Trump term, former US defense chief says It's safe to say Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoyed watching Congress leave Ukraine aid out of the funding bill, though probably not as much as he'd like having former President Donald Trump return to the White House. Mark Esper, who served as Trump's defense secretary from July 2019 to November 2020, told CBS' "Face the Nation'' that Putin could be planning to extend the war through next year's presidential election and hope Trump returns to power. If that happens, "I suspect Trump will quickly move to end funding for Ukraine, and then at some point hes also going to move to withdraw funding for NATO, and maybe even pull out of NATO, which would be disastrous for United States national security," Esper said. The Biden administration has led the international resistance to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, investing more than $100 billion in the effort, which Trump has criticized. Pro-Moscow party wins in Slovakia, a NATO member A pro-Russian party won parliamentary elections in Slovakia and likely will seat a new prime minister who has vowed to halt aid to Ukraine. The Direction party of former Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed 23% of the votes Saturday while incumbent, pro-West Progressive Slovakia party was second with 18%. Slovakia has been among top supporters of the Kyiv government, but Fico has pledged to block Ukraine membership in NATO, questioned Ukraine's ability to defeat Russia and urged a negotiated settlement to the 19-month war. Progressive Slovakia Chairman Michal Simecka tweeted that the party had faced "constant attacks from all sides" and that the election results were "bad news and a big risk for Slovakia," a NATO member since 2004. Fico will get first crack at building a coalition government, but Simecka did not rule out the possibility of a coalition government led by his party. "We will do everything to ensure that Robert Fico does not rule in Slovakia," he told Pravda Slovakia. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine war updates: No money in spending bill that averted shutdown Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after investigating Aquirian (ASX:AQN), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger. Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It? Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Aquirian, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.045 = AU$880k (AU$26m - AU$6.1m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023). Thus, Aquirian has an ROCE of 4.5%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Professional Services industry average of 15%. Check out our latest analysis for Aquirian roce Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Aquirian's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you'd like to look at how Aquirian has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow. What Can We Tell From Aquirian's ROCE Trend? When we looked at the ROCE trend at Aquirian, we didn't gain much confidence. Over the last three years, returns on capital have decreased to 4.5% from 36% three years ago. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run. Story continues On a side note, Aquirian has done well to pay down its current liabilities to 24% of total assets. So we could link some of this to the decrease in ROCE. Effectively this means their suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of the business, which reduces some elements of risk. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE. Our Take On Aquirian's ROCE In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Aquirian is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. And there could be an opportunity here if other metrics look good too, because the stock has declined 45% in the last year. So we think it'd be worthwhile to look further into this stock given the trends look encouraging. If you'd like to know more about Aquirian, we've spotted 4 warning signs, and 3 of them are potentially serious. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sep 10, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Dontavius Jarrells speaks to attendees of the Black Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Vigil about the importance of speaking to your loved ones, friends and family about mental health on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023 at Mayme Moore Park. State Representative Dontavius Jarrells is a member of the Ohio State House of Representatives, representing District 1 (D-Columbus), and serves as the assistant minority leader. As a State legislator, I am compelled to shed light on an issue that affects countless Ohioans, including myselfobesity. This topic holds personal significance for me, as I have witnessed the struggles individuals endure in obtaining the resources they need to address this health challenge. Obesity is not a mere statistic; it is a relentless adversary that haunts millions of lives. It is a battle fought not only in the shadows of self-doubt but also in the harsh judgments of society. People often view obesity as a reflection of personal failure, a lack of discipline or willpower. But let me tell you, it is not a choice. It is a chronic disease. Opinion: Obesity is robbing Ohioans of opportunity The consequences of obesity are devastating. It is the second leading cause of preventable death in our nation, according to the National Institute of Health. Yet, it seems that the urgency to address this crisis falls behind other health concerns. State Rep. Dontavius Jarrells is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing District 25, which includes portions of Columbus, Clinton Township and Mifflin Township. In Ohio, the obesity situation is dire. Almost half of our state's population our neighbors, friends, and loved ones is currently living with obesity. More: Ohio's youth obesity rate is 10th highest in nation, report shows Even our seniors, who have weathered the storms of life, are not spared from this relentless disease. Over the past generation, obesity rates among Americans over 65 have nearly doubled. To make matters worse, the very system designed to provide care and support, Medicare, denies coverage for essential anti-obesity medications. We must fight for our seniors, for their right to a healthy and dignified life. New medications can help fight obesity But amidst this struggle, there is a glimmer of hopethe Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, federal legislation that was introduced this July in Congress. It would update Medicare to cover evidence-based obesity treatments, including FDA-approved medications, and would expand access to intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, empowering more healthcare providers to deliver essential support to Medicare beneficiaries. Moreover, addressing obesity is a matter of health equity. Black and Hispanic populations are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases stemming from untreated obesity. By fighting against obesity, we fight for justice and equality, ensuring that everyone has an equal chance at a healthy and fulfilling life. Let us not overlook the economic toll of obesity. The costs, both direct and indirect, are staggeringa crushing burden on individuals and our healthcare system, estimated at $1.4 trillion. By reducing obesity rates, we can alleviate this financial strain. As we eagerly await the Treat and Reduce Obesity Acts progress through Congress, I implore Ohio's entire congressional delegation to take a stand. Led by our esteemed Sen. Sherrod Brown, let us unite in support of this critical legislation. Brown has been a champion for our working families and retirees, and his endorsement of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would be a testament to his unwavering commitment to the well-being of Ohioans. The time for action is now. We cannot allow obesity to claim more lives, shatter more dreams, and perpetuate a cycle of despair. We owe it to ourselves, our loved ones, and the countless individuals whose voices go unheard in the depths of this struggle. Together, we can build a healthier Ohio and nation for all of us. State Representative Dontavius Jarrells is a member of the Ohio State House of Representatives, representing District 1 (D-Columbus), and serves as the assistant minority leader. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why Medicare should cover the cost of obesity medication Dave Zellmer, health educator with Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, demonstrates the usage of Narcan, generic name Nalaxone, in January for use in treatment of those experiencing an opioid overdose. As of June 30, there were 13 drug overdose deaths in Boone County. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has a slogan in relation to fentanyl: "One pill can kill." How does this apply in Columbia and Boone County? At a traffic stop Sept. 20, 815 fake Percocet pills were found by the Columbia Police Department where one field tested positive for fentanyl. In court documents, arresting officer Bradley Overton noted Columbia sees drug overdose deaths almost weekly. Overton's statement was not that far off. Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services through the Boone County Medical Examiner has logged 13 suspected or confirmed drug overdose deaths as of June 30, based on dispatch data the department provided to the Tribune. This means from Jan. 1 to June 30, there was a drug overdose death every other week. If this trend continues through the end of year, Boone County will see at least 26 overdose deaths, which comes close to the 30 reported deaths in 2022 and 31 in 2021 in dispatch data. There are some caveats to overdose data collection, wrote Heather Harlan, PHHS health educator. "Public health as a whole often has difficulty getting the data needed. Agencies often don't have a uniform mechanism in place to collect data on the impact on public health," she wrote. The data provided from PHHS from dispatch reports also notes that prior to 2020 there was not a dispatch code for overdoses, there may be a lag in cause of death determinations due to medical examiner backlogs and the dispatch data does not include instances where Narcan was used, but no first responders were called. This also explains the discrepancy between 2022 reported deaths at 30 compared to the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, which counted 34 fentanyl overdose deaths for Boone County. Need Narcan? PHHS has it PHHS is continuing its efforts to provide free Narcan, also known as Naloxone, which is a medicine that counteracts an opioid overdose. Its most recent monthly training and giveaway was Tuesday at Second Missionary Baptist Church. The department is able to provide the free Narcan through an Overdose Data 2 Action grant and works with Boone County Overdose Response Coalition on the monthly training events. Columbia residents attend an emergency community meeting on opioids Oct. 19, 2021 at Hickman High School. "The health department is working to provide Naloxone to anyone at our front desk who requests it during business hours (Monday through Friday)," Harlan wrote. "PHHS staff will also work with institutions, agencies, and organizations to provide trainings at no cost as requested and as we are able. "We find people are more willing to intervene if they have some training and they are more likely to use the Naloxone effectively." While PHHS does not have the resources to provide trainings more than once a month, more resources and grants are becoming available after the various opioid settlements. Another town hall likely; School of Hard Talks Drug overdose deaths nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021. It led to a town hall meeting at Hickman High School. The Boone County Overdose Response Coalition is preparing for another town hall meeting in the spring, Harlan wrote. PHHS also is working to enhance its connections with schools for education programs on opioids. It currently has flyers for students and parents up in schools answering five common questions, such as what fentanyl is, where it is found, how deadly it is and that Missouri is a Good Samaritan state, meaning there are not legal repercussions for reporting a drug overdose. Limited openings are available for PHHS' "School of Hard Talks" program with meetings 6-8 p.m. Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24 via Zoom. The program aims to improve communication skills for families, including parents of teens and adults who live with mental health and/or substance use conditions. Boone County adults can register by emailing Heather.Harlan@CoMo.gov or Monica.Stokes@CoMo.gov. If registration is full, there will be other opportunities at a later date. How to use Narcan Narcan is administered similar to other nasal spray medications. Narcan prevents opioids from attaching to brain receptors and negates what already is there. It takes about two to three minutes to work, and its effects wear off in about 30 to 90 minutes. If there is no change three minutes after administering a dose, it may be necessary to administer a second dose. Columbia Police Sgt. Dallas Dollens speaks at an October 2021 emergency community meeting on opioids at Hickman High School. Narcan causes near-immediate drug withdrawal symptoms, which is why it is important for a person to be put on their side with their head supported, known as the recovery position. Rescue breaths may be needed after the first dose of Narcan, and tilting a person's chin up to open the airway may be necessary as well. If 911 is called, let the dispatcher know a dose of Narcan was administered. To administer Narcan: Remove the foil backing from the package; Place the tip of the nozzle into a nostril, making sure your fingers touch the nose; Push the plunger to administer the entire dose. Signs of an opioid overdose include: Breathing will be slow or absent; Person is not moving; Lips or fingernails may be blue; The person may be choking, or you may hear a gurgling sound or snoring; Cold, clammy skin; The person will not wake up or does not react to a vigorous sternum rub; and Tiny pupils Even if you are not sure a person is having an opioid overdose, it is OK to give a dose of Narcan. Statewide and Central Missouri data Missouri DHSS breaks down overdose deaths between opioids, heroin, non-heroin opioids (fentanyl) and a combination of stimulant and opioids. Statewide there were 2,181 overdose deaths in 2022, where a majority (1,536) were from fentanyl. A breakdown of the data also was reviewed by the University of Missouri St. Louis for regions in Missouri. Heather Harlan, health educator with Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, in January displays a variety of resources available at a Save a Life Narcan training and distribution event at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. More: Narcan distribution aims to save community lives from opioid overdoses The Central Region, which includes Boone County, is the only region in the state that saw fewer opioid deaths in 2022 (194) when compared to 2021 (211), UMSL reported. While the death rate was 2.5 times more for Black residents than white residents in Missouri, based on UMSL data, Missouri HHS notes white men were the most killed by overdoses in 2022. Fentanyl caused 67% of all overdose deaths in Missouri in 2022, UMSL reported. From October 2021: Half of this year's drug overdose deaths recorded in Columbia have occurred since Aug. 1 Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Fentanyl overdose deaths in Boone County occur nearly every other week Police fined a car owner after a speed camera appeared to show a dog behind the wheel The image caught by a speed camera appearing to show a dog at the wheel of a Skoda. Policia Slovenskej republiky / Facebook A photograph taken by a speed camera in Slovakia appeared to show a dog behind the wheel of a car. Police said the vehicle owner claimed that his dog had suddenly jumped onto his lap. Officers found no evidence to support his claim and issued him with a fine. Police in Slovakia have fined the owner of a car after a speed camera appeared to show a dog behind the wheel. The vehicle was traveling 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) and hour over the speed limit in the village of Sterusy, in western Slovakia. The image captured by a speed camera appears to show only a dog in the driver's seat. Slovakian police said in a post on Facebook on Friday that the image showed a brown dog "sitting obediently behind the wheel of a Skoda," per an English translation. A 31-year-old man, who was actually driving the vehicle, claimed that his dog had suddenly leapt onto his lap, according to the police. However, officers said in the post that there hadn't been any sudden movement in the car and they fined the man for violating traffic regulations. It's not clear how much he was fined. Police did seem to see the funny side of the incident, though, with a mock conversation with the dog about speeding that may sound better in the original Slovak than an English online translation. Police urged drivers to properly secure all pets when travelling, as even small animals can endanger vehicle safety. US researchers found that drivers who didn't restrain their dogs in cars were considerably more likely to lose concentration as a result of their pet's behaviour, according to a 2019 Volvo Car USA study. It found the number of "unsafe driving behaviours" that diverted a driver's attention away from the road ahead rose 137%, from 274 to 649, when dogs were not properly secured in cars. Slovakian police did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours. Read the original article on Business Insider As human access to space expands, the influx of new actors promises to forever alter the dynamics of space. The head-to-head U.S.Soviet rivalry that once dominated the Space Race will evolve into something more inclusivebut also messier. Aspiring space nations, such as Luxembourg, India, and China, together with new categories of nonstate actors, including large industrial players, startups, and universities, raise questions about how we should regulate space. Explosive commercialization is particularly challenging for existing space law, whose foundations were set in the 1960s and designed with national governments in mind. This rapidly changing environment is dramatized in Little Assistance, a new Future Tense Fiction story from Stephen Harrison. The story follows the first judge in space, who is considering a case that highlights how publicprivate collaborations and commercialization are testing existing national and international space laws. The story propels us into the future, where NASA has contracted with the corporation Stellarco to run its Luna Homestead settlementa claustrophobic off-Earth mining town. Stellarco files suit against NASA when its drill is damaged after hitting a pocket of hardened lunar bedrock. Who should be responsible for the cost of repairing the drill, and the time and money lost during the process of repair? Commercial mining is an underdeveloped aspect of international space law, and as someone who researches the future of property rights in space, I often turn to science fiction like Little Assistance to fill in the gaps of what we can expect. Since the dawn of the Space Race, science fiction writers have been dramatizing the legal and political dimensions of space exploration. For example, in 1961s Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein describes a fictional court decision that establishes that the moon is owned by those who reside on it. Stories like Heinleins and Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars trilogy (19921996) illustrate the limitations of existing space law, which largely excludes corporations and other nonstate actors, concentrating instead on protecting state sovereignty and preventing state conflict over territory and resources. This creates ambiguity around commercial actors like the fictional Stellarco, especially when they are functioning in partnership with governments. And this ambiguity is where speculative fiction can be a useful tool: How can we better align regulation with the actual activities humans will be undertaking in space? How can governments and private enterprise maneuver around one another, sharing jurisdiction on the moon and beyond? To understand how we ended up with our current governance regime for outer space, its worth looking back to the 1957 Sputnik launch. The Soviets successful launch made space regulation urgent in order to avoid the escalation of weaponization between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in space. During the Cold War, negotiations started at the United Nations, and in 1963, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space. Subsequently, the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space penned five international treaties and five sets of principles, which were ratified by 114 countries. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 was the most wide-ranging and influential. These treaties deal with lots of sticky issues: non-appropriation of space by any one country, arms control, freedom of exploration, liability for damage caused by human-created objects, safety and rescue of spacecraft and astronauts, prevention of harmful interference with space activities and the environment, notification and registration of activities, scientific investigation, exploitation of natural resources, and settlement of disputes. Dispute resolution is at the center of Harrisons story, which illustrates how enforcing the principles of the Outer Space Treaty becomes more challenging when space and its resources are opened to commercial activities. The arrival of new actors like SpaceX has put pressure on states to update their legal and political frameworks. Responding to the commercialization of spaceand, perhaps, seeking to take the lead in a new kind of space racethe U.S., Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan have adopted laws that allow commercial mining. They assert that private mining activities comply with Article II of the Outer Space Treaty, which stipulates that outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use, or by any other means. Not all space lawyers agree with this interpretation: These national laws are controversial, with some experts claiming that they violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the Outer Space Treaty. As the preamble to the treaty states, the exploration and use of outer space should be for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the degree of their economic or scientific development. For a small number of wealthy nations to allow exclusive property rights over commercially mined resources muddles the idea that space should be for the common good. Little Assistance highlights another often-overlooked aspect of the debate over the future of space exploration by representing Stellarcos legal dispute with NASA as a matter decided by the U.S. federal court system. Although the Outer Space Treaty bars states from claiming sovereignty over the moon or any other celestial bodies, this doesnt mean that commercial entities like SpaceX operate without regulatory oversight. The treaty requires states to authorize and supervise the activities of nongovernmental entities. The U.S., like other spacefaring nations, exercises jurisdictional authority over its own registered space entities, including government agencies, private companies, and individuals involved in space exploration or commercial endeavours, in accordance with both national and international space law. In this way, even private-sector activities in space can have the effect of extending a nations power by establishing zones of governance and oversight off Earth. U.S.-registered space companies operate under the oversight of U.S. federal agenciesprimarily the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Communications Commission. These agencies grant licenses and permits for space activities, regulate radiofrequency spectrum use, and ensure compliance with U.S. laws and regulations. This means the U.S. government has a responsibility to ensure that private companies mining activities align with the obligations set forth in U.N. space treaties. In other words, although the influence of the commercial space sector will certainly expand over the coming decades, as Harrisons story illustrates, corporations do not yet have the power to dictate a new set of extraterrestrial laws. This is where the law and science fiction stories depart. While Heinlein, Robinson, and other sci-fi authors imagine space enterprises and communities declaring their independence from earthly powers, the contours of international law are still being drawn by nation-states. But in contrast to the early movements of space law in the 1960s, the main platform for policymaking may no longer be the U.N. In 2020, NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and seven other founding nations, established the Artemis Accords, currently signed by 29 countries. Like in Little Assistance, these accords indicate that national governments may tighten their grip on the moon and other celestial bodies, rather than losing ground to emerging private-sector firms. The Artemis Accords propose strengthening and extending territorial jurisdictions through safety zones. In theory, these zones give states operating on a piece of lunar land the power to exclude other states and their nationals from accessing the zone, and to enforce the laws of the state operating the zone. Although to what extent this equates to expanding territory and asserting sovereignty is debatable, claiming a piece of lunar real estate as a safety zone comes close to national appropriation, even if there isnt a formal claim of ownership. In Little Assistance, Stellarcos Luna Homestead may not represent a formal U.S. territory, but it flies the U.S. flag (alongside the corporations banner), and legal disputes unfolding on that land are governed by U.S. law, subject to U.S. federal jurisprudence. These multilateral agreements, in tandem with national laws that help to expand the commercial space sector, could enable nations and their commercial partners to carve up the moon and other space arenas into exclusive zonessetting the stage for another high-stakes geopolitical game of space chess. If we value the ideals of the Outer Space Treaty, its urgent that we develop alternatives that curb national appropriation and ensure that space is used for the benefit of all humankind, not just the first and most assertive movers. The most recent events in the wake of Canadian allegations against India on the alleged killing of a Sikh separatist and the ongoing war in Europe are tests for American diplomacy. There is no doubt nations are looking at United States for leadership in finding amicable solutions to complex diplomatic issues. America is also focusing on its strategic interests by trying to realign and establish partnerships. On Sept. 18, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dropped a bombshell allegation against India in the alleged killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada. This briefing in the Canadian House of Commons occurred right after Trudeau returned to Ottawa from India after the G20 summit. The meeting apparently did not go well for Trudeau as there were ongoing tensions between the two countries about the Khalistan movement in Canada. Although the reasons behind going public without disclosing the evidence and the timing of such an announcement by the Canadian Prime Minister are not well understood, certainly it has created a diplomatic standoff between two important nations bringing global attention. This situation has put the United States in a diplomatic hotspot as it tries to be a mediator between an ally and a strategic partner. It is common in situations of such sensitivity; discussions happen in private settings by providing compelling evidence to back up the allegations. The United States has been trying to be an effective mediator by coordinating with the Canadians to complete the investigation while encouraging India to cooperate. The government of India has stated that if Canada provided any reliable evidence, it would certainly cooperate with the investigations, which was echoed by Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India during his current visit to the United States. Given the rising clout of India on the global stage, being the most populous nation on earth with the 5th largest economy, nations are handling the situation carefully so tensions do not escalate. That is the reason there has not been a public condemnation of India by the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, who are expecting that the investigations in Canada would produce result that can be shared. The muted response by leading nations for Canadas allegation is a clear diplomatic strategy, while encouraging proper investigation to provide results. The United States understands the importance of India, all the way acknowledging the long-standing support of Canada by being an ally and one of its largest trading partners. In the past 20 years the friendship between the United States and India has been on an upward trajectory, which is valued by the two nations and other freedom-loving countries due to the enormous possibilities in the global security, economy, and political arenas. Amidst the ongoing diplomatic spat between India and Canada, the United Kingdom has not halted the trade talks with India and is expected to reach an agreement soon. The relationship between the United States and India is getting strengthened with many high-level visits and talks as is evident by the first state visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States in June. This visit resulted in bilateral collaborations in science and technology and strengthening the semiconductor supply chain between the two nations and increasing investments in chip manufacturing and research in India by U.S. companies. Likewise, President Biden visited India for the recent G20 summit in New Delhi which had high level absentees such as President Xi of China and President Putin of Russia. This event was a witness to the rising clout and global aspirations of India, and its interest to engage with the global north to create win-win strategic partnerships. India and the United States view China as a competitor and challenge, and hence joining forces in technology, defense and global security arenas will weaken China and would benefit the world. There is today, you have a very compelling need for India and United States to work together, said Dr. S. Jaishankar while touring United States recently for the United Nations general assembly. When pressed about the areas of cooperation, he answered that there are opportunities for partnerships in technology, defense and security, and geopolitics. The two nations have ongoing collaboration in initiatives such as India-U.S. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, given the importance of AI, cyber security, and information sharing. The United States values India as a strategic partner and a friend to counter the influence of China in the Indian Ocean region as a way of bridging the divide between North and South and engaging the West with the East. This strategic partnership may prove valuable in countering China s political growth in Africa and the Indo-Pacific zone and strengthen the supply chain in security tools and products of critical needs. In a joint statement issued during the G20 summit, President Biden and Indian Prime Minister Modi called on their respective governments to strengthen strategic partnerships, emphasizing the importance of freedom, democracy, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all citizens. India aspires to be a developed nation in the next 25 years, which is focused on growth termed as Amrit Kal, and is wanting a seat in the UN Security Council as a permanent member. The partnership with United States will prove valuable toward achieving these goals. Given Indias global presence and strength in the IT and service sectors, and its investments in space research by becoming the first nation to land on the south pole of moon, the United States can gain a reliable partner for its global outreach, particularly in the South. Recently, the U.S. State Department has released a report on the information manipulation by China and hence having a global IT powerhouse like India will help with tackling cybercrimes and counter Chinese false propaganda. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indias External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar met Thursday to further strengthen the bilateral partnership. Certainly, there were discussions on the ongoing diplomatic spat between India and Canada and such private discussions may prove to be more productive and fruitful. The United States is practicing right diplomacy by constantly engaging with growing global power India. Engaging in high-level discussions by the United States in closed settings and some backchannel-door diplomacy would help with easing tensions between India and Canada. The United States handling of the India-Canada tensions with careful diplomacy gives confidence in the role of America in a multi-polar world. The partnership between the United State and India and engaging with common friends and allies will result in enormous possibilities for a secure world. Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar is a professor in the department of environmental toxicology at Texas Tech University. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Ramkumar: The United States in a multi-polar world Longtime Savannahian, Dale Critz Sr., 91, died Sept. 29. He was well-known for both his acumen in the automotive industry and his familys philanthropic efforts, for which he was honored numerous times. Just a few days ago, the boardroom of the United Way of the Coastal Empire was named for Critz, who was described as a consistently active volunteer leader. At a surprise ceremony at the United Way building on Bull Street, Critz was recognized as not just a member of our United Way of the Coastal Empire family; he is the heart and soul of our Alexis de Tocqueville Society, according to Brynn Grant, president and chief executive officer of the local United Way. Additionally, Grant said: Many invest in our work today because of Dales influence and passion for our mission. Critz was a 25-year member and former chairman of the Tocqueville Society, which is the United Ways most prestigious giving society, with members contributing $10,000 or more annually to the United Way Community Fund. Honored: Four long-time Savannah community volunteers receive Legends, Leaders and Life Well Lived Award In a 2021 interview Critz said one of his goals was making Savannah a better place to live, after he and wife, Lila, received the Legends, Leaders and Life Well-Lived Award from Senior Citizens, Inc. (You make Savannah better) by working with charities and through preservation, he explained. The Critzes began volunteering decades ago with groups such as the Telfair Museums, Junior Achievement and the Junior League of Savannah. A longtime resident of the Historic District, Critz was a past president of the Historic Savannah Foundation and in 2017 received the Davenport Trophy, the groups highest preservation achievement honor. Critz was a dear friend and mentor of longtime family friend and business associate J. Curtis Lewis III. He was a true icon in this community, not just in the automotive world but in philanthropic and civic matters, Lewis added. I was fortunate to work with on a number of business and charitable endeavors, He was a family man of integrity, and I will miss him. Critz served on the endowment committees at the Georgia Historical Society, the Savannah Community Foundation, and the George Washington Foundation. He was a 60-year member of Rotary Club of Savannah and in 2004 was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. The Critz Tybee Run Fest has donated more than $560,000 to local organizations that foster education and healthy living in the Coastal Empire. In 2019 the family established the Critz Family Fund at the Georgia Historical Society, ensuring that their commitment to Georgia history will continue in perpetuity, according to the society. Bill Daniel, a retired businessman and colleague of Critz's, decribed Critz as a "Savannah institution." "In business, he has always represented the best in integrity and successfully guided some of our oldest and most important nonprofit institutions through decades of service and growth," said Daniel. "Savannah, coastal Georgia and South Carolina as better places because Dale Critz chose to make a difference." A native of Little Rock, Ark., Critz graduated from Duke University in 1955. He and his wife were married in 1957 and moved to Savannah shortly afterward to join his familys automobile business, Critz, Inc. During his 45-year career he established dealerships in Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida. In 1998 he was honored by Time magazine as the Quality Automobile Dealer of the Year. He retired in 2002 and his son, Dale, now serves as president and CEO of Critz Auto Group. Funeral arrangements are pending. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah businessman, philanthropist Dale Critz Sr. passes away Two East Stroudsburg University students were taken to the hospital Saturday with non-life-threatening stab wounds, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. The men, both 19, engaged in a physical altercation involving a knife, police said. State police were dispatched to the ESU Ridge Apartments around 6:11 a.m., where they spoke with university police. The men had already been taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono. The students were not named in a Saturday news release from the state police, but will be identified at a later time. Charges are expected for both, the police said. This was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the campus or community, police said. This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: PSP: Two ESU students injured in fight, will be charged Summer clouds drift over the towering peaks of Grand Teton National Park in this August 2018 file photo. Some places in this world make you realize how small you are. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is one of them. Its namesake peak, Grand Teton, towers at 13,775 feet tall, while others in the Teton Range top 12,000 feet, according to the park. Scenic Jackson Hole valley sprawls below with a wide array of wildlife to see and wilderness to explore. Its easy to see why so many people visit the park, one of the most popular in America. Heres what travelers should know about Grand Teton, the latest national park in USA TODAYs yearlong series. What is so special about Grand Teton? The thing that is so special about Grand Teton (is) of course the mountains, said C.J. Adams, public affairs specialist for the park. We call them the mountains of imagination because when you close your eyes and picture mountains, you picture something like the Tetons. The views are spectacular, added Valerie Gohlke, public affairs officer for Grant Teton, who also praised the parks pristine lakes and Snake River. Jenny Lake mirrors the mountains at Grand Teton National Park. What activities can people do at Grand Teton? With all those picture perfect views, photography is very popular. "This park is where I fell in love with photography and whether that's taking pictures of scenery, taking pictures of wildlife, that's one of my favorite things to do," Adams said. The park is also a haven for hiking, climbing and biking. Gohlke noted there are 250 miles of trails and a multiuse pathway through the park that's phenomenal. Visitors who prefer to drive from place to place can take a scenic drive through Grand Teton. Its one of the best places in the country for that, Adams said. How many days in Grand Teton is enough? Visitors can get a taste of the roughly 310,000-acre park in a day, but Adams recommends staying as long as you can. I've been in the Tetons for about a decade now, and there (are) still things on my list that I want to see, he said. It could take a lifetime to explore. The Northern Lights dance above the Tetons. Do you need reservations to enter Grand Teton National Park? No, but visitors arriving by car will need to pay a vehicle entrance fee of $35. Its $30 for motorcycles and $20 for visitors arriving by foot, bike or ski, according to the park. Reservations are required for campgrounds, and permits are required for backcountry camping. What is the best month to visit Grand Teton? The most popular time to visit is May through September, but Adams and Gohlkes favorite time of year in Grand Teton is right now. If you see an aspen tree with a white bark with banana yellow leaves against the blue sky, it's breathtaking, Gohlke said of the fall colors. Typically the third week of September into October is kind of when those colors begin into peak, and wildlife are a little bit more active as they begin their fall migrations, Adams said. Then the spring can be great. It's the time when the all the baby animals are being born throughout the ecosystem, and wildlife is beginning to migrate into Grand Teton National Park. Visitors should note that while the park is open year-round, some roads, most visitors facilities and all campgrounds are limited or closed each November through April, according to the park. The latest closures and conditions are available on the parks website. Grizzly bear #399 emerged from hibernation with a cub on May 16, 2023, according to Grand Teton National Park. What kinds of animals are in Grand Teton? Elk, bison, wolves, fox, moose, raptors, river otter, beavers, deer the list is endless, Gohlke said. She and Adams noted that where and when wildlife show up are unpredictable, but there are definite opportunities for viewing. I was on a hike yesterday and saw a black bear, Adams said. Then on my drive to work, which is only 2 miles, I saw a big herd of elk this morning. What is the closest big city to Grand Teton? There arent really any big cities near the park. The nearest sizable town is Jackson, Wyoming, which has under 11,000 residents according to the U.S. census. Jackson is the town, while Jackson Hole refers to the larger valley. The nearest airport, Jackson Hole Airport, is actually inside the park. The airport notes its the only commercial airport in the country that's entirely inside a national park. Some folks fly into Jackson, Gohlke said. Some folks fly into Bozeman (or) Billings, Montana, and then Salt Lake City, which is a farther drive but oftentimes you can get cheaper flights. Grand Teton National Park's entrance sign welcomes visitors. How far apart are Yellowstone and Grand Teton? Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks are relatively close together, but not as close as they may appear at their borders. The distance between Grand Tetons Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center and Yellowstones Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is 86 miles, which would take just over 2 hours to drive. Both parks have multiple visitor centers. A lot of the time, people will combine both parks because we're so geographically close together, said Gohlke, who worked at Yellowstone for years. She urged travelers to plan ahead. There's just so much to see and do in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone that I really think your best bet is to come in with a plan. Moose are among the many wild animals visitors may see at Grand Teton National Park What Native American tribes lived in the Tetons? Twenty-four tribes have historic ties to the Tetons, according to the park. Each summer, the park hosts an American Indian Guest Artist Program at Colter Bay Visitor Center, inviting Indigenous artists to share their art and culture with visitors. This years program runs through Oct. 2. Every single time is a phenomenal experience to be able to share that with them and for them to have ceremonies and tribal celebrations on their Native lands, Gohlke said. It's a pretty spectacular experience when we get to collaborate with the tribes. American Indian Guest Artist Debbie LaMere works with beads at Grand Teton National Park. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grand Teton National Park is what you imagine when you think mountains Most public school students in New Jersey look forward to several days off, if not the entire week, in early November. That week, which includes Election Day and teacher convention days, offers an ideal opportunity for high school students to visit potential colleges. College classes, and the activities that surround them, are in full swing. So, visiting students can get the full experience of what life would be like on any campus. Its extremely beneficial for college-bound students to tour the schools, to which they plan to apply, in advance of filing applications. Sometimes, a campus visit will end up deleting the college from a students list as it may not be all that was envisioned. Other times, it may move the school to the top of the list, worthy of consideration for an Early Decision (binding) application. In addition to helping students prioritize their college list, such visits can increase their chances of gaining admission. Colleges carefully track student visits as a sign of demonstrated interest, and they favor students whom they believe will enroll if accepted. More: US News and World Report ranks the best colleges for 2024 | College Connection If parents are available during the November break, its an ideal time for a road trip. Most students attend college within five hours of home, so the trip need not be to a far-off locale. Many students have Boston and Washington, D.C. schools on their list of potential colleges, making these attractive locations. Families headed to Boston may want to make stops along the way at Fairfield, Quinnipiac, University of Connecticut, University of Rhode Island, and Brown, as these are popular with New Jersey students. Those headed to Washington D.C. may choose to stop at the University of Delaware, Johns Hopkins, Loyola, and University of Maryland. Wherever students plan to visit, they should register in advance and then sign in when they arrive. This will ensure that their visit is documented, thus helping to show demonstrated interest. Students and parents should feel free to ask any questions on their minds during the tours, as the tour leaders all current students offer a wealth of knowledge and experience and do not report back on anyones inquiries. More: The college degrees paying $100K salaries in 2023 | College Connection Students who are on their own during their November break can still put the days to great use by touring nearby campuses. More than 40,000 high school students, the majority of whom are from New Jersey, apply to Rutgers-New Brunswick each year, making that a great option to check out. The more than two dozen other New Jersey colleges and universities offer plenty of additional tour options. Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: College tour tips for November campus visits The beloved Toyota FJ Cruiser may have left the United States nearly a decade ago, but it remained in production globally for a healthy 17 years before finally hitting the cutting room floor earlier in 2023 . Perhaps just in time, rumors are swirling of a small offering in the Land Cruiser family that could potentially signal the reboot of the FJ Cruiseror at least embody its spirit in form and function. Earlier this year, Toyota held a very special presentation to showcase the 2024 Land Cruiser . And at the end of the presentation, the automaker showed off two silhouettes, teasing new vehicles that might debut within the Land Cruiser family. One of those designs was a small, boxy SUV that appears to incorporate similar cues as the late FJ Cruiser and the new Prado-based Land Cruiser 250 . Toyota patented the name "Land Hopper" in Japan following the presentation. While that might sound like a silly name to some, it's arguably an apt way to describe a more compact version of Toyota's venerable off-roading icon. Rumors are now circulating the the Land Hopper designation could be Toyota's official moniker for its unidentified smaller SUV. And just this week, more details have followed from Japanese media outlet Best Car . They're all rumors of course, but they have our imagination running wild. According to the publication, the tiny Land Hopper will be sized similarly to the Toyota Corolla Cross , which would seemingly class this small SUV alongside the Ford Bronco Sport . Best Car also revealed that the rumored vehicle will be built on a shortened version of the GA-F architecture, which already serves as the underpinnings for the full-size Land Cruiser, Land Cruiser Prado, and Lexus GX, as well as the Toyota Sequoia , Tacoma , and Tundra . If true, that means this tiny truckjust like the original FJ Cruiserwould be body-on-frame . Toyota GA-F underpinnings The powertrain selection still appears to be up in the air. Best Car says that Toyota will offer two engine options for the model in its home market. Buyers will reportedly be able to choose between a traditional, naturally aspirated four-cylinder or a hybrid powertrain. For Japanese buyers, that could mean the option of the 1.8-liter four-cylinder and hybrid from the Corolla Cross, or the 2.0-liter gasoline and 2.5-liter hybrids from the RAV4 . Best Car suggests that Toyota may also choose to throw in a smaller, 1.5-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain. The potential for pure battery-electric propulsion is reportedly still under consideration, though all signs suggest it wouldn't immediately be available at launch. https://www.youtube.com/live/LwosZEZM9Xg?feature=shared\u0026t=1110 And that launch may not be all that far away. Toyota is expected to reveal the Land Hopper at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, which begins on October 25th. The vehicle itself is anticipated to be released in the second half of 2024. No official price has been announced; however, Best Car speculates that the truck will be priced as the lowest-cost entry into the Land Cruiser brand, starting between $20,100 and $25,500 in its home market. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: rob@thedrive.com It is usually uneventful when a single insider buys stock. However, When quite a few insiders buy shares, as it happened in Frenkel Topping Group Plc's (LON:FEN) case, it's fantastic news for shareholders. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. Check out our latest analysis for Frenkel Topping Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Frenkel Topping Group In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when MD & Executive Director Mark Holt bought UK70k worth of shares at a price of UK0.54 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is UK0.59. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. In this case we're pleased to report that the insider purchases were made at close to current prices. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 155.00k shares worth UK87k. But insiders sold 25.00k shares worth UK17k. Overall, Frenkel Topping Group insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Frenkel Topping Group is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Frenkel Topping Group Insiders Bought Stock Recently It's good to see that Frenkel Topping Group insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. MD & Executive Director Mark Holt spent UK70k on stock, and there wasn't any selling. That shows some optimism about the company's future. Story continues Does Frenkel Topping Group Boast High Insider Ownership? Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From looking at our data, insiders own UK1.5m worth of Frenkel Topping Group stock, about 2.1% of the company. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. We prefer to see high levels of insider ownership. So What Does This Data Suggest About Frenkel Topping Group Insiders? The recent insider purchase is heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. On this analysis the only slight negative we see is the fairly low (overall) insider ownership; their transactions suggest that they are quite positive on Frenkel Topping Group stock. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. At Simply Wall St, we found 2 warning signs for Frenkel Topping Group that deserve your attention before buying any shares. Of course Frenkel Topping Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. [Source] A Japanese restaurant that opened for business in Cincinnati last month is reportedly offering a different kind of dining experience to residents in the Tri-State area. Key details: Located on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati, Kawa Revolving Sushi, which opened on Aug. 5, is the first conveyor belt sushi restaurant in the Tri-State area, according to WCPO 9. What to expect: After sitting at one of the restaurant's tables, diners can pick plates from the conveyor belt. If they cannot find what they are looking for from the selection, diners can instead opt to order from an iPad, which will be delivered via a toy car above the conveyor belt. A Kawa staff member will reportedly assist the diner and explain how to operate the iPad once they are seated. More from NextShark: Twitter post about restaurant's mathematical pizza miscalculation goes mega-viral They also have robots: Besides a conveyor belt and toy cars, Kawa has also employed robots to serve diners their orders and drinks. Other details: The restaurant offers affordable sushi meals, ranging from $3.25 for the lidded plates on the conveyor belt to up to $12.39 for specialty rolls. Once done, a Kawa staff member will total up how many plates a diner consumed for their meal as well as the orders they made from the iPad. More from NextShark: Japanese pizza restaurant chain unveils 'Ice Cream Fondue Pizza' Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! California Thai restaurant's dish so spicy it caused 'chemical burns,' lawsuit alleges Asians call out Portland brand Better Boba for alleged whitewashing Former President Trumps GOP rivals are signaling more willingness to attack him as the Iowa caucuses approach and the front-runners lead shows few signs of shaking. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) was among those who let loose on the former president during Wednesday nights debate a notable shift from a candidate who had generally been cautious about alienating Trumps loyal base. Such attacks open a new phase of the primary as Trumps rivals grow increasingly desperate with only a few months before early voting begins. Its getting late, and so if your campaign is going to make a move, nows the time, said Republican strategist Nicole Schlinger. Trump, who has maintained a double-digit lead over his rivals in most national and state polls, continues to exert a strong influence over the Republican Party. For that reason, many GOP presidential candidates have been reluctant to bash him, worried about alienating the all-important base. Wednesday nights event suggested that might be changing. DeSantis and others were quick to criticize the former president over his absence from the stage. Trump has cited his large lead in the polls as his reason for not attending the debates, and he is expected to skip the third one in early November, as well. DeSantis, who has most consistently placed in second in polling, arguably took the biggest shift in approach to Trump, more directly addressing Trump after spending much of the campaign dancing around the former president. Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight, DeSantis said. Other candidates also chimed in to hit Trump. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has by far been the most vocal in criticizing the front-runner, spoke directly to Trump through the camera, arguing Trump was skipping the debate because he is afraid of being challenged. I know youre watching, OK? And youre not here tonight not because of polls and not because of your indictments. Youre not here tonight because youre afraid of being on this stage and defending your record, Christie said. GOP strategist Matt Mackowiak said the attack on Trump skipping the debates is strong because theres really not a good answer. Using a poll as justification for not answering questions may be strategically defensible, but its sort of hard to convince voters that youre above it, he said. Mackowiak added that these attacks are about trying to goad Trump into appearing at the debate to allow them to prosecute the case against Trump in a direct confrontation. He said a sustained attack will be needed for the criticism to stick, but it could matter in early-voting states when the Republican National Committee holds future debates in states like Iowa. Leading candidates have experienced disappointing performances in early states after skipping a debate there. Former President Reagan in 1980 and Trump in 2016 lost the Iowa caucuses after skipping debates in the Hawkeye State, while former President George W. Bush suffered a loss in New Hampshire in 2000 after being late to join the debates. Schlinger, who is based in Iowa, emphasized that candidates will benefit during this period of the race from being on the ground in the early states and sharing their message directly with voters. She said time is running out for candidates to win over these voters, meaning they need to set themselves apart from Trump. Strategists said Trump is not likely to have much incentive to participate in these debates despite the attacks unless he believes he will face some political consequence, which has not happened yet. We are entering the time in which caucus-goers are going to vet these candidates seriously and start making up their mind, Schlinger said. And truly, we have less time than the calendar really indicates because youre going to have a hard stop at Thanksgiving. Youre gonna have a hard stop at Christmas. So there is time, but we are in a critical period now. Aaron Kall, an expert on presidential debates and the director of debate at the University of Michigan, said the candidates learned from seeing the first debate not move the needle at all in terms of Trumps lead. Candidates like former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence received praise for their performances in the first debate, but Trumps lead remained as prominent as before, though Haley did see some improvement in the polls. Kall said the candidates began criticizing Trump more, especially for not attending the debate, in the days leading up to the event, demonstrating they are bringing their attacks more to the campaign trail. They all came to the conclusion that even if there are individual solid performances in the debate, unless you accompany that with bringing numbers down and declining, youre not going to make up any solid ground, he said. The candidates on stage also went after Trump on a few policy issues. DeSantis slammed Trump for comments he made earlier this month, when the former president called the six-week abortion ban DeSantis signed a terrible mistake. Hes had a lot to say about that, the governor said. He should be here explaining his comments to try to say that pro-life protections are somehow a terrible thing. Haley, who has said during her campaign that she will be open about areas in which she agrees and disagrees with Trump, said the former president only focused on trade relations with China and didnt address other areas, like the flow of fentanyl into the United States and intellectual property theft. This is where President Trump went wrong, she said on the debate stage. He focused on trade with China. He didnt focus on the fact that they were buying up our farmland. He didnt focus on the fact that they were killing Americans. He didnt focus on the fact that they were stealing $600 billion in intellectual property. Some of these policy issues could prove potent for Republicans in early-voting states. Iowa is known for a strong base of evangelical voters who are likely to prioritize restricting abortion, while polling shows three-quarters of Republicans view China as the countrys biggest adversary. But some strategists said the attacks were still relatively minor and needed to be stepped up significantly to have an effect. The debate turned raucous in places, but GOP strategist Alex Conant said the candidates on stage seemed more interested in going after each other rather than Trump. Every moment during the debate stage talking to 9 million people not about why theyre a better candidate than Trump is a waste of everyones time. So I think every question they should be pivoting towards why they are better than Donald Trump, he said. Their biggest complaint seemed to be that he wasnt on the debate stage, which is not a salient attack since he suffered no penalty for skipping the first event, Conant added. New Hampshire-based Republican strategist Mike Dennehy said the debates typically have been extremely important in helping and hurting candidates, but the effect has been diluted because of Trumps absence. He said the candidates would be able to land more effective attacks on Trump if they unified to have a concerted critique targeting him. If the candidates had gotten together on this debate and even on the Nov. 8 debate, I believe the more candidates you have being critical of Donald Trump, the better, Dennehy said. He said he expects the candidates to pick up their attacks on Trump because they are feeling pressure as time passes. But he argued they will be in trouble if they cannot show some degree of success soon. If theres not another candidate in the 30 percent range by Dec. 1, then they all need to be asking, Is this worth it? Dennehy said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (NewsNation) Duane Keefe D Davis, the man now charged with murder in the death of Tupac Shakur, admitted in a 2019 memoir and in media interviews that he was in the car from which gunfire erupted during the drive-by in Las Vegas that killed Shakur 27 years ago. Greg Kading , a retired Los Angeles police detective who spent years investigating the killing, believes Davis has talked himself straight into prison. The strength of this prosecution lies solely on the confession that Keefe D has made since 2009, Kading said during Fridays edition of Banfield on NewsNation. Davis has long been known to investigators as one of four suspects identified early in the investigation into the 1996 killing. Davis isnt the accused gunman, but was described as the groups ringleader by authorities Friday at a news conference and in court. In Nevada, a suspect can be charged with a crime, including murder, if they help someone commit the crime. Duane Davis was the shot-caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime, said police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson, and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out. Womans murder solved 30 years later; suspects daughter provides significant evidence Davis himself has admitted in interviews and in his memoir, Compton Street Legend, that he provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting. Police believe the shooting was in retaliation for a brawl earlier in the night between Shakur and Davis nephew, Orlando Baby Lane Anderson. Davis has said Anderson was in the back seat of the car from which the gunfire erupted, but Anderson denied any involvement. He died two years later. Driving Shakurs car was Death Row Records founder Marion Suge Knight, who is currently in prison on an unrelated manslaughter charge. Kading doubts Knight would help with the prosecution of Davis. Hes always known who was inside the car that night, Kading said. He looked directly at Keefe D. They locked eyes. Hes never done anything to try to solve [the killing], so I dont think we can expect him to now. Sarah, Duchess of York, mourns former assistant murdered in Dallas Davis is the last surviving suspect in the shooting. Along with Anderson, Terrence Brown and Deandre Smith later died. Keefe D is the last man standing, Kading said. [Shakurs mother] Afeni has always known that Orlando Anderson was responsible for her sons murder, Kading added, but now we are getting all of the conspirators, and Keefe D is going to have to face the consequences of his own involvement. Davis denied an interview request Friday from jail, and court records dont list an attorney who can comment on his behalf. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Driving through downtown Springfield, it's hard to miss the brightly-colored Abou Ben Adhem Shrine, with its arabesque features that stand out from much of the region's architecture. With construction of the building completed in November 1923, the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine celebrates its 100th anniversary this fall. In addition to being the headquarters of the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners, the venue has housed countless celebrity musicians over the years including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, REO Speedwagon, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Bob Dylan. Former presidents Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan have also appeared at the venue. At the time of its construction, the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine was the largest auditorium west of the Mississippi and second largest stage after the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The shrine is also the only building along Route 66 in Springfield that is being used for the same purpose today that it was built for, according to Abou Ben Adhem Shriners Recorder Sam Montgomery. Abou Ben Adhem Shriners Recorder Sam Montgomery talks about the history of the Shrine during a tour on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. To celebrate the building's legacy, the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners are hosting a 100th birthday party for the venue on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 8-11 p.m. Appetizers, cupcakes and a cash bar will be available and the Yachtly Groove Band will provide live music. General admission tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite for $10. Prior to these activities, the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners are hosting a rededication ceremony for the venue at 6 p.m. Shriner nobles and invited guests may attend the event, followed by a formal dinner at 6 p.m. It's a 'shrine,' not a 'mosque' Though the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine looks like a traditional mosque, it isn't one. Yet, Montgomery said shrine staff have received phone calls over the years from folks asking if they can come down to pray because of common confusion. "We have tried and tried and tried to have this place called the 'Shrine Auditorium,' similar to Los Angeles (Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall)," Montgomery said. A photo of construction of the Shrine Mosque from December of 1922. The Abou Ben Adhem Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. Even though the venue has been popularly dubbed the "Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque" by locals, Montgomery said "mosque" isn't in the building's official name. The venue's official title on its liquor business license is, "Abou Ben Adhem Temple." If constructed today, the shrine would cost $9 million The Abou Ben Adhem Shriners, a local chapter of Shriners International, met for almost 20 years before construction was completed on the Springfield shrine. During this time, the organization met in the former Masonic Lodge in downtown Springfield, which now houses Hotel Vandivort. In October 1920 the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners voted in favor of constructing their own auditorium. The Abou Ben Adhem Shriners purchased the land at the corner of St. Louis Street and Kimbrough Avenue from the Frank Herman Saddlery Company for $20,000 and construction began promptly, according to a brochure printed for the shrine's 50th anniversary in 1973. Recorder Montgomery said at the time, Kimbrough Avenue was just a dirt road. A photo of construction of the Shrine Mosque from July of 1922. The Abou Ben Adhem Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. Springfield architects James Heckenlively and Carl Mark drafted the plans for the shrine's Islamic-style, Moorish architecture, and Springfield contractor John Olsen was hired to construct the building, according to previous News-Leader coverage. Construction of the shrine was completed Nov. 2, 1923, with a total investment around $520,000, according to a News-Leader story published on Nov. 3, 1923. This would cost more than $9 million today, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Construction of the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine was completed on Nov. 2, 1923. At the time, the investment cost around $520,000. In 2023, this would cost over $9 million. For many years, the shrine's auditorium featured wooden seats and the main venue could seat 5,000 people, if chairs were added to the auditorium floor, according to coverage at the time of construction. During renovations conducted in the 1980s, most of the wooden seats were replaced with plastic ones. A few original wooden seats remain on the upper deck of the auditorium but are rarely used. Today, the main auditorium now seats about 3,750, Montgomery said. The shrine, since its construction, has featured two handcrafted stained glass windows designed by Stanley Uthwatt. One of the windows, which features a caravan of camels, is visible from St. Louis Street. The other is inside the main auditorium. Montgomery said Uthwatt constructed the windows in his house on Harrison Street before installing them in the shrine. A stained glass mural from inside the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. Viewable from Trafficway Street, now considered the rear of the shrine, is the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners symbol, painted largely on top of the building. "When they built it (the shrine) in 1923, Frisco was in its heyday," Montgomery said. "All the trains were coming and going ... they wanted everybody coming in on the trains to be able to see it." Completed in November of 1923, the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine celebrates its 100th anniversary this fall. Imperial officers visit Springfield for dedication ceremony A dedication ceremony for the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine was held in Springfield on Nov. 3, 1923. Several imperial officers, representing the top ranks in the Shriners organization, were present, including at-the-time Imperial Potentate Conrad Dykeman. The imperial potentate is the highest honor in the organization, serving as the president and CEO of Shriners International. In total, about 8,000 Shriners attended the ceremony, according to a News-Leader story published Nov. 4, 1923. Former Imperial Potentate Conrad Dykeman attended the dedication ceremony of the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine on Nov. 3, 1923. The imperial potentate is the highest honor in the Shriners organization. J.H. Lewis, editor at-the-time of Crescent, a Shriners' publication (now defunct), described the shrine as the "mosque among mosques," according to a Springfield Leader and Press story published on Nov. 5, 1923. "It is mighty hard to surprise a Shriner, but we were all astounded with the magnitude of the mosque," Lewis told the Springfield Leader and Press. "Little did we dream of seeing anything to compare with the completeness of the structure." Completed in November of 1923, the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine celebrates its 100th anniversary this fall. While not present at the shrine's dedication ceremony, two members of the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners chapter have gone on to serve as imperial potentates. George F. Olendorf served from July 1940 to July 1941 and F.T.H. Doubler Jr. served from July 1980 to July 1981, according to 2022 Abou Ben Adhem Potentate Bradley Roam. Elvis Presley's notable appearance Rock and roll musician Elvis Presley remains one of the shrine's most notable performers. As part of a variety show, 21-year-old Presley took the shrine stage on May, 17, 1956. While getting ready in his dressing room before the show, Presley was joined by 10-year-old John Wilkinson, who had snuck his way into the venue. According to legend, as Montgomery described, Wilkinson told Presley he couldn't play the guitar "worth a damn," to which Presley replied, "Then maybe you should show me." Ornamental details decorate the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque inside and out on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. Wilkinson played a few songs for Presley before the show and would end up becoming the musician's rhythm guitarist in the TCB Band in the 1960s. But before Presley even took the shrine stage, he himself snuck off to the Gillioz Theatre to watch a film. Today, the seat Presley was thought to have sat in is marked with a star. Decades of hardships, ongoing renovations Only a few years after the shrine opened its doors, the Great Depression hit and the Shriners lost control of the building in 1941 to its bondholders. In 1942, the Shriners held a fundraiser to repurchase the building and with help from community members were able to raise the necessary funds. The debt on the shrine was fully paid off on June 15, 1945, according to the 50th anniversary brochure. By the 1970s, the shrine was falling into disrepair and there was even talk of tearing it down. In 1975, the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners established a nonprofit the Shrine Mosque Preservation Association to raise funds for renovations. The renovations, at the time, were estimated to cost around $400,000 (over $1 million today), according to a News-Leader story published on April 20, 1987. Before renovations began, the shrine was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This deemed the shrine worthy of preservation by the national government. A story about renovations to the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine in The Springfield News-Leader on July 12, 1987. Renovations included replacement of the original fabric ceiling and wooden seats, restoration of the arena's hardwood floor, new electrical wiring and installation of new lights in the auditorium's ceiling. The stage's original one-ton switch panel was also replaced with a color-coded system to control stage lights, according to the News-Leader story. Renovations began in 1987 and were completed by 1990. The Shrine Mosque Preservation Association still exists today and is raising money for further building renovations. During the summer, the association spent about $75,000 restoring the shrine's dome tops, Montgomery said. Completed in November of 1923, the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine celebrates its 100th anniversary this fall. The largest and most necessary next-step renovation is the replacement of the building's original steam boilers. Roam said this will cost around $200,000. In the long-term, the association hopes to raise $500,000, Roam said. Who are the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners? The Abou Ben Adhem Shriners are a local chapter of Shriners International, a fraternal organization. The chapter one of 200 in the state serves much of southwest Missouri. The first meeting of the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners was in October 1903 at the Baldwin Theater in Kansas City, instituted by officers of the Kansas City-based Ararat Temple, according to the 50th anniversary brochure. In 1906, members voted to create their own Shriners chapter in southwest Missouri. The Shriners International organization dates back even further. In the 1870s, two Master Masons, the highest honor in Freemasonary, wanted to create a fraternal organization focused on fellowship and fun. These Master Masons, Walter Fleming and William Florence (a popular stage actor at the time) were inspired to center the organization around Arabian imagery because of an Arabian-themed party Florence attended and enjoyed in France, according to the Shriners International website. The attire (notably the fez), activities and naming conventions of the Shriners still focus on this imagery. An Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Patrol uniform on display in the Shrine's museum in the basement on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. The first Shriners' meeting was held in 1871 at the Knickerbocker Cottage in New York City, according to the Shriners International website, and a meeting in 1872 established the first chapter, Mecca Shriners. Since 1922, Shriners International has been dedicated to its philanthropy, Shriners Hospitals for Children, a pediatric sub-specialty healthcare system with locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. How do you become a Shriner? Shriners International is deeply rooted in Freemasonary. In order to become a Shriner, a man (only men are allowed in both organizations) must be a Master Mason. Men at least 18 years old are eligible to become a Freemason. They also must believe in the existence of a "Supreme Being," have good moral character, be motivated to join for reasons unrelated to personal gain, be prompted by a favorable opinion of the organization and desire to learn about and conform to the fraternity's ancient customs, according to the Freemason website. As for becoming a Master Mason, a member must undergo three ceremonial stages, which the organization calls "degrees." Each degree represents the stages of human development: youth, manhood and age. This process can take anywhere between three months to three years, depending on the candidate and Masonic Lodge, according to the Freemasons Community website. Details about each degree are not available to non-members. Abou Ben Adhem Potentate Bradley Roam talks about the history of the Shrine during a tour on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. After becoming a Master Mason, men interested in becoming a Shriner must submit an application to the Shriners International organization. The candidate is then paired with a local "mentor" who serves as a guide through the remainder of the application process. Once all the submitted information is verified, the candidate is invited to attend the "Ceremonial ceremony" to be initiated into the organization, according to the Shriners International website. New members are inducted twice a year, in June and December. To stay an active member, men must also pay annual dues to their chapter. Montgomery said in 2024, the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners annual dues will be $135. A bleak future? During Shriners International's heyday, each chapter boasted thousands of members. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Montgomery first got involved, there were between 6,000-7,000 Abou Ben Adhem Shriners in southwest Missouri. Today, there are 2,500 local members. Montgomery said the Abou Ben Adhem chapter is ranked No. 10 out of all 200 chapters in Missouri. "It's a different time," Montgomery said. "People would say, 'Someday, someday I'm going to make enough money so I can become a Shriner.' It was 'the' organization and it still is now, but we're competing with so much else." As membership is on the decline, the chapter, again, has concerns for the shrine's future. "It's no secret, we don't know what the future is going to be as our membership continues to drop and our expenses are still there," Montgomery said. "There will be a time, that if the city or somebody doesn't get behind us a little to help this building out ... the doors will literally be locked. Nobody wants to think about it. Hopefully it will never happen and hopefully we can keep up with where we are now." Day-to-day, it costs about $500 to open the shrine's doors, Montgomery said, which includes expenses like utilities and staff payroll. Shriners hats on a shelf inside the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The Shrine is celebrating its 100th anniversary this fall. Despite local membership declining, Shriners International's membership has grown in 2023. In the first six months of 2023, 85 chapters reported membership growth, according to an organization news release shared in July. "The last time we know of, that this achievement was confirmed, Bill Clinton was the U.S. President," the news release states. In an effort to avoid local membership's continual decline, Montgomery said members are "constantly encouraged" to nominate young men to the organization, specifically those who may be "legacies" sons or son-in-laws of Shriners. Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Abou Ben Adhem Shrine in Springfield celebrates 100th birthday Jasper Kenzo Sundeen's reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. SMIC has placed significant orders for raw materials with its Taiwanese partners following shipments of Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin 9000S system-on-chip for the Mate 60 smartphone in violation of U.S. sanctions, reports money.UDN.com. Industry observers cited by the publication believe that the contract maker of chips anticipates stricter sanctions from the U.S. and is stockpiling the materials it needs. There could be other reasons, too. The buzz in the industry suggests that SMIC has recently approached its partners in Taiwan, placing substantial orders equivalent to around two years' worth of materials supply. Some believe that this move is to ensure a steady supply for its 7nm chip production, hinting at the company's forward-thinking approach. The larger question revolves around SMIC's motivations for such significant stockpiling. Some think it could be a proactive measure against potential new restrictions from the U.S. Others feel it could be an effort to raise their inventory, anticipating a surge in client requirements. Huawei has high hopes for its Mate 60-series smartphones and expects to ship as many as 20 million units this year if supply remains intact. But these smartphones will keep shipping next year, and their sales will only increase. Furthermore, the company will likely introduce other smartphones based on its chips, significantly increasing its requirements for SoCs. As a result, it makes sense for SMIC to increase procurement of raw materials pure enough for its 7nm production. SMIC and other Chinese chipmakers are not novices when it comes to stockpiling. In anticipation of U.S. sanctions and restrictions, they have imported virtually all chip-making equipment from Europe, Japan, and the U.S. they could lay their hands on in recent months. New Delhi: Edtech major Byju's, which missed its deadline to file the FY22 financial results in September, said on Saturday that it will now release the financial statement for FY22 in October. In a statement, the company said it will convene a board meeting in the second week of October "for approval and adoption of accounts for FY22". (Also Read: Rs 2000 Currency Note Exchange Date Extended By RBI; Check New Deadline Here) "Think and Learn Pvt Ltd has issued a notice for convening a Board meeting in the second week of October 2023 for approval and adoption of accounts for FY22," a Byju spokesperson said. (Also Read: Watch: This Farmer From Kerala Uses Audi A4 Worth Rs 50 Lakh To Sell Green Vegetables In Market) The Board of Directors, along with the Advisory Council and certain invitees, will meet to formally adopt the audited accounts, the spokesperson added. Earlier this year, the ed-tech company told its investors and lenders that it would file its FY22 financial statements by September. Byju's is also going to lay off 4,000-5,000 employees in a "business restructuring exercise" in the coming weeks. "We are in the final stages of a business restructuring exercise to simplify operating structures, reduce the cost base, and better cash flow management," a company spokesperson had said in an earlier statement. Byju's new India CEO, Arjun Mohan, will be completing this process in the next few weeks and will steer a revamped and sustainable operation ahead, according to the company. Byju is even mulling selling at least two of its subsidiaries, Epic and Great Learning, to raise between $800 million and $1 billion, amid reports that the company has formulated a proposal to repay its outstanding $1.2 billion Term Loan B (TLB). NEW DELHI: The BJP will hold a Central Election Committee meeting on Sunday in the national capital to finalise candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, national president JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with other members of the election committee, will take part in the meeting, which is scheduled to be held at 8 pm on Sunday. "Candidates for about 60 to 70 seats in Rajasthan will be discussed while those for 31 seats in Chhattisgarh will be approved today," a source said. Earlier, the BJP held a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on September 13 to discuss the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections at the party's headquarters in the national capital. Key leaders, including Nadda, Amit Shah, and other members of the committee, as well as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, took part in the meeting. Earlier, the BJP released its first list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh elections on August 17. The list named candidates for 39 seats in the poll-bound state. The party, on September 25, released its second list of 39 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh polls. The list featured Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel. Tomar and Patel were fielded from the Dimani and Narsingpur Assembly constituencies. Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste was also named as the BJP's candidate from the Niwas constituency. The BJP is busy fine-tuning its strategies for five poll-bound states, including MP and Chhattisgarh. The party has classified all seats in these states into individual categories of A, B, C, and D. Category A includes seats where the party has consistently performed well while category B includes seats where the BJP has a mixed record of victories and losses. Category C includes seats where the party is deemed to be on a relatively weaker footing. In contrast, Category D seats have seen continuous BJP defeats in the last three elections. The Nationa Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that terrorists from Myanmar and Bangladesh are behind the prolonging of the Manipur crisis. The NIA said that the terrorist organisations based out of these two countries are providing arms and ammunition to keep the state burning and incite ethnic violence. The investigation agency also said that the terrorist organisations are working to incite a war against the government of India. The local naxal and extremist leaders are supporting these foreign terrorist organisations. NIA has arrested a suspect involved in the foreign plot behind the unrest in Manipur. It may be recalled that Manipur has been facing ethnic clashes for the last four months. While internet services have been disrupted in the state, many people have lost their lives, and homes and many have been displaced. Manipur has been witnessing violence since May 3, following the protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities against the High Court's order asking the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST). Only STs can buy land in hilly areas. The majority Meitei community, which occupies the Imphal Valley and nearby areas, sought ST status keeping in view their increasing population and increased requirement of land so that they could purchase lands in the hilly areas. NEW DELHI: Controversy has erupted once again at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as objectionable slogans, like 'saffron will burn', 'Modi's grave will be dug', were found written on many walls of the university. However, the university administration does not yet have any information about the people who wrote the slogans. The administration says that it is currently being investigated that who wrote these slogans and what is the whole plan behind this. University students said that the matter first came to light on Sunday morning when some students saw controversial slogans written on the walls of JNU's School of Languages. The objectionable slogans like 'Saffron will burn', 'Modi's grave will be dug ' were written on the walls of the university. On looking carefully, it looks like the names written in the controversial sentence, in blue ink, have later been covered with red ink. University students have shared pictures of objectionable slogans written on the JNU campus walls. In these pictures, it can be seen that objectionable slogans like 'Free Kashmir' and 'IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir)' are written on the wall in JNU's School of Language campus. At some other places, these slogans have also been written on the floor with blue paint. All these pictures with hate slogans are being said to be from School of Language of JNU. It is noteworthy that controversial slogans have been seen on the walls of JNU earlier as well. Last year, caste-based slogans were written on the walls here. The name plates of some professors were blackened. As Jawaharlal Nehru University is one of the best universities of the country, a lot of conflict of political ideologies is seen here. University student Amit says Till now conflicts, debates and discussions on political ideologies were seen. But this type of abusive language and sloganeering against the country shows mental frustration. In February this year, the portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was damaged inside the university. Then there was violence between two groups of students. Before that, there was a lot of uproar in JNU regarding the screening of BBC documentary in January 2023. Islamabad: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial council member Javed Khan aged 55 years was shot dead by two unidentified motorcyclists in the Swabi region of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. DSP Jawad Khan said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that the ANP leader was shot at from a very close range by the assailants. Khan said that the assailants moved closer to him and opened fire on him, according to Dawn report. Javed Khan's son Abbas Khan told police that he was purchasing essential commodities in Swabi city when he received the news regarding his father's death. He said that his father was lying dead near the Swabi graveyard in the Qasimkhel area. Abbas Khan said that locals told him that two unidentified motorcyclists suddenly appeared and opened fire on his father with a pistol, killing him on the spot, Dawn reported. The attackers managed to flee from the spot. ANP district general secretary Nawabzada said that it was not clear whether it was an incident of terrorism or enmity. However, DSP Jawad Khan claimed that it was not an incident of terrorism and it appeared that he was targeted by his relatives with whom his family was having a feud. Earlier in September, the elders of the Bar Qambar khel tribe in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bara expressed grave concern over the rising number of targeted killings and called on the law enforcement forces to take immediate action to control the situation, Dawn reported. During a jirga convened in Takia Qaumi Markaz on September 17, the Bar Qambarkhel elders described officials' inactivity against targeted killings as criminal negligence and said that no one engaged in those crimes had been apprehended so far. The jirga agreed with Bara Siyasi Ittehad's decision to stage protests while not burying victims of targeted killings in the future, according to Dawn report. The jirga participants also formed a committee comprised of ten representatives from each sub-tribe of Bar Qambar khel to hold discussions regarding targeted killing events and other local concerns. An Indian Air Force chopper made a precautionary landing in an open field in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Based on reports, the helicopter was prompted to make an emergency landing after experiencing a technical malfunction. At the time of landing, the aircraft had six army personnel onboard. No injuries have been reported in the incident. ANI quotes an Indian Air Force official, saying, "An Indian Air Force ALH Dhruv helicopter made a precautionary landing near Bhopal. As per the initial reports, the crew is safe and a team is on the way to look into the technical issues." Also read: Mentally Ill Passenger 'Misbehaves' On Patna-Bound IndiGo Flight; Detained The incident occurred after the Air Show in Bhopal around 60 km from the state's capital. Specifically, the helicopter landed in Dungariya Village of Berasia. A 'disabled' passenger was detained for allegedly "misbehaving" and "locking himself" inside a bathroom onboard an Indigo Hyderabad-Patna flight following a complaint against him by the crew, officials said. The alleged incident took place on Indigo flight 6E 126. Officials further said the accused was detained by the police after landing at the Patna airport. "He misbehaved on the flight and also locked himself inside the toilet onboard," the crew stated in their complaint. Also read: Akasa Air Mumbai-Varanasi Flight Receives Bomb Threat; Passengers Deplaned Station House Officer, Airport police station, Vinod Peter told ANI, "The passenger, Kamar Riyaz, is mentally disabled and is under treatment. He was carrying medical reports. He was travelling with one of his relatives from Hyderabad to Patna." "On a complaint filed by indigo staff, we detained him," he said, adding that further verification is underway. Mumbai: Actor Deepika Padukone is currently shooting for her upcoming film Fighter, following the record-breaking success of Jawan. She took to her Instagram to share a picture of herself from her day out on Sunday. She captioned the post, My Cold Meal#Fighter." In the picture, she can be seen eating ice cream. The Jawan actor looked beautiful in a denim-on-denim casual look. She accessorised her look with a brown sling purse and choose a natural makeup look. As soon as Deepika gave a glimpse of her day out, fans and industry friends swamped the comment section with heart and fire emojis. Her husband and actor Ranveer Singh commented, yummers."Beautiful picture!! Please eat my share also, anyway I cant eat," the badminton player PV Sindhu commented. Photo courtesy?" Siddharth Anand, the director of Fighter asked. Earlier, on Independence day that was on August 15, 2023, the makers of 'Fighter' unveiled an intriguing motion poster featuring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor's first look as Indian Air Force pilots. The clip opens with a runway shot and then Hrithik comes into the frame. The actor looks dapper in his pilot G-suit. Next, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor are introduced. They were also dressed in pilot uniforms. All three of them are seen holding helmets and wearing sunglasses. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, 'Fighter' also stars Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover and Akshay Oberoi. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on January 25, 2024. 'Fighter' is an aerial action film. The film marks Hrithik's first on-screen collaboration with Deepika. Meanwhile, Deepika will be next seen in the Pan-India action thriller film Kalki 2898 AD opposite Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan. Meanwhile, Hrithik was last seen in a crime thriller film 'Vikram Vedha' alongside Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte. Apart from 'Fighter', he will also be seen in the action thriller film War 2 alongside Jr NTR and Kiara Advani. NEW DELHI: Thousands of government employees from across the country converged at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on Sunday, seeking restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS). The employees, under the aegis of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS), organised a rally to raise their demand before the Centre. The 'Pension Shankhnaad Maharally' has been organised with the aim of pressurising the Centre to implement the old pension scheme instead of the existing National Pension Scheme (NPS). The organisers of the rally told mediapersons that four states have already announced implementation of the OPS, then why cannot the Centre implement it. Thousands of government employees from various parts of the country participated in the rally at Ramlila Maidan. The rally is being organised, even as the Centre in March this year had come up with a one-time option for government employees to opt for the old pension scheme. According to a notification by the ministry of personnel, the employees who joined the central government services against posts advertised or notified before December 22, 2003, the day NPS was notified, are eligible to join the old pension scheme under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021). The select group of government servants can opt for this option by August 31, 2023. The option once exercised shall be final, the ministry had said. The move came following various representations and references and court decisions in this regard, it said. "It has now been decided that, in all cases where the central government civil employee has been appointed against a post or vacancy which was advertised/ notified for recruitment/appointment, prior to the date of notification for NPS i.e. 22.12.2003 and is covered under the NPS on joining service on or after 01.01.2004, may be given a one-time option to be covered under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021)," the order had said. Those government servants who are eligible to exercise the option, "but who do not exercise this option by the stipulated date", would continue to be covered by the National Pension System, the order had stated. Under OPS, employees get a defined pension. An employee is entitled for a 50 per cent amount of the last drawn salary as pension. OPS was discontinued by the NDA government in 2003 with effect from April 1, 2004. Whereas under the NPS, employees contribute 10 per cent of their basic salary towards pension while the government contributes 14 per cent. The United Auto Workers' latest escalation in its strike against General Motors and Ford Motor Co. has auto parts suppliers in Michigan relieved, for now. For one thing, UAW President Shawn Fain stopped short of cutting the automakers off at the knees. It chose to strike midsize SUV plants at the two companies rather than target the plants where GM and Ford make their most profitable and highest-volume selling vehicles: pickups and large SUVs. So the damage remains relatively contained. And, in a last-minute maneuver by Stellantis, the automaker saved itself from further strike action when it offered to reinstate a cost of living adjustment and meet some other union demands minutes before Fain's Friday 10 a.m. deadline. It is a move that industry observers say likely saved thousands of ancillary parts supplier jobs in the state. UAW president Shawn Fain talks with the news media after his speech from the bed of a Ford F-150 to striking workers many of whom caravanned in Ford Broncos and Jeeps to hear him at the UAW Solidarity House on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. "It would have been an interesting fallout in Michigan had he taken the Stellantis JNAP (Jefferson North Assembly Plant) in Detroit down, with the two other SUV plants going out, said Laure Harbour, CEO of Harbour Results Inc. 'Good thing Stellantis came to the table' Instead, Fain ordered some total 7,000 UAW members who work at Ford's Chicago Assembly where Ford makes the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs and workers at GM's Lansing Delta Township assembly where GM makes the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs to walk off the job at noon Friday. The strike action did not include GM Lansing Regional Stamping plant or Ford's Chicago Stamping Plant. Members of the United Auto Workers union walk out of the Chicago Ford Assembly Plant as Lance Williams from Lansing, Ill., waves the UAW flag on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, Stellantis builds its Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs at JNAP. In the second quarter, sales of the Grand Cherokee rose 19% compared with the year-ago period. I thought, Good thing Stellantis came to the table because thats their moneymaker," Harbour said. "If he had hit JNAP, it would have hurt Sterling Stamping Plant and a host of other plants. Pat Green sighed in relief at the news Stellantis would be skipped over, too. Green is CEO of Cascade Die Casting Group, which makes aluminum and zinc die casting for the automotive and appliance industries. Story continues "We have content on the Jeep Grand Cherokee and content on the Ram pickup," Green said. "So far, the full-size pickups have been spared. Every time I hear one of these announcements, thats my concern that well hit the full-size pickup each week." It means each week, Green has had to quickly assess the impact of the latest strike target on his business, react to it and communicate with his 450 employees across two plants in Grand Rapids. Striking workers, many of whom caravanned in Ford Broncos and Jeeps, listen to UAW President Shawn Fain talk with them at the UAW Solidarity House on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. "So far, were better than most, but its a real challenge," Green said. "We're managing by reducing overtime so everybody is still working. If this continues, we will have to have some volunteers take time off." But, he said, come Oct. 1, as another hunting season starts in Michigan, he figures hell get volunteers. 'Deadline behavior' The Stellantis last-minute intervention was also significant because it falls in with the logic of collective bargaining, said Harley Shaiken, professor emeritus at the University of California-Berkeley. All of a sudden the people at Stellantis said, Wait a minute, whats it going to cost to have more plants out several weeks versus sweetening the pot now? They did the math and that problem was solved. This indicates, not that were on the verge of a settlement, but that one is possible." Stellantis, maker of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat brands, said it "has been intensely working with the UAW to find solutions to the issues that are of most concern to our employees while ensuring the company can remain competitive given the markets fierce competition. We have made progress in our discussions, but gaps remain. We are committed to continue working through these issues in an expeditious manner to reach a fair and responsible agreement that gets everyone back to work as soon as possible." Standing in the bed of a Ford F-150, UAW president Shawn Fain speaks to the crowd of strikers at the parking lot of the UAW Solidarity House on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, during a rally. The UAW's latest move means that there are now a total of about 25,000 UAW members on strike across the nation. Fain first declared a strike as contract talks failed before the current contract expired at 11:59 p.m. Sept. 14. Fain announced the first wave of plants to strike: Ford Michigan Assembly Plant (Final Assembly and Paint only) in Wayne, Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio and GM's Wentzville Assembly in Missouri. Then, last week on Sept. 22, Fain ordered union members who work at 38 parts distribution centers cross the nation belonging to GM and Stellantis to go on strike. Those facilities provide parts to dealerships to do repairs on customers' cars. Ford was spared that time because it had made "significant" bargaining progress by agreeing to reinstate cost of living adjustments (COLA), eliminate some wage tiers, give the union a right to strike over any plant closures and more. Fain was about a half hour late in what was to be a Facebook Live presentation to members Friday. The delay turned out to be due to Stellantis making its last-minute offer. Art Wheaton, director of Labor Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. "Its called deadline behavior," said Art Wheaton, director of Labor Studies at Cornell University. "A lot of times in bargaining the best contracts dont come until the deadline's about to expire. In this case, it shows they were still bargaining right up to the last minute. It was not preordained. They were still working on it." Wheaton said he was relieved to see Stellantis make movement because he was concerned that it was the automaker making the least progress in the negotiations with the UAW. He said given that Ford made progress the week before and was exempted from strike action on Sept. 22 and now with Stellantis doing the same this Friday, he sees a pattern that shows Fain's strategy of setting these deadlines as moving the needle. "My crystal ball says that you will hear more on Friday next week and I think both Ford and General Motors will say, 'Were all getting close in our three offers, maybe we should give a better offer? " Wheaton said. "I dont think youll hear more before Friday. Fain listed the issues in which Stellantis has made "significant progress" as reinstating the 2009 COLA formula, allowing the right not to cross a picket line, the right to strike over product commitments and plant closures and agreeing to some outsourcing moratoriums. Fain has 'considerable room to ramp up' "Deadlines produce action," said Marick Masters, a labor expert and business professor at Wayne State University. "Its noteworthy that he backed off including Stellantis in this strike wave and hes encouraged the automakers to compete against each other. There is also room to ratchet things up. At Ford, the facilities the union is striking have accounted for 18% of the automaker's total North American production in the past eight months, Masters said. For GM, the facilities the union has taken down, including the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas, which GM had to idle due to the strike at Wentzville, Missouri, has made up 23% of GMs production in the past eight months. Aerial view of a car distribution center in Jessup, Maryland which, due to the United Auto Workers strike, has seen delayed to no shipments of new cars to various dealerships on the East Coast on Sept. 28, 2023. Thats another way of saying the UAW has considerable room to ramp up the strike activity in incremental phases if they want to nudge the parties further along toward an agreement," Masters said. Shaiken added that it was a surprise that the union did not get a tentative agreement with Ford this past week given the UAW spared Ford's parts distribution centers from strike action last week. But the Stellantis progress indicates that negotiations are continuing and taking out the two SUV plants, is not "a huge infliction of pain. It was a costly move to the companies, but it was meant to speed the negotiations and not go back to square one. Another month and the fallout is fierce But Masters warned if the strike lasts another month and broadens, the fallout will be fierce. "You will see suppliers will be increasingly affected and more layoffs," Masters said. He said he has counted about 6,000 layoffs at suppliers, including those at GM's Fairfax, along with some associated with Ford's Wayne Assembly. GM Lansing Delta Township UAW members, including Ryan Kosloski, right, picket, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, near Millett Highway and Creyts Road. Koloski's shirt shows the four in his family who also work at GM. I think that will progress, as dealers are unable to service cars, they may be forced to lay off people due to lost revenues," Masters said, referring to the parts distribution facilities currently shut down. "Youll see an increasing ripple effect. Also, the longer the UAW goes without an agreement with an automaker, the pressure will grow in the rank and file, Masters said. He noted some already feel guilt that they have income while their union colleagues on the picket line are living on $500-a-week strike pay. "That frustration will grow over time," Masters said. "Workers will start pressuring Shawn Fain." UAW Local 602 members picket Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, near Millett Highway and Creyts Road in Delta Township. It has already happened to some extent as one UAW member at Lansing Delta Township Assembly told the Free Press that the week-to-week unknown of which facility will strike next is a real nail-biter among workers. The person is not being named to protect their job security. "Its great that (Fain's) using social media, but people are still saying he didnt give a timeline or when the next update will be," this union member said. "So it is just a whole different strategy. It makes people uneasy." More: Let me be blunt: UAW VP for GM has strong words about Trumps visit to Michigan More: UAW workers walk off the job in Lansing while supporters come out for a rally in Detroit Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Stellantis COLA offer to UAW saved itself from more strike action Mumbai: Actor Akshay Kumar hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachhata Hi Seva campaign and urged the citizens to participate in it. He posted a picture of himself in which he can be seen cleaning and sweeping the beach. He took to his Instagram handle and wrote in the caption, Cleanliness is not just about physical spaces, it is a state of mind. Being out of the country couldnt stop me from paying a tribute to Swachhata Abhiyan. So I would say where ever you are, do your bit to keep your space, and mind, clutter free. #SwachhataHiSeva Rajinikanth also talked about the importance of a clean environment in his post on X. He mentioned, A healthy environment begins with a clean environment..Lets keep India clean #SwachhBharat @SwachhBharatGov Previously, actor RajKummar Rao also took part in a beach clean-up drive at Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Speaking to ANI, RajKummar said, "This is a very important initiative. We all should take part in Modi ji's 'Swachta hi Sewa' as it is very important to keep our city and country clean. On his 105th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people for 1 hour of shramdaan for the swachhata (cleanliness) at 10 am on October 1 calling the initiative- 'Ek tareekh ek ghanta ek saath'. New Delhi: Samsung Electronics is expected to reduce its chip deficit in the third quarter, thanks largely to a continued cut in its chip output, according to analysts. Samsung, the world's largest memory chip maker, slashed its chip production early this year, belatedly joining its peers, like SK hynix Inc. and Micron Technology Inc., which started to cut production late last year, to resolve a persistent supply glut. Analyst Kim Dong-won at KB Securities forecast Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees its cash cow chip business, to make losses of around 4 trillion won ($2.96 billion) in the third quarter, lower than the 4.35 trillion won of the second quarter, reports Yonhap news agency. He said Samsung has raised its production cut since the second half to 30 percent for DRAM and 40 percent for NAND Flash, from 20 percent and 30 percent, respectively, in the first half. Samsung's DS division logged an operating loss of 4.6 trillion won in the first quarter, its first financial loss in 14 years, as chip inventories grew significantly amid tapering global demand. Prior to that, the division recorded losses in the first quarter of 2009. While the production cut and more balanced supply and demand dynamics have started to boost memory chip prices, elevated fixed prices to cope with manufacturing facilities sitting idle also weighed on profits, Choi Bo-young, an analyst at Kyobo Securities, said. Analyst Kim Kwang-jin from Hanwha Investment & Securities forecasted Samsung's chip performance to come short of market expectations, as the company seemed to take more time to fully recover its chip business than previously expected. Kim estimated the DS division's loss at 3.7 trillion won in the third quarter. Greg Roh, head of research at Hyundai Motor Securities, said Samsung's production cut has had "minimal" impact so far, and a rise in depreciation costs arising from the ramp-up of a new chip production line in its Pyeongtaek Campus has eaten away profits. He estimated the DS division's loss similarly at 3.6 trillion won. Market tracker TrendForce said Samsung moved farther than previously expected to tackle the oversupply issue. Samsung took "a decisive step" to make a 50 percent production cut for NAND Flash to deal with persistent softening in demand, which is likely to help stabilise chip prices and boost demand in the coming months, TrendForce said earlier this month. "Samsung's aggressive production cuts are likely to set off a ripple effect: a potential price uplift for their primary products," it added. "This ripple is anticipated to propel the overall bit shipment volume of NAND Flash in Q4, gradually narrowing the deficit gap for suppliers. Simultaneously, this shift will likely improve the profit outlook for module makers." Even if it's not a huge purchase, we think it was good to see that Stuart Green, the CEO & Executive Director of ZOO Digital Group plc (LON:ZOO) recently shelled out UK50k to buy stock, at UK0.40 per share. Although the purchase is not a big one, increasing their shareholding by only 1.1%, it can be interpreted as a good sign. Check out our latest analysis for ZOO Digital Group ZOO Digital Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In fact, the recent purchase by Stuart Green was the biggest purchase of ZOO Digital Group shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is UK0.41. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. If someone buys shares at well below current prices, it's a good sign on balance, but keep in mind they may no longer see value. The good news for ZOO Digital Group share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 126.52k shares worth UK53k. But they sold 1.52k shares for UK2.8k. Overall, ZOO Digital Group insiders were net buyers during the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! ZOO Digital Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Insider Ownership Of ZOO Digital Group Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. From our data, it seems that ZOO Digital Group insiders own 12% of the company, worth about UK4.9m. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At ZOO Digital Group Tell Us? The recent insider purchase is heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that ZOO Digital Group insiders are expecting a bright future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. For example, ZOO Digital Group has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Q: This may not be in your wheelhouse, but here goes. I used Fitbit for several years to lose weight. When I went off of it, of course, I gained. I would like to print off my food logs from Aug. 1, 2019 through March 9, 2021. I tried to do this, but could not understand the downloaded file, so I deleted it. Is there a way to download this info from my iPhone? Everything is listed there, but I have to do a lot of scrolling in order to read it. Thank you for your help. (If you can!) Diane M., Destin A: Challenge accepted, Diane! Actually, if youve been reading my column for any serious amount of the 16-plus years that its been publishing, youve surely seen me say that I welcome questions that extend through the whole gamut of technology not just computers and/or Windows. That would include your issue with your Fitbit. I just happen to have some experience with Fitbit, since, like you, I am a former Fitbit user. However, unlike you, I only stopped using mine when I graduated to an Apple Watch. Also, unlike you, I never had any desire to download any of the data that Fitbit had accumulated on me over the time I was actively using it. So, I did a little research for you, which Ill get to in a minute. The relationship between the actual Fitbit device and the Fitbit app can be a little confusing if you dont understand how these things work. To throw a PC into the mix just makes the whole thing even harder to comprehend. Nevertheless, lets try to shed some light on this whole thing. A Fitbit is a type of wearable technology loosely referred to as an activity tracker. One of the most common uses for such a device is tracking ones daily steps, the goal being to help improve health and fitness. Depending on the model, Fitbits also are capable of tracking everything from heart rate and breathing rate to patterns of sleep, including duration of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. As if thats not enough to pack into one little device, some Fitbits also are media players, allowing you to take your tunes or podcasts along on your workout without an additional device. Handily, theyre also a stylish (depending on whom you ask) digital watch. Story continues The Fitbit itself is just the sensor. That is to say, it is what senses the data you want to track. It buffers it temporarily, but its ultimate job is to upload it to an app running on a smartphone or tablet most commonly via a wireless Bluetooth link. This is where we start to approach your configuration. According to your description, you had (have?) yours tethered to an iPhone. There is a vast amount of data generated during workouts, so after seven days, it is converted into a daily total, which is stored for an additional 23 days. After that, the data must be synced to your device, or its lost. When you perform a sync, the data is uploaded to your Fitbit Dashboard, and stored on Fitbits servers, which is hopefully where everything is currently residing. So, while the device containing the data may change shape and size, the data is still the data, just waiting for you to go get it. It's important to note that data isnt available if its been deleted. That may sound like a no-brainer, but many people assume their data will always be there in perpetuity, and thats just not the case. I dont know for certain if Fitbit has a maximum retention period for your data, or if your account goes away after a period of non-use. Im afraid youll have to find out the answers to these questions the hard way, Diane. Assuming the data is in your Fitbit account, you can export everything by logging into your Fitbit account. Click the gear icon, then click Settings, then Data Export. Under Export Your Account Archive, click Request Data. To me, it gets a little weird at this point, as Fitbit will send you an email at the address you associated with the account. This is very likely a multi-factor authentication step intended to protect your privacy. So, from within the email, click the link to confirm your export request. After that, youll receive another email with a link where you can download your data. Click it to download and save the data to your computer. Youll probably wind up with a Fitbit *.tcx file, which is nothing more than a .zip file with the extension changed. Change it back to .zip, and youll be able to browse the file contents in Windows. To view additional content, comment on articles or submit a question of your own, visit ItsGeekToMe.co (not .com!) This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Syncing Fitbit data | Its Geek to Me Population El Paso County: 740,552 as of July 1, 2022. Comparisons: 732,366 as of July 1, 2020; a 1% increase in two years. 627,238 in 2010 516,929 in 2000 987 residents in 1870 Colorado Springs: 485,143 as of July 1, 2022 Comparison: 479,828 as of July 1, 2020, a 0.9% increase in two years. Colorado: 5,838,736 statewide as of July 1, 2022 Comparison: 5,784,584 as of July 1, 2020, a 0.9% increase in two years. Notable: El Paso County became the largest county in the state population-wise as of the 2010 Census and continues to hold the rank. Colorados second-largest county, Denver County, saw a 0.7% decrease from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022, from 717,545 down to 712,637 residents. About 13% of the states population lives in El Paso County. About 66% of El Paso County residents live in the city limits of Colorado Springs. As of 2021, Colorado Springs ranked as the second-largest city in Colorado, next to Denver, out of 272 municipalities. Data from the Colorado State Geography Office Age Average median age: 33.7 years old for El Paso County as of 2023 State Demography Office estimates. Comparisons: Increase from 30.7 average age of residents in 1990. State forecasts project an average median age of 37.6 by 2050. More 26-year-olds live in El Paso County than any other age. There were 13,724 26-year-olds in 2021, followed by 13,484 25-year-olds. Age 90 and over: 4,289 residents in 2021 Age 10 and under: 102,283 residents Sign up for free: Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day delivered to your inbox each evening. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The largest population group by age in El Paso County and statewide is the 25- to 29-year-old range. Also, 55-to 59-year-olds comprise a big part of the population, both locally and across Colorado. Race/ethnicity El Paso County, as of April 2020 Census (most recent data available): White Alone: 66% Hispanic/Latino: 18% Black/African American Alone: 6% Two or More Races: 6% Asian: 3% American Indian/Pacific Islander: 0.5% Some other race: 0.6% Notable: Nationwide, statewide and locally, the April 2020 Census showed that as the decades progress, younger generations are becoming more racially diverse. The Two or More Races category grew by 24,758 residents in El Paso County from the 2010 Census to the 2020 Census. Self-identified Hispanic/Latino residents were the fastest growing ethnic group in El Paso County, increasing by 36,319 people between 2010 and April 2020, for a total of 129,984. The countys second-highest growth was in the White Alone category, with 32,537 additional residents from 2010 to April 2020, for a total of 480,484. Forecasts El Paso Countys population is projected to top 1 million by 2050. The exact forecast from the State Demography Office for 27 years from now: 1,004,032. Predictions are based on factors including job generation, births, deaths, and numbers of people moving in and out. The countys population is expected to age significantly by 2031, seeing a 59.4% increase in people ages 75 to 84. That age group will grow from a total population of 30,178 in 2021 to 48,116 in 2031. Residents ages 85 and above will jump by 52.5%, according to projections. The aging population is a trend nationwide, as Baby Boomers born from 1946 to 1964 and aged 57 to 75 in 2021, grow older and will be aged 67 to 83 in 2031. However, the age group 55 to 64 is predicted to decline by nearly 13% over the next eight years With five military installations, El Paso County births are expected to climb to a high of 11,060 in 2038 and 2039, and then decline to 10,801 in 2050. As the population ages, deaths will rise to a high of 7,915 in 2050. As of July 1, 2022, El Paso County had 9,267 births and 6,238 deaths in the year that began July 1, 2021. Net migrants the number derived from people who moved into the county minus those who moved out of the county is predicted to be 3,635 people this year and 2,165 in 2050. Colorado Republicans on Saturday voted down a proposal that would have made it easier for the state GOP to cancel next year's primary election to prevent unaffiliated voters from having a say in the party's nominees. NEW YORK Early next month, the Vatican will open an unprecedented gathering of Catholic clergy and laypeople from around the world. The synod is intended to be a collegial, collaborative event, though the agenda includes divisive issues such as the role of women in the church and the inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics. If theres Exhibit A for how elusive consensus might be, its the United States participation. In effect, there are two high-level U.S. delegations widely viewed as ideological rivals six clerics appointed by Pope Francis who support his aspirations for a more inclusive, welcoming church; five clerics chosen by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who reflect a more conservative outlook and more skepticism of Francis priorities. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in New York, worries that the synod, which starts Oct. 4, might widen rifts among U.S. Catholics rather than narrow them. The polarization of the country has infiltrated the church in such a way that I worry we cant see our way out of it, she said. Francis himself recently evoked the resistance he faces among some conservative Catholic leaders in the U.S. At a meeting in August with Jesuit priests in Portugal, he assailed the backwardness of some of those conservatives, saying they have replaced faith with ideology. The vision of the doctrine of the church as a monolith is wrong, he said. I want to remind these people that backwardness is useless, and they must understand that theres a correct evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals. Some conservative American clerics vehemently disagree, saying high-level discussions of such issues as womens empowerment and LGBTQ inclusion could tear the church apart. In a forward to a recent book calling the synod a Pandoras box, American Cardinal Raymond Burke warned the synod was part of a revolution to radically change what the church has always taught. Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas critiquing the synod on social media said, It is a travesty that these things are even proposed for discussion. The synod, which will run through Oct. 29, follows a first-of-its-kind two-year outreach in which bishops and other clerics around the world met with lay Catholics to learn about their hopes for the churchs future. There will be a second session of the synod in October 2024, when participants will vote on a final document to be submitted to Pope Francis for his consideration. For many conservatives, there are multiple reasons for concern not only the hot-button issues on the agenda, but the novelty of having laypeople, including women, entitled to vote alongside bishops on the final document. The U.S. synod delegates selected by Francis include three of the men he has appointed as cardinals Archbishops Blase Cupich of Chicago and Wilton Gregory of Washington, and Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego. McElroy has been one of the most prominent voices expressing hope that the synod will expand the roles women can play in the church and broaden the acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics. In an essay in March, he said the church should eliminate barriers to women in the leadership of parishes and dioceses, allowing them to preach and to serve as deacons. It is clear that the Church in the United States must transform its outreach to LGBT+ persons if it seeks to be a truly welcoming presence in the world, McElroy wrote. McElroys writings were assailed by conservative Catholics. One bishop, Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, suggested the cardinal might be committing heresy. Francis synod selections also include the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest who has advocated for years for greater LGBTQ inclusion in the church. The first step is to invite people to listen to the voices of LGBTQ people and others who feel ignored, rejected or excluded by their church, Martin said via email. For me, conversion happens mainly through encountering the stories of those considered to be other.' And that is a reasonable goal for the synod to listen. At synods, all voices should be welcome, he added. Does the Holy Spirit speak only through cardinals, archbishops and bishops? Thats a very strange theology of the Spirit. Bishops appointed by USCCB include its president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, as well as Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; and Bishops Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota; and Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. Barron, who has developed a large following with a global media organization called Word on Fire, conveyed relief at Pope Francis assurances that the synod will not be a forum for changing church doctrine. The American delegation, if you look at the whole thing, kind of balances out ideologically. So I think thats what the pope seems to like, Barron told Fox News Digital. Imperatori-Lee had a different take on the ideological split. This is how American Catholics are starting to see the Church: Youre either for Team Francis or for Team Strickland and Barron, she said. Thats not a healthy situation. Photos: Pope Francis through the years ST. CLAIR, Missouri A high school English teacher has been placed on leave after the St. Clair School District discovered she performs on the pornography website OnlyFans. The 28-year-old teacher at St. Clair High School, Brianna Coppage, said in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that she was put on leave on Wednesday after being interviewed by two administrators. Her access to school email and other software has been revoked while the district investigates, she said. It was kind of always like this cloud hanging over my head, like I never knew when I would be discovered, Coppage said. Then, about two weeks ago, my husband and I were told that people were finding out about it. So I knew this day was coming. St. Clair is in Franklin County, about 55 miles southwest of St. Louis. The school superintendent, Kyle Kruse, said in a statement that the district was recently notified that an employee may have posted inappropriate media on one or more internet sites. The district has engaged legal counsel to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter, Kruse wrote. Actions taken as a result of the investigation will be in accordance with board policy and with guidance from legal counsel. Coppage said she joined the direct-to-subscribers website OnlyFans over the summer to supplement her teaching salary. She taught English to freshmen and sophomores and made about $42,000 last year, according to the Post-Dispatch public pay database. She said shes earned an additional $8,000 to $10,000 per month performing on OnlyFans. Coppage said she chose the site because its content is available only to subscribers and she thought it would help protect her identity. She doesnt know who notified the school district of her account, but she suspects it was after she and her husband appeared in a recent video alongside two other OnlyFans performers in St. Louis who have a substantial following. (The district says) they havent made a decision yet, but Im just kind of putting the pieces together that I am not coming back, Coppage said. Im very aware that I am probably never going to teach again, but that was kind of the risk I knew I was taking. I am sad about that. I do miss my students. Coppage insisted no content was filmed or posted while she was on school grounds. That was like my completely, separate personal life outside of teaching, Coppage said. Coppage, who grew up in nearby Sullivan, began teaching in 2018 after graduating from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She previously worked as an academic adviser at the Missouri University of Science & Technology in Rolla. She was in her second year of teaching at St. Clair High School, which has about 750 students. She said the joy of teaching was forging relationships with students and sharing in milestones like drivers licenses, passing significant tests and birthdays. There is this expectation that teachers should be the moral leaders of students, and I do not disagree with that, Coppage said. I taught the curriculum. I taught students reading and writing, and I didnt guide them on my thoughts or beliefs. And I cant control what people think of me. I just know that who I am as a person, Im not doing anything illegal. I am a good friend. I am a good family member. That is all I can think about right now. OnlyFans, a website that launched in 2016, boasts more than 210 million paid subscribers worldwide and more than 2.1 million content creators. It has garnered significant attention as teachers, judges, lawyers, police officers and other professionals have created content on the site to bolster their incomes. Creators charge anywhere from $3 to $75 for a monthly subscription, with some users paying more for custom and pay-per-view content. Coppage said she was introduced to OnlyFans by St. Louis friends who are content creators on the site. Since the news of her OnlyFans account began to surface, Coppage said, her account has gained about 100 new subscribers and she has more than doubled her subscription price. She plans to continue posting on the site. She and her husband who is not facing disciplinary action with his employer do not plan to move from their home. She also recognizes she will likely garner attention when she goes about her daily life. I do not regret joining OnlyFans. I know it can be taboo, or some people may believe that it is shameful, but I dont think sex work has to be shameful, Coppage said. I do just wish things just happened in a different way. GREENSBORO N.C. A&T is welcoming a call from two Biden administration cabinet members for North Carolina to provide roughly $2 billion in restitution to make up for a per-student gap in funding with N.C. State over a 30-year timeframe. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack sent letters to 16 governors on Sept. 18, pointing out a combined disparity of over $12 billion between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their non-HBCU land-grant peers from 1987 to 2020 years supported by data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Land grant refers to property that the federal government gave to states to sell or rent, with the proceeds intended to establish a university. Under a federal law enacted in 1890, states had to either not include race in their admissions criteria for these universities or establish separate land-grant universities for colored students, using a just and equitable division of the fund. North Carolina A&T State University, the 1890 land-grant institution in your state, while producing extraordinary graduates that contribute greatly to the states economy and the fabric of our nation, has not been able to advance in ways that are on par with North Carolina State University at Raleigh, the original Morrill Act of 1862 land-grant institution in your state, in large part due to unbalanced funding, the secretaries wrote. However, the chairman of the N.C. House Universities Committee had a more skeptical take. I think it misses the mark in a lot of ways, said N.C. Rep. Jon Hardister, a Whitsett Republican who suggested the two schools arent fully comparable. For example, A&T has more non-resident students 33.5% vs. 19.7% for N.C. State. And A&T also has a lower proportion of graduate students 12% vs. 27% at N.C. State. Those distinctions have been relevant to how much money each school receives. A&T history professor Jelani Favors said that anyone familiar with the legacy of segregation in the United States will not be shocked that public HBCUs have not received resources on par with their peers. We created an entire system around separate but equal understanding that these systems ... are never equal, he said. The Biden administration is now saying the obvious. Still, Hardister, Favors and other A&T leaders all pointed to significant state funding gains for A&T in recent years and in the new budget, which was passed this month (This paragraph was updated to correct a name. 10/02/23 3:15 p.m.) According to an analysis Hardister requested from legislative staff, A&T saw a 68.9% growth in state funding the highest of any school in the UNC System by a significant margin. Thats comparing the states base budget for 2020-21 and the recently passed 2023-24 conference budget. The 2023-24 figures do not yet include salary, benefit and enrollment adjustments. Among other UNC System HBCUs, Fayetteville State and Elizabeth City State ranked high for state funding growth, but Winston-Salem State and North Carolina Central are at the bottom of the list. That is likely driven by two main factors: (1) Those institutions have seen recent enrollment declines, so they would not have seen positive enrollment adjustments and (2) compared to institutions like N.C. A&T, they have received relative few funding increases to specific programs outside of the legislative salary and benefit changes, said Stephen Bailey, the fiscal analyst for the General Assembly who compiled the analysis, in a response forwarded by Hardister. Oliver Thomas, A&Ts director of external affairs, said five or six years ago university leaders took stock of progress on the schools strategic plan and made it a goal to become a top level or R-1 research university. That led them to look more intently at the funding the school was receiving from the state and to ramp up advocacy for more dollars. In a forthcoming column for his On Point newsletter, A&T Chancellor Harold Martin celebrated key victories for the university in the state budget just passed. One of those was legislators appropriating $10.7 million in recurring funds for agriculture research and extension. Also, Martin pointed to an appropriation of $10 million in annually recurring money plus an additional non-recurring investment of $5 million in the 2023-25 budget for A&Ts project of becoming an R-1 university. N.C. A&T is an integral part of our state and we want to continue to see it grow and flourish, wrote Lauren Horsch, a spokeswoman for Senate leader Phil Berger, a Republican from Rockingham County. Thats why in the latest state budget the General Assembly included the necessary funding for N.C. A&T to pursue a Carnegie R1 classification which would make N.C. A&T the first HBCU with an R1 classification. Martin said the funding progress comes on the heels of other gains, including $30 million in support of the College of Engineering. Our new budget illustrates that the solution-driven collaboration that secretaries Vilsack and Cardona advocate for is indeed possible, Martin wrote. In fact, it is the only way that progress is ultimately made. EVERETT, Wash. - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Everett in Everett, Wash., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. In the ceremony, Cmdr. Mike Bencini, Sampsons 11th commanding officer, will be relieved by Cdr. James Hostetler. The guest speaker will be Sampsons command master chief Jeffery Flemming speaking on behalf of Capt. Joseph Ring, commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific (COMNAVSURGRU MIDPAC). After serving as the ship's executive officer during a U.S. 7th Fleet deployment, Bencini assumed command during a change of command ceremony in Busan, South Korea, and led the crew of Sampson for the final four months of the eight-month deployment leading into an extended maintenance period. I am very proud of the crew and the work we accomplished, while focusing on Sampson Nations core warfighting ethos of "All Heart, Grit & Grind, and Winning at Sea, said Bencini. Working together, we demonstrated how to make a challenging maintenance period a great experience. Bencini is a native of High Point and his next assignment is in the Office of Naval Personnel Command (NPC), Millington, Tenn. His previous sea duty assignments include USS Tarawa (LHA 1); USS McCampbell (DDG 85); USS Mustin (DDG 89); and as N3 for Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15. His assignments ashore include promotion board sponsor at PERS-80, Naval Personnel Command (NPC), Millington, Tenn.; pacific fleet cruiser, destroyer and amphibious placement officer and first tour department head detailer, Surface Warfare Officer Distribution, NPC, and deputy chief of staff at Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Hostetler is a native of Maryland. His previous sea duty assignments include USS Carney (DDG 64); USS Ross (DDG 71); and USS Vicksburg (CG 69). His assignments ashore include surface warfare instructor and assistant professor of naval science at the George Washington NROTC unit in Washington D.C. Maritime Operations Center executive officer and european strategy officer for the combined staff of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and U.S. Sixth Fleet. His most recent shore assignment was as flag aide to Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet and Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Cdr. Catherine Long, a native of Framingham, Mass. will serve as Sampsons new executive officer. USS Sampson is named for Rear Adm. William Thomas Sampson. Sampson was known for his victory in the battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War. On July 3, 1898, the Spanish fleet came out of the harbor of Santiago, Cuba and was completely destroyed in a five-hour sea battle with Sampson. Upon victory Sampson sent his famous message: the Fleet under my command offers the nation as a Fourth of July present, the whole of Cerveras Fleet. In May, when Republicans passed new restrictions on abortion access, they assured North Carolinians that Senate Bill 20 was a commonsense, reasonable bill that provided needed support for women and families such as expanding access to birth control. House Speaker Tim Moore praised the bill for taking a holistic approach that included funding for health care, foster care, adoption and contraception. But reading the fine print suggests there is nothing reasonable about SB 20s approach to contraception. The bills only mention of contraception is in Section 4.1, which awards $3.5 million in recurring funds to local health departments and community centers to purchase and make available long-acting reversible contraceptives for underserved, uninsured, or medically indigent patients. Like its abortion restrictions, SB 20s birth-control provision places limitations on womens reproductive choices. Why is the state only subsidizing long-acting reversible contraceptives, known as LARCs, which include IUDs, like Mirena and implantable birth control devices, like Nexplanon? Why not fund other forms of contraception like birth-control pills for the underserved, uninsured, or medically indigent? The recent history of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) points to some answers to these questions. Over the past 30 years, physicians and policymakers have relied on LARCS to enact coercive temporary sterilization policies and practices targeted at low-income women. The rhetoric that has accompanied such policies often portrays these women taking advantage of the welfare system and as incapable and unworthy of making their own reproductive choices. A question of control Lawmakers and physicians have directed low-income women to LARCs rather than other forms of birth control because LARCs are highly effective and provider-controlled, meaning a health care practitioner or the government can override a patients decision to stop using the drug. With a patient-controlled method of contraception like the birth-control pill, if a person no longer wants to take it, she simply stops. They can decide to use the pill for a while, then switch to another patient-controlled method like a NuvaRing. Although patients typically need to see a doctor and get a prescription to access such methods, the choice of whether to continue using them is theirs. With a provider-controlled method, like an IUD or implant, if patients want to stop using it, they must get and pay for an appointment with a health care provider willing to remove it. Until they get the doctors approval and assistance, they must continue using the method, even if they no longer want to have the IUD or implant in their bodies. The battles over the first subdermal implantable contraceptive device, Norplant, offer a recent example of how physicians and lawmakers have pressured low-income women to use LARCs and refused to honor patients requests to remove them. Norplant, which consisted of six silicon rubber rods filled with the man-made hormone progestin, prevented pregnancies for up to five years when inserted under the skin of a patients upper arm. In December 1990, when the FDA approved the Norplant device, many U.S. doctors and feminists hailed it as a significant step forward in their reproductive freedom. But some women of color and reproductive justice activists warned that provider-controlled drugs had been used to coercively sterilize vulnerable people in countries like Bangladesh. Within months their predictions began playing out as U.S. judges, lawmakers and community leaders pressured poor women, particularly Black, Indigenous, and other women of color, to use Norplant. Almost immediately, state lawmakers proposed policies either requiring women on welfare to be implanted with Norplant or providing monetary incentives to welfare recipients who agreed to use the contraceptive implant. In North Carolina, they proposed a 1993 bill that would have required women receiving state-funded abortions to have Norplant implanted. While these coercive measures did not pass, every states Medicaid program agreed to pay for a recipients Norplant device and insertion. Like SB 20, such policies gave many low-income women access to the LARC. But Medicaid recipients interested in other forms of contraceptives had to pay for those prescriptions and most patients could not afford them. Particularly troubling, when patients reported some of the alarming array of side effects caused by Norplant from severe cramping, infections, and irregular and sometimes constant bleeding to migraines, significant weight gain, dizziness, depression and fatigue they struggled to convince health care providers to remove the device. Instead of removal, healthcare practitioners often tried treating their painful symptoms with estrogen or even other birth-control pills. While all states Medicaid programs covered the cost of Norplants insertion, many did not pay for the removal, especially if a patient requested it before the five-year period. Such violations of bodily autonomy, which were essentially forced temporary sterilizations, made women endure physically painful side effects compounded by the stress of having an unwanted device in their body. Fewer choices While physicians promise that todays LARCs are safer than Norplant, all hormonal birth control methods have contraindications that could lead to life-threatening side effects, including blood clots and strokes. Further, it remains impossible to predict which contraceptive will work best for a person. Many people need to try a few different methods before settling on the one that best suits them and their decisions often change over time. Since low-income and uninsured women cant afford contraception without government assistance, by steering them to LARCs, SB 20 robs them of the ability to exercise their full range of reproductive choice. A shameful history There is nothing commonsense about restricting North Carolinians ability to control their bodies and inflicting specific constraints on those most vulnerable. No wonder Republicans rammed SB 20 through in 48 hours less than the waiting period the state wants to mandate for women to obtain an abortion pill after an in-person consultation. North Carolinians deserve lawmakers who have learned from our states sordid history of eugenic practices that sterilized more than 7,600, mostly African American, residents. In face of this track record, politicians should be exercising supreme caution in passing any legislation that restricts womens reproductive choices and interferes with their bodily autonomy. Section 4.1 suggests that todays Republican politicians have only become more sinister in their efforts to control the reproduction of low-income women. Six years ago today, a man opened fire on a concert crowd in Las Vegas, killing 58 and wounding several hundred in the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in American history. A few weeks after the horrific tragedy, Mark Robinson cast doubt on the mass shooting, posting on his Facebook page that he was SERIOUSLY skeptical about what happened in Las Vegas. Twelve years ago, I was shot in my head with a .38. A convicted felon fired a gun into my car six times, inflicting injuries that have left me with lifelong issues. One of those after-effects was the development of a brain aneurysm that had to be removed while I was awake. As a gun-violence survivor, I dont want a single additional person to experience the horror I went through. Thats why I run a community violence-prevention program in Greensboro. Lt. Gov. Robinson, a Greensboro native, will not help stem the tide of gun violence in our community. In fact, he would make it easier for dangerous people to get guns and cause death and destruction throughout this state. Robinson opposes commonsense gun-violence prevention policies such as universal background checks, despite overwhelming support for them from North Carolinians. While 89% of North Carolina voters support universal background checks, Robinson chooses to side not with the vast majority of North Carolinians, but with the NRA. The NRA opposes permits to carry a concealed gun. Without our concealed-carry weapons permitting system, people as young as 18 years old with no training and no background check could carry a hidden loaded weapon in public. Weakening or removing state concealed-carry permitting requirements is associated with a 29% increase in firearm violent crime rates In recent years, we have witnessed the impact of weakened gun restrictions. For instance, 2021 was the most violent year of the 21st century in North Carolina, with 1,839 firearm deaths in the state. Provisional data for 2022 suggests that levels of violence remain near all-time highs. In Guilford County there were 77 gun-related deaths and in Forsyth County there were 69 gun-related deaths in 2022. In North Carolina, guns are now the leading cause of injury-related deaths for children and youth. This is unacceptable. Not surprisingly, Robinson is on the board of the NRA and received $82,000 from the NRA Political Victory Fund in his 2020 election. In addition, Robinson has a long history of viciously mocking and attacking school shooting survivors. In 2018, he accused the student survivors of the Parkland, Fla., mass shooting of being actors and called them spoiled, angry, know-it-all CHILDREN, stupid kids, and media prosti-tots. We cannot afford for someone to be our next governor to be another shill for the NRA. At a time when gun violence is at a record-setting high in North Carolina, we need a governor who will stand up to the NRA and fight for gun-violence prevention policies and programs. The moment for which I had waited so long came, wrote Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in his book, No Future Without Forgiveness, describing the day April 27, 1994 that he and other Blacks voted for the first time in the new South Africa. I folded my ballot paper and cast my vote. After voting, I went outside, and the people cheered and sang and danced. It was like a festival. ... It was a veritable spiritual experience. It was a mountaintop experience. The Black person entered the booth one person and emerged on the other side a new, transfigured person. Desmond Tutu was 62 years old when he voted for the first time. Nelson Mandella was 76. How do you convey that sense of freedom? Tutu wondered. How do you explain it to someone who was born into freedom? If voting can be a veritable spiritual experience, as Tutu said, what we who were born into freedom are doing to the vote is as close to a sacrilege as you can get in a secular system. Donald Trump told his followers in 2016 that our system of electing our leaders cannot be trusted. Before, during and after the 2020 election he claimed that the only way he could lose would be if it were rigged. Pay attention to his language. He didnt say that if he lost it would be because the system was ill-designed, susceptible to mechanical failure or human error. He said it would be because the system is rigged. Rigged? By whom? Election officials, of course, ballot counters, poll workers. It isnt the system that cant be trusted; its the people who run it like Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. They will cheat. They will cause voting machines to flip votes from Trump to Biden. They will run ballots through scanners over and over and over. They will dump boxes of fake ballots in the dark of night. Believing or claiming to believe that the election had been rigged, Donald Trump and his allies filed more than 60 lawsuits challenging the results. They lost all but one. Ballot recounts consistently upheld Bidens victory. An investigation by William Barr, Trumps own attorney general, found nothing to support the allegation that the election had been stolen. U.S. election officials declared the 2020 election the most secure in American history. Yet, according to a June 2023 Monmouth poll, 68% of Republicans continue to believe that Joe Bidens election was due to voter fraud. Convinced that Bidens victory was fraudulent, the election was rigged and the presidency was stolen, some of Trumps followers have taken it on themselves to punish those they believe were the culprits. Thirty percent of election workers interviewed in a June 2023 Brennan Center survey said they had personally been abused, harassed or threatened for doing their jobs. Twenty-two percent said they knew of local election officials or workers who have left their jobs at least in part because of fear for their safety. Just over half said they were somewhat or very concerned that threats, harassment, and intimidation against local election officials will make it more difficult to retain or recruit election workers in future elections. The voting booth, as privileged as a confessional, has been fouled by lies, intimidation and threats that are unworthy of a democracy that has long been the envy of people who yearn to live in this free, good land. The voting booth can be reconsecrated only by a free and fair election. But in a political climate in which what some people call voter suppression others call election integrity, is it possible to have an election that all or even most Americans agree is free and fair? Desmond Tutu did his best to describe his ecstatic experience of voting for the first time. The sky looked blue and more beautiful, he said. I saw the people in a new light. They were beautiful, they were transfigured. I too was transfigured. It was dreamlike. I remember when it was like that. North Carolina Republican legislators have rarely, if ever, been in a stronger position. Their leaders Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore have a combined 23 terms of legislative experience and political chits upon which to draw, millions of dollars in campaign cash and dark money at their disposal, and loyal and skillfully gerrymandered veto-proof majorities at their command. Like old-time, big-city bosses, Berger and Moore accumulate personal wealth in ways that push the limits of the law, reward their friends and family members with plum government gigs and punish those who dare to challenge or cross them. And even when there is discord within the GOP caucuses as with the recent kerfuffle over Bergers effort to expand casino gambling this almost never results in a partisan defeat or meaningful crack in the total control the GOP wields over final policy debate outcomes. With rare exceptions, Republicans can pass anything they want, anytime they want, without even consulting Democrats or Gov. Roy Cooper. Moreover, with the relentless and ongoing effort to transfer more and more executive powers to the Legislative Building and gerrymander legislative maps, its easy to foresee a scenario in 2025 in which a new governor be they a Democrat or a Republican will be rendered a virtual figurehead. And yet, bizarrely, this unfettered power seems to have bred surprisingly little confidence in the hard-right policy agenda these lawmakers so aggressively pursue. See, for example, the recent action that marked what appears to have been the climax of the 2023 legislative session. Republicans pushed through an agenda that reflects the passions of their political base. Slashing taxes, privatizing public education, remaking our colleges and universities, limiting environmental regulation, erecting barriers to voting, reversing progress for LGBTQ people, reducing reproductive freedom, expanding gun rights. Ordinarily, youd think such a lengthy and ambitious agenda would represent an opportunity for aggressive political evangelizing: See what were doing and why its the right thing for our state! If youve followed developments in Raleigh, however, you know that no such effort took place. Rather than loudly and proudly explaining and championing the details of the legislation they advanced, Republicans instead adhered to a strategy of cloak-and-dagger secrecy. In the new budget, several momentous changes to state law that had never before seen the light of day were hurtled through the legislative process in just 48 hours. Even over the weekend, observers were still unearthing nuggets that escaped the attention of reporters, lobbyists and Democratic members who had been forced to speed read the whole budget overnight like college freshmen cramming for a final. And yet the bill emerged right after a three-month period during which the legislature scarcely met which raises an obvious question: If GOP leaders really believe in the bevy of new laws they pushed through last week, why didnt they use the summer months to discuss and promote them openly? The answer, of course, lies in the peculiar and rigged nature of the Republican legislative supermajority and the gerrymandering that undergirds its strength. Simply put, North Carolina is a deeply purple state. While conservative true believers undoubtedly make up a sizable portion of the electorate, they are nothing close to a genuine majority. And thats why so many parts of the political rights agenda private school vouchers, regressive tax policies, bans of abortion and contraception, reversing marriage equality, making voting more difficult and preventing the passage of gun-safety laws remain very unpopular with average voters. While theyre happy to tout their accomplishments on Fox News and at select conservative church and party gatherings, when it comes to day-to-day lawmaking in Raleigh, politicians of the right remain wedded to stealth and backroom maneuvers. Their last-minute move to concoct and add new secrecy laws to the budget that allow legislators to hide and even profit from records they produce while shutting out news media and the public are part of the same phenomenon. In short, the GOP may enjoy powerful supermajorities, but the secrecy surrounding the budget makes clear once again that party leaders know their policies lack broad popular support, and as such, are best enacted with as little sunlight as possible. TEUTOPOLIS Joann Deters was home Friday night when a cloud of seeping death washed up against her front door. The 83-year-old womans ranch-style house on U.S. 40 is about a quarter of a mile from where a tanker loaded with more than 7,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia rolled over in a traffic crash and ruptured. A lethal cloud of fumes washed out and two children and three adults died in the aftermath, as the ammonia cloud swept over them. Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes named the fatalities as Rosie Bryan, 7, and Walker Bryan, 10, both of Beecher City, and their father Kenneth Bryan, 34, of Teutopolis. The other fatalities were listed as Vasile Cricovan, 31, of Twinsburg, Ohio, and Danny J. Smith, 67, of New Haven, Missouri. Rhodes also said the following victims were airlifted to area hospitals after exposure to ammonia at the crash site: Jacob Bloemker, 24, of Brownstown; John Costello, 19, of Olathe, Kansas; Anja Dangelmaier, 18, of Dallas, Texas; Sara Tague, 18, of Lake Elmo, Minnesota; Terrie Tudor, 61, of Union, Missouri. Deters is pretty sure she and her 20-year-old visiting grandson, Thomas Ross, would have been among the casualties if they hadnt fled from Deters home, which sits right next to the road. I didnt smell it at first, just saw all the commotion outside and went to the front door to have a look, said Deters, speaking Sunday. And as soon as I opened the door it just hit me and I thought, Oh, my God,' it was just such a terrible smell and I slammed the door shut. Shortly afterward she got a phone alert from a relative whose son-in-law had been driving a FedEx truck at the tail end of the crash east of Teutopolis. He didnt know what the heck was going on either, but he opened up his window to see and he got a whiff of it and he saw people pouring water on their heads, recalled Deters. He backed up and got off of Route 40, but he called his mother and father-in-law and said, Get out now, and she called me and told us to get out, and we did. A mandatory official evacuation order was telephoned to her home a short time later, but Deters had already fled by then. More details about how the crash happened emerged Sunday afternoon at a news briefing hosted by Tom Chapman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating what happened. Chapman said a tanker truck owned by Prairieland Transport Ltd. from Brownstown was westbound on U.S. 40 Friday night when another vehicle tried to pass. The truck driver reacted by pulling to the right, causing the truck to leave the road and roll over. The tank carrying the ammonia collided with a utility trailer parked off the road, and the tank was punctured by the trailers tow hitch, creating a 6-inch gash in the metal that allowed half of the tanks ammonia to gush out. The harrowing scene of the crash was still marked Sunday by yellow hazard tape fluttering in a breeze laced with lingering ammonia fumes. The tape cordons off the yard of a house surrounded by abandoned vehicles. On the porch, a pet dog lay deceased, apparently overcome by the leaking gas cloud and killed before it could get clear. Two visitors at the crash site, who said they knew some of the victims who had died there after being overcome by fumes, were too upset to talk on the record about what happened. COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER Joann Deters said the Teutopolis community has rallied in the wake of the crash, taking in people who had to evacuate and making the best of a terrible situation. The towns Oktoberfest celebration, filled with lots of delicious food reflecting the little towns proud German heritage, was canceled, but nothing went to waste. So they took all the food and gave it to the first responders, which was very nice, Deters said. And now, as people wait for various official investigations to examine what happened, there are calls for improved traffic safety already being heard. The crash had occurred after Interstate 70 traffic was funneled onto U.S. 40 following a collision on the interstate near roadworks which have dragged on for months. Dave Ross, Thomas Ross' father, said its time to rethink the policy of shutting down long stretches of the interstate for road repairs that often only take up a fraction of the highway suddenly reduced to one lane. He said the longer the length of the interstate that is shut down, the greater the chances are of there being a crash, with the consequence of having to divert traffic onto smaller roads ill-equipped to handle the burden, resulting in more accidents like Friday nights terrible ordeal. So, in my opinion, they should never close off more than a quarter mile of road at a time, work on that part, and then work on the next quarter mile, Ross said of the interstate road construction. If youve got five miles closed off as opposed to a quarter mile, thats 20 times more likely you are going to have a car accident. Questions were raised about the dangers of diverting interstate traffic at the NTSB news conference. Chapman said the issue was being looked into as part of the investigation, which is scheduled to have a preliminary report ready within 30 days. I want to begin by extending our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of those impacted by this tragedy, those who lost loved ones. We are truly, truly sorry for your loss," said Chapman. "We are also grateful to and want to commend the law enforcement and first responder personnel for participating in the emergency response to this crash, as well as the hospital staff responsible for treating the injured. Lee Enterprises Editor Robyn Gautschy Skaggs contributed to this report. Close City of Bloomington firefighters wash down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying lime spilled its load Friday morning. City of Bloomington firefighters made their plans to wash down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. State of Illinois workers clean up Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. State of Illinois workers cleared a sewer opening on Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and firefighters washed the chemicals down from the intersection. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. Customers at CJ's were temporarily stuck in their parking lot during the washdown. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying lime spilled its load Friday morning. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. Photos: Bloomington chemical spill Bloomington firefighters clean up a chemical spill that closed down the eastbound lanes of Empire Street at Carnahan Drive, Friday. City of Bloomington firefighters wash down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying lime spilled its load Friday morning. City of Bloomington firefighters made their plans to wash down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. State of Illinois workers clean up Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. State of Illinois workers cleared a sewer opening on Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and firefighters washed the chemicals down from the intersection. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. Customers at CJ's were temporarily stuck in their parking lot during the washdown. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying lime spilled its load Friday morning. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. City of Bloomington firefighters washed down Empire Street at Carnahan Drive after a truck carrying chemicals spilled its load, Friday morning. The chemicals made the intersection extremely slick and police shut down Empire from Hershey Road to Airport Road for about two hours. A facility in Marion so impressed a national fitness educator that last weekend the community hosted individuals from six states as they learned about the latest research and techniques in aquatic fitness. The schedule for Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) training includes programs in Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Santa Fe, and Allentown among other localities. Julie See, AEAs Director of Education and trainer, said that typically the nonprofit educational organization holds its training in larger cities for logistics especially for getting our trainers on site and attracting adequate participation for a successful event. However, earlier this year, See was visiting Sara Schell, a friend and instructor at Lifetime Wellness Center (LWC). Schell took See to check out the Marion wellness center. See said she was impressed by the facility a beautiful pool and classroom, which are crucial for hosting our events. See proposed offering AEA training at the center. Knowing the general area, she believed instructors could be pulled from West Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and northern North Carolina in addition to Virginia and other areas. See was right. Not only did instructors come but 25 class participants came from six states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, and, of course, Virginia. The LWCs Sara Abbott noted that regionally participants came from Christiansburg, Wytheville, and the Tri-Cities area with some folks driving up to five hours to attend. All of those participants, fitness instructors, left equipped with 13 hours of aquatic training with a focus on deep water exercise, arthritis programs, planning programs for mature individuals, and warm up and cool down tips, according to Abbott. The AE, according to its website, is the leading organization specifically targeting aquatic fitness through education and certification worldwide. Our top priority is providing access to the latest industry resources, research, products, training and education to increase global health, wellness and longevity through aquatic exercise. By having access to continuing education, See said, LWC teaching staff can provide facility members with many programming benefits instructors gain new ideas for class formats and specialized programming, they learn current research to stay on top of changes in the industry to keep classes safe and effective, and they are motivated and inspired by the networking opportunity with colleagues. As an instructor herself, See acknowledged, it is easy for me to fall into a rut, and attending workshops like this rejuvenates my passion for teaching while providing innovative ideas to bring back to my classes and clients. On a practical front, she noted, that instructors who are AEA Certified, gain continuing education credits required to renew their certification status. AEAs mission is to share aquatic exercise, health, and wellness worldwide, See said. Offering events such as this allow us to interact with instructors, personal trainers, and therapists who are working with people in their own communities this furthers our reach to the exercise participant. Fitness is about people and relationships; so being able to offer in-person trainings is a wonderful win-win situation for everyone. Kim Reedy, the LWCs fitness director, agreed. She reflected, As an instructor at LWC for 20 years, our AEA event was one of the best workshops that I have ever attended. The weekend was challenging but filled with so much positive energy! Anyone who has taken a group exercise class knows you feed off others around you and this weekend was no exception. Our trainers, Julie See and Donna Boucher, set the tone and were very professional and knowledgeable about all aspects of water aerobics. We are very blessed to have such a fine facility in our quaint little town. Abbott concurred, saying, I loved meeting and networking with the other instructors. While all the workshops were fantastic, the Arthritis and Aquatic Exercise presentation provided tons of interesting research and ideas for our senior members at LWC. Im looking forward to sharing it with them. Additionally, LWC staffers Allison Null and Chrissy Prater took part in the training opportunity. Abbott noted that the training also helped introduce participants to Smyth County. Many out-of-town participants, she said, commented on how much they enjoyed the facilities at LWC and exploring downtown Marion. Some are planning to return for a vacation. Re: iTWire - GitLab brings culture change to Lendleases software development teams great news. All the best for LendLease Re: iTWire - Foxtel announces Hubbl to overcome subscription fatigue with one device to rule them all Sounds good but insufficient detail to decide if it is useful or economic and I really don't trust Foxtel to[] Re: iTWire - ACCC backs govt plan to develop emergency mobile roaming Is this the same ACCC that stopped network sharing for Telstra and Vodafone (listed Australian Companies) because Singtel (Singapore Government)[] The impeachment inquiry House Republicans have launched against President Joe Biden is a shameless and embarrassingly weak attempt at political retribution. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has launched the probe not because it has merit but because the most extreme members of his party demanded it to damage Bidens reelection prospects. They threatened to shut down the government and boot McCarthy from the speakers chair if he refused to play along. Absolutely no evidence suggests Biden acted improperly regarding his son Hunters business dealings in Ukraine. This is a line of inquiry based on repeatedly debunked claims. The audacity of focusing on Ukraine is not lost on those who recall then-President Donald Trumps first impeachment in 2019. Trump was accused of pushing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Bidens son while withholding $400 million in congressionally approved military aid. Given how Trumps 2019 efforts blew up in his face, it is odd that House Republicans would want to go there again. Several years of investigations by multiple Republican-led House committees have turned up nothing on the president. Republicans even acknowledge this. I think before we move on to (an) impeachment inquiry, there should be a direct link to the president in some evidence, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told The Hill. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., a thoroughly conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post dismantling the case for impeachment. Republicans in the House who are itching for an impeachment are relying on an imagined history, he wrote. Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, told Forbes he is not seeing facts or evidence at this point that justify an impeachment inquiry. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told CNN, There is a constitutional and legal test that you have to meet with evidence. I have not seen that evidence. In 2019, Trump hoped that just the mere announcement of an investigation would hang a cloud of wrongdoing over Bidens head, according to testimony from former U.S. ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland before the House impeachment committee. And now, by converting House Republicans fruitless committee investigations into an impeachment inquiry, Republicans aim to ensure that Trump wont be the only candidate on the 2024 ballot with an impeachment-stained record. The sketchy launch of this impeachment inquiry is a telltale sign that it lacks merit. McCarthys longtime position had been that launching an impeachment inquiry without a full vote of the House renders the inquiry devoid of any merit or legitimacy. McCarthy told Breitbart News on Sept. 1: If we move forward with an impeachment inquiry, it would occur through a vote on the floor of the Peoples House and not through a declaration by one person. Just 11 days later, McCarthy reversed himself and made the declaration. In the modern era, the House has launched a presidential impeachment inquiry only when it had concrete allegations against the president: In 1974, when the House launched its impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon over Watergate, the Senate Watergate Committee and the special prosecutors investigating the break-in and cover-up had produced reams of damning material. In 1998, Democrats howled when House Republicans impeached then-President Bill Clinton for lying under oath and obstructing justice. But however politically driven that impeachment was, at least the House had the 453-page Starr Report in its hands when it launched its inquiry. In 2019, Trumps first impeachment inquiry was launched after a whistleblower alleged that Trump had abused the powers of his office by extorting Zelensky. In 2021, the House impeached Trump a second time on a single article of impeachment that charged Trump with incitement of insurrection against the U.S. government and lawless action at the Capitol without need for an inquiry or hearings, because House members had gathered plenty of evidence as direct eyewitnesses to the events of Jan. 6, 2021. The Constitution sets a relatively low bar for the House to impeach a president, and the bar is even lower for an impeachment inquiry. But the Republicans still dont meet it: You need some evidence of wrongdoing, and they dont have any. This baseless impeachment inquiry is a disgraceful misuse of what the Constitution intended as a fundamental tool of accountability. A renewed effort at removing medical bills from consumer credit reports is making for strange bedfellows between the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state Treasurer Dale Folwell. The bureau has been the subject of intense criticism from Republican congressional representatives in regards to its attempts at tightening oversight of lending and other consumer products from banks and other financial institutions. Folwell, meanwhile, is a two-term Republican state treasurer who has prioritized what he considers as the negative financial impact of healthcare systems in North Carolina toward patients and consumers. The CFPB released Sept. 21 its rulemaking outline for steps it is considering "that would help families financially recover from medical crises, stop debt collectors from coercing people into paying bills they may not even owe, and ensure that creditors are not relying on data that is often plagued with inaccuracies and mistakes." It was a follow-up from the CFPB's May 8 roll-out of its medical-debt initiative to alert consumers that "anything already paid or under $500 should no longer be on your credit report." A 2022 CFPB report found that roughly 20% of Americans, or about 67 million, reported having medical debt. The bureau said mistakes and inaccuracies in medical billing are common and can be compounded by problems, such as disputes over insurance payments or complex billing practices. When someone gets sick, they should be able to focus on getting better, rather than fighting debt collectors trying to extort them into paying bills they may not even owe," CFPB director Rohit Chopra said. Kindred spirits? Chopra's comments appears in kindred spirits to Folwell, who has attempted to raise the profile of medical debt facing North Carolinians in a series of commissioned research reports. Folwell, who is running for the 2024 Republican nomination for governor, said his primary interest is from his oversight authority of the State Health Plan. The plan covers more than 727,000 participants that include current and retired state employees, teachers and legislators. It is North Carolinas largest purchaser of medical and pharmaceutical services. "I am thankful for assistance from any one or any group who can help prevent North Carolinians from being under siege with anything associated with medical debt," Folwell said. There are individuals who are afraid to get the medical attention they need when they need it because of what could happen to them from a medical billing standpoint, Folwell said. Families cant see themselves past their poverty because of medical debt. Thats not a political issue. Thats a moral issue. Lawmakers have the chance to change the lives of thousands of North Carolinians." CFPB's reasoning The CFPB cites the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, which restricts creditors ability to use medical information in making credit decisions and places limits on the inclusion of medical information on credit reports. The act also grants five financial regulators authority to create regulatory exemptions to the restriction on creditors use of medical information. In 2005, those regulators created an exception to allow creditors to rely on medical data if it could be characterized as financial information. The CFPB's latest main rulemaking goals involving medical debt are: * Consumer reporting companies would be prohibited from including medical debts and collection information on consumer reports that creditors use in making underwriting decisions. * Stop creditors from relying on medical bills for underwriting decisions. The proposal would narrow the 2005 exception and prohibit creditors from using medical collections information when evaluating borrowers credit applications. * Stop coercive collection practices: Debt collectors would no longer be able to use the credit reporting system as leverage to pressure consumers into paying questionable debts. However, the CFPB proposal would not stop creditors from obtaining medical bill information for other purposes, such as verifying the need for medical forbearances, or evaluating loan applications to pay for medical services. De-weaponization bill Meanwhile, Folwell continues to prod the N.C. House to address and advance Senate Bill 321, titled "Medical Debt De-weaponization Act." According to SB321 and a Folwell statement, the bills mission is to create a pro-family, anti-poverty, consumer protection law that sets parameters around the provision of charity care and limits the ability of large medical facilities to charge unreasonable interest rates and employ unfair tactics in debt collection. This bill would stop hospitals in the cartel from hiding their prices, and it would prevent hospitals from breaking patients kneecaps when they cant afford to pay," Folwell said. The bill passed the Senate by a 48-0 vote on May 1, but has been shelved since in the House Rules and Operations committee. Folwell expressed confidence that the bill would be addressed by the House either before the 2023 regular session ends or in 2024. Folwell said that the General Assembly "could pass the bill and the healthcare system could publish the actual prices of services they provide, as well as align their charity care with the tax benefits they receive." SB321 would prohibit medical bills from being reported to credit bureaus before one year after the patient was billed. Other steps within SB321 include: requiring hospitals to screen patients for eligibility for charity care and public assistance; requiring prices to be posted online; a sliding scale of discounts for people earning under 400% of the federal poverty level; shielding family members from medical or nursing home debt incurred by a spouse or parent. Tucked into the two bills is language that could provide free medical care or steep discounts to certain lower-income families. The key parameters addressing free or discounted medical care affect patients with household incomes of up to 400% of the federal poverty level for 2022. "Medical debt is the No. 1 reason for debt collections and is a leading cause of bankruptcy, said Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth. More Americans fear medical debt than serious illness. The bill provides a process for billing and for filing for medical collections. It also forbids unfair collection processes and enhances legal remedies. Can it work? The problem the CFPB has identified "is a real one," said John Quinterno, principal with South by North Strategies Ltd., a Chapel Hill research company specializing in economic and social policy. "The United States' for-profit system of healthcare is saddling many households that have dealt with an illness with bills that they simply can't afford and never will be able to escape," Quinterno said. "This is especially troubling since there is no 'price' for any given medical service. The prices reflect instead the power of any given provider to bill it, with the full brunt of that falling on those who lack any form of health insurance." Quinterno said that treating medical bills like consumer debt "simply penalizes households for an illness and can subject them to harassment for something beyond their control, while also depriving them of access to other essential services." In regards to the CPFB proposal, Quinterno said it "will sand off one rough edge of the United States' dysfunctional health care system and prevent that particular dysfunction from impacting another area of a person's life." "A person who did nothing other than have the bad fortune of getting sick." The N.C. Healthcare Association said it is following the progress of the CPFB proposal. "If this proposal could help prevent medical debt from marring consumers credit reports, then that could be a good thing," the NCHA said. "When patients receive bills for services, hospitals want them to be able to pay their bills, so they offer various financial assistance options to make payment easier to do." "Hospitals and healthcare providers want to help people be able to thrive physically, emotionally and financially so they can live long and enjoy life, so thats our perspective. Michael McCully, an assistant economics professor at High Point University, said medical debt at its essence "a fairness issue." "It is a burden for any family, but especially for low-income families," McCully said. "It's often subject to dispute/inaccurate, since our medical system is so complex, with the dispute process working very slowly, sometimes literally taking years, and may end up partially written off or otherwise revised downward in a very uneven way." McCully said that "after a number of years of arguments, non-collectible debt might be written off by the medical facility, but the families suffer a bad credit rating in the meantime." "Families are harassed by debt collection agencies, who try to coerce them into paying the entire value of medical debt, or your credit rating will be ruined. McCully said there are drawbacks of removing medical debt from credit reports for healthcare systems. "If medical facilities are not paid, because there is less incentive to pay, the cost burden is spread to everyone or hospitals go bankrupt," McCully said. "If families end up owing some amount of medical debt, after adjustments, it is still a financial burden on their creditworthiness. "To the extent that other debt is defaulted on, this could hurt the profits of financial institutions and result in higher interest rates or fees for all consumers." Novant Health Inc. is partnering with the American Heart Association on a three-year health equity initiative to reduce heart disease and stroke risk factors within its primary North Carolina markets. The priorities are improving blood pressure and addressing nutrition and food security in communities in Charlotte, the Triad and Wilmington regions. The initiative will tie in with the associations Go Red for Women and Healthy for Life community engagement and education efforts. Novant Health is committed to building a healthier future for our communities by tackling health disparities and eliminating heart disease and stroke, said Dr. Chere Gregory, chief health equity officer for Novant. As leaders in heart and stroke care, weve been longstanding supporters of the American Heart Association, and were proud to strengthen our existing support of the Live Fierce. Life is Why initiative. Heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause of death in North Carolina, while stroke is fifth, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. The groups said many of those deaths are preventable. Through clinical and community alliances, this initiative will integrate evidence-based strategies that result in improved health outcomes, including blood pressure control, the groups said. Shannon Emmanuel, vice president of community health for the association, said having Novant as a partner is allowing us to have the opportunity to build sustainable change. Eric Ulis was only 5 when a dapper man in a suit and sunglasses boarded a commercial flight in Portland, Oregon, ordered a bourbon and soda from his seat in 18E and then handed a flight attendant a handwritten note saying he had a bomb. It was Nov. 24, 1971, and the unidentified man, who later became known as D.B. Cooper, had a one-way ticket on the flight to Seattle. Cooper opened his carry-on bag to reveal a jumble of wires and red sticks and demanded four parachutes and $200,000 in cash. After the plane landed in Seattle he swapped three dozen passengers for the cash and parachutes, then ordered the pilot to fly to a new destination: Mexico City. But soon after takeoff, Cooper did something incredible: With the money strapped to his waist, he parachuted out of the rear of the plane and into the night, vanishing over the vast wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. Cooper has not been seen or heard from since. His audacious stunt made him a folk hero, triggered an FBI investigation, led to tightened security at airports and inspired dozens of books and TV documentaries. It remains the only unsolved hijacking in U.S. aviation history. When decades passed without any solid new leads, the FBI officially closed the case in 2016. But Ulis is still searching for clues. Now in his 50s, he says hes spent countless hours scouring tens of thousands of FBI documents on Cooper for any details federal agents may have missed. Coopers story resonates with a lot of people because it has a James Bond-esque element to it, Ulis says. Its real. He was real. This is not a Bigfoot legend, he says. No one was physically harmed. Of course, the crew endured some stress, but even they admit he was quite polite, all things considered. He exhibited grace under pressure. Ulis keeps a notebook next to his bed in his Phoenix, Arizona, home, just in case a new thought about the case strikes him in the middle of the night. In the meantime, hes pursuing a lead related to Coopers clip-on necktie, which was left behind on the plane he believes could possibly help amateur sleuths like himself figure out who Cooper was. And to gain access to the necktie, hes suing the FBI. Ulis runs a CooperCon and is leading a search in the woods For decades, law enforcement and amateur investigators alike have wondered: Who was the mysterious hijacker? Did he survive the plunge? Was his name really Dan Cooper, as his boarding pass indicated, or was that an alias inspired by a French Canadian comic book hero as the FBI later speculated? Even Coopers name added to the intrigue. A journalist at the time mistyped it as D.B. instead of Dan, and the name stuck. For 52 years, everybodys continued to call him D.B. Cooper. D.B. is just a more badass name than Dan, Ulis says. Back then, you didnt have to go through a metal detector at the airport. You didnt have to be checked. You didnt have to provide a drivers license to get an airplane to get a ticket. You could give a fake name. Ulis describes himself as a crime historian and aviation geek. For the past decade, he has devoted much of his time to seeking answers to the many questions surrounding D.B. Cooper. Since 2018, Ulis also has held an annual CooperCon, at which fans of the hijacker gather to discuss elements of the case in granular detail. And next month hell lead a team of volunteer searchers to explore an area near Tena Bar, a stretch of beach along the Columbia River in Washington state where $5,800 of Coopers ransom money was found in 1980. Ulis says he has spent a lot of time in the area, trying to figure out how close the ransom money was to where Cooper may have landed. Hes viewed old news footage, studied FBI photos and familiarized himself with landmarks so he can guide searchers to specific areas. He hopes to find important clues, including the parachute Cooper used that night. I firmly believe that D.B. Coopers parachute is lying in that area somewhere. Its stashed away somewhere under some blackberry bushes or a thicket of trees or something of that nature, he says. Its been sitting there for 52 years. Hes also focusing on a clip-on tie the hijacker left behind Before he became a D.B. Cooper expert, Ulis says he was a professional blackjack player, a skill he says helps him focus on facts and avoid conspiracy theories. Thats the world I came from. And it actually played a big part of shaping how I think, he says. Because thats a world where youre really just focused strictly on the math. You try to remove emotion as much as possible. Some friends consider his fascination an eccentric hobby, he says, but he tries not to bombard them with minutia on the case. He saves that for when hes around like-minded people at CooperCon and other events. Ulis says Coopers cigarette butts were initially recovered but later disappeared a crucial piece of lost evidence that may have been useful given todays advancements in DNA technology, he says. But he has recently zeroed in on another piece of evidence: A clip-on necktie from JCPenney that Cooper left behind before he jumped off the plane nearly 10,000 feet over southern Washington. The tie and the found ransom money are the key pieces of physical evidence in the case, Ulis says. While the FBI has already tested the tie for traces of DNA, Ulis believes the tie knot has a metal spindle that may still have undiscovered DNA on it. In March of this year, Ulis filed suit against the FBI for access to the tie, which he says is being stored at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC. In his suit, Ulis asks that he and a DNA expert be allowed to collect swabs from the spindle. Ulis says he would enter any DNA found into genealogy databases in the hopes of finding a match that would help unravel Coopers identity. Thats all Im trying to get access to that spindle to open it up. Have the DNA expert kind of swab it, and lets just see what we come up with, he says. The FBI has not responded to CNNs repeated requests for comment on Ulis request. Larry Carr, a former FBI agent who worked on Coopers case, tells CNN he doesnt believe the FBI took the spindle apart to process it. But whatever DNA found on the tie may be compromised, he says. The tie was never collected and handled by todays standards. It was collected and handled by standards in 1971. And so who knows whose DNA is actually on the tie, says Carr, a speaker at this years CooperCon event in Seattle in November. Thats still another hurdle we have to jump because we dont know if that, in fact, is Coopers DNA. However, he adds, anythings possible. Armchair criminologists have speculated about the case for decades Coopers story has spawned a community of armchair criminologists who have spent five decades trading theories and speculating about his identity. The FBIs public bewilderment about the mystery has only fueled interest. The bureau considered hundreds of potential suspects. Was it Richard McCoy, a man who hijacked a plane a year later and parachuted over Provo, Utah, with $500,000 in ransom money? No, he was home with his family around the time of Coopers hijacking, the FBI later found out. Was it Duane Weber, who claimed on his deathbed to be Cooper? Federal authorities used DNA evidence to rule him out. Carr, the former FBI agent, lists several reasons why he believes Cooper didnt survive the jump. He didnt appear to be an experienced skydiver and didnt know where he was when he jumped because he never asked the pilots for a location update or gave them a flight path. It also was dark, stormy and cold poor conditions for skydiving. Carr said the Cooper case is one of the most popular cases he worked on and he still thinks about it today. Its a great story. And the story remains untold. And so everybody wants to know what the final chapter is, he says. Weve all read the book to the final chapter, and its blank. And thats what drives people nuts. Drives me nuts. I want to know what the final chapter is, just like everybody else. This lack of a resolution continues to drive Ulis and other amateur investigators. Since the FBI ended its investigation, its files about the case are now available to the public online, and Ulis says hes reviewed about 35,000 pages of FBI documents. He says hes determined to find out who Cooper was within the next few years. And he suspects the truth is within reach. I try to keep it as fact-based and as simple as possible, he says. I apply Occams razor to the situation the simplest explanation is usually the closest to the truth. ___ Leading theories about D.B. Cooper and 30 other unsolved mysteries Leading theories about D.B. Cooper and 30 other unsolved mysteries D.B. Cooper Alcatraz escapees The Sims Family Jack the Ripper Jimmy Hoffa Amelia Earhart Lizzie Borden The Phantom Barber The Mary Celeste Lost Colony of Roanoke Area 51 The Boston art heist The Zodiac Killer Bugsy Siegel Harry Houdini Judge Joseph F. Crater Elizabeth Short Billy the Kid Tupac Shakur Christopher 'Biggie Smalls' Wallace JonBenet Ramsey Edgar Allan Poe Ambrose Bierce Annie McCarrick Walter Collins Paula Jean Welden Tylenol poisonings Flannan Isles Lighthouse The Millbrook twins Marilyn Sheppard Bob Crane WASHINGTON Giant pandas are everywhere at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Three live in the zoos $50 million Asia Trail. T-shirts, trucker hats and refrigerator magnets bear their image. A 24-hour panda-cam broadcasts the trios every move. Even the QR code to reserve zoo tickets features a panda silhouette. Now, after more than 50 years, Washingtons pandas are going away and maybe for good. The zoos three pandas are set to return to China by December with the expiration of a three-year agreement with Chinas wildlife agency. Its not just the U.S. capital. The three other U.S. zoos that have Chinese pandas Atlanta, San Diego and Memphis have all either turned over their pandas or will see them return to China by the end of next year. Although both sides deny politics are at play, China has long used Panda Diplomacy to curry favor, reward friends and punish adversaries. And the loss of Americas last pandas comes at a moment when ties between the U.S. and China have hit a historic low, with most avenues of cooperation cut off. In the same vein, any hope that Washington will get new pandas rests on recent signs that ties might be getting a little better or, at the very least, not getting worse. Theres some significance to the fact that all of the pandas in the United States will be back in China by next year, said Elena Songster, a professor at Saint Marys College of California and author of Panda Nation, a book about Chinas panda policy. They have a plan. They know what theyre doing. The push-and-pull over pandas reflects in part the quirky way they show up in zoos around the world. Zoos dont get full custody of pandas. Instead, they rent them, signing contracts to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to China. After years of renewing those contracts, the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees Washingtons zoo, wasnt able to do so again. Earlier this year, the Memphis Zoos panda, Ya Ya, got swept up in a nationalist fervor back home including accusations of mistreatment after images showed it looking emaciated and its fur mangy. The animal, which the U.S. and China said was healthy, went home in April. The U.S. was rewarded with its first pandas after former President Richard Nixon normalized ties in 1972 and many other nations followed. A 2013 study found a correlation between uranium deals and panda loans to Canada and France. In 2018, China loaned out pandas to Finland to mark a centennial of Finnish independence. From the goodwill gestures of Nixon-era diplomacy, theyve evolved into todays emblems of discord, said Lizzi C. Lee, a fellow at the Chinese Economy program at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Pandas have become canvases for narratives of distrust and rivalry. There are plenty of non-political reasons the pandas may be going home now. One explanation is that the pandas leaving U.S. zoos are all reaching the age when they would go home anyway. Some pandas departure was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which also slowed Chinas loan system. With pandas no longer classified as endangered, China is building its own network of national parks, and may not feel the need to send them abroad to be conserved and bred. Its unclear what comes next for the Washington zoo. The move could be temporary, as happened in 1999 when the zoo went without pandas for a year, given that the pandas are approaching the age when theyd return home anyway. Or China may offer them as a reward in some future diplomatic negotiation. Both China and the U.S. have kept open the door to a possible return. Thats in keeping with tentative signs that relations may be reversing their dramatic slide. President Joe Bidens goal remains a face-to-face meeting with President Xi Jinping, something that hasnt happened in almost a year. Xi is expected to attend this years Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco, and its possible he could bring with him the promise of more pandas for American zoos. A National Zoo spokeswoman declined to comment on whether new talks were underway. But one person familiar with the Biden administrations thinking said the U.S. plans to discuss the issue with China between now and the time Washingtons pandas go home. Chinas embassy in Washington also left open the possibility of a happy outcome. Many good results have been achieved on breeding, disease prevention and control, technical exchanges and public awareness, embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said. He said the two sides are communicating on future collaboration on giant panda conservation and research. People visiting the zoo had a more straightforward response to the pandas imminent departure. Among them was Elizabeth Thoms, a stay-at-home mom from Silver Spring, Maryland, who brought her son and daughter to the zoo for the second time in a month this week after learning the pandas would go home. My daughter says theyre the most specialest thing in the zoo and from a 4-year-old, thats quite the compliment, said Thoms. Her daughter, Nat, giggled as she watched the National Zoos youngest panda, Xiao Qi Ji, try and fail to climb a tree. Theyre goofballs, she said. A California man allegedly defrauded dozens of investors in a multi-million dollar real estate Ponzi scheme based in Nebraska, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit. Jon Patrick Kubler, 51, of Redondo Beach, California, and five Nebraska-based companies that he owns and controls are named in a 42-page civil lawsuit filed in federal court earlier this month and unsealed on Monday. Between 2019 and 2021, Kubler is accused of raising $5.6 million from at least 56 investors for purported commercial real estate investments whilst investing less than 4% of the money he received. "In classic Ponzi scheme fashion, (Kubler) used approximately $3.7 million of new investments to pay principal or profits owed to old investors," the lawsuit reads. "During the Ponzi scheme, the Kubler Companies' bank account balances were often very low. When new investments came in, Kubler would typically deposit the new investor money into these bank accounts, and then ... use the new investor funds to make Ponzi payments to old investors." According to the lawsuit: Kubler began raising money for legitimate investments before the scheme turned fraudulent. He founded a company called Aksarben Evolution in 2009 with the intent of raising money to invest in companies that develop and operate commercial real estate in Aksarben Village. The endeavor was a success: By 2012, Kubler had raised approximately $7 million from 130 investors. These investors were told that their funds would be used to invest in three other companies that would develop, own, lease and operate commercial businesses in Aksarben Village. These funds were invested, according to the lawsuit, but failed to generate sufficient returns. By the end of 2013, Aksarben Evolution had just one remaining investment of 50% equity in an unnamed real estate company. Aksarben Evolution began selling that equity interest in 2016 and, by 2018, no longer had any interest in the company. "By no later than 2019, (Aksarben Evolutions) no longer owned any investment or business assets, and produced no income," the lawsuit reads. "(Aksarben Evolutions) still had approximately 120 investors from the initial 2009 to 2012 offering and owed these investors millions of dollars." Despite having no assets, Kubler allegedly continued to raise more than $2 million from investors through Aksarben Evolution between 2019 and 2021. None of this money was actually invested, according to the lawsuit. Instead, it was used to make Ponzi payments to earlier investors to make it appear as if they were receiving returns on their investments. In total, according to the lawsuit, Kubler and his associated companies owe more than $4.7 million to about 90 investors who invested money in Aksarben Evolution. He allegedly owes additional millions to people who invested in his other companies. Kubler is additionally accused of misappropriating at least $1 million of investor funds for his own benefit by transferring the funds to his other companies to make Ponzi payments and using them to pay for his personal expenses. A preliminary injunction barring Kubler from selling securities and freezing his assets, including 31 bank accounts, was granted by Nebraska U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert Rossiter on Thursday. He was also ordered to disclose detailed information about investors and investments made since 2016. The defendants disagree with the SECs characterization of these transactions and are prepared to defend against these claims, Kublers attorney Kristopher Covi said. Kubler will submit an answer to the accusations in mid-October. Top Journal Star photos for September 2023 MONDAY Al-Anon: 8 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3350 Lathrop Ave. Retired Involved Nurses Group: 11:30 a.m., Crystal Bay, 3900 N. Main St. Lunch is at noon. The cost of membership is $15 and lunch is $15. A business meeting will follow. For more information or reservations, call Marge Orth, secretary, 262-884-0742. WEDNESDAY Caledonia Senior Card Club: Sheepshead, for ages 55 and older, noon to 3 p.m., Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. For more information, call 414-856-9550. Kiwanis Club of West of Racine: 7:30 a.m., in-person at Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave. Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to serving the children of the world. To attend a meeting, contact Shirley Meyer, membership chair, at 262-260-8101 or email aquashirl4@yahoo.com. FRIDAY Racine Founders Rotary Club: 7 a.m., Racine Country Club, 2401 Northwestern Ave. DAILY/OTHERS Caledonia Historical Society Meeting: 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the 1900 Botting Machines Shed in the Caledonia Historic Village, 7330 5 Mile Road. The meeting is open to the public. Overeaters Anonymous: 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., a free fellowship group for all eating disorders using the 12 steps and 12 traditions. For more information call 262-652-5635. Racine Duplicate Bridge Club: Each week two ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games are played in Racine at 12:15 p.m. Monday and Friday at The Lanes, 6501 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant. People must have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to play. Call Henry Kensler, club manager, at 262-652-6173 for reservations. Recent winners are: Sept 22: Richard Arneson and Gloria Arneson, first place; Ellen Easley and Paul Dorsey, second place; Mary Matthews and Marilyn Wescott, third place. Sept 25: Dee Becker and Robert Gentz, first place; George Urquhart and Janet Urquhart, second place; Mark Langer and Marilyn Wescott, and Mary Matthews and Henry Kensler, tied for third place. Racine Welcome Club: Drop in coffee 9-11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at Northwinds Gallery 1700 N. Main St., Racine. The group is open to women who are interested in making new friends, learning about the varied community resources, and being involved in philanthropic and social activities. Call 262-994-0957 for more information. Racine Art Guild: The Racine Art Guild will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at Wustum Museum, 2519 Northwestern Ave. All members and interested artists are welcome. The program will be a sketch night. Members will be going to the Racine Theatre Guild and sketching costumes. Racine Camera Club: The Racine Camera Club will meet from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, in room R240 at Gateway Technical College, 1001 S. Main St. Any interested in photography is welcome to attend. Racine Jr. Womens Reunion: A reunion for all past members of The Racine Jr. Womens Club is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Oct. 18 at the old Womens Club (now Preservation Hall) 740 Lake Ave. For more information please contact Terri Clarke at . Racine NAACP: Monthly membership meetings are scheduled for Oct. 28, Nov. 18 and Dec. 23. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. at the Dr. John Bryant Center, 601 Caron Butler Drive, Racine. Lighthouse Quilters Guild: Open to quilters of all skill levels, 7 p.m., on the last Monday of each month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St. For more information, lighthousequiltersguild.com. MONDAYAl-Anon: 8 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3350 Lathrop Ave. Retired Involved Nurses Group: 11:30 a.m., Crystal Bay, 3900 N. Main St. Lunch is at noon. The cost of membership is $15 and lunch is $15. A business meeting will follow. For more information or reservations, call Marge Orth, secretary, 262-884-0742. WEDNESDAYCaledonia Senior Card Club: Sheepshead, for ages 55 and older, noon to 3 p.m., Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. For more information, call 414-856-9550. Kiwanis Club of West of Racine: 7:30 a.m., in-person at Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave. Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to serving the children of the world. To attend a meeting, contact Shirley Meyer, membership chair, at 262-260-8101 or email aquashirl4@yahoo.com. FRIDAYRacine Founders Rotary Club: 7 a.m., Racine Country Club, 2401 Northwestern Ave. DAILY/OTHERSCaledonia Historical Society Meeting: 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the 1900 Botting Machines Shed in the Caledonia Historic Village, 7330 5 Mile Road. The meeting is open to the public. https://caledoniahistoricalsociety.org Overeaters Anonymous: 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., a free fellowship group for all eating disorders using the 12 steps and 12 traditions. For more information call 262-652-5635. Racine Duplicate Bridge Club: Each week two ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games are played in Racine at 12:15 p.m. Monday and Friday at The Lanes, 6501 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant. People must have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to play. Call Henry Kensler, club manager, at 262-652-6173 for reservations. Recent winners are: Sept 22: Richard Arneson and Gloria Arneson, first place; Ellen Easley and Paul Dorsey, second place; Mary Matthews and Marilyn Wescott, third place. Sept 25: Dee Becker and Robert Gentz, first place; George Urquhart and Janet Urquhart, second place; Mark Langer and Marilyn Wescott, and Mary Matthews and Henry Kensler, tied for third place. Racine Welcome Club: Drop in coffee 9-11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at Northwinds Gallery 1700 N. Main St., Racine. The group is open to women who are interested in making new friends, learning about the varied community resources, and being involved in philanthropic and social activities. Call 262-994-0957 for more information. Racine Art Guild: The Racine Art Guild will meet from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at Wustum Museum, 2519 Northwestern Ave. All members and interested artists are welcome. The program will be a sketch night. Members will be going to the Racine Theatre Guild and sketching costumes. Racine Camera Club: The Racine Camera Club will meet from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, in room R240 at Gateway Technical College, 1001 S. Main St. Any interested in photography is welcome to attend. Racine Jr. Womens Reunion: A reunion for all past members of The Racine Jr. Womens Club is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Oct. 18 at the old Womens Club (now Preservation Hall) 740 Lake Ave. For more information please contact Terri Clarke at tclarke217@gmail.com. Racine NAACP: Monthly membership meetings are scheduled for Oct. 28, Nov. 18 and Dec. 23. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. at the Dr. John Bryant Center, 601 Caron Butler Drive, Racine. Lighthouse Quilters Guild: Open to quilters of all skill levels, 7 p.m., on the last Monday of each month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St. For more information, lighthousequiltersguild.com. RACINE Two new members will be sworn in Monday to the Racine Unified School District Board. April Harris and Nikki Fisher were appointed Sept. 25 to the School Board. Harris and Fisher will take their oaths of office before the boards work session meeting. Kristin Cafferty, Racine County Circuit Court Judge, will swear them in. Fisher, a business consulting firm owner, has been involved in multiple school district advisory councils and said she enjoys researching complex issues to try to find solutions. She knows challenges exist that do not have easy answers, but she is willing to work to help the school district improve. Harris, an art studio owner, repeatedly noted the importance of communicating with families and community members about school issues, particularly Black families. Through her contacts as a business owner, Harris thinks she can help facilitate those conversations. Harris will represent District 6, which covers Downtown Racine and the surrounding area. Fisher will represent District 8, which covers North Bay, Wind Point and parts of Caledonia. The new members will hold their positions for just under seven months. Harris will complete a three-year term that ends April 21, 2024. An election for District 6 will be held in April, with the winner earning a three-year term. Fisher will serve until April 21, 2024, when a special election for District 8 will be held. The special election winner will have a one-year term ending in April 2025. Both positions pay $3,600 per year. The oaths of office are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Mygatts Room at the RUSD Administrative Service Campus Building 1, 3109 Mt. Pleasant St. The School Board work session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the same room. Close Second grader Nakarii Williams smiles with the school mascot Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kim Krause, physical education teacher, hugs two students Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Breonna Paton, from left, second grader Delantiy Campbell and Emily Etchison get ready Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kim Krause, physical education teacher, welcomes a student Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Aleisha Baugh takes a photo of kindergartener Kelex Jackson on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. A student high-fives the school bear Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kindergartener Ky-ree Jones gets ready to walk into school Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Students line up Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Eight photos of Racine Unified's first day of school at Wadewitz Elementary Tuesday was the first day of the Racine Unified 2023-24 school year. Second grader Nakarii Williams smiles with the school mascot Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kim Krause, physical education teacher, hugs two students Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Breonna Paton, from left, second grader Delantiy Campbell and Emily Etchison get ready Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kim Krause, physical education teacher, welcomes a student Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Aleisha Baugh takes a photo of kindergartener Kelex Jackson on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. A student high-fives the school bear Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Kindergartener Ky-ree Jones gets ready to walk into school Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. Students line up Tuesday on the first day of class at Wadewitz Elementary School, 2700 Yout St. 1. Yes. If KHA cant continue to run it, the city should step in. Its a necessary asset to the area. 2. Yes. The city already uses it as a warming and cooling center. It would be a smart move. 3. No. It may be in the citys interest to help subsidize insurance for the center, but nothing more. 4. No. The city doesnt need the added burden of staffing and insuring the center. Its a bad idea. 5. Unsure. It may be seem like a good idea, but other options should be explored as well. Vote View Results Photo: . Patrick Weiler, Liberal MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky, described re-drawing the federal riding boundaries as acutting the heart out of West Vancouvera last year. Those riding changes are now in effect for any federal election called after April 22, 2024. The heart of West Vancouver is now officially part of North Vancouver at least where federal elections are concerned. Changes to electoral boundaries on the North Shore that carve out the main business district of West Vancouver and plunk it in the North Vancouver riding became official Sept. 22, according to Elections Canada. Any elections called after April 22, 2024 will be conducted under the new boundaries. Under the change, announced in February this year, the easternmost part of West Vancouver including Park Royal, Sentinel Hill and all of Ambleside (everything east of 21th Street) has been cut from the West Vancouver electoral district and added to the North Vancouver riding. (A previous plan had recommended adding half of Ambleside, from 15th Street east, to the neighbouring riding.) The change was made by an independent commission charged with re-drawing Canadas electoral map to make the population of ridings across the country more equal in size. But it also came in the face of significant community opposition. Patrick Weiler, the Liberal MP currently representing the West Vancouver riding, described the plan last year as cutting the heart out of West Vancouver to add it as an appendage to another riding. Weiler said when he went door-to-door in the area impacted by the change, most people werent aware the change was being considered, and those who were aware were opposed to it. John Weston, the former Conservative MP for the riding, also opposed the change, as did residents of West Vancouver. But those objections werent enough to change the commissions recommendation. In a report, the commission wrote it was aware of public concerns but said the existing riding of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sky to Sky represents too great a population, and that dividing West Vancouver was the only fair and appropriate resolution to the electoral districts high population. The redrawn electoral map, which would push boundaries of all three North Shore ridings north and west, is part of a larger jigsaw puzzle considered by the electoral boundaries commission as it added one riding to the province of B.C. The additional riding is needed because of population growth in the province. But the creation of a new riding in the southern Interior had a domino effect of boundary alterations in other areas of the province, including several ridings in the Lower Mainland. Under the riding changes, all West Vancouver between Burrard Inlet and Highway 1 east of 21st Street has been added to the North Vancouver riding, which will be known as Capilano-North Vancouver. The name of the West Van riding will also change to Howe Sound-West Vancouver. Chunks of Lynn Valley previously in the North Vancouver ridingincluding much of the area to the south of Lynn Valley Road and upper Lynn Valley to the east of Mountain Highway, as well as Capilano Universityhave also be added to the Burnaby-North Seymour riding. That riding is itself a product of an earlier redrawing of the election map that created a riding spanning Burrard Inlet. Politically, removing Ambleside from the West Vancouver riding wouldnt necessarily benefit either Liberals or Conservatives, as the area tends to split its votes between those parties. A populist former prime minister and his leftist party won parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party led with 22.9 percent, the Slovak Statistics Office said early Sunday after completing the count of 99.98 percent of the votes from some 6,000 polling stations. The election Saturday was a test for the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakias military support for Ukraine in Russias war if his attempt to return to power succeeded. The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war. With no party winning a majority of seats, a coalition government will need to be formed. The president traditionally asks an elections winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. He served as prime minister in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018. A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, was a distant second, with 18 percent of the votes. Its leader Michal Simecka, who is deputy president of the European Parliament, said his party respected the result. "But it's bad news for Slovakia," he said. And it would be even worse if Robert Fico manages to create a government. He said he'd like try and form a governing coalition if Fico fails. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Ficos former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini, came in third with 14.7%. Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Ficos chances to form a government. Pellegrini replaced Fico as prime minister after he was forced to resign by major anti-government street protests following the 2018 killing of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Pellegrini congratulated Fico on his victory but said that two former prime ministers in one government might not work well. Its not ideal but that doesnt mean such a coalition cant be created, he said. Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, a clear pro-Russian group, received 5.6 percent. Those three parties would have a parliamentary majority if they joined forces in a coalition government. Fico opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the U.S. should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. Fico's critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party. Hungary has been sanctioned by the EU for alleged rule-of-law violations and corruption, while EU institutions say Poland has been on a slippery slope away from the EUs rule-of-law principles. Fico has threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deals with the most serious crimes and corruption. Hungary also has ? uniquely among EU countries ? maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance. Fico repeats Russian President Vladimir Putins unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state from which ethnic Russians in the countrys east needed protection. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust. Known for foul-mouthed tirades against journalists, Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. The populist Ordinary People group, the conservative Christian Democrats and the pro-business Freedom and Solidarity also won seats in parliament. (AP) Check out dozens of images La Crosse Tribune staff photographers captured Oct. 1, 2008, during President Barack Obama's first trip to La Crosse, when he was the Democratic Party's nominee for president. Should Lake Genevas city lagoon boat pier slips be removed, redesigned or left as is? Those are some of the options that city officials are considering regarding the lagoon boat piers, located in the 100 block of Wrigley Drive, to help address issues related to the lagoon and the piers. Some of the issues that have occurred in the city lagoon during the past few years include increased debris, deteriorating condition of boat piers and decreased water levels in Geneva Lake, which is making it more difficult for boaters to navigate their watercrafts into the slips. I have no idea how many phone calls I got about boats not fitting into their slips, and its really because the lake levels are down by about six inches, Harbormaster Steve Russell said. So if you have a wide v-haul and you sink down six inches, the wide part of your boat is now hitting the finger piers that are in the lagoon. Russell presented five options for the city lagoon pier to Lake Geneva aldermen during the city councils piers, harbors and lakefront committee meeting, Sept. 12. The first option that was presented includes making no changes to the pier and leaving it as is. However, Russell said that is not a feasible option because of the current conditions of the pier, and even if city officials approve that option there would still have to be regular maintenance work done to the pier. If you decide to do nothing and leave it as is, you would have to do some fixes to the pier, pull a couple of finger piers out, Russell said. But we would probably have to turn around and say you cant put anything bigger than a 17-foot boat with about an 80- to 84-inch beam on it. If you have a current lease with a bigger boat, you might have to find another solution. Another option that was presented includes completely repairing the structure and making the city-owned slips wider. Let someone come in and rip it out and save whatever they can save and put it back together, Russell said. I think thats going to cost you more than a new pier system. A third option includes redesigning the city-owned slips and replacing them with a floating dock system. Russell said the floating docks would not have to be removed for the winter, but the system would cost the city between $300,000 and $400,000. Removing the city-owned slips and not replacing them is another option city officials could consider, which would also eliminate annual maintenance and repairs. Alderman Ken Howell said he is concerned that removing the slips would cause issues with the slip renters. About 28 people currently rent a slip on the pier. I wonder how many people we would upset if we did that?, Howell said. Twenty-eight, Russell responded. A fifth option includes removing the city-owned slips and converting the lagoon into a recreational area for fishing and kayaking. You can probably get pretty creative with what you could do with that, Russell said. It may require hiring an engineering firm, but it might be something to look at. Howell said he would like more information before deciding on an option. He said he also would like to meet with representatives from the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to determine if removing the slips would cause issues with the lake. We may not know what the consequences might be, Howell said. We have to protect the lake. We dont want anything to happen to the lake. After some discussion, the piers, harbors and lakefront committee members unanimously approved to continue discussion on the item during their October meeting. The committees next meeting is scheduled to be held Tuesday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m. at the city hall, council chambers, 626 Geneva St. There are 31 city-owned boat stalls available for rent in the city lagoon during boating season. The cost to rent a boat slip in the lagoon is $920 for residents, $1,604 for non-resident dwelling property owners, $1,920 for non-resident lot of rental property owners and $2,236 for non-residents. The rental rates were approved in December 2022. Other issues with the lagoon and piers Russell said other issues with the lagoon and the piers include the winter thaws and freezes causing the pier posts to heave and larger boats docking in the slips after boating season causing damage to areas of the pier. As soon as people start pulling their boats out, which theyre doing right now, other people come into the lagoon and they will park their boat to go to lunch, Russell said. I have found 23-foot boats in there and when a 23-foot boat goes into a lagoon slip that is 83 inches wide, those finger piers on both sides (spread out). The finger piers get moved and the two guys on either side next year will have smaller slips because its almost impossible to get then pushed back. Russell said it is also becoming more difficult to find a company that wants to perform maintenance work in the lagoon. Its almost impossible to get anyone to bid on anything in the lagoon because its such a difficult area to work in, Russell said. The cant get their normal barges under the bridge. Its difficult to access from land. You have to have equipment that you can brink in by truck and off load it for it to work. Happy 40th anniversary to the Geneva Lake Museum! Geneva Lake Museum mural Ed Schwinn & Helen Brandt Ceylon Court 818 Geneva St., Lake Geneva Main Street, Lake Geneva 'Preserving the Past for the Future' Lake Geneva Fire Department On the job Sea of green A dungeon DETROIT Marie Ronny and Kyan Bovee expect their futures to take off. Literally. The Black teens from Detroit are part of a free program teaching young people how to fly, while exposing them to careers in aviation, an industry in which people of color are traditionally underrepresented. Their classrooms are the skies above Detroit's Coleman A. Young municipal airport and inside a large hangar there serving as home to the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum. I want to be a mechanical engineer with a pilots license so I can fly my own creations. I want to build planes! said Ronny, a 16-year-old high school student who earned her pilots license this summer. Ronny and Bovee are among nearly 30 high school students in the Tuskegee Airmen Flight Academy this year, where a majority of the class is Black. The program began three decades ago and is designed for youths ages 14 to 19 who want to become professional pilots. It offers flight instruction and ground school classes leading to a private pilot license. Many kids go off to college and finish getting their license after starting at the museum, spokesman Greg Bowens said. The academy continues the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, who were part of an experimental system for Black soldiers who wanted to train as pilots during World War II after the Army Air Corps was forced to admit them. More than 900 men trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, from 1940 to 1946. The Tuskegee Airmen have been the subject of books, movies and documentaries highlighting their courage in the air and the discrimination they faced in the U.S. while fighting for freedom abroad. The academy's students learn how to take off and land in surplus U.S. Air Force gliders and single-engine planes from the small airport on Detroits eastside, as well as aircraft maintenance. The museum also has academies in Indiana and the African countries of Ghana and Nigeria, and the program is free thanks to private and federal government donations. Bovee was 13 when a neighbor, an aircraft mechanic, told him about the program. He had never been in a plane. The first time in the airplane, it was something I really fell in love with, said Bovee, now 18. I enjoyed it. I thought it was so cool. I was actually (in) a small airplane at the controls. He attends community college and hopes to transfer into Western Michigan Universitys aviation program with the goal of becoming an airline pilot. When the students are flying its amazing to see the expressions on their faces, museum President Brian Smith said. "But first they have to get over their fear. Then its mentoring them to be determined to stick to the task at-hand. Once they overcome the fear, they are on their way to be pilots. This is a good time to enter the field. The government estimates there will be about 18,000 annual openings for airline and commercial pilots this decade, with many of those to replace retirees. Earlier this year, American Airlines Chief Executive Robert Isom said he was ready to give pilots raises and higher retirement contributions that would average 40% over four years to match a contract approved by Delta Air Lines pilots. A top-scale captain on a Boeing 737 would ultimately make $475,000 yearly in salary and retirement-plan contributions, while a senior captain on a larger plane such as a Boeing 777 would earn $590,000, Isom said. Lauryn Billingsley, who is 16 and Black, is considering the U.S. Air Force and then a career as a commercial pilot. More Black women should get into it, said Billingsley, of suburban Detroit. A lot of Black women are good in math and STEM, and this is a good job. Billingsley admits she was a little nervous when she first took the controls in the cockpit. As you fly more, you get more comfortable," she said. Jibril Hamad, 17, of Detroit, also wants to fly for an airline. I do talk to my friends and my guys about what I do," he said. "They find it really interesting. Every time I go up, I get a question: Whats it like? Youre not scared? Im calm and collected in the cockpit. For young people already interested in flying, fear is not a factor, said Sha'Malia Willis, community outreach coordinator and director of the programs at the museum. It doesn't take them much time to be comfortable, she said. In that first flight, a calm comes over you when you get into the air. I wasnt afraid, I knew it was something I wanted to do. Most students average about 40 hours of flight time before getting their pilot's license, said Willis, a Black woman who started learning to fly about 15 years ago. She wears her flight suit when speaking at schools in Detroit. Most of them have never been on a plane before," she said of the Black students she meets. "It's very normal that our kids have never seen a pilot before. When I leave, they say they want to be pilots. Now, they know it's possible. Best places for college grads to start their careers Best places for college grads to start their careers #15. Omaha, Nebraska #14. Lincoln, Nebraska #13. Fort Collins, Colorado #12. Rochester, New York #11. Virginia Beach, Virginia #10. Charlotte, North Carolina #9. Indianapolis #8. San Jose, California #7. Jacksonville, Florida #6. Des Moines, Iowa #5. Sioux Falls, South Dakota #4. Boise, Idaho #3. Honolulu #2. Crestview, Florida #1. Savannah, Georgia Dear W.C., Four months ago, I moved into an apartment with my three children after spending two months in a homeless shelter. We had to go to the shelter after I escaped an abusive relationship that ended with my ex-fiance doing extensive damage to our rental and my car. He was arrested and is paying for the damage to the rental, but my children and I were evicted. It has been a long tough road to get back on my feet when last month I ended up in the hospital with a terrible illness. I had to have surgery and spent over a week in the hospital. Just when I was getting caught up on everything and was able to make all my payments on time, I feel like I am back where I started. My rent is now overdue because I was off work for so long while I recovered. My car payment is late. I dont know where else to turn and I worry about ending up back at the homeless shelter. While it was great to have that place to go when we needed it, my children and I never want to go through that experience again. I cannot let my children down again. Dear Readers, The fear of homelessness is one we encounter almost daily. There is nearly always a waiting list at shelters and motels are too expensive for most people to afford. Living in cars, especially for women and children, is not acceptable in any community. This mother had been through a very difficult past year as she worked to get her children and herself out of abuse and poverty, only to have a hospitalization and long recovery set them back once again. I felt this mother could get back to a stable financial position with some assistance from The Time is Now to Help. I called the busy mother and caught her as she arrived home from work. She had just returned to her job the previous week as soon as the doctor had cleared her to return to work. We spoke while the mother walked into her apartment, and I listened as she greeted her children and then excused herself to speak privately. When she was able to speak without her children listening, she began to tell me some of what they were going through. The mother still spoke softly as she did not want to worry her children about another possible eviction. She broke down then as she said, I cant fail my children again. They have been through so much. We talked about the children, and I learned they were 17, 15 and 10. The oldest daughter helped by watching her siblings while the mother worked and while she was hospitalized. I learned the daughter was very responsible and helpful, even with a full high school schedule. I asked about her job and income as I wanted to be sure she could afford her expenses going forward. We went over their budget thoroughly and discussed some upcoming expenses. I was once again confident we could be the helping hand to turn this mothers life around. We would provide three months rent, gift cards for food, clothing and toiletries, and the much-needed car repair as she had been driving for over a week with the check engine light on. When I shared with the mother the details of our assistance, she once again began to cry. I could feel the stress and worry she had been feeling dissipating with the tears she shed. When she could finally speak, she said, I will be forever grateful to The Time is Now to Help. I could never have saved us without your help. Thank you and God Bless you for allowing us to provide poverty relief to people living in desperation, hunger, and fear. Thanks to You lives are changed forever. We have successfully matched the Barnabas $5,000 Matching Grant this week. Thank you for your matching donations that are being used 100% providing poverty relief in our communities. We will soon share with you where every penny was spent relieving the pains of poverty. Health & Happiness, Love & GOD Bless Everyone, Sal Please Help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 5013 charitable organization. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt showing how 100% of your donation was used for providing poverty relief. Please visit our website for more information, to read more of our past and current columns and/or to make a donation: www.timeisnowtohelp.org A Very Special Thank You: Clarence W. and Marilyn Schawk Donor Fund, Barnabas Donors, Kunes Family Foundation, Lake Geneva Area Realty, Susan and Phil Hagenah, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, Mary Fitzgerald, Kunes Country Auto Group, Martin Group, John Stensland and family, Paul Ziegler, Ziegler Charitable Foundation, United Way of Walworth County, Dr. Mark and Cynthia Brower, Anthony Zwirgzdas, St. Nick Fund/the Swanson and Monticello Families, Doris Wiechmann, Patricia Jankowski, T. and Carolyn Schoneck, Beth Pizzo, Dennis and Carol Gilhooley, Charles and Kathleen Heinz, Richard and Carol Kerkman, Stanley Roelker, James Dyer, Church of Jesus Christ LDS, Duane and June DeYoung, Carol Hinners, Michael and Kathe Beach, John and Marian McClellan, Mary Dunbar, all of our anonymous donors and ALL of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000. Memorials: The following donation was given in memory of Elaine Rehberg: Anthony and Julie Bretl. The following donation was given in memory of Joseph Spiegelhoff: The Hollman-Nordhaus Family and Jennifer McAnulty. Prayer Chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please pray for healing for the following people: Brian, Mike, Sylvia, Megan, Kayla, Maria C., Betty, Scott, Annie, Marilyn, Brandon, Helen, Dennis, Mary, Joseph, Jordan, Jean, Tom L., Dr. Peter, Alyce, Matthew, Pam E., Jenene B., John S., Patricia H., Darlene, Ron K., Marian K., Judy, Wendy, Eric, Anthony, Mary, Charlie, Tom P., Christina, Billy, Mike, Cheryl, Bryan E., and Ellie. Photo: The Canadian Press Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Patrick Doyle, THE CANADIAN PRESS Green Party Leader Elizabeth May will leave her name on the ballot for the election of a new Speaker in the House of Commons on Tuesday, months after a mild stroke saw her on doctors orders not to travel by plane to Ottawa. May, who represents Saanich-Gulf Islands, is one of several MPs who have stated their intention to leave their name on the ballot. Im still thinking about it, said May. I will definitely want to give a speech on Tuesday morning about what a Speaker should do and what the role of a Speaker is. By convention, all 338 MPs are considered to be in the running, and MPs who do not want to run for the role must remove themselves from the ballot. The election will be held Oct. 3 to replace MP Anthony Rota, who stepped down as Speaker Wednesday after drawing international criticism when he invited the House to recognize a 98-year-old Ukrainian veteran from his North Bay, Ont. riding who was later revealed to have served in a Nazi unit. Bloc Quebecois MP Louis Plamondon the longest-serving member of Parliament is the interim Speaker and will preside over the election. For a candidate to be successful, they must receive at least 50 per cent of the vote plus one. May travelled by ferry, train and vehicle to get to Williams Lake on Saturday to join residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad for a National Day of Reconciliation event. After having a mild stroke on June 29 that left a hematoma or pooled blood in her brain, May is waiting for an MRI to be scheduled to hopefully show the blood is no longer present. Until then, she is not permitted to fly. May would be unable to get to Ottawa by train in time for Tuesdays vote anyway, she said. She is permitted to make her speech via live video but in absentia she is not allowed to take part in the secret paper ballot vote. Monday evening is the last time members of Parliament can withdraw their name from the paper ballot, but MPs can still verbally withdraw Tuesday. If I were Speaker, Id be making sure our rules were enforced, said May. A Speaker can demand that MPs apologize if they use unparliamentary language and have an MP removed from the chamber. May said the Speaker should bring back decorum. Ive never yelled, Ive never heckled, Ive never interrupted another person, said May. Its really important to me that we observe our rules and those rules also say you treat everyone with respect. On Friday, May spoke to many other MPs who may be leaving their names on the ballot including Chalottetown Liberal MP Sean Casey, Hull-Aylmer MP Greg Fergus and Nova Scotia Conservative MP Chris DEntremont. The Speaker presides over House of Commons business, acts as an impartial arbiter of House proceedings, and maintains order and civility during debates. The Speaker cant be a leader of a party with official status or be a minister. Although May is a party leader, the Green Party is not officially recognized in the House because the party only has two seats. Twelve seats are required for official party status. That makes May eligible to run for Speaker. May said this is the first time that being the leader of a party not officially recognized in the House has served her well. May put her name forward for Speaker in 2019. The Speaker is considered non-partisan and does not sit in a party caucus or take part in debates. The Speaker enters the House in a procession led by the Sergeant-at-Arms carrying the Mace, a symbol of the Speakers authority. MPs rise as the Speaker goes to their chair and once its determined there are enough MPs in attendance, the Speaker opens the sitting. If chosen Speaker, May said she would return to the rule that sees the Speaker recognize who speaks in the House and not allow partisan party whips to offer up lists of names to the Speaker as has become the custom. May is emphatic that she would not have made the mistake Rota did in not thoroughly vetting a constituent invited to sit in the public gallery during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys address to Parliament. I feel sick about what happened, said May, in a phone interview. People say its embarrassing. Its not embarrassing. Embarrassing is when you mispronounce somebodys name. Giving a standing ovation to a Nazi, is mortifying. May said that it is uniquely the prerogative of the Speaker to recognize people in the gallery. May recalled it being impossible for her making requests through Rota to have Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki recognized in the House. Many other attempts were also denied, she said. I think Speaker Rota broke his own rules to recognize someone from his riding and its heartbreaking, its a violation and what it means to the Jewish community is unspeakable, said May. May suggests being Speaker would be less work than being party leader, but on the other hand she said it would leave her unable to travel to events like CCOP28, to be held Nov. 30 through Dec. 12 in Dubai. The United Nations annual climate change conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties, is a gathering of world leaders, ministers and negotiators who discuss how climate change should be addressed. I think the reality is the Green Party is the only hope for the world right now, said May. May said her decision Tuesday will basically be about making a choice between being Speaker and climate. [email protected] >>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected] Putin Welcomes Legislators to the Russia-Latin America Parliamentary Conference Sept. 30, 2023, (EIRNS)Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the opening session of the first Russia-Latin America International Parliamentary Conference, taking place in Moscow over Sept. 29-Oct. 2. According to State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, on whose initiative the conference was organized, there are representatives from over half the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, with approximately 200 people in attendance, TASS reports. Many bilateral meetings are planned over the course of the four-day conference. The conference will address the pressing issues facing the region, not the least being the need to reorganize the international financial system which, as Putin put it, currently serves exclusively the interests of the so-called golden billion. Discussion of the BRICS is also on the agenda. The nations of the Global South are currently victims of a kind of debt slavery, the Russian President said, recalling Africa leaders reports at the July 27-28 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg that the entire African debt burden amounts to $1 trillion, an amount simply impossible to pay. The golden billion are the ones that reap the benefits of the current financial and credit system, because thats how its structured, Putin said. The leaders of these golden billion countries exploit practically all other countries. They abuse their position in terms of technology, information and finances. They have built international financial institutions in such a way and introduce such rules into financial and economic activities that bring practical benefit only to them.... And this is certainly something we need to think about. And, he added, this is something the BRICS is also carefully analyzing. The reality is that the credit commitments that many emerging markets carry are no longer considered as credit, but they are more like a levy, some kind of a contribution. It should not be like this. This is why we must all work together to change the rules in this international sphere as well. He pointed out that the nations of Latin America are moving successfully toward forming a multipolar system of international relations and have enormous potential and human resources to pursue a sovereign, independent foreign policy ... [and] will have a leading role in the world. From monitoring what goes on in different countries, Putin said, Russia is aware of different trends within different political circles particularly ahead of various political events inside these countries (a reference to Argentinas upcoming elections). The BRICS, however, is not a military alliance, but rather a forum for coordinating approaches and developing mutually acceptable solutions based on sovereignty, independence and respect for one another. Political forces will have to factor in peoples sentiments. Voters sentiments, in the broad sense of the word ... add up to the aspiration for freedom and independence. When Russia becomes the BRICS chair next year, I believe we will do the utmost to make sure that the so-called global majority has the sense that they are not simply the majority in terms of the population size of their countries, but they are the majority on account of their development prospects. Trade between Russia and Latin America has grown by 25% over the past five years, and Russian exports to the region grew by 130% during that same time period. Of course, a faster transition to settlement in national currencies and the creation of channels for financial and banking cooperation, as well as of new transport and logistics chainsall this facilitates the further develop of mutual trade. A whole range of major mutually beneficial investments and high-tech projects constitute our common asset, he said. Look, for example, at the nuclear energy research and technology center Russia is helping build in Bolivia, and the joint biopharmaceutical enterprises that are expanding their activities in Nicaragua and Venezuela, and the upgrading of a metallurgical plant in Cuba. People demonstrate outside an unopened Amazon warehouse on West Division Street in West Humboldt Park on Jan. 19, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) In January, 37th Ward residents and a coalition of community groups gathered in the cold to protest outside a planned Amazon warehouse at Division Street and Kostner Avenue in West Humboldt Park. Demonstrators held signs demanding equality in hiring. They expressed frustration about being excluded from meetings on the project, and called for transparency from the local alderman and the e-commerce giant. Advertisement But they werent trying to keep Amazon from moving into the neighborhood. They wanted the warehouse to open sooner. A job beats no job, said one ward resident. Advertisement [ Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui ] After months of delays, Amazon will begin operating the delivery facility in early October and plans to hire for 350 full- and part-time jobs. Community groups have attempted to wrangle commitments from Amazon related to local hiring and wages for around two years, but they have mostly stopped short of trying to keep the warehouse from opening. In a neighborhood that has suffered from decades of disinvestment, many residents see the warehouse, shiny in blue and white paint, as a step forward. At the same time, Amazon is facing significant federal scrutiny over working conditions and injury rates within its warehouses. Experts who study the warehousing industry questioned the long-term impact the facility, and its associated jobs, could have on the community. We typically count the number of jobs that are coming in, said Nik Theodore, a professor of urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We have to pay a lot more attention to the question of job quality. Anthony Stewart, left, and Edie Jacobs, right, rally during a protest for action on jobs and pollution outside a new Amazon warehouse in West Humboldt Park on Aug. 16, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Is a job better than no job? Perhaps, said Beth Gutelius, research director for the Center for Urban Economic Development at UIC. But I think we underestimate, at our own peril, the long-term physical and mental health impacts of working at Amazon. When workers there begin moving packages in October, the West Humboldt Park warehouse will be what Amazon calls a sub-same day facility. That means it will house inventory of popular items customers may want delivered on the same day dog food, baby formula or diapers, for instance that Amazon Flex drivers, who are not Amazon employees, will deliver out of passenger cars. Hiring for the facility is underway. Amazon has thus far declined to commit to specific geographic hiring targets some community organizations have called for the company to hire 60% of its staff from the West Side but says it is working with community organizations to hire locally. Amazon said the vast majority of hires are from the city and that many live in and around West Humboldt Park. Advertisement The bottom rungs of the ladder were missing On a sweltering day in late August, Terrance Whitehead gestured toward a nearby apartment building from the porch of his home just east of the new warehouse. Whitehead, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, was glad it was opening. In this apartment building right here, I know at least 10 people who need jobs, he said. Terrance Whitehead on his porch in West Humboldt Park on Aug. 22, 2023. In this apartment building right here, I know at least 10 people who need jobs, he said. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Whitehead would have wanted to work there himself, but suffered an injury doing maintenance work earlier this year. A ceiling fell in on him, causing him to break his hip. Now, he said, he cant work at all. Finding employment continues to be a struggle for many on the West Side, especially in the decades since Chicago lost the manufacturing jobs that helped form the backbone of the citys economy, said Theodore, the UIC professor. When companies moved manufacturing jobs overseas, a process that accelerated in the 1980s, Chicago workers lost their jobs and people stopped spending in neighborhoods such as West Humboldt Park, Theodore said. Restaurants and department stores shuttered. Young people who might have gotten their first job working as a grocery clerk could no longer find work at their neighborhood supermarket, because they had closed too. Advertisement The bottom rungs of the ladder were missing for young people in neighborhoods like West Humboldt Park, Theodore said. Theres hope that with new development and new investment in the neighborhood, some of those rungs, the missing rungs on the ladder will be replaced, he said. But its been a problem that was decades in the making. And I think its not an exaggeration to say a generation or two of young people have grown up in the neighborhood without those opportunities, Theodore said. In the warehouses ZIP code, which spans parts of Humboldt Park and Austin, the unemployment rate over the five-year period from 2017 to 2021 was above 10%, compared with a city average of 8.4%, according to census data. A pedestrian walks past Pete and Jacks Food & Liquors at the corner of West Division Street and North Keeler Avenue in West Humboldt Park on Aug. 22, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Young people in particular have struggled to find work. Close to 1 in 5 residents between the ages of 20 and 24 were unemployed over the five-year timespan. The median household income was $44,549. The manufacturing jobs of the past were highly unionized, which led to upward pressure on wages and working conditions throughout the entire manufacturing sector, Gutelius said. Union density in the warehousing industry that has taken its place is much lower, she said. Pay at the new Amazon warehouse will start at $19.50 an hour, above the city minimum wage of $15.80 but well below the floor of $28.50 that some community organizers have called for. Employees who work 30 hours or more a week will receive benefits including health, vision and dental insurance, parental leave, and a 401(k) match. About half of the jobs will be part time. Advertisement If you dont have bad legs, youll eventually get them. In recent years, Amazon has faced significant scrutiny regarding working conditions and injury rates within its warehouses, sparking labor organizing among workers and drawing the attention of federal regulators. In the summer of 2022, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened investigations into working conditions at six Amazon warehouses across the country, including one in north suburban Waukegan. The probe arose after referrals from the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of New York, which said it was investigating possible fraudulent conduct designed to hide injuries from OSHA. OSHA investigators found Amazon exposed workers to a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as low back injuries, spinal disc damage and injuries to the hips, shoulder and hands linked to the frequency with which they were required to lift heavy items, including packages. In Waukegan, the investigations led to Amazon being cited twice for alleged violations: Once for exposing workers to injuries and once for failing to properly record work-related injuries, with total penalties in Illinois tallying up to less than $25,000. While Amazon has developed impressive systems to make sure its customers orders are shipped efficiently and quickly, the company has failed to show the same level of commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its workers, Doug Parker, assistant secretary for OSHA, said in a statement at the time. An Amazon warehouse is under construction on West Division Street in West Humboldt Park on Jan. 19, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) When OSHA cited Amazon for alleged record keeping violations, the agency alleged the company had improperly classified injuries as not having required a worker to take time off work, or take on a job transfer or restriction, when in fact they did so. In one case in Waukegan, the agency alleged, a workers head injury was misclassified as a muscle strain. Advertisement Amazon has vigorously objected to the government citations and is appealing them. The governments allegations dont reflect the reality of safety at our sites, and our publicly available data show weve improved injury rates in the U.S. by 23% between 2019 and 2022, said Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly. The company also said it had reduced its rate of injuries requiring employees to take time away from work by 69% since 2019. It claimed its rate of such injuries was below the industry average. This spring, an analysis of OSHA data released by the union coalition Strategic Organizing Center found that though the companys rate of injuries that required workers to be put on light duty, transfer duties or take time away from work dipped slightly in 2022 from 2021, its rate of those types of injuries were more than double the rate found in non-Amazon warehouses. Amazon was responsible for 53% of all light duty or lost time injuries in the warehouse industry in 2022 despite employing 36% of American warehouse workers, the report found. The company also disputes the methodology used in the SOC report, saying it is based on incomplete data. Advertisement Many large companies with similar operational footprints that should be included in such a calculation report almost all of their injuries under different reporting codes than we do, Kelly said. As a result, industry average actually represents only a small subset of the companies that have businesses similar to ours, and many are much smaller. The company, which posted $514 billion in net sales last year, said it had invested $1 billion in safety initiatives from 2019 to 2022 and said it was investing an additional $550 million this year. The vast majority of our employees tell us they feel our workplace is safe. We know there will always be ways for us to improve even further, and we will well never stop working to be safer for our employees, Kelly said. Amazon is a retailer that acts with a tech companys move fast and break things, ethos, Gutelius said. The company brings new technologies, such as tracking software, online to increase productivity and efficiency in its warehouses, she said. But its kind of colliding with the limits, she said, of workers actual bodies and how fast they can work, and when they need breaks. Neighborhood resident Maura Madden, left, and Anthony Stewart, of Black Workers Matter, tape a petition to the door during a demonstration outside a new Amazon warehouse in West Humboldt Park on Sept. 12, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Katrina Washington, who lives in Austin, said she worked for Amazon for a couple of months a handful of years ago at a facility in Kenosha. The pay and benefits were good, she said, but she found the job exhausting and hard on her body. Advertisement The movements required were robotic youre twisting, turning, bending, squatting, she said and employees were required to work fast. If you dont have bad legs, she said, youll eventually get them. Her longest break during her shift was 30 minutes, she said. When she would get home at the end of the day, Washington said, she could barely eat. I was too exhausted. I was aching and everything. Washington, 53, had an existing work-related back injury from her time as a certified nurse assistant in a nursing home, and left Amazon on a doctors orders related to that injury. She works part time for Get to Work, a community group that has been involved in organizing around Amazon in West Humboldt Park. Washingtons son, James Shelby, has also worked for Amazon. He worked at a facility in Monee in 2021 and 2022. Shelby, 33, said hed injured and then reinjured his knee working at Amazon. It was the worst pain I ever felt in my knee, he said. I could barely walk. Advertisement Still, hes considering applying to work for Amazon in West Humboldt Park. This summer, Washington joined a protest in which residents called on Amazon to hire locally and pay workers higher wages. Shes concerned about the impact the warehouse could have on pollution in the neighborhood, but thinks it will ultimately be a good thing for the West Side. If people get the jobs that they need, then itd be less violence, and less crime in the area, because they have something to look for, they have hope, she said. They have something to go to every day. So many people have kind of burnt out A few hundred jobs at Amazon wont be enough to turn the tide of disinvestment in a neighborhood such as West Humboldt Park, Theodore said. But the companys presence could serve as a positive market signal to other employers, and warehouse jobs at Amazon could help boost the resumes of young workers who are hired there, he said if they can stick with the job. Amazon has been scrutinized for its turnover rate, an issue plaguing the warehouse industry as a whole. Edie Jacobs, center, and Howard Ray, right, join other neighbors and supporters during a demonstration on Sept. 12, 2023, outside a new Amazon warehouse in West Humboldt Park. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) In 2022, an internal Amazon memo from the year prior reported by the technology website Recode showed the company was worried about running out of U.S. warehouse employees by 2024. In a 2021 story analyzing pre-pandemic data, reporters for The New York Times found the companys annual turnover rate was about 150%, close to double that of the retail and logistics industry as a whole. Advertisement Kelly, the Amazon spokesperson, said the leaked document was an early draft, and it wasnt appropriately refined or vetted, let alone finalized. He declined to share Amazons current turnover rate. High turnover could compromise not just the tenure of prospective Amazon employees, but also the number of people Amazon is able to hire from the neighborhood, Theodore said. The geography of the labor market for warehousing is getting larger and larger because of the high turnover, he said. Tommy Carden, an organizer who works with Amazon warehouse workers in Will County, said when Amazon opened warehouses in Joliet, most of the people hired were from close by. Over the past couple of years, that has become less and less true, said Carden, who works with the group Warehouse Workers for Justice. Workers at the facilities are coming from farther and farther away, Carden said. So many people have tried it, Carden said, and so many people have kind of burnt out. Advertisement Kelly, the Amazon spokesperson, said attrition is something all employers face, but we want to do everything we can to make Amazon an employer of choice. This is accomplished through offering good pay, comprehensive benefits, a safe workplace, and robust training and educational opportunities that are effective, yet always improving, he said. Ald. Emma Mitts touted the jobs she said the facility would bring to her ward in written responses to questions from the Tribune. Lets give them an opportunity to showcase their employee working-related strategies, she said. She said her office would address these issues with the appropriate workplace safety measures, legislative and regulatory agencies toward Amazon if and when they should ever become necessary. Farrah Walker, secretary of the West Humboldt Park Community Coalition, drops a letter about the Amazon warehouse in the mail slot at the office of Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, on June 1, 2023. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Amazon will now be one of the only large employers in the neighborhood, said Adrienne Whitney-Boykin, executive director of the West Humboldt Park Development Council, one of the neighborhood groups that has partnered with Amazon on hiring efforts. The lot where Amazons facility is has been vacant for years, she said. Whitney-Boykin hopes Amazons presence in the neighborhood could send a positive signal to other businesses. Advertisement Whitney-Boykin also thinks the company should address issues of workplace safety. Were hoping that theyre rectifying them as they come into the neighborhood, she said. Because people will not let it stand; people will unionize and do everything else in order to make sure its fair. Organizing efforts at Amazon have proven difficult, in part because of the high turnover of workers there. Workers at a Staten Island warehouse voted to unionize in the spring of 2022; Amazon is contesting that election. Elections in Bessemer, Alabama, and Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, are also contested. An attempt to unionize a third New York warehouse faltered. Elsewhere, including in the Chicago area, workers have organized independently, outside of the federal unionization process through the National Labor Relations Board, sometimes with the assistance of workers centers such as Warehouse Workers for Justice. Anthony Stewart, left, of Black Workers Matter, and neighborhood resident Maura Madden speak during a protest outside a new Amazon warehouse in West Humboldt Park Sept. 12, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) In May, labor board officials filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging the company had illegally discouraged organizing efforts at four suburban warehouses last year, including by allegedly calling the police on workers who were collecting signatures on petitions for higher pay. Amazon denied the allegations in the complaints, which will move to a hearing before an administrative law judge in December. In September, weeks before the West Side facility opened, residents gathered outside Amazon in protest again. Darian Davis, 26, attended the protest where organizers called for higher wages and commitments from Amazon related to the facilitys environmental impact. Advertisement Davis, who lives on Crystal Street a couple blocks away, has been looking for work for about three months and said he planned to apply there. Hed heard the company has good benefits, such as a 401(k), and offered good pay. People our age, you know, we need stuff like that to better our future, he said. We need stuff like that in our community because we dont get that most often. Marcos Ceniceros, executive director of Warehouse Workers for Justice, puts it this way: Youre starving, he said, anythings gonna look and sound pretty delicious. tasoglin@chicagotribune.com VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents. Today we are talking about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was related to an earlier president with same last name, Theodore Roosevelt. Many Americans call Franklin Roosevelt by the first letter of each word in his full name: FDR. When FDR took office, the United States was in a severe economic depression. The previous president, Herbert Hoover, had tried to improve the economy, but his efforts had failed. FDR defeated Hoover in the election of 1932. He won, in part, by promising what he called a new deal for Americans. Voters did not know what FDRs new deal meant exactly, but many liked his message of hope. Voters also did not know how much FDR would change the country. He remained in office for 12 years the longest of any U.S. president and led the country through the Great Depression and most of World War II. Along the way, he changed the way government affected Americans lives, and the job of the U.S. president. Early life Franklin Roosevelt was born on a large estate in New York, about 140 kilometers outside New York City. He was the only child of wealthy parents. His mother and father made sure he had an excellent education. As a young man he attended a private high school, and then Harvard College in Massachusetts. He also studied law at Columbia University in New York. Young FDR was not an excellent student, however. He was interested in many things outside the classroom, including politics and girls. Two of FDRs interests came together in a young woman named Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who went by the name Eleanor. She was the niece of a politician FDR greatly respected: President Theodore Roosevelt. On the day when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were married, Theodore Roosevelt attended the ceremony. In fact, he walked with his niece in front of the guests to her future husband. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt went on to have six children, although one died as a baby. While Eleanor Roosevelt raised the children, Franklin Roosevelt directed his attention to politics. He left a job in a law office to serve in the New York state senate. In time, he was offered a job in the federal government as an assistant secretary of the Navy. FDR enjoyed the job, but he continued seeking other political positions. He tried unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. Senate, but did get nominated by the Democratic Party to be its vice presidential candidate in 1920. Although he and his partner lost the race, FDR seemed like he was in a good position for major political success. But then something unexpected happened. Illness and return to politics When he was 39 years old, FDR suffered major health problems. One day he started to feel a pain in his back. The following day his legs grew tired. Then his skin became sensitive. By the end of the week, both his legs were paralyzed. He could not move from the waist down. He remained paralyzed for the rest of his life. The next years were difficult for the Roosevelts. Eleanor and the children helped care for FDR. And he worked hard to recover some of his strength and physical abilities, especially by exercising. While he remained hopeful about his condition, FDR worried about his political career. He did not think the public would accept a leader who could not even walk by himself. So he took several measures. He created a small wheelchair that would not get too much attention. It was made from a dining room chair, with wheels instead of legs. He refused to let photographers take pictures of him being carried or struggling to move, and he found a way to appear as if he were walking. He used a cane or the arm of a partner to balance, and then he swung his hips to make his legs move forward. Using this method, FDR walked to the stage at the 1924 Democratic National Convention. He used the event to nominate the governor of New York for president. That mans bid did not succeed. But FDR showed himself to still be an able politician. Four years later, FDR himself was elected governor of New York. He held the position in the early years of the countrys economic crisis. In 1932, FDR was a candidate for president. He took the unusual step of appearing in person at the Democratic convention to accept his partys nomination. His campaign was such a success that the Democrats took not only the White House, but majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The strength of the Democratic Party in Congress would help FDR become one of the most powerful presidents the country had ever seen. Next week we will continue our story of FDR and his presidency. Im Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz - America's Presidents: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story estate - n. a large piece of land with a large house on it niece - n. a daughter of your brother or sister paralyzed - adj. unable to move or feel all or part of the body swing - v. to move backward and forward or from side to side while hanging from something stage - n. a raised platform in a theater or auditorium where the performers stand And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. Today we talk about a type of writing -- boilerplate. Boilerplate language is the writing in documents such as contracts. The language is standardized. This means the words are well established and used by many people. The language is widely recognized as acceptable. It is not creative, nor does it change very much. So, when it comes to things like business documents, legal contracts, and training manuals, boilerplate is a good thing. You dont need or want creative language in those sorts of documents. However, in writing other kinds of stories, boilerplate has a different meaning. If a piece of writing is not special or creative, we can call it boilerplate. The words hackneyed and trite have related meanings. Hackneyed or trite writing is commonplace and repeated too often. There is nothing special about boilerplate writing. Now, lets hear boilerplate used in some examples. Im not signing any contract without my lawyer looking at it first. I dont care how boilerplate it is. The writing in the novel was boilerplate. It showed no creativity. The writing job was not difficult for the college student. It was mostly boilerplate type stories. Where did boilerplate come from? The website Meriam-Webster.com explains how the term boilerplate came to mean standard or non-creative writing. Boilerplate comes from syndicated stories used especially by weekly newspapers. These stories were ready-to-print and required no additional writing. Boilerplate stories were not usually hard news. They were stories that just filled space in the newspaper. So, the term boilerplate can mean ordinary, mediocre writing. In the past, these stories were sent on flat, metal plates. These story plates looked like plates used to make steam boilers, devices used to make steam for heat or power. So, they were called boiler plates. Soon, the term boilerplate came to mean the actual printed material on the plates as well as to the plates themselves. And thats all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Hopefully, you dont find our materials at VOA Learning English to be boilerplate. Until next time Im Anna Matteo. Anna Matteo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story standardized adj. to be regular, normal, and predictable because of similar language, spelling and usage rules training manual n. a book of instructions for a specific job or task hackneyed adj. lacking in freshness or originality because it is repeated often trite adj. hackneyed or boring from much use, not fresh or original syndicate v. to sell material for publication at the same time in many newspapers, periodical publications, or to broadcast on television or the radio mediocre adj. of medium or low quality, ordinary We want to hear from you. Do you have a similar expression in your language? In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. Many elementary school teachers say they dislike the idea of teaching mathematics even at the most basic level. That is a cause for concern among educators. Experts say it is critical for students to have a solid foundation in the subject because math skills build on each other. Research published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that math is a common cause of anxiety for adults, especially for women. About 90 percent of elementary teachers in the U.S. are women. The NIH study suggested that, in the field of education, anxiety can have a harmful effect on learners. International studies have found that U.S. students are behind many other democracies in math skills. In 2017, the OECD, an international economic research group, ranked the U.S. 30th among member countries. Since the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the math test scores in the U.S. suffered even more. Educators now say an important step to improving math skills after the pandemic is to increase the confidence of elementary school teachers. The Erikson Institute in Chicago is a graduate school centered on child development. The school holds a yearly math conference where elementary teachers can ease their anxiety about math. Teachers find out how young children learn math and plan activities for the classroom. Jennifer McCray is a research professor at Erikson. She said the best way to see how a child will perform in math up through eighth grade is to learn how the child did in math when they started kindergarten. Teachers are worried that they will transfer their math fears to their students. Math specialists say this is a persistent issue in elementary school classrooms. Elementary school teachers are expected to teach every subject, often leading them to spend less classroom time on math. During the Erikson Institutes summer meeting, teachers work with math concepts that they can use in the classroom. For example, the group built 10-sided shapes out of colored blocks. These exercises helped the teachers with their own math skills. Lauran Solarski is a trainer with the Early Math Collaborative at Erikson. She told a group of educators, There's a misbelief that in order to teach early childhood math, you don't really need to know math well. Lisa Ginet is the director of operations at Erikson. She said that early childhood teachers do not necessarily need to be experts in complex math subjects like algebra and geometry. But they need to understand that many of the skills they are teaching are connected to mathematical thinking and to subjects that students will learn later in school. Stacey Stevens works for the Kentucky Department of Education as the director of early childhood education training center. She said she changed her study major in college to early childhood education to avoid high level math. After she completed a yearlong class in math to improve her teaching, she finally started to understand how to teach the subject. Stevens said she was passionate about teaching preschool because she did not want children to have the same struggles in math that she had growing up. "I wanted them to understand that four triangles make a square: to actually see it and do it and not just be told that a triangle is a fourth of a square." Heather Peske is the president of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research group based in Washington, D.C. She said colleges need to better prepare teachers to teach math before they get into the classroom. The NCTQ studied teacher preparation programs in 2022. It found that most do not spend as much time on elementary math content as NCTQ thinks is necessary. The recommendations were based on studies that linked student achievement to teachers math studies in college. Peske said, If we prepared them better, they would be stronger at both their math knowledge as well as their ability to teach math, and this would reduce their anxiety and improve student outcomes. Im Faith Pirlo. And I'm Mario Ritter Jr. Ariel Gilreath reported this story for The Hetchinger Report and The Associated Press. Faith Pirlo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Quiz - Educators: Improving Teachers Math Skills Will Aid Students Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _____________________________________________ Words in This Story anxiety n. an emotional state of being worried or very concerned critical adj. extremely important confidence n. a feeling of trust or belief kindergarten n. a school or class for very young children passionate adv. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs achievement n. a thing that is completed successfully L'explosion d'Ankara provoquee par des "terroristes" Une explosion survenue dimanche 1 er octobre pres du ministere turc de l'Interieur a ete provoquee par des "terroristes" qui tentaient de commettre un attentat a la bombe, a declare le ministre de l'Interieur, Ali Yerlikaya. >> Turquie : le speleologue americain secouru apres neuf jours dans un gouffre >> Turquie : 103 migrants irreguliers secourus dans lOuest >> Turquie : 6 personnes tuees et 35 blessees dans un accident de bus Deux officiers de police ont ete legerement blesses dans l'explosion a la porte d'un complexe de police pres du ministere, a precise le ministre. Xinhua/VNA/CVN While child care costs skyrocket and providers across the state struggle to stay afloat, Red Caboose Child Care Center in Madison appears to be bucking the trend moving into a brand-new facility that triples its enrollment capacity, while offering affordable tuition. But in reality, the nonprofit that has called Madison home since 1972 is just hanging on, according to Aaron Stephenson, board president of Red Caboose. Like providers around the state, Red Caboose has struggled to find staff and maintain enrollment, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal aid program that helped providers with operating and personnel costs during the pandemic will soon run out. In Wisconsin, the Republican-led Legislature has rejected Democratic Gov. Tony Evers call for more than $300 million in additional child care subsidies. The number of child care workers dropped nearly 30% between 2020 and 2021, and last year the median wage was just over $26,000 a year, according to a recent report from the Wisconsin Counties Associations nonpartisan research arm Forward Analytics. Declining numbers of workers have only driven up the cost and limited the availability of child care in the state: Tuition can eat up as much as a third of a familys income, according to the report. As it stands now, I dont think it is sustainable, Stephenson said of Red Caboose. Its going to be a very tight year coming up. If something doesnt change, Stephenson said Red Caboose might consider doing away with the sliding fee model that allows families to pay tuition based on their income an offering thats essential to its mission and sets Red Caboose apart from other child care providers in Madison. Depending on age, full tuition ranges from around $360 to $400 a week, with discounts available based on income. Eighty percent of families receive tuition support, and more than one-third of Red Caboose students are children of color, according to the centers website. We really, really dont want to go there because that would squeeze out the families that were most trying to reach, the low-income families who couldnt otherwise afford quality child care, Stephenson said. The impending funding cliff also could mean Red Caboose will need to rely more heavily on federal or state support. Right now, 90% of the centers $2.3 million budget comes from tuition. The remaining portion comes from a combination of federal, state and city-level funding, and short-term pandemic relief grants from the Wisconsin Department of Families and Children, and Department of Administration, Stephenson said. Red Caboose has also started to receive grants from nongovernmental sources, including the May Family Foundation and Roots & Wings. Positively giddy Despite the bleak outlook for child care and families in the state, the air in Madison was filled with a sense of optimism Saturday as Red Caboose celebrated the opening of its new facility on Winnebago Street. Addressing the crowd of families, teachers and alumni, Stephenson said he felt positively giddy about the new 21,000-square-foot center. Red Caboose was previously located on Williamson Street. Although boxes of furniture and equipment still sat waiting to be unpacked inside classrooms, children didnt hesitate to try out the new green monkey bars and slides outside, running through the fresh layer of wood chips on the ground and marking the sidewalk with chalk drawings. Inside, wide hallways led to numerous classrooms, some empty and others already in use. Mimi Porats young son and daughter were just two of the children exploring the center and testing out the new playground equipment Saturday. Porat, and her husband, Steve, started sending their oldest child to Red Caboose in 2021 after spending about six months on the waitlist. While they dont qualify for tuition assistance at Red Caboose, they do pay less than some, as their children only attend part-time. Even so, child care is the familys largest expense at the moment, Porat said. More so than our house or anything, day care is the biggest thing we pay for now, Porat said. Were not saving any money now with two kids in child care. At the same time, Porat acknowledged the value of child care, especially while shes in the middle of starting her own business. The socialization opportunities are also more than she could provide at home, she said. I couldnt provide this enriching environment if I was a stay-at-home parent, Porat said. I would try, but I do feel like my kids are so lucky. Eyes on goal Red Caboose campaigned for donations to support the facility expansion and is now about $1.5 million away from its $7 million goal. Stephenson said the hope is to raise enough money to pay off the loan for the new center. If we cant do that, then we have to pay it off through our income, so we really also need to increase our enrollment, Stephenson said. With the additional space in the new building, Red Caboose could increase its enrollment threefold to 150. But for the time being, many of the new rooms will sit empty while Red Caboose searches for more staff. Without more employees, the center cant admit more children from its lengthy waitlist because of staff-to-child ratios set by Wisconsin regulations. Its become increasingly difficult to find new staff because you can earn as much or more money doing less stressful jobs, Stephenson said. The center employs about 30 people in a mix of teaching and administrative positions but will need to hire six more teachers before it can start increasing enrollment, Stephenson said. Wisconsin Republicans have advanced child care bills that would lower the minimum age for child care workers and increase the number of children workers could supervise. Democrats have argued these bills dont offer serious solutions. Red Caboose teachers can make up to $17.50 an hour, according to the child care center's administrators. The national median is $13.71 an hour, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Staff compensation accounts for almost 80% of Red Cabooses expenditures each year. Operational costs will stay about the same despite relocating to a bigger building, Stephenson said. Community solutions Red Cabooses new home is in a four-story building that also houses 38 low-cost apartment units. Nonprofit Movin Out and Red Caboose partnered on the $12.7 million housing project with the aim of providing affordable housing and child care under one roof. Movin Out has received financial support from the city of Madison to fund the construction. Red Caboose owns the ground floor of the building. Cindy Lehnhoff, director of the National Child Care Association, said this project highlights an especially innovative solution to the child care crisis. She said more hyperlocal, community-funded providers may start popping up as people are forced to get creative in order to stay afloat. Other fixes could come from employers offering child care support as a benefit to staff, something the workforce will likely start to demand in the future, she said. While its going to help a small portion of people, its going to help people that really need it, Lehnhoff said about Red Caboose. I think if we dont see more investment from businesses, people in the communities, its going to continue to erode because theres no one answer to fixing child care. This is not going to be the answer overall, but it is one of the answers. [EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect a correction. The original article incorrectly stated the hourly wage for Red Caboose employees.] Students: How would you use $200 to help someone in need? Please write and let us know. As it does each year, the Wisconsin State Journal is inviting children and teens to write a brief letter about someone in their community who could use a helping hand during the winter holidays. Heres how it works. Readers ages 18 and younger are asked to explain what they would do if they had $200 to help someone else. Helping Hands coordinators will choose some of these letters and help carry out the writers plans to aid a classmate, friend, neighbor or community member. And the selected entries, edited for length and to avoid identifying recipients, will be published in the State Journal in December. Helping Hands does not make donations to organizations, but rather to individuals and families, so please keep that in mind as you write your letter. The letters are carefully screened to make sure these gifts are being sent to people who are among those who need them the most. Over the years, Helping Hands and our letter writers have made the holidays brighter for countless area residents. Heres how to submit a letter to Helping Hands: Email your letter to helpinghands@madison.com, or mail it to: Helping Hands, Attn: Gayle Worland, Wisconsin State Journal, 1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53711. Families, classes or other groups may submit entries individually or in a single envelope. Include the following: The writers first and last names, age, grade, school and community/city name, plus a parent/guardians name, email address and phone number in case we have questions. Teachers and group leaders, please include your name, email address and phone number so we can contact you. The deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 17. All emails and postal mail should be received by that date. Please email your questions to helpinghands@madison.com. Were happy to help. The Helping Hands program is supported by the State Journals Empty Stocking Club and the generosity of our readers. To support Helping Hands, please donate online at emptystockingclub.com or mail a check to Empty Stocking Club, Wisconsin State Journal, 1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53711, and write Helping Hands in the subject line. Students ask for help for friends, parents, teachers through Helping Hands Hundreds of letters from area schoolchildren focus on the needs of others in their community. Every dollar helps. A softball tournament in Sauk Prairie may help send a Korean War veteran to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials. A pizza feed in Beaver Dam may help a Vietnam War veteran go to the nations capital to share an experience with others who served. A brat fest in Belleville may give an Iraq War veteran with a terminal illness a chance to visit Arlington National Cemetery. Every dollar has helped get about 4,500 veterans from the region to Washington, D.C., free of charge, to visit Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, the monuments for Iwo Jima, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Air Force and more. The organization that has made it happen is Badger Honor Flight, one of six Wisconsin affiliates of the national Honor Flight Network. The Honor Flight Network ensures that WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans, and terminally ill veterans of any war, have the opportunity to see the memorials erected in their honor in Washington. On Saturday, Badger Honor Flight will mark its 50th flight. Its being designated the Heroes for Honor Flight, so named for Sauk Prairies local Heroes for Honor group that developed a capital campaign for a Sauk Prairie Veterans Flight. Its goal was to raise $100,000. Since 2015, it has raised about $500,000 to send veterans, accompanied by volunteer guardians who pay their own way, to the nations capital. Its amazing. Its inspiring, said Bob Kelter, who worked at a VA hospital in Madison for years and has been part of the Badger Honor Flight organization since its inception in 2009. Ive flown 27 flights so far. There is real magic being a part of this. Kelter was at the World War II Memorial in Washington on his own in 2006, when he saw quite a few veterans there with matching T-shirts. They were all veterans from Michigan taking part in a flight put on by the Honor Flight Network. It inspired me, said Kelter, who has volunteered locally with EMS and firefighters. I had to get something like that together here. Badger Honor Flight provides all amenities to the veterans, including transportation, shirts, jackets, hats and meals. The national Honor Flight Network organization, based in Virginia, has honored almost 275,000 veterans nationally. There are 124 active affiliates, or hubs, across the country, six of which are in Wisconsin. Badger Honor Flight, volunteer staffed, serves 11 counties in southern Wisconsin, including Dane, Sauk, Columbia and Dodge. As a former guardian for my father and my uncle, I saw firsthand what it meant to my family to see the memorials built in their honor, said Jackie Woodruff, Badger Honor Flights board secretary. That, and the handshakes and thank yous for their service. The greetings they get from total strangers, she said. Its all about the veterans. Its extremely rewarding. A full day On Saturday, there will be a sendoff ceremony at Dane County Regional Airport at 5:30 a.m. Veterans will fly to Washington for a daylong tour. Badger Honor Flight will follow the trip throughout the day on its Facebook page and will livestream the veterans arrival in Washington, and their arrival back in Madison. The homecoming back in Madison will be full of patriotic fervor, with big band music, patriotic tunes, an honor guard, Uncle Sam, friends and family of the veterans, and community members. The public is invited to both the sendoff and the welcome home celebrations. The flight is scheduled to land back in Madison at 9:15 p.m. To see the faces when they receive their welcome home, Woodruff said. Its something that they did not get upon returning from serving their country. It is about recalling memories, making new ones, and healing. Behind the scenes It takes a lot to get the veterans to the nations capital and back. Each flight costs approximately $100,000. Veterans apply to get on a flight, and there is a waiting list. Sauk Prairies Heroes for Honor group has been a major fundraising contributor in giving veterans the opportunity. The groups area consists of Sauk City, Prairie du Sac, Baraboo, Plain, Lodi, North Freedom and Black Earth. Businesses and organizations, including Wollersheim Winery and Distillery, Milwaukee Valve and Kraemer Brothers, have contributed to the cause generously. So have softball tournament players and brat grillers, pizza sellers and citizens eager to honor those who have served. We recognize what this community has done for the veterans, Kelter said. They deserve all our respect. To learn more about Badger Honor Flight, to donate, or volunteer, visit badgerhonorflight.org. GALLERY: Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Sauk County Veterans Breakfast Assembly Republicans moved too fast. Their nonpartisan redistricting bill wasnt properly vetted. Speaker Robin Vos is playing politics. All of that is true. Yet none of it is an excuse for Democrats including Gov. Tony Evers to reject out of hand Wisconsins best shot at fair maps in a generation. Democrats need to engage with their Republican colleagues to help get this done right, with bipartisan support. That way, a neutral process for redistricting can last and be durable, regardless of which political party is in power. Many Democrats are pinning their hopes for fair maps on favorable rulings from a liberal-leaning state Supreme Court majority. But any court decision on the shape of Senate and Assembly districts is only as good as the next high-court election in two years, when a conservative majority could regain control. The courts cant fix the problem of gerrymandering for good. Democratic leaders also should be wary of being left behind if they dont get involved now. The Republicans might be able to push Iowa-style redistricting into law with the few Democratic votes they already have and then take credit for adopting this good-government solution. Assembly Bill 415, which the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) describes as almost identical to the Iowa model for nonpartisan redistricting, cleared the Assembly last month with a two-thirds majority, 64-32, that could potentially overcome a veto by the governor. Rep. LaKeshia Myers, D-Milwaukee, voted with all but one Republican in favor. Two other Milwaukee Democrats, Reps. Marisabel Cabrera and Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, didnt cast final votes, though they did support several amendments that made the original GOP bill better. Neither Cabrera nor Ortiz-Velez responded to calls or emails last week seeking clarity on their positions. (The Republican who missed the vote, Rep. Joel Kitchens of Sturgeon Bay, is a cosponsor and missed because of a family commitment, his staff said.) In the Senate, the GOP could pass AB 415 and override an Evers veto without any help from Democrats, assuming all Republicans voted yes. AB 415 was introduced by Reps. Todd Novak of Dodgeville, Travis Tranel of Cuba City and a few other Republicans who have long favored the Iowa model for nonpartisan redistricting. They rose above partisan politics to cosponsor Democratic versions of the bill in the past. They say AB 415 moved so fast in the Assembly because the votes were there after Vos, R-Rochester long a staunch opponent suddenly flipped and wanted it done. Thats no excuse for passing legislation in just two days without a public hearing. Yet Novak and Tranel correctly note that Senate rules will require a public hearing in that house, where they say Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, is pushing for action. The Democrats who have been clamoring for Iowa-style redistricting since they lost control of the statehouse in 2011 have raised some legitimate concerns about the Republican proposal. For example, under the bill, after the nonpartisan LRB draws the lines in a fair way without catering to political interests or using past voting data, the Legislature could approve them with a simple majority vote. Thats how Iowa does it. Democrats want to change that to a supermajority, which the latest version of the Democrats Iowa bill had prescribed. Republicans worry a three-quarters vote is too high of a bar. It might allow a relatively small number of incumbents who dont like their new districts to quash the process. Novak and Tranel amended their proposal to require a bipartisan vote. If thats not good enough for Democrats, how about a two-thirds vote? Democrats also question what happens if state leaders cant agree on one of the LRBs nonpartisan maps by a Jan. 31 deadline. Novak and Tranel say the Supreme Court would presumably get involved and pick a map. OK. Then put the high courts involvement specifically in the bill to show legislative intent. The sponsors also should include congressional maps in this fair process. Testimony at a Senate public hearing can illuminate these and other concerns. Experts can testify. The two sides can engage in some give and take in front of the public. Yet none of the Democratic concerns should stop progress. The amended Republican bill is undeniably better than Wisconsins current system of blatant gerrymandering. And while the GOP has gerrymandered Wisconsins current voting districts, Democrats have done the same thing in other states. Both sides in Wisconsin can and should agree on an Iowa-style process that treats voters fairly. Thats what voters across the state have said they want in advisory referendums. The days of partisan-drawn, oddly shaped districts that undermine our democracy must end. Wisconsin State Journal editorial board The views expressed in the editorials are shaped by the board, independent of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper. STAFF MEMBERS KELLY LECKER, Executive editor SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial page editor PHIL HANDS, Editorial cartoonist COMMUNITY MEMBERS JAMES L. HOWARD JENNY PRICE PERSONAL FINANCE | ADVICE The Federal Trade Commission recently revealed the most reported text message scam: bank impersonations. Reports of bank impersonations by text in 2022 jumped to 20 times the number reported in 2019. According to the FTC, consumers reported a loss of more than $330 million to text message scams in 2022. And cash that's lost because of bank fraud or scams isn't covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. or National Credit Union Administration. Banks are a safe place to keep your money, but there are still a few basic but important precautions you can take to ensure you don't fall for a bank-impersonation text scam. Here's how to protect your money from text message scams impersonating your financial institution. Don't make money moves under pressure Text message scammers will try to make you feel like action is required immediately at the risk of losing your money. It may come as an urgent message warning you to call or click on a link because of alleged suspicious activity. "Any type of pressure tactic is not legitimate that is not your bank," says Paul Benda, senior vice president of operational risk and cybersecurity at the American Bankers Association. As with any decision about your finances, avoid taking actions when you feel scared, stressed out or pressured. Don't click on any links from an unsolicited text message If you receive a text message you're not expecting, be wary especially if it looks like it might be from your bank. In a recent poll by security experts at Security.org, 66% of respondents said that they had received a suspicious text from someone they didn't know, and about 20% clicked on links texted from strangers, which is never advisable. "Look at any type of unsolicited communication very cautiously," says Benda. Major banks were popular choices for scammers to impersonate in 2022. According to the FTC, the most common scam text messages often claimed to be from large banks, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Chase and Citibank. Don't call a phone number that's texted to you Just as you shouldn't click on a link texted to you from someone you don't know, don't click on or dial a phone number you receive in a text. Instead, find the official phone number for your bank by going to its website or mobile app. Initiate contact with your financial institution at its official phone number to ensure you're talking to a legitimate representative, and verify whether there actually is an issue. "Making that phone call can be the difference between getting scammed versus not getting scammed," says Tremaine Wills, a financial adviser and founder of Mind Over Money, a financial literacy company in Newport News, Virginia. One particular kind of text scam resulted in a median loss of $3,000 in 2022, according to the FTC: a text from someone impersonating your bank, instructing you to reply with a "Yes" or "No" to confirm or deny a suspicious transaction. Once you replied, the scammer would call you under the guise of helping you. Their ultimate goal was to either fraudulently transfer money out of your account or obtain personal information such as a Social Security number. What to do if you were unable to avoid a scam If you should happen to fall for a text scammer impersonating your bank, there are a few critical steps to take. First, alert your bank to the incident and get its help in making sure no more money leaves your account fraudulently. Next, report the scam to local law enforcement. Those first two actions are key for trying to recover any cash that was wrongfully taken from your account. Finally, file a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and/or report the instance to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FTC also recommends that you forward suspicious text messages to 7726, which helps wireless providers identify and intercept similar text messages. You can also report and block suspicious text messages within your messaging app. Having a good idea of your account activity is a key part of protecting your money from scams. "Have a regular practice of knowing what's going on with your account," says Wills. If you're not completely sure of what's happening in your account, then you might be more likely to be alarmed by a text message claiming to be from your bank, she says. Xi pays tribute to national heroes on Martyrs' Day Xinhua) 09:14, October 01, 2023 Xi Jinping straightens the ribbon on a flower basket during a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2023. Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended a ceremony on Saturday morning in Beijing to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes. The event was held to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of its National Day. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state attended a ceremony on Saturday morning in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes. The event was held to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of its National Day. The other leaders included Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng. They were joined by representatives from all walks of life at the ceremony. At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the People's Republic of China. Nine huge flower baskets were placed in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes. Xi and other leaders walked up to the foot of the monument, where he straightened the ribbons on the baskets before leading other senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay their tributes. The baskets, with ribbons reading "Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes," were presented in the name of the CPC Central Committee; the National People's Congress Standing Committee; the State Council; the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; the Central Military Commission; non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and patriots without party affiliations; people's organizations and people from all walks of life; veterans, retired senior cadres and the relatives of martyrs; and Chinese Young Pioneers. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, sustaining the spirit of the martyrs and drawing on strength from it, the Party, the armed forces, and the people of all ethnic groups are now marching on a new journey in confident strides. They are striving relentlessly for building a strong China and realizing national rejuvenation. The ceremony was presided over by Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC. Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attend a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2023. The event was held to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of its National Day. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attend a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2023. The event was held to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of its National Day. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state walk around the Monument to the People's Heroes to pay their tributes in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2023. Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended a ceremony on Saturday morning in Beijing to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes. The event was held to mark China's 10th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of its National Day. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) Rockys Restaurant and cocktail lounge in Melrose Park, where Sal P. Pullia was last seen on the night of June 3, 1981. Witnesses have told Melrose Park police that Pullia drove his recently leased 1981 silver Volvo to Rocky`s Drive Inn, at 2212 North Ave. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune) When a politician disappears, the police usually have some good ideas about where to look for him or his bullet-ridden body. They ask bartenders if he has been showing up with a woman who isnt his wife, or with another guys girlfriend. Was he in hock to a shady character for services rendered? Had he thwarted a rivals hopes for elective office? But in Sal P. Pullias case the cast of characters was so large, it was hard to know where to begin. Vanishing in 1981, hes never been heard from since. A Melrose Park resident and Democratic committeeman, his story is regularly rehashed in a sidebar when newspapers report another puzzling disappearance. Advertisement It is the gold standard of missing persons sagas. Sal. P. Pullia, who was last seen in June 1981, was a Melrose Park resident and Democratic committeeman. (Chicago Tribune archive) Pullias last public sightings were described by the Tribunes John OBrien and Edward Baumann. As a longtime crime-reporting team, they were privy to police station gossip. Mafiosi might give them a tip on an underworld rival. Advertisement On June 3, 1981, Pullia, then 33, had dinner with Sam Scott, a Chicago banker, at Vic Giannottis, a Forest Park restaurant. Pullia had left his $30,000-a-year job in the Cook County clerks office a month earlier. He managed the department that approved or rejected applications for tax deferments. He rebranded himself as a business consultant and wanted a tutorial from Scott on how to attract clients. Perhaps that also prompted him to circulate a letter from the U.S. attorneys office thanking him for being a witness in its investigation of the Cook County board of tax appeals. I think what sunk his ship was the letter, a former investigator told the Tribune. It made him look like he was proud to be stool pigeon. At 11 p.m. on that fateful day in 1981, Pullia arrived at Rockys Drive Inn, 2212 North Ave., two blocks from his home. A Melrose Park police officer on routine patrol saw Pullia driving east on North Avenue in his distinctive silver Volvo sedan shortly before midnight. About 2:30 a.m., he left Rockys. Authorities believed that John Jackie the Lackey Cerone, No. 3 in the Chicago mobs hierarchy, owned Rockys, OBrien and Baumann noted. OBrien and Baumann reported that investigators learned Pullia had been told not to run for reelection by Chicagos 1st Ward Committeeman John DArco, reportedly the mobs ambassador to the Democratic machine. Pullias committeeman position was considered a mafia fiefdom. His predecessor, Ralph Babe Serpico, had been sentenced to prison for bribery and tax evasion. The door to the 1st Ward offices of Ald. Fred Roti, 1st Ward Committeeman John D'Arco Sr. and state Sen. John D'Arco Jr. is seen on Dec. 19, 1990. (Carl Wagner/Chicago Tribune) Pullia refused to step down and said so publicly. Advertisement I do not believe in smoke-filled-room politics, he said in campaign rallies. Im not a part of those people (the mob). My reputation is the only thing I value. But he couldnt deny his financial debt to a mobster. He had borrowed $10,000 from the son of the late Joseph Joe Gags Gagliano, a well-known loan shark. Not only did Pullia stiff the mobsters son, a second-generation juice merchant, he claimed it was a campaign donation, not a loan. With that cover story, he might well have acquired the unforgiving enmity of both the Outfit and the Internal Revenue System. Besides favoring mobbed-up joints, Pullia had a mobster pedigree. His father, Frank Pullia, was, in law-enforcement lingo, known to be an associate of Fiore Buccieri, a top-ranking mobster. In their generation, Melrose Park and Forest Park gave birth to cops-androbbers friendships. They began in childhood. One buddy goes straight. The other is crooked. But they are bonded for life. In the elder Pullias day, the Armory Lounge in Forest Park was the headquarters of Sam Momo Giancana, the mafias boss of bosses. Sal Pullia was drawn to politics. He was a member of the Democratic National Committee, and during President Jimmy Carters administration was a frequent recipient of phone calls from the White House, the Tribune reported. Advertisement Following his disappearance, Pullias wife and brother-in-law, John Carpino, a DuPage County police detective, began their own search, at one point walking the parking lots of the citys airports, looking for the missing mans silver Volvo. Chicago police officers also checked every car in OHare International Airports sprawling parking lot and prowled Rush Street, the nightlife district Pullia was known to frequent. All leads have been exhausted, said Detective Cmdr. Robert Banks, after six months of searching. We all want Sal back, but it doesnt look like thats going to happen, said Gary Marinaro, Pullias interim replacement as committeeman. A grand jury convened by Cook County States Attorney Richard M. Daley came to a similar dead end. It issued more than 30 subpoenas, creating a veritable Venn diagram of Chicagos overlapping political and mobster circles. Then-Chicago Ald. John D'Arco Sr., 1st Ward, is seen after appearing in front of a grand jury at the U.S. Courthouse on July 26, 1955. D'Arco, who was also a state legislator, was best known as the 1st Ward committeeman for more than 40 years, when that ward was purported to be a haven for organized crime. (Chicago Tribune archive) Among those summoned was 1st Ward Ald. Fred Roti, who reported to DArco, the committeeman who advised Pullia to get out of politics. A process server couldnt find retired mob boss Joey Aiuppa. Investigators said that with Aiuppas connections to mob families throughout the nation, he could hide out indefinitely, if he wishes, the Tribune reported. Advertisement The FBI suggested checking an Oak Park hospital. Aiuppa had respiratory problems. The investigators went to the hospital to question employees there. When they saw Aiuppa leaving the building, they handed him the subpoena, the Tribune reported. The mayor of Melrose Park, a childhood friend of Pullias, was granted immunity from prosecution but nonetheless refused to testify. Others, including Aiuppa, reportedly pleaded the Fifth Amendment. The investigation produced nary a lead and was headed to the cold-case files. But it was resuscitated in 1988. A burial ground of syndicate victims was uncovered in DuPage County. Parts of several bodies were found in a grave dug in a field near Argonne National Laboratory. Lime had been poured over them to quicken their decomposition. The first remains were initially thought to be those of of Richard Ferraro. The owner of a Calumet City junkyard, he had gone missing in 1977. Ald. Fred Roti, 1st Ward, center, and 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman John D'Arco Sr., front right, walk into the Criminal Courts Building at 26th Street and California Avenue with attorney Robert J. Cooley, back left, in 1980. (Chicago Tribune archive) Investigators eventually determined the body was not Ferraros. But sources said the burial ground could hold the remains of a number of mob targets who vanished without a trace during the last 20 years, the Tribune reported. Advertisement Pullia matched that description. Hed stiffed a loan shark and ratted on patronage employees. Of course, he might be alive. But he didnt fit the profile of a runaway. Vintage Chicago Tribune Weekly The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune's archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city's past, present and future. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Those who disappear of their own accord generally leave a money trail. To restart their lives elsewhere they will close a savings account, sell an asset, pawn jewelry. Yet nothing was missing from Pullias safety deposit box. His estate wasnt much: a heavily mortgaged home and some stock in a Wheaton bowling alley. And FBI agents didnt find his remains in the mafia victims burial grounds. So there the story ends, its mystery unresolved. That is, until perhaps some detective is intrigued by a dusty old file and proceeds to find a clue his or her predecessors overlooked. Or, an enterprising reporter going through old newspaper clips stumbles upon a yarn just too good to be forgotten, and starts digging. An earlier version of this story incorrectly indicated that a body found in DuPage County in 1988 was that of Richard Ferraro. Investigators initially suspected the body was Ferraros, but later determined that not to be the case. Advertisement Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at rgrossman@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com. Indonesia has assured the Philippines of uninterrupted supply of coal for its power plants, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said over the weekend. We discussed with Indonesia, making sure that the Philippines continues to have access to regular coal supply. Almost 80 percent of our coal supply, for our coal-fired power plants and for non-power uses, is sourced abroad, Lotilla said. He said of the total imported coal, 98 percent comes from Indonesia. Indonesia reiterated to us its assurance that the Philippines will continue to get continued supply for its coal-fired power plants, he said. Lotilla said Indonesia imposed a coal export ban in early 2022 to protect its domestic market. They explained the reason. It was because they had a two-tiered pricing system where the prices for domestic use of coal was much lower than the export prices. So the Indonesian miners would rather sell to the international market, the export market, the energy chief said. It reached a point that they were running out of supply for their domestic coal-fired power plants, and thats why they had to impose a moratorium, he said. Lotilla said discussions with Indonesia also included a possible agreement or cooperation in case of coal supply constraints for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) members. In other words for a BIMP EAGA member like the Philippines that is importing coal from Indonesia, we can have arrangements whenever there are constraints, he said. Meanwhile, Lotilla said the DOE agreed on initiating a pilot project called Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines (BIMP) Power Integration Project (PIP) to study cross-border power trade between countries. Lotilla said the initiative would complement efforts towards realizing the ASEAN Power Grid under ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint by expanding opportunities for multilateral power trading (MPT) beyond neighboring borders. He said the initiative would contribute towards enhancing sustainable energy security and economic prosperity through interconnectivity, taking into consideration their respective national circumstances, capabilities, and priorities. The countries will set up the BIMP PIP Working Group, with the objective to assess the potential project and examine the technical, policy, regulatory, legal, commercial and capacity building issues, relating to cross border MPT through interconnections. Energy experts gathered on Saturday to offer nuclear power as a game-changing solution to help satisfy the Philippines growing power needs. Nuclear power offers a game-changing solution to our energy needs. It is a clean, dependable and economically feasible energy source that can power our nation sustainably, Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco said. Cojuangco is a staunch advocate for nuclear energy and recipient of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Distinguished Public Service Award. He chairs the House special committee on nuclear energy and sponsors House Bill No. 8218 which seeks to establish the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM) and provide for a comprehensive legal framework for radiation protection, nuclear security, safety and safeguards in the utilization of nuclear energy. We hope to make nuclear a part of the countrys energy mix so Filipinos can enjoy cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable electricity, Cojuangco said during the event. Stand Up for Nuclear, the worlds first global initiative advocating for the protection and expansion of nuclear energy, convened on Saturday to discuss the Philippines readiness to embrace nuclear power at the SMX Aura in Taguig City. Organizing this years event and the leading voice in the call to Stand Up for Nuclear was ALPAS Pinas, a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting nuclear energy as a clean and sustainable source of power. The event aimed to illuminate nuclear powers potential in the Philippines and underscore its advantages during critical times. As advocates for nuclear energy, our mission is to effectively communicate its benefits and work toward a sustainable energy future for the Philippines. Amid the looming energy crisis, it is high time for us to realize the advantages of nuclear energy, said ALPAS Pinas lead convenor Gayle Certeza. The event, with the theme Nuclear Now: Malinis, Maasahan, at Murang Kuryente para sa PINAS, featured other eminent personalities in the field of nuclear energy including Cojuangco. Meanwhile, Radiant Energy founder and managing director Mark Nelson said nuclear energy has proven itself as a powerful tool in the global effort to combat climate change. With its minimal greenhouse gas emissions and round-the-clock power generation, nuclear energy is an essential component of a sustainable energy portfolio. The Philippines, in particular, stands to benefit significantly by considering nuclear energy as part of its energy mix, making it a strategic resource to meet its growing energy demands, he said. Clean Energy Transition Alliance (CETA) founder Angelica Oung said their group firmly believed that embracing nuclear power could be a game-changer for the Philippines in terms of energy security and decarbonization. Beyond addressing immediate energy needs, nuclear energy can pave the way for cleaner and more resilient energy systems, ultimately reducing the countrys carbon footprint and contributing to a greener, more sustainable future, Oung said. ALPAS Pinas is among the more than 38 independent grassroots civil society organizations participating in Stand Up for Nuclear across the globe. A huge fire erupted at an oil pipeline in the western Ukrainian region of Ivano-Frankivsk on Saturday, injuring nine people, authorities said. The blaze caused an oil spill spanning 100 square metres before it was later extinguished. Footage shared on social media showed thick clouds of black smoke billowing out over a village, while firefighters worked to tackle the blaze. At 5 pm (1400 GMT), near the village of Strymba, Nadvirna district, an oil pipeline 150 millimetres in diameter ruptured, Ukraines State Emergency Service said. The cause of the rupture was not immediately clear, but local media outlets reported there had been a powerful explosion. Nine people were injured, the regions governor Svitlana Onyshchuk said. According to preliminary information, two children and three adults are in critical condition, with numerous burns, she added. Iranian security forces made dozens of arrests Saturday as protesters in the southeast commemorated the killing of dozens of demonstrators in the region one year ago, human rights groups said. At least 104 people were killed, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO, in what is known as Bloody Friday, when security forces fired on a protest in Zahedan, the main city of Sistan-Baluchistan province, on September 30 last year. The violence marked the single deadliest day of months-long protests that erupted in Iran last year. The Zahedan protests were triggered by reports a teenage girl had been raped in custody by a police commander and took place in parallel to nationwide demonstrations sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the countrys dress code. Activists have long complained that the ethnic Baluch population in Sistan-Baluchistan, who adhere to Sunni Islam not the Shiite branch of the faith dominant in Iran, suffer from discrimination. Security forces fired tear gas and live rounds for a second straight day to disperse protesters who turned out in Zahedan to mark the anniversary, the Baluch-focused rights group Haalvsh said. Throughout Saturday, businesses in Zahedan and other towns observed a general strike, it said, adding that dozens of people had been arrested. The group posted footage with the sound of gunfire clearly audible amid a heavy security presence in the city. Indiscriminate violence Security forces had already used live fire to disperse protesters on Friday, wounding at least 25 people, including children, according to the Baloch Activists Campaign group. There was no immediate word on any casualties in Saturdays unrest. Even as the protest movement dwindled elsewhere in Iran, residents of Zahedan have held regular Friday protests throughout the past 12 months. The citys Friday prayer leader, Molavi Abdolhamid, who has been outspoken in his support of the protests over the past year, issued a new call for justice over Bloody Friday, telling the faithful to know your rights. Footage posted on social media on Friday showed chaotic scenes as hospitals filled with injured, including children, while people on the streets sought to escape to safety amid the sound of heavy gunfire. IHR said that the protests in Zahedan and other cities were again brutally crushed with authorities using live ammunition, pellet bullets and tear gas against unarmed protesters. The executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran, Hadi Ghaemi, condemned the horrifying display of indiscriminate violence as the state attempts to suppress peaceful demonstrations. It is imperative for the international community to shine a spotlight on this violence and to hold Iranian officials accountable in international courts, invoking the principle of international jurisdiction, he said. Polish opposition leaders are hoping to gather more than a million people in Warsaw on Sunday to oppose the conservative government ahead of polls on October 15. Called by former premier and head of the centrist Civic Coalition bloc Donald Tusk, the rally will seek to mobilise the electorate for the crunch vote. They wont intimidate us, they wont shut our mouths. Its essential that the whole of Poland sees that no one is afraid of them anymore, Tusk told supporters on Thursday. Tusk said Sundays march would mark one of the biggest events in Polands modern history as he seeks to dislodge the ruling Law and Justice party. Lech Walesa, a former Polish president, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of the fight against communism, said he planned to march, along with the leaders of some other opposition parties. We know what (the ruling party) fears the most the cooperation within the opposition, said Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, a co-leader of the New Left party. Blatant theft The ruling party, which frequently clashes with the EU and faces accusations of undermining the rule of law, holds a comfortable lead in polls, with around 35 percent of voting intentions according to IBRiS polling. The Civic Coalition opposition alliance has long trailed in second place, with 27 percent of voting intentions in the IBRiS poll. But according to Tusk, internal polls commissioned by his own party show that the Law and Justice partys lead has narrowed to just two percentage points. The opportunity is within reach, nothing has been decided yet, Tusk told his supporters as he addressed crowds in Elblag, northern Poland, promising to hold the current authorities accountable following the vote. Many of them will go to jail for blatant theft, for violating the law and the constitution, he said. Law and Justice leaders will hold their own rally in the southern city of Katowice on Sunday. The Court of Appeals (CA) has junked the plea of one of the accused in the fatal hazing of University of Sto. Tomas freshman law student Horacio Atio Castillo III. The plea, filed by Ralph Trangia, sought to compel a Manila City regional trial court judge to inhibit from hearing and deciding the violation of the Anti-Hazing Law case filed against Trangia and several others. In a decision promulgated on September 22, 2023 and penned by Associate Justice Rafael Antonio Santos, the CAs First Division resolved to deny the petition of Trangia, one of the accused in the death of Castillo, seeking to compel Acting Presiding judge Shirley Magsipoc- Pagalilauan of Manila City Regional Trial Court, Branch 20, to inhibit from hearing his case on ground that the judge did not commit grave abuse of discretion in refusing to grant the motion for inhibition filed by the petitioner. The appellate court did not give weight to Trangias claim the alleged failure of the judge to address the issues he raised in his demurrer to evidence shows that she would not be able to decide with utmost partiality. After a careful review of the record of this case, as well as the applicable laws and jurisprudence, the Court finds that petitioner failed to prove his allegation that a court a quo committed grave abuse of discretion when it denied his motion for inhibition, the CA decision said. Trangia has sought the inhibition of Pagalilauan on grounds of alleged partiality in denying his motion for demurrer evidence last February 24, 2022, which seeks the immediate dismissal of the case on the ground of insufficiency of evidence. On March 10, 2022, the respondent judge issued an order denying Trangias motion, prompting the latter to move for the reconsideration of the said order, but the same was denied on March 28, 2022. With the denial, Trangia elevated his appeal to the Court of Appeals arguing that Judge Pagalilauan committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in denying his motion for inhibition and the subsequent motion for reconsideration considering that she showed partiality in denying his demurrer to evidence despite clear showing that the prosecution failed to prove its case against him. The appellate court noted that prosecution witness Mark Anthony Ventura identified Trangia as Master Initiator 2 and stated that the latter was among the fraternity members who were present during the final rites and even pinpointed him as one of the fraternity members who paddled Castillo. Ventura was also a member of the Aegis Juris and present during the alleged hazing. In his petition, Trangia claims that Ventura is not a credible witness as his testimony is replete with inconsistencies and that his testimony is contrary to the physical evidence on record. Trangia also argued that the Manila RTC ruled with partiality in favor of the prosecution without considering his arguments with respect to Venturas credibility. But the CA pointed out that there was sufficient basis for the trial court to deny the demurrer to evidence considering that the prosecution was able to prove all the elements of the offense charged through the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, particularly Ventura. It is settled that the trial courts assessments of the credibility of witnesses is accorded great weight and respect on appeal and is binding on this Court, particularly when it has not been adequately demonstrated that significant facts and circumstances were shown to have overlooked or disregarded by the court below which, if considered, might affect the outcome thereof, the CA ruled. In March last year, the Manila RTC also dismissed the plea of the 10 accused in Castillos death namely Trangia, Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, and Marcelino Bagtang, Jr.- to junk the criminal charges against them. The accused argued the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Castillos death was due to injuries sustained from hazing. They also claimed that Castillos cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and not severe traumatic injuries consistent with hazing. However, the trial court ruled that the testimony of Ventura was credible and sufficient to attain conviction. Tuareg-dominated separatist groups said on Saturday that they had inflicted heavy losses on the Malian military in an attack in the centre of the troubled West African country. The rebels initially said they had counted 98 dead soldiers, but later revised the figure to 81. The claim came in statements from the Permanent Strategic Framework which is dominated by the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), an alliance of predominantly Tuareg groups seeking autonomy or independence from the Malian state. The rebels also said they had wounded dozens of soldiers, taken five prisoner, while losing seven of their own fighters. The claims made by rebels, and all sides involved in the fighting, are difficult to verify because of the remoteness of the affected areas. Access to independent sources is complicated by the conflict. The Malian army had only acknowledged an assault on one of its camps in Dioura in the Mopti region on Thursday, without giving further details. Despite the official information blackout, images and claims linked to the incident quickly spread online. If confirmed it would mark the CMAs most southerly operation since it resumed attacks against the Malian army in the north of the country at the end of August. The north of Mali has seen a resumption of hostilities by the CMA and an intensification of jihadist attacks against the Malian army. Operations have targeted several army positions. The upsurge coincides with the ongoing withdrawal of the UN stabilisation force MINUSMA, which has been pushed out by the ruling junta Malis junta, which seized power in 2020, faces a multitude of security challenges throughout the poor and landlocked country. The military rulers also pushed a French anti-jihadist force to leave last year. Politically and militarily, it has turned to Russia. Many observers claim that it has enlisted the services of the Wagner mercenary group, despite its constant denials. The junta has made the restoration of sovereignty over the entire country one of its mantras and claims to be reversing the security trend. However, various experts are reporting a deterioration in the situation in a country that has been plunged into turmoil since 2012. Yerevan, Armenia Armenia said Saturday that over 100,000 people have fled Nagorno-Karabakh, meaning nearly all the official population of the ethnic Armenian enclave has left since Azerbaijan seized back control. Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a spokeswoman for Armenias prime minister, said the number of refugees entering the country over the past week had reached 100,417. The exodus comes after the Armenian enclave estimated before to have a population of 120,000 saw its decades-long fight against Azerbaijani rule end in sudden defeat. Baku reconquered the territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan in a lightning offensive last week that appeared to bring the curtain down on the festering conflict. The ethnic Armenian authorities in the self-proclaimed republic announced it was officially ceasing to exist after they agreed to capitulate and hand over their arms. Artak Beglaryan, a former separatist official, said that according to unofficial information the last groups of Nagorno-Karabakh residents were on their way to Armenia Saturday. At most a few hundred persons remain, most of whom are officials, emergency services employees, volunteers, some persons with special needs, he wrote on social media. The flood of humanity across the border into Armenia in the past few days has rewritten a centuries-old ethnic makeup of the disputed region. Yerevan has accused Azerbaijan of conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing to clear Nagorno-Karabakh of its Armenian population. But Baku has denied the claim and has publicly called on the Armenian residents of the territory to stay and reintegrate into Azerbaijan. The United Nations will send a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh this weekend, mainly to assess humanitarian needs, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced, adding that the body had not had access to the region in about 30 years. Armenia has asked the UNs highest court to take urgent measures to protect the enclaves inhabitants, the court announced on Friday. Yerevan urged the International Court of Justice to ensure that Azerbaijan doesnt move to displace the remaining ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh or prevent the safe and expeditious return of those who have already fled. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Friday announced an emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs ($22 million) to help those fleeing. AFP The SBMA must remember its primary duty to serve the people of Subic Subic Bay is a premiere Philippine free port that offers huge business and investment opportunities. It has a strategic location and accessibility, a world-class port, an international airport, and offers incentives for investors. Endorsed officially by the governments of the Philippines and Japan in April 2022, the Subic Bay Regional Development Master Plan is a strategic initiative designed to fully harness the potential of Subic Bay and its neighboring regions. This plan signifies a significant step towards an investment led growth that our country needs to step up from a service oriented and consumption economy by developing a thriving manufacturing sector. The master plan covers development projects in the fields of logistics, industry, living functions, public utilities, road network, and coastal disaster management. It also seeks to enhance the port capacity and the connectivity of Subic Bay, as well as to help decongest Metro Manila. However, what should now be an exciting atmosphere buzzing with excitement with potential investors scrambling to seize opportunities in Subic has been upset by the decision of the Supreme Court Third Division compelling the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to uphold a February 2010 joint venture agreement with a company that has seemingly bypassed fundamental transparency and good governance guidelines in government contracting. This development has undoubtedly stirred the waters, causing a nervous ripple effect in the investment landscape. The controversial SC decision grants Harbour Center the authority to manage, develop, and operate the piers and wharves within the former US facility. Moreover, as per the JVA, Harbor Center is designated as the sole cargo handler for all goods within the Subic Freeport Zone, in other words, a monopoly. To put some historical context to this decade old case, in 2011, the National Economic Development Administration, in fact invalidated the JVA because basic transparency in government contracts were not applied. The unsolicited proposal to exclusively run the whole Subic free port was approved within just three months and happened during the period approaching the 2010 National Elections wherein engagement in new government contracts is banned. Current locators in the freeport zone have voiced their apprehensions regarding the implications of enforcing the JVA and have urged the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to clarify its stance on this matter, particularly considering its potential impact on local livelihoods, business viability, and the revenue share of the local government. The looming question now is, what becomes of the Subic master plan that received support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and was endorsed by Department of Finance only last year? Is there a risk that this could turn into a master plan for failure, jeopardizing the sustainable development and economic stability of businesses and residents in the Subic area and its neighboring regions? The regional master plan for Subic, a product of discussions between the Philippines and Japan in 2019, was met with great anticipation and optimism. This plan, endorsed by both governments, was designed to unlock the full potential of Subic Bay as a new major economic driver of the Philippines. According to a statement by the DoF, The Master Plan envisages Subic Bay regions economic future and concrete development proposals in both public and private sectors, with which the Philippine Government unlocks the full potentials of Subic Bay, including the port capacity and the connectivity with its hinterlands, with a view to helping continued efforts to decongest Metro Manila. Japan, through JICA, has contributed technical support to maximize Subics economic development potentials. The plan covers potential development projects in various fields, including road networks, logistics terminals, and public utilities. Some of the important projects in the plan are the road network for Olongapos Central Business District and Subic Bay West Coast, logistics terminals such as Alava Wharf, and public utilities such as the Philippine Coast Guards new support facilities, among others. However, the SC order to resurrect the questionable Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Harbor Center has cast a shadow over these promising developments. The silence of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on this matter is concerning. The JVA, which contains an exclusivity provision, creates a monopoly that could potentially harm businesses and the livelihood of their employees. If the JVA with Harbor Center eclipses the JICA-aided Master Plan, it could jeopardize the income prospects of the free zone and the region. The SBMA would then have to rely solely on Harbour Centers development plan, despite doubts about the companys financial or technical capability to undertake a project of this magnitude. The question remains: What benefits would this bring to the people and industries of Subic? What assurances do we have that there would not be economic harm or damage done? If there are no clear answers to these questions, then the path forward is evident. The SBMA must remember its primary duty to serve the people of Subic. Benins government has stepped up its fight against terrorist groups in the countrys northern border areas where the Beninese army has beefed up its presence in deal with regular incursions by armed groups including terrorists. Since 2019, when two French citizens were kidnapped from Benins Pendjari National Park and their local guide murdered, terror attacks in northern Benin have been on the rise. According to official figures, 40 civilians and 20 soldiers have been killed over the past three years in the West African country. According to a recent study by the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS), these incidents, attributed to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), attract media and political attention, but are only the tip of the violent extremism iceberg in Benin. The study carried out in Benin, has revealed that these groups have benefitted from illicit activities that existed long before terrorist attacks started in the countrys northern border areas. These dealings include fuel smuggling, Indian hemp trafficking, and illegal hunting. Another recent report published in the Modern Diplomacy has warned that there has been an alarming increase of terror activity in the West African country of Benin that could pose additional security implications for the rest of the continent. According to the report, the attacks form part of a play-out of the wider conflict in the Sahel, with both Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and ISGS having their power bases outside Benin, in Burkina Faso and Mali respectively, and both also having extensive contacts with extremist groups in Nigeria. The national parks in northern Benin have been a conduit for the groups, and it is not clear whether the attacks are a result of expansion and/or competition between them. The report calls on Benins government to address the issue by a using a two-pronged strategy: carry out military intervention to combat the terrorists while dealing with the underlying socio-economic causes of the conflict to help local communities most affected. As you watch leaves turning yellow on buckeye trees, red on Japanese maples and burgundy on white oaks, you may wonder: Why does this happen? Why dont all trees stay green all year, like a pine or a spruce? The reason is that different kinds of plants have different ways of handling the challenge of winter, said Ed Hedborn, plant records manager and fall color scout at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Advertisement Deciduous trees the ones that lose their leaves duck the challenge altogether, by temporarily shutting down many functions and entering a sleep-like state called dormancy until the weather warms up in spring. These trees dont need their leaves when theyre dormant, so they let them fall, Hedborn said. The color change is just a side effect of the process of entering dormancy. Advertisement As trees sense days growing shorter in late summer, they start to shut down and get ready to abandon their leaves. They stop producing chlorophyll, the chemical that powers photosynthesis and gives leaves their green color. As the green chlorophyll drains away from each leaf, its underlying colors can be seen in most species, yellow or brown. The red pigment that amps up fall color with oranges and reds is called anthocyanin and is produced only by some tree and shrub species. The amount produced in fall varies by species and depends both on that years weather and on the situation in which the tree is growing. When trees and shrubs such as these maples take on brilliant colors in autumn, they are preparing to discard their leaves and slow their life processes in order to spent the winter in a dormant state. (The Morton Arboretum) A sugar maple growing among other trees in the woods will produce more anthocyanin at the top of the tree, where leaves are in full sunlight, Hedborn said. It will only have red and orange high up in the sun. The same species of tree growing by itself might be red and orange all over because the sun can reach more of the leaves. Color differences between tree species are coded in their genes. Every deciduous species has its own characteristic range of color possibilities. Buckeyes and hackberries can only turn yellow, Hedborn said. They dont have the genes to make red, like a sugar maple or a Japanese maple. Evergreen plants that stay green all year never go fully dormant in winter. They retain their leaves and continue to photosynthesize, although at a slower pace. To keep going through the winter, they pay a price: Their leaves are usually small and long, like needles, to expose less surface area to the drying winds, and are coated with protective wax. Evergreens needles still run a risk of drying out, especially if they dont store up much water in autumn. The timing and intensity of deciduous trees color is not the same from year to year and from place to place. Its unpredictable because it depends on many factors, from the trees genetic makeup to long-forgotten weather early in the growing season. The most attractive color will be seen on trees that have been healthy all year, Hedborn said. Drought stress in spring can affect tree color months later. Generally, the widest range of vivid color occurs when there has been plenty of rain all summer, and when autumn nights are cool and days are sunny. Typically, the color peaks in the Chicago area in about mid-October. Hedborn tracks the progression of autumn colors, from the early red of sumac in September to the last brown oak leaves in November, in the Arboretums Fall Color Report (mortonarb.org/fall-color-report). Advertisement Were just getting started at the end of September, he said. Its exciting to see what autumn will bring. For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Patients with vitiligo may have a reduced risk for mortality, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Hyun Jeong Ju, M.D., Ph.D., from the St. Vincent's Hospital College of Medicine at The Catholic University of Korea in Seoul, and colleagues examined mortality in patients with vitiligo in a population-based cohort study. Patients with incident vitiligo and sociodemographic factor-matched controls were included in a 1:5 ratio, with a total of 107,424 patients with incident vitiligo and 537,120 matched controls. Participant data were pulled from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea database and linked to the National Death Registry. The researchers found that for patients and controls, mortality rates were 34.8 and 45.3 per 10,000 person-years, respectively. A significantly lower risk for mortality was seen for patients with vitiligo (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.75). Patients with vitiligo had significantly lower cause-specific mortality from infectious diseases, oncologic diseases, hematologic diseases, endocrine diseases, neurologic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and renal/urogenital disease. "Our findings are significant because they suggest that the autoimmune nature of vitiligo may confer certain protective effects against various causes of mortality, and they offer new avenues for research into the mechanisms underlying this protective effect," Ju said in a statement. "Moreover, understanding the mortality risk in patients with vitiligo will lead to improved patient counseling, health monitoring, and overall management strategies for patients." More information: Hyun Jeong Ju et al, All-cause and cause-specific mortality among patients with vitiligo: A nationwide population-based study in Korea, Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.07.007 Journal information: Journal of Investigative Dermatology Copyright 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Montana is known for its wide-open spaces and the agricultural heritage that helped build our state, especially in southwest Montana, where clean rivers and streams provide world class fishing, an abundance of wildlife move across the landscape and beautiful vistas abound. It is here where some of the richest land has been managed for generations by ranchers and farmers who carefully steward the lands productivity for the benefit of both nature and people. But weve all seen firsthand the recent ways in which the private land across our state has faced unprecedented pressures from development. As landowners ourselves, we are humbled by the beauty of the place we have been blessed to raise our families in and build our businesses, and we understand why people are attracted to this place. Weve been working with our neighbors, public land managers, industry and conservation allies for decades to conserve the land and way of life we love. But our family-based ranches and farms are increasingly challenged by outside, uncontrollable forces including erratic markets, increasing regulations, and changing weather to stay in business. More than ever, producers must seek diverse and creative ways to keep their operations in business. The United States Fish Wildlife Services (USFWS) proposed Missouri Headwaters Conservation Area would offer landowners throughout much of southwest Montana with access to funds that can help them keep their land open, working and passed on to the next generation. As family ranchers who either live in a current USFWS Conservation Area or the new proposed project area, we know the benefits that a conservation area brings to businesses, communities, and landowners. Quite simply, this conservation area would do one thing: provide interested landowners with the option of selling a conservation easement on their land to USFWS. If approved, USFWS would be able to use Land and Water Conservation Funds to acquire easements from these willing landowners. It allows ranchers like us to decide whats best for our land and our families and we see this is as a pretty simple win-win, for people and wildlife. As an agreement between a willing landowner and a land trust or public agency, conservation easements ensure that we respect the private property rights of landowners and continue their vision for their land into the future. They are an important tool and financial incentive that not only help us to keep our farms and ranches in business but also support our rural communities and families, local economies and Montanas larger agricultural industry. A conservation easement reflects a commitment by a farmer or rancher to honor the agricultural heritage of the land they steward and continue that legacy into the future for generations to come. Some of us who live within established USFWS Conservation Areas have already worked with USFWS, both on conservation easements and other projects on our land and in our community, and we have found them to be a trustworthy and respectful partner who understands our concerns and recognizes the environmental services private working lands provide. If we choose to do an easement on our land and work with USFWS, that should be our right and we shouldnt be prevented from having that option. Right now, there is more demand for conservation easements than there are services in southwest Montana. The designation of the Missouri Headwaters as a Conservation Area would respond to that demand by providing interested landowners with more options offered by a non-taxpayer funding sourceto help keep their working lands in working hands. As more family farms and ranches disappear each year, it is more important than ever that we protect those that remain. Supporting voluntary incentives, like conservation easements, that focus on preserving our rural way of life and agricultural heritage is a good way to do this. We ask that you join us in our support for designating the Missouri Headwaters as a Conservation Area during the USFWS public scoping period. Contact USFWS by submitting official public comment or attending one of the public meetings and tell them how ranchers, farmers, and private landowners deserve the opportunity to steward their land how they see fit. In June 2023, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law Senate Bill 397, which establishes parameters for state and local entities using facial recognition technology and requirements for technology providers. While well intentioned to guard against potential misuse of the technology, the specifics were not considered carefully enough regarding their impact on safety and public welfare in our state. As a Montana landowner, a former commanding officer of the New York City Police Departments Central Investigations Division and Real Time Crime Center and a current member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Crime Prevention Committee, I am concerned with the direction Montana is taking regarding biometric technology tools used by law enforcement agencies. Ive overseen this technology, created agency policies and procedural rules for use and helped develop national guidelines. These investigative tools are not government surveillance. Reasonable policies could ensure that they are never adapted for that purpose. But overreach in the new law unnecessarily ties the hands of law enforcement by prohibiting proven methods to fight crime. Following the dramatic rise of fentanyl flowing into the state and Gov. Gianfortes fentanyl and opioid crisis declaration for Butte-Silver Bow County in 2022, other new laws were enacted this year to impose penalties specifically for fentanyl trafficking. Yet Senate Bill 397 eliminated the ability of investigators to use facial recognition software tools to help identify the perpetrators. In fact, the narrow circumstances under which use of the technology is permitted exclude offenses involving distribution of dangerous drugs and related gang activity, sexual assault, arson, burglary, criminal trespassing and even crimes against public administration such as bribery, perjury or corrupt influence by elected officials. Investigating such crimes routinely requires identifying an unknown person of interest from evidence like cell phone photos or security video. Using facial recognition software can increase the speed and accuracy of this process by generating leads from comparison with an available database. It might even be the only way to ultimately solve a case, especially if it involves a complex web of accomplices. But for many serious crimes under the new law, investigators are arbitrarily limited to other, less effective, means of accomplishing this task that are slower and less accurate. Astonishingly, the new law would also delay efforts to identify missing, incapacitated or deceased persons by requiring a court order for use of facial recognition technology in those situations where there is a welfare concern and time is critical a needless restriction that provides zero public benefit. The measure also essentially bans third-party tools with the technology by imposing an impossible requirement for obtaining written consent from all individuals in the images compared. To make matters worse, the bill also requires court approval for any use of the technology in criminal investigations. Such a prerequisite for simply generating leads is the nonsensical equivalent of requiring a warrant for soliciting tips from the public by posting the same photo on social media or in the local news. It is entirely possible to reach the intended goal of protecting Montana citizens and our privacy without eliminating the use of proven, beneficial applications of this technology to help keep violent criminals off our streets and reduce drug trafficking and other gang activity in our state. Now, more than ever, we should be supporting our law enforcement officers and actively working to combat crime, rather than taking steps backward on both fronts. Im thankful that the Montana legislatures Law and Justice Interim Committee has decided to conduct a review concerning facial recognition technology before the next legislative session. I hope that input from law enforcement professionals and other stakeholders with expertise on the technology is sought and considered and that sensible ways can be found to fix flaws in the new law that will result in lasting public safety impact and harm to Montanans if left unaddressed. A community job fair will be held at WorkSource West in Morganton on Oct. 5. The event is being hosted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. The job fair will be held at WorkSource West, located at 200 Enola Road Morganton, N.C. 28655, and is open: From 1-2 p.m. for students attending Burke County Public Schools and the North Carolina School for the Deaf From 2-6 p.m. for the general public More than 15 local employers will be on-site recruiting new employees, including the states Broughton Hospital and J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center. The mission of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services is to help people with disabilities achieve their goals for employment and independence, and we wanted to extend that mission to the broader community by doing our part to bring job seekers and employers together, said WorkSource West Facility Director Sascha Prebor. Were excited to support our community by hosting this job fair, and were hoping to have a huge turnout. WorkSource West is one of the Departments two training centers that offers a range of employment-related support services for Vocational Rehabilitation consumers with support needs related to intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum, psychosocial, physical health and hearing loss. This free event is open to the public, and anyone looking for future employment plans or a new job is encouraged to attend. Additionally, OneBlood also will be on-site conducting a blood donation drive and guests are encouraged to donate. As a former Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I was excited to read about the new American Climate Corps formed by President Joe Biden, especially since the youth of today are incredibly involved and vocal about climate and its effect not only here, but all around the world. And this kind of vision for the newest generation isnt something unique or the brainchild of only one president. In 1933, when millions of Americans were out of work because of the Great Depression, the newly created Civilian Conservation Corps, part of Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal, hired a tree army of young people who eventually planted 3.5 billion trees (among other projects, such as building trails in national parks) across the country. And, of course, President John F. Kennedys Peace Corps, still alive and active today in 60 countries, was similar as a shared vision for what was possible by working with, living alongside, and celebrating the diversity of cultures around the world. I was glad to see that the Corps is back in Sierra Leone, which is where I served the balance of my term in Freetown, the capital. During my day, there were a few hundred volunteers and today, there are only 31, but theyre still there, mostly teachers. Bidens new Civilian Climate Corps has similar goals: Give people jobs and simultaneously tackle climate work such as reforestation and protecting biodiversity. Its goals will put a new generation of Americans to work conserving United States lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, advancing environmental justice, deploying clean energy, implementing energy efficient technologies and tackling climate change. Whew! Thats a lot of promise, but we are a nation of people always up for a challenge and Im confident once it gets going, it will thrive like FDRs and JFKs programs. And all three corps programs didnt have it easy to come about. After being thwarted by Congress, Biden is using his executive authority to create the New Deal-style Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training program. The program calls for the hiring of more than 20,000 young adults who will build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires. The climate corps had been proposed in early versions of the sweeping climate law approved last year, but was abandoned amid strong opposition from Republicans and concerns about cost. However, Democrats and environmental advocacy groups pushed Biden in recent weeks to issue an executive order authorizing what the White House now calls the American Climate Corps. After years of demonstrating and fighting for a Climate Corps, we turned a generational rallying cry into a real jobs program that will put a new generation to work stopping the climate crisis, said Varshini Prakash, executive director of the Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that has led the push for a climate corps. The Sunrise Movement and other climate activists, including many young adults, were outraged this spring after Biden approved the huge Willow oil-drilling project in Alaska. Opponents say the project and others approved by Biden put his climate legacy at risk, but concerns were put aside, for now, as environmental activists hailed the new jobs program, modeled after FDRs program. The White House declined to say how much the program will cost or how it will be paid for, but Democrats proposed $10 billion for the climate corps in the climate bill before the provision was removed. Rep. Joe Neguse, a Colorado Democrat who has cosponsored a climate corps bill, said its important to train the next generation of federal land managers, park rangers and other stewards of our natural resources. Neguse said the program should pay a living wage while offering health care coverage and support for child care, housing, transportation and education. A key distinction between the original Civilian Conservation Corps and the new climate contingent is that, unlike the 1930s, the U.S. economy is not in an economic depression. In fact, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8% in August, low by historical measures. However, the new corps is likely to be far more diverse than the largely white and male force created 90 years ago. My view? The more diverse, the better the program and its success in meeting its goals. We have a lot of talented young people lets put them to good, rewarding work. Id rather see money spent on that than trying to get to Mars. White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi said the administration will work with at least six federal agencies to create the climate corps and will pair with at least 10 states. California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan and Washington have already begun similar programs, while five more are launching their own climate corps, Zaidi said: Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota, our own North Carolina and Utah. According to the White Houses news release, the initiative will provide job training and service opportunities to work on a wide range of projects that tackle climate change, including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding; deploying clean energy projects such as wind and solar power; managing forests to improve health and prevent catastrophic wildfires; and implementing energy-efficient solutions to cut energy bills for consumers. Creation of the climate corps comes as the Environmental Protection Agency launches a $4.6 billion grant competition for states, municipalities and tribes to cut climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are funded by the 2022 climate law and are intended to drive community-driven solutions to slow climate change. The deadline for states and municipalities to apply is April 1, with grants expected in late 2024. The deadline for tribes and territories is May 1, with grants expected by early 2025. For more information, check out whitehouse/climatecorps.com. Public Power Week is celebrated Oct. 2-6, but the city of Morganton wants to thank its electric customers and employees the whole month of October because it is something worth celebrating. Public Power Week is dedicated to promoting how the City of Morganton is a part of ElectriCities of North Carolina Inc., which is the membership organization that coordinates power delivery and provides related critical services to more than 90 community-owned electric systems in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Being a part of public power provides local control, allowing prioritization of local needs when making important decisions. As a member of ElectriCities, the city of Morganton also is connected to a broad network of public power communities across the country, giving us access to great support systems. The city will be celebrating in multiple ways and we encourage customers to join us. City staff will be publishing a video series on the city of Morganton website, www.morgantonnc.gov, and on the citys social media accounts where staff members provide several energy and money-saving tips for customers. A limited amount of energy kits will be given away at City Hall during Public Power Week. These kits will be filled with items that can help you conserve energy. Public Power Week gives us a chance to share how important it is to have community-owned power, said Brooks Kirby, director of the citys electric department. Having local ownership means that residents are a part of the decision-making process. This week and every week, we celebrate the people that make public power so valuable. Public power communities are part of a mutual aid network that spans the region and country, providing support during hurricanes and other natural disasters while maintaining a superior safety record. For example, in May 2023, a storm passed through Morganton that caused a widespread power outage. The town of Granite Falls was able to quickly respond and help make repairs, so our community would not be without power for an extended period of time. The city of Morganton has also been able to respond and help the town of Drexel and the town of Maiden. Public power providers are unique in the value they offer to their residents, businesses, and communities as a whole, said Roy Jones, CEO of ElectriCities. As we celebrate Public Power Week this year, we thank the men and women in our communities who keep the lights on and maintain unbeaten reliability for their neighbors. KODIAK, Alaska Lane Bolich first came to work in Alaska for the freedom and excitement that comes with being a fisher. A self-described adrenaline junkie, Bolich moved from his hometown in rural Washington state because he loves being on the ocean even in cold winter weather and it gave him the chance to make more money than back home. After working as a deckhand for two years on a family friends boat, Harmony, he took the wheel as captain this year at just 20 years old. Bolich is a rarity in an aging industry with high barriers to entry equipment and access rights are costly and increasing unpredictability as human-caused climate change alters marine habitats. As some fish populations dwindle and fewer people pursue the trade, fishers and conservation groups are actively working to bring in and retain the next generation of fishers through grants and training even as the industry continues to shrink in Alaska. For the young people who do become commercial fishers, many see it as a way to make good money for a short time, while some others have a desire to sustain the industry for the long term in a way that benefits both fishers and fisheries. But with the obstacles outweighing the perks, young fishers are in short supply. There's no future for an industry that doesn't have young people coming in, said Linda Behnken, the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association. They're thinking about the long term health of the resource, the health of the industry and the fishing communities that they're a part of." A 2018 study found the average age of fishers had increased 10 years from the previous generation to about 50 years old. Rural communities also lost 30% of their local permit holders as access rights consolidated and made it harder for new fishers to enter the industry. But the biggest challenge, Behnken said, is climate change and what it means for the long-term health of the fishing stock and the industry. Research has shown that warming ocean temperatures may make fish habitats less suitable, leading to changing populations and different ecosystems, and the potential loss of commercially-important fish species. These challenges are apparent to Bolich. He said working as a commercial fisher today means working to undo the damage to fisheries from harmful practices in the past like overfishing and understanding the impact climate change will have on fish populations. I think that the golden days of fishing are kind of behind us, he said. "Now its kind of a recovery of trying to bring the fish back and trying to keep this viable way of making a living. Marissa Wilson, executive director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, noted that the decline in the number of people working coincides with the shrinking of fisheries in general as populations of fish decline and move. The high initial cost of access rights and equipment has also deterred some people from pursuing commercial fishing. The Alaska Marine Conservation Council and the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association actively lobbied Congress for passage of the Young Fishermens Development Act, which passed in January 2021. As part of that act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Sea Grant Office awarded about $1 million this year to help fund on-ship training and mentorship for young fishers in Alaska. More training should help as finding reliable crew for boats is difficult, according to Darren Platt, captain of the Agnes Sabine, a salmon fishing boat based in Kodiak. When Platt started running his own boat in 2010, unemployment was high and labor was easier to find, but as jobs have become more available in the lower 48, Platt has noticed fewer people making their way to Kodiak to work. That loss of labor, combined with a lack of experienced career fishers, makes fully staffing a boat a challenge. We need to continuously bring in people from outside to come up and work, he said. And its usually college students or young folks looking for an adventure, but not career fisherman. For Juan Zuniga, a first-year deckhand on Platts boat, that sense of adventure and the prospect of making good money drew him to Kodiak from his home in Florida. This is a pretty far place from where I live so a very big step out of my comfort zone, Zuniga said. I still got a lot to learn. Retaining deckhands is key for Platt and he says he focuses on keeping crew members as comfortable as possible so that they might return again to work the following season. For many though, contract work on a boat is a quick way to make money and gain experience for a different career. Sam Stern, a deckhand on the Big Blue, plans to pursue a career in marine engineering and worked this season to both make money for school and to earn hours at sea for eventual licensing he'll need for that job. I guess people my age dont really think about this as like a career, Stern said, adding that he can make up to $20,000 in a single summer. It is more of a way just to make money quickly. But fishing has become more than that for Bolich. He hopes to pass on what he's learned to the generation after him, so Alaska's fishing industry can live on. I want them to see a future in it, he said. "Not just a dead end job. MADISON, Wis. The Great Lakes' frigid fresh water used to keep shipwrecks so well preserved that divers could see dishes in the cupboards. Downed planes that spent decades underwater were left so pristine they could practically fly again when archaeologists finally discovered them. Now, an invasive mussel is destroying shipwrecks deep in the depths of the lakes, forcing archeologists and amateur historians into a race against time to find as many sites as they can before the region touching eight U.S. states and the Canadian province of Ontario loses any physical trace of its centuries-long maritime history. "What you need to understand is every shipwreck is covered with quagga mussels in the lower Great Lakes," Wisconsin state maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen said. "Everything. If you drain the lakes, you'll get a bowl of quagga mussels." Quagga mussels, finger-sized mollusks with voracious appetites, have become the dominant invasive species in the lower Great Lakes over the past 30 years, according to biologists. The creatures have covered virtually every shipwreck and downed plane in all of the lakes except Lake Superior, archaeologists say. The mussels burrow into wooden vessels, building upon themselves in layers so thick they will eventually crush walls and decks. They also produce acid that can corrode steel and iron ships. No one has found a viable way to stop them. Wayne Lusardi, Michigan's state maritime archaeologist, is pushing to raise more pieces of a World War II plane flown by a Tuskegee airman that crashed in Lake Huron in 1944. "Divers started discovering (planes) in the 1960s and 1970s," he said. "Some were so preserved they could fly again. (Now) when they're removed the planes look like Swiss cheese. (Quaggas are) literally burning holes in them." Quagga mussels, native to Russia and Ukraine, were discovered in the Great Lakes in 1989, about the same time as their infamous cousin species, zebra mussels. Scientists believe the creatures arrived via ballast dumps from transoceanic freighters making their way to Great Lakes ports. Unlike zebra mussels, quaggas are hungrier, hardier and more tolerant of colder temperatures. They devour plankton and other suspended nutrients, eliminating the base level of food chains. They consume so many nutrients at such high rates they can render portions of the murky Great Lakes as clear as tropical seas. While zebra mussels prefer hard surfaces, quaggas can attach to soft surfaces at greater depths, enabling them to colonize even the lakes' sandy bottoms. After 30 years of colonization, quaggas have displaced zebra mussels as the dominant mussel in the Great Lakes. Zebras made up more than 98% of mussels in Lake Michigan in 2000, according to the University of California, Riverside's Center for Invasive Species Research. Five years later, quaggas represented 97.7%. For wooden and metal ships, the quaggas' success has translated into overwhelming destruction. The mussels can burrow into sunken wooden ships, stacking upon themselves until details such as name plates and carvings are completely obscured. Divers who try to brush them off inevitably peel away some wood. Quaggas also can create clouds of carbon dioxide, as well as feces that corrode iron and steel, accelerating metal shipwrecks' decay. Quaggas have yet to establish a foothold in Lake Superior. Biologists believe the water there contains less calcium, which quaggas need to make their shells, said Dr. Harvey Bootsma, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences. That means the remains of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a freighter that went down in that lake during a storm in 1975 and was immortalized in the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The Ballad of the Edmund Fitzgerald," are safe, at least for now. Lusardi, Michigan's state maritime archaeologist, ticked off a long list of shipwreck sites in the lower Great Lakes consumed by quaggas. His list included the Daniel J. Morrel, a freighter that sank during a storm on Lake Huron in 1966, killing all but one of the 29 crew members, and the Cedarville, a freighter that sank in the Straits of Mackinac in 1965, killing eight crew members. He also listed the Carl D. Bradley, another freighter that went down during a storm in northern Lake Michigan in 1958, killing 33 sailors. The plane Lusardi is trying to recover is a Bell P-39 that went down in Lake Huron during a training exercise in 1944, killing Frank H. Moody, a Tuskegee airman. The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of Black military pilots who received training at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during World War II. Brendon Baillod, a Great Lakes historian based in Madison, has spent the last five years searching for the Trinidad, a grain schooner that went down in Lake Michigan in 1881. He and fellow historian Bob Jaeck finally found the wreck in July off Algoma, Wisconsin. The first photos of the site, taken by a robot vehicle, showed the ship was in unusually good shape, with intact rigging and dishes still in cabins. But the site was "fully carpeted" with quagga mussels, Baillod said. "It has been completely colonized," he said. "Twenty years ago, even 15 years ago, that site would have been clean. Now you can't even recognize the bell. You can't see the nameboard. If you brush those mussels off, it tears the wood off with it." Mount Veeder Winery celebrates 50th anniversary Mount Veeder Winery recently announced its 50th anniversary as "a beacon of quality, innovation, and terroir-driven winemaking" in a recent press release. Since the first vines were planted in 1970, the winery has been committed to producing wines that perfectly express their unique mountain terroir while preserving the integrity of the land. This year marks 50 years since Mount Veeder Winerys first vintage in 1973. Mount Veeder Winery was born from a labor of love when Michael and Arlene Bernstein first discovered the rugged Mayacamas Mountain territory overlooking the Napa Valley in 1964, according to the news release. Encouraged by their friend and Napa legend Robert Mondavi, they purchased a 20-acre prune farm on Mount Veeder and established its first winery. They soon made history as the first vintners in Napa Valley to plant Petit Verdot and the first to plant all five of the classic Bordeaux varieties on the same property. Fifty years is an incredible accomplishment, as the wines of Mount Veeder Winery are known for their graceful evolution with time, said general manager Jason Smith, in the release. The power and structure they are known for in their youth turns into layers of complexity with age. Today, Mount Veeder Winery has three vineyard ranches nestled high in the Mayacamas Mountains above Napa Valley, including Rosenquist Ranch and North Ranch. The vines are planted on wide terraces of earth at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 feet. This high elevation provides diverse microclimates for a wide variety of growing conditions and fruit profiles and allows all the key Bordeaux grapes to prosper. These high-altitude grapes contribute to extraordinarily expressive wines renowned for their intensely concentrated bold and rich flavors. The Mount Veeder profile consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. In an already celebratory year, Mount Veeder Winery also announced the hiring of their new winemaker John Giannini. A proven leader with over 15 years' experience making artistically hand-crafted premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Giannini will utilize his expertise to continue crafting the best wines that Mount Veeder has to offer. Im honored to be joining the Mount Veeder Winery family during this incredibly exciting milestone year, said Giannini in the press release. This is a brand with a rich history in Napa, and Im thrilled to be a part of its continued success and legacy." A scary good time at The Saint The Saint, a wine bar and restaurant in the heart of St. Helena, will host a masquerade party in honor of Halloween on Oct. 28. The party Mischief & Mayhem runs from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Indulge in bewitching cocktails, surrender to the electrifying beats of DJ Kirill, and dance with the spirits of the night. Guests must be 21 or older to attend. Advance tickets are $55. VIP options also available. The Saint is at 1351 Main St. For more information, visit thesaintnapavalley.com or call 707-302-5130. Demeine Estates announces new import partnership Fine wine importer and marketer Demeine Estates, based in St. Helena, recently announced its exclusive import partnership with Villa Sandi, Italys leading Prosecco producer. Beginning in January 2024, Demeine Estates will manage the U.S. distribution and execute the marketing activities of Villa Sandis renowned portfolio of Proseccos from DOC and DOCG designations of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and Asolo, as well as their wines from Collio winery, Borgo Conventi, according to a news release. Headquartered in a historic Palladian villa that dates back to 1622, Villa Sandi is a winery anchored in family and tradition. The Moretti Polegato family has grown grapes since the 1920s and has been the steward of the Villa Sandi estate since the late 1970s, preserving an icon of Italian wine culture. Featuring a lineup of fresh and lively Proseccos from DOC Treviso, fruit-driven Prosecco Superiore from the Valdobbiadene and Asolo DOCGs, and an elegant and refined offering from the highest designation of the region, Cartizze DOCG, Villa Sandis portfolio reflects an extreme dedication to elevating the production of Prosecco by managing its estate vineyards with the utmost care. We are always looking toward the future, toward the next generation, said Villa Sandi President Giancarlo Moretti Polegato in a press release. Demeine Estates is dedicated to innovation and is the right partner for the growth of our business in the United States. Exceptional wine quality and a true commitment to sustainability and biodiversity are hallmarks of Villa Sandi under the direction of Moretti Polegato, according to the release. Among its many sustainable practices, Villa Sandi primarily relies on its own hydroelectric power plant to supply clean energy and irrigate its vineyards. The winerys dedication to preserving its legacy through protecting the environment is rooted in Villa Sandis family-run organization. Villa Sandi Prosecco and Borgo Conventi wines are two tremendous additions to our fine wine portfolio, said Philana Bouvier, president of Demeine Estates, in the news release. The legacy of the Moretti Polegato family heritage aligns exactly with our core values of representing best-in-class, family-owned wineries. We feel privileged to showcase these wines and elevate them to the iconic status they deserve in the United States. Demeine Estates is excited to take Villa Sandi to the next level. Fall Lobster Boil at The Estate Yountville Celebrate Halloween at The Estate Yountville, 6481 Washington St., Yountville, during the Fall Lobster Boil on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. Festive Halloween touches will make this a fun and educational culinary experience like no other, and guests can even come dressed as their favorite crustacean or mermaid, according to a news release. The menu includes: Maine lobsters, jumbo shrimp, Louisiana hot links, sweet corn, red new potatoes, fresh-baked bread and more. US State Department: Any violation of Armenia sovereignty, territorial integrity will bring serious consequences Economy minister proposes China companies to be engaged in Armenia industrial parks, dry port projects Proposals being submitted to EU delegation regarding support for forcibly displaced Armenians from Karabakh discussed Armenia ombudsperson sends petitions to relevant agencies regarding Karabakh ex-defense minister Levon Mnatsakanyan Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem cancels controversial deal related to Cows' Garden estate Germany FM to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan Vahan Kerobyan, Alkis Vryenios Drakinos discuss projects being implemented by EBRD in Armenia (PHOTOS) Head of EU civilian mission in Armenia briefs President on details about their monitoring Dollar, euro fall in Armenia Armenia Anti-Corruption Committee chief: We have solved March 1, 2008 case Armenia deputy PM, Japan envoy discuss opportunities for development of bilateral trade, economic relations Karabakh parliament speaker imprisoned by Azerbaijan contacts relatives twice from Baku Samkharadze: Georgia wants to become regional leader by contributing to Armenia-Azerbaijan relations normalization Yerevan received, responded to Russia proposals on process of Armenia ratification of Rome Statute, MFA says Border with Azerbaijan is calm, there is no tension, head of EU monitoring mission in Armenia says in Yeghegnadzor Karabakh president negotiated with Azerbaijan special services? EU monitoring mission in Armenia opens headquarters in Yeghegnadzor Holding Snoop Dogg concert in Armenia is vital, PMs office says Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention issues Red Flag Alert for Azerbaijan in Armenia Armenia, Romania MFAs hold political consultations in Bucharest World Bank: Economic activity growth increases, insignificant inflation recorded, exports drop in Armenia Armenia, Iran sign memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation, workforce exchange Alexander Spendiaryan 152nd birth anniversary events kicking off in Yerevan Blinken mentions Armenia during US Senate hearing Newspaper: Armenia PM announces cancellation of point 9 of November 2020 trilateral statement Karabakh president receives French, Italian members of European Parliament Russian peacekeepers continue to remain in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia MoD says Red Cross helps elderly people left in Karabakh to relocate to Armenia (VIDEO) Central Bank chief: Armenia residents deposits increased by about 25% EBRD regional director to Armenia finance minister: We are ready to assist those displaced from Karabakh Armenia labor, social affairs minister attends Armenian-Iranian forum in Tehran European Union increases humanitarian funding to Armenia by about 1.7M Dollar, euro go up in Armenia Armenia PM, Poland envoy address humanitarian situation of forcibly displaced people from Karabakh Ardshinbank has been recognized as the "Best Corporate" and "Best ESG Bank" in Armenia by Euromoney magazine Turkey border bridge renovation, furnishing underway, Armenia official says Armenia official: Enclaves issue will be clarified when peace treaty with Azerbaijan is signed Armenia official: Positive thing about North-South project is that we entered construction phase in some sections Ethnic cleansing in Karabakh received pin-drop silence by American media, US presidential nominee says Armenia economy minister: Trade relations with Russia are very important to us Armenia official: We have certain idea about construction of railway in Meghri sector, we are waiting 74 films to be screened in Armenia during 19th Rolan International Film Festival for Children and Youth Yeraskh steel plant project being implemented, it is being moved, it will be nearby, Armenia economy minister says Azerbaijan pledges guarantees to Karabakh Armenians after its blockade, genocide Karabakh ombudsman: Who needs forums, lengthy speeches if international community fails to prevent genocides? Maestro Sergey Smbatyan: Process that could have had only one outcome is resolved Legislature vice-speaker complains about reduction of programs in Armenia IT sector UNICEF Armenia: Next batch of humanitarian aid sent to Syunik Province Central Bank of Armenia reduces refinancing rate by 0.25 points, sets it at 9.5% Martin Schuepp: Red Cross is helping people left in Karabakh Finance minister: Armenia economic growth potential currently estimated at 5.5% Armenia official: The money we were allocating to Karabakh should be enough to fund all programs Parliament deputy speaker: Armenia has no contender in high tech Newspaper: Karabakh army handed over ammunition not to Azerbaijan, but to Russian side Canada ambassador about sanctions on Azerbaijan: There is also dispute within Armenia regarding them Audi Q6 e-tron launch delayed until at least Spring 2024 Armenia Investigative Committee official: 8 of 16 persons captured by Azerbaijan are Karabakh leadership members 4.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Turkey 14 individuals were tortured, and 64 died on the move from Nagorno Karabakh. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Council of Europe to prepare package of measures in response to refugee influx in Armenia Mher Grigoryan and EU Ambassador exchanged ideas on regional developments Minister of Defence had a meeting with the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of PRC Yeremyan Projects has launched the regional first livestock complex in Tashir community Rights of Karabakhs imprisoned former leadership are protected, Azerbaijan ombudsperson claims Finance ministry: Armenia economic growth target will be maintained at 7% level in 2024 Elnur Mammadov: Most points in peace treaty have been agreed upon by Azerbaijan, Armenia Statement: Alma-Ata Declaration has no mention of former union republics of ex-USSR Dollar drops, euro rises in Armenia Armenia defense sector capital spending planned in amount of around $1.4 billion in 2024 Lawyer: Maestro Sergey Smbatyan is acquitted Premier: Armenia defense spending planned to be increased by 125% in 2024 compared to 2018 Armenia, Ukraine officials underscore Pashinyan-Zelenskyy first meeting ReA15: 300 animation films, 30 guests from 40 countries, around 500 audience; Armenia international festival summed up Russias Makhachkala airport resumes operations Armenia's Pashinyan: There is serious progress in North-South motorway construction Around 12kg narcotics attempted to be smuggled into Armenia from Iran Armenia finance minister: Considerable part of 2.6 billion to be provided by EU is loan Armenia official: We will not increase pensions, minimum wages in 2024 Armenia finance minister: National debt of more than $10 billion is safe Pashinyan: Armenia government expects 7% economic growth in 2023 COAF secures 10M grant to transform education in Armenia's Syunik Province RFE/RL: US supports EU monitoring mission in Armenia, embassy says Hurricane Otis kills at least 48 people in Mexico $135M to be allocated for needs of those forcibly displaced from Karabakh, Armenia PM says Armenia nationals can now open bank accounts in Russia in simplified manner Armenia MFA former spox shares video of Russian peacekeepers withdrawal from Karabakh 202-million-year-old dragonfly fossil discovered in UK Armenia premier: I hope arrangements for opening border with Turkey will be implemented in near future Pashinyan: Current world orders collapse is serious threat to Armenia Armenia labor, social affairs minister is in Iran, memorandum to be signed on highly qualified workforce exchange Armenia PM: 3 main principles of signing peace treaty with Azerbaijan have been agreed upon Armenia defense minister attends Beijing Xiangshan Forum opening ceremony in China (PHOTOS) Biden, Netanyahu discuss ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza Arab, Muslim users of social media unhappy with ongoing supply of oil from Azerbaijan to Israel Attempts are being made to destabilize situation in Russias Dagestan from outside, leader Melikov says 20 people injured, 2 in critical condition after mass riots at Russias Makhachkala airport Kamala Harris: US has no plans of sending combat troops to Israel, Gaza Russia researchers develop water evaluation system using smartphones Russias Makhachkala airport closed until November 6 France releases city electric cars that can be driven without driver's license Dorothy Hoffner, 104, greets supporters after becoming the oldest person in the world to skydive, Oct. 1, 2023, at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Ottawa, Illinois At 104 years old, Dorothy Hoffner fell. Then she kept falling, and falling, and falling. And when the lifelong Chicagoan finally touched the ground Sunday, she landed in the history books and became the oldest person to ever sky-dive. Advertisement Age is just a number, Hoffner told a cheering crowd moments after touching the ground at the Skydive Chicago Airport in Ottawa. As the centenarian prepped to board the white Skyvan plane, she slowly pushed her red walker out into the skydiving resorts hangar. She took off her light blue cardigan and lifted her black loafers a few inches off the ground one at a time to work her way into a harness. She declined a jumpsuit but accepted an altimeter. Advertisement She left the walker just short of the plane, where two expert instructors helped her up the steps into the hold. Lets go, lets go, Geronimo! she said, finally seated. The plane quickly rose, Hoffner all the while looking calm and confident. She was the only passenger not wearing ear plugs as the propellers loudly buzzed. When the aft door opened to reveal tan crop fields far below, she and the U.S. Parachute Association-certified instructor she was tethered to stood. Hoffner insisted on leading the jump. When she first sky-dived at 100 years old, she was pushed out, she said. This time, she wanted to take charge. She shuffled toward the edge and leaped into the air. Skydiver Dorothy Hoffner, 104, pushes her walker out to the plane with tandem jumper Derek Baxter. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) The plane beat her to the ground. Seven minutes after her jump, she drifted in for her historic landing. The wind pushed back her white hair. She clung to the harness draped over her narrow shoulders, a look of excitement and wonder spread across her face. She picked up her legs as the ground approached. And finally, she plopped onto the ground. The crowd gathered along the skydiving resorts landing strip roared. Friends rushed to share congratulations. Someone brought over Hoffners red walker. She rose fast, and a reporter asked how it felt to be back on the ground. Advertisement Wonderful, Hoffner said. But it was wonderful up there. The whole thing was delightful, wonderful, couldnt have been better, she said. Her mind quickly turned to the future. She might ride in a hot-air balloon next, she said. Ive never been in one of those, Hoffner said. The Guinness World Record for oldest skydiver was set in May 2022 by 103-year-old Linnea Ingegard Larsson from Sweden. Hoffners record has yet to be certified. The Chicago senior is set to turn 105 in December. She answered quickly when asked what it feels like to hold the age-based record. Advertisement Like Im old, she said. But the record didnt seem to interest Hoffner ahead of her attempt to break it. Before her jump originally scheduled for early September and delayed three times because of bad weather her mind was focused instead on the peaceful descent through the sky, she told the Tribune last month. She first tried skydiving at 100, when her dear friend Joe Conant of Andersonville told her he was planning to sky-dive. She wanted to join, she told him, because it sounded interesting. It became one of her favorite experiences. Floating down, its so smooth, she said. She encouraged everyone to try skydiving and has advice for those who want to give it a try. When youre coming down, make sure youve got someone with you. Thats the important thing, she said. Advertisement I often thought, if I were to do this alone, I would pray when I pulled the parachute cord, she continued. If you pulled it too soon and got caught on the plane, then what would you do when you got caught on the plane? How could they land that plane with you hanging on it? The 104-year-old has spent her whole life in Chicago. She was raised in Garfield Park, where she lived for 50 years before moving to Jefferson Park. She has spent the last decade at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community. She raves about the facilitys three daily meals. She worked for Illinois Bell throughout her working years, beginning in 1938 as an operator, she said. She never had any husbands or children an essential ingredient she in part credits for her long life. Skydiver Dorothy Hoffner, 104, lands with tandem jumper Derek Baxter on Oct. 1, 2023, at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Dorothy Hoffner, 104, completes her jump on Oct. 1, 2023, to become the oldest person in the world to sky-dive. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) Hoffner, who describes herself as an unclaimed treasure, never had to deal with the responsibility of kids, she said. Or the pettiness and the mess of a husband, she said. I never had to take care of anyone but me. The biggest secret to her old age and health is her God, who has been very good to her, she said. Advertisement He kept me really going. I cant say that Ive ever had any real terrible pain, she said. My life has been very dull. She wasnt much of an adventure-seeker for most of her life. For fun, shed go out for a weekly lunch with two girlfriends. Sometimes, theyd visit the Garfield Park Conservatory. She traveled too to England, Panama, Italy twice and France. Afternoon Briefing Weekdays Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Shes filled her life with chosen grandkids, including Conant. The two met when Conant worked as a caretaker for one of Hoffners friends. Though the friend has since died, Conant and Hoffner still talk daily and share dinner every week. It was Hoffners idea to jump again this year, said Conant, who jumped right after Hoffner and landed before her. She clutched his hand as their plane rose. The wind caught their feet when they leaped from around 13,500 feet and pushed them into a backflip, he said. Shes just a great friend, Conant said on the ground. Im incredibly proud of her. Hoffner strongly encourages others to sky-dive like her. Its surprisingly affordable, she said, and so peaceful. Advertisement But she isnt sure shell do it again. She doesnt know what the future holds, she said. jsheridan@chicagotribune.com Eloisa Luistro-Rodriguez and Gabriel Rodriguez at the corner of Crystal and Rockwell streets in Chicagos Humboldt Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2023. The couple was carjacked at this location in May, with Gabriel suffering a traumatic brain injury after being hit in the head with a gun. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) The call that came over the police radio Monday morning was startling if familiar by now: Two men in a stolen car committing robberies at gunpoint across Chicagos South Side. Within a span of minutes, the robbers held up employees at two discount stores and stole wallets and other belongings from pedestrians on the street. All of the victims described having guns pointed in their faces, according to police and court records. One was knocked to the ground. Advertisement This time, police quickly caught a 25-year-old suspect after an alert witness saw two men matching the robbers description running from a stolen Kia with bags in their hands on South Carpenter Street, according to court records. But its a drop in the bucket. Advertisement In the days before and after those robberies, waves of other stickups were happening around the city, including a driver accosted by rifle-toting teens as he was unloading his car in Bucktown, a woman carjacked at gunpoint in Rogers Park, students walking near DePaul Universitys Lincoln Park campus and a bar worker mugged after leaving work in the West Loop. While armed robberies are nothing new in Chicago, a disturbing new pattern has emerged in recent months where crews of robbers many of them juveniles toting high-powered weapons go on crime sprees, robbing or carjacking multiple victims in a matter of minutes, often using stolen cars and dressed head to toe in black. They seem to be constantly one step ahead of authorities. Before police can even respond to one scene, more have popped up, leaving dozens upon dozens of victims in their wake. The vast majority of the robberies have gone unsolved, producing a series of negative headlines for Mayor Brandon Johnson and his newly minted police Superintendent Larry Snelling, even as homicides and some other violent crime metrics are dropping. The sheer volume of robberies has left aldermen frustrated and many residents of frequently targeted neighborhoods frightened. At a community meeting Monday evening in Humboldt Park, local leaders, anti-violence workers and police officials attempted to address area residents safety concerns and more fully explain the challenges. I think everyone is so freaked out, whos lived in this area for a long time, because of the random and brazen nature of whats happening right now, said Rod OConnor, who has lived in the Humboldt Park area for more than two decades. I want the next generation of shooters to not become shooters, but the generation right now is what were all freaked out about and why I worry about my kid riding her bike two blocks from her house. Richard Pallardy walks home on Sept. 29, 2023, in Chicago. Pallardy was robbed by a group while walking in the River North neighborhood early on Sept. 23. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) Some have pointed to a lack of a sense of urgency from the Johnson administration. The City has a responsibility to protect all Chicago residents in every Chicago community. Our administration and the Chicago Police Department are fully committed to deploying strategies that will bring justice to victims of violent crimes and hold offenders accountable, the mayors office said in a written response for this article. The appointment of Superintendent Larry Snelling is just the latest step in using the full force of government to keep residents safe from harm. Advertisement To try to thwart the growing problem, Chicago police have used an array of tools including helicopters, phone tracking, physical surveillance and fingerprint analysis to try to catch the robbery crews in real time and develop the evidence to make charges stick in court, sources told the Tribune. Federal agencies have provided an assist with air support and real-time tracking of phones when possible, and state police have proved helpful in chasing suspects, since Chicago Police Department policies severely restrict when its officers can pursue, according to sources. That effort has led to the recent busts of several armed robbery crews believed to be responsible for dozens of holdups around the city. One of the suspects arrested in the South Loop after a robbery spree over Labor Day weekend had recently been acquitted in a murder case and was free on bond on new charges of fentanyl trafficking, records show. But even when they do make arrests, police are having trouble getting enough evidence to file charges. The crimes leave little in the way of physical evidence. Victims mostly are unable to make positive identifications. The cars used in many of the crimes are stolen or have bogus plates. Theres trouble identifying some of the offenders, were using technology to try to catch a lot of these offenders as well, Chicago police Sgt. Michael Edens, of the Northwest Sides Shakespeare District, told the approximately 100 attendees at Mondays meeting. Meanwhile, the man arrested in the South Side robberies on Monday, Drevon Grant, was charged with four counts of armed robbery. Advertisement During a court hearing Wednesday, Cook County prosecutors revealed Grant was out on bond in an assault case where he allegedly threatened to shoot a Walmart security guard three months ago, court records show. A judge ruled Grant was a danger to the community and ordered him held without bond, records show. A jump in reported robberies Through mid-September, robberies had increased by 24% on the year, according to CPD data. Motor vehicle thefts most often involving Hyundai and Kia models are up 86%, with more than 21,000 incidents reported so far this year. Edens said many of the suspects involved in the robberies are juveniles. Those who are arrested are often sent back to parents or guardians, while some of those charged as adults are being placed on electronic monitoring, he said. Ald. Jessie Fuentes, 26th, told the crowd at the meeting the juvenile justice system is not equipped to steer at-risk youth away from criminal behavior. She highlighted the need to better understand how young people are accessing guns and getting involved in crime. The number of robbery victims in her Near Northwest Side ward, which covers portions of Humboldt Park and Bucktown, has risen 361% compared with 2022, according to police data. Fuentes hopes to fight the rise with increased visibility in high-crime areas from violence prevention groups, block clubs and police, she told the Tribune. But the problem must be addressed long term with a focus on rectifying years of disinvestment in certain neighborhoods, she said. Advertisement Eloisa Luistro-Rodriguez and Gabriel Rodriguez at the corner of Crystal and Rockwell streets in Chicagos Humboldt Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2023. The couple was carjacked at this location in May, with Gabriel suffering a traumatic brain injury after being hit in the head with a gun. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) We have to ask ourselves, when someone is robbing someone, what are they seeking to achieve? Fuentes said. Jose Pizarro, director of safe streets for the Alliance of Local Social Organizations, told those gathered that youth are driven to criminal activity by a feeling of desperation, and the COVID-19 pandemic only made the situation worse. We have young people who are in survival mode, and the reason theyre in survival mode is because they feel they have nowhere else to go. They feel they have no future, Pizarro said. Robberies and motor vehicle thefts are indeed a citywide problem, and those crimes are felt even more frequently in less-affluent neighborhoods, though those cases attract far less media attention. The focus has been on incidents that occur on the North Side, and yet we see the victimizations are actually still more concentrated on the South and West sides, said Roseanna Ander, director of the University of Chicagos Crime Lab. Police data analyzed by the Crime Lab shows dozens of neighborhoods across Chicago are seeing large spikes in robberies this year. West Side neighborhoods have been hit particularly hard, including jumps of 228% in Humboldt Park and 176% in the Lower West Side. Advertisement The victims range in age, though Black and Hispanic people make up the vast majority of those targeted in the crimes, city data shows. In Ald. Scott Waguespacks 32nd Ward, robberies have risen 67% this year. The attacks seem to be more violent and brazen, he told the Tribune. Theyre not only robbing somebody, but then theyre beating them either into submission or beating them after the fact, Waguespack said. After a man was brutally robbed in Bucktown early Monday afternoon, Waguespack drove around the neighborhood to be another set of eyes for police. Viral surveillance footage showed the attackers sucker-punching a man who had been walking in an alleyway while eating pizza. They pulled him to the ground, kicked him, stomped on him and tore his backpack away. Police later arrested several suspects who they believe might have committed the attack, Waguespack said. But a perceived lack of repercussions has emboldened would-be robbers, he argued. He said his many City Council colleagues have failed to sufficiently denounce the rising robberies and pinned blame on county prosecutors for not bringing charges in some cases and judges for not delivering strong sentences in others. Waguespack called on the mayor to find more immediate solutions and argued crime cant be addressed only with long-term plans. Advertisement The problem is there have been too many elected officials failing to do their duty to keep the worst of people off the streets, Waguespack said. North Side, South Side, West Side. Its bad all around. People are angry. While the City Council approved Snelling as police superintendent Wednesday, Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, said the new chief had a grasp on the forces that lead people to rob others. She called it funny to hear other aldermen complaining of robberies in their wards. Robberies are up 18% in her South Side ward. Theyve been doing that in our community for years, she said. Robbery crews work margins On the last weekend in August, a multijurisdictional task force was on to a robbery crew suspected of committing dozens of armed heists over several days. The crew was brazen but also used a variety of means to avoid capture, according to police sources. They used a clean car with valid license plates to drop people off at stolen cars they have ready at strategic locations. The crew then used the stolen car to commit as many robberies as they could in a very short period of time before ditching it in a new spot and getting back in the clean car. When the assailants showed up at area ATMs to try to withdraw cash from their victims cards, they often had changed clothes so the descriptions given by the victims did not match. Advertisement Police got a break after a cellphone believed to belong to one of the crew members was identified and federal agents helped the task force track them as they drove around the city. Shortly after 3 a.m. on Aug. 26, the task force decided to move in. A police report stated the team of officers investigating a city-wide pattern of robberies had a beige Mercury Mountaineer under surveillance and attempted to stop the vehicle after seeing one of the suspects, 18-year-old Jacquez Adams, get into the rear passenger seat near Congress Parkway and California Avenue. After the driver of the car rammed into a police vehicle, all of the occupants, including Adams, bailed out and tried to run, according to the report. Police found an arsenal of weapons inside the Mountaineer, including a loaded rifle with a 7-inch barrel leaned up against the seat where Adams had been sitting, Cook County Assistant States Attorney Danielle Levin told a judge in bond court the next day, according to a transcript of the hearing. All of the occupants denied knowing the guns were in the car, according to the police report, which lists 27 Chicago police officers and detectives and an Illinois State Police trooper as participating in the arrest. Adams, of the 3100 of West Fillmore Street, was charged with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in a vehicle, as well as a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct but he was not charged with any of the robberies. Advertisement At the time of his arrest, Adams, who was twice convicted of carjacking as a juvenile, was just a few weeks into a two-year probation sentence for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, his first case as an adult, court records show. Cook County Associate Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Adams held without bond on the alleged violation of his probation. Ill note you were not the driver and youre not charged with anything else, Srivastava said. Meanwhile, three other male teens arrested that night were charged with only minor offenses, records show. The driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman, was released without any charges, records show. About a week after those arrests, Chicago police were on the trail of another armed robbery crew over Labor Day weekend suspected in a series of stickups stretching from the South Side to West Town, according to police. One victim was loading a moving truck with relatives at 48th Street and Calumet Avenue when the gunmen rode up in a car, jumped out wearing masks and robbed them at gunpoint. Another occurred on the 1800 block of West Race Avenue, where the teens approached a victim who was walking out of his short-term rental apartment. Advertisement In all, there were seven separate robberies involving 11 victims ages 23 to 60 before police caught up with the teens in the South Loop area on Saturday afternoon Sept. 2, where they were all arrested within blocks of each other. Key to the apprehensions in that case was a Chicago police helicopter that surveilled the suspects as they ran, sources said. Prosecutors charged three boys, 15, 16 and 17, as juveniles with multiple counts of armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon, according to police. A fourth suspect, 20, was initially released after prosecutors declined charges, a source said. After the arrests, investigators have continued to work the case, obtaining warrants for the phones that were recovered both in the car and near the scene to try to glean how the teens were communicating and whether anyone else was involved. One of those warrants came back to the 20-year-old who had been released, a source said. But court records show he is a known member of the Black Souls street gang and was acquitted in a bench trial in November of first-degree murder charges stemming from the 2017 killing of an aldermans nephew on the West Side. Two months after being acquitted, he was arrested in a violent carjacking after a Chicago police task force, aided by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security helicopter, chased him and four suspects from a stolen Audi to an apartment building in the 1900 block of South Troy Street, court records show. Advertisement That case was dropped by Cook County prosecutors in June. Victims share frustrations As the robbery sprees continue to mount, so have the stories of victims, everyday Chicagoans just walking to the train, going to class, driving to work. Richard Pallardy was attacked walking toward a CTA station after midnight Saturday morning. He wore no headphones on the vacant River North street, but still didnt hear the person who came up behind him to hit him, knocking him down face first. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, he told the Tribune. A group of attackers flipped Pallardy over to get his belongings, leaving him with cuts across his body, he recalled. They took his phone. They grabbed his bags. They rifled through his pockets, tearing his shorts in the process. Richard Pallardy was robbed by a group while walking in the River North neighborhood early on Sept. 23. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) He came to later and got up, calling police with the help of someone who had heard about the attack. It took 15 minutes for officers to arrive, Pallardy estimated. Advertisement Taking 15 minutes to get to someone who was robbed and assaulted in a major downtown neighborhood is not acceptable, he said. The cuts across his body hurt. Frustration has mounted as he replaced locks, ID cards and a phone. Slow responses from aldermanic offices, a lack of media coverage and limited contact with the police have made him feel overlooked. But Pallardys main emotion, he said, is anger. He appreciates the concern many progressive politicians have in addressing systemic issues underlying crime, but said that focus has at times prevented needed immediate action. Privileging the rights of perpetrators over victims, I think were reaping the consequences of that, he said. The fear is also present at DePaul University, where several students have been victimized in each of the last three weekends. The mounting attacks, where groups of thieves often brandishing guns pull up in cars to demand property, has sparked alarm among students and their families, said Gene Zdziarski, vice president for student affairs at DePaul. Advertisement Its over in a few minutes, but its certainly very traumatic for the students, Zdziarski told the Tribune. The university is adding public safety officers and patrols, expanding escorts for students and asking the campus community to keep university ID cards on hand, he said. At the Humboldt Park meeting Monday, residents exasperated by crime urged elected officials to change course to take questions from the crowd. Thats when Eloisa Luistro-Rodriguez, who was carjacked along with her husband in late May, rose to speak. She took the mic because her husband, Gabriel Rodriguez, wasnt sure if he could effectively express their call-to-action. He suffered a traumatic brain injury during the attack at North Rockwell Street and West Crystal Street after being hit with a gun. The couple said they were glad elected officials heard their story, but were less confident in what they heard from the panelists. Advertisement They want to see more visibility, including cameras, lights, police, violence interrupters. I need to know that were going to be safe, she said. I dont feel safe. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com scharles@chicagotribune.com jsheridan@chicagotribune.com Supporters of Niger's ruling junta gather at the start of a protest called to fight for the country's freedom and push back against foreign interference in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 3, 2023. The French troops forced out of Niger were seen as a key line of decadelong defense amid efforts led by the West, particularly U.S. and France, to fight against jihadi violence in Africas hard-hit Sahel region. (Sam Mednick/AP) After a brief hiatus following the coup there in late July, the United States has resumed military operations in Niger. Drones and manned aircraft are back at work. U.S. defense officials hope full ground operations and training will resume at some point soon as well. None of this is good news. Thirty years ago, 18 U.S. soldiers died and were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu in whats known as the Black Hawk Down incident. Especially with France now pulling all forces out of Niger, the unsettling possibility of that happening again runs high today if U.S. troops remain in West Africa. Anti-Western sentiment and violence are on the rise in the region. U.S. troops will likely get caught in the crossfire, as in Somalia. Its time for President Joe Biden and his administration to follow Frances lead and pull back U.S. forces from combat zones in West Africa. Advertisement The United States currently has about 1,100 U.S. soldiers in Niger. For nearly a decade, U.S. forces have been engaged in train, assist and advise missions to combat jihadist insurgencies. In reality, they are doing far more. Like Somalia three decades ago, U.S. commandos are in combat action across West Africa, making the potential loss of American lives an occupational hazard, a U.S. defense official said in 2021. U.S. special forces train Nigerian forces in Agadez, Niger, on April 12, 2018. Niger has been a centerpiece of American efforts to combat surging Islamist militancy in the Sahel region for a decade. (Tara Todras-Whitehill/The New York Times) And these operations are about to get a lot more dangerous for U.S. soldiers when they resume. The recent surge in military coups in West Africa has fueled jihadist recruitment and violence. Militant Islamist attacks have increased 70% in Mali since a 2020 coup there. In Burkina-Faso, attacks are up by 30% since a pair of coups last year. Niger is headed in the same direction. Violence has soared since the July coup and will get only worse with recent moves by the junta to lock out all foreign observers, including the United Nations. Advertisement Added to the danger this violence presents to U.S. forces, anti-Western sentiment is near an all-time high across West Africa. Most is directed at the former imperial master, France. But anti-U.S. sentiment is pronounced too. Terrorism has increased since the arrival of U.S. soldiers and (U.S. soldiers) are creating the conditions for the Sahel (region) to blow up, two leading Nigerian political figures said critically of U.S. policy in 2018. In short, none of this is good for U.S. forces. Today, they are sitting on powder kegs in West Africa. If Washington soon resumes business as usual, as now appears to be the case, U.S. troops will face significantly more hostile resistance given increased insurgent strength and anti-Western sentiment. The French withdrawal leaves the United States holding the bag too. With insurgent ire now more directly focused on U.S. forces, casualties will almost certainly follow. In the past, the U.S. public accepted casualties like these in West Africa as necessary to fight the global war on terror. When four commandos died in an ambush near Tongo Tongo, Niger, in 2017, the event made headlines but quickly faded from public view. At the time, the Islamic State militia was surging in strength, and polls showed deep public concern about terrorism. Things are different today. Rather than terrorism, China and Russia now dominate national attention. With no major international terrorist strike on U.S. or European soil since 2017, terrorism has faded from public view. Not surprisingly, there is also no public attention today to West African jihadists since terrorist groups there have never attempted or intended to attack the United States. Despite affiliations with Islamic State and al-Qaida (for publicity and recruitment, not global jihad), no group in West Africa presents a global-reach threat to U.S. security interests. Chicago Tribune Opinion Weekdays Read the latest editorials and commentary curated by the Tribune Opinion team. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > That means if there is another Tongo Tongo anytime soon, the mismatch between strategic costs (U.S. casualties) and benefits (no security threat) could create the same kind of national uproar President Bill Clinton faced in 1993 over Somalia. Conditions are ripe for another Black Hawk Down incident in West Africa. Policy needs to change in two ways. First, the Biden administration should follow existing contingency plans and move U.S. troops out of Niger and other combat zones in West Africa. Most troops in the region could come home or be redeployed elsewhere given the low terror threat posed to the U.S. in West Africa today. Second, the Biden administration needs to better advocate for civilian rule in West Africa. While participation in efforts at forceful regime change and nation building should be avoided another lesson from Somalia Washington needs to quit obsessing about terrorist threats that arent threats in West Africa, declare recent coups coups, and cut security assistance to Niger, Gabon and other military regimes in the region. West Africa needs less force and more peacemaking today. Civilian rule offers the best pathway to this, as the prior democratic government in Niger demonstrated. Its time for Washington to stand for that. Advertisement By changing policy now before its too late, the United States may just be lucky enough to avoid a repeat of past mistakes. Black Hawk Down included. C. William Walldorf Jr. is a professor of politics and international affairs at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and a visiting fellow at the foreign policy think tank Defense Priorities. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. PIB Fact Check, the government arm that busts fake news and misinformation related to the government, categorically said, This receipt is fake. RBI does not issue any such receipts." The Reserve Bank of India has, on several occasions in the past, cautioned the members of the public not to fall prey to fictitious offers/lottery winnings/remittances of cheap funds in foreign currency from abroad. It is also to be noted that the RBI never contacts the public via unsolicited phone calls or emails asking for money or any other type of personal information. (ANI) Actor Akshay Kumar hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachhata Hi Seva campaign and urged the citizens to participate in it. He posted a picture of himself in which he can be seen cleaning and sweeping the beach. He took to his Instagram handle and wrote in the caption, Cleanliness is not just about physical spaces, it is a state of mind. Being out of the country couldnt stop me from paying a tribute to Swachhata Abhiyan. So I would say where ever you are, do your bit to keep your space, and mind, clutter free. #SwachhataHiSeva https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx2jODeJSwM/ Rajinikanth also talked about the importance of a clean environment in his post on X. He mentioned, A healthy environment begins with a clean environment..Lets keep India clean #SwachhBharat @SwachhBharatGov https://twitter.com/rajinikanth/status/1708405923880788261 Previously, actor RajKummar Rao also took part in a beach clean-up drive at Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Speaking to ANI, RajKummar said, "This is a very important initiative. We all should take part in Modi ji's 'Swachta hi Sewa' as it is very important to keep our city and country clean. On his 105th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people for 1 hour of shramdaan for the swachhata (cleanliness) at 10 am on October 1 calling the initiative- 'Ek tareekh ek ghanta ek saath'. (ANI) She took to her Instagram to share a picture of herself from her day out on Sunday. She captioned the post, My Cold Meal#Fighter." In the picture, she can be seen eating ice cream. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx2fU5dLkeA/ The Jawan actor looked beautiful in a denim-on-denim casual look. She accessorised her look with a brown sling purse and choose a natural makeup look. As soon as Deepika gave a glimpse of her day out, fans and industry friends swamped the comment section with heart and fire emojis. Her husband and actor Ranveer Singh commented, yummers. "Beautiful picture!! Please eat my share also, anyway I cant eat," the badminton player PV Sindhu commented. Photo courtesy?" Siddharth Anand, the director of Fighter asked. Earlier, on Independence day that was on August 15, 2023, the makers of 'Fighter' unveiled an intriguing motion poster featuring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor's first look as Indian Air Force pilots. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv8644tsVhi/ The clip opens with a runway shot and then Hrithik comes into the frame. The actor looks dapper in his pilot G-suit. Next, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor are introduced. They were also dressed in pilot uniforms. All three of them are seen holding helmets and wearing sunglasses. Helmed by Siddharth Anand, 'Fighter' also stars Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover and Akshay Oberoi. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on January 25, 2024. 'Fighter' is an aerial action film. The film marks Hrithik's first on-screen collaboration with Deepika. Meanwhile, Deepika will be next seen in the Pan-India action thriller film Kalki 2898 AD opposite Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan. Meanwhile, Hrithik was last seen in a crime thriller film 'Vikram Vedha' alongside Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte. Apart from 'Fighter', he will also be seen in the action thriller film War 2 alongside Jr NTR and Kiara Advani. (ANI) The case dates back to the period when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was in power from 2006 to 2011. Ponmudy and his wife Visalakshi were prosecuted during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime in 2011 for allegedly accumulating assets beyond their income. The investigation in the case was led by Villupuram District Anti-Corruption Superintendent of Police, Kanniyappan. More than a hundred people were investigated and chargesheets filed in the case. It was alleged Minister Ponmudy and Visalakshi had accumulated more than Rs 1.36 crore in assets. Initially, the case was tried in the Villupuram Chief Criminal Court but it was shifted to the Villupuram Anti-Corruption Special Court in 2015. In November 2022, following the transition of power and DMK taking charge, the case was transferred to the Vellore District Principal Sessions Court in November 2022. The trial has been since then held in several phases, with all sides closing arguments and the verdict was adjourned without a date being fixed. A significant turn of events occurred when Ponmudy and his wife made a court appearance on the day of judgment in the asset embezzlement case. The presiding judge ruled in favor of the accused, citing insufficient evidence as ground for acquittal from the property transfer charge. As there was no appeal on behalf of the anti-bribery department against this judgment on June 28, Madras High Court Judge Anand Venkatesh took up the case. Subsequently, Ponmudy filed an appeal in the Supreme Court. (ANI) In order to benefit more and more Annadata farmers in the state from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the Yogi government will be running an intensive campaign to conduct Aadhaar seeding and e-KYC until October 15, said a press release by the Chief Minster's office (CMO). "Nyaya Panchayat and Revenue village-wise nominated personnel will contact the farmers door-to-door basis with the list of pending e-KYC and will complete the work of e-KYC and Aadhaar seeding under the campaign," said the official statement. Additionally, an e-KYC campaign will also be conducted in village-level Rabi Goshti and Kisan Pathshalas, according to the release. It further highlighted that the state government has issued detailed guidelines for conducting this campaign. It is noteworthy that before releasing the 15th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the Central Government has issued an order to conduct e-KYC along with Bhulekh marking and Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts of all eligible farmers. "The Central Government has set a deadline of October 15 to complete the e-KYC and Aadhaar seeding work for eligible farmers, as identified through land seeding," said the press release. The release further said as per the intention of the central government, the Yogi government has given instructions to run this campaign in mission mode till October 15 in the state. "The District Deputy Agriculture Director will conduct a meeting in their respective districts under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate, with the coordination of India Post Payment Bank and Jan Seva Kendra coordinators, to plan the micro-planning of the comprehensive campaign," added the press release. The official statement further mentioned that at the district level, the Chief Development Officer will be the nodal officer for monitoring the progress of the PM-Kisan e-KYC saturation campaign for Aadhaar seeding, which will be carried out daily by revenue village-nominated personnel, along with Jan Seva Kendra. The Chief Development Officer will also review the linking of pending land-seeded bank accounts, added the official statement. (ANI) The residents of the bordering villages in Arunachal Pradesh are expressing their outrage over China's actions towards the North Eastern state and asserted that the state will forever remain an integral part of India. In August this year, China released a 'standard map' claiming Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its territory. The villagers of Sengnup, Kharseneng, and Grengkhar villages under the Tawang sector said that they are living in a peaceful environment and they feel secure because of the Indian army and the current government. Sange Dorjee, a villager of the Kharseneng area told ANI that, the Prime Minster Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Pema Khandu-led Arunachal Pradesh government have done lots of developmental work in the bordering villages. "Earlier, the road condition in our area was so bad, but the current government has made a concrete road in our village for which the villagers are getting suitable road connectivity. Most of the people in our village are farmers and the government has extended help to the farmers also. We are happy with the works done by both Central and state governments," Sange Dorjee said. On the other hand, Karchung, a local resident of Grengkhar village said that they feel proud as an Indian. "We are with the Indian army and the government. China is claiming Arunachal Pradesh as their part, but Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. We will not bow down to China. If needed we will go with the Indian army to fight against China," Karchung said. Another villager Yontan said that India will always be part of India. The Vibrant Villages Programme was approved on February 15 this year, with the Centre's contribution of Rs 4800 crore for the period financial year 2022-23 to 2025-26 including Rs 2500 crore specifically for road connectivity and the scheme aimed at the comprehensive development of villages in border areas to improve the quality of life of people and develop the infrastructural development works. The government approved the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th February 2023 for the comprehensive development of the select villages in 46 blocks in 19 districts abutting the northern border in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and UT of Ladakh. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted on Saturday that the Congress party lacks a vision for the state's development. He highlighted that the current BJP government, renowned for its welfare-oriented policies, has the necessary resources to ensure prosperity in the state. Addressing a public meeting in Indore, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "I want to ask the people of the state whether the number of development work done by BJP government in Indore was done by Congress during their rule. Congress has no vision for development. There was no money in the previous congress governments but today there is no dearth of money for the developmental works." Earlier CM Chouhan inaugurated the trial process of the first phase of the metro rail in Indore. "Today my heart is happy. Our Indore has entered a new phase. Residents of Indore, Metro is just the beginning, together we will make Indore one of the best cities in the world. Now the pace of development of Indore is not going to stop," CM Chouhan posted on X. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a strong attack on the BJP, saying its government in Madhya Pradesh was the epicentre of corruption and was not paying the proper price to farmers for their crops. Addressing a rally in Shajapur in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying it had not released caste census data and there was a very small representation of OBCs in central governments secretary-level posts. Gandhi attacked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government and said Congress state governments work for the poor and keep their promises to the people. "Madhya Pradesh government is not giving the right price to the farmers for their crops. Go and ask the farmers of Chhattisgarh how much money they get for the paddy crop. What we promised, we completed it. For the first time in the history of India, farmers are paying taxes. They implemented GST, our government works for the poor and farmers," Rahul Gandhi said. BJP has so far declared candidates for 78 seats out of 230 in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The state is scheduled to go for the Assembly polls later this year. (ANI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday highlighted the schemes implemented by the state government for the benefit of the public and further appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to study schemes and accordingly implement a few of those policies in the country. Addressing reporters in Bikaner, CM Gehlot said, "We appeal to the Prime Minister that we have so many good schemes, you should study them. Whatever scheme you like, implement it in the country. If we can give insurance, Old Pension scheme then why can't centre." CM Gehlot further mentioned that all promises and the schemes that were announced in the run-up to the elections will be implemented. "We have experienced that our schemes were stopped as soon as the government changed. Our one guarantee is that not a single scheme of ours will be stopped, which is currently underway," CM said. Earlier launching a blistering attack on the Congress-run Rajasthan government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said people have made up their minds to vote out the Ashok Gehlot regime and bring back the BJP. Addressing the 'Parivartan Sankalp Mahasabha' in Jaipur, PM Modi said the Congress deserves to score zero marks for their inept administration and governance in the state. "The Congress deserves to score a big zero for the way they ran government here. The people of Rajasthan have made up their minds to remove the Gehlot government and bring the BJP back," PM Modi said. He added that the Congress government, under Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, wasted five important years of Rajasthan's youth. The 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election is expected to be held in or before December this year. The Congress party holds the majority in the Rajasthan Assembly, which comprises 200 seats, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot leading the state government. The previous assembly elections in the state were held in December 2018, when the Indian National Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 100 seats, falling short by 1 seat to secure the majority mark. The Congress, however, formed the state government after an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party with Congress leader Ashok Gehlot becoming the Chief Minister. (ANI) Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin greets guests during an Economic Club of Washington event at the Marriott Marquis on Sept. 26, 2023, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty) At the thoroughly weird, mostly soporific Republican presidential debate Wednesday night, no candidate emerged as the leading competitor to candidate Donald Trump. Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis all had their moments, but it looked to us mostly like a seven-way tie for second place, otherwise known in Trumpland as the losing position. According to polling averages, Trump is currently leading the national GOP primary contest by a stunning 40 points over any second-place candidate, generally assumed to be DeSantis, who is generally assumed to have already peaked. Advertisement Advocates of Republican sanity who would prefer the GOP not nominate a candidate facing scores of felony charges and whose businesses practices have been found to be fraudulent thus are sitting around hoping one of the other candidates suddenly will get a huge boost of support and all others will immediately drop out of the race, throw their support behind the un-Trump and make way for that burst of acceleration. Does anyone really believe this is likely to happen? Advertisement The GOP has to find some way to dislodge Trump, a looming disaster for this country on so many levels we dont have space to recount them, yet again. So we think two seemingly contrary things now have to happen for the health of the nation and to give Americans a credible choice: Most of the Republican candidates onstage Wednesday night have to drop out, and someone new has to enter the race. On Thursday, a lot of that attention went to Glenn Youngkin, governor of Virginia. First the Drudge Report, which long ago separated from Trump, teased the coming of a blind late entry likely to upend the Republican race, and then The Washington Post published an opinion piece by Robert Costa, the chief election and campaign correspondent for CBS News, claiming dissatisfaction with the field has become a refrain that will not abate. (Ya think?) Costa, who clearly talked to big Republican donors, wrote about how Rupert Murdoch had met with Youngkin, and he even quoted old Ronald Reagan types and Mitt Romney, the departing moral conscience of the GOP. Fantasy talk of an audacious, break-the-glass moment for the anti-Trump faction has morphed into not-so-quiet consideration, Costa wrote, thus turning up the volume on the morphing. About the only name missing from the piece was that of former Illinoisan Ken Griffin, a longtime Republican who has yet to anoint a favored candidate, even though he could help one break out of the pack. Still could. Candidates participate in a Republican presidential debate Sept. 27, 2023, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. (Mark J. Terrill/AP) In similar coverage elsewhere, the Youngkin talk even came replete with the reluctant draftees requisite denial of interest and the standard insistence that all that mattered to him was doing the peoples business in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as if that were where his ultimate ambitions lie. Chicago Tribune Opinion Weekdays Read the latest editorials and commentary curated by the Tribune Opinion team. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > Bring Youngkin on, we say. None in the current crop of Republicans looks likely to fell Trump, however fatally wounded he may look to those he has never seduced. (Trumps poll numbers say otherwise.) Advertisement Youngkin certainly has indisputable executive competence: He worked at the Washington private-equity firm the Carlyle Group for 25 years, rising to power and becoming sufficiently rich as to never have to lie about the value of his assets like you-know-who. An argument could be made that Youngkin in Virginia has subsequently thread a very tricky needle when it comes to weaving a bigger and brighter Republican tent than the more sardonic and combative DeSantis in Florida; he did not become embroiled with Mickey Mouse, at least. For all of his traditional, patriarchal charm and energetic appeal to the all-important suburban voters who say they are alarmed about such issues as crime and education, Youngkin has taken plenty of positions that will repel progressives and even moderate Democrats, given his pro-life stance (with some exceptions) and his position on so-called critical race theory and other hot-button issues in the divisive culture wars. But some of his fans likely see those not-so-moderate views as helpful when it comes to motivating the Republican base and picking off at least some of Trumps famously loyal crew. And only one of these two men is preparing to defend himself against so many credible charges as to boggle the mind, daily. Time, of course, is of the essence here. As many polling experts have noted, Trumps lead is well on its way to becoming definitive. Why not suit up another combatant? Notre Dame has been known to land its Hail Marys. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's allegations of corruption and misrule by the state's Congress government, Deputy Chief Minister TS Singhdeo said that the Prime Minister should probe the alleged 'scams' and shouldn't make such accusations if he lacks information. "He should not allege, he should investigate. If he has information, he should make it public. If he was talking about the cow dung scam, he should tell that scam of how much amount was done... If he does not have information, then, being in such a position, he should not make such allegations. The same is true for the Public Service Commission (PSC). If there is any such thing, an investigation should be done," TS Singhdeo told ANI. This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress government in Chhattisgarh of being steeped in corruption and misrule, saying there is a scam in every scheme of the state and that it did not spare even cow dung. "Imagine the mentality of a person who practices corruption in cow dung," the Prime Minister questioned speaking at a public event in Raigarh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in the state has alleged scam in cow dung procurement under the state's Gaudhan Nyay Yojana. Slamming the Congress government, the Prime Minister said, "The kind of scams the Congress practices, fills up the coffers of their leaders. Though they have fallen back in poverty alleviation, the Congress government is moving forward in corruption." "We wanted to stop liquor sales in Chhattisgarh but the Congress started scam in liquor sale itself...The mineral wealth of Chhattisgarh is being used as Congress' ATM. False propaganda and rampant corruption are the hallmarks of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh," he added. Prime Minister Modi said that had the Congress done its work sincerely it would have been easy for him today. "If Congress had done its work properly then Modi need not have worked hard today," the Prime Minister said in another attack on the ruling party in the state. In an attack on the Congress on its election "guarantees", PM Modi said, "50 years ago Congress has given the 'Garibi Hatao' slogan to eliminate poverty. Even today they fight elections on this guarantee." Speaking on the progress of the state in eliminating Naxalism, PM Modi said, "There was a time when Chhattisgarh was known only for Naxalite attacks and violence. After the efforts of the BJP government, today Chhattisgarh is being recognised because of the development work done here." Comparing its government at the Centre with that of the state, Modi said, "The BJP government of Delhi is leaving no stone unturned for the development of Chhattisgarh. But the Congress government here is not engaged in development work but only in empty talk and claims." Chattisgarh will go to polls at the end of this year. The BJP aims to wrest power from the Congress-ruled state which is expected to set the tone for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. (ANI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday called a special meeting of senior leaders and district heads of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to review the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday. The meeting will be held in Lucknow, where important guidelines regarding the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be given. Sources confirmed that the meeting will start at 11 am. During the meeting, discussions regarding the strategy to publicize the party's demand before the Central government to increase the participation of Other Backward Classes and SC-STs in the Women's Reservation Bill will take place. Earlier last month, Mayawati had said that leaders of her party are working to strengthen preparation for the Lok Sabha elections due next year. Taking to her X handle, Mayawati said that after Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, senior leaders of the BSP discussed strengthening the party organisation in Jharkhand and also selected candidates for 14 seats in the state. "Continuing the series of state-wise meetings by theBSPregarding the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, after UP and Uttarakhand, senior leaders discussed strengthening the party organisation in Jharkhand, increasing the mass base at all levels, and the selection of candidates for 14 seats in the state. An important meeting with office bearers has concluded," wrote Mayawati on Twitter. "A call to strengthen the party at every level by putting forward hardworking and honest people in the tribal-dominated Jharkhand state, because the anti-Ambedkarite people are continuously neglected and despised by the anti-Ambedkarite parties," she added. Earlier, the BSP chief had asked her party leaders and workers to not depend on alliances and to stand on their own. The development comes as the BSP chief last month announced that the Bahujan Samaj Party would not join any alliance and would fight the elections "single-handedly". She also referred to the INDIA parties and NDA as "anti-poor, casteist, communal, and pro-capitalist". "BSP, like in 2007, will single-handedly contest the upcoming general elections and four state assemblies by connecting crores of neglected and scattered people of the society on the basis of mutual brotherhood, rather than the jugaad' and manipulation done by opponents," she wrote on X. "The policies of most of the parties in the NDA-India alliance are anti-poor, casteist communal, and pro-Dhanna Seth (capitalist), and the BSP has been contesting elections in the alliance with them. Hence the appeal to the mediano fake news, please," the BSP head said. (ANI) After Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1, leaders from across the country took part in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' program as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign today. From Union Home Minister Amit Shah to BJP chief JP Nadda including several Union Ministers and MPs were seen taking part in the cleanliness drive program under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign across the nation. Visuals showed the Home Minister and Gujarat CM sweeping the streets along with fellow leaders in Ahmedabad city. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath joined in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Sitapur. UP BJP Chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary also took part in a cleanliness drive under the 'Garbage Free India Clean India' campaign. BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi were also seen taking part in the 'Swacchta Abhiyan' (cleanliness drive) in the national capital. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad took part in the cleanliness drive organised under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Patna. "It is a national program. Advocates also took part in the drive. I am going to Kalighat Patna and will participate in the cleanliness campaign. Swachh Bharat is important for the country," he said According to an official statement from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat led the cleanliness drive from Chhath Ghat, ITO in Delhi as part of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva campaign. "The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat along with Senior officials of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to participate in Shramdaan for Swachhata under the Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath initiative of the Prime Minister, and as part of ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva campaign," said the statement. Calling upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1 beginning at 10 am, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. "1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavour to usher in a cleaner future," PM Modi posted on X (Formerly Twitter). Earlier during his 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, "A big event on cleanliness is going to be organised on October 1 that is on Sunday at 10 am. You too should take out time and help in this campaign related to cleanliness. You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighbourhood or at a park, river, lake or any other public place." 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. This initiative is a run-up to the Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign. This follows PM Modi's appeal for one hour of 'Shramdaan for swachhata' at 10 am on 1st Oct by all citizens. Every town, Gram Panchayat, and all sectors of the government like civil aviation, railways and public institutions will be facilitating cleanliness events led by the citizens. A special portal has been set up to help organizations put up different events. This portal will also invite influencers and citizens to join this peoples movement as Swachhata Ambassadors. People can click pictures and upload them on the portal to mark their presence. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, with an aim to make the country open defecation-free and also universal sanitation coverage. Earlier in 2021, PM Modi launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 to make all Indian cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure'. Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward would be a giant step towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign in Sitapur on Sunday. CM Yogi Adityanath also offered prayers at Chakratirtha Naimisharanya Dham in Sitapur and interacted with people on this occasion. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1, leaders from across the country took part in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' program as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign today. Calling upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1 beginning at 10 am, PM Narendra Modi on Friday said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts." "On 1st October at 10 AM, we come together for a pivotal cleanliness initiative. A Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Join this noble endeavour to usher in a cleaner future," PM Modi posted on X (Formerly Twitter). Earlier during his 105th episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi said, "A big event on cleanliness is going to be organised on October 1 that is on Sunday at 10 am. You too should take out time and help in this campaign related to cleanliness. You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighbourhood or at a park, river, lake or any other public place." 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. This initiative is a run-up to the Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign. This follows PM Modi's appeal for one hour of 'Shramdaan for swachhata' at 10 am on 1st Oct by all citizens. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, with an aim to make the country open defecation-free and also universal sanitation coverage. Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward would be a giant step towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India. (ANI) Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday participated in the Raahgiri program in Rohtak and expressed confidence in the BJP's victory in the upcoming elections in five states and the Lok Sabha polls, while dismissing a recent survey that predicted the party's defeat in the five state elections. Addressing a gathering of people, Harayan CM spoke about a range of topics, including the upcoming elections in five states, the New York Post article on PM Modi, and 'drug-free Haryana' campaign in Haryana. Speaking on the upcoming elections in five states, Khattar said, "BJP is confident of victory in all the states where elections are being held, and that the party is also confident of victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Every election is important for the BJP, and that central ministers and MPs have contested elections in the past. Leaders from the center and the state contest elections to connect with the people," He also said that the recent New York Post article criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu policies. Khattar said, "Everyone knows how Modi has raised the country's respect and honor in the globe. The world knows what India's image was 15 years ago." On the issue of drug addiction in Haryana, Khattar said "The state government has taken strict measures to curb drug trafficking and destroy the property of drug smugglers, We will not tolerate drugs. Officials are taking strict action. Cases are being registered under the NDPS Act, suppliers are being arrested and their illegal properties are being demolished, " He also said that the government is running a public awareness campaign to educate people about the dangers of drug addiction. Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday flagged off a cyclothonin Haryana's Yamunanagar to promote the initiative of 'drug-free Haryana'. The campaign titled Cyclothon for a Drug-FreeHaryana witnessed the firstcyclothonon September 1 and today (September 25) is the culmination of the anti-drug campaign. Visuals from the Yamunanagar cyclotron showed a large number of cyclists taking part in the event as a measure to spread awareness about the menace of drug abuse. With the message of drug-freeHaryana, thecyclothonhas traversed all 22 districts of the state in a period of 25 days. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the development of Naimisharanya on the lines of Ayodhya is a priority of the state government. CM Yogi, who reached Chakratirtha of Naimisharanya Dham on a one-day visit on Sunday further said that there is no dearth of funds for the development of Naimish Tirtha. CM Yogi also had darshan, offered prayers and performed havan as per the rituals during his visit. After this, the Chief Minister visited the ancient Bhuteswarnath temple and Maa Lalita Devi temple. Besides, the Chief Minister performed cleanliness 'shramdaan' at Chakratirtha along with the saints, mahants and priests of various monasteries and temples of Naimish Teertha who came from all over the country. The Chief Minister also urged them to maintain cleanliness and ensure that monasteries and temples are completely plastic-free. This was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths fifth visit to Naimish Tirtha, the holy abode of 88,000 illustrious sages including Maharaj Manu, Ved Vyas and Maharishi Dadhichi, after taking charge of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Addressing the gatherings, CM Yogi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to pay homage to the revered Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi). It is our responsibility to make cleanliness a mass movement instead of making it a one-day programme. Cleanliness is the first necessity of life. Especially in places of pilgrimage, monasteries, temples and every place that people visit, we have to be sensitive towards cleanliness, he said. CM Yogi also said that his government was committed to restoring the Vedic and mythological glory of this region. He pointed out that earlier the place was neglected and denied development despite being located near the capital Lucknow. Today, work is going on at a fast pace to provide electric bus service and helicopter service as well as to widen the roads here. However, the development that has happened here so far is only a small glimpse of the larger picture. A lot of work still remains to be done here, he added. He further said that after the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the number of devotees will increase further. Therefore, we have to create a conducive environment, which can be achieved only with cleanliness. Along with this, we have to ensure that the visitors and tourists coming here are treated well, the CM stated. (ANI) BJP MP and Yuva Morcha National President Tejasvi Surya on Sunday slammed the Congress-led state government in Karnataka for allegedly delaying the opening of Bengaluru's Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura Metro line despite receiving all approvals. He alleged that the state government is delaying the opening because they are waiting for Rahul Gandhi or some other leader to come and inaugurate the same. Referring to the traffic woes in the city, MP Tejasvi Surya said that if this section opens, it will benefit around 50-60 per cent of the daily commuters. "About 5 to 6 lakh people use the Bengaluru metro every day. Around 50-60 per cent of this number is set to get benefits if the Baiyappanahalli-KR Pura metro section opens. The state government despite receiving all approvals and green signalling from the CMRS after its inspection, is still delaying the opening of this line, the BJP Yuva Morcha chief said. He further said, However, the state government is not opening the operations to the public only because it is waiting for either Rahul Gandhi or some other leader of the Congress to come and inaugurate this project. Tejasvi Surya said that it is frustrating for the public to see a project getting delayed due to political reasons while urging the state government to immediately open the line for the public. It frustrates people to see a public infrastructure project that is ready, but the state government is not opening it for political reasons. I demand the CM and the Dy CM to immediately open this line for the public and not let the people of Bengaluru suffer, he added. On Prime Minister Narendra Modis Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign, the BJP leader praised young people for participating in large numbers to make the program a success. "Responding to the clarion call of the PM, the BJP Yuva Morcha has organised Swacchta Hi Seva programs, today... Keeping our public places clean is an important facet of India's move towards becoming a conscious global power...I am extremely happy to see young people participate in large numbers and make this program and make this movement a true success, he added. (ANI) Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, national president JP Nadda, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with other members of the election committee, will take part in the meeting, which is scheduled to be held at 8 pm on Sunday. "Candidates for about 60 to 70 seats in Rajasthan will be discussed while those for 31 seats in Chhattisgarh will be approved today," a source said. Earlier, the BJP held a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on September 13 to discuss the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections at the party's headquarters in the national capital. Key leaders, including Nadda, Amit Shah, and other members of the committee, as well as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, took part in the meeting. Earlier, the BJP released its first list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh elections on August 17. The list named candidates for 39 seats in the poll-bound state. The party, on September 25, released its second list of 39 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh polls. The list featured Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Singh Patel. Tomar and Patel were fielded from the Dimani and Narsingpur Assembly constituencies. Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste was also named as the BJP's candidate from the Niwas constituency. The BJP is busy fine-tuning its strategies for five poll-bound states, including MP and Chhattisgarh. The party has classified all seats in these states into individual categories of A, B, C, and D. Category A includes seats where the party has consistently performed well while category B includes seats where the BJP has a mixed record ofvictories and losses. Category C includes seats where the party is deemed to be on a relatively weaker footing. In contrast, Category D seats have seen continuous BJP defeats in the last three elections. (ANI) One person was killed and another was injured after being hit by a speeding car in Karnataka's Bengaluru, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place under the Kumaraswamy Layout Traffic Police Station Limits, the police added. "Two pedestrians were hit by a speeding car under the Kumaraswamy Layout Traffic Police Station Limit at 9.30 pm yesterday. One person, Prema died on the spot while another, Krishna is undergoing treatment in the hospital", said Shivaprakash Devraj, DCP (Traffic), Bengaluru. The DCP further added, "The driver has been identified as Nagabhushan who is a Kannada actor. He was taken into police custody. A blood sample has been sent for alcohol testing. The accused has been given station bail. Further investigation underway." Further details are awaited. (ANI) Ayla Tezcan 4, talks to a representative at a station set up at the Aurora Regional Fire Museum Saturday as her parents, Erim and Amanda Tezcan, look on during a Worldwide Day of Play event at the facility in Aurora. (David Sharos/The Beacon-News) Ayla Tezcan of Batavia, 4, recently heard about Auroras Regional Fire Museum and couldnt wait to go there on Saturday. When the fire engine goes by, Im excited, Ayla said. Advertisement It was all about the kids Saturday as the museum participated in the Worldwide Day of Play, an event first launched nearly two decades ago on the Nickelodeon TV channel for children to learn how to stay active and healthy. The fire museum on Saturday put a special focus on teaching kids and their parents about firefighting and fire safety as well as allowing participants a chance to take part in a scavenger hunt. Advertisement Aurora Regional Fire Museum Executive Director Brian Failing said the event offered an opportunity for kids to get away from screens and do something with their parents that was more interactive. We just found out about this event from the Association of Childrens Museums recently and decided to participate, Failing said. Our idea was to encourage kids and families to get out and play and we wanted to highlight all the great things you can do at the museum and all the learning experiences you can have but also have a fun time. Failing said the event included activity stations that center on fire safety and firefighting principles. The day also included information on home escape plans and fire safety technology including smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and also allowed kids the chance to try on a firefighters coat and more. This is very much about encouraging kids and families to come out and explore the museum and just see that were an active part of the community, he said. Karen Yaggie, president of the museums board, said the event included six stations designed to engage children as well as their parents. Aurora Regional Fire Museum Board President Karen Yaggie shows off a fire badge being given out to kids Saturday during a Worldwide Day of Play event at the museum in Aurora. (David Sharos/The Beacon-News) There are things for young and old as well as history, she said. We feel with kids having hands-on opportunities, its essential to the well-rounded learning experience, and thats why we spend a lot of time coming up with ideas and activities that engage families. Were very proactive on fire safety and fire safety begins at home. The Tezcan family, which included Aylas parents Amanda and Erim Tezcan and their 2-year-old son Emerson, attended the event. Advertisement We found out about the fire museum from a neighbor who told us about it and our 4-year-old fell in love with it and shes been asking to come, Amanda Tezcan said. We looked online that it was a special day. I guess I want the kids to come away with some awareness and knowing what can happen. The last two weeks our daughter has been asking to come and were finally here. Theres definitely been some anticipation, said Erim Tezcan. The event also attracted volunteer firefighter Randy Kluge from Hortonville, Wisconsin, who came with his wife Dawn. He echoed the importance of fire safety and said it was important for kids to get involved in it. Its always good when kids are young to learn and its something that they need to know, he said. Its also good to be around firemen and see that even though theyre often masked and stuff theyre not scary. David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. A British MP has sent a postcard to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, congratulating him for the changed perception of the state. The British MP of Indian origin, Virendra Sharma, in his postcard, wrote, "Honorable Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you for achieving great successes in UP and bringing peace to the state". On this occasion, Shantanu presented his best-selling graphic novel, Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, as a gift to British MP Virendra Sharma. Each of his graphic novels contains a postcard to send a message to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. British MP Virendra Sharma wrote a message praising the UP CM. Speaking at the House of Commons, author Shantanu Gupta discussed the developmental journey of Uttar Pradesh. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created 'Brand India' across the world, because of which Indians are given more importance across the world today and Brand UP has become a strong brand across India. Shantanu further said that the same Uttar Pradesh, which was once known for anarchy, corruption and inefficient governance, is now a top investment destination under the Yogi government. In the ranking of Ease of Doing Business, UP has jumped from 14th place before 2017 to second position. The author also mentioned that Uttar Pradesh is currently ranked number 1 in the implementation of more than 40 schemes of the Central Government. Today, Uttar Pradesh is known for its achievements such as the Uttar Pradesh Expressway, new airports, 24-hour electricity, and a strong law and order situation. Shantanu also shared some fascinating conversations between himself and Yogi Adityanath's father, Anand Singh Bisht. The author told the participants in the British Parliament that during his research for the book, towards the end of his long interview with Anand Ji, Anand Ji revealed that a small blue one-and-a-half-room house in Panchur village was his only possession in life. This was all he could earn in his lifetime from the humble job of a forest guard. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Sunday launched an attack on chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said that the ruling BJP government in the state is a guest for two months. Kamal Nath went on to criticize the state government, saying, "There is no limit to corruption in Madhya Pradesh. A system has become a system of corruption. Every person in Madhya Pradesh is either a witness to corruption or a victim of corruption. Give money, get work. This has become their slogan." Kamal Nath was addressing 'Mahasammelan of Rajak Samaj' organized in the state capital, Bhopal on Sunday. During his address, Kamal Nath accused CM Chouhan of making numerous announcements and forgetting them later. "Shivraj Singh's announcement machine is running at double speed. His mouth does not shut, doesnt feel ashamed to tell a lie. This is the condition of Shivraj Singh," he said. Highlighting the achievements of the Congress-led Madhya Pradesh government, he said, "Farmers have to wander for fertilizers and seeds. We had a Congress government, and out of those 15 months, two and a half months were spent on the code of conduct and Lok Sabha elections. But in those 15 months, we demonstrated our policy and intentions. Loans of 27 lakh farmers were waived off in the first instalment, and the second installment was ongoing." "We did not see whether the beneficiary belonged to BJP or Congress. We gave 100 units of electricity for Rs 100. We increased pensions and built 1000 cow shelters," he said. Kamal Nath also supported the demand of the people of the Rajak community to be included in the Scheduled Caste. "People of the Rajak community are the protectors of society. They are the protectors of the future and culture. You are the protector of our Constitution. It is your responsibility. It is the responsibility of the state," he added. (ANI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee slammed PIL (Public Interest Litigation) activists before leaving for Delhi to protest against the central government for stopping disbursement of funds to West Bengal, saying that PIL has become "Political Interest Litigation" at present. "For those who file PIL in the High Court every now and then, today PIL has become Political Interest Litigation instead of Public Interest Litigation. I want to ask them why have they not filed any PIL against the stoppage of central government funds to the workers who worked for 100 days, for AWAS even after two years?" Banerjee said speaking to reporters on Sunday. On Union Minister not meeting with the TMC delegation despite being present in Delhi, Banerjee said, "Giriraj Singh is in Delhi and is not meeting TMC representatives who are going to Delhi. Earlier when we went to meet Giriraj Singh at his office, he did not meet us despite being present. This shows the callous attitude of BJP to the people West Bengal." Abhishe Banerjee also reminded that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sukanto Majumda had earlier boasted that money will be transferred to Bengal in a phone call. "BJP state president Sukanto Majumdar had earlier said that money will be transferred in a phone call," Banerjee said. Banerjee said that the TMC will not be deterred by the BJP's arm-twisting tactics and will fight till the end. "They are trying to stop us from protesting by cancelling train at the last moment, not giving permission to protest. They have stopped money to Bengal because they lost here. This is not done. We will fight till the end," he said. Speaking on the children who died in a wall collapse in West Bengal's Bankura district, Banerjee said, "The ones responsible for their death are Narendra Modi, Giriraj Singh and BJP leaders from here (West Bengal). They have gone to Delhi and pleaded to stop disbursement of funds to Bengal...There should be a proper investigation and those like Giriraj Singh should be arrested." On the central government allegedly stopping money to West Bengal under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the TMC leader said, "20000 crore is being spent on the Prime Minister's residence and they have stopped 1.5 lakh for people's residences...They feel that they will stay in power forever...But in a democracy people have the final say." Claiming that the BJP has stopped money to the state after it lost in the last West Bengal Assembly elections, Banerjee said, "TMC does not discriminate between places where they won or lost...Why is only Bengal's money being stopped? Have they stopped money in Assam? There are reports of scams in Assam as well." Speaking on the alleged scams in West Bengal, he said, "If there has been any scam there should be a thorough investigation against it. But stopping money of more that 2 crore job card holders is not done. They have been doing this for the last two years." Abhishek Banerjee also stressed that the money that the central government has not disbursed to the state is Bengal's right and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "ancestral property". "They say Modiji has sent money. This is not his ancestral money. They collect 1 lakh crore from Bengal through Income Tax and GST. This is Bengal's right," he said. Meanwhile, West Bengal Minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Firhad Hakim who is also en route to Delhi to participate in the protest at the national capital said, "We are going to Delhi under the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee, this money (100 days of employment) belongs to the poor people and injustice has been done to them by not giving them their money. They (Central Government) will have to pay their dues". "Yesterday, Abhishek Banerjee said that you (Centre) can put numerous allegations on us but you should not do injustice to the people of West Bengal. It is a very good thing that all TMC leaders have decided to go to Delhi and raise this issue...," TMC leader Babul Supriyo who is also one of the state leaders going to Delhi for the protest said. (ANI) Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday said the "main culprits" responsible for the abduction and murder of two students, the disturbing images of whom surfaced on social media last week, have been arrested. The two Manipuri youths had reportedly gone missing on July 6. Fresh protests erupted in the Northeast state on September 25 after a video clip purportedly showing the mortal remains of the missing youths Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi went viral on social media. Taking to the social media platform X on Sunday, Chief Minister Singh posted, "Im pleased to share that some of the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi have been arrested from Churachandpur today." "As the saying goes, one may abscond after committing the crime, but they cannot escape the long hands of the law. We are committed to ensuring maximum punishment, including capital punishment, for the heinous crime they have committed," he added in his post. Later, speaking to ANI, Singh said through the joint efforts of security personnel, four people, allegedly involved in the murder of the two youths,have been arrested. "In a major breakthrough, we have arrested the main culprits responsible for the abduction and murder of two youths in the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had sent the Special Director of the CBI, along with some senior officers, to Manipur and, today, with the support of the Indian Army, paramilitary forces, Assam Rifles and the state police, we managed to arrest the four accused persons in the case from Churachandpur. This marks a major breakthrough. I wish to thank the NIA, CBI and all the central forces for helping us catch the culprits," he told ANI. Meanwhile, he also thanked Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the arrest of Seiminlun Gangte, an accused in the transnational conspiracy case, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday. He said, "The NIA, which took over the case, issued a press release yesterday that the incident in Manipur was akin to waging a war against the Indian Union. It identified Kuki militants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, along with some home-grown miscreants, as being behind the incident. This clearly shows that there is a bigger conspiracy afoot. I want to thank the NIA, the central government, the people of Manipur and especially, PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah, for helping us blow the lid off the bigger conspiracy." Gangte, who was sent to two-day NIA custody earlier on Sunday, was arrested in a case related to a transnational conspiracy by Myanmar and Bangladesh-based leadership of terror outfits to wage war against the Centre by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur. The case was registered suo moto by the NIA on July 19 in Delhi. Earlier, on Thursday afternoon, senior officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) held a meeting at the Manipur Police Headquarters in Imphal to discuss the law and order situation in the state. Manipur has been racked by violence since May 3, following the protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities against the High Court's order asking the state government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST). (ANI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday inaugurated a badminton court in Patna and said that it will give new opportunities to the talented youth of Bihar. "We are of a new mindset. We have given the facilities and infrastructure to the talented youth of the state. This will give them a lot of opportunities," Deputy CM Yadav said. "In today's time, exercise is very necessary. Apart from playing games on mobile phones, people should also do outdoor activities. The poor people do not have any space to play, this court will provide them an opportunity. Talent can come from anywhere," Yadav added. He further said that a discussion should be held on the topic of job opportunities being provided to the people of Bihar under the leadership of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. "Under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, a lot of government job opportunities are being given to the people of the state. No other state government have provided these many job opportunities to the people till now, so discussions should be held on that," he said. Earlier in August, Tejashwi Yadav said that his state has become a model for government jobs as no state has announced vacancies like the Nitish Kumar government. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Bihar Deputy CM, while talking about job opportunities in the state, said that his government will give 10 lakh government jobs in the coming time during this tenure. In 2020, our main agenda was unemployment and we said that 10 lakh people will get government jobs. We have been announcing vacancies since our government was formed. We have announced around 5 lakh government jobs in the state. Earlier, 70,000 policemen joined the force. Recently, 1,75,000 jobs were announced for teachers, he said. Yadav further said that the state government is also planning to announce policies for public health that would create around 1.4 to 1.5 lakh jobs in the sector. After a few days, we are going to bring public health ... policy, after which around 1.4 to 1.5 lakh jobs in health sector would be announced... Bihar has become a model for government jobs. PM started distributing appointment letters after us. The good thing is that the agenda we came up with, is being discussed today. We will give 10 lakh government jobs in the coming time during this tenure... No state has announced jobs in such huge numbers, he added. (ANI) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan on Sunday targeted the BJP party over the Cauvery water sharing dispute, saying the BJP is doing politics in the state. Lashing out at Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over his inaction on the Cauvery water sharing dispute, Elangovan said, What is the central water resource minister doing? What is his duty? What is he doing? Our irrigation minister went there, met him, and gave him a memorandum. What did he do? Until now, there has been no action. Cauvery is not owned by Karnataka. Time and again, I have told this. This river is now controlled by the management authority, and they have to decide on the sharing, he said. The court has also said that this amount of water should be given to Tamil Nadu. Let us see if the state does not release that much water. We will file a contempt petition, Elangovan told ANI. The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in either state. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. Earlier, the amount of water to be released was 5000 cusecs. Karnataka has cited a severe drought in parts of its state to refuse the supply of water to Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has accused its neighbour of lying to the nation about the supply of water. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the state government will file a review petition before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court on September 30, as the state does not have water and so cannot release it. Farmers across Karnataka have been protesting since the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered the state to release 5000 cusecs of water to its neighbouring state Tamil Nadu, for 15 days, effective from September 13. The Naam Tamilar Katchi Party held protests in Madurai on Saturday, condemning the Congress-led Karnataka government over the issue. The National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers Association held a protest on a railway track in Trichy on Sunday, demanding the release of the Cauvery water in Tamil Nadu. The Farmers Association under the leadership of Ayyakannu had earlier also on September 25 staged a half-naked protest in Trichy by holding parts of the human skeleton and demanding the sharing of Cauvery water to save the standing 'kuruvai' crop cultivation in Tamil Nadu. (ANI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee arrived at TMC MP Sougata Roy's residence in Delhi for a meeting ahead of the protest against the central government on Monday and Tuesday. Sources say that senior TMC leaders will be holding discussions on the strategy of the party's mega protest in their meeting at Roy's residence. Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Dola Sen, Babul Supriyo and other senior TMC leaders have already arrived at Roy's residence. The TMC will hold a protest against the central government for stopping the disbursement of funds to the state for MGNREGA, AWAS Yojana and other central government schemes. After arriving at the Delhi airport, Banerjee clarified that his fight is not against any probe agency. "Stop me if you can. I am not challenging any probe agency, whatever I had to say I have said. I am putting that challenge right across from the soil of Delhi," he told reporters on Sunday. "The MPs and the ministers are meeting here tonight. There will be discussions and deliberations and we will explore the way forward," Banerjee said about the meeting. Earlier in the day, the TMC General Secretary said though Union Minister Giriraj Singh is at Delhi, he has declined to meet the TMC delegation. "Giriraj Singh is in Delhi and is not meeting TMC representatives who are going to Delhi. Earlier when we went to meet Giriraj Singh at his office, he did not meet us despite being present. This shows the callous attitude of BJP to the people West Bengal," Banerjee said speaking to reporters before leaving for Delhi. (ANI) After tying up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi last month, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy held a joint meeting with Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS)party workers on the alliance in Karnataka's Bidadi town in Ramnagar district. "In today's meeting our senior party leaders anonymously have given an endorsement to continue the alliance between BJP and JD(S). Every leader who attended here unanimously gave authorisation to Deve Gowda ji and myself. There is no difference in our party. Everbody gave us endorsement with one voice. All 18 MLAs were present here," HD Kumaraswamy said speaking to reporters after the meeting. JDS district presidents, MLAs, former Ministers, former MLAs, party candidates who contested in 2023 Legislative Assembly Elections and party workers were present in the meeting. The JD(S) had on September 22 joined hands with the BJP-led NDA to take on the Congress party in Karnataka in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy made the announcement of the tie-up after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda in the national capital. Earlier last week, JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda said that the decision to ally with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections was taken after consultation with his party colleagues. Before allying with BJP, I took the views of our 19 MLAs and 8 MLCs who said that JD(S) should consider entering into an understanding with BJP, Deve Gowda said. (ANI) The world-renowned Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple is visited by devotees not only from Tamil Nadu but also from other states. For a few days now, some people have been taking pictures of the Navabasanam moolavar idol, golden chariot, and golden tower in Palani Murugana temple during the festival season and spreading them on social media. In this case, a public interest case was filed in the Madurai bench of Madras High Court to ban the carrying of mobile phones to the Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple. The court heard the case and ordered the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department to ban the carrying of cell phones in the Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple. As per the court order, cell phone cameras have been banned at the Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy from October 1, so the temple administration has informed devotees that they should not bring cell phones, photos, or video recording devices to the temple. Separate centres where devotees can drop off their mobile phones are being set up at three locations, including Padha Vinayagar temple, rope car, and winch train facilities. Devotees can pay Rs 5 to safely keep their phones at the centres. Additional staff were deployed to prevent devotees from overcrowding or waiting for a long time. (ANI) Kannada film actor Nagabhushan NS was arrested allegedly after his car hit a couple killing one of them and grievously injuring another, police said on Sunday. The accident took place at Konanakunte Cross at 9.45 pm on Saturday, when Nagabhushan was returning home after finishing a private function. The actor himself was driving the car, the police said. The victim couple was identified as Prema and Krishna. While Prema, 48, died in the accident, Krishna is undergoing treatment for serious conditions in the hospital, officials said. The couple's son filed a complaint against Nagabhushan at Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station against the actor, leading to his arrest. The actor told the police that his car hit the couple as they suddenly came in front of his car. The actor himself rushed the injured couple to hospital. "As I was driving home two people came down the road from the footpath. Then I panicked and hit them and then hit an electric pole on the footpath. I took the help of the people there and took the injured to the hospital. The doctor said that the woman died on the way," Nagabhushan said in his statement to the police. More details are awaited. (ANI) Vehichles zip along a four-lane stretch of Sauk Trail between Park Forest and South Chicago Heights past a historical marker on the site of the McCoy farm, a place associated with the Underground Railroad that would be the start of one leg of the proposed Chicago Detroit Freedom Trail. (Paul Eisenberg / Daily Southtown) Decades ago, Interstate 80/94 would regularly clog with traffic. So more lanes were added, which soon were filled with bumper-to-bumper brake lights. More lanes were added, again with the same result. The sprawling expressway is a natural choke point where all east-west vehicles from all points north are channeled around the south end of Lake Michigan. Advertisement Before President Dwight Eisenhower implemented the interstate system, three national roads, U.S. 12, 20 and 30, were charted along parallel paths around this same gradual shoreline bend, some following even older trails used by indigenous people for eons. The area has forever been an important transportation corridor, including in the decades preceding the Civil War, when it was used by an estimated 3,000 people making the arduous trek from slavery to freedom. Advertisement Of those traveling the Underground Railroad through Chicago, almost all of them were on their way to Detroit and freedom in Canada, said Larry McClellan, the Governors State University professor emeritus and author who has devoted countless hours to researching the stories of freedom seekers and the people who helped them along the way. Hes long been associated with the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project, which helped garner state and federal recognition for the Ton Farm site, and has been invited to be part of a new Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force scheduled to convene in 2024. The idea emerged, why dont we think about a historic trail from Chicago to Detroit that would commemorate all of those freedom seeker journeys and tie together the various Underground Railroad sites, he said. [ Don't Miss: The Underground Railroad in Illinois ] About six months ago, the Chicago Detroit Freedom Trail began to take shape. One of the main goals is to make the corridor a National Historic Trail, a designation administered by the National Park Service that would bring with it guide books, route markings and recognition. It becomes a very real route that people can follow to commemorate the journeys of freedom seekers, but also specifically be able to visit a number of sites that were visited by freedom seekers, McClellan said. Thats the goal. Historian Larry McClellan, center, tells a tour group July 20, 2019, how a present-day marina along the Little Calumet River was the site of Ton's Farm, where abolitionists helped freedom seekers escape to Canada. (Ted Slowik/Daily Southtown) He envisions a parallel digital version, where QR codes at sites would help people access stories associated with those traveling along the Underground Railroad, the places along the way and the people who helped. Already, those involved with the project have had meetings with interested people in northwest Indiana and South Bend, groups in Michigan and the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. All are interested in being tied together in this common thread. The group hosted its largest meeting yet Thursday, as about 50 people met at South Suburban College in South Holland and another 15 tuned in online to hear about the projects aims. The gathering included community leaders, educators, tourism promoters and members of several area historical societies, McClellan said. Advertisement Beyond just generating enthusiasm for the Chicago Detroit Historic Trail, he hopes the meetings will help recruit people to engage in some of the work that lies ahead. Much of that involves doing the deep research needed to ensure sites have enough of a verifiable paper trail to have been unmistakably part of the historic Underground Railroad. Already, the Ton Farm along the Calumet River and the old Congregational church in Crete, which is being converted into the Crete Historical Museum, have satisfied federal requirements to be listed on the National Park Services Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Other sites have enough historical ties to the Underground Railroad to qualify, McClellan said, but still need some more in-depth research before theyll satisfy federal requirements. One is the starting point to the proposed National Trail, Quinn Chapel AME Church in Chicago, which McClellan called an essential congregation in assisting freedom seekers in the late 1840s all the way to the Civil War. We know a good deal about it, but someone now has to do the hard, deep research, assemble the facts, he said. Advertisement The second is the McCoy Homestead on Sauk Trail east of Park Forest, now part of Schubert Woods Forest Preserve, which McClellan envisions as the starting point of the Sauk Trail branch of the proposed national trail. At least 90 to 100 freedom seekers found assistance with the McCoy family, he said. What that family did for people traveling along the Sauk Trail is really remarkable. I know a lot about it but we need to do the deep dive to assemble all the facts. Those two places absolutely should be on the network to freedom and deserve this kind of deep research. Eventually, the Chicago Detroit Freedom Trail could include about a dozen sites in Illinois, 25 in northwest Indiana and more as it stretches into northern Indiana and into Michigan. There are lots of sites purported to have been part of the Underground Railroad, but its key to have documentation so we can say its clear the freedom seekers were here, McClellan said. A new Underground Railroad park just unveiled at Main and State streets in Glenwood wouldnt make the cut, he said. The story goes that freedom seekers came into town on the train line adjacent to the new park, and were able to hide at an inn called the Wayside Chalet. Advertisement Thats more historical tradition than evidence-backed fact, McClellan said, despite declarative language to that effect on the new monument. For one thing, the train line didnt come through the Glenwood area until 1867 or 68, well after the Civil War had ended, he said. And while there were some well-used trails through the area that may have accommodated fugitives, nothing has survived from the 1800s to support any specific instances. That differs from the McCoy farm, for example, where several sources point to Underground Railroad activity, including an extensive interview of a granddaughter who talked in vivid ways about her experience as a young girl with freedom seekers, McClellan said. Theres also scattered but rich newspaper documentation from the 19th century that really set this up, he added. What we do then is look at associations. The McCoys were actively associated with all the rabid abolitionists throughout the region. Their names show up on various lists. There are sets of information you can put together, he said. With the Wayside Chalet in Glenwood, there are no people identified. Who are the people and what did they do? Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy > People the freedom seekers, the people who helped them are central to the Underground Railroad, as McClellan sees it. But connecting the dots between the places offers a means for modern people to immerse themselves in an important American story, one that happened right here. Advertisement Everywhere weve gone along the trail, weve gotten a terrific response, he said. People are really responding to this idea of connecting the dots. The reality is most people are really focused on their site. But it was part of a stream of movement. Putting that stream on the national map is going to take a lot of effort, but McClellan and his colleagues already are enlisting help from institutions such as Governors State University, Valparaiso University, Purdue Northwest and South Suburban College to develop student internships. He anticipates support from visitors bureaus and other agencies because of the potential for heritage tourism. And monthly meetings are planned to keep communities along the way engaged. If it happens, the Chicago Detroit Freedom Trail will be only the second National Historic Trail devoted to African American history behind the Selma to Montgomery Trail in Alabama. Chicago Detroit would highlight a very powerful part of African American history too, he said. Landmarks is a weekly column by Paul Eisenberg exploring the people, places and things that have left an indelible mark on the Southland. He can be reached at peisenberg@tribpub.com. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday emphasized the importance of transparency in public service and said that a clean environment is crucial for good health, and is the foundation for a strong and prosperous India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called upon people across the country to take part in a cleanliness drive on October 1 beginning at 10 am and said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. Saha while participating in the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' program on Sunday said, "Since taking office in 2014, PM Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission, which has been consistently implemented nationwide. On Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, the Prime Minister called for at least one hour of Shramdaan to foster a peaceful environment." "Under his guidance, the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' program was carried out in various parts of the state on Sunday. In addition, the state government is dedicated to realizing 'Swachh Bharat, Swachh Tripura'. However, achieving a clean Tripura requires not only physical effort but also a shift in mindset", CM Saha added. He also emphasized that a clean environment is essential for good health, and it is healthy citizens who will contribute to building a strong and prosperous India. In addition to the Chief Minister, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor Dipak Majumdar, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Director General of Police Amitabh Ranjan, and other officials were present at the program. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also participated in the Swach Bharat campaign. The Prime Minister blended cleanliness with fitness as he met social media sensation Ankit Baiyanpuriya, who had started a 75-day hard challenge to imbibe the culture of fitness among the youth. PM Modi has said Swachh Bharat is the collective responsibility of all citizens of the country and that public participation is very important in this direction. He had asked everyone to take an hour on Sunday at 10 am to maintain cleanliness and help build a brighter future for the country. Leaders from across the country took part in the 'Shramdaan for Cleanliness' program as part of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign today. (ANI) Pointing out that previous Congress governments at the Centre could not pass the Women's Reservation Bill, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday accused the party of doing politics over the Bill and questioned its intentions. "Sometimes, they (Congress) talk about destroying Sanatan Dharma, and sometimes about caste equations. Because they do not have a leader or a policy, and their intentions are flawed," Anurag Thakur said. "Women's Reservation Bill was pending for 27 years but Congress could not get it passed...Yet they want to do politics over it," he added. Though the Women's Reservation Bill has been passed in both houses of parliament, the implementation of its provisions will come into place after the next census and a delimitation based on the data of the census. This relatively long time frame caused criticism from the Opposition who wanted the Bill's implementation sooner. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Bill in the first sitting of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building, during the Special Session that was convened recently. The Bill was named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Introducing the Bill in the House, the minister said, "This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33 percent of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of People." The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' was the first Bill passed by Lok Sabha after it shifted to the new Parliament building. On September 21 , the Parliament passed the historic draft legislation, with the Rajya Sabha clearing it unanimously. A total of 214 members in the Upper House, voted in support of the Bill and none voted against it. The members welcomed the passing of the Bill by thumping their desks. (ANI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that along with exchanging information, the Police Telecommunication Department also plays a big role in obtaining other important information and delivering accurate information to all places. The Chief Minister attended the Police Telecommunication Foundation Day program organised at Police Radio Headquarters, Lucknow. During the event, he said, The police force responsible for internal security and law enforcement understands the importance of technology, according to a press release by the Chief Ministers office. At the outset of the event, the Chief Minister was given the Guard of Honour, and then he inaugurated and reviewed the JC Bose Technology Exhibition. CM Yogi extended his best wishes for the events scheduled to take place from October 1 to October 3 to mark Foundation Day. The Chief Minister said that the state government had the opportunity to organise the country's biggest cultural event, Kumbh Mela Prayagraj, in 2019. He said that it was the first time such a massive event was organised in Uttar Pradesh. It was a matter of curiosity for the entire nation and the world. In Uttar Pradesh, the way the police conducted their work, behaviour, and technology were noticed, and the results were seen by the entire nation and the world, the Chief Minister said. CM Yogi mentioned that over 24 crore devotees came to Prayagraj Kumbh. "This presence in 2019 proves that one member of every Indian family visited Prayagraj. After coming to Prayagraj Kumbh, devotees saw the picture of the new Uttar Pradesh. Today, the perception of Uttar Pradesh has changed, and the state is not in need of any identity promotion", he remarked. The Chief Minister also praised the work done by the Police Radio Department, describing it as "excellent coordination". CM Yogi mentioned that the UP Police first used wireless sets in 1938. This was during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, which is where the journey began. During that Kumbh Mela, the Police Radio Department was established, and it was a significant challenge to figure out which communication tools to use in such a massive gathering to provide information and prevent panic or rumours. Yogi further said that earlier, the police relied on three teams of elephants to facilitate communication, and through their efforts, the UP Police continued to provide communication services as the Kumbh Mela progressed. The establishment of the Radio Headquarters in 2019 marked the transition from using elephants to using handsets, the release stated. Now, we can provide information through mobile phones, which signifies progress. We cannot afford to lose technology. We need to integrate technology into our systems, along with proper training. This technology, created by us, continues to advance our department and is essential in today's world, the Chief Minister said. CM Yogi said, I tell the Home Department that our personnel should be well trained. The better the training, the better the results, provided with good equipment, resources, and arrangements, but at the same time, preparations should be made to preserve our history. The Chief Minister suggested that there should be a small museum in the Police Lines and the PAC unit. "This museum would help educate the current generation and schoolchildren about our journey from scratch to success. It would tell the story of how we reached where we are todaythe progression from humble beginnings to where we stand with modern tools and weapons." Yogi further said that although the police now have advanced equipment, there is a need to preserve its history through the establishment of a museum. "Starting from a stick, we have come a long way, and it is essential to document and showcase this journey", he remarked. CM Yogi mentioned that back in 2017, when the new government was formed, there were only two police stations in Lucknow and Noida that were dealing with cybercrime. Today, approval has been given for its establishment in all 75 districts. Yogi said that it was suggested that the master trainers from all 75 districts undergo training together and then provide training in their respective police stations. Additionally, there should be a cyber help desk established in every police station because the rapid increase in cybercrime is a matter of concern. The Chief Minister mentioned a recent robbery that happened in Prayagraj. "The robbers' gang was from outside UP. They came on a bike, looted Rs 7 lakhs, left Prayagraj, and then stayed at a hotel in Lucknow. The next day, they looted Rs 9.5 lakhs in Sitapur. However, due to technology, the police managed to apprehend two of them from a hotel in Lucknow", he said. If we did not have the technology and were not prepared adequately, we would have been limited to Prayagraj. Technology and police alerts were crucial, and as a result, both cases were solved within three days, and the stolen money was recovered, the Chief Minister further pointed out. The Chief Minister said that "even major events can be organised through artificial intelligence (AI). During Kanwar Yatra, most of the stretch between Ghaziabad and Haridwar falls in Uttar Pradesh. Around 4 crore devotees participated in this event, passing through sensitive areas of the state. Despite this, the pilgrimage proceeded peacefully. The Chief Minister said, UP Radio Police also conducted new experiments during the Kanwar Yatra. He expressed confidence that the department would succeed in providing modern technology knowledge along with training. On this occasion, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, Director General of Police Vijay Kumar, DG Special Law and Order Prashant Kumar, Director General (Police Telecommunications) Dr. Sanjay Tarde, and Director (Police Telecommunications) Sunil Kumar Singh, etc. were present. (ANI) According to the Ministry of Finance, intelligence was developed by the officers of DRI about a syndicate involved in the illegal trafficking and trading of 'Turtles of Ganges. Based on the information received, the officers of DRI chalked out an intricate all-India plan to apprehend the offenders at different locations in the country simultaneously and rescue the turtles. "Concerted all-India efforts by the officers resulted in the interception of a total of 6 people and a total recovery of 955 live baby turtles of different species at Nagpur, Bhopal and Chennai on Saturday," the release added. The release informed that the species of Gangetic turtles rescued are the Indian Tent Turtle, Indian Flapshell Turtle, Crown River Turtle, Black Spotted/Pond Turtle and Brown Roofed Turtle. After the initial seizure under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, of 1972, the perpetrators and Gangetic turtles were handed over to the respective Forest Departments for further investigation. The operation comes in a series of other such crackdowns over the past months, as DRI continues its resolve to preserve the environment and combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Some of the species rescued are specified as vulnerable/near threatened species under the IUCN Red List and Schedule I and II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Illegal trade, over-exploitation for meat and habitat degradation are major threats to the survival of these species. (ANI) First, he joined the celebration of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day, organized by the All Tripura Diploma Engineers' Association at Press Club, Agartala. Voluntary Blood Donation is the noblest act of humanity that can save three lives by donating one unit of blood. CM Manik Saha appealed to all to raise awareness of blood donation inspiring more donors. He also attended another blood donation camp that was organized by Tripura State Blood Transfusion Council, Health & Family Welfares Department at Maharani Tulsibati Girls' Higher Secondary School in Agartala. CM Saha always keeps eyes open on the balance of the 14 blood banks situated at different locations in the state. (ANI) As only a few months are left for the Assembly elections in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sounded the Bharatiya Janata Party's poll bugle in the state by cornering its political opponents-- BRS and Congress-- on dynastic politics and corruption. Hitting out at both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Congress, the Prime Minister said that the "two family-run parties" known for corruption and commission have halted the progress of the poll-bound state. Addressing a gathering in Mahabubnagar, PM Modi said, "The government of Telangana is a car but the steering wheel is in the hands of someone else... The progress of Telangana has been halted by two family-run parties. Both of these family-run parties are known for their corruption and commission." The Prime Minister said that these people run their party like a private limited company, where the top posts are held by members of the family or their aides. "Both of these parties have the same formula. The party is of the family, by the family and for the family. These people are turning democracy into a familydynasty. Their party is run like a private limited company. The president, CEO, director, treasurer, general manager, chief manager, and manager all are of the same family," he said, adding that however, they keep some people from outside as support staff. PM Modi arrived in the poll-bound state today to dedicate Rs 13,500 cr worth projects in important sectors like road, rail, petroleum and natural gas and higher education. After the foundation laying ceremony of multiple developmental projects, PM Modi held a roadshow in Mahabubnagar, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers queuing up on both sides of the road cheering and showering flower petals on him. "Today I had the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many projects for the welfare of the people of Telangana. These projects worth more than Rs 13,500 crore will take the state to new heights of development. This will also create new employment opportunities for the youth of Telangana," PM Modi said in his address. He said that the record turnout of people in large numbers here proves that Telangana wants a BJP government. "In recent years, people of Telangana have strengthened BJP in Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and civic elections. The huge crowd gathered here proves that Telangana wants change. Telangana wants change because it wants a transparent and corruption-free government, not false promises. Telangana now wants a BJP government," he added. Accusing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS government of corruption, PM Modi said, "Thestate government is minting money through schemes meant for the farmers. On the pretext of an irrigation project, corruption has taken place in Telangana." "The farmers in Telangana were promised to farm loan waivers. However, due to false promises, many farmers lost their lives. The state government never paid attention to their problems," he said. "We don't have a government in Telangana. Despite that, we did everything to help the farmers. We restarted the Ramagundam Fertilizer plant which was closed for years," he added. The Prime Minister went on to add that the "corrupt" KCR government does not care for the interests of tribals as it kept stalling the land allotment for a Central Tribal University to be established by the Centre for five years. "Central government has decided to establish a Central Tribal University for Rs 900 crore in Mulugu district. It would be named after tribal goddesses Sammakka Sarakka. This university could have been built years ago if the corrupt government here had shown interest in it. Alas, the state government kept postponing the work of giving land to the university for 5 years. This shows that the Telangana government does not care about tribal interests," the Prime Minister added. Earlier in the day, he announced the formation of a National Turmeric Board. After Covid, awareness about turmeric has increased and global demand has also increased. Today it is important to pay more attention professionally and take an initiative in the value chain of turmeric, from production to export... Looking at the necessity of turmeric farmers and future opportunities, the centre has decided to establish a National Turmeric Board, PM Modi said addressing the gathering here. India is a major producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric. Farmers in Telangana particularly produce turmeric in huge quantities. Nizamabad, Nirmal and Jagtial districts are known for their huge cultivation of turmeric. The finger and bulb varieties of turmeric from here are exported abroad apart from catering to domestic and commercial needs. Besides turmeric, there are boards for tea, coffee, spices, jute, coconut, among others. These boards help farmers market their produce, besides looking after their other needs. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Central Election Committee to finalize its candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The primary focus of the discussion revolved around constituencies where the party's presence is relatively weaker in Rajasthan. There were deliberations on the possibility of fielding several Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers in the Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections. The Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting took place at the BJP headquarters following a core group meeting for Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the BJP headquarters around 9 PM, and discussions pertaining to the Rajasthan Assembly elections continued for approximately two hours, according to sources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National Organization General Secretary BL Santosh, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and other members of the Central Election Committee were also present in the meeting held at the BJP's central office. Party sources revealed that discussions regarding around 60 to 65 seats in Rajasthan had been concluded. However, during the Central Election Committee meeting, the main emphasis was on the constituencies where the BJP's influence is relatively weaker in Rajasthan. "Discussions have also been held on fielding many MPs and ministers in the Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections. Out of 200 seats in the Rajasthan Assembly, discussions has been completed for 65 seats while discussions for 69 seats in Chhattisgarh had already taken place," party sources said. Prior to the BJP's Central Election Committee meeting, a core group meeting had been conducted to discuss matters related to Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh polls at the residence of BJP President JP Nadda. Veteran leaders from Chhattisgarh like Mansukh Mandaviya, Raman Singh and others were present in the meeting, while from Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje, Arun Singh, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal and others were present. he BJP is in the process of devising strategies for the forthcoming Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Telangana. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh announced his intention to raise the issue of the Old Pension Scheme in Parliament when his membership in the Rajya Sabha is revoked. He expressed his concern for the employees of the country who have been advocating for the restoration of the old pension scheme and questioned the system where MLAs and MPs receive pensions for their entire lives while employees who have worked for 40 years are denied such benefits. Addressing a rally in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, Sanjay Singh said,"The employees of the country opened a front against the Modi government regarding the restoration of old pension. MLAs and MPs get pension for whole life even if they work for 40 days. Why no pension to an employee who has worked for 40 years? I will raise this issue before Parliament after my membership gets revoked. Arvind Kejriwal's slogan is Where AAP rules there is old pension." Earlier employees of central and state government and public sector undertakings (PSUs) held a protest at Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday, demanding the reinstatement of the old pension scheme (OPS) by the central government and expressed their dissatisfaction with the current National Pension Scheme (NPS). The protest named 'Pension Shankhnaad Maharally' was organized under the aegis of the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS) to put pressure on the Union government to nix the existing National Pension Scheme (NPS) and bring back the OPS. Meanwhile, Opposition parties have supported the demands of the protesters and asked the BJP government at the Centre to bring back the OPS. "Old pension is the right of the employees. State governments led by Congress have restored the old pension scheme.Our policy regarding this is clear employees must get their rights. Modi government should restore the old pension, and honor the workers who serve the country," Congress said earlier. States like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have announced the bringing back of OPS.Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that his party strongly supports bringing back OPS, adding that NPS (New Pension Scheme) is an "injustice against employees". Under the old pension scheme, a government employee is entitled to a monthly pension after retirement.The monthly pension is typically half of the last drawn salary of the person. Under the new pension scheme, employees contribute a portion of their salaries to the pension fund. Based on that, they are entitled to a one-time lump sum amount on superannuation. The old pension scheme was discontinued in December 2003, and the new pension scheme came into effect on April 1, 2004. (ANI) Glasgow Gurdwara has strongly condemned the incident, where Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami was stopped from attending a planned interaction at the religious site on Saturday, Calling the incident disorderly behaviour by unknown individuals outside the Glasgow area, it further added that the Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds. An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises, the statement by Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha stated. It further said that the unruly individuals continued to disturb the congregation, adding that the Scotland Police has taken cognizance in the matter. Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith, the statement added. This comes after a planned interaction of Indian High Commissioner to Britain, Vikram Doraiswami at the Glasgow Gurudwara was disrupted by some extremist elements. Scotland Police has responded to the incident and said that an inquiry is ongoing to establish the full circumstances around the incident. Earlier, the Indian High Commission said, that it reported to authorities in the UK the disgraceful incident at the Glasgow Gurudwara where elements from outside Scotland deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner to Britain, Vikram Doraiswami. The incident has also drawn condemnation by several British MPs. The UK's Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, on Saturday said she was "concerned" to learn that Indian envoy Doraiswami had been stopped from meeting the Gurudwara Committee in Glasgow. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Trevelyan said the security and safety of foreign places is of utmost importance and places of worship in the United Kingdom should be open to all. (ANI) A group of womens rights activists in Afghanistan have initiated a campaign to officially recognize gender apartheid in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, Khaama Press reported. Tamana Zaryab Paryany and other European Afghan activists set up a protest camp in Wuppertal, Germany on Friday, inviting Afghan activists in Europe to join the campaign. A statement on Paryanys social media page read, We call upon the conscience of women and all free individuals in Germany to stand with our sisters in Afghanistan and not allow the regime of gender apartheid to persist in Afghanistan. Notably, these womens rights activists had previously gone on a hunger strike by setting up a protest camp in Cologne, Germany, from September 10-22, Khaama Press reported. They also negotiated with representatives of the German government, the US, and the United Nations, but these negotiations have yet to satisfy their demands, as per Khaama Press. Earlier, Paryany had issued a statement detailing her meeting witha representative of the German Foreign Ministry. She had passionately conveyed the concerns and messages of Afghan women, but to her disappointment, she has yet to receive a definitive response from the ministry, Khaama Press reported. This lack of a clear response underscored the urgent need for international attention and action to address the pressing issues facing Afghan women and girls. Last month, the United Nations held a session to recognize the gender apartheid in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule. Recently, a group of women known as the Window of Hope Womens Movement of Afghanistan has also called for the recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan. They emphasized that the United Nations and human rights organizations breaking their silence and taking action to combat gender apartheid in Afghanistan are crucial, Khaama Press reported. Notably, with the resurgence of the Taliban in August 2021 in Afghanistan, the countrys educational system has suffered a significant setback. As a result, girls have been deprived of access to education, and seminaries or religious schools have gradually filled the void left by schools and universities. Afghanistan's women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Girls and women in the war-torn country have no access to education, employment and public spaces. A startling 80 per cent of Afghan girls and young women, who are of school-going age, are currently denied access to education under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, a new report by Care International stated, according to Khaama Press. It has been more than two years since girls above grade six have been prohibited from attending schools in Afghanistan, and it is unclear when those doors will reopen, Tolo News reported. Afghanistan remains the only country to ban girls' and women's education, resulting in a substantial economic toll of approximately USD 5.4 billion. (ANI) The lawyer of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan alleged on Saturday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is being mentally tortured in the Adiala Jail, ARY News reported. PTI chief lawyer Naeem Hairder Panjotha alleged that Khan is kept in a small room of C-class jail and is not allowed to come out of that room even for a walk. Imran Khans counsel said that he doubts the quality of food being given to the former PM. Notably, the plea regarding food is still pending in the court. Panjotha further questioned the in-camera hearing of cipher case and urged to proceed with the open trial of the case. He said the conviction of PTI chairman in cipher is a part of campaign to keep the former PM out of politics, ARY News reported. Earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rejected the challan submitted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and demanded the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the cipher case. In a statement issued on Saturday, the PTI spokesperson said that the challan submitted against party chairman and vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was meaningless and bogus as cipher case. In its challan, the FIA stated that Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were found guilty in the matter. The agency requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them in the case. Former PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar's name has not been included in the list of accused, Geo News reported citing sources. Imran Khan's former principal secretary Azam Khan has been named as a "strong witness" in the case, the report said. Geo News reported citing sources, the names of former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed, Sohail Mehmood and the then additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi have also been included in the list of witnesses. On September 26, the special court extended the judicial remand of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi till October 10 in the cipher case. Earlier in August, the FIA booked the PTI chairman and vice chairman under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing the classified document for their vested political interests. Subsequently, Khan and Qureshi were arrested in connection with the probe into the case and a special court was formed under the Official Secrets Act to try the accused, Geo News reported. The ciphergate controversy first emerged on March 27, 2022, when Imran Khan just days before his ouster in April 2022 brandished a letter, claiming that it was a cipher from a foreign nation, which mentioned that his government should be removed from power, according to The News International report. He did not reveal the contents of the letter nor mention the name of the nation that had sent it. But a few days later, he named the United States and said that Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu had sought his removal, The News International reported. Imran Khan claimed that he was reading contents from the cipher, said that "all will be forgiven for Pakistan if Imran Khan is removed from power". The cipher case against Pakistan's former PM became serious after his principal secretary Azam Khan in a statement before a magistrate and the FIA said that the former PM had used the US cipher for his "political gains" and to avert a vote of no-confidence against him, The News International reported. (ANI) In a statement, the spokesperson said 52 deaths were recorded in the Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Memorial Hospital, six in the civil hospital, and one in the BMC Complex. A suicide bomber on Friday targeted people gearing up for a procession related to Eid Miladun Nabi, near a mosque in the Mastung district. At least 52 people were killed initially, according to district health official Abdul Rasheed, including the children who were aged 9-11, and at least 58 people were injured, Geo News reported. "My feet trembled and I was thrown to the ground," said 49-year-old Hazoor Bakhsh. "As the dust settled, I saw people scattered in all directions, some screaming while others called out for help, Geo News quoted him as saying. Hours after the blast in Balochistan, a second attack took place at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu city. That incident has claimed the lives of five people including a policeman and injured 12 others, according to Geo News. The incident took place within the parametres of Police Station Doaba during the Friday sermon. Earlier in the day, the Pakistan security forces in Balochistan registered the first information report (FIR) regarding the Mastung suicide blast. According to the ARY News, the preliminary report of the incident has been submitted to the Balochistan caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki. The caretaker CM has also chaired a high-level session to review progress on the investigation into the Mastung suicide blast. (ANI) The United States Senate passed a stopgap funding measure on Saturday evening within its deadline to prevent a federal government shutdown, reported CNN. With 88 to 9 votes, the Senate passed the measure after the US House abruptly reversed course and passed a bipartisan bill to extend government funding hours before the deadline. The stopgap bill was cleared by the chamber in an overwhelmingly bipartisan 335-91 vote hours after Speaker Kevin McCarthy rolled out the proposal, reported CNN. However, one Democrat and 90 Republicans voted against the measure. The House vote finally came after days of uncertainty over averting a government shutdown. Following this, the bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk for further approval, according to CNN. Moreover, the bill would keep the government open through November 17, and further includes natural disaster aid but not additional funding for Ukraine or border security. It also includes a measure to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operational. A government shutdown happens when Congress does not approve discretionary spending for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on October 1. A shutdown affects nearly every corner of the US government, from the delivery of welfare cheques and publishing of national economic data to the operation of federal courts, museums and national parks. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers likely would be furloughed temporarily forced to leave work without pay while workers deemed essential would remain on the job but continue without a paycheque. Reacting to the Senate passing the stopgap funding bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised his colleagues for passing the bill to fund the government, eventually averting a government shutdown until mid-November, CNN reported. "It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no government shutdown tonight," he said. "I want to thank my colleagues here in the Senate, especially our appropriators," Schumer added. Lauding the bipartisanship, he further said, "Our bipartisanship made this bill possible. We will keep the government open for 45 days with a clean (continuing resolution), at current funding levels." Notably, the decision is poised to prevent the government from falling off the shutdown cliff, which many lawmakers thought was inevitable after weeks of disagreements within the House GOP conference and between both chambers. The measure would keep the government funded at current spending levels through November 17. It includes USD 16 billion in disaster relief matching the figure the White House included in a supplemental request. However, it does not include Ukraine aid or border policy changes, The Hill reported. However earlier, Rep Lauren Boebert criticized the passage of the short-term stopgap bill, saying that Congress instead needs to pass the 12 annual appropriations bills. We should have forced the Senate to take up the four appropriations bills that the House has passed. That should have been our playWe should have forced them to come to the negotiating table, to come to conference, to hash out our differences, CNN quoted her as saying. Mike Quigley of Illinois, was the lone Democrat who voted against the stopgap bill, stated that he did so to keep the government open, and railed against the decision to not include aid to Ukraine. "Putin is celebrating," Quigley told CNN, saying the Reagan doctrine is "dead" in the GOP. Notably, this is not the first-ever government shutdown in the US. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, there have been as many as 14 government shutdowns in the US since 1980. The last shutdown took place in December 2018, when the government did not function for 35 days. (ANI) Stating that there is no limit to the India-US relationship, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that today, New Delhi and Washington see each other as desirable, optimal, comfortable partners. The foreign minister was addressing the people of the Indian diaspora at the Colors of Friendship event at India House in Washington DC. Hundreds of diaspora members gathered at the lawns of the official residence of Indias Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in honour of Jaishankar, listening and watching performances by local artists. At the event, Jaishankar said, I am often asked, where do you think this relationship (India-US) is goingnow it's hard for me today, really, to put a limit on it, to define it, to even voice expectations, because in every waythis relationship has exceeded expectations, which is why today we don't even try to define it. We actually keep raising the bar. We keep finding new domains, the more we do with each other, the more we find we are able to do, explore together and achieve together, he added. Emphasising chemistry and comfort, Jaishankar said that today India and the US have come up as desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. In this changing worldI would say, today, India and the United States have moved to a position where we really see each other as very desirable, optimal partners, comfortable partners, with whom its a natural instinct todaySo, the chemistry and the comfort today of the relationship gives me enormous hope about where the prospects are, he said. Several senior officials of the Biden administration including; US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta were part of the reception. US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormik, Democrat and Republican, were present at the event. Just days away from Gamdhi Jayanti, Jaishankar paid floralTributes to Mahatma Gandhi and made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Referring to Indias G20 presidency, the EAM stated that Indias G20 presidency revolved around the message of Mahatma Gandhi, which focusses on doing the right thing and leaving no one behind. "We are approaching Gandhi Jayanti, I would like to leave you a thought. To say he (Mahatma Gandhi) was an extraordinary man would be the understatement of this century. He said so many things so tellingly...The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, about doing the decent thing and about leaving no one behind. Gandhi Ji's message is very complicated, but its essence is actually very, very simple, Jaishankar said. He added, When we took up the G20 presidency, the responsibility. In many ways, that message was at the heart of our thinking...What we tried to do in G20, the underlying thinking, reflected what we are trying to do in India, what I think many Americans are trying to do in America, what we India and America should be doing with the world, which is to leave no one behind. Jaishankar is on a visit to the US from September 22-30. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also held meetings with several top US officials during his visit. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday highlighted the major achievements of India in the field of space, technology and pharmacy and said that the new India is an India of Chandrayaan, an India of CoWIN, and an India of 5G. He made the statement whileaddressing the Indian diaspora at the Colors of Friendship event at India House in Washington DC. While addressing the event, Jaishankar said, "So I mentioned this to you because it's a great achievement (success of Chandrayaan-3)... Yes, we've joined the special club, but today in many ways, the new India is an India of Chandraayan, it's an India of CoWIN, it's an India of 5G." The EAM further said that the India-US relationship has exceeded expectations and has raised the bar. "This is really what we are capable of, and it is this India today that the United States also sees. It is this India with which the United States actually has an appetite for working, much more closely," he said. Sharing his experience of meeting the incredible people behind the success of Chandrayaan-3, Jaishankar shared a story. "I had the privilege when we (Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi and I) were abroad. When the landing took place, we were at a meeting in South Africa. Obviously, we took time off from the meeting, you all saw Prime Minister was following the landing and was talking to the ISRO. Because these are tense moments, however confident anybody is about a mission at that period, you want to have somebody around you who would give you reassurance," he said. Adding to this, Jaishankar stressed that no one can give assurance better than PM Modi. "Believe me, nobody can do the assurance better than Mr Modi. He's today reassuring the entire country, in many ways the whole world," he said. Further detailing the story, he said that as the Chandryaan-3 was successfully landed, PM Modi decided to directly land in Bengaluru to meet the people behind the soft landing. "It all went well and then he decided that instead of flying back to Delhi, he would actually land directly in Bengaluru and go straight to the ISRO headquarters. Now, fortunately, I mean, since I was travelling with him, I too had a chance to tag along," he said. Being a former member of the Space Commission, Jaishankar expressed his delight and said, "I have been interested in space and nuclear for a long part of my career. When you sat there and there was this room of about a thousand people, at one level, they looked like the most normal people you could think of, yet you could feel they were the most special people. And the kind of confidence that they exuded, because I could actually be sitting among them, actually asked them, saying, so how tense were you guys? Did you see it? Were you worried? What were the possibilities of something not going the way you thought? And I must tell you, their confidence, their conviction about the mission was simply amazing..." Jaishankar further shared that as that feeling got stuck in his mind, he thought of visiting the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, located in Kerala. "Because it stuck so deeply in my mind, that a few weeks later, I went to Kerala. In Kerala, they have an institute that trains people in space. It's called the IISST, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology...there were people who were the feedstock of our space program," he noted. The minister further praised the students for their capabilities in the space program. Jaishankar said, "When you see today what these young people in their graduate and postgraduate degree processes, what they are capable of, what they have done, the kind of things which they have themselves invented, which feed, by the way, a lot of it feeds directly into the space program. So I mentioned this to you because, yes, it's a great achievement." Highlighting an interesting fact, the minister noted that some of the recent things India and the US have done together start with the alphabet 'I'. "It's an interesting discovery we made that if you look at some of the recent things in India we've done together, they all start with the alphabet 'I'. So we just spoke about this Middle Eastern Corridor. It's called IMEC India, India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. There was an earlier initiative called 12U2-- India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States." Adding to this, he also said, "All of you are familiar today with the term Indo-Pacific." He further said that the alphabet 'I' is good for the US. "Somewhere, people have figured this one out. Go for the alphabet I, then pick a word. Hopefully, there's a country there. There are good people out there. Those are the guys you need to work with," he added. Moreover, lauding the India-US relationship, Jaishankar highlighted the journey of the India-US relationship which has come so far in the past years. "This relationship today, I started at a time in the early 80s when you actually had to explain where you're from, what you're about know, it's good to see members of congress here. Those were tough days. They didn't even let you into the rooms in the congress. And at that time, there was no Indian American member of Congress at that time. But if one looks at the journey, how far we've come and how deep the relationship is," he stressed. Emphasising chemistry and comfort, Jaishankar said that today India and the US have come up as desirable, optimal and comfortable partners. Several senior officials of the Biden administration including; US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr Rahul Gupta were part of the reception.US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormik, Democrat and Republican, were present at the event. Just days away from Gandhi Jayanti, Jaishankar paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Jaishankar is on a visit to the US from September 22-30. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also held meetings with several top US officials during his visit. (ANI) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday rejected a challan submitted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and called for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the cipher case, Pakistan-based ARY News reported. In a statement issued on September 30, the PTI spokesperson called the challan submitted against PTI chairman Imran Khan and vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi "meaningless and bogus as cipher case." The party spokesperson further said that the cipher was still present in its original state in the Foreign Office. He said, "Ciphers presence proves the allegations levelled against the former prime minister [Imran Khan] as baseless." The PTI spokesperson said, "The then federal cabinet declassified the cipher under its powers, adding that Official Secrets Act cannot be applied in this case. According to the party spokesperson, Imran Khan had repeatedly demanded an independent and impartial investigation into cipher case. The PTI spokesperson said Imran Khan had also written letters to the chief justice and Pakistan President "but to no avail." He said that a judicial commission should be formed to carry out a probe in the cipher to meet the demands of justice. On Saturday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted the challan in the cipher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. In its challan, the FIA stated that Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were found guilty in the matter. The agency requested the court to conduct their trial and sentence them in the case. Former PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar's name has not been included in the list of accused, Geo News reported citing sources. Imran Khan's former principal secretary Azam Khan has been named as a "strong witness" in the case, the report said. In addition, the FIA has attached the statements of Azam Khan recorded under Sections 161 and 164, along with the challan, according to sources. The sources further said that the PTI chief kept the cipher to himself and misused the state secret, according to Geo News report. According to sources, former Pakistan PM Imran Khan had a copy of the cipher. However, he did not return it. Furthermore, the agency has attached the transcript of Khan and Qureshi's speech of March 27, 2022. On March 27 last year, Imran Khan brandished a letter claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation, which wanted his government to be removed from power. The FIA presented a list of 28 witnesses to the court with the challan after recording their statements under Section 161, according to Geo News report. According to sources, the names of former foreign secretaries Asad Majeed, Sohail Mehmood and the then additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi have also been included in the list of witnesses. On September 26, the special court extended the judicial remand of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi till October 10 in the cipher case. Earlier in August, the FIA booked the PTI chairman and vice chairman under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly misplacing and misusing the classified document for their vested political interests. Subsequently, Khan and Qureshi were arrested in connection with the probe into the case and a special court was formed under the Official Secrets Act to try the accused. (ANI) The 15th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade (JWG) between India and Bangladesh was held on September 26 and 27 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the two nations discussed various bilateral issues, including removal of port restrictions, the groundwork for commencement of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The meeting was co-chaired by the Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, Vipul Bansal and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh, Noor Md. Mahbubul Haq. "The 15th Meeting of JWG discussed a host of bilateral issues such as the removal of port restrictions, groundwork for commencement of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), harmonization of standards, mutual recognition of standards, supply of essential commodities to Bangladesh, development of road and rail infrastructure, regional connectivity through multi-modal transportation and creation/ strengthening of infrastructure in Land Customs Stations/ Integrated Check Posts, border haats, etc," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. The Joint Working Group on Trade (JWG) Meetings between India and Bangladesh are held annually to discuss key trade-related issues and "explore opportunities for economic and technical collaboration, promotion, facilitation, expansion and diversification of trade between the two countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit." Moreover, these meetings play a crucial role in quickly resolving bilateral issues by removing trade barriers, simplifying customs procedures, improvement of infrastructure, logistics, and transit facilities to facilitate smoother cross-border trade. The 15th JWG on Trade meeting concluded with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthen economic engagement, regional cooperation, and sustainable development. "Both sides reiterated that the future holds great promise for enhanced trade relations and mutual prosperity," the statement said. Moreover, India and Bangladesh took several trade facilitative measures to facilitate trade between the countries. "India has allowed exports from Bangladesh to India by rail in closed containers, with customs clearance facility at any Inland Container Depot (ICD) vide circular dated May 17, 2022," the statement said. The statement further read, "Bangladesh informed about successful commencement of Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Port (ACMP) and increasing the number of goods to be traded through various Land Custom Stations (LCSs)." (ANI) A local court in Lahore on Saturday issued a bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan's former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) leader Moonis Elahi in a case related to money laundering, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. The order issued by Special Court (Central-I), Lahore judge Justice Abdul Sattar Langah reads, "In the interest of justice, the instant application moved by the police officer is accepted and the bailable warrant of arrest of Rs100,000 is issued against the accused Monis Elahi, under Section 90 (a) CrPC for the date fixed i.e. 11/10/2023." The special court issued the arrest warrant for Moonis Elahi, who has been living abroad for the past couple of months overover non-compliance with the summons issued by the court. During the hearing on Saturday, the Federal Investigation Agencys (FIA) investigation officer told the court that the suspect was avoiding receiving the summons, according to Geo News report. The FIA in a written statement presented in the court said that the report regarding the service of summons of accused Moonis Elahi s/o Parvaiz Elahi to the extent of his address in England has been received through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the same is annexed with the application." The FIA further said, "As per reports regarding service of summons in the name of accused Moonis Elahi s/o Pervaiz Elahi through MOFA of his address in Spain it was reported that nobody was available on those addresses." According to FIA, the report received from FIA found that the accused avoided receiving the summons. The FIA requested the court to issue an arrest warrant for Moonis considering the report received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the service of summons.Subsequently, the Lahore court gave approval to the FIAs request and issued a bailable arrest warrant for Moonis Elahi. According to the FIR, an investigation began against Moonis Elahi under the Money Laundering Act in 2020. The FIR said that the Sugar Commission's report said that Moonis Elahi was allegedly involved in money laundering, Geo News reported. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked the FIA to probe the sugar crisis throughout the country and find out who benefited from it. Subsequently, FIA's report revealed that top PTI members and Moonis Elahi were among those who had allegedly benefited from the sugar crisis in Pakistan. According to FIA sources, "sufficient evidence" had been collected against Moonis Elahi after which the agency decided to formally begin an investigation against him, according to Geo News report. Moonis Elahi left for Spain in December 2022 and he continues to reside there "to avoid political victimisation in the country," Geo News reported citing media reports. Earlier this week, an accountability court in Lahore issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI leader Moonis Elahi for allegedly receiving kickbacks in development projects. The judge issued the non-bailable arrest warrants for Moonis Elahi after the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). (ANI) European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell made a visit to Odesa on Saturday, marking the one-year anniversary of Russia's illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions. The purpose of his visit was to show solidarity and support for Ukraine during this challenging time, CNN reported. Speaking from inside the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, Borrell emphasised that Odesa should be known for its beauty and rich history but has unfortunately been in the headlines due to Russia's barbaric attacks. He expressed his concern about the consequences of the war, highlighting the high price Ukraine, and Odesa, in particular, have paid. "I've been witnessing the consequences of this war, and how Odesa and Ukraine are paying a high price for it," he said. Borrell added the EU will continue supporting Ukraine in its fight to regain its territorial integrity and achieve a just peace. On September 30, 2022, Vladimir Putin declared Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. These regions collectively account for 1,00,000 square kilometres (38,600 square miles) of Ukrainian territory, constituting a fifth of the country's landmass. This act marked the largest forcible land annexation in Europe since 1945. Russia's decision to seize these territories violated international law and was accompanied by widely criticized referendums, where people voted under duress or in some cases literally, at gunpoint, CNN reported. Putin did not stop and declared that the millions of people living there would be Russian citizens "forever." One year later, Putin falsely claimed that the vote had been conducted in compliance with international law and celebrated the annexation. Moscow's Red Square saw hundreds gathered for a celebratory concert to mark the occasion, according to CNN. The anniversary also witnessed further Kremlin efforts to consolidate control over the annexed regions. A new decree allowed Ukrainians to enter Russia without visas, even with expired documents and facilitated the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for Ukrainians and citizens of former Soviet states. Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia have been epicentres of intense fighting. Donetsk and Luhansk make up the Donbas region, where Russian-backed breakaway republics have been battling Kyiv since 2014. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were initially occupied by Russian forces during the invasion. Ukraine remains determined to reclaim all four regions, with its troops engaged in battles to push back Russian forces. Civilians in these areas have been caught in the crossfire, and now they face the threat of conscription into the Russian military. On the anniversary of the annexation, Putin approved a decree to conscript 1,30,000 individuals, including those living in the illegally annexed Ukrainian regions, marking a significant expansion of Russia's military draft. In response to Russia's attempted annexation, Western powers imposed sanctions. The United Kingdom announced a new set of punitive measures, including designations targeting Russia's Central Election Commission, in response to Russia's recent regional elections. "Russias sham elections are a transparent, futile attempt to legitimize its illegal control of sovereign Ukrainian territory. You cant hold elections in someone elses country," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement, CNN reported. (ANI) Former Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico's party on Sunday won the Slovakian parliamentary elections, CNN reported, adding that his party accounted for 23.3 per cent of the total votes polled. The preliminary results released by Slovakias Statistical Office at 6 am (local time) putRobert Ficos populist SMER party in the lead with 23.3 per cent of the votes polled. The Progressive Slovakia (PS), a liberal and pro-Ukrainian party, bagged 17 per cent of the votes. Fico, a two-time former Slovakian PM, now has a chance to regain the job. However, he must first seek coalition partners as his party did not get enough share of the vote to win outright. The Hlas party, led by a former SMER member and formed as an offshoot of SMER after internal disputes, finished third with 15 per cent of votes, according to CNN report. As seven political parties have reached the 5 per cent threshold required to enter the parliament, coalition negotiations will almost certainly include multiple players, the report noted. Significantly, Fico, who is now the favourite to return as PM, has pledged an immediate end to Slovak military support for Ukraine. He has even promised to block Ukraine's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ambitions. Hlas leader Peter Pellegrini said his party was "very pleased with the result", adding, "The results so far show that Hlas will be a party without which it will be impossible to form any kind of normal, functioning coalition government", CNN reported. He added, "On one hand, we are very pleased with this (but) on the other, this is a major responsibility, a major task of making sure that, if there is an offer to form a coalition, we will make the right decision and become part of a government that will lead Slovakia out of the decay and crisis that (the countrys previous leaders) got us into." Hlas has been vague about its stance regarding Ukraine in the election campaign. Previously, Pellegrini suggested Slovakia had nothing left to donate to Ukraine. However, he also said the country should continue to manufacture ammunition that is shipped to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the liberal PS party had been in favour of a completely different future for Slovakia, including continued support for Ukraine and strong links with the West. Elections were held in Slovakia to choose its fifth Prime Minister in four years after seeing a series of shaky coalition governments. Slovakia, a member of both NATO and the European Union, was among the handful of European nations who supported tough EU sanctions against Russia. Slovakia has also provided military equipment to Ukraine. Slovakia's stance will likely change under Fico, who has blamed "Ukrainian Nazis and fascists" for provoking Russias President Vladimir Putin to launch an offensive, according to the CNN report. While in Opposition, Fico became a close ally of Hungarian PM Victor Orban, particularly when it came to criticising the EU. He has previously served as Slovakia's PM for over a decade, first between 2006 and 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018. Fico was forced to resign in 2018 after weeks of mass protests over the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova, CNN reported. Kuciak had claimed corruption among the country's elite, including people directly related to Fico and his party SMER. (ANI) The tragic event took place in Athara Hazari Tehsil of Jhang, where a young man killed his sister when she stopped him from playing the popular mobile game, PUBG. In a separate incident related to PUBG addiction, a 13-year-old boy named Majid Rehman stole over Pakistan Rupee (PKR) 70,000 from his home to play PUBG. He fled with the money and spent it on purchasing in-game costumes, as reported by ARY News. After three days, the police located and apprehended the teenager, reuniting him to his family. An FIR had been filed in the city police station Arifwala, according to ARY News. Earlier on July 20 Pakistans Muzaffargarh police said it has arrested a man accused of slaying his three sisters under the influence of the PUBG game at Thermal Power Colony, Dawn reported. Thermal security sergeant Ejazs daughters Fatima, Zahra and Areesha were on Tuesday found dead with their throats slit open in a vacant quarter of the Thermal Power Colony. City Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rehan Rasool Afghan said accused Basit allegedly killed his three sisters and later threw them in a vacant quarter. Police said they had registered a case against Basit who is a soldier. As per the DSP, the accused was influenced by the PUBG game and has confessed to killing his sisters. Claiming his sisters were missing, the accused called the police and then along with the police team, searched for them, the DSP said. The bodies were sent to Chakwal for burial. Further investigation is underway, as per Dawn. (ANI) He arrived in Kathmandu on September 25. Major General Alok Kacker was received at Tribhuvan International Airport by Colonel Amit Kumar Sharma, Defence Attach of India to Nepal and officials of the Indian Embassy. He felicitated Gallantry awardees and veernaris at a rally in Pokhara.The General Officer also virtually inaugurated the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Type-E Polyclinic (Mobile Medical Unit) Bhojpur from Kathmandu. The polyclinic would be a lifeline for Indian Army veterans and their families residing in and around remote areas of Bhojpur. It will provide doorstep healthcare services for more than five thousand Indian Army veterans and their families in the Far East region. Major General Alok Kacker concluded his visit on October 1, 2023. (ANI) Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' arrived in Kathmandu after his two-week-long visit to China and New York. Upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Dahal did not speak about Chinese President Xi Jinpings flagship project Belt and Road Initiative, Nepal-based The Kathmandu Post reported. Both the 40-point press note issued in Kathmandu and the question-answer session with journalists found no mention of the BRI as Pushpa Kamal Dahal said nothing regarding his discussion with the Chinese leaders on executing some projects under the BRI, according to The Kathmandu Post report. According to the press note, discussions took place on connecting Nepal and Tibet through railway, road, air service, transmission line and information highway, putting the project under the Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity Network. However, BRI was mentioned in the joint statement released on September 27. The two sides acknowledged the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the governments of Nepal and China on bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative on 12 May 2017. According to the statement, the two nations expressed their commitment to accelerating the consultations to finalise the text of the BRI Implementation Plan at an early date. Before his visit to China, Nepal's PM had publicly announced that he would discuss about BRI implementation plan in Beijing. He had also stated that Nepal would seek a Chinese grant for a mega project. However, it was not mentioned in the joint communique and press statement released on Saturday. Dahal said he had taken up the issue of Nepal's new map in Beijing without giving further details. On August 26, China released its 2023 edition of the standard map of China that did not use the new Nepal map issued in May 2020. In the weeks since, there have been calls to take up the matter with the Chinese side. The International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives also asked the Nepal government to call on the Chinese authorities to use the new Nepal map instead of the old one. Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal then called Chinese Ambassador Chen Song to the ministry and expressed Nepals concerns regarding the map and some controversial remarks on Nepal-China relations by the envoy, according to an official at the prime ministers private secretariat. In response to a question, Nepal's PM said, "We had already discussed the map issue with the Chinese side. It figured during my visit too." In a statement issued on September 1, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the country's stance stands firm on its political and administrative map unanimously approved by Parliament in 2020.However, the map issue was not mentioned in the joint communique or any statements released by Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the prime ministers private secretariat and the Nepali Embassy in Beijing. Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal said an understanding was reached between Nepal and China to open all checkpoints that were in operation before the coronavirus pandemic. Dahal departed for New York on September 16 to attend the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. During his visit, he participated in bilateral meetings with some foreign leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. He said that Nepal's participation in the UNGA had worked towards getting international support for taking the remaining tasks of the peace process to a logical conclusion. After concluding his visit to New York, he travelled to China. During his visit, he attendedthe opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He also met his Chinese counterpart and witnessed the signing of 12 bilateral agreements and pacts. (ANI) According to the Israeli Prison Service, the missing bars were one of three layers, and the other two layers were intact. The IPS added that there was no evidence of cutting or displacement. The discovery was made during a routine inspection. Extensive searches were carried out in the other wings of the prison, which did not reveal any unusual findings. The prison is undergoing renovations and authorities will continue to inspect the building and question the prisoners living in that cell. Maasiyahu, a minimum-security prison, is located in the central town of Ramla. Meanwhile, five soldiers who served as guards at the Ramon Prison in southern Israel suspected of having an affair with a Palestinian security prisoner are due to be questioned by police this week. Details remain under a gag order. National Security Prisoner Itamar Ben-Gvir reportedly wants the Cabinet to form a commission of inquiry to examine the Israel Prison Services conduct amid allegations that imprisoned Palestinian terrorists assaulted and raped female soldiers working as guards at the Gilboa Prison. Several prison officials have been accused of pimping out the young soldiers to the Palestinians in exchange for intelligence and calm in the northern Israeli facility. (ANI/TPS) The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), banned by Turkey and its Western allies, claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing near the office of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, Al Jazeera reported. The PKK claimed their involvement in the attack, stating, "A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade", Al Jazeera reported, citing a statement the outfit sent to the ANF news agency. The Firat News Agency is a Kurdish news agency that gathers and broadcasts news from the Middle East. Designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States as well as Turkey, the PKK launched an armed rebellion in southeast Turkey in 1984, in which more than 40,000 people have since been killed. According to Turkey's Interior minister, the explosion in front of the Interior Ministry left two police officers injured. Fortunately, their injuries are not life-threatening, the minister informed. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the attack in Ankara, expressing NATO's solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Stoltenberg also extended his best wishes for a swift and complete recovery to the injured police officers. NATO stands in solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism, Stoltenberg said in a post on X, wishing injured police officers a fast and full recovery. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the incident in a speech to the Turkish parliament, asserting that "terrorists" will never achieve their objectives in Turkey. He characterized the attack as the "last flutters of terrorism" and emphasised that terrorists attempting to disrupt peace and citizens' security will not succeed, according to Al Jazeera. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism, Erdogan said. Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed, he said. Erdogan also warned that it would be a formidable challenge to boost the morale of "terrorist" groups with political motivations. The President's address to the Turkish parliament took place during the first session after an almost three-month hiatus. This address followed the attack on the Interior Ministry, which is situated in close proximity to the parliament building, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], October 1 (ANI/TPS): Israeli Police arrested a Jewish man in Tel Aviv on his way to sacrifice a lamb on the Temple Mount on Sunday morning. The man, Yair Hanoch, an activist from the Return to the Mount organization was detained at a light rail station near Jerusalems Old City. Return to the Mount is a fringe group seeking to renew animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples stood. There is no more room for Muslim rule on the Temple Mount the time has come to build a Jewish temple and renew the sacrificial works, the organization said after Hanochs arrest. The Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz banned the bringing of animals to the Temple Mount in April to prevent Jews from trying to bring Passover sacrifices on the holy site. At the time, Returning to the Mount leader Rafael Morris was arrested trying to bring an animal to the holy site as a Paschal offering. During the times of the First and Second Temple, the week-long festival of Sukkot was marked by sacrifices, water libations, and the custom of circling the altar while holding palm fronds. The Temple Mount is the overall holiest site in Judaism. For centuries, Jews did not visit the hilltop esplanade because of a rabbinic consensus that the laws of ritual purity still apply to the Temple Mount. But in recent years, a growing number of rabbis have argued that ritual purity laws do not apply to all sections of the Temple Mount and encourage visits to permitted areas to maintain Jewish connections to the Mount. The delicate status quo governing the Temple Mount goes back to 1967 when Israel liberated the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six-Day War. Fearing a religious war, then-defence minister Moshe Dayan agreed to let the Islamic Waqf, a Muslim trusteeship, continue managing the holy sites day-to-day affairs, while Israel would maintain overall sovereignty and be responsible for security. According to the status quo, Jews and non-Muslims are allowed to visit the Temple Mount, but not pray there. (ANI/TPS) Concluding his week-long visit to the United States, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday posted a video on social media platform X, sharing the highlights from his trip. In a post on X, Jaishankar tagged a video with a message that read, "India and US: Expanding Horizons. As I conclude a visit to Washington D.C." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1708510898128666769?s=20 The video showed glimpses from Jaishankar's meetings in Washington, DC with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Trade Representative Katherine Tai, among others. The External Affairs Minister discussed India-US bilateral defence cooperation and global security challenges with Lloyd Austin. Delighted to meet Secretary of Defense @SecDefLlyod Austin. Productive conversation on our bilateral defence cooperation. Useful exchange on global security challenges, he posted on X. Throughout his stay in Washington, DC, Jaishankar was accompanied by India's envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The EAM also met members of the Congress, administration, business and think tank heads at India House there. He also had "productive discussions" with think tanks in Washington, DC, discussing India-US collaboration in the emerging technology space and building resilient supply chains. On Thursday, the EAM held a meeting with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Both sides recognized the tremendous progress in bilateral relations this year and held discussions on taking it forward. Jaishankar posted on X, "Began my Washington DC visit with a meeting with NSA @JakeSullivan46. Recognized the tremendous progress in our bilateral relationship this year and discussed taking it forward." The Indian diplomat on Saturday, addressed the Indian diaspora at the Colours of Friendship event at India House in Washington, DC. Hailing India's success in hosting the G20 summit this year, Jaishankar said India's approach to the international summit was a success of the India-US partnership. Jaishankar emphasised the support and understanding India received from the United States to successfully host the G20 summit. Hundreds of diaspora members gathered at the official residence of India's envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, to welcome Jaishankar at the event. Jaishankar said at the event, "The support and the understanding that we got from the United States to make a successful G20, I think that is something I would certainly like to recognise in public, in Washington. So it may have been our (Indian) success in a literal way. But I think, to me, the success of the G20 was also a success of the India-US partnership. The EAM also made several remarks about the legacy of Gandhi. Referring to Indias G20 presidency, the EAM stated that India's presidency revolved around the message of Mahatma Gandhi, which focuses on doing the right thing and leaving no one behind. "We are approaching Gandhi Jayanti; I would like to leave you a thought. To say he (Mahatma Gandhi) was an extraordinary man would be the understatement of this century. He said so many things so tellingly... The message at the end of the day was about doing the right thing, about doing the decent thing, and about leaving no one behind. Gandhi Ji's message is very complicated, but its essence is actually very, very simple, Jaishankar said. Several senior officials of the Biden administration, including US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, President Biden's domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Rahul Gupta, were part of the reception. US lawmakers Shri Thanedar and Rick McCormick, Democrat and Republican, were also present at the event. Jaishankar also addressed the 4th World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living on September 30. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden visited New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit under India's Presidency. During the visit, Biden met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues ranging from defence cooperation, and technology sharing. The US President also congratulated India on the success of its lunar landing mission Chandrayaan-3. During the visit, India and the US also settled the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute. Notably, the six previous disputes were resolved during PM Modi's state visit to the US. The two leaders called on their governments to continue the work of transforming the India-US Strategic Partnership across all dimensions of our multifaceted global agenda, based on trust and mutual understanding. After the meeting, both the leaders lauded the India-US relations saying that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. Notably, Jaishankar was on a visit to the US from September 2230. He addressed the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York while also holding meetings with several top US officials during his visit. During his address, the EAM said political convenience should not be countenanced in determining responses to terrorism and extremism in an apparent reference to Canada amid a diplomatic standoff between the two countries. He added that respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be exercised in cherry-picking. Jaishnankar said there is a thrust on the promotion of a rules-based order and respect for the UN Charter is also invoked and that rules will work only when they apply equally to all. But for all the talk, it is still a few nations who shape the agenda and seek to define the norms. This cannot go on indefinitely. Nor will it go unchallenged. A fair, equitable and democratic order will surely emerge, once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, that means ensuring that rule-makers do not subjugate rule-takers. After all, rules will work only when they apply equally to all, he said. He further called on the United Nations to ring in urgent reforms to stay relevant in the modern world saying that the issue cannot remain "indefinite" and "unchallenged". (ANI) The Dominican Vice President is set to visit India at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Jagdeep Dhankhar. This will be the first-ever visit of the Vice President of the Dominican Republic to India. "The visit is significant as it takes place at a time when India-Dominican Republic bilateral relationship is entering its 25th year. The two countries established diplomatic relations on 04 May 1999," the MEA said in an official release. During her visit, Vice President Raquel Pea Rodrguez will call on President Droupadi Murmu. She will also hold discussions with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and other Indian dignitaries, and will also deliver a lecture on India- Dominican Republic relations at the Indian Council for World Affairs. Dominican Republic is an important partner of India in the Latin America and Caribbean region. The visit of the Vice President of the Dominican Republic comes closely on the heels of that of External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to that country in April 2023, the MEA release added. The visit of the Dominican Vice President to India will present an additional chance to carry on important conversations to further develop and widen the mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations. (ANI) Amid global condemnation of the suicide blast near the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara, the chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday expressed solidarity with the country in the wake of the incident that left two policemen injured andsent a wave of fear among the people. Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, the NATO chief Stoltenberg denounced the suicide attackin Ankara. I strongly condemn todays terrorist attack on the Ministry of Interior in #Ankara, and wish a fast and full recovery for the police officers injured in the line of duty," Stoltenberg posted on X, wishing the injured police officers a "quick and complete" recovery. "NATO stands in solidarity with #Trkiye in the fight against terrorism, he added. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Turkey also condemned the deadly blast and wished the injured a speedy recovery. "We strongly condemn the terrorist attack this morning against Trkiye, our NATO Ally. We offer our condolences to those injured and wish them a speedy recovery. We stand in solidarity with Trkiye against terrorism," the US Embassy said in a post on X. Security has been increased around key government buildings, including the parliament and the Interior Ministry, following the attack, as parliamentarians were returning after a summer break. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered an opening speech at the parliament hours after the blast and said that theterrorists will never achieve their aims in Turkey in his address at the Turkish parliament. Todays terrorist act in Ankara, in which two criminals were neutralised thanks to timely intervention of police, is last flutters of terrorism, Erdogan said, adding, Terrorists trying to destroy peace and citizens security will never succeed, he said, according to Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned the Ankara incident and reiterated its support for any initiatives aimed at eradicating "terrorism" and cutting off its funding sources. The caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, stated that Pakistan is "completely united with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism". "Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack in Ankara today. We stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters in the fight against the scourge of terrorism," he posted on X. Earlier on Sunday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the country. In a statement on the social media platform X, Borrell said, "We express solidarity with Turkiye and wish a speedy recovery to the injured." Sweden's Foreign MinisterTobias Billstromalso condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. He also wished a quick recovery to the injured. Notably, Turkey andSwedenhave had strained relations in the past, with the former accusing the latter of harbouring groups it considers terrorists. The claims have led to tensions, hinderingSweden's entry intoNATO. Egypt, too, strongly condemned the attack on Turkey's interior ministry and extended its solidarity to the country, its government, and its people. TheEgyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the "terrorist attack", stressing its rejection of all forms of terrorism and violence that destabilise societies. Albanian Prime MinisterEdi Ramajoined in, expressing strong condemnation and calling on Europe to better understand and support Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Kosovan Prime MinisterAlbin Kurtialso expressed his sadness over the terror attack inAnkara while voicing relief that the damage to Turkish institutions was averted. Ankarahas been the site of several attacks in recent years, particularly in 2015 and 2016, with many attributed to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or ISIS. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies. Meanwhile, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that a judicial investigation has been initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the attack, affirming that the country's fight against terror will continue undaunted despite such incidents. (ANI) Martyrs' Day commemorated across China Xinhua) 09:53, October 01, 2023 People attend a commemorative event held at the cemetery for martyrs of the Guangzhou Uprising in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 30, 2023. China's 10th Martyrs' Day falls on Saturday. Commemoration ceremonies were held across the country to honor fallen national heroes. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin) Flower baskets are presented as a tribute to martyrs during a commemorative event at the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 30, 2023. China's 10th Martyrs' Day falls on Saturday. Commemoration ceremonies were held across the country to honor fallen national heroes. (Xinhua/Long Lei) Firefighters attend a commemorative event at Minxi revolutionary martyrs' cemetery in Longyan, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 30, 2023. China's 10th Martyrs' Day falls on Saturday. Commemoration ceremonies were held across the country to honor fallen national heroes. (Photo by Zhou Yangdong/Xinhua) A ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes is held at the People's Square in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 30, 2023. China's 10th Martyrs' Day falls on Saturday. Commemoration ceremonies were held across the country to honor fallen national heroes. (Xinhua/Ding Lei) (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) Despite the role and institution of Panchen Lama being considered the most important in Tibetan Buddhism, the China-appointed Panchen Lama has failed to gain legitimacy amongst the Tibetan Buddhists, Tibet Press reported. Notably, the Panchen Lama is in charge of locating and identifying the Dalai Lama's reincarnation and is the second-highest spiritual authority after him. The Panchen Lama also plays a critical role in making contributions to social, economic, cultural and political life for the Tibetans. The Chinese Communist Party forced the Tibetans to accept the 11th Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu. Gedhun Chokyi Nyima, who was six years old at the time, was named the 11th Panchen Lama by the 14th Dalai Lama on May 14, 1985, reported Tibet Press. Three days later, however, the CPC failed to place its own proxy in the esteemed position, and the Panchen Lama's reincarnation was kidnapped and forced to vanish by the Chinese authorities. However, the actions made by the Chinese authorities by designating Gyaltsen Norbu as the 11th Panchen Lama have fallen flat and are frequently seen as CPC agents imposed to advance the sinicization of the Tibetan people, according to Tibet Press. Due to the tense relations between theDalai Lamaand the Chinese government, however, recognizing someone as thereincarnationof a Buddhist figure is not only religiously significant but politically fraught. Today, the process to select the nextDalai Lamahas remained uncertain. AfterChinaforcefully took over Tibet, in 1959Dalai Lamaflew to India and set up a government in exile. TheDalai Lamais revered by Tibetan people, who have maintained their devotion over the past 70 years of Chinese rule. China, who wanted to take complete control over Tibet, not just geographically but also culturally, detainedDalai Lama's choice for the successor of the 10thPanchen Lama, named Gendun Choeki Nyima when he was 6 years old in 1959, Brooke Schedneck said. Since thenChinahas refused to give details of his whereabouts. Panchen lama is the second most important tulku lineage in Tibetan Buddhism. After the 11thPanchen Lamawas detained, Tibetans protested against the Chinese government.Responding to such protest, China appointed its own Panchen Lama, the son of a Chinese security officer. The Panchen lamas and Dalai Lamas have historically played major roles in recognizing each other's next incarnations. (ANI) Dubai [UAE], October 1 (ANI/WAM): Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, led the UAE delegation to the Dushanbe International Investment Forum in Tajikistan, which was held on September 29-30. During the opening session of the forum, opportunities and promising sectors for investment in Tajikistan were reviewed, especially in the field of renewable energy and the food security sector. Economic reforms, including legislative and regulatory reforms related to improving the business environment, were also highlighted. During his participation in a panel discussion on "Green energy and the private sector's participation in developing the energy sector," Al Mazrouei praised the efforts of the Tajik government in creating a favorable investment environment. He affirmed the UAE's readiness to share its expertise and provide support to Tajikistan to achieve its goal of clean energy by 2030, especially in the field of renewable energy, infrastructure, transport, and the development of logistics corridors, as well as its leading role as a major investor in the world in these areas. At the end of the session, an MoU was signed by MW Energy, a subsidiary of Masdar, W Sole Proprietorship, and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, aimed at developing and investing in renewable energy projects. On the sidelines of the forum, Al Mazrouei met with Daler Juma, Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources, and discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy, renewable energy, and transport and logistics. At the end of the visit, Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of Tajikistan, received Al Mazrouei in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Saeed Mohamed Alariqi, and non-resident Ambassador to Tajikistan. Al Mazrouei conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to the leadership of Tajikistan and its friendly people. The meeting discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the UAE and Tajikistan in various fields, including renewable energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, and the financial and banking sector. (ANI/WAM) MEMPHIS, Tenn. One person was reportedly injured after a motorcycle crash in Parkway Village. According to Memphis Police, officers responded to a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle on Getwell Road near American Way at around 8:15 p.m. Saturday. Crash involving motorcycle causes lane closures on I-240 Police say one person went to Regional One Hospital in critical condition. Memphis Police did not give details on what may have caused the crash. Police say the investigation is ongoing. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. At least 15 Shahed-type drones were destroyed in Ukraine's south on the night of 30 September, 14 of them in Odesa Oblast and one in Mykolaiv Oblast. Source: Natalia Humeniuk, Head of the Joint Press Centre of the Defence Forces of Ukraine's south, during the national joint 24/7 newscast Details: Humeniuk said Ukraine's southern regions were under a mixed drone attack. The Russians tried to vary their attack routes and put pressure on the Ukrainian air defence system as much as possible. Humeniuk noted that a warehouse in Mykolaiv Oblast had been damaged. There is an ongoing search through the rubble and the fire is being extinguished, but there were no reports of any casualties from the attack. In addition, Kherson Oblast was attacked with 16 laser-guided aerial bombs (KAB smart bombs). Humeniuk added that the Russians are also continuing to launch ballistic missile strikes. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Authorities are searching for two elderly men believed to have fallen into an aqueduct while fishing in Lancaster. The missing men were identified as Minas Khacheryan, 86, and his brother Grigor Khacheryan, 78, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The men were last seen on Friday at around 8 a.m. on the 1000 block of East Chevy Chase Drive in Glendale. They headed over to the California Aqueduct in Lancaster to fish when they reportedly fell into the water, authorities said. On Saturday, divers from the LASDs High-Risk Tactical/Rescue Team made their way into the aqueduct to begin searching for the missing men. The brothers have not yet been found. Divers from LASDs High-Risk Tactical/Rescue Team searched a Lancaster aqueduct on Sept. 30, 2023, after two elderly men reportedly fell into the waters while fishing. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department) Minas is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with gray balding hair, blue eyes and a goatee. He is missing his left eye and suffers from a medical heart condition. Grigor is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with short gray balding hair and brown eyes. Minas Khacheryan, 86, and his brother Grigor Khacheryan, 78, in photos from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Their family has not heard from the brothers since and is concerned for their well-being. Anyone who has seen the men or has information about the incident is asked to call the LASD Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A 27-year-old Oklahoma woman was fatally struck by an airplane while riding a lawn mower, investigators told news outlets. The collision happened at Broken Bow Airport, a small airport in McCurtain County, on the afternoon of Sept. 29, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol told KOTV. The 70-year-old pilot had just touched down when he spotted the woman, identified as Samantha Hayes, on the runway on a lawnmower, KFOR reported. He tried to pull up to avoid hitting her, but she was clipped by a wing and died, investigators said, KOCO reported. The town of Broken Bow, population 4,200, is roughly 220 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. Contractor, a dad of two, is killed by bursting water pipe cap, Wisconsin cops say Dad and son die in plane crash while practicing takeoff, landing in Texas, officials say Two hunters rush to plane crash in attempt to save pilot, Alaska officials say NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) An investigation is underway after an overnight shooting left at least three people injured on Murfreesboro Pike. Officers responded to the scene at approximately 12:40 a.m. in the 1900 block of Murfreesboro Pike near the Speedway gas station on Sunday, Oct. 1. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts According to Metro police, three people were injured in the shooting. At least one person sustained critical injuries, police said. There are no suspects in custody at this time. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation. No additional details were immediately released. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify what kind of meningitis the coroner ruled out. A 5-year-old boy died at the Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital emergency department Friday morning, but the Monroe County coroner has ruled out bacterial meningitis. Local health officials reported Friday they were investigating whether a Rogers Elementary School student had contracted the potentially deadly infectious disease. Monroe County Coroner Joani Stalcup said an autopsy, which was performed at noon Saturday, found "no evidence of meningococcal meningitis." "Cause of death is still pending further tests at this time," she said via email. Threat to public health unknown Monroe County Health Department officials would not say Saturday whether the threat to public health was over. Health officials: Bloomington student may have potentially deadly infectious disease Department Administrator Lori Kelley said via email at 1:39 p.m. the department's investigation was ongoing. "We are continuing to work with the Indiana Department of Health. I am unable to provide any further information at this time," she said. In the email chain, Monroe County Health Officer Clark Brittain asked Kelley whether "the public health advisory / intervention is over?" If Kelley responded to Brittain, she did not share her response with the rest of the group. The Monroe County Health Department office on Seventh Street. Upon further inquiry, Kelley said at 2:10 p.m., again via email, the investigation was ongoing and she had no additional information to share. The department did not say whether the boy who died is the same whom they suspected had contracted meningitis or whether the department had found other potential cases. Suspected case of meningitis at elementary school On Friday, health officials said they were notifying people who had close contact with the student suspected to have contracted meningitis. People who were notified should contact their doctor right away, the department said in a news release sent out Friday evening. Meningitis is an inflammation/swelling of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said bacterial meningitis can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention. Stalcup, the coroner, said she was withholding the boy's name because of his age and pending notification of classmates and extended family. "His name will be made public Tuesday, 10/2/23, once all of the parties have been officially notified and resources are in place for his classmates," she wrote. Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: 5-year-old dies at IU Health Bloomington Hospital In 2016 before Donald Trumps presidency paved the way for the eventual overturning of Roe v. Wade Democrats in Illinois passed what would become the first in a series of laws shoring up reproductive rights in the state. That law altered Illinois 1970s-era Health Care Right of Conscience Act a statute passed in the wake of the Roe decision to shield health care providers from liability if they have religious objections to abortion. The change stipulated that, if requested by the patient, providers who dont perform abortions must refer, transfer to or give patients written information about providers who do. But the law has been in legal limbo since 2017 when a federal judge put it on hold. Amid the drawn-out litigation, Illinois Democrats have since passed several more sweeping abortion protections that have all but erased the 2016 law from the political discourse. That could change after a federal judge in Rockford last week heard a three-day bench trial over the law, which gave a peek behind the curtain at crisis pregnancy centers, a type of limited services medical facility usually religiously affiliated aimed at diverting women from having abortions. The centers that sued over the law offer free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, along with counseling and material help for would-be mothers. But abortion rights activists call them fake clinics that lure women in for the sole purpose of convincing them not to terminate their pregnancies. U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston, a Trump appointee, heard more than 20 hours of arguments and testimony in the case last week, though it could be weeks or months until he issues a ruling. Johnston is also overseeing a challenge to a 2023 law that subjects crisis pregnancy centers to liability under Illinois longstanding Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act a law he called both stupid and very likely unconstitutional in a preliminary injunction he issued in early August. Read more: Federal judge temporarily blocks Illinois law subjecting crisis pregnancy centers to civil liability The legal questions raised by the two cases are distinct and the landscape of abortion access in the U.S. changed dramatically in the seven years between the two laws passage. But arguments made during last weeks trial have resonance in the fight over the 2023 law and beyond. First Amendment or Rokita standard? When Illinois Democrats passed the 2016 law, its sponsors rhetoric was focused not on crisis pregnancy centers, but Catholic hospitals, which do not provide elective abortions and often bar doctors from prescribing contraceptives and sterilization. In extreme cases, like to save the life of the mother, Catholic hospitals may terminate a pregnancy, but sponsors pointed to the story of a woman who was made to wait five weeks during her prolonged miscarriage until she was bleeding enough to justify the procedure. Then, as now, roughly 30 percent of hospital beds in Illinois are in Catholic-affiliated institutions. But negotiations over the bill in 2015 and 2016 were able to neutralize opposition from influential organizations like the Illinois Catholic Hospital Association and the Catholic Conference of Illinois, and arguments against the bill evolved to prioritize the First Amendment concerns of crisis pregnancy centers. During debates over the bill in the House and Senate, Republican opponents warned the law would violate both the facilities rights to free speech and religious liberties. Those comments turned out to be a preview of the legal battle over the Health Care Right of Conscience Acts amendment; last weeks trial involved no plaintiffs associated with Catholic hospitals. Instead, plaintiffs are a handful of crisis pregnancy centers in Illinois, one doctor who volunteers as a medical director for a crisis pregnancy centers, and the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, a Virginia-based nonprofit that offers resources, training and legal advice to crisis pregnancy centers across the U.S. Out of the roughly 100 centers in Illinois, 81 are members of NIFLAs network. The facilities which, according to Chicago public radio station WBEZ-FM, outnumber actual abortion clinics 3-to-1 in Illinois often advertise services like ultrasounds and pregnancy tests, and even material help like diapers, baby formula, clothing and parenting classes. Kevin Theriot, an attorney for the Arizona-based conservative legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, told Judge Johnston in his opening statements that the law would force crisis pregnancy centers to inform clients of unspecified benefits of abortion, even if it makes centers complicit in what (they) believe is morally wrong. That, Theriot argued, was a violation of the crisis pregnancy centers First Amendment rights. The First Amendment argument was a winner in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Courts conservative majority sided with NIFLAs objections to a California law that targeted crisis pregnancy centers. That regulation required state-licensed crisis pregnancy centers to inform clients that the state offers subsidized programs for family planning services including abortion and contraception. The law also required unlicensed centers to disclose that they were not licensed to perform medical services. Unlike California, Illinois does not license either abortion clinics or crisis pregnancy centers, and Illinois 2016 law did not target the facilities in the same way Californias did. Even so, the litigation over Illinois law was put on pause for roughly six months as SCOTUS weighed the California case, given their similarities. But lawyers for Attorney General Kwame Raouls office argued crisis pregnancy centers dont have the right to claim carte blanche coverage under the First Amendment while also seeking a liability shield from medical malpractice claims under the states Health Care Right of Conscience Act. Plaintiffs cannot hide behind the First Amendment to avoid regulation of their professional conduct, Elizabeth Morris, a lawyer for the attorney generals office, said during her closing arguments. Instead of viewing Illinois law through a pure free speech lens, the state is urging Judge Johnston to consider a standard set in a November 2022 opinion from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Doe v. Rokita. The appellate court in that case reinstated Indianas law requiring health care providers to dispose of embryonic tissue or fetal remains whether from abortion or miscarriage as they would a deceased person: either via burial or cremation. Critics claim the law essentially forces patients to accept the states view of fetal personhood. But in the final paragraphs of the opinion, the panel stipulated that the overturning of Roe v. Wade paving the way for Indianas near-total ban on abortion this year did not affect the right of governments to require physiciansto provide accurate information to their clients. Standard of care Providing accurate information to patients, the state argued during the trial, is tantamount to the medical ethics principle of informed consent. The states case hinges on a theory of informed consent adopted by influential organizations in the world of western medicine like the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. According to this theory, informed consent requires physicians to inform a patient about all relevant options for treatment including those to which a doctor may have a moral objection. The state then argued that when medical professionals decline to discuss all options for treatment, they fall short of meeting a standard of care. Standards of care are tough to nail down and vary slightly from one medical specialty to another. But in general, a standard of care is the benchmark that determines whether a clinician has met his or her professional obligations to patients. Negligence is the failure to meet a standard of care. As soon as (crisis pregnancy centers) began offering medical services, they began to owe a duty of care to their patients, Sarah Gallo, a lawyer for the attorney generals office, said in her opening statements. The state brought in just one expert witness: Dr. Paul Burcher, the residency program director and an OB-GYN at WellSpan York Hospital in Pennsylvania and head of the hospital systems bioethics committee. Burcher, a practicing Catholic who does not perform abortions for that reason, contended that only discussing the risks of abortion with a patient would be a violation of the standard of care. (Its) poisoning the well for a later encounter where someone presents a more balanced (counseling), he testified. The CPC-affiliated plaintiffs who testified acknowledged that staff at their facilities only discuss risks and harms of abortion with clients. Some scoffed when the states attorneys asked about discussing the benefits of abortion. We dont believe abortions have any benefits, Kathleen Lesnoff, the founder, president and CEO of Mosaic Pregnancy and Health Centers based in the Metro East, said on the witness stand. Basically, we would have to lie to (clients) to tell them there are benefits, and we would never do that. Lesnoff testified that she both had an abortion and briefly worked at an abortion clinic as a young adult, shaping her anti-abortion views. Evidence shown at trial included pamphlets distributed by the crisis pregnancy centers plaintiffs, some of which warned of infection or surgical complications though those are risks inherent to any medical procedure and increased incidences of breast cancer, particularly in Black women, a thoroughly debunked claim. Limited medical services In their arguments, lawyers for the crisis pregnancy centers emphasized that the facilities provide only limited medical services, and are not practicing prenatal care. At Focus Womens Center in McHenry, for example, executive director Judy Cocks testified that the ultrasounds given to women who consent to them after a positive pregnancy test are meant to help determine three things: the estimated gestational age of the fetus, the viability of a pregnancy and whether a fertilized egg is growing normally in the uterus or outside of it a life-threatening condition called ectopic pregnancy. Well, were not doing any diagnosing with it, Cocks said of the limited ultrasound. Its a great tool for a woman to be able to see her baby and also to hear the heartbeat of the child. On the witness stand, plaintiffs and their attorneys did not shy away from the assertion that crisis pregnancy centers use the ultrasound scan to convince so-called abortion-vulnerable or abortion-determined women not to terminate their pregnancies. Cocks, who is also a plaintiff in the litigation over Illinois recent crisis pregnancy centers fraud law, said the nurses who work at Focus are only providing generally available medical information to clients, and actually cant give medical advice. For the most part, the plaintiffs in the case offer urine pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, and in some cases, limited STD testing and treatment, all free of charge. One crisis pregnancy centers leader testified that her facilities offer abortion pill reversal, which is essentially the experimental administration of high levels of the hormone progesterone to undo the effects of the first drug in the two-pill regimen referred to as a medication abortion an increasingly common method of terminating pregnancies in the first trimester. Some crisis pregnancy centers-affiliated plaintiffs who testified during last weeks trial said their facilities began as charity resource organizations, but as technologies like ultrasound machines began getting better and cheaper, they were able to expand their operations. Most crisis pregnancy centers that use ultrasound machines and lab testing equipment have also hired full-or part-time licensed nurses and techs, moving away from an all-volunteer staff model. The seven crisis pregnancy centers-affiliated witnesses all said their facilities also have volunteer medical directors licensed OB-GYNs who can review ultrasound photos, but generally dont ever actually see patients. Plaintiffs testified that after receiving the limited medical services like a pregnancy test or ultrasound, crisis pregnancy centers clients are told to go to an OB-GYN to confirm their pregnancy and receive prenatal treatment, often signing a medical release form before leaving the facility. But the state rejected the crisis pregnancy centers secondary arguments that they are exempt from state regulations because they only provide limited medical services. In closing arguments, Morris, of the attorney generals office, echoed Burchers testimony that what goes on during a visit to a crisis pregnancy centers Theres a history taken, theres a procedure performed and then counseling occurs constitutes a medical visit, automatically invoking a standard of care. No one forced plaintiffs to start offering (medical services and counseling), Morris said. They chose to hold themselves out to their communities as medical centers. And in doing so, she said, crisis pregnancy centers also must accept the responsibilities inherent to running a medical center. The fate of Kevin McCarthy s speakership now rests in House Democrats' hands. After relying on Democrats to keep the government funded Saturday, the GOP leader is expected to need them to bail him out again, as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) vows to trigger a conservative-led effort to oust him this week. Some House conservatives predict there are at least a dozen GOP members ready to support a so-called motion to vacate against McCarthy, according to conversations with multiple House Republicans. While one House conservative said they know of at least seven guaranteed votes for the measure, others predicted there are as many as 24 who could ultimately support it. That will push the House into new territory this week a rare instance in which the minority dictates a course of action in the chamber as Democrats weigh whether to step in to shield McCarthy. The speaker will need 218 votes to keep his job. Some Republicans and Democrats believe they could round up enough votes to keep him in power at least in the short term but it is not a given. Enough where House Democrats have a choice: adopt Kevin or ditch him, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told POLITICO when asked how many Republicans support his measure. After this week Kevin McCarthy wont belong to me anymore. Unless some major shift occurs among the hardliners in the coming days, Democrats will control McCarthys fate. Some Democrats have floated trying to extract concessions from the speaker in exchange for bailing him out. And several progressives have openly discussed banding together with conservative hardliners to vote against McCarthy. We're not saving the speaker, Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said Saturday. Her roughly 100-lawmaker group, which has held spirited discussions in the past week on the issue, has proposed a potential power-sharing agreement with Republicans as one offramp from the motion to vacate. Ahead of formally announcing his plans and before the short-term spending vote, Gaetz approached multiple Democrats mostly progressives, including Jayapal to gauge how they would respond if he filed a motion to vacate, POLITICO first reported. Yet, while House Democratic leaders haven't yet ruled out whipping on a motion to vacate, dozens of House Democrats are expected to vote present or abstain as a way of nodding toward McCarthy after he passed the bipartisan short-term spending deal, according to multiple Democrats familiar with the discussions. Voting present on the motion would allow Democrats to avoid having to take a direct vote to save or toss the speaker. Democratic support is more likely to materialize if McCarthy holds a vote to send additional aid to Ukraine. Top Democratic leaders released a statement Saturday evening saying they expected McCarthy to hold a vote when the House returned on a Ukraine bill, consistent with his commitment to making sure that Vladimir Putin, Russia and authoritarianism are defeated. Ukraine funding had been stripped out of the stopgap funding bill passed Saturday to ensure its passage through both chambers, leaving Ukraine backers to search for another legislative vehicle. Opposition to McCarthy on the right hardened after he pushed through a short-term funding bill without the spending cuts and border restrictions he had vowed to include, and with more Democrats supporting it than Republicans. Freshman Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) told POLITICO hes a hard yes on getting rid of McCarthy. Im still all for it and will be supporting [it], Crane said. McCarthy, for his part, says hes ready for the fight. Bring it on, McCarthy said on CBS Face the Nation in response to Gaetz, calling it personal. If hes upset because he tried to push us in a shutdown and I made sure government didnt shut down, then lets have that fight. While no motion to vacate has ever been successful it was last formally invoked more than a century ago, despite being threatened in recent years some allies of the speaker concede an unsuccessful attempt will hurt him politically moving forward, in part because he may have to make concessions to Democrats to hang on. As one House Freedom Caucus member put it: Democrats are the biggest part of this equation. Another House conservative who is likely to support a motion to vacate was bothered watching McCarthy high-fiving and hugging other House Republicans after the stopgap spending bill passed the House on Saturday, acting like it was a victory. It was embarrassing for him, this member said in an interview. Republicans caution that the numbers are fluid. Members have said theyre hearing from GOP base voters pushing them to oust McCarthy, pressure that could affect the vote. Other members indicated they will wait to see how the vote plays out in real time, gauging what their colleagues do on the House floor as the nation watches. It is not uncommon for lawmakers to privately claim they will vote a certain way only to reverse course if their position lacks support, particularly given the threat of retribution. How Democrats handle the vote will depend on which procedural motion GOP leaders use in an initial effort to dispose of the motion to vacate, such as a motion to table. Top Democrats have largely deferred to their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, on how to handle the motion to vacate. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union that her advice to other Democrats was to follow the leader. Jeffries has sidestepped questions about it. Asked about the motion to vacate after Saturdays spending bill vote, he demurred: Well cross that bridge when we get to it. A Jeffries spokesperson declined to comment, and McCarthy said he has not heard from Jeffries on the matter. McCarthy allies, for their part, believe Gaetz is trying to unseat him because he blames the speaker for the ongoing investigation led by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which was triggered by the Justice Departments sex trafficking probe into the Florida Republican. The federal probe concluded earlier this year and Gaetz was not charged. (Gaetz has said it isnt personal, and his allies have denied the investigation is a driving factor.) Some Republicans say the Gaetz's effort could be hurt by the idea he's simply seeking retribution against McCarthy over the ethics probe. And some McCarthy allies are vowing to try to oust him from office if the House Ethics report finds him at fault. If Ethics gives us a chance, hes out, one House Republican said. Hes a smart man with zero moral compass. Sarah Ferris contributed to this report. Leer en espanol As a flight attendant, Kisha Gulley never thought her career would take such a drastic turn. What started out as a way to combat loneliness and deal with postpartum depression, turned into a vehicle to help support parents of children with autism and raise awareness around issues impacting Black and Latino communities. Born in Panama, Gulley identifies as an Afro-Latina. Not finding mental health spaces where her identity was entirely embraced or understood, she decided to surround herself and work with people who truly valued her heritage and wanted to effect change in her community especially when it came to navigating parenting with a child diagnosed with autism. But getting to that point took years. More than a decade before becoming a mental health advocate in the Afro-Latinx community, it was difficult for her to find information on how to cope and educate herself. Thats how The Kisha Project was born. Founded in 2008, Gulleys platform, accessible through Instagram @panamakish and her blog, connects Black mothers like her with mental health and parenting resources. She offers support for families of children with autism while highlighting the social issues that impact Black and Latino communities. Embracing her Afro-Latina identity as a Black Panamanian living in Phoenix is a major part of that work, advancing visibility for intersectional identities and prioritizing dignity, education and reliability. Gulley is not a therapist a fact she makes abundantly clear on her platform but not everyone advocates for their kids in the same way, she told The Arizona Republic. Her platform was born out of her own need to find information pertinent to her Afro-Latina identity. According to Gulley, many autism advocates do not center Black lives as she does, leaving out essential resources for folks who live with autism while also navigating the many levels of discrimination and systemic challenges that Black people deal with on a regular basis. Kisha Gulley in her Phoenix home Sept. 13, 2023. And I can't have that, you know? Gulley said. You're not advocating for everyone, you're only advocating for people who look like you. My kid has to deal with a lot more, he has to learn how to deal with discrimination, like racial discrimination, and ... that's really hard for him to process because of his autism." The Kisha Project: A resource for herself and others One in seven women can develop postpartum depression, according to the National Library of Medicine. Gulley experienced that firsthand. And because her husband, a pilot, was constantly out of town for work, she dealt with her depression by herself. Soon after, her oldest son was diagnosed with autism, sensory processing disorder and ADHD. The Kisha Project became her avenue for finding and spreading resources for mothers like herself, in search of information for their Black children living with autism and other mental health issues. The experience (in Black families) is just completely different, and we really don't talk about it in our community, Gulley said. So, I decided to be open about my experience because I couldn't find anything. She initially used The Kisha Project and her blog posts as an online journal. Gulley wanted a space that her kids could also reference. It was something that was just hers and she poured her heart into it. Although launched in 2008, Gulley didn't really start taking her blog seriously until 2017 when she would make content about how lonely she was feeling while dealing with postpartum depression. Before having kids and really getting into the world of content creation, Gulley would post about her career as a flight attendant. When exposing her more vulnerable side to the world, Gulley realized the impact her work had on others in her community, and it was so much bigger than her. She started getting comments in her inbox, especially from people living with autism who were happy to see a supportive parent. The first milestone that Gulley hit, she said, was when she reached 10,000 followers on Instagram. Gulley and her husband were then asked to be guests on the podcast "Fake Doctors, Real Friends" with Zach Braff and Donald Faison from the show "Scrubs". After the episode aired, a handful of people reached out to Gulley and told her they looked up to her, which was a big moment, she said. Now, Gulley has about 17,000 followers on Instagram and over 2,000 people have subscribed to The Kisha Project. On her platform, she incorporates recipes, self-care, and style tips to create meaningful and uplifting content. Want to make Panamanian empanadas? She's got the recipe just for you. Aren't sure how to navigate the conversation of race and Latinidad with your children? She's got resources and her own experience to share. Not sure how to check in with your kids about their mental health? She's got tips for that too. She was also diagnosed with ADHD and makes an effort to talk about it more and make it less taboo. She likes to think her work plays a hand in that conversation. Faces of Arizona: 'Whip-smart': This 22-year-old helps lead one of the largest school districts in Arizona People have many questions for her, she said, and if she doesn't know the answer, she makes sure to direct them to someone who does. So far, she feels like her work has had a positive impact. "It's so scary sometimes when you're sharing so much of yourself, especially when it's this personal," Gulley said. "You never know how it's going to be received. Once I started getting messages from people telling me how much my content resonated with them, it really made me feel like what I was doing mattered." Alexys Brandon, a friend and collaborator of Gulley's, said her perspective on autism and mental health is needed. But above all, her ability to bring empathy into the conversation is what keeps their friendship going. Her blog is very much needed in this day and time just so that people are more aware of what other people are going through, Brandon said. I know we all have our own individual issues, but it's also important to lead with understanding when you're dealing with other people from different walks of life ... I really do love her blog and how she highlights that. Brandon met Gulley in June 2022 through social media. Gulley reached out to work with Brandon on content and the two have been inseparable since. As a Black wife, mother and photographer, Brandon said Gulley has helped her stand up for herself and be confident in different spaces. You know, oftentimes it feels like you have to choose a side, but I feel like who she connects with is everyone that can identify with not wanting to have to choose between either or but just standing in your truth, Brandon said. "Her community that's kind of surrounded around her has uplifted her, so Im sure theyre feeling that impact. Influencer and friend Denisse Myrick, @chasingdenisse on Instagram, met Gulley through social media as well about two years ago, at a time when meeting other content creators of color, especially women, was truly hard for her. Meeting Gulley made Myrick feel like it gave her visibility and gave her someone to relate to, someone to talk to about parenting and relationships. Together, they are able to be honest about their struggles, Myrick said. But beyond struggles, what Myrick most admires about Gulley, is her ability to celebrate her and her family's lives. She really normalizes a happy life which you don't see a lot of when it comes to parents with autistic children, Myrick said. You see more self-help stuff or online like on TikTok you'll see a lot of complaints or more highlighting struggles. And she really does a great job at celebrating the joys of adjusting to that kind of parenting. Do you have an inspiring neighbor, colleague or friend you think should be featured in Faces of Arizona? Let us know by filling out this form. Building a network of support via her AfroLatinidad Gulley has been making an effort to talk about her AfroLatinidad more. Originally from Panama but currently residing in Phoenix, she quickly realized she was naive early on in thinking she would wholeheartedly be accepted as a Black woman amongst other Latinas. Now she works to push the conversation further and make space for herself and others in a room. She asks people what theyre doing in their local communities to ensure Afro-Latinx women are treated equally. Gulley has experienced her fair share of weird looks and assumptions when she refers to herself as a Black woman, people feel like she is separated from her Latina heritage. And I have to explain to them that the Afro in Afro-Latina still means Black, Gulley said. I am still very much a Black woman; I am also a Latina woman. You can be both and (others) don't understand that, they feel like if I call myself a Black woman then I'm disconnected from my culture, and that's not the case at all. I'm very much connected to my culture. I was raised by my Panamanian family. Embracing that intersectionality in identities is how she raises her two sons, and it's the same understanding she seeks in the collaborations she's a part of. I am not really worried about having a seat at the table anymore as much as I am about building with people who have the same goals as I do, who have similar interests as I do, Gulley said. Because at the same time, a lot of people will say, Oh, yeah, I'm all about inclusivity and all this and all of that, but once it's really (time) to do some actionable steps, they really don't want to hear what we have to say. Or else its just a little bit too far once we start talking about race. Shes realized that within the Latinx community, Panamanians aren't talked about as much. So, she tries exposing people to Panamanian culture with The Kisha Project through food, culture and the influence it has on her as a mother sharing her love of empanadas, sancocho and arroz con pollo or arroz con gandules. At the same time, she wants to ensure her kids still have some of that culture in their lives. Advocating for her children, especially her son who has autism, is part of the reason why The Kisha Project remains active, she said, but it also goes beyond that. I feel like I'm an advocate for everyone, Gulley said. I'm just not trying to do this for him. When he benefits, everybody benefits. My goals really are to grow my platform and, hopefully, I'm able to make other people feel a little bit more comfortable in this space. Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Kisha Project: How an Afro-Latina mom builds autism awareness SciMatch is a dating app that claims to use social science and AI to match compatible partners. Rather than create an entire dating profile, all the app requires is one selfie from users. It's one of the increasing number of AI-powered tools being used to help people date. A dating app is claiming to use AI-powered facial recognition to help users find love. Instead of filling in a full dating profile, SciMatch just asks users to upload a single selfie, The Wall Street Journal reported. It then uses an AI algorithm to examine personality traits it identifies in your face and recommends potential partners based on their compatible traits. The app is free, but users can pay to upload a photo of a celebrity crush to help find a lookalike partner. The app was launched last year by sisters Yanina and Viktoryia Strylets, who are data science and computer science graduates respectively. It's based on a study into the correlation between facial images and the five main self-reported personality characteristics neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The study concluded that machine learning can recognize "five-dimensional personalized features based on static facial features." However, it also noted that there's a limited data set and that profile images of subjects should also be used to increase the accuracy of AI-driven facial recognition systems. The SciMatch AI algorithm, named A.I. Ruby, has been fed a database of millions of faces that are associated with certain character traits, Yanina Strylets told the Into Tomorrow podcast. The technology "is much more accurate than human judgement to predict your character traits," and is accurate 87% of the time, she said. She added that the 77% response rate of SciMatch's users is higher than that of Tinder. However, the app sounded like "complete wizardry," Paul Eastwick, a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, told the Journal. SciMatch is not alone in turning to AI to enhance dating life. Other companies like Match Group, the owner of Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid, have announced plans to integrate AI features across their apps. For example, Tinder has announced a tool to help users select the best photos for their profiles. Users themselves are increasingly using AI tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT to help write profile bios and generate "captivating" responses, according to a study by Attractiontruth. And, of course, for those who have given up on finding human love, some are even turning to AI itself for companionship. "Feeling so unconditionally loved in a romantic context is a game-changer: it changes the way you look at the world, it changes your mood, and it's a paradigm shift," said one man who previously told Insider that he'd developed feelings for an AI chatbot. SciMatch did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Senators on both sides of the aisle on Sunday effusively praised Sen. Dianne Feinstein , who died last week at the age of 90. Let's reflect on a well-lived light: Americas better for Dianne Feinstein having served her country, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said of the California Democrat in an emotional interview on CBS Face the Nation. Feinstein, a former mayor of San Francisco first elected to the Senate in 1992, died Thursday night in her home. Saying Dianne wasnt the problem, she was the solution, Graham asserted that Feinstein was proof that its OK to be tough and kind. Graham also said that when he first arrived in the U.S. Senate in 2003, a senator whom he declined to identify told him if he wanted to get legislation moving, it was imperative to get the support of either former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) or Feinstein. If Ted was the lion, she was the lioness, he said. She could move votes. Graham made it clear it was a personal loss for him. She was my friend, I miss her, and If youre looking for a role model in politics as a young man or young woman, look to her life, he said. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also praised Feinstein, calling her "such a beautiful person." He went on to describe her as a compassionate role model who respected her colleagues for their stances even if they were not as liberal as hers. Theres not a person that served more honorably than Dianne Feinstein, he said on Fox News Sunday. In 2021, Kelowna, British Columbia, was saved from an advancing wildfire by a fire prevention zone inspired by Indigenous practices, the New York Times reported. As this years wildfires spiral out of control, its becoming clear that similar prevention is needed throughout the United States and Canada. The rising global temperature has led to a dramatic increase in wildfires. Wildfire season lasts longer, the fires burn larger areas, and plumes of smoke damage the air quality even in areas that have historically been less affected by fire. This is dangerous for people and damaging for both property and the environment. Every year, Canada spends billions of dollars fighting fires, the Times reported. British Columbia alone spent almost one billion Canadian dollars on these efforts in 2021. According to Bankrate, the U.S. faces similar costs: $4.4 billion nationwide in 2021 just for fighting the fires. Investing in prevention could be much more cost-effective. Kelowna proved that prevention works. The Mount Law Fire in 2021 burned 2,400 acres of forest but died on the citys doorstep thanks to a mere 50-acre fire-resistant zone created by logging company Ntityix Development. Ntityix Development is an Indigenous-owned business, and it drew on traditional practices to work the forest in the area, the Times explained. Ntityix cleared the ground of brush and small trees, using controlled burns in some places to eliminate flammable material. It also removed the lower branches from the larger trees it left in place so that there was a gap the fire couldnt cross between the forest floor and the treetops. If you have a fire and its on a surface, its fairly easy to contain or to fight, Dave Gill, the general manager of forestry at Ntityix Development, told the Times. But as soon as it gets up into the crowns, its game over. Gill explained that the Mount Law Fire was the first time the companys fire prevention zones had been tested by an actual wildfire. It indicates to me that it works, he said. It certainly stopped it advancing. According to the Times, not everyone is convinced that this type of prevention will be effective, and funding remains scarce. But the more widespread these techniques become, the easier it will be to keep wildfires from getting out of control. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. Jacksonville police are investigating what detectives said appears to be the accidental shooting of a 9-year-old boy by a younger sibling Sunday morning inside a home in the Hogan's Creek neighborhood. The victim had "several gunshot wounds to his extremities" when taken by his parents to the hospital about 7 a.m. following the shooting in the 1500 block of Mt. Herman Street, Lt. Chris Stephens told reporters. "The victim's injuries are non-life threatening and he is receiving medical treatment. It is believed the victim may have been accidentally shot by his 6-year-old brother," Stephens said. He said there were two adults and five children including the victim inside the home when the shooting occurred. Currently "all parties are cooperating with detectives," Stephens said. Because it was early in the investigation, detectives hadn't determined who the gun belonged to or where it had been in the house. Jacksonville homicide tracker: Here's who is dying and where in 2023 The incident is the most recent shooting of a child in Jacksonville, which also included another accidental shooting involving brothers the same age as Sunday's. Times-Union records show nine youths 17 and younger have been shot and killed this year in Jacksonville and several others maimed. That compares to 10 shot and killed all of last year. Sunday's shooting comes within days after a 3-year-old girl was slain and a 6-year-old boy was killed in separate shootings in different neighborhoods. 4 shot, including a child KaeLynn Marie Matthews and two adults were killed and another adult was wounded when gunfire erupted the evening of Sept. 23 at JTB Apartments, a gated luxury complex on the Southside. Another adult in the group wasn't injured, the Sheriff's Office said. KaeLynn A GoFundMe has been set up for Kae'lynn's family. She was with the group of five who had gone to the apartment complex at 8876 A.C. Skinner Parkway off Butler Boulevard regarding the possible private sale of a dog. The shooting evolved from a dispute that occurred in a breezeway outside an apartment, the Sheriff's Office said. The Times-Union has learned through court records that a 23-year-old man resident there was arrested, but not for the shooting. He was charged the next day with possession of not more than 20 grams of marijuana. The Times-Union is not naming him because the arrest report does not indicate he was there when it happened outside his apartment. It does say several firearms were located. The arrest report also identifies the other two victims who died as Jaquann Tarshon Mitchell, 23, and Keonte Deshaun Johnson, 24. Fatally shot while sleeping Mi'King Three days after Kae'Lynn was killed, Mi'King Sims, 6, died in a 1:45 a.m. shooting that also wounded a 12-year-old girl and a man at Hollybrook Homes Apartments at 104 King St. in a Mixon Town neighborhood. Sheriff T.K. Waters later said that the two children were asleep in their beds when they were struck by a single bullet. Unnecessary deaths: 9 children in Florida have died from accidental shootings since 2021. 5 of them were in Jacksonville. The investigation is ongoing in the shootings. Friendly fire On Aug. 14 police said a 9-year-old shot a 6-year-old boy in the head in an apparent accident about 2:45 p.m. in a home on Shade Pine Street. An adult was home at the time. Action News Jax reported the two were brothers. No charges have been filed. Anyone with information about any of the recent shootings can contact the Sheriff's Office at (904) 630-0500, email at jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org or via CrimeStoppers at (866) 845-8477. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Police say 9-year-old Jacksonville boy might have been shot by sibling The former prime minister Robert Fico 's anti-Ukrainian party has won the elections in Slovakia, based on preliminary results after almost all the votes have been counted. Source: Slovak news outlet Aktuality; European Pravda Details: Based on the results of processing over 99% of the ballots, the Smer-SD party led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico received the most votes, with 23.29%. Second place went to Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia), affiliated with the current president, Zuzana Caputova, with 17.07% of votes. One exit poll expected Progressive Slovakia to be ahead of Fico's party with over 23% of the vote. The Hlas (Voice) party of former Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini is in third place with 14.96% of the votes. This party may join a coalition of both pro-Western and pro-Russian elements. Former Prime Minister Igor Matovic's OL'aNO+ block gained 9.01%. The SaS party received 6.22%, and the Krestanskodemokraticke hnutie (Christian Democratic Movement) 6.9%. The far-right Republika party reportedly received 4.79% and will likely fail to enter parliament. However, the Slovenska Narodna Strana (Slovak National Party) of former Speaker Andrej Danko, also known for its anti-Ukrainian sentiments, managed to pass the threshold with 5.67%, which is less than the polls had previously predicted. Given these results, the distribution of seats may be as follows: Fico's party 42, Progressive Slovakia 31, Pellegrini's Voice 27, Matovic 's bloc 16, Christian Democrats 13, SaS 11, and the Slovak National Party 10. Background: Voting in the early elections in Slovakia took place on Saturday, 30 September. A few hours ago, there were reports that the Progressive Slovakia party, which advocates maintaining strong support for Ukraine and is close to incumbent President Zuzana Caputova, might win the Slovak election. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! FILE - An ethnic Armenian woman from Nagorno-Karabakh rests in a truck as she arrives in Goris, Syunik region, Armenia, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Armenia finds itself facing multiple challenges after being suddenly thrust into one of the worst political crises in its decades of independence following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. After Azerbaijan reclaimed control of the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh in a blitz offensive, tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians have flooded over its borders. (AP Photo/Vasily Krestyaninov, File) Tens of thousands of now-homeless people have streamed into Armenia from the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, controlled by its emboldened adversary, Azerbaijan. Swarms of protesters are filling the streets of the Armenian capital of Yerevan, demanding the prime minister's ouster. Relations with Russia, an old ally and protector, have frayed amid mutual accusations. Armenia now finds itself facing multiple challenges after being suddenly thrust into one of the worst political crises in its decades of independence following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Developments unfolded with surprising speed after Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority ethnic Armenian region that has run its affairs for three decades without international recognition. Starved of supplies by an Azerbaijani blockade and outnumbered by a military bolstered by Turkey, the separatist forces capitulated in 24 hours and their political leaders said they would dissolve their government by the end of the year. That triggered a massive exodus by the ethnic Armenians who feared living under Azerbaijani rule. Over 80% of the regions 120,000 residents hastily packed their belongings and trudged in a grueling and slow journey over the single mountain road into impoverished Armenia, which is struggling to accommodate them. Enraged and exasperated over the loss of their homeland, they will likely support almost daily protests against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan , who has been blamed by the opposition for failing to defend Nagorno-Karabakh. Theres a tremendous amount of anger and frustration directed at Nikol Pashinyan, said Laurence Broers, an expert on the region at Chatham House. Pashinyans economically challenged government has to provide them quickly with housing, medical care and jobs. While the global Armenian diaspora has pledged to help, it poses major financial and logistical problems for the landlocked country. While many Armenians resent the countrys former top officials who lead the opposition and also hold them responsible for the current woes, observers point to a history of bloodshed. In 1999, gunmen barged into the Armenian parliament during a question-and-answer session, killing Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, the parliament speaker and six other top officials and lawmakers. There is a a kind of tradition of political assassination in Armenian culture, said Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think tank. He and other observers note that one factor in Pashinyans favor is that whatever simmering anger there is against him, there is just as much directed toward Russia, Armenias main ally. After a six-week war in 2020 that saw Azerbaijan reclaim part of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories, Russia sent about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the region under a Kremlin-brokered truce. Pashinyan has accused the peacekeepers of failing to prevent the recent hostilities by Azerbaijan, which also could make new territorial threats against Armenia, Russia has been distracted by its war in Ukraine, which has eroded its influence in the region and made the Kremlin reluctant to defy Azerbaijan and its main ally Turkey, a key economic partner for Moscow amid Western sanctions. Clearly, this Azerbaijani military operation would not have been possible if the Russian peacekeepers had tried to keep the peace, but they just basically stood down, de Waal said. The Kremlin, in turn, has sought to shift the blame to Pashinyan, accusing him of precipitating the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh by acknowledging Azerbaijan's sovereignty over the region and damaging Armenia's ties with Russia by embracing the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long been suspicious of Pashinyan, a former journalist who came to power in 2018 after leading protests that ousted the previous government. Even before Azerbaijans operation to reclaim control of Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia had vented anger at Armenia for hosting U.S. troops for joint military drills and moving to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court after it had indicted Putin for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine. The bad feelings escalated after the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh, with Moscow assailing Pashinyan in harsh language that hadn't been heard before. The Russian Foreign Ministry blasted the inconsistent stance of the Armenian leadership, which flip-flopped on policy and sought Western support over working closely with Russia and Azerbaijan. In what sounded like encouragement of demonstrations against Pashinyan, Russia declared that the reckless approach by Nikol Pashinyans team understandably fueled discontent among parts of Armenian society, which showed itself in popular protests, even as it denied that Moscow played any part in fueling the rallies. The Armenian leadership is making a huge mistake by deliberately attempting to sever Armenias multifaceted and centuries-old ties with Russia, making the country a hostage to Western geopolitical games, it said. It remains unclear whether Pashinyan might take Armenia out of Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization, a group of several former Soviet nations, and other Russia-led alliances. Armenia also hosts a Russian military base and Russian border guards help patrol Armenias frontier with Turkey. Despite the worsening rift, Pashinyan has refrained from threats to rupture links with Moscow, but he emphasized the need to bolster security and other ties with the West. It could be challenging for the U.S. and its allies to replace Moscow as Armenias main sponsors. Russia is Armenias top trading partner and it is home to an estimated 1 million Armenians, who would strongly resist any attempt by Pashinyan to break ties with Moscow. Economically speaking, strategically speaking, Russia is still very deeply embedded in the Armenian economy in terms of energy supply and ownership over key strategic assets, Broers said. Its going to need a lot of creativity from other partners for Armenia to broaden out its foreign policy. The future of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, which were supposed to stay through 2025, is unclear. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said their status needs to be negotiated with Azerbaijan. Broers said Azerbaijan could allow a small number of Russian peacekeepers to stay in Nagorno-Karabakh to help promote its program to integrate the region. This would be face-saving for Moscow, he said. This would substantiate the integration agenda that is being promoted by Azerbaijan. Even though the peacekeepers didnt try to prevent Azerbaijan from reclaiming Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian troops' presence in Armenia helps counter potential moves by Azerbaijan and Turkey to pressure Yerevan on some contested issues. Baku has long demanded that Armenia offer a corridor to Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhchivan, which is separated from the rest of the country by a 40-kilometer (25-mile) swath of Armenian territory. The region, which also borders Turkey and Iran, has a population of about 460,000. The deal that ended the 2020 war envisaged reopening rail and road links to Nakhchivan that have been cut since the start of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but their restoration has stalled amid continuing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has warned it could use force to secure the corridor if Armenia keeps stonewalling the issue, and there have been fears in Armenia that the corridor could infringe on its sovereignty. I think there is extreme concern about this in Armenia, given the very dramatic military asymmetry between Armenia and Azerbaijan today and given the fact that Russia has ostensibly abdicated its role as a security guarantor for Armenia, Broers said. De Waal noted that Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev hosted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Nakchivan on Monday and talked about southern Armenia as a historic Azerbaijani land in a rather provocative way. Despite Western calls for Azerbaijan to respect Armenias sovereignty as well as strong signals from Iran, which also has warned Azerbaijan not to use force against Armenia, tensions remain high, he noted. The issue is to what extent Azerbaijan and Turkey, backed maybe quietly by Russia, push this issue," de Waal said. "Do they just sort of try and force Armenia at the negotiating table or do they actually start to use force to try and get what they want? This is the scenario everyone fears. ___ Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report. Waffle House employees across the Southeast are demanding more pay. Employees held several rallies at restaurants, including Atlanta. Were asking for $25/hour, said Gerald Green. Gerald Green said he has been working at Waffle House for years. I am what they call a grill operator. I am a cook. I am a Rockstar cook. I have been at Waffle House for about seven years. I am the highest-level cook outside management. He feels like they should be getting paid a lot more. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Well I am a rockstar, so at my restaurant, I am making $17.75, said Green. That is why employees are demanding better pay. Youre constantly having to go from one job to the next, said Green. Employees protested at several locations across the Southeast, including Atlanta. Its a campaign that USSW- Union of Southern Service Workers have launched at multiple Waffle Houses, said Green. Green said they are also asking for 24-hour security at all the restaurants. TRENDING STORIES: Channel 2 Action News was there in August when a former employee was shot and killed outside the Waffle House in Dekalb County. A lot of workers are hurt by customers. A lot of workers are mistreated by customers. People say it is funny seeing people in fights all the time, like we are not really MMA Fighters like people on-line say we are, Green said. A spokesperson for Waffle House released this statement: We are aware of the activities that took place yesterday at three of our locations in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, in which nearly all the people who protested were not Waffle House Associates. Very few, if any were employees, contrary to the embellished descriptions that union officials have presented in their press release and accompanying photos sent to the media. With that said, Waffle House remains proud of its long history of effectively and directly addressing Associate concerns. Our senior management teams continue to work alongside our Associates as they have done since our companys inception. Employees are asking for Waffle House to stop doing meal deductions when they eat for breaks. They are also demanding restaurants to close during severe weather like hurricanes. They said this applies especially to the Florida locations. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] There is a petition. For more information click here. IN OTHER NEWS: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Photo/Senate photo) Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) died at her Washington D.C. on Thursday night. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992, she was at the time of her death the longest serving and oldest senator in the 118th Congress. Sen. Feinstein cast her last vote on Thursday. She was 90 years old. James Sauls, chief of staff to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) official confirmed her death in a statement released on Friday morning: Sadly, Senator Feinstein passed away last night at her home in Washington, D.C. Her passing is a great loss for so many, from those who loved and cared for her to the people of California that she dedicated her life to serving. Senator Feinstein never backed away from a fight for what was just and right. At the same time, she was always willing to work with anyone, even those she disagreed with, if it meant bettering the lives of Californians or the betterment of our nation. With 109 federally recognized tribes in California, Sen. Feinstein had many interactions with tribal leaders for several decades. On Friday evening, Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the first and only Native American to serve in the California legislature, on Friday issued the following statement regarding the passing of Sen.Feinstein: My condolences and prayers go out to Senator Feinsteins family and loved ones. She was a trailblazer and tireless public servant. I appreciated working alongside her to protect sacred Native American sites in Californias desert lands and her support, along with Senator Alex Padilla and others, to support the health needs of Native Americans living in urban areas. She will be remembered as a unique voice in California political and civic history. In September 2022, Sen. Feinstein, with Californias other U.S.senator, Senator Alex Padilla (D) introduced legislation to formally recognize the Tule River Tribes reserved water rights. The Tule River Tribe the second largest tribe in California with more than 1,900 members often lacks enough drinking water during the summer and is forced to import bottled water for basic household needs, Feinstein noted at the time. This is unacceptable, especially considering the tribe has been working for decades to restore sufficient water on its reservation, Feinstein said. Earlier this month, Feinstein signed her name to a letter that called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to place DOJ personnel in California as part of the newly designated Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net Custodians in Atlanta Public Schools will receive a bonus for their importance, according to the district. Atlanta Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle announced the $1,000 bonus on Friday at the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, TODAY [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A custodian at the Barrack and Michelle Obama Academy showed some of her daily duties to Battle during a tour. Throughout the district, 170 full-time custodians will receive this bonus. Custodians got the bonus in their more recent paycheck. TRENDING STORIES: The district said, school custodians play a vital role in the safety and well-being of students and employees by keeping buildings and campuses tidy and clean. Atlanta Public Schools applied for and was awarded, a grant from those funds to pay for the bonuses. This was a one-time bonus, according to the district. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Authorities on Saturday evening identified a man and woman who were found fatally shot in a Maple Street parking lot on Friday night, hours after the arrest of a Nashua man on murder charges in connection with their deaths. Patricia Swett, 45, of Nashua, and Matthew Champagne, 44, of Manchester, were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds when officers responded to a gunshots call on Maple Street around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Attorney General John Formella said in a statement. Autopsy results released Saturday evening by Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Mitchell Weinberg show the cause of death for both Swett and Champagne were multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death for both victims was homicide. Victor Rivera, 47, of Nashua was arrested on murder charges earlier Saturday. He faces two counts of second degree murder for knowingly causing the deaths of Ms. Swett and Mr. Champagne by shooting them with a firearm and alternatively, on two counts of second degree murder for recklessly causing the deaths of Ms. Swett and Mr. Champagne under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life by shooting them with a firearm, Formella said. Rivera is expected to be arraigned on Monday at Hillsborough County Superior Court, Southern District, in Nashua. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Brighton Park woman died as a result of a house fire, as well as a host of health maladies, an autopsy showed Saturday. Paula Flores, 72, was pronounced dead on Sept. 16 at Stroger Hospital following a fire at her home in the 4400 block of South St. Louis Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiners office. An autopsy determined that Flores died of complications of thermal and inhalation injuries, as well as various ailments that included COVID-19, diabetes and dementia, the medical examiners office said. Her death was ruled an accident. Chicago police said they had records of a fire at the address on Aug. 31 and that it was classified as non criminal, but had no further information. In November 2008, within hours of Barack Obama becoming president-elect of the United States, the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, Massachusetts, was burned to the ground by three white men, two of whom later admitted to torching the church to protest a Black American's election to the highest office in the land. That came as no surprise to me. Indeed, that was just the beginning. America's reaction to the elevation of an African-American, first as candidate, then as the 44th president of the United States, revealed to me major schisms in our body politic that had been festering for generations just below the surface of carefully manicured public spaces. Robert Azzi Festering, indeed, since the South submitted to the North at Appomattox on April 9, 1865; festering since the Klan and Jim Crow; festering since Republican strategist Lee Atwater said in 1981, "You start out in 1954 by saying, (racial slur). By 1968 you cant say (racial slur) that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states rights, and all that stuff..." In spite of all that, despite threats and obstacles, Obama, just six months after election, while delivering a commencement address at Notre Dame appealed to Americans to approach their differences civilly: How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right," he asked, "without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side? "Open hearts," he suggested. "Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words." That was and is never going to happen, as I am sure even he knew. It is an illusion seductive in its appeal, meaningless and irrelevant to those Americans for whom issues of race and white supremacy are existential issues. I agree that ideally America should be a place where people who disagree with each other can come together to debate and expect to be treated with respect, in Public Squares clearly defined by wall[s] of separation between church and state. as defined by Thomas Jefferson in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association. Indeed, I occasionally find that possibility seductive, but when one side insists on denying the humanity of the Other, all bets are off. Today, all bets are off because there are Americans who have abandoned the principle that all people are created equal with certain unalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Instead, the wall of separation itself is under siege. It remains under siege because too many people won't aggressively resist the attackers, delusionally believing that that it is possible to have affirming relationships with Americans who deny our democratic values and who support the imposition of an authoritarian government on hallowed land. I am recognizing more fully each day that fruitful exchanges with people who want to marginalize me or others like me, who frequently invite us to leave this country because of our ethnicity, faith, or opinions, are diminishing, and with them a diminished hope for the fulfillment of the Promise of America. Be alert: Listening to so-called voices of political civility is dangerous, rendering vulnerable those who are being targeted because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity by suggesting that some sort of rapprochement or detente between groups is possible. It's not. I'm not interested in people who say there are two sides, who believe that listening to the resentments, grievances and fears of white supremacists will somehow ease their desire to render the Other as second-class citizens. In our lifetime no one asked or interviewed Hitler on why he thought the Holocaust might be a good idea; in 1950 no one asked to sit down with Mao to ask why he was invading Tibet; no one asked Pol Pot why killing of 25% of Cambodia's population was a worthy cause; no one asked Osama bin Laden to justify 9/11. No one asked those questions because there were not two sides to those stories. There was a side of justice vs. a side of injustice. There weren't good people of both sides in Charlottesville, and today no one should be asking to find common ground with Donald Trump or with his followers who breached the capital on Jan. 6, 2021; with those who threaten the suspension of the Constitution; with those who call for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley to be executed because he disagreed with the president. It's not my job to make people feel better. I, as an Arab-American-Muslim, want America to confront its contradictions, confront the contradictions between your comfort and security, confront the costs such comforts extract from those being marginalized, demonized and disenfranchised. Daily we read about Ukraine and Russia. Fewer read of the ethnic cleansing of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Even fewer read of the persecution of Rohingya and Uyghur peoples. Fewer read that over the past decade, more than 2 million refugees and asylum seekers have attempted to cross the Mediterranean, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and Afghanistan. Of those numbers over 28,000 are missing, presumed to have died during the crossing. Those sojourners are our brothers and sisters. Today, many read of the crisis of America's southern border. Not enough read of the decades and abuse American colonialism and exploitation inflicted on those peoples that today compels them, as homeless sojourners, to embark on desperate journeys with their families in search of sanctuary and safety. Those sojourners are our brothers and sisters. I don't want to hear two sides from the press on an issue when only one side is fact and justice based. I want rigorous fact-checking and discernment. I want fairness. I want justice. Not every opinion is worthy of a platform, whether it has followers or not. In this country, American means white," Toni Morrison told the Guardian in 1992. "Everybody else has to hyphenate. Robert Azzi, a photographer and writer who lives in Exeter, can be reached at theother.azzi@gmail.com. His columns are archived at theotherazzi.wordpress.com. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Azzi: I'm not making peace with those who deny my humanity The Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a move a lawyer representing dozens of child sexual abuse survivors says is an attempt to evade accountability. The filing comes as a new law is set to take effect in Maryland October 1, lifting the statute of limitations to allow new civil lawsuits over older acts of child sexual abuse. In April, the Maryland Attorney General released a report alleging 156 Catholic clergy members and others abused at least 600 children over the course of more than six decades. Because of the new law, the Archdiocese of Baltimore faces a great number of lawsuits of historic cases of child sexual abuse previously barred by Maryland law, Archbishop William E. Lori said in a statement Friday. After consulting with numerous lay leaders and the clergy of the Archdiocese, I have made the decision I believe will best allow the Archdiocese both to equitably compensate victim-survivors of child sexual abuse and ensure the local Church can continue its mission and ministries, Lori said. If a plan is approved by the bankruptcy court, no future claims for past cases of abuse can be brought against the Church, he added. Philip C. Federico, a lawyer representing survivors who planned to file claims against the Archdiocese, told CNN in a statement the Archdiocese of Baltimores filing for bankruptcy is extremely premature and is nothing more than an effort to protect itself while denying survivors justice. By filing for bankruptcy today, the Archdiocese of Baltimore is perpetuating the Churchs pattern of trying to evade accountability for the heinous sexual assault of children under its care, Federico added. The Maryland Attorney Generals Office declined CNNs request for comment. Filing for bankruptcy harms victims, lawyers say Robert K. Jenner, another lawyer representing victims, said the bankruptcy filing is an effort to avoid acknowledging its historical legacy of enabling systemic child sexual abuse and then engaging in deceitful cover-up. It is outrageous, but not unexpected, that the morally bankrupt Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy protection to shield its assets, Jenner told CNN in a statement. Jenner says they are undeterred by this development and continue to fight for justice, transparency, and accountability. Archbishop Lori said in his statement the legal fees and large settlements or jury awards for a few victim-survivors risk depleting the churchs financial resources, which could end ministries Maryland families rely on. However, Federico said the statement is premature, explaining it is too early to know what type of financial liability the church may face since no cases have been filed. It is very unlikely that any damages awarded out of these cases would exceed the Churchs assets, Federico added. In April, the Archdioceses office said it had paid $13.2 million to 303 victims of abuse since the 1980s. I acknowledge that no apology, compensation, or knowledge of our present-day accountability measures will necessarily lead to healing for victim survivors, nor repair the harm they suffered, Lori said. The financial reorganization is expected to take two to three years, according to Lori. The bankruptcy court will accept claims from victim-survivors for a period of time before entering negotiations to provide compensation. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Book bans are nothing new. According to Harvard University, the first book ban in the United States took place in 1637 in Massachusetts. "New English Canaan," by Thomas Morton, was banned by the Puritan government as it was considered a harsh critique of Puritan customs and power structures. Today, the American Library Association fights against censorship and works to defend each person's right to read under the First Amendment and ensure free access to information. To celebrate the "forbidden" novels, Banned Books Week, which starts Sunday, celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts of censorship. Alyssa Hoy, one of the students who created Vandegrift High Schools banned-book club, listens to another member discuss Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez. Some books that have been targets of book ban attempts include the "Captain Underpants" series, the "Hunger Games" series, the "Goosebump" series, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," "The Color Purple," the "Harry Potter" series and "To Kill a Mockingbird." For more than four decades, the annual event features the top 10 books that were banned the previous year, according to data gathered by the organization. While many book challenges are not always reported to the ALA, the lists and data represent a snapshot of the defiances. Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, 2023, the organization's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 695 attempts to censor library materials and services and documented challenges to 3,923 titles. That is a 20% increase from the same reporting period in 2022, which saw the highest number of book challenges since ALA began compiling the data more than 20 years ago. The vast majority of challenges were to books written by or about a person of color or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Banned books in Corpus Christi and Texas Locally, libraries and groups are prepared to celebrate Banned Books Week. The League of Women Voters-Corpus Christi Area held a Read-Out at Black Cat Books Saturday, where people read passages from books that have been banned or challenged in the past. The Neyland Library's Banned Book Club will host a Banned Book Tea at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Held at the library on Carmel Parkway, attendees can join a discussion on banned books while enjoying tea and cookies. According to ALA, 1,120 titles were challenged in Texas to ban books. In August 2022, the Caller-Times reported that the Nueces chapter of County Citizens Defending Freedom USA, a conservative organization, and Nueces County's Moms for Liberty were active in challenging certain books in school districts. Some books that were targeted included: "Beloved" by Toni Morrison "A Court of Mist and Fury" by Sarah J. Maas "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina Garcia "Grl2grl" by Julie Anne Peters For most books, school districts placed "Mature Content" labels on the books rather than remove them after being reviewed by a committee. What were the top books banned in 2022? "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe The memoir recounts Kobabe's journey from adolescence to adulthood and their exploration of gender identity and sexuality, ultimately identifying as being outside of the gender binary. They begin telling their story from childhood to the present day and include many monumental experiences in their life, including their first period, learning about what it means to be transgender, first relationship and numerous others. How many times challenged? 151 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; claimed to be sexually explicit "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson The book consists of a series of essays following Johnson's journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey and Virginia. In addition to describing Johnson's own experience, the memoir addresses Black queer boys who may not have someone in their life with similar experiences. How many times challenged? 86 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; claimed to be sexually explicit "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison The novel takes place in Lorain, Ohio and tells the story of a young Black girl named Pecola who grew up following the Great Depression. Set in 1941, the story is about how she is consistently regarded as "ugly" due to her mannerisms and dark skin. As a result, she develops an inferiority complex, which fuels her desire for the blue eyes she equates with "whiteness". How many times challenged? 73 What was it challenged for? Depiction of sexual abuse; equity, diversity and inclusion content; claimed to be sexually explicit "Flamer" by Mike Curato "Flamer" by Mike Curato The semi-autobiographical graphic novel is set in a Boy Scouts summer camp in 1995. It tells the story of Aiden, who is bullied for his appearance, including acting in a manner considered stereotypical of gay men. Curato was a scout and based his experience as a closeted teenager to write the novel. How many times challenged? 62 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; claimed to be sexually explicit "Looking for Alaska" by John Green "Looking for Alaska" by John Green The book follows the main character and narrator, Miles, to a boarding school where goes to seek a "Great Perhaps," the famous last words of Francois Rabelais. In the first half of the novel, Miles and his friends, including Alaska Young, grow very close and the section culminates in Alaska's death. In the second half of the novel, Miles and his friends work to discover the missing details of the night Alaska died. How many times challenged? 55 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; claimed to be sexually explicit "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky Set in the early 1990s, the novel follows Charlie, an introverted and observant child, through his freshman year of high school in a Pittsburgh suburb. The novel details Charlie's unconventional style of thinking as he navigates between the worlds of adolescence and adulthood, and attempts to deal with poignant questions spurred by his interactions with both his friends and family. How many times challenged? 55 What was it challenged for? Depiction of sexual abuse; LGBTQIA+ content; drug use; profanity; claimed to be sexually explicit "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison The book's main character, Mike, is a young Chicano living in Washington. Evison takes the reader into the heart and mind of Mike on a journey to discover himself, a search to find the secret to achieving the American dream of happiness and prosperity. How many times challenged? 54 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; claimed to be sexually explicit "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie From the perspective of a 14-year-old Native American Arnold, a promising cartoonist, the book goes through his life on the Spokane Indian Reservation and his decision to go to a nearly all-white public high school away from the reservation. The graphic novel includes 65 comic illustrations that help further the plot. How many times challenged? 52 What was it challenged for? Profanity; claimed to be sexually explicit "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Perez "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Perez The novel chronicles a love affair between a teenage Mexican-American girl and a teenage Black boy in 1930s New London, Texas, occurring right up to the 1937 New London School explosion. With one of the worst school disasters in American history as the backdrop, Perez uses it to explain segregation, love, family and the forces that destroy people. How many times challenged? 50 What was it challenged for? Depictions of abuse; claimed to be sexually explicit "A Court of Mist and Fury" by Sarah J. Maas "A Court of Mist and Fury" by Sarah J. Maas The second in the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series, the novel picks up with Feyre, a fiery teenager, who has been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae a group of strong fairies. As she remains human inside, she must learn to come to terms with the terrible acts she performed to save her lover's, Tamlin, people. She starts to learn about the power and politics of Prythian, a "Faerie realm," and the greater evil that looms. How many times challenged? 48 What was it challenged for? Claimed to be sexually explicit "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins Loosely based on the real life addictions of Hopkins' daughter to crystal meth, the novel chronicles the turbulent relationship between the main character, Kristina, and the highly addictive drug. Kristina is introduced to "crank" while visiting her absent father. While under the influence, she discovers her alter-ego Bree. Bree will do all the things Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of danger. How many times challenged? 48 What was it challenged for? Drug use; claimed to be sexually explicit "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews Greg only has one friend, Earl, and they spend their time together making films that are their own versions of Francis Ford Coppola and Werner Herzog cult classics. One day, Greg's mother forces him to rekindle with Rachel, a childhood friend who has been diagnosed with leukemia. When she stops her treatment, the two men decide to create a movie for her, which ends up being the worst film ever made. How many times challenged? 48 What was it challenged for? Profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit "This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson "This Book Is Gay" by Juno Dawson The nonfiction book features 13 chapters that each focus on a different aspect of queer life. It incorporates discussion on sex education, queer stereotypes, queer history and many other topics. How many times challenged? 48 What was it challenged for? LGBTQIA+ content; providing sexual education; claimed to be sexually explicit RELATED COVERAGE More: Parents, community members read at Moore Elementary School for Hispanic Heritage Month More: Corpus Christi Pride Parade and Block Party returns Oct. 7 John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva. Consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times. This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Here are the top books banned in 2022 Soldiers stand saluting during the national anthem for the redeployment ceremony at Marshall Army Air Field, Sept. 12, 2007, at Fort Riley, Kans. Credit - Larry W. SmithGetty Images House Conservatives have turned the usually bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the defense appropriations bill into weapons in their battle against wokeism in the military. The Houses version of the NDAA included provisions against transgender health care policies and abortion support in the military. Numerous proposals have further sought to restrict or eliminate all DEI training. Conservatives claim to be safeguarding the militarys effectiveness from a dire threat. Now is not the time to socially experiment with our armed forces at the expense of readiness, morale, and our national defense, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has declared. These charges are hardly newand they echo the arguments made by those who opposed racially integrating the military in the nations past. Conservative politicians and military leaders regularly claimed African Americans were unfit for full membership, due to their perceived lack of intelligence, courage, and moral fortitude. Their presence, it was alleged, would exacerbate racial tensions and undermine unity, thus hampering overall effectiveness. The Army is not out to make any social reforms, explained Army Chief of Staff Omar Bradley in 1948. It will change [segregation] policy when the nation as a whole changes it. Yet, history has proved that not only were these sentiments unfounded, they actually hampered military effectiveness. Indeed, the long record of African American service suggests that when the U.S. military is at its most open and equitable, it is also at its most effective. Read more: Inside the Fight Over What Kids Learn About America's History From the Revolutionary War through the end of the 19th century, thousands of Black soldiers served in the American military, primarily in integrated units. Their service generated plaudits and strong praise for their abilities. Commodore Isaac Chauncey famously told a Navy commander lamenting the number of African American soldiers under his command during the War of 1812, I have yet to learn that the colour of the skin, or cut and trimmings of the coat, can effect a mans qualifications or usefulness. He added that he had nearly 50 blacks on board of this Ship, and many of them are amongst my best men. A half century later, General James Blunt similarly gushed after an 1863 Civil War battle, I never saw such fighting as was done by the Negro regiment. He concluded that, The question that negroes will fight is settled; besides they make better solders in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command. Despite their service in the 19th century, African American soldiers failed to earn the full citizenship that their efforts seemed to merit. Returning from service from the 1898 Spanish-American War, one group of African American veterans was greeted in Nashville by a mob of whites who attacked them with clubs before robbing them and shredding their discharge papers. It was the best piece of work I ever witnessed, gloated one participant. He was a local sheriff. More rigid segregation descended upon the military in the first half of the 20th century, reflecting the increasing stridency of the nations civil rights struggle. In World War I, African Americans volunteered for service at a rate significantly higher than their percentage of the population, but racist ideas and tropes limited their participation. Most soldiers, even those with combat experience, were limited to segregated service platoons since, as one military leader argued, African Americans lacked the necessary mental stamina and moral sturdiness to defeat the Germans. The military also wanted to avoid wading into what it saw as a larger societal problem. As Secretary of War Newton Baker explained: There is no intention on the part of the War Department to settle the so-called race question. Under growing public pressure, American leaders in 1918 sent two segregated infantry divisions to Europe to fight, but racist commanders had no interest in using them. Most of the men were instead transferred to French command, where they served as essentially borrowed soldiers for a foreign command. Our great American general simply put the black orphan in a basket, set it on the doorstep of the French, pulled the bell, and went away, recalled one of the leaders of the 93rd infantry. The results were revealing. African American soldiers who received decent training and competent officersmost famously the 369th infantry regiment, which stood at the front longer than any other American regimentperformed well. In fact, the French government awarded the Croix de Guerre to the entire regiment. Approximately 170 men also received the medal for individual actions. By contrast, units assigned to the U.S. Army had less training and more overtly racist officersand less success. The lesson was obvious: when welcomed as partners in the military effort, African American soldiers could make a significant contribution. When they were treated as second-class citizens, their performance suffered. World War II reinforced this message. African Americans again flocked to serve their country, only to be greeted by segregated units and racist mores. The War Department argued that changing the longstanding exclusionary approach would produce situations destructive to morale and detrimental to the preparations of national defense. Accordingly, officials insisted that no experiments should be tried with the organizational setup of these units at this critical time. Integrating units was simply too risky. Instead, most African American soldiers were relegated to service units where they faced rampant discrimination and exclusion. Tuskegee Airmen in Italy, 1944. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Toward the end of the war in Europe in 1945, however, battlefield demands again forced military leaders to invite African Americans from service units to volunteer for combat platoons serving alongside white units at the front. Thousands volunteered, despite the fact that doing so meant a demotion for many of them. Army officials selected more than 2,000 and many went on to serve in rifle platoons along the European front. A survey of white officers who served in companies that fought with these platoons offered indisputable evidence of the value provided by these African American soldiers. Although 64 percent of the officers admitted that they were unhappy about the decision at first, 84 percent said the men did very well in combat, and 16 percent said they fought fairly well. Seventy-seven percent reported that their feelings about the race had been improved by the experience. They're the best platoon in the regiment, admitted one officer. I wish I could get a presidential citation for them. In 1948, President Harry Truman ordered the integration of the military. But the services, especially the Army, dragged their heels. The Army was not an instrument for social evolution, insisted Army Secretary Kenneth Royall, who argued that such increased diversity would hurt recruitment and damage the morale of white soldiers. This meant that at the outset of the Korean War, many units remained segregated. Again, however, they performed fairly wellthe segregated 24th Infantry Division won one of the first battles of the war, capturing the strategically important town of Yecheon. General Douglas MacArthur even publicly praised the men, noting that they had fought a splendid delaying action against overwhelming odds . . . [and] is making every yard the red Army gains increasingly more costly." Yet, once again a lack of training and equipment, combined with poor morale that stemmed from racist treatment by their officers and the structural racism endemic in the Army, meant that future fighting went poorly for the 24th. The court martial system spoke volumes about the disparity of their treatment. African American troops were 28% of the membership of the 24th Division, for example. Even so, they made up 88% of those charged with offenses, and received 97% of the convictions. Of the 32 African Americans in the division who were convicted, four had trials lasting 50 minutes or less, with each receiving a sentence of life imprisonment, despite the fact that, in most cases, the soldiers military-appointed lawyers offered virtually no defense for their clients. Growing public outrage, combined with the battlefield necessities in Korea and the emergence of more open-mined military leaders, finally forced the Army to abandon its segregationist policies in the middle of the war, thus opening the long-closed door to more equitable service opportunities. This step produced positive results. More welcoming policies have helped with recruiting efforts, brought valuable new perspectives to the effort to solve complex problems, and enhanced the nations image when it interacts with the diverse and interconnected world of the modern era. A commitment to diversity has thus proved to be a critical strength, not a weakness of the American military. Once again, however, right-wing politicians are sounding the alarm over policies designed to make the military more diverse and welcoming. Their complaints sound similar to those put forward by military leaders and policymakers who fought against integrating the armyand whose concerns proved misguided and counterproductive. If history is a guide, their resistance to diversity efforts will damage military effectiveness and weaken the countrys armed forces. Mitchell Lerner is Professor of History and Faculty Fellow at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies at The Ohio State University. Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com. Officials are investigating after they say a beam collapsed at a hospital construction site in Indiana, leaving one man dead, news outlets reported. Officers were called just before 5 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, according to WTHR. They said one worker was killed in the collapse. Police say a piece of the old IU Health People Mover Tram System was found lying across the road, WXIN reported. The people mover closed in 2019, according to WISH. We are deeply saddened by the loss of this valued construction worker. We extend our condolences to the family and coworkers during this difficult time. A portion of the former people mover track collapsed while being removed this morning over 16th Street. What led to the collapse is being investigated, a statement from IU Health said, according to WISH. The identity of the construction worker killed in the collapse will be released once family is notified, the Marion County Coroners Office told WTHR. Worker who fell 50 feet to his death was given inaccurate safety info, feds say Company fined after 19-year-old worker dies in concrete mixer in Florida, OSHA says Contractor, a dad of two, is killed by bursting water pipe cap, Wisconsin cops say Conductor Zhang Jingbo performs with the Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra in Graz, Austria, Sept. 30, 2023. A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held here on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. (Xinhua/He Canling) A concert featuring traditional Chinese music was held in Graz, Austria, on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. During the over one-hour concert at Austria's second largest city, musicians from China's Nanjing University Traditional Chinese Orchestra performed more than 10 pieces of traditional Chinese folk music such as "Jasmine Flowers" and "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." Traditional Chinese musical instruments, such as erhu, bamboo flute and suona, were played by the musicians in the concert. The concert, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Graz, attracted an audience of hundreds of people. Chen Wanjie, the institute's director, said that music is a common language of human beings and the concert embodies the spirit of music without borders, adding that the event creates a festive atmosphere for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Crowds of residents near San Bernardino gathered to watch as a bear led officials on a chase through town Thursday night before it was tragically killed by a driver. The female bear was first spotted in a tree at Mary and Darby Streets in Muscoy, an area north of San Bernardino. News of the chase reached local residents, bringing out large crowds of bystanders hoping to catch a glimpse of the bear. It was just a really crazy day, said Briseida Perez, a Muscoy resident. The bear is between three and four years old, weighs between 250 and 300 pounds and is originally from Sierra Madre, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. After posting up in a tree in Muscoy Thursday morning around 7:30 a.m., she stayed there nearly all day. Bear on the run in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) A large crowd gathered to get a glimpse of a black bear that climbed a tree in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) Bear on the run in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) A large crowd gathered to get a glimpse of a black bear that climbed a tree in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) A black bear from east L.A. County showed up in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (OnScene.TV) The shape of a black bear can be seen from Sky5 as it hid in a tree in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) Bear on the run in Muscoy on Sept. 28, 2023. (KTLA) Kevin Howells and his counterparts with the Department of Fish and Wildlife stayed on the scene, hoping to safely tranquilize her. But the move was deemed too risky as tranquilizing her from such great heights could cause her to fall down and injure herself. After the dart had gone in, we could lose her in the dark and thats just not a risk were willing to take at that time, said Kevin Howells with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. So instead, officials decided to wait it out and let her come down on her own. Little did they know, the standoff would last from morning well into nightfall. Just before 7 p.m., the bear eventually got down from the tree and began running through the streets. At one point, she was seen scaling fences and jogging through residential neighborhoods. I guess she jumped the fence and people are obviously on the move trying to follow her and she got scared and then she jumped the fence again to come into the street and people were just running, Perez recalled. Perez lives just across the street from where the standoff took place. She said more than 100 people had gathered to watch the bear at the intersection that night. Anytime theyre around an animal in an area like that where it doesnt know where it is, it contributes to its stress and the large amounts of people and noise, Howells explained. Video shows the bear running through nearby properties Thursday night and not long after, officials said she was killed after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the 210 Freeway. Despite living in a high-stress environment, the bear had become habituated to roaming urban areas and traveling long distances, officials said. She originates from the foothills near Sierra Madre and had been caught and relocated to the San Gabriel Mountains above San Dimas. On Sunday, she was spotted in Rancho Cucamonga and captured and relocated again. But she continued down east and eventually made her way into Muscoy. I do think some people do not realize, just because youre not in the mountains, just because youre not up in the San Bernardinos or the San Gabriels, doesnt mean youre not in bear habitat, Howells said. You are. With so much wildlife around, it provides higher chances of the two habitats colliding. As animals will always be searching for food and water, neither humans nor bears are going anywhere anytime soon. They can, however, learn to peacefully coexist. The key for coexistence moving forward is for homeowners and residents in these foothill communities to be extremely diligent about securing any attractants or removing any scent that may bring a bear onto your property, Howells advised. Wildlife officials also want the public to stay indoors when a wildlife encounter happens in their community. Having large crowds around could spook the animals while making the task harder for wildlife officials to capture them. The National Park Service has a list of tips to stay safe when encountering bears. Some tips include talking calmly to the bear so it knows youre human and not prey, getting as big as possible, and remaining calm. You should never run from a bear or allow the bear to eat your food and never try to escape by climbing up a tree. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. Leon Bibb will talk about his 50-year-plus career in journalism during an interview Tuesday at Dan Lew Exchange. A veteran of the Cleveland news scene, Bibb will discuss the significance of being the first Black anchor in local television history as part of a Gravity Ohio Up Close & Personal presentation in the Kobacker Room, 28 N. Main St., from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Bibb has more than four decades of experience as a television journalist in Cleveland. He works as senior reporter and commentator for WKYC-TV3. Leon Bibb He began his Cleveland TV career at that NBC station in 1979, working for 16 years as a news anchor before moving to WEWS-TV5, where he served as a primetime anchor for 22 years. In retirement, Leon Bibb returned to WKYC, where he now hosts a weekly public affairs program and provides astute commentary for the newscasts. Before his career in Cleveland, Bibb worked for stations in Columbus and Toledo. Following his graduation from Bowling Green State University, he was a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. His career has taken him to thousands of local and national stories, including the Persian Gulf War, when he was an embedded journalist covering the Ohio-based U.S. Coast Guard unit deployed to the war. Bibb has interviewed Presidents Barack Obama and George H.W. Bush in the White House. He has also interviewed James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Nominated many times for Emmy awards, Bibb has received the prized statuette 10 times. He is a military veteran and served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement against hostile forces. In addition, Bibb is an accomplished poet, speaker and author and is working on a new book. Bibb is also an actor and has appeared in several local productions, one of which he also authored. Bibb has also served as a popular narrator with both the Cleveland Orchestra, the Akron Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, where he has performed historic works. He and his wife, Marguerite, live in suburban Cleveland. The evening will feature an audio-visual presentation and facilitated discussion led by Jay Fox. For seating reservations, call DLX at 419-522-7699. The event is free and open to the public. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Veteran Cleveland news anchor Leon Bibb speaking at DLX President Joe Biden slammed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans on Sunday, blaming them for bringing the country to the brink of crisis after Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown Saturday evening. Last night Congress passed the spending bill thats gonna keep the government open. And its good news for the American people because the government will not shut down and a needless crisis will have been averted saving millions, millions of Americans, needless pain, Biden said Sunday during a speech at the White House. The truth is we shouldnt be here in the first place. We shouldnt have gotten here in the first place. Its time to end governing by crisis, and keep your word when you give it in the Congress, Biden added, referencing a budget agreement he made with McCarthy in May. Congress managed to avert a government shutdown Saturday with an 11th-hour stopgap funding bill that will keep the government open for 45 days. After refusing for weeks to budge on negotiations over legislation to fund the government, McCarthy suddenly reversed course Saturday and called up a bill that abandoned the border policies and spending cuts he promised to include to appease conservative hard-liners. Biden signed the bill Saturday night, minutes before the midnight deadline. In the effort to avoid what could have been a disastrous government shutdown, Biden was forced to leave one of his top priorities, aid for Ukraine, in limbo. While the speaker and an overwhelming majority of the Congress have steadfastly supported Ukraine to defend itself against the aggression and brutality of the Russian attack on women and children, in addition to military in Ukraine, there is no Ukrainian funding in this agreement, Biden said on Sunday. Despite that, I did not believe we could let a million Americans go through the pain of a government shutdown. But lets be clear. I hope my friends on the other side keep their word about support for Ukraine. On Saturday, a White House official told POLITICO that they expect McCarthy to bring a separate bill to the floor for funding to Ukraine shortly. U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law averting a government shutdown that was set for midnight, according to the White House. The law will keep the government open for the next 47 days. Biden said that although the bill does not include financial assistance for Ukraine, he expects Speaker Kevin McCarthy "will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden concluded in a statement. Since January 2021, the U.S. has invested more than $44.5 billion in security assistance to to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes more than $43.9 billion since Russias launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Following a passage of a bill to avoid a government shutdown, top U.S. Senate leaders issued a rare bipartisan statement affirming their commitment to Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and representatives of the appropriations committees said they expect the Senate will work "to ensure the U.S. government continues to provide critical and sustained security and economic support for Ukraine." Read also: US House of Representatives passes funding bill to avoid government shutdown Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Biden on Sunday expressed exasperation with Republicans in Congress after lawmakers narrowly averted a government shutdown and said he hoped the drama of the last few weeks has led Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to a personal revelation. Folks, the truth is we shouldnt have gotten here in the first place. Its time to end governing by crisis and keep your word when you give it in the Congress, Biden said at the White House after signing a temporary government funding bill late Saturday. Biden referred to the near government shutdown as a manufactured crisis caused by Republicans refusing to honor an agreement struck with the White House in May that outlined spending levels as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling. Im sick and tired of the brinkmanship. And so are the American people, Biden said. Ive been doing this, you all point it out to me a lot, a long time. Ive never quite seen a Republican Congress or any Congress act like this. The House and Senate cleared a clean stopgap spending bill Saturday, averting a government shutdown and capping off a chaotic three weeks in the Capitol that brought Washington hours away from a lapse in funding. The continuing resolution funds the government at current spending levels until Nov. 17 and provides $16 billion in disaster relief. It does not include any funding for Ukraine which the White House and Democrats sought or GOP provisions addressing border security, two items that had been central to government funding fights of the past month. Biden on Sunday urged lawmakers to maintain Americas commitment to assisting Ukraine, which has received billions of dollars in military and financial support since Russia launched an unprovoked invasion in early 2022. The president said he hoped to see congressional leaders bring Ukraine funding up for a vote now that the government funding fight has passed. Although the Speaker and an overwhelming majority of Congress have steadfastly supported Ukraine to defend itself against the aggression and brutality of the Russians attacks on women and children in addition to the military in Ukraine, theres no Ukraine funding in this agreement. Despite that, I did not believe we could let millions of Americans go through the pain of a government shutdown, Biden said. But lets be clear: I hope my friends on the other side keep their word about support for Ukraine, Biden continued. They said they were going to support Ukraine in a separate vote. We cannot let, under any circumstance let American support for Ukraine be interrupted. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Joe Biden has warned that conservative rebels "will be back again" to try thwart the next funding deal after Congress voted to pass a stopgap bill to keep the government funded, avoiding a shutdown with just hours until the deadline. The last few days and weeks extreme MAGA Republicans tried to walk away from that deal, Biden said Sunday at a news conference at the White House. Voting for deep, lasting spending cuts from 30 to 80% that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. It failed again, it failed again, and we stopped it, he added. But Im under no illusions that theyll be back again. Asked by a reporter whether he trusts House Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., to uphold his word about an agreement, Biden said: We just made one about Ukraine. So well find out. I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality," he said. After his remarks, a spokesperson for McCarthy said in a statement: Speaker McCarthy has been clear and consistent: we have an obligation to fix the crisis at the border and to ensure any request for further aid to Ukraine is matched with a sound strategy and accountability. The House will continue to discuss these challenges in the weeks to come. Congress passed a short-term bill to keep the government open Saturday night. The legislation, which keeps the government funded at current levels through Nov. 17 and authorizes additional disaster relief money, allows Congress more time to reach a funding agreement for the full year. However, it left out aid to Ukraine after McCarthy removed the provision from the bipartisan Senate bill, saying it should be considered separately later. Before the bill passed, McCarthy announced he would drop Republicans demands for spending cuts and policy provisions about immigration to clear the way for a quick House vote on a clean stopgap bill. A group of 21 conservative rebels, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted against Republicans 30-day funding bill to keep the government open Friday. The rebels demanded the House pass all 12 appropriations bills with significant spending cuts before it holds negotiations on funding with the Democratic-controlled Senate. McCarthy said Saturday he had no choice but to leave out Republicans demands after conservative rebels tanked his funding bill. In addition to Gaetz, the Republicans who voted against McCarthys short-term funding bill included Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane and Paul Gosar of Arizona; Lauren Boebert and Ken Buck, both of Colorado; Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia; Tim Burchett and Andy Ogles, both of Tennessee; Alex Mooney, who is running for the Senate in West Virginia; Matt Rosendale, who is running for the Senate in Montana; and Nancy Mace, who represents a swing district in South Carolina. All of them also voted against the continuing resolution that passed Saturday night. Gaetz said Sunday that he plans to file a motion this week to oust McCarthy as speaker for working with Democrats to pass the stopgap measure. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com You got rain Saturday. Or you didnt. Depends on where in Stanislaus County you reside. The Modesto Irrigation District, which collects weather data at its office in downtown Modesto and at the Modesto Reservoir, had no measurable precipitation Saturday. But at the Modesto Airport, the National Weather Service recorded .03 inches, a meteorologist at the NWS office in Sacramento told The Bee on Sunday. Residents in north Modesto got significantly more than that, though no official measurement was available Sunday. In Oakdale, where data is collected near the Oak Valley Hospital District, 0.10 inches was measured, the NWS meteorologist said, and in Riverbank, near Jacob Myers Park, half an inch fell. For some context, the most rain recorded by the Modesto Irrigation District on a Sept. 30 was 0.38 inches in 1983. In 1919, 0.20 inches fell. But in nearly every other year, almost no rain fell on that date. No rain is in the weather services seven-day forecast for Modesto. The week ahead will have clear skies and steadily rising temperatures including a string of unseasonably warm days. Monday is expected to near 77 degrees, which is lower than the Oct. 2 historical average of 82 degrees. Tuesday should near 81, just a degree below average. The anticipated highs of 85 on Wednesday and 98 on Thursday are above the historical average of 82 degrees for both those dates. Friday is expected to reach near 89 degrees, and Saturday near 90. The average for both those dates is 81. Oh, and the highest temperatures recorded for Saturdays date, Oct. 7? In 1980 and again in 1996, it reached 96 degrees., aqccording to MID. The Weather Channels forecast for Modesto at Weather.com extends beyond the NWS forecast and says highs in the low 90s could continue through Sunday, Oct. 8 before dropping off sharply to the low 80s. Iris Mogul yearned for a space in South Florida where she could indulge in discussions about the written word with like-minded people. Thats when the 16-year-old came up with a bright idea: start a group that meets at once a month at Books & Books in Coral Gables. The books they dissect in the meetings, however, have been banned. Iris Mogul, a high school student who started a banned books club, is photographed with one of her favorite books during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com It was kind of like a double whammy because its like an act of resistance... and its a way to start a book club and talk to people, said Mogul, a student a dual enrollment program at Florida International University. As part of Floridas expanded Parental Rights in Education law, one parent or community member can object to instructional material or a school library book. The law, signed in May, requires the book or materials to be removed within five days of the objection and remain unavailable to students until the issue is resolved. More books were pulled from shelves in Florida public schools than in any other state last school year. READ MORE: Book bans are growing in South Florida schools. Youve probably read some of these books Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of United Teacher of Dade, center, leads in chanting slogans against book banning as marchers arrive at Book & Books during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com Mogul was one of dozens of people who gathered to protest censorship at the bookstore Sunday afternoon. The crowd marched from the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ, where Pastor Laurie Hafners message to her congregation weaved together faith and the impact of book bans across the country. Books bans, Hafner said, are a threat to society and spirituality because they limit peoples ability to learn about the diverse nature of God through other human beings. Signs outside the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ say A Sanctuary for Banned Books and All Are Welcome during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Grethel Aguila Its far too often about racism, misogyny, homophobia and classicism. Its about concealing painful truths and the whitewashing of American history, Hafner said during the service. It is about denying our young people the God-given right to think critically, and in turn, to develop empathy. In Florida, the freedom to read is under attack, said Mitchell Kaplan, the owner of Books & Books. Thats why Kaplan turned to the Coral Gables church, which calls itself a sanctuary for banned books, to kick off Banned Books Week. Books & Books owner Mitchell Kaplan sits near empty book shelves to illustrate the effects of Floridas book ban during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com Reading is all about empathy, Kaplan said. Its all about learning ones history and the history of others. If you attempt to restrict that, what youre doing is... whitewashing history in a way that doesnt allow young people to really understand both the beauty of this democracy that we live in, as well as all of the things we need to do to make it even better. Mayade Ersoff, a history teacher at Palmetto Middle School, said she joined the march so that her students and future generations have the opportunity to read the same books that she did. New learners are going to learn lies about our history, and I refuse to do that, Ersoff said. I refuse to push lies on my students. Thats not what I was hired for. Thats not what teaching and learning is about. Books covered with brown paper are displayed with titles and reasons for their banning during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com When Hedieh Sepehri noticed books were under attack, she decided to act even though her children are no longer in the public school system. She founded the coalition Families Against Banning Books to speak out for those who couldnt. For Sepehri, book bans are about more than books or their messages. Its about rewriting history, Sepehri said. Its about censorship. Its about control. Its about misogyny and sexism and racism. Educator Nancy St. Leger, left, and author Rebekah Shoaf, right, check out some of the banned books displayed during the Walk for Freadom kickoff event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. The march began at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ and ended at Books & Books. Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com Zions Bank President CEO Scott Anderson shows signatures of Brigham Young and other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a bank ledger that is at the corporate offices in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Following the end of the Civil War, the U.S. banking system was growing by leaps and bounds fueled by industrialists who saw opportunity in the westward expansion and emerging transcontinental railroad systems that would connect new territories with the established businesses, and population, east of the Mississippi. But then, as now, financial speculation in new technologies was rife with risk and not immune from financial turmoil outside the borders of the still expanding Union. Ahead of the financial panic of 1873, a European stock market crash led to a mass capital exodus led by overseas investors who sank money into U.S. railroad bonds, once highly profitable investment vehicles, that were beginning to ebb in value as newly built railroad infrastructure outpaced demand. In the summer of 1873, months ahead of an event that would mark the start of a full-blown U.S. financial crisis, President Brigham Young of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called a meeting of local leaders to discuss organizing a new savings bank, a local institution that would create a financial safe haven for residents, many of whom had trekked into the Utah Territory during the previous 26 years. Just over a month after that first meeting, on Aug. 6, 1873, Articles of Association were filed to create Zions Savings Bank and Trust Company and a few weeks later the Deseret News reported on President Youngs optimistic outlook for the new endeavor. It will be found of considerable advantage to those who wish to save money for the emigration of their friends, as the interest is large and sums as low as $1.00 will be received, which, if continually added to, will soon reach a considerable amount, and the depositors will hardly miss the money, President Young said, according to a Deseret News story published on Aug. 22, 1873. Signatures of Brigham Young and other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a bank ledger at the Zions Bank corporate offices in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Related That early confidence would turn out to be well-founded as Zions Bank and Trust, which officially opened for business on Oct. 1, 1873, would outlast most of its competitors of the era and this year will celebrate its 150th anniversary. The beginning Just a couple of weeks before the new bank opened its doors, in a turn of events that had a lot in common with the recent failures of U.S. banks over-leveraged in tech investments, the Philadelphia-based bank Jay Cooke & Co. was caught by a depositor run and overextension in railroad bonds that would lead to its failure. Subsequently, hundreds of businesses and banks would shutter their operations, tens of thousands lost their jobs and a period of national financial distress, now referred to as the Long Depression, would last until 1877. But Zions Bank and Trust would weather that storm, and many others, on its way to growing into regional banking powerhouse Zions Bancorporation, a multibrand financial institution that now boasts more than 400 branches across 11 Western states. Zions Bank is a division of Zions Bancorporation. The secret to its longevity and success? Bank leaders say its all about staying true to the companys humble roots even as it has become one of the leading financial institutions in the country. I think it goes back to the concept that we have always believed banking is a local business, said Zions Bank President/CEO Scott Anderson in a Deseret News interview. As weve grown its been community-by-community and weve prioritized ties to those communities and personal relationships with every customer. Anderson said Zions has expanded its depth and breadth as a company in lockstep with the growth of Utah and the West and its history can be viewed in two distinctive periods. Zions Savings Bank and Trust, pictured in this interior photo of Zions Savings Bank and Trust Company, now Zions Bank, in the late 1800s. In the right foreground is Bernhard Schettler, who was appointed assistant cashier by Brigham Young in 1873. | Zions Bank Then Zions Bank President Roy Simmons, left, with Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President David O. McKay and his wife, Sister Emma Ray McKay, at the opening of the Kennecott Building (now the Zions Bank Building) in 1965. | Zions Bank Bank employees and customers celebrate the opening of the Zions branch at 400 South and 700 East in Salt Lake City in 1964. | Zions Bank The Kennecott Building vault, pictured in the1960s. The circular teller counter in the Kennecott Building was an innovative feature, with a round stainless steel vault in the center of the banking floor. The building was Utahs most modern and technologically advanced office building when it opened. | Zions Bank For its first 87 years, the bank was owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in those decades the banks story closely paralleled the growth of the church, Anderson said. Up until 1957, the bank had a succession of nontraditional bank presidents all of them leaders of the church. The appointment as bank president was generally a lifetime position for them, corresponding with their tenure as church president. Second act In 1960, a group of investors led by Roy W. Simmons bought out the churchs majority ownership of the bank. This, Anderson said, began the banks modern era and marked the beginning of a period of rapid expansion. Simmons took on the role of chief executive in 1964 and two years later the company went public in a stock offering that helped raise capital to fuel growth and created a new parent entity that would become Zions Bancorporation. At the time Simmons acquired the bank, it was comprised of four branches and offices in Salt Lake City with total assets of around $120 million. By 1970, it had grown to 25 branches throughout the state and boasted assets of $300 million. That was also the year Roy Simmons son, Harris, started his first job at the bank, working part time filing canceled checks. Harris Simmons would continue putting in his time at the family business, working when time allowed during his undergraduate years at the University of Utah. Harris Simmons would pursue postgraduate work outside of the state, earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 1981, he was back, taking on the role of chief financial officer for Zions Bancorporation. And, nine years later, he took over the CEO helm from his father. In his leadership role, Harris Simmons continued the expansion arc begun by his father. He noted changes in federal banking regulations in the 1980s that helped open new opportunities to expand across Western states. Right now, Zions Bancorporation manages some $90 billion in assets. In a Deseret News interview, Harris Simmons said that early on in the banks history, President Young predicted that Zions Bank and Trust would eventually expand throughout the Utah territory, an area whose borders encompassed most of Utah, Nevada and parts of California, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado and California. As it turns out, thats exactly what would come to pass, and then some. Zions Bancorperation Chairman and CEO Harris Simmons poses for photos in his office in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News As the bank has expanded its scope, Harris Simmons noted the world of modern banking has also become a business driven by technology, and Zions Bancorporation has invested heavily, devoting some $400 million per year to its technology infrastructure and staffing. So much of the transactional part of the business is taking place via phones, devices and the internet, Harris Simmons said. Were intent on, and committed to, doing that well. While the speed and ease of electronic transacting continues to reshape the banking world, Harris Simmons said the business remains a people-centric effort and underscored that each branch, and the people who work there, build connections that go beyond banking and financial services. We are the steward of many billions of dollars of savings that belong to many, many individuals and businesses in the markets we serve, Harris Simmons said. Were employing those savings in investments in those communities, investments that make them better places to live. And, our people are highly engaged in terms of being involved in the communities where they live and work. The most appealing part of the banking business to me is were in a position to use a balance sheet as well as our people to solve problems. And we hope weve been a real contributor over the years and will be for many years to come. Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson shows a gift that he received from members of the Navajo Nation that he has on display in his office in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Small banks on display in the office of Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson points out different small banks he has on display in his office in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Small banks on display in the office of Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News A quote from bank founder Brigham Young is displayed on a wall at the Zions Bank location in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Zions Bank in downtown Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The total amount of European Union's aid to Ukraine has reached 85 billion euros, Josep Borrell , the EU's high representative for foreign policy and security, said at a press conference during his visit to Kyiv on Oct. 1, according to the Ukrainian public broadcaster, Suspilne. The sum includes 25 billion euros in military aid and 60 billion euros in humanitarian aid. Borrell added that he held "a constructive meeting" with the recently appointed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, during which they discussed the country's urgent military needs, such as ammunition and training of Ukrainian soldiers. "It has been a meeting to identify the priorities with the defense minister. To tell him what we are doing and what more we could do," Borrell said. The day before, on Sept. 30, EU chief diplomat Borrell visited the Ukrainian southern city of Odesa, which he said "should be in the headlines for its vibrant culture spirit, but instead marks the news as frequent target of (Vladimir) Putin's war." "The EU stands with Ukraine for as long as it takes," Borrell said in a video recorded in Odesa's Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, which was heavily damaged by a Russian missile in July. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Biden says American support for Ukraine cant be allowed to be interrupted Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A man wanted in Brazil on a criminal charge related to homicide was captured Thursday in Edgartown, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement statement on Friday. Deportation officers from the agency's Boston-based fugitive operations team, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection air and marine officials and Edgartown police detectives, arrested the 31-year-old Brazilian national. The arrest of this Brazilian noncitizen demonstrates our commitment to prioritizing enforcement and removal efforts against unlawfully present noncitizens who are wanted for crimes in their home countries, said Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons in the statement. The statement does not identify the man. Edgartown Police Chief Bruce McNamee was not immediately available on Sunday for comment. The man first entered the United States without documentation as a minor on Dec. 5, 2007 and was apprehended by border patrol, according to the statement. He was ordered removed by a federal immigration judge on June 17, 2008. The man appealed but was ordered to leave on Jan. 15, 2009. The man left the U.S. on Aug. 14, 2009, but came back at an unknown time, according to the statement. He will remain in custody pending his removal from the U.S., the agency stated. Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz. Gain access to premium Cape Cod Times content by subscribing. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Man facing criminal charge in Brazil arrested in Edgartown, feds say Recent studies suggest Black women may need to begin breast cancer screenings earlier and that a commonly used crucial genomic test is inaccurate for Black patients. Until recently, the standard advice has been that women should begin screening for breast cancer in their 50s and that they should adopt their own personal exam regime. A recent study by a team of international researchers has found that women, particularly Black women, should start screening for the disease even sooner, and physicians are advising away from self-exams. These are just two of the latest pieces of information to come about this year concerning Black women and breast cancer. In September, new research found that a common genomic test for breast cancer patients that tests their potential reoccurrence rate of the disease may be failing Black women. New research pertaining to Black women and breast cancer reveals how complex the disease is. (Photo credit: Adobe Stock/Andrey Popov) When breast cancer remains the most common type of cancer to inflict women and Black women (who develop the disease at a rate of 4% less than white women) have a 41% higher death rate for the disease, this Breast Cancer Month is an urgent reminder of the diseases complexities and nuances, especially regarding race and ethnicity. In April, the study by the international team of researchers published in JAMA Network Open titled Race and EthnicityAdjusted Age Recommendation for Initiating Breast Cancer Screening suggested that Black women start screening for breast cancer around the age of 42. Researchers analyzed data from 415,277 U.S. women who succumbed to the disease between 2011 and 2020, discovering that a certain risk level of the disease typically observed in patients in their 50s and older begins in some Black women closer to age 42. This study confirms what some physicians have already been advising. During last years Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when Dr. Tracy-Ann Moo, a breast surgical oncologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, spoke to theGrio, she said its crucial to begin screening at the right age. For most women who are what we describe as average risk for breast cancer, its starting at 40 its basically a mammogram or an ultrasound yearly starting at 40, Moo said. Moo added that its best to begin screenings ten years before your familys earliest breast cancer diagnosis. If your grandmother was diagnosed in her 40s, you should start screening in your 30s. The oncologist also said that instead of adopting a strict self-exam regime, physicians are encouraging breast self-awareness. She emphasized the importance of regular screenings. Its really just being more aware of your breasts and how your breasts feel, she said. While women should still monitor their breasts and body, self-exams arent advised anymore because they have been disproven to prevent cancer-related deaths, Dr. Trisha Pasricha wrote in a column in the Washington Post. Trischa Pasricha, a gastroenterologist and lead clinical of the Massachusetts General Hospital Parkinsons Disease Gastrointestinal Clinic, explained that in 2009 the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) officially recommended against teaching breast self-exams. Self-exams were a practice that had been widely touted in public health campaigns for years before the guidelines. Those decades-old campaigns are ingrained into many of our memories, Pasricha said. I recall cards in the locker rooms at the gym growing up that instructed women on breast self-exam technique. She added, So it may come as a surprise that theyre no longer recommended. Beyond detection, new research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has revealed an early-stage breast cancer genomic test is failing some Black women. According to Stat News, the test analyzes 21 genes in a patients tumor to determine the risk of returning. The risk score gained from this test guides treatment recommendations, including whether to prescribe chemotherapy. While the story of modern medicine is constantly changing, one preventive method remains the same. Moo to Parischa to many other physicians and experts, the prevailing advice is to know your familys medical history. Knowing your family history of breast cancer and other medical complications can better equip you with a plan of action. Kay Wicker Kay Wicker is a lifestyle writer for theGrio covering health, wellness, travel, beauty, fashion, and the myriad ways Black people live and enjoy their lives. She has previously created content for magazines, newspapers, and digital brands. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrios Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to Writing Black with Maiysha Kai. The post As Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, heres what Black women need to know now appeared first on TheGrio. UK's Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps said he plans to send British troops into Ukraine. He told the Telegraph he aims to get military training "closer and actually into" the country. Ukraine relies on international allies for training and equipment as Russia's invasion drags on. UK troops may deploy into Ukraine for the first time to train soldiers as on-the-ground training efforts ramp up between the war torn country and its international allies. Grant Shapps, UK's Secretary of State for Defence, said in an interview with The Telegraph he was discussing a plan to mobilize British troops with his military chiefs. "I was talking today about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well," Shapps told the outlet. "Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things 'in country'." The plan, as stated, marks a dramatic shift from the UK and other allies' previous avoidance of implementing a formal military presence in the region to avoid direct conflict with Russia. In addition to offering training on the ground in Ukraine, Shapps said British defense companies like BAE Systems are moving manufacturing into the country. It's something he hopes to see more British companies do, as well. "I'm keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing," Shapps said, per The Telegraph. "So I think there will be a move to get more training and production in the country." Shapps also floated the idea of the British Navy aiding Ukraine in the Black Sea. "We've seen in the last month or so, developments really the first since 2014 in the Black Sea, in Crimea and Britain is a naval nation so we can help and we can advise, particularly since the water is international water," Shapps told The Telegraph, adding that he had discussed the plan with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week. He continued: "It's important that we don't allow a situation to establish by default that somehow international shipping isn't allowed in that water. So I think there's a lot of places where Britain can help advise." Representatives for Ukraine's Ministry of Defence and the office of Grant Shapps did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider. While Ukraine has relied on its international allies for military training, equipment, and humanitarian aid as Russia's invasion of the country drags into its 19th month, officials outside of Ukraine have been reluctant to deploy troops into the country for fear of escalating the existing conflict. The US has mobilized roughly 4,000 troops to defend the NATO states bordering Ukraine and has offered military training on US soil but has stopped short of directly deploying squadrons to fight in Ukraine, though a small number of special operations forces are stationed at the embassy in Kyiv to aid in intelligence missions, according to ABC News. Earlier this month, NBC News reported Pentagon officials began debating whether or not to bring US troops stationed on Ukraine's borders home or replace them with new soldiers. Read the original article on Business Insider In the summer of 2022, 49-year-old soldier Ihor Bilokonenko was seriously injured in a Russian attack. The Ministry of Health said that the shrapnel had passed through his bulletproof vest, pierced his lung and got stuck in his spine. Ihor was lucky that the bullet did not hit his heart. However, he completely lost the ability to walk. When Ihor was admitted to rehabilitation, he had to relearn basic things, including how to sit. "As strange as it may sound, his first motivation to move despite the pain was his addiction to smoking. It was because of this habit that he quickly learned to move from a hospital bed to a wheelchair," the Ministry of Health says. After a year of rehabilitation, Ihor managed to regain the ability to walk. He himself said that what he remembers most from this time is the feeling of the first muscle working in his leg. Now, Ihor dreams of riding a bike again. After rehabilitation, he plans to return to the driving school where he used to teach. Ihor Bilokonenko first came to defend his homeland in 2014. When the full-scale invasion began, he volunteered for the Armed Forces. Ihor says that in 2014, he went through a lot of pain, so a full-scale war did not scare him he was ready for it mentally and physically. Ihor admits that what impressed him most at the front was the determination of his brothers-in-arms. In his opinion, it is such unbreakable people who bring Ukraine's victory closer every day. Background: Earlier, Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia (Life) wrote an article about the rehabilitation of a defender who almost lost his leg after being wounded in the fighting in Bakhmut. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Theres just a few weeks left before the tax filing deadline for those in most of California. Heres what you should know to avoid any tax penalties. What happened? The IRS gave most people and businesses in California (as well as parts of Alabama and Georgia) a six-month extension on filing federal tax returns the state soon followed suit because of the 2022 to 2023 winter storms. Previously, the IRS pushed the deadline to May 15 from the original April 18. The deadline now is Oct. 16. As communities across the state continue recovering from the damage caused by the winter storms, California is working swiftly to help recovering Californians get back on their feet, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a March news release announcing the extension. What areas and tax returns are eligible? Fifty-five of Californias 58 counties except Lassen, Modoc and Shasta are eligible for the extended deadline. If you live in any of the affected counties, you dont have to prove your eligibility; its automatic. You need to file and pay on time to avoid penalties. Eligible returns and payments include the following: 2022 individual income tax returns and payments normally due on April 18. For eligible taxpayers, 2022 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts. Quarterly estimated tax payments normally due on April 18, June 15 and Sept. 15. Calendar-year 2022 partnership and S corporation returns normally due on March 15. Calendar-year 2022 corporate and fiduciary income tax returns and payments normally due on April 18. Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on May 1 and July 31. Calendar-year 2022 returns filed by tax-exempt organizations normally due on May 15. What about penalties? If you file and pay on time, you wont face tax penalties. Typically, youll face penalties when you do one of the following, according to the Franchise Tax Board: Dont file on time Dont pay on time Dont pay enough estimated tax Dont have enough taxes withheld from your paycheck Dont pay electronically when youre required Make a dishonored payment (bounced check, insufficient funds) For example: If you file late or dont file, you could be hit with a penalty of 5% of the amount due from the original due date and, after applying any payments or credits made on or before the original due date of your tax return, for each month or part of a month unpaid. If you pay late or dont pay, you could be charged 5% of the unpaid tax and .5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of the month that it isnt paid. How do you claim a disaster loss on your taxes? You can claim a disaster loss when filing either an original or amended tax year 2022 return. When filing online, youll use the disaster code from the list of disasters for California, according to the Franchise Tax Board. If filing on paper, youll need to print the following information in blue or black ink on the top of your return: Disaster Name of disaster from the list of disasters The year the loss occurred For example, that would look like this: Disaster Camp Fire 2018. Youll also need to include a statement that includes the date of the disaster, the location of the disaster (including the city, county, and state) and your decision to deduct the loss in the taxable year before the year the disaster occurred (this last part is optional). Youll need copies of these federal forms: A completed federal Casualties and Thefts Form 4684 A copy of your federal income tax return Any supporting federal schedules that verify your deduction You may also need to provide the following California forms: For more information, visit the Franchise Tax Boards website. What is The Sum? The Sum is your friendly guide to personal finance and economic news. Were a team of McClatchy journalists cutting through the financial jargon so you know how these issues impact your life. We verify information from diverse sources and keep the facts front-and-center, making finance and economic news add up for you. Ready to take the first step to getting your finances under control? You can sign up for our five-week budgeting newsletter at thesum.news. ANAHEIM, Calif. California Republicans on Saturday swiftly shut down a proposal that would have cut opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage from their platform, frustrating centrist members who had hoped a moderate approach would increase their chances of success in a state where they are continually falling behind. The measure, which was voted down at the partys fall convention, comes as Republicans prepare for an election cycle where theyll need to defend members in purple districts or else risk losing control of the House and Kevin McCarthy as speaker. Charles Moran, chair of the LGBTQ group Log Cabin Republicans, said the decision will hamstring Californias Republican Party. "They refuse to let us be competitive," Moran said of conservative members. "They want to fight about battles that the Supreme Court and the Legislature have already fought." The draft put forth by Moran and others would have also shrunk the platform from 14 pages to four and focused on what proponents said are the issues that Republicans are winning on in California like homelessness and public safety. After the drafting committee gave first-round approval to the changes earlier this summer, conservative delegates launched a counter-campaign, submitting more than 100 amendments ahead of the convention this weekend and sending email blasts asking members to reject the watered-down principals. The vote on Saturday, which was closed to the press, came swiftly and without any debate on the draft or the amendments, according to members who attended. After the committee voted to keep the existing platform, delegates broke out in cheers that could be heard in the hallway, and came out of the committee trading high-fives and hugs. Among those who voted to reject the more moderate platform was Fred Whitaker, chair of the Republican Party of Orange County, where three GOP candidates are facing tight races next year. They include Reps. Michelle Steel and Young Kim, and former state legislator Scott Baugh, who is making another run at Democratic Rep. Katie Porters purple district after narrowly losing in 2022. When asked if candidates need to moderate themselves to win those Orange County districts, Whitaker said "absolutely not." "We won with Michelle Steel and Young Kim in 2020, a very challenging election cycle for Republicans," he said, noting that Kim and Steel are conservative on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage and still won in Democratic-leaning districts. Not every candidate is going to believe 100 percent in everything in the platform, Whitaker added. The candidate decides for themselves what are the issues that they're going to focus on for their campaign to connect with voters. The tension over the platform changes highlights the partys continued struggle to gain power in deep-blue California. Centrist members argue that the adherence to culture war issues is an unnecessary distraction that hangs heavily around the necks of Republican candidates who run in liberal districts. "If you have the R next to your name, [voters] can't imagine that you're actually interested in creating a system of two rational parties, said Ted Stroll, a Republican running in Assembly District 25, which includes San Jose and is represented by progressive Democrat Ash Kalra. "It's not all a bunch of people who think that Covid is a hoax, that Biden was defeated, that the military are actually in charge, that the lizard people are ruling from underground," Stroll said of the Republican party. "The lunatics do not always have to prevail." Party leadership, including Chair Jessica Millan Patterson, avoided publicly taking sides in the fight. Harmeet Dhillon, the RNC committee member for California, was among those leading the charge against the platform changes, which she called a pale, pastel and filtered version of party principals. The platform isnt meant to appeal to all voters, Dhillon argues, and changing it could alienate the loyal foot soldiers of the party who will provide their time to knock doors, collect ballots and register voters. We need to focus on drawing distinctions with the left not stoke divisions within our base, Dhillon said in a statement. (Reuters) - California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday vetoed a bill that would have paid unemployment benefits to striking workers, and had drawn strong support from labor unions and from his fellow Democrats in the state legislature. In rejecting the bill, Newsom noted that the state's unemployment trust fund is already nearing $20 billion in debt. "Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt," he wrote in a message explaining his veto. The Democratic-majority legislature passed the bill in September amid several high-profile strikes. Hollywood writers ended their nearly five-month walkout 12 days later but Hollywood actors remain out on the picket lines. Southern California hotel workers are also on strike. The bill would have made workers out on strike for at least two weeks eligible for unemployment checks. The vast majority of states, with the exception of New York and New Jersey, do not offer unemployment benefits to striking workers. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Edmund Klamann) Domestic workers march through the Capitol Annex Swing Space office building in Sacramento in August. Newsom vetoed a bill that would have granted them safety protections. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California's housekeepers and nannies won't get workplace safety protections, after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill on Saturday that would have included the industry in labor laws already granted to other workers. The decision is a major loss for unions and immigrant rights advocates who have fought for years for regulation of an industry dominated by women of color who have reported injuries on the job but are exempt from Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules. Newsom said that although he is "committed to the well-being of domestic workers," private households cannot be regulated in the same way that businesses are. Under this legislation, private households would be required to provide eyewash stations if workers use bleach and could face fines up to $15,000 per safety violation. "The households that employ domestic workers include middle- and low-income families and older Californians who require daily assistance, ranging from personal care to home cleaning to childcare," he said in a veto message Saturday. "I am particularly concerned given that approximately 44% of the households that employ domestic workers are low-income themselves, that this bill creates severe cost burdens and penalties for many people who cannot afford them." This is the second time Newsom has vetoed proposed safety regulations for domestic workers such as housecleaners and caretakers, citing similar privacy and liability concerns about enforcement in 2020. The California Domestic Workers Coalition had ratcheted up the pressure this time around, protesting in Sacramento armed with brooms and dusters. Just this week, Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry and renowned labor activist Dolores Huerta joined in calls for Newsom to "do the right thing." Read more: Arthritis from scrubbing, asthma from chemicals. California housekeepers want in on OSHA protections Saturday's veto comes despite a recommendation from a statewide advisory committee to end the 50-year Cal/OSHA exclusion of domestic workers an omission that advocates say is rooted in sexist and racist policies dating back to slavery. That committee made up of private employers, workers, advocates and health and safety experts was created by legislation that Newsom signed in 2021 as part of a promise to continue working on a solution. Voluntary industry guidelines were created by the committee to prevent slips and trips, injuries from lifting heavy items and allergic reactions and occupational asthma from chemicals in cleaning products. A report by the UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program in 2020 found that 85% of domestic workers surveyed experienced musculoskeletal injuries, and that many common injuries could be avoided with regulatory protections such as use of proper equipment such as long-handled tools to limit bending and reaching. The bill by state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) had a long list of supporters, including SEIU California, the California Immigrant Policy Center and the Legislative Womens Caucus, and no official opposition. But it was expected to cost at least $42 million annually at a time when the state is facing a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Im deeply disappointed that the Governor does not recognize the inherent worth and dignity of the women who care for our homes and families by vetoing SB 686," Durazo said in a statement. "That measure would have insured that domestic workers have the same occupational health and safety protections enjoyed by all other workers in California. Nancy Zuniga, a program manager for the immigrant nonprofit Instituto de Education Popular del Sur de California, advocated for the bill. Read more: News Analysis: Labor unions win big in California Legislature as hot labor summer drags into fall She remembers watching her mother, pregnant with her little sister, slip and nearly fall while mopping someone else's floor as she tagged along on a cleaning job when she was just 6 years old. Her life was so shaped by her mother's domestic work that she was named "Nancy" after one of the employers she nannied for. At a march in Sacramento last month, Zuniga joined housekeepers and nannies in rallying for safety protections. Some brought their children along just as her mother did. Zuniga's mother is still cleaning houses at 63, but Zuniga hopes she can retire one day. "If we don't protect domestic workers, what condition will she be in when she reaches that moment?," she said. "A lot of them will do this until they pass." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A former San Francisco Republican official who claimed to be a victim of the #MeToo movement has been accused of dismembering his fiancee. On 6 September, Alameda, California, officials arrested the 42-year-old Navy veteran Joseph C Roberts after DNA evidence from the autopsy of Rachel Elizabeth Imani Buckner, 27, allegedly pointed in his direction. Earlier this summer, Buckners remains were found inside a bag along the shoreline near the Bay Farm Island bridge, authorities announced in a press release. Buckners body, which was missing its head, hands and feet, was found wrapped in black trash bags and duct tape, according to the Mercury News, which reviewed court documents. Related: California will track violent deaths of LGBTQ+ people in nationwide first On 30 August, following further DNA examinations, Robertss DNA was reportedly found on the duct tape and trash bags. A week later, police appeared at an apartment in Pleasanton where Roberts and Buckner lived. Roberts, a Georgia native, attended Savannah State University in 2009. Years later, he claimed in several interviews that he had been wrongly accused of sexual harassment and suspended from the university. Robertss claims were touted by Donald Trumps former education secretary Betsy DeVos , who in 2020 rolled back Obama-era guidance on campus sexual assault, which gave further protection to those accused. In a 2020 op-ed in USA Today, Roberts said that his story followed what I have since learned in an all-too-familiar pattern for the falsely accused: isolation from friends and family, loss of reputation, depression, substance abuse, suicide attempt. He echoed similar sentiments in an interview released in 2020 with The Exceptional Conservative Show, in which he said: They said things like they were afraid for their lives It was just total lies. That year, Roberts launched a campaign for a Republican party committee seat in his district, which he won. He vowed to support the local police department and called himself a law-and-order candidate. He also said he successfully advocated for equal treatment and due process for those affected by inequitable Title IX campus disciplinary processes. Following reports of Robertss alleged involvement in Buckners death, many people online were quick to point out what they felt was the glaring hypocrisy of the situation. Will there come a day when we and our mothers, daughters, and sisters no longer have to live with the understanding that we are prey? one person wrote. Someone else wrote, This guy was poster boy for Betsy DeVoss pushback against the Me Too movement influencing colleges and universities to establish sexual assault programs. Addressing DeVos, another person said, You defended Joseph Roberts as a victim, falsely accused of sexual assault Now hes been arrested for killing another a woman. Former education secretary Betsy DeVos in 2020 rolled back guidance on campus sexual assault, giving further protection to those accused. Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP A GoFundMe page set up for Buckner said that she went to Golden Gate University for her law degree and there met Roberts, who was also a law student, according to the Mercury News. The fundraising page went on to describe her as an accomplished woman on her way to being an exceptional professional. She was at the beginning of her life and her journey and had so much more life to live. More than a decade ago, a former girlfriend of Roberts had told Savannah State University campus police that he had been spreading rumors on Twitter that she infected Roberts with a venereal disease, according to records reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle. The Chronicle also reported that the woman had said she was no longer dating Roberts but that he had continued texting her and spreading alleged rumors to the point that she remotely deleted his social media accounts. Following his suspension from SSU, Roberts accused the university administration of conducting an excessively hurried investigation that discriminated against him on the basis of his male sex, the Chronicle wrote. In 2017, DeVos told a crowd at George Mason University: This young man was suspended via a campus-wide email which declared him a threat to the campus community. When he tried to learn the reason for his suspension, he was barred from campus This young man was denied due process. Despondent and without options or hope, after five years of sobriety, he relapsed and attempted to take his own life. Following DeVoss unveiling of the new rule, Roberts told Politico, Today is a reaffirmation of what I and other families knew the entire time: We were just victims of the previous administrations policy. In 2018, Roberts gave an interview to ABC while wearing a Make America Great Again hat. I dont feel safe, he said and claimed that the alleged accusations derailed his dream of graduation. He then described a suicide attempt, saying: That was the worst. Roberts has pleaded not guilty and was booked into Santa Rita jail without the option to post bail. An armed forces color guard carries a casket containing the body of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., at San Francisco International Airport, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein returned Saturday to her hometown for the final time when a military jet carrying the late Democratic senator's body landed at San Francisco International Airport. The long-serving senator and political trailblazer died Friday at her home in Washington, D.C., after a series of illnesses. At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress after first being elected to the Senate in 1992. The arrival of her body was not open to the public. No details have been shared about services. The former San Francisco mayor was a passionate advocate for priorities important to her state, including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control. But she also was known as a pragmatic, centrist lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground. Her death was followed by a stream of tributes from around the nation, including from President Joe Biden, who served with Feinstein for years in the Senate and called her a pioneering American and a cherished friend. California's junior senator, Democrat Alex Padilla, called her a towering figure not just in modern California history, but in the history of our state and our nation. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters said Feinstein spent her entire career breaking glass ceilings and opening doors into areas that had been perpetually dominated by men. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to soon appoint a replacement for the vacant Senate seat. __ This story was first published on Oct. 1, 2023. It was updated on Oct. 4, 2023, to correct that Feinstein died Friday, Sept. 29, not Thursday, Sept. 28. The mule deer population is taking a toll on the ecosystem on Catalina Island, and officials have proposed a bold new plan to help save the islands native animal and plant species. According to the Los Angeles Times, a plan put forward by the Catalina Island Conservancy that would use helicopter-mounted sharpshooters to kill the invasive deer has prompted some backlash. However, the group believes theres no other choice. The situation has become untenable for the deer and for the islands ecology, leaving the island at a tipping point, reads a statement on the Catalina Island Conservancy website. After consulting with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, it has been determined that a strategic deer management program is required to implement the overall plan to revive the islands ecosystem. The deer are destroying native plants and habitats by trampling and destroying native plants and habitats, and due to them not having a natural predator, their population grew exponentially, the conservancy said. Woman on lawn mower hit and killed by plane in Oklahoma They also contribute to vegetation destruction and soil erosion, as well as threatening the endemic and threatened species on the island, including the Catalina Island Fox, the Catalina California Quail, the Santa Catalina Island Shrew and other unique animals and plants only found on Catalina. The islands deer population is eight to ten times the density of the mainland, the Catalina Island Conservancy said. Residents, however, are not as keen on the idea of hunting the deer down in order to cull the population. A petition started by a group called Save our Catalina Mule Deer claims that those who live on the island werent given enough time to conduct their own research, discuss their ideas and register their humane concerns with the plan. There are several areas of concern that we, as citizens of the State of California, urge the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to consider sufficient to deny the current application the petition said. These include, but are not limited to, questions about scientific integrity, cultural relativity, humane considerations and our legal rightsto be a greater part of the process. 12 L.A. County cities file lawsuit to block new zero bail policy A Catalina resident told the L.A. Times that many of his fellow islanders dont want the deer to go away, but that the conservancy concluded that the only good number of deer in Catalina is zero. It is legal to hunt on Catalina Island as long as all the requirements are met, deer included. Hunters must notify the conservancy no later than two days after harvest and return tags no later than five days after harvest. For more information on the Catalina Island Conservancy, click here. To view the petition put forward by Save our Catalina Mule Deer, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. At the beginning of the first wave of COVID outbreaks in the United States in March 2020, the Salina Animal Shelter closed its lobby to the public, and for many people, this marked the beginning of issues at the shelter. While some changes have happened, and others are expected to come, there are still concerns from the public and at least one Salina City Commissioner about the state of the shelter. An entire study session was conducted by city staff about the shelter on Sept. 11, where a brief history of the operation and the status of the shelter was given. "At the point that the animal shelter transitioned from the Saline County Health Department to the city of Salina, it was necessary to make a decision about which department to place (it) in," said City Manager Mike Schrage. Schrage said it was determined that the shelter would be placed in the city's parks department rather than the police department in a conscious effort to be less enforcement-oriented and focused more on compassion. The Salina Animal Services shelter at 329 N. Second Ave. The city is looking at making changes after the shelter has come under fire recently following unsatisfactory inspections by the state and complaints about its openness to the public for adoptions. Issues at Salina Animal Shelter brought up by state inspections After receiving reports from the public, the Kansas Department of Agriculture sent an inspector to the shelter twice this year, with both inspections ending in an "unsatisfactory" final result. The first inspection, on July 11, came after a complaint that the shelter was not maintaining its facilities and not keeping up with the well-being of the animals there. According to the report, the complaint was "deemed founded to due to...violations of the (Kansas) Pet Animal Act." The full report showed 10 instances of non-compliance with the act, although each of these was classified as a severity level 1, out of a scale of 0 to 5 with 5 the most severe. The second inspection, on Aug. 30, was brought after complaints about dogs not being let out for exercise at the facility. This complaint was also deemed to be founded, with seven more instances of non-compliance, including a severity level 4 for exercise, as there was not a complete log of when dogs were last taken out for exercise. During his presentation, Jeff Hammond, the director of Parks and Recreation, said a lot of these issues brought up in both inspections could be helped with proposed full-time staff additions at the shelter, particularly when it comes to issues of kennel cleaning and getting dogs the exercise required. These additions would include an administrative assistant, which would allow more time for other staff members to do their duties, and an animal care technician on staff full time. "(The) kennel tech position, currently, is a (temporary) seasonal position and they're restricted on the number of hours, over the course of a year, that they're able to work," Hammond said. "That (temporary) position alone wasn't solely responsible for cleaning, that (responsibility) was also on the animal control officers as well." Hammond said having a tech on staff full-time would give the shelter more opportunity to focus on the care of kennels. Two tales of adoption difficulties at Salina Animal Shelter For many people, adopting or rescuing an animal from a shelter is an important and worthwhile experience. This had been the case for Linda Reynolds, who said up until her most recent adoption, had always looked at the Salina Animal Shelter for her dogs. "Our dog passed away (during COVID) and we wanted a (new) dog," Reynolds said. She contacted the shelter, and was told to check online for the dogs available, choose one to look at and schedule an appointment to see it. "I went in, sat down and the guy brought him out, (but) did not release him or let him go out into the yard (with me)," Reynolds said. Reynolds said she was given just five minutes with the dog, Gus. "(He) is a sweet, wonderful dog, (but) too strong for me," Reynolds said. When she asked to see any other dogs, Reynolds said she was told this was the dog she was scheduled to look at, so Gus was the only one she could and she decided to adopt him. "I brought him home, went through training (and) passed," Reynolds said. "He was so strong that he pulled me down, and I'm not a spring chicken anymore. So I finally found a wonderful home for him that is a lot better suited than me." While she was sad about having to give up Gus, she knew it was in the best interest of both him and her to do so. "I was crushed that I couldn't keep him, but it was like it was a God thing (that we found) a home that was so good for him," Reynolds said. Eventually, Reynolds ended up getting another dog through a private sale. Reynolds isn't the only Salinan who has decided to adopt from somewhere other than the shelter in town. City Commissioner Bill Longbine has been vocal about his concerns about the shelter. "What I've been pushing the past year and a half is that we open the doors and make adoptions more affordable," Longbine said. "We've heard over and over that the shelter is full, but it's not helping that no one can (easily) go in and no one can afford to adopt a dog." Longbine said he recently adopted a dog from another city's animal shelter. "We lost one dog in April and our second in July," Longbine said. "In that following month, my wife had puppy fever." Longbine said he has been to several different shelters in the time since, including in Lincoln, Nebraska, Wichita and McPherson, the place he ended up adopting from a few weeks ago. "A friend had shared that a dog had been found (there)," Longbine said. He said he looked on the McPherson shelter's website to look at their dogs and casually went with his wife down there on a Saturday, without an appointment to look in person. "We spent about an hour with (the dog), playing with him," Longbine said. Longbine said he asked about what the fee would be to adopt the dog, finding out it would only be $30. "This is about when my jaw dropped to the floor," Longbine said. "I said, 'Where do we sign?'" That same afternoon, the dog, who was up-to-date on shots, was already neutered and microchipped, went home with the Longbines. "We're happy as can be," Longbine said. What's next for the Salina Animal Shelter? As it moves forward, the shelter in Salina is looking at making a few changes. In addition to the proposed staffing additions, the shelter has also expanded its hours for the public to walk in. Previously, walk-ins were only available on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but beginning Sept. 25, walk-ins are now available from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Hammond said other changes would be taking place such as to partition off the kennels of the adoptable dogs from the rest of the dogs in the shelter. There are on average only 10 dogs out of the 44 kennels available for adoption. More: Salina's Crossroads Marathon sees massive increase in registered runners in second year Finally, Schrage said the city will also need to look at possible facility improvements for the shelter, including adding interior or exterior space. "That's more of a long-term issue and has an expense that comes with it," Schrage said. In the end, they recognized that there were issues and concerns to be addressed, but changes can't and won't happen overnight. "I think we need to give the system a little time to make those changes before we completely judge," Longbine said. Mayor Mike Hoppock said, given that these issues were brought to the commission only recently, he was pleased with how quickly and thoroughly city staff have taken a look at this topic. "This is probably one of the items that has been fast-tracked as much as anything I've seen," Hoppock said. This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina Animal Shelter to see increased walk-in hours and other changes New rules restricting the export of drone components came into force in China on 1 September, and suppliers reduced sales of drones to Ukraine, giving China a covert influence on the war. Source: The New York Times Details: The New York Times noted that the fighting in Ukraine is a drone war. Therefore, there is a growing dependence on UAV suppliers, in particular China, as the cheap drones that have become all-pervasive on the front mainly come from China, the world's largest producer of these devices. This has given China covert influence in a war that is partly fought by consumer electronics. As The New York Times stated, Chinese companies have cut back on sales of drones and drone parts to Ukrainians. Chinese companies that still do sell often require buyers to use complex networks of intermediaries. These obstacles in the "drone war" give Russia an advantage. By June this year, Chinese companies had directly delivered drones to Ukraine for just over US$200,000. In the same period, Russia received at least US$14.5 million worth of drones from Chinese trading companies in direct deliveries. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Southern Border India performed an astonishing feat earlier this year, becoming only the fourth country in the world to softly touch down on the lunar surface. Its Vikram lander safely landed near the rough terrain of the Moon's south pole, an apparent world's first. But not everybody agrees on that last point. Chinese scientists, in particular, are now questioning whether Vikram actually ever made it to the area broadly defined as the Moon's south pole, the South China Morning Post reports. Ouyang Ziyuan, the chief scientist of China's first lunar mission, told the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Science Times newspaper that the landing site of India's mission "was not at the Moon's south pole, not in the polar region of the Moon's south pole, nor was it 'near the Antarctic polar region.'" Are Ouyang's comments simply pedantry, or is he making an important distinction? Either way, there could be a degree of competitiveness at play. China is also putting a lot of resources into exploring the region, with its Chang'e-7 mission, tentatively scheduled for 2026, aiming to land near the Shackleton crater at the south pole itself. Pole Position While Ouyang's comments may sound like nitpicking, they're not entirely unwarranted. The numbers suggest Vikram if it weren't for the fact that it's currently frozen in place has a long way to go before actually reaching the Moon's south pole, as strictly defined. And that's important, considering the pole is one of the most promising places to look for the presence of water ice. Vikram landed at a latitude of roughly 69 degrees south, which is indeed a far shot of the polar region Ouyang considers to be between "88.5 and 90 degrees." NASA has a slightly looser definition, considering anywhere between 80 and 90 degrees to be the Moon's polar region. Richard de Grijs, a professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, told the SCMP that the current evidence of the presence of water ice is "much closer to the south pole" than India's landing site. Polar region or not, Vikram unquestionably made history by becoming the southernmost spacecraft to have landed on the Moon, even closer to the lunar south pole than China's Chang'e-4, which landed on the far side of the Moon in 2019 in a region dubbed the "South Pole-Aitken basin." Chang'e-4 landed at a latitude of 45.55 degrees south, far closer to the equator than Vikram. "The moment you land a rover close to the south pole and certainly within what's defined as the south pole region is already a major achievement," Quentin Parker, astrophysicist and director of Hong Kong University's Laboratory for Space Research, told the newspaper. "I think that nothing should be taken away from India because of that," he added. More on India's mission: Hellish! Indian Rover Detects Sulfur at Moon's South Pole Miami Marlins' Jazz Chisholm Jr., right, celebrates as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Quinn Priester during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) PITTSBURGH (AP) The Miami Marlins' improbable September push will carry into October. Jazz Chisholm hit his 19th home run, Josh Bell delivered a late two-run double and the Marlins clinched the fourth playoff berth in franchise history with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. Miami locked down one of the two remaining National League wild card spots behind Chisholm's drive, a dash of small ball and another lockdown performance by a bullpen that has carried a sizable share of the load over the last month. A.J. Puk (7-5) and seven other relievers kept the Pirates in check, rendering any scoreboard-watching pointless. I feel like were just the biggest family in the league, Chisholm said in a giddy postgame clubhouse. "I feel like nobody is as connected as us as a team. I feel like when someone gets going, everybody gets going. Thats the plan here and were just family and were coming in together. Miami began the day with its magic number whittled to one following another late comeback victory on Friday night. One officially dropped to zero when closer Tanner Scott wrapped up his 12th save by striking out the side in the ninth, setting off a celebration on the field and behind the Miami dugout, where a small clutch of fans chanted Lets Go Marlins!" Before the game we called it Clinch Day and we werent expecting any other day to be Clinch Day except today, Chisholm said. "And thats what we did and we handled it today. Buoyed by first-year manager Skip Schumaker's relentless optimism and a why not us approach, the largely anonymous Marlins who finished with 93 or more losses in each of the previous four non-pandemic-shortened seasons will be in the playoffs next week while big spenders like the New York Mets and San Diego Padres will be watching from home. Weve been living for six years with Lets Go Mets in our stadium all the time, Marlins owner Bruce Sherman said. Mets didnt finish. Yankees didnt finish. San Diego didnt finish. Payrolls three times our and look what we did. What the Mets and everyone else will see is a team that keeps finding a way despite a roster bereft of stars outside of the electrifying Chisholm, who was 5 years old growing up in the Bahamas in 2003 the last time the Marlins made the playoffs at the end of a 162-game regular season. Little was expected in 2023, yet the Marlins entered September at 67-67 and on the fringe of an underwhelming wild card race before hitting the gas over the last four weeks. Miami used a 17-9 September surge to vault over San Francisco, Chicago and surprising Cincinnati in the standings. Jon Berti had three hits for the Marlins and started the go-ahead rally with a leadoff walk in the sixth off Quinn Priester (3-3), beginning a sequence that symbolized Miami's whatever it takes approach. Garrett Hampson bunted for a hit when Nick Gonzalez was late covering the bag at first. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice by Jacob Stallings and Berti put the Marlins in front 3-2 by beating shortstop Liover Pegeuro's throw home on a sharp grounder by Jorge Soler. Bell's sacrifice fly pushed the advantage to 4-2. Bell who spent five years with the Pirates from 2016-20 before bouncing from Washington to San Diego to Cleveland to Miami provided the Marlins with some welcome insurance in the eighth with a long drive to center that drove in Berti and Soler. Thought Id celebrate here years and years ago, Bell said. "But just to be able to celebrate here now, is icing on the cake. A night after rallying from three runs down after the seventh inning for the sixth time this season the most by any MLB team since 1900 the Marlins made sure no such dramatics were required. This team has just exemplified heart and they know it, said general manager Kim Ng, the first female GM in Major League Baseball history. "And I think that is the driver of this group. Endy Rodriguez had three hits and drove in a run for the Pirates. Jared Triolo and Ke'Bryan Hayes added two hits each. Bryan Reynolds provided an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth that trimmed Miami's lead to three, but the Pirates would get no closer. Priester, a first-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft, put together 5 1/3 workmanlike innings as he tries to position himself for a spot in the starting rotation in 2024. Priester allowed four runs on 10 hits with a walk and three strikeouts to finish his rookie season with a 7.74 ERA in 10 games (seven starts). TRAINER'S ROOM Marlins: 2B Luis Arraez did not play while nursing an ankle injury. Arraez's batting average remains a major league-leading .354 as he closes in on becoming the first player in MLB history to win batting titles in different leagues in consecutive seasons. UP NEXT The series wraps up on Sunday. It's unclear whether the Marlins will have to return to New York on Monday to finish a suspended game against the New York Mets. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Chris Christie s jab at first lady Jill Biden during Wednesday nights debate has sparked bipartisan condemnation and spotlighted the GOPs messaging problem with women. Christie, the former Republican New Jersey governor, was bashing teachers unions when he made a snide side comment, saying they are not advocating for children and that President Biden is sleeping with a member. They have an advocate inside the White House every day for the worst of their teachers, not for their students to be the best they can be, Christie said. The first lady is part of the National Education Association and has been a classroom teacher for more than 30 years. The remark drew criticism from Democrats and even some Republicans, who called it distasteful and unsurprising from the party thats still dominated by white men and struggling to shake its poor perception of advocating for women. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who has sustained frequent gender attacks from the right, was among the loudest voices in opposition to what she saw as overt sexism, calling his comments disgusting and misogynistic. Such one-offs may not be the downfall of the GOPs standing with half the voting population. But the dismissive comments dont help Republicans in assuaging female voters concerns about the partys stance and courtship of the constituency, or that they are ready to prioritize womens concerns while in office. The GOP tries to play catch up with women each election cycle, attempting to woo the voting bloc away from Democrats who say Republicans are out of touch with their interests. While many Republicans admit they need to go better, recent polling shows a long way to go. Young women, in particular, are still gravitating toward the Democratic Party, creating a hurdle for Republicans desperate to expand beyond their traditional base of white and non-college-educated men. The midterms showed that Republicans pitfalls with women may be even harder to crack heading into 2024 as the gap between parties widens. Exit polling conducted by CNN last November shows the vast majority of female voters 72 percent ages 18 to 29 voted for Democratic House candidates, whereas only 26 percent voted for their GOP rivals. A made-for-TV innuendo about the first lady doesnt inspire confidence that GOP primary aspirants take women in positions in power seriously. As a former presidential campaign speechwriter and spokesperson, I know his intention was to drive home the point about teachers unions having the presidents ear and how nothing can change that, said Rina Shah, a Republican strategist whos been outspoken against former President Trump. He wanted to deliver a zinger but fumbled it. I can almost guarantee he got carried away and did not intend to take the commentary that far. When he realized he didnt land it, he kept going in an effort to explain his point but wound up at the point where he was offensive, almost directly suggesting women use intimate relationships to get professional outcomes they desire. Christie, whos polling in single digits, has sought to distinguish himself against Trumps campaign style thats rife with derogatory comments about his rivals. With only one female opponent, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, in the race this cycle, much of that effort was concentrated during the last presidential election, where Trump and aligned Republicans made Vice President Harris the favorite target of their ire before she became Bidens number two. They have since continued that line, seeking to downgrade the first Black female vice president into the White House. While Christies known for his brash demeanor as New Jerseys former top state executive, some saw his remarks as signaling a problem that runs deeper than one on-stage zinger during an otherwise dull debate. Critics said it was an insult to women whose voices are driving the policy debate and whose votes they need to expand their coalition. This is completely unsurprising. Even anti-Trump candidates within the GOP disrespect women, said Charlotte Clymer, a prominent writer and Democratic political strategist. Those who know Jill Biden say that while the comment from Christie was uninspired, it could foreshadow a strategy that lays into the presidents closest confidants, including his wife and son Hunter Biden . In Jill Bidens case, Democrats believe Republicans could use her to attack Bidens policy decisions around unions, education and to expand the roster of personal slights at his family. Dr. Jill Biden has dedicated herself to community colleges and ensuring middle-class and impoverished students have access to a quality higher education. Why should she be insulted for that? Clymer said. While traditionally taboo in election cycles, familial insults from Republicans are nothing new for the Biden White House. Aides and those familiar with the president and first lady believe they shrugged it off this time and instead focused on the two parties differing policies on display during the debate. I think it was fair game for Christie because the president says it all the time. Christie simply reached back to some of Joe Bidens greatest hits, and thats one of them, said Michael LaRosa, Jill Bidens former press secretary. But LaRosa and other Democratic observers said slights such as Christies could also contribute to the coarsening of public discussion around critical issues. Given their track record of smearing the presidents family including his son and his brother, it wouldnt surprise me if they get desperate enough to draw her in an attempt to weaponize unions and teachers for politics or accuse her of some teacher influence-peddling scheme, added LaRosa, whos now a partner at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners. Republicans have made it clear that theyd like the fall general election to be fought over culture wars and education and labor play into that strategy. Women comprise a big part of the teaching sector and many belong to unions across the country, fighting for fairer wages to support themselves and their families. And even in the nations highest public office, theres precedent for female union involvement from former first lady Laura Bush, a literacy activist, dating back to former first lady Grace Coolidge, who was a teacher. Its particularly striking when there have been other examples of women who have been First Ladies and been in unions, said Katherine Sibley, director of the American Studies Program at St. Josephs University. Sibley shrugged off Christies comments as part of the primary zeitgeist, where a handful of lesser-known Republicans want to outshine Trump for the nomination. I think hes probably tried to appeal to this cultural kind of shocking truth thing thats been so popular now. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A lesson I have shared whenever I teach a media ethics class includes viewing a video of CNN reporter Jim Acosta doing a standup at a Trump rally in 2018. Surrounding him are followers of the president yelling at the reporter. Who had the freedom of speech in that situation? I hope you know the answer. Both do, but the yelling didnt forward the conversation for either side. This lesson came to mind when I heard the news that American Public Square had to postpone its September 26 program, Exploring Gender & Identities. A notice on the American Public Square website explained, Upon the cancellation of two panelists invited to represent the transgender community, we are now unable to present the community with a conversation we feel effectively represents the diverse perspectives of this issue. It went on to say, We have never been faced with canceling an APS program until now. The reason? Organizers for the civic organization known for moderating difficult civil conversations believed the it would not be balanced or complete without the missing panelists. That same day, the women advocacy organization United We, held an event United We Listen at the Kauffman Center featuring NPRs National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson. The two programs, coincidentally scheduled, had been aligned to talk about holding civil discussions with, as Liasson called it, a shared set of facts and varying opinions. You cant have a democracy and a civil society without a shared set of facts, Liaison said. Neither, apparently, can you have a program on exploring gender and identities. The barriers ultimately were too high, and as much as I believe that people need to sit down and listen to each other, some conversations are inherently more difficult than others. I wanted to know why the panel didnt take place. Is this the one issue that prevents us from talking to each other? The program panelists were to be a mix of pro and anti transgender rights: Monica Harris, author, attorney, and advisory board member with the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism Justice Horn, Chair of the City of Kansas Citys LGBTQ Commission and former Board Director of the Jackson County Governments Childrens Services Fund Kara Dansky, speaker, writer and consultant committed to protecting the sex-based rights of women and girls Alex Pearson, an attorney at Missouri Kansas Queer Law, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary. Jamie Reed, former case worker at Washington University Transgender Center and a whistleblower who believes doctors in her clinic were not helping trans kids. Dr. Anthony Strickland with Evolve MD, a healthcare company that advocates for transgender patients. (Strickland was not on the original panel and was a last-minute addition). Representatives for American Public Square and two panelists representing the transgender community can agree on one thing. Both had received troubling feedback from the community they were trying to serve. Both heard concerns and complaints about the program that it would give a platform to anti-trans issues, and that the community needed to take a pause after legislative setbacks involving bans on transgender student-athletes from participating in womens sports, and gender-affirming care. The transgender community is really weary right now, said APS Communications Director Robin Smith. So we are trying to listen to the feedback that right now wasnt a good time. Horn concurred. When people tell us this isnt good for us right now, I have to listen. Community trust is very fragile. But the road to canceling was even more complicated. Would it hurt? I spoke to Justice Horn via telephone, and Alex Pearson over email. I asked Horn why he and panelist Pearson stepped down. To be quite transparent there was alignment between us. It started with me feeling a little shaky on this and pulling out. And Alex followed. We had a lot of feedback from the transgender community. Is this going to be productive in advancing our community? Pearson said they and business partner Madeline Johnson were contacted by several people in the transgender community who requested they not participate. Many local Kansas City transgender community members raised authentic concerns related to giving a platform to hate speech under the auspices of legitimate debate and felt that this conversation would be more harmful than helpful. We ultimately decided that we agreed with and decided to stand behind our community, Pearson said. Horn said he was on board at first, but he began hearing concerns as to whether the event would create a validating platform for those who disagree with them. I thought, we are all on the ship, lets steer the way, but others thought the ship was going to steer the other way, he said. When news of the postponement circulated, along with it came questions. One was whether the pro-trans participants felt threatened in any way. Both Horn and Pearson said they were not. Pearson, to my question, answered a succinct no. Horn said he also wasnt worried about physical threats, but added, Its not like a hometown crowd for me, he said of the Johnson County location, and he worried there would be little support from the audience. Folks (in the trans community) didnt even want to show up to support, so I was going to be in front of people who thought I was his voice trailed off, but then he continued. I can debate with them, thats fine, but trans folks and trans parents believed some of these panelists had actively betrayed them. Pearson said they also had concerns. Following the pre-planning meeting, we had concerns about the opposing panelists ability to remain civil and respectful. Smith of APS said she heard the concerns and tried to convince Horn and Pearson that it would be OK. We would never let certain behavior occur, but they felt it was not a conversation they could participate in. Which is sad, considering the changing views of gender and tenor about identity in the nation. In Missouri, 0.2% or 9,500 of adults identify as transgender. In Kansas, 0.56% or 12,400 individuals age 13+ identify as transgender. Those numbers come from a fact sheet provided by APS, but originate from a 2022 study. Panelists for a planned event with American Public Square at Jewell decided they wouldnt be able to participate in the conversation. Panelist Jamie Reed Horn said Kansas City transgender community members were most concerned about giving Jamie Reed a platform. Reed recently has been a lightning rod on the topic of transgender medical transition. Her story about becoming a whistleblower while she was a case manager in a childrens hospital affiliated with Washington University in St. Louis has been featured in many media outlets, and she has been vilified by many in the transgender community. I asked Reed her thoughts on what happened with the panel during a phone conversation. Im disappointed, she said. I was open to a challenging dialogue. Reed took issue with labeling Kansas Citys transgender community, especially on medical transition for adolescents. There is not a unified and monolithic community that shares the same values on these topics, she said. There is a divide within the LGBT community within this topic, and that is OK to have different points of view, and it is OK for adults to discuss those things. I think it hurts our community to pretend like we are so fragile that we cannot have tough debates. She said the transgender community missed an opportunity to bring out differing views, for example, she argued that she does support medical transition for adults. I think the panelists and I actually agree on a lot of concerns and questions. But there is so much nuance to medical intervention with kids and adolescents right now that our community will be hurt more if we cannot discuss these things. She said she would participate if the program is rescheduled. I would like to see it occur. Need for talk I have to admit that when I first heard about the American Public Square program, I was impressed they had decided to tackle such a big conversation. And when I heard it was postponed, I was disappointed. Certainly, it was going to be a complicated but essential confluence of diverse and divergent perspectives. We need to address identity, intolerance and understanding. We need help figuring out how to talk to each other. Data shows it. A 2021 survey from Public Agenda/USA Today/Ipsos Hidden Common Ground found that most Americans believe political hostility and divisiveness is a serious problem in the U.S., and that 3 in 10 Americans are most worried about the fact that Americans dont know how to talk about their disagreements and conflicts in constructive ways. Allan Katz, founder and CEO of American Public Square at Jewell, said its better to be exposed to opinions that you disagree with. Its that exposure that will help us all better understand the complexities of the issues we face as a nation and, perhaps, find common ground in the process. But Horn and Pearson said there are certain things that you simply cant debate. We knew our community needed to be represented, Horn said, but when were suffering and fighting for our lives, I do not want to defend my existence to you, nor do I have to. Im glad that Kansas City has groups like American Public Square and United We promoting conversation all different, but all fighting for the voices of diverse communities to be heard. On this issue, however, there doesnt appear to be a clear path forward. The APS program is postponed, not canceled, said Smith. That (wording) was intentional. We wanted to pause and catch our breath. We cant say where we will go from here but we think its important to sit down and have this conversation. Pearson said they do believe that conversations can and should be had around gender identity that respect the personhood, humanity, and dignity of all persons, but in the end, We believe we made the right choice in the circumstances. Horn agrees, conditionally. Its going to be tough moving forward. Were slipping back so far because we just have to defend our existence. There are some things that are not up for debate, the ability for people, if they want to, to live up to their authentic self. Though nearly 60 years have passed since they were junior high schoolgirls at the old Athens Elementary School, a group of women clustered in what was once the cafeteria of the schoolhouse Saturday and reminisced like it was just last year. Freda Martin Little jokingly complained that Brenda Close once tried to steal her boyfriend. Linda McCord accused Carolyn Metcalf Moody of squalling on the first day of school. And Metcalf Moody told of the trouble they caused a substitute teacher. We were a spunky class, werent we? she said. We had a lot of fun. And so they did on Saturday too, when about 100 people gathered for a reunion of class members who graduated from the high school and junior high between 1955 and 1965. One person in attendance graduated in 1954, Little said. About 100 class members from the 1950s and 1960s gathered at the Athens Schoolhouse for a reunion Saturday. The school building on Athens Walnut Hill Road was constructed in 1928. It closed as a high school 30 years later but continued to operate as a combined elementary and junior high school until the mid-1960s, when the junior high closed, leaving only the elementary school. The sadness those students felt can still be heard in their voices. They split us up. They sent part of us to Bryan Station and part of us to Lafayette, said Sherry McConathy. They did it on which side of the road you lived on, and we didnt see our friends for many years. Athens Elementary School closed in 2006 to make way for Athens-Chilesburg Elementary School. Now, the building known as the Athens Schoolhouse hosts events, a monthly antiques show, yoga classes and the Athens Lunchroom restaurant and bar. The former students who gathered there Saturday said the small, tight-knit community made the school more like an extended family. It was a great place to grow up, Athens was, said Jerry Martin. Class members from the 1950s and 1960s gathered at the Athens Schoolhouse for a reunion Saturday. Connie and Jerry Martin posed for a photo at the photo booth. He and his seven siblings grew up across the road from the school, and their parents were the custodians. Their mother worked in the cafeteria as well, said his sister Freda Martin Little, who helped organize the reunion. My memory is much more than just going to school here, she said. Dad spent many a night here ... putting coal in the furnace so everything would be warm. She said the reunion Saturday was the first of its kind. Its been great, she said. I had not seen these girls for 55 years. Kenneth Patrick, left, and former Lexington Mayor Scotty Baesler gathered at the Athens Schoolhouse for a reunion of class members from the 1950s and 1960s Saturday. Former Lexington Mayor Scotty Baesler, who graduated in 1958, attended Athens High School. All these years later, Baesler said hes still resentful of the decision that year to close the school and send the high school students to Bryan Station. You shut down a school, you shut down a community, he said Saturday. It killed the community. Baesler said he was happy to be a part of the reunion, though so much time had passed he said it was hard for some classmates to recognize each other. Im glad to see people enjoying ourselves, he said. Brenda Close, who grew up attending school at Athens and now lives in the Butler community in Northern Kentucky, said she and some girlfriends met for lunch at the Athens Lunchroom in the spring and decided it would be fun to have a reunion. They spread the word via Facebook and were surprised at the response. We thought wed get 30 or 40 people, she said. A Back to School sign sat outside the Athens Schoolhouse Saturday. Lana Hiott sits in the kitchen of her home Sept. 20 in Marysville. Hiott's sister, Shannon Hiott, was stabbed to death in August in her home on Berkeley Avenue in Columbus' South Side. It was a simple question that popped into Lana Hiott's head in early September. "Who am I going to make fun of my parents with now?" she asked herself. Hiott's sister, Shannon Hiott, 29, died Aug. 29 after being stabbed more than 30 times in her home on Berkeley Avenue home in Columbus' South Side. Her ex-boyfriend, 26-year-old Chance Donohoe, of Powell, pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges against him. Shannon Hiott was one of at least 21 people killed in Columbus in 2023 whose deaths investigators determined were a direct result of domestic violence, according to Columbus police. That number is a 200% increase from the seven domestic violence-related homicides reported in 2022. Shannon was 14 months older than Lana. The sisters, who spent most of their childhood and teenage years in Delaware County, were not necessarily close despite their narrow age gap. With a half-sister who is more than 10 years older and lives out of state, though, the bond between Shannon and Lana was special. Lana Hiott, left, and her sister Shannon. Shannon Hiott died Aug. 29 after being stabbed to death in her home. Police say her death was at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. "I was always really jealous of her, probably in a little sister type of way," Lana Hiott said. "I always wanted to be next to her doing something and she was annoyed by me." But as sisters do, they would poke fun about their parents and collectively roll their eyes via text message. Now, Lana is working to move on, and fill the hole Shannon's death has left behind. 'Not all pain and hurt is physical' in domestic violence situations Shannon and Donohoe dated for about a year and a half, prosecutors said, before Shannon ended the relationship this summer. Lana Hiott said her sister, who had a psychology degree from Ohio State University and just started her dream job as a fraud investigator for Nationwide Insurance, never mentioned physical abuse in her relationship. But there were other things about the relationship that made Shannon wary, she said. "Not all pain and hurt that somebody can inflict on you is physical," Lana said. According to court records, Donohoe was convicted of felony safecracking and felony theft in 2019 in Tuscarawas County. A text on Lana Hiott's phone from her sister, Shannon, states "The only place a person can be to drag you down is beneath you and you're above that." Shannon Hiott was killed in her home in August. "It's really hellish because she found out that he had been stealing from her, and she had broken it off," Lana said. "She was really proud of herself and (was) telling people she was in a much happier, much better place." Two days before her death, Shannon posted on Facebook that she "stopped trying to be the catalyst for change in (her) relationship and the truth was revealed." Lana Hiott said her sister did everything right. Shannon blocked Donohoe on all social media platforms, as well as his phone number and email address. She changed the locks on the doors to her Berkeley Avenue home and had security cameras. Shannon even had other people facilitate the return of some of Donohoe's belongings to avoid any face-to-face interaction. On Sept. 20, Donohoe first appeared in Franklin County Common Pleas Court after a grand jury indicted him on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse and aggravated burglary. Prosecutors alleged during the hearing that Donohoe attacked Shannon on Aug. 29, after forcing his way into her home all because he thought she had another man there after they broke off their relationship. Lana Hiott, left, and her sister Shannon as children dressed up for Halloween. Shannon Hiott died Aug. 29 after being stabbed to death in her home. Police have charged her ex-boyfriend with her death. "Sometimes you want to look at things and think maybe she should have done this or that," Lana Hiott said. "There's no single thing she could have done differently. If somebody wants to hurt somebody else, they're going to find a way to do it if they're set on it." In court records, Columbus police accuse Donohoe of taking Shannon's phone and keys after killing her, then driving to Powell. Detectives claim he confessed to police and was wearing shoes covered in Shannon's blood when officers arrested him. Ohio domestic violence resources strained as cases stay steady Lisa DeJeeter, director of systems advocacy and policy council for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, said statewide, the number of domestic violence cases remains steady, albeit still at a higher rate than before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. She said increases in the number of homicides in a particular community are difficult to explain because each community has different levels of resources available for those experiencing domestic violence, and each individual case is unique. "We can look at cases and know that when people leave, they're at higher risk. The factors tend to be specific to the family that's experiencing the violence," DeJeeter said. There also were at least 56 nonfatal strangulation cases reported in Columbus, which are often part of domestic violence, and 48 other domestic violence-related felonious assaults, according to police. A state law enacted in April makes nonfatal strangulation a felony offense. DeJeeter said a nonfatal strangulation incident increases the risk of lethal violence by 700% in a domestic or intimate partner situation. These flyers were handed out for a memorial to remember Shannon Hiott at the Summit Music Hall in Columbus. Shannon Hiott was killed in her home in August. DeJeeter said part of the reason for a potential increase in domestic violence homicides could be that better training and knowledge about domestic and intimate partner violence allowed detectives to better identify homicides or felony assaults that are domestic violence. "Sometimes it's a function of increased knowledge, and thats not a bad thing," DeJeeter said. "These increases might not be an actual increase in numbers; its just doing a better job of connecting the dots." October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network will release its annual lethality report Oct. 11 at the Ohio Statehouse. "We talk about the cases (in that report) where we know theres a history of violence, but we dont assume there wasnt violence in others because we cant know," DeJeeter said. "Survivors are the experts on their situation and the level of risk theyre facing." DeJeeter said financial resources have become less abundant over the past two years, which directly affects the number of people able to get help to get out of dangerous situations. "When we looked at 2021, we knew that one in every five people who were seeking shelter was being turned away," she said of domestic violence victims. "When we looked (for 2022), it had risen to one in three. The need for services is staying consistent and the federal funding to provide services, which is the bulk of the money, is being reduced." The Department of Justice funds grants for most domestic violence programs based on fines collected in certain types of federal court cases, DeJeeter said. That funding decreased the past two years, which in turn decreases the pool for grants. The state budget provided $20 million for 2023, which does help close the funding gap, she said. Moving toward acceptance after domestic violence deaths For families that have experienced a death related to domestic violence, the aftermath is devastating. For Hiott's family, there was shock, anger, frustration and a feeling of being overwhelmed. How were they going to prepare for a funeral? What was the family going to do with Shannon's seven rescue cats? And what about the custom artwork from local artists that adorned nearly every spot on the walls of her home? The community of people Shannon curated and cultivated stepped up, however, planning a memorial for her at Summit Music Hall, where Shannon did promotional work years ago. Tickets sold out within about a day, Lana Hiott said, and there was overflow at the bar next door and outside exactly what Shannon would have wanted. "It was wonderful. I got to meet and see all these people celebrating her an amalgamation of love and good vibes," Lana Hiott said. Lana Hiott, left, and her sister Shannon at a winter gathering. Shannon Hiott died Aug. 29 after being stabbed to death in her home. Police have charged her ex-boyfriend with her murder. With the joy at meeting those who knew Shannon and experienced her life is also the regret for Lana about not having enough time to go to the music festivals Shannon loved and kept a sticker, magnet and T-shirt from or having Shannon watch Lana's children grow up. In the weeks since Shannon's death, her family coaxed out of hiding all the cats and found new, loving homes for all but one. They're also trying to remember the positives of their favorite hype girl. "She was always there holding your hand. She even had a bag of someone's clothes that she was going to fix for them," Lana said. "It wasn't because there was an expectation of anything in return. It was because she truly just loved everybody like that." Shannon also loved going to other people's homes for meals, even though she'd bring her own silverware and napkins and was always willing to go the extra mile. If you wanted information about a concert or festival, Shannon would give you the information, as well as her personal suggestions about favorite songs, tricks about parking or anything else that would make the experience the best possible, Lana said. "She was always authentically herself," Lana said. "It takes a lot of confidence to do that." Lana hasn't attended any of Donohoe's court hearings. The details of Shannon's death are a lot to process, and the anger and hurt aren't what she wants to focus on as she moves forward. "I can't put my energy toward somebody who does things like that," Lana said. "I'm worried about my family and her friends, which are basically our family, and everybody else that's been affected by this. If I give my energy to that person, it's not going to help me." "Nothing that happens moving forward is ever going to bring her back," she said. "It was cold. It was wrong. I don't think he'll every sleep soundly again." If you or someone you know is looking for resources for domestic violence survivors in Franklin County, contact the CHOICES crisis hotline 24 hours a day at 614-224-4663 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network also offers online resources, including a web-based chat service to connect survivors with resources at www.odvn.org. The Network can also be reached at 800-934-9840. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus domestic violence homicides have increased 200% in 2023 Dianne Feinstein did not run in the 2003 gubernatorial recall election, but she did seek the governorship years earlier. Above, she greets supporters in San Francisco on June 6, 1990, after winning her party's nomination for governor in the primary election. At left is her husband, Richard Blum. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press) One day during the first week in August 2003, I was sitting outside a conference room at the Aspen Institute in Aspen, Colo., waiting for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to emerge from a seminar on violence in the Middle East. I was there to shadow her and get the scoop if she suddenly decided to dive into the 2003 race to recall Californias unpopular Democratic governor, Gray Davis . She had run unsuccessfully for governor in 1990, but by this time, she had been a senator for more than 10 years, rising in the ranks of seniority. Whatever her decision, she would have to make it by the filing deadline on Saturday. It was Tuesday. I thought I was on a fools errand, and she would banish me as soon as I announced I was there. As I sat waiting for the seminar to end, I scanned an itinerary someone had left behind. Participants included academics, journalists, government leaders and Queen Noor of Jordan. The days events were to end with a buffet dinner at Feinsteins spectacular ranch in Aspen. Read more: Photos: Dianne Feinstein | 1933 2023 The doors opened and people streamed out. There was Feinstein. I went up to her and told her why I was there. I heard you were coming, she said calmly. (I had talked to one of her aides.) I was surprised she seemed fine with the idea of me following her around. Maybe she was flattered. Or maybe she really hadnt made up her mind about the race. She was under enormous pressure from Democratic power brokers to be a counterweight to the assorted politicians, civic activists and oddballs who had announced their campaigns to replace Davis if voters tossed him out. I asked if I could come to the party at her ranch that night. I was braced for her to say no, but to my delight she immediately said, yes, you can come but dont take notes. Within about a half-hour of my arrival, that edict fell away. Read more: Abcarian: Don't let Sen. Feinstein's centrist politics obscure her not-so-moderate legacy Bear Paw Ranch, as it was called, looked like a log cabin mansion and sat on a mesa overlooking hills and greenery of the Woody Creek Valley. The senator and her husband, Richard Blum, who died last year, were both there. Feinstein and I wandered the grounds and chatted. At 70, she was tall and striking, dressed in Versace jeans and Lucchese cowboy boots. I asked her if she ever wanted to run for president. She said, no. Then she added quickly something to the effect of "well, you never say never." Ahh. Ever the ambitious politician, I thought, wondering what she might be like as president. Read more: Editorial: Dianne Feinstein was a giant in Congress. She won't easily be replaced Meanwhile the rest of the group at the ranch that evening was trying to imagine her as governor. Author Walter Isaacson, chief executive of the Aspen Institute at the time, looked around and said, This is nicer than any governors mansion Ive ever seen. Feinsteins guests laughed, but she just smiled. I dont want to guilt-trip you, Jane Harman, then a Democratic congresswoman from the South Bay and other coastal spots and a close friend of Feinstein's, said to the hostess and her guests. I am happy with whatever decisions you make. Over the next few days, Feinstein and I got a little more casual with each other. I mentioned Id bought a necklace at a jewelry store in town. Oh, be careful about spending your money in those stores, she warned. Theyre too expensive. Her tone was all protective mom. On that Wednesday morning, her office put out a statement announcing she would not run. Morally, ethically, is it the right thing for me to get into the race? And the only way that would be yes is if I was absolutely convinced [Davis] couldnt make it, and Im not there, she told me later that day as we talked about how she made that decision. That evening I was talking to my editor at The Times when she suddenly got the news that action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger had entered the race, announcing it during a taping of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Read more: Column: Feinstein's stubbornness kept her in office too long. But it also defined her success I hung up and immediately called Feinstein. Schwarzenegger just announced on the 'Tonight Show' that hes running for governor, I told her. There were several seconds of stony silence. I have no comment, she said. I dont want to say anything. By the next day, she had plenty to say, calling the race a first-class carnival and candidates Schwarzenegger and Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante opportunists. I watched from the sidelines as she gave TV interviews from the Aspen Institute campus. She told me later that she had called high-ranking Democratic state officials and urged them not to run, including Bustamante and Controller Steve Westly, who had also entered the race. Even as she lashed out at the race itself and the candidates, she seemed to be ever so slightly backing off her promise not to get into the race telling one interviewer that she would "not at this time" reconsider. Were there any circumstances under which she would enter, I asked her later? By now she was just irritated by all the questions. I mean, if there were, I probably wouldnt talk to you, you know? she answered. Mostly, she seemed frustrated by the way the whole race had become a runaway train. Her pleas to Democrats to stay out of the race had been ignored and other Democrats kept pestering her to get in. She believed when voters saw how ludicrous or inexperienced the other candidates were, they wouldnt recall Davis: People will decide that after electing a governor nine months ago with 3.5 million votes, maybe he should be entitled to serve out the rest of his term. Of course, she was very wrong about that. But the one thing she got completely right staying in the Senate. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Ange Kasongo KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi was officially nominated on Sunday as candidate for the Dec. 20 presidential election by his ruling political coalition the Sacred Union. Tshisekedi is seeking a second term in the vast nation, which is the world's top cobalt supplier and No. 3 copper producer, after winning a disputed first term in a 2018 vote. His rule has been mired by economic hardship, the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola outbreaks and persistent insecurity, particularly in the east where the resurgent M23 rebel group seized swathes of territory leading to a breakdown of relations with neighbouring Rwanda. On Sunday, a congress of the Sacred Union coalition that includes political heavyweights such as Defence Minister Jean Pierre Bemba and Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe, picked Tshisekedi unanimously. "Felix Tshisekedi has been nominated as candidate for President of the Republic on behalf of the nation's Sacred Union," Andre Mbata, a spokesperson for Tshisekedi's party, said to the cheers of a crowd gathered in a marquee at the People's Palace in Kinshasa. Tshisekedi, the son of Congo's beloved long-term opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, promised to root out corruption and authoritarianism and has rejected accusations by rights groups and critics that he has fallen short on his promises. One of his main rivals, opposition leader Martin Fayulu, who lost to Tshisekedi in 2018, confirmed on Saturday that he will run in the election after previously threatening to boycott it in protest over alleged fraud linked to the voter registration. (Reporting by Ange Kasongo; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) At long last, on Saturday morningwith only hours to go before a government funding deadlineHouse Speaker Kevin McCarthy finally bit the bullet and turned to Democrats to help him pass a short-term spending bill, which passed the Senate later in the day. The government will not shut down. The question for the coming days is whether McCarthy will stay on as speaker. On Friday afternoon, once McCarthys partisan proposal to avert it still couldnt muster enough conservative votes to pass, a shutdown seemed inevitable. House leadership was beginning to signal that it was out of options, except to swallow whole a bipartisan Senate proposal that would be coming its way in a matter of days. But after a morning meeting with his conference, McCarthy, recognizing that the shutdown would earn Republicans nothing on policy but all of the blame, went ahead with the final option: a clean stopgap bill funding the government at current spending levels until mid-November, along with billions in disaster relief. (The bill would also extend the statutory authority of the Federal Aviation Administration, which was set to expire at midnight as well. This is good news for people who fly on planes.) The one pill House and Senate Democratsas well as about half of House Republicans, most Senate Republicans, and the White Housewould have to swallow was no additional aid to Ukraine, for which the White House had requested tens of billions. Democrats at first didnt seem to know what to do with this offer. Once it came out, they insisted on time to pore through the 71-page billone that McCarthy was hoping to vote on within a matter of minutes. They stalled by moving to adjourn. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries bought time by using a privilege reserved for party leaders to speak on the floor without a time limit. Those are all typical stalling tactics. An atypical stalling tactic is pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building and forcing an evacuation. This is something middle-schoolers do to avoid taking tests, though, which is perhaps why New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a former middle school principal, was familiar with the tactic and chose to do it. After the representative was caught red-handed on security footage pulling the alarm, Bowmans office said he did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote. The Congressman regrets any confusion. Bowman later told reporters that he thought the alarm would open the door. This all sounds more than a bit shaky, and one might think hed let Capitol Police know of his accident before they evacuated the building. Hes in trouble. After this episode, Democrats decided to fall in line behind the bill and declare victory. It was the only decision. They got most of what they wanted in a continuation of current spending levels, which are loathed by Republicans, and in terms of much-needed disaster relief funds. The lack of Ukraine aid is a serious issue, as those accounts will begin to dry up. But Democrats accepted that it wouldnt be politically feasible to shut down the United States government over it. Democrats would have assumed blame for a shutdown, been forced to cave and reopen the government without securing aid for Ukraine, and risked continued public support for Ukraine assistance in the process. Although its unclear when additional aid for Ukraine will come, keeping Kyiv out of Russian hands is still a top priority for every leader in Washington except McCarthy. (Probably for him too, though he cant outright say it.) Theyll figure something out. What Democrats also got, though, was a cave from McCarthy on his promises, both that he wouldnt fund the government at Democratic-preferred levels and that border policy would be addressed in any spending bill. The vote tally in the House was 335 to 91, with all but one Democrat voting in favor. (Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, the lone Democratic nay, cited the lack of Ukraine aid.) Meanwhile, 126 Republicans voted for it, and 90 Republicans voted against it. Hours later, following a brief delay as Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet sought assurances on Ukraine assistance going forward, the Senate passed the stopgap by a vote of 88 to 9. McCarthys decision to rely on Democratic votes to reopen the government, which was the only way that keeping the government open was ever going to happen, will now likely force the long-awaited question on the retention of his speakership. He acknowledged that on Saturday, telling reporters, If someone wants to remove [me] because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try. If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, he added, I will do that. Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, McCarthys chief antagonist throughout this process, who, for reasons that run deeper than Gaetzs purported commitment to rigid budgeting processes, wants to see the speaker gone, will probably try. (He may have even tried to introduce his resolution to vacate the speakership before being conveniently unseen as the House was gaveled into adjournment.) Hell have Republican buddies who may want to try too. Ultimately, it will come down to how House Democrats land on the question if its put to a vote. You may wonder why, if this bipartisan outcome was inevitable, McCarthy spent so much time trying and failing to pass go-nowhere bills with Republican votes only. Well, if todays solution had been his first offering, the discontent with his strategy would have been much larger. But by demonstrating that every possible permutation of short-term spending bill wouldnt pass muster with a small band of Republicans led by Gaetz, he showed how his opponents werent working in entirely good faith. The antipathy most House Republicans feel toward Gaetz at the moment is off the charts. And if McCarthys speakership is put up to a vote, they wont want to let Gaetz win. Congress averted a shutdown on Saturday by mere hours, passing a measure that extends government funding for the next 45 days. The stopgap bill funds the government at the current $1.6 trillion annual rate until Nov. 17, the deadline by which it needs to pass another bill to avoid a government shutdown. But while the Senates 88 to 9 vote salvaged the wages of millions of federal employees and social security payments for those in need, the act omits funding for what some deem criticalincluding Ukraine aidwhile also increasing tensions between Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his more conservative colleagues. McCarthy attempted to pass a separate resolution that would better appease his far-right colleagues on Friday, but that bill fell short by 21 votes, prompting the Speaker to seek an alternative route. "It's alright if Republicans and Democrats join together to do what is right, McCarthy said. McCarthy has since faced criticism from the President for his failure to abide by funding agreements settled during the debt ceiling deal in May, and faces threats to his speakership. We should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis, said Biden in a statement. For weeks, extreme House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed. Tonight, Congress voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans. This is good news, but I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. pic.twitter.com/U28kaX11Rq President Biden (@POTUS) October 1, 2023 Now that a government shutdown has been avoided, what will happen next? Find out what you need to know, below. What is the 45-day funding bill and what does it cover? The 45-day stopgap bill provides temporary funding for the government that is on par with the rate of funding in the fiscal year of 2023. The bill funds food assistance programs, federal wages, and allows continued access for Americans using Medicare and Medicaid services, but it is missing provisions on border policy changes and aid to Ukraine. The bill outlays $16 billion in disaster relief for Americans. Speaking to reporters after announcing the plan, McCarthy acknowledged the recent disasters in Hawaii, Florida, Vermont, and California as the reason for this supplemental funding. It also allows organisations like the Federal Aviation Administration and National Flood Insurance Program to remain in place. Both of these programs were set to expire on Saturday at midnight if Congress had not acted to avoid a shutdown. Congress, however, still needs to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund additional federal agencies. How will this impact aid in Ukraine? While the stopgap bill adhered to some of President Bidens demandsincluding the full request for $16 billion in disaster reliefit also notably failed to provide additional funding for Ukraine. Lawmakers indicated that they may vote on aid to Ukraine in a separate bill, or through the passage of other legislation. There is some bipartisan support on the matter. House Democratic leadership said that they expect McCarthy will move forward a bill to support Ukraine once session resumes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement assuring that Congress will continue to fight for economic and security assistance for Ukraine. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed that statement. Senate Republicans remain committed to helping our friends on the front lines, to investing more heavily in the American strength that reinforces our allies, and to deterring our top strategic adversary, China," he said. I am confident the Senate will pass further urgent assistance to Ukraine later this year. In the meantime, President Biden has publicly voiced his concern for the lack of aid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House in late September to ask for additional funding, which Democrats seem steadily committed to. When that aid will arrive, however, remains unclear. While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support, Biden said in his statement. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. Will Kevin McCarthy remain the House Speaker? The passage of the stopgap bill also brings forward existing conflict between McCarthy and far-right members of the Republican party, who had threatened to remove him from the speakership if he passed a stopgap funding bill. McCarthys initial journey to the speakership was fraught with challenges. He had to go through 15 rounds of voting in January before he finally garnered sufficient support. But in order to earn that position, McCarthy made a deal that would change rules to allow one lawmaker to advance a motion to vacate, as opposed to by the direction of a party caucus or conference, which was the previous standard. Rep. Matt Gaetz plans on using that power in his favor. Gaetz told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union that he plans to file a motion to vacate this week. This agreement that he made with Democrats to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we set up is a last straw, Gaetz said on Sunday. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy. The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out." If Gaetz follows through on that promise, the vote to remove McCarthy from speakership would happen within a number of days because it is a privileged resolutionmeaning it is an urgent matter. McCarthy could be removed from the speakership by a simple majority, or 218 votes. Republicans currently have control of the House, holding 221 seats. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it, McCarthy said at a press conference. There has to be an adult in the room. I am going to govern with whats best for this country. Contact us at letters@time.com. WASHINGTON Congress on Saturday passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown mere hours before the deadline and after lawmakers dropped additional support for Ukraine from the bill. After trying and failing to pass a Republican measure that would slash non-defense spending and enact strict immigration policies, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reversed course on early Saturday morning and offered a stopgap funding bill similar to the bipartisan Senate version minus $6 billion in Ukraine aid. This ensures troops and Defense Department employees will continue receiving their paychecks and avoids furloughing hundreds of thousands of the departments civilian workers. However, it raises questions about Congress ability to pass additional Ukraine assistance only a week after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill in a direct appeal to lawmakers, warning that his country would lose the war without more support. The House passed the stopgap measure to fund the government through November 17 in a 335-91 vote. The Senate then passed it in an 88-9 vote. The Defense Department no longer has funds for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and the $1.5 billion it has left to backfill U.S. stockpiles of weapons that have been sent to Kyiv expires on September 30. The Pentagon says that a previous accounting error means it has approximately $5.5 billion in funds to keep transferring weapons to Ukraine past the end of the fiscal year. The White House in August asked Congress for an additional $24 billion in additional military and economic aid to Ukraine. But even in the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys broad bipartisan support, appropriators scaled that back to $6 billion. That amount included $1.5 billion in replenishment funds to backfill U.S. stocks and another $1.5 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the Pentagon to place contracts for defense manufacturers to build weapons systems for Kyiv over the longer-term. But even an extra $6 billion for Ukraine proved to be too high a bar for McCarthy. While a strong, bipartisan majority of the House still supports Ukraine aid, roughly half the House Republican caucus now opposes it. House Republican leaders had to strip a separate $300 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding from the defense spending bill on Thursday in order to pass that legislation largely along party lines. The House then voted 311-117 to send that $300 million in Ukraine funding separately to the Senate. Dozens more Republicans who had previously voted to preserve that funding in July reversed course and voted against it on Thursday. Dropping the Ukraine aid also allowed the Senate to expeditiously pass the stopgap funding bill. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had spent the past week delaying votes on the bill to protest the Ukraine aid, but dropped his hold after its removal. Congress has passed a cumulative $113 billion in economic and security assistance for Ukraine since Russias invasion last year. While a shutdown would have been the worst-case scenario for the Defense Department, short-term funding bills still impose considerable constraints. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti testified before Congress in September that the Navy will not be able to proceed with procurement on four of its six shipbuilding programs until Congress passes a full fiscal 2024 defense spending bill. Those programs are the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, the Virginia-class attack submarine, the Constellation-class frigate and a submarine tender replacement. The stopgap funding bill includes a carveout that would allow the Navy to procure the Columbia-class submarine but not the other ships before Congress approves a full budget. If Congress fails to pass a full budget by the next calendar year, the May debt ceiling agreement mandates that all federal agencies including the Defense Department operate on a one-year continuing resolution with a 1% cut for the rest of FY24. Political disaster averted. President Joe Biden signed a last-ditch bill late Saturday to fund the government, right after he got it from Congress and only hours before the government was to head into a technical shutdown. But even as members of both parties expressed relief that millions of military service members would not be required to work without pay and hundreds of thousands of civilian workers would avoid being sent home Monday, the bill to keep the government open is likely to only delay, not resolve, future fights. We went from devastating cuts that would have impacted the health, safety and economic well-being of the American people in 24 hours to a spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people, across the board, crowed Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), the Democratic leader in the House. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who had resisted allowing the House to vote on a stopgap bill that would fund the government without at least some cuts, said Republicans will try to make cuts in the individual bills that fund various agencies during the time before the short-term bill expires in November. Its easy to be a conservative that wants to do nothing, he told reporters after the vote. I believe America wants to find the conservative that can make government work efficiently, effectively and accountable. Once the bill had passed the Senate, Biden also praised it, saying in a statement, This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people. The bill is a temporary measure, which will keep the government funded until Nov. 17 at the current rate of federal spending. It also includes provisions to keep certain programs that would expire or otherwise be hampered by a short-term bill, like Federal Aviation Administration programs, extended. Saturdays votes were bipartisan, 335-91 in the House and 88-9 in the Senate, but that did not reflect the partisan fissures over spending and even more deeply with regard to aid to Ukraine, funding for which was a major public point of contention during the budget showdown. A small but vocal group of House Republicans started the shutdown ball rolling by insisting the House cut spending to pre-pandemic levels, despite an agreement on a much higher dollar cap reached by House Republicans and the White House earlier this year to avoid a debt default. But as the Sept. 30 deadline drew nearer, tensions between moderate Republicans, hard-line anti-spending ones that did not believe in temporary funding bills as a matter of principle, and other party members in between those two positions flared. House Republicans over the course of two weeks lost floor votes on procedural issues, an Agriculture funding bill and on Friday a stopgap bill that would have cut some departments by 30%. Democrats were content to simply watch, placing their hopes on a clean short-term funding bill in the Senate with about $6.1 billion in aid to Ukraine as a down payment on a larger supplemental spending bill. The bill drew the support of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a Ukraine hawk. But within the space of a few hours Saturday, the entire playing field was upended by McCarthys gamble to force Democrats to choose between helping Ukraine or being blamed for shutting down the government. House Democrats initially balked, going so far as to try to adjourn the House to delay a vote on the plan. But in the end, they went along, with 209 Democrats joining 126 Republicans to pass the bill. Ninety Republicans and one Democrat voted against it. In the Senate there was much more grumbling among Democrats about the loss of the aid, but, facing a deadline only hours away, they also felt there was little choice but to agree. But the disagreement between the Democratic Senate and the Republican House over the appropriate level of spending by federal agencies and programs outside of Social Security and Medicare still remains. The House will work on more funding bills during what was initially supposed to be a two-week break in early October. And the Ukraine fight is far from over. After the short-term funding bill was passed to the Senate, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) delayed it on the floor, apparently demanding a promise that aid to Ukraine would not be swept under the rug. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and McConnell released a joint statement committing to working on the aid in the coming weeks. I think this is a victory for those of us who are skeptical of indefinite funding for Ukraine, but theres going to be another fight, whether its next week or three weeks from now, said Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). He noted 117 Republicans, slightly more than half of the House Republican conference, voted this week against a smaller $300 million aid package to train Ukrainian troops, saying that meant McCarthy could not bring a larger supplemental Ukraine aid package to the House floor. Any Ukraine funding package is going to be dead on arrival in the House, Vance said. Even though a large majority of the House and Senate favor more help for Ukraine, the issues waning public popularity and the onset of a presidential election will make it increasingly hard to get more aid approved. And Ukraine has a personal aspect for some lawmakers that will make it tough to find agreement. Aid opponent Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), when asked about the lost fundings impact in helping Ukraine prevent alleged Russian war crimes and atrocities, said, My main effort was I dont want to shut down the government. Asked if the vote sent a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Johnson said, Well, youve got Europe. Youve got Europe. [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy should not be looking at the U.S. taxpayer that this is going to continue, long-term. Bennet told reporters he held up the final vote because his mother was born to a Jewish family in 1938 in Poland and lost family during the Holocaust. I know how important moments are like this, for the United States to lead the rest of the world. Theres nobody else to lead this, he said. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who supports aid, blamed Biden for not making the public case more forcefully on Ukraine. Part of this requires the bully pulpit of the presidency and the president has been sort of AWOL in trying to make the case, he said. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), the only Ukrainian American in Congress, voted against the bill Saturday over worries about spending. She said the issue had become politicized. President Biden did a terrible job of explaining to the American people the importance of that war, why it is in the national interest for Ukraine to win this war, she said. But Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a former naval aviator in the Gulf War who visited Ukraine only a few weeks ago, reserved the harshest criticism for Ukraine aid opponents. It really comes down to this is a fight between good and evil. The American people always fall on the side of good, in my opinion, and weve got to continue to do that, he said. As he left the Capitol after voting, Kelly said some aid opponents probably didnt care what happened to Ukrainians and some just didnt see the bigger picture. And some, he said, are simply watching out for former president Donald Trump, who has bragged Putin liked him. Probably other individuals, for a difficult-to-understand rationale, feel the former president has a certain kind of relationship with the president of Russia. I think that could be a factor, too, unfortunately, he said. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Tom Emmer, the majority whip, shake hands following passage in the House of a 45-day continuing resolution on September 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. Credit - Nathan HowardGetty Images In a dramatic turn of events, the House and Senate on Saturday passed a measure to extend government funding through mid-November, averting an imminent government shutdown just hours before the deadline. The last-minute bipartisan effort seemingly came together in a matter of hours, after months of negotiations across a divided Congress had gone nowhere and much of Washington had assumed an imminent shutdown was all but certain. Failure to pass a bill by midnight would have resulted in the fourth government shutdown in the last decade, impacting hundreds of thousands of federal workers and government contractors who would have received no pay until a deal was made. But by Saturday afternoon, it became clear that both sides were working towards an agreement to avoid that scenario. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has faced pushback from the far-right faction of his party, made the surprising move to introduce a clean stopgap bill, knowing that he could only pass it with the support of most of the chambers Democrats. "It's alright if Republicans and Democrats join together to do what is right, McCarthy said on Saturday when asked about his GOP colleagues vowing to oust him. "If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it. There has to be an adult in the room." The measure, which extended government funding for about 45 days and allocated $16 billion for disaster relief, passed the House in a 335-91 vote. Notably, the bill lacked funding for Ukraine, which many far-right Republicans oppose, and did not include border security provisions that many House Republicans had said were a priority. Lawmakers have vowed to take up both issues separately. The fast-moving spectacle that unfolded on Capitol Hill on Saturday was nothing short of gripping, with a functioning federal government hanging precariously in the balance. Just hours after the House passed the measure, the Senate followed suit, voting 88 to 9 to send the bill to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it before midnight. The strategy appeared to be a last-ditch effort by McCarthy to demonstrate that Republicans were making an effort to keep the government open after leadership had failed to pass their own version of a stopgap bill on Friday. But in doing so, it put McCarthys political future in jeopardy as he confronts ongoing threats from the far-right wing of his party, who have vowed to remove him from the speakership should he navigate a funding plan with Democratic support. McCarthy decided to roll the dice on his own political survival in order to ensure the uninterrupted operation of federal agencies. As House Republicans struggle to govern with a razor-thin five-seat majority, the threat to McCarthy's leadership comes most directly from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and at least four other conservative hardliners. Ive said that whether or not Kevin McCarthy faces a motion to vacate is entirely within his control, because all he had to do was comply with the agreement that he made with us in January, Gaetz said before the House vote. Putting this bill on the floor and passing it with Democrats would be such an obvious blatant and clear violation of that. We would have to deal with it. Before the vote, House Republican leadership expressed a sense of inevitability, asserting that they had exhausted all other options. Dissident conservatives had previously derailed an earlier plan, leaving them with little choice but to pass a bill extending funding at the current $1.6 trillion annual rate through November 17th, which closely aligned with the Senate's approach except for the omission of an emergency $6 billion in funds for Ukraine. The decision to scratch the Ukraine aidat least for nowmarks a crucial blow to the White House and President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with Biden last week and pleaded for new weapons systems, including F-16 fighter jets and longer-range ATACMS missiles. The White House, which did not respond to a request for comment as of press time, had requested $20.6 billion from Congress to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. One House Democrat told TIME on Saturday evening that Senate Democrats would begin moving a supplemental for Ukraine as soon as next week. Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the lone House Democrat to vote against the short-term measure, said he did so because the bill didnt include funding for Ukraine. Putin is celebrating, he told CNN. We got 45 days to fix it. House Democratic leadership made clear that Ukraine funding was still among their top priorities, releasing a statement saying that when the House returned, they expected McCarthy "to advance a bill to the House Floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine, consistent with his commitment to making sure that Vladimir Putin, Russia and authoritarianism are defeated." The decision by McCarthy to advance the legislation on Saturday marked a significant shift for the Speaker, who had spent months attempting to placate a dissident faction within his party. Despite offering spending bills with substantial cuts and additional restrictions on migrants, he was unable to draw the needed votes from within his caucus. McCarthy expressed his frustration earlier Saturday, stating, "I have tried for eight months...I couldn't get 218 Republicans." Rep. Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican and the majority leader, said Saturday that his party would restart the appropriations process on Monday and continue to push for border security restrictions and spending cuts until the Nov. 17 deadline. Believe me, this is not the end. This is the beginning of our continued fight to secure our border, to get government spending under control, and to get our economy back on track, he said. The drama on Saturday also spilled over to the Democratic side when Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York triggered a fire alarm in one of the Capitol office buildings, prompting a building-wide evacuation, at a point when House GOP leadership was scrambling to pass the bill and Democrats were complaining they needed more time to understand what was in it. Bowman told reporters hours later that it was a mistake and that he was rushing to get votes, but Republican leadership is calling for an ethics investigation into the matteralleging that it was done in an attempt to delay the vote. Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, also of New York, drafted a resolution to have Bowman expelled from Congress over the incident. The passage of the legislation on Saturday followed a nerve-wracking week in Washington, as federal agencies prepared for a government shutdown that many assumed was likely to happen. Essential workers, including the armed forces, air traffic controllers, and airport security personnel, faced the grim prospect of continuing to work without pay until the standoff was resolved. But while Congress avoided an immediate shutdown, they only pushed their problems off until mid-November, when the latest legislation expires. Congress has yet to make progress on the 12 annual appropriations bills that keep the lights on at several federal agencies, raising the possibility that the shutdown will still happen, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana Just hours before the government was set to shut down, lawmakers reached a funding deal. It includes billions of dollars to fund disaster relief and to keep federal programs afloat. This deal prevents thousands of federal workers from going without pay. Lawmakers in Congress miraculously managed to avoid a government shutdown, just three hours before the 12:01 a.m. deadline. On Saturday, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy managed to corral members of his party to vote for government funding legislation that would prevent the government from shutting down after September 30. For the entire past month, lawmakers had been squabbling over their desired approach to fund the government conservative holdouts were demanding steep spending cuts and strengthened border security in a potential bill, something Democrats in the Senate were sure to oppose. But it appears enough lawmakers were able to find some common ground for now. The stopgap plan, which will fund the government for another 45 days, contained $16 billion dollars for disaster relief and funds to pay service members and keep the Federal Aviation Administration and National Flood Insurance program operational. Notably, the bill did not contain more funding for Ukraine, a key objection for some Republicans. "Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans," President Joe Biden said in a statement shared late Saturday evening. "This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people." The Senate voted 88-9 on the bill, with all "Nos" coming from Republican lawmakers, including Senators Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Ted Cruz, Bill Hagerty, Mike Lee, Roger Marshall, Rand Paul, Eric Schmitt, and JD Vance. The consequences of a shutdown would have been drastic for thousands of federal workers, along with Americans who rely on a range of federal programs. While Social Security payments would continue to go out, for example, limited staff administering the program would result in delays in getting a new card, along with getting help with overpayment. While the shutdown has been averted for now, it once again put McCarthy's leadership to the test. GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, for example, said over the past month that McCarthy was risking his leadership spot by choosing to appease Democrats on a government funding bill, and not delivering on all of conservatives' demands. "The one thing I agree with my Democrat colleagues on is that for the last eight months, this House has been poorly led," Gaetz said on the House floor on Tuesday. "And we own that, and we have to do something about it, and you know what? My Democratic colleagues will have an opportunity to do something about that too, and we will see if they bail out our failed Speaker." In the lead-up to the bill's passage, Democrats repeatedly blasted Republicans for going back on the budget cut deal they struck to raise the debt ceiling. "It's time for House Republicans to stop breaking their promise and put their country and American families and American troops above selfish, divisive politics," White House deputy press secretary and senior communications adviser Andrew Bates wrote in a Thursday memo. The House Democratic leaders released a joint statement Saturday before the Senate vote, saying that there is still more work to be done namely "renewing support" for Ukraine. House Democrats said in the statement that they expect McCarthy to advance a bill to the House floor for an up-or-down vote on Ukraine funding. Biden signed the stopgap measure late Saturday evening after the Senate vote. In a statement, Biden reiterated the Democrats' criticism of House Republicans' attempts to add drastic cuts in the spending bill and emphasized support for Ukraine. "While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support," Biden said. "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." "Keeping the government up and running, funding the government, is one of the basic functions of Congress and they can do it well, they can do it poorly, but to not do it at all is just totally avoidable and totally uncalled for," Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg previously told Insider . Read the original article on Business Insider Congress has averted a shutdown with just hours to spare, capping a dramatic day that started with a lapse in government funding appearing all but inevitable. The Senate voted 88-9 to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government at current levels through Nov. 17 and gives the Biden administration $16 billion it requested to assist victims of natural disasters. The House had earlier passed the measure in a bipartisan 335-91 vote. The CR notably lacks any funding for Ukraine, spending cuts or border policy changes. The bill now heads to President Bidens desk for his signature before midnight, with both sides claiming victory. Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed. And the American people can breathe a sigh of relief, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. The vote came together after a hectic day on both sides of the Capitol, one Schumer described as full of twist and turns. House Republicans huddled in the morning and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) having exhausted all options to pass a GOP-only stopgap plan made a sharp shift in strategy and announced the clean CR, dealing a blow to hardline conservatives who have stymied leadership at every turn in recent weeks. On Friday, 21 Republicans sank the House GOPs own stopgap that included steep spending cuts and border policy changes. Leaders tried to see if they could adjust the plan to secure support from the hardliners, but were left with six holdouts who refused to support the measure enough to tank any partisan bill in the narrow majority. Let me tell you, today wasnt a choice we wanted to have. We tried to pass the most conservative stopgap measure possible, McCarthy said after Saturdays vote. Unfortunately, we didnt have 218 Republicans. But it wasnt immediately clear the measure would get the Democratic votes it needed to pass. A several-hour standoff of dueling delay tactics ensued with Ukraine aid as the key sticking point. House Democrats attempted to stall a vote on the CR which contained the majority of their demands, with the exception of funding for Ukraine in the hopes the Senate would move first on its own clean CR. Republicans in the upper chamber countered with their own tactics, stalling and eventually scrapping a planned procedural vote on the upper chambers bipartisan clean bill that included Ukraine funding and disaster relief. Instead, they deferred to the Houses legislation. They noted that if Schumer had opposed the House bill, GOP members were set to brand the potential shutdown as one created by the Democratic leader despite the issues created by conservatives throughout recent weeks. After weeks of dread and hours of delays, things started moving very quickly. Senate Republicans went all in with their chips on the Houses stopgap measure. In the House, only one Democrat voted against the bill and it sailed through. Im really always optimistic, and I was really pessimistic until about an hour ago, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told reporters shortly after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters about the GOP plan. I think it shows that the No. 1 priority is no shutdown and what a disservice it is. Only nine Republicans voted against the funding bill in the Senate: Sens. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Mike Lee (Utah), Roger Marshall (Kansas), Rand Paul (Ky.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.) and J.D. Vance (Ohio). Multiple Senate Republicans acknowledged that Saturday marked the first time in months that they and their House colleagues were on the same page. They also pointed to the key roles Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) played in recent days in trying to get the sides to sing the same tune as GOP leaders attempted to back Democrats into supporting the 45-day measure. Mullin, a six-term House member prior to his Senate win last year and is an ally of McCarthy, was spotted speed-walking back and forth between the two chambers numerous times in recent days. Averting a shutdown has major ramifications for government operations and the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. It ensures military service members are paid, that no federal workers will be furloughed, food assistance programs will continue uninterrupted, national parks will remain open and travel will not be impacted. But the fight over government funding is sure to continue as each chamber works to pass 12 full-year appropriations bills. Senators are expected to reconsider their efforts to pass funding packages with three appropriations bills included at a time, also known as a minibus. House Republicans have vowed to move their bills one at a time through regular order, but it hasnt been smooth sailing so far. The chamber has passed four full-year bills, but hardline conservatives have also forced leaders to delay votes multiple times and tanked procedural votes to advance legislation an exceedingly rare occurrence twice earlier this month before striking a deal with leadership to move several bills forward. Adding to the looming tension, the House and Senate are crafting their appropriations bills at different spending levels. The Senate is sticking to the caps agreed to by President Biden and McCarthy in a debt ceiling deal earlier this year, while hard-line conservatives have pushed the House to craft bills at far lower levels. In addition, Senate Republicans who are staunchly behind a new tranche of funding for Ukraine believe they will have a better chance at moving that through Congress next month. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters that he is hopeful to advance a supplemental centered on aid for Ukraine and border security that can potentially garner enough support from House Republicans. Lawmakers in support of Ukraine argued they will only have one chance in these spending fights to win funding for their continued war against Russian aggression, and that theres enough money to tide over Ukraine until mid-November. Nobody wants to help Ukraine more than I do, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters. Youve just got to do it in the way to get the most votes to make it sustainable. A lot of Republicans say, I cant vote for Ukraine unless I do something about the border, which makes sense to me. So lets do that. Senate Democrats, however, were unnerved by McConnells decision to back away from the Senates bill, especially after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys recent visit to Capitol where he pleaded with leaders to greenlight funding for the war. McConnell and others have walked away from the deal that they had agreed to, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) lamented to reporters about the Ukraine funding state of play. It also prompted a last-minute snag as Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) held up a vote on final passage over the exclusion of Ukraine funding. Bennet told reporters that he felt it was necessary to send the message that members are still fighting for Ukraine. I know how important moments are like this for the United States to lead the rest of the world, Bennet said. Theres nobody else to lead this. We cannot fail. Schumer said in his floor remarks that he and McConnell have agreed to continue fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine. Senate negotiators had discussed attaching a border security-related amendment to the bodys spending proposal in recent days, but it never came together because the provisions likely wouldnt have been strong enough for House conservatives. The other open question hanging over Saturday is whether House GOP hard-liners make good on their threats to oust McCarthy for putting a clear CR on the floor. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has for weeks been threatening to make a motion to vacate the chair a move to force a vote on ousting the Speaker if McCarthy brought up a clean CR, and several other Republicans have openness in supporting that move. Whether it would succeed would depend largely on House Democrats. But a defiant McCarthy dared his detractors to make a motion to vacate the floor as he pushed to keep the government up and running. If somebody wants to remove [me] because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy told reporters Saturday morning. If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that. Emily Brooks contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Congressional Black Caucus is urging California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint Rep. Barbara Lee to the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein s seat, as Congress and the public await the Democratic governors choice to fulfill the remainder of her term. In a Sunday letter to Newsom, CBC Chairman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) argued that Lees progressive record makes her the ideal candidate to succeed Feinstein, the California Democrat who died last week at 90 years old. Feinstein was the longest-serving woman in the Senate, and was known for her fight against the gun lobby. Lees unparalleled legislative record, longstanding leadership in the Democratic Party, and deep commitment to justice and equality cannot be equalled, Horsford wrote, adding that she is the only person with the courage, the vision, and the record to eradicate poverty, face down the fossil fuel industry, defend our democracy, and tirelessly advance the progressive agenda. She is the only person with the courage, the vision, and the record to eradicate poverty, face down the fossil fuel industry, defend our democracy, and tirelessly advance the progressive agenda, writes Chairman Steven Horsford in urging Governor Newsom to appoint Barbara Lee. pic.twitter.com/FFCUJudgKV The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) October 1, 2023 Newsom has not publicly responded to the CBCs letter, but he has reaffirmed a pledge he made in 2021 that he would appoint a Black woman to fill any future Senate vacancies in California. He did, however, stress that he does not plan to appoint someone who intends to hold the seat permanently. That includes Lee. Feinstein had said earlier this year that she planned to retire in 2024, leaving the race open for other Democrats to take her seat. Lee is the only Black woman running to hold the seat officially, going against Democratic Reps. Adam Schiffand Katie Porter. Both lawmakers are better funded than Lee and are beating her in the polls. I dont want to get involved in the primary, Newsom told NBCs Meet the Press earlier this month. It would be completely unfair to the Democrats whove worked their tails off. After Newsoms comments, Lee posted on X that she was concerned about the governors remarks. The idea that a Black woman should be appointed only as a caretaker to simply check a box is insulting to countless Black women across this country who have carried the Democratic Party to victory election after election, she said. With Feinsteins death leaving Democrats head-to-head with Republicans in the Senate and the Judiciary Committee without a majority Newsom is expected to announce an interim appointment in the coming days. The nonpartisan primary for Feinsteins seat is on March 5, where the top two vote-getters make it to the November election. Lee has always done whats right, not whats easy especially during moments of crisis, Horsford wrote. Her values have never wavered: she is a tried and true progressive who has been effective in delivering legislation that helps working people. Related... FILE - A bus drives past a sign reading Welcome to Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 4, 2013. Connecticuts most wide-ranging gun control measure since the 2013 law enacted after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is taking effect Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. The new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in June, bans the open carrying of firearms and prohibits the sale of more than three handguns within 30 days to any one person, with some exceptions for instructors and others. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Connecticut's most wide-ranging gun control measure since the 2013 law enacted after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting takes effect Sunday, with proponents vowing to pursue more gun legislation despite legal challenges happening across the country. The new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in June, bans the open carrying of firearms and prohibits the sale of more than three handguns within 30 days to any one person, with some exceptions for instructors and others. We will not take a break and we cannot stop now, and we will continue to pass life-saving laws until we end gun violence in Connecticut. Our lives depend on it, said Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence. Immediately after it was passed, the law was challenged in court by gun rights supporters. Connecticuts landmark 2013 gun law, passed in response to the 2012 elementary school shooting in Newtown that claimed 26 lives, is also being contested in court. Besides Connecticut, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, other politically liberal-leaning states including California, Washington, Colorado and Maryland also have passed gun laws this year that face legal challenges. They come in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court last year expanding gun rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed nearly two dozen gun control measures, including laws banning firearms being carried in most public places while doubling taxes on guns and ammunition sold in the state. He acknowledged some might not survive a legal challenge. Last week, a federal judge struck down a California law banning guns with detachable magazines that carry more than 10 rounds. We feel very strongly that these bills meet the (new standard), and they were drafted accordingly," Newsom said. "But Im not naive about the recklessness of the federal courts and the ideological agenda. About 150 gun rights activists held a rally outside the state Capitol on Saturday, despite the rainy and raw weather, to mark the last day that carrying a visible firearm was legal in Connecticut. But they remain hopeful the law will eventually be overturned in court, arguing it's an infringement on Second Amendment rights and unnecessary. It is not common in Connecticut to go the grocery store and see somebody with an exposed firearm. Does it happen on rare occasions? Sure, but it is not a problem in our state, Holly Sullivan, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, told the Waterbury Republican-American. She said there were already state laws on the books that address people illegally carrying a weapon in public or abusing the open carry law. The new law also increases bail and toughens probation and parole for what officials called a narrow group of people with repeated serious gun offenses; expands the state's current assault weapons ban; stiffens penalties for possession of large-capacity magazines; expands safe-storage rules to include more settings; and adds some domestic violence crimes to the list of disqualifications for having a gun. Republican legislative leaders, who represent the minority party in the state General Assembly, accused Democrats of bragging about how safe Connecticut is because of the gun laws when there have been carjackings, serious property crimes and other acts of violence. House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, a Republican from North Branford, said claims Connecticut is one of the safest states are a slap in the face to residents. Enough with the news conferences Democrats should step away from the lectern and tap into whats happening in their districts, he said in a statement. State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, a Democrat from New Haven, called the legislation a very significant initiative" but stressed the battle is not over. Connecticut is vulnerable to states with looser gun laws, Looney said. He wants to pursue further limits on monthly gun purchases and require microlabeling or ammunition microstamping to help law enforcement trace bullet casings to specific firearms makes and modes. Lamont, who proposed the newly enacted law, said he is interested in working with fellow governors in the Northeast to draft similar laws, given how the technology is changing so fast and Connecticut can only do so much within our small state and within our borders. ____ This story corrects that California governor signed gun law bills last week, not this week Two men were sentenced for their involvement in a far-reaching conspiracy to launder $23 million in drug money through Lexington, according to the United States Attorneys Office. Anthony Scott Cossu, 29, of Olympia, Wash., was sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit more than $200,000. Felipe Martinez, 25, of Los Angeles, Calif., was sentenced to five years in federal prison and must forfeit $347,828 of drug money. Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit promotional money laundering, and were prosecuted in Kentucky. According to their plea agreements, Cossu and Martinez engaged in a money laundering scheme, with four additional defendants, with crimes occuring in Lexington and Chicago. Carlos Gonzalez, Rudy Guerro, Warren Miller and Oscar Alberto Palaciso Espericuete were also sentenced for their connection to the scheme. All the men allegedly participated in the organization sometime from August 2018 to December 2021. Each defendant delivered drug money to others for conversion to cryptocurrency which was later transferred to other conspirators in Mexico. A total of 26 kilograms of cocaine was also seized during the investigation, as well as three firearms, according to federal government officials. Cossu was responsible for $765,065 in laundered funds, while Martinez was held accountable for $347,828, according to United States attorneys. Cossu was identified as an international money broker who imported controlled substances and needed profits laundered and returned to drug suppliers in Mexico, according to court documents. He was arrested in April and made his first Kentucky court appearance in May. Defendants gave drug money to undercover agents in Lexington On different occasions, the men separately delivered drug money to undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agents acting as couriers, according to court documents. The undercover agent would receive a contract from the men who organized the transaction to collect money in Lexington. The agent was expected to pick up the money and provide a serial number for a one dollar bill to be used as a code during the drop. This code was given to the person delivering the money and confirmed that the courier had the specific bill in his possession before transferring the money. These men would arrange meetings at different places throughout Lexington, including a gym parking lot and a hotel parking lot, according to court documents. Once the undercover agent had the money, it would be transferred to an undercover DEA bank account. All but Guerro accepted a plea deal, according to court records. Guerro was convicted by a jury for one count of conspiracy to launder money. He was sentenced to serve just over six and a half years in prison in November. Gonzalez and Espericuete both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a plea deal, according to their plea agreements. Espericuete was sentenced in September to serve two and a half years in prison. Gonzalez was sentenced to eight years. A Georgia jailer has died after officials say he was attacked by an inmate. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The incident occurred on Sunday at the Smith State Prison in Glennville, Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, Ofc. Robert Clark, 42, was escorting two inmates from the dining hall when one inmate, identified as Layton Lester, assaulted Clark. Officials said Lester assaulted Clark from behind with a homemade weapon. Authorities said, the other inmate, identified as Marko Willingham tried to help Clark but was also assaulted. Both Clark and Willingham were taken to local hospitals, where Clark later died from his injuries. TRENDING STORIES: GDC states that Clark began his career at the state prison in April of this year. The entire GDC team is mourning the loss of one of our own and we collectively express our deepest condolences to Officer Clarks family and friends, said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. We will support them as they navigate this tragedy over the coming days, weeks and months. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Lester is facing charges of assault, resulting in the death of Clark, as well as the assault of Willingham. Willingham remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. IN OTHER NEWS: President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, walk into the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. President Russell M. Nelson was unable to attend. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News The purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to prepare Gods children for exaltation and the eternal family life promised by its restored sealing power, leaders said Saturday during the faiths 193rd Semiannual General Conference. Speakers also thanked the millions of Latter-day Saints for their faithful efforts to follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ and called for thousands of additional senior missionaries to spread the good news throughout the world. President Russell M. Nelson, who turned 99 on Sept. 9 and fell and hurt his back soon after, watched the session from home. Prayers were said on his behalf and speakers quoted his teachings repeatedly. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who is recuperating from health issues, also watched conference from home. Others described how to develop spiritual gifts, said that paying tithing is a way to put God before self and reiterated the church presidents charge to abandon prejudice in all its forms. The 18 Saturday speakers, made up of general authorities and general officers of the 17-million-member global faith, brought gospel messages to 195 countries in 70 languages, through broadcast and internet media. Latter-day Saint doctrine differs from others because it offers an afterlife of glory for all, but it is centered on binding loving families together forever in the highest glory, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency said Saturday morning. That highest destination exaltation in the celestial kingdom is the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he said. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sings during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President, Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor, and Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor, sit prior to the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Sister Jacintaya Cuellar greets an attendee during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Atendees listen to the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, sit prior to the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. President Russell M. Nelson was unable to attend. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Susan H. Porter, Primary General President, Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor, chat prior to the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News General authorities wives sit during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Matthew Ellen, 12, sings during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Evelyn Wagner, Ann Peterson and Jeff Rogers sing during during the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Greg McConnell, Bella Waugh, Patricia Waugh and Rondie Waugh sing during the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square sings during the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, right, talks with fellow apostles prior to the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Emily Belle Freeman, Young Women General President, and Sister Tamara W. Runia, First Counselor, are seated prior to the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the conference center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News The Salt Lake Temple construction continues during the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Elder Gary E. Stevenson, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, walks into the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees walk to the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees walk into the Conference Center during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Conferencegoers file in before the Saturday morning session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Melissa Alcivar puts a bow in her daughter Samantha Alcivars hair before the Saturday morning session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Conferencegoers file in before the Saturday morning session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Davis Ebohon poses for a photo with his son Ikponmwosa Ebohon before the Saturday morning session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News Sister Skidmore, a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, hugs Avery Mclaws before the Saturday morning session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News International singers sing with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, walk into the193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. President Russell M. Nelson was unable to attend. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Gods plan, founded on eternal truth, requires that exaltation be attained only through faithfulness to the covenants of eternal marriage between a man and a woman in the holy temple, which marriage will ultimately be available to all the faithful, he added. That is why we teach that gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal and eternal identity and purpose. Related President Oaks on Kingdoms of Glory President Oaks said the churchs 1995 The Family: A Proclamation to the World clarifies the requirements for exaltation, which is living with God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Those who do not fully understand the Fathers loving plan for his children may consider this Family Proclamation no more than a changeable statement of policy, he said. In contrast, we affirm that the Family Proclamation, founded on irrevocable doctrine, defines the mortal family relationship where the most important part of our eternal development can occur. President Oaks said that Latter-day Saint doctrine also differs because exaltation requires change, not just belief. In contrast to other preaching, which teaches us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something. The commandments, ordinances and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. Attendees sustain leaders during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees sustain leaders during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News A multicultural choir from stakes in Northern Utah sing during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees walk past art work during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Leaders are sustained during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees sing during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees pick up translation equipment during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees sing during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees sustain leaders during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Gary E. Stevenson enter the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Elder Ulisses Soares, Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Dale G. Renlund wait for the beginning of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News President Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Gary E. Stevenson talk prior to the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf pose for a photo with Donny Osmond prior to the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees sing during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Elder Gary E. Stevenson, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaks during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Attendees listen to the prayer during the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Conferencegoers exit after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Conferencegoers exit after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Savannah Lancaster does a cross-stitch of the Atonement as she sits outside and listens during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Conferencegoers talk as they exit after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News People sit outside the Conference Center during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News People stand and look out at the Salt Lake Temple after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News People stand and look out at the Salt Lake Temple after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Alex Von Forell listens to the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Aaron Robles and his sister Valeria Robles do a photo after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Enrique Martinez watches conference on his phone while sitting outside with his daughter Rebecca Martinez during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Two young girls play under a table during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Conferencegoers exit after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Audience members listen inside during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Conferencegoers walk past a painting during the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Scott and Amity Frewing sit outside and listen during Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News People stand and look out at the Salt Lake Temple after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Conferencegoers stand on the plaza and talk after the Saturday afternoon session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Among the 17 other speakers on Saturday were five apostles, eight General Authority Seventies and three general officers of the church. Related Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Elder Bednar thanked everyday Latter-day Saints for their indispensable contributions to the church. He shared a phrase from the Book of Mormon prophet, Samuel the Lamanite, to talk about church members in the path of their duty. I am grateful for millions of church members who today are coming unto the Savior ... Your strong faith in Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and your unpretentious, consecrated lives inspire me to be a better man and disciple. I love you. I admire you. I thank you. And I commend you. He described those who sit with the lonely and comfort the suffering, who support loved ones serving in leadership positions, who teach children, who return to the path after sinning and more. Coming unto Christ by returning to the covenant path from sinful detours into forbidden paths is spiritually essential and righteously rigorous, he said. He also thanked church members who have children. In an increasingly confused world beset with calamities and misplaced priorities, these courageous souls heed not the secular voices extolling self-centeredness; they reverence the sanctity and importance of life in Heavenly Fathers plan of happiness for his children, he said. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Elder Christofferson also spoke about the importance of the temple sealing of a man and a woman. Without it, he said, families would dissolve after death and eternity would be a free-floating disconnected state of individuals. Elder Christofferson also noted that President Nelson has called the gathering of Israel by the sealing power the most important thing taking place on earth today. The highest and holiest manifestation of the sealing power is in the eternal union of a man and a woman in marriage and the linking of humankind through all their generations, he said. No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy and love of God. This is the ultimate step in gathering the covenant people. It is the highest privilege of your membership in the church of Jesus Christ. I promise that as you faithfully seek that privilege, in time or eternity it will surely be yours. Elder Christofferson quoted President Nelsons talk at the August funeral of Sister Patricia Holland, the late wife of Elder Holland. In time, Patricia and Jeffrey will be reunited, President Nelson said. They will later be joined by their children and their covenant-keeping posterity to experience the fulness of joy that God has in store for his faithful children. Knowing that, we understand that the most important date in Patricias life was not her birth date or her death date. Her most important date was June 7, 1963, when she and Jeff were sealed in the St. George Temple. ... Why is this so important? Because the very reason the earth was created was so families could be formed and sealed to each other. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Everything that each person has comes from God, and disciples of Christ recognize that they should willingly share with others, Elder Andersen said, in part by faithfully paying tithing 10% of their increase. God will open the windows of heaven to those who do, he said. He has promised us that he will protect us from evil. These promises are so certain, the Lord declares, prove me now herewith, a phrase found nowhere else in the scriptures. The world speaks of tithing in terms of our money, but the sacred law of tithing is principally a matter of our faith. Being honest in our tithes is one way we show our willingness to put the Lord first in our lives, above our own cares and interest. I promise you, that as you trust in the Lord, the blessings of heaven will follow. Tithing helps disciples maintain their priorities, Elder Andersen said. Being honest in our tithes is one way we show our willingness to put the Lord first in our lives, above our own cares and interest. I promise you, that as you trust in the Lord, the blessings of heaven will follow. See the list Elder Andersen provided of some of the uses for church funds and offerings here. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Elder Rasband called for more senior missionaries thousands more during his address on Saturday afternoon: Mission fields around the world are pleading for your help. He described taking his turn in the weekly meeting where mission calls are issued and finding that there were 10 senior missionary couples to fill the 300 requests for senior missionaries from the churchs 411 missions. As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to serve as a missionary in the gathering of Israel and perhaps serve again. We need you we need you, said an emotional Elder Rasband, who spoke with tears in his eyes. I pray that the next time I sit down to assign senior couples there will be hundreds of you waiting anxiously for your call, he said. What are you doing at this stage of your life? he asked. There are so many ways senior missionaries can do what no one else can. You are a remarkable force for good, seasoned in the church and poised to encourage and rescue Gods children. He said seniors can learn about ways to serve, what best suits them, where they are needed and how to get ready are available at seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org. Related Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Exercising spiritual gifts requires spiritual exercise, Elder Stevenson said. Your ability to invite and recognize the promptings of the Spirit will develop a step at a time. Becoming more attuned to the language of the Spirit is like learning another language. It is a gradual process that requires diligent, patient effort. He provided four ways to invite and recognize the promptings of the Spirit: Stand in holy places Our temples and homes are the most sacred of these dedicated spaces. In them we more easily invite and recognize the Spirit. Other holy places include meetinghouses, seminary buildings and institutes, and church history sites and visitor centers. Stand with holy people The Spirit cannot be restrained from attending a gathering of holy people. If you hope to feel the Spirit, be with people where the Spirit can easily dwell. Testify of holy truths As you seek and take opportunities to share your testimony with others, you will create moments to recognize the Spirit for yourself. Listen carefully to the Holy Spirit He can be our constant companion but speaks in subtle, quiet tones. Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Elder Soares reinvoked President Nelsons efforts to root out racism and said that as Gods children, all are equal before him. He said the strong divisions of today can lead toward more prejudice. It is not uncommon to see people characterizing the way of thinking, acting and speaking of other cultures, races and ethnicities as inferior, making use of preconceived, mistaken and often sarcastic ideas, generating attitudes of contempt, indifference, disrespect and even prejudice against them. Such attitudes have their roots in pride, arrogance, envy and jealousy, characteristics of a carnal nature which are totally contrary to Christ-like attributes. This conduct is improper for those who are striving to become his true disciples. In fact, my dear brothers and sisters, there is no place for prejudiced thoughts or actions in the community of Saints. He called for unity among Christs followers, who should follow the Saviors example. He ministered, healed and was always attentive to everyones needs, especially those who at the time were considered different, belittled or excluded. He denied none but treated them with equity and love, for he saw them as his brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father. Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The choir consisting of single adults from the Utah County area sings during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The choir consisting of single adults from the Utah County area sings during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Crowd members listen during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Crowd members listen during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Gary B. Sabin, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Ulisses Soares, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, walk onto the podium at the beginning of the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Joni L. Koch, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The choir consisting of single adults from the Utah County area sings during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Gary B. Sabin, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Crowd members listen during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Ulisses Soares, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Elder Joni L. Koch, General Authority Seventy, speaks during the Saturday evening session of the 193rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency Sister Runia invited listeners to focus on the larger eternal picture of their lives and stories. Doing so provides perspective that produces hope about and increased love for others, she said. Because of Christ, it all works out. Everything you and you and you are worried about its all going to be OK! And those who look with an eye of faith can feel its going to be OK now. She also talked about family struggles, and concerns for family members who fall away from faith. Remember, families are a God-given laboratory where were figuring things out, so missteps and miscalculations are not just possible but probable. And wouldnt it be interesting if, at the end of our lives, we could see that those relationships, even those challenging moments, were the very things that helped us to become more like our Savior? Each difficult interaction is an opportunity to learn how to love at a deeper levela Godlike level. Lets admit, in a fallen world, theres no way to be a perfect spouse, parent, son or daughter, grandchild, mentor, or friend but a million ways to be a good one. Its the Saviors work to bring our loved ones back. Its his work and his timing. It is our work to provide the hope and a heart they can come home to. Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary General Presidency Peace in Christ after her own cancer diagnosis was the centerpiece of the talk by Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary General Presidency. I have learned from personal experience that spiritual preparation for the coming of the Lord is not only essential but the only way to find true peace and happiness, she said. At first, she worried whether she would live or die and what impact that would have on her children. Then she remembered, she said, that because of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, if I died, my family would be comforted, strengthened and one day restored. If I lived, I would have access to the greatest power on this earth to help succor, sustain and heal me. In the end, because of Jesus Christ, everything can be OK. She described Mount Carmel in northwestern Israel, which stays green year-round because of regular, tiny amounts of dew, or daily nourishment. Like the Dews of Carmel, as we seek to nourish our souls with things pertaining to righteousness, small and simple things, our testimonies and the testimonies of our children will live! she said. Sister Wright said she knows church members often ache with questions of the heart. She told them to look to Christ. Jesus Christ is the hope in thine end. Nothing we have, or have not done, is beyond the reach of his infinite and eternal sacrifice. He is the reason why it is never the end of our story. Other speakers Other speakers on the first day of the conference included a member of the presidency of the Seventy, Elder Carlos A. Godoy and seven other General Authority Seventies Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, Elder Alan T. Phillips, Elder Joaquin E. Costa, Elder Robert M. Daines, Elder Ian S. Ardern, Elder Gary B. Sabin and Elder Joni L. Koch. Brother Jan E. Newman, second counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, also spoke. For many years, Columbia Public Schools officials have tried to get teachers of color in classrooms, to provide representation for the minority student population. It has been a slow process with slow progress. A Grow Our Own Teacher program is meant to recruit future teachers from among current minority students. It results in just one or two new minority teachers each school year. A new effort has placed 13 new teachers of color in CPS classrooms. The lack of diversity among CPS teachers was the topic of the doctoral dissertation for Michelle Holz, CPS human resources director. She received her doctorate in education leadership and policy from the University of Missouri. With a family background from Mexico and Guatemala, she said she thinks she's the first Latina among CPS' top officials. "I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and then I moved to Columbia," Holz said. "So one of my passions has always been the benefits of having teachers of color in classrooms not just for students of color, but also for you know, white students as well. I mean, everyone can benefit from having somebody culturally, linguistically different from you." Diverse teachers Making the teaching staff more diverse over time is her target, she said. "It's been one of my goals, moving into this role that we hire, all-around the most qualified but then also taking into consideration hiring diverse applicants," Holz said. "And so when I looked at the data, the student population is 42% non-white, and there was only 8% around that number of teachers of color in CPS. So that's like a huge discrepancy. Right? It was not even close." There didn't seem to be an easy solution, she said. "There really aren't many people graduating from universities and colleges and if they do, they don't come to Columbia, right?" Holz said. "They go to bigger cities for many reasons where maybe they have family or they feel there's a bigger diverse population, those kinds of reasons." Then she decided the reach needed to expand internationally. The teachers are from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Australia and the Philippines. They teach science, social studies, math, business and computers, English, Spanish with learning specialists teaching students on special education plans. The process began last year. After she received approval from Superintendent Brian Yearwood, her HR team researched agencies that supply international teachers, she said. "So it kind of helps us in twofold," Holz said. "Our goal of, you know, increasing our diversity in our teaching staff but then also is helping us get highly-qualified professionals to teach content in areas that there's not as many candidates. So it was like twofold, right? I mean, it was like it's so amazing." The teachers Christian Nakeli, from Cameroon, on Monday teaches about free body diagrams in sixth-grade science at Gentry Middle School. Christian Nakeli taught students in his sixth-grade science class about free body diagrams. He explained that the diagrams represent all the forces acting on an object based on Newton's Laws. "I want you to now draw a free body diagram for a moving car," Nakeli said. The diagram has applied force, with an arrow pointing to the left. Normal force is depicted with an arrow pointed upward. Friction is represented by an arrow pointed right. Gravity is an arrow pointing down. A student drew the diagram on a white board. "When the car is going to the right, the friction is opposite to the movement of the car," Nakeli said. "The engine of the car is actually applied force." All planets have gravitational force, he said. Nakeli is from Cameroon, in Africa. Columbia is peaceful compared to a previous U.S. assignment in Maryland, he said. "I want to really appreciate the human resources department" of CPS, Nakeli said. "They have been very helpful." The district has helped set up a bank account and with transportation, he said. "People here are very friendly," Nakeli said. "The administration and all the teachers are always willing to give a helping hand." He taught in Cameroon for five years before his first teaching assignment in the U.S. Holz has assisted every step of the way for his time in Columbia, Nakeli said. "I have not seen this type of help" elsewhere, he said. Nakeli also lends a helping hand, picking teachers up at the airport in Kansas City. Naomi Kingori, a learning specialist from Kenya, on Tuesday with her students at West Boulevard Elementary School. Naomi Kingori is a learning specialist at West Boulevard Elementary School, working with students with special needs. She's from Kenya, where she has taught for 8 years. She learned about the possible opportunity from a friend who was working at a school in South Carolina, she said. "I started my journey," Kingori said. "The first step was to get a passport." She had never considered traveling outside of Kenya, she said. She arrived on Sept. 13. In Kenya, teachers had to share a single computer, but here, she has her own desktop and laptop computers, she said. "Everything I need, the district provides," she said. She had some reticence, she said. "I had fears of racism," Kingori said. "So far I have not seen any. I feel at home. I feel at home away from home." She is able to easily find ingredients for her favorite Kenyan foods here and they are very inexpensive. She's impressed with how well balanced the school lunches are here, she said. Kingori has benefited the school, said Principal Morgan Neale. "It's been a huge blessing to our school community" to have Kingori there, she said. One child told her "Mrs. Neale, my new teacher is from where my daddy's from," she said. In class, she talked with her students about the nutrients and water plants need and how they absorb them through their roots. Invested in the program Holz has picked up some international teachers at the airport. "I want them to come here and feel welcome and embraced in like, they feel this connection," Holz said. "So it may not necessarily be like OK, why is the head of HR going to pick up someone? Because I want them to know how invested we are in this program, that they are really wanted here and I want them to feel that instantly. I don't want them to come and be scared and like 'why did I do this?' I want them to feel like 'oh my gosh, they really truly are embracing this partnership. They're really excited about this.'" This is a pilot project, Holz said. The teachers' visas are good for three years, with an option to extend them for another two years. But neither party is obligated, she said. The international teachers are treated just like domestic teachers, Holz said. "They're on a one year contract," Holz said. "They need to meet performance goals. And if they don't, then just like any regular teacher, you know, we may need to separate," Likewise, some teachers may not like the arrangement, she said. "They also could not sign their contract for the following year and say, You know what, I'm homesick or this isn't working out," Holz said. "I want to return to my country, right? So I mean, it's a two-way street." Holz said she has high hopes for the effort. "Everything's new," Holz said. "We've never done this before. So we're working through it together." Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: New initiative brings international teachers to Columbia classrooms ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is active for Sundays game against the Miami Dolphins, meaning he could make his regular-season debut since having a near-death experience last season. Hamlin appeared in all three preseason games for Buffalo, returning to action after going into cardiac arrest during a game in January. But the third-year player was a healthy scratch in each of the first three regular-season weeks. A game-day lineup spot opened for Hamlin when safety Jordan Poyer was ruled out with a knee injury. Taylor Rapp is expected to start in Poyers place, while Hamlin is listed behind Rapp and Cam Lewis at safety on Buffalos depth chart. Hamlin also could contribute on special teams. Damar Hamlin timeline from injury to return to Bills Appearing in a regular-season game marks the final step in Hamlins bid to resume his playing career in whats been described as the 25-year-olds remarkable recovery after going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 2. Since being cleared to resume playing in April, Hamlin has shown no signs of tentativeness in passing every on-field test hes faced in making the Bills 53-player roster in August. He combined for nine tackles in appearing in all three of Buffalos preseason games in August. Hamlin was starting in place of Hyde when he went into cardiac arrest after making what appeared to be a routine tackle in the first quarter against the Bengals. Big Game Bound: High-scoring offenses collide in Dolphins-Bills showdown His heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis, which happens when a direct blow at a specific point in a heartbeat causes cardiac arrest. Doctors have assured Hamlin he can resume playing without any fear of setbacks or reoccurrence. Along with Poyer, the Bills inactive players on Sunday are: offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Alec Anderson, defensive tackle Poona Ford, and cornerback Kaiir Elam , the Bills first-round draft pick last year who has not been active on game day yet this season. The outing on Sunday is regarded as an early season showdown between AFC East rivals Miami (3-0) and Buffalo (2-1). The high-octane Dolphins offense leads the league in most every statistical category. The Associated Press contributed reporting. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Dan Comden enters the pool of nine Pueblo School District 60 board candidates with eight years of previous experience on the board. Comden served on the Pueblo D60 board from 2003 to 2011. He and his wife Randi have lived in Pueblo for over 45 years. All five their children are Pueblo D60 graduates. Comden said his five children received an "excellent education" in Pueblo D60 and wants to make sure his three grandchildren receive the same opportunity. "I'd like for us to be Pueblo Proud proud of our schools, proud of our community... not just parents, but the whole city behind our schools," Comden told the Chieftain. What to know about Comden's previous board service Winning a close election in November 2003, Comden's first year on the school board culminated with the construction of a new Irving Elementary School building funded through a $99 million bond. Comden also was on the board for the hiring of two superintendents, the welcoming of the Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences into the district, along with Fountain Elementary School and Corwin Middle School's transition into magnet schools. In 2011, Comden received the McGuffey award from the Colorado Association of School Boards for his service to public education. In nominations for the award, then-Pueblo D60 superintendent Maggie Lopez and board president Stephanie Garcia praised Comden specifically for his support of arts programs, according to a September 2011 Chieftain story. What Comden's priorities would be if elected in 2023 If elected this November, Comden looks to place an emphasis on academic achievement. This includes improving CMAS scores, equipping schools to "teach the basics" and increasing opportunities for students in career and trade programs, according to his campaign website. Funding should be allocated toward making sure classrooms are adequately staffed and teachers should have adequate supplies to "keep the focus on learning," Comden told the Chieftain. Other priorities listed on Comden's campaign website include increased community engagement in budgeting and application of best practices throughout the district. "Delivering excellence in our public schools is critical to ensuring Pueblo is a thriving community," Comden's campaign website states. "We all need to support our public schools to ensure our students have the best opportunities. I will ensure we are creating success that makes us all proud." Comden has a background in insurance and sales Outside of his board service, Comden has 20 years of experience with the claims office at Farmers Insurance and 15 years of experience as a roof salesman with Calvin Turner Roofing LLC. He also has served as vice president of the Pueblo Area Council of Governments and as a representative on the Colorado High Schools Activities Association. He was a part-time instructor for the alternative high school and GED programs at Pueblo Community College. Comden also has been an elder at his church since 1979, was a director of AWANA Youth Club, and was a founding director of Rocky Mountain Bible Camp. More about elections: Sol Sandoval running for reelection to Pueblo D60 school board Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Dan Comden seeks return to Pueblo D60 school board Glaciers are melting faster than ever, and while that might spell disaster for the planet, it has opened up a new field of research called glacial archaeology. Artifacts, bodies , and viruses frozen deep in ice for millions of years are now thawing out and washing to the surface; the warmer climate is also allowing archaeologists to navigate areas that were once too dangerous to excavate. I call it dark archaeology, because archaeologists have become the unlikely beneficiaries of climate change, says Lars Holger Pil , a glacial archaeologist and co-director of the Secrets of the Ice project in Norway. Its a tiny silver lining to global warming. [Related: Severe droughts are bringing archaeological wonders and historic horrors to the surface ] About 10 percent of the world is currently covered in glacial ice . The substance acts as a time machine, preserving the state of trapped objects as they were when they first frosted over. Glacial archaeologists do not have to worry about buried objects decaying, which makes them a great record of the past. Some of the most productive sites include Norway, Yellowstone National Park, and Siberia. The 1991 discovery of Otzi a prehistoric human who is estimated to have lived in the 4th millennium BCEin a melting glacier in the Italian Alps currently remains the greatest discovery for glacial archaeology. But its not the only noteworthy find weve seen in the last two decades. Last month the Secrets of the Ice team found this extremely well-preserved arrow, likely from a reindeer hunter from thousands of years ago. Treasure trove of arrows Earlier in September, Pil and his team were searching through the Jotunheimen mountains in eastern Norway and uncovered a wooden arrow with a quartzite arrowhead and three feathers. Ancient people used feathers to stabilize the arrow and guide it to its target. These accents usually decay over time, but the ice kept them intact. The arrow is estimated to be 3,000 years old and may have belonged to a reindeer hunter from the early Bronze Age. Its one of several arrows that have been surfaced from Norways melting ice in recent years. Pil says the favorite artifact hes found was a 1,400-year-old wooden arrow with a blunt end. At close to 10 inches, its very small, which Pil thinks would not have inflicted any kind of damage if shot. Further analysis revealed it to be a toy arrow, likely used by a child trying to master archeryand suggests the emphasis on hunting in this time period. We can imagine the arrow got lost in the snow, and the child was very unhappy thinking he lost the toy forever, when actually, 1,400 years later, it melted out and we found it, Pil adds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-wF2U-W6xs Iron age skis In 2014, Pil and his colleagues uncovered a prehistoric ski in a melting ice patch in Norway. The ski is thought to be 1,300 years old, and had the bindings still intact. In 2021, they came across the second ski , making it one of the most well-preserved prehistoric skis to date. Because the skis were very well-preserved, Pil says they were able to make replicas and race down slopes with iron-age skis. That was a lot of fun. A 39,000-year-old female baby woolly mammoth named Yuka from the Siberian permafrost is unveiled for the media at an exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, in 2013. Prehistoric animals In August 2010, a partially preserved carcass of a baby wooly mammoth was found in Siberias permafrost. Nicknamed Yuka, the frozen animal is estimated to be around 30,000 years old, which puts it back in the last ice age. Based on where the specimen was discovered, its likely that the mammoth wandered away from its herd in the grasslands and got stuck in mud. Given that the lower body was well-preserved in ice, it gave researchers an opportunity to analyze the extinct species in-depth and extract its frozen blood . The melting snow in Antarctica has also led to some interesting evolutionary findings. During a 2016 research expedition, Steven Emslie uncovered the preserved remains of 800-year-old Adelie penguins, along with some less well-preserved remains of the aquatic birds estimated to be around 5,000 years old. According to a study he published in 2020 , the penguins were likely moving because of changing sea-ice conditions and were covered up by increasing snowfall, which prevented their remains from decaying. This artifact may represent one of the first ice patch artifacts recovered in the Greater Yellowstone Area. It's composed primarily of plaited or twisted (not braided) leather partially covered with a coiled, blackish wrapping of organic material that may be bark from a chokecherry tree. It was radiocarbon-dated to about 1,370 years old. Organic artifacts Melting ice patches have also helped archaeologists identify objects belonging to the ancestors of early Native Americans around the northern US. Unlike glaciers, ice patches are smaller and move more slowly, making them better at preserving historical objects, explains Craig Lee , an environmental archaeologist at Montana State University who has conducted fieldwork on ice patches in Yellowstone and Alaska. He and others in the field have located all sorts of historical materials in these hotspots, from ancient arrow shafts and spears to well-preserved remains of ancient animals. [Related: Worlds oldest known wooden structure pre-dates our species ] Lee and his collaborators have also been able to identify organic materials like wood, textiles, and flake-stone tools in the artifacts theyve retrieved. Its very unusual for us to get access to ancient organic materials because theyre much more subjected to the natural processes of decay, Lee explains. Ice patches provide this uniquely preservative environment. One example is a birch-bark basket found in a shrinking ice patch in Alaska in 2012, estimated to be around 650 years old. A muddy future While the warming climate is paving the way to more discoveries of the ancient past, there are some hiccups. Ross MacPhee , a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History, says that though its easier to access places that were once inhospitable, melting snow can be a poor substrate for research. Everything is a mudhole, which makes it much more complicated to look for fossils, he explains. There is also the issue of ancient artifacts washing away: Pil estimates 60 to 80 percent of mountain ice in Norway is in danger of melting by the end of this century. He describes it as a race against time. If we are not ready to search for these finds, they will get lost, and so will the stories they could have told us. Two mountaineers discovered Otzi, Europe's oldest natural human mummy, in the Otztal Alps between Austria and Italy in September 1991. A combination of resources from aerial photography of mountains, digital models of terrain, and satellite imagery has helped glacial archaeologists melting glaciers and any areas where artifacts may have thawed out. However, their efforts can only go so far as ice around the poles continues to melt at unprecedented speeds. If temperatures continue to riseJuly 2023, for example, was the hottest month ever recorded in human history Pil warns that 90 percent of mountain ice in Norway might disappear by 2100. Still, archaeologists like Pil are taking advantage of this fleeting opportunity to dig through the soft ice while they can. While the chances are tiny, he still holds out hope that the melting glaciers will help him find the next ice mummy. Think your popsicle is melting faster than usual? You'd be right: Des Moines on Saturday tied its highest-recorded temperature ever for Sept. 30, at 92 degrees. According to the National Weather Service, Des Moines' high of 92 tied a record set more than 70 years ago, in 1952. Cities across Iowa also tied or broke records, including: Mason City, which hit 92 degrees, breaking its previous record of 90, set in 1952. Ottumwa, which hit 93 degrees, breaking its previous record of 90, set in 1994. Cedar Rapids, which hit 94 degrees, breaking its previous record of 91, set in 1994. Burlington, which tied its previous record of 91 degrees, last recorded in 1897. The National Weather Service expects the unusually high temperatures to continue another few days. A high of 92 was expected in Des Moines on Sunday and 90 on Monday. Temperatures are expected to moderate as the week continues. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How hot was it? These Iowa cities tied or broke records Saturday Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump on Sunday for not showing up to the second GOP primary debate. With all due respect to Donald Trump, were not going to beat the Democrats by adopting Joe Biden s basement strategy, the Republican Florida governor said in an interview on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures. You cant just be missing in action. You got to show up, you got to earn peoples votes. And if youre not willing to do that, voters will take notice as we get closer to these contests, he said. DeSantis was referencing Biden's campaign during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of social-distancing guidelines, Biden conducted many campaign events from his home, notably from his basement. Were not going to beat the Democrats by adopting Joe Bidens basement strategy. @RonDeSantis on Trumps refusal to show up and debate pic.twitter.com/aot5BGF318 DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 1, 2023 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the FOX Business Republican presidential primary debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Trump still leads in the polls Despite not attending Wednesday's debate and being the subject of multiple criminal charges and investigations, polls show Trump as the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination. An average of multiple polls by RealClearpolitics.com placed him 42 percentage points above DeSantis. DeSantis says his strategy of reaching out to voters makes him the best bet for Republicans to beat Biden in the 2024 election. You show up. You make the case. You dont mail it in, you dont go missing in action. You meet voters on the ground in the early states, Iowa, New Hampshire in particular, and tell them about the future of the country and why youre the best candidate, DeSantis said in the Fox interview. And so I think that Ill be the guy. Ive been the most dependable leader the Republican Partys had in recent years. Ive delivered. I havent just talked, and thats what we need in Washington. The time for excuses is over. The Trump and DeSantis campaigns did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ron DeSantis accuses Trump of adopting Joe Biden's basement strategy (Bloomberg) -- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he wouldnt accept any offer to be Donald Trump s 2024 running mate. Most Read from Bloomberg No. Im running for president, he said on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures when asked the hypothetical question. We need somebody that can serve two terms. DeSantis faced the question after Trump, the frontrunner in polls for the Republican Party nomination, told striking auto workers in Detroit that hes competing against job candidates in the GOP field and didnt see a potential vice president in any of them. DeSantis is among Republican candidates who have criticized Trumps decision to skip the partys presidential debates. He has challenged the former president to a one-on-one debate, similar to one between DeSantis and California Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled for November. Read more: DeSantis Says He Would Veto Big Spending Bills as Shutdown Looms Trump and DeSantis held dueling speeches at the California state Republican convention in Anaheim last week, highlighting the states value in the presidential race. DeSantis is seeking to rally more support from donors and voters after his campaign was hit by sliding poll numbers and staffing shakeups. He has been spending most of his time in the early primary state of Iowa, while sitting about 44 percentage points behind Trump in the GOP primary race in an average of polls tracked by RealClearPolitics. We need somebody that can win states like Georgia and Arizona, which President Trump cannot do or did not do, DeSantis said in the interview. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , a GOP candidate for president in 2024, on Sunday went after former President Trump for not showing up to the GOP debates, suggesting Trump was adopting Joe Biden s basement strategy. With all due respect to Donald Trump, were not going to beat the Democrats by adopting Joe Bidens basement strategy, DeSantis said in an interview on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures. Republicans, led by Trump, frequently attacked then-presidential candidate Joe Biden for not holding in-person campaign events during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. You cant just be missing in action. You got to show up, you got to earn peoples votes. And if youre not willing to do that, voters will take notice as we get closer to these contests, he continued. DeSantis made other provocative references to Trumps age, saying, We need somebody that can serve two terms. DeSantiss remarks come as Trump dominates in GOP primary polls. While DeSantis initially was widely seen as a strong rival to Trump, his favorability in national polls has dropped since he launched his campaign months ago and so far he has not been able to gain on Trump. Asked what his path is to victory, DeSantis suggested Trump was not showing up for voters on the campaign trail. You show up. You make the case. You dont mail it in, you dont go missing in action. You meet voters on the ground in the early states, Iowa, New Hampshire in particular, and tell them about the future of the country and why youre the best candidate, DeSantis said. And so I think that Ill be the guy. Ive been the most dependable leader the Republican Partys had in recent years. Ive delivered. I havent just talked, and thats what we need in Washington the time for excuses is over. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis s presidential bid, cut more than $530,000 in reserved time on broadcast television stations in Iowa and New Hampshire on Friday in what the group said was a shift in strategies following the second Republican debate. Most Read from Bloomberg At the same time, the political action committee bought $91,165 in time on national conservative television news networks, reaching beyond the first two primary states where its put most of its resources, according to data collected by ad tracking company AdImpact. DeSantis, the second highest polling candidate behind Donald Trump , has struggled in the first two debates to stand out as the clear alternative to the former president. Never Back Down said it was shifting away from broadcast television and into streaming services and online advertisements ads that are harder to track. The reallocated funds are part of a $25 million ad blitz the super PAC planned for early voting Iowa and New Hampshire this fall. The changes reflect a routine reassessment of the super PACs efforts to reach voters who are willing to look beyond Trump as the Republican nominee, according to a person familiar with the strategy. Thats been a difficult feat for Trumps Republican challengers to pull off, as other super PACs have found that ads attacking Trump often end up solidifying his support. Read more: Anti-Trump Super PAC Says Attack Ads Are Backfiring Never Back Down attempted to walk that tightrope in a recent ad that contrasts DeSantis to Trump without ever mentioning the former presidents name. In 2024 we have a choice, the ad says. One man worked his way through Yale and Harvard Law. One did not. One volunteered to serve his nation in wartime. One did not. The super PAC also spent about $145,000 in anti-Trump mailers in Iowa this week, according to federal filings. Polls in early primary states show DeSantis trailing Trump by 33 percentage points in Iowa and 31 percentage points in New Hampshire, according to the RealClearPolitics average. But in national polls which dont reflect the state-by-state nature of primary elections but often drive perceptions DeSantis trails Trump by nearly 44 points. Super political action committees, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support federal candidates as long as the message isnt coordinated with the campaigns, have become the primary driver of an explosion in political ad spending in recent years. Never Back Down, which is headed by former Trump Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli, had $96.8 million in cash on hand in its last public report in July. We have to harbor our resources. Everybody does, Cuccinelli said after Wednesdays debate in Simi Valley, California. But we continue to see enthusiasm. --With assistance from Hadriana Lowenkron. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. A Dinwiddie County teen was shot in the head Thursday morning at a hotel on the Outer Banks of North Carolina where she was staying with a group of friends, according to Nags Head Police. Two men are in police custody after the shooting, which authorities report as accidental. Both men are from Chesterfield County and were part of the victim's entourage. A release from the Nags Head Police Department said the 17-year-old girl was shot around 2 a.m. at the Surf Side Hotel, located at 6701 S. Virginia Dare Trail. The unidentified victim was rushed to the Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head and then airlifted to a hospital in Virginia. At last report, she was still in critical condition at the hospital. Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and happened while a group of friends was staying at the hotel. Someone in the group was playing around with the weapon when it fired, striking the victim in the head. That person, Ashton Mills, 22, of Midlothian, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting serious injury and felony obstruction of justice. He is being held at the Dare County Detention Center in Manteo on a $230,000 unsecured bond, according to the police statement. A second man, 23-year-old Joshua Smith, also of Midlothian, has been charged with improper storage of a firearm to protect minors. He was released on a $2,500 secured bond. Nags Heads Police Department is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the events leading up to this tragic incident, the statement said. Further charges may be forthcoming. This is a developing story. Stay with progress-index.com for details as they become available. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Dinwiddie teen critical after 'accidental' shooting at Outer Banks hotel An exhibitor (R) introduces Nepali products at the 7th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug. 18, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] During his eight-day visit to China, Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda struck a landmark deal to deepen collaboration in a range of economic and connectivity domains, as well as taking part in a high-profile business summit on China-Nepal trade, investment, and infrastructure. The visit paved the way for a series of multi-sector cooperation agreements and a wide-ranging joint statement that committed to making economic globalization "more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial for all." Nepal-China relations have been marked by a steady convergence of interests for nearly 70 years. On the economic front, Prachanda's visit successfully built on a series of earlier deals signed during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's March visit, providing new growth points to advance the "China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation." Prachanda's eight-day visit also marks six years since Nepal signed up for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Framework. It is against this backdrop that engagements with top Chinese officials underscored high-level understandings of trademark initiatives, such as the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network. At the same time, optimism ran high to break new ground on trade and infrastructure projects for a shared and prosperous future. As a time-tested partner, Nepal has already expressed its hope to strengthen trade, tourism, and cultural cooperation with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Platforms such as the fifth China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo also serve as a melting pot for budding Nepalese enterprises to showcase complementarities in trade and market relations. The recent Nepal-China Business Summit built on that symbolism by commanding presence from around 200 business representatives and reinforcing China's commitment to accelerating Nepal's industrialization. Beijing says that China and Nepal have set an example of equal treatment and win-win cooperation between big and small countries. The two countries are partners and present opportunities to each other on their way to national development and prosperity. As trusted strategic cooperative partners, Nepal and China have also demonstrated ample regard for one another's core national interests. Even before Prachanda's visit, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav made it clear that Nepal would never serve as a base for anti-China activities. Top-level interactions clearly reinforce Kathmandu's unwavering commitment to the one-China principle, while Beijing continues to support key capacity-building needs in Nepal's development sector. In Premier Li Qiang's own telling, China has consistently emphasized a development path suited to Kathmandu's national conditions. Wide-ranging growth points in trade, agriculture, science, technology, digital economy, and low-carbon development carry that symbolism home. Keen observers of the Belt and Road Initiative should expect sustained progress on the back of Prachanda's eight-day trip. Nestled between China and India, Nepal also represents a geographically significant location for the expansion of key BRI projects, making further headway on signature connectivity initiatives a promising point of focus. That includes the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, an important component of the BRI that serves as a key reference point for accelerated progress in their joint statement. More importantly, the network envisions a whole chain of railways and communication channels to bolster win-win cooperation and support future regional connectivity. Stronger convergence on the Sino-Nepali cross-border railway project provides concrete evidence of streamlining logistics and facilitating market access to meet future demands. For land-locked Nepal, the development of the cross-border railway is also key to advancing future transport connectivity and logistics with China, a core consideration for delivering "greater benefits to their peoples." Ultimately, Prachanda's trip is a timely reminder of the vast expanse of trade, economic, and political common ground between two decades-old partners. A stated desire to enhance "development strategy synergies" makes follow-up ministerial interactions likely, benefitting their strategic cooperative partnership in the process. Hannan R. Hussain is a foreign affairs commentator, author and recipient of the Fulbright Award. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. There was a time when keeping the federal government's doors open was, well, expected. This weekend, it was a stunning surprise. The unexpected alliance between a majority of House Republicans and nearly all House Democrats to pass a short-term funding bill avoided what nearly everyone expected to be a costly and perhaps extended government shutdown, a symbol of the dysfunction that has made action in Washington more often wish than reality. The partisan debates over spending levels for domestic programs, immigration enforcement at the southern border and aid to Ukraine weren't resolved, just postponed for another 47 days. But the fact that the House managed to approve a stopgap measure that seemed sensible to most lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, followed in short order by Senate passage and President Joe Biden's signature, sparked just a glimmer of hope about possibilities ahead. Could this deal be an omen that, at least on the most pressing issues, the sort of bipartisan negotiation that once was the norm could deliver again? At the last minute, McCarthy pivoted at the behest of his more moderate members. And Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries , who has taken care to forge a less toxic relationship with McCarthy than predecessor Rep. Nancy Pelosi had, responded. US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, celebrates after meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat of New York, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on September 30, 2023. Last-gasp moves to prevent a US government shutdown took a dramatic step forward Saturday, as Democrats overwhelmingly backed an eleventh-hour Republican measure to keep federal funding going for 45 days, albeit with a freeze on aid to Ukraine. The stopgap proposal adopted by the House of Representatives with a vote of 335-91 was pitched by McCarthy. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) Or maybe not. The passage of the so-called continuing resolution put at risk Speaker Kevin McCarthy's future as he faced a revolt by hard-right conservatives in his GOP ranks. "I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid; I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy," Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said on ABC's "State of the Union." He vowed to make a parliamentary maneuver within days to oust McCarthy, accusing him of reneging on the promises he made to the combative Freedom Caucus when he was elected in January. "The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out," he said. He suggested Democratic representatives would protect McCarthy's position, although Democrats themselves weren't saying that, at least not yet. When shown a clip on ABC's "This Week" of Jeffries speaking, Gaetz scornfully called him "Kevin's new boss." For his part, McCarthy saved his scorn for Gaetz. "I'll survive," the speaker said on CBS' "Face the Nation," accusing Gaetz of being "more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something." But McCarthy didn't dispute that parliamentary rules mean a single GOP member could force the House to consider what is called a move to vacate the chair that is, to remove the speaker. With the GOP's narrow majority, Gaetz could prevail if McCarthy lost just five Republican votes and didn't gain any Democratic ones. "Bring it on," McCarthy said. "Let's get over with it, and let's start governing." A few hours later, at the White House, Biden said McCarthy should learn a lesson from the shutdown-that-wasn't. "I hope this experience for the speaker has been one of personal revelation," he said. He blamed "extreme MAGA Republicans" for the "brinkmanship" that had created an unnecessary crisis, and he demanded that McCarthy fulfill his commitment to approve aid to Ukraine, which to the administration's dismay was cut from the short-term spending bill. Asked if he trusted the speaker, the president replied, "We'll find out." For the moment, the government is up and running. Federal employees will be expected to show up for work Monday morning; members of the military will still be getting paychecks. Biden signed the bill to guarantee that with just 32 minutes to spare before Saturday's midnight deadline. At least, until Nov. 17, when another shutdown may well loom. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Congress dodged a shutdown. Will it cost Kevin McCarthy his job? By Marianna Cerini, CNN Milan (CNN) Just days after Milan Fashion Week, Donatella Versace is making headlines not for her albeit well-received Spring-Summer 2024 collection but for her stance on the Italian governments anti-LGBTQ+ policies. In an impassioned speech at an award ceremony in Milan on Sunday night, the designer denounced Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni s far-right-led coalition for ongoing measures to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, including a clampdown on same-sex parents. Versace, the creative director of her namesake label, received a standing ovation for the comments as she accepted a prize for equity and inclusivity at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards. Here in Italy, it has never been more important for us to champion minority voices. Our government is set on taking away the rights of individuals to live as they wish, Versace said. The freedom to walk down the street with your head held high and without fear, whatever your identity. The freedom to start a family and live the way we want. The freedom to love who we want. We all have a duty to fight for our freedom. Although Italy legalized same-sex civil unions in 2016, the country does not permit same-sex marriage, stepchildren adoption or surrogacy, stances that rights groups attribute to opposition from the Catholic Church. A controversial new policy, alluded to by Versace in her speech, has seen the interior ministry demand that in cases where same-sex couples had children via surrogacy abroad officials only register one biological parent on their birth certificates and earlier this year, in the northern city of Padua, Melonis Brothers of Italy party began removing the names of non-biological gay mothers from their childs birth certificates. In July, Melonis government passed a bill criminalizing overseas surrogacy entirely. At a time when trans people are still victims of terrible violence, when children of same-sex couples are not considered their children and when minorities are targeted by new legislation we still have much to do, Versace said. The designer was accompanied at the event by Alessandro Zan, a member of Italys parliament and an outspoken LGBTQ+ activist. In 2018, Zan proposed a bill to amend Italys penal code to ban discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability that was eventually rejected three years later. In response to a request for comment from CNN, the Prime Ministers office said: The Prime Minister has not commented on Donatella Versaces remarks. Members of Italys LGBTQ+ community have since praised Versace for her comments. We thank Donatella Versace for breaking the asphyxiating silence of convenience that we have long recorded on the unbelievable actions of the Meloni government, Gabriele Piazzoni, secretary general of Arcigay, the countrys largest LGBTQ+ not-for-profit organization, told CNN via email. Versace is right: Giorgia Melonis government daily and methodically erodes the rights and dignity of many social groups, both on a symbolic and very concrete level, she added. It happens with LGBTQIA+ people, with women, with migrant people, and thats to name just a few. Fabrizio Marrazzo, spokesperson for Italys Gay Party, a political group formed in 2020 to champion anti-discrimination measures, meanwhile described Versaces speech as a positive step for Italys business and fashion world at large. Shes been one of the very few figures that hasnt been afraid to make her thoughts heard, and we can only hope more will follow her example, he told CNN in a phone interview. We certainly arent the only ones to believe our government is quashing our rights. Its pure discrimination, Marrazzo added of the governments stance towards same-sex parents. While the new policies have drawn thousands of protestors to the streets of Milan, Italian brands and fashion industry figures have largely remained quiet on the divisive issue. Marrazzo attributed this to fear of repercussions. I think a lot of companies believe they might lose a big chunk of their audience and consequently, a huge amount of money if they say something, he said. But that couldnt be further from the truth. Many Italians are with us. Versace, however, has long been a vocal advocate for gay rights. In June 2022, Capri Holdings, her labels parent company, launched the Versace Foundation to support programs, projects and activities designed to generate awareness and support for the LGBTQ+ community. During her speech on Sunday, the designer recalled her late brother Gianni Versace coming out to her as gay when she was 11 years old. For me it changed nothing. I loved him and I didnt care who he loved, she said. The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. JOPLIN, Mo. (KSNF) As the leaves are changing, hummingbird season is coming to an end for many states. Most of the tiny birds that spent the summer in the Midwest and northern states, or were hatched here this summer, are now on their way south for the colder months. However, just because its officially fall doesnt mean now is the time to stop making hummingbird food or take down the feeders. University of Missouri Extension horticulture educator and field specialist, Kelly McGowan says there are a few hummers that are still around. A good rule of thumb is to leave them (hummingbird feeders) up through at least mid-October, and maybe even the end of October just to catch any of those stragglers that may be coming through, said McGowan. Map: How long until fall colors peak in my area? However, if you do leave your hummingbird feeders up longer than experts suggest, theres no need to worry. Theres a myth that, If I leave them up itll make the hummingbirds not want to migrate. But, they have internal senses and primitive knowledge thats passed down to the offspring that tells these birds when its time to migrate. Theyre gonna do that anyway. So, its not a big deal if you put your feeders away later than the suggested time frame, said McGowan. The National Audubon Society recommends leaving the feeder out as the hummingbirds are around and beyond for late migrants. The Maine Audubon even suggests leaving your hummingbird feeders up until just before they freeze. Rare hummingbird species are more likely to show up late in the fall season. Bird watchers have reported broad-billed hummingbirds and calliope hummingbirds both are considered to be a rarity for those who do leave their feeders up into the month of November. Skunk-squirrel? What is this odd critter seen in Ohio? Hummingbirds will use flowering plants for a food source as they migrate south into Mexico, but they also will take advantage of feeders when they can find them. I have actually heard stories of people here in Missouri that have left them up later than they should have, by accident, and still have hummingbirds sometimes into November. But at some point, those who migrate, will do so. It just takes some birds longer than others to get going. Both the weather and the climate of the region can play a big role regarding how long those stragglers will stick around, but they will venture south, said McGowan. Leaving hummingbird feeders out a little longer wont do any harm and could help those hummingbirds keep humming as they migrate. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville has split from his wife Lucinda 'Lulu' Williams after 25 years of marriage. Bonneville played the Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley, on Downton Abbey from 2010 to 2015, and in the movies Downton Abbey in 2019 and Downton Abbey: A New Era in 2022. A spokesperson for Bonneville announced on Saturday (September 30) via The Sun : "I can confirm that Hugh Bonneville and Lulu Williams have separated." Dave J Hogan He and Williams were married in 1988 and have a son together. The actor was spotted at the wedding of Downton Abbey co-star Michelle Dockery and Jasper Waller-Bridge last Saturday without his wedding ring. Related: Paddington 3 compared to unexpected award-winning black comedy Bonneville starred as Mr Brown in the movie Paddington in 2014 and its sequel Paddington 2 in 2017. He will appear in the third movie in the series, Paddington in Peru, alongside Ben Whishaw as Paddington, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas and Emily Mortimer. Directed by Dougal Wilson, the movie will see Paddington travel back to his original home of Peru. Filming started on July 24 this year. Tristan Fewings The actor revealed last year that he originally didn't think the sequel was going to work out and credited director Paul King for its success. Related: Paddington 3 potential release date, cast, plot and everything you need to know "I absolutely recognise that it's a masterpiece, but I honestly didn't think it was going to be. I remember saying to Paul [King, director], this isn't going to work," he said. "How wrong I was and it's about the best film ever made." "But it was a tough gig, because Paul worries away at each scene," he added. "We reshot several scenes because he wasn't satisfied, and luckily he had a producer with the genius of David Heyman to say, ok, we'll do that." Heyday Films - StudioCanal In a departure from his previous roles, Bonneville also appeared as a retired judge with a dark secret in Netflix thriller I Came By in 2022. Director Babak Anvari told Digital Spy he chose Bonneville for the role because he "genuinely wanted an actor who hadn't done this sort of villainous dark roles before." "Hugh was my top choice as everybody knows him from his family films, comedies and Downton, and he's so incredibly brave that he wanted to do something different and come on this journey with me," he said. "I think that was part of the excitement." You Might Also Like Had the great Maya Angelou been alive to witness Saturdays climax of the omnishambolic dogs breakfast of a misbegotten legislative process that took place in the U.S. House of Representatives, surely she would have said, When a political party tells you over and over again that they have no higher priority than serving Vladimir Putin, believe them. Then, again, it didnt take the genius of Ms. Angelou to get the message. At the critical moment at which they had one last chance to avert a government shutdown, when Republicans in the House were forced to abandon all of their legislative priorities but one, the one they chose to ditch was the vital U.S. aid to Ukraine. In so doing, they sent the world an unmistakable signal once again that the first and guiding loyalty of Donald Trumps GOP is as it always has been to the Kremlin. Other messages were sent as well by the week of cringeworthy drama that was to the floor of the House as an untrained puppy would be to the floor of its new home. Had James Madison, Alexander Hamilton or John Jay been watching, they surely wouldve been compelled to write a new Federalist Paper, likely entitled On Legislative Clusterfuckery. Kevin McCarthy, the ragdoll Speaker of the House, was toyed with and tormented by a MAGA alliance that appeared to be made up from a group of particularly inept extras from the movie Idiocracy. Neither principles, ideals, nor any sense of responsibility made an appearance during the prolonged floor fight. Congress Averts Calamitous Shutdown With Spending Bill That Snubs Ukraine Matt Gaetz, the chief tormentor, evoked Shakespeare. But not in a good way. He was more in the sort of character described by Macbeth when he spoke of an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Gaetz and his misfit supporting cast, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, threatened to oust McCarthy if he did not meet their demand that he break the deal he had made months ago with President Biden to avoid the last government financial crisis. They wanted cuts to critical social programs including child care, Head Start, Meals on Wheels, law enforcement, housing and more. They wanted to cut the salaries of senior officials including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. And they seemed willing to throw millions of government employeesincluding the military, the Border Patrol, the IRS, administrators of aid programs and othersout of work, thus harming the lives of tens of millions more Americans. But they also knew that every recent past government shutdownand all were the handiwork of Republican House majoritiesbackfired on its authors. And so, just as many had given up hope and every agency of the U.S. government was making plans for a government shutdown that would have begun at midnight of Oct. 1, McCarthy agreed to put forward a so-called clean Continuing Resolution that would extend funding for government programs until Nov. 17 of this year. They continued funding at prior levels. They even included funding for disaster assistance and cut a pay boost the House GOP was trying to give itself despite their reckless disregard for their responsibilities. But something had to be given to the far right. The GOP needed some concession to make it seem as though their childish games had all been worth it. What did they choose? What was the one thing they said would be the last hill they would die on, the one issue so important to them that they would turn out the lights of the U.S. government to defend their position? It was to defund Ukraine aid. It was to settle for, in the words of progressive commentator Josh Marshall, one sloppy kiss with Vladimir Putin. Crazy. The house gop hangdogs might have gone through this whole shit show and not gotten any cuts, any more border abuse and have to settle for one sloppy kiss with Vladimir Putin as all they have to show for it. Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 30, 2023 The message that it sent to the world was unmistakable. Economist Timothy Ash tweeted, Staggering that the GOP, the party of Reagan, has been captured by Russian fascists. Staggering that the GOP, the party of Reagan, has been captured by Russian fascists. https://t.co/HkE2F0ZmpV Timothy Ash (@tashecon) September 30, 2023 French writer and philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy wrote that U.S. aid to Ukraine should not be politicized, saying it is about freedom and democracy, good over evil, right over wrong. Support for Ukraine is essential for the entire free world. US aid to #Ukraine is NOT and must NOT be a democrat or republican thing. Its above all this. Its about freedom and democracy, good over evil, right over wrong. Support for #Ukraine is essential for the entire free world. #Ukrainemustwin #SlavaUkraini https://t.co/4kP4RxDDYw Bernard-Henri Levy (@BHL) September 30, 2023 Yale history professor Timothy Snyder wrote, Cutting off Ukraine aid makes America unreliable, weakens the cause of democracy, threatens the international legal order, encourages tyrants around the world, and hastens Chinese aggression. Cutting off Ukraine aid makes America unreliable, weakens the cause of democracy, threatens the international legal order, encourages tyrants around the world, and hastens Chinese aggression. Timothy Snyder (@TimothyDSnyder) September 30, 2023 Liz Cheney, one of the last Republicans with a conscience still standing, pointedly noted that the decision by the MAGA GOP to deny Ukraine funding came on the 85th anniversary of Neville Chamberlains 1938 peace in our time speech. Members of the House and Senate who are voting to deny Ukraine assistance on the 85th anniversary of Neville Chamberlains 1938 peace in our time speech should read some history: Appeasement didnt work then. It wont work now. https://t.co/5gQ6s7MS6Z Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 30, 2023 It was an apt point. Just as Hitler saw Chamberlains weakness as the opening he was looking for, surely Vladimir Putin saw the GOP message for what it was, encouragement for his aggression and his war crimes from the Party of Trump, a clear signal that all he would have to do was wait until the next election cycle and if they won, a GOP-led U.S. would abandon Ukraine, our allies in Europe, and reward Putins brutality by extending his reach ever more deeply into the heart of Europe. Democrats and a handful of more moderate Republicans promised in the wake of the deal that they would seek and expected to get a new supplemental bill that would ensure Ukraine aid continued to be funded. Biden: We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment Aamer Madhani (@AamerISmad) October 1, 2023 Let us all hope they are successful and it passes. But the damage has been done. The Putin wing of the GOP and all those who have enabled them made it crystal clear that of all their dangerous priorities, the most important was to strengthen Americas enemies, weaken our allies, and to put democracy at risk overseas just as they are doing here at home. Nobody is cheering the last-minute deal to keep the government open that cleared the House and then, late Saturday, the Senate. McCarthy, seen as weak before, is seen as even more spineless and at risk than he was. The reprieve that was won is only temporary. The future is uncertain. While the Biden administration and Democrats handled this as well as possible, it is clear that getting anything done in Congress will be very difficult. And while the lunatics from the GOPs MAGA ward may have temporarily gained control of the congressional asylum, they damaged their tattered reputations even further by achieving not a single solitary thing for any of their supportersany that is, except their cackling Russian patron whose Bond villain laughter from deep within his bunker home could be heard round the world by all who understand the menace and his Trumpist supporters represent. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Poor Things is a work about distortion, assemblage, and invention, and its therefore apt that the film deforms and amalgamates to beget something thrillingly unique. Showing at this years New York Film Festival (ahead of its Dec. 8 theatrical debut), Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos latest is also a creation myth that heralds a new phase in the acclaimed directors career, given that its his first feature to treat its characters not merely with bemusement and derision but, additionally, with respect and love. A phantasmagoric and Bacchanalian odyssey of the mind, body and spirit, Poor Thingsadapted from Alasdair Grays 1992 novel of the same nameis, in certain respects, easily identifiable as a Lanthimos effort. For one, it stars his The Favourite leading lady Emma Stone. Moreover, it concerns, at least at first, an unusual family unit residing in a more or less hermetically sealed environment. And it boasts the directors warped directorial signatures, highlighted by his fondness for fisheye-lensed cinematography (here courtesy of The Favourites Robbie Ryan) that turns interior and exterior spaces unnaturally wide, rounded and dreamlike. That Lanthimos complements that flourish with recurring iris shots, low, upturned-angle images, sleek pans and pressing zooms further contributes to the actions aberrant grandeur. Flip-flopping between stark Murnau-grade monochrome and lush Sirk-ian technicolor, Lanthimos and Ryans visuals twist shapes, figures and perspectives, and their settings are likewise fantastically abnormal. Poor Things takes place in a steampunk past marked by opulently decorated mansions, spiraling staircases, and hyperbolic attire, and Lanthimos camera winds and twirls about these structures and people with unhinged curly-cue nimbleness. The result is a film that, from an aesthetic standpoint, resembles a florid, mad hybrid of all manner of disparate sources, from Time Bandits, Black Narcissus and Babe: Pig in the City to Amelie, Eraserhead, Nosferatu, and Alice in Wonderland. Like Lewis Carrolls heroine, Poor Things protagonist tumbles down a (figurative) rabbit hole on a journey of self-discovery, although in most other respects, Bella Baxter (Stone) is more akin to the child-bride of Frankenstein. Bella is a strange raven-haired bird who lives in a manor house with surgeon Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), whom she calls God and whose scarred face and tales of suffering (at the hands of his brilliant and uncaring father) mark him as both scientist and monster. Godwin found Bella following her successful suicide attempt and brought her back to life Mary Shelley-style, albeit with a major variation: rather than just resurrecting her as her former self, he transplanted the brain of Bellas unborn baby into her then-dead head before jolting her into existence. Consequently, shes both infant and adult, mother and daughtera closed-loop condition thats echoed by the directors curved compositions. Searchlight Pictures To study Bella, Godwin enlists the services of his surgical pupil Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef), whos aghast at what his mentor has perpetrated and yet is quickly smitten with Bella. While initially a coordination-challenged, speech-impaired simpleton, Bella is no idiot; rather, shes a creature in the nascent stages of development, and her first step toward maturation involves learning about sexual pleasure. Thanks to private and then very public experimentation, a hedonistic light goes on in Bellas noggin. Despite agreeing to marry Max, she soon becomes intensely attracted to sleazy Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a lothario lawyer who convinces her to flee her English prison for freedom and adventure. Bella covets what Duncan promises and away they go, with Poor Things leaving behind the grotesqueries of Godwins macabre home for Lisbon and seductive ports beyond. Its an expedition that commences with outrageous carnal profligacy (to Bella, sex is furious jumping), and Lanthimos stages Bellas countless erotic romps with the same eccentric abandon that he brings to the rest of his material, in which Bella spits out food that she dislikes, discusses things that arent to be mentioned in polite company, and lets her whims carry her where they may. On a ship bound for Alexandria, she meets an elderly woman named Martha (Rainer Werner Fassbinder favorite Hanna Schygulla) and her traveling companion Harry (Jerrod Carmichael) and is introduced to modern philosophical ideas that allow her to begin the slow transition from a creature of instinct to one of thought. Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures Bellas quest for agency takes her to the brothels of Paris and the home of her prior selfs husband Alfie (Christopher Abbott), with Tony McNamaras incisive and laugh-out-loud script providing a bey of controlling male foils and systemic forces with which Bella must contend. Poor Things is an episodic saga of feminist empowerment that moves from one hilariously bizarre scenario to another, each one rife with fanciful physical, conversational and narrative idiosyncrasies. Everything in Lanthimos make-believe cine-playground is stretched and bow-tied in weird and wonderful ways, and Jerskin Fendrixs score is similarly elastic, operating in so many diverse registerssharp and suspenseful strings, low and terrifying tones, playful and flighty flutesthat the film feels like its in a constant state of metamorphosis. Poor Things plot never stops wildly reconfiguring its influences, including Candide, with Bellas trip through the world, and encounters with lifes harsh realities, shattering her innocent illusionsas well as stimulating her hunger for enlightenment and contentment on her own terms, damn the demands of men and their self-serving society. Godwin, Duncan, Max and Alfie have unhelpful and/or objectional designs for what Bella is, should, and must be, and Lanthimos casts them as exaggerated comic characters standing in the way of Bellas growth. Ruffalo in particular is a riot, making an absolute mockery of Duncan, who pretends hes a champion of uninhibited liberation but eventually reveals himself to be a conventional sort of high-handed chauvinist. Poor Things: Emma Stones Wild Sexual Fantasia Is Now the Oscar Frontrunner For all Poor Things imaginatively perverse, pillow-soft embroidery, nothing overshadows Stones odd, amusing and affecting performance as Bella, a beautiful beast whos equal parts enchanting andto those who expect her to conform to misogynistic standardsthreatening. Whether in the nude or wearing one of her colorfully opulent outfits, many of them pairing puffy shouldered coats and robes with short skirts and pants, Stone embodies Bella as a living, breathing perpetual mutation machine. From struggling to articulate basic concepts to eloquently expressing her opinions and desires, and from awkwardly stumbling about like Boris Karloff to confidently navigating the myriad treacherous spaces in which she finds herself, Bella proves a virtuous young woman in the process of understanding, and embracing, her power. Searchlight Pictures Distortions are everywhere in Poor Things, but ultimately, its greatest alteration has to do with its author. Devoid of the wry detachment thats typified much of his preceding output, Lanthimos whimsical and wonderful comic drama radiates sincere and effusive affection for Bella. Ridiculing her compatriots and oppressors while refusing to reduce her to a joke, it becomes, by its conclusion, a celebration of triumphant feminist autonomyand, as such, a leap forward in its deliriously demented directors own evolution. Liked this review? Sign up to get our weekly See Skip newsletter every Tuesday and find out what new shows and movies are worth watching, and which arent. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Fall has arrived in Western Washington! This weekend is supposed to be in the 70s, making the perfect weather for nature walks. Greater Seattle on the Cheap put together a list, recommending the best nature walks in Seattle, Tacoma, and surrounding areas. In Seattle: Green Lake Park - 2.8-mile path around the lake with beaches. Discovery Park - 534-acre park on a bluff overlooking the Puget Sound with panoramic views and a path to the beach. Union Bay Natural Area, managed by the Unversity of Washington Botanic Gardens - 74 acres with 4 miles of shoreline, surrounded by nature and wildlife. Washington Park Arboretum - 230 acres of plants and flowers by Lake Washington. Lincoln Park - a nose-shaped bluff in West Seattle with 4.6 miles of walking paths. Kubota Garden - Japanese stone garden with eye-catching sculptures in Rainier Beach. In Tacoma: Point Defiance Park - a 760-acre park with a walking loop and driving loop featuring forests, beaches, and views. Wright Park Arboretum - a 27-acre park in the Stadium District with over 600 trees. Swan Creek Park - a 373-acre greenspace between East Tacoma and Pierce County with salmon-bearing streams, dog parks, mountain bike trails, and more. In King County: Bellevue Downtown Park - a 21-acre park across from Bellevue Square. Bellevue Botanical Garden - 53 acres of gardens, woodlands, and natural wetlands. Mercer Slough Nature Park - minutes from Seattle or Bellevue, with 320 acres of wildlife habitat and seven miles of trails. Olallie State Park - a 2,336-acre park east of Seattle with six miles of hiking trails along the Cascade Mountains. Cedar River Trail - a 17.3-mile trail along the Cedar River between Lake Washington in Renton and State Route 169. Josep Borrell , High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has arrived in Kyiv after a visit to Odesa earlier this week. Source: Josep Borrell on Twitter Humbled to be in Kyiv to participate with President @ZelenskyyUa and Minister @DmytroKuleba in honouring the memory of the fallen defenders & express support to those who are currently defending Ukraine from Russias unjustified aggression and fight for our common values. pic.twitter.com/MdJbh4PwO4 Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 1, 2023 Details: Borrell met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The officials honoured the memory of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia. At 09:00 on 1 October a minute of silence was held in Ukraine in memory of the fallen defenders. The day marks Defenders Day, which honours Ukrainian defence forces and everyone defending the country from Russian aggression. Previously: Borrell arrived in Odesa with an unannounced visit on Saturday, 30 September. He visited the Transfiguration Cathedral, which was damaged by a Russian missile attack. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! To carry on Flying Tigers spirit, promote people-to-people friendship between China, U.S. 10:32, October 01, 2023 By Zhang Mengxu, Zhang Penghui, Li Zhiwei ( People's Daily Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to a letter from Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation Jeffrey Greene and Flying Tigers veterans Harry Moyer and Mel McMullen. In his reply dated Sept. 12, Xi said that "a sound and steady development of the relationship in the new era requires the input and support of a new generation of Flying Tigers," and he hopes that the spirit of Flying Tigers will be carried on from generation to generation among Chinese and American peoples. Founded in 1998, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation is an American civil friendship group aimed at promoting the study and commemoration of China-U.S. historical aviation events. Recently, Greene, Moyer and McMullen jointly wrote a letter to Xi, in which they introduced the efforts of the foundation and Flying Tigers veterans in helping promote China-U.S. friendly exchanges, and expressed their willingness to inherit and carry forward the precious spirit of China-U.S. cooperation. Greene said Xi's reply was of important significance. He thanked President Xi for caring for Flying Tigers veterans and their families, saying the Chinese president's recognition of the efforts made by the foundation in helping pass on and carry forward the spirit of the Flying Tigers was a huge encouragement to them. Moyer and McMullen, both about 100 years old, are still working to promote people-to-people friendship between China and the United States. They are expected to visit China once again this fall to attend the "Remembering Heroes-the Flying Tigers and the 80th Anniversary of the U.S. Fourteenth Air Force's Aid to China Photo Expo," an event to be jointly hosted by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and multiple Chinese provinces and municipalities. After receiving Xi's reply, Moyer told People's Daily that the spirit of the Flying Tigers has bestowed upon the United States and China a multitude of invaluable lessons. He said in the past, the military and civilians of both countries, who fought side by side and sacrificed their lives, have forged a profound friendship, and friendly cooperation between the United States and China has brought benefits to the two peoples. In the present era, it is crucial for the United States and China to strengthen cooperation, as it will have a profound impact on their common future, he added. Xi's reply mirrored his cherishment of the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples, McMullen said. He noted the spirit of the Flying Tigers symbolizes the friendship and cooperation between the United States and China, and he hopes that the younger generations of both countries will continue to inherit and carry forward the spirit. He wished for the stable development of U.S.-China relations. The Flying Tigers, initially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was founded by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault in 1941 to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people and was replaced by the American Army Air Forces' China Air Task Force in mid-1942 and then by a larger and better equipped, American Army Air Forces' 14th Air Force to fight the invading Japanese troops. It destroyed over 2,600 Japanese military planes, sank and wounded 44 warships, and wiped out more than 60,000 Japanese aggressors, writing a precious chapter in the history of China-U.S. relations. "In the past, our two peoples fought the Japanese fascists together, and forged a deep friendship that withstood the test of blood and fire," Xi stressed in his reply. "In the future, the two major countries shoulder even more important responsibility for world peace, stability and development." "We therefore should, and we must, respect each other, coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation," he said. Greene said the spirit of the Flying Tigers, transcending time and space and symbolizing friendship and cooperation, is a shared spiritual heritage of American and Chinese peoples. Thanks to the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, nearly 500 Flying Tigers veterans and several hundred of their family members have visited China, with their footprints covering 25 Chinese cities across 12 Chinese provinces, where they have been warmly welcomed by Chinese citizens. Flying Tigers veterans are amazed by the continuing development and remarkable changes they see, and all of them are very proud of China's achievement. Greene said it's a firm conviction of the foundation that the United States and China should and must cooperate with each other, adding that the foundation hopes to spread the ideas of friendship and cooperation among the younger generations in both the United States and China through a series of activities that recall the shared American and Chinese Legacy of the Flying Tigers and Second World cooperation. He told People's Daily that the organization had told many Americans that China is different from what's in their imagination, and friendship, respect and understanding are important for the two countries. Kenneth Hammond, Professor of History at New Mexico State University, noted that Xi's recent replies to letters from American friendly personages remind people that the United States and China have a long history of cooperation and the two peoples are connected by a profound friendship. A review of the friendship between the two countries established over 80 years ago would shed light on the development of their relations. Xi's reply encouraged the two peoples to march toward a brighter future, Hammond said, adding that the two countries face many common challenges and they should tackle these challenges through cooperation. Xi noted in his reply that in growing China-U.S. relations, the hope lies in the people, the foundation lies among the people, and the future lies with the youth. This strikes a chord with Greene. Green said that more than 80 years ago, many young Americans joined the Flying Tigers and fought side by side with the Chinese people to resist the Japanese fascist invasion, and this period of history reflected the strength of cooperation and friendship between the United States and China. Today, although there are fewer living Flying Tigers veterans today, the younger generations, inspired by the stories of the Flying Tigers, understand the importance of establishing a good and solid cooperative relationship between the United States and China, Greene added. Margaret Kincannon is the director of the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program under the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, and also a descendent of a Flying Tigers veteran. She told People's Daily that Xi's inspiring words made them believe that the Flying Tigers spirit forged by the American and Chinese peoples more than 80 years ago is still exerting positive impacts on deepening the friendship between the two peoples, and she is glad to join the efforts to carry forward the spirit. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, noted that Xi's replies to letters from American friendly personages demonstrated the importance Xi attaches to the people-to-people friendship between the United States and China, and these replies are of huge significance for promoting the healthy and stable development of U.S.-China relations. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) Flash Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (4th L, front) welcomes Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 25, 2023. Thailand extended a warm welcome to the first batch of visa-exempt flights from China on Monday, marking the launch of the nation's fresh initiative to reinvigorate its Chinese tourist market. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) Prominent travel platforms reporting full bookings, bustling queues in international departure halls at airports, and Chinese tourists flocking to popular global destinations... China's outbound tourism market is certainly brimming with exhilaration. Wang Shihua from Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, has joined the wave of tourists during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, lasting from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. After spending the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese festival usually marked by reunions which fell on Friday this year, at home, he flew to Thailand together with his family. During their six-day trip, Wang plans to visit popular attractions including the Grand Palace, as well as savor Thai massage and local cuisine. "I visited Thailand several years ago, and the experience left me with great memories. Now that my city has opened direct flights to Thailand, I have got to visit it again," Wang said. China's outbound tourism during the National Day "golden week" holiday has shown a "blowout" growth. According to data from China's leading travel platforms, including Trip.com Group and Fliggy, orders for overseas trips during the eight-day holiday surged nearly 20 times compared with the same period last year. As one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, Thailand announced a five-month visa-free policy for Chinese tourists in September. Since then, the number of travel inquiries and bookings for the Southeast Asian nation has continued to grow, ranking among the top destinations for outbound travel during the ongoing holiday. Li Gaochao, assistant general manager of a major international travel agency in Shanxi, said that the visa-free policy saves around 500 yuan (about 69.64 U.S. dollars) in travel costs. After Chinese travel agencies and online tourism service providers resumed offering group tours to an expanded range of countries and regions in August, travel routes to Central and East Africa, as well as Europe, have gained popularity. Additionally, tour packages for Middle Eastern destinations like Dubai were fully booked early September. Representatives from numerous countries have flocked to China to attract customers, capitalizing on the swift resurgence of the country's outbound tourism market. Recently, the national tourist boards of countries such as Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and the European Travel Commission joined hands with China's online travel agency Mafengwo to attract tourists to Northern Europe. In mid-September, the Korea Tourism Organization signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with Trip.com Group. It is expected that during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, the number of outbound tourists to the Republic of Korea will usher in the annual peak. Industry insiders believe that with the change in consumption preferences, Chinese tourists are more inclined to in-depth experiences and high-quality services, so flexible private group tours have become more popular during this holiday season. Zhao Wenzhi, president of GZL International Travel Service Ltd., located in south China's Guangdong Province, said that tourists' demand for high-end outbound tourism is increasing, and some quality small-group routes with scarce tourism elements are expected to become dark horses over the "golden week." Zhao's viewpoint is backed by data from travel platforms, revealing a substantial increase in the number of group tour bookings to countries such as Uzbekistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sri Lanka and Kenya during this period compared to 2019. Experts pointed out that as the world's largest source of outbound tourists, China's resumption of outbound group tours will play a positive role in promoting the recovery of the global tourism industry. According to the 2023 Global Consumer Insights Survey China Report released by global auditing and consultancy firm PwC, to a much greater extent than their global counterparts, 62 percent of Chinese consumers expected they would increase spending on travel. More than 50 percent of them anticipated they were likely or extremely likely to travel on an international flight in the next six months. It will bring significant opportunities for the global tourism, hospitality and retail sectors. "The gradual return of Chinese tourists around the world will inject recovery momentum into the global economy," said Zhang Yang, who works with the China Tourism Academy. Josep Borrell , High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that the EU is preparing long-term security commitments for Ukraine. Source: Borrell on Twitter during his visit to Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda Russias war against Ukraine is an existential threat for all of us. In our 1st in-person meeting with @rustem_umerov, we discussed continuous EU military assistance. Ukraine needs more capabilities & needs them faster. We are preparing long-term security commitments for Ukraine pic.twitter.com/xxILeYa1J8 Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 1, 2023 Details: Borrell remarked that during his visit to the Ukrainian capital he met with Rustem Umerov, new Minister of Defence of Ukraine, where they discussed "uninterrupted military aid of the EU". Quote: "Ukraine needs more opportunities [and] needs them faster We are preparing long-term security commitments for Ukraine." Background: On 1 October, Borrell arrived in Kyiv with a visit and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. They honoured the memory of the Ukrainian soldiers, who have died in the Russian war against Ukraine, together. Before that Borrell came to Odesa on an unannounced visit. He visited the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa which was damaged as a result of a Russian attack. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- The European Union has been accelerating its push to become the first climate-neutral continent. A new policy coming into force on Sunday will be a first step toward nudging other parts of the world to follow suit. Most Read from Bloomberg The measure will eventually place a levy on carbon-intensive imports so that European companies forced to comply with the continents strict climate laws wont face unfair competition from producers outside the bloc. From Sunday, the start of the first phase of the so-called Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, importers from six carbon-intensive industries will be required to start reporting on their emissions. It will have strategic and financial implications for businesses around the world, said Tim Figures, a senior expert at Boston Consulting Group. Sunday is just the start of a long process but even if some companies are not impacted right away, they may be at a later stage, as the EU has an option of including more industries. The mechanism has already faced pushback from the EUs major trading partners including Russia and China, who argue that it undermines the principles of free trade. Its also added to trade tensions between the EU and US, with the Biden administration asking earlier this year for its steel and aluminum exports to be exempt. But once it gets underway, the mechanism will be a key test as to whether carbon pricing can be established around the world as part of efforts to limit global warming. Under the second phase, which kicks in from January 2026, companies will be required to pay a gradually phased-in levy in line with prices in the EUs carbon market. The benchmark EU emissions contract was at around 82 euros per metric ton of carbon on Friday. The idea of putting a price on emissions at the European border has been floated over the past two decades but it wasnt until earlier this year that the EU adopted a law mandating the levy as part of its ambitious green package. The EU has a binding goal of reducing greenhouse gases by at least 55% this decade from the level recorded in 1990 and achieving climate neutrality by the middle of the century. Even the transitional phase of the border mechanism, before any taxes are put in place, will force producers in exporting countries to put a bigger focus on their carbon footprint, according to Figures. First, their products will be less competitive if they dont reduce emissions and second, the prospect of paying a price on carbon in the EU will act as an incentive to invest in decarbonization, Figures said. That may also mean a change in trade patterns: carbon-intensive products will be harder to sell on the EU market so they could be shifted to third countries without carbon tariffs. The levy can be at least partially waived if a carbon tax has already been paid in the country where the goods were produced, adding an extra incentive for third countries to introduce their own green policies. Such a design also prevents the plan from being considered an illegal tariff under regulations drawn up by the World Trade Organization. The EU still has a lot of work to do for the mechanism to operate smoothly, from ensuring compliance supervision in member states to introducing more detailed technical rules. Its also set to face legal challenges at the WTO and disputes with trading parters. Els Brouwers, Director of Energy, Climate and Economic Affairs at Essenscia, the lobby group for the Belgian chemical industry, described the mechanism as a huge administrative burden for EU importers. Companies have a lot of questions about how their exports will be protected, Brouwers said. Environmentalists and economists, including Nobel Prize winner William Nordhaus, have long advocated carbon pricing because it allows countries to band together in a sort of carbon club to eliminate the problem of free-riding on the efforts of other nations. Germany has pitched its own idea for such a union alongside the Group of Seven. It may also give momentum to nascent carbon markets in other countries, like the Chinese emissions market, and entice other countries to follow suit, according to Antoine Vagneur-Jones, head of trade and supply chains at BloombergNEF. Its not going to lead to carbon pricing anywhere near to what the EU is doing anytime soon, Vagneur-Jones wrote in a note. But in places where carbon pricing is politically palatable, this could definitely act as something of a driver, he said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. The call that came over the police radio Monday morning was startling if familiar by now: Two men in a stolen car committing robberies at gunpoint across Chicagos South Side. Within a span of minutes, the robbers held up employees at two discount stores and stole wallets and other belongings from pedestrians on the street. All of the victims described having guns pointed in their faces, according to police and court records. One was knocked to the ground. This time, police quickly caught a 25-year-old suspect after an alert witness saw two men matching the robbers description running from a stolen Kia with bags in their hands on South Carpenter Street, according to court records. But its a drop in the bucket. In the days before and after those robberies, waves of other stickups were happening around the city, including a driver accosted by rifle-toting teens as he was unloading his car in Bucktown, a woman carjacked at gunpoint in Rogers Park, students walking near DePaul Universitys Lincoln Park campus and a bar worker mugged after leaving work in the West Loop. While armed robberies are nothing new in Chicago, a disturbing new pattern has emerged in recent months where crews of robbers many of them juveniles toting high-powered weapons go on crime sprees, robbing or carjacking multiple victims in a matter of minutes, often using stolen cars and dressed head to toe in black. They seem to be constantly one step ahead of authorities. Before police can even respond to one scene, more have popped up, leaving dozens upon dozens of victims in their wake. The vast majority of the robberies have gone unsolved, producing a series of negative headlines for Mayor Brandon Johnson and his newly minted police Superintendent Larry Snelling, even as homicides and some other violent crime metrics are dropping. The sheer volume of robberies has left aldermen frustrated and many residents of frequently targeted neighborhoods frightened. At a community meeting Monday evening in Humboldt Park, local leaders, anti-violence workers and police officials attempted to address area residents safety concerns and more fully explain the challenges. I think everyone is so freaked out, whos lived in this area for a long time, because of the random and brazen nature of whats happening right now, said Rod OConnor, who has lived in the Humboldt Park area for more than two decades. I want the next generation of shooters to not become shooters, but the generation right now is what were all freaked out about and why I worry about my kid riding her bike two blocks from her house. Some have pointed to a lack of a sense of urgency from the Johnson administration. The City has a responsibility to protect all Chicago residents in every Chicago community. Our administration and the Chicago Police Department are fully committed to deploying strategies that will bring justice to victims of violent crimes and hold offenders accountable, the mayors office said in a written response for this article. The appointment of Superintendent Larry Snelling is just the latest step in using the full force of government to keep residents safe from harm. To try to thwart the growing problem, Chicago police have used an array of tools including helicopters, phone tracking, physical surveillance and fingerprint analysis to try to catch the robbery crews in real time and develop the evidence to make charges stick in court, sources told the Tribune. Federal agencies have provided an assist with air support and real-time tracking of phones when possible, and state police have proved helpful in chasing suspects, since Chicago Police Department policies severely restrict when its officers can pursue, according to sources. That effort has led to the recent busts of several armed robbery crews believed to be responsible for dozens of holdups around the city. One of the suspects arrested in the South Loop after a robbery spree over Labor Day weekend had recently been acquitted in a murder case and was free on bond on new charges of fentanyl trafficking, records show. But even when they do make arrests, police are having trouble getting enough evidence to file charges. The crimes leave little in the way of physical evidence. Victims mostly are unable to make positive identifications. The cars used in many of the crimes are stolen or have bogus plates. Theres trouble identifying some of the offenders, were using technology to try to catch a lot of these offenders as well, Chicago police Sgt. Michael Edens, of the Northwest Sides Shakespeare District, told the approximately 100 attendees at Mondays meeting. Meanwhile, the man arrested in the South Side robberies on Monday, Drevon Grant, was charged with four counts of armed robbery. During a court hearing Wednesday, Cook County prosecutors revealed Grant was out on bond in an assault case where he allegedly threatened to shoot a Walmart security guard three months ago, court records show. A judge ruled Grant was a danger to the community and ordered him held without bond, records show. A jump in reported robberies Through mid-September, robberies had increased by 24% on the year, according to CPD data. Motor vehicle thefts most often involving Hyundai and Kia models are up 86%, with more than 21,000 incidents reported so far this year. Edens said many of the suspects involved in the robberies are juveniles. Those who are arrested are often sent back to parents or guardians, while some of those charged as adults are being placed on electronic monitoring, he said. Ald. Jessie Fuentes , 26th, told the crowd at the meeting the juvenile justice system is not equipped to steer at-risk youth away from criminal behavior. She highlighted the need to better understand how young people are accessing guns and getting involved in crime. The number of robbery victims in her Near Northwest Side ward, which covers portions of Humboldt Park and Bucktown, has risen 361% compared with 2022, according to police data. Fuentes hopes to fight the rise with increased visibility in high-crime areas from violence prevention groups, block clubs and police, she told the Tribune. But the problem must be addressed long term with a focus on rectifying years of disinvestment in certain neighborhoods, she said. We have to ask ourselves, when someone is robbing someone, what are they seeking to achieve? Fuentes said. Jose Pizarro, director of safe streets for the Alliance of Local Social Organizations, told those gathered that youth are driven to criminal activity by a feeling of desperation, and the COVID-19 pandemic only made the situation worse. We have young people who are in survival mode, and the reason theyre in survival mode is because they feel they have nowhere else to go. They feel they have no future, Pizarro said. Robberies and motor vehicle thefts are indeed a citywide problem, and those crimes are felt even more frequently in less-affluent neighborhoods, though those cases attract far less media attention. The focus has been on incidents that occur on the North Side, and yet we see the victimizations are actually still more concentrated on the South and West sides, said Roseanna Ander, director of the University of Chicagos Crime Lab. Police data analyzed by the Crime Lab shows dozens of neighborhoods across Chicago are seeing large spikes in robberies this year. West Side neighborhoods have been hit particularly hard, including jumps of 228% in Humboldt Park and 176% in the Lower West Side. The victims range in age, though Black and Hispanic people make up the vast majority of those targeted in the crimes, city data shows. In Ald. Scott Waguespack s 32nd Ward, robberies have risen 67% this year. The attacks seem to be more violent and brazen, he told the Tribune. Theyre not only robbing somebody, but then theyre beating them either into submission or beating them after the fact, Waguespack said. After a man was brutally robbed in Bucktown early Monday afternoon, Waguespack drove around the neighborhood to be another set of eyes for police. Viral surveillance footage showed the attackers sucker-punching a man who had been walking in an alleyway while eating pizza. They pulled him to the ground, kicked him, stomped on him and tore his backpack away. Police later arrested several suspects who they believe might have committed the attack, Waguespack said. But a perceived lack of repercussions has emboldened would-be robbers, he argued. He said his many City Council colleagues have failed to sufficiently denounce the rising robberies and pinned blame on county prosecutors for not bringing charges in some cases and judges for not delivering strong sentences in others. Waguespack called on the mayor to find more immediate solutions and argued crime cant be addressed only with long-term plans. The problem is there have been too many elected officials failing to do their duty to keep the worst of people off the streets, Waguespack said. North Side, South Side, West Side. Its bad all around. People are angry. While the City Council approved Snelling as police superintendent Wednesday, Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, said the new chief had a grasp on the forces that lead people to rob others. She called it funny to hear other aldermen complaining of robberies in their wards. Robberies are up 18% in her South Side ward. Theyve been doing that in our community for years, she said. Robbery crews work margins On the last weekend in August, a multijurisdictional task force was on to a robbery crew suspected of committing dozens of armed heists over several days. The crew was brazen but also used a variety of means to avoid capture, according to police sources. They used a clean car with valid license plates to drop people off at stolen cars they have ready at strategic locations. The crew then used the stolen car to commit as many robberies as they could in a very short period of time before ditching it in a new spot and getting back in the clean car. When the assailants showed up at area ATMs to try to withdraw cash from their victims cards, they often had changed clothes so the descriptions given by the victims did not match. Police got a break after a cellphone believed to belong to one of the crew members was identified and federal agents helped the task force track them as they drove around the city. Shortly after 3 a.m. on Aug. 26, the task force decided to move in. A police report stated the team of officers investigating a city-wide pattern of robberies had a beige Mercury Mountaineer under surveillance and attempted to stop the vehicle after seeing one of the suspects, 18-year-old Jacquez Adams, get into the rear passenger seat near Congress Parkway and California Avenue. After the driver of the car rammed into a police vehicle, all of the occupants, including Adams, bailed out and tried to run, according to the report. Police found an arsenal of weapons inside the Mountaineer, including a loaded rifle with a 7-inch barrel leaned up against the seat where Adams had been sitting, Cook County Assistant States Attorney Danielle Levin told a judge in bond court the next day, according to a transcript of the hearing. All of the occupants denied knowing the guns were in the car, according to the police report, which lists 27 Chicago police officers and detectives and an Illinois State Police trooper as participating in the arrest. Adams, of the 3100 of West Fillmore Street, was charged with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in a vehicle, as well as a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct but he was not charged with any of the robberies. At the time of his arrest, Adams, who was twice convicted of carjacking as a juvenile, was just a few weeks into a two-year probation sentence for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, his first case as an adult, court records show. Cook County Associate Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Adams held without bond on the alleged violation of his probation. Ill note you were not the driver and youre not charged with anything else, Srivastava said. Meanwhile, three other male teens arrested that night were charged with only minor offenses, records show. The driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman, was released without any charges, records show. About a week after those arrests, Chicago police were on the trail of another armed robbery crew over Labor Day weekend suspected in a series of stickups stretching from the South Side to West Town, according to police. One victim was loading a moving truck with relatives at 48th Street and Calumet Avenue when the gunmen rode up in a car, jumped out wearing masks and robbed them at gunpoint. Another occurred on the 1800 block of West Race Avenue, where the teens approached a victim who was walking out of his short-term rental apartment. In all, there were seven separate robberies involving 11 victims ages 23 to 60 before police caught up with the teens in the South Loop area on Saturday afternoon Sept. 2, where they were all arrested within blocks of each other. Key to the apprehensions in that case was a Chicago police helicopter that surveilled the suspects as they ran, sources said. Prosecutors charged three boys, 15, 16 and 17, as juveniles with multiple counts of armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon, according to police. A fourth suspect, 20, was initially released after prosecutors declined charges, a source said. After the arrests, investigators have continued to work the case, obtaining warrants for the phones that were recovered both in the car and near the scene to try to glean how the teens were communicating and whether anyone else was involved. One of those warrants came back to the 20-year-old who had been released, a source said. But court records show he is a known member of the Black Souls street gang and was acquitted in a bench trial in November of first-degree murder charges stemming from the 2017 killing of an aldermans nephew on the West Side. Two months after being acquitted, he was arrested in a violent carjacking after a Chicago police task force, aided by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security helicopter, chased him and four suspects from a stolen Audi to an apartment building in the 1900 block of South Troy Street, court records show. That case was dropped by Cook County prosecutors in June. Victims share frustrations As the robbery sprees continue to mount, so have the stories of victims, everyday Chicagoans just walking to the train, going to class, driving to work. Richard Pallardy was attacked walking toward a CTA station after midnight Saturday morning. He wore no headphones on the vacant River North street, but still didnt hear the person who came up behind him to hit him, knocking him down face first. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, he told the Tribune. A group of attackers flipped Pallardy over to get his belongings, leaving him with cuts across his body, he recalled. They took his phone. They grabbed his bags. They rifled through his pockets, tearing his shorts in the process. He came to later and got up, calling police with the help of someone who had heard about the attack. It took 15 minutes for officers to arrive, Pallardy estimated. Taking 15 minutes to get to someone who was robbed and assaulted in a major downtown neighborhood is not acceptable, he said. The cuts across his body hurt. Frustration has mounted as he replaced locks, ID cards and a phone. Slow responses from aldermanic offices, a lack of media coverage and limited contact with the police have made him feel overlooked. But Pallardys main emotion, he said, is anger. He appreciates the concern many progressive politicians have in addressing systemic issues underlying crime, but said that focus has at times prevented needed immediate action. Privileging the rights of perpetrators over victims, I think were reaping the consequences of that, he said. The fear is also present at DePaul University, where several students have been victimized in each of the last three weekends. The mounting attacks, where groups of thieves often brandishing guns pull up in cars to demand property, has sparked alarm among students and their families, said Gene Zdziarski, vice president for student affairs at DePaul. Its over in a few minutes, but its certainly very traumatic for the students, Zdziarski told the Tribune. The university is adding public safety officers and patrols, expanding escorts for students and asking the campus community to keep university ID cards on hand, he said. At the Humboldt Park meeting Monday, residents exasperated by crime urged elected officials to change course to take questions from the crowd. Thats when Eloisa Luistro-Rodriguez, who was carjacked along with her husband in late May, rose to speak. She took the mic because her husband, Gabriel Rodriguez, wasnt sure if he could effectively express their call-to-action. He suffered a traumatic brain injury during the attack at North Rockwell Street and West Crystal Street after being hit with a gun. The couple said they were glad elected officials heard their story, but were less confident in what they heard from the panelists. They want to see more visibility, including cameras, lights, police, violence interrupters. I need to know that were going to be safe, she said. I dont feel safe. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com scharles@chicagotribune.com jsheridan@chicagotribune.com Facilities for all Clovis Unified might cancel existing facility reservations, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 20) I write to express my concern about the recent decision of the Clovis Unified School Board to rescind permission for several outside groups, including the LGBT Community Network, to use school facilities. This decision appears to contradict principles of inclusivity and equal access. Its disheartening to see that the district is now attempting to shut down the use of facilities by any external group, effectively denying hundreds of reserved dates throughout the school year. Access to school facilities should be available to all community groups, regardless of their nature or mission. I urge the Clovis school board to reconsider its decision and ensure that school facilities remain open to a wide range of community groups, fostering a more diverse educational environment. Ayela Masangcay Fresno Conservative playbook Clovis Unified might cancel existing facility reservations, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 20) The recent policy announced by Clovis Unified to eliminate facility access by any outside group may sound reasonable on its face, but it draws on fear. As reported in The Bee, the policy change stems from an LGBTQIA+ group seeking access to meeting space on campus. Apparently, since some board members are uncomfortable with the kinds of things such a group would discuss, the board opted to say all outside groups can no longer meet on campus. This follows a playbook that conservative forces have been using since the 1960s when law changes mandated integration of public spaces. Take public swimming pools as an example: When the public good of community pools could no longer be a whites only space undergirded by segregation laws, a multitude of cities nationwide moved to make public pools private or close down public swimming pools altogether. Peter Smith Fresno Opinion Thank you, Dave Popular comic book shop is closing after decades in Fresno. Its been a good run, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 21) Growing up in Firebaugh, the local grocery stores spinner rack was my gateway to comics. Sprinkled in those comics were ads for entire stores devoted to the art of the comic book in far away places like Denver and New York. Could there be anything like that in Fresno? Luckily for me there was Heroes Comics. When I would return home from the 45-minute drive to Heroes, I wouldnt go to sleep until Id read every book at least three times. For the past 30 years, Heroes Comics has been an institution in Fresno. Hearing the news this week that it would be closing its doors after being such a big part of my life was tough to process. Unlike in the comics, the ultimate villain known as time is insurmountable. I was lucky enough to cultivate my passions for creative arts into a career. To this day, I still cite the influence of Heroes Comics as one of the main reasons I do what I do. But that was only possible because owner Dave Allread did the same thing. He poured his all into Heroes Comics and gave Fresno unprecedented access to great comics.For that, the region will forever be in his debt. Roque Rodriguez Fresno Poor Actors McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdown, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 28) Anarchy and dysfunctional government result when poor actors collaborate in seeking unlimited power. In the U.S., this is being done by defunding government programs. Republicans have found this approach works: By decreasing taxes for the rich, programs for the common good, like Social Security and Medicare, suffer. Donald Trump and his minions are advocating for a massive shutdown of government, thus reducing services and devaluing under-financed programs. The treasonous Trump cabal threatens democracy. Trumps call for the execution of individuals like General Mark Milley is criminal and treasonous. Trump was right: He could kill someone in Times Square and not be prosecuted. Bill Osak Visalia Administrative greed Tuition increase at California State universities is tough, but necessary | Opinion, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 14) The California State University systems approval of a tuition raise is a ridiculous way of fixing their $1.5 billion funding gap caused by their terrible mismanagement of the CSU system. Presidents from all of the CSU campuses have been receiving unnecessary raises (the lowest of which was a 7% raise, while other CSU presidents got up to 29%). Why are they giving raises out if they know theyre in such a huge funding gap? The CSU administration is only looking out for themselves instead of students. The CSU trustees approval of increasing annual tuition costs by 6% annually for the next five years is only hurting students. Some students are barely receiving financial aid to cover tuition but still fall well short of the tuition cost. Josue Francisco Medina Avenal Good on California Climate change forces Americans to rethink oil companies, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 24) For a long time, oil companies have known what the cause of climate change was: themselves. Yet they have avoided taking responsibility so as to not hurt their profits. They have deflected the blame on us, the individuals. And while its true that there are things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint, it pales in comparison to how much harm is done by massive oil companies. The lawsuit from the state of California against some of the largest oil companies is a great step in making sure these oil corporations take responsibility for the damage they have caused to our planet. In the meantime, more can be done to slow down climate change, like choosing solar energy to power your home. Armin Purewal Fresno Harsher punishments needed California should approve automatic speed camera program, (sanluisobispo.com, July 13) The lack of true consequences is the main reason speed cameras would fail to protect our roads. The law currently states that fines can be given between $50 to $500. While this seems like a great deterrent, a $50 pass to go 11 miles over the speed limit wont stop anyone. Cameras wont penalize you by placing points on your license, and your insurance will not be affected. People who speed will pay the fine and continue to speed. In an informal survey among friends, most said they would not change their driving behaviors if speed cameras go up. I believe harsher consequences, rather than a slap on the wrist, will ensure safer roads. Julian Ornelas Madera The family of a North Carolina man shot and killed earlier this month in the Longs area is questioning the investigation, including why police havent acquired cellphones that may contain evidence to the two men allegedly involved. Family members of Scott Spivey and two Horry County Council members met with police investigators Sept. 26 to receive information on what might have led to the death of Spivey, 33, of Tabor City. Horry County Police and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are investigating the case. During that meeting, attendees were told that police no longer have the phones and that they were being kept by the two mens attorneys, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting who were granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation. Police are trying to get access to the phones to retrieve information - one which is not located in Horry County, the sources said. The cellphones, according to the sources, contained such information as photos and video taken the night of the shooting. The photos also allegedly showed bullet holes that riddled Scott Spiveys truck and in the windshield of the alleged shooter. Weldon Boyd, who operates Buoys on the Boulevard along South Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach, has been named as an alleged shooter in the fatal incident, according to the Solicitors Office. There was a second person inside Boyds truck that day, but that persons name has not been released. Police declined to release Boyds name for nearly a week after the shooting until it was released by 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson in a letter to the state Attorney Generals Office. Its been three weeks since the shooting and no arrests or charges have been made. Boyd has not been charged with any crime. Boyd has repeatedly declined to comment and multiple calls and messages left for his attorney have not been returned. Family of the deceased also found out that after Spivey was killed, police kept him in his vehicle while it was towed on a flatbed truck to the police station. The vehicle was removed because investigators were afraid it was going to rain, the sources said. Police said this was protocol. Horry County Council member Danny Hardee said Thursday that he had attended the meeting with family and police at the request of some family members who live in his district. Hardee said there have been questions and rumors surrounding the case, including comments on social media by 900 internet detectives who are trying to solve the case. A message left for council member Mark Causey, whose district includes where the shooting occurred, was not immediately returned. Horry County Police Spokesperson Mikayla Moskov confirmed by phone Thursday that police met with the family. She would not say who was at the meeting, including which elected officials may have been present. Moskov said she could not comment about any evidence and that the case is an active investigation. There appear to be at least five 911 tapes from Weldon Boyd and witnesses to the shooting. The Sun News was denied a Freedom of Information Act request for the tapes by Horry County. Moskov also was asked specifically in an email Thursday and Friday about the details of the 911 tapes, the protocol for leaving Spiveys body in his vehicle while being transported and the returning of cell phones. Moskov did not immediately respond regarding the questions. SLED was asked to join the case by Horry County Police, according to Moskov by text. The Solicitors Office asked the Attorney Generals Office to review the case so there wouldnt be any issues of impropriety, according to Richardson. Police investigators informed family that SLED is planning to send the investigation to the state Attorney Generals Office to decide if charges should be filed. Renee Wunderlich, spokesperson for SLED, was asked Thursday about the cell phones but did not have immediate information. She said that she would check about the information regarding the case. Jennifer Spivey Foley, Spiveys sister, had said previously that the family has questions about the investigation that they are trying to get answered. I want the truth to come out, Foley said. I want justice for my brother. Scott Spivey of Tabor City, North Carolina The family declined to release information about the investigation. State Attorney General asked to review case The Solicitors Office has asked the state Attorney Generals Office for a review of the case. 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson named Boyd in a letter that he sent to the state Attorney Generals Office Sept. 15 asking for a review of the case after Horry County Police are finished with their investigation. Richardson said because Boyd posted on Facebook a statement thanking police and the Solicitors Office for their hard work, he asked for the review so that there wouldnt be any issues of impropriety. Richardson said Thursday that he was not at the meeting with family and has recused himself from the case. It appears the men didnt know each other before shooting Spivey didnt know Boyd before the deadly exchange of gunfire on Camp Swamp Road, according to Spiveys family. Based on the familys personal investigation, the two men had never met prior to the shooting, and investigators believe that a road rage incident may have started the sequence of events. Spivey had been to a North Myrtle Beach restaurant before heading home that Saturday night. The family believes Spivey was on his way home because Camp Swamp Road is used as a shortcut for him to cross over into North Carolina. The first interaction between Spivey and Boyd may have occurred in the area of S.C. 9 and S.C. 57. From Tabor City, its about a 25- to 30-minute drive to the intersection of the highways, the family said. The two men traveled S.C. 9 before turning onto Camp Swamp Road. The distance from the intersection to Camp Swamp Road is 9.9 miles. A timestamp from a business camera along Highway 9 shows the two vehicles passing in front of the store about 5:55 p.m. The business is located just a short distance from Camp Swamp Road. This embedded content is not available in your region. Multiple witnesses and vehicles in the area at time of shooting A police report said that there were multiple vehicles driving in the area before police could secure the shooting scene. I taped off as much as I could to help stop cars from contaminating the scene, an officer wrote in the report. I took pictures of the scene before EMS had arrived to attempt to preserve the scene before CSI had arrived. Police were dispatched to the scene at 6:04 p.m., but the shooting occurred at 5:50 p.m., according to the report. A police report said that Spivey, who died at the scene, initiated the shooting. The report showed that two other people were involved in the shooting that killed Spivey. It is not clear who fired their weapons and when. However, Spivey is listed on the report as a suspect, while the other two people involved, including the shooter, are listed as victims. Based on the police report, it appears that Spiveys vehicle was in front of another vehicle when the shooting occurred at the intersection of Camp Swamp Road and S.C. 9. A driver of a white Dodge TRX truck told police that the guy in the black truck jumped out and started shooting at us and I shot back. I think hes dead. The driver said he still had his pistol on him. The officer retrieved it out of his holster, the report said. The passenger of the white truck stated his firearm was on the passenger seat, and the officer also retrieved it. The drivers side front door in the Black Chevy pickup was open and the driver was hunched over the center console of the truck, with his right arm hanging over the console into the rear passenger area, the report said. He had no movement. A black handgun with the slide locked back was just under his hand, the report said. The police report did not say what led to the shooting. The report says that there were multiple witnesses. A report from a board tasked with overseeing the protection of civil liberties of Americans amid anti-terrorism efforts has caused a stir among the White House, Congress and even the board itself as it evaluates the prospect of renewing Americas warrantless spy program. The nearly 300-page report from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) released Thursday reveals deep divisions among its five members on how to reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows for warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad. In a departure from precedent, the report did not reach unanimous conclusions about how to update the law, a confusing prospect as a Congress divided on Section 702 stares down an end-of-the-year deadline to renew it. The boards two Republican-appointed members voted against its release, said its findings should not be attributed to them and attached their recommendations in a 56-page annex that read almost like a second report. But with Section 702, fault lines often dont fall strictly on party lines, with senior Biden administration officials fretting over the recommendations of the report and the message its divisions would send to a Congress at odds over the policy. Civil liberties advocates have long viewed Section 702 as a backdoor for gaining access to information on Americans, whose communications get swept up in searches as they speak with those being surveilled abroad. Its a factor they see as a violation of Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and a particular risk to Black Americans and other communities of color. The report, however, includes a third rail for the intelligence community a suggestion the intelligence community first get a court order before reviewing any intel gleaned on Americans. Doing so, PCLOBs majority writes, would offer the most critical safeguard for Americans privacy rights. That set off alarm bells within the White House, with the National Security Council calling the idea operationally unworkable and [one that] would blind us to information already in our holdings that, often, must be acted upon in a time-sensitive way. The two Republican members of the board disagreed with that assessment and other suggestions within the report, along with its entire release. The duo argues rather than a blanket court order system, the FBI needs major cultural shifts as well as bolstered compliance requirements to ensure improper searches that would raise political or First Amendment concerns dont happen in the first place. We voted against releasing this report on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act it was approved only 3 to 2. Therefore, we did not think it appropriate to legitimize its release, the two members, Richard E. DiZinno and Beth A. Williams, said in a statement. The three-Member majority of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board produced a deeply flawed report, contrary to the evidence and unmoored from the law, they continued. By doing so, the majority has severely diminished the Boards persuasive authority to inform the debate and influence policy. One of the only areas of agreement between the two parties was the value of Section 702 in protecting Americans lives underscored the need for its reauthorization. Its a key detail as some members on both sides of the aisle in Congress suggest complacency with the prospect of Section 702 authorities lapsing. The FBI spied on 119,000 Americans last year, a sharp decline that reflects changes in FBI policy for how the agency accesses the information of citizens swept up in other searches. Still, an unsealed opinion from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the entity that would oversee the court order process recommended by the report, recently unsealed an opinion showing a string of abuses, including reviewing information on elected officials. And while theres broad agreement over the need to reform the program, the divergences stem from how aggressive the reforms should be, with some arguing for little more than codifying limits the FBI has put into practice reining in how much Section 702 information they can easily access. However, the inclusion of a recommendation to get a court order before reviewing information gathered on Americans and permanent residents was celebrated by civil liberties groups that have long pushed for such a requirement. Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, called the report an ironclad case for requiring a probable-cause order for U.S. person queries. The boards report gives the lie to the governments objections to judicial approval. After looking at all the evidence, both public and classified, the board concluded that judicial approval of U.S. person queries is not only workable, its critical to safeguarding Americans constitutional rights and ending the long string of abuses documented in FISA court opinions, she said in a statement. But the Biden administration fretted this week that such a process would cause undue delays in accessing information they may need in real time. This would mean that the executive branch would have in its possession lawfully collected national security information, would have queried it in a lawful way, would know that there is something responsive to that query and would then have to pause, would have to freeze, a senior administration official said on a call with reporters this week. The process would require an application by the Department of Justice, submission to the FISA court, and then a review by a judge before it could be approved. The idea that for those weeks most likely, perhaps longer we would be sitting on what we know to be responsive national security information of the type that we use to protect lives, protect companies, etc., guard against espionage, that seems to leave us in a really worst-of-all-worlds position, and one that we think will be operationally detrimental, the official added. Those opposed to the recommendation for a court order to access intelligence on Americans have taken to describing the product as two reports given the divide between the members. That also prompted fear from the White House about the message the report sends to a Congress where both those on the left and the right have opposed reauthorizing Section 702 without significant reforms dictating how it can use information gathered on Americans. The fact that theres such a division in the face of the Hill urging the opposite, I think first of all underscores just how fractured it is, but it also I think makes it hard for the Hill to know exactly what to do with two competing reports, the official said. The House Intelligence Committee wrote a bipartisan letter to the board in April asking for bipartisan guidance. We also urge the Board to reach consensus on as many recommendations as possible, since it is those recommendations rooted in reasonable bipartisan compromise that have the greatest likelihood of being considered by our Committee as part of our reauthorization and reform effort, Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.) wrote in the letter. But Sharon Franklin, the chairwoman of the board, said the majority felt obligated to display their findings despite the division. Staying silent is not a responsible option. The question of whether and how to renew Section 702 is one of the most critical issues facing Congress right now. Members of Congress, like our board members, have a range of deeply held views on this subject. Our agency, by design, is headed by a five-member bipartisan Board. Our governing statute explicitly contemplates that Board Members will not always agree in their assessments, and our rules provide for inclusion of separate statements as part of our reports, to ensure that all views are captured, she said in a statement. It is a valuable feature of our agency that we are able to present a full spectrum of viewpoints to inform Congress as it debates reauthorization of this surveillance program. A senior congressional aide took issue with the board moving ahead with its release despite such deep divisions. Taking a cursory look at this report, you wouldnt know that it was absolutely not a unanimous product, they said. You see in this report a litany of politically charged recommendations. This includes recommendations which directly contradict the recent Presidents Intelligence Advisory Board and the Intelligence Oversight Board report issued in July, where, for example, the PIAB assessed that a requirement similar to that within Recommendation 3 would prevent intelligence agencies from discovering threats to the homeland, the aide said, noting the section of the report recommending securing a court order to review intelligence on Americans. Himes, in a statement, said Congress would use the recommendations to the extent they align with other reports presented this year. Although the PCLOB members were unable to reach bipartisan agreement on any single recommendation, I expect the final bill Congress crafts will include provisions that reflect recommendations made by the PCLOB, the Presidents Intelligence Advisory Board, and other stakeholders, he said. Jamil Jaffer, who worked for the House Intelligence Committee as a Republican staffer the first time it was reauthorized by Congress, said the report was a deviation both from a practice of offering bipartisan guidance as well as past recommendations on how to operate. The PCLOB was established to provide well-informed, consensus recommendations to both protect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans, while also ensuring that the government is also able to protect those very citizens, and in ignoring the consistent advice of every national security leader in the current administration and the four that preceded it as well as the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, the three person PCLOB majority has utterly failed in its responsibility, he said. Updated Monday at 5 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Drones attacked the Russian cities of Smolensk and Sochi on the morning of 1 October. Explosions can be heard on videos shared on social media. Source: Ostorozhno, Novosti (Careful, News); Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Details: Ostorozhno, Novosti reported that the residents of the two cities heard explosions around 08:30 in the morning. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Russian forces intercepted five drones. Explosions can be heard in one of the videos shared on social media, which also shows smoke rising after one of the drones crashed. Meanwhile, Smolensk Mayor urged the residents of the city not to leave their homes "unless absolutely necessary" and to refrain from trips to the countryside. The Russian government has not said whether the attacks caused any damage. Meanwhile, Sochi officials said that a drone was intercepted and shot down near the city airport, causing delays to 14 flights. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! At least four explosions were heard in Kharkiv, city Mayor Ihor Terekhov said via his official Telegram channel in the early hours of Oct. 1. Two explosions were also reported in the city of Snihurivka in Mykolaiv Oblast, according to regional authorities. There was no information on casualties or damage at the time of the publication. Ukaine's Air Force warned about the threat of drone attacks for Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. 'Extinct' holly tree in Brazil rediscovered living in big city, say scientists A type of holly tree in Brazil that was believed to be extinct was rediscovered after 186 years. An organization called Re:wild said it was one of their "top 25 most wanted lost species." The rediscovery is the ninth success of the top 25 most sought-after lost species. A species of small holly tree known as "Ilex sapiiformis," or the Pernambuco holly, has reemerged in Brazil after nearly two centuries, a conservation organization reported. The discovery, hailed as an "incredible find" by scientists, has sent shockwaves through the conservation community. The tree, which was feared to have gone extinct, was recently found thriving in the city of Igarassu, in the Pernambuco state of northeastern Brazil. "It was like finding a long-lost and long-awaited relative that you only know by old portraits," said Milton Groppo, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo. The identification of the Pernambuco holly was made possible by the expedition team, who recognized the tree by its distinctive tiny white flowers. The breakthrough came after during a six-day expedition through the region led by Gustavo Martinelli, an ecologist with Navia Biodiversity, per Re:wild, an environmental conservation organization. Four trees were found in an area that was once dense Atlantic tropical forest but is now mostly urban areas interspersed with sugarcane plantations. By the 1980s, "less than 5% of the southeastern Atlantic Forest remained intact, and what remains is very fragmented," per Re:wild. The species had been lost for 186 years. Re:wild shared their excitement on Instagram, stating, "The Pernambuco Holly is one of our top 25 most wanted lost species." The "Search for Lost Species" initiative, launched by Re:wild in 2017, brought together experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to compile a list of over 2,200 missing species spanning 160 countries. These species, which had disappeared for at least a decade, represent a significant loss to biodiversity. The Pernambuco holly's triumphant return marks the ninth rediscovery among the top 25 most sought-after lost species, breathing new life into conservationists' efforts. Read the original article on Business Insider The Fairborn Police and Fire Department are hosting Public Safety in the Park today. The event will take place at Community Park from noon to 5 p.m. >> 20th Annual Chocolate Festival returns next weekend According to a social media post from the city, the event will include Touch-A-Truck, various live demonstrations, food trucks, and other activities. To find out more, you can visit the events Facebook page here. Be in the know about what to expect at Public Safety in the Park this Sunday, October 1st from 12pm - 5pm at Community... Posted by City of Fairborn, Ohio - Municipal Government on Friday, September 29, 2023 Flash This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2023 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The Republican-led House of Representatives failed to approve a one-month stopgap funding bill on Friday, as a U.S. federal government shutdown after Saturday midnight appears increasingly inevitable. All Democrats and 21 Republicans voted against the measure, in a vote of 232-198, marking a high-profile defeat for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has been struggling to garner enough support for a funding plan in the slim Republican majority. Earlier Friday, the lower chamber voted 218-210 to clear a key procedural hurdle for the measure amid opposition from Democrats and some hardline Republicans. Even if House Republicans approved the bill, it would not be advanced in the Democratic-controlled Senate, as it calls for deep spending cuts and includes border security provisions, both opposed by Democrats. Traditionally, the House moves first on spending and revenue bills but Republican infighting paralyzed the lower chamber, forcing senators to make the first move on a stopgap bill in the last week ahead of a possible shutdown. A bipartisan Senate-proposed bill, unveiled Tuesday, is expected to fund the government until Nov. 17, the week before Thanksgiving, with the funding levels continuing at the same levels as before. It includes roughly 6 billion U.S. dollars of aid for Ukraine and about 6 billion dollars in disaster relief funding. McCarthy said earlier this week that he didn't see support of the Senate measure in the House, which means there is little chance it will be brought to the House floor. A group of conservatives have voiced concerns about Ukraine aid -- urging the Biden administration to make it part of the spending cuts -- and criticized the bill for a lack of border security provisions, which revealed the partisan divide over immigration policy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described the "continuing resolution" as a "bridge" to buy negotiators more time to reach an agreement on a longer-term funding bill. Conservative Republicans, however, have demanded steep spending cuts and leaned against any stopgap bill. Schumer on Wednesday lashed out at McCarthy for "constantly adhering to what the hard right wants," saying that this approach will inevitably lead to a shutdown. McCarthy, who is facing a significant challenge to his leadership, has no choice but to try working with the right wing of the Republican Party, as the slim Republican majority means that even five "rebels" are enough to defeat a Republican legislative agenda. A group of far-right House Republicans are even plotting an attempt to remove McCarthy as House speaker as early as next week, The Washington Post reported Thursday night, citing people familiar with the effort. Greg Cusack, a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, told Xinhua that he cannot begin to adequately express how "embarrassing and infuriating" this present moment is to him. Cusack, a long time Democrat, said the "clowns and/or bomb-throwers" in the Republican Party have no interest in governing. "Rather, they represent the decades-long descent of more and more Republicans into ideological madness." "One of the nastier reasons also behind this little maneuver is that while a majority of voters will likely blame the Republicans for the shutdown in the long run, any shutdown that lasts more than a few days will rapidly have implications that effect almost every citizen sooner or later, and this creates a very sour mood for election year 2024. And incumbent presidents have a difficult time winning re-election in a year when people are angry, anxious, and worried about the future," said Cusack. Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called out his House colleagues, "clearly trying to isolate them, likely hoping to keep them from tainting the whole party in the eyes of voters before the 2024 election," Heather Cox Richardson, professor of history at Boston College, wrote in a blog. McConnell said earlier this week that "shutting down the government isn't an effective way to make a point." Republican Senator Joni Ernst, meanwhile, said "Congress is not working." It is not uncommon for the U.S. federal government to halt its operations due to intense political fights between the two parties, especially as partisan hostility has grown in recent years. The most recent and longest government shutdown occurred from late 2018 to early 2019 when Democrats opposed funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall proposed by then-President Donald Trump, and the two parties were stuck in a stalemate over immigration issues, leading to a five-week shutdown. In 2013, during the Obama administration, some conservative Republican lawmakers blocked the implementation of Obamacare, leading to a 16-day government shutdown. The U.S. government started notifying federal workers on Thursday that a government shutdown, the 22nd in U.S. history, seems to be imminent. In a government shutdown, all non-essential operations will be suspended, and many federal workers will be furloughed. Moody's Investors Service warned earlier this week that a government shutdown could hurt America's top credit rating, as it would underscore the weakness of U.S. institutional and governance strength relative to other AAA-rated sovereigns. A long-drawn-out stalemate could negatively impact the economy. JPMorgan estimates that each week of government shutdown reduces GDP growth by 0.1 percentage point. A family, including a 16-year-old boy, have been injured in a Russian attack on Druzhkivka hromada, with four people trapped under the rubble of their own house [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories]. Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office Details: An investigation has found that the Russian army attacked the settlement of Kindrativka in Druzhkivka hromada on the night of 31 September 1 October. An entire family a 40-year-old man with his 36-year-old wife and their 16-year-old son with his 57-year-old grandmother was injured by an S-300 missile and as a result of critical damage to one of the houses. A neighbour, an employee of the rescue service, pulled the injured from the rubble of the destroyed house. A total of 15 private residential buildings and outbuildings were damaged in the attack. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! This newspaper, opening a 2005 investigation into farmland ownership, wrote this: In Iowa, weve always been able to take for granted that the land will provide. But Donnelle Ellers exclusive Sept. 13 story, about research on the condition of Iowas soil, put numbers to an easy-to-forget fact: That soil is not, in fact, an eternal resource. Iowa once had 96 billion tons of soil organic carbon, but half or more of it is gone, extracted in various ways over just four generations by intensive farming, according to data from a group studying soil carbon in the Midwest. That organic material is what distinguishes Iowa as one of the best places on Earth to grow crops. While it might be hard to get our heads around 96 billion tons and what that looks like spread over the states 56,000 square miles, half is a concept we all can grasp. The researchers are straightforward about another thing, too: Many conventional farming practices contribute significantly to the carbon loss. And further, established conservation-oriented approaches demonstrably help to preserve soil carbon. Jerry Hatfield, a retired U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist, and Ken Wacha, a research hydrologist at the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, show the difference in soil between a field that has been maintained to reduce carbon loss vs. one that has not, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. The darker soil on the right is healthier soil that has retained more carbon. This data adds to other arguments for adopting no till farming, going heavy on cover crops in all seasons, and sometimes idling land. Those practices help to curb erosion, which is important not just to retain healthy soil but also to prevent fertilizer from further fouling Iowa water. Recognizing this, the federal government and other entities have created numerous programs to encourage more farmers to try. The trouble is that it mostly stops at encouragement. Paying property owners to idle some land, for example, is well and good, but years and years of experience have shown that rewards alone are not enough to make big changes in agriculture habits. The federal farm bill is due for its every-five-years reauthorization. Members of Congress said they wouldn't finish negotiating before the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30 and that current programs would need to be temporarily extended. During the extra time, negotiators need to be talking about how to adapt government-run conservation and other programs in a way that increases adoption. Another factor adding to the urgency: Climate change threatens more frequent, severe rain and windstorms, research shows, making protection of our soil all the more urgent. The government has leverage. The Environmental Working Group says that crop insurance payouts and subsidized premiums totaled over $240 billion from 1995 to 2020. Its true that keeping farmers whole through crop insurance is rooted at least in part in recognizing the importance of raising food, and the capricious destruction the weather can wreak. But we can respect that principle while still expecting more from growers who accept those billions. This doesnt mean inflicting ruin on farmers through regulation. Some farmers noted to Eller that they dont sacrifice financial viability or yields by farming in a more sustainable way. Payment of insurance and other subsidies must be connected to farmers doing their work in a way that respects soil and water instead of treating it as a resource to be pillaged. Thats a principle that can guide farm bill talks, even while recognizing the difficulties in quantifying such farm practices and recognizing that production agriculture is a behemoth whose direction wont be turned on a dime. More: Iowa's legendary soil, the bedrock of its economy, is losing its richness, new research shows The work that scientists shared with the Register is immensely complicated. Measuring soil organic carbon is not like reading a fuel gauge, and it is difficult to isolate all the variables at work with soil and climate and technology advances. Data is still being collected to try to determine best practices. But the scientists who have spent years trying to bring clarity to this subject know enough about the stakes, and about what steps can make a difference for Congress to act. Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Registers editorial board ANOTHER VIEW: How carbon farming combats climate change FURTHER READING: Only 50 years of farming left if soil degradation continues FURTHER READING: Soil: Grounding us in transformative systemic change This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register's editorial board: Carol Hunter, executive editor; Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members. Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/letters. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: For America's farmers to get subsidies, they must protect soil health PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. The FBI is searching for an inmate who escaped the Phelps County Jail at approximately 11:09 a.m. on Saturday. Inmates Jonathan ODell and Steven Scott escaped by comprising the structural integrity of the cell and exiting the building. KCPD investigating overnight homicide inside Northland apartments Shortly after, Scott turned himself in. ODell is facing federal charges. According to a federal indictment, ODell allegedly planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants crossing the United States-Mexico border. The indictment also stated he planned to murder officers and employees of the U.S. border patrol who would attempt to stop them. He is a white male, 33 years old, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 200 lbs. with brown hair, blue eyes and a full beard at the time of his booking. He may have shaved his beard to disguise his identity. ODell was last seen wearing a maroon-colored shirt with the Phelps County logo and brown slacks with a tan stripe. One dead in KCMO after motorbike falls into ditch He is considered extremely dangerous and is being held for numerous weapons charges. He is known to have associates in and around central Missouri, specifically the Warsaw, Columbia and Springfield areas. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the FBI immediately. FBI Kansas City can be contacted at 816-512-8200, or you can contact FBI St. Louis at 816-512-8200. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. A federal judge on Saturday blocked two provisions of a near-total ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy from taking effect in North Carolina, saying that one of the provisions is unconstitutionally vague, while the other lacks medical evidence. Senate Bill 20, dubbed the Care for Women, Children and Families Act, bans any licensed physician from performing abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy. It provides exceptions in the case of rape and incest through 20 weeks of pregnancy or in the event of a life-limiting anomaly through 24 weeks. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Planned Parenthood and physician Beverly Gray jointly filed a lawsuit on June 26 challenging the bill before it took effect on July 1, arguing its restrictions on abortion access will harm patients and impede health care professionals from providing care. In an order issued on Saturday, US District Judge Catherine Eagles halted the enforcement of a provision requiring surgical abortions administered after 12 weeks to exclusively take place in hospitals rather than abortion clinics. She said the plaintiffs showed the state legislatures absence of any rational medical basis for the mandate, which was set to take effect on Sunday. There is credible evidence, including at least one study, that second-trimester surgical abortions in outpatient facilities are safer than hospitals, Eagles order states. The judge also blocked a provision that would require doctors to document the location of early pregnancies with ultrasound evidence before prescribing a medication abortion. In the injunction, her order says provision does not provide a clear standard by which providers can make this determination and is open to differing interpretations. Judge Eagles issued a two-week restraining order on that provision in July to allow for further review. Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the ban on most abortions after 12 weeks before it was overridden by the GOP supermajority in May. The governor signed into law significant changes to the ban on July 29, saying the amendment was important to clarify the rules and provide some certainty. The states Republican-controlled legislature also made additional last-minute changes to the new abortion law by tacking them onto House Bill 190 an unrelated measure focusing on the Department of Health and Human Services. CNN previously reported that legal filings from attorneys representing Republican leadership appeared to confirm the amendment was written to address a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, which flagged multiple inconsistencies and potential constitutional violations in the original text of the abortion law. Under the bill, an abortion could be performed by a physician if a doctor determines the procedure is necessary to avert a patients death not including psychological or emotional conditions. It prohibits health care providers who object to abortion on moral, ethical, or religious grounds from being required to participate in medical procedures that would result in an abortion. Plaintiffs praise court decision The plaintiffs challenging the law praised the judges order on Saturday, saying the courts decision recognizes that abortion is health care and that there is no medical reason to deny even more patients access to this safe, compassionate, evidence-based care, reads a statement from Jenny Black, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. North Carolina ACLU Legal Director Kristi Graunke said the order is one step forward in fighting back against these harmful bans. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit but released a statement supporting the judges order, saying women, not politicians, should be making these decisions. The law is not based in medical reality, and it was sloppily written, his statement continued. Erik Baptist, the lawyer for the defendants and senior counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom a non-profit legal group advocating for abortion restrictions, said the bill amounted to commonsense protections. We will consider all legal options to further support North Carolinas unborn children and mothers, and the right of the General Assembly to protect its vulnerable citizens, Baptist said. CNNs Dianne Gallagher contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Voting intervention McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdown, (modbee.com, Sept. 28) Has anyone else noticed that government hypocrisy is on full tilt? Democrats are accusing Republicans of the exact same things Republicans accuse Democrats of? Can we please stop voting for the same people over and over again, hoping they somehow find a soul and a backbone? Lets face it: weve voted poorly way too many times lately. We drank the Kool-Aid. Now, lets own our mistakes. We need a voting intervention. We cant keep voting for the same people and hope they finally do the right thing. While we could barely afford a date night at the local pizza joint, the D.C. politicians went all in at The French Laundry and ordered a case of Dom Perignon for a night cap! And can we please, please vote for people south of late AARP status?! People born in the latter half of the previous century? Please. Tim de Lorimier Modesto Old school How cruising ended in Modesto and where its headed, (modbee.com, Sept. 15) How naive I was to think that bringing back cruising on McHenry Avenue would resurrect the past. Congratulations to the city council and the mayor for waiting 30 years to bring this icon of my youth back. You won: nobody cares about cruising anymore. Thats so 1980s. Why cruise around in a car and socialize with others when you can stay at home? Back in the old days, we found visceral, real connections with fellow human beings by simply cruising our cars up and down the street. We met strangers on a whim, and had impromptu conversations with them, eliciting meaningful relationships. I feel so old school. I am. And I miss it every single day. Alex Hardie Ceres Opinion Poor actors McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdown, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 28) Anarchy and dysfunctional government result when poor actors collaborate in seeking unlimited power. In the U.S., this is being done by defunding government programs. Republicans have found this approach works: By decreasing taxes for the rich, programs for the common good, like Social Security and Medicare, suffer. Donald Trump and his minions are advocating for a massive shutdown of government, thus reducing services and devaluing under-financed programs. The treasonous Trump cabal threatens democracy. Trumps call for the execution of individuals like General Mark Milley is criminal and treasonous. Trump was right: He could kill someone in Times Square and not be prosecuted. Bill Osak Visalia Administrative greed Tuition increase at California State universities is tough, but necessary | Opinion, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 14) The California State University systems approval of a tuition raise is a ridiculous way of fixing their $1.5 billion funding gap caused by their terrible mismanagement of the CSU system. Presidents from all of the CSU campuses have been receiving unnecessary raises (the lowest of which was a 7% raise, while other CSU presidents got up to 29%). Why are they giving raises out if they know theyre in such a huge funding gap? The CSU administration is only looking out for themselves instead of students. The CSU trustees approval of increasing annual tuition costs by 6% annually for the next five years is only hurting students. Some students are barely receiving financial aid to cover tuition but still fall well short of the tuition cost. Josue Francisco Medina Avenal Good on California Climate change forces Americans to rethink oil companies, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 24) For a long time, oil companies have known what the cause of climate change was: themselves. Yet they have avoided taking responsibility so as to not hurt their profits. They have deflected the blame on us, the individuals. And while its true that there are things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint, it pales in comparison to how much harm is done by massive oil companies. The lawsuit from the state of California against some of the largest oil companies is a great step in making sure these oil corporations take responsibility for the damage they have caused to our planet. In the meantime, more can be done to slow down climate change, like choosing solar energy to power your home. Armin Purewal Fresno Harsher punishments needed California should approve automatic speed camera program, (sanluisobispo.com, July 13) The lack of true consequences is the main reason speed cameras would fail to protect our roads. The law currently states that fines can be given between $50 to $500. While this seems like a great deterrent, a $50 pass to go 11 miles over the speed limit wont stop anyone. Cameras wont penalize you by placing points on your license, and your insurance will not be affected. People who speed will pay the fine and continue to speed. In an informal survey among friends, most said they would not change their driving behaviors if speed cameras go up. I believe harsher consequences, rather than a slap on the wrist, will ensure safer roads. Julian Ornelas Madera Slovakia's SMER (Direction) party led by former president Robert Fico has gained a narrow victory in the Slovakian parliamentary elections on Sept. 30, with almost 100% of the votes counted as of Oct. 1. Campaigning on a pro-Russian, populist platform, and promising to end aid to Ukraine if elected, Fico and SMER received 22.9% of the vote, besting the main competitor, the liberal, pro-Western Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, who came in second place with 17.9%. As neither gained an outright victory, SMER will have to form a government with one or more other parties in a coalition. Analysts believe it is possible SMER will attempt to join together with the left-wing HLAS party that split away from SMER in 2020. HLAS came in third place with 14.7% of the vote. Another possible coalition member would be the openly pro-Russian ultranationalist Slovak National Party, who received 5.6%. There are seven parties that gained more than the 5% threshold for having representation in parliament, so the process of coalition building may be complicated. Fico was previously the prime minister of Slovakia from 2006 to 2010. He was re-elected in 2012 but resigned in 2018 following a political crisis sparked by the murder of the investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. Before he was killed, Kuciak had investigated corruption scandals in Fico's party and alleged ties between the Italian mafia and figures in Fico's network. In addition to regularly remarking that he would stop providing Ukraine with aid if elected, Fico also opposes EU sanctions against Russia and wants Slovakia, a NATO member, to block Ukraine from joining the alliance. Fico has also repeated the myth that the war in Ukraine began as a civil war, a narrative Russia used to try to conceal its involvement in Donbas. On Aug. 30, he told a crowd of supporters that the war in Ukraine began "when the Ukrainian Nazis and fascists started to murder Russian citizens in Donbas and Luhansk," repeating Russian propaganda. Previously, Slovakia has been supportive of providing Ukraine with aid, including transferring a number of Mig-29 fighter jets. Ficos primary opponent Michal Simecka, who leads PS, promised to maintain support for Ukraine. He stressed that a reversal of Slovakias current position of providing support would put the nation at odds with other EU and NATO countries, and could cause Slovakia to become isolated. Read also: Exclusive: New insights point to Hungarys collaboration with Moscow on transfer of Ukrainian POWs Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. WASHINGTON In a stunning turn of events and in an eleventh-hour push, Congress averted a government shutdown with just hours to spare. The Republican-controlled House, where most of the funding fight took place, lawmakers made no progress for weeks. As House Republicans made attempt after attempt, hard-line conservatives tanked their efforts to pass a funding deal, even as the Sept. 30 deadline drew closer. As unproductive days passed, lawmakers slowly resigned themselves to an impending shutdown, given how they were making no progress and time was running short. But within 12 hours of a shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., made a surprise announcement that he was going to put a short-term, stopgap measure up for a vote to keep the government funded at current levels a move he was hesitant to make in fear of further angering his right flank. Both the House and Senate soon overwhelmingly approved the measure on a bipartisan basis, avoiding a shutdown and buying lawmakers more time to hash out a yearlong funding deal. Heres how Congress managed to avoid a government shutdown, even when it seemed all but certain. U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks with members of the media following passage in the House of a 45-day continuing resolution on September 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. House divided in negotiations all week, left in defeat Friday House lawmakers were divided all week. McCarthy said Tuesday night the House would look to pass a stopgap measure referred to as a continuing resolution that included border security provisions and would have temporarily funded the government until Oct. 31. I want to keep the government open. I want to do the job, he said at the time. The measure had dim prospects on the House floor due to Republican's razor-thin, four-seat majority. A handful of hard-right conservatives, more than the four votes McCarthy could afford to lose, said they would never support a continuing resolution under any circumstances. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., one of the hard-liners who vowed to oppose a continuing resolution, told USA TODAY Friday he would rather have Congress take the time to pass the 12 appropriation bills, even if it meant doing so during a government shutdown. Rosendale downplayed the effects of a shutdown as a "government slowdown." Meanwhile, members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group evenly divided between centrist Democrats and Republicans, had their own version of a continuing resolution on the back burner. If lawmakers were unable to avert a shutdown, co-chair of the caucus, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said the group would have attempted to force the bill on the floor through archaic procedural moves if it looked like Congress was unable to avert a shutdown. "Weve got to find a way to get the two-party bill on the floor. And we'll see if it happens on its own. If it doesn't, then we'll do what we need to do," Fitzpatrick told reporters Friday. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., talks reporters after attending an afternoon Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on September 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. The week ended with the House failing to pass the continuing resolution on Friday after 21 Republicans, including a faction of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, voted against it. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., singled out Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for the measure failing. "Unfortunately a handful of people and in particular a party of one, Matt Gaetz, have chosen to put his own agenda, his own personal agenda above all else," Lawler told reporters Friday. "There's only one person to blame for any potential government shutdown and that's Matt Gaetz. He's not a conservative Republican. He's a charlatan." After the measure failed, GOP leadership held a closed-door conference meeting later that afternoon to discuss options on averting a shutdown. In a display of how divided the House GOP conference was, most of the 21 Republicans who voted against the continuing resolution did not attend the meeting. Members left the meeting largely unsure, frustrated or resigned as it seemed there was no clear plan that could earn the support of enough Republicans. Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., a member of the Freedom Caucus who supported the continuing resolution, left the meeting visibly irritated, saying the meeting "did not go well," and said the options presented to avert a shutdown were worse than the continuing resolution that had just failed on the House floor. Even though GOP lawmakers were hopeful they could find some deal to avoid a shutdown, after the meeting it looked like Congress was virtually out of time to pass a funding deal. I think its pretty safe to say that tomorrow at midnight, the lights are going to go out for a while, Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., a senior appropriator, told reporters. At that point, it seemed it would take a miracle to avoid a shutdown. Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., speaks to reporters as he arrives to a Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on September 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. House GOP and a closed-door meeting Saturday On Saturday morning, House Republicans held another closed-door conference meeting to discuss the shutdown and ways to avert one. As members slowly filed into the meeting room, pessimism among GOP lawmakers only seemed to heighten as there was no clear resolution in sight. "I'm pretty pessimistic about it truth be told. Unfortunate. It's not what the American people deserve," Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., told reporters. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., left the meeting early and told reporters there were a handful of hard-line conservatives who wouldn't vote for a stopgap measure under any circumstances. The focus at that point, he said, was to mitigate the effects of a shutdown. House Republicans would look at what was "passable" on the floor, suggesting the House would vote to sustain troop pay and reauthorization for the Federal Aviation Agency first. "It is our obligation to anticipate and do whatever we can to mitigate it," Issa said. But near the end of the meeting, lawmakers trickling out of the room said the plan was for McCarthy to put forward a "clean" short-term stopgap measure to keep government funding at current levels. McCarthy, who exited the meeting after it ended, confirmed the new plan and said would be considered on the House floor within the next hour. It is unclear what caused the significant shift in strategy in such a short amount of time, but it appears McCarthy answered the calls of his allies and moderates over the small group of hard-liners who wanted a shutdown more than a bipartisan solution. McCarthy's choice to vote on a continuing resolution, which required Democratic support, was in line with what multiple polls showed the overwhelming majority of American voters wanted for Democrats and Republicans to work together and avoid a shutdown. The stopgap measure would keep the government funded at current levels through Nov. 17 and included President Joe Bidens request for $16 billion in additional disaster relief funding, but omitted additional aid for Ukraine. The measure, which would be considered under suspension to expedite the process, required two-thirds of the chamber to be approved, meaning the bill would have to pass on a largely bipartisan basis. Gaetz threatened to oust McCarthy if he worked with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution that would avert a shutdown and give lawmakers extra time to pass spending bills. However, a defiant McCarthy told reporters after the Saturday morning conference meeting that he was being "the adult in the room. "If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that," McCarthy said, daring his detractors to "go ahead and try" to remove him from his post. Gaetz scoffed at McCarthy's remarks, telling reporters later that day "there's nothing about delaying this process that is being the adult in the room." Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., enters the hearing room before Gina Raimondo, the Secretary of Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce, arrived for testimony to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing: Chips on the Table: A one year review of the Chips and Science Act on Sept. 19, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Democrats try to delay, House vote eventually passes In a bid to buy more time for House Democrats to read a 71-page stopgap measure before it was considered, Democrats forced a procedural vote on a motion to adjourn without the intention to adjourn to delay the vote on the stopgap to read through the bill. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said Democrats had "serious trust issues" on the legislation. To stall even further, Democratic lawmakers slowly trickled into the chamber to vote to stall even further. After the motion to adjourn failed, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., used what is referred to as a "magic minute" where under House rules, leadership can speak for an unlimited amount of time. "Strap in, because this may take a while," Jeffries said before addressing the House floor for almost an hour. Meanwhile, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., pulled the fire alarm in the Cannon House office building, causing an evacuation. Capitol police said in a statement they are investigating the incident. Emma Simon, Bowman's spokesperson, later said in a statement that Bowman "did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote." Despite the delays, voting on the stopgap measure began in the House just before 2:30 p.m. About 20 minutes later, the resolution passed 335 to 91, with just one Democrat voting in opposition over the bill's lack of U.S. aid to Ukraine. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building following passage in the House of a 45-day continuing resolution on September 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. Senate seals the deal hours before deadline Just four hours before the midnight deadline, Senators gathered on the floor to vote. The Senate began with brief remarks from Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., both of whom urged their members to support the continuing resolution. "I'm confident the Senate will pass further urgent assistance to Ukraine later this year," McConnell said on the floor. "But let's be clear, the alternative to our action today an entirely avoidable government shutdown would not just pause our progress on these important priorities, it would actually set them back. And in the process, it would saddle the people we represent with unnecessary hardships." The short-term measure passed the Senate 88 to 9 and was then signed by Biden shortly before midnight, effectively averting a shutdown and extending the government's current funding through Nov. 17. "The American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown," Schumer said after the vote was officially called. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In a stunning turn of events, Congress avoided a shutdown. Here's how A document allegedly from the US embassy in Paraguay, outlining plans to influence President Santiago Pena and counter "strategic corruption", suggests that Washington is trying to curb China's increasing diplomatic presence in the country. The 13-page document, called "Paraguay Interagency Integrated Anti-Corruption Action Plan", was allegedly sent by the embassy in Asuncion to the White House on July 27, three months after Pena won the country's presidential election. First reported by the Argentine newspaper La Politica Online, the plan cites the political sway of Horacio Cartes, Paraguay's former president and a key mentor to Pena, highlighting their relationship as a potential threat to US influence in the region. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. After the Paraguayan elections, it reads, Beijing might refocus its efforts on Paraguay, making Cartes' involvement with corruption schemes "an emerging threat and one with importance to our broader position in South America". US Ambassador to Paraguay Marc Ostfield neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of a document that his embassy allegedly produced. Photo: US State Department alt=US Ambassador to Paraguay Marc Ostfield neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of a document that his embassy allegedly produced. Photo: US State Department> Paraguay is the sole South American country holding diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than mainland China. During his campaign, Pena pledged to maintain relations with Taiwan. In a news conference, US Ambassador Marc Ostfield neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the plan. Ostfield added that Washington remained committed to "supporting Paraguayan institutions in combating corruption and impunity". Story continues The US has imposed sanctions on Cartes for reportedly achieving political gains through corrupt practices, including bribing several Paraguayan politicians during his successful 2013 presidential campaign. The document suggests continuing efforts to enhance cooperation with Paraguay and stave off Beijing's bid for formal diplomatic channels with Asuncion. The Paraguayan cattle industry has been hit hard by export restrictions to Russia following the Ukraine conflict, and Paraguayan beef producers have urged President Pena to reconsider the country's diplomatic allegiance to Taiwan, hoping for better trade prospects with mainland China. Sources said that the Asociacion Rural del Paraguay, an agribusiness lobbying group, has analysed how closer ties with China have benefited farmers in Brazil and Peru. The group plans to present their findings to Pena, aiming to sway him more toward Beijing. A US Department of Agriculture unit - the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - has suggested re-evaluating an existing US ban on Paraguayan beef imports, which had been imposed due to concerns about foot-and-mouth disease. Stating that "fresh beef can be safely imported from Paraguay" under specific conditions, the proposal could offer Paraguay an alternative market, reducing domestic pressure on Pena and slowing any Paraguayan diplomatic rapprochement with Beijing. Taiwan's dwindling relationships with Latin American countries was raised during a hearing at the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday. Discussing "China's malignant influence in Latin America", Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican who led the hearing, questioned a State Department official, Kerri Hannan, about what initiatives the Biden administration was undertaking to ensure that seven nations in the region maintain their relations with Taiwan. Hannan did not directly respond, saying only that the US was promoting to "public and private partners in the region" the benefits of the relationship with Taiwan. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Flash Analysts said Beijing and Washington "made one step forward" this week in advancing working-level pragmatic discussions on managing differences, as senior diplomats from both sides convened in Washington DC for a China-US consultation on Asia-Pacific affairs, which was the first of its kind. Topics including the Taiwan question and the South China Sea were high on the agenda of the talks held by Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Daniel J. Kritenbrink, United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, they noted. The consultation took place on Wednesday at the invitation of the US side "in accordance with the recent consensus reached between China and the US", the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The two sides "had a candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on China-US relations, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, their respective regional policies, as well as international and regional issues of common concern", according to the statement. Sun elaborated on China's position on the Taiwan question, making it clear that the one-China principle "is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait". He also stated China's position on the US "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and the South China Sea. At the talks, the Chinese side stressed that "benign interaction between China and the US in the Asia-Pacific is in line with the common interests of both sides and is also the common aspiration of the region's countries". The two sides agreed to continue to maintain communication on Asia-Pacific affairs, according to the Foreign Ministry. "We do not avoid competition, nor do we fear it, but competition should be benign, sincere and should promote mutual development. We oppose hostile and dangerous competition," Chinese Ambassador to Panama Wei Qiang told local media on Tuesday. Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng told a National Day reception in Washington on Wednesday that "peaceful coexistence is the bottom line that the two countries must secure". Observers noted that the consultation in Washington was part of the consensus reached at an meeting earlier this month in Malta between Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. At the Malta meeting on Sept 16, the two sides agreed to hold three China-US consultations on the Asia-Pacific, maritime affairs and foreign policy. The consultation in Washington was focused on working-level affairs, engaging officials at the vice-ministerial level, said Wu Xinbo, dean of Fudan University's Institute of International Studies. "Areas such as the Asia-Pacific have seen intense contradictions and differences between Beijing and Washington. Working-level consultations in these areas can improve exchanges on each other's positions and concerns, and help them explain their respective policy intentions," Wu said. "Such consultations will also help the two sides to see where the differences are, to explore how to narrow and manage them, and even to see whether there is any possibility of cooperation in these areas," he added. When meeting with visiting former US Treasury secretary Henry Paulson in Beijing on Tuesday, Wang Yi said it is not in the interests of the two peoples to see China-US relations at a low point, and he expressed his hope that "the US side could return to the track of being rational and pragmatic and take tangible actions". CANTON The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority will get a buy-one, get-one-free deal from the headhunter it hired to find an executive director for the agency. That wasn't the ideal plan. Stanley Quy's The Organizational Leadership Edge consulting firm in Nebraska had already delivered Joshua Crites to the Housing Authority to fill its open executive director post. He started the job in February. Problem is, Crites won't stay long. He leaves at the end of the month, due to a family medical issue, which will occupy a lot of his time. So, Stark needs a replacement. Due to Crites' quick exit, Quy will waive his fee this time. That fee could have been as much as $28,800. By contract, Quy stood to earn 16% of a new director's first-year salary estimated at between $160,000 and $180,000, according to a posting for the job on an industry website. A consultant's assistance is crucial, Quy said, due to a glut of open jobs in the public housing field. "There are a lot more great jobs out there than there are candidates to fill them," said Quy, who has worked in the public housing field for 52 years. He said, generally, he likes to get positions filled within three months, though there are many variables. "I know potential candidates across the country," Quy explained. "And I also know candidates we don't want ... the ones who have checkered pasts." Interim director already identified Most of the Housing Authority's $35 million budget comes from federal funding to operate about 2,300 public housing units and voucher programs for another 1,800 families. During his seven months, Crites said the agency improved its public housing occupancy rate from 89% to more than 95%. He also noted nearly 200 more vouchers were placed on the streets, which may improve occupancy in those programs. Joshua Crites In addition, the Housing Authority recently was awarded a $500,000 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods planning grant. It could lead to multimillion dollar public-private partnerships to re-develop the Jackson Sherrick public housing complex and surrounding southeast Canton area. With apparent momentum on its side, Crites said the board will bring in an interim director with a wealth of experience. Kris Warren, a consultant, previously worked for the U.S. Senate and HUD, and in executive roles for housing agencies in Tampa and Miami, Florida and Chicago. More recently, she was interim chief operating officer at Oakland's housing authority, according to her online biography. In Canton, she'll be paid $16,800 per month. Chief financial officer exits, too But Crites' post isn't the only vacancy. Jeff Patterson, the agency's chief financial officer, turned in his retirement notice this month. Patterson was named interim executive director when Herman Hill resigned in March 2022 to take the top position in Akron. Patterson, who'd applied for the permanent Stark executive director slot in the past, remained interim until Crites arrived. The executive director's slot is posted on the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association website, where it's noted the Stark agency is "governed by a highly supportive five-member board and staffed with 126 employees." Candidates, it stated, should have at least 10 years of work experience in administration, management and operation of a public housing authority with additional experience in planning, funding and implementation of public sector programs. "Any combination of experience and education that would be likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities may still be considered by SMHA," the listing stated. Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stanley Quy searching again for SMHA executive director Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) said Sunday he supported Sen. Lindsey Grahams (R-S.C.) proposal for a Ukraine and border funding bill, after the bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) that passed Saturday night failed to include either measure. In a joint interview on CBS Newss Face the Nation, Fitzpatrick and his Democratic co-chairman of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), both expressed optimism about the prospects for the bill moving through the House, suggesting there was bipartisan support for both issues. I would. I think we have a lot of challenges. I think we need to address all of them, Fitzpatrick said when asked whether he would support Grahams proposal. He noted that the proposal was similar to the Problem Solvers Caucus version of a CR introduced last week. While the CR that passed Saturday did not include Ukraine and border funding, Fitzpatrick and Gottheimer both stressed they need to be addressed. Fitzpatrick specifically underscored the importance of funding Ukraine for almost a year, rather than for a shorter period of time. I do think the Ukraine funding should be for a longer period of time. It should be for a year. It sends the right message to Ukraine. It sends the right message to Russia. And its perhaps, I think, the best solution inside our chamber to get that done, Fitzpatrick said. Gottheimer signaled he was hopeful that there was enough bipartisan support and said he thinks there is a significant share of the House that supports border funding as well as Ukraine funding. I think its a false choice to say were gonna do one or the other. But clearly, we know that we can make it the next 45 days to support Ukraine to make sure we stand up to Putin and to China and Iran, which is critical to our national security and to our allies. But also, we need to make sure that we deal with and deal with the challenges at the border and border security and live up to our values there, Gottheimer said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. No matter how enthusiastically he promoted his goal of segregation, 1 million percent on all levels, Orville L. Hubbard generally bristled at being called a racist. Yet the late Dearborn mayor devoted so much energy to race-baiting during his 36 years in office from 1942 to 1978 that he could hardly escape the label. By the mid-1950s, lionized by legions of local voters but branded a dictator by his opponents, he was already the most unabashed segregationist north of the Mason-Dixon Line and the best-known suburban mayor in America. Roy Wilkins, the executive director of the NAACP, vilified him in 1969 as the nations meanest man in race relations. Hubbard once told the New York Times that he did not hate Black people. Christ, I dont even dislike them, he said. But if white homeowners dont want to live next to Black neighbors, they sure as hell dont have to. Dammit, this is a free country. This is America. Hubbard began dredging up the race issue for political gain in 1945 when he mobilized the objections of a consortium of communities against a federal proposal to provide affordable housing for Black war workers in Dearborn and neighboring suburbs. Three years later, he embarked on the most blatantly racist performance of his career perhaps the one that best demonstrated his ability to influence events in Dearborn and attract national condemnation. On Nov. 2, 1948, Dearborn voters went to the polls on a different low-cost housing proposal, this one a $25 million, multiple-family project proposed by the John Hancock Life Insurance Co. of Hartford, Connecticut. The Springwells Park Development, as it was called, would house 1,200 families in 600 duplex units to be built on 930 acres owed by the Ford Foundation and Ford Motor Co. Eventually, it might accommodate 45,000 residents. The project was not targeted at any group of people. Rent was to average $125 a month, about $1,500 today. A whispering campaign begins The land changed hands without complications, pending rezoning. The project appeared to be moving forward. And then Orville Hubbard weighed in. The integration of their city, as Hubbard was well aware, was of particular concern to many Dearbornites because of a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that restrictive covenants on property deeds, common around the country, violated the 14th Amendment and thus were not enforceable in state courts, as a way to prevent Black people from buying homes. Orville Hubbard was Dearborn's longest serving mayor, elected to the position from 1942 to 1978. Given that Dearborn consisted overwhelmingly of single-family homes owned exclusively by white people, it was no surprise there might be an audience for warnings about the threat posed by outsiders. Indeed, the citys civic associations had labored for years to keep Dearborn white, as noted by historian David M.P. Freund: It was Dearborns homeowners that kept the race issue front and center, he wrote in his 2007 book, Colored Property. Their activism sustained the campaign to exclude apartments and black people from Dearborn throughout the early postwar years. And it was their activism that set the tone for and helped establish the terms of the fight over the Hancock apartments. With this backdrop, Hubbard and his minions began a whispering campaign that warned the Hancock project would become a huge Negro community. To bolster his argument, he read to City Council a telegram from a Black union official asking whether these badly needed homes would give any relief to the colored population. Although the very question, Hubbard said, indicated a race problem in the making, the council voted 4-3 against the mayors recommendation to give residents a chance to vote on the issue. Criticizing Henry Ford II Finally, at a third meeting in October, before a raucous audience of 600, the council voted unanimously to put Hancock on the fall ballot, even though most council members favored the project. While Hubbard contended that all the civic associations and 95% of the citys residents were with him, the Dearborn Press conducted its own poll, concluding that 75% of residents were actually in favor of the project. In the weeks before the scheduled election, the mayor continued to warn that the project would mirror a similar Hancock development in Brookline, Massachusetts, described by him as shoddy-looking row housing that would deteriorate into a Negro slum. And, taking a shot at Henry Ford II, Hubbard charged that the project was a plot by idle millionaires to exploit the common people. He also distributed a flyer calling the project a racial gamble, even as every council member but one endorsed the development as a way to establish for all time an area that will act as a bulwark against any poor real estate development that might seep into Dearborn. By this time, the project had won the endorsement of many city organizations and such voter groups as the Dearborn Citizens League. The Dearborn Press ran a preelection story headlined, Its City vs. Mayor on Homes, proclaiming Dearborn had lined up solidly against Hubbard in his one-man steamroller campaign. At last came the vote. Although the referendum had no legal standing, city officials agreed to accept the outcome as the final word on the Hancock project. But Henry Ford II and the other proponents had not reckoned with the mayors next move: Hubbard sent his top lieutenants as well as some civil service employees fanning out across the citys polling places on Election Day with cards that read: KEEP NEGROES OUT OF DEARBORN / Vote NO on (Advisory Vote) /PROTECT YOUR HOME and MINE! One city council member was spotted wearing a hat decorated with one of the cards. And leaflets pointed out that none of the 1,500 or so Black workers at Ford Motors Rouge Plant lived in Dearborn and that Hancock would be unable to keep the new project segregated. Dont be lulled into a false sense of security, the leaflets warned. The vote surprised some people How much backing did Hubbard really have? Despite the previous shows of support for the project, the vote was 15,948 against and 10,562 in favor. Hancock was dead in Dearborn, much to the apparent astonishment of almost everyone except the mayor. Hubbard attracted his share of finger-pointing afterward. In one councilmans words, the mayors rottenest tactics made a white project a Negro project. He lied to every civic organization in the city and every registered citizen. Over the next 30 years, Dearborn voters kept returning Hubbard to office. He floated in and out of the headlines, frequently in the role of a racist agitator. That reputation has endured over the four decades since his 1982 death, despite efforts by subsequent administrations to showcase Dearborn as a diverse and welcoming community, which now boasts a majority of Arab Americans and a growing Black population. David L. Good is a retired Detroit News reporter and editor and the author of Orvie: The Dictator of Dearborn." This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Orville Hubbard gaslit Dearborn to stop a housing development Pavel Durov, Russian entrepreneur and founder of Telegram, congratulated everyone on Telegram's latest birthday on 14 August 2023. He said the messenger app has gained over 800 million active users over the past ten years, solely through word of mouth. The evolution of Telegram has two parts. The first is the public story of confronting the Russian authorities and positioning the messenger as a safe space for communication. The second is financial, which Durov is not so eager to publicise. This makes sense, as Telegram still cannot rely on its own resources. At various times, Durov's company has sought financial resources for development on the side. "Telegram is on track to reach billions of users and to require appropriate funding. When a tech project reaches this scale, typically there are two options start earning money to cover the costs, or sell the company," Durov said in late 2020. The entrepreneur has not sold the company in three years, and the messenger's business model does not seem to be self-sufficient. Therefore, Durov has repeatedly approached investors for help, including those close to the Kremlin's top brass. The first investments: cryptocurrency and bonds Telegram's image and reputation have always been built around safety and security. Durov's notorious resignation from the position of CEO of the Vkontakte social network, which he had created and developed, in 2013 and disputes with the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications (Roskomnadzor), made Telegram look like an alternative and, therefore, "reliable" tool for communication. This "reliability" refers not only to the claims of the messenger's security, but also to the background of its financing. Telegram's financial journey began in 2017. Before that, Durov supported the messenger with the funds he received after leaving Vkontakte about US$400 million. "For most of Telegrams history, I paid for the expenses of the company from my personal savings. However, with its current growth Telegram is on track to reach billions of users and to require appropriate funding," Durov said in December 2020. Apparently, realising the need to attract funds, three years before announcing it brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov decided to create a blockchain platform called Telegram Open Network (TON) featuring their own cryptocurrency, Gram. After leaving Vkontakte in 2013, Durov's full attention was focused on developing Telegram PHOTO: KREMLIN-ALIGNED NEWS AGENCY, VALERIY LEVITIN They chose the right time to launch their cryptocurrency. Telegram had over 180 million users in 2017, and integrating Gram into the messenger app would make it the most extensive blockchain system in terms of user numbers. "The idea was to launch their own cryptocurrency, incorporate it into the messenger app, and announce themselves as the largest system by number of users in an attempt to displace Ethereum," explained Anton Rosenberg, former Director of Special Projects at Telegram. Durov generated a buzz around TON, and Telegram secured US$1.7 billion for the project in early 2018, having previously sold 2.9 billion Gram tokens. Durov saw this as a victory, as at the time, his own funding for the messenger app had run out, and the project itself remained unprofitable. However, the TON team delayed the release, scheduling the launch of the blockchain system for 31 October 2019. Two weeks before that date, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Telegram Group Inc. and TON Issuer Inc. in the Southern District of New York, seeking a temporary ban on the sale of tokens. The SEC stated that Gram was a security in financial terms, so the issuer had to provide data on its financial position, management, business lines and possible risks. Telegram argued the opposite in court, but without success. The company was ordered to return US$1.2 billion to investors and pay US$18.5 million in fines. Telegram's collapse in the cryptocurrency arena exacerbated the problem of financing, so the messenger app used a traditional method of attracting funds in the spring of 2021, issuing bonds (pre-convertible IPO bonds) to the tune of US$1.75 billion. The five-year bonds were issued in the denomination of US$1,000 with an annual yield of 7%. A coupon is paid every six months, with a minimum lot size of US$500,000. Apparently, in order to boost demand, Telegram has promised to hold an IPO, during which bondholders will be entitled to convert their bonds into shares at a discount of 10-20%. The 10% discount will apply should the IPO take place before the spring of 2024. It will increase to 15% in 2025 and 20% in 2026. Telegram issued another US$270 million worth of bonds in July 2023. Durov wouldn't disclose the details of this placement. He merely indicated that "well-known funds with stellar reputations" took part in the buyout. Paid subscriptions and Telegrams first earnings Prior to the first bond sale in 2021, Telegram sent out a report to potential investors outlining its plans to monetise the messenger app. The company launched a paid Telegram Premium subscription in June 2022. It said the move would mark "the beginning of Telegram's sustainable monetization", particularly as it would allow the development of new features while maintaining free access to the app. The previously launched advertising on Telegram did not cover costs. Back then, Durov noted that 2.5-3% of users would be enough to cover all their costs if they purchased Telegram Premium. At the time, the messenger had 700 million users. Based on this data, Russian Forbes estimated that after paying the App Store and Google Play fees, Telegram should be earning about US$45 million a month or US$540 million a year. This amount should be added to the US$122 million a year that the messenger has to spend on interest payments on its bonds. A year after the launch of Telegram Premium, Telegram managements optimism isnt convincing. Durov said in December 2022 that the number of paid users had reached 1 million, which is only 0.14% of the stated number of app users. Telegram's revenue from in-app purchases in the Apple App Store in July 2023 was US$2.4 million. This is 80% of the messenger apps total revenue from the two platforms, as monthly income from in-app purchases by Android users in the Google Play Store over the same month was only US$588,000. So after more than a decade, the company still hasnt managed to become self-sustaining. References: *Data on the number of users, estimated at the end of the year. **Data on expenses is provided "as is" at the source, without mid-year or year-end estimates. ***The calculations are based on data that is not aligned at the beginning/end of the year, so inaccuracies are possible. ****The data is not complete as it does not include certain expenses and may not include certain revenue streams that are not publicly available. However, as far as possible, Ekonomichna Pravda has tried to recreate the picture and provide a conservative estimate of Telegram's financial performance SOURCE: TELEGRAM Who is funding Telegram Telegram attracted all their investors privately, so it is impossible to obtain a complete list of them. However, the names of some people and organisations that were listed as investors in the messenger app have appeared in the media more than once. Among TON's investors were Russians David Yakobashvili, who invested US$10 million, and oligarch Roman Abramovich. The former is under Ukrainian sanctions, while Abramovich is on the sanctions lists of the European Union, the United States, Switzerland, Canada, Ukraine and other countries. They are both believed to have close ties to the Kremlin. The SEC found that one of TON's largest investors (US$65.3 million) was Space Investments, a firm associated with Russian Sergei Azatyan's InVenture Partners company. Russian Forbes noted that the founder of Bank 131, Dmitry Yeremeev, also invested in Telegram. The National Agency on Corruption Prevention stated that Yeremeev, through his bank, financially or in other ways supports actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Even when Telegram attracted investors through TON, a significant portion of the funds was to be used for the development of the messenger app. The documents signed by the investors did not say anywhere that the money would be spent only on TON. Moreover, the SEC claimed that there was no TON ecosystem and that it does not exist. This also applies to goods that could be purchased with Gram. TON depends on investors' money, and they can make money by reselling the cryptocurrency. There are many UAE representatives among the investors who have seen the potential of Telegram PHOTO: MEDIAOFFICE.AE It is impossible to find information about the investors in the case of bonds. All that was stated was that after losing the court case to the SEC, Durov was no longer looking for investors among US citizens. Moreover, the media reported conflicting information about which region Telegram attracted the most investors from. In one instance, Russia and other European countries are mentioned, in another Asia. However, there are two investment funds to which Telegram sold its bonds that are always mentioned: Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners. Both funds originate from the UAE, and they supposedly purchased US$150 million worth of the messenger's bonds. The Emirati state-owned holding company Mubadala has been working closely with Russia. For example, in 2013, Mubadala Investment created a US$2 billion fund with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to invest in long-term projects in various sectors of the Russian economy. Mubadala has also invested in Russia's Pulkovo airport, projects of SIBUR (petrochemical holding), En+ and Gazprom Neft. The fund's total portfolio in Russia is estimated at US$3 billion. En+ is a holding company founded by Oleg Deripaska. Mubadala acquired shares in En+ from his ex-wife. After the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Mubadala announced that it was suspending its investments in Russia. Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners is a fund set up by Mubadala and the American investment company Falcon Edge Capital. The latter is co-founded by Rick Gerson. This name was mentioned more than once by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who was investigating the case of possible Russian financing of Donald Trump's election campaign. Mueller claimed that Gerson was an intermediary between the Trump team, Russian officials and the UAE. Among Telegram's investors is RDIF, which purchased bonds on the secondary market. What is the geographical structure of Telegram's premium subscription revenue? From June 2022 to February 2023, the messenger app received the greatest revenue from in-app purchases from the Russian Federation over US$2.5 million. Second place went to Ukraine over US$1.54 million, and third place went to the US over US$1.52 million. India, which supposedly has the highest number of users, brought Durov only US$164,000. Instead of a conclusion Analysing Telegrams financial sources leads us to the primary question: how did a platform that developed so rapidly fail to become self-sustaining? Questions also arise about the people and organisations that invested in Telegram. In both the TON and the bond stories, Durov had a choice the number of people willing to invest in Telegram always exceeded the demand. That is why the question arises as to why, after his high-profile exit from Vkontakte, his departure from Russia and denial of his Russian citizenship, Durov was so "careless" in his selection of investors for his messenger app. Finally, the revenue from users, with Russia in first place, would have been much lower if Roskomnadzor had not lifted the restrictions on Telegram in 2020. "While this past decade was exciting, the next 10 years will be the time when Telegram reaches its true potential," Durov promised. This is the second article in a series about Telegram. The first, about the messenger apps ties to Russia, is available on the Vector website. Ekonomichna Pravda appreciates Yaroslav Azhniuk, Dmytro Koshelnyk (Vector) and the Molfar OSINT community for their help in preparing this article. New articles in this series will be published on Ekonomichna Pravda and Vector. Ihor Pylypiv, Ekonomichna Pravda Translation: Artem Yakymyshyn and Myroslava Zavadska Editing: Bea Barnes House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pulled an end run around the far-right wing of his party, striking a deal with Democrats to pass a clean spending bill and avert a government shutdown, and GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz is so mad about it he wants McCarthy ousted as speaker. I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week, the Florida congressman told Jake Tapper on CNNs State of the Union Sunday. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy. Gaetz on CNN says he plans to file a motion to vacate on McCarthy this week pic.twitter.com/6ApmbQP9Df Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 1, 2023 Speaker McCarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January and since then hes been in brazen, repeated material breach of that agreement, Gaetz said. This agreement that he made with Democrats to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we set up is a last straw. McCarthy said at a press conference Saturday that he is not afraid of an attempt to remove him from his leadership position. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it, McCarthy said. There has to be an adult in the room. I am going to govern with whats best for this country. Separate from his efforts to remove McCarthy, Gaetz himself may be in trouble if the current Ethics Committee investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct and illicit substance abuse fails to clear him. We want him out, an anonymous Republican member of Congress told CNN. really good pushback here from Tapper on Gaetz pic.twitter.com/kJg2tpPa7R Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 1, 2023 Look, the one thing everybody has in common is that nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy, Gaetz said. He lied to Biden, he lied to House conservatives. And the reason we were backed up against the shutdown politics is not a bug of the system. Its a feature. If Gaetz wants to remove McCarthy, hell likely need support from the very people he doesnt want McCarthy to work with Democrats. Some may be inclined to work with Gaetz, though, considering McCarthy has launched an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and reneged on a deal with the White House regarding spending levels. Already it looks like Gaetzs effort to boot McCarthy has at least one Democratic supporter: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said Sunday that she would absolutely cast that vote. When Tapper pressed Gaetz on how he would gather support from the opposing party, Gaetz said, I think Democrats should vote against McCarthy for free. But if Democrats dont join his effort to oust the speaker, the congressman said, He will be their speaker, not mine. This breaking news story has been updated. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has a big decision to make. In the run-up to preventing a government shutdown, any questions about what the Democrats would do in the event of a vote to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker were easily batted aside as too theoretical to entertain. We havent given any thought to how to handle a hypothetical motion to vacate, because we are entirely focused on making sure that we avoid this extreme MAGA Republican shutdown, Jeffries said last week. But avoiding the shutdown has now led directly to a vote on a motion to vacate. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) repeatedly threatened that the passage of a continuing resolution would trigger the introduction of the MTV that hes had in his back pocket for weeks. After the CR passed yesterday, Gaetz promised that it will happen this week. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it, McCarthy told reporters defiantly yesterday. Kevin McCarthys gonna get his wish, Gaetz responded this morning on ABCs This Week. POLITICO Playbook spoke with a number of House Democrats this morning about how they will respond. So lets unpack the politics of this. Lets assume Gaetz starts with only a handful of Republicans perhaps just five, maybe as many as 10 and that McCarthy has no chance of turning this group around. Its not much, and that means Gaetz needs Democrats perhaps as many as 200 to oust McCarthy. (Ironic considering that his line today was that McCarthy is the Democrats speaker.) The biggest pocket of votes for Gaetz right off the bat will be the Democrats in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. They hate Gaetz, but more important, it could be suicide for any of the CPCs 100-plus members to vote to save McCarthy. (And a motion to table Gaetzs resolution, while not technically a vote for McCarthy, will easily be spun that way.) Not surprisingly, as POLITICO first reported, CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is one of the first Democrats to whom Gaetz reached out. Right on cue, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a D+28 district in New York, was on CNN this morning saying she would absolutely vote to oust McCarthy. Both Gaetz and some Democrats weve talked to today believe it is naive to assume that some discussion of the motion to vacate didnt come up in the conversations between McCarthy and Dem leaders that birthed the bipartisan CR vote. Since McCarthy knew that the MTV would follow a CR, it would be unusual if he didnt have some indication from Dems about their views on the vote that will determine his future. One likely response to nudge McCarthy in their direction surely would have been that there would be nothing to discuss if he shut down the government. But for now, the existence of any kind of backchannel discussions is speculation. One senior Democratic lawmaker told us this morning that the instructions from leadership to all Dems right now is keeping powder dry. While Gaetz might be right that he can get lots of votes from progressives, his only chance after that is if Jeffries himself locks down the caucus in favor of the MTV. But that could take some persuading. For a bloc of moderates a mix of perhaps 25 to 40 Blue Dogs, Problem Solvers and Democrats in Trump districts a vote to prove their bipartisan credentials by keeping McCarthy as speaker could be very tempting. All of this is to say that if Gaetz only has 5-10 Republican votes, McCarthy may have an achievable path to victory. But thats also not Gaetzs only potential move. If McCarthy survives with the help of Democratic votes, Gaetz will no doubt relentlessly attack him, as he has already, as the Democrats speaker. The overall effort will have done a lot of damage. What if Gaetz offers a second MTV, as anyone who knows him realizes he surely would, and McCarthy again has to survive with Democratic help? What happens on the second or third vote? Does Gaetz garner more Republican support? Does McCarthy need to find more Democratic support? Theres no limit to how many times Gaetz could do this. Eventually, this would become untenable for McCarthy. Democrats who take a position on the first MTV will need to consider that they may be locking themselves into a position on a vote that might be repeated. What might a deal with McCarthy look like from Jeffries perspective? It is highly unlikely that Jeffries would ever demand all Democrats vote to save McCarthy; several Dem members told Playbook this morning that was impossible to imagine. But what he could do is decline to lock down the caucus and let Democrats vote their conscience (or their district). That could leave moderates with room to help McCarthy. But surely those individual moderates would also want something from McCarthy. Maybe a promise not to spend NRCC money in their races? There are a lot of ideas floating around out there. McCarthy has a card to play if he survives the first (or more) attack from Gaetz: He could try to pass a rule that raises the threshold for a motion to vacate from one member, where it is now, to, say, 10 members. How would he get the votes? Perhaps some of the Democrats who cut a deal to save McCarthy agree to vote for this rule as well. That would finally decapitate Gaetz. Stepping back from the chess game, the big question all Democrats have to answer and quick is whether its better to have McCarthy as speaker or not. On the pro-keeping-McCarthy side of the ledger is that hes the devil they know, and there is nobody better waiting in the wings. By avoiding the government shutdown, he also just showed he can be more responsible than some Democrats had believed. It could also take two weeks for another speaker to emerge from the ashes of the chaos, all while the White House and Democrats are trying to push through aid for Ukraine and fund the government over the next 45 or so days. And if you are at the White House and care about all of this, in addition to the fate of the impeachment inquiry, which Democrats have already raised as an issue in any discussion of helping McCarthy, then McCarthy may be the better bet. This is the institutionalists argument. The other side of the argument is that McCarthy is the GOPs greatest fundraiser, and getting rid of him would help Democrats take back the House. No replacement for McCarthy would have the same set of relationships and the donor network and political operation. In addition, the argument goes, the GOP chaos in the House would pay political dividends. One thing is clear: For the 53-year-old Jeffries, this is an unprecedented situation, one that no minority leader has ever faced. He suddenly has enormous leverage, but will have to weigh carefully how aggressively to use it. Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICO's Playbook newsletter. Flash Auto workers take part in a strike outside a Ford assembly plant in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, the United States, on Sept. 29, 2023. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is expanding its strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers to General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Company SUV plants, UAW President Shawn Fain announced during a Facebook Live event on Friday, the 15th day of the strike. (Photo by Vincent D. Johnson/Xinhua) The United Auto Workers (UAW) is expanding its strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers to General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Company SUV plants, UAW President Shawn Fain announced during a Facebook Live event on Friday. More than 7,000 workers at the GM plant in Delta Township in Lansing, U.S. state of Michigan and the Chicago Ford assembly plant in Illinois were ordered to walk off the job. UNPRECEDENTED STRIKE Fain told workers via the social media platform that negotiations haven't broken down, but Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress. "Sadly, despite our willingness to bargain, Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress at the table," Fain said. The GM plant has more than 2,800 employees making large crossover SUVs such as Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse, while the Ford plant has 5,700 hourly workers making Ford Explorer and Explorer police interceptors, as well as the Lincoln Aviator SUV. With these additional members joining the strike, the number of striking UAW members across all three automakers would reach over 25,000. Stellantis NV avoided a strike expansion this time due to progress made in the negotiations, Fain said on Friday. Last week, the UAW spared Ford from an expansion of the strike, saying it had made progress at the bargaining table with the automaker. Auto workers take part in a strike outside a Ford assembly plant in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, the United States, on Sept. 29, 2023. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is expanding its strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers to General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Company SUV plants, UAW President Shawn Fain announced during a Facebook Live event on Friday, the 15th day of the strike. (Photo by Vincent D. Johnson/Xinhua) WIN OVER VOTERS Each 2024 presidential candidate is seeking to win over blue-collar voters, cementing the strike as a political battleground, reports said. "You made a lot of sacrifices. You gave up a lot when the companies were in trouble. Now, they're doing incredibly well... You should be doing incredibly well, too," U.S. President Joe Biden said on the 12th day of the union's strike, amid applause from the striking workers. "You deserve a significant raise you need and other benefits... It's time for them to step up for us." Biden visited a picket line outside a GM parts distribution center in the U.S. state of Michigan Tuesday, voicing his support to the auto workers. Former U.S. President Donald Trump's visited the place a day later, when he attacked Biden's policies for transforming the auto industry and showed his support for the workers. In an interview Tuesday, UAW President Shawn Fain says he sees "no point" in meeting with Trump. "I don't think the man has any bit of care about what our workers stand for, what the working class stands for. He serves a billionaire class." Auto workers take part in a strike outside a Ford assembly plant in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, the United States, on Sept. 29, 2023. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is expanding its strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers to General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Company SUV plants, UAW President Shawn Fain announced during a Facebook Live event on Friday, the 15th day of the strike. (Photo by Vincent D. Johnson/Xinhua) SPREADING IMPACT The UAW's unprecedented strike against the Big Three is now on its 15th day. The UAW went on strike on Sept. 15 at three select facilities of Ford, GM and Stellantis and expanded the strike to 38 General Motors (GM) and Stellantis facilities on Sept. 22. "There is definite strain in the supply chain, and you're going to see some of them suffer as a result of the strike if it lingers for a month or more," said Ann Marie Uetz, a partner at a law firm that represents auto suppliers, was quoted as saying by the New York Times. According to a Cox Automotive forecast released Tuesday, even with a strike and uncertainties of what's to come between the Big Three and the UAW, the U.S. auto industry's sales through the end of September showed a continued "robust" recovery. Analysts at Edmunds, an American online resource for automotive inventory and information, said Wednesday that the effects of the strike are unlikely to show up in third-quarter sales results for the industry. But if the strike lingers, they expect an impact on auto inventories in subsequent quarters. Bernadette McBryde-Brown shows some of the items in the essential needs thrift store for Haitian refugees at the Gaston County Department of Social Services. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the number of Haitian refugees seeking asylum in Gaston County has increased significantly, according to Bernadette McBryde-Brown, DSS job placement supervisor and SEALs team coordinator. The SEALs Family Assistance Team at Gaston Countys Department of Social Services won an award in August for their work with the countys growing Haitian refugee population. This work includes everything from providing basic necessities to teaching them how to use the bus system. First contact They would show up at the DSS building and wouldnt have shoes, McBryde-Brown said. They had left their family, theyre really on the run. When they first began coming in, McBryde-Brown did not know a lot about the situation unfolding in Haiti, she said. However, through an interpreter speaking on their behalf, McBryde-Brown would come to learn that, The country is being run by gangs, she said. Theyre being kidnapped, the president has been killed, McBryde-Brown said among a list of other reasons the refugees are fleeing Haiti. McBryde-Brown shared the story of a man who came to them for help. He was shot, she said. You could see where it happened. According to McBryde-Brown, the man shared with the translator that he was fleeing gang violence, and rather than leading them to his home, where his family could get hurt, he decided to leave the country. He built a raft, and had to travel by water and by land, McBryde-Brown said. Gaston County DSS continued to see the numbers of refugees seeking aid on the rise. The SEALs team at DSS found that the vast majority of refugees coming to DSS for assistance needed basic necessities. They are very prideful people and didnt want to say what they needed, she said. They bleed like you and I bleed, they had needs. A sign on the wall at the essential needs thrift store for Haitian refugees at the Gaston County Department of Social Services. Gaston County SEALs team When people ask me to tell them why I call my team SEALs: They are SEALs because they are organized, trained, and equipped to conduct a variety of special operations and missions in all facets of community environments, McBryde-Brown said. This is on top of their day-to-day job which is expected to be stellar without cutting any corners. I have a team that goes above and beyond every day for the citizens of Gaston County. In response to the glaring needs of the refugee population, DSSs SEALs team organized a place where they could come to get hygienic products, clothes and food. Having access to basic needs like food and hygiene was critical, but the SEALs team also noticed a need for education to help them navigate the city, according to McBryde-Brown. They walk nearly everywhere they go, she said. One of the first lessons they focus on sharing with the refugee population is how to use the public transportation systems in Gaston County. Along with learning to use the public transportation system, the refugees also learn English, to help them navigate using street signs, but also to help them communicate in general. I cant imagine coming to a country and not knowing how to speak the language, McBryde-Brown said. Literacy lessons The Gaston Literacy Council has reported increased numbers of English as a Second Language learners this year. The ESL increase is 99.9% needed by the refugees, McBryde-Brown said. According to Linda McConnell, executive director of the Gaston Literacy Council, numbers of ESL learners have, tripled probably, what weve had in the past. In the months of July, August, and September this year, the council has started working with 120 ESL learners, which is just nine students shy of the number of learners they worked with for the entire year of 2022, McConnell said. In order to accommodate the new English learners, DSS and the Literacy Council have teamed up to host what McBryde-Brown calls the, American Dream Academy, an ESL class that meets on the first and third Saturday of every month. The class is currently full and has a waitlist of 45 students. McConnell expects that requests for ESL classes will continue to increase as the election year approaches. The supply closet with items for the essential needs thrift store for Haitian refugees at the Gaston County Department of Social Services. According to McConnell, many non-English speaking refugees and immigrants take on ESL near election time so they can take the citizenship test and hopefully gain citizenship in time to vote. The recent increases and anticipated future increases have created needs for ESL instructors at the Gaston Literacy Council. Were actually looking for instructors, McConnell said. How to help If you want to know how you can help, ask yourself, what do you need, McBryde-Brown said. DSS is currently accepting donations of clothing, food, and hygienic products, according to McBryde-Brown. Anyone interested in donating can contact McBryde-Browns office at 704-862-7909. Anyone interested in becoming an ESL instructor for the Gaston Literacy Council can reach out to them at gastonliteracy.org. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County helps Haitian refugees learn English and find resources Gov. Gavin Newsom dealt a blow to California labor by vetoing bills that would have given unemployment checks to striking workers and workplace protections to domestic employees. The governor on Saturday night vetoed Senate Bill 799, which would have made workers on strike for 14 days eligible for unemployment benefits. He also vetoed Senate Bill 686, which would have brought domestic workers under the umbrella of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) protections. Striking worker unemployment Newsom cited financial reasons in his SB 799 veto message. He said the state has not revised its unemployment insurance financing structure since the 1980s, making it vulnerable to insolvency. Expanding eligibility could increase unemployment insurance debt and taxes on employers, Newsom said. Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt, the governor wrote. I have deep appreciation and respect for workers who fight for their rights and come together in collective action. I look forward to building on the progress we have made over the past five years to improve conditions for all workers in California. Sen. Anthony Portantino, D-Burbank, who authored the bill, said he was disappointed by the governors decision. The labor unrest&concern we all witnessed this summer earned legislatures action to pass UI benefits 4 striking workers, Portantino said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Newsom likely felt more comfortable with a veto after the Writers Guild of America on Tuesday reached a deal to end one of the highest-profile strikes in the country after nearly 150 days. The WGA strike along with the ongoing Screen Actors Guild work stoppage has kept a large number of California film and television employees out of work for months, hurting the Los Angeles economy. Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, head of the California Labor Federation, called the veto out of step with American values. This veto tips the scales further in favor of corporations and CEOs and punishes workers who exercise their fundamental right to strike, Gonzalez said in a statement. Portantino told The Bee he plans to reintroduce the bill next year. He also hopes to start an effort to reform the states unemployment insurance program, which is chronically underfunded and currently owes the federal government about $20 billion that it borrowed to cover pandemic-era claims. As of now, the senator says hell start by having conversations with Newsoms team rather than introducing a reform bill right away. Im hopeful to work with admin on a plan for the (UI) fund long term, Portantino wrote in a text message. Domestic worker protections SB 686, from Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, is the second domestic worker protection bill authored by the Los Angeles Democrat that Newsom has vetoed. He also rejected a similar piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1257, in 2020. Durazos most recent measure would have dropped the household domestic service exemption from Cal/OSHA regulations and required the agency to adopt new rules for employers, who would have needed to comply by Jan. 1, 2025. Im deeply disappointed that the Governor doesnt recognize the inherent worth and dignity of those women who care for our homes and families by (vetoing) SB686, Durazo wrote in a post on X. Newsom recognized Durazo for her commitment to the well-being of workers in our state. But, he said, new laws in this area must recognize that private households and families cannot be regulated in the exact same manner as traditional businesses. Newsom also expressed concerns about the lack of specificity around standards domestic employers would be required to follow and the system that would be used to investigate violations and enforce rules. I am particularly concerned, given that approximately 44% of the households that employ domestic workers are low-income themselves, that this bill creates severe cost burdens and penalties for many people who cannot afford them, the governor wrote. The Bee Capitol Bureaus Maya Miller contributed to this report. Geoffrey Blackwell (Photo/File) The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) named Geoffrey Blackwell (Chickasaw, Choctaw, Omaha, and Muscogee Creek) as the organizations new general counsel and chief of staff. The annoucment was made through an press release on Thursday. In this dual role, Blackwell will lead NCAIs legal strategies and oversee the efficient operation of NCAI. We are thrilled to welcome Geoffrey Blackwell to NCAI, said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. His extensive expertise in federal Indian law and policy, coupled with his deep-rooted commitment to serving Tribal Nations, make him an invaluable addition to our leadership team. With him at the helm of our legal efforts and as chief of staff, we are confident in our ongoing advocacy for Tribal Nations. Most recently, Blackwell served for eight years of service as the chief strategy officer and general counsel for AMERIND. Previously, Blackwell was the founding chief of the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) Office of Native Affairs and Policy, where he spearheaded efforts to bring modern communication technologies to tribal communities nationwide. In 2000, he also made history as the first enrolled member of a federally recognized tribal nation employed by the FCC. Blackwell has played a pivotal role in advocating for broadband policy on behalf of tribal nations and, in 2020, was honored as a co-recipient of Public Knowledges IP3 Internet Protocol Award. Additionally, within NCAI, he assumes leadership responsibilities as co-chair of both the Economic, Finance, and Community Development Committee and the Technology and Telecommunications Subcommittee. Raised in Oklahoma and New Mexico, Blackwell comes from a family deeply involved in tribal leadership and federal service dedicated to Indian Country. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia School of Law. About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. " Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net A Georgia woman faces multiple charges of insurance fraud and forgery after being accused of faking a hospital report in an attempt to claim close to $1.5 million from her insurance company. According to the Floyd County Sheriffs Office, Denna Rochelle Conaway told her insurance company that her son had been injured in a car accident in Miami, Fla. and needed surgery. Reports from the sheriffs office show she submitted claims in October and November 2022, and another in January 2023. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Records show fake invoices were submitted either on her own behalf or for her son, covering fake x-rays and payment for surgeries that she and her son never had. In total, Conaway requested more than $1.5 million in claims. Affidavits state that Conaway submitted insurance accident claims and falsified hospital records for accidents or injuries that never occurred. One was even submitted on behalf of her son for a car accident that never happened, according to the sheriffs office. Conaway submitted an attempt to receive funds from her insurance was partially successful. Conaway submitted a medical claim for $81,233.95 after she allegedly had an accident while hiking in Arizona on Oct. 5, 2022, according to affidavits from the sheriffs office. She was given $10,250 in payment after showing X-ray images to the insurance company. However, Conaway was not found in the hospital on files medical records as a patient. TRENDING STORIES: The hospital records Conaway submitted to her insurance company for $35,618, related to an accident her son was allegedly in on Oct. 15, 2022. according to documents from the sheriffs office, which resulted in a needed surgery for him. The claim for the hospital bill was denied by her insurance company after the hospital on file reported her son was not in their system as a patient, according to affidavits. Conaway also attempted to get paid for a claim seeking $1,440,167 related to a surgery she needed after allegedly being the victim of an attempted purse snatching on Nov. 17, 2022, according to affidavits. That request was also denied, after the hospital she said she went to told her insurance they had no record of her being a patient. Across all of the different claims, and false documents, Conaway was charged with six counts of forgery and three counts of felony insurance fraud, according to documents from the sheriffs office. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Capitol Hill is set for another week of twists and turns -- having only just narrowly avoided a partial shutdown of the federal government -- as Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz says he plans to force a vote on whether to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy . In an appearance on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Gaetz criticized McCarthy's handling of spending and budget fights since the GOP retook the House in January and claimed that McCarthy had violated promises he made in order to be chosen as speaker. Gaetz said he would move this week to remove McCarthy in light of a temporary funding bill that McCarthy backed, and passed with majority Democratic support, late on Saturday to avert the government shutdown. McCarthy, for his part, has projected confidence about his chances and suggested Gaetz is driven by a personal grudge, which Gaetz denies. "Let's get over with it. Let's start governing," McCarthy said on CBS on Sunday. When could Gaetz introduce his motion? Sources say Gaetz has privately floated to aides and members that he could bring his motion to vacate as early as Monday -- but that is not firm and can easily slide. Monday is a fly-in day for members with the House floor opening at noon and the first votes set for 6:30 p.m. What is the 'motion to vacate' that Gaetz wants to use? The motion is a special procedural move that allows any House member to trigger a vote to remove the speaker with a simple majority vote. As part of his agreement to become speaker, McCarthy agreed to revise House rules to allow any single member to bring up a motion to vacate. But Republicans were divided on the issue, with Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas telling CNN at the time, "You can't govern with a gun to your head .... It makes us highly unstable." Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, however, said the increased ability to replace the speaker was about responsibility: "There's nobody that goes to work every day that doesnt have accountability." Under Democrats, starting in 2019, a motion to vacate could only be introduced with the support of a majority of either party. Since the threshold was lowered this year, the possibility of a motion to vacate has been raised at various points as McCarthy worked to wrangle parts of his conference -- or drew their ire, including over the debt ceiling deal with the White House. MORE: Vote to remove McCarthy over gov't funding would be 'destructive,' moderate rep says PHOTO: House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Matt Gaetz arrives for a meeting of the Republican House caucus, Sept. 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) What happens when the motion is introduced? Once the House is back in session, Gaetz will have to rise on the floor, be recognized by the Republican presiding over the chamber and verbally introduce his motion to vacate the chair. The House will have to take up the resolution within two legislative days. So if Gaetz introduces the motion on Monday, for example, the vote would need to take place by Wednesday. The House could take a simple up-or-down vote on the resolution, in which case Gaetz will need a majority -- or 217 votes if everyone is present and voting, given two vacancies in the chamber -- to remove McCarthy. The House could also take a procedural vote instead, such as voting to table Gaetz's motion (and set it aside) or refer it to a committee. If the resolution is tabled or referred to committee, Gaetz could introduce another motion to vacate as early as the following day, according to Molly Reynolds, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a think tank. In other words, Gaetz could force repeated votes on McCarthy's speakership. Sources close to Gaetz tell ABC News if his motion to vacate fails the first time, he will likely raise it again sometime in the following weeks or months. What will Republicans do? Gaetz does not have a lot of friends in Congress, even among McCarthy's critics and the spending hawks who voted with Gaetz against the stopgap funding bill. ABC News spoke to several who hated that deal but still supported McCarthy. Of the 90 Republicans who voted against the funding measure on Saturday, a fraction have been critical of the speaker, both privately and publicly. Those include Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Matt Rosendale of Montana, as well as a few others. Biggs, Rosendale, Gaetz, Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., and Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., all voted present rather than voting for McCarthy to win the speaker's gavel in January, which suggests they may be the most willing to vote to remove him. Crane posted on X on Sunday, reacting to Gaetz's plan: "Let's roll!" Many others have not publicly weighed in. Others in the hard-right House Freedom Caucus who have criticized GOP leadership but have supported McCarthy at times have been more evasive on questions about him. Across 15 votes for speaker in January, no more than 21 Republicans opposed McCarthy at the high water mark for his critics, while roughly 200 stuck with the California Republican throughout five days of voting. Without a surprising and unexpected evaporation of McCarthys support in the conference, its unlikely that Gaetz will be able to remove him with GOP votes on his first attempt. What will Democrats do? McCarthy may have won the gavel with the Republican majority, but whether he keeps it depends on how Democrats proceed. Sources tell ABC News that Democrats have already started discussing how to handle the motion to vacate but, so far, there hasn't been a firm consensus. Some Democrats have said they are weighing whether to vote "present," which would help McCarthy just as it did when he first won the speaker's gavel by lowering the total number of votes he needs to keep his job. Other Democrats said they would have been more inclined to help McCarthy if the motion to vacate was standing in the way of a bipartisan deal to fund the government. That's no longer on the table. Most Democrats are looking to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for guidance -- and he has dismissed any questions about this as hypotheticals. On CNN on Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent Democrat from New York, said she would vote to remove McCarthy as he had "clearly lost control." "I believe it's up to the Republican conference to determine their own leadership and deal with their own problems. But it's not up to Democrats to save Republicans -- from themselves especially," she said. Gaetz has been reaching out to Democratic members, trying to convince them to join his efforts to force McCarthy out and floating names of possible replacements, per multiple sources. In the past, Democrats have also expressed concern that working to remove a Republican speaker could result in a more conservative successor emerging. PHOTO: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks with members of the media alongside Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer following passage in the House of a 45-day continuing resolution, Sept. 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images) What happens in the House if McCarthy is removed as speaker The House would not be able to conduct any other legislative business until a new speaker is chosen by members. Asked Sunday on "This Week" whom he would support as McCarthy's successor, Gaetz suggested he hadn't decided on someone. A similar dynamic played out during the speakership contest in January, when McCarthy's Republican critics -- a minority of the conference -- could not settle on an alternative who could unite the party. "We have a lot of talented people in our conference," Gaetz told Karl. "Obviously, it's an awkward discussion while our No. 2, [Majority Leader] Steve Scalise, is in treatment for blood cancer. ... I want to see how Steve Scalise comes out of that." While Gaetz might be floating names of possible replacements no one is rallying around a viable option. And even if McCarthy is ousted, the headaches of trying to appeal to the disparate wings of the party aren't going away. Even Republicans describe McCarthy's job as "impossible." Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott: "He just has an impossible job. You've got to understand there are 435 people up here. And I can tell you, many of them do not lack self-confidence. Everybody has an answer to everything. It's tough to manage this." When asked on Saturday about the threatened motion to vacate, one Republican member who supports McCarthy let out a deep sigh. "I'm tired of it talking about it," they said. "Let's just get on with it." Has this happened before? Very rarely. In July 2015, then-Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., filed a resolution to force a vote on John Boehner's speakership. Because Meadows did not introduce the motion publicly on the floor, it was not fast-tracked for a vote and not taken up. But it did factor into Boehner's decision to leave Congress two months later. The motion has only been used once in American history. In 1910, an unsuccessful push to vacate the chair ultimately led to a series of procedural votes that ended up weakening then-Speaker Joseph Cannon, R-Ill. ABC News' Mariam Khan, John Parkinson and Lauren Peller contributed to this report. Gaetz threatens historic vote to try and remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy: What happens next originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Victoria Cooper of Westminster shows her support of former President Trump outside the state GOP convention in Anaheim on Sept. 29, 2023. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) On Friday, Leonard Bernal stood beside a friend amid a sea of MAGA paraphernalia and was absolutely buzzing. Former President Trump had just wrapped up a fiery speech to 1,500 paying attendees at the California Republican Party's fall convention in Anaheim, where he spent the better part of 90 minutes trashing the Golden State, its politicians and its policies. Bernal, a 62-year-old Modesto retiree, loved every moment of it. Even if Trump was hard to follow as he lambasted the state's water policies, Bernal said the former president's speech resonated with him he's watched farmers struggle to keep their land fertile. Trump spoke of marauding criminal gangs and called California a "dumping ground" for prisoners, terrorists and mental patients. "The state deserves to be bashed," Bernal said. "Even though the country has gone to hell, California has gone into a deeper hell." Trump was not alone in flaying California. In the course of trying to loosen Trump's grip on Republican voters, rival GOP candidates including Sen. Tim Scott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did the same during their swings through the state, castigating the state as a hellhole created by the far left and overwhelmed by homelessness and immigrants who entered the country illegally. "Growing up in Florida I never remembered seeing a single California license plate in my life," DeSantis told the audience Friday night. "I never met anybody who had moved from California to Florida. Fast forward 15 years later, and I become governor and all of a sudden we see a sea of California license plates in the state of Florida." All the while, and usually behind closed doors, the candidates held fundraisers at the homes of wealthy Californians. The state has long been a popular destination for Republican presidential contenders looking to raise cash. In 2020, Californians donated more than $92 million to Trump's campaign and to super PACs and other groups that supported his unsuccessful reelection effort, according to the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics. Of the $20 million DeSantis' campaign raised this year since he entered the race in May, about $2.1 million came from California residents, according to campaign finance disclosures through June. Polls show Trump so far ahead, he could, because of a recent rules change, end up winning all of the state's delegates and clinch the nomination in California's March presidential primary. Trump enjoys about 55% support of likely Republican voters in the state, according to a recent UC Berkeley/L.A. Times poll. During his midday speech Friday, Trump falsely claimed that the state can "take children away from their parents and sterilize them." Echoing frequent attacks he made during his presidency, Trump also spoke of rampant crime and said brazen thieves stealing from stores should be shot on sight. He advocated for energy independence and promised to cut federal funding for schools with vaccination mandates. "Under the Trump administration we will bring back law and order to California," he said. Former President Trump speaks at the California GOP convention in Anaheim on Sept. 29, 2023. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Despite his large lead in recent surveys, an effort to have the California Republican Party officially endorse Trump failed Sunday, after impassioned speakers made the case that an endorsement unprecedented this early in a presidential primary campaign could affect voter turnout for down-ballot races. Read more: Trump attacks Pelosi and Newsom while rallying California Republicans Frankly, we have some Republicans who want other people other than President Trump. We need them all there, said Fred Whitaker, chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. Broadly speaking though, delegates attending the three-day confab said the state had lost its way and many wanted California to return to the days of the past. Some craved more economic opportunity and affordable living, while others expressed frustration about transgender athletes or school districts that decline to notify parents when their child identifies as transgender. Supporters of former President Trump celebrate before his address at the state GOP convention in Anaheim on Sept. 29, 2023. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) An upstart campaign to make California's Republican Party more welcoming to a broader spectrum of views on abortion and LGBTQ+ issues failed by a large margin Saturday. The convention overwhelmingly supported adopting its traditional platform, following a contentious weekend-long discussion over a proposal to remove language from the party platform explicitly opposing abortion and defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Loud cheering accompanied the platform vote, which passed with 79%. Committee members tasked with reforming the party platform proposed the change over the summer, appalling many conservative members. Outside the hotel ballroom where the platform was discussed, activists held signs that read, Pray to end abortion and God is pro-life. I dont believe in the big tent. I believe in a tent that will house like-minded people, GOP delegate and Paso Robles resident Randall Jordan said of the changes to the platform, the push to make the GOP more inclusive and the state's increasingly liberal tilt. "When Trump attacks the state, I hear hope. I hear hope that someone actually is going to do something." For lifelong Californians Guadalupe and Hilario Gonzales, anti-California rhetoric from the presidential candidates felt validating. Guadalupe Gonzales, who attended Trumps speech at the Anaheim convention Friday, said his gripes about how the state has handled drought, wildfires, crime and immigration resonated with her own beliefs. I was like, Yes, you hear me! Because were hurting, she said. The couple didnt seem to mind the widespread California-bashing they heard at the weekend convention. We're a little bit embarrassed when we go to other states because they go, Oh, you're from California, Guadalupe Gonzales said. Because they think we're nuts! Like Trump and Scott, DeSantis has hosted multiple fundraisers including one in Salinas last week since the campaign started. At the convention, at a campaign stop in Long Beach and at Wednesday's presidential debate in Simi Valley, the Florida governor's message across the state was that California was adrift and Florida represented a path forward. GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Port of Long Beach on Sept. 29, 2023. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) But before DeSantis unloaded on California during his convention speech Friday night, he spoke about returning from military duty to Coronado Island in San Diego and marveling at the state's natural beauty and "just having the freshness of the Pacific Ocean within you." He also highlighted his televised debate with Gov. Gavin Newsom next month, which he has said will show Americans the clear difference between states run by Republicans and Democrats. "California is really the petri dish for American liberalism and American leftism," DeSantis said. "What Biden is doing are things that California was doing many years ago. What California is doing now is likely what a second Biden term would do, or God forbid Kamala Harris, or God forbid Newsom himself, who knows, right?" He touted his fights with Disney and waded into the school district controversies over policies affecting transgender students, saying, "It's wrong to tell a second-grader that their gender is a choice. It's not true and it's inappropriate." Lines like this from DeSantis, Scott and Trump drew rapturous applause from attendees at these speeches who paid hundreds of dollars to be in close proximity to the candidates. DeSantis and Trump both ripped into Newsom who has emerged as President Bidens chief defender and leader of the Democratic offense this reelection season. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, does an interview with talk show host Sean Hannity after the second GOP presidential debate, held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, on Sept. 27, 2023. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The California governor attended the GOP debate Wednesday as a Biden proxy and to forcefully rebut the Republican attacks on the state and the president. "It's so dull and so predictable. There's this lack of originality in all this California bashing," Newsom told reporters before the debate, adding that GDP growth in the state over the last 10 years has outpaced the nation. "We just dominate in every category hunting jobs, fishing jobs, manufacturing jobs more factory jobs here than any other state by a factor of larger than the next five states combined. I'm really proud of the state," he said. Somewhat surprisingly, presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy spent little time trashing the state or even really talking about it at all during his speech Saturday. Asked why, he told reporters that despite real problems here, this type of rhetoric bored him. "I am sick and tired of lazily just bashing" the place, Ramaswamy said. "It's too easy." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - British foreign minister James Cleverly knocked back a suggestion by another government minister on Sunday that leaving the European Convention of Human Rights was needed so the country could better tackle illegal immigration. In a growing row over how best to achieve one of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 's priorities to "stop the boats" or end the arrival of illegal migrants, trade minister Kemi Badenoch told the Sunday Times the idea of quitting the ECHR was "definitely something that needs to be on the table". It was yet another sign of tension at the governing Conservative Party's annual conference, an event Sunak hopes will revitalise his premiership, but which some in his top team of ministers want to use to show their potential to replace him if he loses an election expected next year. Sunak has ruled out leaving the ECHR, a treaty agreed by almost every nation in Europe after World War Two, saying Britain could curb the arrival of illegal migrants without having to quit. But some in his party, including interior minister Suella Braverman, say the international conventions governing refugees were not fit for purpose, and only served to encourage activist lawyers to block deportations. Cleverly told a fringe event organised by think tank Onward at the Conservative conference, he did not "feel that in order to achieve what we need to achieve, to protect our borders, we are necessitated to leave the ECHR". "We have demonstrated success. And I have no doubt that the decisions that we have made are completely within the boundaries of international law. So you're saying it's an emerging question. Only because journalists keep raising it." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Asked last week about the possibility that the federal government could shut down, Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh described it as "the worst thing that could happen." Coming from a flack for the part of the government that is supposed to plan for what to do in the event of a nuclear war, that description seems just a little hyperbolic. Well, there's some good news for Singh: The federal government won't shut down after all. At least not until November 15. With the scheduled shutdown just hours away, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (RCalif.) pushed a 45-day continuing resolution through the House of Representatives on Saturday afternoon despite the opposition of 90 fellow Republicans (and one Democrat). The Senate passed the same bill in an 88-9 vote on Saturday night, and President Joe Biden has indicated he will sign it. The continuing resolution keeps overall spending levels at 2023 levels, though it does not resolve the impasse over whether Congress will continue supplying military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. That funding was left out of the final bill, but House Democrats released a statement Saturday saying they expected McCarthy to hold an up-or-down vote soon on a separate bill to fund the Ukrainian efforts. In remarks to the media after the House vote, McCarthy criticized the group of Republicans who had blocked various attempts to pass spending bills. "If you have members in your conference who won't let you vote for appropriations billsand will not vote for a stop-gap measure so the only option is to shut down and not pay our troopsI don't want to be a part of that team," McCarthy said. Others were less diplomatic. "We're tired of fucking around with these whack jobs," Rep. Don Bacon (RNeb.) told Politico. While governing 45 days at a time is pretty silly, the last-minute passage of the short-term continuing resolution was probably the least stupid way for this drama to endfor now. It prevents the theatrics of a shutdown from distracting from the actual issue: the cost of the federal budget and the unsustainability of the government's borrowing. But it's also a short enough time period that it can keep those issues front and center in Washington. For various reasons, a shutdown was not a particularly attractive option for meaningfully reducing the size or cost of government. As Reason's Liz Wolfe explained earlier this week, most of the government would actually have continued operating even without a budget bill or continuing resolution. And we know from history that shutdowns don't really save money. After the record 35-day shutdown that ended in January 2019, the Congressional Budget Office found that about $18 billion in federal spending was delayedless than half of one percent of the $4.4 trillion spent that year. The actual savings were even less, since half of that total was the result of not paying federal employees for five weeks, which means they were immediately wiped out when the government reopened and those workers got their back pay. The Republican holdouts were hoping to use the threat of a shutdown to force some reductions in discretionary spending. But there was little indication from any side that the threat of a shutdown was going to address the entitlement costs that are driving the growing federal budget deficit. "This crisis was the fault of House Republican leadership, who stalled on bringing up a passable package until today, forcing a last-minute scramble just hours before a potential shutdown. Such recklessness is no way to govern," Steve Ellis, president of Taxpayer for Common Sense, a fiscal conservative nonprofit, said in a statement. "The question now is whether legislators can put aside their differences to pass comprehensive spending bills in a timely manner." If the government had shut down on Sunday morning, it wouldn't have been the dramatically disruptive event that so many in the media and bureaucracy wanted to portray it as. But it wouldn't have been a step toward solving America's fiscal problems either. What happens between now and November will be crucial. The post The Government Won't Shut Down appeared first on Reason.com. Russian troops launched a missile attack against the city of Kharkiv overnight on Oct. 1, local governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. According to Syniehubov, three Russian S-300 missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the city, causing a fire. No casualties have been reported yet. Over the past day, Russian troops also attacked Kharkiv Oblast with artillery and mortars, the governor said. Settlements in Kharkiv, Bohodukhiv, Chuhuiv, Kupiansk, and Izium districts came under attack, Syniehubov reported. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, settlements across Kharkiv Oblast suffer regular attacks by the Russian troops. Read also: Russian shelling of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast injures civilian Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday he expects Ukraine aid will not be separated from border funding as Congress tries to figure out a path forward after a shutdown bill left Ukraine out. To those who say we need to fix our border, youre right, Graham said on CBS Newss Face The Nation. To those who say we need to help Ukraine, youre right. To those who say we need to do the border, not Ukraine, youre wrong. Graham said he believes Ukraine aid will not be a standalone bill and that the vast majority of Senate Republicans would support a combination of border security, Ukraine funding and disaster aid. We got to fix asylum, we need border security agent increases, we need more detention beds, Graham said. I think theres Democratic support for major border security reform, but we have to attach it to Ukraine to those who say we need to fix our border. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Saturday offered a bill to keep the government open that did not include funding for Ukraine, despite the fact that similar legislation in the Senate with Ukraine aid was moving forward. McCarthy had argued Ukraine aid should not be part of a stopgap measure, and a number of Republicans in the House oppose it. The Senate ended up agreeing to the House-approved move, even though some said the lack of support for Ukraine was essentially a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In an interview minutes earlier on CBS News, McCarthy said he is committed to helping Ukraine, but that addressing the crisis at the border is a bigger priority. When asked if he would link Ukraine aid to a border bill vote, McCarthy said the American border matters. [McCarthy] worked to avoid a shutdown, he will help Ukraine, but hes telling everybody in the country, including me, You better send something over the border for me to help Ukraine, and hes right to make that demand, Graham said. The South Carolina Republican said the Senate will have a strong border security measure while pushing for up to $60 or $70 billion in Ukraine funding for the next year, a far higher payout than the White Houses request of $24 billion. Pressed over the large supplemental request, Graham said its because we need it. We havent lost one soldier in the Ukraine war, spent less than 5 percent of our military budget. Fifty percent of the Russian army has been destroyed by the Ukrainians, so they would be at Crimea already if the administration hadnt been so slow and given weapons, Graham said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FILE PHOTO: A snow covered road leads up a hill at dusk in Banff National Park near Lake Louise, Alberta By Nivedita Balu TORONTO (Reuters) - A grizzly bear attacked and killed two people and their dog in Alberta's Banff National Park, according to Canadian park officials and a friend of the victims. Parks Canada said in a statement on Saturday night it had received an alert late Friday from a GPS device indicating a bear attack in the Red Deer River Valley west of Ya Ha Tinda Ranch in Banff National Park. The bear was later euthanized after it displayed aggressive behavior, the agency said. The victims were a Canadian couple and their dog, according to Kim Titchener, the founder of Bear Safety and More and also a friend of the family. Titchener, who provides training on bear safety and bear assessments, said such encounters are increasing as more people head outdoors but fatal attacks are extremely rare. "It's really just the reason why we're seeing more attacks, which is more people heading outdoors and unfortunately not being educated on this," she said by telephone, adding that only 14% of grizzly bear attacks worldwide lead to fatalities. Bear sightings increase during autumn as they become more active searching for food ahead of hibernating in the cold winter months. Banff National Park, which attracts more than four million tourists every year, is home to both grizzly and black bears. There are about 60 grizzly bears in Banff National Park and are considered to be a threatened population in the Alberta, Titchener noted. Parks Canada said its rescue team had to travel by ground through the night to the location as weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use. The response team arrived on-site during the early hours of Saturday where they discovered two deceased individuals, the agency said. An area closure around Red Deer and Panther valleys has been implemented and will remain in place until further notice, Parks Canada said. Parks Canada did not immediately respond to queries on identifying the victims. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Lincoln Feast.) Officials killed an aggressive grizzly bear after two people were found dead in a bear attack at an iconic national park, Canadian officials say. Banff National Parks dispatch center received a GPS alert indicating a bear attack at about 8 p.m. Sept. 29, Parks Canada said in a news release. A Wildlife Human Attack Response Team responded to the alert, which originated from the Red Deer River Valley, within the Banff National Park, the release said. Due to the weather, the team was forced to travel to the site by ground. They reached the site at 1 a.m. and found two dead bodies, according to officials. While searching the area, the team ran into a grizzly bear that displayed aggressive behaviour. The team killed the bear to ensure public safety, the release said. Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived at the scene several hours later and transported the bodies, officials said. This is a tragic incident and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims, Parks Canada said. Officials did not say if the grizzly bear was responsible for killing the two park visitors. Banff National Park, in Alberta, is among Canadas most popular outdoor attractions, drawing millions of visitors each year. Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, and adventure come together in Banff National Park - Canadas first national park and the flagship of the nations park system, the Parks Canada website said, adding that Banff is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. Persistent grizzly and her cub euthanized after break-ins, Montana officials say Grizzly charges hunter until he shoots it, officials say. Now search is on for bear Adorable spotted kitten sold in parking lot leads to Texas couples arrest, feds say Deer hunter shoots at attacking grizzly, Montana rangers say. Search for bear continues WASHINGTON The Supreme Court kicks off a nine-month term Monday that will thrust the justices into partisan quagmires over guns, social media and the Biden administration's power to make decisions without Congress. But as the justices step into the ornate courtroom to hear oral arguments for the first time in months, they'll be confronting more than the usual docket full of controversies: They'll also be wrestling with persistent questions about ethics and foreign travel that polls show have undermined Americans' faith in the institution. Less than half of Americans say they have confidence in the Supreme Court, according to a Gallup poll Friday. Purdue: These two moms lost sons to opioids. Now theyre on opposite sides at the Supreme Court. "I hope we can make progress," Justice Elena Kagan said during a recent speech at Notre Dame Law School, adding that she thought it would be "a good thing" if the justices agreed to adopt a code of conduct. "It would, I think, go far in persuading other people that we were adhering to the highest standards of conduct." Fierce ethics debate looms in the background Ethics won't come up in court or in opinions, but the issue could nevertheless hover over much of the term. The Supreme Court has long faced questions over how justices police themselves off the bench. But a series of reports by ProPublica this year documenting lavish travel Justice Clarence Thomas accepted from GOP donor Harlan Crow added fuel to the debate and sparked an effort by Democrats to impose a code of ethics on the court. Ethics: Not just Clarence Thomas: Lower courts facing scrutiny over ethics, disclosures, too Four justices have spoken or written publicly about ethics in recent months, with three Kagan, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicating that talks are underway about how to address the issue. Those remarks have been made as left-leaning outside groups and Democratic politicians have called on Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito to recuse themselves from taking part in several high-profile cases this term. "The justices don't seem very interested in policing themselves in any serious way," University of Chicago Law School Professor Geoffrey Stone said recently during a panel discussion about the upcoming term. "I don't think there's any principled reason why the justices on the Supreme Court should not be held to the same types of regulations as other federal judges." Related: Credit card? Auto loan? How the Supreme Court CFPB case could add 'chaos' to economy Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson arrive before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address on March 1, 2023. Gun case puts court's conservatives in a jam One of the more compelling cases on deck this year questions whether Americans who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders can be barred from owning guns under the Second Amendment. If the court decides the answer to that question is "yes," then the 6-3 conservative majority will have to find some way to square that with a landmark opinion it handed down just last year that undermined many gun regulations. In an opinion invalidating a New York gun licensing law, a majority of the court ruled last year that gun regulations must be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation" to survive court challenges. A federal appeals court in New Orleans said this year that the law prohibiting gun ownership for people who are the subject of a restraining order is an "outlier that our ancestors would never have accepted." Put another way, the case is an opportunity for the court to clarify how its new Second Amendment theory should work in practice. Later this month, the court may decide whether to hear an appeal over the Trump administration's ban on bump stocks, a device that uses the kickback of a semi-automatic firearm to mimic automatic firing. The owner of a Texas gun shop filed the lawsuit in 2019 after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives banned the devices. Herring fishermen hope to reel in government power The court is juggling three cases that could severely limit the power of federal agencies. The first was filed by four East Coast fishing businesses who object to a federal rule requiring them to pay for monitors on their boat to record their catches. It's not clear whether the law allows the Commerce Department to impose that requirement. And the herring fishermen essentially argue that if Congress wasn't clear when it passed the law, then the government is out of luck. If the Supreme Court embraces that argument, it could have sweeping implications for federal agencies by limiting their ability to regulate the environment, guns and health care. Another case, up for oral argument Tuesday, challenges the funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. A ruling against the government could undermine other independent agencies, such as the Federal Reserve. A third appeal challenges the constitutionality of in-house judges at the Securities and Exchange Commission, which decide cases involving securities fraud that used to be handled by the judicial branch. Can Ron DeSantis tell Facebook which posts to keep? The nation's highest court is jumping into a deeply partisan fight over social media this term that could change the way Americans and American politicians interact on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and X. On Friday, the court took up a pair of challenges to laws in Texas and Florida that would limit the ability of social media platforms to moderate content. Those laws were approved by the conservative states in response to allegations by former President Donald Trump and others that social media was throttling conservative viewpoints. Several experts predict the states will lose, particularly in light of a decision last year by the Supreme Court in 303 Creative v. Elenis. In that case, the court ruled that the government could not compel a Colorado designer to make wedding websites for same-sex couples. Social media: How the Supreme Court could alter the way Americans interact on the internet "After 303, I don't know how the Texas and Florida people even have an argument," Lisa Blatt, a veteran Supreme Court attorney, said during a recent panel hosted by Georgetown Law. "Unless you believe that YouTube or Facebook are somehow the government, it's just a blatant First Amendment violation." The Supreme Court will also hear oral arguments Oct. 31 in a pair of cases dealing with whether elected officials may block voters on the sites. A similar case involving Trump made its way to the Supreme Court in 2020 but was dismissed after he left office months later. A worker removes letters from the Twitter sign that is posted on the exterior of Twitter headquarters on July 24, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Is that all there is? Abortion could make a return The Supreme Court is starting its term, but it hasn't yet fully defined it. Several major cases are moving their way through the docket and could be granted later this year. Among the most closely watched on that list: The months-long legal battle over the abortion pill mifepristone. The justices could decided whether federal courts in Texas went too far by limiting access to the drug this year. The court could also decide later this year whether to hear arguments in the case of a prominent Virginia high school that changed its admissions policy to accept 1.5% of the eighth-grade class at each of the districts middle schools. Though the policy was race neutral it had the effect of increasing Black and Hispanic enrollment. A group of parents have sued, alleging the policy violates the 14th Amendment. If added to the lineup, it would likely be decided a year after the Supreme Court ended the use of affirmative action in college admissions. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court returns to work with guns, social media, ethics on deck Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley defended her past praise of fellow White House hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy , arguing the things the biotech entrepreneur is saying on the campaign trail are very different than in the past. The comment comes as the pair continues to clash in heated debates on issues including foreign policy, TikTok and Ramaswamys relationship with China. Haleys sharp criticism of Ramaswamy strikes a starkly different tone from a blurb she wrote in his 2021 book Woke Inc., in which she said the biotech entrepreneur urges us to lift up all Americans rather than to pit ourselves against one another. His combination of honesty, intellect, and foresight are exactly what we need to overcome our challenges in the years ahead. Pressed by Fox New Sunday anchor Shannon Bream over her words, Haley said, I think I always praise people when they deserve to be praised, and I hit people when they deserve to be hit. The book that he wrote, I supported it. I helped him, he asked me for help in it. But I think that things hes saying now as hes running for president are very different than that, Haley said. The conflict between the two candidates took center stage last week during the second GOP primary debate, where they squared off over Ramaswamys use of TikTok, which is banned on government-issued devices because of its ties with the Chinese government. Maintaining that children younger than 16 should not be using addictive social media, Ramaswamy argued social media can be a tool for reaching young people in elections. Haley fired back, saying, I honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a bit dumber for what you say, and that we cant trust him. The pair later sparred over Ramaswamys foreign policy stance, in which he argued just because Russian President Vladimir Putin is an evil dictator does not mean that Ukraine is good. Haley, a strong supporter of U.S. aid to Ukraine, repeated her argument that a win for Russia is a win for China. In the first GOP primary debate, Haley called out Ramaswamy for his lack of foreign policy experience, telling him he has no foreign policy experience and it shows. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Sunday doubled down on her much-quoted jab at fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in last week's debate. Haley again assailed Ramaswamy for saying Republicans should be on TikTok because it was a way to reach out to young people. "Just because 150 million people are on it, doesn't mean you do it because it's politically popular," she said on "Fox News Sunday." The former U.N. ambassador contended it was a matter of national security. "This is the Chinese Communist Party, who is doing espionage," she said of TikTok. Haley had mocked the entrepreneur over his remarks on TikTok in Wednesday's debate, saying, "Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber." Host Shannon Bream noted that Haley previously had nice things to say about Ramaswamy, writing a blurb for "Woke, Inc.," one of his books. "In Woke, Inc., Vivek speaks the truth without fear," she wrote at the time. Haley said Sunday there was no contradiction there. "I always praise people when they deserve to be praised," she said, "and I hit people when they deserve to be hit." Ramaswamy said during the debate that Republicans were being unrealistic in refusing to make use of TikTok. I have a radical idea for the Republican Party, he said. We need to win elections. And part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is coming out of Wednesday nights debate with a fresh burst of momentum, but members of the party say she still faces a steep hill in toppling former President Trump. Haleys Wednesday night performance in Simi Valley, Calif., was lauded by Republicans after she targeted several of her contenders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis , biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.). Trump took notice, as well. His campaign hit her during the event, and the former president himself lashed out at her Friday on social media, in what some say is an indication shes being viewed as a more formidable opponent than before. Make no mistake, it is a very steep mountain to climb, but she is on her way, said Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett. Anything is possible in presidential politics in American politics, he added. Im certainly not saying that it is likely but you know, more people absolutely know Donald Trump than know Nikki Haley. And people in Iowa and New Hampshire seem to be getting to know her, and they seem to be liking her, and I think thats only going to increase as they get closer to voting time. Haley joined six other contenders at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the second GOP debate. The event was largely criticized as irrelevant and pointless, and many analysts said it did little to move the needle on a primary that has been dominated by Trump. Yet some analysts and Republicans saw the night as another bright spot for Haley, who didnt shy away from calling out some of her opponents on policy issues or political records. Responding to Ramaswamys defense over using the TikTok app after he previously expressed misgivings over it, Haley said, This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have. And honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say. She notably hit Scott, a fellow South Carolinian, over his record in the Senate, asking: 12 years where have you been? It was a move that turned heads, given the two had largely avoided hitting each other during the primary. Although much of her firepower was aimed at Trumps primary rivals, Haley also took a jab at the former president over his handling of China. This is where President Trump went wrong, she said. He focused on trade with China. He didnt focus on the fact that they were buying up our farmland. He didnt focus on the fact that they were killing Americans. In a sign of her strong performance, Haley drew the attention of the former president and his campaign. During the debate, the Trump campaign released an email targeting the former U.N. ambassador on her positions like Ukraine and immigration, in addition to pointing to an interview she did in 2012 where she said Hillary Clinton inspired her to run for office. But Trump took it a step further Friday, hitting her in a Truth Social post. MAGA, or I, will never go for Birdbrain Nikki Haley. No loyalty, plenty of lies! Trump wrote, attacking her for previous comments she made saying she wouldnt run against the former president in 2024. Haley welcomed the attack on X, responding with: Love this. It means we are in 2nd and moving up fast. Bring it! The former South Carolina governor said the Trump campaign took a further jab at her over the weekend. After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me outside my hotel room#PrettyPatheticTryAgain #YouJustMadeMyCaseForMe, Haley wrote in a post on X on Sunday. The post included a picture of bird feed and a bird cage, with a sign attached to the cage reading, From: Trump campaign. Marc Caputo, a journalist at The Messenger, confirmed in a post on X that it was done by the Trump campaign. The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment. Some Republicans see Trumps decision to go after Haley as a nod to the fact shes being viewed as a serious threat while acknowledging she still needs to narrow the gap against DeSantis in some polling. I think shes still got a ways to go on the polling to pass DeSantis. He still has a pretty relatively decent lead, said GOP strategist Keith Naughton. The fact that Trump started attacking Haley is an indication that he thinks that shes a more serious contender. I mean, thats kind of your gauge about, I think, where people in the Republican Party could think the race is, he added. While RealClearPoliticss polling averages of surveys in New Hampshire and South Carolina have Haley placed in second behind Trump, its average of Iowa surveys has her in third behind Trump and DeSantis. Haley, DeSantis and all the other Republican presidential candidates trail Trump by double digits in polling averages of all three early states, underscoring the long-standing problem they face in their effort to claim the GOP nomination. But Haleys campaign believes they can channel her Wednesday night performance to further propel her into the 2024 GOP primary. Nikki is the candidate with momentum. Debates are an opportunity for millions of Americans to meet Nikki, and they like what they hear. She had another winning debate performance and were turning that into momentum on the ground, said Haley campaign spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas, who also pointed to Haleys showing in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Haleys supporters see her as a candidate galvanizing the GOP electorate. Theyre excited for a new generational leader that they see in Nikki and its not just the Trump alternative of, Oh, well, I guess we have a chance over here. Its, No, this is the alternative, and were gonna come out and support her,' said Emily Sukup Schmitt, general counsel and chief administrative officer at Sukup Manufacturing Co., whos a supporter of Haley in Iowa. Yet DeSantis is still generally viewed as Trumps strongest rival. Although the Florida governors performance drew mixed reviews Wednesday night, he garnered attention for stepping up his attacks on Trump, criticizing the former president for not being on the debate stage and for criticizing DeSantis over his signing of a six-week abortion ban in Florida. Ron DeSantis won the debate because he was the only candidate on stage who talked about his vision for the country as our next president and detailed his proven record that showed voters he can get the job done, DeSantis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said in a statement. Some of DeSantiss supporters said they liked what they saw from the governor during the second debate. Gov. DeSantis rose above it all just like he did in the first debate, I thought, and showed his leadership several times when he kind of tried to calm others down, including the moderators, said Roy Bailey, a former co-chairman of Trumps 2020 presidential campaigns finance committee who is backing DeSantis in 2024. And then at the end, I loved where he really took the lead amongst seven people and said, No, were not going to answer that question thats insulting to us,' he added, referring to a moment near the end of the debate when the contenders rejected the question of whom they thought should be kicked out of the primary. In a nod to the fact that both candidates are seriously being viewed as the potential alternative to Trump, members from the Haley and DeSantis campaigns will be speaking to the American Opportunity Alliance, a high-profile donor group, next month in Texas, where both camps will pitch why donors should be supporting their respective candidates. The news was first reported by NBC and later confirmed to The Hill by the DeSantis campaign. Its a signal that some Republicans are looking to narrow the field quickly amid concerns that multiple candidates in the primary could give Trump another opening to win the GOP primary. While the urgency is becoming apparent, the question of when and how the field slims down isnt quite as clear-cut. Its becoming real to people and to voters, and they need to make some real hard decisions here. Outside of that, everything is going to have to line up in order for somebody to coalesce, said Bartlett. Updated: 9:36 p.m. ET For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Bodies donated to science have been hacked up and sold on the black market across the country by morgue workers and entrepreneurs. allenswart/Getty Images Harvard Medical School's former morgue manager is due to stand trial in December. He is accused of conspiring to sell and transport donated human remains. Anatomical gifts programs are often exploited by human remains traffickers. A California man admitted to keeping human torsos in a freezer for his corporate clients. A Michigan man sold more than 200 severed human heads in a two-year period. An Arkansas woman is accused of putting a human fetus for sale on Facebook. A vibrant human remains trafficking market has exploited body donation programs across the country for decades, resulting in the mishandling, dismemberment, and sale of corpses intended to be used for medical education or research, according to court records for multiple criminal cases involving trafficked human remains. Harvard Medical School drew national media attention in June, after its morgue manager was arrested and accused of conspiring to transport and sell the remains of people who volunteered for the school's anatomical gifts program. Cedric Lodge has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The donors had intended to donate their bodies for educational or research purposes; instead, their skin, bones, and organs were harvested and sold via social media. The Harvard morgue scandal was vast in scale one lawsuit estimated that up to 400 donated human cadavers were affected. But it's far from the only anatomical gifts program that has fallen prey to human remains trafficking. For decades, authorities and media outlets have been unearthing gruesome tales of cadavers harvested from medical schools and research facilities. Here are four instances where human bodies that were donated to science were instead callously carved up and sold: A Michigan businessman sold diseased human remains that he stockpiled in a filthy Detroit warehouse Arthur Rathburn is pictured at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. in November 1988. Peter Yates/Reuters Arthur Rathburn, a Detroit entrepreneur who had previously worked in the University of Michigan's body donation program, was convicted in 2018 for his role in selling and renting out human remains between 1997 and 2013, and sentenced to nine years in prison. Rathburn rented out a Detroit warehouse that FBI agents described as "filthy," with piles of dead flies, dried blood on the floor, and body parts that were "frozen together in flesh-on-flesh chunks," according to testimony during his 2018 trial. From there, he would carve up the bodies, often with a chainsaw, and sell or lease the parts to medical educators, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Rathburn had brought in $13 million during his years-long scheme, which involved defrauding customers and violating laws against transporting hazardous materials. Records obtained by Reuters showed that Rathburn had sold remains that were infected with HIV or hepatitis over 100 times. Prosecutors said Rathburn had knowingly sold and transported diseased remains, putting medical and dental students, and even airport baggage handlers at risk of infection. The feds accused him of even sending a human head from a person who died of bacterial sepsis and aspiration pneumonia through Delta Cargo, packaged in a trash bag inside a camping cooler. UCLA suspended its body donation program after hundreds of body parts were illegally sold to pharmaceutical companies In this Feb. 26, 2015, file photo, students walk on the University of California, Los Angeles campus. Associated Press/Damian Dovarganes The then-director of UCLA's cadaver program, and the man who carved up the bodies, received prison sentences for their role in a $1.5 million scheme to sell parts from the donated bodies to unwitting companies who used them for medical research. The university even suspended its body donation program for a year. A jury convicted Ernest Nelson in 2009 of grand theft and tax evasion after prosecutors argued that he cut up donated human torsos and kept them in freezers while he arranged for them to be sold for profit to various medical research firms. Nelson had argued that he did nothing wrong because he believed his work was authorized by UCLA. The program's director, Henry Reid, pleaded guilty in 2008 to conspiracy to commit grand theft, and received a four-year prison sentence. During Nelson's trial, prosecutors argued that Reid and Nelson had exploited UCLA's Willed Body Program between 1999 and 2003, after realizing they could profit from the sales if they left no paper trail and pocketed payments instead of providing them to UCLA. An Arkansas mortuary worker was accused of selling body parts and even fetuses that had been donated to a local medical school A mortuary worker was supposed to cremate and return human remains from the University of Arkansas' medical school. Instead, she sold them, prosecutors alleged. Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Candace Chapman Scott, an Arkansas mortuary worker, made headlines earlier this year when the feds accused her of taking human remains from the University of Arkansas' medical school, which the mortuary was supposed to cremate and return, and selling them on Facebook instead. The feds obtained Facebook messages showing Scott pitching her wares, including a "fully intact, embalmed brain," and a fetus she offered to sell at a discount because "he's not in great shape." Court records show that Scott also once negotiated a sale of "7 huge pieces of skin, 2 large pieces of skin with tiddy, 4 brains one with skull cap, 1 lung, one penis, 2 testicles, and 3 hearts." The negotiated price was $2,000. Scott has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts, including mail fraud, wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Her trial is set for March of 2024. Human remains from Harvard's morgue wound up in a creepy doll shop in Salem, Massachusetts Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. VW Pics/Getty Harvard Medical School's morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, was arrested this spring and accused of stealing human body parts from the school's anatomical gifts program and selling them on the black market. Prosecutors accused Lodge and his alleged co-conspirators of trafficking in "heads, brains, skin, bones, and other human remains." That included two dissected faces that were sold for $600, and a shipment of human skin sent to a man in Pennsylvania who was hired to "tan the skin to create leather," according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors said Lodge would even occasionally let people into the morgue to select items they wanted. The remains would meet a variety of macabre fates, including being displayed in a Salem doll shop called "Kat's Creepy Creations." Investigators also found financial records of the transactions, including one $1,000 payment labeled "head number 7" and a $200 payment described as "braiiiiiins," according to court documents. A number of relatives of people who donated their remains to Harvard have come forward in lawsuits, saying they suspect their loved ones' remains were mishandled. One lawsuit filed over the summer alleged that up to 400 human cadavers were affected by the scheme. Read the original article on Insider A report of a possible fight on a hiking trail led to the discovery of a body, California police reported. Officers found a man who appeared to be unconscious at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29, on the DeAnza Trail, Antioch police said in a news release. Emergency crews were unable to revive the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. They did not release his identity. The death is being investigated as a homicide, police said. Police ask that anyone with information call 925-778-2441. Antioch is about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco. Youth football coach punches 14-year-old player amid brawl, California cops say Starbucks clash ends with woman shot in eye by rubber bullet, California cops say Golf cart driver holding dog leads cops on slow, 10-mile chase, California police say At Twains Brewpub & Billiards in Decatur, Ga., Ethan Wurtzel proudly displays a photo of former President Jimmy Carter visiting his familys bar. Like many beer enthusiasts but not many in the general public Wurtzel knows the role Carter played in fostering the craft brewing phenomenon. In 1978, Carter signed legislation federally legalizing home brewing. At the time, Americans sipped one dominant style of beer, a light lager, sold by big breweries such as Coors and Anheuser-Busch. But after home brewers were able to show the appeal of hoppy IPAs, malty stouts and citrusy wheat ales, that eventually led to a boom in small breweries. Today, there are more than 9,000 small and independent craft breweries. You could trace that revolution back to Carter, said Bob Pease, who heads the Brewers Association, a national trade organization. But because the movement took off long after Carter left office, he didnt get political credit for it, said biographer Jonathan Alter. This is just one example of many where Carters presidency has been badly underestimated, Alter said. People tend to remember the Iran hostage crisis, inflation and high interest rates, he said, and they dont know about a whole string of major and minor accomplishments that made the country better. While its too late for Carter to get a political boost, its not too late for beer lovers to raise a glass on Oct. 1, Carters 99th birthday. It would be 100% appropriate to toast (his birthday) with a craft beer, said grandson Jason Carter. I think he would be surprised at how far it has gone. Jimmy Carter celebrates his 90th birthday at The Carter Center in Atlanta on October 1, 2014. The fact that Carter is a hero to many in the craft brewing and home brewing community might be surprising to those who, incorrectly, view the former president a devout Christian revered for his humanitarian work as a teetotaler. Carter drank, though he was very disapproving of drinking to excess, in part because of the toll alcohol took on his family, according to Alter. He also didnt serve hard liquor at some social events at the White House as a cost-savings measure. It was his brother Billy, who battled alcoholism, who is remembered for the short-lived Billy Beer he promoted. And the broad deregulatory efforts that characterized Carters administration on airlines, trucking, rail and more can get forgotten because Carter is viewed through today's political lens as a liberal while deregulation is seen as a conservative goal. I think that deregulation piecethe shrinking of the government in that way, is something that people kind of forget about him because of the current way that our partisan sort of politics plays out, Jason Carter said. While Carter was very pro-regulation when it came to the environment, health and safety issues, he brought from his days as a small businessman an understanding that not all regulations made sense, according to Alter. The restrictions on home brewing, for example, had been left over from Prohibition. A group of homebrewers in California pushed for a change, which was included in a bill that dealt with unrelated tax measures. The legislation allowed beer to be made for personal and family use without being subject to federal excise tax. That was a milestone in the progress of alcohol production after Prohibition, according to the Library of Congress. Homebrewing is how most craft brewers learn their trade. Now, for every $1 spent on beer in the U.S., 25% goes to a small and independent craft brewer, according to the Brewers Association. In this June 6, 2008 file photo, a row of freshly poured draft beers are seen in Pittsburgh. The bill Carter signed, opened it up for the little guy, said Wurtzel, who serves a rotating selection of seasonal beers along with favorites such as the Haleys Helles gold lager. Homebrewers have occasionally saluted Carter in the annual competition run by the American Homebrewers Association. Jimmy Carters Nut Brown Ale and a porter called Thank You Jimmy Carter were among the thousands of entries in 2018. An Arizona brewery that began as a hobby among friends sharing their experimental homebrews makes a peanut brittle flavored blonde ale called Jimmy Carters Second Term. Jason Carter with his grandfather, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, in Plains, Georgia, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a solar farm. His grandson Jason said Carter is aware of the impact of the legislation he signed. His brother was much more famous for the beer, Jason Carter said. But my grandfather certainly is proud of the ingenuity of the American brewers. Related Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are 'coming to the end' but together and 'in love,' their grandson shares This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Jimmy Carter's birthday should be observed with a craft beer With less than three hours before a government shutdown would start, the Senate passed a stopgap funding measure first approved by the House, with more Democratic support than Republican. President Biden signed it into law shortly before the midnight deadline. The bill keeps the government funded until Nov. 17. It keeps the FAA funded through years end. The clean continuing resolution notably lacks any funding for Ukraine, spending cuts or border policy changes. Follow along with live updates below. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego. Nearly four decades ago, a young Jessica Plavic couldnt begin to measure the length of Hunting Islands south end shoreline. It was too vast in her eyes. Through an 11-year-olds lens, it felt like she could walk out miles and miles into the ocean. That was when she and her family first stayed at one of the dozens of cabins that used to dot the South Carolina barrier islands lower quarter. Each year since, Plavic has returned to the beach she unequivocally calls her favorite place in the whole world. But the beach she loves is disappearing, and it may not be a natural process. South Carolinas effort to slow erosion on other parts of Hunting Islands beach including the area near its signature lighthouse has taken a toll on the south end, scientists say. In over a decade, erosion has accelerated on the south end as sand-trapping devices called groins have been installed, they attest. The groins, which run into the ocean perpendicular to the beach, hold sand in place for the middle and upper parts of Hunting Island so that vacationers and locals alike will have a wide beach. Unfortunately, they are working to leave the south end in even worse shape, said Rob Young, a coastal erosion expert at Western Carolina University. The south end of Hunting Island, which is about 2 miles below the over-a-century-old lighthouse and about 1 mile north of Fripp Island, is an important part of the state park. A popular, recently built fishing pier is there, a large lagoon where parts of the movie Forrest Gump were filmed and theres breathtaking, unfettered nature that draws in the curious. Looking north with the Harbor Island Bridge at the top of the photo, South Carolinas Hunting Island State Park beaches, right, are only a sliver at high tide as seen on Aug. 4, 2023. Steven Traynum, and the team at Coastal Science and Engineering, which specializes in solving problems in the coastal zone, worked with the state parks staff on the recent renourishment and groin projects designed to protect Hunting Islands shoreline. Traynum contends that the groins have not sped up erosion on the south end, rather the rate of erosion was natural for the barrier island. Away from the groin clusters, the shoreline was expected to continue eroding and retain its characteristic boneyard beach of dead trees in the surf, a report by the group said of its earlier 2006-2007 renourishment and groin projects. More recently, Traynum said that through its surveys, the engineering company was able to show pretty conclusively that the groins havent had an impact on erosion rates of the south end. But Young isnt convinced. The sheet-pile and rock groins have morphed Huntings shoreline from a straight line, which a barrier island should naturally look like, into more of a boomerang shape, with both ends tapering off, essentially inconsistently eroding. The rate at which the southern end of the island has eroded is just really staggering, Young said. Preserving Hunting Island comes at what cost? Over five decades, state and federal officials have funneled tens of millions in state and federal funds to save the islands center beach from severe erosion. Over time, eight groins, intended to keep the sand in place and slow down erosion, were built into the beach. Installing the two most-recent sheet-pile groins, in 2019, cost over $1.3 million. Sand has also been pumped onto Hunting Island nine times in response to erosion and storms in that time. The projects have cost taxpayers nearly $30 million. These are attempts to preserve Hunting Island State Park, the only public-access beach in northern Beaufort County. Its a place people call magical, a state treasure, an asset that brings in about 1 million visitors each year, and an economic-driver that raked in $4.7 million in 2022. Throughout the years, Plavic has watched erosion eat away at Hunting Islands shoreline. She remembers when Hurricane Matthew pummeled the barrier island in 2016 so badly that it forced a breach at the south end permanently splitting it into two sections. Since then, the lower half, disconnected from the rest of the island, was nicknamed Little Hunting. Plavics seen erosion expose live oaks root systems the roots are so high now that this summer, when her son, whos almost 6 feet tall, stood on the beach next to exposed roots of a live oak, he was dwarfed by the spindly roots height. Wiry root systems, felled trees and remnants of once-standing cabins earned the section its own moniker: the boneyard. Shortly after Matthew struck, the two remaining cabins were removed. All the while, the middle section of the island was spared by man-made attempts to keep sand in place. At one point, Hunting island was once deemed the fastest-eroding island in South Carolina, losing between 20 to 25 feet of beach a year on the south end. Because of this, Traynum and Tim Kana, also at Coastal Science and Engineering, decided groins were the best chance to stymie the islands rapid erosion. For a beach losing about 2 feet a year, renourishment projects are enough to maintain an eroding shoreline, said Traynum, a marine scientist and project manager with the group. But Hunting Island, where parts of the beach were losing more than 10 times that, required more than additional sand for shoreline stabilization. Dune erosion facing Hunting Islands south beach near Beach Access #1 post-Tropical Storm Idalia in Beaufort County, South Carolina, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. The idea with the groins is that youre not stopping erosion from occurring, but youre slowing it down to something much more manageable, he said. Youre not having to do projects every three or four years, you can do projects every 10 or 12 years. When the latest groin projects were pitched by the group, environmentalists pushed back. The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, examining the existing groins before the 2019 renourishment and groin installment projects, said while the beachs updrift of the groins are generally healthy, the downdrift beaches experience accelerated erosion, meaning the section of beach above the groins was fine but the area below eroded faster than what was natural. The erosion in the boneyard area was exacerbated by the groins placement, many environmentalists and scientists say, because the sand was trapped between the groins, which didnt allow it to naturally flow down to the south end. In 2018, the state parks reached a settlement with conservation groups, which included knocking the proposed four groins down to one with an option to build a second. While Young contends groins have worsened south end erosion, he said other factors have contributed, including storms and natural movement of barrier islands. Barrier islands are re-exposed sandbars that lay parallel to the main shoreline and serve to protect it from hurricane and storm destruction. Built up sand dunes and beaches are a defense system, and the shore-facing side protects what are often marshes or maritime forests behind it. When waves and wind beat against the front end of the barrier island, they pull sand away and carry it into the ocean, depositing slightly south of where it was before. Its a process called longshore transport. Essentially, the front ends are being eroded and the back ends are being built on. But when humans manipulate a barrier island, it can obstruct the natural process of longshore transport, which can speed up erosion on other parts of the beach, scientists say. Hurricanes and other hazardous storms also whittle away shorelines. With scientists predicting sea levels will rise and storms will surge harder and more often than ever before, there could be an increase in natural erosion rates. Its a reality that will continue to eat away at Hunting Islands shoreline. Seeing the (south) beach the way that it used to be versus how it is now with all the dead and decaying trees thats one of the most heartbreaking things, Plavic said. Hunting Islands other problem Hunting Island State Park has another battle with Mother Nature, one thats problematic for visitors even before reaching the shoreline. What I think will be the biggest challenge for Hunting Island in the future is not the shoreline movement on the oceanfront, but the fact that its so low, that rising sea level has brought the water table underneath that entire barrier island, Young said. The roads on the inland part of Hunting are nearly at sea level, he explained, which can be seen when looking at how close the road is to the upper levels of the spartina marsh. When it rains, its difficult to get rid of the sitting water from the sides of the road and campground. Trees that would normally soak up the excess water are dying because of the lifting water table. With groundwater rising as sea levels increase, the excess water has to go somewhere and if it cant run off, it ponds. Young said hes already seen this at Hunting Island, and has watched as workers pump out water because the park cant naturally get rid of it after a heavy rainstorm. A sign alerts visitors for the potential of flooding upon entering South Carolinas Hunting Island State Park as seen on Aug. 4, 2023 during an afternoon rainfall. In the next 10 to 20 years, Young said the parks biggest concerns should be rising sea levels, internal flooding and the dying trees that normally soak up excess water. The sitting water in the inland part of Hunting Island could become so problematic that it could cut off access to the reach the beach. Thomas Zabo McCants, Hunting Island State Park/St. Phillips Island manager, said alongside pumping out standing water, the park service has reopened a swash between the campground and north beach area. The swash is a natural breach that drains the excess water from the island, down along the beach and into the ocean. We have to evolve as the island evolves, McCants said. We have to be open-minded that unfortunately we arent in control of nature, but we are in control of how we respond to what nature does to the island, and how we look to manage and change with its evolution. Hunting Islands future How best to address Hunting Islands erosion and flooding issues doesnt have a straightforward answer. And they are issues that have plagued the beloved park for years. Weve been trying to preserve it my entire lifetime. Probably longer than that, said Arthur Levin, a longtime Beaufort County resident. I dont know that we can beat Mother Nature. The state favors renourishment projects to combat erosion and deals with flooding when it arises. Traynum thinks an additional groin is needed on the beach. And environmentalists are looking at the long-term how do you get to an island thats predicted to have its internal roads flooded over? McCants, who earned his post about four months ago, said hes still learning how best to manage the park in the short- and long-term. Each day, McCants and park staff handle day-to-day needs of Hunting Island, like the recent clean-up after Tropical Storm Idalia blew through. But the bigger planning process happens alongside the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. McCants said theyve made cyclical plans for years to come. One of those included is renourishment. The state recommends that beaches be renourished every seven to 10 years. But beach renourishment is neither a straightforward process nor a given. Theres high demand for renourishment. Many beach communities are competing to renourish their beaches, said Jessie White, South Coast office director at the Coastal Conservation League. People are fighting for needed equipment, which is backlogged, and may settle for subpar sand. A truck travels along S.C. Hwy. 21 on Aug. 4, 2023 passing the main entrance to South Carolinas Hunting Island State Park during an afternoon rainstorm. But what are the plans to address flooding, environmentalists ask. When do renourishment projects become more expensive than theyre worth? Environmentalists have ideas but first, they say they want a seat at the table. The Coastal Conservation League says it has not previously been successful when reaching out to the park service for collaboration on long-term management. We wanted to be able to have an open dialogue with the park service, White said, adding that the league wants to work with the service to identify solutions knowing that climate change is only going to exacerbate erosion and flooding issues at the park. Emily Cedzo, a senior program director at the Coastal Conservation League, threw out creative long-term options specifically to address flooding. Roads and parking sections could be elevated. Stormwater ponds could work to collect the rainwater and contain outfalls in order to drain them. Fleshing out these plans, even if the decision is to leave the island as be, could become the road map for how barrier islands are managed in South Carolina. (Its the) ultimate question of, What do you want Hunting Island to be? Cedzo posed. Do you want it to be this beach where you can easily park your car and then walk out to the beach? Do you want it to be a special, natural, unique place to some extent? And if its the latter, I think the reality is we have to ask ourselves, are we using the right ideas if we just keep engineering and relying on hard infrastructure? But theyre plans for a future that Mother Nature will ultimately decide. We have to reconcile the fact that barrier islands are dynamic and fleeting in nature, and there may be things that we can do to slow things down. White said. You want to love something for what it truly is. Oregon State Police is investigating a shooting that left one dead and a police officer injured early Saturday morning just outside of Salem. The shooting and investigation closed Oregon Route 22 between West Salem and Oregon Route 51 for most of Saturday causing congestion impacting traffic into downtown Salem. According to OSP, an Independence police officer was conducting a traffic stop at 1:30 a.m. Saturday when the vehicle fled. Strike strips were used to disable the vehicle, OSP said, and a man fled on foot. Responding officers located the man as he tried to flee in another vehicle, OSP said. The man shot at police and struck a Polk County Sheriffs deputy. Officers returned fire, OSP said. OSP said the man was arrested but have not released his name. During the shootout, police say another suspect was killed and another was injured. The sheriff's deputy, who has not been identified, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The identity of the deceased and the injured suspect have not been released. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: One dead, officer injured after shooting along Hwy 22 outside Salem Idaho lawmakers wont convene a special legislative session to reinstate next years presidential primary election before the Republican National Committees Sunday deadline to finalize primary plans. The inaction means voters from the two major parties likely will caucus next year to select nominees for president. Thats after a bill earlier this year from Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane inadvertently eliminated Idahos presidential primary election while attempting to move it from March to May, when all other primary elections are held. Idaho lawmakers last week failed to compromise between two competing proposals that would have triggered a special session to reinstate the presidential primary. Most senators supported a proposal that would move the election to May, while most House members supported a March election. Theres not a lot of room for compromise between those two positions, and I think thats where the difficulty came, House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, told the Idaho Statesman by phone. Ultimately, political parties decide how theyll nominate presidential candidates. In recent years, the Idaho Republican and Democratic parties have opted for a state-run presidential primary in March, but without a legal mechanism for the state to run the elections, both parties have made plans to caucus. The Idaho Democrats pushed for a primary election in either March or May. But the Idaho GOP insisted on a March election. The earlier election incentivizes candidates to spend more time and resources in Idaho, Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon argued. In June, the party gave the Legislature an ultimatum: Reinstate the March primary by Oct. 1, or the Republicans will caucus. House members sided with the party, and most supported a proposal from Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, that would have reinstated the March election. The party has made it clear, House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, said by phone. Theres no reason to come back, do the special session, go to May, because theyre going to caucus anyway. But senators didnt budge on their preference for a May primary. Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said combining the presidential election with all other primary elections would improve turnout, particularly for legislative races, which see 30% to 50% less participation when held separately from the presidential contest. It would also save the state about $2.7 million in costs associated with holding a separate election. We thought it would save some money, and combining the races would get a lot better turnout, Winder said by phone Friday. Lawmakers on both sides of the debate agreed that state-run elections were preferred over caucuses. The latter often have lower turnout because they require additional time and absentee and early voting is excluded. I think sometimes we get too dug in, Clow said by phone. The two bodies are definitely different. Leadership has to judge what their body wont pass, and we didnt make it. At least, we didnt make it by Oct. 1. The state party submitted a caucus plan to the Republican National Committee last week, according to Cindy Siddoway, national committeewoman. If lawmakers found a compromise to reinstate the primary election before March, the Idaho GOP could ask the national committee for a waiver to change plans after the deadline. Typically, they grant those waivers if its something thats totally out of the control of the party, Siddoway said by phone. I dont know that they would grant a waiver in this situation. DALZELL, Ill. The 76-year-old man was sitting at his kitchen table one Tuesday morning in June when he lost consciousness and fell to the floor. A few blocks away, Alex Justis emergency pager went off. The 24-year-old firefighter and paramedic is one of only six people who make up Dalzells volunteer-run fire department, and one of only two who lives in the town of about 660 residents in north-central Illinois, near Starved Rock State Park. Justi raced to the station, jumped in an engine and drove, solo, to the mans house. Once there, he quickly realized the man wasnt breathing. Justi placed a device over the mans nose and mouth and manually pumped oxygen into his lungs, continuing for at least five minutes until first responders from a neighboring town arrived to help. The man survived. But, Justi reluctantly acknowledged, the outcome could have been different. If somebody wasnt breathing for him, he would have been dead by the time the ambulance showed up, Justi said. That was when we realized that we need some help here. Just over half of all firefighters in the United States are estimated to be volunteers: men and women who, like Justi, leave their homes and jobs at any moment to respond to house fires and car crashes, medical emergencies and natural disasters. In Illinois, about two-thirds of the states roughly 1,100 fire departments rely almost entirely on volunteers. And, with few exceptions, those departments are running out of volunteers. The fluctuating ranks of volunteer departments make it difficult to accurately track the losses. But fire chiefs across Illinois say theyre facing historic staffing lows. In Dalzell, the roster of six should be 16 to be fully staffed, said Chief Tom Riordan. Over in Divernon, in central Illinois, Chief Randy Rhodes said hes lost eight volunteers just in the past two years. And the bylaws for the Galena Fire Department, billed as the states oldest, cap volunteer membership at 62. Theyve got 24, Chief Bob Conley said. The alarming shortages come amid increased service demands driven by rising medical calls attributed largely to the states growing senior population. As a result, departments are increasingly relying on surrounding agencies to aid in their emergency responses, while some chiefs have tapped into federal grant dollars to pay for part-time help to augment their aging rosters of existing volunteers. Its going to become very critical, very shortly, said Kevin Schott, an Illinois Firefighters Association board member. The county and the state are going to need to look at this because the public safety is going to be impacted. Firefighting organizations and some state lawmakers have tried over the years to address the dearth of volunteers, offering tax breaks and other incentives aimed at buoying department ranks. Those efforts have thus far found little success. And some department leaders fear the worst is yet to come. If nothing changes, fire chiefs in Dalzell and elsewhere say theyll no longer have enough people to answer medical calls, ceding that responsibility to neighboring agencies or private ambulance services. Other departments are looking at mergers as a way to hopefully prolong their survival. All this could put hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents in the dangerous position of having to wait longer for help to arrive. A lot of people think when they call 911, help is going to be there, said Jim Gielow, chief of the volunteer fire department in Pinckneyville, in southern Illinois. They may not realize one day that wont be the case. A long tradition, a slow decline It wasnt always like this. Veteran fire chiefs wax nostalgic about decades past when the volunteer fire service thrived, ensconced in a centuries-old tradition (Ben Franklin is credited with creating the model with his Union Fire Company in Philadelphia) and encapsulated in a 1931 The Saturday Evening Post cover illustration by famed artist and chronicler of Americana, Norman Rockwell. They had full rosters and waiting lists back then. They had generations of the same last names in their ranks, and high school explorer programs, like internships, that infused their departments with a youthful energy. The residents of those communities, meanwhile, enjoyed fire protection without the costs of salaries and benefits, which freed up tax dollars for police and parks and roads. The system worked, until it didnt. To be clear, the long, steady decline of the volunteer fire service isnt unique to Illinois. Headlines across the country tell similar stories of depleted ranks In 1995, there were an estimated 838,000 volunteer firefighters in America, according to figures from the National Fire Protection Association. Twenty-five years later, that number fell to 676,900. The ratio of volunteers per 1,000 people dropped by nearly 25% in that same time, estimates show. There are plenty of explanations for the downfall. One obvious factor is Illinois shrinking population. The state lost a little over 104,000 residents between 2021 and 2022, U.S. Census Bureau estimates show. The losses were felt in all but 11 of the 102 counties. Some chiefs believe the sense of community pride and civic duty that once motivated people to volunteer has vanished. It just seems to be getting harder and harder to get the younger generation to step up and donate their time, said Eric Lancaster, fire chief in the central Illinois town of Girard, population 1,785. Its definitely been a struggle. And it is definitely getting worse. And while its true that volunteerism has generally fallen over the last decades, a report earlier this year from the U.S. Census and AmeriCorps found that Illinois was one of only two states (Wyoming the other) that did not see a drop in the percentage of Americans who formally volunteered with organizations between 2017 and 2021 (Illinois formal volunteering percentage went from 28.1% to 28.3% in that time). Changing economic conditions also play a role. Families are increasingly unable to survive on one income. And with fewer job opportunities in rural communities most dependent on volunteer firefighters, people are forced to travel farther to work for employers who arent always as willing to let their staff answer emergency calls. Then theres the simple reality that being a volunteer firefighter is demanding on the person and their families. Emergency pagers can go off during family dinners and at 2 a.m., on Christmas morning and at a school recital. There were times I missed things, said Lt. Chris Garza, 48, a father of two who has volunteered with the Galena department for the past 13 years. And you cant get those moments back. But I know Im helping somebody when theyre having the worst day possible. Others say the training requirements have made the volunteer fire service a hard sell. A basic firefighter certification can take around 180 hours to obtain, and though volunteer firefighters arent required to be certified, they do have to be trained to the state standard. That means departments typically ask their members to attend weekly training sessions, usually one night a week. Emergency medical training, also not required, can take another six months, and is often crucial given that medical calls account for about 70% of the incidents Illinois fire departments respond to each year. Guys get burned out after a while, said Pinckneyvilles chief, Gielow. Theyre a little more on edge, working their full-time jobs and running a bunch of calls. Its hard on their personal lives. It all kind of adds up. We cant let off the accelerator On the last Monday of July, about 30 members of the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company gathered for a weekly training exercise. In this particular session, they wore full protective gear, face masks and oxygen tanks strapped to their backs, and waited for their turns to go inside an abandoned motel to rescue one of their own from a room filled with smoke billowing from a machine. There was Vinh Lu, 50, a freelance film location scout and father who started volunteering with the fire department nearly five years ago because, like his military service, it gave him the chance to be part of something bigger. Richard Arehart, 49, wanted to be a firefighter as a kid but instead became a banker. Nearly three years ago, he saw an online ad looking for volunteers and moved his family to Glen Ellyn so he could make his childhood dream come true. Clare Doran, 53, went to a department open house seven years ago thinking shed file paperwork or tidy up the office, only to realize the ask was to be a firefighter. I was like, I dont think thats a good idea. I dont think I could carry anybody out, Doran remembered. And chief said, well teach you. And they taught me. The west suburban fire department is one of the few in the Chicago area that still relies almost entirely on volunteers. And with about 60 members, its thus far managed to avoid the shortages that have plagued other volunteer departments. About 35 people showed up to a recruitment open house earlier this month, said Matt Andris, second assistant chief. Seven submitted applications to join, with more expected. I cant put a finger on why were successful other than really hard work, Andris said. There are, of course, other contributing factors. For one, the village has a separate, paid ambulance service. That means fire department volunteers arent required to go through more intensive emergency medical training, nor are they faced with the added strain of answering medical calls, which state data show have climbed by 35% in the last decade. Unlike in rural parts of the state, Glen Ellyns 28,000 residents offer a large pool of potential volunteers, plenty of whom work in professions with flexible schedules that allow them more opportunity to donate their time. Some department members volunteer elsewhere. Doran, for example, volunteers with four other community groups. The department also hired a Glen Ellyn-based marketing company to lead its recruitment efforts, which include targeted mailers, Google ad campaigns and volunteer profiles posted on the departments website. We cant let off the accelerator, Chief Chris Clark said. We have to continue to recruit the way we do. Thats just a fact for any volunteer organization. The bigger conversation is coming at us For the volunteer fire service to survive, recruitment needs to be the focus of every person in the department, said Steve Hirsch, a volunteer firefighter in Kansas and chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council. Thats our success, he said. Its all those who wear red helmets out there recruiting friends and bringing names to us all the time. Departments also need to make sure their recruitment efforts are geared toward women and people of color, two groups that have historically been underrepresented in the fire service. Weve not done a good job of recruiting in those communities, Hirsch said of the fire service. Youre overlooking half your population. It also takes money. The federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant program offers departments money for recruitment, retention and hiring. Since 2015, a little over 70 fire departments in Illinois received SAFER grants totaling close to $55 million. Some departments use those federal dollars to pay volunteers a small stipend based on the number of calls they answered. Others have spent the money on part-time firefighters to answer calls during weekday hours when volunteer availability is especially limited. Even Glen Ellyn, with its 60-member roster, still needs to augment its volunteer force by paying contractors to staff a fire engine during those hours. But for some, the moneys not enough. They exist on fundraisers 50/50 raffles, cookouts and craft fairs. They drive used fire engines donated by more fortunate peers and wear protective gear they cant afford to replace despite it being too old by state standards. Near the Quad Cities, the Colona Fire Department had hoped a federal grant could help it hire two people to cover daytime shifts in the town of 5,300 residents. Even with the money, the department couldnt do it, Chief John Swan said. Wed have to pick up the tab after three years, and we cant afford to do it, said Swan, who noted that the department tried and failed last year to persuade residents to pass a tax increase to pay for daytime help. I have people in the department who are in their 50s and 60s that have to stay on because theres no one available in the daytime, he continued. The public doesnt understand. It just does not seem to sink in. Elected leaders in Springfield have passed bills in recent years aimed at giving volunteer departments a lift. One bill allowed volunteers to buy discounted tires for their personal vehicles at a government-discounted rate; another protects volunteers from being fired if theyre late to work or absent because of an emergency call. This session, they passed a $500 tax credit for volunteer firefighters and a bill that allows state employees to leave work to attend firefighter training. Some of these bills look gimmicky, said state Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, who sponsored the training bill. But you have to throw something out there as a benefit. The bigger conversation is coming at us, and its going to be a lot of money. Lawmakers could pull from ideas generated 20 years ago, when Illinois fire department leaders and a bipartisan group of House members released separate reports on how to preserve the future of the states fire service. Among the recommendations: Pass pensionlike legislation. Establish a life insurance and disability plan for volunteers. Create a scholarship program for volunteers and their families to attend Illinois universities and community colleges. Develop an incentive program for employers when their employees need to leave to answer emergency calls. I think youre going to have a handful of firefighter bills every session from here to the end of time, Joyce said. You chip away at it and you try to address it. A dying tradition Their efforts might not be enough to save what Justi, the assistant chief in Dalzell, called a dying tradition. In Peoria Heights, trustees in the town of 5,900 have been embroiled in an ongoing debate over the future of their volunteer fire department, which, like many, is short on volunteers. After significant public pushback, trustees recently backtracked on a plan to offset that shortage by contracting help from the neighboring Peoria Fire Department, staffed by career firefighters. What they do next will depend on whomever is picked as the next fire chief, said Matt Wigginton. Theres a lot of identity wrapped up in a local fire department, Wigginton said. But overarching, the biggest concern is public safety. At what point does that identity and nostalgia run up against public safety? Illinois already has a model program, called the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS for short), that instantly dispatches help from neighboring fire departments when needed. Some fire chiefs think that system will become increasingly necessary for every call, no matter the severity. As much as anybody hates to have to call out to assist, I see it happening more and more now, said Lancaster, the fire chief in Girard. Others see a future where volunteer departments merge with their neighbors, hoping the combination of resources could free up enough money to pay people to offset dwindling volunteers. But Swan, the chief in Colona, fears department consolidation will lead to longer response times. Colona has a roster of 17 volunteers, Swan said, well below the 32 needed to be considered fully staffed. If nothing changes, there will be calls where we dont show, said Swan, who also serves as past president of the Illinois Firefighters Association. Its already happened, he said, medical calls at night that his department couldnt answer because there was no one to respond. We have an ambulance backup, but minutes count, he said. If nothing changes in Divernon, Chief Rhodes said his department could no longer have the ability to respond to emergency medical calls. Those would then fall to neighboring towns and private ambulance services, both of which are also facing paramedic shortages. A few high school seniors have expressed an interest in taking emergency medical classes and volunteering at the department. But that wouldnt be until next summer, he said, and we dont know if we could hold it until then. Back in Dalzell, the forecast looks no better. Two hospitals in the area closed this year one in Peru, the other in Spring Valley and the fallout has hit Dalzell and surrounding departments hard, exacerbating their staffing woes as ambulance crews are now tied up with longer transport times to and from hospitals. Riordan, the fire chief, said they, too, might have to abandon medical calls. Its the first thing thats going to stop, he said. To be blunt, people are going to die because theres nobody to take care of them. On a Thursday night in August, all six department members sat around a table in the fire station (also village hall) while Justi led a training on how to identify the types of hazardous materials that could be carried in the semitrailer trucks that lumber along Interstate 80 at the towns northern border. Unfortunately, were not able to really mitigate the incident, he told them. Our job is to pretty much protect ourselves and everybody else that hasnt been involved yet. All six said they were concerned about the departments future and perplexed that no one in town seemed to care about the dire circumstances it faced. Its really rough, said Chris Mason, 44, a lieutenant whos been with the department for nearly 17 years. Theres not enough people to do anything. Later, they drove two fire engines and a water tanker truck two of the three donated from other departments to the elementary school parking lot to test hoses and engine pumps. The first fire engine they tested, built in 1989, barely pumped water into its 500-gallon tank. It could be an easy fix, they hoped. If not, it could cost a few thousand dollars, money they can barely afford to spend. During the testing, a man who lived nearby walked up to a few of the members. Hed been a volunteer years earlier but was asked to leave, he said, for missing too many training sessions. He blamed his work schedule at the time. Now, standing in the grass as water sprayed from a fire hose attached to a nearby hydrant, he blamed the testing for turning the water at his house a funny color. He asked them to stop, then turned and left. The team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Uma Ramakrishnan, Deputy Director of IMF European Department, starts its work on 1 October at the meeting in the city of Kyiv with the representatives of the Ukrainian government and other key partners. Source: a statement by Vahram Stepanian, Permanent IMF Representative in Ukraine Quote: "The high-level dialogue will focus on promising measures and challenges in the context of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme implemented by Ukraine with the support of the IMF." Background: Reportedly, on 25 September in Warsaw, the IMF mission started technical discussions with the Ukrainian representatives in the context of the preparation for the second revision of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. In June, the Board of Directors of the IMF finished the first revision of the Extended Fund programme within the framework of EFF for Ukraine, which received about $890 million to support its budget. In March, the IMF Execution Board adopted a four-year financial package for Ukraine for the amount of $15.6 billion in order to help Ukraine cover urgent financial needs amid the war. In total, Ukraine can receive three tranches with the total worth of SDR 3.3 billion [$4.5 billion ed.] from the IMF. Later, the IMF published the list of 19 structural criteria, which Ukraine promised to meet within the $15.6 billion cooperation programme. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! FILE - A woman holds the hand of her relative as family members of people trapped under rubble wail after a landslide washed away houses in Raigad district, western Maharashtra state, India, July 20, 2023. The devastation of this year's monsoon season in India, which runs from June to September, has been significant. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) BENGALURU, India (AP) Sanjay Chauhan witnessed monsoon rains lash down over his home and farm in the Indian Himalayas this year with a magnitude and intensity he's never experienced before. Buildings have collapsed, roads are broken, there were so many landslides including one that has destroyed a large part of my orchard," said the 56-year-old farmer, who lives in the town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. I have not seen anything like this. The devastation of this year's monsoon season in India, which runs from June to September, has been significant: Local government estimates say that 428 people have died and Himachal Pradesh suffered over $1.42 billion worth in property damage since June. Human-caused climate change is making rain more extreme in the region and scientists warn Himalayan states should expect more unpredictable and heavy seasons like this one. But the damage is also exacerbated by developers paying little mind to environmental regulations and building codes when building on flood- and earthquake-prone land, local experts and environmentalists say. Damages to property in Himachal Pradesh this year were more than the last five years combined. Other regions also suffered heavy losses in terms of lives, property and farmland including the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, Delhi and most northern and western Indian states. In the second week of July, 224.1 millimeters (8.82 inches) of rainfall descended on the state instead of the usual 42.2 millimeters (1.66 inches) for this time of the year a 431% increase according to the Indian Meteorological Department. Then for five days in August, 111.9 millimeters (4.41 inches) poured down on Himachal Pradesh, 168% more than the 41.7 millimeters (1.64 inches) it would typically receive in that timeframe. The rainfall spurred hundreds of landslides, with overflowing rivers sweeping vehicles away and collapsing multiple buildings, many of them recently constructed hotels. Key highways were submerged or destroyed and all schools in the region were shut. Around 300 tourists stranded near the high altitude lake of Chandratal had to be airlifted to safety by the Indian Air Force. Jakob Steiner, a climate scientist with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, said rising global temperatures from human-caused climate change means more water evaporates in the heat which is then dumped in heavy rainfall events. And when all the water pours in one place, it means other regions are starved of rain. In the south of the country, rain was so rare that the region had its driest monsoon season since 1901, the IMD said. The government of Karnataka in southern India declared drought conditions in most of the state. Climate change compounds the phenomenon of weather extremes, said Anjal Prakash, a research director at the Indian School of Business, with both droughts and deluges expected to intensify as the world warms. In the Himalayas, the problem of climate changed-boosted rain is worsened by unregulated development and years of devastation piling up with little time to adapt or fix the damage in between. Roads, dams and settlements have been built without proper environmental assessments or following building codes, said Prakash. Unregulated development has also led to increased soil erosion and disrupted natural drainage systems, he said. Y.P. Sundarial, a geologist with Uttarakhand-based HNB Garhwal University, agrees. People here are building six floor buildings on slopes as steep as 45 degrees in a region that is both flood and earthquake prone, Sundarial said. We need to make sure development policies keep the sensitiveness of Himalayas in mind to avoid such damage in the future. When these structures almost inevitably topple year after year during monsoon rains, it creates a cumulative impact said local environmentalist Mansi Asher, meaning residents are now living with years of unaddressed devastation. Ten years ago, an estimated 6,000 people died in flash floods caused by a cloudburst in Uttarakhand which destroyed hundreds of villages; between 2017 and 2022, around 1,500 people died in Himachal Pradesh from extreme rain-related incidents; and earlier this year at least 240 families were relocated away from the religious town of Joshimath after the ground caved in from over construction despite warnings from scientists. Governments on the state and national level have been looking at how to address the destruction. Himachal Pradesh's government announced a $106 million disaster risk reduction and preparedness program with support from the French Development Agency this year to strengthen its response to extreme rainfall. The state also published a comprehensive climate action plan in 2022 but many of the plan's recommendations, such as creating a fund to research climate challenges or helping farmers in the region adapt to changing weather conditions, have not yet been implemented. The Indian federal government meanwhile has set an ambitious target of producing 500 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030 and has installed 172 gigawatts as of March this year. India is currently one of the world's largest emitters. The country also created a national adaptation fund for climate change, releasing just over $72 million for various projects since 2015. But these initiatives are too little, too late for apple farmer Chauhan and others picking up the pieces after an especially catastrophic monsoon season. Chauhan, who's also the former mayor of Shimla, wants to see a firm plan that addresses climate change in the face of the region's growing population and development needs. Those in power really need to step up, he said. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X, formerly known as Twitter at @sibi123 ___ Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. FBI personnel have surged to tribal lands across the United States in past months to help solve violent crimes and cold cases impacting Native Americans, the agency told CNN in an exclusive interview. The urgent effort, deemed Operation Not Forgotten, involved dozens of special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff fanning out to Native American reservations across 10 US states. Death and sex violence cases Working with tribal law enforcement, the FBI surge teams conducted hundreds of witness and victim interviews, addressing more than 200 cases involving primarily women and children who had been victims of violent crime, officials said. The main focus of our cases were death investigations and sexual abuse crimes, said FBI Section Chief Jonathan Tapp, who helped oversee the operation. Those agents respond to scenes, they process evidence, they arrest subjects and interview witnesses, said Tapp. Simultaneously our intelligence personnel are locating information, processing leads, and determining locations of additional victims. Tapp said the FBI surge resulted in the launching of 40 arrest and search operations, and the identification of four children who had been victims of crimes previously unknown to law enforcement. We also recovered one child who had been reported missing during this effort to help our tribal communities, said Tapp. Heartbreaking crimes In addition to the FBI operational teams making arrests and gathering intelligence, another group operated behind the scenes: the FBIs Victim Services Division. Formed in 2001, the team of victim specialists routinely deploys to critical incidents across the country aiding victims with crisis intervention support, emergency travel, and assistance in obtaining counseling and housing. In Operation Not Forgotten, FBI victim specialists with training in the cultural sensitivities of Indigenous communities engaged with Native American crime victims to make them aware of their rights under the law and the numerous resources offered to aid in their healing, officials said. Victim specialists engage one on one with victims, our tribal partners and the community to resolve cases [of] murdered and missing indigenous persons women and children especially, said Tapp, and are present to see the closure, albeit heartbreaking at times. Not enough attention Prior to the start of Operation Not Forgotten, CNN also obtained exclusive access to the FBIs efforts to locate nearly 200 Native American and Indigenous people missing from the Navajo Nation spanning portions of New Mexico and Arizona. Advocates have long insisted cases of missing and murdered Native Americans do not receive the attention they deserve from police and the press. The missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis is centuries in the making, and it will take a focused effort and time to unravel the many threads that contribute to the alarming rates, said Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland last year. The FBI works with local law enforcement agencies to solve cold cases on Native American reservations. - CNN The crisis of missing persons on Indigenous lands spurred the FBI into action, enlisting the agencys intelligence resources best known for fighting crime and terrorism to create a master database of missing Native Americans. Each one of these people on this list has a story, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Ryan Summers told CNN. Wed like to be able to have a positive resolution for as many of these family members as we possibly can. The database includes photos of the missing along with their age, gender and date of last contact. Officials said their hope is it leads to more tips and leads from the public. Navajo Nation police officials partnering with federal law enforcement told CNN they face a number of challenges, including limited evidence in tribal communities and families who may not be comfortable talking to police. Despite the challenges, the FBI said it will continue to devote significant resources to solving crimes on tribal lands. Its a priority because all people matter, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. Native Americans, everywhere we go, they are embedded in the fabric of who we are as a society. CNNs Jason Kravarik contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com I visited an active quarry in the Apuan Alps of Carrara, Italy home to the coveted Carrara marble. Located in Tuscany, Carrara marble is a $1 billion industry thanks to hard workers at the quarries. One huge slab of marble takes five days to cut and remove from the mountain range. From far away, the Apuan Alps in Carrara, Italy, look snowcapped. But they're actually covered in white marble. A view of the Apuan Alps from the deck of a cruise ship. Joey Hadden/Insider "Is that snow?" my partner said one morning during a summer Mediterranean cruise as we opened our cabin's curtains to see a wide view of the Apuan Alps in Carrara, Italy. "No, it's marble," I said, smiling, because if I hadn't done my research, I would have thought the same thing. The mountain range is home to the marble basin of Carrara in Tuscany. The marble in the Apuan Alps has been used since the Roman Empire for buildings and sculptures, according to UNESCO. Today, it's home to several marble quarries, and I got to see them for myself. The mountain range is home to some of the most coveted marble in the world, and it's dotted with marble quarries. I recently got a closer look during a group tour. The drive up the mountains to the quarries. Joey Hadden/Insider For my Mediterranean cruise last month, I booked an excursion with Carrara Marble Tour to see the mountain range lined with marble quarries up close. During the tour, I learned that Carrara is among the most coveted marble in the world, and the guide explained exactly why. "The marble from Greece and China has very big crystals. It's too hard," he said. "The marble from Turkey has very small crystals. So it's easier to work with, but it's too fragile. Carrara is the right compromise." Although it's easier to work with than other forms of marble, another reason the material is so coveted is because of all the time and effort that goes into cutting it and transporting it from the mountain range to countries around the world, he said. The mountain range also has preservation methods in place limiting the amount of marble that can be taken from it, he added. The Apuan Alps are in Tuscany, Italy. The Apuan Alps are in the province of Carrara in Tuscany. Google Maps The Apuan Alps in northwest Tuscany spread over 150 miles, including the province of Carrara, according to UNESCO. Before the tour, I learned that Michelangelo used Carrara marble to create his famous David statue. A close up of Michaelangelo's David statue. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Before my cruise, I did some research about Carrara marble and learned that Michelangelo used the coveted material to make some of his sculptures, including the famous Apollo-David statue, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Michelangelo spent his time in Carrara choosing specific cuts of marble from the quarries with custom orders about their sizes and shapes, according to the same source. With this information, I was excited to see the historic marble for myself. Today, Carrara marble is a $1 billion industry that produces products from tiles and countertops to toothpaste. Marble sizes used for floor tiles (L) and toothpaste (R). Joey Hadden/Insider The Carrara marble industry is worth $1 billion and a slab can cost up to $400 per square meter, Business Insider reported in 2019. More recently, Italics Magazine reported that the industry made about $22 million in the first three months of 2022. Our tour guide said that the marble is cut into different sizes and is used for a wide variety of products, including countertops, tiles, and even toothpaste. My tour started at 9 a.m. when our guide picked us up from a dock in Carrara and drove us through the town to the marble mountain range. Our tour guide drives us to the quarries. Joey Hadden/Insider When my cruise ship stopped in Carrara, I disembarked at 9 a.m. to meet my tour group at the dock, where our tour guide picked us up in a 4x4 jeep. Then we drove up windy, cliffside roads and saw open-air quarries along the way. Winding roads lead up to the quarries. Joey Hadden/Insider As we ascended the mountain, we saw open-air active quarries lining the mountain cliffs. There are 30 of them on this road, according to my tour guide. Before visiting the quarries, we stopped at the tour center's home base and picked up helmets and vests for safety. The author wears protective gear at the quarry. Joey Hadden/Insider Part of the way through the trip, we stopped at the tour center's gift shop, where we borrowed orange vests and yellow hard hats to keep us safe at the quarries. The tour's website also suggests wearing comfortable shoes. I wore a pair of Vans sneakers and had no problem walking around the quarry in them. Once we geared up, we headed to one of the many open-air marble quarries to see how it's cut and transported down the mountains. Construction at an open-air quarry in the mountains. Joey Hadden/Insider As soon as we got out of the car at one of the quarries, I knew that this mountain range was unlike any I'd been to before just by the sounds. Typically, hiking through mountains is a relatively quiet experience, save for the whispering wind, chirping birds, and my boots hitting the ground. But in the Apuan Alps, I heard the constant beeps and mechanical sounds of drilling all around me. Cutting one giant slab of marble takes about five days. The first four days are spent cutting the slab out of the mountain. Cutting a slab of marble takes an entire work week. Joey Hadden/Insider Cutting one huge piece of marble takes about four days, our tour guide said. And then he explained exactly how the marble is cut and transported. First, workers use a machine to stab into the marble and cut the bottom portion of the slab. At this quarry, the first cut usually is about 50 feet long and 10 feet deep. Then, they use a drilling machine to make a vertical hole from the top of the slab to the bottom of the slab. These two cuts take two days. Then they repeat the process on the other side of the slab over the next two days. On day five, workers remove the slab from the mountain. Cables inserted into the marble on a mountain. Joey Hadden/Insider Once the marble is cut on all sides, workers insert a long, metal cable into the holes in the marble and use machines to pull it off of the mountain. The perfect slab weighs 35 tons and has no cracks, the tour guide said. From there, machinery moves the slab onto the bed of a truck to be driven down the mountain and transported around the world. A truck drives a gigantic slab of marble down the mountain. Joey Hadden/Insider Once the marble is cut out of the mountain, workers place a soft, sand cushion on the bottom of a truck bed to protect the marble. Then, they hook the slab to a machine that lowers it onto the truck bed. The truck drives down the mountain for the marble to be transported. Carrara marble is sent around the world, from Rome to Beijing, The New York Times reported. I was surprised and mesmerized by the amount of time and work that goes into cutting and transporting just one slab of marble. And that helped me understand why it's so valuable. An active quarry next to a cliff of marble. Joey Hadden/Insider The work that goes on at the marble quarries seems like a very challenging task, in my opinion. After seeing it for myself, I understood what our guide meant when he said this material is so coveted. I'm not at a place in my life where I can afford the luxuries of Carrara marble in my kitchen. But one day, I hope to own some for myself. And I'll have a sincere appreciation for the work that went into it. Read the original article on Insider Hurricane Ian changed the landscape in Southwest Florida and the insurance industry. Most of us had never experienced damage like Ian and we now recognize the importance of having a reputable insurance company. Checking your policy and working with your agent to have the best proper coverage is crucial for filing claims after a storm. Blake Day Its been a year since Ian and according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, thousands of claims have still not been paid. Insurance laws have changed and are not in favor of the policyholder. After Hurricane Irma, policyholders had five years to file a claim, after Ian there is a two-year window to file a claim. As of January 1, 2023 based on latest Florida State Statues, you now will have just one year from the date a hurricane makes landfall to give notice of the claim to the insurance company. As a public insurance adjuster, I can say this is not enough time. Hurricane damage is not always visible right away, and sometimes takes a few years to even appear. Roof damage can be one of those undetected but costly claims. With the new one-year claims law, you would not be able to file a claim for undetected damages. Seasonal residents who might find damage later than one year would not be able to file a claim either. Another change from 2022 to 2023 will be how attorney fees are applied to a homeowner who has to sue their insurance company. For Hurricane Ian, if the homeowners case prevails, the insurance company is required to pay the homeowners attorney fees. Starting in 2023 however, if you have to sue your insurance company any attorney fees will come out of your net settlement. This means your insurance company can underpay, and if you must sue and prevail, the attorney fees come out of the homeowners pocket. In my opinion, when insurance laws change, they rarely swing in favor of the homeowner and most often favor insurance companies. In short, the law changes made in 2022 need to be addressed and the only real way to make it known these changes will affect you as a property owner is to request the law to be changed back by contacting your local state representative. By sharing your opinions with your representatives and senators in Tallahassee, you make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you and help them decide what action to take on pending legislation that affects all of us. We dont want future hurricane damage to go unpaid or restrict the property owners from filing a claim if they notice damage a year and a day after the damage occurred. It will take all of us to voice our opinion in order to get the law changed back and to recover attorney fees. If the law does not change, I predict insurance issues will continue and even get worse. Blake Day, president of Day Adjusting and Consulting in Naples, has over 15 years of in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Insurance laws changed and are not in favor of policyholder I regularly go to Disney World and Universal and book pricey character-dining meals. In my opinion, Disney's buffets often have options to suit a more refined palate. But Universal's overall theming and decor, especially for holiday dining, is much grander. As a frequent theme-park guest, I've been fortunate enough to try character-dining experiences at both Disney World and Universal in Orlando, Florida. Although I enjoy both, I find Disney's to be better suited for adults and Universal's superior for overall experience. For the sake of this piece, I compared popular seasonal character-dining experiences I've had at Minnie's Halloween Dine in Disney World and The Grinch & Friends in Universal. I made a lunch reservation for Minnie's Halloween Dine at Disney's Hollywood & Vine. Minnie's Halloween Dine is a seasonal offering at Hollywood Studios. Jenna Clark Hollywood & Vine at Disney's Hollywood Studios hosts seasonal character parties throughout the year. In the fall, typically from early August through early November, the lunch and dinner event is titled Minnie's Halloween Dine. I paid about $63 for my meal with my 10% annual pass discount. I also made a breakfast reservation for The Grinch & Friends at Universal Orlando. The holiday character dining takes place in Universal's Islands of Adventure. Jenna Clark During the holiday season, from early November through early January, the Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous in Seuss Landing hosts a character breakfast featuring the Grinch. My meal cost about $45. At Disney World, the buffets tend to have more elevated food options. I was surprised by the food options available at Disney World. Jenna Clark Sometimes I love a nice pizza slice or bowl of macaroni and cheese items Disney character buffets usually have. But when I spend upwards of $50 on a meal, I also want quality food I can't find every day. The buffet at Hollywood & Vine had lots of offerings with flavors better suited for mature palates, including salmon with beurre blanc, caramelized Brussels sprouts, and oven-roasted herbed chicken. The offerings at Universal were tasty, but I think they were simple and better suited for children. Most kids wouldn't have a problem finding something at Universal's buffet. Jenna Clark The buffet at Grinch & Friends included some elevated offerings, such as chia pudding and Betty Lou Who's shakshuka. But a majority of the dishes were simple and more kid-friendly, like Cindy Lou Who's Who Hash and Mayor Augustus' Green Eggs & Ham pizza. I liked that the dishes were themed, but I would've liked to see a more extensive variety of flavors. The dessert section at Disney didn't blow me away. I was underwhelmed by the dessert buffet. Jenna Clark I attended Minnie's Halloween Dine for lunch, so I thought the dessert portion of the buffet would've been more plentiful. I enjoyed the delicious Mississippi mud pie, but as someone with a big sweet tooth, there weren't enough options. Universal knocked it out of the park with its dessert section. Universal's desserts were on theme and tasty. Jenna Clark At Grinch & Friends, I was blown away by how many sweet treats were available, especially for a breakfast buffet. I saw a range of themed cakes and cookies. The Grinch cookies were my favorite. The characters at Disney's meal wore cute costumes, but the restaurant could've used a bit more decorating. I didn't really get much of a Halloween vibe from the restaurant decor. Jenna Clark Although the restaurant had a themed photo-op space at the front and signs displaying Minnie's Halloween Dine throughout, I wish there were some pumpkins or Halloween-themed garland to enhance the aesthetic. The restaurant at Universal was decked out for the holidays, which I appreciated. I loved all the trees, ornaments, and strings of garland around the restaurant. Jenna Clark As an adult, I look for the tiny but mighty details when it comes to decor, and Universal nailed it. The entire restaurant was filled with strings of garland and wreaths. The staff even wore Santa hats, which was a nice touch and added to the overall experience. As an adult who likes to interact with characters, I had a stellar time at both restaurants. The Whos from Whoville were entertaining. Jenna Clark When dining at Hollywood & Vine, I spent several minutes with the characters and took multiple fun photos with each of them. Sometimes I feel a bit rushed while character dining, especially as an adult without kids, but that wasn't the case here. The same went for Universal. My interactions with Grinch, Thing 1, and Thing 2 were a little shorter, but I had ample time with the rest of the characters. I talked with the Whos for several minutes, and they were very pleasant to interact with. I think Disney's character-dining experiences have tastier food, but Universal has better theming overall. I love the food offerings at Disney buffets. Jenna Clark After visiting both theme parks, I think Disney's character dining is better suited for adults looking for quality cuisine. The buffets have an elevated touch even if it comes with an increased price. But if you're looking for a really immersive experience, Universal is the way to go. From the themed characters to the extensive decor throughout the restaurant, it was truly one-of-a-kind. Plus, it was nice that it was a little cheaper. Read the original article on Insider Jada Pinkett Smith hopes for some closure after a Nevada man was arrested in connection with the long-unsolved murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Now I hope we can get some answers and have some closure. R.I.P. Pac, she wrote in an Instagram story on Friday, shortly after officials announced that Duane Keith Davis had been charged with murder with a deadly weapon committed to promote a criminal gang. Smith has spoken out many times about her relationship with Shakur. In an interview last year with Howard Stern, she said that she had never in my life met a person like Pac. He had so much charisma, she said. Tupac Shakur and Jada Pinkett Smith. (Mychal Watts / WireImage) Smith said Shakurs death was really tragic but that he had left a very strong and powerful mark on the world. People are still inspired by him, she said. So he did his work. Davis, 60, also known as Keefy D or Keffe D, had previously acknowledged being in the car that pulled up next to Shakurs vehicle in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996, the night the rapper was shot. The indictment alleges that Davis was involved in the shooting and obtained a firearm for the purpose of seeking retribution against Shakur and Marion Suge Knight, the head of his record label, Death Row, and a longtime affiliate of a rival set, the Mob Piru. The indictment doesnt say Davis pulled the trigger, but says he and three other gang members conspired to kill the rapper by acting in concert throughout. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said at a news conference Friday that Davis was the shot caller for his group and orchestrated the plan that was carried out. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson celebrated the indictment. This is the indictment weve been waiting almost three decades for, he said Friday. Justice will be served. Officials said Shakurs death was sparked by a fight earlier in the evening when the rapper and Knight roughed up a man identified as Orlando Anderson, Davis nephew, inside the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino following a heavyweight fight between Mike Tyson and Bruce Sheldon. Davis immediately sought revenge, according to officials, and got the gun that was used to kill the rapper. Anderson was long suspected of pulling the trigger, but he had denied his involvement. He died two years later in an unrelated gang shootout. For decades, Shakurs murder and case have fueled conspiracy theories, song lyrics and movies. This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Port Huron City Manager James Freed addresses city department heads and other employees on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, at the Municipal Office Center during a press conference on changes in senior staffing. The administrator, who's worked with the city for nine years, spoke publicly this past week after a year-long legal battle against the professional managers' association that censured him in 2022. Port Huron City Manager James Freed spoke publicly for the first time this past week over a lengthy legal battle with the municipal professionals organization that censured him in 2022, echoing claims the action was part of a broader effort to humiliate him. And now, after more than a year, he said he hopes his defamation case is headed for trial. The International City/County Management Association, or ICMA, censured Freed in June last year over a social media post directed at Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and an email about not pursuing a vaccine mandate with city employees in 2021. The association alerted local media of the decision the following month. At the time, the managers group alleged actions committed by Freed violated an ethics tenet about integrity, ultimately stripping Freed of his designation as an ICMA-credentialed manager. In an episode of the City Manager Unfiltered podcast released on Wednesday, Freed spoke with host Joe Turner about a recent history of other ethics challenges against him that, as stated in the lawsuit against the association, his camp believes to be frivolous and retaliatory after the nine-year Port Huron official initially sent an ethics concern of his own to an ICMA official five years ago. Freeds complaint was filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court in September 2022, citing counts of defamation, civil conspiracy, and that he was portrayed in a false light. In addition to the association itself, it originally named Jessica Cowles, an ethics advisor for ICMA, and 19 others, including those who served on their executive board, as defendants. They issued a press release and a newsletter to their members, and they still have on their website a statement about James, which is 100% false, said Freeds attorney Todd Shoudy. Those false statements severely damage his hard-earned reputation. So, our goal in filing the lawsuit is to clear his name. We pointed out mistakes they made, asked them to retract it or at least fix it, and they wouldnt do either. And thats really what a defamation case like this is about. Once reached as of Thursday, representatives for the ICMA did not immediately reply with comment on the case in follow-up. Shoudy said they believed a public censure like Freeds leaves its subject effectively unable to get any other job not just in the public sector but anywhere the employer does any type of social media search on you. This week, Freed said he took legal action to protect his family and ability to provide for his wife and two young daughters. I believe in limited government and individual liberty, and when put in a position to compromise either of those, I will fight back, he said. Referring to Shoudy, whose firm also represents the city of Port Huron, Freed added, This is a personal issue between myself and my professional association, and no taxpayer funds are being used for my legal expenses. How did this happen? Defamation suit recalls 2021 MIOSHA challenge, censure allegations Early in response to the pandemic, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the city of Port Huron for allegedly failing to require employees to wear facial coverings, conduct and maintain records of daily self-screening entry protocols, and train employees about COVID-19. The city had quickly moved to appeal the citation when, in October 2021, officials participated in a long deposition process that revealed a state compliance officer admitted to destroying communication and records related to his inspection of city offices. Soon after, the state took steps to dismiss the violation. Freed, whose social media accounts are private, later tweeted to Whitmer, as well as generally on Instagram, a news article link about the documents issue, remarking broadly about raising children in a world where government overreach could be justly contested. Also, in November of that year, Freed sent an email to city employees updating them on a potential federal vaccine mandate for employers with staffs over 100, and MIOSHAs task of determining the impact on municipalities like Port Huron if such a mandate held up in court. Court documents reference that email, wherein Freed told employees, Hear me now, I will never enforce a vaccine upon my employees. ICMAs censure against Freed points to both instances, alleging it violated an area of its ethics code requiring members conduct to maintain the publics confidence in their position and the integrity of their community government. Like in his defamation complaint, on the Unfiltered podcast, Freed emphasized a state mandate never came to pass and that he wasnt vowing to ignore a concrete law but rather, favoring testing protocols over vaccine requirements when forced to choose. The city manager told Turner they dont believe ICMA officials and members of its board were aware of the distinction based on what they learned in the discovery phase from materials associated with the ethics complaint and investigation that led to the censure. An order to compel discovery came last spring with an original discovery deadline this summer. They have never publicly censured one of their members in the history of their organizations for any social media post, Shoudy said in an interview, and then, in discovery, we found out they have other people who have made far worse social media posts that theyve determined does not rise to the level of a violation of their code of ethics. How far back do Freed's ICMA concerns go? According to the lawsuit, Freed raised concerns about a Twitter account operated by another ICMA ethics official in November 2018. That account, @ICMAethics, which no longer appears on X, formerly known as Twitter, was reportedly being used to advocate and support a partisan political agenda. On Unfiltered, Freed said he found the account while browsing Twitter, posting things that were anti-Trump, anti-Republican, anti-pro-life, and liking tweets that conflicted with the ICMAs role as a non-partisan organization. He later screen-shot the Twitter account, wrote a letter to an official with ICMA believed to operate the account, and shared his concerns over an email listserv with fellow members of the Michigan Municipal Executives Association. By the following January, an ethics complaint was reportedly filed against Freed in the organization, and a months-long investigation followed. Cowles was the official to alert him. The individual alleged to be behind @ICMAethics was Martha Perego, who was ICMA's director of ethics and membership and is further discussed, along with Cowles, in a second Unfiltered episode featuring Freed released late Thursday. Freed said on the podcast he was alleged to violate an ICMA ethics standard that complaints remain confidential by sharing the @ICMAethics concern via listserv. However, the official said his personal letter to Perego wasnt a formal complaint. Another ethics complaint was filed against Freed in 2019, referencing social media postings of his own. Freed told Turner the posts in question referenced him at public appearances with partisan elected officials. At separate points that year, according to the lawsuit, the two initial complaints against Freed were closed having not risen to the level of violating the ICMA Code of Ethics. The lawsuit additionally contends Perego developed a deep and personal animosity toward Freed, as some began looking for an opportunity to attack Mr. Freeds character and reputation, and that Cowles felt similarly, particularly after Freed recorded a phone call. In its January answer to Freeds defamation complaint, the ICMA alleges a lack of knowledge of much of the details Freed pointed to over the ethics inquiry that resulted in a censure, denying earlier actions against him were born out of any sense of animosity or intent to cancel him. 'I'm going to expose what they did': What happens next? By early September this year, some of the individuals named in the defamation case, who are mostly out of state and live across the country, were dismissed as defendants. And although earlier attempts to challenge St. Clair Countys jurisdiction were rejected by West, the case was listed as closed locally to be transferred to the U.S. District Court. However, Shoudy said he planned to file a motion to remand it back to circuit court one of the defendants and ICMA board officials lives in Michigan adding, Were comfortable with either court. Freed said he wasnt anti-ICMA despite the saga. I dont think the ICMA board (are) bad people, he told Turner. The ones Ive met seem like good people who didnt have the facts or the proper information to make a decision. The podcasts release came days before an ICMA conference from Saturday through Oct. 4. During the episode, Turner said he found the course of events, as described, to be shocking, later adding it was "a little disconcerting" he'd been the only person to bring it up for discussion publicly. "The politically motivated retaliation against Freed by the ICMA is shameful and disgusting, the podcast host said in an email. I am committed to ending their monopolistic control by building an alternative organization." In the nearly two hour podcast, Freed described his experience flying to Florida for the ICMA board meeting last year and an emotional stress thats been dogging me now for over a year. To move forward, he said he wanted to find justice at trial. Were going to put these folks on airplanes, were going to bring them into Michigan, and theyre going to be seated before a jury of the American people, Freed said. And Im going to expose what they did to us in much more detail than here theres documents and stuff I cant share that we will share with the jury and the judge. The reckless disregard of the facts and what really was going on and what really we had the authority to do. Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: James Freed speaks out amid legal battle against body that censured him in 2022 The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is currently investigating an arrest after a video went viral on social media showing a man in handcuffs with bloodied facial injuries. The family of the man, identified as 24-year-old LeKeian Woods, claims that he was brutally beaten by police during the arrest. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The incident captured video shows several JSO officers arresting Woods. It should be noted the video doesnt provide context regarding what lead up to the arrest. Woods had been arrested on Friday, September 29, on multiple charges, including trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine while armed, as well as violently resisting an officer. The family stated that the incident started as an alleged traffic stop for not wearing a seatbelt when he was with two other people in the car near their grandmothers home. After the handcuffs were put on, the video shows officers slamming Woods into the ground. Later, you see that officers appear to try and pick him up but Woods emerged from the encounter with visible injuries, including a swollen and bloody face. Woods family has retained civil rights attorney Harry Daniels, who released the following statement: If this video of the officers repeatedly assaulting LeKeian, slamming his head into the ground and tossing him around like a ragdoll while hes handcuffed and defenseless isnt enough to convince you that these officers need to be off the street, just look at LeKeians face, Daniels said. He looks like he just went 12 rounds with a professional boxer. Hes lucky to be alive. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Sheriff TK Waters announced that the case is under administrative review. Every allegation of misconduct or excessive force, every single one, is taken seriously. We will review the body cams and eventually, you will see the body cams and youre going to see contextual information start to finish. You wont see a clip of a video that loops over and over again. You will see the video in context but we have to have a full and complete investigation, Waters said. Action News Jax Dale Carson, a criminal defense attorney and law enforcement expert, who served in the FBI, offered insights into the arrest. After he is handcuffed properly, then its over. The fight should be over, the resistance should be over, and if you continue to force compliance by actually hurting the individual to assure compliance by slamming into the ground or something of that nature, thats not in the training manual, Carson stated. Right now, its unclear when JSO will release the body camera footage. Carson said he doesnt think the traffic stop has anything to with a seatbelt, saying it may have been part of a planned operation. Action News Jax is working to learn more information and gather more details as the investigation continues. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Over half of all book challenges made in the 2021-2022 school year came from just 11 adults. One woman said she read 73 books, scanning for sexually explicit content, and challenged 71 of them. Book challenges, once a school library issue, are becoming a community-wide library issue. A Virginia woman dedicated herself to challenging at least one book per week an effort that has caused a schism in her community as well as hours of unpaid labor for school librarians. Jennifer Petersen, 48, spends hours scanning books for content she finds sexually explicit and filing challenges with Spotsylvania County Public Schools, where one of her children is enrolled and another is a recent graduate, The Washington Post reported. Out of 73 books she read in one year, she challenged 71 of them, the Post reported. The remaining two were removed before she had the chance to get to them. In her complaints, seen by the Post, she wrote that one book "reads like a how-to guide for raping teens." Another "normalizes teen sex and ... glorifies and incites teens to have sex," she wrote. She told the Post that she considers whether the content is sexually explicit or obscene based on definitions provided by Virginia law. According to an analysis by the Post, 60% of book challenges made in the 2021-2022 school year came from the same 11 adults. Petersen was one of them. The majority of objections were on books authored by or about LGBTQ+ people or people of color. While some members of the community have praised Petersen, others have called the effort a waste of time and money. A library staffer told the Post that nearly a dozen people spent 40 hours per week just on Petersen's book challenges. Peterson's ongoing effort comes at a time when book-banning efforts are going national. While most challenges and bans focused on school libraries under the guise of protecting unknowing children, an increasing number of challenges are targeting public libraries that are accessible to entire communities, The New York Times reported. Read the original article on Business Insider The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents over 85,000 health care workers in seven states and the District of Columbia, said Sunday it did not reach an agreement with the organization ahead of the contracts expiration, setting the stage for the possibility of the largest health care strike in U.S. history late this week. Hours before workers contracts were set to expire after 11:59 p.m. PT on Saturday, the coalition said it remains far apart from nonprofit Kaiser Permanente on important issues like across-the-board pay increases, retiree medical plans and protections against subcontracting and outsourcing. Kaiser continues to bargain in bad faith over these issues and, so far, there is no light at the end of the tunnel, the coalition said in a statement Saturday night. In a statement to The Hill, the coalition said health care workers are ready to sit down with Kaiser Permanente executives when they are ready to bargain in good faith. The coalitions national bargaining team submitted a 10-day notice to Kaiser Permanente executives on Sept. 22, calling for strikes to begin Wednesday at 6 a.m. if they do not come to an agreement by then. More than 75,000 health care workers across California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and D.C. are expected to be involved in the strikes, which would make it the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history. Hundreds of leaders were recently trained on how to run picket lines ahead of the strike, which could last until 6 a.m. on Oct. 7, the coalition said. Kaiser Permanente is the largest nonprofit health care provider in the U.S. It reported profits topping $3 billion in the first six months of 2023. In a statement shared with The Hill, Kaiser said it continues to make progress on key issues and has reached tentative agreements with the coalition on issues including travel for continuing education, the use of temporary workers such as traveling nurses, tracking of staffing vacancies and dispute resolution. The non-profit noted contract expirations do not necessarily mean a strike will occur, and said it is optimistic they will reach an agreement ahead of Wednesday. Kaiser and the coalition last negotiated a contract in 2019, a year before health care workers were put onto the front lines of the pandemic and forced to work through worsening conditions. The coalition is also asking Kaiser to address staff concerns over unsafe staffing levels and unfair labor practices. In a May survey of 33,000 health care workers by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, around two-thirds said they witnessed delays in or denial of care due to understaffing. Kaiser told The Hill it has hired more than 50,000 front-line employees in the last two years, including more than 9,800 workers represented by the coalition. In April, the nonprofit said it agreed with the coalition to a goal of hiring 10,000 new people for coalition-represented jobs by the end of 2023. The nonprofit said it expects to reach that goal by the end of October. Regarding wages, the nonprofit claims it leads total compensation in every market it operates in, and its proposals would ensure it keeps that status. Kaiser said its current offer to the coalition includes across-the-board wage increases and a proposed $21 minimum wage in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and Hawaii starting in 2024 and a $23 minimum wage starting in 2024 in California. Operations at Kaiser are expected to continue as normal Sunday regardless of the contracts status, and its hospitals and emergency rooms will remain open regardless of the strike, Kaiser said. The nonprofit also said it has contingency plans to ensure patients can still receive care for the duration of the strike. Updated at 6:17 pm. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Quite a few political commentators are calling for President Joe Biden to drop Vice President Kamala Harris from the presidential ticket and replace her with a newer, presumably more electorally popular, running mate. At an earlier point in American history, Harris may have had cause for concern. This was a popular tactic for presidents, with eight presidents tossing aside their VP during the re-election run. During the entire 19th century, due to a combination of death, ticket dumping, and one-term presidencies, only two president-vice president teams ran for re-election. But Harris doesnt have to worry. The cost of dumping a vice president now would undoubtedly outweigh any perceived gain. Its Time to Give Kamala Harris Her Due The idea of a new face on the ticket as a way to change the narrative comes up every four years. Biden himself was the subject of such rumors, which hinted that Hillary Clinton might replace him in the 2012 re-election run. Similar discussions cropped up around Mike Pence , Dick Cheney, and Dan Quayle . There are longtime claims that John Kennedy would have dropped Lyndon Johnson for his re-election run, and Dwight Eisenhower wanted to replace Richard Nixon. Of course, none of this happened, and for good reason. The choice of a vice president is arguably the most important decision a presidential candidate makesespecially since, post World War II, vice presidents are regularly the frontrunners when seeking their partys nomination. But there is not much evidence that the VP choice has an electoral impact. Richard Nixon, one of only two men to be on five national tickets, felt that the running mate was only a negative for a presidential ticket. Even one of the most famous moments in vice presidential history, Lloyd Bentsens drubbing of Dan Quayle in the 1988 veep debate, appeared to have no impact on the end result, when then-Vice President George H.W. Bush soundly beat then-Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis in the general election. There is also little evidence that voters put much thought into the VP choices in 2020, despite the advanced age of both major party candidates. Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly Remain Obsessed With the Obamas But switching out VP on the ticket could present a very different story, with many strong downsides. It would make the president look both weak and disloyal. It would turn off any supporters of the vice president. And since Harris is a trailblazer in two key focus areas for Democrats, women and Black voters, dumping her from the ticket poses a legitimate danger for Democratic turnout. Most importantly, while there would be a momentary bust of excitement, the narrative would quickly curdle. The focus, especially under furious attacks by opponents, would be on questioning the presidents original decision-making in the first place. Earlier in American history, presidents didnt really choose the VP. The running mate was instead a compromise with the losing side in the presidential nomination, which itself was chosen not by the people but by convention delegates. The result was that presidents didnt fear facing much blowback from a switch. Now that presidents are chosen by primaries and freed from the negotiations of the convention selection process, candidates personally choose their running matemaking any bad choice theirs alone. Unsurprisingly, the only president to drop a VP since World War II was the unelected Gerald Ford, who replaced the similarly unelected Nelson Rockefeller on the ticket with Kansas Sen. Bob Dole, and Fords decision was focused on warding off a primary challenge from the more conservative Ronald Reagan. Kamala Harris Is on Her Way to Becoming the Next Dan Quayle We saw a version of the negative impact in the waning days of the 1992 race, when George H.W. Bush made a big announcement that he would replace both Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady and Budget Director Dick Darman in a second term. Needless to say, that only brought forth questions as to why he appointed them in the first place, and why he didnt make a move earlier. It would be hard to imagine that similar questions about a bad choice wouldnt come up if Biden were to make an even more drastic choice. Like basically every vice president in U.S. history, Kamala Harris is facing criticism and has a real challenge in pointing to her own accomplishments in a job without much specific power. Putting someone new in may seem like an exciting change of pace, but there is little benefit for Bidens campaign. Harris has little to fear from this quadrennial talking point. Joshua Spivak, the author of Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom, is a Senior Research Fellow at Berkeley Laws California Constitution Center and a Senior Fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Katherine Ryan has opened up about why she called a comedian, reported to be Russell Brand, a sexual predator during her appearance on Desert Island Discs. In September, Brand, 48, was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women as part of a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4s Dispatches. He has strongly denied all allegations, stating that all of his sexual relationships were consensual. In 2022, Canadian comic Ryan told Louis Theroux about an incident in which she called out a male co-star on a TV set for alleged sexual abuse. According to reports, Ryan left Brand furious when she called him a sexual predator while filming Comedy Centrals Roast Battle. On Sunday (1 October), Ryan was the guest on BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs, when she was asked about the interview with Theroux where she first made the allegations known. I got a lot of pushback, like, Why wont you say who it is? recalled Ryan, who once again did not name Brand. Its because everyone knows who it is. What theyre asking me for is the womens names. And thats what I wont give and thats why I was reluctant to talk about it. Host Lauren Laverne then asked Ryan: Because it was another comic, right? Ryan replied: There are a few womens names that I think investigators are looking for and thats what theyre asking me for. No ones asking me for his name. So its funny how people go straight to accusing, You are the problem. You wont give his name. Were not the problem. Ryan previously discussed the incident in conversation with Louis Theroux (BBC) She continued: I had a choice. I could go to work with someone whom I believe to be a perpetrator of sexual assault, or I could turn down the job. Those were my options. And so I wrestled with that. I thought, what am I meant to do in this instance? Am I meant to go and be near someone that I think these things about? ... The choice is, do I go to work with someone who I think is very problematic and do I stand near them and laugh and smile and look like I am allowing this kind of person to still be on television, or do I stay home? Ryan said that she found the decision really difficult, adding: Thats what I wrestled with the most. Because I believe that this person was or is dangerous, but also what am I going to change if I stay home? ... My compromise was, alright, Im gonna go, but Im going to let him know under no uncertain terms what I think of him. Im not gonna just smile and look like Im allowing this behaviour. Asked how Brand responded to her comments at the time, the comedian said that he certainly didnt have an obvious reaction. The Independent has contacted Brands representatives for comment. Brand has denied the allegations against him (PA Wire) During the 2022 interview with Theroux, Ryan said that she believed the man she called out to be a perpetrator of sexual assault, but that even discussing it was a litigious minefield. She also stressed that the allegations were not my story to tell as no one has perpetrated any sexual assaults against me. Following the extensive reporting about Brand in September, Deadline reported that Ryan allegedly called him a sexual predator repeatedly during filming for the first series of Comedy Centrals Roast Battle in 2018. According to the report, which cited multiple sources, Brand was furious and quit the show after six episodes. The alleged predator remarks were not aired. Following the allegations against Brand, programmes starring the presenter were subsequently removed from the BBC and Channel 4s streaming services. He was then blocked from making advertising revenue on his YouTube Channel. On Monday (25 September), the Metropolitan Police announced it had opened an investigation into a number of allegations of sexual offences it had received against Brand in London and elsewhere in the country. If you have information in relation to the allegations against Russell Brand that you would like to share with The Independents reporting team, please email yourstories@independent.co.uk Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) South Florida was under a flood watch until 8 p.m. Sunday as the result of heavy rain Saturday and more rain in the forecast. Flooding from king tides was spotted in downtown Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood this weekend. Slow-moving thunderstorms are forecast to bring periods of heavy rain Sunday, with 2 to 4 inches projected in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, with 6 or more inches predicted in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. We had some street flooding yesterday. The ground is saturated, and it wont take a lot of rainfall to create more issues. The rainfall is expected to be fairly high, Chris Fisher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Sunday. Fisher said there were also reports of flooding associated with king tides between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday. These included A1A and Sheridan Street in Hollywood and Las Olas Boulevard and Coral Way in Fort Lauderdale. He said he expects there is more that hasnt been reported to the National Weather Service yet. Related Articles Its mainly street flooding. We havent heard about any property damage, he said. Fisher said he expects coastal flooding from high tides to continue for a couple of days. The forecast for Monday has showers likely and a thunderstorm possible before noon, with rain and thunderstorms also possible in the afternoon. The chance of rain is 70%, with up to 3/4 of an inch possible. KYIVThe whole world has witnessed the impact of Russias brutal military onslaught against Ukraine but another, more insidious attack has gone largely unnoticed outside the country: a sprawling network of Russian agents is thought to be embedded in all aspects of Ukrainian life, from parliament to the TV networks. The former governor of Donetsk told The Daily Beast that President Zelensky is not doing enough to extricate pro-Russian political figures and fears that new efforts to empower and streamline intelligence gathering might lead to even more damaging penetration by Russia. Kyiv was shining with phosphorus marks that somebody put down for Russian helicopters during the early days of the war, said Serhiy Taruta, who is now a lawmaker. He fears current Russian espionage is more subtle but just as dangerous. Another lawmaker was arrested on suspicion of treason by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in September. During a raid on the property of Nestor Shufrych, the SBU said they found a haul of pro-Kremlin memorabilia. He allegedly had display cases full of dozens of vintage weapons from the Russian empire and Soviet eras, plus military uniforms and patriotic Russian symbols, which have been banned in Ukraine. Shufrych, who also owned a television channel, is reportedly accused of being a mouthpiece for President Putin as well as working for an alleged spymaster, who was until recently the ex-deputy secretary of Ukraines National Security Council. Vladimir Sivkovich was right inside the inner sanctum of Ukrainian security when the war broke out. The U.S. sanctioned Sivkovich last year, claiming that he had FSB ties and worked with a network of Russian intelligence actors to carry out influence operations including efforts to convince Kyiv to cede Crimea to Russia as well as the infamous efforts from inside Ukraine to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential elections in favor of then-President Donald Trump. According to the State Bureau of Investigations Sivkovich had been working with the FSB to create a network of spies in Ukraine. The Daily Beast spoke to politicians, businessmen, security insiders and army veterans about President Volodymyr Zelenskys efforts to cleanse the Kyiv establishment of corruption and Moscows agents of influence, a persistent and suffocating problem that is often compared to the tentacles of a giant octopus. Ever since the first days of the battle for Kyiv, Ukrainian intelligence has been catching Russian spies, including members of the Ukrainian security services accused of collecting and passing state secret information to Russian representatives, and of trying to influence personnel decisions in the security agencies of Ukraine. One of those arrested for suspected treason was Oleh Kulinich, the head of the Security Service of Ukraines (SBU) Crimea directoratehe was arrested in July 2022 on suspicion of recruiting Russian-friendly operatives under orders from Moscow. A military counterintelligence official working on the Ukraine war reportedly told Newsweek: We have been successful in identifying Russian spies inside the Ukrainian government and military, and at various other points in the supply chain. The joint session of the praesidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the National Council of Reforms at the Kyiv International Convention Center Parkovy, Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. Hennadii Minchenko/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images Yurii Butusov, the editor-in-chief of Censor.net, one of the independent outlets running investigations into endemic corruption and espionage in Kyiv, said: The network of Russian agents is bigbefore the war we had the whole party of them. The Opposition Platform for Life, which was sponsored by Putins close friend and adviser Victor Medvechuk, held 44 of 450 seats in parliament until last year. Butusov said the mainstream media is full of spies and people with links to the pro-Putin Russian media. There is a mass of agents with their own people in television mass media, he told The Daily Beast. The channels that belonged to Putins alleged puppets Shufrych, Medvechuk and Yevhen Muraievwho did an interview with The Daily Beast when he was named as a Russian agent by Britain last yearstill had licenses as recently as May this year. Worse still, United News, a 24/7 rolling news broadcast shown by all of the networks since the war began, is put together by an unified team of TV producers including the very people who were employed to pump out pro-Russian propaganda on Medvechuk and Muraievs networks. Putins Puppet in Ukraine Is an Anti-U.S. Troll Loving All the Drama Corruption fighters agree that Ukraine has a long way to go before all the tentacles connecting the authorities in Kyiv to the Kremlin are severed. The director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, Daria Kaleniuk, refused to attend Yalta European Strategy forumwhere Zelensky and his first lady were among the speakersbecause it was sponsored by the Pinchuk Foundation, which is run by Victor Pinchuk, a Ukrainian oligarch and media magnate. Oligarchs and their whitewashing would never buy loyalty of Ukraines civil society, she said. Kaleniuk fears Russias influence even within the very top levels of power, referring to persistent claims in Kyiv that Zelenskys own chief of staff has a cozy relationship to Moscow. We have many questions about Russian ties to high-level public officials including Andrii Yermak, the head of the presidential office, she said. Ukrainian-born U.S. Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R-IN) wrote to President Biden last year raising a series of questions about Yermaks record, including the allegation that he leaked intelligence to Russia via Belarus. As chief of staff to Zelensky, it has been suggested that Yermak is the second most powerful man in Ukraine. Taruta, who was governor of Donetsk in Eastern Ukraine until 2014, said the leaders office was still far too happy to work alongside Members of Parliament (MPs) who had long pro-Russian track records. Our society today sees the entire Opposition Block of deputies who have visited Putin and tried to play along as pro-Russian figures. But our leadership actively cooperates with these MPs when it comes to vote and when they say there is no mechanism to deprive these pro-Russian MPs of their mandatesthat is just hypocrisy, he told The Daily Beast. Shufrych [who was arrested last month] was Medvechuks close friend and until now he has chaired a parliamentary committeeas have many others who today occupy high posts. Taruta sees even greater danger on the horizon with proposed new legislation in parliament to grant huge powers to the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection in accessing and controlling cybersecurity for both public and private institutions in Ukraine. The bill echoes the vast control of the internet granted to the FSB in Russia. Inside Vladimir Putins Shadowy Army of Global Spies Any efforts to concentrate all the power in one institution is dangerous, he said. The concentration of power in one pair of hands without checks by democrat institution might result as somebodys efforts for a totalitarian control of the information space. Ivan Pietukhov, the president at Adamant, one of the oldest internet and telecommunications companies in Ukraine, went even further, telling The Daily Beast that the new law may be deliberately designed to be corrupted and misused by Russian agents operating in Ukraine. I am not sure if the author of the bill is an agent, but the network of agents is big, I personally demand lawmakers of pro-Russian parties to be investigated, said Pietukhov, who is also vice-chair of the League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. There must be a ring of people copying even the ideas from the Russian Federal Security Service, he said. This is exactly Russias approach to building up the evil empire: FSB is that one agency controlling the information and cyber security in Russia, while in the United States and European Union the control is shared among several institutions. The head of Ukraines association of lawyers, Oleg Chernobai, told The Daily Beast that one government department must not be granted so much power. If that bill gets adopted, the service will get access to the confidential data of defense lawyers clients. By that bill just one agency would accumulate all functionsthat is wrong, he said. While Zelensky tries to slay the Russian octopus strangling Ukraine, he may inadvertently be helping its tentacles to grow. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The arrival of a bus carrying migrants from Texas at L.A.'s Union Station on July 14 prompted the City Council to investigate taking legal action against Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott . (Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times en Espanol) Los Angeles on Saturday received its 20th busload of migrants courtesy of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who takes responsibility for shipping more than 45,000 migrants to a half-dozen "sanctuary" cities across the country. The bus arrived around 1:45 p.m. at Union Station with 27 passengers, including a family of six, according to nonprofit groups providing assistance. The city said this was the 20th such bus to arrive in L.A., including one that arrived Monday and three on Friday, which carried 16 children among its passengers. The latest arrivals, amid escalating political rhetoric about immigration, further incensed community groups Los Angeles has organized to help those on the buses. "It is disgraceful that they might ramp up the rhetoric against migrants ... to demonize them to gain political points," said Guillermo Torres, who spearheads immigration issues for the Los Angeles-based Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice. He warned that the short-term electoral benefit has long-term consequences: "When you demonize communities, you run into the dangers of inciting, in people's hearts, hate and anger toward those communities." Abbott, who has made a political show of such buses since 2022, issued a statement Friday claiming to have sent more than 45,570 people to Democratic-led cities: Washington, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver and Los Angeles. By the count of the Texas governor's office, Los Angeles so far has received some 770 migrants. New York has received more than 16,400 migrants. Many more charters are likely. Purchase orders show the Texas bus company that holds the primary migrant charter contract, Wynne Transportation, was given an $84-million order in August from the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The Los Angeles City Council in August asked for an opinion on whether the city can sue Texas and whether the busing program violates any laws. Sacramento has also received migrants, including by chartered plane. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had arranged for at least one charter flight, though it appeared a Texas shelter transported some migrants who had court dates in Sacramento. Abbott last week sought friendly platforms to cast immigration in terms of presidential politics, castigating President Biden while praising former President Trump in a speech to the conservative Manhattan Institute in New York and while making the rounds at Fox News. Abbott contended the United States is experiencing an "unprecedented border crisis," a narrative that also played heavily in last week's Republican presidential debate. "Texas is the only state in history that has actually repelled illegal immigrants," Abbott told Fox News Maria Bartiromo, declaring that Texas was "at war" with the United States. He said more than 2.3 million people were apprehended crossing the Texas border illegally in 2022, a number expected to be slightly higher in 2023. He alleged the surge in immigration is "all carefully, choreographically designed policy" by Biden. Friday's buses reportedly held as many as 109 migrants, though only 65 were processed by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, said spokesman Jorge-Mario Cabrera. Some migrants got off the bus in Arizona, Cabrera said, while others left after arriving at Union Station, but before humanitarian aid was on scene. Folks were exhausted, disheveled, Cabrera said. They were uncleaned, tired, hungry and anxious. The Texas buses began arriving in Los Angeles in June. Abbott's office at that time claimed it had put more than 21,000 migrants on such buses to "self-declared sanctuary cities while providing much-needed relief to Texas' overwhelmed border communities." Abbott last week contended that all of those boarding the buses did so voluntarily. "It's difficult to describe as 'voluntary' rides for people who don't even know California is thousands of miles away from Chicago or New York and yet their need to move forward, to survive, is so great that anything they are offered that keeps them from squashing their dreams will be agreed to," Cabrera said Sunday. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights said the migrants it helped this past week were from Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela. Cabrera said half told workers they planned to move on. Four of the buses in the last week were dispatched from Del Rio, Texas, while one came from Brownsville, Texas. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The streets of Poland's capital Warsaw were filled with demonstrators on Oct. 1 for an opposition rally ahead of country's upcoming parliamentary election set to be held on Oct. 15. The protesters, who came from all over the country to participate in the demonstration dubbed 'March of a Million Hearts', was led by opposition leader and former prime minister Donald Tusk against Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. Photos circulated on social media showed huge crowds, and Tusk claimed that nearly a million people were in attendance, according to comments that Reuters reported on. The PiS, who have been in power since 2015, are seeking a record third term. The main opposition party, the Civic Platform (PO), headed by Tusk, has framed itself as a defender of democratic values and of Poland's place in the EU. Throughout the campaign, Tusk has claimed that PiS may seek for Poland to leave the EU if re-elected, a charge that the party denies. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland has been one of the most consistent supporters of Ukraine in the EU. According to the Polish Defense Ministry, the country's military aid for Ukraine amounted to 3 billion euro ($3.2 billion) by July. This support included a wide range of weaponry from MiG-29 jets and tanks to armored vehicles and artillery. This support came into question in Sept. 2023, amidst a dispute between Poland and Ukraine about the export of grain. As tensions rose, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced on Sept. 20 that Warsaw would cease further arms shipments to Ukraine, a statement that the Polish Foreign Ministry said the following day was made without their consultation. The ministry clarified that the remarks had been misconstrued, and that arms shipments would continue for now. In response, Tusk pledged unwavering military support for Ukraine, stating that, "the victory of Ukraine is in the national interests of Poland for sure." Read also: Fico wins Slovak election on pro-Russian, populist platform Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Local government is the most accessible level of government. It makes communities strong and resilient through shared involvement. To understand the impact of local government, the League of Women Voters of Centre County (LWVCC) has provided a four-part series about local offices. This is the final installment and focuses on school board directors. The League of Women Voters of Centre County thanks the PA School Board Association for the following information found at www.psba.org. Public education is fundamentally a state responsibility and was established under the PA state constitution: The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education ... and recognizes that school districts have the status of a unit of local government. The powers and duties of school board directors are outlined in the states Public School Code, written in 1949. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and State Board of Education oversee 500 public school districts, more than 170 public charter schools, public cyber charter schools, Career and Technology Centers/Vocational Technical schools, public Intermediate Units, the education of youth in State Juvenile Correctional Institutions, Head Starts and publicly funded preschools, community colleges and school libraries. The agencies administer the laws and regulations that control the states public education system. There are school boards for each of the 500 public school districts. A school board is a legislative body of citizens called school directors, elected locally and who serve as the governing body of each public school district. School directors function as agents of the commonwealth. There are five school districts in Centre County: Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte Area, Penns Valley Area, Philipsburg-Osceola Area and State College Area. For the 2023 school year, there were 34 public schools in Centre County which served 14,283 students. Requirements for school board directors are: U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old by election, resident of the school district for at least one year, registered voter and have no felony convictions. The Pennsylvania School Code requires nine school directors, elected for four-year terms with five elected in one municipal election and four elected in the next municipal election. This 5-4 rotation helps ensure continuity. There are no limits to the number of terms a member may serve. There is no financial compensation. School districts may adopt one of three types of election plans: at large, by region, or by a combination of regional and at-large seats. At-large candidates must be residents of the school district, but may live anywhere in the district and are chosen by all the voters in the district. Regional candidates are elected by the voters of their respective regions, with each region electing an equal number. In combined plans, all regions elect an equal number of school directors who reside in each region and who are elected only by the voters of their region, and some directors are elected at large by voters districtwide. Vacancies are filled by an appointment process conducted by the remaining board directors. If less than two years remain before the former directors term expires, a director appointed to fill that vacancy serves for the remainder of the term. School board directors focus is to give children the best possible education at an affordable cost to the community. School boards have the duty to establish, equip, furnish and maintain the schools in their district. School directors work with the school districts finances, approve policies including disciplinary policies, establish a strategic plan, set budgets and levy taxes for the district, establish curriculum requirements, set health and safety protocols, and hire or fire the superintendent and assistant superintendent. Despite the broad powers of school boards, the work is still highly regulated from the state and federal levels, involving numerous mandates, restrictions and technicalities with which school boards must comply. A school boards authority is exercised through the collective decisions of the entire board. The Municipal Election will be held on Nov. 7. Make sure your voter registration is current at www.centrecountyvotes.gov. Sue Sargo is the presiding officer of the League of Women Voters of Centre County. Families look for missing after deadly nightclub fire kills in Murcia Families look for missing after deadly nightclub fire kills in Murcia MADRID (Reuters) -At least 13 people have been killed in a fire in a nightclub in Murcia in southeast Spain, emergency services said on Sunday, adding that rescuers were still searching for people unaccounted for after the blaze. Outside the club, young people hugged, looking shocked as they waited for information after the fire that broke out in the early hours in Atalayas, on the outskirts of the city. "I think we left 30 seconds to 1 minute before the alarms went off and all the lights went out (and) the screams saying there was a fire," one survivor, who was not identified, said. "Five family members and two friends are missing." Spanish media reported that several of the dead were from one group that was celebrating a birthday. Diego Seral, of Spain's National Police, told reporters the dead were found in the Fonda Milagros nightclub, one of three adjoining clubs, which had sustained the majority of fire damage, including the collapse of its roof, he added. The collapse was making it difficult to locate victims, and it was difficult to pinpoint yet where exactly the fire started, he said. Police investigators have not yet been able to access the site due to the high temperatures and danger of collapse. The identification of the bodies would take time, Seral said. The emergency services gave the death toll, which has risen steadily throughout the day, as 13. The cause of the blaze is being investigated. Earlier, Murcia's Mayor Jose Ballesta told reporters seven bodies had been found in the same area of the first floor, where the fire broke out. A spokesperson for the Teatre nightclub, Maria Dolores Albellan, told reporters the fire originated in the neighbouring club, Fonda Milagros, before spreading to the two adjoining clubs. Ballesta declared three days of mourning for those who had died. Flags were lowered to half mast outside Murcia's City Hall. Footage released by Murcia's fire service showed firefighters working to control flames inside the nightclub. The fire had destroyed part of the roof, the footage showed. "We are devastated," Ballesta said on Spanish TV channel 24h, adding rescuers were still searching for several people reported missing. Ballesta told 24h the fire started at around 6 a.m and had now been brought under control. Four people have been treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. (Reporting by Jessica Jones; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Alison Williams and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) PEORIA With a vivacious personality and a knack for both fundraising and making friends, Lesley Matuszak left an indelible mark on her community. Matuszak, 66, was found dead at her Moss Avenue home the day after resigning from her job as president and CEO of WTVP television, a position she had held since 2019. Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said foul play is not suspected. Julie Sanders, who has temporarily assumed the head position at WTVP, confirmed that Matuszak resigned Wednesday. Sanders praised Matuszak for her work at the public television station. She was an innovator and a person with big ideas who had the force and energy to make them happen, said Sanders. She wanted WTVP to be something fresh and exciting. We all know PBS as Sesame Street and Bob Ross, but she wanted it to be new and innovative, and she took every step she could to help us reach those goals. In 2021, Matuszak brought Peoria Magazine and its related community programs under the WTVP umbrella by buying the publication when owner Jan Wright decided to retire. Matuszak also helped start a new WTVP channel, WTVP Remote, which provides educational programming for children. You can tune in at certain times for language arts for third graders or science for fifth graders. It's over the air broadcast television where you don't need cable or internet, said Sanders. "It started just as the pandemic hit and was a godsend for many homeschoolers and rural students that didnt have access, or were having trouble with internet access. A trip to the grocery leads to a life-long friendship Matuszak came to WTVP after serving as CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Peoria for 16 years. When she made the choice to run the Boys & Girls Club, it was not a healthy organization, said Marcella Teplitz, a former police officer and city councilwoman. She turned it around. It was like a miracle, and she did it with hard work. Lesley was one of the most accomplished people I think Ive ever known. Teplitz broke into tears several times Friday morning while talking about Matuszak, who she first met about 35 years ago. I was at the grocery store, and in front of me is this spectacular looking woman, redhead, wearing a beautiful dress. She looked like she had just come off the cover of Vogue, said Teplitz. The women struck up a conversation so intense that their groceries got mixed up together, and Teplitz had to visit Matuszaks home to return some items. She and her husband had bought a house on Moss Avenue and had just moved in. They made a choice to buy an older home on Moss Avenue at a time when it wasnt as fashionable to live in one of the older neighborhoods," said Teplitz. They had two children, who they chose to send to Roosevelt Magnet School. My son went there also, so they were in school together. In 2001, when Teplitz decided to run for City Council, Matuszak offered to host a fundraiser in her home. You would have thought Martha Stewart had laid this out. Her attention to detail in every aspect of the event was wonderful. And that was her standard. It wasnt a slapdash affair, it was perfect. I was honored to be honored by her that way, said Teplitz. A mentor and a friend Fundraising was an arena where Matuszak has always shined. In June, she hosted a fundraiser at the home of former City Councilman Sid Ruckriegel and former Peoria County Board chairman Andrew Rand. Guests enjoyed a concert by country star Kurt Van Meter and hung out with actor Rip Wheeler, who plays Cole Hauser on the Yellowstone television series. She had networked him to come in. If you saw her Facebook page, she was working on another event, trying to determine who she was bringing back from the show for another star-studded event here in Peoria to raise money, said Michael Murphy, who was a guest at the June event. Now serving at the president of the Peoria School Board, Murphy, who is relatively new to public service, said he learned a lot from Matuszak. When I first started getting more involved in the community she was one of the first people I met, and she just really took me under her wing," he said. She introduced me to a lot of people and was very welcoming. She gave me tips on how to fundraise and volunteer and how to make it count, what we needed to do to make the events a success, because thats what she was amazing at. Murphy learned of Matuszaks death Thursday evening. It just took the air out of my body, he said. I truly didnt believe it at first. I literally had just talked to her at Peoria Promise, and we were supposed to go in on Monday and talk to her about an event my company is hosting Oct. 7 down at the riverfront to find out how WTVP could help. And you look at her Facebook page and see where she had just been out to Montana and was like, which one of these celebrities are we bringing back into Peoria? I mean, she had plans. She was involved in so many things and its hard to now think that thats just stopped. Leslie Renken can be reached at (309) 370-5087 or lrenken@pjstar.com. Follow her on Facebook.com/leslie.renken. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 'An innovator': Lesley Matuszak was a stalwart in the Peoria community To the editor: The general principles of bail are governed by mandatory factors identified in the California Constitution, which makes public safety and the victim's safety the primary considerations not punishment or "tyranny." ("Chief Moore and other bail reform critics are wrong. Cash bail should not be a form of punishment," editorial, Sept. 25) Law enforcement is averse to the list of "book and release" offenses because that approach offers little to no deterrence to those involved in a range of serious criminal offenses. Our goals are safety, deterrence and prevention, not punishment. Historically, these goals have been achieved by the imposition of higher bail amounts. To achieve those goals, our primary focus should be whether the individual poses a serious threat to public safety, not their ability to pay. With the new bail schedule in Los Angeles County, the magistrate review process will evaluate the individual circumstances of an arrest as well as the person's past criminal history in assessing the ongoing risk to public safety and to the safety of the victim. On a case-by-case basis, absent the existence of sufficient safeguards in the release of these individuals back into the community, we are asking the court to not release individuals who pose risks to community safety, including those with repeated instances of prior serious offenses. We will continue to speak with the L.A. County Judicial Council as it strives to strike the appropriate balance in protecting community safety and victims from further harm without unduly withholding an individual from their release back into the community. Michel R. Moore, Los Angeles The writer is chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. .. To the editor: One important point about cash bail that needs to be emphasized is the harm that incarcerating an individual does to the person and their family. When someone is jailed pending arraignment or trial for not having the money for bail, their family loses a source of income for a time, the person loses their job, or the person has to drop out of school, among other complications. The ripple effect of cash bail harms more than just the accused in jail but also those who depend on the person. A wealthy person can walk out of jail and continue their life, while the poor or even middle-class person is forced to stay and wait for arraignment or trial. Debbie Cassettari, Chino Hills .. To the editor: Ending cash bail seems like a great idea, because the idea is that people wont be held in custody for not being able to post bail and can rely on a compassionate judge to release them with a court date. The problem is the law instructs a judge to presume that the accusations against the defendant are true for the purposes of bail. So if someone is falsely accused of a violent crime and all the judge has to go off is their records, then chances are that the defendant will remain incarcerated until brought to court. Under the current model, that defendant would have the option to post bail. Therefore, ending cash bail could actually have the opposite effect and result in more people remaining in custody until their arraignment. That is a frightening thought. Louis J. Shapiro, Los Angeles The writer is a criminal defense attorney. .. To the editor: If we can assume that someone who committed a crime did not want to be caught, releasing that person only on a promise to appear creates an additional opportunity to escape. The purpose of bail is to release someone accused of a crime, pending their next hearing, with a real expectation that the accused will appear. For a real-world expectation, there must be a real-world incentive: If you dont appear, you lose something. It is unfortunate that a poor person, driven to crime by circumstance, must sit in jail, while someone who committed a similar crime is out on bail. But the issue here is not as much fairness of pre-appearance release as it is to make sure they get to their appearance. Michael Telerant, Los Angeles This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The inaugural Heartland Book Festival next weekend is not the Kansas City Public Librarys response to the recent wave of book bans or the far-right Republicans in the Missouri state legislature who have looked to defund and demonize libraries. But I cant say enough about how its perfect timing for everything libraries are facing now, said Carrie Coogan, deputy director for public affairs and community engagement at the library. Coogan describes the current anti-library sentiment as frightening. Libraries are under fire right now, she said. So, what started out five years ago as just wanting to increase the level of understanding and love for libraries and love for reading and writing has become really something that is more critically important in our society and in our city. The festivals keynote speaker, Jermaine Fowler, has written just the kind of book that might raise the hackles of the anti-woke crowd. His The Humanity Archive: Recovering the Soul of Black History From a Whitewashed American Myth was released in February and became a New York Times bestseller. Fowler will present a program titled Books as Mirrors: Seeing Ourselves in Every Story at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Folly Theater to kick off the festival. Jermaine Fowler, author of the bestseller The Humanity Archive: Recovering the Soul of Black History From a Whitewashed American Myth, will give the Heartland Book Festivals keynote address at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Folly Theater. The rest of the festival will take place Oct. 7 at the downtown library, where another keynote speaker will be Karin Slaughter , whose latest novel is After That Night. She also has written Pieces of Her and the Will Trent series, both of which have been turned into recent TV series. The first Heartland Book Festival is about much more than books, however. In addition to programs and panels on literature of all genres fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comic books and childrens books there also will be illustrating, graphic arts and even tarot reading. Other draws will include childrens theater, portraits and music. We talked a lot about what we wanted to do, Coogan said. Did we want to have a theme? Did we want to make it just for adults? Or just for kids and families? And we thought, well, this is our first shot at this, so why dont we try to cover everything? The most important thing was we really wanted to make it free, so as many people could come as possible. Karin Slaughter, author of Pieces of Her and the Will Trent series, will speak at 1 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Kansas City Public Librarys Central Library. The free admission is possible because the nonprofit Missouri Humanities, in its role as the states affiliate for the Library of Congress Center for the Book, is teaming with the library as co-presenter. Missouri Humanities also supports the Missouri Book Festival, which debuted in Washington, Missouri, in 2022 and will return Sept. 13-14, 2024. That left an opening this year for the Heartland Book Festival. Lisa Carrico, program director for Missouri Humanities, said synergy just aligned this year. I think there was always this little buzz between Missouri Humanities and the Kansas City Public Library, this dream of putting on a large-scale book festival in the western part of the state, Carrico said. And it just happened that this was the year. We said, Lets do this. Adding to the synergy is that the library will begin its 150th anniversary celebration later this year. Carrico said Missouri Humanities hopes the Heartland Book Festival will become an annual event, a sentiment Coogan shares. Were planning on continuing to do book festivals, and we hope to continue partnering with Missouri Humanities, she said. We think its so important, were really pushing now to continue to do it and to do it on an annual basis. Heartland Book Festival Author Jermaine Fowler will give keynote address on Books as Mirrors: Seeing Ourselves in Every Story, 7 p.m. Oct. 6, Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th. Panels, programs, discussions and more, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 7; crime writer Karin Slaughter will give keynote address, 1 p.m. Oct. 7, Kansas City Public Library-Central Library, 14 W. 10th. Free. Full schedule at heartlandbookfest.org. UPDATE: 11:22 p.m. Augustus Kelley has been found and the alert is canceled. INITIAL REPORT: The Beavercreek Police Department has issued an endangered missing adult alert, according to Beavercreek Police. >>Coroners office responds after hours-long search in Great Miami River 79-year-old Augustus Kelley is missing and suffers from dementia, the police said. Kelley left his residence at 6:30 p.m. in his Silvery Toyota Tacoma and hasnt returned, police reported. He is a Black male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, he weighs 140 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes. His Silver Toyota Tacoma has the Ohio plate number TUNDRA5. Call 911 id you see the adult or vehicle. BROCKTON Robert G. Ford, known by friends as the "Water Pirate" for receiving a water bill from the city for about $17,000 that he successfully fought, has died. He was 79. Ford, a 50-year-plus resident of Brockton, died on Sept. 26 due to sudden medical complications. "The world would be a lot better place if we had more Bob Fords," said Dick Zaccaro, a longtime friend of Ford's who cofounded Brocktonians for Limited Taxation, a group Ford was active in. Ford largely became known in the city after receiving large water bills in 2010, leading to an investigation by The Enterprise. It led to the city council's ordering an outside audit of the water and sewer departments and reduced bills for Ford and other residents. Robert Ford is pictured in 2010 with water bills he received from the City of Brockton. 'This is beyond irresponsible' Brockton schools assistant CFO seeks whistleblower protection Ford was a humorous guy and when Zaccaro had him on his Brockton Community Access television show to talk about the water bill issue, Ford dressed up wearing a pirate hat and eye patch and came with a sword after affectionately being given the nickname "Water Pirate." "He was active right until he went to the hospital," Zaccaro said. "As a matter of fact, when he was rushed to the hospital that day, he was going to speak at the school committee meeting about the $14 million that was overspent. He loved the city of Brockton. He kept fighting against taxation and high taxes. Every controversial political issue at hand, he was right there by my side." Ford received his first large water bill after the city recorded an actual reading from his water meter for the first time in six years. But Ford said no one had entered his house to read the meter on the day it was recorded. And years before that, a meter reader told Ford's son he would submit a work order to the city for a new touch pad outside of Ford's house since it was broken. The bill and ensuing investigation into the water issues led to Ford settling with the city for less than $2,000 after a new water meter was installed, Zaccaro said. Ford grew up in Jamaica Plain and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He worked as a beverage salesman for Cott's, Canada Dry, Schewppe's and Polar before retirement, according to his obituary. They drive his van Fallen Brockton firefighter's loved ones keep his memory alive A sign outside Tinrays Family Restaurant in Brockton on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in memory of Robert Ford, a city resident and political activist who died recently. Ford had a passion for creating satirical political posters and had a very large record collection, particularly of Irish music. "He enjoyed life," Zaccaro said. "He was a kind, gentle man." Ford is survived by his wife, Christine Ford, son Robert C. Ford, daughter Maureen Joyce and many other relatives. People can pay their respects to Ford during calling hours from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at Waitt Funeral Home, 850 N. Main St. in Brockton. A funeral Mass is planned for 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Edith Stein Parish, 71 E. Main St. in Brockton. He will be laid to rest in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. Enterprise senior reporter Cody Shepard can be reached by email at cshepard@enterprisenews.com. This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton activist, 'Water Pirate' Bob Ford dead at 79 Navy veteran Justin's third and final dose of psilocybin, the psychedelic drug found in "magic' mushrooms, at a retreat center in Jamaica took him back to his time in Iraq. Although his body was physically sitting in a group therapy circle, in his mind he was standing between the enemy and his crew of 460 sailors. It was his duty to protect them, and he felt his body begin to physically absorb the sailors' fear. It was heavy, all of that fear, so much so that at one point he said he nearly started hyperventilating. But then, after decades of holding onto this baggage from the war that was causing his body to be in a constant state of fight or flight he released it. "What that made me realize was that I never put that pack down, and once I came to terms with the fact that they're safe, and I don't have to protect them anymore, I literally felt like there was a pack that came off my shoulders," Justin told Salon in a phone interview. (Justin asked to be identified only by his first name.) "There was a therapist there that had her hand on my shoulder, and she said, 'I felt like something was coming off your shoulder,'" he said. During and after 20 years in the Navy and a ground tour in Iraq, Justin started getting set off by triggering things that would cause him to get rapidly anxious and upset. He has been dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms for more than a decade and started taking antidepressants in 2018. After he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2021, he went through a "merry-go-round" of antidepressants to find one that was compatible with his new cancer therapies, but he still felt like all of these different medications weren't doing enough to address the underlying reasons he was feeling this way, he said. "I wanted to get off the medication," he said. "I wanted to really heal and not just cover up the symptoms." In his search for alternative treatments, Justin came across MycoMeditations, a retreat center in Jamaica that, according to its website, offers "psilocybin-assisted retreats for people who have tried it all and are ready to heal." It's one of hundreds of psychedelic retreat centers that have popped up around the world in what, along with a new wave of research testing how these substances can be used to treat mental health conditions, some are calling the "psychedelic renaissance." Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. "We are anticipating quite a revolutionary change in how mental health is treated," said MycoMeditations CEO Justin Townsend. "Psychedelics for mental health are going to make a substantial change over the next few years." About 8% of the U.S. population has depression and 30% has anxiety, and those numbers are on the rise. Yet mental health treatments have notoriously lagged behind need, with few new options in the pipeline since selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were introduced in the '80s. In 2019, the Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Unit was created to conduct pivotal research testing in the field, revitalizing a body of research stretching back to the 1950s showing psychedelics can improve depression, PTSD and heavy drinking. Earlier this month, the largest study on naturalistic psilocybin use to date showed participants had significantly improved anxiety, depression and spiritual well-being. MycoMeditations Psilocybin changes the pathways that regions of the brain use to communicate, and it can cause mystical experiences that are deeply moving. In one 2008 study of people who had never tried psilocybin before, more than half of the participants said a single dose was in the top five most personally and spiritually meaningful experiences of their lives. Although the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) could approve psilocybin and other psychedelics in the near future, it is still a controlled substance in most U.S. states. Oregon, for example, began rolling out psilocybin therapy services this year, though some have criticized these clinics for being extremely expensive, with some sessions costing as much as $2,800. Because of this, many are traveling to psychedelic retreat centers in countries like Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica where psilocybin, but also substances like LSD, MDMA, ibogaine and ayahuasca are allowed. Using psilocybin isn't without risks. Psychedelics are not recommended for people with certain cardiac or psychiatric conditions, and they can trigger psychosis in people who have predispositions for mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association doesn't recommend them outside of investigational studies. Anecdotally, there have been reports of violence and sexual assault during or following psychedelic retreats, where participants are often in vulnerable states when under the influence of psychedelics. The original founder of MycoMeditations stepped down due to allegations of insufficient safety protocols, and Townsend stepped up as CEO in 2019. Since then, they have changed their model to more of a Western approach drawing from John Hopkins' protocol, he said. Guests must pass a screening before being accepted and the center is staffed with therapists and various doses throughout the week are broken up with integration days, during which the prior trips can be processed. There are one-on-one and group therapy sessions, and retreats last a week. MycoMeditations "What we have today is a very different model," he said. "Back then there weren't therapists. There weren't really protocols. In the early days of the retreat business, it really was more like the wild, wild west." While many retreat centers base their protocols on what's done at Johns Hopkins or the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), they vary highly in their approaches. Some may be founded on shamanic practices or wellness ideals rather than Westernized medicine. It's basically up to consumers to research these places and ensure they're getting something legit and that suits their personal preference, said Matthew Johnson, Ph.D., a Johns Hopkins Medicine psychiatry professor studying psychedelics. "It wouldn't surprise me that there are retreat centers that are doing things very much like the research that I and others have conducted in the field where there are appropriate safety checks, screening, monitoring and keeping that strong rapport with good professional boundaries," Johnson told Salon in a phone call. "But because it is in this world where there's minimal or no regulations, people are sort of on their own to figure that out." Some raise additional concerns that profits made in this industry are exploiting Indigenous cultures, who have been using these substances for medicinal purposes and cultural celebrations for 3,000 years. The Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board's evidence review, for example, acknowledged that it excluded the "meaningful experiences, knowledge, and wisdom from Indigenous peoples." In San Jose del Pacifico in Oaxaca, Mexico, some locals say they now struggle to find specific mushroom species because there has been such a spike in psychedelic tourism, said Osiris Sinuhe Gonzalez Romero, Ph.D., an archaeologist who studies psychedelics, the history of medicine and Indigenous knowledge at the University of Saskatchewan. Some centers, including MycoMeditations, grow their own supply. "The ethics are very important and sometimes overlooked in the psychedelic renaissance," Romero told Salon in a phone interview. "It's necessary to be very careful, and hopefully, in the future, people interested in developing these retreat centers take into account Indigenous knowledge and the different cultural uses to achieve better quality services." Nevertheless, it seems like there is a growing demand for people who want to try psychedelics even if they have not been officially FDA-approved. One report projected the psychedelic therapeutic industry to be worth $8.3 billion by 2028. And, as one study in a harm reduction journal put it: "Therapists therefore have an ethical duty to meet this need by providing support for clients using psychedelics." Gwen Ingram-Jones, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Seattle, said she's worked with 270 people at MycoMeditations over the past few years. Although the degree of transformation varies from person to person, transformative experiences occur more often than not, Ingram-Jones said. For example, one guest who had lost a child experienced the sensation of walking through Hell after taking psilocybin. Ultimately, he got the chance to meet the daughter he had lost and take her home. Then, he felt her make a home within him, bouncing around all of the different corners of his body to turn on the lights. "I would say that is not an out-of-the-ordinary experience," Ingram-Jones said. "His personal story is unique to him, but people find transformation like that on a really regular basis." In an in-house survey MycoMeditations conducted that was not published in a scientific journal, some guests reported improved symptoms with PTSD. On their website, they also report improvements in depression, a sense of connectedness and well-being among guests after attending the retreat. For Justin, the veteran, each dose of psilocybin at the retreat helped him peel away a layer that was standing in the way of healing. The first dose helped him process childhood experiences that prevented him from being conscious of and processing his emotions. The next one helped him understand that his anxiety was stemming from PTSD and be more mindful when those feelings came up, he said. "Sometimes, I catch myself tensing up," Justin said. "I never noticed that before, but now I notice that and I tell myself to relax." "I'm safe," he said. "I can relax." CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported Townsend was hired at MycoMeditations in 2019 after the founder stepped down due to misconduct allegations. The story has been updated to clarify the nature of the allegations and reflect that Townsend was already employed at MycoMeditations before the founder left in 2020. Maldives has elected a pro-China opposition candidate as its president in run-off elections that could lead to the country moving away from traditional ally India. The polls became a virtual referendum on which regional power India or China will have the biggest influence in the small archipelago known for its pristine beaches and for being a tourist hotspot. Mohamed Muiz, the leader of the opposition Peoples National Congress (PNC) party, ran on an India Out campaign plank and will now become the next president of the Maldives. Incumbent president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih lost the runoff that was triggered after neither candidate fetched 50 per cent of the vote. Mr Muiz clinched more than 53 per cent of the vote this time and had a lead of more than 18,000 votes, compared to Mr Solih, a close India ally who trailed behind with 46 per cent of the vote, reported leading local news portal Mihaaru News. The incoming president has pledged to eject Indian troops from the Maldives and balance the countrys trade relations, which he said heavily supported India. He is expected to assume office on 17 November. With todays result we have got the opportunity to build the countrys future. The strength to ensure the freedom of Maldives, Mr Muiz said in a statement after his victory. Its time we put our differences aside and come together. We need to be a peaceful society, he said. The president-elect has also asked Mr Solih to transfer former president Abdulla Yameen to house arrest from prison. Mr Muizs PNC is viewed as heavily pro-China. Largely seen as an underdog, Mr Muiz was named only as a fallback candidate closer to the nomination deadline after the Supreme Court prevented former president Yameen, who is serving a prison sentence for money laundering and corruption. His supporters said he was jailed for political reasons. Mohamed Shareef, a top official from Mr Muizs party, said the poll results are a reflection of the patriotism of the people. A call on all our neighbours and bilateral partners to fully respect our independence and sovereignty, he said, and added that it was also a mandate for Mr Muiz to resurrect the economy and for Yameens release. The outgoing leader Mr Solih was elected as president in 2018 and had battled allegations by Mr Muiz that he had allowed India to become an unchecked presence in the country. Mr Solih insisted that the Indian militarys presence in the Maldives was only to build a dockyard under an agreement between the two governments and that his countrys sovereignty wont be violated. Ahmed Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, termed the election verdict as a public revolt against the governments failure to meet economic and governance expectations rather than concerns over Indian influence. I dont think India was at all in the peoples minds, he said. But despite the rhetoric, Mr Muiz is unlikely to change Maldives foreign policy of affording an important place to India, he said, adding that the leader is more likely to lessen opposition to Chinese projects on the islands. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man was arrested after a 4-year-old boy was injured in a self-inflicted shooting Friday, Memphis Police say. Bryant Vann is charged with Child Abuse, Neglect, or Endangerment, and Tampering with Evidence after his nephew accidently shot himself with a gun. 4-year-old injured in self-inflicted shooting in Raleigh Officers responded to a shooting on Teresa Cove around 3:30 p.m. Friday. The child was transported to Le Bonheur in non-critical condition with two bullet wounds to both of his legs. When officers arrived at the scene, they were told that the gun used was a .45 Glock 36 handgun. Police say Vann, the victims uncle, was seen coming into the house from the backyard. Police say a 9mm casing and live 9mm rounds were found in Vanns bedroom where the incident took place. No .45 caliber casings were located. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid South. Investigators say they located a tan 9mm Springfield Armory XD-M Elite pistol and a matching magazine in the backyard hidden under a bush. The gun had a 9mm casing in the chamber. An AR-style pistol was also located in the backyard. According to police, Vann admitted to leaving the .45 caliber Glock unsecured and loaded on his bed. He said that he did this while knowing that his nephew likes guns and can freely access his room. Vann also admitted to placing two of the weapons in the backyard, police say. He was released on his own recognizance and is set to appear in court Oct. 2. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A man died from a gunshot wound early Sunday morning near North 27th and West Morten avenues, according to the Phoenix Police Department. At about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to reports of a shooting. When police arrived at the area of the shooting they found a man with gunshot wounds, who was later pronounced dead by the Phoenix Fire Department. A witness later told police that a man and a woman were running from the area of the shooting. They were found by patrol officers while the area was being checked, police said. Detectives questioned the man and the woman in hopes of finding out what led up to the shooting, police said. Local shootings: Police arrest man suspected of shooting, killing man in central Phoenix This was still an active case, Phoenix Police Sgt. Brian Bower said. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police still investigating man's death in Sunday morning shooting MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man was found dead outside of Sekisui Japanese restaurant in Midtown Saturday afternoon, Memphis Police say. Officers responded to a man down call at 4:12 p.m. at 25 South Belvedere Boulevard. A man was pronounced dead on the scene. The owner of Sekisui says that the man was not a customer, and the incident happened outside of the restaurant before they opened. Police say this is an ongoing investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Ventura police investigate a fatal shooting in 2016 in midtown. One defendant was sentenced to more than 32 years in prison on Friday. A man was sentenced Friday to more than 32 years in prison for his role in a 2016 fatal shooting near a former Sizzler in midtown Ventura. Richard Hernandez, 27, of Ventura, had pleaded guilty in May to second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Cameron Miller, a 25-year-old Oxnard resident. He also pleaded guilty to attempted murder and evading an officer, and admitted to special allegations that included gang enhancements. On Friday, Hernandez one of four defendants associated with the case received a sentence of 32 years and eight months to life, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. The shooting took place on the afternoon of June 29, 2016, in the 4200 block of East Main Street, on a busy stretch between Sizzler and Lassens Natural Food & Vitamins. Miller was killed and a 21-year-old Oxnard man was shot in the leg, authorities said. Authorities have said there was no evidence the victims had gang ties. Hernandez and three others had been driving down East Main when they stopped to confront Miller and the other victim, prosecutors say. After a verbal argument where gang names were yelled at the victims and Hernandez flashed a handgun, the four perpetrators went back to their car and drove down the road. They waited several blocks away for Miller and the other man to walk by before Hernandez and another man, Alexis Ivan Ramirez, fired several shots at the victims, according to the DA's account. Miller, who was struck three times, died at the scene. Richard Hernandez A high-speed pursuit launched after the shooting, reaching speeds up to 100 mph, Ventura Police Department officials previously said. The chase ended when the suspects' car crashed into a tree and fence near Telegraph Road and Cambria Avenue. Hernandez, who was driving, fled the crash site, leaving the three others behind, before police caught up with him in a nearby orchard. All four people in the car, including Hernandez, were taken into custody. The four were treated for injuries suffered in the crash. All four defendants have since been convicted. A girl who was 16 at the time had her case resolved in juvenile court in 2018, prosecutors said. Luis Aguilar, 26, was sentenced in 2019 to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and attempted murder, and admitting to gang enhancements. Ramirez, 28, pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter and attempted murder and also admitted gang enhancements. He is scheduled for sentencing on the morning of Oct. 12 in room 23 of Ventura County Superior Court. We are pleased that Mr. Hernandez has been brought to justice and the victims of this senselessact of violence and their families now have justice, Senior Deputy DA Kelly Keenan, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Man sentenced in fatal 2016 midtown Ventura shooting near Sizzler MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A man accused of shooting at authorities and leading them on a pursuit through Maury County was taken into custody on Sunday. During the early morning hours on Sunday, Oct. 1, the Maury County Sheriffs Department said it responded to help the Columbia Police Department with information on a possible suspect in a shooting investigation. 3 injured in shooting on Murfreesboro Pike Authorities said they came across the suspect, who shot at law enforcement and led them on a chase throughout south Columbia. However, deputies were reportedly able to disable the suspect vehicle during the pursuit. According to officials, the suspect identified as Devin Edwin Rice was taken into custody before being treated and released by the Maury Regional Medical Center. Benton County couple facing drug, child endangerment charges As of this writing, Rice is being held at the Maury County Jail on other unrelated charges, authorities reported. (Courtesy: Maury County Sheriffs Department) (Courtesy: Maury County Sheriffs Department) Devin Edwin Rice (Courtesy: Maury County Sheriffs Department) Events from last night into this morning are being investigated by multiple agencies, the sheriffs department posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon. Additional charges are forthcoming. No additional details have been released about the Columbia shooting investigation that preceded Rices arrest. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Each week, Marion Technical College shares MarionMade! stories of our many wonderful people, places, products and programs in the greater Marion community. To read more positive stories of Marion, or to share some of your own, visit us at marionmade.org or on social media. Roman Catholics have been a part of Marions history since its founding and have grown and evolved with it. When Marion was founded by Eber Baker on April 3, 1822, a handful of Catholics lived here. Most settlers were of English descent but came from Ireland to escape persecution in England. They came to build railroads. By 1844, there were about 100 Catholics in the area and St. Mary parish was established. Circuit-riding priests came from neighboring towns to celebrate Masses in private homes. In 1849, Father James Burgess came to Marion and conducted regular services in the old Huber Rooms of the Huber Shops on Mill Street. A parishioner bought the building in 1854, providing the first permanent place of worship. It was used until 1862. The old Huber building was the first home to St. Mary Church. This provided a central location to worship. Before it, services were held in parishioners homes and were conducted by circuit-rider priests. Land purchased on North Prospect Street In 1853, Timothy Fahey, an Irish immigrant, opened a general store and bank in Marion. He purchased land on North Prospect Street from Eber Baker and donated it to St. Marys. Fahey and several other prominent businessmen pledged funds to build a church. A cholera epidemic the following year reduced the group to just Fahey, delaying construction. Additional land was purchased for the church in 1858. Father John Coveney became pastor of St. Marys in 1860, splitting his time between Marion and St. Patricks in Bellefontaine. Coveney initiated the construction of a church on North Prospect Street in 1861. This red brick building was completed in 1862 and dedicated by Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans, the auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati. That church served the needs of the Marion Catholic community for decades. The red brick St. Mary Catholic Church building on North Prospect Street was dedicated in 1862. Construction of the current church building Father James Burns, a native of Ireland, was appointed pastor in February 1881. He had a long and fruitful tenure, with many projects and accomplishments. As the Catholic population in Marion grew, so did the need for more worship space. In October 1891, Burns initiated construction of the current church which is still in use today. The cornerstone of the beautiful Victorian Gothic structure was laid on Oct. 10, 1894. It bears the inscription Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis which means Church of St. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. The current St. Mary Church, a Victorian Gothic structure, was dedicated Oct. 23, 1898. Built of white sandstone, the new church seated 750 people. It included beautiful stained glass windows and solid oak pews with kneelers. After four years of construction, Father Michael Mulvihill dedicated the new church on Oct. 23, 1898. 125th anniversary celebration St. Marys is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the dedication with an open house. The community is invited to tour the church from 3 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 15. Visitors can see the majestic architecture, restored stained-glass windows, grapevine-inlaid sanctuary floor, restored wooden nave floor, towering organ and more. The church is a beautiful witness and testament to the faith of so many in Marion over the last 125 years. In that time, the interior of the church has undergone several changes and, in the last decades, a couple of major re-beautification projects. We hope many will come and experience the beauty of this historic Marion building which reflects a deeper history of faith and life, says Father Seth Keller, parochial vicar of St. Mary. St. Mary Church is known for its ornate architecture and statues. St. Mary Church was built to symbolize the glory of heaven. Thus, the high ceiling draws one's eyes upward to heaven," said Father Edward Shikina, pastor. "The sandstone symbolizes the permanency and eternity of heaven. The statues symbolize the communion of saints who long for us to be with them in heaven. The beauty of the church inspires us to a greater worship of God and urges us onward to that heavenly glory. I continue to notice something new and quite beautiful each time I enter the church. We invite you to discover her beauty as well. The parishioners will commemorate the anniversary of the dedication with a special Mass celebrated by the Rev. Earl Fernandes, bishop of Columbus, at 5 p.m. on Oct. 22. This article originally appeared on Marion Star: St. Mary Catholic Church celebrates 125 years in Marion Embracing common values of whole mankind: China's commitment to brighter future 10:43, October 01, 2023 By Huan Yuping ( People's Daily In today's era, every second is what Karl Marx referred to as "world time". The futures and interests of countries are intertwined and deeply interconnected. On Sept. 28, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the general debate of the 70th Session of the United Nations(UN) General Assembly and delivered an important speech, in which he proposed the common values of the whole mankind for the first time - peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, saying the values are the lofty goals of the UN. The common values of the whole mankind reveals the greatest possible convergence of interests among different systems, different civilizations and different countries, building consensus for the advancement of human civilization and driving the creation of a better future for humanity. Despite differences among countries in history, culture, institution and level of development, their peoples do subscribe to the common values of humanity for peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom. Peace and development are the common endeavors of people from all countries and serve as the foundation for pursuing all other values. They are crucial conditions for enhancing the well-being of people. Fairness and justice are the shared ideals of people from all countries, reflected in the normative requirements of establishing a sound and reasonable order within a nation and among nations. Democracy and freedom are the common aspirations of people from all countries and are important indicators of the progress of human civilization. The common values of the whole mankind transcend the barriers of civilizations, nationalities, systems, and political parties. They condense and summarize the basic consensus of values shared by all humanity and have gained widespread recognition from the international community. Promoting peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom as the common values of the whole mankind has been enshrined in joint declarations of China and many other countries. History and reality both prove that embracing these common values with an open and inclusive spirit is essential for promoting the development and progress of human society. The common values of the whole mankind are inclusive, advocating for a broad understanding of values by different civilizations and respecting the exploration of value realization by peoples of different countries. The common values of the whole mankind are concretely and practically embodied in the pursuit of people's interests. To promote the common values of the whole mankind, it is necessary to advocate for cultural exchanges and mutual learning. Diversity makes human civilization what it is, and provides a constant source of vitality and driving force for world development. No civilization in the world is superior to others; every civilization is special and unique to its own region. Civilizations can achieve harmony only through communication, and can make progress only through harmonization. Only by letting cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority, can the world promote continuous progress of civilizations and draw a magnificent picture of human history. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. It is undergoing major shifts, division and regrouping, leading to more uncertain, unstable and unpredictable developments. Only by adhering to the common values of the whole mankind can the world propel the wheels of history towards a brighter future. Human suffering caused by regional conflicts and wars continues around the world. There are still approximately 735 million people suffering from hunger globally. The UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals consist of 169 specific targets, but only 15 percent are on track, and many goals are even experiencing setbacks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is at a time when humanity faces huge challenges - from the worsening climate emergency to escalating conflicts, the global cost-of-living crisis, soaring inequalities and dramatic technological disruptions. In order to achieve peace and development, the international community should adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, establish a new vision of security featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect the development rights of all countries, restore development to the center of the international agenda, and jointly cultivate new global development momentum. In order to achieve fairness and justice, efforts should be made to strive for equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal rules. International rules should be based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and jointly written and maintained by all. The representation and voice of developing countries should be strengthened in international affairs. In order to achieve democracy and freedom, the international community should respect and support the development paths independently chosen by different peoples, support countries in exploring democratic development paths based on their national conditions, and jointly enrich the development of human political civilization. The common values of the whole mankind are not only the common wealth of human civilization, but also the key to solving the challenges of the times. As the proposer of these common values, China will continue to work together with all parties to actively practice them, walk the path of common development, respond to the challenges of the times, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and create a better future for the world. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) UAW members walked off the job at noon in Marysville, in solidarity with colleagues across the country on Sept. 22, 2023. MARYSVILLE - Workers in Marysville joined the expanding UAW strike Friday after UAW President Shawn Fain announced that 38 new sites across the country were joining the movement at noon. The one-week-old strike expanded to only General Motors and Stellantis sites. Fain said Ford was making progress in their discussions. Ford's Wayne Assembly in Michigan, GM's Wentzville Assembly in Missouri and Stellantis' Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio were the first to go on strike last week. Fain said the expanded strike includes 5,625 workers at 38 locations across 20 states and nine regions for both automakers, the Detroit Free Press reported. Workers at the Marysville National Parts Distribution Center lined up outside the doors to exit at noon, holding their fists high and shouting "solidarity" as they walked out. Family members lined up outside to support them in UAW shirts. One by one workers went through the security gate, got in their cars and drove to the other side of Huron Boulevard to stand outside the distribution center with picket signs. Passers-by honked in support. Corey Miller, who has worked at the Marysville National Parts Distribution Center for 28 years, hugs his wife as the strike begins on Sept. 22, 2023. Trevor Hibbs, the UAW health and safety representative for his plant, said he got the word they would be going on strike at 10 a.m. when Fain announced it. He said it was important for the union to stand up for better benefits for workers. Hibbs said he knew employees who had been "temporary workers" despite working at the plant for years. "They just want to keep them temporary so they don't have to pay for benefits," Hibbs said. Friends and family gather just before the strike begins at the Marysville National Parts Distribution Center on Sept. 22, 2023. Kara Goold and her daughter Lydia waited outside the plant in a UAW shirt to show support for her husband, who has worked at the parts distribution center for 28 years. "It's scary, but somebody's got to stand up for them," Kara Goold said. Hibbs said the strike will go on until the union and the auto manufacturers reach a tentative agreement to address their demands. UAW members formed a picket line on Huron Boulevard in Marysville on Sept. 22, 2023. Cathryn Corbat, who has worked at the distribution center for 27 years, said she made preparations in anticipation of the strike. "I've planned for a little bit of time, so I do have some savings," Corbat said. She's also made money at the side working as an assistant to a wedding planner. Still, as a single mother of two kids, the loss of her income has her worried about her future. Despite the risks, however, she said it was important for her to stand with her colleagues. "The UAW has meant a lot to me in the time I've been here," Corbat said. "I'm a strong believer in the union and I believe in our union leadership." Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Marysville site joins UAW strike against Detroit Three Get ready to not freak out. On Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 2:20 p.m. EDT, every TV, radio and cellphone in the United States should blare out the distinctive, jarring electronic warning tone of an emergency alert. It's a test only a test. Officially, the trial is called the Nationwide Emergency Alert Test. You know it's a test and not an actual emergency because it's accompanied by an explanation of the test. No, it's not a national conspiracy to infect people with nanoparticles. Yes, it does go back all the way to the Cold War in the 1950s. No, we can't play you the tone we could get hit with a big fine if we did. But mostly the test is an important way to make sure that if something really bad and really big happens, Americans can be warned quickly. Here's what to know about the test: What is the emergency alert test? How does it work? The national test consists of two parts, which occur in conjunction with one another, in order to test the Emergency Alert System and the Wireless Emergency Alerts, according to FEMA. The WEA will be directed to all cellphones, while the EAS will notify all radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers. The message will be heard and seen pretty much everywhere. It's being conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio companies and cellphones networks. What will the emergency alert test message say? All across the United States, broadcast TV shows and radio will be interrupted as the emergency message goes out. That message will say: This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public." Cellphones will get the warning as a tone, a vibration and as a text message: THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed. Phones on which the main menu set to Spanish will see this: ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita accion. When will the emergency alert test happen? The alert will air at the same moment across every time zone in the country starting at 2:20 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The time will vary across time zones, so look to see when you might be alerted. 2:20 p.m. EDT 1:20 p.m. CDT 12:20 p.m. MDT 11:20 a.m. PDT 10:20 a.m. ADT 8:20 a.m. HST The test is scheduled to last approximately one minute. It will only go out once, there will be no repeats. Will you get the message if your phone is turned off? Only cellphones that are turned on will receive the message. If your phone is on but the sound and vibration features are turned off, you'll still get the message. If your phone is set to Wi-Fi or airplane mode, it won't receive the alert because the message goes out over the cellular broadcast system. A statewide outdoor warning siren system is seen in a neighborhood on August 13, 2023 in Kihei, Hawaii. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has asked the states attorney general to open a comprehensive review of the statewide outdoor warning siren system that failed to warn thousands of Lahaina residents about a wind driven wildfire that was headed to town this past week. At least 93 people were killed and thousands were displaced from the deadliest wildfire in over 100 years. Crews are continuing to search for nearly 1,000 missing people. How loud will the alert be? The type of noise and general volume of the alert is similar to that of an Amber Alert or warnings issued by the National Weather Service in case of severe weather. The WEA alert, which will be sent out to all cellular devices will be accompanied by a unique tone and vibration to make sure that the alerts will be available to the public, including people with disabilities, according to FEMA. Why do we need a national emergency warning test? Federal emergency management coordinators need to make sure the national alert system is still an effective way to warn Americans about emergencies, natural catastrophes, attacks and accidents at the national level. People pass screens displaying a nation wide test alarm message at the main train station in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. Warning messages were blaring on cell phones, public displays and deafening alarms sounded across Germany in a nationwide test alert. The screen reads: "Official Warning- Test Alarm Germany There is no need for action Report your observations at https://warntag-umfrage.de." What will the emergency alert test sound like? We can't tell you. The people who run the test want to make really, really sure if you hear the warning tone you know to pay attention. Because of that, it's against federal law to play the emergency warning Attention Signal, or a recording of it, in any circumstance other than an actual emergency or authorized test. In 2021 a proposed fine of $20,000 was levied against "The Doug Bashman Radio Show" for playing the Emergency Alert System Attention Signal "in the absence of any actual emergency." In 2019, the CBS television show "Young Sheldon" was hit with a proposed fine of $272,000 for playing a tornado warning sound effect. Playing the tone when there isn't a real emergency or a real test could lead to "alert fatigue" where the public becomes desensitized to the alerts and stops paying attention to them, the Federal Communications Commission said in a statement about the radio show fine. All we can offer is this, the official description of the warning tone: "The audio attention signal must have a temporal pattern of one long tone of two (2) seconds, followed by two short tones of one (1) second each, with a half (0.5) second interval between each tone. The entire sequence must be repeated twice with a half (0.5) second interval between each repetition." How does the emergency test go out? The wireless emergency warning goes out over the internet and a backup through Public Broadcasting System stations. It originated at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, working with the Federal Communications Commission. FEMA sends it out over virtual private networks to television and radio stations and to US cellular companies. Each of those entities then sends the message out to their customers. There's a backup system, in case for any reason that doesn't work, and it involves PBS this is where the public in Public Broadcasting Service comes in. The emergency message signal also goes out to PBS's Warning, Alert & Response Network via datacast. "We put it up onto our satellite and our interconnected system and we are able to get every single alert to every single public television station across the country," said Dana Golub, vice president of Technology Business Operations and executive director of the WARN system. Each of the more than 330 PBS stations nationally is connected to the cellphone carriers' data centers in their area and sends the warning message to them as well. This means cellphone companies get two test messages, the system design ensures that only one goes out. If for any reason there was a hiccup in the internet and the first warning didn't reach the cell carrier, the alternative warning from the local PBS station is available as a backup. Could the test harm people with hearing aids? Many people with hearing aids now have them connected to their cellphones so that the audio from phone calls comes into their hearing aids via Bluetooth. There have been some online postings suggesting the loud warning tone could be harmful. However it's not really a concern, said D'Anne Rudden, a doctor of audiology at the Longmont Hearing and Tinnitus Center in Longmont, Colorado. "There are output limiters on hearing aids, so even though you're getting amplification there's a ceiling, they won't exceed levels that are potentially damaging to your hearing," she said. Emergency alert test is not a conspiracy theory There are conspiracy theories on social media suggesting that the warning tone will somehow turn on technology that has been implanted into American's bodies, putting them under some sort of "control." These claims are untrue. The test cannot harm people and is only to verify the national alert system is working. How long have these warning tests been happening? The first national emergency broadcasting system in the U.S. was created in 1951 as a way for the government to use radio networks to warn the nation of an enemy attack during the Cold War. It was further refined and expanded as fears of nuclear attack grew in the 1950s and 60s. The first nationwide test of the most recent version of the Emergency Alert System took place on Nov. 9, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. EST. The test on Oct. 4 will be the seventh nationwide test sent to radios and televisions, the third to consumer cellphones and the second to all cellular devices. Are there ever false alarms? Over the years there have been mistaken messages sent out that triggered false alarms at the local level, especially in the 1950s when the system was new and communication more difficult. The most recent high profile false alarm occurred in 2018 in Hawaii when the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency system mistakenly sent an alert notification warning of a ballistic missile threat to the Islands. During a shift change, someone had selected the wrong item on a computer. The message read, "Ballistic Missile Threat Inbound To Hawaii. Seek Immediate Shelter. This Is Not A Drill." Some state highway signs also noted the warning. It took 38 minutes to clarify that the alert was due to user error. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Emergency alert test is coming: When is the test? What will it say? Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz has been vowing to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy . McCarthy bucked some House conservatives by agreeing to a stopgap funding measure on Saturday. On Sunday, Gaetz accused McCarthy of lying to both House conservatives and President Joe Biden . Florida Republican Matt Gaetz says rank-and-file Democrats are totally right: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is a liar. Speaking to CNN on Sunday, hours after a last-minute deal was reached to avert a government shutdown, Gaetz a close ally of former President Donald Trump promised that this week he would try to oust McCarthy from his position as leader of the GOP-controlled chamber. "I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy," Gaetz told CNN's State of the Union. The lawmaker, who has his own history of making false claims, maintained that "everybody" shares his lack of faith in the Republican leader. "[N]obody trusts Kevin McCarthy," Gaetz said. "He lied to Biden, he lied to House conservatives." Under the deal reached late Saturday night, the Republican-led House agreed to fund the government for another 45 days, ensuring soldiers and federal workers continue to receive pay but omitting any funds for Ukraine, a majority of GOP lawmakers having earlier voted against any more military aid. That came after McCarthy, this spring, agreed to a separate deal with the White House that was sold to the public as preventing the very brinkmanship seen this past week. As The Washington Post reported at the time, the bipartisan compromise would by way of steep cuts in future spending help Congress avoid partisan gridlock and "a government shutdown this fall." But McCarthy soon after claimed he'd only accepted caps on federal spending and, in a concession to far-right members of his caucus, argued that Republicans could go even further in imposing cuts on non-defense spending. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, like other Democrats, accused McCarthy this week of breaking his word. "Remember, bipartisan majorities agreed to funding levels back in June. The leaders of the House, the Senate, the White House, we all shook hands on this deal, but now the speaker, and only the speaker, is going back on his word," the New York lawmaker said Thursday. McCarthy, by agreeing to a stopgap funding measure on Saturday, ultimately bucked his party's most conservative members calculating, as Gaetz and other hard-right Republicans see it, that his speakership could survive even if he sided with the very Democrats who were calling him a liar days earlier. A spokesperson for McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation, the House speaker said he wasn't worried about Gaetz's threat to his leadership. "I'll survive," McCarthy said, accusing Gaetz of preferring media attention to the challenge of governing. "He's more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something." Read the original article on Business Insider Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Sunday said hes committed to helping Ukraine, but that addressing the crisis at the border is a bigger priority. The priority for me is America and our borders, McCarthy said when pressed during an interview on CBSs Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan about Ukraine. Now, I support being able to make sure Ukraine has the weapons that they need, but I firmly support the border first. So weve got to find a way that we can do this together. Ukraine was a big loser in the stopgap measure approved by Congress in a dramatic weekend vote that prevented a government shutdown. More than $6 billion in aid to the war-torn country had been included in a Senate stopgap measure, but McCarthy in a surprise Saturday move brought legislation to the floor that funded the government but did not include aid to Ukraine. A number of House Republicans oppose aid to Ukraine, which has been a priority for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republicans. The Senate GOP, itself divided over Ukraine, agreed to the McCarthy plan. The back-and-forth is increasing pressure on Congress to do something for Ukraine now, though McCarthy on Sunday made it clear hes more focused on the border. When pressed over the White Houses argument that it does not have enough money for Ukraine, McCarthy said, They have more than $3 billion dollars right now to help them to get through it. If they have some challenge, we can sit down and we can talk about that. But the American border matters and more Americans are dying on our border than Americans are dying in Ukraine, McCarthy continued. Asked if he is linking Ukraine aid to a border bill vote, McCarthy replied that the American border matters. Theyre [Ukraine] not going to get some big package if the border is not secure, McCarthy said. ..We will work with people in need, but the one thing the White House has to understand they better be prepared to secure American border. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Sunday brushed off Rep. Matt Gaetzs (R-Fla.) threats to oust him from the Speakership, calling it something personal with the Florida lawmaker. Thats nothing new, hes tried to do that from the moment I ran for office, McCarthy said in an interview on CBS Newss Face The Nation. Ill survive, you know this is personal with Matt, McCarthy said. Matt voted against the most conservative bill to protect our border. McCarthy was responding to a threat from Gaetz made just an hour before his appearance on the CBS morning show. Speaking on CNN, Gaetz said he has plans to file a motion to vacate McCarthy from his Speakership this week, one day after the House voted to avert a government shutdown. The House voted on legislation brought to the floor by McCarthy that extends funding for 47 days. The bill was opposed by 90 Republicans and one Democrat. McCarthy pivoted to that legislation after Gaetz and other GOP opponents voted Friday against a separate funding measure that would have imposed steeper spending cuts on the government. That bill had no chance of passing the Senate, but McCarthy argued it would have given the House more leverage in negotiations with the Senate and White House. Gaetz has long threatened to oust McCarthy. He had opposed McCarthy during Januarys Speakership vote, withholding support through 15 ballots. The vote would only need a few Republicans if Democrats join the effort. The minority party would generally be expected to back such a motion, but its not clear what Democrats will do in this case. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said Democrats should not do anything for free. McCarthy said Sunday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has not given him any indication of what he would do. Gaetz was trying to work with Democrats, hes reached out to [Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)], [Ocasio-Cortez] and others, but if thats the way were going to govern, I dont think America is going to be successful, McCarthy said, touting his work on the debt ceiling and border protections. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Kevin McCarthy s embrace of a bipartisan deal to avert a US government shutdown triggered a mutiny by far-right Republicans to depose him as House speaker. Most Read from Bloomberg Florida Republican Matt Gaetz said on Sunday hell file a motion to vacate the chair this week, seizing on a parliamentary process that has not resulted in a speaker removal vote since 1910. McCarthy responded defiantly, telling CBS News hell survive any attempt to remove him. I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week, Gaetz said on CNNs State of the Union. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy. Gaetzs announcement came just hours after the House and Senate passed a temporary spending bill that attracted support from both sides. Gaetz said his move stemmed from McCarthys embrace of a bipartisan deal that didnt enact the steep spending cuts ultra-conservatives have demanded. That, he has said, is the latest in a string of promises McCarthy made to be elected speaker and has since broken. This isnt personal. This is about spending, Gaetz said. This is about the deal Kevin McCarthy made. McCarthy, who portrayed himself as the adult in the room during the maneuvering that led to the deal, said hes ready for the fight. Bring it on, lets get over with it and lets start governing, McCarthy said on CBSs Face the Nation. If hes upset because he tried to push us into a shutdown and I made sure the government didnt shut down, lets have that fight. McCarthy needs only a simple majority of House members voting to stop the effort to remove him. Republicans hold a slim majority and just five could join unified Democrats to bounce McCarthy from the speakers office. Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, said he thinks McCarthys in trouble. Im going to be totally blunt. There are a lot of trust issues in my chamber right now, Donalds said on Fox News Sunday. Previously, some House Democrats have said any effort to save McCarthy from a hardliner revolt would be contingent on bipartisan compromises. Even if McCarthy survives the mutiny, Republican dissenters could call for a new vote at any time or impose procedural hurdles to block consideration of legislation. That essentially requires him to either maintain the alliance with Democrats a de-facto coalition government in the House or resolve differences with hardliners who now have one more reason to resent his leadership. In 2015, then-Speaker John Boehner resigned when hardliners threatened such a rebellion rather than rely on Democratic votes to remain in power. House Democrats led by Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York could decide to bail out McCarthy, even if they dont actually cast votes to keep him in his post. Enough members could simply not show up, hold back their votes or merely vote present, lowering the threshold number of nays to removal that McCarthy needs to prevail. Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota has said he and other Democrats would consider helping out McCarthy out. But he reeled back those comments after the speaker authorized formal impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden, which Phillips considered an act of pandering to the Republican hard right. Still, its not too late for McCarthy to win back that potential support, Phillips and others say. Jeffries has said he hasnt contemplated aiding McCarthy. Well just have to cross that bridge, if and when we get to it, he said. Gaetz, a lawyer and fourth-term member of Congress, is seizing on the ability of any House member to file the motion, which is considered privileged, giving it priority consideration. That power dates from a parliamentary rules manual written by Thomas Jefferson. While 90 House Republicans opposed the stopgap funding bill on Saturday, 126 GOP members joined Democrats in supporting it. Representative Mike Lawler, a moderate Republican from New York who backed the bill, called Gaetzs efforts a diatribe of delusional thinking. He said the partys ultraconservative flank was why moderates had to compromise with House Democrats to pass the measure. That is not the fault of Kevin McCarthy, thats the fault of Matt Gaetz, Lawler said on ABCs This Week. --With assistance from Alicia Diaz. (Updates with McCarthy comments starting in second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Ukrainian drones successfully struck a helicopter base in Sochi and an aircraft factory in Smolensk on Oct. 1, according to reports by Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainska Pravda. Videos posted on local Russian social media channels showed smoke and explosions near Sochi's Adler airbase, but it was unclear what the extent of the damage was at the time of this publication. Ukrainska Pravda later reported, citing its source in the intelligence services, that Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) was behind the attack. The aircraft factory in Smolensk which appears to have been the target of the attack is part of the state-run Tactical Missile Armament corporation. Drone attacks have become commonplace both in occupied Crimea and in Russia itself. On Aug. 30, a drone strike destroyed four Il-76 aircraft in Pskov Oblast, and marine drones took part in a large-scale attack on a shipyard in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea, that damaged two Russian navy vessels. Read also: Deadly drone arms race intensifies as Ukraine, Russia embrace the future of war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Statesman Journal has hired Olivia Stevens as its fall outdoors journalism intern. Stevens is a 2023 graduate of the University of Minnesota. She got her start working at the Minnesota Daily, the school's student newspaper, covering city and state politics. She also took on roles at local newspapers like the Mankato Free Press and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She eventually became the managing editor at the Minnesota Daily. This summer, she completed an internship at Minnesota Public Radio. Stevens grew up in Hugo, Minnesota, about a half hour from the Twin Cities, and has always been an avid traveler. Other than one road trip, she is a bit of a visitor to Oregon herself. She loves the Pacific Northwest and is excited to see as much of Oregon as she can while shes here. Stevens will work with longtime Statesman Journal outdoors reporter Zach Urness to cover the states wild places and environment, including public lands, wildfires and outdoor recreation. Growing up in a suburb, Stevens used every chance she got to retreat in the outdoors. She went to summer camp every year as a kid, and developed a love for long canoeing and kayaking trips. She also loves camping and hiking and is always looking for new places to check out. She hopes to tell stories about unique activities that encourage people to explore the outdoors in new ways. I find it amazing how valued the outdoors are here in Oregon, Stevens said. Im so excited to be able to follow environmental news while exploring the wild landscape here. Stevens is the final of three outdoors journalism interns for 2023 at the Statesman Journal. The position is funded through sponsors of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon and Hiking Southern Oregon. He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or 503-399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Statesman Journal hires fall outdoors journalism intern Grand Rapids-based Meijer announced they are partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan on a Medicare Advantage Plan. Grocer and retailer Meijer is venturing into the health insurance field, partnering with a local Medicare Advantage plan provider. Meijer, based in Grand Rapids with stores in several Midwest states, announced on Sunday it is partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) on a Medicare Advantage Plan. Partnering with a grocer is a first for the health insurer. So many of our Medicare Advantage members already love shopping at Meijer. Were ready to help members make the most of Medicare Advantage through this partnership with Meijer, said Krischa Winright, president of Medicare Advantage at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in a news release. "Partnering with Meijer, another respected Michigan-based business, will enable us to meet more of our members where they want to be, making the most of the resources theyre most likely already using and lowering their out-of-pocket costs in the process. More: Motor City Brewing Works shutters its taproom on Detroit's Avenue of Fashion The new plan, called Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer, will be available to seniors starting Oct. 15, which is the start of the annual Medicare enrollment period that runs through Dec. 7. The plan will be accepted at all Meijer stores throughout Michigan. More: Documentary film to focus on the history of Detroit's chefs: Watch the trailer Like many Medicare Advantage plans available, the Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer has a $0 monthly premium, annual deductible, primary care visits, and $0 copay on many generic prescription drugs to use at BCBSM in-network pharmacies, according to a news release. The plan also includes dental and vision coverage. We provide a wide range of high-quality wellness products and services and being a part of this new Medicare Plus Blue PPO plan reinforces our commitment in being a one-stop wellness destination that can support our customers in all facets of their health journey," said Jackie Morse, group vice president of pharmacy and health at Meijer. A benefit of the new plan includes an annual allowance of $660, or $165 per quarter, which members can use at Meijer stores across Michigan. Members can use the allowance quarterly to spend on over-the-counter health and wellness items such as bandages and vitamins. Any unused funds roll over to the next quarter but must be used by the end of 2024. The yearly benefit allowance can also be applied to healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, for those who have a qualifying chronic condition. Nineteen different chronic conditions qualify, BCBSM said, including asthma, cardiovascular disorders and diabetes. Eligible food items include: Fruits and vegetables Meat, poultry, and fish Dairy products Breads and cereals Other foods such as snack foods and nonalcoholic beverages Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat Enrolling in Medicare Advantage plans has been on the rise for the last two decades, according to an analysis by KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation. More than half of those eligible for Medicare, KFF says, are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. In Michigan, 60% or more of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. "The average Medicare beneficiary in 2023 has access to 43 Medicare Advantage plans, the largest number of options ever," according to KFF. Once enrolled, the Medicare Plus Blue PPO + Meijer plan takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Meijer partners with Blue Cross of Michigan Medicare Advantage Plan The Mesa Police Department has not yet named the suspect in the case. A 21-year-old suspect was seriously injured after attempting to flee from officers when he was hit by a Mesa police car in order to be detained Saturday night near Baseline Road and McClintock Drive, police said. At about 11 p.m. Saturday, Mesa officers were dispatched to a home near Baseline and Dobson roads after reports of a fight. Callers reported gunshots and the suspect leaving the area in a dark-colored car, according to Mesa police. According to police, no one was injured at the house where the fight took place, but police reported property damage from bullets. Mesa crime: Police shoot, kill man after shootout at a residence Officers found the suspected shooter and attempted to pull him over, but the car did not stop. As officers continued to pursue the suspect, he was involved in a single-vehicle crash in Tempe near Baseline Road and McClintock Drive. Following the crash, the suspect left his car and continued fleeing on foot. He ran westbound on Baseline until he turned and began running east toward officers. One officer stopped pursuing the suspect in their car and unsuccessfully attempted to use a taser on the man as the suspect ran past, according to police. Another officer used his patrol vehicle to hit the suspect after seeing him reach for his waistband, police said. The officers vehicle then collided with a tree. The suspect was treated for his injuries and was then taken to a hospital for further treatment and is in stable condition, according to the Mesa Police Department. According to Detective Brandi George, a spokesperson for the department, the suspect faces felony charges upon release from the hospital. The suspect's identity will be released tomorrow when he is out of the hospital. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mesa police pursuit ends in suspect being hit by patrol vehicle Local members of the Atlanta community shared their reactions early Saturday evening to the down-to-the-wire voting on Capitol Hill to keep the government running. The back and forth between chambers, and political figures, has some wondering if the government would actually shut down. Channel 2s Veronica Griffin spoke to business professor Ramnath Chellappa with Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School about a possible government shutdown and what that means to the Atlanta area. Chellappa said a government shutdown could be detrimental to the economy. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] It could be detrimental because we are going to curtail some training programs they initially would have run, said Chellalppa. Essentially, when you create uncertainty in the operational budget of a firm, were going to have a problem. Essentially were creating uncertainty on an operational budget of the country. A government shutdown would keep essential workers like the TSA on board without pay, to be paid once the government opens back up and resumes spending. Chellappa said there are still so many other entities tied to government funds that a shutdown would have far-reaching implications. RELATED STORIES: Chellappa told Channel 2 Action News the budget shutdown could have impacts on immigration to the United States, travel by U.S. citizens going to other countries, and even domestic travel. Our embassies that are subjected to the State Department budget, theyre also going to be affected. Visas will be delayed. Passports are going to be delayed, travel will be delayed. And workers who are coming in on visas? Theyre going to be affected as well, said Chellappa. While the shutdown appears to have been averted, thanks to last-minute votes in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, the 45-day delay they passed doesnt mean things are over. Congress still needs to use their now-extended time to agree on a full budget and spending through legislation. As it stands, the current agreement would delay a shutdown until Nov. 17. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: The Middleboro Police Department is mourning the loss of Lt. Angelo AJ Lapanna III, a longtime police officer and a decorated Army combat veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Lapanna, 48, a married father of three, has died after being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic head and neck cancer in April 2021, Police Chief Joseph Perkins said in a statement on Sunday. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lieutenant Angelo AJ Lapanna III, said Perkins. Lieutenant Lapanna dedicated more than 22 years to the department, serving and protecting the Middleborough community, We thank him and his family for his dedication and sacrifice. Lapanna joined the Middleborough Police Department in July 2001 as a patrol officer. In 2019, he was promoted to sergeant and served in that position until his subsequent promotion to lieutenant in August. Lapanna also served for 23 years in the Army National Guard, with 10 years in the Military Police, and 13 years in the Army Special Forces (Green Berets). He served two combat tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. Lapanna is survived by his wife, Traci, and their three children. Details about a memorial service will be released as they become available, Perkins said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Saltwater will soon rush into the Mississippi River, which hit its lowest flow rate since 1988. That means the drinking water for thousands of Louisiana residents will be polluted. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the crisis could last until January and affect 20% of the state. For the second year in a row, the Mississippi River water level is at an extreme low. The problem is thanks to an ongoing drought event. The river's current levels are comparable to last October when barges got stuck on sandbars and US agricultural exports suffered. We're already seeing those crises repeat themselves: This summer brought 40 days of river closures, meaning the boats that travel along the Mississippi river carrying roughly 60% of the country's grain exports faced significant delays. If a receding water level sending shocks through the supply chain wasn't enough, the river is also facing its lowest flow rate since 1988, threatening the drinking water for southern Louisiana residents in and around New Orleans. That's because a low flow rate could allow saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to push into the river and pollute the source of drinking water for thousands. Mississippi River water flows may reach as low as 130,000 cubic feet per second this year, according to Matt Roe, a spokesperson for New Orleans' US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). That number should be at 300,000 cubic feet per second to keep ocean water out, he said. Officials built two sills which are underwater concrete barriers in the last two years to help raise the water levels. The USACE built the second sill in July after it became apparent saltwater was moving upriver, Roe told Insider. As the saltwater wedge approaches, USACE officials are working 24/7 to augment the second sill. While the augmentation won't stop the saltwater from invading, it will buy affected communities more time. "The augmented sill is expected to provide an additional 10 to 15 days for communities upriver to continue their preparation efforts," Roe said. The augmentation process began September 24 and will take 24 days to complete, according to Roe. As of September 27, officials reported the wedge was at River Mile 69.4, less than 30 miles downstream from New Orleans' Algiers Water Purification Plant. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards requested a federal emergency declaration from President Joe Biden last week, writing that 20% of the state could be impacted by the saltwater intrusion and experts predict the crisis could last until January 2024. Plaquemines Parish, just south of New Orleans, has already purchased 200,000 bottles of water in anticipation, Edwards wrote. USACE officials beyond Louisiana are also working to mitigate the effects of low water levels and low flow rates. Further upriver in Missouri, the USACE is working 24/7 with two dredgers boats that suck up accumulated sediment to move sediment from the river bank and into the channel with the goal of raising water levels, according to Lou Dell'Orco, chief of operations and readiness at the USACE St. Louis District. Ultimately, rain and a lot of it is what the Mississippi River will need to reach its average water level and flow rate again, Roe and Dell'Orco both agreed. Read the original article on Business Insider A candidate for Missouri governor has said he wasnt really burning books in a recent viral video, but if elected, hed burn woke pornographic books on the front lawn of the governors mansion rather than allow them in schools. Porn, to be clear, is not in school libraries. Many Republicans have described topics and books with LGBTQ+ themes as sexually explicit, especially books related to gender identity. Bill Eigel, currently a state senator, is seeking the 2024 Republican nomination for governor. The video shows him and another GOP state senator, Nick Schroer, setting cardboard boxes on fire with flamethrowers at a Republican fundraising event held Friday in Missouris St. Charles County. The video was shared widely across social media, leading some to accuse Eigel of book burning. But he and other Republicans said the boxes were empty. In the video, I am taking a flame thrower to cardboard boxes representing what I am going to do to the leftist policies and RINO corruption of the Jeff City swamp, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, referring to Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri. But lets be clear, you bring those woke pornographic books to Missouri schools to try to brainwash our kids, and Ill burn those too on the front lawn of the governors mansion. (@) Eigel, a state senator since 2017, has sponsored a bill to ban materials on gender identity or gender reassignment in schools, but it hasnt passed. On the website for his gubernatorial campaign, he vows to eliminate hate-based ideologies such as Critical Race Theory, the 1619 Project, and other woke programs in public schools. He enthusiastically supported legislation that passed this year to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors and some adults, and to bar trans student athletes from competing under their gender identity. Missouris current governor, Republican Mike Parson, cant run again in 2024 because of term limits. Besides Eigel, candidates seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination are Jay Ashcroft, the current secretary of state, and Mike Kehoe, now the lieutenant governor. The only Democrat who has announced her candidacy so far is House Minority Leader Crystal Quade. Quade issued a statement condemning Eigels stunt, The Kansas City Star reports. Bill Eigel and his extremist allies idea of campaigning for governor is using a flamethrower to burn whatever he doesnt agree with, she said. Watching lawmakers use flamethrowers to intimidate folks they disagree with is a jarring reminder of how they view their jobs as a joke, while real people suffer from their cruelty. We deserve a government thats going to work to solve real problems, not make political stunts. Pictured: Bill Eigel and the flamethrower video More than a hundred dolphins have been found dead in the Brazilian Amazon amid an historic drought and record-high water temperatures that in places have exceeded 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The dead dolphins were all found in Lake Tefe over the past seven days, according to the Mamiraua Institute, a research facility funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science. The institute said such a high number of deaths was unusual and suggested record-high lake temperatures and an historic drought in the Amazon may have been the cause. The news is likely to add to the concerns of climate scientists over the effects human activity and extreme droughts are having on the region. Its still early to determine the cause of this extreme event but according to our experts, it is certainly connected to the drought period and high temperatures in Lake Tefe, in which some points are exceeding 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit), the institute said in comments carried by CNN affiliate CNN Brasil. The Amazon River, the worlds largest waterway, is currently in the dry season, and several specimens of river fauna are also suffering from record-high temperatures. A severe drought is threatening the Amazon river. - Edmar Barros/AP Researchers and activists are trying to rescue surviving dolphins by transferring them from lagoons and ponds in the outskirts to the main body of the river where the water is cooler, reported CNN Brasil, but the operation is not easy due to the remoteness of the area. Transferring river dolphins to other rivers is not that safe because its important to verify if toxins or viruses are present [before releasing the animals into the wild], Andre Coelho, a researcher at the Mamiraua Institute, told CNN Brasil. The drought in the Amazon is impacting the economy as well. Below average levels of water have been reported in 59 municipalities in Amazonas State, impeding both transport and fishing activities on the river. Authorities expect even more acute droughts over the next couple of weeks, which could result in further deaths of dolphins, CNN Brasil reported. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The Fresno Chaffee Zoo celebrated its most successful Safari Night yet bringing awareness to Californias state symbol, the California Grizzly Bear. Safari Night is an annual benefit that the zoo says brought about 700 guests in total Friday night. It was a spectacular night where we celebrated all the Zoo has accomplished and built excitement for the first phase of our master plan, the California experience, Sierras to the Sea, said Fresno Chaffee Zoo CEO and Director, Jon Forrest Dohlin. As next year marks the 100 anniversary of the extinction of the California Grizzly, zoo officials state they are doing what they can to help encourage the public to find ways people and wildlife can thrive together. Our team is currently planning to collaborate with accredited zoos and aquariums throughout the state to create public awareness through events, lectures, social media, and legislation with the hopes that this anniversary will honor something lost but also start the effort of finding ways for people and wildlife to thrive together, Dohlin explained. The zoo also celebrated its Centennial Campaign, which commemorates the Chaffee Zoos 100 years of service to the Central Valley from 1929 to 2029. The Zoo remains a renowned and respected destination for learning and wonderment and a leader in conservation efforts for future generations, said Kyle Kirkland, Fresno Chaffee Zoo Board Chair who chaired the campaign. Anyone seeking to be a part of the Chaffee Zoos master plan and Centennial Campaign can reach out to Giving@FresnoChaffeeZoo.org for more information. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. A motorcyclist was killed Saturday night when they plowed into the rear of a car at a high rate of speed on Interstate 270 southbound south of East Broad Street on the Far East Side. A motorcyclist traveling at a high rate of speed with another motorcyclist on Interstate 270 southbound died after crashing into the rear of a car south of East Broad Street on the Far East Side, Columbus police said. The accident occurred about 10:41 p.m. Saturday, when the operator of a BMW motorcycle hit the rear of a Chevrolet Cruze traveling in the center lane with such force that the motorcylist was ejected and all of the car's airbags were deployed, police said. The motorcyclist landed on the right shoulder of the roadway, where they were pronounced dead at the scene at 10:55 p.m. The name of the motorcyclist had not been released by Columbus police as of early Monday afternoon. According to witnesses and an Ohio Department of Transportation traffic in that area, police said the motorcyclist was traveling with another motorcyclist at a high rate of speed and failed to maintain a safe buffer distance behind the Chevrolet before striking the car. There were no reported injuries to the occupants of the Chevrolet, police said. The crash, which closed the interstate into early Sunday morning, remains under investigation, police said. Peter Gill covers immigration, new American communities and religion for The Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America at: bit.ly/3fNsGaZ. pgill@dispatch.com @pitaarji This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Motorcyclist dies after crashing into car at high speed on I-270 (Refiles to remove extraneous word "to" in first paragraph) By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -At memorials to Yevgeny Prigozhin , who was killed in an unexplained plane crash exactly 40 days ago, dozens of mourners hailed the mutinous mercenary chief as a patriotic hero of Russia who had spoken truth to power. The private Embraer jet on which Prigozhin was travelling to St Petersburg crashed north of Moscow killing all 10 people on board on Aug. 23, including two other top Wagner figures, Prigozhin's four bodyguards and a crew of three. It is still unclear what caused the plane to crash two months to the day since Prigozhin's failed mutiny. The Kremlin said on Aug. 30 that investigators were considering the possibility that the plane was downed on purpose. At his grave in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg, his mother, Violetta, and his son, Pavel, laid flowers. Supporters waved the black flags of Wagner which sport a skull and the motto "Blood, Honour, Motherland, Courage". In eastern Orthodoxy, it is believed that the soul makes its final journey to either heaven or hell on the 40th day after death. At memorials in Moscow and other Russian cities dozens of Wagner fighters and ordinary Russians paid their respects, though there was no mass outpouring of grief. Russian state television was silent. "He can be criticized for certain events, but he was a patriot who defended the motherland's interests on different continents," Wagner's recruitment arm said in a statement on Telegram. "He was charismatic and importantly he was close to the fighters and to the people. And that's why he became popular both in Russia and abroad," it said. Prigozhin's mutiny posed the biggest challenge to President Vladimir Putin 's rule since the former KGB spy rose to power in 1999. Western diplomats say it exposed the strains on Russia of the war in Ukraine. 'LEADER' After months of insulting Putin's top brass with a variety of crude expletives and prison slang over their perceived failure to fight the Ukraine war properly, Prigozhin took control of the southern city of Rostov in late June. His fighters shot down a number of Russian aircraft, killing their pilots, and advanced towards Moscow before turning back 200 km (125 miles) from the capital. Putin initially cast Prigozhin as a traitor whose mutiny could have tipped Russia into civil war, though he later did a deal with him to defuse the crisis. Mourners spoke of respect for Prigozhin. "He was a real authority, a leader," Mikhail, a serviceman in Russia's armed forces who refused to give his second name, told Reuters. Moscow resident Marta, who also refused to give her surname, said the people believed in Prigozhin but that Wagner had been "decapitated" by the deaths of him and co-founder Dmitry Utkin. "Hope for justice died with him," she said. "People believed in him." Pro-Wagner groups posted a video of Prigozhin flying to Mali where, after a thunder storm, he met a senior commander known by his call sign "Lotus" - Anton Yelizarov - who is now reported to be leading the group. Opponents such as the United States cast Wagner as a brutal crime group which plundered African states and meted out sledgehammer deaths to those who challenged it. Putin was on Friday shown meeting one of the most senior former commanders of the Wagner mercenary group and discussing how best to use "volunteer units" in the Ukraine war. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Alison Williams) The world's super rich have increasingly sought out superyachts in recent years. One way the ultra-wealthy are now accessorizing their luxury ships is with a submersible. These vessels can cost at least a few million dollars each. Joyrides on jetskis while sailing the high seas on your giant yacht are so last year. Now, the world's .01% are seeking submersible vessels to accessorize their latest superyacht purchase, The Washington Post reports. In 2021, sales of superyachts yachts at least 120 feet long reached record levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, Insider previously reported. And these luxury vessels have only become larger, along with the demand, as the number of billionaires has grown in the past few years. "You have a mega-yacht, a super yacht a submersible has become the next thing to have," Ofer Ketter, co-founder of SubMerge, which facilitates private submersible expeditions, told The New York Times. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was recently spotted sailing the Mediterranean Sea in his $500 million megayacht Koru, which is 417 feet long. Jeff Bezos on his megayacht named Koru (top). MEGA/GC Images There are several other expenses the uber-wealthy may want to consider with the purchase price of a superyacht, which, according to the Post, can cost at least $10 million. There's gas, maintenance, storage, insurance, and, of course, staff to take care of guests on board. But they may also want to include a submarine to explore the deep seas with their friends. "Yacht owners are, by and large, people who have an interest in the ocean," Patrick Lahey, founder of Triton Submersibles, previously told Insider. "They like to go places and experience new things, and there's nothing quite like seeing the ocean from the perspective of a submersible." This interest from the ultrawealthy was highlighted earlier this year after the OceanGate submersible imploded in June, instantly killing all five passengers. The company offered seats to visit the sunken Titanic ship in its vessel, Titan, for $250,000 per passenger. The disaster may have sparked more interest in extreme adventures from the wealthy, Phillippe Brown, founder of Brown and Hudson travel company, previously told Insider. A submarine on display at the 32nd edition of the International Monaco Yacht Show on September 27, 2023. Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images At Triton Submersibles, a vessel can cost between $2.5 million and $7 million, Insider reported. Similarly, SEAmagine, another submersible company that began in 1995, sells vessels that accommodate 2 to 7 people and cost the same amount as Triton's submersibles. One of the company's models, the Aurora-80, can reach depths of up to 3,300 feet. Ian Sheard, a principal engineer at SEAmagine, told the Post the vessels aren't actually parked inside the yacht but instead rely on what he calls "the toy hauler," which is just a "shadow ship" that follows the superyacht and carries all the goods that can't fit on the main ship. "Even after a thousand dives, it never stops being exciting," Charles Kohnen, co-founder of SEAmagine, told the Times. Read the original article on Business Insider MSNBCs Alicia Menendez began her program on a personal note Saturday as she declared that shed stay clear of covering the indictment of her father, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). Last week, a grand jury indicted U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez. This past week, dozens of members of his own party have demanded his resignation, said the MSNBC anchor on her American Voices program. I have been watching, along with all of you, as a citizen and also as his daughter. I will not be reporting on the legal case. She then pointed to her own networks reporting as she spoke just over one week after her father was indicted on corruption charges. That said, my colleagues across MSNBC and NBC News, they have aggressively covered the story and theyll continue to do so, as they should, the anchor added. .@AliciaMenendez on charges against her dad: "I have been watching along with all of you as a citizen and also as his daughter. I will not be reporting on the legal case. That said, my colleagues...have aggressively covered the story. Theyll continue to do so, as they should." pic.twitter.com/277gfQARuS Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) September 30, 2023 Alicia Menendezs father and his current wife, Nadine Menendez, were among those indicted in an alleged bribery scheme. Her father has been accused of accepting gifts in exchange for using his position in politics to aid the Egyptian government. Bob Menendez has since pleaded not guilty, and an attorney for Nadine Menendez has said she also denies the allegations. High-profile Democrats have called for the resignation of the senator, who stepped down from his role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The anchor whose mother, Jane, was married to Bob Menendez from 1976 to 2005 didnt appear on her program last weekend in the wake of the indictment. A source told The Washington Post that the timing was coincidental as she was long set to attend a wedding. Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Nadine Menendez as Alicias mother. Alicias mother, Jane, was previously married to Bob Menendez. Bob and Nadine married in 2020. Related... Rep. Nancy Pelosi sat on board a plane from the president's military fleet on Saturday as it transported the remains of Sen. Dianne Feinstein to San Francisco, in preparation for her upcoming funeral service. Feinstein who passed away in her Washington, D.C. home on Thursday after attending to a series of votes on Capitol Hill shared a long friendship with Pelosi, who has spoken emotionally on her passing since the event took place. "With Dianne, it's obviously official, it's political, and it's very personal," Pelosi said on Sunday, in a quote obtained from CNN. "She was my neighbor, my friend. My family loved her personally, politically, in every way. We used to always say, if Dianne and I ran against each other, my daughter Nancy would probably vote for Dianne. That was the love that existed," she further commented to Jake Tapper during an appearance on "State of the Union. Thanking Biden for seeing to it that Feinstein received a proper send-off, with her casket draped in the American flag, Pelosi went on to say, "She loved people. She loved California. She loved America." The senator's daughter, Katherine Feinstein, and chief of staff James Sauls made the trip along with Pelosi. The exact details of Feinstein's memorial and funeral have not yet been announced. The remains of Sen. Dianne Feinstein arrived at SFO Saturday evening. Service members carried her casket as they transported her remains to a San Francisco funeral home. https://t.co/S027XfvMsa pic.twitter.com/leJvosV6qp NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) October 1, 2023 New College Interim President Richard Corcoran speaks at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club on Sept. 15. No doubt, New College narrowing curriculum There is officially nothing new about New College of Florida. Richard Corcoran, interim president, made that clear with his announcement that all students will be required to take a course centered around one work: "The Odyssey." The school is now openly committed to the classical education model of a private religious school, Hillsdale College, and will require all students to adhere to that curriculum. The purpose, in spite of Corcorans high-sounding rhetoric, is to narrow the curriculum, not expand young minds. Write to us: How to send a letter to the editor And lets be clear, the classical curriculum is just sophisticated rebranding to cover the fact that it is a curriculum centered around the superiority of Western thought, religion, philosophy, art and literature. The curriculum stretches from Greece, runs though Western Europe and lands in the U.S. It seeks a return to a simplistic Eurocentric approach to our complex, multicultural world. Thats an odyssey destined to fail. Randall Pfeiffer, retired educator, Sarasota Roses proposals waste taxpayers money In its latest burst of flagrant and blatant fiscal irresponsibility, the Sarasota County School Board voted to waste $39,000 of the taxpayers money to redistrict the county. This marginally legal, possibly illegal, gerrymandering could preclude Liz Barker from running for a School Board seat in opposition to incumbent Karen Rose. Guess who proposed this waste? Ms. Rose, of course, who could offer no plausible reason for the proposal. This expense will bring the amount wasted by Roses proposals to $281,000, including $172,000 in severance payments and $70,000 in search fees to replace the previous superintendent. Ms. Rose is running for reelection. The best result for the countys students, parents and taxpayers would be for her to lose. Norman Wirtz, Nokomis Rep. Buchanan supports corrupt Trump I would like to thank U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan for his email to constituents (dated Sept. 26, 2023) about supporting the Humane Cosmetics Act. However, I am far more concerned with Buchanans support of a corrupt politician who attempted a seditious insurrection against our government and country. Please remember the words of conservative former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney during a House Jan. 6 committee hearing: Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain. Buchanan voted against impeaching former President Trump. He also voted to remove Cheney from her leadership role in the House. John Yeager, Parrish To reduce gas prices, boost production With growing concerns over gasoline prices across the country, many are wondering what can be done to reduce energy costs. While there are many global factors that impact consumers, as discussed in Floridians should expect to pay more for gas this week (Sept. 18), a key way to help ensure Americans have affordable, reliable energy is by producing more of it here at home. Policymakers can help increase American oil and natural gas production in several ways. First, the Biden administration could stop sending mixed messages about energy production. One day the president is asking U.S. companies for more supply. The next, his Cabinet raises fees to produce oil and natural gas. Second, Congress could pass comprehensive permitting reform that modernizes the process for all kinds of energy infrastructure development. Finally, the Interior Department could belatedly release a congressionally mandated five-year offshore leasing program that supports new development. Taking these steps and more, leaders in Tallahassee and Washington can support new oil and natural gas development to secure our energy future. Gifford Briggs, Gulf Coast Region Director at the American Petroleum Institute, Tallahassee One less gold tree in spring spectacle Every spring I look forward to driving around Sarasota to see the trees in bloom. Sarasotas gold tree (Tabebuia) is especially pleasing to the eye. It doesnt look all that outstanding most of the year. Its kind of ugly, with scraggly limbs, a poorly formed trunk and lackluster leaves, and doesnt provide much shade. Frankly, it looks like its barely hanging on most of the year. But just wait, come spring this ugly duckling transforms into a golden spectacle! One of the gold trees that Im always eager to check out is in front of the old Burger King on 41 near Waldemere Street. I look over at it every single time I drive past. Last week, to my utter disbelief, the tree was not there. Its gone! This one gold tree that actually stood upright, that grew to enormous proportions and once a year bloomed its heart out is no longer standing. I came home and cried. My tree. Gone. I know, progress. But, geez, couldnt you have built around the tree? My tree. Sarasotas tree. Trish Carlson, Sarasota This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Curriculum narrows, takeover of New College is complete Nashville police this morning arrested a suspect in Saturday night's fatal stabbing of Alejandro Chama-Tum, 48, inside an apartment on Lebanon Pike. Suspect Santos Tiquiram, 19, was taken into custody this morning by the Metro Nashville Police Department. A witness told detectives the two men were arguing before the stabbing, which happened at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, police said. Tiquiram and another man fled the scene on foot, according to MNPD. Chama-Tum died at the scene, police said. Tiquiram was located in the woods behind the apartment building with the help of MNPD aviation, police said. He is charged with criminal homicide and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bond. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Saturday night stabbing leaves one dead, suspect arrested Brockmans critics Regarding Democrat hits back at critics for his support of budget, (Sept. 27): The Democratic Party claims to be the party of compromise and to be reaching across the aisle. However, they eviscerate state Rep. Cecil Brockman and four other Democrats for voting to pass the Republican-led state budget. As part of that compromise, some received money for the districts they represent. That would seem to be following Democratic talking points. What hypocrites. David Ramsey, Mooresville Fair election maps District maps will soon be redrawn in North Carolina. Do we really trust power-hungry politicians to draw fair election maps? New maps will determine whether public schools are fully funded and commonsense gun laws enacted, two issues North Carolinians want addressed. We need an independent redistricting commission. Mecklenburg will be in the crosshairs again and should not be split more than once. We need fairly drawn maps that keep communities together and protect and prioritize the voices that have been marginalized in this state for centuries. I want to live in a state where every vote matters. Dont you? Lori Downey, Huntersville Striking workers Regarding Auto workers strike spreads to Charlotte, (Sept. 28): While I understand the optics behind the UAWs decision to strike CEOs earning hundreds of times the average workers pay their logic is flawed. The assembly line worker who tightens lug nuts on the left rear wheel for eight hours a day cannot reasonably expect the same compensation trajectory as the executive who makes industry-defining decisions, navigates state, federal and global labor regulations, lobbies legislatures for policy change and establishes the culture for tens of thousands of employees. Instead, they should be comparing their work environment and compensation to what they could expect from another company/occupation in the community theyve chosen to call home. If they can find something better, they should take it. If not, they should be grateful to have the job they voluntarily accepted. Brian Buckley, Cornelius Banned books The writer is moderator of The Best Exotic Book Club of Fourth Ward. After reading banned books this month, our book club agreed that controversial books should not be banned from public or school libraries. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools recently removed Red: A Crayons Story from shelves for grades K-4. The U.S. Department of Education suggested CMS use it for lessons on Title IX. The book doesnt mention gender or sexuality. Banning books squelches a parents opportunity to have meaningful discussions with their children. This is how children learn our values. Banning books is a slippery slope to government censorship and the erosion of freedom of expression. Deb Park, Charlotte Climate disasters Regarding How climate change is making it harder than ever to own a home (Sept. 28): Insurance companies are ending coverage in areas of increasingly high risk, due to climate change: more intense and frequent floods, wildfires and hurricanes. Forget that place by the water or that cabin in the woods. But youll be able to afford Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, home to a plethora of grains and urea fertilizer. A blown VW engine stranded me there decades ago. Think Iowa, but colder and less exciting. With global warming, its Go north, old man, go north! You say the planet isnt heating up faster than ever? Tell that to your insurance company if you can find one. Jean Ritok, Charlotte Presidential race Where has politics gone? Its about four months to the start of the primaries and eight months to the conventions. One party is trying to discourage competition while it props up a competent, but aging, incumbent. Another is trying to keep a former president from getting close to their ballot. Once a week for a month Id like to see each party put a dozen people on a stage and tell me why they should be the next president. I welcome crackpots, those with novel ideas, serious newcomers and respected office holders. William C. Barnes, Charlotte Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski also joined "march of a million hearts" demonstration in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, in support of the opposition party and former Prime Minister Donald Tusk . Photo courtesy of Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski/Twitter Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Supporters of the Polish opposition coalition flooded the streets of the capital Warsaw Sunday for the "march of a million hearts," with the nation's election two weeks away. Nearly 1 million people took part in the demonstration, led by former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, German news organization Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports. The demonstration was held in protest of the ruling Law and Justice Party. Tusk called the opposition movement a "force that cannot be stopped," and a "signal for Poland's rebirth," according to the Polish Press Agency. "The impossible became possible. When I see this sea of hearts, when I see these smiling faces, I feel good that this breakthrough moment is coming in the history of our homeland," Tusk said in a statement on his party Platforma Obywatelska's website. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski also joined the rally. He was at Tusk's side during another protest in June which marked the 34th anniversary of the trade union, Solidarity, defeating the Communist Party in the 1989 election. Bylismy dzis w Warszawie razem. Z @donaldtusk. Z Jurkiem Owsiakiem. Z milionem biao-czerwonych serc. W tym skadzie jestem przekonany, ze wygramy. Nie tylko te wybory, ale przede wszystkim lepsza przyszosc dla Polski. Przyszosc oparta na wspolnocie i solidarnosci, a nie... pic.twitter.com/FKhSHB4ZHM Rafa Trzaskowski (@trzaskowski_) October 1, 2023 "With this lineup, I'm convinced we will win. Not only these elections, but above all a better future for Poland," Trzaskowski posted on X, former known as Twitter. "A future based on community and solidarity, not division and hatred." Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a Law and Justice Party gathering Sunday that Tusk being elected prime minister would result in cuts to social services. A Pennsylvania man was taken into custody Wednesday night, accused of making written threats to a Florida cop after seeing him on a reality show. According to a Facebook post from the Volusia County Sheriffs Office, the 51-year-old was taken into custody by state police in Jonestown, about an hour northwest of Philadelphia. A state trooper made contact with the suspect after reps from On Patrol: Live, which follows various law enforcement agencies around the country on ride-alongs, notified authorities about alarming messages they received Sunday on social media following an episode. READ MORE: Florida woman arrested for driving school bus The Facebook Messenger posts sent to the Reelz series included: I am not scared of killing anyone and Some of your officers are worthy of death. One particularly disturbing message was directed at a officer who had just been featured. The Volusia Sheriffs Office reports that the suspect admitted he sent the messages while drinking, and that no one else uses his phone or his Facebook account. He was charged with written threats to kill, a second-degree felony, and held on $100,000 bail awaiting extradition to Volusia County, the sheriffs office said. Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood plans to meet him alongside the deputy who was targeted before transport to the Volusia County Branch Jail, the post said. READ MORE: Naked Florida man floods ER, police say The family of an 8-year-old girl who was shot and killed by police gunfire near a Pennsylvania high school football game in 2021 has settled its lawsuit against a Philadelphia suburb, its police chief, and the three officers involved for $11 million. Fanta Bility was shot and killed when police opened fire on a car in Pennsylvanias Sharon Hill Borough, CNN previously reported. Police started shooting after a verbal fight between teens escalated to a gunfight, according to officials. Three others were also injured in the shooting, including Fantas 12-year-old sister who was inside the car. Three former police officers Brian Devaney, Sean Dolan, and Devon Smith were fired and later sentenced to probation in connection to Fantas death in May. They pleaded guilty to charges of reckless endangerment. The three men were initially charged with manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter, but the charges were dropped as part of a plea deal. There is no amount of money that will ever bring Fanta back or erase the memory of the horrible tragedy that occurred on August 27, 2021, from our minds, said Siddiq Kamara, a spokesperson for the Bility family, in a statement. However, with the criminal and civil cases now resolved, we hope to move on and focus specifically on the Fanta Bility Foundation and keeping Fantas legacy alive. The family established the foundation on what would have been Fantas 10th birthday to ensure she is never forgotten, advocate for police training, and help support families and children around the country, according to the nonprofits website. Investigators were unable to determine which officer fired the fatal bullet, according to the Delaware County District Attorneys office. The three officers involved in the fatal shooting were fired and later sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to charges of reckless endangerment. - Delaware County District Attorney's Office/AP As a part of the settlement, Sharon Hill Borough has agreed to provide more extensive training to its officers, especially with regard to the use of deadly force, according to a statement from the familys attorneys. Though this chapter has come to an end, our hearts and the spirit of the Sharon Hill community will be forever changed, a statement from the Borough of Sharon Hill reads. Although we cannot undo the tragic events of that day, we hope that the resolution of the lawsuit might provide those impacted a small measure of closure. Robert DiDomenicis, the attorney representing Sharon Hill, the three officers involved, and the police chief, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNNs Zoe Sottile contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The House passed a defense spending bill on Thursday that cuts Sec. Lloyd Austin 's salary to $1. That's thanks to an amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene . But Rep. Jared Golden, one of two House Democrats who voted for the bill, sees little issue. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine voted for a bill on Thursday that would reduce Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's salary to essentially nothing. But Golden a centrist Democrat who represents a swing district and has a history of bucking his party is standing by his vote. "I doubt Lloyd Austin's spending much time thinking about that," Golden told Insider on Friday. "If he is, then he shouldn't be in that position." Austin currently makes over $235,000. Golden also noted that he previously voted against a waiver to allow Austin, a former active-duty member of the military, to serve as the Secretary of Defense, a civilian position. "I'm not particularly concerned about him," said Golden. "It's public service, I don't think he does it based upon the size of the paycheck that he receives." The provision was just one part of the Republican-led defense spending bill that passed the House on Thursday, which would fund the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2024. The bill is unlikely to become law in its current form the Senate, which has drafted its own bipartisan bill to fund the Pentagon, is unlikely to accept the House-drafted legislation. "I'm a veteran. I served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I'm a member of the Armed Services Committee," said Golden, explaining his vote for the underlying defense bill. The salary cut was only added to the bill because of an amendment from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who cited the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and COVID vaccine mandates in the military as among the reasons she wanted to "fire" the nation's top military official. Perhaps in a sign that Republicans know the bill is unlikely to become law, Greene's amendment was tacked on via a simple voice vote earlier this week. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) September 27, 2023 Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told the New York Times that Austin is "focused on leading the Department of Defense and ensuring our service members worldwide have the resources and support the U.S. military needs to conduct our mission to defend the nation" when asked about Greene's provision. Nonetheless, all but two Republicans voted for the bill, and they were joined by two Democrats Golden and Rep. Marie Gluesekamp Perez, whose office did not respond to Insider's request for comment on her vote. The duo also voted for House Republicans' version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a separate bill pertaining to the military that included provisions targeting the teaching of race and healthcare for transgender service members. Read the original article on Business Insider Hattiesburg, Miss., restaurateur Robert St. John is remodeling and expanding the Mahogany Bar into the space recently vacated by El Rayo, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Just about everyone who knows Robert St. John knows he's always cooking up something. If he isn't testing recipes for a new cookbook or traveling to Italy, he's most likely making plans to open a new restaurant. Well, St. John is at it again, in a way. The Purple Parrot reigned for years on the west side of the building that also houses Crescent City Grill and Mahogany Bar. When Gov. Tate Reeves shuttered indoor dining in the early days of the pandemic, there was no way to give customers the white-tablecloth experience offered by the Purple Parrot. As days turned to months, St. John realized he needed to put his energy and money into Crescent City Grill since the restaurant's menu worked for take-home meals. The Purple Parrot, he decided, was no longer viable in a pandemic-stricken world. "The Purple Parrot was a COVID casualty," St. John said. "I was working on a Tex Mex concept at the time, and it made the most sense financially to bring it in here." St. John transformed the Purple Parrot space into El Rayo, which opened in late 2020 even with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing. Now El Rayo is closed, and St. John is putting in a new bar and lounge area. "It was taxing the kitchen," St. John said of El Rayo. "It was too much to keep the quality up in both Crescent City and El Rayo. It was too much in this space to handle two restaurants." Hattiesburg, Miss., restaurateur Robert St. John is remodeling and expanding the Mahogany Bar into the space recently vacated by El Rayo, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. Instead of creating a new concept, St. John is expanding the Mahogany Bar to create two environments with much the same flavor. The current 'Hog, as it is called by locals, will focus more on the bar's vast whiskey and beer selections while the other side will focus on wine and exotic cocktails. "We have over 3,500 bottles of wine in our inventory," St. John said. The new side of the 'Hog will have an enomatic system, which allows wine to be poured by the ounce or the glass while halting the oxidation process that would ruin the wine. "There was no way to do that in the original Mahogany Bar," St. John said. "We just didn't have the space." Installing an enomatic system means customers can enjoy a glass of premium wine that previously could only be served by the bottle. Both sides of the Mahogany Bar will share a happy hour, St. John said. The large patio will get a makeover and will have servers in addition to bar service. The new area of the Mahogany Bar is expected to open Nov. 20, but could be later if it isn't ready, St. John said. An oyster bar is in the works as well as a new appetizer menu that will bring back some old favorites as well as bringing in some new ones. The new additions are currently being introduced (or reintroduced) as featured items on the Crescent City menu. "Crescent City Grill is our flagship," St. John said. "Crescent City Grill/Mahogany Bar is our brand, so we're just going to own it. We're going to be able to expand our menu by a lot. "That's the exciting part to me. I can take the Crescent City menu where I want to." Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge. This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Mahogany Bar expands; Crescent City Grill get bigger menu Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (not seen) in Moscow, on Thursday. Putin announced a call-up of new recruits for the fall. Photo by Kremlin Pool/UPI Sept. 30 (UPI) -- In a sign of the toll Moscow's invasion is having on Russian troop levels, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Saturday for the military to enlist 130,000 more recruits. In a decree dubbed "Reunification Day," highlighting Russia's unrecognized annexation of Ukrainian oblasts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson last year, Putin announced the expansion of military service for those aged 18-27 from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. This comes in addition to the 147,000 Russians drafted for the Ukrainian invasion in the spring. Russian Rear Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, deputy head of the Russian General Staff, told the state-run news agency TASS the new call-ups will not be sent to Ukrainian areas Russia has illegally declared as their own, but stationed in Russia. "Fresh military conscripts will not be deployed to the Lugansk People's Republic, the Donetsk People's Republic, the Kherson Region or the Zaporozhye region to perform tasks in the special military operation zone," he said. On the battlefield Saturday, Romania complained that Russia may have violated its airspace in a drone attack on Ukraine's southern port region. Romania is a NATO ally that has opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Following the detection of groups of drones heading towards Ukrainian territory near the Romanian border," residents in the Tulcea and Galati municipalities were alerted, the Romanian defense ministry said. "The radar surveillance system ... indicated possible unauthorized entry into [Romanian] national airspace, with a signal detected on a route towards the municipality of Galati." No other reports have been given as of Saturday morning about the possible drone attack. Clare Runacres faced her then-boyfriend and told him the grim news: Her cancer had returned, and it had spread. "I had an advanced, aggressive cancer, and the chances of survival were low," said Runacres, who lives in London. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Mike Ramsden - whom she had been dating for several years - decided to propose. "I just knew I wanted to be with her, no matter the circumstances," Ramsden said. "That's what you do when you're in love with somebody and you're committed." When the couple was on vacation together in Croatia about a month after they got the news, he popped the question. Runacres did not expect it. "I was blown away," recalled Runacres, a journalist at BBC Radio 2. "I also felt very sorry for him that he wanted to tie his life to mine, which I felt might be a very short and painful journey," she added. Runacres was first diagnosed with cancer as a 20-year-old college student. She had surgery to remove a tumor, though her doctors told her there was not a treatment to prevent the cancer from spreading. "Chemo and radiotherapy doesn't work on the cancer," she said. "You just have to hope it doesn't spread, which for most people, it does." Nine years later, when she was 29, the cancer came back. Her doctors told her that the majority of patients with her diagnosis would die within six months. "Basically, I was planning my funeral when I was planning my wedding," she said. Runacres requested that The Washington Post not publicly share the specifics of her diagnosis or type of cancer, saying she believes comparing cancer cases can sometimes cause more harm than good, since each case is unique. "I - like everyone diagnosed - have hunted out advice and looked at all sorts of alternative treatments. Most are a quick way for people to make money off sick people's pain and offer dangerously false hope. I don't want to lead people down any paths," she said. "I'm often asked what I 'did.' I don't have the answer to how I have survived so long with my cancer," she continued. "My diagnosis is intensely personal. I don't want it or the actions I took afterwards or since to be scrutinized. I don't want to be responsible for what actions people with my cancer take." After Runacres and Ramsden got engaged in April 2003, they set a wedding date for September that year. "We didn't think she had long," said Ramsden. "Life sped up." "When you are in an environment of cancer, you think that tomorrow is often out of reach, so you just live with the today," Runacres said. "Mike decided that he just wanted to live with my today, and that was enough." On a sunny September day, they tied the knot in Sussex. While the celebration was joyous for both Ramsden and Runacres, it was punctuated by the pain that they likely wouldn't have much more time together. "The emotions were absolutely raw," said Ramsdem, who works in communications. "I don't quite know how Clare did it. I am in awe of her strength. Clare is a force of nature; a force of life." Runacres said there were a lot of tears that day, along with laughter. "It was a very bittersweet day," she said. "Weddings are all about setting your course for the future and having a family and committing to grow old together. When you enter into that and you don't have those expectations, it's difficult." Before their wedding day, Runacres had a second surgery to remove the new cancerous mass. Although the operation was successful, she worried it would spread again, as it had the first time. "For many years, we didn't plan longer than maybe three months ahead," Runacres said. Then, after a few years went by and Runacres's health remained stable, they began to discuss starting a family - something the couple once thought was unfathomable. "Before I got pregnant, the focus was just on me staying alive," Runacres said. "When you have a child, there's somebody else's future to consider." "Are you sure you want to do this?" Runacres recalled repeatedly asking her husband. He replied: "We have to invest in our future. We have to believe that you're well and not sick." After lengthy consideration, "we agreed that we both wanted children and a family, and it was a risk worth taking," Runacres said. They ended up having two girls, now 13 and 15. "From then on, I measured out my wellness on milestones that my children made," Runacres said. "The milestones I've seen have been magical." On Sept. 13, the couple marked a particularly poignant milestone in their lives: their 20th wedding anniversary. "It's something that on that day 20 years ago, I could only have dreamt would have happened," said Runacres. "It's truly extraordinary." She knows how rare her story is. "I'm aware that other people don't always make it that far, which is sad and difficult," she said. "I still live in the shadow of that cancer. I don't think that once something like that is embedded in your life, you ever leave it behind you." Ramsden said it is woven into their story. "We do this together. We try and we struggle and we work at it," he said. "That's just the way it has to be." Runacres said they have been to some very dark places emotionally, and because of that, it's important to recognize the beauty in their lives as well. With that in mind, she decided to share a small slice of her cancer story on social media, in celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary. "We didn't think I'd make our 1st anniversary. Today is our 20th," she wrote in a tweet, which has been viewed nearly 3 million times. "It was a beautiful day. Full of love and tears. Surrounded by our closest friends and family, we put our fears aside and danced til dawn. Even now I can't look at the photos without feeling that raw emotion. To reach 20 years feels like a miracle." Runacres concluded the thread of tweets with: "Mikey, thank you for taking a chance on me. You're the best person I know. You are my miracle. For those living with cancer - keep hoping, believing, dreaming." The thread, which got attention in the British press, is flooded with comments. "I didn't know you had cancer. I have it too. I am in my first year with no evidence of disease," someone replied. "Yours is an inspiring story. Happy anniversary." Runacres is touched to know her post had an impact. "I was surprised and a little overwhelmed, but also grateful that people wanted to share their experiences with me, and that our experience could help others who are in a difficult place," Ruancres said. The couple celebrated their anniversary with a small soiree at Runacres's mother's house, with their original wedding party in attendance. They had dinner and danced and shared tearful speeches. "We're very, very lucky," Ramsden said. "I'm delighted she is still here, and long may we continue." Related Content Home schooling today is less religious and more diverse, poll finds Brooks Robinson, Hall of Fame Orioles third baseman, dies at 86 The inequality of heat California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Saturday vetoed a bill that would have allowed workers on strike to become eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. In his note to the California State Senate, informing them of his decision, Newsom cited the states high UI debt and said the state is not collecting enough in taxes to fund support the fund, making it vulnerable to insolvency. The fund is supported through a tax that businesses must pay on each work, but the tax applies just on the first $7,000 of workers wages, which is the lowest amount allowed under federal law, The Associated Press reported. The financial structure has remained unchanged since 1984. Any expansion of eligibility for UI benefits could increase Californias outstanding federal UI debt projected to be nearly $20 billion by the end of the year and could jeopardize Californias Benefit Cost Ratio add-on waiver application, significantly increasing taxes on employers, Newsom wrote. Furthermore, the state is responsible for the interest payments on the federal UI loan and to date has paid $362.7 million in interest with another $302 million due this month, he continued. Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt. Newsoms veto comes amid major strikes in the state continue. While Hollywood writers ended their strike on Sept. 26, there are ongoing strikes by Hollywood actors and Southern California hotel workers. This bill represented an effort on behalf of Democratic state lawmakers to show support for striking workers. Democratic State Sen. Anthony Portantino, who authored the bill, noted to the AP that only two of the 56 strikes in California over the past decade have lasted more than two weeks. Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation described the veto as a win for corporations and executives, in an interview with the AP. This veto tips the scales further in favor of corporations and CEOs and punishes workers who exercise their fundamental right to strike, Fletcher said. At a time when public support of unions and strikes are at an all-time high, this veto is out-of-step with American values. I have deep appreciation and respect for workers who fight for their rights and come together in collective action. I look forward to building on the progress we have made over the past five years to improve conditions for all workers in California, Newsom wrote. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike in May. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images) California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation Saturday that would have granted striking workers unemployment benefits, a measure strongly supported by Hollywood unions and other influential labor organizations in California. Newsom's rejection of Senate Bill 799 delivers a rare blow to organized labor, which has enjoyed strong support in the Democratic-controlled state Legislature. In his veto message, Newsom said expanding benefits would make the state's unemployment trust fund "vulnerable to insolvency." Californias unemployment fund already is projected to be nearly $20 billion in debt by the end of the year due to money the state has borrowed from the federal government to provide the states benefits. "Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt," Newsom stated. California lawmakers passed SB 799 at the end of the legislative session in September after the Hollywood strikes dragged on for more than four months. With the exception of New York and New Jersey, most states dont allow striking workers to collect unemployment. Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank), who wrote the bill, said in a statement that he planned to reintroduce the legislation and hopes to work with the administration on "a financial plan to fix the fund for the long term. "The need continues and so will efforts to make this the law in California," he said. "The hard-working women and men in California need to put food on their table and pay their rent." The bill would not have taken effect until January, putting the proposed benefits out of reach for members of the Writers Guild of America, which struck a tentative deal with film studios Sept. 24. Hollywood actors remain on strike, but the union representing them is scheduled to resume negotiations with studios Monday. The legislation put Newsom in a tricky spot politically because he did not want to appear to take sides in the Hollywood strikes. California Republicans opposed the bill, arguing that the legislation was fundamentally unfair to businesses since the state would in essence be taking the side of striking union members during a labor dispute. Democrats said it would merely help striking workers pay their bills during a tough time. Read more: News Analysis: Labor unions win big in California Legislature as hot labor summer drags into fall Labor unions, including the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, lobbied in favor of the expanded benefits. Workers on strikes rely on side jobs and a unions strike fund for money, but labor unions say that funding isnt enough. Californias unemployment pay is $450 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks. Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, who leads the California Labor Federation, said Newsoms veto was out of step with American values at a time when public support for unions is especially strong. This veto tips the scales further in favor of corporations and CEOs and punishes workers who exercise their fundamental right to strike, Gonzalez Fletcher wrote in a social media post Saturday night. The California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups oppose the bill because they said it would lead to higher employer taxes. Businesses pay state and federal payroll taxes to fund the unemployment insurance program, but those tax dollars havent been sufficient to pay for the benefits. Employers also pay additional taxes annually to help repay the state's loan from the federal government. Lawmakers failed to pass a similar bill in 2019 to provide unemployment benefits to California workers on strike. Get the best of the Los Angeles Times politics coverage with the Essential Politics newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. You may think you know Marty Baron from "Spotlight," the Oscar-winning film about the Boston Globe's investigation of the Catholic Church. But to know the real Marty Baron is to read his new book, "Collision of Power," which takes readers inside what he did after "Spotlight": editing the Washington Post with billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as its owner, and with Donald Trump in the White House. When asked how the experience of covering the Catholic Church in Boston informed him when it came time to cover Trump, Baron said, "Well, it informed me that we always have to confront power. We always have to hold power to account." Costa (who once worked at the Post with Baron) asked him, "Do you miss being editor of the Washington Post?" "No, actually!" he replied. Former Washington Post editor Marty Baron, with former Post reporter Robert Costa. / Credit: CBS News Baron shared something he had long kept secret: a private dinner he, Bezos, and Post leaders had with Trump in June 2017, as Trump was growing furious with the paper's reporting, such as their May 15, 2017 article detailing how Trump revealed highly classified information to Russia's foreign minister and ambassador during an Oval Office visit. Costa asked, "What was your first impression of Trump when you sat down with him for dinner?" "That he was trying to be charming, but I felt that it was a superficial charm," Baron replied. "I felt that he would use the occasion to lean on Bezos. That was my fear all along." Trump also repeatedly elbowed Baron at the table: "I was sitting to his left. And every time he said something that was negative about the Post, about how we were the worst in the way that we treated him, he would just sort of poke me with his elbow. It was clear that he was trying to send me a message." Baron came a decade ago to the Post, a paper famed for its coverage of Watergate. But the Post was also struggling, and a year in, one of the crown jewels of journalism was sold to Jeff Bezos. Was Baron alarmed? "I wouldn't say alarmed, but I was concerned," he said. "I didn't know what kind of influence he would have over our coverage. I didn't know him at all. On the other hand, I was actually hopeful, because the Post wasn't really going anywhere at that point, except down." / Credit: Flatiron Baron often had to swat away conspiracy theories that Bezos had a hidden hand in news coverage. "Trump insisted to you and to so many others, he told me once, that he truly believed Bezos controlled the Post," said Costa. "Yeah. That's what he thought," Baron said. "I mean, if Bezos were telling me what to do as a journalist, I would have quit. I'm not gonna do that." "Was there ever a moment where you had a bit of skepticism that this guy, this billionaire, really wanted what's best for the country and what was best for the paper?" "I really didn't have a doubt about that; I never saw any evidence that he was using the news organization for his own personal purposes, his commercial purposes, or anything like that." Bezos, of course, was not the only figure hovering over Baron's shoulder. "When Trump announced in 2015, a lot of people dismissed him," Baron said. "Immediately after his announcement, he commanded the support of about a third of the Republican Party. How could you ignore that? So, we needed to treat him seriously as a political candidate, as a political force." To Baron, covering Trump well meant digging deep, not giving him a platform. "It was terrible, running those entire rallies, no commentary in-between, no contradiction of the falsehoods and lies that he was saying during those rallies. That was a real mistake. It was free advertising for Trump." Once Trump won the presidency, Baron's message to the newsroom was, "We're not at war; we're at work." Trump didn't buy it, and began to call Baron to lash out. "He was very critical of our coverage," Baron said, recalling his last phone conversation with the then-president. "And he said, 'You're doing this because of Amazon. You're doing this because of Bezos.' So, I told him that it was just completely false. I said, 'It's false, and you know it's false.' And, well, then he broke out in a bunch of profanity." Trump accused Baron by saying, "Everything the Post is doing is a big, fat lie." "That's what he said. And, of course, that, too, is not true!" Baron said. "We were doing our job honestly and honorably. We had an absolute obligation to hold politicians to account, including the president of the United States. It's our highest obligation." That obligation extends to coverage of the upcoming presidential election. When asked if he believes journalists are prepared for what's to come in 2024," Baron said, "I'm not sure we are ready." The former editor's advice? To keep working. "We should talk to everybody. We should listen to all people. We should be generous in listening to them, hear everything they have to say. You should look at all of the evidence, and do a rigorous job of reporting, and then tell people what we've actually learned. Fairness also means being fair to the public. And that means telling them what we have found to be true." For more info: "Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and The Washington Post" by Martin Baron (Flatiron Books), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available October 3 via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org National Press Club, Washington, D.C. Story produced by Amol Mhatre. Editor: Remington Korper. See also: Washington Post editor Marty Baron on our nation's "wake-up call" ("Sunday Morning") How Taylor Swift could affect the 2024 election Robert Reich on GOP extremists holding America hostage Nature: Dolphins off Mexico's Baja Peninsula This graphic shows what NOAA proposes to be the boundaries of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. (Courtesy of NOAA) Insist on Chumash proposal NOAA: What could CA Chumash marine sanctuary look like? (sanluisobispo.com, Aug. 24) Has no one noticed the chunk of protection the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed to delete from the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary? From Morro Bay to Cambria, in five proposed alternatives to the contiguous boundary submitted, there would be no protection from new drilling, dumping or pollution. Our migrating sea life would have no continuous protected corridor. The sanctuary boundary submitted by the Northern Chumash is contiguous with the Monterey marine sanctuary. We can get our boundary back if thousands of us write to NOAA saying that their proposed alternatives are unacceptable. We must insist on the original contiguous boundary in the Chumash proposal before the public input period ends on October 25. Risa Kaiser Arroyo Grande We can do better SLO closing parking lot as it begins construction on new downtown garage, (sanluisobispo.com, Aug. 30) I recently had the pleasure of visiting Palm Springs and San Juan Capistrano. I was shocked to find vibrant, busy downtowns that were full of flowers and happy people. I noted no empty stores, clean streets and a high quality of shops and restaurants. In Palm Springs, parking was free everywhere even the structures were free for everyone, with a four hour limit. I noticed no confusing bike lanes. In San Juan Capistrano, there were great restaurants along the railroad tracks with music coming out of each one. They were all quite busy, and the train station was a gathering place for families. Having grown up here, it makes me wonder why each decision being made by the city council is resulting in large-scale avoidance of our downtown (read Nextdoor or talk to friends if you doubt that). I love this town and I know we can do better. Diana Bowlby Los Osos Opinion Commending Naz Church SLO church wants to host overnight parking for homeless people. Why neighbors are nervous, (sanluisobispo.com, Sept. 22) Thank you for your reporting on the trials and tribulations of those searching for a safe, legal place to sleep in their vehicles in San Luis Obispo. I commend the SLO Naz Church for stepping out in faith and courage to be one of the faith communities offering to host these folks. Thank you! I hope more churches will volunteer to help. Claire Grether Shell Beach Icon for all Californias grizzly bear state flag used to support slavery, (sanluisobispo.com, Sept. 20) Lets not dwell on the dark history of the flag, but on our democracy; there is indeed ample concern today of our Constitutions failure to protect local California communities the way that it does the states: a failure to incorporate resolutions of municipality and town-hall meetings, the original springs of all political activity in the country, into local laws serving local citizens. In California lets adopt the bear anew, taken from when the territory proclaimed we are a republic in the few months of its independence before U.S. statehood. This icon can be used to identify the federalism of the republic we strive for, now requiring a return of local all-citizen government for our counties and municipalities to serve all residents. Rich Hendrickson San Luis Obispo No new aquarium What should happen to old Morro Bay Power Plant site? Ideas include aquarium, boat launch, (sanluisobispo.com, Sept. 23) One proposed alternative to the Morro Bay battery storage facility is an aquarium. I urge all readers not to consider this cruel alternative. Aquariums and zoos are nothing but prisons prisons whose inmates are serving life sentences for the sole crime of being beautiful animals. To anyone who voices the but theyre better off than when in the wild argument: how about I put you in a glass cage and give you the best of everything with the stipulation that you must remain there for the rest of your life? Yeah, I didnt think so. Jeff B Rininger Cayucos Year-round operations Cal Poly SLO Education News, (sanluisobispo.com) It is about time that Cal Poly got around to year-round operations. The quarter system, which I always hated, was designed for this and really only makes sense if the facilities are used for the full quarter available. In my first year at Cal Poly, 1969-70, I served on a special academic senate committee to come up with a plan, which we did. It would have worked, but, lamentably, it fell into the dustbin of history. Max Riedlsperger Ph.D. Professor emeritus, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Administrative greed Tuition increase at California State universities is tough, but necessary | Opinion, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 14) The California State University systems approval of a tuition raise is a ridiculous way of fixing their $1.5 billion funding gap caused by their terrible mismanagement of the CSU system. Presidents from all of the CSU campuses have been receiving unnecessary raises (the lowest of which was a 7% raise, while other CSU presidents got up to 29%). Why are they giving raises out if they know theyre in such a huge funding gap? The CSU administration is only looking out for themselves instead of students. The CSU trustees approval of increasing annual tuition costs by 6% annually for the next five years is only hurting students. Some students are barely receiving financial aid to cover tuition but still fall well short of the tuition cost. Josue Francisco Medina Avenal Good on California Climate change forces Americans to rethink oil companies, (fresnobee.com, Sept. 24) For a long time, oil companies have known what the cause of climate change was: themselves. Yet they have avoided taking responsibility so as to not hurt their profits. They have deflected the blame on us, the individuals. And while its true that there are things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint, it pales in comparison to how much harm is done by massive oil companies. The lawsuit from the state of California against some of the largest oil companies is a great step in making sure these oil corporations take responsibility for the damage they have caused to our planet. In the meantime, more can be done to slow down climate change, like choosing solar energy to power your home. Armin Purewal Fresno Noelia Voigt of Utah has been crowned Miss USA 2023. The 23-year-old interior designer received the crown from Miss USA 2022, North Carolinas Morgan Romano, on Sept. 29. Miss Hawaii USA 2023 Savannah Gankiewicz was 1st runner-up. Just 30 minutes before the final pageant, Voigt expressed gratitude for her supporters and her journey so far in a video shared to her Instagram story. Regardless of the outcome tonight, Im just genuinely so grateful to be here, she said. The outcome made history. Voigt is the first Venezuelan-American woman to hold the Miss USA title. Miss Utah USA 2023 Noelia Voigt crowned Miss USA 2023 (VVV Global Ent. 2023) Voigt celebrated her background with how she answered her final question: As the brand ambassador for Miss USA, what will be your contribution to the organization? The Maddie the Brave author responded I believe the ability to connect with people is an incredibly important asset that a Miss USA should have. She continued, As a bilingual Venezuelan-American woman, I plan to connect with that community of people because the United States of America is a diverse country and a Miss USA needs to be able to represent every community no matter their background, their race, their ethnicity, anything, and I would like to be that Miss USA. Voigt was born in Florida, the daughter of Venezuelan-American parents. As a result, she champions immigration rights, according to her contestant bio. Her bilingual background as a Venezuelan-American woman enriches her cultural perspective, her bio reads. Voigt is a licensed esthetician who began her modeling career at 16 and has collaborated with a multitude of notable brands. Since then, Voigt has become an interior design student and authored a childrens book, Maddie the Brave. She attended the University of Alabama. The road to the crown for Voigt started before her move to Utah in April of this year. In a July Instagram post celebrating her Miss Utah win, Voigt wrote, I took the biggest risk of my life thus far by moving across the country to chase this dream of mine and it paid off in the best way. Her previous pageant titles include 4th and then 1st runner up at the Miss Florida Teen USA in 2017 and 2018. In 2020, she was crowned Miss Alabama Collegiate. Following that title she won 1st runner up at Miss Alabama USA for two consecutive years, in 2022 and 2023. Voigt will go on to represent the United States at the Miss Universe 2023 pageant in El Salvador on Nov. 18. Romano signed off her Miss USA 2022 title in an Instagram post. Romano, who won 1st runner-up at last years Miss USA pageant, received the crown from RBonney Gabriel after she won Miss Universe 2022 in January. Gabriels Miss USA win in October 2022 was shrouded in controversy after contestants accused the pageant of giving her preferential treatment throughout the competition. This article was originally published on TODAY.com A mule deer grazes on the grass on a hill overlooking Avalon Harbor on a sunny summer day in Catalina Island. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images A nonprofit that manages much of Catalina Island is seeking to cull some 2,000 mule deer. The Catalina Island Conservancy argues that the invasive species threatens the local ecosystem. The plan is to hire sharpshooters to kill the deer from helicopters, the Los Angeles Times reported. Catalina Island is just a short boat ride off the coast of Southern California, welcoming over a million tourists a year seeking a peaceful respite from the hustle and smog of Los Angeles. But the nonprofit that administers much of the island, home to just over 4,000 people year-round, says its very existence as a functioning ecosystem is threatened by a couple of thousand unwanted guests: mule deer, an invasive species first introduced to the island back in the late 1920s when it was still being used for ranching. The plan is to kill them specifically, by hiring people to shoot them from helicopters. "The island and the deer are both fighting for survival, and neither one is winning," Whitney Latorre, chief executive of the Catalina Island Conservancy, told the Los Angeles Times. The problem is that Catalina's semi-arid land is no match for the roughly 2,000 deer, who are competing for a diminishing amount of vegetation, a situation exacerbated by the climate crisis. "Unless we address the deer issue, the island will become more and more vulnerable to the devastating consequences brought on by rising temperatures and drought," Latorre said. Her organization has proposed partnering with another nonprofit, White Buffalo Inc., which employs hunters "to help preserve native species and ecosystems," according to its website. Catalina has battled and eliminated invasive species before. In 1990, hunters killed about 1,700 goats in the span of two weeks, according to the Los Angeles Times. No goats can be found on the island today (Catalina's pig population suffered the same fate). Bison, too, pose a threat. But they have not been eliminated: The herd has been reduced from about 400 in 1990 to about 100 today through the use of birth control. The proposal to eliminate mule deer through a mass culling, by contrast, has proven controversial among residents and those concerned with animal welfare. Indeed, not everyone views the mule deer as a threat that needs to be eradicated. "The mule deer have been on this island for nearly 100 years. Their gentle presence is an integral part of our island's natural appeal," Dianne Stone of the Catalina Island Humane Society wrote in a recent letter to The Catalina Islander, a local newspaper. The local Humane Society does not oppose all killing of deer, Stone noted; hunters can already sign up for multi-day expeditions. What it opposes is killing them all and doing so from above in a matter it considers "gruesome and violent." Instead, it advocates a "nonlethal solution," similar to that used for bison: a form of birth control, known as porcine zona pelludcia (PZP) immunocontraception. "Where is the dignity in slaughtering these innocent animals which are beloved by so many?" Stone asked. A petition opposing the mass culling plan now has over 3,200 signatures. In a statement, the conservancy argued that the proposed mass culling was the best of bad options, describing the island as having reached a "tipping point" where, if nothing is done, "it will not survive for future generations to enjoy." The mule deer population has grown beyond the island's capacity to feed them, it argued, and efforts to reduce the population through less drastic means have not worked. "While shooting from helicopters sounds cruel, it is, in fact, the safest, fastest, and most humane method to utilize," the conservancy said. Oct. 4, 2023: This story was updated to include comment from the Catalina Island Conservancy. Read the original article on Insider FILE PHOTO: A North Korean flag flutters on top of a tower at North Korea's propaganda village of Gijungdong, as seen from Paju By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday denounced the U.N. atomic watchdog for joining a U.S.-led pressure campaign and "cooking up" a resolution over its nuclear programmes, calling the agency a "paid trumpeter" for Washington. An unnamed spokesman of Pyongyang's Ministry of Nuclear Power Industry released a statement criticising a resolution adopted on Friday at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference that calls for the North to curb its nuclear programmes. The spokesman described the resolution as a "result of conspiracy" by the United States and its allies, saying North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state has already become "irreversible." "Such farce of the hostile forces is a revelation of their sinister intention to cover up their criminal acts of seriously threatening the international nuclear non-proliferation system and justify their hostile policy toward the DPRK," he said, according to state media KCNA. DPRK refers to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The spokesman also accused IAEA chief Rafael Grossi of "taking the lead in creating the atmosphere of pressurising the DPRK" by "spreading a false story" about an imminent nuclear test. Grossi warned last year that the reclusive country could resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. "If the IAEA wants to avoid international criticism as a paid trumpeter of the U.S., it would be well advised to devote itself to tackling the difficulties facing the international community," the spokesman said, referring to what it calls U.S. nuclear proliferation and Japan's discharge of wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant. The IAEA has had no access to North Korea since Pyongyang expelled its inspectors in 2009 and then restarted nuclear testing. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) (NewsNation) Sunspot observations, a key predictor of the northern lights, have dramatically increased since 2022. Scientists say that if the trend continues, the next 18 months will bring the strongest northern lights in decades. The northern lights will be more viewable, and more often, from more places on Earth in the next 18 months than they have been in the past 20 years and are expected to be in the next decade, scientists told NBC News. The Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, an international scientific group sponsored by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, forecasted below-average sunspot activity for the coming year, with 110 to 115 sunspots at its peak. However, updated models from multiple scientists show sunspots peaking as high as 235. NASAs first asteroid samples land on Earth after release from spacecraft Solar activity is expected to steadily increase until fall 2024, when the likelihood of viewing the northern lights is highest, according to Mark Miesch, a research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder and NOAA. Its largely thanks to the aforementioned Solar Cycle 25. Our sun goes through an 11-year period, known as a solar cycle, in which it flips its magnetic poles. This activity fuels the space weather needed to spark the aurora borealis on Earth. The aurora borealis, more commonly known as the northern lights, are a natural light display that occur in the Earths high latitude areas close to the North and South poles. When certain space weather reaches our magnetic fields, it sends particles rushing to the poles, NOAA explains. When those particles interact with oxygen and nitrogen, they can create auroras. Its essentially the sun shooting a magnet out into space, Bill Murtagh, program coordinator for NOAAs Space Weather Prediction Center and seasoned space weather forecaster, tells Nexstar. When theres a big disturbance in the magnetic field, then youre more likely to see aurora at lower latitudes, Miesch said. Such a disturbance will almost double the likelihood of northern lights in the coming days, he added. The northern lights are heating up: Could they come to all 50 states? While the northern lights were relatively active earlier this year even sending them as far south as Alabama theyve seemed to dim as of late. Its a little bit of a crapshoot, Murtagh says. Weve had just as many eruptions occur since [spring], but we just havent been lucky or unlucky, whichever way you look at it. The majority of recent eruptions on the sun have shot out into other parts of space rather than in our direction. But, the sun continues with these bigger eruptions that are just not hitting us, and that could change next week, he says. Next week, we could get back-to-back eruptions in the next several weeks, the next couple of months. Dont lose hope just yet, though. The sun is approaching the maximum phase of Solar Cycle 25, Murtagh says. The cycle has also been rising faster and appears bigger than originally predicted. The [solar] cycle is rising faster and when it rises faster, its typically bigger, Murtagh previously told Nexstar. The bigger the cycle, the more eruptions [on the sun], the more likely we see the aurora, bottom line. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. WOODBRIDGE, England Plunging into the ice cold river water, the eight members of the Deben Bluetits swimming group shrieked as their bodies adjusted to the frigid temperature. For Natasha Sonds, who founded Bluetits two years ago, so-called wild swimming is like nothing else. Its euphoric, she said. Its just peaceful. Its a place I go to relax and get away from the stress of family life. Still, the group swims breast stroke, allowing them to talk but also keep their mouths above the glistening water, which could poison them with E. coli. Earlier this year, parts of the river near Woodbridge failed to meet the criteria required to be declared a safe spot by the Environment Agency, the body tasked with protecting and improving Britain's environment. Woodbridge which is represented in Parliament by Therese Coffey, who also heads up the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs isnt alone. Only 14% of English rivers are classed as having good ecological status. (Good ecological status means there is only a slight change from their natural state as a result of human impact, as opposed to moderate, major and severe categorizations.) The Blue Tits get into the River Deben for a swim in Woodbridge, Suffolk on April 19, 2023. (Alice Zoo for NBC News) Outrage over the state of the countrys waterways and the perceived impunity of private sewage companies that are dumping untreated sewage into rivers and the ocean are piling pressure on the government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for seeming to lack the political will to stem the flow of filthy water. The cleanliness of the U.K.s waterways ranks at the bottom of lists of European countries. In 2020, the last year Britain voluntarily submitted data to the European Environment Agency, it ranked worst for bathing water quality. The Deben is a case in point. Data from an environmental charity, The Rivers Trust, last year showed that sewage had spilled into the river at multiple points near Woodbridge and that one sewage storm overflow a relief valve when a system is at risk of being overwhelmed spilled into the river 33 times in 2022. At another, less than a mile downstream, sewage spilled into the river for 19 hours in the same period. Discharging sewage which often contains human waste, E. coli, sanitary products and wipes, among other debris during heavy rainfall periods is legal, although it is illegal to do it when there is no rain. The Environment Agency and the Water Services Regulation Authority, or Ofwat, a regulator, launched the largest criminal investigation into potential widespread breaches of environmental permit conditions at wastewater treatment plants run by water and sewage companies in November 2021. While the investigation inches forward, people still have to deal with ongoing sewage spillage. In Woodbridge, volunteers test the waters, taking water samples and screening them for E. coli. Its on all of us as a community to help support the river, Sonds said. Anglian Water, the company responsible for water supply and sewage treatment in the area, told NBC News in a statement last month that it was not able to comment while an Environment Agency investigation into bathing water quality in the area continued. Still, the company, one of five rated as requiring improvement in an Environment Agency report for 2022, has pledged to upgrade two nearby sewage plants by 2030. Privatized monopolies The beginning of the decline in effective regulation of our water industry came after Margaret Thatchers Conservative government privatized nationally owned water authorities in England and Wales in 1989, said Tessa Wardley, a spokesperson for The Rivers Trust, a charity and umbrella organization for 60 organizations throughout the country. Twenty years later, under a left-of-center Labour Party government, water companies were given permission to self-report and monitor their own sewage discharges. Since they took power in 2010, successive Conservative governments have cut the Environment Agencys environmental protection grant from 170 million pounds ($207 million) in 2009-10 to 155 million pounds ($189 million) in 2021-22, according to the agency, having dropped it to 94.3 million pounds ($115 million) the previous year. Because of those budget cuts, the number of inspectors has fallen and oversight has decreased, said Alan Smith, a water industry consultant who served on the boards of several English water companies. UK River Sewage (Alice Zoo for NBC News) The policing of the rivers and the streams has not been as effective as it should have been, he said. And after privatization, Smith said, water companies investment in the sewage system was not prioritized, even though most of it was built in Victorian times. As a result, it had never been developed to cope with almost a doubling of the population since the 1900s, so the capacity is not big enough. Its not fit for purpose, he said. That, combined with climate change, which is bringing much more rain than expected, produces overflows into rivers, Smith said. Companies became extremely arrogant about an essential for life, he added. A policy paper the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published in August 2022 set out guidelines to compel water companies to invest 56 billion pounds ($63 billion) in the U.K.s environmental infrastructure over 25 years. Compounding the problem caused by aging systems is the light-touch regulation of the companies in charge of water treatment, which allows companies to self-report discharge, said Jamie Woodward, a professor of Earth history and river science at the University of Manchester. That has been catastrophic for the environment, but cutting funds to the Environment Agency has also been, he added. Water companies in the U.K. are effectively allowed to mark their own homework, he said. Martlesham Creek runs past a sewage plant, where the water is too polluted by E. coli to swim, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, on April 19, 2023. (Alice Zoo for NBC News) The Environment Agency said in a statement to NBC News that it had been clear that comprehensive action across all sectors is needed to achieve the cleaner rivers and waterways we all want to see. In May, Water UK, the industry body that represents water companies, apologized that the industry has not shown the leadership it should have done on sewage spills and said it would spend an extra 10 billion pounds ($12 billion) until the end of the decade on reducing overflow spills and building new infrastructure. That was in addition to a previous commitment to invest 3.1 billion pounds ($38 billion) from 2020 to 2025. We get why people are upset, the industry body said about the spillage of raw sewage into the U.K.s streams, rivers and beaches. However, the costs which Water UK Chair Ruth Kelly told the British broadcaster Sky News would be recouped from customers through modest increases to their bills have prompted campaigners to say the money should have been reinvested instead of enriching shareholders. That water companies pay millions of pounds in dividends to shareholders while hiking customers bills has also produced anger. Data from Britain's Office of National Statistics shows that bills have increased by 363% since privatization in July 1989. Meanwhile, during the 2021-22 financial year, the U.K.s main water companies paid out almost 966 million pounds ($1.2 billion) in dividends to their shareholders, according to the global business-data platform Statista. Clearly unacceptable Amid growing public outrage, Coffey, the local member of Parliament and the countrys environment secretary, in April announced potentially unlimited fines for polluting water companies. Sewage entering our rivers is clearly unacceptable, Coffey said in a statement the following week. The public is rightly disgusted by the water companies excessive use of overflows, which is a blight on our beautiful rivers and coastlines. Coffeys office did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The government has also announced that it was expanding its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to encompass all coastal and estuary storm overflows with a particular focus on areas of high ecological significance, as well as areas used for bathing and shellfish cultivation. Still, the government has not proposed fundamental changes to the way water companies collect from consumers, distribute profits to shareholders or deal with untreated sewage during heavy rain, said Smith, the water consultant. The industry was broken, he said, because it became greedy, because it became short-term, because it had to get increased dividends for shareholders. Fining water companies has little impact on their behavior, Woodward said. They pay the fines and continue to pollute. The fines are trivial compared to their revenue streams. Dumping sewage is part of a highly profitable business model it has been for decades, he said. A CEO in any other industry would go to prison for dumping waste on this scale. Water stands in the woods near Martlesham Creek, where the water is too polluted with E. coli to swim, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, on April 19, 2023. (Alice Zoo for NBC News) Moves are afoot to hold water company executives responsible for the state of the countrys rivers: In August, a lawsuit alleged that Severn Trent Water, a company that operates in the U.K.s Midlands, has failed to properly report sewage spills and pollution of rivers and seas to the Environment Agency and Ofwat. Five more suits, including actions against Anglian Water and Thames Water, will follow in the coming months, the law firm Leigh Day said in a news release in August. Severn Trent rebutted the claims in the suit, calling them highly speculative and without merit in an email. Should pollutions ever occur, they are always reported to the Environment Agency, it said. The civil suits main plaintiff is Carolyn Roberts, an environmental and water consultant. If it is successful, Leigh Day estimated in the news release, the claims against the six companies on behalf of more than 20 million customers could lead to compensation payments of over 800 million pounds ($976 million). Ofwat said in a statement that progress had been made in the past few years but there is much further to go, which is why we are pushing companies to reduce leakage, fix their environmental performance and become more financially resilient while keeping bills affordable at a difficult time for customers. Where we find that companies have fallen short, we will act over the last five years, for example, we have imposed penalties and payments of over 250 million pounds ($305 million), it added. Back on the Deben, volunteer David Green placed a telescopic gray and neon orange pole with a cup attached at the end into the river to sample the water. He said he had collected samples with E. coli levels far above government guidelines and actively discouraged bathers and anglers from using the waters, particularly when the high tide brought untreated sewage with it. The real issue for me is one of public safety, said Green, 66. People need to at least be aware that there is a risk. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has refuted UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps statement that British instructors might train Ukrainian military personnel in Ukraine. Source: Sky News, citing Rishi Sunak Details: Sunak denied that British military instructors will be deployed to Ukraine in the near future, saying that the plans are "not [for] the here and now". "I think there has been some misreporting about this." Sunak believes that Shapps was talking about the possibility of some training in Ukraine being possible "one day in the future". "But that's something for the long term, not the here and nowWhat we are doing is training Ukrainians. We're doing that here in the UK. It's something that everyone should be proud of because it's making an enormous difference," he stressed. Sunak also said that British troops will not be sent to fight in the current conflict. Background: UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK will expand its training programme for Ukrainian soldiers and transfer training and production of military equipment to Ukraine. Shapps took over from Ben Wallace at the UK Ministry of Defence in September 2023. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! A day after New Yorkers found themselves swamped in flooded subways and soaking in waterlogged basements, some wondered why they werent given more advance warning of the Friday storm that shut down much of the city. As the storm roared into New York Friday morning, thousands of New Yorkers were caught off guard. The pounding rain quickly overwhelmed the citys aging mass transit infrastructure, stalling subway lines in Brooklyn and across the five boroughs. City residents waited on platforms, sat stuck in subway cars or were stalled on roadways flood waters had rendered impassable. I think there was a lot of under-communication, Chinatown resident Jessica Langrock, 26, said Saturday. There were phone alerts sent The alerts were morning of, after the storm already happened. So at that point, your basements sort of already flooded. Long Islander Faith Maldonado, a restaurant worker, couldnt make it to work Friday due to the bad weather, and agreed about a lack of weather warnings. Maldonados usual 20-minute drive was quickly shut down by flooding and three cars trapped in the floodwaters, their emergency lights blinking. I was inconvenienced by not being able to get to work, she said. But it was nowhere near my house being flooded. Amid questions of whether school should have been canceled, parents were left wondering Friday if their children would be able to get home safely, with some venturing out into the storm to try and get to their kids. An estimated 150 schools experienced some level of flooding. Ditmas Park mom Nancy Cruz, who spent most of the day Friday in her car, shuttling her children to and from schools through hazardous conditions in Brooklyn, said the city needed to do better by its residents. The mayor should have been on top of this, said Cruz. If we had received a notice that these conditions were going to be severe, either that or we had the option to do remote schooling, I would not have sent my kids to school. Those frustrations were voiced Saturday by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who slammed Mayor Adams for doing a poor job of getting out word of the impending record-setting storm, which dumped a record eight inches of rain at Kennedy Airport. There was a plan. Why would you not share that plan with the city, so everybody knows whats going on? Why you would not do that if you have this plan is beyond me, Williams said Saturday But Williams tempered his criticism by saying city agencies appeared to handle the situation well. I do want to give credit, because it seems like the agencies were ready and prepared to step up, Williams said. Mayor Adams defelected criticism that his administration had not adequately prepared residents for the storm, saying Friday that anyone caught off guard must have been living under a rock. Adams offered praise Saturday for the citys storm-fighting efforts, which included three rescues from flooded basements and 15 car rescues of stranded drivers, all carried out by the Fire Department. Adams spoke after he toured Canarsie, Flatbush, Sheepshead Bay and other Brooklyn neighborhoods. (We) just really need to commend the city, he said. Its unprecedented when you get this level of rainfall and now were moving to the second phase to make sure we clean up those areas that were heavily hit. Gov. Hochul described the pounding storm as New Yorks worst in decades. There are some New Yorkers who have never seen the likes of what we experienced in their entire lives, the governor said Saturday as rain continued to fall in some areas. Its Mother Nature at her most powerful, Hochul added. A state of emergency remained in effect Saturday in the storms aftermath, which remained visible around the city. One disabled vehicle was still sitting in the middle of a South Williamsburg street, with a light rain still falling. When I came out here, this whole walkway was flooded, said local resident Stacy Youmans, 42. You can still see all the garbage. The whole courtyard was flooded. I had to walk down and around. It was a lot of people trying to get to the train station. Once she reached the G line stop, Youmans found the stop was flooded and boarded a bus to a J line station. Hochul reported 28 New Yorkers in the Hudson Valley and Long Island were rescued Friday from the raging waters, adding severe weather like the storm was becoming a more regular threat due to climate change. This was the kind of rain that was once unimaginable, she said. Called it a once-in-a-century storm. But this is the third time since I was sworn in two years ago Ive had a once-in-a-century storm. Besides the eight inches of rain that fell at JFK Airport, the National Weather Service reported more more than six inches fell in the Bronx and Manhattan and seven-plus inches in Brooklyn. Get set for a brighter Sunday, weather forecasters say they predict the sun will shine, and temperatures will climb to the mid-70s. For the record: 3:32 p.m. Oct. 2, 2023: An earlier version of this story was accompanied by a photograph of 360 Clinics Anaheim Convention Center COVID testing site. The clinic is not associated in any way with Dr. Anthony Hao Dinh. An Orange County doctor was charged last week of allegedly defrauding a federal COVID-19 healthcare program for uninsured patients by submitting false claims in a scheme that netted him about $150 million, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Anthony Hao Dinh, 64, of Newport Beach is facing 12 counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering and a count of obstructing justice. Dinh, a licensed doctor of osteopathy and an ear, nose and throat specialist, is out of custody on a $7-million bond, according to prosecutors and court records. Dinh was initially charged in a criminal complaint filed in April. The grand jury indictment last week expands the case by increasing the total amount in fraudulent claims Dinh allegedly submitted and adding money laundering and obstruction charges. Prosecutors claim this is the largest fraud scheme in the nation targeting Health Resources and Services Administration's uninsured program that authorities have uncovered. Prosecutors allege that over the course of nine months from July 2020 to March 2021 Dinh submitted more than a quarter-billion dollars in fraudulent claims to the Health Resources and Services Administration as part of a program aimed to provide access for COVID-19 testing and treatment to uninsured patients during the pandemic. The program was also designed to help support healthcare providers by reimbursing them for care provided to those without medical insurance. Some of the claims Dinh filed were for patients who had medical insurance, while others reported services that were not rendered or were not medically necessary, according to prosecutors. After the investigations began, prosecutors allege, Dinh submitted false patient records in response to a subpoena from the grand jury. Dinh's attorney did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment Sunday. Prosecutors also allege that Dinh submitted 65 fraudulent loan applications seeking nearly $8 million under two other COVID-era programs the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. Ultimately, Dinh was paid roughly $2.8 million from those two programs, according to court records. Dinh faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the wire fraud charges and three of the money laundering charges, up to 10 years for two of the money laundering charges and up to 20 years for the obstruction of justice charge. Dinh's sister, Hanna Trinh Dinh, 65, who was also charged in April for her role in the scheme, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Sunday defended Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) after he pulled a fire alarm in a House office building before the government funding vote Saturday. Bowman has apologized for pulling the alarm, which has led to an investigation by Capitol Police and an expulsion push by some House Republicans. After CNNs Jake Tapper suggested that Bowmans explanation of why he pulled the alarm didnt seem to make sense, OcasioCortez said she did take him at his word and that his explanation was understandable. I think if you actually do see some of the photos of the signs, I think theres something to be said about, the governments about to shut down. Theres a vote clock thats going down. The exits that are normally open in that building were suddenly closed, Ocasio-Cortez said. She added that Bowman apologized, said he made a mistake and is actively cooperating with investigators. She drew a distinction with House Republicans response to Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) after he was indicted on federal charges, which include allegations of lying to House investigators. The idea that there is somehow any kind of equivalence to someone who is actively trying to clear up a situation that he himself admits hes embarrassed, he released a statement last night, he apologized, and they are protecting someone who has not only committed wire fraud, not only defrauded veterans, not only lied to congressional investigators, but is openly gloating about it, is absolutely humiliating for the Republican caucus, and I think that they should really check their own values, she said. Ocasio-Cortez stressed that she thought there was no equivalence between the two cases. They are protecting someone who has lied to the American people, lied to the United States House of Representatives, lied to congressional investigators. But theyre filing a motion to expel a member who in a moment of panic was trying to escape a vestibule? Give me a break, she said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Sunday she absolutely would vote for a motion to vacate, which would oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his post. At the same time, the progressive lawmaker left the door open to negotiations if McCarthy came to Democrats for help. Well, my vote at the beginning of this term for Speaker of the House was for [House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)], and I do not intend on voting for a Republican Speaker of the House, Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union. But I believe that its up to the Republican conference to determine their own leadership and deal with their own problems. But its not up to Democrats to save Republicans, from themselves especially. She suggested that Democrats might be willing to negotiate with McCarthy if he was in danger of losing his post as Speaker, but that I dont think we give up votes for free. I certainly dont think that we would expect to see that unless theres a real conversation between the Republican and Democratic caucuses and Republican Democratic leadership about what that would mean, but I dont think we give up votes for free, she said. The minority party in the House would typically back a motion to vacate, since the minority party would want to see one of its own members as Speaker. McCarthy can only afford a handful of GOP no votes if Democrats back a motion to vacate. McCarthy got through a last-minute continuing resolution (CR) that staved off a government shutdown Saturday, but he relied on Democratic votes to do it. Only one Democrat in the House voted against the measure McCarthy brought to the floor, while 90 GOP members of his conference voted against it. Thats given an opening to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and other opponents who say McCarthy shouldnt bring legislation to the floor and pass it with Democratic votes. Ocasio-Cortez said shed have no problem backing a motion to vacate. Would I cast that vote? Absolutely. Absolutely, she said. I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak Speaker. He clearly has lost control of his caucus. He has brought the United States and millions of Americans to the brink waiting until the final hour to keep the government open and even then only issuing a 45-day extension. So were going to be right back in this place in November, Ocasio-Cortez added. Our main priority has to be the American people and whats going to keep our governance in a cohesive and strong place, but unless Kevin McCarthy asks for a vote again, I dont think we give something away for free, she continued. On a potential power-sharing agreement between parties in exchange for Democrats support to save his Speakership, the New York Democrat said, When it comes to power sharing, we will discuss that as a caucus and what we would finally accept or not, but again, its going to, it comes at a price. You dont just vote for a Republican Speaker for nothing. Thats not what we were elected here to do. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A rocky start to October continues for parts of the northern Great Lakes in the midst of an unseasonable episode of severe storms. Visit our Complete Guide to Fall 2023 for an in-depth look at the Fall Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more! Severe thunderstorms that developed Sunday will power through the overnight hours into early Monday morning, threatening communities north of Lake Superior with high winds and large hail. Since this is an unusual time of year to discuss severe weather, the threat for hazardous storms may catch folks off guard. Stay updated on the latest watches and warnings in your area, and get in touch with anyone you may know in the region to give them a heads-up about Sundays storm threat. DON'T MISS: October attempts to defy El Nino in Canada with atypical fall warmth Sunday overnight into Monday Areas: Mostly centred within northwestern Ontario Timing: Sunday overnight into early Monday morning ONSunNight Weather: We saw plenty of strong to severe thunderstorms blossom across northwestern Ontario during the day Sunday, prompting warnings for strong wind gusts and hail up to the size of golf balls in some spots. These severe storms will continue chugging east through the overnight hours Sunday into early Monday. ONTiming We'll see storms north of Highway 11 through Sunday night, diving south and wrapping around the north side of Lake Superior into the wee morning hours Monday. Additional severe weather is possible through the overnight hours, with a risk for strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rainfall accompanying the storms as they make their way east. WATCH: Albertas leaves only turn yellow, why falls chill may be to blame Click here to view the video After an abnormally warm September in the southern Plains and Texas, temperatures more akin to autumn are finally forecast to sweep the region. The dramatic pattern change, however, will come with the dangers of localized flooding and severe thunderstorms. Sweltering conditions from the summer lingered across the south-central United States throughout September. Texas was especially warm with cities like Dallas, Austin and Lubbock all ending the month with temperatures 6 or more degrees Fahrenheit above the historical average. The city of San Antonio finished the month of September with temperatures averaging 7.2 degrees above the historical norm, with high temperatures in the 90s or 100s every single day. Farther north, temperatures at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport were also quite balmy, only dropping below 70 four times in the entire month. The airport also set six new daily high-temperature records. A dearth of rainfall has also accompanied the warmth, stretching back to the beginning of summer. The Dallas-Forth Worth airport has recorded only 2.08 inches of rainfall since June 1, just 19 percent of the historical average from June 1 through the first day of October. A similar story has unfolded across much of central and eastern Texas, resulting in widespread extreme to exceptional drought across the region according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. AccuWeather forecasters say a major change is on the way this week. The same storm system forecasted to bring abruptly cooler weather and even some snow to much of the West will be moving into the Plains as the week progresses. "A cold front will push southeastward from the Rockies to the Gulf Coast during the second half of the week, bringing with it falling temperatures," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr. Widespread high temperatures in the 80s are expected across Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In the northern Texas panhandle and Oklahoma, afternoon temperatures may only reach the middle 70s. After Dallas had weeks of high temperatures in the 90s and lower 100s, temperatures will struggle to reach the lower 80s by Thursday afternoon. Highs in the middle 90s early this week in Little Rock, Arkansas, will be replaced with a high near 80 by late week. "Even though this is a big temperature change, the highs forecasted by the end of the week will still be near, or only a couple of degrees below, the historical average for early October," Zehr explained. Temperatures near the historical average are expected to continue through the end of the week and even into the first full weekend of October. The more comfortable conditions, and what will feel to some like the end of summer, will come at the cost of severe weather. The clash of mild air in the Plains early week with the cool air coming out of the Rockies could produce severe thunderstorms prior to the drop in temperature. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Severe thunderstorms erupted across New Mexico, western Texas and eastern Colorado on Monday, threatening additional cases of damaging wind gusts and hail through Monday night. Hailstones ranging in diameter from nickel-sized to golfball-sized fell from the sky Monday afternoon, according to local storm reports. On Tuesday, the temperature clash shifted east, so too did the severe weather risk. 2 to 3 inch hail, or hail the size of baseballs, fell on portions of Kansas according to local storm reports. As the cold front moves to the south and east, it will bring rounds of thunderstorms along with it. The threat of severe thunderstorms will remain likely again on Wednesday, but flooding downpours may also become more of a widespread risk from Wednesday through the end of the week in drought weary regions of Texas. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that some locations may see rain and thunderstorms lingering as late as Friday, depending on how long it takes for the front to move east and south of the region. The slower the front moves, the greater the risk that the same area gets several heavy downpours, heightening the flash flooding risk. As previously mentioned, accompanying the recent heat waves in the south-central U.S. has also been a lack of rainfall, which could make the impacts from wet weather even worse. During the months of August and September, Fort Worth, Texas only recorded 0.98 of an inch of rainfall, 20% of the historical average during this time frame. In Houston, only 29% of the historical average rainfall fell during the same two months. The abnormally low rain amounts have crescendoed into a significant drought across the region. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 32.9% of the south-central region is currently in extreme drought, an uptick from 1.1% three months ago. Additionally, the coverage of severe drought in the region quadrupled from 3.6% in late June to 16.1% in late September. "The blossoming drought in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana may make these areas more susceptible to [flash] flooding," said Zehr. One metro area that may be hit especially hard during the torrential downpours may be Dallas/Fort Worth. Dry ground has difficulty absorbing a plethora of water all at once. Instead, some of the water will pool on top of the ground and drain into any low-lying locations. "Very dry ground can harden and become almost like concrete," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jake Sojda. "After an extensive lack of rain, it can take time for the ground to soften and become more 'spongelike' and able to more effectively absorb rainfall once again." Once the downpours end, the rain will eventually bring some relief to the drought-stricken regions. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. A Los Angeles police officer listed herself as on call 70 times for a trial that had already ended to falsely collect overtime pay, California officials say. Isabel Morales, 32, faces a charge of grand theft by embezzlement, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said in a Sept. 29 news release. Morales received a subpoena to be on call to testify in a murder trial from Feb. 23 to March 8 in 2022, prosecutors said. She listed herself as on-call for the just-ended trial 70 more times from March 10 to July 15, including on some court holidays, prosecutors said. Morales fraudulently collected more than $15,000 in overtime pay as a result, prosecutors said. She joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 2016. The police department said in a statement that Morales was relieved of duty and directed to a Board of Rights hearing with a recommendation for termination. There is no place in this department for dishonesty, Chief Michel Moore said in the statement. We have taken every action to hold this officer accountable for their misconduct. The department said in launched an internal investigation into Morales overtime usage after her commanding officer reported unusual activity. I am deeply troubled by the alleged misappropriation of funds by a trusted law enforcement officer, District Attorney George Gascon said in the release. This behavior undermines the trust we work tirelessly to build with our community, Gascon said. Law enforcement officers are held to a standard of unwavering integrity. Morales faces up to 36 months in jail if convicted. Rescue helicopter crashes while searching for injured hiker, California officials say Hiker found dead after possible fight on trail, California police say Youth football coach punches 14-year-old player amid brawl, California cops say An open system device, manufactured by Geek Vape, includes a battery and is designed for the adult user, 21 and older, to add e-liquid at Cincy Vapors in Fairfield, Tuesday, August 7, 2023. There are a variety of flavors and strengths of nicotine from 18%, down to 0. Jeff Kathman said many of his adult customers use the e-liquid to help quit smoking, since you can control the strength of nicotine. Flavored tobacco products, if not outright banned, should absolutely not be sold to minors in Ohio. State legislators must protect our youth by aggressively going after companies targeting them with flavored e-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, and imposing stiffer penalties on businesses who sell these products to kids. Teen vaping has become an epidemic, and the numbers are staggering. More than 1 in 3 Ohio high schoolers have tried vaping, according to a 2021 survey backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And nearly 1 in 5 students currently vape statistics that line up with national survey results. An Enquirer investigation found the issue is widespread in local schools, where hundreds of kids some in elementary school, even were caught last school year vaping nicotine and cannabis products. Vaping has become a huge distraction for schools, one officials know they can't discipline their way out of. Even more troubling, the Enquirer's investigation found 177 Greater Cincinnati tobacco retailers within a 1-mile radius of a middle or high school have been cited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for selling vapes and other tobacco products to minors. That is stunningly 59% of all stores cited in the region. Youth vaping crisis in Ohio: Why The Enquirer spent 6 months investigating teen vaping Ohio lawmakers, vape stores must do more It's clear that state lawmakers need to put more teeth in Ohio law to discourage retailers from selling flavored tobacco products to minors. We support state Rep. Sara Carruthers' recently introduced bill that would increase fines ($250 for a first offense up to $1,500 for a fifth offense) and label repeat offenders "public nuisances, which would make them eligible for closure. This seems to be the lowest hanging fruit to crack down on the "bad apples" responsible for selling to kids. But it doesnt address the problems with enforcement now mainly that its driven by sting operations by state and federal agencies. Cincinnati, Norwood and other communities have put tobacco retailer licensing programs in place that allows for better tracking and enforcement of retailers. This could be done on the state level, too. The most effective remedy, however, is to ban flavored tobacco products, including menthol. Eighty-five percent of teens who vape use flavored products, and a recent OSU study found 71% of youth age 14-21 would quit vaping if tobacco was the only flavor available. A federal ban on flavored vape cartridges enacted under former President Donald Trump hasnt kept them out of the market. That ban exempted flavored liquid nicotine and menthol- and tobacco-flavored products. Teens walk by a vape and smoke shop across the street from Winton Woods High School along Kemper Road, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, in Forest Park, Ohio. The Enquirer found that the majority, or 59%, of stores cited by the FDA for selling tobacco products to minors during the last four years are within 1 mile of a local middle or high school. If Republicans want to protect kids, act on vaping, not drag queens Gov. Mike DeWine almost had a deal in place for a ban on flavors in exchange for a ban on local communities writing their own tobacco regulations. But the deal drafted into the Senate's May budget fell apart in June because Republicans disagreed on whether to ban menthol-flavored products, and DeWine refused to concede. And with good reason. It's long been known that menthol is more harmful because it masks the harshness of inhaling tobacco by cooling the throat, making it easier for novice users to inhale. Simply put, a flavor ban would save lives and could potentially stop thousands of area youth from ever vaping in the first place. The Enquirer's series chronicles how harmful vaping can be to young people's health. While vaping is still too new to fully forecast its long-term health effects, developing research points to lung disease, high blood pressure, headaches, mood disorders and other health risks for youth. But stories like that of the Sunberg family illustrate how vaping can destroy a young person's dreams and derail their life. Marijuana criminal justice reform: Those jailed for cannabis in Ohio deserve relief now | Opinion Some Republicans' arguments that outlawing flavors smacks of "nanny state" politics rings hollow. You can't claim that you want to protect Ohio children by banning drag shows and critical race theory, while refusing to act on a scientifically proven health threat in vaping. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gestures to a poster showing the increase in high school students vaping. Despite recent measures aimed at reducing youth smoking and vaping, DeWine said Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019 that the state must do more. We're not insensitive to adults who are trying to wean themselves off cigarettes and also like the flavored vapes. And we also understand the position of tobacco retailers that already play by the rules, selling only to adults, and could be negatively impacted by a flavor ban. That's why we encourage the governor and state lawmakers to work with responsible tobacco retailers on details of a compromise that would protect our kids, while maintaining the free market. We'd much rather see the legislature come up with a statewide solution, rather than a patchwork of tobacco regulations that vary from city to city. Columbus will ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products starting in January 2024. Cincinnati, Dayton and Cleveland are considering similar regulations. And if the General Assembly fails to act, these cities should. So long as these flavored tobacco products are available and easily accessible, teenagers will continue to consume them. Now is the time to protect our children from an unhealthy habit that could have detrimental effects on their lives. Opinion and Engagement Editor Kevin S. Aldridge writes this on behalf of The Enquirer's editorial board, which includes Editor Beryl Love, Senior News Director of Content Jackie Borchardt and community board members Rachel Citak, Jackie Congedo and Mack Mariani. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vapes cater to kids with flavored tobacco. Ohio must stop selling them The entrance to the Sangamon County Juvenile Center at 2201 S. Dirksen Pkwy. in Springfield. A 17-year-old male died Saturday after being shot by police at the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Facility on South Dirksen Parkway. According to Springfield Police, officers responded to a call about 7:45 p.m., that a person had possibly shot an individual and was holding another hostage at the facility. Officers shot the armed suspect after encountering him at the entrance to the facility. 'A beautiful woman inside and out:' Wenonah Bish turns 111 and shares secrets to longevity The suspect, identified by Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon as a 17-year-old male from Springfield, was taken by ambulance to HSHS St. Johns Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:41 p.m. Allmon did not release the identity of the teen but verified that his family had been contacted. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday, Allmon said. A second person suffered a gunshot wound and was treated and released, according to SPD. The juvenile facility operates under the county's probation and court services department and is administered by Kent Holsopple. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said the facility was immediately placed on lockdown after the incident and remained that way Sunday. Sheriff's deputies and correctional officers, including a K-9, were searching the facility, said Campbell, reached Sunday afternoon. There were nine juveniles detained at the facility at the time of the incident, Campbell said. He did not have an immediate breakdown of males and females. In emergency situations, any law enforcement agency can respond, Campbell added, which was why Springfield Police were first to arrive. Sheriff's deputies secured the area afterward, he said. Illinois State Police was immediately called, Campbell said. "That would have been the proper protocol, to get ISP involved in a situation like this," he said. The Sangamon County Juvenile Center is located at 2201 S. Dirksen Pkwy. in Springfield. Jeff Wilhite, a spokesperson for Sangamon County, referred inquiries about the shooting to ISP. ISP Trooper Haylie Polistina confirmed that the agency was handling the investigation but did not provide further details about the incident. Campbell deferred questions about how the teen wound up with the weapon to the ISP. SPD officers involved have been placed on restricted duty, per department policy, according to the SPD statement. It was not immediately known how many officers were involved. The juvenile center shares space with Regional Office of Education #51. The building has more than 20,000 square feet of unused space which is getting a $5 million makeover with funds from the American Rescue Plan covering the cost. In January, the city council signed off on the move of Helping Hands of Springfield, a 24/7, 365-day-a-year shelter, to the building around the New Year. Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr. was the lone vote against the move, saying he wanted his constituents to have a voice in the project. Informed on Sunday of the shooting, Williams said: "This goes to show, is this a smart idea, what they're planning to do (there)?" Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: One person was shot to death at the Sangamon County Juvenile Center One year on from the Kanjuruhan football stadium disaster that killed more than 130 people in Indonesia, families of the victims are calling on authorities to reopen investigations and declare the incident a serious human rights violation. Video footage aired by CNN affiliate CNN Indonesia showed emotional scenes as families gathered at the National Police Headquarters in the capital Jakarta on Wednesday to demand justice. Families, many of whom had traveled to Jakarta from Malang Regency where the tragedy took place, wore black T-shirts with the message: Never Forget, 1 October, 2022, and carried photos of deceased loved ones. Some 135 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in a crush as crowds rushed for the exits following a clash between fans and police that saw security forces fire tear gas within the stadium. Investigations by government-sanctioned fact-finding teams concluded the crush was primarily caused by police shooting tear gas at spectators. But until now, only five people three police officers and two organizers have been put on trial. Families have criticized their prison sentences of between one and two years as being too light. (Our) hope is for justice harsh as possible punishment for the 135 lives lost, said one woman demonstrating outside the police HQ who lost her daughter in the fatal crush. Similar gatherings took place on Monday, when dozens visited the offices of Komnas HAM, a state human rights institution. The Kanjuruhan tragedy was a gross human rights violation, said Imam Hidayat, a spokesperson for the Kanjuruhan Tragedy Advocacy Team, who called on the Attorney Generals Office to form an independent team to investigate the tragedy. There is a conflict of interest if the investigation is done by police, he said. Also among the demonstrators was a man named Daniel, whose daughter Elvi Duali died at the stadium. It isnt fair, Daniel said. Even after a year, we (the victims families) still have not received justice. Located in East Java, the Kanjuruhan Stadium was used mostly for soccer matches, with a supposed capacity of 38,000 spectators. But there were around 42,000 tickets sold for the game on October 1, 2022, when one of the worst disasters in the sports history unfolded. A clash between a number of Arema FC fans and police prompted security forces to fire tear gas into enclosed areas of the stadium. Panicked fans then attempted to flee the choking smoke, triggering a crush at the exits. Many of those killed were trampled to death or died from asphyxiation and other breathing problems, officials said. Among the dead were 33 children, including one as young as 3. Many are still traumatized by the events on October 1. - Willy Kurniawan/Reuters Survivor accounts emerged alleging excessive force by armed riot police officers kicking and beating people at the scene. President Joko Widodo has said the stadium would be demolished and rebuilt. But one year on and the building still stands, largely abandoned, with graffiti and posters condemning the tragedy. Rights groups told CNN that a year had pass but nothing had changed since the tragedy. The ongoing legal process still does not fulfill a sense of justice for victims or their families, said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Gun rights advocates were set to rally at the Connecticut State Capitol Saturday to celebrate the legacy that open carry has left in Connecticut on the eve of its criminalization. The Connecticut Citizens Defense League WE WILL CARRY ON rally came the day before the launch of the states most sweeping gun control measure since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. The legislation bans the open carry of firearms in public, with exceptions for specific occupations and use during training or hunting activities and on property that is the gun owners home, land or place of business. It also limits handgun purchases to three per person per month, requires trigger locks on all firearms sold, closes loopholes in the states assault weapon ban, requires registration of unserialized ghost guns, increases penalties for failing to report a stolen firearm and tightens the conditions for bail, probation and parole of repeat firearm offenders, among other measures. State Rep. Steven Stafstrom, who pushed the bill through the House as the chair of the Judiciary Committee, singled out the tightening of the assault weapons ban and increasing the enforceability of ghost gun laws as key. I think those two provisions in particular will really get at the heart of many of the crimes we see committed on our streets, in particular, in our cities, Stafstrom said. But CCDL President Holly Sullivan said the governor and his administration missed the mark. There was a huge opportunity this legislative session to enact real change for the crimes that are being committed in our state. But thats simply not where they focus their efforts and energy, Sullivan said. They focused by and large on law-abiding gun owners and the firearms that they already possessed. Were in a situation where the governor and his party focus again on what is truly gun control, not dealing with crimes that are rampant in this state, Sullivan added. In response to similar comments, Lamont at a press conference Thursday called Sullivan is dead wrong. I dont think CCDL is very serious about taking care of keeping our streets safe and getting those illegal guns off the street, Lamont said. Open carry is about saying its illegal to carry those guns on the street. Its our opportunity to see whether those ghost guns, which are unmarked and meant to kill, (if) we can get them off the street. Im not doing anything about lawful gun owners, but Im trying to be very strict, get those illegal guns off the street and those that are more likely to repeat a crime like that, get them off the street as well. Sullivan challenged the idea that gun control makes Connecticut streets safer. The governor and his administration continue to say that we are one of the safest states in the country because of our gun control laws, Sullivan said. We have always been one of the safest states in the country. And that is not to be conflated that its due to our gun control. We have the highest homicide rate in New England, Sullivan added. We have states in New England that dont even require a permit to carry, theyre constitutional carry states, and we have higher homicide rates than they do. Connecticut is sixth in the nation for the lowest firearm mortality. With a rate of 6.7 deaths per 100,000 individuals, Connecticut is ranked below its northeastern neighbors of Massachusetts (3.4), New Jersey (5.2), New York (5.4) and Rhode Island (5.6), according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Connecticut ranks 13th in the nation for the lowest homicide rate, ranking below all other New England states, according to the CDC. Sullivan said the CCDL and gun rights advocates are challenging provisions of the new law, in addition to existing statute in the court case Grant v. Lamont. In terms of the legal challenge, Stafstrom said the gun control law is clearly defensible. Connecticut has had a very good track record of beating back challenges by those who seek to make our streets less safe and Im fully expecting that we will be similarly successful in defending this law, Stafstrom said. Just as this was not the first gun control package, Stafstrom said the new law will not be the last. Theres the issue of bump stocks and trigger locks, and also just changes to the way gun manufacturers have tried to get around the assault weapons ban, Stafstrom said. We are going to be in (this) situation unless, and until, there is major federal action of having to constantly update our laws to keep pace with ways the gun manufacturers are attempting to skirt or avoid our laws. Editors Note: Michelle Stern is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA), dog behavior consultant and former teacher. She is the host of the Parenting Kids and Dogs 101 podcast. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely her own. View more opinion on CNN. Commander Biden, the first familys 2-year-old German Shepherd, committed his 11th known biting offense this past week. Coming on the heels of the relocation of Major, another Biden pet, for similar sins, this pattern of behavior begs the question: WTH? Why are these dogs struggling in the White House? Michelle Stern - Rod Milstead On the surface, there seems to be a simple answer: The White House is a busy place where its hard to have consistent routine for a dog. Dogs love predictable patterns. It makes the rules clear and helps them to understand boundaries, something crucial for young dogs, in particular. But 31 out of 45 other presidents have had dogs, and very few have stirred up the commotion (at least publicly) that we have seen from the dogs belonging to the Biden family. Of course, we cant fully know why Commander and Major, also a German Shepherd, have had this problem when other first dogs, as far as we know, havent. But there are certain general guidelines around dog behavior and what we know about their situation at the White House that provides some insight into whats going on and what can be done about it. Some dogs thrive in socially complex and busy environments while others struggle at the lack of structure. The reasons why run the gamut of genetics, learning history, environment and individual health and temperament. But one of the big determinants is breed. Different breeds have different traits because they were all bred to do different jobs, from keeping someones lap warm to controlling rodent populations on farms. Some were bred for protection work while others were meant to move livestock from place to place and warn us if there were predators about. In this photo, made on Christmas day, 1932, President Franklin D. Roosevelt is shown with his family, including Major, the family dog. - Bettmann Archive/Getty Images While Presidents Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy had German shepherds at the White House, historically many other breeds were well represented, such as setters, beagles and spaniels. German Shepherds, as it happens, face a special challenge. They were meant to do two jobs instead of one. How confusing is that? Originally, they were herders, but now are widely used for their guardian tendencies and strong work ethic. (They are dogs who need a job. Their personality lends itself to guardian work but they want to work.) As a consequence, German Shepherds were bred to be protective of their territory by moving people away. When they bark, snarl and lunge, people or other dogs should read that as threatening and back away. In that way, the dog should never have to bite. As they begin to mature, adolescent and young adult dogs naturally become more suspicious of strangers. A cycle can develop when a young dog practices these behaviors and then they are repeated more often leading to more frequent assertive displays toward intruders. Without professional support, young dogs can be unable to tell the difference between true threats and simply perceived threats. Commander has likely given plenty of warning signs before chomping down, but its also likely that the busy White House staff hasnt had the time to notice subtle signals such as a freeze, a hard stare or a raised lip. A dogs body language is much like a traffic signal that offers plenty of communication about when its safe or when to slow down. But if the yellow light is missed, the sudden RED signal and resulting collision between teeth and skin is a horrible consequence. Former President Bill Clinton holding onto his dog Buddy with then first lady Hillary Clinton and their daughter Chelsea during their vacation in Saranac Lake, New York in August 2000. - Joyce Naltchayan/AFP/Getty Images Commander may also be misreading that the staff is a threat. When he bites someone, he probably thinks hes doing his job. Unfortunately, that ends up making him a workplace hazard rather than a protector. You might be wondering if Commander is a dangerous dog. After all, he has bitten 11 people, one of whom had to go to the hospital. But the truth is that we need a lot more information to make sure a determination. Were the bites nips from the front teeth? Deep bites from the incisors? And whats the deal with the person who was hospitalized with two bites? Did Commander bite once and then dive in to bite again? Or was the second bite after the person began to retreat, as a herding instinct might dictate? Or was he grabbed and restrained after the first bite, only to redirect out of frustration and bite again? Still, we dont need the answers to these questions to know that steps need to be taken to prevent another bite. I see two viable options. First, the Bidens can get Commander a dedicated caretaker a humane dog professional who can help him to understand when he is off duty. He needs to learn that he can relax in certain zones of the White House and not be responsible for keeping everyone safe. He would benefit from learning behaviors that are more polite and appropriate than assertive communication displays. When he cant be supervised, I believe he should be spending time in a safe, managed space where he can nap and cant hurt anyone. Baby gates or other barriers are likely not commonplace in the White House decor scheme, but they can be instrumental in preventing Commander from making further mistakes. Alternatively, Commander can go live with someone who can give him a new sense of purpose. German Shepherds are excellent at search and rescue work because of their strong work ethic and intelligence. Maybe the best post for Commander isnt in the hectic home of the president. If the Bidens were to take that course and wanted to get another dog to live in the White House, an easygoing, amiable temperament would be ideal. Labradors, golden retrievers, spaniels and beagles have all been successful presidential dogs in the past and have the potential to be friendly, social additions to the White House. Or, if they are looking for a simpler, less dramatic pet, perhaps they could take a page from the book of Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of sixth president John Quincy Adams, who kept silkworms. They are far less likely to stir up a scandal or put the presidential staff in the hospital. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Luz Quevedo spends time with her son, Milan Camarillo, 4, at their home on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 in Salem, Ore. Camarillo is able to attend preschool because of the Employment Related Day Care program. When her first son was born 26 years ago, Luz Quevedo had to rely on coworkers and friends to care for him while she worked. She gets emotional remembering one day lifting her sons sweater when he was about 7 and discovering bruises. A child at the home of a family friend had been bullying him while she was at work, she said. I had no resources, nothing, for help, Quevedo, now 48, said. Twenty years later, when her second son was born, the child care worries returned. A coworker recommended she apply to the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program. It was a resource she didnt realize existed in the state. Milan, now 4, is enjoying his first time in preschool thanks to the program. But help for more families like Quevedo's is coming to a halt soon. Limited in funds and unable to meet demand, Oregons largest program to help parents offset the cost of child care is closing enrollment. Families applying to the Employment Related Day Care program after 11:59 p.m. Nov. 3 will be forced to join a waitlist, where they will stay for at least 18 months. And the Department of Early Learning and Care warned it could be longer. Drastic changes to program Luz Quevedo says the Employment Related Day Care program helped her son attend preschool. However, due to limited funds and high demand, Oregons largest program to help parents offset the cost of child care is set to close enrollment. The agency is Oregons newest. It was established through House Bill 3073 in 2021 and is meant to consolidate the states early learning and child care system. The agency took over several programs including ERDC in July. The ERDC program is funded in part by state and federal dollars. ERDC makes direct payments to a familys chosen child care provider. Families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level are eligible and pay a small copay based on income to providers that accept ERDC. That means a family of two earning $36,620 or a family of four earning $55,500 qualify for the program. It is a program that historically hasnt worked for families or providers and has been underutilized, Department of Early Learning and Care director Alyssa Chatterjee acknowledged. HB 3073 made significant changes in an effort to make the program more accessible. It reduced copays to below 7% of household incomes, made it so providers are paid based on enrollment and not attendance, expanded eligibility to parents who are full-time students, allowed families to apply for the program while on leave, and began to cover child care during sleep hours for households with two caretakers. In July, ERDC implemented additional changes including protected 12-month eligibility and the ability for families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to receive child care assistance at the same time. The 12-month eligibility is significant for several reasons, not least of which is the shortage of child care programs around the state. A report from Oregon State University in June confirmed that all Oregon counties except Gilliam County are considered "child care deserts" for infants and toddlers, meaning an area where at least three children exist for every child care slot available. In the past, families would be dropped if they did not find a provider within three months. Some waiting lists for centers lasted longer than that. More changes are supposed to be implemented next spring, including expanding eligibility to children regardless of their citizenship status. The changes did what the Legislature hoped: growing families enrolled in ERDC by 52%. Enrollment grew by 22% from June to August alone. ERDC currently supports about 14,000 families across the state in paying for child care. "The trends were so unprecedented," Chatterjee said. In August, the department began preparing for the implementation of a waitlist. Gov. Tina Kotek on Thursday said ERDC will need at least $50 million more this biennium to meet the demand for child care assistance in Oregon. It is a significant funding gap that is likely to continue to grow. And it is a funding gap advocates said legislators were warned about. '100% preventable' In June, advocates placed 1,000 colorful pinwheels on the Capitol Mall urging legislators to invest at least $100 million more into the Department of Early Learning and Care. The Legislature did approve an additional $23 million at the end of the session, $8 million for caseload increases and $15 million to cover any changes to compensation for providers, but it wasn't enough to meet the demand. "We were really, you know, just there waving our hands in the air trying as hard as we could to really just try and warn lawmakers that this was going to happen," said Courtney Veronneau, policy director at Family Forward Oregon, an advocacy group. When Family Forward Oregon was notified by the agency the waitlist would be implemented, they weren't surprised, she said. "It's still incredibly disappointing because this was 100% preventable," Veronneau added. Family Forward Oregon and other advocates are calling on Kotek and lawmakers to come up with new funding in time to avoid implementing the waitlist. Candice Vickers, executive director of Family Forward Oregon, said lawmakers must make it clear that they are prioritizing child care and recognize that child care is a part of the vital infrastructure of the state "just like roads and bridges." The disruption will be palpable at every part of the state, not just among caregivers and families, Vickers said, but also employers whose employees are going to be struggling without a safe place to send their children while they work. How to enroll Chatterjee said it is important to hold on to the fact that ERDC is a program that, after significant legislative changes, is now working for Oregon families. "It's not that families didn't need child care. It's that the Employment Related Daycare program didn't work for them," she said. She is encouraging families who believe they are eligible for ERDC to apply before 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 3 and avoid the waitlist. As long as applications are started, they'll be reviewed. With the new 12-month eligibility protection, it means the only reason a family would be dropped from the program is if they voluntarily leave, if their children age out, or if the families' income rises above the limit. To apply: Visit Benefits.Oregon.gov Visit a local Oregon Department of Human Services office Call 1-800-699-9075 There are exemptions that would allow families with specific needs to still enroll in ERDC after the deadline. Families recently or currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS). Families referred by the Child Welfare division of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) or reapplying for ERDC within two months of benefits ending. Families currently receiving ERDC will continue to receive benefits after Nov. 3. Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon's Employment Related Day Care program implements waiting list A pedestrian was killed after being struck by a vehicle Saturday night in Orangevale. Officials from the California Highway Patrols East Sacramento office said the pedestrian was walking outside of a crosswalk along Main Avenue between Main Street and Greenback Lane when he was struck just after 7:20 p.m. Authorities said the vehicle was going about 25 mph along the darkened roadway when the collision occurred. The CHP said the victim, identified as an Orangevale man in his 40s, had stepped in front of oncoming traffic for an unknown reason. Paramedics from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District pronounced the man dead at the scene. The motorist, an Orangevale resident in his 60s, waited for emergency crews and cooperated with officers after the crash. The driver was not cited, and drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash, the CHP said. The victim is expected to be identified by the Sacramento County Coroners Office once family is notified of his death. Two Phoenix-area rabbis are among prominent Jewish community members from across the country who recently signed a letter denouncing what they argue is Elon Musk s embrace of antisemitism on his social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. Published Tuesday, the X Out Hate letter calls for Amazon, Apple and Disney to pull their ads from X, and for Apple and Google to remove the platform from their app stores. As of Friday evening, 159 had signed the letter, which deems Musks actions on X as contributing to the spread of antisemitic discourse on the popular platform. The letter highlights his criticism of leading Jewish civil rights organization the Anti-Defamation League and his unbanning of notorious antisemites. As leaders of all backgrounds, current and former leaders of Jewish organizations, artists, and activists from all over the country, we have watched in horror as a new stage in antisemitic discourse has spread like wildfire on one of Americas largest social media networks. All of this has been facilitated and enabled by its owner: Elon Musk, reads the letter. If something does not change, we know what will happen: hate speech and radicalization are always the precursor to violence, the letter continues. Elon Musk sits for a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'Culture of hate' Rabbi Andy Green, of Scottsdales Congregation Or Zion, was the letters 50th signer. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, president and dean of the Scottsdale-based nonprofit Valley Beit Midrash, also signed the letter and gathered signatures from others. As of Friday, nearly half of the letters signers hold the title of rabbi. Elon Musk has allowed antisemitic voices and these very serious conspiracy theorists to flourish and to share their awful and hateful ideas and ideologies with relative impunity since taking over the platform, Green said in a Wednesday afternoon interview with The Arizona Republic. Green has asked his congregation to join him in abandoning the social media platform. We need to really put a check on this guy. I think it's a terrifying culture of hate that he's unleashing, Yanklowitz said in a Thursday afternoon interview with The Republic. Words of hate tweets of hate lead to acts of hate. We know that does not end well for Jews and for other minorities LGBT folks, Latinos, Black folks. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz speaks to supporters at a rally against antisemitism at the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads on March 6, 2023, in Scottsdale. The letter was conceived by Elad Nehorai, a former Orthodox Jew who graduated from Arizona State University in 2007 and works in marketing. Nehorai has closely followed extremist trends in high tech. He penned an essay in early June for the Jewish publication Forward, where he wrote Musk was the most dangerous antisemite in America, and possibly the most dangerous antisemite in American history. Nehorai, however, felt it was urgent to expand the conversation, and thus the signature-collecting on this letter, he told The Republic on Thursday afternoon. I could tell Jews were getting extremely nervous about (Musk on X). And I really wanted to help give them a voice to not just be speaking for myself because I knew other people felt this way, so I drafted this letter, Nehorai said, adding the signers span different branches within Judaism and are from across the political spectrum. When reached by email, X did not respond to a request for comment on the letter. 'Scapegoating' the Anti-Defamation League The letter states antisemitic discourse has doubled on X. According to data released March 15 by the human rights nonprofit Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the CASM Technology company, the volume of antisemitic posts in English on the platform had more than doubled since Musk took over in late October 2022. The ADL and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an organization focusing on human rights and civil liberties online, found antisemitic posts referring to Jews and Judaism had shot up 61% in the two weeks that followed Musk assuming ownership, the New York Times reported on Dec. 2. Across the U.S. in 2022, the ADL found there were 3,697 antisemitic incidents a 36% increase from the year before. This is the highest number recorded by the ADL since it began tracking these incidents in 1979, the organization noted. This year, Arizona has seen 11 incidents of antisemitism and 19 incidents of white supremacist propaganda, according to the ADL. The letter mentions Musk liking and replying to an X post sharing the #BanTheADL hashtag, which was started by white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. ADL has tried very hard to strangle X/Twitter, Musk said in a Sept. 1 post. He later asked his approximately 150 million followers on Sept. 2 whether there should be a poll regarding the claims made by a far-right Dutch commentator about the credibility of the long-running organization. To be super clear, Im pro free speech, but against anti-Semitism of any kind, Musk on Sept. 4 would post on X. The letters statement reads: We are alarmed by his targeting of the ADL: not because of our views of the organization (we represent a wide range of views, including some who fundamentally oppose the ADL as well as staunch supporters), but because of the way he has used the organization as a very clear stand in for an antisemitic representation of Jewish power. On Sept. 5, the ADL released a statement that read in part: This urgent matter is the safety of the Jewish people in the face of increasing, intensifying antisemitism. Musk is engaging with and elevating these antisemites at a time when ADL is tracking a surge of bomb threats and swatting attacks of synagogues and Jewish institutions, dramatic levels of antisemitic propaganda being littered throughout Jewish and non-Jewish residential communities, and extremists marching openly through the streets in Nazi gear. In his barrage of X posting, Musk suggested suing the ADL on defamation grounds. Rabbi Green said Musks comments were scapegoating the ADL and that he was not taking responsibility for the loss in advertising revenue X has incurred since he became owner. (Musk) uses the ADL to represent Jewish power. And even if you don't believe that, the extremists definitely interpreted it that way, Nehorai said. 'Vicious antisemites' Musks Twitter in December disbanded the Trust & Safety Council, a voluntary advisory group of civil and human rights organizations set up years before to address hate speech, child exploitation and other issues on the platform. The letter condemns Musk for reinstating the banned accounts of "vicious antisemites" like Andrew Anglin, the founder of the United States largest neo-Nazi publication, The Daily Stormer, and conspiracy theorist David Icke. The letter also argues Musks engagement on X has linked Soros with the Rothschilds, the ultra-wealthy Jewish Western European family that is often a target of antisemitic conspiracy theories. In a May 15 post, Musk compared Soros, a Holocaust survivor, with X-Men comic book character Magneto, who is depicted as a Holocaust survivor and a supervillain bent on destroying non-mutant humans. Musk responded to a user defending Soros as being well-intentioned by posting, You assume they are good intentions. They are not. He wants to erode the very fabric of civilization. Soros hates humanity. Nehorai said posting conspiracy theories about Soros is the early stages of absorbing or spreading antisemitism. Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @jrgzztx. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-area rabbis sign letter condemning Elon Musk, antisemitism on X A man died in downtown Phoenix Friday night after he was shot, according to Phoenix police. Police have identified the man as 33-year-old Leander Nephew. On Friday Sept. 29 around 11:16 p.m., police said officers responded to an "unknown trouble call" near Jefferson and 7th Street in downtown Phoenix. Police said when officers got to the area they found Nephew with a gunshot wound. Officials said Nephew was taken to the hospital by Phoenix Fire Department but did not survive his injuries. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and took over the investigation, according to police. Police said details about what led up to the incident are still under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the case are encouraged by police to call 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO to provide an anonymous tip. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man dies from gunshot wound in downtown Phoenix Amber Alert New York State Police said they believe a 9-year-old girl who vanished while camping with her family in Moreau Lake State Park has been kidnapped. Charlotte Sena, last seen wearing a pink Pokemon t-shirt, has not been seen since 6:15 p.m. on Saturday when she broke off from her cousins to bike a lap of the trail loop by herself. It wasn't dark, Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a Sunday afternoon press briefing. But after 15 minutes, Charlotte had not returned to her campsite and thats really when the nightmare begins. Im in Saratoga County providing an update on the search for Charlotte Sena. Watch live: https://t.co/mcqyUqk9g8 Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 1, 2023 An Amber Alert was issued for Charlotteciting imminent danger of serious harm and or deathbut not until hours after her family reported her missing after they went to look for her and found her bike abandoned. More than 100 law enforcement officers and other workers were on scene, using sonar, drones, an airboat, and bloodhounds to search for Charlotte. We felt that after an exhaustive search, when we couldnt find her here, that it was quite possible an abduction had taken place, Lt. Col. Richard Mazzone said at a Sunday afternoon press briefing with Gov. Kathy Hochul. Trisha Sena, the girls mother, told the Albany Times Union that Charlotte is a trustingchild. I just want my daughter back, she said. Hochul said she had met with Charlottes parents and that as a mother and a grandmother I cannot imagine the pain they are going through. She said the fourth grader is a joyful child who had just been elected to the Student Council at her school in Saragota County, where she lives with her parents and two sisters. Everybody thought of her as just a really nice girlthe kind who looked after other children, Hochul said. Hearts are broken today here in New York, she added. Hopefully there will be a reunion. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Police have arrested two men in the Friday killing of a 40-year-old Pontiac man who often posed as a minor on social media in attempts to catch sexual predators. Robert Wayne Lee, who ran a popular Facebook page with 11,000 followers using the moniker "Boopac Shakur," confronted two males, ages 17 and 18, seated in a Pontiac restaurant near the corner of North Perry and MLK Boulevard about 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's office. Lee accused one of the men of being a pedophile and punched him, causing the man to pull out a knife and the other man to produce a firearm, which he used to shoot Lee several times before the two fled the restaurant, police said. Lee was taken to a hospital where he later died. The two suspects were arrested early Saturday afternoon in Pontiac, according to a news release from Oakland County Sheriff's office. The suspected shooter is 17. Both suspects are believed to be from Pontiac, police said. Detectives were expected to turn the case over to prosecutors for potential charges on Sunday or Monday. More: Demolition begins at University of Detroit Mercy administrative center Police said Lee's running ruse, posing as a 15-year-old girl online, was at times successful, but also resulted in false accusations. "His one-man crusade has led to the arrest and criminal charges being filed against several men," the sheriff's office said in its news release. "He has also mistakenly identified someone as a sexual predator who was not." "While we certainly understand his desire to hold child predators accountable, many times well intentioned individuals who engaged in this dont know the standard of evidence required for convictions and often underestimate the potential for violence confronting a suspected predator," said Sheriff Michael Bouchard. "They feel trapped and often lash out violently. When we have arrested predators in such circumstances, they have rammed police cars and exhibited other violent behavior in attempts to escape. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Boopac Shakur' shooting suspects arrested in Pontiac The teenager who accidentally shot his friend in the back Saturday evening at a Deltona park has been arrested according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office. A 17-year-old resident of Orange City was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed firearm, discharging a firearm in public and improper exhibition of a firearm in the incident that seriously injured his friend, also 17. Deputies responded to the shooting around 6:15 p.m. Friday. A deputy on his way to the scene near Three Island Nature Park was flagged down by a driver and passenger in a car on Howland Boulevard near Candler Drive. The two were yelling for help, saying the passenger was shot in the back, the sheriff's office reported. More: New York murder suspect caught in Deltona Deputies provided first aid and applied a chest seal to the victims back before an ambulance arrived and transported him to a hospital. The sheriff's office said the victim and three friends were sitting in the car at the nature park when the shooter, who was sitting in the rear right passenger seat, got a gun out of his pocket and accidentally fired a shot through the front passenger seat and into the victims back. The shooter and another passenger ran away after the shooting, but deputies found him in Orange City and brought him in for an interview. The other passenger also returned to the sheriffs office to be interviewed. The shooter told deputies the gun went off when he was trying to take his cell phone out of the same pocket. He said he discarded the gun after running from the vehicle; the gun was not immediately located. He was taken to the Volusia Family Resource Center for processing and then transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice to be held in custody. The victim was listed in critical but stable condition. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Arrest made in accidental shooting at Three Island Nature Park Fort Worth police are investigating a shooting Saturday in which two people were killed and another person was injured. At around 3:30 p.m Saturday, police were dispatched to the 700 block of House Street in response to a shooting call. Upon arrival, officers located multiple shooting victims. One victim was pronounced deceased on the scene, and two other victims were transported by an ambulance to a local hospital for medical treatment, according to police. One shooting victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital, and the second transported victim was treated and released from the hospital. The identities of the victims have not been released, and no arrests have been announced. A protest against rent increases led to a scuffle breaking out between protesters and law enforcement on Sunday, police said. The march started at 10 a.m. Sunday morning at Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights and included thousands of renters campaigning against a proposed nine percent increase in rent for rent-controlled apartments by the Los Angeles Housing Department. Controversial zero-bail policy takes effect in L.A. County About an hour into the demonstrations, LAPD received an officer needs help call after an altercation broke out at the corner of 1st Street and Chicago Street. Police officer injured during tenant protest in Boyle Heights The officer was injured in the confrontation and was transported to a nearby hospital. His condition is unknown. No arrests have been made, authorities said. Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Stay with KTLA for the latest details. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Massive crowds descended on the Polish capital of Warsaw on Sunday for a rally organized by the countrys opposition party ahead of elections that could determine Polands future in Europe later this month. Organizers said that 1 million people attended the March of a Million Hearts, though Polish press agency PAP quoted local police saying about 100,000 people participated. Leaders of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party are hoping to use Sundays gathering to build momentum ahead of the October 15 vote and regain political control from the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that has ruled Poland since 2015. The event began at 12 p.m. with speeches from several leaders. Attendees began a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) march an hour later, according to CNN affiliate TVN Poland. People waved Polish and EU flags at Sunday's rally. - Rafal Oleksiewicz/AP Donald Tusk , the former European Council president now leading the PO, told crowds that the size of Sundays gathering showed that there was nothing that could stop the growing liberal political movement. This giant has awakened, he said. This change is inevitable, for the better. Donald Tusk delivers a speech on Sunday. - Omar Marques/Getty Images The upcoming election pits two parties with very different policy prescriptions for Polands future: the more nationalist, inward-looking, anti-immigration vision of the PiS versus the liberal, pro-Europe government being pitched by Tusks PO. Tusk has alleged that the PiS is positioning Poland to leave the European Union, a charge which it denies. But Polands conservative government has found itself repeatedly at odds with the EU in recent years. That conflict reached fever pitch two years ago when Polands high court deemed EU rules were subordinate to Polish law, defying the primacy of EU law a principle has bound together the union for decades. The PiS has also shifted right culturally, hoping to woo conservative voters by promoting a nationalist Catholic image. That has seen the party take aim at LGBTQ groups. The countrys anti-abortion laws are the strictest in Europe. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski said that he hoped that Sundays event was the beginning of a march toward a completely different Poland. Millions have woken up, Trzaskowski said. We are moving full of courage and determination towards the future, towards a Poland that is tolerant, diverse, European and smiling. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned Ukraine against establishing a close alliance with Germany in a speech at a political convention on Oct. 1, the Polish news outlet Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reported. At a gathering of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party in Katowice ahead of the Oct. 15 parliamentary elections, Morawiecki addressed his remarks directly to President Volodymyr Zelensky . "I understand that it seems to [President Zelensky] now that he will have a close alliance with Germany. Let me warn you, Germany will always want to cooperate with the Russians over the heads of Central European countries," Morawiecki said. Morawiecki went on to emphasize Poland's support for Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion. "It was Poland that welcomed a few million Ukrainians under our roofs, it was the Poles who welcomed the Ukrainians, it was we who helped the most at the time when the Germans wanted to send 5,000 helmets to besieged Kyiv," the Polish prime minister said. "It is worthwhile for you not to forget this, President Zelensky," he said. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us On the same day, Morawiecki's opponent, former prime minister Donald Tusk, led a rally in Warsaw to huge crowds. Tusk recently called for Poland to provide unstinting military aid to Ukraine. His remarks came shortly after Morawiecki announced that Poland would stop sending weapons to Ukraine to focus on its own security needs. Officials later clarified that Poland will meet all its existing agreements on arms deliveries. At the convention in Katowice, Morawiecki also defended Poland's decision to extend the Ukrainian grain imports ban after the European Commission ended the embargo. "We will defend Polish agriculture against Ukrainian agro-oligarchs," Morawiecki said. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Biden says American support for Ukraine cant be allowed to be interrupted Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Photo/PBS) Guest Opinion. As Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, I highly value the many partners ready to work with us in Oklahoma, both tribal citizens and non-tribal. Although a few have tried to destroy tribal sovereignty and reject collaboration with tribes, I have long suspected that position is unpopular among all four million Oklahomans. Now a recent statewide public opinion poll confirms my experience. It shows a large supermajority of Oklahomans recognize the importance of tribal nations and the critical role for our governments in improving our state. Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the Oklahoma and across the country, and we are encouraged by this overwhelming consensus that tribes are good for Oklahoma. We are all better off when tribes and the state work together. This poll is more than a snapshot of public opinion. It represents a major positive shift in the way Oklahomans view tribal nations. Twenty years ago, the sentiment toward tribal governments was much more divided. In 2002, barely half of the respondents saw tribes as an asset to Oklahoma. Fast forward to today, and a resounding 80 percent of Oklahomans say tribes contribute to the well-being of our state, with only 15 percent holding an opposing view. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. This shift is a testament to tribal nations impact at the local level. Here on the Cherokee Nation Reservation and across Oklahoma, we have prioritized what families value most: safety, education, health care and home ownership. The support for tribes extends across political lines, with 73 percent of Republicans and 94 percent of Democrats acknowledging the positive impact of tribes on Oklahoma. This unity in recognizing our value also transcends urban and rural populations. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. Economic contributions and job opportunities provided by tribal nations were the top reason Oklahomans value tribes. As some of the state's largest employers, we have been especially important for rural areas, where quality career options are essential for both community growth and family unity. The poll also explored the complex issue of McGirt v. Oklahoma, a case that has generated extensive debate since 2020. More than 7 in 10 Oklahoma voters are familiar with McGirt, and those familiar with the case hold an even more favorable view of tribal governments: 81 percent believe that tribes are a positive force in Oklahoma. Oklahomans correctly perceive tribal nations as credible partners in resolving the intricate challenges posed by McGirt. Well over 80% of voters want the state of Oklahoma to work together with tribes to improve our state, not try to give the state precedence over tribal sovereignty. Tribal nations stand ready to continue our legacy of making Oklahoma vibrant and strong. As always, we extend a hand of cooperation to our neighbors. Cherokee Nation is more than just a chapter in the state's story; it is an integral part of Oklahoma's history, culture and economy. Together, we can embrace the spirit of unity and create a brighter tomorrow for all Oklahomans. Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Polly Klaas, 12, was memorialized in December 1993 when her body was found more than two months after she was kidnapped from her home in Petaluma, Calif. (NewsBase / Associated Press) When 12-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped by a stranger from her Northern California home on Oct. 1, 1993, the efforts to find her drew worldwide attention. When Pollys body was found 64 nights after her abduction, the outpouring of grief in her hometown and beyond was overwhelming. Why had Pollys case so profoundly touched the nation and the world? Eve Nichol, Pollys mom, didnt know. She realized not every family receives this kind of support. But she hoped that what had been learned from Pollys case would help galvanize some other community in the future. If Pollys fate could change laws or inspire efforts to prevent child abuse, perhaps something good can come out of this horror, she thought. In fact, the Klaas investigation would become a Hall of Fame case in the Federal Bureau of Investigations San Francisco division. Read more: Op-Ed: Polly Klaas was our sister. We don't want unjust laws to be her legacy The case was immensely important to us at the time and was followed very closely, said former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, who implemented a bureauwide Crimes Against Children program during his tenure. Members of the Klaas investigative team played a key role in that nationwide effort and used insights gleaned from the case to improve the bureaus response to child abductions. Mary Ellen OToole, the FBI profiler who worked the case, later wrote the FBIs official kidnapping protocol. The Klaas investigation didnt just inform the ways we search for and find missing children, but also the way the FBI investigates many other types of crime. Investigative methods tested and proved in this case forever transformed the bureaus approach to crime scene investigation, forensics, behavioral science, rapid response and kidnapping protocols. For example, this case marked the FBIs first use of fluorescent powder and alternate light sources. These tools proved their value by identifying the latent palm print on Pollys bunk bed frame, fibers linking four crime scenes, and other evidence essential to the arrest and conviction of Richard Allen Davis, Pollys kidnapper and killer, who was sentenced to death and currently resides on death row in San Quentin. Read more: Opinion: Polly Klaas' murder accelerated the tough-on-crime movement. Her sisters want to stop it On the day of Pollys memorial, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark Mershon got a call from Quantico, Va., with good news: Based on the results of Pollys case, FBI headquarters had earmarked money to purchase alternate light sources. At a cost of $8,000 per unit, this was a major investment and a big win for a new approach to investigations with the use of an evidence response team. The Klaas investigation was the first major case to be run by such a team in the FBI. Based in the Bay Area, it proved the effectiveness of quickresponding local teams trained to process crime scenes, gather trace evidence and work closely with the FBI lab. The evidence response team model was subsequently adopted bureauwide. Members of the San Francisco team would apply skills and lessons forged in the Klaas case to a number of other cases including the Unabomber, the Oklahoma City bombing and the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Today, the FBI has more than 1,000 evidence response team members, and each geographic division has its own dedicated team. Read more: 12 years after being locked up as a teen, he finds mercy from the D.A. who put him there The Klaas case also marked the first time an FBI profiler was embedded with an evidence response team. The profiler in Pollys case worked side by side with the team to combine behavioral science with forensic science. This approach would be repeated in other highprofile cases such as the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart and the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Some of the tragic twists of the Klaas case were used to spur big changes. Communication between federal and local law enforcement officials was streamlined and improved. Computers were put in patrol cars, so officers could look up a suspects prior arrests and convictions in real time. One of the biggest lessons of the case the handling of child witnesses inspired major changes. Today, child witnesses and victims are interviewed by trained experts, a major investigative change that accelerated after the Klaas investigation. In 1996, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children held the nations first child forensic interviewing clinic. A new kind of specialist emerged: child and adolescent forensic interviewers. Though they work closely with law enforcement agencies, these interviewers are typically civilians trained through an internationally recognized, researchbased curriculum developed by the National Childrens Advocacy Center. Child and adolescent forensic interviewers use researchbased protocols for interviewing young witnesses and victims. The interviews take place in soft rooms with cozy love seats, childsized coloring tables and artwork on the walls. Their protocols emphasize free narratives Start at the beginning and go all the way to the end ... instead of interrogationstyle questions and interruptions for clarification. Their policy prohibits polygraph tests and starts with the assumption that the witness is being truthful. Today, the FBI has a Child Victim Services program that supports children who are victimized or who witness federal crimes, and also trains local law enforcement in how to treat them properly. Their coordinators work to ensure that any interviews and interactions are tailored to minimize additional trauma and are appropriate for the childs developmental stage. The FBI program has grown from three child and adolescent forensic interviewers in 2001 to 22 interviewers and three supervisors in 2023. The unit chief has conducted more than 10,000 interviews. Pollys kidnapping also influenced changes outside of law enforcement. Suburban America was starting to feel unsafe, a trend that started before Polly Klaas and escalated after her death. Stranger danger real and perceived triggered a major shift in social behavior in the 1990s and beyond. Neighborhood parks and playgrounds began to see fewer kids. Families installed alarm systems or adopted a guard dog. Children were kept inside on sunny days, no longer allowed to walk a few blocks to the corner store or a friends house. Staying home and playing video games felt like a safer alternative. The days of freerange childhood were vanishing. This used to be a good little town, said a 12-yearold girl who had acted with Polly in a local production of Annie. Now its ... I dont know what. Whether she was parroting her parents or truly aware of this major shift, her sentiment reflected what people were feeling in Petaluma and nationwide. As one local high schooler put it, All the kids around here, theyre scared to go out and play. The day after Pollys memorial, in a suburb of St. Louis, a group of children stumbled upon the body of a slain 10yearold girl. Cassidy Senter was the second victim of a suspected child serial killer, and parents were terrified. They started patrolling neighborhood streets that had once felt safe. Kids were afraid. Parents were afraid. One 21yearold woman was afraid to take out the trash. Were all in a quiet state of panic, said a mother of two. I dont know how much more of this we can take. This atmosphere of public fear became an incubator for public policies that would change the nature of crime and punishment in America. Kim Cross is a journalist, historian and bestselling author. This article is an adapted excerpt from her book In the Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for Americas Child, which will be published Oct. 3. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday called for talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia to restore peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that the region was experiencing a humanitarian crisis. "I have been following the dramatic situation of the displaced people in Nagorno-Karabakh in recent days and I renew my call for dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, hoping that talks between the parties... will foster a lasting agreement that will put an end to the humanitarian crisis," the pope said during his Sunday prayer. More than 100,000 refugees have arrived in Armenia since Azerbaijan's military operation to retake control of Nagorno-Karabakh, the United Nations said on Saturday. The pope also said he was praying for the victims of the explosion at a fuel depot near the city of Stepanakert in Nagorno-Karabakh. (Reporting by Francesca Landini and Oriana Boselli; writing by Francesca Landini; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Chairman of SMER-Social Democracy party Robert Fico arrives at his party's headquarters day after an early parliamentary election in Bratislava, Slovakia, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) PRAGUE (AP) A populist former prime minister and his leftist party have won early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to complete results announced Sunday. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party had 22.9% of the votes, or 42 seats in the 150-seat Parliament, the Slovak Statistics Office said. Public and exit polls predicted a tight race but in the end, Fico won relatively big after his campaign considered aggressive and the most radical of his career attracted voters who favored the far-right. With no party winning a majority of seats, a coalition government will need to be formed. The president traditionally asks an elections winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. He served as prime minister in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018. Fico said he was ready to open talks with other parties on forming a coalition government as soon as President Zuzana Caputova asks him. Caputova said she will do it on Monday. Were here, were ready, weve learned something, were more experienced, he said. Saturday's election was a test for the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO. Fico, 59, has vowed to withdraw Slovakias military support for Ukraine in Russias war if his attempt to return to power succeeds. "People in Slovakia have bigger problems than Ukraine," he said. The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war. Slovakia has delivered to Ukraine its fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, the S-300 air defense system, helicopters, armored vehicles and much-needed demining equipment. The current caretaker government is planning to send Ukraine artillery ammunition and to train Ukrainian service members in demining. Winning approval for sending more arms to Ukraine is getting more difficult in many countries. In the U.S. Congress, a bill to avert a government shutdown in Washington, D.C., excluded President Joe Bidens request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. In other countries, including Germany, France, and Spain, populist parties skeptical of intervention in Ukraine also command significant support. Many of these countries have national or regional elections coming up that could tip the balance of popular opinion away from Kyiv and toward Moscow. A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the Progressive Slovakia party, took second place, with 18% of the votes, or 32 seats. Its leader Michal Simecka, who is deputy president of the European Parliament, said his party respected the result. "But it's bad news for Slovakia," he said. And it would be even worse if Robert Fico manages to create a government. He said he'd like try to form a governing coalition if Fico fails. The left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, led by Ficos former deputy in Smer, Peter Pellegrini , came in third with 14.7% (27 seats). Pellegrini parted ways with Fico after the scandal-tainted Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Ficos chances to form a government. Pellegrini replaced Fico as prime minister after he was forced to resign following major anti-government street protests resulting from the 2018 killing of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Pellegrini congratulated Fico on his victory but said that two former prime ministers in one government might not work well. Its not ideal but that doesnt mean such a coalition cant be created, he said. Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National Party, a clear pro-Russian group, received 5.6% (10 seats). Those three parties would have a parliamentary majority of 79 seats if they joined forces in a coalition government. Fico opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading Russian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the EU and the U.S. should use their influence to force Russia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal. Fico's critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and to a lesser extent of Poland under the Law and Justice party. It can't be ruled out that he will be looking for a partner who uses similar rhetoric, and the partner will be Viktor Orban, said Radoslav Stefancik, an analyst from the University of Economics in Bratislava. Orban welcomed Fico's victory. Always good to work together with a patriot, he posted on X, the former Twitter. Hungary has uniquely among EU countries maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance. Fico repeats Russian President Vladimir Putins unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state from which ethnic Russians in the countrys east needed protection. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust. ___ Associated Press writer Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary contributed to this report. Police are looking for a driver they say fled from a crash that left a United States Postal Service worker dead. The mail carrier was driving his truck around 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, in Houston when police say a driver tried to go around him and clipped him at the back, Houston Police Assistant Chief Patricia Cantu said in a news conference posted on Twitter, now rebranded as X. It pushed the post truck into the ditch, which fell on top of the postal worker, and so what we have is we have several people coming to his aid, Cantu said. Cantu said community members rushed over to pull the truck off the driver. The postal worker was pronounced dead on the way to a hospital, according to Cantu. His identity is not being released at this time. Cantu said the other driver fled in a white Ford Expedition. Witnesses described the man to police and got his license plate number. The recommendation here is go ahead and turn yourself in because we know who you are, we have witnesses who can put you here and who can identify you, Cantu said. Cantu said police went to the home that the license plate number was registered to, but the owner of the vehicle told them their car had been stolen. Were gonna see where that takes us, she said at the news conference. The USPS said in a statement to KTRK that it is deeply saddened by the loss of life suffered today involving an Oak Forest Post Office Letter Carrier. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this time, the USPS said, according to the outlet. Angry man lay in wait for postman before attack that sent him to hospital, MN cops say Postal worker saves kitten and buys winning Washington lottery ticket all in one day Postal workers seize over 700 animal skulls being mailed to US, French officials say Community members protested for justice outside of JSO headquarters after a viral social media video showed the bloody arrest of 24-year-old Lekeian Woods. His family claims he was beaten. According to the familys attorney, Woods was initially pulled over for a seatbelt violation, and now his mother wants answers. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< His mother, Natassia Woods says she couldnt believe that officers were doing that to her son. She claims she could tell that her son was unconscious when he was on the ground. The video shows Woods on the ground surrounded by several JSO Officers, as they place him in handcuffs. A portion of the video appears to show an officer slamming Woods while he was already on the ground in an area near Toledo Road and Powers Avenue on Friday. At the protest that took place Sunday, October 1, many people were calling out the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office, along with Sheriff T.K. Waters, demanding action be taken against these officers. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Natassia Woods says enough is enough. I seen them kick my son, and slam his face to the ground, and I couldnt believe it. I was like I couldnt believe they would do that to a person. Because if you kick a dog, or do something to an animal, you going down. so its okay to beat a human down like that aint no pressure? [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jail records show that Woods is facing multiple charges, including resisting an officer with violence JSO tells Action News Jax that they are investigating the use of force by these officers. Read: JSO investigating arrest amidst allegations of police brutality, according to family Read: JSO investigating use of force by officers on injured suspect in custody seen in viral video Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. When choosing a career path, one of the biggest decisions a job seeker can make is whether to pursue employment in the public or private sector. While both options have merits, public sector jobs offer many advantages. Working for Wayne County provides a great sense of personal value and quality of work. Its very meaningful to know you are contributing to the community, Wayne County Human Resources Director Barb Winey said. Whether it comes in the form of safety, services, or something else its not just about a companys bottom line. Equally important is job stability because while companies close and shut down, Wayne County wont, and weve proven that since 1812. When it comes to work and life balance, we put family first and work second, and for most jobs, there is no weekend, second, or third shift work. Add these three things together, and you cant go wrong working for the county. While some of the 900-plus jobs are located inside the Wayne County Administration Building, there are many places throughout the county where county employees work, including the court system, law enforcement, engineers office, dog shelter, and care center. Public service work has always held a certain allure for individuals seeking a sense of purpose. Wayne County jobs also provide stability and security, which can be hard to come by in the private sector. These positions come with the assurance of a steady paycheck, a comprehensive benefits package, and 11 paid holidays. Job stability is particularly appealing when the economy is uncertain and can provide peace of mind for individuals seeking a reliable income. Exploring diverse career paths in the public sector can open up opportunities for individuals from all walks of life. Contrary to popular belief, government work is not all desk jobs and politics. The government sector offers various positions catering to multiple interests, skill sets, and passions. Some of the job opportunities that are currently open to qualified applicants are: Accountant Building Inspector Security Officer 911 Dispatcher Healthcare Dog Kennel Attendant Court Administrator Another advantage of a career with the county is its focus on service to the citizens. Working in a county government role allows individuals to contribute directly to the betterment of society by addressing the needs and concerns of local residents. This sense of purpose and the ability to effect change can be incredibly fulfilling, making county jobs particularly appealing for those who value making a difference in their communities. Wayne County jobs also come with a favorable work-life balance. Many positions offer flexible schedules, allowing employees to maintain a healthy equilibrium between their personal and professional lives. This balance is crucial for overall well-being and can lead to increased job satisfaction. Additionally, they offer an excellent retirement plan. Marcy Stoller has worked for the county since 2019 and is glad she chose the public sector. I was drawn to the idea of not having to work on the weekends, being able to help others, and make a difference, she said. Im thankful that I work for Wayne County. I feel like Im contributing to positive change. The stability, financial security, and work flexibility give me the peace of mind and freedom to pursue other interests outside of work. Other perks include: Vacation Starts at two weeks per year and increases on particular anniversaries. It may be carried over to the following year, no use it or lose it rule. It accrues each pay period. Can be conditionally converted into cash. Sick leave Three weeks per year and may be carried over into the following year and accrues each pay period. Can be conditionally converted into cash. Health benefits Include medical, dental, vision, and mental health services. There is also a free employee clinic for most employees on the health plan. Student loan repayment Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a federal program where student loans will be forgiven after ten years of public service. Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) OPERS replaces Social Security for Ohio public employees. Employees contribute ten percent of their salary to OPERS, and the employer contributes the equivalent of 14% of the employees salary. OPERS invests these contributions to provide income at retirement. Information regarding the open positions within the county can be found at www.wayneohio.org/employment-opportunities. Dan Starcher is the Public Communications Coordinator for the Wayne County government. This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Public service jobs have great benefits - here are some open jobs Democrat Shawn Wilson was asked at a recent Louisiana governors debate why the term pro-life had disappeared from his campaign website. Wilson said he and his family have chosen a certain path in life. It is not my place as governor to make those type of health care decisions for themselves or for other women in those positions. The removal of those eight characters is no minor website edit it demonstrates just how quickly the political ground has shifted on abortion in the 15 months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a nearly 50-year precedent protecting the federal right to an abortion. Four years ago, Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was re-elected while claiming the pro-life mantle. Today, as abortion bans in red states have become reality, red-state Democrats are trying to run by painting Republicans as extreme on the issue and focusing on supporting exceptions to bans in cases of rape and incest and when the mothers life is at risk. But Democrats are still figuring out exactly how, and how often, to talk about abortion in those GOP-leaning states, where they need to win over conservative voters but also turn out as many Democrats as possible to prevail. Its a tricky dynamic in the post-Roe era as those Democrats try to show independence from their own party while taking advantage of an opening to criticize Republicans on an issue that cuts across some party lines. This years governors races in Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi will test three different approaches to that balancing act. In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is leaning into the issue, having launched two TV ads in recent weeks targeting GOP Attorney General Daniel Camerons past support for the states no-exception ban on abortion. In Mississippi, Democratic Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley said Im pro-life directly into the camera in recent TV ad, and he has focused his campaigns energy and money on other issues, like Medicaid expansion and a welfare fraud scandal plaguing GOP Gov. Tate Reeves. And in Louisiana, Wilson, the former secretary of the state Department of Transportation and Development, is somewhere in the middle. Wilson is personally pro-life, and he has also said a womans health care decisions are between her and her doctor, not the government. But Wilson didnt address the abortion issue in his first TV ad of the race. Wilson, who is running to replace term-limited Edwards, also still has to advance as one of the top two finishers in the Oct. 14 primary for a chance at the governorship. Shawn Wilson at a gubernatorial debate in New Orleans on Sept. 7. (Sophia Germer / The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate via AP file) Theres no one-size-fits-all on how to talk about this issue, said Democratic pollster Margie Omero, who isnt involved in any of the governors races. And governors in particular, gubernatorial candidates, are successful when they reflect the abortion views of the people in their state, she added. There could be a few reasons Beshear is leaning more into abortion than Wilson and Presley. Along with more campaign cash and the power of incumbency, Beshear also has proof that Kentucky voters can be animated by abortion. Last year, 52% of Kentucky voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have amended the state constitution to say Kentuckians dont have a right to an abortion, defeating it by nearly 5 percentage points. We saw that you could win on abortion, said Tamarra Wieder, the Kentucky state director for Planned Parenthood Action Kentucky, which has launched digital ads and a field program to boost Beshear. Wieder noted that voters of all political stripes are feeling that impact of the states near-total ban. Alex Floyd, a Beshear campaign spokesman, pointed to the ballot initiative in a statement to NBC News about the campaigns recent focus on abortion. Daniel Cameron supports an extreme ban with no exceptions for rape or incest and has defended it in debates, surveys, interviews and to the Kentucky Supreme Court, Floyd said. Kentuckians rejected this extremism at the ballot box last November and they will again in this election. Cameron had pledged to support the states abortion, which doesnt include exceptions for rape and incest, as is, but he reversed his position last week, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. Camerons comments came after Beshear launched a TV ad featuring a young woman saying Camerons support for the current ban would leave no options for girls like herself, saying she was raped by her stepfather at age 12. Ive said if the Legislature were to bring me a bill with exceptions, I would sign it, Cameron said in a video responding to the ad, calling the ad campaign despicable. Cameron later said he meant he would sign a bill if a court mandated that the state add exceptions, saying it wouldnt be me, proactively, The Associated Press reported. Beshear and his allies are running on other issues, too, but Wieder said the recent focus on abortion is a shift for Democrats in Kentucky. It has been a struggle to get candidates across the commonwealth to talk about abortion, Wieder said. This is, I think, the real turning point. Roe was the real turning point. Mark Riddle, a Kentucky-based Democratic strategist who isnt involved in the race, said focusing on abortion is a smart move, even in a culturally conservative state. For a Democrat to win in places like Kentucky, you need to get younger voters out to vote, a certain percentage of suburban women voters to vote, Riddle said. And this is a core issue to both of those constituencies. Unlike Beshear in Kentucky, who has won before and has the best chance of winning again this fall, Wilson and Presley are still introducing themselves to voters. And that involves creating some distance from national Democrats. The pro-life label, along with the pro-gun label, along with standing up for law enforcement in a responsible way, are potentially important signals that Democrats can send in Southern states, in Western states, in more conservative-oriented states that demonstrate a given Democratic candidate is cut from a different cloth of the national party, said Zac McCrary, a Democratic pollster working with the Wilson and Presley campaigns. It becomes imperative for a Democratic candidate to demonstrate that there is something different about them, McCrary said. Presley has said he supports the law in Mississippi as is, which bars most abortions but includes exceptions for protecting the womans life and in cases of rape. Being pro-life is more than just the abortion issue. Look, Im pro-hospital. Im pro-doctor. Im pro-ambulance. Im pro-emergency room. Presley told WJTV-TV in June. But Democrats watching the Mississippi race say expanding Medicaid access is a far more salient issue than abortion. Andre Wagner, the executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said health care was the top issue for voters as he knocked on doors over the weekend for the Presley campaign. In Mississippi the conversation is simply about Medicaid, expanding health care coverage, he said. But recent elections in Wisconsin and Ohio have shown that abortion gets voters to the polls, raising the question of whether Democrats risk dampening turnout by not leaning more into the issue. It really depends on the voters in those states, said Omero, the Democratic pollster, adding that abortion is one of many positions candidates might want to highlight for voters. If that balance and that equation is a little bit different in red states than in other states, I think thats very natural, Omero added. That doesnt mean that ultimately the Republican position, in being for a total ban, is not at odds with where voters are. Thats true across the country. Omero said there is also still room in the Democratic Party for pro-life candidates. The national party is still backing Presley and Wilson. The Democratic Governors Association donated $750,000 to Presleys campaign and $5,000 to Wilsons during the most recent fundraising periods, according to campaign finance records. It is what is true and authentic and personal to each of these candidates," said DGA spokesperson Izzi Levy. "The DGAs job is to support our governors and nominees chosen by the voters not set the agenda for individual states. I think people appreciate that its not a monolithic party, Levy said later when she was asked whether others in the party have pushed back against the committees backing pro-life candidates. Not everybody has the same views. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Rep. Dean Phillips announced on Sunday that he will step down from his Democratic leadership role, as rumors continue to swirl about the Minnesota congressman potentially running against the president in the 2024 primary. According to a spokesperson for Phillips, the three-term congressman will be stepping down from his role as co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. Phillips will continue to represent his district in Congress and will remain a part of the Democratic caucus. My convictions relative to the 2024 presidential race are incongruent with the majority of my caucus, and I felt it appropriate to step aside from elected leadership, Phillips said in a statement first obtained by Axios. He later confirmed that he was not forced or pressured into resigning. The congressman said he celebrates House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for his remarkable and principled leadership, and [I] extend gratitude to my outstanding friends and colleagues for having created space and place for my perspectives. I have decided to step down from the DPCC & Democratic Caucus leadership. While politics & official work do not mix, its clear my convictions about 2024 are incongruent with the position of my colleagues & that was causing discomfort. I was not pressured or forced to resign. 1/2 Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) October 1, 2023 Phillips, 54, has been outspoken about the need for younger leadership in the Democratic Party including in the White House. Last year, the congressman said President Joe Biden should not run for reelection even though he considered him a man of integrity, competency who has done an outstanding job under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. In July, the moderate began publicly floating the idea of challenging Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary. Despite saying he is not well-positioned to enter the race and preferred a higher-profile Democrat to challenge the incumbent, Phillips refused to rule out the possibility of jumping in as recently as last week. I am thinking about it. I havent ruled it out, the congressman told political strategist Steve Schmidt for his podcast, The Warning. I think there are people who are more proximate, better prepared to campaign with national organizations, national name recognition, which I do not possess, he added. The Minnesota Democrats criticism of Bidens decision to run for reelection has reportedly triggered intraparty turmoil. During a closed-door meeting last week, freshman Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) reportedly asked why a member of House Democratic leadership was veering off message and threatening to run against Biden for president. The question drew applause from other House Democrats in the room, according to Axios. On Sunday, Phillips said he will continue to abide by my convictions, place people over politics, and support our shared mission to deliver security, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans. Rep. Matt Gaetzs (R-Fla.) push to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is a waste of time, that will slow walk passing individual spending bills, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) said Sunday. When asked on Fox News Businesss Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, about Gaetzs threat, Smith said, Its an absolute waste of time if he brings a motion to vacate. The only way a motion to vacate could be successful is is Matt Gaetz did exactly what he yells at Speaker McCarthy doing and thats working with the Democrats, Smith continued. The Missouri Republican argued Gaetz would need over 200 Democrats to vote for McCarthys removal due to the over 200 Republicans that he said are 100 percent behind McCarthy. Smiths comments come shortly after Gaetz told CNN and ABC News he would make good on his threat to unseat McCarthy from the Speakership this week after he backed a bipartisan measure to keep the government open. Gaetz for months has threatened to file a motion to vacate, which would essentially be a vote on ending McCarthys Speakership. Only a few Republicans would have to vote with Gaetz to unseat McCarthy if Democrats join the push. The minority party would generally be expected to back such a motion, since Democrats would prefer one of their own Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as Speaker. But so far, theyve played their cards close to the vest. In a separate interview on CNN on Sunday, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) didnt say how shed vote and urged Democrats to follow the lead of Jeffries. Gaetz has argued Democrats could bail out, the Speaker, and vowed to not back any deals with Democrats. Meanwhile, Smith said Gaetz is absolutely going to reach out to Democrats to reach the 218 votes needed to pass. So basically, Gaetz is going to work with [Rep.] Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and the rest of the Democrats in order to remove the Republican Speaker, Smith said. And let me tell you, if you remove a Republican Speaker that then puts the Democrats empowered, these investigations will be done and stalled, in reference to the House GOPs impeachment inquiry into President Biden and his familys foreign business dealings. Smith further argued a motion to vacate from Gaetz would slow walk passing the individual spending bills, which conservative lawmakers were demanding instead of a short-term stopgap funding bill. After exhausting options to pass a GOP-only stopgap plan, McCarthy rushed on Saturday to roll out a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to the ire of hard-line House Republicans. The CR will fund the government at current spending levels through Nov. 17. The funding increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion to meet the Biden administrations previous request, but does not include any funding for Ukraine, a White House priority largely opposed by several GOP members. The CR also lacks spending cuts or border policy changes, dealing a blow to hardline conservatives who objected to any CR without such changes. Despite the continued pushback from some GOP members, the measure was cleared by the House in a largely bipartisan 335-91 vote on Saturday, with one Democrat and 90 Republicans voting in opposition. The bill then overwhelmingly passed in the Senate in an 88-9 vote, with nine Republicans opposing the bill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rep. Matt Gaetz , R-Fla., said Sunday he will file a motion this week to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker following the passage of a stopgap government funding bill over the weekend. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Rep. Matt Gaetz said Sunday he will file a motion this week to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker in the wake of this weekend's passage of a stopgap government funding bill. Gaetz, the leader of a group of hard-right Republican lawmakers who opposed efforts to keep the government open, told CNN he thinks the GOP needs to "rip off the band-aid" and select "new leadership that can be trustworthy." ""Look, the one thing everybody has in common is that nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy," he said. "He lied to Biden, he lied to House conservatives. He had appropriators marching to a different number altogether. And the reason we were backed up against the shutdown politics is not a bug of the system. It's a feature." The comments by Gaetz come after McCarthy tapped help from Democrats to pass a federal spending resolution and avert a government shutdown on Saturday. The stopgap bill was subsequently passed the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden with minutes to spare before an 11:59 p.m. deadline. McCarthy invited the challenge from Gaetz in an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Sunday he's not worried about an attempt by Rep. Matt Gaetz to remove him as speaker. "Bring it on," he said. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI "I'll survive. So be it, bring it on, let's get over with it and let's start governing." McCarthy said. "If he's upset because he tried to push us in a shutdown and I made sure government didn't shut down, then let's have the fight." McCarthy has received support from GOP lawmakers as well -- only 90 of the 221 House Republicans voted against the continuing resolution. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CBS he believes McCarthy is "the right guy at the right time." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Sunday she would vote to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Democrats are meanwhile mulling the opportunity to see McCarthy removed as speaker. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said she does not intend on voting to keep McCarthy as House speaker, and in fact would vote to remove him, according to POLITICO. "I believe that it's up to the Republican Conference to determine their own leadership and deal with their own problems," Ocasio-Cortez said. "It's not up to Democrats to save Republicans. From themselves, especially." Rep. Matt Gaetz , R-Fla., said Sunday that he intends to file a motion to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif., this week after Congress voted to avert a shutdown hours before the deadline. "I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week," Gaetz said in an interview on CNNs State of the Union. I think we need to rip off the Band Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy." Gaetz also confirmed that he'll soon file a motion to vacate the speakership in an appearance on ABC News' "This Week," after the Senate and House voted on Saturday night to pass a short-term bill to keep the government funded through Nov. 17. In response to Gaetz's announcement, McCarthy said, Thats nothing new. ... Hes tried to do that from the moment I ran for office. ... Yes, Ill survive. You know, this is personal with Matt. Gaetz is more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something," McCarthy added. So be it, bring it on, lets get over with it and lets start governing." The short-term funding bill authorizes additional disaster relief money and buys Congress more time to reach a funding agreement for the full year. However, it does not include aid to Ukraine. McCarthy removed the provision from the bipartisan Senate bill, saying it should be considered separately at a later date. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., in the House Chamber on Jan. 6, 2023. (Olivier Douliery / AFP - Getty Images file) Under the rules adopted earlier this year, any Republican lawmaker can call for a motion to vacate the speaker's chair, and the House would have to vote on it within two legislative days. It's not clear that Gaetz has enough votes to oust McCarthy. He would need at least five Republican lawmakers to vote with him, if all Democrats were to also vote to remove him. I dont think he is worried about it, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said of McCarthy. Because he doesnt believe that theres 218 people that are going to go to the floor and punish putting a bipartisan bill on the floor to keep the government open. ... I dont see how anybody can square that. We cant have five people out of 435 I dont know what percent that is completely hijacking our chamber, and therefore hijack our government. The will of the people have to prevail in the United States, he said Sunday in an interview. Otherwise the system and the democracy dont work. Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind., slammed Gaetzs plan and called him a "charlatan." "He is threatening to remove Speaker McCarthy using at least 200 Democrat votes. He has been reaching out to them for votes! Is the hypocrisy lost on anyone? At least 200 House Rs will be voting to support the Speaker, including me," the Indiana Republican wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Before Congress passed the bill Saturday, McCarthy announced he would nix Republican demands for spending cuts and policy provisions on immigration in order to hold a quick House vote on a "clean" stopgap bill. His announcement came a day after a group of conservative rebels, led by Gaetz, blocked House Republicans short-term funding bill to keep the government open. McCarthy said Saturday that the vote left him with no choice but to drop Republicans' demands. The vote Friday by the 21 conservative rebels to scuttle House Republicans 30-day funding bill last week had left them without a plan to avert a shutdown. The rebels had demanded the House to pass all 12 appropriations bills with steep spending cuts, before negotiating funding with the Democratic-controlled Senate. The Republicans who joined Gaetz last week in voting down McCarthys short-term funding bill included Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane and Paul Gosar of Arizona; Lauren Boebert and Ken Buck, both of Colorado; Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia; Tim Burchett and Andy Ogles, both of Tennessee; Alex Mooney, who is running for Senate in West Virginia; Matt Rosendale, who is running for Senate in Montana; and Nancy Mace, who represents a swing district in South Carolina. All these lawmakers also voted against the continuing resolution that passed Saturday night. Gaetz had threatened to move to oust McCarthy if he worked with Democrats to fund the government with a clean continuing resolution. Speaker McCarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January, and since then he has been in brazen, repeated, material breach of that agreement. This agreement that he made with Democrats, to really blow past a lot the spending guardrails we'd set up, is really the last straw," Gaetz said on "State of the Union." He also accused McCarthy of making a deal with Democrats to pass the CR without Ukraine funding. "Then overnight I learned that Kevin McCarthy had a secret deal with Democrats on Ukraine," Gaetz said. "So as he was baiting Republicans to vote for a continuing resolution without Ukraine money, saying that we were going to jam the Senate on Ukraine, he then turns around and makes a secret deal." President Joe Biden, asked Sunday at a news conference at the White House whether he trusts McCarthy to keep his word about an agreement, said: We just made one about Ukraine. So well find out. During the news conference, Biden would not comment on whether Democrats should support McCarthy's speakership, reassured Americans that Ukraine funding would be passed and said he hopes "this experience for the speaker has been one of a personal revelation. A spokesperson for McCarthy said funding for Ukraine should go side by side with immigration measures. Speaker McCarthy has been clear and consistent: we have an obligation to fix the crisis at the border and to ensure any request for further aid to Ukraine is matched with a sound strategy and accountability, the spokesperson said in a statement. The House will continue to discuss these challenges in the weeks to come. Gaetz expressed some confidence when he was asked how many Republicans he thinks will support his motion to vacate, which requires 218 votes to pass. Well, enough so that when you host this show next week, if Kevin McCarthy is still the speaker of the House, he will be serving at the pleasure of the Democrats. He will be working for the Democrats, he told CNN's Jake Tapper. The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out. McCarthy last month dared his detractors to file the motion to vacate the speakers chair and try to remove him during a closed-door House GOP meeting. During the meeting, McCarthy told House Republicans, If you want to file a motion to vacate, then file the f---ing motion, according to two sources in the room who confirmed the comments to NBC News. McCarthys remarks came in response to members, including Gaetz, who threatened to force him out of the speakership if he doesnt follow through with their demands, such as putting certain bills on the floor and not passing a stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown at the end of the month. House Ways and Committee Chair Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., on Sunday called Gaetzs effort to boot McCarthy from speakership a waste of time" in an interview on Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures." Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who served as House speaker before McCarthy assumed the role, echoed Smith's remarks. Youre wasting your time on that guy because he has no sway in the House of Representatives, except to get on TV and raise money on the internet, Pelosi said on CNNs State of the Union. Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said she would absolutely vote for a motion to vacate while making clear that she would not vote for a Republican to replace McCarthy as speaker. My vote at the beginning of this term for speaker of the House was for Hakeem Jeffries, and I do not intend on voting for a Republican s speaker of the House, Ocasio-Cortez said on State of the Union. But I believe that its up to the Republican conference to determine their own leadership and deal with their own problems, she added. But its not up to Democrats to save Republicans, from themselves especially. She said that Democrats may be open to negotiating with McCarthy if he's at risk of losing his speakership, but that she doesnt believe they would give up votes for free. CORRECTION (Oct. 1, 2023, 8:07 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the name of the show on which House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith was interviewed. It is Fox News Channels "Sunday Morning Futures", not "Fox News Business." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Rep. Matt Gaetz talks to reporters on Friday. Gaetz said Sunday that he plans to try to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Rep. Matt Gaetz talks to reporters on Friday. Gaetz said Sunday that he plans to try to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy . Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he plans to try to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after the California Republican worked with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown on Saturday. Speaker McCarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January and since then hes been in brazen, repeated material breach of that agreement, Gaetz told Jake Tapper on State of the Union on Sunday. This agreement that he made with Democrats to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we set up is a last straw. I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week, Gaetz continued. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy. McCarthy responded to Gaetz on Sunday, saying, Ill survive. This is personal with Matt, McCarthy said on CBS. Lets get over it. Lets start governing. With three hours to spare on Saturday, McCarthy proposed a bill that passed both chambers with bipartisan support and was signed by President Joe Biden to keep the government funded until Nov. 17 at current levels. Hard-line conservatives had insisted on passing a measure that included spending cuts. As part of his negotiations to win the speaker position in January, McCarthy restored the ability for just one member to make a motion to oust the speaker, which would then prompt a House floor vote. Last week, Gaetz said he would constantly try to oust McCarthy. We are going to have [votes] regularly, he said. If we have to begin every single day in Congress with the prayer, the pledge and the motion to vacate then so be it. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told Tapper on Sunday that she would absolutely vote to oust McCarthy. I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak speaker, she said. He clearly has lost control of his caucus. He has brought the United States and millions of Americans to the brink, waiting until the final hour to keep the government open, and even then, only issuing a 45-day extension, so were going to be right back in this place in November. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is stepping down from his Democratic leadership role as he mulls a primary challenge to President Biden. A spokesperson from Phillipss office confirmed with The Hill that the congressman will be stepping down from his position as co-chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. My convictions relative to the 2024 presidential race are incongruent with the majority of my caucus, and I felt it appropriate to step aside from elected leadership to avoid unnecessary distractions during a critical time for our country, Phillips said in a statement. I celebrate Leader [Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)] for his remarkable and principled leadership and extend gratitude to my outstanding friends and colleagues for having created space and place for my perspectives, he added. Ill continue to abide by my convictions, place people over politics, and support our shared mission to deliver security, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans. Onward! A spokesperson from Phillipss office told The Hill that Phillips will remain in his congressional seat and as a member of the Democratic caucus. Axios first reported Phillipss decision to step down. Phillips, a three-term congressman, has been toying with a potential 2024 bid against Biden for months and has called for a competitive primary, urging other Democrats to jump into the race. He said last week that he has not ruled it out, but added that it is a steep slope as there are other Democrats with more prominent name recognition. Phillips had previously signaled that he would not challenge Biden but said in August that he would make a firm decision on his 2024 plans in September. It is still unclear whether he will make a move to challenge his partys leader. There are already two Democratic challengers to Biden in the primary: Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has teased a major announcement amid rumors he could run as an independent. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Senate voted to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded Saturday night after the House had previously passed the measure. While a small group of nine Republican senators voted against the bill, an overwhelming majority of their colleagues, a total of 88 senators, voted for it. Our bipartisan work in the Senate set the tone for the bill were about to pass, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after the vote. Our bipartisanship made this possible and showed the House that they had to act. We will keep the government open for 45 days with a clean CR at current funding levels, Schumer continued. And we avoided all of the extreme, nasty and harmful cuts MAGA Republicans wanted. Here are the nine Republicans who voted against the continuing resolution: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) In a Saturday night post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said he made very clear that I wouldnt support any short-term funding bill that didnt include serious border-security measures to help put an end to the Biden Border crisis. My colleagues know that Ive worked my heart out to this end, and I look forward to working with them over the next 45 days to accomplish this critical goal, Hagerty continued in another post. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) In a post on X on Saturday night, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) said the CR does nothing to address our most immediate national security threat- our open southern border & the fentanyl pouring in. With a $33 trillion debt crisis, its never been more clear America cant afford to continue these spending levels for one more day, let alone, 45, he added. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Sen. Eric Schmitt (Mo.) Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Shutdown My daughter is a physician assistant at the Bureau of Prisons medical complex in Butner, N.C. She is also a member of the Texas National Guard. This government shutdown will stop her pay from both sources. She is the sole wage earner for her family, including her 8-year-old son. This shutdown leaves her family with nothing. Its not enough to say federal workers would get back pay when a shutdown is over. Their mortgages, utilities, tuition and other bills wont stop. I ask Republican politicians to please stop using working N.C. citizens as pawns in your power struggle with Democrats. Find a grown up way to pursue your goals. Katie Ross, Bahama Missed paychecks Not paying the military, border patrol and others who keep government offices open during a shutdown is unconscionable. Yet, the offenders the representatives and senators who caused this problem still get their outsized paychecks during a shutdown. How unfair and despicable. They should be the first ones to miss a paycheck. Donna Corbett, Sanford Medicaid Gov. Cooper says Medicaid expansion will launch in NC on Dec. 1. Finally! But over the past decade, how many rural hospitals did we watch close? How many hundreds of thousands of our citizens went without needed medical care? How many billions of dollars did our local economies lose? How many lost opportunities were there to provide much needed mental health care to veterans and others? All because our Republican legislators refused to accept a gift for no other reason than it was courtesy of a president named Obama. Daphne Lyon, Morehead City Clouds of darkness Regarding When politicians play doctor (Sept. 24): We know some doctors are not locating here to avoid North Carolinas unprecedented intrusion into the care they provide patients. We also have a severe shortage of public school teachers, resulting from low pay and increasing interference from misguided politicians in our legislature. Politicians who once boasted of their commitment to small government and protecting personal liberties are now attempting to micromanage every aspect of our common life. Their efforts to control and dictate are taken from the playbook of Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Sunshine State, where the clouds of darkness have now blotted out the sun. Thomas K. Spence Jr., Sanford Public records Regarding NC agency disputes reason for new public records restrictions, (Sept 24): Instead of trying to hide their backstage behavior from the public by blocking access to their records, our state legislators merely need to behave according to their duty with integrity and backbone. Then, they have nothing to hide. Don Clement, Greenville Pesticides The writer heads the NC Soybean Producers Association. North Carolina farmers rely on critical crop protection tools like pesticides to support the states $92.7 billion agriculture industry. If they lost access to pesticides, crop losses could be as high as 85%, resulting in higher food prices and increased food insecurity. Conservation gains would be lost, as pesticides allow for less tillage, which reduces carbon emissions by 33 million tons annually. Fortunately, the bipartisan Agricultural Labeling Uniformity Act addresses this problem. It will protect domestic production of pesticides, maintain strong crop yields and ensure food prices dont rise further, all while respecting localities ability to enact use restrictions. I urge N.C.s congressional delegation to support this bill. Charles Hall, Hillsborough GOP values Republicans in the U.S. Congress opposed President Bidens college loan forgiveness program because they felt that it would make taxpayers support some well-off people who dont need it. Then, Republicans in North Carolina passed a massive expansion of taxpayer supported school vouchers with no income limit, not even for the rich who dont need school vouchers. So what are the Republican values here? Ken Berger, Durham Starting Sunday, Oct. 1, if you plan to fish the Skyway Fishing Pier, there is an online educational course that is required to be passed to access the state park. Anglers online are posting mixed reactions and have gone to social media to vent their frustrations. I come several times a year, but after this grouper season I will never come back, wrote angler Joe on Facebook, who was angry at the new rules. I have (been) fishing the Skyway before it was a park. Many others wondered how it would be policed. Then a few saw the positive from the change. Seems like Ill go to the Skyway and actually get a parking spot now after October 1, wrote Alan to a Skyway fishing Facebook page. Yippy!! Fewer people, more fish for the test takers! replied Jim. I decided to take the course to see what information is being passed along to anglers. Let it be known I havent been on the pier in many years but often visit it by boat to catch bait or fish for various species. Being there in a boat has no requirement of passing the class, so someone on the bridge a few feet away from an angler on a boat has different rules. It is pretty clear this class will be a benefit to boaters or those who find the pier busy, as some wont want to deal with the steps and rules in place. The course starts with a background on why it is now in place and what is required. Anyone over the age of 16 must pass the course to fish, even those over 65 years old who no longer require a fishing license. Images of pelicans, which are what caused the environmental outcry, are on each slide as the presentation begins. Information on the pier and what draws pelicans to it occupies the first 10 minutes or so before leading into the harm that is done to birds as a result of human interaction. The second part of the presentation leads into what changes are being enforced. Namely the use of no more than two rods at one time per angler, restrictions on multiple hook rigs or treble hooks during certain times of the year, and that all gear must be tended by anglers. It goes back into the educational phase telling anglers to be aware of where birds are and how their lines are acting in the water. Anglers are encouraged to not attract birds by keeping bait covered when on the pier and discarding used bait away from birds. Cleaning up after yourself by not leaving used tackle, food and bait lying around is also emphasized. The final part of the presentation goes into what happens if you do hook a bird. Having the correct tools is the first step. Getting the bird under control as fast as possible without causing harm is the second step. Covering its eyes and head with a towel calms down the bird allowing easier handling. Then detanglement should begin by removing any hooks and tackle. There are plenty of bird rescuers available if further action is needed to help. They can be found by looking up Seabird Rehabilitators. After finalizing the presentation, the real fun begins and a quiz is required to pass. Some questions are redundant, but they mainly emphasize the new rules in place for anglers and the need to care for wildlife. The 10-question test can be taken an unlimited number of times until a 100% score is reached, and answers are corrected in case of a wrong response. When I completed the course, I will admit it changed my mind on the issue a bit. It took me an hour from registration to when I received the completion email. I went in thinking it was unnecessary and a reason to add more restrictions to anglers. But most of what was discussed were common-sense issues and the world is losing much of its common sense. Being prepared, cleaning up after yourself and treating wildlife humanely are the main points being made, and that is something everyone should support. October is the time of year for the Orionids meteor shower. More than two-dozen meteors were caught in successively added exposures in October 2017 in Inner Mongolia, China. The Northern Hemisphere has officially passed the autumnal equinox . The days are getting shorter and colder, but the night sky remains as hot as ever. This month is going to be a big one for cosmic events, with an exciting annular solar eclipse , meteor showers, and clearer stargazing as the temperatures and humidity drop. Aurora activity can also really pick up this time of year, for those lucky enough to be at the right latitudes to catch a glimpse of the northern lights . Here are some events to look out for this month. If you happen to get any stellar sky photos, please tag us and include #PopSkyGazers. [Related: Citizen scientists can join a Ring of Fire eclipse radio experiment .] October 14 - Annular Solar Eclipse Chances are you have heard about this one already. The moon will pass between Earth and the sun and cast a huge shadow on our planet in the process. With the right protective eyewear , it will be a sight to beholdthe phenomenon produces a ring of fire as if the moon is outlined with flames. Astronomers have calculated precisely when the best views will be where you are, so consult this list when scheduling an outing to safely check out the sky. The duration will range from little more than one minute to almost five, depending where you are located in its path. This eclipse has a 125-mile-wide path of annularity that will begin in Oregon at 12:13 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. It will leave the US at about 1:03 p.m. EDT and head southeastward toward Central and South America. October 21 and 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower Predicted Peak The annual Orionid meteor shower is expected to peak on October 22 in a moonless sky, but the wee hours of the morning of October 21 could also yield some meteors. According to EarthSky , under a dark sky with no moon, the Orionids can produce a maximum of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour. On October 22, the moon will be setting around midnight, which means its light shouldnt interfere with the shower. The best time to try and spot the shower is just after midnight into the early morning hours October 23 - Venus at Greatest Elongation In August, the planet Venus moved between the Earth and the sun and rose in the east. Venus will be farthest from the sunrise on October 23 and should remain visible in the morning sky until May 2024, where it will be a very bright morning star. During this months greatest elongation, Venus will appear higher in the sky from the Northern Hemisphere than from the Southern Hemisphere. This is because of the steep angle of the path of the sun, moon, and planets in the mornings during the autumn months. October 28- Full Hunters Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse The full Hunters Moon will reach peak illumination at 4:24 p.m. EDT on Saturday, October 28, but you can start to look for it on October 27. The Hunters Moon is always the first full moon after the Harvest Moon. According to the Farmers Almanac , the name originates as a signal for hunters to prepare for the upcoming winter to ensure that they have enough food. It is also when animals like the stars of Fat Bear Week are beginning to bulk up for a long winters hibernation, and animals may be easier to spot since fields are being cleared. Other names for Octobers full moon include the Falling Leaves Moon or Binaakwe-giizis in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) and the Someone Stores Food Moon or Yutekhway^he in Oneida. [Related: Hubble just captured a lunar eclipse for the first time ever .] Additionally, a partial lunar eclipse is predicted for this same day. Between 3:36 and 4:53 EDT, the moon will pass through the Earths shadow. The eclipse should be visible in any location where the moon is above the horizon at the time, including parts of Asia, Russia, Africa, Oceania, and Europe. The same skygazing rules that apply to pretty much all space-watching activities are key this month: Go to a dark spot away from the lights of a city or town and let the eyes adjust to the darkness for about a half an hour. LONDON (AP) U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak heads to the governing Conservative Partys annual conference on Sunday facing a triple challenge: Cheer up a party thats trailing in opinion polls, sideline rivals who are eyeing his job and persuade the voting public that a party in power for 13 years deserves another term in office. Sunak's arsenal includes a package of populist measures such as slowing moves to phase out fossil fuels designed to win back voters who have rejected the Conservatives over Britains stagnating economy, cost-of-living crisis and waves of strikes that have intermittently shut down doctors offices, schools and train services. Public services are crumbling, the economys not responding and (the Conservatives) havent met some of the pledges theyve made, so youd expect them to be pretty downhearted, said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. He said that in response, the party is "doubling down on the populism. Its about pushing the Conservatives as standing up for ordinary people against some sort of elite. In recent weeks, Sunak has approved new North Sea oil and gas drilling, delayed a ban on selling new gas and diesel cars and watered down other green measures that he said imposed unacceptable costs on ordinary people. On the eve of the conference, he announced plans to curb supposed anti-car measures, such as blanket 20 mph (32 kph) speed limits and traffic restrictions in residential areas. Such moves have dismayed environmental campaigners, but are designed to appeal to the party members, officials and lawmakers gathering in the northwest England city of Manchester for a conference that culminates in a leaders speech by Sunak on Wednesday. The left-of-center opposition Labour Party will hold its own convention in nearby Liverpool a week later. The autumn conferences blends of pep rally, policy forum and boozy bash play an important role in British political life. This years may well be the last before a national election. Under the U.K. parliamentary system, an election must be called within five years of the previous one, held in December 2019. Since the last national vote, the U.K. has left the European Union, endured a pandemic and ejected two prime ministers scandal-tarnished Boris Johnson and ill-fated Liz Truss, who lasted just 49 days in office. Sunak took the reins in October 2022 with the aim of calming economic turmoil sparked by Truss tax-cutting plans. Bronwen Maddox , director and chief executive of the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said that conferences are a place where a political party shows off to itself and looks at itself, while also trying to speak to the wider electorate. This is a very stuck, difficult-feeling time in Britain, and has been in a way since Brexit, Maddox said. And its jarred the countrys image of itself as being well run and good at things like government. So people will be looking for reassurance and for hope and also looking for reasons to scorn. What well watch for is can (Sunak) really engender a sense of hope in his party and in a much wider audience of potential voters? That could be a struggle. After 13 years of Conservative government, opinion polls put the party 15 to 20 points behind Labour. They suggest support for the party is sagging across almost all demographics, including the red wall voters in post-industrial northern English areas. The Conservatives under Johnson won many of those seats from Labour in 2019 by promising that Brexit would bring economic renewal a renewal that has largely failed to materialize. Sunak is the fifth Conservative leader since 2016, and rivals have started positioning themselves for a party leadership contest that could follow election defeat. Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch are both bidding for the support of the partys populist wing, which wants tough curbs on irregular migration and a war on liberal social values derided as woke. Paul Goodman, a former lawmaker who edits the Conservative Home website, said that Sunak's strategy is to depict Labour leader Keir Starmer, a lawyer who was once the country's chief prosecutor, as an out-of-touch agent of the status quo. He knows that if the next election is framed as Labour versus the Conservatives, Labour will almost certainly win, Goodman said. But I think he thinks that if it can be framed as Keir Starmer versus change, then maybe hell make it back. So he has to personify himself as change and tell a story of how he is all about change. Goodman said election victory for Sunak is possible, but very unlikely. It is looking a bit better for him than it was when he became prime minister, although the odds are still daunting," he said. By Jan Lopatka BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Robert Fico , who won Slovakia's parliamentary election on Saturday by appealing to anti-western and pro-Russian sentiment, may lead the European Union nation for the fourth time after once again shifting political gears to appeal to a changing electorate. During a three-decade career, Fico, 59, has skilfully weaved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic anti-Brussels and anti-American positions while showing a willingness to change course depending on public opinion or changed political realities. He has remained steady throughout his career, however, on promises to protect living standards of those left behind in a country where living standards for many are only slowly catching up to western Europe and where many hold relatively fond memories of a communist-era past. "Fico is a technician of power, by far the best in Slovakia. He does not have a counterpart at the moment," said sociologist Michal Vasecka, from the Bratislava Policy Institute. "Fico is always following opinion polls, understands what is happening" in society. Yet Fico has embraced more extreme positions over the past four years that include attacks on western allies, pledges to stop military support for Kyiv, criticism of Russian sanctions and threats to veto any future NATO invitation for Ukraine. His campaign call of "Not a single round" for Ukraine appealed to voters in the nation of 5.5 million where only a minority in the NATO member country believe Russia is at fault for the Ukraine war. Fico, who analysts see inspired by Hungary's Viktor Orban, has said he has Slovak interests at heart and wants the war to end. Western allies and Ukraine say halting military aid to Kyiv would only help Russia. "We see Viktor Orban as one of those European politicians who do not fear to openly defend the interests of Hungary and Hungarian people," Fico told Reuters in emailed responses last month. "He puts them in the first place. And that should be the role of an elected politician, to look after the interests of his voters and his country." Fico has also railed against the country's liberal president, Zuzana Caputova, who sued him last month for spreading lies about her. He has labelled various opponents and NGO's as following instructions of U.S financier George Soros. Born to a working-class family, Fico graduated with a law degree in 1986 and joined the then-ruling Communist party. After the 1989 fall of Communist rule, he worked as a government lawyer, won a seat in parliament under the renamed Communist party, and represented Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights. Fico has run SMER-Social Democracy party since 1999 after establishing it to oppose the reformist centre-right cabinet. He parlayed dissatisfaction with liberal economic reforms into his first election victory in 2006. But he also kept the nation on course to adopt the euro in 2009 despite forming a government with nationalists. His second cabinet won after another centre-right coalition broke up two years later, and a tough stance against migrants helped him win re-election in 2016. After that win, he declared he wanted Slovakia as part of the EU's core with France and Germany. Those shifts in the past have given belief to foreign diplomats that he may find a pragmatic way with European and NATO partners again, especially given that a far-right party he may ally with under some scenarios did not win any seats on Saturday. Fico's political fortunes faded in 2018 when journalist Jan Kuciak, who was investigating high-level graft, and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were killed by a contract killer. This fuelled mass protests against graft and Fico was forced to resign. SMER lost power in a 2020 election to parties pledging to weed out corruption, and his party split. Polling under 10%, Fico once sought to address voter fears during the coronavirus pandemic when he slammed government health measures. "He became the most prominent political representative of a movement against face masks or vaccination," said political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov. At the same time he a tapped into dissatisfaction with bickering in the ruling government and raised doubts with its pro-western course, chiming with pro-Russian narratives on social networks that had spread across Slovakia. Fico also swatted away accusations of graft that have dogged his party during his political career. He was charged with criminal conspiracy in 2022 to use police and tax information on political foes -- charges he denied and which were later dropped. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka, Editing by Michael Kahn and Michael Perry) While bashing Democratic governance, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed at Wednesdays Republican presidential debate that he and his wife, Casey, had met three people who had been mugged on the street in southern California. By Sunday just four days later that number has doubled. My wife and I ran into six or seven people that had been mugged in the last year in southern California, DeSantis told Fox News Maria Bartiromo during an appearance on Sunday Morning Futures. If only his poll numbers could grow at this same rate, DeSantis might stand a chance at defeating Donald Trump . In 4 days, the story has changed from three people to 6-7 people pic.twitter.com/WBv4XJ0Nyy Acyn (@Acyn) October 1, 2023 This isnt the first time DeSantis has appeared to use questionable crime numbers. This year he has often boasted that Floridas crime levels are at a 50-year low. But that statistic is reportedly based on incomplete data, and according to the CDC, Florida has a higher homicide mortality rate per 100,00 people than California. Data from The Marshall Project, a nonprofit outlet that covers criminal justice, shows that almost half of Florida is not included in the estimate DeSantis has frequently cited. About half of the agencies that police more than 40% of the states population are missing from figures the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) used for a state-wide estimation, The Marshall Project reported. The ethics of what we were reporting, we knew the numbers were bad, a former FDLE employee told NBC News. We foot-stomped it to leadership over and over again; they did not care. They did not care. While on Sunday Morning Futures, Bartiromo also asked DeSantis about potentially serving as vice president to Donald Trump, should the former president earn the Republican nomination. Trump currently leads the GOP pack by a substantial margin. Ahead of asking the question, Bartiromo showed a clip of Trump this week saying of his Republican rivals, Were competing with the job candidates. Theyre all running for a job. Theyre all job candidates. Theyll do anything. Secretary of something, they even say VP. Does anybody see any VP in the group? I dont think so. Trump: "We are competing with the job candidates. They're all going for a job. No, theyre all job candidates they wanna, they'll do anything. Secretary of something, they even say VP. Does anyone see a VP in the group? I dont think so." Crowd starts chanting something. pic.twitter.com/9V9RzChfDG Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 28, 2023 No, Im running for president, DeSantis told Bartiromo, brushing off the suggestion that he might accept the number two spot. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office has announced their four-legged newest recruit: a golden retriever named Sandy, according to our partners at The Salisbury Post. She is the first therapy dog for the countys K-9 police force. She finished training at the Tractor Supply Co. store on Friday alongside her handler, Deputy Chris Fleming. Since Sandy has now completed her training and passed her therapy dog certification, she is now ready to begin work, Captain David Earnhardt told The Post. She will be working in both outreach and therapy for deputies. ALSO READ: Nonprofits in the area help veterans get therapy dogs The Post reports that Sandys certification testing was held at the Tractor Supply Co. store so the tester could tell if she was well-behaved around other dogs and large crowds of people. Sandy was trained by a private dog trainer but was given to Fleming a week before the test so they could bond. Earnhardt told The Post that Sandy will mainly work in outreach, supporting child victims of crimes, stressed first-time offenders, and going to schools to help students and anyone else who may need her support. We knew they needed one. I was talking to Captain Earnhardt, and we were talking about Magnolia, the bloodhound. We sponsored her, and then we were talking about their needs as a department, and we realized that they also needed a therapy dog, Salisbury NC Kennel Club President Bob Busby told The Post. (WATCH BELOW: Burke County training therapy dog to work with 911 dispatchers) A Russian commander was removed after outraged military bloggers amplified his failed leadership. The Institute for the Study of War says "Russian ultranationalist outrage" online may still influence. The commander led the Russian 205th Motorized Rifle Brigade, which blew up Kakhovka dam in June. A Russian commander was ousted following a wave of outrage at his poor leadership from military bloggers, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports. The commander, who has not been named, led the Russian 205th Motorized Rifle Brigade, part of the 49th combined army of the Russian Armed Forces, which blew up Kakhovka dam in the Kherson Oblast in June, causing devastating floods in southern Ukraine. The ISW reported that Russian military bloggers claimed that they had a hand in removing the senior officer following a series of setbacks endured by his brigade, including notable losses due to the poor use of artillery and subpar leadership while fighting in the Kherson region. Russian military bloggers amplified the "significant losses due to inadequate artillery support and poor leadership in the Kherson direction," triggering the removal of the disgraced commander claimed the bloggers, per the ISW. One of the Russian milbloggers stated on September 30 that the removal of this commander is a "rare case" in which truth and justice prevailed, said the ISW. Earlier in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the 205th Brigade fought in offensive operations around Zaporizhzhia and Mariupol, according to The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Previously, the outfit was at the heart of the action in Russia's brutal wars in Chechnya and Dagestan in the 1990s. A Russian brigade officially has at least 2,000 soldiers, and the commander holds the rank of colonel. The ISW wrote that the removal of the commander suggests that Russian ultranationalist outrage may still have influence over Russian military command despite an overall decline following the rebellion by Wagner mercenaries in June. Russia illegally annexed Kherson, along with Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia, one year ago this week. On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Russians on the anniversary of the annexation of the four regions, insisting it was done in "full accordance with international norms." Read the original article on Business Insider The Russians have attacked Ukraine with attack drones from three directions: Cape Chauda (Crimea), Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk. The drones tried to hit Ukrainian air defence systems. Source: Serhii Bratchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian volunteer army Pivden (South) on air during the 24/7 national joint newscast Details: Late on the evening of 30 September, the Russians attacked Ukraine from three directions: Cape Chauda in Crimea, Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk. Bratchuk said that it was a combined attack, as the drones were launched in groups, then Shahed attack drones would split up and reunite in groups and try to attack air defence systems, wearing them out for the next drones to fly over. The Russians tried to attack the port infrastructure, Odesa itself, and Odesa district; there were also explosions in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district. The air raid lasted for more than three hours in Ukraine's south, and as per the information available at the moment, there were no strikes in Odesa Oblast. Bratchuk noted that Russian intelligence is constantly at work, and a reconnaissance drone was shot down in the skies over Kherson Oblast on 30 September. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan claimed that a combat drone fell opposite her familys house in the Russian city of Sochi on the night of 30 September. Source: Simonyan on Telegram Quote: "Last night a combat drone fell right opposite our family house in Adler [district of Sochi ed.] where both my mom and I grew up, and where my relatives still live with their small children." Details: Simonyan thinks that this proves the necessity of giving in to Russias "nuclear ultimatum". "The targets are farther each time, the stakes are higher, and it proves that the nuclear ultimatum has no alternative," she wrote. On 27 August, Simonyan claimed that a second drone fell near her house in Moscow Oblast in one week. Background: On the night of 30 September it was reported that a drone was shot down in Sochi. According to the sources of Ukrainska Pravda, the Ukrainian drones struck a Russian helicopter parking lot in Sochi. Ukrainian Defence Intelligence is reportedly responsible for the attack. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! The Russian Federation launched another attack on Ukraine, using about 40 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs, from the south. Air defence assets and personnel destroyed 30 Russian Shahed drones in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Vinnytsia oblasts. In total, the Russians launched 8 missile strikes and 99 airstrikes. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 1 October Details: As a result of Russian terrorist attacks, civilians were killed and injured. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. The Russian occupiers continue to ignore international humanitarian law, attacking not only the positions of Ukrainian troops, but also the civilian infrastructure of settlements, terrorising civilians. The Ukrainian Defence Forces continue to conduct defensive operations in Ukraine's east and south, offensive operations on the Melitopol and Bakhmut fronts, killing the Russians, liberating temporarily occupied territories step by step, and consolidating their positions. Over the past day, 38 combat clashes took place. Russia launched 8 missile strikes and 99 air strikes and carried out 45 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian facilities in Ukraine. Airstrikes were launched on Chernihiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. About 120 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts came under Russian artillery fire. On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts active sabotage activities to prevent the transfer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to threatened areas, and increases the density of mine barriers along the state border in Russias Belgorod Oblast. The Russians did not conduct any offensive (assault) actions in the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts. On the Bakhmut front, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled five Russian attacks in the vicinity of Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast, where Russia was trying to regain its lost positions. In the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group on the Avdiivka and Marinka fronts, Russia was trying to regain its lost positions near Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, and improve its tactical position near Novoselivka and south of Stepove. The Russians carried out over 10 unsuccessful attacks near Marinka, Donetsk Oblast. The Russians did not conduct any offensive actions on the Shakhtarsk front. On the Zaporizhzhia front, Russia was trying to regain its lost position near Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and improve its tactical position west of Verbove. The Defene Forces continued their offensive operation on the Melitopol front and offensive operations on the Bakhmut front, causing losses in manpower and equipment to Russian forces and exhausting them along the entire line of contact. In the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational Strategic Group on the Kherson front, the Defence Forces continue to conduct counter-battery combat, destroying storage points and successfully striking the Russians' rear. Over the past day, the aircraft of the Defene Forces of Ukraine launched 17 strikes on areas where Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment were concentrated, as well as 8 strikes on Russian anti-aircraft missile systems. Units of the Rocket Forces and Artillery hit six anti-aircraft missile systems, ten artillery pieces and three ammunition storage points. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kharkiv at around 01:00 on 1 October using S-300 anti-aircraft systems, with three missiles hitting the city. Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Details: Reports indicate that the hits occurred on premises belonging to a civilian business, and a fire broke out. The authorities have not provided any information on casualties. The Russians fired using artillery, mortars and other weapons on the settlements in Kharkiv, Bohodukhiv, Chuhuiv, Kupiansk and Izium districts over the past 24 hours. Background: The Russians have struck several oblasts using ballistic weapons. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! MOSCOW (Reuters) -Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday any British soldiers training Ukrainian troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces, as would German factories producing Taurus missiles should they supply Kyiv. Medvedev, who is deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and has become an increasingly hawkish and anti-Western figure in Russian politics, said such activities by the West were bringing World War Three closer. In a post on Telegram, Medvedev first directed his ire towards recently appointed British Defence Minister Grant Shapps , who said in a newspaper interview that London wants to deploy military instructors to Ukraine, in addition to training Ukrainian armed forces in Britain or other Western countries as at present. "(This will) turn their instructors into a legal target for our armed forces ... understanding perfectly well that they will be ruthlessly destroyed. And not as mercenaries, but namely as British NATO specialists," Medvedev wrote on Telegram. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rowed back from Shapps' comments on Sunday, saying there were no immediate plans to deploy military instructors to Ukraine. "What the defence secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine," Sunak told reporters at the start of the governing Conservative Party's annual conference in Manchester. "But that's something for the long term, not the here and now. There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict." Medvedev also vilified those in Germany who want Berlin to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles that could strike Russian territory and try to limit Moscow's supply to its army. "They say this is in accordance with international law. Well, in that case, strikes on German factories where these missiles are made would also be in full compliance with international law," Medvedev said. "These morons are actively pushing us towards World War Three," he added, repeating similar warnings he has made before. In July he said actions by the "completely crazy" West meant World War Three "is getting closer." (Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and David Holmes) Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated across China Xinhua) 10:48, October 01, 2023 People read at a book bar on Xinglong Old Street in Xuan'en County, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Chen Xukai/Xinhua) Tourists watch a performance at Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Leishan County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Wu Xianyan/Xinhua) Tourists watch a performance at Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Leishan County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Wu Xianyan/Xinhua) Artists from east China's Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Center put on a Wu Opera show in Jinhua, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Shi Kuanbing/Xinhua) This aerial photo shows people sharing a big moon cake at Zhengding County of Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Chen Qibao/Xinhua) People visit Hainan Museum in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) Children participate in an activity to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at a kindergarten in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 28, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) People visit the the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua) People visit the Zhanqiao bridge scenic spot in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Wang Haibin/Xinhua) This aerial photo taken on Sept. 29, 2023 shows people performing dragon dance at Jiazhai Town of Liaocheng, east China's Shandong Province. Friday marks the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival this year in China, which is celebrated in diverse ways, ranging from family reunions with big feasts to public gatherings featuring traditional ceremonies, performances and Mid-Autumn gala. (Photo by Zhao Yuguo/Xinhua) (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) Grocery-lovers converged Saturday afternoon on Albert Winn Park to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and to watch the giant cow mascot of Clover Sonoma bobble on her hooves through the muddy grass. Attendees and at least three fairies, one of whom carried a bubble wand, bustled through little branded tents, listened to live music, ate at food trucks and sampled fermented cabbages. The co-op, a member-owned local grocery store on R Street that provides luscious organic produce and a sometimes topsy-turvy salad bar scene, was founded in 1972 as a food-buying club. The club incorporated as a co-op the following year. Gaby Herrera lives in the neighborhood, and, though not a member, Herrera does most of her grocery shopping at the co-op. She came to the park that afternoon with Luz Maria, a surprisingly long-legged corgi-border collie mix. Before coming to the park, Herrera ate kimchi she bought at the co-op on rice she bought at the co-op. Clover Sonomas mascot, Clo the Cow, dances with kids during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op at Winn Park on Saturday. Recently, she said, she got what appeared to be the final in-season tomatoes, fresh bread and goat cheese; Herrera went home and made a last of the summer sandwich with basil from a plant in her backyard that she thinks she also bought at the co-op. Living in a more urban environment, having an accessible grocery store is nice, Herrera said. The prices are a little bit wild. But being able to walk to my food is really important to me. Elsewhere in the park, people lined up for free tarot readings from Isabel Emilie. Emilie smiled gently and presented a kind explanation when a Sacramento Bee reporter going through an ambiguous romantic situation drew her first card: The Fool (oof!). The ethos of the co-op and its commitment to independent businesses and a sustainable future for the planet popped out among the merriment. As a band played on the opposite side of Albert Winn, Cornucopia Institute Deputy Director Michele Marchetti told a crowd about her nonprofits Independent Organic Brand Project, which identifies nationally available brands that arent owned by giant conglomerates. We strongly believe in transparency in the marketplace and that you have a right to know where your food is coming from, Marchetti said. And also, wheres the money flowing? You may have a company that owns your independent brand, and one side of their mouth is promoting organic and on the other side of the mouth, theyre putting money toward things that are watering down the standards or helping the chemical companies. A spirit of inquiry, not too far from a tent offering vegan deli meats. Dressed as a Power Ranger, Hugh Davis, 5, of Sacramento, gets a sample of fermented foods from Elissa Wolf Blank, co-owner of Local Culture of Grass Valley on Saturday during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op at Winn Park. When a politician disappears, the police usually have some good ideas about where to look for him or his bullet-ridden body. They ask bartenders if he has been showing up with a woman who isnt his wife, or with another guys girlfriend. Was he in hock to a shady character for services rendered? Had he thwarted a rivals hopes for elective office? But in Sal P. Pullias case the cast of characters was so large, it was hard to know where to begin. Vanishing in 1981, hes never been heard from since. A Melrose Park resident and Democratic committeeman, his story is regularly rehashed in a sidebar when newspapers report another puzzling disappearance. It is the gold standard of missing persons sagas. Pullias last public sightings were described by the Tribunes John OBrien and Edward Baumann. As a longtime crime-reporting team, they were privy to police station gossip. Mafiosi might give them a tip on an underworld rival. On June 3, 1981, Pullia, then 33, had dinner with Sam Scott, a Chicago banker, at Vic Giannottis, a Forest Park restaurant. Pullia had left his $30,000-a-year job in the Cook County clerks office a month earlier. He managed the department that approved or rejected applications for tax deferments. He rebranded himself as a business consultant and wanted a tutorial from Scott on how to attract clients. Perhaps that also prompted him to circulate a letter from the U.S. attorneys office thanking him for being a witness in its investigation of the Cook County board of tax appeals. I think what sunk his ship was the letter, a former investigator told the Tribune. It made him look like he was proud to be stool pigeon. At 11 p.m. on that fateful day in 1981, Pullia arrived at Rockys Drive Inn, 2212 North Ave., two blocks from his home. A Melrose Park police officer on routine patrol saw Pullia driving east on North Avenue in his distinctive silver Volvo sedan shortly before midnight. About 2:30 a.m., he left Rockys. Authorities believed that John Jackie the Lackey Cerone, No. 3 in the Chicago mobs hierarchy, owned Rockys, OBrien and Baumann noted. OBrien and Baumann reported that investigators learned Pullia had been told not to run for reelection by Chicagos 1st Ward Committeeman John DArco, reportedly the mobs ambassador to the Democratic machine. Pullias committeeman position was considered a mafia fiefdom. His predecessor, Ralph Babe Serpico, had been sentenced to prison for bribery and tax evasion. Pullia refused to step down and said so publicly. I do not believe in smoke-filled-room politics, he said in campaign rallies. Im not a part of those people (the mob). My reputation is the only thing I value. But he couldnt deny his financial debt to a mobster. He had borrowed $10,000 from the son of the late Joseph Joe Gags Gagliano, a well-known loan shark. Not only did Pullia stiff the mobsters son, a second-generation juice merchant, he claimed it was a campaign donation, not a loan. With that cover story, he might well have acquired the unforgiving enmity of both the Outfit and the Internal Revenue System. Besides favoring mobbed-up joints, Pullia had a mobster pedigree. His father, Frank Pullia, was, in law-enforcement lingo, known to be an associate of Fiore Buccieri, a top-ranking mobster. In their generation, Melrose Park and Forest Park gave birth to cops-androbbers friendships. They began in childhood. One buddy goes straight. The other is crooked. But they are bonded for life. In the elder Pullias day, the Armory Lounge in Forest Park was the headquarters of Sam Momo Giancana, the mafias boss of bosses. Sal Pullia was drawn to politics. He was a member of the Democratic National Committee, and during President Jimmy Carters administration was a frequent recipient of phone calls from the White House, the Tribune reported. Following his disappearance, Pullias wife and brother-in-law, John Carpino, a DuPage County police detective, began their own search, at one point walking the parking lots of the citys airports, looking for the missing mans silver Volvo. Chicago police officers also checked every car in OHare International Airports sprawling parking lot and prowled Rush Street, the nightlife district Pullia was known to frequent. All leads have been exhausted, said Detective Cmdr. Robert Banks, after six months of searching. We all want Sal back, but it doesnt look like thats going to happen, said Gary Marinaro, Pullias interim replacement as committeeman. A grand jury convened by Cook County States Attorney Richard M. Daley came to a similar dead end. It issued more than 30 subpoenas, creating a veritable Venn diagram of Chicagos overlapping political and mobster circles. Among those summoned was 1st Ward Ald. Fred Roti, who reported to DArco, the committeeman who advised Pullia to get out of politics. A process server couldnt find retired mob boss Joey Aiuppa. Investigators said that with Aiuppas connections to mob families throughout the nation, he could hide out indefinitely, if he wishes, the Tribune reported. The FBI suggested checking an Oak Park hospital. Aiuppa had respiratory problems. The investigators went to the hospital to question employees there. When they saw Aiuppa leaving the building, they handed him the subpoena, the Tribune reported. The mayor of Melrose Park, a childhood friend of Pullias, was granted immunity from prosecution but nonetheless refused to testify. Others, including Aiuppa, reportedly pleaded the Fifth Amendment. The investigation produced nary a lead and was headed to the cold-case files. But it was resuscitated in 1988. A burial ground of syndicate victims was uncovered in DuPage County. Parts of several bodies were found in a grave dug in a field near Argonne National Laboratory. Lime had been poured over them to quicken their decomposition. The first remains were initially thought to be those of of Richard Ferraro. The owner of a Calumet City junkyard, he had gone missing in 1977. Investigators eventually determined the body was not Ferraros. But sources said the burial ground could hold the remains of a number of mob targets who vanished without a trace during the last 20 years, the Tribune reported. Pullia matched that description. Hed stiffed a loan shark and ratted on patronage employees. Of course, he might be alive. But he didnt fit the profile of a runaway. Those who disappear of their own accord generally leave a money trail. To restart their lives elsewhere they will close a savings account, sell an asset, pawn jewelry. Yet nothing was missing from Pullias safety deposit box. His estate wasnt much: a heavily mortgaged home and some stock in a Wheaton bowling alley. And FBI agents didnt find his remains in the mafia victims burial grounds. So there the story ends, its mystery unresolved. That is, until perhaps some detective is intrigued by a dusty old file and proceeds to find a clue his or her predecessors overlooked. Or, an enterprising reporter going through old newspaper clips stumbles upon a yarn just too good to be forgotten, and starts digging. An earlier version of this story incorrectly indicated that a body found in DuPage County in 1988 was that of Richard Ferraro. Investigators initially suspected the body was Ferraros, but later determined that not to be the case. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at rgrossman@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com. Under a Rock A cave that's been closed off to human visitors for 30 years has been found to contain high concentrations of microplastics and that should worry you. Such were the findings of a pair of new studies, the most recent of which was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, that used the cave's hermetic seclusion as a way of gauging just how far microplastics have penetrated the environment, and more specifically, subsurface water systems. "A lot of research has been focused on surface water settings," Elizabeth Hasenmueller, a geochemist and associate director of the WATER Institute at Saint Louis University who authored both studies, said in a statement. "However, one of the most understudied areas in this field relates to what's happening to the subsurface in terms of microplastic contamination." Inescapable Waste Scientists continue to find new places where these tiny shards of plastic waste five millimeters and smaller end up, and none of them are reassuring. Recent notable studies have discovered it everywhere from polluting clouds to the inside of human hearts. The locale selected by the researchers is Cliff Cave, located in Missouri, and while it has been closed to the public since 1993, it is located near a residential area. As such, it's not totally sequestered from civilization, but serves as a good case study on how human settlements impact nearby ecosystems. The researchers found that microplastics were building up in their highest concentrations at the mouth of the cave, and then being pushed further in by water that flooded into it. Moreover, they determined that microplastics were 100 times more concentrated in the cave's sediment than in the water. "99 percent of the microplastic debris we found in the cave was stored in the sediment; only a very small fraction of the plastic was in the water," Hasenmueller said. This suggests that water is depositing the microplastics into the sediment, where it gets stored long term decades or more even after the water recedes, the researchers concluded, adding that airborne particles could also be settling into the cave bed. Caving In Ominously, Hasenmueller says that these plastic particles contaminating caves could seep into groundwater, which humans use to drink. Beyond that, it also threatens to disrupt the habitats of bats and amphibians that inhabit the caves. Given how ubiquitous plastics are, it'll be a difficult trend to reverse. One solution according to Hasenmueller is that society as a whole should ditch synthetic clothing. "A lot of the debris that we found in this cave was synthetic fibers from textiles," she said. More on microplastics: Scientists Find That Microplastics Cause Dementia-Like Symptoms in Mice On a sunny September morning on the Connecticut River, Gregory Bugbee nudged his skiff into Selden Cove in Hadlyme and it happened again. He got stuck. Two years ago, the cove was a magnet for anglers, a clear pond from which Selden Creek runs south through sunken meadows of wild rice and drowned oaks to join the river at the bottom of Selden Neck. Now you cant sink a hook in the cove. It can be difficult even to push a boat through. It is choked from its sandy bottom to the waters surface by an acre-sized mat of a ferocious aquatic weed called hydrilla. Hydrilla is a notoriously troublesome, invasive weed, particularly in the southern U.S., where it has clogged ponds and blocked rivers for years. But what scientists have found in Selden Cove and everywhere else along the 200 miles of the Connecticut River and its tributaries below Springfield is something different: A previously undiscovered, genetically unique and exceptionally robust strain of hydrilla that so far has not been found anywhere else in the world. The newly discovered Connecticut River strain has proven just as troubling as its southern relations, but is new enough to be something of a mystery. It was unknown two decades ago and has spread so explosively since that there is concern it could threaten the half century of environmental progress that has made the river a $1 billion-plus a year contributor to the state economy. Marina owners have had to pay to have channels cleared. Kayakers cant paddle through it, swimmers wont swim in it and fishermen have given up on choice spots in coves and creeks. It has choked the shallow Mattabesset River in Middletown enough to slow the flow rate, threatening to turn it into a giant mosquito breeding ground. Owners of million dollar waterfront homes look out over mats of weed and tax collectors are worrying about property values. Beyond aesthetics and recreation, there is reason to worry about the weeds effect on the river ecosystem, not the least of which is its potential to threaten the big birds such as bald eagles and osprey that have repopulated the river. Similar, although genetically distinct, southern hydrilla harbors an algae-like cyanobacteria that produces a neurotoxin that gets into the food chain and kills birds. The new strain is being studied to learn whether it attracts the same bacteria. Scientists like Bugbee, who is directing state efforts against hydrilla, are trying to figure out how to control Connecticut River hydrilla, the impact of which has been captured in a stunning video by the Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Program, or CT RC&D. There is fear it will crowd out long established plants and animals, sending an unpredictable ripple across the river ecosystem just one of the new strain of hydrilla plants produces 191 tips that grow an inch a day. As important is finding a means of control herbicide is one solution that doesnt hurt the rivers long term health. It is nothing like weve seen, from a standpoint of rapid movement and coverage on a scale like this, said Bugbee, an aquatic plant expert with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and the principal investigator with the states invasive aquatic plant program. There is a lot to learn. It is a big issue. History To get out of Selden Cove, Bugbee had to pole his boat a ways and stop to unspool yards of vine-like Connecticut River hydrilla from his outboard to reach a clear channel. The cove is one of the places he and his colleagues have spent two years studying, using their two small boats and satellite location technology to map the weeds spread. They found it everywhere, from the lower reaches of the river it apparently cannot survive salt to a spot about a mile north of the state border, near the Six Flags amusement park in Agawam, Mass. where, curiously, it stopped. Agawam is its northern point, he said. And in many years, it hasnt moved farther north, which is very strange. In 1995, during the last comprehensive inventory of river plants in Connecticut, hydrilla wasnt even mentioned. Bugbee said he first learned of what would become the new genetic strain in 2016, from a report by a group of volunteer scientists and river enthusiasts. They get together in one area and they try to identify every organism that they can from plants to insects to whatever, Bugbee said. Its called a bio blitz. This was being done in the Glastonbury area, in the area of Keeney Cove. And they couldnt identify a plant. So it came to us. And we initially couldnt positively identify it. It looked like hydrilla to some extent, but it had characteristics that were slightly different. It was more robust than any hydrilla we had seen in Connecticut. We had seen hydrilla before in some lakes and reservoirs and streams, particularly in the western part of the state. This was just different. One difference was the number of leaves. Hydrilla known to that point had five leaves growing in a whorl from a stem. What was growing in Keeney Cove had as many as 11 leaves. Bugbee and his colleagues consulted scientists elsewhere, who couldnt explain it either. So they sequenced the new plants DNA and ran it against a database of the worlds known plants. There was no match, just close relatives found in Ireland, Latvia and Asia. So we had to decide, What is it? Bugbee said. It is hydrilla, but it is distinct enough to be called a separate strain. Not a separate species, but a separate strain, or if you want to use the scientific term a separate clade. A clade is the group of all descendants of a common ancestor. The new Connecticut River weed was named clade c, making it distinct from the two other clades found in the U.S., clades a and b. What is known No one knows for sure where the new hydrilla came from, other than somewhere else. Scientists suspect the culprit was the aquarium trade: Someone dumped a fish tank into the river and an ornamental aquatic plant, probably from East Asia, took root and essentially took charge. During their two year river survey, Bugbee said he and his colleagues raked up discarded aquaria. While filming the survey work, scientists recorded a father and son dumping a tank. The new hydrilla apparently does not spread, as do the southern varieties, by producing potato-like tubers, which is a good thing in terms of controlling the weed. Tubers from southern plants can persist buried a foot deep in sediment for a decade meaning that even if the roots and top growth are killed it grows back. From a managing it perspective, not having tubers could be a huge advantage and we are pretty confident that it does not. Which is extremely rare. No hydrilla has ever been known not to have it. So it is very strange, Bugbee said. On the other hand, by not producing tubers, he said the new hydrilla can direct energy to the upper portion of the plant, the part experts believe the new hydrilla uses to propagate by fragmentation. Leaves, stems and little buds called turions break off from the plants, drift south on the current or north on the tide and grow into new plants. That makes efforts to control the plant by pulling it out, raking it up and chopping it off counterproductive. Fragments float away and root themselves. The new hydrilla has not been found in deep parts of the river, but is confined to depths of up to 10 feet or so in the coves and creeks and along the river banks. Travel up and down river isnt being impeded, but swimming, picnicking, paddling and fishing along the shore is. In the fall, the new hydrilla disappears. It fragments, collects in large floating mats and drift away, spreading bits and pieces that it is believed will form the next years crop. If you come (to Selden Cove) in September, October, you will notice just huge mats sort of floating, Bugbee said. Everything just breaks up and floats away. Its called auto fragmentation. The new strain is stronger and grows more densely than the southern varieties. A reason may be its ability to flourish in both high and low light levels. It already is crowding out native species such as eel grass, and, by extension, anything that depends on eel grass. It creates a toxic environment that favors itself by blocking sunlight to other plants and reducing the level of oxygen in the water. It was thought to be confined to the Connecticut River, but recently was found in East Twin Lake in Salisbury and Amos Lake in Preston, getting there, probably, by fragments carried on boat trailers. Were finding it only near the boat ramps, so far, Bugbee said. Anglers in particular love to fish in the river and they also like to fish in lakes. People and appreciation There are tens of millions of dollars of boats in marinas along the river and tens of millions of dollars more on the water any weekend. It is an underappreciated place of spectacular visits. Granite ledges rise from the water in places, separated by hundred-acre swamps where eagles and osprey nest in piles of twigs stacked atop dead trees. Stunning waterfront homes with private docks have appeared along the lower river. The Connecticut Marine Trades Association believes the river is worth more than a $1 billion a year commercially. An study by the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at UConn estimates the lower rivers cultural, recreational, aesthetic and real estate values contribute hundreds of millions of dollars more. Joseph Standart owns the three-century old Selden homestead in Lyme and has one of the million dollar views over Selden Cove and across the river to Chester. We used to see tons of fishermen in the cove all summer, Standart said. Then a year or two ago, the hydrilla just exploded. It looked like you could walk across the cove. It was that solid. This year, weve seen maybe one or two fishermen. Just north, in Whalebone Cove, Diana Fiske was part of a group of neighbors who set out in kayaks each summer to pull up another invasive weed, water chestnut. Not any longer. We have found by the second week of August the hydrilla hampers our effort to take up the other invasives, she said. Anything off the main channel cant be paddled by the middle of August. We had a lot of success controlling the water chestnut. But the hydrilla is a whole new animal. On the other side of the river, at Chester Boat Basin, owner Robert Petzold said that by midsummer he now has to clear channels for his customers. Normally what happens, by the middle of August I have to hire a contractor to come in and cut this hydrilla or remediate this hydrilla from the basin so the boats can travel in and out, he said. Its hard to describe how dense it is. It is like you havent cut your grass in three weeks, and its wet and you try to push the lawn mower through it and it just stalls. Up river, Portland Boat Works has experimented with anchoring mats to the river bottom in the spring and removing them each fall in an effort to prevent hydrilla growth. The question is, Petzold said, are the boaters just going to get tired of it and go somewhere else, into salt water that doesnt have it? Remediation There is a chance, however remote, of a natural process occurring perhaps something involving an insect, fish or plant disease that would control the new hydrilla. Or that scientists are able to introduce a biologic control again, an insect or hydrilla specific plant disease. But Bugbee said the first alternative would be fortuitous and the second needs a lot more study. Those studies essentially have not even begun, he said. There are fish, he said, that love to eat hydrilla. After invasive milfoil took over Candlewood Lake, 10,000 sterilized grass carp were introduced and, in short order, consumed nearly every piece of vegetation. Bass fishermen, who complained of too many weeds, are complaining of too few. Voracious, vegetarian fish could have more unpredictable and undesirable consequences in a complex system like the river. Native river plants filter nutrients and create habitat for fish like the menhaden, which mature in the river and are often called the most important fish in the sea. And there is nothing to keep plant-eating fish from swimming upstream to Vermont and New Hampshire, where there is no hydrilla and they are unneeded. To attack the hydrilla problem, Connecticut has created the Office of Aquatic Invasive Species. It is part of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and Bugbee leads it. This summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined with the new office and the 15 towns making up the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments in a study of whether hydrilla can be controlled by an herbicide. As a first step, the corps has begun introducing a fluorescent dye at Keeney Cove in Glastonbury, Chapman Pond in East Haddam, Chester Boat Works in Chester and Selden Cove in Hadlyme. If additional testing were needed, the corps said it would be done in Deep River, the Mattabesset River in Middletown and at Portland Boat Works in Portland. The corps said it is using a dye that is proven safe and it is being used to chart river current and tidal flow. It is preliminary, the corps said to a plan to treat selected sites with herbicide next summer. We dont have another option, or a large scale option, Bugbee said. We dont think harvesting is going to be effective. Weve shown that benthic barriers (mats anchored to the river bottom) can work, but it is usually too labor intensive to work on a large area. There is always a hope that somebody can come up with some sort of biocontrol. Insect, fish or something that eats it. Maybe a hydrilla specific disease. That could potentially work. But right now there is nothing there. Jeanne Davies, the recently retired executive director of CT RC&D and creator of the video that attracted attention to the hydrilla problem, said the river has always been a unifying force in Connecticut and she hopes eradicating hydrilla can reinforce that sense. There is a whole thing about the Connecticut River, she said. It divides and unites Connecticut. Nobody particularly owns it, but it is a unifying aspect of Connecticut. It creates two cultures in Connecticut, from the west side to the east side. But yet it also unifies Connecticut. And I have always looked at this hydrilla issue as a unifying element of the Connecticut River. Because if everybody works together toward a solution on the river it becomes a unifier for Connecticut. Police are asking the public for assistance in locating a 9-year-old girl who was abducted from a New York campground Saturday evening. New York State Police issued an Amber Alert for Charlotte E. Sena on Sunday morning, saying that she was abducted near Moreau Lake State Park in Gansevoort, N.Y. She was last seen at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, wearing an orange tie-dye Pokemon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs and a grey bike helmet. The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death, the Amber Alert states. According to the Amber Alert, she is about 4 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 90 pounds. She has blonde hair and green eyes. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said at a press conference that the girl was biking with family friends around Loop A of the park Saturday evening and wanted to do the loop by herself. At about 6:45 p.m., the Sena family had discovered Charlottes bike on the loop and her mother promptly called 911 two minutes later. Hochul said state police arrived on the scene by 7 p.m. More than 100 personnel and 75 members of law enforcement have been looking for her since then with the assistance of dogs, drones, boats and underwater rescue teams over the last day, the governor said. And as a mother, and as a grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain theyre going through, Hochul said, speaking of Charlottes parents. They shared with me how joyful their little girl is. A fourth grader just recently elected to be a class officer for student council. Lt. Col. Richard Mazzone said that it is quite possible the girl was abducted after officers completed an exhaustive search of the park. A command post has been set up at the park, officials said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- The US narrowly averted a disruptive and costly shutdown of federal agencies as Congress passed compromise legislation to keep the government running until Nov. 17. Most Read from Bloomberg The legislation, passed in both chambers Saturday just hours before a midnight deadline, buys Democrats and Republicans time to negotiate longer-term federal funding. It doesnt include new funding for Ukraine. President Joe Biden signed the bill late Saturday night, capping an extraordinary day in Washington that began with the country careening to what appeared to be an inevitable and prolonged federal funding lapse. Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans, Biden said in a statement. Final passage by the Senate was set in motion earlier in the day by embattled House Speaker Kevin McCarthy , who called the bluff of the far-right Republicans and pushed the last-minute compromise. Theyd threatened to oust him from leadership if he didnt shut down the government, a move most in Congress see as highly unpopular with voters. If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try, McCarthy told reporters. In unusually swift action in the typically slow-moving Capitol, the bill made it through both chambers in less than 12 hours. Total roller coaster, Representative Guy Reschenthaler, the House GOP chief deputy whip, said of the days events. Americans to investors globally have been watching Washington closely in recent days as the the risk of a shutdown grew. Even a short-term funding breach would pause many federal functions and paychecks, while economists predicted that a long-term shutdown could impede the Federal Reserves efforts to quell inflation without widespread job losses. Markets also considered how an impasse could further harm perceptions of US governance. The legislation, which is devoid of deep spending cuts and border policies demanded by Republican hardliners, marks a rare bipartisan victory in a fiercely divided Washington. After trying to take our government hostage, MAGA Republicans won nothing, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after final passage. But the exclusion of the Ukraine aid at least for now is a blow to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who last week met with Biden and lawmakers and personally pleaded for new weapons systems, including F-16 fighter jets and longer-range ATACMS missiles. Biden and other lawmakers sought to assure Ukraine that the US remains committed to the war effort. The US has sent $44 billion to Ukraine since the Russian invasion last year and Biden has requested an additional $24 billion to refill accounts that the Pentagon says are nearly depleted. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted, Biden said, adding that McCarthy has committed to passage of a separate Ukraine aid package. The bill passed the Senate on an 88-9 vote, just hours after an overwhelming House vote that included nearly all Democrats and more than half of Republicans. The legislation includes $16 billion in disaster relief funding but not aid for Ukraine. Lawmakers in both parties who support the Ukraine funding said that would be handled separately. --With assistance from Billy House, Derek Wallbank and Aradhana Aravindan. (Updates with Biden signing legislation into law late Saturday night Washington time.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Following a passage of a bill to avoid a government shutdown, top U.S. Senate leaders issued a rare bipartisan statement affirming their commitment to Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and representatives of the appropriations committees said they expect the Senate will work "to ensure the U.S. government continues to provide critical and sustained security and economic support for Ukraine." "We support Ukraines efforts to defend its sovereignty against (Russian President Vladimir) Putins brazen aggression, and we join a strong bipartisan majority of our colleagues in this essential work," reads the statement. "With the eyes of our partners, allies, and adversaries upon us, we keenly understand the importance of American leadership and are committed to strengthening it from Europe to the Indo-Pacific." U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Sept. 30 that he welcomed congressional measures taken to avert "an unnecessary and destructive government shutdown that would have had a profound impact on the lives our troops and civilians who work and sacrifice to defend this country every day," according to ABC News. Austin urged Congress to commit to providing aid for Ukraine. "America must live up to its word and continue to lead," Austin said. Read also: US House of Representatives passes funding bill to avoid government shutdown Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic listens to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a press conference after talks at the Serbia Palace in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. Orban is on a one day visit to Serbia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Serbia's president on Sunday denied U.S. and other reports of a military buildup along the border with Kosovo, complaining of a campaign of lies against his country in the wake of a shootout a week earlier that killed four people and fueled tensions in the volatile Balkan region. Both the United States and the European Union expressed concern earlier this week about what they said was an increased military deployment by Serbia's border with its former province, and they urged Belgrade to scale down its troop presence there. Kosovo's government said Saturday it was monitoring the movements of the Serbian military from three different directions. It urged Serbia to immediately pull back its troops and demilitarize the border area. A campaign of lies ... has been launched against our Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic responded in a video post on Instagram. They have lied a lot about the presence of our military forces .... In fact, they are bothered that Serbia has what they describe as sophisticated weapons. Associated Press reporters traveling in the border region Sunday saw several Serbian army transport vehicles driving away toward central Serbia, a sign that the military might be scaling down its presence in the region following calls from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others. Tensions have soared following the violence in northern Kosovo last Sunday involving heavily armed Serb gunmen and Kosovo police officers. The clash was one of the worst since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and prompted NATO to announce it would beef up a peacekeeping force stationed in the country. Serbia has denied Kosovo's allegations that it trained the group of some 30 men who opened fire on police officers, leaving one dead, and then barricaded themselves in an Orthodox Christian monastery in northern Kosovo. Three insurgents died in the hours-long shootout that ensued. Kosovo has also said it was investigating possible Russian involvement in the violence. Serbia is Russia's main ally in Europe, and there are fears in the West that Moscow could try to stir trouble in the Balkans to avert attention from the war in Ukraine. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Friday that U.S. officials were monitoring a large deployment of Serbian troops along the border with Kosovo, describing it as an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks and mechanized infantry units. Vucic has several times over the past months raised the combat readiness level of Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo. Serbia also has been reinforcing its troops with weapons and other equipment mainly purchased from Russia and China. We will continue to invest in the defense of our country but Serbia wants peace, the president said Sunday. Everything they said they made up and lied, and they knew they were making up and lying. Last weekend's shootout near the village of Banjska followed months of tensions in Kosovo's north, where ethnic Serbs are a majority of the population and have demanded self-rule. Dozens of soldiers from the NATO-led peacekeeping force known as KFOR were injured in May in a clash with ethnic Serbs protesting the Kosovo police presence in the area. Fearing wider instability as the war rages in Ukraine, Washington and Brussels have sought to negotiate a normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, but the two sides have failed to implement a tentative agreement that was recently reached as part of an EU-mediated dialogue. The House and Senate cleared a clean stopgap spending bill Saturday, averting a government shutdown and capping off a chaotic three weeks in the Capitol that brought Washington hours away from a lapse in funding. The continuing resolution funds the government at current spending levels until Nov. 17 and provides $16 billion in disaster relief. It does not include any funding for Ukraine which the White House and Democrats sought or GOP provisions addressing border security, two items that had been central to government funding fights of the past month. Members of both parties criticized the lack of Ukraine aid, and conservatives howled about border security being left on the cutting room floor. Here are the political winners and losers from the first quarter of the funding fight. Winners Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) McCarthy will surely take heat from hard-line conservatives for putting a clean stopgap bill on the floor, and he dealt with weeks of turbulence from within his own conference. But McCarthy proved those in both parties who predicted a shutdown wrong. And he got one of his biggest articulated conditions for the stopgap bill: No aid to Ukraine. McCarthy secured swift agreement from congressional Democrats and the Senate on the plan he unveiled just Saturday morning, and he avoided the upper chamber jamming the House with a stopgap that included Ukraine aid. I think Speaker McCarthy has been magnificent. Hes pulled a rabbit out of the hat a couple of times best I can count, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. The majority of House Republicans supported the clean stopgap, and he protected them and himself from bearing the blame for a shutdown. And he is calling the bluff of those threatening to oust him through a motion to vacate the chair, when it was 21 hard-line Republicans who sunk a far more conservative stopgap plan and kneecapped his attempt to extract concessions on border policy. If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it. There has to be an adult in the room, McCarthy said Saturday. Ukraine aid opponents Hard-line conservatives did not get many wins from the clean stopgap, but getting Ukraine aid out of it was a clear victory. More lawmakers in Congress support Ukraine than oppose it, but Senate and House Democrats and Senate Republicans who ardently back Ukraine aid including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) agreed to a stopgap without money for Kyiv hours before the funding deadline to avert a shutdown. More than half of House Republicans opposed a $300 million Ukraine funding measure earlier in the week, putting GOP leaders in a tricky spot to approve the billions more that the White House has requested. Middle ground Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) The funding fight was a mixed bag for the Senate GOP leader who has said throughout recent weeks and months that a government shutdown was a bad idea with no winners something he has learned multiple times during his time in power. Congress avoided a shutdown, but at a major cost to McConnell personally as he has been the most outspoken top Republican in support of aid for Ukraine in their ongoing war with Russia. The Kentucky Republican has visited the war-torn nation and had been on the diplomatic front lines pushing for Sweden and Finlands inclusion in NATO. McConnell is known for being well attuned to the feelings of his conference, and many of them wanted to move on the 47-day stopgap funding bill. He followed suit, with many pro-Ukraine members promising a fight for robust support for the nation ahead of the mid-November deadline to keep the governments lights on. Congressional Democrats Democrats in both the House and Senate wanted to avoid a government shutdown and they got their wish Saturday. But the caucuses also took a hit by having to clear a stopgap bill that did not include funding for Ukraine, which has been a key priority for the party and was included in a supplemental request from the White House. Im disappointed and Ive made my disappointment, made clear to Mr. McCarthy and others that leaving Ukraine out was bad policy and a bad message, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said ahead of Saturdays vote. Its a bad message to Putin and its a bad message to the Ukrainians. So I think its a mistake. The decision by Democrats to support the bill is what put McCarthys proposal over the finish line saving the Speaker from what would have been an embarrassing defeat and averting a shutdown that he would have been blamed for, which Democrats likely would have relished. But it also saved them from taking any of the blame that could have come their way from voting against a clean continuing resolution. President Biden Similar to Democrats on Capitol Hill, Biden wanted to send more money to Kyiv, especially after he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House last week. The White House included $24 billion in a supplemental request over the summer. The exclusion of the funding is a bruising loss to the president, who has made support for Kyiv a priority throughout his term. But in the end, the stopgap bill staved off a shutdown, which the president wanted especially amid his sagging poll numbers even though he was likely ready to use the lapse in funding as a cudgel to go after House Republicans. And Biden was able to stay on the sidelines during the tumultuous funding fight, protecting him from taking any serious political hits amid the House GOP infighting and chamber-versus-chamber battle. Losers Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) Gaetz has for weeks threatened to make a motion to oust McCarthy if he put a clean continuing resolution on the floor, and he has been the most vocal opponent of any kind of stopgap measure. But ahead of the vote Saturday, Gaetz indicated that such a move was not imminent, telling reporters he was focused on averting a shutdown by advancing full-year appropriations bills. He also earned more enemies over the week, with his GOP colleagues calling him out by name after a GOP-only stopgap failed and it is not clear what he gained. Theres only one person to blame for any potential government shutdown, and thats Matt Gaetz, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said Friday. Hes not a conservative Republican. Hes a charlatan. Fiscal conservatives Fiscal conservatives in the House have for months been looking to the government funding deadline as their opportunity to force deep spending cuts and policy concessions. They lost that fight miserably. After 21 conservatives sunk a GOP-only stopgap bill, McCarthy ditched partisan strategies and rolled out a stopgap bill that continues funding at current levels, turning longtime conservative worries into reality. It cleared the chamber with more support from Democrats than Republicans. Fiscal conservatives did, however, get agreement from GOP leadership for additional spending cuts across the 12 regular appropriations bills, and a schedule to consider more of them through October that includes a canceled two-week recess. All of that funding will still need eventual agreement from the Senate, though and the conservatives fear they will get rolled again. Ukraine funding Zelensky visited Washington, D.C., and met with congressional leaders just a week ago. But in a major blow to the Biden administration, supporters of funding were not able to push a bill through. With opposition to Ukraine funding ticking up among House Republicans, the move raises questions about how funding will move forward in the future. McCarthy said Sunday that the Biden administration needs to come talk to Republicans about what victory would be in Ukraine, and to ensure that the aid is accounted for. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A small single-engine plane crashed into Lake Winnipesaukee late Saturday night, FAA officials tell Boston 25 News. The Cessna 150 crashed down into the 71-mile-square-foot lake near Gilford, New Hampshire around 9:15 p.m., the FAA says. Only the pilot was onboard. An update on the medical condition of the pilot was not made immediately available. Gilford Fire Department officials say they responded to the initial call but the matter has since been turned over to the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The FAA and NTSB will investigate the incident. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW At least 13 people have been killed in Spains deadliest nightclub fire in decades, with fears the toll could rise further as emergency services search for more victims. The cause of the blaze, which broke out early on Sunday at the Teatre venue in the southeastern city of Murcia, is not yet known. Four others were injured: two women, aged 22 and 25, and two men, aged 41 and 45, who were all taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation, the Murcia emergency services website said. Survivors gathered outside the nightclub described the scene to journalists as emergency services carried out their work. I think we left (the club) 30 seconds - 1 minute before the alarms went off and all the lights went out the screams saying there was a fire. I was at place at that time where I could get out, but five family members and two friends are missing, an unidentified survivor told Reuters. We dont know anything, we are waiting for news to see whether some of our family members have come out alive, said another man at the scene. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent his condolences. My love and solidarity with the victims and families of the tragic fire that occurred this morning in a nightclub in Murcia. I have just conveyed to the president of the Murcia region all our support and collaboration, Sanchez posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. At the time of the incident, emergency services were dispatched, with local firefighters calling in helicopter help to tackle the blaze. The General Director of Security and Emergencies, Ricardo Villalba, is on-site coordinating with the Murcia City Council the necessary means to manage this tragedy, the emergency services said. The Vice President and Minister of the Interior, Emergencies and Territorial Planning, Jose Angel Antelo, is expected to arrive at the site, they added. The fire in Murcia marks the deadliest nightclub fire in Spain in 33 years. A blaze in 1990 at a nightclub in northeastern Zaragoza left 43 dead. In December 1983 81 people were killed in a nightclub blaze in Madrid, with smoke, a failure in the lighting system and a closed emergency door all contributing to the disaster. Three days of mourning have been declared in the city of Murcia for those who died in the fire that occurred at the Teatre de Atalayas nightclub, Murcia mayor Jose Ballesta said on X. An information area for relatives of the victims was set up in the nearby Palacio de los Deportes, where a team of psychologists will be tasked to provide assistance. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Last weekend, Sing Out Loud Festivals Francis Field Showcase established a new benchmark in the Nations Oldest City. Despite being held on a weekend historically marked by low tourist activity, the two-day event attracted an astounding 32,000 attendees from across the United States. The impressive turnout drew attendees from South Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, and numerous other regions, underscoring the festivals vast reach and significant impact. Historically, September is a low-tourism month for St. Johns County, often seeing less than 60% lodging occupancy in comparison to peak months. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Watching downtown come alive during the festival is a powerful testament to our shared vision. It offers our community a unique chance to bond, while also providing a substantial boost to our local businesses during a typically slow period, said Dylan Rumrell, Chairman of SJC Cultural Events, Inc. Not to mention, having such esteemed artists take the stage not only elevates St. Augustines cultural landscape but also cements its reputation as a premier destination for top-tier musical talent. The blend of community spirit, economic boost, and stellar performances is truly remarkable. Thanks to a charity fee included in each ticket, an impressive total of $140,000 was raised. This amount is to be divided evenly between the First Responder Project and the St. Johns County School District. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Florida State Parks Foundation via Intuition Ale Works Sing Out Loud Sessions IPA Brew. Im overwhelmed by the unwavering support and enthusiasm that our community and local partners have poured into this years festival. This event stands as a testament to what we can achieve when we come together with a shared vision, said Gabriel Pellicer, CEO/President of SJC Cultural Events, Inc. Im eager to receive feedback from our local businesses on their experiences, insights, and ideas. Their input will be instrumental in pushing our mission forward. Throughout this September, Sing Out Loud Festival showcased an impressive 154 performances by both local and regional acts, spanning across 14 distinct venues throughout St. Augustine. Beyond these musical performances, the festival provided a rich tapestry of free community event programming to further engage attendees and locals. Highlights included the Lincolnville Porch Fest, where the historic neighborhood transformed into a live music venue across multiple residential porches, and The St. Augustine Record Fair at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre, a haven for vinyl enthusiasts and music lovers alike. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] This unparalleled success not only underscores the cultural significance of the Sing Out Loud Festival but also serves as a testament to the unity, commitment, and vision of the St. Johns County community, added Kevin Sweeny, SJC Cultural Events, Inc. Board Member, As plans for future editions of the festival are underway, this years triumph sets a promising precedent for forthcoming events, collaborations, and partnerships. Deep appreciation is extended to the community partners and the dedicated services and officials of St. Johns County and the City of St. Augustine. Their unwavering support was instrumental in accommodating the record-breaking influx of visitors this year. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. State NAACP President Deborah Dicks Maxwell won a second term Saturday, overcoming a rift in the organization that caused a dozen of the state conferences executive committee members to resign in protest. Maxwell defeated Keith Rivers, the president of the Pasquotank County NAACP branch, by winning 100 of the 136 votes cast. Rivers was among the executive committee members who resigned in March over the hiring of an executive director and the suspensions of two state leaders. Others among the 12 also ran for office, including Rev. Corine Mack who leads the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County branch. Mack sought to defeat incumbent First Vice President Courtney Patterson, but only captured 35 percent of the vote. Rivers and Mack said in brief interviews Sunday that they both support the election results, held at the State NAACPs annual convention in Wilmington. Deborah Maxwell is the president, and we will support her as the president of the North Carolina State Conference, Rivers said. Maxwell said she won a second term despite the earlier rancor by focusing on whats important issues such as voting rights, health care and education. Just working collaboratively with people, she said. The cause is the same regardless of whos at the helm. NC NAACP financial concerns The past several years have been tumultuous, with concerns over financial accountability and election transparency. The two state officials who were suspended by the national office former treasurer Gerald Givens Jr. and former secretary Sylvia Barnes had been working to clean up the financial problems. Barnes said she sought to attend the convention as an observer and ran into interference from state NAACP leaders, who eventually let her remain at the building but not attend the meetings. She questioned whether some delegates were eligible to vote, and said no list of candidates was made available until Saturday, which was not standard practice. This year nobody got anything because they were calling me asking who were the candidates? Are we still having an election? she said. The 12 executive committee members who resigned had remained NAACP members. Three were re-elected to executive committee seats. All told, 32 positions were up for election. Maxwell of Wilmington is the first woman to lead the state conference. She is a retired public health social worker and U.S. Army veteran. NC NAACP Votes by Dan Kane on Scribd This embedded content is not available in your region. Staff writer Lars Dolder contributed to this report. Blazing a trail: A timeline of North Carolina NAACPs history, activism NC NAACP loses tax-exempt status; audit assessing misspending allegations NC NAACP tumult continues: Latest disciplinary move by national office draws fire Several storage facilities caught fire in Dzhankoi in Russian-occupied Crimea. The Russian occupation administration has claimed that the fire was caused by the "debris of an intercepted missile". Source: Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed Head of Crimea; Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Quote from Aksyonov: "Air defence forces intercepted a missile over Dzhankoi. Its debris damaged several storage facilities. There are no casualties or fatalities." Details: Russian occupation officials called on local residents to "stay calm" and only trust Russian information sources. Photos showing smoke rising over the presumed site of the strike have been shared on social media. Background: Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian city of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai on 1 October, striking an area where Russian helicopters were based. Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that Ukraines Defence Intelligence was responsible for the attack. Around the same time, the Russian city of Smolensk was also attacked by drones. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Having a baby? There's a new law meant for you: the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. America needs this law, say activists, because "pregnant workers, especially those in low-wage and physically demanding jobs, have been forced to choose between their health and a paycheck." John Stossel In my new video, Vanessa Brown Calder, director of Family Policy at the Cato Institute, explains why this new law will make life worse for many women. "These policies are motivated by good intentions," says Calder. "But that doesn't mean that the consequences of these policies will turn out well." Calder, who is pregnant, thinks the law will lead to fewer women being hired in the first place.The Americans with Disabilities Act is a good example of that. Americans with Disabilities Act hurt disabled people who want to work Both Democrats and Republicans applauded when President George H.W. Bush signed it. Everyone loves the ADA.But the law hurt disabled people who want to work. Before it passed, more disabled people got jobs, year after year. When it passed, almost 30% were in the workforce. But once the ADA passed, employment of disabled workers dropped by half. It happened because of the job "protection." Employers fear disability lawsuits. They're afraid that if a disabled person doesn't work out, they'll never be able to fire them. Now the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will make hiring young women risky. "You may be a lawsuit bomb," I say to Calder, who nods and says: "It does make women more risky and more costly to hire. Employers don't know exactly what accommodation the woman might ask for." It's safer for the employer to say, "I'm just not going to hire you. There's no way for the government to know why I didn't hire." "Companies get good at working their way around these regulations," Calder responds. Some laws are passed to please special interest groups But government officials assume their laws will do what they're supposed to do. They also are eager to please special interest groups. The chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission went before cameras to brag that this law has support from "businesses, faith, health, women's and civil rights organizations!" So, what? "Activists think of the short-term effects of the law," says Calder. "It's pretty easy to get behind a superficial reading of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and think that it could be a good idea." "The momentum is always for more rules," I say. "Oftentimes there's guidance issued many years after the fact," says Calder. "This is probably just the beginning."The growing number of rules kills jobs in several ways. Since the rule applies to companies with 15 or more employees, it's an incentive for companies with 14 employees to stay small. "You get penalized as you grow," says Calder. "Without a law like this, who would hire someone like you?" I ask. "You might have more medical problems. You're going to leave, for weeks at least." "Pregnant workers bring a lot to the table," she responds. "Many employers see that. But when you create a one-size-fits-all policy like this, it starts to raise many employers' concerns." I ask: "The Cato Institute should have the right to fire you because you got pregnant?" "I think they should," responds Calder. "Because I want people like me to be able to be hired in the first place." Exactly. I'm a stutterer. I didn't have my stuttering under control when I applied for my first job. Had the ADA existed then, I could have demanded special accommodation. "Disability lawyers" would have been ready to protect my "rights." No TV station would have risked hiring me! I would have never gotten a chance. Now the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will kill opportunities for women. Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of "Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media." This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Stossel: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act may make life tough on women DOVER Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi said there are many things he will miss when he leaves to become the director of public protection at the New Hampshire attorney general's office. And he hopes he will continue to offer the same quality of representation to the state that he feels he brought to the county. Velardi's last day is Thursday, Oct. 5, the same day the Strafford County's delegation of state representatives is expected to vote on his replacement. He has recommended Deputy County Attorney Emily Garod to take over until the next county election in 2024. Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi is leaving his office to become part of the New Hampshire Attorney General's staff. "Im thrilled for Tom that he has this new opportunity, but I wont pretend that his departure isnt a huge loss to all of us that have loved working with him over the years," Garod said. "He has done so much for the people of Strafford County and we are all indebted to him." Garod said Velardi, who worked in the county attorney's office for more than 20 years, is not just a fantastic leader, but an excellent trial attorney. "When Tom is in trial, myself and the other attorneys in my office will stop what we are doing to go up and watch because being in front of a jury looks like it comes as naturally as breathing for him," she said. "It's inspiring to watch him as a prosecutor, and I can only hope someday to be half as good. The attorney generals office and by extension the state of New Hampshire are lucky to have him." What is Velardi's job with the New Hampshire attorney general? On Oct. 6, the day after he leaves the county office, Velardi will assume his role as the director of public protection in Concord. He joked that he took the evening of the fifth off for "vacation." "That role means a lot of different things," he said. "Basically, each bureau, like homicide, Medicare fraud, elder abuse, environmental law, and public integrity has a chief. I will oversee them; they will report to me, and I will report, as needed, to the attorney general. There is another director who has the same role in the civil bureaus." What he'll miss most stepping down as Strafford County attorney "As an elected official, there are two aspects I will miss," said Velardi of his role as Strafford County's top prosecutor. "I really enjoy trial work, representing victims of crime. I love the brave people who step forward to say this is wrong, and I want to stand up for myself. Well, I wanted to help. There are so many stories of these survivors that I will take with me. They are pretty amazing, and they inspire me." The other part of his job, which Velardi views as equally important, is working with offenders, those who want to make a positive change in their lives. "I work in drug court with them, and in mental health cases," he said. "These are people who need us to invest in them, in their recovery, in their desire to do better. These are the people who will change their behaviors through their strength and their perseverance. We all have bad habits, and we all have the means to change how we behave. We need to provide the services to make sure they can succeed." Velardi said he sees his role as serving the community. He said he can help people navigate their way through difficult situations. He loves Strafford County and intends to remain a resident here because he believes in the "goodness" of the community. "I have seen such mercy and kindness shown here, often by those who are considered the victims," said Velardi. "It is amazing to watch the forgiveness they display. I have seen victims and the convicted person hug at the end of a trial. I have seen them say I forgive you." Velardi said he always tried to be available. "People want someone to talk to," he said. "Maybe I can help or maybe I can point them in the right direction. I have always tried to be that person and I will miss that work. I will strive to take these experiences, my acquired expertise into the Attorney General role." County officials praise Velardi and his work Velardi is respected and he will be missed. County administrator Ray Bower called Velardi a brilliant prosecutor. "He is a dedicated public servant," said Bower. "He could never say no whenever anyone asked for assistance. He would always help." More local news: Rochester fire captain charged with slapping female firefighter's buttocks "Tom is a consummate gentleman and was a fantastic county attorney," said Strafford County Commission Chair George Maglaras. "He is first amongst his equals and Strafford County was blessed to have him at the helm in that office. He will be sorely missed by my colleagues and me particularly for his forthright counsel, friendship and professionalism. I supported his moving on and urged him to do so for his own good. I know the decision tormented him for months. That office is vital to law enforcement for our region and is no easy task. I wish him all the best in his new expanded responsibilities." How long has Velardi served in county attorney's office? Velardi was appointed Strafford County Attorney June 1, 2008, to fill the seat after it was vacated by Janice Rundles. He was hired as an attorney in the Strafford County office in June 1999, by then County Attorney Lincoln Soldati. In July 2023, the state Executive Council a five-member body that must approve state appointments and contracts voted to approve Velardi's appointment to lead the attorney general's Public Protection Bureau on a 3-2 vote, with councilors Cinde Warmington, Theodore Gatsas and Janet Stevens voting in the affirmative and Councilors Joseph Kenney and David Wheeler voting against. "I ran eight times for this job," said Velardi of his county attorney's role. "I had no opponent. I hope that means people supported the work I was doing, and I hope I did the best job I was capable of." Velardi graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1993 with a degree in political science and has a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School. This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi leaves for key role with NH AG BBB logo Emergency scams, sometimes called "grandparent scams," prey on the willingness of an unsuspecting, worried individual to help friends and family in need. Often, they will impersonate their targets loved ones, make up an urgent situation, and plead for help and money. Scammers look up information on social media sites and offer plausible stories. They may even incorporate nicknames and real travel plans into the con to convince their targets. How the scam works Emergency scams are about a family member or friend in a dire situation. You get a call, email, or social media message from someone claiming to be a distressed family member. They may say they have been arrested while traveling overseas, or there was an accident, medical emergency, or other calamity. They can be very convincing, providing family names and even school details. A common version is the grandparent scam, where the con artist contacts a grandparent claiming to be their grandchild and asks for money. The plea is so persuasive that the grandparent wires money to the scammer, only to find out their family member was safe and sound later. This scam can also work in reverse, where the "grandparent" calls their grandchild pleading for help. Recently, the FTC has warned that scammers are using voice cloning techniques to imitate the voices of loved ones. The technology enables con artists to copy the voices of persons close to you from videos they may find on social media or other sources. They can then use tools to imitate the voice of your loved one and have it appear to say whatever they wish in a call. Some voice cloning efforts may be crude, and others very sophisticated - either way, this adds to this scam's confusing and frightening aspect. Tips to spot this scam Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is. Hang up or close the message and call your loved one directly. Do not call the phone number provided by the caller or caller ID. Ask questions that would be hard for an impostor to answer correctly. Know what your family members are sharing online. You may not have control over your family's social media accounts but you can familiarize yourself with what they share online. Do not wire any money if there is any doubt about the call. If a person wires money and later realizes it is a fraud, the police must be alerted. FOR MORE INFORMATION If you have been the victim of a scam, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your experience can help others to recognize suspicious behavior and stop scammers in their tracks. Learn more about impostor scams at bit.ly/Avoidimpostor. Learn how to protect yourself from scams at bit.ly/BBBAvoidScams. FOR BBB INFORMATION Visit BBB.org or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find our events, follow us on social media, and more! This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Straight Talk: 'Grandparent scams' target loved ones A strange noise could recently be heard echoing across a stretch of Australias Sunshine Coast, cries from a distressed humpback whale, according to witnesses. A whale calf was caught in a net and its mother stayed by its side, calling out in anguish or, some say, for help. If you heard a strange noise this morning at dawn and wondered what it was..this is your answer, drone photographer Damian Coulter said in an Oct. 1 social media post, sharing video of the whales. The distress calls of this mother whale crying for help to release her calf from the shark nets. Others reported hearing the whales calls. We all could hear the mother cry for help which was not a very pleasant sound, photographer Glenn Reeves said in an Instagram post. First thing in the morning my wife was saying I can hear this big noise, Reeves told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. You could hear it, its like a didgeridoo echoing through the whole headland. The whales cries didnt go unanswered, as a vessel sailed out to the trapped whale and freed it, photos show. Both mother and baby swam away together, Reeves said in the post. The rescuers were sent by Fisheries Queensland, the government agency charged with managing Queenslands waters, ABC reported. Though many were happy to hear the whales were rescued, they said it shouldnt have been necessary to begin with. Was such a horrible sound, a commenter said. Shark nets need to go. The outcome was positive, but another showcase of the negative effects these nets have, said another. Shark nets are intended to act as a barrier to keep sharks away from beaches and therefore people, reducing the odds of an attack. The nets have been effective in this endeavor, according to the government of New South Wales. However, environmentalists and others have criticized the practice, saying the nets are unnecessary, outdated and put sealife such as whales in danger, The Guardian reported. Debris floating in Gulf of Mexico turns out to be 3 endangered creatures Grizzly killed after 2 people found dead in bear attack at Canadian park, officials say Majestic 500-pound creature spotted off California coast. See video of rare encounter Rescuers rush to exhausted young whale dragging ropes, buoys. Then their tool broke When motorists traveling the road to Holloman Air Force Base's Main Gate, formally known as First Street, see flags flying along the roadway they can thank retired Gen. David Goldfein. Goldfein, who was commander of the 49th Wing from June 2006 to January 2008, ensured the flagpole installations on both sides of the street flying American and German flags were part of a larger improvement project. On Memorial Day, flags of fallen Airmen who served at Holloman are raised to honor their time with the U.S. Air Force. U.S. Air Force Col. Justin B. Spears with Retired Gen. David L. Goldfein with the new street sign designated the street after Goldfein. The street, which begins on Highway 70 and runs one mile to the air force base before it hits Delaware Avenue and is among the most used road at the base, was formerly renamed after the general last week in a ceremony to honor Goldfein. U. S. Air Force Col. Justin Spears, current 49th Wing commander, said Goldfein did a lot to build roads and partnerships during his time in his role. "We want to honor our air force heritage and we want to honor our air men and General Goldfein was a former 49th Fighter Wing commander," Spears said. "He rose to the highest ranks of the air force, making him chief of staff. During his time as the 49th Fighter Wing commander here, he made changes all along what was called First Street. The fact that it sits here in front of Heritage Park, I think it's the perfect place to represent Gen. Goldfein." More: Haunted houses, pumpkin patches in Otero County: When, where do they open in 2023? U.S. Air Force Col. Spears honoring retired Gen. Goldfein with a few words at the renaming ceremony for First Street. Goldfein has had quite a number of experiences during his time as commander but as he reminisced on the early 2000s he told one story he believed defined why he called Alamogordo "the friendliest place on Earth." Goldfein said during one year as commander he had the pleasure of putting together the Air and Space expo but unfortunately did not have the means to fund it at the time. He had no clue how he would tell the community but thought he would do some more searching before saying anything. Shortly after, he came across the Prize Cup Landing Competition in Las Cruces which was in need of a host site. "I met the founder and we spoke, and I told him I need to do an air show and I don't have any money; you need to do an air show and you don't have a place," Goldfein said. "I got a place if you got the money. We put together what we call the Air and Space Expo with a byline of Airplanes and rockets what could go wrong? Lawyers went berserk but the point was that we were able to bring so many kids together to experience something great, and it all happened here, at the friendliest place on Earth." During Goldfein's command in 2007, Holloman Air Force Base won the 2007 Air Combat Command Installation Excellence Award and received $100,000 in awards. The first intrastate Air Force Ball hosted in September 2007 that brought Kirtland, Cannon and Holloman together to celebrate the U.S. Air Force heritage was supported by Goldfein during his time. "On 4 January 2008, General Goldfein flew his final F-117 sortie and then moved to his next assignment as the Deputy Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington DC," read his biography by the Holloman Air Force Base. Goldfein, who said he was honored for the commemoration, said he was happy to accomplish such a feat alongside his wife, Dawn Goldfein who was joyous over the ceremony. Retired General David L. Goldfein with wife Dawn Goldfein in front of the new street sign for the main entrance into Holloman Air Force Base. More: Otero County resident awarded $45,000 after accusing county commission of silencing him "We had no idea this was going to happen. I am so proud, he has an optimistic point of view, his perseverance, and he has this quote, 'in every challenge, in opportunity," Dawn Goldfein said. "So, the way he looks at hard problems is admirable because he won't let hard problems weigh him down. He tries to find all the opportunities and that's what's gotten him this far. I am very proud of him." She said her family, daughters and grandkids are immensely proud of Goldfein. She agreed with Goldfein when he hoped that one day his grandchildren, could look back on the street name and say, "that man was my popop, I remember when he would read me bedtime stories." Goldfein said the honor caught him off guard. He said it was quite humbling to think if one day his grandchildren were a part of the Air Force or Space Academy they would see his newly named street, think of him and be proud. "I have two daughters that are much older now, one is a teacher, and another is a Major in the Air Force and so this chapter now is about being a great grandfather, a great dad," Goldfein said. "I have so many memories; with each member of the community, I remember nights we would sit around and solve world hunger but take no notes and come back the next week and do it again. It's just very welcoming from the community and it's so humbling." Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter at @Juan36Corr. This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Holloman AFB retired Gen. David Goldfein gets a street named after him A bomb disposal expert works next to a car after an explosion in Ankara, Turkey, on Oct. 1, 2023. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in front of Turkey's Interior Ministry building in the capital, Ankara, on Sunday, hours before a new parliamentary session was set to begin, officials said. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said one bomber detonated himself, and a second would-be attacker was "neutralized" and died in a shootout with police. Two police officers sustained minor injuries that were not life-threatening, Yerlikaya said in a statement on X. The assailants arrived at the ministry building in a light commercial vehicle and the attack occurred at around 9:30 a.m., according to Yerlikaya's statement. CCTV footage obtained by Reuters shows one attacker exiting the van and heading toward the building before becoming completely engulfed in an explosion. Fahrettin Altun, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's director of communications, said authorities will investigate the attack. "We will never allow terrorism to design Turkey's politics, and we will continue our fight against terrorism in every field," Altun said in a statement on X. Erdogan, in opening parliamentary remarks, sounded a defiant tone. "Those who threaten the peace and security of citizens have not achieved their goals and never will," he said. First bomb attack since 2016 The incident was the first in Turkey since a string of attacks in 2016. In January of that year, a bomber targeted the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, home to tourists sites such as the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia, killing 10 people and wounding 15 others. Two months later, a suicide bomber killed five people and wounded dozens when he detonated an explosive device on a street filled with shops and pedestrians. Another attack in central Turkey that December also left 13 soldiers dead and wounded 48 others. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Suicide bomb detonates in front of a Turkey parliamentary building Writers Strike Back Hell hath no fury like a writer scorned. ChatGPT creator OpenAI has been on the receiving end of two high profile lawsuits by authors who are absolutely livid that the AI startup used their writing to train its large language models, which they say amounts to flaunting copyright laws without any form of compensation. One of the lawsuits, led by comedian and memoirist Sarah Silverman, is playing out in a California federal court, where the plaintiffs recently delivered a scolding on ChatGPT's underlying technology. "Generative AI is primarily a device for extracting value from the copyrighted assets of authors to line the pockets of companies like OpenAI," the authors wrote in the Wednesday court filing, per Reuters. Plagiarism Machine At the crux of the author's lawsuit is the argument that OpenAI is ruthlessly mining their material to create "derivative works" that will "replace the very writings it copied." The authors shoot down OpenAI's excuse that "substantial similarity is a mandatory feature of all copyright-infringement claims," calling it "flat wrong." In other words, the plaintiffs believe they don't need to demonstrate that ChatGPT is word-for-word lifting their writing to constitute an infringement. But beyond that, the authors also claim that OpenAI has more nefarious, and far reaching intentions. "OpenAI is clearly signaling its intent to unilaterally rewrite US copyright law in its favor starting now," the authors argued, as quoted by Reuters. Bete Noire Needless to say, OpenAI is in some seriously hot water. It can brag that it's a leader in a booming AI industry, but in doing so it's also painted a bigger target on its back, making enemies of practically every creative pursuit. To add to its woes, the other authors' lawsuit filed against the company will prove to be just as big, if not bigger, thorn in OpenAI's side. High profile literary luminaries behind that suit include George R. R. Martin, Jonathan Franzen, David Baldacci, and legal thriller maestro John Grisham. Legal experts aren't certain on what will come of either case, but the litigating writers remain adamant. On Thursday, an attorney for the Silverman lawsuit told Reuters that they were "confident that our claims will be sustained." And, for the sake of human creatives, let's hope they're right. More on OpenAI: Sam Altman Says He Intends to Replace Normal People With AI There will be 4 constitutional amendments on the ballot this Oct. 14th election and 4 more constitutional amendments on the Nov. 18th ballot.* Please know that there are often credible, principled reasons to view such measures differently. Below are my respectful recommendations: Royal Alexander Constitutional Amendments on October 14th Ballot Amendment #1: Prohibiting Donations to Conduct Elections Do you support an amendment to prohibit the use of funds, goods or services from a foreign government or a nongovernmental source to conduct elections and election functions and duties unless the use is authorized by the secretary of state through policies established in accordance with law? This Amendment, otherwise known as the "Zuckerbucks" bill in light of the hundreds of millions of dollars Meta Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg , spent trying to influence elections in 2020, is an important one. It is designed to prohibit the use of financial or other donations from outside sources such as a non-governmental source (i.e., Zuckerberg) or a foreign government to administer (i.e., influence) elections in Louisiana. Recommendation: Yes. Amendment #2: Protection for Worship in Churches. Do you support an amendment to provide that the freedom of worship in a church or other place of worship is a fundamental right that is worthy of the highest order of protection? This reinforces what the U.S. Supreme Court has already provided for free exercise of religion. Namely, providing the highest level of constitutional protection for the freedom to worshipspecifically in a church or another place of worshiprequiring courts to apply the strictest level of judicial review (Strict Scrutiny) to challenges when government bodies restrict access to places of worship. The current constitutional protections don't specifically single out houses of worship for this protection, but this does. Recommendation: Yes. Amendment #3: Surplus Spending on Retirement Debt Do you support an amendment to require that a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of any money designated as non-recurring state revenue be applied toward the balance of the unfunded accrued liability of the state retirement systems? This Amendment would require lawmakers to use 25% of any state surplus to pay retirement debt for the four state retirement systems. Currently, the requirement is for lawmakers to spend 10% of any state surplus to pay retirement debt for two state retirement systems through 2029. Recommendation: No recommendation. Louisiana has a $17 billion-dollar unfunded accrued liability in pension benefits, but it also has a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deficient roads, bridges, coastal restoration projects and water systems to which state dollars could flow. Voters should decide what state spending they prioritize regarding this surplus revenue. Amendment #4: Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofit Organizations Do you support an amendment to deny a property tax exemption to a non-profit corporation or association that owns residential property in such a state of disrepair that it endangers public health or safety? This would allow local government officials to remove a property tax exemption from nonprofit organizations that lease housing (apartments, etc.) and have repeated public health or safety violations. Otherwise, the current system of property tax exemptions for nonprofit organizationsincluding for those that have repeated public health and safety violationswould be maintained. Recommendation: Yes. Constitutional Amendments on November 18th Ballot Amendment #1: Deadlines to Veto Bills and Rules for Veto Sessions This would allow lawmakers to try to override a governors veto without calling a separate veto session if they are already in a legislative session. It also adds further details about the deadlines for a governor to veto bills. Otherwise, lawmakers attempts to override a governors vetoes would occur in a separate session. Amendment #2: Repeal of Inactive Special Funds in the Constitution This Amendment would remove six inactive funds with zero or near-zero balances from the Louisiana Constitution. Otherwise, these six inactive funds would remain. Amendment #3: Property Tax Exemptions for First Responders This would allow a parish governing authority to give an extra property tax exemption to police, firefighters and certain other first responders who own homes and live in the given parish. Amendment #4: Rule Changes for the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund This would tighten the rules on the allowed use of a seven-year-old state trust fund that collects dollars from corporate tax collections and oil and gas production in Louisiana making it more difficult for elected officials to spend this trust fund money. Thank you for your consideration. (*PAR Louisiana) This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Summary of Recommendations for 2023 Constitutional Amendments U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Oct. 1 that there were no current plans to send British troops to Ukraine, even in a limited capacity as trainers. In comments to The Telegraph, Sunak walked back recent remarks from newly appointed Defense Secretary Grant Shapps , who expressed interest in the idea of sending British military trainers to Ukraine in an interview on Sept. 30. Sunak clarified that the Shapps' comments should be considered as pertaining for a long-term partnership with Ukraine. There could be trainers on the ground sometime in the future, Sunak said, but stressed that "there are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. In response to Shapps' suggestion, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that any British troops on the ground in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets. The U.K. has trained over 20,000 Ukrainian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to the British Defense Ministry. At the start of 2023, the U.K. said it would train 20,000 more Ukrainian troops, making it "one of the largest training programs in the world," according to the Defense Ministry. Read also: UK Energy Secretary Grant Shapps announced as new Defense Minister Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The very first case of the year concerns an important issue of criminal justice. Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Douglas Rissing/iStock/Getty Images Plus and Nastco/Getty Images Plus. This is part of Opening Arguments, Slates coverage of the start of the latest Supreme Court term. Were working to change the way the media covers the Supreme Court. Support our work when you join Slate Plus. On Monday, the Supreme Court will reconvene for the start of a new term. By any estimation, the summer recess it is returning from was not a good one. A wave of ethics scandals revealed the justices repeated failure to disclose personal jet flights, luxury vacations, and other gifts. And polling data showed the courts public approval mired at record lows. If the justices are already worried about the courts battered credibility, they wont have to wait long for another test. The very first case of the year concerns an important issue of criminal justice. And it will give the court a chance to show if it is up to the task of humbly and evenhandedly applying the law. The specific legal issue in Pulsifer v. United States is wonky, but the broader problem it reflects is not. America has a mass incarceration problem. More than 2 million Americans are imprisoned today, the highest rate in the world. The financial costs are immense, for both society and individuals. And the burden is visited disproportionately on people of color. One major source of the mass incarceration problem is our over-punishment of nonviolent drug offenders. The number of individuals in prison for drug law violations is 20 times higher today than it was in 1980, and nearly half of all federal prisoners are incarcerated due to drug offenses. In 2018, Congress took a small step toward ameliorating this problem. It did so by expanding what is known as the safety valve provision of the federal sentencing statute. Under that provision, offenders who would otherwise be given harsh mandatory minimum sentences are able to receive lesser prison terms if they satisfy certain criteria. The question in Pulsifer is one only a grammarian or a lawyer could love: What does the safety valve provision mean when it promises shorter sentences to offenders who do not have: 1) a lengthy criminal history, 2) a prior serious offense, and 3) a prior violent offense? Two options are possible: Either an offender gets relief as long as they do not meet all three limiting criteria, or the offender will be disqualified from relief if they meet any one of the three limiting criteria. As a matter of grammar, either interpretation is reasonable. Sometimes the word and is used to join together a list of requirements such that a limit is imposed only if all of them are met. If I tell my son that he can watch a movie tomorrow as long as he does not stay up late tonight and wake up early in the morning, the natural understanding is that he can watch the movie unless both conditions occur: He can watch the movie even if he goes to bed late or wakes up earlyjust not if he does both. If the safety valve provision is understood the same way, that would mean Mark Pulsifer would receive a shorter sentence because it is undisputed that he meets only two of the three listed conditions that would limit sentencing leniencyPulsifer has a prior serious felony and a lengthy criminal history but no prior violent offense. This interpretation would benefit Pulsifer (and thousands of other offenders in his position) by shaving months, or even years, off his sentence. Yet the alternative understanding is also reasonable. Sometimes, we understand criteria in a list to be modified by the words that come before them. Thus, if I tell my students that they can use their notes during an exam as long as their notes do not include commercial outlines and copies of prior exams, my students would understand that permissible notes do not include commercial outlines and do not include copies of prior exams. If the safety valve law is understood this way, Pulsifer would be entitled to a shorter sentence only if he does not have a lengthy criminal history, does not have a prior serious offense, and does not have a prior violent offense. Because he has the first two, he would be ineligible. The complicated grammatical question in Pulsifer is thus one for which there is no clearly correct answer. Both textual readings are reasonable, and anyone who claims that they can clearly discern a single correct answer is guilty of supreme overconfidence. Of course, that might be a perfect description of todays Supreme Court justices. And because overconfidence famously unleashes other biases like partisan-motivated reasoning, Pulsifers case might well break down along familiar partisan lines, with the liberals siding with the defendant-favorable ruling and the conservatives reaching the opposite conclusion. Such an outcome would only further sully the courts reputation as a body guided by political preferences. There is another possibility. If the court wants to push back against the partisan trends in recent terms, it can heed the wise advice once offered by Judge Learned Hand, who remarked that the spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right. By humbly admitting uncertainty on the perplexing issue in Pulsifer, the court can apply a more promising approach to hard cases. It can rule against whichever side would be best able to avoid the harm of a mistaken rulingan approach Ive called the least harm principle of judicial decisionmaking. Indeed, criminal law already has a doctrine well suited to this principle. It is the rule of lenity, or the idea that when criminal statutes are susceptible to multiple reasonable interpretations, the court should adopt the defendant-friendly reading. The best reason for this rule is that it is virtually always harder for criminal defendants to avoid the harm of mistakenly harsh criminal punishments than for the government to avoid the harm of lenient sentences. Indeed, even if it loses this very case, the government would still have discretion to ask a trial judge to impose a harsher sentence on Pulsifer if it believes he is particularly dangerous. In the end, the Pulsifer case will not be the most high-profile case the court decides this year. But the case will provide important initial insight into how the justices are planning to respond to a disastrous summer for its public legitimacynot to mention the costly mass incarceration crisis that is decimating our communities. Heres hoping it does so with a dose of humility. Serhii Piatenko studies logistics at the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine. He survived an encirclement and an injury and went back to the front. The National Guard has recently shared his story. Piatenko is from Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast. He attended a technical college after graduating from high school, training to become a tractor driver. His military career started in 2019, when he completed mandatory military service in a mortar battery in Kharkiv Oblast. He signed a three-year contract with the Ukrainian Armed Forces after serving for just four months. Piatenko was often deployed in the Joint Forces Operation area, guarding checkpoints. [The Joint Forces Operation, or JFO, is a term used from 2018 onwards by the media, the Ukrainian government and the OSCE to identify combat actions in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts against Russian military forces and pro-Russian separatists ed.] The beginning of the full-scale invasion found him in Stanytsia Luhanska in eastern Ukraine. He says that he and his brothers-in-arms could see Russian drones hover over them as early as 22 and 23 February 2022. Russian artillery started shelling his unit on the night of 23-24 February, before the national alarm was issued on the 24th. Soldiers at the neighbouring checkpoint spent a week in Russian encirclement before being taken prisoner. Piatenkos unit was ordered to retreat it turned out it was half-encircled. They retreated to Sievierodonetsk. Piatenko says that was the most frightening time. "Later we took up defensive positions in Rubizhne. Wed go, carry out specific operations, then go back to our positions. One day [on our way to the area where we were supposed to work that day], we were driving some 20 metres behind a Gazel truck. We saw it get hit by a projectile. We tried to back up, but the reverse gear didnt work. We were scared big time," Piatenko says. Serhii Piatenko with his brothers-in-arms. Photo: National Guard of Ukraine Piatenko later fought in Varvarivka and Kreminna. He was injured in the town of Zolote, Luhansk Oblast, where he served as an infantryman; his task was to use an assault rifle to fire at Russian positions from no more than 100 metres away. When Piatenko started his shift, a Russian tank started firing on his positions; the radio communications were cut off when he ran for cover. He couldnt ask his brothers in arms to fire back. By the time Piatenko reached some of his fellow soldiers in a dug-out, it was too late. "When I reached them, I saw the soldier with the call-sign Simka lying on the ground. I ran towards him, bent down, and wanted to help him get up, but he was beyond saving. That was the moment I was injured: a fragment of tank ammunition injured my leg. I hollered to another fellow soldier to run for cover, and started to slowly make my way there myself. I was given first aid and then hospitalised after the medics were able to reach us," Piatenko recalls. After rehabilitation, Piatenko joined a mortar battery, which fought near Kharkiv. Though the fighting was hard there, Ukrainian troops ultimately prevailed. "Ill tell you more. At the time we were the first unit to reach the Russian border not far from Kozacha Lopan, liberating some of our positions. We were in touch with our headquarters, which tapped into Russian radio communications, telephones, and telegrams. Wed be warned about possible shelling when we were carrying out our operations. Shelling would begin as soon as wed taken cover," Piatenko says. In November 2022, he and his brigade were deployed to Toretsk, and later to Bakhmut, where the Guards used mortars to help Ukrainian infantry hold their positions. Piatenko says his girlfriend, parents, and grandparents supported him a lot. His parents ended up living under Russian occupation. After Kupiansk was liberated, he went to pick them up. "The most amazing thing in all this horror for me is when you drive into a liberated city or village and realise that you are welcome there. People are waving, children are running around. Its impossible to describe this," Piatenko says. He plans to stay in the military, so he enrolled in a military academy to improve his skills. "Im very proud of people who voluntarily go to defend Ukraine. I have friends who have been abroad and returned to defend the country. I keep in touch with my brothers-in-arms. Unfortunately, many of them have been killed. But they all fought for our land and the future of our children. And we must remember them," Piatenko concludes. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Chinese lead person of the third China-Germany high-level financial dialogue, shakes hands with Christian Lindner, the federal minister of finance and the German lead person of the dialogue, prior to the talks in Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 1, 2023. The third China-Germany high-level financial dialogue, co-chaired by He and Lindner, was held in Frankfurt on Sunday. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan) FRANKFURT, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Germany and inject more positive energy into the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said here on Sunday. He made the remarks at the third China-Germany high-level financial dialogue in Frankfurt. The dialogue was co-chaired by He, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Chinese lead person of the dialogue, and Christian Lindner, the federal minister of finance and the German lead person of the dialogue. China is willing to work together with Germany to implement the important consensus reached by both leaders of the two countries, He said. For his part, Lindner said Germany is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in the fields of finance and economics and advance the development of Germany-China relations. The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on macroeconomic issues, global economic governance, and China-Germany financial cooperation. They reached a number of consensus and achieved mutually beneficial and win-win results. During the dialogue, He and Lindner jointly attended the China-Germany Financial Roundtable. Survivor sees Vegas Strong 5K as way to remember, honor 1 October LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Sunday marks six years since the 1 October mass shooting, a tragedy that ultimately claimed 60 lives. Ahead of that somber anniversary, runners woke up Saturday morning for a memorial 5K in Downtown Las Vegas. Rosemarie Melanson was one of those sporting running gear as she walked the Vegas Strong 5K. She said that doctors told her six years ago she wasnt going to live. When I was shot in the chest, I spent 13 months in the hospital. So, theres a lot I had to overcome, Melanson said. Melanson was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when a gunman opened fire from a window at the Mandalay Bay on October 1, 2017. It took a lot of hope, prayers. A lot of everything from the doctors and nurses to heal and to get better, and so here I am, celebrating six years later, Melanson said. Celebrating alongside Melanson on Saturday morning were her daughters. I think its just so important that we take the time to celebrate our first responders and survivors, and then honor our 58 angels, Paige Melanson said. 58 is the number of people who died that day, two others later died from their injuries. Joey Virtuoso of the Clark County Fire Department brought his young kids to the race. I wanted to come out to this event to remind everyone that were here for the remembrance of everyone that died on this day, Gianna Virtuoso, 9, said. Virtuoso was attending a pre-season Vegas Golden Knights game during the shooting. His phone then started ringing off the hook. His colleagues still talk about the tragedy of arriving to the scene. Listening to the stories, hearing all the experiences that happened, its absolutely traumatic. But Ill tell you one thing, they are super strong, Virtuoso said. That strength was what pushed Melanson to walk across the start line on Saturday, joined by her family. 100% of the net proceeds from the Vegas Strong 5K will go to help victims of 1 October. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A 19-year-old was arrested Sunday morning for his connection to a deadly stabbing that occurred inside an apartment in South Nashville. The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said officers responded to a report of a stabbing at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30 at an apartment complex located in the 1800 block of Lebanon Pike. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts A witness allegedly told detectives that 19-year-old Santos Tiquiram and 48-year-old Alejandro Chama-Tum had an argument before the stabbing occurred. Santos Tiquiram (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) Police said after the stabbing, Tiquiram and another man fled the area on foot. Chama-Tum was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities reported Tiquiram was identified as the suspect, and was found by MNPDs aviation unit in the woods behind the apartment complex where the stabbing occurred. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee Tiquiram was taken into custody and allegedly confessed to stabbing Chama-Tum during an interview with detectives. He was charged with criminal homicide and is being held in Metro Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to officials. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. A woman who once worked as a personal assistant to Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was found dead last week inside a Dallas apartment in a suspected homicide, according to Ferguson and Dallas authorities. Authorities have arrested a suspect in Austin who is charged with her murder. Officers with the Dallas Police Department discovered 46-year-old Jenean Chapman already dead when they arrived at the Elm Street apartment after 1:15 p.m. on Monday afternoon, Sept. 25, Dallas Police said in a news release. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Chapman's death a homicide the following day, and what had initially been unexplained death investigation underway at the Dallas Police Department was reclassified as a murder probe. "I am shocked and saddened to learn that Jenean Chapman, who worked with me as my personal assistant many years ago, has been murdered in Dallas aged just 46," Ferguson wrote on Instagram, adding, "A suspect is in custody." "Jenean was loyal, hardworking, beautiful and fun and my heart breaks for her family and friends. I heard from her just a couple of months ago and she seemed so happy," Ferguson's post continued. "Her family is raising money to transport her body back to New York City and pay for legal and funeral costs. I will be making a donation and supporting the family in any way possible - please help if you can at the link in my bio." Ferguson was married to Prince Andrew, who is Queen Elizabeth's third child who is currently seventh in line for the throne, from 1986 until they legally separated in 1992. They have two daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. A suspect was arrested and charged in connection with Chapman's death on Tuesday. The suspect, 48-year-old James Patrick, was taken into custody by University of Texas police in Austin and charged with murder. He is detained in Travis County, which includes Austin. Anyone with information about Chapman's killing has been asked to contact Detective John Valdez at the Dallas Police Department. CBS News reached out to Valdez for additional information on Sunday but did not receive an immediate reply. Joan Baez, revealing secrets AI: The next battlefield The story of one of the most iconic photos in hip-hop history Less than a month into the new school year, students, parents, and teachers clearly are still dealing with the ramifications of pandemic policies that closed in-person classrooms and caused significant learning loss among Washington students. For lawmakers, the learning-loss issue goes beyond a critical challenge. It represents a moral imperative that cannot and should not be ignored. The recent release of two studies painted drastically different pictures of the situation. On Sept. 8, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released data from the 2023 state assessment. The agencys spin on learning-loss recovery is rosy. It claims students have recovered in math in nearly all grades, with the case being similar for elementary students in English language arts. The report does contain a significant caveat, warning that engagement, attendance, grades, and classroom-based assignments and tests provide more detailed, timely, and useful information about individual students progress to their families and educators. A more helpful analysis comes from a report entitled Student Achievement and the Pandemic: Analysis of Test Scores, Earnings, and Recovery Interventions, published this month by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy an Olympia-based public-research group created by the Legislature, with a bipartisan board. WSIPP analyzed how student math and English language arts achievement changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and found average math and ELA test scores were lower in 2022 than average scores before the pandemic. Math scores plummeted even more. The most shocking decline occurred in middle-school grades and among female students, students of color, and low-income students. This level of learning loss is projected to equal a $32,000 decrease in future earnings per student an even more significant blow to those who can least afford another obstacle to success. The WSIPP report points to a system still in flux, where harm from learning loss is still being felt profoundly and in a way that disproportionately affects some students. As a lawmaker, it is my job to listen, then look for common-sense solutions. I am especially focused on education, as it is vital to the economic well-being of our state and also designated by Washingtons constitution as state governments paramount duty. Continued attempts by Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal to minimize the damage done to our children during the pandemic are alarming and tone-deaf. Parents have every right to expect our states policymakers and education leaders to take this issue seriously and help students recover. So what can we do? The WSIPP study recommends immediate steps to address this learning loss, primarily by increasing the availability of tutoring, summer-school programs, and double-dose classes, in which students struggling to reach academic standards attend two class periods in a subject matter, instead of one. This approach is in line with that of Senate Republicans. Throughout the 2023 legislative session, Republicans pushed to devote state and federal funds to address learning loss through intense, focused tutoring and rigorous extended-learning programs. We advocated for creating Student Academic Achievement Grants to target learning loss, with funds for tutoring and comprehensive learning programs. We also suggested extending the school year by five days to provide additional in-class instructional time. Unfortunately, the Democrat majority failed to act on Senate Bill 5248, sponsored by Senate Republican leader John Braun, which would have implemented these ideas. It also turned down his measure (SB 5511) to put more funding toward increasing education equity and learning recovery among all Washington students, regardless of race or ZIP code. When we return to Olympia in January, I will introduce legislation to increase tutoring opportunities, instruction time, workforce development, and apprenticeship opportunities, as well as reduce barriers for low-income and minority communities. Its a mistake to sugarcoat the situation like OSPI is. Or refuse to act, like the Democrat majority has. Without a comprehensive approach to addressing this learning loss crisis, our children will be failed a second time. They deserve better. Sen. Matt Boehnke represents the 8th Legislative District and is lead professor of the cybersecurity division at Columbia Basin College. If youre lucky, once a year you get to put together a panel built on pure kismet. Pairing Gill Pratt with Marc Raibert was exactly that for me. The two go back several decades, to the salad days of MITs Leg Lab. [A version of this story originally appeared in TechCrunch's robotics newsletter, Actuator. Subscribe for free here.] Raibert founded the lab at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in 1980, before moving operations to MIT. The team was focused on robot locomotion research that would pave the way for Boston Dynamics work. When we first got started, all robots that had legs were very slow moving, crab-like things that would hug the ground and then tentatively take a step and hope that things didnt topple over and then move like a slow-moving spider, says Raibert. I was interested in how animals work, and I looked at that and said, Wow, this is about as far from right as you can get. I went the other way to see if we can do something where the dynamics and the energy in the machine [were] part of the story, and springs and bouncing were part of the story. My lab worked on that. We built pogo stick robots. Raibert ran the lab for 15 years. A number of future robotics luminaries would make their way through the program over the course of its existence, including AI ethics professor Joanna Bryson, research scientist Jerry Pratt, Wobbleworks co-founder Peter Dilworth, artist Daniel Paluska, CSAIL professor/Toyota Research Institute (TRI) VP Russ Tedrake, UC Berkeley professor Ken Goldberg, Boston Dynamics CEO Rob Playter and Agility Robotics co-founder Jonathan Hurst, who was a visiting student from CMU one summer. Raibert and Pratt first crossed paths when the latter was a student at MIT. Raibert would found Boston Dynamics in 1992, handing the Leg Lab keys over to Pratt three years later. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZERcdDkl54U?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=360] Marc was an incredibly generous professor, Pratt says of their early days. One of the wonderful things about MIT at the time and Marc in particular is that I was this young kid, and both as a graduate student and then a young professor, he welcomed me. For a while, both of us were working in the Leg Lab at the same time, and Marc had done this extraordinary work on robots that run. I decided that maybe I would work on robots that walk. Thats how we intersected then, and then when he went off to form Boston Dynamics, he was very kind and basically gave me the lab and all the stuff that was there. Pratt remained in academia for the next two decades, transferring from MIT to Olin in 2001. Nine years later, he became a program manager at DARPA. It was there the two crossed paths yet again. Boston Dynamics designed Atlas for DARPA. The humanoid robot made its debut in 2013 and has since become a mainstay in robotics challenges. Three years later, Pratt was named TRIs CEO. Raibert continued as Boston Dynamics CEO until 2019, handing the reins over to longtime employee Rob Playter, who managed the companys shift to more commercial pursuits. Last year, Raibert (who still serves as BDs chairman) founded the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. The organization has a lot in common with TRI. Both are dedicated to pure research, with the backing of two major automakers (Toyota and Hyundai). I recognize that pure research is a bit of a loaded term. The concept is certainly a hopeful one: finding a method that can sustain research outside of the pressures of academia and corporate R&D. Image Credits: Toyota Research Institute Asked whether there is pressure from Toyota to productize, Pratt says, There actually is not, and Im not saying that just to be nice. I think one of the great things about companies that have existed for long times is that this isnt the first time that theyve done R&D. Certainly most of the R&D budget inside of Toyota is spent figuring out how to make the next car or maybe the car five years from now. But theres this notion and Im sure Hyundai shares this that were at the once-in-a-century time for transformation in the car industry. Battery electric vehicles are much simpler to make than cars have been in the past no engine, no transmission, etc. So, were going to have to compete in a much fiercer way in cars. But also, can we use the skills, the dreams and the hopes of the company to go beyond cars? TRIs job is to actually think about [whats] next. Whats next after cars, as well as some fancy stuff on cars. For TRI, much of the whats next focuses on supporting aging populations. The organization invests a good portion of its resources to building out technology designed to help older people live more independently. Thats at the root of the research we shared from the institute last week. Noted senior research scientist Benjamin Burchfiel: Weve seen some big progress with the advent of [large language models], using them to impart this high level of cognitive intelligence into robots. If you have a robot that picks up a thing, now instead of having to specify an object, you can tell it to pick up the can of Coke. Or you can tell it to pick up the shiny object, or you can do the same thing and do it in French. Thats really great, but if you want a robot to plug in a USB device or pick up a tissue, those models just dont work. Theyre really useful, but they dont solve that part of the problem. Were focused on filling in that missing piece, and the thing were really excited about now is that we actually have a system and that the fundamentals are correct. The Boston Dynamics AI Institute is still in its infancy, and therefore doesnt have much in the way of public facing research to show just yet. It is, however, doing a lot of hiring. This week it announced that MITs Kate Darling will lead research around ethics and societal impact of robotics and AI. From the institute: Darlings team will explore immediate as well as long term questions on the implementation and use of robotics, impact on the workplace, infrastructure and other topics. The team will perform studies and experiments designed to generate data needed for others to make informed ethics and policy decisions, and will also develop a series of talks and workshops at the intersection of ethics, law, economics and robotics that will offer a platform for broad discussion. Ive heard Gill say that making a car is taking small bits of metal and banging them up, welding them together and attaching them, Raibert says. Thats a little on the primitive side. Now we have software, robotics, AI and all that stuff, and the car companies need to embrace that. I think the leadership at Hyundai the chairman visited me last week, and were in close touch with him and the people who work with him think that getting into the 22nd century is an important thing to do and were getting started on it now. warehouse robot Image Credits: Boston Dynamics Pratt adds, Theres actually this alignment thats happening between cars and robotics, as well. Rod Brooks was the one who a few years ago said that modern cars are eldercare robots. I think thats really true. You think about the amount of computers in them, the amount of software thats in them. TRI has different divisions inside of it, one of which works on very advanced things in cars that is completely overlapping with some of the software and some of the concepts that were using in the robotics space. For its part, the Boston Dynamics AI Institute lists three key pillars of its research: intelligence, dexterity and mobility. Thats effectively making robots that are smarter, better at mobile manipulation and move more dynamically. Raibert admits that Boston Dynamics AI Institute might not be the most instructive name, both with regard to confusion between itself and Boston Dynamics the company, as well as a seeming focus on AI over robotics. A name change is apparently coming, but nothing has been decided just yet. The automated vehicles in the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's planned Ultimate Urban Circulator system would be able to operate in regular traffic lanes by using sensors for guidance. A JTA rendering shows a shuttle in a regular traffic lane in downtown. We have a lot of names: Jacksonville, Duval, Floridas First Coast, the Bold City of the New South. With all of the names, do we know who we really are? I believe we are innovators. I believe we are change agents. I also believe we can innovate in a unique Jacksonville way with a focus on quality of life, ecology, hospitality, faith and community. One of our opportunities is to become the national hub for autonomy, or more precisely said: autonomous systems. Ive been a resident of Duval County for 18 years, moving here after having lived in regional rivals (Atlanta and Charlotte). Since arriving in Jacksonville, I quit the Carolina Panthers and the Atlantia Falcons to pick up the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the same time, Duval has been hungry for rebirth and renewal. Just months after the Super Bowl, I saw a city with a dead downtown, little urban development and minimal entrepreneurship activity. My time in Charlotte saw its downtown rebranded to Uptown and I lived in Midtown Atlanta when a blighted area became a success story of urban development. My childhood home is on the Greenway of Charlotte and while at Georgia Tech, my senior design class helped design the Atlanta Beltline bicycle and pedestrian trail. Those cities have experienced their transformation and now its Jacksonvilles time. Where do we sit today in Jacksonville? We have the Emerald Trail under development that is almost two times larger than any other downtown bike trail in the nation, connecting our waterways and historic neighborhoods. The official bird of downtown is no longer the osprey its the construction crane. Additionally, our premier educational institutions are developing advanced engineering and technical programs to support the digital future of tomorrow. Duval County has implemented robotics teams in 50% of their schools. Our health care system is the center of innovation with cutting edge therapies and technologies powering Jacksonville to be a national health care destination. The jobs market is booming with top financial technology companies deciding to grow their operations in Jacksonville. JaxPort and local logistics companies are investing in modernization and digital technologies required to keep Jacksonville an important part of the global supply chain. Every person in the city expects that the Jaguars will win their division and make the playoffs. With new homes coming to every corner of the city, our housing market is expanding. And the citys first female mayor of Jacksonville has been elected, following the lead set by Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches. In other words our time is now. Jacksonville is no longer a city of complacency. Innovation is the path forward and there is a remarkable opportunity right in front of us. Jacksonville can become the autonomous systems epicenter of the nation. Autonomous systems are the result of mixing robotics, computer programming, artificial intelligence, workforce training and computing together. We can become the knowledge hub of autonomous systems in the country. We must keep going, because so much is happening already. Jacksonville University is developing Autonomous Systems Engineering curriculum for their engineering department. The University of Florida launched a center for AI sponsored by Nvidia, and several hospitals in town are launching autonomous robotics projects. One of the nations leading autonomous engineering firms is located in Jax Beach (founded by yours truly). A new electric-autonomous vehicle company that produces autonomous systems for airports just established their corporation in Duval. Multiple start-up companies in town are perfecting the art of using autonomous drones used for industrial applications. Smart city projects are one of the most visible forms of autonomous systems. The city and JTA have been successful in recruiting the federal government and state of Florida to support a local autonomous transit system. St. Augustine and Jacksonville are both engaging in complementary smart city projects using much prized federal funding. Letters: Liberal or conservative, Jacksonville communities still need daily newspaper Theres also a little-known organization, Smart North Florida, piloting 12 projects to infuse technology in our infrastructure, including a project in every county in metro-Jacksonville. Autonomous systems need power, as they run on carbon-free electric and battery systems. Local company Miller Electric is leading the country in installing vehicle charging systems. JEA has set up a special division to help support the transition to vehicle electrification. Jacksonville is also studying public-private partnerships to install micro-grids, street-side bus electrification and consumer car charging at public parking lots. All this automation and electrification creates a lot of data that must be interpreted, but local companies are addressing that, too. TEDx panelists: Informed citizenry crucial to maintaining Downtown Jacksonville momentum Jacksonville can become the knowledge hub for autonomous systems. It won't be easy, but creating anything new involves effort, ingenuity and the risk of failure. However, the benefits by far outweigh the risks. Higher wages, increased quality of life, inverse brain drain, attracting capital, start-up companies, workforce development and a more diversified and resilient economy. Urban areas stand to benefit the most, which spreads equity, education and prosperity more uniformly across our city. As Dr. Nahshon Nicks says: Whats good for the Southside should be good for the Northside. Autonomous systems will help grow the pie in Jacksonville, but will the Bold City have the boldness to innovate? Chang Matthew Chang is a professional engineer and founder of Chang Industrial. He served as the first team member of JTAs autonomous vehicle testing program and founded the Jacksonville Venture Competition, now entering its second year. This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Robotics, job market, Emerald Trail now is Jacksonville's moment NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Nashville homicide detectives have launched an investigation into an early morning shooting at an apartment complex that led to the death of a teenage boy. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the shooting took place shortly before 2:45 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1 at the Blue Note Apartments along Millwood Drive. Authorities said they discovered an abandoned pickup truck at the scene where 17-year-old Jesus Daniel Martinez Garcia, who was a passenger in the vehicle, had been shot by an unknown suspect. Suspect arrested after argument leads to deadly stabbing inside South Nashville apartment The driver of the truck identified by officials as 29-year-old Elmer Chacon told investigators he pulled onto the property when he allegedly started taking gunfire and ran from the vehicle. Police said Martinez Garcias family arrived at the scene and used a private vehicle to bring him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died. Another passenger was also taken to Vanderbilt for treatment, but he only sustained minor injuries, according to authorities. 3 injured in shooting on Murfreesboro Pike Meanwhile, Chacon has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, officials reported. No additional details have been released about the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting or the search for the suspect. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. School districts across Texas are struggling to find enough security personnel to place on every campus, as now required by state law. But leaders in one North Texas district say theyve found a model that works. In the wake of last years massacre in Uvalde, Burleson Independent School District hired retired police officers to serve as school safety officers at its 10 elementary campuses. A year into that program, district officials say those officers have become a key part of the districts security strategy, as well as important figures in their campus communities. School safety officers exist somewhere between school resource officers and private security guards. They arent active police officers, so they dont do police work the way a resource officer would. But unlike private security guards, they carry police radios, so they dont have to call 911 in an emergency. That means they can get a quicker response if theres an active shooter on campus or other urgent situations like a parent needing medical attention in the parking lot. Uvalde shooting left Burleson looking for security options Like many districts, Burleson ISD has had school resource officers on its middle and high school campuses for years. But the district didnt have anyone providing security at its elementary schools. After a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May 2022, district leaders began looking for security options at elementary schools. The district consulted with Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell and others before deciding to hire retired law enforcement officers. That option allowed the district to place highly trained officers at each campus rather than private security guards, said Steve Logan, the districts chief operations officer. In August 2022, the district hired Curt Brannan, a 30-year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department, to serve as the districts lead school safety officer. Brannan had worked as a homicide detective and was involved in several high profile investigations, including shootings at Wedgewood Baptist Church in 1999 and the Glass Key Cafe in 1990, and a shooting at the Tarrant County Courthouse in 1992. Brannans first job was working with the district to hire the rest of the team. The district hired its second officer, retired Fort Worth police officer Richard Morris, that September. The following month, the school board voted to hire eight more school safety officers, all of them retired from North Texas police departments, allowing the district to place an officer at each of its elementary schools. In an email, Logan said the program has exceeded expectations. The district had an unbelievable number of qualified applicants, he said, and the 10 school safety officers the district hired have done a good job of integrating themselves into their schools. Our SSOs quickly developed strong working relationships with the campus staff, students, and families at each campus, he said. The community has been so supportive, welcoming and thankful to have the SSOs protecting our staff and students. With an enrollment of about 12,000 students, Burleson ISD is a fraction of the size of larger neighbors like the Fort Worth and Arlington school districts, so it has fewer buildings it needs to secure. Still, Logan said, the school safety officer model is one that any district could consider if struggling to find security personnel to meet state requirements. Texas lawmakers required armed officers, but didnt cover cost This year, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 3, which requires school districts to place at least one armed officer at every campus during regular school hours. Those officers could be members of a districts own police department, school resource officers or off-duty officers working as private security. The law, which was passed in response to the Uvalde shooting, included a deadline of Sept. 1 for districts to have officers in place. But it only provided enough extra funding to cover a fraction of the expense of hiring new officers, leaving districts to pick up the rest. For many school districts, that cost is substantial. In Fort Worth ISD, officials will have to hire 77 additional officers to comply with the law, at a total cost of about $8.3 million. The district expects to receive only about $2.7 million in additional state funding to pay for those officers To complicate matters, many cities across the country, including Fort Worth, are dealing with a critical shortage of police officers. Fort Worth has about 140 vacant officer positions, and that shortage could get worse over the next few years as many of the citys current officers retire. During a Fort Worth City Council budget workshop last month, Dianna Giordano, the director of human resources, said that about 22% of the departments current officers will be eligible to retire by 2026. School districts that cant comply with the law, either because they cant afford to do so or they cant find enough qualified personnel, were allowed to request a waiver, giving their school boards time to come up with another plan, such as hiring trained school marshals or designating faculty or staff who have gone through school safety training to carry handguns. Several North Texas districts have requested exemptions to the requirement. In Fort Worth ISD, officials dont expect to be able to meet the one-officer-per-school threshold before the end of the school year. Officials say they plan to find ways to make better use of the officers they already have, including assigning one officer to cover two nearby campuses and reassigning a few from high schools that had two officers to elementary schools that had none. In Northwest ISD, the school board approved a plan to contract with five private security firms to place guards at campuses that didnt have a school resource officer. In Dallas ISD, officials plan to increase police patrols around elementary schools and try to recruit more officers for the districts police force. High fives, hugs as school safety officers greet students Brannan, the lead school safety officer in Burleson, said he started the job by talking with teachers about what he does and doesnt do as a school safety officer. Hes no longer an active police officer, so he doesnt do law enforcement. His entire role is keeping schools secure making sure that we keep the wolf away from the door, so to speak, he said. Officers typically arrive at school before students show up for the day, Brannan said. They generally start with a walk around the campus to make sure everything is secure, he said. They check exterior doors and gates and look for anything suspicious, like someone sitting in the parking lot for no obvious reason, he said. As students start to arrive, officers are in front of the school, greeting kids and parents, he said. Throughout the day, officers keep an eye on anyone who drives through the parking lot, gets in or out of a vehicle or comes to the front door of the school, he said. Because all the officers have spent decades in law enforcement, they know how to recognize a potential threat, he said. While a parent walking into a school with a student isnt cause for concern, an adult walking in alone with a backpack might prompt a few questions, he said. Officers also walk through buildings throughout the day, making sure doors are secured, he said. They make regular patrols outside of buildings, checking for any doors that are standing open, he said. The work Brannan and the other safety officers do in Burleson ISD is a big change from what he did as a detective, he said. Homicide detectives work with families of victims, identify suspects and, ideally, make arrests. School safety officers focus on building relationships with students, parents and teachers, he said, which takes time. It seemed like an especially slow process last year, in part because officers did their best to stay out of teachers way, he said. But going into the second year, students and teachers have gotten to know him better, he said. I get a lot of high fives and a lot of hugs around the kneecaps, he said. A year into the program, Brannan said the rest of his officers seem to be making inroads at their campuses as well. All 10 of the officers returned for a second year. Over the summer, he asked if any of them would prefer to switch to another campus. The answer from each of them was an emphatic no, he said. Brannan said he thinks the program is a good solution to the question of how to keep elementary schools safe. Although his officers are retired after many years of service in law enforcement, theyre still capable people, he said, and they understand the importance of their role. If the school safety officer program didnt exist, most would have been willing to do the job on a volunteer basis, he said. This is something that has been needed in our elementary schools, Brannan said. These are our most vulnerable treasures, these elementary kids. Clearly, not all members of a certain generation are the same. However, certain trends do tend to show up based on the shared culture we grew up in especially when it comes to parenting techniques. Compare the stranger-danger 1990s to the more laidback parenting of the 1970s and '80s, for example. Rapideye / Getty Images Clearly, not all members of a certain generation are the same. However, certain trends do tend to show up based on the shared culture we grew up in especially when it comes to parenting techniques. Compare the stranger-danger 1990s to the more laidback parenting of the 1970s and '80s, for example. Recently, 32-year-old Stephanie Lindeman LMHC, LMFT, a therapist based in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, unintentionally demonstrated a big difference between millennial and boomer parents when she posted videos critiquing each generation's parenting style on her TikTok, and they responded in opposite ways. Stephanie Lindeman Recently, 32-year-old Stephanie Lindeman LMHC, LMFT, a therapist based in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, unintentionally demonstrated a big difference between millennial and boomer parents when she posted videos critiquing each generation's parenting style on her TikTok, and they responded in opposite ways. In one video, she warned that millennials will mess our kids up by ignoring their bids for attention in favor of scrolling on our phones. She ends the video asking, @stephanne221 In one video, she warned that millennials will mess our kids up by ignoring their bids for attention in favor of scrolling on our phones. She ends the video asking, "Who do you want them to get their attunement and connection from, you or someone else?" The comment section on this video was full of millennial parents owning this behavior and discussing ways to break out of it to be more present for their kids. One person wrote, @stephanne221 The comment section on this video was full of millennial parents owning this behavior and discussing ways to break out of it to be more present for their kids. One person wrote, "This called me out. I need to be more conscious about my own screen time around my daughter." This embedded content is not available in your region. Soon after, she made a video discussing a trend she's noticed while working with boomer parents who are struggling to maintain relationships with their adult children. She says, @stephanne221 Soon after, she made a video discussing a trend she's noticed while working with boomer parents who are struggling to maintain relationships with their adult children. She says, "Here's the most important thing I've learned from boomer parents as a family therapist: the price of not taking accountability is isolation." Then she goes on to explain that she often sees boomers become defensive or lash out rather than apologizing for their past hurtful behavior, which results in kids staying away. In the comments, many children of boomer parents chimed in to agree with her point and wonder how they can get this message across to mom and dad. One person wrote, @stephanne221 In the comments, many children of boomer parents chimed in to agree with her point and wonder how they can get this message across to mom and dad. One person wrote, "I learned from my boomer parents that if I want to cry, they will give me something to cry about." A couple of boomer parents even joined the conversation to say that they completely agree and this is something they are working on. @stephanne221 A couple of boomer parents even joined the conversation to say that they completely agree and this is something they are working on. But further down the thread, many of the responses from boomers were not so gracious. @stephanne221 But further down the thread, many of the responses from boomers were not so gracious. This embedded content is not available in your region. After noticing the difference in how the two generations responded to this kind of feedback, Lindeman shared a third video that's since been viewed over 1.2 million times. She begins by saying, @stephanne221 After noticing the difference in how the two generations responded to this kind of feedback, Lindeman shared a third video that's since been viewed over 1.2 million times. She begins by saying, "I didn't intend to do this. I accidentally conducted a social experiment in my comment sections, and the results are hilarious and also tragic." She shows comments from each generation, then says, @stephanne221 She shows comments from each generation, then says, "Both generations of parents were given feedback by me around how their behaviors are hurting their children, and this is how each generation chose to respond. Here's the sad part, though: The way that these boomer parents responded to me and other adult children in the comment section is a window into how they responded to their own adult children when their children came to them with feedback and pain." This embedded content is not available in your region. I thought Lindeman's accidental experiment was fascinating, so I reached out to her via email to learn more about her takeaways. She shared that before the experiment, she had noticed boomer parents having more trouble with taking accountability; however, people of any and all generations can have this problem. HBO I thought Lindeman's accidental experiment was fascinating, so I reached out to her via email to learn more about her takeaways. She shared that before the experiment, she had noticed boomer parents having more trouble with taking accountability; however, people of any and all generations can have this problem. Lindeman explains, Photo By Rafa Elias / Getty Images Lindeman explains, "One thing I hope that is clear from this 'experiment' is that every person has a strategy for avoiding unwanted emotions, and these strategies have an impact on our relationships. No one is a bad person, parent, or partner because they avoid unwanted emotions (e.g., boredom, embarrassment, guilt, shame, resentment, regret, etc.). However, these strategies can be ineffective for building relationships, whether it's boomers avoiding accountability or millennials being on their phones." And she wasn't expecting to see such a generational difference in the way people responded to feedback about their parenting. Westend61 / Getty Images/Westend61 And she wasn't expecting to see such a generational difference in the way people responded to feedback about their parenting. "The generational difference in responding to this feedback, though, was surprising. I didnt predict that millennial parents would be so open, receptive, and frankly inspiring. This has gotten me very curious about the differences in resilience in the face of unwanted emotions between the two generations." Lindeman goes on to theorize that perhaps the real difference between the two generations lies in our relationship with shame. Keithsutherland / Getty Images/RooM RF Lindeman goes on to theorize that perhaps the real difference between the two generations lies in our relationship with shame. "Its possible that millennials overall are better resourced socially and emotionally, which makes them better able to navigate shame and be able to connect to curiosity and compassion. Its possible that boomers are under-resourced socially and emotionally when it comes to shame, and theyre getting stuck in it, which makes them more prone to close-mindedness and reactivity." She also points to differences between the generations in when we're willing to open up or seek support. Kobus Louw / Getty Images She also points to differences between the generations in when we're willing to open up or seek support. "I, of course, cannot know what it feels like to be a boomer parent and can only make observations from the ones I work with. And what I have seen is folks who seem to be remarkably unknown by others so many boomers have attempted suicide, lost pregnancies, and questioned their sexuality all without ever telling their partner, let alone telling their own parents when they still could. Thats what I mean when I say I think its possible that theyre under-resourced socially they lack that social support of being able to turn to a close friend or loved one for that crucial co-regulating." She also observes that millennials, who tend to be more open, can find this level of reserve in our parents' generation really hurtful. And we sometimes try to do the emotional work for our parents, which only burns up our energy. Fox She also observes that millennials, who tend to be more open, can find this level of reserve in our parents' generation really hurtful. And we sometimes try to do the emotional work for our parents, which only burns up our energy. "I want to caution children of boomers from over-functioning to get their needs met meaning, trying to regulate mom and dads emotions so they can be well enough to meet your own needs. Doing this is going to make you vulnerable to repeating this same dynamic with your romantic partner; it can be controlling, and ideally is unnecessary!" Lest you think Gen X is getting left out, I asked Lindeman for her thoughts on them, too. She says, Aleksandarnakic / Getty Images Lest you think Gen X is getting left out, I asked Lindeman for her thoughts on them, too. She says, "I see more willingness and openness from this generation compared to boomer parents to try and go further in their support and tolerating their own personal discomfort with their childs therapy process. I do think I see more hesitation around vulnerability compared to younger generations, which makes sense. Being vulnerable is a risk, and taking risks as a parent is particularly frightening, especially if your own parents didnt role model this for you!" Finally, she shared hopeful messages for boomer parents and their adult children. Ascentxmedia / Getty Images Finally, she shared hopeful messages for boomer parents and their adult children. "One of the most common questions it seems that boomers posed in my comment section was around the idea of, 'It must be too late now, right?' I have good news for you its not. Youre right, you cant undo the past, and for this healing process, you dont have to. The pain from the past is still alive in your child today. You can acknowledge your childs pain right now and help them heal." Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images "The bond of the parent and child is sacred, and extremely powerful. Your loving attention, your heartfelt apology, and to be known by you, the parent, is more powerful than any type of therapy. My job as a family therapist is to help people shed their strategies, and then get out of the way because your parental love is what does the healing. You can absolutely do this, and you are worthy of being supported and resourced during this process. I hope that you can find the courage to seek the support you deserve to heal the relationship with your child." And to adult children whose parents aren't open to having these conversations, Lindeman says, Bigcircle / Getty Images And to adult children whose parents aren't open to having these conversations, Lindeman says, "For the adult children, from any generation, who feel repair is not or cannot be a possibility for you, yours is a journey of grief. Free yourself of any guilt, shame, and false hopes by grieving the loss of parents you needed to have but didnt. Grief is acknowledging that your heart has been in pieces this whole time. Self-compassion and self-love will be your Kintsugi*." *Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery using gold to fill in the cracks, creating a a finished object that is even more beautiful for having been broken. MEHTARLAM, Afghanistan, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Police have foiled attempts to traffic drugs and arrested four smugglers in east Afghanistan's Laghman province, a statement from the provincial police office said Sunday. During routine checking of vehicles on a road in Laghman on Saturday night, police found 40 kg of illegal objects, locally known as crystal and used in manufacturing heroin, the statement said, adding police have taken into custody four people on the charge of smuggling the contraband. All four have confessed to their involvement in drug smuggling and have been referred to judicially for further investigations, the statement said. By Justyna Pawlak WARSAW (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of people held an opposition rally in Warsaw on Sunday, two weeks ahead of an election that the liberal Civic Platform (PO) says may decide Poland's future in the European Union and its democratic standing. Opinion polls suggest the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government could win the vote but may struggle to form a majority amid discontent among some over rising living costs and concern over an erosion of democratic checks and balances. Warsaw city authorities said about a million people attended in the capital's biggest rally on record. Public broadcaster TVP, which independent media observers say has become a government mouthpiece under PiS rule, quoted police saying about 100,000 people had joined. Online news channel onet.pl said that according to its calculations some 600,000-800,000 people attended the rally. Some carried banners saying "PiSexit" or "The cat can stay", referring to the pet animal of PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The opposition is hoping the march galvanises voters to participate in the election, giving it a chance to come ahead. "Big change is coming. This is a sign of Poland's rebirth," PO leader Donald Tusk told crowds gathered in a central Warsaw square, many people waving Polish and EU flags. Tusk, a former European Council president, has said PiS could aim to take Poland out of the EU, something the party denies, and has framed the election as crucial for minority and women's rights. PiS, in power since 2015, has campaigned on a pledge to keep migrants out of Poland, saying that was key for national security, and to continue funnelling money towards families and the elderly. "I want to be free, be in the EU, I want to have a say, I want to have free courts," said Hanna Chaciewicz, a 59-year-old dentist from Otwock, a town outside of Warsaw. PiS denies western criticism that it has subverted democratic norms and says its reforms of the judiciary are aimed at making the country fairer and free of vestiges of communism, while its changes to public media rid it of foreign influence. But it has yet to gain access to billions of euros in EU COVID recovery funds which Brussels has withheld over the Polish court reforms. "Everybody is investing in jobs, in fighting the climate catastrophe. And we have been denied this money because someone has decided to destroy democracy in Poland," Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a senior PO member, told those at the rally. (Reporting by Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki and Kuba Stezycki; Editing by Hugh Lawson, William Maclean) Bulk carriers Eneida and Ying Hao 01 leave the sea ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi Bulk carriers Eneida and Ying Hao 01 leave the sea ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi KYIV (Reuters) - Five more ships are on their way to Ukrainian sea ports using a new corridor opened to resume predominantly agricultural exports, an alternative arrangement to the Black Sea grain deal blocked by Russia, a top Ukrainian official said on Sunday. "5 new vessels are waiting to be loaded in Ukrainian ports," Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on the X social media platform. "Bulk carriers OLGA, IDA, DANNY BOY, FORZA DORIA, NEW LEGACY are going to export almost 120,000 (metric) tons of Ukrainian grain to Africa and Europe," he added. Kubrakov also said that three bulk carriers - Azara, Ying Hao 01 and Eneida - left Ukrainian ports earlier on Sunday using the "temporary corridor established by the Ukrainian Navy" and carrying 127,000 tons of agricultural products and iron ore. The three cargo vessels are the latest to sail since Kyiv set up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" after Russia quit a deal allowing safe passage for Ukraine's exports. After it invaded Ukraine last year, Moscow closed off the Black Sea ports of one of the world's biggest suppliers of grain, in what Kyiv and its Western backers called an attempt to use global food supplies as blackmail. Moscow said the ports could be used to bring in weapons. The ports were reopened in July 2022 under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that allowed Russia to inspect ships for arms. Moscow quit the deal a year later and reimposed the blockade, saying its demands for better terms for its own food and fertiliser exports were being ignored. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Michael Perry, Kirsten Donovan) Student loan payments officially resume Sunday after borrowers were let off the hook for more than three years by a pause initiated during the economic turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite continued pushback from advocates and concerns about a government shutdown, the Biden administration is reactivating all student loan accounts, and more than 28 million borrowers now have to deal with repayments. Its a sad day for student loan borrowers and for the country that student loans have to come back on, especially with the threat of a looming government shutdown, potentially on the same day. Its just wild, Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center, said earlier this week. Back in July, a Life and My Finances survey found half of borrowers say they dont make enough to afford their student loan payments, while only 22 percent at the time had a plan on how to make their payments. Some borrowers are going on a student debt strike and refusing to make payments as a way to show their discontent with the system. Meanwhile, President Biden, who had made relief a key pledge of his 2020 campaign, has released an on-ramp repayment plan that allows borrowers to miss their monthly payments for the next year with fewer consequences than before. The Department of Education will not put borrowers in delinquent status if they miss payments, garnish their wages or send them to debt collectors. But borrowers will still see interest accrue on their loans, and their credit score could be affected, despite the department saying they wont report the missed payments to credit card companies. There could be situations where potentially because youre not making your payments, the value of your loan is increasing because its collecting interest, so you will owe more money. The credit bureau takes that into account, and maybe your credit score gets dinged a little bit, said Jacob Channel, senior economist and student loan repayment expert at Lending Tree. Before the pandemic pause began, it was already known that student loans were dragging down the finances of millions of Americans and affecting major life decisions. Almost half of student loan borrowers in 2019 delayed investing in a home because of school debt, according to the real estate site Clever. In typical pre-COVID times, when people are paying their student loans, theyre not buying their childrens medication, theyre not able to save for a house or retirement. We know from polling borrowers for so many years that they were using their COVID pandemic money to pay for basic needs, and so the worry is that now they wont be able to, Abrams said. The Biden administration has taken some steps to ease the burden of borrowers ahead of the repayment restart, including forgiving $117 billion in student loans for more than 3.4 million borrowers, mostly stemming from the borrower defense program, a program used to forgive the debt of those defrauded by their schools. Biden did attempt to forgive at least $10,000 in student loans for all 45 million borrowers, but that plan got struck down by the Supreme Court in June. The administration was, however, able to create a new income-driven repayment (IDR) program called the Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, which is rolling out in two phases. The first phase, which will begin this year, raises the income exemption from 150 percent to 225 percent above the federal poverty guidelines. This means an individual borrower making as much as $32,800 a year would have $0 monthly payments on their student loans. A family of four making less than $67,500 would also have monthly payments of $0. Another big change this year is the ending of growth on unpaid interest for borrowers. Next year, changes will be enacted including monthly payments getting cut in half from 10 percent of discretionary income to 5 percent. The SAVE plan is a lifeline if youre able to get on a $0 payment, and we have worked with some borrowers, especially older borrowers on Social Security to get on that plan, Abrams said. But the folks that were seeing it harm or not be helpful for is our folks that may have seen an increase in their income during the pandemic. And then when they go to apply, the people who were on a previous IDR plan they realize they have to pay a much higher payment, Abrams added. While there are 45 million student loan borrowers, only 28 million will have to start repaying in October. The rest still have their accounts paused for reasons such as they are still in school, in default or waiting for their debt to get discharged. The resumption of payments is welcomed by Republicans, who say the delays and promises from the Biden administration have left borrowers in a worse position. This conversation distracts us from the core problem, which is making student loan money too easy, which causes tuition to rise and does not address whats needed, which is that colleges need tough love to end their addiction to tuition, said Adam Kissel, a visiting fellow in the Heritage Foundations Center for Education Policy. Republicans have long argued that federal student debt relief is unfair to those who never went to school or paid off their student loans on their own and have put out their own proposals to make the cost of college more transparent. Republicans have brought forth a solution that holds colleges accountable for rising costs and empowers students and families to make the best decisions for their college careers and beyond. But if Congress fails to act, students will continue to drown in debt without a path to success, said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The restart of payments also coincides with Congresss current struggles to keep the government open. Even before the shutdown fight, it was known that student loan servicers were struggling in the customer service area due to lack of funding, which could affect wait times for borrowers needing assistance. But a shutdown, especially a prolonged one, could exacerbate the problem, according to the White House. So, you know, if this happens, if Republicans in Congress, you know, go down this road of shutting down the government, we anticipate that key activities at Federal Student Aid will continue for a couple of weeks, Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. But, however, if it is a prolonged shutdown lasting more than a few weeks, [it] could substantially disrupt the return to repayment effort and long-term servicing support for borrowers. So, the Department of Education will do its best to support borrowers as they return to repayment, as we have been saying for the past several months. But an extreme Republican shutdown, if this occurs, could be disruptive, she added. Repayments also come a year before the 2024 presidential election, a dangerous time to make student loan advocates unhappy. Biden is also bound to hear more from progressive Democrats who have been calling for even more student debt relief than he has so far been willing to give. Even before the Supreme Court ruling, top Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) were calling for $50,000 in student loan relief for all borrowers. Its the right number, its where a lot of people intersect that we could transform an entire generation, Warren previously said. The Department of Education is trying to plot a new route to some relief by using the negotiated rulemaking process though the Higher Education Act. The department announced Friday its initial policy considerations for the new plan, which appear to be significantly more tailored than the widespread relief that was previously promised. The policy considerations show the administration wants to do targeted relief for certain groups of borrowers, but nothing is set in stone, and the first meeting regarding the future proposal isnt until Oct. 10 and 11. Finalization of any plan could take well into 2024, and any relief would take even longer as whatever path forward the administration takes will likely be challenged in court again. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The following is a transcript of an interview with Trump administration Defense Secretary Mark Esper that aired on "Face the Nation" on Oct. 1, 2023. MARGARET BRENNAN : We turn now to the former Secretary of Defense under President Trump and author of a sacred oath Mark Esper . Good to have you back with us today. You know-- FORMER SECRETARY MARK ESPER: --Morning Margaret. MARGARET BRENNAN: --We are having conversations about just how politically difficult basic matters of governance are in Washington. And I wonder what sign you think that sends to our adversaries around the world? FMR. SEC. ESPER: Well, thank you, Martha, Margaret, for having me on this morning. First, let me also salute Dianne Feinstein as we mourn her passing. She was a real leader in the Senate, you know, times she would buck her party, she could reach across the aisle. She was a real leader, from my time on Capitol Hill, and we're going to miss her and we need more people like her. So, again, my condolences and my salute out to her. Look on your question with regard to what our allies See, Vladimir Putin sits in Russia today, and he looks across the landscape. And he sees the United States of America, which is unwilling to spend what it needs to on defense, it is now pulling back spending for Ukraine. We've seen successive Republican votes where more and more Republicans vote against funding for Ukraine. He sees coups in Africa, they're pushing Western militaries out. He has a pro sympathetic or sympathetic Serbia that's massing troops on the border of Kosovo. We had a vote today in Slovakia, a NATO ally in Central Europe, that just picked a Prime Minister who is pro Russian and has promised to cut spending for Ukraine. Look, from his vantage point, the West is fracturing. And he's going to continue to wait out the clock and maybe hope that Donald Trump returns to the presidency. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you specifically about that, because in your book, you write extensively about your frustration with getting then President Trump to support aid to Ukraine. And that was before the full scale invasion. That was when Russian troops were just in the east of that country. He still to this day is not coming out in support of aid to Ukraine. And as we just talked about, Vladimir Putin has said, some of the comments he's made, make him happy. What does that mean, in terms of what we should expect if there is a second Trump presidency? FMR. SEC. ESPER: Well, I suspect that he will do what he says and that is he will come to office, he will somehow attempt to negotiate a deal between Russia and Ukraine. And that won't fly, there's only one person who can get endless conflict in Ukraine. And that's Vladimir Putin. And he's not about to do that anytime soon. So I suspect Trump will quickly move to end funding for Ukraine and then at some point, he's also going to move to withdraw funding for NATO and maybe even pull out of NATO, which would be disastrous for the United States national security. So for all those reasons, that concerns me and and, of course, we could talk about our allies and partners in Asia as well who will equally be concerned about these type of events. MARGARET BRENNAN: So I mean, you're clear you're not supporting the former president's bid to return to office. But you know, the governor of Florida, also presidential candidate has, has raised his personal objections to, you know, limitless checks as well. So do you like any of the Republican candidates right now? FMR. SEC. ESPER: Well, first, let me say there should not be any blank checks for Ukraine. Right. And every all everything we provide should be audited and accounted for. That's just good.-- MARGARET BRENNAN: --as it is-- FMR. SEC. ESPER:--But But look on the on the bigger question. Look, I'm disappointed in some of my party who are not picking up that the mantle of Ronald Reagan, I consider myself a Reagan Republican. Ronald Reagan would definitely support these young fledgling democracies, whether it's Ukraine, in Europe, which is being invaded by its larger, bigger dictatorial neighbor, or Taiwan, in Asia that's being intimidated and threatened by China. That's what Ronald Reagan stands for. I look, I think there that said, I think there are a few Republicans in the debates right now, who I could support, who are better certainly than Trump, and who could beat President Biden and I think for Republicans, we got to quickly find that person rally around them, and then bring the party together and run a strong candidate. MARGARET BRENNAN: You want to give me a name? FMR. SEC. ESPER: Look, I think we've seen some good performances from Chris Christie, Nikki Haley. DeSantis Tim Scott, I think there are three or four or five but the Republican voters need to decide who that is. It's not Donald Trump. But I think there are a number of good candidates out there. MARGARET BRENNAN:I mean, you make clear you see President Trump as a threat to democracy, not just a flawed candidate, a threat to democracy. You've said upon his retirement last week, General Mark Milley, an ally of yours during your time in office, appeared to refer to him in his farewell speech as a wannabe dictator said overstating things a dictatorship. FMR. SEC. ESPER: Well, look, if you go back the week prior, Donald Trump said that merely for his behavior, whatever he thought that was, was should be punished and he he talked about execution so which was completely unfair. Mark Milley served this country honorably for forty plus years in war and peace moved, dragged his family around 20 plus times. He deserves our respect and admiration and not that type of talk. No less coming from the Commander in Chief, the former commander in chief. So, look, I have a lot of concerns about Donald Trump. I have said that he's a threat to democracy. I think the last year, certainly the last few months of Donald Trump's presidency will look like the first few months of the next one, if that were to occur. MARGARET BRENNAN: There are a number of stalled military promotions in the Senate, you know, talking about problems with democracy right now. Are you disappointed that even in Congress, Republican leadership hasn't been able to clear that hurdle and get the caucus in line to say that, you know, some of the highest ranking military officers in our country should get the jobs that they've been nominated for? FMR. SEC. ESPER: Yeah, look, I'm concerned on a few levels. Look, first of all, I think Senator Tuberville is serious and about his concerns over the policy issues. He's had a chance to bring them up for a vote and declined to do that. And I think it's unfair to hold military nominees over 300 now, hostage, if you will, over a policy issue for which that's not the responsibility. That's a civilian responsibility. And so my view is that that should not happen. It's happened in the past by both parties. And I've called on recently, Senator Schumer start moving nominations, which he has, because otherwise, it looks like both parties are politicizing the military. That's my institutional concern. And then, Margaret, if you step back, you ask yourself, look, the Chinese government doesn't shut down. The Chinese government doesn't do continuing resolutions. And they certainly don't hold up their admirals and generals, when they need them as they prepare for potential conflict with the United States. We just look really dysfunctional and we're harming our own readiness in the process. When we look across the international environment. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mark Esper, thank you for your analysis today. Joan Baez, revealing secrets AI: The next battlefield How Taylor Swift could affect the 2024 election The following is a transcript of an interview with Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, that aired on "Face the Nation" on Oct. 1, 2023. MARGARET BRENNAN We're back now with South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham , good to have you here in person. Senator, you just voted for a short term deal that doesn't include a cent for Ukraine nor for the US border. Right. How did you swallow that? SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM We had to keep the government open. We got 45 days to fix both problems. I listened to Kevin closely, there will come out of the Senate soon, a bill that will have three legs to it. Disaster funding, we need more, not less robust funding for Ukraine to get them through the next fighting season, not 24 billion, and a major effort to secure a border. I believe there's bipartisan support in the Senate to do both. And it will go to the house hopefully in the next 30 days. MARGARET BRENNAN What the speaker was talking about, though, was a bill HR 2 regarding the border that Senate Democrats will never get on board. So what are you talking about? SEN. GRAHAM There will be a conflict. MARGARET BRENNAN Right. SEN. GRAHAM So we got to fix asylum. We need border security agent increases. We need more detention beds. I think there's Democratic support for major border security reform. But we have to attach it to Ukraine. To those who say we need to fix our border, you're right. To those who say we need to help Ukraine, you're right. To those who say we need to do the border, not Ukraine, you're wrong. The vast majority of Senate Republicans would support a combination of border security Ukraine funding and disaster aid. MARGARET BRENNAN Well, when it comes to the house, and the idea that we ought to move swiftly, right, the White House told Republican leadership that they don't have enough funding for Ukraine to make it through 45 days and the authorities they have are insufficient. Well, so how much time are you talking about needing? SEN. GRAHAM You know, I've been around a while I'm wearing a pin, do you think I would leave Ukraine? I don't believe that one bit. This same White House says we don't need to have F-16s. We don't need himars, we don't need tanks, I've lost confidence for what's going on in Ukraine, we've got a bunch of allies, they can help for six weeks, the Allies have spent more money in Ukraine than we have. And when you hear otherwise, it's just not true. It's been good burden sharing. But I'm not worried about the next six weeks, I'm worried about next year, we will produce in the United States Senate, Ukraine funding 60 or 70 billion, not 24. To get them through next year. We will have a border security measure that is strong, and we will have additional disaster aid cause the nation needs it. We're gonna do those three things. And I'm hoping our House colleagues will react positively to it. I think Kevin is the right guy at the right time, the only way he loses his job is if a handful of Republicans join up with the Democratic Party to fire him. That would be a disaster for the future, the Republican Party, that's not gonna happen. Kevin has the overwhelming confidence of his membership. He worked to avoid a shutdown. He will help Ukraine but he's telling everybody in the country including me, you better send something over for the border for me to help Ukraine. And he's right to make that demand. MARGARET BRENNAN Understand, but your look, you're talking about to be clear, a supplemental bigger than $24 billion for Ukraine SEN. GRAHAM A lot bigger. MARGARET BRENNAN and that's going to pass in 45 days? SEN. GRAHAM Oh, absolutely. You know why? Cause we need it. We haven't lost one soldier in the Ukraine. MARGARET BRENNAN Yeah. We spent less than 5% of our military budget 50% of the Russian army has been destroyed by the Ukrainians. They would be at Crimea already. If you the administration hadn't been so slow and given weapons, MARGARET BRENNAN Well and we dedicate a lot of time to Ukraine on this program. So we find it important, but I want to ask you because Leader McConnell had gone into the lunch yesterday telling Senate leaders that he believed the White House when they said they were running out of funding for Ukraine, and then his deputies apparently urged him to drop it, which is how you ended up with this bill with nothing in it for Ukraine. Is he in control of the caucus? SEN. GRAHAM Senator McConnell has been great in Ukraine, but he picked a formula to lose votes for Ukraine. To expect people like me and others to vote for Ukraine aid without border security is unreasonable. Mitch made a miscalculation. He's been great on Ukraine. I've told him a thousand times.The key to Ukraine funding is to deal with a broken border. 107,000 Americans have died from fentanyl poisoning from fentanyl coming across the southern border. We haven't lost one soldier in Ukraine. So America is being invaded from a broken southern border. To my Democratic colleagues, you need to take border security seriously. MARGARET BRENNAN Yeah. Are you saying that Ukraine should not be a standalone it has to be SEN. GRAHAM it will not be a standalone. When I go to South Carolina, I openly talk about helping Ukraine. If you let Putin get away with this, you have a bigger war. Well, what about our border? I promise people in South Carolina I'm going to do two things. I'm going to help secure our border and keep the fight going in Ukraine to make sure that Putin doesn't get away with this. MARGARET BRENNAN Have you asked Donald Trump, your friend, to come out and publicly support more aid to Ukraine and to push some of these skeptical members of the republican conference? SEN. GRAHAM I'll leave it up him to what to do. But he wanted to get out of Afghanistan. MARGARET BRENNAN Well, Vladimir Putin has been praising him for his comments about President Trump. SEN. GRAHAM Yeah well here's what I'll say about President Trump. He did not pull the plug on Afghanistan, even though he wanted to. The biggest mistake we made since the war on terror is withdrawing from Afghanistan, to President Trump and anybody else. If we pull the plug on Ukraine, that's 10 times worse than Afghanistan. There goes Taiwan. To stop funding Ukraine is a death sentence for Taiwan. Putin will keep going. You missed all of World War II if you don't know how this movie ends. To the Republicans who say, Ukraine doesn't matter to us, you're wrong. Respectfully, you're wrong. The war gets bigger, not smaller. There goes Taiwan. If Ukraine can beat Russia, China's less likely to invade Taiwan and Putin gets stopped. MARGARET BRENNAN I need to take a break here. But we have more to talk about with you, Senator. You will. Senator Graham's gonna stay with us and we're gonna talk about the legacy as well of Senator Dianne Feinstein on the other side of that break. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) MARGARET BRENNAN Senator Graham was one of the Republicans, as you saw there in that piece, who worked with Senator Feinstein actually quite closely SEN. GRAHAM Yeah. MARGARET BRENNAN on the Judiciary Committee. SEN. GRAHAM She was great. When I first got to the Senate, somebody told me, and I'll protect their their name here. If you want to get anything done, see if you can get Ted Kennedy and or Dianne Feinstein to help you, because if they got on your bill or your idea, people in the Democratic caucus would listen. Ted was the lion. She was the lioness. She could move votes. She knew how to get to yes on controversial things. She was always kind. She was always prepared. She was a defense hawk. She was socially liberal. She was my friend, I miss her. And if you're looking for a role model in politics, as a young man or woman, look to her life. MARGARET BRENNAN You know, there is also that image of her embracing you after the very contentious hearing, Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett, and she was criticized from within her own party for praising how you conducted yourself. How do you think about that now? SEN. GRAHAM Well, that says more about the current state of affairs than Diane. Diane was saying nice things. We had a like a five second hug and because she wanted to say something nice about me they thought she had to be up to committee that's what's wrong with - Diane wasn't the problem. She was the solution. And there are people on my side, it goes both ways. So let let's just do this. Let's reflect on well lived life. America is better for Dianne Feinstein having served our country, California is better for it. And we lost a lot. We just didn't lose a person. We lost an idea. And I want to re - my contribution is to try to reinvigorate the idea it's okay to be tough and kind. It's okay to be liberal or conservative. But it's even more okay to work for America. And that's what she did. We've lost a lot with Diane. And so the rest of us, we're gonna have to up our game. MARGARET BRENNAN Before I let you go. I want to quickly ask you she was also an outspoken proponent of abortion access, right. SEN. GRAHAM She was. MARGARET BRENNAN Are you going to reintroduce your bill limiting it to 15 weeks of access, which has kind of become a litmus test for a lot of these presidential candidates. Donald Trump has not signed on he said he didn't like 15 weeks. SEN. GRAHAM My bill has exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother. 47 or 50 European nation of 50 European nations limit abortion from 12 to 15 weeks. 15 weeks the baby can suck its thumb and feel pain. I will introduce that bill. I want America to be like the civilized world, not China, or North Korea. It's a debate worthy of a great country to have this debate and we will have it. MARGARET BRENNAN Senator Graham, thank you for your time. We'll be back in a moment. How Taylor Swift could affect the 2024 election The Attorney General | Sunday on 60 Minutes Jimmy Carter celebrates 99th birthday in Plains, Georgia I made Giada De Laurentiis' Italian tuna salad, a mayonnaise-free version with greens and beans. Some ingredients were tough to find, but the substitutions worked fine in the versatile recipe. Although I love mayonnaise-based tuna salad, I'll definitely be making her tasty version again. I love tuna salad, especially when it's made with mayonnaise and sweet relish. But sometimes that's a little too heavy for my stomach. On the hunt for a lighter version, I decided to try Giada De Laurentiis' Italian recipe, which is more of an actual salad made with greens and a citrusy dressing. De Laurentiis' tuna salad includes ingredients like hearty beans and greens. I thought the ingredients for Giada De Laurentiis' tuna-salad recipe were interesting. Terri Peters In addition to high-quality tuna, De Laurentiis' Italian-inspired tuna salad called for arugula, bitter greens, cannellini beans, and a homemade citrusy dressing. Some ingredients were tough to find in my area, but I was able to hunt down decent substitutes. I substituted Treviso and Belgian endives for a spring mix. Terri Peters De Laurentiis called for Treviso and Belgian endives in her salad. After looking through three grocery stores with no luck, I opted for a more basic spring mix that included endive. In the recipe's accompanying video, the chef said any bitter greens would do, so I followed her lead. I moved on to the dressing, which was simple to make. Giada De Laurentiis' dressing was a good replacement for mayonnaise. Terri Peters The dressing gets its creaminess from Dijon mustard and olive oil, which I whisked into a mixture of fresh lemon juice, chopped capers, and salt. The mixture was super simple to make and tasted delightful. It was full of citrus notes from the lemon juice and saltiness from the capers. The white cannellini beans added great texture to the dish. The cannellini beans were a fresh touch to the salad. Terri Peters Next I rinsed and drained a can of cannellini beans before tossing them into my salad bowl. Beans are a great source of fiber and vitamins, so I loved that they were part of this recipe. They also added a nice texture to the salad and paired well with the dressing. I splurged on a jar of tuna packed in olive oil, and it was worth it. Giada De Laurentiis recommended a pricey jar of tuna, and it was worth it. Terri Peters Although there are more affordable brands of tuna, De Laurentiis recommended using a jar of tuna packed in olive oil, which was around $7 at my grocery store. I drained and flaked the tuna before adding it to the salad plain, without any mayonnaise or spices. The tuna was delicious and didn't taste fishy to me, which I appreciated. It was definitely worth the price. The recipe said to add fennel and parsley, which gave the salad a unique flavor. I topped the salad off with sliced fennel and parsley. Terri Peters I added a thinly sliced bulb of fennel and roughly chopped parsley into the mix. In the video, De Laurentiis explained that the parsley doesn't need to be finely diced since it's being used as a green, not an herb. I wouldn't have thought to put these ingredients in a salad, but they added fresh and herbaceous flavors. I tossed the ingredients together in a bowl. I was surprised with how delicious Giada De Laurentiis' take on tuna salad was. Terri Peters As a lover of mayo-based tuna salad, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this version. To my surprise, I ate the entire bowl and continued to go back to the serving dish for more. I think the recipe would pair well with a crusty loaf of bread or a bowl of tomato soup. Overall, this salad was delicious, and I'd make it again. I would absolutely make Giada De Laurentiis' Italian tuna salad again. Terri Peters Although I'll still make my traditional tuna salad, I can't wait to add De Laurentiis' version to my recipe rotation. I think it'll be especially good as a side dish for a party or as a quick weeknight dinner. Want to try more recipes from De Laurentiis? Check out her cookbook featuring other healthy takes on classic dishes: Read the original article on Insider Former President Donald Trump recently gave a glimpse into how his next administration would urge law enforcement to handle shoplifters if he wins the White House in 2024 by shooting them in the store. "We will immediately stop all of the pillaging and theft. Very simply: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store," he said Friday during a speech to California Republicans. His comments drew applause from members of his party inside the Anaheim convention and he loudly said shot again for emphasis. Trump's remarks came as he is facing seven lawsuits, including four criminal indictments in which he has denied any wrongdoing. He has tried to position himself as a candidate who favors law and order and would be tough on crime. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the California GOP Fall convention on September 29, 2023 in Anaheim, California. But these words were his most provocative in calling for the crime of retail theft to be punished with being shot. His words on shoplifters also came days after he called for Army Gen. Mark Milley one of the top military officers in his administration to be executed for what Trump described as treasonous phone calls to China and Milley described as a routine part of his job. Trump calling on shoplifters to be shot also comes after he admired a Glock during a South Carolina campaign stop and said he wanted to buy one. The latter led prosecutors to say he may have broken the law. More: Gun rights. Herring fishermen. An ethics hangover. The Supreme Court gets back to work. As the ex-president faces mounting legal pressure, his campaign rhetoric has grown more striking and has sometimes led to additional filings in legal cases. For example, former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll asked for additional damages in her defamation lawsuit against Trump after his CNN town hall in June, during which he called her a "whack job" who told a "made-up story." A jury in June assessed Trump $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation, a verdict and damages that Trump appealed, and Carroll sought $5 million more after his comments on CNN. But in Trump's comments in California, he was also playing to the room. Republicans in the state and some Democrats have lamented the rise in shoplifting and other crimes in San Francisco, Los Angeles and other areas. The GOP has been trying to use tough talk on crime to win back suburban voters after Trump and Trumpism lost them in 2018, 2020 and 2022 elections. "The word that they shoot you will get out within minutes and our nation, in one day, will be an entirely different place," Trump said Friday of shooting shoplifters. "There must be retribution for theft and destruction and the ruination of our country." While his California speech marked the first time the former president publicly called for shoplifters to be shot, it's not the first time he has recommended shooting or death for people who break the law. Trump has also called for shooting migrants to try and deter them from crossing the border. As president, he allegedly asked his Defense Secretary Mark Esper about shooting people who were protesting the death of George Floyd, Esper has said in his book and interviews. Trump has also said drug dealers, human traffickers and anyone convicted of killing a police officer should face the death penalty. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump calls for police to shoot shoplifters as they leave the store NEW YORK Donald Trump is set to go to trial Monday in New Yorks civil lawsuit accusing him of extensive business fraud and while his formal courtroom adversary is the state attorney generals office, hell also be facing off against the judge. In some ways, the trial is the culmination of months of antagonism between the former president and Justice Arthur Engoron, a Democrat who was elected to his current post as a Manhattan trial judge in 2015. The outcome of the nonjury trial will be entirely up to Engoron, who will make his decision on the heels of a series of fierce disputes with Trump. And in a surprise, Trump may attend the trial in person a plan revealed by lawyers late last week. If Trump follows through and appears in court, hell be sitting just a few feet away from a man he has publicly derided as deranged. Last week, Engoron delivered a ruling that may obliterate Trumps family business. Engoron found Trump liable for widespread fraud and revoked the licenses for some of his flagship properties, including Trump Tower and the Trump International Hotel. The ruling paves the way for much of the trial to focus on the punishments Trump will now face. They could be severe: Attorney General Tish James is asking for $250 million and a ban on Trump running businesses in the state. Trump and his lawyers and even the attorney generals office were caught off guard by the sweep of Engorons pretrial ruling, and they have scrambled in recent days to determine what, exactly, it means for the future of Trumps business. In turn, Trump called the judge unhinged and a political hack who must be stopped. I have a Deranged, Trump Hating Judge, who RAILROADED this FAKE CASE through a NYS Court at a speed never before seen, Trump wrote on his social media platform. Trump had spent months trying to thwart Engoron, most recently taking the aggressive step of filing a lawsuit that accuses the judge of failing to comply with an earlier appeals court decision that Trump argues limits the scope of the case against him. That matter is pending. Trump also repeatedly tried to delay the trial by asking an appeals court to push it back after he failed to convince Engoron to do so. Engorons response to Trumps request was typically curt. Decline to sign, he wrote. Defendants arguments are completely without merit. On Thursday, the appeals court also declined to delay the trial. Trumps tussles with Engoron began even before James filed her lawsuit. During the attorney generals investigation, Engoron held Trump in contempt of court and ordered him to pay $10,000 a day after finding the former president had failed to comply with a subpoena from James office. The judge subsequently released Trump from the contempt order and required him to pay a total of $110,000 in penalties. In his ruling last week, Engoron answered perhaps the key question raised by James lawsuit: He found that Trump fraudulently inflated his net worth between 2014 and 2021. (Trump, who has denied all wrongdoing, has vowed to appeal the ruling.) The trial beginning Monday will address what Trump, his businesses, his adult sons and his business associates did with that false information. According to James, they used it to obtain favorable terms from banks and insurance companies, resulting in insurance fraud, and to gain tax benefits. The trial will also determine what financial penalties, if any, Trump must pay. James is seeking $250 million in penalties and a lifetime bar on the Trumps from serving as officers or directors in any New York companies, as well as a five-year bar on Trump or his company from entering into any real estate acquisitions. For Trump, Monday marks not only the start of the trial over the civil fraud lawsuit but also the beginning of a long string of trials he will face from October through May. Following James trial, Trump will face a federal defamation trial set for Jan. 15 in a case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll and a trial beginning Jan. 29 in a federal class action lawsuit accusing him and his company of promoting a pyramid scheme. He will then face a federal criminal trial set for March 4 in special counsel Jack Smiths case on Trumps effort to subvert the 2020 election, a New York state criminal trial set for March 25 in a case brought by the Manhattan district attorneys office and another federal criminal trial set for May 20 in Smiths case concerning the alleged mishandling of classified documents. He is also under indictment in Georgia for election interference; a trial date there has not yet been set. Trump isnt required to attend the New York civil trial and until last week he wasnt expected to show up unless called to testify by the attorney general (which she has indicated she is considering). He didnt appear in court for any of a federal civil trial held earlier this year in a separate lawsuit brought by Carroll. FILE PHOTO: Guatemalan President-elect Arevalo attends a protest outside the Supreme Court of Justice, in Guatemala City By Sofia Menchu GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it is "gravely concerned" that Guatemala's Public Ministry is trying to undermine the transfer of power to President-elect Bernardo Arevalo, who recorded a landslide victory in August. The ministry, which functions similar to the attorney general in other countries, raided the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Friday for at least 20 hours to seize boxes holding tabulations from general election voting. "The United States is gravely concerned with continued efforts to undermine Guatemala's peaceful transition of power to President-elect Arevalo," Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, said in a statement. The U.S. is imposing visa restrictions on current and former members of Congress, justice officials and anyone else who undermines democracy, the statement added. Guatemala's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Public Ministry said that it "acts in all cases with objectivity and impartiality to ensure strict compliance with the law." Arevalo, a 64-year-old former diplomat and congressman, is due to take office in January. He has repeatedly complained of a "coup d'etat" and persecution by prosecutors against him and his party, Movimiento Semilla. "There is no doubt that these actions ... lead to the annulment of the electoral result and the destruction of the democratic regime," Arevalo said Saturday in a public video. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva also on Sunday expressed concern about actions by the Public Prosecutor's Office. "These events are the latest in a long list of very worrying actions taken in recent weeks, which - taken together - appear designed to undermine the integrity of the electoral process and undermine the rule of law in general," High Commissioner Volker Turk said in a statement. (Editing by Drazen Jorgic and Cynthia Osterman) Big gains in the UAW strike could bolster another organizing drive at Tesla. The union effort could also pressure Volkswagen, Honda, and Toyota. The UAW is looking to remake its reputation among auto workers. As disgruntled workers revolt at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, it's business as usual at Elon Musk 's Tesla. At least for now. In some ways, the auto worker's strike is a boon for the non-union electric-vehicle maker in that it may saddle Tesla's competitors with extra labor costs at a time when they're desperately trying to turn a profit on EVs. But a big contract win for the United Auto Workers could also give the union the renewed credibility it needs to mount successful organizing campaigns at Tesla and other non-union manufacturing plants, labor experts told Insider. "This is a fight not just for the people working at Ford, GM, and Stellantis, this is absolutely a fight for all of the working class," Arthur Wheaton, a labor expert at Cornell University, said. Hefty wage increases and better job security at the Big Three could make unionizing more attractive for Tesla workers, Wheaton and other labor experts told Insider this week. Tesla, founded nearly 70 years after the UAW first organized the Detroit Three, is the only major American automaker whose workforce isn't represented by the union. Organizing pressure could also spill over to foreign manufacturers that build cars in the US, like Volkswagen, Honda, and Toyota. Those companies may also be compelled to raise wages to meet the new union rate, according to labor experts. As part of its historic strike at all three Detroit car companies, the UAW is demanding staggering 40% wage increases, which UAW President Shawn Fain says reflect years of rising profits and executive paydays. The union's aggressive tactics and ambitious asks come as it looks to claw back both the worker benefits and industry-wide influence it lost during the Great Recession and through its own corruption scandals. "Striking for a better future to protect our communities and to defeat corporate greed is not just our right it's our duty," Fain told members on a Friday livestream when he expanded this UAW strike to two more Ford and GM assembly plants in Illinois and Michigan. A new contract could spur union attempts elsewhere The UAW strike comes amid a rejuvenated labor movement post-Covid, and after a summer jam-packed with union activism. The timing is ripe for the UAW to expand into new territory, labor experts said, particularly if it can secure a generous new contract. About 54% of Americans support the UAW strike, according to a recent Morning Consult poll. Meanwhile, the unionization rate in auto manufacturing has fallen to 16% from nearly 60% in the mid 1980s, Jake Rosenfeld, an expert on labor unions at Washington University in St. Louis, said. In a time of stagnating wages and climbing corporate profits, the UAW's overarching message of fair wages for fair work has resonated with Americans across party lines, said Kate Andrias, a labor law expert at Columbia University. "There's a deep concern about economic inequality in this country, and the problem of the very, very, very rich being the only ones benefiting from productivity gains and technological gains," Andrias said. Organizing at Tesla still won't be easy Some Tesla workers are in the early stages of forming a union, a UAW official told The New York Times. But rallying Tesla's workers who assemble cars, battery packs, solar panels, and EV chargers at plants in New York, California, Nevada, and Texas will be an uphill battle even with a hot new contract in hand. The UAW has tried and failed to organize workers at Tesla before. Current labor laws don't come with strong enough penalties to deter a "viciously anti-union company" like Tesla from squashing activism with relative impunity, Rosenfeld said. The National Labor Relations Board has previously found that Tesla and Musk violated labor laws after firing a union organizer and tweeting an anti-union message. Musk was ordered to hire back the employee with backpay and delete the tweet (the tweet still exists). "If you are a powerful private corporation dead set against a unionization drive, it's hard to imagine you losing that battle," Rosenfeld said. Read the original article on Business Insider ABUJA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 members of a local church's choir were kidnapped by armed gunmen en route to a funeral in the Ose local government area of Nigeria's southwestern state of Ondo, local police said Saturday. Olufunmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, spokeswoman for the police in Ondo, confirmed the incident which occurred Friday, saying the police's anti-kidnapping squad and other tactical teams have been deployed to the area to rescue the victims and arrest all involved in the crime. Odunlami-Omisanya said the police, working in coordination with other security agencies, had made significant strides in rescuing some of the victims. However, she declined to provide an exact number of people rescued. UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has stated that Ukraine's allies should not back down in their support and should remain steadfast. Source: Shapps during a speech at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, reported by European Pravda, citing the BBC Details: Shapps noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot win the war he unleashed against Ukraine, but cant find a way to exit the war either. According to Shapps, Putin had hoped to take Kyiv "by bluff," but the people of Ukraine would not let this happen. "And neither would we... We must not let up now," he said. The war is consuming weapons and people "at an appalling rate", but "we must remain steadfast", Shapps asserted. In his speech, he called Ukraine "part of the family of European democratic nations". Background: UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK would expand its training programme for Ukrainian soldiers and transfer training and production of military equipment to Ukraine. However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refuted Shapps statement, saying that the plans are "not the here and now". Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps has said that his country will expand its training programme for Ukrainian soldiers and transfer training and production of military equipment to Ukraine. Source: Shapps in an interview with The Telegraph Details: The UK government wants to send military instructors to Ukraine in addition to training the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the UK and other Western countries. In an interview with The Telegraph, Shapps said he had held discussions with Army leaders about bringing "more training and production" of military equipment to Ukraine. He also called on British defence firms to open factories in Ukraine. Background: On 30 September, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the establishment of the Defence Industries Alliance, which will bring together defence industry representatives from around the world. Ukrainian companies signed 20 documents with foreign partners as part of the International Defence Industries Forum, and 38 companies from 19 countries had joined the Defence Industries Alliance by the time the forum closed. Zelenskyy reiterated that following his visit to the United States, he had a number of significant results, including an agreement to jointly produce weapons, including air defence systems. President Zelenskyy also announced the establishment of a special Defence Fund, which will stimulate the development of the Ukrainian defence industry. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! A new US bill to prevent a government shutdown omits further aid for Ukraine. Republicans are divided on Ukraine and whether to prolong additional funding. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy told US politicans, "If we don't get aid, we will lose the war." US Congress passed a bill to fund government services temporarily but suspended aid to Ukraine, The Associated Press reported. Congress members who back Ukraine said they won't give up on aid to the war-torn nation, but the event highlights the growing isolationist stance within the Republican party, driven by its pro-Trump MAGA wing. Congress approved the bill on Saturday night, forestalling a government shutdown until at least mid-November. The stopgap spending legislation does not include military relief or humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The omission means $6 billion is being withheld from Ukraine, approximately a third of the funding requested by the White House. Republicans are divided on Ukraine and whether to prolong additional funding for the Eastern European nation battling against the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. "Most Senate Republicans remain committed to helping our friends on the front lines, to investing more heavily in American strength that reinforces our allies and deterring our top strategic adversary, China," said Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader. But some lawmakers concede that maintaining support for Ukraine assistance in Congress is a growing challenge, per AP. Zelenskyy: "If we don't get aid, we will lose the war" Ukrainian soliders are pictured near Kharkiv, Ukraine. Marienko Andrew/AP The move to drop Ukraine aid comes a week after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Joe Biden and US lawmakers to directly request new weapons systems, including longer-range ATACMS missiles and F-16 fighter jets, per Bloomberg. "If we don't get aid, we will lose the war," Zelenskyy said to senators, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Almost half of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted earlier this week to omit $300 million from a defense spending bill to purchase weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers, AP reports. The funding was later approved, but Ukraine aid opponents are growing in numbers. Republican Senator J.D. Vance posted a letter to X (formerly Twitter), opposing further funding to Ukraine. The letter was signed by 28 Republicans from the Senate and House of Representatives. "At a classified briefing over Ukraine, it became clear that America is being asked to fund an indefinite conflict with unlimited resources. Enough is enough. To these and future requests, my colleagues and I say: NO," wrote Vance, a Trump loyalist. President Donald Trump (R) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk as they make their way to take the "family photo" during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in the central Vietnamese city of Danang on November 11, 2017. JORGE SILVA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has also long touted anti-Ukraine rhetoric. Last year the high-profile MAGA cheerleader faced backlash for saying, "You see, Ukraine just kept poking the bear, and poking the bear, which is Russia, and Russia invaded," per The Financial Times. "There is no win for Ukraine here. Russia is being successful in their invasion," she added. In April, the Georgia Rep. said Zelenskyy "wants our sons and daughters to go die in Ukraine." Last month, she baselessly claimed Ukraine was sex trafficking children and harvesting their organs. Trump, the MAGA champion and the leading contender for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, is ambivalent about backing Ukraine, casting himself as a peacemaker who can resolve the conflict in 24 hours, but without providing any detail on how. He has a long record of expressing admiration for President Vladimir Putin's "genius" leadership qualities. Yesterday, Joe Biden urged Congress to continue aid provisions to Ukraine, Sky News reports. "While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support," Biden said, per Sky News. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (centre) poses for a photo with House speaker Kevin McCarthy (left) and Hakeem Jeffries at a closed-door meeting with members of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP) Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they wont give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded Joe Bidens request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation. Still, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300m from a defence spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers. Then on Saturday, House speaker Kevin McCarthy omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until 17 November. In doing so, he closed the door on a Senate package that would have funnelled $6bn to Ukraine, roughly a third of what has been requested by the White House. Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the stopgap measure, with members of both parties abandoning the increased aid for Ukraine in favour of avoiding a costly government shutdown. The latest actions in Congress signal a gradual shift in the unwavering support that the US has so far pledged Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and it is one of the clearest examples yet of the Republican partys movement towards a more isolationist stance. The exclusion of Ukraine funding came little more than a week after lawmakers met in the Capitol with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who sought to assure lawmakers that his military was winning the war, but stressed that additional aid would be crucial for continuing the fight. After that visit, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said one sentence summed up Mr Zelenskys message in his meeting with the Senate. If we dont get the aid, we will lose the war, Schumer said, quoting the Ukrainian president. Yet Mr McCarthy, pressured by his right flank, has gone from saying no blank checks for Ukraine, with the focus being on accountability, to describing the Senates approach as putting Ukraine in front of America. He declined to say after the vote on government funding whether he would bring aid for Ukraine up for a House vote in the coming weeks. If there is a moment in time we need to have a discussion about that, we will have a discussion completely about that, but I think the administration has to make the case for what is victory, Mr McCarthy said. In the Senate, both Mr Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell pledged to move quickly to try and pass the full White House request. But it was clear that goal will be increasingly difficult as more rank-and-file GOP senators have questioned the aid or demanded that it be attached to immigration policy that would help secure the southern border echoing similar demands in the House. Florida senator Rick Scott, a Republican who voted for the spending bill after the Ukraine aid was stripped out, said Congress needs to have a conversation with the American public. He said he was optimistic after seeing the money taken out of the bill. In my state, people want to be helpful to Ukraine, but they also want to be helpful to Americans, Mr Scott said. And so they want to really understand how this money has been spent. Democrats said they were disappointed by the lack of Ukraine funding, but expressed determination that they would get the aid to the war-torn country. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine, Mr Schumer said after the bill passed. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for Americas security and for democracy around the world. Leading up to Saturday's vote, Pentagon officials expressed alarm at the prospect of no extra funding for Ukraine. In a letter to congressional leaders dated Friday, Michael McCord, under secretary of defence, wrote that the department has exhausted nearly all the available security assistance. Without additional funding now, we would have to delay or curtail assistance to meet Ukraines urgent requirements, including for air defence and ammunition that are critical and urgent now as Russia prepares to conduct a winter offensive and continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, McCord said. Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he would like to send a clear message to the world about US support for Ukraine by passing legislation, but believes the Pentagon has enough draw-down money to last through December. He said he believes Mr McCarthy still supports funding for Ukraine. I think the speaker has always had a good position on Ukraine. I think hes dealing with a caucus thats got fractures that he has to deal with and none of them can be ignored when youve got a four-seat majority and 15 nuts in the conference, Rogers said, referring to far-right lawmakers who have staunchly opposed funding for Ukraine. Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he heard Mr McCarthy tell Mr Zelensky during his visit that we will give them what they need. Unfortunately, the message that speaker and the former president is sending is that they can't be relied upon, Mr Meeks said, adding a reference to former president Donald Trump, who has called on Congress to withhold additional Ukraine funding until the FBI, IRS and Justice Department hand over every scrap of evidence on the Biden familys business dealings. The US has approved four rounds of aid to Ukraine in response to Russias invasion, totalling about $113bn, with some of that money going toward replenishment of US military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. In August, Mr Biden called on Congress to provide for an additional $24bn. Saturdays move by the House to act first on government funding left the Senate with a stark choice: either go along with a bill that fails to help Ukraine, or allow what could have been an extended government shutdown to occur. Senator Chris Murphy expressed frustration at the outcome. Every day that goes by that we dont get the additional money is a day Russia gets closer to being capable of winning this war, Mr Murphy said. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Ukraine should not be deterred, and that aid can be approved by other means. Neither our friends nor our enemies should look at this as being some change in the United States commitment to Ukraine, Mr Risch said. ___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. Ukrainians are observing a minute of silence for fallen defenders on 1 October at 09:00 and thanking the Defence Forces and all those who defend the country from Russia. Source: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address on the occasion of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine Details: Before the minute of silence, the head of state released a video saying that all of Ukraine would stop for a minute at 09:00 on 1 October. Quote: "Ukraine will stop for one minute at 9 o'clock sharp as a sign of respect and gratitude to the defenders. The central streets and squares of our cities, transport, all of us, wherever we are, must stop and honour the memory of the fallen heroes and thank all our defenders. This time is a great opportunity to think about what is essential, to recall what is relevant, to recall another minute. The first minute of the full-scale war. The minute that changed everything. It divided life into 'before' and 'after' 24 February. 24 February began not when the clock struck midnight but when the enemy launched an offensive. The first minutes of that day meant the first missiles and the first strikes on Ukraine for us." Details: Zelenskyy recalled that at that moment, he addressed the Defence Forces and said: "Stand firm, you are all we have." Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! The U.K. is reportedly considering returning a portion of its Ukrainian training mission to Ukrainian soil in a major shift in policy. The British Defense Minister has reportedly discussed plans to move more training and production for Ukraine's war effort back to the country's territory. Speaking with The Telegraph , Defense Minister Grant Shapps said he spoke to British Army leadership about shifting parts of Operation Interflex , the Britain-based training program, back to bases on Ukrainian soil. https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1708221273929572674 The remarks came in the wake of Ukraine's International Defense Industries Forum, a collaborative conference with international arms makers attempting to overhaul Ukraines domestic arms industry. Defense firms from the United States, U.K., Germany, France, Turkey, Sweden, the Czech Republic and others met with Ukrainian officials for talks on joint armament production. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1708018902268084433 To that end, Shapps further called on British defense firms to establish production in Ukraine, and said he talked with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about a potential Royal Navy role in protecting Ukrainian shipping in the Black Sea . Both discussed proposals on land and at sea would be significant changes in the U.K.'s strategy to support Kyiv. NATO troops previously trained Ukrainian forces for nearly seven years beginning in the aftermath of Russias annexation of Crimea and the War in the Donbas. That training mission continued even as concerns over Russias buildup on the border grew louder . Apart from troops performing security at embassies or during diplomatic visits, and despite many Russian claims otherwise , no NATO troops have officially walked on Ukrainian soil in any capacity since the war began. While a training mission is not ostensibly a combat role, there are major concerns that doing so could risk for escalation should Russian forces target NATO troops in Ukraine. In March 2022, Russian cruise missiles struck the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security outside Yavoriv, Ukraine, killing 35 and wounding 134 . The base and maneuver area, less than 20 kilometers from the Polish border, previously housed members of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine . Royal Navy escorts in the Black Sea on the other hand, however, would invariably put themselves between Russian forces and Ukrainian ships. NATO forces have taken great care to avoid ending up in the fight . There have been dangerous close calls in Poland and over the Black Sea , not to mention Russian drones recently ending up in Romania . Exact details of what the U.K. is considering remain uncertain, but neither London nor its NATO allies will likely take those steps unless they are ready to meet those risks. Before we head into the latest from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can catch up on our previous rolling coverage here . The Latest Among other defense forum headlines is a $100 million investment from Turkish drone maker Bayraktar toward a UAV production facility. Bayraktar TB-2 drones became an early staple of Ukraines war effort, notably for strikes on and around Snake Island . Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted a photo with the companys CEO Haluk Bayraktar lauding the agreement. https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1708080404463288431 https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1708069029020152283 Also from the conference, Ukraine may soon take over production of the Czech BZ BREN 2 assault rifle. The modular rifle comes chambered in either NATO 5.56x45mm or the Russian 7.62x39mm cartridge. Proposals also included joint production of ammunition, armored vehicles, and the TATRA chassis of utility trucks. https://twitter.com/praisethesteph/status/1708128273304035529 Wreckage believed to be from the Russian Su-35S shot down over Zaporizhia Oblast was found, the shootdown now believed to have been friendly fire. You can read our full coverage of the incident here . https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1708049456237572385 https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1708171753984266583 Russia may be bringing Wagner PMC mercenaries back into the fold, albeit under cautious and watchful eyes. In its latest intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense noted the public appearance of former Wagner Chief of Staff Andrei Troshev with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Putin asked Troshev specifically to begin forming units for combat in Ukraine. https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1707698386629959884 Wagner veterans may see Troshev as a traitor, owing to the fact he took up a position with the official Russian Armed Forces around the time of the ill-fated coup attempt , the MoD reported. Moscows public embrace of Troshev fits with its continued reliance on volunteer and private military companies, and possibly a careful reconstitution of Wagner itself. https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1707995694739452316 Apart from volunteers and mercenaries, Russia will begin a new push of conscription on Oct. 1. The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced those drafted in the surge beginning Sunday will not be sent to Ukraine. However, when Moscows mobilization began a year ago , many of its hap-hazard conscripts ended up at the frontline in short order. https://twitter.com/JayinKyiv/status/1707650502429704534 Ukraine appears to have attacked a Russian electricity substation in Bryansk Oblast with a drone. https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1707876129271341229 While strikes into Russia are increasingly common , targeting power infrastructure may well be a conspicuous threat as winter nears. Russian drone and missile attacks wrought havoc on Ukraines power grid last winter until new air defenses could blunt the blow. Kyiv may be trying to give Moscow a taste of its own medicine as temperatures fall. On the opposite end of airstrikes, a Ukrainian invention reportedly offers early warning for Russian kamikaze drone attacks . A tweet claims the small, dual-antenna device scans for frequencies used to control Russian drones and alerts the user by proximity. https://twitter.com/vorobyov/status/1708054378978931037 Fighting remains brutally intense along the frontline, with footage from Ukrainian sources showing intense firefights in several sectors. First, a lengthy clip from the 80th Air Assault Brigade in Klishchiivka shows infantry defending positions from a Russian counterattack. Russian troops continue efforts to retake the bombed-out village south of Bakhmut. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1707887841680724118 In the southern fronts Melitopol direction, video from the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade shows mechanized infantry working with a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and a Leopard 2A6 tank against Russian forces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v6H0uERteA Also in the south, video shows Ukrainian soldiers walking past an array of concrete Dragons Teeth anti-tank fortifications on the southern front. Its the latest indication of just how far the Ukrainian salient has reached into Russian-held territory. https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1707750705874821122 The entire frontline from the Dniepr River delta near Kherson up to the Russian border may have seen its most thunderous days yet. Infrared satellite imagery tracking war-related fires from artillery reportedly recorded the most intense bombardments in the war so far September 27-28. https://twitter.com/shashj/status/1707687668333555980 Ukrainian drones scored kills on two advanced Russian radar systems in recent days. Drone operators separately destroyed a Kasta 2E surveillance radar in Kursk Oblast, and a 55Zh6u Nebo-U radar. https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1707701645167972549 The Kasta 2E system comes from the Soviet-era line of Flat Face and Squat Eye surveillance radars used for low-altitude target acquisition. Its predecessors cued engagement radars for S-125 (NATO: SA-3 Goa) SAM sites in Russia and elsewhere, with the Kasta retaining the old systems mobility on a 6x6 KAMAZ truck chassis. The much larger 55Zh6u Nebo-U is an entirely different animal, however. Codenamed Tall Rack by NATO, the trailered system uses a phased array antenna and is claimed to be effective against low-observability targets. Footage shows the antenna rotating in one of the attack clips. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1708190887279210609 Meanwhile, Russian first-person-view (FPV) drone operators are training to attack Ukrainian equipment concealed within buildings. The operators are reportedly practicing flying through windows and other openings to deliver payloads to targets therein. https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1707677054521479339 Ukrainian FPV operators have a new compilation clip, showing hits on Russian armored vehicles, artillery, soldiers and support equipment. https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1708088852198416734 A video shows a series of counter-battery strikes by Ukrainian GMLRS rockets against Russian artillery. A BM-21 Grad, BM-27 Uragan, and a 2A36 Giatsint-B field gun were hit in the strikes. https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1707667329432125517 Two Russian Project 03160 Raptor-class patrol boats were seen on trucks headed toward Sevastopol along a highway in occupied Crimea. https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1708047955628818821 The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claims it has conducted an operation to evacuate two Ukrainian paratroopers who have been in Russian-held territory for more than a year and a half. The two were seriously wounded in the invasions opening battles and could not safely reach friendly territory, reportedly relying on locals support until their rescue. https://twitter.com/front_ukrainian/status/1708027545474535793 A British-supplied Stormer HVM SAM shot down a Russian UAV with one of its Martlet missil es, video capturing the launch and shootdown over the frontline. https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1708025481604301162 In the cope cage category, a Russian T-55 tank adorned with Z identification marks was seen with a towering cage over its turret. Covered with grass and other materials, the modification gives the tank a decidedly tall profile in exchange for dubious protection from drone-dropped munitions and anti-tank weapons. https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1707830818847019447 The Ukrainian Air Force has some beautiful cockpit footage from one of its MiG-29 pilots flying over the country. The video shows both low-altitude flights over farmland as well as operations high above the clouds. https://twitter.com/KpsZSU/status/1707664824790921569 Lastly, theres some rather curious footage of a soldier trying to fire an AT4 anti-tank rocket . With neither a firm grip on the launcher nor the use of its provided handle or strap, the rocket fires wildly and the casing shoots backward from the launcher. Were guessing an AT4 is also dangerously loud without ear protection. https://twitter.com/AlexRaptor94/status/1707491853988139221 Thats all for now. Well update this story when theres more to report on Ukraine. Contact the author: stetson.payne@thewarzone.com Key updates on Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Biden: 'We can't allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted' Sunak: No plans to send British troops to Ukraine Fico wins Slovak election on pro-Russian, populist platform Medvedev threatens Russia will seize more Ukrainian regions Media: Russian soldier working with intelligence defects to Ukrainian forces U.S. President Joe Biden stressed the importance of providing continued aid to Ukraine after signing into law a Congress-passed funding that lacked it. The bill's signing into law avoided a U.S. government shutdown set to take effect as of midnight on Oct. 1. "We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden concluded in his statement. Biden also said that although the bill does not include financial assistance for Ukraine, he expects U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy "will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." Since January 2021, the U.S. has invested more than $44.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. This includes more than $43.9 billion since Russia launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Following the bill's passage to avoid a government shutdown, top U.S. Senate leaders issued a rare bipartisan statement affirming their commitment to Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and representatives of the appropriations committees said they expect the Senate will work "to ensure the U.S. government continues to provide critical and sustained security and economic support for Ukraine." Although a stopgap funding bill to prevent a U.S. government shutdown was passed on Sept. 30 without any provisions for aid for Ukraine, President's Office Head Andriy Yermak said on Oct 1 that it should not be construed as a change in U.S. support for Ukraine. In comments published on Telegram, Yermak said that Ukrainian leadership regularly meets with bipartisan representatives about the continuation of U.S. aid. Despite the omission of aid provisions in the latest spending bill, he expressed confidence that it did not reflect a more significant shift away from U.S. support for Ukraine. Oleh Nikolenko, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that although the shutdown may cause disruptions to certain programs, it would not fundamentally alter Ukraine's overall state of aid. Read also: US will reportedly give ATACMS to Ukraine. Will it change the war? Sunak: No plans to send British troops to Ukraine There are no current plans to send British troops to Ukraine, even in a limited capacity as trainers, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Oct. 1. In comments to The Telegraph, Sunak walked back recent remarks from newly appointed Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, who expressed interest in sending British military trainers to Ukraine in an earlier interview on Sept. 30. Sunak clarified that the Shapps' comments should be considered as pertaining to a long-term partnership with Ukraine. There could be trainers on the ground sometime in the future, Sunak said, but stressed that "there are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. In response to Shapps' suggestion, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and former president Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that any British troops on the ground in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets. The U.K. has trained over 20,000 Ukrainian troops abroad since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to the British Defense Ministry. At the start of 2023, the U.K. said it would train 20,000 more Ukrainian troops, making it "one of the largest training programs in the world," according to the Defense Ministry added. Read also: Abducting the future: How Ukrainian parents fight to rescue their children from Russia Fico wins Slovak election on pro-Russian, populist platform Slovakia's SMER (Direction) party led by former prime minister Robert Fico has gained a narrow victory in the Slovak parliamentary elections on Sept. 30, with almost 100% of the votes counted as of Oct. 1. Campaigning on a pro-Russian, populist platform, and promising to end aid to Ukraine if elected, Fico and SMER received 22.9% of the vote, besting the leading competitor, the liberal, pro-Western Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, who came in second place with 17.9%. As neither gained an outright victory, SMER will have to form a government with one or more other parties in a coalition. Analysts believe it is possible that SMER will attempt to join with the left-wing HLAS party that split away from SMER in 2020. HLAS came in third place with 14.7% of the vote. Another possible coalition member would be the openly pro-Russian ultranationalist Slovak National Party, which received 5.6%. Seven parties gained more than the 5% threshold for having representation in parliament, so the coalition-building process may be complicated. Fico was previously the prime minister of Slovakia from 2006 to 2010. He was re-elected in 2012 but resigned in 2018 following a political crisis sparked by the murder of the investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. Before he was killed, Kuciak had investigated corruption scandals in Fico's party and alleged ties between the Italian mafia and Fico's associates. In addition to regularly remarking that he would stop providing Ukraine with aid if elected, Fico opposes EU sanctions against Russia and wants Slovakia, a NATO member, to block Ukraine from joining the alliance. Fico has also repeated the myth that the war in Ukraine began as a civil war, a narrative Russia used to try to conceal its involvement in Donbas. On Aug. 30, he told a crowd of supporters that the war in Ukraine began "when the Ukrainian Nazis and fascists started to murder Russian citizens in Donbas and Luhansk," repeating Russian propaganda. Previously, Slovakia has been supportive of providing Ukraine with aid, including transferring a number of MiG-29 fighter jets. Ficos primary opponent Michal Simecka, who leads PS, promised to maintain support for Ukraine. He stressed that a reversal of Slovakias current position of providing support would put the nation at odds with other EU and NATO countries, and could cause Slovakia to become isolated. Read also: Exclusive: New insights point to Hungarys collaboration with Moscow on transfer of Ukrainian POWs Medvedev threatens Russia will seize more Ukrainian regions Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev issued a veiled threat that Russia intends to seize more Ukrainian regions in a Telegram post on Sept. 30. In a Telegram message commemorating one year since Russia's illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions, Medvedev said, "There will be more new regions within Russia." Medvedev claimed Russia's war will continue until the Ukrainian government is "completely destroyed" and the "original Russian territories are liberated from the enemy." Russia proclaimed the annexation of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson, and Luhansk oblasts on Sept. 30, 2022. However, none of the four regions are fully under Russian control. Read also: Russia holds sham elections in occupied Ukrainian territory Media: Russian soldier working with Ukraine's intelligence defects A Russian soldier working with Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) has defected to Ukrainian forces, the military intelligence said on Sept. 30. The soldier, Daniil Alfyorov, had been working with Ukrainian intelligence since July and had successfully convinced 11 other Russian soldiers to defect to the Ukrainian side, Andriy Yusov, a HUR spokesman, said. When it became clear that suspicions had arisen and there was a risk to Alfyorov's life, Ukrainian special forces undertook an operation to evacuate him to Ukrainian-controlled territory, Yusov added. Alfyorov said he initially contacted Ukrainian forces via the hotline known as "I want to live." Launched in September 2022 by Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, the 24-hour hotline helps Russians to surrender themselves or their units to the Ukrainian army willingly. Russians are promised that after surrender, they will be held in compliance with the Geneva Conventions. A report by Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War found in March 2023 that nearly 10,000 Russians had contacted the hotline. In August 2023, the hotline marked a significant 70% increase in traffic after a Russian helicopter pilot defected to the Ukrainian side with a fully intact Mi-8 helicopter, and subsequently received the hryvnia equivalent of $500,000 (approximately Hr 18 million). In April 2022, Ukraine's parliament passed a law offering up to $1 million to Russian military personnel who manage to transfer equipment to Ukraine. The size of the reward depends on the type of equipment they hand over. At the time of this publication, it is unknown what Alfyorov's status is in Ukraine, or what his monetary reward may be. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. On Sunday 1 October, Ukraines Air Force inflicted 13 strikes on areas where Russian personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated. Thirty combat clashes took place in the past 24 hours. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 1 October Details: A total of 30 combat clashes were recorded during the day. Russian forces attacked Ukraine once again launching about 30 Iranian strike UAVs of the Shahed-136/131 type from the southern, southeastern and northern directions. Ukraines air defence managed to down 16 of those drones. In total, the Russians inflicted 8 missile- and 72 airstrikes, carried out 20 attacks from multiple-launch missile systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. Russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged. On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, no significant change in the operational situation was recorded. No sign of the Russian forces forming new offensive units in this area. Certain units of the Armed Forces of Belarus perform tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine. On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians continue to maintain a military presence in the border areas, continue shelling of settlements from the territory of the Russian Federation, increase the density of mine-explosive barriers along the state border of Ukraine. They also inflicted airstrikes around the settlements of Hatyshche and Zemlianky in Kharkiv Oblast. Over 35 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks of the Russians, amongst them Senkivka in Chernihiv Oblast; Stepne, Volodymyrivka, Khotin, Stepok, Pokrovka and Riasne in Sumy Oblast; as well as Odradne, Dvorichanske and Krasne Pershe in Kharkiv Oblast. On the Kupiansk front, the Russians carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Ivanivka, Kharkiv Oblast. The areas of more than 10 settlements, in particular Novomlynsk, Lyman Pershyi, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Tabaivka, Berestove of Kharkov Oblast, were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks. On the Lyman front, Ukraines Armed Forces repelled a Russian attack in the vicinity of Makiivka, Luhansk Oblast. The Russians inflicted airstrikes in the areas of the settlements of Bilohorivka, Luhansk Oblast; Nove, Terny, Spirne, Vyimka and Vesele in Donetsk Oblast. More than 10 settlements were affected by artillery and mortar attacks, amongst them Nevske and Bilohorivka, Luhansk Oblast, as well as Hryhorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Vyimka and Fedorivka in Donetsk Oblast. On the Bakhmut front, the Russians unsuccessfully tried to recover lost positions in the area of Andriivka of Donetsk Oblast. They inflicted air strikes in the vicinity of Klishchiivka, Andriivka and Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast. Over 20 settlements came under fire from Russian artillery and mortars, in particular Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Kurdiumivka, Pivnichne and New-York in Donetsk Oblast. On the Avdiivka front, the Ukrainian forces successfully repelled Russian attacks in the areas of Stepove, Avdiivka and Vesele, Donetsk Oblast. The Russian forces also launched an airstrike near the village of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast. More than 10 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks, including Novoselivka, Stepove, Orlivka, Sieverne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast. On the Marinka front, Ukraines Armed Forces successfully repelled eight attacks around Marinka and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast. The Russians carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast. About 10 settlements came under fire on this front, including Krasnohrivka, Marinka, Pobieda, Paraskoviivka, Antonivka and Katerynivka in Donetsk Oblast. On the Shakhtarsk front, the Russians did not conduct offensive (assault) actions. Yet they inflicted airstrikes around the settlements of Zolota Nyva and Staromaiorske, Donetsk Oblast. Over 10 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks, including Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Novoukrainka, Novodonetske, Blahodatne and Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast. On the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukraines forces successfully repelled Russian attacks in the area around Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Russians carried out an airstrike in the vicinity of Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. More than 30 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks, amongst them were Mala Tokmachka, Orikhiv, Novoandriivka and Novopavlivka, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. On the Kherson front, the Russians launched airstrikes in the areas of the settlements of Beryslav, Kozotske, Olhivka and Vysoke in Kherson Oblast. Over 15 settlements were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks, including Stanislav of Kherson Oblast, the city of Kherson and Solonchaky of Mykolaiv Oblast. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue their offensive operation on the Melitopol front and offensive (assault) operations on the Bakhmut front, inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the Russian forces and exhausting Russian units along the entire line of contact. In the past 24 hours, Ukraines Air Force inflicted 13 attacks on the areas where Russian personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated. Units of Ukraines Rocket and Artillery Forces targeted a Russian anti-aircraft missile system, a command point, an ammunition depot and 16 artillery units. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Ukraines Foreign Ministry has said that the temporary stopgap budget approved by the US Senate and House of Representatives and signed into law by President Joe Biden will not affect the delivery and implementation of the previously agreed aid for Ukraine. Source: Oleh Nikolenko, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on Facebook Details: Nikolenko explained that the US had previously allocated US$1.6 billion for defence to Ukraine, US$1.23 billion in direct budget support, and funds for humanitarian and energy projects. He stressed that a US government shutdown could have a negative impact on the implementation of current programmes in Ukraine. Nikolenko also said that Ukraine is currently working with the US to ensure that the new budget measure, which will be in place for the next 45 days, includes new funds to help Ukraine. "Lets not forget that the United States is currently engaged in internal political discussions related to the US political process. Support for Ukraine remains unwaveringly strong within the US administration, in both parties and chambers of the US Congress, and most importantly, among the American people," Nikolenko added. Background: The US House of Representatives approved a budget to fund government agencies for 45 days. The bill was also approved by the US Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden. The budget does not include aid for Ukraine, but President Biden has called on the Congress to prevent obstructions to aid for Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! YANGON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar earned over 7.3 billion U.S. dollars in export earnings in nearly six months of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to the ministry of commerce on Sunday. From April 1 to Sept. 22, the country's total exports earned over 2.23 billion dollars from the public sector and over 5.06 billion dollars from the private sector, it said. Official figures showed that the export earnings declined compared to the same period of last year when it recorded over 8.23 billion dollars from exports. Among export products, manufactured goods are on top, with a revenue of over 4 billion dollars. Myanmar mainly exports agricultural, animal and marine products, minerals, forest products and manufactured goods to its foreign trade partners, including China, Thailand, Bangladesh and India, according to the commerce ministry. In the evening of 30 September, explosions were heard in the city of Odesa. It was reported that the Russian forces launched a new group of Shahed-type drones towards the region. Source: Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster; Ukraines Air Force on Telegram Details: Explosions thundered in Odesa soon after the authorities warned civilians of potential attacks by Russian Shahed UAVs. The authorities do not yet report on the consequences of the explosions, but say that Odesa Oblast is also at risk of being attacked. In addition, several Shahed drones were launched at Odesa Oblast from the Black Sea. Ukraines Air Force also reported that Russia could target Mykolaiv Oblast with Shaheds. Updated: More explosions were heard in Odesa around midnight. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Armed members of "G9 and Family" march in a protest against Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The U.N. Security Council is scheduling a vote Monday on a resolution that would authorize a one-year deployment of an international force to help Haiti quell a surge in gang violence and restore security so the troubled Caribbean nation can hold long-delayed elections. The U.S.-drafted resolution obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday welcomes Kenyas offer to lead the multinational security force. It makes clear this would be a non-U.N. force funded by voluntary contributions. The resolution would authorize the force for one year, with a review after nine months. The force would be allowed to provide operational support to Haitis National Police, which is underfunded and under resourced, with only some 10,000 active officers for a country of more than 11 million people. The resolution says the force would help built capacity of local police through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations as it works to counter gangs and improve security conditions in Haiti. The force would also help secure critical infrastructure sites and transit locations such as the airport, ports, and key intersections. Powerful gangs have seized control of key roads leading from Haiti's capital to the country's northern and southern regions, disrupting the transportation of food and other goods. Passage by the Security Council would authorize the force to adopt urgent temporary measures on an exceptional basis to prevent the loss of life and help police maintain public safety. Leaders of the mission would be required to inform the council on the mission's goals, rules of engagement, financial needs and other matters before a full deployment. A spokesman for Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he wasnt aware of the resolution or the upcoming vote and said the government did not immediately have comment. The resolution condemns the increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region, including kidnappings, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, homicides, extrajudicial killings, as well as arms smuggling. If adopted, it would mark the first time a force has been deployed to Haiti since the U.N. approved a stabilization mission in June 2004 that was marred by a sexual abuse scandal and the introduction of cholera. That mission ended in October 2017. Concerns also have surrounded the proposed Kenyan-led mission, with critics noting that police in the East Africa country have long been accused of using torture, deadly force and other abuses. The resolution stresses that all those participating in the proposed mission must take necessary action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse as well as vet all personnel. It also demands swift investigations of any allegations of misconduct. In addition, the resolution warns that those involved in the mission must adopt wastewater management and other environmental control to prevent the introduction and spread of water-borne diseases, such as cholera. It wasnt immediately clear how big the force would be if approved, although Kenyas government has previously proposed sending 1,000 police officers. In addition, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda have pledged to send personnel. Last month, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden promised to provide logistics and $100 million to support a Kenyan-led force. The resolution notes that the Security Council intends to impose additional sanctions on those who contribute to Haitis violence. The U.N. has already imposed sanctions on Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue, who heads Haitis biggest gang alliance. Cherizier, a former police officer, recently warned that he would fight any armed force suspected of abuses. The proposed resolution comes nearly a year after Haiti's prime minister and other top government officials requested the immediate deployment of a foreign armed force as the government struggles to fight violent gangs estimated to control up to 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince. From Jan. 1 to Aug. 15, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and 902 injured, according to the most recent U.N. statistics. More than 200,000 others have been displaced by violence, with many crammed in makeshift shelters after gangs pillaged their communities. ___ Lederer reported from Los Angeles. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov spoke with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin and said that Ukrainian soldiers will continue to have strong support from the US on the battlefield. Source: Umierov on Facebook Quote: "I had a phone conversation today with my US counterpart to discuss further military assistance from the US. Secretary Austin assured me that US support for Ukraine will continue. Ukrainian warriors will continue to have a strong back-up on the battlefield." Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! A 12-year-old is dead and several others were hospitalized following a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) accident on Saturday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Just after 6:30 p.m., the Troup County Sheriffs Office along with other emergency responders, were called to a home on N. Stateline Road in Northern Troup County. Officials said deputies were told there was a UTV accident involving several children who were seriously injured. When authorities arrived, they found a total of four patients were injured including one with serious injuries. TRENDING STORIES: Troup deputies said three of the patients were taken to a Columbus area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries A 12-year-old boy was taken to Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Georgia State Patrol has been called to investigate due to the serious nature of the accident. Neither the 12-year-old nor the other childrens identities have been released. The investigation is ongoing. IN OTHER NEWS: PARIS (AP) Valentino took a sentimental journey to Les Beaux-Arts this Sunday, revisiting the prestigious Parisian art school where its founder, Valentino Garavani, was once a student. Dive into the highlights of this Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear collections from Paris, including the end of an era at Alexander McQueen as its lauded designer Sarah Burton presented her final show. MODERN BEAT IN HISTORIC HALLS: VALENTINO REIMAGINES SPRING Amid the backdrop of Mannerist statues and the names of great artists gracing the storied walls of Les Beaux-Arts, where Garavani, 91, once honed his craft, the runway was in contrast unmistakably contemporary. Strategically positioned boxes filled with rocks, sand, and earth transformed into platforms for a troupe of sinewy, scantily clad contemporary dancers who writhed alongside a performance by British singer FKA Twigs. Designer Pierpaolo Picciolis collection focused on the body in a vivid celebration of femininity and creativity. Bursting onto the scene were fresh, sporty minidresses adorned with intricate white florals and foliage. The elegance of an open tuxedo baring flesh, and the simplicity of flowing silk caped dresses made a statement, but there was a sense of familiarity. A pastel gray cape minidress captured attention with its minimalist charm. A chainmail disco mesh-dress shimmered and revealed inches of body. Yet, the dynamic dance performances often drew eyes away from the fashion. Could it be that the collection, while undeniably modern, needed that extra dose of novelty to truly captivate? While Picciolis designs were a testament to Valentinos evolving aesthetic, some elements felt reminiscent of past collections or even lacking in fresh ideas, a point thats been leveled by critics at the designer in the past. Nonetheless, spring marked a blend of the brands intrinsic elegance and a desire to pare down styles to their essentials. BURTONS SWAN SONG: ECHOING MCQUEENS GENIUS, CARVING HER LEGACY As the Parisian runway glinted under the weight of expectation, Sarah Burton, with a profound respect for legacy and an unmistakable innovative touch, presented her magnum opus for Alexander McQueen Saturday night. Her task had always been titanic to step into shoes left empty by the enigmatic genius of Lee Alexander McQueen. The fashion maestros unexpected departure wasnt just a personal loss; it marked the end of an era of theatrical, emotion-laden masterpieces. But Burton, rather than just filling a void, lit it up. She wielded her tapestry of design, interweaving McQueens audacious spirit with her softer, more feminine aesthetic. This dance of duality was evident in her farewell collection, where each piece told its story. The slashed bodices, the evocative blood-red laced spines, and the influence of Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowiczs work showcased an artistry that was both fierce and tender. The shimmer of glossy leather corsets contrasted with the ethereal shredded gossamer skirts, while other designs teased at deconstruction, with trailing embroidery and dripping silver organza that echoed McQueens rebellious early days. No detail was left untouched. From the profound artistry of Kate Middletons wedding gown a garment that transcended royal expectations to her final collections poignant motifs, Burton proved her mettle time and again. The iconic rose, emblematic open-heart embroidery, and the magnetic close by Naomi Campbell in a sculpted silver bugle bead dress, all converged in a collection that was both homage and evolution. And as the last piece sashayed down the runway, the room -- filled with powerful editors and actresses like Cate Blanchett and Elle Fanning -- rose in a rousing standing ovation, not just for Burtons final act but for a legacy beautifully continued and enriched under her stewardship. Los Angeles has a network of subways, trains, and buses that stop at popular tourist destinations. Choosing a centrally located hotel made getting around the city a lot easier. Although most tourist destinations are accessible via public transportation, some require transfers. I was concerned when my friend, who doesn't drive, told me she was visiting Los Angeles. After all, the city isn't necessarily known for its public transportation. At first, I planned to meet her in LA and rent a car. But then I began to consider visiting the sprawling city without one. I'm used to taking New York City's 24-hour subway system, and most of my vacations have been to cities with extensive transportation networks. This trip, however, required some research. LA has public transportation options, even if they don't seem popular. The subway and buses are only $1.75 per ride, which includes any transfers within two hours. There's also a $2 fee to purchase a refillable TAP card that's used for the transit. With such great prices, I was willing to give it all a try. Getting to and from LAX was a breeze The FlyAway airport bus is an affordable option to and from the Union or Van Nuys stations. Matthew Lubin We took the FlyAway bus, located outside each airport terminal, to Union Station for $9.75. Because there is no ticket kiosk at LAX, we had to download the FlyAway app. The bus ride was comfortable and took about 30 minutes at midday. At the end of our trip, however, the return trip to LAX took about 50 minutes due to the morning rush. Once at Union Station, we followed signs for the Metro and purchased tickets at the kiosk. We had to ensure the kiosk was for Metro, not Metrolink, which is a separate commuter rail service. Location matters when choosing a hotel I booked the Millennium Biltmore downtown, which was pricier than other hotels. However, its convenient location and great quality made it the best option for our stay. The hotel is a quick, five-minute walk from the Pershing Square Metro station and two stops from Union Station. Union Station is located in downtown Los Angeles. Matthew Lubin The hotel was also close to other Metro lines and bus stops, making it easier to get around the sprawling city. If I had to go to LA again, I'd choose a different location to stay, only because downtown isn't the most exciting place in the city. However, I'd still make sure I stayed near a Metro station. We used public transit to see major LA-area sights With temperatures in the 70s, downtown LA was walkable. Our hotel was close to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Bradbury Building, Angels Flight Railway, and Grand Central Market. The subway wasn't fancy, but it got us to many spots we wanted to visit. Matthew Lubin Metro Line B took us to Hollywood for popular tourist destinations like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theater. The same subway took us to the Vermont/Sunset Station for the Observatory/Los Feliz bus to Griffith Observatory. The bus was crowded on the way back, and traffic delayed our schedule. We also visited the Petersen Automotive Museum, which felt fitting while we avoided driving in the city. This trip required a 40-minute bus ride, but a bus stop was only a block from the museum. An added advantage was that the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Little Ethiopia were also a short walk away. There were a lot of buses to figure out, but Google Maps had decent route information, and the arrival times were close to accurate. Our only issue was with buses 20/720 as they were doing detours for a festival. Although the bus network is extensive, it's best to check a map app for up-to-date times and routes. Some buses run more frequently, while others may have 20-minute headways. We took both a train and a bus to get to Malibu Our longest trip was about two hours to Malibu. To get there, we first had to take a 45-minute train ride to Santa Monica. As I looked out the window, I noticed that at most stations, police and Metro staff were available to help passengers. The last stop on Metro Line E is downtown Santa Monica, which is a short walk from the pier. Matthew Lubin After getting off of the train in Santa Monica, we walked about a block to catch Bus 134 to Malibu. Although the bus didn't run as frequently as the trains, there were plenty of cafes and shops in the area to keep us busy while we waited. Bus 134 runs between Santa Monica and Malibu. Matthew Lubin Using public transportation was a cost-effective way to see Los Angeles Overall, the metro system in LA was efficient, and stations were spacious despite the usual lack of passengers. I was impressed by the Metro staff and stations, though the subway cars left much to be desired. Some destinations, like the Getty Museum, are difficult to access via public transportation, but most sights seemed easy to reach. An issue with visiting Los Angeles, whether by car or public transit, is that tourist destinations are not near each other they're in clusters spread across the region. Considering how much we'd have paid to rent, park, and fuel a car, the added travel time on the buses and trains was worth it. Read the original article on Insider U.S. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene has announced nearly $1.3 million to establish a new drug treatment program at the Kirkland City Jail. Kirkland is now set to create a program that aims to reduce cases of overdose in repeat users. The money will be provided through federal funding according to a Saturday press release. In 2018, over 47,000 Washingtonians were regular opioid users; Half of those users are expected to have been released from a Washington jail. King County saw a 137% increase in overdose deaths from 2019 to 2022, growing from 422 to 1002 cases. People in our jails and prisons are disproportionately living with substance use issues while also lacking the critical support needed to address these conditions, said DelBene. This new program in Kirkland will help provide incarcerated people with the necessary tools to combat the disease of addiction and better prepare them to reintegrate into society. Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet also commented on the matter. This is a critical step in helping Kirkland and our region bridge the gap between public safety and public health, said Sweet. Space too small for Biden s failings The 200 words allowed in a letter to the editor is a tip-of-the-iceberg approach when describing the damage done to our country by President Biden and the Democrats. Democrats were appalled at what took place Jan. 6, perhaps mostly because it happened to them. Reality and compassion from their party seem to be sadly absent when states and U.S. citizens safety, property and life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are threatened at our open southern border. The same threat is now spilling into all our states. Democrats invitation to come on in is a gross mockery and abuse of our immigration laws. With thousands of unchecked, illegal immigrants now pouring into Democrat-run cities, once again they are crying foul. Consequences must be paid for irresponsible decisions and mismanagement, but now theyre unwilling to pay the price. Nothing new here in these words. Just follow the evidence. Democrat governance does not equate to being a democracy. Its something to consider when we all (should) rush to the polls in the next election, a chance for U.S. citizens voices to object and to be heard just saying. Bonnie Hallett, Kennewick GOP defines all of us too narrowly The creators and critics of woke are too inclusive by grouping Democrats and other equal opportunity advocates as those comprising the woke community. Supporters of same-sex marriages need not be supporters of transition surgery for children, or equal opportunity for those whose aspirations do not meet their physical or mental abilities to achieve them. Noticeably, the woke critics appear to target the LGBQ+ community primarily, and other groups protected by civil rights laws. These protections apply to all, i.e., Democrats and Republicans. Yet, it appears that the Republicans are pushing the anti woke agenda when there is agreement between the parties on many social justice issues. Nonetheless, the political approaches to these social problems are quite different. Many Republicans are advocates of rewriting history, censoring schoolbooks and teachers, and eliminating womens abortion rights. Many Democrats do not agree with these approaches and thus (are) labeled as woke by those who do. Historically, the country has overcome many great challenges, its independence, slavery, world wars, etc. This current Woke divide is destructive and could be fatal. It suggests invasive and unaddressed outside influences. Perhaps its social media, AI, and/or political corruption in high places that victimizes and Awakes us all. Dallas Barnes, Pasco Stop supporting miscreant Trump Would you support someone who sexually assaulted women? Would you take him to meet your mother, sister or wife? Would you support a perpetual liar who blames everyone else for their problems and mistakes? Would you support someone who admires Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, and counts North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un as a friend? Would you support someone who has bankrupted several businesses to run your company or manage your personal finances or the country? Would you support someone who wanted to remain in office by force and fraudulent claims? Would you support someone who counts far-right groups as his go-to guys. Would you support an extremely rich person who solicits his supporters to pay for all of his self-inflicted legal woes? Would you support someone who takes top-secret documents, hides them and refuses to return them to their lawful place? Instead, he jots memos to staff on these documents. I believe in ultimate accountability. Please stop supporting Donald Trump. The justice system will have the final say, and mete out punishment befitting his crimes. Amy Small, Richland The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that at about 1 p.m. on Oct. 1 the air defense systems shot down two Ukrainian Hrim-2 short-range ballistic missiles over the Crimean peninsula. Debris allegedly fell on the outskirts of the city of Dzhankoy, a transport hub in the northeast of the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula, and damaged warehouses, Sergei Aksyonov, head of the illegal Russian occupation government in Ukraine's Crimea, said via his Telegram channel. It's not possible to independently verify these claims. Social media accounts have published photos of smoke rising above the city. Aksyonov didn't specify what the warehouses stored. On the same day, Ukrainian drones Ukrainian drones allegedly struck a helicopter base in Sochi and an aircraft factory in Smolensk, according to reports by Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainska Pravda. Ukrainian forces have been hitting Russians' military sites in the occupied Crimea however, the attacks usually aren't recognized officially. Media attribute them to Ukrainian forces based on confirmations from anonymous insider sources. A week earlier, on Sept. 22, a Ukrainian missile strike on the city of Sevastopol damaged the building of Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters. In late August, Ukrainian forces reportedly launched a drone strike against the 126th Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet resulting in dozens of casualties. Ammunition depots and Russian military equipment were also damaged as the Ukrainian military makes progress on the southern front line, according to adviser to the head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podolyak. On Aug. 24, Ukrainian troops landed on Russian-occupied Crimea and raised the Ukrainian flag as part of a symbolic operation for Ukraine's Independence Day. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia reduces offensive pace on Kupiansk-Kreminna line Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ISLAMABAD, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least one policeman and two terrorists were killed early Sunday morning during a terrorist attack at a check post in the Mianwali district of Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, the police chief said. A group of 10-12 terrorists attacked a check post of the patrolling police in the Kundal Isa Khel area, Inspector General of Police of Punjab Usman Anwar told local media. "Security guards present at the roof of the post responded quickly and repulsed the attack after a fierce exchange of fire," said the police chief, adding that a policeman lost his life while two terrorists were killed in the retaliation fire. According to the police chief, the terrorists managed to escape from the site and entered a mountainous area of the neighboring northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where police teams were chasing them. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the Senate in 1992 and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90. Feinstein died on Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C., her office said on Friday. Tributes poured in all day. Opening the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that we lost a giant in the Senate. As the nation mourns this tremendous loss, we know how many lives she impacted and how many glass ceilings she shattered along the way, Schumer said, his voice cracking. President Joe Biden, who served with Feinstein for years in the Senate, called her a pioneering American, a true trailblazer and a cherished friend. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint a temporary replacement, and there is sure to be a spirited battle to succeed her. Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate advocate for liberal priorities important to her state including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control but was also known as a pragmatic lawmaker who reached out to Republicans and sought middle ground. Her death came after a bout of shingles sidelined her for more than two months earlier this year an absence that drew frustration from her most liberal critics and launched an unsuccessful attempt by Democrats to temporarily replace her on the Senate Judiciary Committee. When she returned to the Senate in May, she was frail and using a wheelchair, voting only occasionally. On Friday, her Senate desk was draped in black and topped with a vase of white roses. Senators gave tearful tributes as members of the California House delegation stood in the back of the chamber and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sat in the gallery with Feinsteins daughter, Katherine. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was one of several Republicans who gave tributes to the Democratic icon, calling her his friend. Dianne was a trailblazer, and her beloved home state of California and our entire nation are better for her dogged advocacy and diligent service, McConnell said. Biden said in a statement, Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties. Our country will benefit from her legacy for generations. Former president Barack Obama also saluted her as a trailblazer, and former President Bill Clinton called her a champion of civil rights and civil liberties, environmental protection and strong national security. Washington Senators Murray, Cantwell pay tribute to Feinstein U.S. Sen. Patty Murray , D-Wash., spoke on the Senate floor Friday following the news of Feinsteins death. She spoke of the California senator reverently, according to a statement from her office. She cared about her country. She cared about her state. She cared about doing a job, no matter how tough it is, for the future of America, Murray said. And she did it with dignity and respect every single minute. Today, you will hear accolades from across the country, lists of her legislative accomplishments from her early days all the way through her career, Murray added. What I just want to say todayit is a true loss to America. It is a loss to her familymy heart is with you. Murray also had a message to the people she represented in California and across the country. To her constituents, you need to know: we depended on her, just as you did, Murray said. And she was here every day to fight for youno matter what. She fought for women, Murray added. She fought for those who were victims of gun violence. She fought for foreign policy that was remote to most people, but she knew every detail. Murray called Feinstein a friend and recalled a giving person who was always willing to help. I was sworn into office a few weeks after she was, and she was always there for usin matters big and small. In matters of our country, in matters of policy, and alwaysas a friend, Murray said. To those of you who dont know, she was the most generous senator I have ever known. I remember one time when I noticed that her purse was really nice, and I said Dianne, that purse is beautiful. Two days later, I got one delivered to my door. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell , D-Wash., also delivered a speech on the floor of the Senate honoring Feinsteins legacy Friday and recalled Feinstein fondly, her office reported. I want people to know the nation has lost a legislative giant, Cantwell. said. Women have lost a hero. And the Senate has lost a true colleague. Cantwell then told a story about how Feinstein always managed to get her point across, even when her time ran out during debate sessions. For me, as a young member coming here more than 20 years ago, I was amazed and astounded at what I might call the polite pushiness of Dianne Feinstein, Cantwell said. I dont know how she did it, but serving on the Judiciary Committee with her when (Feinsteins) time ran out and somebody tried to cut in and debate her, Dianne had this way of saying, Mr. Chairman, this is a really important point and I just need to make this point, and the chairman would let (Feinstein) go on for another five minutes. And I thought, How does she pull this off? Ill tell you how she pulled it off: because people knew she was serious about legislating, Cantwell continued. She was serious about working across the aisle and probably in my early days here forged the greatest impression of what working across the aisle was really all about. In her remarks, Cantwell also explained how Feinstein demonstrated to other female legislators how to get things done on Capitol Hill and in Washington, D.C. For women, we didnt really know how to get all of this done here how hard you push, how loud you can be, how much you can just get in here and grind away sometimes, Cantwell said. And Dianne showed us that, yes, we could be trailblazers and do it. And that the results really matter for people. So I hope that people will remember that legacy of her and the kindness that went along with it. A release from Cantwells office outlined some of the legislative priorities the two senators worked on together. They partnered to enhance the countrys emergency preparedness in the face of natural disasters, urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen its rapid earthquake warning system, and championing legislation supporting controlled burns to help prevent wildfires from destroying homes and livelihoods as the climate crisis worsened in the West. Cantwell and Feinstein were also fierce advocates for American consumers, the statement from Cantwells office read. They worked together to advocate for the importance of net neutrality to the FCC, prevent energy price manipulation in the wake of the Enron crisis and more recently through the Transportation Fuel Market Transparency Act. More on the life and career of Sen. Dianne Feinstein She was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969 and became its first female board president in 1978, the year Mayor George Moscone was gunned down alongside Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former supervisor. Feinstein found Milks body. After Moscones death, Feinstein became San Franciscos first female mayor. In the Senate, she was one of Californias first two female senators, the first woman to head the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first woman to serve as the Judiciary Committees top Democrat. Although Feinstein was not always embraced by the feminist movement, her experiences colored her outlook through her five decades in politics. I recognize that women have had to fight for everything they have gotten, every right, she told The Associated Press in 2005, as the Judiciary Committee prepared to hold hearings on President George W. Bushs nomination of John Roberts to replace Sandra Day OConnor on the Supreme Court. So I must tell you, I try to look out for womens rights. I also try to solve problems as I perceive them, with legislation, and reaching out where I can, and working across the aisle, she said. Feinsteins bipartisan efforts helped her notch legislative wins throughout her career. But it also proved to be a liability in her later years in Congress, as her state became more liberal and as the Senate and the electorate became increasingly polarized. A fierce debater who did not suffer fools, the California senator was long known for her verbal zingers and sharp comebacks when challenged on the issues about which she was most fervent. But she lost that edge in her later years in the Senate, as her health visibly declined and she sometimes became confused when answering questions or speaking publicly. In February 2023, she said she would not run for a sixth term the next year. And within weeks of that announcement, she was absent for the Senate for more than two months as she recovered from a bout of shingles. Amid the concerns about her health, Feinstein stepped down as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel after the 2020 elections, just as her party was about to take the majority. In 2023, she said she would not serve as the Senate president pro tempore, or the most senior member of the majority party, even though she was in line to do so. The president pro tempore opens the Senate every day and holds other ceremonial duties. One of Feinsteins most significant legislative accomplishments was early in her career, when the Senate approved her amendment to ban manufacturing and sales of certain types of assault weapons as part of a crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994. Though the assault weapons ban expired 10 years later and was never renewed or replaced, it was a poignant win after her career had been significantly shaped by gun violence. Feinstein remembered finding Milks body, her finger slipping into a bullet hole as she felt for a pulse. It was a story she would retell often in the years ahead as she pushed for stricter gun control measures. She had little patience for Republicans and others who opposed her on that issue, though she was often challenged. In 1993, during debate on the assault weapons ban, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused her of having an insufficient knowledge of guns and the gun control issue. Feinstein spoke fiercely of the violence shed lived through in San Francisco and retorted: Senator, I know something about what firearms can do. Two decades later, after 20 children and six educators were killed in a horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, first-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas similarly challenged Feinstein during debate on legislation that would have permanently banned the weapons. Im not a sixth grader, Feinstein snapped back at the much younger Cruz a moment that later went viral. She added: Its fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know Ive been here a long time. Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco after the 1978 slayings of Moscone and Milk, leading the city during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. Even her critics credited Feinstein with a calming influence, and she won reelection on her own to two four-year terms. With her success and growing recognition statewide came visibility on the national political stage. In 1984, Feinstein was viewed as a vice presidential possibility for Walter Mondale but faced questions about the business dealings of her husband, Richard Blum. In 1990, she used news footage of her announcement of the assassinations of Moscone and Milk in a television ad that helped her win the Democratic nomination for California governor, making her the first female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the states history. Although she narrowly lost the general election to Republican Pete Wilson, the stage was set for her election to the Senate two years later to fill the Senate seat Wilson had vacated to run for governor. Feinstein campaigned jointly with Barbara Boxer, who was running for the states other U.S. Senate seat, and both won, benefiting from positive news coverage and excitement over their historic race. California had never had a female U.S. senator, and female candidates and voters had been galvanized by the Supreme Court hearings in which the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Anita Hill about her sexual harassment allegations against nominee Clarence Thomas. Feinstein was appointed to the Judiciary panel and eventually the Senate Intelligence Committee, becoming the chairperson in 2009. She was the first woman to lead the intelligence panel, a high-profile perch that gave her a central oversight role over U.S. intelligence controversies, setbacks and triumphs, from the killing of Osama bin Laden to leaks about National Security Agency surveillance. Under Feinsteins leadership, the intelligence committee conducted a wide-ranging, five-year investigation into CIA interrogation techniques during President George W. Bushs administration, including waterboarding of terrorism suspects at secret overseas prisons. The resulting 6,300-page torture report concluded among other things that waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques did not provide key evidence in the hunt for bin Laden. A 525-page executive summary was released in late 2014, but the rest of the report has remained classified. The Senate investigation was full of intrigue at the time, including documents that mysteriously disappeared and accusations traded between the Senate and the CIA that the other was stealing information. The drama was captured in a 2019 movie about the investigation called The Report, and actor Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Feinstein. In the years since, Feinstein has continued to push aggressively for eventual declassification of the report. Its my very strong belief that one day this report should be declassified, Feinstein said. This must be a lesson learned: that torture doesnt work. Feinstein sometimes frustrated liberals by adopting moderate or hawkish positions that put her at odds with the left wing of the Democratic Party, as well as with the more liberal Boxer, who retired from the Senate in 2017. Feinstein defended the Obama administrations expansive collection of Americans phone and email records as necessary for protecting the country, for example, even as other Democratic senators voiced protests. Its called protecting America, Feinstein said then. That tension escalated during Donald Trumps presidency, when many Democrats had little appetite for compromise. Feinstein became the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel in 2016 and led her partys messaging through three Supreme Court nominations a role that angered liberal advocacy groups that wanted to see a more aggressive partisan in charge. Feinstein closed out confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett with an embrace of Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a public thanks to him for a job well done. This has been one of the best set of hearings that Ive participated in, Feinstein said at the end of the hearing. Liberal advocacy groups that had fiercely opposed Barretts nomination to replace the late liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were furious and called for her to step down from the committee leadership. A month later, Feinstein announced she would remain on the committee but step down as the top Democrat. The senator, then 87 years old, did not say why. In a statement, she said she would continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years. Feinstein was born on June 22, 1933. Her father, Leon Goldman, was a prominent surgeon and medical school professor in San Francisco, but her mother was an abusive woman with a violent temper that was often directed at Feinstein and her two younger sisters. Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955, with a bachelors degree in history. She married young and was a divorced single mother of her daughter, Katherine, in 1960, at a time when such a status was still unusual. In 1961, Feinstein was appointed by then-Gov. Pat Brown to the womens parole board, on which she served before running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Typical of the era, much of the early coverage of her entrance into public life focused on her appearance rather than her experience and education. Feinsteins second husband, Bert Feinstein, was 19 years older than she, but she described the marriage as a 10 and kept his name even after his death from cancer in 1978. In 1980, she married investment banker Richard Blum, and thanks to his wealth, she was one of the richest members of the Senate. He died in February 2022. This story was originally posted by My Northwest. A long-time North Carolina family physician spent Friday at the federal courthouse, not with his patients, answering serious drug charges. Henry Emery Jr., 52, a Waxhaw resident, has been accused of illegally prescribing and distributing a drug known as buprenorphine, a medicine used to treat opioid drug addiction. But just like opioids, buprenorphine can be abused as well. According to Drug Enforcement Agency agents (DEA), thats exactly what Emery was doing. The indictment claims that Emery prescribed a mixed substance containing some buprenorphine on multiple occasions with the intent of breaking the law. Channel 9 crime reporter Glenn Counts spoke with residents in the town who were shocked at the charges. ALSO READ: North Carolina lawmakers pushing for harsher penalties for drug overdose deaths You know they have an oath to help people, and I think what they are doing and what they know is not helping people, said Diane Diner. At one time, Emery was working out of his Weddington office building, but it was no longer there. Counts was able to speak with Shanna Bennett, a resident and wife of a physician, who has zero tolerance for the family physicians accused offenses. I have zero tolerance for that; there is not a good enough excuse for taking advantage of the people who need help or giving to those who dont need it, Bennett said. Counts was able to speak with Emery, but he refused to go on camera. He said he pleaded not guilty and that hes confident that as the case works its way through the system, the courts will agree with his plea. (WATCH BELOW: Lancaster County deputies warn against Xylazine, drug used to cut opioids) A nearly 10-year veteran officer of the West Sacramento Police Department was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence outside of Yolo County, the department said. This conduct is not in alignment with our departments core values, West Sacramento Police Chief Robert Strange said in the statement. While this officer has fallen short, we will, as a department, continue to work towards our mission to serve with honor and professionalism, in partnership with our community, to enhance the quality of life in West Sacramento. The officer was stopped by the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office about noon Saturday after a deputy saw the officer driving in the southeast Stockton area near Highways 99 and 4, according to a West Sacramento police news release. While authorities did not describe how the officer was driving before the traffic stop, the Police Department said the suspicion of DUI was heightened after making contact. The Sheriffs Office summoned the California Highway Patrol to make the arrest on suspicion of DUI. The West Sacramento officer was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp on charges related to the stop, police said. The identity of the officer was not disclosed by the department but a search of county jail logs showed Officer Raymond Barrantes was arrested Saturday and released by the jail. Barrantes has been employed by the Police Department since 2014, according to Transparent California, a website that tracks public employee pay data. Transparent Californias data shows Barrantes earned $153,965 for regular and overtime pay in 2021, the latest year of data available. Before joining the West Sacramento force, Barrantes had worked as an officer in Woodlake, in Tulare County, and Mendota, in Fresno County, according to the state pay data. Police said the officer will be placed on administrative leave by the West Sacramento Police Department, and an internal affairs investigation will begin, police said. Western top officials and ambassadors posted greetings for Ukraine's defenders to celebrate 1 October, the Day of Defenders of Ukraine. Source: European Pravda Quote from Bridgen Brink, US Ambassador: "On behalf of the American people, I join millions of Ukrainians today in commemorating Defenders Day. We honor the heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the veterans who have served your country, and those who continue to fight." On behalf of the American people, I join millions of Ukrainians today in commemorating Defenders Day. We honor the heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the veterans who have served your country, and those who continue to fight. pic.twitter.com/LSRh72UWg1 Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) October 1, 2023 Quote from Roberta Metsola , President of the European Parliament: "Today we honour the brave defenders of Ukraine, those on the frontline & the fallen soldiers. On Ukraine's Defender Day, we salute the courage, defiance & resilience of those not only fighting to protect their homeland, but also standing up for our values." Today we honour the brave defenders of Ukraine, those on the frontline & the fallen soldiers. On Ukraine's Defender Day, we salute the courage, defiance & resilience of those not only fighting to protect their homeland, but also standing up for our values.#SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/QhOlLpwDtM Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) October 1, 2023 Details: Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, posted a photo from Ukraine where he lit a candle in memory of the fallen. Quote from Josep Borrell: "With the 09:00 minute of silence, we remember those who paid the highest price to defend their country & our collective freedom." Todays Ukraine Defenders Day is testimony to the heroic fight of the Ukrainian people for their liberty, against Russias barbaric war of aggression. With the 9 AM minute of silence, we remember those who paid the highest price to defend their country & our collective freedom. pic.twitter.com/pNBc1DkbBV Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 1, 2023 More details: Katarina Mathernova, the new EU ambassador to Ukraine, posted a photo from President Zelenskyy's official ceremony of awarding defenders of Ukraine, some posthumously, noting that it evokes strong emotions. Background: US President Joe Biden called on Congress to prevent problems with aid to Ukraine after the temporary budget was approved without this item. Meanwhile, the UK Defence Secretary admitted that in the future, some Western training for the Ukrainian military, as well as weapons production, could take place in Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Workers have been mobilizing across the country this year in a recent swell in union activity. Some of the workers at healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente could join the wave of labor action and strike next week. Kaiser operates medical facilities up and down the Front Range, including two in Pueblo. Over 99% of the Kaiser employees in Colorado, represented by the Service Employees International Union, voted earlier this month to authorize a three-day strike pending the result of contract negotiations. But negotiations were still ongoing as of the Chieftains Friday afternoon deadline, so a strike isnt guaranteed. Kaiser Permanente employees walk a picket line outside of the hospital on West Lane near Hammer Lane in Stockton on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. The employees are in contract negotiations with Kaiser Permanente to get more staffing. About 300 Stockton employees joined others from Manteca and Vacaville on Tuesday, and those from Modesto and south Sacramento on Wednesday. The biggest reasons that negotiations are held up are because of wage increases and a staffing crisis, SIEU Local 105 President Stephanie Felix-Sowy told the Chieftain Friday afternoon. Felix-Sowy was reached in California, where she was bargaining alongside representatives from other unions with Kaiser executives on a new contract to replace the current one that expired Saturday. There are over 85,000 guild-represented workers at Kaiser facilities in eight states and Washington D.C. who could strike next week. While a strike threat is disappointing, it does not necessarily mean a strike will happen. We take any threat to disrupt care for our members seriously and have plans in place to ensure we can continue to provide high-quality care should a strike actually occur next week, Kaiser said in a statement provided to the Chieftain. Why workers voted to strike SIEU Local 105 represents over 3,000 healthcare workers at Kaiser facilities in Colorado, including nurses, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, schedulers, transportation staff, and laboratory workers. In Pueblo, that includes eight workers at Kaisers Acero medical clinic and 12 workers at the Pueblo North facility, according to an SIEU spokesperson. Emily Berrera lives in northern Pueblo County and works as a medical assistant at a Colorado Springs Kaiser facility. She told the Chieftain on her Friday lunch break that she supported authorizing the strike because she wanted to hold out for a better long-term wage increase. I know these three days of our strike financially are going to hit me, but I would rather take that three-day hit than suffer the next four years and accept a mediocre offer from Kaiser execs, Berrera said. Kaiser had previously offered a 12% wage increase over four years, but Felix-Sowy said that the increase isnt enough to mitigate rising costs. The cost of living in Colorado and in other places that Kaiser is operational, such as on the west coast, has ballooned in recent years, she noted. Felix-Sowy said the unions are hoping to get a 24% wage increase spread over four years. Kaiser has said that their philosophy is to compensate workers at 10% above market rate. How staffing shortages play a factor Healthcare providers have struggled with staffing shortages since before the pandemic, Felix-Sowy said, but the COVID-19 pandemic magnified existing issues and exacerbated the problems. Kaiser and a coalition of unions representing workers in different states reached an agreement earlier this year to hire 10,000 additional workers, according to a Kaiser statement from Sept. 22. The company said in a Friday statement that they expect to reach the goal at the end of October, if not sooner, and we wont stop there. We are committed to addressing every area of staffing that is still challenging. Weve also taken actions to streamline the screening, hiring and onboarding process, the statement says. Kaiser has said that they have hired 9,700 new workers around the country so far, but a Kaiser spokesperson was unable to confirm Friday how many of those workers have been hired in Colorado. Berrera said that her clinic has been short-staffed all year and that makes it so that patients have to wait longer, sometimes months, for available appointments. We have been short-staffed two to three people, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when there's only six of us total that's a big chunk, Berrera said. As a medical assistant, part of Berreras job is preparing patients before they see doctors, as well as helping with immunizations and vision exams as needed. When theres two doctors at the clinics who have simultaneous appointments, she and her co-workers have more work to do in order to keep the doctors running on time. It gets stressful: it's definitely a lot to deal with, Berrera said. How a strike would affect patients in Pueblo A Kaiser spokesperson estimated that there are over 13,000 people served by Kaiser in the Pueblo area. In a message directed to patients posted on its website, Kaiser assured patients that we have plans in place to ensure we can continue to provide you high-quality care should a strike actually occur. In the event of a strike, our facilities will continue to be staffed by our physicians and other care professionals, along with trained and experienced managers and contingency staff, according to the alert. Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Why some Pueblo healthcare workers might go on strike this week Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Sunday hit out at former President Donald Trump and other Republicans in Washington, calling for greater support for Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia. Asked by CBS Margaret Brennan what he thinks Americans should expect if the former president wins a second term in office, Esper, who served in Trumps first administration, said I suspect that he will do what he says. He will somehow attempt to negotiate a deal between Russia and Ukraine, and that wont fly. Theres only one person that can end this conflict in Ukraine, and thats Vladimir Putin , and he's not about to do that anytime soon," Esper said. "So I suspect Trump will quickly move to end funding for Ukraine, and then at some point hes also going to move to withdraw funding for NATO, and maybe even pull out of NATO, which would be disastrous for United States national security," he added. Trump, the current 2024 Republican frontrunner, has frequently suggested that the U.S. might be providing Ukraine with too much support. He has also claimed he would end the war in 24 hours if reelected president. The former president has also often dismissed NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance between dozens of countries in Europe and North America. Politics: Gen. Milley says military doesn't answer to 'wannabe dictator' in apparent rebuke of Trump Esper on Sunday warned that Putin could be looking to wait out the clock and maybe hope Donald Trump returns to the presidency. But Trump wasnt the only leader Esper targeted on Sunday. Asked about the hold on hundreds of military nominees Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has fueled for months, the former Defense secretary said "its unfair to hold military nominees over 300 now hostage, if you will, over a policy issue for which thats not their responsibility. The Alabama lawmaker has blocked promotions for more than 300 senior Pentagon officers that require Senate confirmation as a protest against a Department of Defense policy. The provision includes some paid leave and other expenses for service members traveling to have an abortion. He has claimed the policy is a violation of federal law. But Esper on Sunday warned that the move, and other gridlock in Washington, could send a chaotic message around the world. Look, the Chinese government doesnt shut down. The Chinese government doesnt do continuing resolutions. And they certainly dont hold up their admirals and generals when they need them as they prepare for potential conflict with the United States, Esper said. We just look really dysfunctional, and were harming our own readiness in the process when we look across the international environment. Contributing: Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA TODAY; Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vladimir Putin hopes Donald Trump wins reelection, Mark Esper warns Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 1) The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed four agricultural smuggling complaints against rice importers allegedly linked to a Bulacan warehouse used to store the commodity, an official said. Ito po iyong mga ni-raid noong Aug. 24 sa Bulacan and pardon me po kung hindi ko mapapangalanan iyong mga akusado, William Balayo, acting director of the BOC Legal Service, said in news forum on Saturday. [Translation: These stem from raids conducted in Bulacan last Aug. 24, and pardon me if I cannot name the accused.] Tatlo po dito ay iyong [Three of these are] economic sabotage, he added, meaning these are considered large-scale cases as these exceed the 10-million minimum threshold for smuggled rice under the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. He explained one of the cases did not meet the value threshold mandated by the law so it was downgraded to a violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, though it is still considered agricultural smuggling. Last August, the BOC discovered a series of warehouses across Bulacan found to contain over 1 billion in imported rice. The BOC raided three containing 505 million worth of smuggled rice from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. It found another four storing rice from Vietnam and Pakistan, valued at 519 million. Related: Customs shuts down warehouses storing 'smuggled' rice in Bulacan Customs authorities find 519M imported rice in several warehouses in Bulacan Marlon Agaceta, the BOC commissioners chief of staff, said the bureau served four letters of authority (LOAs) against the four warehouses. These required the importers to submit documents proving the legality of their importation and the correct payment of dues and taxes. For the two of them, the deadline for LOA submission lapsed on Sept. 29. But the two other LOAs which were served on Sept.15, mayroon pa po silang (they have) two more days to submit and ongoing po iyong inventory [the inventory is ongoing], Agaceta said Saturday. The BOC also said that the Metropolitan Trial Court - National Judicial Capital Region Branch 24 convicted another importer for agricultural smuggling. In June 2020, Real Mart consigned a shipment of carrots from Singapore which was misdeclared as 2,500 cartons of frozen pastry buns. The following September, the BOC filed a complaint versus Divina Bisco Aguilar, Real Marts proprietor. The court sentenced Aguilar to three years and one day up to four years in prison. What you need to know A research organization discovered X's recent move to eliminate the option to report misinformation on the platform. Reset.Tech Australia revealed that at least five individuals are unable to report electoral misinformation on the platform, weeks before a referendum. It appears that X's remaining tool to fight misinformation is to let users fact-check tweets using its Community Notes feature. X, the micro-blogging site formerly known as Twitter, has ditched the option for users to report misinformation, potentially posing a threat to the platform's longstanding feature for keeping misleading tweets at bay. According to an open letter published by the research group Reset.Tech Australia, users in countries where the feature was released can no longer flag misleading tweets about elections, which could lead to more misinformation spreading in the lead-up to Australia's upcoming referendum (via The Guardian). The feature was first introduced in 2021 in the United States, Australia, and South Korea, where users were able to report tweets that they thought were misleading. Twitter's (as it was known back then) staff would then review the flagged tweets, along with other methods for reporting abuse or hate speech. Reset.Tech Australia notes in its letter that at least five Australians were unable to find the "misleading information" category within the "Report post" option when reporting a tweet. That said, X retains the ability to report content for hate, abuse and harassment, violent speech, child safety, spam, privacy, self-harm, sensitive media, violence, and deceptive identities. "It is extremely concerning that Australians would lose the ability to report serious misinformation weeks away from a major referendum," Reset.Tech Australia said. The tool was part of limited testing and rolled out to more countries, including Brazil, the Philippines, and Spain, in 2022. While Twitter vowed to expand globally, this never happened, especially since Elon Musk took over the company. The move comes at a time when social media platforms are facing increasing pressure to crack down on the spread of misinformation, particularly about elections. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of people using social media to spread false claims about elections. Musk has been critical of Twitter's content moderation policies, and he has said that he believes in free speech, even if it means allowing the spread of misinformation. Twitter has previously taken steps to combat misinformation about elections, but its decision to remove the ability to report false election information is a major step backwards. However, people can still use the platform's Community Notes feature to fact-check X posts, which is its last line of defense against misinformation. A family spends time on the beach as scuba divers, Tanasia Swift, second right, and Sarah Sears first right, prepares to enter the water during an underwater cleanup in the Queens borough of New York on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. A diving group takes part in a monthly cleanup at a cove in the community of Far Rockaway, about 4 miles south of John F. Kennedy Airport, to help the global effort to undo ocean pollution. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki) NEW YORK (AP) On a recent Sunday afternoon, the divers arrived on a thin strip of sand at the furthest, watery edge of New York City. Air tanks strapped to their backs, they waded into the sea and descended into an environment far different from their usual terrestrial surroundings of concrete, traffic and trash-strewn sidewalks. Horseshoe crabs and other crustaceans crawl on a seabed encrusted with barnacles and colonies of coral. Spiny-finned sea robin, blackfish and wayward angelfish swim in the murky ocean tinted green by sheets of algae. Not all is pretty. Plastic bottles, candy wrappers and miles and miles of fishing line drift with the tides, endangering sea life. The undersea litter isn't always visible from the shore. But it has long been a concern of Nicole Zelek, founder of the dive school SuperDive who four years ago launched monthly cleanups at this small cove in the community of Far Rockaway, where New York City meets the Atlantic Ocean, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) south of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. A throwaway culture of single-use plastics and other hard-to-degrade material has sullied the world's waters over the decades, posing a danger to marine life such as seals and seabirds. Dive by dive, small groups like Zeleks have been trying to undo some of the damage as part of the DIVERS-ity Inititative, which promotes inclusion in the sport. Every month we have a prize for the weirdest find, she said. They have included the occasional goat skull, perhaps used as part of some ritual, Zelek surmises. The best find of all time was an actual ATM machine. Unfortunately, it was empty, she said. The divers' haul one late-summer Sunday wasnt much, but there were clumps and clumps of fishing line untangled from underwater objects. What the divers cant pull away by hand is cut with scissors. Unfortunately, tons of crabs and horseshoe crabs which are under threat get tangled in the fishing line and then they die, Zelek said. While more ambitious projects are underway to scoop up huge accumulations of floating debris in deeper waters, small-scale coastal cleanups like Zelek's are an important part of the battle against ocean pollution, said Nick Mallos, vice president of conservation for Ocean Conservancy. The science is very clear and thats to tackle our global plastic pollution crisis, he said. We have to do it all. Every September, the conservancy holds monthlong international coastal cleanups. Since its inception nearly four decades ago, the cleanups have retrieved about 400 million pounds (181.4 million kilograms) of trash from coastal areas around the world. The best way to combat plastics going into the oceans, Mallos said, is to reduce the globe's dependence on them, particularly in packaging consumer products. But human-powered cleanup is the least costly of all cleanup options. By 2025, some 250 million tons (226.7 million metric tons) of plastic will have found its way into the oceans, according to the PADI AWARE Foundation, a conservation group sponsoring a global project called Dive Against Debris. The project invites what organizers call citizen scientists to survey their diving sites to help catalog the myriad items that dont belong in oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. By the groups count, more than 90,000 participants have conducted more than 21,000 such surveys and removed 2.2 million pieces of junk, big and small. Zelek and her fellow divers have contributed their finds to the project. Surface trash might be easy enough to clear with a rake, but the task is more challenging beneath the water. Over the years, the layers of monofilament fishing line have accumulated. And until a few years ago, no one was scooping out the line, hooks and lead weights. Untangled, a pound of medium-weight fishing filament would stretch to a bit more than 4 miles (6.4 kilometers). Its anybodys guess how many miles of fishing line remain on the channels bottom. Those small things are really what start to accumulate and become a much larger and bigger problem, said Tanasia Swift, who has been with the group for a year and works for an environmental nonprofit focused on restoring the health of New York Citys waters. If theres anything that we see that doesnt belong in the water, we take it out, she said. While the drivers work, fishermen cast their lines from a ledge where the city's concrete stops. The beach is frequented mostly by residents who live nearby. Raquel Gonzalez is one such resident, and she's been coming to the beach for years. She and a neighbor brought a rake with them on the same Sunday the divers were there. Needs a lot of cleanup here. There's nobody that does any cleanup around here. We have to clean it up ourselves," she said. I love this spot, I love the scuba divers," Gonzalez said. Look at all the good people here. ___ Associated Press journalist Cedar Attanasio contributed and is a volunteer with the scuba team featured in this report. A 21-year-old New York college student says she was detained in Dubai after an airport search. Airport officials accused Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos of assault after she nudged one of them, she said. Several Americans have been prohibited from leaving Dubai by drummed-up legal charges and scams. A 21-year-old New York college student has been detained in Dubai after airport staffers accused her of "assaulting and insulting" them. Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos was traveling from Istanbul with a friend when the incident unfolded in mid-July, Detained in Dubai, an organization that provides advice and legal assistance to foreigners in the United Arab Emirates, said in a press release. The pair had a 10-hour layover in Dubai, which they chose over Paris. For Polcano De Los Santos, those 10 hours have now stretched into multiple months. "We thought it would be a more modern and futuristic city, but we were completely wrong," Polanco De Los Santos said in the press release. As she went through the security screening, airport employees told her she needed to take off her doctor-mandated waist-training brace, the press release said. It added that despite her hesitations, she agreed and was ushered into a booth with female security officers, who were "rough" as they removed the compressor. "I felt really violated," Polanco De Los Santos said, adding that she was "uncomfortable and afraid." The press release said she tried to put the trainer back on by herself, a process that takes two people, before crying and asking for help. The security officers didn't help and blocked her exit, at which point Polanco De Los Santos lightly nudged one of them so that she could call out to her friend for help, the press release said. "I gently touched her arm to guide her out of the way then desperately started crying to my friend for help," she said. Though the search came back clear, officials told her she'd be detained for "touching the female customs officer" and kept her for hours as they filed the complaint, the report said. Just filing a criminal or civil case against someone in Dubai triggers a complicated legal process wherein the accused party is prohibited from leaving the country. In fact, local scammers are known for using such cases to extort foreigners for money, saying they'll drop the case in exchange for thousands of dollars. A Texas woman was detained in Dubai for months after being accused of yelling, which her accusers said violated the nation's obscenity law. She was released after paying more than $1,000 to have the travel ban against her lifted. Radha Stirling, the CEO of Detained in Dubai, said people could end up detained in the UAE for years on bogus or minor charges. In another case Stirling is working on, a US veteran has been detained in the country for years on what he says are false charges that he owes a debt to his children's school. For Polanco De Los Santos, a student at Lehman College, the past few months moving from one hotel to another and waiting for court hearings have been miserable. "Even if Elizabeth wins her case, six months or more of being forced to stay in the country at her own cost while under the very real threat of imprisonment is an unacceptable consequence of transiting through Dubai," Stirling said in the press release. "This is simply no way to treat visitors." Read the original article on Insider Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. Director of Research for The States Project, Aaron Kleinman, tells The New Abnormal why Virginias state election in November is crucial, not just for locals but for the U.S. as a whole. Kleinman says his group is pouring big bucks into a number of key races ahead of the Nov. 7 vote, with a couple of seats set to determine whether Republicans, or indeed Democrats, are able to capture both houses. He said if Republicans are able to control Virginias House and Senate, then you can expect Gov. Glenn Youngkin to ram through a radical right-wing agenda on residents of the purple state. Virginia has another governor with national ambitions and Youngkin is the biggest funder by far of the rights legislative efforts. Hes again, really tapping into that far-right money tree to help them get elected. So hes going to try to press an agenda that can get him elected nationally. And weve seen what the right wings primary electorate looks like, he told Andy Levy. So nothings off the table here. He cant run for re-election, hes not thinking about re-election. Hes not thinking about whats best for the country. Hes thinking about what can make him president and enacting a lot of far-right wishlists So its really kind of an alarming thing that could happen here. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast Kleinman said that could see Youngkin reverse his position on a 15-week abortion ban to something much more restrictive, enact book bans, erode LGBT rights, and remove a lot of environmental protections. Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 1, when Ukraine marks the Defenders Day, a public holiday honoring veterans and fallen soldiers, that the country will never again pay with the future of its children, its sovereignty and its will for illusory promises of peace. Ukraine has made historical conclusions, Zelensky said. In 1994, three years after gaining independence, Ukraine, which had the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world and included more than 5,000 strategic and tactical weapons, signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Budapest Memorandum. The country expected extended security assurance in return for moving warheads to Russia, which 20 years later would brutally violate memorandum and invade Ukraine. Our unity must enable us to go all the way to drive the occupier out of our land. And it will, Zelensky said. Courage, resilience, and unity are the things we must not lose in order not to lose Ukraine. As of the beginning of August, 12 countries Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Sweden have already joined the G7's joint declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine. The guarantees, including addressing issues of sanctions, financial assistance and post-war reconstruction, are expected to strengthen Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression. Read also: Abducting the future: How Ukrainian parents fight to rescue their children from Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has said at the celebration of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine that Ukraine will pay with the future of its children and with its sovereignty for "illusory promises of peace" no more. Source: Zelenskyy at a celebration of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine at the National History and Architecture Museum Kyivska Fortetsia (Kyiv Fortress), as reported by the Presidents Office Quote: "Nowadays, modern generations of Ukrainians you and all those who are now defending our state and people, our freedom and independence have the opportunity to accomplish more than we have been able to ever before. Our defence of Ukraine against the Russian invasion is based on the historically greatest ever unity of our society. A unity that we cherish. Ukraine enjoys the historically greatest ever level of support from the world. And never again will Ukraine pay with the future of its children, its sovereignty and its will for illusory promises of peace. Ukraine has drawn historical conclusions." Details: Zelenskyy decorated soldiers with awards and presented military units with honorary titles, honours and battle flags. He also participated in the taking of the oath by military lyceum students. He awarded the Zolota Zirka (Order of the Gold Star) to the family members of Vasyl Bohach, who received the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously. The President presented the highest state award to the family of Sergeant Ihor Kolesnichenko, also posthumously. Zelenskyy also awarded the Zolota Zirka to the family of a fallen pilot, Hero of Ukraine Major Danylo Murashko, who conducted 141 combat flights from the start of the war in February 2022 to January 2023. Master Sergeant Maksym Stryzhak, who participated in the defence of the city of Bakhmut, also received the title of Hero of Ukraine. The order was also presented to the family of a fallen Hero of Ukraine, Senior Lieutenant Vladyslav Skvortsov, who distinguished himself at the beginning of the war during the battles for Okhtyrka and the liberation of Trostianets. The Zolota Zirka was also awarded to the parents of a mortar battery commander, Senior Lieutenant Andrii Soroka, who distinguished himself in battles near Marinka in Donetsk Oblast last summer. Fire Support Company Chief Sergeant Oleksandr Fedorchenko also received the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously. The family of combat medic Yevhen Khrapko, who had volunteered in the Joint Operation Forces zone in Donbas since 2014 and served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2016, also received this honour. The President awarded the Zolota Zirka to Oleksii Hrebenshchykov, an Air Force pilot and Hero of Ukraine who has been defending Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Lieutenant Colonel Semen Kukharenko, who defended settlements in Donetsk Oblast, mainly Bakhmut, in the spring and summer of 2023, was also given the highest state award, the title of Hero of Ukraine. Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Marchuk, who participated in the assault on Russian positions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast this summer, received the Zolota Zirka from the President. The title of Hero of Ukraine and the Zolota Zirka were awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Kyrylo Peretiatko, whose guidance facilitated the downing of 65 Russian aerial targets in July and August 2023. Air Force pilot Captain Ihor Kharchenko, who has conducted 107 combat flights since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, also received the title of Hero of Ukraine. The Zolota Zirka was awarded to Senior Lieutenant Serhii Kharchenko, who has killed many Russian occupiers since the beginning of the war serving in a National Guard battalion. Zelenskyy also awarded the honour of the President of Ukraine, the Cross of Military Merit, to four soldiers. He presented Ukrainian defenders with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, 1st to 3rd class, the Order for Courage, 3rd class, the Order of Merit, 3rd class, and the Order of Danylo Halytskyi. Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron! Think of me as a simple working-class lad from New Castle, Delaware, who went on to become something of an overachiever. Ive fallen back on that self-effacing line on a number of occasions. But the thing is, its true. I grew up in the late 1950s and early 60s in a working-class family living in a blue-collar neighborhood. The Delaware of my youth was the chemical capital of the world, and DuPont, headquartered in Wilmington, was king. The working-class Delaware dream was to get in with DuPont. It was one of the great paternalistic companies that could offer even high-school graduates secure lifelong employment with good pay and benefits. The Delaware nightmare from my standpoint at least was having to settle for the stultifying monotony of work on the assembly line at our General Motors Plant in Wilmington or our Chrysler Plant in Newark. You would likely find yourself repeatedly installing the same part as the cars passed by for eight hours a day. I was warned away from that fate by tales of men who has been lured to the line with the thought of soon finding more interesting jobs that never materialized. Before they knew it, they found themselves lifers on the line, with mortgages to pay and children to support. The saving grace was that even a high-school dropout could enjoy the same standard of living as a college graduate. Judging from a current GM company YouTube video I watched, robotics and automation seem to do much of the assembly these days. Still, I saw human beings at various stations who appeared to be performing repetitive tasks. I wonder if they find their work fulfilling. In 1965, the average assembly line wage was $3.10 an hour. A dollar then equates to $9.75 today. Do the math. Thats the equivalent of $30.22 an hour these days. Only top-of-the-line workers earn that much now. But how long does it take to get there? The average hourly wage is $18.71. What about those earning that much or less? How are they doing? To its credit, General Motors does have a profit-sharing plan that will net each full-time employee a bonus of $12,750 this year, and I understand that GM workers with longevity can make as much as $78,000 per year. Not bad until you compare the cost of living in 1965 to today. Back then, a loaf of bread could be had for $0.21, a car under $3,000 and an average house for under $22,000. Given our current cost of living, I wonder how GM workers in general feel about their CEO, Mary Barra? The highest paid CEO in the industry, she makes $29 million per year, thanks to a 34% increase over four years. Granted, under her leadership, the company made $12.9 billion in profits last year. But GM employees did make major concessions to keep the company afloat in the recession of 2008. Why not meet the UAWs demands? I have to believe GM can afford it. But what do I know? I avoided the industrial-strength boredom that seemed to be my legacy. In the words of the poet, I took the road less traveled by. I enlisted in the Marine Corps. For the most part, religions can be seen as efforts by human beings to achieve meaning and value in their individual and social lives. But the religious realm is not immune to that Force of Brokenness thats continually working to degrade the human world. And lately, such a destructive force has risen in power in the three world religions with the most adherents Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Likewise also in Judaism a religion considered major, despite its small numbers, because of its historical role in being the root of Christianity and Islam. Judaism in Israel In the case of Judaism, Israel the worlds only Jewish state is now governed by a faction that includes the supposedly ultra-religious, but whose spirit is the direct opposite of what was famously declared to be the essence of the Jewish religion. As articulated a couple of centuries B.C. by Rabbi Hillel, the essence of Judaism is That which is hateful to yourself, do not do to others. But that principle is being systematically violated by those Jews of Israel declaring themselves the most Jewish: treating the Palestinians in ways they themselves would find utterly hateful; and jamming a judicial overhaul down the throats of the Israeli majority who find that power-grab hateful. While Hillels rule is a recipe for a much better human world, this Jewish form of fascism, by contrast, threatens to tear Israel apart, poison the relationship with the others with whom they are compelled to share a piece of this planet, and make the Jewish state more vulnerable to destruction by its enemies. How did Judaism in Israel become home to such a fascist spirit? How might Hillels better spirit play a more powerful role? Christianity in the U.S. In America, ever since the rise of Jerry Falwells Moral Majority, the most vocal and most politically powerful representatives of Christianity have been aligned with forces whose conduct has grown increasingly at odds with Christianitys moral teachings. Lately, the most visible representatives of Christianity on the American political stage have been those Evangelical Christians who have been a substantial part of Donald Trumps base an alliance epitomized by the recent strong embrace between Donald Trump and Jerry Falwell Jr.s Liberty University. Todays most visible American Christians like the ultra-religious Jews in todays governing coalition in Israel give their support to a political party that acts in direct contradiction of their religions basic moral messages: Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men, and Jesuss Golden Rule. Instead of peace, that party insists on making every issue even a deadly pandemic something to fight over. Instead of goodwill toward men, that party demonizes others and targets them with their hatred. Antagonism is the Partys one consistent position. Recent reports from Christian pastors show quite dramatically how this part of American Christianity is being pulled toward its opposite: some of their Christian congregants repudiate the Sermon on the Mount, explicitly rejecting Jesuss teachings as weak. How did that spirit gain so much foothold in American Christianity? Islams most visible manifestations Americans dont need reminders of how Islam, in these times, has likewise been taken over by ugly and destructive elements. Islam has been represented on the world stage largely by fascistic actors like the Taliban oppressing Afghanistan, the Islamic State (ISIS) that bringing horrors to the world as they sought to establish their Caliphate, and the 9/11 terrorists who brought down the World Trade Centers in 2001. Some religious Muslims declare their destructive co-religionists are betraying the true principles of their religion. But, nonetheless, it is the Spirit of these fascists and terrorists that largely represents Islam as a force in the human world. Hinduism in India At the center of the moral teachings of Hinduism is the requirement for compassion. But the Hindu nationalist government now in control of India is described by one Indian commentator as an avenging nation, bulldozing Muslim properties without due process. Adding the lament, We now appear to be ruled by gangsters fitted out as Hindu godmen. Hinduism also values truthfulness. But like other fascistic regimes, the Hindu nationalist government headed by Narendra Modi is warring on the truth. Modis regime is enforcing propaganda on the nations educational system. The young are to be taught a false picture that feeds the assertion of Hinduism, such as removing from the curriculum some basics of modern science (rejected as something from the West) in favor of teaching that the important ideas were all contained in the ancient Hindu texts. And meanwhile, like other fascist regimes we have seen, Modis regime has also used its powers to imprison and even perhaps to assassinate on foreign territory its critics and rivals. *** The fact that this same pattern is visible in so many religions, suggests it is not the religions themselves that are the root of the problem. It seems, rather, that religion at the core of peoples lives, that taps into peoples passions has provided a channel for what might be called a Force of Fascism thats risen around the globe. Why has that force become so powerful in our times, that it can even take over religions that are basically anti-fascist in their spirit? And how can these religions be recaptured by their better spirits? Andy Schmookler is the author of The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution. OSAKA, Oct 01 ( News On Japan ) - Two young boys were attacked and injured by a monkey in Kyushu on Saturday, with a security camera capturing the primate entering a house before biting a 5-year-old boy inside. A report was received at around 7 AM, that a child had been bitten by a monkey at a residence in Nakagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The monkey entered the house through the front door, which had been left open for ventilation, and bit a 5-year-old boy on the thigh, leaving two puncture marks in his pants. The boy's father responded by punching the monkey and driving it out of the house. According to the boy's mother, the monkey was about the same size as a child, standing approximately 100 cm tall. About 30 minutes later, there was a report of a 4-year-old boy being bitten by a monkey in the yard of a house located about 500 meters away. The boy sustained injuries to his arms and legs. In Fukuoka Prefecture, there have been several reports of monkey attacks, including one where a schoolgirl was bitten by a monkey in a residential area of Fukuoka City. The police are advising residents not to approach monkeys if they encounter them and to avoid making eye contact. (CNN) Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building on Saturday morning, shortly before the House was scheduled to vote on a government funding bill, an incident the New York Democrat said was an accident. The incident was first revealed by House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin, who said in a statement that an investigation is underway. Steil told CNN on Saturday evening that Bowman needed to be far more forthcoming about what happened when he decided to pull the fire alarm. We know Jamaal Bowman pulled the fire alarm. Why he did that, it is pretty unclear. His initial explanation, that it was an accident, doesnt seem to really pass muster, Steil told CNNs Jim Acosta. Steil also warned that if Bowman pulled the alarm to interfere with the House voting procedure an accusation Bowman earlier told reporters was complete BS it would be a serious violation of the law. Bowmans office said it was an accident, and the congressman told reporters later Saturday: I was trying to get to a door. I thought the alarm would open the door, and I pulled the fire alarm to open the door by accident. I was just trying to get to my vote and the door thats usually open wasnt open, it was closed, Bowman added. Leadership in both parties was informed of the situation once Bowman was identified in security footage, a source familiar said. Bowman said he met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about the incident shortly after the funding stopgap measure passed the House on Saturday, adding that Jeffries tone was supportive and he understood that was a mistake. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House Ethics Committee should look into the incident. I think ethics should look at this, but this is serious, McCarthy said in response to a reporters question following the House vote. He added that he will have a discussion with Jeffries regarding the incident. This should not go without punishment, McCarthy said. This is an embarrassment. You are elected to be a member of Congress. You pulled a fire alarm, in a (matter) of hours before the government being shut down, trying to dictate that the government would shut down? Following McCarthys remarks, Rep. Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican and member of the GOP leadership team, told CNN she was circulating a resolution to censure Bowman over the incident. She said she already has co-sponsors. Bowman, however, laughed off the GOP response to the incident on Saturday, telling reporters, Theyre gonna do what they do. This is what they do. This story has been updated with additional information. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE Community College Alliance for Agriculture (C2A3) and USDA Rural Development formally sign a memorandum of understanding to assist students across the Midwest who will be offered resources and skill development that will help them advance in careers in agriculture and rural economic development. Northeast Community College is among C2A3 partners that are working to strengthen the nations rural workforce. Cote dIvoires economic hub Abidjan will host on October 3-5, the African Development Bank Groups fifth Africa Resilience Forum, a summit to explore innovative solutions to fill the financing gaps for African countries experiencing conflict and facing increasing insecurity. The event will also advance discussion on how to mobilize resources at scale at the nexus of peace, development, and security, channel them to the public and private sectors, and build effective partnerships for this purpose, the Abidjan-based financial lender added. This years edition is placed under the theme: Financing Security, Peace and Development for a Resilient Africa. The sessions will address several topics including The Case for Linking Humanitarian, Development, Peace, and Security Financing, Scaling-up Investments for Trade and Food Security, Investing in Women and Gender Equality to Build Resilience and Financing Durable Solutions for Forced Development. The gathering, the bank also notes, is an opportunity to present its latest thinking on the fragility and resilience agenda and share some of the new initiatives being taken forward under the Banks new strategy for addressing fragility and building resilience in Africa (2022-2026). The biennial forum brings together policymakers and practitioners from humanitarian, development, peace, and security communities, across the public and private sectors, including investors, academia, think tanks and civil society. As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepares to host the COP28 climate summit from 30 November to 12 December, the Gulf state has made a marked presence in Africas burgeoning green finance sector, with a group of Emirati investors having unveiled a landmark $4.5 billion pledge to invest in clean energy projects on the continent at the recent Africa Climate Summit. According to the UAEs minister for climate change and the environment, Mariam Almheiri, her countrys experience in developing green energy and industry projects puts it in a strong position to contribute to Africas energy transition. In a recent interview, Almheiri stressed that the UAE is ready with money and with technology to play its part in helping Africa with its transformation. While the UAE has long had a significant political and economic presence particularly in parts of northern and eastern Africa, the Gulf state has been ramping up its economic engagement in recent months. The planned $4.5 billion investment into African green energy is spearheaded by four entities the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Etihad Credit Insurance, Masdar, and AMEA Power all of which have close ties with the UAE government. Asked about the reasons for the UAEs enthusiasm for supporting the energy transition in Africa, Almheiri says that the continent is so close to the UAE. We have great strategic relationships with a lot of the African countries. Another reason is, according to the minister, that Africa is bearing the brunt of climate change, despite contributing only a very small share of cumulative global emissions. Noting that rainfall is becoming less reliable and droughts more frequent, Almheiri says that ensuring that things get fixed is vital to keep Africa intact and stop the migration routes. In the mid-term, nuclear power plants are considered by some experts to be the most efficient transitional solution for achieving global climate goals. Criticism is though levelled at the largely unresolved question of final storage and potential safety risks. As Statista's Martin Armstrong shows in this infographic, using data from the World Nuclear Association, no country is currently committing more to a nuclear future than China. You will find more infographics at Statista The Asian superpower currently has 24 new nuclear reactors planned or being built, with one new power plant to be connected to the grid this year. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey are also planning to connect one new power plant each, and in South Korea there are two more in the pipeline for this year. In second place is India, which plans to have eight new nuclear power plants built and connected to the grid by 2027, followed by the aforementioned Turkey with four and South Korea with three reactors. What is noteworthy here is that with China, India and Russia, three of the five BRICS members are among the top eight. From January 1, 2024, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates will join as new members. In three of these six future member countries - the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Argentina -new nuclear reactors are also currently under construction. By Zerohedge.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Microsoft could be the first of several companies to prepare to use small nuclear reactor (SMR) technology for its high energy consumption, as AI and other technologies become more widely used. There has been great enthusiasm around the potential of SMRs, which could be built faster and at a much lower cost than a traditional nuclear reactor. This month, Microsoft posted a job opportunity for a Principal Program Manager Nuclear Technology, suggesting its interest in using SMRs in the future, to support its energy-intensive operations. As companies begin to use a vast range of digital technologies in their day-to-day operations, their energy consumption could increase substantially, making the use of low-carbon nuclear power increasingly attractive. SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, equivalent to around one-third the generating capacity of a traditional nuclear reactor. SMRs are much smaller than traditional reactors and are modular, making it simpler for them to be assembled in factories and transported to site. Because of their smaller size, it is possible to install an SMR on sites that are not suitable for bigger reactors. They are also significantly cheaper and faster to build than conventional nuclear reactors and can be constructed incrementally to meet the growing energy demand of a site. There are strong safety margins included in SMR production, meaning that the potential for the unsafe release of radioactivity to the environment is significantly reduced. These systems can be shut down automatically, without human assistance, in the case of a malfunction. At present, there are over 80 commercial SMR designs under development worldwide, aimed at responding to a range of needs. Although companies are still trepidatious about investing in SMRs as their economic competitiveness in use has yet to be proven. As energy companies begin to roll out SMRs within the next decade there will be a greater understanding of their applicability and the costs involved. Despite still being in the development stage, Microsoft appears to be one of the first companies to demonstrate its interest in SMRs. As companies continue to digitalise operations and conduct high-energy operations, they will need an increasing amount of energy to power their activities. For example, AI researchers suggest that training a single large language deep learning model such as OpenAIs GPT-4 creates around 300 tonnes of CO2. The average person is responsible for creating around 5 tonnes of CO2 a year, showing just how significant this is. Microsoft now appears to be drawing up a roadmap for the use of SMR to power its computation needs. This month, the company posted a job description to hire a nuclear technology expert to lead the companys technical assessment for integrating small modular nuclear reactors and microreactors to power the datacentres that the Microsoft Cloud and AI reside on. The post reads that Microsoft is seeking a principal program manager for nuclear technology, who will be responsible for maturing and implementing a global Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and microreactor energy strategy. This is not the first time the tech giant has shown interest in nuclear power. In May, Microsoft signed a power purchase agreement with Helion, a nuclear fusion start-up, to purchase electricity from it starting in 2028. And Bill Gates, Microsofts co-founder, is the chairman of the board of Terrapower, a company that is currently developing SMR technology. Although there has been no suggestion that Terrapower will provide Microsoft with any nuclear reactors. Microsoft is showing an early interest in integrating nuclear power into operations. But, as more companies are using energy-intensive technologies, they will require vast amounts of energy to power their activities. Meanwhile, governments worldwide are putting increasing pressure on companies to decarbonise operations, with some introducing carbon taxes and others encouraging the use of clean energy sources through financial incentives. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, can take years to develop, and acquiring a stable clean energy source also means investment in battery technology. However, as the use of SMRs becomes more commonplace, their fast manufacturing time and small land footprint will likely appeal to companies looking for alternative clean energy sources. Despite the optimism around SMR technology, a commercial rollout is likely still a long way off due to recent difficulties in acquiring the materials needed to develop these reactors. Many SMRs under production at present will run on uranium at enrichments as high as 15 to 19.75 percent, known as high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). However, this is currently only commercially available from Russia, with which many governments and private companies have cut ties following the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year. Chris Levesque, the CEO of TerraPower, explained It has become clear that domestic and allied HALEU manufacturing options will not reach commercial capacity in time to meet the proposed 2028 in-service date for the Natrium demonstration plant. There has been a rise in the popularity of SMR technology, thanks to its small size and relatively low-cost and fast manufacturing potential. While the commercial rollout of SMRs is still far off, it could provide the vast amounts of low-carbon energy required to meet the worlds growing electricity needs. And tech companies, such as Microsoft, will likely be some of the first to invest in SMR technology as they look to meet their rising computation needs while striving to decarbonise operations. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in October. Here are some opportunities: The Science of virtual webinar series returns The Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions virtual webinar series The Science of returns in October. On three Thursdays at 3 p.m., Game and Parks educators will discuss the science behind common things regarding nature and animals. The webinar schedule of topics: Oct. 5, rattlesnakes; Oct. 12, mustelids; Oct. 19, animal eyes. The webinars are free, but separate registration is required for each. See the calendar event entries at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for registration links. Multiple events at Schramm Park SRA October is loaded with activities at Schramm Park State Recreation Area near Gretna. Here are just a few: Little Saplings is a monthly early childhood nature discovery program at the education center. Seeds is the theme of the Oct. 4 program at both 9 and 10 a.m. This is designed for children ages 2-5 and their adult caregivers. Homeschool Hikes is a monthly nature exploration program geared toward homeschool families with children ages 5 and up. Join an outdoor educator on a guided hike to learn about geology during the program at 9 a.m. Oct. 18 and 2 p.m. Oct. 19. The theme is fall leaves. Learn about nature journaling and take a sunset hike in the park with an educator and master naturalist Oct. 12. Meet at the new shelter near the first pond. The program, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will include an introduction to nature journaling, time to look for crepuscular critters and awe-inspiring landscapes as participants hike at sunset. The Cornhusker Fly Fishers will be at the Schramm Education Center from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 21 creating fancy flies for fishing. Watch them or join them in their craft as they teach you how to create your own feathered fly. Learn about some tricks animals do to survive during two programs on Oct. 31, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Explore behavioral adaptations with live animal ambassadors in the education center classroom. Following the program, make smores on the grill. See the calendar event listing at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for more information. Participants of the homeschool hikes are encouraged to RSVP in advance through online calendar. Reptiles of Nebraska event Oct. 26 Families are invited to celebrate Nebraska Reptile Month on Oct. 26 in Lincoln with Reptiles of Nebraska. This free event, hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources, will take place from 5-8 p.m. at Hardin Hall, located on UNLs East Campus at 3310 Holdrege St. UNL herpetologist Dennis Ferraro will have an exhibit of live Nebraska snakes, lizards and turtles. There also will be touch stations, coloring stations, turtle activities, snake activities and educational booths. Sensory Safari is Oct. 4 at Lincoln Childrens Zoo Sensory Safari is an event Oct. 4 at which visually and sensory impaired guests will have the opportunity to touch, feel, hear and smell at interpretative stations throughout the Lincoln Childrens Zoo. Nature experts from organizations across Nebraska will engage visitors at each station during this special event hosted by the zoo and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Registration is required and can be completed at the calendar event entry at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov. Nebraska Nature Nerd Trivia for Kids is Oct. 10 Do you have young nature enthusiasts at home who love a challenge? Nebraska Nature Nerd Trivia for Kids is just for them. Omahas Backlot Taphouse at Aksarben will host the event from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 10. Join the Nebraska Game and Parks education team for a fun trivia night. Create a family team or bring together a group of young nature lovers to answer trivia questions about nature, especially species found in Nebraska. Winners will receive prizes such as nature books, stickers and more. The Backlot Taphouse is located at 2110 S. 67th St. Suite 108. The event is free with a purchase from the host. Birding, archery, snakes the focus of Mahoney programs Eugene T. Mahoney State Park near Gretna is hosting a variety of nature-based education programs in October. Join park naturalists for: Beginner Birding on Tuesdays in October at 9 a.m. Meet at Mahoneys Owen Marina to explore the world of birding and hike the park with a naturalist looking for birds. Archery from 9-11 a.m. on Saturdays in October. Attendees ages 5 and up can test their precision and accuracy with bow and arrows in this introductory archery program which is behind the Bur Oak Shelter past the fence by the hay bale targets. Snakes of Nebraska from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 21 and 28. Stop by the naturalist table at Owen Marina to learn all about snakes. Weather permitting, a live animal ambassador snakes will make an appearance. Wildcat Hills to host preschool and homeschool programs Web Walkers is the topic for Wildcat Hills State Recreation Areas preschool and homeschool programs in October. Children will learn all about spiders stealth, camouflage and engineering. The recreation area is in the Nebraska Panhandle near Gering. The Wildcat Tales preschool program will be Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. MDT. The program will include a lesson plan, story and hands-on activity specifically targeted for children ages 2-6 years. The Wildcat Hills homeschool program will be Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. MDT at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center. The programs are free, but a vehicle park entry permit is required. For more information, contact the Nature Center at 308-436-3777. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Cline Williams Welcomes New Associates Hayley J. Carstens Kevin M. Freudenburg Stavros P. Piperis Roger D. Sack Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P. is pleased to welcome Hayley Carstens, Kevin Freudenburg, Stavros Piperis, and Roger Sack to the firm. Hayley J. Carstens focuses her practice in the areas of banking, bankruptcy, creditors' rights, and commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Hayley practiced in franchise finance, where she represented leading lenders in complex finance transactions, including single lender and syndicated loan facilities secured by a range of businesses. She graduated from the Creighton University School of Law in May of 2019 after garnering CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Bankruptcy and Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Kevin M. Freudenburg assists clients with general transactional matters, including business organizations and mergers and acquisitions. He graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2023, after serving as the Executive Editor of the Nebraska Law Review and publishing in the same magazine. Prior to law school, Kevin graduated from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Stavros P. Piperis concentrates his practice in the areas of general civil litigation and transactional matters, including business litigation and constitutional and governmental litigation. He attended Boston College, earning his B.A. in 2019 and graduated from the Creighton University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude in 2023. While at Creighton, he was a Creighton Scholar. Roger D. Sack's practice focuses on general transactional matters with an emphasis on employee benefits and taxation. Roger also advises clients on corporate transactions and other business matters. He graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law, with high distinction in 2023 and from Doane University, B.A., cum laude, in 2020. Established in 1857, Cline Williams, a full-service law firm, presently has over 60 attorneys representing, advising and assisting individual and institutional clients in five offices across Nebraska, located in Omaha, Lincoln and Aurora, and in Colorado, in offices located in Fort Collins and Holyoke. The professional excellence of the firm's lawyers has long been recognized by our clients and peers. In the past year, over 30 of our attorneys have been include in one or more of the notable "Best Lawyers" lists published in the United States. Full moon seen on Mid-Autumn Festival Xinhua) 10:48, October 01, 2023 A full moon is seen over Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) A full moon is seen over Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) A full moon is seen over Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) A full moon is seen over the Hutuo River grand bridge in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Photo by Chen Qibao/Xinhua) People view a full moon by the seaside of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Photo by Xing Shoumiao/Xinhua) A full moon is seen over Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) This aerial photo taken on Sept. 29, 2023 shows a full moon over Kunshan City in east China's Jiangsu Province. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Photo by Wang Xuzhong/Xinhua) A full moon is seen over Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Photo by Hang Xingwei/Xinhua) A full moon is seen over an oil production platform in Bohai Oilfield, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese people have a tradition to celebrate the festival by admiring the full moon. (Photo by Du Penghui/Xinhua) A full moon is seen from the Haigang District of Qinhuangdao, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 29, 2023. Friday marks this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. People across China admire the full moon to celebrate the traditional holiday. (Photo by Cao Jianxiong/Xinhua) (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Wu Chaolan) Nebraska Public Media Wins Public Media Award Presented by NETA Nebraska Public Media's "What If" television series recently won a Public Media Award from the National Educational Telecommunications Association. The series tells stories about innovation, entrepreneurship and diverse characters while pulling back the curtain on the television production process. The story "Good Living Camp" was honored in the short form content category. It focuses on a unique partnership between Rabble Mill and Nebraska 4-H that brought rural and urban Nebraska kids together to zip line, skateboard, create beats and learn about each other at the State 4-H Camp near Halsey, Neb. The national organization recognized public media's achievements at the 55th Annual Public Media Awards Gala during the 2023 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum Sept. 10 in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Public Media Awards, presented by NETA, honor station members' work in the highest caliber of community engagement, content, education, marketing and communications. NETA is a professional association representing 294 member stations in 48 states, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. O'Neill, Heinrich, Damkroger, Bergmeyer & Shultz, P.C., L.L.O. The law firm of O'Neill, Heinrich, Damkroger, Bergmeyer & Shultz, P.C., L.L.O. is pleased to announce the hiring of Aaron Graves as an associate attorney. Aaron grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended Bellarmine University and studied business and history. Aaron graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law with distinction in 2023. Aaron assists clients in the areas of business law, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, administrative law, and real estate transactions. O'Neill, Heinrich, Damkroger, Bergmeyer & Shultz, P.C., L.L.O. provides legal services in the areas of business law, mergers, and acquisitions, estate planning, real estate, banking, government, labor relations, employment, and commercial litigation. Pansing Hogan Ernst & Buser LLP is pleased to announce that McKinley W. Wilson has joined the firm as an associate attorney Ms. Wilson was admitted to the Nebraska Bar in 2023. Wilson graduated from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting, cum laude in 2019. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a Master of Science in Anatomy in 2020. She received her law degree from Creighton University, cum laude in 2023. Her practice focuses on Commercial Lending, Real Estate Transactions, Land Development, and Sanitary and Improvement District matters. About Pansing Hogan Ernst & Buser LLP A full-service law firm that has provided services to its clients in extensive business and litigation matters for more than a hundred years, with the roots of the law firm tracing back to 1894. We offer a diverse group of partners, associates, and legal assistants with collective expertise in virtually every area of law - from complex litigation to complicated business and tax matters. Our philosophy is to develop personal working relationships with our clients, which enables us to provide responsive and effective legal services. We work with our clients to ascertain that our legal services are appropriate to their interests. From the outset of our handling of each matter, we assist our clients in analyzing the risks, benefits, and costs associated with each legal transaction. It is the goal of the firm members to provide timely and effective legal services in each legal matter for which we are retained. We pride ourselves on putting the interests of our clients where they should be - first and foremost. A 16-year-old boy died and seven other people went to local hospitals for treatment early Sunday following two shooting incidents in North Omaha. Lamarantae Swift was shot about 2:30 a.m. during a large gathering near 24th and Decatur Streets, an Omaha police spokesman said. He was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center with lifesaving measures in progress but was pronounced dead at the hospital. Two people from that incident walked into the Nebraska Medical Center, and three others walked into the Creighton University Medical Center-University Campus at 24th and Cuming Streets. Those injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, the spokesman said. The violent loss of a young persons life and the injuries to multiple people is intolerable for our community and causes deep sadness, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said. Additional police resources are being used to aggressively investigate this matter. Swifts death represents the 18th homicide in Omaha this year. That compares with 22 homicides at this time in 2022 and 25 in 2021. Earlier, police were called about 1 a.m. to investigate a shooting that occurred near 27th and Browne Streets. Officers arrived and located Olajuwon Burnett, 39, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers also located Jelisa Arias, 30, suffering from a gunshot wound. Both parties were transported to the Nebraska Medical Center with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening. Anyone with information about either incident is urged to contact the Omaha Police Departments Homicide Unit at 402-444-5656 or anonymously contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP, at www.omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app. The evening commute is getting longer if you head west on Dodge Street from downtown. For nearly a year, one westbound lane has been closed between 38th and 40th Streets to accommodate the construction of a new apartment building at the corner of 39th Street. That cut the number of westbound traffic lanes from three (counting the reversible lane) to two. Then early last week, construction took out a second westbound lane, leaving only a single lane for frustrated commuters. The slow-moving traffic snakes back three blocks or more during rush hour. This isnt the only place in Omaha where the work of private developers is squeezing local traffic. Construction at the former Crossroads Mall site at 72nd and Dodge has caused long-term lane closures on both Dodge (where two of six lanes are torn up through the end of the year) and Cass Street (traffic cut to one lane in each direction until early November). Around the Nebraska Medical Center, Farnam and 48th Streets are closed while the west campus site is developed. Farnam will be closed until the end of the year, while 48th is slated to reopen this week. And downtown, around the future Mutual of Omaha tower at 14th and Douglas Streets, 14th is shut down completely. Lanes on Douglas, Farnam and 15th Streets also are closed for three years to allow construction vehicles access to the sites. Dodge is not somewhere I like to be on a weather day (and I mean ANY weather) or during typical commuter hours, said Christina Kudym, in a comment posted to The World-Heralds Facebook page. Nathan Ehlers, a part-time ride-share driver, said on Facebook that he stays off Dodge during commuter hours and takes the Interstate to get to Westroads or west Omaha. Dodge is ridiculous, as is the Blackstone area, he said. Austin Rowser, Omahas deputy public works director, said such lane and road closures are essential to redeveloping certain urban properties, such as the Mutual of Omaha headquarters. Their footprint takes up the entire site, so (with lane and road closures) they can operate and build that thing, Rowser said. He estimated that 90% of the lane or road closures in the city are for work by private entities. Most are for short periods. But big projects, like Crossroads, Mutual of Omaha, or Nebraska Medical Center, can last months or years. To close a road, developers must submit an application to the citys Traffic Division and pay a fee. We review the site plan. We make sure theyre not asking too much, Rowser said. At 39th and Dodge, a local developer, Woodsonia, is building a $27 million apartment complex called The View on 39th on a blighted lot that once held a run-down hotel. The project is scheduled for completion in November which should mean an end to that particular traffic bottleneck. Rowser acknowledged that, for commuters, obviously it slows things. It reduces capacity on these roads. But, he said, We as a city want to have infill development. It increases the tax base. True enough but small comfort to the Dodge Street driver, squinting into the setting sun while stuck in a crawling three-block jam. Whats New Leavenworth Street from South 38th Avenue to South 38th Street will be restricted to one lane eastbound for construction work until Oct. 13. Leavenworth Street between South 45th Street and South 46th Avenue will be restricted to one lane westbound for utility work in the inside lane until Thursday. will be restricted to one lane westbound for utility work in the inside lane until Thursday. Lakeview Drive between South 84th Avenue and South 86th Street will be closed for utility work until Oct. 16. Florence Boulevard between Clark and Grace Streets will be closed for storm sewer separation work until Nov. 25. Davenport Street between North 54th and North 53rd Streets will be closed for utility work until Wednesday. Martin Avenue between Curtis Avenue and North 36th Street will be closed to through traffic for street repair until Oct. 27. Farnam Street between 40th Street and Turner Boulevard will have varying lane closures in the right lane from Tuesday until Oct. 17 while workers drill utility test holes ahead of the planned streetcar construction project. will have varying lane closures in the right lane from Tuesday until Oct. 17 while workers drill utility test holes ahead of the planned streetcar construction project. Phelps Street between South 13th and South 16th Streets will have various lane restrictions for street repair until Oct. 16. South 42nd Street between J and D Streets will have various lane restrictions for street repair until Oct. 25. Traffic will be restricted eastbound on State Street at North 66th Street for fiber-optic installation until Wednesday. 168th Street from State Street to Rachel Snowden Parkway will be closed for road construction from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today (Sunday). South 132nd Street at Atwood Avenue will be restricted to one lane southbound for utility work in the inside lane until Wednesday. Traffic will be restricted in the northbound lanes of North 60th Street between Nebraska Avenue and Sorensen Parkway because of street panel replacement until Oct. 11. South 13th Street between I and J Streets will be restricted to one lane in each direction for utility work in the outside curb lanes until Thursday. Around Omaha Intermittent lane and shoulder closures will take place on I-80 at the Giles Road, 84th Street, 72nd Street, 60th Street and 13th Street exits for a project to create accident investigation sites. Completion is expected in the fall. for a project to create accident investigation sites. Completion is expected in the fall. Intermittent nighttime lane closures can be expected in the following Interstates through the fall due to a median barrier-sealing project: I-480 in both directions between U.S. 75/Kennedy Freeway and North 14th Street; I-680 in both directions between U.S. 6/West Dodge Road and Nebraska Highway 133/Blair High Road. Northwest (north of West Dodge Road and west of I-680) The eastbound lanes of U.S. Highway 64/West Maple Road over the Elkhorn River will be closed through the fall to remove and replace pavement and improve lighting. Traffic will be shifted to one of the westbound lanes. The access to JC Robinson Boulevard, leading to Waterloo, will be closed. will be closed through the fall to remove and replace pavement and improve lighting. Traffic will be shifted to one of the westbound lanes. The access to leading to Waterloo, will be closed. Blondo Street between North 117th Street and Papillion Parkway will have various lane restrictions for bridge repair until Nov. 10. will have various lane restrictions for bridge repair until Nov. 10. State Street is closed from 156th to 147th Streets due to grading and paving of the three-lane roadway until fall. is closed from due to grading and paving of the three-lane roadway until fall. Fort Street is closed from 183rd to 195th Streets due to grading and paving of the three-lane roadway until fall. is closed from due to grading and paving of the three-lane roadway until fall. North 108th Street between Burt Circle and Decatur Street will be closed with local access only for street widening until Nov. 30. Northeast (north of Dodge Street and east of I-680) The right lane on Interstate 680 is closed from the 31st Street interchange east to the Iowa state line until Dec. 29 while workers repair a damaged expansion joint on the west end of the Mormon Bridge. is closed until Dec. 29 while workers repair a damaged expansion joint on the The Parker Street bridge over U.S. Highway 75 (North Freeway) will be closed for road improvements and repair through September. One northbound lane of U.S. 75 between Hamilton and Fort Streets also will be closed while workers paint the bridges at Lake and Binney Streets until early November. The entrance ramp from Lake Street to northbound Highway 75 also will be closed during the project. will be closed for road improvements and repair through September. One also will be closed while workers paint the bridges at Lake and Binney Streets until early November. The also will be closed during the project. North 90th Street will be restricted to one lane northbound at Fort Street for street construction in the outside curb lane until Oct. 9. will be restricted to one lane northbound for street construction in the outside curb lane until Oct. 9. North 87th Street between Indian Hills Drive and Douglas Street will be restricted southbound until Tuesday because of a water-main break. will be restricted southbound until Tuesday because of a water-main break. Varying lane restrictions can be expected along Sorensen Parkway between North 78th and North 30th Streets for curb ramp construction until Tuesday. for curb ramp construction until Tuesday. Traffic is restricted to one lane in each direction and the westbound lanes are closed on Cass Street between North 74th and North 76th Streets for utility work until Nov. 5. for utility work until Nov. 5. Dodge Street between North 72nd Street and North 76th Street/Rose Blumkin Drive will have varying lane restrictions for street improvements connected to the Crossroads redevelopment through December. will have varying lane restrictions for street improvements connected to the Crossroads redevelopment through December. North 65th Avenue at and for 120 feet south of Miami Street is closed until Monday for a sanitary sewer separation project. is closed until Monday for a sanitary sewer separation project. North 60th Street between Nebraska Avenue and Curtis Street is restricted to one lane northbound for sewer repair until Friday. is restricted to one lane northbound for sewer repair until Friday. Westbound Dodge Street between North 38th Avenue and North 41st Street will be restricted for building construction in the outside curb lane until Nov 7. will be restricted for building construction in the outside curb lane until Nov 7. North 30th Street is restricted to one lane southbound at Weber Street until Tuesday because of a sanitary sewer separation project. is restricted to one lane southbound at until Tuesday because of a sanitary sewer separation project. North 30th Street between Bondesson and State Streets is restricted to one lane southbound because of utility work until Oct. 10. is restricted to one lane southbound because of utility work until Oct. 10. North 30th Street between Patrick and Burdette Streets will have varying lane restrictions because of sewer repair until Thursday. will have varying lane restrictions because of sewer repair until Thursday. North 29th Street between Blondo and Burdette Streets is closed until Oct. 10 because of sewer improvements. is closed until Oct. 10 because of sewer improvements. The intersection of North 18th and Grace Streets will be closed for sewer work until Nov. 28. will be closed for sewer work until Nov. 28. North 16th Street will be closed at various points between Pinkney and Clark Streets for CSO sewer separation improvements through Aug. 31, 2024. North 16th will be closed between Ohio and Corby Streets for utility work until Nov. 20. Truck detour routes will be posted. will be closed at various points for CSO sewer separation improvements through Aug. 31, 2024. will be closed for utility work until Nov. 20. Truck detour routes will be posted. Because of construction at the Kiewit corporate campus, North 15th Street between Mike Fahey and California Streets will be restricted southbound, and Mike Fahey Street between North 16th and North 15th Streets will have eastbound traffic shifted to the center lane until March 15, 2024. North 16th and North 17th Streets between Cuming and Mike Fahey will have restrictions in the curb lanes until Wednesday. will be restricted southbound, and will have eastbound traffic shifted to the center lane until March 15, 2024. will have restrictions in the curb lanes until Wednesday. Grace Street between North 16th and North 18th Streets is closed for CSO storm sewer upgrades until Oct. 17. Southwest (south of West Dodge Road and west of I-680/80) Nighttime lane closures (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) can be expected on Interstate 80 eastbound at the I-680 interchange through the fall while workers install a high-friction traffic surface to improve traction. Traffic on I-80 eastbound and I-680 northbound will be rerouted to the L-I-Center bypass ramp. through the fall while workers install a high-friction traffic surface to improve traction. Traffic on I-80 eastbound and I-680 northbound will be rerouted to the L-I-Center bypass ramp. South 156th Street between Pacific Street and Wycliffe Drive/Nottingham Drive will have closures for street widening until November. will have closures for street widening until November. Pacific Street between South 155th and South 157th Streets will have lane restrictions for street widening until November. will have lane restrictions for street widening until November. South 168th Street between Q Street and West Center Road will have lane restrictions for street widening until December 2024. will have lane restrictions for street widening until December 2024. South 120th Street between Shirley and Frances Streets will be restricted to one lane southbound for utility work until Wednesday. Arbor Street between South 117th and South 119th Streets is closed because of street repair until Monday. Southeast (south of Dodge Street and east of I-680/80) Nighttime lane closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. are planned on the Kennedy Freeway (U.S. Highway 75) between Q and F Streets, including entrance and exit ramps, to allow for milling and resurfacing of the roadway, through the fall. including entrance and exit ramps, to allow for milling and resurfacing of the roadway, through the fall. Overnight lane restrictions are planned through the fall on I-80 eastbound between L Street and I-680 and on the I-680 interchange for installation of a high-friction surface treatment. for installation of a high-friction surface treatment. South 96th Street between L and F Streets will have various lane restrictions for sidewalk replacement until Wednesday. will have various lane restrictions for sidewalk replacement until Wednesday. South 88th Street from Douglas to Capitol Avenue will also be closed for street repair from a water-main break until Wednesday. will also be closed for street repair from a water-main break until Wednesday. The West Dodge Frontage Road South between 84th and 86th Streets is closed for building construction until Thursday. is closed for building construction until Thursday. Westbound traffic is shifted to the center lane on Q Street between South 84th and South 87th Streets for water-main replacement until Thursday. Varying lane restrictions are planned on Q Street between South 89th and South 90th Streets until Friday because of utility work. for water-main replacement until Thursday. Varying lane restrictions are planned on until Friday because of utility work. Mercy Road from Aksarben Drive to 68th Street will have various lane restrictions due to bridge repair until Oct. 11. will have various lane restrictions due to bridge repair until Oct. 11. South 48th Street between Howard and Leavenworth Streets will be closed for utility work until Tuesday. will be closed for utility work until Tuesday. South 44th Street between Douglas and Farnam Streets will be restricted to head-to-head traffic because of construction until Oct. 18. will be restricted to head-to-head traffic because of construction until Oct. 18. South 42nd Street between the I-80 eastbound exit ramp and D Street will be closed for bridge reconstruction until December. will be closed for bridge reconstruction until December. South 37th Street between Farnam and Harney Streets is closed until Oct. 11 because of building construction. is closed until Oct. 11 because of building construction. South 27th Street between I and J Streets is closed until Oct. 2 for manhole installation. is closed until Oct. 2 for manhole installation. South 22nd Street between Mason and Pacific Streets will be closed to through traffic for utility work until Friday. will be closed to through traffic for utility work until Friday. 14th Street will be closed between Farnam and Douglas Streets, and curbside lanes will be closed on Farnam, Douglas and 15th Street until early 2026 because of construction of the new Mutual of Omaha tower. will be closed and curbside lanes will be closed on until early 2026 because of construction of the new Mutual of Omaha tower. The eastbound curb lane on Douglas Street will be closed between 44th and Saddle Creek Road for construction until December. will be closed between for construction until December. I Street between South 108th and South 102nd Streets will be closed to through traffic for street widening until November. will be closed to through traffic for street widening until November. Grover Street between South 56th Street and South 59th Avenue will be closed for street reconstruction through December. will be closed for street reconstruction through December. Q Street between South 45th and South 48th Streets is closed for utility work until Oct. 17. is closed for utility work until Oct. 17. Q Street between South 89th and South 90th Streets will have varying lane restrictions until Friday because of utility work. will have varying lane restrictions until Friday because of utility work. Traffic in the east curb lane is restricted on South 24th Street between Landon Court and Howard Street due to building construction until Monday. due to building construction until Monday. The intersection of South 17th Street and Harney Street will have various lane restrictions until Oct. 9 because of a streetscaping project. will have various lane restrictions until Oct. 9 because of a streetscaping project. South 13th Street is restricted to one lane southbound at O Street due to utility work until Tuesday. is restricted to one lane southbound due to utility work until Tuesday. The eastbound lane on Farnam Street between 10th and Eighth Streets is restricted because of building construction until Oct. 17. Sarpy/Cass Counties The intersection of 204th Street and Capehart Road, and Capehart Road east of 204th Street, are closed as part of the Gretna Crossing Park project until mid-November. 192nd Street from Lincoln Road to the railroad bridge is closed through the fall for paving and bridge replacement as part of the CONNECTSarpy project. Platteview Road from Highway 31 to 210th Street is closed through January to allow for construction of a three-lane road. Pflug Road is suggested as an alternate route. is closed through January to allow for construction of a three-lane road. Pflug Road is suggested as an alternate route. Lane restrictions can be expected on U.S. 34/75 from Plattsmouth to the Bellevue bridges through the fall to allow for bridge deck repairs, and from Nebraska Highway 1 to Oak Hill Road in Plattsmouth through November 2024 to allow for road construction. through the fall to allow for bridge deck repairs, and from through November 2024 to allow for road construction. A lane is closed intermittently, and a 12-foot width limit is in effect through the fall on U.S. Highway 34 between Bay Road and U.S. Highway 75 while bridge and road construction work is in progress through the fall. The right lane is closed in both directions on Nebraska Highway 370/Cornhusker Road from 192nd to 180th Streets east of Gretna due to road construction. due to road construction. A portion of 234th Street north of Schram Road just west of Gretna is closed for replacement of a 550-foot area of culvert until December. Around Nebraska Lane closures also are planned on I-80 between the Utica and Pleasant Dale exits (reference posts 365.14 to 387.27) while contractors install guardrails in the median. Work will be performed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday through Friday. Completion is expected in November. (reference posts 365.14 to 387.27) while contractors install guardrails in the median. Work will be performed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday through Friday. Completion is expected in November. Alternating lane closures are planned overnight on I-80 between Exit 382 (Milford) and Exit 395 (Northwest 48th Street) west of Lincoln because of bridge reconstruction and guardrail repair. west of Lincoln because of bridge reconstruction and guardrail repair. Lane closures are planned on U.S. Highway 275 from Nebraska Highway 36 to U.S. 30/East 23rd Street in Fremont while workers repair pavement and bridges. Completion is expected in fall. while workers repair pavement and bridges. Completion is expected in fall. The left lane is closed on U.S. 275 eastbound between Military Avenue and Morningside Road due to bridge construction. due to bridge construction. Nebraska Highway 79 is closed in Dodge County at North Bend from U.S. 30 to County Road R , with detours in place through the fall. is closed in Dodge County at , with detours in place through the fall. U.S. Highway 77 between Winnebago and Walthill is closed until November while two box culverts are replaced, with traffic detoured via U.S. Highway 75 and Nebraska Highway 94. Then one lane will reopen, and traffic will be maintained with temporary traffic signals, flaggers, and a pilot car until the project is completed in mid-summer 2024. is closed until November while two box culverts are replaced, with traffic detoured via U.S. Highway 75 and Nebraska Highway 94. Then one lane will reopen, and traffic will be maintained with temporary traffic signals, flaggers, and a pilot car until the project is completed in mid-summer 2024. Temporary shoulder and lane closures can be expected on U.S. Highway 77 north and south of the I-80 56th Street interchange in Lincoln until March 2024 while workers add left and right turn lanes on Highway 77 and widen westbound shoulders on I-80 entrance and exit ramps. In Iowa The Interstate 29 southbound ramp to Interstate 480/U.S. Highway 6 Omaha in Council Bluffs is closed for construction until Friday. in Council Bluffs is closed for construction until Friday. Occasional nighttime lane and ramp closures may occur on Interstate 80 at the Madison Avenue interchange in Council Bluffs through June 2026 while the interchange is being rebuilt. through June 2026 while the interchange is being rebuilt. The South Expressway from I-80 to 19th Avenue in Council Bluffs will be rebuilt until November, with lane closures expected while one-lane traffic is maintained in each direction. will be rebuilt until November, with lane closures expected while one-lane traffic is maintained in each direction. Ninth Avenue in Council Bluffs is closed from South 36th Street to Harrah's Boulevard on both sides of I-29, until Oct. 13. Photos: Crossroads Mall through the years 1946: Future site of Crossroads Mall 1955: West Lanes Bowlatorium 1959: Crossroads rendering 1961: Inside the new Crossroads 1961: Crossroads boiler room 1961: Landscaping at Crossroads 1961: The Sears store at Crossroads Mall 1961: Arcade at Crossroads 1961: View of Crossroads 102923-owh-liv-reminisce-p5 1965: Crossroads shoppers 1965: Crossroads shoppers 1965: Brandeis Tire Center at Crossroads 1966: Crossroads shoppers 1966: Robbery at Crossroads 1967: Gale Sayers at Crossroads 1968: Christmas shopping 1971: Crossroads Christmas parade 1972: Crossroads balloon parade 1972: Christmas shopping and Santa 1975: Tornado cleanup volunteers amass at Crossroads 1978: Crossroads art feature 1981: Christmas shopping 1981: Last-minute Christmas shopping 1984: Christmas shopping 1988: Husker watch party at Crossroads 1988: A visit with Santa 1992: Great American Kiss-Off 2004: Crossroads exterior 2014: Aerial view of Crossroads 2014: Aerial view of Crossroads 2015: Opera Omaha gala 2015: Opera Omaha 2016: Douglas County Fair 2020: Exterior of Crossroads 2020: Crossroads development partners 2020: Crossroads redevelopment announced 2020: Crossroads redevelopment announced 2021: Demolition 2021: Demolition 2021: Demolition SPRINGFIELD, Ill. During his momentous U.S. Senate campaign against Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham Lincoln sat for a photograph after politicking in western Illinois and presented one of the copies to a man severely injured while testing a cannon for Lincoln's campaign rally. As a small measure of compassion, Lincoln presented one version of the image to the injured man, Charles Lame, who overcame a deadly infection in an arm torn up by the blast with a little unexpected and somewhat macabre help. The tale provides an unlikely, ghastly background to the original 1858 ambrotype created during the future nation-saving Civil War president's ascendancy, an image which the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has added to its collection, officials said Monday. Original images of Abraham Lincoln are extraordinarily rare, and images with a fascinating backstory like this are even more rare," said Christina Shutt, executive director of the library and museum. Lincoln fans everywhere should thank Charles Lames descendants for this generous donation. The ambrotype given to Lame remained in the family and was inherited by Mary Davidson of Hendersonville, Tennessee. When she died in August 2022, her children decided the image should go to Springfield. Lincoln's celebrity was on the upswing when he arrived on Sept. 30, 1858, in Pittsfield, about 110 miles northwest of St. Louis. He had completed four of his seven headline-grabbing debates with Douglas, whose view that the introduction of slavery into new territories should be up to local voters had drawn Lincoln, a former one-term congressman, back into politics. Centering largely on slavery, the campaign ended in defeat for Lincoln. But he had forced Douglas into statements that alienated him from slave-holding Southern states to the point that they rejected him for president in 1860, paving Lincoln's way to the White House. Following his two-hour Pittsfield speech on Oct. 1, local lawyer Daniel Gilmore, who had opened his home to Lincoln for lunch that day, persuaded the candidate to sit for the ambrotype at the gallery of Calvin Jackson. Despite Lincoln's heroic welcome, tragedy had struck the town a day earlier. About the time Lincoln reached the home of his overnight host, supporters Robert Scanland, a longtime Lincoln friend, and Lame, a furniture storekeeper, were preparing an unloaded cannon, which in keeping with political tradition would be fired during the rally, according to a 1968 article by historian LeRoy H. Fischer. On a second test, Lame was ramming the powder charge when sparks from Scanland's torch inadvertently ignited it and the cannon fired, severely burning Lame's face and sending the ramrod through his arm before it penetrated a tree a block away. Carried to his home, a physician decided not to amputate Lame's viciously lacerated arm, a risky decision in an era predating antibiotics. Infection rapidly set in, Lame's temperature rose and he lay on the cusp of death. So dire was his condition that when Lincoln tried to see him after the rally, Lame's wife turned him away on doctor's orders, at which point Lincoln promised that a copy of his photo would be delivered. Lincolns gift was a small gesture, but it reaffirms his reputation as a man of compassion. The photo is a physical reminder of his kind spirit and concern for others, said Ian Hunt, head of acquisitions for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Lincoln was no stranger to disfigurement. A horse's kick in the head as a child might have contributed to a significantly asymmetrical face that opponents openly mocked. Lame had a rally in store, however. Horseflies entering the open, unscreened window of Lame's room swarmed the wound and laid eggs. Although no one understood at the time, maggots feasted on the decaying flesh and with it, the infection. Lame would live nearly four more decades, dying at age 76 in 1897. The ambrotype, a popular and cheaper alternative to the daguerreotype in the 1850s, was made by creating a photographic negative on glass. It was then placed on a dark background which showed through the clear parts of the negative, giving it the appearance of a black-and-white photograph. Lincoln's old friend Gilmer, who was killed leading an Illinois infantry regiment during the Civil War's 1863 Battle of Chickamauga, received one copy of the ambrotype. Now in the collection of the Library of Congress, it had been significantly damaged by amateur attempts at cleaning over the years. Fischer believes the one given to Lame was a copy made that day. The image is featured in a small oval and enclosed in a leather-bound wooden case 3 inches high by 3 inches wide. As for the image itself, Fischer quotes an artist and Lincoln historian describing the 49-year-old candidate's leathery appearance, untrimmed hair and cock-eyed necktie. Hunt, also with the library and museum, sees a man of conviction" while noting that Lincoln would have been exhausted by the campaign trail. This is the Lincoln that the voters of Illinois would have been familiar with, Hunt said. Not the one we tend to think of today on the $5 bill or in the Daniel Chester French sculpture at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. 50 famous firsts from presidential history Presidential milestones over the years 1789: Washington wins unanimously 1800: First White House president 1804: First separate vote for vice president 1806: First child born in the White House 1817: Last of the Founding Fathers 1821: First oath of office to be postponed 1824: First president to lose popular and electoral votes 1825: First son of previous president to serve 1831: First convention to nominate candidates for president 1840: First party platform 1841: First president to die in office 1841: First VP to assume presidency due to death 1844: First dark horse candidate 1850: Last president not a Democrat or Republican 1857: First and only unmarried president 1865: First president to be assassinated 1866: First Congressional override of note 1868: First presidential impeachment 1872: First woman to run for president 1872: First candidate to die before Electoral College meets 1876: First time justices decide an election 1881: Last of the 'log cabin' presidents 1881: First president who was a clergyman 1881: First presidential library 1881: First 'so help me god' 1885: First president to serve separate terms 1901: Youngest president to assume office 1904: First Black American to receive presidential nomination 1909: First president and chief justice 1924: Longest political convention 1928: First Catholic to receive presidential nomination 1933: First four-term president 1956: First televised presidential debate 1960: First Catholic president to win election 1964: First woman to seek Republican nomination 1972: First Black woman to seek nomination 1974: First president never elected to presidency, vice-presidency 1976: First U.S. Naval Academy graduate 1980: First actor to become president 1984: First woman on a presidential ticket 1996: First Democrat to serve a second term since FDR 2000: First presidential race settled by the Supreme Court 2008: First woman to run on Republican ticket 2008: First Black president elected 2016: First president to win on first political run 2016: First woman to win a major party nomination for president 2020: Oldest president to win office 2020: First president to break 75 million votes 2020: First woman of color to be elected VP WASHINGTON Rep. Matt Gaetz said Sunday he will try to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, from his leadership position this week after McCarthy relied on Democratic support to pass legislation that avoided a government shutdown. Bring it on, McCarthy responded. Gaetz, a longtime McCarthy nemesis, said in broadcast interviews that McCarthy was in brazen, material breach of agreements he made with House Republicans in January when he ran for speaker. As a result, Gaetz said he would be filing a motion to vacate the chair, as House rules permit. McCarthys response: So be it. Bring it on. Lets get over with it and lets start governing." No speaker has ever been removed from office through such a move. Procedural votes could be offered to halt the motion or it could trigger a House floor vote on whether McCarthy, R-Calif., should remain speaker. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid," said Gaetz, R-Fla. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy. Republicans just ended a tumultuous week in which Congress flirted with a government closure and the majority party in the House could not even pass its own bill in an effort to avoid a shutdown. Many GOP lawmakers complained the House waited too long to take up annual spending bills, squandering an opportunity to force the Senate to negotiate on spending and policy priorities. McCarthy has consistently worked to placate the conservative wing of his conference during his nearly nine months on the job. Last month, he launched an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden without a House vote, though the speaker had in the past said the failure to have such a vote created a process devoid of legitimacy. McCarthy also has pushed spending levels for next year that are far below the caps he agreed to with Biden on a deal to extend the nation's debt ceiling so that the government could pay its bills. On Friday, he brought a short-term plan to fund the government that would enact steep spending cuts of nearly 30% for many agencies and strict border security provisions. But that was deemed insufficient by some Republicans, and 21 joined with every Democrat in voting against the package. McCarthy pivoted on Saturday to a bill that would draw Democratic support. It keeps agencies funded at current levels into mid-November and provides $16 billion in disaster relief for states and communities dealing with hurricanes and other natural disasters but withholds aid for Ukraine. Democrats jumped at the chance to keep the government open and both chambers passed the bill by overwhelming margins. Late Saturday night, President Joe Biden signed the temporary funding bill with little time to spare before a government shutdown. The bill funds the government until Nov. 17. Gaetz had threatened to file his ouster motion if McCarthy worked with Democrats and he said the spending package blew past spending guardrails that McCarthy had agreed to previously. Rep. Torres on averted government shutdown: The inmates are running the asylum News 12's Valerie Ryan spoke with Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres about the temporary funding bill -- and what we should expect once it expires in N McCarthy has the support of a large majority of House Republicans, but because the GOP holds such a slim 221-212 majority, he may need votes from some Democrats to keep his job. When asked how many Republicans he had on board, Gaetz said he had enough to ensure that if McCarthy retains the speakership he would "be serving at the pleasure of the Democrats. The only way Kevin McCarthy is speaker of the House at the end of this coming week is if Democrats bail him out, Gaetz said. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said she would vote to oust McCarthy as speaker if such a vote occurs, calling him a weak speaker who had lost control of his caucus. But she also left open the opportunity for negotiations, saying that if there is Democratic support for McCarthy, it would come at a price. You dont just vote for a Republican speaker for nothing. Thats not what we were elected here to do, Ocasio-Cortez said. Biden declined to weigh in when asked if Democrats should help McCarthy keep his job. I don't have a vote on that matter, Biden said at the White House on Sunday. I'll leave that to the leadership in the House and the Senate. Gaetz's tactics have generated considerable scorn from many House Republicans. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., spoke of Gaetzs diatribe of delusional thinking and said Gaetz was acting for personal, political reasons. McCarthy made a similar accusation, saying that Gaetz was "more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something. Still, McCarthy is unpopular with some within his party. That was on display in January when it took 15 rounds of voting to gain the support he needed within his conference to become speaker. The rules of the House allow for any single lawmaker Democrat or Republican to make a motion to vacate the chair, essentially an attempt to oust the speaker from that leadership post through a privileged resolution. In January, as he ran for speaker, McCarthy agreed to give as few as five Republican members the ability to initiate a vote to remove him. But when that was not good enough for his critics, he reduced that threshold to one the system that historically has been the norm. Proponents of allowing a lone lawmaker to file the motion said it promotes accountability, noting its long history in the House. The last use of the motion was in 2015, when then-Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, a Republican who later became President Donald Trumps White House chief of staff, introduced a resolution to declare the speakers office vacant. Two months later, House Speaker Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he would step down. McCarthy expressed optimism Sunday that Gaetz would fail and said that Gaetz has been after him since he ran for speaker. Yes, I'll survive, McCarthy said. Gaetz appeared on CNN's State of the Union and ABC's This Week,'' while McCarthy was on CBS' Face the Nation." Ocasio-Cortez was on CNN and Lawler was on ABC. Kenny Krause had fought more than his share of brush fires in his years as fire chief in the southeast Nebraska town of Fairbury. His departments volunteers could typically leave their jobs, douse the flames, and return to the station in a couple of hours. Then on April 11, Krause and his firefighters confronted the monster Rock Creek Fire. Fueled by wind and drought, a small controlled burn exploded into a 2,800-acre conflagration that took dozens of volunteers from Fairbury and nearby towns five days to put out. I looked in my rearview mirror, I could see it, 20 miles away, Krause said Friday, at a hearing of the Nebraska Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee in Lincoln. I never thought I would see a wildfire like this. The committee is considering Legislative Resolution 156, a proposed study of the impact and increased frequency and intensity of wildfires in Nebraska, and the sufficiency of the firefighting response in the state. The resolution, proposed by Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, would examine whether more money is needed from the state to support the unpaid volunteers who bear most of the burden of battling wildfires. It would examine policies and procedures, including the possible creation of an intrastate mutual-aid effort. This has truly become a statewide issue, McDonnell said. A statewide response is needed. John Erixson, director of the Nebraska Forest Service, told the committee that in the first 30 years after the state began tracking wildfires in 1964, only twice did fire consume more than 100,000 acres. In the 30 years since, it has happened seven times topped by the nightmare year of 2012, when nearly 500,000 acres burned in north and northwest Nebraska. The second-worst year was 2022, with 279,099 acres scorched during another hot, dry year. Three volunteers died in the firefighting effort. This year has provided little relief. More than 179,000 acres have burned, mostly in April. And the year is not over. Its obviously getting worse, said Scott Cordes, the Nebraska state fire marshal. People who have historically not seen these things are seeing them burn hotter and move faster. The increase in fires coincides with a decrease in the pool of volunteers as the rural population shrinks. The decline in volunteerism has affected us in Nebraska, said Nathan Flowers, chief of the Gering Fire Department. As hard as it is now to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters, its going to be much harder in five years. Wesley Hock is the fire chief in Holbrook, Nebraska, a village of 200 people 35 miles east of McCook. His small department fought three major wildfires last year including the Mile Marker 26 fire, which burned 100 square miles. I had crews that were on the fires for three weeks. They were tired, Hock told the committee. We just didnt have enough personnel. We had so many fires burning across the state, we were just spread too thin. Following the 2012 wildfires, the Legislature passed the Wildfire Control Act. The law funded thinning of dense fuel in 9,000 acres of forest, additional training for firefighters, and the establishment of air-tanker bases at five airfields in western Nebraska. Still, at Fridays hearing the fire chiefs identified several unmet needs: More and better radios operating on a dedicated frequency, to ease communications among departments and with aerial units. State reimbursement for firefighting equipment and gear. The creation of an intrastate fire compact to make it easier for departments in one part of the state to help those in another. Sen. Tom Brewer, who chaired the hearing, said he hopes the Legislature will act next year to speed aid to strapped rural fire departments. This next session is when we need to push things through and get an answer on this, he said. 6 charts that track Nebraska wildfires, Omaha air quality, and precipitation Drought conditions, by county departure from average precipitation BLOOMINGTON Police said a 41-year-old Tennessee man is behind bars after a fast-food restaurant was robbed Saturday in south Bloomington. Bloomington Police Department Lt. Tim Stanesa said it happened at 8:35 p.m. at McDonalds, 2410 S. Main St., Bloomington. He said a suspect at the drive-up window displayed a pistol, demanded money and took an undisclosed amount of cash. The police lieutenant said a BPD officer found the vehicle and tried to pull it over, but it fled at a high rate of speed. Illinois State Police troopers and McLean County Sheriffs deputies then pursued the vehicle until it entered a field outside of Carlock, Stanesa said. Stanesa said a Jackson, Tennessee, man was arrested on preliminary charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault, and aggravated fleeing and eluding. As of Sunday morning, the suspect remains in custody at the McLean County Detention Facility. The Pantagraph does not typically name suspects before they are formally charged. No one was hurt during the incident. Photos: Emergency crews train on air disaster readiness at Bloomington airport 061222-blm-loc-1training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-2training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-3training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-4training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-5training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-6training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-7training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-8training.jpg How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago Oct. 1, 1923: Curfew will ring tonight. Not literally, as in the days of old when there were scarcely any watches and a bell was sounded to warn of the hour when all fires were to be out and all children safely in their homes. Now, the hour is 9 p.m. and according to the edict of Mayor Shorthose, issued yesterday, all children must be off the streets after that hour. 75 years ago Oct. 1, 1948: Bloomington office employees of the Illinois Power Co. on Friday had joined fellow workers in 19 other cities in approving a union shop. At an election here Thursday, the office workers voted 532 to 15 for the union shop. 50 years ago Oct. 1, 1973: James T. Finegan, 206 N. Gridley, began Monday as part-time city attorney for Bloomington while the city seeks a full-time attorney. Finegan, associated with the firm of Costigan, Wollrab, Fraker and Wochner, replaces Harold Jennings, who officially resigned in March but continued through Friday. 25 years ago Oct. 1, 1998: Because McLean County undercharged 16,000 taxpayers in six townships last year, the county this week took another step toward recovering $800,000 in clerk's office miscalculations. Bound by legal statutes, the county spent $26,803 in postage to mail certified letters to each person, explaining that the additional taxes often no more than $30 for individuals would simply be added to next year's bill. Its a small, small, small, small world, as Disney has long proclaimed, but part of the fun of traveling it besides the adventure, the sites and in time also realizing you packed too much is discovering how different the lifestyles elsewhere. Like in Greece and Turkey. With three dozen other site-seeking, adventure-loving Central Illinoisans, weve been there the last couple weeks, first to Istanbul, the historic Turkish megalopolis so sprawling it is the only city in the world that sits on two continents (its west side is Europe, its east flank is Asia), then catching a cruise ship and zig-zagging back and forth, from Turkey to Greece, back to Turkey, then again to Greece, and finally Athens, one of the very cradles of civilization. It was, for my wife and me, our fifth wildly fun and explorative group foray to Europe since 2016. Thats how you also learn In Europe, the life is slower. We arent crazy like you Americans, as one put it with a smile last week in Kavala, Greece, a picturesque, Bloomington-Normal-sized city of 130,000 along the Aegean Sea. There, as an example, they take a siesta in the afternoon literally closing stores between noon and 2. Over a year, the average European worker gets a minimum of five weeks vacation, a figure some Americans never see in a career. Because it dates to Biblical times, streets in Europe are much narrower, some little more than a single lane, and 21st century traffic coursing antiquated paths is death-defying helter-skelter, complicated further by motorists who sit in massive rush-hour traffic jams and then finally wheel out of them like the future was yesterday. They bob, weave, lane-switch, do Us (you never see a speed limit sign), then park their vehicles, anywhere available on the curb, upon the sidewalk edge, just east of Bulgaria. In Europe, you NEVER witness an SUV. Theyre too big to maneuver on such narrow roads. You dont see minivans, either. And no one, outside of government workers, drives a pickup truck, the backbone to middle America. There are more Vespa scooters in one block than you see in America in 10 years. You seldom see a bicyclist. None wears a helmet. Every other person smokes. In Turkey, in fact, 70% of women smoke, informs our tour guide. They like their scrambled eggs runny, almost like a lumpy yellow pudding. In Europe, a 10% tip on a meal is considered more than sufficient. If you leave 20%, the owners give you a hug or handshake and wonder if youre an independent millionaire or Elon Musk. Because they live in such a condensed space, everything in Europe is smaller smaller homes, microscopic yards, compact cars... The smaller includes the people, too. In Europe, almost everyone is thinner than us fried-food-lovin', full-meal-dealin', dining-out-nutty Americans. Your people like your fast food too much, you dont walk to places like we do, one gent in Bodrum, Turkey, enlightened us. You sleep, work, drink and eat, eat, eat. (Translation: Were tired, overworked and fat, but God bless Schooners.) In Europe, you can be walking next to a steep cliff and theres not even a handrail. You dont see as many safety signs or warning labels. Stray animals roaming streets in America are picked up by animal control. In Europe Greece and Turkey, especially cats by the hundreds freely roam the streets, nonchalantly, fully ignoring the masses of roving tourists. Residents, you notice, leave Kittles on a curb or walkway. Europe, especially Turkey, leads the league in men wearing too much cologne. They make your 16-year-old headed to prom wearing a quart of Axe cologne smell bland. You cant find popcorn anywhere. In shopping areas, in bigger cities especially, street peddlers are everywhere, trying to sell you carpets, jewelry, a scarf, food, electronics, almost anything. I dont know why they picked me as a guy who might want Viagra, said Gerry Smith of Bloomington with a laugh, after stopped by a plaza peddler in Istanbul. What you dont see are many homeless or street beggars, for good reason it can be against the law. In Turkey, they can even be arrested and jailed. In Europe, there are, natives fully admit, rampant pickpockets but little violent street crime. No one, they say, has a home security system. And yet, if you dont think America has had a significant influence abroad, just listen. Surprisingly, almost everyone these days speaks a little English, and every third or fourth person is wantonly fluent. Of all its qualities, perhaps the most fascinating aspect to Europe, and difference from America, is that its past coincides with the present. In America, a date like 1776, our countrys founding, is a long, long time ago. In Europe, with its history that dates back more than 25 centuries, 1776 is like day before yesterday. With all of its sites, ancient buildings, millennium-old relics and famous structures youd originally only seen in a fifth grade school history book and actually knew so little about (Who knew the famed Parthenon was actually a mile up, high above Athens? Or that the Virgin Mary was forced to flee Jerusalem to Turkey because of death threats?), thats the special fun of traveling it. Besides, of course, for us Americans, all their delicious food to eat, eat, eat, too. Photos: Drive Your Tractor to School Day at Normal West High School Video: Drive Your Tractor to School Day at Normal West 092923-blm-loc-tractor3 092923-blm-loc-tractor5 092923-blm-loc-tractor2 FUTURE FARMERS 092923-blm-loc-tractor4 The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) has refuted reports that it purchased 18 iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphones for GH28 million. In a statement released on September 30, 2023, BOST said "the total cost of the phones stood at Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand Ghana Cedis (234,000.00) grossed up for taxes at Two Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Twelve Ghana Cedis, Sixteen Pesewas (GHS285,412.16)". According to the statement, "The reason for the purchase of the devices was to equip the team to stay in touch with the management information and business intelligence systems of the company for efficient decision-making. In the petroleum storage and transportation space, a split second can make the difference between success and failure. The results so far attest to the efficiency of the systems put in place which includes the access points for key members of the team to access processed information for efficient decision-making" "The Twenty-Eight Million, Five Hundred and Forty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty-One Ghana Cedis (GHS28,541,261.00) in the report may be due to a typographical error of placing the dot(.) two steps to the right which on the face of the document converted the GHS285,412.61 to GHS28,541,261.00," the statement added. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RE: BOST BUYS EIGHTEEN (18) IPHONES AT TWENTY-EIGHT MILLION GHANA CEDIS (GHS28 MILLION) Accra-September 30, 2023-The Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Limited Company has noted with dismay a section of a procurement report making rounds in the traditional and social media space claiming the company bought 18 iPhones at a cost of Twenty-Eight Million, Five Hundred and Forty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty-One Ghana Cedis (GHS28,541,261.00) for some critical officers of the company, We would like to respond to the misinformation as follows: 1. The company bought eighteen (18) pieces of iPhone 13 Pro Max phones for our corporate executives in May 2022. 2. The total cost of the phones stood at Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand Ghana Cedis (234,000.00) grossed up for taxes at Two Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Twelve Ghana Cedis, Sixteen Pesewas (GHS285,412.16). 3. The amount is captured in the financial reports of the company and the Auditor General who audits the company, at least over the past three years, vetted the decision and the value and made no adverse findings about same. 4. The reason for the purchase of the devices was to equip the team to stay in touch with the management information and business intelligence systems of the company for efficient decision making. In the petroleum storage and transportation space, a split second can make the difference between success and failure. The results so far attest to the efficiency of the systems put in place which includes the access points for key members of the team to access processed information for efficient decision making. 5. The Twenty-Eight Million, Five Hundred and Forty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty-One Ghana Cedis (GHS28,541,261.00) in the report may be due to a typographical error of placing the dot(.) two steps to the right which on the face of the document converted the GHS285,412.61 to GHS28,541,261.00 6. The public is hereby entreated to ignore the claim that the company bought eighteen (18) phones at 28 million. It is both erroneous and mischievous. 7. The information is available on the website of the Public Procurement Authority through the link below https://tenders.ppa.gov.ph/contracts/12301 8. We would urge our stakeholders who stumble upon bits and pieces of information on the company to reach out to the Corporate Communications Department for any clarification before proceeding to make such statements which in the end could amount to misleading the public. This is unpardonable in a right to information regime where Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, are by law required to provide information stakeholders may require for their purposes. 9. May God bless our homeland Ghana. Corporate Communications and External Affairs Department Head Office 30 Gulf Street, South Legon, Accra. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video "The percentage of Science students, this year, has risen to some fifteen percent (15%), and it is expected to increase even further to some twenty-four percent (24%) in 2024" says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. This according to him, is due to the "creation of a STEM pipeline to increase STEM enrolment at tertiary education level, through pre-engineering programmes, which will target Senior High School Graduates in General Arts, Visual Arts and Business" In a post on his Facebook page, he wrote: On Saturday, I attended the 85th anniversary celebration of Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School, Legon. PRESEC has become, for me and for many Ghanaians, one of the best senior high schools, if not the best, in Ghana. The credit for this goes to past and present management, teaching and non-teaching staff, alumni and students. In order to attain our objective of building an industrialised nation, Government is increasing its emphasis on science and technology education and technical and vocational training. We intend to put science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) education in its central, relevant place. Training students with 21st century skills is essential in preparing our future workforce for the 4th Industrial Revolution through STEM education. The percentage of General Science students in our schools has been some twelve percent (12%) for some time. The percentage of Science students, this year, has risen to some fifteen percent (15%), and it is expected to increase even further to some twenty-four percent (24%) in 2024. This is being made possible through (1) the creation of a STEM pipeline to increase STEM enrolment at tertiary education level, through pre-engineering programmes, which will target Senior High School Graduates in General Arts, Visual Arts and Business; (2) the operationalisation of four (4) newly constructed STEM Model Schools, and the conversion of three (3) existing schools into STEM Model Schools. There are some two thousand, four hundred (2,400) students enrolled to study General Science and STEM in the seven (7) schools; (3) the completion of ten (10) regional STEM Centres to train a complete STEM pipeline from primary through JHS to SHS; (4) the construction of Model Junior High Schools to replace clusters of basic schools and equipping the existing schools for STEM programmes; and (5) the retooling of science laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) of one hundred and eighty (180) selected Senior High Schools, including Presbyterian Boys Senior High School. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Senegal's navy says it has intercepted four boats over three days with more than 600 people on board. They were attempting the treacherous crossing to Spain's Canary Islands - a gateway to Europe. Footage on social media on Saturday showed other would-be migrants jumping off a boat that had run aground in Senegal's coastal city of St Louis. Witnesses say winds forced them back and they wanted to avoid arrest by the navy, which has stepped up patrols. "We were at the beach chilling when suddenly we saw a pirogue [wooden style boat] arriving with migrants on board. When they got closer to the shore, they were frantically jumping into the water," a 19-year-old Saint Louis resident told the Reuters news agency. "We all rushed to witness this although here, it's common." At the end of July, the government put forward a 10-year plan to combat irregular migration, including stronger border management. Since early 2023, at least 140 migrants attempting the Atlantic crossing have died or gone missing, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM). In August alone, more than 2,690 people made it to the Canary Islands from Senegal and Morocco, according to the InfoMigrants news site. This was more than double the number of arrivals in the same month last year, it said. Last month, the brother of a Senegalese man who died after a boat on which he was travelling drifted at sea for more than a month told the BBC despite the dangers, he would still attempt the trip himself as it was impossible to make a living in Senegal. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The dead man was found in a sitting position, slumped over, with a cigarette either in or near his mouth. He wore a nice suit and polished shoes, but no hat. Two couples claim to have seen him as they walked along the beach, and one said he raised his arm and pointed at them. They thought he was probably drunk. Another witness claimed to have seen a man looking down on the body. Upon inspection, the dead man was found to have strong calves, like those of a dancer or an athlete, and his toes grew together in a way that suggested habitual wearing of high heels, or perhaps point shoes, again suggesting he could have been a dancer. He carried an American comb in his pocket, but no wallet. Advertisement His autopsy revealed he had a bleeding stomach and a spleen three times the normal size, though his body showed no cause of natural death. The coroner suspected he'd been poisoned with some kind of undetectable toxin, despite the lack of vomit or evidence of convulsions that accompany a poisoning, though the death certificate listed cause of death as unknown. Maybe the man was killed elsewhere and moved to the beach? But authorities also didn't have proof the man didn't ingest a toxin himself. So, could it have been a suicide or was it a homicide? Police could not identify the body through fingerprint ID, and though they shared his information and picture internationally, no one knew who he was. They widened their search and found a suitcase that was abandoned at main railway station in Adelaide, suggesting he had come from out of town, but there were no identifying markers in its contents, and the case stalled. " " Code breakers have tried to decipher this messaging on a scrap of paper found in the Somerton Beach man's watch for decades. Public domain But then, police enlisted the help of a pathology expert to re-examine the dead man's body and possessions, and he found something the initial investigators didn't. A "secret pocket" sewn into the man's pants contained a watch fob, but inside the watch was a tightly rolled up piece of paper. It was a page torn from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a book of 12th-century poetry. On it were two words: "tamam shud," which mean "ended" or "finished." The book from which the page was torn was tracked down, and close examination yielded further clues handwriting impressions of a telephone number, another unidentified number and what appeared to be an encrypted message. Could he have been a Cold War spy? The telephone number was found to be the unlisted number of Jessica Harkness Thomson, an Adelaide resident. When she spoke with police, she said she didn't know the Somerton Beach man, and didn't know why he'd had her phone number. But when they showed her the plaster cast of his face, the investigator thought she acted "surprised, almost to the point of fainting," and that she refused to look at the face again, only repeated that she didn't know him. She did own a copy of the Rubaiyat, and had given it to an old friend named Alf Boxall, a military man who worked in intelligence. Authorities began to believe the Somerton Beach man was Alf Boxall, until they found out he was alive and well. His copy of the book of poetry was intact, and he didn't know the dead man either. The encrypted message on the tiny piece of paper was never cracked some code breakers thought that the unknown man had used some sort of shorthand, or that he was simply a disturbed mind. One theory was floated out that Jessica Harkness was also a spy; her daughter said in interviews that she knew Russian, but would never tell her why or when she'd learned. Maybe both the Somerton Beach man and Alf Boxall had worked for her. Perhaps the Rubaiyat was essential to understanding the code, and that's why both men had copies. With the tentative identification of Carl "Charles" Webb as the body on Somerton Beach, all of this speculation may turn out to have been merely supposition, the fanciful imaginings of people intigued by a mystery man found dead on a beach. One way or another, the truth can't be very far away and, inexorably, the answers to the questions posed by the body on the beach will slowly begin to come to light. Now That's Romantic In 2009, Abbott tried to find a woman interviewed by police in their original investigation. Her phone number had come from the mystery man's poetry book. She turned out to be dead, as was her son, a professional ballet dancer whose teeth and ears were said to be remarkably similar to the Somerton Mans. However, Abbott did eventualy find and interview that man's daughter, Rachel Egan, and the two fell in love and got married in 2010. Strange case, indeed. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain With the Cascadia Subduction Zone parked off the coast and shallow faults lurking under most major cities, the Puget Sound area already faces a daunting array of seismic scenarios. A new study adds another: the possibility of a one-two earthquake punch. Using state-of-the-art tree ring and radiocarbon dating methods, researchers found the most recent major earthquake on the Seattle Fault wasn't a solo act. The Saddle Mountain Fault, which slices across the Olympic Peninsula near Lake Cushman, ruptured at about the same time. The team also was able to zero in on the date with stunning precision, narrowing it to a six-month window between the fall of 923 A.D. and the spring of the following yearalmost exactly 1,100 years ago. Their results were published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances. The project, which spanned more than five years and included divers with underwater chain saws to sample trees drowned by the quakes, is a scientific tour de force nearly unprecedented in seismology, said Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network at the University of Washington. To help nail down the date, the team used a new approach that detects traces of ancient solar storms captured in tree rings. But the findings add a new worst-case possibility to the seismic threats facing a region that's home to 4 million people, said Tobin, who did not participate in the study. A seismic double whammy would be much more damaging than any single quake, especially to old brick and concrete buildings, and vulnerable bridges and infrastructure. It's a scenario that hasn't been factored into hazard maps, building codes and emergency planningbut it needs to be, Tobin added. "The chance in any given year is not high, and there's no reason to freak out because of this study," Tobin said. "But it underscores that these are things that we need to be prepared for." A 2005 analysis estimated a relatively modest magnitude 6.7 quake on the Seattle Fault could kill 1,600 people, destroy nearly 10,000 buildings and cause up to $50 billion in economic losses. If the Seattle and Saddle Mountain faults ruptured simultaneously, the new study estimates, the resulting quake would clock in at magnitude 7.8nearly 40 times more powerfuland affect a much bigger area. The exact sequence of the ancient quakes remains unclear, said study co-author Morgan Page, of the U.S. Geological Survey. Based on statistical analysis of global quake sequences, she calculates a 3-to-1 likelihood the faults ruptured simultaneously. But it's also possible two quakes were separated by hours, days or even months. In that case, the study estimates their magnitudes at 7.3 to 7.5. Seismologists used to categorize most clustered quakes as aftershocks, and assumed they occurred on the same fault, said John Cassidy, a senior seismologist for Natural Resources Canada who was not involved in the project. But over the past several years, more has been learned about how a slip on one fault can put stress on others. February's devastation in Turkey was caused by a powerful quake that triggered the rupture of an adjacent fault nine hours later. Shallow quakes near urban areas can be especially nasty because they are so close to the surface. Shaking would be far more intense than from Washington's most recent big earthquakethe magnitude 6.8 Nisqually event in 2001, which originated more than 20 miles underground. "An earthquake on the Seattle Fault is ... likely to be much, much more catastrophic," Tobin said. Fortunately, shallow fault quakes are extremely rare in Washington. The seismic mayhem in 923-924 A.D. appears to be the most intense episode since the end of the last ice age 16,000 years ago, the researchers report. Geologists still don't have extensive quake histories for most of the dozen or so faults in the area, but most seem to pop off every thousand to several thousand years, Tobin said. The USGS estimates about a 5% chance of a major Seattle Fault quake in the next 50 years. But the quake that struck Morocco earlier this month occurred in an area where earthquakes also are rare, and nothing as powerful had ever been recorded, Tobin pointed out. The new research builds on more than 30 years of geological discoveries. Field work in the early 1990s uncovered multiple clues left by the Seattle Fault quake, which uplifted Alki Point and the southeastern tip of Bainbridge Island as much as 20 feet and spawned a tsunami that swamped the site of the West Point Treatment Plant. It also triggered landslides on Mercer Island that sent old-growth forests sliding into Lake Washington, where some are still standing upright in nearly 300 feet of water. The Saddle Mountain quake broke the ground with a 24-foot-tall scarp that blocked a drainage and created Price Lake, drowning trees as the water rose. Preserved in oxygen-poor cold water, those submerged trees from Lake Washington, Price Lake and other sites were the key to the new research. Previous radiocarbon analysis already had dated the Seattle Fault quake to sometime between 900 and 930 A.D. Intriguing hints from several other faults, including Saddle Mountain, Olympia and Tacoma, suggested they also ruptured around then. But conventional methods yielded possible age ranges that spanned centuries at those other sites. "There was too much uncertainty," said co-author Brian Sherrod, a USGS scientist who has spent most of his career investigating faults across the state. A chance encounter at a scientific conference between Sherrod and Bryan Black, a leading dendrochronologist from the University of Arizona, set the multiyear odyssey in motion. "It's a big puzzle. That's why it took so long," said Sherrod. "To me, the story is these new techniques Bryan and his colleagues bring to the picture." Tree rings can yield much more precise dates than radiocarbon, Black explained. But the samples have to be in good condition, with bark and extensive ring sequences. One of the most daunting tasks was rounding up dozens of cores and wood slices collected over the years by other researchers. Eventually, Black corralled usable samples from 47 Douglas firs at six sites where trees were drowned by the earthquakes. Some of the samples recorded nearly three centuries of history. The team had to collect new samples from Price Lake, where stumps of the quake-killed Douglas firs remain visible. USGS divers struggled in the murky water to slice usable samples with intact bark from the bases of the trees. "It would take up to an hour to cut a single wedge from a tree, because they were working with almost zero visibility," said Black, lead author of the study. To anchor the tree rings in time, he used a reference sequence from 1,300-year-old firs collected on Vancouver Island in the early 1990sso the date of the outermost ring is known. Black sanded each sample multiple times, including with micron-level diamond grit sheets called lapping films. "It's sanded to the point where you can see the individual cells within the wood under a microscope," he said. As he lined up his samples and compared them with the reference trees, the answer was unmistakable. The validity of the date was confirmed through radiocarbon analysis of individual tree rings, looking for evidence of cosmic timestamps called Miyake events. Named for the Japanese physicist who discovered them, the events represent spikes of radiation from solar flares or exploding stars centuries or millennia ago. Luckily for dendrochronology, spikes in cosmic radiation generate spikes in atmospheric levels of carbon-14, the isotope whose slow decay is the clock that anchors radiocarbon dating. Even luckier for Black and his colleagues, a Miyake event occurred in the year 774 A.D. and showed up in their Douglas fir samples, providing an absolute benchmark from which to count. "Boom," he said. "Everything came together, and we saw that these trees all died with the last completely formed ring being the year 923." The mystery of exactly when the Seattle Fault ruptured and whether other faults were involved has been around for more than 30 yearsand Black said he can now see why. "This has been the most complicated and challenging dating project in my career." And he and Sherrod aren't done. They're on the hunt for submerged trees linked to the Tacoma and Olympia faults, to find out whether the earthquake outburst 1,100 years ago was even more extensive. In the meantime, Seattle is once again trying to tackle the hazard posed by old brick buildings, also called unreinforced masonry (URM), which are among the most dangerous places to be in an earthquake. More than 1,000 URM apartment buildings, offices, churches and meeting halls are scattered across the city, and efforts to require retrofits have stalled repeatedly. The latest development is a new rule that simplifies and standardizes the requirements for retrofits, said URM program manager Amanda Hertzfeld. The next step will be a voluntary retrofit program that could be in place by next spring. The goal is to eventually mandate upgrades, Hertzfeld said, but there's no timeline yet. More information: Bryan A. Black et al, A multifault earthquake threat for the Seattle metropolitan region revealed by mass tree mortality, Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4973 Journal information: Science Advances (c)2023 The Seattle Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Boats stranded in the mud of the parched Lago Aleixo amid a drought in the Amazonas state of Brazil. Not far from the emblematic site where the black waters of the Rio Negro join the brown currents of the Solimoes, two chief tributaries of the Amazon, what once was a lake has given way to a vast stretch of cracked mud. Now, the only water remaining in what had been the Lago de Aleixo is a narrow stream, a symbol of the drought that has gripped Brazil's Amazonas state and its jungle capital Manaus. A man works to direct a canoe carrying a heavy refrigerator through this sluggish trickle, but his efforts are slow-goingthe water barely reaches up to his knees. His immediate surroundings are sucked dry, even as the greenery of the planet's largest rainforest is visible all around. Nearby, 62-year-old retiree Maria Auxiliadora da Silva must lean against the trunk of a downed tree to avoid sinking into the mud as she walks home carrying a heavy bag. "We don't have anywhere to go, so we'll stay here until the water returns," she told AFP, glancing sadly at her wooden floating house that is now trapped in the sludge. "Before, it held up well (floating in the lake)," she said of her home. "Now, it's all damaged." Stranded boats dot the landscape. One large two-story passenger vessel is clearly listing to one side. Its name is visible: the Victory of Jesus. The Brazilian federal government has said it will send humanitarian aid to the residents of Amazonas state as they deal with a drought. 'Psychological effects' Graciete Abreu, a 47-year-old farmer, sells her vegetables at a market in the Colonia Santo Aleixo district, near the vanished lake, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of central Manaus. She normally uses a small boat to transport goods from her farm on the banks of the Rio Negro, but with the drought, she now has to walk for several hours to cover the same distance. "We took the canoe up to the spot where there is still water, we dragged it a little ways, and we ended up abandoning it to finish the journey on foot," Abreu explained. But beyond the logistic struggles of the drought, Abreu is also concerned about the "psychological effects" on local residents from seeing the once-flowing landscape turn parched. A similar scene is found at the Marina do Davi, a Manaus river port, where dozens of other boats have also run aground in the mud. The Rio Negro's low water levels on September 29, 2023. Stranded boats dot the Rio Negro. "I work in river transport, and most of my boats are unusable," 43-year-old businessman Raimundo Bernardo said. Governor Wilson Lima on Friday declared a state of emergency in 55 areas around Amazonas, including Manaus. And local authorities have also undertaken a series of measures aimed at reducing suffering caused by the drought, such as distributing some 50,000 meals to the state's nearly 4 million residents, many of whom are Indigenous. The federal government plans to send emergency humanitarian aid such as "food, potable water, hygiene products and medications," Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva announced Thursday. Low water levels have already killed thousands of fish and dozens of Amazon pink river dolphins. The region is also dealing with the El Nino weather phenomenon, which can limit the formation of clouds, and therefore rain, even, as Silva explained, Brazil is already "vulnerable" to the intense effects of climate change. 2023 AFP The New York State Police has activated the New York State AMBER Alert and are investigating a child abduction that occurred near Moreau Lake State Park, Loop A, Site 18, in Gansevoort, NY at about 6:45 p.m. Sept. 30, 2023. The CHILD, Charlotte E. Sena is a White female, approximately 9 years 1 month old with long, blonde hair and green eyes. She is approximately 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 90 pounds. Charlotte was last seen wearing Orange tie-dye Pokemon shirt, dark blue pants, black crocs, gray bike helmet. The child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that they are in imminent danger of serious harm and/or death. Anyone with any information on this abduction is asked to call the New York State Police at (518) 457-6811 or dial 911 to provide information on a report or sighting. During a press conference earlier today, Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed that the girl was camping with her parents who reported her missing last night. She had ridden her bicycle along "Loop A" in the park with friends and wanted one last loop by herself at about 6:47 p.m., Hochul said. When she did not return for about 15 minutes, friends and family with whom she was camping, searched, and soon many campers were helping. The parents, David and Tricia (we could not confirm spellings of their names) called 911. Police arrived before 7 p.m. Her bike was found on Loop A. The Governor confirmed that Sena, while spending time at Moreau State Park, was reported missing at 6:47 p.m. on Saturday night by her parents. According to State Police, a command post has been established at the state park, with over 100 personnel deployed in the search. Charlotte has two sisters. "They were here to make memories, the kind that last a lifetime," the governor said. "As a mother and as a grandmother, I cannot imagine the pain they're going through," Hochul said of Charlotte's parents. By 7p.m. the New York State police were onsite. with special teams, divers to check the pond, bloodhounds to check the forest and drones looking from the sky. About 100 officers and specialists and the FBI are working the case, officials said. "I promised her parents, we'll find her daughter," Hochul said, adding, "Hopefully there will be a reunion." During the press conference, Lt. Colonel Richard L. Mazzone, Assisstant Deputy Superintendent of the New ork State Police, said the amber alert early this morning was after an extensive search through the park turned up nothing. "It was quite possible that an abduction has taken place," they surmised at that time, he said, adding after a question that police feel the girl is not in the park. "I feel confident at this point that we have conducted a search of this park, and we're going to continue with that as we search every other avenue." "Search efforts continued throughout the night," he said. Addtional search teams deployed this morning. "We continue to dedicated all resources that we can to find Charlotte and bring her home safely." LOWER TOWNSHIP In a little more than a decade, Cape May Brewing Company went from a tiny craft brewery to a multistate operation, one that industry observers describe as New Jerseys largest brewing company. Helping that expansion was Cape May Brewings system of self-distribution, with the companys own drivers and branded trucks delivering kegs and cases across New Jersey and into neighboring states. In 2019, the company launched Cape Beverage, an independent distribution company that also delivered other alcohol products and soft drinks. That is coming to an end, with the recent announcement that Cape May Brewing was divesting its distribution rights and ending self-distribution through Cape Beverage. At the heart of this decision is our renewed appreciation for our entrepreneurial roots and what has driven our success from day one, said Ryan Krill, founder of Cape May Brewing. We know what we do exceptionally well. We create delicious and innovative craft brews and spirits that have made fans happy for years, leaving them in anticipation of whats next from us. Thats why we want to funnel all of our time, energy, and resources into delighting them with our products." Frank Stempin, president of Cape May Brewing, added, This transaction will allow us to do that next level reinvesting into Cape May Brewing in a variety of ways such as expanded production, state-of-the-art brewing equipment, and growth of footprint. Contacted after the announcement, Stempin said the company would not disclose any financial details of the decision, including how much money the move will save. About 20 jobs were eliminated, Stempin said. About 130 people work for the brewing company in total. 5 local breweries to check out before the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival Beer lovers dont have to wait for the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival this weekend to Cape May Brewing Company will actively support former employees of Cape Beverage Distributing, offering job placement assistance, severance, and continuation of benefits packages to aid in this transition, reads a statement announcing the decision, which took effect Monday. Distribution of Cape May Brewing products is being managed by four distributors: Kramer Beverage Company of Hammonton; Peerless Beverage Company of Union, Union County; Shore Point Distributing Company of Freehold, Monmouth County; and Kohler Distributing Company of Hawthorne, Passaic County. In finding the right partners to take the distribution reins from us, we followed our own advice and sought out companies who know what they do better than anyone, Stempin said. We chose four companies who demonstrate whats possible when you focus on one thing and execute with excellence. Kramer, Kohler, Peerless, and Shore Point are all family-owned companies who have amassed formidable distribution expertise over the generations. Their deep understanding of the landscape will enable them to seamlessly continue to serve our valued customers with the same dedication and efficiency they have come to expect from Cape Beverage over the years. With the largest territory coverage in New Jersey, Kramer Beverage will distribute the majority of Cape May Brewing's inventory, according to Cape May Brewing. In the spring, the company announced it would acquire Flying Fish Brewing Company, based in Camden County. Without disclosing a purchase price, Krill told The Philadelphia Inquirer in April that Cape May Brewing Company would acquire Flying Fish's production facility and other assets, including the Flying Fish name. The week, Stempin said that deal is off. After extensive analysis during the diligence phase, Cape May Brewing Company determined it will not complete the planned acquisition of Flying Fish, he said. Frank Rio, the president of Flying Fish, said Wednesday the acquisition deal fell through months ago, although it was not as widely reported as the acquisition announcement. He did not offer any insights into what happened. Cape May Brewing to buy Camden County's Flying Fish LOWER TOWNSHIP Cape May Brewing Company intends to acquire Camden County-based Flying Fish Thats a question for them about why they didnt move forward with closing, Rio said. On my end, theres nothing to say. In June, Cape May Brewings sister company Cape May Spirits Co. announced a new line of canned cocktails, described as being made for the art of day drinking," and the company also offers hard seltzers, lemonades and a rotating roster of seasonal beers along with its Cape May IPA and other big sellers. On Monday, Cape May Brewing announced it took a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival for its Oktoberfest. The company started in a 1,500-square-foot space at the Cape May Airport in 2011. The company now has more than 32,000 square feet and distributes in New Jersey, a significant portion of eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. WELLINGTON, New Zealand Starting in October, workers at the main United States base in Antarctica will no longer be able to walk into a bar and order a beer, after the U.S. federal agency that oversees the research program decided to stop serving alcohol. McMurdo Station will not be going entirely dry, the National Science Foundation confirmed. Researchers and support staff will still be able to buy a weekly ration of alcohol from the station store. But the policy shift could prove significant because the bars have been central to social life in the isolated environment. The changes come as concerns grow that sexual misconduct has been allowed to flourish at McMurdo. An investigation by The Associated Press uncovered a pattern of women who said their claims of harassment or assault were minimized by their employers, often leading to them or others being put in further danger. In some of the cases outlined by the AP, alcohol played a role. But the NSF said the changes involving alcohol were related to morale and welfare at the base, and were not aimed at preventing sexual harassment or assault. Under the new rules, workers will be able to order only alcohol-free drinks at McMurdo's two main bars, Southern Exposure and Gallaghers. They will still be able to bring their own alcohol to drink at the bars. A third venue that also served alcohol, the Coffee House, will become entirely alcohol-free but will now stay open for workers to visit any time of the day or night. The current alcohol ration allows Antarctic workers to buy up to the equivalent of 18 beers each week, or three bottles of wine, or a 25-ounce bottle of spirits. We will not rest until we are confident that every member of the Antarctic community feels safe and supported. National Science Foundation CEO Karen Marrongelle The NSF said it's also instituting several new measures during the current southern hemisphere spring and upcoming summer that are aimed at preventing sexual harassment and assault at the base, where typically around 70% of workers are men. These include enhanced training, a new survey to collect data and monitor trends, and visits to the ice from experts. Karen Marrongelle, the NSF's chief operating officer, said it was committed to ensuring a safe environment wherever science or education was conducted. We will not rest until we are confident that every member of the Antarctic community feels safe and supported, she said in a statement. The NSF published a report in 2022 in which 59% of women said theyd experienced harassment or assault while on the ice, and 72% of women said such behavior was a problem in Antarctica. Last year, the NSF created an office to deal with such complaints, provided a confidential victims advocate, and established a 24-hour helpline. The AP investigation found a pattern of problems at McMurdo. One woman who reported a colleague had groped her was made to work alongside him again. Another woman who told her employer she was sexually assaulted was fired two months later. Another woman said bosses at the base downgraded her allegations from rape to harassment. After the AP published its investigation, the NSF sent a message to U.S. Antarctic Program workers. We know that it can be difficult to hear these accounts. It is for us, the NSF wrote in the email. These are not experiences we want anyone to have within the USAP (or anywhere else in the world). The email outlined the new anti-harassment measures the NSF planned to implement and offered resources for support. Jennifer Sorensen, who told the AP she was raped at McMurdo in 2015, said the NSF had tried unsuccessfully before to blame alcohol for the high rates of sexual misconduct at the base. They know full well that all the rationing or denial of alcohol sales being forced on us isn't going to do a damn thing, she said. If the NSF and lead contractor Leidos were serious about stopping sexual misconduct, they should start believing survivors and ensure they aren't retaliated against, she said. They should also stop rehiring perpetrators, she added. Alcohol can obviously blur the lines of consent, there's that issue at play, but overwhelmingly, sexual assault has occurred even when neither party has been consuming alcohol, as was the case with me, Sorensen said. So it's definitely not going to eliminate the problem." Sorensen said that if the NSF wants to reduce drinking, it should provide alternative diversions, such as the bowling alley, ceramic studio and greenhouse which used to be features at McMurdo but have disappeared due to budget cutbacks. Britt Barquist, who said she was groped at McMurdo in 2017, said in an email it was positive that the NSF was making an effort to improve the culture at the base. But she remained concerned that incidents were still being swept under the rug when it put a contracting company's primary objectives at risk. For example, my incident took place during work hours, at a job site, no alcohol involved, and was corroborated and reported through official channels, Barquist wrote. I was later told by my companys HR that I would have to work with the perpetrator again because his job was mission-critical and there was no one else to fill his role. None of these new policies implemented by the NSF would prevent that from happening again. Most Americans experience a traumatic event by the age of 16here are common symptoms Most Americans experience a traumatic event by the age of 16here are common symptoms Elementary school-age children Middle school- and high school-age youth Mephedrone worth 2.15 crore seized in front of Sassoon Hospital; History sheeter treated at hospital smuggled drugs In an action taken by Crime Branch of Pune Police, Mephedrone drug worth rupees 2 crore 15 lakhs was seized. According to the preliminary information, the Crime Branch of Pune Police confiscated this drug that weighed 1 kg 75 grams. A history sheeter who was already serving his punishment at the Yerwada Jail was being treated at Sassoon Hospital. The accused is identified as Lalit Patel. He has been slashed with other severe crimes and for running drugs racket. After a police investigation it has come to light that one of the hospital staff is also involved in the smuggling. Further investigation is underway by the police. Test Drive Careers at the Advancement Center The Accelerate Iowa Program will host an exciting interactive event to showcase various careers. Test Drive Careers will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, October 4, at the Clinton Advancement Center, 1951 Manufacturing Drive in Clinton. Free pizza and beverages will be provided. Individuals ages 16-24 are encouraged to attend this free event, however, all are welcome. Participants will have the unique opportunity to step into the shoes of professionals from various fields through the use of interactive simulators. This event is designed to provide attendees with a hands-on experience of what different careers entail, helping them make informed decisions about their future. We believe that the best way to understand a career is to immerse oneself in it, even if only for a short time, Kendra Schaapveld, Project Director for the Accelerate Iowa Program, said. Thats why we are bringing simulators on site to offer a realistic taste of different professions. Whether youre a high school student considering your future path, or a young adult looking to explore new career possibilities, Test Drive Careers is the perfect opportunity to gain valuable insights. The Accelerate Iowa Program provides services that assist youth ages 14-24 to identify a career pathway based on their individual skills, interests, abilities and current labor market demands. For more information contact Accelerate Iowa at 563-265-2462. ------------------------------------------ Corn Belt Ports ribbon cutting Corn Belt Ports will host a ribbon cutting on Thursday, October 19th at 10:30 am. The ceremony will take place at the Western Illinois University Campus under the skywalk between Buildings A/B. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the QC Complex Building C Atrium. The Corn Belt Ports' new office will be located at WIU Quad Cities campus as it will be entering into a MOU with Western Illinois University (WIU) to promote the coordinated development, growth, and management of ports and waterborne commerce in the Upper Mississippi River region. ------------------------------------------- Bethany for Children & Families and Bridgeview Community Mental Health Center Merge Bethany for Children & Families of the greater Quad Cities area and Bridgeview Community Health Center of Clinton, Iowa, two leading social services and mental health care organizations, have merged in order to better deliver mission-driven, high-quality, and compassionate care to those in need. After many meetings and months of sharing information and insights on how best to serve the communities, the merger establishes a management agreement between Bethany and Bridgeview. The unification of staff members is advantageous to both Bethany and Bridgeview and creates an economy of scale and synergy, which benefits both organizations and the clients they serve. This transition maintains the corporate structure of both organizations, while being governed by a unified Board of Directors. The merger coincides with the retirement of Bridgeview Executive Director, Paul Blair, after more than 25 years of service. Bethany President and CEO, Bill Steinhauser, will provide leadership to both organizations. Bridgeview Community Mental Health Center, located at 1320 19th Avenue NW in Clinton, Iowa, employs 34 individuals and has an annual budget of $3.2 million. Bethany for Children & Families, with headquarters at 1701 River Drive in Moline, Illinois, employs a dedicated staff of 90 social workers, licensed therapists, educators, and licensed case managers, along with Human Resources, business, and support staff. With an annual budget of $9.6 million, the agency continues to expand its therapeutic footprint to help the most vulnerable. -------------------------------------- Lead(h)er Recognizes 2023 Girl on Fire Award Winners Lead(h)er marked its seventh anniversary with a dazzling Birthday Party celebration that honored outstanding women and their contributions to the community. The event, held on Saturday, September 23rd at Mercado on Fifth was a success, bringing together a dynamic group of supporters, mentors, mentees, and partners. The Birthday Party celebration was a memorable evening filled with connection, inspiration, and empowerment. Lead(h)er extends its heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, whose generous support made the Birthday Party and Girl on Fire Awards possible. Special thanks to our Ring Leader Sponsor, Northwest Bank and Trust, for their unwavering commitment to our mission and vision. Additionally, we would like to thank our Girl on Fire Awards Sponsor, Neckers Jewelers, for their sponsorship of the awards and participation in the evenings events! Girl on Fire Award Winners: At the celebration, three remarkable women were honored for their outstanding achievements and commitment to mentorship and Lead(h)ers mission. Each Girl on Fire Award Winners received a custom glass trophy from Hot Glass Inc, the winners are as follows: Mentor of the Year: Samantha Widener Samantha Widener has consistently gone above and beyond to guide and support her mentee in 2023. Samantha supported her mentee with outstanding empathy, leadership and charisma. She jumpstarted her mentees involvement in volunteering and networking in the Quad Cities community. Her dedication to mentorship has had a profound impact on her mentees personal life and career, making her a true inspiration to the Lead(h)er community! Mentee of the Year: Emily Cummings Emily Cummings has displayed remarkable determination and growth under her mentor, Irene Borys. Irine nominated Emily for her outstanding achievements and continuous commitment to personal and professional development which make her a shining example for others to follow. Not only was Emily a model mentee, but she now has also become a mentor to another Quad Cities woman! Found(h)er of the Year: LuAnn Haydon LuAnn Haydon is one of the visionary leaders behind Lead(h)er and was recognized for her tireless dedication to empowering women and creating opportunities for those women. Her warm demeanor and willingness to mentor so many individuals through big and small ways alike, have transformed countless lives in the Lead(h)er Community! LuAnn believes in the mission of Lead(h)er, is a dedicated Found(h)ers donor, and supports the organization in creative ways going above and beyond whenever possible! Lead(h)er wishes to express heartfelt thanks to everyone who have attended our events and supported our organization throughout the years. Your dedication and passion are the driving forces behind our continued success. We look forward to the continued growth and empowerment of women in leadership and business for many years to come! CLIVE Nikki Haleys recent debate performances were a major factor that brought Laura Mount to see her at a town hall in Clive on Saturday. The 72-year-old from Ogden was, until recently, considering supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy in Iowas first-in-the-nation caucuses in January. But, Mount said, Haley drawing a distinction with DeSantis and Ramaswamy at those debates made her think the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor was the most qualified candidate on the stage. Mount said she's likely to caucus for Haley in January. She has a lot more fire than I thought she did, Mount said of Haleys most debate performances. I think she showed backbone and she definitely pointed out how she is different from Tim Scott and some of the others. Mount said she is a fan of Haleys position on the border, foreign policy and budget issues. She has been in government long enough to have some idea how to go in there and get the job done, Mount said. Haleys remarks Saturday to a crowd of more than 200 were similar to her past swings through Iowa: she promised to slash budgets, be tough on China and beef up border security. She said she would take back billions in unspent COVID-19 relief money and bring federal spending back to pre-COVID levels. Haley criticized Congress for not passing a federal budget on time and bringing the country to the brink of a government shutdown. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill with bipartisan support on Saturday, and the Senate approved the measure Saturday night. You need a president that reminds them that their job is to get a budget out before we even get to this point, she said. So dont let them sit there and tell you, Oh, I was on this side, or I was on that side. They should have given us a budget on time so we never got to this point. On border security, she said she would send military special operations personnel to Mexico to target drug cartels. When it comes to all the cartels and what theyre doing, sending fentanyl, we need to send our special operations forces over to them, and we need to wipe the cartels out, she said. Using U.S. military forces on Mexican cartels is a popular position among Republican candidates, and contenders like former President Donald Trump, DeSantis and Ramaswamy have all suggested such measures. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has called the idea irresponsible and a threat to Mexicos sovereignty. Haley's stump speech was briefly interrupted by hecklers who asked her for her opinion on the artist Taylor Swift one wearing a tee shirt that read "Swifties against Nikki Haley" before being escorted out by police. After laughing off the incident, Haley said they were free to ask any questions after her speech and told the crowd to "remember how blessed we are that we have freedom of speech in this country." Haley looks to make up ground Because of her recent growth in support in some early nominating states, GOP mega-donors are giving Haley consideration, while keeping their eye on DeSantis, as an option to knock Trump from his dominant position, according to NBC News. Haley still has a ways to go to catch up to DeSantiss second-place spot in Iowa polling, according to recent polls. But she has regularly taken second place in recent polls in New Hampshire and South Carolina, the next two states in the primary process. Haleys super PAC, SFA Fund, Inc, has blanketed the Iowa airwaves with ads that highlight her stance on China and argue she is the most electable Republican against President Joe Biden. In August, it said it had placed $13 million in ad buys in Iowa and New Hampshire. Iowa Republican Sen. Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire, Haleys Iowa campaign co-chair, said she thinks Haleys debate performances are establishing her as one of the serious contenders in the race for the Republican nomination. Cournoyer said shes seen more people come out to see Haley in Iowa as shes traveled the state, and she thinks the grassroots, town hall-style campaign process will build up her support in the Hawkeye State. I think its possible, and I think as the drama continues with the front-runner, I think a lot of Iowans havent completely made their mind up, she said. Theyre open to another candidate and theyre starting to realize that we need to pick the candidate thats ultimately going to win in November. Electability has become a key factor in Haleys campaign as a recent CNN poll showed her with a comfortable lead over Biden in a potential 2024 matchup. Haley made that argument again on Saturday, saying the Republican Party has consistently lost the popular vote in recent presidential elections and new leadership was needed to win in 2024. Were going to have to have to have a new generational conservative leader, she said. Weve got to leave the past headlines behind us and weve got to look forward to these major threats that we have and come up with the solutions that we change with the times. While Trump still holds a major lead in polling, both nationally and in Iowa, Cournoyer said she is optimistic about Haley's potential over the next three months. A lot can happen between now and January, and a lot will happen between now and January," Cournoyer said. "But I think that if she continues to get out in front of voters, shell continue to pick up the support. On Sept. 18 Illinois became the first state to completely move to a system where danger and flight risk, instead of money, determine if a person is detained before their trial. Thats a big step and one that should be watched closely. After observing the first two weeks, we can say that officials in Rock Island County were prepared to handle the glut of pretrial hearings from people who were already jailed before the law took effect. They all now have a right to ask to have the new law applied. Clarence M. Darrow, Chief Judge of the 14th Circuit, told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus that local officials have been faithful to the Pretrial Fairness Act, which was part of the 2021 SAFE-T Act, approved in 2021. Some of the initial concerns were addressed with amendments which allow judges more discretion in deciding whether the accused should be incarcerated while awaiting trial. The law was challenged, but the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in July that ending cash bail is constitutional. That cleared the way for a new system of handling those accused of committing crimes. The purpose of the Pretrial Fairness Act was to have a process that treated people equally regardless of their wealth. We agree that an individual's right to the presumption of innocence should not hinge on whether that person has access to money; however, implementing the strategy is easier said than done. Judges, attorneys and other officials logged many hours during the first two weeks working through dozens of old cases, including hearings where a judge decided whether to hold defendants in jail. And thats on top of the regular work load. The Rock Island County transition required planning. Rock Island County Public Defender Hany Khoury and State's Attorney Dora A. Villarreal and other officials have been meeting monthly since the middle of 2022 to prepare for the new law and its applications. The outcomes of the new law should be watched, compared and measured. Utmost is safety. We don't want the accused committing violent crimes while awaiting trial. While we'll trust the process, we'll also track cases so the public can see how the Pretrial Fairness Act is working. Under the old system, defendants were required to post an amount of money, determined by a judge, in order to secure pretrial release. The bond money, paid upfront, was then held until their case concluded. Defendants on average would only get a portion of that bond money back. Much of bond money went to pay fees, fines and restitutions. In 2021, $83.1 million in bond money was collected across Illinois, according to the Civic Federation of Illinois, an independent, non-partisan government research organization. Of that that $83.1 million 48% went to pay for court-ordered fees, 10% paid fines and 3% went to restitution. Only about 39% was refunded to defendants at the conclusion of the cases. Will those fines, fees and restitution continue to be paid by defendants now that there's not bond money to draw from? Time and oversight will tell. Finally, we'll watch the jail population in Rock Island County to see if the new law reduces the census of jail inmates. The annual Rock Island County jail population is 10,000 inmates, according to the sheriffs page on the Rock Island County website. We'll look for these answers in the days that come, but we can take stock that our local officials were ready for the challenges of the Pretrial Fairness Act. A judges ruling that Donald Trump committed fraud as he built his real-estate empire tarnishes the former presidents image as a business titan and could strip him of his authority to make major decisions about the future of his marquee properties in his home state. The Tuesday order rescinds business licenses as punishment, which could make it difficult or impossible for some of Trumps companies to operate in New York if not successfully appealed. Trumps attorney vowed to appeal, calling the decision un-American and part of a campaign to thwart his second bid for the presidency. Here are some of the key points of the case, and what happens next: What did the judge say? Trump and his company massively overvalued his assets, creating a fantasy world on the financial statements he gave to banks and others, Judge Arthur Engoron found in a lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general. Trumps Florida Mar-a-Lago club, for example, was overvalued on one financial statement by as much as 2,300%, the judge found. The former president also lied about the size of his Trump Tower penthouse apartment, claiming it was nearly three times its actual size and worth $327 million, according to the ruling. The exaggerated picture of Trumps wealth could have gotten him more favorable loan terms or lowered insurance costs, the attorney general has argued. How does this affect Trumps businesses? Under the ruling, limited-liability companies that control some of his key properties, such as 40 Wall Street, will be dissolved and authority over how to run them handed over to receivers. The judges order, if not successfully appealed, could mean Trump would no longer have any say in who to hire or fire, who to rent office space to, whether to pay back loans or take on new ones, essentially make any decision. Lisa Renee Pomerantz, a lawyer in Bohemia, New York, who has helped businesses establish LLCs in the state, said canceling certificates is a significant order because you cant operate without them. Their right to conduct business has been revoked, Pomerantz said. Hes just lost control of these entities. Importantly, the ruling also removes one of the bedrock protections of business suggested by the words limited liability themselves: Forcing lenders and other creditors, like victors in a legal judgment, to go after assets and cash only held by the business, not the owners stock and cash and other holdings. Will Trumps properties be sold off? Its unclear. Engoron tabled a discussion of whether just a step was required by his order when asked by Trumps lawyers Wednesday, responding: Im not prepared to issue a ruling right now. What is clear, though, is that it is unusual for such valuable LLCs containing office buildings and other properties to lose business licenses, so trustees might not be inclined to make such a drastic move. If the trustees do decide to sell, Trump will get the cash from whatever is left after paying creditors. The Trump Organization owes $100 million on Trump Tower. Lenders to 40 Wall Street, Trumps most valuable skyscraper, were owed more than $125 million earlier this year. What happens next? The judge will also weigh a possible $250 million in penalties and some remaining claims in a non-jury trial slated to start Monday. Still, the ruling on one count during whats known as the summary judgment phase could prove the most significant outcome of the case, said Will Thomas, an assistant professor of business law at the University of Michigan. This first count, even though it is easier in some respects from the other counts, it lets one of the biggest remedies kick in: Were going to stop you from doing business, Thomas said. This is one of the worst outcomes you can get. Barring a successful appeal, Thomas said he doesnt see how the Trump Organization can avoid losing control of his LLCs. What is Trump saying? In a series of statements on his Truth Social site, Trump insisted his company had done a magnificent job and the decision horrible and un-American. His son Eric Trump said his fathers claims about Mar-a-Lago were correct, and the property is speculated to be worth well over a billion dollars, according to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Trumps lawyer called the decision an attempt to seize control of private property. It was after midnight by the time all the votes had been counted. A political newcomer, Del. Kim Taylor, R-Dinwiddie, had pulled off a narrow upset on Election Day 2021. Beating the Democratic incumbent by 512 seats, or less than 1 percentage point, Taylor claimed a seat in the House of Delegates. The victory was something that no one thought we could do, she told supporters last month. Now, Taylor is running for reelection in the newly drawn House District 82, which includes the city of Petersburg and Dinwiddie, Prince George and Surry counties. She faces Kimberly Pope Adams, a Democratic, first-time candidate and an auditor at Virginia State University. Like 2021, the race is expected to be tight. The Virginia Public Access Project ranks District 82 as the most competitive in the House. Its voters backed Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, by 2 percentage points in 2021 and then-Rep. Donald McEachin, D-4th, by 1 point last year. Petersburg is heavily Democratic, but Dinwiddie and Prince George lean Republican. Surry is split down the middle. The race is one of a handful that will determine which party controls the House next year Republicans currently hold a four-seat edge. Speaking to the races importance, Youngkin recently told supporters: Kim Taylor is the linchpin in the House. Both sides have responded by donating money in large numbers. Each candidate has raised roughly $670,000, among the most in the state. Kim Taylor In August 2022, a demolition excavator sank its claw into the old Ramada Inn that towered over Interstate 95 in Petersburg. By the end of the year, the long-abandoned hotel was gone, ridding the city of its most prominent eyesore. And it happened, in large part, because of state funding. Taylor and Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, secured $2.6 million toward the demolition. The feat became perhaps the biggest victory in Taylors two-year term, and she touted it in a recent television ad. Morrissey said he began the work to bring down the Ramada in 2020, two years before Taylor took office. Once Taylor was elected, she worked in the House to secure funding, and Morrissey did the same in the Senate. Even though Petersburg is strongly Democratic, Taylor has put an emphasis there. She pushed for a casino in the city and, if Richmond voters again reject the casino referendum this fall, she said she will advocate again to put a casino in Petersburg. She has also stood alongside Youngkin, who launched an effort called the Partnership for Petersburg, a wide-ranging initiative from local and state leaders and businesses to address dozens of issues in the city, including chronic absenteeism in schools, high crime rates and poor health outcomes. The question for Taylor is whether all that work will flip Democratic votes. It should, said Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, because Republicans have accomplished more there than Democrats. Taylor describers herself as anti-abortion, but she did not specifically answer a question about the point at which the procedure should become illegal. She supports gun rights and wants harsher punishments for opioid dealers. Earlier this year, she said Virginia isnt ready to legalize recreational marijuana use. Her other TV ad highlights her background: Taylor, 44, grew up in Surry County, attended Virginia Commonwealth University and owns three Titan Auto & Tire shops in Chesterfield County with her husband, Butch. She and Butch plan to open a brewery in Moseley called Hidden Wit, a joint venture with the owners of Steam Bell Brewery, a Q Barbecue owner and others. Taylors supporters say she is remarkably visible throughout the district. On the first day of school, she greeted students at Walnut Hill Elementary School in Petersburg. Before that, she visited the Ruritan Fish Fry in Surry. Speaking to a crowd was unnatural to her, Cherry said, but she has improved in two years. I see her at any function going on, said Billy Bain, who runs a 3,300-acre farm in Dinwiddie County. In 2021, Taylor defeated Del. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, even though Aird raised five times as much money as Taylor. Her supporters say Taylor outworked her opponent. You dont need money to knock doors, said Amanda Mann, a defense lawyer running for commonwealths attorney in Dinwiddie. Her presence energized voters in Dinwiddie, Cherry said. The Republican-leaning county had become dormant, having been outvoted by Democratic Petersburg in the past. Taylor became active in politics in 2020, Cherry said. At the time, her daughter was a student at VCU, and racial justice protests were occurring daily that summer after the murder of George Floyd. Taylors daughter did not feel safe on campus, and Taylor decided to run. Taylor added that her background as a business owner gives her a unique perspective on how to create jobs and fix the economy. She said she supports policies that promote entrepreneurship. I wanted to have a voice in shaping policies that directly benefit small businesses and ease the burden on hardworking Virginians, she said. Kimberly Pope Adams In the early morning of April 6, Kimberly Pope Adams made an announcement: She was dropping out of the race. Money was tight and, as a seasoned accountant, she did not see a viable path for her campaign. But she immediately heard from voters who were disappointed to see her go. Adams said she did not realize dropping out would have such an impact. About six hours later, Adams made a 180-degree turn and stayed in the race. In the following days, the money arrived to keep her campaign afloat. She received about $10,000, mostly in small-dollar donations, she said. Sometimes you can focus so much on what isnt there that you forget what is, Adams said. Two months later, she won the Democratic primary with 60% of the vote. Adams father, Robert Pope, worked as a shift supervisor on the production line at the Hercules chemical plant in Hopewell now Ashland Inc. For 33 years, he was a union worker and a member of the United Steel Workers. He passed away in 2011. She understands everyday, working-class folks, said House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth. Because thats where she came from. She wasnt born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Unite Here Local 25, an area union of hospitality workers, has knocked on thousands of doors for Adams. Sam Epps, the unions political director, said she is one of us and that voters want authentic candidates and people they can relate to. We need more people in the General Assembly who reflect working people in the commonwealth, Epps said. Adams, 40, is a single working mom something you do not often find in the legislature. Adams said Virginia needs more elected officials who resemble voters. Adams has degrees from Virginia Tech and Liberty University and has been an accountant and auditor for more than 15 years. She worked for VSU for 10 years before joining the Virginia Department of the Treasury, where she was a senior internal auditor for four years. Last year, she returned to VSU as assistant director of financial compliance and operations. She got into politics in 2019, knocking on doors and canvassing for Aird. When Aird lost to Taylor in 2021, Adams says she was affected personally, given her time commitment. When Aird decided not to run again instead seeking a Senate seat Adams chose to run for the House. Building affordable housing, keeping the community safe from violence and preserving abortion rights are top priorities. She supports the current law on abortion, which makes the procedure illegal in the third trimester, unless physicians attest that carrying a fetus to term will put the mothers life or mental health at serious risk. Because she lives in rural Dinwiddie and is active in Petersburg politics, Adams is the best of both worlds, Aird said. She understands the needs of rural communities, and thats especially timely for a Democrat, Aird said. In rural communities, where Republicans dominate, Democrats often feel left out. She said Adams strikes the right balance. Adams said she has family in every locality in the district, so when she is knocking on doors, it does not feel like she is talking to strangers. The people on the other side are often her neighbors, her former classmates or her colleagues at VSU. Thats not something you create in a political campaign, Adams said. This is my home. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, described Adams as an enthusiastic campaigner who enjoys chatting with voters and reaching out to residents. Thats half of what youve got to do, said McClellan, who called Adams attitude an infectious joy. On a recent Saturday morning, Adams christened a new campaign office in Petersburg and met supporters who then dispersed into the community, handing out fliers with her picture. Such eagerness is essential in such a close race, her supporters said, where turnout could determine the winner. Loading About two weeks after a court filing alleged that he had traded legal help for sex, Judge Onzlee Ware stopped hearing cases in Roanoke Circuit Court. No public record or public official has explained his absence. Ware last appeared in court to hear cases on Sept. 12, according to court records. That was 12 days after the allegations were laid out in a public court document and six days after The Roanoke Times published a story about it. The document claims that while proceedings in a defendants murder case were pending about four years ago, Ware promised to provide the defendants mother with legal advice if she agreed to have sex with him. The defendant, Timothy Church, now 32, was convicted in 2019 and sentenced in 2020 to 40 years of active prison time in the killing of Roanoke motel owner Ishvarlal Patel in front of his wife and daughter, who were injured in the attack. On Aug. 30, with his attorney Jonathan Sheldon, he filed an updated writ of habeas corpus petition, which allows imprisoned individuals to challenge convictions and sentences. In a declaration included in the filing, Churchs mother alleges Ware told her that her son would receive a seven-year sentence if she retained a new particular attorney, which she did. She said Ware told her not to worry about her son because Ware was friends with the judge on the case. Roanoke mother: Judge promised legal help in son's murder case in exchange for sex A new court filing alleges a Roanoke Circuit Court judge promised the mother of a defendant being prosecuted for murder behind-the-scenes help with her son's case in return for sex. The petition asked the courts judges to recuse themselves from hearing Churchs case given Wares extra-judicial involvement in it, Sheldon wrote. They did so Sept. 5, in order to assure both the fact and appearance of propriety, according to court documents signed by Chief Judge Christopher Clemens. On Sept. 14, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, S. Bernard Goodwyn, ordered Judge Richard E. Moore to preside over Churchs case, according to another court document. Before his retirement in 2022, Moore served in Virginias 16th Judicial District and often presided in Charlottesville Circuit Court. An email inquiry about Wares work status sent to his clerk, Monica Perez, was not immediately answered Friday. Sources familiar with the city courthouses operations have told The Roanoke Times that cases that were being adjudicated by Ware have been redistributed to other sitting judges. But, those sources said, the reason for Wares absence and timeline for his potential return remain unclear. Virginia has a mechanism for investigating allegations of misconduct against judges called the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, which is commonly referred to by its acronym, JIRC. The commission is made up of nine judges, lawyers and citizens appointed by the legislature, and they mostly do their work in secret. If the commission believes a complaint alleges behavior that might violate judicial ethics rules, known as the Canons of Judicial Conduct, the commission can hold an informal conference with the judge to discuss possible solutions and resolve the matter, according to JIRCs website. Or the commission can hold a confidential hearing. Roanoke judges submit recusal amid claims that one traded legal help for sex An outside judge will be sought to handle a writ of habeas corpus petition that involves allegations of improper actions by Roanoke Circuit Judge Onzlee Ware. JIRC has the power to suspend a judge, with pay, if it finds that there is probable cause to believe that the continued performance of judicial duties by the judge constitutes both a substantial and immediate threat to the public interest in the administration of justice. Complaints against judges are not made public, except in the rare instances when JIRC finds charges against a judge to be well founded and of sufficient gravity to constitute the basis for retirement, censure or removal. In those cases, JIRC files a complaint against the judge in the Supreme Court of Virginia, which decides if any action should be taken. In its most recent annual report, filed Dec. 1, JIRC reported that the commission received 415 complaints in the year prior, most coming from the general public. JIRC dismissed most of them. In five complaints, JIRC concluded that a judge violated ethics rules. No further information was made public. The Virginia General Assembly, concerned about the lack of transparency, passed legislation earlier this year that was signed by the governor and went into effect July 1. For any disciplinary actions taken since then, JIRC must now provide in its annual report the name of any judge it disciplines for violating the ethical rules, the date JIRC reached its conclusion, the specific rules that were violated, and the disciplinary action taken. Most members of Virginia's congressional delegation breathed a sigh of relief Saturday afternoon after the House of Representatives passed a 45day stopgap measure to avoid a federal government shutdown that would have particularly hurt Virginia, home to more than 140,000 civilian federal employees and more than 126,000 active-duty military personnel. As the Senate prepared to take up the measure Saturday night, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., lamented its lack of funding for Ukraine, but said he was likely to vote in favor of the resolution in order to prevent a government shutdown at midnight. Many lawmakers said they will renew the fight for Ukraine aid. "It's sad that you have to play brinksmanship at the 11th hour, frightening a whole lot of people," Kaine said in an interview with MSNBC shortly after the House overwhelmingly backed the stopgap bill on a vote of 33591. "And it's sad that Senate and House Republicans are backing away from the commitments we've made to Ukraine, but we have to vote to keep the government open." Kaine and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., voted for the stopgap measure Saturday night. Kaine and Warner said in a statement that in the next 47 days, they will "continue to work to pass bipartisan spending bills that renew our commitment to Ukraine in its fight for democracy and advance crucial Virginia priorities." In interviews with and in messages to the Richmond Times-Dispatch in recent days, Virginians had expressed worries about the effects of a potential shutdown. Federal workers expressed concerns about paying bills while missing paychecks. Others expressed fears about the potential effects on aid for child nutrition and about how a closure of Shenandoah National Park in October would hurt small businesses that rely on tourism income. The six Democrats in Virginia's U.S. House delegation voted in favor of the stopgap measure Saturday, as did two Republicans, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, whose district includes large swaths of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties; and Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, a retired U.S. Navy helicopter pilot whose district, based in Virginia Beach, includes a large military presence. Three Virginia Republicans voted against the stopgap spending bill: Reps. Bob Good, R-5th; Ben Cline, R-6th; and Morgan Griffith, R-9th. Wittman said in a statement: "Congress has a responsibility to keep our government open and operating in order to provide essential services to our constituents, while at the same time ensuring the government functions responsibly and effectively. We also have a responsibility to ensure our brave men and women in uniform and our border patrol agents continue to be paid for their service, which this bill will ensure." Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, whose district includes Richmond and parts of Chesterfield and Henrico, criticized what she termed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's "inability to govern" and what she termed "extreme MAGA Republicans' desire" to shut down the government. "Today, I was proud to cast my vote for this Continuing Resolution to protect the 170,000 federal workers and 130,000 active-duty servicemembers in Virginia, who would have been furloughed or forced to work without a paycheck in the event of a shutdown," McClellan said. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, represents 59,210 civilian federal employees in a Northern Virginia district that extends from eastern Prince William County through Fredericksburg to Caroline County. "We should never have come this close to a government shutdown," Spanberger said in a statement. "For days, thousands of Virginians I represent feared a situation where they would be forced to work without pay, become furloughed, or struggle to make ends meet. And for months, Virginia's businesses were sounding the alarm about the devastating effects of shutdowns on Virginia's economy." The deal to keep the government open also removes what could have been an anvil for GOP candidates vying in crucial legislative elections in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads as Virginians decide who will control the House of Delegates and the state Senate. Good, a member of the conservative U.S. House Freedom Caucus, acknowledged in an interview with Politico that Gov. Glenn Youngkin had called him in recent days to express his concerns about a potential shutdown. Youngkin "has reached out and expressed his concern on Virginia as he appropriately should as governor," said Good, whose district includes part of Hanover County. After Saturday's House vote, Good chastised McCarthy, the House speaker, for bringing the continuing resolution to a vote. "Kevin McCarthy put a CR on the Floor that got 209 Democrat votes, since it kept in place the Biden-Pelosi-Schumer policies that are destroying the country and the spending levels that are bankrupting us," Good posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "Sadly, it also got 126 Republican votes. Uni-Party rule." Doris Layne has been very worried lately. When you hear her story, its easy to understand why. Shes 76, mother of two, grandmother of four, great-grandmother to six. She lives in a spotless bungalow in northeast Roanoke. I was over there Thursday. Layne worked for many years in the Roanoke real-estate assessors office, and later in other city departments. Now shes retired. Shes never been in trouble. But recently, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has been threatening to suspend her driving privileges. All of Laynes family members live far outside Roanoke her nearest daughter is in Virginia Beach. So her Hyundai sedan is Laynes lifeline. Its how she gets around to doctors appointments, the grocery, or wherever. Since August, the DMV has been sending her letters claiming another vehicle she owns is uninsured. The second letter from the DMV threatened her drivers license. The car in question is a 2000 Ford Explorer, and its currently in Laynes driveway. She bought the SUV July 14, and added it to her auto insurance policy that day. Her State Farm agent, Don Bishop in Salem, provided her with a temporary insurance card that same day. But the DMV didnt believe the car was insured. This notice is to inform you since registering the above vehicle on 07/14/23, DMV has not been able to confirm liability insurance, the agency wrote her Aug. 28. The agency wrote again Sept. 14. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) was officially notified by the insurance company you previously specified (State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co.) that it did not provide liability coverage on 07/14/23 for the vehicle specified below. The second letter continued: If you fail to respond to this notice before 10/10/23, an order suspending your driving privileges in Virginia will be issued. After Layne received the first DMV letter, she visited Bishops agency for a second time. There, one of Bishops assistants, a woman named Sue, issued Layne an insurance verification letter. Layne said that Sue told her the problem was caused by a glitch in the insurance company, and that the agency was working to straighten it out. But the letter Sue issued actually compounded Laynes problem. It indicated the Explorers insurance took effect Sept. 5, rather than on July 14, as was documented on the temporary State Farm insurance card that Bishop issued to Layne the day she bought the car. And thats why the DMV sent the second letter. They believed the SUV had been uninsured between July 14 and Sept. 5, based on the insurance verification letter. Layne has spent weeks trying to resolve this mess. Shes called State Farm repeatedly and made multiple phone calls and visits to the insurance agency, and to the DMV office in Roanoke County. She said she contacted me Thursday because she didnt know where else to turn. Wednesday night, in advance of reaching out, Layne said shed even said a prayer about it. On her second visit to the DMV, an official there told her she needed another letter declaring that the date on her first insurance verification letter was an error, and that the car was insured beginning July 14. Layne said Bishop declined to issue a corrected letter, and added that State Farm would have to do that. She said he told her he had tried without success to get State Farm to take care of the problem. (I called Bishops agency Friday morning, but his assistant, Sue, said Bishop declined to take the call because I was a third party to this dispute.) When I visited Layne on Thursday, she had lots of documents ready. One was the temporary insurance card for the Ford Explorer, dated July 14, 2023. Another was a copy of the insurance application filled out by Bishop. According to that, her insurance on the Explorer took effect at 1:35 p.m. July 14. Layne also showed me the first and second letters from the DMV, her own drivers license, the mistakenly dated insurance verification letter, and notes that she took during this travail. On Friday, I wrote Justin Tomczak, State Farms spokesman in Virginia. He responded, While we cannot discuss this matter with you due to our customer privacy policy, I can share that we have been in recent communication with our customer. Also on Friday, I called and wrote the DMV. Its spokeswoman, Jilllian Cowherd, took my call. I described the problem and sent Cowherd an email with details. I attached a copy of Laynes temporary State Farm insurance card, and the second letter from the DMV threatening her license. And thats when things started to happen in a way that finally gave Layne some peace of mind. Shortly after I spoke with Cowherd, Layne received a phone call from Alicia Moore, a DMV customer service representative. Layne said Moore assured her that the problem was resolved and that her insurance on the Explorer was documented to the DMVs satisfaction. It appears the problem was caused by a communication breakdown, either between Don Bishops agency and State Farm, or between the insurance company and the DMV. For privacy-policy reasons, Cowherd said the DMV could not confirm the happy outcome. I cannot speak to the status of Ms. Laynes account, Cowherd said in an email. However, I have the utmost faith in Ms. Moores knowledge of the situation. But Layne was overjoyed after speaking with Moore. You did it in 24 hours, Layne told me. Ive been trying for weeks. Meanwhile, Don Bishop reached out to Layne late Friday, and promised that on Monday, he would personally deliver to her a letter from State Farm documenting that Layne had insurance dating to July 14. He better keep that appointment. Many people are going to hear from Layne if he doesnt! About two weeks after a court filing alleged that he had traded legal help for sex, Judge Onzlee Ware stopped hearing cases in Roanoke Circuit Court. No public record or public official has explained his absence. Ware last appeared in court to hear cases Sept. 12, according to court records. That was 12 days after the allegations were laid out in a public court document and six days after The Roanoke Times published a story about it. The document claims that while proceedings in a defendants murder case were pending about four years ago, Ware promised to provide the defendants mother with legal advice if she agreed to have sex with him. The defendant, Timothy Church, now 32, was convicted in 2019 and sentenced in 2020 to 40 years of active prison time in the killing of Roanoke motel owner Ishvarlal Patel in front of his wife and daughter, who were injured in the attack. On Aug. 30, with his attorney Jonathan Sheldon, he filed an updated writ of habeas corpus petition, which allows imprisoned individuals to challenge convictions and sentences. In a declaration included in the filing, Churchs mother alleges Ware told her that her son would receive a seven-year sentence if she retained a new particular attorney, which she did. She said Ware told her not to worry about her son because Ware was friends with the judge on the case. The petition asked the courts judges to recuse themselves from hearing Churchs case given Wares extra-judicial involvement in it, Sheldon wrote. They did so Sept. 5, in order to assure both the fact and appearance of propriety, according to court documents signed by Chief Judge Christopher Clemens. On Sept. 14, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, S. Bernard Goodwyn, ordered Judge Richard E. Moore to preside over Churchs case, according to another court document. Before his retirement in 2022, Moore served in Virginias 16th Judicial District and often presided in Charlottesville Circuit Court. An email inquiry about Wares work status sent to his clerk, Monica Perez, was not immediately answered Friday. Sources familiar with the city courthouses operations have told The Roanoke Times that cases that were being adjudicated by Ware have been redistributed to other sitting judges. But, those sources said, the reason for Wares absence and timeline for his potential return remain unclear. Virginia has a mechanism for investigating allegations of misconduct against judges called the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, which is commonly referred to by its acronym, JIRC. The commission is made up of nine judges, lawyers and citizens appointed by the legislature, and they mostly do their work in secret. If the commission believes a complaint alleges behavior that might violate judicial ethics rules, known as the Canons of Judicial Conduct, the commission can hold an informal conference with the judge to discuss possible solutions and resolve the matter, according to JIRCs website. Or the commission can hold a confidential hearing. JIRC has the power to suspend a judge, with pay, if it finds that there is probable cause to believe that the continued performance of judicial duties by the judge constitutes both a substantial and immediate threat to the public interest in the administration of justice. Complaints against judges are not made public, except in the rare instances when JIRC finds charges against a judge to be well founded and of sufficient gravity to constitute the basis for retirement, censure or removal. In those cases, JIRC files a complaint against the judge in the Supreme Court of Virginia, which decides if any action should be taken. In its most recent annual report, filed Dec. 1, JIRC reported that the commission received 415 complaints in the year prior, most coming from the general public. JIRC dismissed most of them. In five complaints, JIRC concluded that a judge violated ethics rules. No further information was made public. The Virginia General Assembly, concerned about the lack of transparency, passed legislation earlier this year that was signed by the governor and went into effect July 1. For any disciplinary actions taken since then, JIRC must now provide in its annual report the name of any judge it disciplines for violating the ethical rules, the date JIRC reached its conclusion, the specific rules that were violated, and the disciplinary action taken. Do you have information about any judge in Virginia, or have you made a complaint to the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission? We want to hear from you. Reach us at emma.coleman@roanoke.com and pwilson@lee.net. ROCKY MOUNT The sounds of live bands performing on multiple stages filled Rocky Mount on Saturday for 150Fest. Music lovers walked downtown experiencing a wide range of music both modern and historic. Rocky Mounts 150Fest recognized the towns 150th anniversary by celebrating its musical history. In all, 18 bands took to six stages spread out along Franklin Street. A portion of the street was closed to traffic to allow for people to wander freely. Its pretty cool to see the different types of music all in one spot, said Misty Burroughs, who attended the festival with her husband Kevin. They live in the Callaway area of Franklin County. Lifelong Franklin County resident Brock Anderson was also impressed with the variety of music the festival offered. He was waiting for Colby Helms and The Virginia Creepers to perform later in the evening. In the hours before, he was watching the crowds walk the street near the Harvester Performance Center. From what I can tell, it looks like a success, Anderson said of the festival. Daniel Pinard, Rocky Mounts cultural and economic development director and organizer of 150Fest, was also impressed with the growing crowds shortly after 3 p.m. when the festival started. It was scheduled to continue until 10 p.m. I couldnt have asked for anything better, Pinard said of the turnout. He expected it to continue growing as several of the more popular bands would take the stage after sunset. Rocky Mount Mayor C. Holland Perdue III was one of the many people in attendance Saturday to take in the music. He praised the work of Pinard and others at Rocky Mount to organize the event. He also advocated for possibly making it an annual event. I hope we can do it again next year, Perdue said. MONETA Smith Mountain Lake Association members vowed Friday to do more to lessen the impact on the community and businesses if another harmful algal bloom occurs in the lake next year. The discovery of the harmful algal blooms in several areas of the lakes Blackwater River arm led to a swim advisory for much of that section of the lake starting in June. It continued through all of July and much of August. The state issued the advisory due to harmful algal blooms, usually blue/green in color, that are created by cyanobacteria and can cause skin rash and gastrointestinal illnesses, such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. SMLA President Bill Butterfield said due to the harmful algal blooms, a working group was created to be more proactive with any future outbreaks. A tab was also added to the SMLA website to give up-to-date information for the community. The SMLAs biggest push, according to Butterfield, is to streamline the process of testing the water samples. When the Virginia Department of Health conducted its tests over the summer it would sometimes take more than a week to get results and to have them return to do additional tests. We found out there was a major flaw in this process, Butterfield said. The excess length of time between testing as well as results likely unnecessarily extended the amount of time portions of the lake were under a swim advisory. Butterfield said it was due to a lack of state funding for testing at inland bodies of water such as Smith Mountain Lake. We are going to fight for more money, Butterfield said of a goal for SMLA in working with state legislators in the coming year. Butterfield said another goal would be to have Ferrum College certified to analyze the samples instead of sending them to Old Dominion University as happened this summer. Ferrum College has done water sampling at Smith Mountain Lake for more than 35 years and that could be expanded to include algae samples, he said. Shoreline plan The keynote speaker for Fridays SMLA meeting was Neil Holthouser, Shoreline Management Plan coordinator for Appalachian Power Co. He explained the role Smith Mountain Lake plays in distributing electricity for Appalachian Power as well as protecting the lakes shoreline. Smith Mountain Lakes Shoreline Management Plan, first created in 2003, is currently under review for updates. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires a periodic review of the plan. The last review was done in 2014. The plan has been a source of contention between Appalachian Power and lakefront property owners since it was implemented. The plan required property owners to apply for permits from the power company to make changes to their shoreline or to construct a dock. Holthouser admitted that some aspects of the plan are in need of updating. Appalachian Power is in the process of providing updates to the plan that will be submitted to FERC, along with comments from the community which is also required. I can see things that need changing or improvement, Holthouser said. A goal of the Shoreline Management Plan is to protect Smith Mountain Lake, according to Holthouser. He said the reason Appalachian Power urges lakefront property owners to retain their natural vegetation along the shoreline is to provide a buffer to prevent harmful runoff into the lake. Holthouser said people sometimes question why Appalachian Power pushes to maintain the vegetation instead of cutting it down. That can be even more problematic when other lakefront property owners were able to remove vegetation along their shoreline before 2003 and face no penalty. That is where a lot of the conflict comes in, Holthouser said. The SMLA also presented multiple awards at Fridays meeting. The Karl Martin Water Safety Award was presented to longtime Smith Mountain Lake Water Safety Council Chairman Pat Massa for his many years of service. The Spirit of the Lake award was presented to Travis Burke, who has operated Smith Mountain Lakes famous Ice Cream Boat for more than 15 years. The award is given annually to individuals or organizations that make up the Spirit of the Lake. This years Clean Stream Award was presented to David Hurt, owner of Truman Hill Farm in Hardy which operates near a tributary of Smith Mountain Lake. Hurt has installed fencing along the stream to keep cattle and harmful runoff into the stream as well as establish a buffer zone to prevent erosion. Hurt also allows Save Our Streams monitoring regularly at the stream on his farm. The stream regularly scores between 10 and 12 on the SOS 12-point scale. The Melvin S. Johnston Citizen Volunteer Award was presented to John Rupnik for his contributions to the SMLA for nearly a decade. Rupnik served as treasurer and later president of the SMLA before stepping down in 2021. He now chairs the SMLAs Buffer Landscape Committee. " " Marian Diamond, a professor of anatomy and an expert on the brain, examined Einstein's brain, but her findings about Einstein's glial cells did not hold up to scrutiny. Jerry Telfer/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images As the story goes, when Albert Einstein was born, his mother was positively flabbergasted by her son's large and angular head [source: Hayden]. But when Einstein died, his brain was no larger than that of any other man his age. Thomas Harvey weighed it as part of the autopsy, and the organ clocked in at 2.7 pounds (1.22 kilograms) [source: Hotz]. Harvey had the brain photographed, and then the brain was sectioned into approximately 240 pieces and preserved in celloidin, a common technique in the preservation and study of brains [source: Burrell]. Harvey would go on to send small slivers of the brain to doctors and scientists around the world whose work he found intriguing. The hand-picked experts were to report their findings back to Harvey, and then the work would be published so that the world could know what went on inside the brain of a genius. Advertisement Harvey and the world were in for a long wait. Einstein's brain was of a normal size, and he appeared to have a normal number of average-size brain cells. Harvey persevered in his belief that someone would find something, and whenever a reporter tracked the man down, he would say that he was just a year or so away from publishing something. At one point, Harvey was discovered to be living in Kansas while the brain sat in a jar inside an old cider box behind a beer cooler. Then, in 1985, Harvey finally had something to report. Dr. Marian Diamond, who worked at the University of California at Berkeley, was studying the brain plasticity of rats and had found that rats in more enriching environments had more robust brains. Specifically, the rats had more glial cells in relation to their neurons, and Diamond wanted to see if Einstein's brain would prove similar. Glial cells cushion and provide nutrients to the much busier neurons, the brain cells that communicate with each other. In some ways, though, glial cells are like the housekeeping service for the neurons. As neurons communicate, they leave behind trash in the form of potassium ions. The potassium ions pile up outside the neurons, but that trash pile can only go so high before the neurons stop communicating, because there's just no more room for the potassium ion discharge. Glial cells clean up those potassium ions to allow the neurons to fire repeatedly. Glia also soak up other neurotransmitters that might clog the communication lines of the neurons [source: Fields]. When Diamond received her pieces of brain, she compared them against a sample group of 11 other brains. She reported that Einstein did indeed have a higher ratio of glia cells to neurons than other brains, and she hypothesized that the number of glial cells increased because of the high metabolic demand that Einstein put on his neurons [source: Burrell]. In other words, Einstein needed fantastic housekeepers because he made such a mess with all of his amazing thoughts. Unfortunately, other scientists thought Diamond's work was a mess as well. For one thing, glial cells continue to divide during a person's life. Though Einstein died at 76, Diamond compared his brain to a control group with an average age of 64, so it's only natural that Einstein might have had more glial cells than these younger men [source: Herskovits]. Additionally, Diamond's control group of brains came from patients at a VA hospital; while she could say that they had died of non-neurological causes, not much else was known about these men, such as IQ score. Was Einstein being compared to dunces? Another scientist pointed out that Diamond had only provided ratios of one specific measure, while by her own account, there were 28 ways to measure these cells. Diamond admitted that she didn't report scores that didn't prove her point; the scientist claimed that if you measure enough things, you'll find something that can support or disprove any claim [source: Burrell]. Would Einstein's brain ever give up its secrets? Marion County Sheriffs deputies arrested a 15-year-old juvenile Thursday in connection to a shooting in August. Deputies responded to a residence that had been shot in the Mullins area on Aug. 20, according to a press release. Officials said five people were inside the home during the shooting but no injuries were reported. The 15-year-old male is charged with five counts of attempted murder and discharging a firearm at or into a dwelling. He was transported to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed. The Marion County Sheriffs Office will continue to relentlessly pursue the individuals who are threatening the safety of our community, the press release said. The Captains Blood is a tribute to the virtues of strategic discomfort. Its choosing to do a Gladiator Mud race instead of a breezy pavement jog, or why youve spent a good deal of time and effort making your home comfortable, but you still sometimes go to the middle of nowhere to pitch a tent and sleep on the ground. Its a cocktail that recognizes that while we might think we want everything to be easy and agreeable, too much of that for too long will make you start running into walls just to feel something. More from Robb Report The easy and agreeable there is the classic Daiquiri, which is the framework on which the Captains Blood sits. A Daiquiri is light rum, lime juice, and sugar, and is among the simplest and most elementally delicious things a person can drink. The Captains Blood enters the canon some 50 years later, in Crosby Gaiges The Standard Cocktail Guide in 1944. The name is unfortunate, admittedly, in that it sounds disgusting. I dont have much to say about that except for that Gaige was merely an enthusiastic amateur fond of renaming drinks if he found their previous names to be insufficiently dazzling, and his sensibilities on such matters were a little suspect (as demonstrated by the My Heart Stood Still and the Poop Deck, two real cocktails that appear in the same book). Some have speculated that Captains Blood is a reference to the 1935 Errol Flynn pirate film Captain Blood, which would make sensethe timing works, and both have Jamaican themesbut we can only speculate. In any event, the Captains Blood as originally represented in Gaiges book introduces friction to the Daiquiri mold in three waystwo of which we will retain, and one so unpleasant that we cant recommend it to anyone. Story continues The first and most important is the choice of rum. While a standard Daiquiri uses a light, easy Spanish-style white rum, the Captains Blood calls specifically for Jamaican rum, both good, Gaige writes, but of entirely different characteristics. These days, many different kinds of rum are exported from Jamaica, but at the time, Gaige wouldve meant the style of rum that is so flavorful that it necessitates a new word: hogo. Hogo is the term for the specific funkyness of Jamaican rum that tastes like earth and burnt molasses and bananas and nutmeg but doesnt really taste like any of those things because its just hogo. Jamaican rum has a distinct fingerprint and its not subtle, and calling for it gives the cocktail a firm shove into darker and more esoteric territory. The second way this strays from a Daiquiri is in its heavy dose of Angostura Bitters, which adds tons of texture and the flavors of baking spice. The bitters combine with the hogo to create an entirely new drink, one thats deeper and richer and honestly weirder, a drink thats still sunshine-caliber refreshing but whose soul spends half the year in the underworld. Its a Daiquiri with an edge. The final twist in Gaiges original recipethe one we cant and wont recommendis that he keeps the full measure of lime juice but completely omits any sweetener at all. This makes a cocktail thats punishingly tart, entirely unpleasant, and stretches the limits of strategic discomfort. The goal is self-improvement, not self-flagellation. Captains Blood 2 oz. Jamaican rum 1 oz. lime juice 0.75 oz. simple syrup 2-3 solid dashes of Angostura bitters Add all ingredients to a shaker, and shake on ice for 8-10 seconds. Strain up into a coupe, martini, or cocktail glass, and garnish with a lime wheel, or perhaps nothing at all. NOTES ON INGREDIENTS Smith_and_Cross_Traditional_Jamaica_Rum Ratios: Theres not a ton out there about the Captains Blood, but the recipes that do exist mostly try to conserve Gaiges intentions by using barely any sweetness or reducing the lime as well, making a cocktail thats essentially like a dark Ti Punch. Part of the being a professional bartender for 15-plus years is the confidence to simply recognize a bad idea when I see one, so I have fixed the ratios above to actually taste good. Jamaican Rum: The last 10 years has seen an explosion of available brands. What were looking for here is not just an aged rum from Jamaica but one with the hogo we desireAppleton Estates would be delicious but doesnt have the funk. For brands, I think Smith & Cross worked best, regardless of its high proof. Also great are Dr. Bird, Hamiltons Jamaican Pot Still, and anything from Worthy Park or Hampden Estates. Simple Syrup: Grab a half-cup of white sugar, and put it in a small pot. Add a half cup of warm or hot water. Stir for 30 seconds. You have just created simple syrup. Put it in the fridge and itll last a month. Other Ingredients & Ratios: Some recipes call for falernum for seemingly no reason at all, and I havent been able to deduce why. Still, Id call for it if I thought it made the drink better, but I dont. Its a lateral move at bestworth trying out if you have a bottle, I suppose, but I honestly think its cleaner, and hits with more precision with just regular old simple syrup. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. WASHINGTON College programs that consistently leave graduates with low pay or unaffordable loans will lose access to federal money under a new rule being finalized by the Biden administration. The policy applies mostly to for-profit colleges, along with certificate programs at traditional universities. The Education Department says it's a step toward accountability for America's higher education system. The rule, known as gainful employment, was proposed in May and revives an Obama-era policy dismantled by the Trump administration. The department said that the final rule will be published Oct. 10. Higher education is supposed to be an invaluable investment in your future. There is nothing valuable about being ripped off or sold on a worthless degree, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said at a press briefing. An association of for-profit colleges denounced the policy as an unfair attack, saying any policy should be applied evenly across all types of schools. The rule applies to all for-profit college programs, but not to bachelor's degrees and most graduate programs at traditional colleges. Once again, the Department has rushed the process, overlooking critical issues, to hastily implement and weaponize a final Gainful Employment rule against for-profit institutions, said Jason Altmire, president and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities. The rule takes effect in July 2024, and the soonest any program could lose federal money is 2026. The rule will put college programs through two tests to determine whether theyre helping students. The first test will check whether a programs graduates carry heavy student debt compared to their earnings. Programs will pass if their graduates have annual loan payments averaging no more than 8% of their total income, or 20% of their discretionary income. A second test will check whether at least half of a programs graduates earn more than working adults in their state with only a high school diploma. Programs that fail either test will need to warn students that theyre at risk of losing federal money. Those that fail the same test twice in any three-year period will be cut off from federal aid. That amounts to a death sentence for many programs. Borrower advocates applauded it as a much-needed protection. The finalized Gainful Employment rule is a major step towards enacting more front-end protections to ensure students arent being taken advantage of by predatory schools and programs," said Aaron Ament, president of Student Defense. The final rule made few changes to the initial proposal, despite sharp criticism from Republicans and the for-profit industry. Some for-profit colleges say the rule unfairly punishes colleges that enroll large numbers of students who may face wage discrimination in the workforce, including women of color. Those programs could be at risk if their graduates consistently earn lower-than-average pay. Other for-profit colleges say it could jeopardize programs in areas where there are few other options. Beauty school programs would be hit especially hard, according to an Associated Press analysis of the proposal. Nearly two-thirds of cosmetology certificates could be at risk of failing the test and losing federal money, along with more than a third of such programs in massage therapy and dental support services. Cosmetology schools fought hard against the rule, saying the department has failed to consider a well-known problem in the industry, the underreporting of income to the IRS. The practice makes it look like cosmetology graduates earn less than they really do, which could penalize them under the new rule, schools say. The Education Department estimates the rule will protect about 700,000 students a year who would otherwise enroll in one of nearly 1,700 low-performing programs. A separate part of the rule will release new information showing students the true cost of programs across all types of colleges. The Education Department will publish data detailing the amount students pay for individual programs including, tuition, fees and books along with their student debt levels and earnings after graduation. These rules will stop taxpayer dollars from going to schools that continually saddle students with unaffordable debt, said James Kvaal, undersecretary of education. Separately, were ensuring all students have increased information to make good choices. Most millennials and Gen Z would cut retirement savings before missing credit card or student loan payments Most millennials and Gen Z would cut retirement savings before missing credit card or student loan payments Most say they would cut retirement savings first Artificial intelligence by any other name Robo-advisors are seen as even less attractive option than AI Most expect to pay their student loan payments resuming this fall GENEVA A Swiss Academy of Sciences panel is reporting a dramatic acceleration of glacier melt in the Alpine country, which has lost 10% of its ice volume in just two years after high summer heat and low snow volumes in winter. Switzerland home to the most glaciers of any country in Europe has seen 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023, the second-biggest decline in a single year on top of a 6% drop in 2022, the biggest thaw since measurements began, the academys commission for cryosphere observation said. Experts at the GLAMOS glacier monitoring center have been on the lookout for a possible extreme melt this year amid early warning signs about the country's estimated 1,400 glaciers, a number that is now dwindling. The acceleration is dramatic, with as much ice being lost in only two years as was the case between 1960 and 1990, the academy said. The two extreme consecutive years have led to glacier tongues collapsing and the disappearance of many smaller glaciers. Matthias Huss, head of GLAMOS, which participated in the research, said in an interview that Switzerland has already lost up to 1,000 small glaciers, and that now we are starting to lose also bigger and more important glaciers. Glaciers are the ambassadors of climate change. They make it very clear what is happening out there because they respond in a very sensitive way to warming temperatures, he said. The study underlines once again that there is big urgency to act now if you want to stabilize (the) climate, and if you want to save at least some of the glaciers. The team said the massive ice loss" stemmed from a winter with very low volumes of snow which falls on top of glaciers and protects them from exposure to direct sunlight and high summer temperatures. All of Switzerland where the Alps cut a swath through most of the southern and central parts of the country was affected, and glaciers in the southern and eastern regions melted almost as fast as in 2022's record thaw. Melting of several meters was measured in southern Valais (region) and the Engadin valley at a level above 10,500 feet, an altitude at which glaciers had until recently preserved their equilibrium, the team said. The average loss of ice thickness was up to 10 feet in places such as the Gries Glacier in Valais, the Basodino Glacier in the southern canton, or region, of Ticino, and the Vadret Pers glacier system in eastern Graubuenden. The situation in some parts of the central Bernese Oberland and the Valais was less dramatic such as for the Aletsch Glacier in Valais and Plaine Morte Glacier in the canton of Bern, because they enjoyed more winter snowfall. But even in such areas, a loss of over 2 meters of the average ice thickness is extremely high, the team said. Snow depths measured in the first half of February were generally higher than in the winters of 1964, 1990 or 2007, which were also characterized by low snowfalls, the team said. But snow levels sank to a new record low in the second half of the month of February, reaching only about 30% of the long-term average. Over half of automated monitoring stations above 2,000 meters that have been in place for at least a quarter-century tallied record-low levels of snow at the time. After that, an extremely warm June caused snow to melt two to four weeks earlier than usual, and mid-summer snowfalls melted very quickly, the team said. Swiss meteorologists reported in August that the zero-degree Celsius level the altitude where water freezes had risen to its highest level ever recorded, at nearly 17,400 feet, which means that all the Swiss Alpine peaks faced temperatures above freezing. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group. Dear Care and Feeding, The running joke in my wifes family, for at least a year now, is that our older daughter, whos 8, is actually an old lady. Why? She wears bifocals, she can often be found curled up reading a book, she loves baking with her grandmother (with whom she has a very close bond), and her favorite music, thanks to Grandma, is music that was popular in the 50s and 60s. Shes blond, with hair light enough that it sometimes looks white, and shes missing her front teeth. And while shes certainly not serene, its true that when compared to her very hyper younger sister, she can seem that way. So my in-laws teasingly refer to her as the old lady or ask if shes playing bingo tonight. My daughter often laughs off these jokes, and sometimes she even makes them herself. I personally think the joke has gotten stale and wasnt ever really that funny to begin with, but our daughter seems to still find it amusing. My wife, however, just told me that she hates it when her family says this. We live in her hometown, where most of her family still lives, so we see them a lot, and she thinks this sort of teasing is changing the way our daughter thinks about herself. Am I crazy for thinking that shes reading too much into this? Its not like anyones treating her like shes 70. She has friends at school. She understands this is a joke. I know my wife was bullied a lot in middle school, but I think if the object of the joke laughs at it too, then its not harmful. My wife keeps asking our daughter how she feels about it. What I want to know is: Is this as big a deal as my wife makes it out to be? Should I try harder to convince her to let it go, to stop bringing it up with our daughter when shes obviously fine? Dad of an Old Lady Dear Dad, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First: If your wife is unhappy about thisor about anything, for that matteryou have no business trying to convince her not to be. Its insensitive at best. And it doesnt work, ever. Second: The fact that your kid laughs about being teased in this way doesnt mean shes fine with it. She might be, I suppose. But she might just have learned already that joining in on the joke is a good way to pacify bullies (it sounds like you might have taught her that?). It seems to me that the people with whom this should be brought up are the ones making the idiotic joke, not their object. Even if your 8-year-old isnt at all troubled by it (which sounds unlikely to me), its not a great way for adults to interact with a child. I wouldnt encourage any interactions with children that focus on their physical appearance. And teasing is rarely fun for the person being teased, about anything. They should knock it off. And you should quit being so dismissive of your wife. Advertisement Want Advice From Care and Feeding? Submit your questions about parenting and family life here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.) Advertisement Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, Earlier this year, I unexpectedly got pregnant and practically had a nervous breakdown while trying to decide whether I should keep or terminate the pregnancy. I have a 5-year-old daughter, Jane, and would theoretically love another, but my husband and I arent financially sound enough so that a second child wouldnt be a burden. To complicate matters (emotionally), I found out that my brother, with whom I have an extremely strained and angry relationship, was expecting his second child with his wife. I miscarried the pregnancy on the very day my sister-in-law called to tell me her happy news. It was a lot. While I was grateful for, and relieved about, the miscarriage, because it saved me from an impossible decision, Ive also been grieving. I cant be around babies without breaking down, and seeing pregnant women often sets me off. Im working on it with my therapist, but its rough. Advertisement Advertisement My niece was born a few weeks ago and I told my sister-in-law that Im not ready to visit yet, which she accepts. Unfortunately, when the baby was born, various members of the family started blowing up my phone with pictures of her. Id end up hiding in my office bathroom so I could weep in secret because most people dont know what happened to me earlier this year and I dont feel like sharing that information widely. Elaine, my fathers wife, is someone who knows, although I didnt tell her myself (I told my father, asking him to keep the information to himself, but he didnt respect that), and she kept texting me pics of Dad with the baby. After a while, I responded, Please dont send me baby pictures, it makes me uncomfortable. She did not answer the text. Then, when I saw Dad and Elaine over the weekend at a relatives gathering and said hello to her, she gave me the cold shoulder. Shes also avoiding Jane, whom she usually dotes on. She was cold to her that day, and she has been refusing to come to the phone when we FaceTime my dad in the evenings. This is the second time in the past year that she has pulled this sort of childish behavior. The first time was when she found out, after the fact, that I had taken Jane to the theater without inviting her. It was my kids first theater experience, and it hadnt occurred to me that I should invite anyone else. Elaine refused to speak to me (or Jane!) for weeks. Advertisement Advertisement I prefer to keep her at a bit of a distance, and I certainly dont feel as if I should be responsible for making her feel better when shes angry that I, a woman experiencing grief over a lost pregnancy, asked her not to send me pictures of my brothers new baby. I also dont have a ton of tolerance for one of Janes grandparents taking out their anger on her, especially after my actual mother, who has a personality disorder, has made it clear she doesnt want my daughter in her life. Im trying not to drown in grief, but how do I handle Elaine? I dont have the emotional bandwidth to share with her the details of what Im going through, as Ive long had the sense that she rejoices a bit in other peoples difficulties. But Im afraid of the rift it might cause if I try to call out her BS. She is literally the gatekeeper to my father: She wont leave their apartment without him and hes not well enough to go anywhere without her support; shes gotten angry in the past when we ask to spend time with him alone. Is it OK to just ignore this until she gets over her pique? Or am I being the asshole for not making her feel better? Emotionally Drained Dear Drained, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are too many threads of family disunity and dysfunction here for me to sort and separate. So Ill just say this: Im sorry for your loss. Its OK to ignore Elaine. Its pretty clear you dont like your fathers wife, so after this latest unpleasantness passes, stick to being polite (so that you dont lose access to your dad), but nothing more, going forward. You cant really have it both waysi.e., making sure Jane has a close, loving relationship with Elaine (at least in part to make up for your mothers absence?) and keeping Elaine at a distance from the two of you. Catch Up on Care and Feeding Advertisement If you missed Fridays column, read it here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Dear Care and Feeding, Im not sure how to help a sibling with financial troubles. My parents have asked me not to get involved. But my other siblings feel that there are mental health and marital issues that coincide with the financial difficulties. I want what is best for everyonewithout betraying confidencesbut it seems that Im going to have to be the one who takes action since we know this sibling will not take our much younger siblings advice seriously, and their current relationship with our parents is strained. Is it worth getting involved and possibly burning family bridges? Wavering in Washington Dear Wavering, Advertisement Advertisement Take out of the equation what your younger siblings have told you. You dont have to bring up these confidences with your sibling who is struggling or your parents. And your parents dont get to tell you what to do (well, they can tell you, but you dont have to do it! Youre not a child anymore, and parents dont necessarily know better than their grown children do). If they feel that offering financial help to your sibling is not the right thing to do (perhaps they believe that helping would mean they were enablers of problem behavior), thats their affair. They may even be right. But theres no way for you to know that. If your sibling is in trouble and you believe you can helpand you want tothen help. I would add only this word of caution, since you mention that this sibling is unlikely to take advice from the younger members of the family: Dont offer any advice unless your sibling asks you for it. Its easy for the bestower to confuse unsolicited advice with help, and just as easy for the recipient of that advice to take it as criticism. And dont offer money with strings attached, either, because thats not helpthats manipulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, if you do decide to get involved, keep your eye on the prize: making things better for someone you love who is suffering. Thats more important than keeping the peace. Dear Care and Feeding, My daughter Maya (age 2) has some slightly weird development patterns, but the pediatrician reassures us that she doesnt see anything to be concerned about. Basically, Maya hits many development milestones on the late side of normal, and then experiences big bursts that often carry her through the next few milestones early. For example, she was late to start speaking, but now is extremely verbal and already ahead on complex speech. And she was one of those kids who never crawled or cruised on furniturewhich worried usbut then she jumped straight to walking, way earlier than is common. Her social development has been average, and she seems happy and engaged at home and at daycare. But my mother-in-law will not stop commenting on Mayas delays or the leaps aheadeither harping on how we need to get her assessed for delays whenever shes behind, or talking about how Maya is going to get bored and needs to be assessed for being smarter than the other kids whenever shes ahead. My MIL used to teach elementary school, so she always starts with, I know kids, but I cant stand this! We see her often because shes physically disabled, so were there to help out, and shes otherwise not too bad. Just pushy about this (and nearly every other parenting topic). My husband just ignores her, but its driving me up the wall! Its A Bell Curve! Dear Bell, Advertisement Advertisement I feel you. Unsolicited advice is high on my list of things I deeply dislike. And unsolicited advice about parenting is one of the varieties of it I dislike most. When that advice comes from someone who insists they know more than you do and who is also an in-law, its a trifecta of infuriating. But heres something I often tell readersand also people IRL (when they ask me)about dealing with difficult people, or even just one supremely irritating aspect of an otherwise OK persons behavior: You cannot change the way others behave, so its pointless to try. All you have in your power is how you respond to it. (A bonus is that sometimesbut by no means always, so one should never count on itthe way we respond does end up inspiring the other person to make a change in how they treat us.) Advertisement Advertisement Now, I recognize that change your response is way easier said than done. Your mother-in-law is driving you mad, so how can you stop being driven mad? As I see it, you have only two options. One would be to stop spending time with herwhich it seems clear youre not in a position to do (and you dont seem to want to, either)or, a less drastic version of this, to leave as soon as she starts down this road. Since youre there specifically to help her, I imagine it would be uncharitable to do this. Which may mean you have just one option. Advertisement Advertisement Learn to ignore her when she says such things. Tune out (I mean intentionally, planning in advance, maybe even having at hand some particular thing youll think about instead: I wonder where we should go on vacation? And run through some possibilities in your mind. Or, What shall I watch on TV tonight/cook for dinner/read next?). Dont tune back in until she stops talking, when you can murmur something innocuous/unintelligible and change the subject: So, are you watching The Golden Bachelor? Repeat as necessary. But if tuning out feels beyond reach (its very hard for me), try interrupting her. As soon as she starts talking about getting Maya evaluated, cut her off. Ask her or tell her about something youre pretty sure will interest her. And if neither of these tactics works, its time for the direct approachwhich I offer as a last resort only because its the one most likely to offend her. Say, This isnt something I want to talk about. Respond to protests with, As I said, this isnt something I want to talk about. While Im here, Ill let you in on a secret thats not much of a secret. The remarks that infuriate us most are the ones that give a voice to our own anxieties. When it comes to parenting, that isnt hard to do, as most of us have plenty of anxieties around it. Thats one reason the temptation to argue with the infuriator is so strong: It feels like it gives us a chance to shout down our own clamoring-to-be-heard insecurity. But I can tell you that it doesnt help in the long term, even if sometimes it makes us feel a tiny bit better in the moment. Instead of giving in to the urge to remind your MIL that the pediatrician has assured you that Maya is just fine, and that she knows what shes talking about because shes the expert, have a little talk with yourself, before these visits to Grandmas house: Maya is fine. Maya is great. Not every child goes through their developmental stages in precisely the same way. As long as you know that, the hell with what your MIL thinks. Michelle More Advice From Slate Our daughter (17F) sat us down last night and explained that she was in love with the (16M) neighbor next door. Instead of being delighted, as weve known the boy since birth and theyve been friends almost as long, my husband threw a fit and forbade her from seeing him ever again. An argument ensued and our daughter accused my husband of being racist (were Filipino and the neighbors are Black.) When he shared his reasons for reacting the way he did, my world changed forever. Theres nothing worse than a cluttered website. Not only does it look unprofessional, but it loses you customers. Statistically speaking, 55 percent of all users will spend just 15 seconds on your companys website before losing interest and leaving. Less sustained traffic means less conversions and so if you rely heavily upon digital revenue, chances are your cluttered site is hurting you more than its helping. Fortunately, more and more businesses are finding a simple solution for this issue by deploying one page websites. Sell Your Business Drive Traffic to Your Website Discover the Zoho Ecosystem Advertise Your Business Here What is a One Page Website? The term one page website is exactly what it sounds like although in order to properly develop and deploy one, you do need to put quite a lot of consideration into what youre doing and how youre going to achieve it. Simply put, a one page website is a single page website that utilizes just one HTML page. Most one page websites do have menu bars like your average, run-of-the-mill website. Yet rather than transport you to different HTML pages, selecting a menu item merely drops users down to a predefined HTML anchor somewhere on the sites single page. This is typically achieved through JavaScript, CSS3, Ajax and jQuery. A huge number of creatives have recently adopted the one page website although larger multinationals have also begun to implement temporary deployments of one page websites as preview pages and placeholders to kick start promotional activities prior to a big launch. Small Business Deals Why Do Businesses Like One Page Websites? The benefits of deploying a one page website are clear from a users point-of-view but a lot of business owners benefit from their use, too. First and foremost, creating a one page website is nearly always going to be faster than taking the time to create a larger website filled with smaller pages. The design process normally takes a bit longer when crafting a one page website, because the HTML is a bit more complicated. But in the long term, its usually a quicker option. One page websites are also far easier to maintain when content needs updated, because its all in one, easy-to-find location. Many business owners also find drafting copy for a one page website to be a useful exercise in learning to be more concise in their product and service descriptions. Because one page website are design-driven, its advisable to keep copy as minimal as possible and fickle customers consequently go on to appreciate receiving the cliffs notes of who your company is and what it does. When in doubt, if you can say it less words, do it. How Do I Create a One Page Website? If it sounds like a one page website might be appropriate for your small business, youll be pleased to know they arent very difficult to create. Although they are typically more complicated in terms of HTML coding, there are plenty of dynamic generators and free template providers that streamline the process. If your site is uses WordPress, you can even transform your cluttered site into a one page site in a matter of minutes. Alternatively, freelance web developers will often be able to churn out a bespoke one page site in a matter of days. Heres a more detailed look at the steps for creating a one-page website for your business: Purpose & Goal Setting: Before you start, determine the primary goal of the site. Is it to showcase a portfolio, detail an event, or provide company information? Content Creation: Draft the content you wish to display. Ensure its concise and purposeful. Design & Layout: Header : Usually consists of a logo and a navigation menu (which would jump to different sections on the page). : Usually consists of a logo and a navigation menu (which would jump to different sections on the page). Sections : Organize content into clear sections, possibly using different backgrounds or dividers. : Organize content into clear sections, possibly using different backgrounds or dividers. Footer: Include contact information, social media links, and any legal information. Tools & Resources: Dynamic Generators : These can help you set up a one-page design without diving deep into the code. : These can help you set up a one-page design without diving deep into the code. Free Templates : Numerous providers offer one-page website templates for platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and others. : Numerous providers offer one-page website templates for platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and others. WordPress: If you already have a WordPress site, there are plugins and themes specifically designed for one-page layouts. Optimization: Responsive Design : Ensure the site looks good on all devices. : Ensure the site looks good on all devices. SEO : Optimize your content, meta tags, and images for search engines. : Optimize your content, meta tags, and images for search engines. Speed: Compress images and use caching to improve site speed. Testing: Before going live, test the site on different devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and functionality. Going Live: Once satisfied, purchase a domain (if you havent already), choose a hosting provider, and launch your site. Alternatively, if you decide to enlist professional help for creating your one-page website, here are the main options to consider: Freelance Web Developers : If you want a unique and custom design or if youre not tech-savvy, hiring a freelancer can be a great option. They can create a bespoke one-page site tailored to your needs in a matter of days. : If you want a unique and custom design or if youre not tech-savvy, hiring a freelancer can be a great option. They can create a bespoke one-page site tailored to your needs in a matter of days. Agencies: Some digital agencies specialize in one-page designs. While this might be more expensive than a freelancer, youll likely get a comprehensive package including design, development, and optimization. Creating a one-page website doesnt have to be daunting. With the right approach, tools, and resources, you can have a streamlined and effective website up and running in no time. Whether you DIY or enlist professional help, the key is to keep the user experience at the forefront of your design decisions. Criteria Designing Your Own One-Page Website Outsourcing to a Professional Cost Pros: Typically cheaper as you're not hiring someone for the design. Might only need to pay for hosting and domain. Cons: Might need to purchase premium tools or templates. Pros: One-time payment for a complete, polished product. No need to buy design tools. Cons: Typically more expensive than DIY. Customization Pros: Complete control over design, can change whenever you want. Cons: Limited to your own design skills and the capabilities of the platform or template you're using. Pros: Professionals can implement advanced customizations and unique features. Cons: Major changes after completion might come at an additional cost. Time Commitment Pros: Can work at your own pace. Cons: Might take longer if you have a learning curve with design tools. Pros: Once you provide the requirements, the designer takes over. Cons: Waiting time depends on the designer's schedule. Technical Skill Requirement Pros: Learn new skills in the process. Cons: Requires some tech-savviness or willingness to learn. Can be challenging for beginners. Pros: No technical skills required on your part. Cons: None. Maintenance & Updates Pros: Immediate control over updates. Cons: Ongoing responsibility to maintain and update the site. Pros: Many professionals offer maintenance packages or guides on how to maintain the site. Cons: May need to re-hire or find someone else for updates. Unique Design Pros: Your design can be unique if you create it from scratch. Cons: Using pre-made templates might resemble other sites. Pros: Typically results in a more unique and tailored design. Cons: None. Quality & Functionality Pros: Direct control over quality. Cons: Might lack professional polish or optimal functionality, especially if inexperienced. Pros: High-quality design with optimal functionality is more likely. Cons: Depend on the expertise of the chosen professional. SEO & Performance Optimization Pros: You have control over SEO efforts. Cons: Might lack advanced knowledge to fully optimize the site. Pros: Many professionals offer SEO and performance optimization as part of their package. Cons: Might need to specify or pay extra for advanced optimization. Do One Page Websites Have Any Downsides? One page websites can be incredibly dynamic and refreshingly simple marketing tools with which to further your business but that doesnt mean theyre perfect for everybody. Some developers argue that swapping a multi-page site in favor of a one page website can be harmful to a companys online visibility. This is because when all your company information is located on one page, you wont have the benefit of being able to index several pages with different keywords and meta descriptions that could help your products and services appear in less obvious search engine results pages. This is a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) issue that isnt guaranteed to affect every website or business, and can sometimes work to a companys advantage by bolstering its page authority on a more finite set of keywords. But this risk can be a matter of trial and error, which is why some experts warn against relying too heavily upon one, single page website. Criteria One-Page Website Multi-Page Website User Navigation Pros: Simple, linear navigation without much clicking around. Easier for users to scroll and get all the info. Cons: Can become too long if there's a lot of content, making it cumbersome. Pros: Organized content. Clear structure, with each page having a specific purpose. Cons: Might become confusing if not structured well. Risk of deeper content being missed by visitors. Content Volume Pros: Forces concise and to-the-point content. Cons: Limited space for detailed information. Pros: Can accommodate a large volume of content and details. Cons: Might lead to content dilution or redundancy. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Pros: Focused keywords for the entire site. Cons: Limited to optimizing for a few keywords or topics. Pros: Multiple pages allow targeting a variety of keywords, potentially improving search visibility. Cons: Requires more extensive SEO efforts for each page. Load Time Pros: Often faster due to fewer resources. Cons: Can become slow if overloaded with content or heavy media. Pros: Individual pages can be optimized to load faster. Cons: Overall website might have more resources, leading to potential slow-downs. Updates & Maintenance Pros: Easier to manage and update a single page. Cons: Changes affect the entire site's layout. Pros: Easier to add new content or pages without disrupting the entire site. Cons: More extensive maintenance required. User Analytics Pros: Simple analytics; easy to track user journey on a single page. Cons: Harder to determine intent if there's only one page to view. Pros: Detailed analytics on user behavior, easy to track which pages are most visited. Cons: More complex to analyze and interpret. Purpose & Goal Pros: Excellent for specific campaigns, portfolios, or showcasing specific services/products. Cons: Not ideal for complex businesses or multifaceted organizations. Pros: Suitable for businesses with multiple services, products, or diverse information. Cons: Might be overkill for simpler businesses or projects. Flexibility & Scalability Pros: Easy to scale design-wise since it's just one page. Cons: Content additions might disrupt design balance. Pros: Easy to add more content or new sections/pages as the business grows. Cons: Design consistency might be a challenge with growth. Engagement & Interaction Pros: Continuous flow might keep users engaged. Cons: Limited interaction points. Pros: Multiple touchpoints and avenues for interaction, depending on site structure. Cons: Users might drop off without seeing key content. At the end of the day, only you know whats right for your business. Just remember to do your homework before you choose to experiment with a one page website, and ensure youve got discernible aims and KPIs to decide swiftly and decisively whether a one page website is working with you rather than against you. What is a trademark? Is it just for large corporations or is it something that could benefit your small business? Theres no single right answer to the question if you need a trademark or not, but this article will discuss all the key aspects of trademarking to help you decide if its time to trademark your company or product name. What is a Trademark? Lets start with some basics. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design (or a combination of any of these) that identifies the source of a product or service and distinguishes it from competitors. You can trademark your business name, product/service name, logo, or slogan as long as its distinctive and not already used by someone else in a similar capacity. Drive Traffic to Your Website Discover the Zoho Ecosystem Sell Your Business Advertise Your Business Here A key goal of a trademark is to prevent confusion in the marketplace. For example, Nike Inc. the shoe and sporting goods retailer were all familiar with owns a trademark on the name Nike. But, theres also a Nike Corporation that sells hydraulic lifting jacks and machinery. This is permissible because the two companies are operating in entirely different industries and capacities. Its very unlikely that anyone would ever confuse the two companies when shopping for running shoes. How Does a Trademark Help? As soon as you begin using a unique and distinctive name in commerce, you enjoy common law rights of first use. This means you get some level of brand protection even without formally registering a trademark. In addition, when you incorporate or form an LLC, this registers your business name in your state; no other business can incorporate or form an LLC in your state with your same name. Why would you want to register a trademark? There are several key advantages of holding a federal trademark, including: Small Business Deals Registering your trademark puts your name in the official USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) registry. This means that when another company is searching for potential names, they will find your name in the database and be less likely to choose your name/mark in the first place. This alone can save a lot of headaches with lawyers and cease and desist letters. Its much easier to prevent someone from using your name than get them to stop using it. Once you register a trademark, its much simpler, faster, and cheaper to stop someone else from using the same or similar mark. Typically, a cease and desist letter from a lawyer can be enough to have someone stop using the conflicting mark; and having a registered mark is a much more powerful statement than trying to argue common law rights and first use. When you have a registered trademark, you can take someone to federal court for infringement. If you didnt register a trademark and discover that someone started using your name/mark, you dont have a lot of options. You can try taking action at the state level, but this can get complicated, particularly if the competing business is located in another state. When youve registered with the USPTO, you now have federal protection and can sue an infringing company in federal court. This typically means a more straightforward and timely process. You can use the R symbol instead of just the TM symbol. This might dissuade a competing company from trying to use your mark. And finally, the trademark application process includes a very thorough review for any conflicting marks. This means that once your trademark application has been accepted, you can be assured that youre not infringing the rights of another business. You dont want to be on the receiving end of a cease and desist letter after unknowingly using someone elses business name. Registering a trademark helps ensure your business name or mark will be legally yours to use for years to come. How Do You Register a Trademark? Registering a trademark is done through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. You can either file the application directly with them or have a lawyer or online legal filing service handle the application for you. It takes a minimum of several months sometimes close to a year to register a trademark. While you may be at the mercy of the backlog at the USPTO, there are a few things you can do to make sure your application is processed as quickly as possible. First, the more distinctive your mark is, the easier it will be to trademark. A descriptive or generic name like Pretty Flowers will most likely be rejected. In addition, performing a very thorough name search upfront is the most important thing you can do to speed along your trademark application and minimize the chance of rejection. Your application will be rejected (and youll lose your application fee) if the USPTO finds another business is already using a similar mark in commerce. Searching the USPTOs online database is a first step toward finding any similar and potentially conflicting marks. But, if youre serious about your trademark application, you should also perform a thorough search that includes state trademark databases and business directories. Thats because a business can enjoy common law rights without formally registering. You can have a trademark lawyer or online legal filing service help you with this important search. If you choose a strong name/mark and conduct a thorough search beforehand, you should be well on your way toward owning an official trademark. This will give you strong federal brand protection, and the peace of mind that you wont be forced to stop using your business name, product name or other mark. Advantages of Registering a Trademark Description Official Registry Registering your trademark with the USPTO places your name in their official registry, making it easier for other companies to identify your mark and avoid using it. Simplified Protection Registered trademarks have a stronger legal standing, making it simpler, faster, and more cost-effective to prevent others from using a similar mark. Federal Court Action With a registered trademark, you have the option to take legal action in federal court against infringing companies, streamlining the process for resolving disputes. Use of Symbol Registered trademarks can use the symbol, which carries more weight than the TM symbol and may deter others from attempting to use your mark. Conflict Resolution The trademark application process involves a thorough review for conflicting marks, ensuring you don't inadvertently infringe on another business's rights. Long-Term Ownership Registering a trademark secures legal ownership of your business name or mark, providing lasting protection for years to come. Cease and Desist Prevention By having a registered trademark, you can proactively prevent others from using your name, reducing the likelihood of legal disputes and cease and desist letters. Trademark Registration Process Determine Eligibility: Assess whether your business name, product name, logo, or slogan is distinctive and not already in use for similar purposes by another entity. Assess whether your business name, product name, logo, or slogan is distinctive and not already in use for similar purposes by another entity. Common Law Rights: Understand that you have common law rights of first use as soon as you start using a unique name in commerce, even without formal registration. Understand that you have common law rights of first use as soon as you start using a unique name in commerce, even without formal registration. Advantages of Federal Registration: Consider the benefits of federal registration, including official recognition in the USPTO registry, simplified prevention of name use by others, and the ability to take legal action in federal court for infringement. Consider the benefits of federal registration, including official recognition in the USPTO registry, simplified prevention of name use by others, and the ability to take legal action in federal court for infringement. Use of R Symbol: When your trademark is registered, you can use the symbol, which may discourage others from using your mark. When your trademark is registered, you can use the symbol, which may discourage others from using your mark. Thorough Name Search: Perform a comprehensive search to identify any conflicting marks, including searches in the USPTO database, state trademark databases, and business directories. Perform a comprehensive search to identify any conflicting marks, including searches in the USPTO database, state trademark databases, and business directories. Application Submission: File a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) directly or through a lawyer or online legal filing service. File a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) directly or through a lawyer or online legal filing service. Processing Time: Be prepared for a registration process that may take several months to close to a year due to the USPTOs backlog. Be prepared for a registration process that may take several months to close to a year due to the USPTOs backlog. Distinctiveness Matters: Choose a distinctive name or mark to enhance your chances of successful trademark registration. Descriptive or generic names are more likely to be rejected. Choose a distinctive name or mark to enhance your chances of successful trademark registration. Descriptive or generic names are more likely to be rejected. Consult a Professional: Consider seeking assistance from a trademark lawyer or online legal filing service to conduct a thorough name search and navigate the application process. Consider seeking assistance from a trademark lawyer or online legal filing service to conduct a thorough name search and navigate the application process. Peace of Mind: Once registered, you can use your business name, product name, or mark with confidence, knowing you have strong federal brand protection. Trademark Maintenance and Renewal Continuous Protection: Trademark registration is not a one-time endeavor; it requires ongoing maintenance to safeguard your brand. Regularly monitor your trademarks use in commerce to prevent unauthorized usage by others. Filing Declarations: The USPTO mandates periodic filings to declare your ongoing use of the registered trademark. Failure to submit these declarations can result in the cancellation of your trademark registration. Renewal: Trademark registrations must be renewed at specific intervals to maintain their legal force. Familiarize yourself with the renewal deadlines and requirements associated with your trademark. Evolving Brand: As your business grows and evolves, your trademark may need updates to reflect changes in branding or product offerings. Consider consulting a trademark attorney to ensure your trademark remains accurate and effective. Enforcement: Be prepared to enforce your trademark rights when necessary. If you encounter unauthorized usage of your mark, take prompt legal action to protect your brands integrity. Trademark Maintenance and Renewal Description Continuous Protection Trademark registration requires ongoing monitoring to prevent unauthorized usage. Regularly oversee your trademark's use in commerce to safeguard your brand. Filing Declarations Periodic filings declaring ongoing trademark use are required by the USPTO. Failure to submit these declarations can lead to the cancellation of your trademark registration. Renewal Trademark registrations must be renewed at specific intervals to maintain their legal force. Familiarize yourself with renewal deadlines and requirements for your trademark. Evolving Brand As your business evolves, your trademark may require updates to reflect branding or product changes. Consider consulting a trademark attorney to ensure your mark remains accurate and effective. Enforcement Be prepared to enforce your trademark rights when necessary. If unauthorized usage of your mark occurs, take timely legal action to protect your brand's integrity. Conclusion: Secure Your Brands Future Trademark registration isnt limited to large corporations; its a vital tool for small businesses looking to protect their brand identity and thrive in a competitive marketplace. While the decision to trademark your company or product name may not have a one-size-fits-all answer, understanding the key aspects of trademarking empowers you to make an informed choice. A trademark serves as your brands guardian, distinguishing your offerings from competitors and preventing confusion in the marketplace. It offers valuable benefits, including official recognition in the USPTO registry, streamlined protection against name use by others, and the ability to take legal action in federal court if infringement occurs. The iconic symbol signifies your commitment to brand protection. The trademark registration process, although requiring time and effort, offers peace of mind and lasting legal ownership of your business name or mark. Thorough name searches, distinctive naming choices, and professional assistance are your allies in this journey. In conclusion, whether youre a budding entrepreneur or an established small business owner, trademark registration is a strategic step towards securing your brands future and ensuring that your unique identity remains legally yours for years to come. Dont just protect your brand; invest in its longevity with a registered trademark. Trademark Photo via Shutterstock CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more. Type Online marketing courses in a browser, and you will get 29+ million results with every option imaginable. And one of the search results undoubtedly will be Udemy, an online learning platform. What is Udemy? Discover the Zoho Ecosystem Drive Traffic to Your Website Sell Your Business Advertise Your Business Here Udemy has a library of over 40,000 courses, 20k instructors, and 12 million students in 190 countries around the world, so it has reach. The question is, in addition to earning money by creating courses, can you use Udemy for a business you already have. The answer is yes, and here are some of the things it can do that can directly increase the presence of your business in the digital world, while earning you money from the courses. How Can Udemy Benefit Your Small Business? Udemy, a renowned online learning platform, offers a plethora of advantages for small businesses, particularly those aiming to solidify their brand identity, expand their audience reach, and foster long-term customer relationships. Here are several compelling reasons why small businesses should consider leveraging Udemy: Small Business Deals Establishing Authority : Udemy allows business professionals, regardless of their field, to share their expertise. By creating a course related to your domain be it accounting, artistry, or auto repair youre demonstrating your proficiency and knowledge. Offering a well-crafted course positions you as an industry expert, thereby enhancing your credibility and increasing trust among potential clients. : Monetization Opportunities : Udemy gives you the flexibility to charge for your courses, presenting an additional revenue stream. Alternatively, you can offer free courses as a lead magnet or as a gesture of goodwill to potential clients. : Increased Traffic : By offering courses, youre attracting a demographic specifically interested in your field. This targeted audience is more likely to visit your business website and explore your products and services. Those who find value in your courses may further recommend them to peers, increasing your visibility and driving more organic traffic. : Free Marketing and Exposure : With a massive user base, Udemy acts as a platform that can exponentially increase your exposure without incurring the costs typically associated with marketing campaigns. Since Udemy learners are inherently inclined to engage with course content, conversion rates and interaction levels are likely to be superior compared to other marketing channels. : Building a Subscriber Base : Udemy can serve as a funnel for lead generation. By capturing the names and email addresses of your students, youre amassing a list of individuals already acquainted with your brand. This list becomes invaluable for future promotions, newsletters, or product launches. Engaged subscribers are more likely to convert into paying customers, especially if theyve derived value from your courses. : Feedback and Improvement : Courses on Udemy allow for user ratings and reviews. This direct feedback can be instrumental in refining your offerings, understanding customer needs, and continuously improving. : Networking : Udemy isnt just a marketplace for learners; its also a community of educators. Engaging on the platform can lead to collaborations, partnerships, or other business opportunities with fellow course creators. : In essence, Udemy isnt merely a platform for education; for small businesses, it can be a potent tool for growth, branding, and community-building. By offering valuable content, businesses not only educate but also forge lasting relationships with a global audience. Creating a Course on Udemy Before you start, create an account and go to this link to review the quality standards of Udemy. This will ensure you are following the rules as to what the company expects. But some of what it looks for include, HD video, good audio, 5 lectures, and at least 30 minutes of video content. As an instructor Udemy has a revenue share system where it pays you 50 percent of the net amount received for your course, minus any applicable deductions. When you are ready, go to Udemy Teach and you will see the ready to create a course page. You enter the title and you will be prompted to go to the next page. Course Goals This is an important page, because potential students will be making their decision based on you put here. It appears on the landing page, so make is as clear as possible without being too wordy or gimmicky. The user interface is very intuitive across the entire process, and Udemy has done a great job to simplify the input of the information. Test Video Since this is a platform that uses video to deliver the courses, Udemy wants to ensure the quality is high. You have to send a 2-5 minute video recorded on the same equipment you will be using for the course. The video you submit will be reviewed and you will get feedback on how to improve it, if it needs it, within two business day. A quality video ensures your students can see and hear everything you say. You can review the test video instruction before you even send any sample here. Curriculum In the curriculum section, you will put together your course. The page has several prompt where you can add and create sections, lectures, exercise, quizzes and more. Course Landing Page The course landing page is the first thing anyone sees about what you are offering. Again, Udemy has done a good job of having the right prompts so you can fill title, subtitle, course description, images, videos and more. Once you fill it out, you can click the preview button and see how it will look. You can play with it until if feels right for you. Price This page is self-explanatory, so you set the price you are going to charge for the course. You will be directed to the premium page where you will fill out the financial information. If you dont want to charge for the course, select free. You can also create instructor coupons to promote your course. Automatic Messages This is an automated message that will be sent to student when they join and complete the course. Although this is optional, it is a great way to continue engaging with your students. Submit for Review When you have filled out all the information, you are ready to submit your course for a review. Once it is approved, you can market and promote is to drive student to your course. Udemy is a great learning portal that provides affordable lessons for anyone with an Internet connection. It has thousands of free courses, and even thousands more where you will have to pay. Whether you are creating a course as a source of income or to promote your business, it can do both, and best of all, it is free. This being Udemy, you can take a course on how to create a Udemy course by taking one. It is a step by step guide created by the company available for free. You can take the course by clicking here. Steps for Creating a Course on Udemy Description What is Udemy And How Can I Use It For Business? Steps & Description Course Goals Important for potential students. Appears on landing page. Should be clear and concise. Intuitive user interface simplifying the input process. Test Video Submit a 2-5 min video for quality assurance. Receive feedback within 2 business days. Emphasizes video quality. Provides test video instructions to help instructors. Curriculum Add and create sections, lectures, exercises, quizzes, etc. N/A Course Landing Page The initial view for potential students. Include title, subtitle, description, images, etc. Preview functionality allows instructors to see and adjust the landing page until satisfied. Price Decide on course pricing or set it as free. Required to fill out financial information. Option to create instructor coupons for course promotions. Automatic Messages Optional automated messages for student engagement when they join or complete the course. Emphasizes the advantage of engaging with students. Submit for Review Final submission for Udemy review. Once approved, the course can be marketed. N/A General Note on Udemy Provides both free and paid courses. Useful for income or business promotion. Offers a free step-by-step guide on how to create a Udemy course, highlighting its user-friendliness. Popular Course Topics on Udemy Udemy welcomes courses across a wide range of topics. The beauty of Udemy lies in its inclusivity, allowing experts from various domains to share their knowledge with eager learners from around the globe. Tech & Coding : Web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) Mobile app development (iOS, Android) Data science and machine learning : Arts & Hobbies : Digital photography and editing Drawing and painting techniques DIY crafts and home projects : Business & Entrepreneurship : Digital marketing (SEO, PPC, content marketing) E-commerce and dropshipping Leadership and management skills : Languages : Spanish, French, Mandarin courses Sign language English as a second language : Personal Development : Meditation and mindfulness Time management and productivity Communication and public speaking : Health & Fitness : Yoga and pilates Nutrition and meal planning Weightlifting and home workouts : Category Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Tech & Coding Web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) Mobile app development (iOS, Android) Data science and machine learning Arts & Hobbies Digital photography and editing Drawing and painting techniques DIY crafts and home projects Business & Entrepreneurship Digital marketing (SEO, PPC, content marketing) E-commerce and dropshipping Leadership and management skills Languages Spanish, French, Mandarin courses Sign language English as a second language Personal Development Meditation and mindfulness Time management and productivity Communication and public speaking Health & Fitness Yoga and pilates Nutrition and meal planning Weightlifting and home workouts The possibilities are endless, with instructors creating courses ranging from mainstream topics to niche specialties, fulfilling the diverse learning needs of the global Udemy community. OpenOffice, sometimes abbreviated as OO, is a free and open-source office productivity software suite offered by The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, graphics, and more. What is OpenOffice? A Free Productivity Suite Discover the Zoho Ecosystem Drive Traffic to Your Website Sell Your Business Advertise Your Business Here OpenOffice, often referred to as Apache OpenOffice, is a free and open-source office productivity software suite. It serves as a comprehensive alternative to many paid office suites available, particularly Microsoft Office. Below is a detailed breakdown of what OpenOffice is and its features: Platform Independence : OpenOffice is versatile in its compatibility. It can function seamlessly on: Apple MacOS Microsoft Windows Linux : OpenOffice is versatile in its compatibility. It can function seamlessly on: Multilingual Support : One of the advantages of OpenOffice is its wide language support. Its available in numerous languages, catering to a global audience. : One of the advantages of OpenOffice is its wide language support. Its available in numerous languages, catering to a global audience. Core Applications : OpenOffice boasts of a robust set of applications that are on par with those found in Microsoft Office. These are: Writer : Equivalent to Microsoft Word, its a word processing program. Calc : Parallel to Microsoft Excel, Calc is a spreadsheet application. Impress : This is OpenOffices answer to Microsoft PowerPoint. Its a presentation software. Base : Comparable to Microsoft Access, Base functions as a database management program. : OpenOffice boasts of a robust set of applications that are on par with those found in Microsoft Office. These are: Cost-Effective : The most attractive feature of OpenOffice for many users is its price tag or lack thereof. Being a free software suite, it can be: A significant cost saver for businesses, especially startups or small businesses on a strict budget. An ideal choice for students or individuals who require office software but wish to avoid the expense of commercial products. : The most attractive feature of OpenOffice for many users is its price tag or lack thereof. Being a free software suite, it can be: Open Source Nature : OpenOffice is not just free; its also open source. This means: The softwares source code is available to the public. Enthusiasts and developers can modify or enhance it, potentially leading to improvements and community-driven innovations. : OpenOffice is not just free; its also open source. This means: Extensions and Templates : OpenOffice has an active community that contributes to its library of extensions and templates, allowing for greater customization and functionality. : OpenOffice has an active community that contributes to its library of extensions and templates, allowing for greater customization and functionality. Standard File Formats: The software suite saves documents in open standard formats, but its also capable of reading and writing files from other popular office software, making file sharing and collaboration more straightforward. In conclusion, OpenOffice offers a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for both individuals and businesses. It provides essential office applications while eliminating the need to invest in pricey alternatives. How Apache OpenOffice Works Small Business Deals According to ASF, Apache OpenOffice is the result of over twenty years software engineering. It is a mature and stable product that has been downloaded over 200 million times worldwide, as of 2016. OO offers a high degree of compatibility with none of the costs or license worries. It has a friendly user interface and feature set similar to those of commercial office suites. These premium features have in recent years encouraged many organizations across the board to try the program. Among the organizations and industries that Apache lists as having adopted OO are: Governments Education Businesses Not for profits IT Businesses F/OSS advocates Small businesses from corner-shops to grocery stores and restaurant chains love Apache OpenOffice because it is a free and secure product that guarantees trouble-free usage. Behind the scenes, OO stores all your valuable data in a format approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It also allows you to exchange data between office software, accounting software, planning software any software as easily as opening and saving a file. No transcription errors, no typing the same information twice no hassle computing, writes ASF on the official Apache OpenOffice website. One issue that open-source office productivity suites like OpenOffice and competitor LibreOffice have, though, is that they are not Cloud based at the moment. Microsoft Office and Google Docs Online have this advantage for collaboration. Potential Uses of OpenOffice OpenOffice, as a comprehensive office suite, caters to a vast range of tasks that individuals, students, businesses, and educators might need to accomplish. Its array of applications, combined with its open-source nature, allows it to flexibly adapt to various scenarios, making it not just a free alternative to other office suites but a potent standalone toolset. From drafting essential documents, analyzing datasets, creating presentations, to managing databases, OpenOffice provides a seamless experience. Its adaptability is further enhanced by the active community support which continuously develops extensions and templates. This ensures that the software remains up-to-date with emerging demands and can be customized as per the unique needs of users. Potential uses include: Documentation and Writing : Drafting letters, reports, and memos using Writer. Creating eBooks, manuals, or other lengthy publications. : Data Management and Analysis : Developing spreadsheets for budgeting, finance tracking, or inventory management with Calc. Analyzing research data, surveys, or business metrics. : Presentations : Designing interactive presentations for business meetings, academic purposes, or workshops using Impress. Creating digital portfolios or photo slideshows. : Database Management : Establishing and managing databases for customer information, product inventory, or research data using Base. Designing front-end forms for easier data entry and retrieval. : Design and Graphics : Crafting diagrams, flowcharts, or organizational charts. Designing brochures, newsletters, or posters. : Educational Purposes : Preparing lesson plans, teaching materials, or student assignments. Collaborating on group projects or dissertations. : Extensions and Customization : Enhancing functionality through community-developed extensions. Using templates for specialized tasks like invoice generation, ticketing, or event planning. : OpenOffice, with its plethora of features and community-driven improvements, caters to almost every professional demand that any premium office suite can offer. It stands as a testimony to the potential of open-source software in serving real-world needs. Category Task A Task B Documentation and Writing Drafting letters, reports, and memos using Writer. Creating eBooks, manuals, or other lengthy publications. Data Management and Analysis Developing spreadsheets for budgeting, finance tracking, or inventory management with Calc. Analyzing research data, surveys, or business metrics. Presentations Designing interactive presentations for business meetings, academic purposes, or workshops using Impress. Creating digital portfolios or photo slideshows. Database Management Establishing and managing databases for customer information, product inventory, or research data using Base. Designing front-end forms for easier data entry and retrieval. Design and Graphics Crafting diagrams, flowcharts, or organizational charts. Designing brochures, newsletters, or posters. Educational Purposes Preparing lesson plans, teaching materials, or student assignments. Collaborating on group projects or dissertations. Extensions and Customization Enhancing functionality through community-developed extensions. Using templates for specialized tasks like invoice generation, ticketing, or event planning. Reasons to Use Apache OpenOffice Apache OpenOffice offers a variety of compelling reasons for individuals and businesses to consider its use. Heres a detailed breakdown of the benefits that OpenOffice brings to the table: Cost-Effective : Free of Charge : One of the most significant advantages is the cost. Apache OpenOffice is entirely free, making it particularly appealing to small businesses in need of professional-grade office software without the hefty price tag. : User-Friendly : Intuitive Design : Apache suggests that if youre familiar with any other office software package, transitioning to OpenOffice will be seamless. Broad Compatibility : OpenOffice is adept at handling files from many popular office software packages, reducing concerns about file compatibility and easing collaboration. : Licensing Benefits : Versatile Use : OpenOffice is released under the Apache 2.0 License, providing users with the flexibility to use the software for virtually any purpose, ranging from commercial activities to educational projects. No Limitations : Users are free to install OpenOffice on multiple machines without restrictions. They can also freely distribute copies to anyone, be it family, friends, or colleagues. : Extensions & Templates : Extensions : OpenOffice supports third-party extensions, which are tools that augment the softwares capabilities. These extensions are facilitated through UNO (Unlimited Networks of Opportunities) packages, according to ASF. Templates : These are predefined document formats tailored for specific use cases, making it easier for businesses to maintain a consistent and professional appearance in their documentation. : Customization & Open Source : Tailored Solutions : OpenOffices open-source nature allows IT teams to modify the software to better align with specific business requirements. Innovation and Contribution : Since its open source, businesses or individuals can enhance the softwares functionality and even share their improvements with the larger community. This collaborative approach can lead to rapid innovations and improvements. : In essence, OpenOffice provides a suite of robust office tools that are not only free but also customizable, ensuring that both individuals and businesses have a versatile solution tailored to their needs. You can download Apache OpenOffice entirely free from www.openoffice.org. In theory, Smer leader Robert Fico might have a constitutional majority. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share The election night in Slovakia began with two exit polls that predicted a win for the liberal force Progresivne Slovensko (PS) in the early election but as the night went on, live results hinted at and eventually confirmed a different scenario: the return of Smer. The party lost the 2020 election, two years after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee. Since then, dozens of people connected to former Smer governments have been prosecuted and charged with corruption. Smer, led by former three-time PM Robert Fico who pledges to cut any support to Ukraine except for humanitarian aid, won the election on September 30 with 22.94 percent; a similar figure was forecast for PS in one of the exit polls. Progresivne Slovensko ended in second place with 17.95 percent. Six single parties and one coalition party have gotten into the 150-seat parliament, according to the unofficial results. They will be confirmed by the state election commission at midday on Sunday. Hlas, a left wing party established three years ago by Smer renegades led by ex-PM Peter Pellegrini, the self-declared anti-corruption movement OLaNO chaired by ex-PM Igor Matovic, the liberal party SaS, as well as two returnees, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the ultranationalist party Slovak National Party (SNS), will sit in parliament as well. This election was not short of political surprises such as the end of the far-right movement Republika and the populist movement Sme Rodina, led by Speaker Boris Kollar, in parliament. In the coming days, President Zuzana Caputova is expected to ask Fico to form a government. He may form a coalition government with Hlas and SNS. With KDH, such a coalition would reach the constitutional majority. Smer could swap SNS for KDH, which would grant the Smer-led government 81 seats in the house. In 2010, when Fico won his second parliamentary election, most parties refused to cooperate with him and he did not become the prime minister. If the situation happened again, Progresivne Slovensko could try to form a liberal-conservative government with KDH, SaS, and Hlas. The turnout was the highest since the 2002 parliamentary election, reaching 68.51 percent. A record high number of votes received from abroad in 2023. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share If the parliamentary election results were to depend only on the votes of Slovaks living abroad, the political party Progresivne Slovensko would win the race. PS received 61.7 percent of all the votes cast by Slovaks living abroad. Another liberal party, SaS, would follow with 10.8 percent. Smer would come third. Except for Republika, Sme Rodina and Demokrati, all the parties got into parliament. Up to 58,779 Slovaks abroad cast their vote in the early parliamentary election, which is 80.5 percent of registered Slovak voters from 104 countries. Initially, a total of 72,993 Slovaks expressed their interest in voting by post. The deadline for Slovaks staying abroad having their envelopes with votes delivered to the Interior Ministry was Friday, September 29. Most votes came from the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Germany. Eighteen electoral division commissions began to count votes delivered from abroad by post at 18:00 on Saturday; the hour and the day are set by law. Each commission counted almost 3,300 votes. Other electoral divisions in Slovak towns are made up of about 1,000 voters. The results regarding how Slovaks abroad voted were published on Sunday morning. When asked why it took so long, the Interior Ministry explained that votes from abroad were looked at as one electoral district with one list of candidates. If a result from at least one electoral division of those 18 divisions were published earlier than the rest, the result would make no sense. "It could cause distrust in the results among voters," the Interior Ministry said. Slovak citizens based abroad could vote by post in the parliamentary elections for the sixth time this year. They had the first opportunity in 2006. In the last parliamentary election in 2020, 48,925 voters voted by post. Republika, Sme Rodina and Demokrati are out. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Robert Fico is back. His Smer party emerged with the most votes in Saturday's election and it seems highly likely that he will get to form the new government. Smer, together with third-place Hlas, and the Slovak National Party (SNS), which returns to parliament, would together have a narrow but comfortable majority of 79 MPs in the 150-member house. In the end, however, it will come down to the decision of Hlas leader Peter Pellegrini, because the only chance of a non-Smer government would rely on his support. Progressive Slovakia (PS) finished second and confirmed its position in the final pre-election polls, but did not bring any major surprises or a surge in support. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) returns to parliament after a two-term absence. Also elected were Igor Matovic and his Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO) coalition (which includes Christian Union and Za Ludi) and Richard Sulik's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), which achieved a similar result as at the last election in 2020. Boris Kollar's Sme Rodina party, which dropped below 3 percent, is out. The failure of Republika to make it into parliament is another surprise of the election. The party, which emerged from Marian Kotleba's neo-fascist LSNS, was predicted by all the pre-election polls to comfortably clear the 5-percent threshold, but ultimately scored only 4.75 percent. It is the first time since 2016 that parliament will be without an overtly fascist party. Election winner Robert Fico The international media is highlighting the resurgence of its populist former and likely future premier. Journalists at the Smer headquarters in Bratislava (Source: Sme - Marko Erd) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share A populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russian and anti-American message looked to be heading for victory in early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, the Associated Press (AP) newswire commented on the preliminary election results. Yesterday's parliamentary election in Slovakia was closely watched by the foreign press. Foreign journalists flocked in particular to the headquarters of the Smer party, which ended up winning the most votes in the election. Robert Fico and his party's campaign were at the centre of the attention of foreign observers mainly due to concerns that a potential Fico-led government would mean a reversal in Slovakia's support for Ukraine. "The election was a test for the small eastern European countrys support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and a win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO," the AP wrote. Outsized consequences of the election Pellegrini may seek the premiership. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Robert Fico has an advantage, because Smer's first place in the September 30 election means will be given the first chance to form a government. He will certainly do everything he can to make it a success. But a government with Smer is not the only option. Hlas will have the main say, fulfilling a scenario that commentators have been talking about for months. Many more variables enter into the decision-making of all the players. But the situation is not so deadlocked that it is likely to end in a stalemate. Some kind of coalition will almost certainly emerge. The Sme daily outlines three possible options, along with some points for and against each. Related article Related article Smer wins elections, fascists are out of parliament Read more Smer + Hlas + SNS (79 seats) If we were to go only by the statements made before the elections, this is probably the most likely scenario. Fico has been repeating for months that the future government will be founded on the cooperation between Smer and Hlas. For the Slovak National Party (SNS), this would be the dream coalition that Andrej Danko has been talking about for months. In Fico, Slovakia will have a leader loyal to Moscow, they report. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share A pro-Russian former prime minister who is loyal to Moscow and rejects military aid to Ukraine is returning to power in Slovakia. Reports with this wording appeared in several pro-government Russian media outlets immediately after the Slovak election. The Russian media also talk about the "traditional warmth of many Slovaks towards Russia", about fatigue with the war in Ukraine, but also about the fact that Russia should be even more concerned with Slovakia after the election, in order to win it over to its side or at least make it neutral towards Moscow. Here is how the Russian media covered the Slovak election. Russia will help us with food, ex-MP says Fico's victory will undermine European unity towards Ukraine and it will put an end to military aid, several pro-government Russian media outlets wrote after the election. Some newspapers are also looking into why Slovaks re-elected the former prime minister. For example, the website Moskovskyi Komsomolets writes that "Fico's views reflect the traditional warm feelings of many Slovaks towards Russia, which have grown on social networks since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine". The newspaper also recalls that Fico has promised to stop supplying arms to Ukraine and will push for peace talks, bringing him closer to Viktor Orban. Smer leader tells the country to calm down. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Slovakia has more pressing problems than Ukraine, Robert Fico told journalists when asked about his stance on support for Slovakia's neighbour after his party emerged in first place following the September 30 parliamentary election. Fico said he expects to be asked by the president to form the next ruling coalition. "We are waiting for the phone call from the president," Fico told journalists when asked whether he had already started talks with other parties that have made it into parliament. Observers see a coalition of Smer, Hlas and the Slovak National Party (SNS) as the most likely option. In his first address to the media early afternoon on Sunday, October 1, Fico said that he wants the country to stop and calm down. Following a heated and hate-fuelled campaign during which he refused to speak to selected media, including the Sme daily (The Slovak Spectator's sister paper), Fico said he wished for good relations with the media and with his counterparts in politics. Fico downplays likely changes Fico's possible victory has been viewed with concern by partners in NATO and the EU. His campaign messages included a halt in Slovakia's aid to Ukraine. Related article Related article Fico is on his way to becoming prime minister, again Read more Fico is now telling journalists that Slovakia's foreign policy orientation will not change under his watch but that does not mean he will not criticise the EU or the West's involvement in the war in Ukraine. "Our position remains unchanged," Fico said, insisting that his party will call for immediate peace talks. Hlas leader Peter Pellegrini, whose party will have to decide whether to go with Smer or opt for a potential coalition involving Progresivne Slovensko, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), and SaS, said that if Smer wants to team up with Hlas it will have to be ready for compromises when it comes to foreign policy. Hlas wants Slovakia to remain anchored in the EU and NATO, Pellegrini said in comments to public-service broadcaster RTVS. Fico for prime minister It is customary in Slovakia that the president to assign the leader of the party that has won the most votes the first chance to form a government backed by a parliamentary majority. Related article Related article A Smer government is not the only option. There are two plausible alternatives Read more Fico told journalists that he will vie for the prime-ministerial post, but he sees no reason to lead any coalition talks before receiving the formal assignment from the president. "We will sit at the Smer headquarters, waiting for a phone call from the president," he told journalists on Sunday afternoon. Fico said he plans to take a couple of weeks to talk about programmes with other political parties, and that after that they will talk about forming a government. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230930/chinese-companies-reduce-sales-of-drones-their-components-to-ukraine---report-1113831859.html Chinese Companies Reduce Sales of Drones, Their Components to Ukraine - Report Chinese Companies Reduce Sales of Drones, Their Components to Ukraine - Report On September 1, the Chinese government imposed export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment. Chinese export controls could worsen the problems of the Ukrainian supply chain ahead of winter, the report said. 2023-09-30T23:52+0000 2023-09-30T23:52+0000 2023-09-30T23:52+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine china drone ukraine kiev kiev /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102875/15/1028751588_185:0:1252:600_1920x0_80_0_0_fd782f09cf89bea7c50c6afa8262a891.jpg On September 1, the Chinese government imposed export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment. Chinese export controls could worsen the problems of the Ukrainian supply chain ahead of winter, the report said. In June, the Ukrainian deputy minister for strategic industries said that Kiev was negotiating with Western arms manufacturers about establishing the production of weapons in Ukraine, including drones, and could sign contracts in the coming months. In late August, the newspaper reported that Ukraine was developing about six models of long-range drones, including those capable of flying more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). china ukraine kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International china, drone, chinese drones, ukraine, kiev, drones, weapons to ukraine, russia's special operation in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/biden-us-cannot-under-any-circumstances-allow-support-for-ukraine-be-interrupted-1113832589.html Biden: US Cannot Under Any Circumstances Allow Support for Ukraine Be Interrupted Biden: US Cannot Under Any Circumstances Allow Support for Ukraine Be Interrupted The US president also called on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to keep "his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment." 2023-10-01T01:47+0000 2023-10-01T01:47+0000 2023-10-01T04:52+0000 americas joe biden biden administration ukraine us arms for ukraine us-ukraine relations government shutdown government shutdown us government shutdown /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/13/1113503794_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_97fae81494869c8ad8f14b2b6bb49eb2.jpg "Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden said in a statement, released by the White House. The US president also called on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to keep "his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment."The continuing resolution (CR) bill that passed the House and the Senate does not include assistance for Ukraine, however, the House recently passed a bill to provide $300 million to Ukraine that will soon be considered in the Senate. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) the Senate Minority Leader, following the vote, told reporters that he is confident the Senate will pass additional assistance to Ukraine later this year.Earlier in the day, media reported, citing a US official, that the White House expects the House Speaker to put forward a separate bill to provide further support for Ukraine. In August, Biden asked the Congress to approve a total of $24 billion in additional assistance for Ukraine as part of $40 billion in supplemental funding requested for 2024. Since Russia's special military operation first began in Ukraine, the US has spent an extensive sum of $75 billion in assistance to the country. Western officials are slowly admitting the existence of Ukraine aid fatigue in society and even among top politicians. Earlier, the British Foreign Secretary admitted that supporting the Kiev regime is "tough" and "painful," adding that Ukraine fatigue is a "big deal." US media wrote in July 2023 that even acting president Joe Biden believes that Volodymyr Zelensky "should be showing more gratitude for the billions in aid he was getting from the United States via the American people" while former Pentagon specialist Douglas MacKinnon compared Ukrainian leader to a spoiled, petulant child who gets everything he wants. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230723/washington-becoming-weary-of-zelenskys-never-ending-demands-for-aid---reports-1112084738.html americas ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International joe biden, biden administration, ukraine, us arms for ukraine, us-ukraine relations, government shutdown, us politics https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/brazil-india-us-among-main-buyers-of-russian-fertilizers-in-january-june--un-statistics-1113834705.html Brazil, India, US Among Main Buyers of Russian Fertilizers in January-June UN Statistics Brazil, India, US Among Main Buyers of Russian Fertilizers in January-June UN Statistics Russia sold at least $6.6 billion worth of fertilizers to 57 countries in the first half of 2023, with Brazil, India and the United States being the main buyers, data from the UN Comtrade platform of national statistical services reviewed by Sputnik showed. 2023-10-01T06:04+0000 2023-10-01T06:04+0000 2023-10-01T06:04+0000 russia russian economy under sanctions russian economy brazil china /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/1d/1095862711_0:0:3552:1998_1920x0_80_0_0_cb62fc304d07d1b37ee46dd63797d3fd.jpg Brazil ($1.9 billion) and India ($1.3 billion) accounted for almost half of Russian exports, followed by the US, which purchased $890 million worth of fertilizers. China ($632 million) and Mexico ($429 million) were also in the top five. Other major buyers were Turkiye and Kazakhstan, as well as several European countries, including Germany, France and Poland. In 2022, Russia exported $19 billion worth of fertilizers, which was 1.5 times more than in the previous year, according to data from Russia's Federal Customs Service. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230930/russias-role-in-global-fertilizer-market-1113808842.html brazil china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, russian economy under sanctions, russian fertilizers, russian exports https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/does-us-have-laser-weapons-1113767481.html Does US Have Laser Weapons? Does US Have Laser Weapons? The integration of various laser technology-related weapon systems into the US military's arsenal, coupled with their potential in combating present and... 01.10.2023, Sputnik International 2023-10-01T12:00+0000 2023-10-01T12:00+0000 2023-10-01T12:00+0000 sputnik explains malibu columbia sputnik office of naval research (onr) air force ronald reagan israel defense advanced research projects agency (darpa) selene /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107935/57/1079355741_0:61:1200:736_1920x0_80_0_0_18d74e89a92b2b54d2c338a50f9400e8.png In the annals of military technology, few advances have generated as much intrigue and fascination as laser weapons. These cutting-edge systems represent a paradigm shift in warfare, offering precision and speed once reserved for science fiction.At the forefront of this discussion is a critical question: does the United States currently have operational laser weapons in its military arsenal? With its far-reaching implications for national security, this question forms the crux of our inquiry.In order to fully grasp the current state of laser weapons in the United States, it is crucial to delve into the historical background that has led us to where we are today. Decades of persistent research, experimentation, and technological innovation have paved the way for these formidable beams of directed energy.This journey from a theoretical concept to a tangible military asset underscores the ingenuity of scientists and engineers. It also highlights the strategic foresight of military planners who recognized the potential transformative impact of harnessing light as a weapon.Throughout this journey, we will explore official declarations, established systems, and continuous research endeavors to offer a comprehensive insight into the United States' engagement with laser weapons.Sputnik delves into the historical aspect of the development of laser weapon systems by the US military, shedding light on the current state of laser weapons within the United States military. It provides valuable insights on deployed systems, ongoing research initiatives, and much more.Historical BackgroundThe Foundational 1960sIn 1961, Hughes Aircraft Company, a U.S. military contractor, announced an unprecedented achievement by the Malibu Research Laboratories. Ted Maiman, a luminary in their ranks, constructed a novel instrument capable of generating stimulated emission of optical radiation. This historic invention bore the name "laser," colloquially known as the "optical maser.''This watershed event ushered in a new era of scientific exploration and unprecedented technological advancement. Military interests quickly recognized the enormous potential and swiftly rallied behind new research initiatives. These efforts sought to broaden the spectrum of laser capabilities and expand their applications.In 1962, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced an annual investment of approximately $5 million in laser research and development. This funding was earmarked to explore the potential of laser beams, specifically their coherence, intensity, and directionality, for applications such as detection, rangefinding, aiming, and weaponization.Within the Department of Defense (DoD), laser technology emerged as a key area of focus, prompting extensive research efforts at the institutional level. This included initiatives conducted through contracts and within in-house laboratories, with an emphasis on advancing the development of weapon systems for commercial deployment.In the early 1960s, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Air Force, and the US Army Missile Command (MICOM) jointly pursued high-energy laser programs with congruent approaches and ultimate goals.By 1962, the U.S. Army Ordnance Command had invested $700,000 in laser rangefinder development, with plans to increase this allocation to approximately $1.9 million in 1963. At the same time, the Air Force was showing considerable interest in using laser technology for aerospace weapons. In the same year, the Air Force Aeronautical Systems Division, in collaboration with its in-house laboratories at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, dedicated over $1 million per year to laser research and development.MilestonesThe pivotal "MASER" discovery, which stands for "Means for Acquiring Support for Expensive Research," was made by Charles Townes and his colleagues in 1951 and led to the development of a microwave oscillator using ammonia. However, it wasn't until 1962 that the military recognized the potential of this breakthrough. While Townes' research was supported by military contracts, his team at Columbia and Gordon Gould's group at TRG Inc. secured additional funding from the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).Charles Townes and his colleagues made a groundbreaking discovery in 1951. It was called the "MASER," which stands for "Means for Acquiring Support for Expensive Research." This monumental achievement paved the way for the creation of a microwave oscillator utilizing ammonia. However, it wasn't until 1962 that the military recognized the potential of this breakthrough. Townes' research was funded by military contracts, but his team at Columbia and Gordon Gould's group at TRG Inc. also managed to secure extra funding from the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).Launched in 1961, Project SEASIDE was a collaboration between the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Its primary objective was to enhance solid-state laser technology. The aim was to harness this weapon technology, explicitly devising a high-energy laser system for ballistic missile defense.In 1963, a major $2.5 million research program was initiated to advance laser materials. This ambitious effort addressed technological challenges that the Office of Naval Research (ONR) initially viewed as seemingly solvable, a matter of sufficient time and funding.Improving the power and efficiency of solid-state lasers depends on refining the pump sources. This includes the development of high-energy coaxial laser pumps and the use of doped xenon lamp discharges supplemented by metal halides. In addition, experiments have been conducted using cesium iodide and calcium lamps pulsed at ten times their typical operating current.The ONR laser programme has taken a holistic approach, including both component and system research, as well as an in-depth study of laser radiation propagation. This comprehensive investigation eventually led to the consideration of Raman scattering and frequency shifting using the Raman effect.The breakthrough in solving the high-energy laser dilemma came not from optics but from aerodynamics.Experimental 1970sThe 1970s were a period of experimentation and exploration in laser technology. The US Army, along with other military branches and agencies such as DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), has conducted a multitude of experiments to examine the feasibility and potential uses of laser weaponry.Between 1973 and 1974, the US Army initiated the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility (HELSTF) programme to explore the potential of high energy lasers for military applications.Between 1973 and 1977, the US Army, in partnership with other branches of the military and agencies such as DARPA, embarked on a series of groundbreaking experiments. The objective was to delve into the realm of laser weapons, particularly chemical lasers, which were widely regarded as a beacon of hope during that era.In 1977, Martin Marietta, which is now part of Lockheed Martin, received a contract from the US Army to lead the way in developing a groundbreaking chemical laser system, famously known as the Airborne Laser Laboratory Demonstration (ALLD). This groundbreaking technology was integrated onto a specially adapted Boeing 707 aircraft, marking a pivotal advancement in airborne laser capabilities.The Pivotal 1980sDuring this era, the U.S. Army and other military branches were heavily involved in research and development of laser weapons for potential military applications. The 1980s saw significant advances in high-energy laser (HEL) technology and the conceptualization of directed energy weapons (DEW). Research and development efforts in these areas continued beyond the 1980s and into the 21st century. Advances were made in various lasers (chemical, solid-state, free-electron) and directed energy weapon systems.In 1980, the ALLD program achieved a groundbreaking milestone with the successful in-flight interception and destruction of a Sidewinder air-to-air missile. This marked a significant advancement in the development of laser weapon systems and demonstrated their potential effectiveness in real-world scenarios.In 1983, then-President Ronald Reagan unveiled the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), popularly known as "Star Wars''. This program aimed to create a comprehensive missile defense system using a variety of technologies, with lasers as a critical component of the arsenal. SDI included a wide range of research and development efforts to advance directed energy weapons, particularly lasers.In 1984, the U.S. Armed Forces conducted key tests at the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility, showcasing the MIRACL. This solid-state laser achieved a remarkable power output of over one megawatt, highlighting the significant technological advances made during this period.Between 1984 and 1987, the SDI program experienced a fast-paced phase of intensive research and development focused on directed energy weapons, specifically highlighting the advancements in laser-based technologies. During this period, collaborative efforts among laboratories, defense contractors, and government agencies advanced several laser projects.In 1985, the Army initiated the Ground-Based Laser (GBL) project by mounting a chemical laser on a modified M60 Patton tank. While this experiment successfully demonstrated the potential of ground-based laser systems, it also revealed practical challenges that required further attention and refinement.In a pivotal achievement in 1987, the US military establishment successfully tested the mid-infrared chemical laser against a target drone. This marked a significant leap forward in high-energy laser technology and underscored the growing capabilities of laser weapons in precision engagement and defense applications. Together, these milestones represented a significant advancement and experimentation in laser weapons development for the U.S. military during the 1980s.The Revolutionary 1990s & 2000sIn the late 1990s, the US military began a groundbreaking venture by initiating the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HEL TD) program. This endeavor aimed to harness the potential of solid-state laser technology for military applications. By 2000, the program had advanced into its second phase, focusing on developing a formidable 10-kilowatt solid-state laser.Meanwhile, in 2002, a pivotal joint venture between the US and Israel bore fruit with the successful interception of artillery rockets through the Mobile Tactical High-Energy Laser (THEL) program. This achievement demonstrated the efficacy of directed energy weapons against fast-moving projectiles.As the years progressed, 2004 marked a significant milestone with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the US Air Force conducting a triumphant Airborne Laser (ABL) test. This chemical oxygen iodine laser, mounted on a modified Boeing 747, successfully intercepted a target missile, showcasing the potential of aerial-based laser systems.Building on this success, 2005 witnessed a leap forward with the Army's test of a 10-kilowatt solid-state laser at White Sands Missile Range. This achievement underscored the evolving capabilities of solid-state laser technology in the military domain.In 2008, a dual triumph unfolded: the US armed forces achieved a breakthrough with a 105-kilowatt solid-state laser, a testament to the ever-increasing power and potential of laser weaponry. Simultaneously, the Airborne Laser system reached a milestone by successfully destroying a ballistic missile in flight, further cementing the viability of directed energy weapons.The Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), working with agencies like the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Air Force, played pivotal roles in these advancements. Companies like Boeing and Raytheon also contributed their expertise to developing various laser weapon systems.By 2009, the landscape of laser weaponry had been significantly transformed, with systems like the Airborne Laser and the Mobile Tactical High-Energy Laser demonstrating their effectiveness in intercepting and neutralizing threats. These milestones collectively represented a substantial leap forward in the US Army's pursuit of laser weapons for military use, setting the stage for further innovations in the years to come.The 21st Century Advancements The 21st century has witnessed remarkable progress in the development of laser weapons by the United States military, a journey marked by key milestones. Early research in the early 2000s initiated the exploration of directed energy weapons, paving the way for the Airborne Laser (ABL) program (2002-2011), which successfully demonstrated intercepts of ballistic missiles in controlled conditions. Simultaneously, solid-state laser (SSL) technology advancements in the mid-2000s led to more compact and robust laser systems, setting the stage for various applications.Current DevelopmentsIn 2014, the US Navy achieved a significant milestone by deploying the Laser Weapon System (LaWS) aboard the USS Ponce, capable of engaging small surface targets like drones and speedboats. In 2016, the High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HEL-TVD) showcased its prowess in engaging drones and incoming artillery rockets. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) system 2017 demonstrated the ability to shoot down multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with its high-power laser.From 2018 to the present, the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) has spearheaded multiple initiatives, focusing on developing low-cost, high-energy laser systems for missile defense and other applications. Current endeavors revolve around increasing the power and range of laser weapons and making these systems more compact and easily integrated into various platforms, including aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles. Moreover, research is underway to develop countermeasures against adaptive optics systems, mitigating atmospheric turbulence's effects on laser beams.There is a terminology change for the US Military laser weapons project called Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs). According to DoD, the term is defined as follows:According to a 2018 Congressional Research Service report obtained by Sputnik, there are two main types of DEWs in the US military arsenal: High-Energy Lasers (HELs) - which discharge light energy, and High-Powered Microwaves (HPMs) - which emit radiofrequency waves.High Energy Laser Weapon Systems In The US MilitaryA high-energy laser weapon system, often referred to as a high-energy laser (HEL) weapon system, is a type of directed energy weapon that uses high-powered lasers to produce a focused beam of intense energy. This energy is directed at a target, typically with the intent of destroying or disabling it.The effectiveness of a high-energy laser weapon system lies in its ability to deliver energy at the speed of light, making it extremely difficult for targets to defend against. When the laser beam strikes a target, it can generate heat that can cause surface melting or vaporization of target components. Depending on the power and duration of the laser, this can result in a variety of effects, from burning through materials to causing structural damage.High-energy laser weapon systems are used in a variety of military scenarios, including missile defense, counter-drone operations, and engagement of enemy aircraft or ground vehicles. They offer advantages such as precision, speed and an essentially unlimited supply of ammunition (as long as there is a power source). High-energy laser weapon systems generate and focus intense beams of light, typically lasers, to deliver a concentrated stream of energy to a target.A high-power laser system starts with an energy source. This can be in the form of electricity, often provided by a power source such as a generator or high energy storage system. This electrical energy is then injected into a device known as the laser gain medium. This medium can be a solid, liquid, or gas capable of amplifying light. Common examples include synthetic crystals such as neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) or gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or diode-pumped alkali lasers (DPALs).The energy in the laser gain medium causes some of the atoms or molecules to become "excited". When these excited particles return to their normal state, they emit photons (particles of light) in a specific direction. The emitted photons are confined within the laser cavity, which is typically formed by a pair of mirrors. One of the mirrors is partially reflective, allowing some light to escape. The other mirror is fully reflective, reflecting the photons back into the cavity. The photons travel back and forth between the mirrors, passing through the gain medium multiple times. This process amplifies the intensity of the light. The amplified light is then directed by optical components, such as lenses or mirrors, to shape and focus the beam. This ensures that the laser energy is concentrated into a small, powerful spot.Before firing, the high-energy laser system must acquire and track the target. This is typically done using sophisticated targeting methods, including sensors such as cameras, rangefinders or radar. Once the target is acquired and tracked, the high-energy laser is fired. The focused beam of intense energy is directed at the target. When the laser beam hits the target, it rapidly transfers energy to its surface. This can result in effects such as melting, vaporization, or even combustion, depending on the power and duration of the laser. The effectiveness of a high-energy laser weapon system depends on factors such as the power of the laser, the accuracy of the targeting and tracking systems, atmospheric conditions, and the nature of the target material.HELs are classified into three primary types: chemical, solid-state, and free-electron. Aside from differences in their lasing materials, each classification has intrinsic properties that influence their prospects as operational weapon systems.Chemical Laser Weapon SystemsCurrently, chemical lasers are the only existing directed energy (DE) systems capable of generating the power necessary to intercept targets, particularly ballistic missiles, at ranges of hundreds of kilometers. Consequently, until recently, these chemical lasers formed the basis of the Department of Defense's most advanced high-energy laser concepts.Characteristics: Chemical lasers are known for their high power output and ability to operate continuously for long periods of time. They have historically been used in research and military applications..Principle: Chemical laser weapon systems operate by utilizing specific chemical reactions that release energy in the form of heat. These reactions take place in a gaseous environment. Here's a step-by-step explanation:Example: Airborne Laser (ABL)The Boeing YAL-1 USAF Airborne Laser (ABL) was a directed energy weapon system developed by the US Missile Defense Agency. It used a chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) to shoot down ballistic missiles in their boost phase. The ABL was mounted on a modified Boeing 747 aircraft and was designed for missile defense.Solid-State Lasers Weapon SystemsA solid-state laser weapon system is a directed energy weapon that uses solid-state materials to generate and deliver high-energy laser beams for military or industrial applications. Unlike gas or chemical lasers, which use gaseous media to produce laser light, solid-state lasers use solid materials (often crystalline or glass-like substances) as the active medium.Characteristics: A solid-state laser weapon system is characterized by its ability to deliver a high level of energy in a concentrated area, known as high energy density. It produces coherent, monochromatic light, ensuring a focused and synchronized beam of a single wavelength. This allows for exceptional precision and targeting accuracy, making it suitable for applications that require precise aiming. In addition, solid-state lasers have fast response times, allowing rapid engagement of targets, and are typically compact and portable, making them easy to transport and deploy. These systems are known for their high energy conversion efficiency, which minimizes waste heat. They also tend to be reliable and have a long service life with low maintenance requirements. With diverse applications in military, industrial and scientific environments, solid-state lasers can be customized to emit light at different wavelengths. This versatility, coupled with improved beam quality and reduced environmental impact, solidifies their position as a critical technology in various fields.Principle: Here's a breakdown of the basic components and functions of a solid-state laser weapon system:Example: AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System (LaWS)The AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System (LaWS) is a solid-state laser system developed by the US Navy. It utilizes a solid-state Nd:YAG laser to engage and destroy aerial and surface targets. LaWS was initially deployed on the USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) for testing and evaluation.Free-Electron Lasers (FELs)A free-electron laser (FEL) weapon system is a directed energy weapon (DEW) that uses a beam of accelerated electrons to generate extremely high-power laser light. Unlike conventional lasers, which rely on optical resonators and mirrors, FELs use a different principle to generate coherent light.Characteristics: First and foremost, these systems have a remarkable capacity for wavelength versatility, enabling them to adapt to different target types. With the potential to deliver extremely high-powered laser beams, free-electron lasers exhibit precision targeting, minimizing collateral damage while ensuring effective results. In addition, their rapid engagement capabilities, operating at the speed of light, provide a tactical advantage in certain scenarios.Principle: Here's a breakdown of the fundamental components and functionalities of a solid-state laser weapon system:Example: US Navy's Free Electron Laser (FEL) ProgramEvaluations within the U.S. Navy have identified free-electron laser (FEL) technology as a promising contender for state-of-the-art directed energy weapons. The FEL system at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has demonstrated its formidable potential, achieving power levels in excess of 14 kilowatts.Groundbreaking progress is being made in advanced weapons, particularly in the development of compact, multi-megawatt free-electron laser (FEL) systems. A major milestone was reached on June 9, 2009, when the Office of Naval Research awarded a contract to Raytheon.This contract was specifically for the development of a 100-kilowatt experimental FEL. Boeing Directed Energy Systems reached a significant milestone on March 18, 2010, when it unveiled the initial design tailored for U.S. Navy applications. This marked a significant step forward in the design of a prototype free electron laser (FEL) system. Plans have been set in motion to demonstrate a full-power prototype by 2018.US Military High Power Microwaves Weapon SystemsThe High-Power Microwave (HPM) weapon system emits electromagnetic energy beams over a wide range of radio and microwave frequencies. These emissions are characterized by two primary configurations: narrow-band (with a bandwidth of less than 1%) and wideband (with a bandwidth significantly greater than 1%). The primary goal of HPM technology is to interface with the electronic systems embedded in specific targets. Examples of HPMs includeActive Denial SystemRaytheon, in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and the Department of Defense's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, led the development of the Active Denial System (ADS) in 2002. The primary goal of this technology is to deter individuals by causing discomfort without causing harm.In practice, this innovative, harmless counter-personnel weapon operates in a manner reminiscent of a high-powered searchlight, emitting electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of 0.3 millimeters - a significant departure from the 0.0005 millimeter wavelength of visible light.This particular wavelength attribute enables the energy to penetrate clothing, a trait not found in visible light. Still, like visible light, it is absorbed by the outer layer of the skin.Similar to visible light, the outer layer of skin absorbs ADS energy. When encountered at high intensity, such as concentrated sunlight through a lens, it causes a stinging sensation similar to intense sunlight on the skin. Despite this similar effect, ADS energy poses less of a risk because its longer wavelength does not break chemical bonds, making it non-carcinogenic, unlike overly concentrated sunlight.The Army has been engaged in research and development of Solid State Active Denial Technology (SS-ADT) to address various mission scenarios, including crowd and access control, perimeter security and port security. This technology operates at 95 GHz millimeter wave radio frequency. According to the Army, it is designed to focus on minimizing health risks to its targets and to comply with relevant treaties and international legal obligations.This underscores the commitment to ensuring safe and responsible deployment in operational contexts.In its developmental trajectory, the ADS has passed through three distinctive configurations.Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) This type of US military equipment encompasses a comprehensive set of strategies and measures implemented by military forces to identify, reduce the risk of, and render ineffective improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These rudimentary explosive devices, often used by insurgents, terrorists, or non-state actors, can take on various disguises, including concealed roadside bombs, car-borne explosives, or suicide vests.The US Army, in cooperation with allied forces and other military services, has implemented a comprehensive strategy to counter the threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Here are key elements of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) effort, supported by examples:The US Army's Armament, Research, Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) took control of the Air Force Research Laboratory's "Max Power" program in May 2017. This program was specifically designed to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in active combat zones.In 2012, a Max Power prototype was deployed to Afghanistan for an extensive nine-month testing program. During this time, the system played a critical role in 19 active combat operations, providing essential support to convoys navigating roads and highways fraught with the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).The MaxPower microwave system is a technological tour de force that emits an electromagnetic pulse a billion times more powerful than a standard household microwave. At the heart of this system is an extensive array of magnetrons - high-capacity vacuum tubes designed to generate microwaves. The resulting energy discharge has the potential to disrupt an IED's triggering mechanism, ensuring its detonation long before it poses a threat to a convoy.The Husky Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detection System is a technological tour de force that emits an electromagnetic pulse a billion times more powerful than a standard household microwave. At the heart of the system is an extensive array of magnetrons - high-capacity vacuum tubes designed to generate microwaves. The resulting energy discharge has the potential to disrupt an IED's triggering mechanism, ensuring its detonation long before it poses a threat to a convoy.Is Laser Technology Going To Pioneer Next-Gen Weapon Systems?Although the U.S. military currently has several laser-based weapon systems as part of its arsenal, the push for more military spending on new or next-generation military technology continues as the military landscape evolves. Military leaders, in conjunction with the U.S. military-industrial complex, continue to chart a course toward incorporating defensive mechanisms into the next generation of combat technology innovations. A central feature under consideration is the combination of an active protection system powered by directed energy technology, which represents a viable alternative to the established paradigm of mounted weapons.According to several documents related to the U.S. Army's directed energy programs, the Army emphasizes the potential of active protection systems incorporating laser technology to provide a comprehensive 360-degree defense against incoming projectiles or UAV threats. In addition, these laser-based weapon systems have the ability to disable or potentially eliminate enemy vehicles, enhancing the defensive capabilities of military assets. Officials emphasize that key decisions must be made by 2025 in order to begin fielding Army units equipped with next-generation military weapons by 2035. This timeline underscores that the U.S. Army has approximately seven years to advance laser weapon technology to the point where it is a realistic contender for integration into the next generation of combat vehicles. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230927/how-laser-weapons-work-1113652558.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20220519/raytheon-laser-weapon-on-stryker-vehicle-succeeds-at-shooting-down-incoming-mortar-shells-1095643990.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20220928/us-air-force-reportedly-set-to-test-its-aircraft-laser-weapon-in-flight-next-year-1101294211.html malibu columbia israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International 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laser weapon system, laws, high energy laser tactical vehicle demonstrator, hel-tvd, advanced test high energy asset, athena, lockheed martin, raytheon, boeing, martin marietta, directed energy weapons, dews, high-energy lasers, hels, high-powered microwaves, hpms, airborne high energy laser, ahel, ac-130 aircraft, military integration, precision engagement, missile defense, ballistic missile defense, laser beam, electromagnetic energy, focused beam, intense energy, speed of light, surface melting, structural damage, target destruction, high-energy laser system, energy source, electricity, power source, generator, high energy storage system, laser gain medium, solid-state, liquid, gas, amplifying light, synthetic crystals, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (nd:yag), gases, carbon dioxide (co2), diode-pumped alkali lasers (dpals), laser cavity, mirrors, partially reflective, fully reflective, photons, optical components, lenses, mirrors, targeting methods, sensors, cameras, rangefinders, radar, laser beam, target, power, duration, power of the laser, accuracy, atmospheric conditions, target material, chemical lasers, solid-state lasers, free electron lasers (fels), lasing materials, chemical reactions, excited states, population inversion, stimulated emission, optical resonator, output coupler, chemical laser weapon systems, continuous operation, research, military applications, solid-state laser weapon system, solid-state materials, crystalline, glass-like substances, neodymium, ytterbium, erbium, active medium, pumping source, optical cavity, control system, cooling system, power supply, free electron lasers (fels), directed energy weapon, accelerated electrons, undulator, amplified photons, wavelength versatility, high-powered laser beams, precision targeting, rapid engagement, high-power microwave (hpm), electromagnetic energy beams, narrow-band, wide-band, active denial system, raytheon, electromagnetic waves, wavelength, skin, solid state active denial technology (ss-adt), air force research laboratory, "max power" program, improvised explosive devices (ieds), intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, training, technology, route clearance, improvised explosive device defeat (iedd), counter-insurgency operations, civil-military cooperation, post-incident analysis, armament, research, development, engineering center (ardec), husky vehicle-mounted mine detection system, ground penetrating radar (gpr), laser-based weapon systems, military spending, military technology, military landscape, directed energy tech, active protection system, 360-degree defense, adversary vehicles, combat military machines, laser weaponry technology, combat vehicles https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/erdogan-calls-attempted-terror-attack-in-ankara-last-gasps-of-terrorists-1113844173.html Erdogan Calls Attempted Terror Attack in Ankara 'Last Gasps of Terrorists' Erdogan Calls Attempted Terror Attack in Ankara 'Last Gasps of Terrorists' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday called an attempted terrorist attack near the interior ministry's building in central Ankara "last gasps of terrorists." 2023-10-01T15:49+0000 2023-10-01T15:49+0000 2023-10-01T16:21+0000 world recep tayyip erdogan ali yerlikaya ankara turkiye kurdistan workers' party (pkk) terrorist attack /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/01/1113844013_0:0:3073:1730_1920x0_80_0_0_d6776fbd1e77037f87f3f7938d5d744f.jpg Earlier in the day, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that two terrorists had carried out an explosion near the ministry building in the Turkish capital, with one terrorist detonating himself and the other neutralized. Two police officers were wounded. The Turkish president arrived earlier on Sunday in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the country's unicameral parliament, to address lawmakers amid the attempted attack.Meanwhile, a Turkish broadcaster reported that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned in Turkiye, has claimed the responsibility for the attempted terrorist attack. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/explosion-occurrs-near-turkish-interior-ministry-building-in-ankara---report-1113835926.html ankara turkiye Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International turkiye. turkey, ankara, attempted terrorist attack, recep tayyip erdogan, kurdistan workers' party (pkk) https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/medvedev-on-uk-plan-to-deploy-training-troops-in-ukraine-morons-push-us-towards-ww3-1113837371.html Medvedev on UK Plan to Deploy Training Troops in Ukraine: 'Morons Push Us Towards WW3' Medvedev on UK Plan to Deploy Training Troops in Ukraine: 'Morons Push Us Towards WW3' Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has slammed UK plans to deploy its armed forces in Ukraine to train the local troops. 2023-10-01T09:40+0000 2023-10-01T09:40+0000 2023-10-01T09:40+0000 world ukrainian crisis russia dmitry medvedev grant shapps united kingdom (uk) nazis /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/0d/1100732111_0:0:2899:1631_1920x0_80_0_0_452844bf923f211c05cf47770bf26042.jpg One freshly-appointed cretin UK Defense Minister Grant Shapps decided to relocate British training courses for Ukrainian soldiers onto Ukrainian soil. Thus making their military instructors a legitimate target for our [Russian] Armed Forces. And he obviously understands that they will be eradicated mercilessly. Not like mercs, but like NATO personnel from Britain, Medvedev said.Earlier, Shapps hinted in an interview that London is weighing up the prospect of deploying its military in Ukraine to train the local soldiers, while not giving away any exact details.Medvedev added that another fool" from Germany demands to supply Ukrainian neo-Nazis with Taurus missiles and claims that such a move will be done in accordance with international law. In this case, the strikes on German factories where such missiles are assembled will also be performed in strict accordance with international law, Medvedev said.At the end of the day, these morons push us towards World War Three, he concluded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/uk-mulls-sending-its-navy-to-black-sea-and-military-instructors-to-ukraine-1113834425.html russia united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukrainian crisis, world war, world war three, global war, uk ukraine, uk ukraine troops https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/north-korea-nato-and-us-asian-allies-are-cancer-tumor-1113833884.html North Korea: NATO and US' Asian Allies are Cancer Tumor North Korea: NATO and US' Asian Allies are Cancer Tumor North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon Il slammed NATO as instigator of the Ukrainian crisis in a statement published by state-run news agency. He added that North Atlantic bloc and alliance between US, Japan and South Korea is a cancer tumor that puts international UN-based order into jeopardy. 2023-10-01T11:04+0000 2023-10-01T11:04+0000 2023-10-01T11:04+0000 world north korea nato us us hegemony the united nations (un) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105155/14/1051551473_0:355:4840:3078_1920x0_80_0_0_f86fdd1e07f3e1aa15a7842fc0d8feb0.jpg The DPRK has described NATO and the Asian alliance between the US, Japan and South Korea as a cancer tumor" that puts international UN-based order into jeopardy.According to North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon Il, the US-backed blocs are becoming more dangerous, not hiding their aggressive and chauvinistic nature.Im Chon Il added that the US is attempting to interfere in the friendly relations between Russia and North Korea. He stressed that American foreign policy reflects a "hegemony-oriented way of thinking based on the Cold War-style confrontation logic."Despite the hostile statements of the United States, North Korea will keep developing ties with Russia to protect peace and international justice, Im Chon added."The DPRK will further develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with the Russian Federation and other independent sovereign countries and thus deter the imperialists' military threat, provocation, high-handed and arbitrary practices and firmly defend peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the rest of the world," diplomat outlined.The US' approach to Russian-North Korean relations proves that the development of these relations is "the just way" for building peace and "genuine international justice," the statement read.Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia for the first time since 2019 and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East. Ahead of the negotiations, the two leaders inspected the launch pad of the Soyuz-2 spacecraft. When journalists asked whether Russia planned to help North Korea develop its space technologies, Putin replied that it was the very reason they came to the Vostochny Cosmodrone.Kim Jong Un left a brief but sincere entry in the book of honorary guests of the cosmodrome, writing, The glory of Russia, which gave birth to the first space explorers, will be immortal."The North Korean leader went on to visit different parts of Russias Far East, including military facilities, and held talks with top Russian officials, including Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230818/us-main-instigator-of-coups-terrorism-and-assassinations-around-world---media-commentator-1112710064.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230917/putin-face-to-face-soyuz-2--ballet-kim-jong-uns-big-agenda-russia-trip-1113432247.html north korea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, north korea, north korea space, kim putin, putin north korea https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/original-letter-that-made-columbus-an-historic-figure-goes-on-sale-1113833489.html Original Letter That Made Columbus a Historic Figure Goes on Sale Original Letter That Made Columbus a Historic Figure Goes on Sale The year 1492 marked Christopher Columbuss fateful voyage across the Atlantic an event that would forever change the world. Now, a letter boasting about his discovery is set to command up to $1.5 million at auction. 2023-10-01T04:08+0000 2023-10-01T04:08+0000 2023-10-01T05:37+0000 beyond politics sale antiques sale history us history christopher columbus /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107813/13/1078131332_0:281:2643:1768_1920x0_80_0_0_801b1c02e7a858454d6c1f68309a6baf.jpg The year 1492 marked Christopher Columbuss fateful voyage across the Atlantic an event that would forever change the world. Now, a letter boasting about his discovery is set to command up to $1.5 million at auction.The letter, printed in Latin on an early printing press, is almost child-like in the excitement expressed within. Columbus gushes about the natural beauty of Caribbean islands, writing of large, flowing riversmountains and peaksfull of trees of endless varieties, so high that they seem to touch the sky.The letter, addressed to Spanish royal treasurer Luis de Santangel upon Columbuss return to Europe, was spread throughout the continent to publicize Spains claim to the land. It was exchanged through diplomatic and mercantile channels, and helped make the self-taught explorer a household name.Its in large part because of Columbuss own skill at self-promotion that he became so well-known, then and now.Columbus also writes about the commodities he discovered that would jump start centuries of trade across the Atlantic spices, cotton, cinnamon, and, of course, gold. A slightly darker tone emerges as Columbus relates his account of the inhabitants of the isles, describing them as simple and naive; extraordinarily timid like fools, Columbus writes.I can give them [Spanish royalty]... as many slaves as they choose to send for, all heathens.Later evidence has shown a less flattering side of Columbus, whos been accused of being a tyrant and exploiter, and his legacy sparks intense debate. Nevertheless, his importance as an historic figure cannot be denied. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International sale, christopher columbus, letter sale, antique sale, antique auction, history, us history, americas, christie's https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/turkish-defense-ministry-says-conducted-air-strikes-against-pkk-in-northern-iraq-1113846397.html Turkiye Conducts Air Strikes Against PKK in Northern Iraq Turkiye Conducts Air Strikes Against PKK in Northern Iraq Two terrorists had carried out an explosion near the ministry building in Ankara, with one terrorist detonating himself and the other neutralized. Two police officers were wounded. 2023-10-01T21:05+0000 2023-10-01T21:05+0000 2023-10-02T05:12+0000 world turkiye terrorist attack kurdistan workers' party (pkk) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/01/1113846240_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_169c32ed99a5c4de85138cc724c5cd36.jpg Earlier in the day, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that two terrorists had carried out an explosion near the ministry building in the Turkish capital, with one terrorist detonating himself and the other neutralized. Two police officers were wounded. Newspaper Yeni Safak reported later, citing the interior ministry, that one of the attackers had been identified as a PKK member. "Air strikes have been conducted against objects of terrorists in the areas of Metina, Hakurk. Kandil and Gara. As many as 20 objects of terrorists have been destroyed, a large number of terrorists have been killed," the ministry said in a statement. turkiye Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International turkey, turkiye, kurdistan workers' party, pkk, terrorist attack, turkish interior minister ali yerlikaya https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/uk-mulls-sending-its-navy-to-black-sea-and-military-instructors-to-ukraine-1113834425.html UK Mulls Sending Its Navy to Black Sea and Military Instructors to Ukraine UK Mulls Sending Its Navy to Black Sea and Military Instructors to Ukraine Britain delivered a whopping $2.8 billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine last year, with Downing Street pledging to do the same in 2023. 2023-10-01T06:27+0000 2023-10-01T06:27+0000 2023-10-01T06:37+0000 world united kingdom (uk) ukraine russia warships black sea support black sea grain deal training /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/01/1113835258_0:10:1154:659_1920x0_80_0_0_26f60d111ff39a18b6d6909e90c81cd3.jpg The UK considers sending its naval ships to the Black Sea in a show of support for Ukraine, Defense Minister Grant Shapps has hinted in an interview with a British newspaper.He revealed that during his recent visit to Kiev, he discussed the issue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.Separately, he made it clear that Britain mulls the possibility of deploying its military in Ukraine to train the Ukrainian armed forces.The newspaper noted in this regard that the above-mentioned moves would mark a significant escalation in the UKs involvement in the Ukraine conflict.The UK has so far supplied Ukraine with tanks, long-range cruise missiles, and hundreds of thousands of artillery shells. Britains military aid to Kiev totaled 2.3 billion pounds ($2.8 billion) in 2022, with the same amount pledged for this year. This is in addition to millions of pounds in economic aid and a military training program that aims to have 30,000 Ukrainian recruits trained by the end of the year. In August, the UK Defense Ministry said that around 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers had already been trained in the UK as part of the multinational training operation Interflex. Moscow has repeatedly warned that Western countries military aid to the Zelensky regime adds to prolonging the Ukraine conflict.As for Shapps interview, it comes after retired US admiral and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told American media that US and NATO warships could accompany grain ships in the Black Sea and attack the Russian fleet if those grain vessels are threatened.According to him, With well stated warnings to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, NATO should return fire if a Russian warship were to attack a grain ship, which is essentially a humanitarian vessel operating in international waters.He spoke after Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative in mid-July, citing Western countries failure to scrap a raft of restrictions on Russian food and agricultural exports. The Russian Foreign Ministry then warned that Moscow could no longer guarantee the safety of navigation through the northwestern Black Sea. The Russian Ministry of Defense, for its part, cautioned that after the grain deals expiration, all vessels in Black Sea waters bound for Ukrainian ports would be seen as possible transporters of military equipment for the Kiev regime. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230723/ex-us-admiral-proposes-attacking-russian-ships-in-black-sea-amid-grain-deal-spat-1112085294.html united kingdom (uk) ukraine russia black sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg uk defense minister grant shapps's interview, grant shapps's remarks about uk naval ships' possible deployment to the black sea, expiration of grain deal, international waters https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/uk-pm-sunak-says-remarks-on-british-soldiers-in-ukraine-misreporting-1113841534.html UK PM Sunak Says Remarks on British Soldiers in Ukraine 'Misreporting' UK PM Sunak Says Remarks on British Soldiers in Ukraine 'Misreporting' UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Sunday that British soldiers would not be sent to participate in the Ukraine conflict and that the training of the Ukrainian military by UK instructors on Ukraine's territory was currently out of the question. 2023-10-01T12:40+0000 2023-10-01T12:40+0000 2023-10-01T12:40+0000 world ukrainian crisis rishi sunak united kingdom (uk) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/01/1107900949_0:0:3066:1725_1920x0_80_0_0_411e50009c6d81db85a34cc8034c2068.jpg On Saturday, UK Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps said that the United Kingdom was mulling the possibility of deploying its military in Ukraine to train the Ukrainian armed forces. "There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict," Sunak was quoted as saying by the British TV broadcaster. Although the training of Ukrainian soldiers by UK instructors is possible in theory, it is "something for the long-term, not the here and now," the UK prime minister added. "What the defence secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine," Sunak was quoted as saying by the broadcaster."I think there's been some misreporting about this," Sunak concluded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/medvedev-on-uk-plan-to-deploy-training-troops-in-ukraine-morons-push-us-towards-ww3-1113837371.html united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International british military, rishi sunak, uk ukrainian crisis, uk ukrainian conflict, british soldier in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/ukraines-possible-new-counteroffensive-camouflage-for-zelensky-to-steal-more-money-from-west-1113837034.html Ukraines Possible New Counteroffensive: Camouflage' for Zelensky to 'Steal More Money From West Ukraines Possible New Counteroffensive: Camouflage' for Zelensky to 'Steal More Money From West Kievs alleged push for an autumn counteroffensive can be perceived as sort of the Wests red herring, Scott Bennett, former US Army psychological warfare officer and State Department counter-terrorism analyst, told Sputnik. 2023-10-01T12:34+0000 2023-10-01T12:34+0000 2023-10-01T12:38+0000 ukraine russia us volodymyr zelensky ukrainian counteroffensive attempt west analysis /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/1e/1113827521_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_1cb8c349ef25b4380d0f02215e221c80.jpg The Zelensky regime had elaborated a plan for a major offensive in the Kherson and Zaporozhye region in early October, securing the approval of Ukraine's sponsors in Washington and London, an informed source told Sputnik earlier this week. According to the source, Kiev's special forces intend to seize control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) as part of the blueprint.All this could be Western countries' red herring, Scott Bennett suggested, pointing to the Ukrainian Army's futile attempts to break through Russian defensive lines.He recalled that many perceive this facility as "a target for destruction in a kind of doomsday button that the US might try and push, in an attempt to generate sufficient chaos and destruction to distract the world away from the small scale battles of Ukraine, to the global implications of a nuclear disaster. According to the former psychological warfare officer, the potential destruction of the Zaporozhye NPP would be the "ultimate expression" of this chaos.Bennett didnt rule out that "the West will combine its best liars in the CIA, the Mossad, the MI6 to blame the event on Russia, and perhaps also simultaneously initiate some self-inflicted false flag attacks at the same timesuch as assassinate Joe Biden and Zelensky at the same time and blame this on Russia in order to justify police action and a drafting of Americans into the military for conflict with Russia.Commenting on how Zelensky's alleged new advance can be explained, given the failure of Kievs summer counteroffensive, Bennett claimed that the Ukrainian president is a madman, or being told what to do by madmenor both. I suspect the latter. When asked if its safe to say that the alleged October counteroffensive plan is an attempt to appease the Ukrainian people and justify Western demands, Bennett said that it is camouflage for Zelenskys scheme to steal more money from the West, and show some kind of a good faith effort that would invite future re-construction donations and investments by the West.Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed last month that Ukrainian troops had failed to achieve any tangible results on all the frontlines since the beginning of their counteroffensive on June 4, something that he said had claimed the lives of more than 71,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the time. ukraine russia west Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg kiev's alleged new counteroffensive in october, ukraine conflict, zaporozhye nuclear power plant, russian defensive lines, ukraine's botched counteroffensive https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/ukrainian-drone-destroyed-over-russias-krasnodar-territory-1113835068.html Ukrainian Drone Destroyed Over Russia's Krasnodar Territory Ukrainian Drone Destroyed Over Russia's Krasnodar Territory Russian air defense systems have destroyed a Ukrainian drone over the Krasnodar Territory at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time (05:00 GMT), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. 2023-10-01T06:21+0000 2023-10-01T06:21+0000 2023-10-01T07:57+0000 russia ukrainian crisis ukrainian drone attacks on russia krasnodar territory /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/01/1113834870_0:79:2747:1624_1920x0_80_0_0_41da84bb8f0c4fca1537e45133a5b637.jpg "On October 1, at about 08:00 Moscow time, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of Russia was stopped. The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the Krasnodar Territory by air defense systems on duty," the ministry said in a statement.Three Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the city of Smolensk. "Today, at about 09:00 Moscow time, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of Russia was stopped. Three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed over the Smolensk Region by air defense systems on duty," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.Later, the regional governor added that a total of five UAVs over Smolensk were destroyed or suppressed by electronic warfare. krasnodar territory Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukrainian crisis, ukrainian drone attacks on russian territories, drone warfare https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/un-mission-arrives-in-nagorno-karabakh-for-first-time-in-30-years---reports-1113840321.html UN Mission Arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh for First Time in 30 Years - Reports UN Mission Arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh for First Time in 30 Years - Reports Members of the UN mission on Sunday drove across the Aghdam road toward Nagorno-Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert, also known as Khankendi, for the first time in 30 years, the state-run Azerbaijani news agency reported. 2023-10-01T11:32+0000 2023-10-01T11:32+0000 2023-10-01T11:32+0000 world nagorno-karabakh conflict nagorno-karabakh the united nations (un) armenia azerbaijan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/08/11/1112670873_0:205:3071:1932_1920x0_80_0_0_f7ad48ccb4354b983ef171af0fad0f06.jpg The mission, which includes representatives of various UN agencies, plans to get acquainted with the situation in the region and assess humanitarian needs of local residents, the news agency reported. Azerbaijan launched what it called "local-level anti-terrorist activities" in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19. With the mediation by Russian peacekeepers, Nagorno-Karabakh's authorities agreed to lay down arms and surrender all their weapons to Baku the next day. Armenia said it was not part of the talks. Azerbaijan's government pledged to make efforts to ensure the "integration" of those Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who choose to remain in the region. On September 28, the latest elected leader of the breakaway region, Samvel Shahramanyan, officially dropped all claims to independence from Baku, announcing that the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, will officially cease to exist on January 1, 2024. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230920/how-russian-peacekeepers-stopped-hostilities-in-nagorno-karabakh--1113540718.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230928/armenias-pashinyan-sold-out-nagorno-karabakh-to-us-interests-1113767192.html nagorno-karabakh armenia azerbaijan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International nagorno-karabakh, nagorno-karabakh conflict, nagorno-karabakh capital, nagorno-karabakh crisis https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/us-congressman-gaetz-says-will-file-motion-to-vacate-speaker-mccarthy-next-week-1113845852.html US Congressman Gaetz Says Will File Motion to Vacate Speaker McCarthy Next Week US Congressman Gaetz Says Will File Motion to Vacate Speaker McCarthy Next Week US Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz on Sunday announced his intention to file a motion to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as early as next week, accusing him of lack of trustworthiness. 2023-10-01T15:16+0000 2023-10-01T15:16+0000 2023-10-01T22:38+0000 americas kevin mccarthy matt gaetz republican democrats /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107704/97/1077049704_0:160:3075:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_d5c5ed62f8bfc1443acb0c46aec51ff8.jpg "I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week. I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that will be trustworthy," Gaetz told CNN. The congressman accused McCarthy of breaching the agreement he reached with House conservative Republicans in January to secure their support for his candidacy as the House speaker. Gaetz said that since he had enough support for the move from his party colleagues, McCarthy could remain the speaker if only "Democrats bail him out." Later in the day, McCarthy commented on the initiative by Gaetz, saying that it was nothing new since the congressman had tried to remove the speaker from the moment he had run for office."I'll survive," McCarthy told CBS, adding that the issue with Gaetz was "personal."The intention to oust McCarthy from the speaker role comes after the House of Representatives on Saturday passed a short-term spending bill to keep the US government open for 45 days, which was later approved by the Senate and signed into law by US President Joe Biden. As many as 335 House members voted in favor of the bill, with the majority of House Democrats supporting it. In January, McCarthy was elected as the House speaker in 15th round of votes after negotiating a deal with the Republican dissenters on House rules and other political matters. The deal would allow just one member to advance a motion to vacate, among other things. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230922/mccarthy-may-find-unlikely-allies-in-democrats-to-save-his-speakership-1113595103.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us republican party, us democratic party, matt gaetz, kevin mccarthy, house of the representatives https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/us-senate-approves-45-day-funding-bill-1113832164.html US Senate Approves 45-Day Funding Bill US Senate Approves 45-Day Funding Bill On the eve of a government shutdown, 76 members of the Senate voted yes on a continuing resolution (CR) bill to keep the government running. 01.10.2023, Sputnik International 2023-10-01T00:37+0000 2023-10-01T00:37+0000 2023-10-01T03:41+0000 americas us senate us politics us us house us congress us government shutdown /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/17/1105741459_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_6972b4fec55579f702a16b8f0e4c3103.jpg On Saturday, the US Senate cleared the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the short-term bill that will continue to fund the government for the next 45 days. That funding will include disaster relief funds, an extension of a federal flood insurance program and FAA reauthorization. The CR bill will not include assistance to Ukraine. It was reported at around 8:33 PM EDT that the vote was on-going, but that Senate had cleared their vote threshold with 74 votes in the affirmative.Earlier that day, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) succeeded in getting his CR bill passed by the House: 209 out of 335 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while 126 Republicans joined them with 90 Republicans opposing the CR bill.The Republican-controlled House shot McCarthy's bill down on Friday, causing an embarrassment and a headache for the House Speaker. But McCarthy's long-overdue victory finally came on Saturday. And when he faced reporters that same day, he toted the concept of unity, listing off Congress' achievements during his time as House Speaker as if Congress' has recently been functioning efficiently. At about 9:02 PM EDT, the Senate voted 88 to 9 to approved the CR bill, that will fund the government until November 17. The bill will now make its way to President Joe Biden's desk, where it is expected to be signed. All Democrats voted in the affirmative on the bill, despite it lacking funding for Ukraine. "After trying to take our government hostage, MAGA Republicans won nothing," he added. "So one more time: it is good Speaker McCarthy finally heeded our message that bipartisanship was the only way. He could have made this decision weeks ago." https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/us-congress-narrowly-avoids-government-shutdown-capping-off-a-uniquely-dysfunctional-week-1113832252.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg us senate, us politics, us, us house, us congress, us government shutdown https://sputnikglobe.com/20231001/what-killed-the-dinosaurs-new-computer-model-answers-age-old-question-1113832732.html What Killed The Dinosaurs? New Computer Model Answers Age-Old Question What Killed The Dinosaurs? New Computer Model Answers Age-Old Question The researchers simulated different scenarios, including a statistical model to calculate different probabilities. They found that gas released from volcanoes could have caused the dinosaurs to go extinct. 2023-10-01T03:14+0000 2023-10-01T03:14+0000 2023-10-01T03:14+0000 beyond politics dinosaurs dinosaur dinosaur science & tech research research scientific research /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/04/1083306516_0:98:1920:1178_1920x0_80_0_0_93b848721246d5730f1c945aece36070.jpg A new study this week shares the latest evidence in a long-running debate among scientists about what killed the dinosaurs.Now, researchers suggest it was a case of gas.Thats the conclusion of Brenhin Keller and Alexander Cox, two geologists from Dartmouth College who developed a novel way to examine the question.Most studies on the matter start by assuming the mass extinction 66 million years ago was caused by either an asteroid strike or a volcanic eruption. Keller and Cox wanted to consider the matter with as little human bias entering into the equation as possible. So they turned to computer modeling.For their data input, they looked at cylindrical cores of sediment drilled from deep underneath the ocean. Those layers of earth, flecked with microorganisms called foraminifera, offer clues about ocean acidity over time and the amount of carbon and sulfur dioxide in the environment.Those two gasses are assumed to have played a role in the die-off that killed dinosaurs and 75% of all life on earth. But scientists debate whether they were released by an asteroid strike or a series of volcanic eruptions.Keller and Cox simulated different scenarios, employing a Markov chain Monte Carlo statistical model to calculate probabilities given the evidence retrieved from the cores. They found that gas released from volcanoes was a sufficient explanation for the environmental changes that spelled doom for the dinos.Meanwhile a near-simultaneous asteroid strike, leaving a massive crater in the Gulf of Mexico, had little effect.Keller and Cox were aided in their modeling effort by the parallel use of dozens of computer processors. Carried out one after another, their simulations wouldve taken more than a year to conduct. Running them simultaneously allowed them to gather their data within days.The research was published Thursday in the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International dinosaurs, research, new study, history, science, cool science Northville Downs hosted three $20,000 Great Lake Stakes that were featured on Saturday (Sept. 30) evening at the Northville, Michigan oval in addition to the $9,500 Open Pace. In race four, Elians Lightning (Southwind Elian Show Me the Light) captured the two-year-old filly trotting division of the Great Lake Stakes over Sunsetacres Girl and Smashinclassy, who were second and third, respectively. Elians Lightning is owned in partnership by Tim Roach and Willa Rousseau, and is trained and driven by Tim Roach. The team were patient early on, but went first-over at the half, clearing the early leader past the three-quarters to draw off to win by more than four lengths in 2:04.3. The filly's young career saw her earnings climb to $89,645 as it was her eighth win. In race five, a race marred by multiple breakers, Smashingoodmatch (Smashed Agoodmatch) and driver David Lake minded their manners the best to get up for the win in the two-year-old colt trot division of the Great Lake Stakes in 2:03.4, winning by 11-1/2 lengths. Js Rocky was second and Nordicsfinallegacy was fifth but placed up to third following a lengthy inquiry due to the breaking horses in the stretch. Smashingoodmatch is owned by Ted Boschma and trained by Kent Hess. He now totes earnings of $77,733 lifetime with his eighth career tally. In race six, Krystals Jewel (Monsieur Claude Krystals Affair) made a quarter-pole move to the lead and never looked back to take the three-year-old filly trotting division of the Great Lake Stakes in a time of 2:01.4 by two lengths over Miss Sparty Mar, who was second, and Psalmsfortysixfive in third. Krystals Jewel is owned and trained by Samuel Eicher, bred in Michigan by Matthew Bontrager and was driven to victory by Don Harmon. Krystals Jewel now has lifetime earnings of $125,685 with eight career victories. In the Open Pace, race 11, Diesel Accelerator (Big Bad John So Very Nice) and trainer/driver Kody Massey parlayed a second-over trip into the pacer's third win in a row at The Ville and his second consecutive Open win, taking the mile in 1:54.3 for his 33rd career win. Admiral Adam and Lindsay Moen closed strongly for second and Lying In Cash was third. Driver Kody Massey had a driving hat trick and David Lake a driving double. Northville Downs resumes racing on Friday, Oct. 6 with a first post time of 7 p.m. Friday is dollar night at The Ville with $1 pop, live programs and popcorn, $2 hot dogs and beer and hamburger and cheeseburger specials. Northville Downs races every Friday and Saturday night through Nov. 25 with a 7 p.m. post time. For live racing dining reservations, be sure to call Northville Downs in advance at 248-924-2073. (With files from Northville Downs) Social Security is the largest program in the federal budget, managing over $1 trillion in payments to roughly 70 million beneficiaries annually. Its a necessary program and an important part of retirement for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, like many big government programs, Washington is failing to prevent its waste, fraud, and abuse costing taxpayers billions. For example, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 alone, Social Securitys combined Disability Insurance (DI), Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) programs sent out over $6 billion in overpayments. Overpayments happen when the government accidentally gives beneficiaries more than they were entitled to. Six billion dollars is more than the entire State of Nebraskas general fund budget that year. These overpayments shouldnt have happened. Congress passed legislation eight years ago to create a Payroll Information Exchange to reduce improper payments, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) has failed to implement it. In 2021, the SSA published a notice of implementation, but no regulations have been published since then. Now, the SSA says they will not act until January 2024. This is a classic big government failure and its totally unacceptable. When the government mistakenly makes overpayments, beneficiaries are required to pay it back. This can often be a confusing and time-consuming fix. So as the SSA kicked the can down the road and failed to implement a solution, families in need have been forced to suffer costly consequences. The many families who rely on Social Security benefits to help make ends meet deserve better. Darnel from Cass County is one example. His Social Security benefits were being withheld due to an overpayment based on work. He felt he had paid back the overpayment but couldnt get Social Security to respond to his request for confirmation of the amount hed paid or owed. Darnel reached out to our office for help. Our team submitted a congressional inquiry on his behalf. After a review of his record, Social Security determined Darnel was right. The overpayment amount had been settled and they had been wrongfully withholding the crucial benefits Darnel was owed. Darnel should never have had this problem. The Social Security Administration failed him not once, but twice. First, they overpaid him. Then, once he paid back the overpayment, they continued wrongfully withholding his benefits. Their mistake cost him valuable time he could have spent in many other productive ways. Had SSA taken the proper steps to combat their mistakes, Darnel and countless other Americans could have avoided the hassle of fighting for benefits they earned. Our federal bureaucracy should serve taxpayers well. When it fails, its Congress job to provide oversight. I am proud of how we streamlined and simplified state government as Governor and am bringing that same experience to Washington as U.S. Senator for Nebraska. I will never stop fighting the failures of big government bureaucracy and will continue pursuing policy solutions that improve the level of transparency and service for our citizens. I am proud of the work our team of dedicated casework staff across the state does to help Nebraskans like Darnel fight these bureaucratic failures. We have offices in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, and Scottsbluff. Our team is specially trained in assisting constituents with concerns, complaints, or questions about services, eligibility, or benefits from the Social Security Administration and other federal agencies. While we cannot promise a successful resolution of every case, our team is committed to using every tool available to fight for Nebraskans in need. If you are having trouble navigating the federal bureaucracy, we can help connect you to resources that may help provide answers. You can find more information and needed privacy release forms on the Services tab at www.ricketts.senate.gov. You can also check out our Frequently Asked Questions page which has more specific instructions about the federal issues we may be able to help with, like passports, VA benefits, visas, and more. This event was made possible through generous funding from Sweden, according to al-Tareek. On September 30, 2023, a historic moment unfolded as the inaugural radiological device dedicated to treating cancer patients made its entry into northwestern Syria. This significant development came to fruition at the Al-Hammam crossing, situated near the city of Jindires in Afrins countryside, marking the culmination of years of relentless advocacy to bring this critical medical asset to the region. This event was made possible through generous funding from Sweden and meticulous coordination with the Turkish Ministry of Health, facilitated by the Al-Amin Organization for Humanitarian Support. In an interview with Al-Souria.net, Dr. Muhammad Haji, the director of Afrin Health, expressed that this radiological device would find its new home at Afrin National (Military) Hospital. Operational oversight will be shared between the Al-Amin Organization and the Health Directorate of Afrin, along with support from a Turkish health team. Furthermore, the region is gearing up to welcome three additional radiological devices, which will be distributed to cities such as Al-Bab and Idlib, bolstering cancer treatment capabilities in the area. The Al-Amin Organization celebrated this milestone on social media, hailing it as a momentous leap forward in cancer patient care within liberated regions. This advanced device will significantly reduce the need for patients to endure prolonged waiting times and travel to Turkey for radiotherapy. Its precise targeting of tumours, both benign and malignant, will offer hope for improved treatment outcomes. The organization revealed that the device would be housed in a dedicated facility and initially operated by foreign specialists from the manufacturer. However, Syrian healthcare professionals will undergo training to operate the device autonomously in the near future. The total value of this state-of-the-art radiological device, as indicated by the organization, exceeds three million euros. This achievement follows months of tireless advocacy efforts by activists who rallied support for cancer patients, especially after Turkish authorities restricted entry following a seismic event in February. Subsequently, after organizing a protest near the Bab al-Hawa crossing, Turkish authorities permitted patients to enter starting July 26. According to statistics from the Cancer Does Not Wait campaign, the region has approximately 3,000 cancer cases. With the absence of radiological devices in local medical facilities, Turkey had been the sole destination for these patients seeking treatment. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. A senior AL official has refuted claims that the Ministerial Committee on Syria suspended its meetings, according to al-Souria Net. The Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, Hossam Zaki, has refuted claims that the Ministerial Committee on Syria suspended its meetings due to the Assad regimes lack of response. Last week, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported that the Arab ministerial committee responsible for overseeing Arab normalization with the Assad regime had halted its meetings due to a lack of response to the proposed roadmap. The newspaper cited sources in Arab diplomacy who noted that the Assad regime had not made any substantial contributions regarding the three key issues forming the foundation of the recent Arab outreach. These three issues include ensuring the safe return of refugees to their home country, progressing towards a political resolution and taking tangible measures to combat the illegal drug trade and Captagon pills. Following these reports, Russias RIA Novosti news agency suggested that US pressure was responsible for the suspension of meetings of the Arab Liaison Committee on Syria, citing unsatisfactory outcomes from recent gatherings. The agency claimed, The economic sanctions imposed by the United States against the Syrian regime have hindered its reintegration into the Arab world, thereby leading to the suspension of contacts with Damascus by the Special Committee of the League of Arab States. However, Hossam Zaki, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, denied these reports. Emile Hakim, the Director of Regional Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, elaborated on the deadlock in Syrian reintegration efforts. According to Hakim, the lack of substantive progress has allowed Assad to claim a symbolic victory that will impede Arab participation for years to come. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. After 42 days, protests in Suweida are still gaining momentum, Asharq al-Awsat reports. While US and European officials continue to express their interest in the ongoing protests in Suweida governorate, Damascus maintains its official stance of ignoring these demonstrations, focusing instead on countering pro-government activists affiliated with Iran. This situation raises several important questions regarding international support for the Suweida movement and Damascus potential strategies to address it. The implications of international communications in support of the Suweida movement are multifaceted. Firstly, such communications signify international recognition of the leadership of Sheikh al-Aqel Hikmat al-Hijri in the governorate. This recognition makes it challenging for Damascus to remove him from the protest arena, creating a delicate and potentially embarrassing situation for the regime. Furthermore, these communications bolster the movements legitimacy on the global stage, potentially increasing its resilience and attracting more supporters. In response to these developments, Damascus appears to have relied on its traditional intelligence methods to undermine Hijris spiritual authority. This includes attempts to tarnish his image, diminish his prestige, and question his national positions through campaigns orchestrated by loyal activists on social media. However, these efforts have been met with significant resistance from various segments of the population, including secularists, leftists, and tribal representatives who stand in solidarity with Hijri. Despite its attempts to weaken the movement from within, Damascus seems hesitant to resort to the use of force or engage in negotiations with the protesters at this stage. Instead, the regime continues to disregard the Suweida movement, which raises questions about its long-term strategy and how it plans to address the situation going forward. In summary, the international support for the Suweida movement complicates the matter for Damascus, as it solidifies the movements leadership and legitimacy. The regimes efforts to undermine Hijris authority have faced resistance, and it remains uncertain how Damascus intends to ultimately deal with this ongoing protest movement. Ignoring Suweida The version of President al-Assads interview with China Central Television (CCTV) broadcast on Syrian state television notably omitted any reference to the protests in Suweida. Even when asked about the challenging moments he experienced during the war, Assad emphasized the crucial support he received from the people, sidestepping any mention of the ongoing protests. While acknowledging that the current situation in Syria is undeniably challenging due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Assad placed blame on Western countries for exacerbating the suffering of the Syrian population. He reiterated that the war is not yet over and highlighted two significant dangers facing the region: the influence of Western modern liberalism originating from the United States and the threat of extremism. Assad identified external intervention as the primary obstacle confronting Syria. When asked about plans or strategies for rebuilding Syria and addressing its difficulties, Assad avoided providing specific details. He emphasized that Syria faces both internal challenges related to the war and blockade and external challenges linked to the global economic situation. According to Assad, the fundamental strategy to address this situation involves transitioning away from reliance on the US dollar and exploring alternative currencies, with the Chinese yuan being the foremost choice. Dense communication Two days after receiving a call from US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Ethan Goldrich, in which he expressed support for the freedom of expression and peaceful protests in Suweida, British envoy Anne Snow engaged in a conversation with Sheikh Hijri. The US embassy officially announced this interaction on its X platform page, where it called for a just and united Syria and emphasized the need for a political solution in line with Security Council Resolution 2254. This sequence of events was preceded by three separate calls that Hijri received from members of the US Congress in recent days. Republican Representative French Hill, Democratic Representative Brendan Boyle, and Republican Representative Joe Wilson all expressed their support for the peaceful protests in Suweida. Catherine Langzeben, a member of the European Parliament and head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, responsible for the Syrian issue within the Green Party bloc in the German parliament, also made contact with Sheikh Hijri. She communicated her interest in the developments in Suweida and her support for the peaceful protests. Meanwhile, the protests in Suweida have now entered their forty-second day, demonstrating a growing momentum and enhanced organization and coordination. The protesters remain resolute in their demand for Assads departure and the implementation of UN Resolution 2254. Despite frequent accusations of disloyalty and treason propagated by government supporters on social media, Sheikh Hijri has gained notoriety as a prominent figure in the Suweida movement. His refusal to have the people of Suweida join government forces and engage in battles against fellow Syrians has led to him being described as a rabbi. In contrast, journalist Rafiq Lutf, with close ties to Tehran, issued a warning on his Facebook account, labeling the people of Suweida as instigators of discord and suggesting that they are financial agents manipulating the poor and needy to participate in the movement. He also alleged that they harbour aspirations of establishing a flimsy and artificial Zionist statelet with fabricated privileges. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. The agreement with Belarus encompasses the exchange of expertise in trade unions, SANA writes. Minsk, Tehran The General Federation of Trade Unions in Syria has inked two significant cooperation agreements with the Trade Union Confederations of Belarus and Iran. This collaboration materialized during a delegation visit to both nations, led by Jamal Al-Qadiri, President of the Federation. The agreement with Belarus encompasses the exchange of expertise in trade unions, particularly in matters pertaining to climate change and global initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels. It also underscores the imperative of transitioning toward a sustainable green economy. Furthermore, the agreement calls for joint efforts at international trade union forums and explores the possibility of securing scholarships for the children of workers to study at the International University of Confederation in Belarus. Belarus confederation expressed its condemnation of the embargo policy and unilateral measures imposed by the United States and Western nations against Syria. During the visit, Qadri engaged in discussions with Confederation President Mikhail Orda to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. On the sidelines of the visit, Al-Qadri convened an extended quadrilateral meeting with Mohamed Gibran, President of Trade Unions in Egypt, and Alexander Korthagen, President of Trade Unions of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The gathering emphasized the significance of forming a united front against U.S. hegemony, which enforces economic sanctions on nations that do not conform to its policies. In a similar visit to Tehran, attended by Shafiq Dayoub, the Syrian Ambassador to Iran, the Syrian delegation engaged in talks with Iranian Minister of Cooperation, Labor, and Social Prosperity, Sault Mortazavi. The discussions primarily revolved around bilateral cooperation, particularly in the labor sector. Qadri provided an overview of the situation in Syria and the ongoing challenges posed by the terrorist conflict to the Syrian economy. In response, Mortazavi underscored the Iranian governments commitment to strengthening relations between the two brotherly nations. He emphasized that these union ties serve the interests of workers in both countries. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has implemented measures to encourage investment and attract capital to the northeastern regions of Syria, aiming to revitalize the economy and broaden sources of income. Concurrently, Rami al-Ali, a prominent designer from the Middle East, achieved a historic milestone by being the first Syrian fashion designer to be featured in the prestigious BoF 500 list. This index by the Business of Fashion recognizes individuals who significantly influence and shape the fashion industry. Iran, Venezuela, And Syria Ink Landmark Oil Refinery Deal Iran has revealed plans to build a new oil refinery in Syrias Homs governorate with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) as part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Damascus and the government of Venezuela. A tripartite memorandum was signed between Iran, Venezuela, and Syria for a new 140,000 barrel refinery to be built in Syria, Jalil Salari, the Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) told state-run Fars News Agency this week. The studies that were conducted found that Syria and its neighbouring countries are in need of petroleum products, therefore a refinery with a capacity of 140,000 barrels was identified next to the two existing Syrian refineries of Homs and Bania, the official added, highlighting that the three nations will soon enter the financing and construction phase. Salari also revealed that the existing Homs refinery was repaired by Iranian engineers during a visit by President Ebrahim Raisi in May and that the studies for the new refinery were conducted by a team from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). The landmark deal comes in spite of a brutal sanctions campaign from the West that nearly decimated the oil industries of all three nations. Iran has played a pivotal role in helping both Syria and Venezuela overcome the worst of the Western onslaught, providing both countries with technical, material, and military assistance. In June, Caracas resumed work at the El Palito oil refinery, which is undergoing major repair and expansion work as part of a 100-million-euro deal signed in May 2022 with NIORDC. Iranian technical teams are also working to restore Venezuelas largest oil refinery complex, the Paraguana Refining Center. The plan calls for combining Chinese and Iranian parts and equipment in a refinery built initially using US technology. By building the new refinery in Homs, Iran will also aid Syria in boosting its oil production levels, as the country has lost over $100 billion in revenues since the start of the war due to the destruction caused by Western bombs and an ongoing oil theft campaign led by the US occupation army. AANES encourages investments in NE Syria The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) introduced facilitation to stimulate investors and attract capital to the northeastern regions of Syria for revitalizing the economy and diversifying income sources. These measures, according to North Press, focus on attracting foreign investment by granting them rights and legal guarantees for protection, in addition to opening up to local investment by supporting it with production necessities and removing obstacles, according to officials of the AANES. On September 11, the AANES issued an investment law consisting of 33 articles aimed at promoting and enhancing investment in northeastern Syria. Releasing Funds Officials of the AANES emphasize that this law is the most developed in the region because it includes incentives to attract and stimulate both local and foreign investments in their regions. The key provisions of the law include freedom to transfer and introduce funds to and from the northeastern regions of Syria, in addition to the freedom to introduce production lines and bring in expert labour from abroad, according to Muhammad Shawqi, Co-chair of the Economy Board of the AANES. These incentives are real and not formal, not related to tax or customs exemptions but to the freedom to transfer funds and ownership during the project period and other key provisions of the law, Shawqi noted. Similar to other regions in Syria, the northeastern regions of the country have been affected by the ongoing war, leading to the migration of many capital owners, as well as the destruction and theft of vital economic facilities. The recently issued investment law aims to open up to local investment, improve the economic reality, increase local production, and encourage exports for sustainable development. The Co-chair emphasizes that there are no obstacles to any investment in the northeastern regions of Syria. We have no obstacles to establishing investments, and the procedures are very simple, including licensing and establishing projects. Moreover, we support these projects with production requirements, whether related to fuels or others. Additionally, there are no customs barriers for importing the necessities of factories or plants into the northeastern regions of Syria, whether they are related to raw materials or production lines and others, he added. Rami al-Ali is first Syrian designer to be recognized by the Business of Fashion list Middle Eastern designer Rami al-Ali has become the first Syrian fashion designer to be included in the BoF 500 list, the Business of Fashions index of the people shaping the fashion industry, Arab News reported. Privileged to be included in #BOF500 2023, thank you @imranamed for your trust and your vision, posted Al-Ali on Instagram, acknowledging Imran Amed, the founder and CEO of BoF. While Al-Ali has had a loyal celebrity and royal following in the Middle East for years, more recently he has dressed global stars including Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Naomi Campbell. Ali has demonstrated a commitment to nurturing young designers through mentorship programs with the Esmod Fashion Institute in Dubai and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council. He is the founder of Ard Dyar, an initiative dedicated to empowering upcoming Syrian talents by connecting them with accomplished leaders in the industry. Acclaimed Syrian author Khaled Khalifa dies aged 59 The much-acclaimed Syrian author, poet and screenwriter Khaled Khalifa passed away on Saturday at the age of 59 at his home in Damascus. According to his friends, the cause of death was a heart attack. Khalifas novels, poems and TV screenplays earned him much critical acclaim over the years, while he won and was nominated for many prestigious literary prizes. However, much of Khalifas work was critical of Syrias Baathist regime and for that reason was banned from publication or distribution in his homeland. Born in Aleppo in 1964, Khalifa gained fame as a writer of several popular Syrian TV series in the early 1990s. He transitioned into writing novels in his twenties. Though his first novel The Guard of Deception was well received by critics, his international breakthrough as a novelist came with 2006s In Praise of Hatred. The book, which took Khalifa 13 years to write, tells the complex story of a young Sunni woman in Aleppo as she is brainwashed but also conditioned into extremist sectarian Islamism against the backdrop of the Alawite-dominated Baath regime unjustly ruling her life and viciously crushing the Muslim Brotherhood uprising of the late-1970s, ruthlessly bombarding Aleppo in the process. The book is considered a modern Arabic language classic and was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2008. It was translated into six languages. In Syria, the book was deemed subversive by the Assad regime and banned. In 2013, Khalifa won the ultra-prestigious Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature for his novel No Knives in the Kitchens of this City, which is a story that spans multiple decades and generations of a family living in Aleppo under the Baath regime. His later works, such as 2016s Death is Hard Work and 2019s No One Prayed Over Their Graves, were all met with massive critical acclaim. Many Syrian and other Arabic language authors took to social media to mourn his death. Robin Yassin-Kassab, a Syrian-Scottish author who wrote the foreword to the English language version of In Praise of Hatred, wrote: The great Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa has died [] he leaves books that will be read so long as there are Syrians. Kuwaiti writer Taleb al-Refai also mourned him: writing Shocking news my dear friend Khaled Khalifa, there is no consolation in the domain of Arabic novels. Until the end, Khalifa refused to leave Syria despite the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War and being listed as a potential enemy of the Assad regime. In 2012, when pro-Assad thugs broke his left hand at the funeral of a murdered musician, Khalifa defiantly reacted by pointing out that it didnt matter as he wrote with his right hand. In a 2019 interview, Khalifa was asked why he stayed in Syria despite the threats and the dire situation of the war. He replied: I am staying because this is my country. I was born here, I live here and I want to die here! Khaled Khalifa will be buried on Sunday in Damascus. Billionaire Elon Musk in typical fashion took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce his intention to attend Teknofest in Turkey next year. Turkish President Erdogan welcomed Musk's commitment. The X conversation between the two was sparked by Musk extending his congratulations to the teams competing in Teknofest. The technology festival has evolved into a prominent platform for showcasing Turkey's aerospace and technology advancements. The online interaction transpired shortly after the two men met in New York to discuss potential collaborations in artificial intelligence and the potential establishment of a Tesla factory. Erdogan Meets Musk and Asks Him to Open Tesla Factory in Turkey Teknofest, an annual Aerospace and Technology Festival since 2018, plays host to various technology competitions, air shows, concerts, and discussions with the aim of cultivating technology interest within society and showcasing Turkey as a tech-producing nation. The festival has evolved into a potent tool for Erdogan to connect with a younger generation that may be otherwise challenging to reach through conventional political channels. The festival is also championed by Erdogan's son-in-law, Selcuk Bayraktar, through his drone company, Baykar. One more thing! We are now on WhatsApp Channels! Follow us there so you never miss any update from the world of technology. To follow the HT Tech channel on WhatsApp, click here to join now! Bailard Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report) by 65.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 13,751 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 25,775 shares during the quarter. Bailard Inc.s holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $3,440,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 3.7% during the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 9,666 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 348 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 9,070 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,899,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 54.7% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,859 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $599,000 after purchasing an additional 1,011 shares during the period. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 9.9% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,407 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $504,000 after buying an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd increased its position in Illinois Tool Works by 70.7% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 746 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $156,000 after buying an additional 309 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 79.56% of the companys stock. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Illinois Tool Works Stock Down 0.7 % Shares of NYSE ITW opened at $230.31 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $69.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.78, a PEG ratio of 4.10 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a current ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 12 month low of $180.27 and a 12 month high of $264.19. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $242.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $238.68. Illinois Tool Works Increases Dividend Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.39 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.14 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.30% and a return on equity of 94.14%. The firms revenue was up 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.37 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 29th will be paid a $1.40 dividend. This represents a $5.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.43%. This is a boost from Illinois Tool Workss previous quarterly dividend of $1.31. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 28th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is presently 55.39%. Analysts Set New Price Targets ITW has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $213.00 to $198.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 7th. Credit Suisse Group increased their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $281.00 to $292.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $256.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $236.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $230.00 to $232.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Illinois Tool Works currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $237.18. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Illinois Tool Works About Illinois Tool Works (Free Report) Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ITW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bailard Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL Free Report) by 34.4% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 37,200 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 19,532 shares during the period. Bailard Inc.s holdings in Aflac were worth $2,597,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Johnson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Aflac during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Silicon Valley Capital Partners acquired a new position in Aflac in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Aflac in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Aflac in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, Tilia Fiduciary Partners Inc. raised its stake in Aflac by 85.1% in the 2nd quarter. Tilia Fiduciary Partners Inc. now owns 372 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.75% of the companys stock. Get Aflac alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Aflac from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Aflac from $71.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Aflac from $72.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Aflac from $70.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, September 14th. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on Aflac from $69.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $76.36. Aflac Stock Performance Shares of Aflac stock opened at $76.75 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $75.29 and a 200 day moving average of $69.87. Aflac Incorporated has a 12 month low of $56.07 and a 12 month high of $78.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 0.07 and a quick ratio of 0.07. Aflac (NYSE:AFL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $5.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.52 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 16.10% and a net margin of 24.48%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Aflac Incorporated will post 6 earnings per share for the current year. Aflac Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 23rd were paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 22nd. Aflacs payout ratio is presently 22.46%. Insider Activity In other Aflac news, CFO James Todd Daniels sold 3,355 shares of Aflac stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.51, for a total transaction of $249,981.05. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 60,274 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,491,015.74. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, SVP Albert Riggieri sold 7,649 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.09, for a total value of $582,012.41. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 26,210 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,994,318.90. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO James Todd Daniels sold 3,355 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.51, for a total value of $249,981.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 60,274 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,491,015.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 30,170 shares of company stock worth $2,286,000. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Aflac Profile (Free Report) Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. It operates in two segments, Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. The Aflac Japan segment offers cancer, medical, nursing care, work leave, GIFT, and whole and term life insurance products, as well as WAYS and child endowment plans under saving type insurance products in Japan. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AFL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Aflac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aflac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bailard Inc. cut its stake in Stryker Co. (NYSE:SYK Free Report) by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 9,146 shares of the medical technology companys stock after selling 181 shares during the quarter. Bailard Inc.s holdings in Stryker were worth $2,790,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in SYK. Vinva Investment Management Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Stryker in the first quarter worth about $3,257,000. Stifel Financial Corp increased its holdings in Stryker by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 400,767 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $114,412,000 after acquiring an additional 2,868 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its stake in Stryker by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 27,814 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $7,940,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. boosted its holdings in Stryker by 28.6% in the 1st quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. now owns 4,451 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $1,271,000 after purchasing an additional 990 shares during the period. Finally, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. raised its position in shares of Stryker by 1.4% in the second quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 7,497 shares of the medical technology companys stock worth $2,287,000 after buying an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. 76.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Stryker alerts: Stryker Stock Performance Shares of SYK stock opened at $273.27 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $103.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.60, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.95. Stryker Co. has a fifty-two week low of $202.28 and a fifty-two week high of $306.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $283.83 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $286.79. Stryker Announces Dividend Stryker ( NYSE:SYK Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 3rd. The medical technology company reported $2.54 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.38 by $0.16. Stryker had a net margin of 13.92% and a return on equity of 22.31%. The company had revenue of $5 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.83 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.25 EPS. The firms revenue was up 11.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Stryker Co. will post 10.37 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 29th will be given a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.10%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 28th. Strykers payout ratio is 42.37%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently commented on SYK. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of Stryker in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. BTIG Research raised their target price on shares of Stryker from $313.00 to $331.00 in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Stryker from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, August 7th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Stryker from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $310.00 to $315.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Stryker from $300.00 to $310.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Stryker presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $309.59. Read Our Latest Research Report on Stryker Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, insider Viju Menon sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.00, for a total transaction of $1,445,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 6,994 shares in the company, valued at $2,021,266. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 5.90% of the companys stock. Stryker Profile (Free Report) Stryker Corporation operates as a medical technology company. The company operates through two segments, MedSurg and Neurotechnology, and Orthopaedics and Spine. The Orthopaedics and Spine segment provides implants for use in hip and knee joint replacements, and trauma and extremities surgeries. This segment also offers spinal implant products comprising cervical, thoracolumbar, and interbody systems that are used in spinal injury, deformity, and degenerative therapies. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SYK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Stryker Co. (NYSE:SYK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Stryker Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stryker and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew its holdings in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 98,197.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,948,438,709 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 1,946,456,532 shares during the period. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich owned 0.35% of Pfizer worth $71,468,732,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. BancFirst Trust & Investment Management boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 2.3% during the first quarter. BancFirst Trust & Investment Management now owns 17,794 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $719,000 after acquiring an additional 398 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Advisors MI boosted its stake in Pfizer by 32.1% in the 1st quarter. Strategic Investment Advisors MI now owns 94,117 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $3,840,000 after purchasing an additional 22,879 shares during the period. State of Michigan Retirement System grew its holdings in Pfizer by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 1,771,584 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $72,281,000 after buying an additional 15,900 shares in the last quarter. MainStreet Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in Pfizer by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. MainStreet Investment Advisors LLC now owns 197,477 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $8,057,000 after buying an additional 3,099 shares during the period. Finally, Center For Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 28.0% during the first quarter. Center For Asset Management LLC now owns 23,894 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $975,000 after buying an additional 5,228 shares in the last quarter. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Stock Up 3.4 % PFE stock opened at $33.17 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $35.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $37.46. Pfizer Inc. has a 12 month low of $31.77 and a 12 month high of $54.93. The company has a current ratio of 2.12, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $187.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.59. Analyst Ratings Changes Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.36 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 28.36%. The firms revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.04 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 EPS for the current fiscal year. Several research firms recently commented on PFE. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Truist Financial restated a buy rating and set a $62.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, September 13th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, September 25th. Barclays reduced their price target on Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Pfizer from $42.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $46.35. Get Our Latest Report on PFE About Pfizer (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. (Photo : Giorgio Viera / AFP) (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images) Baltimore police are conducting a manhunt for a convicted felon, identified as Jason Dean Billingsley, for the murder of 26-year-old tech CEO Pava LaPere. Baltimore police are conducting a manhunt in search of a convicted felon who is suspected of murdering a 26-year-old tech CEO who was found dead of "blunt-force trauma" on Sept. 25. Law enforcement authorities have identified the victim as Pava LaPere, who had initially been the subject of a missing person's report prior to officials discovering her dead body inside her apartment. During a press conference on Tuesday, police said that they believe the suspect is 32-year-old Jason Dean Billingsley. Baltimore Tech CEO Murder The suspect is said to be behind the death of the tech CEO and officials have issued a warrant for first-degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment. Police Commissioner Richard Worley also confirmed that law enforcement personnel were "actively working to apprehend Billingsley." He noted that at the time, they believed that the suspect was armed and dangerous and he urged anyone who may have seen the suspect or knows him or where he is to contact police immediately. He also warned Baltimore residents to be on the lookout for the convicted felon, as per Yahoo News. Worley also warned that Billingsley was the type of individual who would kill and rape others if he wanted to. The suspect had previous run-ins with law enforcement personnel, with the Baltimore Police Department citing arrests in 2009, 2011, and 2013 for multiple charges that include sex offenses, second-degree assault charges, and robbery. The victim, LaPere, was the CEO and founder of EcoMap Technologies and she was able to earn a spot on Forbes's "30 Under 30" list this year. The website of the deceased's company said that EcoMap uses technology to "digitize ecosystems, ensuring anyone can easily access the information they need, so ecosystems can be as equitable, efficient, & effective as possible." The company gave a statement to NBC affiliate WBAL of Baltimore where it confirmed the death of its CEO. It noted that the circumstances surrounding LaPere's death were deeply distressing and expressed its deepest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones. Read Also: More Than 1000 Minors Reported Missing in Cleveland This Year Manhunt for Billingsley Law enforcement personnel also suspect Billingsley for a case that involves attempted murder, arson, and rape, which occurred on Sept. 19. They noted that the evidence gathered allowed them to connect the two cases, according to WBAL. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger added that there was an open arrest warrant for the suspect in the theft of a "handgun out of Baltimore County occurring within this past week." However, he did not provide details on the exact time or place of the handgun theft. During the press conference, Worley also told Billingsley that every single police officer in Baltimore City, the state of Maryland, as well as the U.S. Marshals are looking for him. He warned the suspect that they would eventually find him and urged him to turn himself in. On Wednesday, there were reports that Billingsley's mother texted her son and told him to surrender to law enforcement personnel. Scarlett Billingsley said that she told her son to turn himself in because she was worried that police would kill him if he continued to resist arrest, said CNN. Related Article: NYC Arrest Husband of Bronx Day Care Owner Over Child's Fentanyl Exposure Case @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Shares of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the thirteen analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $91.00. A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of CF Industries from $70.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, August 7th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $80.00 to $92.00 in a research report on Monday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, August 7th. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of CF Industries from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of CF Industries from $95.00 to $98.00 in a report on Monday, August 7th. Get CF Industries alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on CF Industries CF Industries Stock Down 0.3 % CF stock opened at $85.74 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 6.55 and a quick ratio of 6.03. The firm has a market cap of $16.54 billion, a PE ratio of 7.10, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.04. CF Industries has a 12 month low of $60.08 and a 12 month high of $112.44. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $80.51 and a 200 day simple moving average of $74.04. CF Industries (NYSE:CF Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 2nd. The basic materials company reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.15 by $0.55. CF Industries had a net margin of 27.36% and a return on equity of 31.18%. The company had revenue of $1.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.85 billion. Equities research analysts forecast that CF Industries will post 7.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. CF Industries Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 15th were issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 14th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.87%. CF Industriess payout ratio is presently 13.25%. Insider Activity In related news, EVP Douglas C. Barnard sold 9,700 shares of CF Industries stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.37, for a total value of $779,589.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 15,089 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,212,702.93. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.42% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of CF Industries Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of CF Industries during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $61,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in CF Industries by 99.8% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,139 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $79,000 after buying an additional 569 shares in the last quarter. Orchard Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in CF Industries during the 2nd quarter valued at about $185,000. Strategy Asset Managers LLC increased its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 6.9% in the second quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC now owns 8,672 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $602,000 after purchasing an additional 563 shares during the period. Finally, Virginia Retirement Systems ET AL acquired a new position in shares of CF Industries in the second quarter valued at about $22,239,000. Institutional investors own 90.63% of the companys stock. About CF Industries (Get Free Report CF Industries Holdings, Inc manufactures and sells hydrogen and nitrogen products for energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement, and other industrial activities worldwide. Its principal products include anhydrous ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate products. The company also offers diesel exhaust fluid, urea liquor, nitric acid, and aqua ammonia products; and compound fertilizer products with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for CF Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CF Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the six research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $105.29. A number of analysts recently issued reports on DVA shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of DaVita from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. UBS Group raised shares of DaVita from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $100.00 to $142.00 in a report on Monday, August 7th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on DaVita from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Thursday, July 13th. Get DaVita alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on DVA Insider Transactions at DaVita Institutional Investors Weigh In On DaVita In related news, insider Kathleen Alyce Waters sold 9,794 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.81, for a total transaction of $997,127.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 81,297 shares in the company, valued at $8,276,847.57. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . 1.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board boosted its holdings in shares of DaVita by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 2,686 shares of the companys stock valued at $270,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Glenview Trust co boosted its stake in DaVita by 2.1% during the first quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 4,984 shares of the companys stock worth $404,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. grew its holdings in DaVita by 2.7% in the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 4,487 shares of the companys stock worth $451,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the period. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of DaVita by 0.6% during the first quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 21,946 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,780,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Veritable L.P. lifted its holdings in shares of DaVita by 4.6% during the first quarter. Veritable L.P. now owns 3,026 shares of the companys stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares during the last quarter. 84.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. DaVita Trading Down 1.8 % NYSE:DVA opened at $94.53 on Tuesday. DaVita has a 52 week low of $65.28 and a 52 week high of $116.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.13, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.25. The firms fifty day moving average is $101.59 and its 200-day moving average is $95.56. The firm has a market cap of $8.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.94. DaVita (NYSE:DVA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.42. DaVita had a net margin of 3.98% and a return on equity of 60.67%. The firm had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.95 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.30 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that DaVita will post 7.38 earnings per share for the current year. DaVita Company Profile (Get Free Report DaVita Inc provides kidney dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure in the United States. The company operates kidney dialysis centers and provides related lab services in outpatient dialysis centers. It also offers outpatient, hospital inpatient, and home-based hemodialysis services; operates clinical laboratories that provide routine laboratory tests for dialysis and other physician-prescribed laboratory tests for ESRD patients; and management and administrative services to outpatient dialysis centers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for DaVita Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DaVita and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Csenge Advisory Group lifted its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 6.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,018 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 546 shares during the period. Csenge Advisory Groups holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $851,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Stonegate Investment Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 22.3% during the first quarter. Stonegate Investment Group LLC now owns 13,118 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,085,000 after acquiring an additional 2,392 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 72.6% in the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 729,156 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $60,323,000 after purchasing an additional 306,664 shares in the last quarter. Crescent Grove Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the second quarter valued at about $205,000. Columbia Trust Co 01012016 lifted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 5.4% in the second quarter. Columbia Trust Co 01012016 now owns 16,613 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,567,000 after purchasing an additional 845 shares during the period. Finally, Marcum Wealth LLC bought a new position in Edwards Lifesciences in the 2nd quarter valued at about $219,000. 79.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Edwards Lifesciences Trading Down 1.0 % Edwards Lifesciences stock opened at $69.28 on Friday. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 52 week low of $67.13 and a 52 week high of $94.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 2.30 and a current ratio of 3.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.66, a P/E/G ratio of 3.74 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $77.02 and a 200 day moving average price of $83.42. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Edwards Lifesciences ( NYSE:EW Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 26th. The medical research company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.65 by $0.01. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 25.43% and a net margin of 24.56%. The company had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.51 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.63 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year. A number of analysts have recently weighed in on EW shares. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $101.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 19th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $102.00 price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences in a research note on Friday, July 14th. StockNews.com raised Edwards Lifesciences from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, September 23rd. Mizuho raised their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $95.00 to $102.00 in a research note on Monday, July 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $90.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $92.30. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Edwards Lifesciences Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, VP Daveen Chopra sold 1,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.69, for a total value of $115,035.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 23,950 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,836,725.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.94, for a total value of $325,290.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 39,503 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,671,408.82. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Daveen Chopra sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.69, for a total value of $115,035.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 23,950 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,836,725.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 174,359 shares of company stock worth $14,129,361. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease, and critical care and surgical monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of heart valves; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its position in shares of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 547.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 41,790 shares of the CRM providers stock after buying an additional 35,334 shares during the quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLCs holdings in Salesforce were worth $8,829,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in CRM. Wealth Alliance Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in Salesforce in the second quarter worth $396,000. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its position in shares of Salesforce by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,547,360 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $329,387,000 after acquiring an additional 239,786 shares in the last quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. increased its stake in Salesforce by 237.4% in the first quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 722 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $144,000 after acquiring an additional 508 shares during the period. Independence Bank of Kentucky raised its position in Salesforce by 2.3% in the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 13,401 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $2,831,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Finally, William Blair Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Salesforce by 1.1% during the first quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 1,047,620 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $209,294,000 after purchasing an additional 11,322 shares during the period. 77.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Salesforce alerts: Salesforce Stock Performance NYSE CRM opened at $202.78 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $197.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 127.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The firms fifty day moving average price is $214.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $208.33. Salesforce, Inc. has a 1 year low of $126.34 and a 1 year high of $238.22. Insider Activity at Salesforce Salesforce ( NYSE:CRM Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 30th. The CRM provider reported $2.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.22. The business had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.53 billion. Salesforce had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 7.67%. Salesforces revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.52 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Salesforce, Inc. will post 5.86 EPS for the current year. In other Salesforce news, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 164 shares of Salesforce stock in a transaction on Monday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.05, for a total transaction of $36,908.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 2,230 shares of the companys stock, valued at $501,861.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CAO Sundeep G. Reddy sold 164 shares of Salesforce stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.05, for a total transaction of $36,908.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 2,230 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $501,861.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Parker Harris sold 1,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.49, for a total transaction of $263,112.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 101,236 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,309,165.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 710,566 shares of company stock worth $154,694,690. Company insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently issued reports on CRM. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and set a $275.00 target price on shares of Salesforce in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Salesforce from $245.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Salesforce from $248.00 to $268.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Salesforce from $250.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Finally, Northland Securities increased their price target on shares of Salesforce from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, September 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating, twenty-five have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $242.28. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Salesforce Salesforce Profile (Free Report) Salesforce, Inc provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. The company's service includes sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and relationship intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer service and support at scale. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CRM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Salesforce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Salesforce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. KG&L Capital Management LLC lessened its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 13.7% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 46,469 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 7,366 shares during the quarter. Pfizer accounts for 0.8% of KG&L Capital Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,704,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. 25 LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Freedom Wealth Alliance LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Macroview Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Pfizer by 70.0% during the 1st quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 962 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 396 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. purchased a new position in Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at about $50,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.05% of the companys stock. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Trading Up 3.4 % Shares of PFE stock opened at $33.17 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $187.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 2.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $31.77 and a fifty-two week high of $54.93. The firms 50 day moving average price is $35.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.46. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.10. Pfizer had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 28.36%. The firm had revenue of $12.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.36 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.04 earnings per share. Pfizers revenue was down 54.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 3.33 EPS for the current year. Several research firms have weighed in on PFE. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $62.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $40.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Credit Suisse Group downgraded shares of Pfizer from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $47.00 to $40.00 in a report on Thursday, June 29th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, August 17th. They set a hold rating for the company. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $46.35. Get Our Latest Research Report on Pfizer Pfizer Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS Free Report) by 10.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 51,000 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 4,800 shares during the quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement Systems holdings in Webster Financial were worth $1,925,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WBS. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Webster Financial during the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. AllSquare Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Webster Financial in the first quarter valued at $35,000. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in Webster Financial by 305.8% in the first quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 905 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 682 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 113.9% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,074 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 572 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP grew its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 209.8% during the first quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,227 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 831 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.37% of the companys stock. Get Webster Financial alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes WBS has been the topic of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Webster Financial from $42.00 to $46.00 in a report on Thursday, June 29th. Seaport Res Ptn reissued a buy rating on shares of Webster Financial in a research report on Tuesday, September 12th. Raymond James lifted their target price on Webster Financial from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, July 24th. Wedbush raised their price target on Webster Financial from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, July 21st. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Webster Financial from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $51.80. Webster Financial Stock Up 1.8 % WBS stock opened at $40.31 on Friday. Webster Financial Co. has a twelve month low of $31.03 and a twelve month high of $56.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stocks 50 day moving average is $42.96 and its 200-day moving average is $39.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.98 billion, a PE ratio of 7.68 and a beta of 1.28. Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 20th. The financial services provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $673.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $690.83 million. Webster Financial had a return on equity of 13.68% and a net margin of 26.69%. Webster Financials quarterly revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.29 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Webster Financial Co. will post 5.94 EPS for the current fiscal year. Webster Financial Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 16th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 2nd were given a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 1st. Webster Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 30.48%. About Webster Financial (Free Report) Webster Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Webster Bank, National Association that provides a range of financial services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. It operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, HSA Bank, and Consumer Banking. The Commercial Banking segment provides commercial real estate and equipment financing, business banking, asset-based lending, and commercial services; public sector finance; mortgage warehouse financing; treasury management services; credit, deposit, and cash flow management services; and wealth management solutions to business owners and operators, including trust, asset management, financial planning, insurance, retirement, and investment products, as well as derivative, treasury, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and trade products and services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Webster Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Webster Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Physicians Realty Trust (NYSE:DOC Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Hold from the ten brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have issued a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $15.82. Several equities analysts have issued reports on DOC shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Physicians Realty Trust in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Physicians Realty Trust from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Monday, August 7th. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Physicians Realty Trust from $15.00 to $14.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 22nd. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $14.50 price target on shares of Physicians Realty Trust in a research report on Thursday, July 20th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of Physicians Realty Trust in a research report on Wednesday, August 16th. Get Physicians Realty Trust alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Physicians Realty Trust Insider Activity Hedge Funds Weigh In On Physicians Realty Trust In other news, SVP Laurie P. Becker sold 22,322 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.47, for a total value of $300,677.34. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 55,776 shares in the company, valued at $751,302.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . In other Physicians Realty Trust news, SVP Laurie P. Becker sold 22,322 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.47, for a total value of $300,677.34. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 55,776 shares in the company, valued at approximately $751,302.72. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, Director Albert Black, Jr. bought 2,264 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 12th. The stock was bought at an average price of $13.26 per share, with a total value of $30,020.64. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 101,472 shares in the company, valued at $1,345,518.72. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . Company insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock. Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of DOC. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Physicians Realty Trust by 527.0% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,889,863 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $67,878,000 after acquiring an additional 3,269,484 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in Physicians Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $34,988,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Physicians Realty Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $27,734,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in Physicians Realty Trust by 88.2% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,572,415 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $53,336,000 after acquiring an additional 1,674,012 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp increased its holdings in Physicians Realty Trust by 16.3% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 11,341,180 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $201,488,000 after purchasing an additional 1,591,038 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.51% of the companys stock. Physicians Realty Trust Stock Performance Shares of Physicians Realty Trust stock opened at $12.19 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $2.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.02, a PEG ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 0.83. The firms 50-day moving average is $13.67 and its 200 day moving average is $14.06. Physicians Realty Trust has a 1 year low of $11.79 and a 1 year high of $16.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 3.51 and a quick ratio of 3.51. Physicians Realty Trust Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 3rd will be issued a $0.23 dividend. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.55%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, October 2nd. Physicians Realty Trusts payout ratio is presently 219.05%. Physicians Realty Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report Physicians Realty Trust is a self-managed health care real estate company organized to acquire, selectively develop, own, and manage health care properties that are leased to physicians, hospitals, and health care delivery systems. The Company invests in real estate that is integral to providing high quality health care. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Physicians Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Physicians Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Toho Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:TKCOF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 418,000 shares, a decline of 16.4% from the August 31st total of 499,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4,180.0 days. Toho Stock Performance Toho stock opened at $37.17 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $38.46 and a 200-day moving average of $37.81. Toho has a twelve month low of $33.66 and a twelve month high of $41.46. Get Toho alerts: Toho Company Profile (Get Free Report) Further Reading Toho Co, Ltd. engages in the motion picture, theatrical production, and real estate businesses in Japan. It is involved in producing, buying/selling, and renting movies; producing and selling television programs, movie pamphlets, and video software; and business related to merchandising rights, and other activities. Receive News & Ratings for Toho Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toho and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Target Co. (NYSE:TGT Get Free Report) have received an average rating of Hold from the thirty-one research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Eighteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and thirteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $157.57. Several brokerages recently weighed in on TGT. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on shares of Target from $185.00 to $168.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 17th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $161.00 target price on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Daiwa Capital Markets downgraded shares of Target from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $134.00 target price for the company. in a report on Tuesday, August 22nd. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Target from $145.00 to $135.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of Target from $190.00 to $165.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 1st. Get Target alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Target Target Stock Up 0.9 % Shares of NYSE TGT opened at $110.57 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Target has a 12-month low of $108.15 and a 12-month high of $181.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.01. The firms 50-day moving average price is $125.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $139.71. Target (NYSE:TGT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 16th. The retailer reported $1.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.41 by $0.39. The firm had revenue of $24.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.18 billion. Target had a net margin of 3.12% and a return on equity of 29.43%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.39 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Target will post 7.58 EPS for the current fiscal year. Target Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, December 10th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 15th will be paid a $1.10 dividend. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.98%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 14th. Targets dividend payout ratio is presently 60.44%. Insider Activity at Target In other news, insider Brian C. Cornell sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.70, for a total transaction of $3,921,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 399,669 shares in the company, valued at $52,236,738.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.23% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Target Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Plancorp LLC raised its position in shares of Target by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Plancorp LLC now owns 2,520 shares of the retailers stock worth $535,000 after buying an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Field & Main Bank raised its stake in Target by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 10,082 shares of the retailers stock valued at $1,670,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Altus Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in Target by 4.3% during the 1st quarter. Altus Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,594 shares of the retailers stock valued at $264,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Avidian Wealth Solutions LLC raised its stake in shares of Target by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Avidian Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 5,230 shares of the retailers stock valued at $866,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rowland & Co. Investment Counsel ADV increased its position in shares of Target by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. Rowland & Co. Investment Counsel ADV now owns 4,565 shares of the retailers stock worth $756,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.33% of the companys stock. About Target (Get Free Report Target Corporation operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. The company offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, and infants and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes; and beauty and personal care, baby gear, cleaning, paper products, and pet supplies. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Target Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Target and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lessened its stake in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Free Report) by 7.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 44,400 shares of the banks stock after selling 3,400 shares during the quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement Systems holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $1,977,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BK. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Bank of New York Mellon by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,856 shares of the banks stock worth $630,000 after acquiring an additional 224 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 12,274 shares of the banks stock valued at $558,000 after purchasing an additional 241 shares in the last quarter. Clarius Group LLC raised its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Clarius Group LLC now owns 11,300 shares of the banks stock valued at $513,000 after purchasing an additional 242 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 14,451 shares of the banks stock valued at $717,000 after purchasing an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hexagon Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 27.0% in the 1st quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,213 shares of the banks stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 258 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.29% of the companys stock. Get Bank of New York Mellon alerts: Bank of New York Mellon Price Performance Shares of BK opened at $42.65 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $33.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.43, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $44.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $43.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 12 month low of $36.22 and a 12 month high of $52.26. Bank of New York Mellon Increases Dividend Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 18th. The bank reported $1.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $4.45 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.37 billion. Bank of New York Mellon had a return on equity of 11.88% and a net margin of 10.95%. The firms revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.15 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 4.84 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 28th were paid a $0.42 dividend. This is a boost from Bank of New York Mellons previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 27th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.94%. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio is presently 48.98%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on BK shares. StockNews.com started coverage on Bank of New York Mellon in a research report on Thursday, August 17th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on Bank of New York Mellon from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 19th. Citigroup lowered their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $58.00 to $55.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Bank of New York Mellon from $49.00 to $48.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $53.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Bank of New York Mellon Insider Transactions at Bank of New York Mellon In other news, insider Kurtis R. Kurimsky sold 14,045 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.64, for a total value of $641,013.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 23,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,086,962.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP J Kevin Mccarthy sold 35,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.33, for a total value of $1,621,550.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 98,102 shares in the company, valued at $4,545,065.66. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Kurtis R. Kurimsky sold 14,045 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.64, for a total value of $641,013.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 23,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,086,962.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock. About Bank of New York Mellon (Free Report) The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bank of New York Mellon Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of New York Mellon and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.